I love being tagged, though I’m always sorry it takes me so long to do them…

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8 TV Shows I Love to Watch:

Uh oh.

We actually don’t watch TV.

But there are a few shows we watch every once in a while on DVD or online:

1. The Cosby Show

2. The Waltons

3. Little House on the Prairie

4. Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

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8 Places I Love to Eat:

Oh, holy smokes.

With the current state of my nauseated digestive system, I’m not sure if I’ll make it through this question…..

But right now, I think I might possibly enjoy:

1. Denny’s or IHOP

2. Red Robin

3. Any Pizza Place

4. McDonald’s

5. Taco Bell

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8 Things that happened yesterday:

1. Meeting with the Stake Young Women Presidency to plan an upcoming Stake Young Women Value Activity for church

(Not at all related to my Cub Scout calling–just a special assignment I was asked to accept)

2. During above meeting, the Wooga Man played extremely well by himself for almost two hours

3. Taking advantage of beautiful weather by donning our rain boots and tromping out to the neighborhood park

4. Playing with neighbor kids

5. Digging a hole with the digger and then throwing rocks in it

6. Crazily splashing through puddles in the tennis court

7. Searching the far hills for any leftover blackberries

8a. FINDING some leftover blackberries

8b. The Wooga Man EATING some leftover blackberries

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8 Things I Love about Fall:

1. Cooler days

2. Playing in the leaves

3. Taking advantage of good weather

4. Taking advantage of bad weather

5. Lots and lots of school buses that the Wooga Man ecstatically loves

6. Sweaters

7. Anticipating the holidays

8. Flannel sheets

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8 Things on My Wish List:

1. The complete set of Anne of Green Gables books

2. A slip cover for my beloved, yet homely couch

3. More long sleeve maternity shirts

4. Staying positive while vomiting

5. Um, I can’t think of anything else…..

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8 People I am Tagging:

1. Charming

2. Heidi W.

3. Apple

4. Starwoodgal

5. Suzanne

6. Kim M.

7. Emily S.

8. Alycia

I started with this picture of my Father:

I love this picture and how much it reminds me of some of my brothers.

So I did a few edits and ended up with this:

I was happy with it and went on to edit another one.

But then I realized something.

I realized this picture is no longer black and white, but has yellowed with age.

And while I kind of liked the “glow” it gave the picture, I wondered if I could get a more faithful restoration of its original colors by doing something different….

So I racked my brain…

And suddenly it came to me!

I could use the “black & white” editing command!

I wasn’t sure how it would turn out on a picture that was already black and white, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try.

So I did:

And I couldn’t believe the difference!

Though I missed the “glow”, I felt like this was a more accurate restoration.

And then I remembered something!

This is the wedding picture of my Father’s parents.

A picture that was accidentally stained by a piece of tape on the back of the picture that bled through after being in the sun for years.

And a few years ago, my Mother asked if it was possible to fix it.

At that time, I didn’t have a son.

Or a blog.

And I wasn’t taking 250,000 pictures a month.

And editing 30,000 pictures a month.

So I had no idea how to fix it.

And I asked Charming and he didn’t think it was possible.

So I told my Mother, “Sorry, we can’t fix it.”

And she said, “That’s okay, I just thought I’d ask.”

But last night I thought, “Hmm… Maybe it can be fixed…”

So I opened the picture in Fireworks.

Clicked the “black & white” command.

Fiddled around with some other edits.

And…..

Viola!!

I couldn’t believe my eyes!

The stain completely disappeared!

I was so happy, I promptly emailed the picture to my Mother and wrote about it in my journal.

Because you can never be too grateful for an inspiring idea from above.

To be accepted into the coveted first circle of London society, the most fashionable and distinguished young ladies of consequence…..

Must acquire the proper footwear.

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So how are you feeling?

Very tired and very nauseated.

And very unmotivated to do anything other than lay on my couch all day long and read my son thousands of books (or the same book thousands of times, whichever he happens to prefer at the time).

But I’ve realized that these feelings of fatigue and nausea are a great blessing in disguise.

Because I never felt like this with the baby we lost.

And feeling like this gave me the courage to face my pregnancy.

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Why did you need courage to face your pregnancy?

For the first month or so of being pregnant, I unconsciously ignored the fact that I was pregnant.

Typically, I can’t wait to take a pregnancy test and do so at the earliest possible moment.

But this time I didn’t.

For some reason I just couldn’t do it.

I couldn’t directly face the fact that I was pregnant again so soon after my miscarriage.

Finally, after some weeks of being pregnant, I hesitantly tried to face my unexpected feelings and sort out what exactly was going on.

And I realized two things.

I felt like I was betraying the memory of the baby I’d lost to get excited about another one.

And I was afraid of loving my baby and then losing it.

I didn’t want to get hurt again.

And when I realized that, I felt like an awful mother.

What kind of a mother avoids loving her baby?

I was so ashamed I almost didn’t write about it in my journal.

And I almost didn’t tell anyone else.

But finally, I told my dear friend, Charlotte.

I knew Charlotte wouldn’t think I was an awful person and I prayed that somehow these feelings would make sense to her.

True to my faith in her, she immediately responded that it was completely normal and other women felt the same way.

And tears came to my eyes when she concluded, “It is just a measure of your deep love for your children that you feel this way.”

Thank you, Charlotte.

Your reassurance meant everything to me.

And it was the first step toward getting me through this unexpected emotional turmoil.

The second step came while I was buying myself a pair of rain boots.

By the end of the transaction, I was undeniably and completely nauseated.

