tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39928400421949966982012-02-03T12:57:17.465-08:00Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.comBlogger8681100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-14089672607487015372012-02-03T12:11:00.000-08:002012-02-03T12:57:17.515-08:00

We are in the lovely Estes Park for Mike's mom's birthday. We came a day early to miss the snow. When we got here, there were blue skies and we could see the craggy peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Then last night the snow moved on in, and now we're trapped in our cabin at the YMCA! Both cars got stuck in the driveway the ice was so bad...Although Mike's parents just successfully made a trip down to

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-89160518721977427322012-02-01T19:53:00.000-08:002012-02-01T20:27:18.982-08:00

And now begin the boring posts in which I subject you to my weekly workouts in preparation for walking a marathon. Boring for you, but good accountability for me. I'm posting on Wednesday because, realistically, I won't be walking the rest of the week. It's gonna be a cold couple of days and I don't like baby to get chilly tootsies. So if I workout, it will be with Jillian Michaels in the warmth

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-14152378498101129472012-01-31T16:09:00.001-08:002012-01-31T17:28:49.895-08:00

At work, I get to interview and write stories about some inspiring people. The most recent is a woman who is going to swim across Lake Ontario this summer (45 kilometers) to help raise money for Kaitlin's Legacy, the young woman who donated her children's wish to bring clean water to children in Africa. I got to thinking, "Hey, why can't I do something like that?" So after thinking it over, I've

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-20422714059626215842012-01-30T09:43:00.001-08:002012-01-30T09:47:24.781-08:00

Here's a devotional I wrote for Compassion.I also put together this post, the beginning of a series on partnership. Have a happy Monday!

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-38848875398757012042012-01-29T13:56:00.000-08:002012-01-29T14:28:24.452-08:00

Ah, such simpler times.

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-12124150233967434582012-01-25T11:29:00.000-08:002012-01-25T11:46:35.569-08:00

In which Alexandra learns how to fly and how to sing.This is one of Allie's favorite things to do: And she makes these noises all day long, especially when she's hanging out alone. We think she likes the sound of her voice. On a side note, after Allie was finished singing with dad, he turned out the lights and she went straight to sleep with nary a peep. She has to be the easiest baby on

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-30677792207660581712012-01-24T11:47:00.000-08:002012-01-24T16:12:57.755-08:00

My husband is a funny kind of guy. Not funny "ha-ha." Funny "oh-my-gosh-what-have-you-done-this-time?"I really only have myself to blame. Just before we started dating, we went on a trip to the Mile High Flea Market with some friends. Mike decided this was the perfect chance to 1) dress in costume and 2) test the limits of my affection. I, already wary of his somewhat questionable fashion sense,

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-4377473194432109952012-01-24T10:07:00.000-08:002012-01-24T10:08:52.888-08:00

Here's a little blog post I wrote for work. Enjoy!

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-73604669852110680922012-01-22T17:46:00.000-08:002012-01-22T17:52:55.940-08:00

This post is exactly what it sounds like...Hope you enjoy it grandparents!

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-15063945869283906152012-01-19T07:46:00.000-08:002012-01-21T11:08:28.230-08:00

In life, it's easy to base our thinking around generalities and stereotypes. It's how the human brain works: We form schema that help us to order and understand the world. (Psych 101 pays off!) So, as my husband would say, "Stereotypes are useful!" But the weakness of generalities and stereotypes is that they are only generalities. Generalities that represent individuals. And, as it turns out,

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-9947717900369790452012-01-18T11:07:00.001-08:002012-01-18T11:07:42.895-08:00

1 Week1 Month2 Months3 Months4 Months

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-14926694560029991732012-01-17T13:53:00.000-08:002012-01-17T14:04:54.128-08:00

Here's a blog I wrote for Compassion on failure.It's interesting to see how admitting failure works in personal life as well. When I think of the times I admitted failure compared to the times I tried to maintain that I was in the right...the former always went much better - especially in marriage. It's also so freeing to allow that we are imperfect. I can let out a big sigh knowing that you know

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-29781149208794195332012-01-16T16:39:00.000-08:002012-01-16T16:44:49.261-08:00

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-90626423921090010432012-01-15T14:04:00.000-08:002012-01-15T14:52:35.886-08:00

After going to Italy, my hankering to see the world was only getting stronger. The church that I was a part of was focused on church planting, and my friends and I dreamt of helping to start a church somewhere in Europe. We went on a scouting trip to Amsterdam to find out if that might be a good place for us...I'll tell you about that later. But on that first trip to Amsterdam, we took a day trip

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-8006089764560693482012-01-12T17:37:00.000-08:002012-01-12T17:49:13.334-08:00

If you recall, this is what Allie's hair looked like when she was born.Until we took her today to get her tips frosted at the baby spa.She's so high maintenance.

