Merry Christmas!!!

Well, I had great plans of photo greeting card this year with the pregnant belly, but we didn't get them done in time. So, I thought I would just blog it and still at least share the picture. This is the gigantic tree we bought this year... a 9 foot Colorado Pine that takes up a very large portion of our livign room. I am very allergic to real trees, so an artificial is the ony way to go, and this one was just too beautiful to pass up. It was pre-lit, so Kris was pleased to help put it up. :)
Kris and I shared Christmas time with my famliy last weekend, it was a lot of fun! The whole family was there, including my step-sister and her precious new baby (only 4 months old). With everyone, there were 9 adults, 5 children, and an infant...it was a big group! Here is a picture of the clan:

We had a blast! I love buying presents, for the children especially, and this year I think they really loved them! The best response was my youngest nephew here in the front. We got him a Spiderman pup tent that has an inflatable air mattress as the base. As he opened it, he exclaimed "Allright! Spiderman!", along with other shouts of joy. Then, after looking at it silently for a few minutes, threw his hands in the air and pulled them down quickly in tight fists, screaming "YES!" It was great! :) It makes me think how much fun it will be as I enter motherhood to watch my own children on Christmas morning..what a blessing this will be! :) We will share Christmas with Kris' family this year on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. His family around here includes his grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins, so it too will be a large gathreing! Don't you just love big, loud, family events? I love them, they sure make holidays come alive! Well, here is to you and yours this holiday as we celebrate the birth of our LORD and Savior!! Let us not forget what he did for us not only in the manger, but on the cross 2000 years ago! May your Christmas be blessed and shared with those you love! Merry Christmas!!!

The Baby, 33 Weeks

We are getting closer!!! Here is what the little one has been up to this week:
This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds and measures 17.2 inches from the top of his head to his heels. Thanks to his recent weight gain, he's losing that wrinkled alien look. Most of your baby's bones are hardening now, but his skull is still quite pliable. It's actually in separate pieces with spaces in between. This flexible structure allows your baby's head to compress so it can fit through your relatively narrow birth canal. The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance. This is totally harmless, normal, and temporary. Your baby's head will quickly take on a more rounded appearance, but his skull plates won't completely fuse until he's about 9 to 18 months old.
Well, we went to the doctor again on Monday, and everything is still just fine. The heartbeat dropped to 125 beats per minute, but the doctor said that it was normal for it to drop this late in the pregnancy. (I was most concerned when the nurse read that number to me at first!) She said we will see more variances in the heartbeat from now on, it just means the communication between the brain and the heart has developed, and everything is fine. My blood pressure has also been fine, no worries from the small scare about 4 weeks ago.
I finished my last days of work this week. WOOHOO!!!!! I am now officially a stay at home mommy! :) I have wanted to be in this stage of my life for so long now, I can't tell you how excited I am! I know the work will be harder, and the hours a lot less flexible :), but I am so ready to focus on raising my family and taking care of my house and husband, nothing could rob this joy right now! Kris is excited that I will be at home, too...he loves it when I am here to take care of things and keep the house in order. I think he likes it that he gets dinner when he gets home, too! :)
I am getting a little nervous about the nursery, though! I theoretically have 7 weeks until the big day...but what if I am not ready? What if he or she comes early?! There are still things we need (especially a glider), the closet is still full of random stuff (NOT baby related), and the floor is still covered with all the generous gifts we have received! I don't know what to do with the stuff in the closet, and am overwhelmed with how to organize the nursery. I am relieved to be off work now, to have time to get this stuff done...but still...where to put it all?!?! We have another closet in the office that I will have to use for all the junk that lived in the guest room closet (now the nursery), but even that closet is overflowing. What fun it will be to tackle this this week.
But for now...I am going to forget about it for 3 days and enjoy the Christmas holidays. I pray all of you have a blessed and joyful Christmas!!!

The Baby, 31 Weeks

Your baby measures about 16 inches long. He weighs a little over 3 pounds and is headed for another growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side. Of course, he doesn't yet understand that this movement means "no," but you'll be surprised how quickly he picks up on that and other gestures after he's born. The fat layer he's been accumulating for the last few weeks has caused his arms and legs to fill out nicely.
It seems these little "updates" from Babycenter.com are getting shorter...not a whole lot of organ development to talk about anymore. Now the baby is just growing in size, and putting on weight. :) I can now see some of the movements under my skin...it is really amazing! We went to the doctor this week, we are now going every 2 weeks. I have gained 5 pounds since the last visit (which was actually 3 weeks ago), so Kris and my doctor were happy. That puts me at 5 pounds heavier than pre-pregnancy weight. I am glad I didn't balloon and turn into a whale, but happy that there is now a little gain, it means the baby is gaining and healthy. :) The heartbeat also slowed a little, they said that was normal for this time. It went from 150 to about 140. I never get over that part at the office...I LOVE hearing the heartbeat of this little person growing inside of me!!!!!
Well, we had our baby shower this past weekend, and it was GREAT!!! It was really a lot of fun, and we got so much stuff! :) We got most of our big things, including the stroller, car seat, swing, and pack & play. Not to mention all the little stuff... LOTS of blankets, sheets, bath supplies, toys, bottles, diapers, and other miscellaneous. You should see the nursery! My sweet daddy is making us some bookshelves with baskets to store everything, but until those are here, there are piles and stacks of stuff all over the nursery! It looks like Santa came early in our back bedroom! FUN!! FUN!!! I am especially thankful that my whole family got to be here!!! My dad and step-mom, along with my brother and sister all came down Saturday, and we got to spend Saturday night and Sunday together...it was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed having them here. Thank you for coming, guys!!! We are truly blessed to have such generous family and friends! Our church family has been so wonderful to us, thank you to all of you!!! I LOVE YOU and praise the Lord for putting each and every one of you in our lives! It's not the gifts, but the unconditional love, support, and encouragement that I am so very grateful for! God is so good to us!!

3-D Ultrasound Photos! :)

It finally worked!!! Here is one of the best 3-D photos we got. Isn't this just the cutest baby you have EVER seen?! :) It's funny...some people look at it and declare with absolute certainty that it is a boy or a girl. I can't tell...it still just looks like a precious baby to me. I love the chubby little cheeks and the adorable button nose. Some have also decided whose nose or lips the baby has... varying upon who you ask, of course. I am not sure how "real" this picture is, or how much of it is computer-generated, but I have had a few friends who have had this type of ultrasound, and swear it looks just like their baby once born. So, I believe this is a pretty good representation of the angel we will meet in February. :) Doesn't he or she look peaceful?!

The Baby, 30 Weeks

Can you believe we only have 10 weeks to go?!?!?!!!!
Your baby's a bit more than 15 1/2 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and fills out your uterus. Her eyes open and close, she's able to distinguish between light and dark, and she can even follow a light source back and forth. Once she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have a visual acuity of only 20/400 — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. ("Normal" vision in adults is 20/20.) Since you'll want to hold her close as much as possible, you'll be in the perfect spot for her to get a good look at you.

