WIWS: I'm 27, not pregnant, an ESFP, & got the best birthday present ever.

First thing's first.  What I wore:

sweater: Gap
skirt: The Limited (acquired last night at an upscale consignment shop)
shoes: from my grandma
pasty legs (that I mercifully cut out from the first picture): winter
headband: Lilla Rose

It was pretty exciting to attend Mass together as a family (first time in two months between me being unwell and Lucia being sick) and Lucia was mostly well behaved (Mass behavior: B) so that was a pretty nice birthday gift in itself. But not the best birthday gift.  Read on.

Before you think the title about not being pregnant is me getting mopey about my miscarriages, it's not.  I know that I have every right to still be mopey if I want to be, but I don't.  I turn 27 today and I'm feeling pretty darn good.  There will still be bad days, I know that, and I specifically expect my due dates/months to be quite hard, but it seems as if the good days far outnumber the bad right now.  

There will be no babies while I'm 27.  I know that and, somehow, knowing that takes a lot of pressure off of me.  If everything goes well, there will be a baby when I'm 28, or if it doesn't, maybe later.  Or not at all, I acknowledge that is a possibility.  As it stands, there will be no babies this next year for me, most likely we will not even try for baby until my 27th year is almost over, so I can breath a little sigh of relief.  Trying to conceive is stressful for me and being pregnant is stressful now that I've experienced losses, but I don't have to worry about those this year.  This is a year of respite.  Instead of being bitter about having to wait, I'm embracing this gift of rest.  Boy, do I need it.

Anyway, the title isn't about those things.  It's about this fun conversation (which you may have already seen if you like me on facebook):

spa employee: Are you pregnant?
me: No.
her: Oh, well, the way you are sitting makes your stomach look big.  

Um, thanks?  I thought we as a society agreed that the pregnancy question is the question that shall not be spoken.  Seriously, even if I did/do look pregnant (which I'm hoping I did/do not), I would have looked maybe three months pregnant.  Not obvious.  "Maybe she's pregnant or maybe she has a little bit o' a belly and had a big lunch," NOT "Is she going to pop at any moment?"  And in case you were wondering, I was not her client so her rude comment didn't have any bearing on her tip. 

So there's that.  I did not let that ruin my spa day.  The spa day that David sent me off to while he stayed home with Lucia and did the taxes.  Have I mentioned lately how amazing and self-sacrificing my husband is?  No?  Well, I should do that more, especially since he reads this blog.  (Another act of self-sacrifice.)

Spa day was still not my favorite birthday present this year.  If you look at my pictures above, you may notice Lucia's cute dress.  But the most important thing she is wearing is not her dress, but what is under the dress.  Panties!  We took Lucia out to dinner with us for her first diaperless outing last night and it went swell.  So today she went to Mass and the store sans diaper and she did awesome.  Telling us and using the bathroom when she needed to.  No accidents.  The idea of no more diapers is thrilling.  Best birthday present ever!

Since I am now finally an adult of 27 (because that's when society would like convince everyone adulthood first starts), I decided my first act as an adult should be finally deciding what my Myers-Briggs personality type is.  So, despite the million times I have tried to take a MB test before, I finally sat down and just read the differences between each dichotomy and chose which one I was more like.  Basically, if there are six things to describe each one, I identify with three of one and three of the other (which is what the problem has always been, I'm not very extreme about anything) but I just chose one or the other and called it a day.  I'm guessing the outcome will be drastically different next time I do the same.  (In fact, I remember once identifying myself is INTP which is almost the exact opposite, though perhaps that shows I am indeed a Perceiving personality.)  But now, I get to look at all those fancy grids of Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter or The Little Mermaid characters and match up my MB personality type with theirs and find out who my silver screen soul sister (or brother) is.  And to think, I waited all these years.  That in itself guarantees 27 is going to be grand.

Except for the fact that I'm no longer carded when I order a margarita.  Which means I look over 30...or the waiters are lazy.  But as long as you don't ask if I'm pregnant, I don't mind if you don't card me.  Deal?  

Linking up with Fine Linen & Purple.

¡Viva Cristo Rey! {WIWS}

Have you ever felt a Saint pursuing you?  His/her name keeps coming up in things you read, conversations you have?  You feel this pull toward him/her?  I've heard many times that your patron Saints choose you, not the other way around.  If you've experienced something like this, I'd love if you'd share your story with me.

I've been feeling that way for a while about Bl. Miguel Pro.  I first heard him name learning about the Mexican Revolution in a Mexican history class in college and he's been following me ever since.  This weekend was the last straw.  He was part of the Cristero movement, whose battle cry was ¡Viva Cristo Rey! (Long live Christ the King!).  Yesterday was his feast day (the anniversary of his death) and today is the Solemnity of Christ the King.  Everywhere I turn, I've been hearing his name.

