One Blesed Woman... 2009 in review

... yeah that's me!

As I sit here, with a baby in my lap on the verge of screaming, and reflect back on this year I have to say that it has had it's ups and downs, but I am a very blessed woman.

We started out the year remembering what would have been... January would have been when Corine would have been born...
Also in January I found myself looking at bridesmaid dresses, as I had been asked by my cousin, Rachel, to be in her wedding in September. And my Pop-pop celebrated 88 years of life!

In February I found that I was pregnant again and was so excited only to loose the pregnancy two short weeks later (though the doctors said it was over sooner).

In March I found that I was pregnant again... both of these were totally unexpected, but this time the doctors were being very gracious and making sure they could do everything to reassure me that this one would go smoothly. So, now I was looking at different bridesmaid dresses :)

March was also when my oldest baby turned five years old. I still can't believe it, it was just the blink of an eye ago that I was holding her petite little 5lb 12oz body...

April and May was the end of preschool for Faith and we geared up for the somewhat busy summer. We also, through much prayer and discussion, decided that the church that we were attending was not where God wanted us, so we 'moved' churches during this time... I think it was a good move.

June/July was busy with trips and ultrasounds and VBS... I got to hear Beth Moore speak in Pittsburgh and I got to go see my cousin in CT for her bridal shower (you can read the post titled "Where did June Go") for all the stories

August/ September was interesting to say the least. I received my bridesmaid dress with only 10 days to spare and decided that it was a really good thing that I had decided to hem the thing myself! With an enormous amount of help of my good friend, Jenn, it was done with time to spare (barely). and we headed to CT. What a weekend that was (see post titled "A long and overdue update"!!

In October we celebrated Megan turning four... where has the time gone? again if you want to read about it, see "A long and overdue update" Then in Novemebr Megan started school. Yepee!!

December was a waiting game.... wait for contractions, weekly Dr apts, more contractions, SOMETHING to happen. Well it did the evening of the 6th/7th right before they scheduled me for induction... that tale is HERE, she was a star at five days old, and now at three weeks is doing great... except that we think she may have reflux problems like her bis sister megan and her daddy. Daddy is such a big help, and I couldn't make it through many of my days without him. I could not ask for a better guy!!

I have to say though that some of the best parts of this year, besides the birth of Holly... was first, Faith asking Jesus into her heart on Nov 29!!!!!!!! And then... Megan asking Jesus into her heart on Dec 23!!!!! How awesome to have them have done that within weeks of eachother. My heart was absoultly bursting with joy!

But now I need to go feed the little bundle of joy...

So yes! I am one very blessed woman!! Happy New Year everyone, may 2010 bring just as many blessings and good times.

Wordless Wednesday

Faith holding Holly

Megan holding Holly

Our little Christmas gift

Laugh of the day...

We saw this today at ... well you should know .... and I just HAD to laugh!!

... so how much are you really saving!?!

and a cute one of the newest...

A Rising Star

Saturday Morning we picked up Grandmum from the train station. Yea for Grandmum! The plan for that day was to let her rest up some and then we were to go the Christmas musical at church -- Two From Galilee. A synopsis: This musical is an interpretation of the love between Mary and Joseph--their life, love and conflict. Ensnared in family conflicts, a hostile world and by an awesome responsibility, they fight for their one true love and to fulfill their dreams. But trust is shaken and love questioned, revealing a family's shame and a husband's doubt until the couple realizes that it is not all about finding true love but about life's purpose and calling.



That afternoon we got a call from a gal at church. It was one of the cast members from the musical -- Mary to be exact. She starts out by saying that I can say no if I want to, so I have to laugh. She then goes on to say that the little boy they had used for Jesus (and another baby part) had gotten sick and couldn't continue his role. She was wondering if we would be willing to let them use Holly for the part(s)!

Well the plan was to go see the musical that night anyway...

So I said yes... how could a proud mommy resist? She reassured me that the blankets were being washed and that only three people would be holding her, and that they would be using hand sanitizer. I was very reassured! ... and this is my third child, I'm a bit more relaxed about some things.

We got to church later then I had wanted... her next feeding time was due to be right at the start of the musical... when they needed a baby, so I had wanted to feed her before they started. Well, we tried to feed her... she decided that a snack was all she wanted.

