The Minichs

Plan of Action

2012-02-10T19:54:00.001-08:00

Liam has succumbed to the dreaded "Four month wakeful period."

Dun, Dun, Dunnnn.

He was pretty much sleeping through the night...waking to eat around 5:00 A.M. and sleeping until 7-7:30. But recently, he's fought going to bed; he wakes up a couple times after we initially put him down, and he has started demanding feedings at 1:00 and 5:00 before getting up for the day between 7:00 and 7:30. For two parents who work full-time...this hurts. We miss our sleep. We love our baby, but we miss our sleep.

We spent a good amount of time in Barnes and Noble recently...perusing the Baby section. We must have found four or five different books, written by four or five different experts, with four or five guaranteed methods for getting your baby to sleep through the night.

Some were parent-dependent methods--sleeping, rocking, loving him to sleep. Whenever he needs it.

Some were cry-it-out methods--let him learn to fall asleep on his own. Every time he wakes up.

Some were in the middle of the road--let him know you're there, but don't give him what he wants--emphasis on WANTS not NEEDS.

I almost tore my hair out.

With all of these experts telling me a million different things...and each one trying to disprove the other experts...how in the world do I know what's best for my son, my marriage, my family, and my sanity?

I've spent a lot of time in prayer lately, asking God to grant us patience and to impress upon our hearts what is BEST for little Liam.

We've developed our own little system, taking bits and pieces from each book, as well as some advice from parents and friends. Will it work? ...Who knows??

If it does, we'll write a best-seller.

"How to Put Your Baby to Sleep When He's Still Begging to Be Fed But You Don't Know Which Method to Use and Your Doctor Thinks He Will Turn Into A Mammoth If You Keep Feeding Him Like This And You're Ready to Sleep Again Because You are Slowly--But Surely--Going Insane."

by the Minichs.

We will slowly and lovingly wean him from the 1:00 A.M. feeding. When we've done that, we will start pushing back the 5:00 feeding. When we've done THAT we will slowly wean the "dream feed" at 10:00...which isn't a huge deal, since it's right before we go to bed anyways.

But we most definitely don't want our son to become obese at the ripe age of 4 months old, so we promised doc we'd try.

Between 6:00 and 6:30 we'll give him a warm, relaxing bath.
Around 7:00, we'll read him his baby Bible, pray with him, swaddle him, give him a full feeding, and rock him to sleep in his room with the white noise blaring from the radio. (He loves it for some odd reason.)
Around 10:00, we'll gently pick him up and rock him, while offering him a small feeding. This is our "dream feed" which will just ensure that he sleeps a little longer before waking up hungry.
At 1:00, he will inevitably wake to eat. We will slowly start offering less and less--4 oz, 3.5, 3, etc. Eventually, he won't be offered a feeding. When he cries, we will pick him up, love him, do what we need to do to show him, "Hey, buddy. You are loved. You are wanted. You are not alone. But you are getting chunky and we are not allowed to give you this feeding. K?"
At 5:00, we'll give him his feeding like usual. We only want to try to wean one feeding at a time.

If this doesn't work by the first week in March, we'll change our game plan. We want to give this at least 4 weeks. We will be consistent in those 4 weeks so he (and we) know what to expect.

Of course, if we're still not sleeping in 4 weeks, we may look into hiring a night nanny to come take care of the feedings for us.

Kidding.

Kind of.

All in all, we are LOVING our son. We are LOVING our family. We'd like to have another little boy (I just know it'll be a boy) in 4 years...when Liam is able to help out and we've had 3 years to catch up on sleep. :)

He is a wonderful little blessing. He's such a happy little guy--talkative and funny. He's got the BEST personality. He tried cereal for the first time tonight (the nurse said it was okay, as long as it does not replace a feeding. He still needs his formula, but she said offering him some cereal could help fill him up if he's still feeling hungry). We don't give him much, but surprisingly...he LOVES it. He made funny faces at first, but now he's eating from the spoon like he's done it all his life. Amazing. He's SO smart. and SO big. 95th percentile big.

I love my little man. :)

Time for bed. Wish us luck!

--The Minich

Letters to Liam:

2012-01-23T20:10:00.000-08:00

My sweet, big boy--

I know it's cliche, but I absolutely cannot believe how big you are. You're definitely bigger than most babies your age. Considering that you started your journey on this Earth as a teeny Peanut, I am awed by how quickly you're becoming a little elephant.

You'll be four months old in two weeks. Right now, you love sucking on your hands. You've been putting weight on your feet for AGES now; you hold yourself up extremely well; you just use me & Daddy for balance. You love to dance in front of the mirror. You grin and laugh at yourself. It is, without a doubt, the cutest thing I've ever seen in my entire life. Daddy & I are desperate to record it, but the moment the video camera comes out, you lose all animation, which is simultaneously completely hilarious & totally frustrating.

You LOATHE tummy time. You can turn to your side, but you refuse to flip on to your belly. As much as you LOVE standing (you spend quite a bit of your awake time on your feet) and HATE being on your tummy, we enjoy joking that you will walk before you crawl. Right now, you put everything in your mouth. You eat between 6-8 ounces in a single feeding (wow!) and eat approximately every 3 to 3.5 hours. You are waking up a couple times a night, but you only wake up once to eat. You're doing so well sleeping in your big-boy crib (knock on wood), but I miss the days that you snuggled in bed beside me. I never slept well, but I was over-the-moon happy.

I heard you laugh for the first time on December 26th, and since then it's become everyone's mission to make you giggle. Your grandpas are REALLY good at it. So is your daddy. I act like a fool trying to make you laugh--singing, dancing, making ridiculous faces--but you typically just stare at me with this bewildered expression and tiny smirk...like, Is this supposed to be funny?

Your hair is so blonde that you look completely bald. Your eyes are still a striking blue--it's the first thing EVERYONE notices when they see you. "Oh, he's ALL eyes!!" they cry, oohing and ahhing.

I just so happen to think you're the most beautiful baby on the face of the planet. Not that I'm biased or anything.

You sat through your first church service last week. You flirted with the lady in the row behind you. I'm pretty sure she thought you were ridiculously beautiful, too.

You love your Bumbo seat (for a short period of time), hate your Johnny Jump-up, and love being outdoors. Bathtime is by far your favorite time of day. We like to call you our "Olympic swimmer." You look like you are concentrating so deeply on your strokes. You are a different baby in the water, that's for sure.

It's time for Mommy to go to bed. You'll probably be up soon anyways. ;)

I love you, baby boy. We are having so much fun watching you grow up.

Love,
Mommy & Daddy

Oh, How He Loves Us...

2012-01-22T18:40:00.000-08:00

I just finished the book "Heaven is for Real." It's a true story about a young boy named Colton who clung to life at three-years-old while undergoing multiple surgeries. It was written by his father, a preacher, who explains how Colton woke up from his surgeries describing Heaven, describing people he had never met & who had long passed away (like his great-grandfather "Pop" and his unborn sister, whom he'd never learned of), and describing Jesus.

It was amazing. I cried like a baby reading it. My favorite part is when Colton describes God, claiming, "He loves us. He really, really, really, really loves us!"

How incredible. Here I am--stubborn, weak, and completely undeserving of all of my blessings--yet I am loved beyond understanding. I can't imagine what Colton's parents went through...almost losing him. They raged at God, angry and hurt, asking, "Why are you taking our son?!" And, amazingly, God answered their prayers anyway. Even though they questioned His faithfulness and mercy....He gave them their son back.

I'm in awe of just how loved we all are. Even we are angry at God. Even when we don't deserve it--which is all the time. We are SO loved!

I love my Lord. This book has just renewed my passion to serve Him, worship Him, and love Him with everything I have. I want my son to know Him. I want to feel His presence in my home all the time. What a great reminder of what a beautiful, wonderful, and awesome God we have.

If you haven't read the book, I highly recommend it!

Blessings of a Fussy Baby

2011-12-25T20:54:00.000-08:00

Life. has. changed.

Our world of spontaneous decisions to attend late-night movies, quiet dinners at the local sushi bar, and sleeping until the sun comes up are over. It has transformed into a whirlwind of coffee grounds and downing cup after desperate cup...leaving the house wearing eyeliner around only one eye and spit-up down my shirt...and the continual bouncing, bouncing, bouncing, swaying, swaying, swaying, singing, singing, singing necessary to make a fussy little monster smile again. It has become a land of toy mines (you accidentally step on a noisy one and the aforementioned monster explodes into screams of frustration--can't a guy get a little sleep around here?!). We are the walking dead--living proof that you can indeed function on 3.5 hours of sleep. On a good day.

We wouldn't change it back for all the sushi in the world.

