Anniversary Trips

Hunter and I started a tradition on our first anniversary, and I love it. Every year we take a trip, but each year the trip is a surprise for one of us. Whoever plans the trip is supposed to consider what the other person enjoys doing and plan the trip around them. We don't reveal the destination until right around Christmas - our anniversary is December 28. So far, here's where we've traveled:

Honeymoon
This trip wasn't a surprise, but we went to Merida, Mexico and visited Mayan ruins, saw flamingos, and went to some cenotes (caves).

1st
Hunter planned our trip to Asheville, NC and we visited the Biltmore.

2nd
I planned a trip to Miami. We went snorkeling and visited Fairchild Tropical Gardens - I had to drag Hunter away from there.

3rd
Hunter planned a trip to Atlanta. We went to see the Nutcracker at the Fox and went to the Georgia Aquarium.

4th
I planned a trip to Washington, D.C. We rode the train and spent 4 days walking all over the city, visiting tons of museums and historical sites. This was our most exhausting trip, but probably the most interesting one. We even got a tour of the White House.

5th
Hunter planned our trip - we went on a cruise to Key West and Playa del Carmen. We both enjoyed it, but agree that we never really want to take a cruise again. It was way too touristy for us.

6th
Our 6th anniversary is in less than a month, and this year we broke tradition. We took a trip out west in April as our anniversary trip because we thought we would have an infant by our anniversary, but when we lost Ada we decided to plan a real anniversary trip. We both agreed to go to Costa Rica, but I have been doing most of - okay, all of - the planning. Nothing is a surprise though. We're going to visit two different volcanoes, take a tram that goes through the canopy of the rain forest, and take a boat through a wildlife preserve. We also want to spend some time shopping for Costa Rican artwork for our home. I am ready to go!

Our little poppy seed

The baby is now the size of a poppy seed. Somehow, even though it's so tiny, it's already having effects! Yesterday morning I lost my entire breakfast within an hour of eating it. Today I just felt a little queasy, but no big deal. Also, I've been feeling pretty exhausted and I've had some backaches, which I didn't have during my last pregnancy. I don't mind though! It lets me know that this is real!

I went out sort of early this morning to see if there were any good sales. I kept my eye out for a cute little baby Thanksgiving outfit on clearance, but I didn't see anything.

I'm going to call the doctor on Monday morning, and I know we'll have an ultrasound sometime in the next few weeks. I will feel much better about everything once that is over, because we will be able to make sure that everything is going okay so far and hopefully we will see a heartbeat (depending on how soon we do this). Also, it will be good to know if there is just one baby...or more...

So much to be thankful for!

1. My husband, who is one of the most selfless and intelligent people I know. I can't imagine what my life would be like without him.

2. My sweet baby Ada, who is still teaching me things even though she is gone. I think about her and miss her every day. Don't ever be afraid to mention her name to me.

3. My family, who loves me and cares about me even when I get a little crazy. I am especially thankful for my niece and nephew (ages 2 1/2 and 8 months), because they bring so much joy, laughter, and hope to our family.

4. My friends, whether they are old friends far away, new friends here in Florida, or online "stillborn mama" friends that I have met since losing Ada. I am appreciative to all of these friends for listening to me, sending me thoughtful cards or emails, and for trying to understand what I have been through this last year.

5. My job, which allows me to be creative and to work with some of the greatest 12 and 13-year-olds you will ever find. They challenge me to be a better teacher and, of course, they always make me laugh.

6. My house, for always being a place to come home to. After moving so many times in my life I am grateful to have a beautiful home that I will (hopefully) never have to move away from.

7. Our new tiny little baby on the way!!! We got the best news ever early this Thanksgiving morning. I believe the due date will be August 4, 2009!


After waiting so long to tell everybody the big news last time, we decided to go ahead and break the news immediately this time. The only thing I ask is that, if you work with me, please don't spread the news at school. I am going to wait a few months before telling the administration and my students.

Night launch

We got to watch a night launch last night! It wasn't our first, but in my opinion it was the only one that counted. There was one at 2:30 in the morning earlier this year (in the middle of the week, of course), and we drove to Cocoa Beach to watch it. It was very cool to see how it lit up the sky for all of 10 seconds - and then it disappeared behind a cloud. I was disappointed, although I did think it was worth it.

