I admit it. I'm a member of the MOB.

The Mother of Boys society, that is!

There's a movement that started recently to get together Christian mothers of boys for encouragement and friendship. How awesome is that?! And as a mama of three squirmy boys, I need all the encouragement and friendship I can get!

You can follow the MobSociety on Twitter or join the group on Facebook.

Hope to see you around the group!

Robbie's Birth Story

I need to get this down before I start forgetting details! I can't believe two weeks have passed already!

Saturday, March 28th was the day that we had chosen for my baby shower given by my mom, sisters, and church friends. I received lots of nice gifts and got to visit with quite a few family and church family members, and of course, got to eat some good food! Afterward, we loaded everything up and Chris started putting it all away--bless him! The boys and I got some lunch and then Adam and I laid down to take naps and Isaac was sent to be quiet so we could nap, and Chris went to the hospital to visit his Mamaw, who had been admitted the day before with pneumonia. Later on, Chris took the boys to church for the last practice for the boys' musical that was to presented the next day, and I continued to lay and snooze on the couch (Don't judge me--I was on bed rest, remember?! LOL)

My sister called sometime in the afternoon and wanted me to come up and grab a bag full of baby clothes for $5. I begged off, saying I wasn't feeling the best, and asked her to bag up some clothes for me, and told her I would pay her back for it later. I didn't feel SICK, but I remember just feeling yucky, so that was an additional reason that I just continued to lay around. I remember waking up around 6 and chastising myself for wasting the entire day and not getting anything done other than the baby shower. Chris and the boys got back from practice, and Chris made some tuna casserole for dinner.

I started having pains that were strong enough to start timing at around 6:30. I didn't eat any dinner, though Chris and the boys went ahead and ate. Around 7 or so, I decided that this might be it, so I thought I needed to make sure that my legs were shaved. (Yes, I know, the strange things that run through our heads when laboring!) When I told Chris that what I was going to do, he said,"Can't that wait til tomorrow?!" and I answered that I wasn't sure it could! So I got enough water in the tub to shave and climbed in. I also thought that sitting in the water might make me feel better. At this point, contractions were 6 to 8 minutes apart, and were getting to be more intense. I kept thinking about how the nurse had said that the rule of thumb was contractions 5 minutes apart for at least an hour. Part of me kept thinking that I needed to wait and try to just deal with the pain since it wasn't exactly 5 minutes apart for an hour, and then finally just had the thought of FORGET IT! If they send me home, they send me home, I'm in pain!

I had to holler at Chris to help me out of the tub and told him that I thought that this was it, to go ahead and call my parents to get the boys. The initial plan was for Chris' mom to take care of the boys, but she had spent the night before at the hospital with her mom, so we knew that she needed to get some rest. Isaac and Adam had been planning on watching the Kids' Choice awards, so they initially were not too happy when we told them to start getting things together to go to Mommommy's and Daddaddy's house, that is until I told them that I thought baby Robbie might be getting ready to come!

Thankfully I had gotten most of my 'stuff' to take to the hospital together and had it set on the dresser. Standing up straight and moving quickly were definitely not easy at this point. Chris got the boys' stuff together and my parents came and picked up the boys. We were ready to walk out the door when we realized that we didn't have anything packed for Chris! So he threw some stuff in a bag, we gathered my stuff and the cord blood collection kit (we left it at home when we had Adam, and had to have Chris' brother bring it to us!) and headed--slowly--to the car. Chris called his mom and brother, and I asked mom to call my sisters, and I even sent a text to some friends as we left the driveway so they'd know what was going on!

We pulled up to the hospital entrance and Chris went to get a wheelchair cause I knew walking was not the quickest option at this point. We told the lady at the reception desk that I was possibly in labor, and she told Chris just to leave the car out front until he got me upstairs. Seems that maybe Saturday night isn't the most popular time for visiting a hospital! We got upstairs, and I immediately saw that the L&D nurse that I knew, Brandi, was sitting there. I spoke to her and told her I thought we were having a baby! So I started filling out paperwork while Chris went to move the car.

