OK, I will eventually get back to Noah and Mina's story, but first an update. I have had the most marvelous week. It has been so relaxing and just plain nice. I am back in class writing my master's thesis paper. I was supposed to do it when I was pregnant, but I couldn't get the focus down. So I opted for a leave and am now doing it now. I was so overwhelmed with the requirements for the paper that I couldn't even tell where to start. Well I stayed after class and had a great discussion with the instructor and now I have a game plan. I feel like I might actually be able to do this now.

Another thing that has made this week great is Jake. He has been the biggest joy to be around and I feel like we have a renewed bliss in our marriage. A huge source of stress on our marriage, and one of the only things we fight about has been removed and things couldn't be better. Jamie and Linda were laughing so hard at us this weekend as we rough housed and played and laughed just like a couple of teenagers. Except for when we kissed..that earned a resounding "Ewww!"

Jamie has wanted a mohawk for quite awhile now. I had told him he could get one this summer when school was out. I figured this was a good compromise. He went with Jake and I was so nervous, but he came home with a faux-hawk instead. Basically it still looks like a mohawk, but can lay down like normal hair when we need it to. I was very proud and impressed with his choice.

I have been a huge fan of the Twilight books for a couple of years now and it is funny to watch people slowly start to get on the bad wagon. It was the same way with the Harry Potter series too. More and more people are beginning to read them and I finally got Jake to read them too. He liked the movie, but needed to read the books, well he has started and is slowly getting hooked.

Linda has had a great time at all of the kid's event our church does. She is really starting to blossom. We go to the park for lunch and play time with the other kids once a weeek and there is a kid's activity at the church every week as well. We are truly blessed with a great church home. Jake and I have been going there since I was in junior high and Jake was in high school and we are just loved and encouraged by everyone in it. We truly love our church family.

On another note, we will be spending time with my family in Missourri here soon. My family loves jake and so he loves to be around them. He and my Dad and future brother in law go fishing on the river, or hunting, or ATV'ing and just have a blast. My dad and I don't always see eye to eye, but in recent years he has become one of the few mentally stable male role models that Jake can relate to in both of our families. My sister will be there from Alaska and James and Linda love playing with their cousins. They are really close and I am excited to see them grow up as friends. Four days solid of nothing but family time. Don't get me wrong, we can have our arguments, but trust me, they are mild compared to what I have seen. I have the benefit of most of my family not being delusional and hypocritical. (My immediate family at least). =)

Another thing good about this week is the time I have spent with my TFC's. For those of you not hip on the lingo, that stands for Tatooed Freak Cousins which is what some of the in-laws refer to Jake's cousins as. Well, if you take time to look beyond the tattoos you will find some of the biggest hearts I have ever seen. His cousins can be blunt at times, but I much prefer that to people talking behind your back. They are genuine and we have a blast together. I just wish my sister-in law Dianne could be here in person instead of hanging out with us over the phone.

So there is so much more, but my fingers are cramping up from all of this typing.