My Type-A Life

A Moment for Mary

2011-12-24T21:58:00.000-06:00

They say that a child changes everything. They’re right. It does.

Now that I’m a mother, Christmas makes me reflect quite often about Mary. And, these reflections often leave me a little in awe of someone so willing to let God lead her life.

Mary was a young teenager, engaged to the man of her dreams, living pretty much the idyllic Jewish woman’s life. Then, she is miraculously visited by an angel who tells her that she has found favor with God and that she will become pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Whoa. Not exactly how you picture finding out about your first pregnancy. And not exactly how you picture the meaning of God finding favor with you. Mary was engaged, but not married. Pregnancy, especially one not by your future husband, really meant death by stoning. Favor, really God?

But, thankfully God blessed Mary with a husband who was … understanding, or at least sensitive to God’s leading. And he led Mary on the 97 mile trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census. Whether walking, riding on a donkey, riding in a car or flying in a plane, traveling 97 miles when you’re grotesquely pregnant is not fun. And I’m pretty sure a stable, hay, manger, and on-looking animals were not in Mary’s birth plan.

But God is in the business of taking the stuff that would never make sense to us and weaving into a beautiful part of His story for us. And in return for her step of faith, she held the Son of God in her arms.

Maybe I need to let God lead a little more.

Pearls in Progress

2011-12-17T14:08:00.001-06:00

As I am wrapping a beautiful pair of earrings for one of this year's Christmas gifts, I am reminded of the Christmas short story I read yesterday in the car where a father, who has been absent from his home for some time, returns to his home and his children on Christmas Eve. The children believe he is Kris Kringle, a bittersweet moment for the father. He presents both children with gifts, including a stunning strand of pearls to his daughter. The father explains that pearls form from something irritating that enters an oyster's shell, which is eventually made into a pearl.

The pearl is another reminder of how God takes things that are irritating and makes them into something far more beautiful than could ever be imagined.

I often ask God to remove the irritating things in my life, the things that don't go according to my plan or make me uncomfortable. Perhaps instead, I should accept them with the knowledge that, in time, He will use that irritant to create a thing of beauty in my life. How many pearls do I lack because I asked Him to remove the irritating things or that I simply avoided all together?

I'm sure the oyster doesn't enjoy the pearl-making process, as I'm sure none of us enjoy the things in life that drive us crazy. And, I'm sure the oyster probably doesn't think the whole pearl-making process, which for it is the process of protecting itself from the irritant with coats of nacre, is quite fast enough. It takes layer after thin layer of nacre to make a pearl. It is the same for us. Little by little, bit by bit, God changes the irritant into a pearl that shows His divine plan, His ability to take the irritating, the annoying, the painful, the unwanted parts of life and make them into something unique and beautiful.

The Fight

2011-12-02T16:14:00.002-06:00

I don’t know why my daughter chose today to pick a fight with me over naptime. But, today it was. I could feel my anger rising, and I had to strongly resist the urge to just plop her in her crib, shut the door, and hide down in the basement. It took almost three hours to finally get her to nap, lots of shows on the DVR, and a phone call for Mommy to vent to Daddy about what a little stinker his daughter was. Oh, and a lot of prayer. And now, my daughter is sleeping peacefully, standing up in her crib, resting her head on the front rail, and holding her stuffed teddy bear.

As I was rocking her for the fourth time in this attempt at naptime, praying to God to give me the patience and the grace to make it today, I felt a little nagging feeling that God does, in fact, know exactly how I feel. How I have fought Him and fought Him on something He knows is in my best interest, something that I really need. I think I know better, that I don’t need the nap. And in that situation, I am always wrong. Sometimes it just takes me a while to figure it out, and all the while, God was still holding me, pleading with me to finally give in and let Him be the parent.

So, I don’t know why my daughter wanted to fight her nap today, but I know that God wanted to share a little insight into His role as my Father and His patience with me. So, today I was humbled and thankful for a Father who cares so much for me, and who gives me what I need to be a better mother.

Trying to quantify

2011-06-15T10:27:00.005-05:00

I received an email from my husband today that made me smile. You see, now that I stay at home with our daughter, sometimes I find it difficult to define my role, or even to figure out how much value to place on it once I've defined it. It seems as though I've needed a business card to define my role and a paycheck to define it's value.

Many people have attempted to place a monetary value on a wife and mother. They calculate the nanny cost, the maid expense, laundry service, the cook, the chauffeur, the bookkeeper. What they fail to quantify, or even take into account, is the contribution of self. The element of you that you bring to the table that no one else can replace. I have often failed to recognize how much my presence means to my family.

I am learning more and more about my role as a wife and mother, and how significant that role is in my home. The decision to stay home wasn't as easy as I expected it to be, but for us, it was definitely the right decision. It has allowed me to focus on creating a nurturing, calm environment for our family. I really liked my job before having our daughter, and I'd like to think I was pretty good at it, but the further we get down this road of parenthood, the more I know that I'm not good enough at multitasking to be able to do it all - the job, the kid, the husband, the home.

Now, I know my choice isn't for everyone. Some of my closest friends are working moms, and I struggled with the decision myself. I firmly believe that you have to make the decision that is right for you and your family, so no judgment here! But whether you work outside the home or not (mother or not), never underestimate the power of your presence. You, who you are, matters so much to the other members of your family. Your position as matriarch of your home is significant. You make it a home.

The email I received today wasn't mushy or really intended to be romantic. It just contained a comment in passing that served as a reminder of the value I bring to my life. The things God calls us to do and to be are never insignificant. I just needed that reminder today. Maybe you do, too.

In Search of a Signature

2011-01-05T18:00:00.003-06:00

So, now that I'm a stay-at-home mom, I've had to make some adjustments. My wardrobe has changed. My schedule has changed. I've had to become more flexible (which, I probably should have done when I was still working, but whatever). The crap I deal with on a day-to-day basis is literally crap. And, I have no email signature.

I'm not sure why that last one bothers me. It's not like I'm sending a lot of important emails. But, each time I send an email, it looks . . . well, naked. It just seems like there's something missing at the bottom. I've toyed with different titles and things to put in an email signature, but nothing seems quite right. I've seen quotes, but I'm not loving that idea. I think what I need is a title to add to my email.

