Mostly for me...

I have been wanting to post about the preparation/delivery of Janie Ann for me so that I wouldn't forget anything about it- of course I'm sure I will NEVER forget anything about it!!

Our journey really began on March 7th, that morning we woke up and discussed what all we had to do that day: go to Harrison's 3rd b-day party, visit the twins in Birmingham, and go by the house and check on the progress. So, I got up and just out of curiosity I went ahead and took a test- in less than the allotted time the + sign appeared on the stick. I was in total shock and just screamed- Seth was still in the bed and I made him get up and go get another test, a name brand one- the one we had was a wal-mart brand one and I figured it was just a blooper. So while Seth was gone, he told me not to take another one (out of the same box), so I didn't, but I did take one and run it under water from the sink to see if it was a blooper and that one came by negative. So while Seth was gone, I proceeded to get ready to head into town. When he returned, of course I didn't need to potty, so we headed onto New Site. When we got there I had drank enough water to float a boat and since his parents had already left for the party we went by there and tried the name brand test (EPT Certainty). So again, in less than the allotted time the word "PREGNANT" came up in the small little box plain and clear. At that point I started crying and just hugged Seth and we also decided not to tell anyone. Do you know how hard it is to find out that you are expecting and have to keep it a secret when you are going to a party where half of your family is there?!? And then we had to go to church on Sunday and STILL not tell a soul?! It was difficult. I called my doctor on Monday and explained that we had taken the test and that it was positive and I needed to come in and see the doctor as soon as possible because of my diabetes and I wanted to make sure everything was ok. So that afternoon we went and saw Dr. Litsey. First...let me back up to Monday at school- I was so excited and about to bust with the news and I wanted to tell SOMEONE, and that someone I wanted to tell was my mom because she was in LA at the time working and I just wanted her to know that she HAD TO BE HOME when her grandbaby was close to being born, so after emailing Seth multiple times we decided that we could tell FAMILY ONLY because they would realize something was up with me checking more than ever and my bloodsugars being crazy- so with that I called my mom while my students were at lunch! During the phone call Roz walked into the room and realized I was on the phone so she went back to her room, once I was done talking with my mom, I was crying and so I had to go talk to Roz and without telling her anything she figured it out! Now, onto the doctor visit- we went had the bloodwork done and discussed the next steps with Dr. Litsey (which was visiting him every week to start with and closely monitor my bloodsugars and get into the endo's office ASAP). After we left Dr. Litsey's office we went straight to Target to buy gifts for the other grandparents- we didn't find anything we loved, but we did get a Family picture frame for our growing family. We stopped first to tell my dad and grandfather, we went in and told them we had them a gift for helping so much with the house and my dad opened the frame first and was a little confused, then he opened the card and realized and was more than excited!! My grandfather just gave me a hug and said he was so excited and couldn't wait to meet the newest member of our family (it would be his first great-grandchild). Then we went onto Seth's parents house and we had to wait until Grandpa got home from work and so right before we ate dinner we gave them the card and frame- again, we told them it was something to say thanks for all the help with the building of our house. MeMaw opened the card and on the front it said something along the lines of, "Congrats on your new grandchild". MeMaw just screamed and started crying- this was grand-baby #6 for them. Sheena and Scott were there, so Seth went and called Shelly to share the news, but they had people at their house and we didn't want anyone besides family to know so Seth just asked Shelly to call him back once their company left. Anyways- we had shared the news with the family and know they had to keep it a secret, too!

From there we saw Dr. Litsey every week through the first trimester and then every 2 weeks for the first part of the 2nd trimester, then we moved to every 4 weeks (that was really only one visits!), then we were back to every 2 weeks at the end of the 2nd trimester- then it was once a week and at week 32 we started going twice a week for non-stress test (NST). My mom was able to come home for a week visit and during that time I asked Dr. Litsey if we could do an ultrasound- so at week 10 my mom was able to go with us to the first ultrasound and the first time I was able to hear her heartbeat. Then at week 16 we scheduled the ultrasolund to find out what we would be having and Seth's mom was able to go with us when we found out we would be having a beautiful little girl. Then at week 36 I saw Dr. Smith who discussed possible induction the next week...well then I saw Dr. Litsey and he wanted to wait as long as possible. So I got my hopes up only to be disappointed, but I know it was for the best. At the beginning of week 37 we had an ultrasound to see how big she was getting and at that point she was measuring right at 8lbs. Well, on Friday October 23rd I went into work and was feeling horrible, but I HAD to be there because my long-term sub was coming in to observe our day and see what all we did on a daily basis. I walked into the classroom and almost blacked out! I was feeling AWFUL. So I called Seth and asked him to come get me and just take me to Paden's trailor for the day- I went to the office to log my sick day and I left my long-term sub with the kids (bless her heart!). I called the dr. and he prescribed me some medicine for anti-nausea and told me to try it and see if it worked.... Seth went ahead and took a 1/2 day and the medicine worked for a short period of time. We went home (during this we had to go pick up Shelly's van and it was while the meds were working, so I drove her van home -it was ok for me to drive-and we just hung out at the house). Around 6:30 pm I took more meds and by 7:30 they were no longer working and so I called the EAMC Labor and Delivery to see what I needed to do (being diabetic I had to make sure i wasn't getting dehydrated and my bloodsugars were staying level). Dr. Golden was on call and asked me to check my ketones and if they were high to come on to the hospital. So of course they were high, and we loaded up the van and headed to the hospital. My mom was working that night, so she just waited for us at the hospital. I went back there and they hooked me up to an IV for fluids and also gave me some phenergan (thank goodness because the other stuff WAS NOT WORKING!!). So that was the beginning of week 38. Dr. Litsey was on call Saturday so when he came by to check on me, he went ahead and wrote me an excuse for work to not come back until after maternity leave- and I was discharged at 4:00. We did have to miss Harper’s first birthday party which I was upset about, but I don't think I could have made it anyways the way I was feeling- hopefully she will forgive us!! :) So I had an appointment with Dr. Litsey on Tuesday and at that appointment because I had made no progress he went ahead and scheduled a C-section for Friday October 30th at 7:00 am. So from Tuesday until Friday morning I was filled with excitement and nerves!! Was I ready for this journey to end and another to begin? Will I be a good mom? What if something goes wrong- will I be prepared to handle it? What if something happens during surgery? I had TONS of questions that went through my head daily. But we prepared the best we could and our last night without a baby we attended HBHS Last football game for the season- HBHS vs. Dadeville. Of course everyone was in shock that we were out, but I couldn't sit at home thinking about going into surgery the next morning!! We stayed until after half-time and I was getting tired so we headed to the house (my mom had stayed with me all week since I wasn't at work- Seth wanted someone to be there with me) so my mom was waiting on us when we got back and we loaded up the car and checked and double checked to make sure we had everything we could possibly need! That night it was SO hard to sleep- Seth and I talked about how much our lives were about to change for the better. So we set the alarm for 2:30 so that we would have an hour to get ready and be able to leave by 3:30 and be at the hospital no later than 5am (shooting for 4:30). Well, I hit the snooze button a few too many times and woke up around 3:15 am, got in the shower and was out and ready by 3:45! We took a few pictures in Janie Ann's room and off we went into the darkness of the morning!! We got to the hospital around 4:45 and started the check-in process. I was hooked up to IV's and they gave me a whole bag of fluids within an hour! My mom and dad were both there and visited for a while before they had to leave and wait. Seth's parents also came in for a little while. At 6z:45 they came in and explained what was about to happen. I would have to WALK into the surgery room and Seth would have to wait in the hospital room until they had given me the spinal block and it took- if it didn't take and they had to put me all the way under, Seth wouldn't be able to come back there. Then they gave me a sheet to cover my backside and I gave Seth a kiss and off I went. (Seth said it was the hardest thing he ever had to do, was to watch me walk out of that room without him with me, not knowing if he would be able to join me or not). I went into the surgery room and sat on the table ready for the spinal block- my nurse was awesome- she explained everything that was happening. After he gave me the shot I had a tingling feeling shoot down my left leg into my foot and back up- they then quickly laid me back and strapped my arms down on the table and tilted the table so that the meds would distribute evenly throughout my body. After they made sure the spinal worked He nurse went and got Seth while they prepped me for the surgery, They quickly began after Seth got in there- I felt them tugging on me and right before they pulled her out they told me I would feel a lot of pressure- and sure enough if felt as though they were pushing everything up my throat and at 7:12 am Janie Ann made her appearance into this world. It was truly a miracle!!! We had a wonderful nurse that took pictures for us throughout the entire process and that was wonderful!! She weighed in at 9lbs and 8 oz-larger than what Seth was expecting and close to what I was expecting. She had a head full of black hair and was just PERFECT! Seth was able to bring her to me and I was able to kiss her and just look at her (my arms were still strapped down, so I couldn't hold her yet). While they were finishing up on me, Seth was able to take her to the nursery and stop along the way to show her off to all our family and friends!! We have very few pictures from that moment because everyone was trying to see her- not worrying about pictures!! I was sent to recovery for about an hour before they took me to a room. The room they finally took me to was SO SMALL! Literally 3 visitors would fill up the room, so people were having to come visit and then leave for someone else to come in! I don't remember much- but I do remember TONS of visitors coming in that day!! The nurses realized how many friends and family we had and they worked quickly to clean a larger room for us!!

