'Tis the Season

As previously mentioned I always throw a Christmas party every year without fail... this year we invited a bunch of my work friends and had gave it an "Ugly Sweater" theme. Some were incredibly successful, others made a good effort but the sweaters really weren't that bad (I may actually hold on to mine for a few years down the road, that's not true at all but I could!) I tried pretty hard to find something that would light up and was battery operated but alas, there was none to be found...

the Hosts: Justin, Rocky and I

My closest circle of friends at work:

Danielle and Edd (I think he was the winner!):

me and Tora:

John and Kelly:

not even kidding he got his sweater vest from Walgreens:

John and I showed up in sister sweaters, haha!:

Justin got "ugly sweater party" confused with 70s party:

the man of the hour:

12 Random Christmas Facts

I was tagged by Sherry for 12 random Christmas facts, so here goes!

1. My dad made a rule that my mom can’t listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving so now it’s become a tradition that I give her a brand new Christmas CD each Thanksgiving morning.
2. I have an ornament from my Mormor and Morfar for the first 18 years of my life (it was one of the most anticipated moments when we opened their big Christmas box) and even though my parents mailed them all to me, I only put up some of them because I feel bad having all the ornaments on our tree have my name on them. as a result, our tree is pretty naked.
3. We’d always open one present of our choice on Christmas Eve and then wait and open the rest Christmas morning
4. I always throw a Christmas party. Even when I was in high school we’d invite everyone from church over, I love being together with all my friends and family during the holidays!
5. I love the huge old-school Christmas lights for outside on the house—forget the icicles, I like the classic look!
6. Santa always gave us one gift each, and they’d all be laying by the tree in the morning wrapped in different paper than any others under the tree and never had my parents handwriting on the label.
7. I make a point to wear red or green on the last day of work/school before the holidays, I’m a huge nerd!
8. My favorite Christmas song is when Judy Garland sings “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. I almost always tear up when I hear it.
9. Justin doesn’t open a single Christmas card because he waits for me to get home since he knows how much I love getting them and opening them!
10. All four kids would sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and blow out a candle before eating breakfast every Christmas morning
11. Christmas Eve was planned out by the minute practically, everything was tradition and always the same and I cherished knowing exactly what the day had in store: we went out for Christmas Eve breakfast (usually to Cracker Barrel, Will’s favorite) came home and finished wrapping each others gifts and enjoyed everyone’s company. We would watch a Christmas movie (almost always Miracle on 34th Street, the remake), have rice and cinnamon for dinner and wait anxiously to see who would get the almond (according to Swedish tradition whoever gets the almond in the batch would have good luck for a year, but in my family that almost always meant bad luck, go figure!), go to our neighbor’s Christmas party where we’d spend time with our second families, then go home open one present, then all the girls go slumber party in Will’s room and wait for Santa.
12. Christmas Eve services at my family’s church (Loveland Nazarene) were the best—so beautiful! It’s a small church community so you know everyone and at the end of the service they dim the lights, everyone lights a candle and we sing a carol or hymn acapella. It was just incredibly comforting.

Even though Christmas is around the corner I tag Jenn, Wally and Erin

Half Way to Meeting Baby Bail

Is it a little overly dramatic that as I think about week 20 officially (hopefully!) being the halfway mark, I can’t get the Bon Jovi “Livin’ on a Prayer” song out of my head?! As I sing it silently I’m visioning the fist pump and throwing your head back to really hit the notes too… haha!

Whooah, we’re half way there
Whoooah livin on a prayer
Take my hand and well make it - I swear
Livin on a prayer

All things considered the first half of my pregnancy has been relatively easy. As I understand it from Jenn, I’m incredibly fortunate to not have had any morning sickness at all. I’m still tired, and have given up hope that I’ll get the “second wind” that women get during their second trimester, but if that’s the worst of it I really can’t complain.

I was hoping I would feel Baby Bail moving around by now, but I haven’t really… I know it’s a mover and shaker though – you should see the ultrasounds, Baby doesn’t stop squirming! It’s incredible this little life I have inside me! We were listening to the heartbeat for the first time a couple weeks ago and we’d hear this occasional thump and the OB would ask if I felt it (I didn’t) because that was a kick. I’m pretty sure I felt Baby moving once while I was in the shower (all great thinking—and apparently baby movement—happens in the shower… I should never get out!) and it was equally amazing and weird!

I do the worst job at explaining what it felt like, but the best I can do is that it feels like those cartoons look when someone swallows a bomb or dynomite and then you see it expolde because their midsections expand… except it’s not painful obviously, it’s precious! It’s just weird to feel poked from the inside out.

Baby Bail has continued to morph through fruits and objects: from a turnip to a bell pepper then a large heirloom tomato (?) and is now a banana. It only weighs probably around 10 ½ ounces now, which freaks me out because I’m pretty sure I’ve put on more than the average 10 lbs most women gain in the first 20 weeks. But that’s a self-concious story for another day… It’s crazy to see ultrasounds and how much the fetus has already developed, and it’s only half-way done! Personally, I can’t see how anyone can go through a pregnancy and not see God glorified in each small detail of the baby’s development… it’s amazing!!

we were trying to get the pregnancy picture and Rocky jumped up to check it out, I think he knows!

