Microwave-less

We don't have a microwave. A conversation earlier today reminded me of that. I miss microwave popcorn, burnt or no. But that's about it.

I don't miss cleaning chili splatters out. I don't miss the evil buzzing or the flickering lights. I don't miss microwave meals.

I could say we did it for high and mighty reasons like the fact that they use a LOT of electricity even when they are not "on" or that the heating method kills proteins and nutrients in food. But neither were our reasons. I've heard of other reasons too, like the radiation can cause x, y, and z. Still, not why we nixed it.

Ours broke. That's it. We just never replaced it. We intended to at first but soon realized that we were living quite well without it. Sometimes thawing meat required extra planning and I couldn't quickly warm up a cold cup of tea, but those didn't seem like good reasons to buy a new one. Our electric bill has gone down about 3$ a day since then (do the math on that one: $1,095 a year!) . Though, I'm not sure it is the only reason for the decrease, that is a nice thought. So our laziness (in replacing said appliance) saved us some cash. That's cool.

Still, people look at us like we have two heads when I say we don't have a microwave. Eh, two heads are better than one?

Wednesday Smiles

Today.

Today. I am much calmer in my heart. This week we had an awesome play date, got the house back in order (mostly and mostly today). We have another tea time scheduled for tomorrow. We joined a virtual Science Fair. I got my DMACC website fixed mostly and caught up mostly. I am so ready for the end of term but also nervous for the start of summer term with new baby in arms. We made butter and through an accident made it better. Whoo hoo!

By another happy accident Dearest left the 8ft ladder in his office and Lil'Bug climbed it to reach the top of the bookcase and is now surrounded by Star Wars "rocket ships" and playing happily with all the little parts and guys. Apparently Jawa's make the best pilots. She overheard us discussing rockets this morning as an option for the Science Fair and it is the idea she likes best, right now. That or bugs and what they eat. She likes that one too.

So right now we are just putting around the house, tidying up, folding laundry, wiping things down with oil or vinegar (depends on the surface) and just generally dancing about. (MXPX cover album is our cleaning music of choice today).

Underneath our merriment is a worry about our friend H. and her new baby. They went in for a C-Section Tuesday morning, a month earlier than her due date. We've not heard how they are doing and there is a privacy thing at the hospital (as there should be). So, a quote has been floating around my head this morning....."Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength." -- Corrie Ten Boom

So today I am praying for blessings for them instead of worrying. She'll update us soon enough, as her priority is her baby and family and not us blogosphere worry warts! :)

Garumph

My mactop keeps sliding off my slowly disappearing lap. My computer "desk" chair broke (under my weight?). All the maternity clothes at the mall have stripper cleavage necklines or are bright zoo prints OR are 80$+ AND summer weight. It snowed this morning.

Brightside? I lost Lil'Bug's new coat at above mentioned mall BUT someone turned it in to lost and found. Whew.

****Edited to Add****
I so did not mean for that to read: Dearest husband go buy me a new desk chair. But he did. AND it rocks. It swivels too. (((((smile))))) Now I have to go clear a space for it in the craft room where there tornado tot set off a toysplosion.

The Last Class and Then......

Monday night was the last class in the Bradley Method series. It was actually 2 classes packed into one since we had class canceled last week.

It was an important class. We went over possible emergencies and emergency procedures. There were several that I did not know about and a couple I wanted to add, but I think that those are all pretty unlikely and it is never good to start listing off possible tragic scenarios in a room full of pregnant ladies (some of whom are due in the next week or so......) so I held my tongue. Whew.

I also remembered things that I had not thought about in a while: the evil nurse who removed my staples not at all gently. She was also the one who came in and gave me the 3rd degree about our no guest, privacy request. She wanted details and pressed me for more when I gave her a simple answer. She also did this when I was alone, no doubt I was most vulnerable.

I felt myself getting tensed up at that memory so I practiced meditation techniques and just as it was kicking in and I was de-tensing, the instructor mentioned post birth shaking. Yes. That was scary, BUT suddenly I remembered the only other time in my life that I shook like that: the first time Dearest Husband and I kissed. So as I think about this this morning over a cup of tea in the quiet hours, I think that the shaking, while having physiological base, is also a spiritual shift. Both moments my life changed so immensely. Dearest Husband's unconditional love and encouragement lifted me out of a life of abuse and led me to shine as the person I was meant to be and the first time I held Lil'Bug in my arms (though the shaking made me afraid I would drop her) was the moment I started the journey of motherhood in earnest, a journey continues to take me places I'd never been able to imagine myself. Both moments were blessed and deepened my faith in ways hard to explain.

We also talked about in hospital vaccines. Dearest and I went through the checklist as each was explained and made our decisions. I won't share each one here, but trust me when I was that our baby will not being injected with things that are unnecessary. We are leaning towards selective and delayed vaccination, now we have to find a pediatrician who will support that. With Lil'Bug we had concerns and reservations but we went along with what was recommended and one time she even got a vaccine that we didn't want her to have.

Our birth plan will be completed this evening. I think I am ready to finish it up. It is one thing to know the facts and figures and another to be ready in other ways.

Then we made bracelets with beads we brought to share, a bead for each family in the class. This way we remember the strength of that circle and community. We are all about to give birth (one family already has, easily too). We can do it too. I can do it too. Since the beginning of humans woman has done this task, as our bodies are designed to do. And as Dearest has a special, expensive IT training session in the middle of May, my money is on that week for the arrival of baby. I'll start a blog pool. ;)