Tuesday, July 31, 2007
The Last Post
First, for those curious about my reaction to seeing my mom for the first time after her major weight loss...I cried right there at the airport. It was quite shocking, and I doubt I would have noticed her had she not waved us down. I've never known her to be this size -- pretty much MY typical size. It's amazing and wonderful at the same time. As we sat next to each other at church, I majorly noticed that her very presence is much smaller. I also couldn't stop thinking "This is truly where I got my frame" though we both agree I'm slightly curvier. ;-) Way to go, Momma, for having such discipline. I'm proud of you and excited for this great change in your life -- it'll be weird to trade clothes if/when we do! :-D
Well, this is my last post before we are "officially" parents of two little boys. Today has been such an odd day, thinking about all the lasts. It is SOOO strange to know when this pregnancy will be over and a new baby in our arms. This morning was my last breakfast with just one kid. This was my last day to not be a nursing mom. This was my last whole day to waddle around and feel a baby going nuts inside after having something sweet. Tonight was my last night to put Judah to bed and snuggle him while he sat on my big belly. So many different things to think about and cherish.
We're going in at 7:00 tomorrow for two hours of prep, then surgery at 9:00. We expect to be able to start calling people around 11:00 our time (after surgery and recovery). I can not WAIT to see what Elijah looks like! Will he look just like Matt's newborn pic like Judah did? Or do I get to claim a son? :-) I also can't wait to see how much he'll weigh. I took one last belly pic today 1) for comparison to my last Judah preggie pic and 2) so Jaclyn can try her hand at guessing the weight (she got Judah's right). I'm thankful I didn't puff up because of swelling/weight like I did with Judah (left picture). :-P
Here is one last picture of just the three of us...
This is me, signing off for the last time as a mother of one. When next I post, I shall be the mom of two adorable boys! And of course loaded with all the details of his birth!
Pray for us -- especially for Elijah Aaron Esparza!
Well, this is my last post before we are "officially" parents of two little boys. Today has been such an odd day, thinking about all the lasts. It is SOOO strange to know when this pregnancy will be over and a new baby in our arms. This morning was my last breakfast with just one kid. This was my last day to not be a nursing mom. This was my last whole day to waddle around and feel a baby going nuts inside after having something sweet. Tonight was my last night to put Judah to bed and snuggle him while he sat on my big belly. So many different things to think about and cherish.
We're going in at 7:00 tomorrow for two hours of prep, then surgery at 9:00. We expect to be able to start calling people around 11:00 our time (after surgery and recovery). I can not WAIT to see what Elijah looks like! Will he look just like Matt's newborn pic like Judah did? Or do I get to claim a son? :-) I also can't wait to see how much he'll weigh. I took one last belly pic today 1) for comparison to my last Judah preggie pic and 2) so Jaclyn can try her hand at guessing the weight (she got Judah's right). I'm thankful I didn't puff up because of swelling/weight like I did with Judah (left picture). :-P
Here is one last picture of just the three of us...
This is me, signing off for the last time as a mother of one. When next I post, I shall be the mom of two adorable boys! And of course loaded with all the details of his birth!
Pray for us -- especially for Elijah Aaron Esparza!
Monday, July 23, 2007
Much Has Happened...More Will Happen
Yes, yes. It's finally here. A long awaited update -- that may or may not include everything I've been wanting to share. My brain's not working on all levels at the moment, but I'm tired of not posting!
Maryland Details
We signed the lease and sent it back last week, so the apartment is officially ours. I've asked our friend Angie who lives there to take a picture of the outside of our unit so we can at least see that part before we arrive to move in. I'm still excited to only have one tub to clean!
Matt officially chose one of the 9 jobs he interviewed for. We're just waiting on the official offer letter now.
All other Maryland details are on hold because, well...we need to have a baby before we move any farther along.
Pregnancy Details
Speaking of having a baby, one week is all that's left. It is so strange to know how many days I have left to have a big belly, one child to care for, and no surgery to recover from. And how many nights I have left of only getting up once for a bathroom break.
Physically, my hips/back have actually improved quite a bit the past week or so. I can actually walk without pain -- amazing! I do find myself waddling a little more, but that's because of my belly and not pain. My biggest problem has been hellfire & brimstone indigestion. Yowsa! I've never had it this bad, but I have finally figured out that if I kind of graze all day it will stay mostly controlled. I also figured out Tums don't work.
Emotionally, I'm excited about Elijah's arrival and all the newness he will bring to our family (too many aspects to list)! I'm incredibly relieved every time I remember my mom is coming on Sunday -- if it weren't for her being here, I know I would be very anxious about many things. I get that "All is well and will be well" peace. And I can NOT wait to see her and Judah interact because he's so grown up compared to last time they were together! Oh yeah, I made her a Bible cover and got her a travel Bible to read on the plane. :-)
I think the only issue I'm having emotionally stems from a spiritual issue. I can't remember a time when I expected a battle to be coming and knew exactly what it was I had to face before it actually happened. I failed the anger/jealousy battle way too many times in Judah's early days when it came to having to get up several times a night to nurse him. I was mad that Matt got more restful sleep than I, jealous that he got to sleep "so much." A silly thing to be angry and jealous over, but we all have our vices. Even to this day, I have such a struggle on mornings when he isn't up and out of bed at the same time I am. It all boils down to selfishness and a lack of love in serving my early-rising son and non-morning-person husband. I don't want to fail again, but I know I will. But, by God's grace, maybe I won't fail quite as much as I did with Judah. I don't WANT to face this battle, but it can not be avoided. Elijah is coming! And praise God, I have been through it before and know that children do eventually sleep through the night. And Jim has said something very profound the past two Sundays, "What God requires, He supplies." God requires love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control...all of which I am keenly aware need to be present in my roles as wife and mother. He REQUIRES them -- but He also promises to SUPPLY them. I should expect Him to keep His promise, and then I need to pursue it with my whole heart. Thank you, Jim!
