'Tis the Season!

I haven't blogged much during this Christmas season, so I thought I better post a summary of Christmas 2009, so far. After all, this is my favorite time of year!

Playing Christmas Songs on the Keyboard

The season started off with a merry bang, as the day after Thanksgiving, my parents traveled up from Vestal, NY! Since I am now very close to my due date, Jesse & I decided that it would be best for us not to travel anywhere for Christmas (a very sad decision, as we will miss both of our families very much)! Thankfully, my parents were able to make the trip up and we had an early "Christmas" with them at our new home in Gloucester. The weekend they visited went by too quickly, but we had a lot of fun opening presents, eating good food, and best of all (for Mom and I) shopping! When they left, the reality that I wouldn't see them again until we had a newborn baby began to set in!

Mom and Dad by our Christmas Tree

Anna's First Cabbage Patch Dolls, from Grandma & Grandpa

Mom and Dad opening their books from Anna,

"Why Grandpa Rides a Harley" and "Here Comes Grandma!"

The Gloucester "Christmas Tree," Made out of Lobster Cages

I then began the process of Christmas card writing and sending out packages to our wonderful family out in Colorado and Texas! We are blessed with 7 nieces/nephews (and still counting), which I love to shop for and spoil... we really wish we lived closer to Jesse's family and could see everyone more often. We're planning a trip out to Colorado for hopefully next Christmas! Jesse's mom will be flying out to visit Anna (and us) in early February and we are excited to see her!

Baby Anna has been growing away. Last Tuesday night, December 15th, Anna noticeably "dropped" (at least to Jesse and I), making her debut much more imminent. As of this week, I've happily reached the "full term" mark at 37 weeks pregnant! I'm anxiously awaiting her arrival and can't wait for her to decide to leave her womb! Our lives are certainly going to change in the next few weeks, but we're so excited to start this new stage with our baby girl! I'm now down to weekly doctor appointments, and so far, the pregnancy has been very smooth and uneventful (a blessing)! Anna continues to be very active in my belly, and whenever I put my hand on my stomach, I'll feel a little push back. Pregnancy is such an amazing adventure!

December 13th, Myself at 36 Weeks Pregnant

Yesterday, December 20th, we had our first major snow storm here in the North Shore! I believe the final snow accumulation was 13 inches! Jesse & I were excited for the snow to arrive, as we are ready for a white Christmas! We spent the day snowed in, and I baked Jesse some Christmas shortbread cookies using a cookie gun that my friend had given us! They're now almost all gone.

Shortbread Cookies made with a Cookie Gun

Speaking of cookies, we had an exciting discovery last week while wandering in the allergy-free section of the grocery store (at least very exciting for us)! We found a brand called "Cherrybrook Kitchen" that specializes in cookie/cake mixes that are egg-, nut-, and dairy- free! Perfect for Jesse. They had a chocolate chip cookie mix, which we tried out, and Jesse experienced his first chocolate chip cookie! I was very proud of this moment, as chocolate chip cookies are my favorite, and I captured his first cookie on film. They were pretty tasty for a mix, and super easy to make!

Jesse trying his first chocolate chip cookie (note the smile)!

The Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix by Cherrybrook Kitchen

Jesse will be completely finished with his fall semester as of tomorrow when he finishes his last Akkadian test. Last week was my final week of babysitting, which ended up being perfect timing, as carrying around a one year old was becoming more and more difficult. Things are fortunately beginning to wind down and wrap up for us before baby arrives.

We will be spending Christmas day with our wonderful small group! Jesse is planning on smoking another turkey (which he did a great job with over Thanksgiving, too) and I will be baking my first apple pie. We're also planning a White Elephant gift exchange with our small group, which should be a lot of fun!

Thanksgiving Dinner with our Small Group

I also wanted to share a beautiful Christmas song by Bebo Norman, Come and Worship, with video clips from the movie, A Nativity Story. Jesse and I have found the Boston culture to be post-Christian (similar to many places in Europe), and it has been sad to see Christmas truly celebrated without the mention of Christ. I have become much more turned off by Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman after this Christmas season. The song and video (found at the link below) is a great reminder of why we celebrate Christmas.

