Thanksgiving

 For Thanksgiving this year, we ate Turkey two days in a row (plus left-overs). YUM! The day before Thanksgiving, we hosted a meal at our home. Our good friends, Teresa, Eddie (and his daughter), and Emily (who came down from UT) and Andrew joined us. Then on Thanksgiving day, Andrew's family had us over for a mid-day meal. Can't complain about having two Thanksgiving dinners!

Then the Saturday after Thanksgiving, we drove up to Magnolia, TX-- a small town NW of Houston-- where my mom's cousin Alan Ogles lives. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures with the family members! But I did take some on the way up. Small town TX is just so different from Houston. We loved the amazing forest-lined country roads. It was so good to meet and visit with family-- OGLES-- in Texas!!! They welcomed us like they had known us forever. We're glad we have that connection now and plan to get together more often.

Also, on Thanksgiving weekend, we had all our baby gear delivered from Amazon. We're ready!!

They Don't Have White Christmases In Houston

I heard this song on the radio today. And I laughed because this is a song that you could only play on the radio in Houston, so I'm sure none of you have heard it.

The truth is the lyrics exaggerate how warm the weather is here right now. Our high today was 50 and the low is in the 30s. Can you believe it? It actually feels like winter! Woohoo!! So, I'm not sure the iced drink or flip flops mentioned in the song are necessarily called for, but it is true that we don't have white Christmases down here!

Your Toothpaste May Be Harming Your Teeth

That is what I learned at the dentist last week! For the past 6 years or so, every time I go to the dentist, I get comments on my gum recession and am told to only use a soft-bristled tooth brush and to brush softly. But I do brush softly, or so I thought. It wasn't until this last trip to the dentist (I've had 6 different dentists in the last 5 years) that I learned what the real probably might be: my toothpaste.

The hygienist menitoned it first. She said that I should only use a small amount of toothpaste. When I asked why, she said it can be abrasive. Then, when the dentist examined me, he commented on my gum recession and said there are even some small pockets that have been worn in my teeth. At first he said I needed to watch my technique, but when I told him I don't brush back and forth vigorously, he asked me how much toothpaste I use. I told him I usually cover my whole toothbrush with paste. And he said that might be a problem. You should only us a pea-sized amount he said. A pea-sized amount! That's what the toothpaste tube suggests for children under 6. Not to mention all the toothpaste commercials that ingrain in our minds the image of a long, full squirt of toothpaste for each brushing. My whole life I've been using too much toothpaste.

My dentist said that there is actually fairly new research coming out about the abrasiveness of toothpaste and that it's actually been a major flaw in dentistry that they've blamed gum recession on hard-bristled toothbrushes. He said that toothpaste can actually be more abrasive than a toothbrush! Who knew?

I did a little online research and found this table on a few different dentist's websites. It rates toothpastes according to how abrasive they are-- and not surprisingly I've been using highly abrasive toothpastes. I always buy whitening toothpastes, and they are among the worst!

I just felt like I needed to pass this information along, because I'm sure there are lots of people out there who also have problems with gum recession-- especially those of us who have had braces. (Gum recession is often initially caused by braces.)

It's hard to change habits, but both Brent and I have cut down our toothpaste usage quite a bit. I just wish those tubes were designed to allow a smaller flow of paste.  It's practically impossible to get just a pea-sized amount out without touching the tube to your toothbrush. (Yuck!) The next step is to start buying less-abrasive toothpaste. Hopefully my teeth won't turn brown from not using whitening toothpaste anymore. :-)

Wafflettes

I meant to post this recipe AGES ago, but then I got sick for 3 months, and then I forgot about it. That is, until today, when I made these again for the first time in. . . . 7 months. 

Wafflettes are my name for this delightful breakfast food: a combination of waffles and omelettes. And they actually taste like quiche. I got the recipe from my roommate/old mission companion/best friend, Annelies. She got it from her mom, Melanie. And I don't know where it came from before that, but it is a favorite in our family. Here is the original recipe, but I usually double it to make it really worth my time. 

