Thankful

This year, I'm feeling oh-so-thankful. Maybe it's because I have more time to think about things, envision our future growing family, become attuned with the next chapter in life... but it just seems like the good keeps on coming. I've always believed in The Secret (long before it was the secret) and how much positivity attracts positive outcomes. But sometimes I have to say to myself, wow, does it REALLY work this way? I'm going to run through the alphabet, as we often do around the Thanksgiving meal, which will not only be reflective but also ensure I'm prepared for Thursday's dinner :)


A) Apples. Honestly, my biggest craving since being pregnant! I don't know what it is, they are just so juicy and crunchy, and I seriously eat a couple a day. I suppose there could be worse cravings...


B) Balance. I'm really trying to achieve balance in my life in the upcoming year, probably in part because I know new motherhood will take it out of me. The past three years I've run around the world like a crazy person for school, wedding planning, wedding attending, and now I'm getting ready for some serious chill time.


C) Callaway. A true constant light in my life. She has been so clingy lately, and I'm curious to see how she does with the baby. I think she'll adjust, but I will always ALWAYS cherish the time that the two of us spend together (even after the baby is born, we will need it!)


D) Days off work. I've been trying to preserve these for next summer, but I have a couple good trips coming up. Honestly, not being at work when the rest of the world is at work feels so GREAT!


E) E! News, which is a GREAT decompressor from a long day. Really, you should try it sometime.


F) Family. Our family has shifted a lot over the past year, and will continue to do so. Generations are changing roles, and new traditions are starting to take place. I look forward to the future with family (both biological, and those friends who are truly like family to us). On a similar note...


G) Grandparents. We lost both grandpas this year, and while I felt okay at that time, they still linger in my thoughts and heart on an almost daily basis. I often drive past things that ooze Grandpa Bill, being our lives were so intertwined. And with the holidays coming, lately I've pictured Christmas Eve at Grandpa Orlo's, sleeping with the cousins in the back bedroom, getting ready for Christmas Eve Mass, eating Hormel ham and waking up to his famous french toast. These are great memories that are forever with me, and on the grandparents theme, I look forward to seeing the Jake's and my parents become grandparents and share such traditions with my children.


H) Hot weather. We had some HEAT this July, and to be honest, I loved every minute of it! 


I) India. January was an incredible experience, one of those that come around only a few times in a lifetime. I hope to go back (and take Jake with me!) someday.

J) Jake. Predictable I know, but we are really lucky. Between our work trips, we will have spent a couple months apart this year, and that time truly reminds me of how deeply important he is. I'm one lucky girl.


K) Keith Urban. He knocked my socks off at the most recent concert! Best concert I've been to in a few years. Seriously love him.


L) Lena Svenson. Yes, the radio DJ who just left the Dave Ryan show on KDWB. I have enjoyed waking up to her every weekday for the past 4 years, and now she is gone! I am not quite sure how they'll replace her, but I said that about Corey Foley back in the day, too.


M) MacBrook Pro. My new MacBook is honestly awesome, and I got a great deal on it with my student discount (and recycled my old one for an Apple gift card - great program!)


N) Natalie. Honestly, the best sister ever. It's been fun spending more and more time together each year we get older. I think this will only continue, especially because she's going to be such a fabulous auntie.


O) OE, or Organizational Effectiveness, in entirety. I've been lucky to work on this broader team for the past 19 months, and it is truly great. Yes, we all have things we like and don't like about our jobs, but this is a good one for me because it fits well with my strengths and interests.


P) Pinterest. Not just because of what it is, but what it stands for - continuous innovation on the Internet. After they come out, I always say "why didn't I think of this?!" Well one of these days, watch out, it might just happen.


Q) Quiet time. I went on the GAC retreat with my dear friend Emily in October, and we experienced so much silence - at first it felt strange, but I am learning to enjoy it! Often I run from the buzz of work, to my car radio, to the television, but these days am learning to enjoy the sound of nothing.


