NO WAY! AAAAAAAAGGGH!

I knew I loved David Crowder for a reason....




Please see this post if this doesn't make sense!

1 am CVS shopping adventure

Yeah, I went there at 1 am. My mom thought I was insane. She tried to talk me out of going, but I was too excited. Thankfully Leigh Ayn was wide awake and venture out also. Even though she lives in Las Vegas, it was nice to have another equally obsessed CVS fan out there doing the same thing. I didn't have any extra bucks to roll in (sad...) so I spent about $35 out of pocket, but I got $52 extra bucks back. Plus all the free stuff was some of my favorite in the world!

Today is going to be a nice, relaxing day with the fam. Food, wine, and quality time make for a happy girl. :)

I'm considering venturing out tomorrow. Still haven't decided yet! It might be fun....

I'm going to do it!

I'm going to make my own pie crust. I've never done this before. I usually use Pillsbury, but whenever I try to prebake with those things, they flop over. So I'm going to give it a whirl. This is a big deal for someone who is as competitive as I am. I can't just make a dessert. IT HAS TO BE THE BEST DESSERT IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!! We're not even talking about anyone who will really notice (my parents, my brother, Devin and Addison). Wish me luck on my venture. I don't bake stuff that much.

Here are the tips I've gathered thus far:

Keep everything really, really cold
Don't over work the dough
Work fast

Any other tips would be greatly appreciated.

Target has pecans for only 2.33 for a 8 oz. bag of chopped ones. That's pretty dang cheap. Cheaper than Aldi. Just thought you might want to know!

How Christian is your cubicle?

This is another masterpiece from www.stuffchristianslike.net Seriously, I don't know how he came up with some of these! Hysterical....

Christian Cubicle Point System:

1. You removed one of your three cubicle walls and replaced it with a Thomas Kinkade painting. = +5 points

2. You have a souvenir from your mission trip in your cubicle. = +2 points

3. It was a “fun mission trip” e.g., you were witnessing to people on the beach in Hawaii or skiers at Aspen. = 0 points

4. Your mouse is shaped like a Jesus fish. = +1 point

5. You have a local Christian radio station playing at all times. = +1 point

6. You have a loop of sermon podcasts playing at all times. = +2 points

7. You have that Carman song with the devil cameo playing at all times. = +3 points

8. You have Joshua 24:15 hung up and crossed out “As for me and my house” and instead wrote, “As for me and my cubicle.” = +1 point

9. It’s cross stitched = +2 points

10. You got rid of your office chair and instead sit in a tiny section of pew you got from a church they were tearing down. = +3 points

11. You removed the number 6 from your keyboard to prevent ever accidentally slipping and typing 666. = + 1 point

12. You have a Bible in your cubicle in plain sight. = +1 point

13. It’s the King James Version = +2 points

14. It’s displayed open on a stand carved from a piece of driftwood you found on the beach during a retreat = +3 points

15. You have a choir "cubicle robe" that you change into when you get back to your desk similar to how Mr. Rogers used to put on a different sweater when he got home. = +4 points

16. One of your drawers is filled with holy water just in case someone wants to get baptized by dunking their head in the drawer above the file folders. = + 5 points

17. You have a sticker that reads. “In case of rapture, this cubicle will be unmanned.” = +1 point

18. During the Christmas cubicle decoration contest you always set up a nativity scene in your cubicle. = +1 point

19. It’s a “live scene” so during the three weeks before Christmas you dress like one of the wise men. = +2 points

20. It includes live animals. = +3 points

21. You nicknamed your cubicle something cool like most youth group rooms, e.g. “da’ zone,” or “xTreme.” = + 2 points

22. In the corner of your whiteboard you have the numbers 4:13 written to subtly remind yourself of Philippians 4:13. = +1 point

23. You wrote out the whole verse on your whiteboard = +2 points

24. Whenever someone comes in your cubicle, you do push ups while reciting, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” = +3 points

25. When people come to gossip, you join in, but always say, “Bless her heart” or “I mean that in Christian love” after you do. = +1 point