Here are some ideas:

Domestic Goddess (This is the title I like to use when describing stay-at-home-momhood. Not sure how well it would be received by the general recipients of my emails, though).

COO, Conley Household

And with that, I'm currently out of ideas. It may be that I'll just have to adjust to my lack of a signature. One of many other adjustments in my life.

Reality Hits

2010-06-04T17:03:00.002-05:00

So, today I realized my limitations. At least in part. I'm still working on my Master's degree, and I actually took a class last semester (yes - I did have a baby while I was taking a class). I had enrolled for one class this summer and another in the fall. I figured I could handle one class. I'm home all day, right?

Wrong.

The class started this week, and today I started to panic. Baby D's still not napping very well during the day. (She sleeps well at night. Don't think I'd trade that for daytime napping.) So, it's pretty hard for me to get anything done. I'm still struggling with laundry and meals. So, after talking to Brad and a few good friends, I dropped the class. I now get to petition to see if I can get a full refund instead of just a partial one. Yes, this is day four of my class and I can't get a full refund.

I, the overachiever, am at peace about waving the white flag. In addition to learning how to be a parent, I'm also learning how to say no. It's a hard lesson for me. For the most part, I've always been able to balance everything and to be able to do it all. Not so much anymore. I guess I'm having to change my definition of "all."

2010-05-24T16:06:00.000-05:00

2010-05-24T16:04:00.000-05:00

Settling in

2010-05-24T14:40:00.002-05:00

So we're settling in to a bit of a routine. Still not a great schedule yet, but we'll get there. I find myself saying that a lot lately. We'll get there. I think we're finally beginning to emerge from our 6 week growth spurt. This one was much better than the last one.

I'm struggling to find any of my summer clothes that fit. I'm clear to start exercising again. Yeah!! I just need Baby D to sleep a little longer so I can do some bootcamp.

I need to say again how blessed I am to get to stay home with her. She started crying in her sleep just now, and I am so glad that I get to be the one to comfort her. God is good.

Pictures of Darcy

2010-05-11T18:52:00.004-05:00

Darcy & Mommy

Daddy loves holding her this way.

parenthood = on-the-job training

2010-05-08T09:55:00.002-05:00

Well, parenthood is the most challenging job I've done. I've learned about breastfeeding and survived the first growth spurt. We're tackling making good sleep habits, and I'm working on being more relaxed about everything.

All in all, being a parent is better than I could ever have imagined. It's tough, and knowing how fast she's growing up already breaks my heart, but I love every second. I'm very blessed to be able to stay home with her.

Posts will probably be pretty short, but I'll try to write my thoughts and musings on this new chapter in our lives.

Darcy is already 9 pounds 14.5 ounces and 22 inches long.

Baby is here!

2010-04-17T20:10:00.002-05:00

Well, Darcy is finally here. We went in to induce on the 7th, and I was already having contractions. We started Pitocin early in the morning on the 8th, and 22 hours later, Darcy Elizabeth Conley was born. I'll spare everyone the specifics . . . She was born at 3:34 AM on April 9. 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and 21 1/4 inches long. And absolutely beautiful!

We're adjusting to baby time now that we're home. I've had to adjust my expectations and realize that time just really doesn't matter. We're just focused on getting full feedings so she can sleep.

I'll try to post some pictures soon.

Here Goes Nothing

2010-04-07T17:33:00.002-05:00

Well, April 7 has finally come. We've hit our due date.

Yesterday was my last day at work. Still hasn't really sunk in yet, but that's okay. I'm content to live in a state of denial for a little longer.

We're getting ready to head to the hospital to induce here in a few hours. It doesn't seem real at all. We've packed our bags, made the preparations, my belly's huge, and sometime tomorrow (probably), we'll be the parents of a little girl.

The final days

2010-04-04T10:32:00.002-05:00

Well, we are in the final days of this pregnancy with Baby Darcy. At our doctor's appointment on Thursday, I was dilated to a 1, and the doctor talked to us about scheduling an inducement. We are due on Wednesday, April 7 and are scheduled to induce on April 8. Just a few more days!!

At work, the word is out. They have made the announcement that I am not going back to work after the baby is born. It wasn't an easy decision by any means, but we strongly believe that this is what God is asking us to do and that it will be best for our family. So, I will be a stay-at-home-mom! My last day of work is Tuesday. We are very excited and feel very blessed to have the ability to make this decision. So many don't. We're still talking with work about the possibility of doing some contract work from home, but we'll probably cross that bridge in a few months. Definitely need to adjust to life with Darcy a bit first!

Brad and I have been trying to enjoy this last weekend before we are officially parents. We worked on painting Darcy's tables to look like lady bugs (I'll post pictures soon), and Brad worked on organizing the garage. Then, we went and had lunch down on the Plaza at PF Changs, where we had dinner for our anniversary the day we found out we were pregnant. The weather this weekend has been gorgeous! We walked around the Plaza, got some gelato, and just enjoyed being together. Today looks to be more of the same weather. Brad is mowing the yard, and I'm working on Easter dinner.

Baseball season starts tonight (officially tomorrow, but gotta love Sunday Night Baseball!). So, this afternoon, Brad and I will continue our beginning-of-baseball-season tradition to watch Bull Durham and grill out for the first pitch.

As I contemplate today, Easter Sunday, I think about the amazing sacrifice of Christ and the hope we now have because of the empty tomb. As we're about to bring a daughter into the world, a world full of bad, terrible things and one full of beauty, I know some people question the idea of bringing a child into the world with all of the potential for bad things. But, God quietly brought to mind today that this is why none of that really matters. His grace, the salvation through Christ's sacrifice and the empty tomb, the hope we have of eternal life - these are the reasons why none of that matters. Ultimately, God has provided everything that Darcy will need in the days to come. His sacrifice is enough.

10 days left, but who's counting??

2010-03-28T17:46:00.002-05:00

Okay, we have 10 days to go. And they seem like they will take an eternity. But, I know that April 7 will be here before we know it and that our lives will never be the same once she gets here.

But, in the meantime, I have come up with a list of questions that I'm tired of answering and the answers I really want to give but don't because I'm too polite.

1. "When are you due?"

Due? Due for what?

2. "How long do you have left?"

About 30 minutes.

3. "How are you feeling?"

