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Obviously it’s been a while since I’ve written anything here on the blog. The past three weeks since we came back to the states have been…well, I’m not really sure how to describe them…let’s just say there’s been a lot to feel and that has made it difficult to write. There is so much that I still don’t think I can write about or even begin to process through, so today I’m just going to stick with another pregnancy journal entry, but I’m hoping to write some more interesting thought provoking posts in the coming weeks (like about why I don’t really think women should cover up while nursing, my thoughts about leaving Prague and our future, and perhaps a mesquite flour recipe).

Pregnancy journal: week 18

I’m seeing… Family

I’m feeling… Overwhelmed, stressed, worried, tired, sick… And unable to separate myself from the stress, worry and anxiety of those around me.

I’m thinking… I really need some space to process, decompress and relax. I know I haven’t been doing a good job taking care of myself or this new baby lately and I know I need to, but I’m struggling with how to do that with a demanding toddler and amidst some of the other things that are going on around me right now.

I’m creating… Nothing.

I’m reading… Nothing.

I’m thankful… To be back in the states. Thankful for my midwife and chiropractor, thankful to be able to be with my family in the midst of a lot of different things going on. My dad has been in the hospital for most of the past two weeks and I’m thankful to be here with them all instead of in Prague wondering what’s going on.

I’m looking forward to… Finding out the sex of this baby in a little over a week. Ultrasounds make me nervous, but I’m really glad we are going to find out. I’ve had a really hard time connecting with this baby and it feels like it will help to replace the ambiguity with a gender and a name.

I’m curious about… I’m going to try acupuncture for the first time this week and I’m really curious how it’s going to go. I’m excited about it and feeling hopeful that it will help with a lot of what’s been going on with my body lately. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

A few plans and intentions for this week:

1. Go to acupuncture
2. Get away by myself at least once – maybe go to a yoga class or go sit and write somewhere

A prayer for the week:

Lord, I feel like there is so much that I could ask right now, so much that I need to be laying before you… I’m not sure where to start.
Lord, I pray for healing.
Healing for myself.
Healing for my dad.
Physical healing for all of the issues which are still unknown to us, but are intimately known to you.
Lord, I pray for guidance.
Guidance for Bryan and I.
Guidance for those close to use who face uncertain futures, multiple decisions and unknown outcomes.
Guidance for all of the questions in our hearts.
Lord, I pray for rest.
Rest for my small family.
Rest for my extended family.
Rest from the heartache, the worry.
Be with us all, Lord.
I pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen

Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany

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We’ve been having a lot of fun grocery shopping since arriving in Seattle to visit my in-laws. Yesterday we took quite the foodie tour around the area. We started at Trader Joe’s. I’ve always enjoyed Trader Joe’s but this time I couldn’t stop grinning the whole time we were there. I loved that I saw at least four other women with babies all of which were babywearing, as was I at the time. I loved the variety. I loved being able to read the labels and talk with people. We stopped and chatted with another customer about goat cheese for a little bit – we helped her find the cheddar goat cheese and she recommended a goat cheese with honey to us. She also had a baby in a carrier and just looked like the kind of person I’d be friends with. Our shopping time at Trader Joe’s was very successful and we left with a cartful of goods, including but not limited to Kefir, goat cheese, raw milk cheddar cheese, 100% grass feed ground beef, and red quinoa.

After Trader Joe’s we went to Double DD Meats. This butcher was fun. It just had a fun, lively atmosphere that was really unique. It was busy and happening. There were funny little signs up that my husband and mother-in-law and I all got a kick out of reading. We went there cause we had heard they have grass feed meat, but we were disappointed to learn when we asked that although their meat is all grass fed it is also grain finished. I figured it was still better than the cow not having grass at all, although not as good as 100% grass fed, but I’m not really sure. Do any of you know?? Either way we happily bought a big steak to share, a pound of beef liver, and a whole rabbit.

After that we went to Manna Mills. This place made me especially happy because we found certified raw milk there. It’s the first raw milk I’ve ever bought or drank and let me tell you it was GOOD. My husband and I finished the whole half gallon in about just over two days. Yummy! We also bought some wonderful teas there. They had all kinds of flours and grains in bulk so we of course bought some coconut flour, which I’ve been dying to try. I plan on seeing if I can make a teething biscuit with it. Anyone have a good recipe for teething biscuits? My first attempt at teething biscuits was not all that successful. I want to make it without eggs or grains and I’m hoping that coconut flour will work as the grain substitute. We’ll see.

Today we went shopping again. This time just to Fred Meyer to get a few random things we’d forgotten about – like parsnip and carrots for the rabbit dish we’re going to make tomorrow and avocado’s for the baby. We were pleasantly surprised to learn, though, that Fred Meyer carries Kefir as well as a pretty decent health food section. We also had some fun getting a few baby things to stock my in-laws house – like a sippy cup and baby spoons, as well as a few toys for my son to play with while here. Since he’s their first grandchild they didn’t have anything like that yet. It was a very fun and successful trip as well.
On Friday we plan on going to the farmers market where my mother-in-law sells her homemade Baklava. I can’t wait.

Ok, so after all this shopping are you curious what’s on our menu this week? Well, here’s a little idea of what we plan to make in the next few days:

Steak with Artichokes
Salmon with a big salad
Stuffed Bell Peppers (stuffed with a ground beef and quinoa mixture)
Rabbit with root vegetables
Pizza with a few different cheeses and roasted peppers
Liver and Onions

Yummy! I’m so excited about all of these meals. Best part is that thanks to my in-laws generosity we didn’t have to pay for any of our groceries this week. We just get to cook and enjoy! Parents are great, aren’t they? Thanks again Blake and Lisa! Thaddeus and Bryan and I really appreciate it and our belly’s do too!

Rejoicing in the journey -
Beth Stedman

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This post is a guest post by my dear friend, Tara. She’s an excellent photographer and today she is sharing some photography tips with all of us. I know I will definitely be using this tip about perspective this summer while I’m traveling. I hope you all find it helpful as well!

Taking great pictures of your kids…or anything for that matter…may just be all a matter of perspective. Our first inclination upon snapping the shutter is to stand directly in front of our subjects, which although it produces a nice image, may not have an AMAZING quality about it.

So may I propose a Red Thread summer photography assignment? Every time you take a picture, take 3 more. Get above your subject, get down on the ground, and yes…you may even get dirty!

Let me show you the difference perspective makes from this collection of images of my favorite Superhero!

Here I am taking the picture standing directly in front of this flying wonder. Sure it is a good picture. It shows a concentrated super hero expression and definitely shows him jumping from some sort of height. But to be honest, it is not super…and superheroes need SUPER pictures!!

In this picture, I decided to get down on my knees, but still directly in front of our Boy Wonder. (You know, the lovely thing about Superheroes is that they LOVE to perform their feats over and over and over again. Makes for great photography practice!) So…this picture is much better and getting closer to super status. Just the change in my perspective makes it look much more like a spectacular jump.

So for this image I not only get down, but get dirty…but I think it is worth it. I laid down on my stomach, still directly in front of this flying champion. But this time he looks Super!! Because of the perspective at which I took the picture, you can see the swing set behind him and his whole body is almost fully “in the sky”. He is obviously (from this perspective) able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!!

Just when you think you are done, I say that you get dirty one more time. Since you will already be down on your belly, just roll over onto your back and take the picture from there – almost upside down! You never know what that will do for a superhero image…

Of course, once you’ve mastered taking 4 different pictures from 4 different perspectives, you could always move you location and start again…

So here is hoping you get down and dirty this summer!! AND you get great pictures to prove it!!

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