PURCHA$E$, PURCHA$E$, AND more PURCHA$E$

 I can't believe how many purchases we have made and still get to make for the rest of our lives.  There are a lot of purchases that have happened in such a short time.  We have purchased our crib, crib mattress, dresser, storage for the room, storage for the closet (and that was all this weekend)....yes we have several more purchases to make.  It is very exciting to begin this new chapter in our lives. With the many kicks and movements that are happening QUITE frequently it is a constant reminder of the rapidly approaching arrival of this blessing.  Every day that we get closer to meeting him we love him more and more.

Car buying

Who knew something that should be so exciting could be such a horrible experience.   First you go through the struggle of discovering the difference between what is a NEED and a WANT.  Then you have to decide if you are getting the best deal in terms of gas mileage, longevity, if has everything you think you NEED, knowing if your budget is correct, and then the big decision.  And then you factor in the person selling you the car--do they not realize that it is our choice, that we are the one's in control of making the decision, and when we ask several times if that is the final price and each time they come back with a different price--that does not build confidence or trust.  The worst is when you tell them that is not what you want and you exit successfully and then you discover the price they were offering -that you supposedly bargained down too...was the price that another dealership was starting at.  The wasted time, emotion, and energy.

So yes we were eventually successful in our purchase.  We were happy with our dealership, price, and that all of our NEEDS were found in the vehicle that we purchased!!

2010: A Year of Moments, Memories, and Miracles

Because we have started a blog we wanted to get everyone caught up on what is new in our lives over the past year.

January:  We saw lots of snow during our holidays in Minnesota and Nebraska.  We had to post-pone our annual Harper family Christmas at the farm.  We met together several days after Christmas and in Kennard.  We had an eventful journey through the country roads to make it there.  We were unable to make it to the Wolfe Christmas because of the weather and returning home.

February:  Matt took me on a Disney surprise!  He made reservations at the Magic Kingdom Castle.  We had a perfect table overlooking  Fantasy Land where we enjoyed a romantic dinner.  We had a wonderful time together, and what a special way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. 

On our way to the "Royal Table"

The back view of the castle and where our table was located.

March:  To celebrate Mom and Dad’s 35^th wedding anniversary, they invited the whole family down to Anna Maria Island, FL.  They rented a beautiful house on the beach with a pool.  We enjoyed ten days soaking up the sun, riding on the trolley, shopping, relaxing, reading, and enjoying time with family.

Mom and Dad on the Beach

Dad and I posing with the sand art.

June: We were able to celebrate Dad’s retirement!!  Dad retired after 37 years with the power company in Omaha.  We had a wonderful time on the farm with lots of friends and family.   While we were home we were able to see some longtime friends and got to witness mom and dad’s pride and joy, their gardens.

Dad with his retirement gift, E was almost more excited than dad.
He knew right away that the gift had a motor!

July:  Matt and I took a month-long trip to Europe to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary.  We started off in Nové Mesto Slovakia visiting family. Our cousin Zorka took us to Prague, Czech Republic, where we saw the castle and Saint Vitus Cathedral, the Spiš Castle near the Slovak border (with Ukraine and Poland) and to the beautiful High Tatras before dropping us off in Vienna Austria.

From there we traveled to Venice, Italy.  We enjoyed leisurely wandering on the sidewalks and bridges near the water, shopping, dining, cruising the canals, San Marco Basilica, the Doge's Palace, and the Campanile (complete with gorgeous views of the Adriatic Sea and the Alps).  We were even able to enjoy a gondola ride though some of the less traveled side canals of Venice.

Next, we headed down to Rome.  We enjoyed local shops, markets, and plazas.  We were able to see much of Rome in a day.  We started off at the Vatican; we went through the museum, the Sistine Chapel, and Saint Peter’s Basilica.  From there we headed to the Spanish Steps and to the Trevi Fountain.  This area was just bustling with people…you could hear them all from several blocks away, but; I guess what can you expect on one of the hottest days of the year in Rome!  We also stopped by the Pantheon and we got a local lunch in one of the quaint plaza restaurants.  From there we continued to walk to the plaza Navano and enjoyed some gelato.  We then walked down toward the river to the Mouth of Truth.  After that, we continued walking toward the Colosseum and the Roman Forum.  At the close of the day Matt and I were both exhausted.  We had based our schedule on the 1953 movie, “Roman Holiday” so we were able to fit everything in.  After our busy time in Rome, we were ready for a break and headed off to a region of the Italian Riviera called Cinque Terre.  These five fishing villages are located along a 14 mile stretch of the Mediterranean and are nestled along steep cliffs with breathtaking views of the sea!  We stayed in a beautiful, newly renovated bed and breakfast in Monterosso al Mare and we hiked to the four other villages.  We saw amazing sights and enjoyed the wine vineyards and olive and lemon groves, shopping, restaurants (swordfish), beaches, pirate parties and beautiful Mediterranean sunsets.  We will definitely be back to Cinque Terre someday.  From Cinque Terre we went to Nice, France and Monte Carlo, Monaco.  After several days of sightseeing, strolling the beaches and promenade and exploring an antique flea market, we departed for our final destination:  Paris, France.  We were blessed to be able to stay with some family friends.  They were very gracious and helped us learn our way around town.  We were able to see the art district, Notre Dame, go on a Seine river boat tour, stroll through the Louvre, visit Versailles, the Arc de Triumph, the Eiffel Tower, walk along the Champs-Elysees, and stop by the Sacre-Coeur. 

August:  We returned to Florida at the beginning of August.  Matt and I went back to work.  But we soon were pleased to find out about a miracle that would be changing our lives.That’s right we found out we are pregnant!!

September:   

October:  Mom, Dad, and Grandma Harper came down to help celebrate our news.  We enjoyed shopping and making plans for our new arrival.

November:  We found out our new blessing is a little boy!  We were able to celebrate Thanksgiving with Mom, Dad, Joey, and Drew.  It was wonderful to be with family for the holidays. 

December:  We went to Nebraska and Minnesota for the Christmas and New Years.  Matt and I were able to meet our new nephew in Nebraska and our new niece in Minnesota.  We enjoyed our time with friends and family and spending time in our hometowns.  

 As we look forward to this New Year, we are excited and anxious for the many changes that we will be experiencing.   We continue to be amazed by the many blessings God has and does allow us to enjoy each and every day! Please check back from time to time for further updates on what’s going on with the Bendell’s in sunny Florida!