Ok folks, our little girl's due date is just two weeks away tomorrow--January 6th. We want to know your predictions for when she'll be born...leave us a comment with a date and time!
I'll even send the person who gets the closest a little package of some of our favorite goodies. (I got inspired by Danielle's suggestion that our small group exchange gifts that would be on our "favorite things" list--think Oprah's O list. We had such a blast seeing what everyone selected!)
Alright all you who normally don't comment on blogs, now's your time to shine! Good luck!
*Oh, and make sure your comment isn't anonymous--if you want a chance to win, that is.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to Murder"
An acquaintance of ours, John Ramsey, lived at Yobany's house one summer at A&M, and then visited our church a few times when he and his wife first moved to Austin. Although we don't keep in touch, we're on his mailing list for when he and his brothers (Ramsey Bros. Pictures) complete new short films. Here's his latest...
You can view all their films on their youtube page here. I recommend watching "How the South Was Lost," "Sticks and Stones May Break World Records," and "Whiteman College Admissions Video."
You can view all their films on their youtube page here. I recommend watching "How the South Was Lost," "Sticks and Stones May Break World Records," and "Whiteman College Admissions Video."
Friday, December 18, 2009
"sugar and spice, and everything nice"
"...that's what little girls are made of." (and big girls too!)
I kept thinking of this rhyme as I was taking pictures of some of my favorite gift wrappings this year. I wanted an excuse to test out our new camera and the "raw" editing software that came with it; so naturally, I looked around the house for something fun and interesting to zoom in on. Voila! The ribbons and bows and adorable (yet free!) gift tags I used to wrap* lots of Christmas gifts this year would make for some pretty pictures...I hope!
So, here's a sampling of the gifts under our tree.
*I should note that I have always LOVED to wrap boxed gifts! I seldom choose a bag if I can find a box for an item instead. In fact, since we've been married, I don't think Yobany has wrapped more than a handful of gifts because I usually offer to do it for him. Even growing up, my mom used to put gifts in boxes that were re-used so we never knew what was inside the box; then she'd label who it was going to, and I would sit down in front of a movie like White Christmas to wrap a good number of the gifts going under our own tree. :) I think that wrapping gifts is one of the few places where I can let my perfectionism run wild without unhealthy consequences.
I kept thinking of this rhyme as I was taking pictures of some of my favorite gift wrappings this year. I wanted an excuse to test out our new camera and the "raw" editing software that came with it; so naturally, I looked around the house for something fun and interesting to zoom in on. Voila! The ribbons and bows and adorable (yet free!) gift tags I used to wrap* lots of Christmas gifts this year would make for some pretty pictures...I hope!
So, here's a sampling of the gifts under our tree.
*I should note that I have always LOVED to wrap boxed gifts! I seldom choose a bag if I can find a box for an item instead. In fact, since we've been married, I don't think Yobany has wrapped more than a handful of gifts because I usually offer to do it for him. Even growing up, my mom used to put gifts in boxes that were re-used so we never knew what was inside the box; then she'd label who it was going to, and I would sit down in front of a movie like White Christmas to wrap a good number of the gifts going under our own tree. :) I think that wrapping gifts is one of the few places where I can let my perfectionism run wild without unhealthy consequences.
birthdays
This past week saw several birthdays for the ones I love:
My grandmother's 92nd (yes, that's right...the woman is still kickin' it at 92!) birthday was last week. Talk about a woman who I think must have been obedient to God more than the average person and is a living testimony to God's promise for a long life as a result. ("These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life." -Deuteronomy 6:1-2)
Betsy is still in good health and lives on her own in the house where my dad grew up. She is so servant-hearted that she has coordinated, for many years, the meals that her church serves to families after a funeral. She has been ever faithful in trusting Christ and praying for her children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren (38 in all). Oh, and her secret for keeping her mind sharp? Crossword puzzles and LOTS of them! What a tremendous blessing to our family that we've had so many years to know her and love her dearly!
