McGriddles, cars, and God's perfect timing

I haven't driven my own car in, oh...about 2 years. Kinda sad, huh? I had a little Grand Am that had served me well, but in the spring of 2010 it decided to give up the ghost. We could have fixed it...if we'd had the money. But we didn't. The list of things wrong with it was just too long and too expensive. Every time we'd talk about getting started on that list, something else would happen that required our money and attention. I ended up driving my Mom's CRV. Thankfully my parents were able to spare their extra car for a while (quite a while), or Shaun and I would've been in trouble. Our financial situation for the past two years, especially 2011, has meant that we've had to do without some things, including a new car.

Now, with Kellen on the way, having a car we can all fit in is way more important than before. Thankfully, Shaun's truck is paid off this month (woohoo!), so we figured we'd be able to get a car if we continued scrimping in other areas. Kind of a precarious financial idea, but it was the best we had.

However, once we started gearing up to car shop, my parents let us know that they had just reached an agreement to sell their lot in Piedmont, which had been for sale for months, and they were going to give us the money to buy a car. In fact, the amount was just right to purchase one of the cars we'd been looking at.

We started earnestly looking at Scion XBs, cars that Shaun loved for the interior room and I loved for the gas mileage. The only other car I even considered was the HHR, but most of those were a bit out of our price range.

This week, right before we'd actually have the money to buy a car, Shaun got a serious McGriddle urge. For some reason he decided to go to the McDonald's on 66 and Piedmont Road (that is currently being remodeled...but he didn't know that), which he never goes to. As he drove by one of the businesses on Ranchwood, he noticed the perfect HHR with a for sale sign.

He figured that with its custom paint job, wheels, and other after-market mods it would be out of our price range, but he asked the owner anyway. Turns out it was actually cheaper than everything else we were looking at, and the owner was willing to hold it for us for a couple days.

In the end, we got the perfect car for us. Plenty of room for us, the baby, and cargo, and it's pretty to boot! Literally 10 minutes before Shaun took a short drive and found exactly what we needed, I asked God to lead us where we needed to go, and He did. It's amazing how He answers our prayers, if only we think to pray them.

Cards, presents, and baked goods

Sometimes I wish Christmas was a lot simpler. Does everyone really need all the cards, presents, and baked goods? The cards get thrown away, the presents often end up forgotten or ill-used, and the baked goods are gone within a couple days. What's the point, really?

Yeah, yeah, I know most of you will jump on me for saying that. The cards are thoughtful, the presents show the spirit of giving, the baked goods are delicious. I get that.

What I'm really wondering is, why do we spend so much time and energy on them when that energy (and money) is better spent elsewhere?

In the midst of buying presents at overcrowded stores full of semi-grouchy people, it occurred to me that everyone I'm buying presents for really has enough stuff already. They don't need more things. There are plenty of people out there who have nothing, and here I am filling the already crowded houses of those who have plenty.

What if, instead of spending time, energy, and money on things that pass away, we took time for eternal things? What if we got together with our families and provided Christmas dinner for a family who wouldn't have one otherwise? Or if we bought toys for kids who have been told they won't be getting presents this year?

When Jesus came to earth as a little baby, the first people told of His arrival weren't kings or holy men. They were shepherds. They were considered so dirty that if you touched one, you had to be cleansed. They were untouchable. Yet, they were the first told of this heavenly gift, of this Savior.

Shouldn't Christmas be the same way for us? Shouldn't we first give to those society deems untouchable and worry about ourselves later?

Pregnancy faves

Three blogs in three days? I know, I'm crazy! Guess I'm just in a sharing mood this week. :)

The past few months have been all about comfort, and in that time I've found a few things I can't live without! I only wish I'd found them earlier. So pregnant ladies, take note!

Earth Therapeutics Anti-Stress Comfort Wrap
With my constantly sore ribs and lower back, this microwaveable/freezable wrap has been a Godsend. Every 10 minutes spent with a hot wrap gives me an hour without rib pain, and I think that's a pretty good trade! It's great to cozy up with at bedtime as well.

Belly Band

I got a Be Maternity BeBand from Target, and it's been a great investment. Since I loathe most of the maternity jeans I've found, this has been a lifesaver. Slip it over your pre-pregnancy jeans and you don't even have to zip them up!

The Republic of Tea - Get Maternal

I discovered this tea at the Health Food Center today ($7.99 for 36 tea bags), and it is amazing. I wish I'd known about it during the first trimester. It has ginger to help with nausea and all sorts of other herbal goodness to help combat water retention, keep muscle tone, grow strong baby bones, etc. And it's tasty too!

What are your top three pregnancy comforts?

Christmas with friends!

It's way past my pregnant lady bedtime (which is usually between 9:30 and 10:30, in case you wanted to know), but I just can't help but post some photos from our marketing support staff reunion party!

The marketing support staff is where I started in the company I work for, and the coworkers were amaz-za-zing. We had some of the best - and funniest - times in that office, and to memorialize them we posted the best one liners on a Twitter account. As a surprise for all of us, Aiden went through and printed them all out for our enjoyment. It basically turned into a 6 hour laugh fest!

The quotes. See how funny we are? That bowl is FULL!

"Buttshorts!...Why did I say that?"

Laughed 'til we cried. True story.

I would like to point out that even Shaun laughed out loud. That rarely happens!

It's amazing how one line, like "DO NOT FART!" or "I AM that good looking!" brings back a flood of memories and laughs! It was good to get together with people who share my offbeat sense of humor. Oh, and love of sweets. Did I mention the sweets?

It's okay. You can drool. I did too.

26 weeks and counting!

