The Last Sunday

Since yesterday, we've been having "lasts." The last Saturday with Nathan. Today is the last Sunday with Nathan. The last church with Nathan. Oh sure, he'll be here again on Saturdays and Sundays, but not as our child living at home with us...as our adult child who is visiting on his leaves.

Today at church Doug called Nathan up to the front and interviewed him. He asked Nathan why he had chosen the USCG, a little bit about rescue swimming, and then how he would like people to pray for him while he's in boot camp and afterwards. We are so proud of him, but I find I vacillate between being so proud and happy for him (not to mention being so thankful that he found his calling, and is acting on it, before his 19th birthday) and being so sad to see him go. We're going to miss him so badly, and I'm afraid there will be less laughter around here. Maybe his new little brother will fill Nathan's shoes in the entertainment department.

Nathan has definitely made the most of his last two weeks at home. He's been out socially everyday except yesterday, when he went to work with Don at Radnai's. He ran the shearing machine, and according to Don did a great job considering it was his first time running the machine. The shearing machine is like an 8-foot chainsaw blade that you wear at an angle on your back. You walk around the tree and the chainsaw shears the trees quickly. Most people, when they first run the machine, just wreck trees and then you have to let them grow another year before you can sell them, so Don was really happy to see Nathan doing such a good job. Don got results on Friday of his x-rays that he had taken because his neck has been hurting so badly and for so long. He apparently has degenerative disk disease, where the disks in his neck are disintegrating. He also has some sort of arthritis. He's on Advil 4x a day, and is having to curtail his farm work considerably. Right when things are getting really busy as far as getting his trees ready for sale. He and Sean are at Radnai's right now for a few hours. He's hoping Nathan and Dylan can work with him tomorrow and Tuesday, but then Dylan starts school Wednesday.

Anyway, on a brighter note, here is Jordyn today when we got home from church. She's absolutely adorable, in my humble opinion:


It is getting more and more difficult to take a good picture of her, as she holds still for 1/2 a second, and then runs over to "see the picture."

Another piece of good news: Don and I upgraded our couch in the new family room. We had a very cheap black futon couch/bed in front of the t.v., but it went from being uncomfortable to downright unusable after Nathan had a movie night and 5 teens were sitting on it. We went to the Brick yesterday and bought a black leather sofa for a great price. Don went and picked it up at the warehouse last night, and we watched The Best of Will Farrell (I'd hate to see the worst) on it last night. Oh, and we got another new piece of furniture yesterday, too: my friend Pam gave us the rocker/glider she had when her twin boys were born. I'm sure it'll come in so handy when the baby is born. Right now the girls just take turns rocking in it.

I am now officially ready for the baby. We have a crib (thanks Mom & Lee!), we have clothes for the first 6 months or so (thanks Pam!), we have diapers (finally), and I even have a hospital bag packed with diapers, clothes, etc. I feel extremely organized.

Today Nathan is at lunch with a friend from church who wasn't able to make it to his Launch Party last weekend. When he gets home I'm afraid it's time to start packing the Boot Camp Bag.

And tomorrow will be the last Monday...