Outdoor Friends

It's amazing to me, despite the strong, still silence that usually seems to accompany the snow, how much life, sound, and activity is going on even with the cold,wintery blanket. With having snow that has stayed for so long now, we have made sure to have our bird feeders fully stocked for our flying friends that might otherwise have a few of their favorite snacks buried at the moment.

I have very much missed our pheasants that seemed to have wondered into our backyard quite frequently last year. This year only one lone pheasant found his way back. But to my surprise, we had an early visitor for Easter this year... "Mr. Hare". I guess I would generally have the tendency to apply the term "rabbit" for our friend, but having lived in Germany for some time now, I have have learned that there are distinct words for distinct things. (sometimes to an extreme) But I thoroughly enjoyed watching our friend through the window nibbling on a few buds that were within reach. Curious about the difference between a rabbit and a hare?

Our most entertaining friends have been the sweet, little red squirrels that seem to scamper out as fast as they scamper in. I have caught several of them in the bird feeder stealing what they could before the few territorial birds that guard the feeder flew back in. In West Virginia we do not really have this smaller red version, but it is the gray squirrel that dominates. We had put out a few cracked walnuts that had been gathered earlier in the fall, with the bowl of whole nuts just above on our outside table. It was quite entertaining to watch the squirrels hoping back and forth to sneak one nut at a time, only to scurry away to their favorite "secret" hiding place. The look of shock was priceless when one fluffy friend ran back and discovered the bowl was empty. One could almost see the confusion and shock, and I imagine something like "hey, I know this is where the nuts were yesterday" was running through his furry little head.

There is now a small glimmer of hope in my heart that the snow will soon be melted and spring will finally come with it's beautiful array of green and colors. One could easily reflect that one good thing about the snow is that it forces one to stop and linger a little longer and spend a little more time enjoying the things that one would miss should things not be so still.

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Finish What You Started

I've learned the hard way, that when I am not feeling creative or inspired to work on a project, it is best just to let it sit. So many times I have started something, and then gotten distracted or even lost the inspiration to finish what I started, only to end up with a big mess on my hands because I tried to force myself to finish it. That's the problem with being creative... sometimes it just comes and goes. And when it goes... it's gone.

I actually started this last year in July... and even then it had been sitting on my desk for a while. I don't know why I started it, or who I had intended to make it for, but I could imagine that having really bad "morning sickness" (that actually lasted all day) was the very reason that I left it in my "finish later" pile. But now that the "baby cookie" is almost here, I found the perfect inspiration to pull it back out and finish it... a sweet little "softie book" for him or her.

I never would have guessed how much time it would actually take me to finish it... all the little button details and applique really added up. I can remember, though that my mom had made me an "activity book" when I was a little girl. It had all kinds of zippers, snaps, buttons, and strings to teach the skills that little hands need to learn.

But all in all, it feels good to have finished one thing that was collecting dust in the "unfinished projects pile". Do you have such a stack too? What do you have on your list to finish that has just been waiting for that little push of inspiration to come along?

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What's in a Name?

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

I daresay that there are few that are not familiar with this famous quote from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet... Juliet's effort to address the fact that it is more important what something actually is and not what it is called. The statement of course, holds a profound truth to it, but right now the question has been for us... what IS in a name?

As the time draws closer and closer, the fact still remains that we are not 100% settled on a name for the baby. We have had a boy's first name pretty much since the very beginning, but only just this last week did we find a middle name that we liked... and now "plan B" (or is it "plan G", should it be a girl) is to take "our list" of girl's names that we like to the hospital with us and simply see which name fits. Since we only have three weeks left, needless to say, I am a little frustrated.

Those of you who have had the task of naming a "little one" might be very well acquainted with the pursuit of finding "the perfect name". If my husband and I were having serious disagreements, that would be one thing, but we generally have the same tastes and opinions about names. Our challenge seems to be finding a name that works in Germany, but one that I (and my family) can still pronounce.

As you can see, it is not as if we haven't been looking... these are just a few. Cover to cover, our weekends and evenings have been consumed with what I consider to be one of the most important decisions we have had to make so far... finding "that name" that we will say everyday for the rest of our lives.

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Pink or Blue?

