Ish and I went to the library today and borrowed the movie Fireproof. It is a beautifully crafted Christian film that stands as a testament to the sanctity of marriage. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me thankful for the sincere and loving man that I am honored to call my husband. I would strongly recommend this film to all married and engaged couples.
Also, the librarian mentioned that she had watched Fireproof with her 13 yearold daughter and used it as a springboard for discussion and learning about relationships and marriage. I could definitely see this film being effectively used as a way to start a valuable discussion with teenagers.
Not only is this film a good teaching tool, but it has the added benefit of being a very clean film in terms of both language and sexual references. Some of the scenes with fires and accidents may be too scary for younger children, but other than that, it is a family film. I give it two thumbs way up!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
The Diplomat
I realised that I have used "The Diplomat" in more than one entry, yet I have not given any explanation. I am sure some of you have surmised that I am referring to the little guy or gal growing inside of me; you are correct. So where did this nickname come from?
Last weekend, Ish and I had dinner with a group of our friends. This group of friends happens to be multi-generational. One of the elder members of the group asked Ish and I what we were calling our baby while (s)he is in utero. Our answers of "The Bean" and "Baby Stabosz" were met with questioning looks. Apparently the elder generation of our friends gave their children nicknames that correspond to titles of civic/government positions while they were hanging out in utero. They encouraged us to do the same, and we took up the challenge. After many suggestions from our friends and a good many laughs, we settled on "The Diplomat".
Last weekend, Ish and I had dinner with a group of our friends. This group of friends happens to be multi-generational. One of the elder members of the group asked Ish and I what we were calling our baby while (s)he is in utero. Our answers of "The Bean" and "Baby Stabosz" were met with questioning looks. Apparently the elder generation of our friends gave their children nicknames that correspond to titles of civic/government positions while they were hanging out in utero. They encouraged us to do the same, and we took up the challenge. After many suggestions from our friends and a good many laughs, we settled on "The Diplomat".
Diving in!*
Like many people, I am not very good at making sure I get as much exercise as I need; in fact, I am generally pretty horrible at it! I have, however, wanted to make exercising enough a priority during this pregnancy. My 1st trimester did not really allow for this; getting out of bed drained me of enough energy to be ready for a nap as my feet hit the floor. Now that I am about 20 weeks into my pregnancy, I am more than ready to start moving, and I have!
I found out that my alma mater offers an alumni gym membership which gives allows access not only to the fitness center and various gyms/courts but also to the indoor pool. On Wednesday, Ish brought me to sign-up for my membership, and yesterday I went to the open lap swim! It felt really good to be in the water, and The Diplomat was kicking and flopping around for most of my swim. I couldn't make the open lap swim today as I had an ultrasound scheduled for that time, but I will be going tomorrow while Ish sits in a nearby coffee shop grading a stack of papers (I am pretty sure I get the better deal no matter how good the coffee is!) I am really looking forward to spending more time in the pool!
* For anyone worried by this posts title, I did not dive into the pool, nor will I be doing so at any other time in the pregnancy!
I found out that my alma mater offers an alumni gym membership which gives allows access not only to the fitness center and various gyms/courts but also to the indoor pool. On Wednesday, Ish brought me to sign-up for my membership, and yesterday I went to the open lap swim! It felt really good to be in the water, and The Diplomat was kicking and flopping around for most of my swim. I couldn't make the open lap swim today as I had an ultrasound scheduled for that time, but I will be going tomorrow while Ish sits in a nearby coffee shop grading a stack of papers (I am pretty sure I get the better deal no matter how good the coffee is!) I am really looking forward to spending more time in the pool!
* For anyone worried by this posts title, I did not dive into the pool, nor will I be doing so at any other time in the pregnancy!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Daybook for 01/25/2010
FOR TODAY
(01.25.2010)...
Outside my window...It is a very grey and rainy day. As much as I don't enjoy this type of weather, I remind myself that if I were still living in Massachusetts, this rain would probably be snow.
I am thinking...about the week ahead.
I am thankful for...the wonderful Saturday evening that Ish & I spent with some very dear friends.
