My Life as a Novel

We're Moving

2009-04-09T11:40:00.004-05:00

Ok, not literally. But this blog is moving. Again.

My apologies, but please update your rss feeds and whatever else. I'll be at wordpress from now on:

http://ritapolk.wordpress.com/

Quotable Polks 3

2009-04-09T07:35:00.002-05:00

"I have a daughter." I am still getting over the amazement that makes the previous statements true. "I'm going to be someone's parent, and that someone is inside Rita's tummy." All things that I simply can't begin to understand. My brain can hardly remember how to put a sentence together. Life is pretty rad.

- Kyle Polk

This was Kyle's "status" on facebook. And I thought it was too special to let it get lost in the clutter of facebook forever. So I put it here where I can remember it.

Seeing Makes All the Difference

2009-04-08T09:17:00.004-05:00

I am surprised at what a big difference yesterday made. We're having a little girl. We know her name. And, with our very patient ultrasound tech "in control", we could see and hear her heart beat, and we got to watch her wiggle around, move her mouth like she's already trying to talk (I'll save the Peanut Gallery some effort -- yes, she's like her mom already), fiddle with her hands, kick her little feet around. And we marveled at her little personality already beginning to show itself. For a few minutes, we watched her and were really fascinated the whole time. She's a baby - our baby!! Crazy!!

I've been feeling her kicking around for a couple of weeks now. Kyle hasn't been able to feel her yet, (though my mom did very briefly over the weekend) but he definitely likes to try. It seems like if she's moving around and we put a hand over her, she settles down. So, while it's sweet that she already finds comfort from our touch, it's disappointing because I really want Kyle to be able to feel her kicking around in there. All in due time, I suppose.

I've heard stories from expecting mothers whose husband's are musicians and whenever the baby hears their daddy start playing, they dance all around. I've always kinda hoped for that - some kind of recognition of "That's my dad!" from the baby (silly, perhaps). But just watching her being so laid-back yesterday made me know that she's reacting completely naturally - being herself. Besides, her dad plays the drums so often, it's probably just as natural for her as hearing her mom snore at night!

Wesley, again! :)

2009-04-07T14:57:00.001-05:00

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!

2009-04-07T10:06:00.002-05:00

We had our ultrasound this morning at 9 AM. Sitting in the waiting room, we had this conversation:

Kyle "What do you think it's going to be."
Rita: "I honestly have no idea. What do you think?"
Kyle: "It's probably a girl. (10-second pause) ... or a boy."
Rita: "Way to cover all your bases!"

Really, going into this, I think we both just "knew" it was going to be a boy. Kyle's family doesn't have girls, it seems. In the Polk line, I believe the "Family Historian" (John - Kyle's brother) told us that there hasn't been a girl born in 90 years. And she was the 10th child in her family! So it just seemed like we'd definitely have a boy.

And we'd be happy either way ... but really, I wanted a girl. :)

So when the ultrasound tech finished doing some of her measurements, she said, "You guys want to find out what it is, right?" Two emphatic affirmations from us and she said, "Good. I've got it right here. You're having a girl!"

Kyle and I were so surprised -- and kept saying how surprised we were -- til the point she said, "You guys have got me second-guessing myself. I'm going to go back and check." She tried, but little Iva was being modest and stubborn (she is her mother's child). She was covered up and refused to move.

The tech couldn't finish all of her measurements, because the baby refused to move so she could get the other side. I guess she was comfortable! So that means we'll have another ultrasound in a few weeks, most likely. And we'll get another look at her!

In summation: IT'S A GIRL!!!! I'm still in shock! And welcome, Ivalee Grace!!

Baby Wesley

2009-04-06T07:20:00.004-05:00

This is maybe the only point in his life where it's ok for me to brag about how "pretty" he is, so I shall! Y'all seriously. Mendy and Derek made a PRETTY baby!

And he's soooooo sweet!

My parents and sister were very obliging and I think I held him most of the day on Saturday, except for during feedings and some nap times! :) I think he likes me. He hasn't actually said the words yet, but I can tell he's working on it.

All these pictures are straight out of the camera and need some photoshop work, but I just couldn't wait to share them with you! So here they are!! More to come! (Oh yes, many more!!)

Mozelle Hope

2009-04-02T10:58:00.003-05:00

One year ago today, my best friend celebrated the birth of her first child: Harper Wren. And 24 hours ago today, she celebrated the birth of her second.

I present, Mozelle Hope, or Baby Elle:

And with the birth of this child, I stumbled across my newest pregnancy goal: to look as good as Anna did right after she popped a baby out. Seriously. Unbelievable how good she looks, and this is literally less than 20 minutes after the baby was born. What an inspiration!!

New Poll

2009-04-02T10:18:00.001-05:00

There's a new poll on the side bar of my blog. We find out on TUESDAY whether we're having a boy or a girl.

What do you think?

What Not to Say.

2009-04-02T09:27:00.004-05:00

Some people have no filtration system between their head and their mouth. And lately, I'm noticing a trend with older women who speak "down" to younger, pregnant women. As though they feel their experience with child-bearing however many years ago gives them the right to say whatever they please, no matter how harsh. Like they're inducing me into the "I've Been Pregnant Before and Now I Have All the Answers" Club.

I've heard some of the strangest things. And some of the people who say them, I kinda tilt my head to the side and think, "What?!" as they're walking away. So with that in mind, I present:

Things You Should Not Say to a Pregnant Woman.
(Note: While this is presented in jest, everything listed has been said to me over the course of the past couple months and weeks.)

"You're due in August?! Are you CRAZY!? My baby was born in June and I swore I'd never have another summer baby. I (insert lengthy list of end-of-pregnancy symptoms that can be made worse by extreme heat including but not limited to swelling, general aches and pains, inability to pee, and inability to walk) so much worse than with my other pregnancies."
"Well I'm just really sorry for you that you didn't get to give your parents their first grandchild." (I've heard this from two separate sources, and always with such sympathy in the voice. WHY?!?!)
"Don't listen to anything anybody else tells you." Which almost always comes before they tell me something that, if I heed their advice, I will ignore.
"Summer babies! You and Amy are going to be so miserable this summer! Your sister was smart and got hers out in the Spring."
"So I guess you felt bad that your sister and sister-in-law were giving your parents grandchildren before you and you had to jump on the bandwagon, huh?" (Yep. Bandwagon-jumping. That's how babies come to be.)
And the REAL kicker: (this was over the office phone one day earlier this week - allow me to emphasize - I'm at work) "I was talking to my daughter the other day. She said you're not really showing yet. I told her it's probably because your boobs have gotten so big they're overshadowing whatever little pregnancy bump you might have." (This is just so disturbing on so many levels. How the size of my boobs comes into play in any conversation where I am not present just befuddles me.)

And on a much more positive note, we received what will probably go down as my favorite baby compliment yesterday. Joe is one of Kyle's good friends, a coworker whose wife is also pregnant. They were talking about baby stuff yesterday and got on the subject of names.

Don't know if I've ever shared this on here, but the names we have picked out are (boy) Darby Bishop and (girl) Ivalee Grace (we'll call her Iva). It was surprisingly easy for us to come up with names that we agreed on. It took all of two or three weeks to commit and we LOVE both of the names so much!!

Back to Joe & Kyle: When Kyle shared the names, Joe's reaction was so awesome! He said, "Wow! Those are such great names! That kid is gonna be somebody!"

It seems like there can be such negativity surrounding pregnancy. Yes, some of the symptoms aren't fun and I'm definitely treading new territory with a lot of what's going on in my body. But every single thing that happens, I try to view as a celebration of the miracle of what's going on in my body. God is shaping my child. There's going to be a personality to get to know, a temperament to adjust to, a will to mold, a soul to invest in. My Child! Iva Polk. Darby Polk. And I know the process of child-bearing is not a foreign one - it's part of the circle of life, having taken places billions and billions of times in the course of history. But that doesn't make it any less miraculous. And it doesn't decrease our anticipation at all!

So to the recruiting members of the "I've Been Pregnant Before and Now I Have All the Answers" Club, I make one request: Take a tip from Joe. Celebrate this child with us. And please don't try to take my happiness and put dread and fear in its place.

Thank you.

The Amazing Race

2009-03-31T15:04:00.004-05:00

This past weekend was The Amazing Race for Hope with the Journey Church. SUCH a fun time! Kyle and I teamed up with the Jernigans to make our 4-person team. There were 12 other teams "competing" for first place in a Race event that took a GREAT deal of planning and coordination. I mean to tell you, those Cinnamons mean it when they say "Go Big or Go Home!" They did an AWESOME job!!!

We all met up at the church on Saturday at 12:30, received instructions and our first clue and we were off for 24 hours of racing/pit-stopping madness!

Several of our tasks were lighthearted competition, but the majority of the event was about serving the area. We collected a LOT of boxes of food for the Lowcountry Food Bank, bought lunch for at least 25 random gas station employees in the area, sorted, tagged, and shelved over 2500 articles of clothing at the Lowcountry Orphan Relief Center, landscaped the lawn at Sangaree Intermediate School (some of us in the pouring rain), and gave out a BUNCH of bottles of water to unassuming pedestrians in downtown Charleston.

I have more pictures to upload, but this is all I've got for today. I was racing, so I didn't have time to take pictures every step of the way.

Day 1:

Our team, all packed and ready to go!!

Kyle with our 2nd clue.

There's a big gap of no uploaded pictures here, so I'll fill you in on what happened.

The last clue of the day sent us to our Pit Stop location, where our team came in 4th for the day!! We were pleasantly surprised as my pessimistic teammates thought we'd be coming in 7th. (I guessed we would be 5th and they scoffed [yes, scoffed!] at me!) And Clay and Kyle deserve all the props in the world for setting up tents in the pouring rain. Unfortunately, we didn't get to use them because "rain" is too gentle a term for what we were experiencing. "Monsoon" may be a tad strong, but ... it was very close! Our tents flooded and the four of us ended up sleeping in cars -- the Jerns in theirs, and us in the back of the Brownings van. (Sleep may be too strong a term for what actually occurred as well. That actually implies rest and whatnot. What actually happened was very far from that. Made for an interesting Day 2.)

