Staff Christmas Party

I wish I had pictures - but will try to tell the story and post pictures as soon as I find them.

This past weekend we had our annual Staff Christmas Party.  For the sake of this story - I would like to remind you that I work at a church...an amazing church...but a church.  Part of the goal of the party is to bless our staff and take an opportunity to have some fun and relax.

Due to an unusual circumstances, we had some money invested in a large-scale game company that we were going to lose if we didn't use by the end of the year.  We use these large games and rides at Children's Ministry events a few times a year, but certainly we had no use for them (and were going to be out a bit of money) in November or December....

Until the Staff Christmas Party.


This year, we decided to have a lovely, beautifully decorated dinner in the Lobby of our church for the 65 staff people and their guests who were able to attend.  Midway through the evening, after the warm sentiments of our bosses, celebrating what we've seen God do this year, an announcement was made.

As a group, we walked into the Sanctuary.  The chairs had been cleared to house an adult moon bounce, an adult jousting inflatable station, and room for bachi balls and other games.  Yup.  We had a moon bounce in the Sanctuary.

So together, as a staff, we bounced and beat one another with giant foam Q-tips.  We were exhausted by the end (and I certainly felt both my age and the effects childbearing has on your body long-term).  But sincerely, it was the most creative grown-up party of all time.

I was the first one in the moon bounce - only to be followed in by our 60-something founding pastor.  The whole thing was amazing, and certainly something to write home about.  Rob took it easy on me when we jousted, but seriously, we had a blast.


So, next time you're throwing a party for a bunch of grown-up church workers....consider making a creative change!

Thanksgiving

Driving home from Thanksgiving dinner, I got really annoyed at a sign I read outside a church.

"Thanksgiving was never meant to be for one day."


Sometimes (let's face it, lots of times), little things like this really bother me.  I thought about the statement for a long time - mainly to try to figure out why it bothered me so much.  After some contemplation, I came to the conclusion, that while the words on that letterboard sign are correct, the idea is incomplete.  It seems unhelpful to me to nullify the value of a holiday on the holiday itself!!!  And while I strongly believe God's command to be thankful ALWAYS, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus, God also commands us to establish "ebenezers" in our lives...memorials to remind us of what God has done for us.  Knowing we are a forgetful people, God has called us to establish memorials as safeguards against our forgetfulness.  I believe, Thanksgiving is one such memorial.

Yes, in the beginning of America, we did essentially walk into someone else's house, eat their food, move in, and push them out.  But that aside, Thanksgiving can be a special time to come together with friends and family - and to set aside some focused time to give thanks to God for His unmerited grace and gifts to us.  I am so guilty of this human forgetfulness, that I am truly in need of this time of celebration and remembrance.

We did, in our family, have a great celebration of Thanksgiving...and we are thankful.

4 Months

So my baby is 4 months old.

She's a little tank, but is doing great - weighing in at 16 lbs. 12 oz., 26 inches long, and a huge noggin. Yes, she's at 97% for length and weight, (94% head size - which makes me happy that her head growth is slowing down).  Keira is on par developmentally - alert and active with ever growing neck strength.  While we are trying hard to savor each stage of her, we do look forward to seeing her neck one day.


With or without a neck, she's the most adorable thing you've ever seen in your life.  We have had a few strangers mistake her as a boy recently - but I still think she's ridiculously cute.  Seriously, I keep buying bows and headbands for her, but her head is so darn big they're all too small.  You may be thinking, "Might you try the toddler sizes, Kemp?" I would respond, "I have, and, yes, they are also too small."  I think I know what Charlie Brown's mother felt like.  I'm assuming he didn't wear bows, but he does have that black hat.  Same idea.



Here are some Autumn pictures from our forced family photo shoot the other day...just to prove how darn cute our kid is.

In this one, I imagine she's thinking, "Who are these crazy people?  Seriously.  These people are nuts."

So, yeah.  She's pretty awesome.

Finally...An Update.

Well, I've been remiss about giving loads of updates these past months... for several reasons.

1. I feel a lot of pressure to only blog about interesting thoughts or stuff that goes on in our lives.  To be frank, these such thoughts and/or events have been sparse.  Outside of the highlights in our life like our child ALMOST finding her feet, developing in dexterity and small motor skills, there isn't a lot going on.

