Pick of the Week: Twilight

At first glance this book is sappy, repetitive and juvenile.  By no means, is it one of the greatest pieces of literature of our time-- or any time for that matter.  However, in an age where the media portrays men as cheaters, morons, predators and leavers, it is no wonder why this book has had such intense success.  Edward does what he says he will.  He not only makes promises, but keeps them.  Edward shows up.  Every time, physically, emotionally, mentally, Edward shows up for Bella.  

Friday, Twilight, the first book in a four part series by Stephenie Meyer, will be premiering in the theaters as a movie.  The buzz on this is ridiculous, almost rivaling Harry Potter.  So as an astute participant in today's pop culture, I read the first book.  I kept asking myself,  "Why is this so popular?  It is cheesy and nothing really happens."  I kind of started to think the main character, Bella, was an idiot.  Edward, the vampire, he keeps saying, "I could eat you any minute.  Stay away from me."  And Bella's response?  "I'm in love with you.  I'll never leave you".  It took me over 250 pages to figure it out.

But then it absolutely hit me.  I was brushing this book off as cheesy, because it was actually striking something in me.  What I was reading was so personal, and intimate between the two characters, that is was like eavesdropping on someone's conversation in a restaurant, or reading somebody's journal about their love life.  The way that Stephenie Meyer writes Edward and Bella's slow, and innocently obsessed relationship, was taking me back to my 17 year old butterflies in the stomach.  Remember when you almost hyperventilated the first time your hand accidentally touched that guy's hand, who you thought was soooo hot?  Or that crazy sick feeling in your stomach when he actually held your gaze, on purpose for more than three seconds?   The anticipation, the promise, the potential of getting the attention of someone you deemed completely out of your league.... It's like that. 

The next thing I realized was, "Of course this book is doing well!  It is just a new twist on the oldest story ever told!"  The story of Edward and Bella goes right there next to Pretty Woman, She's All That, Pretty in Pink, Big and Carrie, Veronica and Logan... The list is centuries long.  This is any story where the awkward, outcast and unsuspecting girl catches the eye of the perfect, beautiful, rich guy, (who was untouchable to any other woman alive) and not in spite of her ordinary and horribly awkward self, but because of her ordinary and horribly awkward self, he falls in love with her.

Every woman wants to be perused the way Edward pursues Bella.  He is strong and beautiful, controlled and charming, and he picks her.  Out of all the women across the world in almost 100 years of his vampire life, he picks her. Then he becomes vulnerable with her and takes her on the adventure with him.

Who wouldn't want to be the object of that perfect man's affection?  For him to never take his eyes off of her even in the presence of a hot waitress at a restaurant?  Every girl wants her man to open doors and pull out chairs and deny his entire previous existence, abandoning everything he knows, the norms, and the expectations, to capture her heart and protect her from the evils of the world.  Ever girl wants a man who is insanely strong, but would never hurt her.  However, that strength would be conjured up and used at its most intense force if the object of  his affection were to be threatened.  

Edward also lays his heart bare, exposes himself emotionally and becomes vulnerable to Bella.  Edward takes Bella on the adventure into his world, never making her feel anything, but worthy of his time and attention.  He invites her in to meet his family, share his history, explains the secrets of his potentially horrifying life.  He lets Bella ask a thousand questions about him, never making her feel silly or stupid for wanting to know about him.  Edward shows all his vampire "flaws"  and then leaves the choice up to her.  Stay? Or go?  Edward takes the lead.  He puts the breaks on their physical relationship, asks to meet Bella's father, defines their relationship.  Edward isn't afraid to touch Bella, appropriately, in front of his family.  Edward is the first one to say, "I love you."

  

If that weren't enough, Edward makes Bella start to see herself.  It is a true story, the one where a girl thinks she is unworthy, and plain and boring?  Then the confident friend/lover/stranger shows them otherwise, helping the girl take part in her own story and opening her heart to the possibility that she is worthy, lovable, even precious.  

