The past two months

Blogging has been the least of my concerns as of late, however, if you still like to know what goes on in our life, here is the update.

In May, Hubs and I only had one weekend where we were in the same town together. So, life was a bit crazy. He traveled for school and presented at the AAO convention. Then I traveled for fun and went to my youngest brother's graduation. Then he traveled for fun to the Grand Canyon. And also, HE PASSED HIS BOARDS!

In June, Hubs and I visited two orthodontic practices, celebrated my brother's wedding to my fantastic new sister-in-law and were able to see lots of family, including my adorable niece, who I just can't get enough of. All, of this going on while Hubs works on his thesis, I helped get a summer camp organized and we both try to determine what we should do when graduation comes in December. And of course, other little things pop up throughout all of this to keep life exciting.

One small, fun thing Hubs and I have been doing is going outside for 10 minutes or so and throwing the frisbee. It is a fun after-work/school activity to take a break before dinner and have some fun together.

Now it is July. My parents came to visit [for a whole 4 days!!!], and we had so much fun. Our SEVENTH anniversary is in two weeks, Hubs is still working on his thesis in every spare moment and in the extra moments we are deciding our future plans, and Hubs' family is coming for a visit, too!

Since our time in St. Louis may be coming to an end, we have been taking opportunities to do and see everything that we I had on my list when we first moved here:

We went to the Whitaker Music Festival at the Botanical Gardens. This was fun because we went with friends and had a picnic with a live band. We, and what seemed to be at least half of the population of St. Louis [note: get there early]! We enjoyed it more for the experience, the time with our friends, and the free admittance to the Botanical Gardens.

We toured the Anheuser-Busch brewery, which is their largest brewery. It was a very interesting tour and FREE!

And in a few weeks, we are going to the St. Louis Art Museum's Film Series. They are showing classic movies outside with live music and food trucks beforehand. I am really excited about this event!

We went to some fun restaurants, too.  Fitz's is a fun experience. Tropical Moose is our favorite shave ice and the closest to the shave ice in Hawai'i that we can find. The Cup is a fun cupcake place in the Central West End [if only I liked cupcakes more]. Crushed Red might be my favorite place to eat right now, and Ted Drewes is a St. Louis icon for custard. And I finally went to Union Station to see what that was all about.

So, we are still around and we are doing lots of things.

Less than 9 months to go

Here it is, a whole month has passed by without a post. Doesn't surprise anyone I am sure.

Two years ago [which seems like a lifetime ago], Hubs and I were on a vacation of a lifetime. I still have not completed that photo book.

The other day, I asked Hubs if he thought I might graduate college in a shorter time period than my mother did. Because of moving and having to take care of us [my brothers and I], she graduated with her degree 18 years after she began. But she did it. He said, "Well, it's already been 10 years. You only have 8 to go." My age shocks me at those moments. But, I still have plenty of time.

My ideal qualifications for our future hometown: within 1 hour of an airport so that traveling to Hawai'i is always a reasonable option. And that we open a Trader Joe's.

This is the time of the year when I seriously regret spending all of my Christmas money. The spring clothes are so tempting and my allotted $20 a month usually gets spent at Starbucks.

Hubs has less than 9 months left of residency. I told him, "I think I am ready for you to be done and for the next stage." He says, "Is that a new thing? I've been ready for the past 20 months."

Oh, Good Grief

I searched through my past photos to see if I had anything interesting to blog about - you know, since it has been 2 months - but I didn't have anything. Photos seem to make things more interesting though, so I pulled some random ones while I update you on our life.

If you have done much moving around, you will understand this. It is so interesting how you adapt to a new place. Without knowing it, you plant roots. For a while, I didn't think I would ever extend roots in Saint Louis and maybe I even tried not to. Now I can see that there are people and things I would really miss if we leave. That topic - what happens after residency - is a subject that is approached almost daily but never do we leave it with an answer or a leaning any certain direction. We have lots of thoughts and ideas and plans and dreams. And faster than we ever imagined, we are now down to 12 months left.

 

One thing I love here is the trees. Beautiful trees in the fall. Each Sunday as we drove to church, my face was glued to the forests searching for the brightest and boldest colors. I wasn't disappointed. 

