i have the best family

I just had a 'Goodbye FOREVER' visit with (some of) my HUGE-sized McCarthy family up here in the good old Pacific Northwest. Who, SADLY, I've only visited with TWICE ever--and only known about them for the last 2-3 years. They are some of the nicest, fun-to-spend-time-with, smart, accomplished people you'll ever meet.

We had a delicious smorgasboard -- (their maternal side is Norwegian) and pleasant conversation--and all I could think about is--WOW--how different my life would have been growing up here, with these folks here in Seattle. They're so easy to talk to and I feel like I have a lot in common with them. The experience was just like the Salt Lake City McCarthy visit. They are easygoing, honest, emotionally available, funny...I could go on and on. If only I had known this kind of family experience was possible--I WOULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH HAPPIER CAMPER at a much earlier age.

While all the McCarthys are LUCKY to have eachother, this group is particularly LUCKY to have eachother and to be here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. LUCKY, LUCKY, LUCKY. Lucky.

To put this together for you, my DAD's parents, and the gal on the right, Dorothy were siblings-in-laws. So--Dad's dad Francis and Dorothy's husband Patrick were brothers. So--these are my dad's aunt and cousins and second cousin. I don't know what that makes me--but what the heck, right?!

I will say that between the McCarthys, and the Schleifers, and some key members of my mom's family--I feel so incredibly fortunate to be part of these fun and supportive networks of people. And, excited about the possibilities for Lumbley (Isaac). He will have a really good life and great relationships with his family. Which is HUGE. It's a HUGE deal in the grand scheme of things. IT'S EVERYTHING I COULD have ever wanted for myself and my children. (And, quite the pleasant counterpoint to my personal Chapter 1 in life :)

So--anyways--I am so fortunate--and not everyone has such a wonderful experience of family. And, I really had no idea how fortunate I was until recently--which I call Chapter 2. All I can say is that dreams really do come true.

We did the requisite profile picture of me at 30 weeks (7 1/2 months), because I know you probably don't care so much to see the mud and the foundation of our new house as much as you're like: WHAT DOES TARA LOOK LIKE these days? And--we should have done the front and back, because I still have the non-pregnant-lady hourglass shape, and unless you see my profile (or look at my ankles) you might not realize I'm pregnant. Which, I am incredibly grateful for. I've had no tummy rubs from strangers, and had to answer very few questions--I think people really don't notice unless I say something about it. Or they're too afraid that I might just be FAT! Which, is FINE with me. Better than fine.

(OK--I couldn't resist showing you these. It's the next morning, Dave's not home yet, but, I just thought if you saw my profile, there's no way you'd believe that I don't look pregnant from the front & back. So---SEE FOR YOURSELF:)










(And--just to prove that it's the next day--here's that profile again:)















(AND---BEFORE ALL YOU FORMERLY Pregnant ladies whip yourselves into a frenzy thinking 'it's not fair!' or whatever, REMIND YOURSELVES: many women do not show at all in their first pregnancies...AND ASK YOURSELVES: would you want to walk close to 5 miles a day for most of your pregnancy with 2 very large, very unstable, high energy dogs?...and would you want to lift weights at the gym twice a week?...or just have no appetite whatsoever and continuous heartburn and feel guilty at every moment thinking you're not eating enough for baby? So EVERYONE is DIFFERENT, on purpose, and that's a good thing.)

(I will say, I am pleasantly surprised at how this went down. I thought for SURE I'd gain 80,000,000 pounds and be JABBA THE HUT. I have realized I don't really like FOOD. Much to the HORROR of those closest to me, I only really like Diet Coke, candy and Doritos and McDonald's Cheeseburger Happy Meals--none of which you're supposed to eat while you're pregnant. So I've really had to work hard to eat like a pregnant person is supposed to.)

(Oh, and I will say, from spending so much time at the gym and talking to different personal trainers and body-builders--people who have those DREAM bodies we all think we SHOULD HAVE and DESERVE after a 10 minute run and 1 day at the gym, THOSE PEOPLE ARE SERIOUSLY disciplined about what they eat. And they eat some CRAZY STUFF...like so much water...sometimes only eggs, spinach and chicken, scary and disgusting supplements that cause a gag reflex, no caffeine. Basically NO FUN.

Believe me, they are making sacrifices most of us would not be willing to make--and sustaining those habits over a VERY LONG PERIOD OF TIME. So--you could have one of those bodies too---if you did exactly what they do. Just ask one of them...it's not random, they're not just LUCKY, it's simple mathmatics and they will tell you all about it.)

So, unbelievably, and annoyingly, my days are STILL FILLED with time-sensitive faxes, mail and email pertaining to the move. My latest mini fire drill happened because the property manager at our temporary apartment gave me a non-existent apartment number to which the postman refuses to deliver to. No big whup to resend the new address letters to everyone--it's just that I sent some care packages Parcel Post to Dave with expensive computer books and a video game console and now they're MIA. POOO!

There are other fire drills--but the whole minutae thing is not my deal. I can't believe so much of life is LOGISTICS, sorting, and moving things in time and space. Not so easy for the ADD person inside me with the understimulated frontal lobe area. It seems like such a meaningless waste of time and talent. BUT AGAIN, it's easy when you don't have to balance a career too, and I SOOOOOO prefer that it be done, and done well and be orderly.

We eased my load a smidge and decided to take some books we had planned to sell...So I can see the summit of the May 30th mountain within reach. It's just like running a half-marathon...I just kept saying to myself, "I can do anything for 5 minutes" and then I would just keep renegotiating again after 5 minutes. It is a little mental trick for dealing with anything unpleasant. Perhaps I'll use that trick to get through LABOR!

And you know that no matter what is happening in my world, there is only one thought at this point ...labor ...labor ...labor ...labor ...labor. I guess worst case scenario it's like 3 days of my life. And, again, we still have not mentally gotten to the PARENTING part. That will have to be another day.

More soon! Miss you! Email us at schleiferkin@gmail.com.