Hey y'all - I wanted to let you know that I have moved my blog over to Wordpress. I have posted a few things there that you have missed if you only check this site! Change your bookmarks, feed readers, etc. to http://katiediane.wordpress.com
See you over there!
Katie
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Jaime
We all have that friend, don't we? The friend we've known forever. The friend we got in our trouble with. The friend we spent morning, noon and night with. The friend we feel at home with - even if it's been a while since we were last together. The friend that completed our youth. This is a little post about my friend - Jaime.
I have many close friends. I am so blessed to have a handful of women who I love dearly, who have been there for me for what seems like my entire life. Jaime is different though. Something inside of me knew the minute I met Jaime that my life would never be the same. She has been my kindred spirit for a long time.
We have gone through a lot together. Hair changes (many - on my part. She was my personal hair stylist when we were younger!), boyfriends (oh geez...), sneaking out, our first drinks, learning to drive, high school band and all the craziness that goes with it, etc. As we have grown from teenagers to women, our lives have changed greatly. Marriage, growing apart a bit, learning to live as adults. These are hard things to grow into. And although we don't see each other nearly as much as we should or would like, she still feels like home to me. She's like a lighthouse for me - always beaconing me back to my foundations in the midst of my crazy life.
Despite years of "I'm never going to have children," and "I'm just going to be an aunt," Jaime is getting ready to welcome her baby girl, Sophia Lyn, into the world in a little over a month. Nothing ever really prepares you for this. For your best friend, your partner in crime, to become a MOTHER. It seems so weird. I mean, we're just KIDS, right? But at the same time, it feels so natural. Like she's been moving towards this the entire time I've known her.
I can't wait to meet her little girl. I can't wait to snuggle her and someday tell her about just how crazy her mama is. Someday Matt and I will welcome a child to our lives as well, and I can't wait for our kids to be friends.
Growing old can be hard, but days like these I am so grateful for the lives Jaime and I are leading together but separately. Our shared history will surely lead to a fantastic future, don't you think?
 |
| Proudly wearing our new band t-shirts - wish I knew what year this was! |
We have gone through a lot together. Hair changes (many - on my part. She was my personal hair stylist when we were younger!), boyfriends (oh geez...), sneaking out, our first drinks, learning to drive, high school band and all the craziness that goes with it, etc. As we have grown from teenagers to women, our lives have changed greatly. Marriage, growing apart a bit, learning to live as adults. These are hard things to grow into. And although we don't see each other nearly as much as we should or would like, she still feels like home to me. She's like a lighthouse for me - always beaconing me back to my foundations in the midst of my crazy life.
 |
| Senior prom - 1998 |
Despite years of "I'm never going to have children," and "I'm just going to be an aunt," Jaime is getting ready to welcome her baby girl, Sophia Lyn, into the world in a little over a month. Nothing ever really prepares you for this. For your best friend, your partner in crime, to become a MOTHER. It seems so weird. I mean, we're just KIDS, right? But at the same time, it feels so natural. Like she's been moving towards this the entire time I've known her.
 |
| Checking out our friend's new house - 1996 or 97? |
I can't wait to meet her little girl. I can't wait to snuggle her and someday tell her about just how crazy her mama is. Someday Matt and I will welcome a child to our lives as well, and I can't wait for our kids to be friends.
 |
| Mini-Olympics 1998 - We got in big trouble for our outfits, but had a great time anyway! |
Growing old can be hard, but days like these I am so grateful for the lives Jaime and I are leading together but separately. Our shared history will surely lead to a fantastic future, don't you think?
 |
| At Jaime's baby shower - not sure what's up with my face, but she looks great, doesn't she? :) |
Sunday, January 23, 2011
A horrible Saturday...
We found out Tuesday that our third pregnancy was over. The baby we were carrying had died. I knew it was only a matter of time before this little body was going to have to leave my womb. Friday I met with the doctor to talk about a D&C, and we scheduled the procedure for next Tuesday (January 25th). Up to this point, I had no bleeding or spotting or any indication of any issues, other than a small bit of discharge (I hate that word).
Saturday morning I woke up around 7:45 with the need to pee, and a small cramp told me maybe I'd have some #2 also. I sat on the toilet doing my thing, and suddenly a big cramp came over me and I felt a large amount of something gush. (Gross...I know) I knew exactly what it was before even looking. I quickly finished, woke Matt, packed a little bag, and called the hospital. My doctor was there, and alerted the emergency room that we were coming. We drove the 20 miles to the hospital, all the while I was bleeding intensely and cramping more and more. They got me back to the emergency room pretty quickly, but took what seemed like forever to get me hooked up to pain medication. I swear that IV needle was huge. It was like they were shooting a PVC pipe into my hand! The pain was making me nauseous, so a nurse held a bucket by my head until the Zofran kicked in. By 9:00 they were wheeling me into the surgery unit, and already had to give me another dose of Morphine.
I have only been put under sedation once in my life, and that was for the extraction of my wisdom teeth. I remember being afraid then, but I was much more afraid this time. For some reason, I really felt as though I was going to die. It was a horrible feeling. Matt was so good the whole time though. He stayed calm, stroked my hair to calm me down and continuously kissed me and told me he loved me and that I would be fine.
At 9:30 they wheeled me into the operating room. It was exactly what it looks like on TV. Sterile white walls, huge lights, lots of machines, everyone dressed in scrubs and caps and booties on their feet. Totally surreal. They quickly moved me to the operating table and strapped a mask over my face that pumped air into my mouth and nose. They told me to take deep breaths, and when I asked what it was, they said it was just oxygen. Liars. I was out before I was done taking my third breath.
I started coming to and I was mysteriously back on the hospital bed in the ICU. I am only now wondering how they got me back on that bed from the operating table. I'm a large woman - I can only imagine the grunts of effort it took to get me moved! I remember asking where Matt was, and asking if my parents had arrived yet. The nurse assured me that they were here and all three of them were waiting in the ICU waiting room for me. They would be able to come in once they got me awake and moving. The nausea returned, as they warned it might, but thankfully I never vomited. My cramps had subsided almost completely, and I could tell that the bleeding had seriously decreased. I remember saying lots of things as I attempted to wake up, but I'm sure not much of it made sense. I only hope I didn't embarrass myself or give away any of my most personal secrets! Soon they were getting me into my clean pants and undies that I was (thankfully) wise enough to bring. Once I was halfway dressed, they had me move to a comfy recliner and Matt and my parents were able to come in. It was so good to have them all there with me. We spent some time talking and as the time passed I became more and more alert. The nurse finally came in to help me dress the rest of the way, and I was allowed to go home. I was getting in the car around noon. All in all it was a very quick process.
Mom and Dad went home from the hospital, and Matt took me home and got me into bed. Buster cuddled with me almost all day, and Matt went to Covington to fill my prescription for pain medication and get some groceries. I slept for a few hours, and felt pretty decent the rest of the day. This morning I woke up feeling crampy, but wanted to try to go to at least one church service. I made it through service at Veedersburg, but the pain medication kicked in midway through and I had to have Matt take me home afterwards. I hate that he went to Hillsboro alone. I'm sure it was difficult for him to share our sad news with the congregation without me there. I have spent most of the day in bed sleeping with a heating pad and a cuddly kitty.
I think I'll be staying home from work tomorrow. Hopefully I will be able to go back on Tuesday, but I'm not sure. My boss is very understanding, but I have a lot to do! We'll just have to see how I feel. Physically I feel drained. Emotionally I feel...okay. I hate that this pregnancy ended this way, but if it had to end, I'm glad it's over. Does that make sense? It was so weird this week walking around knowing there was a dead baby in my belly. It's so morose.
Someday we'll have a family of our own. I'm not sure how or when, but I know that it will happen.
Love to each of you for your prayerful support and your love. We couldn't do this without any of you...
Saturday morning I woke up around 7:45 with the need to pee, and a small cramp told me maybe I'd have some #2 also. I sat on the toilet doing my thing, and suddenly a big cramp came over me and I felt a large amount of something gush. (Gross...I know) I knew exactly what it was before even looking. I quickly finished, woke Matt, packed a little bag, and called the hospital. My doctor was there, and alerted the emergency room that we were coming. We drove the 20 miles to the hospital, all the while I was bleeding intensely and cramping more and more. They got me back to the emergency room pretty quickly, but took what seemed like forever to get me hooked up to pain medication. I swear that IV needle was huge. It was like they were shooting a PVC pipe into my hand! The pain was making me nauseous, so a nurse held a bucket by my head until the Zofran kicked in. By 9:00 they were wheeling me into the surgery unit, and already had to give me another dose of Morphine.
I have only been put under sedation once in my life, and that was for the extraction of my wisdom teeth. I remember being afraid then, but I was much more afraid this time. For some reason, I really felt as though I was going to die. It was a horrible feeling. Matt was so good the whole time though. He stayed calm, stroked my hair to calm me down and continuously kissed me and told me he loved me and that I would be fine.
At 9:30 they wheeled me into the operating room. It was exactly what it looks like on TV. Sterile white walls, huge lights, lots of machines, everyone dressed in scrubs and caps and booties on their feet. Totally surreal. They quickly moved me to the operating table and strapped a mask over my face that pumped air into my mouth and nose. They told me to take deep breaths, and when I asked what it was, they said it was just oxygen. Liars. I was out before I was done taking my third breath.
I started coming to and I was mysteriously back on the hospital bed in the ICU. I am only now wondering how they got me back on that bed from the operating table. I'm a large woman - I can only imagine the grunts of effort it took to get me moved! I remember asking where Matt was, and asking if my parents had arrived yet. The nurse assured me that they were here and all three of them were waiting in the ICU waiting room for me. They would be able to come in once they got me awake and moving. The nausea returned, as they warned it might, but thankfully I never vomited. My cramps had subsided almost completely, and I could tell that the bleeding had seriously decreased. I remember saying lots of things as I attempted to wake up, but I'm sure not much of it made sense. I only hope I didn't embarrass myself or give away any of my most personal secrets! Soon they were getting me into my clean pants and undies that I was (thankfully) wise enough to bring. Once I was halfway dressed, they had me move to a comfy recliner and Matt and my parents were able to come in. It was so good to have them all there with me. We spent some time talking and as the time passed I became more and more alert. The nurse finally came in to help me dress the rest of the way, and I was allowed to go home. I was getting in the car around noon. All in all it was a very quick process.