Have I told you that I ride the MetroLink to work? It is the transit train. I drive about a mile to the station, get on the train at 7:15 and it takes me within 3 blocks of the office. AND, there is a Starbucks on my walk to the building. It's like it was meant to be. I have really enjoyed this. It is way cheaper than parking, plus I don't have the expense of gas. Sometimes I read a book, sometimes listen to a sermon and sometimes I sleep. Every once in a while I have to drive to work for one reason or another and I am reminded why I love the train - St. Louis traffic.

I am so anxious for Christmas this year. I haven't seen my brothers in FOREVER and I have NEVER met my niece. I can't wait to savor every moment spent with the family before we go our separate ways again.

 When we come back from Christmas, I am starting a new job. It came without me looking for it (which are usually the best opportunities), and I seem to think it fits me pretty perfectly. It won't be without its challenges, but I'm excited about being used in a way to serve people and the Lord. It wasn't easy to leave my old job, though. I attach myself very easily to people and positions and roles. And I have a great boss who taught me a lot about professionalism, work ethic and office management. I'm so thankful for the job the Lord has provided me with for the past 18 months and very excited about where  I'm headed now.

Hubs and I are as happy and in love as ever before. I finally understand what all those people meant when they said your love grows deeper. Its entirely unexplainable and wonderful. But what they should tell you is that it doesn't just happen. It takes purposeful, intentional loving of one another - putting each other before yourself and loving the Lord more than everything. It takes forgiveness instead of bitterness. But it is worth it.

Cheers to you all. Hopefully I'll touch base with you soon.

Produce

I had heard of these co-op things before, but never really understood what to do or how to order. I'd always been interested in trying it out, but then was faced with the daunting question of what to buy and was it worth it. This past week, I finally tried one out.

I was told to order a Produce Basket. It consists of 50/50 fruits and veggies, supposedly enough to feed a family of 4 for 2 weeks. It cost $23.50 and the only kicker is that you don't know what you'll get because it is based on availability and season.

Ordering was easy - completely online. I picked a drop-off spot about 2 miles away and I had a 15 minute time frame to pick it up. If I was late, I lost out on my produce and my money. Pretty great incentive to not forget. The only extra cost to take into account was that you have to buy a bag the first time you go for $1.

After I ordered, I was pretty nervous. What would we get? Was it worth it? We don't have a ton of any extra funds if this was a horrible flop. But, Hubs has been eating smoothies almost every morning of the week and we both want to eat lots of fruits and veggies.

Wednesday came and I went to pick up my order. The co-op is run completely by volunteers and they had it running smoothly. I walked in, gave my name, picked up my bag, and left. Here is what I got:

4 apples
1 pineapple
5 bananas
2 oranges
5 mineolas
6 kiwi
1 pound strawberries
3 broccoli crowns
1 bunch asparagus
1 bag spinach
1 head romaine
2 green peppers
1 zucchini
1 eggplant
2 tomatoes

Besides the eggplant, we will eat everything. Richard has fruit and spinach galore for smoothies, I froze the broccoli, and everything else can be eaten before it rots. Neither of us prefer zucchini, but I've heard it is really good in bread so I'm going to try that.

Plus, pineapples, asparagus and strawberries are too pricey for me to actually buy at the grocery store, so I really do think that we got a great deal. All those fresh vegetables and fruits for $23.50. I can't wait to see what kinds of goodies we get in the summer!

If you have every wanted to try something like this, I'd suggest getting the produce basket, if they have it. The one I ordered from was: www.communityhelpingscoop.com.

The tale of the [giant] spider

One Saturday, I was getting a lot done around the house - organizing, cleaning, unpacking [yes, there was is still some of that left]. When I pulled out a storage bin, a giant spider fell to the ground. Not usually afraid of spiders, I leapt out of the way of the giant, extremely fast-crawling spider. It crawled behind the TV and I decided to ignore it for the time being.

While eating some lunch, the beast scurries from under the TV right to the middle of the floor. I may or may not have let out a little scream at this point. Then I went to get a shoe and was going to take care of this problem once and for all. After a good 10 minutes of staring at the thing, I texted Richard:

"Call me."

