Friday, September 7, 2012
Giving in...
Okay, I give in. Some of you people are persistent!
We're at 33 weeks now, so the end is in sight!!! :) I have two 4 pound babies in that belly of mine! Praising God for their health, their growth, and for how He has continued to give strength!
Shhhhhh....
Remember THIS post? Well, I've been busy working on finishing/making more quiet book pages.
Flower page: button the flowers on and off
Dinosaur page: sensory play with different textured ribbons from the volcano. Learn to zip and unzip the zipper on the dinosaur.
Unzip the dinosaur for a surprise... 2 dinosaur eggs!!!
Crack open the eggs to find two cute baby dinosaurs!
Viola! :) Adorable, right? Sometimes I laugh at how funny they are.
Other pages still in progress:
-Felt dolls (see last post)
-A cookie page with snaps, buttons, and a fun spatula.
Ideas in the making:
-A barnyard with chickens, cows and sheep
-Mr. Potato Head
-Fishing page
The ideas are endless... however, my time is quickly running out! :) (Hooray!!!)
Flower page: button the flowers on and off
Dinosaur page: sensory play with different textured ribbons from the volcano. Learn to zip and unzip the zipper on the dinosaur.
Unzip the dinosaur for a surprise... 2 dinosaur eggs!!!
Crack open the eggs to find two cute baby dinosaurs!
Viola! :) Adorable, right? Sometimes I laugh at how funny they are.
Other pages still in progress:
-Felt dolls (see last post)
-A cookie page with snaps, buttons, and a fun spatula.
Ideas in the making:
-A barnyard with chickens, cows and sheep
-Mr. Potato Head
-Fishing page
The ideas are endless... however, my time is quickly running out! :) (Hooray!!!)
What's in a name?
People often ask us what the names Owen and Emma mean, if they are family names, or just how we picked the names in general.
I don't mean to be funny or mean sounding, but honestly, we picked the names because they are names that we liked that former students had not ruined for us. It was hard with both of us having taught for 8 years, to come to a decision. There were names that we liked, but had had naughty students with that name in the past. :) I'm sure all you fellow teachers understand! Then there was the problem of one person liking a name, but the other person thinking it was just "meh."
People are usually not surprised that Mike comes from Michael, but most people have no clue that Karly comes from my given name Karlene. The only times we use Michael or Karlene though are to sign checks or a receipt for a credit card. So we didn't want names that could really be shortened, which meant having shorter names, but not too short because we already have a one syllable last name!
We picked out 4 names; two boys and two girls names because at the time we hadn't had the ultrasound that revealed their sex! We definitely had our favorite boy and girl name though, so when we found out that we were having a boy and a girl we were elated because we didn't have to choose who got the "secondary" name. It wasn't until we found out that we were blessed with a boy and a girl that we looked up the actual meanings of our preferred names:
Emma: all containing, universal, whole
Owen: well born, well bred, young warrior
*Despite there already being two Emily's in the the Aust family, we went ahead with the name Emma because we love the name and because neither Emily goes by Emma. :)
The middle names we picked had more significance to us than just simply liking them. Owen will be Owen Michael, after Mike of course. Emma's middle name perhaps requires a little more explanation. Emma will be Emma Caroline. I do love the name Caroline, but it is honor of my dear friend Carolyn. Carolyn and her husband Grant have become dear friends to us here in Bangkok. They have walked with us through many highs and lows these past 2 years, and have been faithful friends. We have journeyed through a lot together, traveled together, cried together, laughed together, and just simply lived life alongside each other. So albeit not being EXACTLY the same name, Caroline is a reminder to me of my sweet friend Carolyn.
 |
| Carolyn & Karly |
Caroline: beautiful woman, joyous pretty song
Michael: who is like God
We can't wait to meet you, Emma Caroline and Owen Michael! You are already so dearly loved! :)
Attitude & Heart's Posture
I had a friend recently tell me that I am probably one of the most gracious pregnant women she's known because I don't complain. What a sweet compliment; please let me dive into that a little deeper today....
