the worst news.

I really didn't want to write something like this in a Facebook note, but I figured it was the easiest way to share it with a large number of people at once.

Today I had a doctor's appointment. Robert came with me, and we were going to a new doctor, who we both really REALLY like. According to the doctor's calculations, today I am nine weeks and five days pregnant. They did the normal pregnancy exam stuff, then an ultrasound. Robert and I both were super excited about this. The thing was, the fetus was really really tiny. Like way too tiny for an almost ten-week fetus. They called the doctor in, and he zoomed in on what measured to be a six-week fetus... with no heartbeat.

So, my very worst fears were confirmed, and we had a miscarriage. We are both heartbroken, but okay, thanks to the support of family and friends. I am grateful for all of your congratulations and wishes of love and support for our little one. Love shared is the greatest gift.

Love,
Alexis and Robert

they paved paradise...

I recently reconnected with an old high school friend (Facebook is a wonderful thing) who takes these amazing photographs of abandoned buildings. His work will be on display in the new and fantastic Midtown Scholar on 3rd and Verbeke starting tomorrow and running through January 31... if you have an opportunity to see it, DO. I wrote about it in my column this week as well.

I also encourage you to take some time on his website, abandonedamerica.org - the photographs are incredible. The most recent one features photos of The Church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Philadelphia. It's absolutely breathtaking. The church was completely demolished earlier this month. Completely. As in not one brick or stone was salvaged - it all went into a landfill. There are some devastating photos of it here: http://phillychurchproject.blogspot.com/2009/11/end-has-come.html. There are dozens of photo galleries of all kinds of places - factories, churches, schools, asylums... all abandoned.

I wanted to share these images with you in the hopes that you will:
1. Visit the Midtown Scholar because it's fabulous
2. Check out Matt's exhibit because it's beautiful, sad and beautiful again
3. Take some time (when you have time - I know we're all busy people) to look at the photos on abandonedamerica.org. I am completely blown away by their beauty and the stark sadness that permeates each one - how the vines and earth grow over them, reclaiming the space, taking it back. I have always been fascinated by old places and the stories they tell and I am so proud of my old pal for "chasing the dragon" (his words) all over the country in search of these treasures, many of which were demolished not long after he visited them.

PREGS!

I am pregnant! I went to the doctor yesterday and it's official. My due date is July 10, 2010, which seems like a million years away, but I know it's going to FLY. I go for my first ultrasound on Friday... it's so so small now, so I hope they can see something. AAAAAAAAAAAA!

aaaaaaaaaaaaa

anticipation!

things i love right at this moment.

1. Lazy Saturday mornings with coffee, the cat and my husband.

2. Pumpkin anything.

3. <---This dress - you can buy it for me at modcloth.com.

4. Long, warm showers on a chilly day.

Week in review.

So, today marks the one-week anniversary of being a born-again blogger. It was a pretty good one overall, I guess.

We had a big event for work on Wednesday, which went pretty well. Most of the beginning part of the week was all about that, and the rest of the week was all about getting ready for the other million events we have coming up in the fall. Fall is crazy.

Robert and I had a fabulous weekend. Friday was great - we had dinner at Arepa City Latin Eatery in Harrisburg, just down the street from our apartment. It. Was. Delicious. I had an arepa (which is like a sandwich on a corn bun - think flat, round cornbread with less butter) with the most delectable roast pork and avocado. Fabulous. We came home and finished up season 1 of "United States of Tara," which is amazing and everyone should watch it.

On Saturday I made apple-pecan pancakes because I am obsessed with cooking food. I can't stop. We went to see Little Red Riding Hood at Popcorn Hat Players, which was one of my fave shows ever when I was a PHP-er. Then I got my hair cut and colored, which was really fun but HOLY CRAP getting your hair professionally colored is expensive. But worth it, I guess. I was really REALLY bored with my hair. I grew it super super long for the wedding, but I really needed a change. So, Matt (my hairstylist and one of my favorite people ever born WHO by the way is styling hair for THIS TV SHOW WITH CLINTON KELLY - I hope they get married) cut it to my shoulders and made it super cute. I will post a photo sometime... maybe later after I shower.

We hung out with some friends last night, played Clue DVD and watched Saturday Night Live. Good times. Made some breakfast this morning for Jeremy and Bri, and now I'm wasting time like I love to do. I plan to clean our bedroom, which is an absolute wreck, while Robert does his lesson plans.

Soooo, it was a good week. Looking forward to another good one.

My cat is annoying.

I could sleep in a little bit this morning, but I had some trouble on account of my cat being super annoying.

aaaaaaaa

I just got home from a late fundraiser, loooong day at work. I'm exhausted, but I want you all to know about this:

http://www.dickipedia.org/

I recommend spending some time on here. These are some of my faves:

Kanye West
Carlos Mencia
Jim Cramer
Heidi and Spencer
M. Night Shyamalan
Pat Robertson

There are SOOOOO many more - all very sharply written and very funny. Good niiiiiight...

Picking up where Xanga left off.

I used to blog a lot, but I stopped. I got super bored with it, Xanga got really stupid and... well, I guess that's it. And now I feel like blogging again. Not sure why, not sure if anyone will read this, but I guess I'll just go with it, and, well, blog.

I had a great weekend with my in-laws, saw an old and fabulous friend, made some carrot-and-ginger soup and slept a lot. Exactly what I needed. On the way back to Harrisburg, we stopped at Tait Farms, where I have literally wanted to stop every single time I have driven past it and never have. Today I did. Robert stayed in the car and worked on school stuff and I wandered around the rows of fresh produce and pumpkins, and the last tomatoes and sweet corn of the summer. I bought a pint of honeycrisp apples (the BEST apples ever), some sweet corn, fresh spring mix, and some butter pecan pancake mix.

It's really strange how much these things excite me. I have always loved to cook and have loved food, but I have a real passion for cooking and creating fresh, delicious meals. Maybe I'm nesting, I don't know... but when we got home tonight I spent two hours in the kitchen making food for the week: the aforementioned soup, fresh guacamole and salsa... and it was a blast. Anyway... just get ready for a bunch of yapping about cooking. And a bunch of ellipses too, I don't know what that's about.