Cute

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Update to the baby shower gifts:

I thought this was really sweet. Today, as I arrived at one of my lessons in Colleyville, I noticed the neighbor boy that I used to teach last spring, who ran out of time for lessons this Fall (thanks a lot, Colleyville Middle School football team!). He had walked 2 blocks from his house to where he knew I’d be teaching next, where, true to adolescent teenage awkwardness, shyly handed me a present from his mom. It was so sweet of her to think of me, especially since I haven’t taught their family for 4 months.

Thanks to them, I now have my $40 Moby Wrap!

I love how this Moby Wrap apparently came with unnecessary cleavage flashing.

Preview

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This last Sunday, our good friend Katie Gaspard took some 36 week maternity photos for us. She has the cd waiting for me in Dallas– here are the two preview pics she sent me. Please don’t be horrified at the crazy belly button ring scar. Kind of ironic, considering how much my mom warned me against getting a piercing, saying it would “get infected” (she even wanted to take me off our health insurance!). And, wouldn’t you know? It didn’t get infected until I took it out, 6 years later!! I regard it as my cautionary tale for anyone reading Dante late at night– don’t pierce or tattoo anything, just because you’re reading Inferno!

The light is sort of blotchy on Jesse's face. We had a lot of reflected light in this one.

Skip Hop

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Tomorrow is my third and final baby shower. I mentioned last week about another 4th shower, but that got cancelled. It was going to be awkward anyways…Jesse’s work wanted to throw a party for him and a pregnant woman in the office, and they wanted me to be there. I don’t know anyone in his new building, so I was dreading how potentially weird it was going to be. Besides, the reason it got cancelled is because the company is anticipating taking on another huge acquisition, which means that Jesse’s entire dept. is going to get bumped up from “30’s” (accounts that are 30 days late) to Loss Mitigation. Hence, everyone in his dept. was required to participate in a Loss Mit. Bootcamp in order to prepare. The training room they used? The very room they were going to hold the party in. Problem solved– no awkwardness, potential promotion and payraise instead. I’ll take it!

Back to tomorrow: although I’ve already had two wonderful showers, one in CA, one here in TX, my piano families insisted on throwing me another one. Two of the moms were caterers/party planners before having kids, so they are holding a luncheon and serving French cuisine. It should be quite yummy.

Anyways, two of the cutest things on my Target registry arrived today in the mail from one of the ladies who can’t be at the shower (btw, Skip Hop is pretty much the cutest company ever!).

A whale spout cover, and a bunny ears comb/brush grooming set!

Everyone has already been so generous to Baby Gregory, that a few piano moms have complained that I don’t have enough things on my registry. One mom who also can’t be at the shower tomorrow gave me a $50 giftcard instead, saying, “It was a real temptation for me to buy baby clothes, especially since all I have are girls, but I decided to go the practical route for your sake”. I thought that very selfless and thoughtful of her!

Orthodox Prayer from Shower

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As I am still overwhelmed by the baby shower yesterday (one lady alone contributed over $100 in gifts, etc.!) I forgot to post one of my favorite parts of it: a beautiful Orthodox prayer that all the women prayed out loud for me.

Some of you might be thrown off by the 2 mentions of Mary (not me, Mary, but the Theotokos, Mary). All I can say is that it’s way more complex than I have time to get into, but we don’t believe that anyone else but Jesus can “save us from our sins” (I put it into quotations because we don’t use that terminology, but I remember it as being the Protestant equivalent of what we mean). There are different kinds of saving, and we believe that Mary, Mother of God has a specific intercessory role with child-bearing women.

Anyways, it’s a beautiful prayer, and I had to fight tears the entire time. Read it if you want! Pray it for us if you want!

O Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ our God, the Source of life and immortality, bless Mary and the fruit of her body that was given by Thee; favor them and animate this child by Thy Holy Spirit, and let it grow a healthy and pure body, with well formed limbs.

Sanctify this child’s body, mind, heart, and vitals, and grant this infant that is to be born an intelligent soul; establish him in the fear of Thee.

A faithful angel, a guardian of soul and body, do thou vouchsafe him.  Protect, keep, strengthen, and shelter the child in her womb until the hour of his birth.

O Lord Jesus Christ, place this infant upon the right hand of Thy grace, and through Thy Holy Spirit sanctify him and renew him unto life everlasting, that he may be a communicant of Thy Heavenly Kingdom.  Amen.

O All-Merciful Christ our God, look down and protect Thy handmaiden Mary from fear and from evil spirits that seek to destroy the work of Thy hands.  And when her hour and time is come, deliver her by Thy grace.

Look with compassionate eye and deliver Thy handmaiden from pain.  Lighten her infirmity in the time of travail and grant her fortitude and strength for birth giving, and hasten it by Thine almighty help.

For this is Thy glorious work, the power of Thine Omnipotence, the work of Thy grace and tender-heartedness.  Amen.

My most gracious Queen, my hope, O Mother of God, the joy of those in sorrow, help us, for we are helpless.

Intercede thou and pray thy Son, Christ our God, that He lighten for his handmaiden Mary this season while she is with child, and that He ease the burden of heaviness of her, and bestow His blessings upon the child to which she is giving birth.

For we know no other help save thee, no other hope save thee, O Mother of God, that will guard and protect her and her child.  For by thine intercession and help we send up glory and thanksgiving for all things unto the One God in Trinity, the Creator of all, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.