It has been a little while since my last blog, but with good reason:
1. We moved from Toledo to Fort Wayne
2. I was living in an apartment while Phil was still in Toledo
3. My apartment had no internet
4. We were spending our free time looking for houses
5. We were spending our free time trying to adjust to new jobs
6. We were spending our free time moving all our belongings into storage
7. We went on vacation to see my family in California
8. We moved into a house in Fort Wayne
9. There were/are lots of projects to do on our new house
10. We still have no internet at our house (I'm at Starbucks)
It has been a busy summer to say the least, but they have all been good changes and I am very happy about the move and what God has in store for us in this new chapter.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
It's Official
I never really believed in Love of First Sight...Until today! We went for our first ultrasound and saw our little peanut for the first time. WOW. AMAZING. What a huge miracle in such a tiny package. Not until I saw that little blurry black and white picture did it feel real that Phil and I are going to be parents. The very first thing we noticed and that the tech pointed out was the flickering white spot in peanut's chest...the heartbeat. The heartbeat was loud and strong, which made me feel much more at ease. Then she measured the baby. At this point the average baby is 2.5 cm long...Phil's kid is already 3 cm. Go figure. The coolest part was seeing how active peanut already is. The legs were kicking and arms were flying. It even turned from one side to the other while the technician was checking something else. My heart is so full of joy, I don't know how I will be patient for another 7 months before I can hold our little one in my arms. We are so blessed!!!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Breaking News
Just like every little girl who dreams about her wedding day, I have been dreaming about the day that we would get to share with our families that we are pregnant. I am pretty sentimental (Phil can attest to that) and I like to be original, and I DEFINITELY wanted to be way high on the surprise factor. Selfishly, I wanted to see the reaction of my family, but since they lived so far away that posed a bit of an issue. So instead we decided to tell each family member individually so we could re-live the moment several times. First I told my sister Torrie. She is really artistic and she knew that we are moving so I sent her a picture via e-mail of the baby bedding and said, "do you think you could make something to match this bedding for the new house?" She got it RIGHT away.
I needed her help and my baby sister, Mallory's help to tell my mom, so I had to tell Mal next. I sent Mallory this picture in a text and said, "Look at what Phil and I bought for your littlest fan." (She is going to Michigan in the fall to play field hockey).
Her response was a little slower, she actually said, "who is my littlest fan." My response was, "I hope you don't mind if Phil and I bring someone with us to your games next year" She responded with an inquisitive, "are you pregnant?".
My dad was the only family member that I was able to tell in person because he was visiting for my graduation. I have him a thank you gift for traveling all the way out to see me and for sharing in my special graduation weekend. The gift was a jar of memories with my dad. He thought it was sweet and we both got a little teary. Then I told him there was another one and handed it to him. He looked at it, but didn't read the tag. I prompted him to read the tag which said 'memories with grandpa' He looked at my stomach and asked if I was pregnant. We both started crying. It was pretty special.
Then came mom's turn. I had gotten my sisters to help me pull this one off. It was mother's day, so I had a great way of disguising the announcement as a mother's day gift. For my birthday my mom had sent me a gift card to Starbucks with a card that said, "I wish we could get together for a coffee date, but this will have to do." So I had my sisters buy a webcam and set it up. Then they gave her a Starbucks coffee and blueberry muffin and set her and I up to Skype. My mom and I were talking on Skype and I told her that the coffee date was her mother's day gift. She thought that was pretty cool until a few minutes later when I said, "well mom, from one mom to another, happy mother's day." I am so thankful that I got to see her reaction. She said, "what" then got really excited and said "what" about 3 more times. Then the tears started flowing. She was SO excited.
To tell Travis and his wife Danielle, we sent them an e-vite invitation. The invitation read, "We know it is a little early to start planning, but if you aren't doing anything on Christmas Day, 2010, we would love for you to join us in our Big birthday celebration. The event will be held at Dupont Hospital for a couple of days. Upon arrival, ask the nurse for directions to the right room and follow the sound of screaming." Danielle called right away and said she and Travis have just been waiting for us to announce that we were pregnant.
Kyle was hard for me to think of something creative, but his reaction was priceless. He works at In-N-Out so I called him up and said, "Kyle, when Phil and I come to visit in July, do you think you could bring me a double-double because I will be pretty hungry now that I am eating for two." He said, 'No' in disbelief, then he started shouting 'No, No Way, Oh my gosh, I'm going to be an uncle.' He sent me a text message after we got off the phone and said, at first I thought I should tell you that you should get your own burger because by the time I brought you one from work it would be cold, but I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM GOING TO BE AN UNCLE.