It's hard to move to another country and not immediately recognize subtle little differences between the two cultures, that most people living in that country would just consider to be so commonplace that they don't realize it as a difference at all. For instance, I can remember growing up having seen egg cup holders, but I had never actually used one until I moved to Germany. My husband's grandmother is still totally perplexed at how one would eat eggs without one, but I assure her that thousands of homes all over the U.S. do it everyday... maybe because we eat more fried (spiegelei) and scrambled eggs than hard boiled eggs for breakfast.

I also don't think I have ever been to a home in Germany where I did not see a water cooker/boiler. Now that I have one, I could not imagine life without one, but in the "coffee and cake" culture that I now find myself living in, I drink a lot more tea than I ever did. One would also find in many homes in Germany a machine to put the bubbles/soda in water, but every American that I know that comes here and laments "can't I just get a plain glass of water without the bubbles... and with ice?!?"

But one thing that is standard for Germans is that when you visit someone, you take your shoes off when you get there, to keep from tracking dirt and mud in the house. The solution for cold feet is that you take your house shoes or slippers with you. One even does this for baby's and kids, and these sweet leather "Krabbelshuhe" (crawling shoes) were a completely new thing for me... just about EVERY German baby/kid wears these... practical (as are most things here) and comfy.



So now my only question will be... Pink or Blue? Just three more weeks and then we'll know! I thought I would give some of my "crafty colleagues" at Dawanda a little love. Aren't these cute from puschenfabrik in Hamburg?

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True Love

As an expecting mother, one is always flooded with a wide mix of emotions. I believe that it was specifically designed that we have 9 months to sort these emotions through and process in our own time the reality and the significance of what is about to happen... anything shorter (even though my tummy is telling me something else) is simply not enough time.

There are some women that seem to have been created, destined if you will, since the beginning of time to be a mommy... everyone knows at least one of these sweet, patient, selfless, sunshine women who love and adore children, and despite what trouble the kids might cause, always seem to react to in the same consistent, calm manner that reminds one that this woman was just made for this. But for those of us who might have to get used to the idea of becoming a mother, it can sometimes feel like a struggle of completely giving up ones self and making it about baby instead... coming to terms with the fact that it is not about "me" anymore, that I cannot be selfish and do what I want when I want, like I have for the past however many years. Sometimes this tug of war of the heart can seem like a real battle.

Several years ago, I heard someone share the sweetest story that I was reminded of recently. It in many ways comes right to the point of my emotions... so I thought I would share.

Jenny's Necklace

Jenny was a bright-eyed, pretty five-year-old girl.

One day when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny saw a plastic pearl necklace priced at $2.50.

How she wanted that necklace, and when she asked her mother if she would buy it for her, her mother said, "Well, it is a pretty necklace, but it costs an awful lot of money. I'll tell you what. I'll buy you the necklace, and when we get home we can make up a list of chores that you can do to pay for the necklace. And don't forget that for your birthday Grandma just might give you a whole dollar bill, too. "Okay?"

Jenny agreed, and her mother bought the pearl necklace for her.

Jenny worked on her chores very hard every day, and sure enough, her grandma gave her a brand new dollar bill for her birthday.

Soon Jenny had paid off the pearls.

How Jenny loved those pearls. She wore them everywhere-to kindergarten, bed and when she went out with her mother to run errands.

The only time she didn't wear them was in the shower. Her mother had told her that they would turn her neck green!

Now Jenny had a very loving daddy. When Jenny went to bed, he would get up from his favorite chair every night and read Jenny her favorite story. One night when he finished the story, he said, "Jenny, do you love me?"

"Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you," the little girl said.

"Well, then, give me your pearls."

"Oh! Daddy, not my pearls!" Jenny said. "But you can have Rosie, my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last year for my birthday. And you can have her tea party outfit, too. Okay?"

"Oh no, darling, that's okay." Her father brushed her cheek with a kiss. "Goodnight, little one."

A week later, her father once again asked Jenny after her story, "Do you love me?"

"Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you."

"Well, then, give me your pearls."

"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls! But you can have Ribbons, my toy horse. Do you remember her? She's my favorite. Her hair is so soft, and you can play with it and braid it and everything. You can have Ribbons if you want her, Daddy," the little girl said to her father.

"No, that's okay," her father said and brushed her cheek again with a kiss. "God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams."

