Friday, February 22, 2013

7 Quick Takes

All you need to know is that I am typing this while perched on a yoga ball. We'll get to that in a second...
 
1. Thank You : Last Friday I thanked you for your prayers regarding Ben's travels to Virginia. This week I am thanking you for the prayers you offered that helped us get the job! That is right, folks - my incredible husband accepted an offer to be a full-time professor at Christendom College! He will be teaching English Literature and I have no doubt that he is going to do nothing but impress!

2. Virginia :  The plan is to move sometime this Summer. We will be relocating from South Bend/Mishawaka, Indiana to Front Royal, VA, which is nestled in the gorgeous Shenandoah Valley. Below is one of the first pictures that popped up when I googled "Front Royal, VA"

I have no idea what the Blue Ridge Mountains meet....

It isn't an area known for epic shopping malls and a swingin' nightlife but Ben and I have never really needed those kinds of things. Don't get me wrong - I love to get my shop on! I'm pretty sure that I will find a way to survive, however. One of many fun things about where we will be moving to is that when I was quite a bit younger I randomly decided that Virginia was the state I was going to raise a family in. Period. I was very vocal about this. I don't know why it was Virginia over North Carolina or Georgia or Pennsylvania, but it was. I guess God took this under consideration. 

3. Buy vs. Rent : Ben and I are having a blast looking at real estate in the Front Royal area and dreaming about what the future might bring. There is a lot of time before we have to decide between buying or renting and right now we are just gathering facts and information, but needless to say it is an exciting time in our lives!

4. Baby : Speaking of exciting times, I have no news whatsoever to report on the baby Leo front. This is why I am writing this post whilst sitting on an exercise ball. Is it comfortable? Sure, at first. But after a few hours there is a definite part of me that would love to do this --


 

I am basically out of "natural induction" methods. Not that I've minded trying them out (minus castor oil - never doing that). Last night Ben and I got take out from a delicious Asian restaurant around the corner and I got Hot Hot Beef Pad Thai (one scoop short of their "Insanely Hot") and that was awesome! I had an ultrasound at my doctor's office today to make sure that everything is alright and of course everything is. Still, if I do not go into labor all by myself by Tuesday evening my doctor is having me to into the hospital at 6:00 PM to be induced. This wouldn't be so bad except for I literally get texts, emails, and phone calls about every hour asking if I had the baby yet. I am the worst secret keeper of all time so how ANYONE thinks I could go into labor and not go nuts with texting, calling, and internet posting is beyond me. Oh well. No, I have not had the baby. Yes, I realize I'm overdue. Yes, I realize I look "ready to pop." Yes, I have taken to leaving my phone in rooms where I am not. And yes, I do appreciate the fact that people care and are interested and I am not trying to come across like a complete tool.

5. Posture : Using the exercise ball may not have helped me go into labor but it has made it abundantly clear that my posture needs some improving. If there were a mirror in the office I am sure it would show me sitting something like this






6. Cooking : I was planning on making pan-fried chicken tonight for dinner. It is the easiest thing ever and requires almost no effort. But I got a little carried away and by the time dinner was ready it was herb chicken with sauteed onions and carrots and a savory broth. Normally my culinary experiments are disastrous so this was a pleasant surprise (particularly those carrots!). Who knows - maybe my Monday experiments are having an actual positive effect!

7. Lent : Obviously we all know that Lent began last week. Because I will have to return to a mostly grain-free and sugar-free diet once baby Leo is born, I had basically decided that I was not going to give up anything for Lent. I would try to introduce more prayer and reading of scripture but that was it. Well, after a conversation with my wonderful and pious husband I realized this was not going to fly. I am not going to give up desserts (I am only supposed to have one per week anyway). So I have given up my Caffeine Free Diet Coke. I did not realize how much I looked forward to these guys until Ash Wednesday. God knows there are a lot of others who have done and are doing a great deal more than me. Oh well - it's a start! 


Please keep our little family in your prayers! One way or another this time next week we will finally be able to hold baby Leo in our arms! 
Enjoy your weekend and make sure you start it off right by heading over and checking out Jen and the other fabulous Quick Takers

~ Happy Friday ~

19 comments:

  1. Praying for a great childbirth experience for you (and for baby to decide to come without medical coaxing). Congratulations to your husband! It must be so excited to look at houses. My husband's dream job is a professor, so I know how hard it is to secure a position. He's currently going on 9 months of unemployment after graduating with his PhD, so he'd kind of given up on that route and is looking for any job.