26. Coworkers know to come to your cubicle for advice, encouragement and communion wafers because you’ve got a whole bag of em’ in the bottom drawer. =+1 point

27. You have a little computer monitor mirror that helps you see behind you and on it in whiteout you wrote, “I see you and so does Jesus.” = +1 point

28. You have that poster of the cat hanging from a rope with the caption, “Hang in there” to encourage the people around you. = +2 points

29. You crossed out “hang in there” because you thought it was too wishy washy and that cat was kind of a heathen. Instead you scribbled “hang onto Jesus." = +4 points

30. You have a decomposing palm branch from Palm Sunday in your cubicle. = +2 points for each branch.

31. You’ll only hang up your kid’s artwork in your cubicle if it’s something they colored at Sunday school. Clifford and Sesame Street aren’t making the cut. = +1 point

32. You’re not above taking a love offering if more than two people are gathered in your cubicle at the same time. = +1 point

33. You take great offense at the parade of Christian stereotypes presented in this list and printed out the post as a reminder to pray for me = +2 points

How did you score? My current cubicle ranked a sweaty Philistinish 3 points. I’m ashamed of it and me, but mostly it.

If you scored over a 40, you’re working in what I call a “Tempicle.” (Yeah, that’s right, I just mixed the word temple and cubicle.) Under 10 and you’re begging for an ergonomic lightning bolt from heaven.

Sunday night with the paper...

Sounds relaxing right? Not for me! Ok can I just say that I am completely putting myself out here right now, and that most of you are going to think I'm a total loser? Ok....

So Addison has had a reddish/slightly goopy eye since yesterday morning. Lovely, I know. Having experienced pink-eye myself at Spring Canyon many, many years ago (yeah that's when Micah lovingly told me I looked like a deformed baby) I didn't think Addison had it bad enough to warrant a visit to urgent care (and the lovely 3 hour wait that would likely ensue). Devin and I went back and forth and back and forth over whether we should take her to the Walgreens clinic (to shell out $20 for a co-pay for them to look at her for 2 minutes). Her eye really didn't look that bad; it wasn't sealed shut or oozing in a gross way. It wasn't even that red. It was just kind of bothering her a little. I decided to go over there with her and I'd see what to do when I got there, saying a little prayer on the way that God would help me to make a good decision. Well it turns out the clinic part isn't opening til December...got my answer! The pharmacist was really nice and looked at her and said it didn't look bad enough that she needed to see a doctor. I grabbed a box of eye drops and the Sunday paper and we were out of there.

I got home and realized an hour later that I had picked up last week's Sunday paper. Grrr.... I didn't need those coupons! I needed this week's paper and coupons!

I finished making Addison's dinner and went back to the store (thankfully it's right down the road)and told them I bought last week's paper and could I please exchange it for this week's. Guess not because they're all sold out! That's ok. CVS is right down the street. I'll get my cash back ($1.61) and grab one down there. Then the guy tells me that because I don't have my receipt I'll have to have store credit. Well what good is store credit going to do me when they don't have the right paper? Most non-broke people wouldn't care about getting $1.61 back, but I don't want to spend over $3 on a paper. I want to buy one paper and I want it to have THIS week's coupons! I told the guy that my receipt is probably at the top of their trash can because I was just there an hour earlier. I told him I'd even go get it out because it seemed sort of wrong to make him dig for it. Then the other clerk said "I'LL DIG! I dont mind!" He found it pretty quickly (thankfully there was nothing gross in that trash) so I got my money and left, feeling like a total idiot (or to be more precise a word that rhymes with numb-sass).

So I went over to CVS, grabbed a paper (yep...correct date), paid and left. They also had TUMS on sale so it wasn't a total waste. Oh pregnancy heartburn how I hate you.

I'm at home, looking through the ads, noting the bargains, casually glancing through my favorite sections (totally bummed that the "At your service" lady is retiring. She rocks.) la la la la........ and I get to the end of the paper and see that the coupons are missing. There is no stinking smartsource in that paper!!!!

