10:09pm
My feet are hoisted up on the coffee table. Sadie is snuggled up next to me, snoring. Rich is in Denver. The TV is low, and my mind is relaxing. Softly, I feel a sensation like I've never felt before. Everything around me was still. Inside, on my right side, just below my belly button, I felt a tap. There it was again. And again. Three very distinctive taps.
Could this be? Could this be it?!?!?
I didn't dare move.
10:14pm
I feel it again - like popcorn popping. Two more taps...
This has to be it!
I sat motionless for the next 2 hours. The only muscles that moved were thouse of my raised eyebrows, eyes that grew large, and the corners of my mouth that turned upwards.
I felt, for the first time, the life inside me.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
TIMBER!!!!!
January 21, 2010:
SoCal's getting a nice little washing from Mother Nature - and it is so welcomed!!! Heaven know we've needed some rain for a long time now, and boy are we getting it!
Last night, we had quite a storm come through - LOUD thunder (which is VERY RARE in these parts), Lightning (again, rare!), CRAZY strong winds (Carlsbad reported in the 60 mph), Hail (it's been a few years since I've seen it, but then again, I'm not home that often), and the rain... a LOT of rain. We've had water spouts, high surf (its 20 foot today!!!), tornado warnings (Fox 5 reported 2 touched down in North County yesterday), Flooding (Leucadia, Del Mar, and Ocean Beach were all underwater yesterday and Sorrento Valley was evacuated today), etc... I could go on but I think you're getting the picture. At about 10:30pm there was finally a break from the rain so Sadie and I made our way to the little grass patch just outside the door. The wind was still pretty strong, so we didn't go far. But as Sadie did her ritual of sniffing every blade of grass before she could relieve herself, I looked up at the Giant Eucalyptus tree waving in the wind. I giggled to myself and thought "How Dr. Seussey you look in this wind - gently swaying your arms and bushels of leaves as if you were waving hello to us." Then Sadie was done, and back inside we went (er, ran...).
This morning, the wind and rain woke me up instead of my alarm. I just lay in bed and listened and was so grateful I'm in a nice warm house, on a second story. :) It finally started to calm down, so I figured Sadie and I would take advantage of the break and do the morning potty walk. We braved the wind and got as far as the corner of our street... and then, out of NOWHERE... a complete downpour! Sadie was shocked. I laughed. We quickly made our way back to the house. As I began my workday, I opened the blinds to let in the natural light (and so I could continue to watch the storm). As the morning rolled on, about 9:45, I was finally eating my oatmeal and preparing from my next call. The rain had stopped again, but the wind was just being nuts! I timed this next part just right - as I looked to my left, outside the big window, I started to hear a low growling noise and there it came... that big tree that waived hello last night started to fall and FAST! It made a large snapping noise as it hit the concrete. I jumped up - because my car was parked right outside, and near where this tree was going. How very lucky we are!!! The tree fell shy of my car by THREE FEET!!! There were leaves all over it, but no branches. I ran next door to alert my neighbor - his truck was right next to the tree - again, luckily on the other side from where it fell! He called the association and within an hour, the tree remover magicians were fast at work. They chopped it up into so many little pieces, filled two dumpster type trucks with it, and were off within 30 minutes. I have to admit, I'm a little sad the giant tree is now gone, and have to wonder, did it know last night and was actually waving goodbye? On the bright side, I'll start parking in the lot again (not the street) and have fewer car washes thanks to no more white birdie treats to decorate the black paint. :)
Tonight, I am grateful. You see, when we were little kids, Mom and Dad would take us to Mexico. I remember always being so humbled when we crossed the border back into our country. Driving on clean and organized streets, into well kept neighborhoods, and back to our home always seemed to be a quiet ride - I think everyone in the car was thinking the same. Sleeping in my warm bed, and having a house with carpet, and big protected yard to play in. Mom and Dad were good to teach us early how blessed we, and our nation, are. As I grew older and have had the joys of traveling to Peru, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand - that same feeling of humility and gratitude continues to grow and my appreciation is so much deeper. My heart is tender tonight. I've been following the Haiti news so closely - so to go through a minor experience such as I did this morning, my heart is so full of gratitude for where I was born and where I live and how very lucky we are to be warm, safe, protected, and with services so readily available to keep our streets safe and clean.
