Frog Legs

Alex and I haven't really been out much since we moved to Denver. He's been working really hard and the first trimester had me exhausted. Most nights I was in my pajamas by 8 o'clock. Plus, we have been taking advantage of every spare moment to fix up our house (pictures soon, I promise!).

But last Friday night Alex whisked me away to a fun dinner downtown. We went to Bistro Vendome. It's a cute little French restaurant in Larimer Square. We decided to be a little adventurous and try the frog legs as an appetizer. I had my doubts at first, but they were absolutely delicious! I don't know what spices they used, but they were so tender and juicy and the sauce it came with added a little bit of sweetness. It was perfect.

I just wanted to encourage you, if you've never had frog legs before, give it a try. And let me know what you think!

Week 13

Well, here we are, my first weekly belly photo. There's not much going on but I thought we might as well get started and hopefully the photos will only improve over time.

I thought it would be neat to feature different parts of Denver as well since we just moved here. Today we were driving down 13th Ave (Get it? I'm in my 13th week of pregnancy!) and we noticed this view of the capitol building and we thought it'd be a great first weekly belly photo...to introduce the belly and to introduce our new city.

[Shout out to Megatron for contributing this idea, by the way!]


So without further ado, here's my 'Week 13' photo.

Snow Walking

Denver has fickle weather. Just a few days ago the sun was shining and the high was in the low 60s. Gorgeous! I was laughing at all the people who said I would never survive Denver winters. It felt more like spring than winter.

But then...it started snowing, I mean, really snowing and temperatures dropped to the negative. I have to admit that when it gets that cold I don't even bother stepping foot outside (thankfully I don't have a job I need to go to). I wrapped myself up in blankets and watched movies with Jaxon. Yesterday, however, Alex encouraged me to take Jaxon for a walk in the afternoon. I have to admit, I was going a little stir crazy...and I'm sure Jaxon was tired of napping all day. So I put on layer upon layer of clothing and headed outdoors for a walk in the snow.

It wasn't so bad, especially because the sun was bright and shining...but do not be fooled, any part of my skin that was exposed was feeling the pain of the zero degree temperature. I'm verrry thankful for warm coats and the Sorel boots my parents bought me as an early Valentine's Day present.

All photos shot with my iPhone and edited with Instagram...you should download this app...it's the best.

Not Ready

It's funny how many people say to me they're not ready for a baby once they talk to me about my pregnancy. They usually have a look on their face of fearful amazement.

Well, actually, I'm not ready either. I'm not ready to wake up to a crying baby every two hours instead of sleeping peacefully all night. I'm not ready to be spit up on everyday. I'm not ready to change poopie diapers. I'm not ready to give up my freedom. I'm not ready to live on a baby's schedule instead of my own. I'm not ready to give up my selfish ways. But it's happening. I don't think anyone is ever really ready.

I'm not saying you should go get pregnant right away even if you don't feel ready...because even though I'm not ready, I kind of am. I'm excited about this journey we're getting ready to embark on. I know it's going to be difficult and there will be days that I will want to rip my hair out and cry because of how exhausted and frustrated I am. I'm not ready...but I am. I know the moment I lay eyes on my little one it's going to be one of the happiest moments of my entire life. I know when I wake up in the middle of the night to a hungry baby, it'll be a special privilege to be able to give him/her nourishment. I know when I change a nasty diaper, it'll be to keep my baby healthy and comfortable. That's what I want. To really give myself to someone else, to my child. I want God to peel away the layers of selfishness that have built up over the years.

It's not going to be easy...and I'm not ready...I would much rather be spoiled for the rest of my life...but at the same time, I am ready. I'm ready to grow up...to love...to care for my child. And when you're ready, you'll know it too.

P.S. I began my second trimester today. Praise God! I have my next midwife appointment a week from tomorrow, so please pray for a healthy Baby Ace. 

[cute print from etsy]

Bento Boxes

I love bento boxes. Some ladies (and guys I'm sure) really get creative with preparing bento box lunches.
Maybe someday I'll create beautiful lunches like these for my kids...or just for me. ;-)

Weekly Belly Photos - Ideas & Inspiration

My belly hasn't popped yet. I suspect I'll be like my friend, Michelle, and I won't start showing until about halfway through my pregnancy. But I'm already thinking about taking weekly photos to document the belly growth. I always think it's so neat to see the changes pregnant women go through even on a weekly basis. I love seeing that belly grow and thinking about how much that baby is developing inside.