So on October 30, 2009 at 7:12 AM we were no longer a family of 2, but now a family of 3. Now onto the family ties to this day and her name... October 30th was Grandpa’s mom's birthday- I did not know her, she passed away when Seth was a little boy, so the fact that Janie Ann now shares her birthday with her great-grandmother is something special for Grandpa and Seth. Janie was my great-grandmother's name and my mom's middle name is Jane, and Ann is MeMaw's middle name- so that is how we got her name!! Now that I feel I have enough information about the day Janie Ann was born and the weeks and months leading up to it- I feel satisfied!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe new year- I know that 2010 will have a lot of firsts for us and I'm so excited to get to experience those with Seth and Janie Ann!!

Poor Caddy...

Since Little Bit has made her apperance Caddy, sadly, has gotten less attention than he ever has before and he DOES NOT like it!! He has adjusted well to having her around, but he does not like it when I am holding her and not petting him- he will sit as close as possible to me, almost in my lap whenever we are on the couch and often trys to nudge my hand off of her to pet him. He is very protective of Little Bit, though. If someone comes into the house, of course he goes crazy like always, but he checks them out before they hold Little Bit and the entire time anyone is holding her (that he is not familiar with) he will sit right next to them or in front of them and no one can make sudden movements around her without him almost going crazy!! It is very sweet and I can't wait until Little Bit is big enough to sit up and grab him!! :)

Christmas Morning!

Here is all of Little Bit's Christmas gifts- because she NEEDED all of this!!

I just loved this picture!! It was her first Christmas and it was over so quickly!! She was such a sweet baby on Christmas day (and everyday), but Christmas morning we had brunch at our house and had people in and out all day long almost. It was a wonderful time to spend with family and friends, and we hope to continue doing it year after year! The Traveler woke up early Christmas morning and started fixing breakfast casseroles. My mom came and fixed soem WONDERFUL pancakes, The Traveler's granny fixed some homemade biscuits and we had some bacon, sausage and eggs to go along with it all! It was so good- I'm getting hungry just thinking about all the food we had that morning!! Next year brunch is at Aunt Sister #1's house- I can't wait to see what we will be having there!! :)

Christmas Eve

One of our traditions is to begin Christmas Eve with the Christmas Eve breakfast that is either at Mrs. Cindy's house or Granny Jean's house (it rotates from year to year). This year it was at Mrs. Cindy's house and there were TONS of people, so it was fun, food and fellowship for everyone to enjoy. So needless to say, our Christmas Eve started off EARLY! Little Bit and I woke up at 5:30 for her to eat and then I got ready so that we could be there by 7! We made it- surprisingly I didn't get back into bed! (I also didn't take any pictures. :*()

After the breakfast, MeMaw, has all of her neices and now her grandchildren come over to her house to make cookies for Santa and reindeer food. I'm not exactly sure how many years she has been doing this now, but I know it is something that everyone looks forward to each year. This year, while Litte Bit was too little to bake any cookies, she did get in on the picture- just imagine when ALL of these kiddos are big enough to be baking cookies- there will be so many bosses in the kitchen!!! So now I need to say a HUGE thank you to M for baking Littlel Bit's cookies and fixing her reindeer food!! Then at lunch, Little Bit and I headed out to my grandmother's Christmas lunch at my Aunt St's house. We had some good traditional food- dressing, ham, deviled eggs (which I don't eat)...and the list goes on! Then we opened presents with them- Little Bit is one spoiled little girl! She got thsi awesome ball thing that has a stand and it lights up, so she can watch it to begin with and then as she gets more coordinated she can take the ball off the stand and play with it- definitely something for her to use when she gets bigger! Then after lunch we headed back to MeMaw's for Christmas with The Traveler's side of the family! Little Bit received TONS of gifts and Santa hadn't even made his way to her house yet!!


I will post pictures of MeMaw and Grandpa's house/present opening and Christmas morning in a later post. It's getting late and I'm tired- Little Bit is already asleep, so I better be getting in the bed!!

Christmas gatherings begin!!

We started our Christmas gatherings on Monday night with Seth's sisters. Seth and I started 3 Christmas' ago buying our neice and nephew (yes ONE of each) matching PJ's to wear to Christmas Eve breakfast. We thought we had started something fun and it would be something we would do each Christmas...then there was 6!! Let me just say- PJ's aren't cheap!! But Christmas Eve morning at breakfast when they all match it will be well worth it!! I will post pictures from Christmas Eve at some point!! Promise! But we had so much fun last night!! Seth made a roast that was to die for- it was GONE in no time!! Grandpa was supposed to come join us, but was unable to make it- thank goodness he didn't because he wouldn't have had anything to eat!!! After presents and eating, Seth had a fire ready for Harrison and Clark to roast marshmellows, then Scott got out the telescope and found the moon, so fun was had by all. Hopefully this is something we can do each Christmas- gather before Christmas, eat and swap gifts!

