Rockin' and Rollin'

Hey everyone,

I just have a minute to write and tell you that Natalie rolled over for the first time tonight from back to belly. She was with her Daddy and her pacifier fell out of her mouth. She tried to get it and ended up rolling over. Now that she discovered she can do this, she has rolled over five more times. No more laying on the couch for this baby. :) I was in my Bible Study when she did this and we were wrapping up so Chris brought her in and laid her in the middle of all of us. When she rolled over again we all laughed and clapped, which scared her. So she rolled back onto her back and started crying. I'm hoping she'll do it again without the audience. Her daycare worker is in my Bible Study and was almost as excited as I was, which is always a comfort for mommy. This picture was taken on Sunday. She is in a six month dress...growing like a weed. We love you all! ~Allison

Cigarretes, Diesel Fuel, and Love was in the air.

When you husband is a pastor you find yourself in all sorts of unique situations. Tonight was no exception. Chris was performing an outdoor wedding. The couple proclaimed to him several months ago that it would be a "redneck wedding."
The evening started with us bundling up Natalie to be outside in fairly chilly, rainy weather. We got out of the car and my eyes settled on the groomsmen. All of them wearing camoflauge shirts with hunter orange ties. Immediatly behind them, at the "altar" were five deer antlers with orange flowers interlaced around them. That's about when I saw two groomsmen carring an elk antler up to the front to join the party. It was so big that I was afraid it would poke Chris in the butt. I had visions of trying to explain such a medical bill to workmens comp. The mood was fun and lighthearted as people trickled to the park. I listened as the father of the groom explained he would not wear any tie, but he was nice enough to wear his camo shirt and orange hat so he matched the wedding party. I saw the bridesmaids exit the camper where they got ready. They were wearing bright orange spaghetti strap dresses. One of them had jet black hair on half her head and platinum blonde on the other. After the groomsmen and bridesmaids walked up I kept searching for the bride. And just when I thought it couldn't get more entertaining, her mother drives her up in a LARGE chevy diesel engine truck. Mom gets out first and opens the door for the bride. She was wearing a beautiful wedding gown. But, I couldn't see her face, it was covered by her camoflouge veil. It looked like a bad movie. It was a mixture of wedding and funeral. When she got closer to the crowd, her mom lifted her veil off her face. She was indeed a pretty girl. Pretty interesting. And the regular pretty. She walked up the isle with her mom while her brother played here comes the bride from the picnic shelter on his electric guitar wearing his Ted Nugent hat. The ceremonty itself was uneventful. Chris didn't get poked in the bottom with any antlers and they got married. After the wedding I kept searching for a spot where Natalie wouldn't be breathing in smoke. I couldn't find one. Remember, this was an outdoor wedding. :) They rode to the reception on a flat bed pulled by a truck. They sat on hay and drug beer cans behind them. It was beautiful. The reception was complete with pork barbeque and a wedding cake where the top was the bride dragging the groom. There was orange and camo everywhere. Since the beer was flowing freely we decided to leave with Natalie before the party got too wild. We couldn't find the groom, but we were able to say bye to the bride. She stopped smoking long enough to talk. I must honestly say I wasn't listening to her becuase I couldn't stop staring at her cigarette pack. It was tucked nicely in dress right between her breasts.
If you will now join us in prayer:
Dear Father,
Please don't let Natalie remember any of this wedding. And please be with the starving pigamies down there in New Guinea. Amen.

bittersweet

We've had a bittersweet night at our house. It is pouring the rain and the wind is a constant howl. Natalie is sleeing soundly in her daddy's arms and the satalite is out. Daddy is sleeping too, so here I sit. I am somewhat sad because tonight, Chris and I packed up most of Natalie's 0-3 months clothes. She is so long that she is just one inch from nine month clothes, but so slender that her weight is still 0-3 months. But alas we can't snap the clothes any more so we must go with her height. Everyone said she would change quickly. I believed them. And she is. She is smiling now and crying louder. She recognizes us and her two dogs. She is a Daddy's girl and likes her Mommy's milk a lot. She has captured our hearts in unimaginable ways. My mom always told me that I would not be able to understand her love for me until I had a daughter of my own. It amazes me that she loves me this much. I ached this week for that mom in Missouri whose daughter was kidnapped. I cringe at the news when they speak of daycare abuse and parental abuse. I wrap her up in my arms and pray for her. I never paid much attention to the news or world events until a few months ago. Now I find myself hoping and praying she can grow up in a free country, not in fear of terrorists or sterotyping a group of people because of similar religious beliefs. I see everything differently and I'm trying to wipe my eyes because right now it's all foggy. I knew our lives would never be the same. I just had no idea that unconditional love would be so easy and would trigger so many other emotions. Every day I give her to the God who created her, named her, and loves her mom and her more then anyone else ever could. He can take care of her far better then me. I'm just so grateful that He allows her to live at our house. Hopefully she will love it here and love us. But more then that we hope and pray she loves Him.

I blame Megan

So I blame Megan for this blog site. I have resisted it, but after reading her many posts, I have decided to try it. I miss her and I check her site all the time to feel close to her. She is one of those friends that you are always close to, no matter how long it has been since we talked. I miss my friends, Iowa isn't a place crawling with people in their twenties. God has His reasons and I cannot be of use to Him where I am not. So He must have a use for me here. I'm keeping this short because it is my first blog and because Natalie is crying. Here is to a great day and to a God who loves us despite ourselves!