Of Cleaning and Clumsiness

For better or worse I've been in a cleaning and straightening mood. Absolutely everything I've laid my eyes on recently has need dusted or organized, vacuumed or polished. And that went for my blog, too. So my loving husband spent part of his weekend helping me redo the HTML coding on my blog to get it the way I wanted it. What a guy!

But it's probably a good thing that I'm in this cleaning mood because I'm afraid I've been making a lot of messes lately. Don't shoot me, but yes, I think it has to be pregnancy-relatd. I never was this clumsy before. Two weeks ago I spilled my berry frozen fruit drink (yes, as in BLUEberry, BLACKberry, RED rasberry) all over our beige suede couch. Thank God that Oxi-Clean came to the rescue. Then last week it was sugary ORANGE juice that I spilled (as in literally dumped the whole thing over with my hand) all over our new turkish rug, which a friend had brought back from Iraq for us. Brilliant. Oxi-Clean to the rescue again. So you can see why it's probably a good thing I'm in a "cleaning" mood. Who knows what I'll attempt to destroy next.

In other news, Fall decided to make a laughing-stock out of my previous emotion-filled post announcing his arrival. It's been 93F today and hot as the dickens. All that wonderful canned pumpkin that my husband bought to fulfill my autumn cooking drive is now just sitting in the cupboard waiting for a rainy (or colder) day. I'm not bitter.

I AM bitter at the nurse who took all my blood today at the doctor's office. How nice of her to assure me ahead of time that my body wouldn't need it anyway. I still think it's bogus that my body "didn't really need" the 6 LARGE viles that she extracted. I wanted so badly to ask if all the bloodwork was really necessary, but everytime I broached the subject I got that evil eye... you know, the one that says "this isn't about you, it's about your unborn child... and you wouldn't put it's health in jeopardy now would you?" I hate that look.

But Baby S. has certainly benefitted from the physical abuse I've survived the last couple of months. It's little heart measured in today at 160 beats - right on target. I must say I really enjoyed hearing it this time since previously I was too sick to care. So far we're on track to have a healthy happy little one! But for now, I'm enjoying the peace and quiet at home...

And for those of you who we've neglected for the past bazillion weeks, please know we hope to resume our regularly scheduled social calendar very soon. :-)

Thought for the Day...

A thought for the day by Robert Heinlein (who was the most popular, influential, and controversial authors of "hard" science fiction, according to Wiki):

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”

I'm not sure if this leaves me feeling accomplished or inept. :-)

Days of Rest

Fall is in the air... there's no doubt about that. I'm pretty sure it arrived Wednesday of last week and has been blowing about since then. With it came the strongest desire to go apple-picking and hiking, something I can't exactly do at the moment, but it's on the calendar. :-) My mind has been lost in thoughts of homemade goodies like apple pie, pumpkin bread, apple butter and butternut squash. Mmmm.

Saturday was absolutely beautiful here and I felt the best I had in days. I was able to take a shower (not a bath like I'd been doing the past 5 weeks - yuck!) and make the bed. I ran into a bit of an awkward dilemma, though, when I could not find any clothes that fit me. I guess that's what I get for wearing pajamas for so long.

Arm in arm with my husband we went out into the fall air for a little walk and I felt the sun on my face for the first time in weeks. How glorious and refreshing it was! Matt spent the rest of the day doing household chores and I watched the Ohio State football game (how's that for a little role reversal?). Finally as the sun set, Matt and I reminisced of childhood memories of fall... camping, harvest parties, rolling around in hay, pumpkin carving. It was a delicious day.

Taken Captive...

For whatever the crime (:cough: :cough:)... I'm doing the time. Yes, it's true. Joining millions of women everywhere, I'm stepping up and paying my dues. "What dues," you ask? Well, see if any of these give it away...

1. For 5 weeks now you've been unable to play the deadly game of Survivor... of commuter traffic, that is. In fact, you probably haven't been behind the wheel in over 6 weeks. You've been nominated for an award by the Environmental Defense Fund for the amount of gas you've saved by never leaving your house.

2. Your new dieting plan is so successful it's scary. Eat what you can... throw it up later. Simple. Concise. (Feel free to ask about the follow-up plan, "How to Gain Weight on an Empty Stomach". It's a best-seller.)

3. You're able to have emotional breakdowns at the drop of a dime and no one asks any questions. The more you do this, the more bouquets of flowers you receive.

4. You visit the doctor because you're pretty sure you're dying. Doctor says, "the heart rate is 174. You both seem to be in perfect shape, why are you here?" You shoot a nasty glare her direction and then proceed to crawl out of her office on your hands and knees. She smiles and wishes you well.

