Dancin'

So I woke up at 2 something this morning. I'm not exactly sure what actually woke me, but as I lay there trying to fall back to sleep I got to enjoy a little dancing party on the inside. Little "George" has gotten so active and last night...or really early this morning it totally felt like he was dancing in my belly!!! It's so sweet to feel him and to have that tangible reminder that there really is a baby in there!!!

6 Months

Saturday marked 24 weeks and thus 6 months of pregnancy!!! I can't say how great it feels to see the end in sight!!! It's getting better all the time and even though I'm growing I'm actually feeling less awkward. I told R. I'll probably just figure out how to get up and negotiate myself around and our little boy will be born! Smile.

"George" is moving every day now and his little jabs are getting stronger. My favorite part is that R. can feel him. It's such a joy to share that together and know this is our little baby! I saw a woman at church on Sunday holding a new baby boy and my heart squeezed thinking of when we'll get to hold our own!!!

Babymoon 2008

Destination: Puerto Rico!!!

R. and I have been wanting to go on an international trip together ever since we were married. So, we decided to just go ahead and do it as our last little romantic getaway before the little man arrives. We decided on Puerto Rico because it's actually pretty close and inexpensive to travel there from Texas. And we're so glad we did!!! It was WONDERFUL!!!

We left on the 30th of May and got to the island late that night. Our first flight was late because of some mechanical problems so we were worried we would miss our connecting flight. But, even though we got to the gate 30 minutes after departure time, we were just in time to board the plane! Praise the Lord!!! It was the last flight out that night so we would have been stuck in Miami!!

Our initial introduction to international travel on our own was a little bumpy and adventuresome! The first thing we learned is this: when booking a hotel on the internet it is advisable to stick with "name-brands" such as the Holiday Inn or Intercontinental or something more familiar. We booked our first two nights at the Beach House Hotel...don't! We got there right around midnight. They had a very loud beach party going on when we arrived and it just so happens that the only room left that they had reserved for us was right next to said party. While the room smelled clean it didn't exactly feel welcoming!! And they were totally out of bar soap for the whole hotel. Oh goody!

We hadn't really had meal since lunch so we decided to go out and find something to eat and see if there was anything else available for accommodations. To make a long story short, after a couple miles of walking and a couple hours later, the Lord totally took care of us and we were able to find a room at the Intercontinental. We had a beautiful view and the MOST comfortable bed ever!! Phew!

Puerto Rico is such a beautiful island and the people are so incredibly friendly!! My absolute favorite part about the whole trip was the fact that there's so much diversity on the island without segregation!! There are lots of mixed marriages and a group of friends would be made up of black, white, latino, all together speaking Spanish. They were simply Puertorican! It made me realize how much tension is present when R. and I are out in public, with the looks we get sometimes. To have this tension completely absent was so wonderful and freeing! So much so that it's kind of been a culture shock to return to the states and see everyone all segregated again. That's not how it's supposed to be and we got a glimpse of what it should look like and it was beautiful.

The island is small, but has a little of everything. Huge palm trees with coconuts, ocean of course, mountains, green everywhere! The architecture is so cool and colorful. The picture below is a city street in Old San Juan! It's so much fun!! Walking around there kinda felt like we'd stepped into a movie!!



R. took me snorkeling for my first time! He was such a patient instructor and it was so COOL! We stayed close to the shore, but we still got to see plenty! As soon as we stuck our faces in the water we saw a beautiful silvery blue fish and then later a papery looking fish that almost blended in with the ocean floor. I'm so glad R. encouraged me to do it!!! Way cool!!!

We spent a lot of time on the beach, walking in the sand and swimming in the ocean. Definitely my idea of a perfect vacation!! And the weather was perfect too!!! Not hot, but warm and comfortable!! It rained a little bit every day, but it never affected our plans.