You can pray for that coming battle, and also pray for tomorrow night's Bible study. Not only is it my turn to lead, but the ladies are giving Kristin and I a little baby shower. It will be tough, and Cindy said there will be tears between Kristin and I. I found out last week after an intimate conversation with a few ladies that I have not been alone in my awkward burden. I have no idea exactly what God has planned for tomorrow night. I'm not sure I'm prepared for it, but it is time for all of us to openly celebrate our pregnancies and God's plans for each of us. Samuel and Elijah are both precious and created by Hand. It matters not when God has chosen to bring each of them back to Himself. But that doesn't mean we don't need God's grace and strength for the mixed joy/sadness surrounding Samuel's birth. Our ladies are in for a roller coaster over the next few weeks as Elijah is to arrive July 31st and Samuel on August 15th. Pray for everything and everyone involved -- that should keep you on your knees for hours.
Vehicle Details
As Matt likes to say, when we have a life change...we like to change it all! Our Honda dealership in town recently had some good buys available. After a few trips there, much discussion and seeking for wisdom, and 5 hours of decision-making/paperwork, we traded in our beloved Accord for a Pilot! I got a little emotional when the deal was done and I glanced out the window to our Accord. That car was exactly what I had always wanted, even down to the year. It was our first "official" car purchase as a married couple. We drove across the country in that car. We brought our first child home in it. But, as Matt pointed out, our family is changing and therefore our needs are as well. Mind you, I was in support of the decision 100%. But you know how women can be sentiMENTAL and all. ;-) I LOVE the Pilot! Other people can actually ride with us now, whereas with two carseats in the back of the Accord...well, let's just say not even Matt's hips would fit back there. The Pilot can seat 8 people total, and the third row can fold down flat for ample storage space. It's white with gray cloth interior. Funny thing, when we were looking for our Accord, we dreamed of getting a Pilot...and that was in 2004. Now we have a 2004 Pilot! It's all wheel drive which will be good for MD winters. It's SO easy to get Judah in and out of his carseat now -- a HUGE plus for me! Sweet all around. I told Autumn that I don't feel like I look like an SUV woman, that I always thought I'd be a minivan woman. She readily agreed and said she was the opposite. To which I readily agreed. :-P But hopefully I'll look more like an SUV mom as time passes. Maybe when I'm not trying to climb in with a 9 month belly??
One flub with the car is that our salesman, James Bond (I kid you not!), said it had a 6-disc changer. It doesn't. So we were going to work with him and get one installed. That wasn't going to work. So James said he'd get an MP3 adapter installed. Well, apparently you can only get an IPod adapter...which we don't have/want. We ended up with a cash settlement -- and drove from the dealership straight across the street to Kohls for a little shopping spree. :-D Matt was able to get some dress-casual clothes for his new job, and we found two sets of adorable and roomy PJ's for Judah. Matt went back later and surprised me with two purple throw pillows for our couch. That desire has been a LONG-standing one! He done good!
Judah Details
He's not the kid any of you knew. He runs, chatters up a storm, feeds himself 99% of the time, is a climbing daredevil, pushes heavier objects around, shows signs of a good short term memory, comprehends many commands and questions, and much more! He says "bye" WHILE waving and yesterday started clearly saying "outside." His top incisor teeth are still trying to punch through, should be any day now. He still hates mashed potatoes (weirdo), and we found out tonight that he doesn't like sweet tea (that's my boy!). He pooped in the bathtub for the first (and hopefully only) time today. He's got no idea what's coming next week and is gonna have quite the awakening when another baby comes home to stay...permanently. Our biggest milestone lately -- HE DOESN'T CRY WHEN WE LEAVE HIM IN NURSERY!!! I can't tell you how long we have waited and prayed for this time to come. It's just been over the last few Sundays. But yesterday, Matt said Judah just ran off to play with toys when Matt put him down. When I arrived to get him, Judah was playing contentedly in a corner...and his blankie was carelessly thrown on the floor elsewhere. That was shocking! But, praise the Lord for one less thing to distract us from paying attention to the sermon!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm pretty sure there was a lot more I've been wanting to post, mostly small details. But they all escape me now. At least I got the big categories down. Hopefully, I can get back to shorter, more frequent posts starting this week. I've been tied up with Bible study and that secret project I started but can't post about yet. That will culminate on Sunday. Soooo excited!!! Now that I mention it, I think I'll go work on it some more. G'night!
Maryland Details
We signed the lease and sent it back last week, so the apartment is officially ours. I've asked our friend Angie who lives there to take a picture of the outside of our unit so we can at least see that part before we arrive to move in. I'm still excited to only have one tub to clean!
Matt officially chose one of the 9 jobs he interviewed for. We're just waiting on the official offer letter now.
All other Maryland details are on hold because, well...we need to have a baby before we move any farther along.
Pregnancy Details
Speaking of having a baby, one week is all that's left. It is so strange to know how many days I have left to have a big belly, one child to care for, and no surgery to recover from. And how many nights I have left of only getting up once for a bathroom break.
Physically, my hips/back have actually improved quite a bit the past week or so. I can actually walk without pain -- amazing! I do find myself waddling a little more, but that's because of my belly and not pain. My biggest problem has been hellfire & brimstone indigestion. Yowsa! I've never had it this bad, but I have finally figured out that if I kind of graze all day it will stay mostly controlled. I also figured out Tums don't work.
