新日記，新思想

I’m a little obsessed these days with reclaiming my journal writing days. There’s even a blog I subscribe to called Inkophile which is dedicated to journals and writing. I’ve also been looking around at handwriting books online to prepare for future homeschooling. I see the state of my students’ handwriting at work and it makes me so disgusted. I mean, really! How can they learn the value of writing Chinese characters well when they have lost the thrill of the art of handwriting all together?! American public school education is very disappointing… But, I digress.

I went out and bought my very first Moleskin journal from B&N right after I returned from URBANA. It’s huge and blank with graph-paper-like tiny grids and I LOVE IT! ^_^ I love the graph paper for keeping things neat. And I’m loving this journal for transferring my loose notes into a coherent book. I’m not consistent with writing in it, but that’s not really the point of it all. After all, I have at least 2 blogs… >_>, my email and a host of other places where ‘memories’ are recorded and stored. I dont need to keep everything in there like I used to do with my journals of old. I have already transferred my notes from the Hillsong Conference this past summer and I’m almost done transferring my URBANA notes. It’s actually really fun to be WRITING again. As opposed to typing, I mean, which I do ALL THE TIME. (A product of my generation, no doubt.)

I plan to use it also to record some of my thoughts and feelings about my pregnancy. I almost want to write my baby notes! Maybe I will and compile them later into that digital scrapbook I was talking about last time. (For Sushi — thanks for the link! I need software for my MAC, like Photoshop, in order to put it all together. Argh!)

As I’ve had to drop my seminary course this semester, I cant use my new journal for one of the purposes I bought it — to record my seminary course notes. BUT, I figure this is God giving me a way to still use the money ppl gave for my seminary class (which I will hopefully be refunded soon), to take these 3 other courses (cheaper and self-paced correspondence) for my PASTORAL LICENSE.  (More on that in a future blog.) I will definitely use my journal to record the notes from those courses b/c they’re very self-counseling in nature and I’m sure that I’ll discover a lot.

Going back to what I was talking about in the beginning, one thing I’m definitely going to use this journal for is practicing my handwriting. I am looking at Write Now, which is the adult version of the kids’ curriculum (Getty-Dubay Italic) that I want to use with my own kids. I was thinking of buying a copy, but the link above will take you to the Google open version of the book and almost everything is right there for the reading! So, yay! Saves me $40! The Portland State U site also has sample pages to download which I’ve printed to actually practice on. There are also practice copy books you can get with the Italic series, so you can practice writing things that actually have purpose.

Just writing about it makes me want to pick it up again! To make things even more interesting for my writing, I’m also using my Muji pens! It doesnt get better than this.

[Books] 2010 Reading List – Update II

Decided to lump the Twilight series together. I’m on Eclipse right now.

• Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix (re-read, of course)
• Twilight series
  
• Heirs Together
• Perfect Weight America
• Sacred Rhythms
• What’s Your God Language?
• The Good Fairies of New York
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard
• French Women Dont Get Fat
• A Quiet Center
• A bunch of cell group ministry books I’m not bothering to list yet.
  • I’ll probably start those after this Spring semester is over.
• Lots of free samples of e-books from Barnes & Noble

Digital Scrapbooking Memories

I am needing to find a creative way to record my thoughts and experiences throughout my pregnancy. I want to eventually turn it into a gift book for my little one, so that s/he’ll know how amazed and excited everyone was for his/her arrival. Any suggestions? I need some Digital Scrapbooking software.

Revision of New Yr’s Resolutions 2010

I said I’d need to change these occasionally, but never expected it to be so soon!! And for this reason!

1. Read the Bible through Chronologically each day using Bible Study Tools.

2. Read My Utmost for His Highest each day as much as possible.

3. Meal plan for each month and reduce our need to order out / eat out.

4. Exercise at least 4x/wk, eat healthier (see #2) and lose weight with the hubby. Change diet completely and exercise for the health of my baby.

5. Find time for sabbath each day to reduce my stress and panic attacks, as well as sleep better.

6. Read the books I have on my shelf and not buy any new ones – unless they’re about pregnancy!

7. Read through the Love Dare Journal with my hubby each day as much as we can.

How big is my baby??

