Russ & Ang's Wanderings

Our Journey to Selah

2013-02-02T18:59:00.000-08:00

Apologies for the tardiness of this blog entry - this parenthood thing tends to take up a lot of our time.

Selah Day Kerwin entered the world with a bang- - or shall I say with a 3.9 earthquake. You heard correct, about one hour before her birth an earthquake whose epicenter was right next to our hospital struck. Yet, this seemed inconsequential compared to the miraculous drama unfolding before us.

The Birth
I started having small contractions on Sunday, September 3rd and into Monday the 4th. Luckily, I had my weekly exam scheduled with Dr. Solky that day. I was informed that I was 1 cm dilated and about 20% effaced. The contractions were very small at this point and felt pretty similar to period cramps and so I was totally fine. That night I went to bed and the contractions got a bit worse and kept me awake but they were totally manageable. During the day of the 4th, the contractions lessened and I even made it out to Starbucks to do some last bit of journaling and to savor what I knew would be my last few precious moments/days as just "Ang". Russ took me out to dinner that night to for a little pre-birthday celebration (my bday is the 5th) and I'm glad he did because on the 5th, I wasn't really in the mood for being out and about. We celebrated my birthday with some frozen pizza and I was happy to take my Dr's advice to drink some wine in hopes of relaxing enough to get some sleep.

We went to bed around 1:00 am, but the contractions were bigger than the wine by this point. By 3:30 am I woke up Russ because the contractions were about 3-4 minutes apart and around 30-60 seconds in length. I felt like they were painful (little did I know ;). We labored together for the next few hours, Russ drawing me baths and rubbing my back. Around 7:30 am we texted our doula, Joni, who informed us that the contractions should be consistently 2-3 minutes apart and at least 45-60 seconds before heading to the hospital especially since we were hoping to avoid interventions. Around 10:00 am Joni arrived at our place where we labored for a little while but by this point, Russ and I were ready to head to the hospital. Joni suggested that we meet at the Beverly Center (a mall that is across the street from Cedars Sinai Medical Center), because she felt we still weren't ready to check into the hospital just yet but understood our desire to get closer to the hospital. We walked around the mall for the next 4+ hours and it was intense. The contractions felt very very strong by this point and were almost paralyzing.

Enduring a contraction at the Beverly Center

At 3:30 pm we headed over to my Dr.'s office, which is located in one of the towers of the hospital. Despite the painful contractions, Joni wanted to keep my expectations in check and told us that we should only expect 2-3 cm by this point. I didn't know how it was possible to go through the past three days of labor and especially the past 15 hours of intense labor for only 2-3 measly cm! I started crying with joy when Dr. Solky informed us that I was 5-6 cm and that I should check into the hospital and told me to expect an early evening baby.

Checking into Cedars Sinai Medical Center at 4pm

With this encouraging news and a much needed boost to our morale, we checked into the hospital and anxiously waited to see how our little lady was planning her entrance into the world. We labored for 4 more hours and the pain was absolutely incredible by this point. At 8:00 pm I was 8 cm dilated and Dr. Solky recommended I have my water broke. I told her I'd push through for a couple more hours but by 9:30 pm I was still only 8 cm dilated. The pain continued to intensify and despite the amazing support of Russ and Joni, my psyche and body were on the verge of breaking. I had been up for three nights and had been in very active labor for the past 36 hours and was beginning to question my ability to go on. Just then, my mom and sister walked in and I burst into tears. There is nothing quite like a mother's love at the moment in which I was to become a mother.

Pure Joy for Daddy

Teamwork at its finest

I decided to have my water broke at this point in hopes of moving the labor along. But, if I thought I was in pain before - - this was at least ten times as great and there was very little time between the contractions to catch my breath and refocus. After about an hour, and reaching a point where I was absolutely incapable of dealing with the pain, Joni said, "Angela, we have to look at why you have chosen not to do an epidural. It is one thing to not want any interventions but you are absolutely suffering and you should reconsider your options". I needed this, I was stubborn and exhausted and I needed someone to give me "permission" to reevaluate my decision to not do the epidural. After careful consideration, I knew that getting the epidural was the only option I could choose. It was a very emotional moment for me because I felt like I was letting Russ and myself down. Russ assured me that he supported whatever I decided.
The epidural was literally like getting a new lease on life! The pain was instantly gone and I was a completely different person -- I was relaxed and present, focused on what we were about to do - - welcome our baby girl into the world.
Within the hour, I had completely dilated and the nurse called Dr. Solky to tell her to make her way to the hospital so that she could deliver our baby. This was great news, especially because my biggest fear was that the epidural might lead to pitocin, which may lead to a c-section. I was also comforted by the fact that the epidural medication stays only within the spinal area and does not affect the baby.
As we waited for Dr. Solky, the lights were dimmed and everyone left the room except for Russ and I. We tried to take a little nap but then an earthquake hit and frankly, I couldn't sleep anyways knowing that we were about to become parents.

Welcome to the World Selah Day Kerwin!

Dr. Solky arrived and we began pushing around 1:00 am. After 40 minutes of focused pushing, we joyfully welcomed our Selah. It was a surreal moment, one we will treasure and hold sacred forever. We chose Selah's name because of it's beauty and use in the Psalms. Many scholars have debated what Selah means but overall it means: A pause, a moment to reflect (on what was just said), a "musical" way of saying Amen.

Hi Everyone!

Our Sweet Baby Girl

We had a tough time getting pregnant but I now know that Gods timing is perfect and His plan is flawless and that He truly is the giver and taker of life. We feel so blessed that His face shined on us and His will was for us to become parents. It was a long and sometimes emotional road but Selah was worth the wait.

