It's A....

Most of you have probably seen this photo on facebook!  This is for those of you who haven't.  Joel surprised me and stated that he wanted to announce the gender of our baby in a special way.  So, we made about a million mini strawberry cupcakes and arranged them to say "GIRL" when his parents were in town.  Every other family member received a little card in the mail that said "G" is for GIRL!

I'll admit it.  I was positive we were going to have a boy.  I saw Joel teaching a couple of younger boys how to throw a football and I decided that God HAD to give him one.  Ha ha...so much for hunches. Now I'm looking forward to watching Joel play princess and dolls with our special little girl!  He'll be great at it:)  Maybe he can teach her how to throw a football, too!

A view of NYC from Weehawkin

Oma and Opa!

It's funny that I used to think that Minneapolis was a "big city"

What a beautiful day!

I FINALLY feel like I can write a post about "Oma and Opa" since we will be having a child soon.  I secretly used to tell Maddie (our dog) that "Oma and Opa" were coming to visit when I was without child...Yeah...I'm funny like that.

Anyway, we had a great time with Milt and Linda.  We're excited to show some more visitors the sites in the following weeks!

21 Weeks

Here I am at 21 weeks!  Joel took this picture yesterday, but I'm positive my girth has grown by at least an inch since then.

I know ya'll (especially my mom) are waiting to find out what the sex of the baby is.  Joel and I will let you know SOON!

What NOT To Say to A Pregnant Lady

My sister warned me that once my prego belly started showing, the whole world would start patting it and offering lots of advice.   She was right, but I don't really mind. I actually think it's kind of fun. I've never had a water balloon size belly before and I'd never want one if I weren't having a baby. So, pat away while you can.  There have been a few comments that have thrown me for a loop, though.....okay, maybe just one in particular.

1).  Yesterday someone stated that they couldn't tell that I was pregnant except for the fact that my face looks "fuller." (I was covered in a large tunic because I was getting my hair cut)    Hmmm....way to make a girl feel just plain fat.  I'm now feeling very motivated to train for marathon number two! (after the baby arrives).

Luckily, most people are really kind and tell me "how wonderful I look."  My niece declared that she thinks I look "beautiful with my big belly."  These are good examples of what one SHOULD say to a pregnant lady!  Never, ever, ever make any references to her "fuller face." 

I'm sure there will be other comments in the future that will cause me to be self-conscious about my ever growing figure, but I'm attempting to listen to the ones that make me feel good about the way I look! Attempting is the KEY word in that last sentence!

Hard Times....

From the title of this blog entry it may seem as though I'm going to review a piece of literature by Charles Dickens.  I'm not.  I decided to name this post "Hard Times"  because that's what I've been going through the past couple of months.  I'm not composing this in order to elicit sympathy or support.  My husband, family and close friends have given a tremendous amount of that during the past few months (thank you all!!!).   I guess I'm just explaining my absence as well as reflecting on the effect this period of suffering has had on my life.

Today,  I  literally stumbled on a list about suffering in Philip Yancey's book, "Where Is God When It Hurts?" (It is a list written by Monica Hellwig, a catholic nun who points out the 'adavantages of being poor.'  Yancey "broadens" the subject to suffering (Yancey, p 145).  I identify with it, and in some ways it makes me appreciate what I've gone through.  Here it is (the words in parenthesis are my added thoughts):

1.  Suffering, the great equalizer, brings us to a point where we may realize our urgent need for redemption.  (so true)

2.  Those who suffer know not only their dependence on God and on healthy people but also their interdependence with one another. (amen to this!)

3.  Those who suffer rest their security not on things, which often cannot be enjoyed and may soon be taken away, but rather on people. 

4.  Those who suffer have no exaggerated sense of their own importance, and no exaggerated need of privacy.  Suffering humbles the proud. ( I can definitely relate with this...)

5.  Those who suffer expect little from competition and much from cooperation.

6.  Suffering helps us distinguish between necessities and luxuries.

7.  Suffering teaches patience, often a kind of dogged patience born of acknowledged dependence.

8.  Suffering teaches the difference between valid fears and exaggerated fears. (umm..yes).

9.  To suffering people, the gospel sounds like good news and not like a threat or a scolding.  It offers hope and comfort (amen again)

10. Those who suffer can respond to the call of the gospel with a certain abandonment and uncomplicated totality because they have so little to lose and are ready for anything.  

As time marches forward, I'm realizing that my husband's words " the pain will ease as time passes" are very true.  Thank goodness for healing!  I'm ready to leave this "suffering" period behind me!  While times have been hard in some ways, we have been greatly blessed in others. Get ready for baby bump pictures and pregnancy stories because we are expecting our first child in October!

*The suffering period I refer to in this blog is NOT about pregnancy or morning sickness...I'm simply referring to another life situation I found to be very challenging.  

Life and Such

My mom recently commented on my lack of blog posts lately...I haven't really had anything to talk about, but I'll tell you a bit of my life anyway :)

1) I'm working 5 days a week.  This is a huge adjustment.  I haven't labored that many days in a row since college :)

2) I'm starting to give up on housekeeping...squeaky, clean floors are over rated, anyway.  I need to work on building my immune system.  Why not start by living in a messier atmosphere (j/k...our house doesn't look that bad...just not as nice as when I stayed home.)

3) I'm REALLY looking forward to Memorial Day this year....It will be my first day off since February 1st.

4) I regularly go to bed at 8:15pm these days...I better stop blogging NOW, because I only have an hour left of my day to exercise, study and do laundry (It's now 7p)

Randomness...

1.  I thought the Mall of America parking lot was busy until I shopped in NJ/NY.  There's NO messing around in these states...If you find a parking spot 1/2 a mile away, count yourself lucky.

2.  Culture SHOCK are the two words I would use to describe the last couple of weeks.

3.  A person who did NOT grow up in this country candidly observed that I did not look or sound anything like the others I work with  (this was not said in a mean fashion)  hmmm...lately, I HAVE felt like I grew up in a foreign land.

4.   Kisses on the cheek.  There's no dodging them in NJ.  There's some total smackage (yes, I made that word up) of cheeks up here.  Do I turn my face to the right, the left?  Do I kiss back?

5. People who live in NJ, have ALWAYS lived in NJ...They continually ask me "Well, what did you move HERE for?"  Sometimes I ask myself the SAME question....:)  No worries, though.  We are settling in.  I've heard it takes 1-2 years to call a new place home.  I'm hoping it will be sooner for us!