Back in Business!

I am happy to report we now have a new computer and are back in business! We are finally connected to the internet at home which means I can update our blog! Enjoy the updates from the last few months and stayed tuned for more!

The weddings begin...

October was a month of weddings for us.  We had one every weekend except for the second.  I love weddings so it was fine by me! The first one we attended was Scott and Mel's.  Mel was my roommate for the year after I graduated Taylor and we worked together in the admissions office.  Scott and Kirk played on the same intramural basketball team, which obviously means they are good buds too.  They used to live in Indy, but have sadly moved to Grand Rapids, which is where their wedding was.  It was an absolutely beautiful day and we had a great time! Congrats, Scott and Mel! We love you guys.

Scott's sister and Mel's sisters led worship and did some special music during the ceremony.  It was seriously some of my favorite music I've ever heard at a wedding...I wish I had sound bytes for you!

I almost captured the kiss, but this is still a good picture!

Us with the happy couple.  I realize I look like a house...maybe it's the angle...or maybe it's that I'm carrying an extra person around inside me.

We also got to see Paul for the first time since he went to Africa.  Hopefully we'll be seeing more of him since he recently moved to Chicago!

The Duncans.

Steph and Bob Got Hitched!

On October 18,  I had the opportunity to be a part of Steph's wedding.  Steph and I have literally been friends since we were babies and have gone through every phase of life together.  I am so happy for her.  Oddly enough, she married Bob, who we graduated high school with! It's fun to be reconnected to him too.  Her wedding was very pretty and she did a great job with all the details of the day.   I'm sorry I don't have a ton of pictures because my battery died just before the ceremony started! 

The happy couple at the rehearsal dinner.

Uncle Jeff and Aunt Mel, ready to give their daugther away! Don't they look great?

The bride and me.  I love this picture!

What you've all been waiting for...

After Stephie's wedding and my baby shower in PA (which I didn't take any pictures of unfortunately), my mom and I loaded up a Budget Truck and made a trek back to Indiana.  We loved having my mom here for a week and she helped us get the baby's room just right! It looks great and we are so anxious for Baby Duncan to occupy his/her new room! 

We painted 3 of the walls chocolate brown and the other one green (you can see it in another picture).  My grandmother was gracious to give us a dresser and desk which are pictured here as well (desk has been transformed to changing table). 

Baby Duncan already has a collection of stuffed animals...and yes, that is a stuffed buzzard, courtesy of Uncle Jim and Aunt Verna).  

The safari mobile.  You can also get a good look at the hunter green color on the 4th wall. 

This is what you see directly across from you when you walk in the nursery.

A view from the entry way.  My sister Jessica made the photo frame on the wall.  It says around it the opening "For this child, I have prayed" and has one of the maternity pictures she took of us in it.  She did a great job and it matches perfectly!

Rachelle's Wedding Day!

The last wedding in October was my friend Rachelle's, who was one of my roommates at Focus on the Family Institute.  She is from a very small town in Nebraska.  I was fortunate to have my mom along with me for the journey (we flew into to Denver and then drove 3 hours to Rachelle's little town) and I was so glad to be there for her big day!  It was great to meet Chris, her fiance, and they both seemed very happy! I'm so happy for you, Rachelle!

They had the reception on this beautiful ranch out in the country.  Horses were just running free...I've never seen anything like it!

They are excited about Baby Duncan!

It was so great to spend some time with another one of my Focus roommates, Jay.  

The bride and her dad coming down the aisle! Isn't she beautiful?

Baby Shower Fun!

On Saturday night, my great friends Jess, Amy Jo, and AJ threw me a baby shower.  You can tell they know me well because it was held at an ice cream parlor and the menu was pizza and ice cream (obviously).  2 things that have been very near and dear to me during this pregnancy! It was so great to have so many friends come to support me.  Thanks to all who came! 

Some of the Taylor girls who came all the way down from Upland!

My Indiana native friends stocked the baby with Colts gear.  I guess we are official fans now!

We played this fun game where tables had to design a onesie for Baby D and I picked the winner.  They used fabric markers to draw their designs.  This is Kate's giraffe (my favorite animal). 

And this of course, is the winning onesie. It says TAYLOR on the front and the back said "Class of 2031".  

Remembering Grandpa McGuckin

Today marks the one year anniversary of my grandfather's, Jack McGuckin's, death. We miss him dearly, but rejoice in the knowledge that he is in the presence of his Savior. He was an incredible man of God and his memory inspires Kirk and I to give all that we have to Christ. We love you, Grandpa, and can not wait to be reunited with you one day.

The picture above as taken at my sister Rachel's wedding last September. We are thankful for that time that the whole family was able to be together shortly before he passed away.

No pictures, just some thoughts.

Kirk and I got up yesterday morning at 6 am to vote. I thought this early morning decision would pay off with short lines. I was wrong, but we eventually did get to cast our vote...an hour and a half later. This is only the second time I have voted, and the first for Kirk (I know, SHAME on him for not voting in the last election), and it's not a secret that I enjoy watching the campaigns unfold every four years (thanks to my father, I'm sure). As we were standing in line, I was telling Kirk how proud and thankful I am to be an American. It's a wonderful blessing to live in a country where your opinion and your values count. I hope I never, ever take that for granted. Even though the election did not go the way I would have hoped yesterday, I am so glad I went to the polls, and I am proud that so many other Americans did too (there were record numbers in Indiana).

I am not looking to have a political debate by posting this (I have had enough of those the last several weeks and months), I just wanted to encourage you all, regardless of how you feel about the president elect, to be proud of your country, to be thankful for your rights as an American citizen, and to look for ways to give back to this great nation.

Disclaimer: I apologize if this post is too sappy for anyone. I just love the USA!