Off we go...

I never thought I'd go back to Las Vegas. The city and I just do not mix. However, out of familial duties to my mother, I am going to accompany her to her 40th anniversary reunion for UST Medical School. Mind you, I am very hesitant about the trip, considering that I have a hard time even watching TV most of the time for a number of reasons...but I tried my best to somehow make it a vacation I can enjoy as well.

So, I found a Catholic church right down the street from our resort that has daily Mass at 11:30am with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 10am-1pm. It's not SPC, but it'll do to get me through the week. Jesus will still be there, and I'm very happy about that. =) Pray for me, please, because I somehow manage to always come back feeling very disturbed. I don't think I'll be any less disturbed this time, but again...adoration and Holy Communion is adoration and Holy Communion no matter where you are...so it's definitely something to look forward to!

We're also going to see Phantom of the Opera at the Venetian. Gary and I love musicals, so we're excited about that as well. Not excited about the heat, though. I checked the weather and it's 110-113 for the high out there for the next week. Whew!

Okay, time to see my fam bam to celebrate Robby's promotion (congratulations BiL!). Hope you're all enjoying your summer!

We're growing...

Over a month after my last entry, I find that I don't have a lot to write. Well, I actually do, but I have been spending my time doing a good deal of reading and sleeping and planning for the next school year since my maternity leave will hit a month and a half after school starts.

I have enjoyed my vacation, though. It's nice to wake up whenever I want to and to go to sleep a little later than usual.

So what's going on in my life these days?

• more prayer to strengthen my relationship with Jesus
• feeling the baby move pretty much every day now
• talk with Gary about our kiddo's future
• growing comfortable with the pregnancy

Now that we're in the fifth month, I'm appreciating this whole experience in a much more relaxed state...not just because I'm out of school, but because I'm more excited than scared nowadays. I'm also reminding myself that this child is a wonderful miracle...that there is absolutely no reason to complain about things like weight gain, stretch marks, back pains, etc., etc. that come with carrying the baby for nine months and bringing him/her into the world.

Honestly, it's kind of been a challenge for me to stay positive because plenty of people have so many negative things to say and it's easy to fall into that mindset, too. But I don't want to get stuck in all the thoughts about how the baby is inconveniencing us and how my life will be turned upside down by a kid that is more of a burden than a gift from God. I want to remember how blessed I am to be a mother, and how grateful Gary and I are that we even get to have another chance to be parents.

That's why I so greatly admire those parents who live their vocation to the fullest. One of those people was my dad, who did have a difficult time (because I - to say the least - was a difficult child) but plugged along and did his job anyway. I used to ask him if it was hard raising the four of us, and every time he would smile and say that no matter what he would try his best and not think about how hard it was because if he did, he'd just quit. Never once did I hear him complain.

Self-denial...that's something I pray to learn and put into practice.

It all starts with the little things.