News & Views for the Young At Heart

Scott writes monthly fictional stories for Bloomington News & Views for the Young at Heart, a free periodical. You can find News & Views at most medical facilities in town and the following locations:

Suds Subaru on the corner of Fort Jesse and Towanda
Busey Bank on Fort Jesse
Kroger on the corner of Landmark and Visa

Commerce Bank on the corner of Towanda and College
Tuffy Muffler on Vernon
Kmart behind Kep’s Restaurant on IAA Drive
Eastland Mall at the main door between JC Penny and Macy’s
Kroger on Oakland Avenue
Schnucks
Jewel-Osco on Veterans Parkway
Borders bookstore
Kroger on Main Street
Bloomington Public Library on Olive Street
Drop Off Laundry on Main Street, across from Kroger

So on your next grocery outing or trip to the bank, take a look for it and give one of his stories a read. I know you’ll enjoy his slice of life writings.

Almost Nine-Month Picture

We are getting those final errands done in our last few weeks. She could be here any day now, so we thought we’d document the pregnancy one more time.

Baby Fact #9 and Update

Did you know? Only 5% of women give birth on their actual due date. In addition, labor and delivery takes an average of 15 hours for first-time moms.

Supergirl is right on schedule - about a week to go! She is the size of a mini-watermelon! It looks like she will be a full term baby. If we make it to our next appointment we will have to make a decision - to induce or to wait.

What's In a Name?

So we are 99% sure our little girl will be named Emma Claire. Emma was the name of Kristen's great-grandmother, so it’s in the family. Emma is German or English and means “universal, complete, industrious, hard-working.” Claire is French or Latin and means “brilliant, bright, clear, famous.”

Goodbye Mustang

We said goodbye to the cherry red Mustang last week. She has been replaced with a family sedan. Though the new Camry is a welcomed addition, the ‘stang will remain in our hearts as the best car ever!

Check, Check, Check

We are checking many things off of our baby to do list: Assemble the Pack ‘n Play - check. Assemble the bouncer - check. Assemble the swing - check. Wash some clothes, sheets, and blankets - check. Investigate insurance - check. Return duplicates - check. Install the car set - check. Purchase digital camcorder - check. Start packing a bag for the hospital - check.

Baby Fact #8 and Update

Did you know? One out of three hundred births take place in a car in the United States. It’s a good thing we are only 5 minutes from the hospital and the roads we take en route have little traffic.

It’s week 38 . . . 2 more weeks (14 days) to go! She will be here in a fortnight! Everything is going according to plan. I still feel wonderful! Let’s pray for an easy delivery!

Happy Father's Day

This Sunday we enjoyed some family time with both sets of parents. It was really nice to see both of our dads on Father’s Day. Supergirl wasn’t able to join us this year, but she sent Daddy her love.

The Chronicles of Purgatory Station

So, you’ve already read Scott’s first few Purgatory Station short stories in The Imagination’s Provocation Volumes I and II, and now you are itching to learn more about Freedom, Anthem, The Nocturnal Knight, Excitor, Hell Hound, Devil Woman, and the entire cast of characters? Go to Scott’s website to read the adventures from Purgatory Station from the beginning and check back every other month for new installments. You’ll soon be hooked on this free serialized collection.

The Chronicles of Purgatory Station

Building for Baby

Scott worked on putting together a few things for the baby this past weekend. The car seat and stroller travel system is ready to go as well as the bassinet. Now that school is out for the year, there's a little more time for these kinds of things.

SMART Board Trainer

I have had a SMART Board in my third grade classroom for 1 and ½ years and feel it has revolutionized the way I teach and the way students learn. Last week I planned and executed a 2 and ½ day SMART Board workshop through our Regional Office of Education (ROE). Twenty-five teachers from the tri-county area came to learn more about this teaching tool. It was a great opportunity for me to gain some experience as a professional development trainer. I am teaching a few more of these SMART Board workshops this summer, and hope to continue sharing with others.

Eight-Month Picture

Here we are! There’s no doubt a baby is on the way! She has so many people anxiously awaiting her arrival in a few weeks.

Evolution of a Nursery

Stage 1 – Clearing out the room
Stage 2 – Painting the walls and trim
Stage 3 – Cleaning the carpet
Stage 4 – Building and moving in furniture
Stage 5 – Adding bedding and accessories
Stage 6 – Bringing baby home to reveal the space . . . coming soon!