Monday, April 30, 2007
Sad News
Today I am hit hard with the news of a mom I knew as an acquaintance who passed away due to complications of childbirth. We didn't know each other well, only met a handful of times at the park and the library. Our sons were a few days apart and she just had her second son last week. I don't know the details, other than she passed away. I can't shake thinking about her, her husband, and her sons. It is so unthinkable that something like this could happen in today's modern Western world. It happened frequently 100 years ago. I know a little bit about what happened, and it is very serious and rare. It is a reminder that life is so fragile and precious. It makes me want to hug my son a little tighter, love my husband even better, be thankful for the movements I feel inside my belly, and thank God for each day He gives me. Pray for Vanessa's husband Matt and her sons Joseph and William during this unfathomable time of grief.
Monday, April 16, 2007
My Birthday
It was my birthday this past weekend, I won't say how old I turned :) We started off the day with a BANG at Karen and Bill's house for the best waffles we have ever had. They have ruined us for boxed waffles forever. Bummer. Ben loved singing Happy Birthday (his favorite song) and the candle in my waffle :)
We had a relaxing day together as a family, went to church on Saturday evening, then Steven and I went on a date. We went to an Italian restaurant in Lincoln Square and spontaneously went to a movie afterwards. We saw "the Namesake" a great movie about the merging of two cultures. I read the book recently...of course, the book was better, but we enjoyed it! Thanks to Graham, my brother, for babysitting!
On the way home at midnight, we nearly got into an accident due to a car in front of us swerving across three lanes of traffic (and doing two 360s) in front of us on the highway. We truly almost hit them twice. Steven handled it very well. Our hearts were pounding, and we were pretty freaked out. You feel so vulnerable once there are kids in your life...Man, its scary! We prayed and thanked God for sparing us from the accident. I feel even more vulnerable being pregnant. Even if we weren't hurt in an accident, the baby could easily be harmed. Near misses are good reminders to take stock of what is important in life.
Overall, I had a great birthday. Many people were thoughtful and remembered my day. Thanks to you all!
We had a relaxing day together as a family, went to church on Saturday evening, then Steven and I went on a date. We went to an Italian restaurant in Lincoln Square and spontaneously went to a movie afterwards. We saw "the Namesake" a great movie about the merging of two cultures. I read the book recently...of course, the book was better, but we enjoyed it! Thanks to Graham, my brother, for babysitting!
On the way home at midnight, we nearly got into an accident due to a car in front of us swerving across three lanes of traffic (and doing two 360s) in front of us on the highway. We truly almost hit them twice. Steven handled it very well. Our hearts were pounding, and we were pretty freaked out. You feel so vulnerable once there are kids in your life...Man, its scary! We prayed and thanked God for sparing us from the accident. I feel even more vulnerable being pregnant. Even if we weren't hurt in an accident, the baby could easily be harmed. Near misses are good reminders to take stock of what is important in life.
Overall, I had a great birthday. Many people were thoughtful and remembered my day. Thanks to you all!
Old friends
It was great to visit with Joanne, my friend since 7th grade, over Easter. She is Physician's Assistant and lives in Holland. We get together periodically and pick up right where we left off. She joined us for Easter dinner as her parents/family were out of town. Great seeing you, Joanne!
Keen Dishes
Ben's favorite activity at the moment is washing dishes (Keen Dishes). He wants play in the water all day, every day. We'd really be pleased if he really could do the dishes, instead, today he broke a glass. I keep saying, I know this is just a phase....
Easter
We had a great time visiting my parents in Easter, although it felt more like Christmas than Easter! We had a couple inches of snow, a treacherous drive on icy roads on the way there, and COOOLLLLDDDD temperatures. Ben liked his Easter baskets, too :)
Friday, April 06, 2007
Good Friday
I'm exhausted and frustrated after a very long day at work yesterday, less than 5 hours of sleep and a son that has been sleeping poorly all week. I'm feeling sorry for myself today with a list a mile long of things to do, feeling cranky and fatigued, and feeling the toll that 7 months pregnant takes on my body.
This morning I checked a blog that I found and frequent often. It is a beautifully written blog about someone with infertility. It frequently inspires me and gives me perspective on something that I can only imagine is deeply painful. The entry today by it's author reflects on the wonder of Christs sacrifice for us that we remember today on Good Friday. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend any services this week until Easter Sunday. Today's entry has brought me to tears about the God who sacrificed his very life for me. The author has spoken to me about what Good Friday and this Holy Week really means. Thank you, whoever you are!
Here is the link to the blog: called "the Other Shoe."
I have nothing to complain about. I have a very good life. Even on 5 hours of sleep.
This morning I checked a blog that I found and frequent often. It is a beautifully written blog about someone with infertility. It frequently inspires me and gives me perspective on something that I can only imagine is deeply painful. The entry today by it's author reflects on the wonder of Christs sacrifice for us that we remember today on Good Friday. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend any services this week until Easter Sunday. Today's entry has brought me to tears about the God who sacrificed his very life for me. The author has spoken to me about what Good Friday and this Holy Week really means. Thank you, whoever you are!
Here is the link to the blog: called "the Other Shoe."