37 1/2 weeks...In the Home Stretch

2012-08-22T12:50:00.001-07:00

We are feeling pretty good about welcoming baby into our lives. Last Thursday we reached the "full term" mark, which means we could have her at any time and she'd likely be o.k. We also finished our birthing class and feel empowered and less intimidated by the whole hospital/birthing process.

Russ and I are hoping to have a natural childbirth if at all possible and avoid any interventions (i.e. no epidural or analgesic drugs). I love our hospital, Cedars-Sinai and my Dr. is incredible; however, the epidural rate at Cedars is 98% and the use of pitocin is close to 75% and so it is not surprising that the rate of cesareans is close to 40%! We are praying to avoid all of the above.

I'm hoping and believe that if millions of women have delivered naturally in the past, my body must be able to handle the pain but I'm working on my mental toughness in preparation. One step we took to empower us in this journey of a drug free birth has been hiring a doula. Joni Lucarelli has been a great support to us and she has two children of her own - - one birth she used interventions and the other was natural so she's not over the top crazy about "no drugs" but she is supportive and knowledgeable. She will be with us at our home as we labor and then will move to the hospital and act as our advocate and support system throughout the labor/delivery process. She's really wonderful and I'm excited and feel so much comfort knowing she'll be with us every step of the way.

I finally began packing my hospital bag and think we'll have all of the loose ends tied up by the end of the weekend. Baby girl is still moving like crazy despite what the books say (they say that the baby is usually too big to move around a lot by this point). We are both looking forward to the next few weeks and finally welcoming our little lady to this world.

37 1/2 Weeks - Full Term!

LA Baby Shower

2012-07-30T17:28:00.000-07:00

The "Hostest with the Mostest" and my awesome sister, Tricia - Thank You!!!

My wonderful, lovely, generous, kind sister, Tricia, throws one fabulous baby shower! She hosted a beautiful shower for me and Baby at The Malibu Cafe last weekend and it was absolutely gorgeous. We (well, everyone else) drank bottomless mimosas and lemonade to try and beat the heat while we enjoyed the beautiful setting and had a chance to catch up. We ordered a delicious brunch (blueberry waffles, what!?) and then moved over to a more shaded/cool area to dip our feet in the water and open presents.

Like I said, Baby, is blessed!

My wonderful sis-in-law, Mackenzie!

Marshall/Matt/Clayton/Judis - All the same person - I LOVE you!

I can't thank Tricia enough for such a perfect shower. A huge thank you also to my mom who flew in from Oregon to attend the shower and to my sister-in-law, Mackenzie, for making the trek from San Diego. Oh, and a huge thank you to Christina for some delicious push-pop cupcakes (that she decorated with "It's a Girl" ribbons (yummy).

My beautiful mommy

Xtina - Queen of Push-Pop Cupcakes (and she just had a baby!)

Baby K is one VERY lucky girl and can't wait to meet everyone in about 5 weeks!

Bump, Bump and Away!!!!

2012-07-12T21:13:00.002-07:00

Today marks our 32nd week on this journey of pregnancy! I've kind of slacked on the bump update posts but hopefully, the pics from Spain and the baby showers have kept you in the loop.

All is going great with baby and I'm relatively comfortable - I'll be even more comfortable once the air conditioning is installed (crossing fingers this happens within the week)! My doctor is happy with the development of our baby and my weight gain is on track thus far. I have realized however that I can not lift heavy items like I had been, which is frustrating. It's not like I was power lifting or anything but this fact makes me feel even less like a contributor to our renovation(s). Russ is now relegated to carrying most large items up and down the stairs and I've found gardening a little more difficult with this growing baby inside of me.

Baby K is super active and loves to save her kicks and twirls for bedtime but it doesn't bother me because already, I think that everything she does is perfect ;)

32 weeks! Baby is the size of a large squash!

Feeling Showered with Love!

2012-07-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

The love we have experienced over the past month is overwhelming, humbling and awesome all at the same time! Russ and I are incredibly blessed to have such wonderful friends and family who poured out their love on us (and baby) by throwing us three baby showers!

Grandma Nancy and I

My ladies in Seattle - - Jenelle was with us in spirit, she was sick :(

Our first stop was Seattle where we were able to enjoy some sunshine (yes, it was rare) and celebrate Father's Day and Grandpa Dave's birthday in addition to two baby showers! The first was thrown by my sweet mother-in-law and friend Carol Ross and the other was perfectly planned by my longtime girlfriends Piper, Jackie and Jenelle.

While it was a whirlwind trip, we also managed to fit in some quality time at some of our favorite restaurants with friends, take a beautiful walk along the Sammamish trail with Grandma and Grandpa Kerwin and enjoy a delicious Father's Day brunch with Grandpa Dave and soon-to-be-daddy Russ! If you want to see more pics from the girlfriends shower in Seattle, click here.

Heather, Mom, Tricia and I

Russ headed back to Los Angeles after that first weekend but I was fortunate to be able to fly down to Oregon to spend a week with my family prior to the shower that my mom and sister, Heather, threw for me (and baby)! Little did I know, that my cousin Lyn flew all the way from Maryland to be at the shower AND she did ALL the cooking! She is incredible and the food was to die for!

Best Mom in the WORLD!

One of the highlights of my time in Oregon, was seeing all of my closest childhood girlfriends who I am still closer than ever with. It is so rare to get all of us to get together at the same time and I felt blessed beyond belief! We had so much fun talking well into the night, and we still didn't even scratch the surface.

While each shower was beautifully executed and the gifts were beyond generous (thank you!!!!), the real gift(s) were seeing friends and family and feeling so loved I could burst. A heartfelt thanks to all who are making our pregnancy experience so memorable and our lives so blessed.

