Giving some Thanks...

it is something
I should do more often.

There are obvious things in my life
that I am thankful for:
family,
friends,
pregnancy,
our home,
the church,
food,
clothing,
etc.
But here (in no particular order) is the
TOP TEN LIST
of less obvious things I am thankful for.

1) Vacuum Cleaners--yes, indeed. The little vacuum we got for
our wedding does not have a bag; it sucks the dirt into
a clear tube that you dump after a few rooms.
I don't know if it is finally having my own space
or if it is being able to see all the dirt that the vacuum actually pulls up,
but I love that machine.
I beam as I move from room to room. Sad, but true.

2) Freezers--what a fantastic invention!
Not only are they the keeping place for the ever important
pint of ice cream, but they also house all the
frozen leftovers I will THANKFULLY be using as I get
more and more pregnant.

3) Price Rite--could there be a more chaotic place
to do your grocery shopping? I think not.
The food aisles are tiny. The carts all seem to squeak.
You pull your groceries directly from the boxes they were shipped in.
Marty and I were almost crushed when a display of kool-aid
juice bottles collapsed at the end of an aisle.
Oh, but it is wonderful!
Everything is cheaper than Shaw's or Stop and Shop.
I now make it my first stop every grocery shopping day.

4) Lower Gas Prices--I think that little
explanation is necessary here.
I filled up at BJ's for $1.79 a gallon the other day.
I don't know what is happening to the economy,
but I love the way it is effecting gas prices.

5) "Buy one, get one FREE"--what genius came up with this idea?
Seeing a little sign that says this magical phrase
(especially when I already needed to buy the product)
just makes my day.
Marty is probably sick of hearing all of my in depth explanations
of the unexpected deals I find at the grocery store.
Tough. It brings me joy.

6) Lap Tops that won't quit--Framingham State
requires all students to get a laptop when they begin classes.
So, I did.
It worked pretty well for my years there. I can't complain.
However, the other day it blue screened (typical).
I turned it off and attempted to re-boot.
Error: Hard drive not found. WHAT? What does that mean?
I turned it off and on over and over.
I pushed every key on the keyboard.
I opened the back and a piece fell out that I could not identify
to return to its proper location.
I stood on top of it in anger.
I tired again; I am blessed.
It started up without a problem and is still working today.
THANKFULLY.

7) Subway--I don't know what it is about this pregnancy,
but I cannot get enough of the veggie delight sub from Subway.
This baby loves every veggie in the store
topped off with a little American cheese and a squirt of Southwest sauce.
Oh, with plenty of jalapenos.
Even if they cause heartburn
I can't help myself.

8) Ebay and Craig's List--In attempt to scrounge up some
extra money, Marty and I have been trying to sell
many of our "Why did I buy all this stuff when I was single" items
that are laying around the apartment.
Cathartic? Yes.
Lucrative? Often.
What a great combo.

9) Energy Saving Lightbulbs--and not just because we save energy.
Don't get me wrong, that is the main reason to use them.
However, when you turn them on they start out quite dim
and slowly warm up until they give off full light.
My little eyes love this,
especially in the morning when I am still waking up.
The harshness of the morning light turn on has been alleviated.

10) AND My Winter Thermals--I splurged on a great pair
of thermals at EMS a few years ago,
and they are still kickin'!
Now that the weather is cold, I wear them everywhere.
I wear them at home as an outfit in themselves.
I wear them under my outfits to run errands
and smile when the wind cannot make me hurry into the store.
I even wore the leggings under my dress to church last week.
THANKFULLY they still fit over my pregnant body.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SO, that is my list for today.
May you all enjoy a wonderful tomorrow
filled with delicious smells, tastes,
and lots of love.

Marty's changes...

I started thinking the other day
just how rude it is of me
to only be charting my changes through
this pregnancy.
Marty deserves some of the spotlight
in this pregnancy as well!

Marty--week 6

Just as handsome as ever.
No morning sickness
(lucky man)
or weird cravings.

Marty--week 24

Isn't his baby bump adorable?

Marty has been such a wonderful husband
during this whole pregnancy.
He deserves plenty of praise for
the nightly backrubs he gives,
the maternity yoga classes he willingly attends,
and letting me choose all the meals we eat.

And those are only the things
I can think of quickly.

Kim--week 24

Can you believe we are almost
through the second trimester?
I'm going to miss this stage--
no throwing up,
not too uncomfortable.
But the third trimester means
our little one will be here soon!
Here's to 16 more weeks!

last year at this time...

Marty and I were gearing up for a drive to NC
so that he could meet the parents.

I was nearing the end of the most difficult semester
of my undergraduate years.

And Will was gearing up for the start of his
2 year mission in Argentina.

And Now??

Will has been faithfully serving for almost a year!
We are all so proud of him
and grateful for your prayers in his behalf.

I have not only graduated
but also have my first "real" teaching experience
under my belt.

And Marty and I have been married 7 months
with a 23 week old bun a-cookin'.

Some days I start to feel a little stagnant,
so I like to play this game to help myself realize
just how much I have changed/accomplished
in only a year.

How about you?
What have you done in only a year?

what the world needs now...

is LOVE, sweet LOVE.

It has been one of those weeks
where my heart aches because of all the anger in the
world.

So to every person out there,
no matter what you believe,
consider this post a HUG from me.

Our differences can make the world more beautiful,
or they can tear it apart.
It is up to us to decide which will be the case.

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

happy little piggies

NOTHING

beats
a
good
pair
of
slippers...

Especially
when
they
look
like
THIS:

That's right.
I will happily be sporting
beaded, fringed, stitched,
moccasins
for the rest of this cold weather season.
My little piggies are
SQUEALING
with joy!

TAG. I'm it.

Here it is, Carly!
My 4th picture in my 4th folder.

Let me explain...

Kristi and I took this while we were waiting in line
to get into the Vatican.
Apparently one can wear anything but a
1920's style bathing suit on the tour.

The campground we stayed at in Rome
was a hot spot for all the 18-20something travelers
without much money to spare.
Everyday we would see these twin brothers,
(we nicknamed them Hanz and Franz)
and they would be wearing daisy dukes and tank tops
(a stunning combo with their shaved heads).
Then one day,
out of the blue,
Hanz and Franz were wearing pants and turtlenecks.
We decided that must have been the day they
decided to tour the Vatican.

Way to follow the rules, boys.

I tag: Skeevy Skeeves Marie,
Krusper the Squib,
Pugalicious Graham,
and Aubrey "when will the sickness stop?" Layton

Feels like Home

Before our wedding last April,
Marty and I had to decide where we were going to live.
While I was showering one day,
I received a strong impression that we were to move
down by Marty's family.
So here we are in Dartmouth, MA!

Although I am constantly discovering more and more
reasons why this was the right choice,
it does not mean that this move has been extremely easy.
It has been hard to adjust to a new area
where Marty knows all the places and people, and I do not.
It has been wonderful to be near his family,
but it has also been a hard reminder that I am far from mine.

The other day we found a little spot that
reminds me of some of my favorite places up in Northborough,
and it made me feel like
I can start to associate this new area with home.
Such a simple little thing,
but thank goodness for the simple things in life.
The little cafe/gift and book shop
was the perfect place for a beautiful fall afternoon lunch.

The sandwiches were delicious.

And the company was exceptional.

I am so grateful to have such a sweet husband
that will go exploring with me
even in an area that he already knows by heart.