Terrible. Pretty darn uncomfortable. How do you THINK I'm feeling? OR I feel like running a marathon. How do you THINK I'm feeling???

4. "Are you excited?"

No. I'm wondering why I ever thought this was a good idea.

I really think that people ask these questions because they don't know what else to say and they feel like they need to say SOMETHING. However, when you're this pregnany, even complete strangers are asking these questions.

For the record, I've been feeling pretty good. The swelling is kind of getting to me, and like ALMOST ALL pregnant women at this stage of pregnancy, I'm uncomfortable most of the time. And, we're very excited for her to get here. And, as noted above, we have 10 days left until the due date.

But, sometimes I just get sick of answering the nice way. :-)

Still Pregnant

2010-03-25T21:43:00.002-05:00

Had a doctor's appointment today. Short appointment, and the verdict is still pregnant and not a lot that gives hope of that changing in the short term. We're still two weeks out, so I guess that's okay. She can cook a little longer! Still having contractions randomly, though. Those are pretty uncomfortable.

We still have a few things to do to prepare for Darcy to arrive. I still have lots of things to wash and put away. And, I need to paint the tables in her room to look like lady bugs. Hopefully we'll have enough to keep us busy until she gets here. I'm not good at waiting!

They Keep Telling Me This Is the Home Stretch

2010-03-14T21:30:00.003-05:00

So, we're getting to the point where I'm so tired in the evenings that I don't have the energy to get on the computer and post anything to keep everyone updated. But, the short update is that I'm still pregnant!

We've been busy prepping for Darcy to arrive. We have her room pretty much ready to go. I have a few more things to clean up and put away. Still need to paint her tables to look like lady bugs. Probably a project for next weekend. We still have a few odds and ends to pick up, too. Not too many, and none exactly essential before she arrives. I've started transitioning things at work, which has been a surreal process. I guess I'm still having a difficult time wrapping my brain around the sheer amount of change that is going to occur in the next few weeks.

We are about 3 1/2 weeks away from our due date. I've started having some contractions. Nothing really regular yet, and none that are painful. But, they've started happening more frequently and for a little longer duration. I have a feeling she'll still keep us guessing as to when to expect her arrival. Hopefully we'll find out a little more at our next doctor's appointment on Wednesday.

Here are some pictures we took last Friday. Yes, I know it's a big belly!

So, it's been a while . . .

2010-02-18T17:52:00.008-06:00

Okay, so it's been a while since I've posted. We had our first baby shower (pictures below). Tera did a great job of planning, but no amount of planning can compensate for lack of power. So, we all had a great baby shower by candlelight, complete with a generator, shop lights, and lots of coats and scarves. But, it ws still great to be with friends and family. Very generous friends and family. Darcy got lots of GREAT stuff!

Some of my good friends - Amy, Andi, and Jesse

Leah (my sister), Mom, Tera, and my Grandma

Grandma Bookout, Aunt Alisa, and my mother-in-law, Janet

So many cute clothes!

Trying to guess who brought Darcy this book . . . It was my mom.

Thanks to Tera for a wonderful baby shower!

This week has proved to be interesting. Last weekend, we got to spend time with Brad's family, and we picked out a glider for Darcy's room. It took a little while to figure out which one we wanted, but I'm very pleased with the one we have. It will serve us well for all of the little ones God has planned for us.

Then, on Monday night, I came down with the flu. The full-blown, really gross flu. Apparently it dehydrated me enough that I started having contractions, which was a little scary. But, I knew it wasn't REALLY labor. But, still. I wasn't even able to keep water down. So, Brad called the doctor in the morning, and she sent us to the hospital for fluids and monitoring. I was actually still having contrations, just not as close together. Things settled down after IV fluids and being able to keep some food down, and we were able to go home.

I've spent the last couple of days trying to recouperate. Should be back to work tomorrow. I know my parents have been concerned. They've been calling and texting a lot. Brad has been great. He stayed home to take care of me on Tuesday (which was great, considering we were at the hospital for a good chunk of the day). I am SO blessed to have such a wonderful husband. He is going to be a fantastic dad. I'm so excited to watch him with our daughter.

We were 33 weeks along yesterday. So, seven weeks to go. We have a baby shower at Brad's office tomorrow, one at my office next Friday, and another with our friends and family in Kansas City. It is so nice that so many people care.

My belly is officially huge. I'll have to get a picture posted this weekend. I had a lady at Dillard's ask me if I was about to pop. She was horrified when I told her that I still had seven weeks left. Nice. We've hit the stage where people feel free to comment on your size. Since when did that become okay, for the record?

I can feel Darcy's every little movement now. She is moving A LOT! My belly is starting to have corners, I think. Different body parts poking out here and there. I'm trying to enjoy every minute, as uncomfortable as I am, because I know that this is a time that we will never have again. It is one to be treasured. As much as we will enjoy having Darcy here and enjoying every second with her, the time for us to feel her move now is limited. The time we have as just the two of us is limited. It's a gift, and I want to treasure all of the gifts God has given us.

Home Stretch, or So They Say . . .

2010-01-23T17:06:00.006-06:00

Here are the pictures of my belly I keep promising. It is definitely bigger. Much bigger.

27 weeks

27 weeks Not my most flattering picture. Thanks, Babe!

28.5 weeks

Days keep going by, melting into weeks as we wait for Darcy to decide to make her appearance. (I can definitely wait a little longer, though. She still has some cookin' to do!) It's amazing to me that so many weeks have gone by already. It's definitely gone faster than I thought it would. I'm sure that the rest of the time is going to drag on now.

Brad worked on Darcy's closet today. I am so blessed to have a handy husband! He outfitted her closet with adjustable shelves that he built himself and a drawer system so that we have plenty of storage. He did such a great job!! Now, it just needs to be painted.

We still have quite a bit to do in Darcy's room. Still have some of my books and things to relocate. But, her furniture is all set up.

13 weeks and counting

2010-01-06T17:07:00.004-06:00

So, the countdown has begun. We only have 13 weeks until Darcy is supposed to arrive. She is definitely an active little girl. My belly is starting to visibly move when she gets going! We have also discovered that she really likes hot chocolate . . . That's my girl!

