an update or two

well... things have been pretty busy in the simmon's household or so it seems. i am officially in my 2nd trimester and feeling better as the pregnancy progresses. i am now 15 weeks and have a little bump of a belly beginning to form. baby is growing and had a heartrate in the 150's at my doctor's appt. this week. i think i feel it's slight movements at times when i am reallys till and i am really excited when they become easier to recognize.

recently, i have realized how much i truly love to cook. i bought some fresh salmon last weekend and made a maple marinade for it. it wasn't too bad for my first time cooking salmon. i find that i get bored with cooking the same things and i like to consistently try new things. it makes it hard for me to make a meal plan for the week because i have to hunt for recipes first, but it makes it worth it in the end.

i am so happy it is getting colder. there is something so wonderful about this time of year and i can't wait for thanksgiving to get here. i love fall colors, warm drinks, sitting by the fire, cuddling up in blankets... it's just a great time full of fond memories.

seth is running a 1/2 marathon tomorrow. he has never run that far before so i am praying he will be able to do so without a problem. it will hopefully be a great experience for him and a pleasant day for all that running.

i promise, promise, promise to put a picture up soon. it's not like anyone reads this anyway. :)

wedding fun and baby news

this weekend, seth and i had the pleasure of going to a wonderful couple's wedding. we met them a week before we were married and have enjoyed several get togethers since. seth sang a song during the ceremony... which was just beautiful. the ceremony was lovely: it was outside and a beautiful day...a little windy, but nice and warm. after the ceremony, cocktails and appetizers were served and a band played some music. we had fun eating the fancy food and talking. around 6:00 they herded us towards the reception dinner which was being held in a "barn"... a very beautiful barn. the setting was lovely, dinner was delicious, and the music and dancing was fun to watch. we left around 9:00... i was exhausted.

as far as the baby goes... things are going well. i am in my 13th week now and doing well. i am starting to feel more energy and only sick if i eat too much food at a time. my next doctor's appt. is in two weeks. i am so excited to hear the heartbeat again! hopefully i can post some picturs of the wedding and mabye a couple of my little baby belly as well.

the rumors are true

It's official! I had my second OB apointment yesterday and we got to see our little baby. We were originally going in to hear our little peanut's heartbeat, but the doctor couldn't find it, so we had an ultrasound done. Sure enough, the little one was in there, heart beating 170 bpm and as healthy as can be for this stage in the game.

I am 11 weeks pregnant now and coming off of a 4 week battle with morning/noon/night sickness. I didn't have it as bad as I've heard of, but enough to make me miserable for a little while. The last few days I have been doing great... tired, but great. I've even been cooking for my love these past couple of nights... a rarity as of late.

Seth and I are so excited about this little blessing. Suprised... but absolutely excited! We were a little shocked when we first found out, but it's been an interesting ride so far. Seeing the little heart blinking on the screen yesterday was enough to really sink it all in. We'll post pictures as soon as I can figure it out!

Well, I guess this blog might be seeing a little bit more activity, at least from me now. I've been dying to tell our wonderful news!

when the world keeps spinning and you stand still

summer has been a busy time for us. we are making friends, going to weddings, understanding more about marriage, making big decisions, relaxing, hanging out with family, working 40 hours a week etc... with all the activities that have been going on, sometimes i find myself wanting to stop time. i long for that stillness that comes when you stop letting activities run your life. in that stillness i often find myself having wonderful conversations with Jesus and i'm able to hear Him a little better too. oh, to just stand still.

good times. bumps in the road

this weekend was packed with activities. friday evening we had guests at our humble abode. the following day we went to "worlds of fun" which turned out to be more like "worlds of rain." the cold rain did not stop until we left.... which was sometime after about six hours of miserable wetness. well, honestly, it wasn't so miserable until the end. after about 1 hour of extreme cold, my legs were numb and i got used to it. the lines were short and some rides we could ride endlessly because there was literally no one waiting to join the ride. i was surprised how many people actually came out for this day. the only reason we did was because we had prepaid for our tickets!