Happy Birthday Grandma Betsy!
We also celebrated two other birthdays this week--Yobany's mom, Any, had a birthday on the 15th and Yobany's birthday was on the 16th. Any's sister, Carmen, was in San Antonio to surprise Any for her birthday, so we got to share a birthday meal with Yobany's parents, Any & JJ, and Carmen on Tuesday night! Here are some pictures from our time together:
Yobany, I am so blessed to get to spend another year as your wife! I love you!
Happy Birthday Yobany!
My grandmother's 92nd (yes, that's right...the woman is still kickin' it at 92!) birthday was last week. Talk about a woman who I think must have been obedient to God more than the average person and is a living testimony to God's promise for a long life as a result. ("These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life." -Deuteronomy 6:1-2)
Betsy is still in good health and lives on her own in the house where my dad grew up. She is so servant-hearted that she has coordinated, for many years, the meals that her church serves to families after a funeral. She has been ever faithful in trusting Christ and praying for her children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren (38 in all). Oh, and her secret for keeping her mind sharp? Crossword puzzles and LOTS of them! What a tremendous blessing to our family that we've had so many years to know her and love her dearly!
Happy Birthday Grandma Betsy!
We also celebrated two other birthdays this week--Yobany's mom, Any, had a birthday on the 15th and Yobany's birthday was on the 16th. Any's sister, Carmen, was in San Antonio to surprise Any for her birthday, so we got to share a birthday meal with Yobany's parents, Any & JJ, and Carmen on Tuesday night! Here are some pictures from our time together:
Yobany, I am so blessed to get to spend another year as your wife! I love you!
Happy Birthday Yobany!
all my bags are packed; I'm ready to go...*
*feel free to keep singing the rest of "Leaving on a Jet Plane"
Here's a quick update on the baby front:
Here's a quick update on the baby front:
- This week I've been noticeably more worn out and FAR less comfortable than I have been up to this point (achy, tired, difficult to change from one position to another, having to pee ALL the time, swollen and uncomfortable hands and feet, almost impossible to find a great sleeping position--notice that I started writing this post pre-6am).
- On Wednesday, I had an exam and found out that I'm 50% effaced and 1 cm dilated--small progress, but great considering that I'm still 3 weeks away from my due date!
- Yobany and I completed our childbirth classes and are feeling about as mentally prepared for baby #1 as we can be. Thanks to the Kuykendalls' experience, we are much more clued-in about what kinds of things to expect with labor & delivery, induction, and c-section births. Plus, we've gotten to ooh and ahh over their son, Weston, who is seriously one of the cutest kids ever!!! Celebrating Weston's arrival with our good friends has caused us to be even more excited about the impending arrival of Contessa!
- In the past couple of weeks, I've had numerous, albeit sporadic, Braxton Hicks contractions as well as some cramping that show me my body is trying to get ready. In fact, after my exam on Wednesday, I had light contractions most of the morning while I was running (ok, maybe at a snail's pace) some errands and they didn't stop until I had been resting on the couch for a couple of hours. I've even had a handful of light contractions since I started writing this post.
- Our little girl still hasn't "dropped" yet and still likes to hang out in my ribcage as much as possible. :) I keep telling her that the basement is better than the penthouse, but I don't think she believes me.
- Oh, and if you saw my previous post with the video of Contessa's acrobatics, you realized that my belly is now officially MASSIVE!
Monday, December 14, 2009
"the crowds were amazed at his teaching..."
Tonight, Denise and I attended our third and final childbirth class at Seton Northwest. I got more out of the experience than I expected, and that was predominantly due to the instructor. She impressed me enough that I would like to expound upon half a dozen things I put on her class survey and apply it to us.