Then today we had to take Janie Ann to see Dr. BB for her acid reflux (self-diagnosed by me- but I was correct!). He prescribed her some zantac and he always comments on how big and strong she is- he even tried to give her the 2 month shots, but she still has 8 days!! I was SUPER impressed with how much she weighs...7 weeks and 4 days she weighs 13.2 lbs and is 23 inches long. Dr. BB said to keep up whatever we are doing and not to worry!!

Anyeays- not sure if I will post again until after Christmas so I hope everyone has a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Christmas Traditions

1. Eggnog or hot chocolate? Hot chocolate with whip cream! (missing the Starbucks in Haley Center!)

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa always wrapped my presents, but he didn't wrap The Traveler's- so I'm not sure what Santa will do for Little Bit, but I can't wait to find out on Christmas morning!!

3. Colored lights on the tree/house or white? White. Pre-lit Christmas trees are WONDERFUL!

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No- we don't have any!

5. When do you put your Christmas decorations up? The weekend after Thanksgiving! You can't decorate for Christmas before you celebrate Thanksgiving!!

6. Favorite holiday dish? I love the traditional food, but since we eat so much of it at Thanksgiving I really enjoy my steak on Christmas Eve!

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? Being so excited to see what Santa had brought me that my brother and I would stay in the same room (without fighting!) and wake up super early every year!

8. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We celebrate with The Traveler's family on Christmas Eve- and so yes, we open presents!

9. How do you decorate a tree? With black and silver ball ornaments, penguin ornaments and black and white snowflakes with ribbons tied on the ends of the branches (the ribbons haven't made it up this year!) Then we have another tree that all of the other ornaments go on- Gift of Hope, travel ornaments, etc.

10. Snow! Love it or dread it? Love snow, probably because I very rarely see it. I hope to go out west in the future with Little Bit so she can experience REAL snow!! Even when it does snow here, it's gross!!

11. Can you ice skate? I haven't gone in many years- last time I went I could make it around without falling!

12. Do you remember your favorite gift? There isn't one particular one that sticks out to me, I loved them all!

13. What is the most important thing about the holidays to you? Remembering the true reason for the season, Christ's birth.

14. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Fudge and Divinty!!

15. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Christmas Eve breakfast and then baking cookies for Santa with MeMaw. I'm excited to begin more traditions with Little Bit, though!

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16. What tops your tree? A bow, but I need a new one!!

17. Which do you prefer-Giving or Receiving? I truly enjoy giving gifts, I am super blessed to be able to go to the store and get whatever I want/need whenever, but most families are unable to do that, so I LOVE buying for others so they can have a wonderful Christmas, too.

18. Favorite Christmas song? Mary, Did You Know and then all of the classics, esp Rudolph!

19. Candy Canes-Yuck or Yum? It depends on how I'm feeling!!

20. Favorite Christmas show? The Christmas Story and then of course- Griswold's Christmas Vacation!

This makes me even more excited about the next week and all of the celebrations we are preparing to attend!! I'm so glad that we get to see the joy of Christmas now through the eyes of our child- Christmas is going to be so much more fun now!!

Baby Dedication

Sunday December 6th, 2009 we dedicated our sweet baby girl to the Lord at Rocky Creek Baptist Church with tons of friends and family there to witness!! It was a wonderful service and Little Bit was a perfect angel throughout the entire church service.


Just to name a few of the guests and family that were there- I will start with her GREAT-Grandparents. She has a total of 9, yes NINE great grandparents, which I think is amazing- all of them but 2 were able to be with us. Thank you Granny, Grand-daddy, Papaw G, Nana, Papaw and Mamaw P and Papaw S for coming to the service, it meant so much to The Traveler and I. Along with her great-grandparents, her grandparents were also in attendace: MeMaw and Grandpa (The Traveler's parents), Gigi, and Grand-dad (my parents). Then comes all the aunts and uncles and cousins....this could take a while, so I'm just going to list you by family: The Dennis', Hunter's, Kinman's, Ruff's, Daughtry's, and my brother and his girlfriend K. Then we had friends from every where there!! A HUGE thank you to Lee, Carrie and Carpenter Williams coming all the way from Tuscaloosa and to Lee for singing Little Bit a song on such short notice!! Needless to say, when they asked all family and friends to stand almost the entire church had to stand!! We are BLESSED to have so many who care and love us!!

Merry Christmas!!

Little Bit's first picture with Santa!

Wednesday Thoughts...

Well, today has been a great day! I spent most of the morning...ok, all of the morning holding Little Bit and I finally put her down around 1:30. When I put her down I started watching A Baby Story and thinking about how quickly 5.5 weeks have gone by and how much she changes each and every day. I am so thankful that I have a job that allows me to take 9 work weeks off (12 counting the holidays!) and thankful for my husband that insisted I take that many weeks! While at times I have gotten a little bit of cabin fever, I wouldn't trade it for anything!! Now, on to the next show that came on...18 Kids and Counting, which will be changing it's name to 19 Kids and Counting at the beginning of the next season! I couldn't imagine having that many kids to provide for and support- I know if it was in God's plan for The Traveler and I to have that many, He would help us provide and support them...I just pray it is NOT a part of God's plan for us to have that many!! I figured it out and she has been pregnant for over 12 years of her life! I was only pregnant for 9 months and the end of the pregnancy I was pretty miserable, granted I wouldn't trade it for anything, but I couldn't imagine being pregnant for that many YEARS!!! I mean, they just went grocery shopping for ONE week and spent $1057!! THEN coming on later is, I didn't know I was Pregnant, HOW, HOW could anyone be pregnant and NOT realize it?!? Alright...those are my thoughts for today, for now... until next time!

OH- I couldn't forget a picture of Miss Little Bit! This is her after her bath and eating- her hair is standing straight up and WILL NOT lay down!!

Little Bit Rolling over!!

I FINALLY caught her on video rolling over!!! It only took me 3 different days to try- but I finally got it!! Not only did I video her once, but 3 different times rolling over!! I am going to try to upload the video here...

Little Bit never ceases to amaze me...

Let me explain! Since the day she was born she was holding her head up on her own and she is constantly moving. I knew she was very active while inside of me, but I figured that was because she was just trying to stretch out and once she was able to stretch out she would be much happier and not move as much- WRONG! Again, since the day she was born she has been able to hold her head up and when she would lay on your chest she would pick it up and move it from side to side...I don't have one of those what to expect books, I don't think I should have been expecting that until she was little bit older, but anyways- last week we started putting her on her tummy time mat and she was doing great holding her head up for long periods of times. Well, today she was on her mat and I was laying next to her and we were playing with her daddy's computer and taking pictures, while I was emailing him a picture- SHE ROLLED OVER!!! I was in complete shock!! After doing some research online, it confirmed that she isn't suppose to roll over until 2-3 months and she is only a month old!! She continues to impress me daily and I am so glad that God has trusted The Traveler and I to raise her.

One Month Check-up!

