Today I saw some people start the 30 Days of Thankfulness on FB,
and I thought,
"Hmm...I should do that!"
I don't usually jump on stuff like this -
no, I will never post my bra color during October for a litany of reasons -
but I thought this would be as good for me as anything.
Why?
Well, I'm prone to worry
and I'm prone to whining.
So with that -
Thankfulness!
Day 1 coming up.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Sunday, October 20, 2013
30.47
I'm 30 and 47 days, and since this post is going to be about whatever has been going on both outside and inside me without much specificity, 30.47 seemed like the best title.
So, I'm pregnant, and the baby's a girl. My husband I are very excited, and everything seems to be going well so far. So, why don't we first get into the things that everyone seems to either say or want to know about and then get into some more of the less obvious items that have been suffering from being stuck inside of me. I just want to say stuff out loud (via written word), so here it goes.
6. Conclusion: Random thoughts for the night
1. Pregnancy -
A. The physical stuff.
I'm getting bigger - almost bigger than I've ever been, and it's weird for me (more on that later). I have had no cravings other than what I always crave (chocolate) and what I just, in general, enjoy (fatty foods).
On top of that, I can't handle overly bitter things and anything that I remotely decide isn't "good" while eating it. What I mean by that is that if I'm enjoying a delicious sandwich, and then I suddenly decide that the tomato in the sandwich is not so good, my body will literally revolt if I try to keep eating said tomatoes. So that's fun! But really, I have had an easy pregnancy, and I'm very thankful. I know that isn't what many women get to experience, and I do acknowledge that this may not be the case if we get pregnant again!
B. The emotional/reflective stuff.
Thoughts I have had/statements I have made:
So for the past (almost) year, I have been advising the scholarship chairwoman of the Eta Nu chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta. It's been a great experience so far, but definitely one with it's obstacles. All I have to say is that I a.) am thankful that I learned that "saying no" is a very good thing when it comes to time committments, that b.) I am hopeful that these women will see the value in improving the atmosphere of learning in their chapter, and c.) that I am so thankful for being able to work with these women individually and collectively. I can't teach right now (which is natural, since I don't have a teaching job!), and this is a fairly similar hybrid to teaching/coaching. I hope that I can be a light in the lives of these women.
3. Speaking of jobs...
Well hey, I'm having a kid, and the whole job situation is up in the air. It would be awesome to be able to do something from home, but I'm leaving the maternity leave option at my current job open as a just-in-case measure. The length of time that Trinity gives for maternity leave is generous, but they require a six-month work commitment in order to not have to pay the income back for that time. So, to the few people who might still subscribe to this blog, if you have any ideas for work-from-home jobs, please let me know, and extra 100 points to you if it's not administrative/secretarial! Long and short of it - that kind of work is not congruent with how I'm wired. I know - I've been doing it for almost 3 years.
4. Theology. Theology III.
That's a little bit of a James Bond reference as far as subtitle style goes.
Anyway, I'm taking a class with John right now titled Systematic Theology III - The Holy Spirit, the Church, and End Times. It is some interesting stuff, people, and let me tell you, the Church doesn't talk enough about the Holy Spirit, the Church could use a good history course to help it understand how its various members have served in the past, and I still think that the pre-tribulation, pre-millenial view of end times is the best one, although I haven't learned much about it yet.
I might write more later about that, but for now I need to read about women's role in the Church and sort through the idea that even leading complementarian scholars would say that many of the churches I've been a part of have some more work to do. Long and short of it, my brain and heart have been a bit shaken, if not stirred.
5. Fashion
Ok, let's take a different turn and talk about fashion - first, maternity fashion, and then it's on to one other sartorial comment.
Maternity - Maternity fashion needs to be more colorful, not so neutral/dark. No woman wants to look like a raincloud. Also, I am trying to figure out how to stay warm come December, January, February, and March. Sundresses won't cut it, but a $100 coat is out of the question. I'm very thankful, however, for the Goodwills and Salvation Armys in the Chicago Northern Suburbs as well as all the highly affluent individuals who donate to them.