The tree pics are below for your amusement.
Enjoy the storm, be safe, and know that you are loved! ;)
xoxo,
Kattie, Peanut, and Sadie
SoCal's getting a nice little washing from Mother Nature - and it is so welcomed!!! Heaven know we've needed some rain for a long time now, and boy are we getting it!
Last night, we had quite a storm come through - LOUD thunder (which is VERY RARE in these parts), Lightning (again, rare!), CRAZY strong winds (Carlsbad reported in the 60 mph), Hail (it's been a few years since I've seen it, but then again, I'm not home that often), and the rain... a LOT of rain. We've had water spouts, high surf (its 20 foot today!!!), tornado warnings (Fox 5 reported 2 touched down in North County yesterday), Flooding (Leucadia, Del Mar, and Ocean Beach were all underwater yesterday and Sorrento Valley was evacuated today), etc... I could go on but I think you're getting the picture. At about 10:30pm there was finally a break from the rain so Sadie and I made our way to the little grass patch just outside the door. The wind was still pretty strong, so we didn't go far. But as Sadie did her ritual of sniffing every blade of grass before she could relieve herself, I looked up at the Giant Eucalyptus tree waving in the wind. I giggled to myself and thought "How Dr. Seussey you look in this wind - gently swaying your arms and bushels of leaves as if you were waving hello to us." Then Sadie was done, and back inside we went (er, ran...).
This morning, the wind and rain woke me up instead of my alarm. I just lay in bed and listened and was so grateful I'm in a nice warm house, on a second story. :) It finally started to calm down, so I figured Sadie and I would take advantage of the break and do the morning potty walk. We braved the wind and got as far as the corner of our street... and then, out of NOWHERE... a complete downpour! Sadie was shocked. I laughed. We quickly made our way back to the house. As I began my workday, I opened the blinds to let in the natural light (and so I could continue to watch the storm). As the morning rolled on, about 9:45, I was finally eating my oatmeal and preparing from my next call. The rain had stopped again, but the wind was just being nuts! I timed this next part just right - as I looked to my left, outside the big window, I started to hear a low growling noise and there it came... that big tree that waived hello last night started to fall and FAST! It made a large snapping noise as it hit the concrete. I jumped up - because my car was parked right outside, and near where this tree was going. How very lucky we are!!! The tree fell shy of my car by THREE FEET!!! There were leaves all over it, but no branches. I ran next door to alert my neighbor - his truck was right next to the tree - again, luckily on the other side from where it fell! He called the association and within an hour, the tree remover magicians were fast at work. They chopped it up into so many little pieces, filled two dumpster type trucks with it, and were off within 30 minutes. I have to admit, I'm a little sad the giant tree is now gone, and have to wonder, did it know last night and was actually waving goodbye? On the bright side, I'll start parking in the lot again (not the street) and have fewer car washes thanks to no more white birdie treats to decorate the black paint. :)
Tonight, I am grateful. You see, when we were little kids, Mom and Dad would take us to Mexico. I remember always being so humbled when we crossed the border back into our country. Driving on clean and organized streets, into well kept neighborhoods, and back to our home always seemed to be a quiet ride - I think everyone in the car was thinking the same. Sleeping in my warm bed, and having a house with carpet, and big protected yard to play in. Mom and Dad were good to teach us early how blessed we, and our nation, are. As I grew older and have had the joys of traveling to Peru, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand - that same feeling of humility and gratitude continues to grow and my appreciation is so much deeper. My heart is tender tonight. I've been following the Haiti news so closely - so to go through a minor experience such as I did this morning, my heart is so full of gratitude for where I was born and where I live and how very lucky we are to be warm, safe, protected, and with services so readily available to keep our streets safe and clean.
The tree pics are below for your amusement.
Enjoy the storm, be safe, and know that you are loved! ;)
xoxo,
Kattie, Peanut, and Sadie
Yep, that's my little black Jetta "Gorilla" *phew!*
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