Babymoon in Espana

2012-06-13T23:59:00.000-07:00

We've been off the grid for a couple of weeks (and then a couple more to recover) from our babymoon to Espana!

Cocktails/Mocktails before dinner in Marbella, Spain

What a treat to spend nearly two weeks with each other exploring the southern part of Spain and soaking in the rays of the Costa del Sol.

Not only was it a great trip to see another country and experience a new culture, it was also a really nice time to reconnect with each other. Russ and I have learned that travelling has helped us enormously because it affords us the space and time (minus distractions) to focus on each other.

So, while Spain was beautiful - I'd say the best part of the trip was growing together as a couple and cherishing our "last hurrah" before baby.

Since we've missed some "bump" updates, this will have to suffice for the 26 week pic and of course, I'm acting like a ham!

Our overall trip went something like this: Madrid, Toledo, Seville, Marbella, Morocco, Almunecar, Nerja, Granada, Madrid, Amsterdam and HOME!

Alhambra in Granada, Spain

I can fill ya in on details (hotels, what we saw, ate and did) later but that should give you a general sense of our itinerary. It was just enough city/beach balance and overall a once-in -a-lifetime trip that we'll treasure forever.

The Growing Bump

2012-05-09T14:13:00.003-07:00

I got a bit behind on the posts esp. since there has been such big news lately so don't fall over that you're getting two posts in two days ;) I'm also doing my best to keep ya'll updated on the growing belly (it's an entity unto its own) and posting pics every two weeks.

We all know Russ was less than thrilled about taking this picture but he's learning to be a good sport. Beba is silently protesting

My Dr. said that it is normal to gain about 25-35 lbs over the course of a pregnancy and at my last appointment, I had gained ten lbs. Which, I should mentioned I relayed to Russ and his response was, "that's all, you look like you've gained more". * Note, never a good idea to say that to your wife. It's all good, I know the baby is getting everything she needs and getting big and round is part of the deal you make when taking on a pregnancy.

The fruit artwork is courtesy of Russ - it's supposed to be a papaya

My diet hasn't really changed too much since being pregnant. Early on, I couldn't stand the idea of coffee but this aversion has passed and just recently I experienced my first craving for a strawberry shake from Jack in the Box. All in all though, I'm just trying to remember more fruits and vegetables and to eat small frequent meals. I took some tips from my mother-in-law and added some of the swiss chard we have in our garden to my fruit smoothies in the morning so at least I'm getting my fruit and at least one veggie each day (hopefully more in my lunch in dinner).

Not a great quality pic but I feel like this image shows more accurately how big the belly has gotten (22 weeks, 3 days)

The Big News!

2012-05-08T18:21:00.002-07:00

While some people find out at 13 weeks (my sister), others have to wait until close to 21 weeks to find out the sex of their baby!

Our dessert...

Our Perinatologist, Dr. Platt, recommends conducting the second trimester ultrasound at 20-22 weeks to maximize the information he can gather. They measure everything in the second trimester and it's so cool when you can actually see your baby's heart pumping blood in and out using such advanced technology.

We thought long and hard about how we wanted to find out the sex of our baby and knew that we wanted something intimate and authentic to who we are. We considered the "reveal" party, the cake, special boxes with the gender name inside, etc... but at the end of the day - we decided that we just wanted "us". We love nothing more than a good date night and so we picked a special place we'd been wanting to try, WP24 at the top of the Ritz Carlton in downtown.

To be honest, we both thought that we'd know the sex of our baby prior to dinner because the 52 inch+ (?) plasma screen that you watch during the ultrasound doesn't hide very much. But, to our surprise, Dr. Platt was pretty incredible (and fast) as he confirmed the sex. He is a funny Dr. and wrote the sex down on a post-it note and then wrapped it in tons of tape and layers of paper and placed the "ball" in an envelope.

As we were finishing up our main course, we took turns opening the note revealing a new layer until finally I got it back from Russ and opened up the final post-it to reveal that we are having a ...

An emotional moment - the paper says "girl"!

GIRL!!!!

We are over the moon excited about our little baby girl who is gonna be here before we know it.

Halfway Hooray and Nancy's Bday!

2012-04-21T20:58:00.001-07:00

We are halfway through this incredible journey of pregnancy and as cliche as it sounds, I have no idea where the time has gone?!

At a wedding in San Diego

We've been busy working on our house (which has been put into high gear now), trying to enjoy time with family and cherishing these last few months as just "Russ and Ang". Knowing that we are going to have a child (for the rest of our lives) in a few months can be a little overwhelming, but a challenge we have spent the past 14 years preparing for. Yes, we have been together for 14 years!

We were lucky to be able to spend time with family both at Easter and the following weekend in San Diego for a wedding. And who could forget - - we managed to squeeze in a special birthday boating trip to celebrate Nancy's fabulous 60th birthday!

Pouring some bubbly to celebrate Nancy!

Boating for Nancy's 60th Birthday (official bday 4/22)!

I got a little dose of just how soon the baby will be here when calling a hotel to make reservations for a wedding this September. I told the receptionist to put us in the quietest area because we'll have a baby with us. Just saying this out loud to a stranger was surreal and she informed me that they don't have cribs so we'll have to bring our own sleeping device. I know, we are ambitious to plan to attend a wedding less than 4 weeks after our baby is born, but we're gonna do our best because they are very close friends. We'll see...

I celebrated the halfway point by getting a mani-pedi. I think Russ would say he celebrated by finding a deal on Craigslist for hardwood floors ;)

For those of you (Piper & mom) who said they can't tell I'm pregnant, I have included proof that mama's getting big! The past two weeks have been the most dramatic thus far.

