sweet home oklahoma

After Aruba, JR had to fly back to PA to head back to work and I stayed back in TX coordinating {eating donuts} the move. Since we have been in temporary living, all of our stuff had stayed behind until last week. I could not have done it without the help of my parents, who so willingly helped me take shifts as we watched all of our belongings get packed, loaded, and driven off to PA. After a 3-day move, JR flew back and we made our old drive up to the Farm. It was a weekend filled with this....

A weekend filled with fresh air, fishing, 4-wheelers, and some darn cute kiddos. I think there was even a fish fry in there. We had perfect weather everyday, with some afternoon spring showers, and a 4-wheeler showdown.

We can go a million places in the world to relax and enjoy, but there is something about being home and being able to ride out into the pasture with your niece and nephew that makes you realize there is no where else you'd rather be.

Some poor critters got thrown into the mix, and because Aunt Nat isn't a lover of critters...I got to play photographer while they all try and convince me to just "pet" them. If it doesn't have fur and meow, bark, or moooo chances are I won't be interacting much.

I'd trade places with this little guy if he'd let me come post up in OK, wherever he may live and I'll switch him and give him our spot in PA. He doesn't seem like one, much for discussion?? It's also very okay that my niece and nephew have to tell me the difference between a toad and a frog.

On weekends like this, to be down in the creek and look up to see a clear blue sky and hear nothing but the sounds of Oklahoma really really makes it hard to accept that we are a thousand miles from where we want to be.

We have our days. Some good, some bad. Some sad, too. Overall, it has been and I know it will continue being a learning experience and quite an adventure for our little family but it doesn't take away our heartache of missing our family, friends, and being able to watch pool time.

...or to even share in spotting a hummingbird nest up in the tree.

My husband is so at peace out there, and there is no greater joy for me than to see him so happy.When daddy ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

I have to stop myself sometimes and realize that we chose this move. We chose this. It still can't take away how much we miss home, but I pray daily that we grow. That we grow in more ways than one.

It's easy to get caught up in the trials we all face, but for me, and not without struggle it's easier now to see how blessed we are. How blessed our life is, that we were given the opportunity to pursue a career, and given the opportunity to share this time together, and most importantly given the opportunity to start our own family. I simply could not ask for more.

We now anchor down in PA in anticipation of the arrival of our sweet tiny who daily reminds us how much we have to look forward to with every little kick and rumbling we feel of him. He's getting ready to come out and play with his buddy Luke, who paid us a visit at the Farm :) We've gotta keep growing this baby, so he can too can fall in love with the Farm just like his mommy and daddy. Where is your Farm?

because I know you're curious

What does a 7 month preg look like at the beach?? {and you thought I was shy...the unveiling.}

The Aruban babymoon was a success. Success to me, has something to do with palm trees, family, the beach, and a virgin strawberry margarita. Well, that's how I measured success last week, atleast.

My husband, never one to pass up a competition of any sort, won himself a massage at the spa. He wins everything, really. It's absurd. These drunkies had been trying for over an hour to win this game, and JR walked up and beat them all. I was a proud pregnant wife playing photographer in the midst of drunk overly-tanned men, lavished in gold chains and mixed drinks.

We spent our afternoons sunning the belly, with our toes in the sand, and a good book. Left Behind dominated my week, albeit, a decade after you've likely read it.

Daddy read this, and a very informative read it is. GREAT recommendation for any daddy-to-be. I thought he was a good-looking friend, a hot boyfriend, an even hotter husband, but being the daddy to my sweet tiny surpasses all. Eesh. I love him.

The view from our room alone was worth the trip, waking up to a blue ocean and some boats is a kind of relaxing that you can get nowhere else but the beach.

That is until, you hear the music that goes to this...

No need for description. This is what we so desperately came in search of.

The future grandparents we must thank for such an amazing trip.

We made our way around the island one day, stopping at The Natural Bridge. A bridge on the edge of the island, completely natural with breathtaking views and crashing waves.

Hudson too, got a view.

We were able to get away, at just the right time. In the midst of moves, babies, phone calls, emails...life. A break. A much much needed break. You don't have to go Aruba to get this, go to your favorite place in the world or stay in for a few days with your husband/family/whomever and just be. A babymoon I recommend to all mommy and daddies to-be.