Day 2 opened with us going to Isle of Palms (the beach) for our first task. We watched the sun come up on our drive down. It was very nice, actually, despite being completely exhausted. We finished a few other tasks and headed back to the campground for the final leg of the competition.

Then we had a worship service in one of their buildings.

The winners were announced - The Pretties! :)

And finished the weekend with a baptismal service in the Edisto River. (And yes. It was cold!)

All the CSU students who participated in the Race and/or attended the worship service

Going into this weekend, I really had no idea what to expect. But it exceeded all of my expectations, and I really feel like the impact of what we were able to accomplish will be felt for a while. In ourselves, and in the community.

The Mendy/Wesley Update

2009-03-31T12:40:00.002-05:00

Mendy and Wesley are home from the hospital. Derek is still there, and they spent their first night at home together. Everything, from all reports, went very well. I think they'll do just fine.

Also, her friend Allie put together a video and added it to Mendy's blog. If you want to see it, it's right here. It's got some other pictures and some video from his Birth Day! It's very sweet.

And we've decided that my parents will be called Gram and Granddaddy. Have I mentioned yet that they're on Cloud 9??

The Family. (by Allie, again)

Hey you with the pretty face -- welcome to the human race!

2009-03-28T09:31:00.001-05:00

Wesley Malcolm was born last night at 10:47 PM. He's 7 lbs. 5 oz., 20" long.
He and Mendy are both doing well.

The photo was taken by Mendy's friend Allie.

Becoming Aunt Rita & Uncle Kyle

2009-03-26T11:04:00.002-05:00

Today is Baby Day for my sister!! She's had a pretty miserable week this week, but today it all pays off! She'll be induced this afternoon and Wesley Malcolm will officially join the Goebel family. I'm so excited to meet him! (Next weekend, if all goes as planned!)

Mendy went into the hospital last night with some blood pressure issues. So we expected a call this morning saying, "Today's the day. Momma's on her way down and we're getting ready. We'll call you in a few hours." Only problem with that is that I had left my phone lying on my desk overnight. So ... no phone. Kyle went into work a little late this morning, so I could have access to his phone as much as necessary.

So when I woke up this morning, it was to Kyle with his hand on my belly saying, "Your cousin is going to be born today, and we're really excited!"

Come on, little Wesley! We're all ready to meet you!!

The Assorted Update Post

2009-03-24T09:25:00.005-05:00

I heard the heartbeat again this morning. At 154 beats per minute, my midwife said everything sounds perfect. And the best part is -- we scheduled the appointment for the ultrasound!! On Tuesday, April 7 we find out if we're having a "he" or a "she" -- a Darby or an Iva! Can't!! Wait!!
I was really nervous about this appointment for some reason. I had myself worked up, I guess. I don't know why. Do the uncertainty and the nagging "What ifs" ever really go away?! I hope so.
Part of the anxiety about this morning is that I was involved in a very minor accident on Saturday. While sitting at a red light, a driver wasn't paying attention and didn't even make a move to slow down until his tires squealed about 10 feet behind me and he plowed right into me. (Kudos to the ol' Saturn for toughing it out. She did lose two reflectors off the sides of the fender, but not a dent or a crack to be seen. Who needs a Hummer!?) Well because of the fact that it was SO MINOR that my seatbelt didn't even catch/pull ... and because of the fact that I was running LATE and didn't have time to wait on a police report for a couple of missing reflectors ... I thought, "Everything's fine." And only when people started asking me incredulously why I didn't go to the hospital to get checked out did the idea occur to me that "maybe that's what pregnant people do". So I started questioning myself and the "wisdom" I exhibited in not getting checked out immediately. Therefore, the moments before the heartbeat came through this morning were a little tense for me, but once it did and I got the 'everything sounds great' from my midwife, I breathed a sigh of relief. Saved from my own stupidity! (Isn't God good for that?!)
An Update on my sister. There was a lot of talk from last Thursday until yesterday afternoon about inducing her yesterday. So if you saw my "I'm going to be an aunt today" status on facebook yesterday ... I wasn't lying! That was the plan. But, as plans often do, hers has changed and she's at home just waiting. The doctors are keeping a close watch on her blood pressure and platelet count. They're not high/low enough to be of REAL concern yet, but just in the range that inspired her doctors to keep a close watch.

As of Sunday night, her contractions were at 7 minutes apart and intensifying. (Sunday night, she was still able to talk through them, so they were nothing major. But Monday morning, she was hurting a good bit more.) She was dilated 2 cm on her own yesterday. And now she just waits on progress -- fast or slow as that might be -- at home. No induction -- which is ultimately good but was disappointing for her to find out late yesterday afternoon after waiting hopefully all day.
This weekend is The Amazing Race. And, while I have no idea what to expect at all (the Cinnamons are really good secret-keepers, it seems), I'm really excited about the weekend!!

To Atlanta, a much belated trip

2009-03-17T09:19:00.003-05:00

Until this past weekend, it had been exactly two years since we'd seen Alex & Jana. Two years ago (March 14 was the day I got my tattoo, and we were staying with them then), we went to Atlanta, saw an Explosions in the Sky show, stayed at their house for a few days, sleeping on air mattresses because all their stuff was either gone or in storage. They were moving to London for a while for Alex to attend seminary.

So it had been far too long. And we were really excited to get to see them this weekend.

We got in late Friday night, and were woken up by Cash on Saturday morning. Kyle LOVES Cash, so ... this was not really a problem at all! :)

And then Alex had an appointment, so after a pancake breakfast, we all headed to:

the tattoo parlor.

The not-finished product ... but this is as close to finished as I got a picture of. :)

The next morning, we got up and went to the 11 o'clock service of the church where Alex is preaching. They're planting a church in Newnan. They are meeting in an old theater-turned-bar. It's a REALLY nice venue!!

argh. crooked glasses!!!

This was an incredible weekend. And we can't wait to go back and visit again!

Pregnancy Dreams

2009-03-13T15:00:00.002-05:00

I figured this was worth documenting. Since I've been pregnant, I've had some pretty weird dreams. (Some might say this is not JUST a pregnancy thing, but something I'm kind of known for, but it's different now. They're much more vivid, or something. And I always wake up kind of half-way believing them.

The dream I had last night was about Amy and Craig, my sister-in-law and brother.

I dreamed that they were pregnant, but not married and the whole family was about to find out about the pregnancy. So the three of us were walking down the beach and I saw this preacher that I know and I was like, “Here, can you marry these two?” And he was happy to do it, so we all stood under a pier on the beach and they got married while I just walked around awkwardly. And then they lived in our old house from Georgia.

WEIRD!!

Till's Visit, a Photographic Wrap-Up

2009-03-11T20:18:00.003-05:00

So I did mention that Till likes to cook, didn't I? Oh the glory of the Lord is in my kitchen this week! He cooks. And he does his own dishes. (Except for the ONE time that I insisted and did a few of my own ... but only once because, yes, I will not argue if you say, "Leave that. I'll get it." Does that make me a bad person?)

Anyway. So yeh. Till likes to cook. And I like Till's cooking.

Till Mueller, Master Chef

On Sunday night, we came in from a long day at church to this:

homemade ravioli. Excuse me, people. He MADE that pasta. With his own hands.
I impress pretty easily, I guess but Chef Boyardee is the only man who ever made me ravioli.
I'm just saying.

These photos are kinda crappy because it was so dark in the kitchen, but ...
Spinach and Ricotta stuffed ravioli with a sage butter sauce.
At my house.
Wha???

Monday night, homemade lasagna. Yum!

Tuesday night appetizers:
"Russian Sushi" - steak and beets cooked with balsamic vinegar (love to hear him say "winegah"!) and a creamy horseradish sauce

Tuesday night main course:
Steak, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, onions, spinach, and some other stuff I'm probably leaving out ... cooked together and I'm not sure what it's called, but when I was done, I called it the Clean Plate Special. Yum!

Tonight was pizza night. And when I say the man cooks to feed an army, I ain't kiddin'!
There are two uncut pizzas still sitting on top of my stove.
He made the dough (without a bread machine! Wha??) and the sauce and the pizzas were great!!

Ok, his whole trip has been great. Kyle and I have both really enjoyed having him around. For more than just the fact that he cooks us dinner (though, let's be honest ... it doesn't hurt!). I feel like we haven't done all that much since he got here -- just our regular "stuff". But the weather's been great, so we've been able to sit outside together and just hang out. It's made for some great evenings. We'll be sad to see him go, for sure!

Looking Forward:

2009-03-03T13:17:00.003-05:00

There are lots of things going on in my life these days. Lots of fun things to look forward to, and a brighter outlook on everything, enhanced by my new-found nonsickness. (Yes, that's a word.) So today I will share a list.

Things I'm Looking Forward to:

My sister is going to have her baby in the next couple of weeks. So while we're not planning to head down for the birth (head down... hahaha, unintended pun), there's a good chance that a weekend in our very near future will involve a drive down to Georgia to meet the new addition. Very excited to meet little Wesley Malcolm!! (I'm holding out for a Friday the 13th baby! The next generation needs to be able to carry on the tradition my mom and I have started.)
Our friend Till is visiting from Germany!! He flies in this Friday and will spend several days -- maybe a week -- with us. Till was an exchange student who lived with Kyle and his family while we were all in high school. And we've all stayed in touch with him since then. He came and spent Thanksgiving with us in 2006, I think. (Was it that long ago!?!) And I learned on that trip that (a) he's a REALLY good cook and (b) he really LIKES to cook! So I'm looking forward to his visit for very selfish reasons as well as just looking forward to the visit.
We're planning to visit our good friends Alex & Jana in Atlanta next weekend. We haven't seen them since just before they left for a year-long stint in London. And that was two years ago! So we're very excited about seeing them. Plus they're planting a church that's doing some pretty crazy stuff in Atlanta. And we're really excited to see what that's all about.
Have I mentioned that Till is coming to my house? AND COOKING FOR ME!? I might get spoiled. (He made leek and bacon quiches last time ... with homemade pastry and everything. SO GOOD! I'm hoping for a repeat.)
The Amazing Race. (Not the TV show, though it is somewhat "inspired".) It's a service project / fundraiser / camp-out / pretend to be homeless for a night weekend sponsored by the Journey Church. Kyle and I are on a team (probably the winning team, if I'm being honest) with the Jernigans. Not exactly sure what all will be happening, but you can bet there'll be a photo-heavy recap at the beginning of April!
Sometime during April or May, my sister and I (and maybe Amy!?!? Ya wanna??) are going to spend a weekend with our aunts in Georgia so they can meet and spoil the new baby. And so we can rest and relax in a NORTH GEORGIA SPRING! How awesome will that be?! I love spring. And I love the mountains. So that combination works out well for me! Also ... YARN SHOP!!