R) Rice Paper. This is a restaurant that Crystal and Matt introduced us to earlier this year, and it's pretty great!


S) Steve Jobs. I've been a Mac girl since before he made this company huge, but it's been awesome to see a genius at work. THAT is an example of a life worth living. RIP, Steve.


T) Traditions with friends. We've gotten into a fairly standard groove. We celebrate birthdays over fondue, have Friendsgiving brunch the Saturday after Thanksgiving, do annual highs and lows at the Christmas party at my house, and generally just enjoy time together.


U) Ultrasounds - and all technology that have helped me see, hear, and learn about the growing baby girl!


V) Vampires, and specifically vampire movies (aka Breaking Dawn). I left this one just happy. I didn't love the first couple movies (though I loved the books), but this one has a romance and plot that I just can NOT stop thinking about.


W) White Noise. Jake got me a machine from Brookstone last Christmas, and I have to say, it's just soothing. It's been such a great addition to our sleep haven (aka bedroom). 


X) The most difficult letter, of course. This year I really can't think of something good, so I'm going to to cheat a little and pick one of my fav 2011 songs - by Katy Perry, called E.T. But it stands for Extraterrestrial - Xtraterrestrial - get it?!


Y) Youth. We start turning 30 this year, people. It's crazy. I have heard it's no big deal, but I definitely don't feel like a kid anymore (maybe because I'm baking one). BUT anything that will continue to make me feel young is welcome in my book!


Z) Zynga, the maker of Words with Friends and Hanging with Friends. These apps have made my evenings so much fun, and even Jake gets into playing the games sometimes!

Life Lessons from Callie's 2nd Year

From this... (first pic of Callie from the breeder)

 ...to this (2 days before her 2nd birthday)

Well, people, I have now spent two full years on this planet!  That means - yes - it's time for me to write again and share all my knowledge and wisdom with you. I think I have learned a lot this year. Not only did I learn to use the ramp to get up and down from the bed, I also shake the water from my body on command before getting out of the shower. And above, you can see me sitting and waiting as patiently as I can for my favorite thing - a TREAT!  In more insightful news:

1. Give more love than you think you can ever receive. Just try it - you'll be amazed at the amount of love are given in return. There is no limit to how much we can love one another.
2. Show people how much you care! This might mean kisses, cuddling, jumping for joy, or just being with them through happiness and tears. If you love someone, show them. They will get so much out of the relationship, and you will, too.
3. Use your senses to assess the situation. You don't need too many facts or data - just use your sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell (my personal favorite!) My nose twitches when I'm sniffing something out, and my findings are usually spot on.
4. Ask for what you want. Be it through sitting politely, begging, whining, or even the occasional bark (or yell!), people can only help you get what you want if you ask them for it!
5. Stay up late and sleep in when you can. When the blinds are closed and it's dark outside, don't feel guilty if you stay in bed all day, only getting up to use the bathroom.
6. Turn off the technology. Sometimes when Allison is on the computer, I hop right up and sit between her and the screen, so she can't see what she's doing. She doesn't need to be on it anyways; instead, she should be spending time with her loved ones (me included!)
7. Get outside, even when it's cold out. The fresh air will invigorate you, and make you thankful for the central heat that we often take for granted.
8. Find your people. We all have them. And once you find them, hang on tightly - they are why we exist.

See last year's birthday post here.

Love, Callie

Larry Larry M

Tonight I went to wing night with my fantastic in-laws.  Just the three of us.  Jake was working, and I wanted to see them so I drove through rush hour traffic to meet them at their Thursday night bar and grill.  There we were, enjoying their weekly tradition, being served by the waitress who has become truly a friend.  My in-laws have been going to "wing night" for years and have been able to develop this relationship with the server, an extremely sweet girl who knows exactly what we want every time.  This server even invited them to her wedding, and last week, when she had found out we're having a baby girl, sent home a bag of thoughtfully selected pink gifts for Baby Matthies.