Most people would say "oh forget it." But I am not most people. I am a coupon freak. I don't buy the paper to read the paper. I buy it for those shiny pieces of paper heaven.... I WANT MY COUPONS! Who knows? Maybe there are fabulous Thanksgiving coupons in there that I'll need!

So I call CVS and tell them that I bought a paper with no inserts and would it be ok if I go and get one with inserts. They say it's ok. I double check with Devin and make sure that it's worth going back there for it. He says it is. So back in the car I go (again, right down the road...not far) to CVS to get my paper.

My hopes of 4 or 5 inserts (ok I knew there'd be just one...that much I did know) with great coupons were immediately shattered when I pulled out this measly, 4 page smartsource with practically no good coupons. Phew...thankfully there were plenty of old people clotheswear ads just in case I needed to get Devin a holiday cardigan with cats on it, or a pair of flannel lined elastic waist jeans for my brother.

I was pretty pissed. Honestly, if I had looked at those coupons I don't think I ever would have bought a stinkin' paper in the first place. All of that for nothing.

I guess there's no big lesson to learn (check before you buy a paper?) Just thought my sad little story would give you a little laugh. If anything, maybe it will make you feel like less of a loser tonight!

I love Great Clips

I wish I could be one of those moms who could cut their kids' hair, but I'm not. I tried last year and it ended very, very badly. Let's just say Addison could probably get out the scissors and give herself a better cut than the disaster that I created. So we go to Great Clips and I pay about $10 for a little cut. Addison loves it! She loves sitting in the big chair, and she holds very, very still.




















I had a doctor's appointment today! I'm just about 27 weeks along. Tomorrow I'll hit the 90 day mark where I can return anything I buy! I will admit that I did cave and buy a boy outfit. It was only $3.72 for a little jacket and pants outfit, but I am sure I jinxed myself and will have a girl. These are the names we like:

Willow
Ainsley
Austin
Jack
Gavin

Devin isn't that crazy about Willow for this reason:














Yep, the movie. From 1988. I keep telling him it's not the dwarf's name, but that adorable little redheaded baby. I love the name, but this baby feels so much like a boy I don't know if we'll be able to use it! We'll see what happens....

Lil Update for you!

Well I haven't updated for awhile and it's because there's just nothing that exciting happening for me!

I had my first ever chiropractor experience last week. The place was a little too weird for me. Perhaps it's because I picked a place with "wellness" in the title and not just chiropractor. It smelled like lavender and all of the employees had smiles plastered on that seemed too "Stepford Wives" to me. The doctor I met with was very sweet and seemed very professional, but then afterward she said "we hug around here. Can I hug you?" It kinda weirded me out. I'm all about the hugging, but the whole scene was a little too hippy dippy for me. Plus they didn't have the best hours for my crazy schedule.

I'm gonna try a different place!

Other than that, same old same old. How about that crazy Biggest Loser last night? I am sure every viewer tuned in to watch the wrath of Vicky take place. I know I did! I am excited about Top Chef tonight.

I'm getting extra excited for Thanksgiving, one of my all-time favorite holidays. I love to eat and I love quality time with people.

Here's what else we have at our Thanksgiving (Teetsel clan):
Turkey, marinated in Williams-Sonoma brine stuff. Roz sent it a few years ago, and it made it so good we had to keep buying it.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

3-Corn Casserole (or Corn Souffle)

Stuffing. Devin likes oyster stuffing because he is weird (but kudos to Roz for raising an adventurous eater). My mom will probably make a little pot just for him because she favors Devin like you would not believe and he knows it.

Relish Tray

Rolls (made from Hot Roll Mix). They are scrumptious.

Salad

Plus I am bringing the most wonderful dessert of all time to my parents' house. It's called Pumpkin Pie Cake. It's Amanda's mom's recipe and it is absolutely the best dessert you will ever eat. Ever. I am salivating just thinking about it. I'll also make some pecan pie because Devin and my dad like it. It's low on my totem pole of desserts.

What do you guys have?

My Favorite Things

Keri posted this idea on her blog and I thought it was so much fun to read that I would do it too. The only problem: how do you pick just 10?

