Photo Phun

Well - It's been such a long time for me to have taken my camera out for fun and just shoot. I think the last time I did that was when Marisa and I went to Botanical Gardens in November of last year!!!! That's too long.
The other day I went out into our front yard and started taking pictures of the flowers in our yard - it was so much fun. Here are a few of them.
I really had a great time. I have got to get out more with my camera - for fun - again!

Last week, I started to go a little clean happy in our home. I started in our bed room, vacuuming the heck out of it. Moving furniture - except the bed, dresser, and desk they are too heavy - going along the walls, the window sills, and the dogs bed. It took me forever! And this was after I did some cleaning and purging of old stuff! Then, I moved into the front room vacuumed all of our furniture, the carpets and down the hall!
A couple of days later I was at the gas station and while I was waiting for the pump to finish, I started cleaning out the car of all the trash, empty water bottles, etc. Kirstie looks at me and says, "Geez mom - you are nesting bad!!!". I started laughing and figured she must be right. I'd rather get it done now while I am still 'comfortablely' pregnant rather than doing it all with a huge belly in the middle of summer!!!

Blessings!

15 weeks

Time goes by so fast - however the first three months really dragged on ... due to morning, excuse me, all day sickness! ;o)
But here we are at 15 weeks and all is going great!

I actually felt the baby move. I thought I had felt him before, but wasn't quite sure, but I know now that it was him. Last week it felt like he rolled over in my tummy - very cool! ;o)

Here are a couple of pictures of us at 15 weeks 2 days.


Blessings!

Scare with a blessing

A week ago today, Friday March 13, (LOL don't get all worked up those of you who are suspicious!) I started with some major cramping and a pinching feeling at the same time. I was concerned so called the doctor's office. I had to talk to the doctor on call because the office was closed. When I explained to her what I was feeling the first thing she told me was that she couldn't rule out miscarriage. What?!?! Can't rule out miscarriage!??!?! I was 14 weeks, we saw and heard the heartbeat - what do you mean we can't rule it out?!?! All of this was going through my head. Then she went on to tell me that it could be a urinary tract infection. I would much rather a UTI at this point! ;o) She told me to increase my fluids and take it easy over the weekend. So I did.

The pinching feeling went away, but the cramping didn't. It was mostly at night or if I had been up and around for a while. Come, Monday I was feeling much better ... all day! Then evening hit and the cramping came back - stronger now.

I called the doctors office first thing on Tuesday. They told me to come in and give a urine sample so they could do a culture and that I should just stay down and relax until my next appointment ... on March 31st. Okay ... so I go to the office, but before I leave J suggests that I ask if they would see me so we could listen to the baby's heartbeat - for peace of mind.
So, even though I know that I am entitled to it, I still didn't like to ask when I 'didn't have an appointment'. Needless to say, they got me in right away. I had just picked T up from school so she was with me and exited to hear the baby's heartbeat! ;o)

After I talked to the nurse, explained the the cramping had gotten worse - but I wasn't bleeding and that I just needed to know that everything was okay (considering I had a miscarriage in September) she smiled at me and said "Of course you do!" ;o) Whew! Someone who understood. Then I waited for the doctor. He poked his head in and told me that they were going to move me to the ultrasound room. I was excited but scared at the same time, did they know something I didn't, were we going to get some bad news?!?! Then I told myself to relax ... I get to see my baby again!!! ;o)

When we got into the room, doc came in and as soon as he put the wand on my belly - there it was, plain as day ... THE HEARTBEAT!!!! Whew! All is well with baby. The baby looked so great in there! Legs, arms, spine, brain, eyes, fingers, toes, everything, even moved a little bit for us. I am thinking he was sleeping! ;o)

Then the doctor asked me if we wanted a boy or a girl. I told him that we were hoping for a girl. He looked at me as though I was blind. I looked back at the monitor and he said "That is a boy!". I looked at him and asked, "Are you sure? Is there any way you could be wrong?" I know, no the nicest thing to ask, but I am only 14 weeks, and isn't it too early to tell these things?!?! Being the good doctor that he is, he moved the wand around to make sure he was getting a clear picture and said, "Usually we can't tell this early. But baby is giving us a perfect view. It's a boy." So, we are having a son!!! We are so excited. Yes a girl would have been nice, but we are thrilled that he is healthy, strong, and growing just as he should be!!!

