I feel good!

In fact, I feel perfect. I have the odd cramp in my belly, and my left elbow has been aching all day, but so far no pregnancy-related discomfort. I feel so normal that thinking about an actual baby growing inside me is somewhat surreal - I totally wouldn't believe it if I didn't have the test results to prove it!

Ways to Say It

To Happy Momma: I was wondering if you could make some more of those booties for me?

To brother Paul: I've been thinking about your future. How would you feel about becoming an uncle?

To Mom and Dad: We have a question for you... have you picked out grandparent names yet? (They have: Momster and Dadster!)

To sweet friend Monica: Let's go to the PX! I will park in the Expectant Mommy spot and you will say "This spot is for Expectant Mommies." And I will reply, "I AM an Expectant Mommy!" (We had to do it over the phone because she was heading out of town and could not go to the PX with me.)

To my husband: I think you're going to be promoted soon. ... Promoted to Daddy in October!

How did you say it? :)

How to talk to people you don't know (or whose name you have forgotten)

Thought I'd post an essay I just wrote for our ladies' Bible study group. We've had about 15 first time visitors over the last two weeks and I wanted to encourage everyone to be welcoming instead of clumping together with friends they already knew. I'm the Door Girl and Nametag Enforcer for our group, although we roll it all into gentler title of "Participation."

When I was the Club Beyond youth group director in Schweinfurt, Germany part of my job was to talk with teenagers during their lunch hour at the high school. Let me tell you - walking into a roomful of teens is intimidating! There were many days when I felt like I wasn't cool enough to talk to these girls 10 years younger than me, and sometimes they told me so! But most of the time I just wasn't reading them right: when I saw disinterest they were actually shy, what I interpreted as judgement was really insecurity, and most of the rudeness was a product of being trapped in constant self-centered analysis. Whew! I finally figured out that I need an 'opening' - a way to break through the initial 'why are you talking to me?' moment. And so began the Gum Ministry. Who doesn't have putrid breath after a cafeteria lunch? Everyone needs gum! My mom and aunt began sending me big boxes of gum that was only sold in the States and I'd carry a couple of packs with me each day to offer up as a conversation starter. It's hard to be shy about talking to a football player once he accepts a piece of Care Bears gum (hard for him to maintain his tough guy image, too!).

My theory is that we're all just grown-up teenagers. I mean, we are still somewhat insecure about our relationships with each other, worried that the girl next to me will think I'm a snob if I don't talk to her, but nosy if I ask any questions about her life. Hoping someone talks to me and I don't have to sit here in silence. And what about those moments when you're pretty sure you've met her five times already but you just can't remember her name? (Shameless Nametag Plug!)

Here's what I suggest: Have a shtick. Be the girl who always volunteers to hold babies, or the one who throws away your neighbor's snack trash along with your own. Stand with me at the

nametag table and welcome people. Sit next to a woman you don't know every week. Make a point of complimenting someone else. Bottom line: don't let the enemy trick you into thinking you can't or shouldn't talk to someone. She needs your friendship. You need hers. Offer her some

gum.

Hearing from Haiti

I've mentioned before that I have friends who are missionaries in Haiti - foster parents to several boys, and also prospective adoptive parents to two little ones. The Clays blog here and run a non-profit organization called The ApParent Project. They have some incredible stories on their blog about feeding housefuls of hungry Haitian children on Saturdays and teaching ladies to create fantastic jewelry so they can support themselves and not have to give up their children because of a lack of food.

Recently my sweet friend Jocelyn joined them, planning to start work on a master's degree thesis during her month-long visit. Jocelyn's husband is deployed in Afghanistan right now, and I can only imagine the strain on both of them. Usually it's the wife concerned for her husband's safety, but he has to contend with his own war zone and the one in his imagination regarding his wife's safety.

Jocelyn blogs beautifully about what she's seeing in Haiti here. Heads up - she describes exactly what she's seeing and experiencing. It's not for the weak stomached.

Artisan Bread. So worth it.

Y'all.

I only use that word when I need to get your attention.

Y'all. This bread. Is. Amazing.

THIS bread. Rosemary French Bread.

Serve it with good Italian oil (in this case, pay the couple of dollars extra for a good bottle) and a sprinkle each of dried minced garlic, sea salt, and oregano.

If we weren't already married, this would have sealed the deal.

I knew I had to make something special last night because I was trying a recipe he was not very excited about: Cabbage Rolls (cue ominous music). Just didn't sound good to him, although I have to say that he was really trying to be open minded about them and supportive of my dinner plan.

Happily, those also turned out well (thanks, allrecipes.com!) so the bread was a really awesome bonus instead of a meal-and-relationship-saver. Yeah!

note to self: turquoise toothpicks leave turquoise streaks when cooked

Granola

Yesterday I googled 'granola recipe' and modified what I found - it turned out very tasty so I thought I'd share!

2 c rolled oats (not quick oats)

1 c whole pecans, slightly crushed

1 c slivered almonds

1 c sweetened flaked coconut

1/4 c light brown sugar

Mix all of the above together.

1/4 c canola or other healthy oil with minimal flavor

1/4 c real maple syrup

sprinkle of salt

Mix the oil, syrup, and salt in a measuring cup and pour over oat mixture. Stir until oats are uniformly coated. Spread evenly in a jelly roll pan or other cookie sheet with high sides. Bake at 325 F for 30-45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until granola is smelling toasted and looking golden brown.

Stir in 1 c of date pieces (I chopped up whole dates instead of using the ones that are already chopped - I like the texture better, and also it's the only dried fruit I had in the house.). Store in an airtight container. Try not to eat too much for midnight snacks so that the husband can have some to take to work.

Regular Day

Yesterday was the first day back to work for my Husband. He rode off on his bike around 7 am, and I got started back into my own routine as well. I planned meals, wrote a shopping list, folded two individual mountains of laundry, and took down all our Christmas decor. This year's un-decorating was a little more careful than last year's, as I know we'll be moving in 6 months and I definitely don't want to repack those boxes before we go! So they're taped and labeled and ready to load on a truck. Three boxes down, and the rest of the house to pack by July... :)

What did you do on your first Regular Day of the new year?