Field Trip

Last Saturday i went on a field trip and took some photos of flowers among other things. It has taken me all week to get the photos from my camera to computer to editing to uploading. I thought i would try a new way to display several photos - i'm not real excited about how they look just uploaded to blogger. Enjoy!

Arrival {update: pics}

Noel Elise has arrived!!

Born at 4:04pm Central Time - 6 lb. 9 oz. and 20 inches long with dark hair.

Do a little happy dance! I know I've done a few of them. I don't have pictures yet, they won't be home from the birthing center until about midnight. I won't expect any until tomorrow afternoon or evening. Oooh the agony of waiting!

Everyone is doing great! My sister told my dad who told me that everything went amazingly easy for the first birth. There were no complications and quick birth.

I'm sooo happy!!!!

Newborn Noel - laying on the bed at the birthing center taken by her dad.

Noel at 25 hours being held by her great grandmother.

*sigh* my heart is melting...

!!!!!!!

My sister has gone into labor!!!!

I got a phone call from my step-mom at 10:56am and i missed it! I couldn't believe it, i was sitting right next to it and didn't hear it in my purse. Anyway, got her voice mail and called back for her to tell me everything again. My sister's water broke this morning and at 11 she was at 4cm. So, my niece will probably be here by this evening and then everyone back home tomorrow morning. Which means easily about 24hrs of waiting before i get a picture!!

I have called my husband, texted my brother, called my step-sister, IMed with my mom, IMed with a cousin-in-law, told a friend, told my female co-workers who all squealed with me... I think the adrenalin has finally wained enough for me to go get lunch and maybe come back and work a little.

I'll keep ya'll posted!

Happy Happy Joy Joy

It is warm! sunny! on a Friday! I am having a hard hard time sitting in my office but thankful i have a window that looks out into the big office that has big windows that look out into the sky which is perfectly clear and blue today. My plans for lunch is Thai sitting outside on a picnic bench reading Ann of Green Gables {i know, it's a crime i've waited so long to read it but big fan of the movies}.

I had really ambitious plans last night and i completely gave them up for movies. I watched P.S. I Love You which was good, didn't make me cry and i laughed a little more than i expected. Then i watched Lars and the Real Girl really good story but it did make me teary. Here is the part i'm proud of, you know that new book i got, Doodle Stitches? Well, i actually pulled it out last night and used it! That's right, i practices stitches while watching my second movie. Months ago i had picked up these square swatches that are pre-cut for quilts or whatever. My original plan was to show M. "look these would make great curtains for our back door" - we went a different route that still isn't even up... anyway i digress... i took one of the pieces of fabric that has a large flower pattern and decided to follow the pattern to practice my stitches. It worked, it looks nice for my first try, I'll post proof as soon as I take a photo. Ta-da proof:




I'm also getting anxious about my sister delivering. Early this morning between my alarm going off and the snooze time i was dreaming that my dad had called to tell me my sister had gone into labor. When i woke fully and checked my phone, it wasn't true. Which really is good according to the calendar she has another week. The waiting is getting hard!

I hope the weather is amazing where you are!

25 Grateful Things

I read a lot of blogs, on one blog i read she had the same birthday as me, this blogger chose to write a list of things she's happy about according to her age, i'm borrowing her idea.

25 Grateful Things: {in no particular order}

1 - Saved by Jesus Christ
2 - My body works {i can walk, have all ten fingers, eyes, hears... the whole bit}
3 - A hairdresser that makes my hair look amazing {after years and years of it looking ok}
4 - Work {even though i might not love what i do at least it's related to my degree & i'm not digging ditches}
5 - Group of friends that enjoy art
6 - A husband that provides
7 - My in-laws like me {especially the m.i.l.}
8 - Taking a printmaking class in collage that allowed me to fall in love with the art
9 - People supported me to get me through college
10 - Moving to Portland {even if i really really miss my family in tx}
11 - Siblings who love me and include me in their lives
12 - Becoming an Aunt {i'm getting a little edgy when the phone rings at night}
13 - Knowledge of technology {really, it allows me to do so much!}
14 - A car that runs & gets good gas mileage
15 - Creativity {rockin' some good ideas on how to design a book to hold smashed pennies}
16 - A place to live that does hold everything just fine {even if my ego says it's too small}
17 - Good coffee {Starbucks fan and also a few really good local cafes}
18 - Group of friends that encourage me in my walk with Christ
19 - Dogs that are good most the time but love me all the time
20 - Audio CDs for a long commute
21 - Dishwashers {with out them i'd never clean a dish}
22 - Summer is coming {we're supposed to reach 90 on Fri!}
23 - My husband can cook {and do his own laundry & ironing}
24 - Corrective lenses {contacts & glasses to help me see}
25 - Airplanes {the best quick travel}

That was probably harder than it should have been.