Other comment - Has anyone else noticed that young female fashion is almost the same in length and tightness as to what waitresses wear at Hooters? I'm not kidding - the next time you see a Hooters ad, look at what the women wear for shorts. It's the same thing. Our young women have been convinced that they are as functional as someone who is told to make sure to bend at the waist in order to get more tips.
6. Conclusion: Random thoughts for the night
This Colts/Broncos game is emotionally conflicting.
Wes Welker looks a little bit like a shark.
NFL lip reading is the funniest video on YouTube, and the fact that those guys (most likely) are the ones who made the newest McDonald's commercial makes me quite happy.
I'm tired of losing in Fantasy Football, and I certainly hope that won't happen again this week.
I just found out that Carrie Underwood is the lead in the live version of Sound of Music, airing on NBC on Dec. 5th. IF those producers make that musical, in any way, with so much as a riff of country twang, I will protest.
Reactionary medical warning is not a good thing, nor is "just in case" medical approaches that have little proven benefit but plenty of hype.
The country/woods/nature trumps city and dominates suburbia.
Big men pretending to be birds in celebration of football sacks are a funny sight.
A close study of Colossians will rock your life.
Cramps during pregnancy are not necessarily gas - they are possibly signaling the continental shift that is occurring within your body.
I wish I craved pickles. I never have really liked pickles, and I wish I did!
11:00 p.m. comes too soon.
Goodnight, everyone, and thanks for reading!
So, I'm pregnant, and the baby's a girl. My husband I are very excited, and everything seems to be going well so far. So, why don't we first get into the things that everyone seems to either say or want to know about and then get into some more of the less obvious items that have been suffering from being stuck inside of me. I just want to say stuff out loud (via written word), so here it goes.
30.47
Table of contents
1. Pregnancy
a. the physical stuff
b. the emotional/reflective stuff
2. Theta
3. Speaking of jobs...
4. Theology. Theology III
5. Fashion
6. Conclusion: Random thoughts for the night
1. Pregnancy -
A. The physical stuff.
I'm getting bigger - almost bigger than I've ever been, and it's weird for me (more on that later). I have had no cravings other than what I always crave (chocolate) and what I just, in general, enjoy (fatty foods).
On top of that, I can't handle overly bitter things and anything that I remotely decide isn't "good" while eating it. What I mean by that is that if I'm enjoying a delicious sandwich, and then I suddenly decide that the tomato in the sandwich is not so good, my body will literally revolt if I try to keep eating said tomatoes. So that's fun! But really, I have had an easy pregnancy, and I'm very thankful. I know that isn't what many women get to experience, and I do acknowledge that this may not be the case if we get pregnant again!
B. The emotional/reflective stuff.
Thoughts I have had/statements I have made:
- Our pregnancy was a total surprise for us. This may not make all that much sense, but it's true - 3.5 years of trying makes eventually dismiss the possibility most of the time.
- It is hard not to be scared that something bad will happen still, but so far I'm very thankful that the baby looks healthy and is a long-limbed, squirmy little bugger.
- We didn't end up getting any medical treatment, although we did start the process to receive it.
- I have strong theological and philosophical convictions about the statements "worth the wait," "God's perfect timing," and "this shows that all you had to do was...". I may explain those some other time, but for now I just want to say that I've realized how important it is to be conscientious with these phrases.
- It's amazing how people will instantly make comments about weight and image to a woman when she's pregnant and would never do that to someone else who was not with child. I am sure I've been guilty of this.
- Knowing the sex/gender of my child didn't all of a sudden make her seem human - it was seeing her profile. The nose - it almost took me out.
- Seeing that our baby is a girl was a very bittersweet thing. We are loving this now, but of course a boy would have been awesome, too. There's a story to this, but we are happy with what God has designed.
- It's incredible how quickly things start to not fit, as in - I have started to pop, and it's an other-worldly experience.
- Speaking of other-worldly, some pants I had that I could literally have fall off now look like I'm trying to show anyone and everyone that I do, in fact, have two butt cheeks.
- The hardest thing so far: knowing my daughter won't know my dad.
- The best thing so far: John has been an amazing husband this whole time.
