John's new home

Just wanted to let you all know that John is officially being transferred to Cleveland (technically Twinsburg). Annnnnnnd he starts a week from today! Crazy! Although, he's not going to be moving permanently just yet so he'll be back in LA next Wednesday. They want to figure things out in California before they move him and all of his stuff, I guess. They will be deciding his schedule Wednesday so we'll see what they say. His new boss in Twinsburg was in a long term- long distance with his now wife. Consequently, he said he understands our situation wants to be helpful so HE suggested John fly into Cincinnati on Friday and drive up to Twinsburg on Sunday. It sounds like a much better situation for him and a great opportunity so I am very happy for him in that sense. I am also very happy that we will be able to see each other more often and less expensively (hopefully but with the price of gas maybe not!). The other good news is that it looks like I will be in Columbus and at the very least driving through it a whole lot more! Cleveland is also much closer to Syracuse (Meet in Niagara Falls Maria?!). And Lauren, you and Alex may also have to show us around Cleveland! So while I am hoping this is just a short-term move, as he will be continuing to search for jobs here in Cincinnati, it is certainly a big step in the right direction!

Amy

Hello Friends

Hi all, I told myself that I was not going to add to the sappiness of it all, but I also wanted you to know how much I love and appreciate each of you. What a great time I had last weekend! I think it's amazing that we are all so different, but have such a blast everytime we are all together. I went home again this weekend to see my family. My grandpa is in a nursing home and we aren't sure how much longer he will stick things out. Unlike when I was in college, I am realizing how important it is for me to just spend time with those I love. I think that I may continue to head home every couple weekends until things start to even out with his health. Last weekend was one that will be burned into my mind as one of those perfect, carefree times in life. Love you all. Erin

Oh what a wonderful weekend!

Oh what a wonderful weekend! I miss and love you girls so much. I am so lucky to have such strong, talented, supportive and genuinely kind...I could go on… women in my life. I am truly thankful that, as Maria said, even if we aren’t the best at seeing each other and speaking as often as we’d like I know that you are there and we can pick up right where we left off. How special and rare is that! It kind of broke my heart driving away because I wasn’t sure the next time we would all be together and I need my 1806 family!

I also just have to say that Hotel California and Toto’s Africa song came on BACK-TO-BACK just as I was driving out of Columbus. A sign? I think so.

Maria, you are going to be the most wonderful mother and I can't wait to see you and Kev be parents together. I especially can't wait to meet this little one! Between the two of you, grandparents, cousins, uncles, real aunties and fake aunties this baby is going to be smothered with love from all over the country. So exciting!

My next post (hopefully tomorrow when I have more time!) will be the list of cities Erin, Maria, Lauren and I quickly came up with for us to visit right before I left, so LC and MJ add your ideas!

Thanks for a truly happy and very much needed weekend in Columbus!

Amy

Thank you!

When I think back on this weekend in Columbus I know it is going to be one of those instant classics types of memories I have with all of you.  I know relationships sometimes need effort to work as well as ours but for this weekend it just felt so fluid and effortless, it's like I was never away at all.  I have a tendency to not have the appropriate emotional response as quickly as others, and when I had to say goodbye to Amy I felt overwhelmed by the fact that I wasn't just going to see her tomorrow.  It feels so normal and comfortable to be with everyone that I completely forgot I have a whole other life to which I had to return.  And even though we have been wonderful about seeing each other during the year I couldn't help but feel distraught that I wasn't going to see Amy for an undetermined amount of months.  And I can't help but feel that way now about everyone.  Luckily with this group, I think we do put the effort in.  I love our blog and our 1806  facebook page-thing.  Also your faces and our memories are sprinkled through my home, so any time I am missing you I find an old birthday card or one of our many, many pictures.  And now with all the wonderful gifts for the little one I have even more opportunities to think of you.

I am struggling to find the words to be able to express how grateful I am and how lucky I feel.  The baby shower was absolutely beautiful and blissfully perfect.  I am so happy that we got to celebrate another of life's big changes together.  Because when something big or scary or life-changing happens to me you are who I want to be around.  And you always are there when I need you.  You are the best friends that a girl could have.  Thank you for my wonderful shower and gifts and for taking the time to be with me to celebrate.  You are truly fabulous.

And for the millionth time, could I have everyone's address?  I have my address book ready to write them in this time!

I love you all so much and thank you again for such a wonderful time.

Maria R

WOW - Still recovering from this weekend!

Hi girls!