Mom and Dad went home from the hospital, and Matt took me home and got me into bed. Buster cuddled with me almost all day, and Matt went to Covington to fill my prescription for pain medication and get some groceries. I slept for a few hours, and felt pretty decent the rest of the day. This morning I woke up feeling crampy, but wanted to try to go to at least one church service. I made it through service at Veedersburg, but the pain medication kicked in midway through and I had to have Matt take me home afterwards. I hate that he went to Hillsboro alone. I'm sure it was difficult for him to share our sad news with the congregation without me there. I have spent most of the day in bed sleeping with a heating pad and a cuddly kitty.
I think I'll be staying home from work tomorrow. Hopefully I will be able to go back on Tuesday, but I'm not sure. My boss is very understanding, but I have a lot to do! We'll just have to see how I feel. Physically I feel drained. Emotionally I feel...okay. I hate that this pregnancy ended this way, but if it had to end, I'm glad it's over. Does that make sense? It was so weird this week walking around knowing there was a dead baby in my belly. It's so morose.
Someday we'll have a family of our own. I'm not sure how or when, but I know that it will happen.
Love to each of you for your prayerful support and your love. We couldn't do this without any of you...
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Another one bites the dust...
Another pregnancy that is. Crap. What a crappy, crappy day we had yesterday.
Things have been fine - no complications (that we could tell, anyway) at all. About a week ago I started feeling like I was getting more energy and not feeling as sick. Many people encouraged me to not worry about the fading of my pregnancy symptoms - that I was just getting closer to the 2nd trimester. It's true - it happens for most women that way. They were right to encourage me. But apparently our little baby had died.
Without boring you with gross details, I became a little concerned yesterday, so I called my doctor. He said he wasn't worried, but that his schedule was a little open yesterday, so he had me come on in. He tried to find the heartbeat, but couldn't. Still not worried, he sent me for an ultrasound so we could get some peace of mind. We went for the ultrasound, and were devastated to see our little baby there - no movement, no heartbeat, nothing. Just laying there like a dead baby in a balloon or something. It was horrible. I will never get that picture out of my mind. We went back to the doctor, sobbed and made plans to have a DNC next week. Not looking forward to that surgery at all. I have only been put under once, and that was when my wisdom teeth were removed. Not only will I be out, but the procedure will be much more - ahem - INVASIVE this time. Ick...
I feel awful. Physically I feel fine, but emotionally I feel awful. If we had the means and wherewithal to pack up and move far, far away, I think we might. I want to run away from all the sideways, half-smile condolences we'll be getting over and over and over again now. The hugs and the "I know it's going to happen for you" and the "next time don't tell everyone so early" comments. I am barely handling my own grief - I can't stand to have to handle everyone else's too.
The first miscarriage was covered in peace - for a time anyway. This one just feels raw. Unfair. I feel foolish for letting my body trick me once again into believe that we might be getting to have children. I feel foolish for letting myself get excited, even though I am well aware of my history. I feel like we are becoming "those people" who never have kids and who spoil their nieces and nephews rotten. Not that "those people" are bad or anything - far from it. I know many of "those people" who are my favorite people on the planet. It's just not what I want!
I look at my husband and I marvel at the amazing man that he is. I know that he would be a fantastic father. I long to be able to give that gift to him, but so far I have been very incapable of doing so. It just hurts. It hurts beyond words.
So that's where we are. I'm not sure how this is going to go for us. I have a feeling this grieving period might be a doozy. I'm just so angry about it. I'm trying to stay distracted, but that will only put off the pain for so long, you know?
I'm sure my writing will fall by the wayside for a bit. Just when I was getting better about it...
Thanks for your love and your prayers and your sideways half-smiles. I know they mean you care for us. Forgive me if I just can't receive them well right now...
Things have been fine - no complications (that we could tell, anyway) at all. About a week ago I started feeling like I was getting more energy and not feeling as sick. Many people encouraged me to not worry about the fading of my pregnancy symptoms - that I was just getting closer to the 2nd trimester. It's true - it happens for most women that way. They were right to encourage me. But apparently our little baby had died.
Without boring you with gross details, I became a little concerned yesterday, so I called my doctor. He said he wasn't worried, but that his schedule was a little open yesterday, so he had me come on in. He tried to find the heartbeat, but couldn't. Still not worried, he sent me for an ultrasound so we could get some peace of mind. We went for the ultrasound, and were devastated to see our little baby there - no movement, no heartbeat, nothing. Just laying there like a dead baby in a balloon or something. It was horrible. I will never get that picture out of my mind. We went back to the doctor, sobbed and made plans to have a DNC next week. Not looking forward to that surgery at all. I have only been put under once, and that was when my wisdom teeth were removed. Not only will I be out, but the procedure will be much more - ahem - INVASIVE this time. Ick...
I feel awful. Physically I feel fine, but emotionally I feel awful. If we had the means and wherewithal to pack up and move far, far away, I think we might. I want to run away from all the sideways, half-smile condolences we'll be getting over and over and over again now. The hugs and the "I know it's going to happen for you" and the "next time don't tell everyone so early" comments. I am barely handling my own grief - I can't stand to have to handle everyone else's too.
The first miscarriage was covered in peace - for a time anyway. This one just feels raw. Unfair. I feel foolish for letting my body trick me once again into believe that we might be getting to have children. I feel foolish for letting myself get excited, even though I am well aware of my history. I feel like we are becoming "those people" who never have kids and who spoil their nieces and nephews rotten. Not that "those people" are bad or anything - far from it. I know many of "those people" who are my favorite people on the planet. It's just not what I want!
I look at my husband and I marvel at the amazing man that he is. I know that he would be a fantastic father. I long to be able to give that gift to him, but so far I have been very incapable of doing so. It just hurts. It hurts beyond words.
So that's where we are. I'm not sure how this is going to go for us. I have a feeling this grieving period might be a doozy. I'm just so angry about it. I'm trying to stay distracted, but that will only put off the pain for so long, you know?
I'm sure my writing will fall by the wayside for a bit. Just when I was getting better about it...
Thanks for your love and your prayers and your sideways half-smiles. I know they mean you care for us. Forgive me if I just can't receive them well right now...
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Day with my Doodle
We went to my Mom and Dad's for family dinner night on Sunday, and ended up taking home a stowaway! Kamryn wanted to come to our house, and we were so glad to have her. It's always fun to have her with us. She's so fun!!! I thought I'd highlight a few of my favorite parts of the time we spent together:
1.) She fell asleep on the way to our house from Indy. Matt carried her in and laid her in bed with her coat on and everything. I was getting her pajamas on, and she woke up insisting that we go downstairs for popcorn. I told her it was probably too late and she was obviously tired, she shook her head, opened her eyes really wide and said, "No - see! I'm awake! My mom gives me popcorn every night, so I need to have some before bed!" I tried to talk her out of it and even just tried changing the subject, but she always came back to it. She gave me the sweetest look as we were talking about something, and she said, "Katie, I really think we need to have some popcorn now. We can talk downstairs!" Too cute! I took her downstairs, popped a little popcorn and watched about 30 minutes of The Little Mermaid.
2.) We woke up Monday morning, and made our way to the kitchen for some cereal. She was very excited that she and I were having the same cereal, and insisted that Matt have some too.
3.) I had some music on shuffle as we were eating breakfast and hanging out in the morning. Wicked's "Popular" came on, and she got SO EXCITED! We had to listen to the entire album while we put together a puzzle and got ready to leave for Lafayette.
4.) We continued to listen to Wicked in the car, and I wish I had taken video of her singing "Defying Gravity!" Her face was so expressive - closing her eyes, furrowing her brow, gesturing with her hands, etc. It was great!
5.) We drove to Lafayette to catch the noon showing of Tangled. We were all really excited to see it, and it was fantastic movie! Beautiful illustration, beautiful story, beautiful all together. She really enjoyed it, and so did we! She's only 4, so she hasn't quite grasped the concept of staying quiet in a movie theater. A few times during the movie she would talk really loudly about what was going on! Also, as the movie was beginning, I noticed she had snuggled up next to Matt and started holding his hand. It was adorable!
6.) On the way home from Lafayette, we mentioned that we were going home to play with Pork Chop and get her things gathered so she could go home. She started to pout and talk about how she didn't want to go home - that she wanted to stay with us longer. I loved hearing that! We would love to have her more! I told her that she needed to go home, but that she could come back to our house anytime her Mommy and Daddy allowed - that she was always welcome at our house. She tilted her head, gave me the sweetest smile, and said, "Awww, thank you so much Katie!"
I love spending time with my little KamDoodle! She was such a good girl, and we had a lot of fun together. She's growing up so fast! Soon I'm sure she won't really want to hang out with her old aunt and uncle much, so I'm really enjoying it now!
1.) She fell asleep on the way to our house from Indy. Matt carried her in and laid her in bed with her coat on and everything. I was getting her pajamas on, and she woke up insisting that we go downstairs for popcorn. I told her it was probably too late and she was obviously tired, she shook her head, opened her eyes really wide and said, "No - see! I'm awake! My mom gives me popcorn every night, so I need to have some before bed!" I tried to talk her out of it and even just tried changing the subject, but she always came back to it. She gave me the sweetest look as we were talking about something, and she said, "Katie, I really think we need to have some popcorn now. We can talk downstairs!" Too cute! I took her downstairs, popped a little popcorn and watched about 30 minutes of The Little Mermaid.
2.) We woke up Monday morning, and made our way to the kitchen for some cereal. She was very excited that she and I were having the same cereal, and insisted that Matt have some too.
