The round about belly...

So, I'm almost six months along...(this Thursday will mark the date!) and so much has taken place. First, we've been here in PA for four months: Second, David felt the baby kick his hand for the first time last Thursday!: Third, Cylas is doing SO well on potty training. I can't tell you how many puddles I've cleaned up and poopy diapers I've caught in mid-air as he flings them off in disgust yelling, "Poo-poo!": Fourth, I've started guitar lessons and last of all, our garden this year is DEFINITELY a practice garden....HAH. I won't show you pictures it's too embarrassing. next year, next year...
This is pregnancy for me is so different than my first. I was so sick the first two and a half months and terribly tired. I'm still tired but, I can function, barely, without a nap. And I don't remember paying attention to the times of day Cylas would decide to kick but, with this one I have. It's almost every three hours. I really enjoy feeling her move around and kick me. If I take a deep breath, she'll kick me in appreciation. Now, when I was pregnant with Cy I dreamed about a baby who had dark curly hair and these magnificant green eyes. Uhhhhm, ok, Cylas got the hair but, his eyes are darker than mine! Now, with this baby I constantly get the feeling that she's going to have light colored hair that curls widly around her head and her eyes are a lovely blueish-green. We'll see...someone PLEASE remind me that I wrote this post so I can look back at my stupidity.
At any rate, this pregnancy feels like it's REACING along. I mean, I only have three more months left!! Wow! Life is amazing in so many ways...

Thoughts, Friends and New Endeavors!

(thanks Aunt Sarah for the mittens!) Before I start on the REAL subjects at hand, I have to give a standing ovation to my son. He is only two and few weeks old and is ALREADY potty training!! He has gone almost 5 hours without an accident! I love my little stinker.

Now, for the meat and potatoes...

Moving here to PA has given me time to think...a LOT. Seeing as we live in a relatively rural town and there isn't much to do here I've found myself soul-searching a lot and talking to myself...out LOUD, no less. hahha. There is a lot I need to do while I'm here and I'm afraid of failing. I have set a few goals for myself and have only started a couple. Yes, I do have five years to get them done but, I don't want to sit on my tail until the very last minute!! The purpose for David and I moving here was so that he could go to school and get an education. We've been here four months (!!!) already and there haven't been any steps taken toward this goal. Being the worry wart I am, I hopped on the interent and started communicating with some of the universities around here to gather information for David. And still nothing has happened...so, yesterday I surfed the net again and found the most interesting site that gave me all the info I needed about salaries, job description and the hiring rates of each engineering field. So cool! David sat down and read about each and we discussed what he'd like to do and after that, I felt so much better. Next up: FAFSA!
(those were my thoughts)

Among the other thoughts occupying my mind, I figured it was time to pay tribute to some of my closest friends and share with you all a few things that I've learned from each.

Von de Leigh: This relationship is SO complicated I think people would laugh if they knew. There is such a deep connection between her and I that has managed to stand the test of time and thousands of miles! It started when I was about fifteen years old. The funny thing is the relationship just HAPPENED. I can't even give it a starting date it just...became. More than once my dear friend has taught me priceless lessons and given me SUCH words of encouragement that spoke to my heart so deeply. As I write this, my eyes are tearing up because of all the great memories I created with her and the experiences we've had learning about life together.
She's one friend who has taught me:
Perseverence
Faithfulness
Listening and waiting to hear BOTH sides of a story
Life is so full of fun, wild things to do
Discretion
Modesty
Sweetness
And she has ALWAYS given me my medicine straight! What a great friend to tell me how it is even if it hurts a little. I love you so much....Thank you


Sarah:
I can honestly say that this is one person who most people misjudge and are missing out on one of the sweetest people around. She and I became friends when I was around nine years old and boy, we sure did tough it out! We have fought like cats and dogs and gone on SOoo many adventures together between pony rides at my place, swimming at hers, playing Polly Pockets and Barbie's, sharing secrets, getting her mom to sew us identical bathing suits and then making us mermaid tales so we could drown in her pool trying to swim with them!! Sarah is one of those people who gives you more of herself each time but, only if you have proven that you can be trusted with her sensitive side (which she hides SO well!)
She has taught me:
Be smart
Out do Ryan at ALL costs
Spend your money doing crazy fun things
Travel the world without regrets
Listen a little more and see what you discover
Being quiet isn't always bad...the silence speaks too
Loyalty is NEVER un-rewarded
Be patient because what you're waiting for will come your way
My dearest Sarah, your sweet little smile and your infrequent hugs are such a joy to me. I know that each time they happen they come from the deepest part of you. You're an undiscovered wonder!

