Fancy Meeting You Here

The fact that the pictures staring back at you this holiday season (and the many months leading up to it) have been of (albeit adorable) kids frolicking in a crystal blue pool on a very warm summer (ah-hem, July) day is not (and has not been) lost on me. Rest assured that it's bothered me undoubtedly more than you (anal-much, Kara?)... even perfectionism aside, I have (had) so much to share!

Right out of the gate, let's get the 'where have you beens' out of the way. For the most part, that answer is right here... even in this very seat, though clearly not here with you. Then what could possibly have filled such a void? I'm not altogether sure what this means (it's me, not you... I assure you), but I quickly jam-packed the time I used to spend here (and admittedly reading any number of related and unrelated other blogs) without batting an eyelash. In fact, more than once I wondered how I had ever found the (embarrassingly extensive amounts of) time (and to be honest, more accurately, how you all continue to find your devoted time) to show up here. And while it's true that absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder, once I'd been gone for a while, it became harder and harder to right the ship.

Seriously, Kara? That's all you've got to say for yourself?

Not entirely... okay, not even partially. It is, and/or was, and/or will almost always forever and ever be about this...
 

Sure, aside from the initial three month-schedule of make-it-through-the-day and then rush-home-to-sleep... and repeat... we've also set foot in three (or four, depending on which one of us you ask) new countries, been busier than ever with work (not complaining, we are grateful for our jobs), nervously entered the world of photo shoots (and edited... and edited some more, said pictures), survived a sub par football season and if possible, an only occasionally more exciting Redskins season, and visited family and friends, local and distant... but when it comes down to it, everything in the past 5 months has revolved around a few black and white (sometimes cuddly cute, usually scarily skeletal-looking) images that I cling to like super-glue (that those images represent a (hopefully) tiny, little person that I'm going to have to deliver, and keep alive (!!), come early April 2011 are details I choose not to, ah-hem, dwell on, right now).

Though now that the cat is out of the bag, if you did some quick calculations, you will quickly discover I'm more than a bit tardy in my announcement (today happily marks 22-weeks and then some!).  While the first few months of silence were 100% for you (believe me when I say I had nothing of interest to utter about food, or life in general, except "I feel gross... there should be something edible in the fridge if you're hungry" or "I'm tired"), the rest was selfishly for yours truly.

And even though I'm back, I make no promises what my presence around these parts will look like. I can guarantee you a variety of whatever's on this scattered brain of mine - and it may be just that, as I've missed writing... but I'll attempt perhaps a recipe or two (though taking pictures of food is less than interesting to me these days), recaps of our travels, some thoughts about how things around here (i.e. me, probably, if I'm brave enough... and our house) are changing and probably some ramblings on what we've gotten ourselves into, surely including more than one plea for someone to reassure me (even if you have to lie) "yes, you will be able to do this thing called motherhood".

Of course we'll also show you how we're planning on turning this room... (in it's current state)

... into a home suitable for our little one, with the bonus challenge of not knowing whether April will shower us with a boy or girl. If I do say so myself, though, I think we're reconnected at just the right time in the life of this project... as decisions are (finally) being made and this momma-to-be feels like it might actually come together before our child can walk.

Without a doubt there will be pictures... of us and our families, anything we eat that I think you might have enjoyed the leftovers, our house (and any fun projects that I continue to dream of us finishing before we are otherwise occupied), other innocent people who agree to let me take their pictures, and our recent travels. Through it all, please chime in with any questions about something I gloss over in an effort not to bore you to death (as I'm aware I've done here).

Sure my friends probably haven't recognized me without a camera in hand at every meal and event we've shared recently... and it was fun while it lasted but truth be told, I missed it and couldn't be happier to be back. So there you have it... the last "too many" weeks in a (rather long) nutshell... I only wish it'd passed that quickly in real life because for a while there, I'd forgotten how nice (and productive) it is to stay up past 8pm and eat more than toast and yogurt (and the occasional potato chip) all day. If you're still here with us now... a hearty thanks and we'll see you soon!