• social networks: so it finally happened... my Boss added me on facebook. I'll take it as a good thing... /facebook: why do you make it so difficult to limit my profile discreetly? (not connected with the above, just irked they mess with my tidy lists and wondering who the heck some of these people are who are my "friends").
• letter-writing: count: 1 letter, 1 postcard. I'm such a bad friend. It's almost March, too.
• timeliness: God: always perfect. me: always late. /God: maybe you can help me out a little, please? less negative reinforcement though.
• messages: God's are always timely. Two Sundays ago (I missed last week's because I was in norcal last Sunday) Pastor Cory spoke on letting go of the old to make room for the new. This past Sunday(2-21) Pastor Cory spoke on success and how God defines it differently from the world. In Church School, he taught about character refinement at the workplace and career.
• years: ...Go by; I still remembered what went on this time last year. Went by so fast, yet so much has changed.
• the heart: It's so easy to get by without even addressing it. not talking about it makes it almost like it never happened. God never chooses to heal that way though.
• community: ad-hoc is the way to go (do you hear a sardonic tone?). on the other hand, I'm tremendously blessed when people invite themselves into my life without being asked (or asking).
• career: ended my nightmarish routine Mar. 24, 2009. officially began a new season August 17, 2009. 7 months has already come and gone. post-implementation on my 1st project will be closed end of this month and I'm already brought on-board for my 2nd project. today, I finally found the boldness to approach my Boss regarding my future with the team, knowing full well he doesn't have all the answers, but God does (it was just a talk that had to be had). Oh yeah, the Boss added me on fb last Thurs, pretty much after completion of my first project. ---early in my job, the golden-boy of the team shared with me that after completion of his first project, our Boss added him on fb. shortly afterward, our Director and VP also added him. /shrug in any case, it's good... less time on fb. more time immersed in a pseudo-NCIS working environment. haven't seen one dull day, yet.
• The Big Bang Theory (which I'm watching now): you know...hm, Sheldon has really pretty  eyes.

been writing letters lately. letter-writing is really not my thing; i'm really bad with sending snail mail (and 2nd to that, the whole phone thing). however, i do enjoy being the receiver of personal snail mail (and phone calls... actually, i really just like hearing my ringtone).   

anyway, i figure i might as well substitute (portions of) the letters as my blog. after all, content-wise, it's all pretty much the same thing.

arrived in the office to find: 1. someone's father had a medical emergency last night (this happened to another coworker just last month) and 2. receive news that I'll soon be hearing wedding bells (engagement of 2 of my best friends). -- how can moments be so sobering and joyful in such a short span of time?

I remember my AP Psych teacher telling us in high school that women naturally suppress the pain of childbearing, which explains why women would be willing to do it all over again after their firstborn and how humankind continues to propagate.  Tidbit came to mind after coming across: Ten Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Got Pregnant. Good to know, I suppose...

The following was excerpted from isumath07's xanga post:

1) You will be asked (unless maybe if you are a SAHM) MULTIPLE times each day, “How are you feeling?”  While this is a very innocent question, the problem is, there isn’t a right answer.   Let’s review:

a)      The standard approach “Fine”: followed by, “Really, no morning sickness?” “I was always throwing up every day, you have it SOOO easy” or “Have you gained any weight yet?”  Regardless, you can’t get away with “Fine” “Good” or “Okay” anymore.  It is absolutely necessary, apparently, that all pregnant women share the details.

b)      The relatively honest yet pleasant approach: “I’ve been pretty tired and a little nauseous”:  this is followed by, “That’s nothing!!  I knew someone who….”   Sometimes you might get a little more tactful approach to the answer, but in general, people seem it’s necessary to give you a play by play of the “worst case scenario.”  Seriously, I don’t WANT to know that your friend threw up on the way to lunch everyday… I’m about to eat my own lunch and it’s not the easiest thing to do anymore.

2)  People will ask you many times when you are due.  The same person will ask 3-4 times.  It is inevitable.  Unless it’s pasted on your forehead, repetition is apparently key.

3)  It is entirely possible to get up at 10:00 AM (on a weekend) and be absolutely too tired to stay up past 7:00 PM even after a nap or two during the day in the first trimester.  I don’t know how people with multiple kids function.  I was lifeless for a period of 2-3 weeks.  I’m SO thankful that’s over!

4)  EVERYTHING about your body changes during pregnancy.  Seriously.  I think my feet even grew a size.  Nothing-Fits-The-Same.   Furthermore, you’ll be astonished at the RATE things grow.  It definitely wasn’t gradual for me.  I grew a cup size in 2 weeks.  Then, after picking out a pair of maternity pants that I thought were “way to big” and would fit better near my third trimester through the end…… well, let’s just say after re-trying them on 3 weeks later…. they’re almost too small.  I could fit in my regular pants just fine until 18 weeks… then **poof** as if by magic… nothing fit.