She was needed for most of the first act, and I had decided to stay back stage with her (which means that I need to get a hold of the video at some point). Holly slept like ... like a baby... only it more like she was in a coma HAHA. Since she had only snacked before her big debut, my chest (her source of food) felt like it was going to absolutely explode.

During intermission, I recruited Steve to the back of the auditorium to help me to get Holly to latch and eat. She finally did, and I am sure that we both felt better.

I knew the cue to take Holly back to the back stage so that she would 'enter' at the right time, and I knew that it was going to be soon... I may not have seen the musical, but I have read the account :) Then I hear it, the sound from Holly that says 'change me NOW'... I didn't really have time, but I thought I would try. So I run up to where Steve, Susan and the girls are sitting and grab a diaper and the wipes and start heading out the auditorium. That's when I hear it, my cue to go backstage... I wonder if I have time to change her...

When I got back there, the 'stage hand' says I have a min or two before Jesus is born. I actually contemplate changing her diaper before she has to be on stage... then I realize that she usually screams like a banshee whenever her diaper is changed (bum is warm, wipes are cold...). So I opt to not change the girl, but boy does it smell (not too badly, breastmilk poopies don't stink badly). SO the hand off is complete, and since she will be on stage through to the end, I head back to 'my' seat.

So there you have it! At all of five days old Holly made her stage debut as Jesus.

.... and when all was said and done, I changed the little comatose girl's diaper... she didn't even wake up :)

Announcing... Holly Ruth!

Sunday evening (Dec 6th) I got a call from the hospital telling me that they've had an induction spot open up for the next day and I should be there between 6-7am Monday. (They told me at the Dr's the previous Thursday that they would do that if something opened up before my next apt Mon at 10am). So I was set to go in Monday morning

About 12:30 or so that night (after midnight) I felt the baby move a bit funny like and didn't think much of it. About 1/2 an hour later I went to the restroom and my undies were more wet then they should have been and I started feeling some intense contractions. We called the Dr back up and call the baby sitter for the girls and in we went to the hospital.

We got there about 2am and they checked me and said that I was 6-7 cm dilated ...and that my membranes were bulging. That meant that if my water did break, like I think it did, that it was a high leak and would have been too much to worry about. So we sat there being monitored for about 1-1.5 hours. The Dr came back in and offered me some pain meds and to break my water (again). I decided on the pain meds and to wait on breaking the water. A little while later, he came back and said that maybe we should break my water... well I agreed and then as the doctor was getting ready to do that (according to Steve) at that moment the monitors "blurped" and we heard a pop and there was a GUSH! No need for Dr intervention there!! But.... there is meconium, so we have to take some extra precautions during delivery. So now the Dr is busy getting things ready for birth. All of a sudden I HAVE to push!!! but the Dr isn't ready and is trying to tell me to wait... emphasis on the TRY, I am! This is when the nurse looks over and says we have a head!! At this point the Dr doesn't even have his gloves on, and is telling me... begging me not to push! So as quick as he can, he gets ready, suctions out what they can and gives me permission to push. One or two pushes later we have a baby at 4:52am! Talk about quick!

After all that The Dr saw that I tore pretty badly (3rd degree with 4th being the worst -- because of Holly's very quick entrance), so we spent the next hour or so stitching me up. The Special "magic" lights refused to focus like they were supposed to, and the doctor finally asked for a snake light, when that got there the bulb was very dim and so in the end, with lots of morphine involved (yuck)... he tried to stitch it all with what faulty lighting we did have (partly by having the nurses and my Hubby moving the bed all over the room to get it into the lights as best they could.)... now we are all hoping that he could see what he needed to and that he got everything.

Pictures aren't working :( ... maybe later... or go here

Being induced...

Just a quick update to let anyone who might be reading this know... I am being induced in the morning (Monday, 10am EST). They decided to go ahead and induce me 'early' (we are only 39+weeks) because my measurement from the pubic bone to the top of the uterus is measuring 41 weeks and I was 4cm dilated and 95% effaced (thinned out) on Thursday. I will give an update on here once we are home, but I will probably get Steve to update FB before then.

A long and overdue update

So I’ve been told that I need to update this thing. And I have said it myself, that it has been way too long since I posted anything… so in an attempt to bring this up to date I will run though what has happened since Aug...

******************************************************

In September all four of us (plus the one in the belly) ventured to the state of Connecticut once again for my cousin Rachel’s wedding. The event was fabulous! The girls LOVED being flower girls and I have to admit I didn’t look too different from the rest of the bridesmaids... save for the huge belly. You can view some of our pictures form that weekend HERE. The first ones are from the aquarium that is close to where the wedding was (Mystic).

