Yikes!

Wow, tomorrow I am 20 weeks pregnant! It's hard to believe - the time has gone by soooo fast. And when I look at my calender, I know this last half will go just a quick!

I am finally staring to show a belly and not just look fat - I am sure those of you who have multiple children are thinking 'are you crazy!' Maybe I am, just a little (wink). But in all honesty, I want to enjoy every facet of being pregnant. I want to enjoy the baby belly, the maternity clothes, the way food consumes more of my thinking, the way I feel little pulls or tugs that remind me that, yes, I am pregnant!

I am looking forward to having my first ultrasound next week and I am so excited to finally "see" this little one. I feel like it will help this reality to settle in. Since becoming pregnant, I have only seen the midwives twice and the nurse educator once - so the idea has seemed a little abstract up until these last couple of weeks when the belly decided to make it's appearance :) I am sure as this pregnancy continues, it will become more and more real to me...in fact I may have felt the baby move... but I just guessing at this point :)

The Special Night

My Valentine's Special Night Out (not on Valentine's) was awesome!

It started with both Glenn and I being ready at 6:00pm. At 6:15, the rental car showed up, complete with bubbly and champagne flutes. (Don't worry, it was non-alcoholic) As my husband opened the car door for me, there on my seat was a beautiful longstem red rose dressed in pretty ribbon.

We headed to the Staunton Grocery, a very nice upscale restaurant, where my husband had a 5 course tasting arranged for us. The food itself was delicious - but the presentation was stunning in and of itself. The neat thing was even though we both were having the tasting menu, both of our tastings were entirely different. (So we also tasted each others!) Of course, my favorite was the desert! Mine was an orange carrot cake on a caramel sauce with a side of gelato (yummie!) Glenn had a baked whole pear with a caramelized sauce and rich milk chocolate - it made for a stunning combination of texture and flavor as it mixed on your palette! We also had handmade sodas that were out of this world! The main course of beef (for me with a reduction sauce and fancy mushrooms) and pork (for Glenn with a wonderful herb crusting and reduction sauce) were both amazing! Dinner was slow paced and relaxing. Glenn and I were able to have wonderful conversation - we didn't feel rushed or hurried - in fact when we went to leave, we realized we had been at dinner for over 3 hours!

I wish I was a better writer so that I could put words to my thoughts and feelings of that night. For today, I will have to be satisfied with the single words that come to mind:

CHERISHED

LOVED

BELOVED

BEAUTIFUL

And for those who have asked - here are some pics of me at 17 and 1/2 weeks. Note: the part that is "popping" isn't necessarily my belly (although it is catching up!)

Like I told Glenn the other day, "I know I'm pregnant, but right now I just feel fat." I can't wait to actually have the 'baby bump' so that people will know that I'm pregnant. But, truly, I am just trying to relish each stage of this whole life creating thing because already it seems to be going by so very fast! Soon I'll be having my first ultrasound at 20+ weeks!

And, no, that is not a tattoo on my arm - I had a rather large vase that jumped off the shelf at Valentine's Day and decided to use my head and arm to break it's fall before it crashed into a million pieces on the floor.

Recovered

Valentine's Day is officaly almost a week past *yippiee*

I am thankful to say that we all survived and it was a good holiday. My dear Husband did a great job of encouraging me to rest and sleep (and those that know me well - EAT!) as much as possible considering that I was on my feet 9-12 hours a day.

Not only that, but on The Day, after it was all over and I was all comfey, clean and in a fluffy robe - he gave me a V day gift. Now note that we don't typically celebrate until the following week because it is just toooo crazy. But there, sitting on my pillow was a beautiful cloth covered gift box with the cutest bear with ribbon embroidery on it's tummy. Inside was bath salts, bubble bath, bath gel, chocolates and a really neat book. I was surprised and felt so loved and taken care of - but it didn't stop there. He said there was more. More??!! This is enough, why more?? He then told me that he had a very special date night planned for this Saturday the 21st.

