Today was my third prenatal appointment and second ultrasound. Everything looks fine - Baby EJ's heartbeat was strong: 150bpm. We still have been unable to detect the heartbeat with a doppler, so we haven't heard it yet (the ultrasound equipment only counts the beats), so we a look forward to hearing that precious "thump-thump-thump-thump" soon! Take a look at the photo below...Baby EJ is starting to look, well, more baby like!
~Sarah E. Rose~
We were fortunate to enjoy and share our vacation with Justin’s mother Dee while touring the New England states. We started off with a road trip to visit our friends, Derek and Katie, in New Bedford / Dartmouth, Massachusetts (driving through Rhode Island, of course) on Sunday. While we were there, we decided to stop in and tour the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Then on Tuesday we headed to Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts and up to New Hampshire to visit Dee’s friend, Kellee. From there we headed to the White Mountains, just barely visited Maine (literally!) and then came back home through Vermont. So there, we got them all in: Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont!
Today we had our first prenatal appointment and ultrasound. Sarah's doctor said everything looks great and our official due date is March 30th. Baby EJ had a heartbeat of 163bpm and was hanging upside down when we had the ultrasound so Justin has dubbed Baby EJ as his little possum!
I won Worship Passes to Rock the Sound NYC 2009 which included two tickets to three separate concerts each featuring three guest bands and one main performer. The first performance was on Friday night, so on Friday afternoon we hopped on a train headed to NYC. Friday night we saw The Afters, Run Kid Run, Phil Wickham, and the Newsboys. The Newsboys were AWESOME and amazing performers - we especially loved Michael Tait, their new lead singer (he was previously with DC Talk). After the concert Friday night, we headed to Times Square - this was Justin's first trip to NYC. He loved it! He was like a little kid looking at all the lights :) We spent the night at the New Yorker Hotel near the concert venue (they actually shared a wall they were so close). Saturday morning we took a leisurely stroll around Manhattan - even visited the New York Public Library (remember Ghostbusters?) and enjoyed lunch in Bryant Park. The next concert started Saturday afternoon and featured Superchick, Aaron Shust, Tenth Avenue North, and Jeremy Camp. There was another concert Saturday evening that we also had tickets to, but I was way too tired to stay any longer and we hadn't made hotel arrangements for Saturday evening AND we still had a two hour train ride ahead of us. I was really disappointed because the last concert featured my FAVORITE Christian artist - Casting Crowns. We decided since we won the tickets, that we should give the last pair away so I headed to the ticket line and ended up giving them to another couple. It was a bittersweet end to the day, but when we stopped back by the hotel to pick up our luggage, we got to meet Jeremy Camp!! God is awesome! We had an amazing (and busy) time and loved every minute of the adventure!!!
Today would by our angel son's 3rd birthday - how fitting was it that we also found out this week that he is going to be a big brother?!? Yup, we are excited to announce that Sarah is pregnant!!!! Baby "EJ" is due March 30, 2010 and we couldn't be more thrilled. Our first ultrasound is scheduled for August 17th. Please keep us in your prayers and continue to check back for updates.
The past couple of days we have had the pleasure of hosting Sarah's mom's first visit to New England since we moved here last June. We had a brief four day visit, but we were able to cram in a lot of fun sightseeing. Specifically, Sarah's mother, Debbie, is really into weaving and fiber arts so we planned her trip around the New England Weavers Seminar (NEWS) so we could visit and take in some great finds. Justin wasn't able to take the time off from work on Thursday and Friday so Debbie and Sarah headed up to Northampton, MA by themselves to visit the vendors and exhibits at NEWS. Debbie was even able to get in a nice 4-hour visit to WEBS, one of the largest fiber stores in the country!!! Saturday, the three of us spent the morning and early afternoon traveling the Connecticut and Rhode Island coast on our way to visit Debbie's Aunt and Uncle in Rochester, Massachusetts. Debbie has been asking us about Mystic Pizza since we moved up here (it is a restaurant located in Mystic, Connecticut that was made famous by a Julia Roberts film in 1988), so we stopped there on Saturday to check it out. It was, quite honestly, the BEST pizza we have ever had. On Sunday we went to church with Sarah's Great Aunt and Uncle before heading back to Connecticut. It was a brief visit, but we had a blast as usual!!