A Nativity Story, Song and Video

I may not post again until next year, or Anna's arrival, whichever comes first! :) 2009 has been an eventful and happy year for us.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Much to be Thankful For

Thanksgiving has come and gone, but the spirit of thanksgiving has been lingering as I've reflected on the past year. Last December, I had just found out through an ER visit, CAT scan, MRI, and a series of doctor appointments that I had two very large ovarian cysts (grapefruit size) on my left ovary. At the time, these cysts could have easily twisted and caused a lot of pain and damage to my reproductive organs. I had urgent abdominal surgery on December 16, 2008. The surgery left a vertical seven-inch scar on my stomach. Internally, the cysts were removed, as well as my left ovary and fallopian tube which were already beyond repair. I was blessed with a remarkable, world renown surgeon who skillfully left as much of the reproductive organs intact as he could.

Recovering after my surgery last December (with Morphine drip in hand).

A few months later, I was told that the cysts had been partially cancerous, but the cancer was contained. It remains unclear as to why the cysts grew in the first place, as given my age and the size of the cysts, I'm an "abnormal" case. I will continue to have annual CAT scans and bi-annual check-ups to proactively catch any new cysts or cancer that may return. After going through such an experience, Jesse and I decided to start trying to conceive. It didn't take us long to have a little miracle on the way... four months after the surgery, I became pregnant! We have been so incredibly grateful to God for giving us this baby, when at one point, we weren't sure pregnancy would be an option for us, or at least not an easy achievement.

Baby Anna at her 20 week ultrasound.

Over the past eight months, I often have worried about baby Anna. I think I have expected (or feared) some complications to arise after having such unexplained health problems a year ago. However, the pregnancy has been very smooth and problem-free! For the most part, I have felt great and Anna continues to check out well. I have come to a point where I remind myself that God is in control, no matter what happens to myself or my baby. He knows and has a perfect plan, despite what I want or understand. I'm thankful that I did not become pregnant before these cysts were discovered, as such a situation could have caused a complicated pregnancy! I'm also thankful that the cysts grew to such a large size that I started having abdominal pain, prompting me to go to the ER. I'm not sure how long they had been inside me, and if they had burst or twisted, the cancer would not have been contained and I would have had horrible pain. In all things, God does work for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

Thanksgiving Day 2009 and 33 weeks pregnant.

Now, I'm five weeks from my due date and I can't believe how soon it will be until we can hold our baby! I pray to be daily reminded that in the end, this is not our baby, but God's baby... a beautiful gift to us, as we strive to raise her in the fear and knowledge of her true Father. I pray also that God uses both the dark and joyful times in my life, the times of sickness and uncertainty as well as the times of elation and surprise, to bring Him glory and to bring me closer to Him. I know now that I'm not guaranteed perfect health or 75 plus years of life, but I also know that this life is not my true hope or desire. God has brought me to a point of becoming much more heaven-minded, truly grasping that this life is but a breath, but there is a far greater life to come for those who believe.

The Mallory Family with new addition, Micah Evan!

One more Thanksgiving blessing this year was Micah Evan Mallory, born to our dear friends Ashleigh and Zack on Thanksgiving day! We are so happy for them as they celebrate a healthy baby boy after a safe delivery! God is good.

Showered with Blessings

This week has been full of blessings for our growing family. On Saturday, my wonderful small group threw me a baby shower here in the North Shore! It was a wonderful time, with many friends from seminary and church celebrating Baby Anna. Thank you Tanya, Laura, & Suzanne, the amazing hostesses, for all your hard work and preparations. Your thoughtfulness and generosity means a lot to me. And thank you Sarah for baking that delicious strawberry/ginger cake!

After a beautiful shower, Jesse and I have also laughed at some gifts that have come our way this week. On Sunday, we investigated the "Blessingdales" store, our church's free consignment shop. We found some cute baby clothes, a thermos for Jesse's coffee, What to Expect in the First Year (an informative book on baby's first year of growth), and a manual breast pump with bottles! We were thrilled at our finds, especially the latter, as we still needed to get a pump and brand new ones aren't cheap. Then, on Tuesday, the mother of the little boy I babysit asked if I were interested in some baby items she was getting rid of... a Baby Bjorn, a music soother for the crib, and a pack n' play sheet. Amazingly, these items were also the items we hadn't yet received on our registry! What I thought we would need to end up buying (would have been close to $200), we ended up getting for free! To us, it was a clearly Providential pile of little blessings.