3.) I had some music on shuffle as we were eating breakfast and hanging out in the morning. Wicked's "Popular" came on, and she got SO EXCITED! We had to listen to the entire album while we put together a puzzle and got ready to leave for Lafayette.
4.) We continued to listen to Wicked in the car, and I wish I had taken video of her singing "Defying Gravity!" Her face was so expressive - closing her eyes, furrowing her brow, gesturing with her hands, etc. It was great!
5.) We drove to Lafayette to catch the noon showing of Tangled. We were all really excited to see it, and it was fantastic movie! Beautiful illustration, beautiful story, beautiful all together. She really enjoyed it, and so did we! She's only 4, so she hasn't quite grasped the concept of staying quiet in a movie theater. A few times during the movie she would talk really loudly about what was going on! Also, as the movie was beginning, I noticed she had snuggled up next to Matt and started holding his hand. It was adorable!
6.) On the way home from Lafayette, we mentioned that we were going home to play with Pork Chop and get her things gathered so she could go home. She started to pout and talk about how she didn't want to go home - that she wanted to stay with us longer. I loved hearing that! We would love to have her more! I told her that she needed to go home, but that she could come back to our house anytime her Mommy and Daddy allowed - that she was always welcome at our house. She tilted her head, gave me the sweetest smile, and said, "Awww, thank you so much Katie!"
I love spending time with my little KamDoodle! She was such a good girl, and we had a lot of fun together. She's growing up so fast! Soon I'm sure she won't really want to hang out with her old aunt and uncle much, so I'm really enjoying it now!
 |
| We spent some time at Tippecanoe Mall in Lafayette for lunch and light shopping. |
Monday, January 17, 2011
10 Weeks
Here we are at 10 weeks. I know I just posted the 9 weeks post on Saturday, but I was late on that one. Sorry! This one is a little more timely...
1. How am I feeling this week?
10 weeks has me feeling not as nauseous or tired, but a little more cranky. Okay, maybe I'm a lot more cranky. I can't tell if it's a hormonal thing or a "I'M REALLYd TIRED OF COLD, WHITE, WINTER! BRING ON SPRING BEFORE I SNAP!" thing. I feel like my belly is protruding a little bit, although not really much more than last week. I continue to treasure the time spent either wearing my yoga pants or not wearing pants at all...
2. What is new this week?
New this week is ACNE. :( I haven't had a horrible break-out yet, but I have a few zits that have popped up suddenly in the last couple days. I'm thinking I might have to try paying more attention to washing my face twice a day and moisturizing well and all that. If my Grandma Alice ever found out how poorly I care for my skin, she would surely have my hide. Please just keep it our little secret, mkay? Another new thing this week is that I bought a belly band! My friend Aimee strongly suggested one, and I figured I'd give it a try to help alleviate some of the issues I've been having with my pants. I haven't tried it for a full day yet, but will probably do so soon. It seems like it will work pretty well. I tried it on tonight, and I think it will be good. It's got to be better than investing tons of money in new pants.
3. What am I excited about this week?
I seem to really be getting excited about the fact that this pregnancy could work out. That we might actually be bringing a baby into our home in a matter of months! We decided over 5 years ago that we wanted to starting having children. For many years we couldn't even get pregnant. When we were finally able to get pregnant, we lost the pregnancies in miscarriage twice. So far this reproductive process has been nothing but disappointment for us. Here we are, pregnant for a third time, and we have had zero complications and have gotten to 10 weeks. Could it be that this might actually end well for us? It's hard to wrap my mind around it after so much heartache. It seems a little backwards, doesn't it? Most pregnant mommies can't imagine losing that little one growing in their bodies. I can't seem to imagine mine growing to full term. I have been having flashes of a daydreaming though - more lately than even a couple weeks ago - that we have a nursery in our home with well-loved toys and soft blankets and a cooing baby warming our arms. I'm hoping the farther along we get in this pregnancy that these fantasies seem more like a reality that we're destined for rather than a dream.
4. What am I nervous about this week?
Compared to most of the other anxieties I have been having lately, I know that this next one is rather silly. It has been bothering me all the same lately though. We have a dog named Pork Chop. He's a very loving dog, and fun to play with. BUT - Pork Chop LOVES stuffed animals. Most dog love tennis balls or chewies or whatever. He LOVES stuffed animals. He thinks they all belong to him. He has tried on numerous occasions to steal them from small children who happen to bring them in our home. This concerns me greatly. I know he will steal baby toys, and will probably destroy them. It's really bothering me lately!
Also, I spent some time yesterday at my dear friend Jaime's baby shower. I sat at a table with some girlfriends (and new friends!) chatting about babies and childbirth and all that. Oy frickin vey. The childbirth stories the mommies at that table shared were a little too realistic. *gulp* I'm not stupid when it comes to these things. My sister and I are very close, and she has had two children and shared many details with me. I have read books and talked with other moms too. BUT - I think some of my memory of those conversations must have disappeared when I got pregnant. I got a little freaked out yesterday talking with all those gals! Poor Jaime - she's going to face it a lot sooner than I am! I'm sure I'll get the dirt from her too... Oh my.
5. What am I craving or having aversions to this week?
Not really craving much or being turned off by much at the moment. I still experience some frequent extreme hunger, but I can't seem to figure out what I want! It's really frustrating, and it makes those cranky feelings mentioned in the first question really come out. Cravings would be welcome at this point. At least I would be able to figure out what it is that I want when it's time to eat!
There we are - 10 weeks and counting. I'm 25% of the way through. According to Baby Center, the baby is now a full-fledged FETUS, and his/her major parts are all in place and set to grow rapidly in the next few months. We're still praying for a healthy pregnancy, although at this point all signs seem to be good. We will be visiting the doctor a week from today, and he hopes to hear the baby's heartbeat in the office that day. I'm not sure what we'll do if he is unable to hear it. Hopefully he'll send us over to the hospital for an ultrasound right then, because I don't want to live with the anxiety if we can't hear that baby. That's my fervent prayer this week. Let's hear that strong heartbeat next week!
1. How am I feeling this week?
10 weeks has me feeling not as nauseous or tired, but a little more cranky. Okay, maybe I'm a lot more cranky. I can't tell if it's a hormonal thing or a "I'M REALLYd TIRED OF COLD, WHITE, WINTER! BRING ON SPRING BEFORE I SNAP!" thing. I feel like my belly is protruding a little bit, although not really much more than last week. I continue to treasure the time spent either wearing my yoga pants or not wearing pants at all...
2. What is new this week?
New this week is ACNE. :( I haven't had a horrible break-out yet, but I have a few zits that have popped up suddenly in the last couple days. I'm thinking I might have to try paying more attention to washing my face twice a day and moisturizing well and all that. If my Grandma Alice ever found out how poorly I care for my skin, she would surely have my hide. Please just keep it our little secret, mkay? Another new thing this week is that I bought a belly band! My friend Aimee strongly suggested one, and I figured I'd give it a try to help alleviate some of the issues I've been having with my pants. I haven't tried it for a full day yet, but will probably do so soon. It seems like it will work pretty well. I tried it on tonight, and I think it will be good. It's got to be better than investing tons of money in new pants.
3. What am I excited about this week?
I seem to really be getting excited about the fact that this pregnancy could work out. That we might actually be bringing a baby into our home in a matter of months! We decided over 5 years ago that we wanted to starting having children. For many years we couldn't even get pregnant. When we were finally able to get pregnant, we lost the pregnancies in miscarriage twice. So far this reproductive process has been nothing but disappointment for us. Here we are, pregnant for a third time, and we have had zero complications and have gotten to 10 weeks. Could it be that this might actually end well for us? It's hard to wrap my mind around it after so much heartache. It seems a little backwards, doesn't it? Most pregnant mommies can't imagine losing that little one growing in their bodies. I can't seem to imagine mine growing to full term. I have been having flashes of a daydreaming though - more lately than even a couple weeks ago - that we have a nursery in our home with well-loved toys and soft blankets and a cooing baby warming our arms. I'm hoping the farther along we get in this pregnancy that these fantasies seem more like a reality that we're destined for rather than a dream.
4. What am I nervous about this week?
Compared to most of the other anxieties I have been having lately, I know that this next one is rather silly. It has been bothering me all the same lately though. We have a dog named Pork Chop. He's a very loving dog, and fun to play with. BUT - Pork Chop LOVES stuffed animals. Most dog love tennis balls or chewies or whatever. He LOVES stuffed animals. He thinks they all belong to him. He has tried on numerous occasions to steal them from small children who happen to bring them in our home. This concerns me greatly. I know he will steal baby toys, and will probably destroy them. It's really bothering me lately!
Also, I spent some time yesterday at my dear friend Jaime's baby shower. I sat at a table with some girlfriends (and new friends!) chatting about babies and childbirth and all that. Oy frickin vey. The childbirth stories the mommies at that table shared were a little too realistic. *gulp* I'm not stupid when it comes to these things. My sister and I are very close, and she has had two children and shared many details with me. I have read books and talked with other moms too. BUT - I think some of my memory of those conversations must have disappeared when I got pregnant. I got a little freaked out yesterday talking with all those gals! Poor Jaime - she's going to face it a lot sooner than I am! I'm sure I'll get the dirt from her too... Oh my.
5. What am I craving or having aversions to this week?
Not really craving much or being turned off by much at the moment. I still experience some frequent extreme hunger, but I can't seem to figure out what I want! It's really frustrating, and it makes those cranky feelings mentioned in the first question really come out. Cravings would be welcome at this point. At least I would be able to figure out what it is that I want when it's time to eat!