These are the kinds of things that make my heart smile.  My father-in-law is a simple man and would never claim to be otherwise.  He is completely happy waking up well before the sun rises, heading to work before most of the world is awake, starting his evening with a cigar in the garage and ribs on the grill, building traditions like Thursday night wings and spending his weekends in solitude or with his close family.  And I've really found a lot of beauty in this life he leads.  He has shown me how life can happen by avoiding the hustle and bustle, opting out of the rat race and choosing to find true happiness in the simplest of things.  I realize that these family traditions and fascinating relationships, like the one with the Thursday night server, don't happen to people who are too busy racing from one thing to the next, people who are focused on impressing society while worried to slow down their lives and let things happen.  Their lifestyle reminds me of living in a small town, but they're actually in a Minneapolis suburb - so they get to experience the best of both worlds.

My father-in-law is predictable - he has the same jokes and shares the same sense of humor as his father and his son. There is so much about him that I see Jake turning into, and quite honestly, I'm okay with that!  I realize more and more how sharing my life with Jake makes me a better person.  I see similar qualities in my marriage to Jake that I see in the marriage that my in-laws have endured for over 30 years.

We'll be spending the week of Christmas together, and growing up I never could have envisioned having to miss my own parents on Christmas.  Now I realize how grateful I am to have extended my family - really doubled it - into the great thing that it is today.

Avocado, Onion, Green Pepper, & Tomato. Guacamole, or GIRL?!

Lil' Baby Matthies has moved on from fruit and been working her way through the vegetable section lately.  By vegetable, I mean veggies that sound a lot like a guacamole recipe!  But even bigger than that - I can now officially say "she" - we found out Monday that we are having a baby girl.  We are so excited.  The ultrasound was a great experience, and our tech was awesome. She spent about 30 minutes with us starting at the top of baby's head, showing us the parts of the brain, onto the lungs and the chambers of the heart. We even got to see red and blue flowing through the veins where the blood flowed to and from the heart. Ultrasound technology sure is advanced these days!

She worked her way through each arm and leg, the stomach, and we got to see baby's beautiful profile. I've heard that the profile is really indicative of how they look when they come out! If that's the case, we're going to have a tiny little peanut with a cute little button nose.  Baby weighed in at 11 ounces and about 6 inches long - the tech said she's about the size and weight of a can of pop!  Then we made it down to the butt, where we got to see two little buns and confirmed that yes - indeed, SHE is a GIRL.  Of course I was like, "Are you SURE?" This seems to be my reaction to most news lately - starting when Jake proposed, to the news we were pregnant, and now this.  Yes, she said we could go home and plan for pink.

It's still shocking to me that Baby Girl Matthies is only an eighth of the weight she will be when born, and about a quarter of the length.  We've got lots of growing to do in this second half.  Lots of people have asked how I've been feeling - the answer is that overall, I feel great!  I'm trying to focus my efforts this next month on finishing school, as I have 10 night left of school and will finish mid-December.  It's true the second trimester is much easier than the first, and I'm hoping by the third trimester I will just be so focused on planning and getting things ready that it will fly by.  Jake has been very supportive and caring.  Yesterday we registered at Babies R Us and Target, and it was pretty comical how neither of us really felt like we knew what we were doing.  It was a whole lot of "Do you like this?" "Sure." and "Does she need one of these?" "Hmm, why not?" We'll get this thing down sooner or later, but the learning process, bumps and challenges along the way will make the journey that much more exciting. :)

Where I'm From

It always helps to understand where people are coming from. It uses the same brain and heart muscles as assuming positive intent.  Far too often, we don't take the time to understand where one another comes from. By this, I don't mean big family, small family, farm town, or city - but really the true makeup of WHO WE ARE.  At the retreat, we were asked to write a poem using the structure that has been used by George Ella Lyon and others. In the effort of sharing, here is the poem I wrote about myself.  I think it's a great activity for you to partake in too, on one of these lovely fall days!

I am from twin-like sisters,
The leader to "Little Miss Me Too."
I am from rental homes
And blue school buses,
Armed with mosquito nets and bunk beds,
Parked in rural campgrounds along the way.