2. I'd like to be moderate about talking about our kid - for your sake.  Heaven knows it can get old hearing about someone else's kid all the time.

3. Our kid is the best ever, and I don't want to make you feel bad (and yes, I'm well aware that just by typing these words, I'm jinxing myself and we're bound to have sleepless nights, spit-up on the shoulders of every shirt I own, and an inconsolable, fussy child...).  Seriously, she's so awesome - these things are rare in real life.

4. Being a mom is so wonderful (and exhausting) that my efforts are constantly divided (i.e. "Do I play with Keira, make dinner, clean our house, do laundry, or chronicle my thoughts and dreams at the computer for a little while?").  Life seems to take over very often.


But... here's a quick update.  We're doing well.  Keira is awesome, happy, delightful, sleeps well, and is a joy to my spirit.  The cutest kid you'll ever see, somehow, she gets more beautiful every day.  She's HUGE.  I keep telling her that she needs to learn how to walk this week because she's breaking my arms.  While I know the tradeoff is that I'll be chasing after her, my arms could use a break and my thighs could use the workout.  My guess is that she's almost 17 pounds.  She's just in the past few weeks only started to slow down her growth from the last month in utero - gaining almost a half a pound a week.

It's funny how our perspectives change.  We are excited by the strangest things now.  Frequently, the phrase, "Tell Daddy what happened today," to refer literally to things like, "Keira slept for an hour today," or "Keira almost put her pacifier in her own mouth today."  Yeah.  We're boring now.  Maybe we always were, but now.  No doubt.  But, we have a kid to entertain us and a lovely family!

Sharing in History Being Made

Well.  It's been an exciting and tense few days in our household.

My husband is a HUGE Red Sox fan.  The Red Sox happened to be playing in Baltimore ON Rob's birthday and the day after - so weeks ago, I bought tickets to the only game we could get to (when Rob wasn't working and we didn't have plans) on September 28th - the day after Rob's birthday.

Those of you who follow baseball (myself clearly NOT included) know that it's been a rough month for Boston.  September 1st, they were 9.5 games ahead of any other team in line for the Wild Card spot in the playoffs.  By this weekend, they were tied for the spot with Tampa Bay...

For Rob's birthday, the Red Sox beat the Orioles - maintaining the tie with the Rays for the Wild Card spot.  So the game we were going to was THE game!  The Red Sox had to win to either maintain the tie OR beat the Rays...depending on the Rays v. Yankees game going on at the same time.


Despite the 3 hour trip to Baltimore - we got there on time and took our seats - with LOADS of Red Sox fans, front row in the outfield just behind 3rd base.  Front row!

We were ahead all game, stopped for a rain delay for over an hour - and picked back up at 11:00pm.  Meanwhile, the Yanks were crushing the Rays.  But, yes, it all turned around for the Rays (who caught up with 6 runs in one inning and tied it up, putting the game into major extra innings).

But heres the deal.  Yes, the Red Sox lost in the last seconds of the game after having been ahead the whole game.  And yes, the Rays made a RIDICULOUS turn-around and actually won (after having been 7-0 for the first 7 innings against NYY).  But, my husband and I were able to go out together, sit in the front row, and enjoy a beautiful evening together.  We watched history being made (yes, the biggest downfall in the history of baseball), but we were there.

I told Rob as we drove (the LONG drive) home - in a year or two, I won't remember the winner or the loser - or the details of the game, but I will remember having gone out with him.  Having sat among comrades routing for Boston, cheering together and watching the rain - with Rob.  Because I love him.



In the words from Fever Pitch, "You love the Red Sox, but have they ever loved you back?"

I love you back, Robbie.  Next year, will be the start of a fresh season... and we'll go to Boston and it'll be awesome.  Until then, we'll know that we watched history happen and we'll remember that next year can't be worst!

Pinterest

Why the *beep* has no one told me about Pinterest until now?

I may never accomplish anything again in my whole life because I'll be too busy looking at all the cool things I COULD be doing/making/creating/accomplishing.

Hair.

I was so excited when our baby had hair!  And SOO proud that she didn't lose it during her first couple of months.

