To My Grandma

This season has brought a tremendous amount of stress between buying our first home, moving, starting a new job, and the exhaustion of first trimester. Time has really gotten away from me! So, Grandma, when you read this, I'm sorry I didn't get anything in the mail for Christmas this year. I will do my best to send something for New Year's. I love you and will post pictures of Christmas as soon as we get back from Wyoming!

XOXO

Tears, tears, and more tears

Yes, I know pregnant women cry a lot...but it's more than that. Working at the Family Support Center is particularly emotional this time of year because I am so aware of so many needs that are going unmet. There are very generous people out there who are "adopting" our needy families for Christmas and buying the kids a gift or two, which is so, so wonderful. No matter how many we provide for, though, the ones I think of are the ones still left. I know there is no way we can help everyone who needs it, but gosh, it's one thing to know that, and another thing entirely to have to look a weeping mother in the eyes and say, "No, we don't have any help for your kids." I cry almost every day, now.

So if any of you out there feel like you can or would like to adopt a needy family this Christmas, please let me know. I've got lists of them, from one kid, to six kids, and everything in between. And always remember to be grateful for what we have!

New House!

So Tom and I both had a four day weekend for Thanksgiving...but it actually felt like a break to go back to work! In order to get all the remodeling done in time, there wasn't a single night we went to bed before 3 A.M. But it's mostly done now, just a few loose ends to tie later. I could kick myself for not having my camera to take before and after pictures; we really changed it a ton! For starters, there was a full wall between the kitchen and living room that we took out to open the room. Then, the kitchen was the most offensive shade of robin egg blue I've ever seen. Plus, the living room was a yucky, chipping, yellowed color. Needless to say, repainting was a must. Then add a few curtains, some blinds, and of course, a Christmas tree...and call it home!

The carpet and kitchen was brand new, which is great. I LOVE our shower, the shower head is like, 10 feet tall! And the shower is done in sandstone tile, so you feel like you're under a waterfall or something. It's four bedrooms (well, 3 and a half) 2 bath. The outside doesn't look like much; just a simple grey house on the corner. But it's OUR simple grey house. Plus, the inside is a lot bigger than it looks from the outside, so I'm thrilled. Here are some pictures! There are a few boxes in the pictures; we're still working on it. When it's done though, you're all invited to our housewarming party! Archway Tom made; and yes, that's a PINK kitchen. I still giggle every time I look at it.
Still can't believe he let me paint it pink :0) Little office

front entry way

Tom's carport

Front of house. It kind of looks like a trailer house from this angle...but it's not

Master bath shower

Master bedroom (messy, I know, I know. I'm getting to it)

Living room

Living room from the another angle

Hallway

Guest bathroom

Guest bedroom

Lucy's bedroom

offcially home owners!

A month later...it finally happened. Tom and I closed on our first home yesterday!! We already took down the wall between the kitchen and living room we didn't like. Tom let me take the first swing at it, and let me just say, if you've never hit a wall as hard as you can with a hammer...put it on your "to do" list. It's an incredible feeling.
Anyhoo, so it's going to be a time crunch, but Tom and I both have a four day weekend, and we're hoping to get everything painted, cleaned, and moved in by Sunday. I'm so mad at myself for not taking pictures of the demolation, but I'll be sure to post pics of the final product :0)
Happy Thanksgiving to all, and wish us luck!

Simple Bliss...

So I just woke up from a nap to find, to my wonderful surprise, that Lucy is still napping. Tom is at a church meeting, so I am left in a quiet, peaceful apartment. I'm sipping a french vanilla steamer, soaking in the moment, and feeling rather content with life right now. Wishing you all a peaceful Sabbath :0)

First Race; First Place!!

For my birthday this year I decided to run my first 5K. My parents recently ran one in Florida, and as my earlier blog posts suggested, I "caught the bug". I've been training hard for almost a month now. I was so nervous for the race. As Tom and I pulled up and I looked at the hundreds of other runners (it was a smaller race, but there were still in the neighborhood of 300 runners), I actually said out loud, "What have I gotten myself into?"
I was so intimidated by their long, skinny legs and lengthy bodies. They all looked like bred runners to me! I literally felt sick, and arrogant for ever thinking I could compete with real runners. I wasn't much of a runner in high school or middle school, and those gym class horrors came back into my mind real quick.
Anyway, I took a deep breath and reminded myself that I'm not here to win, I'm just here to run. To finish the race.
It turns out, I exceeded my own expectations! I finished the race in 25:37, which put me in first place for the women age group 20-24, and 22nd overall! I was very happy with my time, and with the race in general. It felt so great! I even got a little medal that said first place. I can't wait to run another one!
As my husband and father both pointed out, though, I may want to wait until the baby is born. Training that hard while pregnant is tough, and will only get tougher. I will definatly keep running as long as my little zygote will let me, though.

What a great birthday! Thank you to everyone who came to the race to support me! Me after the race, sporting my 5k shirt and medal
Just got my award and some flowers Tom had for me at the finish line.

Just crossed the finish line; Tom was waiting there with flowers!

I'm just behind the tree in blue and red

Standing at the "Start" line, waiting nervously

My own office...

Today I went in to fill out new employee paperwork and get a tour of the office building. I was pleasantly surprsied to discover that I get my own office! Not as in, I get a desk in an office, or a cubicle in a room. No, there is a door, with my name on it, and behind that door is an entire office that is exclusively mine! I got butterflies just looking at it. I CANNOT wait to fill it with personal little knick-nacs (okay, I have no idea how to spell) and make it my very own :0) Each of the other offices I went into had their own personal touch; music, colors schemes, smells...so I guess I'll be given the same liberties. I cannot wait to start Monday!
I did buy Lucy a few new toys that I'm hoping will distract her enough to help ease the transition into daycare twice a week. That's the only part I'm not looking foward to :0(