We just celebrated Christmas at my mother-in-law's house, where she graciously housed another seven guests in addition to her family of five. I left with tears in my eyes. Liam--who has made clear that, though he looks a lot like daddy, he has most definitely inherited mommy's Puerto Rican temper--had some happy moments...opening presents, going for a walk, taking a bath. He did, however, fuss...a lot. Kevin and I have found that he is very easily over-stimulated. Lots of noise and people freak him out. And every single time he fussed, I felt the need to grab him out of his poor victim's arms before their ear drums ruptured.

Frankly, it was totally and completely exhausting. I left weighted down by fatigue and anxiety. Our parents make it look so easy. All I've ever wanted was to be a good mommy. I was hoping I'd step into motherhood as easily as I stepped into becoming a teacher...becoming a wife. Unfortunately, I haven't become Mother of the Year overnight. I've got a lot of learning to do. Patience is high on the list of "Skills to Acquire For Raising a Fussy Baby."

My mother-in-law could tell I was upset. She called me, listened to me explain how guilty I feel for just not knowing how to make him happy, and responded gently, "We are always here. I used to feel the same panic, the same anxiety, with Tim. But we are all here to help you, and we love him...even when he's fussing. Hand him off. Get some rest. Enjoy yourself!"

She and my mom make me realize just how incredibly blessed I am. There are families in the hospital with their sick babies right now...and here I am complaining that my son is high-maintenance. I am surrounded by help...by love...by support. I am ridiculously, ridiculously blessed with my fussy baby.

They've reminded me to not only look forward (this too shall pass!) but to enjoy his squeaks, squeals, and coos while he's still young enough to make them. I'm trying to remember to embrace this time in my life...when he cries because he needs me, wants me. When he's still little enough to snuggle in my arms...to grin when I make a silly face. To pee down daddy's shirt because daddy didn't get the diaper on fast enough.

We are a truly blessed little family. I praise God for that.

Letters to Liam

2011-10-26T13:14:00.000-07:00

Liam James,
You are three weeks old. For the first time, I'm writing to you as you sit beside me. . . rather than inside my tummy! I have so much to tell you; I want to remember every second of your birthday.

I started having contractions in the evening on Saturday, October 1, at my sister-in-law Stephanie's birthday dinner celebration. Your Nonna was there, helping me time each contraction and walking outside with me when it became too uncomfortable to sit. I had spent the entire day running errands with your Yaya, and I wondered if all the exercise had done it--was I about to meet you for the first time?!

I tried to call Dr. Collins, but she wasn't on duty. I spoke with Dr. Goldman, who recommended that daddy and I grab our bags and hurry to the hospital. We did! Daddy tried to stay calm, but I could tell he was a little anxious; he sped to the hospital, where a nurse helped me into a wheelchair and wheeled me to elevators to take me to labor and delivery. Uncle Matt was taking pictures with his phone the entire time.

The nurses at Medical Center of Lewisville were all so patient and sweet. They hooked me up to two monitors--one for your heartbeat and one to measure my contractions. The contractions were coming steadily, and they were pretty painful, but unfortunately, I wasn't making much progress. Daddy, Ya-Ya, Auntie Molly, Nonna, Grandpa Chris, and Uncle Matt were all hanging out in the delivery room, making me laugh. They drew pictures of our pets on the nurses' whiteboard, danced with me in the hallways, and joked and played with me. In the wee hours of the morning, the nurses finally sent me home. You just weren't ready yet.

Dr. Collins advised us not to go past our due date; it wasn't safe for me or you. She gave us three options for induction--October 3, 5, or 10. It was a lot of pressure to pick your birthday! I always thought you would be the one to do that! Daddy teased that you were being stubborn like mama, and it was time to serve you an eviction notice!

After looking through the calendar and imagining future birthday parties, we chose Wednesday, October 5th. We all hoped you'd be an October baby. Daddy loves Halloween, so October is one of his favorite months! We were unsure if you'd wait that long, but sure enough, October 5th came around, and you still weren't here. We went to the hospital at 7:30 A.M. to start the induction.

I woke up earlier than Daddy did. I was so nervous. I cried that morning when I suddenly realized that, for the first time, I was going to have to share you. I had carried you around in my belly for 9 months. I had held you and kept you safe. For the first time, we were going to be separated, and it broke my heart. I almost postponed the induction, but Daddy said, "No way!" Everyone was ready to meet you. It was time for me to share you with the world.

When we got there, the nurse had to start an IV. One thing you'll learn about mommy...is that she is a giant chicken! I've always hated needles, and seeing the IV was making me sick. There was a medical student shadowing my nurse. He came up with a clever idea to cut a yellow sock and pull it over my IV, hiding it from view. That sock made people laugh all day long! You'll see it in the video and all my pictures.

I'd like to say it was a nice, easy labor, but Daddy seemed to be right when he said you were stubborn like mommy! The contractions were intense and frequent, but my body was progressing so slowly that Dr. Collins started to wonder if we should prepare for a C-section. I received an epidural in the afternoon, which helped a lot with the pain, but you took so long that it wore off twice! We all prayed together and continued our wait.

Daddy brought all of the seasons of The Office, which he knew made me laugh. He played it on the television in the delivery room. Our whole families were there--Auntie Molly even left school early. She didn't want to miss anything. They all sat in that room with me for twelve hours, just waiting to see your face. Pops brought a baseball and passed it around, and everyone wrote sweet little messages to you. You certainly took your time making your grand appearance...but it was worth it!

Right before you came, the doctor sat beside me and said that it was time to discuss choosing to deliver you via C-section. As a last resort, she asked me to try pushing. I did, and she exclaimed, "You just dilated yourself from a 3.5 to a 7! Keep going!"

We called Ya-Ya, Nonna, and Auntie Molly back into the room. They waited behind a curtain while Daddy held my hand, encouraging me and supporting me. I pushed for about 45 minutes, desperate to meet you. When I finally saw you, I couldn't believe it. There you were. This perfect little angel. I couldn't believe that Daddy and I had created something so perfect.

The nurses put you in my arms, but they whisked you away before I really had a chance to even touch you. I kept saying, "Why isn't he crying?"

You weren't breathing.

It was probably one of the most terrifying moments of our lives. The doctor kept me calm; she said in a low, steady voice, "Little boys like to do this to us sometimes!" as the NICU team swarmed around you, clearing your airways and putting an oxygen mask over your tiny face. Auntie Molly and Ya-Ya immediately fell to their knees in prayer. Nonna held Daddy, comforting him as we watched you struggle. After a few eternal minutes, you started breathing; moments later, you let out your first cry. The room breathed a collective sigh of relief. You were our warrior, just as your name promised you'd be.

Not much longer, the family came flooding in--Pops, Grandpa Chris, all your uncles, Sera, and Aunt Stephanie. You were a star! People were fawning over you, taking picture after picture, begging to hold you next. I've never seen someone so loved.

I wish I could say it's all been smooth sailing from there! At just three weeks old, you were diagnosed with pyloric stenosis and had to receive surgery at Legacy Children's Medical Center.
The nurses were absolutely amazing; they loved on you and comforted you as you fought them tooth and nail over the IV's.

Regardless, it was one of the hardest things your daddy and I have ever gone through; I cried all weekend long! We weren't allowed to feed you for almost 24 hours, and though you received nutrition through the IV's, you still cried for food. It broke my heart. Luckily, your Nonna & Grandpa Chris were calling with tons of love and support (they happened to be out of town, but called 24/7 to check on you!) and Ya-Ya and Pops were in the room all weekend long to hold you when daddy and I had to step away.

We've dealt with some hardships, but we have loved every single second of being your parents. The stress, the tears, the sleep-deprivation--you are worth it all. We'd sacrifice the world for you. You are beyond loved, Liam James. We can't wait to watch you grow up!

It's taken mommy 2 months to finish this story and post it. When I started this letter, it was late October. Now it's mid-December, and we are anticipating a very merry first Christmas with you. I haven't had a lot of time to sit and finish your story; I like to tell people you are a bit of a high maintenance baby. ;) But you're growing like a weed, and we are loving it. You smile now...you absolutely love bath time. You hate waiting to eat, and you (like mommy) get a little weepy when you're tired. You sing with mommy, and right now your favorite songs are Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer and Jesus Loves Me. Your eyes are still blue, but they're lightening every day. Uncle Matt & I think there's a good chance they'll be green like ours.

You are the little light of our lives...and we love you so much!

-Mommy & Daddy

Letters to Liam

2011-09-30T19:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Liam,

I feel as though yesterday you were only my little Peanut. Where did the time go? People keep telling me that soon enough, you'll be packing your bags for college, but I can't imagine a day that you won't be nearby. You haven't been away from me a SINGLE moment of your existence. I love that. I love you.

