Trying to the Live the Word of Wisdom

The Word of Wisdom is the code of health that Mormons follow. It was given as a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1833. His wife Emma complained about cleaning up after all the tobacco the men would spit on the floor and asked Joseph what could be done. He prayed about it and received a revelation that admonished members of the Church to abstain from alcohol, coffee, tea, and tobacco. This is the part of the Word of Wisdom most people are familiar with, but the revelation includes many more instructions including to eat fruit "in the season thereof" and to eat meat "sparingly" and especially "in times of winter, or of cold, or famine."

As members of the Church, I think we generally do a lot better at the DO NOTs than the DO parts of the Word of Wisdom. At least, that's how it is for me. But since I have a strong aversion to meat this summer and an increased appetite for fruits in season-- especially blueberries, raspberries, and grapes--I feel like (in some ways) I'm doing a lot better at living the Word of Wisdom than normal.

On the other hand, I feel like there's a lot more I could be doing. My diet is definitely lacking in terms of vegetables and legumes. I am in no way the living model of a balanced diet. But it's good to know that God cares about our health and knows what we eat affects how we feel-- even what we do. And it's good to know that that He has given us an ideal to strive for.

The blessings promised in the Word of Wisdom are health, energy, wisdom, and even salvation. Things I need! And interestingly, the revelation also mentions that this health code is given as a means to avoid the "evil designs . . . of conspiring men." With all the crazy marketing these days for diet foods, etc. I'm not surprised.

Now that I've been on a forced "cleanse" of sorts, I hope that when my normal appetite returns, I can make wise choices about what to eat and get lots of blessings in return. :-)

Pregnancy Update

Thank you, friends, for being so excited for me! Here's a little more info:

I am 15 weeks along and my due date is December 14th--although that is subject to change. At my first appointment, I had an ultrasound and the baby measured for a December 18th due date. My CNM (nurse midwife-- more on that later) said she didn't want to change my due date quite yet. So we'll see if they change it when I have my next ultrasound. If they do change it, we very possibly could have a Christmas baby (since most first babies tend to be overdue).

I still feel sick, but I am feeling relatively better. I got a prescription for Zofran (an anti-nausea drug they give to chemotherapy patients), which allows me to eat more food. However my ability to eat a wide variety of foods has yet to return. The only things that appeal to me are fruit, cereal, nuts, bread, cheese (sometimes), and today I got really adventurous and had some french toast. (I guess this may be slightly overstated because I did eat rice and re-fried beans when I was in CA last week. But that was a one-time deal, and I kind of had an uncomfortable night after.)

I've lost 10 lbs. since the beginning of my pregnancy, and I still haven't gained anything back, but I'm hoping I will soon. (Ten pounds on my body isn't a big deal % wise--so not to worry.) But this whole sickness thing is definitely a new experience for me. Never in my life have I had difficulty eating. Never have I had to think, "Dang it! I don't think I had enough calories today!" Never have I thought "I hate food. I never want to eat again."  As my Foodie post of just a few months ago reveals, the true Sarah loves food, loves to think about food, and loves to make food. I only hope I am not so psychologically scarred by this pregnancy that the true Sarah will never return. I want her back!!!!!

On the bright side, I really am feeling better. I've gone stretches of up to 10 days without throwing up. I have energy to do things around the house. And I mostly just start to feel sick at the end of the day or when I push myself too hard. Sundays in Primary are so high-energy, I usually pay for it on Monday. I'm learning how to hold back even when I'm feeling pretty good so I don't ruin the following day.

We'll find out if we are having a boy or a girl on July 19th. I'll be almost 19 weeks along-- so it's a little early for the BIG ultrasound. But my CNM thought we should just cancel my 16 week appointment and move up my 20 week appointment to make my life easier. No complaints here! I am very excited to put a more personal pronoun (he/she) with the baby. Brent and I are thrilled to be the parents of either a boy or girl, but after reading this article about the millions upon millions of female fetuses that have been aborted because their parents wanted a boy, there is a very angry part of me that wants to shout to the world, "I AM PREGNANT WITH A GIRL AND PROUD OF IT!!!"

However,  I look at little boys and think, "I want one!" And I look at little girls and think, "I want one!" So we will be happy no matter what-- as long as it's one or the other, as Brent says. :-) In fact, I think it's kind of funny that people ask our preference. Really, even if we had a preference-- telling them before we know the gender of the baby sets us up to look like fools if we don't get what we "wanted." Besides, it's not like we have control of these things NOR should we-- as the book review above proves. And in reality, I know that when people ask us this, they are really just expressing interest in our pregnancy, which we appreciate.