Anyway, that being said, I would really like to do something fun and creative with my weekly belly photos but I'm a little stumped for ideas. By far, my favorite belly series has been this one from Pacing the Panic Room. The images are so beautiful. The concept is simple really. It's just the mama standing in front of a white background, but you can't deny the quality and beauty of the photographs. And the video the guy made with all the photos is darling. 

The same guy did another belly series for a friend which I thought was pretty clever. This one followed the mama-to-be on a walk along a pretty sidewalk in her neighborhood. The whole slideshow viewed together is pretty sweet. 

So I'd like to do something simple and beautiful but I'm not sure what yet. Any creative ideas out there that you'd be willing to share? Maybe I'm over thinking it but I'd like to hear about any ideas are out there before I settle on what exactly we'll be doing. 

Gracias!

[all photos via pacing the panic room]

Why I Chose a Midwife

Many of you may remember a blog post I wrote several months ago about some of my favorite documentaries (I’m a documentary junkie!). In that list I included “The Business of Being Born.” This documentary was integral in making my decision to go with a midwife for this pregnancy...but even before I saw this movie I knew I wanted something different from the “norm” when it came time for me to have children.

I’ve always been iffy on the epidural thing. My mom had natural births with my sister and me and I’ve always thought that if she can do it, so can I. She’s a big fan of lamaze and says that if you prepare your mind and body for what is to come you will definitely be able to give birth without the use of drugs. I have to say, that I agree with her. The way I see it, pregnancy and child birth are natural processes. They do not require medical intervention unless there is a high-risk situation. Women have been giving birth for centuries...it’s natural...it’s how life happens.

Midwives are trained in natural childbirth. They see childbirth as a beautiful part of life. I’m not knocking on doctors. I am thankful for doctors who are trained to act quickly if something goes wrong. I am glad they know how to remove a baby via caesarean if things are not flowing as they should. But again, I don’t want to be rushed to make any rash decisions. I don’t want to be pressured to take pitocin or pain meds or hurry my labor along so the doctor can get home in time for dinner. Again, I’m not knocking on doctors...I know there are some very caring OB’s out there who would never dream of pressuring their patient into doing anything they’re not comfortable with. But for me, I’d just rather go with a midwife who I know shares in my birthing philosophy

Every pregnancy is different, every woman is different, every baby is different. So if you disagree with anything I’ve said and you want the pitocin and the epidural and the induction, that’s fine with me. It’s your body and the beauty of living in this country is that we can all decide for ourselves what is best for our pregnancy. I’m just saying, if you’re low-risk, want a natural childbirth with as few interventions as possible, want someone to take care of you who will be more of a partner than a director, then maybe you should consider getting a midwife. In my opinion, they’re more personable and I know she will be my advocate during my birthing process.

In a later blogpost I’ll write about why and how I chose my specific birthing team here in Denver. In the mean time click on over to babycenter’s momformation blog and read this post about choosing your birth team.

Elsewhere on the Internet

I don’t pretend that I have legions of fans reading my little blog, but I know some of you out there read this and enjoy my musings so I thought I would let you know about a few other places you can find me on the internet.

Recently I have been asked to blog for the Soma Church web site. You can find that here. This blog will focus on the latest news of Soma Church as well as a few features about different events/businesses in Denver. This city has a lot going on and we want you to know about it.

I am also one of the guest bloggers on Southeastern Seminary’s Women’s Life blog called Walking Worthy. I can’t tell you how much of an honor it is that they asked me to participate. So if you’re a woman I highly recommend you bookmarking this blog. A lot of fantastic ladies will be contributing to the blog and I think it’ll be a refreshing little spot on the internet.

Happy Reading!