I might have been a little dramatic, but we talked and discussed using a Tupperware container to keep him in place so that Hubs could take care of it when he got home. I sent a text back to assure him I caught the thing:

Hubs replied: I will bring on the pain to him when I get home.

But, the I got to thinking. What if he escaped in the hours that Hubs spent at school. I thought he could possibly get out under the lid. And then, I would never be able to relax in the basement without wondering if he was going to crawl up my leg. So, I texted back:

He's not going anywhere.

I can assure you. The giant spider is dead.

St. Louis Site: Castlewood State Park // Labor Day Weekend

As planned, Hubs and I saved Labor Day as a day to get out and relax. We left the house by 8:30 am and were off to revel in the sub-60 degree temps at Castlewood State Park. I had heard good things, but we weren't sure what to expect. It is only 17 miles from our doorstep, right in the city of Ballwin [one of the places where we looked for a house].

We weren't dissappointed. What a great spot for a family outing - picnics, hiking, biking, gathering, grilling, swimming [if you do that sort of thing in a river - I do not]. It was gorgeous. And, it's FREE!

Part of the reason we chose this activity was to get the Pups out and exercised. We loaded him up with full Nalgene bottles in his pack [water for us and him] to make him work a little harder. It was pretty chilly - not being used to such reasonable temperatures - so Hubs made a stop and surprised me with some coffee. Made my day.

As you can tell, Ransom had a blast. It was fun to see him working - dogs are so happy when they have a job to do - and he even took a little jump into the river. If we would have been more prepared with a long leash, we would have let him get in further. Hubs and I enjoyed the calm, quietness of the woods.

After we finished a pretty lengthy trail, we decided to do another short one. I'm excited to go back again sometime, maybe in the fall when the leaves are changing. Afterwards we got some fast food, dropped the pups off at home for a nap, and went to a matinee for $7.25 each! We finally concluded the Harry Potter movie series.

And the weather is still perfect. It really was the break we needed before we settle in for a semester of school and work!

Am I Crazy?

Lately, I've been wanting to add to our family. It's not that I love Ransom less and am ready for a different dog.  But, I guess it's probably what people feel when they add another child to their family - there is just something missing and I am ready for the next step. Since children are not in the plans right now, it feels time for another dog. Plus, Ransom needs a sister. He has become the spoiled "only-child" who gets all of our attention at his every whim and he could definitely benefit from learning to share. He could also benefit from a playmate to wear him out, because his super-powers of endless energy don't quite fit with our busy schedule.

And of course, I don't just want any dog this time. I want one that looks like this:

Photo from: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/greaterswissmountain.htm

I can reason through most of the arguments to not get another dog. I've found some great deals on our medium-high priced dog food so we are stocked for a long time. The added crate and supplies would be a large start up cost, of course, but as we've seen with Ransom, it settles down after a while. The issue I can't work around is how they would both fit in the car, but that could be solved by putting the crates in back of the truck.

But then I ask myself, "Am I crazy?" And here's why.

Look at this dog. He is obviously not lacking in shiny, soft, black fur. It cover his entire body (save one unmentionable area). I mean, his underside is more covered with fur than I've ever seen. Its a medium length - not super short like purebreds. But also not long like the chow, which I guess that he has in him.

So it boggles my mind that he can maintain that much fur on his body, when I sweep up this pile:

I know it's gross. And I wish I could tell you that this was all of it, but really this was just a quick sweep of the noticeable stuff. I feel like I never actually get it all up, but I can at least get it to where it isn't noticeable to the guests.

So, I totally understand those of you who don't get a pet because of the hair. I really, really do. But, he's so much fun that I don't care put up with it. And, I would put up with it if we ever when we get another dog, too.

We need this

All week month I have anticipated this weekend. I will cherish this ONE day off from school and work, since they are few and far between.

Of course there will be housework to catch up on, work to be done, shopping to be completed, and homework to continue, but one whole day has been set aside for a day trip and maybe even completing the Harry Potter movies.