We finally got our furniture ordered. On New Year's Day. Didn't really expect to order it then, but it was an offer we couldn't refuse. And it wasn't the color I thought I wanted, but again - offer I couldn't refuse. Here's what it looks like.

We got the crib and the dresser, but not the armoir. Should be in within a week to 10 days. Very excited to get her room set up. The bedding came in, too. Lady bugs!!

My belly is definitely getting bigger and bigger. I'll have to get another picture posted soon.

Hello 2010

2009-12-31T20:53:00.002-06:00

It's hard to believe that 2009 is already ending. It has been quite a year! But, 2010 is promising to bring us lots of excitement - especially in the first half!

We really enjoyed spending a quiet Christmas with our families. Probably the last quiet Christmas for a while . . . We're enjoying the same quiet this New Year's Eve.

Darcy is definitely growing. It seems that every single day, I think my belly is bigger than it was the day before. Strangers now notice that I'm pregnant. We've also entered the period of time where she is most active (which is between 24 and 28 weeks, I think). She is definitely doing flips, kicks, and all kinds of other wiggles. She likes to kick me when I'm getting hungry, and then she settles down a little after I've eaten. Pretty amusing.

We are officially on the downhill slope. Only 14 weeks to go! We ordered Darcy's baby bedding, and it arrived yesterday. I'll try to post pictures soon. We don't have the crib yet, so the nursery pictures will have to wait a little bit. But, the bedding is lady bugs. Really cute!!

Brad borrowed a bassinet and brought that home this week. It made things a little more real for me. You'd think that the expanding abdomen would do that, but apparently I'm still living in a little bit of denial. I know she'll be here soon, but it sinks in a little bit more with each piece of baby gear we bring home.

We'll get another picture posted pretty soon. We are going to take this weekend and relax. Try to stock up on our rest before April gets here! Hello 2010 . . .

Stubborn Little Girl

2009-12-21T19:24:00.010-06:00

So, we had another ultrasound today to check on Darcy's growth and for our 3D/4D ultrasound. Growth is fine. She weighs about 1 lb. 10 oz. already. However, as typical for each of our other ultrasounds, she didn't cooperate. She managed to get herself into a very difficult position - breech. Pretty much, it was like someone had dropped her into a barrel butt-first, with her feet in her face. Thankfully, Kim was able to still get some shots of her cute little face. But, we did get lots of shots of her feet.

Here are some of the pictures from today. Let us know who you think she looks like . . .

This is probably my favorite one.

Profile shot

This should give you an idea of her position for the ultrasound. Yes, those are her feet in her face. Apparently, this child is very flexible.

Gymnast Baby

2009-12-15T20:09:00.004-06:00

Okay, so it's been a little while since I've posted. The night after my last post, we had a trip to the emergency room. Kidney stones. Oh, the joys of pregnancy . . .

And, things were pretty busy for a while getting that HUGE paper done. But, now that's over, and things at work will be settling down soon, so hopefully we can focus on enjoying this last holiday as just the two of us.

I'm really feeling the baby move now. Brad is too, which is fun for both of us. Sometimes I think she's doing flips! Might have a future as a gymnast . . .

I can't believe that we're only 16 weeks away from our due date. It's really going by fast. Here's a fairly current picture, taken a couple of days ago. The belly is definitely growing!

23.5 weeks

20 Weeks

2009-11-18T19:28:00.008-06:00

Things have been pretty busy the last couple of weeks. We've been working a lot, and then I've been working on my HUGE paper.

But, we're half way there at 20 weeks! We had a good report from the doctor today. They did another ultrasound today, and Darcy looked great. Brain, heart, kidneys, all that stuff looked good. She was sticking out her tongue and swallowing. So cool to watch!

Anyway, here are some updated pics - belly pictures from earlier this week and pictures from today's ultrasound. Enjoy!

19.5 weeks

Getting rounder!

Mouth open. She wasn't going to cooperate very much to let us get a shot of that perfect little profile.

Precious little feet

Still a little skeletal

I think she may be sticking out her tongue a bit. She was doing that a couple of times during the ultrasound.

Scary face

It's a Girl!

2009-11-09T21:14:00.006-06:00

We had our first ultrasound last week. It's truly amazing to see this little life. It is one way where God is still creating!

We found out that we're having a little girl. Very exciting!

Still praying for a healthy baby!

And for the record, I'm pretty amazed at how well our ultrasound tech was able to pick out what these blurry images actually were! Some of them I can definitely see, but others . . . well, it's hard to make out a baby from what I see.

I'm definitely feeling more movement today. She's an active little thing!

The Urgency of Eating

2009-10-31T18:10:00.003-05:00

No, I'm not talking about Dug the Pug, or even Ebert for that matter. It's amazing to me how quickly serious hunger comes on. And, I'm talking serious hunger. I can go from "Yeah, I probably need to eat here soon" to "Oh my goodness! If I don't eat NOW, I will eat my arm!" in about 60 seconds. Some serious business!

And, that's when it gets tricky. I'm starving, but I need to make sure I stop eating when I'm full so I don't overeat. And when you're that hungry, it takes a minute to figure out that you're full, and it's quite possible that you've already overeaten in that minute. Overeating means some pretty uncomfortable indigestion, and nothing I've craved has ever tasted great enough to justify the misery that comes from overindulgence! Still trying to figure that out.

And, cravings have been pretty interesting too. Nothing too crazy. In the beginning, I craved some Mexican food with extra cheese and sauce. I've also craved Chick-Fil-A, Pizza Hut with extra sauce, popcorn, and potatoes. And pickles and ice cream, whether separately or together, have been on the list of things I don't want!

Here's a picture from earlier this week at 17 weeks.

We have our ultrasound on Monday. I'll try to post again with the big news - boy or girl!

Naps are Great!

2009-10-24T19:36:00.003-05:00

I love my weekend naps! I try to get at least one, if not two naps in per weekend. I'd love to do that every day, but it's generally frowned upon in the workplace!

Here's a picture we took almost a week ago - when I was about 15 1/2, almost 16 weeks. Brad took it right before we went to bed, so please forgive my bleary-eyed appearance!

My parents were supposed to come up this weekend, but since there's so much flu going around, they decided to wait a couple of weeks. I appreciate their concern, but it will be great to see them!