From the kitchen...I foresee a day of on-the-fly meals.
I am wearing...a whole lot of Ish's clothing. My baby-bump has made my own pajamas quite uncomfortable so Ish is graciously lending me a pair of sweatpants and the softest shirt I've ever worn.
I am creating...a few simple cotton wash cloths for my mother. I also hope to start creating a birthday gift for my niece.
I am going...to a prenatal appointment today. I am almost halfway through my 1st pregnancy.
I am reading...The Book Thief; it is a sad but well written.
I am hoping...to make an appointment for an ultrasound on Friday. I can't wait to see The Diplomat now that (s)he doesn't have so much in common with a russet potato.
I am hearing...the sounds of an empty home. Ish is at work, and my upstairs neighbors are surprisingly silent.
Around the house...there is a lot of tidying up to do.
One of my favorite things...Feeling The Diplomat kicking and squirming inside me. It is an odd but wonderful feeling.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Aside from my prenatal appointment and a probable ultra-sound at the end of the week, this week will involve a lot of time at home catching up on housework, knitting, and reading. On Saturday, a dear friend is holding a birthday celebration; it promises to be a festive occasion filled with prayer, friends, and his wife's incredible cooking.
Here is picture thought I am sharing...
(01.25.2010)...
Outside my window...It is a very grey and rainy day. As much as I don't enjoy this type of weather, I remind myself that if I were still living in Massachusetts, this rain would probably be snow.
I am thinking...about the week ahead.
I am thankful for...the wonderful Saturday evening that Ish & I spent with some very dear friends.
From the kitchen...I foresee a day of on-the-fly meals.
I am wearing...a whole lot of Ish's clothing. My baby-bump has made my own pajamas quite uncomfortable so Ish is graciously lending me a pair of sweatpants and the softest shirt I've ever worn.
I am creating...a few simple cotton wash cloths for my mother. I also hope to start creating a birthday gift for my niece.
I am going...to a prenatal appointment today. I am almost halfway through my 1st pregnancy.
I am reading...The Book Thief; it is a sad but well written.
I am hoping...to make an appointment for an ultrasound on Friday. I can't wait to see The Diplomat now that (s)he doesn't have so much in common with a russet potato.
I am hearing...the sounds of an empty home. Ish is at work, and my upstairs neighbors are surprisingly silent.
Around the house...there is a lot of tidying up to do.
One of my favorite things...Feeling The Diplomat kicking and squirming inside me. It is an odd but wonderful feeling.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Aside from my prenatal appointment and a probable ultra-sound at the end of the week, this week will involve a lot of time at home catching up on housework, knitting, and reading. On Saturday, a dear friend is holding a birthday celebration; it promises to be a festive occasion filled with prayer, friends, and his wife's incredible cooking.
Here is picture thought I am sharing...
A visual reminder that spring will be here before I know it.
For more Daybooks, join Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook!
For more Daybooks, join Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook!
Menu Plan Monday 01/25-01/31
Last weeks menu did not go totally as planned. We ended up eating with Ishmael's parents on Friday night--homemade pizza, yum! On Saturday night some friends invited us to their home for prayer, dinner, and a movie. Some meals got used to accompany our lunchtime salads and others have been pushed to this week.
Breakfast Options:
Cereal
Oatmeal
Eggs
Toast w/ Almond Butter
Lunch Options:
Refrigerator Salad Bar
Leftovers
Dinners:
Monday: Trader Joe's Punjab Choley over Brown Rice and Chilled Pineapple Chunks on the side
Tuesday: Leftover stirfry from Sunday night (Ish @ work)
Wednesday: Papa's Corn Chowder and Great-Grandmother Sadie's Corn Muffins
Thursday: Veggies and hummus, leftover muffin, and yogurt for Ish/ Leftover chowder, and raw veggies for me (Ish @ work)
Friday: Pasta with Homemade Pesto, Salad, and Garlic Toast
Saturday: We're eating dinner with friends to celebrate a birthday. I'll probably make some sort of bread or muffins to share.