It's down to 11 weeks until the arrival of our sweet tiny. We plan on soaking up our last couple of months of JR & Nat, because before we know it...our family will be JR, Nat, & Hudson ♥

is it totally okay...

that I've felt such comfort staying at my parent's house all week?

that I keep telling myself that my appetite is slowing down, even though I can still out-eat you any day?

that I realized my showers are man-showers {bar of soap, shampoo/conditioner/, and a razor}? My makeup bag is a whole different ballgame.

that I can still very much rock out to Eminem in the car, and like it? Then feel guilty that I'm playing rap for my womb child...

that the lack of normalcy in our life is starting to feel normal?

that I secretly like having moved far far away {just for a bit}, just me and my husband? I find romance in that.

that I've been away from my kitty babies, going on two weeks now and I miss them more than I'm willing to admit publicly?

that being a housewife is WAY more work than I had ever imagined?

that my heart swells and feels like it could explode, when I think of how much I am in love with our son?

that I think it's totally awesome that I just now changed the name on my Social Security today? Over a year after our wedding...wow.

that I sit and stare at Hudson's ultrasound pictures daily because I can't wait to see his sweet face and smother him with millions and millions of kisses? poor child.

that I just read Left Behind, 10 years after the rest of the world?

showering Hudson

Lauren and Lauren, two of my very dearest hosted a most wonderful shower for Baby Hudson. It was filled with baby blues, family, friends, love, and cake. Cake and cupcakes.

...a Carole cake. Had one? You should.

and a cupcake surprise from my daddy ♥

We played the "guess the baby food" game. I got them all wrong.

Macaroni and cheese was not a hit.

Daddy and Grandpa.

Gifts are fun...

but an afternoon with your best's and family, you just can't beat.

JR and I both, are so unbelievably thankful for such a sweet shower thrown in honor of our baby boy. We are filled with gratitude to have such awesome family and friends, some of whom made long drives just to be able to celebrate with us as we get closer to meeting our sweet tiny. It made our day to spend time with all of you, and it is a day we will forever cherish.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

from the very bottom of our hearts.

Bye!

I come to you live from the Admiral's Club :) We'll be catching a flight in about 30 mins to ARUBA!!

We celebrate today our one year anniversary, our first year as husband and wife. We also start today our second year, and one now as a future family of three.

I cannot sit among these travelers and fully "blog" about our year (I have to fully concentrate), but upon return I promise lots of good updates on our anniversary, life in Pitt, and our BABYMOON!!

oh! and of Hudson's most precious shower given by Lauren and Lauren, too much to blog about!!!! Wow.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you sweet mommies out there! Have a wonderful day!!

throw your hands up in the air

Please! Join in on the celebration...

THAT I PASSED MY GLUCOSE TEST!!!!!!

{you will find me doing something very similar to this right now; photo circa our wedding day}

I was so worried/scared that I was "sweetening" up our precious tiny baby too much. We now can celebrate that tiny is safe, sound, and not full of sugar! Praise Him!

award day :)

As I sit and watch the latest updates on this heinously disgusting pig flu, a little dose of disease-free happiness for the day!

Anytime I'm given an award I am so bloggy-honored :) Really, I am. I love to know that I've made friends with you and/or connected via blog.

Sweet, sassy, and cool Adventures in Newlywed gave me an award!! A friend award, the very best kind! We all perhaps will never get to meet face to bloggy face, but we all feel friends to each other and it truly is fun to share in all your stories and pictures, and to feel like we've made a friend.
So, thank you Mrs. Adventures for such a lovely award!

{Here are the rules: These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbon of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.}

The Denoves

So Happily Us

Bralys in the Burgh

Dave and Brit Plus One

One Hot Dish

Babbling Abby

The Neaves'

oklahoma blessings

Blog world saved me. This originally started as a means to stay in contact with our family and friends because we made the {big} move to Dallas. Big, HA! Blogger though, has provided a world of "invisible friends" as JR has named it and I could be no more grateful for my sweet "invisibles"! From home decor ideas, recipes, mommyhood, impending mommyhood---you name it, you've helped me out in one way or another.

