Photo of the week award

We went to Boyd Orchard yesterday to enjoy the fall weather. There are more cute pictures on our Flickr site, but this one definitely takes the cake!! :-)

Belly Laughs

I took this video of Matt and Abbie on Saturday the 22nd. It's the first time we've heard her belly laugh like this! It's so much fun to see how much she's interacting with people now, and especially how much she's smiling. Our friends Jeff and Carrie had their son baptized yesterday and at the lunch afterwards, while Sam was sleeping, Abbie was stealing the show! Unfortunately, her show-stopping routine included a poop blow-out all over Carrie's mom! Matt and I think it was just a ploy to snatch one of Sam's onesies--swiping the boyfriend's clothes already!!

Back up and running!

I can hardly believe that the last time I posted Abbie wasn't here yet. Needless to say, it's been an eventful summer! Abbie turned three months yesterday, and reached a major developmental milestone--rolling over! I was playing with her on her back, then rolled her over to her tummy so that maybe she would get the idea, and she did! She rolled from belly to back a bunch of times, both to the left and the right. It was SO AWESOME! I can hardly believe that my little girl is growing up so fast. Everyone said the time would fly by--who would have thought that it actually would??

In other news, Matt interviewed for a position at our church last night. The job title is Program Director, and Matt is hoping that it'll be a visionary as well as secretarial job. The job description is really involved, but his interviewers cleared up some of the vaugeness last night. And they requested that he return for a follow-up interview with the whole committee tonight!! We are really excited. He's itching to get into a ministry position, and since we've been attending the church for three years, we think he would be perfect for the job. So we'll be waiting on the committee's decision after the meeting tonight.

I'll be starting my 9-credit load in two weeks. I'm excited to get back into the swing of school, but nervous too--it will be a challenge to figure out homework time with staying home with Abbie full-time as well. But our new laptop arrived (obviously--that's why I'm able to post here again!) so I'm set up with wireless in our house, which will help. It's sad to realize the summer is almost over. I've absolutely LOVED the time with Abbie. I'm wondering if I can pull off a three-month babymoon for each of our kids!

Check out our Flickr site for new pictures--and more to be added soon!

37 weeks: Waiting

Matt left the words of this hymn, written by Charles Wesley, on my desk this afternoon while I was out proctoring an exam. Charles wrote it before his wife gave birth to one of their children... the words are very applicable for me as I wait!!

Who so near the birth hast brought,

(Since I on Thee rely)

Tell me, Saviour, wilt thou not

Thy further help supply?

Whisper to my list'ning soul

Wilt though not my strength renew,

Nature's fears and pangs control,

And bring Thy handmaid through?

36.5 Weeks: Closer...

Today is Matt's and my 5-year dating anniversary. It's crazy to think we've been together for five years--through college, living in different countries for an entire school year, 13 months of being engaged, getting married, moving to Kentucky, 2 wedding anniversaries, and now looking forward to our first baby. We have certainly been through a lot, and I'm glad he's still my boyfriend :-)

We had an interesting visit with our midwife this past Tuesday. Last week my belly measured 35cm (I was 35 weeks along), and this week I measured 40cm! Nancy (our midwife) thinks it's simply due to fluid retention and not a massive growth spurt. We'll see next week as she's ordered an ultrasound to check it out. Also, I've been aware of having contractions since she brought attention to the fact that I was having one during our visit. My belly gets really hard (and hurts!) when I stand up especially.

So, don't get your hopes up (we're trying not to), but we might get our present a little earlier than expected :-)

Needless to say, we've kicked our baby preparations into high gear. The nursery is finally cleaned out and looks pretty good. The ladies at work threw a shower for me and among other very nice gifts, they all chipped in to buy the Pack-n-Play we registered for!!! That was the last big thing we really needed!!! So now we get to set up the living room and make sure everything is ready. It will be a busy weekend.

Also, Matt went to the Nicholasville fire department to get the car seat base installed properly. It is SO WEIRD to have a car seat in my car!!!

So, we're getting closer...

Welcome

Hello everyone! Welcome to the new Riley Family Blog! I plan to post about once a week (but perhaps less frequently until the baby comes), so check back often!

Family are the sweetness of a song

Unaware they are helping me along

Every day the simplicity of same
Speaks the truth, and the faithfullness of name

~Bill & Cathy Schrull, "Family Song"