Thanksgiving has officially come and gone (but hopefully the leftovers will be around for a little while longer). I must be the only blogger in the world who hasn't done a Thanksgiving post. I think I was too busy enjoying it! But as they say, better late than never. Here are just a few things I am thankful for.
1. My husband. As I am typing this, he is in the kitchen baking cookies. Yeah. Mixing ingredients like a pro and everything. My husband is sweet. He gives me many hugs and kisses every day, and is always telling me how much he loves me. He is silly, and he makes me smile and laugh. He is passionate, has big dreams and big plans, and works hard to make them happen.
It might surprise some people to hear this, but I feel like Art and I were stuck in rut for a while, and now we're finally coming out of it. During our first year of marriage, we were so happy, even though we had no money. In our second year of marriage, we both had jobs, and were in more comfortable spot money-wise, but I feel like we weren't as happy. I remember thinking, "We've only been married two years, and I'm already wondering how we get back to being more happy and in love."
It's not like our marriage was in trouble. I never felt that way. But I felt like we weren't as close. Something was missing. And now? I think we're closer, happier, and more in love than ever. And I think this baby was definitely instrumental in bringing us back to that place.
2. Which brings me to the next item on this list. I'm thankful for our baby. Up until a couple of weeks ago, I told people that I wasn't necessarily enjoying pregnancy. I have always loved this baby, and I'm not sorry that I'm pregnant. But for the most part, being pregnant isn't...fun. It's mostly a seemingly endless string of odd, random, and annoying symptoms. But that all changed when I started to feel the baby kick. Up until then, I still had a hard time believing I was pregnant.
Yeah, I peed on a stick and saw a plus sign. Yeah, I went to the doctor and their tests confirmed it. Yeah, I got to hear the heartbeat. But before I could feel the baby inside me, I wondered if I would have to wait nine months for my reward. I didn't. Those little kicks and punches and tumbles and wiggles are a constant joy, for both Art and me. It's so incredible, to know that there is life inside of me, and even more so that it's happening without my having to do anything (other than eat and breathe).
All those verses in the Bible that talk about God weaving together life in the secret place become more real when it's happening inside of you. With the exception of the ultrasound, I cannot see our child. I cannot control how fast he or she is growing. I have no say in the order the organs are made, or how many fingers and toes s/he will have (hopefully 10 of each), or who they will look like, or who they will become. God is doing it all, and I can't see any of it, but I can finally feel it. I get to be the vessel inside which God is forming His favorite creation. It is awesome and humbling.
3. I am thankful for my family. At one of the family gatherings for Canadian Thanksgiving, my relatives kept repeating how blessed we were as a family. I have a large extended family, and every one of us is a Christian. That in itself makes us rare. We're also all close. Many people expressed that we are family AND friends. So many families out there are feuding, or estranged. There is none of that with my family.
That's not to say that there aren't struggles. But I have never once dreaded a family gathering because of those certain relatives who cause tension or embarrassment. There is only joy when getting together with my relatives.
And now that I live here, I don't get to be a part of most of those gatherings. But I never feel as though I don't have family, because out here, we've created our own. There are Art's parents and his siblings, and then there are friends who have become family. It's a much smaller group than my family back in Manitoba, but it's comforting to know that we have friends who are so close, they feel like family. People we expect to be with during major holidays and celebrations, and also get together with whenever we feel like it.
This also means that our baby won't be without "uncles", "aunts", and "cousins". In the absence of an abundance of blood relatives, God has provided adopted family members as well. They started out as friends, and now they are so much closer than that.
4. I don't really have a fourth item. I could go on and on. I'm thankful for the beauty of Washington, I'm thankful to be living in America, I'm thankful for my job, and Art's job, and our apartment, and the car we just bought, and our gym....
God has been so good to us. How often I forget. Really, we should never stop being thankful. But since I'm so prone to forgetfulness, I'm glad that there is a time of year specifically set aside for us to remember God's goodness and thank Him for His blessings.
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creators here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
November 27, 2010
November 22, 2010
Christmas Cards
Unlike (what seems like) the rest of the world, we have not been into the whole "sending out Christmas cards" thing. I love getting Christmas cards from others, and I like the idea of sending out our own, but I've never wanted to spend the money on it. Christmas is already expensive!
I started to change my mind after our trip to Manitoba. While we were there, we took family photos, and they turned out really nicely! Our photographer (the same woman who shot our wedding) took some of just Art and me. When I saw them, I thought that maybe this should be the year when we send Christmas cards.