Also, I should mention that, besides all the exciting things coming up on the calendar, I'm happy to announce that it seems my energy has made a dramatic return. I went grocery shopping and brought home a pretty big haul yesterday -- first time all year!! I cooked dinner and we entertained a few friends. I washed some dishes, and I had all intentions of doing laundry, but Kyle had band practice in the room that houses our laundry equipment. So ... I sat and cuddled with the pups while watching The Bachelor (can you believe that guy!?!?) instead. But there's always tonight.

Ladies and Gentlemen, We Have a Heartbeat!!

2009-02-25T13:03:00.004-05:00

Today is February 25. I said in this post that this day would probably come sooner than I realized, and I was right. But now my next appointment is March 24, and yet again ... THERE'S AN ETERNITY BETWEEN NOW AND THEN!!!!

We heard the heartbeat. Kyle's mom came to town for the "occasion" and we all filled up the exam room with "oohs" and "ahhs" and "Did you hear that!?"s. (Ok, that part was mostly me!)

We recorded the audio, and I'd love to find a way to post it (I have an mp3), but I just don't have time today to figure out how to do that. So if someone has a recommendation of a way I can upload the audio to put on here, I'm open for suggestions.

So it took a few minutes for my midwife to find the heartbeat. She warned me that it might, but I was still just a little anxious. And then suddenly, there it was. And I reacted by moving around so that we lost the audio briefly. But no worries. She found it pretty easily and then for a few short seconds, the sound of the heartbeat -- our baby's heartbeat -- filled the room. And we all giggled.

So now we wait. Next appointment, to check the heartbeat and measure some other stuff, Tuesday, March 24. AND THEN we get to schedule the "Find out the sex of the baby" appointment for two weeks after that.

Busy Weekend

2009-02-23T21:20:00.004-05:00

Saturday was a pretty busy day for me. My sister was in town, because a group of ladies at our home church were throwing her a baby shower. So that was Saturday morning.

Then Kyle and I went to Hampton to meet the newest addition to the Williams family! Meet Ann Louise!!

I also got a haircut, but have not, as yet, gotten a good picture of it yet. So ... you'll just have to wait. It's worth the wait, though! :)

Quotable Polks 2

2009-02-19T09:03:00.002-05:00

"You know the baby has ears now! So I wonder if he* can hear us talking."
"Yeh, sometimes when I come to bed at night, I lean over and talk to him*."
"Really? What do you tell him*?"
"I say, 'Hey, baby! You hear that loud snoring? That's not me. Just thought you should know.'"

*No, we do not know the sex of the baby yet and have no inclinations one way or the other, but "him" just sounds better than "it"!

In honor of Kyle Polk, near Valentine's 2009

2009-02-16T08:22:00.007-05:00

I was "tagged" on facebook for a "how well do you know your husband" quiz. Let's see how accurate I am.

1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen? a DVD of some sort. If it's the middle of the day or early evening, it's probably Arrested Development or Flight of the Conchords. If it's later in the evening, a movie.

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad? Haha. Kyle eating a salad. RIGHT! But he does like ranch and/or honey mustard for his chicken strips! :) And blue cheese dressing on chicken wings.

3. What's one food he doesn't like? Bell Peppers. I know this because he really tried to eat a stuffed pepper I made for dinner on Friday night. (Quote of the night: "It's so ... robust. No wait, it's really bland. I don't know. I can't decide!")

4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What does he order? Dark beer. The darker, the better.

5. Where did he go to high school? Wade Hampton ... the one that's actually in Hampton.

6. What size shoe does he wear? 12 or 13

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich? He likes for pepperoni to be included. And spicy mustard.

9. What would this person eat every day if he could? Chicken fingers!!

10. What is his favorite cereal? Honey Nut Cheerios

11. What would he never wear? Short shorts. Seriously. I doubt you'll ever see the man's knee. And CERTAINLY not anything above his knee.

12. What is his favorite sports team? Sports? Hahaha. Put that one up there near "salad" and "bell peppers" on his list of favorites.

13. Who did he vote for? He found out too late in the game that he couldn't vote. LAME!! (He would've voted for Obama, though.)

14. Who is his best friend? Andrew Brown, Chris Brown, Clay Jernigan ...

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do? be lazy. (?)

16. What is his heritage? POLK. Around here, people say, "Hampton Polks or Islandton Polks?" and that's all you need to know. (The answer is a little bit of both, but we won't get into specifics.)

17. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake? He doesn't really eat cake. He likes my mom's Milky Way cake sometimes. He really likes ice cream, though! Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Coffee flavors are his favorite.

18. Did he play sports in high school? Nope. But he was in marching band!!

19. What could he spend hours doing? Playing drums. Tuning drums. Watching videos about tuning or playing drums. Painting.

20. What is a unique talent he has? He is very good at putting up with me. It takes incredible amounts of patience! And I'm not kidding.

It starts!

2009-02-11T16:29:00.003-05:00

At almost 12 weeks, I am almost exclusively in maternity pants already. They're millions of times more comfortable than regular pants with the "belly band" thing and regular pants without the belly band thing haven't been an option for several weeks now. Despite my recent weight loss, I've got a little gut going.

(Aside: The first time Kyle saw a pair of maternity pants [not on me, just on a hanger] his first reaction was, "Those pants are NOT HOT." Hahahahaha! So true!!!)

Yesterday after work, my mom and I were leaving the office. She said, as we were walking out the door, "Rita, I'm really surprised at how much you're showing! Are you sure you're just at 11 weeks? Are you sure there's just one in there?" Both rhetorical questions, I assumed and just shrugged. According to the ultrasound, both pieces of information are correct.

Then we stopped by the grocery store on the way home. At the check-out counter, the manager of the store came up and spoke to my mom and me. (We shop there a lot. And the manager is very friendly.) When she was greeting my mom, I overheard her say quietly and excitedly, "Look at her!" (pointing to the belly) "She's having a baby, isn't she?" My mom grinned and nodded emphatically.

Yes, I'm in maternity pants, but not necessarily maternity shirts. I was just wearing a regular shirt -- a little snug, I guess, but nothing indecent. I was, after all, just leaving work.

I wasn't put-off by her noticing at all. At least she assumed it was a baby and not just me putting on weight! :-D But I am quite surprised that people are able to tell by looking already! Isn't it kinda early for that?

__________________

To my loyal readers: I don't mean for this to become a Pregnancy Blog. Sorry if I'm boring you, but it's kind of a big deal. You'll think so too when you see how awesome this kid's gonna be! :-D

A very brief musical post that shall describe my feelings on the weekend.

2009-02-09T12:07:00.003-05:00

Is it safe to say that, at least for Charleston at least for the past weekend and the coming week, the groundhog just didn't look close enough? Because the past few days have been GLORIOUS!!!!! I spent as much time outside as possible on Saturday. And I wore flip flops yesterday! :) SPRING!!!!!!!!

Also making the weekend much more enjoyable was the fact that I FEEL SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER!!!!!! The past four days have been immeasurably better than the month's worth of days that preceded them. I do a little jig in my office chair just thinking about it. :-D Sweet relief! Stay with me now, ok!?

Dooce = Genius

2009-02-02T13:26:00.000-05:00

I am well aware that things only get more uncomfortable from here, no need to give me a warning that begins with the detestable phrase, "Just wait..." I can guarantee that every time you use that phrase in conversation with a pregnant woman you are earning cosmic points that when added up one day will result in a piano falling on your head.

from The Halfway Point

An Update

2009-01-29T09:49:00.002-05:00

I had an appointment yesterday with my midwife. She came highly recommended by my sister-in-law. And with good reason. She is sooo sweet! And answered all my questions thoroughly and put me at ease about the concerns I was having. It was just a consultation, so ... no tests or "fun stuff" like ultrasounds or heartbeats or anything. But I have an appointment on February 25. I'll be at 14 weeks, and we'll hear the heartbeat for the first time.

The biggest outcome of yesterday's meeting was a prescription that has proven (already) to be quite handy. Reglan is my new drug of choice. No more nausea!! I feel a ton better already! I haven't been very faithful on the ol' blog lately because I feel like all I would've done was complain. I've been pretty sick this whole time. So hopefully that's behind me and we can move forward now.

In some ways, it feels like time is creeeeeeeeping by. I'm sure I'll be surprised how quickly my 14-week appointment will come up when it does get here. But, gosh! February 25 seems soooo far away!!! And August!?! A lifetime. I try not to get overwhelmed by all this, but in so many ways, I just want the baby to be here. I don't want the process.

I don't want the aches and pains and sickness. I certainly don't want the labor and delivery! (OUCH!)

But I've already learned that there's a reason for this preparation time. Every part of the process is developing Kyle and me into a team that is working together and making plans and learning to appreciate each other on whole new levels. I'm sure this will come in handy over the next few months (years?) of my hormonally-challenged-ness. :)

2009-01-27T09:46:00.001-05:00

Why does the date not show up on my blogs? Anybody got a clue?

This is Awesome.

2009-01-23T13:40:00.002-05:00

I got a phone call last night from an "Unavailable" number. You know the ones you always ignore? Yeh, well I ignored it. And a few minutes later, I checked my voicemail and there was a message from our insurance company. The message was, "This is Kendra at ICI [indistinguishable] calling to talk to Rita about [indistinguishable]. Please return this call at 866-761-[indistinguishable]." She spoke SO FAST!!!! It made me MAD. I listened to it at least ten times trying to get the phone number and finally took the phone to Kyle. I wrote down the numbers I could figure out and he finally, through trial and error, figured out what the last four numbers were.

