Reunion

A couple of weeks ago (yes, I'm behind!) we had the opportunity to host a mini-reunion of college friends. My roommate, Yavonda, and her husband, Matt, drove up from Little Rock. Our suitemate, Tassie, and her family, came over from Knoxville, where they are visiting family on furlough from China. We've been able to get together for the last three years, and it's a blast every time!

When we get together, we always spend hours and hours talking. Although we stay in touch on Facebook, nothing beats face-to-face conversation with your best friends. This time around, we got to meet Tassie's new daughter, Allie, who was born in China at the end of August. (And may I just say that Tassie is a MUCH braver person than I am - she had a C-section in China!!!)

Here's a picture of Yavonda's husband, Matt, rocking Kevin & Tassie's new daughter, Allie. Somehow I didn't get any pictures of little Allie's face - she was always snuggled up to someone!


And here are the rest of the Smiths, plus Wendy. Jael is their 7 year old daughter, then there's Kevin & Tassie.


Here are Kevin & Tassie again - Tassie was telling us about Chinese attitudes towards babies. Very interesting cultural differences!


Here are the Chases - Yavonda and Matt...and Wendy. (Wendy likes to be in the middle of everything.) If Yavonda looks exhausted, it's because she is - she's 9 weeks pregnant! Yay!! They've wanted a baby for awhile, and now they have one on the way - what a merry Christmas for them!


We stayed up way, WAY too late - I mean, like 2 a.m. kind of late - just talking and catching up and playing Wii. If nothing else, it proved to all of us that we are NOT college kids anymore! I am so thankful to have these girls and their families in my life - they are a true blessing to me, and I just wish we all lived closer & could meet more than once a year!

Rounding Out

Okay, this is the picture I posted before, of the Jumping Bean and I at 13 weeks. I was obviously pregnant, showing more than I should.
















And this is me today, at 17 weeks. I'm a little bigger, and definitely rounder. With my first pregnancy, I consistently measured 2 months bigger than I actually was...and I'm even bigger this time! I think I was about this size at 6 months with Wendy.

So basically, by the time this baby comes, I'm going to need scaffolding under my belly to keep me upright.

Random Things...

I was tagged by Heather at Not a DIY Life for the "Seven Random Things" meme. I like participating in things like this, especially when I don't really have anything enlightening to say. I'm pretty sure I've done a "random things" meme before, but it's been awhile. You'll just have to bear with me.

Here are the rules:

1. Post the rules on your blog.

2. Write 7 random things about yourself.

3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post.

That's easy enough, so here we go!

1. I didn't get my driver's license until after my freshman year of college. I was almost 19. I started learning to drive at 15ish, like everyone else, but then circumstances intervened & I just never got my license. I wasn't going to have a car, anyway, so I was in no real hurry.
2. While I love my children, other children in my family, and my friends' children, I don't really like children in general. They can be cute, but are usually messy, loud, and/or annoying. Those are all things you can overlook when you have some connection to the child, but just a random kid - no thank you.
3. I often have times when I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing in any area of my life. One of those times is now. I'd like to think I'm not alone in having times of zero confidence.
4. I feel guilty sometimes for not using my costly education...but then I remind myself that my current job is the most important one I'll ever have. The pay stinks, but the benefits are out of this world.
5. I've mentioned before that I struggle with anxiety attacks. Well, it's very easy for me to get panicky if I feel trapped, literally or figuratively. Whether it's in a small place or a situation I just can't wiggle out of, it's hard for me to keep my thoughts clear & do what I need to do.
6. I was stepped on by a horse on my first day of equine clinics in vet school. It was more my fault than hers, but that sure didn't make it feel any better. Luckily she was a small-ish mare and it was more of a glancing blow than a full weight-bearing step.
7. I read a story online today about a man in Massachusetts burning a large part of his house because he was melting the ice on the porch with a blow torch. It made me laugh out loud, and then immediately feel guilty. (But seriously, a blow torch??)

I'm not going to tag 7 people, but feel free to play along! Let me know if you participate!

Bummed

I have to do the 3-hour glucose tolerance test. The nurse said that my result from the one hour test wasn't dangerously high, but it was above where they want it to be. I was really hoping this test would be fine & we wouldn't have to worry about anything.

They only do the testing on Mondays, apparently, so I have to schedule a Monday sometime soon to go sit at the doctor for a long, long time.

Sigh.

News of No Consequence

Alternate Title: I Have Nothing Important To Say, And So I Shall Make A List.

