Nevada Marshalls

long. long. time.

2010-06-02T20:40:00.000-07:00

Looking back over the lasts few years, I wonder where they went. Having a child can do that to you. I can remember Lola's life with great detail, but mine seems mixed and muddled in between somewhere. Not complaining, just contemplating.

Not much is new. I am still a social worker at a nursing home with the occasional ups and downs. Lola is 27 months. She is attempting full sentences, wants to do everything by herself, and is more stubborn than both Sean and I combined. She is definitely our child. :) Sean has finished his 5th year of teaching and is again, taking classes at UNLV to finish his masters. We have a trip planned to Europe this August, while Lola will be enjoying that time with her Grandparents in MI.

To reflect, the last few years have been good, but not without challenges. I have used my college education as I intended to. I became a mother. I have made new friends. I have seen some new and beautiful places. I have camped and hiked in the mountains, been to the ocean, and even went to Disneyland. But truthfully, since I turned thirty, I wonder what happened to me. I feel lost in almost everything going on around me. I know I am blessed in this life. I value what I have, but sometimes, not enough. I am not proud of my actions at times. I am generally ruled by my emotions and this is not always a good thing. In some ways, I have failed myself and my family. Sometimes I feel like it gets harder to find my way back. Sometimes I do wonder where I am trying to find my way back to. There are parts of my life that have been a struggle lately, but I hope the struggle will bring me back to where I am meant to be.

Those that know me well, know that sometimes I feel this way. Those that don't, sorry. Honestly, I don't often share this side of me for the same reason that others don't - vulnerability. Oh, and sometimes it sounds like I am whining...and it does a little. :)

Maybe I have shared to much this time, but I do feel that those who will read this, will love me anyway. At least I hope so. :)

I will end with a few pics of our favorite little person...

2009-06-05T08:02:00.000-07:00

Quick update: Lola is walking now for about that last 3 weeks. She started walking at 15 months and is having a blast. The next milestone is climbing up on the furniture, which is already attempts. She is a happy, sweet natured little girl. She had been sick off and on for the last few months, but seems to be feeling better now. She is stubborn, knows what she wants, and is funny.

Sean's last day of school is Monday. He is done with his students and looking forward to his already busy summer. He will be going to Europe and participating in Cinevegas (film festival) this June. We will be home in July and by the time we get back from this vacation, Sean will be back in the classroom in a month. This summer will fly by for him. He tends to overbook himself, but him staying home and doing absolutely nothing would drive him crazy. He will have Lola at home on Wednesdays, which Lola will love.

I will be doing the same things - continuing with work, while having Tuesdays off, going to the gym, and hanging out with Lola. My life has been stable. No changes. I am really excited about my trip home this summer for 2 weeks. I can't wait to spend some much missed and needed time at the cottage. I miss my friends. I miss the sunsets. I miss the family get togethers. Until July!...

A Day at the Pool

2009-05-17T22:42:00.000-07:00

Summer is upon us and we are roasting. We spent the afternoon at at a friend's pool and Lola went swimming for the first time. She loved it and just sort of dangled in her little floaty toy is she moved around the pool and enjoyed a lunch of blueberries and apple sauce.

Lola also started walking today. She had been making steps and would eventually fall, but today she began to lift herself upright and walk places. She accomplishes her little journeys with a big smile on her face and look of determination.

Gwen had a good time and got a pretty nice tan. I have a nasty, splotched burn.

Birthday Weekend

2009-04-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

It was a good weekend an excellent beginning to spring break 2009. Gwen got me some tickets to see a pre-season game between the Mariners and the Rockies. Weather was perfect and the game went down to the bottom of the ninth when the Rockies loaded up the bases and hit in a run. On Sunday, I went hiking off of Harris Springs Rd up in the Spring Mountains. Again, the weather was beautiful and the company was good. Yesterday I took Lola up to Red Rock Canyon and took some photos.

All Lola

2009-03-10T21:32:00.000-07:00

Lola is one. She had her first piece of cake and with the help of mom, she blew out her first candle. She is very tall at 30 inches and weighs 20 lbs. She has 4 teeth with a few more on the way. She is a happy, funny little girl. She loves to be chased around the house and will follow us around the house where ever Sean and I go. I tease and call her my little puppy as she also begs for food whenever I am eating. She continues to amaze me and make me smile everyday. She has a wonderful personality and is quite silly at times. She had her first mini haircut by having her bangs trimmed over the weekend, which made me feel like she is growing up so fast. We were able to celebrate her first birthday with my mom who came for a long weekend. We had a small get together with our close friends. She is trying to take her first few steps independently, but not quite able to yet. She laughs often, cries very little, and still sleeps through the night. She eats a lot of adult food and seems to really like it. More pictures soon. Stay tuned.

Photos for Home

2009-02-24T21:40:00.001-08:00

Good times over the weekend as we head into spring. L. and C. had their birthdays over the weekend and we celebrated appropriately. G.s been busy wrapping up her jewelry party delivering items, settling payments, etc. We've all been loving the weather. Winter 2008 had her last gasp last week and has cleared the way for 70s into the foreseeable future. This weekend is all about hiking and volunteering at NASCAR weekend with the ROTC. I'll be sure to bring my camera.

Busy Underwater Scrappbooking Mowers

2009-02-14T10:29:00.000-08:00

We haven't updated in a long time because we have both been busy and have also adopted facebook into our lives. I'm racing toward the end of the school year with graduate work and prepping my kids for their final exams.

Neither G nor myself have ever engaged in scrapbooking, but I know plenty of people that have/do. Blogging is a bit like what I would imagine scrapbooking to be like. G and I have never really been good about our commitments to our hobbies.

I had a dream last night that I lived near the ocean with all of my family. I had flippers but no mask. No snorkel. I searched for the body of a kid that was trapped in a bleached white Volkswagon Thing that a junk ship was dumping in order to create a reef. There was no kid, but I found a palm sized baby seal and a brown leather necklace with an green pendant wrapped around an old nail. I could also breath under water and see very clearly without a mask. When I returned to the beach, the sun was setting, the kid that I was looking for had actually fallen asleep in a pile of towels, and a friendly sea dragon let me use him as a water slide. Giant, true-blue dolphins were jumping in the surf and everything was good. The weather was warm, my hair was somewhere between wet and dry, sand was dried to my feet. That place was perfect and I hope I to go back there someday.

My neighbor is mowing his lawn. He is one of the few people around me that actually has grass on his property. They're a nice family, but why would you have a lawn in the desert?

Martin Luther King, Jr.

2009-01-18T22:43:00.000-08:00

When King learned he would be the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, the FBI decided to take its harassment of King one step further, sending him an insulting and threatening note anonymously. A draft was found in the FBI files years later. In it the FBI wrote, "You are a colossal fraud and an evil, vicious one at that." The letter went on to say, "The American public ... will know you for what you are -- an evil, abnormal beast," and "Satan could not do more."

The letter's threat was ominous, if not specific: "King you are done." Some have theorized the intent of the letter was to drive King to commit suicide in order to avoid personal embarrassment. "King, there is only one thing left for you to do," the letter concluded. "You know what it is ... You better take it before your filthy, abnormal fraudulent self is bared to the nation."
-http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/31/mlk.fbi.conspiracy/

Happy New Year!

2009-01-14T17:04:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that the year is half over and summer will be here any minute. We had a mellow New Years Eve with Gwen going to bed around 11pm while I stayed up and watched all of the happenings on Fremont St from the comfort of my living room. The following weekend I was fortunate to attend the San Diego Chargers v. Indianapolis Colts playoff game in San Diego. That was easily the greatest sporting event that I have ever attended. I also broke the curse that has been following me since 1988. 1988 was the last time that a pro-sports team that I was rooting for won a game. Sure, I've had petty victories here and there on tv, but the last time I saw my team win in person was 1988.

Last weekend was excellent as a few of us guys went to Primm, NV and watched the fights, played blackjack, and went to some outrageous burlesque show.

This week is exam week which means half days and lunch with adults. It also means free time. Last night I went to see Slumdog Millionaire which was outstanding. This weekend it's all horseshoes, beer, grilling, and a housewarming party.

Christmas

2008-12-29T10:26:00.000-08:00

Traveling home to western Michigan is always an adventure. A great comic book idea would be that in their secret bunker beneath the Amway the city ghouls unleash pyramid schemes, Blackwater mercenaries, and general sorcery while plotting to keep West Michigan locked away like Skull Island. Flights are scarce, trains hardly run, and the roads are usually bad due to weather or neglect. This time home it was the weather that slowed us down. We spent twelve hours in the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport with a very tired and sick infant. Luckily, a friend had taken the same flight as us and was able to help throughout the day. We spent much of our time there walking around the airport mall, listening to ipods, people watching, and sleeping.

Being home was incredible. We were snowed in for the first few days, but still managed to get around enough. Thank you to everyone that made it out to visit. We love you and miss you.

Most of the people that I've talked to since I have been home (NV) always ask with a look of concern, "you were in Michigan? How was it?" I then put on my blue Civil War Union hat, grab my UAW wrench and scream, "Michigan will rise again, by God! Michigan-will-rise-a-gain!"

Snow

2008-12-15T21:06:00.000-08:00

This Christmas season has gone by fast. It's nice to stay away from the malls and Walmarts as the holiday fun ruiners and joy thieves shop, shop, shop, themselves into an unyielding and unforgiving wilderness of credit card debt. Gwen and I spent last weekend at some community Christmas event. There were "sleigh rides," train rides, carolers, and free hot chocolate with cookies. It was good to see students working face painting and other service booths.

Today it snowed relentlessly from 8am until about 3:30pm. It made me homesick watching the chunky snow fall past my window. It was surreal watching it all collect on the palm trees. I also felt bad for all the vacationing Midwesterners that had attempted to flee the cold.

