baby?

Will Jaida grace us with her presence tonight?!

Being 3000+ miles away from one of your most favorite people-

when she’s about to deliver her first baby

is a difficult thing.

I can’t wait to see baby Jaida in 9 days and kiss her sweet little cheeks!

a beautiful thing.

Flight Information:

 CONFIRMATION: 
March 12, 2010
BWI- SEA.

happy valentine’s day to you!

Snow-again, doula me, and a blizard baby.

Are you tired of hearing about my snow?

Well I am tired of looking at it! It has been going since Friday. My beautiful shady tree has collapsed, as has my gutter.

This is my tree "before"...that is, when Snowmagdeon was just starting...

this is my tree "after" (just snapped this shot)... six days and counting.

As I type this, the snow is catapulting from the sky. Yes, I said catapulting. There is no other way to describe it.

Honestly.

It’s like ten zillion clouds are catapulting their tiny little flakes at 100 mph and they are steadily and increasingly flying though the air- from cloud to ground. You look outside and it’s coming down so fast it almost looks like a sheet of white.

The roads of Baltimore are officially closed. The governor issues this warning; STAY INSIDE.

oy.

Well, (Sorry Mr. Governor) I am venturing out into the blizzard. Adios cabin fever!! There is a mother delivering a snow baby at the hospital down the street. Water birth. Yesssss!

This baby is so lucky. Can you imagine?? He or she will always hear;

“You were born in the great Baltimore storm of 2010!”

This story is to be continued…

my first real snow blizzard.

Blizzard (blzrd)(n): a strong bitterly cold wind accompanied by a widespread heavy snowfall

It started out so innocently,

but that tree you see that was positioned so nicely-

shading our back porch,

is now bent inches from the ground

hello snow.

around the neighborhood.

this didn't work so well...

yes, those are cars on the right.

beautiful monument!

the roads

winter storm.

Yes, I am in the midst of this snow storm on the East Coast.

The snow is silently falling as quick as pouring rain

It is beautiful and quite peaceful…

pictures to come.

kisses,

rach

40 aka forty

I made it to forty!

I feel that I should probably write something really profound for you however, I think all I really need to say is that it is New Years and I am spending it with some of my favorite people! We are full of smiling, laughing, happiness, and playing with my adorable niece-cat, Spicee!

my neice-cat. i love her.

34

His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God,

The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isiah 9:6

Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth

peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2:14

29 Snowed in with you.

Snow is everywhere!

It started last night around 8:00 pm  and continued all through the night. When I first saw those innocent tiny and soft flakes in the lamp lights, I had no idea that this morning we would rise to a blanket of white that covered everything- It was gorgeous! The snow fell silently while we slept and  drifted up to the corners of all the doors so that you could not open them without digging out and around. The stairs leading up to the porch were gone and only the tops of the bushes poked up through the sea of white.

We of course threw what were miserable excuses for snowballs, at one another…but it was more like a whispy “fwooooooshhhh” that dusted you instead of a “boosh- splat” wet snow ball that I am used to. It was the snowball fight of pacifists- we were only missing “Sorry I got you!”

After some failed attempts at snow angels, where we just sunk deep down into the snow, and then had to shout “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” we tried to shovel people’s driveways. Because that seems like the neighborly, and kind, and old fashioned thing to do…

However,

private snow plows rule the road here, so we walked down the snowy-plowed street, shovels dragging behind us enjoying the beauty all around us.

One of the scariest things about being up North is the cold. I whine, and complain, and lament about the snow, and the col,d and the wind that makes the weather report, report- “29º , but feels like 8º.”  Normally, this, or even the thought of this, makes me pretty miserable.

But, today, I had this realization that the snow here, is not that bad. As I look outside through the window, (though 1/3 of my view is obstructed by snow-drifts), I realize that there is something endearing about seasons, about the change, and about a good pair of:

warm boots with furry lining, long johns, two pairs of socks, water proof pants, mittens, a neck warmer with a scarf over it, wooly hat, fleece, and my not-so-puffy coat.

Oh, Alaska… you aren’t so bad.

