Louissa's World

bits and pieces

14 December 2011 By louissa 0 In chocolates

my life seems rather small these days, which i’m very okay with. there aren’t many/isn’t much demanding my attention and i’m perfectly happy to go from one day to the next in this quiet fashion i’ve recently discovered. i realize that it will eventually pick up so for now i’ll enjoy my slow mornings of sipping coffee, watching the world come to life, while i wonder what i’ll busy myself with today.

the yellow delight made the big move a few weeks ago. i felt horrible taking her away from the daddy & mums who have become so fond of that bird hanging in their kitchen. but after receiving threats from siblings that they were going to either release her into the wild or poison her if i didn’t remove the squawking noise from the big white house with a red roof, i decided to separate them. she is now in my kitchen and the topic of conversation whenever there are visitors. who knew?

the husband boasts that there hasn’t been one “babe, i burnt dinner” in our 8.5 weeks of being married. and there hasn’t been. until last night. i burnt our rice to a crisp. it would be okay if for some reason i had never made rice before but i’ve been making it since… for as long as i can remember. but there it was — burnt, crunchy rice with our beef & broccoli stir-fry. yum.

i thought that i was well prepared for everything pregnancy related since i happen to have been surrounded by pregnant women and babies my whole life. stretching skin, aching bones, labor horror stories — i grew up hearing it all (working in an infant nursery at a church is where it all starts. watch out for those places.). i realize now that i don’t have a clue. there are things nobody told me. for example –

how it is possible that the stomach can start thickening much earlier than you think it should and by 8 weeks you’re unable to button your high waisted dress pants and you find yourself on your knees thanking God for all your hideously evil low rise jeans.

how early you start waking once a night to use the bathroom (isn’t that supposed to happen later in the pregnancy?) and the voice inside your head reminds you that this is only the start of many, many wake-ups.

and how very, very, very tiring it is to have a little person be formed within you, and how it seems that everyone around you is laughing at you saying that this really is only the start, which only makes you want to cry since you’ve never been so tired before.

no, i don’t know a thing.

but i’ll be going back to my quiet day now. they really are the loveliest. you’re more than welcome to join me at anytime if you need a rest and time away from the normal craziness of life.

looking a bit like christmas

06 December 2011 By louissa 3 In chocolates

sometimes i stay in my pajamas until very late in the day. sometimes i make pumpkin bread, do laundry, clean my kitchen, and sit and blog in my pajamas. sometimes i pack the husband lunch and send him off for the day with a kiss in pajamas. sometimes i catch myself whispering, “is this really my life? do i really get to do this everyday?”

today is one of those sometimes.

but other news from the green home:

our christmas tree was picked and cut this past saturday morning. in the midst of me scarfing down saltine crackers we walked through a field in search of the perfect tree. and it was found. we only had to cut off a bit from the bottom and a teeny bit from the top to make it fit in our house.

if i didn’t have a favorite room before, i do now. a fireplace, piano, and giant christmas tree all in one room. can you get anything better?

yes, that yellow chair is sat in a lot.

and because it’s been requested, just the tree. our very, very simple tree.

a little tabolt in the making!

01 December 2011 By louissa 11 In chocolates

i started out on this crazy journey toward marriage by writing these words:

sometimes the best things in life come as a complete surprise, when you least expect them, when you’re not even looking for them.

i’ve said this before and i’ll say it again: i was surprised by the meeting of my now husband, was surprised by how certain i felt early on, and surprised by how quickly everything played out; i met him and 6.5 months later we were married. i was always told that when you know, you know, and i guess i now prove that to be true.

i knew and he knew and we were two people who weren’t going to waste any time.

i guess that’s just us and how we live life because again, a mere 6.5 weeks into being married, we find ourselves quickly heading towards another big landmark in life.

and again i’m being surprised by another best thing in life.

most nights as we fall asleep his hand finds my stomach. many prayers are whispered throughout the day for the new life that is being knit together within me. less is done around the house and more sitting with my eyes closed to settle my upset stomach happens (and i’ve been fighting other sickness as well. don’t do that. ever.).

it’s true, we discovered a few weeks ago that our family of two will be a family of three come this late july. a little tabolt is on it’s way!

i recently met a woman who grew up in our house from the 40s-60s. she told tales of what life used to be like in this old home with only one bathroom upstairs and seven small bedrooms that were stifling hot during summer nights. she said it was a perfect place to be raised and that it should be filled with life again. she would be happy to know that we are quickly seeing this happen. this home will know the joy of a child again and we shall know the sparkling new joy of being a mama & daddy. our hearts could not be happier.

first a wife and now a mama!

i just want to know one thing: when did i become old enough for all this?

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28 November 2011 By louissa 0 In chocolates

it was a sick sort of sunday yesterday and today is a sick sort of monday. it matches the damp, grey day that we had and i’m thankful that i wasn’t missing sunshine and warmth as i spent my hours drinking water then juice, taking vitamins, keeping track of my temperature, and sleeping as much as possible.

a shower and fresh sweats were put on this morning (when i realized that i was still in saturday’s pajamas i blushed even though no one was around and told myself to get clean), a few loads of laundry are now busily being washed and dried, and a dishwasher has been emptied. and those few things, my friends, are my accomplishments for the day.

i shall now burrow under a quilt & afghan on my couch and slip in and out of oblivion while some movie plays in the background. being able to do this is the only decent thing about being sick.