Ok, ok, I'm giving in.  Bl. Miguel Pro, I get it!  I know that you are calling me for something.  I'll be on the lookout for a book on your life and will be listening for what you have to say.  If anyone has read anything about him or has some great resources to share, I'd love if you'd point me in the right direction!

Here's what I wore to celebrate Christ the King:

  jacket: Ann Taylor | pants: LOFT | shoes: Maurice's

Linking up with What I Wore Sunday.  Head over for more church attire inspiration.

WIWS: Two Weeks in a Row

What I wore last Sunday:

 And because she's so cute, what Lucia wore:

What I wore this Sunday:

 

Dress: Elle (Kohl's) 

Shoes: Bandolino (hand-me-downs!)

Necklace: Blessed Life Boutique

Flexi clips: Lilla Rose

Notice anything? Yep, I wore the exact same dress and shoes.  Only my jewelry/hair accessories changed.  Moving in to our new home, both David and I realized we have way too much clothes.  And most of it we don't even wear.  We have several staple items we wear over and over.  I've decided that I'll be working on building up those staples and getting rid of the things I don't wear or that I do wear but don't fit well.  I did the whole "turn your hangers the opposite way" trick so I can see what I actually wear and I'm going to be very, very critical about every piece of clothing I wear.  A few items have already headed to the sell/give away pile.

If you have any tips on paring down a full, full closet and cultivating a small, classic wardrobe, I'd love to hear them.  Which items are wardrobe essentials?  Which stores are best to shop from for a balance of value and quality?

In other news, each week Lucia has lasted longer and longer during Mass without having to be brought out.  Last week she lasted until Communion.  This week she lasted the entire Mass - never had to leave at all.  So Mass grade: A.  To be honest though, she had a cold (still does) so she was a bit more sleepy than usual so we'll see how it works out this upcoming week.  

Later today, I'll be posting a novena prayer to St. Dymphna for those suffering with mental illness.  If you are interested in learning more or want to pray along with me, make sure you catch my post.  

I'm linking up to Fine Linen and Purple's What I Wore Sunday linkup.  Head over for more church attire inspiration.

Updates {Home, Meeting a Blogger in the Real World, WIWS, + More}

I have so many things to say right now that I can only manage to get them out there in list-style.  We won't have internet in our new home until the 14th (at the earliest) so I can only steal so much time away at Starbucks to update.  Thank goodness I still have some amazing guest bloggers to feature, and then you're stuck with me again.  Sorry.

Did you notice I said "home"?  Yep, feels like home already.  Lucia's room is mostly unpacked but we still are a little light on the furniture necessary to really be able to settle in.  The townhouse isn't perfect, but it's pretty darn nice considering we chose it through pictures on the internet and the pictures were scant at that (no pictures of the bedrooms and bathrooms!).  There are things I would change, but there is a lot to be grateful for.  It's spacious.  The little back patio gets a lot of sunlight during the day so I can dry our clothes outside.  There is a little park down the street.  It consists of only a few swings and an old metal jungle gym, but Lucia spent more time playing with the sand and wood chips yesterday anyway, so it's perfectly acceptable.  It does have baby/toddler bucket swings, which is the most important thing right now anyway.  We did get a kitchen table from Craig's List that we love and will be getting a bedroom set later this week.  There is just this huge sense of peace now that we are finally here and I'm just so happy.  Of course we're missing family and friends like woah but we've been confronting those feelings since David accepted his job.

It wasn't easy getting here.  David and my father-in-law had a long, long, long drive out here.  He was pulling a Uhaul trailer with his truck and couldn't go over 53 mph without it fishtailing.  Slow, slow, slow.  Lucia was having an awful time last week between teething, daddy being gone, as well as her furniture and toys, and mommy's stress level at about a million (out of ten).  It culminated pretty awesomely at the airport when she melted down.  I was bracing for her to be difficult but it ended up being way worse than I imagined.  An amazing woman at the Southwest ticket counter asked my sister-in-law if she wanted to accompany us to the gate and that was an absolute life saver.  I don't know how I would have gotten the stroller, diaper bag, my purse, Lucia's carry on suitcase, and Lucia to the gate since she refused to ride in the stroller (and I stupidly had packed away her Boba carrier) without the help of my sister-in-law.  Sigh.  She was actually surprisingly well-behaved on the actual place, so there's that small miracle.