A drastic change from last year…and PS no, I’m not really in Alaska, you have to read last year’s blog to get it!  last year’s snow blog

27: Last night of Hanukkah

Wonderful Hanukkah gift:

“The Ineffable Name of God”by Abraham Joshua Heschel

I think him and I would have made great friends, we both share an appreciation for trees

——————————-

“I Befriend the Forests”

….

I begin mutely to gossip

and tell the forest folk

that all is well with me, or not so well with me.

that I’m homesick, homesick, homesick-

25. fun in glaveston

Kind of terrifying when all these birds are headed for your hand, and YES, the bird bit me!

human bird feeder.

good coffee

the sign above my head is how high the water got during Hurricane Ike!

The Gulf! I love this girl and her sister who refused to be in pictures!

running from water!

20.

good cookie fortune.

may this never not be true.

19

Houston with the lovliest peoples!

family!

Noah was pretty captivated by Frosty!

Sweet fire works and tree lighting show

numero 14, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

it snowed today in baltimore, which is so weird, because earlier this week, it was in the 50’s.

–

i was totally unprepared; mentally, that is. physically, i was all over it. i should have been studying for my pharmacology final which is monday, and which is pretty intimidating. however, there is something so luringly distracting about those perfect white flakes.

i knew i had to study, but really, i just wanted to watch the snow.

unfortunately, my desk is no longer situated in front of the window…

you understand then, why i could not study at my desk. instead, i had to open the blinds and lay out in front of the window to study/snow flake watch.

all that watching while, laying and reading (with christmas music, candles, and soup on the stove) made me quite sleepy.

i then had to nap.

after I woke up, i was full of energy; not the energy that makes you want to breeze through 5 chapters of cardiac this and that, but the kind of energy that makes you want to be outside- skipping and whistling or something fabulously immature like that…

so all bundled up; gloves, hat, coat, scarf, ipod,

i left my books and studied the snow in downtown baltimore instead.

it was quite lovely, and as of december 5th 2009,  11:56 pm

i do not regret it one bit.

sleepy random thoughts #10

This evening I happen to be very tired, and my tired-ness makes me not want to blog about happy things.

I’d rather lay on my bed, close my eyes, and hum to some good tunes- allowing my mind to be completely free of debilitating heart catastrophes and the drugs that fix them. At this point, I’d take just about anything that would allow me to be completely idle…slothful…lazy… you pick the adjective. This is very unlike me, so this is how I know I am ready for the semester to end.

Don’t mistake my words though. I promise I’m not complaining… I’m just saying. With my fruity Teavana (my new obsession, thanks to Ashley) tea, raspberry candle, and Pandora set to Sufjan, I’m actually feeling quite peaceful… unless I’m confusing peacefulness with fatigue. This is a possibility.

Oh, I just thought of something nice that happened:

Today the weather was beautiful. Absolutely. The sky was brilliant, a stark contrast to the gray and rain that soaked the city yesterday.

And so it was, as is my ritual before every exam, I took the elevator up to the ninth floor of the School of Public Health, found a seat with a view of the harbor in the distance and set to work. I read until I was pretty convinced that I could not read another word, so I packed up my notes, my empty coffee mug, my smart glasses, and all those neon highlighters and biked home, taking in all the warm and happy December (whaatt?!?!) weather.

Tomorrow is a long day, I have my first final (yay- happy!!) followed by a career fair, followed a two hour class, followed by going over my presentation, followed by giving my presentation.

Makes me pretty sleepy just to think about it: However, with each day I finish, it brings me one day closer to Christmas break- which means seeing my Summer! 8 days!! Expect the real count down to Summer to start tomorrow!

And there you have it. I thought I could not do it, but it looks as though I have! Wow! Look at how positive blogging, jumbled, haphazard, as it may be, has made my evening happier. I like taking time to think about the good things.

I have a smile on my face.

sometimes i love baltimore.

fall is pretty

and Jenny and baby Jaida are lovely.

I love Jaida

she kicks Jenny all day long and she makes my Jenny go…. “fwoooooooooo”when she breathes.

Also I love Jaida because she is helpful. Jenny and I are indecisive.

