03/17/10 4:29PM

the channel (driftin' luke) is playing a show friday at 1:30 PM at the mellow mushroom (pizza!!). come if you can! it will be a little different than other times you may have heard/seen the channel, but should be fun. :-D

i'm colorado-bound this weekend and very excited! i'm going all alone - no husband, no child..i'll be feeling so weird without them all weekend, but at the same time blessed to be able to spend some QT (quality time) with my sister and bro-in-law!

hope you austinites are enjoying the beautiful weather we're having!
  • jamilo
    what fun things you have going on! I wish I could come see the channel do their thing... I remember once driving from BG to Austin for another such event.... I need to come back to visit soon! Maybe whenever Jeni is ready for a roadtrip...
    Have fun in CO!
    by jamilo at 03/18/10 12:54AM
  • bean
    yes, you haven't met silas yet have you?? come visit anytime (please).
    by bean at 03/18/10 9:03AM
  • jamilo
    I did meet Silas, but only briefly- when you and Becca and Jeni came through Nashville last fall on your way back to TX just before Becca's wedding... but I think we need to be reintroduced! :) I'll look through my schedule.....
    by jamilo at 03/19/10 10:16AM
  • jenilikesjuice
    i concur!
    by jenilikesjuice at 03/19/10 4:03PM

happy new year (take two)

everything's slowly getting back to normal around here...silas is getting over his allergies or cold or whatever it is, and andy's over his strep throat, and i'm feeling almost completely myself again. thanks to everyone for your prayers!

i've been soooo ready for february for awhile now; february will begin the mcallister's new year (take two). we're looking forward to fun times ahead....lots of bible studies, good music, a valentine's date (thanks to andy's mom volunteering to watch silas!), an increased discount at whole foods due to andy's impeccable health, more tom/andy dinner parties, etc.

pressing on, looking ahead, THAT's a good time!

  • pistal77
    glad to hear that things are getting better!
    by pistal77 at 01/29/10 5:35PM
  • jenilikesjuice
    happy new year mcallisters!!!!
    by jenilikesjuice at 01/31/10 2:01PM
  • gmfck
    HEY IT'S ME FRANKLIN-GMFCK!
    by gmfck at 02/01/10 3:25PM

portland and heaven.

well, we just got back from our interesting anniversary trip to portland. we stayed in a place called "bluebird guesthouse," which was a very cute old house with NO TV, which was awesome (it forced us to interact!), and their rates were really good.

i loved it there - the shops, the waterfalls, the mountains, the orchards (though they weren't bearing any fruit, we were just excited to see so many), and of course, the food. in fact, our rental car license plate number was something like 938 EAT. they must've known andy was coming their way. plus, we saw (stood a few feet from) toby flenderson from "the office," so that made the whole trip worthwhile.

through all of this excitement i actually had a miscarriage while we were there. i was blessed that it happened when it did, while i was alone with my loving, supportive husband. seeing all the beautiful creation out there helped too, putting a nice perspective on things. also, i can't imagine that i would've been a very good mother to silas while i was going through that, so i'm thankful he was with his adoring grandparents all weekend.

now we're back in austin, and silas acts as though we were never gone. i guess the grandmothers did a good job of keeping him happy!

i'm having difficult moments -- my body acts like it had a baby, which it did, but i'm not able to experience the joy that makes you forget the pain, so that's hard at times. but tonight i was just thinking about how i don't deserve ANYTHING; all the blessings God provides in this life, so i need to stop acting like i do. my mom likes to remind me of what's important, which i'm so thankful for, but it doesn't mean it's not hard to hear it sometimes. tonight she mentioned that maybe my granddad (who i never met) is sitting up in heaven with all his little grandbabies who've gone on. of course i've been crying as i think of these things, but really that's a pretty neat picture. i can't wait to join them someday!