We have our ultrasound a week from Monday. I know it's going to be a long week! According to the books I have, I should be able to start feeling Baby Peanut move anytime. At times, I think I feel something that could be Peanut, but I always doubt myself. I'm sure I'll figure it out in the next few weeks.

Into Week 15

2009-10-17T19:58:00.002-05:00

So, this week, we had a doctor's appointment. Everything was good, exactly where we needed to be for 15 weeks. So, we now have an ultrasound scheduled for November 2, where we should be able to find out what we're having. Very excited.

I've been trying to rest today. Seems to be my goal every weekend. I'm in search of a maternity coat. It gets pretty cold in the winter here in Kansas City, and since I'm going to be very pregnant throughout this winter, I thought it was a pretty important thing to look for. So far, I haven't found one I think will work yet. Saw maternity coats at Target, but they were trench coats. Don't think that will cut it.

I'm a little concerned about the H1N1 flu stuff. I can't get any vaccines for the flu because of my egg allergy, and I know pregnant women are at a higher risk. Doing the best I can to avoid people who are sick and practicing good prevention (hand-washing and hand-sanitizing all I can). Still, it's concerning.

I'm craving something sweet (which is rare these days), and I'm thinking baked apples. That's somewhat healthy, right?

The Big News

2009-10-11T07:50:00.002-05:00

So, I haven't been able to share on my blog all that's been going on in the last few months because we hadn't made it public yet. But, the word is out now.

We're having a baby!!!

So excited. I've already started transitioning to maternity clothes. Still in that awkward, in-between stage where nothing fits. We have our third doctor's appointment tomorrow. Last time, we heard the heartbeat. It was awesome!! Can't wait to hear it again. I'm about 14 1/2 weeks along. Still hard to comprehend all of the change that's coming.

Memorial Day

2009-05-23T10:06:00.003-05:00

I don't think I can express how excited I am to be home this weekend. I mean, I love my family, but it's really nice to be home and recharge the batteries, especially for the long weekend! We're going to tackle a few small projects around the house, but mostly just relax.

Oh - side note - I think I may have fixed my Blackberry! I have a Storm (my work phone), and I was having a terrible time with the clickable screen. It was harder to push than I thought it should be. Jess, who works with me, got one, too, and her screen was much, MUCH easier to click. So, I googled my problem, and two business cards cut to the size of the battery later, I am clicking away! I love Google. Don't know how we got along without it.

Leah's showers went very well. The second one was a TON of fun! I've posted a couple of pictures. The wedding is ONE week away! Very excited for her. It's still hard to believe that my sister is going to be married.

They have a house, have booked their flights, and are set to pick up their marriage license on Tuesday. Almost all of the details are decided and handled now.

Okay. Dirty dishes are waiting for me. And, a really gorgeous day, too. Need to get moving so I can get outside and enjoy it!

Being a Bridesmaid

2009-05-14T09:29:00.003-05:00

I guess I'm technically the Matron of Honor. Wedding stuff is pretty busy, even if you're not the bride. We are gearing up for Shower #2 this weekend. Thankfully, the bachelorette party is now the night before the wedding.

Anyway, I'll try to get Leah's pictures from the last shower to post. It was very nice, quiet, and small. Which I think is exactly what she wanted. They got some really nice stuff, too.

Here are pictures of my dress for the wedding. Which reminds me - I still need to pick up my shoes!

It's going to be a long May

2009-04-28T21:15:00.004-05:00

It is 31 days until Leah's wedding. In that amount of time, we will make four, yes FOUR trips to Joplin. Showers, bachelorette party, wedding. It's going to be a busy month.

But, she only gets married once, so I guess it's worth it.

I made homemade bagels last night. That kept us up later than we wanted, but they taste great!

Today is my dad's 55th birthday. He is officially a senior citizen. I didn't remind him of that fact, but I'm sure he and Mom are looking forward to the discount. K.C. is settling into his new home nicely. He's even playing with his toys.

I'll try to take some pictures of him (along with all of the wedding fun) when we're down to Joplin . . . again . . . and again . . . and again.

Sick on the Road

2009-04-10T13:28:00.002-05:00

Being sick when you're away from home has got to be one of the worst ways you can be sick. I was traveling to Hot Springs, Arkansas, for work on Tuesday and woke up that morning with a slight sore throat. Slight enough that I attributed it to the dry air from all the recent weather changes.

Not so much. In fact, by 5:00 PM that night, I was pretty sure I had a fever. When I took my temperature at 6:00, it was already over 101, and I was pretty sure I was coming down with strep. That was Tuesday, and I was supposed to be in Hot Springs through Friday.

Needless to say, I flew home on Wednesday, and have been trying to recover ever since. Still a little tired, but I feel TONS better.

On a positive note, I've lost the four pounds I've been stressing about lately. Hopefully I won't find them again now that I'm feeling better!

Snow?

2009-03-28T09:17:00.002-05:00

Okay, all week they've been predicting this massive snowfall over the weekend. The estimated snowfall kept growing - 4 inches, 8 inches, 12 inches. Snow was supposed to start falling at abou 4 AM this morning. The word "blizzard" had been thrown around.

I wake up . . . NO SNOW!

Now, apparently it's raining and should be changing to a rain/snow mix anytime. And the accumulation predictions are under 6 inches.

I am very ready for spring.

Combatting the Mud

2009-03-26T20:25:00.002-05:00

So, we embarked on this landscaping endeavor to try to fix the drainage problem in the yard. No water in or near the house, really, just standing water in the back and perpetually squishiness on the sides of the yard. Not ideal when you have two dogs.

So, Brad and his dad and brothers dug French drains and dry wells. And so far, so good. However, we still have a mud issue since the yard is still torn up.

I'm looking for research articles for my homework for this week. I have to find one supporting teen sexual activity and one against it. The surprising thing is that I'm having a fairly difficult time finding a research article that says teen sex is harmful beyond STDs and HIV. Kind of depressing. I am able to find research that says teens who practice abstinence may even be at a disadvantage socially for not engaging in premarital sex.

Finally got a date for my sister's bridal shower. Yeah! I can't believe there are only 65 days until her wedding. My baby sister is all grown up!

We're supposed to get four to eight inches of snow this weekend. What happened to spring??

