The top 5 things I hate most about morning sickness:
1. Throwing up
2. The fact that for me "morning" sickness can last all day and is often worst at night. (which is why this year on Christmas night my dinner consisted of saltines and ginger ale--festive.)
3. The aroma of most food, especially food that I know is leftovers.
4. Sheer and utter exhaustion.
5. I'm sometimes not a very nice person. My poor husband never knows whether to hug me or just get out of my way--and the appropriate remedy can change from day to day, hour to hour.
The top 5 "silver lining" things about morning sickness:
1. I have no tolerance for cola so I have successfully kicked my Dr. Pepper habit.
2. My oldest is old enough to make dinner when I'm just not up to it and dad's not home. (Granted he makes Eggo Waffles and cereal, but at least no one goes hungry!)
3. This time I'm not changing diapers of older kids.
4. I'm not alone. I know at least a dozen people who are also pregnant. It's nice to talk to other people going through the same thing.
5. My second trimester officially starts next week and if past experience is any indication, I should start to feel better soon. (At least I really hope so.)
The top five random, neither here nor there, things I've experienced this go round:
1. I have wild cravings for Ruffles potato chips. It's got to be Ruffles and I've got to have them when the mood strikes. Which is a bummer because Ruffles are rarely on sale.
2. The only kind of eggs I can stomach are boiled and sometimes I really crave them. The texture of scrambled is icky and there is something about the buttery edges of fried eggs that totally grosses me out.
3. My belly seems to be growing up as much as it is expanding out. For the most part I'm still in my regular clothes but my body is just a really weird shape right now.
4. My doctor has suggested I take half a Unisom and 100 mg of vitamin B6 every night to help with the nausea and I can totally tell a difference. If I miss it I can almost guarantee I'll throw up the next day.
5. I don't know if I'm honestly sicker this time or if my memory is just bad. It's been almost six years since I've gone through this and it's almost like everything is a brand new experience. Perhaps it's just that there is a big difference between pregnancy in your late twenties and pregnancy in your mid thirties.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Shoe on the other foot
It's the time of year when we our minds turn to giving. We look for opportunities to serve, chances to be someone's "Secret Santa." Through the years I have participated in several such service projects and it always feels good to do something for someone in need.
I had never really thought about what it would feel like to be on the receiving end of such kindness. I never imagined that I would ever need it.
Until now.
Last night the door bell rang just as I had put the kids to bed. To my surprise there on the porch was a large fruit basket tied with an enormous bow. I was absolutely delighted. I'll take fresh fruit over sugary treats any day. I unwrapped the cellophane to retrieve the card inside only to find that it was unsigned and in it was a gift card for Walmart for a rather sizable amount. I was brought to tears. And then I was brought to my knees.
Words can't describe my gratitude. Gratitude for the chance to buy groceries with money that doesn't someday have to be paid back. Gratitude for friends who are aware of us and in tune to our struggles. Grateful for the lifting of my burden just a little bit.
I'll tell you it is quite a different experience to be on the receiving end of such service. It is humbling and gratifying at the same time.
I may never know who our secret Santa was this year. If that person happens to be part of my little blogosphere and is reading this right now, thank you. It means so much.
I had never really thought about what it would feel like to be on the receiving end of such kindness. I never imagined that I would ever need it.
Until now.
Last night the door bell rang just as I had put the kids to bed. To my surprise there on the porch was a large fruit basket tied with an enormous bow. I was absolutely delighted. I'll take fresh fruit over sugary treats any day. I unwrapped the cellophane to retrieve the card inside only to find that it was unsigned and in it was a gift card for Walmart for a rather sizable amount. I was brought to tears. And then I was brought to my knees.
Words can't describe my gratitude. Gratitude for the chance to buy groceries with money that doesn't someday have to be paid back. Gratitude for friends who are aware of us and in tune to our struggles. Grateful for the lifting of my burden just a little bit.
I'll tell you it is quite a different experience to be on the receiving end of such service. It is humbling and gratifying at the same time.
I may never know who our secret Santa was this year. If that person happens to be part of my little blogosphere and is reading this right now, thank you. It means so much.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Stretched
Lately I feel like that is the best word to describe my life. Everything seems to be stretching to its very limits, and in some cases beyond--my time, my bank account, my faith, my patience, my understanding, my energy, even my waistline.
In the world of fitness we know we must stretch before a serious activity so that we don't get injured when things get intense. My husband loves to work out and sometimes he does rather extensive stretching before hand. I've done a few exercise sessions with him and after a bit of "movement prep" (as he calls it)I'm tired and sore and ready to be done. He just smiles and says "We haven't even started the work out yet."
