Pants.

Pants seem to be a problem these days.

My closet full of jeans, don't fit as well as they use to. . . some don't fit at all, others I can manage, but they aren't too comfortable. But then, what to wear? Turns out the maternity pants I bought. . are great STANDING in a dessing room, but with much moving around. . well, let's just say they fall off. I have a great pair of strech, rooming black pants, that have the really wide leg, so they almost look like a skirt, cute really. . but everyday??! I start to feel quite frumpy in them. And besides, they aren't appropriate in all settings. . .I feel to "casual".

Yesterday I couldn't take it any more. . . I went to Target to find another pair of maternity pants, I hear that Liz Lange makes great products. But, how in the world do you buy materinity pants. . never having been through this before. . .they are sized 2,4,6,8 etc. . so do I buy the size I "was"/pre-maternity? What is a girl to do? I talked a couple of friends who have been this way before me. . and they said, buy which size you would have bought before. I did. They are better. . but still a bit too roomy for me right now. . .I wore them today, I still have to keep hitching up my britches!! Oh the tramas and dramas of my LIFE!!!

I saw the movie "Waitress" today. . it was fairly good. . . made me want to run right home and bake some sort of amazing pie. (the main character is a waitress who makes amazing pies). . that desire passed quickly! :)

Gina and I are in the last week of co-home ownership. . our house should, if all goes well close on Friday. . . it's a bit bitter sweet. . It was such a great decision to buy the house, and I'm glad that we are able to sell it now, and that it's been so smooth. . . I love that little place, I'll be sorry to hand over my key on Sunday afternoon. . . . But such is life. . nothing lasts forever!

Meeting Jesus. ..

So, I met Jesus today, in the Staples Parking lot. Apparently he lives under a bridge in Azusa. Who knew?

I was coming out of Staples and I noticed a stragling looking man in the parking lot, not thinking too much about him I went to my car, he sort of followed me, not really he was a safe distances off, and he stayed at a distance. . "Don't worry mam, I was hungry and wondering if you had any food you could share with me." I didn't have anything in my car, and having spent some time around homeless during my adventures on Skid Row, I do have a soft place for helping people who are struggling. I gave him a dollar. (I know, you're not suppose to give them money, but what is a women out by her self to do? I didn't want to walk across the parking lot to Taco Bell with him and buy a meal.. . So I gave him a dollar) He said, "God Bless you, What's your name? I told him Amy and he said, 'I'm Jesus." I said, "It's a pleasure to meet you Jesus." To which he replied, "I've been called Jesus since I was 18. Thank you and God Bless you." I got in my car and thought, "So, I met Jesus today."

The bible talks about entertaining angles "unaware". . when we least expect it, in the faces of people we least expect" And Jesus (of the bible)says, 'What you do for the least of these, you do for me." . . So maybe the Staples Jesus, while probably a bit crazy, wasn't so crazy after all. . We are all made in the image of Jesus, so somewhere beneath the matted beard, dirty hands and greasy hair. . . Jesus (of the Bible) shines thought. I once read an author who said we should make a practice in every converation to "bow to the Christ within each person we meet" I think about that often, not in every converation, but often about how can I 'bow, honor, reflect, see and treasure' that which is sacred and the image of the holy in each person. It's certainly easy with clean, sane, safe people, but it's certainly not only for those I'm comfortable with, in fact it's probably best lived out with those I'm least comfortable with.

I met Jesus today, he wasn't what I expected. . . but I'm sure Jesus was there none-the-less.

