Making a bit of Christmas.

We aren't doing too much this year in the way of decorting or gifting, as we are pregnant and leaving for my parents' house on Christmas Day, but we did get an oh-so-sweet-smelling tree and feeling a burst of energy, I managed to make 7 kinds of Christmas cookies over the span of two days to give to a few friends. Hubby has had this week prior to Christmas off work and school, and I wasn't tutoring. It was lovely and peaceful to spend that time together cooking, cleaning, playing board games and doing a bit of baby-planning.

I think I was wondering how to balance myself while hanging the lights...

I really enjoyed getting back to baking and creating these delicious, holiday family-favorites.

We wish you all a very blessed and joyful Christmas season. May the Savior's birth fill your hearts with an abundance of peace and love.

3 years.

3 years...this past year has been one of much growth for us as we continue to learn, pray, communicate and forgive in this vocation of marriage, while also enjoying so much fun and laughter. We celebrated last night with dinner out, and then shared dessert and coffee under the moon and stars at the beach. We realized that this would be our last anniversary as merely a couple, as we approach the date when we will be a family. We talked about the changes that will take place to ourselves as individuals and as a couple, resolving to make time to nourish and listen to each other amidst the expected distractions of a little one. Although I am a million x a million times excited for, and ready for this baby, this anniversary was slightly bittersweet for me. We have had so many wonderful, uninhibited, carefree, wrapped-up-in-each other times these past 3 years with just the two of us, times that we will not have in quite the same way in the future. More than anything, I am so grateful for the time we did have alone; God in His wisdom knew it was needed to provide a strong, trusting, loving foundation for us both to lean on during the upcoming years. Now, bring on the baby(ies)!

Love you, hubby.

A time of waiting.

Although this has been a busy Advent season for me thus far, with my tutoring job, helping with our church's childrens' Christmas play, and getting my choir ready for Christmas Masses, I have been fortunate to remember to reflect on the correlation between Advent and pregnancy. Advent is a time of waiting and preparing for the Lord to enter anew into our lives and hearts. It is a time of much anticipation and wonder at the saving gift from God the Father that descends to earth in the form of a tiny, helpless babe. It has been a blessing to also reflect this year on the Blessed Virgin as a pregnant woman; her possible joys, discomforts, uncertainties...but her never-failing trust in God and perfect obedience to His will for her life. What an example to all women and especially mothers-to-be! This for me, so far, has been one of the most challenging experiences in my life, with emotional ups and downs, doubting myself, physical changes, etc.; and to realize that Mary experienced some of the same things with such trust and grace has been an encouragement. Of course, being free from original sin, I'm sure she handled things MUCH better than I, but knowing that she underwent this same journey into motherhood, enables me that much more to turn to her for her prayers and guidance during this time. It has been a beautiful blessing to be pregnant during Advent, and I am thankful for the promptings to contemplate these things at this time, instead of focusing on my tiredness or discomfort. I have tried to remember to humbly say with Mary, "I am the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to Thy word." Knowing, as witnessed time and time again, that He has designed the perfect plan for us and for this little boy, provides me with a huge amount of peace despite the looming unknowns of parenthood. :)

25 weeks.

Finally starting to feel a little more like myself, except getting used to a certain protrusion. Andrew loves seeing my tummy grow...that's a good thing, as it only gets bigger from here on out! Time to start catching up on all I didn't do during my period of nausea...a bit of organization needs to occur around the home.

Friendship, baby bellies, and smiles.

This past week, I stopped by to visit my dear friend Christine who is also pregnant (with a girl!) due in about a week. We were determined to capture both of our pregnant bellies together and were happy to get these photos. We've spent many an hour conversing about mothering and babies, and have been blessed to share in this experience at the same time. Enjoy the happiness and fun! Got a few shots with hubby too.

A friend should be one in whose understanding and virtue we can equally confide, and whose opinion we can value at once for its justness and its sincerity. ~ Robert Hall

When did all this happen?!?

It's been a wild ride up to this point!

"When we consider the blessings of God—the gifts that add beauty and joy to our lives, that enable us to keep going through stretches of boredom and even suffering - friendship is very near the top." Donald W. McCullough

Almost 22 weeks...

...and falling in love with our little boy.

20 weeks.

Hard to believe we are halfway there!

The bump is coming along!

We love you, little boy; keep on growing.



Blues and greens and cars and trucks.