The Baby, 29 Weeks

At 29 Weeks, here is how our precious little one is developing:
Your baby is growing rapidly now. This week he weighs about half a pound more than he did last week (about 2 1/2 pounds total) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is getting bigger to accommodate his growing brain — which is busy developing billions of neurons. With this rapid growth, it's no surprise that your baby's nutritional needs reach their peak during this trimester. To keep yourself and your baby well nourished, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamin C, folic acid, iron, and calcium. (Every day, about 200 milligrams of calcium is deposited in your baby's skeleton, which is now hardening.)
On a side note... I am currently trying to upload images of the 3-D Ultrasound, and blogger is not cooperating with me. I am frustrated right now, so will try again (for the 6th time) later to share these awesome photos with you. The 3-D experience was INCREDIBLE! Even more exciting than the first ultrasound, and you can actually get an idea of what the baby is going to look like! (My favorite part is the chubby little cheeks you can already see!) Kris' mom, sister, and grandmother got to attend with us, and it was definitely a day of bonding for the family! :) If pregnant, I stringly suggest you get this done...it was amazing!!! I will share photos as soon as I figure out the blog problem, I promise! :)

Belly Photos, 28 Weeks

A few friends and family members have requested to see what I look like pregnant. :) So, here are a couple of pictures that have captured the baby in making. :) I can't wait to share pictures of the baby AFTER his or her arrival...those will be much cuter!!!!!!!!

We are in full swing with the third trimester, can you believe it?! Here is what is going on right now:
By this week, your baby weighs a little over 2 pounds and measures about 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. Her fat layers are continuing to build up as she gets ready for life outside the womb. The big news this week is that your baby can open and close her eyes which now sport full lashes. This movement is more of a reflexive blink than a deliberate opening and closing, but it won't be long before she's batting those beauties at you! Well, we went to the doctor on Monday, and I have finally gained a few pounds, 5 to be exact since the last visit(4 weeks ago). I am now only a few pounds shy of where I was before pregnancy. I measured right at 28 weeks, and the heartbeat was still nice and strong at 150 beets per minute. Tests have come back, and I am cleared of any gestational diabetes and the possibilities of birth defects were all in the 1 in a thousand type ranges. This has really been a great pregnancy thus far, God is blessing us every day! I did have a slightly high blood pressure, so pray that does not become a problem. It was 140 over 72, and they would really like the top number to be closer to 120. Kris is checking it at home, and it is closer to 130, but we just want to make sure I am not in danger of preeclampsia (pregnancy-induced high blood pressure that could be dangerous for the baby and the mother).
We will be having our 3-D ultrasound on Monday! I am so excited to actually see this little one's face and features! No worries...I am confident the ultrasound tech knows what she is doing, and will avoid finding out the sex. :) I will try to share any pictures we get as soon as possible! For the whole process, we only have 12 weeks left until the possible arrival date of this awesome blessing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Baby, 27 Weeks

Your baby is really starting to fill up your uterus. This week he weighs almost 2 pounds and is about 14.4 inches long with his legs extended. He can now open and close his eyes, and he sleeps and wakes at regular intervals. He may suck his fingers, and although his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with assistance — if he were to be born prematurely. Chalk up any rhythmic movement you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments and isn't bothersome to him, so enjoy the tickle. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. Wonder what he's thinking?

The Baby, 26 Weeks

We are only a week away from the 3rd trimester, can you believe it?!?! I sure am glad the holidays are coming...something to distract me from the baby! I think about it too often, and find myself getting impatient! :) Here is what BabyCenter says is going on this week...
Your baby now weighs a little less than 2 pounds and measures about 14 inches from head to heel. Her weight will more than triple between now and birth as she rapidly lays down baby fat. She'll need that fat to help adjust to colder temperatures outside the womb and as a source of energy and calories in the first days of life. It's not uncommon for newborns, especially those who are breastfed, to lose weight (sometimes as much as 10 percent of their birth weight) in the first week after birth.
The nerve pathways in your baby's ears are developing, which means her response to sounds is growing more consistent. Her lungs are developing now, too, as she continues to take small breaths of amniotic fluid — good practice for when she's born and takes that first breath of air. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days. I have had a few people ask to see a picture of me pregnant...I will get Kris to take a picture and post it soon. :)

The Baby, 25 Weeks

There doesn't seem to be a lot of change to talk about this week, but here's what's going on... :)...
Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — doesn't sound like much, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for a more rounded one. As your baby gains weight, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. His hair is probably recognizable now in color and texture, although both may change after he's born. Babies born with red hair can turn into blonds, dark-haired newborns can grow up with fair tresses, and blonds often turn into brunettes. I think we have a really good chance of a blonde...maybe even a red-head! :)

The Baby, 24 Weeks

So, the last few weeks have been really busy around here, and I completely missed blogging week 23. I'm sorry.
So, here is what happened last week (#23):
Feeling pretty good? Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed now, your baby can feel you dance. Those dainty fetal movements have progressed to karate kicks. You may even be able to see your baby squirm underneath your clothing. (not yet!) You may notice throughout your pregnancy that some symptoms subside while others surface. These days, for example, you may find that any tension headaches you'd been getting are a thing of the past, but your feet may start to swell soon. (Time to get out your roomiest, most comfy shoes or invest in a new pair.) Your baby is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound. His skin is red and wrinkled. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare him for breathing. He can swallow, but he normally won't pass his first stool (called meconium) until after birth. Loud noises heard often in utero such as your dog barking or the roar of a vacuum cleaner probably won't faze your baby when he hears them outside the womb.
And now, Week #24:
Your baby's growing steadily, gaining about a quarter of a pound since last week, when she was just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long, that makes a pretty lean figure, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon put on more baby fat. Your baby's skin is thin, translucent, and wrinkled, her brain is growing rapidly, and her taste buds are developing. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.
Well, we went to the doctor again today. The baby's heartbeat was still a strong 150 beats per minute, they found it really fast this time! :) Everything was normal, but I am still not gaining weight. The one time in my life I am not actually trying to lose but gain, and I am losing! Is this fair? I lost 5 pounds since the last visit...time to start eating like a preggo! I feel like I am eating plenty, but I guess not. The doctor didn't seem overly concerned, but said that if it becomes a pattern, we may need to do another ultrasound to ensure that the baby is getting big enough. But, on the other hand, when she measured me, I was right on track for my due date, so there seems to be little to be concerned about.
We scheduled our 3-D ultrasound today. That is going to be awesome! We are going to get to see our precious little one in great detail on November 20th. That will be exciting!! If you have never seen a 3D ultrasound photo, you should check out this website: http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/ultrasounds/l/bl3dusindex.htm and click on some of the photos, they are amazing!

The Baby, 22 Weeks

Your baby now looks like a miniature newborn, checking in at 10.9 inches and almost 1 pound. Her skin will continue to appear wrinkled until she gains enough weight to fill it out, and the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her head and body is now visible. Her lips are becoming more distinct, and the first signs of teeth are appearing as buds beneath her gum line. Her eyes are developed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks pigment. Eyelids and eyebrows are in place, and her pancreas, essential for hormone production, is developing steadily. Your stomach may become a hand magnet- people will touch it without asking permission. That is happening recently. :) It's okay to say no. And if people are telling you that you look smaller or bigger than you should at this point, remember that all women grow and show at different rates. I am starting to show a lot more all of a sudden! I have never been "thin" by definition, but I did have a clearly defined waistline. That is now gone! My maternity clothes are fitting better now, and there is now no hope of getting into pre-maternity pants! :) My sweet mother in law gave me a giftcard to Motherhood Maternity for my birthday...I guess it is time to shopping!!! :) My tummy is more noticeable now, someone in Sunday school today said "Wow! Your little bubble grew a lot this week!" :) I am having fun being pregnant, especially now, I can feel this little miracle moving inside of me 4 to 5 times a day, every day! I think this is one of the greatest blessings of being a woman!