PASSION
Our teacher’s name was Siobhan (pronounced “Shivon”). She is a nurse practioner, midwive and mother of few kids. One of her best personal and instructional characteristics was passion. She is passionate about what she does and the entire birth process. She smiled 90% of the time we were together. She was up and about during class and her energy was expressed through her tone, posture and movement. Her enthusiasm was infectious. Her consistent fervor caused me to leave excited about the adventure that childbirth will be for Denise and me, whatever God has in store for us.
BALANCE
She was factual in her presentation and fair in her description of different perspectives on techniques, methods, medicine etc. She clearly had an opinion, but was able to articulate the decision landscape and give people the freedom to be prepared to make decisions at the right time and not feel shame, guilt or remorse. She explained that everyone’s birth story is different and very personal. Being able to communicate about these sensitive topics and not come off as judgmental or overbearing is a gift she has and skill she has learned.
CARE
Over three evening classes, she took the energy to remember people’s names and address them by name when interacting with them. Calling someone by name affirms their value and makes you more credible in their mind. She learned our stories and referenced them at the appropriate time. There was always room for questions. She wasn’t stuck to a tight schedule, but rather let the class flow at its own pace and address the questions as they showed up on our faces.
ENGAGEMENT
She was unashamed in her illustrations and dramatizations. Often, people list public speaking as one of their greatest fears. How about acting? This lady got on the floor to demonstrate birthing positions, mimicked the pushing process (with sound) and became humiliated for our benefit. Instead of being an outsider reading a script, she took on the role and drew us into the learning process.
ANCHOR in REALITY
An experienced teacher has real life examples. Siobhan had dozens of stories spanning her 20+ years of experience. They spanned the spectrum and gave her the qualification to merit our attention.
KINESTHETIC/INTERACTIVE
Her teaching method was hands-on. She had examples of the instruments that would or could be used in the process and let us get our hands on them. I had never held forceps, received effleurage or practiced pain management through pinning clothespins on my earlobe. We performed pain management breathing techniques on the floor, with dimmed lights and relaxing music.
I took the opportunity to write this post because I love communication & good communicators. Inherently, good teachers must be good verbal and nonverbal communicators. Those of you that know me well, know that I am a hard grader. On a teaching scale of 1-10 (10 being the best), and given the limited duration format, Siobhan was a 10.
So, the challenge I will give you is to have a renewed focus to be a good communicator and teacher. Be passionate, balanced, caring, engaged, anchored in reality and interactive in your delivery. Life is too short and people are too valuable to settle for less.
The title of the post was drawn from Matthew 7:28-29 (NIV)
"When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law."
PASSION
Our teacher’s name was Siobhan (pronounced “Shivon”). She is a nurse practioner, midwive and mother of few kids. One of her best personal and instructional characteristics was passion. She is passionate about what she does and the entire birth process. She smiled 90% of the time we were together. She was up and about during class and her energy was expressed through her tone, posture and movement. Her enthusiasm was infectious. Her consistent fervor caused me to leave excited about the adventure that childbirth will be for Denise and me, whatever God has in store for us.
BALANCE
She was factual in her presentation and fair in her description of different perspectives on techniques, methods, medicine etc. She clearly had an opinion, but was able to articulate the decision landscape and give people the freedom to be prepared to make decisions at the right time and not feel shame, guilt or remorse. She explained that everyone’s birth story is different and very personal. Being able to communicate about these sensitive topics and not come off as judgmental or overbearing is a gift she has and skill she has learned.
CARE
Over three evening classes, she took the energy to remember people’s names and address them by name when interacting with them. Calling someone by name affirms their value and makes you more credible in their mind. She learned our stories and referenced them at the appropriate time. There was always room for questions. She wasn’t stuck to a tight schedule, but rather let the class flow at its own pace and address the questions as they showed up on our faces.
ENGAGEMENT
She was unashamed in her illustrations and dramatizations. Often, people list public speaking as one of their greatest fears. How about acting? This lady got on the floor to demonstrate birthing positions, mimicked the pushing process (with sound) and became humiliated for our benefit. Instead of being an outsider reading a script, she took on the role and drew us into the learning process.
