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February 26, 2008
Fourteen Things I Hate
On Valentine's Day, Amy Booker came up with not one...but two lists of things she loves.
Darned optimists.
I was mentioned in one of the lists, so I figured it was worth a response. I couldn't think of 14 things I love, but coming up with an equal number of things I hate?
Easy.
1. Drivers who aren't me. Mostly Maine drivers, who are among the worst in the country. They stop at green lights, run through red lights, straddle lanes and tailgate like madmen. I'm not the best driver in the world (my friend Dan could tell you that) but everyone else is worse.
2. Licorice. It's disgusting and evil. I can't prove it, but I think licorice might just be Satan's favorite flavor.
3. Puppies. Sure, they're cute to look at. But they're messy, lack common sense and whine a lot. Might as well keep Bill Clinton as a pet.
4. People who insist on backing into parking spaces. Sure, it's easier to get out of that parking space if you've backed into it. But if getting into that space takes 5 minutes, then it seems you really haven't saved all that much time. Especially if you have to make others wait for you.
5. Microsoft and Norton Are all of those updates necessary? Really?
6. Dancing. I'm not good at it, so of course I hate it. Ever seen a person with epilepsy have an attack while standing? That's what it looks like when I attempt to dance.
7. Surly customer service. I've worked some crappy service jobs. I know how awful customers can be. But smiling and giving the correct change really isn't all that hard.
8. Taxes. I earn the money, they take the money and can put me in jail if I don't give the right amount. Then they give some of it to other people who don't pay taxes. Hmmm...
9 . Rachael Ray. No one is that naturally perky. I suspect drugs...or demonic possession.
10. Home ownership. More of a love/hate thing, really. Correcting the bad decorating decisions of previous owners is tiresome, but getting to use a saws-all makes it almost worth it.
11. Un-necessary emotion. Crying when you're happy? That doesn't seem right.
12. Hollywood award shows. Rarely have so many celebrated so much for so little reason. Sure, movies are fun but the sheer number of self-congratulatory vanity parties is a bit staggering.
13. Inflatable lawn decorations. Snowmen, snow globes, Halloween creatures...those things redefine tacky. Each holiday season, I consider becoming a serial decoration slasher.
14. Work parties. Hey, let's all stand around awkwardly and eat cake with plastic utensils!
Hm. That felt pretty good.
Honorable mention?
Julia Roberts. She's like a less-talented Rachael Ray with pretensions.
Posted by Peter at 09:22 AM | Comments (3)
February 25, 2008
Things I Love
Ok, Amy, it only took me a week (or 2?), but here it is, my list. Peter is cooking up a things he hates list to follow soon. Are you surprised? :) Such a non-conformist.
Anyway, these are in no particular order, and like Amy, there may be more to come. I don't want to leave anything out, you know, and I've just sort of brainstormed it :).
1. Family, of course. Peter is such a gift and totally spoils and loves me. Natalie is more fun and amazing than I ever thought she would be and brings me closer to Jesus. I was so blessed to have the family of origin I did, and any time with them is wonderful--a slice of heaven on earth. And then there's family by marriage, which I totally got lucky with, and "surrogate" family of friends, and of course, all my family in the Lord. All things I love.
2. Watching Natalie sleep. I'm filled with warm fuzzies that sometimes overflow as tears as I imagine how she will look someday and what she will do and try to savor every moment and forgive her instantly for the brat she was earlier. :)
3. Being outside surrounded by beauty...oh I could give so many examples of my favorite spots but it would just be too verbose. But nothing makes me feel closer to God and more at peace.
4. Ok, this sounds weird, but I'm very olfactory--how I (or anyone) smells after they've been outside. My skin, my hair, so fresh, like sunshine, like laundry right off the line--can't describe it, just love it!
5. Creating beauty whether it's crocheting, sewing, crafting, decorating my house, or creating a new garden spot--it's part of God's image in me and totally fulfills and thrills. I sit back when it's done and feel a little piece of what God felt creating the world--"It is good."
6. A good book that you can't put down even when it's midnight and you have to get up early but the characters are so inspiring and you feel like you know them.
7. Any music (especially without words) that is so good it takes my breath away, gives me chills, makes me cry, fills me with joy and contentment so much I can hardly stand it, in general gives a brief glimpse of heaven.
8. Good deals!!!
9. Peter's all-out laugh
10. Natalie's all-out laugh
11. ORGANIZING!! Oh my word, finding new and fun ways to do this and throwing out stuff is so fun! The thrill this activity gives me is rather pathetic and sad. :)
12. Seeing someone grow emotionally and spiritually, be set free from bondage or heal from a painful past in a way that gives glory to God. Being part of that, especially with women, is amazing.
13. On the same lines, movies with redemptive themes....Gladiator, Cinderella Man, Sea Biscuit...
14. How I feel after I exercise...the little snap, crackles and pops in my muscles, tired but in a cozy, satisfying way...
Ok, that's all for now, but I'm sure I'll think of more. Stay-tuned for "Things Peter Hates."
Posted by Shannon at 01:28 PM | Comments (1)
February 22, 2008
Moments in the Life of Natalie
Thank you, future Aunt Tara, for this super fun toy. Lately Natalie is very into her microphone, as well as pretending other objects are "micaphones." She loves music and is discovering her voice as you'll see below.
As I explained in my post above, this isn't her best performance, but still very cute. I love that she's singing now!!
Peter can hardly get any play time in on his own these days without his little helper.