Next was Phil's family. Because they live close enough for us to tell them in person we needed to wait a little longer until we would see them again. Luckily, Uncle Bill and Aunt Gayle were in town so we had an excuse to come over to visit. We told Lindsey first. Phil, Lindsey and I (my feet) were in the hot tub. Phil told Linds that we had been out shopping and found something that was TOTALLY her and Pat. I handed her a picture frame that said, "I Love My Aunt" and inside it said "I am due to meet you Christmas Day 2010." At first she didn't totally get it because she thought I was giving her something to put Bo and Daisy (their dogs) in since I say I am their Aunt. Then she got it and was excited! Lindsey got to tell Pat since he was in California having the bike trip of his life!
Then it was time to spill the beans to Ray and Marcia. We thought we had this great idea that they would get right away, but their reactions proved even better than we could have imagined. I printed out pictures from my graduation since Ray hadn't been there to see it. Then we sat the two of them down and let them look through the pictures. At the end of the pictures I had printed two normal looking pictures that said, "Proud Grad" and "Excited Grad". Then Phil and I did a little 'photo shoot' and came up with these two which I had printed on them, "Expectant Grad" and "Class of 2028".
It was so funny because the first picture, Ray said, "that is weird, it looks like Phil is holding her stomach." And Marcia said, "Oh they are just playing around." Then they looked at the next one which Phil and I thought would be super obvious, and they still didn't seem to get it. Ray said, "huh, now he is kissing her stomach and it really looks like she is pregnant." Marcia still wasn't convinced and she said, "oh this is a joke right." When no one said anything she looked at Phil who gave her a shrug and she started crying and repeated, "this IS a joke right, right." Then she turned and looked at me and I was already crying and smiling and hugged her. They were SO surprised but excited to become Nana and Papa Ray!
Telling Uncle Tony was hard because we wanted to tell him in person but there wasn't a good time so we sent him a text message with the ultrasound and said, "you probably can't see the family resemblance yet but you will in about 7 months. Call my mom and dad for more details." He called and wad so excited but he was confused by who the mom and dad were. It was funny explaining that we were mom and dad.
Sharing the news with our family was almost more exciting than finding out for ourselves!
I needed her help and my baby sister, Mallory's help to tell my mom, so I had to tell Mal next. I sent Mallory this picture in a text and said, "Look at what Phil and I bought for your littlest fan." (She is going to Michigan in the fall to play field hockey).
Her response was a little slower, she actually said, "who is my littlest fan." My response was, "I hope you don't mind if Phil and I bring someone with us to your games next year" She responded with an inquisitive, "are you pregnant?".
My dad was the only family member that I was able to tell in person because he was visiting for my graduation. I have him a thank you gift for traveling all the way out to see me and for sharing in my special graduation weekend. The gift was a jar of memories with my dad. He thought it was sweet and we both got a little teary. Then I told him there was another one and handed it to him. He looked at it, but didn't read the tag. I prompted him to read the tag which said 'memories with grandpa' He looked at my stomach and asked if I was pregnant. We both started crying. It was pretty special.
Then came mom's turn. I had gotten my sisters to help me pull this one off. It was mother's day, so I had a great way of disguising the announcement as a mother's day gift. For my birthday my mom had sent me a gift card to Starbucks with a card that said, "I wish we could get together for a coffee date, but this will have to do." So I had my sisters buy a webcam and set it up. Then they gave her a Starbucks coffee and blueberry muffin and set her and I up to Skype. My mom and I were talking on Skype and I told her that the coffee date was her mother's day gift. She thought that was pretty cool until a few minutes later when I said, "well mom, from one mom to another, happy mother's day." I am so thankful that I got to see her reaction. She said, "what" then got really excited and said "what" about 3 more times. Then the tears started flowing. She was SO excited.
To tell Travis and his wife Danielle, we sent them an e-vite invitation. The invitation read, "We know it is a little early to start planning, but if you aren't doing anything on Christmas Day, 2010, we would love for you to join us in our Big birthday celebration. The event will be held at Dupont Hospital for a couple of days. Upon arrival, ask the nurse for directions to the right room and follow the sound of screaming." Danielle called right away and said she and Travis have just been waiting for us to announce that we were pregnant.