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    1. We spent the past several months doing novenas to St. Josemaria Escriva and St. Joseph the Worker. I have always loved St. Josemaria and every time I have said a novena to him I have been greatly blessed. Not necessarily in the way I asked for but that is the beauty of prayer and the way God works :)

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  2. I hope Leo's birth will be spectacularly wonderful! Looking forward to seeing photos of a new baby!

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  3. Praying that baby Leo comes before Monday! That'll be the start of our "past due" clock ticking too. So I'll offer up my worries for your worries!

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  4. I'll pray for an easy weekend arrival! Until then, you can always offer people this website, which one of my friends posted on facebook when she was in your position: http://haveyouhadthatbabyyet.com/

    Congratulations on the job! That's so wonderful.

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  5. How exciting that you're moving to VA! I'm pretty biased, but I think it's absolutely the most beautiful state :) Front Royal is particularly beautiful and real estate is SUPER affordable - some good friends of ours are about to move there after they have their baby in March, so if you need an agent or an instant mom friend, let me know!

    Prayers for a safe and healthy delivery!

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  6. Congratulations to Ben; that's amazing!! My husband is currently applying for PhD programs in English, so we're a few years away from a permanent teaching job for him, but I am so excited for you! I have a few friends from Christendom and there are tons of young Catholic families who stay in the Front Royal area. Praying for you and little Leo; have a good weekend, Hannah!

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  7. Congratulations on the job! Hope you have a baby very soon; being late is miserable. Thank God I only had to go through that with #1...

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  8. oh, wow - giving up Diet Coke is huge! But I have to say, I actually (mostly) gave up soda (Coke zero!) a while back, and I feel much better without it... I know it's for sacrificial reasons, maybe you'll find the same. However, I can't live without seltzer and fresh brewed iced tea :)

    Congrats on your husband's job and your imminent move! I have good friends in Front Royal (http://www.reginadoman.com), and they love living there. Hopefully you will too.

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  9. I'm Beth, the friend of Rosie (above) who's moving *back* to Front Royal after Easter! This is totally ironic, because I just found your blog through her, and was thinking, Wow, we're almost the same age, having babies, pretty cool. My husband and I attended Christendom ('07 and '09) and I majored in English - I saw that Dr. Rice's position is being filled and was anxious to learn who it is! Please let me know how we can help you guys transition - we'd love to meet you! (and we're in the process of closing on a house there, so if you have questions about a particular area for a place to live, let me know. I lived there 2 years post-college, too, so have lots of connections out that way.) Prayers for your little one's arrival, too!

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    1. Your prayers are definitely and emphatically appreciated! I have to say it is pretty awesome knowing that there is someone to connect with when we move down to Virginia :) And for sure any feedback you have on the housing front would be fantastic!

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  10. Congratulations on your husband's new position! This sound amazing, and your new locale looks beautiful!

    Will be praying, praying, praying for Leo to make his appearance soon.

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  11. Praying! I know you'll be awesome and you will enjoy having Leo to hold so so much =D. You take extra good care and let people spoil you! I totally relate, I really thought I would have to be induced. I went into labor the day before my scheduled induction and I was SO happy about that. Either way, it'll all come to pass, as I know you're well aware! The Shenandoah Valley....man it's gorgeous! My Mom is from VA and just can't say enough great things about it. The accent is cute too...but I'll warn you, most deep-southerners will tell you it's not the south...I beg to differ! You still get pretty snows but also plenty of warmth! Not gonna lie, I sat on an exercise ball at the end too...didn't do much for me either! I kept having Evelyn jam her head into my round ligament so I spent a lot of time hunched over one as well because standing and sitting were not exactly a great option!

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  12. Congratulations on your exciting move! That area is stunning!

    I've done Castor Oil (I'm just that impatient) and while it did seem to work, ohmygosh was it a miserable experience. I applaud your restraint. ;)

    Can't wait to hear your happy news!

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  13. Yay for the hubby and a good job in place before Leo comes!

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  14. I grew up in Northern Virginia and Front Royal is LOVELY! You would be surprised how quickly you can drive closer to the DC area and get more "urban" shopping. Front Royal is now almost a bedroom community to DC. You will totally LOVE it there.

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  15. Congrats on the job news! Christendom has a great community. :)

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  16. Also- I've nominated you for a Liebster award. Here are the details:
    If you'd rather not participate that's a-ok. Here are the details if you want to check it out:
    http://littlelovesoflife.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/passing-along-the-liebster/

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