But Labor Day completes the summer. And I am more excited about that than usual. Not only has it been a exhausting summer with oppressive heat, but it has been tiring in many more dimensions. (And I did not even get to the pool once this year!) After Labor Day, cool weather is near. College football is starting (although you wouldn't' know it around here). September is going to bring about routine and order. It will instill discipline and it will encourage good habits, not the lazy ones I have been trapped in. I hope to blog more. Pumpkins will be out and leaves will change to beautiful colors. I'm thinking of a fall party with chili and cinnamon rolls - hopefully that's a thing here.

So September has a lot of expectations placed on it, but really it is a chance to start a new slate after being thrust into so many directions over the past months. I'm looking forward to productive relaxation over the next few days and into the next months.

Oh, and let's not forget about the pumpkin spice lattes.

A quote to think on

"Here is a foundation of faith. Here is a resting place for the intellect. Here is an anchor for the soul, both sure and steadfast. It is not blind fate, unbridled evil, man or Devil, but the Lord Almighty who is ruling the world, ruling it according to His own good pleasure and for His own eternal glory."

A.W. Pink

The Sovereignty of God

five.

Today Hubs and I have hit the five year mark. We have been married for five years, know each other for seven. And it has been quite the ride [everyone say that kind of thing].

At five years, I have reached the point where I can't remember what it was like to not have him in my life. Five years ago I hardly loved Hubs at all, compared to how much I love him today.

Both of the wise men who led our wedding ceremony said over and over that the key to our marriage would be to put our own needs, wants and desires last. [Not really what you hear from modern therapists and counselors.] I remember distinctly the charge given to me: "First bind yourself to Christ, then bind yourself to Richard." And wow, does marriage work better when I remember [and practice] those words!

In five years, we've done a lot together. We've traveled all over - Hawaii [twice], Seattle, Colorado, Mexico, Israel, San Diego, Michigan, Atlanta. We've moved 2.3 times. We've made lots of great friends together. We've brought a house. We added Ransom to our family. We've grown. A lot. We've laughed together and we've gotten angry at each other. All of it has helped us love each other more.

So, what does a couple of 27-year-olds, one a non-paid resident and the other a receptionist, do on their 5th wedding anniversary that happens to fall on a weekend to celebrate?

Watch all 8 Harry Potter movies in a row? Perhaps.

But first we are going HERE to ignite the child-at-heart and then dinner out on the town.

Happy Anniversary to us!

Meet Mopey

This is me and Mopey.

At least that is what I affectionately called him during the first two days in our new home. He fell into a "depression" especially if Richard and I left the house. But even when we were around, he moped around barely responding to anything except his meals.

Whether it is truly him reacting to the changes in our life or perhaps just feeling lousy after eating an entire box of treats [oh yes, I found him eating the rest of them later], it was definitely a different Ransom for a few days.

Now that he has the life back in him, he has changed his behavior a little towards people that approach our house. Neighbors, internet people, everyone really. He bounds towards the door with his most ferocious bark, hackles raised. Then, he won't shut up. We have found that leashing him will help, but we will definitely be retraining this craziness when things slow down.

From our front porch

I took this picture from our front porch this morning. Two things might surprise you:

1. It's green in Kansas.

2. Part of the road is covered in water.

Water is bubbling from the ground at a pretty good rate (it is hard to see in the picture, but it is there). On closer examination during our morning walk I have concluded that this might be a sewage line that has broken due to the gross color of the water and the smell.

Sewage + forecasted 97 degree day = smelly mess

Funny thing is, everybody seems to just be looking at the mess but not doing anything. Not that I can blame them, I haven't the slightest clue how you would begin to stop something like this. Kind of like the BP gas leak last year. Kind of. Okay, maybe nothing like the gas leak.

Anyway, it goes quite a bit further down the cross-street. Which happens to be where Hubs' office is. Hopefully they figure it out soon.

Not what you want to hear when you're out walking in the dark

Yesterday Ransom and I took a walk at about 5:30. It was still dark out, but you could see the sun beginning to rise. We got no more than a block when we were stopped by a man delivering newspapers.

"Hey, I just wanted to let you know that a buddy of mine told me there is a guy walking the streets with a black ski mask. He has a stun gun and he is raping people."