At the risk of making this post way to long, I'll share one more tidbit--about my health care provider. It's hard to choose a doctor! Especially when you live in a big city, with a renowned medical center. Even within my ward, practically every women has a different OBGYN. And I even have 10+ hospitals to choose from. Crazy! So to make it simple, I researched a few options and decided to try one out and go from there. It was a recommendation from a ward friend who is a mother-baby nurse professionally, and she just had a baby this year. It's a group of 5 CNMs who work in a large practice called the Women's Specialists of Houston. The great things is that they are all women, they all are mothers, and they all have been doing this for years. They deliver in Texas Children's Hospital which has the highest level NICU that exists. And they show up when you show up at the hospital (not just to catch the baby at the end). They are veterans of helping women through unmediated births, but right now I'm pretty sure I'll want an epidural as soon as I can get one. And they are all for that as well.

It's a unique situation because when I say to people "my doctor" (because it's a lot easier than explaining all of this) I'm really talking about 5 different women. I will have appointments with all 5 of them during my pregnancy, and then whoever happens to be on call when I go into labor will be my special woman. I feel like this situation gives them better work-life balance and me better care. My only fear is that if we move from Houston and have more children, no other experience will compare.

If you read this far, you are a true friend indeed. I expect to be back to blogging more regularly and welcome your comments. :-)

My Hero

This man is my hero. For the past two months I have not blogged. I have not cooked. I have barely cleaned.  I have sometimes done laundry . . . but rarely folded that laundry. I have dragged myself to the grocery store when necessary. And I have never done dishes. 

But I have taken a lot of naps. Eaten more pretzels than anyone should consume in their lifetime. And seen the inside of my toilet way too often!! 

Yay for being pregnant!!! Nay for being sick!!! And thank goodness for a wonderful  husband who I couldn't live without.  Brent, thank you for picking up the pieces and helping me through each day!

Painting Date

A few months ago I bought a groupon to The Mad Potter, so Brent and I could have a painting date. I chose to paint an Easter decoration since we didn't have any. And Brent--out of all the ceramics there were to choose from--decided on a small piggy bank. He says he wants to store his business ideas there. I thought it was ironic that the person with the greater amount of painting skill and talent spent the whole night painting even coats of pink on his pig. Luckily he was able to give me some tips with mine though. 

This is what they looked like before they were glazed and fired: 

After our date we went to The Creamery on Voss, and Brent picked the craziest ice cream there-- ice cream that he knew his mom would never let him buy. :-) This is Brent walking on the wild side.

A couple days later we picked up our things, and they turned out great!!

Ima Hogg

            Ima Hogg is one of the founding mothers of Houston. And, yes, her name really was Ima Hogg. They say she had a sister named Ura, but that is just urban legend. :-) Why would you name a child Ima if your last name were Hogg? I have no idea. But this family was wealthy enough to avoid teasing. . . at least to their faces.  

            Ima and her siblings built a big, beautiful house on the Bayou and named it Bayou Bend. She designed the gardens and collected antiques to fill her home. She also started the Houston Symphony. Now her home and gardens is part of the Museum of Fine Arts. 

           Brent and I went for the Azalea Walk to see the flowers in bloom. Azaleas are one of my favorite flowers-- partly because they grew in the courtyard of the apartment building where I grew up. And partly because one year at family camp we found them in full, wild bloom on the banks of a mountain creek. I didn't know azaleas could grow wild, and it is to this day one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Unfortunately, at the beginning of March there were mostly buds on the bushes instead of flowers. But it was still gorgeous. I'm still amazed every day how beautiful it is here in Texas!

We decided to visit again at the end of March to see if the flowers had bloomed more. Turns out, they had already died!!  So we missed the azaleas this year. I really wanted to see them in the butterfly garden below. I guess there are supposed to be different colored azaleas in the stripes.

 The trip was pretty disappointing, but at least the hydrangeas and wisteria were beautiful. I have been loving spring in Houston. I love having my windows open and hearing the birds chirp. I love going walking around Piney Point-- the richest neighborhood in Houston-- which is only a couple blocks from where I live. I love feeling the cool breeze, with only a hint of humidity in the air. Keep it coming!

When Cultures Collide

I found this in the grocery store the other day and was so intrigued, I had to buy it to show Brent. Taco flavored yakisoba? I couldn't stop laughing. Brent ate it, and said it tasted pretty good-- very spicy! I told him his ancestors probably rolled over in their graves.

Married Life

Even before I got married, I thought the question, "How is married life?" was a little strange. Does that really mean "What is the quality of your marriage? Do you two get along?", which is probably not appropriate to ask. Or is it a way of saying, "How are you doing-- with an emphasis on the married part?"  Or is it more of a general question trying to figure out what being married is like: "Tell me. How is your life? Because I hope to be married someday and/or marriage freaks me out."

The best response I ever heard to this question was from a former Writing Fellow by the name of Matt G.  I heard him once say something like, "Well I can't speak for anyone else. But I can tell you that being married to Lisa C. is absolutely wonderful!"