Sometimes I wonder if the current stretching of my life is just prep work for bigger, harder things that may be on my horizon. I wonder if the Lord is smiling at me and saying "Keep stretching. Your real work out hasn't even started yet."
And if that's the case then I'm grateful for the stretching. I just hope it's working and that I'm prepared enough to avoid major injury down the road.
Because that's what stretching is for.
In the world of fitness we know we must stretch before a serious activity so that we don't get injured when things get intense. My husband loves to work out and sometimes he does rather extensive stretching before hand. I've done a few exercise sessions with him and after a bit of "movement prep" (as he calls it)I'm tired and sore and ready to be done. He just smiles and says "We haven't even started the work out yet."
Sometimes I wonder if the current stretching of my life is just prep work for bigger, harder things that may be on my horizon. I wonder if the Lord is smiling at me and saying "Keep stretching. Your real work out hasn't even started yet."
And if that's the case then I'm grateful for the stretching. I just hope it's working and that I'm prepared enough to avoid major injury down the road.
Because that's what stretching is for.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
That's what I get for doin' my own thinkin'!
When we first moved into our ward and had our first meeting with the bishopric I was asked a question that no one had ever asked me before--"What calling do you NOT want to have?" At the time I was constantly wrestling my children at church each week. I had two in nursery who never wanted to attend and my oldest was finally content in Primary and I didn't want to disrupt that, so I responded, "I need to not be in the same place as my kids on Sunday." And our bishopric respected that. (A few weeks later I kind of wished I had responded differently to that question when I was called to be Ward Activities Chairman. . .but I digress.)
I have nothing against Primary. I have had several other Primary callings in the past and have very much enjoyed it, I just felt that it was initially not for me in this ward. But things change. I have had the opportunity to substitute in the primary twice in the last month and I started to realize that I could really make a contribution there. In fact as I sat in Primary last Sunday I had a strong impression that I was ready to give it a try again. Our current primary president had been serving for three years and with the program now out of the way everyone was pretty certain she would be released.
I have been in an instructor in the Relief Society for over two years and although I have loved it, I've kind of been feeling lately like I had nothing new to say. I was kind of expecting a change soon and was not at all surprised when the ward executive secretary called me yesterday and said the bishop wanted to meet with me. It was my week to teach so I got nostalgic thinking about this being my last week in Relief Society and I even started to plan out what I would say about leaving.
Well, "shock" is the only word that can describe how I felt when the bishop asked if I would be willing to be the Enrichment Counselor in the Relief Society Presidency. I had to suppress the urge to say, "Umm...don't you mean Primary Presidency?"
But I had walked in there ready to say "yes" to whatever was extended to me so that's what I did. Turns out the previous Enrichment Counselor was called to be Primary president. So I wasn't totally wrong in my impressions that I would be somehow be involved in the leadership change in our primary. But this came totally out of left field.
My mind has been spinning ever since.
I don't know anything about enrichment. I'm not very good at being crafty and I have real aversions to things that are overly "special." I have to go to lots of meetings now and visit people and be a real grown up. AND to top it all off, I'm not even completely free from the whole teaching gig!
It never pays to try to second guess the Lord or your leaders. You just never know what's going to happen next.
I have nothing against Primary. I have had several other Primary callings in the past and have very much enjoyed it, I just felt that it was initially not for me in this ward. But things change. I have had the opportunity to substitute in the primary twice in the last month and I started to realize that I could really make a contribution there. In fact as I sat in Primary last Sunday I had a strong impression that I was ready to give it a try again. Our current primary president had been serving for three years and with the program now out of the way everyone was pretty certain she would be released.
I have been in an instructor in the Relief Society for over two years and although I have loved it, I've kind of been feeling lately like I had nothing new to say. I was kind of expecting a change soon and was not at all surprised when the ward executive secretary called me yesterday and said the bishop wanted to meet with me. It was my week to teach so I got nostalgic thinking about this being my last week in Relief Society and I even started to plan out what I would say about leaving.
Well, "shock" is the only word that can describe how I felt when the bishop asked if I would be willing to be the Enrichment Counselor in the Relief Society Presidency. I had to suppress the urge to say, "Umm...don't you mean Primary Presidency?"
But I had walked in there ready to say "yes" to whatever was extended to me so that's what I did. Turns out the previous Enrichment Counselor was called to be Primary president. So I wasn't totally wrong in my impressions that I would be somehow be involved in the leadership change in our primary. But this came totally out of left field.
My mind has been spinning ever since.
I don't know anything about enrichment. I'm not very good at being crafty and I have real aversions to things that are overly "special." I have to go to lots of meetings now and visit people and be a real grown up. AND to top it all off, I'm not even completely free from the whole teaching gig!