There we are - 10 weeks and counting. I'm 25% of the way through. According to Baby Center, the baby is now a full-fledged FETUS, and his/her major parts are all in place and set to grow rapidly in the next few months. We're still praying for a healthy pregnancy, although at this point all signs seem to be good. We will be visiting the doctor a week from today, and he hopes to hear the baby's heartbeat in the office that day. I'm not sure what we'll do if he is unable to hear it. Hopefully he'll send us over to the hospital for an ultrasound right then, because I don't want to live with the anxiety if we can't hear that baby. That's my fervent prayer this week. Let's hear that strong heartbeat next week!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
9 Weeks
Technically, tomorrow I'm rolling over to 10 weeks, so I'm a little late posting this. Sorry! I haven't had much time at my computer this week (other than work - which is CRAZY right now). Here we go!
1. How am I feeling this week?
At 9 weeks, I am starting to feel the nausea and exhaustion subside just a little bit. Still fairly tired and unmotivated most of the time, but I have had spurts of productivity this week! Not sure that the state of my house reflects that very well, but I'm trying. I'm feeling fatter this week. I feel like my belly is starting to stick out a bit more, but I guess I could just be bloated or something. Wearing regular pants is really starting to be a chore. I DREAD having to button those things! Don't ask me to lift my shirt - I'm probably unbuttoned when you see me!
2. What is new this week?
New this week...Well - I am sleeping a bit better this week. I spend an ungodly amount of money on a Boppy total body pillow. It helps to have a pillow between my knees, and regular pillows just kept slipping off the bed in the middle of the night. I think it has helped, although I'm not sure Buster likes it too much. He's trying to find new ways to snuggle when we sleep, and so far he hasn't found a spot that he's happy with. Matt says he doesn't mind the monster pillow, but maybe he's just being nice!
3. What am I excited about this week?
Names! We've been talking names a lot. We've pretty much settled on a boys name, but we're still thinking about one for a girl. We can't seem to totally agree on that! I'm sure we'll let you know what names we choose at some point. Just not today! We had names picked out when we were pregnant in 2009, so it seemed obvious to just use those names. The sad thing is that I feel like those names were for that baby. When I say them now, I just don't feel like they fit anymore. I know that's weird. It's hard to name a baby that we're still not sure will ever be born, but I imagine that most parents start thinking of names early on. Am I right about that???
4. What am I nervous about this week?
I think I'll be anxious about a possible miscarriage for a long time. You just never know. Things are so promising right now because I'm feeling lots of symptoms of a healthy pregnancy (nausea, exhaustion, back pain, breast pain, weight gain, etc.), AND I haven't had any spotting or bleeding like I had in both of the other pregnancies. I just know that anything can happen though, and we really don't know what's going on in my body right now. We're trusting that our little baby is growing and thriving, but the "what-ifs" never really go away.
Also, I'm kind of nervous about how our life is going to change with a baby in the house. This is definitely something we want, but the changes are going to be scary all the same! We have been married 8.5 years, and have become comfortable in our "just us" life. Suddenly we'll have to go to a fairly regimented schedule as far as bedtimes, meals, cleaning, etc. goes. We seem to be exactly opposite of that right now! We go to bed whenever, get up whenever (unless we have work), eat when we feel hungry (could be 6:00, could be 9:00!), etc. I'm not the best housekeeper either, so thinking of how I'm going to have to improve myself that way is daunting too. We will do what is best for our new family, but it's going to be a huge shift around here.
One more thing I'm nervous about is my health. I'm really overweight, and have fears about the complications that may (probably will) bring to the table. In my head I know I need to be eating better and getting some exercise, but right now I can hardly stay awake through the work day! My nausea and cravings have me wanting to eat things like popcorn and sprite and I really don't have much interest in salads right now. I'm hoping this doesn't last long. I did get on the treadmill yesterday morning for just a little bit. I cut it short though because some serious hunger pains took over. Next time I'll remember to eat breakfast before I try to do that again!
5. What am I craving or having aversions to this week?
This is a question my friend Courtney suggested I add to my weekly posts, and I quickly agreed! From the beginning of the pregnancy until now I have been craving hot dogs and corn dogs. It's so weird, I know. I'm a foodie for crying out loud! These are horrible things to eat! I can't help it though. They are SO GOOD. I'm starting to crave cherry slushies (also, really not good for me). They feel so good on my upset tummy! Pizza is almost always a good idea for me, but that's true even when I'm not pregnant. And I just discovered something that's becoming a craving: Chip'ins by Popcorn, Indiana. They're popcorn chips, and they're AWESOME. Only three ingredients: popcorn, sunflower oil and sea salt. This makes me so happy! Plus, they are naturally low in fat (only 2.5 grams per serving). They seem to fulfill the cravings I've been having for salty things without making me feel like I've eaten anything really heavy. You can get them at Walgreens, Walmart and Whole Foods I hear, although I have only been to Walgreens for them. Go buy them. Make them the most popular item in the store, so more places will carry them!
Aversions? I have really NOT wanted salad lately. Something about the lettuce or whatever - I don't know. I just sound AWFUL right now. So weird too, because I usually LOVE salad. Also, steak hasn't sounded all that great, or any big cuts of meat for that matter. I like ground beef or shredded chicken, but to think about eating a whole steak or whole chicken breast just makes me a little blah. My appetite really seems to change by the minute though, so tomorrow I may be wanting steak for every meal!
So that's that. Me at 9 weeks. I'll be putting up a 10 week post in the next couple days. Thanks for praying for us!!!
1. How am I feeling this week?
At 9 weeks, I am starting to feel the nausea and exhaustion subside just a little bit. Still fairly tired and unmotivated most of the time, but I have had spurts of productivity this week! Not sure that the state of my house reflects that very well, but I'm trying. I'm feeling fatter this week. I feel like my belly is starting to stick out a bit more, but I guess I could just be bloated or something. Wearing regular pants is really starting to be a chore. I DREAD having to button those things! Don't ask me to lift my shirt - I'm probably unbuttoned when you see me!
2. What is new this week?
New this week...Well - I am sleeping a bit better this week. I spend an ungodly amount of money on a Boppy total body pillow. It helps to have a pillow between my knees, and regular pillows just kept slipping off the bed in the middle of the night. I think it has helped, although I'm not sure Buster likes it too much. He's trying to find new ways to snuggle when we sleep, and so far he hasn't found a spot that he's happy with. Matt says he doesn't mind the monster pillow, but maybe he's just being nice!
3. What am I excited about this week?
Names! We've been talking names a lot. We've pretty much settled on a boys name, but we're still thinking about one for a girl. We can't seem to totally agree on that! I'm sure we'll let you know what names we choose at some point. Just not today! We had names picked out when we were pregnant in 2009, so it seemed obvious to just use those names. The sad thing is that I feel like those names were for that baby. When I say them now, I just don't feel like they fit anymore. I know that's weird. It's hard to name a baby that we're still not sure will ever be born, but I imagine that most parents start thinking of names early on. Am I right about that???
4. What am I nervous about this week?
I think I'll be anxious about a possible miscarriage for a long time. You just never know. Things are so promising right now because I'm feeling lots of symptoms of a healthy pregnancy (nausea, exhaustion, back pain, breast pain, weight gain, etc.), AND I haven't had any spotting or bleeding like I had in both of the other pregnancies. I just know that anything can happen though, and we really don't know what's going on in my body right now. We're trusting that our little baby is growing and thriving, but the "what-ifs" never really go away.
Also, I'm kind of nervous about how our life is going to change with a baby in the house. This is definitely something we want, but the changes are going to be scary all the same! We have been married 8.5 years, and have become comfortable in our "just us" life. Suddenly we'll have to go to a fairly regimented schedule as far as bedtimes, meals, cleaning, etc. goes. We seem to be exactly opposite of that right now! We go to bed whenever, get up whenever (unless we have work), eat when we feel hungry (could be 6:00, could be 9:00!), etc. I'm not the best housekeeper either, so thinking of how I'm going to have to improve myself that way is daunting too. We will do what is best for our new family, but it's going to be a huge shift around here.
One more thing I'm nervous about is my health. I'm really overweight, and have fears about the complications that may (probably will) bring to the table. In my head I know I need to be eating better and getting some exercise, but right now I can hardly stay awake through the work day! My nausea and cravings have me wanting to eat things like popcorn and sprite and I really don't have much interest in salads right now. I'm hoping this doesn't last long. I did get on the treadmill yesterday morning for just a little bit. I cut it short though because some serious hunger pains took over. Next time I'll remember to eat breakfast before I try to do that again!
5. What am I craving or having aversions to this week?
This is a question my friend Courtney suggested I add to my weekly posts, and I quickly agreed! From the beginning of the pregnancy until now I have been craving hot dogs and corn dogs. It's so weird, I know. I'm a foodie for crying out loud! These are horrible things to eat! I can't help it though. They are SO GOOD. I'm starting to crave cherry slushies (also, really not good for me). They feel so good on my upset tummy! Pizza is almost always a good idea for me, but that's true even when I'm not pregnant. And I just discovered something that's becoming a craving: Chip'ins by Popcorn, Indiana. They're popcorn chips, and they're AWESOME. Only three ingredients: popcorn, sunflower oil and sea salt. This makes me so happy! Plus, they are naturally low in fat (only 2.5 grams per serving). They seem to fulfill the cravings I've been having for salty things without making me feel like I've eaten anything really heavy. You can get them at Walgreens, Walmart and Whole Foods I hear, although I have only been to Walgreens for them. Go buy them. Make them the most popular item in the store, so more places will carry them!
Aversions? I have really NOT wanted salad lately. Something about the lettuce or whatever - I don't know. I just sound AWFUL right now. So weird too, because I usually LOVE salad. Also, steak hasn't sounded all that great, or any big cuts of meat for that matter. I like ground beef or shredded chicken, but to think about eating a whole steak or whole chicken breast just makes me a little blah. My appetite really seems to change by the minute though, so tomorrow I may be wanting steak for every meal!
So that's that. Me at 9 weeks. I'll be putting up a 10 week post in the next couple days. Thanks for praying for us!!!
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Grandma Jordan: A Memory
This is my Great Grandma Jordan...