The most adventurous part of the whole weekend, though, was NOT wedding related. We had just checked into our hotel and I had decided that I was hungry and wanted to find food... and there was a little issue of we still needed to get the happy couple a gift (oops). So we ventured to a nearby mall. As I was trying to pull into a parking spot, we heard an ominous CrUnCh! Upon investigation, we saw that our front driver side tire was perpendicular to the rest of the van. After many tears and phone calls and some time in the food court and some incredible acts of God (no lie – too many to list, but some include: my aunts AAA covering the tow, and the security guard being incredibly helpful and offering more help), the van was towed to the opposite side of the mall where there was a SEARS auto center. So after spending the next day (Saturday) squished into the rental car of the Maid of Honor (she definitely earned her title...), finding out what we had broken (at this moment I can’t recall...), and paying WAY too much for it, we got our van back :) and it seems to be working fine now.

*********************************************************

Also in September, Faith Started Kindergarten...

Mom sent the outfits for the girls, they looked cute wearing the same thing :)

... and we went to the baby shower of a friend that I used to work with at the restaurant...

Lark, Shiela (pregnant with Marissa), me (about 27 weeks)

**********************************************************

In October we celebrated Megan turning four! I still can’t believe that she is that old. Grandpa came to visit and she had a very quaint (just the five of us) “party” at Friendly’s (one of our favorite restaurants! ... and I may have a job there when I am ready to go back to work LOL). Here are a few pictures from that.

*********************************************************

There was “trunk-or-Treat” at church, the day after Megan’s birthday. I had never experienced anything like this, but it was a lot of fun and the girls are still working on candy from the event. If you’ve never heard of such a thing... what it is, is people from the church take their vehicles (at the church) and decorate them with a theme and hand out candy from their car. So all we had to do was walk around the church parking lot like we were trick-or-treating. Like I said, lots of fun... here are a few pictures of some of the vehicles:

nativity scene

"I Love Lucy" doing Vitametavegimin :) (One of my fav's)

Mater (from the movie 'Cars') - this was one of my favorite cars

the big fish from the account of Jonah :)

*********************************************************

In November, (or slightly before) we started getting calls from the preschool that Faith went to (Head Start) that we thought Megan was going to just go to next year... Well a state budget finally passed (one of the reasons she wouldn’t have gone this year) and because most of the already four year olds had found a different preschool to attend, there was room for Megan. So In Nov, she started preschool!

Some pictures from her first day:

I did not realize till just now that she wore the same thing on the first day of Faith's school...

With Miss Dale during school

outside on the playground.

********************************************************

Over the last few months I have done some sewing beyond baby doll clothing, so here are some of my recent creations

a shirt for me (non maternity pattern, but it fits right now :))

A dress for Megan's birthday

Christmas gift for Steve's cousin

I have a few more things in the works, I just have to actually pull out the sewing machine and put it away every time I want to sew now, because where I had the machine before was where we needed to put the Christmas tree. I will gladly move stuff for that. I love our tree


...and we even have one outside with a small train village

*******************************************************

On the baby front...

I have reached 38 weeks plus... I am VERY uncomfortable! This is the longest I have ever been pregnant for... it is also the first time we have made it to the month I am due in (Faith was due in April born in March and Megan was due in Nov born in Oct)

My last couple of OB appointments have proved to be very interesting. At my 36 week apt (35w6d) they did the group B strep test that is done every pregnancy. It came back negative :). And they checked me and I was 2-3 cm dilated already. The next week’s apt I was at still at 3cm 80% effaced. At my 38 week apt I was at 4cm. With Megan, at 38 weeks I was 6cm before I knew anything, and wasn’t feeling any contractions (in AZ they went ahead and induced me then). This OB has said that they don’t do anything to speed labor along till 39 weeks (I think that wold be this next apt tomorrow at 38w5d), but I am becoming very impatient. I can feel a few contractions, but I have a high pain threshold and only feel them when they are strong (they are not very painful yet though).

I did wake up this morning to what felt like menstrual cramp pain, but it was continuous and didn’t correlate to any of the contractions that I was feeling... I thought I was going to be calling the OB, but the contrax have fizzled out and I am just feeling a dull pain now... hopefully something happens really soon. Another apt is scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday).