Well, Little Bit got to see Dr. BB Sellers yesterday! He was on vacation at her one week appointment, so she saw Debbie at that one. We were so excited to see Dr. BB and see what he had to say!! Dr. BB was The Traveler's doctor when he was little- I even saw him a time or two when Dr. Latif wasn't in. Now Dr. BB sees all of my neices and nephews, so we really didn't even look at other doctors, we knew exactly who we wanted to use! He made me feel like the most wonderful mother in the world and that I could do nothing wrong!! Another reason I love Dr. BB is because he has "home remedies" instead of going straight to the antibotics/medicine... example: Little Bit has had a diaper rash (like every other baby) and he told me to use water and when we travel, if we want, take a spray bottle and put a little baking soda in it and take paper towels, spray her and wipe her off with the paper towels!! Instead of telling me which cream would work best he told me what would work best with stuff we already have at home!! Anyways- I'm sure there will be many more post about Dr. BB as Little Bit gets older!!

He said that she was very strong for a one month old and that she was just perfect, to keep up what we were doing!!

At one month:
She weighs 10 lbs even. (10 oz in the past 2 weeks)
She is 22 inches long. (She grew .5 an inch in 2 weeks)

One Month and War Eagle!

It's hard to believe that Little Bit is already a month old!! We go to the doctor tomorrow to find out how much weight she has gained and how long she has gotten! She has definitely figured out her schedule, she eats every 3 hours during the day and then at night she can go for 4 to 5 hours, which is super nice for mom and dad!! She is still doing a great job holding her head up while she is being held, so we attempted tummy time the other night and she did not really enjoy it, but instead of crying uncontrollably, she just laid her head down and went to sleep!! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time off with her and so excited that I have 2 more months to spend at home, and I am thankful that I have a job to where I can take that much time!!

Other news- the beloved Iron Bowl was played this past Saturday and while everyone around the state was either shopping, working or watching the game, no one really thought Auburn had a chance. BUT we came out ready to play and it was one of the best games I have seen all season long! We led or were tied the entire game until the 4th quarter with 1minute 26 seconds left in the game- so I think that was a victory for us, even though the final score didn't show that! Needless to say- I'm still proud to be an Auburn Tiger!

ALSO- we will be dedicating Little Bit on December 6th at Rocky Creek Baptist Church. It will be the first time I have been to church in 6 weeks and also Little Bit's first outing!! The service will begin at 11, but if you will be attending, get there early because I'm sure the church will fill up quickly!!

3 Weeks Old!

Yep, that's right! Little Bit is now 3 weeks old! It's hard to believe that she has been in our lives for 3 weeks now!! She is a wonderful baby and we have had wonderful family and friends around to help us out, too!! The Traveler had to return to work this past Wednesday, so my mom came and stayed with me Wed, Thurs and Friday and she will return Sunday night to stay with me on Monday and Tuesday of next week, then The Traveler will be off again for Thanksgiving break. (back to Thanksgiving shortly...) Little Bit continues to amaze us with the stuff that she is doing! First, she has been holding her head up for short periods of time since the day she was born, but now the time periods are getting longer and longer! Her belly button cord fell off this week, so we were able to bathe her in the big tub, and she LOVED it! Then the newest thing she did was sleep from 10 pm until 4 am- talk about scared to death when I woke up and realized she hadn't eaten, I couldn't get to her fast enough!! But, she was fine- she slept again the next night from 10 until 3! I could spend all day holding her and do nothing else...and with my mom here during the week, that is what she spends most of her day doing, being held! Now...onto Thanksgiving...

I can't believe it is already time for Thanksgiving! It seems like yesterday it was the beginning of the summer, now we are about to end the 2009 year! Each year we go to Tater Hill with my dad and his family and then we go to The Traveler's parents house for Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving is a very special for us, first because we get to spend it with family and second- it was the day that The Traveler proposed to me. At his parents house we have a tradition that we do each year, before we eat we all stand in a circle and tell something that we are thankful for- this is when The Traveler proposed! Each year I have no idea what I am going to say, but it is a guarantee that I will be crying by time it gets to me or I will begin crying while I'm saying what I am thankful for....I can't even imagine what I am going to say this year because I have SO much to be thankful for, here is my list of things that I am thankful for- and I'm putting it on here just incase I forget something Thursday night!

1. Jesus Christ, because without him I would have nothing else to be thankful for!

2. My wonderful new family- Little Bit is the biggest blessing I have ever received and The Traveler is a pretty awesome dad, considering the fact that I did not even change a diaper until day 4 of Little Bit's life!!

3. Family- my parents, my in-law's, my brother and his girlfriend, my sister-in-laws and their families, and this year I am esp. thankful for my Pa-Paw Stephens, Little Bit's great-grandfather. It has been wonderful to watch him be able to hold Little Bit.

4. Friends- this list would also include many family members, but it also includes TONS of other people in my life that will be here at the drop of a hat if I need them and I know that Little Bit will have TONS of wonderful baby-sitters, if I ever decide to leave her with anyone! :)

So, if I forget to be thankful for something on Thursday night, please know that it isn't on purpose but it is because I have SO much to be thankful for!!

Two Weeks Old!

Well, we haven't taken her picture with the sock monkey yet, but it will be taken before midnight!! :) Otherwise we are adjusting to our new life still and loving every minute of it!! Last Saturday we had her newborn pictures made and they are WONDERFUL! If you would like the link/password send me an email or comment- I don't want to post it for just anyone to be able to look!! I'm going to either have a hard time picking out the ones I want or spending TONS of money getting all of them!!

We have still had tons of visitors and thoroughly enjoy everyone that comes! We have had some

wonderful food, too!! Thank you to everyone that has come and brought food- we greatly appreciate it!! Little Bit is changing every day and she brings so much joy to our house! Cadillac is very protective of her and has to investigate everyone that enters the house to make sure he approves! She is a little confused between 10 and 1 at night she likes to stay up and keep her daddy up, but then she eats and sleeps for the rest of the night- we are working on getting her back on schedule!!

Anyways- what you really want to see is pictures, I know... so enjoy!

One Week Old!

Little Bit is one week old! I can't believe it was one week ago that we started our new life as a family of 3! Time has seemed to fly by and it really needs to slow down! She has had many visitors over her one week of life and I know many more will come. We are so thankful for all of the visits and prayers that we have received, they are greatly appreciated!! She finally got to meet her "brother," Caddy on Wednesday night and he did great- not really interested in her unless she is crying, then he wants to know what is going on!!

I have taken more pictures over these past 7 days than I have in my entire life, I believe!! Here are just a few:

The first time she was laid down in her bed...not sure how often this will happen!

Little Bit and her cousin H- according to him, "She is just beautiful," I would have to agree! :)

Little Bit, Caddy and The Traveler hanging out in the bed!

4 Generations- Little Bit with her great-grandfather!

Happy Halloween!

Little Bit has arrived!!

October 30, 2009

7:12 AM

9 lbs and 8 oz

21 inches long

PERFECT!

Baby Update!