20 Weeks (2 days) Woo Hoo!

Highlights of the past two weeks:

Hearing the baby's heartbeat at my 2nd trimester Dr. Appt - click here to hear it (it's on Youtube but there isn't anything to see)
Feeling the baby kick for the first time on Sunday, April 15th
Russ actually felt the baby in a ball this morning (4/21) on the right side of my uterus

Stealth like a puma = One cool crib

2012-04-19T20:15:00.002-07:00

We bought our first piece of baby furniture! I know, it's a little early but when I see something I want (and am hoping for a Craigslist miracle) I jump. With all modesty ;) we are what some might call "Craigslist Superstars". We've purchased most everything we own on CL (Our home for instance, car, most all materials and furniture etc...). It's a skill one develops over time and I'm proud to say we are gold medalists in finding great deals. We know we want a modern, hip nursery with clean lines and one that is crisp but inviting.

Initially, I "google imaged" cribs and tried to look at the pictures without knowing price, brand etc... I immediately knew we wanted the MacLaren Netto Crib but the price tag is a little (a lot) steep for this gal. Not to mention, Russ would likely throw me out of the second story of our house if I bought it for full price.

So...I did what we usually do when we know what we want. I stalked Craigslist like a puma (they are very stealth ya know). I saw one of our coveted cribs posted a couple months ago and called that very day. Unfortunately, we were too late to the game and some turbo-shopper bought it out from under us (rats). Not to be discouraged... because when I saw "our" crib posted again a few weeks later, you couldn't stop me (neither could the lady who was apparently coming the next day to buy it). I swooped in early the next morning and bought that crib. Nothing can beat the feeling of rolling down Sunset Boulevard in a Volvo wagon with a sweet crib in your backseat - Boom!

I also managed to secure the adorable linen boxes with our purchase as well. Winning!

Lesson #1: Never EVER put off going to see/purchase an item you want on Craigslist - go immediately or someone like us will beat you to the punch.

Bump Patrol

2012-04-09T21:40:00.001-07:00

Quite a few of our friends and family have asked me if I'm showing and it seems that the past two weeks have really made the ol' belly look a bit bigger. I'm not gonna lie though, it is very strange to be working out at the gym and to be surprised by your reflection. That can't be me, that girl has a big belly! It's that weird stage of not fully looking pregnant but not looking thin either.

It's fascinating though, and each night I can see a difference (or at least I think I can). Poor Russ doesn't know if he should say I look pregnant or not ;) I'm getting big enough though, that there is no squeezing into any pair of old jeans. My new waistline is now forcing me to tell my agents this week. I'm sure they'll be thrilled but the auditions will become fewer and fewer. Hey, maybe I'll get more work as a pregnant actor?!

*We just painted a big chalkboard on our dining room wall so forgive the lack of continuity with the pics. From here on out though, they'll all be in front of the board.

6 Weeks

15 Weeks

18 Weeks

Big City Moms - Biggest Baby Shower

2012-04-04T20:41:00.000-07:00

You'll notice that I mention my friend, Christina, a fair amount in this blog because she is exactly 50% ahead of me in her pregnancy! So, if you do the math, she is due in two weeks (when I am officially 20 weeks aka "half way").

We both had the chance to attend the Big City Moms Biggest Baby Shower event at the Skirball Center. Ladies, it was a lot like a wedding expo but instead of wedding cake, diamonds and flowers, guests were treated to mocktails, strollers, and breast-feeding stations. It was a lot of fun and we took home a fair amount of free loot. For all the star-seekers out there, we saw Ali Landry and Jessica Alba. Jessica has a new line of organic/natural baby care and cleaning products called Honest and I think it's a pretty cool company.

Gettin hammered with these delicious mocktails

I felt a little overwhelmed by the whole thing and while it was nice to see the various products, gadgets and baby food makers that are out there, I do a lot better researching on-line. Overall though, it was good althoug, I think I would have been even more into it if I would have been further along at the time (12 weeks still felt a little early to really dive into "babyworld, ").

Babies first pacifier and booties

All in all, a really fun night with a great friend (and the free Sprinkles cupcakes weren't too bad either).

Since we don't know if it's a boy/girl, the woman at Honest, gave me both sets of diaper patterns. Skulls for a boy and ice cream cones for a girl. Let's be honest though, I'll use them all regardless of gender ;)

13 Week Ultrasound

2012-03-28T12:52:00.000-07:00

I'm still playing a bit of catch-up here, but wanted to be sure I posted some of the sweet photos from our 13-week ultrasound. The perinatologist wouldn't give us any hints as to the sex of our baby so we'll just have to wait, which is always fun!

Little Nugget - My friend Christina, has started calling it Baby BK Stacker (Brink Kerwin)

Looks like half a baby but this is just the way the top of the image comes out using the fancy technology, we were assured that our child will have legs ;)

For those crazy people who want to see the whole ultrasound, you can click here and see the whole show.

The first-ish purchased outfit

2012-03-19T16:04:00.000-07:00

I've long been a little over-zealous/crazy (no surprise there). Over the course of our marriage, I've taken it upon myself to purchase a baby outfit in most of the countries we've visited. I have some cute onesies from France, a cotton Vietnamese outfit, booties from Turkey and more...

I know those are all technically "purchased" but they've all been put away and I didn't even know when we would try for a family when I bought them. So...the below outfit is my "first" purchased outfit for our child that we are actually aware of.

It's unisex so can fit either a boy or a girl. I had my eye on it a month or so ago but couldn't break down and pay full price. I take after my mother in the good deal department, so when I saw this little beauty under the "sale" sign, I knew it was time to purchase!

