Every Tuesday evening, Friday morning and Saturday morning, our road fills with what I have come to call "the minivan brigade."
Typically, the majority of the vans drive by a few minutes after programs are supposed to begin. Yes, family life will do that to most.
If you could be sitting here with me right now, you would get a look at just about every make and color minivan made in the last 15 years or so. Of course, there are the occasional SUVs and a fair share of Suburbans, but mostly minivans. (By the way, I've decided purple is a weird color for any vehicle, but especially for minivans.)
I'm telling you, you can't live in my house and not notice the steady stream.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Trimesters & More Pregnancy Talk
I can never remember how many weeks are in which trimester. (You'd think I'd know by now...)
Too many people refer to each trimester as being 12 weeks. I'm no genius, but I know that 12x3 does not equal 40. Somewhere along the way, at least 1 trimester needs to be longer than that!
I am also perplexed when pregnant women assume 4 weeks = 1 month, so that when they're 24 weeks pregnant they're telling people they're 6 months pregnant. Until the entire universe starts measuring by lunar months, please don't confuse me (and I assume others) by doing that.
Anyway, this is about trimester lengths, so I'll try to refrain from tangents.
If someone could enlighten me as to length of each trimester, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.
Too many people refer to each trimester as being 12 weeks. I'm no genius, but I know that 12x3 does not equal 40. Somewhere along the way, at least 1 trimester needs to be longer than that!
I am also perplexed when pregnant women assume 4 weeks = 1 month, so that when they're 24 weeks pregnant they're telling people they're 6 months pregnant. Until the entire universe starts measuring by lunar months, please don't confuse me (and I assume others) by doing that.
Anyway, this is about trimester lengths, so I'll try to refrain from tangents.
If someone could enlighten me as to length of each trimester, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Today
:: Today marks 1 week since my last bleeding. 2 weeks from tomorrow I see my doctor again and, hopefully, will be granted permission to live life normally again.
:: I like my little town, especially in the spring. I'm convinced that people who don't have cold winters simply can't enjoy the creeping warmth of these March days nearly as much as the ones who do. And the people here sure do have cold winters.
:: Bronwyn is amazingly sweet and affectionate. As if her chubby arms and cheeks don't make her kissable enough, you should hear her say, "I will take care of you, Mama."
:: Tonight a meal arrived, but it wasn't only a meal (and a very good one, at that). There was a beautifully-fragrant potted hyacinth, a package of bright yellow napkins, and a 1/2-gallon of ice cream sent along with the meal. As the recipient of many acts of kindness these days, I am reminded that it's usually the little things we can do that speak volumes.
:: The entire north country is probably aware of my husband's education on "sugarin'" this past weekend. He now officially knows what kind of tree produces maple syrup.
:: Daniel has done very well with keeping up with things around the house throughout the past 1.5 weeks. I have not a thing to complain about. The vacuuming is getting done, the windows have been washed, the floors have been mopped, and baths for the kids have been punctual. He's a very diligent and hard-working man, and he delights in blessing me.
:: This weekend Daniel will head out of town, along with 57 others, to attend the BASIC conference. I will be at my parents', with the children, the whole time. It's been quite a while since I spent a couple days (or more) at "home," and I'm looking forward to it.
:: I like my little town, especially in the spring. I'm convinced that people who don't have cold winters simply can't enjoy the creeping warmth of these March days nearly as much as the ones who do. And the people here sure do have cold winters.
:: Bronwyn is amazingly sweet and affectionate. As if her chubby arms and cheeks don't make her kissable enough, you should hear her say, "I will take care of you, Mama."
:: Tonight a meal arrived, but it wasn't only a meal (and a very good one, at that). There was a beautifully-fragrant potted hyacinth, a package of bright yellow napkins, and a 1/2-gallon of ice cream sent along with the meal. As the recipient of many acts of kindness these days, I am reminded that it's usually the little things we can do that speak volumes.
:: The entire north country is probably aware of my husband's education on "sugarin'" this past weekend. He now officially knows what kind of tree produces maple syrup.
:: Daniel has done very well with keeping up with things around the house throughout the past 1.5 weeks. I have not a thing to complain about. The vacuuming is getting done, the windows have been washed, the floors have been mopped, and baths for the kids have been punctual. He's a very diligent and hard-working man, and he delights in blessing me.
:: This weekend Daniel will head out of town, along with 57 others, to attend the BASIC conference. I will be at my parents', with the children, the whole time. It's been quite a while since I spent a couple days (or more) at "home," and I'm looking forward to it.
