Guess what I get to do this weekend?!

I'm so excited that I have to share!!

I just got an email saying room opened up in a photography workshop this weekend! I tried to get into it a few weeks back, but it was full.  But now I get to go!! I'm so excited!

Saturday will be a 4 hour workshop on shooting and Sunday will be a 4 hour workshop on editing! I'm thrilled! I love photography so much and I can't wait to learn even more.  With our baby on the way, I want to learn as much as I can so I can take amazing pictures of it!

Want to see who is teaching me?? It's this amazing photographer... Jennifer McKinney from the blog MckMama!!!

CAN'T WAIT!

Our World Changed

As a freshman in high school, I was greatly affected by September 11th, 2001.  Like so many people, something inside me changed as I watched our country struggle to respond to the grief and loss of that day.

But America became United.  We stood as one.  Ready to bring justice to the men and women who lost their lives that day.  Thousands of men and women have vowed to give their lives for our freedom since that day.  My brother in law is one of them.  And so is my husband.  They chose to join the military knowing exactly what the risks were... deployments, separation from family, death. They do not think about those things though.  They joined because the 4,000 plus lives lost on this day 10 year ago, along with every other American life, are worth the price our military pays.

It is no coincidence that this anniversary falls during a time of turmoil, fear and political separation in our country.  We needed this.  We need to remember this day.  How we felt after that day. How UNITED we were.  We were determined to be a better America after that day.

And here we are 10 years later.  A generation of children is being born that will not have any memory of September 11th.  I'm carrying one of them.  How will they know this day? Will they know it as the day America began falling apart? Or will it be a great day in America history?

Never forget.  Remember. Be intentional. Be United.

A work in progress...

Everyone has been asking... so here are some picture of our house with our stuff in it!

These pictures are not my best work... but oh well!

Our Bedroom (Bonus points if you see Lucy)

Looking in from the hall

 Bedroom looking toward the hall

 Master Bathroom

 Master Bathtub

 Master Shower

 In this picture you can see our secret escape door covered up by a strategically placed mirror

 Nursery with crib!

 Nursery

 More Nursery complete with bookshelf.  

 Long Hallway to Bedrooms

 Middle bedroom... currently the catch all room!

 Hall Bathroom (It's beige... not yellow)

 Study (totally unorganized) Also with big piece of plywood waiting to be upholstered. 

 More Study.  New filing cabinet!

His and Hers Diplomas

 Guest room

Entry way looking into the dining/living area

Dining room and living room

New Dining Room Table!!

Living room... a little bare 

 From the front of the house looking back through the kitchen

Kitchen

Looking from breakfast area to front of the house

Third bahtroom... there is also a full size shower right across from the toilet

Our awesome laundry room!

More laundry room with folding area!

Pregnancy blues

It's hard to admit... but I definitely have the pregnancy blues.  I've had a completely uneventful pregnancy, so there is no reason for me to feel this way, but I do.

Because I am always so honest on my blog I feel like I should share this part of my pregnancy too.  But it's definitely difficult. I know a lot of it is hormones, but it doesn't make it any easier to deal with.

Every human relationship I have right now feels off. I kind of just want to crawl into a hole and hide for the next 6 months.  I feel like if I continue in this state, soon no one will want to be around me.  It doesn't just affect my personality, but also my passion for things I used to love... like my job.  Right now my job is a chore.  I really do love it, but this year I have had to force myself to show up every single day. It shouldn't be that way.

What baffles me the most is that no matter how much I try to be excited for the baby... I'm not. I can "verbalize" that I'm happy and talk about my pregnancy.  But on the inside it's just not how I thought I would feel.

15 Weeks

Well... I'm so glad to say good bye to the first trimester.  And not because I didn't have a good one but just because it means we are closer to meeting our little baby.

I've been feeling pretty good... but I think I should knock on some wood because tonight I definitely feel strange.

I think maybe I felt the baby tonight.  Not sure... maybe I'll feel it again soon!

I think we are nearing a decision on boys names.  We have had lots of arguments but hopefully we are finally getting to some common ground.

Bump: It's there.

Anyways... It's 9:40 and way way past my bed time.  No I'm serious!