5. You're in fierce competition with your Grandfather over who is taking the most prescription medications to stay alive. So far you've lost count. Let's see, there's the one to keep you from throwing up, the one to calm your stomach once you have thrown up, the one that replenishes the lost nutrients from throwing up, the one to manage the migraine that arrives from continuously throwing up.... and others you care not to share. Total: 173

I think that's enough that you get the point.

"In his heart a man plans his course, but it is the Lord who determines his steps..." ~ Proverbs 16:9

It's a no-brainer that M and I's "course" will be much different than originally planned. Human calculations predict Baby S may appear around 3.31.08. But in the end, who really knows what the adventure will look like. So far, it's been absolutely loads of fun.

A best friend...

I've been thinking a lot lately about how precious friendship is, especially friendship in the form of a husband. M didn't have to love me (in the way one might perceive family would), but he CHOSE to. In my situation, my husband decided to love me even when I was unlovable (and told him to get lost. :-/). He chose to remain by my side for the rest of my life, not because of what he could get out of it.

One thing I've learned in our five months of marriage is how selfless true love really is. My husband continues to teach me more and more about the love that Christ has for His church. I have to keep reminding myself that my husband's love is only a shadow of God's love for me... what a blessed thing! M., your love rightfully puts me to shame... May I grow in selflessly loving others. Your love has been one of the greatest blessings in my life, apart from my salvation. I love you, M.

A reflection on Christ and the Church

Laying Low...

For one reason or another, M and I have been laying low. I haven't been feeling the greatest and it's been so muggy outside that the indoors has been preferable.

Last weekend RJK and I had the awesome opportunity to go to the Kennedy Center to see Phantom of the Opera! It was incredible, and we had such a great time with our "girl's night out". The show was definitely worth the $$ we payed, and the seats were fantastic.

For those of you who have been dying to know - yes, my cherry tomato plant is doing marvelously... I plucked 12 bright red fruits from the thick vines yesterday and we ate them on steak kabobs. Mmm.

I promise to post something more interesting later.

"You Have Been Called"

As I've continued to lift up Amy, Brandon and Gary, and ask the typcal "why" questions, it's been such a joy to discover more about the Lord.

Today I read an article by Bush Press Secretary, Tony Snow that was so encouraging. As we each reflect on how precious and temporary life is based on our own struggles, may we never forget the hope that we have. If you have a second, be sure to read the article.

Top Billboard Hits

I recently stumbled across this interesting site in my internet browsing. It was rather fun to click around and discover the #1 song for a certain day in history.

Let's see, in other news, M's brother just wrapped up a two-week stay with us. He arrived on July 3rd, only a few hours before my parents pulled into the driveway for the 4th with their new puppy, Buddy.















No sooner had they walked through the front door than we all scurried to the basement for an hour to wait out a tornado warning. Due to the rain we didn't end up eating until late and weren't able to see any fireworks... but hey, I guess it was still a memorable 4th.

We finally got to see our 4th of July fireworks on the 7th, as we trekked up to Antietem Battlefield for the the Independence Day celebration with M. Joughon. Then on Sunday we all floated lazily down the Shennendoah River in canoes... stopping to rescue the dog out of the water from time to time.

The following weekend we went and saw Bodies... the Exhibition (of which you can read about our experience here). I would thoroughly encourage people to go - it's worth the time. Unfortunately, my poor husband, who already wasn't feeling too well that day, passed out about halfway through the exhibit on the circulatory system. :-) One water bottle later... he was feeling much better and finished the remaining exhibits like a pro. (Read: no, he was not squeemish... he was dehydrated).

Then Saturday it was off to Busch Gardens with the W00SH.

All in all, it's been a pretty eventful couple of weeks. I'm looking forward to a slower pace for the next few days, and finally, some alone time with my hubby. :-)

Something for a Thursday... or a Friday...

My brother-in-law sent this to me. It's beyond awesome and perfect for the end of the week.

Also, for all you Virginia residents, have you signed the Virginia fines petition? I know you'll do the right thing. :-)

Muslims, Muggers, Maidens - Oh my!

Muslims, Muggers, Maidens - Oh my!

No matter how you slice it, the S. wedding was a very modest affair...

Desperate for Prayer

Please keep Brandon, Amy and Gary in your prayers - Amy, especially. They've hit another bump in their difficult journey with leukemia and are in desperate need of strength, courage, and hope. Our hearts and prayers are with them right now.

Two lives, now one.

~Wedding pictures are on the way!~

Randomness

Alright. Many thanks to Christy and Ashley who fear I lack randomness in my married life and have kindly "tagged" me to reveal the 7 most entertaining random facts about me. Here's to you both.

Random Fact #1: When opening a can of tuna I always drain the juice in a cup and drink it afterwards. Strange, gross, but true. It all started about 10 years ago when I happened to be draining a can of tuna in a bowl for my cat and some spilled on my finger. Curious, I decided to taste it and I've been hooked ever since. Yes, Matt knows this. No, Matt does not kiss me if I've been handling tuna.

