Late night and bread

Hey all!

Just thought I would drop you a note as I sit at 1am waiting for banana bread to bake. Things here are busy and time seems to be running out on me. Which is why I am baking when I should be sleeping. School is almost done. One more week and I'm finished. Some cool things have gone on in the last few weeks. At school my team won a grant from HP for $35,000 of technology. So at the moment I'm actually writing to you from my new laptop! It has some amazing features. I'll have to bring it with me to Chicago. Speaking of... My plane ticket is bought and yet I'm not sure where I fly into. I'll email you girls when I figure it out.
Another amazing God thing is that our one trip to China is just about paid. Thank you so much for your prayers and gifts. You are such a blessing to us! We leave for China June 4 at 2:30am from our church. I think I've figured that it is a 20 hour flight. we are going to be working with kindergarten during their "Reading" month. Please pray for us. We Won't be told exactly where we are going until we reach Hong Kong.
So that is a quick update. Nick and I are doing well. I hope I don't make it sound like we are always struggling. We are definitely learning a lot, and loving every minute. I can't for you all to really hangout with him. Maybe in November?
Well-I better get ready for bed. The bread is almost done. I love you all and can't wait to see you very, very soon!

A happy digression

Hey girls! I just have to tell you that Seth digressed this week developmentally, but that it has been the most blissful digression I could have imagined. Seth would never have anything to do with a pacifier from the day he was born. He would always just spit it out. I didn't mind too much because I didn't really want him getting attached to a pacifier anyways. However, he has always been a bit dificult when it comes time to sleep or relax. most babies would suck on a pacifier and calm down. Seth always took more creative calming methods. Fortunately, he was a really good baby so it wasn't too bad. His naptimes have become a rather serious problem the past few months because he simply refuses to sleep during the day. He fights it and will often times sit in his crib laughing and talking to himself for hours before I finally give up and get him out of bed. Consequently, he gets cranky the rest of the day because he's always exhausted. So, 2 days ago, Seth was playing in his toybox and he came across an infant pacifier that had gotten stuck in with the rest of his toys. He promptly stuck it in his mouth and wouldn't spit it out the rest of the day! I take it away during his awake times and at night, but I've been letting him have it for his naps during the day... and he's been sleeping for hours! So far, everyday that I let him nap with his pacifier, he goes to sleep immediately without even a wimper and he sleeps for 2-3 hours. It's been the most wonderful thing ever! I know... he can't get attached to a pacifier now. He's just a few months away from giving it up completely. But I don't care! I won't let him have it unless it's nap time, and I won't let him use it to fall asleep at night... but if he will sleep during the day and be a much more pleasant child and let me get stuff done every once in a while... then he can suck on that thing to his little heart's content (at naptime). Seth is doing well these days. He's walking all over the place on his own now. It's pretty cute because he hasn't quite caught onto needing to bend his knees yet, so he kind of looks like E.T. when he's waddling around. He's into everything, but he's a pretty happy kid all the time. He says "hi" and will diligently say "thank you" whenever he is handed something... or takes something from you. He has also learned to "moo" like a cow. He will shake and nod his head in response to questions and in conversations consistently like he really is involved and understands everything you're saying. His favorite thing is hair. It's wierd, I know, but he loves to bury his little hands in your hair whenever he can reach you. He'll sit on my lap for an hour at a time just resting his little head on my chest, with his arms wrapped around my neck so he can hold my hair with both of his hands. It's kind of quirky, but I love the cuddle time, even if he just wants my hair. He is starting to find my bulging abdomen irritating though. He gets annoyed that my belly is getting in the way of hugs and wrestling. He tries to crawl in my lap and doesn't have as much room so he tries to push my tummy out of the way. It's only gonna get worse! =) I'm starting to feel a bit better these days. The nausea is not gone, but much better. I'm still waiting for my real pregnancy appetite to kick in. I haven't been able to really put down a good quantity of food yet. I actually get full quicker than I did before I was pregnant. I find that irritating. Now that my nausea is more under control, my most common craving is buffalo chicken wings and Coke. I could eat them almost all the time. That really has been my only major, intense craving with this pregnancy. I also eat a lot of fruit and some other things usually sound good. But buffalo chicken wings and Coke is my "have to have it" craving. Healthy, I know. That's about it for us lately. We've been staying busy doing landscaping and other house projects this week. I'm working on getting Seth's big boy room put together. He's going to have a Hawaiin, surfer style room. I found a cheap comforter and some accessories and I just have a little more to get so that I can get his new room set up. We're keeping a double bed in his room though so we'll always have a place for guests to stay in case anyone happens to be passing through. hint, hint... =) Well, I'd better go. Seth needs a bath and we need to go outside and enjoy our beautiful weather today. Love you girls!

I'd been wanting to post for a few days too but i feel like i'm begging for attention when I have 2 posts in a row. So thanks Julie, for breaking down and posting! Oh my gosh, 45 days until we all see each other again! Which reminds me... I've got pictures from the following events and if you have any other events you'd l ike included in the sapphire scrapbook, send them my way soon!
Jamie wedding, Liz wedding, Angie wedding & New Years Eve festivities, Pictures of Seth, Steph and Jen visits in Chicago, Kim and Julie's cruise
Also, if you've got your plane ticket for the reunion weekend, please email me the info so Steph or I can arrange to pick you up from the airport. Be sure to let me know if you're flying into O'Hare or Midway!
So an update on the Akers... we're good! We sold our mini-van about 2 weeks ago to the dealership just under my office. We've planted all our herbs and most of the garden now... it keeps raining so it's been a little rough. Oh, and I learned the other day that I have rhubarb growing in the back. It looks like our raspberry and blackberry twigs (not yet bushes) survived the winter and could possibly produce fruit this summer. that's probably boring to all of you, but it's quite exciting to me :) I can't believe we're coming up on our one yesr anniversary soon. Sometimes it feels like 10 years and sometimes it feels like just yesterday (when I remember that I still haven't started my wedding scrapbook!)
I must be going now... work has gotten busy. Miss you all!

Ok, ok, ok...

Yeah, I guess I'll give in, too...Honestly, I've been thinking about posting something for about a week now, but I just haven't made myself sit down and do it yet.
So, I just finished up my third week working at Onlineshoes, copywriting. At first, I was a little lost, then I was just kind of bored, but now I'm getting to know my coworkers and it's going great. The job itself isn't the most stimulating -- I mean, how much can you really say about shoes...really? But I am learning a lot -- I mean, a lot -- about the shoe industry, as well as fashion...oh yeah, we have handbags on the site, also. I may not really need any more purses, exactly, but they are fun to look at and try out.
So since we're all sharing websites right now, here's mine: www.onlineshoes.com. (By the way, tell Nathan good job on that website, Liz -- it's stellar.) I just wrote some copy for Uggs that might be up, and I've been doing a lot of outdoors and athletic shoes -- Columbia, Timberland, Reebok, etc. My job is mainly to write the product descriptions, as well as the features, for each shoe.
My mom was out visiting last weekend -- sort of as an early mother's day present. I had to work a couple of the days she was here, so she kept herself busy cleaning my apartment and taking Duray for walks. We did get down to the waterfront and got to do some other touristy things -- I think she just really needed a break from Ohio. She and my dad are officially divorced now and she received the settlement. So now it's up to her to start the long process of getting past all of that. It's still very weird for all of us. She did go buy a new car, though. :p
I'm going to be purchasing my ticket to Chicago this weekend -- yay :) Had to wait until I got a little money in the bank first...
Well, Adam's in ground school today, so I'm off to go meet him for lunch...

Love you all!

I Give In

Ok, I give in...I'll post. I actually had to post something on a blog for the church we're planting, so I checked this one as well, and thought I'd post. Juls, I think you're asking the wrong people for parenting advice, as oh, none of us have kids. If I were you, I'd trying light spanking and/or time out in his crib when you say no. That might help him associate "no" with negative consequences. "redirecting" works sometimes, but being in the education field I think it can be full of crap sometimes. So there is my expertise with my wealth of knowledge. I just get to enjoy the benefits of godparenting my little godson right now, which means I get all the perks with none of the hard work. And my goodness, is my little godson adorable. He's now saying a couple words at not even 9 months, and standing. I love it! It's an amazing feeling to put a little person down, and see them cry until they make their way crawling and walking back to you.
Anway, on another note...we're quite busy here. Things are stepping it up a bit with the church launch, which is in Sept. We have a lot of outreaches and work to do this summer. Between that, classes, visiting fam, and fam visiting us, our summer will be completely insane. Check out the splash page Nathan created for the website... lifesongonline.org
Other than that things are normal. Work, classes, time with my hubby, family. 26 more days of school and counting. Ok, gotta get going. There's a food drive this weekend, so my parent's food pantry will be inundated with food that needs to be sorted. Good luck with your new challenges Julie, and I hope everyone else is doing well!

somebody write something!

Hey girls!!! The blog is getting a little dry these days... We need to hear from you all. I miss your updates. There's nothing new here. Josh is working crazy hours and I'm going a little crazy staying home with Seth all day. He's going through kind of a trying phase. He's been whiney lately because he constantly has a cold and is teething. He has also recently discovered negative attention which he thinks is hysterical. Rather than being ashamed by mommy and daddy's disappointed looks and firm "No"s... he thinks it's funny and will continue his negative behavior while mocking us by furrowing his brow, shaking his head, and saying "no, no..." over and over again. It's difficult to know what to do when he's throwing his food on the floor, drinking out of the dog bowl, and pounding on electronics within his reach when any negative response from me and Josh only prompts his immediate laughter and mockery. Girls, I'm needing some parenting advice. I don't know whether to start baby timeout, light spankings, or to simply ignore his bad behavior and "redirect" as many popular parenting magazines suggest. Because we've tried it all and nothing seems to be working. Anyways, post something to break up my boredom. Love you girls! =)

thank heaven for little girls!