I wish I could convey exactly how excited your family is to meet you, but our excitement is indescribable. Auntie Molly talks about you nonstop. She even has dreams about you! She squeals over how eager she is to hold you...kiss your cheeks...teach you soccer. She loves you so much. You have three awesome uncles who cannot wait to wrestle and play Ninja Turtles with you. And please don't even get me started on your grandparents. . .the four of them love you so, so much. They're always asking about you; they light up when we say your name. You are the most loved child on the planet, Liam. You really are.

Your daddy cannot wait to meet you. He's currently in the living room of our little apartment, putting your stroller together. He has put together everything you own--your crib, shelves, changing table, everything! He loves getting things ready for you. I remember the day that he found out you were a boy. He threw his hands up in the air and yelled "Yes! Yes! Did you see that?!" as we stared at the ultrasound on the big screen television in front of us. I had absolutely no idea what he saw; I exclaimed, "What?! What is it?!" but he and the ultrasound technician kept "oohing" and "ahhing." Finally, she confirmed--"It's a boy!"

We would have loved you if you were a girl, boy, or golden retriever. But daddy is so excited to take his first son wake boarding...to fall asleep with you curled up on his chest...to teach you about Jesus. He is absolutely overwhelmed with joy. He is already so proud of you. We both are.

I want you to know how much your mommy and daddy love each other. You're going to roll your eyes when you read this one day, but we are soul mates. And creating you is the best thing we've ever done.

I get to meet you in six days. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. I've never done this before. I'm nervous that you won't be ready. . .that something could happen to you. You're one of the most important people in the world to me, and I'm terrified of the idea of you being hurt. I pray for you every morning. I pray that you will be healthy and strong, and I pray that I'll be a good mommy to you. I certainly know I won't be perfect--I never have been. But you will NEVER be unloved. Ever. You will always be my peanut. . .even when you're having children of your own!

I love you so much, Liam James.

Daddy is calling me for help!

...See you soon. :)

Love,
your Mommy

Almost 30 weeks!

2011-07-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe we're getting so close to the end. It's exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.

The glucose screening results came back looking good--yay! No gestational diabetes. I am, however, a bit anemic. My doctor recommended some daily iron supplements from the pharmacy and doesn't seem too concerned, so I won't stress over it. It just gives me an excuse to eat more steak. ;)

Short post today!

My New Favorite Place...

2011-07-13T18:24:00.000-07:00

...is my son's room. :)

I spend a lot of time just sitting in there...folding and refolding his clothes. Arranging and rearranging his books. Straightening the rug, positioning his frames/teddy bears/blankets. I would spend hours in there if I could. When Kev can't find me, he always knows where to look...the nursery. :)

It's so strange to love someone you haven't met yet so much. I used to feel the same way about Kevin before I met him/knew he was going to be my husband. I'd pray for my future husband all the time; I didn't know who he was, but I knew I loved him a lot.

I pray for Liam so much. I pray for his future wife, since she's possibly baking in someone's tummy right about now, too. I pray for his future best friend. . .for his school teachers. . .I pray for everyone I know who will be involved in his life. I can't help it. The thought of waiting another 3 months to meet him seems both overwhelming and agonizing--part of me thinks, "how in the world can I WAIT until THREE months?!" and another part of me thinks, "Only three months?! I'm not ready!"

It sounds so corny, but sometimes I sit in his rocking chair and rock the little puppy that Daddy bought him the first day we found out that he even existed. I like to call it "practice." ;) I can't wait to hold him...see his face. I bet he'll look just like his handsome daddy. He's already got daddy's crazy long legs! :)

We begin our third trimester this SUNDAY. Prayers please that our glucose screening results come back looking great & that we meet a happy, healthy baby boy in 3 months!

Oh geez. Weepy Pregnancy Hormones.

2011-06-22T19:43:00.000-07:00

Is this when they start?

Today, when I describe my diet to my doctor, she suggests that I may be eating too much fruit. WHAT?! Call me ignorant, but I never knew that was possible. When I'm hungry, I grab an apple instead of potato chips. I eat sliced strawberries in my cereal. Grapes & cheese are my favorite snacks. But Liam is measuring big, which isn't really a big problem, but the doctor thinks it MAY be from all the natural sugar he is getting.

First, I felt like crying because I am (unwittingly) hopping my son up on sugar. No wonder he's so active. :-/ Second, that may be why I feel like I'm gaining so much weight! When I stepped on the scale, my eyes bulged out of my head. I'm going to pretend like the doctor's scale isn't right. Mine is measuring three pounds lighter....I like that one.

When I checked this morning, I had gained 8-9 lbs at 24 weeks. At the doctor's office this afternoon, I had gained 12. She recommends that I only gain 30 pounds total, and I've heard that the third trimester is when you really tend to pack on the pounds. How am I going to ensure that I only gain 18 pounds for the rest of my pregnancy?! That's about a pound per week remaining. Is that even possible? I just want to be healthy. I don't know how I gained so much weight so fast, but I'm concerned.

The next thing bringing me to tears is the upcoming Glucose screening.

I.hate.needles.

Always have, always will. They make my knees weak; they make me tear up on command. I can't help it. I'm terrified. It's always a HUGE ordeal when I have to get blood work done. NOW I'm concerned that because of my fruit diet, my blood sugar is going to be really high when I take the test, prompting my doctor to schedule me a THREE hour Glucose test...in which my blood will be drawn FOUR times.

I know I'm a giant baby. I can't even believe I'm stressed or sad over something so silly. I feel like a weird version of myself lately--someone who is frazzled & weepy. I don't know what this pregnancy has done with my sanity, but I'd like it back please.

I'm trying to put together a diet with foods low in carbs & sugars. Unfortunately, I dislike veggies (with few exceptions), so this will be interesting. I have a feeling the next three weeks before my test are going to be ridiculous.

Prayers please--that Liam is healthy, that I pass my glucose test, and that these pregnancy hormones stop driving me crazy!!!

I'm going to be a mommy. . .

2011-03-21T18:37:00.001-07:00

I'll say it a million times, and I still don't think it will stop sounding so incredibly surreal. Why does God keep raining joy upon my little family over and over and over when I am clearly so undeserving of these AMAZING blessings?! I pray every morning, and I inevitably end up in tears. Call it baby hormones if you want, but I can't stop marveling at just how GOOD my God is!

I have the most handsome, caring, and considerate husband on the face of the planet; I am surrounded by the most loving and supportive family ever created. I was blessed with a teaching job 4 days after graduation in an incredibly brutal economy. I've got a nice little apartment minutes away from my job--a home where I get to wake up next to my hubby and two kitties every day. I am absolutely surrounded by bliss. How can I not end up in tears?! I could never deserve all this, and the Lord insists on continually blessing me. I am SO grateful!!

Kev and I just returned from our "babymoon." We went on a 7 day Carribean cruise, and it was absolutely magical. :) I got sick around 4 AM every morning, but it usually passed quickly, and I was able to enjoy the sunshine. I guess, technically, it was our first "family" vacation. Ha!

We went snorkeling in the most beautiful water I've ever seen. We even snorkeled through a shipwreck! It was really cool. There was only one excursion I couldn't go on (pregnancy limitations), but I spent that time getting a prenatal massage, so don't feel bad for me! :) I'll be uploading pictures later this week to Facebook.

My body is having some difficulty adjusting to the pregnancy, but I've always been very sensitive and easily nauseated. The all-day sickness (I refuse to call it morning sickness. . .that's not at all accurate) is slowly tapering away as I get closer to my second trimester, and I'm really glad. I was pretty miserable there for awhile. I was even throwing up in my classroom trashcan! Not in front of my kids, thank goodness, but vomiting during passing periods was not much fun. I am days away from completing my first trimester, and we'll be 1/3 of the way through this pregnancy!

I would have NEVER guessed when I kissed Kevin at the 2011 New Years Eve party that this year would bring us a baby. I just can't believe I'll be going to Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations with a son or daughter this year! Almost 12 weeks in, and I still can't wrap my mind around it. I can't believe I'll have a child. . .who will be a mixture of me and Kevin. I can't believe it, can't believe it, can't believe it. Wow.

We have a check-up this Wednesday! Please send prayers that Peanut's looking happy and healthy. We would genuinely appreciate it. :)

God bless!

--Future Mommy

Surprise!

2011-02-26T15:42:00.000-08:00

We're pregnant! :)

There are a few things I'm good at. . .

2011-01-19T12:56:00.000-08:00

and blogging isn't one of them.

I cannot believe I haven't updated since October. I really need to get better at this, but Facebook is SO easy and accessible. Here's an update on. . .the past 3 months!

