Baby on Board!

I fell off the face of the earth! Not really, I've just been hunched over a toilet bowl. Morning/afternoon/evening sickness is the pits! :) But I think I'm on tail end of it and am finally starting to feel better.

WE ARE HAVING A BABY!!! It still seems so surreal, but I sure do love seeing that little guy/gal on the sonogram screen and hearing the heartbeat at each appointment. A grin crosses my lips every time. I don't know that my mind has fully accepted the notion, though. And I'm not prepared, much less capable, of pouring out my feelings into this blog. Yet. We tried for what seemed like forever to get pregnant and now I look in the mirror at my growing belly and just can't believe it. I'm one of those people who is extra-guarded for fear of getting hurt (a childhood issue that still haunts me) and I think I might be scared. Scared to fall in love with this little one, knowing full well the probability that he/she will break my heart at some point down the line is 100%.

Hmmm...guess I poured out a few drip-drops of feeling there. This is good, Sarah. Keep typing and maybe you will keep processing all of those crazy thoughts bouncing around your head. I worried a bit at the beginning of my pregnancy that I could have a miscarriage, so again I remained guarded. Not completely willing to accept I was pregnant in case I wasn't the next day. But now I need to embrace it. We need to embrace it. The putting off of nursery ideas/planning, the lack of effort in finding a name, etc. needs to stop. I need to get what they call "crunk" about this baby!!

We have 4 more weeks until we find out if "it" is a boy or a girl. That knowledge will help, I hope. This baby's identity will start to take shape in my mind and heart - right??

At least I don't feel nervousness or anxiety about being a new mom with a newborn baby. I mean, I've always felt I was MADE for this. I'm just worried about the pain I'm gonna feel when I get home and my insides feel like they're gonna fall out. I've heard the horror stories.

Vamos!!

The tickets are booked! We are going to Isla Mujeres, Mexico next week! So thrilled!! Christian's anxiety about flying is more tangible now - we have some pharmaceuticals to help with that, though. Hopefully we will be enjoying this view by Tuesday afternoon!

One of the main reasons I picked this place is the food...tons of the reviews raved about the quality and variance of food available on the island. Plus, it's safe and easy to walk around to experience the local culture. Can't wait to try the cuban sandwich w/ tostones at Qubano's, fresh seafood, and mediterranean/greek food at Olivia's. For me, this is one of the greatest parts of a vacation - being able to try the local food and not having to clean the kitchen for a week! :)

In addition, I am really looking forward to a fun time with my husband. We haven't been on a vacation like this in 6 years (our honeymoon was the last time he flew). I am so proud of him for being willing to face his fear and sacrificing the discomfort he will feel to allow us to do this together! Our 6th anniversary will surely be one to remember!

Proud Sister...

Last week I drove 13 1/2 hours to get to Knoxville, Tennessee to begin celebrating the impending marriage of my sister, Amanda. Thursday was the bachelorette dinner/lingerie party...

Friday was the rehearsal dinner...Doesn't she look stunning? (please ignore my bra strap!)

Followed by the wedding on Saturday. Here's the proud papa with his two girls, followed by an evil tooth-picking extravaganza.

It was great to see my sis so happy and to be able to be part of their special day!! I wish them all the best and can't wait to see what the future holds for them.

On my mind

So the family dinner was a success. The pasta turned out great, the tomato jam was a hit, and I seared some steak and sliced up so we could get some protein in there. I also made a batch of sangria...yum.

Next week is my sister's wedding in Knoxville, TN, in which I am a bridesmaid. It will be a chic black and white affair and I am looking forward to seeing her vision in action! In the meantime, I am dreaming of a vacation for us to take in August to celebrate our 6th anniversary...I'm thinking Isla Mujeres, Mexico. I've been obsessively researching resorts and the more I thought about my ideal vacation, the more I leaned toward a smaller, more intimate place. Who wants to share a beach with 500 strangers and wait in line for dinners and have to walk 2 miles to get to the beach? So, as I kept hunting, I happened upon a couple of places that really intrigued me. When I go somewhere, I like to experience the local culture and eat the local food - which isn't exactly feasible when staying at a huge all-inclusive resort. So here's what I've found so far:

Hotel La Amada - not on Isla Mujeres, but the awesome decor has me drooling. It's in Playa Mujeres, which is north of Cancun. With just 109 rooms, it still seems intimate.

Next on the list is Privelege Aluxes on Isla Mujeres. It has an all-inclusive option but only has 124 rooms.

Hotel Ixchel has 117 rooms and is on Isla Mujeres. It's close to local shops and restaurants too. It is a little less private, but costs less and has a kitchenette, living/dining combo. A nice option I think.

The only obstacle will be getting Christian on the plane!!!!!

Family Dinner

We have some family in town and I invited them over for dinner tonight...not sure about the menu yet, but I'm thinking of doing something with big flavors but on the lighter side?? Might make spaghetti with asparagus, smoked mozz, and proscuitto. Then make crostini w/ sun-dried tomato jam, topped w/ goat cheese. Not crazy about using spaghetti pasta, though...might go with something else that people don't have to twirl on their forks. Grandma made a chocolate/peanut butter/banana pie...so we need to save room!

Craigslist craving

I've been hunting for some super cheap and cool chairs for our living room and also a pair to go with the barley twist table in a previous post. I like these.

Of course they need some sprucing up, but they could be beautiful.

Summer hopes

There are a lot of things I hope to accomplish/do this summer:

• fix up patio - paint concrete and siding, add furniture and such
• add more plants and maybe a tree to the backyard
• go on a beach trip - Mexico?
• paint old mirrored dresser
• dress up kitchen - maybe paint the cabinets
• exercise and get a tan
• make time for devotionals/quiet times
• join a church
• go to the farmer's market
• cook new recipes
• organize closets/cabinets/drawers
• enjoy the blessing of family and friends
• rest!