“Jenny, are you hungry, wanna eat?

I don’t care.

Do you want to eat Rachel?

I don’t care.

Well what do you want to eat?

I dunno. What do you want to eat Rachel?

I don’t know.

Jaaaida??? Are you hungry? Yes!!  Do you want tofu!? Yes!!”

oh Jaida, I love you!

Jenny and Jaida.

I miss you a lot

Last night was admittedly difficult. Baltimore can feel like a very lonely place and I am not particularly fond of crying.

Don’t get me wrong, I feel blessed to be here, and 92% of the time, I’m happy as a lark keeping busy with school. As you can imagine there isn’t much time carved out in my planner to fit in, “pity party 10:00 pm” Though I do manage it occasionally.

Because of my little unscheduled pity party last night,  I didn’t get enough sleep- alas, it was a long day, a great day at the hospital, but long.

This is the place in the story where the wise woman would go to bed. I can be unwise. I also can’t go to bed at 8:00. So I decided to run through my neighborhood for the first time!

I think part of my disconnectedness with Baltimore is the fact that I haven’t been able to run through it’s streets. Running through my neighborhood is how I become acclimated to my surroundings, and not being able to acclimate myself after being here for five weeks has made things quite difficult. This little hip issue of mine, has really thrown a wrench in my life, but I decided it’s been felling pretty good, so I thought I’d give it a little test run.  I walked past my gym full of safe ellipticals and stationary bikes, and walked through the gate and I ran. It was beautiful.

I think I often describe things as glorious, but truly, it was. I ran through Mt Vernon the top of this hill, past the Walter Museum, past some beautiful monuments, and past some parks with lightning bugs. Lightning bugs make me smile. They remind me of my summers in Ohio. Glorious lightning bugs. Then there were the buildings. Mt Vernon has some very beautiful historical architecture with charming mini parks in between. I ran past people dining outside in the heat of the evening while the sun was setting. They were smiling and laughing and eating delicious food. Glorious.

I stopped at the intersection with the cathedral and the Washington monument. Amazing. I will never get used to how beautiful they are.

At the intersection at one of the parks there was a boom box, yes, just like in the 80’s with the late Michael Jackon blaring and people dancing randomly. I had no idea why, so I walked up and talked to them. Great people. As much as I love dancing, I had to decline. Sweaty Rachel in sweaty running shorts, makes for an uncomfortable dancer! But anyhow, it too was glorious!

Then there was Oggie. I love Oggie. Oggie is this beautiful dog who was in the park. I petted Oggie and told the owner that she should definitly bring Oggie to the hospital to visit patients because he is such a perfect dog!

My leg managed to let me run that short distance and I was so thankful because I think I really needed to get out and explore the neighborhood when I was in my element…not hurrying to class, but peacefully, happily enjoying my surroundings while I ran through them.

But just for your peace of mind, (for those of you who watch The Wire) No worries… with my hip, I defintely will not make this a habit. I was just thankful to get out and appreciate my new home for the next year.

Oh, and my glorious little night wouldn’t be complete without telling you how I ended it by laying “illegally” next to our pool and letting my legs dangle in. There’s nothing like Sufan Stevens, and your own thoughts of contentedness to send you off to blog and bed with a smile.

goodnight.

farmer’s market

It’s such a beautiful day here in charm city! It’s one of those blue sky, “I love this city” (even if I really don’t!) kind of days! I finally made it to the farmers market, which is at the bottom of the hill, and it was awesome! For roughly $20 I got: 10,000 lbs of kale

(haha, okay it was 1 lb. but 1 lb. of kale is more than I can eat in a week, and here’s the best thing: $1. I also got spring onions for .75, a salad mix, blueberries, strawberries,
and my personal favorite:

I LOVE cosmos! They are on of my most favorite flowers!

And did I mention that most everything I bought was organic and locally grown!? Yay for supporting local farmers!

Next week, I plan on buying some herbs and veggies that are pretty hard to kill (squash and eggplant) and start my balcony garden!

my life in new england. in less than 30 pictures.

here’s a quick snapshot of my life for the past five or so months! Enjoy!

love this picture