And then my blogging friend Callie posted something one her blog that sealed the deal: Shutterfly is giving away 50 free Christmas cards to bloggers who blog about the promotion. You still have to pay for shipping and taxes, but I dare you to find a better deal on Christmas cards than the one from Shutterfly.
Callie also mentioned their incredible selection, and she wasn't kidding! I've only just barely poked around the site a little bit, and I'm already overwhelmed! I don't know how I can possibly choose.
[Actually, I do know how I'll choose. I'll ask Art, and he'll choose one. He will care what our Christmas cards look like.]
So thank you Callie for blogging about this deal. I'm pretty excited about it. If I can manage not to forget to actually put in my order, we'll be sending out Christmas cards for the very first time!
I started to change my mind after our trip to Manitoba. While we were there, we took family photos, and they turned out really nicely! Our photographer (the same woman who shot our wedding) took some of just Art and me. When I saw them, I thought that maybe this should be the year when we send Christmas cards.
And then my blogging friend Callie posted something one her blog that sealed the deal: Shutterfly is giving away 50 free Christmas cards to bloggers who blog about the promotion. You still have to pay for shipping and taxes, but I dare you to find a better deal on Christmas cards than the one from Shutterfly.
Callie also mentioned their incredible selection, and she wasn't kidding! I've only just barely poked around the site a little bit, and I'm already overwhelmed! I don't know how I can possibly choose.
[Actually, I do know how I'll choose. I'll ask Art, and he'll choose one. He will care what our Christmas cards look like.]
So thank you Callie for blogging about this deal. I'm pretty excited about it. If I can manage not to forget to actually put in my order, we'll be sending out Christmas cards for the very first time!
November 20, 2010
"I Want to Put a Cloud In My Mouth"
[The title of this post has nothing to do with what I'm actually going to write about. It's something a friend of mine said when we were talking about how whipped and smooth we like our mashed potatoes to be.]
Art and I returned a few hours ago from a "Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage" conference. If one every comes to your area, you should go. Both Art and I commented that our faces hurt from smiling and laughing so much.
There are a million marriage books and conferences out there, and they all have great things to teach you. What's different about this one is that Mark Gungor does it with humor. He's just a funny guy! Even when he's being serious, he's funny. I also like his style of being straight-forward. He doesn't tiptoe around the issues. He did a full hour on sex, and he was almost....graphic? Not graphic. But he speaks more plainly about it than any other pastor or speaker I've ever heard.
I like pastors who are willing to tell it like it is, even at the risk of offending people. Because if it's truth, it's truth, and they're not going to soften it for the sake of those who might get upset.
So yeah, we really enjoyed it. And not only was the conference great, but it was in a beautiful location. We had to drive a couple of hours to get there, and the conference was Friday evening and Saturday morning, so we booked a hotel room with a gorgeous view. We were actually going to make a weekend out of it (stay through until Sunday), but when we heard the forecast for snow, we changed our reservations. It's kind of too bad, because we haven't really gone away, for the sake of getting away, since our honeymoon.
But with the money we would have spent on that second night, we instead went out for a really nice dinner on Friday evening. We ordered a rack of lamb. I have never had meat that tender before. It was better than steak. There's a reason it's so pricey!
The other good thing about only staying one night is that we'll get to go to church tomorrow morning, and the Thanksgiving potluck afterward. Since we've only been going to that church for a little more than a month, we still don't know people very well. I thought the potluck would be a great opportunity for that, and I didn't want to miss it. And now we won't!
Okay, let me show you some pictures from this weekend.
This was our room. I only remembered to take pictures right before we checked out, so that's why the bedding is all crumpled.
On the other side of the wall from the bed was this room!
It had a TV (there were actually two TVs in the whole suite), a fireplace, couches, and a kitchen area. Pretty sweet huh?
And this was the view from our room:
Same view, but taken from the ground, later in the day.
The conference was right down the road from where we stayed, so we could just walk there. But oh my word, was it COLD and WINDY!!!! I haven't felt that bitter icy blast since living in Manitoba. It even affected the room we stayed in. We were on the fourth floor, and when we first got to the room, we cranked up the heat as high as it would go. And we turned on the fireplace.
An hour later, we were both still wearing our coats. In our room. Thankfully, by the time the evening session of the conference was over, our room was toasty.
The wind and snow and ice followed us home though. As I'm sitting here typing this, I can hear the wind howling outside. It's unusual for this part of Washington to get this winter weather so early, and it isn't usually accompanied by arctic blasts. Thankfully, this is supposed to be short-lived. It's going to get a little warmer during the week, enough to make the roads less treacherous.