Little One,

Today we discovered that you are a BOY!!  We are so excited to know your gender. Well, Papa was a little reluctant at first, as he thought it would spoil a big surprise at the end, but I want to know as much about you as I can during this pregnancy, and so we decided to find out, and we are SO glad we did! Your uncles and aunts were quite surprised, as most of them were 100% sure you were a girl (to even out the boy-girl ratio amongst the grandchildren thus far). Up until last week, I had no feeling one way or another, and this week suddenly had a strong feeling that you were a boy. And so you are! A very healthy and active one as evidenced in today's ultrasound. Recently, your aerobics have prompted us to nickname you "little monkey." We are so looking forward to having an eldest son, and we love you very much and pray for you every day. Many of our friends are praying for you too! Keep growing.

 

 

(Side note: My cysts remain, and so in 2 weeks I will be going in to have them diagnosed. Please keep this in your prayers - surgery has been mentioned - not the most desired thing for me during a pregnancy.)

16 weeks.

I started to really pop out just around 16 weeks. Heard the babe's heartbeat for the first time yesterday! Remembering that sound helps me survive the nausea and visits to the porcelain bowl. :) Also have been feeling movements, especially during this week's midwife appointment - she prodded my tummy thoroughly.

(Note: Further tummy pictures will be fully clothed. Andrew snapped this one today - our only one so far, as I have been feeling so miserable, that picture taking is not on my mind.)

Introducing...

Juliette Marie Dilanji born September 15 at home in the water! I was fortunate to be feeling a little better this past week, and so was able to go up to Gainseville and meet her, and visit with Laura's family and Mom and Catherine who were in visiting/helping out. It was so very encouraging for me to be able to hold and spend time with a newborn - reminded me how precious is the gift that awaits at the end of this tough beautiful journey of pregnancy. :) Juliette is so precious and will receive much love, especially from her 3 older brothers.

Almost 14 weeks.

The infrequency of my posts, despite this most exciting and important time in our lives, will attest to the fact of my extreme morning 24/7 hr. sickness. At times, it is so intense that I forget I am pregnant!! But these crazy hormones are such a good sign, so I am thankful throughout the struggle. Hubby has been SO wonderful, taking care of me and the housework...I don't know what I would do without him!

This morning was one of those rare mornings I could eat, carbs nonetheless -
thanks hubby for the French toast! I'm not lookin' too hot.

Yesterday, I had such a great ultrasound of you, little one. I felt bad Daddy couldn't be there to see you. The tech pointed out all your important features and body parts to me. Strong heartbeat, great bone structure, limbs...everything where it should be. And you're quite the mover; your little arms were all over the place. Everything progressing well! I, on the other hand, have a cyst on each ovary that my midwife and Dr. are monitoring. No unsual pain stemming from that area, so we are suspecting them to be endometrial cysts....further diagnosis and decision on what to do with them will be discussed in the near future, but for now, I'm so happy that YOU are well and growing!! Deo gratias! We love you.

You're pretty cute, hmm, boy or girl....?

And there's some of the action.

You're really there!

Look who we saw today! Our little peanut with such a strong heartbeat - first time out of 3 pregnancies that we were able to see this - it was a special moment. Amazing to see the very definition of love in that tiny form.

(Think I have to go visit the bathroom now....oh the joys!)

8-ish weeks.

Daddy snapped this picture of me terribly naseous and exahusted. This is how mama spends most of her time these days...plus lots of prayer for strength to make it through - but you are worth it all! First ultrasound in 2 days...hope to see that heart beating strong.

6 weeks.

Well, little one, you are in there, as we found out the morning of July 13. You were quite a surprise, because mama has been gone a lot this summer, leaving poor papa very lonely. But God has blessed our hard work and self-sacrifice with YOU!  So far you've been making mama pretty warm, extremely exhausted (I didn't know it was possible to be this tired all the time!), and slightly sick just starting this weekend. Blood tests will be run this week and we are praying for strong results, and as always, to whole-heartedly embrace the will of our Lord. For now, know that we love you very much and dedicate you to the precious Sacred Heart of Jesus.

There you are at 4.5 weeks.

We discovered I was pregnant while in St. Louis, MO vacationing a few days prior to our good friends' wedding. I had a suspicion, due to being 4 days late and also having a spiked temperature so had brought along a pregnancy test on our trip. Sure enough, the test was positive Wednesday morning! We were fortunate to be able to attend Mass at the beautiful Cathdedral Basilica of Saint Louis that afternoon and gave thanks for the gift of another life. We also saw items used during the visit of Pope John Paul II and were able to touch the chair he sat in (as it's a relic now!) He will be one of our special patrons during this pregnancy.

Mama saying a prayer for you.

Mama and Papa on the day we found out.

Well hello there...

Yes, it's been awhile. But I have good reasons for it considering I was out traveling the majority of June and also 2 weeks of July!