Wow. It was so unexpected. I was overwhelmed. I was close to tears. I can't explain how his demonstration of love affected my heart. Even as I type this, I am still overwhelmed by his thoughtfulness. You see, not only did he help me after he got off work and on Saturday - but he was having a very busy week of his own at his job. So to know that he had thought of me in the midst of all the craziness both of our jobs entailed, when I personally was just trying to have the energy to make it through - I was blessed beyond words. Beyond words.

Needless to say, I am soooooo looking forward to tomorrow night!

I have the BEST husband in the world!

Memorial Day Outing

unlaoding

on the water -


the views -we saw ducks, duckings, geese and gooselings - and a few kids swiming. heading home.....

fun day off :)

I'm so jealous-

of my husband. He just returned from a 10 day missions trip to Prague. This is one of the shots he took of Prague Castle. (The Gothic spires you see in the background are actually part of a Gothic Cathedral that took 1,000 years to complete. they have found foundation stones with dates from the 10 hundreds) Prague is one of the places that a couple of my friends and I were planning to go a few years ago - but opted for London instead. After makeing that decision switch, I found out from a relative that Prague is one of the places I should go before I die. *sigh* That's twice I've missed the opportunity. I WILL go to Prague one day - just not this year. As my husband was showing me pics yesterday I found it interesting that the city has great examples of premier building styles from the medieval times to Gothic to Art Nouvex and so forth.

I am jealous.

But for now I will completely enjoy the photos he took and the stories he is sharing. Now to be fair he was on a construction missions trip - and since I don't know anything about construction - I would have been of little help. But truly I am excited that he was able to go and bless the Betel mission there.



This pic is of a special stucco process where grey/black stucco is applied over white stucco and scribbed off to create the white images - WOW

Another Reason this is a Special Week

As noted by my sis in her comment on yesterday's post, My wedding aniversary DOES indeed fall into this most very special of weeks - in fact it is today! I share this special week with my sis whose 19th anniversary was yesterday -that's right - you read it right - 19!!! While I am only on my 3rd anniversary I hope to oneday hit that 19th, just like my big sis (love you sis!)

I sit here; reflecting on the past 3 years of my life, and 2 things stand out to me - well maybe a few more than 2 - but these are the top 2 things that I pondered upon waking this morning...

1. These past 3 years have gone by so very quickly!

2. It seems like I have always been married to and lived with my husband. (in a good way)

How is it that I can have such 2 differing viewpoints and feelings?

I reason that the 3 years have passed quickly because it has not been hard to be married to my husband. He makes life fun! And it has been such an easy adjustment to share a home with him. I feel comfortable in our relationship and in his presence. It's hard to remember sometimes what life was like B.H. (Before Hubby)

So to continue with my list of ponderings....

My husband is the most interesting person to talk to - he is a wealth of information (and for those of you who know me - you know how I just go ga-ga of random bits of knowledge)

He enjoys reading as much as I do! Only difference is that he is an avid NON- fiction reader. If you want to know anything about WWII or the history of trains - ask him!

He can hang out with me for hours at an art muesum, and actualy enjoy it!

He hugs me - a lot :)

He is in every way the specific answer to so many of my prayers for a husband. (That's just a whole 'nother post)

He enjoys traveling like I do - so far since we have been married we have been to the Myan Riveria, Hawaii (including Pearl Harbor), Ireland, Sight & Sound Theatre, New York City (to the Betel Mission there - but while there we did see a concert at Carnaige Hall) & Italy (Rome and Venice) and he is going to Prauge for a missons trip! **For those of you who are enjoying my new photo on my header - it is from our honeymoon! **

There is so much more - and I don't have time to write it all! But I LOVE LOVE LOVE my husband and I am thankful every day that God saw fit to bring him into my life.

(Below - some random pics from my wedding)

This one ia a Large cymbidium orchids submerged underwater - with a beta fish!

outside the entrance to the tent for the reception

can you tell how happy I am!!!