David started work yesterday.  Just teacher orientations and work meetings and time to work in the classroom this week, but he's loved it so far and I'm so, so proud of him!  I was able to meet his boss on Sunday after Mass (he's a Deacon at the church we will be attending) and David met the rest of the fellow teachers yesterday.  He's been really impressed by how friendly and kind they have all been, although I'm not surprised considering my wonderful experience with my Catholic school coworkers last year.  

Speaking of meeting fellow teachers, David got an email a few weeks ago from a teacher seeking childcare for his daughter on Fridays.  I jumped at the opportunity and we went over to meet little Mary Margaret and her parents on Saturday.  The question came up about how David found the job and he mentioned it was through a blog reader of mine (Which is still so crazy to say!  Thanks for looking out for us, ya'll!) and it turns out the Mary Margaret's mom is Laura of The Fantastic Mrs. McCants.  I've met people in real life that I first "met" in the blog world, but I've never met someone in real life that was part of the blog world.  No one I know really blogs, and Laura not only blogs, but blogs in the same online circles as me.  As in, she guest posted for one of my favorite blogs (Camp Patton) and participates in the same linkup as me (7 Quick Takes) and just, wow!  That was definitely a cool experience.  We'd never come across each other's blogs BUT we could have and we most certainly will blog stalk each other now.  I never put up pictures of people on my blog without their permission, and since very few people from my offline life know about my blog, I never get to share pictures of anyone but our little family, so I'm excited that in this case, you can just hop over to Laura's blog to see the darling baby girl Lucia and I get the pleasure of sharing Fridays with!

In other news...

What I Wore Sunday (linking up with Fine Linen & Purple):

Dress: On its third life.  Thrifted by my mom circa 1995, given to me last year.  One of my favorites.
Shoes: Amazon
Flexi hair clip: Lilla Rose





Lucia was surprisingly well-behaved in Mass on Sunday. (To make up for the airport?) Other than yelling, "Mickey Mouse" out of the blue - and quite loudly - she was great until the  Our Father when she had to be taken out.  She spent the rest of Mass screaming and crying in the hallway until she was allowed to drink from the water fountain.  Mass grade: B-

And speaking of Lilla Rose, I'm having a Grand Opening Party!  It runs through 8/18 and I'll be posting more soon, but if you want to check it out, you can see details on Facebook here or shop the party here.  The party is featuring Buy 3 Get 1 Free (up to $16 value) on items for new customers (never ordered from Lilla Rose before), so if you've been curious about trying Lilla Rose, now is your chance!

Kaia's family is in-country meeting her right now.  Prayers please!


Did you catch the new monthly linkup/photo submission I'll be doing with Sarah of Mommy Notes?

I'm sure I'm missing about a million other things that I wanted to share, but since I'd honestly be surprised if anyone is still reading, those might have to wait until Friday.  Starbucks is closed and I'm sitting outside on my laptop like a creepy stalker...

WIWS: A Dog Goes with Every Outfit

dress: Dress Barn | shoes: Maurice's | necklace: Premier Designs
earrings: Blue Nile | bracelet: gift | dog: Jack Russell Terrier

This is kind of a rerun from last week.  Not the same dress, but the same story.  It's also one of my favorite dresses that I bought at the beginning of the school year (actually, same store, same shopping trip) and also has never made a WIWS appearance previously because it's not breastfeeding friendly.  Now that Lulu's down to nursing only once or twice a day, we're not nursing in public, so some of my dresses get some play!

My mom and I played a little toddler-dog musical chairs today.  David, Lucia, and I went to Mass while she took Brandi in for her shots, we met at my grandparents where I left Lucia with her to go swimming, and David and I took Brandi back home.  My mom will be going to Mass tonight and Lucia may be back for a second round.  Perhaps she'll ask for grade forgiveness to improve her C- grade from this morning?  Most likely my mom won't tempt fate and will leave her with my grandparents when she goes, but we'll see.

I haven't talked much about our dogs on this blog (at least not as much as dog-crazed Katie), but I will assure you that I am I dog person.  I'm terribly allergic to cats so I'm not sure if that's why I don't like them or if I wouldn't like them much anyway (sorry, cat lovers), but I feel like a life without dogs is just not a life worth living.  I have desperately missed having a four-legged companion throughout college and the past few years and I look forward to having a house with a yard someday so I can get Lucia her own little puppy.  

I know I have talked about how much Lucia loves dogs.  She has a special bond with my sweet old Brandi.  Well, sweet isn't actually a good description of her because she's actually quite grumpy and always has been.  It's getting worse with age, but she has a real sweet spot for Lucia.  I've had a post in drafts for a while now all about the special bond between those two, so I'll leave it at that right now.

