First Days

Well, we arrived late on Wednesday night, relieved that our long trip from OK to CO was so easy. The weather here is more changeful (like it? I made it up.) than Houston's! Thursday saw pea-sized hail, rain, and sunshine, all in relatively quick succession. On Friday, we had hail again, snow, and saw the sun again within a short time. Saturday, we had a light snow of fat flakes, and then the sun came out warm enough that I walked around outside with no jacket. Today's weather is looking even better than yesterday's.

We're living in a very cozy guest cabin right next to the ranch's offices. Characteristically, Rob had all his things unpacked within 24 hours, and well, I'm still working on it. There's a shelf on one of the walls where we've put some of our favorite pictures (and all our snacks!), so it does really feel a little home to me.

Some of the summer staff are already here, though most will not arrive until Monday or Tuesday. We've seen some familiar faces, and have enjoyed getting to know new ones. Both the ranch director and the ranch foreman have babies that make regular appearances at meal times. I've felt pretty good since I've gotten here, but it's really nice to have a reminder of what we're heading toward with this pregnancy. Both are beautiful children and their parents are having a really great time with them.

The views here are amazing, and are so majestic that they never become just scenery. Our cabin faces Long's Peak, and every time I walk out I freeze for half of a second as if I'm seeing it for the first time, and I'm amazed that this is my home now. We plan on posting some pictures soon!

Guests start arriving a week from today and there's lots to be done to get the ranch and programs ready. We'll appreciate any prayers that you can offer for us, the staff and the guests that are coming!

Lynda

And we're off...

Greetings from Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA! Where they still wave ole glory down at the courthouse...sing along if you know the words. We arrived at my parents' house late last night and we'll spend the day lounging with family before leaving tomorrow morning for Estes Park. It's hard to imagine that we'll be at the ranch tomorrow night.

It was a ton of work, but with the help of family and friends we finally got our house renovated, packed, and cleaned - it really looks fantastic. I'm confident the first person to look at the house will buy it for our full asking price - and throw in a few thousand dollars just because. It was a little strange, but as we worked on the house these last two weeks, it didn't really feel like our house anymore. Our home had become a commodity - something to maximize - there was no emotion to it.

But as we walked through the house taking pictures and turning out lights, the emotion came. This was the house were Lynda and I shared our first kiss, where we first uttered the "L" word, where I proposed, where we spent our first married night, where we found out that Lynda is pregnant. This creaky, old house was our home. And it was hard to leave.

We locked the door, backed out of the driveway, and drove away for the last time. By the time we hit the beltway, our tears had dried and we were talking about Colorado and what it will be like there. Leaving is like that. We're sad to leave the life we know, but now that the journey has started, our minds turn quickly toward the life we will have.

That is why our eyes are in the front of our heads - so we can see where we are going, not where we have been.

Playing Coy

We heard the baby’s heartbeat today! I’ve (Lynda) been looking forward to this appointment for some time, since I’m several weeks away from the ultrasound that can determine gender, and I’ve heard that you can sometimes predict a baby’s gender from the speed of their heartbeat. Evidently, a rapid heartbeat (about 160 bpm) indicates a girl, and a slower heartbeat (140 bpm) indicates a boy. My doctor dismissed this as a wives’ tale, but several family members and friends have said that it proved true with their babies.

So, the moment arrived…the doctor put the Doppler wand on my stomach, and after some hunting picked up a little heartbeat. I held my breath while she checked her watch and counted off the beats. She paused and announced, “The heart rate is 150.” 150?! Right in the middle? I hope this child gets a little more cooperative when he/she leaves my belly. Ugh. I’m counting down until that ultrasound now...

Howdy

To those of you checking in for the first time, we say "howdy"!

Howdy is my greeting of choice - its a fantastic word. I've been blessed to live in places where howdy is a legitimate salutation. Oklahoma, Texas, and a dude ranch in Colorado - all very howdy-friendly. As I'm sure you know, howdy started out as "How do you do?" and then shortened to "Howdy do?" and finally to "Howdy" - I have no proof of that.

If you're looking for a continuation of my Wednesday emails - this is probably where they'll end up. I can't promise they'll be weekly or on Wednesdays, but after six years of sending my thoughts on the World Wide Interweb (name that movie) - I expect I'll feel the need to expound from time to time.

In the next few weeks look for posts about moving, pictures of our new home, and eventually - Lord willing - pictures of the baby!

Please post comments when you drop by, we'll be glad to hear from you!

Opening Day

Four Weeks ago Lynda and I decided to move from Houston, TX to Estes Park, Colorado. Three weeks ago, we found out that we were expecting our first child. Two weeks ago I resigned my position as single adult minister at Tallowood Baptist Church. One week ago we called a realtor. And 30 minutes ago, we created this blog. This is our first post. Enjoy.