Several days later, when Jenny's father came in to read her a story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling. "Here, Daddy," she said, and held out her hand. She opened it and her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She let it slip into her father's hand.

With one hand her father held the plastic pearls and with the other he pulled out of his pocket a blue velvet box.

Inside of the box were real, genuine, beautiful pearls. He had had them all along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap stuff so he could give her the real thing.

So it is with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so he can give us beautiful treasure.

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More Than Ever

A friend recently told my husband that when she became a mother that she had so much love for this new "little one" that it made her feel as if she had never loved before... wow, what a staggering thought that there will be more love in my heart than I have ever felt before.

Happy "early" Valentine's Day, baby... our hearts are ready.

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Still Distracted

So we have just about four weeks until baby is here... diaper bag can wait, right? From the "professional procrastinator", just another quick little distraction...

Last spring when we flew home I discovered in the "international magazine" section (well, that's international flying from this direction) a wonderful publication by the folks at Quilting Arts, a magazine called "Stitch"... and I couldn't be more in love. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this from cover to cover and this one definitely gets added to my "keepers" stack of magazines. There were great articles and fantastic project ideas to really spark one's imagination... and keep one very distracted from other things.

... Here is my version of a quick little brooch idea that I discovered that I made using Amy Butler fabric. Doesn't this look cute pinned onto a sweet summer straw handbag?

Oh, me, oh, my... will I ever finish my diaper bag?

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Anticipation

As the sun crept into my office last week, I have to say that my heart was filled with a small hope that the endless barrage of snow and ice that we have been experiencing would soon have it's end. I have to admit that for the three years that I have lived in Northern Germany, I have been inwardly annoyed when it would start to snow, only to stop 30 minutes later or melt as soon as it hit the ground. It was reminiscing about feet high snow from my beloved West Virginia mountains that sparked the childlike excitement in me, only to be disappointed that it had left as soon as it had come. But like anything, too much of a good thing is, well,... just too much. We had snow almost the whole time while we were in to visit my parents, only to return to a snow-covered Germany which has never gotten warm enough to melt what is already here, but just seems to keep adding to the white blanket that covers the ground.

Last year I picked up this sweet little print by one of my favorite Worpswede artists, Heinrich Vogeler, when we visited the well known artist community not far from my husband's hometown. I can really feel the struggle of the delicate little crocuses fighting their way to the surface to announce that spring will soon be here... inwardly one knows that the snow cannot last forever and is ever hopeful of the new life that will soon burst forth.

... in some way it is almost my little reminder of what is to come. As the months turn into weeks, and the weeks turn into days, I am hopefully anticipating the arrival of our "new life". I am so delighted that our baby will be a "spring baby". For me, springtime is one of the best seasons of the year... a season of new life, hope, and anticipation.

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Drumroll, please...

It really is true what they say... "it's the thought that counts". I have thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone's comments this week about all the well thought out and heartfelt gifts that have come your way, but I suppose you don't want to hear too many more ramblings of how many smiles have come to my face reading your comments so....

"Es sind die Gedanken, die zählen". An dieses alte Sprichwort wurde ich in der vergangenen Woche häufig erinnert. Es hat mir sehr viel Freude bereitet, die vielen Kommentare über rührende und gedankenvolle Geschenke zu lesen, die Ihr hier in den letzten Tagen hinterlassen habt. Und übrigens an meine deutschen Leser... bitte macht weiter so und schreibt Eure Kommentare in Deutsch, ich liebe es! Selber auf Deutsch zu schreiben ist doch noch ein bisschen zu schwer für mich und ich kann meinen Mann auch nicht dazu bringen, andauernd alle meine Sachen zu korrigieren. Aber ich kann auf jeden Fall schon so gut Deutsch, dass ich (sogar ohne seine Hilfe!) alle Eure Kommentare verstehen kann. Und außerdem fordert Ihr mich so heraus, mehr Deutsch zu lesen... Aber genug des Redens - lasst uns zum Punkt kommen...

Congratulations Jane & Daniela!... and thanks to everyone who kept me entertained with your lovely words.

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Humph, two, three, four...