Russ loves/likes it too, which is saying something because he's not the most excitable guy (as you all know).

First Ultrasound and telling Grandma and Grandpa Kerwin

2012-03-13T13:29:00.001-07:00

We had our first ultrasound around week 7 to check on the baby. It was the first big moment for us as "parents". Wow, that word is even difficult to type! As the fabulous Dr. Kerr put the ultrasound to work, she told Russ to, "hurry, hurry over here and hold her hand, this is a real couple moment". It was right then, that she isolated the heartbeat and we heard our little baby hard at work pumping blood through its already developing heart!

The little bug

The heartbeat was 147 beats/minute (great said Dr. Kerr) and it was definitely a surreal experience. You'll notice, I use the word "surreal" a lot because I can't think of a better word to convey the complete aw that we felt. I also didn't know that once a heartbeat is established, the risk of miscarriage goes down from 25% to 3%, which was super comforting. After the first trimester, the risk only goes down 1% more so we were feeling a huge relief.

The two littlel parrell lines in the middle of the picture are the heart.

As timing would have it, Russ' parents came down that evening after returning from a month in Seattle. We weren't totally ready to tell them just yet but about one week later we broke the good news to them over wine (and non-alcoholic ginger beer) at one of our favorite places, City Sip. We gave them a card that said something to the effect of "money leaving your wallets and grandchildren pictures filling it up". When the magnitude of the message set in, Nancy cried her eyes out and kept asking, "are you serious" immediately followed by, "now we have to move here"! Dave-O was also pretty excited and offered big hugs. We also gave Nancy a little box with a bib enclosed that read, "Grandma Gives the Best Hugs".

The moment we told Grandma and Grandpa Kerwin (not the best picture, but the only one we took)

Grandma's Bib

A Little (o.k. Long) Break and Now We're Back - And We Have BIG News!

2012-03-11T21:47:00.000-07:00

As you've probably noticed, we've been delinquent on this blog for quite some time but our "voices" were best utilized on a different blog, a home renovation blog. I personally loved writing about a variety of things going on in our lives but honestly, about two years ago, our world began overflowing with home renovations, DIY projects, and yard work! So, in that vain, it made sense to switch gears and focus solely on the house stuff/blog (and even that was a challenge).

Frankly, I think more people liked the home blog vs. our day-to-day lives but alas, we are back. No, this does not mean the house is finished (but we're getting there)! We have returned to this blog because our lives are moving in numerous directions far beyond home renovations. Not to mention, we have families and friends who want frequent updates on more than just the house.

They mostly just want updates on our newest and most exciting project: Baby K!

You read it correctly, we are expecting our first child in September 2012. For those interested in Asian culture, we hit the jackpot - - Baby Kerwin will be born on the Year of the Dragon - VERY LUCKY!

After quite a long time of trying, we feel really blessed to have made it safely into the second trimester.

Below are a couple of highlights:

When I found out
How I told Russ

I found out via home pregnancy test on Monday, January 2nd. I awoke after a troubled sleep convinced that I was not pregnant because two nights prior, when we were in Colorado for the New Year, I took a $.99 store pregnancy test and the result was negative. Once home though, I thought it wouldn't hurt to take the "fancy" test first thing in the morning.

The results!

My (our) whole world changed that morning. I remember the moment I saw the words "pregnant", I was shocked, overwhelmed, overjoyed, and thankful. While Russ still slept just five feet away in our bedroom, I took some time to collect myself, thank the Lord and made the decision not to tell Russ until I had the official blood work the NEXT day! Plus, I wanted to put some thought into the way I was going to tell him.

The next day, I shared the good news with the amazing staff at Dr. Kerr's office. They had been on this journey with me for a while and it was fun to celebrate with them. I ordered a "rush" on the blood work and I later received the joyous phone call from Dr. Kerr. She was so excited and it was a special conversation that made "it" official.

Russ (and Beba) reading the card - super special moment

The watch with engraving

The card, a little bib and the ultrasound pictures of the egg

How this whole thing started ;)

I made Russ' favorite, baby back ribs and handed him a gift bag. He opened up the gift and it was a watch and on the back, I had it engraved,"It's About Time - - Baby K 9/12". He was super excited and that moment is one of the sweetest we've experienced as a couple in our 13 years together. I also gave him a bib and a card with the ultrasound of the follicle/egg that was our baby prior to being fertilized (long story short, I had been going to my doctor prior to ovulation for a "trigger" shot to have the most mature egg released). I feel really fortunate to have such an extensive timeline of our little babies journey.

Baby Kerwin Due September 6, 2012

Turkey - A Fabulous Adventure

2011-06-01T12:00:00.005-07:00

Istanbul, In front of the Blue Mosque

We feel incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to travel as much as we do. When we got married almost eight years ago, we set some goals for ourselves and for our marriage. Travel was at the top of our list and dare I say, we've been successful in fulfilling this on-going goal thus far. Travel is a bug we can't quite shake and it's something that draws us closer together, puts life in perspective and provides us with a greater sense of global responsibility and understanding. I can honestly say that Turkey is the most eye-opening trip that we have had and stirred feelings in me that I didn't know existed.

Delicious and fresh food

Yummo!

Throughout our seventeen day trip, we did our best to absorb the rich culture, interact with the Turkish people, and indulge in the fresh and flavorful food (can you say baklava!). The weather couldn't have been better and we left feeling that we had truly experienced as much of Turkey as our bodies could physically handle.

Hotair balloon ride above Cappadoccia

What you can't hear are the whistles he's getting!