Sunday: Breakfast for Dinner
For more meal planning ideas, head on down to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Answered Prayers
My husband works as an adjunct instructor at a college. Last semester, our budget was tight, but quite manageable. He had just enough credit hours for us to get by. Due to the college having to cut classes this semester, he was originally only assigned two classes. We would not be able to make ends meet on that budget with out depleting all of our resources; of course, it was time to pray. At the end of last semester, he got an e-mail asking if he could take on a third class; he readily accepted. Our budget would still be tighter than the previous semester, but it would be manageable.
A few weeks ago, he decided that he would try to pick up a second job to supplement his income. The semester got under way last week and I was still hoping and praying that another opportunity for work would come his way. God answered my prayers quite unexpectedly; yesterday he received a call asking if he could take a 4th class (it is not very normal to be asked to take on another class 10 days into the semester). Ish accepted the position, and he is now spared the trials of trying to search for a second job that can accomodate the strange hours he works at the college! God is so good. Praise the Lord!
A few weeks ago, he decided that he would try to pick up a second job to supplement his income. The semester got under way last week and I was still hoping and praying that another opportunity for work would come his way. God answered my prayers quite unexpectedly; yesterday he received a call asking if he could take a 4th class (it is not very normal to be asked to take on another class 10 days into the semester). Ish accepted the position, and he is now spared the trials of trying to search for a second job that can accomodate the strange hours he works at the college! God is so good. Praise the Lord!
Powerless
I woke up this morning around 5:15; despite being exhausted, I was wide awake. When I came out to the kitchen to check the time, the power surged a few times making some horrifying screeching noises. I went to get my husband and startled the heck out of him (Oops! Sorry Ish!). I wanted to make sure he was able to shut down all his computer stuff. After the couple of surges, the power went out completely.
We both tried to get back to sleep, but until the power returned my chances of rest were robbed by worries of what would happen to all the food in the freezer if the power didn't come back soon. About 45 minutes to an hour after the outage, I heard our heat come on; we had power!
It still took me another hour to get back to sleep; sometimes pregnancy hormones and sleep just don't mix well. My dear, sweet husband let me sleep in this morning, only waking me to gently inform me he was leaving for work and that he loved me.
Oh, and if anyone was wondering the food in the freezer is a-okay!
We both tried to get back to sleep, but until the power returned my chances of rest were robbed by worries of what would happen to all the food in the freezer if the power didn't come back soon. About 45 minutes to an hour after the outage, I heard our heat come on; we had power!
It still took me another hour to get back to sleep; sometimes pregnancy hormones and sleep just don't mix well. My dear, sweet husband let me sleep in this morning, only waking me to gently inform me he was leaving for work and that he loved me.
Oh, and if anyone was wondering the food in the freezer is a-okay!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Totally beat...
With the beginning of my second trimester my energy returned, but for the past 10 days or so, I have been really exhausted. I have been going to bed running on empty and waking up 8 hours later feeling just as tired as I was the night before. At first I thought I might becoming down with a cold, but that was not the case. It has led me to start to question my iron levels. I have a prenatal visit on Monday and I am planning on mentioning my exhaustion levels to my midwife. Until then, if anyone has any suggestions on boosting my energy in a healthy, baby-friendly way, I would greatly appreciate it.
Inspiration From My Sister
My older sister has always been really good at finding visual inspiration when it comes to making plans. When Ish and I were planning our wedding, she often sent me photos of things that she thought would help inspire or guide me in the right direction; it was wonderful. Today she sent me a link to some inspiration for decorating a home in a way that would bring me joy and comfort. Check this out!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Menu Plan Monday 1/18-1/24
Something that I have been trying to do since getting married (6 months ago today!) is to plan weekly menus. I will be the first to admit that I did beyond awful at this task during my first trimester of pregnancy. Now that I am a month into my second trimester, I am finally getting back into the swing of things.
Breakfast Options:
Cereal
Oatmeal
Eggs
Lunches:
Refrigerator salad bar! (This is something new we are trying. Look for a more detailed post at a later date.)