Procrastination

2009-03-09T19:20:00.002-05:00

If there was one household chore I could forego forever, I would pick cleaning the shower. I hate cleaning the shower. My shower is totally gross right now. I really need to clean it. But, instead I'm blogging, watching TV, and playing ball with Ebert.

long-distance friendships

2009-03-01T12:50:00.005-06:00

I had a great weekend with my friend Tera. She came up to spend the weekend as a beginning of our attempt to prioritize and schedule time together. We get so busy with jobs, husbands, and she is a mom now, that it's hard to find or make time to just hang out and be. It doesn't help that I live in Kansas City and she lives in Webb City.

It's really hard living away from your friends and family. It feels like you miss out on the details of life. She didn't know about our recent embarassing moment of finding strange underwear in a blanket. I didn't know that Noah rubs his belly when he's hungry.

We live about three hours away from all of our grandparents, too. This didn't bother me as much until recently. I've always lived at least an hour away from grandparents, so that's normal. Nana didn't receive the greatest news from her doctors yesterday, and so that makes me reget all the time I let pass between visits. It's more time than I'd like to admit.

We had a huge snowfall yesterday. I say huge, but we haven't had very much snow this winter. It's really pretty.

Doggie Door

2009-02-08T16:26:00.002-06:00

Why can't our dogs go out the doggie door downstairs when we're upstairs? They simply refuse and want us to let them out upstairs. I just don't get it.

Ebert and Dug are definitely enjoying their newfound freedom. It was really nice on Friday, and they were exhausted Friday night. Saturday was another pretty day, and they spent quite a bit of time outside. I'm hoping it continues as the days continue to get nicer. That's my hope for Dug to lose his few lbs. That, and when it's light out longer we can take walks.

Ebert is still infatuated with his ball. He must think it's fun to push it under the furniture. He does it all the time.

Things are good for Brad and me. We've had a relaxing weekend, just the two of us.

a little something fun

2009-02-05T21:50:00.002-06:00

I stole this from my sister's Facebook page. It looked fun, and I thought I'd share. You should give it a try. It's not as easy as you think, at least it wasn't for me anyway.

Rules:Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following questions. They have to be real, nothing made up! You cannot use any word twice and you can't use your name for the boy/girl name question. Have Fun!!

1. What is your name: Sara

2. A four Letter Word: Soft

3. A boy's Name: Scott

4. A girl's Name: Samantha

5. An occupation: Salesman (actually the politically correct answer would be salesperson)

6. A color: Sage green

7. Something you wear: Socks

8. A food: Soup

9. Something found in the bathroom: Soap

10. A place: Spain

11. A reason for being late: Stuck in traffic

12. Something you shout: Stop!

13. A movie title: Sense & Sensibility

14. Something you drink: Soda

15. A musical group: Supertones

16. An animal: Sheep

17. A street name: Seventh Street

18. A type of car: Saturn

19. A song title: Stand by Me

20. A verb: Strive

Jack the Foster Puppy

2009-01-25T07:15:00.002-06:00

Here are some more pictures of Jack the foster puppy. Isn't he adorable?

life's surprise blessings

2009-01-25T06:56:00.003-06:00

Dug woke me up early today, so I have a moment to share about our week, which as been kind of crazy. Monday morning, I received an e-mail from Brad that a lady in his office, Talena, had rescued a puppy and they were all trying to find him a home.

I quickly passed along the e-mail to many of my dog-loving friends, and then I tried to find out more information about this little guy. Talena had watched Animal Control in Bonner Springs take him into a vet (who is lovingly known as Dr. Death, so apparently this is a common occurrance) who she knew had a three-day holding period for owners to claim their pets before he puts them down. I guess they don't have any kind of shelter in Bonner Springs? Anyway, Talena gave the vet her phone number and asked him to call her if the puppy wasn't claimed.

So, he called her on Monday morning at 8:45 AM and said "The puppy has until 11:00 AM." She couldn't convince him to hold him until after the workday, so she picked him up and took him to Wells Fargo's office. Everyone fell in love with him, and Brad and I offered to foster him if he didn't have a home by the end of the day. So, Monday night after work, we picked him up.

He is a very cute and very sweet dog. The office named him Jack after the Wells Fargo stagecoach dog. Talena had picked up some food, a new collar and leash, some treats and some toys. I grabbed a kennel/crate and food dish on my way home. He is a very curious puppy, very playful with a sweet personality. But, his paws are bigger than you expect. After looking on the internet with our friends Adam and Rachel, we decided that we think he's part Border collie. Not full bred, because he didn't seem to be fuzzy enough for that, but his markings were definitely pointing in the Border collie direction.

He really liked Dug. They wrestled and wrestled, and Jack tried to chew on Dug's curly tail. Ebert wanted to play ball (surprise!), and he growled at Jack when Jack tried to play, too. Jack made some good progress with potty training and was even starting to go to the door to go outside.

He slept through the night on Monday night, and on Tuesday evening we found him a forever home. A couple came to meet him, and I'm convinced that anyone who meets him falls in love. The husband had lost his boxer, and they were looking for a new dog for him. I'm really glad he found a family (with four kids, two cats, and another dog) to love him and spoil him rotten. Brad and I discussed keeping him, but to have three dogs, we would need an SUV! That wasn't in the budget plan . . . but other than that . . .

Dug and Ebert are glad to have things back to normal. I am, too, but I still think about that cute little guy. I'm glad we were willing and able to help one of God's helpless creatures.

Okay, so somehow the pictures went to the top! Sorry . . .

It's the little things in life.

2009-01-17T07:48:00.002-06:00

Look at me! Two days in a row. While I'm waiting for the coffee to steep (French Press style), I thought I'd jot down a little update. Brad's parents were supposed to come up this weekend, but Janet is sick and plans were squashed.

So, it's just Brad and me for the weekend. But, we really don't mind that. We really enjoy having weekends to just hang out. He's my favorite person to hang out with! So, some errands to run today. Maybe look more at furniture. Old Blue, the best sleeping couch in the world, is about out of life in the basement. Getting pretty ratty and tattered (but the frame is still SOLID).

I need to take a quiz today, too. That reminds me - I should probably make a list . . .

Update

2009-01-16T06:12:00.002-06:00

So, getting on the computer after I've spent almost all day in front of one is proving difficult. I'm even having a hard time getting motivated to get online for school. I really need to take a quiz today. Yuck.