Recap(s):

June 3 was my last day of teaching and I will not be returning next year. I am happy to say I went out on a good note - our high school music presentation was well received and my juniors did a fantastic job singing at the graduation Mass. They were so good they were mistaken for the Ave Maria choirs. :) The kids were very sad to see me go and I will miss them, their jokes and their craziness, but it is time for me to be at home more.

June 13-18 I was at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh for the Church Music Association of America's annual sacred music colloquium. It was excellent. So thankful my church was able to send me. I really needed a refresher in chant and conducting techniques and it was a blessing to be able to sing more intricate music with advanced musicians again. There was a great number of young people there; very encouraging, and I made a few great new friends. I had an absolutely splendid time and returned with renewed vigor. Below is a short video summary of this year's colloquium.

http://vimeo.com/25764590

Good lecture: http://vimeo.com/25776981

Then it was home for a week to prepare music for a friend's wedding and Corpus Christi. I pushed for a very simple procession at our church this year and Fr. agreed. I did a little extra work with the choir and everything came together beautifully - I hope the parishioners were somewhat inspired to have more reverence/devotion to the Blessed Sacrament; something I always pray my music will help them achieve.

The next day I flew out to Portland, OR to help my family finish packing and clean the house. It was such a joy to be with my sisters again, and although we were pooped at the end of each day, we made cleaning fun. Thursday we headed out on our road trip to TX! Many fun stops were enjoyed along the way including Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park = gorgeous. The mountains, evergreens, and fresh air were balm for my chapped FL soul (I know I exaggerate this point). Hikes, boating, bears, bison, elk, hot springs, and waterfalls were the highlights of our adventures.

Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone

Old Faithful, Yellowstone

Grand Tetons

Mom, Chris and I hiked to Hidden Falls one morning.

The overall trip was just great; so good to be with my family again, especially my dearest youngest sister, Elizabeth, who was my car companion for most of the trip and made sure I was nourished and comfortable as much as she could. Love you. :)

We arrived in Dallas, TX a week following our departure. It was very hot; I actually appreciate FL and it's breezes much more now. I was able to be there one day to help with some truck unloading, but the boys did the majority of that. The family has a lovely home in a nice, quiet neighborhood. Friday afternoon I flew home to hubby, and it was great to see him after 2 weeks apart!! There were so many times I wished he was traveling with us, and my siblings also expressed this sentiment which was sweet. But my parents really appreciated him loaning me to them for this trip - thanks, hubby. :)

The very next Monday, Andrew and I took off for Missouri/Kansas to attend our dear friends' wedding which was that Saturday. Since Andrew had not been able to have any vacation time, we had decided to turn that week into a semi-vacation for us both and spent a few days seeing some of the Missouri sights, including the Meramec Caverns (SO cool), a winery, the St. Louis Cathedral, the Arch, and many other highlights in St. Louis.

Thursday we headed back to Kansas City to prepare for Dan and Lillian's wedding, as Andrew was in the wedding party. Friday was rehearsal and dinner and it was great to catch up with some Ave folks and Fr. Fessio. Dan and Lillian looked very much in love and ready to be done with all the marriage preparations. :) Their Saturday wedding was beautiful; Lillian was stunning and very peaceful. The ceremony was proceeded by a Rosary, which really exemplified how large a role that prayer and Our Lady has played in this couple's relationship. The Mass was lovely; I was fortunate to be able to sing the Psalm and Alleluia verse. Everyone got a kick out of Fr.'s homily, sometimes to the chagrin of the bride and groom, just because they are so humble. :) Reception followed in the church hall and directly after, Andrew and I were the lucky ones, being able to take the newlyweds to the airport for their honeymoon since our flights left at the same time. We are so happy for them...they have been so faithful and patient and I know God will bless them exceedingly.

Phew! That just about sums up the last few weeks...more updates to come soon. Hope everyone is having a wonderful and fruitful summer!
(Many more pictures from my summer on my FB page.)

Gift wrapping alternative.

Ever have that gift to send and realize you are out of wrapping paper?  This wasn't the case for me today, but has been on many occasions.  However, today I was looking for alternative options for gift wrap and came across fabric wrapping.



A bit of history: This trend may very well come to us via Japan where fabric wraps are a cultural staple; they are called furoshiki (meaning "bath spread").  This word comes from historical use of transporting clothes while at the public bath houses, but the term furoshiki now extends to all fabric wrappings.  Applying the principals of origami to fabric, you obtain the perfect wrap to decorate and transport gifts and lunch boxes, or even home decor.

Ever wonder how you will use your left-over fabric scraps, un-used scarves or bandannas?  Save 'em up, save money on gift wrap, and present lovely, uniquely wrapped gifts to your loved ones!

