A Post... Finally!

Just a short post at that, though. It is late and I'm exhausted. I worked and then came home and cleaned. It's been a full day. Our next "batch" of company arrives tomorrow and that should be fun. So, I'll be tied up until Saturday afternoon.

I was very happy to have gotten a chance to straighten my room tonight. As I made my bed with clean sheets, I was smiling from ear to ear. I guess I was too proud of myself, though! I just finished putting on the top quilt, stood back, and then realized that I put the fitted sheet on completely inside out. Normally, my "Prednisone mannerisms" would want everything to be completely correct, but I'm (fortunately?) too tired to re-do the work. Besides, I'm about to get go to bed anyways. *grin*

Several of my friends have asked, so I will tell you. "Baby Eva" (as Annelise calls her) is adorable, as expected. Even though she weighed 9lbs. 7oz. at birth, she seems so petite to me. Yes, she does have darker skin and hair than the other children. There's only one picture of her and me together at present and it's not a very good photo, but I did post it below. It was taken on Sunday. I did get to hold her for a short while yesterday and that was such a treat. I love the softness and smell of newborn baby skin!

Still Waiting...

The newest Campbell has not arrived yet. So, please continue to pray for a safe and quick delivery. It's amazing to think that in just four years (since Colin got married), our immediate family has doubled in size from five members to ten. The Lord's blessings are abundant!

In the meantime before the baby is born, we are getting home projects completed. Next week (Lord willing) we are going to have a mini-family reunion at our home with aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. And there's nothing like company to get things done around the house! We want our home to be pleasant, comfortable, and welcoming for our guests. It's also a satisfying feeling to stand back and see the finished product of our labor.

Health-Free Days

I've been enjoying another stretch of good days. The health issues have been minimal and the joys abundant. Friday's Remicade treatment was the only health-related event in the past week that was very challenging. Since that time, I've been working to rid my body of the excess salt and I seem to be making progress.

Planning and hosting Qavah's Birthday celebration filled our home with excitement all during the week. Even the weather cooperated with the festivities! Incidently, I've taken advantage of the cooler temperatures by leaving my bedroom window open at night. During the day, Qavah and Annelise enjoyed frolicking and swinging outside. Of course, Qavah's actual Birthday party was so much fun!

Last week, Grandmom and I also had our harp lessons. While I don't always feel like I'm improving from one lesson to the next or practicing enough, I do enjoy my instrument alot. Sometimes I stare at the harp as I fall asleep, because it's a reminder of the strength, grace, and love God bestows upon my life.

Looking ahead, all of us are "on call" as Jennifer's due date approaches. She is due July twenty eighth, but really, she could go into labor anytime. Each time the phone rings, I wait with eager anticipation to see if it's "the call" from Colin and Jennifer. I know that when the baby is born, the timing will be perfect, because that moment has already been ordained by the Lord. Still though, I hope the baby is born soon!

Weekend In Review (With Pictures)

This past weekend was devoted to family. Friday, Mom and I cleaned the house. I like working together to accomplish such tasks, although it always amazes me how dirty a house can be even though we try to "tidy up" before going to bed each evening! Friday night and Saturday, we babysat Annelise and Nehemiah. I am enjoying this stage in their lives, because their personalities are more evident than ever before. Annelise can articulate her thoughts and feelings with words that are complex and descriptive. Nehemiah, in his own way, let's us know what he wants, too. He likes to play with balls!

Anyway, this weekend was so warm that we got out our pool. All three children played in it and splashed around. Even Nehemiah had fun! I sat in the shade and snapped some pictures while I observed the action. In case you're wondering, that I.V. poll is Paul Burton's. After Mom said that the children needed shade, Dad rigged up an umbrella to the poll. I love having smart and creative parents!

Yesterday afternoon, I watched a movie with Mom and Qavah titled The Prince and the Pauper. We discovered the movie on Netflix, but it was actually a Hallmark made-for-television movie. Apparently, Mark Twain wrote the story. The movie was just a little over an hour long, but I do recommend renting it! Qavah liked the story so much that she watched it again today!

Last night, Mom, Dad, Qavah, and I went to the Salem Fair. There were only a few farm animals to pet and most of the 4-H exhibits were closed, because it was the last night of the Fair. However, Qavah did get to have a pony ride on a real horse! At one point while we were walking around, we spotted an acrobat show involving two "pirates" and "mermaids". Qavah sat on Dad's shoulders and I used my digital camera (which has 10x zoom), so we could capture the show. Qavah liked the pirates' sword fight, while I was mesmerized with the shear courage and steadiness of the acrobats doing their stunts. After we left the Fair, we enjoyed a dessert at Dairy Queen.

My favorite part of this past weekend was being together with my family while experiencing very little physical pain. I know these "good" times may not always exist, so I'm truly thankful to the Lord for the days filled with family events instead of medicines, doctors, and hospital visits.

Mini Paragraph Randomness

Well, the comment system seems to be working again. Yeah! However, in the process of fixing the comments, my blog links disappeared. I tried to remember which blogs I was subscribed to, but it was hard to remember. So, if you are a friend and don't see your blog listed, feel free to let me know and I'll (probably) add the website address to my blog links on the sidebar. Then, I think I need a break from computer-related updates, bugs, and viruses.

Did you notice that today's date is 07-08-09? On average, I probably write the date twenty (or more) times a day. Normally, I write the date 07/08/2009, but today's pattern still jumped out at me. I guess I really can have fun with numbers. *grin*

I'm shopping and visiting with my friend, Fairlight, tonight. Maybe, just maybe, I'll remember to take a picture of us together. Tomorrow afternoon, I have an appointment with my GI doctor. I hope it goes well. I haven't seen him for several months.

Technology Woes

Sometimes I want to tell the technology geeks out there (I confess I am one of them), "If it's not broken, then don't tinker with it!" Google has teamed up with YouTube. Google also changed the display of their online email client (program). It has added new features to Blogger, too. While Google and Gmail are still some of the better internet programs available, all of these changes have created havoc on my computer and online blogger systems. It's just plain irritating.

On a happier note, my family used Skype last night to talk and "see" some friends that had recently moved out west to Idaho. Our long-distance conversation was alot of fun and uplifting! I eventually went to bed, but Mom and Dad visited awhile more via Skype. They even had a prayer time together. So, I guess technology is sometimes good and useful... you just have to know when to quit updating the invention.

Smile! You Are On...

Last week our family friends, the Pensacks, visited us. Their daughter Laura is a budding photographer, so we had a photoshoot in our very own backyard on a warm, summery afternoon. Although Qavah and I were the main ones being photographed, everyone got involved. The men graciously carried the props down to the middle of the yard. Then the moms assisted Laura with setting up the layout before each click of the camera.

This photoshoot was what I like to call "an event". The end result of Laura's creativity was a lot of beautiful pictures and many happy memories. Thank you to the Pensacks for blessing our family! Below is a "snapshot" of the three hundred pictures Laura captured (this is just a slideshow with no audio):