My AMAZING Weight Watchers Leader Kari put together a 5K for all of her Weight Watchers groups in response to a Weight Watchers challenge to get members to move more. The entry fee was simple: make a food donation equal to the amount of weight you had lost. Ninety of us participated and donated over 2,500lbs of food to five local food pantries. I was super excited to participate even though it meant coming up with a 70lb food donation!!!
Today we took the youth group out for their Annual Fun Fest Day. We left from the church and first went to ride go karts at a place in Berlin, Connecticut. From there we went to another location to play miniature golf and to ride bumper boats. The kids seemed to enjoy themselves and we were fortunate enough that the rain held off until after we returned to the church!
Today we went fishing on Bantam Lake with Sarah's dad Mike. We didn't get out on the water until about 6:20pm but the timing was perfect. It seemed like every time Mike and Justin cast out, they were reeling back in a fish. They mostly caught Rock Bass, but Mike caught one Largemouth Bass and Justin caught two Pike (he wasn't too thrilled with those because of their very large teeth). One of Justin's fish even lept out of the water into the boat. You can see the wet fish outline on his shirt - too funny! We had a great time and finished the day off with a beautiful sunset.
It's Memorial Day Weekend and since we live in a house that faces the Memorial Park in Bristol, it's really hard not to stop and reflect on those who have served our country. Every holiday weekend in the summer, the City of Bristol closes Memorial Boulevard for the community to enjoy the park and the extra space without having to fight traffic. Each year during Memorial Day Weekend, several branches of the military set up booths and displays along the closed road. We are told that the highlight of the weekend is when a Black Hawk Helicopter lands in the ballpark of the Memorial Boulevard Middle School, but unfortunately this year they weren't able to continue this tradition due to the fact that the helicopter was called to be somewhere else. Nonetheless, we still had a great time and it was especially nice to be able to step outside and see everything without even getting out of eyesight of our own home!
This past week we had the pleasure of hosting Justin's brother Aaron while he was visiting New England prior to his departure on a two-month long tour of Europe. Although our brief visit may fail by comparison to the exciting adventures that he will experience in Europe, we enjoyed our time visiting with him and showing him some of our favorite sites.
Aaron arrived in town Saturday evening so we still had the whole day Sunday for a beautiful drive along the coast. We stopped in Branford to view the Thimble Islands and then headed to Mystic before finishing the day at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville. Justin wasn't able to take off the rest of the time Aaron was in town so Sarah arranged to work half days Monday through Wednesday so she could have time to visit with Aaron in the afternoons.
Monday afternoon was spent making last minute preparations for his trip to Europe. On Tuesday, Sarah and Aaron visited Lamothe's Sugar House in Burlington and then headed to Canton for a hike along the Farmington River. Justin was able to get off from work earlier than anticipated so we all decided to end the evening with a trip to the movie theater to see the new Star Trek movie.
Aaron's plane to London was out of the JFK Airport in New York City on Wednesday evening and the original plan was to send him in on the train from New Haven Wednesday afternoon. Plans changed and Sarah decided to ride in with him and tour the city before his flight to Europe. Who would've thought that they could pack in a visit to Times Square, Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and FAO Schwarz in less than three hours? Throw in a street vendor hot dog (NYC style) and a soft pretzel and you have the perfect New York City speed sightseeing tour!
Yes, the past couple of days were cram packed, but we thoroughly enjoyed the visit we had with Aaron!