Think back for a moment with me to the days that you were in school... what kind of student were you? When the teacher had given an assignment, did you rush home immediately after school to complete it as quickly as possible so you could have the rest of your evening free? Or were you the type that would come home, get distracted by this or that, putter around, find every excuse in the world to start your assignment later, only to be driven by the pressure of completing the assignment at the last minute? I reluctantly admit that I am the latter of the two. For some reason it is that "pressure" that the last-minute procrastinator feels that drives me to do better work. Sometimes I really do try to finish a task ahead of time, but when I know that I have some time before I really, really need to have something done, somehow other things just seem much more appealing to me.

For instance, I posted just recently here about having picked out the fabrics for our baby diaper bag that I plan to make... with good intentions I have started. Right now I can envision the whole thing in my head... where pockets will go, how I want to layout the fabric, what details I want to add... everything. Perhaps now you should ask me if I have been working on the diaper bag that we will need in six short weeks or less... Maybe this sweet little "friend" for the baby will explain why I have been so easily distracted... I just couldn't resist.

I got a package in the mail this week with Heather Bailey's newest pattern "Effie & Ollie" and oh, is it super cute! I used fabric from Amy Butler's "Love" collection and I have visions of a whole line up of other polka-dotted friends for this little guy...

... can't you just imagine a whole row of them marching and singing a song like this from my husband's favorite movie?....



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Don't forget... there is still time to enter the "just-because-I-forgot-my-anniversary" Giveaway. Winners will be announced on Wednesday February 3rd!

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Giveaway/Gewinnspiel

Have you ever forgotten that special someone's birthday? What about a special anniversary? Or even worse yet, an important Christmas present? Well, I have... The truth of the matter is that it was my full intention to have a giveaway to celebrate my one year anniversary / blog birthday in November, but things somehow got busy and I thought; "hey, why not a Christmas giveaway", but then my hubby gave me a surprise flight to the States, and quite frankly I just didn't have time.

Hast Du jemals den Geburtstag eines Deiner Lieben vergessen? Oder ein besonderes Jubiläum? Oder noch schlimmer - ein wichtiges Weihnachtsgeschenk? Nun, das habe ich alles schon "geschafft"... Ursprünglich war es z.B. meine vollste Absicht gewesen, ein Blog Gewinnspiel zur Feier meines einjährigen "BLOG Jubiläums" im November zu veranstalten. Aber irgendwie war wieder mal so viel zu tun und dann dachte ich, ich könnte ja auch ein Weihnachts-Gewinnspiel daraus machen - aber dann gab mir mein lieber Ehemann Überraschungs-Flugtickets in die USA und dann fehlte mir natürlich auch wieder die Zeit...

...So how about a "Just-because-I-forgot-my-anniversary GIVEAWAY"?!?

... Wie wäre es nun also mit einem "Einfach-weil-ich-mein-Jubiläum-vergessen-habe" BLOG Gewinnspiel?

I'll be giving away one "Fat Quarter" pack with four fabrics from one of the four colorways that I posted about here and you get to pick which color set you want, OR for you "non-fabric" folks, a sweet pair of earrings - your color choice! Maybe I should make this really fun and do two winners. One winner for my missed "anniversary giveaway" and one winner for my missed "Christmas giveaway", sound good?

Zu gewinnen gibt es ein "Fat Quarter" Päckchen mit vier Stoffen aus einer der vier Farblinien, die ich hier vorgestellt habe und Du kannst Dir aussuchen, welche Farbe Du möchtest. Und für alle "Nicht-Stoff" Leute gibt's ein süßes Paar Ohrringe in Deiner Wunschfarbe! Doch damit nicht genug: Wo ich schon so viele Anlässe verpasst habe, gibt es dieses Mal einfach gleich zwei Gewinner - einen für das verpasste Jubiläums Gewinnspiel und den anderen für das verpasste Weihnachtsgewinnspiel - klingt das gut?

To win tell me either about the best birthday, anniversary, or Christmas present you ever got, or to keep us laughing, a sticky situation that you got yourself into because you forgot one.

Um zu gewinnen, erzählt einfach von Eurem besten Geburtstags-, Jubiläums- oder Weihnachtsgeschenk, das Ihr jemals bekommen habt, oder, damit es auch was zu lachen gibt, von einer "heiklen" Situation, in die Ihr Euch gebracht habt, weil Ihr ein Geschenk vergessen habt.

