Snapshots and Babblings

Merry Christmas to all!

2011-12-23T23:54:00.000-05:00

xox,
Aaron, Johanna, and Mikaela Hsu
December 2011

It's my Senior Year!

2011-12-07T22:41:00.006-05:00

When I started my first semester of school back in the Fall of 2009, I had no idea what I was in for.

Well, I thought I had some idea, but I really had no idea. ;-)

After working away at my books each Fall, Spring, and Summer semester since . . . and working on CLEP tests on the side, I'm excited to say that passing my 6th CLEP test today gave me the last 3 credits I needed to finally consider myself a "Senior".

It's my last year of school! (More or less. Preferably less.)

It's the beginning of the end!!

It's . . . it's . . . it's . . .

. . . a wonderful feeling.

And I'm ecstatic. :D

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Mikaela's 1st Driving Lesson

2011-10-25T23:00:00.005-04:00

This month has held many "firsts" for Mikaela.

She ice-skated, chased ducks (and almost fell into the Canal), colored cookies, and is experiencing her first time away from Daddy (for 2 weeks) while he's on the West Coast at a conference.

Even though she misses her "Aarwon" and looks sad whenever she hears his voice on the phone, she is thrilled to be visiting with her Gran'mama and Great-Grands at their island home. The frequent bike-rides, walks on the beach, hugs & kisses, new toys, and ice-cream treats makes her one Very Happy (and spoiled) Toddler.

This afternoon brought her another of those "firsts". She received a Lil Lightning McQueen from her Gran'mama for her 2nd birthday. After she bumped into a couple of vases on the veranda, we decided it was time to move her outside to the driveway.

It was hilarious! She would scrape against the walls, or end up in the flower beds. We need to work on her steering, for sure.

Check this video out!

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Mikaela's 2nd Birthday Party

2011-10-22T04:11:00.004-04:00

I'm still trying to believe that my baby is 2. It seems so . . . surreal. Where did all that time go?

We did throw a party for her earlier this month, with pictures and videos to prove it actually happened!

Enjoy reliving the experience with us, and do Mikaela a favor by shedding a tear or two with her at the end, ok? She had quite a traumatic end to an otherwise happy party.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Fall = Hayrides + Fun

2011-10-10T15:52:00.010-04:00

It's my favorite time of the year again.

Crisp air, golden leaves, hayrides, bonfires, smores, and harvest parties.

One day after her 2nd birthday, Mikaela got to enjoy her
first horseback riding experience. She LOVED every moment of it.
"Mama, pease?" She says.
"Pease? Pease? Pease?"

In her mind, she's riding an animal that "moos".
Yes, in Mikaela's world, both cows and horses say, "MOO-ooo."

Aaron humoring the kids by doing some flips
on their trampoline. They never get tired of seeing his tricks every. single. year.
Neither do I. ;-)

Shelby and her friends.
"You need to send me this picture!" she says.

Hayride through the corn fields.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

A Light Out

2011-10-06T12:59:00.004-04:00

She was my favorite English teacher.

She showed us she cared.

Years after I graduated high school and moved on, she still inspired me, and taught me so much about life and faith as I witnessed her fight against cancer.

Hundreds of people who love her and her family lifted her up in prayers over the past three days, as she developed an untreatable blood clot, and battled for life in the ICU. We needed a miracle.

I teared up when her husband shared that she passed away this morning, at 10:20am. Our loss is Heaven's gain.

Thank you for touching this life, Mrs. Schmuck ~ my heart will always remember you for your wonderful testimony, and love for God.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Little Dancer

2011-10-05T22:25:00.003-04:00

I've been meaning to post some new portraits I took of Mikaela recently . . . but picture uploading on blogger has been incredibly slow lately. Perhaps it's just my browser, I don't know. Hmm.

Anyhow, here's a recent video of our little dancer. She certainly didn't inherit her moves from me! Before too long, she'll be begging for classes . . .

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Another one hits home

2011-09-15T01:04:00.002-04:00

Homeschool Blindspots - the full article is here.

"I am convinced that the most contagious parenting is living a heartfelt faith before your children. Fruitful interaction is not about what you do to your young people, but who you are with them. It's about having a real faith in God, and expressing it in a real relationship with a real person--not about methods and self-working principles. God intends that the side-effect of loving Jesus and enjoying the grace of the gospel will be that all people--including our children--will be touched by the Savior in us."
- Reb Bradley

~ Mrs. Arcfide

These happy, golden days

2011-09-14T01:16:00.005-04:00

I treasure them.

The moments when she flings her little arms around my neck, with childish abandon.

The unchecked kisses she liberally rains on my lips, face, and neck.

Her little voice calling, "Mama? Mama?" even if I'm just in the other room.

Her pride in learning how to wear, and walk around in flip-flops.

The association she makes between the animals in her picture book, and the sounds they make.

Her singing, "Jesusss" and humming the rest of the tune to "Jesus Loves Me".

Her big eyes filling with tears when she hears her da-da's voice on the phone.

Her saying "Uh-oh", when she wants a diaper change.

Her sharpie scrawling on my books and table.

Her bulging tummy, and perpetual appetite for food and snacks.

Her crazy dancing when Dada returns home from work.

Her long blink complete with a wink, when it's time to "close your eyes and pray"

Her obsession with typing on our keyboards

But best of all, those generous kisses on my face . . .

I treasure them.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Where I've been . . .

2011-08-16T22:08:00.002-04:00

After visiting four new states this Summer, I thought it was time to update my US map again.

I'm hoping to add Oregon and perhaps a few more states this Fall, if Aaron decides to go to the conference in Portland he's been invited to speak at. :)

visited 24 states (48%)
Create your own visited map of The United States

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Mikaela talking . . .

2011-07-22T23:41:00.001-04:00

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Ear-cleaning, anyone?

2011-07-13T21:09:00.000-04:00

~ Mrs. Arcfide

3 years

2011-07-08T02:33:00.003-04:00

Picture taken at midnight, 7/6/2011.

Since the pictures from our nice,
romantic dinner at Sweet Grass didn't quite turn out. ;)

♥ .I love him more. ♥

~ Mrs. Arcfide

My 4th of July

2011-07-08T02:07:00.014-04:00

This year, we celebrated my second 4th of July at my Great-grands' home.
They always give me a Grand time!
Ooma played Patty-cakes with me and made me laugh.

Oompa gave me a little flag, and led me in our mini-parade.

Daddy stuck the flag in my hair!