So for the past (almost) year, I have been advising the scholarship chairwoman of the Eta Nu chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta. It's been a great experience so far, but definitely one with it's obstacles. All I have to say is that I a.) am thankful that I learned that "saying no" is a very good thing when it comes to time committments, that b.) I am hopeful that these women will see the value in improving the atmosphere of learning in their chapter, and c.) that I am so thankful for being able to work with these women individually and collectively. I can't teach right now (which is natural, since I don't have a teaching job!), and this is a fairly similar hybrid to teaching/coaching. I hope that I can be a light in the lives of these women.
3. Speaking of jobs...
Well hey, I'm having a kid, and the whole job situation is up in the air. It would be awesome to be able to do something from home, but I'm leaving the maternity leave option at my current job open as a just-in-case measure. The length of time that Trinity gives for maternity leave is generous, but they require a six-month work commitment in order to not have to pay the income back for that time. So, to the few people who might still subscribe to this blog, if you have any ideas for work-from-home jobs, please let me know, and extra 100 points to you if it's not administrative/secretarial! Long and short of it - that kind of work is not congruent with how I'm wired. I know - I've been doing it for almost 3 years.
4. Theology. Theology III.
That's a little bit of a James Bond reference as far as subtitle style goes.
Anyway, I'm taking a class with John right now titled Systematic Theology III - The Holy Spirit, the Church, and End Times. It is some interesting stuff, people, and let me tell you, the Church doesn't talk enough about the Holy Spirit, the Church could use a good history course to help it understand how its various members have served in the past, and I still think that the pre-tribulation, pre-millenial view of end times is the best one, although I haven't learned much about it yet.
I might write more later about that, but for now I need to read about women's role in the Church and sort through the idea that even leading complementarian scholars would say that many of the churches I've been a part of have some more work to do. Long and short of it, my brain and heart have been a bit shaken, if not stirred.
5. Fashion
Ok, let's take a different turn and talk about fashion - first, maternity fashion, and then it's on to one other sartorial comment.
Maternity - Maternity fashion needs to be more colorful, not so neutral/dark. No woman wants to look like a raincloud. Also, I am trying to figure out how to stay warm come December, January, February, and March. Sundresses won't cut it, but a $100 coat is out of the question. I'm very thankful, however, for the Goodwills and Salvation Armys in the Chicago Northern Suburbs as well as all the highly affluent individuals who donate to them.
Other comment - Has anyone else noticed that young female fashion is almost the same in length and tightness as to what waitresses wear at Hooters? I'm not kidding - the next time you see a Hooters ad, look at what the women wear for shorts. It's the same thing. Our young women have been convinced that they are as functional as someone who is told to make sure to bend at the waist in order to get more tips.
6. Conclusion: Random thoughts for the night
This Colts/Broncos game is emotionally conflicting.
Wes Welker looks a little bit like a shark.
NFL lip reading is the funniest video on YouTube, and the fact that those guys (most likely) are the ones who made the newest McDonald's commercial makes me quite happy.
I'm tired of losing in Fantasy Football, and I certainly hope that won't happen again this week.
I just found out that Carrie Underwood is the lead in the live version of Sound of Music, airing on NBC on Dec. 5th. IF those producers make that musical, in any way, with so much as a riff of country twang, I will protest.
Reactionary medical warning is not a good thing, nor is "just in case" medical approaches that have little proven benefit but plenty of hype.
The country/woods/nature trumps city and dominates suburbia.
Big men pretending to be birds in celebration of football sacks are a funny sight.
A close study of Colossians will rock your life.
Cramps during pregnancy are not necessarily gas - they are possibly signaling the continental shift that is occurring within your body.
I wish I craved pickles. I never have really liked pickles, and I wish I did!
11:00 p.m. comes too soon.
Goodnight, everyone, and thanks for reading!
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
30.1
Today I turned 30.
30!
I considered running around
(literally - up and down halls and stairs and being a goofy teen for the last time)
last night like I did on the eve of my 20th birthday,
but being 10 years older and a whole lot more tired these days,
I decided to be an irresponsible 20-something for the last time and
stay up until a quarter til 1 watching "MasterChef."
It was - almost - worth it.
So I'm happy to be 30. I'm simply happy to be alive,
happy to celebrate a special number attached to an annually occurring day,
and I am thankful that God has given me these minutes and hours to live, breathe, and
honor him.
I'm having a party,
which I love planning but get overwhelmed when it involves me as a focal point.