November: Kevin surprised me with a party for my 23rd birthday! He rented a suite at the Adolphus, and I walked inside to find myself absolutely surrounded by my best friends. We went to dinner and went dancing in Dallas; I love dancing! It was an amazing night, and it made me realize how blessed I am to be surrounded by such phenomenal people.
We also celebrated Thanksgiving (my real birthday) with our two families at the Minichs. It's ALWAYS fun, but it was particularly fun because I got to choose the grub! (That's what happens when you're the birthday girl!) I chose tortilla soup--not your standard Thanksgiving entree, but it's my absolute favorite homemade dish.
We had the most random and delicious smorgasbord of food--regular and vegetarian chili, deviled eggs, tortilla soup, cheese & crackers, and some very yummy pies. It was one of the best Thanksgivings I have ever had.

December: TWO WEEK VACATION! I survived my first semester of teaching! My teaching blog is next on the "things-I-need-to-update" list, but I've forgotten my sign-in ID, so that's going to take a little bit of searching. I love, love, loved my holiday break. I spent time with friends and family. . .I slept in until 9 o'clock! (When you typically rise at 4:30 AM, 9:00 is a big deal.) And I had the most amazing Christmas with my two families.

Now I'm back at school, enjoying my kids and holding out until Spring break! We celebrated Kev's bday last week; about 25 friends joined us for German food at Kev's favorite restaurant, and then we enjoyed billiards and bowling at Main Event. We had to reserve FIVE bowling lanes, but we got them all together and had SO much fun! My sweetie had a good time, which is all that matters.

Speaking of my sweetie, in a couple months we'll be celebrating our FOUR year anniversary. . .two years as a married couple! I absolutely cannot believe it's been that long. I feel like we're still newlyweds! We play, laugh, learn, and discover new things about each other every day. I'll try not to gush and stimulate your gag reflex, but I am not sure I've ever loved any role better than I love being a wife. I LOVE married life. I am so glad that I get the rest of my life to enjoy this!

Right now, we're still living in our 2 bed/2 bath apt in Addison, enjoying our little family: The two of us, Kit Kat, and Maggie. Kev loves his big screen televisions almost as much as he loves me. . .if not more. . .and we just enjoy each other's company. My favorite nights with him consist of a dinner date, frozen yogurt, a trip to Blockbuster, and movie night on our comfy couches.
Heaven. :)

There it is--a brief glimpse into our lives over the past three months. I guess I'll post again in. . . April? May? ;)

God bless!

Fright Fest

2010-10-04T15:23:00.000-07:00

I had a fantastic weekend. Friday, I went to dinner with two of my friends--Sarah and Malisa. Sarah and I have been friends since we were little bitty. We grew up together, danced ballet together, and eventually roomed together our first year of college at OU. We met Malisa there and adored her instantly.
Sarah is now teaching at our old high school & Malisa came down from Oklahoma to see us. We went to Logan's, enjoyed daiquiris & steak, and shared teacher stories. It was so nice to see my friends again; we had a really nice time.
Saturday, I spent the day with Kev, Brian, and JoAnna at Six Flags. It was the second day of Fright Fest, and we had such a blast. Everyone was at the State Fair (we're going in 2 weeks) so the lines were pretty short. We rode Titan twice in about fifteen minutes--not bad. After Six Flags, we went to dinner & to Brian's to watch movies and play games. We ended the night at 2:30 A.M., which is typically 2 hours before I get up for work. I haven't stayed up that late in a LONG time. I was exhausted, but we really enjoyed ourselves.
Sunday, we had a dinner date with our friend Steve. He just moved back from Houston and we could NOT be happier! We went out for Sushi (which is slowly becoming one of my favorite foods!) and went to see a scary movie.

Hubby just walked in! Time to get dinner on the table! :) More later!
P.s. My teaching blog is updated!

New Post

2010-09-01T14:57:00.001-07:00

New post on my teaching blog...what a day!

A New Career!

2010-08-30T16:40:00.001-07:00

I've been updating my teaching blog more often than this one, but my life has revolved around my classroom lately. Kevin has been so incredibly supportive; he's even come up to the school a couple of times to help me out. He's wonderful. :)

I can't believe I've finally got a career! I'm not a tutor, an aide, or an intern. I'm not an assistant, a helper, or a temp. I've got my own classroom and 132 little darlings in my care. They're a handful, but I'm loving every minute of it. I feel so incredibly grateful that God has blessed me with such an amazing opportunity.

I'm also loving my role as a cheerleading coach. My girls crack me up, and they've grown SO much since I first met them at SMU cheer camp. We've been conditioning, cleaning, and preparing for our competition in November. We've also got several pep rallies, volleyball and football games, and a holiday performance in December. I'm busy and overwhelmed, but I'm happy.

Kev is doing really well. He's finally gotten some time on the boat; I'm pretty sure he's part merman. He feels so at home in the water.

We're also excited that our friend Steve is moving back to Dallas from Houston--he got a job transfer. We celebrated Sarah's birthday with dinner and dancing two nights ago, and we're looking forward to celebrating Maggie's birthday in a couple weekends. Nicole's bridal shower and bachelorette party is coming up soon, and I'm so happy for her; she gets married in a little over a month! I'm very proud to be her MOH. :)

There you go. . .small updates of our life lately! Time for dinner!

God bless!

New Layout!

2010-07-26T19:28:00.001-07:00

Apparently our old layout expired, so I found a new one. Isn't it cute?!

Kev and I have been doing really well lately. We're enjoying the summertime weather together and have been swimming quite a bit. There is a weekly pool volleyball game at the pool right beneath our apartment, so Kev likes to play on Sundays. I typically just tan & watch. :)

Other fun news: Nicole's wedding is quickly approaching! My mom is throwing her bridal shower & I'm throwing her bachelorette party. I just received a call from Alfred Angelo; they told me my gown has arrived! I'm excited to go see it. It's a beautiful dress--egg plant purple & black. I also went with her to pick up her Maggie Sottero wedding gown a week or two ago. Nicole's mom, aunt, and I sat waiting for her, and the moment she stepped out of the dressing room, we gasped. We literally teared up. She looked SO beautiful! She's is going to be an absolutely stunning bride. Ryan is a lucky man!

Sorry I don't have more to say--I'm exhausted!

God bless!

Follow Me!

2010-07-13T21:33:00.001-07:00

I've got a new blog! Follow me! :)

Letters to my former self

2010-07-07T07:48:00.000-07:00

An old friend (and fellow blogger!) Ciera did this, and I thought it was a pretty neat idea! Writing these letters has reminded me how much I've grown and changed as a friend, sister, daughter, girlfriend/fiance/wife, and as an individual. It also gives me a widened perspective of my life right now--one day I'll be writing letters to 22 year old Nikki. Will I be writing them as a freshman English teacher? A mommy of one? Of two? It's fun to speculate. :)

Letters to my former self:

Dear five-year-old Nikki,

This year you will start ballet. Right now, you like it because everything is pink. You love tutus and ballet slippers--you are mommy's girlie girl. Eventually, you will fall in love the art form. Dance will be your comfort; you'll find solace at the ballet barre and in the worn wooden floors of your ballet studio. You'll learn discipline and joy, and you'll continue dancing into your twenties. Try not to cry or get frustrated when you can't master something. It will come.

Dear eleven-year-old Nikki,

This is the biggest year of your life. This year you will meet God. You'll start going to youth group every Wednesday with your friend Nicole, and you will learn what it means to love Christ. You'll want to spend all your time at church; you love singing, dancing, and worshipping. Remember to hold on to the faith you found this year. You're going to need it.
This year you're going to meet your husband. Right now, you're smitten with his blue eyes. You're not sure if he likes you, but he rode you around on the back of his bike and pushed you on the swing, and you love when you can make him laugh. You don't know what role he's going to play in your life later. I wish I could tell you not to worry about boys; you've already met the love of your life! But you'll need to learn this the hard way.

Dear fourteen-year-old Nikki,
This year you start high school.
This year you start a string relationships; this year you only feel valuable when you have a boyfriend. This is normal for a teenage girl, but try not to worry so much about what they think. Don't change depending on who you're currently dating, and don't let your friends fall by the wayside. You'll forget that, but your friends love you, and they'll welcome you back with open arms.
Hold on to your faith and remember the power of prayer.
This year you'll really discover your passion for theatre. You'll start receiving lead roles in high school plays and musicals, and you'll never want to leave the stage. Your mom and dad will be at every production--and even some of the rehearsals. You will struggle to juggle ballet, modern, jazz, theatre, EHS, Spanish Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and your AP classes. You will be so stressed that you will want to tear your hair out. You'll cry. A lot. But don't worry--you'll get it all done.
Your love for theatre will make a huge impact on your college choices later.

Dear seventeen-year-old Nikki,
You are a senior, and you're not enjoying it. This will be your hardest year of high school.
Over the summer, you starred in your first independent film, and you're sure you want to be an actress. This year you will audition for various universities, and when you're one of twelve girls accepted to the OU School of Drama, you'll find it impossible to say no.
Please stop stressing out. You're a high school senior once in your life; you graduate high school ONCE. Please try to stop and smell the roses.