Vermont Vacation

Jesse and I had an incredible opportunity to take a 2nd Anniversary/"Babymoon" vacation to Vermont during Jesse's reading week (the seminary version of a break... no classes, but a time to catch up on work). My parents were very generous and offered us a free week under their RCI timeshare... we were able to choose which state and even which resort we wanted to spend the week. After looking at several options online, we chose the Jackson Gore Inn in Ludlow, Vermont. With Jesse's Colorado roots, we thought a vacation in the Green Mountains would be almost as ideal as the Rockies. And we're so glad we chose Vermont!


The drive was only three hours from Gloucester, which we figured a short trip would be best for my 8 month pregnant self. When we reached the resort on Okemo Mountain, a popular ski area, our expectations were greatly exceeded! It was beautiful... and we had a suite that slept eight people! We tried out 3 of the 4 beds during our week-long stay, just because we could. The suite also had a full kitchen, fireplace, deck, and jetted tub! The resort itself had an indoor pool with slide and an indoor/outdoor heated pool, four hot tubs, an underground heated garage, library, and onsite restaurants. Since the biggest draw is the skiing, we were visiting during the off season, so we pretty much had the resort to ourselves. I think we saw maybe three other guests during our stay. In a few weeks, I'm sure the place will be bustling with skiers. And to my delight, the housekeeping staff was amazing! I was astonished the first day when we came back to our room to find that they even did our dirty dishes.

We couldn't have had a nicer week in November, weather-wise. Everyday was sunny and one day even saw temperatures near 70 degrees. We ended up doing a lot of sightseeing, making a day trip North to Burlington, Vermont where we visited the Green Mountain Coffee Factory (Jesse's pick), the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory (my pick), and an outdoor mall called the Church Street Marketplace (similar to the 16th Street Mall in Denver). We also walked down to the shores of Lake Champlain, which offered beautiful views of the New York Adirondacks on the opposite shores. Besides our day trip to Burlington, we were able to do some fun shopping, both at the Vermont Country Store (a store with many unique, hard-to-find items) and at the Manchester Designer Outlets. We also went on a mile-long hike on a trail near the resort. Our anniversary was on Tuesday, November 10, and we had a wonderful dinner at the Killarney Irish Pub in Ludlow. Then we watched Up, a hilarious animated movie with an old man and a talking dog named Doug. I think it is my new favorite.




Altogether, the week was wonderfully relaxing and we had a blast! We had such a good time together in Vermont that I even cried a little bit when we got home. This vacation will certainly provide us with many lasting memories as we enter a new stage of life... parenthood!

"You are worth more than many sparrows."

For our little bird, I stenciled the nursery with the words of Matthew 10:31. I hope Anna likes it. I have to say that the project was quite nerve-wracking, especially working with bright red paint, but I successfully managed to stencil this on the wall without any major mistakes!

New York Baby Shower

Due to a rough few weeks of a stomach bug followed by a head cold, I haven't been much of a blogger lately. However, today was a beautiful, sunny day in the North Shore, both weather-wise and health-wise, as thankfully I'm beginning to feel much better! However, it's already been about two weeks now since Jesse & I were able to travel home to Vestal, NY on October 10, where my mom and cousin, Danielle, hosted a baby shower for me! I desperately needed to put this post up, as the shower was wonderful and I had so much fun with friends and family!


I was surprised to have my out-of-state college friends, Ashleigh and Judy, travel from Lancaster and Philadelphia to be with me at the shower! It made the day even more special. My friend since high school, Sarah, planned and coordinated the games for the party. She did an awesome job, and everyone had fun... especially with the "Guess which Chocolate is Melted in the Diaper" game. My mom and cousin did a great job with all the decorations and food! Everyone made Baby Anna feel very welcomed!

The House of Faith & the Star of Tanya Cake

Our small group has had some big milestones lately. Tanya turned 30 last week, and the Ranges have been actively house-hunting. To celebrate both, I got a little creative in the kitchen and whipped up this cake, which I titled, "The House of Faith and the Star of Tanya." It evolved into such as I went along, and I had a lot of fun baking/decorating it. The star was especially for Tanya, the birthday girl. The house was for the rest of our small group to enjoy, as after all, aren't we all living in a house of faith? Hmm...ponder on that one. In all seriousness, we continue to pray for the Ranges in their house hunt and enjoy the fellowship of our small group as we experience life together.


The cake was "Jesse's Cake," otherwise known as Moist Chocolate Cake, with both coffee cream and chocolate icings (all egg-free, dairy-free). I'll post Jesse's Cake recipe below, as well as the icings, for any interested bakers... it's very yummy!

