Guess What We've Been Doing...

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Isaac Update

The kiddo is head down and has his back to my left side. He really enjoys kicking and punching, especially when he can feel my desk pressing into his space. He also enjoys stretching out his limbs as far as he can - all at the same time - while I'm talking to other people. Yes, it's a little distracting, but apparently he thinks it's great fun.

We are really hoping that everything goes normally (contractions don't start until 39 weeks, he turns correctly during labor, etc.) After taking our Lamaze classes last weekend, I'm really hoping that things can progress naturally and that I can handle them, though we're definitely open to taking drugs if necessary. The epidural procedure is really scary to me, especially because we heard of two men fainting while watching the process. Not cool! The teacher claimed that women who practice Lamaze breathing & relaxation techniques rate their labor pains at levels 3, 4, and 5, while others who do not use breathing & relaxation techniques rate their labor pains at levels 8, 9, and 10. Having not gone through it myself, I have no idea what to expect, but Rich is an amazing coach so far. One month and counting...

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Summer Cuisine Challenge: Week 8

Our final Test Kitchen summer salad:

Mesclun

Toasted Almonds

Goat Cheese

Raspberry Vinaigrette

This one makes the top 5 list, although we only tried 8 this time. If we can find a recipe for it, we'll make the delicious walnut goat cheese salad we had at Pizzeria UNO's this weekend. It was the best salad we've had - thanks to the olive oil, lemon, basil dressing!

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Summer Cuisine Challenge: Week 7

Red Leaf Lettuce, Radishes, and Jicama

in an Orange-Sesame Vinaigrette

Rich came in and saved the day with these homemade croutons, which really added to the flavor!

This salad was quite different than the rest of the salads we've tried this summer. We added some chicken for protein and could have left off the oranges. The dressing was to die for! (Vegetable oil, fresh squeezed orange juice, red wine vinegar, toasted sesame seeds, grated ginger, scallions, honey, and salt.) Yum!

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Gold Is Tested Through Fire

Surprise flowers from the husband.

The same could be said of a good soul. Though we've only been married for 10 months, I appreciate my husband so much more than I did when we got married.

We got married knowing that we still had a few big hurdles to overcome, including finding a more reliable job for the husband - something that would give us the freedom to have me stay at home with our kids while they were still small. We also decided that we should be open to life right away, even though everything wasn't perfect about our financial situation. Both of these decisions we made together and I think they've really strengthened our relationship. Throughout the last several months, I've seen my husband work very diligently while under a great deal of pressure. We got pregnant two months into our marriage, a very exciting and financially serious thing at the same time.

I've never doubted the adeptness of my spouse to provide for all of us. He is very smart, works hard, has the right degrees and experience for the jobs he wants, and is completely reliable. Though we've remained open to the possibility of me working (some moms have to and I respect that), our hope and prayer has always been that I can stay home with our little ones.

Ever since we got pregnant, many of our friends told us that "every child comes with a loaf of bread." Deep down we knew that, but we still experienced a few setbacks around the half-way mark of my pregnancy ... when we found out there was another little man in our lives.

Throughout the setbacks, the husband kept getting up early, sending out resumes, and working as many hours as he could on his contracts. Additionally, he frequented many networking events in the evenings, while still coming home and making sure that I was feeling okay. There have been so many days when he's given everything he had and really had nothing left to give. He helped me at all of my work events and cooked for me whenever he got home first - all without the prospect of a single vacation day in sight!

Thankfully, after all, it looks like our little man is coming not only with a single loaf of bread, but with several! Within the last few weeks, the husband has received two solid, permanent job offers! Additionally, it looks like I will be able to resign from my job shortly before little Isaac comes. And, we found a beautiful, clean condo that we LOVE in a safe, historic neighborhood, and placed an offer which was accepted. Now, if all goes well, we'll bring our baby into this new phase of life in a new home of our very own! We can't believe how quickly things have fallen into place. It seems like sometimes the Lord just makes us wait so that the unlikeliness of things coming together simultaneously reminds us that there is someone else in control.

I'm so grateful for the trials, too, because they've allowed me to see how much Rich loves me and how much love I'm capable of myself. I hope and pray that the next year brings us even more strength, commitment, and love ... and shows us another level of the God's beautiful plan for us!

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