Just My Luck!

So, it was another late night at work today. Naturally, I was in a rush to get home because Lucy's been waiting all day for me and I still needed to take her for a walk. Well, I quickly changed into some sweats and bundled up into my winter jacket because it's windy and cold outside. I load my wallet and my phone into my pockets, grab Lucy's leash, lock the doorknob lock on the way out, and shut the door.

It was then that I realized..."holy #$@!, where are my keys?" I look at Lucy and ask her where my keys are. She cocks her head to the side and is like, "heck if I know, mom. can we start walking now?" So I start panicking. As I do, a coyote starts running down the road in front of our house and stops not to far from it to survey us. I panick even more and start to frantically dial my friend, Jennifer, who lives about a mile down the road. No answer. No problem. I figured that's what I get for not listening to her advice about making her a duplicate key, as she has so nicely been telling me for the last, I don't know, month? Serves me right. "Oh no!" I start to think.

Then I remember that my Auntie Daisy has the only other duplicate key, as I was living with her before I moved into the house. She's in the middle of watching a movie, but decides to come to my rescue (well, she really didn't have a choice. We were freezing outside.). While we wait, Lucy and I decide to continue our walk, despite seeing Wile E. Coyote out there. I mean, she'd been holding her pee all day long. While we walked, I called my mom, who immediately started to chastise me for doing such a silly thing. She exclaimed, "I have no idea where you get this from." This coming from the lady who lost her wallet in downtown El Paso (next to the Mexican border) on her last visit. The same lady who has locked her keys in running vehicles before. Face it, mom. I'm a victim of genetics.

A few minutes later, I phoned Jennifer again and she (thankfully) answered. She came to the rescue. No kidding. She was over in about five minutes. So Lucy and I sat in her warm car with her and her two little boys while we waited for Auntie Daisy to come from the other side of town.

It took about a total of 30 minutes, but I thank God for these two special ladies--my heroes--for being here and for taking such good care of Lucy girl and I.

I can tell that after the day I had today, that it's going to be one of those weeks. Those hella-busy kind of weeks. But thanks to my lieutenant (she's my assistant at work), Leah Ganoni, for making my day by giving me this gift to frame my lil' bug's 4D ultrasound picture. Isn't she sweet? What's cool is that she is expecting her first child as well. Except hers is due a month before mine. She's having a boy! I'm so excited for her. But she's been a tremendous help to me since I've been in the unit. So thanks, Leah ! You're the best!

I'm telling you, the blessings just keep flowing every day and I am so thankful!

Getting to Know You Sunday!

Well, another week down! I can't believe how fast this year is whizzin' on by. If you're interested in playing this week, just copy and paste these questions and answer them on your own blog post. But don't forget to go to Mannland5's blog to get linked! Here are this week's questions:

1. Are you more of a talker than a listener? Man, I can dish it pretty well, but I think I listen more than I talk. Very rarely do I have complete control over a conversation between myself and someone else. But then it becomes a question about whether or not I listen well. A lot of it is because I have the attention span of a flea. Some of it is because I'm slightly hard of hearing (even though my hearing tests don't say so) and I have to strain to actually hear what people say sometimes.


2. Bra: Underwire or Wireless? Unfortunately, the big boobs in my family skipped a generation and I never got them, so I don't really need extra support. I usually go for wireless for comfort. Heck, I usually wear sports bras when I'm in uniform all week! But now that I'm preggo, I have to go underwire for that extra support.


3. I wish I was...? With my hubby. I miss you baby.





M&M (Michelle & Malu) Flashback: Being goofy, as always. My first trip to American Samoa in September 2006.

4. The Academy Awards are on tonight...will you watch? The only part I like is opening when all the celebs are parading the red carpet in their gorgeous dresses and suits. Beyond that, I usually catch up on who won the morning after.


5. Do you put your deodorant on before or after you get dressed? Before. Can't get it on my clothes!


6. Would you rather do the dishes or clean the toilets? Dishes. Hands down.


7. How much did you weigh at birth? Wow, I had to ask my mom this morning because I never, in my life, thought to ever ask her. But she said that I was 6 pounds, 14 ounces. No wonder my baby seems like she's going to be really small too. Everyone says I don't look pregnant at all. Believe me, I am.