Before I got married, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect, especially from everything I had heard. Some people said that it was really hard, others that it was really great.  Lots of girls said it was a difficult transition going from having four, girl, best-friend roommates to living with one man. They were kind of lonely at first, but adjusted later. Some said that the first year they fought a lot as they learned to get a long. Others said that the first year was really easy.


I've come to realize that there are as many types of marriages as there are people. No two are the same.

How is married life?

Well I can't speak for anyone else, but I can tell you that being married to Brent Monson is absolutely wonderful!!! Better than I imagined! He is so, so good to me!

I only wish there were more men like he is in this world.

The Rodeo

The Houston Rodeo is one of the biggest in the U.S. and definitely the most exciting time of the year around here. This year the Rodeo ran from March 1st-20th with a huge carnival, live stock show, rodeo competitions and big-name concert performers every night. We bought tickets for the night Brad Paisley performed, which also happened to be the first night of the Rodeo Finals. I had never been to a rodeo before, so to be honest, I was mostly going for the concert. But I actually ended up liking the rodeo part the best. It's like the cowboy olympics!!

Here we are in front of Reliant Stadium where it all happens:

Acting "scared" before going on a carnival ride. As you can see, I did not go on it. I have a strong aversion to rides that--every week--are taken down, driven 100s of miles, and put together again. No, thank you.

Proof that we are in Texas: Deep Fried Cheesecake on a Stick!! And no, we did not buy any.

We also could have gotten Steak of a Stick. . . and I think I would have loved that. But we ended up eating elsewhere. Brent had to get a picture though. . .

There was a cool butterfly exhibit and you could watch them coming out of their cocoons.

Other first time experiences: Watching piglet races!!

Brent thought the Turkey legs looked so good. Turns our they aren't so good after about the 5th bite.  I got a meal called a Pulled Pork Sundae-- mashed potatoes, gravy, and pulled pork-- layered in a Sundae cup. Very scary looking, I know. But I had to try it.

 And then the rodeo and concert--- which  together were 4 1/2 hours long. Very entertaining, but we were tired by the end!

The next rodeo is in March 2012!! Who is coming to visit?

Strawberry Fields Forever

A couple weeks ago I went with some friends to a strawberry farm in Alvin, TX (about 40 min. south of Houston) to pick our own strawberries. The weather was so amazing-- sunny, breezy, 73 degrees, I just knew that I needed to bring Brent back so he could get some time in the sunshine. It turned out that my friends from Provo were in town as well-- Annie and Eric. So we took them along and made a trip to Galveston Island after. Nothing like eating freshly picked strawberries on the beach! In March!

We actually only filled one bucket, even thought it looks like we had two here. .  .

Annie and Eric

Brent doing some back-breaking labor. Ha!

Trying to find the PERFECT strawberry.

The field smelled SO good!

The water was cold, but it was so relaxing to squish our toes in the wet sand!

 

There's nothing like March in Houston!

Becoming a Foodie

A friend used this term the other day to describe her husband who loves to try all types of food. As I have spent more time on food blogs lately than I do on any other type of Internet site, I have been thinking about this word-- that is beginning to describe me. Here are some definitions I found:

•  A foodie is a person who loves or has a deep admiration for food and eating food. A person that spends a keen amount of attention and energy on knowing the ingredients of food, the proper preparation of food, and finds great enjoyment in top-notch ingredients and exemplary preparation.

• A foodie is not necessarily a food snob, only enjoying delicacies and/or food items difficult to obtain and/or expensive foods; though, that is a variety of foodie.

•  Although the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, foodies differ from gourmets in that gourmets are epicures of refined taste who may or may not be professionals in the food industry, whereas foodies are amateurs who simply love food for consumption, study, preparation, and news.

Yes, I am becoming a foodie. Since I cook dinner every night and have ample free time to plan and prepare, I decided to make an art of it. And I've been trying lots of new things. I pore over recipes deciding what to make every week. I've always liked looking at cook books, but my new thing has become food blogs. Blogs are much more fun than cook books to me because the cooks share the stories behind their meals, give extra tips, and sometimes even show photographs of each step. In the end, you feel like you're friends with the cook. My favorite food blogs are Simply So Good, Our Best Bites, and Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Check them out. . . but here's my warning: you might get sucked in. :-)

Brent and I loved Southern Spoon bread from Simply So Good paired with Sweet Heat Louisiana Chili from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I tried the bread sticks from Our Best Bites last night, which were amazing! Mel's chicken marinade and fajitas are fantastic and we LOVED the beef fontina sandwiches from Janet at Simply So Good! I also loved the recipe for Chicken and Dumplings from her. I seriously could eat that every single night. Okay, maybe I should stop before you think I'm crazy. :-)  But obviously when I say I like these blogs, I'm not lying!