After the guy does all that would you let him go?  Even if he were a vampire?  And maybe it isn't so different from human relationships.  I mean when we, mere mortals, enter into an engagement, "Will you marry me?",  either party is actually saying, "I could eat you alive at any moment.  I will let you down and break your heart countless times for the rest of our life together."  But we hopefully are also saying, "I will love you and protect you, forsaking all others for the rest of our life together.  I will say, 'I'm sorry' and, 'I was wrong', 'will you forgive me?'  I will show up for you.  Go on this adventure with me."  

And the other says, "Yes".  

Mother's Day

It is still hard to believe that I'm somebody's "mom"! Someone entrusted me with a child? Crazy!

My family came into town for Mother's Day. We ate lunch at Jilly's Cupcake Bar, and then spent time at my Grandparents. It was a good laid back Mother's day. Tim Arie Alex and I came home at watched a movie that evening and went to bed early b/c we were too tired to do anything else.

It has been an interesting chapter entering the circle known as Mothers. Did you know there was a circle? I didn't, not really until I became a mom. I kind of got a glimps of this Motherhood tribe while I was pregnant, just a peek under the curtain, but the curtain came up after Airawen was born. Other mothers smile at us and help us with the cart at the grocery store. They give advice freely when they can tell I don't have a clue what size socks I should be buying for my baby. I get the most encouraging emails and phone calls from my friends who are moms. I joined this sisterhood without even knowing it. The initiation is kind of rough... The toll, the beat-down, the hazing all came in 12 hours of labor that ended in a c-section and going on 3 months now without getting more than 4 hours sleep at a time. The pain I still feel in my body. The payoff is everytime Arie Alex smiles at me. Everytime she nuzzles her face into my shoulder. Watching her sleep. Talking with her and having her coo and goo back in conversation. Watching Tim interact with her and joy on their faces as they get to know each other as Daddy and Daughter. Every time a mom stops us in the store and tells me how adorable my sweet daughter is. I have no problem saying, "This is hard", "I can't do this", "I am weak". But thankfully I am so far from having to do this alone, God has given me those who are stronger, wiser, more patient and graceful, to help me cut a path as a mom.

I've entered this clan of women and they have accepted me with open arms. They tell me I'm mighty and I am not alone. They ask me how I am doing, and say, "You are doing a great job!", when I feel like I'm falling apart. They are the women who also are getting no sleep, haven't showered in days, and have no idea how to make what is required of them fit all into one day. They are the same, these women, who's bodies still hurt from being a mom and who's patience dwindles from time to time. They are the moms who understand and have faired worse and better parts of being "Mom" for years longer than I.

Thank you to the mom who showed me what size socks to buy at Target. Thank you to the mom who showed me what A&D ointment was. Thanks to the mom who texted me while I was in labor. Thanks to the moms who read my blog and the moms who don't have time to read blogs. Thanks to my mom for raising me and praying for me. Thanks to the mom who raised my husband to be a loving and Godly man. Thanks to the mom's who put their wants and needs before their children's and truly know sacrificial love.

I really felt like a mom this Mother's Day. Constantly putting what I want on the back burner for the good of my baby, working until I feel that I might go crazy because I have just that much strength left. Tired, with a list of a million things to get done, but thankful that I have a reason to be tired, and in love with my husband and child. Happy late Mother's Day to all you moms out there.

HaPpY VaLeNtInE's DaY!

I woke up to the whisper of, "*Good morning. Happy Valentine's Day*" There was a beautiful man laying next to me in bed, and that beautiful man was my husband and the father of our much anticipated daughter, Arie Alex. Waiting for me in the middle of the nursery was an amazing display of roses, a bottle of non-alchoholic wine, and the most beautiful letter written in a journal that we pass back and forth to each other. I was so moved with gratitude and love over Tim's letter to me and thought, "How can I be so blessed, that God gave me the gift of Tim's love?"

