the zoo was a zoo

I love the Minnesota Zoo and basically grew up there as it is just a half a mile from my childhood home. I even went to high school at the zoo school, an environmental studies school located on the zoo property.

It had been about four years since I had been back and with all of the baby animals this time of year, it seemed like a good outing for Heidi, Terri, Sara and myself. We went on Good Friday, and apparently the idea wasn't all that original. I have never seen the place so crowded! And then it started raining...pouring, really, which just added to the pandemonium. And then I lost Heidi's son. He had been holding onto the stroller, but then I guess he wasn't. I had just been boasting that I felt so maternal pushing a stroller. Heidi found him, crying and being helped by another mother. Terri said, "how maternal are you feeling now, Bec?" I replied that I was overwhelmed with guilt. And all three moms agreed that guilt is the chief maternal feeling, so I'm truly on my way to becoming a mama.

I still feel guilty for this whole episode. Maternal guilt. How do you get over that one? (You'll note maternal rhymes with eternal, so I'm not all that sure it ever goes away.)

The picture above is the only one I took. At this very moment Sara was sprinting with Ruby trying to get to the next covered area.

a very merry groves weekend

We just got home and I'm starting laundry, but I quickly wanted to right my mistake from Friday...

I guess the video I posted on Friday was not quite the video I was hoping to post. Although I did watch it and the painter is talented. But when I wrote, this sums up the Groves' family together time, I didn't mean that we sit around and watch painting videos...

So let's see if I can get it right this time:


We had a fabulous weekend home, and packed it full of great moments. Mostly, it was just family time and since I CRAVE family time, this was my perfect weekend. On our way out of town Sara and Troy were interviewed on Focus on the Family. It has been a while since I have listened to this program because it just became so politically divisive, but Sara and Troy are really excited about the new leadership in this organization and encouraged us all to give it a second chance. Their broadcast can be found here (April 5th broadcast) and I encourage you to take 30 minutes and listen. Rory and I listened on the radio as we drove out of Minnesota and it gave us good talking points to discuss the whole way home...

More later, but for now, HAPPY EASTER! CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!

off to minnesota...

We're in Minnesota this weekend and filling it up with Groves family goodness. My family is all out in Seattle celebrating together, but as my niece Mara said, "You will have fun too because you are with Rory's mom and dad and that is special." I laughed when she heard her say this because I imagine my sister explained this to hear and she repeated it to me verbatim.

I am really excited though for a one family holiday. We always have two homes to hit every Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. It's not a horrible problem honestly. I'd rather we get to see both families on these special days. But this Easter it seems very calm and sane just to eat one Easter feast and lay low after the meal.

It's going to be a very Minnesota weekend. I have plans to meet friends at the Minnesota Zoo on Friday, Rory is going with his dad to the first Twins game in the new stadium and I am getting my haircut by my favorite hair girl Kari!

Easter Sunday we'll be at Sara and Troy's. The video below shows the Groves' family in true form. We were in Nebraska when they filmed this video and when I saw it the first time I nearly cried because a)I HATE missing family shindigs. This part of living in Nebraska has just about killed me.... and b)We missed our chance to be in a music video! I told Sara that I do hope for a minor role in a video for her next album. Maybe backup dancing?



(if the video doesn't embed, or if it's too small, you can watch it here: Setting Up the Pins.)

this week...

***Stick with me for one more day of baby-talk. Then I promise we'll get back to other topics...but wow, it's hard to stop talking about the fun news I've been bottling up for so long! I just made this chain, with a link for each day until our next doctor appointments. The first heart is the heartbeat appointment and the last heart is the ultrasound. I'm so excited already.

This week my baby is the size of a grape. I was eating grapes when I read this in my baby book and it made me wonder why they choose the healthy fruits mom’s are supposed to be consuming to compare to the little life growing inside of us. It's awkward!

This week my tummy is showing a bit, but I am less convinced that it is baby and more convinced that it might just be the quarter pan of tatter tot casserole I consumed last night.

This week I’m feeling a bit nauseous, but cannot complain. Some women are miserable, and I am far from miserable. But nauseous the same. And oh so tired.

This week my baby’s heart is dividing into four chambers. Just imagine that. It blows my mind, and makes me think that these moments of feeling sicky are really okay with me. Clearly my baby is working hard in there.

This week God has been growing greater and bigger for me. I am in awe of his handiwork, knitting this babe in my womb, and how I don’t really have a whole lot to do with it. I just eat well and sleep lots, but truly, the miracle that this little life is forming fingernails right about now really has nothing to do with me. ‘Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit’ says the Lord.

This week you might hear me say, “I’m sort of hoping for twins, because then I can say, ‘ohhhhh see? That’s why I’ve been eating so much...”