It took my husband and a good friend to just get over it already and
make the e-vite!
I'm also having a baby;
yes, you non-facebookers/blog readers who I don't know personally,
the miracle of life is happening within me and
I am certainly freaked out and excited and chill and nervous all at once.
One plus of going through infertility is the perspective on how the wait makes this occasion something worth cherishing and taking a day at a time.
The other plus is that, after going through infertility for a while, I've been able to sort through a lot of the pregnancy pressure and hype that surrounds expecting moms, for which I will be
eternally thankful.
So here's to the first day of being 30, the exciting experience of becoming a mom, the prayer and hope that this pregnancy continues heathfully and easily, and the wonder of what this next year will bring.
May God use me for his glory in every awesome and hardcore way.
30!
I considered running around
(literally - up and down halls and stairs and being a goofy teen for the last time)
last night like I did on the eve of my 20th birthday,
but being 10 years older and a whole lot more tired these days,
I decided to be an irresponsible 20-something for the last time and
stay up until a quarter til 1 watching "MasterChef."
It was - almost - worth it.
So I'm happy to be 30. I'm simply happy to be alive,
happy to celebrate a special number attached to an annually occurring day,
and I am thankful that God has given me these minutes and hours to live, breathe, and
honor him.
I'm having a party,
which I love planning but get overwhelmed when it involves me as a focal point.
It took my husband and a good friend to just get over it already and
make the e-vite!
I'm also having a baby;
yes, you non-facebookers/blog readers who I don't know personally,
the miracle of life is happening within me and
I am certainly freaked out and excited and chill and nervous all at once.
One plus of going through infertility is the perspective on how the wait makes this occasion something worth cherishing and taking a day at a time.
The other plus is that, after going through infertility for a while, I've been able to sort through a lot of the pregnancy pressure and hype that surrounds expecting moms, for which I will be
eternally thankful.
So here's to the first day of being 30, the exciting experience of becoming a mom, the prayer and hope that this pregnancy continues heathfully and easily, and the wonder of what this next year will bring.
May God use me for his glory in every awesome and hardcore way.
Monday, September 2, 2013
30 in 30
In 30 minutes I will turn 30.
I have 30 minutes to fold laundry (2nd least favorite chore) so I don't have to
a. do it on my birthday, or
b. stare at it on my birthday.
So here I go - folding!
Real exciting stuff here, amiright???
I have 30 minutes to fold laundry (2nd least favorite chore) so I don't have to
a. do it on my birthday, or
b. stare at it on my birthday.
So here I go - folding!
Real exciting stuff here, amiright???
Friday, August 30, 2013
Fantasy Football 2013
Well, I need to make an icon for my fantasy team this year, which really is just a little picture
(really, a little picture)
that espn.com can upload correctly.
They have to upload it from a website, so I'm trying to make it happen on here.
I already tried and failed by using Flickr, so I'm hoping that this blog post, which
will actually be a webpage, too, will
serve as such an option for my graphic design needs.
Yes, this is how I'm using my day off, that and driving 8-9 hours to Northern MN.
(really, a little picture)
that espn.com can upload correctly.
They have to upload it from a website, so I'm trying to make it happen on here.
I already tried and failed by using Flickr, so I'm hoping that this blog post, which
will actually be a webpage, too, will
serve as such an option for my graphic design needs.
Yes, this is how I'm using my day off, that and driving 8-9 hours to Northern MN.
 |
| Can you guess who was my first pick? |
Friday, July 5, 2013
fireflies
fireflies are magical to me.
i'd only see them once in a blue moon back home, and
when i moved to iowa, i would see them all the time.
it was on the July 4 weekend in 2011 that I, for the first time, saw
fireflies in abundance at my old home.
it was almost dusk - late at night in the northern U.S., and
you could just start to see stars in the sky.
i was outside after a pretty tough few days,
this one in particular including me yelling for my dad to spit out a piece of chicken because i witnessed him going into a petit mal seizure. he did, and
he was fine, but
it was just another tell-tale sign of the end.
so that night i went outside on the deck and looked
down toward my backyard.
in circles and swoops flew little blinking lights,
and i stood there in a bit of awe.
there were dozens, maybe even fifty or more,
and they swirled around in a mystical kind of way.
