A nice and quiet weekend such as we just indulged will be few and far between in the next few weeks.
We spent Saturday at the Abbotsford Berry Beat Festival. Ironically, very few berry stands….
But we did get a bag of mini-doughnuts and a sunburn. We’ve always had a weakness for small town festivals. I’m not sure why. I think it’s because we’re both city people. born and bred, so when a small town nearby happens to have a festival, we think it’s quaint and interesting. We’ve been to everything from the Porter Peach Festival to the New Braunfels Wassilfest and Wurstfest (“The 10 Day Salute to Sausage”…you can’t make this stuff up.). There’s something wonderful about time spent, wandering through small towns, sampling wares and hearing the little girls warble through a song from “Oklahoma!”. 
*humming “chicks and geese and ducks better scurry…when I take you out in my surrey…when I take you out in my surrey with the fringe on top*
We were back at church this Sunday. We hadn’t been for almost 3 weeks due to the Omaha trip so nice to be there. We have an adult leader training day coming up as we’re training the home group leaders for the youth. It’s not as much as we’d like to do but we simply don’t have time. 
So we have an excellent collaborative team – one person does events, we do home groups etc. It’s a great system although new to us. I’m interested to see how it will work. 
I have finally gotten a job for when I get back from maternity leave. I’ll be a Product Marketing Manager for deposit products. Basically the same thing I did at Bank of America (the last time that I liked my job) so that bodes well. I’m looking forward to it. We’re still thinking about getting pregnant with our second at the end of this year or early next so I’ll probably only be in the position for a year and a half but that’s okay with me. Kiddos and family are my priority right now. To be honest, I always thought I’d go back to work. It never really entered my head that I’d be a SAHM. But now? I crave my girl. The thought of not being with her every day is tearing my heart out. I keep telling myself it’s just for a season but that isn’t helping. 
As the day draws closer, I’m becoming more and more despondent and achy. I return on August 27. Pray for me? And for Brian – he’ll be staying home with the girl when what he really wants is to quit school and get a job so that I can stay home with her. It’s hard to lay down your desires even for just a season.
Speaking of whom, Anne is almost 11 months old. She’s quite talkative and mobile. She’s standing on her own and “thisclose” to walking. She is simply the most loving and sweet little girl. She never meets a stranger – doesn’t matter what they look like, she loves them. She’s got such a welcoming heart. I love seeing her personality develop. She’s beautiful but what’s better, she’s as good as she is pretty (which is saying a lot! LOL).
I got my to-do list done yesterday so I think that Anne and I are headed to the beach today. I was debating heading to the mountains for a hike as it’s quite hot here today (headed for 33 degrees) but I just can’t resist the water. I’m a lake rat so much prefer lakes to pools. I can’t get in a pool without thinking of the kiddies just peeing away like it’s their own little nappy. Ew ew ew ew ew ew. 
We watched “Blood Diamond” last night. I struggle with movies like that: they make me feel powerless and underinformed. It was a phenomenal movie – intense from the very start with fabulous acting. That Leonardo DiCaprio is incredible. No wonder he was nominated for an award. Highly recommend for those comfortable that like to be disturbed.
Now we’re starting to plan packing and moving. I’m trying to book movers. I hate hate hate hate hate moving. I swore Brian to an oath that we can stay put for 3 years in our new place. We’ll see if it holds. It seems we have this incorrigible nomad gene. 