  • racheldean
    I'm glad you and Andy were able to go on a nice trip together (that is so cool that you so Toby. Wish you could've gotten a picture). So sorry for your loss. Thankful for your husband and loving family who are there to help you.
    by racheldean at 01/11/10 11:11PM
  • joyfulsong

    I'm so sorry, Heather. I was thinking the other day that there are going to be a whole lot of babies & young children in heaven since they're innocent and will all go to heaven. It's pretty comforting to those that have lost children and babies to think of seeing them there. I'll pray for you and Andy.

    by joyfulsong at 01/11/10 11:48PM
  • blueeyes
    I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I will be praying for you all.
    by blueeyes at 01/12/10 8:35AM
  • scbrewer
    Heather, I'm so impressed and humbled that you put all this out here for us to see. Your faith and attitude is amazing. Praying for you and your family. I know Heaven will be wonderful because of all the children there. (HUGS) /\ prayers.
    by scbrewer at 01/12/10 11:01AM
  • bliss117
    It is hard to think that anyone can take better care of your child than you, but now, there is another sweet, little angel in heaven, with God, who will never have to endure any of the pain and suffering we go through here on earth. Love you, H...
    by bliss117 at 01/12/10 12:10PM
  • littlebit
    Praying for you all.
    by littlebit at 01/12/10 1:48PM
  • pistal77
    You have strength, that I don't have. You also have the Lord and my prayers. Love you!
    by pistal77 at 01/12/10 7:09PM
  • windham4life
    oh Heather, I am so sorry about your loss. :(
    by windham4life at 01/13/10 7:51PM
  • Marilee
    visit me!
    by Marilee at 01/23/10 10:59PM

12/14/09 4:04PM

i gave silas his first haircut today, which was a bad idea because:
1) i cried while i was cutting his hair, which meant that...
2) i could've easily cut him with the scissors because i couldn't see what i was doing or...
3) i could've totally butchered his hair

as it is, it's probably a little uneven, but he looks very cute and too old, so needless to say i'm having mixed feelings about the results.

i finished teaching the most ridiculous class ever last week; by ridiculous i mean challenging. i was pretty stressed all term, so i'm very relieved to have a break. my next class starts january 12, but it will be a more enjoyable one.

andy and i booked a trip to portland for our anniversary (four years january 14th!) -- i'm already getting sick just thinking of being away from silas for three nights! but he'll be in good hands with his grandparents all weekend.

hope everyone has a happy holiday!

  • pistal77
    what class will you be teaching. 4 years great!
    by pistal77 at 12/14/09 4:07PM
  • navydoc
    It's been almost 4 yrs already!?
    by navydoc at 12/14/09 10:33PM
  • notcool
    oh that sweet picture of silas over there warms my heart!
    Where y'all going? We really want to take a fun trip with you guys sometime. When the kids are older. I always think about how fun that would be. For now, maybe dinner soon!
    by notcool at 12/15/09 3:48PM
  • windham4life
    awe, I'm sure the haircut is great! :)
    by windham4life at 12/17/09 5:23PM
  • blueeyes
    Congratulations on four years!
    by blueeyes at 12/19/09 3:00AM
  • bigdeborah
    what classes are/have you been teaching?? I can see myself crying at Timothy's first haircut. I can't believe he has already been home for a week! Enjoy Portland; I think it's great y'all are going on a lil get away together!
    by bigdeborah at 12/20/09 12:59PM
  • bean
    i just taught freshman writing II (research writing), and i'll teach business communications in the spring -- woohoo!
    by bean at 12/21/09 5:31PM
  • jenilikesjuice
    the definition of a happy holiday is games and food and silly outfits with ppl that you love!

    you've already made mine :)
    by jenilikesjuice at 12/21/09 8:02PM

beach in the heart of texas

silas and i accompanied some family and a friend to port aransas for his first beach trip ever. he was, of course, extra cute walking barefoot in the sand and chasing after birds and hesitantly walking in the water.

andy has graduated!! we are truly JOYFUL.

it was a tough battle, but silas fought bravely and won three new molars.

i have 15 students in my class next term. class starts monday and i am nowhere near prepared - yikes!

  • scbrewer
    Sound blessed and fun! So glad you guys are doing well! Congrats to Andy!
    by scbrewer at 10/15/09 4:29PM
  • windham4life
    awe, sounds like a fun trip!! I wanted to go to the beach alllll summer, and never made it out there...maybe some day!
    by windham4life at 10/16/09 12:25AM
  • racheldean
    He is such a cutie! I saw Kim's pictures and it looked like a wonderful trip.
    by racheldean at 10/29/09 12:26PM