I've learned a lot of things during pregnancy, such as, your body is no longer your own, suddenly you're talking about everything in weeks, your belly apparently wears a "public property, please touch me" sign, you have zero ab muscles to get out of bed in the morning, etc. However, one of the main things that I have learned is that pregnant women tend to commiserate over all the woes of pregnancy.
And I've learned that I am NOT one of those women that like to commiserate... period.
I don't mean to say that I'm not sympathetic towards others that are expecting, but often times, I think people simply COMPLAIN... about EVERYTHING. While there is a fine line between a simple statement to a whiny complaint, those whiny complaints are too much for me... especially when you hear nothing else but complaints come out of that person's mouth. Honestly, I just try to avoid those people because they are not enjoyable to be around!
Now, I must say that I have been beyond blessed. I had minimal morning sickness, which made teaching much easier than expected. I haven't had any leg cramps, major aches or pains, or been on bed rest. I don't have a toddler to chase after, I have a helper that comes to assist in the daily tasks of cooking and cleaning, and I have a supportive community of friends that visit or get me out of the apartment. I am blessed. But despite having these things and experiencing what I would probably consider an "easier" pregnancy, despite expecting twins, I really think it all comes down to my attitude and heart's posture.
I CHOOSE to be joyful despite any woes I may have. I CHOOSE to thank God during the difficult and frustrating times. I CHOOSE to remember that children are a gift... and I get TWO sweet little ones!!! I CHOOSE to remember how many family and friends that Mike and I pray for each morning that want children so badly but instead have walked a difficult journey. I CHOOSE to be grateful. I CHOOSE to remember that 9 months is such a short period of time.
So when I hear the complaints, I sometimes just want to say, "Buck up, strap on your big girl pants, make a different choice, and change your heart's posture!"
I've been re-reading a book called, "Feminine Appeal: Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother" by Carolyn Mahaney. Yesterday, I read the chapter titled, "The Blessings of Loving my Children." Here are a few gold nugget quotes that I took from that chapter that I think really apply to not only having children, but expecting children too.
"Although many mothers are commited to caring sacrificially for their children, they sometimes neglect to enjoy them" p. 51
"We are to delight in our children." p. 51
"...we have a choice. We can either resent the challenges and demands that accompany motherhood and persist in our selfishness, or we can draw from God's grace and receive His help to cheerfully lay down our lives for our children." p. 53
"...as we set aside our own selfish desires and glorify God by joyfully serving our children, we are pursuing true greatness according to the Bible. Let us do so with tenderness, affection, and with a smile!" p. 53
"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them" Psalms 127:3-5
So does that mean I NEVER complain? No. There are days/moments that are harder than others, but when I find myself in the middle of what could be a complaint instead of a statement, I choose to counteract it with joy...
It's not the most comfortable thing when Emma has her feet in her ribs and Owen kicks me in the pelvis or sinks so low that I can hardly walk... BUT I'm so grateful that they are growing and moving (and I CAN walk because I haven't been put on bed rest!) My fingers are swollen like sausages, arthritic feeling, and I have lost feeling in 7 of 10 of them, BUT I have a husband who massages them each morning so that I can better use them. I wake up about 10X a night to either use the bathroom or eat protein, BUT I know that it's preparing me for those late night/early morning feedings. I'm tired of eating protein and chewing all the time, BUT I have two 4 pound babies to brag about because I have been eating so well. I can't bend over very easily, so tasks like putting on underwear, a skirt, pants, picking up something I dropped on the floor are challenging and take me a really long time to do, BUT I can still do those tasks (and have a husband that helps me).
So what's your attitude and heart's posture when you walk through more difficult times? Are you choosing joy, or do you need to make some changes? Do people notice your joy and gratefulness or your complaints?
I've learned a lot of things during pregnancy, such as, your body is no longer your own, suddenly you're talking about everything in weeks, your belly apparently wears a "public property, please touch me" sign, you have zero ab muscles to get out of bed in the morning, etc. However, one of the main things that I have learned is that pregnant women tend to commiserate over all the woes of pregnancy.