ANCHOR in REALITY
An experienced teacher has real life examples. Siobhan had dozens of stories spanning her 20+ years of experience. They spanned the spectrum and gave her the qualification to merit our attention.
KINESTHETIC/INTERACTIVE
Her teaching method was hands-on. She had examples of the instruments that would or could be used in the process and let us get our hands on them. I had never held forceps, received effleurage or practiced pain management through pinning clothespins on my earlobe. We performed pain management breathing techniques on the floor, with dimmed lights and relaxing music.
I took the opportunity to write this post because I love communication & good communicators. Inherently, good teachers must be good verbal and nonverbal communicators. Those of you that know me well, know that I am a hard grader. On a teaching scale of 1-10 (10 being the best), and given the limited duration format, Siobhan was a 10.
So, the challenge I will give you is to have a renewed focus to be a good communicator and teacher. Be passionate, balanced, caring, engaged, anchored in reality and interactive in your delivery. Life is too short and people are too valuable to settle for less.
The title of the post was drawn from Matthew 7:28-29 (NIV)
"When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law."
she's movin' and shakin'
We finally caught on video evidence that Contessa is one active kiddo. (By the way, I didn't realize how rotund my belly had become until I saw this video for myself. I guess that's what happens when you're less than a month away from your due date.)
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
gift tags
On a craft-y blog I regularly read, I found out about a great list of free down-loadable gift tags! Many of you know that I love to wrap and give gifts, so this is such a great addition to my stash of homemade tags as well as the ones that Martha Stewart always has on her website.
All you gift-wrappers, enjoy!
All you gift-wrappers, enjoy!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
yay for free stuff!
Amazon is giving away free Christmas songs--one per day until Christmas. You can even go back and download the ones from the days you missed.
Thanks, Jenn, for sharing!
Thanks, Jenn, for sharing!
Holiday Tea
Our church, Grace Covenant, plans a ladies event every year to kick off the Christmas season with style and thoughtfulness. Women from the church pay to host and decorate tables and then invite friends, family, coworkers, etc to join us for a pampered night of tea, Christmas carols, and a speaker to help us start thinking about the true reason for Christmas--that God sent his Son to earth to live as a man and die to redeem us to Himself.
Kristie Kahlden and I hosted a table together and decorated with a photography theme. My grandfather, his father and uncle, and others on my mom's side of the family are/were photographers by profession, so there's quite a large collection of old cameras and pictures in our family. We found several old cameras as well as many Christmas pictures from my mom's childhood and her father's childhood (they dated back about 80 years) to display. Each table hostess was responsible for providing the linens, table settings, decor, and a small gift for each guest. We had a great time planning how to pamper the ladies at our table!
Here are a few shots from our table:
My friends from Ridgeview, where I taught the last two years. I'll miss you ladies, once I'm officially staying home full time!
Most of the tables are quite extravagant...here's just a sampling of some of the table settings. (I'm sorry for the poor lighting on many of the pictures--the light in the room was low and when I used my flash it washed out the picture, but when I didn't use a flash, I got a somewhat blurry picture.)
Kristie Kahlden and I hosted a table together and decorated with a photography theme. My grandfather, his father and uncle, and others on my mom's side of the family are/were photographers by profession, so there's quite a large collection of old cameras and pictures in our family. We found several old cameras as well as many Christmas pictures from my mom's childhood and her father's childhood (they dated back about 80 years) to display. Each table hostess was responsible for providing the linens, table settings, decor, and a small gift for each guest. We had a great time planning how to pamper the ladies at our table!
Here are a few shots from our table:
My friends from Ridgeview, where I taught the last two years. I'll miss you ladies, once I'm officially staying home full time!
Most of the tables are quite extravagant...here's just a sampling of some of the table settings. (I'm sorry for the poor lighting on many of the pictures--the light in the room was low and when I used my flash it washed out the picture, but when I didn't use a flash, I got a somewhat blurry picture.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