But now, we have sort of a reverse monk thing going on:

This Weekend

1. Scrape the caulk from the shower.
Check.

2. Clean the shower.
Check.

3. Run to Lowes to buy the 2nd variety of caulk.
Check.

4. Caulk the shower.
Check.

5. Put together the shed.
Check.

6. Fill the shed with junk.
Check.

7. Find loads of junk to donate to the upcoming yard sale.
Check.

8. Bathe our child.
Check.

9. Sit around eating brownies AND ice cream.
Check.

10. Fall asleep with the lights on (again).
Check.


We've had a big weekend so far.  Also, caulking the shower is way more fun/satisfying than you would think.  I highly recommend it if you have some time.

Earthquake. Hurricane. Rhyming.

Well, it's been a tumultuous week.  With the earthquake and Hurricane Irene, I feel like I should have some profound thoughts about the happenings in the world...and yet, I don't have much to say.

Truly, something much more shallow has been on my mind.
What's been annoying me lately is when people (particularly musicians) try to "rhyme" words with themselves.  These aren't, in fact, rhymes.  By their very definition - rhymes are two DIFFERENT words that sound alike.  Words "rhymed" with themselves aren't rhymes - they're repetitions.

Here's an example:

George Straight's new song "Here for a Good Time"
Regardless of the outrageously country/hickish content of the song, it's a good example of my annoyance AND has been catalytic in rejuvenating this pet peeve of mine.

I ain't here for a long TIME
I'm here for a good TIME
So bring on the sunshine
To beep with the red wine
Pour me some moonshine

Time and Time don't rhyme!!!!! (Haha.  But Time and Rhyme do)
There are some great songs and poems in which the last word is repeated purposefully, not as a rhyme, but for emphasis and effect.  Perfectly acceptable.  Consistent, intentional, and thought out.  However, in this stupid song, he isn't trying to repeat himself (as indicated by the three lines actually rhyme that AREN'T repetitious) - he's just dumb at words that SOUND alike, but aren't actually the same word.


Sorry for the rant.  Does anyone else share this pet peeve, or am I a crazy?  I can take it if I am.  But the rhyming thing will still bug me.

2 Months

Well - time flies!

Keira is 2 months already and growing like a weed.  We went to the doctors for her 2 month checkup and got rave reviews.

She's 12 pounds 12 ounces, 24 inches long, with a 16 inch head.  If you're thinking that's large, you're right.  She's at 92% for weight, 96% length, and 90% head size (which I was thankful for...though that seems huge, the rest of her is catching up to her head).  She's eating and sleeping well.  She does, however, have random bouts of mega spit-up and is drooling like a feind.

Just for some perspective, my mom told me that all five of us kids were right at 17 pounds for our first birthdays...and we were big at birth.  So, yeah.  Keira is almost 13 pounds at 2 months... our little amazon.

AND for the BEST news of all...Keira has been social smiling for 2 weeks now!!!!  No lie, it is the best thing in the world, not just to have her smile, but to smile at YOU.  BEST THING EVER.
We had no idea the joy that she would bring to our family.  What a blessing you are, Keira.

Dobbleganger

Ed said that our kid looks like Winston Churchill.

He's not wrong.



But she's happier than he was.

What I've Learned

Though we've only scratched the surface of parenthood - it's amazing how it changes you the moment your child is born.

Here are some of the things I've learned these past weeks:

• Being pregnant was really good...being NOT pregnant is great!
• The instant she was born, our family felt more complete.
• Diapers are way too expensive.
• Kids are the best entertainment ever.
• Sleep is precious.
• Laziness breeds laziness - the longer you sit around and do nothing, the harder it is to get up.
• The car is like a sleep machine, while the shower seems to be an alarm clock.
• Spit-up stains.
• It is a short distance from normal to claustrophobic when sitting in your house everyday.
• Life can be lived vicariously through TV.
• Each moment with your child is precious - even those moments at 3:00am.
• My selfishness is enormous and surfaces each day.
• Apparently, I am not in control of everything...and things don't always work out how I want.
• I now cry like a pubescent 8th grader.
• I don't remember our lives without our kid...and don't want to.
• The joy of parenthood is FAR greater than I could have imagined.
• My heart is capable of more love than I would ever think was possible.
• More than ever, I can't fathom the love of our God toward us - it is too overwhelming to comprehend.