Here are a few of may last belly pictures:

30 weeks

33 weeks

34 weeks

36 weeks

I am hoping my last one... 38 weeks

22 weeks and counting...

How far along? 22weeks 1day

Total weight gain/loss: up about 15 lbs so far, as per the home scale at night

Maternity clothes? No change.. except that I went and bought a pair of sleep shorts that are WAY to big, but feel SO nice

Stretch marks? I think a few more have popped up and the ones I have are ‘growing’, but still applying lotion as often as I can remember with the “Palmer’s” stuff

Sleep: restless.. and I still have had a couple of days where my RLS has acted up and that keeps me awake

Best moment this week: Hearing the heartbeat again :) and getting a prescription (yep a prescription, so it’s covered by the insurance) for a prenatal cradle.. Oh, I am anticipating the relief!

Movement: It’s a rare day that I don’t feel her move now! The days that I don’t seem to be the days I am more active (like while at work)

Food cravings: Just about anything you mention! It all sounds good! I have noticed though that cheese is really good and green beans are really good.. things that I can’t get too much of (at least they are not junk)

Any mood swings? My temper fuse is really short these days.. according to some other pregnant women I have talked to, this is normal.. not something I remember form Faith and Megan though

Labor Signs: None yet! Thank the LORD!

Belly Button in or out? In, so far :) is has gotten tighter though, I have noticed that I can’t see inside it as much as before LOL

Wedding rings on or off? No change..

What I miss: Bras that fit!

What I am looking forward to: (not pg related..) looking forward to getting my Bridesmaid dress so that I can figure out how it get it the right length.. that should be this week..

Bought anything for baby? In the last couple of weeks I bought fabric to go with the afore mentioned Boppy cover and the fabric will work for another pattern for baby items.. We are thinking of registering soon for a few things that we don’t have..

Weekly Wisdom: pregnant women get tired easily.. my feet still hurt from my six hour shift at work yesterday

Milestones:Her lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and she's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath her gums. Her eyes have formed, but her irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her body and the deep wrinkles on her skin, which she'll sport until she adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside her belly, her pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

My belly at 21 weeks, taken last week

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week. This week she did something a bit different and did "Not my child..." but me, well...

I have not been working on this post for a couple of weeks. LOL Nope I am better at keeping up with my posts then that!

I did not get rather upset with my younger potty trained child when she had many accidents in a row recently. I also did not generally ignore the child when said event happened. Nope, I am better then that I don't get upset at my children and wouldn't ignore such behavior.

I did not get so emotional (thinking irrational thoughts) over an email I received a couple weeks back. Nope, I keep my composure at all times :)

I did not take two hours to clean out the inside of the van (for the trip to CT), making sure that the dash was all dusted, the floor was vacuumed, and the car seats moved and cleaned. Generally lifting way too much and working way too hard for someone in my condition, haha. Nope I spent all day on the couch instead.

I did not laugh hysterically when my five year came up to us with an empty shortbread cookie tin and asked if we wanted a "Charmin made cookie." UUUMMMM, no thanks

I did not laugh hysterically when my three year old, instead of singing "Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily life is but a dream." she sang "... life is about a but." Nope I kept my composure... not that my child would say such things :)

I did not have an absolute wonderful time in CT!!

19 weeks and counting

How far along? 19weeks 1day

Total weight gain/loss: up about 12 lbs so far, as per the home, scale at night

Maternity clothes? No change..

Stretch marks? Only the ones from Faith and Megan yet.. but I have begun to lotion as often as I can remember with the “Palmer’s” stuff

Sleep: OK this week.. I have had a couple of days where my RLS has acted up and that keeps m awake

Best moment this week: Seeing the little one on the ultrasound (pictures below)

Movement: about 5 out of 7 days total. It’s so neat feeling, barely there, but definitely baby!

Food cravings: Just about anything you mention! It all sounds good! I have noticed, though, that cheese is really good and green beans are really good.. things that I can’t get too much of (at least they are not junk :))

Any mood swings? My temper fuse is really short these days.. according to some other pregnant women I have talked to, this is normal.. not something I remember form Faith and Megan though

Labor Signs: None yet! Thank the LORD!

Belly Button in or out? In, so far :) is has gotten tighter though, I have noticed (looking in the mirror) that I can’t see inside it as much as before LOL

Wedding rings on or off? No change..

What I miss: Bras that fit!