We got settled in a room and hooked up to monitors. Brandi said that they'd monitor me for a while and see if I actually was progressing, and that she'd call the doctor on call. I'm thinking that she said I was dilated to 4 at this point, but that's not a definite--things are kind of fuzzy! When it was evident that I was in actual labor, she said she was going to call the doctor. She predicted that he would tell them to just keep watching me, and that he wouldn't rush over, and probably wouldn't be in a rush to let me have an epidural. Wouldn't you know--he did the exact opposite of what she thought! So he was THERE before long, and Brandi had to scramble to get ready what he thought she would have already had done (which she would have, if he had said he was coming!)

Just a funny aside, the doctor's name is Sean White, so we asked him when he came in if he was a big snowboarder! I told Chris before he came in that I'd be amazed if he came in and had bright orange hair! He didn't, but he was a nice man anyway! He offered to break my water and then let me have an epi whenever I wanted it. Of course, I agreed to that! The pain had continued to get worse, but wasn't absolutely unbearable. However, after not asking for an epi until I was past the point of being able to have it with Adam, I had learned my lesson! I wasn't gonna wait til it was too late! Brandi commented that I must have a pretty high pain tolerance since I was still smiling as we were waiting for the nurse anethesist.

She arrived and was very nice. I remember her asking me some questions and me not having the presence of mind to answer her right away, so I was having some concentration issues at this point! Oh, and at some point we had to call my sister to try to go get into the house to get the church' video camera, so someone could video the service the next day (this is usually Chris' job). We told her where the key to the house SHOULD have been hidden, but apparently Adam had been messing with it and hadn't put it back where it belonged. Finally Chris told them to come over to the hospital and he'd give them his extra key. So while I was in labor, though I couldn't tell you the time, we had 6 visitors: my sister Brenda and her husband Dale, Chris' brother Jeff, his wife Sheila, and their son Ian, and our pastor, Ken. Ian wasn't happy when his parents told him that he couldn't see baby Robbie yet!

So back to the epidural. I remember praying as she administered it and willing myself to keep still. And then when they laid me back down, I started feeling sick and light headed. Apparently my blood pressure dropped quite a bit, and they had to work on that for a few. That was a scary feeling! After that, though, I felt GREAT! At one point I did have one hot spot where I could still feel some pain, but it was definitely bearable. Chris and I got some rest while we could. It didn't seem like long at all when I felt more pressure and asked to be checked again.

Soon after, the real work began....pushing! Chris said afterward that I pushed for right at an hour, so it must have been around 2:30 when I started pushing. I remember really trying to concentrate and push in the way they instructed so that it could be over faster! I remember praying, and at one point trying to visualize a water slide or what we used to call 'the waterslide' (a rock formation in a creek) at Buffalo Mountain Camp when I was a little girl. I was trying to get that 'out and down' sensation going! At another point, I remember trying to think about other wimpy women who had made it through labor, and remind myself that if they could do it, so could I! the problem with this was that I couldn't actually come up with anyone! LOL

At one point, I remember Brandi suggesting that I wait til a little bit after I felt the contraction coming to push so that I 'hit' it at its peak. I remember them talking about the possibility that Robbie had the cord around his neck, and that scared me. Toward the end, Dr. White said that Robbie's heart rate was dropping when I contracted, so that he would use the vacuum to help out with getting him here. Though part of me was thankful for the assistance, I remembered how Isaac screamed for quite a while and had a raised spot on his head from the vacuum, so I was determined to push even harder if this were to be used again. At one point, Brandi said that I was almost done, but then said,"You don't believe me, do you?!" and I told her that I didn't...but it was good to hear! Not long before delivering him, I got sick from the anesthesia. Dr. White stuck close by, and later told us that the same muscles that are put into use when sick to the stomach are also put to use in delivery, so he had made sure that I didn't actually deliver him while I was getting sick! And before I knew it, I looked down as my beautiful baby son entered the world!! It brings tears to my eyes to remember....I was so glad that he was HERE! I remember crying then and just praising the Lord that He had helped me bring him to life! I don't know of any feeling that could compare to knowing that you have brought forth another life!!