And not just Tim's love, I'm blessed to be loved my many! We have amazing families and amazing friends who are good a loving us well. We are blessed by this bouquet of different types of people loving us in different ways, some of which I didn't know I wanted or needed until God put them in my life to show me His love and celebration for Tim and me.

My prayer is that your Valentine's Day, and the rest of you year, is filled with beauty and the knowledge that you are loved.

The Last of the Baby Showers

Two weeks ago we had the last of the baby showers. Our friends the Sweeney's and Warren's from church threw us a co-ed shower on a Saturday night and the next day Lori and Christine threw me a shower for Tim's whole side of the family. We were surrounded by friends and family, prayers and generosity all weekend, and got some great stuff for Arie Alex. The biggest blessing about this pregnancy has definitely been the excitement and celebration by the people in our life. We are so thankful for the love of our community and family. It gives me strength and a renewed excitement about our baby girl. It keeps my mind off the pain and fatigue, and is a constant reminder that we have amazing blessing and a life to be thankful for. Here are some of the pictures from the that great weekend. I know I probably say it a lot, but thank you, thank you, thank you for all those surrounding us and holding us up in prayer.

Stole this from Brooke...My husband

What is his name?
Timothy Richard Mohr. He goes by Tim, or I call him "Baby".

How long have you been together?
We will be married 5 years in June, and we were "together" about 9 months before we got married.

How long did you date?
Ummm... Well it is kind of tricky, but I a little under four months before we got engaged.

How old his he?
He is turning 28 in May

Who eats more?
He does. He eats hands full of things all every 10 minutes.

Who said I love you first?
I did. I'm not scared to tell the truth.

Who is taller?
He is taller, and even in heels I have to break my neck to look up at him, not b/c he is strangly tall, but b/c I'm horrifyingly short.

Who can sing better?
Tim sings very well. He sang to me when he proposed. I sing like a really bad audition on American Idol.

Who does the laundry?
Both of us pretty evenly. Although, I think Tim ends up doing most of the actual folding of the clothes.

Who pays the bills?
Tim, I haven't seen or opened a bill in 4 and a half years.

Who sleeps in the right side?
I do. Which started out so I could be closer to the bathroom in our old apartment. But in the house we live in now makes is so I have to walk around the bed and past a chair and a desk, which is super convenient since I get up every 3 hours to pee since I'm 36 weeks pregnant.

Who mows the lawn?
Tim. I really should get better at helping with the yard.

Who cooks dinner?
I do, but we both do dishes. It is one of my favorite times of day.

Who drives?
Tim does, especially on long trips, but since I've been pregnant, Tim has had a built in sober driver.

Who is more stubborn?
I would say we are equally obnoxious when it comes to who thinks they are right.

Who kissed who first?
He kissed me first, on the couch watching Moulin Rouge after we had been "dating" for almost two months.

Who asked who out first?
Tim asked me on our first official date. He took me to a few places, and had a card and a candle at to give me at each place. We had dinner at Murray’s. It was so good!

Who proposed?
He did- in front of all my friends and family at my college graduation party. Just how I like it, public displays of humility and self abandon in the name of love.

Who has more friends?
I probably due, b/c I hang on to friends from every stange of life, long distance, and local. I also due the whole Facebook and Myspace thing, that keeps me in touch with people from everywhere.

Who is more sensitive?
Tim is, especially in social situations. He is sensitive to the needs and thoughts of others, his surroundings and can put himself in other people's shoes who might be scared or uncomfortable. I'm usually looking for the food, and assume that everyone is as outgoing as I am.


Who has more siblings?
I do. I'm one of four, Tim is the baby of three.

Who wears the pants?
I hate this question. If I say him, I look weak, and if I say me, then that makes him look weak. So I would say we have a pretty good team going. I'm in charge of the things I'm good at, and he's in charge of the things he's good at. He almost always asks me my opinion and what I want to do or how I want to do things. I often have no problem stating my opinion or I give him a list of options and leave the decision up to him, b/c I like it when he takes charge. He is good at taking care of me, and I know that he always aims to make me happy and has my best interests at heart.
I love my man!