Posted by Shannon at 10:09 PM | Comments (1)
A Fun Girl
It's fun to be a mommy today. Natalie is doing some great new things, the best of which is that she is singing her first song! As a musical person, I am soooooo excited! She is singing "Twinkle, twinkle, little star." It comes out very garbled but oh so adorable. She sang through the whole thing last night at dinner, but of course once I had rushed to get the camera for a video, she never sang it through the whole way again. Little brat. Some video will be forthcoming, nonetheless. Then this morning we awoke to her singing it in her crib. So wonderful! Now whenever she sees a star she starts to sing it.
She is also very much getting into pretend play. Today on a couple of occasions she has motioned for me to come over and "sleep." So I lie down on the floor and she proceeds to cover me with layers and layers of "blankets" which are tea towels or washcloths, whatever is in the vicinity. I pretend to snore and make sleepy sounds which she also mimics. I say things like, "Oh, I'm soooo warm. What a good mommy you are. This is so nice," which she also repeats very cutely. This is my favorite game so far because I get to lie down. :)
She has also started to count everything. But it's so funny because she skips numbers. Her favorite sequence is "3,5,6." I'll ask her how much of anything there is, and she states this series in a high-pitched cute little exclamation.
She and I are currently working on a photo series which we will call something like "a day in the life" or "evidence of the child." Just a bunch of pictures of things around the house and her that are typical of our days together. I'll probably post it here and on Facebook.
In a few minutes, Grammy and Grampy should be arriving to watch her for a couple hours while I go do some errands. What joy! What rapture! To actually hop in and out of my car (ok, maybe an exaggeration as I don't hop much of anyplace these days) without extracting her from the carseat first. Oh the things I will accomplish! It's pretty sad the things you appreciate after you're a parent. But yes, I am so glad to be a mommy, and just coming away from my housework to build a tower or "go to sleep" is accomplishing something.
Posted by Shannon at 01:26 PM | Comments (3)
February 14, 2008
AND...
...he brought me home a meatloaf sandwich for lunch today. Geesh, can you tell the way to my heart is food? :)
Posted by Shannon at 05:18 PM | Comments (1)
My Man
I snagged a great man. Or I should say God snagged him for me. I certainly don't deserve all that he is and most likely don't show him enough how much I appreciate him.
Last night Peter prepared a gourmet Valentine's Day dinner for his "girls." The menu was Cornish game hen, wild rice, honey pecan green beans and chocolate cake with raspberry sauce for dessert. Oh, and did I mention the appetizer of pan-seared scallops? Yum! Could eat an ocean-full!
Peter loves to cook. He learned these recipes at a friend's house who had a personal chef for his birthday. So last night Natalie and I reaped the benefits! AND...he did dishes before and after the meal which totally speaks my "acts-of-service" love language and gets me all a twitter!
Now he doesn't really love these so-called "non-manly" talents to be advertised too much, but seriously, I think I'm a woman to be envied. And this meal was prepared after a day filled with more "manly" activities such as snow-blowing our driveway in the freezing cold.
Not to mention the work he gets out of bed for every day and does faithfully to provide for us even on days when he'd rather stay under the covers or play video games. He then comes home and pitches in around the house and with Natalie, making sure that he connects meaningfully with both of us every day. He gives so much of his time for us and for others, often denying himself.
So, thank you honey...and thank you Lord! I hope we have a lifetime for me to show you how much I appreciate all that you are.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Posted by Shannon at 04:25 PM | Comments (3)
February 11, 2008
Sappy Mom Quotes
I love good quotes, love to post them around my house along with favorite verses because I'm visual and need frequent reminders of what is true and good.
The first poem I stole from my buddy Amy's blog after it made me cry and the quote I found in a book called The Love of a Godly Mother at church this weekend while Natalie and I were entertaining ourselves in the nursery and Peter was upstairs working with the guys on taking out pews and putting in chairs--yay!
I struggle at times with missing out on things because my priority now is being her Mommy. That morning part of me was wishing I could be upstairs helping and being part of the "excitement." I'm ashamed even to admit to those feelings because I am truly so thankful for Natalie and love being her Mommy. Reading through the stories and quotes from famous moms was a good reminder of all that I have, how fleeting are these precious moments with her, and how I really am part of the most exciting thing I ever will do!
Posted by Shannon at 01:34 PM | Comments (2)
February 08, 2008
20 Week Sonogram
Today we got to do again what was one of my favorite things the last time around. Got to look at our little guy (or girl) live and in 3-D motion. Once again, it was amazing...chambers of the heart, the cerebellum, the spinal cord...or as Peter says "Whatever she (radiology technician) tells me it is." :)
Granted, some of the shots look a bit alien-like, but it's our beautiful alien! And what a squirmy alien it was--the tech had trouble getting the face shots. And when it was done, we got our very own CD as a souvenir, which made my techy hubby very happy.
We tried to show Natalie her sibling when we got home, but I have to say, she wasn't all that interested...uh, oh.
Posted by Shannon at 08:18 PM | Comments (2)
February 04, 2008
This and That
So exciting...as Nat and I were getting lunch I looked out my kitchen window to see 6 Purple Finches all over the feeder! I know, I'm a dork, but these things thrill me. They are so pretty and fun to watch and so rarely seen. The other day we returned from a walk and heard a lot of bird noise up in the trees. Looking up we saw a HUGE flock of what I guessed and now know were Bohemian Waxwings. They also are rarely seen this far south. What a treat! It was amazing the number of them--tree branches were sagging. Natalie enjoyed it too, repeating "birdie" and "caw-caw" over and over.
Speaking of the girl, out of the blue today she addressed me as "Shannon" not once but several times. So funny to hear my name from her lips. But I guess it's not surprising that she would make that connection as she hears people call me by name all the time. Later she also said "Jesus" for the first time. So cool! Just a reminder of the little sponge she is and how awesome is my responsibility to give her good things to soak up.
Posted by Shannon at 01:53 PM | Comments (1)