After school, I headed home and grabbed my camera, heavy coat , and some boots, and headed to Red Rock Canyon. I hiked about two miles and took too many photos.

The day ended for me at a Lowes, where a mid-1970s Elvis impersonator helped me buy the proper equipment for my shower.

It was a good day today.

Lola's 9 month check up

2008-12-03T16:06:00.000-08:00

No shots at this appointment! Lola is now 18 lbs, 10 ounces and 29 inches long. She is a tall, skinny girl. She has cut her first two bottom front teeth and is handling it like a champ. She has her occasionally fussiness, but still sleeps through the night. She is still sweet, clam and happy. She learned to sit up by herself at 8 months and continues to roll everywhere. She is not attempting to crawl or pull herself up yet or walk. She still naps 3 times per day and eats really well. She wears clothes in all different sizes which makes it to buy her clothes. Her personality really started to come out around 8 months. She often laughs for no reason, simply talks to hear herself talk, and squeals in delight. She is a lot of fun to be with. I had no idea that a baby could be so much fun. Either I need to get out more or this is one of the joys of being a parent (I hope its the latter). We look forward to our visit home in a few weeks when everyone gets to see her again and some for the first time. We feel so blessed to have this precious girl in our life and so thankful that we can share her with our friends and family this Christmas.

Spring Mountain High

2008-11-30T20:58:00.000-08:00

Today we drove into the mountains with Lola and took pictures in the snow. Gwen insisted that we listen to holiday music throughout the journey. Feliz Navidad has been blasted into our heads and the image of Gwen dancing in the front seat with a huge, toothy grin is now a permanent Christmas memory. It was a perfect 70 degree day with blue skies and beautiful scenery. We encountered deer, eagles, hikers, and snow. Once in the mountains, we had breakfast at a little lodge which consisted of bacon, waffles, potatoes, cheesy scrambled eggs, avocado omelets, and coffee. After a leisurely meal we got back into the car and went to higher altitudes. We found a short trail head near the ski slopes and took Lola for a short walk where we took more photos. For me, this was a perfect beginning to the holiday season and a family ritual that I look forward to continuing. Usually, Mr. Hanky, the Christmas Poo (South Park character) gets the two of us ready for the Christmas season. Mr. Hanky is a little turd that hosts a Christmas special.

A Movie with Real Bite

2008-11-29T23:51:00.000-08:00

I just returned from seeing Let the Right One In and it is an incredible movie. I am too tired, uninspired, and lazy to write a quality review. Basically, the film is about a bullied twelve year old boy who unknowingly befriends a vampire that has been twelve for a long time. It is a horror movie and will keep you guessing and uncomfortable throughout. The relationship that develops between Eli (vampire) and Oskar (mortal) is touching. The cinematography is also beautiful as it is shot in some sleepy, wintry suburb in Sweden. This is a foreign film and these typically do not do well in American theaters and have a tendency to disappear after about a week. Go see this. I understand that many are thinking, "that's all good and well, but all of my vampire voids are filled with the Twilight machine (books, posters, dolls, candy, stickers, t-shirts, magazines, etc.)." Do yourself a favor and check this movie out.

A Hiking We Will Go

2008-11-24T22:44:00.001-08:00

On Saturday morning, I kissed the baby and wife and walked out the door to travel a glorious 5 minutes down the road to some mountains on the other side of the highway and into the canyons with a friend. After about a fifteen minute walk we finally passed the teenager party pits with the charred wood, beer bottles, and bullet casings and into a place that looked as untraveled a place I have ever seen. We found a interesting geologic formation where we could pull rocks out and find fossils. We found all kinds of interesting fossilized critters. With each piece of limestone that I jarred loose I couldn't help but wonder how old the dust was that I was breathing. It reminded me of a sci-fi story where I would unwittingly release some long dormant strain of nastiness that would wipe out or alter all life on earth. Let's go mutants! We then hiked up a mountain with no trail and found more fossils in the exposed rock. It was one of the more challenging hikes that I've been on lately, but also one of the more interesting. There were signs of sheep everywhere. I plan on exploring further into the canyon this weekend.

The Twilight Series

2008-11-23T15:43:00.000-08:00

Absolutely loved the series. It only took me a few weeks to read and I am not the best or fastest of readers. Once I started a book, it was hard to stop. When I wasn't reading them, it was hard to concentrate on much else. Sounds dramatic? Yes, I know, but anyone who has read the series understands why. The movie? Go see it but READ THE BOOKS first. I can't wait for the next movie to come out and it better. The obsession? Read them and find out why. I personally love a good love story and the story line is amazing. Each book in the series is a page turner, all 600 plus pages. When I first saw how long each book was, I almost decided they were to long
(remember - not the best or fastest reader). Enough of my rantings. Go and get the books! There are worth every penny and every minute of your time.

Yesterdays

2008-11-15T08:16:00.001-08:00

I was not sure what to expect with this years birthday. I was born November 14, 1977 and my grandmother passed away November 14, 2007. I remember getting the call from my mom. It was early in the morning and I had just gotten to work. I knew that my grandma had been in the hospital for a few days and I really was not surprised when she passed away. She was weak and tired. My first thought was that I should be with my mom in GR and hated that I lived 2000 miles away from home. My second thought was that she was alone, which thankfully, she was not. There was no question that I would be at her funeral. I was pregnant with Lola and saddened that she would never meet her great grandmother. I had become close to my grandma as I got older. When I was growing up, we took a family vacation to Iowa every year and every time we went, I would groan and ask to stay home. You see, my grandma put me to work doing chores that I did not like to do and we had to go to church on Sundays, which I hated because I was on vacation and wanted to sleep in. Grandma had rules and thou did not disobey Grandma. As I grew older, we would write letters back and forth and I would look forward to her letters in the mail. Every birthday, I would get a card and maybe $5. I have to admit that I was worried that this years birthday would be darkened by her passing, but it was one the best birthdays I have had in a long time. I miss the trips to Iowa. I miss the letters from Grandma.

Proud to be an American

2008-11-05T13:30:00.000-08:00

Last night we gathered together with friends and watched with anticipation and hope an amazing moment in our American History. Some had tears in their eyes and others were smiling with excitement as our newly elected President Barack Obama came on stage to deliver his acceptance speech. The feelings in that room were among relief and more importantly hope for something better than this. I am not the most political person, but I have felt impacted by this election and the possibility that the United States can be better than what is has become. I know that not every one who reads our blog feels this way or even voted for Obama, but as he said last night, he is our President and it is time to unite together and begin to repair this country.

That is it for my political rant.

Mc-Splosion

2008-11-04T21:43:00.000-08:00

My friends, "Our long national nightmare is over."

Halloween

2008-11-01T00:08:00.000-07:00

A Day At The Races

2008-10-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

I spent a few hours this afternoon at an Obama rally on the football field of a local high school. The line to get in extended around the block but people were friendly and the weather was perfect. There was only one sighting of the soon to be unrepresented American fringe of the right wing variety which was only about 4 people strong- "Barack Hussain Obama! He's hiding behind his race! This is a Christian nation! He's a socialist!" Other than that brief encounter with the oily, sinister underbelly of America, thousands of people filed into the stadium and waited for the address. The two things that struck me immediately were 1. the diversity of the crowd and 2. the overwhelmingly positive feeling. There were elderly people, young people, families with kids, disabled people, and people from all racial, religious/non-religious, and ethnic backgrounds. On my right was an elderly Black woman, on my left was a White single father and his daughter, and in front of me was a middle aged Hispanic woman with a teenage daughter. When Obama came out on stage the elderly Black woman standing next to me had to wipe her tears. If he wins this election it will be due to a repudiation of 35 years of fear mongering and intentional divisions of the electorate. If McCain wins, his victory will be due to race baiting (That One/The B Story/"He doesn't look at America like "we" do"), terror baiting ("he pals around with terrorist"), and the outdated red baiting (he's a socialist). This may well be the dismantling of the Reagan coalition and the Goldwater arguments. It's too bad about the route modern conservatism has taken. Gwen and I both have some conservative values but find no representation in the current GOP.

If you're tired of the political posts, don't fear. There are only ten more days to go and lately I have immersed myself in this election. After next week, it will be back to business as usual (unusual?) with family updates and witty stories.

Czeching In

2008-10-21T21:26:00.000-07:00

Warm days, cool nights, pleasant hikes, and festivals abound- we love October. Our October is similar to a warm May in Michigan. It is a time to open windows, turn off the air, and enjoy the outdoors until late December-January when it starts to get a little cold. We took Lola to "Bite! of Las Vegas" this past weekend. She wore a yellow dress and a bonnet. It was a perfect day to be outside. Lola seemed to enjoy it about as much as I enjoyed my pita with hummus and pulled pork sandwich. We love to take her places. She is an easy baby and never seems to be crabby. She loves to hear herself talk and regularly yells and says dadadadadadadadadadadadada.

Gwen has been busy working and going to the gym. Her dedication is incredible. She looks amazing and I know that I don't always show or tell her how much I truly appreciate her. She is an outstanding mother and wife. I am grateful everyday for her presence in my life. Her patience and support humble me.

I've been busy with meetings, helping students organize a holiday food drive, and putting together another Europe trip for this August. My students are really looking forward to going to France, Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. I love that I took the semester off from UNLV. Compared to this time last year, it's as if I have all the time that I could possibly need. That feeling should come to an end in January as I get back to work and head toward graduation next December.

We're excited to come home for Christmas. We'll be home with Lola in less than two months. Gwen just bought her a coat last weekend and is talking about getting her some little boots. Poor Lola has never even worn shoes.

