7 Quick Takes Friday (Take 24)

1. I find it somewhat ironic that people who have lived here in North Carolina for all their lives have been telling me that this was the first earthquake they’ve ever felt.  I’ve only been here a month, but apparently I moved here just in time to experience it.  It was not, however, the first earthquake I’ve experienced (my family is originally from Southern California), so it didn’t even register with me as a significant event.  I got a call from my husband shortly afterwards asking if I felt it, and my first reaction was, “Felt what?”  The earthquake.  Oh yeah, that.

2. We’ve received several phone calls from family members this week who are worried about how we’ll fare from Hurricane Irene.  We’re doing our best to reassure them that we are far enough inland that we won’t get much more than rain and some wind, but at this point, our families think that we moved to the heart of a disaster zone: a highly televised tornado earlier this year, now an earthquake and a hurricane within a week. 

3.  Earlier this week, I had my second appointment at the birth center and I continue to be impressed by the care I receive from the midwives.  The midwife went over my 3-day food diary with me and David for about fifteen minutes.  That’s longer than any of my appointments with my former OB were!  And my OB never once mentioned nutrition or showed any interest in my questions about healthful eating during pregnancy.  Pregnancy is much more than just checking for and treating complications and I am very grateful that I am finally getting the care I need to make sure my child has a healthy beginning.

4. On Wednesday, I went to a group for pregnant and new moms.  One of the other couples who moved here with us is expecting as well, and the wife went with me.  Thank goodness, or I would have chickened out and never made it - I’m not the best about trying new things and meeting new people.  But once I got there, I enjoyed the discussions and I’ll probably go back next week.  Most of the moms gave birth either at home or at the birth center, they breastfeed and babywear and I noticed half of the babies there had cloth diapers.  Although some of their parenting ideas were a little too out there for me (at least at this point, I seem to be getting more crunchy as I go), I seem like I’ll fit in quite well.  Although I definitely was, by far, the youngest woman there (other than the woman accompanying me).

5.  I’ve been trying to fill the long hours at home during the weekdays by being productive around the house.  So far, that’s consisted of making zucchini muffins, which came out really well considering it was my first time making them, removing stains from some of the hand-me-down baby clothes my mom has sent (using this stain removing method - it works miracles), and even covering the lid of our coin jar.  On the docket tomorrow: making banana bread (it will also be a first, hopefully it turns out as well at the zucchini muffins and isn’t a disaster like last week’s homemade cake).  Nothing makes a woman more domestic than boredom. 

6.  I found gorgeous rosary coloring sheets for the joyful, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries of the rosary on the Family in Feast and Feria blog. They were originally published in 1949.  I love them!  How did I find them?  Well, if I’m being perfectly honest, I was looking for coloring sheets for myself.  Yes, I color.  It’s therapeutic.  Or say they say, I just really like coloring.

7.  My belly button is slowly creeping outwards - I bet it won’t be more than a week before it pops out!

Please head to Conversion Diary to read some more Quick Takes (it's the #1 way I find new favorite blogs!).