Thoughts immediately going through my head: this man has a stocking hat on, and being a fan of shows like Criminal Minds, I am very aware that he could pull the mask down and be the very man he is describing. And now, since I've seen his face, he'll have to kill me when its all over. This man's raping people, or just women? Why does he keep looking down at Ransom? Seriously. I bet its him. Oh good, there is another man walking down the street walking his dog. He can't do anything to me now.

"I don't mean to scare you or anything..."

I jump back to the conversation, "Oh no worries. Thanks for the heads-up!"

And I quickly continue on my walk. Walking slightly faster than normal and well aware of any noises.

When I return home to the front door open, I start freaking a little. But, the coast was clear. And I had my nightmare about the situation last night so hopefully it is out of my system. I think I might take my walks in the daylight for a few weeks though.

I've always wondered what Ransom would do if my safety was threatened. And the day before this strange conversation, we came home after the house was being shown and Ransom went on high alert. He smelled/knew something wasn't right. Someone had been in our house that he was not familiar with. He growled and barked and literally searched every room for the stranger.

Makes me think I'm a little safer with Ransom beside me.

The man who lives in my basement

There is a man living in our basement. He hears me wake up each morning to walk the dog. While I'm gone, he sneaks out and leaves. Then he comes back sometime the next evening.

Of course, this isn't true. But every morning I think that someone is down there. We don't use the living space and it is this dark hallway that just beckons paranoia. I can't don't even venture down there without Ransom going first.

It doesn't help that every morning I hear random noises. Whether creaks or pops or water running. This morning it was a bang on the thing that carries heat to us through the vent - what is that called? It also doesn't help that I found Ransom down there growling one time. And he never growls.

So, I've just come to accept that there is someone down there who doesn't bother us as long as we don't bother him.

I just hope that I don't feel this way about our basement in St. Louis, because we will be using the living space there. I suppose regularly using and getting cozy the basement will help with the fear, but I'm still thankful that my shadow will be happy to accompany me wherever I go.

Again

I watched this again. You should too.

Birth

Having been a biological sciences major, there really isn't much that grosses me out. Except maybe eyeballs. And fat off of meat. But bodily functions and blood and guts - I am completely okay with.

For weeks I had been looking forward to the puppies coming. This was the mom's first litter and I was going to be able to watch the birth! I wanted to see what it is like, since I may do this in the future. We got the text late one night - she was in labor.

The next morning, we got to watch 3 of the 6 puppies being born. And it was an experience. She was a great first time mom, setting to clean the puppies off and chew the ambilical cord off right away [that thing is made of some thick stuff]. Her teeth would get so close the the puppies that you thought for sure she would accidently gnaw off one of the tiny legs in the process. However, she knew what to do. She would lick up all the blood and fluid and even the placenta [I did gag at one point watching her eat it up. Still makes me gag a little]. It was completley amazing to think that a few hours earlier, she had no idea that little puppies would appear from her behind and now she was carefully taking care of them.

Those little puppies can sure make some noise though. One was loud enough, but as more and more came the crying and whining got to be pretty obnoxious. Finally, the puppies latched on to their mom for sustainance and the noise was gone.

I took some videos of our experience. In this first one, the mom is cleaning up her two puppies. Then I pan down so you can see the blood still oozing from her behind.

In this one, the mom moves her little pup back to the warmth of her body. You can't really tell, but she picks them up in her mouth very gently, considering she has very sharp teeth.

And here is the actual birth of one of the puppies.

And here she is doing her phenomenal clean-up job on the just-born pup. The licking also stimulates the puppy to breath and move.



A new adventure

I could ramble on to you about what's been going on. From computer viruses to broken copiers; from ordered clothes that were defective to Hubs' sore knee. Yep, I could tell you all the crazy frustrations of life right now, but there are so many exciting things that I prefer to dwell on.

As long as all continues to go according to plan, Hubs and I will be homeowners in less than 8 weeks. Here is our [future] humble abode:

Isn't it cute? We are getting more and more excited about having a home to make ours. Living in rented space has been nice and convenient, but it has never been ours. This little 936 square foot home will be perfect for our little family of 3, which we aren't planning to expand [with a human] anytime soon.

