realignment

I have become a mother. I went through the most physically painful and mentally hardest task I have ever gone through in my life (that being labour), and it was completely and overwhelmingly worth it. I have since been thrown into a new role, the job description which has till now been foreign to me, and it has been continuous 24/7 since it began. I had gone through emotional highs and lows as never before since giving birth, and feel that after three weeks of uncertainty and having to learn and relearn despite my insecurities (breastfeeding troubles) I am finally comfortable with the basic routine of this new life role on which I can now add all those which were pre-existing (home making, house maintenance, etc). I feel like I have been through a battle and have the scars to prove it, a battle well worth fighting.

In all this I am so thankful to have been blessed first of all with the grace and strength to carry this responsibility and honour, to be a mother. I am thankful that I've been blessed with an amazing husband that not only supported me through pregnancy, the pain of labour and the immense fear I had in being stitched up afterwards, but has been a loving servant, an amazing father, a comforter and leader when I felt lost, a true example of Christ. And I am thankful to have an adorable, amazing little daughter in my life.

Having become a mum, I don't want this to become my sole identity. I don't want to forget who I am at the core. I don't want to set aside my hobbies forever. I don't want to hide who I was created to be. This is who I am:

♥ I am a child of God, a daughter saved by grace, created to worship the Creator
♥ I am a wife to the most amazing man in the world (biased, I'm sure)
♥ I am a new mum an adorable little girl, I'm still learning but loving the journey
♥ I am a creative designer of many things: both digital and physical, and also edible
♥ I am a musician, a vocalist, a lyricist, and an amateur at all three
♥ I am a bibliophile, a film fanatic, a fashion muse, a sale-shopper, just to name a few

In this new stage of my life, I don't want to forget who I am, what I love and what I live for. I want to be content with where I am, what I believe and what I think, and I don't want to keep being afraid of others opinions of myself. I want to feel free from these insecurities. And yet, I know I am free. I just forget I am, sometimes.

After glimpsing through my bible yesterday and reading this I was reminded of that which my heart desires more than anything else, what makes me feel alive, what gives me strength when I feel I haven't any left. In the same way that my daughter will get crazy excited at the scent of me when she's hungry, I have again found myself craving more of Jesus after just a whiff of Him. And I think that's just plain awesome. :)

quick update

Hey all, I've been away for quite a while and a lot has happened! Hubby and I finally moved out of my parents garage and into our home. I'm having my baby shower in a few days, the baby is due on 2nd July, and we cannot wait to find out what we're having!! We currently don't have the internet at home and may not for another month or so. I can't wait to catch up on all my reader feeds and get back to taking photos and blogging about my little escapades. Until then, feel free to follow me on twitter as I update this fairly regularly from my iPhone.

counting down the days

It's been a fun, creative, trying-to-be-patient sort of month so far. Feels like life has started to get busier again very quickly, and I know in the next months to come it will only increase, and that's great!

We've finally gotten the keys to our new home, and the renovations are already under way! It's starting to look so lovely and it should all be done within the next 2-3 weeks. Then we can finally move in! Since we'll be renting from my in-laws, their whole family is joining in on the fun of stripping the floors for new wooden boards and repainting the walls and doors. It's so lovely to see them all come together to help out, I only wish I could be a part of it! I've always wanted to do home-renovation projects and have been waiting for the day we would have our own place to do it in, unfortunately being pregnant has restricted me from all the fun stuff (heavy lifting, painting fumes, climbing ladders). Hubby says I'm working hard enough already making a baby, he's very sweet :) So for now, I'm just really looking forward to being able to pack up all our things into boxes when the time is right. Not long now till we move!