Well, for those of you that didn't hear the news already...I spent the night in the hospital Friday night with a wonderful stomach bug. They pumped me with 3.5 bags of fluid and let me go home Saturday around 3:45. I have never felt so bad in my life- it was awful! Because of that, Dr. Litsey pulled me from work for the rest of this week and when we go to the doctor tomorrow at 4:20 we will discuss an induction date for later this week!! So, this time NEXT WEEK we will be at home with Litte Bit. CRAZY!! Anyways- I will update tomorrow on the exact time that we will be going back to the hospital!

Thank you to everyone for your prayers while I was in the hospital!!

Another doc visit, still no baby...

Well, we had another appointment yesterday which included an ultrasound and the non-stress test, along with the usual 37 week stuff. Still no progress, but according to the ultrasound Little Bit is weighing in at a healthy 8 lbs. This is the first time that we have gone and she has measured larger than what she should, which is a blessing. The doctor I saw yesterday was not my normal, Dr. Litsey, instead I saw Dr. Smith. I really liked him (this is the 2nd time I have seen him), because he was talking about inducing me...he was supposed to talk to Dr. Litsey- I'm going to call today and see if they ever got around to that conversation! He said since she is getting rather large, he would suggest doing an amnio on Wednesday, getting the results back on Thursday adn if everything looked good- induce this weekend. Again- I REALLY liked him! :) So, we could be parents by this weekend... he said if the amnio came back and her lungs weren't fully developed he would wait, but still induce sometime next week. So- really, the countdown is getting shorter and shorter and if she doesn't come this week, it will hopefully be next! So, please keep us in your prayers over the next couple of days/weeks as we anixiously await our new arrival. Hopefully I will have some great news to post no later than Friday!!

Update!

I went to the doctor on Monday for the usual NST and my 36 week check. No progress as of Monday, which is a good thing because yesterday I got an email from my previous, yes, previous long-term sub stating she couldn't take the job due to some babysitting issues. Everything on the NST is great- her heartbeat is wonderful and the doctor is continuing to let me work! I go back again tomorrow for another NST visit- and hopefully everything will still be just as fine! Then on Monday we have another ultrasound and check- I can't believe that in 25 days or less we will have a new member of our family!!

We have had some WONDERFUL showers and I have one more this afternoon. I am steadily working on thank-you cards, so please be patient, I will get them to you ASAP!! :) Today Officer Shallock strapped Janie Ann's car seat in properly, and I don't have plans on moving it- it was funny driving to work today with the car seat just sitting in the backseat, and to think in a couple of days there will be a baby in that seat!!

In other news- please keep my grandfather, Bill Stephens, on your prayer list, his skin doctor called him yesterday and said that he has some skin cancer on his ear, they are going to remove it on Tuesday around 1:30. Hopefully they will be able to remove it all. Also, keep Rosalyn Parker's father in your prayers.

AMAZING Story

Rosalyn sent this link to me today and when I started reading this little boys story I was AMAZED at how tough he was and how you could definitely tell the Lord was looking out for him on that day! I have no idea who this little boy is or who his family is, but I would like for everyone to add him and his family to your prayer list.

Hunter's Story

Finally an update! :)

I know it has been a while since my last blog and I do apologize, but we have been super busy! Football games, tailgating, baby showers, doctor appointments, childbirth classes and work- sometime in there I try to rest!! So let's go back to Sept. 16th- the Drake Baby shower for Seth, Janie Ann and I. Janie Ann received TONS of cute gifts and we really enjoyed spending the time with all of Seth's co-workers. They had WONDERFUL food and it was a wonderful shower! I will post pictures soon. Some of the items were monogrammed burp clothes, diapers (tons!), wipes, bibs, burp clothes, outfits, gift cards and a swaddler. I just can't wait until she gets here and is able to use them!! Thanks to everyone that helped plan and attended the shower! We greatly appreciate it!

Next- Auburn vs. West Virgina. All I'm going to say is I have NEVER- EVER been so wet in my entire life! Thank goodness we won, or I would have been one super unhappy camper! That did mark my last Auburn Football game for the season, thank goodness it was a good one! This past weekend, Sept. 26th was an Auburn home game, but some of my camp friends through a wonderful baby shower for me, so I did not mind missing another rainy game! So, yes- another baby shower for Valery Hill and I was thrown by some camp friends. It was a nice small shower but we received tons of items that, again, I can't wait to be able to use! Pictures will follow, soon! Thank you to everyone that helped and attended the shower!

I guess I will talk about the "Prepared Childbirth Class" next and end with the doctor report! WOW- is all I have to say about the class. It was definitely something I would recommend to any first time parents, but I do wish they would warn you before some things! :) Seth and I attended 3- Monday night classes from 6-8:30, each week there was a different agenda, it started with the labor and delivery video's the first week- they wanted to break you in correctly, I guess! Then the next week was talking about different types of labor and pain medicine and we were able to take a tour of the Labor and Delivery center at EAMC, which was SUPER nice. Then last night we talked about newborn appearances and post-partum stuff. Needless to say, I either want her to stay inside for forever or get all that over with as quickly as possible!! :)

Finally- the doctor visits! I visit the endo every 2 weeks, he has done another A1C on my and it came back 5.7, which I was VERY pleased with- so was he, so I am continuing to see him every 2 weeks. We started last week at the OB office on my non-stress test. They hook me up to this machine and watch the baby's heart rate and her movement- I have to lay in one position for 20-30 minutes and press a button each time she moves. They are doing these test twice a week- it would be wonderful if I could fall asleep, but since I have to press the button, that ruins my nap!! I did one last week- which came back fine and I had another one yesterday, which came back fine. It was showing that I was having sporadic contractions, which I had no idea I was having them, but he said that was normal and I will go back on Thursday for another one! While we were at the office yesterday we had another ultrasound- she is still measuring in the "normal" range, which is great- most diabetics tend to have larger babies, and I do not want that!! She is currently head down, with her face towards my spine- getting ready to make her appearance, I suppose! According to the ultrasound she currently weighs 5 lbs and 8 oz- and Sherry, the US tech, said she would estimate her weighing around 8 lbs at birth. As long as she isn't over 8lbs, I think I will survive. (I don't need to have a 20 lb baby like the lady in Indonesia!!) She also showed us on the US where it looks as though Janie Ann has hair! I'm so ready to see who she looks like, I can hardly stand it! Right now I'm 34 weeks and 2 days- Seth thinks she will arrive on Oct. 20th, Mr. Billy (Seth's dad) thinks I will last another 3 weeks. Shelly (Seth's oldest sister) thinks I will make it 4 more weeks- I personally have NO idea right now- but what do you think? Leave a comment with what you think Janie Ann's expected birthday will be!

Janie Ann's Nursery!