I had never seen a single firefly in my backyard - not in the almost
twenty years my parents owned that house.
then, the next evening,
after a fairly traumatic 4th of July trip to the
emergency room with my dad (that had nothing to do with fireworks),
we headed back to illinois before my dad took his last turn.
on the way back,
i kind of wished we got to see some fireworks, maybe because it was the holiday,
and maybe because i just wanted a little normalcy.
this wasn't the fourth that i had expected,
which was what it was,
but what i couldn't have expected were the fireflies.
again, we saw them,
on the way back while driving on some country highways,
they bobbed up and down through tall grass along
the roadside ditches.
this probably won't make that much sense,
but i really felt God's presence with that;
i knew i was going into uncharted territory, even with 20+ years of
experiencing the effects of my dad's cancer.
the little thing like fireflies, which
almost never existed around my home,
showed me that something extraordinary would be present with me and my family.
... ... ...
i'd only see them once in a blue moon back home, and
when i moved to iowa, i would see them all the time.
it was on the July 4 weekend in 2011 that I, for the first time, saw
fireflies in abundance at my old home.
it was almost dusk - late at night in the northern U.S., and
you could just start to see stars in the sky.
i was outside after a pretty tough few days,
this one in particular including me yelling for my dad to spit out a piece of chicken because i witnessed him going into a petit mal seizure. he did, and
he was fine, but
it was just another tell-tale sign of the end.
so that night i went outside on the deck and looked
down toward my backyard.
in circles and swoops flew little blinking lights,
and i stood there in a bit of awe.
there were dozens, maybe even fifty or more,
and they swirled around in a mystical kind of way.
I had never seen a single firefly in my backyard - not in the almost
twenty years my parents owned that house.
then, the next evening,
after a fairly traumatic 4th of July trip to the
emergency room with my dad (that had nothing to do with fireworks),
we headed back to illinois before my dad took his last turn.
on the way back,
i kind of wished we got to see some fireworks, maybe because it was the holiday,
and maybe because i just wanted a little normalcy.
this wasn't the fourth that i had expected,
which was what it was,
but what i couldn't have expected were the fireflies.
again, we saw them,
on the way back while driving on some country highways,
they bobbed up and down through tall grass along
the roadside ditches.
this probably won't make that much sense,
but i really felt God's presence with that;
i knew i was going into uncharted territory, even with 20+ years of
experiencing the effects of my dad's cancer.
the little thing like fireflies, which
almost never existed around my home,
showed me that something extraordinary would be present with me and my family.
... ... ...
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
What to Register for If You're ...
Title:
What to Register for If You're Getting Married
or
What to Register for If You're Pregnant
or
What to Register for If You're Really Ready for People to Buy You Stuff.
Answer:
Good quality things!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've been thinking about this lately, and it was compounded by the following:
1. I have a student worker in my office who is getting married, saying he and his fiance are registering for less expensive things because they don't want their family and friends to have to spend beyond what they want.
2. I have a friend who will be moving soon who mentioned the cheap stuff they registered for when they got married, and how those things were going in the toss pile.
Just some advice from the brain that thinks about these things:
People often really want to do something special for you if it's a special occasion,
and if they don't want to give cash, they
will go for the registry list.
Sure, it's good to put less-expensive items on a list for those who can't drop $100 -
heck, $50 -
on a gift, but
find things that are good in quality.
Some people very likely do want to get you something nice,
and most people probably don't want to get you something that's
going to bust once you've used it for a year or
two or
three.
Finally, when the cheap stuff does break, or
if the cheap stuff doesn't quite do the job you want it to do,
then I sure hope you have the ca$h to buy the
$15 measuring cups or the
$30 glasses or the
$50 food processor or the
$75 set of silverware
$100 plates and bowls set or the
$200 high quality, soft, durable sheets or the
$300 vacuum or the
$500 pots and pans or the
$1500 mattress or the
$3000 car repair.
No, you don't register for car repairs,
but the nice registry-eligible stuff you want
will take a BIG back seat
once married life/parent life/etc. really gets going!
What to Register for If You're Getting Married
or
What to Register for If You're Pregnant
or
What to Register for If You're Really Ready for People to Buy You Stuff.