The extremely turbulent Bosphorous River fish boat

Ephesus

In front of Topkapi Palace in Istanbul

As an overview, we began our journey in the metropolis of Istanbul, then caught a flight to Cappadoccia where we experienced the unique and majestic natural terrain (via hot air balloon and hiking). After a couple of nights sleeping in caves (cave hotels are big in Cappadoccia), we flew back to the west coast and rented a car in Izmir. We maneuvered our little Fiat down the coastline to Kusadasi and drove out to the ancient city of Ephesus. Nothing can explain the feeling of standing in the same location where St. Paul stood (and was thrown out of) so many years ago! We then made our way down the turquoise coastline where we explored the small and bustling beach towns of Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye, Kalkan, Kas, and ended our Mediterranean adventures in the Old Town in the city of Antalya. After a much-to-late night with the locals, we drove through the countryside to the Unesco World Heritage Site of Pamukkale and then onward to Istanbul for some last-minute shopping along the Bosphorus River and of course, more baklava. It was an ambitious trip but we left feeling satisfied that no rock had gone unturned and that we had seen the best that Turkey had to offer.

Pamukkale (it's actually hot water and calcium deposits that look like snow)

I have a lot of other thoughts that I'd love to write about but perhaps at a later date. Some of the topics I hope to explore further are:

The role of women in Turkish society - their oppression was palpable
The role of the Muslim faith in Turkey - and how this influenced us, as Christians - - particularly during the call to prayer (5x's/day)
On a lighter note - the FOOD = delicious
The history - incredible and moving
The nightlife - particularly in Istanbul and Antalya

Blogs, Blogs and More Blogs

2010-01-21T12:20:00.000-08:00

Ever since discovering the power of a "blog", I/we've taken full advantage. Most recently though, we started a blog to track our progress on a major home renovation. The primary focus of this new blog is to share with the "world" our adventures in renovating a major fixer in the heart of LA. I will continue to update our "couple" blog but not as frequently as I only have so much time. Maybe Mr. Kerwin will grace us with a post or two but until then....you can folllow the house specifically at http://www.arealrenovationreality.blogspot.com/

3800 square feet +, 10,000 square foot lot, big ol' project - - Priceless

This picture will give you a pretty good idea as to the scale of this house...it's a beast.

Praise the Lord for providing us with a house and with able bodies to fix it up! God is good.

Tightening our belts and cooking a bird.

2009-12-31T00:22:00.000-08:00

Most of you know the continued saga of us attempting to buy a home in Los Angeles. Our lender keeps telling us, "it's gonna close tomorrow". It's actually become a joke to us. Good thing we are so easy going...or, so I've learned to be :) We have been assured that we do own the house but there is one remaining technicality left to resolve. I am reluctant to pop the champagne just yet as we don't want to count our chickens before they hatch (thank you mom for this saying it's perfect). Let's just hope that it's ours soon especially since we've re-roofed the garage, tore up the upstairs floors, purchased two refrigerators, a stove and planks of new hardwood floors are lying everywhere!

In light of this major purchase and the fact that only one of us brings home the bacon (I know, you're shocked - the South Beach Diet commercial from over a year ago did NOT pay me $1 million dollars) we do have to be a little more conservative. I'm not going to lie, I've been informed that I might need to start tightening my belt (ughh) and worse yet maybe get a "real" job. If by real we mean working from home and/or starting my headshot photography business then we are in luck! Honestly though, it's about high time we started coming back down to reality and getting our priorities in order. Oh, I had you didn't I?! I can just see my mom muttering "ya" and pumping her fist in the air. But I'm just kidding.... reality shreality (is that a word?) we're gonna keep rockin it like it's 1999 until we can't party no more. Yet, our definition of "kickin it" may be more like a six-pack and a sander than a bottle of Cristal at a club (who am I kidding, we've never had Cristal but it's the only drink I could think of that starts with a "c")

In all seriousness though, I am quite a bargain shopper (thank you again Kathy Brink - - she's getting a lot of props in the entry). And, in the spirit of saving money on groceries I purchased a big ol' 10 lb. turkey at the Ralph's day after Thanksgiving sale. With an impending move date of January 15th and our lack of desire to have one more thing to transport to the new (not to be confused with "great potential") house, I decided to cook that darn turkey. Heck, I even made the infamous Aunt Jo rolls (by way of Carol Abo, by way of Nancy Kerwin), stuffing and a salad. I know, sometimes I even impress myself. Just when Russ thought he couldn't eat another bite, he gets a second Thanksgiving meal. And to that I say bring on the leftovers! Cold turkey, turkey sandwiches, turkey noodle soup, turkey quesadillas and anything else that I cook over the next two weeks to get rid of this turkey!

Life is exciting right now and you'll be happy to know that I purchased a great little lens to help document the home renovation and all the other glorious little events that will continue to happen - - otherwise known as our lives.

Lastly, Happy New Year all you crazy people we love you mucho! And in the vain of Garrison Keillor (a shout out to Dave-O) "Be well, do good work and keep in touch".

Please keep in mind, I had to use my stupid camera phone on these pictures (remember I broke my lens). Have no fear though, you can prepare yourself for some better photos in the near future. I'm not sure how buying a lense fits into my newly tightened belt but it's an investment right? Hello my little 1.8, 50 mm lens I'm coming to get you!

Sydney's 3rd Birthday

2009-12-20T17:00:00.000-08:00

I love that our niece Sydney's birthday happens to fall on the 22nd of December because we've made all three of her special days! I only wish that our other nieces and nephews birthdays were close to major "Brink" gatherings too because Aunt Angie and Uncle Russ LOVE cake (whether it be Dora the Explorer cake or Hot Wheels cake) and we especially LOVE snuggles and kisses from our little tribe of nieces and nephews.

