So, I realize I am WAY behind when it comes to blogging- but the short version is: We are going to have a baby!!! Baby boy, Sawyer Benjamin, is estimated to be born sometime around February 7, 2012, and we couldn’t be more thrilled !!

Needless to say, I am looking very pregnant these days. Still can’t get used to taking pictures of myself…so the “baby bump” pictures have been pretty few and far between. But we are working hard getting things ready- hoping my energy will hold out for a while longer, at least until we can get the nursery finished. I guess we shall see!

He walked through the door on Tuesday afternoon with these in his hand.

Being the amazing husband that he is, and that I am so undeserving of, he actually brings me flowers “just because” quite frequently.  While I just love flowers in general, these may just be my favorite that he has ever given me, for several reasons.

When he brought them home they were mostly buds, but as the days have passed the different colored lilies have gradually opened beautifully. Love the anticipation with these (and the longevity)! And they just look cheerful and “Summer-y”.

Lilies always remind me of our rehearsal dinner and our sweet niece, too! So many reasons to enjoy these!

Those of you that were at our wedding may remember one of the songs that we included in our ceremony, called  ”There is a Fountain”. We love this song, and we have a special appreciation for the songwriter, William Cowper. Cowper was someone who battled depression on and off throughout his life, yet was able to counsel himself and others with truths such as, ”The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day, and there may I, though vile as he, wash all my sins away.” He is a testimony to the fact that it is God who gives us the endurance to run the race.

It is Cowper who also penned the words to the poem, “God Moves in A Mysterious Way”.  During these times of heavy-heartedness, when I am reminded of the brokenness of this world, God has encouraged me by bringing this poem to mind. Even in the midst of all of this “messiness”, it is God who is working His sovereign will, and we can rest in that.  This poem has truly a blessing to me, and I hope it is to you, too.

How to Take Christ Out of Christmas- by Steve McKinion

I am not much of a baker. In fact, I typically don’t like baking much at all because I find it to be quite restrictive . It is far more like chemistry than just regular cooking, so it doesn’t allow much room for me to put my own spin on it. Even so, I do like learning new things, trying new recipes, and I really like oh, pretty much every recipe that I have ever made from The Pioneer Woman. So, when I saw this recipe on her blog (and on her Throwdown with Bobby Flay!), I knew I wanted to give it a shot.  Plus, my Dad LOVES pecan pie– and Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day, after all!

Confession: I have never made pecan pie before, and when I read that you were supposed to put the pecans on the bottom of the pie and then pour the filling on top, it definitely threw me for a loop.  In theory, they are supposed to rise to the top as it cooks.  However, I made the filling in my beloved Kitchen Aid Mixer, and must have mixed too much air into the syrup.  Much to my chagrin, as it baked it developed this strange meringue-like layer on top.  But, that part ended up coming off with the tin-foil (whoops!) to reveal the lovely pecan layer below. I decided just to stick it back in the oven for about 15 more minutes to get the pecans good and toasted. Hopefully it worked .

Unfortunately, despite Ben’s valiant efforts to convince me otherwise, we will not be cutting into this guy until tomorrow.  So, I guess we won’t have a verdict on whether or not it is Thanksgiving-Table-Worthy until then. But, either way you cut it (sorry…I couldn’t resist), I had fun making it!

Back in April we decided that it was time for us to add another member to our own family as well…so we got a dog! She was almost 3 when we got her from Aaron and Carolyn, and we have enjoyed her tremendously.  We laugh at her more than we ever thought we would, and she has Ben wrapped around her little paw But shh, don’t tell him I told you.

Anyway, she is a 7 lb. Miniature Schnauzer, but she thinks she is a 100 lb. Lab. This dog will chase a ball ALL DAY. I kid you not. She is the entertainment of the neighborhood when Ben takes her outside to run the insanity out of her, as people cannot believe how much of a retriever she really is.  But she is a lot of fun and we are so glad to have her.

“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.  Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.  If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.  But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead…” (!)

So thankful to have a Risen Savior and to know that my greatest need is met in Him.