So, in summary: Mark Gungor makes people laugh while teaching them things that will enhance their marriages, we still got to have a romantic getaway, even if it was only for one night, and the weather outside is frightful, and I hope it goes away soon. Although, I do love the snow. But I don't love the wind or the ice.
Art and I returned a few hours ago from a "Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage" conference. If one every comes to your area, you should go. Both Art and I commented that our faces hurt from smiling and laughing so much.
There are a million marriage books and conferences out there, and they all have great things to teach you. What's different about this one is that Mark Gungor does it with humor. He's just a funny guy! Even when he's being serious, he's funny. I also like his style of being straight-forward. He doesn't tiptoe around the issues. He did a full hour on sex, and he was almost....graphic? Not graphic. But he speaks more plainly about it than any other pastor or speaker I've ever heard.
I like pastors who are willing to tell it like it is, even at the risk of offending people. Because if it's truth, it's truth, and they're not going to soften it for the sake of those who might get upset.
So yeah, we really enjoyed it. And not only was the conference great, but it was in a beautiful location. We had to drive a couple of hours to get there, and the conference was Friday evening and Saturday morning, so we booked a hotel room with a gorgeous view. We were actually going to make a weekend out of it (stay through until Sunday), but when we heard the forecast for snow, we changed our reservations. It's kind of too bad, because we haven't really gone away, for the sake of getting away, since our honeymoon.
But with the money we would have spent on that second night, we instead went out for a really nice dinner on Friday evening. We ordered a rack of lamb. I have never had meat that tender before. It was better than steak. There's a reason it's so pricey!
The other good thing about only staying one night is that we'll get to go to church tomorrow morning, and the Thanksgiving potluck afterward. Since we've only been going to that church for a little more than a month, we still don't know people very well. I thought the potluck would be a great opportunity for that, and I didn't want to miss it. And now we won't!
Okay, let me show you some pictures from this weekend.
This was our room. I only remembered to take pictures right before we checked out, so that's why the bedding is all crumpled.
On the other side of the wall from the bed was this room!
It had a TV (there were actually two TVs in the whole suite), a fireplace, couches, and a kitchen area. Pretty sweet huh?
And this was the view from our room:
Same view, but taken from the ground, later in the day.
The conference was right down the road from where we stayed, so we could just walk there. But oh my word, was it COLD and WINDY!!!! I haven't felt that bitter icy blast since living in Manitoba. It even affected the room we stayed in. We were on the fourth floor, and when we first got to the room, we cranked up the heat as high as it would go. And we turned on the fireplace.
An hour later, we were both still wearing our coats. In our room. Thankfully, by the time the evening session of the conference was over, our room was toasty.
The wind and snow and ice followed us home though. As I'm sitting here typing this, I can hear the wind howling outside. It's unusual for this part of Washington to get this winter weather so early, and it isn't usually accompanied by arctic blasts. Thankfully, this is supposed to be short-lived. It's going to get a little warmer during the week, enough to make the roads less treacherous.
So, in summary: Mark Gungor makes people laugh while teaching them things that will enhance their marriages, we still got to have a romantic getaway, even if it was only for one night, and the weather outside is frightful, and I hope it goes away soon. Although, I do love the snow. But I don't love the wind or the ice.
November 17, 2010
Breaking News
There have been a couple of major changes around here recently. The first involves my job. I don't think I even mentioned anything about this, which is odd, because it wasn't something I had to keep secret.
There has been major restructuring where I work. Normally, the word "restructuring" is a different way of saying "downsizing" or "pink slips", but in this case, it's actually just restructuring! I won't go into the details of how it all works, but the bottom line is that it is supposed to improve communications and make processes faster, because the people at Step 1 and Step 2 and Step 3 will all be working closer together. Literally closer.
My whole department moved to the other side of the building, and the people on the other side of the building stayed there, but got shuffled around, and now we're all mixed together. It's interesting. I don't hate it as much as I thought I would. My department is used to being in our own room, where it's really quiet, so that will take some getting used to. It's louder out here, with people on the phones, people chatting between cubicles, people walking by my desk because I'm pretty close to the bathroom.
I also have a desk mate now, but at least it's someone I know, from my department. And not only is she from my department, but she's one of the more skilled and experienced from my department, so that will make training a lot easier.