Emotionally, I'm excited about Elijah's arrival and all the newness he will bring to our family (too many aspects to list)! I'm incredibly relieved every time I remember my mom is coming on Sunday -- if it weren't for her being here, I know I would be very anxious about many things. I get that "All is well and will be well" peace. And I can NOT wait to see her and Judah interact because he's so grown up compared to last time they were together! Oh yeah, I made her a Bible cover and got her a travel Bible to read on the plane. :-)
I think the only issue I'm having emotionally stems from a spiritual issue. I can't remember a time when I expected a battle to be coming and knew exactly what it was I had to face before it actually happened. I failed the anger/jealousy battle way too many times in Judah's early days when it came to having to get up several times a night to nurse him. I was mad that Matt got more restful sleep than I, jealous that he got to sleep "so much." A silly thing to be angry and jealous over, but we all have our vices. Even to this day, I have such a struggle on mornings when he isn't up and out of bed at the same time I am. It all boils down to selfishness and a lack of love in serving my early-rising son and non-morning-person husband. I don't want to fail again, but I know I will. But, by God's grace, maybe I won't fail quite as much as I did with Judah. I don't WANT to face this battle, but it can not be avoided. Elijah is coming! And praise God, I have been through it before and know that children do eventually sleep through the night. And Jim has said something very profound the past two Sundays, "What God requires, He supplies." God requires love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control...all of which I am keenly aware need to be present in my roles as wife and mother. He REQUIRES them -- but He also promises to SUPPLY them. I should expect Him to keep His promise, and then I need to pursue it with my whole heart. Thank you, Jim!
You can pray for that coming battle, and also pray for tomorrow night's Bible study. Not only is it my turn to lead, but the ladies are giving Kristin and I a little baby shower. It will be tough, and Cindy said there will be tears between Kristin and I. I found out last week after an intimate conversation with a few ladies that I have not been alone in my awkward burden. I have no idea exactly what God has planned for tomorrow night. I'm not sure I'm prepared for it, but it is time for all of us to openly celebrate our pregnancies and God's plans for each of us. Samuel and Elijah are both precious and created by Hand. It matters not when God has chosen to bring each of them back to Himself. But that doesn't mean we don't need God's grace and strength for the mixed joy/sadness surrounding Samuel's birth. Our ladies are in for a roller coaster over the next few weeks as Elijah is to arrive July 31st and Samuel on August 15th. Pray for everything and everyone involved -- that should keep you on your knees for hours.
Vehicle Details
As Matt likes to say, when we have a life change...we like to change it all! Our Honda dealership in town recently had some good buys available. After a few trips there, much discussion and seeking for wisdom, and 5 hours of decision-making/paperwork, we traded in our beloved Accord for a Pilot! I got a little emotional when the deal was done and I glanced out the window to our Accord. That car was exactly what I had always wanted, even down to the year. It was our first "official" car purchase as a married couple. We drove across the country in that car. We brought our first child home in it. But, as Matt pointed out, our family is changing and therefore our needs are as well. Mind you, I was in support of the decision 100%. But you know how women can be sentiMENTAL and all. ;-) I LOVE the Pilot! Other people can actually ride with us now, whereas with two carseats in the back of the Accord...well, let's just say not even Matt's hips would fit back there. The Pilot can seat 8 people total, and the third row can fold down flat for ample storage space. It's white with gray cloth interior. Funny thing, when we were looking for our Accord, we dreamed of getting a Pilot...and that was in 2004. Now we have a 2004 Pilot! It's all wheel drive which will be good for MD winters. It's SO easy to get Judah in and out of his carseat now -- a HUGE plus for me! Sweet all around. I told Autumn that I don't feel like I look like an SUV woman, that I always thought I'd be a minivan woman. She readily agreed and said she was the opposite. To which I readily agreed. :-P But hopefully I'll look more like an SUV mom as time passes. Maybe when I'm not trying to climb in with a 9 month belly??
One flub with the car is that our salesman, James Bond (I kid you not!), said it had a 6-disc changer. It doesn't. So we were going to work with him and get one installed. That wasn't going to work. So James said he'd get an MP3 adapter installed. Well, apparently you can only get an IPod adapter...which we don't have/want. We ended up with a cash settlement -- and drove from the dealership straight across the street to Kohls for a little shopping spree. :-D Matt was able to get some dress-casual clothes for his new job, and we found two sets of adorable and roomy PJ's for Judah. Matt went back later and surprised me with two purple throw pillows for our couch. That desire has been a LONG-standing one! He done good!
Judah Details
He's not the kid any of you knew. He runs, chatters up a storm, feeds himself 99% of the time, is a climbing daredevil, pushes heavier objects around, shows signs of a good short term memory, comprehends many commands and questions, and much more! He says "bye" WHILE waving and yesterday started clearly saying "outside." His top incisor teeth are still trying to punch through, should be any day now. He still hates mashed potatoes (weirdo), and we found out tonight that he doesn't like sweet tea (that's my boy!). He pooped in the bathtub for the first (and hopefully only) time today. He's got no idea what's coming next week and is gonna have quite the awakening when another baby comes home to stay...permanently. Our biggest milestone lately -- HE DOESN'T CRY WHEN WE LEAVE HIM IN NURSERY!!! I can't tell you how long we have waited and prayed for this time to come. It's just been over the last few Sundays. But yesterday, Matt said Judah just ran off to play with toys when Matt put him down. When I arrived to get him, Judah was playing contentedly in a corner...and his blankie was carelessly thrown on the floor elsewhere. That was shocking! But, praise the Lord for one less thing to distract us from paying attention to the sermon!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm pretty sure there was a lot more I've been wanting to post, mostly small details. But they all escape me now. At least I got the big categories down. Hopefully, I can get back to shorter, more frequent posts starting this week. I've been tied up with Bible study and that secret project I started but can't post about yet. That will culminate on Sunday. Soooo excited!!! Now that I mention it, I think I'll go work on it some more. G'night!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
To Hold You Over
Boy, alot has happened the past couple weeks. Major update to come -- when time and energy are present simultaneously. :-P For now, munch on some cuteness!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
A Moment to Breath
Gotta eat a snack, so I thought I'd do a quick post.