Kyle was hard for me to think of something creative, but his reaction was priceless. He works at In-N-Out so I called him up and said, "Kyle, when Phil and I come to visit in July, do you think you could bring me a double-double because I will be pretty hungry now that I am eating for two." He said, 'No' in disbelief, then he started shouting 'No, No Way, Oh my gosh, I'm going to be an uncle.' He sent me a text message after we got off the phone and said, at first I thought I should tell you that you should get your own burger because by the time I brought you one from work it would be cold, but I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM GOING TO BE AN UNCLE.
Next was Phil's family. Because they live close enough for us to tell them in person we needed to wait a little longer until we would see them again. Luckily, Uncle Bill and Aunt Gayle were in town so we had an excuse to come over to visit. We told Lindsey first. Phil, Lindsey and I (my feet) were in the hot tub. Phil told Linds that we had been out shopping and found something that was TOTALLY her and Pat. I handed her a picture frame that said, "I Love My Aunt" and inside it said "I am due to meet you Christmas Day 2010." At first she didn't totally get it because she thought I was giving her something to put Bo and Daisy (their dogs) in since I say I am their Aunt. Then she got it and was excited! Lindsey got to tell Pat since he was in California having the bike trip of his life!
Then it was time to spill the beans to Ray and Marcia. We thought we had this great idea that they would get right away, but their reactions proved even better than we could have imagined. I printed out pictures from my graduation since Ray hadn't been there to see it. Then we sat the two of them down and let them look through the pictures. At the end of the pictures I had printed two normal looking pictures that said, "Proud Grad" and "Excited Grad". Then Phil and I did a little 'photo shoot' and came up with these two which I had printed on them, "Expectant Grad" and "Class of 2028".
It was so funny because the first picture, Ray said, "that is weird, it looks like Phil is holding her stomach." And Marcia said, "Oh they are just playing around." Then they looked at the next one which Phil and I thought would be super obvious, and they still didn't seem to get it. Ray said, "huh, now he is kissing her stomach and it really looks like she is pregnant." Marcia still wasn't convinced and she said, "oh this is a joke right." When no one said anything she looked at Phil who gave her a shrug and she started crying and repeated, "this IS a joke right, right." Then she turned and looked at me and I was already crying and smiling and hugged her. They were SO surprised but excited to become Nana and Papa Ray!
Telling Uncle Tony was hard because we wanted to tell him in person but there wasn't a good time so we sent him a text message with the ultrasound and said, "you probably can't see the family resemblance yet but you will in about 7 months. Call my mom and dad for more details." He called and wad so excited but he was confused by who the mom and dad were. It was funny explaining that we were mom and dad.
Sharing the news with our family was almost more exciting than finding out for ourselves!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Graduation Day
I am FINALLY done. It took twice as long to get through my undergrad, but then all I did was play field hockey and go to class. Grade school was half as much time and yet it felt like it would NEVER end. I suppose working all day then going to class at night twice a week, doing homework all weekend and taking classes all summer will make it feel that way. BUT NOW IT IS OVER. I was so blessed to share my big weekend with my dad who flew in from San Diego and my mother-in-law who drove over from Indianapolis and of course my WONDERFUL proof reader, I mean husband, who equally deserved the diploma. I could not be more thankful to be done!!! Now, if only I could figure out a way to get out of paying for it...
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Home Sweet Home
What makes a house become a home? Is it the paint on the walls or the curtains that match the pretty bedspread? Or is it the Pottery Barn pillows on the leather couch and the Kirkland's candle holders hanging in the kitchen? Those things look good in a magazine and make a house look slightly occupied, but that isn't what makes it a home.
A home is a place filled with memories. Wear tracks worn into the carpet from walking back and forth from the kitchen to the living room with popcorn for movie time together. The stain on the couch from a spilled drink during a Christmas party. The chip in the piano when the kids were playing field hockey in the house. The holes in the wall where favorite posters were hung with thumbtacks during the pre-teen years. The gouge in the dining room wall where someone fell back in their chair after being told for the 15th time not to rock back. The pine needles still stuck in the baseboard from last year's Christmas tree. The holes in the backyard where the old swingset used to be.
Sure you can patch holes and change carpet and paint, but underneath it all are the memories that can never be erased. Sometimes it might take a little digging, but you can always find the memories there, and that is what makes a house a home. The place you feel safe, accepted, comfortable and can make new memories to add to the old.