Answer:
Good quality things!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've been thinking about this lately, and it was compounded by the following:
1. I have a student worker in my office who is getting married, saying he and his fiance are registering for less expensive things because they don't want their family and friends to have to spend beyond what they want.
2. I have a friend who will be moving soon who mentioned the cheap stuff they registered for when they got married, and how those things were going in the toss pile.
Just some advice from the brain that thinks about these things:
People often really want to do something special for you if it's a special occasion,
and if they don't want to give cash, they
will go for the registry list.
Sure, it's good to put less-expensive items on a list for those who can't drop $100 -
heck, $50 -
on a gift, but
find things that are good in quality.
Some people very likely do want to get you something nice,
and most people probably don't want to get you something that's
going to bust once you've used it for a year or
two or
three.
Finally, when the cheap stuff does break, or
if the cheap stuff doesn't quite do the job you want it to do,
then I sure hope you have the ca$h to buy the
$15 measuring cups or the
$30 glasses or the
$50 food processor or the
$75 set of silverware
$100 plates and bowls set or the
$200 high quality, soft, durable sheets or the
$300 vacuum or the
$500 pots and pans or the
$1500 mattress or the
$3000 car repair.
No, you don't register for car repairs,
but the nice registry-eligible stuff you want
will take a BIG back seat
once married life/parent life/etc. really gets going!
Sunday, June 16, 2013
a Happy Fathers Day
A happy Father's Day for my dad would have included the following:
Fishing
Hostess chocolate doughnuts and a Kwik Trip Coffee
Lunch - probably some kind of ham sandwich, made with butter - NOT mayo
Nap
Reading the paper
Sports TV - golf would probably be it.
Grilling
Burgers
Baked beans
Ruffles Chips
A beer - Michelob Light
Dinner with his wife and 2 daughters
Law & Order
and/or
a winning Twins game on TV
Talking about all sorts of things
Laughing
Hugs
No arguing between his two daughters for a day
Kisses from Mom
A good night's sleep
Fishing
Hostess chocolate doughnuts and a Kwik Trip Coffee
Lunch - probably some kind of ham sandwich, made with butter - NOT mayo
Nap
Reading the paper
Sports TV - golf would probably be it.
Grilling
Burgers
Baked beans
Ruffles Chips
A beer - Michelob Light
Dinner with his wife and 2 daughters
Law & Order
and/or
a winning Twins game on TV
Talking about all sorts of things
Laughing
Hugs
No arguing between his two daughters for a day
Kisses from Mom
A good night's sleep
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
TTC T: Facebook 1
This is called Facebook 1, mainly because I'm confident that I'll have other posts about Facebook in the future.
Anyway, it's hard going on Facebook when you're trying to conceive,
particularly when you find out that a friend is having a baby.
It could be his or her first,
second,
third,
fourth,
fifth,
....
that's about the top number I can remember for the amount of kids any of my friends have.
So, it's easy to become jealous, bitter, and calloused toward these friends.
It's also even easier to become jealous, bitter, and calloused toward God.
Finally, it's easiest to become sad, discouraged, and dismayed - none of which are bad, but
none of which are actually good.
So I've learned to
a. say "congrats!"
and
b. avoid FB in the daytime
Why?
a. babies are wonderful, they are gifts from God, and they are worth celebrating!
b. moms post more in the daytime, and my work productivity tanks and my thighs start to spread when I get sad.
It's true.
Anyway, it's hard going on Facebook when you're trying to conceive,
particularly when you find out that a friend is having a baby.
It could be his or her first,
second,
third,
fourth,
fifth,
....
that's about the top number I can remember for the amount of kids any of my friends have.
So, it's easy to become jealous, bitter, and calloused toward these friends.
It's also even easier to become jealous, bitter, and calloused toward God.
Finally, it's easiest to become sad, discouraged, and dismayed - none of which are bad, but
none of which are actually good.
So I've learned to
a. say "congrats!"
and
b. avoid FB in the daytime
Why?
a. babies are wonderful, they are gifts from God, and they are worth celebrating!
b. moms post more in the daytime, and my work productivity tanks and my thighs start to spread when I get sad.
It's true.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)