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-41530223122735672262012-01-10T20:17:00.000-08:002012-01-10T21:17:12.870-08:00

After our time in Torino, we headed to the eternal city, Roma. The city of romance. The city of intrigue. The city of history... I hated it. It started well. We took a six-hour train ride down the coast. We bought the cheapy seats, which were not actually seats. So we stood for six hours or perched on our luggage, catching occasional glimpses of "the wine dark sea," the Mediterranean, glittering

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-89157323318901006212012-01-09T15:41:00.000-08:002012-01-09T16:29:28.696-08:00

Since Juarez and British Columbia can't really be considered faraway, exotic travel, my first real adventurous trip was to bella Italia my junior year in college. I studied a semester of Italian in college (the entire fruits of which you have just read in the previous sentence), and I dreamed of moving to be a missionary in Italy...you know, suffering for Jesus. So I went on a mission trip with

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-70942695540840211492012-01-08T13:16:00.000-08:002012-01-08T13:25:45.052-08:00

Mike's many nieces and nephews primarily value him for his high quality Donald Duck impressions. We found out today that Allie is also a Donald Duck fan.After three days of the grumpity grumps, her laughter was sweet to our ears.

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-85601721070030480252012-01-05T16:41:00.000-08:002012-01-05T18:05:48.255-08:00

When I was pregnant, they noticed some odd results on the routine lab tests, namely that I had protein and microscopic amounts of blood in my urine. And so after many a prick in the arm, multiple "24-hour urinalyses" (in which I got to carry around my pee in a jug all day), and several visits to the kidney doctor, I was diagnosed with a kind of kidney disease, called IgA Nephropathy. I don't have

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-44023497211525163682012-01-04T18:02:00.000-08:002012-01-04T18:21:08.235-08:00

This is what Alex does all day long these days.

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-73056723688491885052012-01-03T18:01:00.000-08:002012-01-03T18:02:09.938-08:00

January 1st was a good day. Not because of anything extraordinary, but simply the little joys of life and the grace of a new year.First, baby went to her first communion. She didn't take communion, of course, but she was dressed as if she was going to her Quinceañera in the new dress Aunt Tara gave her. She looked even more Hispanic than she usually does. She doesn't look quite sure how she feels

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-25557976015195958722012-01-02T07:52:00.000-08:002012-01-03T06:52:07.527-08:00

Yesterday at church, being that it was the first day of the new year, we had one of our very few topical sermons, which was on planning and goal setting. That's the kind of thing that really gets me going. My parents had me listen to Tony Robbins when I was a teenager, and I guess it's still in my blood. I wanted to run out from the sermon and set huge goals and climb huge mountains. But my

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-63174415623919595562012-01-01T14:29:00.000-08:002012-01-01T21:04:17.276-08:00

'Tis the time once again when we all make renunciations and proclamations and enunciations of the things we will or will not do in this year, the year of the dragon. For the past several years, there have begun to pop up article after article, post after post of people swearing off their beloved social media, such as this recent Relevant article by a young woman giving up Facebook for the year.

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-64889428693502687962011-12-31T16:15:00.000-08:002011-12-31T16:18:19.142-08:00

Happy New Year from Allie, Glacier, Mike and me. :)

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-25879085143481910352011-12-29T16:41:00.000-08:002011-12-29T17:31:11.322-08:00

Mike got a video camera for Christmas, which is going to change the face of this blog. From now on, there will be no more words. Only videos of Allie! Allie blinking. Allie turning her head to the side. Allie looking down. All Allie all the time. Here are just a couple to get you started.Allie being held. Allie falling asleep. Allie waking up. Don't worry, there's more where that came

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-12988110923423372011-12-28T18:01:00.001-08:002011-12-28T18:02:58.308-08:00

I used to be a snob. I was an English major, after all, which is synonymous with "young snot." I was conditioned to admire e.e. cummings and sniff at j.r.r. tolkien. To drink coffee at coffee shops, not to play strategy games at home.And then I married a nerd.My husband is a bonafide Star Wars lovin', Risk 2210 playin', Terry Brooks readin', World of Warcraft Night Elf. At my family's

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-77701759121599983292011-12-25T15:37:00.000-08:002011-12-25T15:55:13.984-08:00

Merry Christmas from all our babies to yours!Elias, Haylie, Mclane, Kael, Aiden, Alexandra, Kara, Caleb, Bethany, Seth, Abby(Look out world, we got a video camera for Christmas!)

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-69274991262155204312011-12-23T10:39:00.000-08:002011-12-23T10:53:33.703-08:00

Last weekend we celebrated Christmas early in Denver. Allie was followed the whole time by the paparazza (i.e. Aunt Tara), but she was glad to get to model her reindeer jumper.She was later subjected to the indignities of posed holiday photos, such as Baby in a Drum. (Doesn't she look like a little chubbalo!?)Baby with Christmas Bow on Her Head. (Doesn't she look like a little monkey? I think

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-40009454846414435052011-12-22T11:39:00.000-08:002011-12-22T14:58:48.715-08:00

Just a little post I wrote for Compassion.Does This One Come in Blonde?

