Hi

I'm back.

I do not recommend taking a late flight to arrive home at 10pm and then go to the ER for your husband which doesn't allow you to get to bed till 2:30am but really feels like 4:30am because of the jet lag. I'm tired and it's Monday and the day is moving SLOW! My hubs is ok, some inflammation on his colon will keep him bed/couch bound for the next 2 days while he takes high doses of ibprofen and vicodin for the pain. I plan to join him as soon as I can leave work {thankfully, i think i can do this relatively on time even though i wasn't in until 11, i just need a little more sleep}. I think the oddest thing I collect is my husband's ER wrist bands. We go normally once a year for something major {cut, dog bite...}, we've been 3 times so far in '08. I keep meaning to make a little book or box with stories attached. It's not even that they're great stories it just seems like something to document. It's ok you can say it, that's odd.

Sometime in the past 10 days Portland flipped completely over to fall. It's beautiful despite the rain and the cool wind. There is a huge tree outside our apartment that looks like it's on fire with all the reds and oranges of it's leaves. I took video and pictures of it today with plans to show you later.

A few quick good bits:

- My niece is adorable!!!!! She smiles, laughs, reaches for people, keeps eye contact, gets happy when her parents walk in the room and makes raspberries at random. I love her so much more than i thought i ever would. She also makes it 10x as hard to leave Dallas - she changes so fast!

- Antiquing with my sister.in.law was a complete successes. She actually noticed an Argus 40 sitting high on a shelf {i got it for $20, this was not the steal i was hoping for but worth it for actually seeing in person the great looking lenses}. The other great find was wooden block print letters. This jumble of numbers and letters produced enough for my last name, wedding date, and JOY which i plan on using for my Christmas cards.

More to come...

A Week in the Life of

Ok, so i did a horrible job keeping up with daily photos and notes of my normal week. I thought i'd try it again but this time documenting my unusual week in Texas. I'm very excited about my trip.

I'm debating if i want to take my Yashica for TtV. Tuesday there are plans for my s.i.l and i to go antiquing. My hope is to find a cheap but good Kodak Duaflex or Argus 75. I also have fantasies about my grandfather already having one that he'd let me keep, lol. I still need to make a contraption to block out light. Wonder if i can get that done Friday night...

Really looking forward to flying. I find it relaxing once i'm on the plane and a little nervous before hand {checking in, going through security, no delays...}. There is just something so nice about being forced to sit in one chair for a couple of hours with only books, music and thoughts to keep you company. PLUS I'm pretty sure i have window seats the whole time {layover going and nonstop way home}. I want to try taking video of the take off/landings and some clouds if i can. Usually, there are some good clouds leaving Portland. I admit this is inspired by Swirly's recent video she created - the clouds with the sun is make-my-heart-sing-beautiful {the whole film is good too}.

Life Update

I'm going to Texas in October!

I'm mostly excited but a little sad. This was our year to go down for Thanksgiving and i thought buying the tickets 2 months in advance would be enough and in the past leaving on T-day was the cheapest - well not this year! It would have cost us close to $1,000 dollars for me and my husband to go. Lets just say we didn't budget for that much. Plus, M. started a new job and has no time off except for thanksgiving day and that fri after which didn't help with the price of the tickets.

After a little hemming and hawing... the choice was made instead of breaking the bank I'd go to Texas by my self. Since i was going by my self it would make sense to go at the same time my mom & step-dad would be in town from New York. That's the exciting part, I get to see them! It's been 1.5yrs since my mom and 2yrs for my step-dad. The sad part is my husband is stuck at home and it puts some some plans on hold {like going to the Ft. Worth Zoo, the point was to take him}. Bonus to going in Oct. i get to go to the State Fair - sad part, i would love to take M. to it some year.

I have been really thankful though that M. has been very encouraging for me to go see my family. Sure, he likes my family but in the end they're mine and it's not exactly the same bond. I understand this, i feel the same about his - love them but i'd have him go alone if i couldn't make it. Sometimes it's the hardest thing living in different states!

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In other exciting news, i'm going to an art class hosted by Art & Soul while it's here in Portland. I'm only taking one class but it's on block printing which I LOVE {even though you can't tell because i never post any of my work, the little that i have}. There are so many classes i would have loved to take but again the money thing but maybe next year!

From Texas with Love

Made it in at about 10am Sunday from Texas and a week long visit with family. My baby niece is amazing! I didn't take nearly as many pictures as i should have. At 3 weeks she is very squirmy when awake and usually swaddled when asleep so those little feet didn't get into many shots.

This trip was very emotional for me. I usually have one good cry on the last day about having to go back. However, this trip it started with crying when i first met Noel and then during the whole week I couldn't think to hard about leaving again with out tearing up. It's hard to think that i'll be the long distance aunt, even though i have a better relationship with my aunts now that i'm miles away then i did when i lived 30 minutes... but it's more the fact that i won't get to raise my kids along side my siblings and their children like i was. Thankfully, my siblings like to travel!

I should mention that my husband has been bitten by the baby bug, LOL! He said he's not ready right this second but in a couple of years. That's an improvement considering we were saying maybe in four. I'm glad he still wants to wait - i'm not ready at all!

What was really nice about this trip was reconnecting with childhood friends. I got to meet up with one at her home and her 2 adorable children (her son sings quite nicely at 3 yrs old). I went to the bridal shower of another and visited with her family who i had not seen in years! At the shower i was surprised to see a mutual childhood friend and we talked a lot about life and being married. It's great to reconnect!

The pictures are still in my camera. I haven't had much interest in sitting at the computer when i get home from work this week. I'll get them out soon, promise.

Blows Your Mind

The miracle that is a woman growing another human - blows my mind!

The long weekend at my sister's was amazing. The best part was getting to touch my sister's belly and feel Baby move. I have felt her feet press out, i felt her little rump, i felt her have the hiccups. That's right, baby's have hiccups in the womb, crazy! For the hiccups i put my hand on the side and i could feel resistance and then suddenly a quick nothing and then back to resistance - it was rhythmic plus S. had felt baby have them before so she knew what she was talking about. It was WILD!!!

The baby shower was beautiful, my sister's best friends did a fabulous job from the invitations, to the decorations, to the food, to the favors - awesome!

I cried once i got in the car when i got home last night. I know part of it was being so tired (was up late every night) but also because it's going to be sooo hard only seeing my niece every six months or so. I know it will work out, i know it will but still makes me sad to be so far. At the same time I am so excited to be going back in a month! And it's 3 weeks until the birth so i really only have to wait 3 weeks for pictures.

Vacation

Arrived safe and sound in Texas for 4 days of girly relaxation with my sister.

Tonight: Dinner & chick flick

Friday: Hair cut for me, Lunch at La Madeline's (awesome French bakery), pedi for us both, and baby shower w/ family & friends.

Saturday: One of her good friends is staying the night as well to make it a fun sleep over (i haven't been to one in years!). Then craft day. We're decorating wooden letters that spell the baby's name. Then my sister is hosting an open house/eat dessert/visit with me event for the family.

Sunday: Who knows what but i'm getting Tex-Mex!! Then home again.

Okay, ya'll go have some have fun!