Baby shower!

How wonderful my family and friends are! The shower last weekend was so much fun! I included my 32 week picture (I can't believe we're that far along already!) in a game we played where the shower guests estimated how large around they thought my belly was now, and I have to say, I was much smaller than most of them thought. =) One of my cousins, Mandi, guessed it exactly! After games we had some food and ate delicious cake made by Rachael's sister-in-law. Then presents. It's amazing how blessed you can feel by opening presents--just remembering that each one represents someone who loves and thinks about you! Anyway, we received a lot of incredible things. Iris is going to be one spoiled little girl!
I don't want to bore everyone with details of the shower, so I won't go on and on about it. But it was a lot of fun, and very special to me that Rachael put everything together so well! Right now I am enjoying a little more time off before school starts back up. Kids go back next week, and I have a feeling that the sub jobs will be a little slow. Oh, well, though. that gives me time to get a few more "summer" things done before launching into fall. If you are watching my website at all, it is going through some pretty major changes at the moment, and Josh expects to have something new and really cool up in about three more weeks. So I'd better get my act together and write more reviews. My goal is to have 50 up by the time the new website is active, and I think I'm going to make it! So be watching for that!
And, speaking of work, I'd better get some done today!

I just had to take a few minutes to gush a bit about how happy I am to be back in Oregon. Where else can you walk into a local hardware store (which is doing a great job competing with the new Home Depot) and buy pears fresh off someone's tree? This summer I've gotten a sampling of wonderful local produce, and there's nothing better! Last week I learned how to can peaches, and they are sitting there staring at me tempting me to eat them now instead of waiting until winter. We got to pick organically grown blueberries, and I can't wait to see if I can't find a u-pick corn farm. It's wonderful!
I'm also happy to be around people I know and love! I'm able to get my hair done at a salon owned by a high school friend (as you can see in my 31 week picture, I've gone red again!). It's a 40 minute drive still, but it's worth it! And my wonderful sister-in-law is planning an amazing baby shower for me this weekend! I can't believe how excited I am. I will be sure to post pictures up next week! Being close to family is so nice--just being able to call them up if we want to visit the new Ikea or go have lunch is such a blessing. We're even trying to plan a weekend trip around Christmas with my parents--something we were unable to do from California.
So, anyway, lots of sappy gushy stuff. Life is treating me well right now, though we're really busy. Some of you may have heard about my hospital overnighter a couple of weeks ago, but everything seems to be fine right now. Iris isn't giving us any indication that she's going to be born early (which is a good thing, as her room is far from ready!), and the doctor took me off my rest. I still have to take it a bit easier than I was, but now I don't worry about working around the house or going out shopping like before. Though I am becoming a bit disenchanted with this whole pregnancy thing. I feel ungainly, food doesn't usually sound good, and I wake up stiff every morning. I can't wait until I'm normal again! And then I'll be able to see Iris, instead of just looking at my big belly!

It's interesting that the bigger I get, the more I desire to do more traditionally feminine things. Not that I don't normally consider myself feminine, but some of the aspects that are often expected of women (i.e. wearing makeup), don't generally interest me. In many ways, they feel like a waste of time. However, at 29 weeks, I'm feeling so large and ungainly that I find myself spending time in ways that aren't that typical of me. Perhaps my lack of interest goes down to the earthy crunchy side of me, but lately it's become more important to me to do my makeup in the morning (those of you who know me know this isn't typically a very important ritual in my life), paint my toenails, wear dresses, etc. It's interesting to say the least, but I chalk most of it up to wanting to feel graceful and womanly, even though I have this enormous belly protruding out front. Reassurances from friends and family only go so far, as my personal feelings contradict what they say about me. Even my mom went on and on about how I was the smallest person there in my birthing class, but I think at this stage, feeling and being are two very different things. Luckily, I have people in my life who help me to feel pretty even though my psyche isn't so sure. Josh is very encouraging always and talks about how I keep myself in shape, my mother-in-law offers to paint my toenails, as it is becoming hard to reach, and my college roommate creates art on my belly. From my experiences, I feel so badly for those women who have to go through this whole process alone. It's not only about having a baby and having your life change in that way, but even your own body becomes unfamiliar and foreign to you, which I have found to be more difficult than I imagined. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy to be pregnant--it fascinates me and I could watch Iris moving around in my tummy for hours--but it has its own blends of hardships that I wasn't quite expecting.
Some great (hopefully) news--I have an appointment this week to talk to an advisor about possibly starting in on my credentials. I've enjoyed the subbing that I've done and am looking forward to more of it when school starts, but have gained confidence and the desire to move toward having my own classroom. I thought that getting my Masters Degree was out of the question for a few years, but my mom pointed out the possibility of stretching out the program and doing one or two classes at a time. As you may know, I'm quite a nerd, and the idea of studying and going back to school, without the stress of juggling five classes at once, excites me. So I'm talking to the two local universities to see what the possibility of taking a long-term track toward my next degree would be. I think the intellectual stimulation of taking classes again will help me through some of the baby years as well. I want to be there, but at the same time, I need adult time as well in order to be a healthy mom. One or two classes a term would be a wonderful mix, as I wouldn't have to spend much time away from Iris, and I'd still be on track, studying something that greatly interests me. So, if you read this, be praying that something along these lines works out for me--I've been presented the possibility and am trusting God to work all things out!

Ahh, summer!

It never fails that I set out to achieve many things over a summer break, only to get to the end and realize that I have accomplished few or none of my goals. This year is only an exception in that I am realizing this fact a month earlier than usual. The books I have to read, the work I wanted to get done, the yard I wanted to plan, and the baby to get ready for, all have fallen by the wayside. Thus I have determined not to let this month pass with nothing to show for myself.
It seems that letting summer slip by is a bit easier to do here in Corvallis. With the beautiful weather (thought it seems hotter this year, as I am an oven myself), the concerts in the park, the innumerable outdoor activities planned with our small group, work and seriousness seem to fall by the wayside. Yesterday I planned to be good and work all afternoon, though I got a call from Josh's mom inviting me over to the pool. Guess which option I chose.
Gary and Christina came down for Da Vinci Days a couple of weeks ago--an annual festival here in Corvallis that it has killed me to miss the past four years. It's the time that Corvallis really celebrates its artistic side, a focus on science and technology blended with the arts. The picture of Josh above was while he was riding a bicycle-type machine that walked instead of driving wheels. The exhibit was machines that were the antithesis of efficiency, and quite entertaining. There was a chair that scooted itself back if you tried to sit in it, as well as several others. All in all, it was a lot of fun, and a great chance to show friends the wonderful area where we live.
Well, it's off to work! Keep checking my book site, as it should be changing into a really cool layout sometime soon!