Trunk or Treat

On Wednesday night, our church had their annual trunk or treat night. Basically, the kids get dressed up and then walk around the trunks of people's cars in the parking lot for candy. Its a nice alternative to having to walk around the town to people you don't know. But anyway, I took some pictures of the kids as they came to my trunk and then of course, I took pictures of Noah, Benjamin, Timmy, and Luke. I thought their costumes were so cute! Especially, Bob the Tomato (Timmy). Here's a few pictures to enjoy!

Benjamin was so awkward to hold in this huge thing! But it sure looked warm!

Random

I've got nothing else to update about so I figured I would just stick with random happenings around here...it frosted last week for the first time of the year and this is what it did to my poor impatiens.
They lasted a good solid 5+ months and were absolutely beautiful. I've never seen impatiens get that big and thrive so well. I'll definitely plant them there again next year. I must admit though, I was ready for them to die...I wanted to get my flower bed cleaned out before it got to cold. I also planted some 230 bulbs last week. (I still have 90 more) So, I am already looking forward to next spring.
In other news, a few weeks ago, I was proud to say that Widget, our 10 month old kitten/cat killed her first chipmunk. I was so excited I called both my dad and Tim's mom...I know, I am morbid and gross but when you have a serious chipmunk/squirrel issue (they live in the siding of your house), you are excited about stuff like that. I was disappointed, however, when she brought this poor thing to my doorstep earlier this week...

It still had its umbilical cord attached. To Widgets credit, she must have found this on the ground and the momma squirrel must have abandoned it because they have their nests high in the trees surrounding our house. It wasn't dead in this picture...Widget just kept playing with it and I couldn't handle it...so I took it into the woods and set it under a tree to die in peace...I couldn't stand to watch it suffer and I couldn't handle Widget taking advantage of something so helpless.
In other, more happy news, I was able to take some cute fall pictures for Joel and Cynetta of Noah and Benjamin. I also made a birth announcement for them.

I thought it turned out cute. I'll have to post the other pictures later. I still have to edit them.
Anyway, that is pretty much all thats been going on here...pretty boring. I'm having a pampered chef party on Thursday, November 13 if you want to come...so far there are 0 people coming. Its going to be a blast... :)

New Haircut

I have had straight, fine hair my entire life...today, I decided to do something drastic and got a perm. Its specifically called a "wave perm." I thought I liked it until Tim saw it and said, "it looks frazzled." Now, I'm not so sure. I was looking for another way to style my hair since it doesn't hold curl naturally...this was the only way to get some curl without using a half a bottle of gel. The pictures don't do a very good job at showing what it really looks like in person but let me know what you think anyway!
Before

After

House Painting Completed?

This past weekend, Tim's parents flew in from California and were able to help us with our house painting project. This has been like 3-4 months in the making!! Its hard because Tim was pretty much doing it on his own and doing it right, which takes time. It wasn't done right the first time it was painted and it was an ugly dull grey, which apparently, the neighbors hated...they have come over to tell us how much they like the blue. I still think its a little brighter than what I had in my head, but it did turn out nice. The front and back are done now and one of the sides is ALMOST done...the other side still needs some work, but Tim is planning on working on that this weekend...but you can't tell. Its just the trim work that needs done. Tell me what you think of it!

Tim's dad working on the trim around the garage

Tim's mom scrubbing the gutters

putting the gutters back up with the help of Joel

a semi completed picture

and me trying to have photography skills...I think I will just continue to take pictures of people instead. :)

Some thoughts and some pictures...

Almost 8 months ago, Tim and I lost a baby...the baby we had prayed for for over 6 months. I can not even begin to describe the agony and pain that we experienced in those first few days and weeks, months really. At times we were angry...angry that God would allow such a thing to have happened. Other times we were just depressed, saddened and felt empty by our loss. Most of these feelings were felt by me, of course...but Tim was hurting too, in more of a different way. What made everything worse, in my mind, was that my older sister Stephanie and one of my closest friends, Cynetta were also expecting and due the same time I would have been, had the Lord not had other plans. In the past 3 1/2 weeks, my sister Stephanie delivered her beautiful son, Daniel Carrson and just last Thursday, Cynetta too delivered her precious son, Benjamin Titus. People have repeatedly asked me, "Shannon, how are you doing? Do you need to talk? I'm praying for you." and to put it simply, I must say that the Lord has been gracious to me. My heart aches and longs for what could have been, but I am so thankful for the two healthy, precious babies that the Lord has given to my sister and my friend and really, to me as well. Of course I wonder what my baby would have looked like...would it have been a girl? a boy? would it have had Tim's eyes? And I believe that its okay to wonder and dream about those things. But to dwell and focus on them is not. Over the past few months, the Lord has really prepared me and given me a peace about what was and has happened. I was able to be in the delivery room for most of my sister's delivery and was at the hospital just a few hours after Cynetta delivered and to be honest, I was nothing less than excited and happy for them. Not to mention, I have loved holding both of the new little ones! I know that everyone's prayers for me have not gone out in vain...I am where I am today because of the faithful prayers of friends and family. It hasn't all been a walk in the park, but for the most part, I am just excited...and honestly, almost relieved...its like the two of them delivering has closed the door of this chapter of my life. I may always wonder...when the two of them start kindergarten, I will wonder if my child would have enjoyed learning their letters and numbers or whether they would have been like their mother and really just liked recess the best. But at the same time, I feel like now I can move on. The Lord has great things in store for Tim and I and I am excited to see them unfold. His plan is perfect and as we learned in church this morning, His grace is "Enough." I do appreciate your continued prayers.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all comfort, who encourages us us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
"As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the Lord is proved: He is a shield to all those who trust in Him. For who is God, save the Lord? Or who is a Rock, save our God? The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted." Psalm 18:30-31, 46


Here are a few pictures of the newest little baby in my life, Benjamin Titus Seekins, newborn son of Joel and Cynetta Seekins and big brother, Noah David. He was born on Thursday, October 2, 2008 weighing 7 lb 10 oz 21 inches long. :)




Here is a picture of his hair...it almost looks red in this picture, but he hadn't had his bath yet, it looks more blond now.

The whole family, minus Noah...Cynetta looks so good for having just delivered!

What a careful big brother!

This was unexpected, but fun...my sister Stephanie and her husband Zach and little Daniel flew up VERY last minute on Thursday night and got to meet Benjamin...Benjamin just looks annoyed in this picture and Daniel is not very happy about the whole situation. :) They are exactly 3 weeks apart.

Be praying for Zach and Stephanie...Zach just had carpal tunnel surgery on Wednesday and Stephanie, of course, is 3 weeks post delivery and they are seriously looking for and praying for a possible job change and move in the near future. Of course, I would hope that you would pray that Zach DOES find a job and they move up here to the Dayton area..but more importantly, be praying for them both to have patience and have peace about where the Lord opens and closes doors.