For me, one of the reasons this restructuring is such a big deal is because my "job" was actually given to someone else. The duties I used to perform will now belong to another group. When I first heard this, I was worried that I would be let go, but my manager assured me that I would be doing something different. Of course, that means that right now I'm in limbo. My old job is no more, but I don't yet know how to do my new job, and since the big move, I haven't heard anything about training.
I realize that there is a lot going on, and a lot of things still need to be figured out, but I don't like feeling as though I've been left behind, like they've forgotten about me. I feel somewhat useless, but my coworkers assured me that as long as I'm learning (because I spend my days watching them do what I will eventually do), I'm not useless.
Plus, this is a great excuse for me to get an iPod! I've been wanting one for a long time, but I could never actually justify the purchase, because I've never felt as though I needed it. Now that there are so many more distractions around me, I'm going to need a way to shut it out. A fun way. Earplugs are not that fun. They don't play music.
So that's one big piece of news. Another major recent event is that we bought a car! I still can't believe that it's our car, because Art is the one who is driving it, and he's making all the arrangements with the payments and insurance and all that. But it's ours!
I don't remember if I wrote about this, but back in May, Art's car broke down. Stopped working completely. And it's so old, it's not worth fixing. So we've been borrowing Art's dad's truck since then, while looking for another vehicle to buy. Art wanted to get a jeep, but of course, we know now that we need a family-friendly vehicle. And we can't keep borrowing the truck, because we can't put a car seat in it. It's a small truck.
I don't know what year the car is, but it's a Honda Accord, and it's in pretty good condition, so I have no doubt it will last a long time. Our friend hasn't had any problems with it thus far. At some point I might actually take some pictures of it to show you!
What's really funny to me is that I'm not so much excited about the new car as I am about the fact that for a little while, we have two vehicles! We need to find a time to return the truck to Art's dad, so in the meantime, I get to DRIVE! I don't have to take the bus to work! I don't have to walk home! I can go grocery shopping without Art! This is a really big deal to me. I had no idea what I was missing. We've just gotten used to only having one vehicle. We've made it work. And we'll have to go back to that, probably in a few weeks.
But right now, I have transportational freedom and independence, and I'm going to enjoy it to the fullest.
And speaking of family vehicles and car seats (a few paragraphs back), a friend of ours gave us a car seat! His one-year-old outgrew it, and they asked us if we had one, and we didn't. So he brought it over yesterday, and I'm equal parts grateful and confused. Maybe confused isn't the right word. He explained to me how everything works, but it was a really quick explanation, and after he left, I thought to myself, "I still don't understand how to work this thing. How will I know if I've placed it in the car correctly?"
I'm totally going to look up a How-To video on YouTube.
So those are some exciting things that have been happening lately. The end!
There has been major restructuring where I work. Normally, the word "restructuring" is a different way of saying "downsizing" or "pink slips", but in this case, it's actually just restructuring! I won't go into the details of how it all works, but the bottom line is that it is supposed to improve communications and make processes faster, because the people at Step 1 and Step 2 and Step 3 will all be working closer together. Literally closer.
My whole department moved to the other side of the building, and the people on the other side of the building stayed there, but got shuffled around, and now we're all mixed together. It's interesting. I don't hate it as much as I thought I would. My department is used to being in our own room, where it's really quiet, so that will take some getting used to. It's louder out here, with people on the phones, people chatting between cubicles, people walking by my desk because I'm pretty close to the bathroom.
I also have a desk mate now, but at least it's someone I know, from my department. And not only is she from my department, but she's one of the more skilled and experienced from my department, so that will make training a lot easier.
For me, one of the reasons this restructuring is such a big deal is because my "job" was actually given to someone else. The duties I used to perform will now belong to another group. When I first heard this, I was worried that I would be let go, but my manager assured me that I would be doing something different. Of course, that means that right now I'm in limbo. My old job is no more, but I don't yet know how to do my new job, and since the big move, I haven't heard anything about training.
I realize that there is a lot going on, and a lot of things still need to be figured out, but I don't like feeling as though I've been left behind, like they've forgotten about me. I feel somewhat useless, but my coworkers assured me that as long as I'm learning (because I spend my days watching them do what I will eventually do), I'm not useless.
Plus, this is a great excuse for me to get an iPod! I've been wanting one for a long time, but I could never actually justify the purchase, because I've never felt as though I needed it. Now that there are so many more distractions around me, I'm going to need a way to shut it out. A fun way. Earplugs are not that fun. They don't play music.
So that's one big piece of news. Another major recent event is that we bought a car! I still can't believe that it's our car, because Art is the one who is driving it, and he's making all the arrangements with the payments and insurance and all that. But it's ours!