Wonderful Day

2008-10-14T21:01:00.000-07:00

To one of my favorite people - HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEN! I wish I could celebrate with you, but I am there in spirit. Love you!

Values Voters

2008-10-13T16:56:00.000-07:00

Talk about it at Videocracy

Talk about it at Videocracy

Talk about it at Videocracy

Talk about it at Videocracy

We've Got Magic To Do

2008-10-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

It is a beautiful thing

2008-10-08T08:10:00.001-07:00

Today as I blogged searched, I came across a music video (thanks Jen) courtesy of YouTube. I never realized what a beautiful thing YouTube could be. To this day, I do not have cable. There was about a 6 month - 1 year stretch of my life when I did have digital cable and it was wonderful. I would drown in cable. My own life would cease to exist with all those channels to surf everyday. As you can see, this is why I do not have cable. I would literally rot away in front of the TV. My point is that I did not grow up with MTV and have never seen the music videos of my favorite songs. Thanks to YouTube, I will be rotting in front of my computer today!

I am not sure how to post YouTube videos, so here are the links.

Love those eighties love ballads! The videos are even better! And yes, I do have both of the eighties love ballad CD's.
Here's a few of my favorites:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p61Q_DOwtps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUA0ai0XxRU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv6AGoGGxRE

This next one happens to be one of my favorite guitar hero songs. I am actually quite good at it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuKOc_Mpumc

Another one by the same artist -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cf6k4yJyv0

One of my all time favorite bands...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ns59Bmqpms

and the classic...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siBoLc9vxac&feature=related

Blast from my youth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeBScjiaf34&feature=related

And last but not least...the concert I will be at this weekend. I had the posters, t-shirts, buttons, autographed photos, and every tape (I still have all of the tapes). I do have the new CD, courtesy of my friend.
Then...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTVRX7uu_2c&feature=related

Now...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25qiZy7vmqY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw8RBL5_auk&feature=related

OK. Enough. I could do this all day. Enjoy or don't enjoy. This was my journey into my musical past.

San Francisco

2008-09-28T21:40:00.000-07:00

Long time-no post. As Gwen had written, we were without our desktop due to a motherboard meltdown. The "Geek Squad" had the computer for three weeks and what a weird gimmick. It's a strange joke that Best Buy committed to years ago and has awkwardly kept going. I've waited in the lines and received dispassionate and uninformed answers from from the man-boys in white shirts with black ties with dead, dead eyes that scream "release me from this creepy, imitation warehouse where I am deteriorating in a sad world of white, blue, and yellow walls all to the soundtrack of Rock Band." There have been better Best Buys. This one is Best Buy purgatory.

Gwen and I bought a laptop today from Office Depot. It's good to be here in the year 2000.

I was in San Francisco last week for the Lions-49ers game. Tailgating with anonymous 49er fans was seriously good times. We traded giant bottles of wine for spicy brats, chips, and Heineken. I'm looking forward to San Diego in December where I will hopefully get to see the Chargers take on the Broncos. Gwen wants to go and bring Lola. I told her that that was out of the question. NFL games are nasty and often violent affairs. They are stadiums filled with men and you do not find unescorted women. An NFL game is no place for a child. There's always the "family section," but we would still need to wade through the "drunk rabble" on the way out of the stadium.

Classes are excellent this year and I still love my job. Gwen and I have been following politics and have been watching the debates together. Last Friday we held a debate party here at the house with some friends.

Apologies

2008-09-25T08:06:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the neglect in our posts, but our computer is in the shop for another 3-6 weeks. We will update as soon as we can. Stay tuned...

Politics and Hodge Podge

2008-09-01T01:45:00.000-07:00

On average, I hear the above song at least twice a day. Which is strange because it's a few years old. I dare you to avoid getting the melody into spin cycle between your ears.

Nothing too exciting around here lately. Lola is now rolling anywhere she desires, Gwen is devouring the Twilight series, and I'm adjusting to the new school year. Labor Day weekend included cell phone shopping, book store hopping, grilling with friends, Madden '09, and reading an insane number of articles in preparation for my class without a textbook. Two ways that I like to procrastinate and avoid lesson planning are by going to movies or the gym. Within the past few weeks I've seen Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder, and Hamlet 2. All three movies were funny enough.

Classes started last Monday. This will be an interesting year for the politics alone. I am teaching all advanced classes and many of the kids want to discuss the presidential race. I get a few emails everyday from past and present students that send me youtube clips and newspaper articles. Most of my students care about and regularly follow current events. I'm working with one group this year that is organizing a charity event for homeless teens here in Las Vegas.

I'm going to go down and help make some phone calls for the Obama campaign this week and maybe walk the neighborhoods. I haven't really volunteered with a campaign since the John Kerry effort of 2004. I realized then that Kerry wasn't the strongest candidate but it was so clear that he was the better of the two options (thanks for the big menu!). Iraq was a moral and financial failure, the level of propaganda and outright dishonesty was enough to make Nixon blush, and you would have thought that the evangelicals would have been onto the fact that they were used. I remember a political cartoon the day after the election that had a hung-over and regret ridden Uncle Sam waking up next to a sloppy elephant.

Many of the anti-Obama crowd fall into one of three catagories:
1. "He won't manage the US in that he will weaken the military and abandon our "interests" overseas." These folks seem to forget that some of the most notorious war wagers were Democrats. Who knows, maybe Obama will pull an LBJ on Iraq? Maybe he'll "Truman it up all over Iran?" My personal hope is that he pulls troops out of Iraq and finds competant policy and oversight in Afghanistan. Maybe he'll even help put us back on a track were we don't torture or use secret gulag type prisons.
2. "He's a Muslim/anti-Christ/un-patriotic/etc." I really don't even know how to approach these arguments. Seriously, I think that the people that say and forward things like this are the reason that we had 8 years of G.W. Bush. These comments say too much. There is really no excuse to be this misinformed in the modern era. I understand that we're all a little crazy and most people get their information from one of the three or four major media conglomerates that control the flow and and type of information, but the statements above are frightening and potentially dangerous. These are the same people who believed (still believe?) that we are in Iraq to get back at "them" for 9/11. When people talk about these things it's embarrassing for most within earshot. The really sad thing is that these comments and emails often come from intelligent and humane people. The comments also seem to be rooted in a weird combination of blood lust, hatred, and fear.
3. "I just don't believe him when he talks about "change" and "hope." I fall slightly into this category. Change? Seriously? Is Vice President "I've been in the Senate for 30 years and helped rework bankruptcy law in favor of the credit card companies" Joe Biden, "change-y" enough for you? Change and hope aside, I'm voting against the party that dominated all three branches of the federal government. I'm also voting against my Democratic state senator that enabled the disasters of the early 2000s.

We've been trying to get tickets back to GR for Christmas. Prices are outrageous and flights are inconvenient. We will be home for Christmas.

Way over due

2008-08-23T09:52:00.000-07:00

Sean has been asking me to update the blog for weeks. I have attempted a few times over the last week, but every time I try to do this, I end up blog surfing and reading a few of my favorites (don't judge, many others blog surf too!). Blog surfing is similar to those who have myspace or facebook and other peoples' lives seem much more interesting than mine. Anyway, with that said, here is what is new with us.

We recently went to Big Bear, CA, which I have seen advertised on TV several times. It was not what I expected. Sean and I thought it would be similar to Saugatuck, MI, but it is an actual city with a lake in the middle. It took longer to get there than planned and we did not get to do as much as I had hoped. We rented a cabin home for the weekend that was pet friendly, so Cruiser came along on the family trip. Lola did fairly well in the car, but did not forgot to remind us when it was time to eat. She slept for most of the car rides back and forth, as did Cruiser. I had hoped to go to the lake, the zoo, snow summit, and the village. We managed to go the the village...twice. We had some good food at Peppercorn Grill, which I highly recommend. The village is about 3 blocks by 3 blocks and surrounded by Big Bear City. It was nice to get away from Las Vegas with the sweltering heat, but not really what I had expected. With an infant, it is hard to rent jet skies or hike a mountain trail. I was glad to go on our first family vacation (not including our trip to GR on Memorial Day)

Lola started day care this past week and so far, so good. It is a licensed home that is a few blocks from my work (and home). Lada (easier for the kids to say, real name is Linda Jane) absolutely loves Lola, who is the only infant and only girl. It is too soon to tell how Lola will do there, but she is eating well and sleeping some. She is not used to the noise of 3 little boys to keep her up. She is 6 months now and eating cereal. We started veggies and started with squash, which she does not like as she makes funny faces when we put them in her mouth. Next, we will try sweet potatoes! She has decided to sleep on her tummy and there is nothing we can do to change this. We've tried to roll her onto her back, just to find her on her tummy in the morning. She seems to sleep better on her tummy. She still can not roll over onto her back and does not even attempt to. I am trying to teach her how to do this. She babbles a lot, makes bubbles, and says mama (just kidding about the mama part, but I am trying to teach her this too!). She is still a delightful little girl, full of smiles and giggles. We hope to come home for Christmas when she will be 10 months old! She is growing and changing so fast.

I am still at Silver Hills as a social worker, working a 4 day week. Sean reported back this past Wednesday and starts teaching on Monday. He may or may not go to UNLV this semester.

What Are You Reading/Watching?

2008-08-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

Things have been been pretty mellow around here even though we are sure that Lola has begun teething. She's only had one rough night where she screamed for about two hours non-stop. Currently I am letting her watch Sesame Street. I'm sure tv is alright like everything else, in moderation. It's just that I see so many students with conditioned "ADD" or "ADHD" and they have lived a life of constant stimulation and non-stop entertainment.

I still have to set up my classroom and figure out how I'm going to teach my honors classes without textbooks. "Budget shortages" have forced my department to cut our budget from about $40k to $10k. The only books that I have available to teach with are standard textbooks from about 2000 which were written at about a 5th grade reading level. I'm gathering articles and pulling from multiple sources. As difficult as this may be, I'm actually excited about doing it this way. It's just that it would have been nice to have had this information about the shortage back in May.

As far as reading, I'm about to finish Neil Postman's, Amusing Ourselves to Death. Postman wrote the book about 20 years ago and argued that electronic media (he focused on tv) has conditioned us to expect to be entertained. If information is not presented in an entertaining fashion then the information is not worth receiving. He looks at contemporary journalism, education, and religion as forms of show business. He also argues that Huxley's vision from Brave New World is more relevant today than Orwell's nightmare. Orwell argued that, in the future, information will be kept from the people and that they would be controlled through pain. Huxley argued that the truth would be lost in a sea of irrelevance and that people would be controlled through endless pleasures, wants, and distractions.

I also picked up a comic book, er, graphic novel called the Pride of Baghdad. The guy who wrote it, Brian Vaughn, had also written Y: The Last Man which was amazing and Ex Machina which is pretty good. The Pride of Baghdad follows a pride of lions that had escaped from the Baghdad zoo during the American invasion of Iraq. Vaughn gave the animals voices and the story has broader meaning than just the wanderings of the animals. The art is incredible and the character development is outstanding.

Here is an entertaining clip from the Youtube Miracle:

More Photos

2008-07-31T10:20:00.000-07:00

Back From Europe

2008-07-31T08:47:00.000-07:00

Being outside of this insane asylum where the most disturbed run things was a much needed break. Traveling through England, France, Italy, and Greece was amazing as ever and only reinforced my desire to live outside of 'merica! for a duration no shorter than two years. During the days and early evenings I traveled with a group of six girls ranging from 16-17 years old. They were all fun to hang around with and our personalities meshed well.

At night, I would often venture out alone through the cities and small towns across Europe. Every night I would meet strangers and strike up conversations over local wines and sometimes foods. Nearly every person I met wanted to talk politics. The message that I received everywhere was that people are afraid of the United States and see it as a threat to peace. I even met a group of Canadians that feared for their natural resources should the US ever look Northward. It was pretty sad. I also received numerous questions about American gun culture. I explained to a Greek man and his friends that Americans do not often look at the greater good and instead tend to focus on individual impact and responsibility. The Greek man said that he understands that, but wondered if I realized how many innocent people are killed violently every year because of my desire to shoot guns for fun in the desert. An Italian couple that I met on the beach in Sorrento had dreams of traveling to America to study some day. Another Greek couple told me that they had never met a rude American. Everywhere I went I was treated with respect and never had the impression that "they" hated us. Every person that I talked to explained to me that they loved Americans as individuals but distrusted the US government. With the exception of the girl that I caught naked with an Italian man in a rubber boat after having only been acquainted for about ten minutes all of my girls were excellent ambassadors and destroyed negative stereotypes of Americans and in particular American women. I have so much to write about but will spare you all of the details. Instead, I will try to list the things that I saw/did over the past 15 days along with some photos.

* London: The Tower, The Crown Jewels, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abby, Darwin's tomb (yes, he is entombed in a church), Newton's tomb, Wicked, the Camden market, Big Ben, the tower bridge, some amazing Iranian food and wine in a little hole in the wall cafe near my hotel, the Chunnel.
* Paris: Notre Dame, The Louvre, Eiffel Tower in the evening, a short trip down the seine river, the Arc de Triomphe, Versailles.
* Florence: Piazza del Duomo, Michelangelo's tomb, Michelangelo's David, abundance of free time were the seven of us wandered around Florance and had giant Italian meals in interesting restaurants off the beaten paths.
*Pisa: um, the leaning tower, and a beautiful baptistery
*Rome: The Forum, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain
*Vatican City: Aside from being overcharged for everything the Vatican was beautiful. The Sistine Chapel is amazing, the sculptures and art are beautiful.
In the official Vatican store, yes there is an official Vatican store, you can buy a rosary for 18 Euros and for an additional 6 Euros you can buy a blessing upon the rosary where a uninspired looking religious person dips it in special water, makes a special sign, and presto! you have a blessed and "magic-y" bauble. I know this sounds terrible and to many of my friends this is very serious business. As an outsider it looked like more of a crass economic venture than a spiritual one. Also the amount of stuff that the Vatican sells is amazing. My favorite item (which three lucky people will receive as Christmas gifts this year) is the attractive priest pin-up calendar. Father March is especially attractive with his brooding stubble and his "what would you like from me" glance. Again this is sanctioned by the Vatican, I am not making this up. They also sell Pope ashtrays which even I thought was inappropriate. Being in Europe and especially the Vatican had a "viewing the man behind the curtain" effect on me.
We also visited the Catacombs where many of the early martyred Christians were entombed and which also served as a secret place to worship for the early Christians of Rome.
St. Paul's church was my favorite along with Notre Dame. It was huge, beautiful, and quiet. Seeing Paul's tomb was humbling. St. Peter's was also incredible but extremely decadent and crowded. St. Peter's Basilica was the most opulent place I had ever seen. Masterworks of art adorned nearly every square inch of the place.
*Sorrento: Beautiful hotel on a quiet beach where we relaxed for two days eating good food, drinking good wine, and drifting in the Mediterranean.
*Pompeii: We climbed Mount Vesuvius which had exploded and destroyed Pompeii. We also visited the ruins of the city and saw the dramatic casts of the people and animals.
*Overnight Cruise across the Aegean to Greece. Very fun with an all night disco. When I arrived at the disco at 11:30 with my group of girls the Greek dj was playing "Party All the Time" by Eddie Murphy. I felt like a crazy person as I was the only one amused by that song.
*Meteora Region: This is a place where monks would build monasteries on high cliffs or live in caves in order to escape the evils of the world (along with the Ottoman Turks). A beautiful place with dramatic, shear, grey mountains. It reminded my of a much larger and much more dramatic Garden of the Gods.
*Athens: More swimming in the Med., the Acropolis and Parthenon, the Plaka, a ghetto carnival that had rides with no seat pads, gypsies, gypsies, and more gypsies, excellent food, hospitable people, Mars Hill, first Olympic Stadium.

They don't come any cuter than this...

2008-07-26T15:05:00.001-07:00

Lola (5 months)

Kate and Bre (my adorable nieces)

Lola (3 months), Kate (21 months) , and Bre (10 months)

Am I in Denial?

2008-07-15T20:44:00.000-07:00

I have always said that I don't have a sweet tooth since I am usually the one who doesn't get dessert and would rather have the appetizer. Yet tonight I found myself making PB cookies and finding it very difficult to stop eating them. I have not stopped with three or four, but am somewhere at about six or seven and starting to get a tummy ache. Of course they are small and I justify eating so many of them because they are so small and really, two of them equals one. I do have one restaurant dessert that I like - the pazookie (not sure how to spell it), which is a giant cookie of your choice topped with ice cream or the occasional recess PB cup, but I still say I don't have a sweet tooth. I like to eat dessert that I make and usually do not like store made desserts as I consider them too sweet. My husband says that he has a sweet tooth and when you compare us, he will order the dessert, yet I am the one eating 6 or more PB cookies because I just can't stop. Maybe it's not about food at all. Maybe its about self control or my lack of. How do you define a sweet tooth? I like to think that I just like food whether it be salty or sweet. Give me a plate of chips and dip and I will most likely eat all of that too. (Yup - definitely about self control :) )

On another note, Sean has made his way to Europe with several other adults and 42 or so kids. No, not kids, teenagers. This opportunity came up last minute and we had to scramble to find sitters for Lola. (She does not start day care until the end of August). Fortunately, we were able to fly Grandma (my mom) out here to babysit. I am sure that Sean will post all about it when he gets home in 2 weeks. He is going to many exciting and beautiful places. I am happy for him and looking forward to spending time with my mom and Lola.

Showbiz

2008-07-08T23:10:00.000-07:00

It was a good day today. It started with the Rock Afire Explosion performance of Usher's In the Club. Some guy in Alabama bought an old Showbiz Pizza act and now takes requests over the internet as to which songs he should sync up. This was the highlight in the office throughout the day.

Then I was invited to travel Europe for 15 days at an amazing price and in which I would leave Monday. I spent the day along with Gwen securing childcare and making plans to go. It should be interesting because I will be responsible for six students as we travel, London, Paris, Rome, Florence, Pisa, Vatican City, Athens, etc. We are flying my mother-in-law out here for the second week and that seriously puts my mind at ease (Thanks Tena!). Right now I am excited and anxious. There's nothing really to do but pack.

Being away from Gwen and Lola is going to be even more difficult than I had imagined but it really is a short period of time when I think of all of the overworked parents that never see their kids. I've had students tell me nonchalantly that they talk to me more than their parents. I'm grateful for the job that I have which allows for serious quality of life.

Tonight we had a guest speaker in class. She is a principal from North Las Vegas. An area that Hunter S. Thompson described as, "Nevada's answer to St. Louis--a slum and a graveyard, last stop before permanent exile to Ely or Winnemuca." She faces incredible odds in her community where there are daily shootings and other random acts of violence. She goes to work everyday with a realistic mission that it is her duty to create future involved and active citizens fit to operate in a democratic society. She has created a sense of community in her elementary school where families come to settle disputes. She also spends her time walking the neighborhoods and visiting the homes of students that she cares about. It is beyond test scores for her and her staff. They look at the positive things that the students bring to the school. They understand that the parents in her community are very poor. An American third world country kind of poor. A place where people not only face stifling generational poverty that really begins in utero but are also politically and economically powerless to the point of near invisibility. Did you know that there is an entire zip code in North Las Vegas where they don't even have a grocery store? It is a place where it is common to find illiterate parents. This is also where refugees typically settle. She has students from various African countries that have fled famine and war. I don't know what this post is supposed to mean. What does a healthy community look like? Do you live in one? How do you know? Pinch faced, petty, hyper consumptionist, and mean spirited neighbors are about as conducive to community as your typical rambling drug addict with a shiv. Hell, I started off writing about the Showbiz Pizza band. Let's get on with the show!

Lola Grace - 4 months

2008-07-07T18:22:00.000-07:00

Just chillin' on the futon.

Before the big roll over.

Trying to stay cool by the pool.

In her exercise saucer for the first time.

Sitting up like a big girl in her pod chair. Very focused on her toy.

BONANZA! peak

2008-07-06T23:47:00.000-07:00

The weekend was excellent and filled with worthwhile activities. Saturday we went to the pool at a friend's house. Lola was happy, though flushed from the heat, Gwen finally got some sun, all while I enjoyed grapes and veggies around the table and talked about funny things. Lola went to bed early and that left Gwen and I some time to begin the John Adams series (which is excellent).

On Sunday, Chris and I went hiking and decided to conquer BONANZA! peak. We saw many critters along the way along with some mountain lion tracks. When it was all over we climbed over 2300' and hiked over 10 miles. I had not hiked in a while and really felt the fatigue. The reason we chose this peak was because we had heard that this is a place where wild horses like to roam. Having lived in Nevada for three years, I have never seen a wild horse. Rattlesnake? Check. Multitudes of lizards and Wild donkeys? Check. Today I was determined to find a wild horse. Ten miles and six hours later near the end of the trail we encountered three horses that were initially about 25' from us. I am actually terrified of horses, having been kicked by one when I was in 8th grade. A large black male, a small brown female, and a brown and white (Paint? Palomino?) were munching on grass and really didn't pay us much mind.
As of this writing, my feet are sore, my upper arms are burned, and I am exhausted. A note about the photos: I am on summer break and "working" at a film festival with flexible hours. I have stopped shaving and probably will not get a hair cut until late August. Yes, I am wearing a Huey Lewis sleeveless t-shirt.

Also on Sunday, Lola began rolling over regularly. Over the past couple of weeks she has begun to roll over, discovered her hands, begun to play in a crazy activity seat, and articulate new sounds. She and Gwen will be joining me on these epic hikes before no time.

The brief clip below was from early in the hike. We were still on our quest to find wild horses when we came upon grasshoppers that made a crackling sound as they flew through the air.

Alive and well again

2008-07-01T18:35:00.001-07:00

The past few days I have had strep throat with a fever of 101 to 103. I spent most of my time in bed since Friday and today is my first day back with the living. Sean has been the sole parent to Lola for 4 days. He had his good and bad moments, but I think he enjoyed spending all this time with Lola and I know she enjoyed it. I missed her like crazy and it was really hard for me to stay away from her. I was extremely cautious while I was sick and probably more than necessary. I think Sean also saw how much I actually do do around here, or at least I hope so. :)

Lola had her 4 month check up last week. She is 13.8 pounds and 25 inches long. We will be starting cereal with her this weekend. She has learned better hand coordination and can now reach for and grab objects. She sits in her pod chair and can roll over when on her tummy. She still hates tummy time, but is getting better. I finally got her to laugh out loud today. So cute.
We had her 3 month pictures done. To see, click below. Some of the pictures are duplicates, but different shading. The photographer is a friend of ours and she likes to play with the photos and let us decide which version we like best. Many of them are of Sean and Lola because by the time it came to my turn, Lola was tired and crabby. Next time, we'll start with mommy first. :) Enjoy!
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0BbNmTJmxasXEA

Cinevegas

2008-06-22T22:06:00.000-07:00

Summer break? Where? For the past 14 days I've had a staff position at the Cinevegas film festival, celebrated my first father's day and fifth wedding anniversary, attended graduate classes three nights a week, worked on my school's SIP team, said goodbye to my graduating seniors, attended many of the festival parties, and saw the world's smallest man outside the restroom at the Mirage.

The world's smallest man has an entourage and film crew. He also has a personal assistant that carries him around.

Dennis Hopper almost had his face removed by a man with a furious ping pong paddle.

I also saw a nude woman with a 6' weave juggle and eat fire while I ate strawberry anniversary cake with friends. The fascinating thing is that she was really more of a sideshow to everything else that was going on.

I saw a line wrapped throughout the Palms in which people stood for hours in order to receive a free pair of Croc sandals. Crocs are sort of like rubber clogs with holes. Back in the day, if you gambled enough you would get a free steak dinner or show tickets. Nowadays you get cheap sandals at the head of a line.

James Caan upon winning the Icon Award: "...and to my friends and family, please feel free to call me Jimmy, James, or Mr. Caan. There is no need for you to refer to me as "Icon."

I am happy that the festival is over. It was fun but very busy. Every year that I do this I get exhausted and flooded with the reminder that we have rebuilt Sodom and Gomorrah within a five mile stretch about 10 minutes from my front door. I've heard that we really are not doing anything differently out here in the desert that doesn't go on in many communities across America. I think that is oversimplified and falls into the general statement that Americans in general are moralistic in attitudes while hedonistic in behaviors.

What is community? I've lived in two places my whole life and both are extreme ends of the spectrum. If Gwen and I stay out here we will especially have to focus on stressing to Lola that this is not like most places and that outward beauty is irrelevant compared to critical thinking and independence. I met a student who has parents that moved out here from Pennsylvania and then had kids. She tells me that she spent family vacations back in PA and that helped ground her and expose her to the world outside of Vegas. Anyway, this girl now attends Yale as a film student.

I am looking forward to sitting around the house with Lola and Gwen. I hated being away from my family so much these past couple weeks but I had committed to the job. Lola's 3 month photos are done! Lola's 4 months old today! Gwen will be posting another update with the photos soon.

This is poorly written and unorganized. I really only wanted to post some photos.

The above photos are:
1. The Director's Suite at the Palms where many of the festival after-parties were held.
2. Me hamming it up on the red carpet at the honoree party.
3. Gwen and Amanda hamming it up at the honoree party.
4. Planet Hollywood from the poolside at night.
5. City Center construction site.

Life at the Marshall house

2008-06-17T21:54:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update. Lola continues to grow up too fast. She is an amazing and lovable little girl. She is grasping the concept of sitting up and really does not like any other position. She smiles and talks all the time. She has started to laugh, but stops mid laugh without warning. It is really quite cute, but I can't wait for her to "belly laugh". She likes herself in the mirror. She loves toys that swing above her head. She hates tummy time, but does really well for those 5 minutes that she is on her tummy. She was eating well, but has started to quit eating mid feeding and refuses to eat anymore. She still sleeps through the night, which I thank God for and if anything, I ask for this little peace each day to continue. She makes the cutest sounds when she eats. She rubs her eyes and pulls at her ears when shes tired. She whines when she wants our attention. She is a happy, content little girl and so loved.

I have returned to work, which I do enjoy. Lola is doing really well with her sitter. I was able to return to a 4 day work week and have Wednesdays off, which is a nice break in the middle of the week to spend with Lola. Sean continues to be busy with CineVegas, which is an annual film festival in Vegas. He is also in summer school at UNLV. He will be home with Lola beginning mid July and until school in the fall. We have to look for day care this fall, which will be hard, but a necessary evil.

By the way, we bought our first video camera, so as soon as I learn how to download the videos on the computer, you will all get to see Lola in action.

No good stories to share, but Sean really is the better story teller.

Warning: more personal than usual :)

2008-06-05T20:28:00.000-07:00

When I look back at the beginning of this blog - October 2007, which started as a way to stay in touch with family and friends who live far away, I did not anticipate the changes to come. My life has become so much bigger than just me. I now have a little girl who depends on me for everything. I worry about teaching her all of the right things, keeping her from the evil of the world, and shielding her from hurt. I worry not only because she will look to both Sean and I for guidance, answers, and for comfort, but also because I do not have it all figure it out. There are still things in life that I struggle with, relationships that I wish were mended, and places I wish I had seen. A persons identity when they have kids seems to stop or at least is put on hold and fairly suddenly (because one can never emotionally prepare for a child), one has to redefine self. I guess I am in the process of redefining myself...To be continued...

Lola's first plane ride...

2008-05-30T09:43:00.000-07:00

...and trip to Michigan to meet more of her family and friends. The journey for her started at 3:30am on Saturday May 24 when we got her up, put her in her car seat, and drove to the airport. She does not usually start her day until around 8am, so this was a rude awakening for her. She handled the flights really well and slept the majority of the time.

We spent one day with my family at my mom's condo where it was a zoo of wonderfully cute and playful little kids. It was good times and good eats. Lola felt grass for the first time.

The other day we spent at Sean's parents cottage on Gun Lake. Lola met more of her family and was held by her little girl cousins. Lola also met many of our friends.

Although the trip was short and there are some people we did not get to see, we are thankful for the time we had back in MI and look forward to our next visit.

So, do you like being a mom?

2008-05-21T19:21:00.000-07:00

This is the question that almost everyone asks me these days. To be honest, I LOVE it, but who would answer this questions with - "well, I don't really like it...", some people may feel this way, but not many would say it. In all seriousness, I was one of those people that did not want kids. I went through a phrase (yes, I will call it a phrase because that is what it turned out to be) where I was so adamant about not having kids, I was sure I'd never had one. You can ask my close friends and family and they will tell you the same thing. Now, I could not imagine my life any other way. It is indescribable the feeling that your child brings you. I look forward to every time she wakes up and sees me, gets excited and smiles at me - her mom. The instant love I have for her is amazing and unlike any other love you could feel. Yes, I love my husband, family, and friends, but the love for a child is completely different and truly unconditional. Maybe I am part naive since my daughter is only 12 weeks old and hasn't ever said she hated me or got in trouble, but I would hope to believe that this type of love will never change. It is simple, real, and perfect in its raw existence. To everyone who is contemplating being a parent, I get it, but the gift a child brings to your life is simply that- a gift and no one can tell you what being a parent feels like until you are one.

Hope everyone is well and we will see you all this weekend.

Nevada Democratic State Convention

2008-05-18T22:44:00.000-07:00

I took the above photo from my hotel room in Reno. I booked a room at the Sands the day that I was to arrive. The Sands is about the equivalent of an Arizona Charlie's. The room was absurdly large, clean, had marble tables, and an "ok" view. The rest of the hotel was filled with drunk people and drug dealing teenagers. The staff was courteous and I even met a 27 year old waitress from Dearborn. I never did figure out what brought her to Reno.

I should back up, I got to Reno by way of van. I waited until the last minute to get a plane ticket and every flight was booked. I contacted the Obama campaign and they set me up in a van with seven strangers for $40. Vegas to Reno is about an eight hour trip. The people that I traveled with were very cool and had good hygiene. There were two teachers, two government workers, a small business owner, a construction worker, and an accountant. I told my students that with my luck I would get stuck in a van of gassy old ladies. I guess I got lucky and they were on the "Straight Talk Express."

We arrived in Reno at midnight, I checked into my room, and promptly went to the nearest bar where some college students introduced themselves to me and invited me to sit at their table. One guy explained to me that people in Reno, "love to drink and get into fights." That should have been my cue to leave. About 45 minutes later the guys from my table got up and began a street fight which their girlfriends and myself could see out of the window. The next thing that happened was the girlfriends and random guys jumping out of said window into the street and commencing to brawl. I was left at the table alone receiving dirty looks as if I was one of the troublemakers. I finished my beer, walked back to my dirt ball hotel, got some Arby's, and sat with the servers in Mel's Diner.

The next day was the convention. I took a cab to the Grand Sierra grabbed my credentials and headed inside. I was shocked at how normal the delegates were. I expected to see wild-eyed zealots asking people, "Have you heard the good news?" Most of the people were newly registered voters. The conventions usually draw a few hundred people. This cycle there were a few thousand. It was also surprising to find that the general atmosphere was positive. People were less angry and more hopeful.

1. Creepiest Hotel: The Clown Motel located outside of Tonapah, Nevada.
2. Best Candy Store in the Mojave: Death Valley Candy and Nut Co. This place is surreal. Aisle upon glorious aisle of bulk candy in large plastic bags.
3. Tightest Jean Shorts of the weekend: Large woman from rural Nevada sleeping in a chair at the convention. I thought that there was a major artery that runs down the thigh. I was seriously concerned about her blood flow. Maybe it was a trickle and that is why she was sleeping. I know that this is mean but sleep-squatting in skin tight jeans is also mean.
4. Most Sensitive Person of the weekend: A guy sitting two rows in front of me that volunteered for everything and wept at every speech.
5. Shady Character of the weekend: The crazy big guy that claimed he knew me while we were stopped in Hawthorne, Nevada. I tried to convince him that he had never seen me before in his life but he was not buying it. He had a rubber smile on his face and watched me climb back into the van. He kept asking me if I could, "feel it." I will never know what he meant by that.

The convention went amazingly well. It was the largest political convention in Nevada's history. It was a long day of listening to speeches, walking around looking for go karts, and voting. It was (is) a worthwhile experience to be a part of something historic. The photos below are of Bill Clinton (blurry on purpose), a giant abandoned Hillary sign, Circus Circus, and a gas station in the middle of Nevada.

For those of you in the Mother Mitten, we will see you Memorial Day

Happy Mother's Day (a little late)

2008-05-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

I had my first Mothers Day and it was wonderful. Sean, Lola, and I spent the entire day together shopping! I am in need of clothes that fit me as I am still trying to achieve my pre-pregnancy body ( I know, it will never be quite the same, but a girl can try - thank goodness for that 1% stretch in jeans! :) ). We shopped at the outlets, ate dinner at PF Chang's, and had family time. I feel really blessed for my husband, my daughter, and the rest of our family and friends.

We are all doing really well. Sean has finished this semester at UNLV, only to start his intense summer classes. He is looking forward to the end of the school year and his busy summer of Cinevegas and hopefully some traveling. I start work part-time on Monday and go back full-time on June 9. I am trying to savor these last few weeks with Lola as I wish I could stay home with her. I have enjoyed getting to know her. She smiles intentionally, especially when I get her up for the day. I have tried to capture her smile on camera or video, but as soon as she sees the camera, she is mesmerized by it and just stares at it. She enjoys her bouncy seat, which she often will fall asleep in. She is not sure yet about her swing, but we continue to try it once and a while. She loves her bathes and splashes around. She is a good eater and a fairly good sleeper. She has good AM naps, but not PM naps. She does not like to lay down in the afternoon, but she will sleep through the night, which I prefer anyway. We are really excited about our trip home memorial day weekend. It will be short, but so worth it. We can't wait for everyone to meet her. Here are a few more photos.

The Calico Tanks

2008-05-04T22:34:00.000-07:00

I took the following photos while hiking at Red Rock last weekend. It was a perfect day and I hiked alone. The weather is getting hot and that means active reptiles are about. There were plenty of lizards and desert wildflowers.
Currently, life is good. I'm trucking along on the graduate degree river of tears, wrapping up another year of teaching, and looking forward to the state convention up in Reno where I've been chosen as a delegate. More than anything else, Lola is healthy, Gwen is happy, and I've been going to the gym regularly again. I realize that this post is syrupy sweet but I've had a relaxing weekend. I managed to avoid the news for a couple of days, hunker down, and play Mario Kart with friends. Tonight I went out to eat by myself, ran into some students and had a good conversation. The weekend ended with Gwen and myself taking turn going to movies. She went to see Forgetting Sarah Marshall and I went to see Iron Man. Both movies were worth checking out.

Grandmothers

2008-04-26T12:08:00.000-07:00

Both of our mom's were recently here to visit and meet Lola. This gave me more sleep than I usually get and extra hands to help with Lola. Thank you to both of you!

Lola is learning to smile, coo, and control her head. She had her 2 month check up last week and is now 10 lbs., 2 ounces and 22 inches long. She sleeps for about 6 hours at night and still naps often during the day. She enjoys her awake time when we sing, have tummy time, and play. She is generally a happy baby with some times of fussiness. Her fussiness is usually the result of her "fighting sleep" and then she gets overly tired and irritable (just like her dad:) ). She is a sweet little girl.

Stealing a Police Helicopter

2008-04-20T22:25:00.000-07:00

About three weeks ago I had a vivid dream where I unknowingly became involved in the theft of a police helicopter. In the dream, I was hanging out with some shady characters and we stole the chopper together. I flew them around the valley at night and dropped each one of them off above their homes. After I dropped the last one off, I remember thinking that I didn't know how to land the helicopter safely. I flew around the valley at night, went into the northwest and tried to find my house. The valley was gold and sparkling and the dream was awesome.
I eventually shrunk down and entered the home of my "friend," random movie gangster, Frank Vincent. He was sleeping in bed under burgundy sheets while I circled around his white room laughing hysterically to myself. Eventually, Frank woke up and tried to swat me out of the air. I quickly headed out of his bedroom and into a brief maze of narrow halls. I made it to the living room and almost out the front door when the police stopped me, causing me to grow back to my normal size. They falsely arrested me for operating a helicopter under the influence. I stayed quiet and was thankful that they hadn't arrested me for stealing a police helicopter. Eventually, the cops started drinking and partying with Frank and, by now, his girlfriend. We were all sitting in his living room which had many animal pelts hanging from the walls. The police were getting drunk while Frank was telling funny stories and speaking very loudly. I sat in handcuffs, my dark blue jeans, orange pumas, and a gray v-neck t-shirt. As we were about to leave for the police station I pleaded with the cops that they couldn't take me in in their condition. I also explained that I hadn't even been drinking and that they should just keep having a good time with Frank. They agreed with me, gave me the keys to the helicopter (do helicopters even take keys?), and I flew away into the night. I don't really remember what happened after that.

Recent photos of Lola

2008-04-20T17:04:00.001-07:00

A Yard You Don't Touch

2008-04-01T18:15:00.000-07:00

It took about three weeks, but it's finished. The goal was to rip out the backyard, extend the patio and put in all native Mojave desert plants. It may look a little sparse right now, but in a year or two I expect it to be a desert wildflower hummingbird and butterfly Mecca (except my house doesn't have half the corruption, oil, or influence on the US federal government as Saudi Arabia). Anyway, the yard was completed with love alone. Each plant was cradled and planted with the most tender of care. Each stone was laid with purpose. Each cactus clipping was stolen in the middle of the night with the most stealth. The flowers were selected based on me having wildflowers year around. The research and self education that it took to learn about desert southwestern soils and plants was sizable. So far, only one plant has died. I had him pegged as quitter from the beginning and frankly, the yard is stronger with his absence.

In class the other day while talking about the 1920s and machines:
Teacher: "What can people do that machines can't do?"
Student: (has a look on her face as though she had just discovered The Way and speaks with a passion) - "Robots don't have feelings."
Clearly, she had not seen Terminator 2 or 3 and is far too young to have remembered Johnny 5.

A sound only a mother (or father) could love...

2008-03-27T13:47:00.000-07:00

This video was taken within 1-2 days of Lola's birth. It reminds me of how much she has grown and developed in one short month of life. She is so precious and continues to amaze me, but I feel she is already growing up too fast.

One month check up

2008-03-26T18:51:00.000-07:00

Lola had her one month check up on Tuesday. She is 8 lbs., 4 ounces and is starting to fit in and fill out her clothes. Although she arrived 2 weeks early, she has caught up developmentally. We did have to switch her to Soy formula (thanks to her daddy's lactose intolerance), but she seems to be adjusting to it. I had my postpartum check up last week and received the okay from my doctor to once again lift heavy objects, clean the house, and exercise. Part of me liked the no strenuous activity version of maternity leave better.

Yards and Hikes

2008-03-22T17:36:00.001-07:00

Progress on the yard is steady and will have to hold until next weekend. Plants? Planted. River? Laid. Paving sand and stones? Done. An occasional lunch break at the meth addled Burger King? Completed. I don't know what fast food places look like anymore back in Michigan, but out here they are wastelands filled with meth addicts and an ever present possibility of violence. Today I sat there enjoying my plain cheeseburger and fries while taking in the horror and a man walked past me with ass-less jeans. That scene pretty much sums up fast food here in the valley. Even the birds hate you at Burger King. I walked out to my car and a giant blackbird was pecking furiously at my tires.

Here is another photo of the yard along with some photos that I took while hiking a couple of days ago.

The Dog

2008-03-20T16:24:00.000-07:00

Pro-Crass-ta-naaa-sean

2008-03-20T16:03:00.000-07:00

I have been working on my landscaping for the past two weeks and so far, it's been a good experience. You see, I live in the Mojave desert in one of the harshest climates in North America. Last year I attempted to grow tomatoes, green peppers, and few other water hungry plants. The plants would thrive as long as I watered them everyday, but once the fruit developed the sun would turn it into a small, black carbon ball. This year it will be different. I have completely ripped out the backyard and turned the soil. Everything that stood in my way has been destroyed. I am to my backyard what the Cloverfield monster was to NYC. All of the plants that I've planted are Mojave desert natives. The ultimate goal is that in two years my backyard will be a multicolored paradise of desert wildflowers. The ground will eventually be covered in "red-ish" rocks with a two foot wide wash filled with river stones. I know that it looks pretty poor in the pictures, but open up yer minds real wide like, turn on some dramatic music, and just try to capture the vision.

Life with Lola

2008-03-15T11:30:00.000-07:00

What can I say about our new life with Lola? She is already 3 weeks old, but seems much older. She is already trying to hold her own head up when she is laying tummy down on my chest. Her fussy time is generally from 9pm - 2am, which makes it hard for me to sleep and her stubbornness is already starting to show as she fights sleep (just like her dad did and still does). She has many times throughout the day and night where she is alert and awake. I did not realize that newborns could be so alert and awake. She is noisy and enjoys making squeaky sounds. She is a wiggle worm and prefers to sleep with her arms out of the covers. She hates getting her diaper changed and will cry, fuss, and pull her legs up to her belly, making it very difficult to put a diaper on. She also prefers to pee when she is being changed, which usually results in her peeing on mom and dad or all over the changing table. We are getting better at "catching" her pee before it gets all over everything. She is still small and does not fit into many of her clothes. Her nickname is peanut. She is amazing to watch. We can't wait for everyone to meet her.

To breastfeed or not to breastfeed...

2008-02-29T10:39:00.000-08:00

This is the question consuming me these days. Actually, the choice never really seemed to be there. Lola has never latched on well and despite my efforts to breastfeed or at the very least, pump and bottle feed, I have been unsuccessful at both. This leaves me with many feelings including, guilt, sadness, and the worry that Lola is not getting the best nutrition possible. I know many moms choose not to breast feed, but for me, I had it all planned out. Lola had other plans. I have read books, spoke to nurses/specialists, and friends and family, but nothing I do seems to bring Lola any closer to breastfeeding. I have received support from friends and family, but now I am struggling with how to be OK with not breastfeeding. After everything I have been through with Lola, the pregnancy and birth, I never imagined that breastfeeding would be where it got hard. You always hear how natural this experience is, but for me, there was nothing natural about it. I realize this is not my usual post and more personal, but this has been weighing heavily on my heart and I needed to get it off my chest.

Update and photos

2008-02-26T16:45:00.000-08:00

Things here are going well. Lola is a little angel and as sweet as can be. For the most part, she is calm and easy going, but of course, she only eats, sleeps, and poops :). We have some awake time together when she is alert and looking around. These moments I cherish. She had her first check up at the doctor and she is doing well. She is still small, weighing 5 pounds, 8 ounces. She eats really well from the bottle and we are still struggling on with breastfeeding. We were released from the hospital on Sunday and very glad to be home. Lola has fit right into her new room and sleeps really well in her crib. I am feeling well with only some mild discomfort at times. Sean is doing well and enjoys being with his daughter. He is really sweet to her and it is really cute to watch him interact with Lola. Despite that he is already driving me crazy as he gets bored easily, I appreciate him being here and helping me out. He has been very supportive and he was amazing during the delivery of Lola. More to come later.

A Few More Pictures

2008-02-24T15:26:00.000-08:00

Too busy to write at the moment. Here are a few more photos.

Lola Grace 2/22/08

2008-02-22T19:37:00.000-08:00

I just stopped home to take care of the dog, eat, and post some pictures. Gwen went to the hospital at 11:30 and had Lola at 5:17. She's a little 5 pound baby and is 19 inches long. The epidural did not work and Gwen and I are calling it as good as a "natural" birth.

Unfocused

2008-02-15T23:50:00.000-08:00

The whole day felt a bit off from the beginning. My Fridays really begin on Thursday morning due to it always being about a 15 1/2 hour day with my UNLV classes at night. Every Friday begins with a feeling as if I had a hangover from pure exhaustion. The morning went by well enough with pleasant conversation from colleagues as I sat in the main work room allowing my student teacher to have some time alone with his new classes.

Lunch was extra special because it was "smoothie day." For those of you who watch the Office, smoothie day is not unlike pretzel day. I spent most of my lunch talking with Joe who was still shell shocked over the massacre at NIU where he is a graduate student. As we spoke I told him that I couldn't imagine having a shooting on campus and the feelings that would come with that.

In the afternoon my students and I discussed the shootings at NIU and the possible reasons something that like happens so often here in the US. School shootings are really a strange American phenomenon. Lynching was another creepy manifestation of something dark, dirty, and violent that lies among the most positive characteristics of American society: apple pie, crying eagles on t-shirts, NFL, baby shower games, and school shootings.

School ended for the day. A 14 year old boy started to walk home from school. He made it about 200 feet and was killed in a senseless drive by shooting. Currently, the police claim that it appears to have been a random murder involved with gang initiation. There are no suspects. The kid's name has not been released. I don't know if I knew the boy. He played in the high school band and took honors classes. We go back to school on Tuesday. I am currently overwhelmed with feelings of violation/rage/helplessness/and overall sorrow that I feel for the kid's family, friends, and overall school community.

...and the belly grows bigger...

2008-02-04T19:28:00.000-08:00

Week 34...6 weeks to go!

2008-01-28T12:47:00.000-08:00

I can not imagine getting any bigger. I feel like my stomach is going to split open any day now. She is really active still and I can actually feel body parts, although I am not sure how to distinguish between them, but I feel bigger, sweeping movements along with the little pokes and kicks. She has eased up on my bladder somewhat, but I know that will change once she drops lower. My emotional mood swings are off the chart, although Sean says I am the same, but I can tell I am more emotional than before (I know some of you may find that hard to believe. I admit it - I am moody) :) I am easily overwhelmed, tired and sore. I think my sciatic nerve is causing me pain when I walk. I have days that by the end of the day, I can barely walk. I imagine I will endure this for the remainder of my pregnancy. I try to exercise, but lately, have been resting more due to my soreness. I do not feel ready and probably never will, but I can not wait to meet her for the very first time. I have a baby shower this weekend and one in mid February. I am trying to savor these last weeks of being pregnant as it will be over soon. I have enjoyed being pregnant, but do have to say that the 3rd trimester is my least favorite. I waddle, I am clumsy, and it is hard to get up from the anything - the bed, chair, or floor without excruciating effort. I feel huge and my maternity clothes keep getting tighter. I am thankful the end is in sight. I will post another picture as soon.

Winter

2008-01-05T21:28:00.000-08:00

The nasty system that has torn up California has made its way into the valley which resulted in high winds, rain, and snow at higher elevations. Here are some pictures from Red Rock Canyon and one of our new car.

140 Year Old Bullets

2008-01-02T02:18:00.000-08:00

Me: Have I shown you guys my Civil War bullets?

Student: No, you save your best stuff for the other classes.

Me: That's because I don't like you. Anyway, I have a package of actual bullets from the Civil War. I am going to pass them around, but you have to be careful because these are 140 year old bullets and they are very unstable. I am trusting each of you to pass them to each other carefully and no matter what, DO NOT drop them.

Student: Will you cry (sarcastic).

Me: I'll duck and then I'll call an ambulance. I'm serious be careful with these.

Student: Why would you bring these to school?

Me: Everyone in here is 16-17 years old, I think each of you can handle this. Can everyone handle looking at the bullets? Alright then, again be careful [I take great care getting the little bag of imitation Civil War bullets out of my desk]. Where should we start? How about with you (picks a student that looks tense or has been daydreaming)? Catch!

Some students dive. Others just watch helplessly as the little bag of imitation bullets hit the floor. Eventually, they begin to see that I am laughing at them.

