New Countdown

Spring Break last week was lots of fun - I got to see my cousins in Texas, my mom, aunt, uncle, and grandma! It was absolutely beautiful weather, except the day we went to the zoo and it was literally like standing in a wind tunnel. This picture does not adequately show how windy it was.



But during all the fun of spring break, the crazy information about Japan's nuclear situation started coming out on the news, and I was pretty worried for our friends Eric and Melissa who were living in Japan to teach English. Then, on Wednesday night, they called and told me they were coming back to the US!! Sure enough, they are here now, already figuring out what to do for the next few months, and what they can do to help their friends back there. Life is an adventure!

Which brings me to the news: we are not going to Japan in April anymore (obviously), although we might take another trip somewhere else. But we have a new date to look forward to: September 23!! The secret (ok, not really a secret to anyone) is out - we're having a baby!!!

We're so excited, and so are our families. I wish that September was next month. Especially so that summer would be over already. But then there's alot to do still. For example, we have about a zillion books from the 4 degrees we earned that are all sitting in lovely bookshelves, that neither of us will probably ever read, but we don't want to get rid of just yet. And we have a stealth pile of boxes that sits quietly in the closet which we have never unpacked. And we want to tile the spare bathroom. But I guess all those things are pretty insignificant, really - compared to the big shocker that is coming our way in 6 months!

Feel the Burn

Of my hand, that is. Saturday night will remain one of the most memorable nights in my life, I am sure. I will be telling this story someday when I am a grandma, over and over again. Because. it. hurt. so. badly.

Backing up, I invited my mom over for dinner and we were making homemade macaroni and cheese with broccoli. It was coming along well, and we put it in the 350 degree oven to do whatever a pasta does. Charlie came home from work, and took it out of the oven (using an oven mitt, like a normal person would). He lifted it out holding it only by the long handle - that thing was seriously heavy - and said "ouch, that hurt my wrist" or something like that. Then I said, "Really, you hurt your wrist? Let me try-" and proceeded to grab the handle and lift. Later I heard Charlie's voice saying "Noooooo" right before I did.

Everything seemed like it was in slow motion. I know I was screaming and I know that they put it under cold ice water, and I thought someone else was screaming too. It turns out the dogs were howling with me, which now seems funny. It was seriously the worst pain ever. And I was crying, oh was I crying. "Is this what childbirth feels like?" "I can't go to work and play the guitar with my left hand only" "Is my hand dying?" Then after I started to calm down (I'm sure Charlie and my mom would laugh at my use of that phrase) Charlie told me that I needed to take my hand out because I was going to get frostbite. Seriously??? So I reluctantly tried, and immediately started crying again because the pain came back "just (sob) like (sob) it (sob) felt (sob) like when I (sob) burned it (sob sob sob)." Finally, they convinced me I could do it, I bit down on a towel and breathed like I was in labor, and Charlie wrapped my hand up.

Did I mention that I have a low pain tolerance? But seriously, it was not your average burn. And I did have to miss work a few days this week. But I am happy to report that "the claw" is healing well. And that's the story! The End.

Birthday!

Birthday cake! I got his cake from the bakery where they made our wedding cake, and they really like to have a theme for their cakes. They kept asking me what they could put on it, and I finally realized - duh - animals! This is what they put on the cake. So funny.


Then later last week we embarassed Charlie by taking him to Texas Roadhouse and accidentally telling the waiter it was his birthday, which of course meant that he was forced to sit on this saddle as everyone said happy birthday. :-)

He got a surprise present from Eric and Melissa in Japan - a box full of ties! Many of them have animals on them, in a subtle, small yet adorable way. He absolutely loves them and has been wearing one each day. Today he wore the elephants.

We also managed to visit Oregano's on his acutal birthday, which is one of our favorite things to do, as there is a free pizza cookie dessert on your birthday. Who doesn't love a soft-baked chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream? Mmm.

27

Happy Birthday Charlie!!! I love you so much. It's going to be an amazing 27th year!

V-Day

Last weekend was so fun! More shopping with my mom, discovering a new delicious Greek restaurant (I have been there twice already!), going to see the ballet Don Quixote with Charlie, decorating cookies for our families and work. Plus, on Tuesday it was 81 degrees!! But it's only a teaser, since it's supposed to rain and be cold again this weekend.
Next week is Charlie's birthday . . . fun times ahead!

Purse-nabbing

"Oh look, there's Fiesta Mall. I haven't been there in years. I bet it's totally empty, want to go?" Rachel asked last weekend. "It will remind me of my childhood- how quaint."

"Sure, ok," agreed my mother.

Pulling into the parking lot...walking up to the door of the mall...fast forward to...

PURSE-NABBING INCIDENT! Right in front of us, a young man races out of the mall, holding a purse as a young woman screams "my purse, my purse!" He drops the purse on the asphalt and keeps running through the parking lot. She drops to her knees and sobs.

Now I remember why nobody goes to Fiesta Mall.

Whoa, it's February

Last week kind of didn't hold much for me except lying in bed, staring at my bedroom ceiling, drifting in and out of sleep. I was sick 4 out of 5 workdays. Blech. All it was, as far as I could tell, was a terrible cold, but it zapped all of my energy (and some brain cells too) and I felt awful. I definitely knew I could not run around chasing kids like that.

Charlie was so sweet and helpful though, and he even had last Thursday off, so he played doctor/butler to me, bringing me everything I needed and wanted - including lemons and limes. The strange thing is that after I ate a lime and almost a whole lemon, I started feeling much better. My ability to think about things returned (ha) and by Saturday I was 100% improved.

I even got to help judge the regional choir sightreading auditions last weekend! 16 hours of musical bliss. Or something. I'd say about 15% of the kids were good sightreaders, and the others were ... still learning. The first night after I judged, I definitely dreamed the music they had been singing all day. But anyway, it was a fun experience and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I got to see some old music school friends again.

So now that I've recovered, low and behold, it is February, which means:
1. Valentine's Day
2. Charlie's birthday
3. Renaissance festival (free tickets from work!)
4. I'm going to blink and it will be March.

And I can't believe that at this moment there are only 83 days until we go to Japan. How did that happen?