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-27066079485979561942011-12-21T06:12:00.000-08:002011-12-21T14:12:54.052-08:00

My second foray into the unknown, scary international world after Juarez was...Canada. Don't be deceived by their benign exterior. It's a scary place and I have the scars to prove it. Literally. Despite my poor track record with Canadian travel, my visit to British Columbia is what first ignited my desire to someday live in a foreign country.My parents had bravely decided to take their bratty 15-

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-76656425801122570962011-12-19T10:46:00.001-08:002011-12-19T10:48:09.498-08:00

1 Week1 Month2 Months3 Months

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-24461947873246922642011-12-16T13:06:00.001-08:002011-12-16T14:07:27.302-08:00

I have a love of places. I want to go everywhere and see everything. When this wanderlust began, I'm not sure. But I can remember driving with my parents to Texas with nothing stretching out in front of our dash but wheat-colored plains and a few distant volcanoes. I loved that feeling. Of escape, of adventure, of making it to that next dot on the horizon. Thanks to a commenter on my last post, I

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-78282970556119515392011-12-15T19:40:00.001-08:002011-12-16T12:39:32.251-08:00

Today I came as close as I'll probably ever come to being an early adopter: I joined Pinterest. So many people I admire have been sucked into the Pinterest orbit that I thought I'd give it a try, though I really didn't understand the allure of "pinning" photos on the internet. What I learned: It's addicting.Pinterest is like a video game for women: hours of mindless entertainment. (OK, for me,

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-43850573772711109882011-12-14T07:55:00.000-08:002011-12-14T08:33:51.313-08:00

Back when I was early in my pregnancy, Mikey and I decided on a giraffe theme for our baby room. I saw the sweetest giraffe stuffed toy and my mom said not to tell anyone else, because she wanted to have the great pleasure of buying it for Allie.I'd forgotten all about it, and sometime later my mom and dad excitedly presented us with a gift. They waited with bated breath as I unwrapped the

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-84071090900682922332011-12-11T11:50:00.000-08:002011-12-11T12:19:52.934-08:00

I like serving as a greeter for church, but I don't like shaking hands during cold and flu season. So I found the perfect solution!A baby! They come in handy in so many ways. And don't you think church attendance would go up if all greeters wore bunny slippers? (Adorable dress compliments of Krissy Thomas.)Last night, I taught my parents how to Skype so they could see Alex more often. It went

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-27268379029325984902011-12-09T14:27:00.000-08:002011-12-09T15:11:48.301-08:00

Do you remember when I used to do Video Fridays? You do? You're my real friend. I thought I'd regress back into my adolescence with some fun Friday videos.Finally a video both my husband and I can like, catering to our own unique interests.'Cause I am Jehovah's most secret witness...I loved the last episode of Community. And although I appreciate their mockery of Glee's over-sexualization of

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-30527160006459309582011-12-08T12:44:00.000-08:002011-12-08T13:11:43.901-08:00

I couldn't help myself. This is what I came home to after working at Starbucks in the morning."Precious" might have to become a regular, non-ironic part of my vocabulary.And while we're on the topic of precious, last night Mike read me to sleep while Alex laid in his lap. He read the Christmas chapter of Little House in the Big Woods, one of my favoritest of books. With all the recent posts I've

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-52792757318072833162011-12-06T14:23:00.000-08:002011-12-06T14:50:31.728-08:00

Because this post was so popular with many of you, I decided to post one more picture in the "Who's Your Daddy" genre. Mike regularly walks up to me and poses like this, as if to say, "Look how cute we are!"Baby's eyes seem to be getting lighter blue...perhaps we'll have an olive skinned, blue-eyed beauty?In other news, we got the most fabulous Christmas tree the Van Schooneveld residence has

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-45185858285151548782011-12-05T14:23:00.000-08:002011-12-05T14:50:24.253-08:00

I know I've shared this story before, but I will share it again.One time when I was about 8 I was at Girl Scouts with my friend Erica. We were making friendship bracelets or some other such project to equip us with real-life skills. Erica was African American, and her hair always went through various evolutions in a given year. This particular day, Erica had an afro. A big one. I believe its

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-17235118135089019492011-12-04T13:25:00.000-08:002011-12-04T13:26:09.822-08:00

Merry Christmas!and welcome toThe 6th Annual Van Schooneveld Christmas QuizIt's that time of year again, when we mask our laziness with wit by replacing the age-old Christmas card with the Annual Van Schooneveld Christmas Quiz. Yaaayyyy!!! Take our little quiz to find out if you're a creeper, a stranger, or the founder and president of the I Heart Mikey Fan Club. If you think this one was too

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-33973905118571053822011-12-03T10:04:00.000-08:002011-12-03T10:08:23.627-08:00

Thanks for the bunny feet, Auntie Chrissy! They're keeping me nice and warm. Love, Allie

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-39467172597927620672011-12-02T12:46:00.000-08:002011-12-02T13:10:37.715-08:00

I now have roughly 13,892 photos of Alexandra sleeping in her bouncer. That is, after all, what she does roughly 94.3 percent of the time. Here are a couple of her recent "sleeping in the bouncer" portraits.Oh, and just for good measure, a poorly lit bath photo.