1. Drinking coffee. I LOVE coffee. It's the best for me if it's got a little bit of Flavored Creamer, but I still love a good Starbucks with a little half&half and sprinkle of vanilla (where can you buy that stuff) and cinnamon. I don't really drink it for the caffeine aspect like some people; it's just so warm and wonderful and good.

2. Going out to eat. The Cheesecake Factory is my all-time favorite restaurant. I've gone there for almost every birthday since I was 18, but I like to go out to eat for breakfast just as much. I think it's because I do pretty much all the cooking around here that it's a nice treat to not have to.

3. My job. I absolutely love my job at Babygap. It's so much fun to help people pick out cute outfits (I live vicariously through them while on the Dave Ramsey Plan), and I work with wonderful people. I also cannot deny that I'd miss the discount horribly. I just got a $90 coat at Old Navy for $33 thanks to said discount!

4. My favorite shows. LOST (one of the first things I said when I found out my due date is in February was "oh no! That's when LOST premiers! What if I miss it?"), American Idol, The Biggest Loser, Top Chef, and of course, The Office.

5. Perfume. I'm a perfume-aholic. I love spraying on new scents and I get excited to walk through Dillards (teasing the hyper salesladies ready to pounce on me like perfume selling vultures) on my way to work to try out a new fragrance.

6. Scented Candles. I wish I could fill my whole house with them and that they weren't so pricey.

7. Gum. I love gum! I'm so jealous of the biggest loser contestants because they have baskets of gum all around the house.

8. Mix 93.3 It's our pop station. I love pop music. It makes me happy. Someday Addison's going to complain that I'm too old to like the music she likes, but for now, I enjoy looking back at Celia and Addison in their carseats rocking back and forth to Rhianna.

9. Coupons. My mom used to clip coupons and take them to the commissary and then show us how much she saved. She definitely passed that on to me, but little did she know I'd turn into a coupon clipping freak! I love a deal...

10. Ice Cream. It's one thing that always goes in the grocery cart. I'm not picky about the brand (that Hy-vee brand is actually pretty dang good), but Devin and I have got to have our ice cream. I like it with tons of stuff either mixed in or on top (or both) ESPECIALLY cool-whip! Or that super delicious wonderful chocolate shell! Yumm-O!

I added one more:
11. Bubble Baths. Our tub is sort of small, but someday I'd love to have one of those gigantic ones, with JETS! They're not as relaxing when your 2 year old insists on climbing in with you and you have to try to read your magazine while getting splashed, avoid sitting on a plastic duck, and explain what breasts are (I just point to her little nipples and say "Look! You've got some too!...that seems to work for now).

What are your top 10 or 11 faves?

The things you stumble upon at 1 a.m.

Found a pretty amazing website from another blog called xxxchurch.com This is a Christian ministry that exists to help people with porn addictions. I watched the latest video, and was blown away that this ministry was invited to have a booth at a gay porn event in Las Vegas. They were there in their "Jesus Loves Porn Stars" t-shirts, handing out bibles and spreading Christ's love to all of the "attendees." As I watched this mesmerizing video, I started with the judgemental stuff like "well, they sure are acting like this is all ok." or "sure Jesus loves them, but he sure hates what is going on." I had to stop myself (outloud...I've been talking to myself outloud a lot lately) and say "Marie would you EVER have the guts to go to something like that and hand out bibles and tell these drag queens and gay porn stars that Jesus loves them? No? Then quit judging!" It was pretty cool stuff. And sure, there were the "typical" signholding evangelicals outside yelling that all of those people were going to hell and that they better learn to fear God before it's too late, bla bla bla but which Christian group was making more of an impact? I'm gonna go with the folks inside...

Anyway, I also looked through the message boards on the site and was deeply saddened by the ways in which porn is literally ruining people's lives. One woman pleaded for prayers for her family because her husband of 22 years got "bored" and ran off with a woman he met at a strip club. I also saw post after post of men who are trying to make it through a day (or heck, even an hour) battling this addiction.