Me and Daddy, by the pool.

He took me swimming.

After dinner, we went to the park with our cousins
to listen to a band and watch some fireworks.

The music was LOUD . . .

. . . and so were the fireworks. But, I wasn't even a little bit afraid.
When daddy tried to cover my ears, I wriggled out of his arms.

I'd rather watch the fireworks on my back, like this.
Yes, glow sticks and all. :)

I hope you had a Happy 4th ~ be sure to let me know if you enjoyed my guest post!

Love,
Mikaela

Baby Shower Gift Idea ~ The Diaper Cake

2011-07-08T00:40:00.019-04:00

Earlier this summer, a perfect opportunity presented itself for me to make what I've been wanting to try my hand at for awhile - a diaper cake!

Diaper-cakes have always fascinated me, from the very first time I laid my eyes on them. They are so unique at baby showers, and which mom-to-be wouldn't love having her nursery stocked with diapers? ;)

I found this tutorial on youtube particularly helpful, but I am sure there are many other similar tutorials you can find online. The nicest thing about a creative project like this is that you don't have to use exactly the same supplies someone else tells you to. For instance, this tutorial suggested using an empty milk bottle in the core of the cake, but I used a bottle of sparkling juice and a plastic bib (to extend the height of the cake) instead. So long you have the basic concept about tying individual diapers in rubber bands and surrounding the core of the cake with them, your options are limited only by your creativity.

Basic supplies I used:
3 packs of diapers (in Size 1 and 2)
Cardboard for base of cake
1 bottle of sparkling juice
1 plastic bib
Large Rubber bands
Hair rubber bands around each diaper (so the mom can re-use them later!)

I decorated the cake with:
3 rolls of ribbon
flowers
hair bows
3 stuffed animals
1 rattle
shoes
bath supplies (travel size)
2 onesies
2 pacifiers
foam stickers

My cake turned out taller than I'd initially anticipated, because I purchased more diapers than I thought I would need. Better too many than too few, right? ;)

My mother-in-law, with whom I consulted on this project, suggested I use them all by fanning an extra layer of diapers in between two tiers of the cake, to break up the monotony.

The best thing about having made this diaper cake?
Seeing my cousin's face light up in a smile when my husband brought it in. :)

~ Mrs. Arcfide

"Painting Pictures of Egypt"

2011-06-22T12:44:00.000-04:00

. . . great song about psychological inertia.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

From Father's Day . . .

2011-06-21T13:50:00.005-04:00

Since I recently shared some pictures that we took Mother's Day,
I thought I'd be fair to Aaron, and post some pictures from Father's Day as well. Hee!

Kissing on command is sometimes a hit and miss with Mikaela.

She loves kissing on the lips, though, and thinks that's the ONLY place for kisses,
so watch-out if you're not part of the family. Lol!

Her newest camera pose.
I wonder where she got that from . . .

And again . . .

~ Mrs. Arcfide

She's learning . . . something!

2011-06-13T21:10:00.002-04:00

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Friday, May 13th in Pictures

2011-05-13T23:42:00.004-04:00

The Program

The Graduate

The Graduate with Graduate-in-the-making.
;-)

The past 22 months "homeschooling" myself through college will always be remembered fondly as some of the most happy, challenging, and productive days of my life.

I'm thankful for my school, and for the generous scholarships they've awarded me.

I'm thankful for my husband, who has been my biggest fan and cheerleader the entire journey.

I'm thankful for my toddler, who reminded me often that Family is my priority when she comes near to gently close a textbook.

I'm also thankful for all my extended family, who believed in me, encouraged me, and inspired me to do well.

And my greatest thanks to God, for the greatest Gift - and every gift I have - from Him.

May the next year-and-a-half be as it has been, in the past.

Junior Year, here I come!!

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Mother's Day Family Pictures Fail

2011-05-09T13:09:00.014-04:00

#1) It was a windy day. My hair lost its parting.

#2) So far, so good.
But Mikaela wasn't paying attention!

#3) She didn't want to stop playing with rocks.
A meltdown ensued.

I guess someone was just in need of a nap.

At least, we got some decent pictures of Mikaela enjoying the outdoors,
before the waterworks began. :)

We may not have been picture-perfect, but at least, we had Fun!!

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Every toddler's mama needs an SLR

2011-04-26T15:40:00.011-04:00

. . . that is, if your toddler can't be still for longer than two seconds - like mine. ;-)

I LOVE how I'm able to capture the adorable expressions on my active little one, even as she's constantly moving, bobbing, climbing, running, and flashing that cheeky grin.

My old point-and-shoot would have frustrated me, with its slow shutter speed, and inability to capture these wonderful snapshots, fleeting poses though they be.

I hope you guys are enjoying the sunshine and the rain, as much as we.

Oh, and your little ones' wet, muddy baby bottoms too. :-)

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Not your typical Baby and bottle sight

2011-04-05T15:21:00.003-04:00

Mikaela: "More Ginger ale, please!"

I just had to snap a picture,
before rescuing my little climber from the edge. ;)

~ Mrs. Arcfide

The kid's crazy about nuggets

2011-03-09T00:00:00.005-05:00

She ate 7 pieces, and half a bag of fries.

Where does it all go?! It always tickles me to see her stomach visibly bulge and harden after she eats - too much. Her big appetite . . . she inherited from her dad.

I'm fairly sure that I couldn't consume as much when I was her age.

Oh, and please excuse the gross migration of nuggets across the carpet, open-mouthed chewing, etc. That's, ya know . . . what toddlers do. O_^

~ Mrs. Arcfide

2011-03-05T15:27:00.002-05:00

No words to describe how much this post, First Time Obedience, Really? put everything about child discipline back into perspective again for me.

Sometimes, when one has had an exhausting, trying morning with an almost 17 month old, words of wisdom come as apples of gold on a silver platter.

May I never forget the important things.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Coincidence?

2011-02-26T00:12:00.002-05:00

Today was a good day.

For the first time in weeks, I'd finished all my assignments for the week - yesterday. No rush, no stress, nothing.

I woke up this morning feeling like I just wanted to get out of the house.

"Will you take me to the mall today?", I asked my sleeping husband beside me.

"Hmm?", he wondered.

"I just want to get my hair trimmed, and get Mikaela's and my pictures taken today." So the plan was set.