We did a little exploring and ventured out in our little rental car. One night we went to the Phosphorescent Bay. This was great! There's some kind of algae that grows in the water there and when the water is stirred from swimming or something of that nature, it glows. We took a boat ride out into the bay and a diver got out and swam in the water so we could see it! Then on the way back we saw fish jumping and the water would glow where they landed! SWEETNESS!!

On our last day there we visited an old fort built in the 1500's by the Spaniards. I've never felt this way when visiting historic sites before, but I could really sense the presence of history! I could almost see the soldiers walking across the courtyard and hear the cannon fire over the walls. It was amazing how preserved it was for being so old!!!



I have to say it was the best vacation I've ever had and we so enjoyed our time together! I highly recommend it as a place to visit!! We've even talked about going back again!! I could tell more, but then this post would be REALLY long!!

Thirty Thursday

R. turned 30 on Thursday! I decided to be nice to him; no black balloons or anything like that! Instead we had a group of friends over and ate pizza and tres leches cake (our favorite!) and R. and the guys played video games while us ladies talked. We had a good time!! My husband is so much fun! I'm so glad to share moments like birthdays together!!

Early Arrival

A co-worker asked for prayer for her friend’s grandson. He was born 3 months early. So far the prognosis is good, but if you think of it please pray for little Garrison.

Shopping

It's getting hot here in central TX and my belly is getting bigger! That's a recipe for new summer clothes. But it's becoming more difficult to find clothes that fit right! If I try a medium my belly starts to feel contrained, but a large is too big through the shoulders. Go figure! What on earth am I gonna wear when I'm 6, 7, & 8 months pregnant?!? One would think that since I'm shopping for maternity clothes they would make the belly area big enough for a pregnant belly! Hello!!! Alas. Well, I'm happy to say that from behind you still can't tell I'm pregnant!!! And I hope to keep it that way!!! All BABY!

Half-Way There!!!!!!!

Tomorrow marks 20 weeks of pregnancy and 20 weeks until we meet our little BOY! I’m feeling him move now throughout the day. It’s so sweet to feel his little pokes and know that’s my baby! It also makes it seem so much more real and I feel my love for him growing with that deepening reality.

Yesterday I felt a little poke from him while I was working. Just after his little poke the song “I Get a Kick Out of You” started playing on my computer! He already has good timing! Smile.

Our house is in total flux right now! We’re shifting furniture all around in order to clear out what will be his nursery. Thankfully since a major cleaning spree yesterday, the living room is in order so there’s one room in the house that’s not in total disarray! And I made and hung the curtains in the nursery! They turned out GREAT! We’re doing a jungle theme! R. is making a 3D tree in the corner and we’ll have more stuffed animals than any one child could need…but it will be so cute and it’s so much fun!! And it’s so precious to see how excited R. is to make a fun place for our baby!

If I counted how many times I almost slip and say his name each day…… It’s so fun to have this secret shared between R. and me, but it’s so hard not to tell the whole world the name we’ve already given our son!! But it will be so fun to announce the name when he’s born, so I don’t want to spoil it! Secrets are so much fun!

Old Tricks & New

I may have said this before; I’ve certainly thought it. But I’m glad to be pregnant in this day and age and not 30 years ago! For one, maternity clothes are CUTE! But even better are the little comfort things that some brilliant person took the time to invent and market!!!

Sleep has much improved since I got a pregnancy wedge put out by Boppy! It’s just like it sounds. It is simply a piece of soft foam that starts out about 4 inches think and gradually gets thinner. I tuck it under my belly when laying on my side and it takes away that uncomfortable feeling of the belly leaning off to the side. It gives just the right support without putting any pressure on the belly.

Then there’s the pregnancy belt. I don’t know about anyone else, but I feel like my belly is hanging heavy especially by the end of the day. The belt is an elasticized band that connects with velcro. It’s worn under the belly and around the lower back and supports the belly perfectly!! I can walk farther and do more without getting so tired!!! I’m glad R. got this for me so early in my pregnancy so that I will have the help all along!

