Reflections Along the Way

We had to make sure all traces of our games were gone before the next school day

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything - partly because we’ve been insanely busy preparing for Canaan’s arrival, and partly because there’s been nothing terribly exciting to report.  This week, however, has been quite exciting for many reasons! 

YUM!!!

First of all, my work peeps threw me a lovely shower on Wednesday of this past week.  It was actually a double shower for me and one of the Kindergarten teachers, who is due 11 days after me.  Being that its a big group of teachers, of course we had to play games! First there was “Who pooed in the diaper?,” which consisted of identifying the correct candy bar that was melted into each diaper.  Then there was a Baby Food Flavor guessing game, followed by “Pin the Sperm on the Egg,”  a PG-13 version of “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.”  Followed by some fabulous cake and gifts, it made for a really fun evening! 

The clean 5.11 streak is hanging on by a thread at 37 weeks. We had fun taking some non-climbing friends to TRC for some Saturday morning fun!

My most exciting piece of news is that I was contacted this week by Mountain-Mama  about a sponsorship!  They are a new company that will be selling outdoor technical apparel in maternity and nursing-friendly styles!  Their clothing will be available in August of 2010.  The ironic part about all of this is that I have done a lot of complaining about the lack of maternity clothing for women that do any sort of athletic endeavor besides yoga (as if cotton yoga pants could stand up to a full day of cragging…) and just got offered a fantastic hook-up with gear when I have less than three weeks to go…Oh well, I’m just excited that there is a company out there that is filling this niche, and that I get to be a part of it – plus the timing is perfect for me as far as all the nursing gear goes! 

I added some Mountain Mama flair to the Element!

I received a welcome package from them yesterday afternoon (too bad our mailman wasn’t on the ball enough to get it to our house before I left for the climbing gym yesterday morning!)  and was ecstatic to receive a long-sleeve shirt as well as a tank top from Mountain-Mama.  Both were a perfect fit, and are super duper comfy!  I would have lived in these shirts my entire pregnancy had they been available!  As it is, you can bet I’ll wear them at work at least once or twice this week!

Trying out my Mountain Mama long sleeve maternity shirt!

Well, I was psyched to test out all my new gear, and it was a beautiful afternoon, especially considering soggy start to the morning, so Steve and I decided to walk over to Lake Lynn for a nice lap around the lake.  Lots of folks were out enjoying the weather, and we even ran into two girls that we knew – we showed off my new duds, and one of the girls said, “I would have LOVED to have had stuff like that when I was pregnant!”  Score one point for Mountain-Mama!

So this next week will be my last week of work.  My replacement has been shadowing me for the past few weeks and teaching some of my classes, and will be doing pretty much all of the teaching this week, with the exception of a field trip Tuesday afternoon.  I am counting down the days, but I have mixed feelings about it.  I’m anxious to leave because that means that it’ll be time to start a new adventure, but at the same time, I will be really sad to leave my co-workers and students, since I really do enjoy my job.  It will be hard saying good-bye to folks I have worked with for years, but I can’t wait to say hello to this new little guy that is about to make an appearance!

My new Mountain Mama tank top!

So with the excitement of all this change and transition going on in my life right now, it only seems appropriate to end this post with the slogan for Mountain Mama – “Because adventure doesn’t end with pregnancy – its just the beginning.”  I can’t wait to see what God has in store for Steve, Canaan and I in the coming months, but we are definitely expecting an adventure!

My mother-in-law's fantastic brunch spread!

Steve and I headed west Friday night for the start of our fun-filled, but exhausting weekend.  On Saturday morning our parents threw us a baby shower.  There were about 50 people there and we got LOADED down with gifts!  I got to catch up with lots of folks I hadn’t seen in a long time, including my roommate from college, as well as some old family friends. 

I feel like I ate my body weight (which at this point is quite significant…)  in fruit and fondue, but had a blast!  I also had to make a wardrobe change about halfway through…because of all the people (and perhaps a few extra hormones) I got REALLY HOT and went upstairs to take my sweater off.  However, when I took it off, I discovered that my long-sleeved shirt that I had underneath had some pit sweat…Well, I couldn’t be the guest of honor with nasty armpits, so my only choice was to do a complete change into a short sleeve shirt – I figured I could get away with it since I was pregnant.   

My college roomie was in charge of writing down all the gifts for my ever-growing list of thank you notes to write...

We rounded out the weekend with our very last outdoor climbing trip before the C-Squatch arrives!  Being the first good weather weekend in who knows when, we had been quite anxious to get out - especially considering that from this point on we probably don’t want to be 2 hours away from the hospital.  Since we were in Winston-Salem anyway, it seemed a crime not to take advantage of it. 

A beautiful snowy start to the day!

