20, 19, 18, 17...

For everyone's enjoyment, here is a new picture of me. Yes, we only have 20 days until the due date. My doctor says that I can start wishing for Ali to be born tomorrow. She would consider us full term then. As ready as I am, if I could wait until at least the 29th, that would be better. That is when all the before school meetings will be done. Talking to some teachers today, they think it would be "great entertainment" if I went into labor AT the meetings... we will see!

We are almost ready for Ali. Her clothes are washed, our bag is packed, and we have successfully completed 2 out of the 3 childbirth classes. We have also toured the hospital. This is important becuase now we know where to go. That seems to be a good thing.

In other news, Jed is currently working as a "signing specialist" at Target. It is a job and we get discounts at Target, so I like it. I start meetings next week. My nephew, Tannim, started school today, and when asked what he wanted to learn, told his teacher, "I think I pretty much know everything I need to". Ahhh, to be five and understand the world.

There you go...all you wanted to know about us, but were afraid to ask. Hopefully, the next post will be of the three of us!

It has come to my attention...

...that something sinister has happened to me. Something inexplicable. Something terrible.

I'm losing my mind.

Somehow, in the midst of all my revelry and cross-state-border traveling last month, I forgot to mention in my blog that I had an absolutely wonderful time with my nephews and in-laws in Kansas! I don't know what it was...maybe a good old-fashioned Texas brainwashing? (They do that, you know, with the steaks.)

So in penance, here are some pictures of "the in-laws." I beg you not to consider me an outlaw now.

"You don't get to take seven million pictures of me..."

"...because I'm seven months pregnant..." Anna said, while trying to give me "the look" she gives all her middle school kids. Such are the joys of pregnancy.

In addition, I get to learn lots of other things. Also on the "not recommended" list is going up to her and saying "Boy you look HUUUUUUUGE." She gets enough of that at from the old ladies at church. But we love them anyway!

We've had lots of fun lately. Anna got back from Nebraska without incident, barring all the usual things to do like eating strangely named foods from strangely named small towns and baby shower which attacked her without warning. She also went to class in between all the frivolities and got a great start on her master's degree.

I had lots of fun in Missouri, Kansas, and Texas, including getting to go on an aircraft carrier! The wedding was also a blast, where we visited a church that has the largest LCMS cross EVER, in Lexington, Missouri.

A week later I was visiting another Lexington, although this one did not have a huge cross. It managed to make up for it with a short runway, as it was the aircraft carrier the USS Lexington. There were lots of cool planes on it, and so I frolicked around and cavorted among the fighter jets and close quarters of this spectacular feat of engineering. I also preached at Zach's church, Fishers of Family, and you can even hear my sermon on the website. I have to admit, though, that Zach did a great job of using audio magic to make me sound much better than I really am in person, kind of like Avril Lavigne's voice.

We made it back in time for the July festivities, such as July 1st (Dominion Day for Canadians, or the greatest day in the world) for the birthday gang who celebrated at the beach in Corona Del Mar, July 3rd, for those who were lucky enough to get married on such a great day, and July 4th, for our blessed country. We were lucky enough to have our friend Art Eichhorn visiting from the Lou, and we thought "What better way to celebrate our nation's independence than watching colorful explosions in the sky in the Happiest Place on Earth (R)," Disneyland. The fireworks show was spectacular, we have to admit.

Then a few days later, Karen Sohn came to visit us for Tom Kosche's wedding to Ruth Truitt, and much more fun was had. We wish Karen the best for her wedding this weekend (although Anna still thinks Karen is insane for traveling a week before she gets married.)

So after all that, we're back to our normal, mundane, leisurely summer lives...at least until around Sept. 6th! We'll keep you updated if anything exciting happens!

Ali Update (And Jed and Anna)

Ok, so when Will (Anna's brother) starts complaining that we don't update our blog enough because he actually has to call us and talk to us in order to know what's going on in our lives, well, that's up there with a sign from God, so here's the update so the rest of you don't have to call us! God forbid!

So what's going on in our lives? First of all, Ali is healthy and growing and still inside Anna where she should be. I tell her to stay there for a few more months, and then she can come out and play. Anna's health remains alright aside from the usual pregnancy soreness. School is almost done for her, only about a week to go!

As for me, I finished teaching a few weeks ago and decided not to come back to Lutheran High next year. I pretty much figured out teaching wasn't for me, so now I'm looking at actually becoming a pastor. I'd like to find a position where I'd be involved in emerging worship and do some counseling. I think something like that would make good use of my talents...so if you have any ideas, let me know!

