Weddings and the People you Encounter at Them

Mon Amour and I have had the pleasure of attending quite a few weddings.

We very much enjoy weddings.

The bride was gorgeous, and the groom could not have looked any happier.

My sister was in the bridal party, and of course looked fabulous!

Perhaps the most fascinating part of this particular wedding was running into a person from my past. About 4 years ago, my sister and I went on a whirlwind, insane 3 week trip to Europe. We had heard that it was a super fun idea to just pack your bags, and armed with a train-pass, just fly by the seat of your pants on an ad-libbed trip through Europe. We were in Europe for perhaps 2 hours before we concluded that this was insane.

So, we were hugely grateful that our friend (the groom in this wedding) had given us the name of his cousin who lived in Paris. The very first thing we did when we got to Paris was call him. It was probably the most random call he has ever received - "Hi, you don't know us, but we know your cousin, and we are in Paris, and are in need of rescuing"

That's essentially how it went. And he did rescue us. Found us a hotel, and gave us some traveling advice (in a nutshell - don't show up in a new city where you know nothing, no one, not even the language, without some semblance of a plan).

Well, he was at the wedding. And it was quite fun (though mildly embarrassing) to see him again.

Lots has changed since we saw him last.
He has a son, and I am expecting a daughter.
Little Sister has gotten much more savvy world travel....and I have not.


Weddings are always an excellent place to encounter random people from one's past.

Catching Up with Friends

One thing that is super fun about our new city-life, is that there is a lot more opportunity to randomly catch up with friends. People never "just happened to be in the area" of our farm. But here in the city, from time to time, we get word that someone is going to be in town, and we are always like to at least try and meet up with them!

Earlier this week we had just such an opportunity - and even though schedules were tight, we managed to make it work! We met up with one of Mon Amour's friends from high school, who currently lives many hundreds of miles away, and who just got married. It was fun to catch up and meet her husband!

It's not the best picture, but was worth documenting anyway.

So, consider this your general invitation. If you are in the area, or just passing through town, let us know! We would love to cross paths!

You might be nesting when...

You might be nesting when pitting about a million cherries for freezing seems to be of the utmost priority.

And when the only thing keeping you from making more freezer meals is the lack of space in your freezer.

This week's grocery shopping was forced to center around pantry-items due to the lack of freezer space. Perhaps a picture of the pantry will follow later....

And yes, in case you are wondering, 95% of my nesting urges have involved food. The house still needs a thorough cleaning, and I really should figure out what I need to pack for the hospital (I am half-packed), but all that takes a back burner when there is food to be stockpiled!

Change is in the Air

In recent days, Marge has been a bit more on edge than normal. She is usually kinda jumpy and skeptical of anything out of the ordinary. But recently it has been much more pronounced.

Despite the heat, she is increasingly embracing her lap-dog side.

She follows me around the house, sitting on my feet whenever I hold still.
If it weren't so hot (and if she weren't such a tripping hazard) it would be adorable.

Our only theory for her increased protectiveness is that she suspects change is coming. We have been told that dogs can be super-sensitive to change.

Is that what your problem is, Marge?

Can you tell that Papillon is coming?
Perhaps.
Don't hold your breath though. She is "due" on Monday. But in the words of my doctor, your due date is really the first day of your "due week". So we are not going to even think of her as over due until the end of said "due week".

In the mean time, Marge will continue to try to sit in my (non-existent) lap in anticipation of the upcoming change.

Retirement

Yesterday ended a fairly significant chapter in my life.
Yesterday I retired from my job.
People think its funny that I use the word retire...but for some reason it seems to fit. I am not on maternity leave, its more permanent than that. And quitting just makes it sound insignificant or something. It really was a career in many ways, and it really is ending, hence, I am retiring.

This is my desk.