[Image via: weheartit]

First Soma Gathering

Last Sunday we had our first official Soma Church gathering in Denver, CO. It was pretty thrilling to finally be able to meet together in this city. A group of us came together in the Barley’s living room and Bryan shared the story of Soma Church - how we came to be, why we’re here, what we hope to accomplish. We were also able to briefly share our individual stories of why we have chosen to live in Denver and participate in Soma Church. There were quite a few people  that I had not met before and it’s always fun getting to know new people in a new city. 

I’m thankful for Soma Church and I’m overjoyed that we are finally meeting together weekly to share in this journey. If you’re in the Denver area and want to visit us just let me know and I’ll give you the time and location. We’d love for you to check us out consider being a part of this new adventure with us. 

[Photo by: Creative Alex]

Heartbeat

Yesterday was a very exciting day for us Acevedos.

I had my first midwife appointment and loved it. Alex was able to come with me which was really nice. I really enjoyed meeting with the midwife. She was really kind and she shares the same philosophy on pregnancy and childbirth as I do. I might blog later about why I chose to go with a midwife over an OB.

Anyway, the point of this blogpost is to share that we were able to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time! As I shared in my previous post, I had been feeling anxious about the pregnancy. I really haven't experienced many symptoms and I kept wondering if something was wrong. Well, thankfully, everything is checking out fine. The baby's heartbeat was so strong and it was really the most beautiful and relieving sound I've ever heard. I feel so much more at ease now.

So thank you all for the prayers. My next appointment is in four weeks. I can't wait. :-)

Greetings from Denver!

We're here!
We've been here for a while now but I haven't had the chance to update the blog seeing as we have no internet at home yet. Currently Alex and I are sitting in Coffee at the Point in the Five Points neighborhood of Denver. It's about a five minute drive from our house. Their vanilla chai latte is excellent (way better than Starbucks) and they have free wifi!

Moving into our home has been an adventure. Right now our washer and dryer are sitting in the dining room because it won't fit through the laundry room door. Also, for the past couple of days we had no running water because our water pipes froze (we got our water back today, yay!). I have also realized that most of my wardrobe is completely inadequate. I should get rid of half of my closet and replace it with warm clothes, very warm.

Despite some of the hardships we've experienced along the way I think we love it here. It's definitely a surreal experience. We're really doing it. After all this time of planning and dreaming, we're living here.

Our house is nowhere near finished yet but it's definitely livable. I have my wonderful husband and amazing parents to thank for that. They've all been a huge help! I'm amazed with how handy Alex is and how tirelessly he works. And when my parents left to go back home on Sunday I was sad to see them go. I can't wait for them to visit again. I'm excited for what the future holds.

So that's just a quick update on what's going on in the life of the Acevedos. We appreciate everyone's love, prayers, and support. I can't thank everyone enough. Here are a few prayer requests to keep in mind over the next few days:

• Alex needs a job! He has an interview with Apple (the Broomfield store) tomorrow at 3. There have been some complications with the store that's in Denver and it looks like his best option might be to work at the Broomfield store (about half an hour away). Nothing is set in stone, but our income and health insurance are dependent on his job.
• I guess I should get a job too. ;-) I would really love to get a job at a school. I like kids and I have a lot of experience in that area. But I'll take anything that isn't high-stress. 
• For our home. I would really like to get everything in order (meaning, I'd really love to get that washer and dryer out of the dining room!) so that we can feel at home and start inviting guests over.
• Baby Ace. I admit, I've been very anxious for the past couple of weeks. They say once you become a mother you worry for the rest of your life...sheesh! They weren't kidding. But I would really like to give God all my worries and focus on Him instead of what might go wrong. 

Again, thank you for your prayers. We love you all!

Cheers!

Greetings from TX!

We successfully drove from Miami to New Orleans and then from New Orleans to Dallas over the weekend. Hoorah! We had fun in New Orleans. We stayed with my dad's cousin and his family. They took us around the city and we were able to eat beignets from Cafe du Monde. Yum! They also showed us you don't have to wait in that ridiculous long line that goes down the block. You just walk right in on the other side and seat yourself. So if you're ever in New Orleans do NOT wait in that line. :-)

I was starting to go crazy in the car. I am just not good at road trips. I can't imagine anything more boring than being stuck in a car for hours on end. Give me an airplane ride instead! But my husband has really been a champ. He has driven the entire time and not complained once. I don't know how he does it. Jaxon has also been behaving himself. Poor little guy. He must be so confused with all the changes happening. I'm sure he'll be happy once we're settled in to our home in Denver. I'm also happy to report that I haven't felt sick this whole car ride! This is huge for me. I usually get car sick very easily and I thought it might be exacerbated with the pregnancy...but I have felt just fine and I am thankful for that.