As a side note, Jesse has benefited greatly from my pregnancy as I have been in a baking fever the past couple of months. So far, he has been spoiled with banana bread, pumpkin bread, sugar cookies, apple crisp, and now chocolate cake.


Jesse's Cake (Moist Chocolate Cake)

2 2/3 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vinegar

Mix all ingredients well. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Coffee Cream Icing

2/3 cup milk-free margarine
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. instant coffee

Cream margarine, gradually add powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in vanilla and instant coffee.

Chocolate Icing

1/2 cup milk-free margarine, room temperature
2 1/2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa
2 1/2 tbsp. water
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Place margarine, honey, and vanilla in mixing bowl. Sift cocoa into this bowl. Using electric beaters at low speed, cream these ingredients together. Add water and sift powdered sugar into mixture. Beat with electric beaters on medium speed until well mixed.

Anna's Changing Table & Rocking Chair

Throughout the past couple of months, Jesse & I have learned the benefits of searching Craigslist for the nursery furniture we have needed! In regard to this, one perk of living in the North Shore/Boston area is that there are a lot of people. Therefore, there are a lot of babies... and a lot of baby items listed on Craigslist!

When my parents were in town over the Fourth of July weekend, we found a $10 crib on Craigslist from an Israeli family who were moving back to Israel the following week and needed to get rid of it! The crib came with a mattress, but during our move to Gloucester, we had put a bottle of bleach in the crib during transport, which turned over and spilt on it. Our friend from church, Sarah, who also works for Boston Catholic Charities, knew about our bleached mattress and asked if we would like a brand new one from her work. Apparently, a grandfather with twin grandchildren had bought two brand new crib mattresses, but they didn't work for him and he donated them to Catholic Charities. No one was taking them, so Sarah's co-workers agreed to donate one to us! It came still in the box and fits perfectly in our crib!

Since the great crib purchase, I've had a hard time accepting changing table prices in store for $80 plus, or even on Craigslist for over what we paid for the crib. I've had a critical eye for the past many weeks as I've periodically checked Craigslist for a changing table. One was offered as free and left on a curb side in a town about 25 miles away, but by the time I made it to the house, it had been taken. Finally, last week, I found an ad for a white changing table (which was ideal as our crib is white) for $10! The lady said it was still available and we immediately let her know of our interest! She also said she had several other baby items for sale and would give us a good deal if we took any of it. I asked if she had a rocking chair, as that was the remaining piece of furniture that we needed. She did! She had it listed for $40, but offered it to us for $25! She also gave us a brand new changing table pad for $5. It was almost an hour's drive to her home in Chelmsford, MA, but well worth it after our $40 purchase. We came home with a truck full of nice nursery furniture!

I have become somewhat addicted to bargain shopping. I get daily e-mails from Money Saving Mom, a blog managed by a mother of three who continually uses coupons to get groceries and other items at very low prices, often free. Their grocery budget is $40 a week and they are often under it. I am not as diligent as she, but I have learned the benefit of using coupons and scoping out good deals for grocery shopping. Craigslist is now our supplier for furniture needs, and we're having a lot of fun with the deals we have found so far! God has already been very gracious to us as we plan for baby Anna's arrival and we are continually learning the value of good stewardship with the gifts and finances we are given.

Apple Picking with Small Group

Last Saturday, Jesse & I went apple picking at Brooksby Farms in Peabody, MA with our wonderful small group! It was a beautiful, sunny fall day and we collected a lot of apples! We also made a pit stop at the farm's store for some fresh apple cider doughnuts. Afterwards, we went to the Koski's house and made 4 batches of apple crisp for us all to enjoy! It was a delicious day.

Handcrafted Bird Mobile

After seeing mobiles in the store for upwards of $50, mobiles that have to be taken down after 6 or so months once the baby can start reaching it nonetheless, I decided to make my own. I found this simple design online, (How to Make a Felted Bird Mobile) and after a quick hunt for a stick on Gordon-Conwell's campus and a trip to Michael's for some felt, I whipped this bird mobile out in one evening! It looks great hanging from the ceiling above the crib and should last Anna into her toddler years, as we hung it where she cannot reach. Though she may start to think she is a bird and can fly, too. Then, we'll have real problems...

West Beach in September

Jesse & I visited our "old" beach after church this morning. While living with Tudy, we were within walking distance of West Beach. It was nice to revisit our familiar beach again today. Fall is always pretty in New England. The tourists have gone home, but the beaches and quaint towns are still beautiful... a nice perk of living in the North Shore year round.