Please excuse the bad hair (I was getting ready for bed), but I wanted to share my weight loss journey with those of you who have been asking how it's going. I've lost 62lbs so far since we moved to Connecticut and I plan on losing at least another 60lbs. Before you even ask, no, It's not because of some miracle drug or some new fad diet. I have been on Weight Watchers so I am making very healthy food choices. I also belong to the Gold's Gym here in Bristol and I absolutely LOVE it! I am turning into a gym rat. I'm even training for my first 5k which is coming up in June. I've cleaned out my closet and have donated most all of my clothes except for a few more recent (and better fitting) purchases. I will save this striped shirt for comparison though. Check back for more weight loss updates - I'm not through yet!!!!
~Sarah E. Rose~
Carmi, at his blog Written, Inc., has posted another interesting subject for his regular weekly thematic photographic project. This week’s project is "yellow" and once again I couldn’t resist participating and putting my own spin on my interpretation of "yellow."
So many things come to mind when I think of yellow: the sun, flowers, birds, primary colors, etc. If I were to just focus on "things," I could have captured just about anything in my daily life to participate in this week's challenge, but it wasn't the "things" that interested me. Yellow means so much more to us than the physical things that share it's color. Yellow can represent a variety of other intangible things, from bright to caution. Caution, being the inspiration and subject of my entry for this week's project.
I found this slow sign on a recent trip to Massachusetts. It was located on a park access road that was still closed for the winter season. At first all I could think about as I hiked past it was the irony in the fact that the only people to obey its command were those people wandering down the closed road. Usually only meant for vehicles and their drivers, I couldn't help but think this sign had another meaning for me as I walked by. Slow. So much is captured in this simple word of caution.
~Sarah E. Rose~
For some time now Sarah’s family has been trying to coordinate a visit for her Grandmother (Grandma Lo) in Missouri to visit her Grandmother’s brother (Uncle Ray) in Massachusetts. Obviously, since we now live closer to Massachusetts than Missouri, we too were anxious to see her come up for a visit. Grandma Lo and Sarah’s Aunt Denise arrived last night so we spent the night in Dartmouth and headed over to Rochester this morning for a visit. We started off the day with Mass at a darling little church nestled in the quite community of Marion just a few blocks from the coast. We then went back to Uncle Ray’s house for a nice Mother’s Day lunch. It has been years since Sarah had visited any of these relatives and Justin was meeting many of them for the first time. We had a nice, but brief, visit and were thankful that the family’s secret mission to get Grandma Lo to Massachusetts was finally accomplished!
Today we headed to Dartmouth Massachusetts for a brief visit with our friends, Derek and Katie Christianson. Derek is the son of our Tennessee midwife Andrea and he and his wife Katie lease a farm in Dartmouth Massachusetts. Our hosts gave us a tour of their home and farm before the four of us headed to the neighboring town of New Bedford for lunch at Freestone’s Grill. We walked around downtown New Bedford (which, by the way, was made famous by the book Moby Dick) before heading back to Dartmouth for a stroll along the coast. It was a particularly foggy day, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying a walk along the rocky beach or a hike into the woods.
Today we held the First Annual Our Lady of Mercy Youth Family Picnic. This was an opportunity for our youth to invite their friends and family to an afternoon of fun, food, and fellowship and we were fortunate to have a very large turnout. Unfortunately, our original outdoor plans were rained out, but no one seemed to mind being in the church gym. Justin manned the griddle in the kitchen cooking hotdogs and hamburgers. Everyone came together by bringing a variety of side dishes – and with many different backgrounds, we had many different foods to choose from (our favorite were the Polish pastries). We played several fun games including a paper airplane contest, tug of war, hula hoop race, and musical chairs. We had a great time and are hopeful that we’ll see many of the new youth faces at other upcoming events.
Sarah’s dad recently purchased a boat over the winter. In anticipation of summer water excursions we decided to go ahead and get Baden his own life vest. Now Baden is not new to wearing clothes – during the winter he donned several cute doggie sweaters, a Santa hat at Christmas, and his own little coat for cold walks outside. We didn’t think the doggie life vest would be any different. We were wrong. We’ve discovered something magical about his new water attire – it completely immobilizes him and puts him in an unusual catatonic state. Maybe because it is bulky and stiff, or maybe it’s because it’s new – we still haven’t quite figured out why it paralyzes him. We haven’t tested it in the water yet, but we are almost certain Baden is okay with the vest’s lack of use. As a matter of fact, we think he might be pleased if we never put it on him again!!
