Vacation time!

Andy has kept you well up to date with the PNG trip and a few of you have been asking what myself and the kids have been up to lately. I am almost seven months pregnant now and my days are a lot shorter. Sleep/rest takes up part of my afternoon and early to bed is also high on the list of priorities. I am managing to keep on top of life here but definitely more tired in this pregnancy and yes, I am feeling a lot older! : 0) Everything seems to be going well with the baby and my focus is trying to make sure the baby is in the right position towards the end to allow for a straightforward home birth. Having a summer baby here in Ohio means a lot of the clothes i.e. long sleeved new born vests etc. will not really be needed. Abigail was born in October and Matthew was April in Scotland so they were well equipped with thermals! I have been trawling through second hand shops looking for bargains and purchased a few very light items in pink and a few in blue. Andy and I have decided on possible names and everything seems to be falling into place with the midwives and prenatal care.

The parent and toddler group is going well and I am really enjoying meeting the new mom's. Each week brings a different group of mothers/grandmothers/children. I am also co-leader of the women's ministries commitee in our church and we are at present organising a fun day for local families in a nearby park for the 2nd of June. I have also been busy helping with events such as "party like a princess". Our Church organised an event for over 250 girls teaching them about the meaning of real beauty from within. I was incharge of eight girls for the night and it was busy but fun.

Abi and I recently attended our first bridal shower - our pastor's eldest daughter is getting married in June. Abi was thrilled to have yet another 'ladies only' event and the chocolate dipped strawberries were the highlight for her!

Last week we went to North Carolina to see our friends and then on to South Carolina for a few days at Myrtle beach. We had signed up to a time share deal where we got a fantastic price and accomodation and only had to attend a 2 hour presentation on why we need to purchase a time share! The presentation was gruesome and lasted three hours but we survived, managed to avoid buying a time share, and did not let it spoil our little break away. We spent two afternoons at the beach where the kids had tons of fun in the sand and in the Atlantic Ocean. Matthew turned 4 years old on the 11th so we let him choose a special trip out and off we went to the Aquarium. He was able to spend his birthday money on a collection of sharks (attached to a truck) and these little toy sharks have kept him entertained ever since. He loves to talk you through all the different types of sharks and the great white is the current favourite! He is enthralled by any documetary on sharks on the TV. It makes a nice change from monster trucks - which we have had for many months.

We returned from North Carolina last Friday and experienced our first flat tyre ever two hours into our journey! I am so blessed to have a practical husband who managed to sort it all out and it was great we were only ten minutes away from a garage to enable us to get the wheel fixed before we drove for another six hours.

Abi is back at school this week and is loving her extra homework she has to do to make up for the four days she missed of school! Matthew and I have been unpacking like crazy in order to get ready for Andy's parents who arrived yesterday. This is their first visit to the USA so they have been in New York for a few days before arriving in Coshocton. Andy is driving them to Washington DC on Thursday for a four day trip. Then they will spend some more time here in Coshocton before flying back to Scotland in a few weeks time.