Embracing Accusation

Shane N Shane are a favorite band of mine. They have some amazing, on-point lyrics. One of their most powerful songs, in my opinion, is called Embracing Accusation. It provides a clear picture of our cursed state as fallen humanity, and our all-encompassing Answer to that truth. This version on Youtube also includes the lyrics, in-context Bible verses from Galatians, and John Piper, which makes it even better. Please listen to the song, clicking on the following link: Embracing Accusation

Our Trip to Lancaster, PA!

Jesse and I were able to travel to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and visit our dear friends, Ashleigh and Zack, over the Labor Day weekend. We were glad that the timing worked out with Jesse's class schedule and my work schedule that we could drive down and see them. Ashleigh and Zack were married 3 weeks before us, in October of 2007, and now they are 7 weeks ahead of us in the pregnancy of their first child! It seems that we like to go through life's milestones together.


During our stay, we had a lot of fun, including mini-golfing, boating and wake boarding, ice cream, and sharing a Labor Day lunch with Ashleigh's wonderful family, the Clark's. They have become a second family to me through many visits during college with Ashleigh, and now spending time with them post-college.


Ashleigh is due November 28, 2009, and I am due on January 15, 2010, so our next visit together will likely be with two little ones!

Boston Trip with Friends

My good friend from Vestal, Sarah, made a trip to Boston this weekend. We were able to meet up with her there, and our wonderful friends from small group, Daniel and Tanya, came with us! It was a fun day in the city, complete with a tour of Paul Revere's house, a tour of the U.S.S. Consitution ("Old Ironsides"), and lunch in the North End!

It's a GIRL!

Jesse took me to my 20 week ultrasound this morning! It was a day we had been looking forward to, as we got to find out whether we were having a baby boy or girl. Well, as the nurse conducting the ultrasound put it, "there's nothing hanging down..." It was determined that Small Fry is a girl! Her name will be Anna Elise Griffin... both are Hebrew names of course, as her daddy is an Old Testament scholar! Anna means "Grace" and Elise is a derivative of Elizabeth meaning "God has made a covenant." So together, our little girl's name means, "God has made a covenant of Grace." What could be better, theologically and etymologically? :)

After my surgery last December, where a large ovarian cyst that was partially cancerous as well as my left ovary had to be removed, Jesse and I feel so incredibly blessed to have a healthy baby on the way... I remember, not too long ago, considering the horrible thought that I might not be able to have children. I'm very thankful for the wonderful surgeon that I had, who removed the cancer and was able to leave as much of my reproductive organs intact. And praise the Lord, Anna continues to check out great and everything looks good!

Now, we just need to get the nursery in order!

Small Fry is Kicking!

I have been feeling the baby kick all morning! It is an unbelievable feeling. I'll put my hand on my stomach and there's a little push from the inside. I'm at 19 1/2 weeks, and there's only three more days until we find out the baby's gender!

Our New Home

Jesse and I have successfully moved into our new apartment! The only mishap was some spilled bleach on Small Fry's crib mattress. We love having our own place again... it was like Christmas opening up my kitchen appliances and dishes that had been stored for 8 months during our stay with Tudy. We are adjusting to the noises of living within city limits, but Gloucester is a quaint, old seaport with much history and scenery. Our landlords live on the floor below us and are very nice people, both Gordon College Alum. They also have a 6 mos. old son, Amos, whom Small Fry can play with once he/she arrives.




I visited Tudy in her new home last week and she has adjusted well! She was enjoying her new friends and the activities at her assisted living home. I'm glad the transition went smoothly for her as well! When I showed up to visit, the Alzheimer's unit was just leaving for lunch at the Beverly Yacht Club, so the program director welcomed me to jump on the bus with them! I had an unexpected picnic lunch with Tudy and the whole Alzheimer's unit! It was a fun adventure.




One more update from our past couple of weeks... I traveled home to Vestal to be in a good friend's wedding. Tara, my friend since 8th grade, married her high school sweetheart, Nick, on August 7th, 2009. I was privileged to be one of her bridesmaids for her special day. She looked beautiful and it was a blast getting to see some high school friends, as well as getting pampered with a manicure, pedicure, and up-do! They went on a honeymoon to St. Lucia and will be residing in Vestal.




We find out on Friday of this week whether Small Fry is a boy or girl! We can't wait!