I am from road trips to Yellowstone
Where we checked off state license plates,
Kept score in family games, 
And closely encountered the grand bison.


I am "the little girl with the big brain"
From a long line of perfectionist planners and know-it-alls,
A lover of Math AND English
Who played foursquare and hopscotch,
Jumped rope and built forts,
Spending energy competing with myself
Above all else.


I am from The GANG -
A tightly knit nuclear family
From grandparents who loved us deeply,
Celebrating Christmas Eve in Austin
Late night music, bonfires, and games
The Wires Family
That ends with my sister and me.


I am from the photographic memory
That forever keeps it etched in my mind
As though it were all just yesterday.

Food for the Soul

This weekend I was lucky enough to participate in a Courage and Renewal Retreat, put on by the (formerly known as) Center for Vocational Reflection at Gustavus, for Gustie Alumni (and friends).  I was also lucky enough to share the retreat experience with my good friend Emily.  It was at Prairie Oaks Institute in Belle Plaine, and I'll tell you many more details in these upcoming posts.  I was given PLENTY of things to share with you over the next couple weeks!  I'm still processing a lot of it, but for starters, I wanted to share a paragraph from a poem called "Camas Lilies," by Lynn Ungar.

"And you, what of your rushed and
useful life? Imagine setting it all down-
papers, plans, appointments, everything-
leaving only a note: 'Gone 
to the fields to be lovely. Be back
when I'm through with blooming.' "


More to come for sure, but in the meantime, know that I had an awesome weekend that was grounded in these thoughts!  My life is so rushed, and I like to think, so useful.  But what about letting it all go for awhile?  How awesome can it be to take an undefined amount of time to be lovely?!


I hope you had as great a weekend as I did. :)

Strawberry, Plum, Lime, Lemon, Peach, Apple = Fruit Salad?

Baby Matthies has been making his or her way through the produce section lately. Honestly, the past month has been AWESOME - exactly 1 month go today we went "public" with news of the little one in my tummy. It's funny, everywhere I go people are asking, "How are you feeling?" I didn't realize so many people would ask this question! I guess it's common, but I feel like I'm always updating people on my current state. It's nice to know how many care. In truth, I feel great! It's been an easy month. Very little nausea, no more tired than usual, and I've been able to buy some fun maternity clothes (even at a consignment shop with my dear friend Crystal!) The fetus just surpassed apple size just in time for fall. This week, we're looking more like an avocado in length and weight.

I feel like my belly has really popped even in the last week. A few people have even looked at my belly and given me the questioning look, like "You're pregnant, right?" as opposed to me just thinking people notice on their own. Last night I am 90% sure I felt the first flutters of baby movement. It was like a butterfly flutter or popcorn popping, which is very much like what the books describe. The same thing happened tonight, and although I can't completely distinguish it, I think it's really true!!

9 months seems like a long time to be pregnant at first glance, but the fact that 4 of those months have already come and gone is somewhat surreal. I feel that I have been pregnant for awhile, but the idea of having little Baby Matthies here in 5 short months is still mind-boggling! We have a lot to do to get ready.

Final update: Oct 24 we will learn the gender of the baby! I keep thinking about how the truth is already there - the baby is already girl or boy, but it's just a secret to us. An important secret the baby is holding onto for now, until we get to share in that knowledge in just 3 more weeks. We can hardly wait.

Sesame Seed to Lentil, to Blueberry, Kidney Bean, and Grape.

Written August 11


This last month + has been a whirlwind.  Not only has this baby grown from a poppy seed at 4 weeks to a green grape at 9 weeks tomorrow, I've noticed changes in my eating, senses, stomach, and emotions that continually remind me that my body is not my own anymore.  I am growing something - sharing it with a tiny little being that is completely human, a concept I still have yet to fully comprehend.

