Christopher is gone for a couple of days and he left me some yummy Indian rice and food. In return, and because I love him to pieces, I made him some honey oat bread. 

I should have taken into consideration that one pan was bigger than the other.

Not perfect but good nonetheless. How do people get their loaves so perfectly shaped? 

Loki spent the most part of yesterday evening waiting for Christopher to come home - he has an internal clock that goes off at 5pm. Thankfully sleeping seems to have reset this clock.

Seven random things about life now

1) I gave up Facebook for lent. I had been thinking about a trial separation from Facebook and lent seemed like a good opportunity. So, what have my thoughts been so far?

I do have more time and while I have found some other things to waste it on, I have also been more productive. =) I noticed that a lot of my "interactions" with friends were on facebook and I want to put effort - away from my computer - into my relationships of today; my current co-workers, my friends, my husband and God.  That said, I do miss seeing some updates: pictures of friends' babies, updates from my sister-in-law about their life and kids, etc, and updates on my cousins lives.

2) I went to Eau Claire last week to visit some girlfriends from college. I stayed overnight along the way so I didn't have to go the nine hour trip in one day and then we had lunch and took turns holding their babies. It was wonderful to get away for a short while and see old friends and would have been incredibly relaxing if not for the winter storm that blanketed everything in white and made driving stressful for half of my drive home. 

3) My husband has taken over the task of being our social coordinator lately. I am absolutely in love with conversations that start with him saying "so and so are coming over for dinner on Sunday. Do you want to have this or this?"

4) I have worked lots of overtime lately, including one day shift. I may never work another day shift again. For reals. But, aside from that, it has mostly been pleasant. I have been put in several situations (i.e. conflicts) that have given me some insight in how I respond to things at work. Also, I have been reminded that I really like my co-workers.

5) Many of our friends had babies in Jan and Feb so I spent some time making baby gifts.

{a nursing cover from this tutorial}

and I made a few hats for klove and cure international's knit pray love campaign.

6) We gave Loki a new toy that claims to be indestructible. At first we called it "ducky" but he didn't seem to understand that, probably because it sounded too much like "Loki" so now we call him "Howard."

7) Maybe it's spring fever or the fact that I have been land-locked and adventure-less for too long but I've been day dreaming and doing some research about going on vacation: a cruise, Hawaii, the Florida Keys. If all works out, we'll take a nice vacation in the fall when Chris is done with his qualifying exams. For now, we are going to have a mini stay-cation this Friday night and I am awaiting April which will see me flying to Baltimore.

Five Minute Friday: Ache

Today I'm linking up with The Gypsy Mama, using her prompt to write a post that has been forming in my head for awhile.

Go {0700, yep, I'm up early!}

I sit on the couch with a tow-headed toddler, the son of a Marquette student who I just met. We read about Luella the Ladybug seventy four times as his blond curls brush my cheek. The room is buzzing with activity: friends celebrating a baptism, students talking about scholarships and qualifying exams, and moms discussin due dates, car seats and sleep schedules.  I don't know why he choose me, a stranger in a sea of strangers but I was grateful to settle in under the din and read about Luella.

I remember riding to the party, clutching my husband's hand and, with tears stinging my eyes, praying that I'll be able to enjoy a party that centers around a baby when we know that one wont be joining us in nine months. I was surprised at the emotions that surround finding out this time and, despite our prayers, the band around my chest tightened, the physical ache behind emotional pain. 

The ache lessons with acknowledgement -- to my husband, to friends who care and to co-workers who also wish they could "drink the magic water" - and it begins to lift through prayer. But on that Sunday, as the conversations swirled around us I found comfort in the the little hands turning the pages and the promise of God's faithfulness.

STOP {0707, almost!}