This used to be my desk. It was much bigger. But I didn't mind being down graded, cause that happened when I started working from home, which was a fabulous perk
When I started I did not get my own desk. I started super-part time as a glorified errand girl. I remember the day they called me about a job. I was working at Chick Fil A, quite happy with my chicken job for the time being. My mom picked me up from work and told me that DP (my, then, future company) had called and wanted to interview me. "Random" was my first thought, and my 2nd 3rd and 4th thoughts as well. I had no office experience, was not looking for a job, and while I did go to church with all DP's employees, I didn't know any of them very well. The interview was equally random. They told me that one of my main jobs would be answering phones. I am fairly confident that I informed them right then and there that I hated answering phones....and they gave me the job on the spot. I guess that's what we call a God-thing.
6+ years later, I have come a long ways. DP doesn't like to give out official job descriptions, but my unofficial title was the "Office Hub" which meant that at least 99% of the information flowing through the office was filtered through me in some way. I kept my finger on the pulse of absolutely everything related to the office.

It was a nice office - waterfront, with a nice view.

This is the poor "pineapple plant" that lived in our office. We got it one summer from a vendor, and I watered it faithfully, until I went away to college, and it went a full semester without water. After that it vacillated between being over-watered, and being completely desert dry. As a result, it has never really grown, and yet it won't seem to die. Maybe its actually fake. Its hard to say.

My job at DP has taught me a lot, and they are responsible for a lot of "firsts" in my life. Here is a bit of a summary...

At DP I made my first long distance phone call (I had to call someone in Texas, and couldn't figure out how to get the call to go through...note to self, you have to dial a 1 first)
I drove through my first drive through (McDonalds..first of many trips)
I had my first manicure / pedicure.
I had my first massage (oh the joys!)
I flew on an airplane for the first time.
I made my first international phone call (Yes, they answered in Dutch, and like a true American I just started speaking English and expected her to switch languages. She did)

While at DP I graduated with my Associates Degree.
I took a semester off and worked full time (my first full time job)
I met (and later broke up with) my first boyfriend
I went away to college.
I met my 2nd boyfriend.
My sister and I went on an insane trip to Europe.
I got engaged to my 2nd boyfriend.
I graduated with my Bachelor's.
I got married.
I moved into my first apartment
I moved to my 2nd apartment
I went on another trip to Europe - less insane, but just as much fun
I got pregnant.
I bought a house and moved again.

So much more happened while I was at DP. But there is too much to remember in one blog post.
There were crazy times; some crazy fun, some crazy hectic.
Every day was different. Even after 6 years of party planning, people still managed to ask new and unexpected questions.
But the people I worked with were always fun (tis a requirement for working at DP). Here is the current crew (a lot of fun people came and went during my career), at my baby shower. Don't we look like fun?

So much more to say, but I will not bore you any longer.

As much as I enjoyed what I did at DP, it is time to start a new career, the career that I have wanted all my life.

Being a Stay at Home Mom.

Baby Nerves

Some one asked recently if I was nervous about the upcoming adventure known as "labor". The simple answer to that question is yes and no. The complicated answer is...well, complicated. Let me see if I can explain...though I doubt it will be coherent. Emotions are rarely coherently verbalized, and hormone-influenced emotions are at least twice as crazy.

I shall start by saying that my least favorite part of pregnancy (and yes, I know that I have been blessed with a super-easy uncomplicated one, for which I am hugely grateful) is the hormone induced emotions. Inside of a minute, the very same thought can completely terrify me, and then completely thrill me. I have, in almost the same thought, concluded that I am going to be a mothering failure and then surmised that there is no way I could do any less than rock the socks off of mothering. In regards to labor, most moments I am fairly calm and non-emotional about the subject, but then there will be moments where (again, in the same thought) I panic and wonder why I would bother trying to do this without drugs, I hate pain, I hate long lasting hard work, and I really don't think that an epidural will do long term damage to my baby then I get excited because deep down inside I know I can do this, I know I have prepared for this, and I know its going to be the most wonderfully rewarding miserable and difficult thing I have ever done.

I hate all kinds of roller coasters, amusement park rides, and emotional highs and lows included.

I also hate change. Being pregnant has been a fun change, a very gradual natural feeling change. Papillon's arrival will prompt a much less gradual change, and sometimes that freaks me out. Which is why, I think, that at 38+ weeks pregnant, I am still totally cool with being pregnant for some time. I know she will come eventually, and I will love it when she does (I always adjust better to change than I anticipate) - but, as with most change, I am not overly eager to make the jump.