New neighbors are moving in downstairs -- a Mexican American couple, Christina and Dilano. He seems a little quiet and reserved, and she immediately opened up when I extended myself to her. Maybe a little older than us, but expecting their first baby (a boy!) September 3rd. And now I have another reason to bake something! :-)
Went to the beach today with a good sized group from church. So now I have a new beach to take Matt to since we've never been anywhere but Carmel. Judah sat in laps the whole time. Still doesn't like the sand.
Matt's interviews are finished. Just wait until you hear the CRAZY story of how/when he got to Baltimore. Without his luggage. Let's just say his attire was not quite as casual as Will Smith's in Pursuit of Happyness...but it was a t-shirt and jeans. He just had dinner with a family from HBC (the church there) and is now at their small group Bible study. I can't wait for him to get his luggage and then be able to CRASH at the hotel. He's only had 2 hours of not-the-greatest sleep since yesterday morning when we woke up. :-(
Three weeks from today. Can you believe it?? I'll have Elijah in my arms three weeks from this moment. I'll like that better than the foot that is pushing hard on my rib cage right now.
Here are some pics!
Mamaw sent a couple packages full of goodies for all of us -- this sweater vest goes PERFECTLY with his Momma's favorite shirt. My, doesn't Judah look so dapper? :-D
True to all that is kid, Judah loves this box.
I'll give you one guess at who I thought of when I saw this expression on Judah's face. We'll see if anyone guesses right (no Sbux card reward though...). I love this picture!
I "weeded" out the dying flowers from our anniversary bouquet from Jaclyn. I get such satisfaction out of doing that. It's like getting two arrangments out of one and making the original last longer. :-)
Gotta go get ready for dinner with the Molchans -- I'm treating them to my Strawberries & Cream Cloud Cake -- and then Bible study! Love to all!
New neighbors are moving in downstairs -- a Mexican American couple, Christina and Dilano. He seems a little quiet and reserved, and she immediately opened up when I extended myself to her. Maybe a little older than us, but expecting their first baby (a boy!) September 3rd. And now I have another reason to bake something! :-)
Went to the beach today with a good sized group from church. So now I have a new beach to take Matt to since we've never been anywhere but Carmel. Judah sat in laps the whole time. Still doesn't like the sand.
Matt's interviews are finished. Just wait until you hear the CRAZY story of how/when he got to Baltimore. Without his luggage. Let's just say his attire was not quite as casual as Will Smith's in Pursuit of Happyness...but it was a t-shirt and jeans. He just had dinner with a family from HBC (the church there) and is now at their small group Bible study. I can't wait for him to get his luggage and then be able to CRASH at the hotel. He's only had 2 hours of not-the-greatest sleep since yesterday morning when we woke up. :-(
Three weeks from today. Can you believe it?? I'll have Elijah in my arms three weeks from this moment. I'll like that better than the foot that is pushing hard on my rib cage right now.
Here are some pics!
Mamaw sent a couple packages full of goodies for all of us -- this sweater vest goes PERFECTLY with his Momma's favorite shirt. My, doesn't Judah look so dapper? :-D
True to all that is kid, Judah loves this box.
I'll give you one guess at who I thought of when I saw this expression on Judah's face. We'll see if anyone guesses right (no Sbux card reward though...). I love this picture!
I "weeded" out the dying flowers from our anniversary bouquet from Jaclyn. I get such satisfaction out of doing that. It's like getting two arrangments out of one and making the original last longer. :-)
Gotta go get ready for dinner with the Molchans -- I'm treating them to my Strawberries & Cream Cloud Cake -- and then Bible study! Love to all!
Friday, July 06, 2007
Busy Bugs
Gracious, things seem to be happening so fast these days that my posts seem to have become small newspapers with different articles. So here's another one!
Moving Details
Wow...today was an incredibly busy day as far as details for our move coming together! God CLEARLY directed us today. There is absolutely no denying His leading with how the events fell into place and in the timing that they fell.
A few posts back, I said that we had chosen the Elms. We worked on the applications yesterday, and e-mailed them in this morning. Matt decided to wait on giving them payment until we received confirmation from them that the apps had been received. BETWEEN the time I sent the e-mail and got a confirmation call back, Matt got a call about his trip back to MD. The lady he talked to (sooo helpful!) was able to tell him his expected salary after he graduates. We'd been waiting on that piece of info for a while! So armed with that information, we decided on an entirely different apartment complex. And because Matt had a "feeling" to wait on paying the Elms, we didn't lose $75 to processing fees or have to get back the security deposit!
But God's obvious leading doesn't stop there. After sifting through all the information we gathered about our favorite complexes, we chose one. I called and asked about a particular model. They had ONE available starting Sept. 20th, only two days before we arrive. It's ground level with no fireplace which is exactly what we wanted. Perfect! But what's more is that a special started TODAY on that particular model to where the rent for our first year will be about $100 lower per month than the regular rent! It also happens to be the complex that Angie, my new friend from the church there, lives; so we'll have a good friend (and babysitter!) very close by. I called her to get her pros/cons about the complex, and she was again very positive about it. Church is only 10 minutes way; work is 20 minutes away. Shopping of all kinds is close by. It's in the actual city of Columbia. So, at the end of today, our applications and payment for Avalon are waiting for Mardel to process when she gets to work tomorrow!