His little face was very bruised and didn't look so good at first. Dr. White said that he had gotten hung on my pelvis, and that was what had bruised him so. The rest of him was pinking up nicely, though! His APGAR scores were 8 and 9. He cried very little as they cleaned him up. I kept looking at Chris and over at Robbie, and just feeling amazed at what we had done! Chris called his mom, brother, and my parents to let them know that we had delivered our beautiful 7 pound, 8 ounce son! Oh, and I had heard my phone signal that a text had gone through while I was pushing--I knew when I heard that sound that my sister Brenda was still up waiting! I had been right! I sent her a text to let her know what time he had arrived!

We spent some time with our beautiful little boy and started trying to nurse, though he didn't want much to do with it. Not long after, Chris' brother arrived with his mom. They visited for a bit and then Jeff convinced her to go on back home so that we could get some rest. We did sleep for a bit, but seems like each time we'd get settled down, someone would come to visit. So we didn't get GOOD rest until late Sunday night. There are even some lovely pictures of me on Facebook to commemorate how beautiful I looked! LOL Though they aren't the most becoming pictures ever, they definitely are badges of honor, to show how I'd gladly look again and again in order to bring my son into the world.

So though this wasn't anticipated and it wasn't the easiest thing I've ever done, I am so glad that God knew better than me...and saw fit to give me the opportunity to become a Mommy again! I am so blessed, and so thankful for my son!

We're home!

Thanks be to God! More details to come later. I'm busy staring at my son!

We have a baby! or It's My Blog and I'll Cry if I Want To...

Wow, do I have conflicting emotions writing this post! I am extremely pleased and blessed to announce that Robert Paul S. made his appearance into the world early Sunday morning at 3:14 am! He weighed 7 lbs., 8.3 oz. and is 20 in. long. He has a head full of dark hair! Birth went smoothly, and I pushed for about an hour. I will write up his birth story for another post, because I need to get out the 'rest of the story'!

We were ready to walk out the door--pretty literally--yesterday when they came to tell us that Robbie needed to stay at the hospital because his bilirubin levels were high. Now, mind you, I've been very pleased with the service here at the hospital, from moment one. The only complaint I have would start right now, and I understand HOW and WHY, so I'm not complaining other than from the standpoint of a new mommy who has never had to have a baby stay longer than I did. I knew he was being checked for jaundice because he had the little bandaids on his heels. I could tell that the whites of his eyes were a tad yellow, as was the inside of his mouth. He wasn't eating the best, but I was told by everyone not to worry too much about that because I was attempting to feed him, and that was the important part. In hindsight, I should have asked about his bilirubin levels being checked, but I didn't.

So even the pediatrician making rounds gave no indication that he would need to stay longer, just that his level needed to be checked, and that they'd come back and let me know. I was just SHOCKED. I was ready to walk out the door and get on with my life, happily! And then they said no. The logical part of me says this is not that big of a deal, but the hormonal postpartum part of me was devastated. Chris was up pacing the floor, and that made me feel like he was ready to bolt, so I finally told him to sit. After talking it over, we decided he'd go on home and get some stuff done and that maybe I'd come home overnight. Then things started getting crazy here on the floor--LOTS of people coming in and having babies!--and thankfully, a nurse said that if I wanted to have a room to come back to, I better stay here overnight.

So Chris brought the boys back to see me....who were pretty wild, understandably, since their routine world has been thrown upside down since Saturday...and mom, my sister, and my sister's best buddy came to see me. That made the evening pass much faster and kept my mind off things. I've been pumping and my milk is coming in nicely, so it makes me feel better that he's still getting MY milk in addition to some supplementing. I have gotten to feed him myself twice, which makes it all worthwhile.

I did fine until about 4 am when I woke up just wide awake. I tried to lay there and get back to sleep, but there's nothing doing. I went ahead and pumped some more milk for him and took it down to the nursery.

OH, and add to this that I had a filling break last night about midnight!!! So when/how/etc. to get that fixed (and I really really dislike visiting the dentist) is added to the stress mix!

