Way Back When Wednesday - Well, just last week...

It's not really a true Way Back Wednesday.  It really was just a week ago, even if it does feel like a lot longer with the lack of sleep!!!

Top Ten Tuesday

My friend Kristi and I joked about me making this top ten.  And I couldn't help myself.  It's a little cheesy, but here it is!

Top Ten Things I Liked About My C-Section

1-10.  Not having to deliver nearly 10 pounds of baby!

Monday Morning Musings - And Baby Makes 3!!

Here's what I've been musing about lately...

Her name is Cadence.  She was born last Tuesday, and was a whopping 9lbs 12oz, 22 inches long!  That's all I've got for now.  I have a newborn!! :)

Way Back When Wednesday -

I recently attended the baptism of my first piano student.   He was so cute, and his dad did such a great job even if it was a bit unconventional. :)  It had been a while since I attended a child's baptism, and it made me think of my baptism. 

I was baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the age of eight by my father on my birthday.  It was a Tuesday evening.  I remember that specifically.  Having my baptism on my birthday made the evening just that much more special to me.  Also, I was the only one being baptized.

There were a number of other things that made my baptism special to me.  First, I didn't wear a white dress.  I wore a white pant jumpsuit.  I don't exactly remember why.  Seems like it was because there wasn't a dress in my size available?  Or maybe I just really didn't want to wear a white frilly thing.  That's characteristic of me.  I remember showing off to my friends who were wearing dresses that I was wearing pants by unfolding the folding chairs using my feet and legs.  Looking back on it, the pant jumpsuit was more like a cropped-pant jumpsuit and nothing to be excited about...

Also, I played the special musical number.  I learned to play the Hymns Made Easy version of "We Thank Thee O God For a Prophet" on the piano just for the occasion.  I temporarily panicked when I got to the piano and couldn't find my song book.  It turned out that it was just behind the other hymn books the pianist had used the opening song.  As I remember, I played the song well.

After my wonderful baptism and confirmation, we had a birthday/baptism party at our house.  A lot of my friends, family, and other members of our ward came.  I had received an electric keyboard that morning for my birthday and my friends and I were having fun listening and dancing to it's pre-recorded music and rhythms.

One special gift I received that I really want to continue as a tradition in my family was my first real set of scriptures--a triple combination and a Bible with my name on them--in a scripture case.  I already had the missionary edition of the Book of Mormon to take to primary, but something about the reverence in which my parents gave me my new set, and the fact that it was given to me especially for being baptized, made a big impression on me.

Monday Morning Musings - Life Changes

I'm not sure which is worse.  On the one hand, you've got not knowing the day your life is going to drastically change.  It'll come at some point; you know what will happen, or at least you have an idea.  You just don't know when. 

On the other hand, you've got a scheduled date.  You know almost down to the minute when it's going to happen, and the anxiety caused by the hugeness of the change builds up because in the back of your mind you're constantly thinking, "this is the last time I'll be doing this before..."

Or at least that's what's going on with me.  I'm in the second category of life changers.  I think I stress myself out more than the actual event does because I'm always thinking!  My c-section is scheduled for Tuesday morning.  As in tomorrow morning.  And it's just hitting me now. 

I've been pretty excited about having a scheduled c-section rather than going into labor whenever my body and baby decides it's time because of what my doctors have advised me. But now that the scheduled big day is coming up I'm starting to freak a little.  Just on the inside at this point though.  I don't do so well with pain.  For goodness sake, I have to have my husband hold my hand when the nurse takes my blood for tests!  I'm a major wuss.  Plus, after the pain comes a baby and all the changes that requires.

In some ways just letting it happen could be better.  I wouldn't have time to worry about everything.  But that would probably mean I would freak out in a bigger way on the big day.  This way it's spread out a little more.  Derek will probably be grateful for that! :)  And I'm sure when all is said and done, it'll all be worth it.  That's what I've been told by every mother I've talked to whether or not they went through labor, had a c-section, or a combination of both. 