So our prayers for salary info AND apartment finalization happened all in one day, in the exact order and timing it needed to happen! Thank you, Lord! Decisions are easy when it's so clearly layed out. :-)
Travel Details
Matt is set to fly back to MD Monday. He's got four interviews on Tuesday and will hopefully be able to swing by Avalon to at least look at the outside of the particular apartment we have on hold. (Angie might be able to take pics of a vacant one of our model next week.) He'll fly back on Wednesday. Please pray for travel safety, good interviews, and wisdom to choose which job to take (he'll have 5 total to choose from after this second set of interviews). Also, please pray for Judah and I as we spend three days together -- I expect things to go fine, but my body gets tired more quickly as the days count down to Elijah's birth! Which is only 24 days.
Fourth of July
My favorite holiday. How did I spend it? Taking the whole day to clean out and organize our entire filing system. :-) It's been needing some TLC, and Matt was home to help. We wanted to get it done before moving, too. It feels so good to purge -- and boy was there alot of shredding to do! We still have another pile of shredding...more packing material! I used yesterday's shreds to fill my vases, and we packed them up in a box. (Except two of my favs I kept out just in case we get more flowers in the next few months.) So our first box is packed! Here's an adorable video of Judah "helping" Matt shred the papers...
So yeah, no fireworks spectacular to end out my favorite holiday. We did watch some of CNN's coverage of various cities (though there was no sound for some reason) and had microwaved hot dogs for dinner. The Fourth didn't end with a big bang for us this year. Just kidding -- people here in Salinas celebrate freedom by feeling free to break the law. Watch the video for proof of that. And really, I'm ok with our non-celebratory day yesterday. I'll have years to celebrate the Fourth in Washington DC, Baltimore, Annapolis, New York City, Boston...those years will MORE than make up for this year!
New Toys
Matt purused online sales yesterday. Circut City was having a steal of a deal on little MP3 players -- $5 each. Too good to be true? NO! We walked there and got two. We figured if they weren't the best quality, $10 wasn't too bad of a loss. But they're actually nice quality and hold plenty of songs. I can't wait to get some music on mine and go for a morning walk. Walking outside is so much more fun when you have music instead of cars or silence to listen to! Throw back: Remember when walkmans were so in style? Yeah, those big black boxes that only played tapes? The ones that you hooked to your waistband and prayed your shorts would stay put? Then those got replaced by portable CD players. Which are ancient now. ;-) MP3 players replaced those. How far we've come!
New Food
I branched out and bought a mango this week. None of the three of us had ever had mango before tonight. I got to learn how to cut a mango (harder than it seems it should be). We all liked the flavor -- a very Central American kind of fruit flavor. I had some peaches, so I added some fresh peach chunks to the mango chunks. It was a tasty combination. And, by the way, I think I've officially decided that the peach must be my favorite fruit...maybe even over pineapple!
My Massage
I had my first professional massage last Friday for my Mother's Day gift. The room was dimly lit, soft music was playing, a fountain trickling, and chimes tinkling. There was a special maternity pillow on the table covered in a bazillion-thread-count sheet. It was SOOO nice to be able to lay on my stomach without any ill effects! Jeannie said she would have gotten one when she was pregnant, but they are expensive. My covering was another bazillion-thread-count sheet with a thin faux fur blanket on top for heaviness and warmth.
Jeannie was good, to be sure. I told her she could go deeper on my back. Her response was, "Good, because I specialize in deep, deep tissue massage." No kidding. My skin around my upper shoulders/neck muscles was tender to the lightest touch for a couple days. It did hurt some while she was doing it, but I knew it was loosening me up so I didn't say stop. She remarked that I was very tight in between my blades. Thanks for the confirmation -- I'm ALWAYS tight there. I thought my back would be the best part of the whole massage. Nuh-uh. When she did my forearms and hands, my whole body tingled and relaxed. It was amaaazing.
When she was doing my neck/face, she said that she could massage me all day long. I asked her why, and she explained that with some clients there is just a connection there. Others she has a hard time even getting through one session. I kind of know what she meant, though I can't explain it. I know being able to let go and trust her with manipulating my muscles has alot to do with it. And I also think that doing yoga-type breathing to help relax as she massaged also created a good "connection" between my body and her hands. When she did my cheeks, she said I had good energy. Still not sure what on earth she meant by that!
All in all, it was a great experience and has been checked off of my "Things I want to do before I die" list. But...in all honesty, I feel just as relaxed after Matt's massages (if not more so emotinally and mentally). One time of watching the prenatal yoga massage, and he's good to go. The only thing that could make his massages better is a little training on between-the-shoulder-blades massage. But, Jeannie was $70. My hubby is free and priceless! :-*
Anniversary Flowers
Jaclyn sent us a GORGEOUS bouquet of anniversary flowers! I waited to take pictures until now so that the blooms could have time to open. She thoughtfully selected one that has all our wedding colors in it. It's bright and beautiful! And they look perfect in a vase I got from a recent bouquet my mom sent. Save some of the pics...they're perfect for desktop backgrounds! And THANK YOU, Jaclyn!
Hopefully, my posts can get shorter now since details are being taken care of! Goodnight!
Moving Details
Wow...today was an incredibly busy day as far as details for our move coming together! God CLEARLY directed us today. There is absolutely no denying His leading with how the events fell into place and in the timing that they fell.
A few posts back, I said that we had chosen the Elms. We worked on the applications yesterday, and e-mailed them in this morning. Matt decided to wait on giving them payment until we received confirmation from them that the apps had been received. BETWEEN the time I sent the e-mail and got a confirmation call back, Matt got a call about his trip back to MD. The lady he talked to (sooo helpful!) was able to tell him his expected salary after he graduates. We'd been waiting on that piece of info for a while! So armed with that information, we decided on an entirely different apartment complex. And because Matt had a "feeling" to wait on paying the Elms, we didn't lose $75 to processing fees or have to get back the security deposit!