Blogger did come full circle for me though! In PA! Try and keep up now, a sweet sweet mommy {Jodie} over at The Shupe's, who went to church with JR, growing up...had a link on her blog that read: Bralys in the Burgh {Kyndal} who was a sorority sister of hers at OSU. As soon as I saw Burgh, I immediately became a blog stalker and asked Kyndal for some PA guidance and we became fast email "friends". We finally got a chance to become real friends this week!

In a new place far far from home, I found a most beautiful mommy with the same love for Oklahoma as we have, with the most precious growing family. Have you seen a face this sweet and kissable, in all your days?!! Meet Kaiser, whom came dressed in OU gear to meet me for the very first time.

They were familiar faces to me, via blogger I know, but we got to chat as though we had been friends from our days in OK and found we have so very much in common. Only two weeks in on our journey in PA, and what a true blessing it is to have found a friend in Kyndal and the Braly Family.

Doesn't He work in the most awesome ways!?!

Incline

One of the neatest attractions here, is the Duquesne Incline {pronounced du-kayne, neat because I would have said it du-kes-nee}. It takes you from the river, up to Mt. Washington where we indulged ourselves with a delicious steak dinner!

I believe the incline still uses the original cars built in 1877, or so says this website.

It's best to go up as the sun sets, and you get the most spectacular view of the city. Romance above the city :)

This here is my spectacular view, and my romance above the city. Best view in town, I have.

my reward

Remember this post? I desperately wanted to be a PA mommy toting around my diaper mess in this pretty:

Sad story; when I went to buy it, they were SOLD OUT. I had little tears and went in search of the beloved bag. Hudson really wanted it for mommy :) I went so far as to call Burberry and ask them for a special order...they too said, "sorry! completely SOLD OUT"...and they weren't sure when Neiman's would get them, if ever.

I brought the laptop with me to the hospital to help pass my 3-hours here, and in between 4 blood draws I thought I'd play around on Neiman's to see if by chance they had anything else similar.

THEY HAD IT! I quickly called mom, we bought it {she bought it} and it was ordered!!!!! My sweet reward for a long morning at the hospital. As mom goes back to look at it online, it is gone.

Gone.

I panic, start to sweat and mom tells me to call them to make sure my order went through. Sure enough, the nice Neiman's man tells me I got the last one.

For real.

I could pee myself I'm so excited. Burberry take that. I got it. Alas.

Please, pretty please I ask for a prayer today as I finish up my last hour of the test and anxiously await my results...I have cookies waiting for me at home if I pass.

PA

Our first week in PA has been a roller coaster of emotions {hormones}, GPS, and miles of driving around our new state. The week started out iffy, as I adjusted to life without Texas/OK...I missed our family, our stuff, etc...

By Tuesday I was in the car with the GPS and for the next few days I drove all around the city, exploring. The only way to get acclimated is to get out. I did just that, and once ended up on a BUS ONLY route. Who has a BUS ONLY route?? Think, highway just for buses. I was high-tailing it out of there as my GPS yelled all kinds of "recalculating" messages at me. I was cursing all sorts of Texas stuff at the buses and at my Garmin. Very high stress moment, as buses were honking at me to get the heck out of their road. Neat. I then changed "her" voice to the British version, so that now when she yells at me it sounds more polite.

I was eager for the weekend to come so that JR and I both could get out and explore some ourselves. Saturday we spent driving the north part of the city and found some really beautiful neighborhoods full of trees and winding roads. That night, JR's friend Justin, invited us to his cabin about an hour or so south of the city.

The drive out there was full of old farms, tree-covered hills, and beautiful ponds throughout. So refreshing. By the time we made it to the cabin, there was no sound. Nothing. No planes, trains, and automobiles.

My husband quickly though, found something to play with. As always. A bike for a 3 yr old...

We {they} made a bonfire, sat under the Pennsylvania sky, and smore'd it. I won't tell you that I had one or two. I type that, as I sit here at the hospital during my 3-hour glucose test. Ugh.

I leave you lastly with a pic of baby at the bonfire. He enjoyed it, and kicked the whole way home that night, sweet tiny.

{disclaimer: I am not on fire, our new camera does some pretty neat work}

no longer friends

Debbie and I have ended our {relationship} friendship, obsesession. Little Debbie and I.