Janie's room is FINALLY finished!! I owe a HUGE thank you, first, to Seth for taking the time this summer to look at tons and tons of baby beds, bedding, and decorations and then for letting me order exactly what I wanted! Then another huge thank-you to Seth for being so patient and working with Sherwin Williams to learn how to re-finish furniture, and then re-finishing my old dressers and nighstand, along with a rocking chair that belonged to my Great Aunt. Second thank you goes to Janie Ann's- Great Aunt Keely, for painting the letters that now hang above her bed! Then the final thank you goes to Seth's parents for helping us hang the letters and decorations in her room!! I'm so thankful that her room is finally finished- now we are just waiting on her to complete the room! :) Today I am 31 weeks- which means if I go full-term Seth and I will be parents in 9 weeks- yes, 9 weeks...even scarier than that, we could be parents AS SOON AS 5 weeks!!! (or sooner if God wants, but we are praying for at least 36, if not more!). I go to the doctor this Thursday for him to measure and check everything. I believe everything is going great- she is very active and at times moves so much it hurts me, but I wouldn't change it for anything. I just ask that you pray for me over the next 9 weeks as we approach her due date, we have a lot of sick students at our school and while I haven't had a fever, I haven't been feeling great and it is getting harder and harder for me to get around- not really physically, as in the walking part, but breathing has become much harder than before and I get very tired quickly. Anyways- this post was supposed to be about Janie's nursery- so enjoy the pictures below, just please keep Seth, Janie Ann and I in your prayers!!

War Damn Eagle!!

College football offically arrived on the Plains yesterday! It was a VERY pleasant day and I am VERY thankful that I was able to sit outside and enjoy the festivities all around. Seth's p

arents and grandparents came and picked me up around 11:45 and we headed to Auburn for the day- Seth was already there and had the grill ready and the TV was being set-up when we arrived- let's just say, they couldn't get it to work without me! :) After everyone arrived, Seth, Uncle Robert and Mr. Billy (Seth's dad) began cooking for us! We had chicken wings along

with other tailgating snacks (chips, dip, sweets). Mrs. Tammy Jackson brought some pre-made funnel cakes and even when she isn't able to make she somehow has to get us some of them- THEY WERE GREAT!! :) Around 4:00- we all loaded the Tiger Transit and headed into the "heart" of Auburn. Not everyone joined us, some people stayed back and held down the tailgating sight! The Tiger Transit brings you in from their designated pick-up locations (one of which is right where we tailgate) and they drop you off at the Coliseum- which is within walking distance from the stadium. From there we headed towards the stadium and was able to see the band marching in- and while Clark Madison is a HUGE Alabama fan, she really enjoyed seeing the band, flag line and majorettes. We then met up with Karin and Beverly (Seth's co-

worker), hung outside the stadium for a little while before leaving the group for our seats! While Seth, Karin and I went into the stadium, everyone else headed back to the tailgate spot so that they could prepare for kickoff! I won't go into much detail, but we did win (YAY!!) and when we got back to the tailgate spot- everyone was still there!! (YAY!) Last year we didn't

have a TV, so about time for kickoff everyone would clean up and head home so that they could watch the end of the game at home, but hopefully now everyone will be able to stay until the

end of the game with the Dish!! Needless to say, everyone had a great time and we can't wait to do it again next Saturday!!

Below are a few pictures from the tailgating and the game!

Janie Ann's first Auburn Football game- she really enjoyed it when the crowd would cheer!

Seth and Karin- best friends since forever...

Seth and I outside the stadium about to head in!

Even though he is going to be a Bama fan- we still love him! John Gamble at his first tailgate! (Georgia was asleep and I didn't want to bother her for a picture, but I'm sure she will be back!)

The ice cream truck came by and Seth stopped it so that Clark Madison could get her some ice cream- which then brought the biggest crowd of kids EVER over and the annoying ice cream truck music was there to stay until every last kid was served...obviously some people never grow up! :)

The men with the tailgate trailor that I mentioned in the earlier post.

Seth and his Grand-daddy Kenneth- two peas in a pod!

College Football has arrived!

Well, the offical kick-off of college football was last night, but since it wasn't Auburn I wasn't interested! Although, I wish I would have watched the Boise St vs. Orgeon game- I heard there was a huge fight at the end of it- I'm sure ESPN will have rerun after re-run of it, so hopefully I will catch it soon! BUT tomorrow is the BIG DAY! 6:00 PM Auburn will officially kick-off the 2009 Football season on the Plains! If your not from the south, this may not seem like a big deal to you, but for those of us raised in the south- College football is a season in itself! In Auburn the big campers begin coming in on Wednesday afternoon and claiming their spot for the weekend (and most of the time- the season!), then by Friday afternoon campus is FULL of tailgaters trying to find "the perfect spot". Seth and I have tailgated at many different areas and within the last 2 years we have found our "perfect spot". It is not located among the center of campus, but it is located around some wonderful shade trees, a pond, and a BATHROOM! (VERY important this season!). Last summer Seth and his father constructed a "tailgate trailor" that will hold basically everything you will need for a day of tailgating- it has a smoker, a grill, a generator, and 2 toolboxes to store all the tents, chairs, and cooking material. There is also room for the cooler- and the back of the trailor turns into a table. Needless to say, Seth loves his trailor and uses it for more than just tailgating!

Anyways- the trailor is packed and ready and the truck is hooked up to it so that Seth can get up in the morning and make his way to Auburn (I will be attending, but just at a later time). This year Seth has purchased a dish so that we can use our Dish Network box from the house to pick up the other college football games while we are out tailgating- tomorrow will be the first time he has set it up, so I pray that he can figure it out!! (I'm sure he can). Anyways- Seth and I , along with Karin, a great friend, will be attending the game at 6:00 and hopefully staying until the end- it all depends on how I feel. It is a later game, so hopefully the sun won't be too bad and I can survive! Please check back for pictures later! I am really excited and I can't believe it's already time for college football, again!! So in true Auburn fashion... WAR DAMN EAGLE!

Getting Closer!

I went to the doctor on Thursday of this week to have my Rhogam shot, some bloodwork done and an ultrasound. Janie's heart rate was 149 and she weighed approx. 3 lbs and 1 oz- right on target for other 29 week old babies!! When we saw the doctor he was very pleased with everything and we are now beginning to see him every 2 weeks, again. I just can't believe in 10 weeks (tomorrow) or less Seth and I will be parents... wow!

Other news: My mom comes home next weekend- finally! I can't wait to see her and I know she is ready to get back. So keep them in your prayers as they begin their trip back from CA. I'm not sure how long it will take them, but I'm sure there will be very few stops on the way back!!

Update!

I have been slacking! When I get home from work the last thing I want to do is get on the computer- and when I do get on the computer it is to check facebook (I'll admit- I'm partially addicted!). Anyways- we are into our 2nd week of school and things are going great. I have definitely had to adjust from teaching math and resource to my new classroom, but I really love my kids and I have some great aides that help me out!! This week began our community outings, too. We go to the library and bowling once a week and the kids have done really well with the change in schedule- I think they enjoy getting outside of the classroom!! As for me, I'm holding up! My back tends to hurt towards the end of the day and my ankles have been swelling, but I am in the 3rd trimester and only have 11 weeks and 4 days until Janie arrives, so I can deal with a hurting back and swollen ankles for that much longer!! I still can't believe that it is getting so close!! Seth is also having a good start to his school year- he really enjoys his kids and the people he works with- so that is always a good thing!! Also- Seth is thinking about going back to school, so if you don't mind, say a little prayer for him that he finds exactly what he wants to go back for and that everything falls into place for him. I really want him to go back (I don't have the "want" to go back right now) and I just pray that he can figure things out and hopefully begin soon!!