But God's obvious leading doesn't stop there. After sifting through all the information we gathered about our favorite complexes, we chose one. I called and asked about a particular model. They had ONE available starting Sept. 20th, only two days before we arrive. It's ground level with no fireplace which is exactly what we wanted. Perfect! But what's more is that a special started TODAY on that particular model to where the rent for our first year will be about $100 lower per month than the regular rent! It also happens to be the complex that Angie, my new friend from the church there, lives; so we'll have a good friend (and babysitter!) very close by. I called her to get her pros/cons about the complex, and she was again very positive about it. Church is only 10 minutes way; work is 20 minutes away. Shopping of all kinds is close by. It's in the actual city of Columbia. So, at the end of today, our applications and payment for Avalon are waiting for Mardel to process when she gets to work tomorrow!
So our prayers for salary info AND apartment finalization happened all in one day, in the exact order and timing it needed to happen! Thank you, Lord! Decisions are easy when it's so clearly layed out. :-)
Travel Details
Matt is set to fly back to MD Monday. He's got four interviews on Tuesday and will hopefully be able to swing by Avalon to at least look at the outside of the particular apartment we have on hold. (Angie might be able to take pics of a vacant one of our model next week.) He'll fly back on Wednesday. Please pray for travel safety, good interviews, and wisdom to choose which job to take (he'll have 5 total to choose from after this second set of interviews). Also, please pray for Judah and I as we spend three days together -- I expect things to go fine, but my body gets tired more quickly as the days count down to Elijah's birth! Which is only 24 days.
Fourth of July
My favorite holiday. How did I spend it? Taking the whole day to clean out and organize our entire filing system. :-) It's been needing some TLC, and Matt was home to help. We wanted to get it done before moving, too. It feels so good to purge -- and boy was there alot of shredding to do! We still have another pile of shredding...more packing material! I used yesterday's shreds to fill my vases, and we packed them up in a box. (Except two of my favs I kept out just in case we get more flowers in the next few months.) So our first box is packed! Here's an adorable video of Judah "helping" Matt shred the papers...
So yeah, no fireworks spectacular to end out my favorite holiday. We did watch some of CNN's coverage of various cities (though there was no sound for some reason) and had microwaved hot dogs for dinner. The Fourth didn't end with a big bang for us this year. Just kidding -- people here in Salinas celebrate freedom by feeling free to break the law. Watch the video for proof of that. And really, I'm ok with our non-celebratory day yesterday. I'll have years to celebrate the Fourth in Washington DC, Baltimore, Annapolis, New York City, Boston...those years will MORE than make up for this year!
New Toys
Matt purused online sales yesterday. Circut City was having a steal of a deal on little MP3 players -- $5 each. Too good to be true? NO! We walked there and got two. We figured if they weren't the best quality, $10 wasn't too bad of a loss. But they're actually nice quality and hold plenty of songs. I can't wait to get some music on mine and go for a morning walk. Walking outside is so much more fun when you have music instead of cars or silence to listen to! Throw back: Remember when walkmans were so in style? Yeah, those big black boxes that only played tapes? The ones that you hooked to your waistband and prayed your shorts would stay put? Then those got replaced by portable CD players. Which are ancient now. ;-) MP3 players replaced those. How far we've come!
New Food
I branched out and bought a mango this week. None of the three of us had ever had mango before tonight. I got to learn how to cut a mango (harder than it seems it should be). We all liked the flavor -- a very Central American kind of fruit flavor. I had some peaches, so I added some fresh peach chunks to the mango chunks. It was a tasty combination. And, by the way, I think I've officially decided that the peach must be my favorite fruit...maybe even over pineapple!
My Massage
I had my first professional massage last Friday for my Mother's Day gift. The room was dimly lit, soft music was playing, a fountain trickling, and chimes tinkling. There was a special maternity pillow on the table covered in a bazillion-thread-count sheet. It was SOOO nice to be able to lay on my stomach without any ill effects! Jeannie said she would have gotten one when she was pregnant, but they are expensive. My covering was another bazillion-thread-count sheet with a thin faux fur blanket on top for heaviness and warmth.
Jeannie was good, to be sure. I told her she could go deeper on my back. Her response was, "Good, because I specialize in deep, deep tissue massage." No kidding. My skin around my upper shoulders/neck muscles was tender to the lightest touch for a couple days. It did hurt some while she was doing it, but I knew it was loosening me up so I didn't say stop. She remarked that I was very tight in between my blades. Thanks for the confirmation -- I'm ALWAYS tight there. I thought my back would be the best part of the whole massage. Nuh-uh. When she did my forearms and hands, my whole body tingled and relaxed. It was amaaazing.
When she was doing my neck/face, she said that she could massage me all day long. I asked her why, and she explained that with some clients there is just a connection there. Others she has a hard time even getting through one session. I kind of know what she meant, though I can't explain it. I know being able to let go and trust her with manipulating my muscles has alot to do with it. And I also think that doing yoga-type breathing to help relax as she massaged also created a good "connection" between my body and her hands. When she did my cheeks, she said I had good energy. Still not sure what on earth she meant by that!
All in all, it was a great experience and has been checked off of my "Things I want to do before I die" list. But...in all honesty, I feel just as relaxed after Matt's massages (if not more so emotinally and mentally). One time of watching the prenatal yoga massage, and he's good to go. The only thing that could make his massages better is a little training on between-the-shoulder-blades massage. But, Jeannie was $70. My hubby is free and priceless! :-*
Anniversary Flowers
Jaclyn sent us a GORGEOUS bouquet of anniversary flowers! I waited to take pictures until now so that the blooms could have time to open. She thoughtfully selected one that has all our wedding colors in it. It's bright and beautiful! And they look perfect in a vase I got from a recent bouquet my mom sent. Save some of the pics...they're perfect for desktop backgrounds! And THANK YOU, Jaclyn!
Hopefully, my posts can get shorter now since details are being taken care of! Goodnight!
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble?
Named in honor of my Husband, who suggested the title.
