The Giant Man's Wife
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Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Giving is Getting
Just for a quick recap, I went in for a stress-test, which was routine for me at that point. I was 35 weeks pregnant, and the tests came back with some complications. My liver was failing.
So, after 56 hours of fasting (IV fluids is NOT a fulfilling diet), I had an emergency C-section. And out came my perfect little man.
Mini Myers and I are both doing really well. MM definitely takes after his daddy. He's already 23.5 inches long and shows no sign of slowing down. Looks like I'm both the Giant Man's Wife and Giant Baby's Mom.
ANYWAY, IT'S DECEMBER!
Not only is it my sister's birthday month, but it is also my favorite time of the year. I love the lights, the sounds, the smells, the treats, the service, everything.
I plan on writing about the new traditions GM and I start now that our baby is here. First one, we are going to be giving at least one book to each of our children for Christmas. However, I already have already overachieved a little bit and bought the little man four books haha.
But, as the saying goes, "Children become readers in the arms of their parents." GM and I love to read, there are value in books, in the words. Words mean a lot to me. Not just because they are how we communicate, but they allow us to go to a better place. A place where we can find common ground, share better ideas, help others. To me, words are how I serve.
December is about service to me. It's the time of the year when we are encouraged to make a more sincere effort to look outside of ourselves and to touch the people around us. And I think, once you truly help someone by giving of your time, talents, or efforts, then you really gain a better appreciation for what looking out for one another is all about.
The best gift to me in December, is the chance to see the happiness in the people who I help. And that's why it's my favorite time of year.
Here's to an exciting, wonderful month with my family, friends, husband, and son.
Until next time!
Saturday, October 6, 2018
We All Have a Story, So Why Judge?
There are people all around us. Everyday we pass people, and we need to remember that they are indeed people. Even though they may just be a secondary character in your story, they are the main character in theirs. They have feelings and trials, families and thoughts. Other people may be an extra or the enemy to your life, but they are the most important person in theirs. We cannot begin to imagine what others are thinking, unless they tell us themselves.
So why do we judge so harshly? I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I believe that this Church is true, that the teachings of this church is true. I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I have really close friends who have other views. But just because I don´t believe in the same things they do, does not mean I don´t believe in them. And I will be there to support them in their decisions because they are my friends and I love them for them, not for their views.
A lot of people think the world would be a better place if we paid the money to end world hunger or end poverty. And that is true, but I think that the most lasting change we can make in the world is to put HUMANITY back in it. Who are we to judge someone else´s story just because we don´t agree with them? Not everyone will agree with us but if we really believe in equality, in humanity, and in agency, we will not be treating people as the background of our story but we would be treating everyone we meet as the focus of theirs.
Sunday, September 2, 2018
Pregnancy is Hard. And that's Okay.
So, with work coming under control again, my mind has been wandering back to the biggest problem at hand. Pregnant in the third trimester. And it's rough.
This topic has been on my mind a lot lately. Maybe it's because it is my life currently, or because I've been seeing other women having an easier time with pregnancy and it's been making me feel... inadequate? Either way, this post is not going to be about how pregnancy is sunshine and rainbows, nor how I feel a pregnancy glow guiding me through this new chapter. This post is mostly going to be about me ranting about how hard this has been, but holding on to the knowledge it'll be worth it.
If anyone tells you pregnancy is easy or they enjoy being pregnant, that person is definitely not me. I am aware the changes that happen to your body are all individual and some women don't get hit with the "pregnancy symptoms" as hard, or as early, as other women. And if that's you, AWESOME. Enjoy it, because I envy you.
My mother handled pregnancy very well. At least, that's what it seemed like to me on the outside. Since I'm the third oldest out of eight, I was able to watch how she coped through the different stages. And she's a champ.
I was hoping some of those genes would pass on to me and I would be able to navigate through with very little sickness and stretch marks, as she did. Well, let's just say I was not as gifted.
My entire first trimester brought me to be very acquainted with my internal signs of "I'm going to throw up and you have 30 seconds to prepare". For those keeping count, that's three straight months of being nauseated, fatigued, and dehydrated. I threw up at home, in bed, at work, in the car... pretty much anywhere and everywhere. However, thanks to a VERY understanding Giant Man and boss, I was able to navigate through those fluid, dark times.
Then came the second trimester, with a bright light of hope. I was told the second was the best trimester; you get your energy back, no more morning sickness (which by the way does NOT only happen in the morning like the very misleading name would suggest), and you start to feel the baby. I was ecstatic when my nausea fell to the wayside and I thought my problems were finally blooming into the easy, breezy, pregnancy glow.
Nope.
Enter the stretching.
I've never really experienced stretch marks before, so when they started to appear on my stomach, I would be lying if I said I wasn't making a frantic deal out of it. At first, there were only a few and I could deal. Then... they started growing... and multiplying... and long story short, I look like a human hybrid of an okapi.
Until next time.
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
WFH: The Double-Edged Sword.
For those of you who don't know, I work in marketing. Marketing is like the stage crew of a company. We are constantly working one, two, three months ahead of the actual date and making sure advertising, press releases, awards, etc., are all organized and perfected ahead of time. We work in advance, so the day-to-day flow correctly.