Random Fact #2: I love office supply catalogs. It's true. I'm not much for clothes shopping, although shoes will get me excited, but I abolutely hate clothing catalogs. Office supply catalogs are an entirely different story, though. When a work day includes ordering more office supplies, chances are nothing else will get done. I have to look through the new Corporate Express catalog from cover to cover... just to make sure there isn't something new and handy I could use. :-)

Random Fact #3: As a school project I once took an entire tractor motor apart. It took me the greater part of a day, but I learned a lot. I never did get it back together.

Random Fact #4: I hate pet birds. I own two. I spend more money on said birds than I thought was ever possible. What's worse is that at the end of the day, those stupid birds are growing on me.

Random Fact #5: As a small child, I believed "life" was found in the heart. My childhood pet, a bunny, died and my parents decided it would be a great homeschool project to dissect the bunny. (Very disturbing, I know) But I found the whole ordeal very interesting until my Dad showed me the little bunny heart. With big tears in my eyes I looked up at him and said, "Daddy, you killed it!" I don't know if I've ever forgiven him for that.

Random Fact #6: I love to Scuba dive. But I think everybody knows that. Hmmm, well in other news I've been to 46 of the U.S. states.

Random Fact #7: I love to peel sunburns. Nice ending, huh?

Hmmm, maybe I should have made my random facts a little more appealing. (pun not intended.) Now everyone will think I'm a tunafish-juice-loving-bird-hating-sunburn-peeling nut. :-) Well, I guess it's all in how you look at things. :-)

I tag: Vanessa, Katie, Sarah, Michael, Janice, Susie, Rachel D.

Around the House

So our lovable pup, Hurley, had to go back to the rescue center. :-( So sad. But really, it was the best thing for us. It only took a matter of days before M & I discovered that the pup took up what little bit of free time we had for one another. Thankfully the rescue center is fantastic, so aside from missing him horribly, I know he's in good hands and will soon find a family that will provide him lots of land to run and play in. Here's a couple of pictures we took while we had him. He was quite a cuddler. :-)






So now that we have our time back, M & I are attempting to entertain ourselves by other means. Last night I think was the best of all. On our way out the door to go play basketball, we halted at the sight of our tiny grill in the middle of the driveway. Filled with coals from grilling out our salmon, it was just at the perfect stage for roasting marshmellows. Back into the house we went to get the sweet goodies and our kabob sticks. Needless to say, the basketball game was delayed. :-)





Ah, I love the warm, Virginia weather. :-) Did I mention that my husband took me on a sunset river dinner cruise for my birthday last weekend? That, too, was fantastic. We took a long walk through DC and got some great "spring-y" pictures, then off to the river!










May is such a great month. :-)

Just a little reminder

“The true expression of Christian character is not in good-doing, but in God-likeness. If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit divine characteristics in your life, not just good human characteristics. God’s life in us expresses itself as God’s life, not as human life trying to be godly. The secret of a Christian’s life is that the supernatural becomes natural in him as a result of the grace of God, and the experience of this becomes evident in the practical, everyday details of life, not in times of intimate fellowship with God. And when we come in contact with things that create confusion and a flurry of activity, we find to our own amazement that we have the power to stay wonderfully poised even in the center of it all.”

~Oswald Chambers

Virginia is for lovers...

Virginia is for lovers... or so they say. I honestly don't know why lovers would be more attracted to this state over all the others, but what do I know.?

The trees, the flowers - everything bloomed here this past week. It was beautiful, but what I thought was an easy spring for allergies has suddenly become a pollen wasteland. I've consequently been the worst wife in all of history. Every night this week I've crawled into bed doped up on Benadryl and promptly slept the night away, paying little attention to my husband or even waking up to say goodbye to him in the morning. Shameful.

Matt and I planted tulips in our front flower bed a couple of nights ago. They're so pretty - two white and two yellow. We actually ended up digging the holes with the help of a sturdy tablespoon. :-) I haven't had a chance to get to get to Lowes for real garden supplies.

I'll post pictures soon.

Last weekend we went home to Ohio for our second of three wedding receptions. It was such fun to see friends and neighbors who I haven't seen in years. Sometimes it's fun to visit your past. I was able to wear my wedding dress again. It's officially filthy now. Ick.

My list of "thank yous" to write has continued to grow. At this rate I'm almost positive I'll be finished by my 30th birthday. I better make sure not to have any baby showers before then or I'm out of luck. :-)

And then there were three...

along came Herbie... a.k.a. Hurley.













Yes, we've added to our number. Yes, it's too early for a *real* family, but we've been enjoying this addition. Aside from a rough beginning, I think we've happily adjusted. We're on a two-week trial period with Hurley until we make our final decision to keep him. But for now, we're doing good.