Speaking of TCC, the preaching pastor, Sean, just started a new sermon series this past Sunday called “Follower or Fiction”.  If you are interested in watching it, you can click here (for audio only, click here).  We are SO thankful to be part of this body of believers and can’t wait to get more plugged in.

Last weekend we attended the Redeeming the Realities of Marriage conference w/ Paul David Tripp at the Summit church.  It was so applicable to pretty much any relationship in life– not just marriage.  I would highly recommend ordering the DVD to anyone– single or married.  God has gifted that man tremendously with an ability to articulate Biblical insight into the human heart.  He does it in such a way that, while you are exposed your great need to be changed, you are encouraged by the fact that our God is faithful and gracious to produce lasting change in our hearts, through the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our every day lives.  Pretty exciting stuff!

On another exciting and refreshing note: SPRING IS HERE! OK, maybe it isn’t “officially” here until tomorrow…but close enough.  I spent last night watching NCAA basketball with Ben (yeah, we won’t talk about UNC being in the NIT– it just hurts too much right now) and reading the March editions of Southern Living and Better Homes and Gardens (thanks to my gracious Mother-In-Law ). And, it is safe to say that I definitely have the itch for Spring.

(Note: To say that I have the “itch”  is quite an understatement actually– but to say something stronger like I have the “leprosy” for Spring just sounds gross.  So we’ll stick with “itch”, I guess.)

Anyway,  anyone that knows me knows my love for cooking.  However, trying to cook from the pantry and the freezer all winter is, to me,  like trying to cook with your hands tied behind your back.  So, when springtime comes around, it means more than just fabulous warmer weather.

Springtime means fresh basil and homemade pesto.  It means picking buckets full of fresh strawberries and eating half of them before you even get them home.  It means fresh cilantro and homemade salsa.  It means trips to the farmers market on a sunny afternoon to buy fresh vegetables for dirt cheap– then taking them home and roasting them with fresh rosemary, roasted garlic and good olive oil.  And it means that summer cookouts, Vidalia onions, and juicy, flavorful tomatoes are just around the corner.

It means colorful meals like this (from foodtv.com):

Anyone else itching yet?

Ben and I celebrated our first anniversary at the beginning of August by going to Charleston for a long weekend.  I LOVE CHARLESTON. It’s so fun because it’s like going back in time (minus slavery and the Civil War– of course!).  I think it would be fun to sit on my piazza in one of those huge dresses, fanning myself and drinking sweet tea Ok, maybe only for a day or so, because I am sure those dresses were not very comfortable.  But, I do wish I had that deep southern “Gone-With-the-Wind”-kind-of drawl that is just so hard to come by when you live in Raleigh, NC.  Oh well.

On the way into Charleston, we stopped at Shem Creek (per the recommendation of a couple of experienced excursionists) and had some good food with a great view! I watched the dolphins, while Ben admired the boats We really want to go back and go kayaking through there…it looks like it would be so much fun!

After lunch and exploring Shem Creek, we walked through downtown Charleston, admired all of the architecture, and spent some time at the Battery.  I also developed quite an infatuation with all of the ironwork, but I will spare you and only post some of my favorites.

It was a great trip and we were sad to leave and come back to “real life”…but we do hope to go back again soon!

“After all…tomorrow is another day.”

Sorry. But can’t promise things will change in the near future.

Ok, so we have actually been pretty busy this summer. We went Camping to Linville Gorge in June. A couple of really fun weekends in Charlotte to Celebrate “The Moore’s” in July. Charleston and moving in August. Whew.

I’ll just leave you with some of the camping pics (and Ben’s bird legs ) to get this rewind started.

Ben always likes to take pictures of the signs. All of them.

This is basically a playground. Slide on the right. Rope swing on the left. Pool in the middle. A freezing cold pool in the middle, to be exact.

I promised you the bird legs, and I did not disappoint. He was climbing up to the rope swing, and I thought it was funny

Me Tarzan. You Jane. (and no, that's not a speedo, in case you even considered thinking that)

The View from (of?) Hawksbill

Ben and I at Linville Falls

Maybe this is why they call it "Table Rock"?!?

Either way, its a great view!

We had a great time and we hope to go again in the fall