Friday's Favorite

Ethnic Food.

Chicago is a great place to try many diverse types of cultural food. There are endless options and lately I have had some opportunities to try some new places out! 

For a friend's birthday a couple of weeks ago we tried out Cumin, an Indian/Nepalese restaurant in Wicker Park. It was a fun experience, we ordered many different dishes and tasted a little bit of everyones. I had only had Indian food once or twice before in NYC so it was great eating it in our own neighborhood.

There has been another addition to Wicker Park restaurants lately, called the Falafel and Grill. Scott and I have eaten there a couple of times. Not too long ago I tried my very first falafels and they were tasty.

One of my favorite culture and dining experiences, was with a group of friends at a Korean BBQ restaurant. One of our friends is half Korean and was able to educate us on some of the foods and ways they are prepared. It was really delicious and fun to prepare the food right on the table!

Maybe one day I will actually know what I am ordering and how to pronounce at these restaurants!

Almost 15 Weeks!

I can't believe 15 weeks have already gone by! I hope the next two trimesters go by quickly as well, Scott and I are already feeling antsy to meet our baby! I have felt really great this first trimester with only 4-5 days of really being sick! I am so incredible thankful for a breezy three months of pregnancy!

I found these fun facts/questions to answer from a blog I read here! I am going to try to update them every month! 

Size of the baby: an orange

Maternity Clothes: I hate wearing my regular jeans! Thankfully, my sweet Mom sent me some funds to buy some maternity clothes. I still wear my regular khaki work pants and most of my shirts, but I am loving my maternity "jeggings" (jean leggings), skirts, and tights. 

Boy or Girl: We will hopefully find out May 1!

Movement: Not yet! 

Sleep: I am sleeping just fine! I am learning to sleep on my side as opposed to my stomach. 

Anything you miss?: Tuna! I really want to eat lots of tuna, but I have to limit my intake.

Cravings: Tuna, Salt & Vinegar Chips

Symptoms: None really...

Any fears?: The thought of a c-section.

Best moment of the month: Seeing and hearing our sweet baby's heart beat.

I am looking forward to our next trimester!

Baby Venable

This past New Year's Eve, Scott and I were overjoyed to learn that we were expecting a baby. About four tests and a doctor's appointment later the reality of this new gift began to sink in and actually still is! We feel extremely blessed beyond measure and continue to praise God for this new life He is creating inside me. It blows my mind that an actually baby is forming inside of my body- it is such a beautiful thing and a complete miracle from Christ. 

Already, Christ has been teaching me a new dependence on Him. (I imagine the journey of parenthood will continue to teach much further dependence) He is the giver of life and the only one who can sustain this life growing inside of me and we have been depending on Him to take care of our baby. 

Through these first few months, I am also reminded of how Christ's presence is always with us. Just as the baby is always with me, inside of me growing and forming, so is His presence with me. This gift has been such a tangible reminder of how we are never alone as we follow Him. He is there guiding us every step of the way.

There are times of fear as we think about raising our baby, but the Lord is reminding me to focus on becoming more and more like Him. After-all, He is the perfect Father. I pray that Scott and I will imitate Christ and be molded by Him so that we can be empowered to be like Him to our child. 

Praise God for the gift of life! Praise God for being our perfect Father!

St. Patty's Day Fun!

Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day and I learned Chicago really LOVES to celebrate. Scott and I joined in on the fun with a couple of friends and went downtown to watch the Chicago River turn green. The weather was absolutely perfect.

Scott, Jennifer, Kevin, and Stephanie

St. Patty's Day Fun

After the river, we made our way to Chick-fil-a for some lunch and then to Logan Square for a movie. The Logan Square theatre had been renovated and yesterday was the opening day. All movies, popcorn, and drinks were $1! You can't beat that- so we ended up seeing The Goonies. It was my first time to see it from beginning to end. It was a super fun St. Patrick's Day!

Logan Square Theater