Although the pregnancy is still a secret, we use "secret" lightly.  As someone said, it's more that it's just not broadcast.  We have told plenty of family and friends, but these are people who we would want around us for support in case something did go wrong.  Next week on Tuesday we get to have our first doctor's appt, which will really help me start to move from the scientific ("What is developing now?") to the emotional ("What is the baby feeling? Sensing? What will he/she be like?") as I feel more comfortable that this tiny little being will one day be resting in my arms.

It's fun each week because Crystal takes pictures of me with the food item that the baby most closely resembles. I've never paid so close attention to the vast size difference between each of these items!  Next week we go from green grape to kumquat. THAT is huge.  Each week is huge! No wonder I'm feeling nauseous and exhausted most of the time!  She also takes pictures of my profile and my belly straight on. We were looking at YouTube videos that depict a pregnancy time lapse of the mama and her belly.  This one is my favorite: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wFsFtHhMAE  I'm hopeful we'll be able to make something like this too!

It's also been fun to share pregnancy stories with other friends who have been recently pregnant or are pregnant - we are certainly at that age!  Books give me so much great information about what's happening each week, and I even have a book from my mom called The Pregnancy Journal which tells what is happening each DAY!  For example, today the baby's arms, which are fully developed in proportion to the body and even bend at the elbows, are no longer than this printed 1.  What?!? Isn't that the most insane thing you've ever heard?!  Also, today the baby weighs the same as 1/5 teaspoon of water. !!!

More to come soon I'm sure, but for now, I'm just happy, feeling healthy, trying to stay calm, and enjoying the days, even though each day feels like molasses.  When I think I'm only 9 weeks pregnant, I think, "That's not very much!" But then I subtract 9 from 40, and think to myself, "OMG! I am going to have a BABY here in 31 weeks! That's nothing at all!!!" So I am trying my best to enjoy each waking and sleeping moment as we prepare for this little one.

That Home on the Hill

Earth Jam - velcro wall with Seth

 Part of our softball team, The Swingers. Tai, Betsy, Me, Jake

 Jake in our dorms trying on my clothes

 "Family Breakfast Table" - our awesome group of friends at the GAC sign

 Homecoming queen nominees, Crystal and me, with Paul, the king

 Senior year party - Bert and Ernie, Pebbles and Bam Bam

 J term after guitar practice with JZ at our house on Elm

It's completely inevitable this time of year.  I don't even try to pretend anymore.  My heart aches, as I feel the cool fall breezes coming in.  I see school buses practicing their routes and college football on TV.  At Target, kids choose colored pens and notebooks, and recent high school grads excitedly load up on shower caddies, clothes hampers, ramen, and flashy decor for their dorm rooms.  

The Thursday before Labor Day, I am fully reminded of the years I moved in to campus to prepare for the incoming freshmen, who would arrive on Saturday.  For the Gustavus Class of 2015, that's today.  In about 6 hours, station wagons and SUVs will line up on College Avenue, and a new round of Gustie freshmen will move old couches, hand-me-down televisions, flashy new microwaves, and large Rubbermaid tubs into campus.  Most likely, they will either turn left at the sign (to Pittman) or right (to Coed).  11 years ago, my family drove both station wagons down, and we turned right.

My college roommate Tai called me today and left me a voicemail, after she had read on Facebook about people getting ready for the big move back to St. Peter.  She wanted to remind me of the day and how it's now been 11 years since we anxiously said goodbye to our families to enter this completely new world - a world that will forever be listed in my book as nothing short of spectacular.  

I remember some little details, like my parents hugging me goodbye in the parking lot, my dad putting his sunglasses on so I wouldn't see his tears.  He hugged me and he said, "I'm really proud of you, take care of yourself."  I moved in with Beth Boser, an only child from Plymouth who lived with her mom and immediately exuded more confidence than I was feeling.  I remember my Gustie Greeter, Cambria Halgren, who led us through orientation.  We started class the following Wednesday, the day I only had Macroeconomics with Henry Hays.  The other four days I had First Term Seminar, Spanish, and Calculus.  I remember feeling it was nice to ease my way in on a Wednesday.