In terms of actual tangible fears about labor...
...I am not afraid of having the baby on the way to the hospital. Everyone asks this, since the hospital we picked is 35 minutes away. This would not be ideal, but, really, I doubt its going to happen; and if it does, it just means she came super fast, which is fine by me.
....I am afraid of being induced. Babies come late sometimes, I am cool with that. And as long as she is doing well, and I am doing well, I really really really don't want to be induced.
....I am not afraid of the pain. And yes, I may be naive, this is my first baby, so I am allowed to be; I do understand it will be worse than I can probably imagine, but that doesn't scare me. The pain can't kill me.
....I am afraid of a long labor. The pain won't kill me, but exhaustion could get the best of me.
....I am not afraid of medical intervention, if necessary. As a good friend of mine told me, there is no blue ribbon or gold star for going naturally. Medfree, drugged up, or surgically operated on, Papillon is what I get when its all said and done.
.....I am afraid of not being supported in my intervention/med-free goals. While I think the hospital will be supportive (they say they will respect the mother's wishes in all things), I do worry about this. I am not very good at voicing my opinion even when not in huge amounts of pain. Thank heavens for Mon Amour in this regard, and the fact that I trust him implicitly; I suspect I will be totally relying on him to ward off any kind of medical intervention unless he believes it necessary.


All in all, I would say I am feeling pretty confident about labor. I just keep reminding my self that one day it will just start (Lord willing on its own), and then, eventually, it WILL end. And it will end with Papillon in my arms. What happens in the middle (and on either end of course) is in God's hands.

That does not preclude me from my fair share of freak out moments.
Like the moment a couple weeks ago, when, after 2 showers, while going through Papillon's clothes, I realized she had no socks. Some how it didn't bother me that we didn't have a car seat, a stroller, a breast pump or a pack n play (all of which we have now, thanks to the generosity of our amazing friends). But when I realized she had absolutely no socks, I just started crying. I knew it was a dumb reason to cry. My logical mind knew it was not a crisis, but, because my baby had no socks, (and thanks to my wonderful hormones) I couldn't stop crying.

When I freak out about other stuff, I remember the sock moment, remind myself that I am very hormonal, and sit back and wait for this roller coaster-esque emotional drop to start climbing again.

And in case you are curious, thanks to a wonderful friend, who has been so good listening to my random worries, Papillon is now well stocked in the adorable sock department.

A Quaint B&B

On our trip back to visit friends a couple of weeks ago, we got to stay at a brand new Bed and Breakfast, owned and operated by some very good friends of ours. It had officially opened just shortly before we moved, and they told us we could come any time - so we took them up on that offer.

I knew it would be a pleasant experience (how could it not be with such pleasant inn keepers!) but I have to say it went waaaay beyond what I expected.

Here is the house:

Isn't it adorable!

Look at the amazing sign out front.

And to make this shameless plug even more obvious - here is a link to their website!

Every detail was special; not a single aspect of the stay is an after thought. From the homemade ice cream served upon arrival, to the snacks in the room, to the amazing California King (aka HUGE!) bed with tons of pillows, to the fine china breakfast, to the muffins to take with you, to this little shampoos and soaps - everything was phenomenal.

Our room had a quaint little sitting area.

And a comfy corner chair.

I didn't take a picture of the bed, because I think I fell right into bed as soon as we got there, so the sheets were all messed up by the time I got the camera out.

It being a Sunday morning that we were there, we got the abridged version of breakfast, for which our lovely hostess apologized profusely. But I am not sure why she was apologizing, I can still remember the amazingness of the chip-beef gravy. I always thought people ate chip beef gravy because it we are trained to assume that all "gravies" are delicious - so this tasteless white mush must also be delicious. I was wrong, chip beef gravy done right is heavenly. Combined with the yummy toast, served with fresh fruit, yogurt, homemade granola and muffins....I think we were glad we did not get the full out breakfast, we might have exploded with tastiness (and yes, I am still pregnant, and can eat a LOT).

So, if you need a weekend get away, I highly recommend this B&B. You would spend twice the price at another B&B and have half as fabulous an experience.