I've been delving into my creative side once again, and it feels great! Early this year I decided that I'd start designing cards rather than buying them to save costs and to give myself a project. Lately I've been re-designing some of the birthday & thank you cards, and I'm liking how they look. I also made invitations, "eat me" & "drink me" tags, and headed up a DIY body scrub session for my gorgeous friend's bachelorette party, which was Mad Hatter themed. It was held at her parent's home, the decorations looked so lovely and the food was delicious! Guests were invited to bring a plate, I baked banana bread and lemon meringue pie :) My latest creative venture is a second-hand sewing machine my mum bought me a few days ago. After she showed me the basics and then reading through the manual I felt I finally understood how it worked. I've started making something I plan to use for my upcoming baby shower. I'll be taking photos again soon so there's proof I'm not making this all up :)

All this craft & designing & baking has gotten my creative juices flowing, and really has me wanting to open up my own shop of sorts. Not so much for the money but rather because I love making things too much to let them collect dust, and there's only so many people I know that appreciate handmade gifts. I've considered using Etsy, but wonder if there's any other way of selling things online that works best with the AUS$. Or more importantly, would anyone actually like what I make enough to buy it?

planning planning planning

Still getting over a chest infection, but have started collecting ideas for my baby shower! I won't be having it till June so I'm just gathering inspiration for how I'd like to decorate. The theme is: rain. How original for a baby shower! Haha :) But I just looove when it rains, and clouds and raindrops are so cute, and since I don't what the baby is I figured this would be a fun way to bring in turquoise as a neutral colour.

I've also been making a few things for my friend's bachelorette party. It is Mad Hatter tea party themed, and I spent the day making "eat me" and "drink me" tags yesterday and will be baking banana bread and lemon meringue pie the day of the party. Not to mention that hubby and I will be moving within a week of her party too so there will be a lot of packing to be done amidst the party planning. Then once we've moved it will be lots of unpacking and organising and settling in.

I cannot wait to unpack as I loooove organising, especially in categories, ie alphabetically, size, genre (I'm thinking of our books, dvds, and kitchen cupboards). Yes, I am a dork and will go so far as to start categorising items placed in random order at dvd stores, much to the disdain of my husband (but I know he secretly loves it!) And unpacking means finally getting to use all the bridal shower and wedding gifts we were given over a year ago that have been in storage. It's like birthdays and christmas all rolled into one!

past few days

I've been sick with a chest infection/flu for the last week. It seems like it's hit me a lot harder than past years now that I'm pregnant, my lungs felt bruised every time I coughed! Not fun. But I am taking baby-safe antibiotics and am slowly recovering. Time spent in bed has been passed with the first season of Gossip Girl (which was entertaining enough), reading Nana and my favourite magazines from New Zealand: Your Home & Garden and World Sweet World. I wish they were available in Australia! Especially since these are much more suited to my taste than most of the home renovation magazines here; most of them cover only country or unaffordable-modern styles. Except Real Living, which I find is great with tips & tricks and has an affordable diy approach which I plan to apply when decorating our new home in the future. And I am seriously counting down the days till we move out, only a few more weeks and I cannotwait&amsoexcited!

a little march shopping

I find myself to be a bit frugal when buying things for myself. But like any girl I do have those few guilty pleasures I indulge in every now and then, and good old Frankie magazine is definitely one of them! I also picked up a few items I'd had my eye on for a while: a soft vintage-pink-peach coloured nail polish (Sportsgirl) and beret (Dotti), and cute ceramic bird tea-candle stands from Target which has such lovely homewares that I keep falling in love with! Last but not least, my first Etsy purchase was from magicqueen: a bronze camera necklace and silver binocular necklace. I'm a happy little cookie!

one year anniversary

Hubby and I celebrated our one year anniversary a few weeks ago (March 14). We spent the weekend down the coast where we were married on the beach, stood on the same spot we took our vows at the same time we made them a year ago. It was lovely reminiscing as well as talking about our future together. We also filmed a short message for our baby to watch in the future, something we sort of started doing on our honeymoon last year. I know I can honestly say that I am more completely in love now than ever before, and that love continues to grow each and every day. Completely blessed.

double baking fun-ness

Thanks to Megan's delicious photo on sugar doughnut muffins a few weeks ago, I just HAD to try make my own! They were easy to make, although I do remember getting the butter/sugar coating part a bit wrong at first which is ridiculous as it is so simple (it was one of those days). They turned out sooooo incredibly yummy! I'm going to be making more in the near future for my sister's engagement party, and I hope I make enough because I know they'll be a hit! This I know because when I made them the first time I made a double batch and my husband and I ate them all in two days....