So keep me and Derek in your prayers this week.  I'm sure we'll do fine, and I'll probably even surprise myself with how well I make it through the next few days, but it's always nice to have people praying for you!

Friday Finds: A Link Round-up

What a Squeak! Mail Online.  Fun story about a leopard and a rat.

Thankful Thursday - Friends' Advice

This week I have been so thankful for the wonderful advice and encouragement I've received from my great friends on my up coming c-section (It's this Tuesday!  Can you believe it?!).  I'm a bit of (okay, a lot of) a worrier so it's really important to me to know at least the basics of what I'm getting into. 

Way Back When Wednesday - Teacher, Do You Like...

It's taken me two weeks to figure out exactly how to write this Way Back When story. There's so much background information you have to know (it's another Korea story), and the subject is a little, um... sensitive? Well, sort of. You'll see what I mean as you read.

Learning to talk to children in English in Korea was an interesting experience.  Learning to talk to anyone in English in Korea was interesting.  You'd think it would be easy, the conversation being in English and all, but it wasn't.  There was the lack of vocabulary (it seemed like some students learned one word and vaguely used it for everything), accent (P.S. I hate Konglish!  It comes into this story, but it's also bad enough for another post), and the cultural differences that always sneak into language.  But I learned some tricks to make it easier to figure out what people were trying to say.

With children--which were the majority of my students--I usually tried to expect child specific conversations.  Things like stationary, school, video games, comic books, and popular TV and movies were common conversation topics.  If I expected topics such as those, usually I caught on.  If they varied to something other than what I thought was normal conversation material for children, we would all become very confused and frustrated.  But like I said, usually I was right on.

But not in this story.  My first class of the day was a class of six very bright 9-year-old girls who all spoke English very well.  Actually, some of them sounded quite American!  They were very comfortable speaking English and really enjoyed talking to me about all kinds of 9-year-old girl things.

Knowing that, it shouldn't surprise you that it surprised--or more like shocked--me when one of the girls came up to me before class and with a flawless American accent asked me, "Teacher, do you like (insert correct name of male reproductive organ here)?"

See?  This is where the subject gets a little sensitive...

I was shocked!  I'm pretty sure my jaw dropped and I had to pick it up quickly before this student noticed she had said something inappropriate.  When most students learned they had said something inappropriate, they wanted to know what it was and what it meant.  Then they would tell all their friends and I'd never hear the end of it.  Plus she was 9 years old!  She didn't need to be using that word at all!

My mind started racing to figure out what she was talking about.  Maybe I had just misheard her?

"Say that again?"  I asked, trying to sound like nothing was odd, inappropriate or shocking.

"Teacher, do you like (same correct name for male reproductive organ)?" she replied adding emphasis to both "teacher" and the word I couldn't for the life of me figure out why she was saying.

Hmm.  My next thought illogically was, well of course I do; I'm a woman.  But I was smart enough not to say that out loud; although she probably wouldn't have figured out what I meant.  So I decided to continue asking her to repeat herself, thinking that maybe I would figure out what she was saying if I heard it over and over.  "What?  I don't understand what you mean."

"You know, (same correct name for male reproductive organ), Aphrodite!"  Then it hit me.  She meant to say, Venus.  Konglish, and cultural differences struck again.

"Oh, you mean Venus." I said, immediately relieved and putting quite a bit of stress on the V.  "Venus, with a V."  I even held up my index and middle finger in a V shape to add to the emphasis on the V.  "Sure, I guess I like Venus."

"Okay!" She said and skipped back over to her classmates.  Thankfully, she didn't seem to notice how awkward the conversation had been going.

Koreans have trouble with Vs, and quite a few other letters of the English alphabet.  There just isn't a sound or combination of sounds in Korean that is anything like a V.  So they make due by pronouncing Vs like Ps, which they do have in Korean.

Usually, this and other substitutions cause little or no confusion on my part because I'm expecting it.  Unless the substituted sound makes a completely different word and almost makes sense in the sentence, as it did in this conversation.  Most of the reason why I was so confused and couldn't figure out "Venus" rather than, well... you know... was because every word she said was pronounced perfectly.  Her grammar was off, but the pronunciation was perfect.