8. If you could buy one thing for the spring/summer season what would it be? I think I'd buy lawn chairs for the front porch of my house. Wooden red ones that can lounge back. I've seen them at World Market.
   

   

Happy Sunday to everyone and and I will make another post this afternoon just to tell you guys about the progress I've made with the baby shower and to spread some blog award love!

Fill In the Blank Friday!

Wow! Thank goodness it's Friday. I must have been so excited that I almost forgot to participate in this week's Fill in the Blank Friday! I got this photo off of Lauren's cool blog, The Little Things We Do. She has other pictures of her dog posing with the cut out heart from this picture and he is so adorable! Anyway, I didn't get out of work too late tonight, which was unbelievable...and awesome. I've been spending these last few hours online, ordering shower invitation and other party stuff that I probably don't really need to buy, but hey. It's the first baby. We just might have to go all out. Well, I'm just letting you know, honey (in case you're reading this), that we are. Please? Ha ha. Anyway, without further ado...

1. One thing I must do before I die...is be a great-grandmother. I just want my own family to be that big one day. And I want to live to be that old! My grandma is a great-grandma three times over (soon to be four). But grandma, that doesn't mean you're old....just wiser! And she's still beautiful.

   

2. I would rather die than have to go back to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California anyday. It was a month-long training in the desert/dustbowl of California (and not too far from Las Vegas) that I went to last September with my old unit in preparation for a deployment. It was not fun. The unit I'm in now might be going in October and thankfully, this pregnancy will prevent me from going (since I'll be in postpartum status, hence, non-deployable). If you want to learn about Fort Irwin for some god-awful reason, click here.

3. If I could give my younger self one piece of advice it would be (and I'm going with Lauren on this one)... to not worry so much about what other people think of me. I think I worried to much about this way back then that it influenced certain decisions that I made and eventually regretted. That, and to plan ahead and not get so caught up in the here and now. That's so easy to do--and so is falling in love so easily. Ugh...we all know about that one, don't we ladies! Yeah, hey younger self...don't do that.

4. If I won the lottery tomorrow... I'd put in a pass for the weekend and go back to Colorado to celebrate with my family. I'd buy them a new house and probably one here in El Paso (a bigger one for sure). I think people in the Army that win the lotto tend to get out (not sure if the Army just puts you out, but I've heard that before. it's sad...as an Army HR officer, I should probably know this). I wouldn't want to leave my job, but I would like to go on a vacation (and would probably be denied). But I'd make huge donations to different places, and stick the rest in the bank and invest. I'll never win the lottery though. I don't ever buy tickets.

5. The best surprise ever...this entire pregnancy has been one big surprise. From the time I found out (read the story here), to finding out just yesterday that we're truly having a girl, and to this morning when I discovered that I am 19 weeks and 1 day along. Salamasina's due into this great world on July 29th.

6. My biggest fault is...well, I have many. One big one is that I'm a complete and utter workaholic. Or maybe I'm just a stayaholic, which means I just find reasons just to stay at work (not necessarily to work) or just to stay for the sake of staying; or because my bosses stay at work late (which I've been accustomed to for most of my career as an adjutant). I guess I just got used to it. But really, I love my work and I don't know what I'd do without it. Heck, half of what I've achieved professionally has been because I work extra hard. But it's a sickness, really. Before I found out I was going to be a mom, I really didn't know who I was without my job. When I'm on leave, I work (I either stop into the office if I'm in town, or work from the Blackberry when I'm not). When I'm at lunch with friends, we talk about work (perhaps all my friends are workaholics as well). Ever since I got pregnant, this has changed (slightly) and I should probably be thankful. Very rarely do I ever stop to smell the roses. And I can't be like this once the baby arrives (which causes me to worry). I really do think it's hereditary. I get it from my mom. And Malu is a workaholic too. Craziness.

7. My biggest strength is that I'm a people person and I've been told many times that my enthusiasm is infectious. I've also been told that my perkiness is sickening, especially at the start of a work day, but whatever. I can talk to random strangers with ease. I just love meeting new people--which does wonders for my job and networking. Malu is also a people person. It's one of the things I love about him.