Julie, I'm thrilled for you! And I agree with Kimmie, I've been needing an excuse to look at and purchase little girl things :) I go shopping for little boy stuff for my expected nephew and feel like I've been neglecting the little girl departments!
Not much new here. I'm fully enjoying this spring with all the flowers in bloom and my lilac bush filling the back yard with glorious smells! the garden has been tilled and we are getting ready to plant the vegetables in a few weeks. Chris and I just got back from a long weekend in Washington DC. We had a wedding and spent a few days sight seeing. The place is just beautiful I tell ya. We saw lots of sights and... one really funny one. We visited the George Washington Island to see the Teddy Roosevelt memorial and as we were leaving (walking) we saw a woman jump out of her previously parked car as the car drove straight in to the Potomac River! It was so strange! No one was injured. I wonder if she didn't mean to do it because heck, if i just drove my car into the river and nearly went in with it, I would be a LITTLE freaked out. she was giggling. giggling! chris just had to take a picture of the car in the river, so I'll make sure it gets online sometime soon.
Bed time!

Yay!

Finally! Now I have a reason to buy those adorable pink froofy baby things.
Congrats, Juls! Keep us posted.
I didn't realize Tulsa was getting pounded with storms so badly. Hope you're all okay!
Love ya...

baby update

Hey girls! I hope you're all doing well. Kim, I'm so happy about your new job and I hope that you're getting all settled in and enjoying your work. (sorry I missed your call the other day, I don't even know how I didn't hear my phone ring) All is fine here. Josh is working nights this week. It's not too bad except that tonight is his first 12 hour night and we happen to be under tornado attack all night. I have already spent part of my evening at Panera Bread in the freezer with Seth because it was a safe place to hide from the first round of tornados that swept Tulsa while I was eating dinner with a friend. I just crawled out of the hallway where I sat in the dark for an hour with Seth asleep in my arms while we hid from the second round of storms and tornados. We have a brief reprieve, but I will probably be heading back to the hallway or bathroom with a sleeping baby to take cover from the third round of tornados in about an hour. It's a crappy night for Josh to be gone all night. You girls know how I'm afraid of thunder and lightening, let alone tornados! Before I got married, I spent most thunderstorms in bed with Kim because they freak me out so much! Anyways, there's nothing new happening here. I just wanted to post to tell you all that I had my ultrasound today to see if we could identify the baby's sex. I'm only 18 weeks, so I'm a little early to get a completely clear view as the genital area has just recently developed completely. However, you can get a pretty solid picture at this point that is rarely misleading. Based on the view we got with the ultrasound (and it was a pretty wide-open angle if you know what I mean), it looks like we can pretty confidently expect the first member of the Sapphires Club, the next generation. It's a girl! =) The doctor looked at her from every angle to make sure there was nothing "poking out" and he and Josh both decided that it is most definately looked like a girl. Hopefully, we'll get another good picture at another ultrasound when I'm further along to just verify her sex. But we feel pretty comfortable with it right now. I'm pretty excited. I had psyched myself up so much for a boy so that I wouldn't be disappointed that I can't quite believe that it's a girl. It will be fun. Well, I'd better get going and watch the weather again. Love you all!

New job

So I'm officially a full-time working girl now. I just started yesterday as a copywriter at Onlineshoes.com. I'm mainly writing product copy and things like that for the website. It's going to be challenging, but definitely interesting (I mean, I had to read fashion magazines yesterday to do 'research' on brand images...). The pay is exactly what I needed and the office is about a mile and a half from home (I know this because I missed my bus yesterday and walked most of the way!).
Other than that, things are pretty much the same. Adam and I were in Colorado for Easter -- our nephew Dylan really got into the Easter egg stuff this year, so that was pretty fun. I'll post some pictures whenever I finally get them off the camera -- Adam and I went kind of overboard on our egg-coloring this year. It's always quite an event at his family's house -- everyone all sort of has a contest to see who can be the most original, funny, or whatever.
Adam's birthday was on Tuesday -- I got him flying lessons that will start this Saturday. He's very excited about it -- hopefully the weather is good so we can go up.
We're getting more involved in church -- we found one that seems to be perfect for us. Very young and trendy, but also traditional in some aspects. We've been making some friends there and are really starting to feel connected.
I guess that's about it from me -- love you all!!

saying good-bye

Hi girls,
I just got off the phone with Stephanie and felt the need to post. Tonight I said goodbye to Jaren. She leaves on saturday morning to move back to Arkansas. these last 2 weeks have been really rough on both of us, saying goodbye again. But I'm really thankful that God gave us this time together.
Friday morning we leave for Washington DC. We're going to a formal military wedding, and also will see some sites while we're there. We get to share a hotel room with my mother-in-law :) won't that be fun!!!
I don't think I told you that my brother and his wife heard they will be having a boy. They've chosen the name Bailey Christopher. I'm super-excited and can't wait to start buying little boy clothes.
My tulips are in full bloom and they are gorgeous. On Easter morning I walked around the corner of the house to see the first red tulips blooming. I was so excited, Chris thought I wet myself.
Our company has moved in to the new office building and it's fabulous. It's professional looking, which is quite a change for our company.
And I think that's all I have to catch you up on. Love you ladies!

Happy Easter!

Hey all! I thought I would just give you a hello. This time of year reminds me of you all so much. I was thinking about making Easter dinner, which brought back memories of the Easter dinner we had at my apartment my senior year. You guys are so special to me!

Not much is going on with us. Missions is really starting to kick in. We are suppose to have over 50% of our money in, and Nick and I are running short. We have found a few extra jobs to do in the evening, so hopefully that will help. :) We are working a gardeners for a lady next week. I hope my green thumb can grow in between now and then! ;)

Kim, I'm so sorry for your loss. I am praying for your family and your mom. I hope you all have a great time in Longmont! :)
Jennifer how was the move? Are you enjoying your walls and door? It is amazing how much you appreciate simple things when you've gone with out them for so long. :) How is Chris doing? We are praying for him.
Steph...how was the move? I'm figuring you are on your way or close to being in Tulsa.
Julie - I hope you are feeling better and that you can let your "faith doctor" know that all is well. ;) Your story made me laugh and cringe at the same time. I think I would have told the man off.
Angie, thank you so much for the birthday card! I had a such a wonderful day and hearing your voice made it that much sweeter! Thank you!! The picture is great too, I can just imagine us when were are old and wrinkled sitting in the inner tubes on some lake during a summer. :) I can't wait for that too happen!!

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter!! I love ya tons! I'm counting down until I see you in July. I have my plane ticket bought!!

Remembering

Well Adam's watching the Discovery Channel and I'm waiting for laundry to be done, so I thought I'd post something while I was thinking of you all.
Thanks for the thoughts and prayers for my family in the past week. My mom's still having a hard time with the fact that one of her siblings is gone -- that's a feeling I can't even imagine. We've all been going through our memories, finding all kinds of obscure events and family gatherings, trying to remember the special little moments. It's funny the little things that your mind brings back to your attention when you immerse yourself in remembering.
My mom gave me an old picture not long ago of her on her wedding day. It's a beautiful old black and white photo of my grandmother helping my mom with her veil and my Aunt Joan (the one that just passed away) is standing next to my mom, admiring her. It's such a lovely picture -- I think I might frame it for the wall. They all just look so young and happy -- and skinny! Those girls must have had waists smaller than Scarlett O'Hara! Good grief. Where did I get all my curves from??
Anyway, I wasn't able to make it to Ohio for the funeral -- the tickets were just outrageous in price because of spring break. But I'd like to get back sometime in the next couple of months, hopefully. Times like these I sort of forget why I wanted to live so far away from everyone. It's very frustrating when all I want to do is see my family -- and I can't. Normally, it's not an issue -- we can fork over the money and just splurge on a ticket. But when the cheapest one you can find is $900, that's not really an option.
Is anyone else having to pay taxes this year? This is the first time we've had to and ... ouch. Guess we need to pop out a kid or something before next year. Too bad we can't claim the pets. I mean, Clover could be a child's name, right?
Write soon, girls, and keep us all updated on your lives! Steph, we need to catch up soon! Have you finished packing yet? Julie, how was Seth's birthday party? I was thinking of you all weekend -- you'll have to post some pictures! Jamie, Adam and I will be in Longmont this weekend -- we'll wave as we fly over! Hope all is well with everyone. Love you, girls!

just stopping by

Hey ladies,
I've been missing you all so much lately, and thinking of you constantly as I watch the count-down to sapphire reunion tick away! Life is finally settling down after getting the floor completed. I love the look of it all, and the new trim, and the smooth finish. I will say that it is a bit slippery sometimes, so if you ever come and visit, keep that in mind. Last night I came close to falling on my face. Chris visited the doctor a week ago and was put on a very low dose blood-pressure medication. Please pray that the medication, along with the weight loss that's occuring will help lower the blood pressure.
Our office is relocating to Davenport next friday. I'm imagining that will be an interesting experience for all. I get an office with 4 walls (this is a first!), a big window, and only one door (also a first). It'll be nice when everyone's settled in.
Julie, I loved reading your story about the super-spiritual doctor. I probably would have just snapped at the guy! I couldn't imagine just sitting there and listening to all the blabber. How did you stand it!? Kimmie, I'm praying for you and your family as you mourn this passing. Jamie, I'm praying for you and your hubbie, that God would direct your communication to be effective. Stephanie, I miss you too much and we really need to talk! Hope things are coming together for the upcoming move. i'll try and call you this weekend.
lots of love!

Sympathy

Hey Kim, I just wanted to post a quick note to say that I'm so sorry about your aunt passing away. I did not know your aunt had cancer. Which one is it? Anyways, your family is in our prayers. Please let us know if you need anything at all. Where will the funeral be? Let us know if you're going to be going and when so we can be praying. Again, I'm really sorry. Love you!