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-30492368368634590712011-11-30T17:56:00.000-08:002011-11-30T18:46:56.205-08:00

I never leave the house, and therefore I never get sick. However, for Thanksgiving, I was forced to leave the safety of my abode to travel to the faraway and dangerous city of Denver, filthy with germs and giant Ikea signs. Lo and behold, I returned home with a Denver disease. (My family swears that none of them were around any sickos, but I'll bet it was one of my sister's 2nd graders with

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-66361268470256227222011-11-29T16:02:00.000-08:002011-11-29T17:08:47.802-08:00

Man, I'm having a hard time coming up with things to blog about these days. Since I try to just blog about what's going on in my everyday world, I'll share with you what was going on in my everyday world today. For work I had to research some Bible verses, many on giving and generosity ('tis the season and all). I've read these verses oodles of times, but I found them quite convicting today. I

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-91271115144367968722011-11-24T20:14:00.000-08:002011-11-25T09:18:30.379-08:00

I was just thinking today about how fun and weird my family is and how much I love them. Here are just a few photos of how the Brays party on Thanksgiving.Who needs TV when you have a baby that can lie on the floor?My cousin and brother-in-law yearly place grizzly bears and other menacing critters to terrorize my mom's Christmas village, or in this case, her maple-tapping village. My mom gets all

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-47858785938182363482011-11-23T15:51:00.000-08:002011-11-23T17:14:04.367-08:00

I took a look back at my blog this past year to remember all the things I am thankful for. (There are hyperlinks in each one, I swear, they're just really hard to see.)December 2010: I was offered a fabulous new job that has opened a new era of bad Canadian jokes in my life.January 2011: I got to see old friends who still love us after all these years.February 2011: We got to go on one of our

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-78972185319544859242011-11-22T16:42:00.000-08:002011-11-22T16:48:19.084-08:00

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-82842218224880128912011-11-21T20:42:00.000-08:002011-11-21T20:49:24.118-08:00

Tonight we had a Thanksgiving potluck at our house with our small group. There were brandied yams and homemade cranberry sauce and turkey and stuffing and pumpkin pie. (With Mike's maple gingerbread gelato for dessert too, of course.) We each went around the room and said what we are thankful for, and we closed on a poem that Mike read. Perhaps it was the brandied yams or the nostalgia in the air

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-62700620564835161922011-11-20T19:38:00.000-08:002011-11-20T20:41:45.749-08:00

Outside my Window... The crabapple we planted this summer is wrapped in blue painters tape. Very chic. The bucks have been sharpening their antlers on its tender trunk to mark their territory, so now my pretty little tree is wrapped in blue and surrounded by an ugly fence to avoid this travesty from happening again.I am thinking... About writing a post on how short men are treated in this world..

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-2546053247205978192011-11-18T13:28:00.000-08:002011-11-18T13:33:03.663-08:00

1 Week1 Month2 Months

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-10473478877813042892011-11-17T14:51:00.000-08:002011-11-17T16:11:25.043-08:00

As I was thinking about gratitude and Thanksgiving recently, I naturally began to think of donuts. As I looked through past posts, I found to my utter dismay that I have never written a post solely related to donuts (though they do come up in passing quite often). How could this be? I will immediately remedy this situation.My love affair with donuts starts with my family. We're into donuts. On

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-25862696000578819822011-11-15T15:55:00.000-08:002011-11-15T20:50:54.218-08:00

There's an old African proverb that says a woman's first child must look like the husband to prove she's an honest woman, and after that it doesn't matter.So what do you think? Is he the father, or what?