Anway, we'll be in Dallas with my parents for the next couple of days and plan on driving out to Denver on Wednesday. Thank you to all for prayers and support. We feel so loved and blessed! Hope everyone had a happy new year.

Our Christmas Surprise for the New Year

Here is one of my favorite images from our wedding back in 2008:

And here's the next one in the series:

[Thank you to Stephan Maloman for the photo shoot!]

We shared the news with our family on Christmas Day and they were all shocked and overjoyed.
Here's the little card we gave them:

We are definitely excited about 2011. God is good.

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

the fruit of the womb a reward."

-Psalm 127:3

A few Christmas photos

Wanted to drop in and share just a few Christmas Day photos with whoever is still reading. ;-)
I promise to be back soon with a full Christmas report! Don't give up on the blog...I'll be updating a lot soon. Our adventure is only beginning...

Merry Christmas Eve!

It's Christmas Eve!
I love this holiday. I love spending time with my family and eating delicious food. I love giving presents and receiving them too. I love watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas music. And I love reflecting on Luke 2:1-21.
This is a very special Christmas for so many reasons and I plan to really savor every moment I can.

I pray you all have a blessed Christmas.

[Painting by JenLovesKev]

Our House

Last week Alex and I closed on our first house.
The process was long and stressful, but in the end nothing can take away from the excitement of owning our own home. What a blessing!
It's a cute little duplex in Five Points, ten minutes outside of downtown Denver.
It's a dream come true and I can't wait to get in there and start making it ours.

By the way, if you have real estate needs in Denver, I highly recommend Jeff Wimpy.

P.S. Sorry it's been so quiet on the blog. Things are crazy this time of year (especially with all the changes and transitions happening), but I promise after the new year we'll have much to share about our new life in Denver!

Knaus Berry Farm

One of the things I miss most about Miami is Knaus Berry Farm.

You can pick your own strawberries, which is fun, but the best part is all the delicious baked goods and sweets that they have. They're famous for their cinnamon rolls and milk shakes. 

Well, today Merari and I decided to head out and look for good photo shoot locations. She has an engagement session coming up soon and wanted a forrest-y type place to shoot at. Unfortunately, Miami is really lacking in the forrest-y department so we headed towards the Homestead/Redlands area. Surely we'd find some nature there. We ended up finding one good place buuut then we got distracted by the famous Knaus Berry Farm. 

We didn't even take any photos because we were too busy stuffing our faces with chocolate ice cream and milkshake goodness. 

So here are a couple photos from wayyy back in 2007:

And here are a couple photos from a trip back in 2008, Merari still loves that ice cream ;-):

Soma Prayer Cards

I wanted to share our Soma prayer cards with all of you.
We are so thankful for all the love and support we have received so far in our journey with Soma. We have really felt your prayers and seen God working throughout this whole process. So we wanted everyone to have a tangible reminder to continue praying for the Soma team because we sure do need it.

One of Alex's co-workers was kind enough to shoot the photo for us and Alex added all the text, etc. When I get my hands on some of these I'll be sure to pass them along to whoever might want one. Again, thank you for your prayers and please keep on praying for us!

[click to enlarge]

P.S. Here's a little blurb about us on the Summit's blog.

P.P.S. On a totally unrelated note you have to check out the sweet video Alex made for Steph and Danny's wedding.

Living Life in Miami

We've been in Miami for about five days now and it's been fun. Alex started working at the Apple Store at Dadeland Mall yesterday (thank God that he has the opportunity to work while we're here so we don't go broke!) and he likes it there. I even got to visit him at work with Steph, he looks so cute when he's being a professional Apple employee. ;-)

We've been able to visit with friends, go to church, and eat lots of good food. I love my grandmother's cooking! I'm trying to convince her to move in with us in Denver. She's amazing. 