And in answer to the questions, mhmm, I'm lovin' married life. The responsibility of managing a home is a serious one, and I've been making lots of adjustments to my previously "single" schedule, but I wouldn't complain a bit. I think I have the best, most loving husband and friend in the world - I guess every new wife says that. :-)

And what follows??? Bring on St. Lucia

Our honeymoon was just a great as our wedding was, and we only have God and His kindness to thank for that. M & I headed off to St. Lucia bright and early Monday morning. Well, I don't know how "bright" it was (we got to the airport at 4:15am) but what soon followed made it all worthwhile. St. Lucia is an island in the British West Indies and possesses all the carribean island charm you would expect from an island so far south.

We spent our week at the Anse Chastenet resort, which was a small resort (not touristy at all) on the more unpopulated side of the island. Our humble bungalow featured two solid walls and two completely screened walls, a blue sky mural on the ceiling, a canopy bed and no air conditioning. It was so perfect for us, though - just what we wanted. Our travel agent outdid himself in setting this up for us (and all for free, too! Anyone looking to book a honeymoon should definitely give them a call!)

Anyway, the resort featured two restaurants which served the best food I have literally ever tasted. Basic, but accented with multiple herbs, spices and coconut. I loved it. As you will see from the pictures, our bungalow set about 200 feet above sea level... that's 200 ft of stairs... above sea level, and possessed a fantastic view of the Piton volcanic mountains and the crystal Carribean sea. Breathtaking! Sometimes literally. :-)

The weather was sunny every day, with temps in the high 80s during the day. It was paradise. Enjoy the pictures. (To view larger images, click on the pictures themselves).



The entrance into our bungalow. 5C, the Cordia room.









Our room, in all it's glory, in the evening. Not fancy, but just the way we wanted it: authentic. Even the lighting is very dim there.








A sunset view from the balcony of our bungalow to the right.








Our view of the Pitons to the left.









Here's a view of the entire resort from the water. It's all tucked away in the mountainside under the palm trees.















Scuba diving is our new favorite thing. We went twice and absolutely loved it! The second time we went we dove beneath the waters at the base of the Petit Piton mountain. It was beyond amazing. While make our way through the reefs at 50 ft below, we encountered a even more magestic sight - a giant sea turtle, calming making his way through the 80F water. There are not words to describe how awesome it was.

But diving did have it's costs. Here you'll see my scuba diving boo boos. That's what you get when you run into a coral wall. Stupid.










One of the nearby, secluded beaches.









And this was a very pleasant surprise. We were on our way back from diving when our guide pulled us up to this ship. Turns out it's the "Black Pearl", the ship used in the filming of the movie Pirates of the Carribean. Sweet!





M loved the sailing we got to do. But I didn't feel so good. *Sheepish grin* But being out on the water for the sunset was great and we ended the evening on the boat with a toast of champagne.





During the day we spent our time lounging around under the cous cous hut, or...







On a hammock in the shade of a palm tree. Yes, life was rough. :-)









In the evenings the local fishermen brought in their catches of the day! Time to eat!






Our beach.









Our beach table. :-) Nothing like eating your dinner while the waves come up to you.






Two of the many friendly birds we encountered on our trip. In fact, M & I have a video of me feeding one of them by hand. The two friendliest birds were brown finches and bananaquats.






Needless to say, it was very difficult to leave such a beautiful island. It was the perfect getaway for a newly-married couple.

The Time Has Come... The Wedding is Here

Mr. & Mrs. Almagest & Flitgurl S.
have arrived...

I don't know how one goes about blogging about their wedding day, aside from showing pictures. There aren't words for the beauty of such a sacred and celebrated event, but single words come ot mind: memorous, ideal, inspired, invigorating, perfect.

M & I were blessed with such a beautiful day. And the number of friends who turned out to help make our special day so great brought us to tears (of gratefulness and amazement) on several occations. We are so grateful to be blessed with such priceless friends.

March 10th, 2007 looked something like this for all of us... Note: I've only gotten a few of my pictures back, so you will have to settle on seeing more pictures of our honeymoon than the wedding right now... not that I think you will mind, right? :-) I will certainly post a link to all the pictures as soon as I have them.















The Bride and Groom. So happy!















Our lovely wedding party... doing what they do best: create awkward moments, and awkward pictures. They're all fantastic!

(Our flowergirl and ringbearer wrestled with that pop gun the entire time during our pictures. It was darling.)

You gotta love the "boy band" ushers. Priceless... and bored. :-)














The ceremony was so meaningful to us, and our pastor did a fantastic job!














Afterward the bride and groom made a rather unique recession down the aisle. Hey, we were just adding a little CA charm. :-)













And of course, what wedding would be complete without a *H* picture?! There's a couple missing, but hey, getting everyone together is kinda like herding cats.














And after a wonderful reception, it was off to our honeymoon... by way of the trashed car. :-)