It never pays to try to second guess the Lord or your leaders. You just never know what's going to happen next.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Ten Ridiculous Things I Regularly Say to My Children
1. "No, I don't comb your hair just to make you cry."
2. "Remember, Mom has no sense of humor at dinner time."
3. "No one is allowed to touch anyone else ever again!"
4. "Don't annoy me."
5. "You shouldn't drink soda because you're still growing. It's OK for me because I'm already grown up."
6."Never walk around with a blanket over your head. That's a family rule."
7. "Today is not about you."
8. "Please, just watch TV." (when did I turn into that mom?)
9. "No one can eat anything else until the kitchen is clean." which is usually followed sometime later with "Do you have to eat now? I just cleaned the kitchen!"
10. "Because I'm the Boss Mom, that's why."
2. "Remember, Mom has no sense of humor at dinner time."
3. "No one is allowed to touch anyone else ever again!"
4. "Don't annoy me."
5. "You shouldn't drink soda because you're still growing. It's OK for me because I'm already grown up."
6."Never walk around with a blanket over your head. That's a family rule."
7. "Today is not about you."
8. "Please, just watch TV." (when did I turn into that mom?)
9. "No one can eat anything else until the kitchen is clean." which is usually followed sometime later with "Do you have to eat now? I just cleaned the kitchen!"
10. "Because I'm the Boss Mom, that's why."
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Pure Light
I have a love/hate relationship with the lighting in my house. I love that almost every room has lots of lights--most of of which are recessed, which I really like. But I hate replacing the recessed bulbs at $3 a pop and I hate it even more when several bulbs go out at the same time.
Such was the case a few weeks ago. I found myself needing about eight new bulbs at once. I went to Costco and was delighted to find a big bulk box of 6 bulbs that cost about $12. What a deal! But I was sad to find that although the box proclaims these bulbs would provide a "warm white light" they actually had a slightly yellowish hue to them. I noticed right away that something was amiss with the color of light but I had already installed the bulbs and I figured I'd get used to it. But I didn't.
I found myself detesting the way these light bulbs made my carpet look orange,my walls a dingy cream color and my kids' skin look jaundiced. I discovered that I was keeping the lights off because I was so bugged. It bothered me so much that I could feel myself becoming agitated just by having them on.
We've had rather gloomy weather for the past several days and it became necessary to have the lights on during the day as well as at night. I realized that this odd yellowish light was actually making me feel uncomfortable in my own home. Something HAD to be done! (Yes, I have considered that I might be a little crazy.)
So yesterday I went out and bought all new, more expensive, recessed bulbs and replaced them. Right away I could see the difference, not just in my house but in my mood. How weird is that!
I have known for sometime that I am affected by light. Fluorescent lights make me crazy. I have even wondered if I have seasonal mood problems in the winter from lack of sunlight. This whole light bulb hullabaloo really confirmed to me that I need to be surrounded by pure clear light or I am just not right.
I've thought a lot about this today and wondered if there is some profound and thought-provoking gospel analogy I could learn from all of this. There probably is, but I'm too tired right now to articulate what it is. But at the most basic level at least I've learned that bargain light bulbs just aren't worth it!
Such was the case a few weeks ago. I found myself needing about eight new bulbs at once. I went to Costco and was delighted to find a big bulk box of 6 bulbs that cost about $12. What a deal! But I was sad to find that although the box proclaims these bulbs would provide a "warm white light" they actually had a slightly yellowish hue to them. I noticed right away that something was amiss with the color of light but I had already installed the bulbs and I figured I'd get used to it. But I didn't.
I found myself detesting the way these light bulbs made my carpet look orange,my walls a dingy cream color and my kids' skin look jaundiced. I discovered that I was keeping the lights off because I was so bugged. It bothered me so much that I could feel myself becoming agitated just by having them on.
We've had rather gloomy weather for the past several days and it became necessary to have the lights on during the day as well as at night. I realized that this odd yellowish light was actually making me feel uncomfortable in my own home. Something HAD to be done! (Yes, I have considered that I might be a little crazy.)
So yesterday I went out and bought all new, more expensive, recessed bulbs and replaced them. Right away I could see the difference, not just in my house but in my mood. How weird is that!
I have known for sometime that I am affected by light. Fluorescent lights make me crazy. I have even wondered if I have seasonal mood problems in the winter from lack of sunlight. This whole light bulb hullabaloo really confirmed to me that I need to be surrounded by pure clear light or I am just not right.
I've thought a lot about this today and wondered if there is some profound and thought-provoking gospel analogy I could learn from all of this. There probably is, but I'm too tired right now to articulate what it is. But at the most basic level at least I've learned that bargain light bulbs just aren't worth it!
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