Part #2 of Last Week's List!

Time for a new banner. :) I had so much fun making this one! Here is a continuation of the list of things that are simply wonderful this week.

~ Camping. Especially in the fall. Anything is better in the fall! We are going camping near the Kokosing River in mid October. Warm days painted with brilliant autumn colors all around. Chilly nights, starry skies, hot chocolate, and warm sleeping bags. Bacon, eggs, and pancakes sizzling over an open fire, while Gabby plays catch with you until she can't walk anymore. Cool splashes of river water on your bare feet. Campfire smell that won't come out of your clothes and hair for days. Warmth on your face from the cackling fire as you sit near, wrapped in a big blanket. Hot fry pies that melt in your mouth... It doesn't get any better.

~ My mom's homemade corned beef and cabbage. I haven't had it in years, but I am craving it so much right now.

~ Sleep. I'm a night owl by nature, but sleep has been luring me to bed a little earlier than usual lately. I might as well get it while I can! :)

~ Sitcoms. I am really enjoying being lazy and watching sitcoms that make me laugh. Friends, Frasier, That 70's Show, King of Queens are a few. Some of the things that the characters go through and absolutely unheard of and hysterical, and I can relate to some of it. I was telling Katie yesterday about some of my job hilarities, and she said I was like Karie on King of Queens... I am NOT the coffee bagel girl! haha, I thought it was funny...

That's about it for now. More lists to come next week. :)

Whew!

I have been a horrible blogger lately. I even failed to finish my list from last week! Bad Christy! Life has been a whirlwind this past week. Big news, deep thoughts, late nights, good conversations, delicious food, hearty laughs, and quality time with dear friends. I am going to level with you, blogger friends. I have big news of which some of you already know. Stay tuned for tomorrow's big news blog! Kidding. :) I'm pregnant! I am not very far along yet, maybe 5 weeks. Eric and I wanted to share the news early. We think having the prayer and support from friends and family is better than not being able to talk about it. Speaking of prayer, we could use a lot of it! There are a few specific things:

1 ~ This is a high risk pregnancy. Because of my diabetes, I will be under fairly constant monitoring by two different high risk OB's and my diabetes educator. There can be serious complications such as birth defects from not keeping bloodsugars under control. Pray that all will go smoothly, with level bloodsugars and no complications.

2 ~ Finances. We have quite a few things to pay for in the coming months, including another car (something with room for a carseat, haha!).

3 ~ My job situation. Sometimes high risk pregnancies require bed rest towards the end of the 2nd trimester (or whenever needed obviously), and at this point if I wasn't able to work, we wouldn't do well.

4 ~ Our relationship with each other, keeping one another as #1 through the next 9 months and beyond!

5 ~ Wisdom and Patience. I'm not worried about whether or not we will be good parents (praise the Lord He is with us through every thing, big or small), but the process of gaining knowledge and learning all the important basics in the next few months is a little daunting. I am fully aware that parenting is a life long learning process! However, I know very little about taking care of babies, so I will be stuffing my head full of knowledge.

I promise to blog more now. Check back often for updates and goodies! :)

In other news, Dave and Katie let me borrow one of the wedding cameras over the weekend! I had a blast taking pictures of the puppies. How special it was to experiment with such a nice camera! Molly is such a cutie. :) Click for big versions.

Meandering Thoughts

I have enjoyed many things as of late. It's about time I make a list of them, one which will probably take a few days to complete. Here are some of the various details of my meandering happy thoughts in the form of a list, because lists are wonderfully organizational things. Prepare yourself.


~ The anticipation of autumn. I never experienced autumn while growing up in California. I've got to say, autumn in the Midwest is my favorite time of year. Chilly air, vibrantly colored trees, scarves, pies, and hot coffee to warm cold faces. New television episodes (except Lost, which is just wrong), Thanksgiving, days that are darker earlier, college football, small group, and pumpkins.

~ Flip Flops. I miss wearing them all year round. The toes should always be free. Heels are good too though.

~ "Chick Flicks". I've watched so many lately... at home, at friends houses, at the theater. If there is one thing that will lure you in, give you warm fuzzies, make you sad, then desperate, incredulous, hopeful, and finally joyously bring the world to rights again all in 2 hours, it is a bonafide chick flick. A few that I have seen lately: Sense & Sensibility, Raising Helen, Grease, Pride & Prejudice, Wimbledon, Bridget Jones and the Edge of Reason, and Uptown Girls. I have Emma and Vanity Fair waiting at home for me to watch. Has anyone seen Vanity Fair (Reese Witherspoon), and is it decent?