Quick note

Hi, girls. I just have time for a quick post right now. Just wanted to let everyone know that my mom's sister just passed away last night. She had breast cancer and had been struggling for over a year now. So it wasn't a total surprise, but still a bit of a shock as everyone assumed she'd be discharged from the hospital in a couple days. But she slipped away pretty quickly and peacefully - my uncle didn't quite make it in time to be there with her when she went. I'd really appreciate prayers for my mom right now. I think she's still in shock - she hasn't really broken down yet. I'm trying to decide whether I should and can go to Ohio this weekend for the funeral. So I'd appreciate your prayers as well.
Anyway, hope all is well with you girls. I love you!

Is anyone normal?

Hey...what a crazy last few days. I just needed to write and not feel like I'm a drama queen. I probably am, but oh well. :) Nick and I have been trying to discuss an issue that just hurts me. I can't figure out how to explain it to him though. Everytime I bring it up, it confuses him more and more. The problem may come from me not really knowing how to verbalize what is going on. Am I normal? I sure hope so. Anyhoo...I think I'm learning to let it go a little, but then again, maybe not. The small issue that sets me off is that he doesn't respond to me when I ask, holler or sometime talk to him. I know that's a 'usual' thing for guys, but I guess I didn't realize how much they don't listen. :) I must have done this to my mom when I was a kid. I realize how much it must have driven her crazy. When he has to repeat something to me, he assumes that I don't trust him. That is what hurts the most. I can't seem to figure out how to make him see that I do trust him. The latest incident was when were cleaning the house and had the radios up loud and doors were shut. The thing that gets me the most too, is that I know he was working on a surprise for me...and I always seem to blow them.

Anyways...thanks for reading and hearing my heart. I needed to vent to a safe place. I sure do miss you guys! I wish often that I could just transport you all into my world for a moment. A quick hug and an assurance that I'm normal, then you could go back to your lives. :)

I love you all and I'm praying for you all that time!

name it and claim it!

Hey girls! Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I really just had nothing interesting to say. Jennifer, laminate flooring is a pain. My parents did it themselves in their house and it took weeks. It does look beautiful, but not so easy. Isn't it wierd taking pregnancy tests? Most of the time they're negative. But it's always wierd to take one. I've taken a lot because I am always a bit neurotic about worrying that I might be pregnant when I'm not on birth control. And you can't take BC pills when you're nursing, so I took a few tests after Seth was born just to make sure. Of course, it's not really supposed to be all that easy to get pregnant when you're nursing either when you haven't had a period yet. But just in case you girls are ever in that position, take it from me that it can be easier than you think to get pregnant again when you are still nursing and have not had a period for over a year and a half. If you happen to be anything like me, you can get pregnant that very first time you ovulate before you ever have a period. It's highly unlikely, but not at all impossible. Just a heads up! =) Speaking of pregnancy, I went to my doctor yesterday for a checkup. All is well and the baby looks good. He did an ultrasound and decided that my due date is September 27, 2006. Which is pretty much when I thought it was. Still don't know what it is but will hopefully be able to find out in a month. I'm still only 14 weeks along, so it's a bit early to tell. My doctor is very nice, but let me tell you girls, I am apparently not naming and claiming my healing from pregnancy nausea nearly enough because Dr. Ross (who is a very high strung, holy roller, Christian) told me yesterday that it is not God's will for me to be vomiting all the time. He literally spent at least 30 minutes just preaching at me about divine healing and confessing it and how when we're not healed it's because of a lack of faith on our part and not because God doesn't want to heal us. And so on, and so on, and so on. Now, don't get me wrong girls, I absolutely believe in God's healing power and in claiming healing by faith and professing His word through prayer. However, I've been praying for the nausea to stop for months now and so has my family and He's just not doing it. Maybe we're not doing it all the way we should, but I've also seen God choose not to heal a lot of people who had people praying for them who were doing it right they were doing it right themselves. I don't understand everything about healing, and I'm not cynical about it. But I can tell you, by the time my quick checkup had turned into a 2 hour church service with Seth sitting in his stroller the whole time crying, I was about ready to shove the speculum down my doctor's throat. Seth handled things pretty well though by pulling an entire tray of sterilized equipment over onto the floor. I still cannot tell you what the baby's heart rate was or how big it is or even if it was moving because my whole ultrasound was spent talking about my obvious lack of faith in divine healing instead of about my baby, which I will admit I was significantly more interested in. Oh well,... I like having a Christian doctor, he just pushed it a little too far yesterday. But I will stick with him because he gives me all the drugs I want and does whatever I ask. So, that's about it for me. Life is pretty dull lately. Josh works 12 hours a day and most weekends, so I spend a lot of time alone. I'm still getting sick and have recently developed a problem with migranes. Pretty common during pregnancy. It will pass soon hopefully. I have also developed a really annoying side effect of acne. YUK! I really hope that passes soon. Seth is doing well. He's a good baby and is getting very talkative. Not with real words yet, but he still talks a lot. He has learned to say "Hi". He likes to pick up the phone and talk on it. Not walking quite yet. He turns one next week. We are having a zoo themed birthday party because he loves animals. Most of our family is coming into town for the party. So, that will be fun. (It's April 8th at 1pm just in case anyone happens to be in Tulsa that weekend). Other than that I've just been working on some marketing and promotions preojects at church and for a client that hired me to market a childrens film. That's about it. Love you girls!!

just say 'no' to laminate!

Hey gals,
Life has been crazy full lately. Chris' cousin passed away on thursday and we had the funeral today. he was just 29 years old and died of a massive heart attack. So that's made us think about our own wishes and insurance policies, should we pass... very sad.
I just felt that I would get the warning out to any other do-it-yourself-ers out there, about our recent experience with laminate flooring. Saturday and Sunday we spent putting in laminate floor in the kitchen and dining areas. It took 2 full days and we still have 3 more boards to do. We worked until it was dark both days and it was just plain horrid, frustrating, back breaking work. It's not as easy as the packages make it sound. So, if any of you ever get to the point when you have to replace a floor, my recommendation would be to either save a bit more money and hire it done, or do ceramic tile. The end result is beautiful (and a bit slippery to start), but I've not yet decided whether it was worth the work and frustrations.
Today I brought home a bassinette. :) No, I'm not pregnant. My sister-in-law is certain they will not have any more children, so I've inherited some books and a couple of other items. Exciting! Oh yes, I did take my first pregnancy test about a month ago. That was an all-toghther strange feeling!
Must get back to my work now. love and miss you all!

and it gets even crazier...

Hey girls. I know I'm not the best with posting. But here I am again, and life is crazier than ever. I've just enrolled in a new grad school program (the other one I was in wasn't working out). This is an online program, which is good because I won't have a problem if I ever were to move before I finish. It does allow also for the flexibility I need, but boy is it kicking my butt. On my first quiz I got a 75%, and then I thought I got a 20%, but that turned out to be a misunderstanding. I need a B in every class to stay in the program, so you all can imagine my state of hyperventilation. But rest easy, I got a solid A on my most recent paper, so I'm back in my groove. I know, I'm insane about my grades, but this time i have to be with the required average. I don't really have the money to be re-taking classes. Work has also been super hectic, so I've been putting in extra hours there. So basically, I have very little life. I try to get as much done as possible during the week so I can enjoy the weekends.

Nathan and I are still involved in the church plant. Lifesong Church launches Sept 10, so something to be praying about if you think of it. It's amazing to see God being faithful in all aspects. We've already had a great deal of money come in, and there are already people who want to attend when it launches. Yet another things that keeps us very busy. Nathan is, of course, designing the webpage. He's working on the splash page right now (a one page kind if intro think until the whole thing it up and running). I'll have to email the link when it's done because it's pretty awesome.

On the fun side, Nathan and I seem to pretty much have closed the book on the snowboarding season (although there might be one more good day if we're lucky). My brother Matt and his girlfriend have also joined the fun with us. I've gotten pretty good, for only having about 1/2 a season under my belt. It's actually more fun than I thought it would be. I now officially have all my own gear. It's nice to have a hobby for the long winter months that drag by otherwise. But now it's over, which means it's time to get back into dancing. Never a dull moment. Ok, I've got to get going. I've enjoyed reading all of your blogs, and look forward to all the updates on your exciting lives.

Quick story...

Ok, so Ang told me that I should post this...
The other night, I was getting home from the gym and I hopped in the bathtub just to relax. I never shut my door, so Henry is around all the time. He's always sniffing the bubbles and watching my toes in the water and such. Well this time, he decided that he wanted to snuggle, and jumped right in. I have never seen a cat's eyes bug out soooo much! He was so shocked at whatever he landed himself in that he freaked out and jumped right back out. I had an apartment full of water and a shivering, scrawny cat that would not leave my bedroom radiator. But I also had a huge laugh. I felt so bad for him, but it was the most hilarious thing that I have seen in a long time. Just thought I would share...:)

Is it spring yet?

Hi, girls!
Did everyone have a good weekend? Mine was relaxing, but not very productive. I guess that's okay every once in a while. Although, Adam and I did make it to Ikea and bought some fun decor for our apartment, which we have decided to stay living in for a while longer. We were thinking of moving, but once we sat down and figured out the money we'd save to stay where we are, we decided that would be the wiser choice for right now. So, to add a little color to our very white walls, we got some fun prints, shelves and other decorative items. I'm thinking about maybe doing an area rug as well. I know -- don't go too crazy, right?

So my mom, sister and two nieces were here visiting last week. They all stayed with me in my apartment. All of them. With me. Yeah, it was tight, but we had a good time. Got to show them around some and spend some time catching up. Anna and Jess -- my two nieces -- are just a blast to hang out with. I'm hoping they'll be able to come back and stay with me again for a little bit longer.

I'm sort of in between jobs right now. I interviewed for three different positions last week. They're all writing/editing sort of jobs and they all seem pretty interesting. In the meantime, I'm still doing a little freelancing and trying to fund my increasing Starbucks habit. (Did you know once Tom Hanks cut Starbucks out of his diet, he lost 30 pounds?)