Finally the old trick! I thankfully have not had much trouble yet with bloating and retaining water, but occasionally like this morning I will wake up and my wedding ring fits tight. R. shared a trick that his sister S. swears by and it WORKS! Put a little lemon juice in your water. That’s it! It works and it works quickly! And it’s cheap and harmless!!

Our Growing Family

R. and I went to a beautiful, outdoor wedding last night and took the opportunity for a couple family photos! My sweet love is so beautiful!!! I can't wait to see what our little BOY looks like!!

Stay-at-Home-Moms

I heard the following on the radio this morning:

Morning Edition, May 9, 2008 · If stay-at-home moms made a salary, one study estimates that it would be $117,000 — and most of the paycheck would come from overtime.

I’m so thankful to have a husband who not only supports me in staying home with our little boy, but recognizes that staying home is hard work!! A shout out to all of you stay-at-home-moms!!! Keep up the good work!!!

The Moment of Truth

It's the moment of truth! All the votes are cast and counted. 29 said GIRL. 14 said BOY. Today was our ultrasound. It was absolutely AMAZING to watch our little one moving around like crazy and to see the feet and spine and hands and know that's our little baby! And, R. got the priviledge of telling me the big news. WE'RE HAVING A BOY! Surprise!!!! We were so certain it was going to be a girl! But there's no doubt about it! We're having a little man!! And I hope he's just like his Daddy!! The tech-lady says it looks like he weighs about 8oz and projected our due date as October 7th instead of October 2nd. When we first found out we were pregnant I calculated the baby would come around the 9th, so the 7th sounds more accurate to me! Smile.

After we left the office, I headed straight for Target to buy a little outfit! I've been dying to purchase clothes and I definitely think boy clothes are cuter! So, considering the fact that our BOY isn't due until October, I ended up just getting him some little sleep outfits since most of the clothes out now are for summer. But they're so cute and jungle themed like his room will be!!!

And in case you're wondering...yes we have his name picked out....no we're not sharing!!! For that you'll have to wait until he's born!!!!

Chiropractic Care

I don’t know what people did/do without chiropractic care! Somehow I wrenched my shoulder the end of last week (I think I did something adventurous like sleep on it wrong!) and I suffered with it all weekend. I couldn’t do much of anything without pain and since I don’t want to take any pain medicine right now, there wasn’t much I could do about it. Yesterday morning I went to the chiropractor first thing and today, after a restful night without pain, I feel like a new person!! Thank the Lord for giving the wisdom to understand how the body works together with all of its muscles and ligaments!!!!!

My Husband

Tomorrow R. and I will be married 29 months!!! Sometimes I get overwhelmed with how very blessed I am to be married to R. He takes such good care of me and loves me so completely! He makes me laugh like no one else can and can calm me down just with his presence. He works hard at his job and pitches in at home. He loves the Lord and doesn't compromise on truth. He's caring and compassionate with others. He speaks the truth even if it's not popular. He's involved in planning for BABY and getting her/his little room ready. He's going to be SUCH a WONDERFUL Daddy!!! And I'm more in love with him today then I was on the day we wed. I'm so thankful for this sweet Love of mine!!

To Bigger and Better

Today I sent in my paper for my Isaiah distance learning class! I'm finally done with it!!! To say I lacked motivation is a decided understatement!!! Yay for completion and closure!!! Now on to getting ready for BABY!!!!

By the way...we're having a little voting contest about whether the BABY will be a BOY or a GIRL. So...feel free to add your voice and tell us what you think we're having! We're keeping a tally and will find out who's right in the end!!! Hopefully we'll find out when we go for our ultrasound next month!!!