Wow. I feel like I have a lot of little things to tell you about. I hope I remember them all...yeah right!
Judah
I think he's getting his top two incisor teeth. His first year molars aren't even done coming in! Perhaps he's a kid where the teeth come in fours? Today was our first official day of trying no morning nap and a longer afternoon nap. I haven't seen him as happy (and wild) as he was today in several weeks. It was so much fun and so nice! So we'll keep trying out this new routine and see if it is what he's been needing. And to have 3 solid hours in the afternoon to get things done and nap...wow! We learned a lesson at Target today. Well, two lessons in one actually. Some of you have been following the "blankie" saga. It's official. The satin trim, solid color, soft blanket is what Judah loves. Lesson number 1 -- It doesn't HAVE to be the blue blanket he has. Matt spotted an adorable light green furry blanket with satin trim (that had a LION in one corner! so cute!). I gave it to Judah just to see what he would do. He looked it over once or twice, stuck his thumb in his mouth, and laid his head on it. And stayed that way for a couple minutes. Lesson number 2? Know the risk you take in giving your child something you don't intend to buy him but you think he might like. Yeesh. I think we escaped screaming pretty easily...this time. I do hope that maybe we can get him that blanket sometime. Good thing I'm budget conscious, otherwise I'd have the time of my life gifting (nicer way of saying spoiling) my Judah! ;-)
Elijah
The boy doesn't care that he's running out of room. He pushes and kicks so forcefully! I've been able to actually grab onto a limb a few times because he pushes it so hard against my belly. We got his pack-n-play tonight (the one off the registry), and boy is it nice! Poor Judah...the second-born isn't even born yet and already the stuff is nicer. The things you learn on your first that you fix for the rest! This pack-n-play has a basinette insert and an attached "changing table." It will be very nice to have while Elijah stays in our room the first month. (We would have borrowed the basinette again, but it was given away after we returned it to the lender. And we knew we'd need two pack-n-plays anyway...) We also got a new baby bathtub that, again, is so nice compared to what Poor Judah had to go through. I think the tub we were given was made for girls...it has a little "saddle horn" that comes up between the legs. Not so comfy looking for a baby boy! And in all honesty, they seem to improve baby items very quickly -- even in just a year and a half. I'm just thankful that God has provided for us to have the things we need with a little more comfort than is absolutely necessary. He is the Great Provider! :-) Pretty sure I've had several Braxton Hicks contractions this past week. Harmless, but kind of a good mental preparation and reminder that it is SOON!
Our Anniversary
What a wonderful day we had! Three years seems so pitiful in comparison to all that has happened in those three years. We spent last night before bed telling each other all the reasons why we'd marry the other all over again, now that we've spent three years together. This morning, we got a babysitter from church to come to Salinas. We went to the Duck Club Grill for breakfast. It was SUCH a beautiful and clear morning on the bay, and we got a window seat. It was so nice to just be together, the two of us. We both hope that we'll have more opportunity to date in MD since we'll live closer to others in the church (aka babysitters) and places to go for dates. We came back and fed Judah lunch then went swimming together. I think Judah is getting a tad more used to the pool, and we plan to go tomorrow and Wednesday as well. Then Judah napped for three whole hours! During that time I gave Matt a haircut...and the mountains trembled!
That's right, a bonifide earthquake. It took us a few seconds to even realize what was going on. They're working on the vacated apartment below us, so my initial thought was that they did something that made our floor bounce...but it kept bouncing. Finally, we both figured out that um, this was an earthquake. So Matt jumped out of the chair, tore off the haircut cape, and opened the front door to stand in it's frame. I just stood there trying to figure out if it was even worth it to get in a door way -- was it going to last much longer or get worse? At that time, Matt said we needed to get to Judah. So I started walking down the hallway and by the time I was at his door, the quake had stopped. So we both stood there, feeling each other's heartbeats and nervously laughing at our silly, stunned reactions.
After the haircut/quake, we laid in bed and watched Hoodwinked, an animated movie about the "real" story behind Red Riding Hood. Cute, I guess. A one timer movie. Interesting concept in hearing four different versions of the story (Red, Wolf, Granny, and Lumberjack). Meh, if you can watch it without paying for it, it might be worth it to you.
Then we had dinner and went shopping. Part of the shopping involved obtaining a few things to make a gift for someone. I SOOOO wish I could go into detail and post pics, but I can't due to the fact that some of my readers know or may BE the receiver of this gift, once it's finished. But rest assured, when all is said and done, pictures WILL appear on this blog. I'm very excited about it! We also got the above mentioned pack-n-play, bathtub, and a few other assundry items.
Again, such a good day to just be together as a couple and as a family. No work. No computer dealings. No phones until the evening (that was especially nice...to ignore all calls until later in the day). I love my husband. He's so patient, creative, smart, funny, generous, servant hearted, understanding, sensitive, growing...I could go on and on! I realized last night that several guys who I thought were right for me were FAR from it. Matt is PERFECT in every way for me, both for my strengths and especially my weaknesses. And we both know it is because of Christ that our marriage is what it is after three years -- strong and maturing, ever increasing in oneness. I love you, Love!
Wow. I feel like I have a lot of little things to tell you about. I hope I remember them all...yeah right!
