Thu, Nov 4, 200410:50 AMWow! that month flew by didn’t it? It’s hard to believe I didn’t have time to post any “latest news”, but then again, this sweet little dimpled darling does take up more time than I would have imagined. Right now, the latest news is that we are moving. We are in the process of updating the farm house to make it more “ours” & then will be actually moving in about 2 weeks. It is a lot of work to pack & all with a wee one in tow.

In other fronts, Aviana went with us to vote. I think she learned a lot about her rights as an American citizen and the polling process in general. 🙂Thu, Nov 4, 200411:32 AMOk I have to tell this… Last night I took Aviana to make a tinkle & so she wasn’t wearing a diaper, & she didn’t go, so I took her out to the dining room to say hi to her daddy, whom she hadn’t seen all night since she was sleeping ( & had a nice long nap). I’m holding her facing outwards, and so her daddy starts talking to her & making eyes at her and suddenly, she pees a gallon all over him! It was so funny, but I felt bad! Oh well, if he can help a cow give birth, he can handle his daughters pee!Fri, Nov 12, 20049:12 AMI really shouldn’t write much since I need to capitalize on the times when Aviana is sleeping & I still need to make a pie, pack for this weekend, comb my hair, pick up the house, finish the laundry, … I don’t know how I ever worked full time. Actually, having Aviana is such a blessing, I am learning so much about patience, and letting things go. For instance, I could never stop in the middle of something, like if I was reading, I would have to finish the chapter, or I would have to complete my scrapbook layout that I was working on. Now, I can drop everything and not get back to it for days; she & her needs are that paramount in my list of priorities.

Last Saturday we had the BEST gift- a bunch of our friends -organized by my dear sister- came out to the farm to clean up. We got pretty much everything out of the upstairs, now it’s sitting in the garage. We tore down the wallpaper in the living room -& it’s a big room. And for our surprise project, we tore into the bathroom. I was going to just paint the walls & the tile & we were going to replace the medicine cabinet & vanity, but my brother in law & other handy friends thought that it would be easier to take off the tile & put up new drywall. It is going to look FAN-tabulous. It is so exciting!! I finally have my own house that I can decorate however we want. We are so fortunate to have a house like this that has so much fun potential, and goes with the farm & is in such good condition. I love old homes & this one is over 150 years. We’ll probably move Thanksgiving weekend, so we have a lot of work to do before then. So not that I’ve had a lot of free time since Sweet Baby A came along, but now I have even less! It’s all good though since it’s fun to see your idea come to fruition. Fri, Nov 19, 20042:20 AMAviana went to her first farm sale today (she decided to pass on the $33,000 planter and the $3200 grain wagons -they are center dump anyway and we turn up our noses at center dump grain wagons) and on her umpteenth trip to Menard’s. She gets bored and always falls asleep at Menard’s.

We bought so much stuff it barely fit in the truck! It was raining, but fortunately the shower and sink were waterproof.

We have had a busy week working on the farm house. Since Leah organized some people to come out & help us last Sat we had a terrific catalyst to get us going. We have our room all painted up. We have the study painted and just need to do the trim. We are putting up drywall (actually Tony is mostly in charge of that!) & taking down wallpaper in the bathroom, maybe putting a new floor down, putting in a new vanity & medicine cabinet, & painting walls, cabinets & ceiling. We have the wallpaper stripped from the living room & dining room. We still have a ways to go, but we’re still planning on moving next Saturday. We are SO NOT packed up in this house- I don’t know how we’re going to do it! But it will all get done eventually.

Aviana is doing great and is truly a joy to be around. It took awhile before I could honestly say that, but now I adore her more than ever. She still has her moments when I gladly pawn her off to any warm body, but they are fewer than in her first three months.

I can’t believe I am still up. I have had such a busy week, I guess I haven’t had any time to myself. Happy Friday, one and all!
Sun, Nov 21, 20041:29 AMAviana is four months old! Can you believe it? I know I hardly can! We ‘celebrated’ over at Grandma & Grandpa Holst’s because Kevin’s cousin Dan is here from NC, so it was a good excuse to see the family & eat some ‘za. We got to see Beth & baby Rebecca too. Rebecca was born on Aviana’s due date, which I just think is pretty swell.

We went to the Holiday Pops Concert last night & got mentioned in the article that was on the front page of the Times! Aviana did not seem to enjoy the music- or maybe it was the dark- or maybe it was being so high up in the stadium- or maybe she is teething- or… who really knows?! Regardless, it was good to be out. (Don’t you think it’s weird that regardless & irregardless mean the same thing?) Ok enough with the late night rambling!
Thu, Nov 25, 20048:11 PMThanksgiving is a time of quiet reflection… an annual reminder that God has, again, been ever so faithful. The solid and simple things of life are brought into clear focus. –Charles R Swindoll

I’m thankful for my loving husband and healthy daughter. I’m thankful for my caring family. For fat purring green eyed calico cats. For being able to be part of farm life and help this ancient profession fufill its role in the continuum. For freshly fallen snow. For cows outside my bedroom window. For new homes and new starts. For a full refrigerator and warm feet. For new paint. I’ll stop there, but most of all, I’m thankful that God chose to save the world by sending His Son to die for us. All you have to do is ask Him to live in your heart and live His Way.
Tue, Nov 30, 20048:21 PMWe are moved in! It took several pickup loads and several trips with the livestock trailer (that’s how you move when you’re a farm girl) in the windy rainy cold, but we did it! Many thanks to those who helped us. It was exciting to sleep over here- & weird for Kevin who grew up in this house. The other day we were driving home & he started to drive past! It’s been the folk’s house for so long it will take awhile to sink in that it is ours now. I’ve got the kitchen and our room all in order (basically) and the study is mostly ready-Kevin hooked up the ‘puter today. YAY! We primed the dining room tonight so may get the first coat on that tomorrow. We were so blessed to be able to find a used Thomasville dining room set at an incredibly reasonable price. Too bad we still have no sink in our bathroom, but brushing our teeth in the kitchen ain’t so bad! I have yet to shower in the cellar tho’; I’ve been going over to the folk’s new house… I even baked cookies & made homemade cocoa today. I guess that’s about all that’s going on in the H House, so Peaches & I are going to bed. ( I started calling Aviana that recently because of the peach fuzz on her head)