I'm sad it's over, to be very honest. My night's of stashing Zebra Cakes in my nightstand are no more.

I had my very first dr's appt yesterday, met the new Mr. Doc, and offered to do the dreaded glucose test yesterday. Ugh. The drink itself really didn't bother me, but the waiting-a-whole-hour-after part wasn't neat.

I failed. They called me later in the afternoon to tell me that you must be 130 and under. I tested at 135. Only 5 points over, but I must do the next test. THE THREE HOUR test!!!! BAH!

If I too fail the second test, that means no more pasta, white bread, good stuff, yummy stuff, delicious things, and Little Debbies. Oh, and chocolate cake. People ask me all the time if I wish I could have a glass of wine, etc...never never has even crossed my mind. To take away sweets though, feels like a crush to my soul. It hurts.

{Anything for our sweet baby boy, though. That's how I know it's true love, that I would cut out chocolate cake.}

So, please I ask you for some "sweet" prayers on Monday morning, er, all of Monday morning as I take the horrid forever-long glucose test.

Since you read all of that mess, I leave you with some pics of a 25 week belly :)

This picture baffles my husband's mind. I'm starting to get a rather gargantuous belly with no stretchies!! PTL :)

Goodnight, sleep tight, and eat a Little Debbie for me.

take me out to the...what??

Down in TX, our baseball games summon memories of warm summer nights and dollar hot dogs.

Not up here in PA, y'all. I was in FOUR layers at a baseball game. We walked down to the Pirates game the other night! It felt plainly out of season for baseball, and more so, that of an early November OU game in Norman.

I can speak no wrong though, of PNC Park, as it is right on the water with a spectacular view of dahntahn. I absolutely cannot say {downtown} like they do up here. Y'all.

My husband is drawn to sports as I am to the food provided at the events...so I tag along.

Go Pirates!

and we're here

We made it! Survived the trip, with two not-so-happy kitties. I don't blame them though; cargo in a plane isn't where I'd want to be locked up either.

Our flight went smoothly, and our absurd amount of luggage all got here so I really have no major complaints :) yet...

The temporary living apts we got are right on the water, so nice. Check out this view, hello PA.

See that UPMC building?? That's JR's office, 20-something floor. Very cool and downtown-ish and I love that I can walk to the pool and "see" my husband. That's my style!

First day on the job as a housewife {excitement abounds}, which needs its own post entirely, but I did get my pregnant self out of bed at a decent hour and have been very productive getting us organized in the land of PA. I vowed to not let the kitties on the bed anymore post-move but they are not breaking this habit very well. Much, much to my dismay.

Temporary living is bizarre because you come basically with your clothes, pets, and self. Everything else stays until our permanent move which will be within the next two months.

Surprisingly, it's cozy here and drizzly today and I am so happy to be with JR and our tiny family which does not void out though, how desperately we miss everyone at home. I was so fortunate being able to see my dad everyday at work, and having homemade lunch from mom daily, and being only a state away from siblings and parents and friends, oh my. We come to you live now from this spot, here 1,300 miles away...

In my many phone calls today and run downs to the leasing office, I have found everyone in the city so very nice, pleasant, and accomodating. I was fearful of leaving the comfort of the Sweet South, but so far I have been super pleased with the friendliness awaiting us here up North. I leave you now, because my fridge is looking like this, and it does not look good on my housewife itinerary to have such a fridge. You can envision me in a cute apron too, not in JR's flannel pants and my sweatshirt from yesterday that have been my attire for the day. Happy Monday and hugs from PA!! Whoa.

my heart is in Texoma

It's 'bout that time. Our move to PA is in the works, and this weekend JR, myself, two kitties, and baby-in-tow will be flying up to our new city...along with 14 suitcases.

I miss these boots...

and the man that wears them and that wedding band.

He's been in PA all week, getting his office set-up and such. I've been home running all last minute errands as fast as my pregnant self can go. Our home is about to change, but home is starting to feel like a million places. People are home to me, to us. Our son will be home. Our family is home. The friends we leave in Texas/Oklahoma are home. I'm not sure when PA will feel like home, but as long as we're happy, healthy, and have faith that we're right where He wants us, I can think of no better place to call home than wherever we may be.

See you in PA.