5) You should by maternity clothes in stages.  This goes along with #4.  What fits today… or even looks big at the maternity store probably won’t fit in 2 months.  Furthermore, if you buy “cheaper clothes” they tend to shrink… the length of your shirts is definitely important when you’ve grown in “cup size” and your baby bump is now a small mountain.  It is perfectly fine to buy something that you know won’t fit later on… if it’s cheap, it fits, and it’s comfortable… great!  Just be aware that your maternity shopping is probably not done until month 8 or 9.

6) Unless you’re spotting blood (and a significant amount of it) practically all other medical concerns will be chalked up to “That’s normal during pregnancy.”  Headache for 3 weeks straight – normal (get your blood pressure checked though).  Backache – normal.  Severe leg spasms making you feel like your leg is surely going to explode at any moment – normal.  You will not think it’s normal at the time… trust me.  You should check to make sure your symptoms are “actually normal” but it’s amazing how the body changes and compensates for a little one inside you.

7) No one who hasn’t been pregnant (namely ALL guys) understands what it means to be “12 weeks pregnant” or “40 weeks pregnant.”  In other words, you have to give them the “number of months since conception” not the “number of weeks since the first day of your last menstrual cycle.”  It is not possible for guys to understand the logic with this one… just keep it simple. 

8) The “ultimate sampler” at any Mexican place, BBQ place, etc…. that seemed impossible to eat before pregnancy, is now conquerable.  You might even want dessert.  It’s ok.  On the same note though, I was not hungry at all during the first trimester… I felt nauseous if I ate much at all in one sitting… that definitely changes further along.

9)  People (even ones who were recently pregnant) seem to have absolutely no knowledge of general milestones during pregnancy.  While you’ve read “all the books,” the rest of society will seem rather oblivious.  You will be asked, “Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?” many times… even in the second and third months of pregnancy.  The baby might be the size of a grape… but everyone still wants to know.  Furthermore, there isn’t a right or wrong answer to the question, “Are you going to find out the gender?”  If you say yes…. it’s followed by, “Don’t you want to be surprised?”  If you say no, it’s followed by a well thought out speech on the benefits of knowing the gender.

10) It’s okay to feel mad/sad/happy/frustrated all in a matter of 10 minutes.  It will happen to you.  You won’t know why.  It will pass.  Hopefully you have a supportive partner or patient friends. 

We suffer because we mistakenly believe that God’s goals and our goals are identical. Into this confusion and sorrow, your Savior, who isn’t insensible to your pain, speaks:

Hidden in Christ, I am then able to…

• Freely love Him because He first loved me
• Freely love others because I am fully loved
• Give grace to others
• Encourage instead of nag or grumble
• Exude confident hope instead of being a worrywart
• Pray God’s will be done instead of striving to climb the ladder the world chains me to
• Joyously celebrate each day instead of what I do now...

Awoke early this morning to the gentle sound of raindrops. Rainy days are the best days to sleep in, but it's Monday. I glanced at the clock and wished I didn't have to leave from under my freshly laundered, soft, comfy, warm covers. It's Monday (a holiday, MLK) and I realized I don't have to! So I sank back into bed and drifted back to sleep. I've wanted to do that for such a long time. It was one of the most wonderful feelings in the world.

Rainy days, perfect for a movie. Watched Becoming Jane (Was supposed to watch it with my mother a few nights ago, but upon the opening sequence, she contemplated and said, "Hm, I think I watched this before..." A moment later, directing her gaze at me, she then laughed, along with my Father, at the opening line from Jane's mother (I won't repeat it) and said, "Yes, I wholeheartedly agree!" <so typical of my parents>. Both of them watched Star Trek instead - Mom loved it!!! ^_^). Becoming Jane - good movie. I think I'll reread Pride & Prejudice now.

See, I have trouble talking to certain people in certain places. Social etiquette calls for small talk (which I detest) and not wanting to be rude, I'll take part of this behavior while in the midst of day-to-day functions. I'd much rather listen about the deeper things, as you talk or I answer (sometimes) if you ask. However, when feeling rushed (and I tend to feel that way when I'm on the phone or in a place with many people we know), I tend to shy away from the more meaningful conversations, as well (i.e. today). This isn't because I don't want to, but I don't like the idea of beginning a meaningful conversation, just to have you (or I) needing to end it rather quickly.

Dear God,

Please find me a suitable date for April 15th.

You're the Best! Thanks! ^_^

♥ Love,
d