Carmi, at his blog Written, Inc., has posted an interesting subject for his regular weekly thematic photographic project. This week’s project is "drink" and I couldn’t resist participating, especially since the subject of my photograph was the inspiration for the wedding present we gave Kristen and Shaun this past weekend.
During the first few years of our marriage, Justin and I enjoyed traveling to an annual festival in my mother’s home town of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. The festival, Jour de Fete, hosts a variety of vendors and artists and each year offers new finds. One year in particular, we found two beautiful handmade wine glasses at the Show Me Shop in downtown Ste. Genevieve. We purchased the pair and adopted a tradition regarding their use. We decided that these would always be our special wine glasses for the times we shared a bottle of wine as a couple; no one else would be allowed to use them. Years have passed and occasionally while entertaining we’ve run out of regular wine glasses for our guests, but we always saved these two glasses for our private moments. We even had a guest reach for them once only to be told that they couldn’t use them. Of course, after we explained what they were for, she understood and complimented our custom.
When we were contemplating what to get Kristen and Shaun for their wedding present, we pondered several options. It didn’t take us long to figure out that one of the material things we’ve enjoyed most in our marriage is our two special wine glasses.
~Sarah E. Rose~
After our busy schedule with the recent wedding and visits with friends and family, we decided to enjoy some down time at one of our favorite relaxing locations: the Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Hot Springs, Arkansas is named from the world-famous thermal waters that flow into the historic downtown district of the city. The area is known not only for the springs themselves, but for the many bathhouses located on Central Avenue known as Bathhouse Row. Stepping into the Arlington and the nearby bathhouses is like stepping back in time. Of course, the trip wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Arlington bathhouse and Fordyce Bathhouse which now hosts the Hot Springs National Park Visitor Center and Museum.
With amazing room service, manicures, couples massages, saunas, steam towel wraps, and oversized tubs filled with warm spring water – how could we resist this stop on our trip?
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.’” Jeremiah 29:11-12
I will never forget our wedding. I have so many fond memories of that special day. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that it will have been nine years ago this May. I enjoy weddings. I enjoy each wedding I’ve attended and each time I attend one, I am reminded of my own. Justin and I can sit hand in hand during the ceremony or can be across the room from one another and we will still connect – connect so deeply on the same intimate level as we did at our own wedding, as if we are both silently saying “I do” all over again.
I moved to Tennessee from Georgia when I was still in middle school and was fortunate to make some really great friends when I arrived. And, even more fortunate to still have friendships with a few of those girls now. Kristen Weaver is one of those childhood friends.
Kristen stood up at my wedding as my Maid-of-Honor and throughout the years has been a solid rock in my life. Kristen was one of only two non-family members that held my stillborn son when he was born. Kristen helped see me through many struggles and has shared many laughs with me throughout the years. Ours is a friendship where an overdue phone conversation can feel as if we had just talked the previous day. Kristen was and is one of my best friends.
In the time that we’ve been adults, Kristen has always felt a calling to be a wife. I’ve often likened this desire of hers to my desire to be a mother, both of us patiently waiting for the desires of our hearts. And, as the years passed, she continued to wait for God’s answer to her prayers for a strong and faithful husband. Last spring, God answered her prayers when He sent Shaun Fifer into her life. I will never forget the phone call I received just shortly after she had met him, “Sarah, I just had the most amazing time of my life! Mark my words: I have met the man I am going to marry!” Her excitement gave me goose bumps and I knew then that she must have met an amazing person.
Shaun and Kristen immediately started dating and were soon engaged. Kristen’s faith in God brought Shaun closer to Him as well. Maya Angelou said it best, “A woman’s heart should be so hidden in God that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.” And Shaun did.
Their engagement was announced just shortly before we moved to Connecticut and Kristen asked me to come back to be in the wedding. So I did. Nothing was going to keep me from participating in this union. I knew their marriage was a testament to God’s love and faithfulness; a perfect example of God’s lesson in patience and trust.
