(Some of you who aren’t normally bothered with it, are getting this edition of Ludke-ville, but I wanted to share our good news all around.
We’re only a teensy bit excited and happy, you see!)
Hello Friends and Family –
As most of you know this has been an especially exciting week in our family. Randy and I became Gr'ma & Gr'pa. We're still trying on 'names' – Mark’s wife Bellie suggested the Tagalog (language from the Philippines) - Lo-La (grandma) and Lo-Lo (grandpa). Often they say Mommy La or Daddy Lo. I'm trying on Gram(me) (I always sign the kid's notes with Mom(me). They won't call me Mommy anymore, go figure!
The excitement began last Friday evening when we received a text msg. from Rhiannon wondering about if we'd like a Valentine Baby. So we were excited. First thing Randy said on Sabbath a.m. was "I thought we were getting a baby last night".
We drove up to Iowa City on Sunday because we needed/wanted to check on something in one of the stores up there. The puppies (all four) played at Ryan and Rhiannon's while we ran our errands. Still no baby that day.
Finally on Tuesday afternoon Jaimee arrived. I feel kind of ashamed that we rushed up so soon - and didn't give the kids a lot of chance to get acclimated. Our first view of this little dolly was when she was four hours old. It was a fun time for Nick, Randy and I. As we drove away from our visit at the hospital both of my guys commented that they thought she was awfully cute.
My sweet sister Joy hauled me up with her the next day. So I actually got to visit Jaimee two days in a row. She had just had her first bath and was in some soft little green jammies. The "I've just been squeezed out" swelling had gone down and she looked even more adorable, if possible. Gail and her family had been up to see Ryan, Rhiannon and Jaimee a little before we got there on that day.
It was fun to spend time with Joy and her kids and Brit (a sweet little gal that is with them often!) I really appreciated that they let me ride along with them. I know the kids were squished in the back seat where they wouldn't have been had I not tagged along. Until I have my doctor's appointment on Thursday for my eye - I can't wear my contacts. I don't really have any decent glasses - so driving at night would not have been a really great idea for me to do!
Needless to say that knowing there was a sweet baby just 45 minutes away was really hard on Thursday and Friday ... life goes on in spite of more 'fun' things like new babies. So we didn't see them again until yesterday.
Nick brought their dogs back here with him on Tuesday, so we had lots of canine company for a day and a 1/2 - he took them back on Thursday I think it was. The puppies are growing every day. Tidus is the BIG puppy. This is the one that Nick has. He is going to be a really stout dog. The father of the pups was a substantial looking Shiba-Inu; whereas, Rooney is a smaller dog.
On Thursday I took part in something kind of fun. It was called a shoebox swap. There were 8 of us there. We had each prepared one (greeting) card "kit". The object of the evening was that we would change stations every 15 minutes and during the 15 minutes we would create the card at the station we were at. The pace seemed quick; it was nice to leave with several cards that we had made ourselves. AND it wasn't all that burdensome to prepare just one card for the evening.
Sabbath was WAY fun. I loved every minute of it. The kids had planned to come so Jaimee could go to church for the first time here. They are such a proud mommy and daddy and of course Jaimee had her cute little purple corduroy jumper and blouse set that Rhiannon had got when they were on a trip to Tennessee or somewhere. Naturally Jaimee needed to wear that on her first Sabbath of life. She was very good in church and everyone thought she was lovely.
My brother Mark was at church so I invited him to come eat lunch with us. I hadn't planned anything much - Big Franks, Redi-burger, real hamburgers, a casserole and some baked fries. For dessert I finally made poor Nicky a cake for his birthday. His favorite is white cake with strawberry frosting. I had some sliced strawberries on top. PLUS we had chocolate almond ice cream (you HAVE to have chocolate for dessert, right?) Mark didn't come right away because he had to pick Bellie up from work. Then they came and spent the afternoon with us until we had to go to a meeting at church. It was great.
Ryan got a nap and later Rhiannon laid down for an hour or so. She is kept pretty busy feeding and changing the baby. For a time it seemed like about as soon as went in the top, it came out the (ever so cute) bottom. THREE little dirty diapers in a short time.
Anyway - it was a really great day having everyone there. I wish we could do that EVERY day.
Today I have spent the day getting ready for our Tuesday night stamping class that myself and a friend are doing for a church sponsored event in the community. Takes a long time (for me) to come up with an idea, and then execute cutting all the pieces for 20 people. For the most part mine are done. I worked on a couple of scrapbook pages after that. Not terribly pleased with my results on this set of pages. So put it aside so I could come back later and maybe have some fresher ideas. I'm FREEZING - the floor down here in the basement is cold - so maybe the cold has crept up my body to my head and that is why my creativity has been hampered now! *LOL*
Tomorrow I go back to the dentist. I had quite a bit of work to do, I really like this dentist (as much as I can possibly like a dentist) he doesn’t seem bent on getting every last $$ out of you AND he is fast at what he does. I like that. Nothing worse than extending your torture for a longer time than necessary.
Thursday I finally get to go to the ophthalmologist for my eye. I have a cataract and it is driving me nuts. My optometrist said it was a fast growing one. I’m not sure about that, but at any rate it is there and I want it GONE. I’m so sick of not being able to see well. I’ve not been able to wear any correction because want my eyes to be ‘normal’ when they look at them. Two LONG weeks …
Nick seems to be enjoying his job at the club except for the long drive each day. He comes home in a good mood each day which I take as a great sign of being content and happy!
Randy keeps our furnace going (ah the joys of corn!) and the puppies taken out and computers running. And he told me he is NOT PREJUDICE, but thinks Jaimee Rae is one of the prettiest babies he’s ever seen! *smile* I think he likes her.
This web page most of you have seen, but just in case … it’s our baby! I put the pictures from Sabbath on it – so it’s as up-to-date as I have memories to update it with!
http://www.vondasvine.com/photo/jaimee.htm
Gotta run – it’s getting bedtime. I need to put the clean sheets on the bed and get a shower before I can retire.
Hope to hear from you all soon. Thanks Deb for calling – was good to talk to you. I see I have a message that must have come in while I was in the basement, from Gloria. Sorry to have missed the call!
Nighty night all!
Gram(me) V