I also tried my hand making Nelly's Apple Shortcake Afternoon Tea. This was my first time "boiling apples", if that's the right term, and I was quite happy with how they turned out. They were nice and soft and sweet, the only thing I'd change next time is make the slices a bit thinner as even though I made them the thickness the recipe said they were a bit too chunky. I had never whipped cream though so I know next time to add sugar and stop whipping before it starts to taste like butter!

Some exciting news (at least for me) via the Frankie mailing list: "Some exciting news! We've just completed our second cookbook! It’s called Sweet Treats and it is filled with the most delicious old school recipes. It's a little like Afternoon Tea except the recipes are based around candy and other sticky treats (instead of cakes)."
UPDATE: pre-order Sweet Treats here.

I really really want this and cannot wait till it's available! I've discovered the baking nerd in me, and it really shows on the days where I can't help but think "only X number of days left till we move out and I have my own kitchen". It seems pregnancy has unleashed a different side of me.

just a quickie

Life has been amazing lately, I feel so blessed! I can't wait to share it with you all. Unfortunately we've gone over our download limit so the internet is s-l-o-w and frustrating to even try to view my reader to catch up on all those lovely blogs I follow, let alone trying to upload anything of my own. So I've resorted to posting from my iPhone. Here's a preview of what's to come (hopefully by next week):
• A couple of yummy baking photos
• Etsy buy from magicqueen
• Weekend away celebrating my one year anniversary with hubby

sleepy owlette

Gentle Raindrop is no more. Welcome to Sleepy Owlette! Some may wonder why the sudden name change, especially since it means that anyone that may have been following me will no longer know where I am... That was a risk I took, and besides, other than the newly added "Followers" widget on the side I wouldn't have had any idea anyone was reading this other than myself and the few that left comments. So to those that did I have tried to reconnect by leaving new comments on their lovely blogs. Hope that helps, and thanks to all the lovely people that actually read my ramblings!

Anyhow, the reason I decided to change blog name was due to a sleepless night, thinking of all the fun the future holds when my little bundle of joy arrives. My hubby and I are sooo completely excited. Any time the baby kicks and I let him know so he can try to feel with his hand on my belly, we get completely googly-eyed and mushy and that "I'm so happy right now I could cry" look in our eyes. Since finding out about the baby, I have bought only one piece of clothing so far. This is not without effort, and the fact that we're waiting till the birth to find out if it's a girl or boy has actually been helpful, if frustrating. So in essence, the name change is in honour of our baby. :)

a little naked chef

I've been avoiding the 'Afternoon Tea' baking challenge... BUT at least I am still trying different recipes! I had a quick look through jamieoliver.com and found a few that I liked. I have since made the full english for dinner a few nights ago (hubby was completely stoked) and today I tried my hand at my version of apple pie from scratch! It turned out okay-ish.. My mistake in editing the recipe is that I replaced a few ingredients I didn't have for something "similar", ie instead of ginger in syrup I used maple syrup and instead of real blackberries I was going to use jam, but I could only find apricot jam and used that instead. The end product tastes pretty good considering, but the apricot taste is enough to make me not want more than a nibble.

I've come to the realisation that I really need to work on my photography skills. I want to be able to take memorable (not accidentally nice) photos of me and my hubby, and even more so when our little one arrives. I feel limited having only a Canon SX100 (not a DSLR) but at the same time know that having a nicer camera doesn't necessarily mean I'll take nicer photos. Better brush up on what I learned in photography back in uni a few years back!

nimble fingers

Today was filled with origami and baking. I haven't made paper cranes in a long time. It was nice to relive one of my childhood pastimes. As for the baking, I made a double batch of cookies and tried a new recipe for banana bread. I've had to trial a couple of different recipes to get the soft springiness found in café versions, and not so dry and crumby as the last few recipes I'd tried. Today's recipe was the closest I've gotten so far.

'afternoon tea' challenge: lemon meringue pie

Last Thursday I had my first run at making lemon meringue pie. The recipe was actually pretty easy and consisted of three parts: the base, the filling and the meringue. I was a bit worried how it would work out as I'd never made any of these before but I found them all really simple to make and the result was surprisingly really yummy! This is definitely something I want to bake again. The best part? My non-lemon-loving hubby liked it so much he had seconds.

