a day to celebrate!

My dad is celebrating another year today! I'm not going to say how old, not because he cares, but because next year will be a big decade change, and it sort of makes me sad that my dad is getting older!

He is definitely a man worthy to celebrate. His life has been so good and full of the best things...lots of good people, good work being done in the world, and a family that he loves and loves him back.

So Happy Birthday Dad! I say next year you take the family on an Alaskan cruise to celebrate! What do you say?!!

and we're off...

Today I have 20 summer staff arriving for leadership training. Then on Wednesday, 50 more college age students will join them. All in all, we will share 12 intensive days together, building community, preparing for campers, readying our hearts for camper Bible study and all of the late night conversations and questions that so faithfully surface at camp. We will go over emergency procedures, songs, crafts, hiking trails, tips for cooking over a fire, game leadership and general tips on how to be a good counselor. We will talk about difficult campers, and how we lovingly discipline and remain in control of kids who might be a bit trickier to love for six days. We will plan skits and worships, devotions, storm procedures, improv games and walk through how to greet campers and their parents, assuring them that they have one jam-packed, super-fun week ahead. We will have swim tests, boating orientation, high ropes orientation and horse orientation. We will be very, very tired when it is all over.

I have been lining up all of our speakers and presenters, session topics and locations. And you know what? I'm feeling ready. Which is saying a whole lot. Because I am usually quite the worried and anxious woman. But it dawned on me today that this will be my fourth year leading a 12 day staff training. I led two years at Mount Carmel and this will be my second year at Carol Joy Holling.

Going through my "staff training" file, I found all sorts of agenda's, email copies and hand-written notes-to-self that say "remember for 2008..." And after going through that file, I just felt confident. It's amazing how after four years of something, you actually do start to get the hang of it! Surely there will be unexpected challenges and things that come up. But you can't prepare for all of that, except just in knowing, those challenges will come each year and I can deal.

So keep us in your prayers. I'm moving to camp on Wednesday and plan on considering this time as a 10-day trip for work. Rory will come and visit and I plan on getting away for an afternoon or two. But this way I have a bed at camp for napping and can be present for our 7:30am-10:00pm day of events.

the turnip is legit!

We just go back from church and lots of people pointed out my belly! I think it's for real this time. I have fallen for a baby bump many, many times during these first four months, always to watch it disappear by the morning.

But on Wednesday, Rory pointed it out that my bump was a bit more round and distinguished. So I went to look in the mirror. He came in the bathroom with me and said, "suck it in as hard as you can this time." So I did, and much of my tummy didn't go anywhere. Then I let it out and he said, "careful not to shake the baby!"

I am so glad I just got that story written out.

On Friday I asked my boss, Pastor Brad, if he could tell, and he claimed he couldn't...but I think that is just a wise thing to say if you are a guy and a girl asks you if you think her tummy is getting bigger.

But, here's the kicker: when I lay down now, it still bumps up. Even last weekend, it would disappear the moment I lay on my back, but now it's got some height all of its own.

So the turnip is here. Hooray for the baby bump!

my belly

My cousin, Kristin, emailed me yesterday asking when I'd post pics of my growing belly. The truth is, we haven't even taken a picture yet, because there isn't a whole lot to show for these first four months and one week. But I've heard from everyone that this is quite common for a first baby. Annika said people (other than friends and family who already knew) couldn't tell she was pregnant until about six months.

Rory and I can tell though. My body has changed greatly, even though I can still wear all of my normal pants. In most outfits this little bump is covered, so for these pictures, I chose a strategic tank top and sweater top that I thought would highlight my little bump nicely.

My guess is that one of these days I will wake up and it will be much, much bigger. But it's also funny just not knowing how I'll end up carrying this thing. For now, I'm feeling good, healthy, strong and love that my baby is now the size of a turnip (even though I had to google what a turnip looks like...)

claire helen's emails

My niece, Claire Helen, has her own email account. Obviously this is completely supervised by her folks, but I LOVE getting emails from her, and then replying directly to her (again, through her mom or dad...)

Today I woke up to this note in my inbox:
Hi Becca-
What do you think you want to name your baby? I think if it's a girl you can name it Betsy or Tacey. If it's a boy, you can name it Tom. Or Jasper.
Love, Claire

I love that I was able to just hit reply and send her a little note and know that at some point today, she'll read my message too. It absolves me of my aunty-guilt that wishes I sent more fun packages (well, any fun packages) and surprise notes in the mail.