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-70036467212667209232011-11-14T12:57:00.000-08:002011-11-14T21:30:59.849-08:00

Do you remember those essays you had to write in school after a long break, like "What I Did on Summer Vacation"? What I didn't know was those important essays were actually preparing me for real-life blogging.I've come to the end of my eight weeks of maternity leave, so I thought I ought to write down what I did so I can look back and appreciate my time off. Eight weeks is a long time! I haven't

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-84552150911509515392011-11-13T13:49:00.000-08:002011-11-13T13:55:33.355-08:00

We interrupt the previously scheduled posts to bring you some breaking news:Alexandra has rolled over for the first time! Here is a picture of the triumphant athlete just after her successful attempt.Her parents were ridiculously proud and started clapping and shouting, while Allie looked on, nonplussed. Her mom even teared up, then wondered what had become of her previously hardened

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-56028714238885303652011-11-13T11:37:00.000-08:002011-11-13T12:12:14.122-08:00

Saint Michelus has been busy working on our bathroom countertops. They used to be a fake white marble laminate that we seriously disliked. Fake white marble just shouldn't be done. So Mike found some tile for $35 on Craigslist and has been getting the job done in stages.So as a refresher, our bathroom used to look like this:And then Mike redid the cabinets to look like this:And now, Mike has

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-5293346618752920492011-11-12T14:04:00.000-08:002011-11-12T14:34:38.511-08:00

Alexandra has still been having many adventures here in Colorado, but many closer to home as Daddy Dearest was sick and then pulled his shoulder out of joint. Now he's feeling better and my maternity leave is dwindling, so we went on a few adventures this week.First we drove to Denver so that Alexandra could meet Scout. Scout's mom is Sarah. Sarah's pretty cool (notice that I linked to my blog

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-48597616405514784172011-11-08T11:29:00.001-08:002011-11-08T11:41:35.263-08:00

Throughout my life, I have to admit to pretending to like certain things that I, in secret, really do not like at all. Something to do with insecurity and wanting to seem like a hip kid. But now that I'm a little older, there are several things I am now ready to confess.I don't like wine. Or really any other kind of alcohol. I remember in post-college days the popularity of wine tasting parties

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-9333974576076441452011-11-07T08:49:00.000-08:002011-11-07T09:23:30.028-08:00

This past week was a big week for Alexandra.She learned to stare at people quite intently and track their movements.She found her hand and learned how to suck on it.She started smiling at mom and dad.But not long enough to capture many non-blurry pictures!

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-9325345787059423392011-11-02T17:36:00.000-07:002011-11-03T13:18:05.819-07:00

Since Ye Olde Braine isn't full of delightful thoughts to deluge you with these days, but rather full of this little peanut:I thought I'd give in to the nostalgia of fall and post what was going on this week in past years.In 2010, I was posting about fall leaves and pumpkin muffins and cider...quite similar to what I've been experiencing this week. (I admit to having at least two chocolate chip

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-946744673207217362011-11-02T12:36:00.000-07:002011-11-02T14:45:07.116-07:00

We're trying cloth diapers for the first time today, as Alexandra has officially outgrown newborn diapers...They make her look seriously deformed. Her hiney is roughly the size of mine in these things. No one warned me that one of the downfalls of cloth diapering was the impact on fashion. Hello?! Priorities, people! How is she supposed to rock this bird-adorned onesie when she looks like a

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-37438431694869838912011-10-31T12:03:00.000-07:002011-11-01T07:26:33.494-07:00

This year for Halloween, my 2nd favorite holiday, we had a little party at our house with our small group and the singles small group from our church. It was our very first year being at our home for trick-or-treating! We had about 30 trick-or-treaters in all. Just enough to be fun and not too many to necessitate buying more than one bag of candy. :)We made all kinds of goodies for our party like

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-81532387493770063722011-10-30T13:45:00.000-07:002011-10-30T13:48:34.731-07:00

Great-Grandmama Dottie, Granny Ginger, Mumsie, and Allie

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-48403842787562451362011-10-28T13:44:00.000-07:002011-10-28T14:09:28.373-07:00

I defy you to find something cuter than our little tubbalo's thigh rolls.Also, this is how we found the pumpkin sleeping last night. She loves to pull her hat over her eyes, like Dumb Donald from Fat Albert. Usually this makes her scream and scream, but last night, she was quite content to sleep just like this, complete with palm raised in the air.

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-15319313475604730002011-10-26T09:45:00.001-07:002011-10-27T07:46:25.464-07:00

Baby experienced her first snow today.But don't worry; we rushed right back inside and cuddled to warm up.Now she's all snuggled in her warm woolies, enjoying life.

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-2450772784558655202011-10-26T07:31:00.000-07:002011-10-26T09:13:42.467-07:00

They all had to die.The thing I love most about literature, particularly fantasy, is how well it mirrors the deep truths of our world - without us even recognizing it most of the time. It speaks to our hearts of things we know are true, but have forgotten. The three great fantasy stories of our time - The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and the Harry Potter series - are not just popular because

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-20986074395195329372011-10-25T14:59:00.000-07:002011-10-25T15:53:34.750-07:00

My husband's family has a tradition of holding a guessing game before each baby in the family is born. Each person pledges a gift to the winner of the game. Today, the 11th child from the Van Schooneveld branch was born, and I won the prizes (mostly candy)! Hooray! Congratulations, Trevor and Dynell!For Alexandra's birth, my sister-in-law Krista won the baby guessing game and earned the prize of

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-62211383839857114912011-10-24T12:35:00.000-07:002011-10-24T12:45:30.259-07:00

Here's a little something I wrote for Compassion.