Also, what kid comes up to you and asks if you like Venus.  It just doesn't make sense.  Like she's someone I know or something?  I had no context to go by.  What I found out recently is that's only odd for an American kid.  In Korea, they use Venus to advertise for just about everything.  She's everywhere.  I guess for a Korean kid, she's something like Harry Potter.  Not really a real person, but so ubiquitous and familiar that it's like you do know them as a real person.  It's not weird to ask someone in America if they like Harry Potter, so I guess with as familiar as Venus is in Korea, it's not odd for a Korean to ask an American if they like Venus.

Unless, of course, they pronounce Venus with a P.

You Might Be Married to a Handyman If... (Part II)

You Might Be Married to a Handyman If... (Part II)

1. ...you can't drive the 2nd car because it's a dirty, 40 year-old stick shift Ford F-150 that starts in the 2nd gear.
   
   
2. ...most of the gifts you or your family buys your husband are tools or gift cards to Lowes and Home Depot.
   
   
3. ...you have to check your husband for sweat, dust, paint, mortar, grout, etc. before giving him a hug or kiss.
   
   
4. ...you have an extra category of laundry: lights, darks,  and husband's work clothes.
   
   
5. ...there are enough reference manuals in your house to build a house, possibly out of the manuals! :)
   
   
6. ...every time you go to someone's house your husband ends up fixing something, or looks at something they want fixed or redone in the future.  (This one's my favorite because it means people are always happy to have us come over, and/or a job in the future!)
   
   
7. ...your husband's cell phone has dust in every crevice.  He has to wipe it off every time he uses it.  (Amazingly, it still works!)
   
   
8. ...your husband has double sets of callouses on his palms.
   
   
9. ...most of your furniture is or will be handmade.
   
   
10. ...you buy Powerade in bulk.  Big time.
    
    And a Bonus!
    
    
11. ...every time you hold your husband's hand there's something rough or scratchy--a cut, scrape or puncture wound.
    

Monday Morning Musings: C-Sections

This entire pregnancy, I've had this sneaky suspicion that in the end, I would need to have a c-section.  There's nothing wrong with c-sections; Derek and I were both c-section babies.  I was just concerned with having to go through some amount of labor and then have the doctors finally agree with me and do a c-section.  Seems like WAY more pain that I really need/want to go through, right?  Maybe I'm just being a wuss again.

But at my OB appointment last week (Wednesday), my doctor measured me at 45 weeks.  That's right, 45 WEEKS!  I don't feel that huge.  And I thought most babies were done at 40 weeks and then came out!  Plus, I was only 38 weeks along at the time.  She suggested we get another ultrasound to see what was going on--just to make sure everything was okay.  Then after that, we'd talk with the OB doctors who would be performing the surgery about a scheduled c-section.

The very next morning (Thursday) at 8:30am, I went in for my ultrasound.  It didn't take very long and I was assured that Dr. Skinner would call me that day to tell me the results.  Well, that was a bit of a fib, but I shouldn't have really expected a phone call that day.  Dr. Skinner's a really busy doctor.  Sometimes it takes up to a week to hear back from her.  Frustrating, but understandable.

Early the next day (Friday), the OB office called and said, "We need to get you in for a consultation appointment in preparation for your c-section."  I was a little shocked because I thought I'd hear from my doctor first, but I didn't argue.  I asked the receptionist a few questions about what was going on, and she said Dr. Skinner had referred me to Dr. Colwell and that he had an opening that day at 1:30.  I told them that would be fine.  Better than fine actually.  How often do you get a doctor's appointment same-day?

Just after that call, I called Dr. Skinner's office and asked to speak with Dr. Skinner, but everyone goes through her nurse first.  So I left a message, hoping that someone would call me back before 1:30 so I didn't look stupid at Dr. Colwell's office.  Within the hour, I got a call from Dr. Skinner herself!  Amazing!  She told me that she did look at the ultrasound results and determined that since my baby had the potential to be 10 pounds (holy heck!), a scheduled c-section would be best, and that she did call Dr. Colwell's office for the consultation appointment.