Dazed and Confused

I've heard people talk about "Pregnancy Brain" . . . Today I understood what that meant! I was on my way out the door, except I needed my cell phone, I searched the house top to bottom three times. . finally I found my cell phone in the laundry room, on the dryer (don't ask). Gave the dog a treat (the best way to get her out of the house), and I was off.. in my car, out of the garage, wait, do I have my cell phone, not in my purse, not on the seat. . back in the house, again full search of the house. . no cell phone, it MUST be in the car. . not in the car. . back into the house. . I CALL the cell phone, it starts ringing and it's Todd's special ring (ah, how sweet that he's calling me. . . ) I find the phone, on the back of the toilet. . . (again, NO idea!). . . So I call Todd back to tell him how helpful his call was. . . only his phone was turned off because he was on a flight. That special Todd ring. . that was ME calling my own cell phone, from the house number, saved under Todd's name. . . LOSING MY MIND.

In church a couple of weeks ago during the "social time" a gentleman we'd never met before turned around held out his hand and said, 'Hi, my name is Rick." To which I responded. "Hi I'm Rick". . "I mean, I'm Amy, not Rick, Rick is your name.". . Needless to say, I had the giggles all through church. (This didn't alarm me, because i have been known to wear two different shoes to church. . . but that's another story entirely)

I bought my first pair of maternity pants today. I still have a couple of pants that work, but the pair of jeans I was wearing today, even with the hair band through the loop and around the button, just wasn't working for me. . so Old Navy, here I come. I was going to buy a pair of jeans a couple sizes too big, but then I thought. . just buy maternity pants. . . So I'm the owner of maternity pants. They are a bit big. . but they work, and I guess that leaves plenty of room to grow!

Baby Hoppock LOVED being in Idaho this past weekend, the sweet smelling spring air was really good for baby. I went for a walk on Saturday morning (on Varin Road). . I kept breathing deep and telling the baby, "This is what spring smells like, and THIS is what CLEAN, GOOD air smells like!) There is nothing as sweet as the smell of new alfalfa and just dried dirt. . it's a symphony for the nose!

I've been reading the MOST facinating book. . it's called Hypnobirthing. . about giving birth naturally. . . there was a chapter on the history of birthing. . . I'm not going to write about it today. . but stay tuned it was FACINATING!

Going Mint Green

We have Pergo flooring. . it's nice. But requires mopping, lots, and lots of mopping. I discovered early in my relationship with the floor that the store bought stuff (at $5 a bottle by the way) really didn't do a good job. In search of a better alternative, I discovered that White Vinegar and water (equal amounts) does a better job. . . and so much more economical! That got me thinking about "cleaner" cleaning alternatives. . Todd and I are going GREEN! We're not going crazy or anything. . We focused on a couple different areas. . .
1)changing our light bulbs. . small change. . . we don't even notice a difference. . . and good for energy consumption.
2) Reusable Grocery bags- THIS IS MY FAVORITE, I don't know why I waited so long to start taking my own bags to the store. I can fit all my groceries into two canvas bags (usually I have 5-10 plastic bags), they are easier to carry, fit more, less waste (It takes a plastic bag up to 1000 years to decompose in a land fill, and something like 40 million trees are cut down each year for paper bags) And you usually get a 5-10 cent discount for each bag. We made a deal that we won't buy any groceries if we don't have a reusable bag.
3) Using our Own Cups at Starbucks. - Again, you get a .10 discount, and I have to say, I like using my own cup, and I feel good not throwing away a cup (or two) every time! (Again, we made a deal that we wouldn't buy any coffee without our own cup, or we have to use the "stay" cups)
4) Using "Green" Cleaning Products. Hence, making my own water and vinegar floor cleaner. I look for products that don't contain harsh chemicals, use recycled products etc. I've found that I like Method (great smelling, available at Target) Mrs. Meyers (good smelling, I like Method better), and Bon Aim is another earth friendly, proven product. I haven't started looking at Laundry soap and dish soap yet, but when we finish what we have right now, that's my next step. All this helps reduce toxins that get into the water supply. . good for our futures!
5) Being Intentionally about recycling. (Recycle, Reduce, Reuse!)

All totally small things. . . more "mint green" than green. . but really easy and they actually make life a bit more convenient. . (Try your own bags. . really, once you get in the habit, you'll never go back!)