I don't remember if I wrote about this, but back in May, Art's car broke down. Stopped working completely. And it's so old, it's not worth fixing. So we've been borrowing Art's dad's truck since then, while looking for another vehicle to buy. Art wanted to get a jeep, but of course, we know now that we need a family-friendly vehicle. And we can't keep borrowing the truck, because we can't put a car seat in it. It's a small truck.
I don't know what year the car is, but it's a Honda Accord, and it's in pretty good condition, so I have no doubt it will last a long time. Our friend hasn't had any problems with it thus far. At some point I might actually take some pictures of it to show you!
What's really funny to me is that I'm not so much excited about the new car as I am about the fact that for a little while, we have two vehicles! We need to find a time to return the truck to Art's dad, so in the meantime, I get to DRIVE! I don't have to take the bus to work! I don't have to walk home! I can go grocery shopping without Art! This is a really big deal to me. I had no idea what I was missing. We've just gotten used to only having one vehicle. We've made it work. And we'll have to go back to that, probably in a few weeks.
But right now, I have transportational freedom and independence, and I'm going to enjoy it to the fullest.
And speaking of family vehicles and car seats (a few paragraphs back), a friend of ours gave us a car seat! His one-year-old outgrew it, and they asked us if we had one, and we didn't. So he brought it over yesterday, and I'm equal parts grateful and confused. Maybe confused isn't the right word. He explained to me how everything works, but it was a really quick explanation, and after he left, I thought to myself, "I still don't understand how to work this thing. How will I know if I've placed it in the car correctly?"
I'm totally going to look up a How-To video on YouTube.
So those are some exciting things that have been happening lately. The end!
November 11, 2010
Queue The Crazy Dreams!
I've heard that one of the MANY odd and unexplainable symptoms of pregnancy is strange dreams....
It all started with my being back in high school. I had to lead my younger cousin through a maze of lockers and hallways so she could locate a teacher from a higher grade. I had to hold her hand, because she was so scared of the older kids!
And then suddenly, I was on a train. I don't know where I was going.
Then we had some people at our house. They were all sitting around on couches, and we were kind of watching TV. There was a really inappropriate music video on, but for some reason, nobody changed the channel. My sister got mad at me for watching it. I tried to tell her that I was looking out the window instead, which she could see, because she was right beside me.
Then I was at the beach, and there was a huge gathering of people, mingling and eating. Everybody finished their meals at the exact same time, and started using their dishes as musical instruments. A huge party broke out, and everybody was singing and dancing.
Except my sister-in-law, who was trying to impress a guy by speaking a foreign language to him. He wasn't really interested.
Then I was back at home, trying to clean up after the people had gone home (the ones who were visiting and kind of watching TV). Art was getting impatient, because it was getting late, and he wanted me to stop cleaning and tidying and just go to bed.
When my alarm went off, I had a difficult time waking up. For some reason, I didn't feel very rested, like I had had a busy night!
It all started with my being back in high school. I had to lead my younger cousin through a maze of lockers and hallways so she could locate a teacher from a higher grade. I had to hold her hand, because she was so scared of the older kids!
And then suddenly, I was on a train. I don't know where I was going.
Then we had some people at our house. They were all sitting around on couches, and we were kind of watching TV. There was a really inappropriate music video on, but for some reason, nobody changed the channel. My sister got mad at me for watching it. I tried to tell her that I was looking out the window instead, which she could see, because she was right beside me.
Then I was at the beach, and there was a huge gathering of people, mingling and eating. Everybody finished their meals at the exact same time, and started using their dishes as musical instruments. A huge party broke out, and everybody was singing and dancing.
Except my sister-in-law, who was trying to impress a guy by speaking a foreign language to him. He wasn't really interested.
Then I was back at home, trying to clean up after the people had gone home (the ones who were visiting and kind of watching TV). Art was getting impatient, because it was getting late, and he wanted me to stop cleaning and tidying and just go to bed.
When my alarm went off, I had a difficult time waking up. For some reason, I didn't feel very rested, like I had had a busy night!
November 10, 2010
Such a Shy Baby!
We had our very first (and hopefully only) ultrasound today!
[I say "hopefully only" because I wanted to have as few ultrasounds as possible. Also, my midwife won't recommend any future ultrasounds unless I develop a complication, or there is cause for concern. So no more ultrasounds = healthy pregnancy and baby!]