Ultrasound Photos! :)

Here are the ultrasound photos as promised! :) If you are like me, you may not be able to read a thing on still pictures of an ultrasound, so let me see if I can explain things a little. The first is of the bottom of the little feet...let me tell you, we have a dancer!! You can even see him/her extending the big toe on the foot on the left (the baby's right foot). The next is of the forearm and fist laying sideways, covering the little face. This one is probably my favorite. :) And lastly, is a good picture of our precious little face. At 20 weeks the baby doesn't have much fat on it, so it still kind of looks like a skeleton. But you can clearly see the eye (sockets), nose, and mouth. Notice you can even see almost all of the little teeth! It was more fun in person, I am hoping to videotape the next one! :) I'm sure this is the cutest baby you have EVER seen, right?! (By the way, I am sorry they came out so little...I have no idea why that happened! Especially for family...you may want to save to your pictures file and look at them larger that way.)

The Baby, 21 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long. His eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed. And you can certainly feel him move. He's oblivious to your schedule, though, so don't be surprised if he starts working out just when you're settling down for the night. If you're having a girl, her vagina is formed now, though it will continue to develop until birth.
The baby doesn't seem to be growing much right now, but I "feel" more pregnant recently. I am even starting to show a bit more. This week has been really fun, starting with the ultrasound last Wednesday. Now, for the last 4 days, I have been feeling Little One every day. Especially at night when I am still and quiet. It feels like a little flutter in my abdomen, it is really cool! I can't wait until Kris can feel it, too! You can't feel it from the outside yet, so I am the only one party to this sensation so far.

The Baby, 20 Weeks

We are half way there!!!!!!!!!!!
How your baby's growing: Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom, and about 10 inches from head to heel. (For the first 20 weeks, we use measurements taken from the top of the baby's head to her bottom — known as the "crown to rump" measurement. After that, we use measurements from head to toe. This is because a baby's legs are curled up against her torso during the first half of pregnancy and are very hard to measure.)A greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats her entire body to protect her skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. (This slick coating also eases the journey down the birth canal.)Your baby is swallowing more, which is good practice for her digestive system. She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance that's the result of cell loss, digestive secretion, and swallowed amniotic fluid. This meconium will accumulate in her bowels, and you'll see it in her first messy diaper (although a few babies pass it in utero or during delivery).
Well, we did have our first ultrasound this week, on Wednesday. It was AWESOME!!! I have never been able to read those images at ALL, but when you are there in person, it is very clear! It really helps that the baby is in motion to be able to tell the body parts. (It's also helpful to have an ultrasound technician pointing and identifying for you.:) We could see everything very clearly. It was really cool to see his/her backbone with all the little vertebrate, and to see the heart beating! You can even identify kidneys and other organs. When we walked in, we told the tech we didn't want to know the sex, so she told us to turn our heads when she was looking in the general vicinity "in case we have a flasher." :) So, no, we still don't know the sex, I don't know if the tech saw anything or not. Some of you thought I would crack...I told you I could wait! :) The baby was moving around a lot, especially the feet and the little mouth...it was so cute!! We got to bring home a few pictures, and I will get them scanned and into the blog as soon as I get access to a scanner, we don't have one. We got 2 of the face, one of the forearm and fist covering the face, and 1 of the bottom of the feet, complete with the baby sticking out it's big toe! :) The whole experience was incredible! It made it very real that THERE'S A BABY INSIDE OF ME!!!!! I can't wait to meet this adorable little person! (Can you believe I didn't cry during all of this?!) I pray every female gets to experience this sometime in their lifetime!
By the way, my ability to feel the baby is very sporadic right now, I have only felt it one other time since the time I wrote about it. The doctor told me that was very normal, that it will be very sporadic until about 27 or 28 weeks.

The Baby, 19 Weeks

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces, and he measures 6 inches, head to bottom - about the length of a small zucchini. His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. His kidneys continue to make urine, and the hair on his scalp is sprouting. This is a crucial time for sensory development: Your baby's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. If your baby is a girl, she has an astonishing six million eggs in her ovaries. They'll dwindle to fewer than two million by the time she's born. A FIRST: I felt the baby move for the first time yesterday!!!!!!!!! It was so cool, it felt almost like a little throb, but in 3 different spots in about the same area, but not in a rhythmic pattern like a throb. It did kind of feel like the "butterfly" feeling they say it will feel like. I had to call Kris at work as soon as I felt it! He is such a great husband...he even teared up a bit when I told him about it! I felt it about 3 different times yesterday... it was so cool!! This whole pregnancy experience is so much more exciting than I thought it would be. I guess I took it all for granted because women around the world do this everyday, but it is so different when it is happening to you! :) It truly is a blessing from God! Just think, He could have brought another human into the world a million ways, according to His own infinite imagination, but He chose to "plant" the baby inside a woman for us to experience the formation and movement ourselves! And I ceaselesslyy read in awe of how the baby is developing...it is truly magnificent!!! How great is our God?
By they way, we will be returning to the doctor on Sept. 20th, next Wednesday, and having our first ultrasound! :) Medical technology is pretty awesome too...how cool is it that we get to see a picture of our baby while still in the womb?!

The Baby, 18 Weeks

Head to bottom, your baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a large sweet potato) and she weighs almost 7 ounces. She's busy flexing her arms and legs — movements that you'll likely start noticing more and more. Her blood vessels are visible through her thin skin and her ears are now in position and stand out from her head. Myelin (a protective covering) is beginning to form around her nerves, a process that will continue for a year after she's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and Fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If your baby is a boy, his genitals are noticeable, though he may hide them from you during an ultrasound. There doesn't seem to be a lot of excitement right now, the baby's growth seems to have slowed down a little bit. It doesn't look like the baby really "puts on weight" until about week 26, either. Well, I guess I am glad it slowed..I don't want to deliver a 15 pound baby!!! :)

The Baby, 17 Weeks

Your baby weighs about 5 ounces now, and he's around 5 inches long — about the size of a large onion. My other book says he or she is about the size of my hand, outstretched. He can move his joints, and his skeleton — until now rubbery cartilage — is starting to harden to bone. His sense of hearing is also developing. The umbilical cord, his lifeline to the placenta, is growing stronger and thicker. Other stuff in my book... "Fat begins to form during this week and the weeks that follow. Also called the adipose tissue, fat is important to the body's heat production and metabolism. At 17 weeks, water makes up about 3 ounces of your baby's body. In a baby at term, fat makes up about 5 and one-fourth pounds of the total average weight of 7 and three-fourths pounds."

The Baby, 16 Weeks

How your baby's growing: At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. That means the baby only grew about ½ an inch this week. Maybe it's a BIG avocado...my week by week pregnancy book said it was the size of a softball last week. :) In the next three weeks, she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, though, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. Her lower limbs are much more developed now. Her head is more erect than it has been, and her eyes have moved toward the front of her head. Your baby's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of her more advanced body systems are working, including her circulatory system and urinary tract. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating her total blood volume through her body many times. (By the end of your pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts.)WOW!!! The patterning of her scalp has begun, though her hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, her eyes are moving (slowly), and she's even started growing toenails.
We did go to the doctor this Monday. It was fun...we got to hear the heartbeat again. I think that is my favorite part of going! :) She measured me and said I was right on track for 15-16 weeks. Other than the fact that I have lost weight, not gained, she was pleased. I haven't been dieting, I just don't have much of an appetite. I am trying now to put on more weightt...she said I need not make this a continuing pattern. She also scheduled the ultrasound for the next appointment! :) Even though we will not find out the sex, we will be assured that everything is forming correctly, and have the visual of the baby! :) Can you tell I am a wee bit excited? WE'RE HAVING A BABY!!!!!!!!!! Sometimes it randomly hits me! :)