Can you believe that pup will be 16 years old in December?  She's my little girl, I chose her out of the litter when I was 10 years old.  Our next door neighbor bred Jack Russells and I begged and I begged for that little puppy.   And that's all I can type today...I'm tearing up thinking about how we're moving and every time we've moved away the past few years, I've thought it might be the last time I'd see her.  This time, it might be for real.  She's getting up there and I feel just so blessed to have been able to spend the last year living with her.  And that my little girl got to play with her...and now I'm officially a sobbing mess.

Head over to Fine Linen and Purple to check out other What I Wore Sunday participants and congratulate my dear friend Kendra on her new "wardrobe addition", won't ya?

WIWS: Freedom & Frocks

dress: Dress Barn | shoes: Maurice's

This is one of my favorite dresses.  I bought it at the beginning of the school year and thought it kind of fit the Spanish teacher stereotype with the bright colors.  You haven't seen it yet, because I've had to wear nursing friendly clothes to Mass, but now that Lucia is only rarely nursing, we don't usually nurse in public.

I just realized I haven't linked up to WIWS in a while.  My photographer (husband) has been working Sundays and we just haven't had the chance to take a picture.  But he was home today (save for a few hours of tutoring)!  I'm looking forward to him always having Sundays off with his new job!

Did you notice today's second reading was about freedom:

Brothers and sisters:
For freedom Christ set us free;
so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.

For you were called for freedom, brothers and sisters.
But do not use this freedom
as an opportunity for the flesh;
rather, serve one another through love. (Gal. 5:1, 13)

Perfect with Independence Day coming up, no?  We also sang "America the Beautiful" as the closing hymn and I had tears in my eyes as we sang it.  I just get so weepy when I think how blessed I am to live in a country with such a long history of men and women given up their lives to maintain our liberty.  It's so important to remember that the purpose of freedom is not for us to do what we want but to do what God asks of us.  

Lucia seems to have formed a pattern with Mass behavior: act so good the first part of Mass that we start to relax and think that she might finally be getting the hang of proper Mass behavior, then zinging us with some real nasty tantrums and general naughtiness (accompanied by that "I think it's so funny that you're embarrassed/mad/frustrated, Mommy!" smile) somewhere around the homily.  It's all downhill from there.  Mass behavior: D-

 

I'm linking up to Fine Linen and Purple's What I Wore Sunday linkup.  Head over for more church attire inspiration.

WIWS: A Wrinkled Shirt Book Proposal

 skirt: MNG Jeans | shirt: LOFT | sandals: LifeStrides via Ross | blue necklace: bought from the Uropeop who live on man made floating islands in Lake Titicaca | heart necklace: inherited | bracelet: birthday gift from Turkey (not a gift from the country, a gift from my best friend bought in Turkey)

I love this shirt, but I rarely wear it because it seems like no matter what I do, it's wrinkled.  In fact, this shirt is the subject of a little children's book I'm thinking of writing.  Here's an excerpt:

On Monday, she took it out of the dryer and hung it up right away, but it was still wrinkled.
On Tuesday, she ironed it, but it was still wrinkled.
On Wednesday, she put in the dryer’s 'de-wrinkle' setting, but it was still wrinkled.

On Thursday, she hung it up in the bathroom and put the shower on full blast, but it was still wrinkled.

On Friday, she ironed it with steam, but it was still wrinkled.

On Saturday, she took it to the dry cleaner to be professionally pressed, but it was still wrinkled.

On Sunday, she wore it anyway, and it was still wrinkled.

What do you think?  Instant hit on my hands?

Hmmm...where to go with this post after that bout of literary genius?  Today was Corpus Christi Sunday.  Lucia was sick, so my mom went to an earlier Mass and stayed home with Lucia while David and I took my grandparents to Mass.  We did a procession following the Blessed Sacrament around the block after Mass and I think my grandparents particularly liked it.

Not that those pictures above are stunning, but I am particularly pleased with them considering they weren't taken before/after Mass, but at 8pm after hours and hours of a sick toddler smearing boogers on me.  Let's just say it was a looooooooooong day.

I'm linking up to Fine Linen and Purple's What I Wore Sunday linkup.  Head over for more church attire inspiration.

And now Grace has a Sunday Best linkup?  You know I have to link up with that one too.  Two birds with one stone, y'all. 