A home is a place filled with memories. Wear tracks worn into the carpet from walking back and forth from the kitchen to the living room with popcorn for movie time together. The stain on the couch from a spilled drink during a Christmas party. The chip in the piano when the kids were playing field hockey in the house. The holes in the wall where favorite posters were hung with thumbtacks during the pre-teen years. The gouge in the dining room wall where someone fell back in their chair after being told for the 15th time not to rock back. The pine needles still stuck in the baseboard from last year's Christmas tree. The holes in the backyard where the old swingset used to be.
Sure you can patch holes and change carpet and paint, but underneath it all are the memories that can never be erased. Sometimes it might take a little digging, but you can always find the memories there, and that is what makes a house a home. The place you feel safe, accepted, comfortable and can make new memories to add to the old.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
At last
What is better than graduating from college once? Graduating twice!!! I have officially completed my last class for my masters tonight and I will NOT be going back for any more torture. Of course these were the hardest two years of my life to date, but now that they are over, oh the things I will do with my time. Now I might actually be able to:
Paint my nails and let them dry
Make a dinner other than chili from the can
Read a book for leisure
See my husband
See my friends
Make friends
Have friends
Go on a road trip and not spend the whole time typing in the car
Read without a highlighter
Start Blogging
Watch T.V.
Figure out what is on T.V. on Wednesday nights for the first time in two years
Get my real work done
Go to the gym after work
Go to the gym on a Saturday or Sunday
Read a magazine just for fun
Scrapbook again
Rent all the Disparate House Wives season DVD's and get caught up
I might need to do that with Grey's Anatomy as well
Start saving for a vacation (not tuition)
Start saving for the baby's tuition (you know that will be ridiculous in 2028)
Take a photography class (wait, nix the classes, I'll just play around)
Learn to cook
Most of all ENJOY THE PIECE OF MIND THAT NOTHING IS DUE!!!
These are the sweet things I came home to find after my last class:
Paint my nails and let them dry
Make a dinner other than chili from the can
Read a book for leisure
See my husband
See my friends
Make friends
Have friends
Go on a road trip and not spend the whole time typing in the car
Read without a highlighter
Start Blogging
Watch T.V.
Figure out what is on T.V. on Wednesday nights for the first time in two years
Get my real work done
Go to the gym after work
Go to the gym on a Saturday or Sunday
Read a magazine just for fun
Scrapbook again
Rent all the Disparate House Wives season DVD's and get caught up
I might need to do that with Grey's Anatomy as well
Start saving for a vacation (not tuition)
Start saving for the baby's tuition (you know that will be ridiculous in 2028)
Take a photography class (wait, nix the classes, I'll just play around)
Learn to cook
Most of all ENJOY THE PIECE OF MIND THAT NOTHING IS DUE!!!
These are the sweet things I came home to find after my last class:
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Third best day of my life...to this point!
So what is the first most exciting day of my life you ask...My wedding day of course. The second most exciting, getting engaged. But now I have experienced my third most exciting day to date. Don't get me wrong there have been lots of exciting days in my life, like when my field hockey team beat North Carolina to make it to the Elite Eight (we lost in the next game, but hey we got there). Then there was the day I got my license, except my car was teal blue, as old as I was and nick named the La Bamba. Completing my first marathon was pretty cool, but so was my second. Getting baptized was pretty great, but my parents weren't there. Being hired for my first job was SUPER exciting, but then you realize that a job is called work for a reason (teachers do NOT make enough money). Graduating with my masters in two weeks will be VERY close to being the third best day of my life, but I have something that tops even that.
On Saturday, April 17, 2010 I had the third best day of my life. It was a typical Saturday, which means that Phil was up at 7:30 ready to leave for the gym and I was just rolling out of bed (hey, I was thinking about going to the gym later that day, maybe). I didn't really have any reason or suspicions to do what I did next, but I did anyway. I peed on that little stick and I put it down on the floor by my feet (remember I just woke up and I was TIRED). I sat there for about 30 seconds and when I looked down the test was done. I had to turn on the light to read it because I thought I must have been seeing things (the light was off because I didn't REALLY want to wake up). NO WAY...I thought the test was broken. Phil and I had been trying for 9 months and I had taken my fair share of tests (I may have single handedly kept Clearblue in business). I had NEVER seen anything like this before. It really said "PREGNANT".
