Outside my window yesterday

Ruthanna's 1st birthday

Well, last Thursday, August 15th, Ruthanna turned a year old.    I was actually due with her August 8th last year.  I had gone in for a regular appointment and the doctor suggested that we get scheduled for an induction in case the baby didn't come during the course of the week...so we were scheduled to come in at midnight on the 15th... We entered the hospital that night/morning and got things started.  Because my doctor had another patient deliver at 2 am, I saw her not long after I got checked in...things were progressing good...I spent the morning walking the halls, watching TV,  wondering if I was going to have a boy or girl, etc... at around ten am, I got an epidural and continued on with labor.

 

 

 

 Last picture of being pregnant-- 41 weeks--when I got checked into the hospital for the night...

The doctor would come in and check on my from time to time after she arrived at 8 am.  At around twelve she said I would be ready to start pushing in a half hour. Finally, one last prayer for a healthy baby and my doctor walked through the door at 12:30.  I was praying to hear a screaming baby at the end of all this... After a little more than an hour of pushing, at 1:31, true happiness entered the world.  Ruthanna Joy was placed into my arms and I heard her screaming loud and clear. It wasn't long and the hospital played the lullaby over the intercom.  Healthy baby= answered prayer!

 First picture of Ruthanna and I taken just a few moments after delivery

 Proud Dad

 

 

Now a year later, we were making her cake for the big day...she's grown from a helpless infant, to a walking toddler.  She has taken up to ten steps on her own, says ma-ma-, da-da, and hi often... She likes to wave her hands for bye-bye also. 

 She wanted to be right in on the action to see what was going on..I offered her frosting as I was making the cake, but she didn't really care for that!!

 Taking one year photos was hard as she liked to be up and on the move!    Next week we take her in for her one year checkup.

 We had a cookout that night with family and a few neighbors over for the evening. Perfect weather for that.

 Mom, Dad, and Ruthanna...what a fast year it's been

 Opening her gifts outside by the bonfire

Playing with the new toy that she got.

August...

 

 

 

We started out the summer in hopes of doing a big project with the trees-- the trees were overgrown and congested, so we wanted to clean them out and then transplant some healthier ones with more room to grow.  We started taking trees, stumps, and roots out in May with hopes to do the entire thing then...however, after we had everything removed, it started to rain and rain and we couldn't do it. Then trees start to grow in June and July, so we had to wait until this month to finish the project.

 

My dad made countless trips to the pile and back hauling logs, twigs, and tree remnants. 

Andrew would use the chainsaw to cut the trees down and then my dad would haul them away and the man we hired for the project would dig out the stumps and roots.

The open area now west of the house.. we could see the interstate and see people driving by on the road. It was a nice improvement.

 

We built a fence out of wood down by the barn for the horses and to hitch them up eventually. 

This is a real help--- the toilet paper already off the roll for us... :)

Andrew went to Twin Brooks a couple weeks ago and did some plowing with the horses.

We have been busy freezing beans lately.

 Ruthanna can reach the piano standing on her tippy-toes...she loves to go in the dining room and start making music!

Last week the tree project started up again- the row closest to the road are lilacs.

Cape Inscription

This is the ship I was on for a week. It is called the Cape Inscription and is one of the many R.O.S.(reduced operating status) ships on the U.S. coasts. This ship is a RO-Ro(roll on roll off) and can haul as many as 4000 Humvees. She normally has a crew of 9, but when activated as in this turbo activation test, 32 are needed. It took only two days to get the full crew aboard(even one from South Dakota!) and all machinery in full operation status. While at sea we did many tests on machinery and maneuvering the ship itself. 

Amwyar and I, the two third assistant engineers.  He is originally from Yemen so he was interesting to visit with.

The chad burn is what is used to get orders from the captain for different speeds in ahead or astern.  

This is the top of the low pressure turbine and the high pressure turbine is on the far side.

Back at the dock with the ramp down, sitting beside a sister ship the Cape Isabel.