So, I have become addicted to home furnishings magazines and home designing blogs and websites. One of my favorites is The Lettered Cottage. This house is actually very well maintained (one of our prerequisites due to Hubs rigorous schedule), but a coat of paint and decor changes will be in order in a few rooms. This is so new to me that I just keep pursuing pictures and ideas of things I like, making mental notes along the way.

My favorite parts of the home include: the basement

the hardwood floors, which will keep us diligent about keeping Ransom's nails clipped

a master bedroom large enough for our bed and our furniture,

and, the landscaped yard with an area for a vegetable garden

 

For those of you who are wondering how Ransom would ever be contained in this sort of a yard, an invisible fence will be a must.

After almost 5 years, we have a cute little house. I'm so excited!

My Week

I baked brownies. They were hard as rocks. I baked more brownies. They burnt. I went to small group without treats, 30 minutes late, fighting back tears the entire way.

Hubs cleaned the kitchen.

We found a house in St. Louis. It's cute and small and a good distance from the school. It's in a safer area and very close to some great trails. I'm thrilled and praying all the details work out.

I completely forgot to go to worship team practice. Didn't remember until 10:00 am the next day.

I realized that finding a new job is a very close reality. Makes me sad to leave the one I have.

Heard from a good friend. It was so great to read her words and be encouraged.

Watched puppies being born! More on this in a later post, including video for the not-so-faint-of-heart.

A little dose of reality

Life. Is. Crazy.

Just so you know, I don't think it ever stops being crazy. And this is coming from a person who really has it easy. I know plenty of moms out there would be quick to tell me who much crazier it could be.

But back to our crazy life. Reality hit this weekend in a big way. Hubs and I traveled to our future home. Like in a few months - future. And as crazy as these streets seemed, soon we will know them. We will be able to navigate them.

It's really happening. We are going to move! It's exciting one minute and stressful the next. And in the midst of planning for the future and making hugomundous life decisions, we still have current-life. Our friends. Dinner plans. Baby showers. Travels. A marathon Hubs is training for. Bathrooms to clean and jobs to do well.

So, I am searching for balance and taking one moment at a time. And no matter how quickly the next few weeks and months pass, God continually reminds me that He knows and cares. And really, there are more important things that houses and jobs and money. There is His glory and honor and praise to be shown as I live each day.

Sunday, we tried out a church. During the service, Richard leans over to me and says, "Hey, over there is a friend from high school." Sure enough. There was a familiar face in the crowd. Then, in another conversation we found someone who knows my grandpa. Where we expected to be complete strangers, we found familiar faces.

It was a reality-trip. Driving around St. Louis. Seeing the many different areas. Looking for a home. Going to church. What an adventure it will be to see how God will use us there!

1 Million Trips to the Store

On Monday, I made a grocery list. I planned my meals. I knew exactly what was needed. Although all the items were crossed off when I returned home, I have been to the grocery store more than ever this week.

Tuesday afternoon. I rush home from work to start the chicken marinating for Chicken Makhani. No garlic. I decide to just go without the garlic and sprinkle some not nearly as good garlic powder in. But wait, I also have no limes. So, I grab my keys and shove the dog in the car to get these [2] items.

Home again. Make the marinade. Hours later, Hubs comes home. I remember I had promised him I would pick up some medicine for his cold. Back to the car, Ransom and I head to the store.

Home again. Two minutes later I start supper and realize I don't have tomato sauce or diced tomatoes. Ransom and I get back. into. the. car. and go to the store for the third time that night.

Thursday afternoon. I need to make 2 dozen cranberry orange scones but notice the orange juice is gone. I go to the grocery store afterwork. Then, rush home to start the [pioneer woman's] pot roast. And realize I have no beef stock, which I KNOW I bought. Ransom is happy to tag along again to the store. On the way I wonder if the beef stock is in Hubs's truck, since I used his truck on Monday but don't have keys so just head straight to the store.

Home again. No powdered sugar for the glaze on the scones. Determined NOT to visit the store again, I find a friend that is willing to lend me 1/2 a cup and bring it to Bible study that night. Study gets cancelled, but I am still not willing to take myself back to the store. So Hubs runs the errand for me.

And, I'm pretty sure I have to go to the store again today.

[Sigh.]