The past few days here have been brilliantly sunny and warm, which is really giving me spring fever. I don't have any flowers of my own to watch pop up, but the whole city seems to have come alive with buds and blooms in the past few weeks. Adam and I spent a lot of time outside over the weekend, hiking and playing on the beach.

Has everyone sent back their Sapphires Reunion RSVP? I just sent mine out...so exciting!

And now, I suppose, I should get back to work. I love you girls!

How cute!

Hey girls!

It's been a LONG while since I contributed, so I thought it was time. I've been meaning to during testing at school, but I always seem to fill my time grading and getting caught up. We are in the middle of our state tests, end of the quarter and conferences this week. Next week we start a spring break, I can't wait!! I've been involved in two weddings the past two weekends. I can't even begin to tell you how exhausted I am. And how much I miss you guys. Angie and Liz, I so wished I could have been at your weddings. This weekend made me miss you guys lots! Thanks for all of the beautiful pictures though. :)

Nothing super exciting in our lives. We have grown our little family by two this winter. No, I'm not pregnant, we adopted two kittens in January. It was a late Christmas present from Nick. Their names are Sugar and Spice. I've attached a picture of them. :)

We did have a pregnancy scare last month. I realized how not ready I am. I was really worried that I was pregnant. Part of me wishes I was, but the other part was screaming loud. I really want to go to China without being pregnant this time around. We did an at home test and it came out negative. However, it still took two more weeks before I started. I didn't know my cycle could go 41 days. It was crazy!! Oh...I don't know if I told you all, but I stop taking birth control in October because it was making me sick. My lips were constantly chapped and peeling and I was extremely mood. Once I stopped, the symptoms, especially the moodiness went away. :) Nick was happy!! But all that to say, it lead to a pregnancy scare. :)

We found out where we are going in China...We are headed to Hong Kong to teach English to kindergarten. It should be fun. We will be doing a lot of prayer walking and other stuff to, I think. :) Keep us in your prayers.

Now for the reason I sat down to write you all. STEPH and JENNIFER!! Those invitations you sent for our Sapphire Weekend, are AMAZING!! Thank you for putting together everything and for the cute invite. We've put it on our fridge. :)

I can't wait to see you all and just hang out!! I miss you LOTS. Know that I'm praying for you and all of your families. Julie, I hope you are starting to feel better with your little one. Steph, I'm praying your mom's treatment is smooth and that a job will find you! ;) Kim, I hope you are enjoying your family. Jennifer, you sound a busy as I am. I wish I was as creative to make curtains as you are! Angie and Liz, I know how crazy things get, I'm praying for you all. :)

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Nothing big happening here...

Since it's been like a bazillion years since I wrote something, I figured I should make a contribution. I've been waiting for something news-worthy to happen, but since nothing has, I guess you'll all just have to deal with reading about my cats...just kidding.
I finished up my job in Everett working on the web site last week. I've got a couple things lined up for the next couple of weeks - editing some very scientific and technical papers that I pretend to understand for the University of Washington and am also filling in in the IT department for the City of Everett until they get the position filled. So I'm doing my best not to be a 'freeloader' as Adam so sweetly puts it. But I am liking having a little more flexibility in my schedule again.
My mom, sister and two nieces are coming to visit this weekend. Hopefully this nasty weather will clear up so we can actually be outside for more than two minutes.
We've been looking at new apartments lately -- trying to find something a little bigger and more downtown. So that's been fun, but a little shocking price-wise. But I'm all about the amenities.
The cruise with Josh and Julie was fabulous. Even though the weather kind of sucked some of the time, it was great to get away from the mundane stuff and just hang out with friends. And...I got to go snorkeling for the very first time! It was pretty fun, though the water was arctic-blast cold. I definitely want to go again though and for a longer period of time. Adam was very cute -- was kind of scared to get in, but once he did, he had a good time. Even though Josh kept teasing him about sharks, which practically made him hyperventilate. But it all worked out fine.
Well, I've got a lot to get done this afternoon, so I'd better hop to it. Love you all!

Big Day!

Today was a good day - My best friend Erika had baby #4 - Ezekiel Josiah (I am not 100% on the middle name)! He was 7lbs 13oz. Born at 1:17PM March 8, 2006. He has just a little peach fuzz for hair, and apparently looks a lot like Justyce when she was born. It was an early birthday present for big brother Makias, who turns 5 on March 11th. Danie is supposed to send me a picture on my phone...can't wait to see him! :)
Also, today was the first day of my mom's chemo. I just talked to her and she said that everything is good so far. She has something hooked up to her that she gets taken off in 48 hours...a follow-up treatment or something. Anyway, so now we'll just have to wait and see what, if anything, happens. Also, got a few job leads for Tulsa today, so things are moving along in that direction! :)
Ok, that's just the update from me...hope you all are well! Love you!

I'm really moving

Well, I gave my notice officially about 20 minutes ago. That was tough, but they have all been very supportive and very happy for me. April 20, 2006 will be my last day here at Tesar-Reynes. Whew...it feels a lot better to have that off my shoulders.
Let me just tell you girls that Jen and I had a fantabulous weekend! She came to my house and we just had some much needed girl time. SO GREAT! I can't wait to see you all in a few short months!
Julie, I've been thinking of you a lot - I hope you're making it ok with the pregnancy, and I pray that this time the sickness doesn't last as long. Kim and Ang, it was great to chat with you briefly this weekend...we'll have to spend more time catching up again soon. Ang, I haven't emailed in a while - so sorry! It's been pretty busy around here lately. Jamie, I hope things are good...keep us posted on the details of the trip to China. I am still praying for that, too! Liz, tomorrow - me - you - and lots of catching up. A week seems to go by so fast, yet there is always so much to say...:)
Ok, well I better go...I wish this could be a little longer! Love you girls!

Spring is coming!

Girls! This morning I walked out by my flower bed and... my tulips are starting to come up!!! I'm just excited beyond what I can contain! I'll send pictures when they bloom :) I hope someone is out there who will appreciate this! I've never planted bulbs before. It takes much patience to wait all winter long.
Just a little update on the Akers household...
Chris had his follow up CT scan a few days ago. The nodules that gave us a scare a few months back haven't grown. They've stayed the same and the doctor says there's nothing to worry about. We're retesting in a year. Probably caused by the pneumonia.
Chris' dad (Joe) had his prostate removed a few weeks back (cancer) and they say everything is healing nicely. We also just heard about the biopsy of the lymph nodes and they found no cancer in them - all good news!
I've finally finished painting the ceiling in the kitchen (not a good time) and we're now in the process of choosing flooring. Chris has been working on after hours projects these last few weeks to make some extra $$ so I can choose a floor that I really like. I've also decided to make curtains for the upstairs bedroom. I have the fabric cut but just have to do the actual sewing. Oh, and I'm going to start working on the sapphire scrapbook! Very excited about this as well.
And an update on the growth of the Akers family... it doesn't look like we'll be "trying" for a baby as soon as I had hoped :( We've still got some headway to make financially before Chris is comfortable making that step. He wants me to be a stay-at-home mom, and I whole-heartedly agree. So I'll just wait patiently for God's timing. And in the mean time... I dream about children non-stop!
love you and miss you all!

just an update

Hey girls! There's not much new happening here. We just got back to Tulsa yesterday and are getting settled back in. Seth is getting big anf starting to do new things. He has decided he wants nothing to do with baby food anymore and insists on only eating finger foods. He has also started playing patty-cake on his own, he is pulling up on everything and has stood alone a few times. His favorite new game is to drop everything on the floor and sing "Uh - Oh". He's a very active little boy. We had a great time on vacation with Kim and Adam. It was a little cold and that was kind of a bummer, But it was still relaxing. I'm doing fine these days. I'm about 10-11 weeks pregnant now and everything is going smoothly. The only nasty part of pregnancy so far has been rather violent nausea. There's this one medicine that helps me feel better, but it's like $20 a pill and my insurance doesn't cover it more than a few pills each month. So, whenever I'm out of medicine, I just throw up all day. I'm working on trying to find something else that works for me that is covered by my insurance, but haven't been lucky so far. I'm really scared because Josh starts his new rotation tomorrow and won't be able to help me with Seth at all for the next few months. I don't know if I'm going to be able to take care of him very well if I'm so sick every day. I hate being pregnant. I love my children, but I hate being pregnant. Anyways, I could use you girls' prayers that I feel better and that this nausea doesn't last very long this time. Well, I'd better get moving. I need to take a shower and go run some errands while I have Josh to help me. Love you all!

Wow...

Seriously, girls! I was gone for 9 days! I expected someone to have something interesting to say by the time i got back! :)
Well, what can I say, except that i miss you all dearly. Luckily, I have gotten to talk to a few of you over my vacation.
The week in Tulsa was great. Fabulous. It was really hard to leave. (Juls, I assumed you were still in Ohio, since that was the last I heard.) I got back and this morning one of the recruiters asked me if I was engaged and when i was moving back. I couldn't lie, so I said, not engaged, but moving back. I told her not to say anything to the rest of them yet. She said, "You know you're the best person we've ever had in this position so you have to find a replacement that's just as good..." That felt good. She also said that she understood completely why I was leaving and that she knew everyone else would be supportive, too. Also, good. So I wasn't going to give my notice for a few weeks, but I may let them know sooner than later.
Things with my mom are good. They are on vacation now, and she should start chemo after they get back. She had a lump removed from her breast last week, but that was completely non-cancerous, so she's good to go there. She's feeling a lot better and i think she has a pretty positive outlook.
Things with Shawn are wonderful, too. Can't wait to be around him on a regular basis again. It was so good to spend time with him. He's coming up to meet my parents in a few weeks. That will be good as well.
Anyway, better get to work...catching up to do! Love you all! I hope everything is well!