And I've learned that I am NOT one of those women that like to commiserate... period.
I don't mean to say that I'm not sympathetic towards others that are expecting, but often times, I think people simply COMPLAIN... about EVERYTHING. While there is a fine line between a simple statement to a whiny complaint, those whiny complaints are too much for me... especially when you hear nothing else but complaints come out of that person's mouth. Honestly, I just try to avoid those people because they are not enjoyable to be around!
Now, I must say that I have been beyond blessed. I had minimal morning sickness, which made teaching much easier than expected. I haven't had any leg cramps, major aches or pains, or been on bed rest. I don't have a toddler to chase after, I have a helper that comes to assist in the daily tasks of cooking and cleaning, and I have a supportive community of friends that visit or get me out of the apartment. I am blessed. But despite having these things and experiencing what I would probably consider an "easier" pregnancy, despite expecting twins, I really think it all comes down to my attitude and heart's posture.
I CHOOSE to be joyful despite any woes I may have. I CHOOSE to thank God during the difficult and frustrating times. I CHOOSE to remember that children are a gift... and I get TWO sweet little ones!!! I CHOOSE to remember how many family and friends that Mike and I pray for each morning that want children so badly but instead have walked a difficult journey. I CHOOSE to be grateful. I CHOOSE to remember that 9 months is such a short period of time.
So when I hear the complaints, I sometimes just want to say, "Buck up, strap on your big girl pants, make a different choice, and change your heart's posture!"
I've been re-reading a book called, "Feminine Appeal: Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother" by Carolyn Mahaney. Yesterday, I read the chapter titled, "The Blessings of Loving my Children." Here are a few gold nugget quotes that I took from that chapter that I think really apply to not only having children, but expecting children too.
"Although many mothers are commited to caring sacrificially for their children, they sometimes neglect to enjoy them" p. 51
"We are to delight in our children." p. 51
"...we have a choice. We can either resent the challenges and demands that accompany motherhood and persist in our selfishness, or we can draw from God's grace and receive His help to cheerfully lay down our lives for our children." p. 53
"...as we set aside our own selfish desires and glorify God by joyfully serving our children, we are pursuing true greatness according to the Bible. Let us do so with tenderness, affection, and with a smile!" p. 53
"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them" Psalms 127:3-5
So does that mean I NEVER complain? No. There are days/moments that are harder than others, but when I find myself in the middle of what could be a complaint instead of a statement, I choose to counteract it with joy...
It's not the most comfortable thing when Emma has her feet in her ribs and Owen kicks me in the pelvis or sinks so low that I can hardly walk... BUT I'm so grateful that they are growing and moving (and I CAN walk because I haven't been put on bed rest!) My fingers are swollen like sausages, arthritic feeling, and I have lost feeling in 7 of 10 of them, BUT I have a husband who massages them each morning so that I can better use them. I wake up about 10X a night to either use the bathroom or eat protein, BUT I know that it's preparing me for those late night/early morning feedings. I'm tired of eating protein and chewing all the time, BUT I have two 4 pound babies to brag about because I have been eating so well. I can't bend over very easily, so tasks like putting on underwear, a skirt, pants, picking up something I dropped on the floor are challenging and take me a really long time to do, BUT I can still do those tasks (and have a husband that helps me).
So what's your attitude and heart's posture when you walk through more difficult times? Are you choosing joy, or do you need to make some changes? Do people notice your joy and gratefulness or your complaints?
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Fear
When we went to our 20 week ultrasound and found out that we were having a boy and a girl, we were thrilled!! Granted, we would have been thrilled no matter the outcome! The doctor seemed quite certain (though there was still a 20% that he could have been wrong due to it still being relatively early and girl/boy bits were still developing) and did a great job explaining how he was quite confident we were having one of each.