Monday, March 26, 2007
A couple years ago, I realized I don't really like watching movies. I don't know why I didn't realize sooner. I mean, I can literally count the number of movies I've seen in a theater in my lifetime on two hands (maybe only one... nope, takes two) and I never feel like renting a movie because I can never think of one I want to see (this is not because I'm "holier than thou;" trust me, it's simply that I can never think of one that sounds interesting to me). I used to watch more movies than I do now because... well... honestly?-- I used to watched more movies before getting married and having kids (and thus having evening outings basically eliminated from my life) because my sisters and friends liked to watch movies and I liked to be with them.
Every once in a while there will be a movie I really want to see.
The last time was when the new Pride and Prejudice came out. (I feel a certain sense of obligation to watch films based on favorite books. You know... so I can judge them and always be disappointed by them falling short.) Of course I waited to see it until it was out on DVD/video, and not just because I'm cheap. You see, I've also come to the realization in the last couple years that watching movies in the theater makes me sick. The pitch blackness contrasted with artificial light from a large screen gives me an excruciating headache and the size of the movements due to the size of the screen makes me nauseous. So beware if you ever watch a movie with me in my home: a light will be on if I am present in the room and I will be sitting far from the screen-- farther if you have a TV bigger than 19", which is what I'm accustomed to.
And it was fun to watch. Mostly because I was watching with other people and not because I particularly enjoyed the film.
Every once in a while my family will want to see a movie and, because I still like doing things with them, I'll watch it. (I'm trying to remember the last time I did this... I think it was one night when an old friend was in town and Carina brought this over-- which I found very boring, but at least I was with girls I like.) Typically, I fall asleep before any movie is even 2/3 done. Ask my husband or sisters if you don't believe me.
At any rate, would you believe me if I told you that after sitting around for the past 10 days, I haven't watched a single movie or TV show? This surprises even me, since I'll often turn on this or this or this as a method of relaxation in the evenings. There are lots of days when 8 or 8:30pm rolls around and nothing sounds better than zoning in front of the TV for 30-60 minutes. But when I've spent my days resting a lot (like I have the past 10), I'm not enough of a vegetable come evening for the "zoning" factor of TV/movie-watching to appeal to me.
And even when zoning does appeal to me, 30-60 minutes is usually about all I can take, unless I've got a computer on my lap and can be doing other things at the same time.
*Disclaimer: sports are different, since I don't usually watch the game quite the same way a movie requires watching. Not to mention that any sports-watching is done as a way to share in one of my husband's passions and-- believe me-- sports are a passion with him. We watch baseball (Go Bucs!) and football (Go Steelers!) and hockey (Go Penguins!) and college basketball (Go Pitt!) and... well... you get the idea.*
You see, it isn't that I have anything against movie-watching. In fact, there is often a trailer I'll see or a recommendation I'll hear that sparks a flicker of interest. But when push comes to shove, sitting and doing nothing (not even talking?!?!) for 2-2.5 hours sounds too boring to me.
And this leads me to an all-important question:
Do I have ADD?
P.S. The over-use of italics in this entry makes me think of L. M. Montgomery and the fact that she would nonchalantly attribute this to immaturity and girlhood instability.
But since I'm not 14 years old, maybe she would just say I have ADD.
Every once in a while there will be a movie I really want to see.
The last time was when the new Pride and Prejudice came out. (I feel a certain sense of obligation to watch films based on favorite books. You know... so I can judge them and always be disappointed by them falling short.) Of course I waited to see it until it was out on DVD/video, and not just because I'm cheap. You see, I've also come to the realization in the last couple years that watching movies in the theater makes me sick. The pitch blackness contrasted with artificial light from a large screen gives me an excruciating headache and the size of the movements due to the size of the screen makes me nauseous. So beware if you ever watch a movie with me in my home: a light will be on if I am present in the room and I will be sitting far from the screen-- farther if you have a TV bigger than 19", which is what I'm accustomed to.
And it was fun to watch. Mostly because I was watching with other people and not because I particularly enjoyed the film.
Every once in a while my family will want to see a movie and, because I still like doing things with them, I'll watch it. (I'm trying to remember the last time I did this... I think it was one night when an old friend was in town and Carina brought this over-- which I found very boring, but at least I was with girls I like.) Typically, I fall asleep before any movie is even 2/3 done. Ask my husband or sisters if you don't believe me.