What I am looking forward to: (not pg related..) the MOPS steering team mtg this week, and the visit from the nurse through the maternity program at the OB I see. I will see her one or two more times before the baby is born and about 6 times after the baby is born. She will check the baby’s weight and make sure that baby is eating all right, things like that

Bought anything for baby? Pattern for a Boppy cover...

Weekly Wisdom: IDK...

Milestones: She can grasp this week. Research suggests that she may be able to hear voices now (she'll definitely know who her sister's are). Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

Prayer Requests: energy, and less of a temper...

Some pictures (if you click on them, they will go full sized):

Yep!! It's ANOTHER girl... poor Steve

A profile view, with her arm/hand up by her face :)

A view of her feet

As of our ultrasound this week, she weighed about 9oz. Her placenta is right in the front of my belly (which means that feeling her is going to take longer and not be as hard (on the outside))... however I have felt her from the inside kicking my stomach... Everything looks good and she looks to be healthy, which is such a blessing!

Trip to Connecticut

I'd love to wait to post this til I get some of the pictures from this weekend, but if I don't at least write about it now, it will be lost to the quickly shrinking brain cells that hang out in this pregnant woman's head.

SO Friday morning bright and early... aka 9AM... Faith, Meg and I set out in the van for the state of Connecticut. Two pit stops (one of which was the Blue Colony Diner - a frequent stop/pick-up drop-off place for us when we were kids... what memories it brought back!), lunch and nine hours later we arrived at Aunt Marge and Uncle Barts house (which is an awesome house! and a different paragraph). Aunt Marge was there and helped up get our things unloaded from the van ....and introduced us to Mayzie, the puppy who has never seen little kids, was super bouncy because of this, and is wearing a 'cone of shame' (due to a scratched eye ball) LOL. We then went to dinner with Aunt Marge... the first place that she wanted to go to was 'closed' for a couple of weeks, so we went somewhere else, it was yum! Faith and Megan wanted to sit outside, until they realized that we weren't going to be under an umbrella AND it was a bit breezy, so we moved inside.

We were put-up (so to speak) in the basement apartment of their house. The girls just LOVED this little apartment in the back of the basement. It has a little 'living room' a separate bed room and a separate bathroom, with a kitchenette off the of the living room. It is rather cool! I had the girls sleep in the bedroom in the single bed together, so that I could close the door for them. Turns out that I should have slept in that room instead.. We had to keep their door open a crack (read: a foot) and the bathroom light on all night with that door open a crack, just so that these girls who are used to what I call 'the light of day night light' could sleep. I am so thankful that I brought my sleep mask!

The rest of the house is amazing! I don't know if I could do it justice trying to describe it.. a formal living room, kitchen with an island, dining room, family room, bathroom, and sewing room on the main floor... two bedrooms and a master bedroom with a bathroom (that's accessible from the hall as well) upstairs... in the basement, besides the mini apartment there is Uncle Bart's 'office.' I think what I love most about their house, though, is the garden! They have a HUGE yard that looks to be GREAT for any sort of garden.. the downfall they found shortly after moving there, is that the soil, really isn't... it's all rocky. So... the solution?... POTS, huge pots! Their garden is full of potted plants. It's great! I think I have a picture, and when I get them developed, I'll add them...

Friday night, Uncle Bart set up a 'firework' show for us. This is the point where I wish I had my camera back form Canon! In CT fireworks are legal, IF they are what are called 'sparklers,' Much like what you can hold in your hand, but crowd sized... aka stand back! They are cool, no big boom in the air, but more than hand held.

Saturday, the girls and I headed over to Rachel's house. From there we followed her to where the rest of the bridal party was being fitted for alterations with their bridesmaid dresses. All I can say is COOL! You'll have to wait till September to see what they look like, as I didn't get a picture... but I think we are going to be a nice looking group of people (yes there is one male in the bridal party, but it's Rach's second dad, so it's all good... unfortunately he wasn't there). As a side note... MY dress wont be in till early Aug.. it's a good thing I am doing my own alterations... While we were there, Rach measured the girls' heads for wreath type things for the wedding... Faith has a head that is slightly less then 20" around... while Megan has a head that is 20 1/2" inches around... go figure :) we though it was funny.