Aaron dropped Mikaela and I off at the mall, before heading to school for the afternoon. The wait wasn't too long at MC, which was so nice. My last haircut was some 10 months ago, so I was ready to get rid of some split ends and uneven hair growth. Mikaela sat very still in her stroller the entire time I was in the chair. She only started wailing when the hairstylist started blow-drying my hair. I don't use a hairdryer at home, because the noise bothers her.

After my haircut, we walked over to Sears Portraits for our photo session, which I'd belatedly arranged just before I walked into the Hair salon. Heh. It was a slow afternoon for them, so they were extremely accommodating. I wanted to have my picture with Mikaela taken in our qipaos, before we both outgrew our dresses. I haven't worn mine since our wedding, and well . . . let's just say it's getting more difficult to put on. ;)

Mikaela wasn't very cooperative - as in, she wanted to be everywhere but still, so after a couple of decent shots, I decided to give up.

As we were waiting for our photographer to edit our pictures, another lady walked into the store. She looked Japanese/Korean to me, and I just smiled politely at her. She watched Mikaela running around with an amused expression on her face, before pointing to her qipao, and asking me "Where did you get that?"

"Oh, some friends from Singapore sent it to her", I absentmindedly responded. I was still trying to keep Mikaela from going too crazy and getting into things she shouldn't get into.

"Oh!" The lady responded. "I'm from Singapore!"

"Are you?!?"

So it turns out, that E. met her husband while they were both doing their PhDs together at IU, and after they graduated, she's continued to do some research at the school while he became a professor at the school. She had a 9 week old baby girl with her, and after their photo-session, we got to walk around the mall and learn more about each other.

This is the first time I've met another Singaporean lady here in B-town, and vice versa for her.

It's incredibly amazing how quickly we hit off, and had so much in common back in our home country. Goodness, we practically grew up in the same neighborhood (her family lives less than 2 mi. from my family), and went to elementary schools adjacent to each other. Even though she's four years older than me, at some point we must have played together in the same field between our schools. How random is that? And even here in B-town, she lives less than 2 mi. away from us. Too funny.

Reminiscing about the good ole' home country is always great, so yeah . . . today was a good day. :)

. . . . . . .

To think that we both went to Sears Portraits on a whim (me, because I didn't have homework . . . and she, because she took a day off work) and met . . . and could relate to each other just like that.

It was a good day. :)

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Round and round, and round, and round, and round, and round, and round

2011-02-22T22:27:00.008-05:00

The past week at our home has been . . . interesting, to say the least. The stomach flu was making its rounds.

Little Mikaela had no idea about what was happening to her, other than the fact that she was vomiting constantly, feverish, and going a lot. A whole lot. Since she'd just recovered from a stomach flu a couple weeks ago, I figured this would just be another troublesome round of yucky sickness. As it turns out, the combination of fever and vomiting made this yucky sickness doubly yucky.

We even made a run to the ER in the middle of the night, when her fever wouldn't come down despite the fever reducers we'd given her. She was a little confused, but excited to go out on a midnight adventure.

The nurses loved our little trooper

Mikaela's a whole lot better now . . . having passed her bug on to her Dad. I guess she figured he'll handle it much better than her. :/ At any rate, we're sure his students are enjoying their canceled classes.

So. We just wanted to document this past week's epic sickness, and give a shout-out in thanks for all of you guy's kind words of concern and support.

Fever Face

Thank you, guys! :)

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Lame Stats

2011-02-07T19:36:00.003-05:00

Why, hello world.
I'm a 16 month-old today!!

Current weight: 21 lbs
Current location: Crib
Current mood: Sleepy

~ Mikaela

Mikaela at Play

2011-01-14T13:52:00.003-05:00

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Mikaela in Florida

2010-12-28T20:19:00.000-05:00

~ Mrs. Arcfide

From us, to you . . .

2010-12-25T02:46:00.001-05:00

~ Mrs. Arcfide

2010-12-09T13:03:00.003-05:00

I put up Christmas lights and decorations for the first time (in our home) this year, and the look of wonder and delight on Mikaela's face when she first woke up from her nap to see it more than repaid me for the little effort I'd expended that afternoon.

This blogger's words made me wish I'd set up a Christmas tree, just for the heck of it. :D

If only time, and (especially) space, allowed . . .

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Hmm . . .

2010-11-22T12:39:00.002-05:00

I don't usually cry when I read my news feed, but this post and its accompanying song brought tears to my eyes, and comfort to my heart.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Survey

2010-11-10T15:42:00.001-05:00

Aaron asked me to post this and requests that all you mothers/homemakers fill it out! Thanks, ladies! :)

Questionnaire for Stay-at-home mothers

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Will Waddle for Food

2010-10-13T23:47:00.000-04:00

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Mikaela at One Year!

2010-10-08T12:10:00.006-04:00

Someone once told me that we realize, in children, the swift passing of time. Goodness knows, I have repeated that to myself often enough, and to several other friends as I marvel how quickly my little princess has grown.

Could it be, that exactly twelve months later, the sweet little newborn I held in my arm is now the same toddling, chunky, kissable baby I see?

And that in the three weeks since she took her first, tentative steps at 11 months, she's already looking more girly, independent, and less like a baby?

I don't want to blink.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Summer, it's too soon to go . . .

2010-09-13T01:32:00.004-04:00

Between Aaron's graduation, my summer classes, the Karen Kingsbury Book Party and Picnic, fun times with our neighbors (one of whom is from my parent's small hometown in Malaysia - what were the odds?!), hanging out, celebrating our 2nd anniversary, playing at Six Flags, going to The Muny, puttering in Montreal, catching the much-dreaded flu, and attending a friend's wedding in Wisconsin . . . you could say that the past few ~~months~~ days literally took on wings and disappeared.

The 50 degree weather during our time in Montreal and Wisconsin caught us unprepared, and caused me to lose some faith in summer. Amazingly, Mikaela appears *not* to have inherited any of my Southeast Asian cold-bloodedness in her.

Like her dad, she thrives in cool weather, but melts in the heat:

In front of the Notre Dame Basilica, sporting a sundress
on a wet and windy day (Montreal).

Melting like butter on a humid Missouri day.

Scariest thought about Summer being almost gone?
The knowledge that the days Mikaela remains as a baby are numbered.

I mean, c'mon.

Babies don't climb stairs, turn around, and celebrate by balancing precariously whist clapping their hands!

Toddlers do.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Hacker-in-training

2010-08-01T02:49:00.007-04:00

Remember the old Macbook Pro that got immersed and died a corrosive death? So much for meaning to disassemble it and sell it for parts on ebay. In all honesty, I packed it away before Baby came and promptly forgot about it.