At any rate, would you believe me if I told you that after sitting around for the past 10 days, I haven't watched a single movie or TV show? This surprises even me, since I'll often turn on this or this or this as a method of relaxation in the evenings. There are lots of days when 8 or 8:30pm rolls around and nothing sounds better than zoning in front of the TV for 30-60 minutes. But when I've spent my days resting a lot (like I have the past 10), I'm not enough of a vegetable come evening for the "zoning" factor of TV/movie-watching to appeal to me.
And even when zoning does appeal to me, 30-60 minutes is usually about all I can take, unless I've got a computer on my lap and can be doing other things at the same time.
*Disclaimer: sports are different, since I don't usually watch the game quite the same way a movie requires watching. Not to mention that any sports-watching is done as a way to share in one of my husband's passions and-- believe me-- sports are a passion with him. We watch baseball (Go Bucs!) and football (Go Steelers!) and hockey (Go Penguins!) and college basketball (Go Pitt!) and... well... you get the idea.*
You see, it isn't that I have anything against movie-watching. In fact, there is often a trailer I'll see or a recommendation I'll hear that sparks a flicker of interest. But when push comes to shove, sitting and doing nothing (not even talking?!?!) for 2-2.5 hours sounds too boring to me.
And this leads me to an all-important question:
Do I have ADD?
P.S. The over-use of italics in this entry makes me think of L. M. Montgomery and the fact that she would nonchalantly attribute this to immaturity and girlhood instability.
But since I'm not 14 years old, maybe she would just say I have ADD.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
A Favorite Quote
The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian does me a different kind of woman. For I have accepted God's idea of me, and my whole life is an offering back to Him of all that I am and all that He wants me to be.
Let Me Be A Woman, by Elisabeth Elliot
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Since I've had lots of free time on my hands this past week, I've taken advantage of the chance to do some planning. (Planning = day-dreaming that has a hint of reality to it.) More particularly, I've been planning out what our updated kitchen will look like once the adjacent unfinished room has been re-done.
I've owned a home architect program for years. Literally. But since, oh, say approximately February 2003, I haven't really had time to design just for fun.
In the last week, however, I've had time. And now, I don't just have a virtual project to think about, since Daniel and I are hoping that this re-modeling will take place sometime in the next couple years. (We are saving our nickels and dimes to reach that point.)
Daniel measured rooms, doors, and windows for me earlier in the week and I started plotting and planning. Several designs later, I've got something I really like-- for now, anyway. It includes more counters and kitchen cupboards than I currently have (not hard to manage), a double oven, a closet for coats and cleaning supplies, and space for a couch, armchair, and TV, as well as utilizing the built-in floor-to-ceiling cupboards already in the unfinished room (directly below is the root cellar; it looks as though those cupboards were used in years past for storing produce and canned goods) for toys and books. The plan is that our current family room would become a music room, with space for an upright piano and Daniel's guitars, as well as whatever other instruments our children may collect over the years (the drums are already in our possession, but I'd rather they not stay in the kids' bedroom forever and ever).
I showed the plan to Daniel, detailed with new cupboards and appliances, added doors and windows, hardwood floors, and even a small island for feeding kids quick meals. "What do you think?" I asked, very excited about all the improvements I had made.
"I think money," came the quick response.
Ah well. What can I say? We see things very differently sometimes.
I've owned a home architect program for years. Literally. But since, oh, say approximately February 2003, I haven't really had time to design just for fun.
In the last week, however, I've had time. And now, I don't just have a virtual project to think about, since Daniel and I are hoping that this re-modeling will take place sometime in the next couple years. (We are saving our nickels and dimes to reach that point.)
Daniel measured rooms, doors, and windows for me earlier in the week and I started plotting and planning. Several designs later, I've got something I really like-- for now, anyway. It includes more counters and kitchen cupboards than I currently have (not hard to manage), a double oven, a closet for coats and cleaning supplies, and space for a couch, armchair, and TV, as well as utilizing the built-in floor-to-ceiling cupboards already in the unfinished room (directly below is the root cellar; it looks as though those cupboards were used in years past for storing produce and canned goods) for toys and books. The plan is that our current family room would become a music room, with space for an upright piano and Daniel's guitars, as well as whatever other instruments our children may collect over the years (the drums are already in our possession, but I'd rather they not stay in the kids' bedroom forever and ever).
I showed the plan to Daniel, detailed with new cupboards and appliances, added doors and windows, hardwood floors, and even a small island for feeding kids quick meals. "What do you think?" I asked, very excited about all the improvements I had made.
"I think money," came the quick response.
Ah well. What can I say? We see things very differently sometimes.
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