I'm excited about the rest of our time here, there are so many exciting things going on: weddings, babies, concerts, Christmas! I'm thankful to spend this time with family and friends before we make the big move out west. 

By the way, pray for our home buying process...we've run into a few frustrating obstacles and I really want to throw something at somebody...but there's nothing to throw and nobody to throw it at. :-)

I hope everyone's December is fun so far. 

image via weheartit

Goodbye Raleigh

Friends! I have neglected the blog but only because we've been so busy moving. Thanks to the help of many friends we are all packed up and our stuff is on its way to Denver as I type this.
As for the three of us, we have arrived safely in Miami after driving all night long. We were greeted by my smiling Abuelita and a plate of delicious goodness.

Thanks to all for your prayers, help, and support throughout this crazy transition. I'm really going to miss North Carolina. We met some amazing people who have changed our lives forever. Please, let's keep in touch forever and forever. And come visit us in Denver. :-)

Now to continue napping...seriously, it was a long drive.

Elf Yourself

How awesome are the Elf Yourself videos?! I love them. Here's one featuring my cute little family of three. I bet you didn't now Jaxon had those moves.

Give Thanks

I love Thanksgiving.
We have a rule in the Acevedo family: No Christmas before Thanksgiving.
That means no Christmas decorations, no Christmas tree shopping, no Christmas music, nothing.
Thanksgiving always gets the shaft as malls put up their Christmas decorations as soon as the last of the Halloween candy is passed out on October 31st. It's a shame because I really just want to enjoy the beauty of autumn before I get swept up into the winter wonderland of Christmas. Plus, what's not to love about a holiday that revolves around eating?! I love eating! I love all the delicious food we get to enjoy together. We already had a taste of Thanksgiving last Saturday night when our small group hosted a pre-Thanksgiving meal/going away party for us. Turkey, dumplings, cornbread, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, baked mac-n-cheese. It was ALL good. And they were sweet enough to give us a little card and gift. We have an amazing small group! And tomorrow Alex and I will have a cozy dinner with the Metzgers and the Vanderburgs. I'm happy we won't be alone on Thanksgiving and that we'll get to celebrate with some amazing people that we love.

So before you get all caught up in the Christmas spirit, don't forget to give thanks for this yummy holiday we will be celebrating tomorrow.

[image courtesy of hillarybird]

wedding blogs

I've been married for two and half years now...but I still check wedding blogs daily. I can't help it. People come up with the best ideas. It makes me want to get married all over again. Not that I didn't love our wedding, it was perfect, but there are so many other ideas I'd like to try. Maybe Alex and I will renew our vows someday so we can have another spectacular party.

Here are a few of my favorites for any brides-to-be out there:

1. Once Wed
This website is fantastic for so many reasons. They feature real weddings, share plenty of DIY ideas, have a vendor guide, and even have a listing where you can buy/sell used wedding dresses. When I wanted to sell my wedding dress (yes people, I sold my wedding dress, get over it) I used this site and I got so many hits on it. I ended up selling it to a nice girl in South Carolina for a great price.
The images on this site are gorgeous. You'll find plenty of inspiration here.

2. Green Wedding Shoes

This is another great site which features real weddings and cute DIY ideas. I love that you can search real weddings by category (backyard weddings, beach weddings, vintage weddings). There's so much inspiration on this site! You can also peruse their galleries for ideas on engagement shoots, inspiration boards, and fun wedding trends. 

3. Le Wedding Party

I'm a huge fan of Elsie*Cake's blog, A Beautiful Mess, which is why I'm uber excited about her recently launched wedding blog. She's a lover of all things vintage and DIY. This girl is so talented, I just know her upcoming wedding with Jeremy Larson will be magical.

4. Steph + Danny

Finally, I had to feature my dear friend, Steph. I've known this girl since high school. She sat next to me in physics and called me Kristen for weeks! It's okay, I love her. She is a fabulous and loyal friend and I canNOT wait to attend her wedding in December. I love reading her wedding blog because it keeps me up to date on all the fun planning even though I'm not in Miami to participate. You should also check out her personal blog, Fawn. She's one of the most creative people I know. I love this girl.