Celebrate your love

Oh and by the way... Happy valentines day! Have fun celebrating with your boys!

I'm still alive

So yea... I'm still here in PA
Julie - Congratulations, I'm so excited for you! So far, so good in that department for me... No oops pregnancies here and I hope to keep it that way for another 3-5 years.
So here's an update on me... I know I haven't written in forever... So sorry.
It was so great to see you all (those who could make it... We missed you Jamie & Sarah) at the wedding. I miss you all already.
The honeymoon to Mexico was fabulous... It's so nice to be waited on hand and foot and not have to lift a finger for anything. We didn't do much of anything beside sleep for the first couple of day, but even that was so great. We had a lot of catching up to do in that area after the festivities. Towards the end of the week we ventured out and visited the Mayan Ruins, the closest Mexican town - Playa Del Carmen, and spent one day snorkeling. We were ready to set up our house and home there and not come back to reality. But we thought it better to work then get further in to debt.
Ok... So married life is great, now that I'm feeling a lot better. As some of you may already know, 3 days after we got back from Mexico I got the flu. It was awful - I ran fevers over 102 and sometimes over 103 for 6 days straight. After that I had minor fevers (99-101) for about 3-4 days and then I got a really bad sinus congestion for about 3 days... I was out of work for a week and basically layed around, sweated out fevers and changed my clothes about 5-8 times per day... Not so fun. But... I'm feeling a lot better now and loving married life. Now I just have to find the motivation to go through all the boxes in the office. There's just so much organizing to do I don't know where to start.
Other than that... Aaron and I are having fun getting used to living together. We started going to a young marrieds small group and have thus far had a good time getting to know our group as well as other young marrieds in the church. It's been way too long since we've branched out and met knew people and its so nice to finally have couples that Aaron and I can connect with and hang out with. I'd forgotten how much fun it is.
Well... I'm at work and should get back to that since I've already spent half the day being distracted. But I'll definitely try to do better with the writing thing. I miss you guys and I'm glad to see all things working out in everyone's lives. Can't wait to see you in July!

Thrilled!

yea Julie! I'm so excited for you! and ok, maybe a bit jealous :)
Kimmie, that's a really neat website. Must better than 'Rock Island, IL' website. Fun!
My most recent news is that I have hired a new assistant, again. Gretchen started on monday and I can tell already that she is going to work out better than expected. This takes much stress off me in the job. I'm hoping this will mean I will have some more fun while at work and have more relaxing nights as I won't have to rely on a beer or nice vodka drink to come down from the hectic day. not that it's a bad thing or anything ;)
I'm working on quite a few projects now and just last weekend painted my kitchen ceiling. Once this is completed (this weekend) we will order our new kitchen floor, for which my excitement can't even be expressed! I will give one little piece of advice... when painting ceilings, I don't recommend the paint that starts out pink and dries white. It's great to know that you haven't missed a spot BUT the chemical reaction that takes place while it's drying smells like poo! Yes, my home smelled like poo for a few days. it was awful! So, my thoughts are, so long as you can be methodical about your painting, you should be able to know where you've missed paining, so just go for the standard white ceiling paint. I have half of the kitchen yet to do on saturday so I'm in for another couple fun filled - poo smelling days. wish me luck.
So I'm just really happy that everything seems to be looking good for everyone! I'm off to work now... have to figure out what to train on today. TaTa!

So good!

I love that everyone has decided to post! Julie - Congratulations, again! It was great to catch up with you last night! Liz, I hope we're still on for tonight! It's our date! :)
Kimmie and Angie, it was great to connect with you guys again, too. With so much going on with everyone, I have felt so out of touch.
Thanks for all your prayers with my mom! She's doing really well, and recovering from surgery very quickly. She went in this morning for her cat scan, but apparently we won't know anything until next week when the doctor will go over her results with her. She's been researching a lot and is looking into alternatives to the standard chemo treatment. She's also really focusing on cutting preservatives and hormones out of her diet, and going with all natural, organic products instead of the standard processed stuff that we're all used to eating. I am trying to adopt that lifestyle as well.
Other than that, things are alright here in Chi-town. Shawn and I are doing well. I will be in Tulsa again Feb. 18-26. Plans and arrangements continue to be made for the future, and as soon as I know anything for sure concerning a move, job, etc. I will let you girls know! I better get going, and I hope this finds you all well! Have a lovely day, my girls!

New site

Since it seems to be the time for announcements, I'll add mine to the mix. After months of hard work, we finally launched our new City of Everett Web site last Friday. Though it's not quite as exciting as a new baby, I still feel a little like a mom. We've still got a few little tweaks to do and I'm sure there will be even more on my to-do list after I actually check my e-mail today, but it's come a long way from when I first started. For anyone who wants to check it out, here's the address: www.everettwa.org. A few of my personal favorite pages are the Animals and Neighborhoods. As far as my part of the project, I was responsible for editing the content, as well as some photo editing, and I did write a couple of the pages from scratch. Just in case you were wondering. :)
So life is good out here on the west coast. Other than the whole city being depressed today, that is. It's actually sunny and dry for the second day in a row -- it feels like a crime to be inside right now.
I did some major shopping over the weekend to get ready for the cruise w/ Josh & Julie (five days and counting!) ... had to buy a new swimsuit. Not so much fun. But I did find some great sales.
I guess that's it for me. Love you all!

Happy

You can all faint now, since I'm posting. Julie, I'm so excited for you! Maybe this one will be a girl. How fun. And I'm so glad you and your family are doing well. God can do amazing things in families even at such difficult times. And with Steph's mom recovering well, it seems as though things are righting themselves a bit after a difficult time.
Life here is good. Busy as usual, but good. Work is going well for both Nathan and I, although it is extremely busy right now. Special ed gets super busy in the spring, and I guess I started my spring early. For those of you who don't know yet, Nathan and I are also involved in planting a church in the Worcester area of MA. We're pretty excited about it, and it's another thing keeping us pretty busy. The church is schedule to launch in Sept. We've also taken up snowboarding as a hobby (or I should say I have taken it up since Nathan did long ago). I am quite banged up from my first time going last weekend. I could hardly move the day after. But Nathan tells me I have a good "center of balance". Somehow I'm not feeling it as I'm continually falling on my tailbone. I'm hoping to get decent by the time we have our minivacation in New Hampshire. Ok well, we've got company tonight, so I need to get going on dinner. I'm so glad to hear everyone is doing so well.

Thank you!

Hey girls! I want to say thank you so much for the beautiful flowers that you all sent this week for the funeral. I didn't know anything about them and they were there when I got to the viewing last night. I had just walked in and was seeing grandma for the first time. I was up at the casket and having a really hard time when my mom came up behind me and said "did you see what the Sapphires sent?" I turned around and saw the flowers (red sweetheart carnations in a stone angel base) and just burst into tears. I told Josh "this is what a club like this is for." You girls were such a support for me this week and I really appreciate it. The service was really special and we've had some very nice family time this week. We're all doing well. So, enough of that stuff. I also wanted to pass on some more news. This news is significantly happier... I just found out that I'm pregnant again. In case you're wondering, it wasn't planned at all. Quite the accident actually. But we'll just call it a surprise blessing. I'm due September 23rd and this will make my kids 16 months apart. YIKES! I'll be needing some grace from God for the next few years to keep my sanity I think. But I'm feeling pretty good so far and am adjusting to the idea of doing it all over again already. Maybe this one will be a girl. =) Plus, I'll already have my life back with older kids when you guys are all still pulling all nighters with crying babies. Haha! I'm just kidding. =) Well, I'd better go. I love you girls and hope to see some happy blogging from you all shortly. Note: Steph, I need an update on your mom. Later!

sad

Hey girls, I'm sorry to write a sad post today. But I wanted to let you all know that my grandma passed away this morning. I really appreciate all of your prayers and thoughts over the past few months. Your support has been a blessing. I'm going to be heading back to Ohio in a couple days for the funeral and stuff. We'll be there for the whole month of February then because we're going on the cruise with Kim and Adam (yay!). Anyways, grandma slipped into a coma last night and just stopped breathing this morning. It was very peaceful and painless (which is what we were praying for). Obviously, I'm having a rough time, but I'm also relieved because she's been so uncomfortable the past few weeks. I'm just picturing her completely restored and whole in heaven with Christ. Thanks again for your prayers. We could use a few more to get us through these next several days. Love you girls!

Julie

Thanks!

Hey Ladies!
It has been a long time since I have posted on here, but there has been a lot going on. Not that business is an excuse not to communicate with my favorite girls, but you know what I mean. :)
The biggest thing going on right now is that my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer last week and had a major surgery to get the cancer out. It was a tumor the size of a medium apple. They also removed her ovaries ( her uterus was gone from cervical cancer before) and the lymph nodes around the area. The only bad thing that happened is that they found some spots on her liver so they are getting the results from that back today - i'm actually waiting for my mom to call as i write this. The prognosis is good, though, even though she may have to do chemo for a while. SO! Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers, for those of you who knew about this. It all happened very quickly, but Mom is doing well and recovering from the surgery very well.
Since that makes it a total of two weekends in eight that I've been in Chicago, I am really looking forward to this weekend and being home for a change! Shawn is up visiting this weekend, too, so that should be pretty cool. It will be nice to just spend some time with him when there's nothing major going on.
I can't think of too much else right at the moment, although, I know there's much more to tell. I will hopefully talk to each of you again sometime soon! I love you girls! And again, thanks for all the prayers!

Nude swimming!!!????