6 Week Update

Well, it's been a whirlwind over this past several weeks!

Keira is doing great.  She is a good combination of myself and Rob, so we've had fun getting to know her and watching her grow... she's so big and we can see her changing every day!

She is a great sleeper (like her dad).
She is a great eater (like her mom).
She's a little moody, likes shiny things, and has poor control of her facial expressions - which show exactly what she's thinking (like her mom).
But, she's generally so happy and loves to interact with people (like her dad).


This week marked the beginning of life after maternity leave, as I went back to work.  It was a bittersweet couple of days.  Honestly, leaving her for the whole day was hard, but it was great to get back to work and start to develop somewhat of a normal routine.

So...here goes real life!

A Baby Story

I'll try to make this quick, but felt like I should post a brief summary of our past week.

We were scheduled to be induced on Wednesday morning of last week, but went to the hospital on Tuesday night to prepare for the induction.  After a long, sleepless night, they started the induction first thing Wednesday morning.

After 16 hours of labor, Keira was born - on Thursday morning at 12:35am - and she was perfect!


Thinking through our labor, I am overwhelmed at the grace of God through this whole process.  Truly, everything about delivering a child is disgusting.  But somehow, in the midst of the humiliation and general grossness - it is the most beautiful and miraculous thing in the world to see your baby for the first time.  To see this precious little person who is so helpless and small...but despite her bobbly head, you can see her thinking as she looks around and intently looks at the people and things around her.  She has a distinct personality and pet peeves, and gets more beautiful every day.

Even the labor process we counted a gift from the Lord.  Every step of childbirth was a reminder that I am not in control and things don't always work out how I want or plan.  What a perfect transition into parenthood.  It's painful, humiliating, humbling, and out of your control.  But the end product is the most remarkable gift - your child.  Love different than any other for this delightful little girl.


After 12 hours of labor, it looked like we might have had to have a c-section because the labor was not progressing hardly at all.  We asked for an hour to see if we would progress before making a decision about whether or not a c-section was in our best interest.  We were both tired and anxious, but wanted to make the wise decision for what was safest for me and the baby...but we really wanting to avoid a c-section.

By His grace, the Lord led Rob to spend that hour with me praying and reading Scripture.  Rob was reminded of Psalm 139.

For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them


How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
If I would count them they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.


By the end of that hour - we had made such significant progress that we were ready to deliver just another hour later!  Once she was ready...she was ready.

We had a very smooth labor and delivery, a few nice days in the hospital where Keira met some of our dear friends and family...we even had Hope's graduation dinner in our room.
Saturday afternoon, we got home and took Keira on a tour of her house.  She had a great check-up with our pediatrician and though we're tired - we are doing very well.  We have the cutest kid in the world and are starting to understand the love of God in a greater way through this beautiful baby girl.

This Week...

Well, this has been a significant week for our family.  Not ONLY was our beautiful daughter (finally) born, but my wonderful sister, Hope, graduated from High School (scary, since she's the baby of the family), my brother went out of the country for a couple of weeks, AND we celebrated Father's Day.


It was neat to celebrate Father's Day for Rob - having just gotten home from the hospital the day before.  Though tired and trying to figure out what to do with the baby now living at our house, we tried to remember how blessed we are by the fathers in our lives.  Not only do I have an awesome husband who is already showing himself to be an excellent, supportive, helpful, loving, and fun father - but I have a great dad, father-in-law, and grandfathers - all of whom have shaped my life.

And Hope, congratulations!  We are so proud of you and can't wait to see how God will continue to direct you as you move on to college and beyond!
Some advice: don't take college too seriously.  Work hard, it's expensive.  But - remember to have fun, make friends, and learn good stuff from your classes and about life.  You're going to do great.

HELLO, CHUM!!!

It is my JOY to FINALLY say "Hello, Chum."

Keira Shay - born at 12:35am THIS MORNING, June 16, 2011 - 8 lbs. 2 oz.

Status Update

So, Chum is at 37 and a half weeks, I'm getting seriously uncomfortable and whiny, and everything is progressing normally.  But no baby yet.

If she doesn't come next week on her own, the induction date is set for Wednesday, June 15th (too close to our original due date for my personal taste)...but it's nice to know there's an end in sight.