We enjoyed 5 weeks in Minnesota over the summer, announced the genders and the names of our little ones. We had two WONDERFUL baby showers for Emma and Owen in MN, in which they were thoroughly loved upon (as well as Mike and me), receiving quite the haul. We managed to pack pretty much all of their booty in four 50 pound suitcases. Upon arriving back in Thailand, I looked again at the ultrasound pictures, and I was suddenly filled with fear... the girl and boy bits pictures looked exactly the same to me! Suddenly, I thought that we were having two boys... and all I could think about was how many pink, girly items we had received at those showers. And how I spent so much time picking out "the perfect" paper to modge podge onto the wood letters to spell their names that we had already hung in the nursery. I even had dreams that we had two boys!
Then to augment my fears a little bit more, my Bangkok friends had a third shower for Owen and Emma before we had another ultrasound at the hospital to confirm that their names were indeed going to be Owen and Emma. Again, we were showered with so many generous gifts, words of wisdom, and lots of love... and many precious pink, girly, ruffley items. (More on shower #3, including pics in another post...)
Needless to say, I was a little bit of a nervous mess this morning when we had our 3rd trimester ultrasound. The doctor checked for boy and girl bits right away, for which I was grateful. He found Owen first, and then I literally held my breath as he checked Baby #2...
...Yes, she is indeed sweet little Emma Caroline. [Sigh of relief] Their name letters can stay, the pink, fru-fru can stay, and I can still call them Emma and Owen.
They are doing well, wiggling and rolling around like CRAZY... Emma is head down and kicks my ribs constantly, while Owen is breach and is busy kicking my pelvis area. My stomach will ripple from their womb acrobatics and often I will have a head or a butt poke out, making me quite lop-sided. I can't help but laugh at how busy they are, how many times they get the hiccups a day, and the foods they react to each day.
Both babes are just shy of 4 pounds (hooray!!). I sure hope they stay in there another 6 weeks to grow and hopefully reach a good 5+ pounds, but man, I am anxious to meet these precious little gifts!!
We enjoyed 5 weeks in Minnesota over the summer, announced the genders and the names of our little ones. We had two WONDERFUL baby showers for Emma and Owen in MN, in which they were thoroughly loved upon (as well as Mike and me), receiving quite the haul. We managed to pack pretty much all of their booty in four 50 pound suitcases. Upon arriving back in Thailand, I looked again at the ultrasound pictures, and I was suddenly filled with fear... the girl and boy bits pictures looked exactly the same to me! Suddenly, I thought that we were having two boys... and all I could think about was how many pink, girly items we had received at those showers. And how I spent so much time picking out "the perfect" paper to modge podge onto the wood letters to spell their names that we had already hung in the nursery. I even had dreams that we had two boys!
Then to augment my fears a little bit more, my Bangkok friends had a third shower for Owen and Emma before we had another ultrasound at the hospital to confirm that their names were indeed going to be Owen and Emma. Again, we were showered with so many generous gifts, words of wisdom, and lots of love... and many precious pink, girly, ruffley items. (More on shower #3, including pics in another post...)
Needless to say, I was a little bit of a nervous mess this morning when we had our 3rd trimester ultrasound. The doctor checked for boy and girl bits right away, for which I was grateful. He found Owen first, and then I literally held my breath as he checked Baby #2...
...Yes, she is indeed sweet little Emma Caroline. [Sigh of relief] Their name letters can stay, the pink, fru-fru can stay, and I can still call them Emma and Owen.
They are doing well, wiggling and rolling around like CRAZY... Emma is head down and kicks my ribs constantly, while Owen is breach and is busy kicking my pelvis area. My stomach will ripple from their womb acrobatics and often I will have a head or a butt poke out, making me quite lop-sided. I can't help but laugh at how busy they are, how many times they get the hiccups a day, and the foods they react to each day.
Both babes are just shy of 4 pounds (hooray!!). I sure hope they stay in there another 6 weeks to grow and hopefully reach a good 5+ pounds, but man, I am anxious to meet these precious little gifts!!
Monday, August 6, 2012
More growth
Remember this picture? Yeah me too... the picture where I BARELY look pregnant, but thought I was REALLY starting to show. (Granted, if you compare my 16 week photo to my 6 week photo, there is a DRASTIC difference).