After the fittings, we all headed over to AM/UB's (that's Aunt Marge's and Uncle Bart's) for lunch and to get ready for the Bridal Shower (the whole reason we went to CT). The Shower was a lot of fun! The girls go to be big helpers and give the gifts to Rach. I 'got' to create the bouquet of bows that Rach will use during the rehearsal. It was fun (I think I even have a picture...). After the party wound down and all the people (most of whom I hadn't met before Sat) left, Faith wanted to go for a walk... so Aunt Marge hooked Mayzie to her leash, took off the cone, and we all headed out for a walk around the neighborhood... about 1 mile... I carried Megan a little as it was partly up hill (I know I shouldn't have, but I was sick of hearing her whining about walking... and besides her little legs can't go very fast). After our walk, we had dinner while watching "Robots," the girls LOVE that movie, and yet it's one we DON'T own (surprising, if you've ever seen our collection). Megan had an absolute breakdown when the movie ended, and didn't really want to go to bed... or do anything... she was just SO tired!

Sunday morning, we got a much later start then we did on Friday, but it was OK. We ate breakfast, and I let the girls have a last 'run' (throwing the ball to her) with Mayzie (they grew to be fairly comfortable with her, so long as Mayzie was held by an adult, or in her cage (aka bedroom)), because I knew that we'd be driving again all day. So another two pit-stops, lunch and nine hours later we came home to hot pizza, and a cool 'welcome home' sign made by Steve (it was the same sign I came home to after LPL that he made with the girls, but he added Faith and Megan's names). He even brought everything in from the van for us (isn't he awesome!!?)!

When I get the pictures developed off the disposable film camera, I will be defiantly adding them to this post, so stay tuned!

As a side note to all this... I did have a Dr apt on Thursday. It was a super quick one... weight, blood pressure, telling me to stop often while driving and listen to the heart beat, which was in the 140's again... AND scheduling of the BIG anatomy scan, when they measure all the baby's body parts and look to see if we can tell gender. ONE WEEK is all we have/had to wait (It's Thursday the 16th... tomorrow)!! Whoo hoo! I also went ahead and did the AFP blood test ( it 'helps the doctor estimate the chance that the baby may have certain problems or birth defects.')... and a test for Cystic Fibrosis... hey I was there... Other then that, no real changes here on the pregancy front.

17 weeks and counting

So here's a sort of weekly survey that I found (and altered a bit) to let everyone know what going on this past week in this pregnancy :)

How far along? 17weeks 2days

Total weight gain/loss: up about 7 lbs so far (though I think the Dr’s scale weighs heaver then my scale at home

Maternity clothes? Most of the time now... I do wear an occasional T-shirt if I’m not in a mood for preggo fashion. I’ve been in maternity pants since about 10 weeks. I can still wear somewhat normal PJ’s as most of them have elastic waistbands

Stretch marks? Only the ones from Faith and Megan yet...

Sleep: Good this week.. I had better knock on some wood, as they could take a turn for the not so good again any time. I have been having a glass of milk or hot coca (I know it’s summer, but it’s good) at bedtime which seems to help

Best moment this week: Watching fireworks at Lakemont with Steve and the girls and feeling the baby move while watching them.

Movement: about 5 out of 7 days total. It’s so neat feeling, barely there, but definitely baby!

Food cravings: Just about anything you mention! It all sounds good!

Any mood swings? Oh my goodness, I’ve had a couple of doozies of days this week. Total bad moods all day. Not good when I am supposed to be a happy smiley person at work!

Labor Signs: None yet! Thank the LORD!

Belly Button in or out? In, so far :) But it never did ‘pop’ out with either one of the girls

Wedding rings on or off? Still on for the most part, I think I have taken them off to sleep once so far, but it was a really hot night

What I miss: when Steve makes chili dogs, he will usually give me one :) Now he wont :(

What I am looking forward to: Appointment this week YEA! And hearing the heartbeat.. AND traveling to Rachel’s bridal shower (and no work). I am super excited to go!

Bought anything for baby? I actually bought a Boppy off of CraigsList this week... It’s blue, I’m hoping that I don’t have to make a pink cover :)

Weekly Wisdom: *warning* this is going to be a bit of a rant about my day at work yesterday (Sat)* When a pregnant woman has been standing since 9:30, in a bad mood, holding pee since about 12:30, and is jealous that everyone else got to go home early DON’T make her stay till 4:30, after she was supposed to get off at 4:00 and make her do “just one more thing” OH I WAS SO MAD!