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-84973236599085187062011-10-23T17:05:00.000-07:002011-10-23T17:34:03.182-07:00

Baby rocked her first tutu today.And got in the fall spirit yesterday.

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-26178615259882459022011-10-21T17:26:00.000-07:002011-10-21T18:46:27.960-07:00

Playing with my own live baby doll has made me nostalgic for my old toys. Today I was reminiscing about them with Mike, when I remembered one of my most traumatic life events.When I was a little girl, Cabbage Patch Kids were the Toy Du Jour. Harried moms would wait hours in toy-store lines and wrestle in the aisles to have a doll to put under the Christmas tree. My mom was one such woman. In the

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-35336130263798708682011-10-19T09:22:00.000-07:002011-10-20T18:27:34.901-07:00

OK, now that I had a serious, non-baby post, I can feel totally fine about barraging you with more baby photos! Alexandra turned one month on Tuesday. To track the little pumpkin's progress, I decided to take a photo of her each month in her little queen's chair.Her she is at one week, when she weighed approximately 5 pounds 12 ounces.And now here she is at one month, when she weighed somewhere

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-8817637593790248712011-10-19T08:22:00.000-07:002011-10-19T09:21:42.863-07:00

This is something I wrote earlier this year but never posted because I thought it was redundant to past posts. But since there is such a dearth of non-baby posts, I thought I'd go ahead and post it anyway.Do you have one of those topics that you find yourself harping on over and over? For me, it’s God’s will. Recently I think Mike stumbled upon the heart of the issue. He has a way of taking

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-7526164222541374912011-10-16T16:59:00.001-07:002011-10-16T18:04:43.093-07:00

Yes, I have officially become *that* woman who takes a picture of everything her baby does and posts it on the internet, foisting it upon an unsuspecting and uninterested public. But my excuse is that I don't have anything else to say, as my brain still seems to be taken hostage by postpartum hormones...Last night we went to a movie, and one of the previews about an orphaned baby chimp nearly had

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-289702511306757652011-10-14T17:51:00.001-07:002011-10-14T18:19:24.466-07:00

When Mike first found out we were having a girl, he wanted to know the types of toys and games girls enjoy. Some friends told him that they like playing with baby dolls - feeding them and dressing them - and playing with kitchen sets and playing Barbies. Mike thought this all sounded rather lame. I believe he is planning to introduce Legos and Lightsabers to her early to de-lamify girlhood.But as

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-51623718528284760882011-10-12T11:58:00.000-07:002011-10-12T14:46:07.299-07:00

I have been trying to come up with enough content on one topic for a cohesive post, but in vain. I would have to go into far too much detail regarding excrement or nipples, and I doubt anyone really wants that. (Side note: In the past, I would have never used the word "nipple," but now it is used at least 5 times an hour in our household.)So rather than shooting unreasonably high for lucidity,

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-42990128750369999602011-10-10T16:37:00.000-07:002011-10-10T21:45:15.382-07:00

On this, Alexandra's 22nd day of life, she took a little adventure up the Santa Fe trail. Mike got to test out our stroller, ahem, transportation system, which Mike now thinks could make it to the top of a 14er. We've decided to call it the Baby Tank. It made it up and over the ballast of a railroad grade and over the railroad tracks, and up and down the sandy, rocky, steep and uneven Santa Fe

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-65092019766750731082011-10-09T16:48:00.000-07:002011-10-09T17:45:31.748-07:00

My belly has been through a lot this year. It hasn't really had to do very much in its 30-odd years of existence. It has spent three decades just hiding out, pale and unremarkable, under my shirt. But this was the year of my belly.First, it was blown up to gargantuan proportions as an alien life form took up residence. Then it was sliced open in three spots to remove a silly little lima bean of

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-77844473863258991162011-10-07T08:33:00.000-07:002011-10-07T08:43:45.589-07:00

Yesterday for our adventure with the baby, we went for a walk along Monument Creek in Monument Valley Park. We were more citified than we usually are and walked into downtown where we visited the library. I checked out books on how to get your baby to sleep and Mike checked out audio books, but Alexandra was bored by the books and slept through it all.I know Liz will get me in trouble for walking

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-19019970091009198402011-10-06T10:46:00.000-07:002011-10-06T11:08:15.739-07:00

My sister-in-law is going to get me in trouble for writing about poverty rather than posting cute pictures of my baby, but I wanted to share a book with you.My coworker and friend Aaron just published a book, Awaiting a Savior: The Gospel, The New Creation and the End of Poverty. Here's a little teaser trailer about it.Full disclosure: Aaron recognizes me in his acknowledgements, so I might be