Here are some pictures.

In the picture above you can see where the arrow is pointing ... that is our boy! ;o) It was so amazing to see this human being, alive and well growing in side of me! What a miracle!
When I got home to tell J that we were having a boy, that's right, he wasn't with me, we didn't know we were going to get an ultrasound and find out the sex. He was so excited! Then he told me that he wanted to revisit the name we had picked out. We were going to name him Jedidiah Wade, but now we don't know. We will use the name Wade for sure, but the first name we are still working on.

So, I started off with a scare - but then we are blessed with great news! The reason I have had so much cramping is due to my uterus growing so fast. So, now cramping is good! ;o)


Blessings!

Civil War Day

Every year at Heritage Digital Academy they have 'Civil War Day'. It's a day full of activities for the kids - From 9am - 9pm!!! - ranging from riffle handling to cooking to war marching moves and how to load a cannon! Kyle had so much fun and learned a lot. They even brought in an 'Abraham Lincoln' actor to give a speech to the kids! What fun!

At the end of the day the kids are given an hour to get ready for the cotillion. I went and helped Kyle out - we had so much fun! We were supposed to put her hair in and up-do with curls. But Kyle was so cold that she asked if we could just curl it and leave it down. So, that is what we did. From 6pm to 9pm was the dance. They learned all sorts of dance moves, and put them into practice. Of course, boys will be boys, and they just didn't pay attention. The girls got frustrated (you know how much girls like to dance!) and kept telling the boys what the next move was and where to go! ;o)



Here is a picture I took of Kyle & Maddie. I wanted to get a 'period traditional' shot with them. So, I asked them to not smile...man was that hard for them. It was so much fun! After the 'serious' shot, I took one of them smiling - and boy were they happy for that one!

Blessings!!!

Kirstie's Play

Well, Kirstie was in a second production at school this month. I am so proud of her, she was so much more comfortable in the role than she was in her last one. She played the role of Marcie in "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown". It is so much fun to watch the kids perform. I know how hard they worked, and I also know how much fun it is to 'show off your stuff' when you finally get to the performance.

The program is taking a two week break and will resume again for their final production this year. They are going to do a play on 'Newsies' - I believe that is right - the Disney thing. But this time, they are going to have the students write part of to most of the script. This time instead of just learning how to act, project, dance, etc, they are going to learn how to write and all! I am so excited for them!!!

On another note, Kirstie is doing so well in school right now. We are just a little over half way through the school year, and Kirstie almost has enough credits to become a Sophmore! She is only ten credits away! She really has been bookin' through school this year. It is her goal to graduate early and get some of her college courses (gen-ed) done early so she can get a jump start on college! What a kid!!!

Blessings!

Second Trimester

Well, I am officially in my second trimester. Here are a couple of pictures of my belly at 13 weeks and 2 days. If you'd like to see more pictures visit: www.optimaphotography.com/Personal/Welcome.html


Blessings!!!

God's sense of humor and healing!

As many of you know, we had a miscarriage in September - September 9th to be exact - with an estimated delivery date of March 5th.

We are pregnant again, and due on September 12!!! Isn't that amazing?!?! Also, yesterday, March 5th, I had a doctors appointment. We heard the heartbeat that day, with the Doppler!!! I know now that the baby is growing, developing, and getting stronger just as it's supposed to!

What I think is so amazing, is that these dates could have been dates with memories of sadness and loss. I'll never forget the loss and the pain we went through losing that pregnancy, it will forever be a part of my life. But, now instead of those dates being surrounded with sadness, they will be days of life, renewing, and joy!!!

It wasn't easy to go through the miscarriage, but the closeness I experienced with God is priceless! I am so thankful for what I learned and how God revealed Himself to me during that storm! I would never want to give it up.

And He is so gracious, loving, and kind, to bless us with a baby, and adding joy. A joy that surpasses all understanding!!!
Saturday marks the beginning of my second trimester. It is such a blessing to walk with God and follow Him no matter how difficult, hard, or painful it may be, because there is always something more - something greater is yet to come when we place our confidence in God!

Blessings!!!