For the first time since I was pregnant with Bubbers 2 years ago.

And instead of walking out the doors back to my car, I veered my shopping cart back into the store and hesitantly approached an aisle I hadn’t had the confidence to approach before.

And when I put the small pregnancy test box in my cart, I kissed my son and smiled a tiny, secret smile.

And every day since then, I’ve found increasing comfort in feeling sick.

Knowing that it meant things were likely going well with our new little life.

I was still afraid, though.

Until I finally scheduled my first doctor’s appointment and requested an ultrasound beforehand.

And when I saw the tiny form of our baby on the screen and the flicker-flicker-flicker of a tiny heart beating, I allowed myself a wide smile and a warm squeeze of my husband’s hand.

So even though my fatigue and nausea are wreaking havoc on my blogging productivity, I am thankful for the daily reassurance it gives me that at the end of this I will be holding a dear little newborn in my arms with a heart overflowing with love.

Photos by: Heidi (at the Pumpkin Farm)

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p.s. I hope you like my new header pictures. :)

Suddenly transform

My little son

Into someone who looks much older?

And in the beautiful desert of Northern Nevada, exactly three raindrops fall every 46 years.

So, naturally, I never once owned or wore a single pair of rain boots.

But I ain’t in Nevada no more.

And I just have to tell you…..

Jumping in a huge puddle with a pair of these babies on is about the funnest thing I’ve ever done.

But now it’s all fixed (thanks, Love!), so you can enjoy my most recent treasure of our little Bumpkin Eater Man and his new favorite ride.

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What I love about this video:

• How the Wooga Man pumps his little arm and sweetly says, “I-I?  I-I?” to ask for another ride

• The Wooga Man’s cute little words and playful noises

• And the absolute magic of his peals of laughter

• Watching my two treasured men play together

• The Wooga Man laughing and snorting so hard he starts coughing

• The Wooga Man stepping on his Daddy’s head as they both laugh

• (How tired, incoherent and pregnant I sound)

• (And that I’m laying on the couch even as I videotape)

Because when you’re pregnant, and in your first trimester, every extra minute in bed counts.

Especially when the only time you don’t feel nauseated is when you’re asleep.

So I’ve greatly appreciated this new pregnancy morning ritual.

And when I finally roll out of bed, I greet my Love with a smile and hug.

“Thanks for letting me sleep,” I say.

“My pleasure,” he replies, his kind dark eyes smiling down at me.

Then we tag-team and he heads upstairs to read his scriptures and I take over Wooga duty.

And 9.9 times out of 10, I look around the house and everything is great.

But every once in a while, Charming gets a phone call at work like he did today…..

*Ring*

*Ring*

“Hey Love!” Charming happily answered, “How are you?”

“I’m good,” I replied with a smile, “How are you?”

“Good, thanks,” he answered, and then, “What’s up?”

“Well…..,” I took a breath and then jumped in, “We need to make a new rule about crayons with the Wooga Man.  He can only have them if we’re sitting there with him the whole time and make sure he only colors on the paper.”

“Why?” he asked without concern, “Because he colored on his puzzle?”

I froze, “You knew he colored on his puzzle??”

“Well yeah, I watched him do it,” he replied nonchalantly.

“You watched him do it?” I said slowly, without understanding.

“Yeah, I didn’t think it mattered if he colored on the back of his puzzle,” he explained.

“He colored on the back of his puzzle?” I said, beginning to feel like my husband’s echo, “I only saw the front of it.”

“Oh, he colored on the front of it, too?” Charming asked, still without any concern.

“Yeah, he colored all over the front of it,” I answered.

*Pause*

“And what’s wrong with that?” Charming asked.

“What do you mean what’s wrong with that?” I repeated, not believing my ears, “We don’t color on puzzles!”

“Well, it’s his puzzle, I don’t care if he colors on it,” Charming answered and I swore I could hear him smiling.

“No, he needs to learn to respect property,” I said firmly, “And he needs to learn we only color on paper and coloring books.”

*Another Pause*

“Okay,” Charming finally answered, “If it’s that big of a deal to you.”

“So you’re okay with our new rule?” I pressed, “No more just giving him crayons and letting him color on whatever he wants?”

“Yeah, that’s fine,” Charming agreed.

“Great, thank you!” I replied, paused and then continued, “Now I have one more new rule for you and the Wooga Man.”

“Another new rule?” Charming said with a bit of apprehension.

“Yes,” I answered, “But first, I have a question for you…..”

“Oh, okay…..,” Charming waited.

“How do I get pen stains out of a hardwood floor??”

Flipping open her wallet to show you her Federal Investigation badge.

And then asking you a million questions about a Navy friend you had 5 years ago.

Questions that would have been very hard to answer.

If your friend wasn’t a stellar guy.

And you didn’t happen to keep an ongoing calendar journal.

*Phew!*

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p.s.

Did you know that (according to my new Private Investigator friend) every member of the military has a background check every 5 years?

I didn’t!

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p.p.s.

Did you also know that according to the Privacy Act of 1974, your identity and everything you say during a background interview will be written in a report and available upon request to the person investigated?

I didn’t!

…..Until my new Private Investigator friend told me after the interview was already over.

Holy smokes.

Good thing I didn’t say anything I’d regret!

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p.p.s.s.

Did you also know that Private Investigators are very nice?

And they smile and say your son is very cute when he sidles up to them with a sweet little smile, looks down at their interview form, and eagerly asks, “A?”

So then they write a big “A” on their paper for him to see.

And he gets so excited that he starts laughing and pushes the coffee table across the room.