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-48280417633488091722011-10-04T17:09:00.000-07:002011-10-04T17:34:18.676-07:00

Not too much is going on these days. We eat; we sleep; we feed the baby; we change the baby's diapers; we try to get the baby to sleep at night. I haven't written about these things because I assume you don't want to hear my breast milk or baby poop shenanigans. But we're also trying to take at least a walk a day, to get us out of the house and get our health back. It helps to make us feel normal

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-52589152604800811562011-10-03T13:38:00.000-07:002011-10-03T13:52:59.112-07:00

So, about a month before the baby arrived, we started dreaming of how we could improve our master bath. Mike has been slowly chipping away at the project, stealing minutes from here and there. The past two weeks we had family staying with us to help us out with the baby, so Mike was able to get in some good time on our bathroom cabinets.This is what they looked like before (and here is the

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-85003140427490002502011-10-02T09:45:00.000-07:002011-10-02T13:38:04.592-07:00

These days, it's hard to blog, as I have a case of mild dementia. (Incidentally, do you know how hard it is to spell dementia when you have it? Dimensia? Demintia? Demonchia?) The sleep deprivation is leaving me a bit loopy. The baby has been having her awake and alert times (read: crying times) from 10 to 2 on many nights, which is leaving us a little tired. Every night, I wake up many, many

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-68524194817159149622011-09-28T08:14:00.000-07:002011-09-28T19:51:19.995-07:00

"Bobservations" is my new slang term for "baby observations" of my little one. She does lots of little things that I'd like to remember, and here a a few of them.She likes to flip us off. She flipped us off for the first time on her first day of life, as she rested her middle finger on her face and curled the rest of her fingers. Her middle finger continues to be her favorite finger for pointing,

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-41140628370811730282011-09-26T08:39:00.000-07:002011-09-26T09:51:21.821-07:00

We've made it through one entire week with baby! We haven't broken her or anything. I just realized that I'm 1/8th through my maternity leave, so I need to soak it all up while I can! So far it's been a jolly holiday with our little girl. Here are some of the notable experiences of our first week with our little coconut.Magnesium sulfate made the first day and a half a blur. I was so weak, I

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-29167213036446985052011-09-25T07:00:00.000-07:002011-09-25T07:11:35.136-07:00

Here is a parable about our sometimes twisted poverty theology that I thought was apt. I can certainly relate, especially working for a non-profit and not driving a total beater. Often I feel the need to justify or explain away the nice things that I have to those whom I presume might be judging me..."I got a great deal on it, I swear!" which betrays that I, like the son in the parable, can care

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-79018806954149024302011-09-23T06:23:00.000-07:002011-09-23T15:06:04.700-07:00

I don't suppose there are very many people out there who want to hear the nitty gritty details of my labor, but for my own sake, I'd like to write it down before it grows even more fuzzy in my mind than it already is. So, without further ado, here is my labor story. If you please, you may skip to the end and view cute pictures of baby. :)At HomeOn Saturday, September 17th, I woke around midnight

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-45199024726011211012011-09-19T17:08:00.000-07:002011-09-22T10:30:18.890-07:00

Post from Sunday by Mike...which blogger wouldn't let me post until today. I'll update later!Hey all, Amber is taking a well-deserved rest so I'm posting a little update. Alexandra was born last night/early this morning (by C-section), around 3:30AM. She was 5 lbs 15 oz and 19 inches long. She looks a lot like her mom, including lovely brown eyes and lots of curly dark hair. She's very active and

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-21961737042638929102011-09-16T16:36:00.001-07:002011-09-16T17:26:13.199-07:00

This is Lori.Lori is an artist, and guess who painted this lovely design on her belly...She did! Pretty amazing, huh? At a recent baby shower I went to, Lori also painted our friend Rachel's belly to celebrate Hadassah's coming. Hadassah (Hebrew for "Esther") means "myrtle tree," so these are the blossoms of a myrtle tree.Lori is hoping to start a small business painting ladies' pregnant bellies.

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-85405838750454615272011-09-14T06:29:00.000-07:002011-09-14T08:10:40.123-07:00

My friend Krissy is getting married on Saturday. And guess what happened on Monday a week ago...She got an appendectomy! Sheesh, what's with appendectomies and major life events around here? Despite her less than ideal situation, she has a great attitude, counting her blessings in a situation that might otherwise be frustrating. A little change in perspective is so refreshing!So I'm going to

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-64459981798615333882011-09-12T14:16:00.001-07:002011-09-12T15:57:09.350-07:00

Recently, I read one of the headline articles on Yahoo (almost always a bad idea) about helpful money-saving tips in these uncertain financial times. They went something like this...and I don't exaggerate:Instead of taking a yearly trip to Europe, consider taking a trip within the U.S.Consider cutting down on the number of times your cleaning help comes each month.Consider shopping at discount