We'll go back next week to the doctors to check our progress, but are in a hurry-up-and-wait mode until she comes.  As much as I want to meet her, she could wait a few days (I still have some work to get done between now and her arrival and would like to do things like clean our house...which may or may not be happening any time soon).

In summary: less than 2 weeks (max) before we meet Chum.

Treasures

I like to go to thrift stores sometimes - just to check out the selection.

Came across these treasures the other day and thought I should share:

Sirius-ly???

This one was just funny to me because for us gluten-free-ers, this is the equivalent of a framed tomb...or poison.  But with a nice country flare.

AND finally:

Here's a closeup.

For only $1.96 this awkward family photo could be yours!  Just the expression on this "kids" face is worth the full $2.  And think, this family COULD HAVE taken their picture OUT of the frame before donating it.  It was sweet of them not to.  

9 MONTHS

Quick update.

We're FINALLY 9 months...or 37 weeks.

Our ultrasound photos from 2 weeks ago were sent to our OB, who we met with last week.  The plan right now is not to let us go to full term.  We'll go again on Tuesday to the doctors and they'll send us for another ultrasound (hopefully this week).  But they're thinking they'll induce at 39 weeks if she doesn't come before then, allowing us a trial labor with the plan to do a c-section if there are any complications.

She's at a good position right now and I'm progressing nicely, but definitely don't think it'll happen in the next few days.

So, two weeks is the plan right now.
Two LONG weeks.

I Swear We're Clean People...

Yes, we have had mice in the winter.  But truly, we're pretty clean people...despite the evidence around us.

No lie, I'm generally okay with spiders (having been to third world countries where the spiders sleep in your bed with you at night...you get over your achrinaphobia pretty quickly).  But I FREAKED out with this one.  Good thing Rob was at work, because it was a pretty embarrassing sight, me armed with one of Rob's shoes and ant spray.  Ant spray was all we had, so my plan was to spray and startle it, at a height I could reach, and HIT it with the shoe.  Didn't quite work out like I planned, but it's gone.  Not without further freaking out and embarrassing involuntary noises coming from my mouth - but done and done.

It looks small in the pictures, but I assure you - it was BIG.

Then there was this gem:

We live in the stinkin' suburbs.  How the heck did a raccoon get out here?  Dirty creatures.
Rob was there to scare this guy away...which was good, because I googled "how to deal with raccoons."  Word of wisdom in case this ever happens to you - don't google "how to deal with raccoons."  You'll end up more scared than you started out.


Any tips on how to deal with creatures around your house?

35 Weeks

I went to the OB last week and she was (once again) aware of the size of the baby.  So, our doctor sent us to get a good ultrasound to have a more accurate idea of how big she really is.

So far, everything looks great!  Unfortunately, while Chum appears healthy, she's squished enough that her hands are by her face and it was hard to get great pictures of her face.  Certainly, as she showed at our 20 week appointment, she's her father's daughter - and though she had more room back then, these pictures are strangely similar with her hands (seemingly intentionally) covering her face.

Leave it to our kid to have chubby cheeks, thighs, and even hands while still in the womb.  And apparently a head full of hair!!!  I'm trying not to get too excited about the hair - until she comes - but am more amazed at the technology that can see her hair even now.  AND...while the ultrasound can't be completely accurate, it looks like Chumbelina is weighing about 6 lbs. 15 oz. right now (while the suggested weight at 35 weeks is 5 lbs. 4 oz.).  Averages would say that while we're 35 weeks, Chum is measuring at the size of a 38 week old.

Current Status: the ultrasound pictures will be sent to our OB, who we'll see again next week.  They'll probably watch Chum's growth for a few more weeks (to see if she continues to grow at this rate), before making a decision about an induction or c-section date.

Won't be long now....

Favorite Things

Walking through the mall with my husband a few weeks ago, I did a double take, stopped in my tracks, and turned around...making a beeline to Starbucks.

What did I see?  It was none other than a sign for the *new* Mocha Coconut Frappuccino!!!  Here's the kicker - this product is NOT new.  No lie, the Mocha Coconut Frappuccino was the featured summer drink at Starbucks the summer of 2001 - yes, 10 years ago.  How do I know this?  Because it was my favorite thing ever - and made such an impression on me that 10 years later I stopped in my tracks to go get one!

