more pics

Check Caleb's blog for a couple of better pictures from our trip to WA.

ever heard a dog purr?

25 weeks

Today Mark and Lisa, friends from Sacramento, were in town. We lingered over lunch and then they came back to our condo so they could see the progress on the baby's room. Mark and Lisa are pregnant and due just two weeks after we are. So, needless to say, conversation revolved almost entirely about pregnancy and babies. It was fun to talk to another first-time prego, compare notes and fears and anticipation. Here we are, Lisa at 23 weeks and me at 25.

our trip to Washington

I finally have a few pics from Washington to post. Well, more accurately, I finally have time to post them. Since we got home last week we've been focused on the baby's room ... cleaning things out, prepping for painting, and painting. There's been no time for anything else. We're still not totally done, but we're getting there. I'll post THOSE pictures when we finish.

I'll let the pictures tell the story of our trip.

When we arrived on Friday morning, we got our rental car and spent the day in Seattle. We ate lunch at a lovely little cafe overlooking the Sound at Pike Place, walked through the shops, got hot chocolate at the first Starbucks ever, walked to the Space Needle through a shady part of town, and spent time wandering through the gift shop. It was a cold day, but sunny and beautiful, so we put up with the it. Besides, I got to wear my new cherry red maternity coat.

Pick axes for door handles ... we could only be one place ...

Because we're us, we couldn't go to Seattle and NOT visit the REI flagship store. Its a huge store. REI on organic steroids. They had a whole corner set aside for kids, complete with a tree house they could play in. I had a tough time not wanting to buy baby sized hiking boots and socks. So cute! Can't wait to take the baby camping.

David and Rachel and Timber.

On Saturday, David and Rachel took us to a nearby lake. We spent an hour or so ambling around the entire lake. Again, it was a beautiful and sunny day, and though cold, the walk kept us warm. We were so fortunate to have such beautiful weather! And we experienced one of the fun parts of the outdoorsy Washingtonians, their love for dogs! There wasn't a soul at that lake not walking at least one dog. We could definitely do Washington. Maybe then I could get my Great Dane.

On Sunday the five of us (David, Rachel, Timber, me and Caleb) took the ferry to San Juan Island. We spent the day driving around the island, all of us dreaming of having summer homes there. We saw goat farms, sheep farms, and one farm with a giant camel. Every piece of property seemed to have its own lake and land enough for gallivanting about as though you were a character from a Jane Austen novel with nothing better to do but gallivant.

We went to the whale watching site on the island, where in the right season you're supposed to be able to see Killer Whales. The right season is June through September. So awesome. If only it had been summer.

We didn't see any Orcas, but we DID see eagles ... close enough we could practically see the whites of their eyes! (If eagles have whites in their eyes.) Check Caleb's blog for pics.

David and Timber. Like man, like dog?

On our drive back to Seattle on Tuesday to catch our flight, we took a scenic drive called Chuckanut Drive. It followed the Sound for several miles, again a beautiful day. We passed an alpaca farm as we drove, and I wished we'd had time to stop. Some of the best yarns come from Alpacas. And I love yarn.

Overall it was a great trip. It was relaxing and a great time with David and Rachel. Can't wait to go back ... maybe when the Orcas are coming through.

Happy Birthday Mom!!

Liana's Scarf

My cousin Joy bought a few hats for her daughter a couple months ago, and due to an error on my part, I overcharged her. However, she asked that instead of getting the money back, could I also make a scarf for Liana? So, once Christmas passed, I sat down and made this scarf for her. Its all cotton, light grey, with a yellow tip on one end and hanging pompoms. I kind of made it up as I went along, and I think it came out pretty cute. Joy says Liana is pretty thrilled with it too. Gotta love happy customers!

Washington

Just a quick update: Caleb and I have been in Washington since Friday visiting David and Rachel (my brother and his wife). We're having a lovely trip so far, equal parts relaxing vacation, fun exploration, and good time with family. The weather has been BEAUTIFUL (even though a little cold for this Southern California-bred girl). We've visited nearby islands, seen eagles fly right over our car, done our fair share of eating and talking, and a lot of appreciating the local scenery. They really picked a beautiful part of the country in which to live. There will be pictures after our return home!

the first casualty of pregnancy

I've lost my ankles. The baby has taken my ankles!! I hope she knows I intend to take them back one day.

a good reminder

Last night at Bible study we studied the first part of Romans 8, a passage I had not looked at in quite some time, but realized again what an awesome passage it is. I decided to post it here, for all to read and be reminded that we are free, no longer slaves to sin but free in Christ. Its an awesome truth.

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- 13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"

16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Valentine's Cookies

Geschenk is baking for Valentine's Day. Check it out!

when was the last time YOU got this excited for an ice cube?

25 random things

If you're already a "friend" of mine on Facebook, its possible you've read this. But I put enough time putting it together I figured I'd post it here too. It was a fun exercise ... when was the last time you tried to come up with 25 somewhat random and fun facts about yourself? I dare you to try ....