Things are moving along in 2009. Still working on getting into that exercise routine, but the other stuff is going okay.

Brad gave Ebert some racketball balls that he had in the garage. Dug likes them, too. It's funny to watch Ebert try to chase them because the bounce. High. Definitely makes playing ball more fun. They also slip out of his mouth and start bouncing all over when he tries to bite down on them. The only downside is that they're small enough to roll under ever piece of furniture in the house.

It's been really really cold here the last couple of days. Bundle up! I don't mind the cold, but the wind has been gusting 25-35 miles per hour at least. Don't enjoy that!

so 2009 is here before we knew it . . .

2009-01-06T19:42:00.002-06:00

Okay, so the blogging on a regular basis didn't go so well in 2008. Doing better with that is one of my goals for 2009. So is losing five pounds. Don't know where some of those came from, but two of them appeared in the last two weeks of 2008. (Very unwelcomely, I might add.)

So, here are the goals I'm setting for the coming year:

1. Blog on a more regular basis (at least a couple of times a week).
2. Lose 5 pounds.
3. Get into an exercise routine. This will help with #2 and also help get me back into better shape. And, I always feel better when I do.
4. Dress more professionally for work. I don't do horribly with this now, but I need to bust out the iron more and get more wear out of those button-down shirts.
5. Find a new ministry to serve in at church. You can only be a sponge for so long before you can't soak up any more. And, both Brad and I have felt a bit of a restlessness about our involvement with the church.

Five goals. I should probably stop there, although if I thought about it, I could come up with all kinds of things that I need to work on. But, five is reasonable to accomplish.

School is back in session in a week, so all of these things that I'm able to do now (blog, exercise, iron) will be a little harder. We'll see how it goes. But, I keep telling myself that school is not an excuse, and these things will only get harder when we eventually have kids. Now is the time to forge these habits!

Happy 2009!

Happy November

2008-11-02T13:54:00.002-06:00

Well, October flew by. It is hard to believe it is November already. It'll be 2009 before we know it. School is getting more demanding, and we've started leading a small group with church. Brad finished the shelves in the closets in the basements, so we had an organization-fest weekend. It felt so good to purge a ton, yes a TON of stuff.

I'm really asking God what it is I'm supposed to be doing with my life. I feel like something is missing, that there's something more that what I'm doing now. And, having that realization, it's hard for me to be patient for Him to reveal exactly what it is that I need to do or what change I need to make.

But, I'm very blessed. I have a FABULOUS husband, two cute puppies, a comfortable home, and a good job. I have family and friends who love and support me. I have a lot to be thankful for.

Brad got me a piano for my birthday. I have some pictures I'll try to post.

Dug the Pudgy Pug

2008-09-07T12:06:00.002-05:00

So Dug is officially fat. We took Ebert and Dug to the vet yesterday, and Dug has been put on a doggy diet, complete with certain target number of calories and everything. I've already picked up his diet dog food, and we're transitioning him over to the low cal stuff. He doesn't seem to mind. It's all food to him. They told us he needs to shet 4+ pounds. That's a lot for a dog. And here we thought he was actually getting smaller. Not so much.

life goes on . . .

2008-09-04T19:33:00.002-05:00

I had a sad moment today. I was listening to our wedding CD, with all of the music from our wedding and other songs we really like, and I was really enjoying listening to Pachelbel's Canon in D. I've really been missing my piano lately, and that was one of my favorite songs to play. Anyway, all of a sudden, I remembered that Aaron, Jen Ruth, and I and someone else I can't remember at the moment had played that song as a flute quartet. I really miss Aaron. It is still hard for me to believe that she's gone.

But life goes on. That's kind of been the theme of the month. Susan, my boss, has left MVP, so things are kind of crazy for me there. There's a lot going on, and hopefully I can post more about it later. All I can say is pray for me.

Brad has been battling some pretty bad allergies lately. He's even been home from work. That lets you know how serious it is. He never stays home sick.

Mom, Dad, Leah, and Micah came up for Labor Day. We had a great time, and Leah found her wedding dress. I really want to post pictures, but I don't want to run the risk of Micah seeing them. I'll see about posting the pictures of the dresses that didn't make the cut. She will be a beautiful bride. She looked stunning in all of the dresses she tried on.

More to come later.

Back to School

2008-08-17T18:55:00.002-05:00

We just got back from spending a great weekend with Brad's parents. I actually played a little golf--only five holes. I'm still learning. I get nervous when people are behind us. Other than golf, we spent some time by the pool and watching Michael Phelps make Olympic history.

We got new phones while we were in Conway, too. These actually have cameras that you can hook up to the computer, and I can e-mail pictures now, too, so hopefully I'll get some photos posted soon.

Brad heads back to school tomorrow. He is just thrilled, let me tell ya! He has to take two accounting classes for work. I head back in a week. It will be interesting to see how the night classes go.

I'm going to try to convince Brad to take the puppies for a walk. We all could benefit!

Working Hard

2008-08-09T07:07:00.002-05:00

So, now that the basement's done, and I'm between classes, I don't have a good excuse for not working out. So today, I'm going to try to start back into the routine of both eating healthy and exercising. We'll see how it goes.

I'm really glad for the weekend. This week went by in a blur. I worked over 42.5 hours, which may not seem like a lot, but it's a lot for me. My work week is supposed to be 37.5 hours.

We're really starting to pray hard for God's direction and guidance again. He always comes through when you ask, usually better than what you had in mind.

Okay-I've delayed the inevitable exercise long enough. When I'm done, maybe Brad will take me for a Starbucks date. And no, I'm not above bribing myself to get on the treadmill.

My Grown-Up Life

2008-08-01T23:05:00.002-05:00

Leah and Micah came up tonight to spend the weekend with us. It's neat to enjoy a grown-up relationship with my sister. We had dinner - make-your-own burrito bowls and apple enchiladas. I need to post that recipe. Delicious, and totally easy.

I'm looking forward to enjoying this weekend. Brad and I just had our fourth anniversary on Thursday, although we celebrated by going to his softball doubleheader. But, that's life. We bought a pool table for the basement. I really need to get some pictures posted here.

Okay--it's late, and I'm rambling off on random tangents. I'll try to post again tomorrow when I'm more coherent.

