Another new chapter

It seems that life never runs out of new chapters... 6 already since I started this blog 5 years ago and there were a great many before that.

So with this new chapter comes yet more excitement and trepidation. Uncertainty looms around me as I have left my job, Ulrich soon to leave his and a new person forms inside of me waiting to join us next November.

I have been enjoying the time and space to rest and go to the gym (by the way - I do NOT doing pilates 3 days in a row even if you have the time) I'm still running and hope to still be strong enough to "run" a mini triathlon with girl friend from grad school come summer. Fingers crossed.

The baby is strong, as far as I can tell. The 7 week ultrasound showed a perfect shape and a strong beating heart. That was already a month ago and I'm itching to get another one. With all the havoc it wreaks on the body, it makes you wonder what's going on in there. For now, silence and waiting.

My thoughts turn to the future - what should I do now? Consult, work, stay home, volunteer? What life can I create for myself and my family? Ah, with every season life brings yet new adventures. I got my swiss army knife, duct tape and Vaseline -- so bring it on, life, I'm ready.

Ice Cream Tasting

A group of us from my work have started a series of "tasting" parties. We started with the typical wine tasting where everyone brings a bottle of wine in a brown paper bag and we blind taste tested them to see if expensive wine really is better than the cheap stuff.

We had a blast and asked ourselves -- why stop there? So we didn't. We've tasted cheese, pizza, chocolate, salsa and now.... ice cream.

The rules:
Bring 1 pint of vanilla ice cream in a brown paper bag. It can be gellato, homemade, soy or from an ice cream shop but it must be plain vanilla.

The results:

1. Ben and Jerry's (54 out of 70): By far the best ice cream of the night. Most people agreed that there was a consistent vanilla bean flavor which nicely balanced the amount of cream.

2. Julies Organic (50 out of 70): Julie's stood out for its creaminess. It was less sweet and had a more mild vanilla flavoring. Comments included "creamy custard feel" and "very creamy."

3. Haagan Daaz (44 out of 70): Haagan Daaz did not hold its own in this competition. It didn't have any quality which stood out. Comments by the tasters included: "satisfying" and "Good but not that great"

4. Safeway Select (39 out of 70): Safeway Select is our local grocery store brand. Many people were able to guess. It had a pleasant consistent flavor but was a little more watery and plain than the branded ice creams.

5. Soy Dream (37 out of 70): We had a soy lover in the room (which may have skewed our results) Testers could tell it was soy but not immediately. Soy Dream has a strong vanilla flavor and is curiously creamy (creamier than Safeway).

6. Davis Creamery (27 out of 70): Very disappointing show for our local creamery. I wonder if we got an off batch. It unfortunately had a bitter after-taste which everyone commented on.

7. Rice Dream: (19 out of 70): If you're not doing dairy, do Soy! Rice dream was pretty watery and didn't have a very strong vanilla flavoring.

Triathlon Training: Mexico City

In June, Ulrich and I are running a (short) triathlon. Training has been going well. We have worked our way up in distances for all three events -- and last weekend did a practice (800m swim, 14 mile bike and 5 mile run) and it didn't kill us. Breathe, so far, so good.

Small wrench, my work decided that it would be cool to send me on a variety of trips making me travel for the entire month of May. Initially I was worried about what all this travel was going to do for my training school. Particularly since we are running with my two brothers (Scott and Adam) the former of whom was talking a lot of shit -- which in the end means -- I need to have a respectable time or live with a lifetime of commentary about my performance.

SOOO... I gathered up my best workout mixes and am taking training on the road. This week, Mexico City. I went for my first run yesterday around the neighborhood where I'm staying. (I took video footage from my cell phone to prove it -- look for the posting soon).

It seemed that training from all these various places would make a good series to blog.... so... stay tuned. Many adventures to come.

Lent

This year lent seems to be less about what I'm going to do for God but what God is doing in me. On Ash Wednesday, I chopped off hair that I've had long since I was 14. I donated my long braid to Locks of Love. I was trying to figure out something that I could give of myself that would push me. My hair has been a big part of who I am. It is a source of comfort. (I think only girls that wear long hair can fully appreciate this). It has also been a symbol of respect to tradition and to culture. So, giving it up has been an act of trust that God would fill all these new spaces of my identity.

God has come so strongly into my life that I hardly even notice my missing hair. I had planned to stop being so involved with church so as to spend the season of Lent in prayer and study. God had different plans... I'm more involved with church now than I ever have been and it is really pushing me to grow. I find myself in ministry and with the responsibilities of ministry. Its a big responsibility and makes me know why Moses said -- "I'm not sure if I'm the right guy" I keep wanting to say that. But, ah, that's why it's lent.

Christmas Decorating

With the Christmas season upon us, we decided we couldn’t go our first Christmas without getting a tree. Remembering that

1. we have a small place and

2. we don’t have any Christmas ornaments between us –

We opted for a small 1ft tree which we drowned in lights.

We’ve been listening to Neil and Janelle’s collection of Christmas tunes on our Ipod home stereo while we finish up the last of our wedding thank you cards… Finally, just in time for Christmas cards.

Momma Schaff’s Birthday

The Monday after Thanksgiving was Momma Schaff’s birthday. To celebrate we helped with some yard work during the day and made her dinner that night.

Dinner was a little rockier in the making than I had hoped. I made her a german chocolate cake and burned the coconut twice – that’s what happens when you have too many burners going at once (Life lesson – I think so)

All in all the cake turned out well. And really, Judy was ecstatic that I got all the boys to help clean the kitchen after dinner while she watched. Having a second girl in the family was long coming.

Turkey Trot

We got our butts in gear and ran a 5k in November. Even though I absolutely HATE running – Ulrich talked me into training for it. Now, (so I don’t ever have to go through the hell of conditioning my lungs again) I run a couple of times a week.

Here’s a few pictures of us getting ready for the big race.

Tour our apartment

Here are some pics to guide you through our apartment. A "few" changes since the wedding. We are getting good at making these 800 sq ft look spacious. :)

Married Life

I am now married. Getting used to the idea that people will now address me as Mrs. Schaff has taken some time but it is growing on me. It feels to me that the first few weeks of married life is like being in a cocoon wrapped up in the silence of togetherness and creating a new life away from the world. I am enjoying this, but more I am looking forward to the joint that will come forth. Who we will be and what we will do ....