Then, Baby came along. Baby grew into a curious being, and took an interest in laptops, keyboards, and wires. All things electronic and forbidden. I debated whether or not to get her her own (toy) laptop.

Just so she would leave ours alone.

Shoot. She doesn't need to be spoiled. She needs to learn that a "no" means no.

In cleaning out my old study table last week, I found it.

So much for lofty resolutions and consistent parenting.

She's just a baby.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Video links

2010-07-29T13:29:00.005-04:00

For those of you who's missed out on Facebook . . .

Watch Mikaela

Also, be sure to check out my Youtube Channel added to the sidebar of this blog!

~ Mrs. Arcfide

2010-07-27T16:14:00.012-04:00

Dear Friends,

First things first.

Two of my upper teeth are in! I gnaw at everything in sight, including my mummy's toes.

I am learning to walk. Mummy and Daddy walk me up and down every day, so that by the time bedtime comes around, I am too exhausted to complain. They smile whenever they see me leaning forward, to embrace my bed.

There's so much to see and do in the day. I spend most of my time in our apartment, playing with "toys". I don't like my own toys, that is . . . I prefer the toys my parents use all the time. The clickkity-clack of daddy's typing sends me crawling like a torpedo to his keyboard. Too bad the best toys are always forbidden, though. Daddy will sternly say "Mikaela, ~ no, no", and swat my hand away. Sometimes, that hurts my feelings and make me cry. I feel even more sorry for myself if I fall down right then and bump my head.

But that doesn't deter me! No, daddy's always said "What are a few bumps in life". I get up and try again. Daddy smiles at mummy over the top of my head and say that I'm a persistent little girl, whatever that means.

Anyway, I'd better go. All this typing is killing my brain cells.

Lots of love and slobber,
~ Mikaela

Thoughts about Adoption

2010-07-16T22:25:00.006-04:00

Whenever Aaron and I talk about having more children someday, the option of adoption would invariably come up. And why not? Almost a dozen of our cousins in his family were adopted, and it is not as shocking a proposition as it might seem.

For someone with my background, it is a huge thing to change my mind about. After all, my parents don't "believe" that adoption is Biblical. I remember asking my dad about it, and being less than satisfied with his response. I am not about to go into that over here, but since I never sought another view on the matter, I adopted (haha) Aaron's opinion about adoption when I married him. Basically, Aaron told me that if adoption were not Biblical, Jesus wouldn't have had Joseph as his earthly father, would he? And since adoption, by definition, makes a child your very own . . . that pretty much refuted the reasons I bought into as a kid.

Compassion. Love. Generosity. Rescue. Trust.

These emotions, and so many more come to mind when I ponder the idea of bringing home an orphaned, or abandoned child. I experienced them all again tonight, as I saw a video and read about the rescue efforts of Drawn from Water, a ministry in Africa that rescues children who were deemed cursed and sentenced to death by their very own families and tribes.

Having a nine-month old baby myself, I cannot fathom how people could determine that a baby is cursed/dirty/unclean simply because his top teeth came in before his bottom teeth. The faces of kids who were abandoned by their families made the tragedy of such superstition more real, and me just want to reach out to help.

And some day, in our future, I believe we will be able to.

Because we want to.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Two Years

2010-07-06T01:35:00.005-04:00

Two years ago, I married My Man.

Lots of love, laughter, joy . . . and no regrets. :)
Happy Anniversary, m'dear!

~ Mrs. Arcfide

2010-07-01T00:44:00.004-04:00

We have the coolest kid.

Yup, for an 8 month old, she's pretty adorable.

Pardon me . . . I do believe I can be biased. :-)

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Fun Comparison

2010-04-25T02:37:00.002-04:00

She is most definitely a mixture of the two of us!
Mikaela has my lips and cheeks, and Aaron's eyes.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Mikaela in March 2010, or My First iMovie Project

2010-03-15T06:33:00.007-04:00

This is so much more fun than school. Seriously.

Instead of writing a paper, I spent the last hour or so experimenting with iMovie for my very first time. And now that I got myself started, I'm wondering why I've never played around with it before.

I know this little production is by no means perfect. I'm too tired to critique it with an eye for artistic detail . . . but I am just more than happy I now know how to make a slide-show/video of my darling set to music. It IS fun. :)

If I have more free time anytime soon, I hope to go back to my archives and make similar movies of my favorite Mikaela pictures and videos from each month of her life. Go, me!

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Celebrate 5 months

2010-03-07T16:38:00.006-05:00

Our little monkey can now smile on command!

The words she finds so funny?
"Say, Peek-a-boo!"

Well, sometimes she confuses another Kodak moment
with the game. :)

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Just because she's irresistably CUTE . . .

2010-02-11T14:37:00.001-05:00

And she's 4 months!

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Cloistered Homeschool Syndrome

2010-02-10T22:32:00.002-05:00

This article is one of the most balanced views on the topic that I've read.

It says in so many words the ideas that have been formulating in my head about the way we hope to raise our children . . .

~ Mrs. Arcfide

A family picture

2010-01-17T20:55:00.006-05:00

Hi folks. Long time no post.

It's hard to believe that we are already into a new semester, and another new year. Aaron and I are both studying full-time, and working part-time. Life has been incredibly busy . . . but whose isn't? : )

It is so easy to be caught up in the big picture . . . our goals, our plans for the days ahead. Always the days ahead. Every once in awhile, we have to remind ourselves to pause. To just relish these moments. Our here and now.

Our little baby doll is already over three months old. She's been growing incredibly fast, and getting quite chubby! In fact, I don't know of any nickname she has right now (Pumpkin, Chunky, Pudgy-cheeks, etc.) that doesn't give others visions of a baby, pleasantly plump. Hehe!

Today, on our way home from church, we stopped by a nearby park on the spur of the moment for some pictures. See for yourself!

~ Mrs. Arcfide

The Story of My Life ~ Stuffed in the Corner ALOT

2009-12-04T17:37:00.012-05:00

It's past midnight. I'm the ONLY baby at IU's library.

And then . . .

Oh NO! Daddy wants to play cribbage tonight.

Ok, guys. I'm getting bored.

The chewing continues. . .

Woah, Did I just hear someone say MORE pictures?

Yes, I have a paunch. But ~ So do You. :P

~ Mikaela

Mature infant?

2009-11-28T22:38:00.003-05:00

I often wonder at the maturest expression
from this tiny face that gazes back at me.

