Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Sewing Project & Cinnabons

I just finished my first sewing project on my brand new sewing machine. I decided to start with baby yoga pants since I found a really cute pattern, and I repurposed the fabric and elastic from a wrap-around towel I had never used. I will try to post pictures of the pants once I get them uploaded to the computer.

I'm also excited to wake up early tomorrow morning to try out a new recipe for a Cinnabon Clone! Yum! I have no powdered sugar, so I'm going to try blending granulated sugar in the blender. I'm really hoping it works!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Thankful

Yesterday was a hard day. All through the day I had been saying it was a bad day, but as we crawled into our warm, soft bed in our warm, safe house, we came to the same conclusion. We have an amazing life. Both of us had had a hard day, but as Steve said, "There are a few bad things that happened on a great day." We are so blessed! It's amazing how one difficult situation can overshadow the immensity of good things in our life!

We are praising God this morning because, after being so frustrated with our car not starting and being stranded at multiple locations for that same reason, Steve figured out what was wrong with it! It appears to be a pretty simple fix that only costs $30! Thank you, Lord!

I was also able to spend the morning/afternoon with my neighbor, and build a stronger relationship with her. I'm so psyched to see how the Lord is opening doors for us to be witnesses and disciples in this city. We are both growing so much personally and in our marriage. The past year has been unbelievable, and we are so thankful.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

It's Officially Spring

It's been "officially" spring for awhile, but spring has actually dawned on the Hornaday house. :) I finally sunk my fingers into a giant bag of moist, black soil. I was enjoying it even more than usual because there were no weird bugs in it, unlike the flower beds with native Oregon bugs... I'm still not used to the bugs, spiders, snakes, and other wildlife out here. Tomorrow I'm hoping my calla lily will be happy to have been in a bigger pot outside for the night.

I always told Steve that I don't own any plants because I kill them. So what does he do? He buys me a Calla lily PLANT for Valentine's Day this year. It has survived under my care so far. I'm not sure if it's thriving or not. It has grown longer leaves and still has blossoms, but it often looks green/yellow around the edges as though it's about to throw up on the carpet. So, I'm hoping now that it will get some fresh air, unfiltered sunshine, and fresh rain it will be a lot greener and happier! We'll see...

I was going to post photos, but the camera battery disappeared. In other words, Steve is doing something with it or simply forgot to put it back. Either way, you're not getting any pictures. Sorry! Hope you're having a great Spring!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

What I've Done

Feeling as if I've accomplished nothing over the past year, I decided to write a list of what I have accomplished in one day, beginning now:

  • Watched two children/family movies.
  • Laughed
  • Tried to free write. Felt bound.
  • Unloaded half of the dishwasher.
  • Gave the plant some much-needed sunlight.
  • Made haystacks.
  • Paid student loans.
  • Wrote to same loan company asking why they continually mark one bill as past due.
  • Logged into Pandora.com & tuned into my Regina Spektor station. Wished my life always had a soundtrack in the background.
  • Thought about why I feel the way I do about my life in Oregon. Bittersweet.
  • Freaked out over lack of period -- Day 2.
    *Not unusual since my body is all strung out on hormones & I'm losing my mind slowly*
  • Fed the fish. Realized their light finally fried itself out. Probably an easy fix ~ for Steve.
  • Did some laundry.
  • Cleaned the sink, counter, toilet, and scrubbed the shower really good.
  • My world felt upside down. Showered.
  • Cried out to God, sobbing. Felt peace & assurance that things really will get better.
  • Decided not to wear tight clothes. World is crawling upward.
    *Wore yoga pants & an over-sized Bahamas t-shirt Kris gave me years ago. Cried again*
  • Finally wrote this list, which I feel qualifies as free writing.
Not a complete waste of a day. Even the sun has decided it's a decent enough day to show its face.

Friday, May 1, 2009

The Year Ahead!

I have a request... :) Ok, it's a multi-point request, and I'm sure you would like to know what it is before you agree to it.

Here are the preceding events that have lead up to this moment:

I recently found out my doctor is retiring in June. For some reason, all of my medical doctors retire or move within a year of taking me on as a patient. Frustrating!

I am now extremely hypothyroid, but I still have my awesome endo-specialist in Portland. I feel sluggish, unmotivated, and generally depressed every morning, but I'm working hard to excavate the silver lining of each day! :)

I need to find a certified medical doctor with an (at the very least) lukewarm bedside manner.

Since we would like to have a baby in the next two years, give or take a few years, I am looking for a great OBGYN.


In all honesty, I have no idea where to start! As far as pregnancy & raising kids goes, there are so many different roads to choose from. I have no idea what type of mom I want to be yet or even what kind of home Steve & I want to have in two years.

Organic/Locally Grown or Made-in-China?
Convenience or quality?
Stay-at-home mom or work-from-home mom?


When and how did you learn or choose what path to take in your own life?


These endless thoughts leave me with this request:

Do you have advice/experience to share on these topics or any reading materials you can recommend concerning the following?
  • The process of finding a new doctor -- Internal Medicine vs. Other?

  • The process of finding an OBGYN.

  • Midwife vs. Medical Doctor. Pros & Cons? Especially concerning my thyroid.

  • Pre-, During, and Post-Pregnancy & Child training.


Books I've heard mentioned, but am unsure of:
Train Up a Child ~ Michael Pearl
What to Expect When You're Expecting, 4th Ed. ~ Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel
Shepherding a Child's Heart ~ Tedd Tripp


Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! :)