Week Recap

Tuesday:
It was my 25th birthday! What did i do? I worked and then went to my monthly art meeting. I didn't tell anyone at the meeting it was my b-day because i feel awkward stating it out of the blue. I did tell 2 friends when it was all done and they burst out singing to me and then gave me gifts, lol. Well really i had already picked out 2 whole sand dollars from one friend's stash. The other friend gave me the knitted dish cloth she just happen to have finished that night. Then i staid until 12:30am eek! That didn't help my jet-lag, sleep deprived self. M. did have to work Tuesday night but he left me a dozen cream w/ red tip roses and a really meaningful card.

Wednesday:
I continued to treat my self with some birthday money from family. I purchased the sixth season of CSI Las Vegas which i couldn't find in video stores or online and i wanted to catch up. My husband had left that day to go to the coast to visit his grandmother. So, i watched five episodes because i could. I would have gone with hubby except i work wed & thurs and he doesn't.

Thursday:
This day was going along fine. My sister had reported in that her sonogram had gone well and that her doctor was pleased with everything even if her stomach was a little small but the baby was normal size if not on the small side (guessing around 5.5-6lbs). Praise there!

Then about 4:00pm pst i got a text message from my sister's husband to call her later that night because their dog had died. WHAT?! Totally surprised and sad. I was just there, they had just purchased more food and new treats. *sigh* Turns out that it was ruptured tumor in his stomach. My brother-in-law found him at home obviously something wrong and took him to the vet where Crockett didn't make it. He was an eight year old doberman, truly a sweety and will be missed!

Friday:
So far so good. Nothing exciting. Nothing tragic. Although i'm really tired - i don't think i've made it to bed before midnight all week. Tonight my borther-in-laws are throwing a party to celebrate the last night they're in their rental house. I don't know if i want to go. I have 3 things going on tomorrow and i'm really thinking of blowing them off to sleep in and watch more CSI. Really, only one thing has to do with people... i'll see how i feel when that time comes.

How was every ones week?

Blows Your Mind

The miracle that is a woman growing another human - blows my mind!

The long weekend at my sister's was amazing. The best part was getting to touch my sister's belly and feel Baby move. I have felt her feet press out, i felt her little rump, i felt her have the hiccups. That's right, baby's have hiccups in the womb, crazy! For the hiccups i put my hand on the side and i could feel resistance and then suddenly a quick nothing and then back to resistance - it was rhythmic plus S. had felt baby have them before so she knew what she was talking about. It was WILD!!!

The baby shower was beautiful, my sister's best friends did a fabulous job from the invitations, to the decorations, to the food, to the favors - awesome!

I cried once i got in the car when i got home last night. I know part of it was being so tired (was up late every night) but also because it's going to be sooo hard only seeing my niece every six months or so. I know it will work out, i know it will but still makes me sad to be so far. At the same time I am so excited to be going back in a month! And it's 3 weeks until the birth so i really only have to wait 3 weeks for pictures.

Vacation

Arrived safe and sound in Texas for 4 days of girly relaxation with my sister.

Tonight: Dinner & chick flick

Friday: Hair cut for me, Lunch at La Madeline's (awesome French bakery), pedi for us both, and baby shower w/ family & friends.

Saturday: One of her good friends is staying the night as well to make it a fun sleep over (i haven't been to one in years!). Then craft day. We're decorating wooden letters that spell the baby's name. Then my sister is hosting an open house/eat dessert/visit with me event for the family.

Sunday: Who knows what but i'm getting Tex-Mex!! Then home again.

Okay, ya'll go have some have fun!