Well, ok. Sometimes she does look like a real baby. :-)

~ Mrs. Arcfide

From Little Miss Posh

2009-11-14T17:08:00.007-05:00

Daddy took mama out on a date! They bundled me up warmly for the night out, and I behaved perfectly (read slept the entire time) as their Third wheel.

They talked, and laughed, and had a great time. Even if they didn't forget I was actually there, they sure acted like it! I'm SO glad my parents are the best of friends. :)

P/S: Can you believe I'm already over a month old?

~ Baby Mikaela

She's the smallest thing we put our whole lives into . . .

2009-10-25T17:27:00.004-04:00

Small child-once you were a hope, a dream. Now you are reality.
Changing all that is to come. So small. A flick of star stuff.
A mind to touch the edges of the universe. A love to hold our hearts forever.
~Charlotte Gray

Mikaela's first Sunday at church

~ Mrs. Arcfide

How can anyone resist these faces?

2009-10-18T15:18:00.007-04:00

"The Un-Amused"

"The Tough Girl"

"The Curious"

"The Thinker"

"The Bored"

She keels us with her cuteness!

~ Mrs. Arcfide

New Baby

2009-10-12T01:34:00.002-04:00

Mikaela Zhi Min Hsu
welcomed with love by aaron and johanna
october 7, 2009 at 11:32 p.m
7 pounds 7 ounces ~ 20 inches

stares at the calendar

2009-09-16T00:49:00.001-04:00

2.5 weeks to go. UNreal.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

To Post or Not to Post?

2009-09-12T21:23:00.028-04:00

That is the question.

At this late hour, I should be doing a ton of other things . . . like making something yummy for dinner, or putting our pile of laundry away. Instead, I find myself here on blogger, clicking "New Post" and stretching my achy back after a long day of sitting and writing copious answers on my first Federal Taxation Exam.

My poor, sadly-neglected blog. How I've missed writing in thee! :P One has to wonder why I don't update more often, especially considering the fact that updating snippets at a time is so much more therapeutic than having a whole, daunting lot of stuff to say.

Ah, well. The prerogative is mine to swing from bouts of virtual taciturnity to garrulousness, right? And you - well, you it's your prerogative to read along or just to click that little gray x at the top of your screen. Because, well . . . I'm all for prerogatives today.

But IF you decide to stay with me, I might as well make your visit here worth while. By being narcissistic and talking about myself, of course. Well, us . . . to be more precise. These days, I don't do anything apart from my hubs and our little baby. I love it this way. We eat together, sleep together, shop together, travel together, study together . . . you get the picture. Whenever Aaron goes to class, even for an hour, the light goes out of our lives. Not to be sappy or anything (ha.), but if you've ever loved someone so much that you can miss that person the moment he leaves the room, you'll know how I feel. How we feel. Mikaela just affirmed that she feels the same. ;)

So. What have we been up to?

The biggest Thing this past summer was our weekend trip to Boston, of course. Because Aaron is so freakin' smart, he got an academic paper published and was invited to speak at the CS Scheme workshop. It was originally supposed to be held at MIT, but the venue later changed to Northeastern. What's important is that we still went to MA. ;)

So, while he relished his time talking geek, being geek, and cracking up at geeky jokes - I wisely spent my day walking the Freedom Trail with an LJ friend. You never know when you have the strangest opportunities for travel and visits!

Here's Julia and I:

And here's the Great Patriot we sat beside to rest:

In case you didn't notice, that was Paul Revere. One of my favorite heroes from the American Revolution. I believe Longfellow had everything to do with it.

We got to see where the Boston Massacre took place, as well as Faneuil Hall, the public park, Boston Commons, etc. My only regret was that Aaron wasn't able to tour Boston with us. Because I thought of him all day, of course. :) But he assured me he thoroughly enjoyed his day at the conference, so that counts for something, I guess. ;)

The Public Gardens

Site of the First Public School in America:

In other news, last weekend we also had a Baby Shower! Two of my best girlfriends in town generously hosted it at their home, and invited several ladies and their daughters from church.

We had a delightful time.

Here are some candid pictures of Aaron and I AFTER the party:

His "I-saw-you-taking-that" glare at the photographer.

My friend picked me a gorgeous rose from their garden

"Hey, return me my flower!"

Shall we dance?

Now for some of my favorite posed pictures:

Oh, you know what another of my prerogative is? It is to throw together a post without any theme or cohesion.

May all of you always be as happy as we!
~ Mrs. Arcfide

40 years from now . . .

2009-08-17T14:29:00.005-04:00

. . . we'll still be holding hands and eating $1 corndogs
at the fair. :)

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Little baby bump

2009-07-01T13:03:00.001-04:00

26 weeks, 3 days

Of all people, I feel the most blessed.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

It's a Girl!

2009-05-21T20:03:00.002-04:00

And her name's Mikaela.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Hello, World.

2009-04-25T22:11:00.021-04:00

Hi peeps.

I noticed an increase in stat activity and followers even though this site has been sadly neglected.

So, in an effort to thank you - my loyal readers for your faithful following, this (hopefully) fun picture post is an attempt at giving you glimpses to (some of) what we've been up to lately:

March 15, 2009
Chantel is married! Isn't she gorgeous?
My dear friend and Maid of Honor
tied the knot with Scott, the love of her life.
Aaron and I were blessed to be able to travel to Washington for their Special Day.

Chantel was brave enough to let me be her hairstylist, and I was honored.
It was my first time fixing another person's hair . . .
let's just say we discovered a hidden talent. ;-)

I met some friends, old and new.
Ashleigh, April, and Natalie were so, very sweet.

April 4, 2009
One of Aaron's friends from school, Larisse, had a birthday!
She comes from a French-speaking country, and had a
Marie-Antoinette themed celebration.
Pretty cool, huh? :-D

April 11, 2009

Outdoor Shooting Range

Aaron and his brother were eager to go target-shooting
over the Easter weekend.
I got a couple rounds on my pink gun in as well!
What a blast.

Hope you guys are doing well! What have you been up to, lately?

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Peanut's Update: 12 weeks, 4 days . . .

2009-03-26T18:10:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone!

Daddy and mummy caught their first glimpses of me today. For my first Side profile mug-shots, I amused them by posing with both my webbed hands high up beside my head, and stretching my foot out.

My head is still as big as my body, but I know I'll be more proportional 8 weeks later at my next ultrasound-shoot.

Until then!

XOXO,
Peanut

P/S: Mummy found out she was 1 day off, my official due date is now October 3rd.