This past week was "Happy Hour" at Starbucks, where all Frappuccinos were half off during certain hours of the day.  I went to take advantage of said deal (don't worry, I ordered decaf) and they had these little puppies for customers.  Frappuccino shots.  Marketing genus!

The embarrassing part - I'd already ordered when I grabbed this little guy.  It didn't entice me to buy something - but seemed like a perk for already having purchased my drink.

Yes, it's going to be a good - but expensive - summer!

Happy Mother's Day!

It's a funny thing, Mother's Day.
A day to celebrate the women in our lives...give them gifts and tell them the things we usually neglect to say every other day the rest of the year.

In some ways, the task is enormous - how to you sum up and say thank you for everything that your mother has done for you over the past year...and throughout your whole life for that matter?

Scripture speaks significantly about the role of the mother in the family - heck, honoring your parents is the first commandment with a promise.  Her children arise and call her 'blessed.'  Even Timothy, Paul's right hand man, is praised for his faith - with his spiritual genealogy credited to his mother and grandmother.

In thinking through this Mother's Day - I want to say thank you to my mom and the others who have supported me throughout my life.  I am blessed with 2 loving grandmothers who have been there for every elementary school orchestra concert and birthday party throughout my life.  I also have a grandmother-in-law, who has been a joy for me to get to know and share with Rob.  And...I have a wonderful mother-in-law - who has welcomed me into her family, supported, loved, and encouraged me over these past years.  She has been a great mother to my husband, instilling in him values, character, and a tender lovingkindness that has been nurtured throughout his life.  Thank you all.  I love you!


And to my mom:

You're the best.  While I could not choose to be your daughter, I am thankful to God that He chose to plop me into your family - and I would choose you as my mother any day.  I learn from you daily and am overwhelmed by your love and support.  It is a joy to serve with you and I see evidence each day of the values that you helped instill in me.  
As we prepare to have our own daughter, I see more and more what you have done to gently and lovingly encourage and direct me throughout my life - always showing me respect and allowing me to be my own person, while prompting me toward Christ and living out an example of what it looks like to be a godly woman.  I love you.


Also you're really fun and get my jokes. 

Liberty Sign Guy

Okay.

You know the sign holders?  It seems to be a weird new thing to have people sit out and hold signs for stores/restaurants as a means of advertising and/or charity.  But they're everywhere.

However, all sign guys are not created equal.
Weekday afternoons - probably 2ish-6ish (over rush hour) - there is almost always a guy on the corner of Route 7 and Countryside Boulevard who is to die for!

The Liberty Sign Guy.

Complete with the Statue of Liberty muumuu and mask - this guy is incredible!  He dances, waves, spins the sign.  Literally, he brings his own oiled board so he can quasi-break dance and moonwalk at that street corner with his sign.  I look at him often and think, "He must be EXHAUSTED when he's done every afternoon!"  and also, "Where do they even find people to hold the signs?  I would totally be a reference for this guy if I had a stinkin' clue where they come from."


Here's the thing.  Yesterday, I drove by and he wasn't there!!!!  I was legitimately disappointed...but to be honest, this guy has serious sign holding potential.  My hope, amid my disappointment, is that he has found a way to step up the sign holding latter somewhere and has been discovered by some talent agency.

This guy has big skills, but I will miss him.

Keeping it Real

Here's the description of Chum's development this week from www.babycenter.com.

"This week, your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds and has passed the 17-inch mark.  She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening."


At least I'm not the only one who thinks unborn babies are kind of like aliens.  Both the pictures on the inside, and the weird body parts that stick out of my belly, visible from the outside - look like an alien invasion.


In other news:  We're at 33 weeks (8 months) and counting.  At 33 weeks, babies are supposed to be the side of a pineapple, but we'll know better when we go back to the doctors next week where Chum is at and what the remainder of this pregnancy will look like.

It's all starting to come together...

I was greatly honored this Saturday with a baby shower for me and Chum - and it was beautiful!  Everything was lovely. the food delicious, attendees delightful, and gifts overwhelmingly generous.

I literally went home and had to go through (and start to put away) the gifts that were lavished on us by friends and family because I was so overwhelmed by the generosity and quantity of stuff!  We are truly blessed.