Dear eighteen-year-old Nikki,
You are a college freshman. You won't graduate from this university. You are continually talking on the phone with that boy you met when you were eleven; he is one of your best friends. He listens when you're sad, and he trusts you with his problems. This relationship is going to be so important to you.
You're going to make a ton of friends in the theatre department. They're funny & silly, and you love spending time with them. You miss your friends back home, and you really, really miss your parents. You will go through a bad break-up, and your friends and family are going to be so valuable to you. This is going to hurt--a lot--but your friends are going to surprise you with sour skittles & your favorite Jimmy John's sandwich to cheer you up.
This break-up is going to make you reevaluate yourself and your life. You're going to discover that you are passionate about theatre, but you aren't passionate about the lifestyle that often accompanies a struggling actress. You don't want to move to LA or NY and wait tables while trying to nail auditions. You want a family in the suburbs. You want to work 9-5 and drive the carpool to soccer practice. This sounds terrible to some people, but this sounds like Heaven to you.
You're going to transfer back home.

Dear nineteen-year-old Nikki,
You're starting your second year of college at a new university. You'll begin dating that sweet blue-eyed boy you met at Vacation Bible School. You'll know immediately he's different. Something about him is so incredibly beautiful. On your first date, he'll wink and say, "You know, you're the kind of girl I think I could marry."
You'll feel like a blob of jello when he says it.
You'll miss your OU friends and adjusting to a new school will be really, really hard. But you'll meet some new girls in the dance department, and eventually your very close friend Katherine will transfer, too. You'll have a math class together, and you'll go to lunch with her every Friday. You won't be lonely for too long.

Dear twenty-year-old Nikki,
This year you'll get an apartment with your childhood friend Nicole. Everyone tells you not to live with any of your best friends, but you and Nicole will love living together. In fact, even though there are two bedrooms, you'll often spend the night in each other's rooms because you want to fall asleep talking. Together you'll throw Halloween parties, hip-hop dance in the living room, and cook elaborate meals for your boyfriends. It will make you grow closer.
You're going to get engaged this year.
People are going to say you're too young. They're going to say you're crazy. They're even going to be rude enough to say that your marriage is destined to fail.
Ignore them.
Don't stress so much about the wedding. It's going to be beautiful, and when you're walking down the aisle, you'll forget everyone else is there. You'll see the look on your future husband's face, and you'll melt. It will be romantic and lovely--everything you've ever wanted in a wedding.

Dear twenty-one-year-old Nikki,
When you celebrate your twenty-first birthday, it's going to be at dinner with a very small group of friends who happen to be in town; you'll have one frozen drink. And it's going to be so much fun.
This year you'll get married and move in with a boy. You're going to think it's so strange that you're living with a boy, but you're going to love it. Remember to have fun with your husband. De-stress with a water fight, cook together, laugh together. Adopt a crazy cat named Leonidas and give him up for adoption a year later when you discover he's an absolute terror. Enjoy your first year of marriage. Everyone says it's the hardest, but you're going to disagree. It's going to be amazing.
This year you will become acquainted with loss. You'll learn about the grief, sadness, and conflict when someone passes away. You'll be there for the people who lose someone they love, and they'll be there for you next year when you lose your sweet Uncle Jerry. This will confuse you; you've never had to deal with anything like this before. It will hurt. You'll question God and feel guilty. But don't feel bad--God wants you to ask. He wants you to learn, and He wants you to understand. Reach out to everyone who can help you find your answers. You won't always understand completely, but you have faith. Trust Him.

Dear twenty-two-year-old Nikki,
You will graduate summa cum laude this year. You've worked so hard and stayed up so many late nights, but when you walk across the stage, it will feel so worth it.
This year, you'll discover how much you love teaching. You'll be blessed with a permanent teaching position four days after you graduate. All of the job fairs you went to were worth it!
Remember how incredibly blessed you are. Hug your husband when he gets home from work. Call your daddy to tell him you love him. Get to know your wonderful mom as a person and a woman, not just your mom. Spend valuable time with your brother and sister. Spend a night watching chick-flicks with your best friends. Pray, pray, pray. Rejoice over how much you adore your in-laws. Remember how far you've come from the fourteen year old girl who had no idea who she was or who she wanted to be. Love yourself and love your family.

Now I'll do this again when I've got another twenty years under my belt! :) I can't imagine how different my life will be when I'm 40!

God bless!

Nikki

Lunch Break

2010-05-24T10:05:00.000-07:00

This is my second post in two days! Not much has happened, but I'm on my lunch break at work, and the women I ordinarily eat with are gone today, so I'm all by myself!
I don't really mind it. Sometimes I really, really enjoy alone time. It's good prayer and reflection time. Or good blogging time.
I was hanging out with Kevin this weekend when I had an odd revelation. This may sound silly, and I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to completely convey what I mean, but I think I'll try.
Everyone claims they "love" their families. We love our husbands. We love our parents. We love our friends, and we love our siblings. But have you ever stopped to consider just how much you LIKE these people?
You don't have a lot of control over who you love. It just happens. God made a special person for me, and I loved him. I never stood a chance of NOT loving him. It's this inescapable magnetic pull, this incessant need to see him happy. To be the reason he's happy. Love just is.
Of course love takes work. It takes dedication, selflessness, and perserverance to live with someone every single. It takes patience for me to pick up his socks every single day and put them in the hamper. It takes courage for him to sit in the passenger's seat of my car and try to relax with me behind the wheel. :) But it doesn't take much for me to LOVE him. It just happens.
But my revelation came when I realized that I really, really LIKE my husband. If for some reason, I wasn't made to love him, I'm convinced we still would have been very close friends. He's just a really cool guy. I like being around him. I like his goofy sense of humor. I like the way he dances to the Law & Order music. I like the way he always sings an octave higher than should be allowed. I like the way he hugs me when I'm mad--and doesn't stop hugging me until I've promised that I'm not mad anymore. I like the way he treats his friends; I like the way he loves his parents. I like him. I want to be around him because he's a good man. And I happen to love him, too.
It's difficult to explain the difference between liking & loving him. The two concepts are so closely intertwined. But there is a distinct difference to me. I love him because he's my husband. I like him because he's my friend.
I don't know. Maybe I'll figure out what I'm trying to say eventually & I'll come back and let you know. :)
Besides that, today has been a good day so far. This afternoon after school, I'm heading to Mama M's to help her shop. Shopping is kind of my forté. We're picking out clothes for her European trip. She needs to be comfy but look fabulous. That's where I come in. Hah.
The rest of this week, I'll be getting my juniors ready for finals & preparing to end the school year here. Memorial day weekend is coming up, and I'm looking forward to relaxing in the sunshine. Kev bought me Wicked tickets, so we'll be seeing that Saturday evening. I am SO excited!
Now I'm just rambling. Time to finish my lunch and prepare for my last class of the day.

God bless! Love you!

Updates!

2010-05-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

So much has happened since I last posted!
Kev and I adopted a kitten. Her name is Kit Kat, and she's absolutely precious. In fact, she's trying to type with me now! :) We adopted her from the Dallas Animal Shelter, and we've decided we're never buying another cat from the pet stores again. There are so many sweet & loving animals in that shelter--I wanted to adopt them all.
Kevin said no.
She completely adores Maggie, and I wish I could say that the love is reciprocated. Kit Kat cuddles Mag Pie, plays with her tail, kisses her nose. . .but Mag is just not quite accustomed to having to share her space and people. She's definitely warming up, though. We're constantly reminding her, "Be nice to your little sister. She looks up to you." Haha!
The cats are definitely our surrogate children. We love our little family! Even if they can be a handful.Also...I finally GRADUATED! It's been four long & hard years, but I graduated summa cum laude with my family and friends cheering me on. Afterwards, we went to Capriccio Ristorante to celebrate. The food was great, the company was even better, and I left feeling so blessed to have such a supportive network of friends & family. It was a really good day.The good news doesn't even end there. I received a call on Tuesday, offering me a position for the upcoming school year! I'm really going to miss my juniors at ECHS, but I am so looking forward to a new chapter in my life. I'll work with ECHS until late June, have July off (yahoo!), and begin halfway through August. I am so excited to decorate my OWN classroom! My mom bought me a ton of "teacher stuff" so I'm pretty set!
Kev is doing really well. He did well in his classes & is receiving his tuition reimbursement from work. He's getting close to the end of his academic career, and I can't wait to see him walk across the stage. I am so proud of him for juggling school & work and making it look effortless. He's a pretty hardworking man & husband. I am a lucky, lucky lady!
We've also made plans to start being more active together. I take a running class twice a week with Mama Minich (I LOVE it, by the way!) and Kev plays basketball with his friends. We have a date night with dinner & a movie at least once a week, but we've decided to add an "active" night as well. Kev brought home two pretty mountain bikes last week, and I was so excited. We're going to start biking. It will be a fun thing for us to do together.
That's a small update of our lives lately. As you can see, we've been pretty busy. God is so good, and we're praising Him for our blessings daily.
:)
Have a fantastic weekend!