Jenn! I have to tell you that I have a newfound respect for you that you went to a nude beach and actually participated! I don't think I could do that. I just would be too nervous. I'm impressed. I'm so glad you guys had a great time. Angie, I haven't really heard about your honeymoon yet, but I hope it was fabulous. Your wedding was so much fun and it was great to see you all again. My stomach hurt for a couple days from laughing so hard. It was a good time. Steph, I've been praying for you and your family. You're always in my thoughts. Never hesitate to call if you need anything at all. Nothing much new happening here. We've been back in Tulsa for a couple of weeks now. My brother, Daniel, started ORU this semester. He likes most of it but has the same complaints we all did. However... he doesn't have much to complain about since they completely dropped dress code!!!! Yeah, they can wear jeans and sweats now. Can you believe it? How many times did we all slip and slide across the prayer tower on ice in our dresses? Or bite it down the GC steps in a skirt and high heels? Even when we could wear dress slacks, it still sucked a little bit. Oh well, it was a change that needed to happen. Who knows... maybe curfew will be the next to go. (Yeah right). Anyways, it's been nice having Dan around. I've just been getting stuff done around the house this month and hanging with Seth. We'll be heading back to Ohio in February to go on our cruise with Kim and Adam! Yay! Although I'm still kind of on edge because my grandmother could pass awy at any time. I have to be ready to go back to Ohio earlier if needed. I really cannot believe that she is still holding on. I feel like I'm trapped in a warp zone where my whole life and all of my family is just caught on hold while we deal with grandma. Nobody can make any plans or go anywhere or even really deal with things emotionally yet. We're just waiting. It's crazy. Enough of that. Seth is all over the place. He got like $300 worth of awesome toys at Christmas from everyone and all he wants to play with is my cupboards and the carbon monoxide detector. He always continues to try to crawl under the couch (there's only a 5 inch gap between the floor and the couch) so he gets stuck all day long underneath furniture. My whole day is spent chasing him around or rescuing him from something. The only toy he plays with is his $5 peek a block set. I should have just got him a cardboard box. He also enjoys eating dog food. He has learned the word "no" as well as mommy's "mean" voice. He stops in his tracks on the way to Wyatt's dish when he hears me say "no" and looks at me with big tears in his eyes as if to say "you're not the loving mother I know." It's all very heartbreaking. But not as heartbreaking as having to dig a chunk of dog food out of his throat because he's choking. He started to make a new face last night. I have attached it to this post. We learned that he does not enjoy lasagna. This was his response. We laughed at it so hard though that now he does this face all the time. Even when he likes things. So I think he's just discovering what he can do with his face. Anyways, I love you girls and miss you.

Yah mon

Hey ladies,
Missing you all and wishing we could all get together next weekend again! We returned from our lovely honeymoon this weekend. We had a fabulous time laying on the beach, drinking lots of rum, reading books, more rum, and doing all sorts of water sports... scuba diving (chris only), snorkling, kayaking, glass bottom boat, catamaran cruises, climbing the Dunns River Falls (my personal favorite), drinking rum, and we even visited the nude island just off the coast of our resort. My mother gasped when I told her that yes, her reserved daughter went au natural in Jamaica. We even sat naked in the swim-up bar and held conversation with a group of nude people. I just felt so free!! no sunburn! Anyway, we both had a great time. I can't remember a time in my life when I've been so relaxed.
Hope you are all doing well. Steph, I'm praying for your family. wish i could see you now and be with you. keep me posted k? angie, so glad you had fun on your honeymoon. It looks like a really nice place! I'm in the process of uploading all the pictures from the wedding and our trip to kodakgallery so everyone look for an email soon to see the pics. love you girls!
Jen

Get your kicks in 2006

Since I've checked this about a hundred times so far today thinking "someone needs to write something!" ... I figured I'd go ahead.
Happy 2006, everyone! I just want to say how great it was to see you girls over the holidays (we missed you, Jamie!). It's always so amazing to me how we can all just sort of pick up where we left off last time. I truly believe we have something special in our little group. I hope all of you know how much you mean to me.
And Angie, I'm sure you won't be reading this any time soon (hope you had fun in Mexico!) but the wedding was truly gorgeous. It was so you and so classy. The whole weekend was such a huge whirlwind of fun. I'm so glad we were able to be there.
Our trip back home wasn't quite as much fun - because of huge delays in Chicago and all of United's computers being down, we ended up not being able to make connections with Adam's mom in Denver ... so our little dog is still at the in-laws. We're kind of sad without her. But we are flying Adam's mom in next weekend to get her back (and to visit with my mother-in-law, of course).
So it's back to the real world then, I guess, for most of us. I'm still working on the Web project, and probably will be until the end of time. There are just so many little things we have to pull together before we can launch! But we are planning on launching the end of the month. They did mention the possibility of hiring me on full-time, as the woman I'm working for no longer has an assistant. But there may be a few speedbumps in the road on that one, so it's still pretty up in the air.
Hope you all are well and happy. Love you girls!

Merry Christmas!

Hi Everyone! I just wanted to post a note to let you all know that I will be thinking of you guys this weekend and I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas!!! I love you all and my prayers are with you guys! Travel safe to where ever you're going! Juls - keep me posted! You're in my thoughts constantly! Love you, Ladies! Merry Christmas!

Sapphires News

It's late and I should be in bed... But I'm still up doing stuff for the wedding that is coming up so quickly.
I'm holding my own, but let me tell ya, it hasn't been easy this past week. Lots of little things that I need to make sure gets done. But most of it is fun stuff. I just wish I didn't feel the pressure to work... It would make things a whole lot easier if I didn't have to work this week. Yea well... Just one more thing to work around.
I'm so looking forward to all of you coming in for the big day, but I almost don't want to come, cause then I know it will come to an end... Almost is the key word in that sentence. It's amazing how much planning and money can go into about 6 hours of one day... Its gonna be so worth it though... At least I hope so. I think my biggest fear is that everyone will be bored.
Anyway... I can't write long cause I have to get up early for work tomorrow so I can leave early for appointments, etc... (I have my final dress fitting tomorrow - so exciting). I wanted to find out when everyone is getting in for the wedding... What are your plans? Does anyone need picked up at the airport, if so, what time? I want to make sure you all are taken care of in that department.
I'm so glad you all are coming in... I can't wait to see you all and spend a fabulous weekend together.
Julie... My prayers are with you and your family, I know its been a hard month.
Jaime - I'll miss your smiling face and hugs at the wedding. I'm disappointed you and nik can't make it, but I understand completely.
Liz - I heard you were not feeling well... Hopefully its getting better by now. I expect Nathan is taking good care of you.
Kimmie - How are things in Seattle? I guess you are getting ready for the holiday travels. I can't wait to see you.
steph - I miss you and can't wait to see you in 9 days... I'm so happy for you and Shawn and can't wait to see how the rest of the story unfolds.
Jen - How is the music coming along? I can't wait to hear your beautiful voice and see your shining face... My thoughts and prayers are with you and Chris.
Anyway... Its way past my bedtime... Sleep has been one of those things I haven't had enough of lately.
See you all soon.

Here's the news!

Hello friends! I know it's been a long time since i have posted anything on here. I am so sorry...
There was a reason for that, and now I get to tell you the whole story. But first, I want to say that I have been thinking about all of you a lot lately, and i hope that you all have a very merry Christmas! I will see most of you at Angie's wedding in LESS THAN TWO WEEKS!
Julie, I've been thinking of you a lot lately! If you get time, give me a call. I know you're busy, though. My prayers are with you. You've had a rough season. Liz, I hope you're feeling better! Angie, well, I just hope that you are not stressed and that you are motivated and getting things done! It's almost here! Kimmie, I hope you're ready for your travels! I will talk to you tonight! Jamie, I hope you enjoy your first Christmas with Nick as your hubby! I'll be thinking of you! Jennifer...thanks for supporting me. It means the world to me. And tell Chris thanks for everything, too. I really appreciate it.
Ok, here's the deal:
As most of you know, I have been talking to a guy from Tulsa for about the past month or so. His name is Shawn Cobb. He's 26 and he works at Kaiser Aluminum in Tulsa. He graduated from OSU in Engineering and he also has his own consulting business for that. He goes to Celebration Family Church (where Lee, Kathy, Erika, Danie and everyone go) and he is also going to Victory Bible Institute as well. I started talking to him because of Danie (she's really good friends with him), and even though I had never met him, we had a great connection. It started as just talking all the time...just fun conversations getting to know each other because Danie is close with both of us. That turned into, "Wow, we really have a great chemistry, at least on the phone, maybe we should meet." So, after some major thinking, praying and planning, he bought me a plane ticket and I flew there this past weekend to meet him and have our first date. I knew he had a lot up his sleeve, he wouldn't tell me much about what we were going to do. I was a little nervous about meeting him, and rightly so, I think. :) but as soon as I flew in on Friday night, I went to see him (he had to work that night), and from then on I knew it would all be ok. Better than ok. I knew it would be perfect. And it was. (Don't you just love the drama?! Hee hee). I was staying at Erika's house and the next morning, her oldest, Justyce, had a basketball game. I went to that and then brought Justyce with me to have breakfast with Shawn, his mom Karen, his niece Summer, and his nephew Skyler. It's a long story as to why they were around, but the point is that we had a great time. I'm not gonna lie...it was a bit awkward at first, but that was gone quickly. We all had a great time. Then Shawn and I took Justyce home and he took me to the Tulsa Aquarium. Now, it's no Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, but it was pretty cool and we got to pet lots of slimy scaley animals. Then we went back to his apartment (his fam was still there). He had to run an errand "really quick" and so I stayed with his mom for another 45 minutes. Yeah. It was cool, though. It gave us a chance to chat a little more and I hung out with his niece - we did a Soduku puzzle! He finally came back and then i went to Erika's to get ready for the evening. He came to the door about an hour later with 2 dozen roses -yellow and orange- and a limo to take us to dinner and then to the Nutcracker ballet. It was AMAZING! Everything about the night was great. It was perfect. And yes, he kissed me, but it wasn't until we were on our way to the ballet in the limo. That was perfect, too. Then on Sunday, I spent some time with Erika, then I picked him up and he came over to watch Muppet's Christmas Carol with Erika, Aaron and the kids. It was a great time spending the afternoon with all of them. Then I had to go, but we stopped by Pottery Barn on the way to the airport, so he met that whole crew as well.
So. Now you guys get to meet him too! He's flying in for Angie's wedding.
As far as our status, yes we are a couple. And as most of you know, as well, I have been considering a move back to Tulsa again for a while, and for various reasons, but it seems like this is something that I really want to see through, so that is pretty much the plan. I think I will move back there in April. That's what I know now.
So that's that...this is a novel. I'm sure I'll talk to you all soon! I love you and I miss you!

hello ladies!