And there you have it! Wow...now I'm exhausted. I hope you guys enjoyed that. Don't forget to stop by Lauren's blog to find out more about Fill in the Blank Fridays!

Friday Follow

I'm participating in Friday Follow for the first time! What a great way to find new blogs and make new friends. If you're interested, go here to find out how to do it!

Several people have already visited my blog, so it really works!

Salamasina Rose

Well, todays' 4D ultrasound confirmed that the little peanut is indeed 100% GIRL. When the technician told me this, my response was, "Oh my gosh! Hi five! It's a girl!" and I started giggling, almost hysterically, as she reluctantly gave me a hi five. Coincidentally, the technician, who was extremely sweet, happens to be the wife of an officer in my brigade. Great. She's probably going to tell him that I'm a raving lunatic, but whatever. Now I know for sure and this means.......THAT I CAN FINALLY GO SHOPPING!

Anyway, she was being shy while the tech tried to take pictures of her. She didn't seem to want to take her face out of the placenta and when she did, she held her arms/hands up like a boxer. It would have been better to get this ultrasound a little further along (and I still don't know exactly how far along I am). Her features would have been more prominent. But I got the answer I was looking for and I'm sure I'll be scheduling another one in a few months or so. Oh, and the nurse from the post hospital left me a message saying that she has the results of the ultrasound I got the other day. She has a due date for me and I can call her tomorrow! Sorry about not having any pics of the whole ordeal. I'm having trouble opening the photos on the CD they gave me.

So...Salamasina. It's pronounced SAH-LAH-MAH-SEE-NAH. This is the little peanut's name. Malu picked it out a long time ago when we were randomly thinking about baby names. I know you're all thinking great, another name we can't pronounce. I know my mom was thinking that when I told her. My dad? He loves it. After all, it's a Samoan name and it's so appropriate considering she is three-quarters Samoan (and the rest, Filipino).

It's also appropriate considering where the name comes from. Malu told me that the literal meaning of it translates into "Moon Slayer" which I think is kinda cool (it has a Twilight, kinda Vampire feel about it. I like Twilight.). But Salamasina was the legendary Queen of Samoa (pictured above)--Queen of Upolu and Savai'i (the islands that make up the independent state of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa, where my dad and Malu's mom are from) and of the Tutuila Islands (that make up American Samoa--obviously, a U.S. Territory, where Malu grew up). These islands are presently two separate entities, but were united under Queen Salamasina's rule, I believe, in the 15th/16th century. Legends say that she was kind and fair and is known for striving to ensure peace for all. As a matter of fact, during her 40 years as the queen, there were no wars and the people of Samoa prospered.

Furthermore, Queen Salamasina was a descendant of the King of Tonga (on her mother's side) and of the High Chiefs of Samoa and Fiji (on her father's side). Samoa's latest King, Malietoa Tanumafili II (who died in 2007), was a descendant of Queen Salamasina. And here's the other cool thing...Malu's grandmother, Grandma Lema (as we call her) is a direct descendant of King Malietoa. No joke. So obviously, I'm quick to say that our little peanut could probably be considered a princess. Of course she is. All baby girls are princesses.

And so she shall be called Salamasina. I hope that she turns out to be just as kind, serene, and as influential as Samoa's legendary, beloved queen. Salamasina Rose--Rose in honor of my sister, Rosalynn, who deserves her own blog entry, which I'll save for another day. Now I'm off to email Malu to let him know that he's truly having his little princess after all. My bad, his tom-boy princess :)

Somebody Loves Me...

And it's not just Malu, Lucy, or the fam-bam. It's Quaker Oats! They've re-released their Oops! All Berries Captain Crunch Cereal just for me!

Captain Crunch is one of my secret indulgences and has been a fave since I was little. And even back then, I was always picking out the colored berries. Well, now I don't have to do that! This box is full of just the berries! This pregnant woman is in heaven!

OMG...I'm almost late to work! Gotta go. 3D/4D Ultrasound in the afternoon!

Wordless Wednesday

This is a palace in Europe (either Austria or Germany)--I can't remember where. My friend, Chrissy, and I went to Europe for R&R in Summer of 2005. I want to go back!