Simply Sara

I have just completed my usual ritual of reading Meg's blog. As always I am inspired. Tal Bachman is playing on my computer stereo as I try to capture the events of my past week in an interesting, and concise manner. Sometimes I wonder if i'm writing for my own sake more than for any one else. I started this blog with the purpose of keeping long distant family and friends informed of the 9 month journey Matt and I are on. However, I can't help wanting this blog to be so much more. More than preggie facts and occasional pictures. I want it to be a reflection of me. A glimpse into the very part of me that I so often feel most comfortable keeping under wraps. My heart. And so I'm going to make the effort to open up more. To be real. Taking a deep breath...... Just a couple weeks ago, God worked on my heart in a powerful way. You see, I have always struggled with feeling insignificant. That I'm not quite good enough to matter to anyone. My prayer for so lo...

(May 22) 25 weeks and 4 days 

Matt clearing out the back yard 

Sara (and the baby) hard at work 

Sprucing up the deck with plants 

Clearing out the flower beds.  

Sara's work area 

Marigolds! 

Tuesday afternoon, I headed up to the Anmed Health Campus to take my Glucose Screening. I was given a tall glass of what appared to be fizzy orange soda and was told to drink it in 5 minutes then sit for an hour. I'm not quite sure what I was expecting (I had heard horror stories about the drink), but it wasn't too bad. Just like a very strong orange soda. I spent the hour catching up on my reading. I believe I have mentioned previously that I am deeply involved in the book, Captivating. It's one of those books that encourages you to read slowly so that you don't miss a morsel of its goodness. I always try to have a pen with me when I'm reading it to make notes in the margins and underline points that strike my soul. I don't think I am capable of explaining the impact this book has had on me just yet. I'm still in the processing part. But soon, I'm going to post a couple excerpts that I think might touch you too. Oh yeah, back to the orange so...

I'm home alone tonight, waiting for a Poppy Seed Chicken casserole to bake. Matt is going to be working late. In fact, he might not get in until 11pm. Bummer. My "bed time" is 10pm. Matt is busy using his carpentry skills for drum stands at work. They are hosting a big "drum event" next week and these stands have to be ready. You should see the one he has already crafted. It's beautiful. Very professional. So, I've decided to make dinner and take it to him. I figured if he can't come home for dinner, than I can bring dinner to him. Plus, I love any reason to make my Mom's Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole. It's one of my favorites. Last night, Matt and I went to Greenville. Just a hop, skip and jump away, Greenville has several baby stores, including Babies R US, and USA Baby. Unfortunately, I wasn't the eager mom to be. No, tired feet and lack of sleep, made me a grumpy shopper. And Matt was such a trooper. We tried numerous trave...

I did something today that I haven't done in a long time. I listened to my body, which was communicating to me through a headache, swelling, and fatigue, that I needed to rest. And that is what I did. I feel sort of bad, because I was supposed to volunteer at Kid's Day today, a huge community wide event sponsered by my church, Newspring, but when I woke up at 7:30 this morning, I knew that it was finally time to give in to the exhaustion. It amazes me how much a 40 hour work week can wear me out. I know that I am almost 6 months pregnant, but I thought the tiredness was supposed to go away and boundless energy was supposed to set in. But this time of relaxation has been a nice treat. I ate Chocolate Lucky Charms in bed, cooked a grilled cheese sandwich (yum) and watched television (all of this after I slept until 10am) . In fact, I actually watched a movie that I had been specifically warned not to watch. A movie that I had purposefully avoided since it came out simply because ...

Ok, so it wasn't that great. At least I didn't think so. I'm talking about the Moussaka. Everyone ate it. Some even said that it tasted authentic. But I couldn't get past the taste of beef seasoned with nutmeg and cinnamon. I'm starting to think that Greek Food just isn't my thing. Matt wasn't a fan either. Tonight I'm grilling hamburgers. Yum. Ooo.. I think I'm going to make baked beans. Matt would really like that. We are getting together tonight with Brian, Becky and Andrew for dessert. I got to spend some quality time with Andrew last night. Wow. He is incredible! Oh, it was hard being around Lauren and Andrew. I was actually envious, because my little one isn't here yet. Ah, 16 weeks and counting..... Anxiously awaiting, Sara

Whew..... I am worn out. I have just spent 2 hours preparing a dish that is quite possibly the strangest, most elebrate dish I've made in my cooking lifetime.... and I have no idea how it is going to turn out! And then I'm going to serve it to 11 of my closest friends! Am I crazy? Possibly. But I like to think of it as stretching my cooking wings. Tonight is Greek Night at Home Group and I'm responsible for the main dish. Unfortunately, Matt and I never eat Greek and I have no idea what this is supposed to taste like! But I guess there is a first time for everything! Maybe we'll find a new favorite! Oh, you're probably wondering what this dish is.... Moussaka. An authentic greek dish consisting of lamb (I used beef) and egg plant. And you mix it with things like garlic, nutmeg, cinnamon, onions, tomato sauce, etc. It is comprised of layers of fried eggplant, the meat mixture, parmesan cheese, more fried eggplant, Bechamel sauce, and more cheese. Crazy stu...

I just have to share a couple excerpts from a baby book I came across today from 1969. I've been busy reading several books that came highly recommended such as, "What to Expect When You're Expecting", "Your Pregnancy Week by Week", and "The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy." All three have been very helpfully through this amazing journey. I have really enjoyed leafing through this 1969 book marveling at the differences in information from the "modern" books I've been reading. For example, "The opinion is divided as to whether or not smoking is more hazardous during pregnancy. If you're a heavy smoker, doctors advise that you cut down to a great extent, but you needn't quit entirely, unless your doctor recommends it. Alcohol adds calories without nourishment to your diet, and for other reasons may be harmful. (You think!?!) Ask your doctor whether or not you may drink on occasion." I couldn't help but ch...

I am a big enough person to admit when I have been defeated. Yes, Sheryl won our silent battle regarding fingerprint caterpillars versus my plain (yet I like to think, elegant) idea. However, I am also big enough to admit that it turned out to be a really great idea. The Lord must have given me an extra dose of patience this week, because I was able to complete the project with little to no frustration. Amazing. So far, all of my parents have raved about the pictures! And rave they should. The pictures turned out to be incredible!!! Professional quality and stunning shots. One Mom even said she would like to hire Angela to do her son's 2 year old photos. I am actually planning on asking her to taking my preggie photos this summer. If she can capture little toddlers running around a playground so beautifully, I have complete trust that she can make a large, pregnant woman look beautiful! Sara

A week has passed since my last entry and I'm not sure if I can say that I've 'slowed down'. Sure there have been moments where I stopped to just enjoy living, such as Saturday's yard saleing adventure with Meg and Skye (we hardly bought anything, but had a wonderful time just being together), or time with Matt each evening where we sit in bed and talk about our day, our dreams, our son. Ok, so maybe I have slowed down more than I thought. I guess I just feel worn out right now after spending a couple hours running errands after work. Sam's, Hobby Lobby, the Dollar Tree, and Kmart. I've been hunting down items for a Mother's Day project at work that, of course, I have put off until the last minute when the holiday is fast approaching. But I'm really excited about it, well most of it. One of my moms, Angela, who is a professional photographer, came to school last week and took black and white photos of my kids having a blast on the playground. ...