The Baby, 15 Weeks

How your baby's growing: At around 4 inches long, crown to rump, your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 ounces. He or she is about the size of a softball now!! He's busy inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, which will help develop the air sacs in his lungs. His legs are growing longer than his arms now, and he can move all his joints and limbs. That means his hands are more functional, too. Sweat glands are appearing, and although his eyelids are fused shut, he can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, he's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but his taste buds are beginning to form. And if you have an ultrasound, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or girl! But remember, we are not going to find out the sex of the baby! :) (Don't be disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down the gender depends somewhat on how clear the picture is and the position of your baby during the ultrasound; he may be curled or turned in such a way as to keep you in suspense.)
Other stuff my book says (Your Pregnancy Week By Week, by Curtis and Schuler):
"Your baby's rapid growth continues. Its skin is thin. At this point, you can see blood vessels through the skin. Fine hair, called lanugo hair, covers the baby's body. By this time, he or she may be sucking its thumb. Eyes continue to move to the front of the face but are still widely separated. Ears continue to develop externally, and continue to look more like normal ears. In fact, your baby looks more human with each passing day. Bones that have already formed are getting harder and retaining calcium (ossifying) rapidly. If an X-ray were done at this time, the baby's skeleton would be visible."

We have another doctor's apt on Monday, and I am hoping to hear the heartbeat again! I loved that! I do have a small "pooch" as K calls it, but don't really "feel pregnant" in any other way, and would love that reassurance again with the heartbeat. :) I do still have my days of fatigue and queasy stomach to look at certain foods, but they are fewer and farther between. Thank you to all my wonderful friends and family that are keeping us and the baby in your prayers! We love you all!

Baby picture, 3 months

Okay, so Blogger is not going to allow me to post the picture, but I believe this will work. You can see the picture if you go to http://www.babycenter.com/general/3278.html .

The Baby, 14 Weeks

Okay, so I'm sorry I missed last week...we've been really busy around here, and it simply slipped my mind. So at 13 weeks, this is what happened with our precious little one:
Despite the small proportions, there's a fully formed baby inside your womb now. Much more proportional than it was a few weeks ago, his head is now only about a third the size of his body. His tiny, unique fingerprints are already in place. His kidneys and urinary tract are functional, and he's starting to urinate out the amniotic fluid he's been swallowing. As you start your second trimester, most of your baby's critical development will be completed, and your odds of miscarriage will drop considerably.
And now, at 14 weeks, this is what is going on inside of me:) :
Head to bottom, your baby's 3 1/2 inches long — about the length of a lemon(though my book says more about the size of my fist, not counting legs of course) — and weighs about 1 1/2 ounces. Her body's growing faster than her head, which now sits upon a more well-defined neck. By the end of this week, her arms will have lengthened and will be in proportion to the rest of her body. (Her legs still have some growing to do, though.) She's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair all over her body (called lanugo). Her liver starts secreting bile this week, a sign that it's already functioning properly, and her spleen starts contributing to the production of red blood cells. She's also producing and discharging urine into the amniotic fluid, a normal process that she'll keep up until birth. You still can't feel your baby's movements, but her hands and feet (which are now half an inch long) are more flexible and active. Thanks to brain impulses, her little facial muscles are getting a workout as she squints, frowns, and grimaces. She can grasp now, too, and she may be able to suck her thumb.
My subscription I had to the site I had been using for baby development expired, and to avoid paying again, I found another site, so the info may look a little different. But, the new site has pictures month by month, so that will be a fun addition! :)...If I can get it to work, Blogger is not posting it for some reason right now!
On another note...my DH is working on our fence right now, and the next project is setting up the nursery! :) I am excited and ready to get the ball rolling! He will have to move all of our gorgeous guest room furniture to my in-laws' barn for storage and then we get to buy baby furniture! This will seem more real soon! :)

Happy Birthday, my sister!!!

This is a picture of my beautiful sister with her precious daughters. So, yesterday was my brother's birthday, and today is my sister's birthday. They are only a day apart, so it is easy to remember. :) (5 years difference, though) My sister is 10 years older than me (I was obviously a "surprise":), so I have always adored her as the cooler older sister. Growing up, she played a second mom to me. Some of my fondest memories are of her "babysitting" me and staying overnight at her rental house with her. She left home when I was only 8 or 9, but I feel like we have remained close. She is now an INCREDIBLE wife and mother, and I look to her for the example I should be. Not only does she homeschool her 5 children and manage a home of 7, but she manages to do so with a sense of humor and great attitude! She is the sensible one of the family I can always go to for great advice that always seem to make perfect sense. She can make me laugh and cry all in the same conversation! I love spending time with her, and my only sense of sadness is that I don't live near enough to see her as much as I would like. Over the years I have grown to appreciate her friendship more and more, and I simply cannot imagine what life would be like without such a great sister and friend! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, K!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday, my brother!!!

This is a picture of my adorable brother with one of my best friends/bridesmaids at my wedding.
Today is August 7th, my big brother's birthday! C and I have not always been as close as we are today, and I am very grateful we are now! He is 5 years older than me, so I grew up with the typical older brother problems, like the torture and mocking all older brothers are somehow inherently expected to give. But over the years, as we have both matured and grown, it has turned into a friendship I could not live without! He is still the one who makes fun of me the MOST of anyone I know...but he does it still loving me, and he is the funniest guy I know, so I laugh as much as anyone! I so admire him and love him! He is the most intelligent, wittiest, sincere, and loving guy I know, and sooooo proud to call him my brother!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, C! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Baby, 12 Weeks

Well, K and I got to go to the doctor on Monday and meet the actual doctor...she was very nice. But the best part of the visit was that we got to hear the baby's heartbeat!!! It was incredible...I cried, and looked over at K and he was tearing up! It's amazing to hear a human heartbeat growing inside of me!!! It was a healthy, strong 168 beats per minute, which the doctor said was very good. It wasn't a sonogram, but just the little Doppler wand. It was awesome!!!
So, we are almost to the second trimester, can you believe it? The baby has actually tripled in size in just the last 3 weeks! This is fun!
So, here is how he or she looks this week:
The end of the twelfth week of pregnancy marks the end of the first trimester. Your baby is now almost 2.5 inches long (6.1cm) when measured from crown to rump, and weighs between 0.3 and 0.5 ounces (9 to 13g).
Your baby's fingers and toes have separated and are getting longer. Your baby can open and close its mouth and drinks amniotic fluid which it passes out as urine. Its head is becoming more rounded, though it is still large in proportion to its body. It has eyelids.
You can now hear your baby's heartbeat with a Doppler Ultrasound device!
Your baby continues to grow rapidly and has doubled in size in the last three weeks alone.
The face is beginning to look more human, and all body structures are present with a few refinements still in progress. Fingernails and toenails begin to develop this week.
Your baby's muscles are sufficiently developed to allow for involuntary movements at this time. The messages which control your baby's movements are sent from the spine, rather than the brain, which is not yet sufficiently developed.