But our last excursion as a twosome was not without a twist, however.  We found out that due to icy and snowy conditions, the road up to the summit was closed.  Instead we had to park at the ranger station halfway down the mountain and hike in an extra 3 miles along the Grindstone Trail, which would put us at the westernmost end of the cliff line, the opposite end of where we usually start at from the summit parking lot. 

Working thru the bouldery start on 9-Ball

We were shocked at how much snow was still on the trail!  Although the 6 mile round trip hike ended up being at least  additional 2 hours or so, it wasn’t difficult terrain, and it was beautiful with all the snow on  the ground! 

Due to our somewhat lazy start on the morning and all the extra hiking time, (plus not wanting to get back super late) we only got in 4 routes, but it was still a great day!

Last outdoor big belly shot - almost 8.5 months

Snooker – 5.9
9-Ball – 5.9 – definitely felt my extra belly weight a lot more than I had a couple of months ago when I did this route…
Hawaii Five-O 5.11a – got some new beta from some other climbers on a different way to do the start.  The new way kept my big belly out of the way a bit better than the way I had been doing it.�
Body Surfin’ – 5.7+

Steve in a snowy scene just past the ranger station

New valance and crib skirt and bumpers made my my mom!

It started snowing right as we got back from Chick-Fila on Friday night, so it seems like our timing was perfect.  We had an Open House scheduled on Saturday morning at school, but of course it was cancelled, so Steve and I had a nice day together at home.  We slept in, worked in C-squatch’s room for a little while, and then took a break and did some ear candling. 

Steve appearing a bit uncertain about his ear candling technique...

Yes, ear candling – Steve found them on Friday night at Earth Fare and figured that it would be a fun snow day activity.  (We’d done them before, but it had been years).  We watched the X-games in the afternoon, and daydreamed of future winter vacations with C-squatch!  After dinner, we settled in for a Time Warner Cable on-demand movie that night, only to find out that the system was down, and that we could not access our movie…

Sunday morning church was cancelled, so Steve and I had our own little service, and then did some more organizing (nesting…) around the house. 

Steve enjoying the Lake Lynn winter wonderland

Since it was such a beautiful day outside, we bundled up and walked up to the main road to check things out – they were HORRIBLE!!!  We continued walking down to Lake Lynn and watched the kids going crazy on the sleds. 

When we got back I decided to make a snowman while Steve took out the trash (there WAS an impromptu snowball fight at some point…I’ll admit it, I started it.), and ended up making a snow lady, complete with a 31 week baby bump. 

And since I just found out that school is cancelled for tomorrow, I guess the winter fun will still continue!!!

Comparing bumps with my snow-lady.

What are the odds that a sunny January day in the 50’s would line up with a day off???  We had no choice but to go climbing!!!  We headed west before the sun came up and met up with our friends Marc and Marie, who we met at Triangle Rock Club.  Steve had taken Marc on his first outdoor climbing excursion about a year ago at Pilot Mountain while I was rehabbing my shoulder, so it seemed only fitting that we also were there for his girlfriend Marie’s first time roping up outdoors!  We had a cold start to our day – in fact the gate to the summit at Pilot was closed due to icy conditions (?) when we first got there.  The person at the visitor’s center at first said we would have to wait “no more than two hours” (after we’d already driven for 2…) but we actually ended up only having to wait about 20 minutes. 

Marie concentrating on good footwork on the Papa Bear face

Here’s what we did:
Scarface:  5.6   We let Marie go first so she could get the “toprope onsight” and I think that really helped boost her confidence.  The temperature was rising, but the sun hadn’t come around the mountain yet so the rock was COLD!
Body Surfin’: 5.7+  One of me and Steve’s favorite warm-ups

Steve matching in the crack with the hand/foot jam!!! Here's the +3 ape index in action!

Not quite the same reach as Steve...

Since it was probably the first time in about 50 years that we had seen the 3 Bears Area not jam-packed with boy scouts (and since it was in full sun at this point), we decided to head back up there to stay warm. 

...but fortunately I've got loose, flexible hips these days to make up for the reach!

Baby Bear:  5.11a
Papa Bear:  5.10  This was by far my highlight of the day.  I looked back at my climbing log and realized that the last time I tried this route was in February of 2008.  I was really frustrated with it, and vowed that I would never try it again – it was too reachy and I was too short to make the move, my hands were too small, blah, blah blah.  Anyway, when Marc and Steve really wanted to get on it, I figured I’d just watch.  I’m 7 months pregnant, the crack in the roof was DRIPPING wet, and the last time I got on it it felt impossible – it didn’t seem like something fun for me to do.  But Steve did it, Marc did it, Marie made it up until the roof part, and the couple beside us were planning on having a go at it, and I felt left out that “everybody else was doing it.”  So I told Steve that I would give it one half-hearted try, but that “when” I fell at the roof, I wasn’t going to do any sort of shenanigans to try and get back on.  And lo and behold, I got it clean!!!  My fist jam and armbar felt really solid even though everything was wet, and evidently I had just enough core strength left at this point to keep myself from swinging way out when I released the jam.  YAY!!!
Mama Bear:  5.10d   I bailed at the roof.  My big ole belly was not liking any of those moves. 