Ingredients: 

• 12 eggo waffles (any brand is fine)
• 6 wedges Laughing Cow Swiss Cheese (I like the garlic and onion or sundried tomato flavors.)
• 1 c. chopped ham or bacon
• 4 eggs
• 2/3 c. plain yogurt (non-fat is okay)
• 1/4 c. green onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• dash of salt and pepper

Directions: 

• Preheat the oven to 375.
• Chop the green onion and ham/bacon. 
• Spread 1/2 a wedge of laughing cow cheese on each frozen waffle (no need to defrost).
• Sprinkle the meat on the waffles. 
• In a bowl, mix together eggs, yogurt, garlic powder, green onion, salt, and pepper. 
• Spoon egg mixture onto each waffle, taking care to not let it spill over the sides of the waffle. 
• Bake for 20-25 minutes. 
• After the wafflettes cool, put them back on the cookie sheet and freeze for a couple hours. Once refrozen, store in freezer bags. 
• To reheat for a quick breakfast: Microwave for about 45 seconds to thaw and then toast in the toaster. 

YUM!! These are so good, you'll want to eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! 

Paths to Motherhood

Since my last post, I've been thinking a lot about different paths to motherhood. I recently reconnected with a good friend from BYU who adopted a baby this last August. This month, she has dedicated her blog to posts about the adoption process in honor of National Adoption Month and has included a series of posts from her son's birth mother. They had an open adoption, which means they are in full contact with the birth parents and actually have great relationship with them. In fact, their baby's birth mom is her husband's second cousin. It is an amazing, miraculous story that I definitely recommend reading. Here is a good place to start. But be warned, you may end up reading for hours because Rachel is an extremely talented writer with a knack for getting the most out of life's lessons. You won't come away disappointed.

Seeing the Good

Because being pregnant is not easy, it's easy to dwell on the negative. But there are some great things about being pregnant, so I thought I'd mention a few things I've enjoyed:

#1 The size of my belly has a purpose! It seems like it took forever for my pregnant belly to grow larger than my normal belly had been. But even before that happened, I loved the feeling of just letting it all hang out there because I had a good reason for it! It's awesome to have a huge belly and feel like you can flaunt it. Gain with no shame!

#2 I'm hungry all the time. This is sometimes annoying, but mostly I enjoy responding to hunger pains by eating lots of small, yummy meals throughout the day. It's a lot better than the hating-food part of pregnancy!!

#3 People smile at me and treat me with a greater measure of respect and courtesy. I also get a lot more compliments. This is may be just my good fortune (because I know a lot of women say that their interactions with strangers get more awkward while pregnant), but no one has rubbed my belly without permission or said anything rude to me. In fact, the comment I get most often is, "You look great!" Can't complain about that!

#4 I never get cold. Not that this is a problem in Houston. But normally, my hands and feet get cold easily, especially in winter. However, when you are pregnant your blood volume almost doubles, and that ends up being major plus in winter, especially when coats and most of your shoes don't fit. It may be 60 degrees outside, but it feels like 70 to me!

#5 My husband, who already treats me like a queen, does even more for me. He picks things up off the floor, rubs my feet, lets me rest while he does the dishes. I feel pretty spoiled. And I have to admit, I like having an excuse for being pampered.

#6 I get more attention in general. People are always concerned about how I am doing, or want to know how things are going. And I feel this has helped me make new friends and/or develop better friendships with old friends, especially with other pregnant women I know.

#7 I feel more connected to the women in my life-- both those who have children and those who want children in the future. Preparing to become a mother is the most womanly thing I have ever done. I feel like I'm finally joining the ranks. I do not mean that by being pregnant and giving birth I am "joining the ranks", but by becoming a mother. There are many ways to become a mother, and everyone has a different path. But I believe fulfilling mothering roles is essential to finding true satisfaction as a woman. So, I am excited that this baby is providing an opportunity for me to do that.

#8  It's awesome to see my body work. I can't believe that I have a baby inside of me! It is crazy! It's weird to feel him move and even weirder to think that he is his own person. And I'm excited to watch my body give birth, because at this point I'm still kind of in denial that it is possible. Our bodies are amazing!

Pregnancy Update

I am now 35 weeks and very happy to report that everything is going well. No gestational diabetes, anemia, or high blood pressure. Yay! And even though this little guy is still pretty calm, he lets me know he's in there everyday-- now more with hiccuping and stretching than kicking.