I was fortunate to have some private time with the glowing bride today and in true best friend fashion, I asked her if she was ready for marriage to which she of course replied, “Yes.” I thought back on all the years we had prayed for this moment in her life wondering when God would answer. I then asked her if Shaun was worth the wait. With tears in her eyes she responded, “Absolutely!” And with her response, I was reminded of something that so many of us often forget: prayers really are answered.
Congratulations Kristen and Shaun! Godspeed!
~Sarah E. Rose~
“Hit a tripwire of smell and memories explode all at once. A complex vision leaps out of the undergrowth.” – Diane Ackerman
One doesn’t get into a steamy morning shower half-eyed expecting to reminisce of childhood moments, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. Nothing about my morning routine is particularly exciting. I wake up, weigh in, check some of my favorite sites on the internet, start the shower and step in hoping the spray of water on my face will awaken me from my normal somber morning mood. What I didn’t anticipate this morning was that this shower would also awaken a childhood memory that I had almost forgotten, locked away in my head.
I like to keep several bath gels and soaps in the shower in a variety of scents to match my different moods; today I decided to try a newly purchased one, Simply Ivory Body Wash. As soon as the fragrance of the Ivory soap hit my nose, I was immediately transformed to another time and place. Images of a blue bathtub and 1970’s blue and green wallpaper filled my head. The bathroom floor was carpeted and my Great Grandmother, Grandma Sis, was knelt down next to my little suds covered body in the bathtub. I was visiting my grandparents in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri and it was bath time. At first I was confused about the incoming memory thinking, “Why am I remembering this now?” But, then it came and I soon knew why this frozen moment in time occupied my mind during this morning’s shower. It was the scent of the Ivory soap.
My Grandma Sis has many special talents, but when I was a child, I remember that this one fascinated me the most. After vigorously rubbing a bar of Ivory soap with her wet hands, she would then use the suds to blow bubbles for me while giving me a bath. Bending her index finger in the space between it and her thumb, she’d slowly uncurl it to reveal a thin translucent film in the newly formed circle between the tips of her index finger and her thumb. She’d purse her lips, blow into the soapy film, and, to my childish amazement, would create large bubbles in the palm of her hand. Sometimes they’d float away and sometimes they would just sit there shining in her palm. I guess as a child and not knowing that bubbles could be made with anything other than the gooey solution in the tall colorful bottles made my Great-Grandmother’s talent magical.
Born in 1913, Grandma Sis will turn 96 this year, and from what I’ve learned about her time with us, she has lived a full and fascinating life. I have so many great memories of her – making apple Santa’s, watching Wheel of Fortune (her favorite game show), exploring remnants of old polyester fabrics in the spare room of her old house, baking her famous dinner rolls, hearing her say “Bop on the Beezer” – but what I hadn’t realized until today, was that I also have some pretty wonderful hidden memories of her as well.
I know there is a connection between olfaction and memory and this isn’t the first time I’ve experienced a scent-triggered recollection. It is, however, the first time it has ever helped me remember something I had almost forgotten. Who would’ve thought that something as routine as a morning shower would give me such a warm and fuzzy moment? Thanks to Grandma Sis and a Proctor and Gamble trademarked scent, I’ll always have Ivory memories.
~Sarah E. Rose~
“But just as you excel in everything— in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us— see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” 2 Corinthians 8:7
Sarah's dad and stepmother regularly volunteer at the local Soup Kitchen once a month— the first Thursday of the month. Since we were both off of work today for the holiday, we decided to join them along with our Monday night Bible study group to give back to the community by serving the patrons of the Bristol Soup Kitchen. Although the snowy holiday did not give us the turnout the Soup Kitchen normally experiences, we were still overjoyed to serve those who came. Our feast consisted of ham, turkey, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, creamed spinach, corn, and a variety of scrumptious desserts. It might have been a cold winter day, but we still had a great time preparing the meal and visiting with everyone.
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