sunday morning. seth and i worked in the nursery with the babies. we had seven sweet little ones and had fun keeping them entertained. we can't wait to be parents! after church, a young couple asked us to go to lunch. they have a six week old little boy and he is very sweet. after lunch we went home and napped for a couple hours. then, we got up, went to the grocery store, picked up steph from church and took her home, then, drove to jared and mandy's for an evening of fellowship and food with other couples. most of the couples there had little ones and it was a lot of fun hanging out with these young families. we left early so that i could get some rest before my business trip today. however, this monring when i arrived at work, i found out that our trip was cancelled due to flood waters in the area we were going. so now we might go on thursday and friday instead. these little bumps in the road remind me not to always try to plan everything out.... because it is likely those plans will get interrupted. :)

portable potties

today, there was a water main break and my office is completely without water..... there are portable potties outside the building, five stories below me. i have yet to visit them, but i'm feeling a growing need to. i think i will drive next door and ask to use their restroom, since i think this is only affecting my office at this time (my fingers are crossed). all this being said, today has been an interesting day.

answer to prayer

we had a most wonderful weekend.

friday, we went to the honduras benefit dinner. the food was great and so was the company. we sat with some fun married couples and had fun chatting about marriage, children, life, etc... we stayed there for 3 hours.

saturday, we went to the pool to lay out for the afternoon. at 6:30 we met some new friends at this indian restaurant "korma sutra." first of all, it was great getting to do something with a very cool young married couple. second, it was fun to experience the atmosphere and culture of the restaurant. it was probably one of the neatest eating "experiences" i have ever had... and it was really good food too.

after the wonderful meal (which lasted over two hours) we went back to our apartment with our new friends and played "pitch" until midnight. it was so much fun and so refreshing to get to hang out with some great people. we saw our new friends the following day at church and are planning to do something again soon.

thank you Lord for sending us some wonderful friends!

fly. sara groves.

Speak in a summer tone,
Pause in the afterglow.
Tenderly whisper my name.
Tell me once again, why I am your bride.
So I can fly.
So I can fly.

Pause in your busy day,
Look extra long my way.
Wink at me across the room.
Kiss me longer,
Touch my arm when I am by your side.
So I can fly.
So I can fly.

Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh...

Oh, how the little things stregthen my tiny wings.
Help me to take on the world.
When you love me, there's nothing I wouldn't try.
I might even fly,
I might even fly,
I might even fly.

Oooo, I'll fly.

I'll fly. I'll fly.
I will fly.

I will fly,
I'll fly.
I'll fly.
I'll fly.

this song makes me happy. dancing in the kitchen with my husband to this... one of my favorite moments in the last couple of months. :)

plan.initiate.

i don't know if i have always been a planner or if this personality trait suddenly appeared in my late teens. regardless.... it has been a natural tendency of mine for quite some time now.

lately i have been realizing how much i have planned things with friends, initiated events etc...  in my lifetime. as much as i enjoy the after effect of doing this, i loathe being the one with the responsibility when it comes to friendships. i think i sometimes spend too much time trying to maintain and pursue friendships.. and i just grow weary of it or get taken advantage of in the long run.

things have been difficult for me in the friend department lately. i am really praying that God send's someone my way that feels exactly how i do.

work.thoughts.and such.

i have been a working woman for almost two months now. this has been a new experience for me, having worked as a nanny for the past three summers. instead of going to the pool, reading books, swinging, chasing, and cooking..... i am sitting at a desk talking with clients on the phone. the day is a little shorter which is nice, and i have most of the evening to spend with my husband. speaking of my husband... we've been married now for about 4 1/2 months. that's so crazy! it's been fun... especially in the last month since our schedules have become aligned.

last night we went to see pirates of the caribbean 3. it wasn't as good as i had hoped, but it wasn't necessarily bad either. it was a little long and had a lot of plot..... similar to the 2nd one. i think i liked spiderman 3 better.

seth and i are going to washington in august. i am so excited!

one quick praise: we payed off our hospital bill. we still have several other bills involved with that whole medical issue, but the main hospital bill has been taken care of. what a relief!

my wife has kicked me out...

...of her blog, that is.