The Baby, 11 Weeks

Here is how our little prince or princess looks this week. :)
Your baby is growing incredibly rapidly right now. She is approximately 1.75 to 2.4 inches (4.4 to 6cm) when measured from crown to rump. That's about the size of a large lime. :) She will double her length in the next three weeks. Your growing baby weighs about 0.3 ounces (8g).
The neck is developing and the chin lifts up from the chest. Fingernails are also present. While your baby's sex was already determined at the time of fertilization, male or female genitalia are now visible. Essential organs are formed and most have begun to function. The blood vessels in the placenta are increasing in number to meet your baby's increasing nutritional needs. Her ears are moving towards the sides of her head, away from the neck. Your baby's head is still not in proportion with her body. Your baby's head accounts for about half of her body length.
We have an appointment to actually see the doctor on Monday. I am excited because we should get to hear the baby's heartbeat with the Doppler!!!
I went to Houston on Monday with K's mom and sister to go to Babies'R'Us and some stores at the Woodlands Mall. We had a lot of fun and found my pattern for the big stuff, like the pak'n'play, high chair, stroller, and carseat. They all have sheep on them! They are really cute! I found a beautiful crib and dresser/changing table I like, too. It was a lot of fun...I am ready to get the ball rolling on the nursery now!!!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

So, before the baby comes, I and a couple of my closest friends decided to have a girl's weekend! I went with Jennifer and Amanda to Galveston this weekend to spend some quality time bonding with the girls. Amanda is also pregnant, so it was a last hoorah for her too. :) We got to stay at the Hotel Galvez, and that place was awesome! We had a good time going to the beach, eating out, and we caught a movie. ("You, Me, and Dupree"...they liked it, I was frustrated with the lack of communication between characters, but thought it was pretty funny.) Other than the sunburn I brought home with me, it was a great time! Oh, and I really missed my hubby! :) It is so nice to have girlfriends you can depend on in good times and bad, what would we as women do without them?! And Pennie...you were missed! Thanks girls for a great weekend!!!

The Baby, 10 Weeks, and other ramblings :)

Well, we went to the doctor's office yesterday for the first time. It was just the "prenatal interview" with the nurse, but it was fun. It feels like this is more official now. :) We also sat down with the finance lady, and found out how much all of this is gonna cost. Now it feels really official, especially to K! :) We do have pretty good maternity insurance, so it shouldn't be too bad...but it's still not FREE to have a baby!!! She also told us that according to them, my due date is officially February 8th. That is pretty much what I thought, I was thinking between the 7th and the 10th. They also took a LOT of blood to run tests. Please pray with us that everything comes back normal. We did opt to have the optional screening for Cystic Fibrosis since K said it is relatively common with 2 white parents. I'm sure it will be fine, but if we know, we can start treatment the moment the baby is born. My next appointment is on July 24th, and that will be with the doctor. I will get to hear the baby's heartbeat!!! That appt will be fun!
I have been feeling a little better recently, just nauseated occasionally instead of 24/7. I am going to Galveston this weekend with my girlfriends, and am excited about that! It will probably be another 20 years before I will want to leave alone again! :)
Well, here is how the baby is looking right now. Yesterday was the end of week 10.
The crown-to-rump length of your baby is about 1.25 to 1.68 inches (between 3.1 and 4.2cm). He weighs about 0.18 ounces (5g). It's about the size of a plum. (I like these references, it makes it more real to me. :)
The placenta is now producing progesterone which helps to make nutrients for your developing baby.
Your baby has passed the stage when he is most susceptible to damage. By the end of this week, the danger zone for congenital abnormalities has passed.
The plan for your baby's body has been completely laid down by now. Further growth and cell division will build on this plan.
Taste and tooth buds have appeared. WOW!
Your baby has recently developed fingers and toes which are now well-formed. Ankles, wrists and the inner ear have formed. Your baby's nose is flat and his eyes are far apart. His eyes, ears, mouth and nose are all recognizable. The tail is disappearing.
Your baby is moving around the amniotic sac, and moving his feet and ankles. You still will not be able to feel these movements but you may be able to see them on an ultrasound.
Blood is circulating through the arteries and the vein of the umbilical cord.
The brain of your baby is developing at a phenomenal rate. About one quarter of a million new neurons are produced every single minute at this stage in your pregnancy. DOUBLE WOW!!
If your baby is a boy, his testes, though they are not even clearly visible, are already producing testosterone.
Your baby is no longer called an embryo, but rather a fetus.
And again I say...Isn't God AMAZING?!?!!!

The Baby, 9 Weeks

The crown-to-rump length of your baby is about 1.25 to 1.68 inches (between 3.1 and 4.2cm). He weighs about 0.18 ounces (5g). That's about the size of a big green olive!
The placenta is now producing progesterone which helps to make nutrients for your developing baby.
Your baby has passed the stage when he is most susceptible to damage. By the end of this week, the danger zone for congenital abnormalities has passed.
The plan for your baby's body has been completely laid down by now. Further growth and cell division will build on this plan.
Taste and tooth buds have appeared.
Your baby has recently developed fingers and toes which are now well-formed. Ankles, wrists and the inner ear have formed. Your baby's nose is flat and his eyes are far apart. His eyes, ears, mouth and nose are all recognizable. The tail is disappearing.
Your baby is moving around the amniotic sac, and moving his feet and ankles. You still will not be able to feel these movements but you may be able to see them on an ultrasound.
Blood is circulating through the arteries and the vein of the umbilical cord.
The brain of your baby is developing at a phenomenal rate. About one quarter of a million new neurons are produced every single minute at this stage in your pregnancy.
If your baby is a boy, his testes, though they are not even clearly visible, are already producing testosterone.
Your baby is no longer called an embryo, but rather a fetus.
I am starting to feel a little less nauseated, and my belly seems to have grown a couple inches. :) We have our first doctor's appointment next week. It is just the prenatal interview with the nurse, but I am anxious to go anyways. The first appt with the doctor isn't until July 24th. I am REALLY hoping to get an ultrasound then. We'll see.

The Nursery Theme

This is the nursery bedding and accessories I have chosen for the baby. Isn't it adorable?! It's called Clover Fields. We do not want to find out what the sex of the baby will be, so it is gender neutral. I just love the scriptures that call us the Lord's sheep and Jesus the shepherd, and I thought it appropriate for a nursery. I won't be getting everything in the picture, of course, but accessorizing with a lot of sheep and scripture! :)

The Baby, 8 Weeks

I am actually 8 weeks now... :)

Your baby's crown to rump measurement is about 0.56 to 0.8 inches (14 to 20mm). This is about the size of a pinto bean! :)
Your baby's face has a recognizable shape with eyelids and the tip of a nose with formed nostrils, though his head is still very large compared to the rest of his body.
All major organs are now formed and in place, though they still need to mature.
A tongue has already formed. The ears are forming both internally and externally.
The arms and legs extend forward and shoulders, elbows, hips and knees are detectable. Knees and elbows have begun to form on the limbs. Tiny fingers and toes are starting to appear at the tips of your baby's developing limbs and the arms may be slightly flexed at the elbows and wrists. All major organs are in place.
Your baby is moving around a lot, moving his legs and flexing his spine, but you are unable to feel it at this point. Your baby's genitals have begun development, though they are still difficult to identify.
This "Miracle of Life" truly is a MIRACLE!!! It is so awesome to think all of this is happening right inside me! Isn't God amazing?!?!!!!

The Baby, Week 7

Here is how my baby is developing this week!

Your baby is 0.16 to 0.2 inches long (4-5mm) when measured from crown to rump. It is now identifiable as a human baby.
The limb buds are growing rapidly, developing into little fins with nodules at the ends which will eventually become fingers and toes. The arms have already differentiated into hand and shoulder segments.
The cerebral hemispheres of the brain are growing, and the eyes and nostrils are appearing. Your baby's heart bulges from its body and the heart chambers are divided and formed. Blood vessels now circulate blood throughout the whole body. The head looks large and is bent on the chest.
Your baby's face is forming, but its eyes are on the sides of its head and are still sealed. The discs that will become your baby's eyes will move over to the front of the face over the course of the next few months.
Bone cells are beginning to develop and the outline of the baby's nervous system is complete. The pigment in your baby's eyes can be seen under the skin overlaying them. By this point there is also a pancreas and an appendix. The tail is still visible, but it will soon fade. The umbilical cord is growing and the placenta is maturing as well.