Here are 2 tutorials to get you started:
Chewing the Cud #1

Chewing the Cud #2

My fabric-wrapped gift.  (My fabric scrap was a little odd sized for a rectangular gift, but I made it work!)

Weekend Sevens. {First edition}

Since I often entertain the question, "What did you guys do over the weekend?", I thought that I would present this option for answers.  As usual, I will probably not be religious about posting such a post every weekend, but hope you enjoy those times I do! 

 1) First off, not quite time yet for the rapture/end of the world as evidenced by this post...praying for those poor misguided souls, that they do not lose their faith and hope in Christ but search for, and find the truth.

2) Friday before work I met up with a dear friend to catch up and also chatted with a new one.  Thankful for friendships, encouraging words, smiles and hugs.  Need to schedule more of those this summer!

3) Hubby and I saw Pirates 4...it was good, though not as good as the first three. 

Miss Elizabeth, what are you thoughts? :P

4) First outside car wash of the year occurred.  Took twice as long to clean bug debris from the front of the cars, but I had a fun time out there with hubby. :) Some sunburn is proving to be not so fun; sunscreen next time.  My car is clean and waxed...forgot how much I love its color!

5) Some piano playing ensued this weekend; quite enjoyable (thank you, Mary for the book!)...I'm finding that as things slow down for the summer, I will have to find activities to occupy my free time.  Thinking about resurrecting my violin...

6) As I finished the Francine River's Mark of the Lion trilogy last month, (which I highly recommend for some [very] light fictional reading centered on the life of the early Christians) I've started Sigrid Undset's Kristin Lavransdatter - will report back later on that. 

Summer=time for reading=yay. 

I'm also loving reading St. Faustina's Diary again, Divine Mercy in My Soul; especially appropriate for this month!

7) Grateful for my life, health, faith and peace.  From today's Gospel:

"And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way where I am going...I am the way, and the truth, and the life..."

~John 14:3-4, 6

Such comforting words, and so easy if we only follow Him...which does entail picking up our crosses.

Hope you all had a beautiful weekend!

Back in business.

Hi Folks,

After a considerable hiatus, I'm back to the blogging world.  I retreated for a few months to focus on getting closer to the heart of Jesus :) my jobs, home, and self, and now as summer quickly approaches, obligations are lessening, leaving me with time to say hello and to share a few pictures from the past months!

Rewind. Christmas was a quiet one for us this past year; due to my church job, we were obligated to stay in town over the weekend. My choirs did wonderfully and the congregation was very appreciate of our efforts. I also had the pleasure of helping out with the children's Christmas pageant - the kids were delightful. Lots of great families at this parish; we are very much enjoying getting to know more parishioners as the months go by. Hubby and I got away for a few days after Christmas - thankful to spend some much needed time just for ourselves! Laura's clan went to CA for the holidays...I really missed seeing my family this Christmas season...here's to next year!

Hello 2011 - We trade in Andrew's '94 Chevy truck and get a '05 Toyota Camry. Goodbye 'ole bessie, you served us well.

It's been a busy spring....both teaching, my church job and giving private voice lessons kept me on my toes.  I had a very successful Holy Week/Easter - my choir did superb. It is certainly one of the most rewarding jobs in the world to provide beautiful liturgical music for Mass, especially during such beautiful and holy seasons.  My students also had a few successful events this spring, performing for a Fashion Show held at AMU, and singing for the Mass for the Feast of the Annunciation at Ave Maria Oratory, the latter of which was a highly anticipated event, as Bishop Dewane presided at both the Mass and unveiling of the Annunciation Sculpture which now graces the facade of the Oratory.

Andrew too had quite a music-filled spring as he was hired in the fall by Opera Naples, and so was kept insanely busy for a few months both performing in their Young Artist group and in two operas, in one of which (Carmen) he played the principal role of Dancario, and was really superb.  In addition, he has been teaching voice at AMU and taking a few continuing education classes. 

My brother Ben graduated on May 7, and Mom came down for this occasion and to spend a week.  It was SO lovely having her here, especially for Mother's Day weekend.  We spent time doing crafty projects around the house, going shopping, cooking, enjoying wine and chocolate and watching movies...ahh so relaxing.  Laura and co. came down for the weekend, which added to the fun.  Her boys are getting extra cute and entertaining by the day, and we look forward to welcoming Baby Girl Dilanji in September!!

2 more weeks of teaching, then summer will truly start for me.  We have a few weddings to attend this summer, family to visit, and hope to plan a few get-aways just for us.

Hope all is well with you!  Nice to be in touch again.  :)  God is good!