As it turns out, the call was totally worth the struggle to get the number. It was someone calling with information about a particular program that the insurance company offers to expectant mothers. I had to answer a lot of questions and they're sending me some "educational materials" - probably similar to the ones I'll be getting from the doctor's office. But I also get two $150 gift cards to Babies R Us!

Random Inauguration Day Thoughts

2009-01-20T09:08:00.002-05:00

Today is an historical day. Barack Obama, a (partially) black man will become the leader of the free world. I have a couple of thoughts on this.

Today is a day for celebration. America has come a long way in a relatively short amount of time to elect a black man as its leader. Yes, black. Partially so ... but black enough. It's monumental. And celebration-worthy.
Even if you didn't vote for him. Even if you don't like him. He's your leader and you're obligated to pray for him. So just shutup and do it.
Yesterday, a friend posted a comment on my facebook that an "Obama baby boom" is anticipated. And this makes me scratch my head and say, "For real?" I mean, the political timing of our first child's birth has not escaped our notice, though it was not related to the results of an election in the least. I am really excited about our new president and the hope and inspiration that he has, thus far, ignited in people - particularly in my generation and those younger than me. BUT HE IS NOT GOING TO SAVE THE WORLD! I'm glad our new President puts an intelligent face forward for America on a global scale. But my hope is in something higher. And the fact that people are willing to have children during his presidency moreso than any other presidency ... that's a little ludicrous. Really. (I digress.) (Though I could ramble listlessly about how retarded this is.) (sigh.)

Ahhh ... the joys of Pregnancy

2009-01-19T12:35:00.003-05:00

In the interest of full disclosure and remembering this stage of pregnancy as well as possible, I will put this information on the record: Omigosh, it sucks.

I made the comment to my friend, Jenny, a couple of months ago that "I'd much rather be stomach-sick than cold/flu-sick." My reasoning, at the time, was that a stomach bug will usually pass pretty quickly and with a cold/flu, you never know how long it'll stick around.

This weekend, I ate those words. So, to Jenny: I changed my mind. Stomach-sick is the PITS!

I try to keep my outlook brightly on the END of the process rather than getting bogged down in the yuckies that can be quite consuming at times. But sometimes the "yuckies" become the I-Can't-Get-Out-Of-Beds and the Constant-Pukies that take your whole weekend and flush it down the toilet.

Friday night, in a heap of end-of-the-week exhaustion, I laid in bed while Kyle entertained some friends of his. I stuck my head out of the room enough to be friendly, and they were very understanding.

At around 2:30 AM, I woke up, and very quickly realized that I wasn't going to be able to "wait out" the feeling in my stomach. Something was coming up. (Full disclosure, remember?) And so it started at 2:30 AM and continued til about midnight the next night. Every single thing I put on my stomach came right back up. And I was SO THIRSTY, but couldn't drink anything because it'd kick-off the gag reflex and ... oh boy.

By 8 PM on Saturday, I was sitting in the bathroom floor rocking and crying like an insane person, begging Kyle to make it stop. "I don't want to throw up anymore. I'm tired! This SUCKS!" (Not my finest moment, admittedly.)

Sunday morning was better. I was able to move around much more freely and was only sick twice (and not nearly as severely) and ate a lot more without being sick.

Amy, my sister-in-law, shared some of her B6 vitamins with me. And I don't know if that did the trick or if it was just that the "bug" had finally passed, but I spent the afternoon with my family and was mostly ok for the whole afternoon.

And this post is sure to start a round of "Have you tried ... ?" recommendations. So, let me share this list of things I've already tried with you, so you know not to recommend them again! :)

Preggie Pops/Preggie Pop Drops - check
Crackers beside the bed - check
Eating small meals every two hours - check
Vitamin B6 - check
Ginger snaps - check
Ginger ale - check
Changing prenatals to Flintstones vitamins - check
Waiting for the end of first trimester while praying for relief from constant nausea - CHECK!!

Two Nephews!!

2009-01-15T15:49:00.003-05:00

Amy & Craig found out today that they're "95% sure" they're having a boy. Really, they're only at 13 weeks, so it's "too soon to tell" for 100% sure, but supposedly you can tell sooner when it's a boy?? And there's an ultrasound picture with an arrow pointing to a designated area that says "boy parts" ... so, there ya have it. It's a boy.

So, two nephews. And a few nights ago, I dreamed I was having a girl. Time will tell, I suppose.

Christmas 2008

2009-01-05T15:02:00.005-05:00

Kyle and I were in Hampton for Christmas and I'd been thinking that a pregnancy test was probably in order for a few days, at that point. But for some reason -- let's call it Holiday Distraction -- I hadn't. So when his mom needed to run some errands, I said I'd go along. I tried, and I think I succeeded in hiding the test from her under some unnecessary items also tossed into the basket. But it made for a rather tense few moments in the ol' CVS.

Back at the house, Kyle was in the shower and I knew I couldn't possibly wait a moment longer. So I didn't. I tested while he showered and:

...dun, dun, dun...

I held the test stick up over the shower door and said, "Um ... Merry Christmas?"

Kyle is such a pro. He said, "Cool" and seemed genuinely excited. My first reaction was not quite as calm and collected. My hands started shaking and sweating, and I had to go lay down. I was very excited, but also shocked! A few minutes later, Kyle came out of the shower and said, "What's next?" I told him I wanted to get one of the tests that says "PREGNANT" or "NOT PREGNANT".

So I chugged a couple bottles of water (you know, so I could pee again) and drove back to the store.

Confirmation.

And we told his mom. We showed her the test pictured above. She squealed a little and hugged Kyle. Then, turning to me, she said, "You're ok, right? You're going to be ok!" Guess I was still a little shell-shocked. And it showed.

We told his brother later on that evening. We wrapped up another pregnancy test and put it under the tree for him. When he opened it, he acted confused. And I finally had to say, "John. Do I need to spell it out for you? Kyle and I are going to have a baby."

He looked at his friend, Kari, and she said, "I think you should give her what you bought for her."

That's right. He'd bought me a pregnancy test. No wonder he was confused. We'd given him, basically, the same thing!

I knew the first thing I wanted to do was to call my brother, Craig. He and his wife, Amy, had been trying to conceive for several months and, if I was going to tell my family on Christmas morning (which I what I really wanted to do), I didn't want her to be completely broadsided and get upset. I wanted Craig to know so he could "warn" her if he felt like he needed to.

Craig called me about 20 minutes later and asked me to hold my announcement until the day after Christmas. Disappointed, I said, "I guess I could. Why?"

As it turns out, he and Amy had their own news to share and had been holding it for almost a month and a half.

I jumped up and down (don't tell the doctor!) and squealed and cried and acted COMPLETELY girly and then told Craig to have Amy to call me so we could talk -- and maybe break the news to my parents together.

And, thus, a plot was conceived. (pun completely intended)

Amy and Craig went to Walmart that night and purchased stockings and wrapped them in separate boxes. After all the other gifts were unwrapped, Craig gave one box to each of my parents and instructed my dad to go first.

He opened it.

And he cried.

And there were many hugs.

And after a few minutes, my mom remembered that she had an unopened box to return to.

"I wonder what it is!!"

And I was too busy laughing to get her first reaction. But it went something like this:

"Hahaha. Baby Polk."
(realizes, wide-eyed, what she'd just read out loud)
(re-reads in silence)
(looking at me) "Is this for REAL?!"

And then my dad cried again, while my mom laughed. A lot.

My mom excitedly purchases gifts in the months leading up to Christmas in order to "Wow" all of her kids on Christmas morning. And while we were all still wowed this year, Christmas 2008 will forever be branded in our family memory as "The Christmas She Was Outdone".

The Rest of the Christmas Story

2009-01-05T12:43:00.003-05:00

We had a Christmas secret too!

A Very Merry Christmas, Indeed.

2008-12-26T22:13:00.006-05:00

My mom put together a stocking for Mendy's bun-in-the-oven.

And Craig & Amy made a very important announcement on Christmas morning using a stocking!

So I'm going to be an aunt ... twice! Once in April and again in July.

2008-12-22T12:48:00.001-05:00

Today, Polkapalooza got at least 40% more awesome. And it was already pretty awesome!

December 22nd.

2008-12-22T08:25:00.004-05:00

Today is Chris Brown's birthday. And my mother-in-law's birthday. And is it even possible that Christmas is in three days? Eeek!!! (Happy birthday, you two!)

So I fell back off the blogging bandwagon for a couple of weeks there. Sorry about that. I'm sure there are so many of you out there just sitting by your computers waiting and wondering about what's going on in my life. And, yes. I'm so egotistical, I really do think that.

These past couple of weeks have involved turning some of these things into items suitable for gift-giving later in the week. I'm still working on two of those projects and really really hoping they'll get finished by Christmas. (Look for me this week and I'll be the one with her butt firmly planted, Christmas movie on, needles in hand.) And I also took some pictures of our friends and their families for Christmas. (And I didn't ask permission to put them on my blog, but ... come on. You had to expect this, right?! Just kidding. If you want them down, just say the word.)

The Jernigans
I love Eliana's face in this picture. I'm glad y'all picked this one! :)

The Mattinglys
Is Joshua Mattingly not a little stud in that gold tie? What a dude!

Kitchen Update

2008-12-10T16:28:00.004-05:00

We finally finished up a project in our home, last weekend. One that we'd been putting off for almost four years. Our kitchen. It was verging on ridiculous how long it took us to buckle down and finish painting the walls in there. Red all the way up to the top but never trimmed out. Our intentions were to purchase crown moulding and hang it. But, (a) that's expensive and (b) it's difficult and (c) really, after four years, it's fallen very low on the priority list, if we're being honest!