While not complete, the nursery is coming together and looking great (if I do say so myself).  It's not done, but here are a couple of pictures...

Her giraffe jammers are camoflague for her crib...so we may not be able to find her when she wears them (which might be every day).

The flowers are hats, onesies, and hand-made tissue paper flowers.  The M&Ms are for me.  In case of emergency.

Everything was so wonderful - thank you all who offered your home, time, talents, gifts, food, and yourselves to honor us.  We love you and feel so special!

32 Weeks?

32 weeks and Chum is supposed to be a jicama (whatever the h that is).

However, I just got back from the doctors.  Good appointment - everything looks fine.  She did measure my belly (as is the norm), look at my chart, and say, "Let me do that again."  Which she did.  Her findings were the same after the second measure.

"You're measuring big.  Looks like you're measuring at about 35 weeks."  I told her both Rob and I were 10-pounders, so I wasn't surprised that Chum is likewise hearty.  We'll go back in a couple of weeks and do a sono to make sure we're still on track and she's okay...but I did feel a little affirmed that she is big, it's not just me.

If she's actually in the 35 week range, that would make her a honeydew.  That's a fruit I can wrap my mind around a heck of a lot more than this jicama stuff.


So, we'll know more soon...but are starting to feel like we're getting close!

Conversations

Well, it's finally here!

One of the reasons I've been blogging MIA for a little while is that I've been working a lot of nights and weekends on our annual production, Conversations!

Conversations is a show that our church puts on each year the week before Easter with a variety of elements, including scenes, music, and real life stories.  It is a really neat production with a nice balance of elements - all free and all pretty well done (if I do say so myself).


If you're available, YOU are welcome to attend Conversations any night this week.  Again, it's all free...Monday through Friday, 7:30pm at Reston Bible Church (45650 Oakbrook Court, Dulles, VA 20166).  There is a children's program for newborns through 5th graders.

Counting Backwards

We're at 31 weeks and counting down (rather than up).  As people ask, "When are you due?" or "How far along are you?" I keep telling them how long I have left, rather than how far I am.  So that might mean something.

This week, Chum is the size of 4 navel oranges, clustered together, I guess.

She's supposed to be around 3.5 lbs this week - but I'm already pressuring her to be advanced.  I keep thinking that she's probably really big and especially gifted at kicking... that she'll be huge and need to come out early.  Honestly, I don't know how much is just overly optimistic thinking (knowing that I'm sure to be done with this whole pregnancy thing by the time she's ready to come out) or if I'm just exceptionally early at putting too much pressure on her!

She'll be great - but I'm already learning that I have to let her grow, develop, and mature at her own pace - and that I can't pressure cook her any faster.  I have no doubt that she'll be teaching me this for the rest of my life.

Looks like we're beginning the first phases of parenthood.  

On the drive to work...

I had a nice morning today - slept in a little, had a nice breakfast, started some laundry, and headed to work.

This is what I saw on the way into work this morning:

Here's a close-up:

Creepy much???

10 to go...

30 weeks down, 10 to go.  We're a cabbage this week, according to a website, a "good sized" cabbage.  Apparently a good sized cabbage that now likes to poke her mom in the ribs - and dance at bedtime.

Drops of Dew

I've been easily discouraged with heightened emotions lately.  Normal - considering my (probably too busy) pace of life and hormonal state.

But I was reminded this morning of the theme throughout Scripture of God giving His people exactly what they need to sustain them, one day at a time.  Like manna.  God literally fed His people bread from the sky with the specific instruction NOT to store any even overnight...because He provided new manna each day.

Like in Psalm 23 - when the Psalmist says "He makes me lie down in green pastures."  Well guess what?  They were essentially a dessert - the green pastures were the little patches of grass that were watered by dew each night - providing just enough sustenance for the sheep to survive the day.

God does the same even now.  He doesn't let us store up encouragement or provisions.  Rather, He provides one day at a time - as a means of showing His faithfulness and protecting us from independence from Him.


This morning, exhausted from the week and pessimistic about the day ahead, God reminded me of this simple truth.  I sat down, not even sure where to start.  Desiring to have Christ speak to me, without the energy to even know how to start.
But then I looked to my right and saw this picture, framed on a shelf in my office.