As for Janie Ann- she is moving around- A LOT! Especially in the morning time when I am getting ready and at night when I am ready to go to bed!! The past 2 mornings she has also been really active right when I get to school, from about 7:30 to 9:00. I go back to the doctor next Thursday for my Rhogam Shot (my blood type is negative and Seth's is positive- imagine that! :)) and an ultrasound to see how big she is getting- please say a prayer that everything is still going great. I'm trying my hardest to keep my bloodsugars at the level the Dr. wants (80-100), but it is difficult and I have had some low bloodsugars, which means I have to eat, which means I have probably gained more weight than what the Dr would like, but that will all be OK as long as Janie Ann is fine!!

Another prayer request, while I'm thinking of it, Seth's parents and grandparents, and my grandparents, along with a lot of people from our church are leaving Thursday night at midnight to go on an Alaskan Cruise (I'm jealous)- so just pray for their safety as they travel.

No belly picture update- but as soon as I get one, I will post it! :)

Made it!!

Well, the first day of school for our students have come and gone and I'm still alive. Barely...but I'm still alive!! Overall it was a great day, just exhausting getting everyone used to the new school and the new schedule. The only problem I forsee is our lunch time- we eat at the last lunch wave and it doesn't begin until 1:08 and I had some pretty hungry kids on my hands before 1:08 arrived!! We are going to try to post-pone breakfast a little later and see if that will help some. But I am really looking forward to my new classroom and new responsiblities!! As for Seth, he is exhausted too- he had to stay after school for about an hour making sure he had reciepted all the money correctly and had everything in place for tomorrow- which is very rare for Seth to do! So, needless to say, we are both going to clock out early tonight and begin again tomorrow!

Forgetful...

Well, it's happened- I have completely lost my mind! Today at lunch I was making magic cake and mixed the cake batter up, poured it in the pamered chef pan and began to cook the cake...the only thing is I completely forgot the "Magic" part of the cake! I forgot to put the icing into the batter before cooking it!! I have often forgotten things, but put it off as being busy. But now I'm going to blame it on the pregnancy! Hopefully tomorrow I won't forget where I'm supposed to be and when! Please say a prayer for me and my students tomorrow as it is their first day back! Hopefully I won't forget anything!!

Last Day of Summer

Well, today is our last day before heading back to the real world! While I am very grateful for my job, it is just tough after having 2.5 months off to get back into the routine. Especially for me knowing that in a couple of months I will be out again....couldn't I just hang out until Janie Ann arrives? :) You would think that on my last day I would be soaking up the sun next to the pool...wrong! I am at home washing clothes and trying to get everything ready to go back and Seth was kind enough to take my grandfather back to the doctor in Montgomery for his check-up. (Everything is going great with his eye, by the way!!). So anyways... I will be waking up super early in the morning and heading back to the real world...

Counting down the days...

Well...I have been counting down the days until I have to return to work and unfortunately it has come very close to the end of that countdown. :( We only have Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before returning to work on Wednesday. Now don't get me wrong- I love my job and I am very thankful that I do have a job, which many people can not say right now. I also love the fact that I do (and always will) have weekends off, have holiday's off (and many days before and after certain holidays- not just one day), and I will always have a spring break and summers off while still getting paid!! So while that count down is coming to end, I am really beginning to focus on another count-down... kick off of Auburn Football! Well, not really- but I know my husband would like that!! :) I am beginning the count-down to meet Janie Ann! According to my counter we only have 101 days- which I know could come in 95 or it might be 101! It is just so surreal that I am nearing the end of this pregnancy and about to meet my daughter for the first time!! She has really become super active here lately and I thoroughly enjoy laying on my back and watching her move around! I even video-taped it last night for my mom since she is still in California- I plan on videoing it more as she becomes bigger and you can see her better!! I'm sure one day I will love to look back and see her. Anyways- while one countdown is ending, another is just beginning!! 

A few prayer requests...

1. Please pray for my Grandfather Stephens. He had some cataracts removed from his left eye over a year ago and he never fully regained sight in his left eye which upset him, so he was referred to a doctor in Montgomery for another type of eye surgery that could correct his vision. He had the surgery on Thursday in Montgomery and we had to go back Friday for a check up- the doctor said everything was looking fine, but it would be a full 3-5 months before he could tell if his sight was going to be back to normal. On our way home from the surgery on Thursday my grandfather told me that he hoped it worked so that he could see his great-granddaughter when she arrives. This broke my heart because I'm not sure if his sight will ever be what it was before, he is 88 years old and doing great, other than his eyes. So my prayer request for  him is that when his great- granddaughter arrives he had enough sight so that he can see her. 

2. Seth and I have to go back to work August 5th and I'm just not ready. I pray daily that God gives me the strenght I need to wake up, go to work and teach my students what they need to know and that I have enough energy to make it through the day! Also that the stress of going back to work in a new classroom setting and the stress of getting everything together for a long-term sub doesn't stress me out too much!! :) 

3. I go back to the OB on Tuesday- please pray that Janie Ann is still growing like she is supposed to and that I will receive a good report from him. I am feeling great, I'm just getting closer and closer to the due date and it makes me nervous!! 

4. Finally, please say a prayer for a friend's father. I'm not going to go into many details, but my friend's father recieved a report that his cancer has spread. He finds out Tuesday what his options currently are and they just really need our prayers right now. This friend has a lot on her plate right with starting a new job, moving and many more EXCITING things that will be coming- but right now this is taking center stage and her family just needs the prayers!! 

Coming soon.... pictures of the completed nursery... once it's complete! HA! We finally have all the furntiure in the room, now we just have to hang a few things on the walls and we will be done. Once we are done, I promise I will post pictures!! 

Sips N Strokes

Yep, I went again!! It is so much fun, even if you have no artistic ability!! I was VERY pleased with my lastest masterpiece, it might even end up in Janie Ann's room once we have everything else hung up!! I went this past Saturday night with Sheena, Shelly, Lisa and Mrs. Vickie- it was a great girls night and everyone enjoyed themselves and we are all ready to go again!! I didn't get a group picture of us on my camera because I will just going to steal one from Facebook, but I can't figure out how to do that on Seth's Apple computer- nor did I get a picture of myself with my painting!! Anyways- I can't get my pictures in the order I want them, so the one at the top is the finished painting and then the 2 below are my work in progress! This time they did have the moon drawn out for you, but that was it!! 

Time is flying by...

I can't believe that I am already 6 months pregnant, it seems like yesterday that this journey began!! School is about to begin, too, which I am looking forward to only because I know that will put me that much closer to meeting Miss Janie Ann!! She has become very active lately and I love to lay on the couch and watch my stomach move when she kicks- it's amazing!!! I just don't understand how some people still don't believe in God after recieving one of His miracles!! I go back to the doctor next Tuesday and then we will have our 4-D ultrasound on August 6th!! I am super excited and hopes she cooperates with the ultrasound lady to get some great pictures!! 