So we painted. All the way to the top. So now when our friend Matt comes for New Years, he won't be able to say, as he has for the past two years, "Next year, I can come a few days early. It'll only take an hour or two to trim this room out and get it finished."

one gold wall, three red ones -- painted all the way up to the top
and a new painting to tie it all together! :)
(I married into talent, y'all!)

Polkapalooza 2008

2008-12-04T12:19:00.002-05:00

Can I just say that our house is the place to be on New Year's?

Our party is going to be awesome!!

Be there. Or be a loser.

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-12-01T11:32:00.000-05:00

Have I mentioned that Thanksgiving is my favorite day? It is.

We arrived at Mendy's house around 10:30 on Wednesday night. My folks were tired.
And probably wished I didn't have a camera in their faces! :)

Thursday morning, we watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the
Dog Show that followed. (How awesome was that Bassett Hound?!)

... while others worked on finishing up a homework assignment

... and still others sat outside, wishing to be inside (but not for long).

There was some cooking going on too, as evidenced by this bountiful feast.
It was delicious!

Amy's beautiful (and yummy!) pecan pie. Almost too pretty to cut! Almost.

And then, the obligatory Thanksgiving after-meal nap.

Not sure Amy or Craig ever got a nap, but her assignment did get finished! :)

And then we set up the Goebels' Christmas Tree.

Mendy, Derek, and Daddy decorated the outside. I watched and took pictures. :)

Then on Friday morning, we headed out to meet up with Kyle's family for lunch and a visit. It turned out to be a very relaxing day. Just what we needed.

The beginning of what I assume to be a facial hair inspection.

... he passed.

And then we went home and finished putting up our Christmas decorations.

Cranberries!!

2008-11-25T22:26:00.001-05:00

I found some cranberries on a pretty good sale today. So I bought three 12 oz. bags and this is what I've got so far:

1 bag frozen

1/2 bag made into Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins (so good!)

and 1 1/2 bags made into Holiday Cranberry Chutney (also, so good!)

And I'm doing laundry and straightening the house up to prepare for our departure tomorrow.

FAVORITE HOLIDAY IN TWO DAYS! St. Marys, Georgia -- here I come!

Ten Things I'm Excited About

2008-11-20T11:59:00.002-05:00

A quiet night at home tonight. Supper, a book, and the spot on the couch next to the Christmas tree. It'll be my "home base" for the next month or so. :)
It's becoming acceptable to listen to Christmas music openly. (Which brings up another subject: I'm looking for some recommendations for new holiday tunes. They'll move into heavy rotation in two weeks and I need to be prepared!)
I got something this morning that's going to make someone's Christmas present awesome. And it was free. :-D
THANKSGIVING is next week!! My family will be at my sister's house and we'll decorate her house and watch a Christmas movie and eat lots of good food and be together. And it will be my favorite day of the year.
It's cold outside. I'm ignoring the fact that it's supposed to warm back up this weekend. Right now, it's cold and that makes me happy.
Got my electric bill in this morning. $105! Which is a big deal!! That's LOW!! It's been too close to $400 for comfort in recent history.
This soup my mom brought me for lunch is pretty awesome. :)
I'm finishing up some projects that I've been working on in the next couple of days. Pretty great feeling to put that check on the checklist. (I was starting to feel I'd been very ambitious with my Christmas Crafting and design project list, but I'm moving along at a comfortable pace now and feel good about getting everything finished up.)
Is it ok to be excited about the holidays again? Even though I've included ideas of that already in numbers 1, 2, 3 & 4? :)
Australia.

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

2008-11-18T10:19:00.003-05:00

I did it. I put up the trees. First of all, we insulated our attic this past weekend. (Just in time for it to get good and cold. Yay, Chris Mattingly! You're my hero!)

So all the boxes were down anyway. And I was not about to put them back up in the attic only to bring them back down in two weeks. And my house is not spacious enough to have big boxes sitting around in the way all the time.

Really, all these are just excuses to appeal to my pragmatic side. Ultimately, I wanted my Christmas tree up, so I put it up! :)

And here are the pictures!

The Living Room:

The Blue Room.

I debated about using colored lights on my big living room tree this year. But I like the white lights for that room, so I bought this little tinsel tree with some colored lights for the blue room (my crafting room and a guest room). And it makes me happy! :-D

Friday Afternoon Foolishness

2008-11-14T15:46:00.003-05:00

You know how every church has a "secret bathroom"? It's true. I think it's a secret that church architects share - that every church should have a Staff Only Bathroom. In the church where I work, the "secret bathroom" is in the Pastor's Study. Therefore, when he's at work, it's not accessible. So we share the hallway bathroom with a bunch of potty-training two- and three-year olds. Can be quite frustrating.

But when he's NOT here, the "secret bathroom" is fair play for any of the other office staff.

I'm pretty sure Hal knows what's up, even though it's not a verbal policy. Though, I do feel a little awkward, sometimes, walking into his office. Maybe there are "secret pastor things" in there that maybe I'm not supposed to see. So I maintain focus, eyes straight ahead, with one purpose in mind. In and out. As quick as possible. Grateful, every second, that I'm not in the Toddler Bathroom.

But, you see. There's this duck.

(Weren't expecting that one, were you?)

No, it's not a live duck, though it may have been at one time. I've never gotten close enough to investigate. Because it stares at me. Every time I'm in there. And it creeps me out.

It sits on top of a filing cabinet just outside the "secret bathroom" door. And glares at me with its beady red eyes as I walk in. And he's the first to notice if I emerge with toilet paper stuck to my shoe.

I would've taken a picture to accompany this post, but for some I've convinced myself that this duck can really see me. That if I took a camera back there and stuck it in his face, he'd bite at me or something. And THAT would really creep me out.

But you've seen a duck before. So use your imagination.

It's My Birthday! Celebrate!

2008-11-13T12:42:00.001-05:00

by watching this awesome video.

Husband of the Year

2008-11-10T14:03:00.002-05:00

I have to give Kyle Polk some much-deserved credit.

He. Is. Awesome.

Saturday sucked MOST of the day (except for a few hours during a birthday cookout at my parents' house). I mean, I made the most of all situations that made the day sucky, but mostly ... it just flat-out sucked. And I didn't get a lot of sleep, which apparently alters my mood more drastically than I realized.

Kyle spent most of the day at home. He did several loads of dishes, sorted laundry, cleaned the laundry room, gave Oliver a bath, cleaned the kitchen, cleaned floors, and many other things that I'm probably forgetting to name. And he also, quite patiently, put up with my awful grouchiness. (I mean, it was BAD!)

We live together, so we see the good and the bad in high concentration. And it's easy to focus on the bad and make generalizations. (Me: "You NEVER help with the dishes!" or "You ALWAYS unfold all the clean clothes!", Him: " You NEVER wash my socks!" or "You ALWAYS have to make the bed up while I'm in it!" [ok, that last one may actually be true.])

But I'm here to tell everyone that I married a good man. And we love each other. A lot. Mark this marriage down as one of my best decisions. Hands down.

Fair Pictures, No. 2: Animal Edition

2008-11-06T11:58:00.003-05:00

photo taken in honor of a dear friend, Andrew Lewis

Amos, the baby Jersey cow

BABY PIGLETS!!!

and a baby bunny

and a really big cow

Things That Make Me Happy

2008-11-06T07:10:00.000-05:00

I've been tagged. And, according to the rules on Tasha's blog, I have to tell you six things that make me happy. And then I have to tag six people to tell me six things that make them happy and then tag six other people. Sounds like fun. Let's get this started.

1. Quiet Friday nights at home with the hubby. When there's nothing to do on Saturday morning but sleep in and we can do whatever we want to do at home on Friday nights, that's a good time. Usually it means slummin' around the house in our PJ's, eating junk food for dinner, and watching a movie.

2. Autumn. It's my favorite.

3. A clean, well-organized kitchen. Our kitchen and dining room are at the center of our house. And so when it's messy, it affects the whole house. But when it's clean and you can actually use the dining room table for its intended purpose, that's nice.

4. My Journey Group. It's true that it's the best Journey group there is.* The girls in my group each bring something different to the table. And I learn things from them all the time.

5. The Family Calendar. It was established in our home out of a desperate cry (from me) for some organization in our lives. Kyle and I would run different directions every day and meet like ships passing in the night. So the dry erase board calendar was purchased and hung on the kitchen wall. Makes our lives so much better! Kyle agrees!

6. Weekends. Need I say more?

To Tag. Let's see. How about Sarah, Mandi, Amy, Mendy, Cassie, & Page.

*(not based on actual scientific research)

Remember, Remember the Fifth of November

2008-11-05T08:36:00.003-05:00

(Yes, in a post about politics, I just referenced a movie about a character who tries to overthrow the government. Enjoy the irony.)

Whether you voted for Obama or not, you cannot disagree that history was made last night. And while I voted for Obama and am excited that he won the election, this morning my role is just the same: To pray for our new leadership.

As Jon from SCL puts it, "God is good and has provided. He is still in control. Everything is going to be alright."

I fully agree.

Fair Pictures, No. 1

2008-11-04T22:04:00.002-05:00

Photo Catch-Up Post

2008-11-04T12:40:00.002-05:00

A few weekends ago, Kyle and I went to Hampton to visit his mom. That same weekend, my sister was singing at Jamie's church (also in Hampton), so we got to hang-out with her and Derek for a while.

Joy -- I can't believe how big she's getting!! -- & Heather

Mendy & Derek -- he'd just gotten home from a tour (do we call it a tour?) under the water.

Joy played a drum solo for us. It was, as you might expect, amazing.

I got a haircut/color.

his words, not mine

BUDDIES!!!

And that same weekend, I had my camera so I took some pictures while the band was practicing for church service.

Tarah - rockin' out!

Jeremy

Layna

And then last night, Kyle and I went to the fair with Craig (my brother) and Amy. The pictures from last night deserve their own post, which I shall provide soon, but for right now, a preview:

I picked the first ride, one which I thought was pretty tame - the ferris wheel where everybody rides in the same, round seat. Apparently this was something we should've worked up to. Who knew?