“home” for thanksgiving

22 November 2011 By louissa 1 In chocolates

two pumpkin pies (that look like they needed more filling than what was allotted) and two loaves of cranberry bread are cooling on my island.

in 24 hours i will be packing those baked goods and bringing them with me to the hustle & bustle known as 1942, my childhood home. hugs that are familiar, kisses my cheeks have memorized, and 16 voices that i can instantly recognize will be there. i get to go and be with family this wonderful holiday and somehow it makes it that much more exciting.

and thankfulness? overflows, overwhelms, undoes me. i’ve experienced God’s goodness & blessing. in such amazing ways. yes, thankfulness comes quickly these days.

snow time

18 November 2011 By louissa 0 In chocolates

last night i drove my first stretch of road this winter at 40mph, eyes focused in fear that the car in front would suddenly decide to stop and i wouldn’t be able to make out his break lights in time. the winter snow kept coming throughout the evening as we ate a late dinner, cleaned up, all with candles flickering their friendly glow.

my favorite part about an evening snow storm? the calm the next day.

i woke to our world blanketed in snow and everything completely still, as if somehow in that one short overnight, the world slowed down. the cars go by a little slower, less people walk past my house, and i’m in no rush to make myself ready for the day. no, my leggings and sweatshirt will do just fine for what i want to do this morning. i brew some coffee, light another candle, roll up my sleeves and will now make this.

it’s like i always thought, snow is so much more bearable when you don’t have to leave your house.

bliss

15 November 2011 By louissa 6 In chocolates

we’ve been doing this “bliss” thing for one month now. you could say we’re still in the honeymoon stage and real life hasn’t hit us yet and i realize that, but i’ll just say that bills are coming in, regular schedules have hit, and we’re still only happy, happy, happy. i married the best and everyday i become more thankful for this new adventure i’m on beside him.

want to see more pictures from my most wondrous day but not friends with me on facebook? you still can. here. enjoy!

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11 November 2011 By louissa 0 In chocolates

it’s snowing outside. big, fat, slushy snowflakes that instantly disappear when they come in contact with the earth. it is everything beautiful. and right now i don’t mind one bit that with the snow comes long cold, dark days. it’s simply beautiful today and i’m simply content knowing i have a full day at home and i don’t have to go out in the snow.

i don’t have much to say this morning, but i did want to tell you how much i like my new life and what i do. i love being at home. i enjoy the cleaning, the laundry, the organizing, the decorating, the having dinner ready every evening at 5:30pm — the taking care of someone. perhaps you’re surprised but i’m not. i knew that i would love this.

and today i shall do those things and settle my guest room officially for a rather lengthy visit from my canadian beauty. i like that i’m making this a home not just for the husband and me, but also for those who will come and stay — no matter how brief the visit. i like that so very much.

just an update

02 November 2011 By louissa 1 In chocolates

i’m continuing to tell myself not to do it, but i’m about to push publish on this very newsy type post. i’m afraid that’s what you’ll be getting for the next little bit. partly because all this is what i’m thinking about, processing, and learning, because most of you, dear readers, are now far away, and because although i’m perfectly content with a very quiet house, i find that when i sit down here, all i want is to give you a conversation of sorts. so, i guess i’ll just publish away. you can read if you want or skip if you could care less about the details of my new life.

it’s a banana bread toast & coffee sort of morning. the sun greets the front of my house every morning, spilling into the dining room, music room, bedroom, and kitchen. there is nothing that makes me happier than to sip my coffee and see orangey pink light coming in.

i live in a very bright house. the windows are plentiful and the sun has happily kept me company these last few days. i would like to think that it’s fitting since color also abounds under this roof. even before i had been introduced to this specific house, i knew that i wanted my home to be one that would make people happy when they entered. apparently my friends and family know me well and know that lots of color makes me exceedingly glad so now, my home is being filled with gold, blue, green, orange, and red trinkets and dishes — and it is so very happy.

my social calendar is busier than it’s ever been before. monday, tuesday, wednesday, and thursday this week have been/will be filled with visits and a shopping trip with other girls. dinners are being scheduled with various other individuals from my new church and i’m shocked at how quickly all this getting-to-know-people is taking place. it makes me exceedingly happy as well. i wouldn’t want this beautiful house to simply be occupied by me during the day and the husband at night. i wanted people to feel like they can stop in, hang out for a bit, drink a cup of tea, and enjoy my kitchen island for awhile. the good news is that i’ve been home for only a week and they already do.

i applied to work part time at a diner down the street from my house. it’s true that i’ve always wanted to be a waitress at a small town diner, get to know the locals, and pour terrible cups of coffee. so, i applied and am waiting to hear if they want me a few days out of the week. i’m crossing my fingers and hoping i get it since i’m way too excited about this job.

did i mention that i have beginning pianists wanting lessons as well? and that this household of two averages a load of laundry a day (way more than i anticipated)? and that i have the prettiest church and old school building across the street from my house? and that all the neighbors have been so friendly, introducing themselves when i’m out for walks and dropping housewarming gifts off? and that i simply adore making food for my husband? and that my coffee mug is empty?

it’s true, the mug is now empty. and no toast on the plate. and that makes me think that i should be done with this update and really start my day.