Milestones: From Baby Center: Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — his/her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and s/he's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. S/he can move her joints, and his/her sweat glands are starting to develop. AND according to Just Mommies: Fine hair called lanugo is starting to appear, and baby's fingerprints and toeprints are forming.

Prayer requests: If you feel so inclined to pray for us, I am going to let you in on concerns for us this week:
appointment this week, that things continue to look good;
travel mercies, that sitting that long doesn't create many problems... a few weeks back when we went to Pittsburgh, evidently I came home with a pinched nerve (all better now, but...);
good sleep

Where did June go?

I am long overdue for a new post, so this is going to have a lot in it catching up so to speak. Maybe I’ll have to start updating on the week of pregnancy that I am in, just to get something on here more than once a month.. that’s a good idea!

First, I read this post this morning and couldn’t agree more with what MckMama says. I am sure that we’d have an odd sort of friendship, if we knew each other in real life. HAHA

So I had to retrieve pictures off my camera recently, so that we could send it.. once again.. to Canon. (A little back-story) This would be the third time in a little more than two years that we would have sent this camera to Canon for the SAME problem.. Only this time we are sending it to a customer relation’s person, and she is going to REPLACE it. YEPEE!

All that to say that as I was getting pictures off the camera, I realized that I need to get them up here.

So... The second week in June brought VBS. Unfortunately for Megan she was too young (by one year), but Faith had an absolute fabulous time so here are a few pictures.

And if you would like to hear some of the songs from VBS, like the Theme Song, and Faith's favorites, I'm Gonna Follow and Working on my Serve


At the end of that week, I went with a few (60-70) other women from church to Pittsburgh to see this woman at Living Proof Live!
Oh my, what a FABULOUS time with God it was! There was a first for the LPL family, see. And even Beth said it was a good weekend. I could go on and on about what Beth Talked about (the ‘perfect storm’ –not the movie, but it was referenced, but overcoming the storms in our lives) or how it spoke straight to my heart, but that was supposed to be another post. Oh well!

And the music was just awesome!!

So what do you do after having such a great time listening to God speak through one of your favorite Bible Study writers? Well I had an ultrasound! This is the ‘extra’ one I had asked for, and was SO happy to be able to get it. The technician that did the U/S was very nice and reassuring that this baby looks great and doesn’t look to have any problems. YEPEE!

I also decided to take a picture of my ever-expanding tummy.
This is the same point where I took the picture last Aug before Corine miscarried. I look just about as big. 15 weeks and counting :)

After that was Father’s Day. I had in the back of my mind to get a particular gift for Steve for a few months. When we finally did get the gift, I had to hide it so that the surprise was not spoiled. In hiding the gift I forgot about having to wrap it, so early that Sunday morning the girls and I quickly wrapped the gift and signed cards. We finished only shortly before Steve woke up, then we had to get ready to get to church.


Here is the gift, a grill! Smaller then the one we had before, but since that one is still in AZ (with hopes to retrieve it someday) I thought we could use something besides George Foreman. It’s an OK appliance, but just doesn’t give that same taste. Steve is happy with the new grill, and we have grilled quite a few times, and it has been wonderful!

Faith being silly with the box for the grill, while Daddy puts it together.

I got this picture the other day from Brooke

As Beck said, “Isn’t he so cute?!” Nancy should be in Uganda right now, and I am just thrilled that she could go see Landon, and Brooke and Wills.

Speaking of Brooke and Wills, in a round about way.. I think that I need to amend what I said in my previous post about Michael (my brother).. or I may have his girlfriend to deal with. LOL The thing is that we have seen Wills in real life all of one time and know what Brooke and others say about him, and he is a wonderful man! My brother lived with Steve and I for a time and this was the point in Michael’s life when he seemed to go off the deep end (from our (and other’s) perspective). Because of Michael’s actions during this time, it has taken a lot of time for our trust to be restored in the boy. We are still working on it, but I believe that my brother is growing up (finally). We do love you Michael, Morgan too. And we miss you (but not your smell – unless you have actually quit..)

I am seriously thinking of driving up to CT next weekend for my cousin’s bridal shower. That’s a 7 hour drive according to Google, and you would have to add time into that for eating, and for little girls and pregnant mommy’s to go potty, and it becomes an all day trip there (and back). At that point I think we would have to make a couple of days out of the whole thing just so that the afore mentioned pregnant mommy doesn’t pinch another nerve (which is what happened after the weekend to Pittsburgh).

All I can say is where did June go?! That month went way to quickly!!