Last night the launch was at a decent hour and we found a great spot. We were just across the intercoastal waterway from the space center, and we could see the Vehicle Assembly Building, the shuttle on the launch pad, and the giant full moon. I had binoculars so I could see the shuttle very clearly, and I saw when smoke first started coming out of it. As soon as it got into the sky, the binoculars were too much for me - it was like staring at the sun! It's amazing how a night launch lights up the sky like day.

We tried taking a video of the launch, but it didn't work out because my camera is crappy. So, I found somebody else's on youtube. They had a pretty similar view, but I think we may have been closer. The actual launch doesn't start until 38 seconds into the video. (It was much more impressive in person!)

I got tagged

4 things I'm passionate about:
1. My family, especially Ada Elizabeth
2. Animals
3. Politics
4. Teaching - most of the time

4 words/phrases I use often:
1. Hablen espanol, por favor! (to my students)
2. Rotten cats.
3. Stop that! (to a cat scratching the furniture)
4. Okay, I really can't come up with a fourth one

4 things I want to do before I die:
1. Have a large family
2. Visit all 7 continents
3. Do something to improve education in a third world country
4. Go back to Chile

4 things I've learned in the past:
1. Listen to other people - they may have a lot to teach you
2. You never know what other people are going through
3. Don't take anything for granted
4. Count your blessings and be content with what you have

4 things I currently want/need: (The irony is not lost on me that this follows my last answer!)
1. To be pregnant with a healthy baby
2. To lose weight...although this does not go well with #1
3. A day off
4. To be more accepting of others for who they are

4 places I want to see/visit:
1. Alaska
2. The Alps
3. Northern California
4. Egypt

4 favorite restaurants:
1. The Sunset Cafe in Cocoa Beach - eat seafood while you watch the sunset, dolphins, and manatees!
2. Roberto's (Cuban food) in Cocoa Beach
3. The Pizza Gallery in Melbourne
4. Moe's

4 TV shows I can't live without:
1. Heroes
2. Brothers & Sisters
3. Lost, although I'm living without it right now
4. Gilmore Girls - it may be off the air but it will always live on as long as I have the DVD's

4 things you might not know about me:
1. I met Hunter when he was my TA in college. Yes, I got an A in the class. ;)
2. I was a computer science major in college but I switched to Spanish my senior year. I had enough credits to still graduate on time.
3. I played the violin for 7 years. I still take it out every once in a while but I sound so bad that it depresses me and I stop.
4. I have lived in 4 countries and visited 4 others.

Rather than tag people specifically, I invite anyone who reads this to do it anyway and leave a post saying you did it so I can read yours!

Life in Florida

This morning Hunter and I were on a walk when we noticed a bald eagle sitting on the side of the lake! We got to about 100 feet away from it and stopped and watched it before it took off and flew to the roof of a house. Later, it flew into this tree and I went back to the house to get my camera. There was a large nest in the tree next to this and we think it either belongs to this bald eagle or maybe to an osprey. It's about a tenth of a mile from our house. Anyway, it was very cool!

So, since we have moved to Florida, at least one of us has seen these animals in our neighborhood:

Two bobcats
A river otter
A bald eagle
Ospreys
Armadillos
Raccoons
Tortoises
Turtles
Sand cranes (see the picture below)
Roseate spoonbills
Lots of other cool birds

(This picture was taken from my front yard.)

Today's mail

Today's mail was very strange. First of all, I got a handwritten birthday card from my state senator. That's very nice, but how on earth does he have time for that? I do believe he wrote it himself because it's only like two sentences with his signature. Anyway, I appreciate it but I'm sure I'll never vote for him because what a politician stands for is much more important to me than if they wrote me a birthday card.

The other interesting piece of mail was a letter from the funeral home who did Ada's cremation for us (for free) trying to get us to make our funeral plans now. I'm turning 27 tomorrow! I don't really think I need to be paying some sort of funeral insurance from now until whenever. Anyway, I just thought it was ironic to get a card celebrating my birth and information about preparing for my death at the same time.