Big News!!!

I know it is blurry, but yes! that is a big fat POSITIVE in the result window!!! WE ARE HAVING A BABY!!! Praise GOD! We are so excited that He is blessing us with a precious little one! No worries, I have since followed up with a blood test that certainly confirmed it. When we read this, I screamed and cried...I have never been that excited! I then jumped in circles throughout the living room, K even teared up a little. Most of you know that I have always wanted a baby, and can imagine how excited I am. My family wasn't even surprised, they have been waiting for this news for a while. His family was excited, this is a first grandchild for his parents. For my dad, a 6th. :) And my step-sister is pregnant, due in August. (I guess she will be #6, and me, #7!)
According to my calculations, I will be due around February 10th. The OB-GYN doesn't want to see you until the end of the 1st trimester, so I guess I will find out then a more solid due date. I have been really nauseated recently, but not actually thrown up any. I am in my 7th week, and they say it should be bad by now...so maybe it won't get too bad. I will be posting some information on how the baby is growing and developing in the next 33 weeks. I will not be going back to work full-time this year, I will just sub in the fall, and stay home with the baby from then on! :)
Please join us in our prayer of thanksgiving, and pray that the baby and I are healthy for the next 7 or so months! :)

A Special Place in Memphis

These are photos of a special church in Memphis. This St. Luke's Methodist Church. My parents were married at this church on June 4th, 1966. When K and I decided to go to church while we were in Memphis, it was only natural that we decided to go here. Well on the way to church, I realized it was June 4th. We went to the very church my parents were married at on the day that would have been their 40th wedding anniversary. I cannot say I did not cry on the way there. I really moved me that it just happened to be their anniversary. I called my dad on the way there to tell him I was thinking about him on this day, and that we were headed to St. Luke's. I believe he got choked up too. When Mom died, I am proud to say that they had been married 37 years. I know there were struggles, those I saw and many I'm sure I didn't see...but they stuck it out. I have many friends that could not say this about their own parents. With the rate of divorce these days, I am so proud that they modeled how to work through the trials and not give up when it seems so easy to do so. I was very excited to be at St. Luke's that day, to reflect on the model and I had of marriage and loving parents!

Family Valued

This is a picture of my dear sweet Granny, along with me and my DH. We recently got to see her in Memphis, and had so much fun! She is 93 now, and seemed to me to get old just overnight. A few months back, she started falling, and 93 year-old bones just don't handle that well. So my aunts and Dad found her a great nursing home in Memphis where she now lives. K and I headed up to Memphis to see her, he had not yet met her. I had not seen her in 2 years, and my dad said her dementia was pretty bad, so I was prepared for the worst. But, it turned out much better...we found her the first day in the dining hall and as soon as she saw me, she exclaimed "Heather!" I was so glad the dementia was gone. She then practically pushed me out of the way to meet my lovely husband, expressing how proud she was to meet him. We were able to spend 5 days in Memphis, and we went to see her every day, spending a couple hours each day. She was excited, and I think enjoyed each visit as much as we did. She is so precious, and I am so blessed to have her as my grandmother.
While we were there, we got to spend some time with some other family that resides in Memphis. K got to meet my Aunt and Uncle, who I had not seen in a few years. We went to their house for dinner one night, and they also took us to the famous Rendezvous Restaurant one night along with my cousin and one of her daughters. It was really great to spend time with all of them, and I was really happy K got to get to know them all. My aunt and uncle are a lot of fun, and we enjoyed hanging out with them. We also got to spend a few hours chatting with my cousin, and I really enjoyed that! We are 14 years apart and I never got to know her as a child, but thoroughly loved bonding with her and basically getting to know her that night. It was truly a great time with family that will be cherished forever.
While we were on the road, we also got to see in Memphis the Memphis Zoo, Memphis Botanical Gardens, Graceland, and a HUGE bonsai nursery just south of Memphis. We also enjoyed the great barbecue in Memphis, visting the famous Corky's 3 times in 4 days! :) We then kept going east to Atlanta, Georgia to see the Bonsai By The Monastery and the Georgia Aquarium. All of these adventures were really fun, and K and I enjoyed the time together. But let me tell you, we were certainly ready to be home in our own bed after 9 days on the road! :)

Living Room Transformation

Well, I promised Dad and Janet I would post these...sorry it took so long! :) We are VERY excited about our new living room set! We got a new sofa, loveseat, and recliner! The stuff we were using was an off-white, almost peach (very uncomfortable) hand me down from his grandmother, and we were very excited when we sold the land to go out and make our first big purchase! This set is all leather with real wood trim, and oh so comfortable!!! We found it at Ashley Furniture for a pretty good price. Blogger and I never agree on the order of photos...they always flip when posted. But, in the order they are posted, here is the sofa, full view of living room, recliner, and loveseat. They are dark, but the photos make them look even darker. And, of course, Spencer never passes up a chance to be in pictures! :) The puppies are also wrestling behind the recliner. I don't think they are happy with the new furniture, they are no longer allowed on the couch. I even think Spencer, with the help of the puppies, is learning he is a dog! Can you believe it?! Well, I just thought I would share...we are very excited! Aren't they awesome?!

My First Sewing Project :)

Now, my sister is the true seamstress. She in fact had a blog on her website about how sad it is that many women growing up today don't know how to cook or sew properly. I feel this is very true. She turned out knowing how to do all of this VERY WELL, you should check out her blog. (I have a link to it on the right..."Kim's Blog") I am not positive, but I think she learned from our Grandmama who she spent a lot of time with before I was born and when I was very little. Oh... and did I mention she has a degree in Home Economics and Education? (If you can't tell...I love my sister dearly and keep her on pretty much the same pedestal that I had her on when I was 5 and she was 15.)
Well, I am learning slowly but surely how to cook. But I have been wanting to learn to sew for quite some time. She lives 5 hours away from me, so that would make tutoring sessions quite difficult. However, I was given a sewing machine last December by a friend at work who had one she didn't want. I tried to teach myself, and to make a long story short...I hung up a piece of scrap fabric in the darn machine. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out that stupid little bobbin. So, my dear sister-in-law, who conveniently lives 2 blocks away and knows well how to sew, came over a few nights ago to help me straighten it all out. After reading the same instructions I had read, this experienced seamstress even got frustrated with the machine that was built the same year my parents married. So, we took my fabric and headed to her house to learn on her machine. I had bought some great flannel at the dollar rack at WalMart that I thought would make an oh-so-comfy doggy pillow. Now we didn't measure the pillow, and weren't concerned with it being perfect. So, it is way too long, but I learned the basics of working a machine and sewing as straight line. I now look forward to summer approaching and having more time to devote to my new hobby. I have even created a folder in my picture file entitled "sewing projectS" to document my "talents." I took a picture of this, and a few minutes later found Bella had situated the pillow in a little crescent and cuddled up in it. As you can see, the individual for whom it was created is quite pleased with my first sewing adventure! :)