Pomp and Circumstance

I've been meaning to update my blog for awhile, but work's been insane and anytime I'm home is basically devoted to getting ready for Christmas so needless to say blogging has been neglected. -technically I blog all the time though, if I could just devote the keystrokes to the blogs I narrate throughout the day, I could possibly publish a book with them all. Yeah, I think that highly of my imaginative on-a-whim stories... haha!

Justin graduated with his Master's degree in Engineering from the University of Akron on Saturday! I'm not sure I could be more proud of him. He had a full-time job, has consistently been an amazing and attentive husband (and father-to-be!) and managed to graduate in just two years and finished his graduate career with a 3.850 grade point average (which not to brag, but since he deserves the praise: that's technically all A's, but a few were A-). He's phenomenal, simply put!

I was hesitant when he first talked about going back to school for his graduate degree... how we would pay for it, how much time it would take away from life at home, if it was the best timing if we were hoping to start a family, etc. etc. I never doubted his ability to succeed, I can't picture him ever failing really, I just wasn't sold on the idea it was perfect timing. Go figure I'm the one with doubts and he has faith that everything we need will be provided. As it turns out, his work paid for his degree and he just has to stay with the company a couple more years (if we move or anything we'd just have to pay them back) and I got a job with the Cavs so nights away from home wasn't a big issue since I had so many game nights and events to work. -plus we adjusted schedules and made the most of weekends taking short trips or planning the days so they weren't wasted.

The day of graduation was awesome (once I threw some elbows and got a good seat in the middle of the auditorium for photos, sorry to one particular grandma, but her student was getting their baccalaureate, mine was getting his masters! I'm terrible!) when pomp and circumstance started up by the band the uncontrollable tears welled up. I can't imagine how proud I'll be when my own child graduates because when it was my best friend and husband I couldn't help but cry. I'm SO proud of him!

-and because the day couldn't go entirely without drama, when Justin put his robe on that morning (trying it on any earlier just wouldn't make sense!) he called me in the room and held up his hands to show what looked like oven mitts--the end of his sleeves didn't have holes for his hands! The look of confusion on his face was completely priceless! I came over ready to cut holes with scissors if necessary, and saw these small slits about six inches up on the sleeve... both arms had them so I slipped his hand through the slits and it looked like he had bat flaps, it was so bizarre! We got to the auditorium though and luckily all the other graduates with their masters had the same bat flaps on their robes, so I guess we figured it out (?)

How many Master's students does it take to get a polyester robe on correctly...

Breezy Bri Briana

As my baby sister was walking down the terminal she turned around and forced a brave smile to offer my mom comfort and reassurance that she would be okay as she headed into a completely unknown experience...

At least that's how I picture it happening, I wasn't actually at the airport to see Briana off to boot camp. But I can see Bri teary-eyed, but trying to mask it and be strong, torn between jumping in to this new adventure ahead of her, and also tempted to stay in the comfortable setting she's made for herself and Justin. Personally, I am ecstatic for her and the opportunity unrolling before her. -at the same time I've never been more protective of anyone in my life as I am with Briana so I don't like the idea of her being entirely on her own at all. I think it will be good for everyone though to see her accomplishments that she acquired on her own without anyone holding her hand or insisting on doing it for her.

In no way saying that she's incapable of taking care of herself--but we have selfless parents, I'm an overly-attentive sister sometimes, and she's the youngest of four, so she's been kind of enabled her entire life regardless if she wanted or needed it or not. But now I don't get to run down the person making her feel bad and give them a piece of my mind and a strong encouragement to back off, because it's going to be her Drill Sargent. If she's struggling with an assignment my mom doesn't get to hold her hand and make sure she perseveres and finishes. She's stronger than she gives herself credit for so I think it will be good for all of us to see Briana accomplish this.

There's a pretty simple breakup of the Rozum children I think: two of us are incredibly intelligent and book smart and things come easily to them, two of us are certainly smart but really have to work hard to succeed. Two of us are excellent athletes who easily focus and excel in their passions, and two of us are natural athletes as well, but have passions that lie a million different places and never had that superstar status. Bri and I are the latter two in both categories, and I think that's one of the reasons I'm so protective of her. She probably wouldn't agree, but we're kindred spirits and I feel like I understand and get her as well as I understand myself. I get the frustration, I get the excitement, I get the temptation, I get the love of life and the enjoyment in people and company, I get the self-consciousness and desire to do and be better. I get it.

I feel like I understand her reason for joining the National Guard. Even though it's going to cut at her heart to be away from her son for 14 weeks, it's worth it to set herself up for success in the future. She'll learn skills that will help her get a job and I think the confidence that will help far beyond her vocation as well.

Kiddo, I'm so proud of you for taking this step and leap of faith. I'm proud of you for taking your future into your own hands and selflessly making sure BJ will be taken care of. I could not be more proud of your decision to do this on your own and am completely thrilled for all the future has in store for you. When you find your place, I hope you'll let me join you to share in the joy and love you've built for your family. -and know that if you really need it, I really will come yell at your Drill Sargent... as long as you have the get-away car ready around the corner because I'm pretty sure they would win.