Grandma was 99, and passed away a couple weeks ago on December 23rd. I don't know how you can expect a death and still be shocked by it, but somehow that's how it happened (for me anyway). Her advanced age obviously clued us in to the fact that her time on Earth wasn't going to last much longer, yet I think we all hoped that she would be a permanent fixture in our lives.
Her death came the same day we heard the heartbeat of our little Beanie Boo. I had such a rush of conflicting emotions that day! That, and the fast-approaching craziness of Christmas, probably pushed some of the grief to the back burner for a bit to allow me to survive the holidays. For some reason today I seem to be crushed with grief. I'm not sure what brought it on, but perhaps the Christmas fog has finally lifted and allowed me some space for the mourning.
I can't possibly tell you in one sitting just how special Grandma was to me - to all of us. It would be impossible. Somehow it seems that even if I tried I would never get the right words together anyway. Instead, I wanted to share a memory with you.
A few months before my wedding day, I drove over to Grandma's to have a little visit. We visited her often in her little house on Gilbert, and enjoyed talking and laughing with her in the decades-old furniture that filled her home. That night it was just me, and I just wanted to drop by to say hello for a bit.
As it tended to at this point in my life, conversation quickly turned to the subject of my wedding. We talked about flowers and food and whatever else people talk about when planning a wedding. It's been so long for me, I can hardly remember now! During our conversation, she got up from her chair, went into the kitchen and pulled a small box out from the cabinet above her stove. It was just a white cardboard box that had several brown age spots on it. She opened it up and began to share the contents with me.
Inside the box she had kept cards that she and Grandpa had received when they got married, as well as from when they had their only child - my Grandma Marilyn. The cards were tiny, brown and brittle from age. Most of them were no bigger than a standard Post It! Most weren't even cards at all - simply pieces of notepaper, cut down and folded with short, sincere well-wishes scrawled on them. Some had envelopes, most did not. She pointed out the ones who came from people who had money - they had some foiling and pictures on the cards. Most people couldn't afford a card with such detail. It was amazing to look at. This small pile of notes from people - most of them gone long ago - wishing Grandma and Grandpa all the best as they started their life together and welcomed a child to the world. Some cards were signed by her parents, by her siblings, and other people she treasured in her life.
Also in the box was a pair of the tiniest, shabbiest little plastic bride and groom I have ever seen. Grandma informed me that these were the tiny dolls that adorned the top of her wedding cake. They had definitely seen better days, but she had kept them all these years. I was immediately silenced by the awe I felt holding those little decorations.
She also had some old candles that had been used on countless birthday cakes throughout the years. Grandma and Grandpa lived through the Depression, so waste was never an option at their house. Instead of using a new candle each time, they reused the same over and over.
I don't remember exactly what was said that night, but I remember spending a couple hours with Grandma pouring over each item in that box. I remember sharing with her my anxieties and excitement about marrying Matt, and I remember her telling me that everything would be great. That I would make a good wife. That Matt was a good man. And that she couldn't believe I was old enough to get married - I'd grown up so fast.
We put the items back in the box, and when I thought she would be getting up to put the box away, she turned to me instead and told me to keep it. She wanted me to have these things. These little pieces of her life were being passed to me for safe keeping. I was honored then, and I'm even more honored now.
Suffice it to say that this unassuming box and the scraps of life within it have become one of my most treasured possessions. I went through the box again today, tears pouring from me as I remembered this night with my Grandma. There were so many amazing things about her. She never had much that most people would notice. She lived in a small, modest home for most of her life with the same furniture that was older than I could imagine. She was never adorned with jewels - always wore the same rings and a gold necklace with a small gold heart on it. She was much like that box - sturdy, showing signs of age, but within her lay a lifetime of love and blessings and memories.
I miss her so much today. I regret not getting to see her more in the last years of her life. I will always wish I had not let life get in the way of spending some more time with her recently. I know that I have been blessed in a unique way by getting to have my Great Grandmother into my 30s - that my father and his siblings had their Grandmother until they were close to 60! I praise God for the woman he gave us as a grandmother. She was an amazing example of who we all should strive to be.
Her death came the same day we heard the heartbeat of our little Beanie Boo. I had such a rush of conflicting emotions that day! That, and the fast-approaching craziness of Christmas, probably pushed some of the grief to the back burner for a bit to allow me to survive the holidays. For some reason today I seem to be crushed with grief. I'm not sure what brought it on, but perhaps the Christmas fog has finally lifted and allowed me some space for the mourning.
I can't possibly tell you in one sitting just how special Grandma was to me - to all of us. It would be impossible. Somehow it seems that even if I tried I would never get the right words together anyway. Instead, I wanted to share a memory with you.
A few months before my wedding day, I drove over to Grandma's to have a little visit. We visited her often in her little house on Gilbert, and enjoyed talking and laughing with her in the decades-old furniture that filled her home. That night it was just me, and I just wanted to drop by to say hello for a bit.
As it tended to at this point in my life, conversation quickly turned to the subject of my wedding. We talked about flowers and food and whatever else people talk about when planning a wedding. It's been so long for me, I can hardly remember now! During our conversation, she got up from her chair, went into the kitchen and pulled a small box out from the cabinet above her stove. It was just a white cardboard box that had several brown age spots on it. She opened it up and began to share the contents with me.
Inside the box she had kept cards that she and Grandpa had received when they got married, as well as from when they had their only child - my Grandma Marilyn. The cards were tiny, brown and brittle from age. Most of them were no bigger than a standard Post It! Most weren't even cards at all - simply pieces of notepaper, cut down and folded with short, sincere well-wishes scrawled on them. Some had envelopes, most did not. She pointed out the ones who came from people who had money - they had some foiling and pictures on the cards. Most people couldn't afford a card with such detail. It was amazing to look at. This small pile of notes from people - most of them gone long ago - wishing Grandma and Grandpa all the best as they started their life together and welcomed a child to the world. Some cards were signed by her parents, by her siblings, and other people she treasured in her life.
She also had some old candles that had been used on countless birthday cakes throughout the years. Grandma and Grandpa lived through the Depression, so waste was never an option at their house. Instead of using a new candle each time, they reused the same over and over.
I don't remember exactly what was said that night, but I remember spending a couple hours with Grandma pouring over each item in that box. I remember sharing with her my anxieties and excitement about marrying Matt, and I remember her telling me that everything would be great. That I would make a good wife. That Matt was a good man. And that she couldn't believe I was old enough to get married - I'd grown up so fast.
We put the items back in the box, and when I thought she would be getting up to put the box away, she turned to me instead and told me to keep it. She wanted me to have these things. These little pieces of her life were being passed to me for safe keeping. I was honored then, and I'm even more honored now.
Suffice it to say that this unassuming box and the scraps of life within it have become one of my most treasured possessions. I went through the box again today, tears pouring from me as I remembered this night with my Grandma. There were so many amazing things about her. She never had much that most people would notice. She lived in a small, modest home for most of her life with the same furniture that was older than I could imagine. She was never adorned with jewels - always wore the same rings and a gold necklace with a small gold heart on it. She was much like that box - sturdy, showing signs of age, but within her lay a lifetime of love and blessings and memories.
Monday, January 03, 2011
8 Weeks
Well, well, well...
I'm guessing that most of you know by now, but I'm pregnant again! I figured I should probably do some sort of pregnancy journal, and it seems like a blog I already have set up would be just the place to do it. It is my intention to blog about the pregnancy at least once a week, and each week I plan to answer some basic questions bout the pregnancy. Here we go!
1. How am I feeling this week?
At 8 weeks, I am definitely feeling pregnant. I have been exhausted lately, and definitely feeling nauseous quite a bit. I have yet to actually get sick, but I feel multiple times each day that I might just need to hurl! I have been sleeping with a big bowl next to my bed just in case. Around Christmas I was suffering from heartburn quite often, but I have tried to change my diet a bit to keep that from happening. It seems to be working so far. Today is my first day back at work, and I'm worried I won't be able to keep up with my commute and work schedule. I only work three days each week, but a 55 mile commute means I still spend a lot of time on the road.
2. What is new this week?
I think I may need to start looking for maternity clothes soon! I'm not really happy about this, but I guess it means little Beanie is getting bigger and making room for his stay. Thankfully I have stretchy jeans and stretchy trousers, so maybe I can put the maternity pants off for a while longer. I also will probably need to start looking at new bras. My girls are HURTING and definitely feel like they're starting to get bigger. (Oy vey...)
3. What am I excited about this week?
I seem to be getting excited about little things like bedding and decor for the nursery, and gear like strollers and playpens. I have plenty of time to figure out what we're going to need, but I can't stop looking at them online! I'm taking this as a sign that my psyche is getting more optimistic about what lies in this womb-o-mine.
4. What am I nervous about this week?
I'm still really anxious about the possibility of losing this pregnancy. To be honest, things look really great. Dr. A. said that the ultrasound and lab work couldn't look better. I haven't had any spotting whatsoever. Matt reminds me constantly that until we see signs that give cause for worry (spotting, cramping, etc.), then we shouldn't worry! Yes dear. I hear you - just make sure I keep taking deep, calming breaths.
Another thing I'm worried about is the delivery. I know - it's a long way off! But I worry that my arterial dissection that I had in May will prohibit me from having a vaginal delivery. I have always wanted a delivery with no pain medications too, but I have a feeling that may not happen. Whatever we need to do to get the baby here safely is obviously okay with me, but I'm just starting to wonder how the dissection is going to affect this moment in my life.
That's that - Is there a weekly question that seems I have obviously overlooked? I just came up with them on my own - no research or anything. If you can think of something that might be a nice weekly question, just leave it in the comments below. BabyCenter.com suggests we should start taking belly pictures (actually, they suggested it for last week). I'm probably going to do them, but just need to figure out where to do them and what to wear and all of that. The fact that I am already very overweight will most definitely affect the way I show and all of that. You may not be able to tell for quite a while still. I'm not sure...anyone have experience here on being an overweight pregnant lady?