It's 2am, I feel wide awake and hungry (crazy pregnancy). Scary things happen when staying up late in Aussie summer! I'd forgotten how many flies and bugs will swarm towards whatever light is kept on in the dark of night. The last time I remember experiencing this was back in high school days, which is over six years ago. Now I feel itchy and paranoid that they're crawling on me..

On a happier note, my sister-in-law gave birth to adorable Abigail Jane yesterday! Despite attempting a natural birth, after 24 hours in labour she had an emergency C-section. I had expected this to scare me but instead, after looking at her baby's gorgeous little face and watching her yawn, I absolutely cannot wait to give birth and meet my own little baby despite all the pain that comes with it. You can see a photo of baby AJ here.

yummy baking goodness

Image from frankie.com.au. Get your own copy here.
I have been a fan of Frankie Magazine since their first issue back in Oct/Nov 2004. Each issue is beautifully designed with lots of white space and a mishmash of modern-yet-crafty illustrations and photographs. Frankie doesn't bombard you with the latest celebrity gossip nor the next fashion craze you cannot afford, but has remained faithful to staying "smart, funny, sarcastic, friendly, cute, rude, arty, curious and caring".

So when Frankie released their yummy baking cookbook "Afternoon Tea" I just had to buy it! Which I did, about two years ago. Being a lazy sort of person by nature, I hadn't really attempted more than two or three recipes in this book. Until now, where I will attempt to work my way through the entire list of recipes. Idea taken from the movie 'Julie & Julia'.

ready to take on 2010

After watching 'Julie & Julia' on dvd a few weeks ago I was reminded of my own blog, all forlorn and forgotten. I realised a lot had changed since I last posted, and so will give a brief summary:

In mid-October: I was made redundant just before completing a full year.
As shocked as I was I had also expected this to occur in the near future, but didn't think it would for another few months. At the same I was glad and at peace about finishing up working there as I had started to resent accepting the role despite the gut feeling I had during the interview for the role, the gut feeling telling me that this was not the right place for me. Despite all, I learned a lot of life skills being there and so was excited for whatever was coming ahead in life.

About one week later: I discovered I was pregnant.
I was a month overdue and had been having horrible cramps constantly for a week straight. I was worried that this was due to a cyst that had previously been found in my left ovary, and I was scheduled to have key-hole surgery in January to remove and test it for cancer. So the morning after a week of cramps and worry I went to the doctor to have a blood test done. That afternoon hubby and I went to get the results to find out if it gave an indication of what might be causing the pain. What I'll never forget is the feeling of being told we were going to have a baby. It was complete and pure joy, the same feeling I had felt on our wedding day upon being told Adam and I were husband and wife. We had previously been told that it was highly unlikely that I would fall pregnant as the cyst present in one of the ovaries would prevent it from producing eggs. So this is our miracle baby.

Since then: I am growing and maturing.
I am enjoying the crazy journey of pregnancy with the support for family and friends, and am excited to meet our little bub. I am learning how to be a better wife-lover-friend to my husband and be less selfish, and desire that my heart will expand to embrace those around me so that I may love others better. I am praying that I will be a loving, nurturing mother. I am learning to take better care of our bedroom home and am looking forward to moving out in May, to make that house a home that is welcoming to all who step in, and to finally play with all the wedding gifts we've got as they have all been stored away till we move. Most of all, I am trusting that Jesus' love will always be at the core of all that I do, that I the way I live my life and love myself and others will be in a direct response to His love for us.

not just wistful

Birds Redux, originally uploaded by Grant Hamilton.

Through my childhood I remember being asked what I'd like to be when I grow up. I'd always answer with a lie, saying I wanted to be a teacher or an artist or an archaeologist. I'd never say what I was really thinking. All I've ever wanted to be when I grow up is happy.

oopa!

Photograph from official mailing list
A few weeks ago my friend and I went to see Lisa Mitchell perform at the Wollongong Uni Bar. We'd been really looking forward to it since we hardly ever have time together with our busy lifestyles. And of course we got a little lost getting there which is half the fun!

The stage was small, like a primary school hall, and was decorated bunting, faux gum trees framing the stage and hanging lights over head. We missed the opening band, but got there in time to see Oh Mercy. What a breath of fresh air! Their sound reminded me of those old school bands that played at prom night in those corny teenage American flicks in the 50s or so (I have no clue really). Anyhow, they were amazing to listen to and I promptly bought a copy of their album once they finished their set.

