Surprise!

I came home from work early last night, only to be met by Michael ("What are YOU doing Here???") who insisted on taking me out for a bit to spend some birthday time with me while Eric made dinner for the three of us. We went to Rice 'n Roll, shared a strawberry bubble tea filled with tapioca balls, and talked about life. And hour later, Eric calls, tells us that dinner is ready and to come home.

I open my apartment door and SURPRISE!!! There are all my favorite Chicagoan friends sitting in my living room waiting to celebrate with me!!!

And not only that, but the table was FILLED with plates and plates of ribs that Eric had cooked on the grill for 7-9 HOURS!!! In the SNOW!!! Let me tell you. I have found an amazing man. And he is all mine. So there.

I remember one birthday a long time ago when dad was grilling ribs for me in a snowstorm (yes, the snowstorm LOVED to always come on my birthday). He said to me, "Bethers, you better marry someone who will grill ribs for you in the snow..." And.....I did. Eric is amazing. And never ceases to go above and beyond anything I could wish for.

We had such a fun time last night, with the greatest friends, the most delicious ribs, and homemade key lime pie from Keziah!!!! :)

I am loved, blessed, and so happy.

Thank you, Eric. I love you.

Truly Golden

Yesterday was a truly golden birthday. I turned 23, didn't cry about it, but also didn't feel any different either. Katie can't figure out why that is, and neither can I. But I had fun all the same!

Highlights of my golden day:

1) Welcomed in the 3rd trimester and found out I have gained 4 pounds in the past month. They say that's a good thing, but to me it was.....thrilling....

2) I heard our baby's heartbeat again. Strong, consistent, and LOUD! This baby definitely like to make itself known!

3) Went to lunch with a handsome devil at my favorite Chicago restaurant - Italian Village - which has the atmosphere of sitting outside in the moonlight under the stars in Tuscan Italy... and ate the most delicious Lasagna!!!

4) Then Eric bought me stuff at Blick and told me what my birthday present is (it is still in the mail)!!!! Printmaking supplies!!!!! I am so excited to get carving!!!

5) The sun came out on the L ride home, and filled our apartment with golden light until it set behind the buildings.

6) Watched "The women tell all" episode of the Bachelor and laughed my head off, making fun of all the pathetic women who honestly try to find love on television...haha!

7) Drank up to my allotted 8 glasses of water for the day and then promptly threw up 10 minutes later after the last three.

8) Washed the puke off my body and clothes in the shower after washing the entirety of the toilet afterwards as well... (thank you stomach, for your projectile-style celebration of my birthday...just what I always wanted)

9) Felt much better after that and played Railroad Tycoon with Eric while sipping Ginger Ale and got smoked as usual by 12 points that I just couldn't get.

10) The baby experimented with my belly turning it into a giant jello jiggler as soon as I got into bed... I had to "Rock" my baby to sleep by pacing my bedroom so I could lay down comfortably without it turning three flips a second and kicking every major organ I have...

11) Fell asleep and had a dream I fell out of a boat in a crocodile-infested river.

12) Woke up in Eric's arms. Much better than a crocodile's jaws. I love that boy.

And that was my Golden Birthday. Happy 23 to me!

It was a good one. ;)

Girls, Vanity, and Lies

Last night after church Eric and I got subs to console our hunger and brought them up to the guys' apartment to hang out and watch some olympics. Two other girls were there who went to NPU with us as well.

Eric and I were bantering back and forth with the guys (as usual) and something came up about the baby and me being pregnant - as it usually does with them. The girls both turn and look at me and holler "You're pregnant?!!! I didn't know you're pregnant!!!!"

I sat there and laughed. (after all, how could they not know just by glancing at my rotundness? Common sense, ladies! I'm not THAT avid of a soccer player that I would carry a ball voluntarily around with me! Let alone tucked under the front of my shirt!) And if was just fat, it wouldn't all be right in front and no where else! And no, this is definitely much to large for a food baby....let alone, it wiggles.

So laughing myself to death, I pat my ball-shaped baby belly and say, "yes, I am six months pregnant - as if you couldn't tell from this bump I'm carrying around!"

And the girls, ah, silly deceitful girls.....say "I can't even tell you're pregnant! I can't even tell!"

To which I laughed some more, stand up, give them my best pregnant profile and say sarcastically "really, you can't tell...?"