What can I tell you about the baby? He/She is an expert in "assuming the position." Our baby was head down, bum up by my belly button, facing my spine; the perfect position for delivery. And boy, did Baby like it down there! We had the hardest time trying to get our Little One to turn so we could see the face!
Meanwhile, the ultrasound tech got some really good measurements of the head and spine. We saw kidneys, bladder, stomach, heartbeat, hands and feet, legs and arms, shoulders, brain.......but no face!
The ultrasound tech had me lay on my side, then she tried moving the bed so that my head was lower than my feet. Finally she let me go to the bathroom, and had me move around a bit to see if we could get the baby to move.
When she put the wand back down on my stomach, the opportunity lasted only a few seconds, but we finally got a peek at the face! The tech laughed, because the baby was folded in half, legs straight, and she said usually it's the hands nearly blocking the face, and not the feet!
The tech got a few pictures, and then Baby moved back down to where she or he started. Our baby really seems to prefer that position!
Here are some of the pictures:
[I say "hopefully only" because I wanted to have as few ultrasounds as possible. Also, my midwife won't recommend any future ultrasounds unless I develop a complication, or there is cause for concern. So no more ultrasounds = healthy pregnancy and baby!]
What can I tell you about the baby? He/She is an expert in "assuming the position." Our baby was head down, bum up by my belly button, facing my spine; the perfect position for delivery. And boy, did Baby like it down there! We had the hardest time trying to get our Little One to turn so we could see the face!
Meanwhile, the ultrasound tech got some really good measurements of the head and spine. We saw kidneys, bladder, stomach, heartbeat, hands and feet, legs and arms, shoulders, brain.......but no face!
The ultrasound tech had me lay on my side, then she tried moving the bed so that my head was lower than my feet. Finally she let me go to the bathroom, and had me move around a bit to see if we could get the baby to move.
When she put the wand back down on my stomach, the opportunity lasted only a few seconds, but we finally got a peek at the face! The tech laughed, because the baby was folded in half, legs straight, and she said usually it's the hands nearly blocking the face, and not the feet!
The tech got a few pictures, and then Baby moved back down to where she or he started. Our baby really seems to prefer that position!
Here are some of the pictures:
Here is our Little One, folded in half, and content to stay that way.
A little foot. I can't wait to kiss those tiny toesies!
And finally the face! Even when Baby did turn, the chin was tucked, so I kept praying that she or he would lift their chin so we could get a good look! This lasted only a second, but a second was all we needed.
We also got to hear the heartbeat SO clearly! At my last doctor's appointment, the baby was moving around too much, so my doctor couldn't lock onto the heartbeat long enough to time it. But with an ultrasound, you can hone in on it much better. We even got to hear how the heartbeat sounded as the tech focused on each chamber of the heart. I thought that was pretty cool.
Anyway, heartbeat is 147 bpm. Many people out there seem to think this is indicative of the gender. Care to wager a guess?
Speaking of gender, I was really hoping that I wouldn't accidentally find out the sex of our baby, and it turns out, we couldn't have known even if we wanted to! The baby made sure to keep that a secret as well. So modest. The tech said even she didn't know, and she was glad. She doesn't want to accidentally reveal those things when couples don't want to find out.
So I had nothing to worry about. Our baby is healthy, we did manage to get a brief glimpse of the face, and we'll get to have that moment at delivery when we find out if it's a little boy or a little girl.
November 4, 2010
Fat. That's All.
As of yesterday, I officially feel fat. For a while, I was feeling round-ish, and full, but in a good way. I kind of liked it.
But something about yesterday...all of sudden, my belly felt like it was stretched to capacity. I remember my sister feeling this way when she was pregnant, so I know it's possible to feel that way this early one. And yes, I'm very aware that I still have 4.5 months to go, and THEN I will know the meaning of "stretched to the limits."
I'm just saying: I officially feel fat. Big. Like there is not enough room in this world to contain me (or at least there isn't enough room in my clothes). I'm already starting to feel so uncomfortable! I hope this is somewhat temporary. Like, we're going through a growth spurt, and then it will ease up a little bit.
I find it kind of funny that other people keep saying that I'm "starting to have a bump." Starting???? I started to have a bump at 13 weeks. Maybe it's just me, but I think this is more than just a bump. I graduated from "bump" a long time ago. Of course, it doesn't help that I'm wearing sweaters all the time, and also, I know I'm still tiny, even for a pregnant woman.
But I don't feel tiny to me! In fact, I feel like my head is starting to look abnormally small sitting atop my ever-expanding torso.