• I should hear back about my glucose tolerance test sometime today.
• Christmas shopping is done. YAY. Waiting for the nice UPS man to deliver the rest of the gifts, so I can have one big marathon wrapping session.
• I spent nearly $100 on stocking stuff yesterday. Yikes. I was buying for Wendy, James, my brother, my sis-in-law, and my nephew. When stuffing stockings, adults are much more difficult. And the $1 section at Target was pretty much empty - that's what I get for waiting until right before Christmas.
  
• Santa will be good to Wendy this year, but not TOO good. We don't want her to grow up getting gifts in excess; most of the things she's getting this year are ones we saved from last year.
• I realized I will have to be sneakier next year. Wendy is already very observant; after another year, she'll be able to read through my code-words & find my hiding places.
• Jumping Bean is definitely moving now. Not regularly, not all the time, but little bumps & jumps here & there. We should have our BIG ultrasound in less than 4 weeks. YAY!
• On Thursday & Friday last week, we had a great reunion of college friends - my roommate, our suitemate, and their hubbies & children. We all stayed up WAY too late, ate WAY too much, and talked and talked and talked. They're just about my favorite people on the planet. (Also - a seven year old, when cooped up indoors for 48 hours due to rainy weather, becomes extremely annoying. Even when she's trying to be good.)

That's all I have! Wasn't it fascinating? Today's agenda: muddle through until naptime, then sleep as long as Wendy sleeps. I'm still recovering from our ridiculous late nights with friends!

Quick Request

Yay. It's that time. Tomorrow morning, I get to take my first glucose tolerance test of this pregnancy. I'm only not-quite 16 weeks, but since I had gestational diabetes when pregnant with Wendy, I get to be tested early. And then again later. And then probably once more. Yay.

If you think of it, say a quick prayer for me - first that I'm able to drink the awful stuff (fruit punch flavor this time - ICK), that I'm able to keep it down, and that the results are normal.

Thanks!

A Problem with the Library Basket

After losing two library books several months ago (they were under my bed) I decided we needed a system to keep track of all things checked out from the library. I know lots of people have a library basket, and I decided to try that. I have a big basket that I bought at a yard sale for $0.50, and it sits by the big armchair in the living room.

But there seems to be a problem with our library basket...there's a munchkin in it!

Here she is, surrounded by the books that were in the basket, looking up at me with innocent blue eyes - but see that smirk? She knows exactly what she's doing.


I think if I were her size, this would be a big temptation. Apparently the library basket is exactly Wendy-sized, and she has a hard time resisting it.


She's awfully cute, though, isn't she?

WFMW: DVDs at the library

I love going to the library & checking out a big stack of books - but I seldom remember that they also have DVDs! When Wendy & I went to the library yesterday, we checked out two DVDs for her: The Wiggles' Cold Spaghetti Western and Thomas and Friends: Thomas' Sodor Celebration.

Check-out time for DVDs is usually shorter than for books; for our library it's one week instead of four weeks. There are also other limitations - only 4 out at a time, and they can't be checked out on a child's library card. These limitations are easily worked around, though, and checking out DVDs for free sure works for me!

For more tips & suggestions, visit Works-For-Me Wednesday at Rocks in my Dryer!

A Literary Expedition

I did something today that I haven't done in at least six weeks: I went somewhere with Wendy by myself. I haven't done it in so long because one of the medications I'm taking for nausea can make me groggy pretty much all day long, and I haven't felt safe driving most of the time. Today, however, I woke up feeling pretty alert & refreshed.

I decided it was time to go to the library - after all, if Sandi can do it with three boys under the age of five, I can do it with just Wendy and the Jumping Bean!

We loaded up, and off we went, into the cold, pouring rain. Our first stop was the circulation desk to pay a leftover fine - $14. That's what happens when you lose two books for over a month.

Then we went to the children's section of the library for the first time. Wendy has been to the library before, but it was when she was quite a bit younger and confined to the stroller. When she saw that they had a train table, she was thrilled! She loves "choo-choo trains," and really enjoys playing with them or watching them on TV.

After choosing several things for her, we went to pick out books for me - and we were a little less successful. I had to chase her down several times, and rescue her off of a step-stool three different times. I may have to invest in one of those toddler harnesses to keep her with me; it's hard for me to chase her down, and I'm not allowed to pick her up. (OB's orders.)

We ended up getting her a library card of her own, so that we could check out more items. It was a good trip, and I hope to make it a weekly or every-other-week outing!

And even though I was exhausted by the time we got home, it sure was good to be out & about for a change!

Lots To Do

Somehow (I think it has to do with my muddled mind & nauseousness) December snuck up on me. And here we are, almost a third of the way through the month, and I'm not ready. We have our tree & stockings up, but that's it. I haven't done any baking, shopping, Christmas cards, nada. To top that off, we're hosting some friends for a couple of days in less than two weeks, and our house is NOT company-ready.