I felt that since this was kind of an important decision to make, Derek had to go with me.  He's not big on attending my appointments because he's always nervous that he'll have to watch me be examined.  But this appointment wasn't bad.  Just talking mostly.  Dr. Colwell and his colleague both looked at my records and determined that my baby was too big for me to be able to deliver.  I'd need a little help.  Also she hadn't descended yet, which she should have.  I asked if that could be because she's too big to fit down in where she's supposed to and he thought that was probably the reason.  Great, I thought, a big baby with a big head!

And it turned out, Dr. Colwell had already scheduled a date for me, Tuesday the 22nd.  Not as early as I'd like, but he was limited by the 39 weeks rule (which is the Thursday of this week), and his schedule (Tuesday of next week was the first opening he had).  But he also told me that if I go into labor between now and then, they'll just take me right in for a c-section.

So now my mind's a bit at ease.  At least I know I won't have to go through hours of hard labor before the doctor takes me in for a c-section.  But now I have major surgery to think about!!  So all you mothers out there who've had c-sections, what's it like?  Any advice?

A Way Back Wednesday, Thankful Thursday and Friday Finds All in One!

It's been another one of those weeks. I just haven't gotten the gumption up to posting.  I'll blame it on being almost done with being pregnant (yay!!).

But today, I have a treat.  A three in one.  Well, it's a treat to me.  How often can a blogger combine a story from your past, a thankful thought and a bunch of great links?  Not very often, but with today being 9-11, I think I've found a way.  So here it goes. 

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Way Back Wednesday
On September 11, 2001, I was sitting in Mr. Rush's AP Environmental Science class.  It was my senior year in high school.  I remember Mr. Rush being a bit late so we all happily chatted until he got there.  Once he did arrive in class, I could tell something was really bothering him.  He had a very serious look on his face and he was usually a pretty easy going kind of guy. 

After we all quieted down, he somberly announced what had happened in NYC and that there was a huge fire in D.C. (which turned out to be a rumor).  At that point, only one plane had hit.  Like every other American that morning, we were shocked and scared.  We were all so upset that we decided not to do any studying that day.  How could we concentrate when we felt like our world was coming to an end?  We had no idea what was really going on out there.

Most of the rest of our classes that day were like that.  The library had the news playing on their TVs.  I remember one of my friends told us about seeing the coverage of both towers falling while she was in the library.  She was shocked and really, really upset.  She said something like, "I can't believe I just watched 1000s of people die!"  It was a really horrible day at school.

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Thankful Thursday 

With 9-11 happening this week, I've been reminded of how grateful I am to be American, and to live in America.  I'm grateful that even when horrible things happen, our country can pick itself back up and keep moving.  Being an American, it's hard to imagine what life's like for other people in countries with less freedom.  Freedom is so natural for us.  I appreciate that. 

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Friday Finds

Here are a few 9-11 related links I found this week.  Each of them has a slightly different take.  Enjoy!

Nine Eleven, The Pioneer Woman.  Sort of a then and now post.  I love her writing!

9-11 Quilt that Traveled the World, The School of Good Enough.  I have known this blogger for years.  She's an excellent quilter.  And she doesn't just make regular quilts.  She is a quilt artist!

Patriot Day, Cake Wrecks.  This post is a little more on the humorous side--as you would expect with Cake Wrecks--which might sound like a bad thing on such a serious day.  But I enjoyed it.

Remembering 9/11, A Thrifty Mom.  A traditional 9-11 memory.

Top Ten Tuesday - You Might Be Married to a Handyman If...

This is by no means a rag on Derek post.  I love all of these quirky and sometimes inconvenient things that come with being married to a handyman.  I'm lucky to be married to a man who has his dream job and is amazing at it!

You Might Be Married to a Handyman If...

1. ...your husband says something like, "I felt like half a man without my hammer!"
   