Note: I had a little incident with my SLR camera in LAX...namely, I tripped over my own foot (typical) and broke my lens so these pics have been generously sent to us by my sister-in-law and I do think they are quite cute :) More pics to come of the Holidays - - I managed to use my point and shoot and manipulate my camera so a few pics actually turned out.

Baby Maddox!!!

Perhaps the cutest thing about Sydney is her love for her uncle Russ. She's going in for a "movie star" kiss...he's getting more comfortable with the smooches. I have to say too that I love Russ more and more because he is such a generous giving person and uncle to all of our nieces and nephews. Russ really "took on" the "Brinks" with gusto and love.

Thanksgiving in San Diego

2009-11-27T16:03:00.001-08:00

We are spending a great weekend in San Diego with the Kerwin's. Yesterday, we started off our day with the Father Joe's 5k run, which was perfect because the big meal didn't feel so fattening. We'll post more about the weekend later but thought we'd share this adorable little link for ya'll to take a look at. Do you recognize the dog? Beba is more of an "actor" than her mommy.

Click here to see Beba's big television debut

We are thankful for our friends and family!

With the Kerwin's listening to reggae in the Gas Lamp District (San Diego)

This is probably one of my favorite photos to date...it was taken with my little point and shoot. Russ and Beba -- my greatest joys. xo

To see more pics of our big weekend click here.

Halloween Weekend in Sonoma with Friends!

2009-11-04T09:10:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2009 is sure to go down in the books as one of the best in history. We traveled with the Hills down to San Francisco last Thursday and met up with the Abo's, Von Stroh's, Williams', and Fraser's on Friday in beautiful Sonoma, California. The weather was gorgeous and the leaves were at their peak. The vineyards were picturesque and we were ready for some wine tasting.

With the Hill's at St. Francis

In total, we hit up about a dozen or so wineries over three days and it was a blast. On our way to pick up the Abo's, we hit up Gloria Ferrar and St. Francis wineries. Gloria Ferrar, while good bubbly, was pretentious and snooty (skip it) but the folks at St. Francis were awesome and the wines were delicious...especially the Chardonnay. We were running a little late to pick up the Abo's so we met up with them at Woodenhead and then we all headed over to Iron Horse, stopped for a quick pit stop to Porter Creek (a shout out to our precious little godson Porter Abo) and ended at Twomey Cellars. Then, it was off to the grocery store and then to our great little house on Dry Creek road. We got settled and relaxed a bit and then it was off to Barndiva for a delicious dinner and to meet up with the rest of our crew. We wrapped up the night with some shuffleboard at John and Zeke's.

Twomey Cellars

Saturday was a riot. After a morning run, we all loaded the party bus/limo at 10:30 am and toasted the start of our wine tasting adventure with some champagne. We hit up White Oak and Stryker wineries and then enjoyed a nice tour and picnic lunch at Medlock Ames. We capped the day off with a visit to Hanna and Field Stone wineries. Kudos to JJ and Dod for organizing such a wonderful day! All in all, we loved Hanna and White Oak wines the best but we also appreciated Medlock Ames' small sorganic/eco friendly approach (complete with goats, vegetable garden and solar power). We wrapped up our tour at about 5:00 pm and then it was "go time" for our Halloween themed dinner that Piper organized. Each couple had to dress like their course and it was such fun.

10:30 am "Before the wine tour "

5:00 pm "After the wine tour"

Appetizers - Hill's - Greek Appetizers - They dressed like Sandy and Danny from "Grease" ha!
Salad - Von Stroh's - Sauteed spinach - The dressed like Olive Oil and Popeye
Primi - Fraser's - Spinach/Cheese Fondue - Also dressed like Olive Oil and Popeye (so funny)
Main Course - Abo's and Williams - Mini burgers and french fries - Dressed like 50's
Dessert - Kerwin's - German Chocolate Cake - Dressed like Germans :)

Other than the ribbon and socks, I had everything at home to put this German thing together!

Despite Russ' dislocated thumb, it was a super fun night of friends, food, wine, hot tubbing and dancing. You know it's a good night with the cab driver decides to come in for a quick dance party right? I know we are all adults but sometimes its nice to pretend we are still in college.

Bella Winery, in the Cave

Sunday was pretty low-key. We had a lazy morning and then headed out to Yoakum Bridge, Unti and Bella wineries. I absolutely loved Bella and their wine cave is pretty cool. We said good-bye to everyone after a quick stop to the Dry Creek Store and then it was back to LA with the Hill's. We are already going through withdraws (both from our friends and good wine) but we were sure to stock up and are already looking forward to the next gathering.

Thanks again to the Abo's and Fraser's for organizing such an incredible weekend! I think Tuscany should be our next stop :)

I took a lot of photos so I had to post a few more below:

Russ' Birthday Weekend

2009-10-27T09:57:00.000-07:00

October is a month full of birthdays! Two weeks ago we celebrated my sister, Tricia's, birthday at Musha in Santa Monica (pics posted soon) and this past weekend, we celebrated Russ' 31st! I remember when I took him out for his 20th...wow, time flies!

Hiking is Russ' favorite thing to do and so I thought it appropriate to find us a hike in the San Bernardino Mountains. Only one short hour away from LA, we may as well have been across the country. We hiked the Momyer & Alger Creek Trail. It's a short hike but it was pretty tough...the altitude made a big difference (about 7,100'). We hiked in about 4 miles to Alger Creek and spent the night in a great little spot right next to the creek. We spent the better part of Sunday morning taking baths in the freezing cold creek and hiked over to Dobbs Peak. The hike offered beautiful views of Mill Creek Canyon and Yucaipa Ridge - - it was really beautiful. While the country is dry, there are many trees and with the fall colors changing, it was a perfect time to go. The best part is that Russ woke up on his birthday in the woods, a place where he feels most at peace.