Judah
I think he's getting his top two incisor teeth. His first year molars aren't even done coming in! Perhaps he's a kid where the teeth come in fours? Today was our first official day of trying no morning nap and a longer afternoon nap. I haven't seen him as happy (and wild) as he was today in several weeks. It was so much fun and so nice! So we'll keep trying out this new routine and see if it is what he's been needing. And to have 3 solid hours in the afternoon to get things done and nap...wow! We learned a lesson at Target today. Well, two lessons in one actually. Some of you have been following the "blankie" saga. It's official. The satin trim, solid color, soft blanket is what Judah loves. Lesson number 1 -- It doesn't HAVE to be the blue blanket he has. Matt spotted an adorable light green furry blanket with satin trim (that had a LION in one corner! so cute!). I gave it to Judah just to see what he would do. He looked it over once or twice, stuck his thumb in his mouth, and laid his head on it. And stayed that way for a couple minutes. Lesson number 2? Know the risk you take in giving your child something you don't intend to buy him but you think he might like. Yeesh. I think we escaped screaming pretty easily...this time. I do hope that maybe we can get him that blanket sometime. Good thing I'm budget conscious, otherwise I'd have the time of my life gifting (nicer way of saying spoiling) my Judah! ;-)
Elijah
The boy doesn't care that he's running out of room. He pushes and kicks so forcefully! I've been able to actually grab onto a limb a few times because he pushes it so hard against my belly. We got his pack-n-play tonight (the one off the registry), and boy is it nice! Poor Judah...the second-born isn't even born yet and already the stuff is nicer. The things you learn on your first that you fix for the rest! This pack-n-play has a basinette insert and an attached "changing table." It will be very nice to have while Elijah stays in our room the first month. (We would have borrowed the basinette again, but it was given away after we returned it to the lender. And we knew we'd need two pack-n-plays anyway...) We also got a new baby bathtub that, again, is so nice compared to what Poor Judah had to go through. I think the tub we were given was made for girls...it has a little "saddle horn" that comes up between the legs. Not so comfy looking for a baby boy! And in all honesty, they seem to improve baby items very quickly -- even in just a year and a half. I'm just thankful that God has provided for us to have the things we need with a little more comfort than is absolutely necessary. He is the Great Provider! :-) Pretty sure I've had several Braxton Hicks contractions this past week. Harmless, but kind of a good mental preparation and reminder that it is SOON!
Our Anniversary
What a wonderful day we had! Three years seems so pitiful in comparison to all that has happened in those three years. We spent last night before bed telling each other all the reasons why we'd marry the other all over again, now that we've spent three years together. This morning, we got a babysitter from church to come to Salinas. We went to the Duck Club Grill for breakfast. It was SUCH a beautiful and clear morning on the bay, and we got a window seat. It was so nice to just be together, the two of us. We both hope that we'll have more opportunity to date in MD since we'll live closer to others in the church (aka babysitters) and places to go for dates. We came back and fed Judah lunch then went swimming together. I think Judah is getting a tad more used to the pool, and we plan to go tomorrow and Wednesday as well. Then Judah napped for three whole hours! During that time I gave Matt a haircut...and the mountains trembled!
That's right, a bonifide earthquake. It took us a few seconds to even realize what was going on. They're working on the vacated apartment below us, so my initial thought was that they did something that made our floor bounce...but it kept bouncing. Finally, we both figured out that um, this was an earthquake. So Matt jumped out of the chair, tore off the haircut cape, and opened the front door to stand in it's frame. I just stood there trying to figure out if it was even worth it to get in a door way -- was it going to last much longer or get worse? At that time, Matt said we needed to get to Judah. So I started walking down the hallway and by the time I was at his door, the quake had stopped. So we both stood there, feeling each other's heartbeats and nervously laughing at our silly, stunned reactions.
After the haircut/quake, we laid in bed and watched Hoodwinked, an animated movie about the "real" story behind Red Riding Hood. Cute, I guess. A one timer movie. Interesting concept in hearing four different versions of the story (Red, Wolf, Granny, and Lumberjack). Meh, if you can watch it without paying for it, it might be worth it to you.
Then we had dinner and went shopping. Part of the shopping involved obtaining a few things to make a gift for someone. I SOOOO wish I could go into detail and post pics, but I can't due to the fact that some of my readers know or may BE the receiver of this gift, once it's finished. But rest assured, when all is said and done, pictures WILL appear on this blog. I'm very excited about it! We also got the above mentioned pack-n-play, bathtub, and a few other assundry items.
Again, such a good day to just be together as a couple and as a family. No work. No computer dealings. No phones until the evening (that was especially nice...to ignore all calls until later in the day). I love my husband. He's so patient, creative, smart, funny, generous, servant hearted, understanding, sensitive, growing...I could go on and on! I realized last night that several guys who I thought were right for me were FAR from it. Matt is PERFECT in every way for me, both for my strengths and especially my weaknesses. And we both know it is because of Christ that our marriage is what it is after three years -- strong and maturing, ever increasing in oneness. I love you, Love!
Happy Birthday, Autumn!
I hope you had a wonderful day galavanting! Can't wait to hear all about it -- and whether or not you bought half of Target! ;-) I love you!
Pictures
Enjoy these random pictures! And then, goodnight!
I hesitated to post these, but then remembered that stretch marks are badges of honor. And it's precious to see a little guy with his hand on his little brother's temporary home (for only 27 more days!).
Our cutie-tootie, Judah-man. Alot of people are starting to say he looks like me, especially while we were in MD. I agree, though my jaw isn't as defined as it usually is due to pregnancy. ;-) That toy in the background is the one we bought as his "car seat" toy in MD to help make the constant in-and-out-of-the-car more bearable. Yeah, the blue blankie ended up going with us everywhere. He'd look funny with long hair, huh? And today, after I took my shoes off, Judah decided he wanted to try them on. He got one on and then walked from the living room to the bathroom...dragging the shoe behind him.
When Matt gets in the kitchen...surprising, tasty things happen! Tonight he concocted MattE's Cheesies. It's just Safeway brand seasoned fries broiled up with some cheddar and 6-cheese Italian blend. Next time we'll throw on some bacon...it seriously tasted just like Outback's cheese fries! I desperately wanted some good ranch to go with it!
The flowers my mom sent last week -- what I describe as a smile sitting on my dining table!
On our third anniversary!
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