Everything looks like we're on track for a birth sometime in mid-December. The baby's "due" date is the 14th, but since he decides when he comes, we're just going to wait and see. :-) I won't be surprised if he comes around the 18th.  My mom comes into town on the 19th, so really that would be perfect. But you never know, so we need to be ready and patient at the same time. A hard combination. But at this point, I'm still feeling very patient.

Brent and I have been attending birthing classes every Saturday for 3 hours for the last two weeks. I've been practicing deep breathing, and we listen to relaxation tracks every night. It puts us to sleep in a snap. :-) And I have to say that taking the hypnobirthing class is a lot better than just reading the book. Our teacher, Melissa, is great-- and the materials in class really supplement what's in the book. We even got a second CD by going to the class, and I like the tracks on that CD a lot better than on the one included in the book. And surprisingly, Brent has been enjoying the class as well. It's really helped us mentally and emotionally prepare for our baby's birthing time. We watched some recorded births during our last class, and I was on the verge of tears practically the whole time. We are so excited to hold this baby in our arms!!!

During this season of thanksgiving, I feel so thankful for this baby. Especially because we have close friends and family who are earnestly seeking for this blessing. My heart reaches out to them.

October Recap

In October, Brent and I flew to Los Angeles to attend my Grandma Sheranian's memorial service. The burial service was at Forest Lawn in Glendale, CA. It was a beautiful, sunny day and the short service was wonderful. The next day, the memorial service was held at the Westwood Chapel-- the building where I grew up going to Church. It couldn't have been a better memorial. It was well attended by friends and family and all the talks paid honest tribute to my grandma's life of service. 

Because my grandparent's home is a stone's throw from the L.A. Temple (quite literally--if you have a good arm), Brent and I took the opportunity to enjoy the good weather and walk around the grounds.  (And I believe this is the first picture of my pregnant belly to appear on this blog. I haven't avoided having pictures taken of me or anything. I'm just not into documenting my belly week by week. Here I am at 30 weeks.)

While we were on the temple grounds we heard a loud CRAAAAAAAAACK! THUD!!!! We turned around to see a main branch of this huge, beloved tree on the ground. When we got a closer look it appeared that another main branch had recently weakened, fallen, and already been hauled away. There were cones and caution tape around the tree-- as if the grounds crew knew this next branch was about to go. The crazy thing was, the perimeter they set was exactly enough room for the branch to fall. If there had been anyone around who had ignored the caution tape, they could have been crushed! 

I have always loved this tree-- which sits on the northeast corner of the temple lot--and so it makes me sad to see it go. It is a favorite spot of brides and grooms to get their picture taken, and now it will most certainly need to be removed. Just look at that gash! I can't believe we just happened to be there when it happened.  

While staying at my parents house, we took some family pictures. So here is a cute shot of me and Brent. Any guesses on what the baby will look like?

And here's another belly shot. I'm all about low-key-throw-it-together-two-seconds-before costumes. So I put on Brent's orange shirt and cut a jack o' lantern face out of construction paper and taped it on. :-) (This is at our Primary Trick or Treat activity. Instead of doing trunk or treat, we decorated doors in the halls and had them trick or treat room to room.)

The main event not pictured here was moving apartments. We LOVE our new place, and I'll post pictures soon! 

Reflections on Moving

As I was unpacking and organizing, I found a piece of paper with a short, scribbled essay that I wrote during the Central Utah Writing Project. The CUWP was a 4 week course about teaching writing I attended during the summer of 2010. Dr. Debbie Dean and Dr. Chris Crowe-- two of my favorite BYU professors taught the course, and I had SO much fun. It was the perfect non-wedding thing to keep me busy and focused while engaged. 

One of the activities we did was a “walk-about” in downtown American Fork, UT. We wandered around, found interesting attractions-- be it the city hall, a hidden park, or a strange store, and then sat and wrote about them-- or whatever came to mind. 

I shared a lot of my writing during CUWP on this blog, but I didn't share this piece of writing (which I wrote during one of the walk-abouts) because it was so emotionally charged for me. . . and mostly because I didn't want to make Brent nervous by expressing my reservations about moving to Houston. But now that we've been here a year, I feel it is time to share. Keep in mind that I wrote this in about 10 minutes and that I pretty much transcribed it exactly as the original (I only broke up the paragraphs for clarity.)