For our summer plans, we're splitting up for a couple weeks. I'd like to call it a trial separation, but Anna won't let me because that has other connotations. I'm running away to Missouri and Kansas for Paul Kyle's wedding, to visit my nephews and Anna's sister and her husband in Hiawatha. After the midwest visit, I go down to Texas to preach at Zach McIntosh's church in Portland and hang out with my dear friend Andy Bates (aka "the deacon").

Anna will be flying to Nebraska then a few days later to start on her Masters degree at God's gift to humanity, Concordia University Nebraska in Seward. There she will be supported by everyone but her husband as friends from the four corners of the globe will converge to visit her during her two weeks of intense study. Nine credits later she will emerge from her cornhusker cocoon and return to the relative sanity of California. I said "relative." Speaking of relative, Anna's birthday is June 27th, and hopefully she will be spending some quality time with some relatives and friends on that important day!

Anna gets back on July 1, (Jed's birthday, hint hint), and hopefully I will remember to pick her up amidst all the raucous partying I will be doing on the beach with Pastor Greg (Strand) and Miss (Cari) Chittick, who share that awesome birthday. After that we have some guests coming, and then the rest of the summer will hopefully bring a little time to rest and relax before the advent of school and Ali's due date, September 6th.

Josiah William or Alaethea Ruth?

Yes, We did have our 20 week ultrasound last Wednesday. For those keeping track, that is actually week 21, but who is really keeping track, besides us? From the pictures, baby is doing great! I had a doctor visit that day as well, and I am also doing just fine. The due date has not changed, so the baby should come on or around September 6th.

We did find out the sex of our "peanut". Before we tell you, we need to give you a bit of background. There has not been a girl born with the last name Maschke in a very long time...about three generations, to be exact. Both Jed and I were pretty sure we were having a boy. However, we were wrong...it is a girl! We questioned the "it's a girl" statement several times and every time was told that is a girl. So, Alaethea Ruth it is (you can call her "Ali", like an Alley, not like Muhammed.)

In other news, school is slowly winding down. Jed has 21 days of school left. I have a few more than that, but I haven't counted. Next week I will take the great adventure with my students to Catalina Island. For you readers, Catalina is part of the Channel Islands, where Island of the Blue Dolphins takes place. We are going to do "science stuff". That is about all I know right now. I'm sure I'll have stories when I get back.

Here are the lastest pictures of Ali and I. We chose the nicest picture of her. She wasn't a big fan of having her picture taken, and the other shot we got looks a bit like Munch's "The Scream".

A very brief update

So, we have also entered the land of "very few updates". We will try to remedy that in the near future with lots of pictures of various events; including:

1. Our visit from Kari and Nina
2. Our trip to the mountains with our bible study group
3. Information about the sex of "peanut", as we currently call him/her (April 26th is the day for that information)
4. Any other random events we are forgetting, but have pictures for.

To keep everyone entertained, here are two pictures of my ever expanding stomach. The first is from March 16th, and the second is today (April 12). You can see for youself that I am indeed growing.

Jed wishes to insert that his track team this year is "darn good", but the "darn good" team causes him to be gone lots. I would agree. But, the season will someday end and we will see each other again.

If you haven't heard through the random grapevine, I (Anna) am starting my Masters this summer. I'll be back at Seward for two weeks. The plan right now is to be done in two years. We will see how that goes.

So, there is the very brief update. More news to come soon!!!!

Visitors and heartbeats

The last month has been busy with the arrival of many guests. President's Day weekend was spent with Erin and Angie. It was, of course, raining (only the fifth time it has rained in the six months we have lived here) but we still had fun. We visited the Aquarium of the Pacific; a very cool place. We learned that you can give a shark an ultrasound. Who knew? Erin and Angie also took me shopping for maternity clothes, and we spent the one nice day at the beach, playing in tide pools and watching the sun set after enjoying wonderful peanut butter shakes. We also managed to get in quite a bit of Gilmore Girl watching. At those moments, Jed found something else to do!

Angie and Erin left Tuesday morning, and Wednesday evening, Jed's parents arrived. We also had fun with them. They cleaned our kitchen for us (a very exciting treat!) and spent time helping us do some organizing around the house. Jed and his parents had thier first IKEA experience (I think they are hooked) and we then had fun building our new IKEA purchases. We also had the sunset experience with his parents, and well as the peanut butter shake experience.

Both visits also included trips to In N Out and Rubios. Both are high quality eating establishments.

In baby news; all is well. Between visits I had my 12 week check up and I was able to hear the baby's heartbeat. All is going well for me and baby. Only two more months until we find out the sex.

Wednesday marks the official end to my first trimester. Thanks for all the prayers. Everyone tells me the second trimester is the most enjoyable. We will see...