I was just looking at some photos we took in India earlier this year. Found some of Greg that made me smile. This guy could totally make it living in India long-term. He’s got it in his blood.
personal
labor day fishing.
The hubster and I whisked ourselves away to the beach for this past Labor Day weekend. What we encountered? Wonderful Family. Great Friends. Beautiful Ocean. Big Waves. Tasty Grilled Food from a Grill Master. Delicious Hand-Dipped Mocha Chip Icecream. Savory Seafood. Relaxing Fishing.
A little more about the relaxing fishing… I really hope Greg and I find a steady place to fish sometime in the near future. It’s something we both love doing. This past weekend we got the chance to visit some family friends, Terry and Ellen, who live on the water. And when I say “live on the water”…I mean, live on the water. Their house is right on the edge of the Chincoteague waters, and standing in their home and looking outside their great big bay windows feel as if you are standing on a boat and looking out across the water. Terry and Ellen also have a great dock where they park their boat, go crabbing, and go fishing. Sooo relaxing to just sit out on the dock, watch the water, and fish to your hearts content. I caught two! Two small ones.
Not that I’ve caught many fish in my lifetime or anything, but I do feel like fishing comes naturally to me. I feel like I can sense when a fishy is sneakily taking tidbit bites of my bait — and that’s when I go in for the kill and reel that baby in. I love watching Greg throw his line out across the many waters, it always goes so so far.
I also realized during that time that it’s nice when you have a husband that reminds you of Huck Finn. : ) Thanks to my sister-in-law who took these fabulous photos! Thanks Beth!
the “ings” about me this day.
Making: a baby quilt out of indian fabrics
Cooking: up baby smith handmade projects
Drinking: chocolate soy milk
Reading: Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth
Wanting: a Sundance four poster bed
Looking: for muslin baby bath towels…I hate the terry cloth ones
Playing: with the idea of going with a natural childbirth
Wasting: time when I could be sewing
Sewing: handmade baby bibs
Wishing: for my own custom clothing labels
Enjoying: the cool, cool weather that September always brings
Waiting: for some organic baby kimonos to go on sale
Wondering: about who my baby will look like
Loving: clean, fresh openweave cotton
Drinking: chocolate soy milk
Reading: Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth
Wanting: a Sundance four poster bed
Looking: for muslin baby bath towels…I hate the terry cloth ones
Playing: with the idea of going with a natural childbirth
Wasting: time when I could be sewing
Sewing: handmade baby bibs
Wishing: for my own custom clothing labels
Enjoying: the cool, cool weather that September always brings
Waiting: for some organic baby kimonos to go on sale
Wondering: about who my baby will look like
Loving: clean, fresh openweave cotton
Hoping: for a quick labor & delivery
Marvelling: at the kicking I feel going on in my belly
Smelling: coolness in the air
Wearing: my Indian housecoat
Following: the progress of my baby’s growth in a wonderful book called, “The Pregnancy Journal”
Noticing: the cool weather every morning this week (+ so loving it!)
Knowing: she’ll be here before I know it
Thinking: about ways to make her cozy
Bookmarking: my favorite creative blogs
Opening: the box of wonderful cotton baby blankets I ordered
Giggling: with Greg on top of a quilt
Feeling: tired but happy
Marvelling: at the kicking I feel going on in my belly
Smelling: coolness in the air
Wearing: my Indian housecoat
Following: the progress of my baby’s growth in a wonderful book called, “The Pregnancy Journal”
Noticing: the cool weather every morning this week (+ so loving it!)
Knowing: she’ll be here before I know it
Thinking: about ways to make her cozy
Bookmarking: my favorite creative blogs
Opening: the box of wonderful cotton baby blankets I ordered
Giggling: with Greg on top of a quilt
Feeling: tired but happy
Needing: more of Jesus
Liking: the idea of our little family
freshly cut.
The other day my lovely husband brought me home some lovely freshly cut flowers. I found them after I awoke from my nap. They were on the bed next to me and wrapped in newspaper. He’s a special one for sure. For sure sure. His tale of how he procured them was also delightful to hear. Something to do with happening upon some unpaved roads in Cambodia and an old man who didn’t speak a lick of English but motioned to Greg with his head.
I love my husband. And I love this life we get to live and love together.
she.
It’s a she! It’s a her! Baby Smith is a little baby girl!
We had our 20 week sonogram yesterday. She was moving around the whole time, although I could not feel much of it. It was amazing to see how this small 9 week coffee bean turned into a baby. On Saturday I felt my first 2 kicks as I was eating my dinner of cuppa and fish curry. In the past, I felt flutterings here and there, but not like this. This was a distinct feeling in the region below my belly button. I’ve heard other people liken the feeling to fish swimming around, popcorn popping, and bubbles. I felt like someone was actually kicking me. Amazing.
Now that we know the gender, people are asking us about names. We decided that her name will be revealed on her birth day. ; ) I know, I know, but it’s all the more fun for us to make people like my mom and Benji Chachan wait. : )
goodbye carbondale!
We are moving back to Maryland tomorrow. Sigh. It’s been such a wonderful season of our lives here in Carbondale. I can’t even begin to explain the growth that took place here for the both of us. For Greg first when he interned with Chi Alpha back in 2004, and now the both of us this past year.
For me, it’s been a year of God showing me what it means to live a surrendered life. I am reminded of the verse in Luke 6:46 where Jesus says, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not what I say?” It’s so amazing how we can call Jesus the Lord of our life, and not really make Him Lord; instead we are the Lord of our life…doing what we want, when we want, how we want, and whenever we want. I’ve come to understand the blessedness of allowing Him to supernaturally control my life. It’s so much better than me doing it on my own…and I know because I have a 27 year track record of being the boss of my own life. The “surrendered life” is such an alien concept in modern America, but that does not mean it isen’t true. To be honest, I witnessed more miracles occur in my life these past 10 months when I surrendered a decision or desire to Jesus. You can call it coincidence, but it’s hard to believe in coincidence when your life is full of them. Maybe more on this topic later… : )
It seems not too long ago when we packed up our apartment in downtown Baltimore and moved to small-town Carbondale. In the 1.5 years we’ve been married, we’ll have moved 3 times. It’s been fun and interesting living in two totally different styles of housing…
Our Baltimore Apartment:
Our Carbondale Apartment:
susie mey.
Greg had a dream the other day. In it, we had a little baby girl, and we named her Susie Mey. Greg specifically noted that her middle name, Mey, was spelled with an “e.” She had slightly blond hair and a quirky, childlike expression on her cute small face.
This is most definitely the beginning of something beautiful. : )
Beautiful because Greg and I are having a baby. Beautiful because we know we are going to be the happiest parents in the whole wide world. Beautiful because Jesus granted us the desires of our hearts.
I want this blog to be a place where I highlight pregnancy and motherhood, family and God, and lastly, crafting and creating — all of which to forge a family and home that is godly, organic, real and simply delightful. Oh, how I really do miss blogging! Now is the time to get back into the “sewing” of things.
Some words God spoke to both Greg and I:
“Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you.” Isaiah 43:5
“And this promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself.” Acts 2:39
***********************
[photo left] woolen green winter scarf for Greg.
[stitch technique: knit & purl with each row beginning and ending with garter stitch.]
[it’s his utmost favorite during the winter season, he never leaves home without it.]
susie mey 