If you work in marketing or strategy, especially for a company, you understand all the work and planning that goes on before an actual event takes place. It can get pretty hectic trying to keep all the dates and deadlines straight. That's why I invest in sticky notes.
Anyway, due to the very online nature of my job, I am blessed with the opportunity to work from home when needed. This has proven to be very helpful during my pregnant days, because I only have one pair of pants which really fit me now, and if I'm at home, I don't need to wear pants.
In fact, I'm sure it's hilarious to see how different I look when I'm at home compared to in the office. I think this comic sums it up.
Source: Catana Comics |
Comfort clothing isn't the only thing that is a perk when working from home. I also enjoy the ability to eat whatever and whenever. I mean, I can eat at the office and nobody is going to say anything (unless you try to microwave your fish in the shared lunch space, heathens). But I still feel awkward taking out my graham crackers and spreading frosting on it while my co-workers are eating salads.
At home, I'm free to eat Nutella from the jar with a spoon, as intended. However, I've never had a co-worker ask for a bite of my snacks... which the same can't be said for GM while working at home.
But I love him. So, I share. Also, he gives me food so I don't have to move. I really hit the lottery with him.
Now, working from home is not all free food and no pants. There are some downsides as well. For example, I get distracted a LOT easier while at home. At home, I usually have food, my computer, chores, a husband who also works from home occasionally, and I can fall asleep almost anywhere in the house, which is a downside when work needs to be done.
I enjoy a blended schedule. I'll stay home for a few days and work, but the other days I'll go to the office. That way, it's the perfect balance of pregnancy comfort and the success of getting work done. I also really like my co-workers who are on my team, it's a lot easier to collaborate when we're all in the office.
Basically, I feel like being a responsible worker is knowing your environment weaknesses and allowing yourself to either grow and be better, or to put yourself into the most productive work environment possible.
Working from home is nice, but it is not always ideal (at least for me). Maybe, one day, when procrastination has been destroyed from my body, I'll be able to conquer the full potential of working from home. Unfortunately, I'm not quite there yet... hence the distraction of writing a blog post. Which is why I'm going to wrap it up now.
Until next time. Byee.
Friday, July 6, 2018
What's in a letter?
I think better when I can see my thoughts. I am more in control of my emotions when I take the time to write, whether it's anger, hurt, or exhilaration I'm feeling at the moment. But, that doesn't mean I can always "let the words flow" and write a novel in one go. It's still a process and I get writer's block... a lot.
In the past couple of months, one of my personal projects has been writing letters (seemingly randomly) to different people I know. I have my own reasons as to who I pick to receive these letters. Sometimes, it's because I think they need the pick me up or reassurance. Other times, it's because I just know they love getting mail and knowing someone, somewhere, is thinking of them. Or there are times I write to a specific person because I want to converse with them and there never seems to be enough time to talk deeply throughout my normal day.
Whatever the case may be, I've been writing a lot of letters lately.
And I love it.
It's one of those things I do for other people. I don't need them to write me back or to express gratitude. That's not why I write letters. I do it to spread a little more happiness in the world. Also, it does help with my anxiety to sit down and stop for a few minutes, before returning to my own crazy life.
I don't remember everything I write. I have a swiss-cheese memory anyway, and adding pregnancy brain just limits how far back my mind can remember. Which leads to a lot of sticky notes with reminders for myself.
I've never met someone who doesn't enjoy getting personalized mail. It's a dying art.
Ha, sorry. It's really early and I get carried away in thought while I'm in this space at times. Writing letters isn't just for those who love words and letters and pens, they're for anyone who wants to try and get to know someone else. Birthday cards, drawings, postcards, little notes, all of these things (and I'm sure a few billion more ideas you can find on Pinterest) could count as a "letter".
It takes time to make something, have someone's address, and find a stamp to mail it. Definitely more effort than a text message. However, don't get me wrong, texts and calls are very convenient. Just, different.
While in university for my degree, one major theme kept popping up in my Communications classes. The saying goes, "The medium is the message". Which is Marshall McLuhan's fancy way of saying, the form in which something is presented (paint, charcoal, graffiti, ads, words, letters, phone call, etc.) affects what the message is and what it symbolizes.
And with that, I'll leave it here. Hope you all had a good 4th of July! Or... a regular Wednesday if you don't celebrate the 4th. Bye!
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
A Giant-Sized Update
- GM graduated with his Master's Degree!! Which left him barely alive, slightly crazy, and us needing to leave our apartment because it's student housing.
- In case you didn't guess from above, we moved! But now we're both about 5-10 minutes away from work (however, we both can work from home, so... yeah...), we have a pool, and a 24-hour gym we don't use but will definitely list as one of the pros of our apartment complex when we are talking to friends and family.
Here are some other pros that student housing didn't have: - A high enough ceiling so GM doesn't hit his head anymore.
- A double sink
- Two bedrooms
- Storage space
- Room to walk side by side across the living room.
- A dishwasher
- A washer and dryer in unit, which means we don't have to worry about setting timers to change over the clothes right when they're finished in order to be considerate to other residents.
(I could go on, but I won't) - GM and I are in a new ward, and we teach the 6-7 year olds in Primary. They are pretty fun and way more intelligent than the CTR 6 manual gives them credit for.
- I got a new laptop. Mine pretty much exploded internally. It's not a huge thing, I just think it's cool that my keyboard has red lights behind it now.