~ Caffeine. I adore my freshly brewed Starbucks in the morning. I've had to completely cut down on my diet Mountain Dew intake though, which has been difficult. I decided that getting massively painful headaches from the lack of caffeine wasn't preferable.

~ The Psalms. I've been reading several Psalms everyday. It is amazing how the Lord can speak directly to what you are thinking about at the very moment you read a certain verse. I have been learning about bringing all of my thoughts to the Lord daily, because He knows what to do about the things I am concerned about, down to the smallest detail. There is great peace knowing that God is over all. He understands how I feel when no one else does. He hasn't given me more than I can handle.

~ Storms. I watched a raging storm today through the large window in front of my desk. It was exhilarating to watch the howling wind through the trees, the pounding rain, the flashes of lightning. Every once in awhile I would step outside to experience it. Now the rain is falling steadily, giving the foliage a much needed watering.

There is more, but I am out of time. More ramblings tomorrow!

The Proof

I really DO work as a wedding photrapher's assistant. This was last week at a beautiful golf course nearby. We got to ride around in a golf cart for awhile, taking pictures at different locations around the first hole. It was fun!

A Hot Sunday at the River

Yesterday afternoon, we went with Eric's parents and our pack of dogs to the river/creek in Gahanna... I'm not sure which river it is. There are many gorgeous spots to wade and splash around, where the rocks aren't too hard on the feet. It was hot, and the pups were ecstatic to be in the water! I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear when I saw both Sasha & Gabby sprint into the water and swim around for several minutes, before coming out to find a toy or stick to play with. Sasha surprised me by diving for rocks and sticks! She would feel around on the bottom of the river with her feet until she found something worth diving for, and then go under to find it. It's amazing how they inherently know how to do these things, it's simply normal to them. It gives me warm fuzzies to watch them so happy in their ideal environment, and I could watch them swim around all day! Forgive the picture quality... my cell phone doesn't have the best camera, hehehe.

Red is a happy dog :)

Poor Sadie barked the whole time, she was so happy to be in the water!

Monday Ramblings

Another weekend come and gone. How in the world do weekends fly by so quickly? Some telemarketer I talked to last Friday made a comment I had to agree with (probably the first telemarketer I've ever agreed with). He said "the week seems to be all Mondays until Friday, when the weekend is right around the corner." Sometimes I feel like I go through the majority of my work week with a case of the Mondays. I enjoy my weeknights immensely, but they are always too short and the prospect of going back to work in the morning looms over me. I am of the opinion that we should try to enjoy our time at work, or find a job that we can love and put our heart and soul into. Why go through life trudging through work days, when we will be at work at least 75% of our lives?

Vickie and Karen, I know you read my blog from time to time, so bear with me here! I think you already know my feelings, anyway. :) I read an article from this month's Oprah magazine (no comments from the peanut gallery!) about 10 or so women who quit their executive/career jobs after much thought and preparation. They took a big risk, stepped out in faith, and began their own businesses alone or with a partner, businesses that fulfilled dreams and brought much happiness. One started a bakery. Another started a stationary shop. One started a travel company, another an interior design/refurbishing business. The point is, they all made the decision to do what they loved. None of them had it easy, and each one went through at least mildly difficult times getting her company off the ground. In the end, each one was happy and never regretted her decision. The article inspired me and gave me hope. For awhile now, I have dreamed about opening a coffee or flower shop, perhaps doing something with photography. Recently, Dave & Katie gave me the opportunity to learn the photography ropes, which has given me inexpressible joy. I'm not kidding! Prior to their offer, I had resigned myself to thinking that I would be chained to a desk for the rest of my life. So thanks you two, for giving me a creative outlet that I enjoy so much! Granted, God uses people with desk jobs, and I believe He has done so with me in my past positions. He has brought dear friends into my life that I would have not otherwise met (you know who you are!). I'm not saying I am going to quit my job and try to start a company on my own. We don't have the resources or funds at this moment to start a business. While I am ambitious, I'm not stupid. I'll continue to dream about that coffee or flower shop, and perhaps one day my dream will be realized. I will continue to enjoy wedding photography and learn all that I can until Dave & Katie get tired of my constant babbling and hyper personality!