This past weekend was so great. It's so wonderful that we were all able to get together. As the weeks and years go by this will be more and more challenging.

I'm hoping to upload the pictures from brunch tonight! Maria, you're going to make a great momma! You're such a easy-going, graceful, and inspiring pregnant woman! I hope that I can make it look that easy.

We discussed the idea of having a yearly trip. The sooner we start planning the more likely it'll become a yearly routine and something fun to look forward to! Amy - can you post our list here? If there is a place you'd love to visit add it to the list and we can vote on next year's location. The trip will most likely be next Spring or Summer.

<3 Lauren

St. Patty's day is my new favorite holiday!

I will be coming to Columbus on March 17th (St. Patty's Day) and staying the weekend.  I hope that works with people's schedules and I can feast my eyes upon all of you for at least a little while.

Love you guys!

Maria R

Happy belated Valentine's Day!

Hello ladies!

I am finding myself to be in a much improved mood lately due to the weather. It has been above freezing and sunny for the last couple of days. For at least part of the day, Nick read an article that said Syracuse hasn't had a precipitation free day since September. I felt like I was being a little dramatic by feeling so down about the weather until I was informed that we have gotten over 12 feet of snow this winter, the only place to come close in both the Mid-West and New England areas is a town bordering Canada in Norther Michigan, and we still have them beat by a foot or so. But what I have noticed as a really nice thing around here is that when it is nice outside, even if it's only for a few hours, everyone is really cheerful. Also, what I hear from the locals, is that they celebrate summer in style, festivals and concerts and fun things to do. One more reason to look forward to summer!

Kev and I went to the doctor on Monday. It was just a quick check up, but much anticipated. A month ago when we were at the doctors we had sort of a unpleasant experience. The PA tried to find the baby's heartbeat, but couldn't. And while that was disappointing to me the PA told us that it was really no big deal, sometimes you can't find the heartbeat at 13 weeks without an ultrasound. She then told us she didn't want us to worry for the next 4 weeks that something was wrong, so she squeezed us in for an ultrasound. While having the ultrasound the technician kept exclaiming things like "oh no" and "that's not right" and asked me if I had a double uterus. Basically she was just putting us on edge, when we could hear the baby's heartbeat and see it moving around frantically like a healthy little fetus on the screen. She ended the ultrasound by telling me I had a titled uterus and a folded cervix (I am really sorry if you feel like you could go the rest of your life without knowing the details of my anatomy like this). The titled uterus I had heard of, and found out shortly after that my Mom, and about 1 out of 5 women, have this condition. What I couldn't find any information on was a folded cervix. I told a few of you this but when you google folded cervix, you get scientific articles on the folded cervix of sheep and dolphins and also links to incestuous pornography. But after talking to many of the brilliant women in my life about this strange experience, I took their advice and tried not to worry. If something was wrong, someone other than a ultrasound technician would speak to me.

So when we went to see the PA my first two questions were about my titled uterus and my folded cervix. She told me the first is nothing to be concerned about, it's just the way my body is and it shouldn't have any affect on labor. But with the second abnormality she looked at me and said, " I have no idea what that is." After going and talking to the technician the PA let us know that the tech meant by her commentary is that my cervix looked folded from a certain angle. So yeah, there is more I want to say about that and the tech in particular, but it's done and now I know that there is nothing wrong with my lady parts.

This time when the PA looked for the heart beat, as soon as she put the little scope-thing (Sorry MJ, my medical terminology must be just as annoying as the ultrasound tech) to my stomach we heard it loud and clear. Our next appointment is in three weeks when I am 20 weeks (half way!) for the big ultrasound where we can see the sex. At first I thought I would want to know the baby's gender before it was born, but then Kev talked me into waiting. And now that it is right around the corner we are both tempted to just find out what it is. Like anything, there are pros and cons to finding out the gender or waiting. I think the thing that resinates the most with us is that we are most excited to see the baby, regardless of whether it's a boy or a girl. And waiting until it's born, we won't have any preconceived notion of it at all. It won't have a pink or blue room, or tutus or trucks, before it has even taken a breath. I think it seems like the first step in letting our child just be itself. I recognize that actually isn't the most rational thought process, because as soon as it's born I will most likely buy it clothes and toys according to it's gender, but my gut feeling is that it would be best to wait. What do you guys think about the whole thing? Do you think you'll find out the gender when you choose to get pregnant?

Sorry that was baby-talk overload! I miss you guys and love hearing what you are all up to! Hope everyone is well and I will talk to you soon!

Maria R