Just about a year ago, when we were in the middle of building our new church building, we hosted a "Sharpie Party" - in which the congregation was welcome to come to the building, tour, and write on the concrete floors with Sharpies.  The building was then tiled, carpeted, and completed.
This is the note that my sister wrote for me, permanently under the carpet on which I'm sitting, even now.
She said, "I pray that this would always be a place of encouragement, love, comfort, purpose, and HOPE."  My sister prayed, over a year ago, for the very temptation of discouragement I am struggling with today.

Who is to condemn?  Christ Jesus is the one who died - more than that, who was raised - who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?


Christ - the One who died on my behalf, IS (in the present tense) at the right hand of God and IS interceding for me.  Even when I'm emotional or easily bruised, He is interceding on my behalf with love.  Love that I cannot be separated from.  He provides new grace each day.

We are more than conquerers through Him who loved us.

One of those dinners...

So Rob and I both worked all day on Saturday - and literally, I finished work and went up to make dinner as he walked in the door.  I welcomed him home with a, "Can we go grab some quick dinner somewhere?"  He agreed.

Here are some highlights of our dining experience out.  Keep in mind, I was super tired, achy, and needed to eat...

1.  I threw out options of where to go, we couldn't decide and drove around aimlessly for a half hour.
2.  Finally, we came into the vicinity of a restaurant we don't frequent often, but happened to have a gift card.  This particular chain has a restaurant about a half a mile from our house and then one about 8 miles away.  We went to the one 8 miles away.
3.  When we pulled up - the sign was down and the parking lot empty.
4.  I was getting impatient by now.
5.  There is another family chain next door - so we decided to go there...even though neither Rob nor I have a particular affinity for this restaurant, we figured, "Heck, we're here and we're hungry.  This'll work."
6.  Upon looking at the menu, there were basically nothing I could eat without gluten.
7.  After going back and forth with the waitress, I ordered a burger without a bun - and not being able to eat the fries, I had to order a separate side of a baked potato.  They wouldn't cook the burger Medium Rare - just Medium...but food is food.
8.  Food arrived eventually - my plate came with a potato without butter and a plain burger patty.  No bacon, cheese, bbq, or anything else.
9.  Manager came by and asked about our meal.  I politely said, "Actually, I need to send this back.  It was supposed to have toppings, just no bun." He said, "Oh," and took it away.  No apology or other words.  Just "oh."
10.  Manager came back with my food.  6 shreds of cheese (yes, cheese that I paid an extra dollar for).  Still no apology.
11.  By now, I was getting irritable.  Cut into the burger and it was well done.  Not, "Great job, Chef.  Well done!" with high fives.  WELL DONE.  Now faced with the dilemma of whether to send it back AGAIN or suck it up and eat...I ate.  On principle I ate the whole burger.  After all, I paid like $11 for the stupid sub-par burger.
12.  The potato didn't have butter, so I ate a couple of bites and asked for a box (to take it home to my house so I could butter it before enjoying my extra side of baked potato).
13.  Did I mention there was a table of screaming children running back and forth from the front to the back of the restaurant the whole time while the parents sat finishing their pitchers of beer?
14.  We get the check and decide to get the heck out as soon as we could.
15.  Being super pregnant, I went to pee before we could leave.  Rob waited and watched "Little Johnny Son of a B" (the obnoxious kids whose parents were in the back milking their beer) smash buckets of peanuts through the lobby while another kid ran back and forth on the benches designed for patrons to sit on.
16.  Our table didn't even have peanuts on it...like all the other tables!
17.  We finally get the heck out of there and I realize at the first traffic light that I left my potato, wrapped nicely in its box, on our table.

Just one of those nights.  Any of these happenings on their own wouldn't have been a big deal...but altogether - on top of being really tired and hungry - weak sauce.

29 and counting

So we're at 29 weeks and here is a current "bump" picture.  Yup, Chummer feels like a tank.  But she'll be a cute tank.

Also, she's the size of a butternut squash this week - a fruit/vegetable that I can get behind.  Commonly considered a vegetable...it has seeds, so it's really a fruit.

It's been a busy couple of weeks with lots going on... and honestly, I'm exhausted!  But, there is much to share so I'll write more asap!