1. Sometimes I play boggle online and I get an unusually high sense of satisfaction when I score really high. I also get really excited when I come up with words that use the V, the X or the Qu, even though its not Scrabble, and there are no extra points for using these letters.

2. I dream in Chinese sometimes. But as my Chinese gets worse and worse (I’ve been home from China for 5 ½ years now) my dreams have become more and more simple, as even the other characters in my dreams can only speak as much Chinese as my head can remember.

3. I wish I’d been an English major in college. You’d think the mere fact that every single elective I took was an English class would have tipped me off … but who really knows what they want when they’re in college, even if it’s staring them in the face?

4. I was a gymnast once. A pretty good one too. I once won 1st place on the bars in my division in the state of California, 4th place all-around. I wanted to be Mary Lou Retton, even had her hair cut. But my parents said I should be a kid and not a gymnast. To this day I don’t remember being as sad as I was that day … though now I see their wisdom and am glad for their decision.

5. I tend to be at constant war with my structured personality, longing to be OK with spontaneity and last-minute changes, instead of needing at least half an hour to deal with my expectations and let the change of plan not ruin my week.

6. I would vote for Jack Bauer for President.

7. Sometimes I buy yarn for which I have no need or project in mind, just because I love the way it feels.

8. I would love to learn how to dance hip-hop. Honest. I think it’s so cool.

9. “True Companion” by Marc Cohn just might be my favorite song of all time. And proof that for all my structure there is a romantic living within me somewhere.

10. All my life I’ve been branded, and even tested, an extrovert. But in recent years, as I’ve discovered more of my true self, and decided to be OK with that, it turns out I’m actually an introvert (admittedly, with extroverted tendencies). Its been the most freeing discovery of my adult life.

11. Even though I’m starting my family a bit later in life than I’d always imagined, I love that I spent my single years doing daring and exciting things, living my life to the fullest I could. Not that there weren’t times in there where I pined for a man, like every single woman getting older, but I didn’t let it stop me from following my own dreams and goals. One of my greatest wishes is for every other young woman out there to understand her intrinsic value in this world, even without a man, and to pursue life no matter her marital status.

12. Honestly, I’d rather be a few pounds overweight and enjoy Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups now and then than be skinnier and utterly unhappy.

13. I still think it would be cool to live on and run a horse ranch somewhere in Montana or Wyoming. I could ride horses every day through beautiful countryside. Winter would look like Christmas postcards and summer would never get above 80. Then I remember just how cold I get in even 60-degree weather, and realize this dream is a silly one, if I were being realistic. But I still love the romance of the idea.

14. Russell Crowe is my favorite actor, Gladiator is one of my favorite movies. He looks a lot like my husband too.

15. Christian Bale comes in close second, having fallen in love with him after Newsies came out so many years ago. I think he makes a perfect Batman and can’t wait for the Terminator movie.

16. Of course, the pairing of Christian Bale and Russell Crowe in 3:10 to Yuma, a Western (my favorite genre), made for a stars-and-planets-aligned moment in cinematic history.

17. On those notes, I prefer action / adventure and creature feature type movies to chick flicks, a fact for which my husband is thoroughly grateful. If I’m ever at a loss for a movie to pop in, I usually choose something like Die Hard, Lethal Weapon or Jurassic Park. Great movies.

18. Lean Cuisine meals, though easy and even tasty, don’t provide nearly enough food to actually get a pregnant woman all the way to dinner time.

19. If I had my way, the world would no longer belong to the morning people. Work would start somewhere around 10, but if you couldn’t make it in until 11, they’d understand. It would end before dinner time, because its important to spend time with family and at home. And because there’s no need to get up early the next morning, its ok that the creative juices start flowing at 9:00 at night. I could stay up until midnight knitting or organizing or cleaning or planning or reading. It would be such a perfect world. Curse the morning people and their tyranny.

20. Chocolate Brown is my favorite color. I love when it’s paired with other rich fall colors like gold and rust and crimson. Fall definitely has the best color scheme of any season.

21. I think one of the most important spiritual truths we can own is that we are free. Unfortunately, I think it tends to be one of those truths that is most difficult to grasp and to own. But just think how much more relaxed we’d all be if we stopped “should”ing ourselves and just loved God, and then did what we want? (This is obviously a very abbreviated summary of what I’m thinking, but hopefully it translates.)

22. I wish I were a better writer. I love to write, and sometimes am even able to impress myself. But then when I read great writers like Harper Lee and Anna Quindlen and Dostoyevsky and Dean Koontz and C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein (with his many initials), I am stricken with an inferiority complex too great to overcome, and thus don’t even pursue the practice as much as I should. Oh how I revere the great writers.

23. I prefer the New American Standard Version of the Bible to any other, mostly for its more poetic phrasing of Scripture. However, it tends to leave me lost when reading along in church or Bible study, as it is not often the version of choice for public reading.

24. If I had more expendable time on my hands, I think I would do more cooking, and maybe we’d have something other than chicken or soup or frozen pizza for dinner.

25. Sometimes I drive with the window down AND the air conditioning running. Who says you can’t have the best of both worlds?