Top Ten Returns

I started this two days before the miscarriage.  I was recapping September and October.  Obviously things have changed dramatically, but I still want to record these past parts of my life, so I left things in.

1.  I was pregnant for 13 weeks.  It was a total surprise.  I loved it and was scared to death of the possibility of raising two little ones.  I was very happy to have conceived without fertility medication.  The loss of our child still hurts but we are gaining strength through the love of family and friends.

2. The after-school program I set up as part of my AmeriCorps VISTA job took off and I was able to start working from home more to help with health during the pregnancy.  Now I'm back into home mode and have no ambition to return to work, despite the fact that I loved the people I worked with, the work I did, and the paychecks.  I just miss being with my family.  I'm not sure what lies ahead for me, even at the end of this week when I am to return.

3.   I was 1 of 8 contestants in the KCTN Pork Cook-Off.  I thought it must because they had few entries, but they said they had 50 or so.  I made bbq pork sushi.  We also had to do a place setting.   I didn't win 1st-3rd prizes, but each participant got 1/5 of a hog which was nice.

4. We finally got our tax return.  Just in time for Christmas shopping.

5. I was in a musical at the Elkader Opera House called Working.  I had a name and lines and singing parts.  I loved it.  It was a lot of work, but tons of fun.

6. My uncle's Lee and Randy asked me to photograph their wedding.  I was so blessed, happy to see them married in the church since I knew Lee was dealing with feeling unloved by God years ago when he first came out to me.  I hope they have a life of happiness.

7. My niece, Ella, was born the day after our babe was.  We have yet to meet her, but we will soon.  My family threw a baby shower a couple of weeks ago.  I was put in charge of games and soon realized I was basically in charge of the day.  I bought this great little owl hat and sleep sack that I intended for our little one, but passed it along. 

8. My sister Amber completed her stay with us.  Landscaping is basically over for the year.  She is making plans for her wedding next year and I love helping her get ready.  I took engagement photos in October.

9.  My vegan family members can excuse themselves from reading this #.  This weekend we went to the deer open house which was a sampling at a locker of what they could do when you process deer there.  It was basically a free pyramid of meat, no sides.  The maple glazes links were amazing.

10. We missed Halloween (which is my absolute favorite holiday) but my mom took Link  trick-or-treating for the first time.  He was the Flash but kept calling himself Lightning McQueen (He must have seen Cars at Grandma's house).  We did enter the pumpkin decorating contest at Osborne Heritage Days again.  Bryce took a prize based on lack of participation by adults.  Link didn't get anything, but still did a great job with his pumpkin.  Bryce's 2nd place pumpkin is the tiny thing beside the mummy, he did it on the way there with a sharpie.