Anyone have thoughts about the sex of the baby? We'll find out when it's time (another 12 weeks or so), but it's fun to speculate until then. Both of our younger nieces think Beanie Boo is a boy, and Matt and I tend to agree. Beanie's heart rate was 136 when we had our ultrasound a couple weeks ago, and people (whoever "people" are) say that boys will typically be 140 or below and girls will be 140 and above. Something I notice the other day is that my feet and legs have not swollen at all like they did with the other pregnancies. I can't help but remember that when my sister was pregnant with Kamryn, she was SO swollen, and with Harrison she didn't swell much at all. Hmmmm...just something to think about. My family typically does a GIRL - GIRL - BOY cycle, but technically this is our third pregnancy. I don't know - we'll be happy with anything. At this point though, I kinda hope it's a boy. We have settled on a fantastic name (IMO) for a boy, and are still bouncing around on one for a girl. Boy or girl though - I don't care. Just give me a healthy, full-term baby.
Hope you all have a great new year! Can't believe we're already in 2011...
I'm guessing that most of you know by now, but I'm pregnant again! I figured I should probably do some sort of pregnancy journal, and it seems like a blog I already have set up would be just the place to do it. It is my intention to blog about the pregnancy at least once a week, and each week I plan to answer some basic questions bout the pregnancy. Here we go!
1. How am I feeling this week?
At 8 weeks, I am definitely feeling pregnant. I have been exhausted lately, and definitely feeling nauseous quite a bit. I have yet to actually get sick, but I feel multiple times each day that I might just need to hurl! I have been sleeping with a big bowl next to my bed just in case. Around Christmas I was suffering from heartburn quite often, but I have tried to change my diet a bit to keep that from happening. It seems to be working so far. Today is my first day back at work, and I'm worried I won't be able to keep up with my commute and work schedule. I only work three days each week, but a 55 mile commute means I still spend a lot of time on the road.
2. What is new this week?
I think I may need to start looking for maternity clothes soon! I'm not really happy about this, but I guess it means little Beanie is getting bigger and making room for his stay. Thankfully I have stretchy jeans and stretchy trousers, so maybe I can put the maternity pants off for a while longer. I also will probably need to start looking at new bras. My girls are HURTING and definitely feel like they're starting to get bigger. (Oy vey...)
3. What am I excited about this week?
I seem to be getting excited about little things like bedding and decor for the nursery, and gear like strollers and playpens. I have plenty of time to figure out what we're going to need, but I can't stop looking at them online! I'm taking this as a sign that my psyche is getting more optimistic about what lies in this womb-o-mine.
4. What am I nervous about this week?
I'm still really anxious about the possibility of losing this pregnancy. To be honest, things look really great. Dr. A. said that the ultrasound and lab work couldn't look better. I haven't had any spotting whatsoever. Matt reminds me constantly that until we see signs that give cause for worry (spotting, cramping, etc.), then we shouldn't worry! Yes dear. I hear you - just make sure I keep taking deep, calming breaths.
Another thing I'm worried about is the delivery. I know - it's a long way off! But I worry that my arterial dissection that I had in May will prohibit me from having a vaginal delivery. I have always wanted a delivery with no pain medications too, but I have a feeling that may not happen. Whatever we need to do to get the baby here safely is obviously okay with me, but I'm just starting to wonder how the dissection is going to affect this moment in my life.
That's that - Is there a weekly question that seems I have obviously overlooked? I just came up with them on my own - no research or anything. If you can think of something that might be a nice weekly question, just leave it in the comments below. BabyCenter.com suggests we should start taking belly pictures (actually, they suggested it for last week). I'm probably going to do them, but just need to figure out where to do them and what to wear and all of that. The fact that I am already very overweight will most definitely affect the way I show and all of that. You may not be able to tell for quite a while still. I'm not sure...anyone have experience here on being an overweight pregnant lady?
Anyone have thoughts about the sex of the baby? We'll find out when it's time (another 12 weeks or so), but it's fun to speculate until then. Both of our younger nieces think Beanie Boo is a boy, and Matt and I tend to agree. Beanie's heart rate was 136 when we had our ultrasound a couple weeks ago, and people (whoever "people" are) say that boys will typically be 140 or below and girls will be 140 and above. Something I notice the other day is that my feet and legs have not swollen at all like they did with the other pregnancies. I can't help but remember that when my sister was pregnant with Kamryn, she was SO swollen, and with Harrison she didn't swell much at all. Hmmmm...just something to think about. My family typically does a GIRL - GIRL - BOY cycle, but technically this is our third pregnancy. I don't know - we'll be happy with anything. At this point though, I kinda hope it's a boy. We have settled on a fantastic name (IMO) for a boy, and are still bouncing around on one for a girl. Boy or girl though - I don't care. Just give me a healthy, full-term baby.
Hope you all have a great new year! Can't believe we're already in 2011...
Sunday, November 21, 2010
My favorite shirt...
I'm wearing my favorite shirt today. It's a red henley with the perfect length sleeves and lots of buttons. I remember buying it from Lane Bryant a couple years ago, and almost buying a different color. I'm so glad I kept the red! There's nothing special about this shirt. it's just comfortable, casual and looks good on. It's long enough to cover my waistband (in case my panties want to make an appearance) and fitted enough to make me feel a little put together. I can wear it with jeans and tennis shoes or I can dress it up a bit and wear it with slacks and mary janes. I definitely have prettier things in my wardrobe, but this one just feels right all the time.
There's really nothing like wearing your favorite shirt...am I right? :)
There's really nothing like wearing your favorite shirt...am I right? :)
Sunday, November 07, 2010
The bravest thing I've done in a long time...
It took some coaxing by my husband and sister, but today I did something so brave - so daring! - that I wouldn't believe I actually did it except I have pictures...
Y'all...I wore LEGGINGS! in PUBLIC!
How do you all feel about leggings? I remember when they were huge back when I was in 5th grade. Ohmygoodness - girls in my class wore them ALL THE TIME! I never did though. I thought I was too fat to get away with it, so I steered clear. My friend Stephanie wore them though, and she looked awesome in them. I always was a little jealous that she made those things work.
I hadn't intended on hopping onto the legging bandwagon when they came around again recently. I'm fat guys - it's generally unadvisable to swath my tush in stretchy fabrics. But Matt and I were out shopping the other day, and I found this cutie-patootie sweater dress that immediately made me think, "This would look so cute with some black leggings!" What the WHAT? Who was that skinny girl talking about leggings in my brain? Surely it wasn't me. I don't wear leggings. I'm fat, remember? I took the dress to the fitting room anyway, and tried it on (along with a few other fabulous, although not as daring, items). I took pictures of myself wearing these items and texted them to my sister. "What do you think? Yes or no?" She texted back her complete support and excitement for these purchases, and I waltzed out of the mall swinging my bag happily.
I had a big day today, and needed to look nice. I decided that today might be the day to debut the leggings. I put everything on together, popped my feet in some fun red flats and made Matt take pictures of me to send to my sister. (I know - I just wasn't sure! I can't believe I kept pestering her. She's a mom with a 4 year old and a newborn nursing baby! Gah...she has so many better things to be doing!)
Y'all...I wore LEGGINGS! in PUBLIC!
How do you all feel about leggings? I remember when they were huge back when I was in 5th grade. Ohmygoodness - girls in my class wore them ALL THE TIME! I never did though. I thought I was too fat to get away with it, so I steered clear. My friend Stephanie wore them though, and she looked awesome in them. I always was a little jealous that she made those things work.
I hadn't intended on hopping onto the legging bandwagon when they came around again recently. I'm fat guys - it's generally unadvisable to swath my tush in stretchy fabrics. But Matt and I were out shopping the other day, and I found this cutie-patootie sweater dress that immediately made me think, "This would look so cute with some black leggings!" What the WHAT? Who was that skinny girl talking about leggings in my brain? Surely it wasn't me. I don't wear leggings. I'm fat, remember? I took the dress to the fitting room anyway, and tried it on (along with a few other fabulous, although not as daring, items). I took pictures of myself wearing these items and texted them to my sister. "What do you think? Yes or no?" She texted back her complete support and excitement for these purchases, and I waltzed out of the mall swinging my bag happily.
I had a big day today, and needed to look nice. I decided that today might be the day to debut the leggings. I put everything on together, popped my feet in some fun red flats and made Matt take pictures of me to send to my sister. (I know - I just wasn't sure! I can't believe I kept pestering her. She's a mom with a 4 year old and a newborn nursing baby! Gah...she has so many better things to be doing!)
This morning I woke up, got ready and put those leggings on. I got a hundred (okay, maybe 5 or 6) compliments about my outfit, and I felt fabulous all day long! YAY! Let's forget for a moment that I looked cute, but those leggings are completely comfortable! Y'all, they were more comfortable than my yoga pants! I felt comfy and looked great. Bonus! Grand Slam! Touchdown! Awesome!
Please don't tell me if there's some sort of "fat girls don't wear leggings" rule that I broke today. If leggings are wrong for me, I don't want to be right!
Please don't tell me if there's some sort of "fat girls don't wear leggings" rule that I broke today. If leggings are wrong for me, I don't want to be right!
That up there is my Goddaughter, Tiffany, and her mom, my good friend for like ever, Amanda and me (wearing the above mentioned outfit). Tiffany was baptized today, and it was the most amazing thing. Over 10 years ago, Amanda asked me to be Tiff's Godmother, and it has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Thank you Lord for an amazing young woman Tiffany is turning out to be!
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Different day, same old stuff...