We managed to make a quick pit stop in Oak Glen to buy all things apple. We bought apple cider, apple butter, apple pie...I only regret that we didn't make it in time to buy apple cider doughnuts...next time.

We made it back to LA to meet up with a small group of friends at Spring Street Smoke House to enjoy Russ' favorite...burnt end ribs with lots of sauce! The perfect ending to the birthday weekend was the Baskin Robbins ice cream cake...again, Russ' favorite. I feel really blessed to have such a wonderful husband and while, he doesn't like making a big deal about his birthday - - he's a big deal to me and deserves a day/weekend that is all about him. I'll have to start planning next year's adventure soon!

Seattle Weekend - Porter Abo's Baptism

2009-10-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time in the Northwest this past weekend. The focus of our time there was to meet our "newest" friends/babies (Cora and Porter) and to participate and support the Abo's in the baptism of our godson, Porter Abodeely. It was truly one of our best weekends "home".

I flew up a day early so that I could travel to Leavenworth to visit the Torrey, Jenelle and baby Cora Landgraf. I also had never seen the "new-ish" Mapel store! Yes, it had been almost two whole years since I was in Leavenworth! This is something I won't let happen again because it is such a quaint, picturesque, fun little town. Next year, we are going to try and make it up there for Oktoberfest! Baby Cora was as precious as her pictures. It was also cool to see Jenelle and Torrey as mom and dad and they really make a great team, which was nice to see.

Our little Godson, Porter!

Mama Kerwin and Russ

JJ and Russ debating the best way to remove a red wine stain

I headed back to Seattle pick up Russ late Thursday and we spent the better part of Friday catching up with mom and dad Kerwin and enjoying the beautiful lake view at their sweet little house. I also managed to catch up with a good friend and former colleague, Shannon Boldizsar, at the Westlake Starbucks! We then headed to the Abo's to meet our godson, Porter Abodeely, for the first time and then it was cocktails for all and a night out on Capitol Hill. .

Roomies, Me and Annette

Saturday was another beautiful day and Mom and Dad Kerwin took us to get foot reflexology/massages for our birthday presents. After that, we headed back to Seattle to have dinner at our favorite restaurant and old neighborhood hangout, St. Clouds. I was mostly excited for the Penne Pasta, Pork Tenderloin/bacon dish and of course, the hot fudge sundae! Not to mention, our good friends, Jackie, Annette, Jeffrey, Emily Gretchen and Andre joined us so we had a chance to catch up. Porter was a little rockstar and is such a good baby! We could be convinced, if I knew our kid would be as easy as he is.

Andre, Gretchen, Jackie, Russ, Jeff and Me at Madrona Ale House

JJ, Emily, Russ, Annette, Jackie, Piper, Ang, Jeff and Rett (Porters sleeping behind us)

We ended our weekend with the big finale! Russ and I are honored to be Porter's godparents and we participated in the baptism ceremony. The service was really beautiful and the message was about caring for all children, a fitting topic given the baptism of Porter. The service made Russ and I internalize our committment to pray and care for Porter for the rest of our lives and we look forward to every moment of it.

Katie (Godmother), Piper, Porter, JJ, Russ and I at the baptism

One of my favorite pics of Piper and Porter at the post baptism brunch

All in all, a great weekend. We both commented on how it was a perfect balance of rest, relaxation and friends. We are already gearing up for the next friend-weekend extravaganza, which is fast approaching! Napa Valley 2009 in three weeks! Six couples, one house, many bottles of wine, one party bus and costumes to boot....priceless!

Welcome Maddox David Brink!

2009-09-23T13:53:00.000-07:00

Hallelujah, we have another adorable addition to the "Brink" Family!

Stats: Maddox David Brink; 9/21/09; 8 lbs. 2 oz.; 20 3/4 inches; Riverbend Hospital

Ellie, David and Sydney welcomed Maddox David Brink to the world on Monday, September 21, 2009! The whole family is doing great and Sydney is very excited to have a "real" baby to help take care of :)

What a beautiful family. I can't believe she has just given birth in this photo.

During my time in Oregon, I had a chance to briefly visit with David, Ellie and Sydney at their home. I admire many things about them but I am particularly impressed with Ellie's organization and decorative flair. The entire house is already decorated in beautiful fall colors. Complete with wreaths, leaves and a scarecrow to welcome guests. Ellie is also a master at printing out photos, framing them and hanging them in their entry. I always feel like I'm walking into a "home" when I arrive and love that they are intentional about creating a "homey" space.

David showed me his ultra-fancy shed that he's been building (with Sydney's help of course) and it is truly great craftsmanship. Leave it to David Jr. to construct the mother of all sheds...maybe he has a career as a contractor. Similarly, inside the house, Ellie has everything in tip-top shape. I think she should be an assistant to Martha Stewart because her design sense (it may help that she is an interior designer/architect also) is fantastic. The nursery is absolutely adorable and I wish I had a photo to post. She made camouflage, green, brown and even a photo of my brother with his record breaking elk look masculine/chic and cool. Of course, Sydney's room is also precious complete with pink, pink and more pink! The contrast between the two rooms is stark, yet fitting.

All in all, the family is doing great and we are so incredibly happy for them all. We can't wait to see little Maddox in-person! We are already looking for flights so we don't have to wait until Christmas!

Note Sydney's shirt "Big Sister"