Life updates

I’m not as busy as I was this time last year, but–oddly–there seems to be lot more going on.

N8’s dad started his chemo again yesterday, so of course we’re praying for his health and strength through these harsher rounds in preparation for a bone marrow transplant.

The Denver Firefighters Union is voting this week on budget concessions.  If the proposal passes, everyone gets to keep their jobs; if not. . . well, short version is, N8’s firefighting career will once again be on hold.  One guy in N8’s academy jokingly suggested that anyone in the Academy who has a pregnant wife and/or kids bring them along to the vote as well.    Nah, we’re staying pretty positive; it seems like a very fair and reasonable proposal, but we’re praying no less.

Construction has begun on our basement; we’d like to have it finished by the end of May so that we’ll have a guest room once we turn the current one into a nursery.  The contractor is a good guy, and we trust him, but I just didn’t realize what the implications would be of trying to work from home while people are busting concrete downstairs.  I’ve had to work at Starbucks a few times just to get away from the noise!  Two days ago, the dust from the construction was actually setting off the smoke detectors! haha.  Makes for interesting conference calls.

N8’s brother, M, is living with us for a while as well.  He graduated with his MBA last summer and has been a full-time job-hunter ever since.  I have to admit, I haven’t been looking for a job since I moved to DC in the Fall of 1994.  Back then, I had enough temp jobs to hold me over, and it only took 7 weeks to find the position I ended up holding for the next 6 years.  That was a very different time.  My respect and compassion is growing for people who spend 40 hours a week *looking* for a job; they work insanely hard for no pay.   So, I pray a lot for M and his search.   As a side note, living with two boys has its own humorous moments, but that can be another blog.

Pregnancy, of course, keeps me on my toes.  Well, not my toes so much anymore; I lose my balance.   I’m in Week 27 and facing the home stretch.  I’m starting to feel a bit less like a “cute pregnant lady” and more like a big awkward one.  Last weekend, my family (including my grandparents, who are in town for a couple weeks) went to Indulge for dinner.  It’s a very cute, very yummy French restaurant, but I had never noticed how close the tables were before.  I noticed it most when I got up five times to take my 3-year-old niece to the bathroom.   Each time I’d get up, wind our way through the tables, and come back, I’d find myself trying to maneuver my belly around people, tables & chairs.  Thankfully I didn’t hit anyone in the head with my belly, but I came awfully close!

On a side note, C (my sister’s 3-year old) is growing like a weed and chatting up a storm!  She’s fully potty trained now, and she’s a crack-up.  During one of the times we were heading to the restroom, we ran into the owner–a lovely, gracious lady–who smiled at C and asked, “Oh, bonjour!  Are you coming to see me?”

C looked at her with her big blue eyes, smiled, and said: “No, I’m going to poop on the potty,” then continued to walk right past her to the bathroom.  She’s a riot.

Lastly, a friend of mine from Virginia is in town visiting for a week!  She lived in Denver for a few years, so she has a ton of friends out here; she has a more hoppin’ social life here than I do!  It’s really wonderful to see her, though.  I appreciate the friendships that sustain through long distances (or even long draughts of conversation).  The moment she walked through our door, we picked up right where we left off; I love that!

Overall, life is good; I’m just learning to take one day at a time, pray about things that I can’t control, and take action when I can to help others.  I’m trying to recall and live by the words that Jesus said a couple thousand years ago:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

“Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”