... So I guess I will kick things off with my story... I had just moved to Germany and my husband and I were to celebrate our first Christmas together before we got married a few short days later. We had so much going on with wedding preparations and my family flying in on Christmas Day, that it all seemed like a whirlwind to me. It wasn't the biggest present on the table or the one with the most flashy wrapping, just a small, simple, undecorated envelope with the most thoughtful contents. I can't remember what other things I had gotten that year, but what I think I will never forget was what was written on that plain note card... "www.stillwaterdesigns.de". My husband had reserved this web address so I could start my own business once we got settled, so I just have one thing to ask - is this guy great or what?!?

... Und um mit gutem Beispiel voran zu gehen, hier meine Geschichte: Ich war gerade nach Deutschland gezogen und mein Mann und ich feierten unser erstes gemeinsames Weihnachten, nur ein paar Tage, bevor wir heirateten. Wir hatten so viel mit Hochzeitsvorbereitungen zu tun und meine Familie sollte am ersten Weihnachtstag einfliegen, dass sich alles wie in einem Wirbelwind anfühlte. Es war weder das größte Geschenk auf dem Gabentisch, noch dasjenige mit der auffallendsten Verpackung, ein einfacher kleiner weißer ungeschmückter Briefumschlag mit einem unglaublich gedankenvollen Inhalt. Ich kann mich an keines der anderen Geschenke mehr erinnern, aber was ich niemals vergessen werde, stand auf dieser einfachen Karte... "www.stillwaterdesigns.de". Mein Mann hatte mir diese Internetadresse reserviert, so dass ich mein eigenes Geschäft starten konnte! Da kann man nur eines fragen - ist dieser Kerl großartig, oder was?!?

The winners will be annoucned Febuary 3rd... don't forget to tell your friends!

Die Gewinnerin wird am 3. Febuar bekannt gegeben... also, vergiss nicht Deinen Freunden zu erzählen.

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A New Season

I figured that perhaps it is time that I break you all in slowly... there are some of you that have been with me for a while, some that have just recently joined in, but however long you have been here, you might have picked up that I am ready to go into a new season in my life.

I remember the first time that my husband and I met with our midwife and she gave us a chart of the 40 weeks of pregnancy and what to expect at each week, and I thought to myself.... Wow, I can't believe how far off it is until "baby" gets here. But now is that time, just seven weeks away when I realize that I don't have much time to process anymore... that the knowing in my head that my life, our lives, will change... is almost a reality. I can't say that I really know what is ahead of me... or what this new little person will be like...

So, I imagine that things around here will be a little less about what I am creating, much less frequent, and perhaps quite different topics than what one usually sees. I promise to not let this turn into an "all about baby" blog, but I assume that you can guess what theme will dominate for some time.

This week we made a little addition to an empty corner of our bedroom... have you ever had the sensation that you never realized that you had an empty corner in your room until you filled it with with the right furniture piece? I am honored that this special piece has kept many babies in my husband's family, including him, comfortable and warm throughout the years... dating all the way back to a precious great, great grandmother as a tiny baby. When my husband was born, his grandmother had sewn a sweet canopy to adorn the crib, and perhaps one day when our "baby cookie" is grown and starts a family of their own, I will be able to do the same.

... but until then, this family heirloom, that looks like it was custom made, is sitting in the corner of our room reminding us that our precious one will be coming very soon... bringing a new, exciting, and quite unknown season with them.

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The Clock is Ticking

For the past several days I have been trying to find my desk. I know once I get it cleared off, I will be able to start sewing again. It has been pilled up with new orders coming in, new fabrics, and I have had to totally rework my small space to fit them all. Computer work and getting caught up on general business stuff has kept my itching fingers away from my new fabric collection.... BUT, I have finally decided on what fabrics I am planning to use for a diaper bag. After long debate back and forth (mostly with myself) I opted to go with a more "grown up" diaper bag rather than a boy or girl specific bag... after all, I will be the one carrying it most of the time, right? I tried to imagine me wearing a bright pink or purple shirt (two of my fav's to wear) with a red fire trucks diaper bag... somehow it didn't work in my head. So here is a preview of the fabric that I picked. It may be a little "girly", but I thought the dark blue and green would be nice even if we have a boy.