I so want to be able to take him home today and I am pretty certain that it isn't gonna happen. For my mental health, I know I've got to get out of this hospital, at least for a while. I know my warning signs for depression and I'm there. I can't stop crying and feel pretty desperate. So if you are reading this and could take a minute and say a quick prayer for me, I really would appreciate it. Though I do NOT want to leave him here, I also know that staying here another night alone is not reasonable for me. We're going to have to make some decisions if he does have to stay.

Like I said, I KNOW that this is not that big of a deal. We're here at the hospital, I have somewhere to stay, he's still healthy and this is a minor glitch. But for anyone who has dealt with depression, you know what I mean when I say this is a HUGE deal. The panic I'm feeling is very real. I know that God is with me and I have the support of my family. But having sat at the house alone all day for 2 weeks before dealing with this has taken its toll. I have known the feeling of being desperate for the sun to come up, and it is not a good one. Again, I ask you to please pray that we can easily get through this cause God is who is in control, and I do know that.

I don't have a sweet and cheery way to tie this up and be super happy. I wish I did. I'm more of the mind of "I've had enough". So hopefully I can come back in a few hours and say we're going home with a biliblanket, and this yuckiness is over. I really really pray that this is what we'll be able to do!

Another exciting week!

Shew! I'm ready for some calmness, myself! LOL I went to the OB early Monday morning again, and my blood pressure had been up a bit on Sunday. So when I told him that, he said he wanted me on bedrest except for light work, and that unless it went up higher, I could work this week and then be off work starting next week. Unfortunately things didn't go quite as planned.

My BP started going above the 'danger zone' as he had explained it on Tuesday. I called the phone nurse after arriving at work on Wed., and she advised me to go on home and rest, and I had another appointment to see him on Thursday. So that's what I did. I wasn't emotionally prepared to leave work almost 3 days earlier than I thought I had, so it was a little upsetting. However, the many many prayers that friends and family have been lifting on my behalf have helped keep me strong.

So starting on Wed., I am laying around on my left side as much as humanly possible. I'll admit I got up and went to see Isaac's talent show on Thursday and went out to eat without children while they were at a birthday party on Friday. And today I'm heading to Isaac's birthday party, but I figure all of these put together are less stress than working all day, right? And I am pleading ignorance since I wasn't told STRICT rules! ;)

Dr. P was pleased that my BP is coming way down when I'm laying on my left side. I see him again on Monday. According to the ultrasound, baby Robbie weighs about 6 pounds, and I apparently have lots of amniotic fluid. The one thing that he said that was concerning to me was that because of the high level of fluid, it would be possible for my water to break. Wish he hadn't said that! But if it does, he assured me that he felt Robbie would be born perfectly healthy at this point. That particularly made me nervous knowing that my mom was going to be out of town on Thursday/Friday, but we made it through that time with no emergencies--and didn't bother telling my dad that he'd be the one on call were it to take place while she was gone! :) See, Chris works 30 minutes away, and Dr. P said for me to get to hospital ASAP were that to happen, so I wouldn't be able to wait for him to come get me. I've already told Chris that when they (he and the boys) go to TaeKwonDo this week that he better leave his phone where he can hear it, just in case! I'm praying many prayers that this won't happen, and that my sweet little boy will stay put for a few more weeks for him to be fully developed and healthy!

My sisters, mom, and some church friends are holding a shower for me on March 27. I also am praying that I can make it to that date without having him! We've joked all along that it would be cool for him to be born on April 2nd, my sister's birthday. It would be extra cool because she was born on our Aunt Bessie's birthday, so it would be repeat of that! It's a definite possibility, as is the possibility of him being born on his Daddy's birthday, March 29. Given the fact that on Monday I was already dilated 1.5 cm, I'm thinking we don't have another month plus before he makes his appearance!

So there is the big update for the week! Given that I am supposed to be laying down, I'm not on the full-fledged internet as much as I'd like to be. I'm using my beloved BlackBerry to get on Facebook, Twitter, and check email, so feel free to check on me there! If you're not sure how to find me there....leave me a message with your email and I'll let ya know!

And any prayers you could send up for us, we'd sure appreciate it!!

Excitement you'd rather do without!