It's almost 2 a.m. and I should be sleeping right now, but I'm kind of glad God put all this on my heart. It's good for me to have another dose of compassion and humility.

Kind of a weird post huh? Tomorrow I promise I'll be back to blogging about adventures in toddler land!

He says it best...

I keep telling you people to go over to Stuff Christians Like, but I think because it's a copycat of Stuff White People Like, no one thinks it'll be worth it. You're wrong! It's awesome. He's (Jon) funny, but also has some amazing thoughts. Today I thought he said it so well, I might as well just copy the whole darn thing with hope that you might read it.

From Stuff Christians Like:

#437. Living better or new?

I keep failing. I'm trying to do better. I'm trying to improve the way I think and be less selfish but it's not working. I was reminded of this last Saturday at a charity organization near our house.

A group in our town runs a small store to raise money and provide household items to the community. My wife and I thought it would be a good idea to buy a bunch of children's books at the store that we could then donate to the church where my daughter attends preschool. So the whole family loaded up and spent about 30 minutes inside what is essentially a thrift store.

While we were sorting through books, two random high school students that were volunteering came over and began restocking the shelves. In my head, I instantly started to think, "Oh no, they're going to think I'm poor because I shop here. I won’t look cool in front of them. I'm ashamed."

Pause.

"No wait, maybe I'm ashamed because I'm not poor and I'm shopping here and they think I shouldn’t be. They don’t know we're donating the books to a church and will think we're ripping off this store. We can afford Amazon.com, shouldn’t we be shopping there and not at some thrift store? And, if we were really a good Christian family, led by a good father, we should be here volunteering on a Saturday, not shopping."

Round and round I went in my head until I finally landed on the thought that I was the most selfish, self-absorbed person on the planet. Who cares what two complete strangers think? How arrogant of me to think they were analyzing why I was there? Why am I still like this?

I've tried to get better. I promise I have. My bookshelf is littered with self help books about focus and attitude and purpose and drive. I think a lot about changing my thoughts and trying to fix the way I look at the world and how I can improve myself. But it’s not working. And I don't think it ever will, because God is a God of new, not better.

I want him to slightly improve me or enhance my existing life and He keeps saying no.

He keeps showing me that I've been misreading 2 Corinthians 5:17. I read it as, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is an improved creation; the old has gone, the better has come." But that's not what it says, matter of fact, that's not what it shouts. What it really reads is:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

But I forget that. Sometimes I act like the Bible is a self help book. I treat it like a self help book for a better marriage, a better attitude at work and an easier life. That's not what it is though. It's the word of God, and His word is riddled with the idea of "new."

The great thing is that new isn’t my job. I'm not in charge of renewing my mind. I can't fix me with me and God knows it. When David prays in Psalm, 51: "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." He's not asking God to give him the tools to renew his own heart, he's making a request to the only person that can create something new. In Psalm 103, we're called to praise the Lord "who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." I'm not in charge of building a ladder out of the pit or renewing my own youth. (Big fan of the eagle reference by the way.)

But sometimes new takes longer than we expect. When the process of new appears to slow, we get tempted to help God out. To add our bit of “better” to what He’s doing and we end up in a thrift store with a mind wracked with shame trying to remember some pearls of self help wisdom. The cool thing is that God's ability to perform the miraculous is not limited to our ability to see it. We don’t have to understand His process of “new” for it to become true in our lives.

In Isaiah 43: 18-19 it says:
“See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.”

I love that. It feels like God is saying. "You should see this new thing I'm doing. You are going to love it! What's that, you can't? Doesn't matter, I'm still going to make a way in the desert. Just because you can't perceive it doesn't mean I'm going to stop making streams in the desert.”

That's more Bible verses than I've ever put in a post, but I'm really tired of trying to live an improved life. It’s exhausting. I'm done with better. I want what God wants. I want new.

Death to better, long live new.