Coming this fall . . .

2009-02-02T17:37:00.007-05:00

And everyone's =) !!!

. . .

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Some new milestones . . .

2009-01-29T10:14:00.005-05:00

over the holidays . . . in no particular order.

Aaron's MacbookPro died a corrosive death when a flying cable knocked over his cup of water. That happened in the middle of the night, so who knows how long his laptop was immersed?
He bought, for its replacement, an un-cool looking Lenovo machine.
To top things off, I got converted to Mac. . . after a long, drawn-out 3 years resistance. What's worse? I'm secretly lovin' it. :)
I received my EAD, which led me to apply for an SSN so I could get my Learners Permit.

I believe I'm fully absorbed into The System.

But hey, what's the fuss? It's 2009, and Obama's in the White House.

I Can Drive. I Can Do-it! I Can Change! YES, I CAN!!! Rawr.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

SNOW DAY!

2009-01-29T09:11:00.012-05:00

Tiny balls of hail were gently falling around us as we went out for groceries the evening before last. Imagine our surprise as we left Krogers a mere 30 minutes later. The entire parking lot was covered in a blanket of white. Strangers beside us swore under their breaths.

The less prepared shoppers among us scraped their buried cars with gloves and plastic bags. We thankfully reached for our ice-picker to do the same.

White flakes pelted down all day, and all night. ~~For forty days and forty nights,~~ It Snowed. And snowed. and snowed. We got snow!

Aaron and I woke up yesterday, feeling like Christmas. But since it wasn't, we enjoyed the next best thing: Snow Day! And school, of course, was closed.

Here, Aaron opens the door in search of his morning paper. There was none. But he just had to stick his hand out to test how deep the snow was. ;-) Hey, after all . . . snow doesn't usually accumulate that much under this roof-covered walkway.

I told Aaron I wanted to see how deep the snow was out there. Then, I did The Stupid by sprinting out (as much as one can sprint and flounder) without any warm clothes. :-P

Oh, I'll say it was about boot-high.

There's Aaron.

. . . and there's his "Snow Angel". Which, I thought would have been more aptly called his "Caution Radiation Sign".

Last but not least, that's the more-sensibly-dressed yours truly,

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Normal Weight

2008-12-16T13:05:00.001-05:00

Ever since I was 16, I have been self-consciously aware about my low BMI and the fact that I was "Very Very Underweight". As in... whenever I went for a checkup, the doctor would take my measurements, refer to his chart and give me that glance as if to say, "Look - your weight is unrecorded here and less than what's in the 'Very Underweight' category."

The inevitable questions about whether or not I was anorexic would follow.

At the Walkers', I eagerly stepped on the scales that I spotted in the Girls' bathroom. A grand total of 112.4 lbs flashed back at us. Wiser from that moment, I decided to compute my BMI today. It's a healthy 19.9! O_O

This, my friendlies, is a solemnly significant milestone of my life. For the first time ever, I've attained the "Normal Weight" threshold I'd always thought was beyond my getting.

Congratulate me, please. :-)

*Cheers for weight gain*

~ Mrs. Arcfide

A Thankful Heart

2008-11-29T20:53:00.008-05:00

This year, I celebrated my second Thanksgiving. What can you say... it is a uniquely American holiday. :)

While I certainly had a blast making these Pecan Pie Bars, the highlight of our evening was visiting with family and singing Christmas carols around the piano. Combining the traditions of two separate holidays was wonderful!

Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. Ps 30:4
To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. Ps 30:12
Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare. Ps 75:1
IT IS A GOOD THING TO GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD, AND TO SING PRAISES UNTO THY NAME, O MOST HIGH: Ps 92:1
Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Ps 106:1
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence. Ps 140:13

Verse Art

2008-11-20T16:21:00.004-05:00

One morning after my husband had a very serious conversation with me, I began working on a Word Art that I hope to someday transfer to one of our bedroom walls. It will serve as a constant reminder to me of that late-night discussion. :)

However... I am quite clueless as to how I should proceed on this project. Would cut-out cardstock stuck on the wall appear tacky?

~ Mrs. Arcfide

From my bookshelf

2008-11-20T15:15:00.006-05:00

Lethargy has been the rule of the day for the past couple of weeks as Aaron and I took turns coming down with different bouts of fever and colds. I suppose that in marriage, everything wonderful is shared... including the magical, and not-so-magical parts of life! ;)

This past week, if I weren't doing some work around our home, I was animatedly talking for hours on the phone with my girlfriends, miserably pegging away at thousands of product codes listed on a spreadsheet, or curled up reading a good book.

Reading. Ah, it is my new recently-revived, long-neglected hobby.

Books on relationships have always interested me. After reading Gretchen's review on Dr. Laura's The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands, I decided to purchase the book for my own perusal. I loved it, and have had no regrets reading it!

I present you my list of other must-reads for all married couples.

His Needs, Her Needs by William F. Harley Jr.
Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs
Romancing Your Husband and Romancing Your Wife by Debra and Daniel Smith
The Five Love Languages for Couples by Gary Chapman

Election Blues

2008-11-05T04:15:00.002-05:00

Obama/Biden 2008

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Happy All Hallow's Eve

2008-10-30T23:35:00.003-04:00

I grew up boycotting Halloween, sincerely believing that it was "Satan's holiday". This article that I read last year, together with this article, drastically changed my perspective and opened my mind to celebrating October 31st as All Hallow's Eve - the antecedent to a glorious All Saints Day.

As one of the authors clearly stated, the calendar of the Satanists is a perversion of Christian seasons - there would be no Satanists if Christians were not around. Until we cease to cower in fear and take dominion of what is God's and ours, the Evil One will continue to have his heyday.

What better way to repudiate him than to embrace this holiday with mirth and delight?

Yes, I'm looking forward to tomorrow. And to a marvelous time at Harvest Parties with both families and friends... because it's Hallow's Eve.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

October

2008-10-24T13:11:00.011-04:00

What better thing to do, on a lovely afternoon, than to go for a walk and embrace the cool, crisp air of fall? Even more so when one resides in a small college town with gorgeous buildings to behold.

I loved Singapore with all its modern buildings and impressive infrastructures; that city will always hold a special place in my heart.

But maybe... just maybe, early 1900s architecture will grow on me. And I'll call this place my home.