I have nothing to complain about. I have a very good life. Even on 5 hours of sleep.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
A Childhood Quest Fulfilled
On roadtrips growing up (which were frequent due to both grandparents living about 3 hours away), my Dad made up a game for my brother and I, we called it the "Car Game." It may not be unique to our family, but we loved it and it really helped to pass the time. We would each get money for spotting different cars along the way. My Dad came up with all sorts of categories of cars: i.e. Red Buick $0.01, Navy Blue Dodge Pickup $0.05, etc. We would get $1 or $2 for more unusual cars. At the end of the trip, we would earn a few dollars (which felt like a million bucks to us!). My brother usually did better than I, being more astute at makes/models of cars. There was one car that was never attainable over the many years we played the game: A Pink Landrover, the Holy Grail of the Car Game. Recently, I spotted this Pink Landrover in Oak Park parked in front of a shop. I raced home to get my camera and my cell phone (as unusually I had neither with me at the time). When I came back to the shop 5 minutes later, it was gone. Fortunately, I described my plight to some friends who have helped capture the car in question on camera (in front of the same shop). I am sure it is the same car as in my whole lifetime I have never seen a Pink Landrover! When I first saw it, I called my Dad to tell him the good news--neither of us could remember the reward that we had decided upon years ago...it was either $25 or $50. I'll leave the amount up to my Dad and his conscience. I'm just happy to have beat my brother to the prize (for once). I'm going to fully enjoy gloating about this one....
Monday, April 02, 2007
21 Months!
Ben has been 21 months for awhile now,so I thought I would do my monthly post to try and stay on top of what he's doing (so that I remember later!).
He continues to do well in so many areas and is so much fun! He's talking about everything and beginning to put 2-3 words together. He can (occasionally) count to 10 :) He knows many colors and loves to color with markers (washable ones, thank you very much!). He's enjoying the outdoors immensely with the onset of warmer weather. His favorite thing to do is "wash dishes" which means standing at the sink and playing with the water, occasionally dumping water from a cup into something else. He's very curious, loves to put things together and discover how things work. He's fascinated with candles and asks us to light a candle many times a day. Since Steven's birthday, he wants to sing "Happy Birthday" before his nap and bedtime. He's also beginning to sing along to several of his favorite songs :) His sleep is still doing pretty well, with occasional speed bumps. He talks about "baby" but also thinks his belly holds a baby :) Babies intrigue him, he frequently studies them and gets close to their face to kiss them. I think he'll be a great big brother, and I am sure he will have a some challenges with the transition. His will is strong at times and he's very sure of what he wants. Happy 21 months, we love you, Ben!!!
He continues to do well in so many areas and is so much fun! He's talking about everything and beginning to put 2-3 words together. He can (occasionally) count to 10 :) He knows many colors and loves to color with markers (washable ones, thank you very much!). He's enjoying the outdoors immensely with the onset of warmer weather. His favorite thing to do is "wash dishes" which means standing at the sink and playing with the water, occasionally dumping water from a cup into something else. He's very curious, loves to put things together and discover how things work. He's fascinated with candles and asks us to light a candle many times a day. Since Steven's birthday, he wants to sing "Happy Birthday" before his nap and bedtime. He's also beginning to sing along to several of his favorite songs :) His sleep is still doing pretty well, with occasional speed bumps. He talks about "baby" but also thinks his belly holds a baby :) Babies intrigue him, he frequently studies them and gets close to their face to kiss them. I think he'll be a great big brother, and I am sure he will have a some challenges with the transition. His will is strong at times and he's very sure of what he wants. Happy 21 months, we love you, Ben!!!
First Annual Spa Getaway!
This past weekend I went away to nearby Wisconsin Dells for a getaway with 4 close girlfriends (who also happened to be my bridesmaids in our wedding). I strategically planned it as a last hoorah before this baby comes! It was so great to be with everyone, and unlike our wedding, we actually got to spend time together.
We left Saturday morning and returned last evening. The only thing on our agenda was to relax (and of course, our scheduled massages!). We all split up making meals, and lets just say we ate very well!!!
It was much-needed time for away for all of us. I couldn't believe how great it was not to be needed by anyone!!! Its not bad to be needed, however, the break was great for me. The accomodations were luxurious, the spa facilities peaceful, and the company was fabulous! In this photo, we are being driven from our "villa" (a super-deluxe condo we rented) via Lincoln town car to the spa. The royal treatment was lovely! Theres a few other photos if you click on this photo to go to Flickr.
We didn't do a whole lot other than eat, laugh, and talk. The highlights were enjoying the spa and its amenities, taking a early morning walk with Karen and Amy, and the food! I love you, girls! Thanks for coming with me!
We all vowed to try and do this annually. It was good for the soul!!!!
We left Saturday morning and returned last evening. The only thing on our agenda was to relax (and of course, our scheduled massages!). We all split up making meals, and lets just say we ate very well!!!
It was much-needed time for away for all of us. I couldn't believe how great it was not to be needed by anyone!!! Its not bad to be needed, however, the break was great for me. The accomodations were luxurious, the spa facilities peaceful, and the company was fabulous! In this photo, we are being driven from our "villa" (a super-deluxe condo we rented) via Lincoln town car to the spa. The royal treatment was lovely! Theres a few other photos if you click on this photo to go to Flickr.
We didn't do a whole lot other than eat, laugh, and talk. The highlights were enjoying the spa and its amenities, taking a early morning walk with Karen and Amy, and the food! I love you, girls! Thanks for coming with me!
We all vowed to try and do this annually. It was good for the soul!!!!
Me and my belly
Several of you have asked for belly shots. I am a bit self-conscious of my belly right now, so the belly shots I took the other night will not be posted. I just feel/look so huge right now (despite less weight gain this time). While at the zoo the other day, Sally took some photos of Ben hugging my belly, so this is all you are going to get. I am now 26+ weeks and feeling good. Here you go!
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