Hey girls! We all need to step up the postings, we're getting pretty skimpy on new stuff to read. =) I hope you're all having a wonderful holiday season. Only about a week left to shop for Christmas! I'm almost done. I really had all of my shopping done early, plus I mostly just made gifts for everyone except Seth. But then my grandma in Tulsa called and asked me to do all of her shopping for the family in Ohio. Like I needed one more thing to do... I did all my stuff early so that I would be available to just deal with any family stuff that came up. I'm still trying to visit my grandma in Ohio as much as possible. She's lost her voice now because the tumors have pressed her nerves that control her voice. So she can't really talk. My heart breaks for her because now the only thing she had in life was to visit her family and she can't hardly do that anymore. I really hope she makes it to Christmas. She just needs to hold out 10 more days... She's really excited about coming over for Christmas to watch the grandkids open presents. She can't walk at all. So my brothers will carry her and her oxygen stuff if they have to to make sure she gets here. I went over last night to give grandma a manicure and pedicure. It was a nice time together. I'm actually just home today getting caught up on stuff. We're snowed in and Seth is sick. So, I'm not going anywhere. It's actually kind of nice though because this last week has been very busy. Josh's other grandma died on Friday and we had her funeral on Tuesday. Plus all of the family came in and stuff and that's always hectic. Josh is in Iowa right now burying his grandma. Then Josh's mom got married on Saturday (day after her mom died). She didn't decide to do it until like a day before. So, Josh, Vanessa and I had like 24 hours to throw her a wedding and be with her and grandma when grandma died. Let me tell you, it's a difficult thing to watch someone you love take her last breath. It was a rough week. I feel like all we've done since we've been here is cook and clean for events and people (like Sarah and my neice, Vicki, my grandma, and all the funerals) and then go to funerals and visit people in the hospital. I'm enjoying the short break I have because I'm afraid I'm going to have to do it all over again in a few days for my grandma. Except that will be harder because I just don't know how to be there for my mom and grandpa emotionally. I'm afraid of what it will be like when everyone is hurting so much. Josh's grandmas were both ready to go, they were widowed and older. My grandma is still young and married with a very healthy husband and should have a lot more years of health and active years. It's hard to watch her go through all of this. But anyways... I don't want to write about such miserable stuff. It's just that this is the only stuff we've got going on right now and I don't really know what else to say. ... Seth cut his first tooth. =) That was kind of cute, although it made him crazy because it's hard on them when they cut teeth. He's crawling all over the place now and getting huge. He's pretty funny. Josh is enjoying his rotation with my dad in the ER. He's gotten to do quite a bit and he's stitched several lacerations. So, that has been good experience for him. It's frigid in Ohio and we've been snowed in several times now this month. I'm actually missing Tulsa a little. I missed Tulsa a lot this week when it was like 16 degrees in Ohio and I saw on the weather channel that it was 55 degrees in Tulsa. Oh well. At least I'll be sure to have a white Christmas this year. Well, I'll stop writing now. Sorry this has been so long. Seth has been napping for 3 hours now and I don't have anything else to do but tell you all my every thought. Anyways, love you girls!

brrr

Hi ladies,
It's really cold. -11 with wind chill. Really cold.
Last night I decorated my Christmas tree :) I love doing that! But I ran out of lights and had to spend double time trying to fix them to cover the entire tree.
As life goes on, I discover how "adult-like" we are really becoming. For example, our company had a really good November, and since my pay plan is partially based on that, I got a good check. So, we bought a snow blower. We didn't go out and party, or have a shopping trip, or do anything fancy... we bought a SNOWBLOWER! crazy isn't it!
Thanks for your prayers for Chris and his health. I'm anxious for the next CT scan when they find out it's nothing. Julie, your family is in our prayers also. I'm glad you can be home during this time. When I read your blog the other day about how you got to go see a movie with your mom, it caused me to call my mom and arrange a Christmas shopping excursion. I like spending girl time with mom.
Nothing really big and exciting going on here, just preparing for Christmas. This year, all the brothers and sisters are coming home to mom and dad's. It's going to be crazy but I am so excited to see all the babies! It's so much fun buying gifts for little ones :)
Miss you all!

Finally some happy news!

Hey girls! I'm glad to hear all of your updates. Angie, I hope your shower was a blast and that you and Liz and Steph had a great time together. Jen, I'll be praying for you and Chris. I'm sure you're a little stressed about Chris' nodules. I would be. I'll just be praying that it's nothing and goes away. Steph, we need to talk so you can tell me more about Shawn. =) I really appreciate all of you girls' thoughts and prayers with my grandma and stuff. It's been pretty rough. She's not doing well right now. It's shocking how quickly she has deteriorated. But we had a good Thanksgiving and the ENTIRE family was together, so that was special. Anyway, we had good news this week because my new niece was born on Thursday. Her name is Olivia Lynn and she is 6 pounds 12 oz. She and Sarah are both doing well. Here are her pictures. She's looking a little rough here because she was like an hour old. So, believe me when I say she's cuter now. =) Anyways, I'd better get going to watch a chick flick with my mom. We're both very excited to have another girl to watch movies with this month. Love you girls! See you in about a month!

My life...

Hi everyone! Happy December! I miss all of you so much! I get to see Angie and Liz tonight, actually, and I can't tell you how excited I am! This weekend should be really fun as we prepare Ang for her big day! Lots of fun...
Well things here have been pretty crazy lately. Work is really busy...end of the year stuff. We are also starting a new company out of our same office, so we are doing all the start up stuff for that. We plan to start advertising in after the first of the year. At that time, I will have a part time position with that company as a sort of "webmaster". I will be in charge creating and maintaining our two websites. That will be interesting...but fun, I hope.
In other news, we had some family drama over Thanksgiving, as most of you know. My uncle has been going through a lot and attempted suicided the day before Thanksgiving. He's ok and is doing well now - beginning to work through some things. My grandparents have been here with him for a while, and my mom is coming this weekend and staying until Wednesday or Thursday, I think. I am hopeful that this time with family will be good for him. I get to spend the whole day Tuesday with both of them, so that will be nice.
There's been drama on the romantic front as well. I've been talking to a guy named Shawn for the past few weeks. He's from Tulsa, though, so I haven't actually met him yet. He's a good friend of Danie (Erika's sister) and their family. We have really hit it off so far, and we are planning to meet the weekend of Dec. 16th. I think i am going there, just because it will be a little easier to coordinate...AND...he is trying to come to Angie's wedding as well so he can meet all of you. So, I guess that gives you an idea of how much we are interested in each other without having met, so we'll see what happens and if we're really compatible when we do meet. Ok, so that's not really drama. But, it's eventful, and promising...
Ok, I better get some work done! I hope to hear from you all soon! Juls - I am thinking about you and praying that things go as well as possible for all of your situations. Keep us posted on what happens! Love you girls!

CT results

Chris talked with his doctor this morning. They found 2 nodules in his lungs but aren't too concerned now. He goes back in 3 months for another CT scan and they are expecting for them to either disappeared or grow bigger. If bigger - biopsy, if disappeared - yea!
I wish it were definative though - either "it's nothing" or "we need a biopsy". So we wait instead!
Love you girls!

Season's greetings!

We just made it home from a weekend with the fam in Colorado. I can say it was a productive weekend as far as the way Jen described productive -- plenty of eating and shopping. We were only able to spend an afternoon with the Linds because of different holiday plans, but we did do a lot of hanging out with the other side of the family. Our nephew Dylan stayed at Adam's mom's house with us, and kept us all entertained for hours on end. He's such a little chatterbox and is finally starting to say everyone's names. Unfortunately, my name sounds more like "Mimi" than "Kimmy" which I hope does not stick -- I do not want to be a Mimi -- at least not until I'm around age 60 or so. He's quite good with all the dogs' names though. It's pretty funny. He won't even try to say Uncle Adam, but the three dogs' names, he has down pat. I'm really excited to see him on Christmas morning -- he's just now old enough to be really excited about presents, especially presents that have to do with dinosaurs, his new favorite thing in the whole world.
Ok, I'll stop blabbering about Dylan. :p He's just my baby fix right now, so I have to eat it up!
We also avoided the Black Friday crowds as much as possible, but those 60% off sales were calling our names by Saturday. So we hit Kohl's (which we don't have in Seattle -- so sad!) and I got a couple gifts. But I'll still have some shopping to finish up in the next few weeks.
Juls, we'll keep praying for your family. I'm glad you were able to make it home -- I'm sure your mom feels better just having you around.
Ok, it's Monday night and I'm exhausted. Back to work tomorrow...
Love you girls!