A Follow-Up Post

2008-11-03T17:09:00.002-05:00

Hardly anyone who reads this blog will remember the post I'm "following-up" on, but that's cool. In the spirit of "giving credit where it's due", I shall post anyway.

Background info:

Kyle and I have this comforter for our bed. It's king-sized and very fluffy. Therefore, it does not fit into our washer and dryer, so in the past I have taken it to the drop-off service in town for an annual cleaning in the fall. Once, there were no problems. Once there were lots of problems. And I blogged (on my old blog that I shall not link to) about that very very bad experience. (The short of the story is that, even though I paid 66% more than the advertised price for laundering king-sized bedding, the ladies at the cleaners gave me hell about its size and how AWFUL it was to ~~do their jobs~~ clean my blanket. The consummate remark was, "Where did you get that blanket?" (it was a wedding gift) "Well I'd have given it back. I wouldn't have that blanket. It's awful!")

So last year, I simply didn't use the blanket. I left it folded up under the bed and just piled extra blankets on instead of pulling out "The Warm Blanket".

But this year, I decided that that is silly. It's a nice blanket. And I want to use it. So I gathered my courage and took it to the cleaners. (And, yes, I realize how silly that sounds, but ... it really was QUITE a bad experience.)

AND THE LADIES THERE WERE SO NICE!!!!

Having dropped it off a little later in the day that I usually have, she very politely informed me that it might not be ready before the end of the day, but that I should call back at 7.

So I did. And the lady who answered the phone was SO nice! "Yes, ma'am, Mrs. Polk. I'm taking it out of the dryer right now!"

And when I showed up she kept saying over and over, "What a beautiful blanket! I love it! I bet it's warm in the winter!" And I noticed that she'd written on my pick-up ticket, "Overcharged. Doris wrote this ticket for too much."

And with that, my faith was restored in customer service laundry drop-off industry.

Halloween

2008-11-01T15:09:00.006-05:00

Piper & Ethan's pumpkins

What could've very easily become the Middle School Make-Out Corner ... remained a roasting (and occasionally tossing) marshmallow corner. I also watched one of these kids pull a small pack of Pop Rocks out of the edge of the fire pit. He really wanted those Pop Rocks.

Last night, our small group hosted a Halloween Party at Leslie and Katherine's house. They have the perfect lot for a party like the one we had. We had a small fire pit for roasting marshmallows and hot dogs, hot chocolate, sodas, and, of course, CANDY! And we also showed "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" on the side of their house. I believe it's safe to say the party was a hit. We met lots of their neighbors, saw all kinds of cute costumes, and had a LOT of fun!!

The Evolution of a Jack O. Lantern

2008-10-31T09:05:00.003-05:00

Here, I posed with knife in-hand for a picture, but I did no cutting at all.
Kyle doesn't trust me with a knife.
The multiple scars on my fingers prove that his doubt
in my cutting abilities is well-founded.

And, tonight, Mr. Jack O. Lantern will make an appearance at a Halloween party we're helping put together at a friends house. I mean, he's no piece of jack-o-lantern art, but we're kinda fond of him.

Jack O. Lantern

2008-10-30T14:10:00.003-05:00

I have never carved a pumpkin. Is this strange? Because I didn't think so until I shared that with a few people recently and they looked at me like I was from another planet.

I come from a pretty conservative family that used to be a VERY conservative family. (Case in point: My mom once signed a contract with her job that she wouldn't wear pants and her skirts couldn't show her ankles.) So, needless to say, Halloween was pretty sketchy to my parents. I remember in kindergarten, my whole class was going trick-or-treating and the decision of whether or not I would go was not made without considerable debate.

That Halloween sucked because my parents DID decide to let me go. It was harmless enough. Dress up. Walk to the library, the bank, and the courthouse. Get candy. Go back to school. And I went dressed as a grandma. Floral-print nightgown, complete with matching slippers and hat. Little glasses perched on my nose. And off to collect candy we went.

Everything was fine until we got to the bank and my dad's cousin, who worked there, saw me and pointed me out, laughing, to one of her coworkers. I was mortified. And angry. How dare she laugh at me! I still remember the condescending look on her face. I just wanted to go right back to school. I was done with Halloween. For good. I never wanted to go trick-or-treating again.

Looking back, I'm quite sure she was laughing and saying, "How cute!" But in the moment. Oh, boy. I could've stomped her toe.

So... all that to say. Halloween was not really a "celebrated occasion" for my family. (My parents may have thought it was devilish, but I just didn't enjoy being laughed at.) And since carving pumpkins isn't really a tradition for any other holiday, it's been missing from my list of childhood experiences.

Until now.

Last night, I bought a pumpkin for $2 at the Local Walmart. And tonight, I shall make an attempt at carving it. We'll see how this turns out.

2008-10-30T08:56:00.003-05:00

I'm gonna have a nephew!!

NOVEMBER!

2008-10-29T08:17:00.002-05:00

November is my favorite month. I love Thanksgiving - it's my favorite holiday, hands down. I love decorating for Christmas. I love the fall. And the fact that my birthday is in November does nothing to hinder its campaign for Rita's Favorite Month.

But, as much as I love November ... I can't believe it's almost here already!! Today is October 29!! November starts on Saturday! This is craziness!!

2008-10-17T15:12:00.006-05:00

I sit in an interesting position on a weekly basis. I work for a pretty conservative church. I receive emails on a regular basis that are intended for the ministers, but are sent through the website. Which means that if you send them happy forwards through the website with no personal note attached, they probably don't get them. Or if you're a musician who wants to ~~perform~~ lead worship at that church, I listen to your music and decide if people will want to hear it before I pass along or delete your email. Or if you send political emails, I read them and delete them. Every one of them. Straight to the Trash Folder.

And this week, boy has there been an overload of those.

For months, we've been getting the "Don't vote for the Muslim" emails. This week, it's "Don't vote for the terrorist." Even a few that are, "Just please don't vote for the black guy."

And I get frustrated for more than one reason -- but the main one is that they're so full of obvious lies. Easily refuted lies. Anyone who wanted to know the truth could just as easily start up Internet Explorer and give it a Google! And these emails are coming from Christians, who just accept things without question - even things that sound utterly ridiculous to say.

Ultimately, I really DON'T CARE who you vote for. I don't. Just don't vote Republican ONLY because you hate Obama and think he's a Muslim. And don't vote Democrat ONLY just because you don't like McCain and think he's ... I don't know. Old.

Know the policies. Know the truth. And base your decision on that. And vote with the empowerment that comes from knowledge.

I have really enjoyed these websites as useful resources for finding out "the truth".

Put Away Falsehood
Fact Check
Politifact

___

If you've noticed my absence from the blogging scene lately, I apologize. I'll be back with regularity soon, I hope! But it's FALL!! (Even though it doesn't feel like it all that much around Charleston.) So I'm spending most of my time praying for cooler weather and knitting.)

This was good to see.

2008-10-17T08:16:00.003-05:00

A moment of levity in a campaign that has had too little.

What to have for dinner when your husband's not home and you want something more than a can of spaghettios

2008-10-07T17:32:00.003-05:00

Our situation at home is such that I find myself eating at home alone at least one night of the week. If you're tempted to feel sorry for me, please do not. No offense to my husband, but this is usually my favorite night of the week. I get a few chores done, eat whatever I want for dinner, and watch whatever I want on TV afterwards. And I can lay around in whatever ugly clothes I want to all the while! :)

Tonight, not to brag or anything, but I really outdid myself on dinner. I think I created my new favorite mashed potato recipe. I'm not sure I would enjoy it as much if there were other things on the plate. It's pretty rich. But if you're up to just a couple of mashed potatoes for dinner, this is awesome!!

4 medium-to-small red potatoes, washed, halfway peeled, and cubed

1 clove of garlic, sliced haphazardly

1 TBSP butter

1 heaping TBSP of sour cream

Boil the potatoes in salted water until they're good and soft (20 minutes). Drain the water. Transfer to another bowl. In the same pot, melt your butter and add the garlic. While the garlic is simmering (for just a minute or two), mash the potatoes coarsely with the sour cream. Then pour the butter into the potatoes, straining out the garlic. Salt and pepper to taste. And inhale. That's what I did!

Merry Christmas!!

2008-10-05T20:17:00.001-05:00

If you're expecting a Christmas present from me this year, chances are it's in this box. :)

A Moss Design

2008-10-02T09:54:00.002-05:00

My sister-in-law makes jewelry. A couple of weekends ago, I helped her to take some pictures of her stuff for her website.

Looking for Christmas presents? Get in touch with her! She's got some great stuff!!

It's Fall!

2008-10-02T07:41:00.002-05:00

My most excellent friend, Jenny, gave me a bag FULL of apples last night. And an apple peeler/corer/slicer (that I MAY just "forget" to return to her). And tonight, I'm making applesauce! And this excites me a lot. More than it should because, really!? It's just applesauce.

:sigh: I think I'm turning into my mother.

I Just Don't Get It.

2008-09-29T10:32:00.002-05:00

(If you have problems with the embedded video, click here.)

And while it's funny when it's Tina Fey rambling on and on on a SNL sketch, it's SCARY how closely she was quoting the actual Palin/Couric interview. (See this article.)

I am hesitant to venture into politics on this blog, because that tends to be very divisive and ... kinda silly. But we're electing the next leaders of the free world. Is there anyone who actually "gets" her as a VP candidate? Are we really serious?!

The Hat ... Not Completed. Yet.

2008-09-25T15:49:00.003-05:00

(Side Note: I don't know that I've ever actually heard the Beatles sing "Lovely Rita" ever. But the song has followed me around since the 7th grade with at least one teacher each year singing it to me while calling roll. Thanks to Mr. Colbert for starting the trend. Anyway. It's on now and I'm kinda digging it. If it's my new favorite does that make me arrogant?)

This is where I stand on this hat project. It wasn't going so well. So I pulled it out to start over. And, instead of retrying with the "good" yarn, I just started over on another color (of the same yarn ... don't ask. I'm dumb.) and this is the finished product.

I super hate taking pictures of myself.

Hoorah! I'm finished with it! Now I can re-cast on for the blue one! :-D

YESSSSSSS!!!!