I haven't had much to update about lately, so here's a mini-update that answers some of the questions people have been asking me!

I'm eating a lot of...strawberry jello, mac & cheese, pickles, and colby jack cheese. And I will absolutely demolish a bag of peppermint bark Ghiradellis when given the chance.

I'm feeling...meh. My ribcage is very sore and makes it hard to sit down for long periods of time. Other than that and my lack of sleep though, not so bad!

Baby is...26 weeks along. According to Baby Center, he's about 1.66 pounds and 14 inches long. And he's very opinionated! If he doesn't like how I'm sitting or laying, he lets me know.

His name is...undecided at this point. It will definitely start with a K! Not because we decided we wanted a K name though. For some reason every name we like just happens to start with that letter!

His room will be...vintage baseball. Sometime soon Mom and I will be undertaking the task of sewing bedding for his crib! I'm pretty excited.

Well folks, that's all for now! If anyone has any burning questions, ask away. :)

Baby kicks and new Bible studies

From some awesome highs to some really low lows, my past couple weeks have been kind of an emotional roller coaster. I guess I should appreciate it since it's the only roller coaster I'll be riding for a while! :)

Last week the baby, who I hadn't really felt moving around much before, decided to start a danceathon that hasn't really let up much since. I was really excited that Shaun was there, so he didn't miss it. :-) Every little kick's been enough to make me emotional. I love feeling him move around so much! Baby's been somewhat more laid back today, but I can tell you for certain that he dislikes my seriously uncomfortable desk chair at work just as much as I do. He'll kick me until I stand up, then start all over when I sit down again. I concur with his opinion, so I've been trying to get up and move around every now and then, but it's a lot more difficult in the building I'm in now since there's not really any place to go.

Speaking of the building I'm in now for work, I still don't like it. I have to park freakishly far away (I used to park 10 feet from my office's door), the bathroom situation is awkward, the kitchen is entirely too crowded at lunch and I'm not a fan of sitting in a room with  like 20 other people and no dividers of any sort. I'm too easily distracted for that. It's a pregnant lady's nightmare.

I've been kind of down in the dumps lately over a bunch of stuff, but my Bible study just started a new book by Kay Arthur called Lord, Give Me a Heart for You that is absolutely amazing. It focuses primarily on 2 Corinthians, and the first chapter alone had me in tears reading about God's purpose in affliction and the comfort only He can give. It's a great study that covers a lot of ground, and I highly recommend it. I promise you'll see yourself reflected in it, and what's more - challenged.

On to other cool, Bible-related matters, yesterday Bob Cornuke spoke at our church. He's a police investigator turned Bible investigator, I guess you could say. Taking what it says in the Bible he goes out and looks for things like Paul's shipwreck, Noah's ark, and Mount Sinai. He's definitely found where Paul's shipwreck occurred and has seen the anchors that were left in the ocean as a result, and he's also given tons and tons of evidence for where the real Mount Sinai is. It's so cool seeing proof of the Bible's accuracy.

He's also done research into the ark of the covenant, and apparently he showed some really cool stuff about it on Sunday morning, but I was in and out of the auditorium feeling really sick. :-/ I don't know why I always feel sick when a really cool guest speaker comes to church!

Well, that's all I've got for today! My brain's feeling pretty fried lately, so trying to remember what happened last week is kinda hard. :-) In parting, I leave you with two of my favorite quotes from chapter 1 of Lord, Give Me a Heart for You:

"When we go beyond our limit, then we experience the supernatural intervention of God and we know that we know it's God."


"And the more intense the suffering, the more abundant the comfort. In other words, He assures us, precious one, that we can never 'out-suffer' His comfort."

My pants don't fit! And other life stories...

I realize I've been absolutely terrible with the updates lately. I'm sorry about that! Life has been absolutely insane lately. In September I had loads of Scottish things to do, including dancing at the Tulsa Scottish Festival and flying up to McPherson, KS, for the festival there (and it was my first time in a small plane! So much fun). This October has been hectic and full of things both fun and frustrating.

After a lot of hard work, mostly on Shaun's part, we finally had the Ink For Your Letter launch party at the Conservatory last Saturday. It went really well! Shaun and I manned the merch table, with help from Jay, and I got to be in charge of the drawing for the XBox 360 and other prizes. That's too much power for me, I tell you! ;) I also had a tip jar that said "Tips, please! I'm pregnant!" but all I got was a dollar bill, four pennies, and a handwritten note from Jay that said "Tip: eat more pizza." I hope you people tip better at restaurants!

My job description also changed this month...twice. If this was a baseball team I'd be listed on the roster as a utility player. I also changed office buildings. I'm now in the production building, which I hate because there are not NEARLY enough bathrooms. It never fails, every single time I feel nauseous and have to make a mad dash to a bathroom, there's someone walking in to the only available one right in front of me. Today the guy who did that turned around, looked at me as I clutched my hand over my mouth, and still went in. I don't know how I managed to hold it in til he vacated the bathroom, but I swear next time I'm puking on the offender! That'll show him.

We've had a lot of house guests of the touring band variety lately. This month we've had Ten After Two stay over on their way to Little Rock, and next month we'll have Decoder and Woe, Is Me. I love seeing all those musician guys. They're highly entertaining! Seriously, lots of laughs with them around.

Oh, and did I mention? We're officially having a boy. :) I'm constantly expanding and starting to feel a bit like a balloon. Hope no one tries to pop me! I'm starting to regret owning fitted clothes at all. None of my pants fit! I have maternity pants, but I pout about them. Pants should NOT come up over one's belly button.

I'm sure there's more updating to be done, but at the moment my brain doesn't want to work, so that's all for now! Stay tuned for more baby updates :)