Dinners:
Monday: Fending for myself. Ish has a D&D game tonight.
Tuesday: Pasta Salad (Ish @ work)
Wednesday: Boca Burgers, Baked Beans, and Salad
Thursday: Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks, and Pepper Sticks (Ish @ Work)
Friday: Pasta with Homemade Dairy-Free Pesto, Red Sauce, Garlic Bread, and Salad
Saturday: Saturday Night Stirfry compliments of Ish!
Sunday: Alfredo Macaroni and Cheese with Grape Tomatoes, Carrot Sticks, and Apple Slices
For more menu plans visit Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie !
Breakfast Options:
Cereal
Oatmeal
Eggs
Lunches:
Refrigerator salad bar! (This is something new we are trying. Look for a more detailed post at a later date.)
Dinners:
Monday: Fending for myself. Ish has a D&D game tonight.
Tuesday: Pasta Salad (Ish @ work)
Wednesday: Boca Burgers, Baked Beans, and Salad
Thursday: Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks, and Pepper Sticks (Ish @ Work)
Friday: Pasta with Homemade Dairy-Free Pesto, Red Sauce, Garlic Bread, and Salad
Saturday: Saturday Night Stirfry compliments of Ish!
Sunday: Alfredo Macaroni and Cheese with Grape Tomatoes, Carrot Sticks, and Apple Slices
For more menu plans visit Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie !
The Fall
On Friday afternoon, as I was walking outside to bring in some boxes from the car, I slipped on a patch of mud. Normally, slipping on mud would be mostly annoyance and mean a bruise or two. This was not so much the case in this situation. When I slipped, it was somewhat akin to sliding into home plate feet first except that everything my waist up fell with a crunch and a clunk. I fell on my side--thank God I didn't go down on my belly.
I started screaming for Ish when I fell, but he was inside shop-vaccing up the thick blanket of needles left behind by our Christmas tree--needless to say, he didn't hear me. After a minute or two, I managed to get myself up and back inside. In between sobs of pain and fear, I recounted to Ish what had happened. Once I had calmed down some, I tried to continue going about my daily tasks, but I could not shake the feeling that something might have happened our baby.
After tearfully confiding my fear to Ishmael, we decided we should call the Birth Center. As I was still very shaky, Ish made the initial phone call; he reached the answering service who took our information and paged the midwife on call. Within minutes, one of my midwives called back. She was incredibly understanding and arranged for us to meet her in at the Birth Center in less than an hours time.
On the drive to the Birth Center, I was very anxious and shaky; thank God I have a husband who is very calm and easy-going. Upon arriving the midwife used the doppler monitor to listen for the babies heart rate. It took her a few tries, but she found our baby's heart beating a strong and healthy 13o bpm. I have never been so relieved in my life!
I started screaming for Ish when I fell, but he was inside shop-vaccing up the thick blanket of needles left behind by our Christmas tree--needless to say, he didn't hear me. After a minute or two, I managed to get myself up and back inside. In between sobs of pain and fear, I recounted to Ish what had happened. Once I had calmed down some, I tried to continue going about my daily tasks, but I could not shake the feeling that something might have happened our baby.
After tearfully confiding my fear to Ishmael, we decided we should call the Birth Center. As I was still very shaky, Ish made the initial phone call; he reached the answering service who took our information and paged the midwife on call. Within minutes, one of my midwives called back. She was incredibly understanding and arranged for us to meet her in at the Birth Center in less than an hours time.
On the drive to the Birth Center, I was very anxious and shaky; thank God I have a husband who is very calm and easy-going. Upon arriving the midwife used the doppler monitor to listen for the babies heart rate. It took her a few tries, but she found our baby's heart beating a strong and healthy 13o bpm. I have never been so relieved in my life!
Introduction
Hi! Although I am not new to blogging, I have decided to start with a fresh slate with this blog. As per usual, I am very excited about blogging right now, but I am not sure how long it will last. I am hoping for this blog to reflect the joys and challenges of my life as a Catholic wife and homemaker as well as to follow my pregnancy (and transition into motherhood). We'll see how it goes!
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