Well... I've definitely grown in the past 11 weeks. This is probably one of my last belly pics that you are privy to, as I will soon get embarrassingly huge with the twinks.
It's been fun to look back at the weekly pictures we've taken (we've taken a weekly pic starting from 6 weeks to now) and see how the twins have grown! I write this post at nearly 29 weeks and I can hardly believe how much growth has already happened in the last 2 weeks!
I'm slowing down more and more these days. The 5 minute walk to school, now takes me a good 15 minutes, I tire easily, and even just putting away a few dishes in various cupboards can make me a little out of breath. Mike is getting used to my pace & has been gracious through it all... walking at a snail's pace, carrying ALL the grocery bags, helping me out of bed in the morning, massaging my swollen arthritic feeling fingers (did I mention I had to get a fake wedding ring since my rings stopped fitting me about 5 weeks ago?) & going-to-cramp-up-at-any-minute calves, etc. I'm so grateful for a hubby that serves me and is attentive to my needs.
Not that I personally have anything else to compare it to, but I would say that I've had a remarkably easy pregnancy. I think God is being gracious to me, as it's definitely going to get harder in these last weeks, and perhaps a bit chaotic with the arrival of the twins as well. However, despite the relative ease of it all, I think I'm at that tipping point where I'm about ready to be done. I'm comparable in size to a woman who would give birth any day now, which always provokes a lot of awkward stares, random belling touching, and extra tips (walk slowly! be careful! don't do that! eat more! don't eat so much! etc.) I think there are a few people out there that would wrap me in bubble wrap, if I'd let them... people are funny around pregnant women.
Anyway, more updates (probably sans picture) to come, I'm sure...
Well... I've definitely grown in the past 11 weeks. This is probably one of my last belly pics that you are privy to, as I will soon get embarrassingly huge with the twinks.
I'm slowing down more and more these days. The 5 minute walk to school, now takes me a good 15 minutes, I tire easily, and even just putting away a few dishes in various cupboards can make me a little out of breath. Mike is getting used to my pace & has been gracious through it all... walking at a snail's pace, carrying ALL the grocery bags, helping me out of bed in the morning, massaging my swollen arthritic feeling fingers (did I mention I had to get a fake wedding ring since my rings stopped fitting me about 5 weeks ago?) & going-to-cramp-up-at-any-minute calves, etc. I'm so grateful for a hubby that serves me and is attentive to my needs.
Not that I personally have anything else to compare it to, but I would say that I've had a remarkably easy pregnancy. I think God is being gracious to me, as it's definitely going to get harder in these last weeks, and perhaps a bit chaotic with the arrival of the twins as well. However, despite the relative ease of it all, I think I'm at that tipping point where I'm about ready to be done. I'm comparable in size to a woman who would give birth any day now, which always provokes a lot of awkward stares, random belling touching, and extra tips (walk slowly! be careful! don't do that! eat more! don't eat so much! etc.) I think there are a few people out there that would wrap me in bubble wrap, if I'd let them... people are funny around pregnant women.
Anyway, more updates (probably sans picture) to come, I'm sure...
Awkwardly lost
I've reached that awkward point now where I'm that childless soon-to-be mom/stay-at-home wife/homemaker that is becoming a shut-in increasingly immobile as my belly grows in size with 2 babies. Suddenly, I have all this time on my hands. It shouldn't feel that different from summer vacation in a lot of ways, but since Mike has been at back to school meetings all of last week, open house is later this afternoon, school starts tomorrow, and I just can't physically do as much, it does feel drastically different from summer vacation. Part of me is in withdrawal mode from Mike, after having spent all summer with him, and part of me is unsure of how to really be productive now that I am not teaching and am still twin-less. Or perhaps it is withdrawal from an institution of some sort... pre-K through grade 12... undergrad... 8 years of teaching & going to grad school... there really has never been a point where I've been out of the school system once I entered it at 4 years old. And suddenly, there's a part of me that feels a little lost because what was once such a large part of life is no longer playing an essential & major role.