Lest you be worried that I'm having self-esteem and body issues, I'm not. (Other than those horrible, ugly stretch marks that make me want to cry.) I guess the closest comparison I can make is how you feel after you've eaten a huge Thanksgiving meal. Except when you're pregnant, the feeling doesn't go away after a few hours. You can't "nap it off." And you also don't have the satisfaction of that huge Thanksgiving meal (very much looking forward to that in a few weeks, by the way).
So yeah. Fat. Big fat stomach. Big fat stomach that is probably not at all that big yet, and somehow, is actually going to get bigger, and that scares me a little.
And since I don't want to end this post on that note, here is a picture of Art and me after our Halloween costumed workout at the gym last Friday. We went as the couple from the movie Juno!
Everyone loved it. And it was all Art's idea. He's so brilliant. :)
Here's me doing a deadlift. Yes, I'm still lifting weights. That right there is 55 pounds. I didn't go any higher than 75 pounds. 55, 65, and 75 were only one rep each. If they had been more reps, I would have stopped at a lighter weight. And that weight isn't going very far off the ground. I keep the weights MUCH lighter when they are at chest height, or overhead.
I'm always very careful to assess how I'm feeling throughout my workouts, so that I don't ever reach the point where I'm not safe.
Anyway, Art and I will be away tomorrow evening and returning very late on Saturday night. It's a CrossFit thing. I don't really want to go, but I know I don't get out of the house enough, and Art has been looking forward to this for a while. Maybe it will be okay.
Well, have a good weekend!
But something about yesterday...all of sudden, my belly felt like it was stretched to capacity. I remember my sister feeling this way when she was pregnant, so I know it's possible to feel that way this early one. And yes, I'm very aware that I still have 4.5 months to go, and THEN I will know the meaning of "stretched to the limits."
I'm just saying: I officially feel fat. Big. Like there is not enough room in this world to contain me (or at least there isn't enough room in my clothes). I'm already starting to feel so uncomfortable! I hope this is somewhat temporary. Like, we're going through a growth spurt, and then it will ease up a little bit.
I find it kind of funny that other people keep saying that I'm "starting to have a bump." Starting???? I started to have a bump at 13 weeks. Maybe it's just me, but I think this is more than just a bump. I graduated from "bump" a long time ago. Of course, it doesn't help that I'm wearing sweaters all the time, and also, I know I'm still tiny, even for a pregnant woman.
But I don't feel tiny to me! In fact, I feel like my head is starting to look abnormally small sitting atop my ever-expanding torso.
Lest you be worried that I'm having self-esteem and body issues, I'm not. (Other than those horrible, ugly stretch marks that make me want to cry.) I guess the closest comparison I can make is how you feel after you've eaten a huge Thanksgiving meal. Except when you're pregnant, the feeling doesn't go away after a few hours. You can't "nap it off." And you also don't have the satisfaction of that huge Thanksgiving meal (very much looking forward to that in a few weeks, by the way).
So yeah. Fat. Big fat stomach. Big fat stomach that is probably not at all that big yet, and somehow, is actually going to get bigger, and that scares me a little.
And since I don't want to end this post on that note, here is a picture of Art and me after our Halloween costumed workout at the gym last Friday. We went as the couple from the movie Juno!
Everyone loved it. And it was all Art's idea. He's so brilliant. :)
Here's me doing a deadlift. Yes, I'm still lifting weights. That right there is 55 pounds. I didn't go any higher than 75 pounds. 55, 65, and 75 were only one rep each. If they had been more reps, I would have stopped at a lighter weight. And that weight isn't going very far off the ground. I keep the weights MUCH lighter when they are at chest height, or overhead.
I'm always very careful to assess how I'm feeling throughout my workouts, so that I don't ever reach the point where I'm not safe.
Anyway, Art and I will be away tomorrow evening and returning very late on Saturday night. It's a CrossFit thing. I don't really want to go, but I know I don't get out of the house enough, and Art has been looking forward to this for a while. Maybe it will be okay.
Well, have a good weekend!
November 1, 2010
Recipe Time!
I think I've mentioned this recipe/meal before, but this time, I took pictures of every step in the process. It's called Spicy Stuffed Eggplant.
I know what you are thinking, because I used to think the same thing: "eggplant???!!! Who on earth eats eggplant?!" Yours truly, once I tried this recipe. I've made it three times, and I. Love. It.
What you will need to cook this delicious meal:
2 large eggplants
5 tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped*
2 cloves garlic, minced*
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained (or dice two or three of your own)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper*
8 oz ground beef* (or bison or pork or lamb)
1/4 cup almond flour (you can use bread crumbs, or parmesan cheese!)