Just a poppy-seed right now!

How Big is Baby?

Posted Monday, July 09, 2007 2:26 PM

	Weeks 3 & 4*: Poppyseed Your little zygote is settling into your uterus… > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 5: Appleseed Average size: .13 in** Major organs and systems are forming… > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 6: Sweet Pea Average size: .25 in Blood is starting to circulate… > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 7: Blueberry Average size: .51 in Baby’s brain is growing fast… > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 8: Raspberry Average size: .63 in, .04 oz Little arms and legs are moving like crazy… > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 9: Green Olive Average size: .9 in, .07 oz A Doppler device might pick up a heartbeat… > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 10: Prune Average size: 1.2 in, .14 oz Arm joints are working, and soon legs will too… > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 11: Lime Average size: 1.6 in, .25 oz Fingers and toes are no longer webbed… > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 12: Plum Average size: 2.1 in, .49 oz Almost all vital systems are fully formed… > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 13: Peach Average size: 2.9 in, .81 oz Teeth and vocal cords are appearing… > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 14: Lemon Average size: 3.4 in, 1.5 oz Liver, kidney and spleen are continuing to develop… > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 15: Naval Orange Average size: 4.0 in, 2.5 oz Legs are finally longer than arms… > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 16: Avocado Average size: 4.6 in, 3.5 oz Eyebrows, lashes and hair are filling in… > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 17: Onion Average size: 5.1 in, 5.9 oz Skeleton is hardening, and fat is accumulating… > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 18: Sweet Potato Average size: 5.6 in, 6.7 oz Baby’s moving like crazy — feel anything yet? > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 19: Mango Average size: 6.0 in, 8.5 oz Vernix caseosa is coating baby’s skin… > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 20: Cantaloupe Average size: 6.5 in, 10.6 oz Boy or girl, genitals are fully formed… > More on what baby’s up to
	Week 21: Banana Average size: 10.5 in***, 12.7 oz Taste buds are starting to work… > More on what baby’s up to
	Weeks 21-24 (Month 5): Papaya Average size: 10.5-11.8 in, 12.7-20.8 oz Nipples are sprouting, and face is fully formed! > More on what baby’s up to
	Weeks 25-28 (Month 6): Eggplant Average size: 13.6-14.8 in, 1.5-2.2 lb Immune system is preparing for the outside world… > More on what baby’s up to
	Weeks 29-32 (Month 7): Squash Average size: 15.2-16.7 in, 2.5-3.8 lb Sleeping and waking cycles are establishing… > More on what baby’s up to
	Weeks 33-36 (Month 8): Honeydew Average size: 17.2-18.7 in, 4.2-5.8 lb Growth is slowing, and baby may soon descend… > More on what baby’s up to
	Weeks 37-Delivery (Month 9): Watermelon Average size: 18.9-20.9 in, 6.2-9.2 lb Full term! Baby’s finally ready for the outside world… > More on what baby’s up to

*Pregnancy weeks are counted from the last menstrual period
**From week 5-20, measurements are taken from crown to rump
**From week 21 on, measurements are taken from head to toe

Mommy On Board!

It’s confirmed: I’m gonna be a mommy!

[Books] 2010 Reading List – Update I

Update on Reading List.

• Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix (re-read, of course)
• Twilight
  
• New Moon
• Heirs Together
• Perfect Weight America
• Sacred Rhythms
• What’s Your God Language?
• The Good Fairies of New York
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard
• French Women Dont Get Fat
• A Quiet Center
• A bunch of cell group ministry books I’m not bothering to list yet.
  • I’ll probably start those after this Spring semester is over.
• Lots of free samples of e-books from Barnes & Noble