Sure, there are things to do: baby clothing and cloth diapers to wash, MN teaching license to renew, card orders to fill, quiet books to make, books to read, friends to visit, Olympics to watch, and time to rest and rest some more. However, the lack of structure and an actual to-do list (I think of all the scrambling to get photocopies made, lesson plans complete, e-mails sent, research and create activities) has left me feeling... well, like a fish out of water.
I know, I know... I'm supposed to ENJOY this time; it's the last time I'll actually have time for myself for a very long time. It's not that I'm not trying to enjoy it or make the most of it, it's just that I'm still transitioning and feel a little lost at the moment as I navigate new territory. Now if only I could stock up on hours of sleep & acquire a sleep reserve before the twinks made their debut!
Sure, there are things to do: baby clothing and cloth diapers to wash, MN teaching license to renew, card orders to fill, quiet books to make, books to read, friends to visit, Olympics to watch, and time to rest and rest some more. However, the lack of structure and an actual to-do list (I think of all the scrambling to get photocopies made, lesson plans complete, e-mails sent, research and create activities) has left me feeling... well, like a fish out of water.
I know, I know... I'm supposed to ENJOY this time; it's the last time I'll actually have time for myself for a very long time. It's not that I'm not trying to enjoy it or make the most of it, it's just that I'm still transitioning and feel a little lost at the moment as I navigate new territory. Now if only I could stock up on hours of sleep & acquire a sleep reserve before the twinks made their debut!
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Quiet
I've dived into the world of felt, and I'm pretty sure I've found my third calling (aside from teaching and card making): quiet book sewing. Now, by no means can I take credit for all of these shenanigans, as I have found many ideas (and patterns) on-line. I have tweaked where I've seen fit and have come up with some of these ideas on my own as I have plunged into this new world of I'm not teaching and I need to occupy myself in these 2 months that I am still baby-less creativity. Here's hoping that I can have at least 7-10 quiet book pages done before Owen and Emma make their appearance.
Page 1:
Circus train, complete with velcro wheels, 3 finger puppets, and puffy steam.
Page 2:
Cooking breakfast, complete with eggs, bacon, toast (and jam), pancakes (with syrup and butter), fruit (that you can cut open/peel), milk & orange juice, frying pan, burner and temperature gauge, utensils.
Page 3 & 4 in progress:
Zipper dinosaur (inside will probably contain dinosaur eggs or baby dinosaurs or something ridiculous)
Felt dress up dolls (yes, that's a MN Twins jersey...)
People have been asking me if I have a sewing machine; I do not. I have been hand sewing everything with embroidery floss, which sure can take a while, but it's been good for my arthritic feeling fingers (a pregnancy-related symptom) and I like the imperfect look that it gives as well.
Anyway, more updates to follow, I'm sure.
Page 1:
Circus train, complete with velcro wheels, 3 finger puppets, and puffy steam.
Page 2:
Cooking breakfast, complete with eggs, bacon, toast (and jam), pancakes (with syrup and butter), fruit (that you can cut open/peel), milk & orange juice, frying pan, burner and temperature gauge, utensils.
Page 3 & 4 in progress:
Zipper dinosaur (inside will probably contain dinosaur eggs or baby dinosaurs or something ridiculous)
Felt dress up dolls (yes, that's a MN Twins jersey...)
People have been asking me if I have a sewing machine; I do not. I have been hand sewing everything with embroidery floss, which sure can take a while, but it's been good for my arthritic feeling fingers (a pregnancy-related symptom) and I like the imperfect look that it gives as well.
Anyway, more updates to follow, I'm sure.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Go?
My little 2-year-old friend, Ian, is in a time of deep
discovery and learning. One of his favorite things is to either hide something
or have someone hide something from him, and he throws up his hands and asks,
“Go?” which is really short for, “Where’d it go?”
June 9 & 10: 2 baby showers where little Owen and Emma received so much love from family and friends. We are so blessed by the generosity of so many. These little ones (and us) are dearly loved despite the fact that half a world separates us.