Dog Days of Summer

2008-07-26T17:16:00.002-05:00

Ebert and Dug love to go outside and just hang out in the yard. They'd been out there a while this morning when I stepped outside to check on them. (Sometimes when we're in the basement, they forget and try to get in through the deck.) I found them in a small corner of the yard laying in mud. Yes, laying in MUD. They were covered in mud. I know it's cooler, but if they were hot, all they had to do was come inside. Brad grabbed Dug, and I coaxed Ebert close enough to get him inside and carried them to the tub. Baths for all.

I'm really enjoying a Saturday at home with Brad. Just the two of us. I'm ignoring the fact that there are dishes and laundry to be done and bathrooms to clean. I want to enjoy us.

Craziness

2008-07-15T18:16:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I have done a really poor job about posting here over the last . . . well, I guess it's been a month now. I was a little hesitant to say anything about Brad being gone on a business trip. I don't know how traceable this kind of thing can be, and I'm sure you could say that I'm a bit paranoid.

Then, school really kicked into full gear. The only reason I have a few minutes to post something now is that I'm waiting for PowerPoint slides to print. But, I should be finished with this class on Thursday, and things should get back to normal then.

There hasn't been a whole lot of exciting stuff going on, though. Brad's parents, his brother and sister-in-law, and grandparents came up for the 4th of July. It was good to see everyone and watch fireworks from our back deck. Aside from that, it's just been work and homework, work and homework.

We babysat our neighbors' kids again. They're great, but boy do they wear us out! I chased Brant all over the basement, and we made cookies with Breanna. Brad was a champ--he put Brant to bed. It took about three hours, but he finally fell asleep. He's going to make a great dad someday. (Note: I said "someday" for those who continually ask the question "When are you guys going to have kids??)

The printer just kicked off, so it's back to the grind. At least the end is in sight.

Dandelions

2008-06-30T20:34:00.002-05:00

I got a call from our neighbors as I was getting ready to leave work last Friday, and they needed a babysitter for a couple of hours. Brad wasn't going to be home that evening, but I decided I could handle the two of them (provided I didn't plan to get anything else done) and agreed to watch their four-year-old girl, Breanna, and twenty-two-month old boy, Brant.

While we were playing outside, Brant found a puffy dandelion. Breanna thought that was awesome and started looking around the yard for another one. Then . . . she discovered that if you blow on the puffy dandelion, it blows away. Great, I thought. Brad's going to be thrilled. Brant and Breanna combed the yard for every puffy dandelion they could find. I think they found a total of four of them. Brant, however, couldn't tell the difference between the dandelions and any other kind of flowering weed in the yard and blew on all of them. A moment to make you smile.

It's the simple pleasures in life.

Happy Birthday, Aaron!

2008-06-18T22:07:00.002-05:00

Many of you already know that I recently lost a very good friend, Aaron Reed, in a tragic car accident over this past Memorial Day. She was my age, very happily married with three very young boys. Today would have been her 26th birthday. Even as I write this, I can hardly believe it. Things like this don't happen in real life. They happen in books, in movies, in made-for-TV miniseries, but not to real people. Not to the really nice, really good people.

Aaron was one of those people who inspired you to be a better person. To be a better wife. To be a better mother. To be a better friend. To be a better Christian. She was one of the kindest, most truly good-hearted people I've ever been privileged to know. She was very thankful and grateful for her life, her husband, her kids, even in the face of adversity and challenges. And she wasn't afraid to let you know it. Her blog Fabulously Frantic provided some of the inspiration for me to start my blog. She is a reminder to be thankful for every single moment. They are precious, numbered, and fleeting.

Remember her husband, Cameron, and their three sons, Ben, Sam, and Levi, in your prayers. They need God's grace and comfort for the long road ahead.

Blessed

2008-06-15T19:52:00.005-05:00

Sometimes I wonder why it is that I am so blessed. I really have a great husband. He works so hard to provide for us, and then he also takes care of things around the house. He's always willing to pitch in to clean the house, and he takes the initiative to load or unload the dishwasher. And really, he does most of the laundry. I know I really did well when I married Brad. He helps out around the house, takes care of the yard and the vehicles. He's incredibly handy. He finished most of our basement by himself, learning how to do all kinds of new things.

And even better than all the things he does, is who he is. He is incredibly loving and kind, patient with me and my shortcomings. He loves God first, before anything or anyone else. Then, his next priority is family. We can talk about anything, and he is always so knowledgeable. And we can be quiet together, just enjoying each other's company. He is my best friend, and I never get tired fo spending time with him. I have great respect for him. He is truly my spiritual, emotional, and intellectual match. He deeply loves me beyond reason. And I love him the same way.

I am blessed to be Brad's wife.

Sorry for all of the mushy stuff. I have a great husband, and I don't tell him enough how great he is.

Peanut Butter Pie

2008-06-13T15:59:00.002-05:00

This has been a really busy week. After a business trip on Monday and Tuesday, we had dinner with friends from our small group on Tuesday night. I made peanut butter pie with a sour cream chocolate ganache. INCREDIBLE!!

Here's the recipe . . .

Peanut Butter Pie with Sour Cream Ganache

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 - 3/4 c. powdered sugar
1 small tub whipped topping
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1 graham cracker crust

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl, blend cream cheese with a mixer. Add sugar, peanut butter, and whipped topping. Blend until very smooth. Fold into crust.

Place chocolate chips in a double boiler and stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and transfer chocolate into a medium bowl. Add sour cream and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread onto pie.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

I don't think I'll make Peanut Butter Pie again without the ganache. It was like eating a very large peanut butter cup. Chocolate and peanut butter together have to be one of God's greatest creations!

Get It Started

2008-06-10T17:38:00.003-05:00

I've been trying to get this blog started for about a week now. It seems that something is always coming up that feels like it should take priority over this. ANYWAY, I've decided to start this blog as motivation to do better about journaling and to help people keep up with us. I'm not very good at journaling on paper, so the goal is to do better with it online.

Married with two dogs (Ebert and Dug), I have a great husband of almost four years. I'm still trying to find that perfect balance between work and the rest of life, while trying to squeeze school into the picture. I've started on a masters degree, and the first day of summer classes was yesterday.

I hope this blog allows us to stay connected!