Marc finessing his way up Overhanging Hangover - a stellar performance!

Overhanging Hangover:  5.11b   Oh, what a relationship I have with this route!!!  I have probably whipped off of this route more than any other route I have ever done (and if you’re familiar with the route, you know the spot!).   I have literally stayed awake rehearsing the crux sequence in my head, fallen asleep, and dreamed about this route, move for move.   I have analyzed my beta in detail (changing it several times) until I finally was able to pull everything together and get the redpoint in November of 2008.  I’m not sure why I feel such a tie to this route – its certainly not the hardest route I’ve ever done, nor is it the most enjoyable.  It’s not at my favorite crag, it doesn’t even have a serene wilderness view at the top!  But for whatever reason, I guess b/c its local and it’s always open to get on, I think I’ve put more effort into this route than any other.  So of course it only seemed fitting that at some point in my pregnancy I would have to get on this route!  Marc put it up for us in great style, and since I was on the safety of a toprope this time, I decided to try a slightly different line than what I usually do on the lower portion of the route.  I had to hang and rest twice (I knew there was no way I could get it clean dragging up the C-Squatch along with me!) but I had a blast on it, and was really proud of myself for finishing the route!

Trying to keep my belly close to the wall on the undercling traverse of Overhanging Hangover

By far, however, the funniest part of the day happened in the car on the way home.  The 4 of us are riding in the Element on I-40, minding our own business, when a car pulls up beside us.  Steve looked over at the car, and the driver had a huge smile on his face.  We thought that was a little weird, but he kept looking, so Steve kinda gave him a nod, and the guy proceeded to reach into his front seat and lift up a QUART SIZE ziploc baggie of weed…he then pulled in front of us, put his flashers on, and got off at the next exit.  Considering that the amount in his bag was obviously more than just for personal use, we can only assume he wanted us to follow him off the highway to play let’s make a deal…

Steve working up the face on Overhanging Hangover

All in all it was a great day!  For me it was a little unexpected – things I thought I would not be able to do at 7 months pregnant – like the Papa Bear roof, and the Overhanging Hangover crux - went down pretty easily.  However, other things that I had expected to feel a little easier took a lot out of me - I was really pumped after Baby Bear, and hadn’t expected to get shut down on the Mama Bear roof.  (And I also didn’t expect to be offered drugs in the middle of the freeway…)

It felt great to get outside and enjoy our day off from work in God’s creation.  The last few times we’ve gone climbing outdoors I keep thinking to myself – “This may be the last time before the baby’s born…”  I think that’s part of why I’m having so much fun, realizing that I have been blessed with a (so far) uncomplicated pregnancy that has allowed me to continue to stay active and to do the things I love!  People keep asking me when I’m gonna stop climbing, and I usually say that I’ll stop when its not fun anymore.  I expect that things will get really uncomfortable at some point when I get huge, but so far, so good.  I’ll enjoy everything I can get until that time comes!

Me, C-Squatch, and the Big Blue Seatbelt

I had intended for this to be a Highlight Reel of sorts, but realized that some events had a ridiculous amount of pictures, whereas other important events had come and gone without ever taking the camera out…so I guess you could say its MOST of 2009 in pictures…

Snow days in January!

In February we discovered that we had two possum friends living under our porch - Pedro and Priscilla

Crazy Hair Day AND St. Patrick's Day all wrapped into one during School Spirit Week

First time climbing at Hawksbill Mountain, Western NC in early May

We had a great time at the New River Rendezvous Climber's Festival in mid-May - and even got to take a clinic with pro-climber Lisa Rands!

Memorial Day weekend trip to Seneca Rocks

Lots of climbing trips to the New River Gorge in West Virginia

Lineberry family trip to Yellowstone in June

Fantastic Utah Climbing trip with Norbert and Manuela, end of June

Ending our Utah trip with a ride to the emergency room...

First time bouldering at the Dixon School Rd Boulders in Gastonia, NC, early July

Father/Daughter biking and camping trip to Galax, VA in July

J-bean's first photos at 6 weeks pregnant in early August!

Labor Day climbing trip to the Red River Gorge, KY in September

We made it down to the Linville Gorge one last time before I got too preggo to hike into the gorge in early October

Our 18 week anatomy scan was in late October - that's when we found out our little jellybean was blue!

Taking advantage of Steve's work trip to Vegas with a climbing weekend in Red Rock Canyon, NV at the end of October

Day after Thanksgiving sales got us our 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid!

2 day climbing trip to Sandrock, AL before the holidays

Christmas with the Lineberry's in Atlanta