WIWS: Happy Mother's Day

 skirt: La Belle (had it since high school) | camis:Ambiance Apparel via NoMoreRack

sweater: Derek Heart (via Ross?) | sandals: LifeStrides via Ross

necklace: Premier Designs | hair band: Lilla Rosa

Happy Mother's Day!  My family has always celebrated all the women who have lead special mothering roles: moms, grandmas, special aunties, godmothers, and anyone else that fills that place in our hearts.  Some dads take on the roles of fathers and mothers.  I'm saying a prayer of thanksgiving for all of you today.  I also have a special prayer today for those of you that have lost your children or long for children with the cross of infertility, know that you are remembers and loved today.

Apparently the Mass times changed at our church while we were away for a week.  What a blessing in disguise!  David, Lulu, and I were there an hour early and got to walk around downtown and enjoy a latte together before heading back for Mass.  Lulu was so cute walking on the sidewalk, announcing loudly each time she saw a "BABY, BABY, BABY!" and greeting each four-legged creature with "HI DOG! HI DOG!" She was fussy in Mass as always, but my dad stayed with her in the back most of the time, so I got to participate in Mass.

It was a really great Mother's Day overall, complete with sweet cards from David and Lucia.  And breakfast in bed (my dad and David teamed up on that one for me and my mom).  I just got up from a long afternoon nap and it seems the rest of the house is still napping (save for David who is at work - I have to plan something super special for him for Father's Day for working so hard for us).  Here's to hoping for a few minutes to read before anyone else wakes up.  That would be the perfect Mother's Day indeed.

I'm linking up to Fine Linen and Purple's What I Wore Sunday linkup.  Thanks for joining me last week when I guest hosted the linkup!  Head over for more church attire inspiration.

What I Wore Sunday: The One In Which I HOST!

Welcome WIWSers!  As I'm sure you already know, Fine Linen and Purple's Emily was married this weekend!  I hope you'll join me in congratulating her and sending prayers her way for a beautiful, Christ-centered marriage.  Since this was such a big week for Emily and Kendra, they asked me to fill in as host of What I Wore Sunday.  Obviously, they didn't choose based on most stylish but I'm honored that they asked me to step in and fill the fashionable shoes of Fine Linen and Purple. 

I've been a frequent WIWS participant since the very beginning (and I've been "in real life" friends with Kendra since before Fine Linen and Purple came into existence - she's just as wonderful in person, people!), so unless you've become a new reader since last Sunday, all you Messy Wife, Blessed Life readers should know what it's all about by now. 

dress: LOFT
boots: Bare Traps (Macy's)
necklace: Blessed Life Boutique
(lack of) makeup and hairstyle: sixteen people in a house with three bathrooms

I'm loving our vacation to visit family and Lucia even got a B for Mass behavior today! And the weather is gorgeous! Have a wonderful Sunday!

WIWS: A few new additions & a naughty, naughty toddler

  skirt: Talbots | shirt: can't see it anyway, so who cares?

baby carrier: c/o Boba | headscarf: gifted | shoes: Payless

The clothes I wore to Mass yesterday weren't nearly as noteworthy as my two new additions: a baby carrier and head covering.  I've covered my head before for Latin Masses before but not for the Ordinary Form.  I've been thinking about wearing one for a while and when I received this lovely scarf from my best friend for my birthday (purchased from Turkey), I thought I might as well try it out.  I was a little worried about calling attention to myself at Mass, but I think the screaming toddler did a much better job at that than a head scarf.

Our Boba was an attempt to keep Lucia happy, but it came off about five minutes into Mass.  I was sent the Boba to review and I have been amazed by how much Lucia loves it.  We hadn't babyworn (is that a word?) since she was maybe six months old in her Moby so I was afraid she wouldn't like it.  Well she does.  As long as I'm moving.  But standing/sitting in a pew?  Apparently it elicits wild animal howls.  Although, to be fair, the howling at the moon didn't end when I took her out.  It didn't really end until we walked out the front doors after Mass.  David and I decided to give her a Mass grade of 5% which was only that high because she did put her hands together to pray for about 30 seconds toward the end of Mass and crossed herself with holy water (and then proceeded to scream because she wanted to do it again.  and again.)  Yeah, it was a rough day.  (The picture above was taken before Mass and she already had a sour face.  We should have known.)  We contemplated leaving halfway through Mass and spent the entire time camped out in the lobby but we made it through.  It's days like that when I contemplate going to a different church so I don't have to see all my students and their parents staring and me and my screaming toddler.  Ugh.

By the by, I'm guest hosting "Trendy Tot Tuesday" tomorrow, so head back to link up a post about your stylish little one (doesn't have to be a tot, a child of any age is great!) or just to check out the cute fashion mavens in the making.

I'm linking up to Fine Linen and Purple's What I Wore Sunday linkup.  Check it out for more church attire inspiration.