"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn." - Elizabeth Lawrence

"October is nature's funeral month. Nature glories in death more than in life. The month of departure is more beautiful than the month of coming - October than May. Every green thing loves to die in bright colors."
- Henry Ward Beecher

~ Mrs. Arcfide

IF

2008-10-22T11:12:00.004-04:00

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

- Rudyard Kipling

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Happy Birthday, Aaron

2008-10-17T00:02:00.006-04:00

Thanks to Scrapwow, I just completed my first digital scrapbook page.

It's another reason to celebrate. :-)

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Timber Ridge

2008-10-15T23:20:00.003-04:00

Photo courtesy of Isaac B.

Last Friday, we were invited to spend an evening with some of our Canadian friends who were attending camp meetings in a neighboring town. We joined them for supper, an evening service, and a time of singing around their campfire.

It was a delight to bump into several other Friends of friends as well, and match real life personalities to different well-known names and faces.

One of Aaron's lab students was amazed to find him in the crowd! What a small, small world.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

100 Days & counting

2008-10-14T09:00:00.000-04:00

Weddings occur in one day. Marriage is for life. It's hard to believe that Aaron and I today celebrate the "First 100 Days" milestone of our lives together.

"Just a hundred days?", you may ask. Though we still qualify as newlyweds, some mornings when I wake up beside him, it feels as if we have been married for longer.

Divorce statistics among Christian adults (the highest among faith groups), are high enough to cloud even the Most Hopeless Romantic's view of marriage with cynicism. Marriage counselors advise couples to be prepared for a transition period that includes disagreements, misunderstanding, and disappointed expectations.

Some couples psych themselves by reading dozens of marriage preparation books (this is not to say I discourage them - I've read dozens myself!) that touts compromise as the key to mutual happiness. Others delay matrimony until they are ready (whatever that means), and still others decide to remain single for life because divorce is too painful or troublesome.

The downside to these views is that many couples end up unhappy with their compromises when they each settle for less-than-their-ideal. There exists no point in life where a person will ever financially or spiritually "arrive," thus becoming marriage-ready. What better lessons in learning and living are there to learn than the ones we gain from real-life experiences? God grants wisdom to those who unwaveringly ask! By the time many young adults meet society's expectation to complete college, find a stable job, and then marry, they are not-so-young adults anymore. Hundreds are tempted to sin and commit fornication simply because they were ready for marriage long before our society said they were.

Have I for one moment regretted marrying? Not one bit.

Am I sorry I "married young"? Not at all.

I love the thought that my husband and I, in our early twenties, are able to begin our family.
I love hearing him whisper that I am his. I love sneaking up behind him with hug attacks and kisses. I love how he calls to ask how my day is going. I love ironing his clothes. I love how he understands my thoughts even as they tumble out disjointed. I love gliding my hands over his back in massage. I love how he commands me to "Relax," as he slow dances me around our Study - and how we laugh when he notices we had been dancing to the Funeral Eulogy. I love memorizing scriptures with him. And all the melodramatic, tortured sounds we make as we review our monthly budget together.

I love the Love and Respect we share.

Oh. And our predisposal for stopping in the kitchen to renew our wedding vows.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Short stint to Indianapolis

2008-10-07T00:34:00.007-04:00

I got to meet Marissa this evening! She was visiting some friends at the Indianapolis Training Center, and Aaron and I were invited to kidnap her for a couple of hours. We drove to Starbucks for supper, and spent several hours gabbing, just getting to know each other better. Meeting LJ friends face-to-face is such fun!

Marissa's a sweetheart, as Chantel would say. I loved every moment we spent talking, laughing, and thinking together. Yes, we actually enjoyed some intelligent conversations! I had been afraid my mind would fail me (like it is failing me right now), but I managed to share at least one credible thought. What a great evening. ;-)

~ Mrs. Arcfide

"Narcissistic Self-Publishers" have a sense of humor too

2008-10-04T14:46:00.004-04:00

~ Mrs. Arcfide

The Hsu Times

2008-10-03T22:54:00.014-04:00

This afternoon, I chatted on IM with mrscaleb. She is going into labor any day now!! O_O

I also got to talk to two girlfriends back in Singapore for more than an hour over Skype. The video had slow playback, which made for weird visual-audio co-ordination. Other than that, I was just happy to be able catch up with, and hear my sissies' voices. Poor girls, if I were awake up to 5am like they were, I wouldn't have managed to still be as pleasant! Not sure how they do it, but sure seems as if the batteries they run on never die.

In other news, Aaron came home hankering for McDonalds'. For the first time since we got here, we ventured by foot beyond our parking lot to the restaurant with the golden arches across the street. Someday, with a girlfriend, I'll walk just a little further to its neighboring Starbucks... *daydreams*

My husband also brought home his first stack of test papers for grading today. Seeing those brown envelops on his desk brought back memories of my dad doing the very same.

The two differences?

My dad *never* once had to borrow a red pen from me. And. Aaron brings papers home in a backpack. My dad used a brief case. So my husband has to be the cooler geek. Or educator. *ahem* :-P

Gosh. Isn't he starting to look professorish? I can't seem to escape men from academia...

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Fireproof

2008-10-03T12:22:00.005-04:00

So many friends recommended seeing this movie, that two days ago, Aaron and I obliged. When I learned that its creators were the producers of Facing the Giants, I knew this was going to be good.

Every couple should see this. If ever a movie demonstrated the need for love and respect in marriage, this one did. If ever a movie demonstrated how husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the church, this one did.

It is unashamedly Christian. Go see it!

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Recycling our "wedding stuff"

2008-10-02T01:57:00.010-04:00

Is frugality to innovation what necessity is to invention?

Since Aaron and I might be entertaining our first guests this weekend, I was slightly more motivated to re-look at the pieces of decoration that have been laying around our home since we first moved. I have been surprised at how long it has taken me to get things unpacked and put away, but we're finally mostly organized.

The focus of our decoration has mostly been relegated to our bedroom, study, bathrooms, and kitchen as those are the most "lived-in" areas of our home. Surprisingly, we rarely use our living room at all --- perhaps its lack of furniture and isolation has everything to do with our disinclination towards it.

Knowing how well I love pictures, my husband generously gave me several gorgeous frames and wall decorations from Hobby Lobby for my birthday. They quickly transformed our bedroom from utilitarianism to homey coziness. I was one happy camper.