2008-09-24T09:45:00.002-05:00

If you haven't seen this:

you might not appreciate this:

happy september twenty-second

2008-09-22T14:38:00.000-05:00

Charlie

2008-09-15T14:52:00.004-05:00

I keep forgetting to post these pictures. They're several weeks old at this point, but cute nonetheless.

Everyone, meet Charlie.

Or, rather, see him again.
First, here. Then, here. And again, here. Another time, here. And lastly, here.

Charlie was one of our puppies. And we gave him to our friend, Phillip. Well, technically to Phillip's parents, since Phillip was still in Tanzania, where he was spending a couple of years working with the Peace Corps. But he's HOME now! And when we went to see him, there was the added bonus of getting to hang out with Charlie too!

He's a good combination of Rosie and Ollie. Rosie's size. Oliver's good looks. And just the right balance of both parents' personality. And I love that brown nose!!

2008-09-15T12:59:00.001-05:00

Who, when they first saw Sarah Palin, didn't expect this one?!

Friday!!

2008-09-12T14:31:00.003-05:00

from Garfield Minus Garfield

It's been a heck of a week and I'm anticipating a Friday night of NOTHING. And NOTHINGness includes a LOT of sleep!!

Tragedy

2008-09-09T11:11:00.003-05:00

Man Accidentally Kills Best Friend.

(Yes, I met them more than half-way on that grammatical correction.)

If you read this, would you please take a minute to pray for the Hyrne family. Hannah, Rally, and Mr. Rick just buried their mom (his wife) less than two weeks ago.

Sisters.

2008-09-05T11:26:00.003-05:00

Twice this week, my sister walked into my office and we were dressed alike. Awesome.

Also ... Hurricane Hanna? I ain't skeered. I just wish you'd make up your mind where you're going and just GO there!

Number 4.

2008-09-03T05:48:00.005-05:00

Dear Kyle,

We were married four years ago today. Which means that four years ago at the time I'm typing this (6:50 am), I was probably laying awake in bed, squished between several of my girlfriends who'd made it to town early, with a strange mix of excitement and anxiety twisting my stomach into knots.

I knew I wanted to marry you. I knew I was doing the right thing. And it was our decision. But that bittersweet anxiety mixed with sadness and a large dose of excitement ... I think every bride can identify with that. Questioning whether all the preparations are made. Whether everybody's going to remember what they're supposed to do. Whether I've done everything I'm supposed to do. And throw in a little hurricane chaos ... just for good measure.

But still, at seven o'clock that evening, dressed to the nines (even with bare feet) I stepped out in confidence, knowing that I had been chosen by you. That we were choosing each other over every other potential mate the world had to offer, over the naysayers, over our families, and over anything else that might threaten to pull us apart. This, we determined, is the path we would travel, and we would do so together.

And, in a similar fashion, every day as I walk out of the house (never dressed as nicely but often still with bare feet), I meet the world as Mrs. Kyle Polk. Chosen. Loved. And bound to annoy the same man for the rest of our lives. Lucky you.

Let's have another 4, and then 14 and then 40. Shall we?

NOT SIMPLE!

2008-08-27T13:51:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to make this proclamation, in case anyone in the "Lowcountry" is thinking it and just hadn't had the opportunity to say it yet.

The Lowcountry Franklin Graham Festival is NOT SIMPLE! It is COMPLEX! And ... weird!!

Take their schedule, for instance. When you're planning a three-day event where, over the course of three evenings, you plan to have meetings in the same location, with the same keynote speaker, wouldn't it make sense that all three meeting times would be the same?!

Nah. That'd be too easy! So why don't we make it really difficult for people to remember and make the Friday night meeting at 7:30, the Saturday night meeting at 7, and the Sunday meeting at 4.

What?! That does not make any sense at all. At all! Anybody who does event-planning knows that you make the schedule as easy on the attenders as possible so that you increase attendance by decreasing confusion.

Please forgive the rant. It's not like it really affects me. Except that I have to promote this craziness at work and it's lack of simplicity is just astounding.

A New Hat ... soon.

2008-08-18T13:09:00.000-05:00

I found this pattern online a while back. And I loved it!! So my aunts helped me get it started this weekend! (I'm making the orange one.)

I had to call in the pro for some help a couple of times!I'm not quite done yet, but ... soon!!
I'll post a Completion picture soon, I hope.

Weekend in Ellijay

2008-08-18T12:16:00.004-05:00

My sister and I headed to Georgia this weekend and spent a couple of days with our aunts who live in Ellijay. Aunt Janice and Aunt Karen -- my dad's sisters -- own Strings and Sticks Yarn Shoppe and this was my first time to see their store since it opened. (I posted about it here.) It was SUCH a nice weekend. Their house is in the mountains (MY FAVORITE!!) - and out of cell phone range, so it's a good getaway place. (I'm sure the Aunts probably had that in mind when they moved there from busy Atlanta.)

a very dark picture taken inside a diner where we had lunch on Friday
Me & Aunt Janice -- the older sisters

and another dark one of baby sisters Karen and Mendy

Mendy walking with Granny - we spent a couple of hours visiting with her on Friday.
Mendy is excited to be giving Granny her first great-grandchild.

They had an activity at the center where Granny lives -- making ice cream. She thought it was silly, so I shook the Zip-Loc bags for her and then she enjoyed ice cream.

Then we went to the yarn shop where we spent a lot of the rest of the weekend.
(More on that in my next post.)

That may not mean much to most of you, but let me tell you -- this yarn is the best I've put my hands on. Hands down. If I ever worked at a place like this, I would make no money. I would spend it all. Every bit of it.

And in unrelated news, I finished this blanket yesterday.

John's 29th Birthday

2008-08-14T08:58:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was Kyle's brother's birthday. He turned 29 for the first time. His party was in true Southern style -- half a bushel of boiled peanuts, a big front porch, and the company of many good friends. A lot of these people we met for the first time last night. And, in true JOHN style, a lot of these people, he met for the first time last week! :) (John never meets a stranger. He inherited that trait from his mom.)

It was a good night. Recent goings-on have made us more mindful of the fact that we need to cherish these connections and celebrate each other when we have the opportunity.

Happy Birthday, John.

She is done!!

2008-08-12T15:26:00.002-05:00

Kyle got this email today:

Good news my friend....She is done!! Sending her out today! I will send you pics right now. You are going to be blown away. She sounds amazing. Let me know when you get her and what you think....damn she looks amazing! - JC

So if you see my husband any time soon and you find a peculiarly large smile on his face, this is what that email is all about:

For his birthday this year, we ordered a new snare drum. And if you know Kyle, you know that this decision was not a quick one for him. No, he labored over the finish, the hardware, the wood type, the dimensions, and every conceivable detail on this drum -- even a couple that he had specially added in. And if this picture is any indication, his toils were well worth it. And next time he plays his drums, it won't be on a borrowed snare!

http://www.candccustomdrums.com/

Wilco in Charleston Recap

2008-08-08T12:14:00.004-05:00

Blogging about concerts is so weird, because ... I could type about how Jeff Tweedy got upset by a guy from the middle-back section who actually walked up to the stage and said, "Play louder! I paid $40 for these tickets and I can't hear sh*t back there." And you would say, "That's strange", but why would you care? (That guy got kicked out for being obnoxious shortly afterwards, I understand.)

I could recount the number of songs they played that were "on my list", but if you're not a fan, you wouldn't care. (If you are, "Sunken Treasure", "Heavy Metal Drummer", and "Jesus, Etc.". But "Walken", "Hate It Here", and "Kidsmoke" stole the show... even though the whole concert was pretty much phenomenal.)

But hey, here's this youtube video (that I can't embed) for you to enjoy in case you're interested.

misunderstood

2008-08-07T12:47:00.002-05:00

At one point, I posted this. And now it's August. So tonight's the night.

Me. Jeff Tweedy. His guitars. In the same room. And sharing the experience with my husband and some of our closest friends. Is there a better way to spend an evening? I submit that there is not.

But I'll let you know for sure tomorrow!

I suck at blogging sometimes.

2008-08-04T14:25:00.003-05:00

I've been somewhat absent from the blogging scene lately. It has been true in my life that when my blog becomes really uninteresting, it's usually because life is becoming really interesting.

"Interesting" means different things at different times. Sometimes I'm just too busy -- as life is prone to be during certain seasons. Sometimes the things that I'd potentially write about are too personal to put a blog for all the world to see/read. Sometimes I'm going through times that just don't need documenting. And sometimes -- as has been the case this time -- I'm really learning a lot and processing a lot and find that the time is better spent listening than speaking ... or blogging, as it were. This probably falls under the "too personal" category, though perhaps in a more positive sense than other situations.

There's been a fair dose of family drama lately ([disclaimer] having nothing to do with any aforementioned announcement or anyone involved in/affected by that announcement). We've seen positive things come out of the situation I'm referencing, but still see some work ahead of us. If you know the situation, your continued prayers are always welcome.

And there's been a large dose of learning going on. I think that for the first time ever I'm learning the importance of depending on Christ for life and not just for salvation. And that statement is pretty loaded. The application is even more so. It's a big lesson. That even in the small things... Even when I feel capable and able and equipped to do whatever comes into my path. Even when I could do things alone. ... it's better when I rely on something higher and better than myself. It's what Jesus did. And this sounds so theoretical and abstract, my realist mind is still struggling with the application. But there it is.

So that's where I am. While I'm a sucky blogger these days (Except for the Harry Potter trailer. That was blogging awesomeness at its best.), I like to think I'm becoming a better person. And that's more important anyway.

Friday, November 21

2008-07-30T09:33:00.000-05:00

... who's with me?!

I'm gonna be ...

2008-07-25T07:55:00.002-05:00

an aunt!

A Moss Design

2008-07-23T13:45:00.002-05:00

http://www.amossdesign.com

My sister-in-law has a website!!

And now I'm sure she's working hard on my website, so don't distract her by ordering indulgent amounts of her fabulous handmade jewelry! :-D

Dear Clay,

2008-07-22T08:06:00.003-05:00

Here is a picture of my new computer.