CT Scans, Ultrasounds, and the Chick Magnet

I commonly feel as though I have nothing to write about, and then it seems that lots of little stuff happens. Then I feel like I have so much to tell you all! So here’s the latest…
Chris had another chest X-ray this morning. The Pneumonia has cleared out. Chris is still coughing and they say this could continue for another month yet even. I’m really glad we postponed the honeymoon. BUT, his doctor saw a nodule on one of the lungs and is bringing Chris in for a CT scan tomorrow afternoon. A little scary but no worries as of yet…
Last week I went in for my annual yucky appointment. The doctor felt what she thought could be a cyst on my left ovary. So I had to wait an excruciating hour and a half to see the ultrasound lady. That was not a fun time. But everything turned out just fine. I guess she was feeling part of my intestine which had moved around the ovary.
I hope the Thanksgiving season was productive for all of you – and by productive, I mean fattening and full of shopping :) We were able to get started on our Christmas shopping. I think we’re about half way done. We did most of the shopping later in the day on Friday and Saturday to avoid the crazy ladies getting all their gifts before 7AM. We managed to have 3 thanksgiving dinners over the weekend. I refused to step on the scale today and am anxious for my new tennis shoes to arrive and start the workout program once again.
We have decided to sell the “chick magnet” minivan. We are trying to make it as a one vehicle family. Yes, it’s difficult and frustrating at times. It also provides for many cases of compromise. We wanted to take this step in order to pay off the car loan and get out of some debt. As it looks right now, there is no room for little Jen and Chris juniors in the budget and we want to be able to have some freedom with our money and alleviate some budget pressure.
And I think that about does it for me! Can’t wait for Angie’s wedding to see you all!

Happy Holidays!

Hey Girls!!!! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I love the holiday season. It's my absolute favorite time of year and Thanksgiving ushers in the seasonal fun. =) Sorry I haven't written in a while. We've been very busy. Josh is finally done with his wretched rotation in Poteau, OK. So i have him to myself again. Seth is doing fine. he's so big and he's started teething, so he's a bit fussy lately with the pain. We are in Ohio now for josh to start his rotation for the month of December here in Ohio. We had to rush in about a week early because Josh's grandma died on Tuesday night. So, we weren't planning to be home for Thanksgiving, but we ended up being here because we had to get home for the funeral. My grandma is not doing well and we're all a bit edgey about that situation. She is awfully weak and I just don't know how much time we have left with her. I just really hope she makes itthrough Christmas. Josh's other grandmother had a heart attack last week. So, we're also kind of waiting to see how she does. My sister-in-law, Sarah went into early labor a couple weeks ago and has been on bed rest since then so it's good that we're home to help her out with my toddler nephew. =) My mom has her hands pretty full with grandma. So, I just really feel like it was God's plan for us to be in Ohio this month. Anyways, I finished my Christmas shopping for Seth today and that was fun. I'm enjoying being home for the Holiday Season. And I cannot wait to see you girls in a few weeks for Angie's wedding! (Angie, I just RSVPed for me and Josh today... we're coming). Love you all!

Gobble... Gobble...

Hello my beautiful friends -
It's turkey day here, which means lots of time of relaxing and eating. My dad is away on a trip and all of my siblings are with the in-laws today, so its just me, Aaron, my mom, and Joe. It's kinda fun cause its quiet and my mom is teaching me how to make a turkey today, which is easier than expected. My turkey is coming along quite nicely.
I feel bad for not writing for so long... Its been kinda crazy, as I'm sure you all understand. It's under 6 weeks till the big day and I still have lots of detail stuff to do. Aaron and I have been working on music for the ceremony and reception for the past week and a half. I decided to go non-traditional with the ceremony songs, which of course makes it harder for me. I have yet to find the perfect song for me to walk the isle to... If you have any ideas, please let me know. I plan on getting a lot of stuff done this weekend cause I have a holiday today and tomorrow. I'm going to try and get the programs started and I have to order the favors ASAP. Anyway... I don't want to bore you with the long list of things I need to get done this weekend...
Let's see, wedding has been all-consuming lately, so I haven't a whole lot more to talk about. My shower is next weekend, which means I get to see Liz and Steph... I'm so excited about that. I cannot wait for you girls to come! I miss my girls tremendously and can't wait for the wedding so I can see most of you again. Speaking of... Kim, I'm so excited that you and Adam are coming in for the big day. We are going to have so much fun. Besides my 2 bridesmaids who I know are coming, I haven't heard from the rest of you... I hope that you all can come and I'm anxious to hear if you are for sure. FYI, rumor is that Bryce is coming in for the wedding, which was very unexpected but very exciting. I also invited Hanna, but unfortunately she is in California - in school again - and doesn't have the funds to make it in.
So yea... I tried to talk about something other than the wedding, and obviously it did not work out so well. I wish I had some very exciting news to tell all of you... But like I said, wedding is all-consuming.
Well... I guess I'll go. I hope all is well for everyone. I miss you girls!
Have Wonderful Thanksgiving!

Turkey Day

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving! Hope you all have a great holiday.
Love you girls!






Here's a random picture from our trip to Canada...
(We're pointing at starfish in a tidepool.)
:)

Dry spell

It's definitely been a blogging dry spell lately, girls. I've been meaning to sit down and write something for a week now, but haven't had the time nor the content -- my life is very unexciting at the moment.
We are going away for the weekend with Neal and Naomi. They reserved a cabin by the ocean up on an island by Vancouver. I have a three-day weekend because of Veteran's Day, so I'm looking forward for a few days of doing nothing. Of course, I'm sure they'll have a few twenty-five mile hikes planned for us. But in between those, maybe I'll get some down time.
I was kind of stressed about crossing the border again, since last time the border guard gave us so much flak for not having our passports...you know, since we're obviously terrorists. Of course, I'd put them away somewhere safe and secure and couldn't remember where that was. But I did find them the other night -- in a totally practical place, by the way -- so we should make the Canadians happy this trip.
Starbucks had all their Christmas decorations up this morning. It was so festive -- I really want to go shopping now.
We're supposed to be making our presents for Adam's family this year. Yeah, we have about...oh, twenty presents to make from scratch and we haven't even bought the materials yet. They might all be getting popsicle-stick picture frames.
Steph, I'm sorry to hear things didn't work out with Jay. But it sounds like it might be a good thing for both of you. Anyway, you'll have to catch me up with the whole story soon.
Jen, congrats on being a real aunt! That's very exciting. And I hope Chris feels better soon.
It is the baby season right now, isn't it? Really makes me want one... :p
Julie, we need to talk and plan out our wedding trip over to PA . I'll give you a call early next week so we can chat.
Love you all!

Breaking news!

Yeah, really it's no big deal - sorry to get your hopes up! :)
You remember that I mentioned that I had met and was seeing a guy? Well, scratch that. He wanted a little more that I was willing to give, so we are no longer considering anything romantic. We'll still talk, I'm sure. Ok that's it...just wanted to make sure you were all updated! :) I love you girls!

Auntie

I think Steph and I were on the same mind track... I was opening up the blog thinking "if someone doesn't write, I'm going to have to break the silence!".
Life's been really good lately! I really enjoyed seeing Stephanie this weekend. It was refreshing to have girl time, and to get out the Quad Cities even if just for one night.
The best news of this week is that my brother (my real brother,Brian, who walked me down the aisle) called last night to say he and his wife (Carol) are expecting! I screamed and jumped up and down of course. This is entirely different as this will be my first time being a real (flesh and blood) Aunt! I've been praying for a red-head girl but i don't think Brian's too thrilled about that idea ;) Anyway, he's thrilled and overwhelmed and I'm just plain HAPPY as can be.
Chris is recovering from Pneumonia slowly but surely. He's off the antibiotic now so we just wait and see if it worked. He has a chest x-ray scheduled for the 28th of November to check again. Please continue to keep him in your prayers!
Oh, and if i haven't posted it already, we've changed our honeymoon plans - again. We're going to Jamaica still, but in January instead. Doctor's orders i guess. So we'll be leaving on January 7th, just a few days after I get back from Angie's wedding! I looking forward to going at that time as the holidays will be done and over with and it will be frightfully cold here.
Lastly, i got new allergy testing done today and it seems that today (as compared to 10 years ago) I am less allergic to cats and dogs! So maybe someday... if i can convince Chris...
hope everyone is happy and healthy!
miss you all!

Break the silence...

Ok, ok. I can't stand checking this thing a million times a day and there's nothing new, so I am going to ramble on about my life for a while - just because I know there are others like me who check this all the time just for something to read. :)
Things here have been pretty good lately. I was working at Pottery Barn, but due to some scheduling conflicts, I am not there anymore...yes, that was short-lived, but it just wasn't working out. They thought I was going to be here for the holidays, and when they actually looked at the availability sheet I filled out when I was hired, they realized I wasn't - plus some due to Ang's shower and wedding. And I just didn't want to work there anymore. :)
So, I am down to one job again, but that's ok. It leaves time for other things. For example, Jen came to visit for a day this past weekend. We got some good quality time together and some ideas for the Sapphire's reunion that is here next year. Is everyone still ok with the July 4th weekend? That's what we were planning. There is a LOT to do around here that time of the year.
Also, I met a girl when I did the Breast Cancer Walk last month (she was doing it alone as well) so we hung out a little this weekend - went to lunch at a diner that Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn have been spotted at, then to the Art Institute for a wonderful display of French Photography. Very educational.
And, lastly, I have met a guy. We've been talking and hanging out for about 3 weeks now. Just seeing where things will go. We don't live very close to each other (he lives in Hyde Park/south Chicago and I live west), so we don't see each other often, but we talk on the phone a lot and meet up when we can pencil it in. His name is Jay (Jason) and he's lived in Chicago his whole life...works in an office near me right now, but is training to be a firefighter. Very intellectual (degree in fictional writing from Columbia College) - great conversationalist. Hilarious. So yeah. I'm not keen on the idea of jumping into something to quickly with this guy, but I know he's sort of looking for something a little more serious, so I don't know how I feel about that. But it is nice to know that he's interested...I'll keep you posted.
Let's see. I don't think there's too much more going on. I am getting ready for all the holiday travel. I am running down to the south 'burbs this weekend to see my aunt and my cousins, then it's just two more weeks until Thankgiving! Is that going incredibly fast for anyone else?
Ok, that's me...who's next??

Halloween

Hey girls! I think I already sent these pics to you, but I thought I'd post them just to make sure you got to see them. This was Seth on Halloween night. He helped greet trick-or-treaters at the door as the Cat in the Hat. Hope you all are doing well. Love ya!