And so, on that note, here is my to-do list for this week, in no particular order:

• Steam-clean dining room carpet. Again. Threaten cats within an inch of their lives.
• Take Wendy for a haircut.
• Schedule long-overdue 2-year pictures for Wendy. Hopefully get them done this week.
  
• Make Christmas card list. Order/make cards.
• Work on Christmas budget. Yuck.
• Make Christmas gift shopping list.
• Plan a rough Christmas baking schedule.
• Make grocery list for baking supplies & Christmas dinner supplies.
• Figure out how to fit everyone who is visiting into our tiny house.
• Generally work on straightening/cleaning house.

I'm off to a great start - it's almost noon on Monday and I'm still in PJs, having accomplished nothing. Sigh.

But I don't want to end on a downer - here's a cute picture of Wendy from a few minutes ago. She was really playing with her baby doll for the first time! She changed its diaper (even wiping its little vinyl bum!), then had me dress & swaddle it so that she could rock it to sleep. She's a good Little Mama!

Dark Pursuit

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Dark Pursuit
Zondervan (December 1, 2008)
by
Brandilyn Collins


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Brandilyn Collins is known for her trademark Seatbelt Suspense®. She is currently working on her 20th book. For chances to win free copies of her work, join her Fan Club on Facebook. Here’s what Brandilyn has to say about why she wrote Dark Pursuit:

In John Milton’s Paradise Lost Satan’s followers, kicked out of heaven, boast about storming the gates and reclaiming their territory. Beelzebub scoffs at their boasting as merely “hatching vain empires” and suggests a different revengeful scheme: seduce mankind away from God. So Satan visits the Garden of Eden to teach humans the very thing he and his cohorts have learned to be futile—the dark pursuit of hatching their own vain empires instead of following God. He presented man with this “gift” of death, disguised as life. And man fell for it.

Upon this theme of man’s fall and spiritual blindness, I created the characters and events in Dark Pursuit. The story clips along at a fast pace, with much symbolism running underneath.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Dark Pursuit—A twisting story of murder, betrayal, and eternal choices

Novelist Darell Brooke lived for his title as King of Suspense—until an auto accident left him unable to concentrate. Two years later, reclusive and bitter, he wants one thing: to plot a new novel and regain his reputation.

Kaitlan Sering, his twenty-two-year-old granddaughter, once lived for drugs. After she stole from Darell, he cut her off. Now she’s rebuilding her life. But in Kaitlan’s town two women have been murdered, and she’s about to discover a third. She’s even more shocked to realize the culprit—her boyfriend, Craig, the police chief’s son.

Desperate, Kaitlan flees to her estranged grandfather. For over forty years, Darell Brooke has lived suspense. Surely he’ll devise a plan to trap the cunning Craig.

But can Darell’s muddled mind do it? And—if he tries—with what motivation? For Kaitlan’s plight may be the stunning answer to the elusive plot he seeks...

Read the first chapter of Dark Pursuit, HERE.

WFMW: Saving Money on Ground Beef

I grew up in a VERY carnivorous home. There was some form of meat at every dinner, be it pork, chicken, or beef. That's probably fairly typical of a lot of American families, but meat is expensive. It's also best used sparingly; a little is good for your health, but a diet rich in meat can quickly increase your cholesterol and your body weight!

We purchase our ground beef in big economy packs, and then divide it up in the freezer. When we divide it up, though, we put it in sections of maybe 1/3 of a pound apiece. We've found this to be plenty to add to most recipes that call for a full pound of ground beef - stroganoff, spaghetti, casseroles, etc. (It obviously won't work well if your recipe is very meat-centric, like meatloaf or hamburgers.)

Cutting back on the amount of ground beef we use has saved us a lot of money, and makes our diet just a little bit healthier, as well.

For more tips & advice, visit Works-For-Me Wednesday over at Rocks in my Dryer!

$6000 Giveaway

There's an amazing giveaway going on at Gear Live. For just a little bit of work, you can be entered to win 4 computers, plus software, a printer, etc. It's a great prize pack! Go check it out!

One Perfect Day

Two families are about to become connected in a way neither thought possible. When the unimaginable happens and tragedy strikes, a family must make a decision about organ donation. Their decision changes a girl's life forever, and gives her a hope for the future that she never dared dream of before...

This book was engrossing - once I started reading, I read for hours. The families are dealing with enormous burdens, and struggling to remain faithful to God's will for their lives. I highly recommend this book, but it is definitely a tear-jerker.

If you would like more information about One Perfect Day, by Lauraine Snelling, visit the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance!