If anything makes flying more miserable, it's United Airlines.

#ifIhadTwitterthatwouldbemytweetaftereverysingleflightwiththemasfarbackasIcanremember

Boarding planes

After another round of flying I began to wonder how boarding "zones" are assigned. I'm about as picky about my seat assignment as I am in picking out bananas at the store (VERY picky!!!), and part of the reason that I choose to sit towards the back of the plane (aisle seat, please!) is because I want to board first so that there is plenty of room in the overhead compartment. But most airlines board in random order so that even though I'm in the back, I could board with the last zone/group and risk having to check my bag to my final destination.

This randomized method hardly seems the most efficient to me. I spent mucho time thinking about this and returned home to find this blog entry, proving that analytical/statistically oriented minds think alike. Some people ponder about the meaning of life. I meditate on things like this.

Fascinating.

I guess it matters not whether I book a seat near the front or back of the plane.

Thankful for the flu shot?

I went and got my flu shot today. This used to scream "I'm pregnant" because I stubbornly never wanted to get the shot, and never seemed to need it, as I can't recall ever having the flu (knock on wood). Last year, I called my best friend and told her I got the flu shot, and she knew immediately that I had news to share.

But, as many other habits in my life have changed, I hereby now believe in getting the flu shot. With a baby in my house, I want to take every precaution from getting/spreading illness.

It is an amazingly beautiful day here. I wouldn't want Thanksgiving Eve to be any other way. It's bright, sunny, and crisp outside, but not cold enough to need a sweater (upper 60s... perfect!). Christmas decorations are going up all around the medical center.

So, I thought it might be a good day to walk over to the occupational health clinic for my shot. I'd been putting it off long enough.

The walk to and from the clinic reminded me so much of when I was pregnant with Clyde. The first part of the walk was the same path I took to see the Midwives, every month, then every two weeks, then every week. It became part of my routine. It felt strange not to go and see them the week after Clyde was born. Even weeks after he was born, I was wishing I had a reason to go see them. I would never say this about any other doctor I've ever seen. The Midwives are just awesome. That's all there is to it. I felt like they cared about me, not just as a patient, but as a person. I wasn't just another patient chart in their files. They weren't machines, asking questions per protocol. I looked forward to sitting on that exam table, being poked and prodded, talking about "the baby". So, today, I wanted to change my course and just walk right in and see them. But alas, I was going to get my flu shot. And I'm not pregnant. Hm. Maybe I should make an appointment for a pap smear? ;)

Anyway, there was no wait for the shot, and I was outta there in 1.2 seconds. I decided to take the "shortcut" back to my office. Now, if you know how big this medical center is, you have an idea of how easy it might be to get lost. So yeah. That "shortcut" was no short cut. I ended up taking a detour that was much out of my way.

I took the skybridge across Main Street. The last time I was on that skybridge, Nate and I were walking to our car after an appointment with the Midwives, in which we were instructed to go home, have a nice dinner, and pack our bags to check into the hospital the next day. I remember we were feeling a surreal sense of anticipation.

Instead of forking off to the right (towards the Midwives), I forked left, which I thought would take me towards my office. But when I got to the end of the bridge, I realized I was now inside St. Luke's, the hospital where Clyde was born. This was not in the direction I needed to be going. I hate (hate) hospitals, but instead of back-tracking, I decided to keep going, and just take the long way home. I weaved through the hospital corridors to the front lobby.

The last time I walked in to that hospital, I was still pregnant. The last time I walked out (or, I was wheeled out), I was holding a crying baby. I had such a positive experience in that hospital. And I was remembering every detail of checking in to our room, giving birth, recovery, and going home.

It seems impossible that I will ever have such a positive pregnancy and birth experience again. It also seems impossible to love another child as much as I love Clyde.

So, cheers to getting my flu shot, which took my down memory lane, and made me remember how thankful I am for Clyde, for the midwives, and for such a quality hospital system.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Blood loss

It's that time of year again, when mosquitoes get their daily feasting parties at my expense. It amazes me how much damage just a single mosquito can do. And also how a mosquito can distinguish the difference between me, and everyone else. While everyone else prances out of the woods without a bite, I emerge with dozens the size of apples, and the most miserable wretch.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Our large mango will be born in the year of the rabbit. According to the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco, "People born in the Year of the Rabbit are articulate, talented, and ambitious. They are virtuous, reserved, and have excellent taste. Rabbit people are admired, trusted, and are often financially lucky. They are fond of gossip but are tactful and generally kind. Rabbit people seldom lose their temper. They are clever at business and being conscientious, never back out of a contract. They would make good gamblers for they have the uncanny gift of choosing the right thing. However, they seldom gamble, as they are conservative and wise. They are most compatible with those born in the years of the Sheep, Pig, and Dog."

I don't really believe in the Chinese Zodiac business, but having been born in the year of the monkey, I have still yet to stop receiving monkey gifts in my lifetime. I have a feeling this child may be inundated with rabbit gifts from the Chinese side of its family. My brother was a rabbit year kid... and he had lots of rabbits.

There's also the Chinese gender prediction chart which claims that a baby's gender is determined by the month of conception (lunar calendar) and age of mother at conception (Chinese age). According to this, baby mango will be a girl.

[Weather update: 1-3 inches of snow expected across the Houston area tonight and tomorrow. Then back in the sunny mid 60's Saturday...]

Weather you like it or not

I guess I got a little too excited about last weekend's dream weather, because all of a sudden Texas is getting pounded by the cold. When I woke up this morning around 6:30am, it was windy and raining and I turned on the tv and saw that it was 70 degrees here and 30-something at the airport (30 miles north). Within a matter of minutes (according to the weatherman) the temperature dropped from 70 to the 40s and tonight it will be in the 20s with a chance of snow through Friday. Hello, Houston weather. You are strange. Please revert back to warm, sunny weather, because I do not like the cold bleakness one bit. It means that I cannot go outside without wearing a lot of clothes, and I prefer not to be weighed down by mounds of clothing. I'm already weighed down by a belly.

In other news, my belly button can still hold a few drops of water, in case you were wondering.

more random stuff

My belly button has 3 more days to invert. A month or so ago, Nate and I made our predictions about when the amazing inversion would occur. I guessed Jan 31. He guessed something like March... I can't remember.

One of our staff statisticians found out how far along I was and nearly fainted. She couldn't believe I wasn't further along than I am. "You're already so big!" She (very seriously) asked me if I thought I might gain 50 pounds before the baby is born. I had to laugh. Am I really that big? I don't think so, but apparently Nate has had similar thoughts.

So glad it's Friday! Wish I could spend it outdoors... it will be 71 degrees and sunny today! Thankful I'm not being blasted by winter storms :). And, it's Houston marathon weekend... Ryan Hall is in town (The Nate is very excited to see him run in the flesh).

Happy weekend, everyone!

News from the TMC

We've been swarmed the past week or so with news reporters and cameras. The AZ congresswoman is getting her rehab done here at the TIRR.

And I just happened to think this was super inspiring. I collaborate with several of the physicians in the video.

ok, I'm in a conference right now so I best skedaddle.

Burping Peaches, Wheel Bugs, and Bosom Babies

I was flying high up in the ceiling of a greenhouse where cardboard trays of peaches were labeled one by one with a "burp". As I hovered above the sweet smelling fruits, and read the labels, one by one they began to pop and explode... but not before letting out a loud and characteristic burp. Each one was different! Fascinating! (What kind of greenhouse is this, anyway?). As I landed on the ground, I began to explore the dirt-covered floor. It was moist with lots of tiny roots and sprouting green things all around. I felt an itching sensation in my left shirt sleeve and upon further and frenzied examination, discovered that it was a wheel bug. Ouch! I felt a pinch. It must have bitten me! I quickly shook out my sleeve and flailed my arm dramatically but then paused, realizing that I should not kill it. I had to save it, so that Nate could see it. He's never seen one before! But he must! ... I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom when my friend Carey showed up at the hotel room with her daughter. Lisa was there with her twin boys. I opened the bathroom door a crack to play peek-a-boo with Carey's daughter while I finished brushing my teeth (I paid no attention to Carey, after all, when we have kids, people will only care to see our kids, not us). When I was done, I came out and tried to get on the bed with the twins (who had morphed into tiny orange kittens), but Lisa shooed me away. I was not to waken them. Where is my black dress? I need it to go to the wedding. I can't find it. All I can find are pink and flowery summer dresses that are now too small for me. Well, I suppose this one will have to do. It's all I've got. I must have forgotten to bring my black dress. We're in the car on the way to the church and I'm wearing a pink dress that is far too tight. I look down at my chest and there is a tiny foot oozing out of one of my breasts. Oh my! Is it the baby's foot?? Upon closer inspection, I can see the head! Look, Nate! The baby's face! Oh, but I must cover it and shield it and protect it. Must go to ER. Quick! What should we do? Does this mean it's born? Can someone put it back in me? I'm not even 20 weeks yet!

dancing in the minefields

If you're married and you know the magnificence of marriage, you also know the difficulties. I saw Andrew Peterson perform this live on Friday night before his Behold the Lamb Christmas concert (a-ma-zing) and I just love the lyrics.



We were really impressed with the talent we saw on Friday. Even Nate, who is usually not enthused by contemporary Christian music, was full of praises.

Quickupdate

What?

Oh, hi. Remember me?

Instead of making up excuses as to why I haven't written in over 3 months, I'll just jump right into what's been going on since September.

WewenttoGraceandJason'sweddinginGrandJunction,hadour5thannualFallParty/celebratedNate'sbirthday,ranintheHoustonTurkeyTrot,andohyeah,I'msisxteenweekspregnant!

Baby Ahern will be here in June. I swore I would never, ever post an ultrasound photo online, but it now seems appropriate. The image is from our 7 week appointment. You can hardly see a thing, except that there is someone in there.

I've been feeling great in general- no vomiting and any symptoms that I've had have been mild. So it's a boy. But the baby's heartrate a couple days ago was in the 150s, so it's a girl. And the online gender prediction test tells us "Congratulations! There is a 50% chance that your baby is a boy!" Whoopee. That was enlightening.

I have not experienced much irritability (I don't think, but maybe you should ask Nate?) except that I really just cannot stand to hear that Josh Groban Christmas stuff. His vibrato is so immensely annoying to me and I hate it. For all you Josh Groban fanatics out there, please don't be offended. I admit I have a secret love of Michael Buble, Kelly Clarkson, and Jessica Simpson's old stuff, which might drive you crazy whether you're pregnant or not. And in case you were wondering, my distaste for Josh Groban is not pregnancy related, but it is certainly accentuated now.

Could I think of anything more random to write about? As if you care.

Maybe I'll be back soon, maybe not.

More exciting happenings

Is it weird that stories like this make my eyes water? I'm thinking that I'm pretty proud to be a part of the Houston SPCA volunteer team.

As an update to Lois, she is finally flowering. And stinking more.

And stay tuned for a photo update of our summer travels. I know my posts have been sparse and random (ie. trees? corpse flowers? animal stories?).

Blooming Lois

There's always something exciting happening in Houston, and right now we have the largest flower in the world blooming at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, less than a mile from our house. Fascinating. It was projected to bloom last weekend, but hasn't yet! It'll be the 29th flower of its kind ever to bloom in the U.S.

Temporary Home

This song makes me cry every time.

I am not ashamed. :)

It's good to be reminded that this life that we live is merely a speck in time before we spend eternity with our God.

Our Overcup Oak

14 months ago I brought this tree home from an Earth Day giveaway at work:

Here it is now! It's growing fast!

Recycling

It's the little things in life that make me happy.

Our condominium complex just put a recycling bin next to the regular dumpster. Hallelujah! Easy access recycling. I have been moping around for the past 4 years kicking myself for tossing aluminum cans and plastic in the trash. Realistically, all I had to do was set aside a separate bag or box for recyclable items and then drive them over to the nearest recycling center. My excuses included the following:

- too lazy
- not enough space for extra bag/box of trash (this could be solved by having a garage or utility room but we have neither)

These excuses amount to nothing. Think of all the plastic and aluminum and glass I could have recycled. My father would keel over knowing how much we simply dumped into the trash. He in fact did scold me once or twice but the horrid excuses above rang loud in my head.
Thankfully, we've at least been faithful recyclers of paper and have taken frequent trips to the various paper recycling bins around town.

But now, we can dump even our paper into the recycling bin in our own complex. I feel I will now change the world.

Recycling is really an easy, effective way of doing your part in reducing the massive amounts of trash that goes into landfills every day. So don't follow my example of making excuses. There are NO good excuses not to recycle.

Even the Grand Canyon recycles. Our cabin had separate trash cans for recyclables and non-recyclables. This, indeed, enhanced my Grand Canyon experience.

Berries

I was tipped off by reading a blog post from our friend and talented painter, Sarah Hazel. For the rest of the day, all I could think about was blackberries, just within walking distance from our condo along the buffalo bayou trail. I can't believe in all these years, in all the countless times I've run past this field, that I've never seen these wild blackberries. Well, better late than never!

Here are the results from an approximately 1-hour picking. What to do? Maybe a pie.

Blueberries will be ready for picking soon! This will be our 4th annual blueberry picking extravaganza! Can't wait!

Winning the lottery

So in follow-up, maybe yesterday's post seems a bit random. And short. But we were on our way out the door when I read the article. A co-worker brought the merger to my attention yesterday, and as I've had my head in a hole for past couple of weeks, I haven't been keeping up with the news. The merger is kind of a big deal locally since Continental is currently headquartered in Houston and employs many Houstonians. If a merger is necessary, I just can't understand why it would be with United. Let's just say I've had bad experience with United and O'Hare airport, and would rather pay an extra $50 to fly on another airline.

Moving on, it's been a productive morning. Since I sent Nate off biking, I have gone running, made and eaten 3 fried eggs, a bowl of 7-grain hot cereal, and a banana, and currently am enjoying a tall glass of sweet tea after a successful trip to the grocery store. Sometimes, when I get home from grocery shopping, I feel like I've won the lottery. First of all, the blackberries were 10/$10. Yum! And more impressively, I purchased cereal for 99 cents... at a sale price of $1.99 plus $1.00 off coupons attached to the box, I saved $4.00 per box! What a steal. Have you tried this stuff? It is de-lish. And at 99 cents per box, how can you go wrong?

Continental merger with United

Wha?? Really?

Of all airlines, why oh why would Continental choose United? And move to Chicago?

I hope that a merger with United will not result in merging into United's quality of service or flight status reputations.

Happy New Year!

On Day 11 of the New Year, here are a few random stats for 2010:

- We traveled to Dallas for the wedding of a good friend of mine from High School. Finally had the chance to see my parents for the "holidays"!
- Cheyenne has recovered from a cold... a sneezing cat can be quite entertaining.
- Low in Houston: 22 degrees F/ Low in Euless: 13 degrees F/ Low in Grand Junction: -4 degrees F
- I accidentally threw away a house key after a morning run. Had to scavenge for it.
- Miles logged: 20
- Meals not cooked: 1 (and no meals to cook all week-- Thanks, Nate! More time to blog!) Clam Chowder last night; Chicken stir-fry tonight. Yum!

And finally, I'll leave you with a photo of our abundant wall o' cards!