I had been planning how I would surprise Phil for months. I had all these cute little things planned. But I was in such shock that I literally picked up that stick (I put the cap over the pee part:) and walked into the kitchen just as Phil was getting ready to leave and all I could do was hand him the test. He looked at it and said, "REALLY?" I started crying (and I got all sweaty and shaky for some weird reason, whatever, I am weird). He picked me up and we were SO EXCITED. As he was leaving he said, you don't need to take anymore tests today, although I know you will take another one by lunch." I took another one at 11:00 (He knows me so well). It still said I was pregnant...and that my friends is my third best day to date!!!
This was me being excited...I still make that face sometimes when I think about it!
Oh yeah, for those of you who are wondering...our little peanut is due on Christmas day!!! (Sharing a birthday with Jesus isn't bad)
On Saturday, April 17, 2010 I had the third best day of my life. It was a typical Saturday, which means that Phil was up at 7:30 ready to leave for the gym and I was just rolling out of bed (hey, I was thinking about going to the gym later that day, maybe). I didn't really have any reason or suspicions to do what I did next, but I did anyway. I peed on that little stick and I put it down on the floor by my feet (remember I just woke up and I was TIRED). I sat there for about 30 seconds and when I looked down the test was done. I had to turn on the light to read it because I thought I must have been seeing things (the light was off because I didn't REALLY want to wake up). NO WAY...I thought the test was broken. Phil and I had been trying for 9 months and I had taken my fair share of tests (I may have single handedly kept Clearblue in business). I had NEVER seen anything like this before. It really said "PREGNANT".
I had been planning how I would surprise Phil for months. I had all these cute little things planned. But I was in such shock that I literally picked up that stick (I put the cap over the pee part:) and walked into the kitchen just as Phil was getting ready to leave and all I could do was hand him the test. He looked at it and said, "REALLY?" I started crying (and I got all sweaty and shaky for some weird reason, whatever, I am weird). He picked me up and we were SO EXCITED. As he was leaving he said, you don't need to take anymore tests today, although I know you will take another one by lunch." I took another one at 11:00 (He knows me so well). It still said I was pregnant...and that my friends is my third best day to date!!!
This was me being excited...I still make that face sometimes when I think about it!
Oh yeah, for those of you who are wondering...our little peanut is due on Christmas day!!! (Sharing a birthday with Jesus isn't bad)
Monday, April 26, 2010
In the begining...
Here is the condensed version of our life together until now. Phil and I met in college at Indiana University at church the weekend before Thanksgiving in 2004 (He was cute but I wasn't really interested. It was a brief meeting and we did not re-connect again until several months later when a teammate of mine had class with Phil and kind of set us up (Thank you Baldy, we owe you). We dated for about a year then were engaged (it is an adorable story, ask me about it sometime) and married in California on December 16, 2006.
We lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana for a year (our neighbors, Greg and Jim, were 40 something single men who drank beer in their garage and had a pension for driving their tiny riding lawn mower and shooting fireworks at midnight...man I miss them).
Then Phil's job took us to Maumee, Ohio. We have lived here for almost 2 1/2 years now. (See that small 15 foot maple tree in the corner of the house? Phil put that in by himself...there is a reason you can pay people to do your own landscaping. See those huge 80 foot trees in the backyard? Phil and I, along with the help of his parents cut those down...oh did I mention that an expert tree crew of 4 and their bobcat had to come save us from that mess...again there is a reason there are professionals).
Marriage has been awesome and we feel blessed to have had so many experiences together over the past three years. Our bond has grown stronger and deeper with each challenge and joy.
We lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana for a year (our neighbors, Greg and Jim, were 40 something single men who drank beer in their garage and had a pension for driving their tiny riding lawn mower and shooting fireworks at midnight...man I miss them).
Then Phil's job took us to Maumee, Ohio. We have lived here for almost 2 1/2 years now. (See that small 15 foot maple tree in the corner of the house? Phil put that in by himself...there is a reason you can pay people to do your own landscaping. See those huge 80 foot trees in the backyard? Phil and I, along with the help of his parents cut those down...oh did I mention that an expert tree crew of 4 and their bobcat had to come save us from that mess...again there is a reason there are professionals).
Marriage has been awesome and we feel blessed to have had so many experiences together over the past three years. Our bond has grown stronger and deeper with each challenge and joy.
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