doing life

These last few weeks have seen us just further adjusting and settling into life here. The last of our guests has come and gone and we don't have anyone coming anytime soon. Rather, we will be the ones on the go for the next few months. In fact, I think we are flying somewhere each month from now until August. Next week, we leave for two weeks in California; Aron will work out of the MV office and we will stay with his folks, enjoying time seeing family and friends, and visiting sites and eateries that we love. We plan to drive to Hollister (outside of San Jose), where his sister's family lives, the second weekend and Shan and Steve and Laurie, Jonathan, and Elise, will come to visit us. It'll be a fun filled weekend, seeing our niece and nephew and all the aforementioned friends/family. Last night Shel came over and gave us our Valentine's Day date night we have been planning for a few weeks. Aron and I went to see "Children of Men" and really liked it (our first theater visit since M's birth). Later, we grabbed dinner at one of our favorite noodle places and Oberweis ice-cream for dessert. We were so grateful for a night out; Shel, thanks so much! I've been enjoying my mom's group that meets on Monday mornings. Maggie does really well, either napping at the beginning or the end of our time together. Next week, I'm sharing my Life Graph which is basically my story, my spiritual journey, mapped out on paper, or some other creative fashion. I want to do something other than just write it out, so I'm debating a painting on canvas of some kind (I'm not an artist) or something along these lines; I would just like to have it creatively displayed for my sake. Anyway, like I said, the group is good, the ladies are wonderful and I hung out with one mom, Heidi, last week. She is new to the group like me and has a 4 1/2 month old daughter, so right around Maggie's age (Maggie turned 3 months old yesterday). We met up for coffee at this fantastic bakery/coffee shop. The baked goods are to die for! I enjoyed our time together and can see her becoming a good friend. Let's see...what else? I have been reading several books; just finished "The Eyre Affair" by Jasper Fforde and enjoyed it thoroughly. Loved the author's writing style. I'm currently reading Anne Lamott's "Some Thoughts on Faith." We had Randall and Shel over for dinner on Saturday night; always fun to see them. We attempted to go to church on Sunday, only to find our front tire flat. We grabbed coffee and muffins at the bakery I mentioned above after Aron changed the tire and put on the spare. Then, we drove to Costco, ordered new tires, renewed our membership, walked around for an hour and a half, fed Mags, and came home. We listened to a sermon online from our old pastor in Texas and I was encouraged through his message (he started a series on Esther at the beginning of February). We are waiting for Maggie's birth certificate to come in the mail (do I really have to have it to fly next week??), wondering why "Heroes" didn't record last night and enjoying this season's "American Idol" (where, I might add, an old high school classmate of mine is still in the game--Sabrina Sloan). Also, I am meticulously planning our weekly menus, while trying to stay in budget for groceries, and man, it's a rough go some weeks. I'm trying new recipes, too, which is always fun. Maggie is more fun than ever and I'm feeling more and more comfortable in my new role of motherhood.