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-19538817199166719672011-09-11T15:32:00.000-07:002011-09-11T15:41:15.759-07:00

I don't have much to say right now, so I'm going to cop out and just post pregnancy pics. Yay! I'm also really just posting these to impress you with how tough I am during pregnancy.Here I am last week at 36 weeks on a little hike/walk at Ute Valley Park by our house. Mike cajoled me into going all the way to the top of the ridge. (Sorry, these are taken with his cell phone, so not super

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-42965520484783998922011-09-07T05:59:00.000-07:002011-09-07T06:42:29.872-07:00

We are all ready for baby! Which I mean in a purely material sense, and certainly not in a metaphysical one. This weekend we were having guests over, so it gave us the extra push to complete all those last-minute details to get the baby room finally ready.Here is what it looked like before. Not very hospitable, is it?Here is what it looked like halfway through our project. I'm afraid I didn't get

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-40500996984382200902011-09-04T05:37:00.001-07:002011-09-04T09:25:48.242-07:00

I have always dreamt of living in a small town or isolated in the mountains somewhere, but those options weren't conducive to earning a living. So Mike and I bought our home on the very edge of town, so I could pretend I live in a mountain hamlet, rather than in a large front range city. We bought on the edge where the land can be developed no more - a national forest to the northwest, a rock

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-17808389449034165402011-09-01T12:41:00.000-07:002011-09-01T13:12:48.462-07:00

The act of writing is an odd thing. The act of blogging perhaps even more so. Why do writers write? For me, it's a compulsion. Something you do because you feel you must, for better or worse, for good or bad. Because you wake up at 3 a.m. and cannot go back to sleep until the words in your head are spilled onto a page or screen. Because, though when you speak to people in person you're slow and

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-14086050757733201262011-08-30T15:15:00.000-07:002011-08-30T15:42:26.823-07:00

Last week, I wrapped up my month o' baby showers with showers three and four. The third was a shower at work with my lovely Compassion friends. It was a joint effort, and I so appreciate all the work people put in. Gina started the shower with a slide show of what Mike and my child will look like...apparently she got Mike's receding hairline. They also arranged for my Canadian coworkers to Skype

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-25929761267459438642011-08-29T06:13:00.000-07:002011-08-29T06:46:45.229-07:00

Sometimes, the events of life seem so horrible that there is simply no way to explain, platitude our spiritualize our way out of them. Sometimes, though it sounds fatalistic, the only response seems to be, "this world is not our home." It may seem like a trite phrase (and not actually one contained in the Bible), but it expresses this verse well: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-58902598836925913092011-08-25T06:38:00.000-07:002011-08-26T06:48:21.119-07:00

As Mike and I think about parenthood, we naturally wonder what our daughter will be like: Sweet? Funny? Shy? And the ominous question has inevitably occurred to us: What if our daughter wants to play sports? To us, this prospect is as scary and unfamiliar as if a jock's son wanted to become a ballerina. If she wants to be a dancer, singer, actor, performer, or brain bowl champ, we've got that

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-15348370049951353682011-08-24T05:22:00.000-07:002011-08-24T20:56:11.394-07:00

I have now nursed a sock monkey. Last night, Mike and I went to our first breastfeeding class because, yes, we are those intellectuals who go to classes to learn what other people have been doing naturally for thousands of years. Mike was a little unsure about going to a breastfeeding class because, as he put it, "I don't have breasts." I reminded him, though, that he does have a memory which I

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-38382456797515114862011-08-23T15:51:00.001-07:002011-08-23T15:51:53.058-07:00

After my post about the horror of childbirth, as portrayed in my birthing class, an anesthesiologist sent me this letter, based on his misadventures in OB. I thought it was pretty darn funny and is meant in good fun. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. (On a side note, there have been some important breakthrough studies on the level of pain in childbirth. Read more here.) Dear Women:

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-31222947797202512412011-08-22T13:16:00.000-07:002011-08-22T16:53:53.521-07:00

I believe one of the most basic and pervasive impulses of the female is to compare one's self to other females. As far back as I can recall, I've been playing the comparing game. When I was in 4th grade and in fluorescent orange spandex for my Janet Jackson dance recital, I distinctly recall comparing my 10-year-old belly rolls to those of the other girls around me. My OK-ness was determined

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3992840042194996698.post-62644414607363404492011-08-19T09:33:00.000-07:002011-08-19T10:02:05.753-07:00

Last night, Mike and I went to our first "prepared childbirth" class. You can get all the information you need these days in books and online, but I thought the act of going to a class would make me feel more prepared. (Besides the fact that I forget information I read faster than Dory the tang fish.) The class started pleasant enough, with introductions and definitions and niceties. As the

Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923748633771614620noreply@blogger.com8