Tip

I am working on a project and have to print off about 120 or so photos. That can get a little pricey, and I hate waiting in line at the little photo machine. I decided to try uploading my pics to different companies and seeing what kind of deals I could score. Turns out CVS will give out 50 free prints and this other company called Winkflash gives out 50 free prints too. I uploaded 50 to CVS.com (it does take a really long time, but again, it takes forever at the store too) and will pick them up in a couple of days and 69 to Winkflash.com (only .09 cents a picture after the 50). I'll pay nothing at CVS and only $3.92 ($2.49 for shipping) at Winkflash. For 119 pictures. If I went to the store and got them for .19 each (one hour) that would cost me $22.

www.cvs.com
www.winkflash.com

Like I needed another reason to go to CVS...

Need a laugh?

Have any of you been back over to cake wrecks lately?

I'd recommend it if you're in need of a good laugh. The "$500" cake video w/ Mario Lopez was hysterical, but not as funny as the author's comments underneath.

I'm so glad I know about that blog.

Marie + Aldi = True Love

$1.29 for a whole BAG of apples.

Aldi I do not like your coffee creamer and yogurt. You put sneaky trans fats and saturated fats in there, but I like everything else about you. I don't know what I would do without your amazing cheapness.

Now when can we get a Trader Joe's out here? We Kansans deserve some of your whole bean coffee (mmm...Wintry Blend) too! :::cough:::Christmas:::cough

Reading Hour with Pooh and Piglet

Addison was reading Curious George to Piglet and when I said "aww...that's so nice!" and took a picture...














Celia started reading a book to Pooh, saying "Celia read book too...that so nice!" Guess she wanted to get in on the picture action too. It is nice to no longer have to chase your kid around with the camera. Addison loves having her picture taken, and apparently so does Celia!














Not sure what we'll do today on this cold, windy day. Our yard is in major need of TLC. Maybe the girls can help me pick up some leaves.

A Ranting and Raving Lunatic

Today I was running late for working in the nursery at church. If I hadn't been so late I wouldn't have been so frantic about finding a spot, but I noticed a space right up in the front. Hurray! This would make it a lot easier for me to carry Addison with my ever-growing belly in to church. I pull closer only to find that there wasn't an extra space. Someone did the thing where they take up two spots, parking their precious vehicle in the middle.

I hate this so much. It just makes me so mad. If any of you guys do this to "protect your car from nicks and scratches" here's what it says to everyone else:

"my car is more important than any of you people."

I guess I wouldn't have an issue with it if they parked way out in the back of the lot, where there are extra spaces, but right in front? At church? One nice touch was the large cross dangling from the rearview mirror.

I know it's dumb to get so worked up over something so small, but it bugs me because our church has a lot of people seeking Christianity and I can't help but wonder if someone was turned off by our church because of this situation. Then again, maybe it was a visitor who did that. Who knows.

I didn't say anything to anyone, didn't leave a mean note on the windshield, didn't slash the tires or kick the bumper, didn't do anything. Just decided to blog about it.

____________________________________________________________________
About 30 minutes ago, Devin asked Addison to throw some receipts away. She said "no" so we left her sitting on the couch, crying until she did what was asked. Guess she won this one:

Addison should be in bed

but instead she's trying on Devin's socks and being a goofball. It's our own fault, really. We got her all hopped up on DQ softserve. At 8 pm she should have been in the bathtub or quietly calming down with a book before bed. Nope. Yours truly (well Devin was equally responsible. He got the B1G1 free coupon) decided we should all go to Dairy Queen and get blizzards. So here we are. It's 9:24 at night and she's running around the house singing the Backyardigans theme song (just the end of it...over...and over again) while Devin and I are both waiting for each other to put her to bed.

Those blizzards sure were good. Chocolate Extreme for me and Pumpkin Pie for Devin. A cone for Addison.

Update!

Thankfully I'll get to keep caring for my little Celia-bug a little bit longer! I'm grateful for your wonderful, encouraging comments and prayers. I appreciate that none of you let me stew in self-pity about this whole thing...thanks! I really thank God for giving me a huge sense of peace this past couple of days. I'm going to keep praying that Kyle and Julie will find a wonderful person to take care of Celia for a month or so after I have my baby. I know God will take care of that too.