Soon after Lisa came on with her band, a tall, lanky, cute and quirky bunch with goofy grins which pleasantly matched Lisa in her fashion and dancing. I hadn't yet listened to her album (finally got it in the mail yesterday) so didn't recognise all the songs, but absolutely loved the ones I did, particularly "Stevie" and "Napoleon Dreams". Her voice is cute and sweet, and her lyrics are interesting with their unconventional rhythm and flow of phrasing. And anyone that plays kazoos and harmonicas just rocks.

One thing I found quite sad though. Before singing "Coin Laundry", Lisa was talking about how she never expected the song to end up causing her physical pain as some people in the audience in past shows thought it would be funny to throw coins at her while performing. I'm sure anyone would know that, although small, it would still hurt to have a dollar coin pelted at you. Yet some girls in front of me thought had the audacity to start throwing coins anyway (you can hear Lisa asking them to stop in mid-song here at 1:24).

It's saddening to see one person disrespect another so publicly, especially when they are performing for the listening pleasure of others. I don't understand the point of these girls bothering to pay to see someone perform and then reduce them to a mere form of "entertainment" for them to mock. Only thing that comes to mind is the old tall poppy syndrome. Just sad.

hoplessly devoted

Zemaitis Z-JHW



Epiphone PR5-E




Gibson Hummingbird




Gibson J-200




Maton EBG808CL


So I love my guitar. It's the last one right at the end, her name is Delilah. And I've been having withdrawals lately, I just want to drive to the middle of nowhere with my guitar and notebook and Bible and just read and pray and write and think. I tell ya, there's nothing like singing your heart out by yourself in the middle of the bush!

frock and roll

I did something out of the ordinary this weekend past and spoiled myself with a pair of books. They have been on my wish list for quite some time now so it's nice to have finally gotten my paws on them.


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Beauty in Bloom is filled with the thoughts and inspirational ideas of Natalie Bloom, brainchild of Bloom Cosmetics, and is beautifully illustrated by Rebecca Wetzler. It gives a lovely glimpse into the heart and mind of the creator of such an eye-catching cosmetic range. Bloom cosmetics caught my eye before I ever started dabbling in make up, and I remember making a mental note to use it when the time was right. I was a late bloomer (no pun intended) and as such have only been using make up for approx 2-3 years, and officially started using facial mask/cleansers as of today. My face has never felt so soft!


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Like I Give A Frock has the hilarious and random fashion opinions of SBS weather girl Michi (I recommend subscribing to her mailing list), and illustrated by Kat Macleod. Oh my goodness! I've loved Kat before I ever knew who she was! I'd seen her work before as she has also illustrated the So Frenchy So Chic albums and a few Bloom face products (which I bought on the weekend and made my face feel so soft and pretty). Such a small world, so much beauty to be seen!

blood battles and dessert

My hubby and I email each other a lot throughout the work day. It's the best thing though, especially during a crappy day because he's so good at cheering me up. Yeah, we're lovesick like that.

Okay, let me explain a bit here: I'm not a big romance fan. You ask me if I've seen the latest chick flick at the movies and I'll start telling you about the last action movie I watched. I get annoyed when right after some awesome fight scene they bring in some pathetic love interest that ruins the whole plot. My idea of a good mix of action/romance? 300. Short hubby/wife action and then off to war.

Anyhow, I got this very lovely email from MR. Husband, and am very much looking forward to our date night tonight! Yes, the way to my heart IS through my stomach!

For desert my love would you prefer:

Nutella & Marshmallow Crepes
Thin traditional crepes filled with melted nutella and marshmallows, sprinkled with nuts
or....

Mars Bar Cheese Cake
Traditional baked cheesecake with a mars bar twist
or....

Nutella Pizza
Oven baked pizza topped with nutella and nuts
or....

Nutella Pancakes
Stack of pancakes topped with melted nutella and nuts

Yes, I love being married to my man!! And yes, I do love nutella. I have been known to have it not only on toast but also crepes, muffins, scones, sao biscuits, strawberries, oh the possibilities are endless!!