She has declared that this site is her domain only, and that all trespassers will be shot. Thus, in the valiant pursuit of marital stability, I have created my own blog, my own parallel universe, where I can post my witty thoughts with no fear of being relegated to the couch at night. Farewell.

happy birthday to me!

so, i'm 22 now....

yesterday was much fun and i was so blessed by so many people. my wonderful husband got me three cards. and for those of you who know how much i love cards, you know this was the highlight of my day. i also received some other great gifts, including some beautiful flowers and a skirt i really wanted from my lovely sister. some ladies at work got me a strawberry cheesecake, which was really sweet as well. i felt so loved and appreciated. and now i'm another year older. :)

theme songs of life

have you ever heard a song that makes you think: "that's my life theme song!" ?

five for fighting (this is a band: mom this is for your info in case you read this) has a new song that i don't even know the name of, or words to, but the melody makes me smile. the other day, driving home from work, this song came on the radio. it made me want to put on a twirly skirt, find a field of flowers, and dance. thus.... my theme song.

Everything is copacetic

I’ve found a new word to wow my callers with. Whenever I’ve assuaged a concern, I will ask with them if everything is copacetic. That’s right, copacetic. I just learned it.

It's technically a slang term, not standard English. The interesting thing is that my computer spell check wants to spell it with an 's'--copasetic. But the dictionary website has it with a 'c.'

Oh, the things we do at work to keep a nimble mind...

(Hmmm...the Wordpress blog editor spell check didn't have a problem with copacetic.)

40 million in pesos

We spent yesterday evening--the last one with Nathan and Sarah in the U.S. for a long while--at the Sizemore residence, just hanging out. My beautiful wife, though she outranks me in raw intelligence, was extremely tired and very "out of it." In describing the company meeting we had at work today, we told the fam that out employer did about "40 million in revenue last year"--something which Krista verbally affirmed, and seemed to understand. About ten seconds later, after a period of silence, my wife piped up in a curious tone:

"Dollars?"

To which her father lovingly retorted, "No, pesos!"

Chicken florentine???? and other adventures

Today was one of those perfect days...

Seth and I decided to take a bike ride out to the lake by my parent's house. First, we made a trip to Wal-Mart for some picnic goodies and then started our little adventure. The weather was wonderful, it was a beautiful spring day, yet I found myself carrying a very heavy backpack with water, books, towels, and a sheet. Seth took care of the lunch. Within about 3 minutes of our ride, I was huffing and puffing... and pretty miserable. We took a wrong turn, rode up two very steep hills, only to turn back and go the opposite direction. Whew! When that was all said and done, I was very happy to set up camp in a little spot of sunshine between two trees at the water's edge. We stayed there for a good three hours or more, basking in the sunlight and reading (Seth did more actual reading than I, as the sun pretty much sang me to sleep).  Needless to say, it was a most enjoyable afternoon, one of the best we've had together since the beginning of our eventful marriage.

To finish off our fun day, Seth took me to dinner. By this time, I noticed that the sun had done its job of burning delicate skin in odd places,  leaving its most unattractive marks in weird spots and lines across my body.  I bravely wore a skirt, however, even though my self-esteem had plummetted since the morning when I had complained about my evenly-toned white skin. And so, we set off to enjoy a nice dinner at Macaroni Grill. Luckily, this dinner was not all what it was made out to be, giving me reason to elaborate on this story. After eating snacks most of the day,  we decided to get an appetizer and one entree to split. Our tomato bruschetta was amazing, but when we got our main dish we couldn't quite decide if it reflected the description that we had read on the menu. We were a little disappointed to find that the hot pasta dish we were anticipating, was instead a cold salad like meal. We began to feast. I started expressing all the positive things about the expensively disappointing meal that I could think of, but it didn't help that much. When we got our bill, we recognized that it was less than we expected..... I then read the name of the entree only to realize that it was not what we had ordered.  Instead of chicken sorrentino, we received the chicken florentine salad! We felt kinda silly, but had a good laugh about it, and got our meal free as a result. We still wish that we could have had our original dish of choice, but both of us were too full to eat anything else.

Altogether, it was a lovely day.... a truly lovely day.....