Impermanence

It has become more and more apparent in recent days that we live in a society of impermanence. In college one expects that friends are around for only a short time and that everyone will disperse to their respective locations. That doesn’t make it any easier to say goodbye, but it is nonetheless expected. After college, and after marriage, and buying a house and starting a family, there is a semblance of permanence, but this is just an illusion. We’re not a society of roots anymore, but of change. And that’s not always bad! I’m an advocate of change! Change causes us to grow and develop and learn new things. But it still comes as a surprise to realize that the friends one thought would just always be around are heading off to new experiences and new locations.

Two of my close Mommy friends are moving. One is leaving just this week and another heads out in June; thus the reality of impermanence. I’m sad to see them go and wonder who the Lord will bring into my life to fill the gap…not to replace since they’re irreplaceable…but to fill in for their absence. At the same time, I don’t begrudge them the opportunities! A part of me wishes it was us going on to new adventures. But the Lord has us here and has them going on and He’ll take care of both of us. Saying goodbyes, though, does make me think of another world in which goodbyes will cease and everyone I love will all be together with HIM. I’m glad again that this life isn’t all we get, though I am thankful for it.

Baby Paraphernalia

R. and I did some pre-registry legwork last night; meaning we went to the Baby Depot and looked at some baby items and began the decision process about what we think we want for our little one. It all started out just fine with the excitement of what we'd like for our little one. But, the night ended with me in tears feeling overwhelmed about how on earth we’re going to fit everything in our apartment without being overtaken by baby paraphernalia! (Oh the joys of pregnant hormones and emotions that can change in a nanosecond!) Bottom line is the question of whether we really need everything we think we need and what we actually do need. For such small little people, babies sure come with a lot of STUFF!

The Lookout Post

I think this is the epitome of CUTE so I had to share!!! Chewie and Chica will sit on their little stool for hours looking outside or napping until they hear something worth checking out!! And it's just as cute from out of doors!! We have sweet little doggies!!

So this is random, but I'm happy to say that after two years of marriage I'm finally learning to keep up with the laundry!! It seems to be a no-brainer, but it's a lot different to wash clothes for two people rather than one!! When I was single, I would go 3 weeks without doing laundry and then I'd do a few big loads and be done with it. Now, I really do have to wash clothes every week or it takes me a week to get it all done! And it's taken me until now to really figure this out and then actually do the laundry once a week! I guess it's a good thing since in a few months we'll go from two to three laundry-makers! Smile.

15 weeks

Friday R. and I went to our baby doctor. I wasn't sure what this visit would entail, so I was even more excited to get to hear our baby's heartbeat!!!! I almost cried it was so precious!! There's something so sweet about the sound! And our little one was running a marathon or something in there!!! 160 beats!! Last time we got to see a mini-ultrasound 'cause we couldn't hear the heartbeat. That was cool, but it's hard to tell what you're looking at on such a little screen. But a heartbeat is pretty recognizable and it makes it seem all the more real that we're actually having a BABY!

I was also really encouraged in asking our doctor some questions about child-birth and different positions and practices. The more I read and talk to others about birth and delivery, the more I REALLY want to stick with a natural approach to birth. In talking with our doctor it seems like she's very supportive of that!

New meaning to the word ‘tired’.

You’ve never been tired until you’ve been pregnant and tired! This week has particularly brought this truth home. I’ve had a nap nearly every day this week and have gone to bed early every night but one and I still feel like I could sleep for a week!

Tomorrow is the 14 week milestone. This week our sweet one can make facial expressions and even suck her/his thumb! I can’t wait until I can feel all the movements she/he is making already! It still feels so unreal that there’s really a baby in there!!

R. has been so wonderful through all the tiredness and emotional ups and downs. I certainly couldn’t do this without him!! And he’s so precious! When he comes home from work at night he gives me a kiss and then he leans down and talks to our baby inside my belly! This little one will certainly know her/his Daddy’s voice!! R. is going to be such a wonderful Dad!!!

Beautiful Christian Sister

BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN SISTER

by Maya Angelou

A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not shouting 'I'm clean livin''I'm whispering 'I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride.I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong.I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success.I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect,My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain..I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou,I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow!