I didn’t write this, but I had to share. It was so beautiful that it brought tears to my eyes. Enjoy. We are sitting at lunch when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of “starting a family.” “We’re taking a survey,” she says, half-joking. “Do you think I should have a baby?” “It will change your life,” I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral. “I.. Read More
I celebrated a milestone as a Minnesotan last weekend – four years in this great state. What better way to celebrate than with my wonderful husband, my oldest friend (also an Iowan-turned-Minnesotan) and her family at a great state tourist attraction – the Minnesota Zoo. The zoo is less than a mile from our house, but I had never been there. There never seemed to be any reason for us,.. Read More
I am having a hard time grasping that I have completed 3/4 of this pregnancy. I hit the 30 week mark last Tuesday. I’m really feeling quite good, all things considered. I don’t like bending over at all, but Rafael is quick to jump up and lean down for me whenever I drop something. The cankles and the heartburn come and go – minor inconveniences, especially in light of some.. Read More
Rafael finally got to do something that he has been itching to do since we moved in…plant a tree. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why he wanted to plant a tree so badly. “Our backyard is a forest preserve!” I thought. But there was something about planting a tree on our property that made it feel uniquely his. So, in celebration of moving in one year.. Read More
77 and sunny = the perfect day to play hookey from work and go tubing with the family!
There is a direct correlation between how pregnant I get and my purse size. The amount of stuff I’m willing to carry decreases as my belly size increases. My wonderful husband is always willing to carry my laptop, my lunch or my files…but never my purse. (I’ve got him on record saying he will help carry the baby’s diaper bag, but that’s a different story.) I’ve stripped down to the.. Read More
I knew I would be hot this summer. (After all, that metaphor about having a bun in the oven had to come from some nugget of truth.) But I didn’t expect to be this hot! I have spent the better part of these 90 degree days convincing myself that it was mostly in my head…that this weather wasn’t that bad… I felt validated when I saw this headline in the Star.. Read More
I am finally back in the land of Minnesota after spending a bit more time in Iowa than expected. I got there on Wednesday night to begin the festivities for Jennifer and Mike’s wedding. Unfortunately, as we were celebrating the union of two lives, we also had to say goodbye as another life came to an end. Grandma has been pretty sick for the past seven months. As my mom.. Read More
I used to have one of the greatest blessings in life – the gift of being able to sleep well. Being a heavy sleeper has been been wonderful because I could sleep anywhere. Loud dorm rooms, uncomfortable couches or hotel rooms were no problem for me because as soon as my eyes were closed, I would be hitting my REM cycle within 15 minutes. When I lived alone, I would get.. Read More
Unscheduled Saturdays are quite rare around here, so we are enjoying an unexpected one today. We had fun plans to go tubing with friends, but six inches of rain fell overnight and the high water caused the tube rental place to close. Rafael got inspired by the jalapenos growing in my garden on the deck. He created what he is calling the “Rosebite Chicken Sandwich.” It is chicken, marinated with jalapeno jelly,.. Read More