Love, Love, Love

2010-04-12T14:03:00.000-07:00

Kevin and I had a phenomenal weekend. We're still fully moving into our new place, and we've been having a really fun time unpacking, arranging, and rearranging.
Friday, he spent some time with Matt playing video games while I visited with my long-time friend Katherine. She and I went to Grapevine Mills to have dinner, shop, and see a movie. She helped me picked out some home decor, and I was pretty excited to come home and set it up. I love Kirklands!
Saturday, Kevin and I went to our friends Annie and Sean's wedding. It was beautiful! Kev and I danced the night way before hitting some of the nicer bars in Dallas to relax and have a couple of drinks. Unfortunately, I got a migraine after about twenty minutes of being there. (Loud music, cigarette smoke, and even the tiniest bit of strong alcohol is the most deadly combination to me--it's the perfect recipe for a migraine. Ugh.) Kev took me home and took care of me. :)
Sunday, Kev and I just spent time together. We cooked, did laundry, unpacked, and laughed until our tummies ached. We finished the night with Jurassic Park and steak, broccoli, and red potatoes. Not all at the same time, of course. I could have never eaten steak while watching a T-rex devour people. Weak stomach. No thank you.
But overall...this weekend was just one of those weekends where I fell in love with my husband all over again. We were so giddy this weekend; it was like our first date!
I kept having these moments--grocery shopping, slow dancing at the wedding, cooking--where I would just look at him and have to fight the flock of butterflies landing in my stomach. I am so unbelievably and undeniably in love with this man. I keep waiting for the moment in our marriage when I want to throw my hands up and exclaim, "Ugh! This is so hard!" ....but I can't. While I fully understand a year of marriage can hardly serve as an indication of the difficulty of the obstacles we still have yet to face, I just can't believe that some people don't love this. I can't believe some people don't look at their marriage and think, "This is the most beautiful, precious thing I'll ever have."
Maybe I was expecting it to be so hard because a lot of outsiders continually warned us. (Not our parents of course. Our parents were beyond supportive. We are SO lucky!) Strangers told us we were too young. They told us we had a lot of growing up to do. They told us it'd be hard, we'd want to quit, and that we would probably hate each other. It was as if the day I got married, I'd be stepping into a gladiator ring. It would be constant struggle, constant fighting, constant hardship.
Of course we bicker. Of course we have those days where we annoy each other. It drives him crazy when I tell him how to drive. It drives me crazy when he insists on playing ICP at maximum volume. We bicker over who Maggie loves more. But, ultimately....he's my little world. He's my little slice of Heaven on earth. He's my blessing.
Now that I've grossed you out with all my gushing, I'll sign off. It's just one of those days where I couldn't wait for him to come home from work. And he'll be here soon. :)

God bless! We love you!

Nik

New Home!

2010-04-06T07:25:00.000-07:00

Kevin and I received a call two Saturdays ago. We've been on the list for a larger apartment in our complex, and we were hoping to move before our lease ended in June. We were just so squished in our old place! Yikes! We didn't think it'd be too small--until we realized that we've both got a lot of stuff.
The woman on the phone, the leasing director, said, "There's an apartment available for move-in on April first. Interested?"
Four days. We had four days to pack up our lives and our cat and move!
You'd think that a move within the same complex would be easier than any other move. WRONG. It was rough! Maybe it was because we had less time to prepare, but it took us three stinkin' days.
Luckily, we've got some great friends who were willing to help. We are all set up in our new place and loving it!
We've got two big bathrooms with garden tubs (eee!), two walk-in closets and a couple storage and coat closets, a great big kitchen with a new fridge, and a new living room with a wrap-around fireplace and mantle. We love the patio, mirrored dining room walls, and crown molding. It's perfect for us.
We bought new furniture and a new T.V., too. We decided to use our vacation money towards our new home. We'll still do something small--maybe stay in Padre for a weekend, travel to a bed and breakfast, etc. But our tropical trip to the Dominican Republic has been postponed. We don't mind...we've got a new home!
Maggie has her own bedroom, too. It's actually an office/media room, but we tell her it's her very own room and bathroom. She's very pleased. :)
It's been an exhausting couple of weeks, but I've come to the conclusion that life doesn't slow down. I usually say, "If I can just make it to (insert date here), I'll be okay!" Kev and I feel half crazy. But we love it. We love our little life together. :)

Beyond that, I begin teaching Physics in two weeks--for money! My days of field experience and payless internships are over! Woohoo!

We are happy, blessed, and loving the Lord and life. We are so excited for everything we've got to look forward to in the next couple of months.

God bless!

Not Enough

2010-03-25T14:19:00.000-07:00

I always do this.
I am less than two months away from graduation. I have worked so hard to juggle field experiences, a job, a social life, and maintaining a high GPA at school. I've tried to dedicate ample time to everyone and everything that matters to me. But sometimes I sit down, look around, and wonder why I didn't do more.
Why didn't I accept the invitations to the honor societies that requested my membership? Why didn't I rush for the sorority that I loved when I first arrived? Why didn't I try out as a power dancer? Why didn't I volunteer as a tutor? Why didn't I do MORE?!
I know it's silly; there is absolutely nothing I can change now. Unless I willingly fail my remaining two classes to postpone graduation. . .which is out of the question. However, I can't help it. It's a little disheartening.
I tend to do this. I've become pretty good at beating myself up over things that are beyond my control. :) It's a talent.
I've decided I'm going to stop turning opportunities away. I've been presented with so many amazing open doors throughout my academic career. Most of the time I turned them down because I thought I would have a mental breakdown if I put anything more on my full plate. I told myself that I couldn't handle one more thing. I would explode.
Maybe I was afraid I'd fail.
But I could have done it. I bet I could have done it.
I'm still pretty sad about it, but I'll use this revelation as a learning opportunity. When God calls me home, I want to be proud of what I've left behind. I want something more than bullets on a resume--I want something meaningful.
Okay, God. Send 'em my way. I'm ready now.

Anger is a curved blade.

2010-03-16T18:18:00.000-07:00

My sister is probably one of the most phenomenal young women you'll ever meet. I might be slightly biased, but I just could not be more proud of the person she's become. She is smart (you should see her report cards!), talented (she made the Varsity soccer team as a freshman!), funny, beautiful, kind-hearted, and she is lead entirely by God. I am a better person just by knowing her. She reminds me continually that she looks up to me, though I cannot imagine why. I look up to her. She's amazing. Nothing short of it.

So it's completely understandable why my mind would be blown when I meet someone who doesn't treat her with the respect she genuinely deserves. Granted, I remember what it's like to be sixteen years old and unsure. And maybe this other little girl is feeling insecure and jealous. But she recently did some pretty rotten things to my sister, and naturally I was outraged.

I texted my sister, and her response surprised me. She shrugged it off. I should not have been surprised. My sister takes everything in stride. She's got tough skin and a strong backbone--everything I never had.

People can say or do things to me, and it may hurt, but I'm typically able to sleep it off. When something is done or said to someone I love--particularly someone who evokes this "mother hen" response in me...like my sister--I can't think. I'm absolutely indignant. How can they not see what I see?! How can they not absolutely adore her the way I do?

It took me a moment to think it through. Maybe this other little girl is going through more than I know. Molly is popular. She is, as aforementioned, a charming, intelligent, all-around AWESOME little person! Maybe this girl is hurting and jealous, and maybe that lead her to act in a less-than-admirable manner.

Either way, I suppose it's not my place to say anything. (By the way, when I say "little girl," I don't mean someone who is nine years old. She's about sixteen or seventeen--my sister's age.)

Anyways, this rambling blog is just to point out the irrationality of anger. My sister might not have been hurting deeply (even though I'm sure she was irritated or bummed) but I was. Watching someone you love hurting is probably one of the most painful things you can go through. Whether it's emotional or physical, all you want to do is take it away. You want to solve every injustice, and you're willing to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. . .as long as they're happy. As long as they're smiling.

Anger really is a curved blade. This "little girl" could not care less whether I'm upset. The only person I'm hurting is myself. What's the use in carrying anger around? Why do we latch it onto our backs? Why are we prepared to keep it with us for as long as we do? Sometimes justice isn't met on this Earth. But we're often entirely ready to die anchored by the weight of our anger. Is it worth it?

I'm a pretty passionate person. I know everyone says that because, of course, we're all passionate about something. We are passionate about our families, our jobs, our hobbies, our animals....but me? When I feel something, I really feel it.