Our budget, though, restrained us from purchasing any other items for our kitchen. Yesterday morning, I was inspired to reconsider some of the candles, basket, and roses someone had kindly saved from our wedding. We had a cranberry-red themed wedding, so I was uncertain how red would interfere in our blue and oak-wood kitchen. In the end, the results weren't as tacky as I'd feared. Those different colors appear relegated to separate hemispheres of our kitchen. :-)

I used a silver 5 lights candle stand we purchased from Craigslist, some scotch tape, some porcelain votive candles I already owned, and some creativity to create this look:

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Keep thy words soft and sweet

2008-09-29T23:05:00.020-04:00

Human nature is ever growing, ever retrogressing... never static. Determined though one may be never to change, separation inevitably takes its toll on even the closest of friends. Divergent experiences and philosophies gained along life's way make each old-time reunion never quite the same.

Still, knowing this... one can't suppress the little sigh of disappointment that escapes at the realization that your friend is not, and will never again be the same as before. Changes are hard to appreciate, even if they have been wrought for improvement's sake.

Outward changes are by far the most conspicuous. Others have lamented the changes they saw in me. Was it just my appearances, manner or beliefs?

Have I learned to be more prudent and discerning? I hope so. More imperious and sophomorical? I pray not.

Keep thy words soft and sweet: someday you might have to eat them.

7 Things I'd proclaimed over the rooftops, and have had to renege:

"I'll never get married."
"I don't wear pants because they're not modest."
"When I grow up, I'm going to be a drummer."
"Music with a beat is wrong."
"I'm not into eye make-up."
"I hate bean sprouts."
"I can't cook."

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Picasa 3

2008-09-27T13:37:00.002-04:00

So I just downloaded Picasa's newest beta version, and have been toying around with some of its older features (like the collage) with renewed interest.

I think I am liking the way text can now be added, and angles of the pictures even more simply rotated. Here's a sample project I did in less than ten minutes this morning. Pretty cool way to display multiple snapshots on one file, huh? :-)

Has anyone tried movie-editing using Picasa?

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Constant Changes?

2008-09-27T02:41:00.000-04:00

If anyone asked me what has been going on recently in my life, my response would be, "Changes. Constant changes."

Last January, I was in the States, celebrating the New Year with Aaron's family. February and March found me back in Singapore, working on team projects, competitions, and our FY closing. April was fun-filled, with company trips and event kick-offs. May saw me winding down my entire twenty-one years in Singapore. There was packing to do, closing of accounts, goodbyes to be said. June 2nd, I flew back to St. Louis to be with my beloved. With help from his family, we were able to plan our wedding in all of four weeks.

July was a month of catalytic change. I left girlhood forever when we got married. There were new discoveries to make, new roles to embrace. I learned more about myself in that one month than I did in all my teenage years put together.

Then came August. Aaron graduated from UMSL, and we moved. Another whole new state, new town, new place. New responsibilities to assume, new ideas to embrace.

It's hard to believe that September crept up on us, and even now is almost gone. It seems as if school just started yesterday, that life has just settled into some sort of normality for us.

I feel very much alive... and dead. Aaron's intense love for me warms my heart, and shelters me with an aura of protecting kindness that I have been missing for the past two years. Yet, even that does not replace the ache that loss of fellowship with other loved ones brought.

I sometimes wonder if I am able to stay true to all the principles I call my own. Take away all the extenuating circumstances and the short term goals that drove me, and do I... fail? Will I?

The enormality of the changes in the past eight months has literally shaken my world. Though many of those changes were for the better, I can't say I care to live the rest of them over again. While all that has transpired does translate into growth, the more I learn, the less qualified l feel I am, of being equal to any new task ahead.

And yet, despite me being who I am, and the people around me being who they are... He has assured us,

"...be content... I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever" ~ Hebrews 13:5-6,8

Our God is too wonderful for words.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

A new beginning...

2008-09-24T18:49:00.000-04:00

After numerous well wishes over the past two days upon attaining three and twenty years of age, and many more (belated) congratulatory messages on Aaron's and my nuptials, I decided to begin what I left off and have been wanting to do ~ blog again.

It is only fitting, then, that a new site should be created for this new chapter of our lives. I no longer live independently, but am now closely intertwined with that of my dearer, smarter, geekier, and better half. No doubt my scribbles about even The Mundane will reflect this change.

So. Until Aaron creates his new blogging software for moi to use, this becomes my temporary home.

I remain, as always... a fan of the "big brother" Google.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Snapshots and Babblings

Merry Christmas to all!

It's my Senior Year!

Mikaela's 1st Driving Lesson

Mikaela's 2nd Birthday Party

Fall = Hayrides + Fun

A Light Out

Little Dancer

Another one hits home

These happy, golden days

Where I've been . . .

Mikaela talking . . .

Ear-cleaning, anyone?

3 years

My 4th of July

Baby Shower Gift Idea ~ The Diaper Cake

"Painting Pictures of Egypt"

From Father's Day . . .

She's learning . . . something!

Friday, May 13th in Pictures

Mother's Day Family Pictures Fail

Every toddler's mama needs an SLR

Not your typical Baby and bottle sight

The kid's crazy about nuggets

Coincidence?

Round and round, and round, and round, and round, and round, and round

Lame Stats

Mikaela at Play

Mikaela in Florida

From us, to you . . .

Hmm . . .

Survey

Aaron asked me to post this and requests that all you mothers/homemakers fill it out! Thanks, ladies! :)

Will Waddle for Food

Mikaela at One Year!

Summer, it's too soon to go . . .

Hacker-in-training

Video links

Thoughts about Adoption

Two Years

Fun Comparison

Mikaela in March 2010, or My First iMovie Project

Celebrate 5 months

Just because she's irresistably CUTE . . .

Cloistered Homeschool Syndrome

A family picture

The Story of My Life ~ Stuffed in the Corner ALOT

Mature infant?

From Little Miss Posh

She's the smallest thing we put our whole lives into . . .

How can anyone resist these faces?

New Baby

*stares at the calendar*

To Post or Not to Post?

40 years from now . . .

Little baby bump

It's a Girl!

Hello, World.

Peanut's Update: 12 weeks, 4 days . . .

Coming this fall . . .

Some new milestones . . .

SNOW DAY!

Normal Weight

A Thankful Heart

Verse Art

From my bookshelf

Election Blues

Happy All Hallow's Eve

October

IF

Happy Birthday, Aaron

Timber Ridge

100 Days & counting

Short stint to Indianapolis

"Narcissistic Self-Publishers" have a sense of humor too

The Hsu Times

Fireproof

Recycling our "wedding stuff"

Keep thy words soft and sweet

Picasa 3

stares at the calendar