A Bad Dream

I heard A Bad Dream by Keane on Scrubs. I chased it down and got it on iTunes, and now I can't get enough of it. It's just the latest obsession. Recent songs that got tons of repeat play on my computer are Chicago by Sufjan Stevens, Fix You by Coldplay, and Sewn by The Feeling.

On a message board I spend a lot of time on (too much time, should be working), I recently posted a list of sci-fi/fantasy books I am reading or have read recently. That was a big wake-up call for me. I haven't read any Christian-themed books lately, including my Bible. Um, yeah, bad. I really need to get into a Bible study, either on my own or in a group. I'm thinking about getting involved in a crisis pregnancy center in the area but I really should be plugged in before I do that. Lately I feel like I'm just drifting along, and I'm ashamed.

Bread, take two

So I tried again and this time the bread came out great. Seriously, how do you screw up bread machine bread? I used a slightly different recipe than the one I've used in the past and this time I actually got bread I could use for a sandwich. Grilled ham and cheese on homemade bread? Heavenly.

Crackers, I guess

So what do you get if you forget to add the yeast to your bread machine? I was so looking forward to fresh bread with the soup I'm making. Pfoo.

Happy birfday Daddy

Yesterday was Cor's birthday. We went out for a lovely dinner. Owen was on his best behavior. We really lucked out with a good eater. He ate some mustard-coated ribs, sweet potato fries, linguine with clam sauce, and a whole bunch of broccoli with hollandaise. I hope our next kid is as adventerous as this one is!

I asked Owen to write his name on Daddy's card, and here's the result:

I like to do draw-ring

Owen has suddenly realized he can draw actual pictures with his crayons. He draws fantastic-looking people with arms sprouting out of their ears. Last week he actually drew his name. At 2-1/2 years old! It's amazing. He has really inherited his father's artistic gene. Oh, I know, he's my child so of course I'm starry-eyed about his every breath, but I can't help it!

Punks

Corey on the left and Owen on the right, at the costume party we had this weekend. Owen was a punk and delighted in telling everyone what he was. Cor's original T-shirt is at least 15 years old, from a long defunct band called The Crucified. He sat down one night with a pencil and some paint and duplicated it onto Owen's T-shirt. It turned out awesome. Owen completed the outfit with baggy shorts, some blue hair spray, and a dog chain on his belt loops that kept pulling his pants down to his knees. Corey just wore the shirt.

When we would ask Owen what he was dressed in, expecting to hear, "Punk!", he would look down and say, "A shirt, and shorts, and socks, and shoes..."

Try, try again

So, it's on to the next month. I'm not pregnant. I feel pretty good about it. I'm trying to remember that God is in charge. Last month went well with the new drug, and it takes a normal couple an average of 4 months to get pregnant. We'll just keep going at it...er, trying. Sorry about that mental picture.

Fall fever?

I just can't stand it. I feel so antsy lately. I can't work for a reasonable amount of time before I have to go do something, anything else. I've been doing too much shopping (OK, mostly browsing) and not enough housework. I hope to get that out of my system next weekend when my friend and I get to go have a girls' day shopping, woo hoo!! I know part of it is the impending pregnancy test. I'm going to try to hold out until Sunday. I'm trying not to think about it but I think it's eating at me from the inside out. I don't know what I'll do if it's negative. I feel pretty positive because this cycle was so successful on the new medication, so I don't think it'll be the end of the world. At least I'm testing before my girls' day out so I can drown my sorrows in chocolate while driving around the Big City*. And maybe a drink at lunch.

I was trying to start a MOPS group in town but it kind of fizzled. I think that's part of my discontent as well, I'm just not involved in any sort of church group on a regular basis. I went to the park today with a friend of mine who was talking about her little girl's difficulties in kindergarten, and she said she was going to have to pray about it some more. She didn't say it in an "Ain't I Holy" way, but just matter-of-fact, as if she was going to ask her husband. I need to hang out with more people like that so it rubs off. There's a Baptist church really close to my house that another friend is going to go to and they are very active. They have a women's Bible study on Tuesdays that I want to go to, but Tuesdays are the only day that Owen spends at my MIL's house and I'm reluctant to give that up. But, isn't Bible study more important? Maybe I'm scared of going to a Bible study with a bunch of women who are better Christians than I am. I know that sounds petulant, but I have been such a slacker over the last couple of years as far as going to church, reading my Bible, and praying. Why is this so difficult? What's wrong with me? I'm afraid if I go to a Bible study I'll be found out for the fraudulent Christian I am. Obviously the point of a Bible study is to grow in Christ, so I just need to get out of this vicious circle.

Inspired by Amie

Owen: It's a jaguar!

Mommy: Yeah, it's a jaguar! Rrrarrr!

Owen: A jaguar doesn't say Rrrrarr.

Mommy: No? What does a jaguar say?

Owen: He says "Hi!"

Conversation had while reading one of his favorites - The New Alphabet of Animals by Christopher Wormell. If you're looking for a book that has the ingenuity to use "Zorilla" instead of "Zebra" for the letter Z, you've found it.