Don't lose hope, fellow dreamers. Keep your eyes and ears open, and ask God for direction... He will give it! I know it's Monday... but life will get better, I promise. Only four more Mondays until the weekend! :D

The Countdown Begins

It's never too early to look forward to LOST. As promised, here is my countdown to Lost season 4, which starts on February 6, 2008. Yes, yes I am a nerd, but you love me! (Edit: new timer added! The last one wasn't specific enough! Sorry the pics are a little blurry... they are little icons that the timer generator blew up, and I don't feel like resizing them. Hehe)

The List

The anticipation of Saturday morning got me thinking about what else is on my best things ever list, right now at this very moment. Here's a start:

God
Eric
Coffee
Saturday Mornings
Sunshine
Green
Blog
Swimming
Air Conditioning
Peanuts
Emma by Jane Austen
Craigslist
Vacation

Wednesdays

Ah, Wednesdays. Wednesdays offer a glimmer of hope. One day soon, only a few eternities away, there will be a thing called Friday. Then Friday night will come, and I will stay up entirely too late. Then, and only then... comes the delightfully perfect and heavenly moment where time seems to stand still. Saturday morning. Saturday morning is near the top of my list of the best things ever. There is something special about lazily sleeping in, watching cartoons in bed, sipping deliciously strong coffee, being near Eric and the puppies, and knowing that God has blessed me with these brilliant moments of warm fuzzies so affectionately called Saturday Morning.

Here's to the anticipation of brilliant moments of warm fuzzies. Hang in there bloggers, the weekend is quickly approaching!

Wheeee!

I am a little more than mildly excited. My copy of the Pride & Prejudice piano music (written by Dario Marianelli) from the film arrived today! As most of you probably know, I am slightly obsessed with the film and adore the music. I cannot wait to go home and play it. I could jump up and down right now, which would probably only add to the eye-brow raises I already get from my co-workers... hmm. *bounce bounce bounce*

The music is beautiful. Not hard, but something wonderful for me to start with as I begin practicing again. When I LOVE the music I am playing, I tend to practice a lot more and put more feeling into it, as is to be expected I suppose. It's 11am and I have to sit here at work looking at the music until I go home tonight. Oh the agony! :p

If this is boring and uninteresting to you... too bad, you're reading MY blog! Ahahaha

Debussy

Now that I have a piano, I am so excited to be practicing again! I have a long way to go (sorry Eric! Y). There is a part of me that has been missing during the time that I haven't had a piano nearby, so I'm delighted to be able to practice Debussy, Chopin, and other favorites. I started practicing Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum by Claude Debussy again, which I originally played and performed when I was 14. I'm excited that I actually remember a lot of it. Heh, I found this clip on You Tube and it blew me away... Yeah, she's playing Doctor Gradus at 8 years old.

Molly

I HAD to post these pictures that Katie & Dave took the other day. They got an adorable black Lab puppy a few weeks ago, who is really taken with Sasha & Gabby. Sasha especially loves her, and treats Molly like her own puppy. It's beyond cute.

Here's one of Sash & Gabs in our backyard. That nasty frisbee is their favorite toy.

Piano!

We finally got a piano, AND managed to get it in the house in one piece. It wouldn't have been possible without the invaluable help from Jim & Kris (Dad and Mom #2!), Dave & Katie, Aaron & Cassie, and Laura & Jason. OH and all the dogs that come with each family. :) There were many suspenseful minutes of talking out strategies. The men devised a brilliant plan to get the piano over the threshold without losing limbs or extremities, or scratching the wood floor. The ladies cheered the men on, entertained the puppies and held the doors open, the essential parts of the plan! Here is the proof:

Here is the finished product... the piano is a very old player piano, made by Hardman & Peck in the early 1900's from what I understand. We're getting it tuned this weekend, although the sound isn't horrible. I've enjoyed playing it already! Hmm.. I need to hang that picture. :p

For those of you who have not seen pictures of our house yet, I will post them in the next day or so.

First Post!

So I decided to start a real blog. I think it's about time I start sharing things that are going on in my/our life, things which may sometimes be boring or contemplative, but mostly bright, cheerful and even "incandescently happy" (guess the movie... if you know me, it's an easy guess!). God is awesome... how could I not be! I will try to share pictures, random thoughts etc. as they come. Feel free to comment on anything you see posted.

More to come. I'm sleepy!