2 tbsp parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Step 2:
Take your eggplants, and cut them in half lengthwise.
Step 3: Remove the pulp (I used a small paring knife and my bare hands to tear it out)
Make sure you leave about a half-inch shell, intact.
Step 4: Dice the eggplant, and set aside.
Step 5: In a pan, heat half the oil, and cook the eggplant shells cut side down, for about 5 minutes.
Once all the shells are cooked, place them in a shallow, oven-friendly pan. You do not have to grease the pan.
Step 6: Add the rest of the oil, and saute the onions and garlic for 2 minutes over medium heat.
Step 7: Add the tomatoes to the pan, along with the diced eggplant...
...and all of your spices...
...and cook over medium high heat until you have a stew-like mixture.
Step 8: In a separate pan, brown your meat.
Step 9: When the meat is fully cooked, mix the contents of the two pans together.
Step 10: Scoop the mixture into your shells, and sprinkle the almond flour/bread crumbs/parmesan cheese on top.
Step 11: Bake for 15 minutes, and when it's done, sprinkle on the parsley, and serve!
This recipe serves 4 (one stuffed shell for each person) and it's filling! And in case you're wondering, you eat the whole thing, shell and all.
*Minor tweaks:
-This recipe calls for 8 oz of meat, but I almost always cook with one pound. It gives me a better meat-to-veggie ratio. We like meat!
-Even though this is called Spicy Stuffed Eggplant, it doesn't have to be that hot. You can always cut down on the cayenne pepper to ensure that no one's mouth is one fire. Or, if you want to skip the spice but not the flavor, use cumin instead! I love cumin. I use it in a lot of my recipes, whether it's called for or not.
-I don't always use fresh onion and garlic. If I want to do a little less chopping, I just turn to my spice rack and add onion flakes and garlic powder instead.
You can find the original recipe here. If you're looking for something healthy, delicious, and a little out of the ordinary, pick up a couple of eggplants and try it out! I think you'll be delightfully surprised.
I know what you are thinking, because I used to think the same thing: "eggplant???!!! Who on earth eats eggplant?!" Yours truly, once I tried this recipe. I've made it three times, and I. Love. It.
What you will need to cook this delicious meal:
2 large eggplants
5 tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped*
2 cloves garlic, minced*
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained (or dice two or three of your own)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper*
8 oz ground beef* (or bison or pork or lamb)
1/4 cup almond flour (you can use bread crumbs, or parmesan cheese!)
2 tbsp parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Step 2:
Take your eggplants, and cut them in half lengthwise.
Step 3: Remove the pulp (I used a small paring knife and my bare hands to tear it out)
Make sure you leave about a half-inch shell, intact.
Step 4: Dice the eggplant, and set aside.
Step 5: In a pan, heat half the oil, and cook the eggplant shells cut side down, for about 5 minutes.
Once all the shells are cooked, place them in a shallow, oven-friendly pan. You do not have to grease the pan.
Step 6: Add the rest of the oil, and saute the onions and garlic for 2 minutes over medium heat.
Step 7: Add the tomatoes to the pan, along with the diced eggplant...
...and all of your spices...
...and cook over medium high heat until you have a stew-like mixture.
Step 8: In a separate pan, brown your meat.
Step 9: When the meat is fully cooked, mix the contents of the two pans together.
Step 10: Scoop the mixture into your shells, and sprinkle the almond flour/bread crumbs/parmesan cheese on top.
Step 11: Bake for 15 minutes, and when it's done, sprinkle on the parsley, and serve!
This recipe serves 4 (one stuffed shell for each person) and it's filling! And in case you're wondering, you eat the whole thing, shell and all.
*Minor tweaks:
-This recipe calls for 8 oz of meat, but I almost always cook with one pound. It gives me a better meat-to-veggie ratio. We like meat!
-Even though this is called Spicy Stuffed Eggplant, it doesn't have to be that hot. You can always cut down on the cayenne pepper to ensure that no one's mouth is one fire. Or, if you want to skip the spice but not the flavor, use cumin instead! I love cumin. I use it in a lot of my recipes, whether it's called for or not.
-I don't always use fresh onion and garlic. If I want to do a little less chopping, I just turn to my spice rack and add onion flakes and garlic powder instead.
You can find the original recipe here. If you're looking for something healthy, delicious, and a little out of the ordinary, pick up a couple of eggplants and try it out! I think you'll be delightfully surprised.
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