   
2. ...you open your fridge and see a giant paint roller wrapped in a shopping bag.  (He was keeping it fresh for later use)
   
   
3. ...you look in the fridge for the butter and find a sponge brush in a sandwich bag.  (Same as number 2, keeping it fresh)
   
   
4. ...your mini-van is a two-seater because of all the power tools.  (This has only happened once or twice.  Usually our van is a four-seater with plenty of room for tools)
   
   
5. ...you find a paint brush drying on the edge of your bathroom sink.
   
   
6. ...you find your husband with a far off look in his eyes.  You ask him what he's thinking about and he says something like, "tile," or "plans for the deck I'm working on," etc.
   
   
7. ...the Parade of Homes becomes a mega-date every year.  (And I love it!)
   
   
8. ...you watch a lot of HGTV because it's "educational."  (It's growing on me.  At least it's entertaining and not vulgar or violent)
   
   
9. ...your garage has some amount of sawdust in it... at all times!
   
   
10. ...your husband can make or fix anything you need!  (Yesterday he started on a great set of shelves for baby stuff.  He's almost finished; all we need to do is paint.  Pretty soon I'll have 5 more shelves to store stuff in!  Yay!)
    

PS: I told Derek he was the subject of today's post. He got pretty into the topic and gave me 12 more things to go on the list. So look for another You Might Be Married to a Handyman If... post next week!

Monday Morning Musings - Making Room

We are making room for the baby! My dad and I went to the U-Haul store this morning to get boxes so we could get all the blankets, towels and sheets we weren't using out of the hall closet in our house and into the storage unit. I couldn't believe how many unused sets of sheets and towels we had around the house!!!

The next step is to transfer our sheets and towels out of our room into the hall closet making all kinds of room for baby stuff. Then Derek's going to build another shelf for even more storage. I'm so excited!

And then (you thought we were done, didn't you?) we're going to move the computer desk out of our room and into the sun room, making room for the crib. THEN we'll be set. I think...

Another Travel Dream

Port Arthur, Tasmania

Do you see those beautiful trees, foggy clouds, and historical buildings?!  Someday when I visit Australia, I'm stopping by here!

(Photo courtesy of Martybugs' contribution to Wikipedia)

Friday Finds: A Link Round-up

Dog--It's What's For Dinner, Ask a Korean.  I've always wondered about Korea and eating dog.  I knew it wasn't all that common.  People don't buy it from the grocery store, and I only remember one restaurant that served dog soup.  But other than that we didn't learn much about it.   This post is pretty enlightening!

Powdered Eggs, Everyday Food Storage.  I've been wanting to find out more about powdered eggs!  This post even includes a video tutorial!

Thankful Thursday - Unexpected Connections

A couple weeks ago as my husband was walking into a store, he ran into our next door neighbor.  They talked a bit and then our neighbor said that Derek seemed like a reliable guy and that the company he works for was looking for a delivery truck driver and suggested that Derek apply.  The company, IBC (not the root beer, something else), hadn't publicly posted the position so I guess they were either going to hire within the company or by referral only.

How great is that that our neighbor--who we aren't all that close with, friendly but not very close--would think of Derek for this part-time job?!  I was surprised and very grateful!  What a blessing in our lives!

There is only one hiccup with this job.  It's early morning... early, EARLY morning.  His shift will be from 3am-7am.  He and I thought long and hard about whether or not to take the job and in the end, he decided that it's the best option he has at the moment to have a part-time job while still running his own business.  Plus, since it's a job with a W-2, it will be easier to get a home loan in the future.

So for the last week while Derek waits for the results from his drug test to come back (We're pretty sure we know what the results are, but most people don't take a person's word for it.  Even if they are LDS! :D), Derek has been gradually changing his sleeping schedule.  And he's been doing great going to bed by 10pm and getting up at 6am!  I'm so proud of him for preparing himself.  Hopefully his preparation will help him ease into his new job!

I want to send our next door neighbor a big THANK YOU for recommending Derek for the job.  We really needed it!  Maybe I'll bake him and his family a cake! :)

Fun with Games

I'm participating in a contest over at Three Paper Peonies.  Her new kit is called "Whimsy" and it is SO CUTE!  I'm really hoping I win the entire kit.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!!