Dr. appointment

Yesterday I went to the endo dr. and everything is still going great with my diabetes. We are at a point where basal rates and bolus carb ratios are having to be changed, but it was something I was expecting to happen. I have gained enough weight, too, and truthfully I can't wait to go back to work so that I will be on a schedule and I won't be at the house and able to snack all day long!! But, I really don't want to work... :| Maybe if we could have a month of teacher-work days before students come, that would be wonderful!! I also can't believe (according to my ticker) that there is only 115 more days until we meet little miss Janie Ann! She has become VERY active, especially around 10:30 at night- hopefully once I do have to go back to work, this will not keep me up!! Well, I go back to the endo doctor in 2 weeks, along with a visit to the OB for a check up. We have the 4-D ultrasound scheduled for August 6th, too!! I'm so excited to actually see what/who she is looking like!!!  Check back on Sunday for a 6 month picture... again, I can't believe how fast time is flying by!

Pampered Chef Party

Last night I was invited, along with a few other women, to a pamered chef party at Mrs. Stacey's house on Lake Martin. It's a beautiful house and we were having a great time. Around 7:20 the wind began to blow like crazy and it began to pour down rain, but this is a normal afternoon shower if you live on the lake. We were all sitting in the dining room area when all of a sudden a huge tree lands in Mrs. Stacey's front yard. Thank goodness no one was outside and the tree didn't fall on the house- or we could have all been seriously injured, but instead of landing on the house it landed on my mother-in-law's car, the hostesses Kim's car and the front of Scott's work car. Shelly, luckily didn't even get a scratch or a dent on her van, though it was parked in the same area as all of the other cars- the Lord knew that they couldn't all fit in the Altima, I guess!! Anyways- I can't save the pictures on Seth's computer to upload them, but you can go to Facebook and look at the pictures of the event. Hopefully by next week my mother-in-law will have heard back from the insurance agency and she can hopefully get a new car- please keep her, along with all the other's whose stuff was injured in your prayers as they have to go through all the insurance mess right now. Also, keep Mrs. Stacey in your prayers- it didn't damage any of her stuff, but she was very upset because it happened at her house. But like I told her plenty of times- there was nothing that she could have done to prevent it from happening!! Anyways- while we were there before the tree- we had this WONDERFUL taco ring and I can't wait to try to fix it myself, I'm sure it won't look as pretty as Kim's, but if taste the same, that is all that will matter!! I will update you once I fix it and you let you know how I do!! :) 

Nice little kick...and belly picture

Well, Seth finally felt her kick last night, without me having to say- "Yes, that was her". We were laying in bed and I was trying to get comfortable, which takes a while these days, and Seth asked me what was wrong- which nothing was wrong- Janie was just having a fun time in my belly! So, he placed his hand on my belly and she went to kicking, but I didn't say a word. Seth felt her and went, "wow", then for assurance asked me if that was her or not!! It was amazing that he finally felt her kick without me having to tell him that it was her. I'm sure every night from now on Seth will continue to place his hand on my belly and wait for that little kick.

Also with her being so active lately I have finally had my first case of indigestion, which I have NEVER had before in my life. I had been having awful stomach pains after dinner for the past 2 nights and I would it would feel like I could throw-up at the drop of a hat, but everyone knows that I do NOT like to throw-up, AT ALL, anyways, I was complaining to Seth about it and he informed me of what was going on. I now keep TUMS with me at all times- hopefully this will not last long and hopefully I will not get heartburn, Seth says that is worse than indigestion. 

And finally...a belly picture. Yes, I'm getting HUGE  and yes, there is only ONE baby in there!!! This is me at 22 weeks.... only 18 more weeks to go!! 

My new friend, James...

Wow- 2 post in one day, how lucky are my readers?! HA!! 

Anyways... if you have never been to Daviston- let me try to explain this little part of the world to you.... dirt roads, poorly paved county roads, a few stop signs, and oh, did I mention dirt roads? So on with my story. This weekend my mother-in-law and father-in-law, along with 2 other couples are camping down on our bottoms (located on the Tallapoosa River). It's a gorgeous place to camp and we went down to visit and make sure they had everything they needed. Around 10:00 Seth and I were headed out to go home, I had to potty and I DON'T go outside, so we were leaving the bottoms and we come upon our gate (we have gated land so people can't come in and camp whenever they want and we also have cows and it helps keep them inside the pasture!) and at our gate is a little red Saturn backed up to the gate- we see a pair of feet hanging out the back door and guy who, needless to say, was partially dressed...Seth threw the polaris in reverse and told me to go, so here we go backing up down a small dirt road until we get to a place to turn around. Seth didn't want to confront them by himself with just me there- which I greatly appreciate...so back to the bottoms we go, nervously giggling and then bursting into laughter at what we had just seen. We get back and have to explain what we just saw and Mr. Billy (my father-in-law) goes back with us- he is in the lead... so we get back up there and the male introduces himself to Mr. Billy and Seth as, "James" and James tells us that he was just finishing up something and he spins the girl into the backseat so her legs are no longer sticking out the door and shuts her door- picks up some items and throws them in the trunk, gets in the car and heads out like this is his normal Friday night activity (which it might be!). So needless to say- Seth and I booked it back to the house before we ran into more "James"!! 

Slacker

Well, it's official I have been slacking on my blog posting. I don't have any excuse because I literally have nothing that I must do this summer, no meetings, nothing! I also slacked on getting pictures from all the weddings. :( Hopefully someone took some and will post them to Facebook!! Anyways- I have been doing great. I have been going to the doctor regularly and getting great reports. Janie Ann is measuring right on target and the OBGYN had moved my appointments to every 4 weeks. Seth and I have also registered for a Prepared Childbirth class that will begin in September.... needless to say I'm a little nervous about it and everything that we will be seeing/learning, but I  know that will be worth our time. 

This coming up weekend is the 4th of July, we aren't exactly sure what we will be doing- possibly going to see Georgia and Dustin at the lake. We will also have a few people camping down at the river and we will go check on them. The men from the group came by at 10:3o this morning to get the key so they could set up the site... I'm interested to see how much real camping will be going on!!! I know when we would camp we could get out there just in time to get the tents set up and a fire going before the sun went down!! Anyways- I promise I will take pictures this weekend and WILL POST before next Friday! :)

Summer Break!

This picture of Harrison explains it all! Summer break has been great! I have been swimming multiple times and just relaxing- not worrying about a thing! I really want it to stay June for a while, because once July gets here- we are that much closer to going back to work... :(. 

Sips N Strokes

Thursday night Jodie, Rosalyn, Emily, Karin and I went to the new Sips N Strokes in Auburn. It's a neat little shop where you start with a blank canvas and leave with a painting! It was so much fun. Above are the pictures of my painting- step by step. Going into it, I thought it was going to be so easy to pick the colors and everything....WRONG! I wanted to paint it for our half bath, which is khaki, black and red...notice the only color that matches is the red!! BUT, it is hanging in our bathroom! :) We all really enjoyed ourselves and I can't wait to go again!! The July calendar is posted, I just need to get a group together and register!! Also...I wasn't able to "sip" on anythign special, but if you could- I think the picture would be that much better because you would be more relaxed! I am more of a concrete person and this was an abstract painting, so it was very hard for me to relax and just paint, but in the end it turned out just fine!!