baby shower

This past Saturday was quite a fun morning as several good friends got together & hosted a baby shower for us & little Miller. It was so special with lovely decorations, great food, and even better friends! Thanks to all who attended & especially to the hostesses for all their work. It was a special morning...

our youngest guest, Mr. Drew Hodel

thanks so much for opening your home Verena...it was great to spend some time with you!

our lovely hosts: Kens, Alesa, Holls, and Tams

thanks to all who attended!

ISU Retreat 2009

This past weekend we spent with the Illinois St. young group up in Arkdale, WI, at a resort. It was such fun! Bible study, volleyball, frisbee & singing was a great way to spend time with such lovely young men & women who are searching after God's will & plan for their lives. It was such an honor to share their retreat weekend and hear many of their hearts. Thanks all for a great time!

This was our group after church on Sunday morning...not all who traveled north were represented as some took off late Saturday night.

1 of 3

The first of 3 Miller grandbabies made his appearance last Friday to Alan & Theresa (Arlan's brother) weighing in at 7 lbs. 12 oz. William Alan Miller (Will for short) and Mom are doing well and I must say (as unbiasedly as possible), is quite the darling dark-haired little nephew. Arlan's sister Cathy is the next Miller up due to deliver the beginning of November, and then well...us!

We made a quick visit this past Tuesday & here are our few pictures to show him off! Congratulations Alan & Theresa!

it's back

So I have been putting off this post for several days...

1. maybe hoping it wouldn't happen
2. anxious/anticipating its happening
3. nervous about if I'd be ready for it to happen
4. trying for one sweet, last summer day to escape to "ideal" world and not reality

...but without further ado, it's here...and the "it" is school. Don't get me wrong-we've had a blessed, fun-filled summer, with lots of traveling friend and family time, remodeling, and just about everything else you can fit in a summer of 2 1/2 months but well, yeah know, as an educator, one is usually never ready to go back. New students, new relationships, new challenges, new joys...the unknown. We survived several hours of back-to-school meetings, setting up our classrooms (a new, much bigger one for Mrs. Miller), Dragon Day (the freshman welcome Mr. Miller is in charge of), and now our first full day with all our students. Both of us are continuing to teach both U.S. History & World History so that hasn't changed yet we are already finding ourselves longing for our summer days when we get to selfishly choose what to do vs. the grueling/demanding pace of teenagers & education...oh, we are so human! The rest of my blogging friends are thinking "good, those Millers finally have to go back & do what the rest of the world does-serves them right!" but until you're an educator, it's just not the same....so thanks for listening to me, thanks for your prayers, and here go Mr. & Mrs. Miller off to another year of educating our youth :)

D.R.

Last week my husband and I spent the last few days of what remains of our precious summer respite in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. It was a great time to get-a-way & much needed for my high-energy husband especially after he undertook our home remodeling project. While the resort just ranked "okay" in our mind, the beaches, sand, and ocean are going to be hard to be beat! It was so wonderful! We literallly spent all day inside/outside our little bungalow on the beach only a few feet away from the ocean waters. Our baby girl never had it so good! :) Enjoy some pictures...

our flight there...

the above picture is the Punta Cana airport...literally, it is completely open & has the largest ceiling fans Arlan & I have ever seen!

dressed up for dinner at the Italian resturant

the Japanese resturant

our beautiful beach

our cute little bungalow

one of Arlo's favorite places...our hammock on our patio


...and last but not least, as is Miller custom on vacation, a beautiful sunrise over the Atlantic!

joy's suprise!

A few Saturdays ago we had the privilege of being invited to a dear friend's surprise 50th! I love surprises (especially when I know the secret) and it turned out great...Joy was completely surprised! The summer party was great & the weather could not have been better...I don't have too many pictures but wanted to pay homage to my special friend...we love you Joy & wish you many more birthdays!

Joy's band ended up playing on the dock at Lake Bloomington...it was such a great night!

robin remodeled

So Arlan & I decided to undertake remodeling our downstairs a bit before baby girl makes her entrance this fall. Arlan was the foreman, I was his "trusty assistant", and wouldn't you know, our place looks completely different! (sidenote: Arlan did most, if not all, the work!)
I was SO proud of my man & his abilities! Here are some pictures. We ripped up carpet, layed hardwood flooring, knocked out some walls, built columns, and hung new lights in the kitchen/family area.

Before....

During...

Isn't he a handsome carpenter?!

Arlan proudly showing off one of many wounds.

and After...

This is when I returned from Florida...he had moved all the furniture in by HIMSELF!