Love is everywhere
Over the past two days I've been running around looking at our new home at Surreal Estate,where we will be living in a room with “LOVE IS POSSIBLE” stenciled on the door. But I have managed to do two more new watercolor cards for this Wednesday's Craftermath:
I think I had Henry Darger's Blengin in mind when I did those wings and tails.
06:35 pm – Good news, bad news, and mixed news
Good News
Last weekend in April – Had an amazing weekend in the not-so-cold north for my godson's First Communion. Wonderful visit – hard to believe it had been almost four years since I had last seen them! And, all six flights (3 there, 3 back) were without major mishap. Unheard of!
First weekend in May – was honored by my first ever baby shower. The food was great, but the company was even better. Bryan was quite proud of himself with all the secrets he had been keeping. At 5 till midnight Friday, my doorbell rang. My mil, sil, and 12 year old bil had flown up just to surprise me for the weekend. And, the surprises didn't end there! Saturday morning, imagine my surprise when both jerseychick and k8tlou rolled into my driveway! Alas, the visitors could stay for far too short a time.
School is nearing completion. Not as fast as I would like it, but we're getting there. (Last day is June 15).
Had an ultrasound today. Babies are doing fabulously – both weigh exactly the same (well 6 grams apart, if that counts for anything). Both are 2 pounds 15 ounces which puts them in the 61st percentile. Mind you, that's compared to singletons, not twins!
Babies are kicking away. Right now they're lined up so that they're circling around my belly button. She's breech, with her feet behind her brother's head. He's vertex, with his feet behind his sister's head. They've been taking turns kicking each other vigorously. They're either working on taking turns or they're battling for dominance.
Mixed News
I'm all wired up. I've had heart palpitations and shortness of breath episodes off and on the last several weeks. My OB referred me to a cardiologist to be fitted with a 24 hour monitor. Let's just say it's not too subtle.
Middle schoolers are not known for logical thinking. Interims went home today – I handed out a lot more F's than normal. My 8th graders went around today blaming teachers for their grades. While I can only speak for the classes I teach, I know that their effort has seemingly vanished into thin air. So on one hand I have 8th graders complaining about how they hate school; on the other, I have 6th and 7th graders hugging me and telling me how I'm their favorite teacher.
I was able to move my next OB appt closer and make it work with my schedule. This is mixed news because I don't want the side effects that make this earlier appt necessary.
Bad News
While the babies are doing fabulously, I am not. More specifically, my cervix is not. Overall, I feel great. However, my cervix is shortening much ahead of schedule. One month ago, it measured 2.1 cm in length (and should have been over 3). Today it measured 1.5 cm in length. Depending on when I hit 1.0 cm, I may have to be hospitalized in effort to forestall preterm labor. In the meanwhile, the perinatalogist is counseling at least restricted activity. Teaching the rest of the year may have to be re-examined.
I am 28 weeks and 3 days. I could not give birth at my hospital if the babies come before 30 weeks. (there are four other hospitals in town that are equipped for super-premies, but not the one closest to me).
The thoughts of preterm labor this early are terrifying. They are made slightly less so by the apparent heartiness of the babies. However, since I got all this news just a few hours ago, I don't think I've really had time to process it yet.
In conclusion
I have happily come to learn how much we are loved by our friends and family. (I never doubted, but it's always nice to have visual, tangible reminders.) I know that whatever happens, we will be enveloped in the support and love and prayers of our community.
The hand of God has been very visible in all these embryo adoption, pregnancy, and deployment proceedings.
Bryan and I (plus me and my OB, and me and my principal) have a LOT of discussions ahead of us.
Current Mood: drained
Who doesnt like teddy bears ?
i like those photos. Nice right ?
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Guest Passes let you share your that aren't public. Anyone can see your public anytime, whether they are a Flickr member or not. But! If you want to share pictures marked as friends, family or private, use a Guest Pass. If sharing pictures from a set, you can create a Guest Pass that includes any of your photos marked as friends, family, or private. If you are sharing your entire photostream, you can create a Guest Pass that includes marked as friends or family (but not your private photos). Learn more about Guest Passes!
Fine aint that ? 
Read On Topic of photos
Posted by banhrar in photography on March 19th, 2010
I have photoshop and aperture… but have not figured out how to use it yet… I have iphoto which allows me to do some fix up and it's easy enough for the time being…
I've tried using photoshop a few time but it's a lot to figure out and I have not found the time as of yet.. However, I do intend on doing so…
I am glad to hear that it can be saved… at least some what…
I was reading up on RAW and Jpeg… so to clarify something about RAW… if I take photos in RAW form I will need to take all my pics in pure manual format and any retouching needs to be done with a program on the computer, including all compressions etc… correct??
Greg: can I e-mail you the pics? I can send one that has not been worked on and the other in it's original form… that way maybe you can tell me what I have done right or wrong… greatly appreciate it.
Fine isnt it ?
banhrar