If I were to pick one thing that my entire family loves to do, it would be to play games.  Any kind.  Card games, board games, or Wii games.  You name it and we love to play!  In fact, when we get together for family reunions, we usually play "Sets and Runs," a family favorite.

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In case you want to participate as well, here are the rules...


-Please create a layout that sums up your family. What makes you, you? What are things that you enjoy together? Any special traditions? What keeps you together through the good and the bad? It can be about any group of people that you consider to be your "family".

Guidelines:
-You must use at least 75% Three Paper Peonies products.

-You must create a new layout for this challenge.

-Each participant may only post 1 layout for this challenge.

-A link to your layout must be posted in the comments section no later than midnight on September 12, 2009 (PST).

-You must use at least 75% Three Paper Peonies products.

-You must create a new layout for this challenge.

-Each participant may only post 1 layout for this challenge.

-A link to your layout must be posted in the comments section at Three Paper Peonies no later than midnight on September 12, 2009 (PST).

Top Ten Tuesday - Things That Make My Life Easier

So I'm totally copying Amanda's list idea.  I've got different things on my list.  I don't have all the cool things Amanda does!  Two alarm clocks would be great!

 

Top 10 Things That Make My Life Easier

1. The amazing computer network my dad set up.  I help take care of my mom, so during the days I need to be available to her which means that I'm often in her room away from my computer in mine (did I mention that Derek and I live at my parents house?).  My dad's awesome network allows me to access all my files on any other computer in the house (if they're both on), most often my parents iBook.  That means I can do all my fun digi-scrapping and digi-scrap supply downloading from anywhere!  Yay!
   
   
2. My library's inter-library loan system.  My city library stinks.  Really, it does!  I rarely go in there and find what I'm looking for.  So usually I find new books on other blogs and Amazon.com and then request them through the inter-library loan system.  It only takes anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks to get the book to me!  And speaking of Amazon...
   
   
3. Amazon.com.  I love Amazon.com!  I can find just about any book by any author, and then find other books by that same author or other books of the same genre.  And best of all, when I find one that I really like, I put it in my wishlist so I don't forget about it!  It's my main book finding place. 
   
   
4. My mattress.  I have one of those memory foam mattresses.  Best thing we've ever gotten!  It's so good that vacations are almost a let-down after sleeping one night... almost.
   
   
5. Hulu.  There are a million--well, maybe not a million--TV shows that Derek and I enjoy, but we don't always get around to watching them all.  Hulu lets me subscribe to the shows I like AND sends me e-mails when a new show I've subscribed to is up on their site!  Perfect and simple for me.  I don't have to try and catch the newest episodes on TV whenever it is they come on, and Hulu's got all my subscriptions together so I don't have to find them all over the internet!
   
   
6. Netflix.  We use Netflix to get TV seasons.  Most recently was Medium.  Over the last few months we've watched seasons 1-4.  My dad even got into them a bit!  Up next?  I think Alias.
   
   
7. IMDB.com.  Ever watched a movie, recognized an actor, but couldn't remember who he/she was or what else you've seen them in?  In comes The Internet Movie Database or IMDB.com.  Derek is addicted to that site.  He's always got his laptop set up at the beginning of movies so he's able to quickly find any mystery actor! :)
   
   
8. My dirty, old, ugly, off-brand crocs.  I've had them for over a year now, and anyone who's owned a pair of these shoes know the soles wear out long before that time.  But I love them because they're easy to slip on and off for when I'm going to check the mail, move the car, go to the doctors office, etc.
   
   
9. My faith.  I have an excellent religion that makes life's hard times just a little bit easier.  It gives me a sense of purpose: who I am, where I came from, and where I'm going.  Basically, it gives me a plan to live by.  I am proud to say I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 
   
   
10. My wonderful husband.  I don't know what I'd do without him.  He's always so helpful, and he is now even more since I've become somewhat helpless!  He's not afraid to do housework, and he always works so hard!  Thanks Derek!