"No!!!!" they lied enthusiastically.

Oh the vain deceitfulness of girls.

I secretly hope this baby is a boy.

And if it is a girl, I will teach it not to lie. :)

mmmmm

Eating pizza for breakfast is almost a religious affair. End of story.

Rock-a-bye-baby

- baby's room (in progress - still a long way to go!)

- jack surveying his kingdom

- the crib bumpers ($2 at Village Discount! Don't worry, I will scrub them!)

- the crib, the very same that Eric spent his babyhood in

- my curtains...lovely, aren't they?!

Hello baby.

Here is me trying to see my toes...

Here is me two weeks ago. Little cantelope bump.

Here is me today. Soccer ball bump.

Hello there, Baby!

Octopus legs

This morning, I swear I am growing an octopus instead of a baby... Are you sure the ultrasound only showed two arms and two legs? Cuz I definitely feel like there are at least eight limbs rolling and kicking around in there...maybe its a giant squid! Already honing in on 28 weeks pregnant, I don't really see how there is room for this baby to keep growing - I feel stretched to my limits as it is! And to think that is only supposedly weighs 2 pounds right now...what will I look like when it weighs 8? haha. Maybe I shouldn't think too much about it. Yesterday while I was babysitting, the almost 3 year old boy says to me, "Bethany, do you have a soccer ball under your shirt?"

"What do you think, Mata? Do you think there is a soccer ball under there?"

"I don't know. But it looks like there is a soccer ball under your shirt!"

yup....a soccer ball with eight legs that likes to lay its cute little bulbous head smack on my bladder all the time.

Ok, so this blog is probably going to be far from serious, but the reason why I call it "A lifetime of Spring" is because if I was to use one word to describe my life it would be "Change." Everything is always changing (life of a TCK - sisters, take note - it doesn't settle down even after you live in one place for a while - still saying goodbye and starting over all the time) for me and has pretty much determined to be the rhythm of life for Eric and I. So be it. With my immediate family spread out in all different countries, my husband being a visionary with big dreams, and me being an artist with an octopus squirming around in my swollen belly, I have little choice but to let the changes come again and again...and not really ever leave... But, (sisters, another word of advice - yes, thank you thank you) the great thing about being a TCK is that you DO learn how to deal with and cope with change effectively, which means that even if it tries to wreak havoc on your life, you are still in control of how you respond to it. And because of that, I can say with complete truth and honesty that my life has been BLESSED and continues to be blessed with every change that comes - because the Lord continues to provide, guide us, and is always and irrevocably good to us - no matter what.

And because of that, I know that this little balogna loaf will not be born as a jellyish squid, but will be a cute (I hope...haha) little baby human who will show jack who's boss and steal all the attention away from him and his furry fatty sister. (yeah, go baby!!!)

Needless to say, Eric and I are looking forward to May and meeting our little soccer champ that is currently doing backflips in his/her personal hot tub. It's pretty crazy that we are both madly in love with this little being that we have not ever met before, but will spend the rest of our lives with. I guess that's just what happens when you become parents. And in the words of Dan's dad, "You fall completely in love with this baby as soon as you lay eyes on it...and that love just never stops...even when he's all grown up."

(jack is currently climbing up my back and trying to finish typing this for me...good grief. Free cats if anyone is interested...)

Parting words - Carpe diem.

I'm going to go make some art.

I am the King

Dear owners who faithfully feed me every day,

I have come to the conclusion that you are slacking in your duties to pet me, cuddle me, feed me on time, and shower me with every ounce of your love and attention. For this, I will jump in your bathtub, drag my wet paws all over the house, open and close the cupboards - slamming them as loud as I can, cry under your door, pull all the clothes out of your dresser and then climb inside myself at 4 in the morning, bury my whiskery face in your neck while you are sleeping, pull the stuffing out of your mattress - eat it - and then throw it up later on the floor, and scratch holes in all of your furniture. I will also race around the house like a madman, jumping up walls and chasing the bugs that you think are imaginary - just about the time when you are getting ready for bed. And I don't care that your lap has morphed into a soccer ball shape - I will keep jumping there anyway.

Oh, and please refill the food bowl. I won't eat the crumbs that I leave behind when I chew. I ONLY eat the whole and perfect pieces.

My sister is in league with me. Don't think you can stop us, no matter what a fatty pants petunia she is. I am the King. And this is my house.

- jack