Happy 101 Awards

Kate of Lazy Kate Creates tagged me for the Happy 101 Awards (thanks again, Kate!) over,
um, a month ago and I actually started this post exactly a month
ago.  Yikes.  Since then I've managed to misplace my little Casio
camera (argh! where are you?!) which has the photos I took to finish the post
so I took a few more this afternoon and am determined to finish and post about
the things that make me happy.  You know, like actually finishing this
post.  :)

Matt - This one is pretty obvious.  I remember saying to my mom,
maybe even before Matt and I got married, that he would be The Man to be
married to while pregnant and he is.  I keep telling him he should save
some of the 'doing everything for me' (although if it weren't for him I would
forget my vitamin more often than not) for when I really can't do things for
myself so easily but I don't think he will.  Pregnancy is a good time to
be married to a squirrel!  

Our Little Acorn - Also obvious but high on the list
never-the-less.  Sure, the way that little acorn makes me feel sometimes
doesn't exactly make me happy but I've known since I was 17 that I was meant to
be a mommy and am happy to finally get to have this experience.   I
can't wait to see him or her again at our next scan here in a few (okay, four)
weeks!

Going Back to Ohio* - Even the slightest little thought of this one
makes me smile!  We're going back to Ohio for my family reunion in
June!  Not only will I get to see my family and my family get to see me
showing. I hope, at least a little bit, I'll also have the chance to see Ginny
showing quite a bit and I'll be there for her baby shower.  And the food -
I'm so excited about the food!  I think we'll have to eat out every day
considering the length of the list of places I miss.  My brother and his
fiance will be up from New Orleans, too.  I haven't seen him since the
wedding and have yet to even meet my future sister-in-law.  The one night
we did a Skype with them while Mom and Dad were here, I was so prego-tired that
by the time the call actually took place, I was in bed and fast asleep. 

And, as an added bonus, Matt and I will also be able to spend our first
anniversary sitting in the shade under the tree where we were married last
summer.

My iTouch - I had no idea what an iTouch was when Matt took me
shopping for one.  Now I can't live without it.  It's a quick way to
check email and surf the web and it's also a great way to play games.  I
have an embarrassing number of apps...

This is a tower defense game called The Creeps! that Matt and play
constantly.  By strategically placing weapons like ray guns and boomerangs
you try to make sure the ghosties, vampires and other scary things (although
there are other levels with space and underwater scary things) don't get to the
scared kid hiding under the covers in the bed.  Sounds silly, I know,but
it's fun.  For some reason it recently reset our games so we're starting
all over again but neither of us really mind. 

I read an article a few weeks ago that made me realize that this little
gadget it really going to come in handy come this fall.  It'll be perfect
for those middle of the night feedings!  I can browse the internet,
Facebook and, if I get a chance, tune in to the BBC iPlayer and catch up on a
little television. 

My grey cotton yoga pants - I seriously wish I'd bought more than one
pair of these last summer at Kohls.  I'll admit I kind of spent quite a
lot of time in them before I was pregnant but now that even the jeans I have
that still fit aren't really comfortable enough for all day wear...I live in
them.  They're stretchy and comfy and will see me through many more
months, I'm sure.  Heck, yesterday I had to walk into town to return a
movie to Blockbuster and, after a few moments of deliberation and thoughts
concerning the fashion police, I just threw on a jacket and left while still
wearing my heavenly grey pants. 

Fresh flowers - Nothing cheers up a room more than fresh
flowers.  These are my first Mother's Day flowers - pretty tulips that
opened up nearly the minute I put them in front of a window full of
sunshine. 

 

Lucy & Mina - My cats.  :)  One of the photos on my
missing camera was of Mina in her usual spot - sprawled in my lap (with Lucy
sometimes curled up on the couch beside us) - and, of course, for the first
time today she's nowhere to be found so a replacement photo isn't going to
happen any time soon.  I've read that animals can tell when you're
pregnant and I think Mina is one of those who can.  She's always been
cuddly but her cuddleness is in overdrive now.  She comes running from
where ever she was lurking as soon as she hears me sit down and jumps into my
lap.  Of course, this behavior could also be because I'm actually sitting
down more often....

A good book - I've had a really good run recently when it comes to
books.  I've actually been keeping a list since the beginning of the year and can't believe
that I've yet to post a link to it here.  I just started reading A
Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler last night.  Tyler has written two of
my very favorite books, The Accidental Tourist and Dinner at the
Homesick Restaurant, and makes me wish her characters were real people
because I would love to have a long talk with Macon or have dinner with Ezra at
the Homesick Restaurant.  I've not had this feeling with any of her books
since but this one has potential. 

Stationary sets - Paperchase makes the best stationary sets! 
This is one I bought yesterday and I can't wait to break it out later
tonight.  We finally printed off photos of the baby from our 12 week scan
to send to my grannies and, of course, I have to include a letter.  :)

Paper, envelopes, address labels and stickers.  I love the paper
because the reverse side is always printed with a super cute design.  This
set is especially cute because the paper comes in two shades - white and brown
- and the designs are completely different.  So cute!