Earlier this year, on St. Patrick's Day in fact, I peed on a stick, and saw the miracle of two little lines. We were pregnant again! After all the heartache we suffered in losing our baby Squooshy last summer, we were more than ecstatic, and a little nervous. What if we lost this one too? I kept shaking off the thought. Surely we wouldn't lose two in a row. Many pregnancies - 25% in fact - end in miscarriage, but the chances that a woman will have two in a row are pretty slim. My doctor said so! We were so encouraged by that thought. We told our friends and family, and set about being a pregnant couple. We soon began hearing about other friends who were pregnant, and due at the same time! How exciting to share this journey with other families we knew! This happened when we were pregnant the first time too. Two of my favorite friends we pregnant at the same time. Thankfully they didn't lose their babies like we did. JJ and Ben are healthy and vibrant little boys!
This second pregnancy didn't go so well. In fact, when there were problems just a few weeks after we found out, we had an ultrasound, and they couldn't even find the baby. They tried again on another day - still nothing. We were losing this time too. Somehow it felt different - less traumatic - because we had never seen the baby, heard the heartbeat, watched him wiggle around like we had before. The doctor suggested we just wait for my body to miscarry on it's own rather than schedule a DNC. That was fine with me. I didn't need more medical bills! The miscarriage started happening right when we landed in New Orleans on our vacation, and continued through the entire trip.
Now we're here in November - the due date of that second pregnancy is fast approaching. Although this second miscarriage wasn't as difficult as the first (emotionally - physically it was way worse), it's still hard for me to hear about all these friends welcoming children into their families. Sometimes I long for the days when thoughts of having children weren't residing in large sections of my heart. I wish I could welcome these friends' babies without thoughts of my own failures swirling in the back parts of my brain.
I truly am excited for them. I just wish I wasn't jealous too...
This second pregnancy didn't go so well. In fact, when there were problems just a few weeks after we found out, we had an ultrasound, and they couldn't even find the baby. They tried again on another day - still nothing. We were losing this time too. Somehow it felt different - less traumatic - because we had never seen the baby, heard the heartbeat, watched him wiggle around like we had before. The doctor suggested we just wait for my body to miscarry on it's own rather than schedule a DNC. That was fine with me. I didn't need more medical bills! The miscarriage started happening right when we landed in New Orleans on our vacation, and continued through the entire trip.
Now we're here in November - the due date of that second pregnancy is fast approaching. Although this second miscarriage wasn't as difficult as the first (emotionally - physically it was way worse), it's still hard for me to hear about all these friends welcoming children into their families. Sometimes I long for the days when thoughts of having children weren't residing in large sections of my heart. I wish I could welcome these friends' babies without thoughts of my own failures swirling in the back parts of my brain.
I truly am excited for them. I just wish I wasn't jealous too...
Thursday, October 07, 2010
Worship with Bernie
Bishop Coyner came to my office for the day Monday. We talked a lot of ministries going on in our district that are vital and those who are merely being "propped up" by our resources. So much of our time and money and energy and buildings are being wasted on programs and ministries that should really just be allowed to die. Look around the town where you live. Chances are you have at least one United Methodist Church within a few miles of your house. I want you to try to think of 3 good, vital ministries that church has that really reach people in the community. Can you think of any? Many churches in our denomination are so caught up in traditions, buildings, and other things that really don't matter. Just because we did ministry effectively "that way" 50 years ago doesn't mean it will be effective still.
When Bishop Mike talked about this problem in our church, I couldn't help but see this face in my mind:
You've seen Weekend at Bernie's, right? It's a hilarious movie. I must have watched it a thousand times when I was younger. I had an odd crush on Andrew McCarthy, and you have to admit the antics of trying to make a dead man look alive are pretty entertaining. They put sunglasses on him, take him to fun parties, take him water skiing, etc. You see quickly that it's a real chore dragging around a dead body trying to make him seem alive. The guys fake it for a while, and fool quite a few people. Eventually a few people catch on, the body gets rank, and the challenge of simulating life in death becomes too much to bear.
Do you have a "Bernie" ministry in your church? What can we do to bury all our Bernies and put our time and energy in to vital ministries???
When Bishop Mike talked about this problem in our church, I couldn't help but see this face in my mind:
You've seen Weekend at Bernie's, right? It's a hilarious movie. I must have watched it a thousand times when I was younger. I had an odd crush on Andrew McCarthy, and you have to admit the antics of trying to make a dead man look alive are pretty entertaining. They put sunglasses on him, take him to fun parties, take him water skiing, etc. You see quickly that it's a real chore dragging around a dead body trying to make him seem alive. The guys fake it for a while, and fool quite a few people. Eventually a few people catch on, the body gets rank, and the challenge of simulating life in death becomes too much to bear.
Do you have a "Bernie" ministry in your church? What can we do to bury all our Bernies and put our time and energy in to vital ministries???
The world through my eyes...
Have I told you that my husband really, really spoils me? I'm not sure I deserve it, but I love him for it. He gave me the most amazing gift for my 30th birthday a month ago today. I got a Canon EOS Rebel XSi camera. Plus I got a tripod, filters, lenses, shovels, rakes and other implements of destruction along with it. It was wonderful and thoughtful, and I have enjoyed learning how to use it. This helps to fulfill item #12 on my 40 by 40 list!
So, for your viewing pleasure, here are some highlights of the pictures I have taken in the past month:
So, for your viewing pleasure, here are some highlights of the pictures I have taken in the past month:
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
My first iMovie project!
Matt and I just upgraded to an iMac this week, and I LOVE IT! I keep singing "A Whole New World" to myself over and over. Check out the video I did last night on iMovie! (This is my immediate family. Click the video to see full screen!)
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Fresh Grief...
A friend of mine e-mailed to ask how I had been doing lately considering all of the health issues I have experienced in the past year+. She is a close friend, and I found myself dumping all of this on her. I don't know why I feel like sharing this with you - some of you I know, most of you are strangers. I use this blog as a sad excuse for a journal though, so I'm letting you in on parts of this message. (I realize that I have yet to write about the issues at the chiropractor early this summer. The stroke is referenced below, and I promise I'll get around to writing it all out soon.)
"We were cleaning our office last night (making room for our new computer), and I found the positive pregnancy test from March. Maybe it's a little gross that we kept it, but I had never seen a positive one before! At the time, I couldn't bear to throw it away. We hid it in the office, and then ended up having a miscarriage. I hadn't seen it since until last night. My stomach just turned over and over as I looked at those two little pink lines. There was so much awesomeness tied into that stick months ago, and now it just makes me nauseous and sad. I quickly threw it in the trash, and maybe a little bit of hope went in the trash with it.
I think that's one of the worst parts of this whole miscarriage thing. I look back on these pregnancies, and I have such mixed emotions. The day I found out I was pregnant with Squooshy last summer was one of the best days of my entire life. Being able to tell my parents, my siblings, my grandma - everyone!, that I was pregnant was amazing. But even though I loved that day, thinking of it now makes me immediately fill with sadness. Miscarriage sucked all the joy out of those amazing moments, and left my heart full of sour memories. Add that to the fact that our desire for children remains unfulfilled, and this miscarriage stuff just plain sucks!
I was in Chicago with my sister last weekend, and we went to the Museum of Science and Industry. It's an awesome museum! If you've never been, you should. Anyway - I hadn't been since middle school, and I remembered an exhibit they had then. They still have it now, and it's a series of 30-40 fetuses, in age order from conception to birth. They are all real children who were miscarried or aborted or stillborn, so it's sad to look at all those little lives that never were. It's a neat exhibit though, and I forced myself to look at the one that was about 12 weeks along - where Squooshy was when we lost him. I had read online what he would have looked like, what had been forming on his little body, what he was doing, hearing, seeing, etc. But I could never quite picture in my mind the size of him. What he might actually look like. I had hoped that he would have been unrecognizable - like a blob or a mass of bone and skin and veins. Like a foreign object that my body couldn't be faulted for discarding. At the same time I had hoped he would look like a person. We thought of him as our baby - he was OUR BABY - a child, a human. If he looked like a person, then certainly he was worthy of the value we placed on him. Certainly the sadness in our hearts would have been validated.
I'll never know exactly what he looked like. Was Squooshy even a boy? We'll never know that either. I always think of him as a HIM. While I was pregnant, I had dreams of a 4-5 year old boy with blond curly hair and bright blue eyes. I'll never know if I was right. What I know now is that Squooshy was definitely a BABY. Very recognizable as a person with arms, legs, fingers, toes, a nose, ears, lips, etc. He had genitalia, so we would have known if HE was a SHE. He had started growing hair, and already had fingernails. He was small, but not too small to snuggle gently. He would have fit in one of my hands, but he would have almost filled it. Seeing that little baby, enshrined in a case for millions to see, made fresh grief wash over me. I don't know the actual baby in that case, but to me, at that moment, my little baby was right in front of my eyes. Separated for eternity by a pane of bulletproof glass.
Ugh...it was so hard to see, but I couldn't keep myself from the exhibit. I could have. It's set apart in a room that I could have easily avoided. I just couldn't though. I had to know. I had to see what was, and imagine again what could have been.
That experience has made the sadness a little more present lately. I must admit that I am disappointed to still be so sad about it. I had hoped that time would reduce my sorrow. Perhaps it just makes it less frequent.
All of this to say - I'M OKAY! I am so glad to be alive, even though life is hard to live some days. I already knew I had an awesome husband, but a fresher, stronger appreciation for him has really blossomed. Thankfully throughout all of this I have not had a crisis of faith. It has never once occurred to me that God might not be real or might not love me just as much as he always has. My God is the same as he was before we lost 2 babies and before my brain was irreparably damaged. He'll continue to be the same as we move forward with a brain injury and keep trying to create a family. He's the same God RIGHT NOW as we learn to be a family of 2 and as we learn to adjust to my new issues created by the stroke. I have been angry and sad and asked "WHY?" a gazillion times, but I have never felt abandoned or unloved. I guess that's something to hold on to, right?
A heavy heart is a difficult thing to live with, but we can thank God for the heart that's strong enough to handle the heaviness, right? I just keep telling myself that. I would rather feel this than feel nothing at all."
Monday, September 06, 2010
Reflecting on my first 30 years...