Tabby:
Oh my, this friendship started the moment we both knew we were pregnant. We grew together and popped together!(well almost). Countless times I would call her with all my worries about being pregnant and she would answer me in her sweet, perky voice, "Oh, Misha...". And that was all I needed to just smile and feel better. And since our little boys have grown our relationship grew with them! Being at her house for play dates, seeing them all on Thanksgiving, celebrating Fake "Halloween" and stuffing poor Jack and Cy into painfully cute costumes!
She has taught me:
Smiling changes your mood!
Be Positive
Organize yourself
Creativity is so much fun
Learn from the hard lessons sent your way...but, do it with a smile
Encourage others
Be sensitive
It's NEVER too late to learn something new!!
I truly believe that you are an unsung hero, sweet Tabby. There should be more people like you around to make the world smile and brighten up a bit. Thank you for being sweet to me! You have such a beautiful countenance and I know that there is so much about you that I still need to learn. You're an amazing woman who is so well rounded and I admire you tons...

There are a couple more friends that I wanted to write about but, I will save that for later...
(those were my friends)

Now for my latest endeavor!!! I recently signed up for guitar lessons!! I'm so excited about this. I haven't been musically active in about eleven years. The hankering hit me two weeks ago and I just confirmed with a teacher here in Lewisburg and will be starting up next Thursday. I will be sure to post my progress! (YES! another goal down...several more to go)
And now, you can all breath deeply...because I'm done.

Back from my HOME back to the cows and chickens!

What an unbelievably fun and invigorating trip! I managed to be with and stay with some of the most important people to me. I had such a great time going from home to home from experience to experience. And now that I'm back here it feels almost like a dream that I was there. During my stay, my tummy grew and Cy learned more English! It seemed like overnight he was saying new words and speaking more than ever! It was great. On the last weekend of our stay, I went to Monterrey and Carmel with Sarah, Kissa, Ryan and Clayton. It was great! It felt so awesome to be at the beach. The sand in Carmel was like silk and the air was so refreshing. We spent the day toodling around and then later that evening grabbed something to eat and headed over to the Forrest Theatre to see a play!While we were walking around Carmel we stopped into a gallery that had sculptures and I just fell in love!! They were so beautiful and I wished that I had to money to drop $6000 on those pieces of art. The artists name is Richard MacDonald http://www.richardmacdonald.com/ . Take a look at his site. The first sculpture you will see if of a very famous Russian Ballerina named Rudolph Nureyev. It was said that this man was the perfect model of the human body and this after hundreds of men with all types of athletic backgrounds were examined. As you'll most likely read on the site, Richard only uses live models after which to make his sculptures. One of his sculptures included three wild cheetahs that came with their trainer into his studio for 2 weeks!! I sat with the art consultant for about 20 minutes just talking about the different pieces. It was so nice!Spending time with my friends felt incredibly awesome and a little selfish!! I kept looking around for Cylas and feeling like I was being a bad mommy for not taking him with us. A part of me just couldn't let go and COMPLETELY enjoy myself. But, the part that did let go had a blast!! When we finally made our way to the Forrest Theatre and sat down in anticipation for the play to start we were intensely disappointed to discover that NONE (all but one) of the actors could sing, dance or act!! It was sooo horrible...like cherry Robitesson! We couldn't keep from laughing and eventually had to leave. What a great memory though...
Here is a picture of us making sad faces because we didn't get to see a good play.

Euphoria in family

Enough can not be said about having the people you love surrounding you and the feeling it brings. These past few days I've been visiting here in California and been hopping from house to house enjoying the time with each different family who has made an impact on our lives. Cylas has been hugged and kissed and loved by each person and is loving every minute of it! I'm basking in the warmth of familiarity. I've been to almost every one of my favorite restaurants since we arrived. I didn't take any photos of myself stuffing my face with Dolmathes or Chipotle but, I was VeerrrY tempted! So far, I've spent the evening with Nona and G-pa Tony, stayed three nights with my mom and right now we're visiting Jack and his mommy and daddy! But, we're not done house hopping yet! Tomorrow we're going to the Felt's house....I can't really express how happy I am to be here surrounded by my church family. I'm taking this warm feeling back with me to spread around.