2007

2007-12-31T15:05:00.000-08:00

As 2007 comes to an end here are some personal highlights in no particular order:

1. I worked at Cinevegas in June on a small production crew. It was a very interesting experience seeing the mega entertainment machine up close and interacting with people that have dropped into my living room like terds through my "teevee." Most of the people that I talked to were very cool indie film makers, actors and actresses. It actually was an valuable experience. I had a two week, all access pass to the Palms and attended VIP parties all over the strip. One highpoint was bowling at the Gold Coast until 4am with friends. Two lanes down from us, some guy tore off one of his fingers while throwing a bowling ball. Just for the record, the Gold Coast did not interrupt moonlight bowling in order to find said finger. An uncomfortable moment had to be when I stood awkwardly about 10ft. from the cast and director of Oceans 13 wondering when to hand off the giant charity check. No one had given me any cue as to when I would get rid of the check. I stood out in the open, but just off to the side of all that teeth, hair, and general beauty, sweating and hoping that I wouldn't screw up the hand off by giving it to the wrong person and just making an ass of myself in some unforeseen way. Very awkward. One of the many insights that I gained was that the celebrities, films, explosions, and jokes serve only to draw your attention to various brands/products. I guess it all reminded me of a photographer at a Sears Portrait Studio waving the shiny object behind the camera in order to get the child's attention.

"Look over here, look over here! It's Brad Pitt doing something!" Flash! Pepsi in your psyche.

I'll be working for Cinevegas again this year the second week of June.

2. I had just woken up and was listening to music and reading the news online when Gwen walked into the den holding a pregnancy test. I looked up and she said, "dude." I asked her if she was sure and told her that we would go and buy more tests that afternoon. I continued to listen to music staring at the computer. We then went down to Paris and attended a Ron Paul political rally. The reality of the pregnancy had not sunk in yet. Ron Paul and his desire to deregulate everything only scared me. We walked around outside and it was too hot (112?). We eventually made phone calls home to the parents. That was 7/7/07.

3. While in the middle of writing this Cruiser became restless and wanted to wrestle. Cruiser is our 70 pound greyhound. I think he just scratched out my eyeball thus ending this little 2007 re-cap.

Here are some photos and favorites form 2007:

This is "Four Winds" from Bright Eyes. I would say that he is post punk and out of Omaha. I love his songwriting and his lyrics are often intelligent. Anyway, he's been flirting with alternative country and usually turns the jingoistic and reactionary "stick a boot yer ass fer turrah!" on its head. Check out the video.

Here is "Videotape" by Radiohead. In Rainbows is one of my favorite albums this year.

This last one is "Neon Bible" by The Arcade Fire recorded live in an elevator. Neon Bible was probably the album that I listened to most of 2007.

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-30T19:14:00.000-08:00

I know it has been awhile since my last post, but I was waiting for a few projects around the house to be completed. One of which is Lola's room (for those that do not know, we have decided on the name Lola Grace). With the help of my mom, Lola's room is ready for her homecoming. My mom came for a week around Christmas, washed all the baby clothes and toys, and helped to set up Lola's room. (She also bought her crib as a gift, which you will see in the photos.) I am so thankful for her help and relieved that this project is done. We also got the garage organized so one of ours cars will fit, which is a good thing since we bought a new car yesterday. We thought it necessary since my Kia was not rated as a safe car. We bought a Honda Element and we really like it. As far as updates go...my pregnancy is still going well. I am getting bigger and having some lower back pain at times. I am still waking up 3 or so times per night, but lately, I wake up around 4 am and can not get back to sleep. I have a lot on my mind with Lola's due date approaching and am feeling anxious (and terrified). I am nervous about labor and then nervous about what to do with Lola when she comes home. It is easy to read books and listen to others advice, but another to live it. Here is a picture of me today at 30 weeks and some of Lola's room.

Thank you, thank you, thank you

2007-12-05T12:11:00.000-08:00

I am amazed at all the love I feel every time I come home to visit. My baby shower was wonderful and I can't thank everyone enough for all they did to prepare for it, attend it, and share in this special time with me. I am so thankful for the friends and family I have. I will post some pictures soon. Thank you again.

25 weeks are still growing

2007-11-29T19:20:00.000-08:00

I am feeling rather large these days and even some of my maternity clothes feel tighter. I finally had to buy larger shirts to go around this belly that still amazes me as it seems to grow each week. Tonight I am home bound to Michigan to spend time with family and friends and have my first baby shower! My pregnancy is still going well and I feel good. I am not used to carrying around this extra weight, which does cause me to feel more winded and tired. Her heartbeat is usually around 135-140 and am I finally able to feel her kick. Sean can feel her too! She usually kicks me at night when I am relaxing in front of the T.V. , but I don't mind since I waited so long to feel her. Here is an updated picture of me.

Grandma Walburg's Legacy lives on...

2007-11-29T19:08:00.000-08:00

A Sad Goodbye

2007-11-19T19:49:00.000-08:00

My grandma died on Nov. 14 2007, which also happened to be my 30th birthday. She had been frail for some time and went into the hospital a few days before she passed away, but it was still quite sudden. She was 84 years old and lived a long and wonderful life. She has many children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren to be proud of and who will carry on her memory. It was wonderful to see all of my mom's family in one place, but also sad that my grandma was not there. I am glad to part of this large extended family and will treasure the memories of family trips to Iowa.

Hiking (see pics below)

2007-11-08T18:43:00.000-08:00

A beautiful day with the perfect company. I went on my first hike as a pregnant women and yes, I was careful. I did a lot of resting, was cautious with my steps, and had my doctors permission. We did make it to the top, but not without the little one reminding me that she was along for the long journey up hill. My pregnancy is still going well. The ultrasound and blood work all came back without any concerns. Our little one is healthy and continues to grow. My belly is getting bigger and I am starting to look pregnant as opposed to having a beer gut. (I will post an updated picture soon). I am 22 weeks now, almost 23, and have made it past the halfway mark. I still feel good and actually slept through the night last night. I doubt this will last, but it felt really nice. It is hard sometimes being so far from home as I wish I could share this with my family and friends. I am grateful that I will be home at the end of the month for my shower.

Made it to the top...eventually.

2007-11-08T18:37:00.001-08:00

Vegoose

2007-10-31T20:54:00.001-07:00

Perfect Halloween Weekend
1. Burgs and brews Friday night along with an excellent dj at the Beauty Bar.
2. Vegoose music festival on Saturday
3. Thousands of people in one place wearing Halloween costumes
4. Perfect weather (low 80s)
5. Daft Punk playing a devastating closer on Saturday night (see the video I took below)
6. Sitting in front of the Bellagio until 3:30 people watching.
7. Champagne brunch on Sunday with rubber waffles and a gross blueberry sauce followed by some room temperature peeled shrimp.
8. Hiking at Red Rock Sunday and then grabbing some beers at a crazy cowboy bar out in the desert.

Nothing but Blue Skies

2007-10-28T22:54:00.000-07:00

I had a close friend visit me (S.) over the weekend and on Sunday before he went home, we went hiking for the better part of the day. We hiked up and sat on red sand stone mountains which require scrambling to achieve any significant height. We sat on the rocks talking and enjoying the silence around us. Out in the desert the silence is true. A large raven flew over us and we could hear the beat of the wings. Eventually a man and what looked like his six or seven year old daughter were heading down a steep trail into the canyon below us. We could hear the man explaining the different geology, desert plants, and how to maneuver down such a steep path. The girl was continuously picking up rocks and anything else she found interesting on the ground. I watched the entire scene and the reality that I will be having a daughter filled me. For the first time in my life I wanted to be alive for something other than myself. The thought of, for whatever reason, not raising my daughter devastated me. Watching the man and the little girl was both enlightening in the fact that I hope to have the opportunity to show my daughter similar things and devastating in that life is so fragile and everyday is truly up to God, chance, error, etc.

I have been thinking about the kind of community that we are going to raise our daughter in. More on this topic another day.

20 weeks and growing

2007-10-23T19:41:00.001-07:00

Here is the picture I have said that I would post on our blog. I feel HUGE, which I know sounds ridiculous to those who have been pregnant before. I still feel really good and do enjoy being pregnant. I enjoy the conversations with my daughter like the one we had the other day. I told her that she needs to start kicking hard enough for me to feel her, but she is not a very good listener and still nothing. I anxiously wait to feel her. I have not slept through the night since July 7 when I found out I was pregnant. I get up 2-3 times per night to use the bathroom. I think that this is her way of reminding me that she is still here. I am anxious to meet her.

Tag...I'm it!

2007-10-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged, therefore I think I am suppose to use my middle name and for each letter come up with a word that describes me or my life and then tag one person for each letter. Since I only know one other blogger and she tagged me, everyone I know is safe from being tagged.

E- Easy (not in the way some of you may think:). The way I like my life, simple and without unnecessary drama.
L- laughter. I love a good sense of humor. Laughter is contagious.
A- Autonomy. Taking responsibility for yourself.
I- Independent. (Just ask my husband). I came from a line of strong women whom I am proud to know.
N- Neat. The way I like my house to look. I hate clutter.
E- Energy. Something I wish I had more of.

2007-10-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

We had our ultrasound today and for all those who thought it was a boy...IT'S A GIRL! The ultrasound went well without any concerns. Here is a picture of her sucking her thumb. She is very active and likes to sit on my bladder. She likes to show off her feet too. She is small, which is a good thing for when I give birth. We are excited for her arrival on/around March 10, 2008.

The beginning...

2007-10-09T08:13:00.000-07:00

The Marshalls have started a blog for all those interested in updates on how we are doing, what we are doing, and everything else in between. We want to share with everyone our journey through our first pregnancy, our adventures (or lack there of), and the everyday not so interesting events. For now, stay tuned for more postings and pics...

Starting a family with a pretty good verticle leap.

2007-10-08T17:19:00.000-07:00