A great, awesome, super exhausting day!

Today was the first full day off Matt has had from UPS since he started working there in January (that wasn't sickness- or injury-related), so we wanted to make the most of it! So, as soon as we finally rolled out of bed (around 8:00), we got dressed, ate breakfast, I nursed Abbie, and we headed out to pick strawberries! There is a berry farm right here in Wilmore that opens for about three weeks early in the summer. Matt and I each picked a bucket-full in about 30 minutes, which was about 8 lbs of beautiful red berries! And they are absolutely delicious!

Then we came home, I got a shower, and we left the house again for the Children's Museum in Cincinatti. On the way we stopped at Craker Barrel :-) and Abbie and I took a short nap in the car. We got to the museum around 3:00 and had a blast! Here are some pictures from our afternoon:

Playing in a fountain

Show me the money!!!

Who's this museum for, again?

How is that ball floating?!

Birthday pics!!!

Happy Birthday, Abbie!!!

broccoli face

Abbie has been getting more ambitious with finger foods in the last few days, and her obsessive love of broccoli has never been stronger:

"Mommy want some?"

It's pretty crazy to think that, at this time last year, Matt and I were hanging out in the labor room watching Erin Brockovitch and waiting for contractions to start (which never happened), pacing the halls and finally settling in to spend the night. I'm really glad I didn't know at this time last year that Abbie still wouldn't be born for another 25.5 hours!!!

Anticipation...

ONLY 3 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES UNTIL

PRINCE CASPIAN!!!!!!!!!!!

Weekend wrap-up

I had a really good weekend :-)

Friday: Matt and I went out to Olive Garden to celebrate his promotion, my new position, and our pregnancy (why not :-) I had shrimp and the first half of the meal was great! After I ate half my meal, however, I started feeling pregnant :-( I didn't throw up, thankfully (in fact, I haven't gotten that sick at all yet), but I definitely had to stop eating. But I certainly ate my fair share of garlic bread!

Saturday: Was our six year dating anniversary! It's pretty crazy to think that Matt and I have been together for six years...and that's not even counting the first time we dated in college! (Long story...) Also on Saturday night we all went over to hang out with our friends Ryan and Aura who have three really cute kids. Leah, the youngest, is 3 months old and makes Abbie look like a giant! We had a great dinner--Aura made pasta with asparagus along with a fabulous salad of spinach, strawberries, mandarin oranges, walnuts, and her homemade dressing. WOW. We had a really good time.

Sunday: My first Mother's Day! Matt made breakfast for me--waffles, bacon, coffee and orange juice. So yummy! Unfortunately, we woke up late and had to rush through breakfast to get to church on time. He and Abbie gave me cards (his was funny, hers was sweet) and a silver charm bracelet with two charms--two hearts for our marriage, and a pair of baby booties for Abbie :-) I love it! Matt did a very good job. Also, Matt took his online final Sunday night and now is COMPLETELY DONE with his semester!!! Wahoo!!! (I have one paper and one final left.)

We're looking forward this week to seeing Prince Caspian on Friday (OPENING!) night! I bought our tickets last week. We've been waiting for this movie for three years. To prepare for the big event Matt and I are reading the book this week. So exciting!

News!

Lots has happened in the last week, so I thought I'd compile all our updates into one blog post:

Matt: Is now a part-time supervisor for UPS!!!!!!! This means more money (about twice the salary he was getting before!), more prestige, a much better work wardrobe, and more responsibility. He is psyched. As am I :-) To get promoted to supervisor after just 4 months of working as a loader is pretty phenomenal at UPS; the other supervisors were warning Matt that the paperwork might not go through until August. But he started yesterday! Unfortunately, UPS is very strict about the appearance of their management; Matt now has to wear his maroon UPS polo shirt, nice pants, nice shoes, and....... no beard. :-( Which is very sad. What's even more sad is that I didn't even get to say goodbye to my beloved beard! Matt called me on his way home from work and told me that he couldn't have started as supervisor yesterday without shaving...so he bought a Bic at a gas station and shaved in the bathroom :-( Ouch! I'm trying to be a big girl about it, but it's a big adjustment. For twice the money, though, it's definitely worth the sacrifice!

Me: I am now a research assistant!! I'm working with Dr. Virginia Todd Holeman, researching apology and repentance. Toddy's expertise has been in forgiveness research lately, and now she's turning her interests to the flip side. First I'll be reading a ton of articles on apology for a literature review which Toddy and I will write together and (hopefully) publish! During the summer we'll be designing two research studies and once they're approved by Asbury's board, we can start interviewing and collecting data in the fall. Needless to say, I am SO EXCITED about this opportunity!!!!

Abbie: Has started cruising!!! Her new favorite thing to do is stand in her pack-n-play and cruise around the perimeter while clinging on for dear life. She's also been pulling up on random objects around the living room. So she's getting dangerous now!

New Baby: Is growing fingers and toes while trying desperately to get rid of the protruding tail bone. We have also decided on names, but haven't decided whether or not to share them yet :-)

May 5th

Today is my sister-in-law Jeannie's first wedding anniversary. Congratulations, Jeannie and Doc!!!! And this is how I looked last May 5th... only 15 days before Abbie was born :-)

Planning out my life

Inevitably, at the most hectic time of every semester, I suddenly get inspired to cast off my worries about my multiple projects due during the next week, sit down with my academic catalog, and plan out the remainder of my life as a grad student. What can I say--I like lists :-) Lists and charts give me a sense of self-efficacy. When I look at a list, I get a reassured feeling that I can know what to expect--that life won't be completely random and haphazard.

I have taken on this task (yet again) this afternoon. I have planned out my course schedule for this summer (3 or 6 credits), this coming fall (9 credits), January (3 credits) and spring (9 credits), summer (7 credits) and fall 2009 (3 credit practicum and 2 credit course), and spring 2010 (3 credit practicum). Presumptuous? I think not :-) In fact, I'm very excited about the fact that I won't have a semester with more than three classes. I can handle that.

If my plan holds up, I will be graduating ATS in May, 2010. That's only two years from now!!! Granted, the program is only supposed to take 25 months...but that's assuming that the student can commit to overloaded semesters for 2 years straight. Obviously, that's not for me.

So now I'm feeling pretty confident and on-track. And now I can get back to finishing up my LAST TWO PROJECTS of the semester :-) Wahoo!