last from the floppy....

Hello ya'll from a cold and soggy Nashville!

I am going to start this blog off with a big huge PRAISE God!

He has provided a way for us to extend our lease thru June.
This is WONDERFUL as it will allow us to stay in our home as the baby comes and then will give us a bit longer to see what God has next.
Gow's contract with Big Idea ends in May - so PRAISE GOD for blessing us with the stability of our home! He is sooo great and provides!

Another praise.... I am really loving the peeps that I work with at church.
God is faithful... and I am so thankful.

Okay- now for some more "strolling down memory lane"




Sweet Rebes and I are working in the kitchen at "Pan de Vida" (Bread of Life) the street ministry in Quito.
Rebes was my roomie, one of my best buds and is currently in San Deigo.




Ah- now don't we all just want to be here with Rebes.
This is Same- our beach retreat haven.
Rebes, what I would give to be chilling there with you right now.
I can feel the warmth and I can SOOO see the ocean in front of you.....
I miss the beach- the time to just stop and be. The GREAT convos and fun times..... I thank God for our beach memories!



Wow- what a hot hubby I have!
This pix was taken the year that Gow was at JBU and my last year in Quito.
I came up for Thanksgiving and Christmas -- here we are at Shogun for some steak!



We shared our Shogun experience with Kotter and Chadly. ho hum- I miss these guys too.
=) You can see that it is cold- and that none of really mind cuddling. =)



Check out Gow's long hair!



This is Chadly and Kotter again-- visiting me in Quito!
We are downtown in the old part of the city.... soo great to "share worlds". To have my JBU buddies come to know and love my Quito world too.



This is "Ode to my long lost hermanito"!
Passey who I first knew and loved as my youth pastor's squirrely kid.
To my "ride to school buddy".
To sharing JBU and Escape (middle school ministry).
And finally to share Quito Quest (hosting short term mission teams), Quichua camp (summer camp for the Quichua Indians), and Gringo camp for 4 summers!!!
I miss you Passey- I think you are a DAD now!?!? and I bet you are a wonderful one!


And GRAND FINALE......



And do I mean GRAND!!!!!!!

Check out this HOTTY!
Here Gow is wearing our friend Todd's GRANDFATHER'S swim trunks!
Yes my friends.... Gow is one HOTTY with a BODY! =)

And that brings this "Floppy Disk Fun" to an end.

I thank God for all of the GREAT friends, memories and experiences He has given us.

And thanks to ya'll for strolling down memory lane with me.
=)


On the baby front...
I felt her having hiccups for the first time!
I woke up one morning and she was just a quick and constant thump thump thump thump thump thump thump on my belly for about 6 minutes. SO fun to feel her!

She is now about 2.5 pounds and is working on gaining weight.
I am doing great- the only effect I am feeling is that sometimes I wake up randomly in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep.

K- this is super long.
so hasta luego!
Love ya'll!

oh blessed floppy disks of yesteryear

As we were cleaning out our guest room closet (making room for baby gear- yeah!), I found about 8 floppy disks. Yes ladies and gents, you heard me correctly, I said floppy disks.

Does anyone even remember what those are?!?!? ha!

Well, I was curious to see what in the world I would have saved on floppys- however, our computer at home doesn't even have a floppy disk drive!

Luckily my work comp- had the skinny slot for floppy love and here is a peek at what I found.....






Yes, folks- I do believe my hot hubby had a 6 or 8 or even a 10 pack in high school!
He is probably 17 years old and ripped!
(whistle)




This is Gow and I at summer camp in Ecuador- probably about 2 weeks before I found out that he liked me. teehee




For all of you who have known Gow longer than 5 years... you will remember his beloved Giligan Hat. That's right folks- he loved it and here he is.... just basking in it.

(FYI- for some reason, I was not a big fan of the Giligan Hat, and therefore... the hat magically "disappeared") =)



This pix Gow emailed me in 03 when he was at JBU and I was still in Quito.
He was "sharing" the sweet fall colors of Arkansas with me.

This is Gow and I in the summer of 03, the summer before his senior year of high school.

He and Kat, his sis, painted backdrops/props for our camp theme that summer.
I showed up to help.......




And this pix is at the ha-ha-ha-ha-cienda!
Our mission's "ranch" in Ecuador - makes me think of you Abs!