When I wake up in the morning I will be 30. It's not old by any stretch of the imagination, but it does seem so much more mature than 29. My grandmother will tell you that life begins at 50, so perhaps I'm still just starting out. I think that's what perplexes me about this new age. 30 means I am an adult - a grown up. I am responsible for myself and my actions. I have a job. I have a home to care for. I have pets that depend on me. I have bills. Car payments. Insurance. Financial planning. It's all very adult-y. Yet to so many 30 is very young. In many ways I am still starting out.
In my previous post I listed 40 things I want to accomplish by the time I'm 40. I can't help but feel some disappointment at the things I haven't seen and done by now. It occurred to me this evening that perhaps I need to shift my perspective, and think about the things I have done up to this point. So, here you go...my 30 in 30:
I have:
In my previous post I listed 40 things I want to accomplish by the time I'm 40. I can't help but feel some disappointment at the things I haven't seen and done by now. It occurred to me this evening that perhaps I need to shift my perspective, and think about the things I have done up to this point. So, here you go...my 30 in 30:
I have:
- Married my best friend
- Had two jobs that I have loved
- Learned about food and cooking
- Visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- Visited the Baseball Hall of Fame
- Learned to enjoy baseball...really!
- Moisturized every day
- Vacationed in New Orleans twice, and fell in love with the city on accident
- Discovered Ikea
- Dug my feet in the sand on the Gulf of Mexico
- Painted my nails about 300 different colors
- Driven to Gatlinburg 4 times to support our neice and nephew
- Met new neices and a nephew (Kamryn, Clarissa and Harrison) and have fallen in love with them on purpose
- Witnessed a birth live
- Acquired three pets that I adore (most of the time)
- Lived in 7 homes in 6 different cities
- Learned how to cross-stitch
- Owned 7 vehicles
- Learned to scrapbook and make cards
- Bought my own furniture (sounds silly, but buying our own brand new furniture was a real experience!)
- Made life-long friends
- Tended old friendships from far away - hopefully successfully
- Learned that my sister is my best friend
- Realized that my brother is one of my favorite people to talk to (it took moving out of my parents' house to discover both of these things!)
- Made some of my mother's best dishes (Swiss Steak, Kale and Sausage, Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, Beef Stroganoff)
- Learned to appreciate family history like my dad does
- Received some beloved recipes from my great Grandma, and successfully made her Cherry Delight with my little sister (one of my favorite memories)
- Grown closer to my Grandma Alice, and learned to love sitting and talking with her.
- Trusted that God's plan was perfect
- Witnessed first-hand that God's peace is there to comfort you right when you need it
Thank you Lord for a great 30 years. I have definitely experienced some trouble - some innocently, and some by my own doing - but I have yet to doubt that you are King of my heart and my life. However many years you see fit to give me, I will continue to love you for who you are, and thank you for the people you have let me share my life with.
Monday, August 30, 2010
40 by 40
My 30th birthday is just over one week from right now. I haven't feared this milestone until just recently. I mean, 30 isn't THAT old. When I'm honest with myself, it's really not the number that affects me. Instead, it's the things I thought I would have accomplished by the time I reached this point that cause me to pause with mild disappointment.
I know that life is a continuous string of days and events, but for some reason this impending birthday seems to be a do-over point. Much like New Year's Day to the 10th degree. I can reset my clocks, wipe the slate clean, start my life anew. This is silly because of course I can do these things at any point. It just seems like now is the perfect time to do it. Maybe my poor health lately makes me feel like age is more than just a number. Maybe it's wisdom settling into my bones a bit more now that I'm (almost) not a witless 20-something. Maybe it's regret I feel over some things left undone in my 20's. In any case, I felt strongly to come up with a list of 40 things I want to have accomplished/seen/done by the time I'm 40. It occurs to me now that I left off a lot of altruistic items like, "see doctors cure cancer" or "world peace finally attained." I guess I assume everyone wants those things. These things are just for me. I must note that I fully retain the right to change this list on a whim any time I please.
Katie’s 40 by 40
(not in any order)
1. Visit Disney World
2. Go on a culinary tour of Italy
3. Go on a culinary tour of Paris
4. Take a cruise vacation
5. Pay off all my debt
6. Be at a healthy weight
7. Eat more whole, organic, locally-grown foods
8. Read 12 books per year OR 120 books by the time I’m 40
9. Be in the habit of working out at least 15 minutes daily
10. Find a hair cut that I love
11. Understand baseball
12. Get a great camera and learn how to use it well
13. Learn to play piano
14. Learn to play guitar
15. Learn Spanish
16. Read the bible from start to finish
17. Improve my complexion
18. Start a great ministry
19. See everyone in my family come to know and love Christ
20. Stop cursing
21. Be known for a dish that I make
22. See these artists perform live (again or for the first time): Neil Young, Van Morrison, Emmylou Harris, Metallica, Marc Broussard, (to be continued/added to)
23. Live in New York City – even if for just one year
24. Go to Las Vegas with my Grandma Alice at least one more time
25. Learn to bake like my mom
26. Learn to be rebellious like my dad (to a point!)
27. Become a mother (either by birth or adoption or surrogacy)
28. Find a beer that I enjoy drinking
29. Learn to bake bread
30. Create things that people love so much, they would pay money for them
31. Decorate my home well
32. Have a great garden
33. Finish at least one more cross-stitch project
34. Catalog family photos with my dad
35. Enjoy one last good conversation with Grandma Jordan.
36. Worry less
37. Rent a beach house with my family for an awesome vacation
38. See the ruins in Greece
39. Go on a genealogy tour of Holland, Germany and the British Isles
40. Be on The Price is Right
There. If I can do those things, I'll be at perfect peace and happiness, right? :)
Ten years is a long time to cross these things off my list. As I look at all of these items, I have to think of some things that will probably happen during the next decade:
Some things will continue to be the same though:
Life is an exciting journey, and after the craziness I've been through lately, I just have to say that I'm so glad to still be traveling this road.
I know that life is a continuous string of days and events, but for some reason this impending birthday seems to be a do-over point. Much like New Year's Day to the 10th degree. I can reset my clocks, wipe the slate clean, start my life anew. This is silly because of course I can do these things at any point. It just seems like now is the perfect time to do it. Maybe my poor health lately makes me feel like age is more than just a number. Maybe it's wisdom settling into my bones a bit more now that I'm (almost) not a witless 20-something. Maybe it's regret I feel over some things left undone in my 20's. In any case, I felt strongly to come up with a list of 40 things I want to have accomplished/seen/done by the time I'm 40. It occurs to me now that I left off a lot of altruistic items like, "see doctors cure cancer" or "world peace finally attained." I guess I assume everyone wants those things. These things are just for me. I must note that I fully retain the right to change this list on a whim any time I please.
Katie’s 40 by 40
(not in any order)
1. Visit Disney World
2. Go on a culinary tour of Italy
3. Go on a culinary tour of Paris
4. Take a cruise vacation
5. Pay off all my debt
6. Be at a healthy weight
7. Eat more whole, organic, locally-grown foods
8. Read 12 books per year OR 120 books by the time I’m 40
9. Be in the habit of working out at least 15 minutes daily
10. Find a hair cut that I love
11. Understand baseball
12. Get a great camera and learn how to use it well
13. Learn to play piano
14. Learn to play guitar
15. Learn Spanish
16. Read the bible from start to finish
17. Improve my complexion
18. Start a great ministry
19. See everyone in my family come to know and love Christ
20. Stop cursing
21. Be known for a dish that I make
22. See these artists perform live (again or for the first time): Neil Young, Van Morrison, Emmylou Harris, Metallica, Marc Broussard, (to be continued/added to)
23. Live in New York City – even if for just one year
24. Go to Las Vegas with my Grandma Alice at least one more time
25. Learn to bake like my mom
26. Learn to be rebellious like my dad (to a point!)
27. Become a mother (either by birth or adoption or surrogacy)
28. Find a beer that I enjoy drinking
29. Learn to bake bread
30. Create things that people love so much, they would pay money for them
31. Decorate my home well
32. Have a great garden
33. Finish at least one more cross-stitch project
34. Catalog family photos with my dad
35. Enjoy one last good conversation with Grandma Jordan.
36. Worry less
37. Rent a beach house with my family for an awesome vacation
38. See the ruins in Greece
39. Go on a genealogy tour of Holland, Germany and the British Isles
40. Be on The Price is Right
There. If I can do those things, I'll be at perfect peace and happiness, right? :)
Ten years is a long time to cross these things off my list. As I look at all of these items, I have to think of some things that will probably happen during the next decade:
- Tayla and Damon will graduate high school, and may even marry and/or have kids
- Kamryn and Clarissa will be in high school: dating, learning to drive, getting grounded and turning into women
- Harrison will be here, and will be a tall, lanky 10 year old
- Grandma Jordan will probably have passed away - one of the great saints of my life. (She's 99 now, if she's alive in 10 years, someone please call Willard Scott!)
- My parents will continue to age - hopefully well.
- My brother may marry a wonderful woman that fits right in to our crazy family
- One or more of our pets will probably die.
- We may move once, twice, 5 times! Who knows?
- If I remain in my current job, I will have at least one change in bosses.
Some things will continue to be the same though:
- Tragedy will continue to strike.
- Happiness will continue to prevail.
- Matt and I will continue to love each other strongly and deeply.
- God will continue to be sovereign.
Life is an exciting journey, and after the craziness I've been through lately, I just have to say that I'm so glad to still be traveling this road.
Thursday, August 05, 2010
FOOD with Katie
Inner Beauty?
"I don't believe that inner beauty is sufficient in this cruel world. That's the pap one tells a child. I don't believe that positive thinking improves your skin tone or that loving or being loved changes the shape of your nose or restores the thickness and color of hair, but I do know that there is a way of being beautiful, even as age takes its toll, that has something to do with the spirit filling with joy, something to do with the union with another human being, with the sense of having done well at something enormously important, like making happy a man who has made you happy often enough."
-Anne Roiphe
-Anne Roiphe
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