I'm never "a little" sad. I'm never "kind of" stressed or feeling "somewhat" happy. I am OVERJOYED...I am EXHAUSTED. I'm completely down in the dumps...elated with hope...beyond stressed out...or absolutely, undeniably, and unquestionably ANGRY. While I think I can be logical, I am often driven instinctively by my emotions. I love to love people. But I hate when those people I love are hurt, and I have to fight anger. How will my being angry solve the problem? What could it possibly accomplish?
Nothing.

I take my job as big sister very seriously. If I could protect her from the world, I would. I'd tie her to my hip. But I can't. And I'm pretty positive she'd hate that. But it's hard. It's hard to watch people try to hurt her. And I sit there...feeling pretty helpless.
I can't imagine what it's like to be a mother. If I feel this way as a big sister. . .how will I feel when I've got my own child? How do you cope with the incessant urge to shield out the big, bad world and all of the big, bad, people in it? Even though you know--even though you're positive--the person you are protecting can handle it?

This is obviously not a very well constructed blog. My thoughts are unorganized and frenzied, but I guess that's just how I feel right now. How do we protect the people we love from bad things? How do we put a leash on our anger when bad things happen to them? How do you ensure that it doesn't consume you--turn you into someone you're not?

I'm not sure. I just know that I adore her.

My Maggie & Camping

2010-03-15T10:46:00.000-07:00

Kevin and I spent the weekend taking care of my parents' house while they were in Vegas with Molly Pockets. We gave Maggie (our kitty) extra food and water, and we turned on the stereo so she'd have something to listen to while we were gone. :)
However, Maggie becomes very aggravated when we're not home. We came back to the apartment to visit her three times in the short weekend that we were away, but she's become pretty emotionally needy. She chews something up or does something mildly destructive to show that she's upset. If she weren't so cute, I'd probably be more upset. Oh, and it's Kevin's clothes that she's been eating. :)
So naturally we're a little worried about leaving her the rest of the week because...we're going camping with Kev's parents and brother! We are so excited--we love camping. This will be our first time in the camper, so we're really looking forward to it. We're bringing games, food for the campfire, and possibly The Blair Witch Project for a little scare. ;)
Hopefully Mags won't miss us too much. Maybe we'll grab her some toys at PETCO to keep her entertained.
God bless!

Tossing My Cap

2010-03-08T17:18:00.000-08:00

I am getting things solidified for graduation this upcoming May. UTD can only guarantee me a couple of tickets, but I am hoping and praying that they will provide me with extra. I won't find out until late April/early May, but I am SO excited to become a college graduate.

It feels incredibly surreal. I've been in school for. . .seventeen consecutive years now? It's almost all I know. Now it's time to graduate, jumpstart my career, and begin planning for houses, babies, and grown-up lives. Of course, I'll be working for a couple of years before we start our family, but sometimes I look around and think, "I'm kind of a big girl now." :)

I am set to graduate May 15, 2010 at 9 A.M. If all goes according to plan, I will graduate on the Dean's List, wearing a stole to represent my departmental honors, and will be awarded a medallion for graduating summa cum laude. I've worked so hard and have spent so, so many late nights trying to juggle a job and 18 hours of classes. I cannot believe it's about to pay off.

I've been guaranteed a job through June, but I want something solid, so I am attending a job fair this upcoming Wednesday. Please pray for focus and confidence as I sit through interview after interview. We would love if I could keep a job where I am currently student teaching, but we are unsure of the school's needs at this time. I am just eager to have a job that I am passionate about. Hopefully everything works out.

On a different note, Kevin and I had a fabulous Saturday last weekend! We went to the zoo, had lunch, and walked around. My favorite was a crocodile show. We walked up right as the trainer was starting, so we got an awesome view! The trainer was describing this particular crocodile, which was known to be the second largest in the world! He fed them dry biscuits, and we watched as they snapped them up. I also really liked the ant eater. I told Kevin that God has a really neat sense of humor.
Kevin liked the large anacondas and pythons, which surprised me since he is so scared of snakes. He said he doesn't mind them. . .as long as they are behind a glass. Haha!
After that, we had an early dinner and went to look at a bigger place. We fell in love with a 2 bed/2 bath in our current complex. It's much bigger than the apartment we currently live in, and we'll probably move in around July.
We're also planning our one-year anniversary trip! I think Kev is leaning towards a fun resort and spa in Mexico, but I'm pretty much letting him take the reigns on this one. So I'll probably be surprised!
After apartment searching, we got frozen yogurt, came home, and put in a movie. It was the BEST day! We plan on having a Six Flags day soon.

Sorry so long!

God Bless!

My Late New Year's Resolution

2010-03-02T15:10:00.000-08:00

Our last post was in October--yikes! I would really like to become better about updating this thing. I'm far more familiar with Facebook, so that's my preferred method of contact. But I think there's something therapeutic about writing, and I love to look back and see how much has changed in Kev's and my life.
So there it is--my late New Year's resolution. This should be easier than giving up ice cream.

I am currently teaching English to juniors and seniors at Early College High School, and I LOVE it! I have been guaranteed employment from the time my student teaching ends in April until at least mid-June. We're just continuing to pray that, with the increase of incoming freshmen, they will be able to find a spot for me to stay. We'd genuinely appreciate any prayers sent our way.

Kevin is doing really well in school. He's making good grades, and his job reimbursed him for his school expenses last semester! He's a smart cookie...that cute husband of mine.

We're tentatively planning our one year wedding anniversary for late June. Right now we're researching Puerto Rico! Tons of my relatives, whom I've never met, live in Puerto Rico, and I think it would be a really meaningful vacation for me. Especially because I'm with my hubby.

I cannot believe that it's already almost been one year since Kevin and I were married. It's been two years since he proposed! Why does everyone say that the first year of marriage is the hardest? Being with Kevin has been nothing short of a blessing. I am absolutely in love with being a wife. I cannot wait to start a family of our own one day.

...But one step at a time.

There's a brief snapshot of our lives lately! I'll update more next week.

We love you! God bless!

Nikki's Test Results!

2009-10-29T09:50:00.001-07:00

So Nikki took her first test to get her teaching certificate and passed it with a 96%!!!!!! I am so proud of her. She has one more to take...on Halloween. She thinks this one will be more difficult, but I know she will do just fine.

Also, we went to a Halloween party last weekend. Nikki was Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and I went as....Jigsaw from the Horror movie series "Saw". What a couple... ;)

Dorothy & Jigsaw Dorothy, Toto, & Jigsaw

Nikki/Dorothy Nikki & Matt

School, School....and More School.

2009-09-23T19:56:00.000-07:00

Wow! I am really terrible about keeping up with this thing! When school starts, I go into an overwhelmed frenzy that doesn't end until summer time hits. However, this summer (hopefully) marks my GRADUATION from college! Ahh!!
I signed up for my state exams, which I take at the end of October. I'm praying for focus as I study for these exams--I have a LOT riding on them. If I don't pass, not only is it a fortune down the drain (the tests are approximately two-hundred dollars per exam, and you do not receive a refund if you fail. You simply pay again and again until you pass), but I will be unable to student teach next semester. I feel completely overwhelmed and sometimes I seriously doubt my capabilities, but I have an AMAZING husband who constantly assures me that I can do it.
For our sake, I hope he's right! :)
So, I am currently taking eighteen hours of upper division courses at school, observing at a local high school for twenty hours, and working part-time as a gymnastics instructor. Sometimes, I honestly feel like a walking zombie--I leave around 9 AM and come home around 10 PM. (Kevin makes me dinner all the time--I am ridiculously blessed! I LOVE him!)
Luckily, I am very interested in my classes (how come they don't get interesting until your senior year of college?!), and I really like my job! My coworkers are friendly, and my kids are great! I love watching them grow and improve, and I have had a couple with me long enough to advance to higher levels. It's incredible to see tangible proof of your own hard work. . .I think I am REALLY going to enjoy being a teacher in the future! My degree is for 8th-12th grade, and the running joke in my classes is that other teachers are going to be continually asking to see my hall pass! :)

Speaking of work, if anyone is interested...

"Saturday, September 26th, ASI Firewheel will be hosting an open gym to help raise money to benefit the 3 Day Walk for The Cure. The proceeds that ASI raises that night and throughout the week leading up to it will help to send one of our own coaches to this year's Walk for the Cure in San Diego."

Open Gym is held every single Friday night at every ASI location--you do NOT have to be a member! Walk-ins welcome! It's only $10 per child; drop them off from 7:00-10:00 P.M. Two weeks ago, we held Open Gym fundraisers for a little boy recently diagnosed with Leukemia. All of the proceeds went to his medical care. We also did a "Zoo Walk for Epilepsy" recently--it was a blast! We always have something going on, so anyone should feel free to check our website for upcoming events!

http://www.asigymnastics.com

Okaay that's enough for now. I'm only going to mention how excited I am that it's turning into fall! Halloween next month, my birthday after that, and THEN Christmas?!
I can't wait to break out my mittens and scarves!