So that is a teeny stroll down memory lane!
I have some more "floppy delights" that I will save for our next blog!
=)

Not much new happening on the home front here in Nashy- other than the fact that it is COLD.
It was 9 degrees this morning!

I continue to be a bit emotional. =)
Gow is being a rock and I am diving into my devotions- asking God to ground me and to help me understand my crazy self. =)
I am sleeping normal again and thankful for feeling great in this pregnancy.

Please be praying for wisdom, trust/peace and some open doors as our lease runs up in March, the baby comes in April and Gow's contract is up in May. God is FAITHFUL -- we have seen/known that soo much already.

k- peace out.
love ya'll.

the carolinas....

Howdy!

We spent last weekend in the Carolinas.

Saturday we spent with buddies from Ecuador- Jerry and Karen Frost. It was really great to be with old friends...even though it was for a really short time.



Jerry and Gow are long time buddies .... Jerry braved Gow's high school years and was a good friend.




Sunday we had brunch with JBU pals - Mark and Amy Bucholtz. They showed us their new place and it's AMAZING! Really great to see what they are up to these days.



It was a quick weekend (7 hour drive each way) yet, it was wonderful to stroll down memory lane and celebrate QUALITY friendships.

We are truly RICH in the friendships that God has given us.
Bucholtz and Frost- THANKS for opening your homes and for giving to keep our friendships going strong!

will she look like daddy? or mommy?

As we dream and wonder about what our lil baby girl is going to be like, I can't help but to wonder what characteristics she will take from her daddy and mommy.

Here is a glimpse of some possibilities.....

This is me- chunky, yet very happy baby Laura. Socializing and LOVING community as an infant. =)




Here's her daddy right after birth....

wrinkly and already deep in thought-- pondering, analyzing... =)



Here I am, a bit older.... looks like I am a bit dazed. Maybe need someone to help me "debrief" something. =)



And here is Gow, fishhook smile with a bit of sand on his face-- happy and looking like he is cooking up something adventerous, creative and fun!




It's fun to imagine and dream about WHO and HOW our baby girl will be!

Thanks for all of your prayers and support as we are now about 3 months away from parenthood! =)

Big fluffy snowflakes

It is beautiful outside.

Big fluffy snowflakes are floating down....

I am 26 weeks prego, feeling great physically, riding a rollar coaster emotionally, =) and doing well in general.

Our baby girl has her eyes open this week, can shake her head "yes" and "no" and is growing hair on her head. We are soo proud! =)

I was laying on the couch yesterday watching TV when Gow got home from work. He put his hand on my little buddha belly and exclaimed, "I feel something!" Either our baby girl's little hiney, hip, or head was sticking out one side of my belly. This is the first time that we have actually FELT her (besides kicks and jabs). Super fun.

I don't think I have posted the names that we like, so here ya are!

Lily
Lucy
Sally
Meeka

We probably are not going to decide until we meet her in April.

That's it for now- we are headed to South Carolina this weekend for a quick visit to see Jerry & Karen Frost (quito) and Mark & Amy Bucholtz (JBU)!

Toodles!

Auntie Jane Wins the Pirate booty!

Auntie Jane is the winner!
Last night, Auntie Jane took the entire Peterson clan (which is closing in on a dozen!) to support VeggieTales's new movie, The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything. Last night was the opening night, and we're sure that Jane boosted the ratings with her generosity =) .
You're great Jane.......thanks so much for supporting us and always believing in us.

And now, go and do likewise....=)

Wold Premier for The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything

As The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything hit the theaters this weekend...

We had a WORLD PREMIER in our theater on Wednesday followed by a party at the Factory in Franklin.

This is what I saw when I pulled into the theater... A 3 story Larry in his pirates custom!




The studio rented out three of the theaters and it was a FREE show for all that were invited!



Sarah, one of our friends from the studio, working and looking official! =)

Toby Mac from DC Talk and Trace Adkins (country music star) even turned up for the show!



Here Kurt Heineke, the man who did ALL of the music score, is being interviewed.



Phil Vischer, the writer and voice of Bob and many other characters, is meeting "the public".



Even Larry and Mr. Lunt were there for the press and public. =)



Gow, was midsentence when I snapped this photo.



And apparently Larry came to the show in his Hummer.

Ha!