July 5: Not the most momentous day ever, but an incredibly
fun and memorable one… out at Lord Fletcher’s for an Oake on the Water concert,
meeting new friends, being asked to be the Matron of Honor in my bestie’s
wedding, cruising around and swimming in Lake Minnetonka (never thought that
the lake would feel like bath water in early July!), & being afraid that I
would never be able to get back in the boat with my big preggo belly!
(Miraculously, my friends managed to pull me back into the boat 2X).
So in the words of my little amigo, “Go?” AKA: Where did
June (and July) go?
Here’s a little re-cap:
June:
June 1: School was officially out as of 11 AM.
June 4: Celebrated 7 years of marriage! The most exciting
part of the day was our ultrasound, finding out that we’re having a boy &
and a girl!
June 5: headed our looooong trek back to America to spend 5
weeks in MN. The 2 flights were incident free & we even got bumped to
economy plus bulkhead seats, which made the long flight from Japan to MN much
more bearable. I made sure I had plenty of snacks to make it home. I think I over calculated...
June 7: had a little reveal party with the families. I
ordered two cakes from a friend from church. She colored one cake pink and the
other one blue, and then frosted & decorated them with MN Twins jerseys
(more pictures forthcoming). We had the two “grandmas” cut into the cakes to reveal
the gender of the twinks. We also had printed out the letters for their first
and middle names & had our family members work together in groups to
unscramble the letters to discover what their names are. (I know, we’re such
teachers!!) It was such a fun way to share with our families!
*This was also the night that we met our little nephew for
the first time. What a little pumpkin!
June 9 & 10: 2 baby showers where little Owen and Emma received so much love from family and friends. We are so blessed by the generosity of so many. These little ones (and us) are dearly loved despite the fact that half a world separates us.
The rest of June and into early July was spent shopping,
eating, visiting with friends and family & probably more shopping (or at
least wandering around Target with baby gift cards in hand).
July:
July 4: best & longest childhood friend (from 3rd
grade) got ENGAGED!!!!!! We got to celebrate with her downtown at the stone
arch bridge for some great fireworks
 |
| We weigh the same... |
 |
| 3 of the 4 bridesmaids |
July 7: Seeing the twinks move for the first time from the
outside… my belly was “rippling”… SO CRAZY!
July 10: Left to head back to Thailand. It was a little bit
stressful leading up to this because we were trying to bring back a second stroller
that didn’t fit into a duffle. We had to borrow a hockey bag from Krissy &
hope that they wouldn’t give us any trouble for it (especially since there
wasn’t any hockey equipment in it). Thankfully, we had no problems and were
able to bring back just about everything that we had hoped. There were a few
things that we had to pawn off on people that are coming later (my parents in
November, my brother & his fiancé in December, and a friend from church in
February), but not essentials that we need for the twinks anytime soon.
Other favorite things:
Emily & me taking Tracy (the soon-to-be newest married
in Aust girl) out for hazing. JK. We just told her every deep, dark and dirty
family secret we knew (mua-ha-ha-ha-ha), which makes us glad that there never
were any TRUE Aust girls in the family… just the married in ones, as it’s
definitely more fun that way!
 |
| Look at B's little cheeser face. <3 |
Meeting Jed’s (Mike’s friend from college) parents down in
Red Wing and Maurice (I can’t say/type his name without thinking of the line
from Beauty and the Beast… “Maurice! The Baguettes!”) calling me a “gall darn
cottin’ pickin’ woman” when I didn’t believe him that the cornbread we were
eating was from corn that he grew and picked. Additionally, we played quite the
rousing game of “bounce the grape”. It was a couple hours of non-stop laughter.
I can only imagine the things that he will say/do to our children in the
future… I can’t wait. HA!
Watching Mike interact with so many of our friend’s kids and
seeing how great of Papa he’s going to be.
Having maternity pictures taken by Mike’s brother, Pete
(more pictures forthcoming).
Getting to go to a Twins game.
Spending time with the nephew.
 |
| B sitting on the cousins |
 |
| Teaching B how to properly wai. |
Going down to the stone arch bridge for an art festival
Did you miss it?
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