:)

Everyone have a blessed week!

Also...

2009-09-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

Nikki and I had to send away our first "child." Leo, our cat, wasn't working out at the apt. He was destroying things and just wasn't meant to be domesticated. Luckily we were able to find a great home for him at one of our good friend's house. (Thank you Donise and Billy!) He is now able to roam the outdoors, chase rodents, and kill birds....if he had claws. :( I'm sure he will find a way though...he is crazy like that. Goodbye Leonidas Serj Minich! Mommy and Dad love you. ;)

School Started!!! :(

2009-09-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

So classes started again. Nikki is taking a full load and I am still working full time and going to school part-time. I am taking two courses online: Internet Marketing & Macroeconomics. I'm actually enjoying both of them! Nikki will start observation at a high school nearby and will eventually start student teaching at the high school of her choice. We hope that it will eventually lead to a job! :)

After this semester she only has one left! Then she will have her English degree and teaching certificate. She has put a lot of hard work and effort into her education and I am very proud of her.

I hope to finish school fairly soon. If you don't already know, I am working on getting my degree in Marketing with a minor in Management. I am enjoying my classes so far but am getting tired of school. I plan on slowly working on getting my MBA after graduating, but we'll see how that goes. ;)

Side note: Halloween is just around the corner and we are EXCITED!!! Nikki and I are going to take a look at some of the Halloween stores that opened up on our date tonight. Here is a funny pic from a party I believe two years ago:

Thanks for reading and more to come!!!

Update...been a while

2009-07-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

So the wedding was AMAZING and we are all settled into our new apartment now. It is a bit small but we love it here. The people are nice, management has been good so far, and we love the pools!

We have been able to take the boat out a few times and I finally got my jetski out as well. I'm still trying to master pulling people on the tube like Jim did...not quite there yet but am getting close. :)

School will be starting up for Nikki and I in about a month. I am only taking a couple classes, but Nikki, like always, is taking on a full load and pushing through! She is a hard worker and will do well, as she has proven time and time again. She has two semesters left then she will graduate! We are both VERY excited for that.

Now that Tim is moving to Prague we have taken on another cat...my original cat, Maggie. Leo tries to "play" with Maggie, but Maggie does NOT like it. We let Maggie stay in our bedroom and lock Leo out. We sometimes think Leo is evil, or not right in the head. He is CRAZY! But we deal with it.

More to come!

~Kevin

2 Week Finalization!!!

2009-06-02T10:23:00.000-07:00

Tonight Nikki and I will be going to the Alexander Mansion, where our wedding will be held, for our "2 Week Finalization" even though the wedding is in 10 days!!! We postponed the finalization a couple times. We will be discussing with the staff at the mansion exactly how we would like the wedding to go so that every thing runs smoothly. We are both very excited!

As for the apartment, we have moved in more of Nikki's stuff and it is getting jam packed! As soon as the bedroom is cleaned up I will be able to put her bed together. Also, me, my brothers, and a bunch of friends played basketball at my new court for the first time last night. We had a blast! Although Tim hurt his ankle...it looked very painful... :( I think he will be going to the doctor today to get it checked out...pray that it's just a twist or a sprain!!!

More to come...

~Kevin

NEW APARTMENT!!!

2009-06-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

Nikki and I are having a fun (and tiring) time setting up our new apartment! We are looking forward to the beginning of many good times to come.
We finally got all of Nikki's stuff moved in and I am now working on moving all of my stuff. We have so much stuff, I don't know how we are going to fit it all...I think Good Will is going to help us out, lol.
We are very blessed to be able to move into such a beautiful apartment. We plan on having it all setup for our wedding night so that when we get back from Jamaica we don't have to worry about setting anything up, or having to clean anything.

Also, the wedding is in 12 DAYS!!! We are so excited and can't wait for the big day. Nikki and I go back and forth between the excitement of the wedding and our week in Jamaica! This will be Nikki's first time to leave the country. We got her passport all setup and all we have to do now is pack and be sure to wake up on time to make it to our plane! We will have many alarm clocks set.

Here are a couple picks of our first day to see our apartment. We love it!

Signed up for School!!!

2009-04-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

I signed up for next semester, Fall 2009. I will be taking a full load this time, 12hours/4 classes...which is nothing compared to the amount of hours Nikki takes, but it is plenty for me. I was lucky enough to have ALL online classes.
These are the classes I will be taking:
1. Advertising Ethics
2. Macro-Economics
3. Internet Marketing
4. Business Communications

If you don't already know I am attending Texas Woman's University and am majoring in Marketing and minoring in Management. Wish me luck! Last semester I only took one class in order to take it easy for wedding planning, full-time work, etc...so it will take some work to get back in the groove of disciplining myself and keeping up with all of my work.

More to come...

~Kevin

8 WEEKS!

2009-04-17T13:29:00.000-07:00

Only 8 weeks left until the big day! Nikki and I are very excited. We picked out an apartment (read Nikki's post below) a couple weeks ago and will be moving all of our stuff into it right before the wedding; that way when we come back from our honeymoon we won't have to worry about moving anything...everything will be in it's place and ready to live in. :)

We will be going to Montego Bay in Jamaica for our Honeymoon. We will be staying at an all-inclusive resort called The Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort and Spa. It's a beautiful resort and we can't wait to go there. Here are a few pics of the resort that we get to stay at for a whole week!

CAN'T WAIT TO GO!!!!!!

~Kevin

Home Sweet Home

2009-04-17T13:20:00.001-07:00

Kevin and I officially signed the lease for our new apartment this past weekend! We move in right after the wedding! It is a beautiful complex--only fifteen minutes from my university and just down the road from Kevin's job. It's absolutely perfect for us; we love the fireplace and can't wait to snuggle up during our first Christmas together. The dining room has mirrored walls (which I love!), and beautiful oversized doors lead to the patio where we will enjoy our morning cup of coffee.
Or our morning Spark. Since we don't particularly care for coffee. :)
There is even a walk-in closet for my 54802904 pairs of shoes! Perfect! ;)
Here are a couple of photos:

We feel very blessed--it's going to be so much fun building a home with my best friend!!

Beyond that, today is exactly eight weeks from the wedding! I cannot believe the date is approaching so quickly! Luckily, there are so many friends/family members who are willing and wanting to be involved in the wedding, so I'm not feeling incredibly stressed or overwhelmed with wedding planning. It has been a wonderful experience being engaged to Kevin, but I can't wait to begin our next adventure as Newlyweds!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy weekend!

Great news!

2009-04-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

Didn't Kevin do a fantastic job setting up this blog?! I am so technologically illiterate--I am glad one of us will know his way around the computer when we get married! ;)

After this semester, I only have two more semesters left of schooling until I receive my Bachelors. We were struggling to figure out how exactly we were going to pay for both Kevin's and my school since we were hesitant to take out a loan--I was wondering if I was going to have to enroll in less classes and stretch out my graduation plan.

Ask and you shall receive! The Lord completely blessed us; I found out yesterday that I had received a scholarship that will almost completely cover the rest of my schooling at UTD! I was definitely agonizing over why none of my hardwork had paid off hitherto. Kevin kept assuring me that it would all work out. We are so overwhelmed with joy and gratitude! Last night Kevin asked me what I wanted to do to celebrate.

We went to Cracker Barrel. :)

I feel so blessed, and I am trying to remember all of my blessings while battling all the stress coming my way. It is officially the last month of school, and I have more exams, papers, and projects than I have had yet in my college career. The wedding is getting closer (hurray!!!) and there are so many little details that still need to be finalized.

I'm also still fairly new at my job, and I am required to take several online tests. So the stress has been pretty overwhelimg, but Mama Minich has given me some great tips on how to cope. Let's just say that I don't go anywhere without a couple of packets of chamomile tea in my purse!

;)

Everyone have a wonderful week!

Eleven weeks until the wedding!!

REGISTERED!!!

2009-03-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

We finally registered! It took 5.5 hours to register, and still have a few more things to register for, but you can find our items at Bed Bath and Beyond and at Target. We had a lot of fun, but it got a little grueling towards the end when our legs and feet felt like they were about to detach from our bodies.

All the wedding planning is pretty much done except for a few things here and there that we have to complete, but all major planning has been completed. The date is coming very fast and we are getting VERY excited!

~Kevin

First Post!

2009-03-24T15:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! This is Nikki's and my first post. We are excited to share stories, thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and whatever else we feel like writing with all of our readers. I hope you enjoy our blog as we continue to write in it.

~Kevin