Oh, and if any of you are interested (or you know of someone who might be interested) in making a decent amount of money for a month in February/March by taking care of Celia let me know! You'll have to give her back to me (I'll fight you...) but it's a great way to get an idea of what nannying is like without a long-term commitment.

Hard Stuff

I've been watching this little bug since she was 2 or 3 months old. I've grown pretty attached to her these past (almost) two years. In fact, in my heart, she's my 2nd daughter. Her little smile lights up my face and her zest for life brings me a ton of laughter. Oh, and unlike Addison, who won't "perform," Celia will say anything you teach her (which could be a bad thing) but is mostly funny like when she said "yucky jayhawk" out of the blue at the park when we were talking to a KU mom (Kyle taught her that one) and when she kept saying "Nobama!" over and over again yesterday afternoon because she knew it made me laugh. The best part is watching Addison's face light up every. single. day when Kyle's car pulls in the driveway with her little friend. They may fight and bicker like siblings, but Addison truly loves Celia.

Unfortunately, tomorrow Celia is going to a different daycare for the day as a trial run. As you know I'm expecting a baby in February. The Taylors had someone lined up for a few weeks while I recuperate, but this person backed out the other day. I found out on Monday that the only other person they could find said she could only fit Celia in if she starts watching her now. Like next week. So tomorrow, they're going to see how it goes. If all goes well, Celia will probably go to from now on. This is truly heartbreaking for me. The thought of someone else getting to hold her and care for her brings tears to my eyes. I am also feeling worried about the financial aspect of the situation. All in all, I could really use your prayers. I am probably jumping the gun in all of this because Celia hasn't even gone to the new person yet, but I am feeling sad and worried. I also ask that you pray for the Taylors. This decision isn't easy for them either (this is their child we're talking about here. They obviously want the best for her) and I know I sprung it on them by needing some time off in February. I need prayer for peace, regardless of what happens.

Thanks guys! I'll let you know what happens...

A little Saturday Evening Controversy

So an old friend of mine recently had a baby and I noticed one of her other friends whom I've never met comment "I'm so proud of you for going natural." That comment always hits a nerve. I know a lot of you have delivered babies that way, and I know a lot of you have strong feelings that it is the best way. I respect that, and I can understand the reasoning. I also know that it is very difficult work and you deserve lots of praise and credit for making it through. Labor hurts. A lot.

But doesn't a woman who has an epidural deserve the same kind of praise for going through a tough labor? Was her experience less meaningful because she chose pain medication? Isn't the end result still a beautiful miracle from God?

With Addison, my water broke reallllly early in the morning (4 am), but wasn't having any contractions. They started at about 8 am at the hospital and it hurt! Bad! By 3 or 4 pm, I was still only dilated to a 3 (for those of you unfamiliar with birth jargon that means practically nothing) so I was discouraged and it was just hurting too bad. I was done. I had the epidural and it was such a relief that I can't even explain. Just look at pictures at my old blog @ www.xanga.com/owatacutie (June 2006). Check out those before epidural and after epidural pictures! In that situation I did what I could and just couldn't handle anymore. I want to make it really clear that not one single person who reads this has ever said anything hurtful to me personally, so please don't think "oh no! Did I say something to Marie when Addison was born?" You didn't. I promise!

I also want to make it clear that going through labor naturally is a beautiful thing. It's awesome for a woman to get to a point where she thinks she literally cannot continue, but somehow manages to overcome it. That's amazing, and a definite triumph for someone. But then there's also people (like me) who literally can't. It's just too much and it's too discouraging to think you might have to continue that way for 10 more hours.

I guess my point in all of this is not to dissuade you from saying "I'm so proud of you!" to a woman who labors naturally, but to remind you that those of us who have taken the medication deserve to hear it too.

End of rant. Thank you for your time!

Comments are welcome (whether you agree or disagree)!

P.S. Leigh Ayn, I don't know how your mom chose to give birth to you, but I'm so glad she did! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I love you and can't imagine the past 10 years of my life without your wonderful little self right there with me. You are more special to me than you'll ever know. Enjoy P.F. Changs!