It's pretty much the awesomest. You can come see it in real life sometime.

Your friend,
Rita

This is not completely flattering ...

2008-07-21T09:18:00.002-05:00

But is almost completely true.

I took this quiz, that Cassie posted. And this is what it says about me:

Your answers suggest you are a Realist

The four aspects that make up this personality type are:

Summary of Realists

Loyal and steady workers who meet deadlines
Believe in established rules and respect facts
Think of themselves as mature, stable and conscientious
May appear too logical or tough-minded and forget their impact on other people

More about Realists

Realists are loyal to the people around them and work hard to keep their promises. They are honest and straightforward with others and expect the same in return. Realists believe in standard procedures and will only support change when there is a demonstrable benefit.

Realists respect factual information, which they store up to use when making decisions. This group likes to have time to think quietly and carefully before taking action.

These extremely productive people like to be occupied in their leisure time with pursuits such as craftwork, hiking or reading.

In situations where they can't use their talents or are unappreciated, Realists may become obsessed with schedules, critical of others or have trouble trusting other people to get the job done properly. Under extreme stress, Realists may complain loudly that events have taken a turn for the worse and predict negative outcomes.

Realists typically only share their opinions or personal experiences with trusted friends.

I Endorse This Message.

2008-07-21T07:41:00.000-05:00

Read this.

Magical Bling Bling

2008-07-16T13:28:00.006-05:00

My husband is going to think I'm a hypocrite for posting this, so let me quantify this by saying two things:

1. Flight of the Conchords is (are?) funny. The TV show is not my favorite thing we've ever watched an entire season of, but ... it's funny. (To be honest, I'm pretty sure I've only seen one or two full episodes because I usually fall asleep between the songs.)

2. Even he who shall call me a hypocrite (one who criticizes a TV show for putting me to sleep several nights in a row, says "Do we have to watch that again?", and would rather watch Gilmore Girls [how much credibility did I just lose?] ... and then later posts a video on her blog of the same TV show ... yeh, that falls under that category. I won't deny.) can admit that this is the song I always tried to put on whenever we put the DVDs in. And this is why:

It's hilarious! (Particularly 1:20-1:38)

I should be there too.

2008-07-08T22:07:00.004-05:00

He has red paint on his feet because he painted a drum head tonight.

And I should be where that Blue's Clues pillow is.

So I'm going there right now.

Ain't he cute?

(Man, he's gonna kill me.)

(I love Photo Booth.)

(And my new computer.)

The Harpers

2008-07-07T13:58:00.002-05:00

They both look just like their daddies, and they have the same name.

Ladies and Gentlemen - the Harpers have officially met.
They are friends.
Girl Harper | Boy Harper

PJ Party

2008-07-07T13:54:00.002-05:00

We had a PJ Party at church last night!

We have partnered with Lowcountry Orphan Relief and, as our first effort since teaming up with the organization, we collected pajamas for kids. LCOR provides clothing for kids who have been taken from their homes. Whether due to abuse or neglect or other reasons, when children are placed in emergency foster situations, most of the time, they do not have clothes or school supplies or anything with them. LCOR provides five outfits per child, but they often run low on pajamas. So we collected PJs to donate for this cause.

(These are my roommates. Aren't they cute?)

(They're getting married in a month!!)

(Sleeping Mask = Awesome.)

(Favorite!!)

Vacation 2008

2008-07-07T13:25:00.003-05:00

It came and it went. And it was enjoyable - almost every minute of it.

My friend, Karen, who was my college suitemate (bedmate?!) came for a visit. She had a pass to Wild Dunes, which is a supernice, private beach area just beyond Isle of Palms. It was fairly empty, very windy, and somewhat overcast. Except for the wind, a perfect beach day, if you ask me.

We left on Tuesday for Hilton Head. This was a surprise, last-minute trip. There was a cancellation at Will's family's condo and he offered it to us. SWEET! Our last REAL vacation was September 2004. It was our honeymoon. But the wait was worth it. We needed the getaway. It came at a perfect time.

Also, we made a trip through Hampton on the way so I could get my haircut. (Kyle's mom. Hairdresser. Free haircut/color. Worth the trip.)

And this meant that on the way to Hilton Head, we went through Ridgeland:

where a Gretsch factory is.

When I was a kid, we used to go to Babyland General Hospital on our vacations to Helen, Georgia. My sister and I would take our Cabbage Patch dolls to see where they were "born".
I think this was that kind of a moment for Kyle. Except he didn't take his drums. And we couldn't go in. He just saw a sign. And a building. With no windows. But hey!! Gretsch is on the side!!

Anyway. Later that afternoon, we ended up on Hilton Head Island, where we spent a very quiet, very relaxing, very full-of-sunscreen few days on the beach and at a really big pool.

There were four turtles in the pond. Thought you'd like to know that.

Also these old pictures were there. They made me laugh.

2008-07-07T10:35:00.001-05:00

Home

2008-07-06T10:53:00.001-05:00

Vacation was awesome. I'll have more to say about that later. But here's a picture in the meantime.

numero veinte y cinco

2008-06-25T08:09:00.002-05:00

Today is Kyle's Golden Birthday. We were recently introduced to this concept by one of our roommates. He's turning 25 on the 25th, so that makes this birthday extra-extra-special. "Golden", even. Who knew?

Watermelon Festival

2008-06-23T10:06:00.007-05:00

We rolled into town on Friday evening around 8 PM. And it really was a pretty fantastic weekend.

full of everything deep-fried you could dream of, and a never-ending supply of lemonade

I tried so hard to get a decent picture of this particular room in this house. To me, it was the essence of Life in the South. While I do not always relish this "essence", it's easy to romanticize it for just a weekend.

Anyway. This is a picture of Kyle and James Moore, Sr. -- father of Kyle's good friend, James, who we haven't seen in years.

The front porch. What is Southern life without it? Add a basket of boiled peanuts and a fountain of Mint Julep for extra doses of Southernness.

Later we ended up (in the A/C) at Model T's. This lady was there. I'm pretty sure she captivates my idea of how excited people get about the Watermelon Festival.

Later, she fell asleep in the corner with a lit cigarette hanging out of her mouth.
We woke her up before she burned the building down.

And, once again in the A/C, we enjoyed the parade inside the pizzeria.
Yeh, Hampton has a pizzeria.

Let's face it -- this is what we really went to Hampton for.

Also, their dump truck got pimped out.

And then, there was a birthday party for this little lady, who turns TWO today!

And Joey. I hope I have a kid just like him one day. :)
"Hey!! There's a real nekkid behind in there!"

And that's all I have time for today. Because vacation starts on FRIDAY!!! And I have a lot to get done before I turn my brain off for a week or so!

Quotable Polks

2008-06-19T10:56:00.002-05:00

"Oliver is acting like I am water and he is Jesus. Ollie, you are not the Messiah!"
- Kyle

This week ...

2008-06-16T14:21:00.003-05:00

is the 66th Annual Watermelon Festival in Hampton County. And this weekend, Kyle will be the Prodigal Son - returning home to make his momma proud.

Where we live now, there's nothing that compares to the Watermelon Festival. Every store-front window in Hampton is painted-up with watermelons and vines. Businesses open and close strategically so that the owners are able to both enjoy the festival and make a profit from it. There are vendor booths of craftspeople peddling their wares. More sugar and deep-fryers than should be allowed in a small Southern town simultaneously. (Seriously, the sight of it would give a diabetic the cold sweats.) A street dance that shuts down a couple of roads for several hours on Friday night.

There's something about a whole town celebrating together like this that makes me happy. I mean, no one else cares about the Watermelon Festival -- except maybe a few state politicians attempting to hob-knob with Everyman. But it seems to me that everyone in Hampton gets excited about the Watermelon Festival. (Mind you, these are not my assertions based on the results of a scientific study. My mother-in-law is Edith, queen of Watermelon Country*, so my views of this event are skewed by my perception of her love for The Watermelon Festival.) And that kind of excitement is fun for me to be around. So I'm excited about this weekend!

*No, she's not really the Queen. There's one of those, and she'll be riding high on her parade float on Saturday morning. I'll be there to see her. :)

Seeing Double

2008-06-12T07:37:00.003-05:00

Once upon a time, we had puppies. (Actually it was last October.) They were super cute. And super messy. And they all left the house by the first of January.

This little one is Biggums.

He belongs to Philip & Courtney.

Courtney bought him as a surprise for Philip for Christmas. She wanted "one like Rosie" -- small.
I'd say we gave her the closest thing to Rosie that we could possibly have given. They came over for dinner and brought Biggums with them last night. And it was kinda difficult to tell them apart!

Productivity, pt. 3 or HOW KENNY HELPED US HANG THE BLINDS

2008-06-11T07:16:00.007-05:00

(Maegen and Suzanne helped too.)

TADA!

There are still rakes and shovels laying everywhere because we're not QUITE done yet -- we ran out of mulch just beyond the left edge of this picture. But hopefully we'll take care of that this afternoon and be able to prop our feet up. It's almost there!!

Our friend Greg painted the house for us a couple of months ago. He did a great job and the color turned out great! (Kyle picked it out. You can compare it to the old color - the color of the door. We're waiting on a pressure washer to be delivered very soon and then Kyle will take care of the door.)

Also, the lily. Just for good measure.

Productivity, pt. 2

2008-06-10T07:26:00.003-05:00

The mulch is purchased, but remains in a big pile in the front yard.
The weeds in the flowerbed are GONE!
The new ceiling fan is in operation and looks lovely.
My dad bolted the dishwasher back to the counter. (He undid it and left it that way a couple of months ago when he was working on it. I finally remembered to get some washers so we could fix it. He did it for me last night. Nice.)
Is it possible that that's all we got done last night? That list seems so short! But, alas, I think that is it.

And I woke up this morning to this:

These pictures are pretty terrible, but it was so humid outside that my lens kept fogging up. And then the sun was so bright, I couldn't see my light meter. But, they're flowers. They're pretty anyway.

Tonight, my mom is going to help me put down some landscape fabric (finally!) and then ... the mulch! Yay!