The next years, I moved to St. Peter early to prepare for orientation, as I became a Gustie Greeter and helped make move-in day special for the incoming freshmen.  I was also involved in a gajillion other activites, and every one of them helped shape who I am now.  Gustavus for me was not just school - it was a way of life.  The pictures I share here are a snippet of the random adventures we had and the amazing people I got to share them with.  

I still have a recurring dream that it's senior year and I only have a few months, and I'm scrambling to make the best of them.  And when I think of autumn leaves and a river valley, I think of meeting Emily Kofoed on that bench by Old Main every single time.  

Part of the excitement of getting ready for this baby is thinking about experiencing life again through his or her eyes.  Jake and I have been watching Glee, and parts make me nostalgic about my old high school days.  In the not so distant future, I will get to experience running around on the playground, hopscotch, jumprope, tee ball, slip-n-slides, Red Rover, Field Day, and H.O.R.S.E. in the eyes and smiles of my child.  And when I drive him or her to college in about 19 years, my heart will ache, but in a different way.  I will also be oozing with joy for the experience upon which they are about to embark.

And baby makes three. (or four, if you count Callie)

Written July 10th


So I can't share this with you for a couple months, but I wanted to write it now while things are brand new.  This is the craziest thing that has happened to me in awhile, if not EVER!  A baby?!  Jake and I started talking about having a family mid last year, and while we are completely prepared, I remember saying that I just can't imagine what it will be like when the news actually comes.

Just this Tuesday, July 5, Jake and I were out at the dog park with Callie.  We came home and Jake ran back out to get gas for the lawn mower.  While he was out, I reached for a pregnancy test - something that had become more common in recent times.  I just had a hunch - and when that horizontal line that I had come to know so well all of a sudden had a faint vertical line appearing on top of it, creating a positive sign, my heart skipped a few beats.  I stared at it, then paced around the house. I clasped my hands.  I talked to Callie out loud, telling her I think our family was expanding.

Jake got home shortly thereafter, saying he was going to mow the lawn.  I asked him to come inside and showed him the test.  He looked at me like, "What does this mean??" I told him I thought it was positive, as in the numerous tests I had taken to date, I hadn't ever seen a faint vertical line.  He said, "Well, I'm going to Walgreens to get more!" and hopped back in the car.

He showed up back home with a 4-pack for good measure.  I took one more test that night, then even a third the next night, just to confirm. Neither of us slept much that Tuesday night, and I went to work in a daze on Wednesday.  I ran over to Crystal's house to tell her midday on Wednesday - I thought she might be home since she has the summers off from teaching.  Her response? "Here, sit down and have some homemade sorbetta! It'll be good for the baby."

Thursday was the appointment with Dr. Toll, who I was excited for Jake to meet.  I love her and wish she could be with me through this process, but she is not an OB so now we're searching for the right clinic for the baby.  She confirmed it, and as of now, the due date is March 16! A spring baby, a St. Patty's day baby, or from the Bible, think of John 3:16. These things all come into my mind immediately.

Friday night we told our parents, which was beyond exciting for us.  All four parents and two sisters were thrilled, and we now will have our very own little baby in the Wires/Matthies families for the first time.  I even think Callie can tell, as she just spent the last 30 minutes sprawled out on my tummy, as if to care for and protect it. She has never laid like this before, and literally just hopped up there and laid down!

So the poppy seed is in the process of transitioning into a sesame seed right now, and we're beyond excited for every step along the way.  The embryonic period has started which my app tells me is "the most dramatic and vulnerable period of development." The placenta begins to function this week, and the baby already has an amniotic sac and amniotic fluid.  STRANGE.

How am I feeling? Hopeful. A bit overwhelmed. Cautious in what I'm doing, how quickly I'm preparing for things, as I try to let it all sink in. Happy to have such amazing family and friends to share the news with (both at this secret time and in the weeks to come).

GET EXCITED for the journey ahead!!!  I know we are. :)