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My Sunday blogs are dedicated to Books, Rest and Health. I guess I should call it a Sabbath post since that’s more in line with what I want to achieve this yr – sabbath. I’m hoping that blogging about my struggles to rest will keep me accountable to actually achieving that rest. Books are a major factor in resting. If I’m reading, then I’m relaxed. And I’m not talking about reading my Google Reader! I do that EVERYDAY. -__- I mean, reading good books, even e-books. As long as they’re books. Resting can also include napping or sitting quietly. Even reading the Bible or a devotional. And Health is all about how trying to achieve this sabbath will help stave off my anxiety attacks and improve my sleep. Need to get myself healthy. I’m 32 and I want to have healthy babies…

[Rest] Lack Thereof

Didnt do too much resting this past wk – or today, for that matter. Overall, it was a suck-ass wk for me. I cant even believe the crap that happened even though it started so nicely with the celebration of my birthday. Having my laptop stolen was bad enough, but then my students drew me over the edge with their incessant whining. -__- I’m not kidding. Can anyone say MANIPULATION? Tears are like blackmail and they know it. I dont want that class to ever speak to me again.

Oh yea – rest. So, I have been trying to get myself more organized this yr so that I can spend more time doing the things I NEED to do – rest, as well as the things I want to do. I even downloaded a free e-book from some other blog I cant remember, but the site is called Inspired to Action. It’s really for busy moms, but I found it helpful, too, even if it is a bit simplistic. I plan to look it over again. She gives nice charts and handouts to help you start organizing your morning routine. I dont know if I really have the motivation to do it, but honestly I feel like it’s what I should’ve been doing for the past x-number of yrs now. And if I dont make it a habit soon, it’ll be worse once I start having kids.

I’ve been keeping up so far with half of my New Yr’s Resolutions. The ones that have to do with reading anyway. And I love how God even ties them in with what I need to speak on or mention at church. I’m a bit behind on My Utmost for His Highest, but since that’s a daily devo, I dont mind skipping a few days. They arent consecutive in theme or thought. Hubby and I have also missed a few days of Love Dare Journal. But those are very simple, too. We can catch up tonite. And speaking of night — I have to start going to bed earlier. Sigh. Rest and sleep. They’re sorta related.

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My Sunday blogs are dedicated to Books, Rest and Health. I guess I should call it a Sabbath post since that’s more in line with what I want to achieve this yr – sabbath. I’m hoping that blogging about my struggles to rest will keep me accountable to actually achieving that rest. Books are a major factor in resting. If I’m reading, then I’m relaxed. And I’m not talking about reading my Google Reader! I do that EVERYDAY. -__- I mean, reading good books, even e-books. As long as they’re books. Resting can also include napping or sitting quietly. Even reading the Bible or a devotional. And Health is all about how trying to achieve this sabbath will help stave off my anxiety attacks and improve my sleep. Need to get myself healthy. I’m 32 and I want to have healthy babies…

[Marriage/Family] Love Dare Devotionals

My husband and I are going through the Love Dare Devotional and we’re learning this wk how to love others, and esp each other more each day. 6 months of marriage and counting!

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This yr my husband bought the Love Dare Devotional. We saw the movie Fireproof a few weeks ago and thought it was ok. I actually didnt think anything of it, except that it was good to watch it b/c it’s made such a big splash in the Christian (esp Southern Baptist) community. I’m super wary of the hierarchical tendencies in the Southern Baptist church. They tend to believe wives are obligated to obey their husbands in everything, rather than submit/cooperate/work together with their husbands of their own volition, as Scripture admonishes. That really annoys the crap outta me. So, anything published by them causes a bad reaction in me. So, I was surprised when my husband brought home the journal for us to do together. I’m hoping I wont encounter any of that in the journal. I’ll try to keep track of our progress on here.

32 yrs

That’s how long I’ve been alive. Crazy! I was born in the 70’s, raised in the 80’s, went to high school and college in the 90’s, and matured in the 00’s. Now we’re in the 10’s. I’ll be growing in marriage, ministry, possibly switching out of my career, and having babies! In 10 yrs from now I’ll prob have 3 babies I’m looking after! God has been good. I am happy. My husband sent me flowers at work today. ^_^ Something to brighten up the ennui of having to be at work on my special day. (I gave all my classes exams! Haha! )