 [Paha! Remember this?? Wayyy before either one of us was even close to getting married.]

Vision Day

Yesterday we had our Soma Church Vision Day. I was happily surprised with the amount of people who showed up to hear all about the Summit's newest church plant. It was such an encouraging time for me personally. It's easy for me to get caught up in all the annoying little details of moving. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed with how expensive it is and how far away I'll be from my family and friends. I start feeling sad or angry and I forget why we're doing this.
But yesterday was such a great reminder. We're called to this city...we're called to plant a gospel-centered church...we're called to live on mission. And all the little inconveniences we experience along the way are hardly worth mentioning. I feel energized. I feel grateful. And I'm so thankful for the reminder of the vision of Soma Church. And I'm thankful for our leaders, Bryan and Andy. And I'm thankful for all who showed up yesterday and prayed for us. It's so humbling.

November Update

How cute are these "I-love-my-hometown" prints from Etsy???

I would love to have one for Miami and one for Denver...the two cities that I love. Both have a dear place in my heart.

And here's a little update on how we're doing, since people keep asking. :-)

• We are under contract with a cute little home in Denver. Closing date is December 1st. That's not much time to get everything done! Inspections, appraisals, repairs, negotiations..bahh! Pray that everything gets done on time. It's hard not being there to oversee how everything goes, but we have a great realtor who is a huge help. 
• This Sunday The Summit's N. Raleigh campus will be hosting Soma Church Vision Day. Free lunch and childcare for all who attend, just RSVP here. It's going to be grand.
• In a little over three weeks we'll be in Miami with our family and friends! How excited am I to see my loved ones?! Very. 

That's really all the major stuff going on. In the meanwhile I'm trying to keep calm and remember that God is in control of each and every detail of this move. It's not going to be easy...in fact, this move is inconvenient, expensive, and nerve-racking...but God ordained this long before we even knew this was a possibility. How's everyone else doing?

Practical Theology for Women

I've been wanting to blog about this little book for a while now.
It has had a great impact on me and I think all my lady friends should pick it up and give it a read. Seriously, do it.

This little book is a quick but profound read. Wendy Horger Alsup has a heart for teaching women about theology and shows that understanding theology makes a difference in our daily lives. From the very beginning of the book Wendy implores women to seek God. "God has called you and equipped you to know him. We have no excuse to remain ignorant of his character. Seek God's face. Understand his character. Pursue knowledge of him, for apart from the 'fear of the Lord' and 'the knowledge of the Holy One' (Proverbs 9:10) we have no hope for being a wise mother, sister, wife, or friend."

I used to be really afraid of knowing "too much" about the Bible. How silly. I could never know too much about the Bible. I guess I thought it was too much responsibility...and it is a lot of responsibility, but instead of fearing it, I welcome it now. There really is no hope for me apart from Jesus...and I need to try and understand Him better so that I may live a life that brings Him glory.

I know theology sounds like a scary word...but all it really means is to study God. Christian women should not shy away from studying the Bible and learning everything they can about God. I once heard someone say that women shouldn't study the Bible so much because their husbands might feel inadequate because their wives know more about the Bible than they do. [Believe me, it took everything I had not to ring this person's neck] To that, Wendy has an amazing response, "God forbid that women should avoid studying the deep things of the Word lest they surpass the understanding of the men in their lives! Studying theology–such as the Holy Spirit’s role in convicting man of sin, and God’s sovereignty over all creation–will curb, not enhance, a woman’s sinful tendency to nag and manipulate her husband. My husband can bear witness to the fact that a better understanding of God’s character, that is, theology, makes me a better wife." Thanks, Wendy!

You don't have to go to seminary or be a big-time scholar to learn theology. This book is a great start to learning about theology. This book covers some big main points: What is Theology?, Who is our God?, and Communicating with God. Going through these easy-to-read chapters will get you comfortable with thinking more deeply about these topics. And Wendy provides some great practical insights to go along with the biblical truths she is expounding on. I promise you, this book is definitely not boring and it really ministered to me like reading a devotional would. Don't be afraid to step up your study of God, ladies. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! -Psalm 111:10.

Click here to buy the book on Amazon.
Check out Wendy's blog here.