Eat All The (Peruvian) Foods!

What do you feel like eating? they ask me.

ALL THE PERUVIAN FOOD I CANNOT GET. I answer.

That's pretty much it. Although when it comes to meal time (with the exception of breakfast, I always know exactly what I want for breakfast the minute I open my eye in the morning) it's always difficult to figure out "exactly" what I want to eat for lunch or dinner. Mainly because the first things that come to mind are things I can't have in this country. And yes, there are Peruvian restaurants here in Atlanta but no, it's not the same. NO - it.is.not.the.same.

What do I feel like eating?

Causa Rellena

Anticuchos

Papa Rellena

Tamales, Humitas and Tamalitos Verdes

Empanadas

Sandwiche Triple

Pan con Chicharron

Butifarra

Pastel de Choclo

Lomo Saltado

Arroz con Pato

Alfajores - but the ones tia Macucha makes

Turron de Dona Pepa

Mazamorra Morada

So that's just to name a few... and yes, they do sell empanadas and tamales at various latin restaurants, but NO, they are not the same.

Everything in me would like to spend the rest of this pregnancy in Lima, but for obvious reasons that will not be happening. I just might have to bite the bullet and go to one of the local peruvian restaurants just so I can (try) to get these cravings out of my system (although it won't be the same)

In the meantime, I will take myself and my baby to get a snack and play Candy Crush Saga. 

School in the Big City

Something else that happened this Summer, that is actually quite significant, is that this child went off to New York City for school.

I'm happy to report that is he doing great and loving every second (well, maybe except for the seconds involved with mid-terms and the seconds involved with finishing a paper to meet the deadline).

To put it in perspective, I want to share a couple of actual text conversations that have taken place over the past 2 months or so:

Fern: you survived week #1?
JM: Yep! just finished running at central park

...............................................

Fern [messaging after a missed call in the middle of my work day]: JM, I'm at work... is everything ok?
JM: Yeah! Just had exciting news. I can wait though
Fern: Okay! Can I call you around 5pm? will you be around?
JM: I'll b running over the East River

..............................................

Oh the hassles of living in NYC.

Other Things

So besides being pregnant, sleeping a lot, and Norm doing all the chores, we've actually been enjoying the last few days of our Summer.

The very first day that we got the positive result, we had planned to go to Chattanooga to watch our friend Eric compete at a chef competition. So thanks to our lovely friend Kerrie, we got a picture because "today is the day you found out! you need a picture" (please excuse that man's armpit on my head... it was crowded)

A few weeks after that we went to our friend Ed's wedding... this was the second time in a social environment that I wasn't able to drink. Which is okay because 1. even thinking drinking makes me feel sick and 2. there were long lines at the bar.

Then at the end of August I flew to Denver to surprise my sistah Nicky for her baby shower. I got to spend 3 days with her and her husband and their dog Papaya. It was great. We ate lots of carbs and did a lot of resting. And planned the future of our children if we are to have a girl (she is having a boy). We figured that if we have a girl, they can get married, then we'd have a hell of a party at the wedding and her grandbabies would also be my grandbabies. Awesome.

We took advantage of Labor Day sales and got new furniture. Finally our living room doesn't smell like dog. And we are no longer limited to being able to sit only on the chair in order to avoid getting dog hair all over our clothes.

September came with a nice surprise at work - I received the Maestro of the Quarter award (also known as or Manager of the Quarter at any regular company)

And what is September without birthday month celebration? We met up with our awesome friends Kerrie & Eric and Doug & Corina and had brunch at our favorite spot.

Here's Norm hugging the baby...

At the end of the month we went to Charleston because these lovely people got married:

We had a nice relaxing weekend. Thankfully my morning sickness had dwindled off (I still get random episodes though... but it certainly is not all day as before) so we ate lots of good food and walked around... sometimes like a crazy woman with my hands up in the air because my hands would swell from walking and the heat...

Lastly, we went to the state fair. And although it completely disappointed compared to the fair we are used to back in Perry, GA, at least we got the chance to eat funnel cake!

And yes, that is my belly starting to poke out. It is growing rapidly. 

A Human

Well, hello world, that's basically what a new little human will be saying on (or around, give or take a week or so) April 7, 2015. I don't know if it was my rant about 11 years of marriage or the Whole30 or just the the right time or God finally giving in to all the prayers from everyone in various countries or what. All I know is that back on August 10, when I got these results:

at 5:00am, I woke Norm up and said "Love! the test came back positive! what are we going to do?!?" and he, not even opening an eye, got out of bed, gave me a hug and said "we are going to have a BABY! Now get back in bed, it's 5;00am!"

A week after that we got to see this:

And yesterday we went back to the doctor and got to see the baby's little head, the nose, an arm waving around and before we knew it, baby rolled over and we saw the entire backbone... little lizard tail and everything. Then we got to hear the heartbeat that was right at 150 - 160 beats per minute. 

We are officially in a journey that we thought we would never get to take...

So after 12 weeks of doing lots of nothing - which involves taking 5 hour naps after work - and eating lots of toast, bread, english muffins, bagels, cream cheese and chocolate milk, I am (somewhat) back to normal and back in action. 

Now Norm, on the other hand, has been quite busy keeping up with making me fruit juices in the mornings, keeping up with the laundry, cleaning the bathroom, doing all the yard work and grocery shopping on his own...

Teamwork is on - let's grow this little human! 

11 Years of Marriage

Dear 11 Years of Marriage,

You are a bit overwhelming. You aren't a milestone year... you're neither here nor there... so technically you should be somewhat insignificant...

You haven't given us everything that we once dreamed of when we were young and starting this adventure. You have, however, taught us so much more than our young brains at 22 could have ever grasped.

I know, 11 years, that for some couples you never arrive. But in the spectrum of life, 11 years, you really aren't a long time. For us, you sure have been loaded and today we wrap you up.

We still have lots more to straighten out and achieve in all aspects of the word. So on that note, 11 years, thank you for what you have brought our way (although it has involved less of what we had hoped for and more than what we were prepared for at times).

2003

2003

Summer is Here

Well, not officially, but close enough.

And with summer come lots of things, but right now two main, obvious ones -

#1. In the last few days I have been reminded of how hot it gets in this house.
#2. Fireflies are so awesome. Pellet and Cali chase them around the back yard.

Here's a picture of Norm and I at Juan Ma's graduation a few weeks ago:

Watching TV

This is how they watch TV. With their heads on the same pillow.