So I know I'm supposed to pass on this fun award by tagging ten people
but, honestly, I'm not a tagger.  It's not that there's no one out there
who makes me happy - if you're reading this, trust me, you make me happy - but
I'm just not good at knowing (beyond a handful of people) who actually reads
this blog.  But, like I said, if you're reading this, you make me happy
and I'd love to hear what makes you happy, too!

*My experience promises to be nothing like The Pretenders song.  :)

Doesn't It Feel Good?

Doesn't it feel good when you take a moment to sit down after a strenuous task - in my case, getting the kitchen back in order after finishing the painting this afternoon - and you look up too see your cat hurrying down the stairs towards you? And doesn't it feel doubly good when that cat hops into your lap, turns around a few times (butting your hand with her head as she does, asking for a little love) and then settles down with her little head on your knee?

Yeah, I think so, too.

Emily Is...

 ...thankful...

The girls arrived safely and were shockingly calm.  It really wasn't the personality shattering experience I thought it might be.  Within minutes they were exploring all three floors, basking in sunny spots, checking under and lying on top of beds, purring and looking out windows.  I am so relieved.  It really was incredibly strange to see them on his side of the video camera but it was also incredibly wonderful.

It took much longer than we would have ever imagined for them to be released.  Thankfully, the girls
were immediately taken out of their cages and looked over by a vet
which gave them a much needed break from hours in their kennels. 

I'm also - and most of all - thankful for my wonderful, cat-loving husband who has had a very long day.  Lucky him, though, he gets to curl up and take a nap with at least one grateful cat, maybe two. 

...knitting...

Just bound off the Summer Lace Shawlette.  We had some problems, that gal and I, and there were more than a few rows ripped back due to the fact that I got a little too comfortable at times and there was more than a little cursing but I'm pleased and can't wait to see how it looks once it's blocked. 

Now I guess I'll go back to finishing the reading mitts or maybe go ahead and cast on Stella's Hat just because I'm anxious to knit with the Misti Alpaca - it's so soft.

Lucy (and Mina) in the Sky

I didn't get a good photo of Mina before she left but Lucy's has a certain jailhouse look to it, doesn't it?  I dropped them off at the cargo center at four for their eight o'clock flight (and we complain that we have to check in early) and then found out their flight was delayed two hours.  I was already feeling bad about how long they were going to be in their kennels...I really don't like the idea of two more hours.  Hopefully they'll sleep most of the time.  And they each have half of a towel that I slept with for several days so that it would smell like me.  Not they they're entirely happy with me right now.... I'm also consoling myself with the thought that, most days, Lucy lays in one spot and doesn't move for hours.  I'll just try not to think about the fact that she normally could get up and walk around if she wanted to.

It seems weird to think that I won't be going downstairs to spend an hour to two with them tonight.  Mom just poured herself a glass of water and I thought, "I need to fill their water bowls."  Sigh.

Matt already has a great little set up for them - I asked him to send photos - and I know he'll shower them with lots of attention.  And, after two months of staying in my parents' basement, they're going to love all of the sunny windows.  Still, it'll be strange to see them on his side of the camera when we do a Skype chat tomorrow.

Wish I was going to be on that flight with them....

Meow Meow Meow!*

I have at least two blog posts from the past couple of days stashed away as unfinished drafts but I thought I would go ahead and post a little bit of news.

The girls are going home on Thursday.

Yes, I'm still hanging out here in Ohio but my two cats, Mina and Lucy, are hopping on a plane Thursday night.  I really wanted us to go at the same time but this is the last week that Delta is offering non-stop service from Cincinnati to London and we really didn't want to mess with any layovers.  A four hour check in and an eight hour flight plus at least a couple of hours on the other end was enough - we didn't need to add in a five hour layover somewhere.  

Unfortunately, the process hasn't been easy.  We thought - and were advised as much in several calls to Delta - we could call three days prior to the flight date and purchase a ticket.  We had even been given a cost - $650 for the first cat and $20 for the second.  Turns out Delta doesn't fly animals overseas unless you go through a third party shipping service.  And the $670?  Customs fees.  The ticket is that much more over again.  And then there are the fees the shipping services charges...needless to say, it's expensive. 

Yesterday Matt and I spent at least five hours on Skype and he spent most of that calling Delta a half dozen times and talking to several companies that specialize in shipping pets.  Things actually got even more complicated when we did find a company to use.  It doesn't tell you anywhere that there's a form that has to be stamped and signed by the USDA and that getting that stamp and signature could take several days or several weeks.  Thankfully, there's an office an hour and a half from here and there was an available appointment so tomorrow, after taking the girls to the vet to finalize the passport paperwork and get them checked for ticks and fleas, I'm driving up to get what we need to get them on a plane on Thursday.

I'm worried about the stress of the trip on the little fur balls but I think it'll be worth it once they have three floors of space and lots of sunny windows to lounge in.  Right now they're in the basement, poor things.  Plus, you know, having Matt to shower them with affection won't be bad either. 

So the cats will be there on Friday and my belongings are due to arrive next week which means everything will be in Salisbury...except me.  

*Kittyspeak translation: "We're going home!"