It was fun to be in the theater PACKED with kids and hearing/seeing their reaction to the film.
Probably the coolest part was hearing voices on the big screen of people we know and seeing the film that THEY WORKED SO HARD ON.

It was super fun and we highly recommend that you take your kiddos, or find some kiddos to see The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything this weekend!

Here is a news spot to get ya'll excited... http://www.wkrn.com/nashville/news/veggie-tales-movie-premiers-in-cool-springs/135519.htm#top

Love ya'll!

Guate - finale

Here we go!

We climbed up Volcano Pacaya!

It was a hot and dusty trail going UP, UP and UP even higher!
We were on the hot dusty trail for about 2 1/2 hours.....
then we arrived here....


The beginning of hardened lava and the end of greenery and trees.



It was BEAUTIFUL as we could see two or three other volcanos in the distance and the city sweeping thru the valley below.





Here's a big ol belly pix in front of the lava.

It is pretty random.... sometimes my belly feels like it is going to pop!
Like in this pix... my belly muscles were extended as far as the could possibly go!



Here's Kat finding her way thru the hardened lave. It was jagged and sharp.... if you fell, you could get lil scraps and teeny pieces of glass in your hands. It kind of felt like what I imagine the moon to be like... the lava felt hollow. Hard and hollow.




As you walked.. if the lava had whitish hints to it... it was fresher... and HOT!
You could feel the temperature change as you hiked and sometimes you would look down into cracks and see where it was still RED HOT!!!!




Greg is roasting a hot dog! Right here, you could feel gusts of about 120+ degrees air!
it was SUPER hot! We, (actually they- it was too hot for me!) roasted chicken, hot dogs, mushrooms, carrots and marshmellows on the lava!




This is a small "river" of the flowing lava.
It was CRAZY to hear it... sort of crackled as it slid.
and it was really amazing to watch. This is the closest I got to the lil river.
and you can see in the distance other small rivers.



That was our day on Volcan Pacaya!





Here is telephone John!
=)

Another day was spent on 6 ziplines thru the jungle skies!



Gearing up and getting ready to go!



What a stallion!

=)

Okay, I know that we came back from Guate about 2 1/2 weeks ago... but hey, better late than never! =)

We are enjoying a restful weekend...

Went to Outback last- thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Gowan's generous Christmas gift! Thanks guys! We LOVED it!

Today we are going to work out, I am going have coffee with two friends from work and Gow is going to watch a flick with on of the girls' hubby.

Tomorrow is another class at church (there are 5 classes to complete to become members) and then football and just enjoying our wonderful lil casita.

THat's it for now!

Tons o love- los gows

Guate - part #2

One of our excursions was to go to a lake in the mountains to do cable riding and some shopping.....

here's Gregorio and Kitty at lunch...




Gow and Ca-leb



Gow and I



Pretty Kitty enjoying some Orange and Carrot juice



Gow doing the same...



John and Charoncita-- happy to have all their lil
"chicks back in the nest" =)




This is just a fun pix of us! =)



Here is one of the volcanos in the distance



This was super duper random.... in the parking lot we ran into the Lee family!
Janey, Caleb and Janey all went to the Alliance Academy in Quito... and here we find them at the cable ride in Guate!
It's a small world after all......



Check this out! The Guatemalan ladies all carry there bundles on their heads!
it was fascinating to watch.... and yes.. we had to PAY them to take this pix! =)



Another excursion was to Iximche - some Mayan ruins.



This part... Mayan descents still use for sacrifices. (not human...)



Pretty crazy to imagine how OLD this stuff is... and to envision a couple of hundred people actually LIVING there.



Maybe this Mayan Leader was from the Gowan line... I definitely see a resemblance.



Some SUPER steep steps.. the houses were on top of this hill and underground are tombs.



Our Marine! =)



This was a field/court for a variation of football. it was small and the men could use their elbows to hit the small rubber ball.




Our guys creatively set up a lil game of bowling. =)



and Sharon cheered them on!




Okay- that's it for now. I have our volcano pix left to post, but that will have to wait a day or two.

We just got back from dinner at our friends', the Eddys. They are the family that has opened their home to Gow both during his internship 2 summers ago and then again this past summer when Gow came to TN before my job at JBU had ended.
We are sooo blessed by their constant friendship.

okay- it's another week and I am zonked and heading to bed.
Blessings to you all!
Much love- los gowanitos