Going into that antique store got me thinking about decorating. Soon I will arrive at an apartment in Houston with a truckload of belongings but almost not furniture and a limited budget.  And I feel nervous. Decorating is one of those small things that makes a big difference. It’s the way you accept a new space as your own. It’s how you can change a cold, uninviting place into a home.

All my life I’ve dreamed of having my own home to decorate and care for just how I wanted. But now that the day is approaching, I feel a little overwhelmed by the thought. Maybe it’s because I’m moving 1500 miles across the country to a place where I have never been and where I will have no family (besides a husband of 1 month, of course). I’m excited, but nervous. So many changes at once. Will I make friends? Will I find a good job? How long will it be before I feel “at home” in Houston?

The truth is I’ve done this before. As a missionary I had a hard time adjusting to South Africa, but after a few months, it became a part of me. I know I can do it again, but it still feels like a leap of faith.

I’m actually glad I get to decorate our apartment with my paintings, my books, my pictures. Moving all my belongings to a new place will help me move my heart.

It's interesting to reflect back on these feelings of anxiety. In the weeks after our wedding as we prepared to move, I cried-- more than once-- because of the stress and anxiety I felt. Poor Brent, as a brand new husband, wasn't sure exactly how to react. He, very seriously, asked me if we shouldn't move. Obviously he wasn't used to my way of coping with stress. I told him, "Of course not! I just need to cry about it." :-)

But all my anxieties were just that-- unwarranted fears. I actually felt "at home" in Houston during our first week here. It's the most amazing, seamless transition I've ever made into a city. The noise, the lack of stars, the crazy drivers, the ethnic and racial diversity didn't phase me a bit because of my upbringing in L.A. and experiences on my mission. And really, the pattern of our lives-- our habits, our relationship as a couple, and the types of friends we made-- really didn't change. The move was so much easier than I had anticipated. Taking the first step was the hardest part.

Blessings of Friendship

This last weekend, Brent and I moved apartments. We are now in a 2-bedroom on the second floor (instead of a 1-bedroom on the third floor), and we're 15 minutes closer to Brent's work. Plus we are right next door to our chapel-- I mean right next door. If I stick my head out my bedroom window, I can see it. With all the church activities and meetings we attend, we'll probably save a few tanks of gas over the course of the next year. And the best part is that the neighborhood is quiet and beautiful. We wavered back and forth about whether or not to move, but we are so happy we made this choice.

One of my major concerns was moving so late in my pregnancy (I'm 32 weeks), but it went better than I could have imagined! Not only did our friends help us move out and then into our new apartment, but they also helped me completely clean the old apartment-- in under 3 hours! We had 6 men show up and 5 women--plus me and Brent. (Although I have to admit, I was the least helpful. I actually didn't move a thing.)

When Brent returned the truck to U-Haul 5 hours early (I reserved it all day just in case), the woman working there was surprised. Brent told her we had about 12 friends come over to help us move. In shock, she asked, "What did you pay them?!" Brent said, "Oh we bought them some kolaches." (Kolaches are rolls filled with meat, cheese, and/or egg that are sold at doughnut shops and are very popular in Texas.) She said, "THAT'S ALL??!"

While we were cleaning, one of my friends told me that a co-worker asked what her plans were for this weekend. When she said, "Oh, we're helping some friends move," the co-worker couldn't believe it. It seems like no one helps each other out these days.

When Brent and I told each other the stories, we laughed-- but also felt sad that some people don't have a network of friends they can rely on for service. This is one of the greatest blessings of being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to me. In the Church, we friend each other in a culture of service. It is not weird or strange to ask for help when needed because not only is it expected, it's also reciprocal. Our friends know that when they ask for our help, we will be there!

Obviously this kind of network of friends is not unique to our Church-- and there are many people who have this kind of service network who may not attend any church. But I feel like especially in the big city, where people live so independently, this kind of community network is rare. And I think that's unfortunate. I wonder how many social problems would be cured if we just took better care of our neighbors, of our friends-- if we watched out for each other.