Just In Time for Hurricane Season

As most of you know, on Sept 24th, 2005 we lost our roof to Hurricane Rita. Now, we were the fortunate ones, we didn't lose the whole thing, just a good portion of our shingles and our ridge vents. This was the worst of our damage, and for that we feel enormously grateful. But, we did have to get a new roof.
As you can see, we had to wait so long for it, that even the blue tarp that FEMA so graciously put up for us was even tattered and torn. It was a pretty sad sight, especially at Christmas with my Christmas lights. So, about a month ago, a very nice man named Bill came and pounded on my roof for 3 days, and Walla! Our new roof is even better than before, and we trust will not blow away during the 2006 hurricane season! :) He has done other roofs in the area prior to the storm, and they withstood the torrential wind and rain.
You know, I NEVER noticed peoples' roofs before, but we picked out the shingle color for the new roof, and now I notice colors of roofs all over town! Who knew there were so many choices? :)
On a related note, we are hearing that this year's hurricane season is going to be another bad one. Yikes! We are praying that it goes somewhere other than our house this year! You cannot imagine how devastated this area was. The media seems to focus on New Orleans and forget about us here in Southeast Texas. There are still MANY homes and businesses that look like the storm hit yesterday. Our mall here still only has about 20% of it's businesses open. It is very sad, and we are praying that we aren't hit again before we have even finished repairing from the last one!

Still Living, Just Not Blogging

Okay, so I stink at this weblog business. It is probably for the same reason I am no good at keeping in touch with friends and family that don't live in the same city. I just get busy, and when I am not busy, I seem to be lazy. I prefer to sit on the couch with my hubby when I am not phyisically doing something. It is a shame, especially in this modern day of technology to be so distant. So, to all of those of you who may be offended, I am sorry.
Okay, with that said, I am vowing to try to do better. I have had a bunch of great ideas to blog about, but not managed to enter. So I will do them now, or in the next few days. To catch you up on what has been going on in the last month and a half...
K and I went to a great marriage retreat the end of April, called "A Weekend to Remember" put on my Family Life. It was GREAT! We learned a lot about ourselves, each other, and our marriage. The conference was in the Woodlands, near Houston at a nice hotel on the waterway they just built at the Woodlands Mall. It was fun, and we got to spend some time enjoying each other's company at the great shops and resteraunts around there. We agree that our marriage is WONDERFUL, but it can never hurt to do things like this at least once a year or so. I mean, every professional license or certificate (i.e. nursing or teaching:)) requires hours of continuing education each year, why shouldn't we treat our marriage with equal or more importance!? I especially believe this about parenting, and the part at the conference about parenting was especially interesting, even though we don't have children yet.
We also sold our land and have paid off all our debts, and even purchased a little furniture! :) (I will share about the furniture in the next entry.) It feels so great to not be financially stressed out all the time! This was a big milestone in our marriage!
What else...hmmm...
I have successfully (almost...6 school days left:) completed another school year, and am now in the process of applying yet again with the Nederland school district and harassing principals. There are NO vacancies as of yet, but am praying for something to happen soon. I really need and want a full-time, contract postition next year! For you prayer warriors out there, won't you pray for this for us?
Well, I am drawing a blank for anything else, so I will end here and continue on another diary entry later. :)

Frustration!

What is it that we need to do to get 5th and 6th graders to understand and RETAIN information they have learned?! As a teacher, this is a daily battle, but magnified when this TAKS test (which is an entirely different soapbox!) is less than a week away. Not that I agree with the test AT ALL, but...nevertheless, we must give it and must "prepare" the students for it. But that is the problem. We work all year to teach the concepts that the state adopted curriculum gives us, the stuff they say will be on the standardized test at the end of the year, and then ask the kids to apply it in a word problem. They look at me like I have 3 heads! We have taught every method and strategy to convert a decimal to a fraction or convert metrics, and they look at us like we are speaking Greek when we ask them only 3 weeks later, let alone 3 months! Don't get me wrong, I love teaching with all my heart, and I really do like this age group. But most of them seem much more concerned with their "social lives" to care about learning anything at school. And that's just it, they don't WANT to learn! They are here because they are forced, and they don't care about learning a thing! I know that hands-on activities and spending more time on each concept would be immeasurably beneficial, but that is just not an option with the amount of material the state expects us to cover in one year. (Especially when a hurricane takes 17 instructional days from you.) I know I am ranting, probably rather incoherently, but I press on...
It might just help if we had just a handful of parents that cared. Parents that would actually sit down with their children and help them with homework. I mean, it's 5th grade stuff, do you think they can't at least TRY to figure it out?! Parents that at least cared if their child brings home a 50 on a report card!? I know that would not have been acceptable even once in my house growing up, why do so many parents not seem concerned. It just seems sad to me that most of these kids don't have someone whipping their butts when they bring home such awful grades.
OK...I could go on, but I will stop for now. But my frustration will continue tomorrow, and for the next 35 days of school that we have left in this school year.

Good News!

No...I"M NOT PREGNANT!!! It seems like everytime I say "good news.." I receive the response "Are you pregnant?" Don't know why...I've told you all we are waiting! Anywho...
Good news! We sold the land! Most of you know that K owned a piece of land out in a little subdivision in the country, about 15 miles outside of Nederland. (The "booming" metropolis in which we live.) Anyways, it has been a financial burden to have it on the market for a year and a half, and now it is sold! :) Now, it is not final, the guy buying it has until the 20th to back out of the contract without penalty, but we have faith that the Lord is taking care of the situation and we will close on or before the 31st of March. We settled on a great, fair price...only $800 less than what K really wanted. We will be able to pay off what we owe on it, the taxes, realtor, and still have a great chunk of money. We will be able to pay off ALL of our debt!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOO!!! It will be soooo nice to be out of debt! And!...we may get to buy new couches!!! :) This is me grinning REALLY big!!!
Well, I just thought I would share our great news! We will both be on cloud nine the day we close...I'll keep you updated! :)

Our Children

They really are like our children! These are our 3 babies, Bella (white and black), Mocha (uh, brown), and Spencer...the spoiled older brother of the girls sitting high on the couch. Spencer is my personal favorite because I have had him for 5 years and he has been through a LOT with me! Loss of boyfriends, loss of Mom, 6 moves...he has been there, and even slept in my bed with me until K kicked him out when we were married. K should actually thank Spencer for letting him in, he would not have even gotten past the first date without my baby boy's approval! :) But K and Spencer have grown attached now and I dare say K loves him as much as I do!
The other two are our "girls." They were puppies adopted from the pound last May. They are probably about a year old now. They have put us through a lot of headaches, but they sure are cute! They are really fun, and awfully lovable!
Isn't it funny how dogs become so much a part of our lives?! I grew up with dogs (always IN the house!) and can't imagine a home without one (or two or three...). I love them so much, and know I will probably need sedative medication when they pass away...especially Spencer! I sure hope there will be dogs in Heaven!!!

I'm a proud little wife!

My dear husband has been working on this greenhouse for I guess a little over a month now on his free weekends, and it has turned out so GREAT! He is a very smart man and great medical provider, but has never claimed to be great with his hands. But, if I do say so myself, he has been selling himself short. He had just never tried. He started with a dog run that already had a concrete slab, and tore down the chain link fence that was around it. He has then built the frame, walls, and roof with his own two hands! He had a little bit of help from his dad at the beginning to set the frame and a bit of the roof, but the rest he has done on his own! He designed it on his own, too! The back and left side wall are plywood, and the roof and front and right walls are lattice (the 2 you can really see.). We will eventually have flowering vines growing on the lattice...it is going to be BEAUTIFUL!!! He is now working on the shelves/benches on the inside and the door. We will soon have a fantastic place to display his bonsais, keep plants warm in the winter, and a shelter of protection for our innocent plants from our evil puppies! :) Notice the pictures...there is a "before and after" so to speak, and a picture of the proud craftsman. Now he is asking what he can build next! I think the wood privacy fence will be the next project! :)

I miss my momma!