Don't you just love those sewing pins? A customer of mine recently sent them to me and I think they are just as adorable as can be... Thank you, Kathrin! Another friend gave me this felted pin cushion for Christmas. (Note: People seem to know me well enough to give me things to create with... perhaps it is a hint to sew more.) Fanks P! (that's "thank you" in three year old niece talk)

Well, since I have less than two months to get everything sewn that I can possibly finish, I don't have much time. So....

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So In Love...

Do you remember the first time that you fell in love?... really in love, head over heals, couldn't breath, couldn't eat, couldn't think straight in love? Was it love at first sight, or was it the more time that you spent together the more you noticed all those special little details that set them apart from the rest? Were you young and impetuous and the whole world seemed to be at the tip of your fingers or had you saved your heart until you were old enough to process and appreciate the depth of what the word meant?

However it may have been for you, I just had to shout from the rooftops that I am in love... again! One could perhaps say that I am being quite dramatic, especially since I am talking about fabric... but I have to say that it is not far off how I felt when I first saw the new fabric collection, "Love" from Amy Butler.

Don't these just remind you of something from a summer romance... perhaps a picnic on a perfectly warm, bright blue sky day, ending with a plate full of juicy watermelon, cantaloupe, fruit, and everything that is fresh?

Perhaps these bring to mind an evening stroll on the beach, hand in hand, soaking in the cool blues and aquas of the soothing water that fades in and out, refreshing each time it rolls over your feet as you enjoy the change in color as the night starts to wrap itself around you.

Just like a first love, I can't wait to get together, spend time with, and create something beautiful with this fabric. Visions of sewing projects are swirling through my head almost making me dizzy... how divine. Think you might be in "love" too? Fabrics can be found here.

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What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been

One could only imagine my complete and utter surprise when my strict policy upholder of "no early gift opening" husband came waltzing into my office, grabbed my hand, lead me into the living room, sat me down, and announced in November that he thought we should have Christmas early. After closing my gaping jaw to follow the statement with... "what have you done with my husband?!?", he presented me a small envelope. The contents inside aimed at bringing the biggest shock and smile to my face. Knowing how much I had struggled last Christmas with being away from my family, and taking into consideration that travels might be limited once the "baby cookie" arrives, he had booked a surprise flight to travel home for the holidays.... ah ha, thus the obvious absence here.

Just about as soon as we made it in, snow seemed to follow us everywhere that we went, and cancelling several things that we had planned. I thoroughly enjoyed "waddling" to my grandmothers on Christmas day and the 20 minute walk was just what I needed to get rid of that "cabin fever" feeling that comes with being snowed in for days. It made me long for the sidewalks one finds in Germany, but most people were nestled in for the holiday and didn't bother to brave the streets on the quietest day of the year. After our first two feet of snow (ca. 60 cm!), mother nature decided that it was only the beginning. Stopping long enough to allow one of my best friends to travel up from North Carolina to ring in the New Year, she brought the most delightful "Christmas present" that was so unexpected and almost brought me to tears... my other best friend that had secretly flown in all the way from Texas!

After the holiday we drove up North to visit my godparents, bringing the snow with us. Even though watching the birds fly in and out all day long for the delectable seeds that were set outside for them, our days did not progress much past this andvisitin g and playing games. Finally landing home again, we were left with that rushed feeling... "wait a minute, we didn't...." The list grew, leaving us with the helpless feeling that you can only work so much in, in such a short time. One would think that almost an entire month is actually quite a longtim e, but when there are friends and family that you have not seen in what seems like forever, places that are non existent where you live, mixed with the need to relax a little, one could easily spend the whole year trying to do it all and still find that the time is just not enough.

I am thankful that somehow being pregnant, despite the difficulty of fitting in the airplane bathrooms, the flights were pretty uneventful compared to the past headaches, upset stomachs, sore hips, jet lag exhaustion that reminds me each time of just how old I am getting. But now is that settling in time... getting back into the swing of things in a place that I know is very familiar, but somehow still seems a little strange having left it's comforts for so long. It is also that last minute crunch time to get "the nest" ready before the little one gets here. I often think about what our family change means for traveling home... how often we can go, how it will be with kids, one's head could really spin with all the "what ifs".

... but for now, I will have to push those "what ifs" aside and tuck the memories of this past month deep in that "special times" compartment in my brain to revisit and sustain me until the next time.

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