Wasn't she beautiful? This is a picture of my mom and dad, only months before Mom passed away of a sudden heart attack. The other is of her gravestone with the flowers we put on it for her birthday last year. I love the way my dad did her stone, it shows her love of dogs and painting...it makes it really representative of who she was. She has been gone for 2½ years, but there are days it feels like yesterday. Today is one of those days. As I sit here crying, I am reminded of how gentle and sweet she was. I miss her so much! Today is one of those days that I really struggle to understand why God chose to take her from us so early in life. When I lost her, I thought that my wedding day would be the most difficult day in my life without my mom, but now I think it may not have been as hard as others to come. As my husband and I talk about having a baby in the next year or so, I imagine getting pregnant and not having her to tell...not getting to hear the excitement in her voice upon hearing of a grandchild. And not to have my mom to ask advice from during pregnancy and parenting. I miss her voice, her hugs, her support, and her humor. I do not understand why I have to live the rest of my days without her, and I wonder if it will ever get any easier. Mom... I love you and miss you!!!
I'm sorry if this was depressing, but I needed to "write it down."

New Day, Same Story

We need a better fence...yesterday!
Two of our dogs have figured every way possible to get out of their chain-link fence, and we have since been trying to keep them inside by chaining them up. At first, it was just Bella, the smaller of the two. She would get herself wrapped around anything you can imagine...water hoses, two-by-fours of the greenhouse K is building, our well...you name it, she wrapped herself around it. This was even when she was tied to a metal rod stuck in the middle of the yard! She now only has a tether of about 10 feet! Well, now Mocha has figured out how to get out! So, the last two days has also had to be chained up. Yesterday, I came home to find her in the neighbor's yard! She was chained close to the fence, and slipped under it, while still on the chain, and wrapped herself (very tightly) a million times around the neighbor's tree nearest the fence. (I so wish I had thought to take a picture of it before I untangled her to post here!) Today, I returned home to find her tangled in her own foot! Yes, she had somehow wrapped the chord around just one foot, up to the middle of her leg. This time I felt bad, because she was obviously in pain as I tenderly tried to release her. I can't imagine how she got herself like that, or how long she had been there by the time I got home from school. She limped on it for a while...but never you fear, she is fine now! I wonder what tomorrow will hold!
Anybody need a dog...or two?!?!?!

Our "2nd Honeymoon"

While not near as elaborate as the Caribbean Cruise we took for our honeymoon, K and I did get to get away for a weekend for our anniversary. We have been low on cash (as most young marrieds, I suspect), so we just drove an hour and a half drive down to Galveston. We left Friday afternoon and went to dinner at a Sushi bar. K loves sushi, so it was a special treat for him, and they had a great (COOKED) Shrimp Tempura I liked. :) We then stayed at the hotel I had reserved online....it looked so nice online! To make a long story short, and website was misleading, and we checked out when we woke up Saturday morning. After finding a nice LaQuinta and making a reservation for Saturday night, we made our way to Moody Gardens. We had a great time there, especially in the Aquarium Pyramid, and at the 3D IMAX film. We then tried to dine at K's favorite steakhouse in Texas, but we didn't think to make reservations, and they were booked until after 9pm! (We were both now pouting.) So, we were forced to go to Landry's and have steak, shrimp, and much to K's excitement...King Crab. On Sunday we toured an old Victorian home built in the 1800's, it was BEAUTIFUL! It is a home that is now worth over $7 million dollars! Then we were forced to try out the "Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory" before we went home. What's a romantic weekend without some chocolate-covered strawberries, right? All in all, it was a fabulous weekend! It was so nice to get away for the weekend, to spend time just between the 2 of us!
When we got home...his family surprised us with a dinner at my sister-in-law's house with his parents, grandparents, and a few family friends. They had even ordered a wedding cake top (ours was destroyed when our freezer lost power during Rita) to look a little like mine. Our wedding albums and toasting flutes were also brought over there from our house before the gathering. It was sweet, and it was nice that they celebrated our year too!
Well, I haven't posted in a while, and now there is a book for you to read. Sorry...I will try to find a happier medium in the future. Thanks for letting me share my story!
By the way...Kim, thanks for the gentle reminder to post! :)

No Longer Newlyweds?

My Dear Husband and I celebrated our 1st anniversary this past weekend! I can hardly believe that it has already been a year since that beautiful day! This has truly been the best year of my life, and I am so thankful to be blessed with such a wonderful, God-fearing husband! He has made be a better person, a better homemaker, and a more prayerful woman. I pray that I have decades and decades left to share with him, getting to know him and loving him more and more each year. We have had the typical first year, getting used to sharing household chores and finances. But we also survived a 21-hour hurricane evacuation drive and 3 week evacuation from our home. We also survived the difficult finance issues that arose thereafter. I am amazed each day at his love for me, and for my love for him....I only hope it stays this wonderful for the next 50 years! I could go on and on about how wonderful my husband is, but I will spare you the mushy details! :) My only sadness is...Does this mean we are no longer "newlyweds?" :(

Hurricane Rita...not so tough!

I will admit, she was scary at first. What will my house look like when I get home? Will I have a house to go to? Will my family and friends be in the same predicament?
But...all was pretty well. We ended up with relatively minimal damage, and all of our friends and family came out about the same. We were the lucky ones. There are still families in our church that are living in trailers until FEMA or their insurance companies rescue them. But...we got the most amazing envelope in the mail this week! We received a letter from our insurance company, and assumed it would be yet another letter telling us that our claim is still "under investigation." Well, we opened it to find a check worth almost $12,000!!! They gave us sooo much more than we expected, we expected about $4,000...not even enough for our new roof! But now, we will get our new roof, replace damaged sheetrock in the house, and even have plenty left over to get the privacy fence and garage remodel that we have been wanting! We have been constanly amazed at how God has worked during the events of Rita, and He is still hard at work! He protected us from the fury of the storm, and now even made Rita a blessing to us! As I feel a little guilty accepting the assistance, I will continue to pray fervently for those families that have not yet been blessed. Let us all keep them in our prayers and praise God for what He is doing and will do!

Wedding Picture

I have been trying to play with adding pictures to the blog...here is the first. If anyone knows how to just add it to the profile, please let me know. :)
wedding pic

The Happy Couple 

Trying this out...

Well, I figured if my sister, a mother of 5, can find time to blog, so can I! :) So, this is my first post...here goes.
Well, I am a newlywed, I suppose, my husband and I will celebrate our first anniversary at the end of this month. We are planning a trip to Galveston, to just get away, and maybe go to Moody Gardens. We recently spent all of our extra money on Christmas and on a ski trip with the youth group that we did not enjoy. So, our anniversary will be limited to Galveston. I am excited to get away and spend time with just the two of us, uninterupted by other people or his pager. (My husband is a nurse practitioner with quite a bit of call time for which he is responsible.) This year has been the best year of my life, and I pray that marriage always stays this wonderful! I know there will be trials and tribulations, but I am confident that he and I can weather any storm. We did deal with the normal financial issues of a first year, and a hurricane, so it has not all been sunny weather. I am excited to start a new year, resolutions and all... and look forward to what it holds!
Well, because I need to get off the computer to tidy my house for a Rose Bowl gathering, I will end the entry here. I will try to be more insightful, witty, and clever with future posts. :)