Well, last week I went for marathon OB appointment #1. When I was being triaged, my blood pressure was WAAAY up, so they immediately sent me to a room to lay down on my left side to see if it came down. Thankfully, it did, but it bothered my doctor. So on he sent me to have an ultrasound done. The little booger wouldn't cooperate with what they wanted to see with that, so then I got to go on the fetal heart rate monitor for quite a while. Now, mind you, I was already supposed to be on my way to class at Emory, so that wasn't helping my disposition much! Finally I got out of there after about 2 hours. I also had to get a script for antibiotics because something showed up in my urine sample. He scheduled me for another appointment today instead of waiting the usual 2 weeks to keep an eye on my blood pressure.

So today's appointment was bright and early--7:10, to be exact. I thought surely that would mean that I would be in and out of there! Oh, but no--today's visit took 3 hours! LOL

I have to laugh about it or I'd cry. I ended up having to take 1/2 day off work, which I really didn't want to have to do, but such is life. I need to be thankful that I had 1/2 days to take, right?! I could have had to have taken it off without pay.

My blood pressure was better today, but he still wanted to monitor the baby. Ultrasound went GREAT, so I thought still maybe I'd get outta there kind of quickly. But he wanted to do a non-stress test, and I was there doing that FOR.EVER! I'm not sure exactly what he was looking for that the baby wasn't doing, but finally I had to go to the bathroom, and by some miracle he decided he wouldn't have them hook me back up or I still might be there! Don't get me wrong, I'm VERY appreciative that he is being so cautious. I just wasn't expecting it to take soooooo long! I have another appointment bright and early next Monday as well, so at least I will know what to expect.

I honestly went in today afraid that he was gonna tell me I needed to stop working, so I am very thankful that he didn't. I'm trying to just be positive about being able to work for another week, and go with the flow. Chris is being super supportive and is very encouraging about me just taking it easy after work. THAT is wonderful!

Add to it that I had a touch of a stomach bug on Friday and then Adam had it with a vengance Saturday evening/Sunday....and I'm a tired little mama! Poor guy was vomiting every 20-30 minutes for over 2 hours! And then he got sick several times after that, too. Now we just have to pray that Chris and Isaac don't get it, too!

Any prayers you can send my way, I'll definitely appreciate! God is good, and He is in control. It is only when I *think* I'm in control that I start getting frustrated, ya know?!

Anissa is coming HOME!!

photo courtesy Mishelle Lane

I'm SOOOO excited! Prayers have been answered, and are continuing to be sent up all over the place! She is a SURVIVOR!

OK, for those who don't know what in the world I'm talking about, my bloggy friend Anissa Mayhew (who I did meet in person at Blissdom '09) had not one but two strokes in November. It was not her first stroke, either. So this was an extremely serious and grave situation for a 30 something year old wife and mom of three. Add to the mix the fact that her youngest child, Peyton, is in remission from childhood lukemia, and you will start to see how unbelievable this was. No one could truly say for sure whether she would recover fully, and if she would, when for a quite a while. But like I said, she is a FIGHTER and a SURVIVOR! She has been in a rehab facility for several weeks now as her body reawakens and she relearned control and regained her strength. But today, folks, TODAY she is coming home to her family! Praise be to God!

She and her husband Peter have been such a source of inspiration and strength through this entire ordeal. She will have to go to outpatient therapies for a while, and here's where the rough part comes in: these visits will cost a $100 copay each day. So here's what Peter is asking, and I'll ask on his behalf as well: he needs 400 people to donate $10 to help fund this. Do you have it in your heart and in your bank account to help out this family who has suffered so much? Do you have $10 to give toward this incredible woman getting her life back, and giving God all the glory while she does? If you do, then click on the button here and make a donation to the Mayhew family. I know that God will repay this to you multiple times in the blessings you will receive!

Ash Wednesday

Photo courtesy WELS.net

Today begins Lent. I can hardly believe it! But it does give me some hope that Spring is out there in the realm of possibility. Being that we have used up 3 days of our Spring Break this week in snow days, the promise of sunshine and birds singing is one that I am clinging to!

I ran over in my (not sleepy) mind last night what I could feasibly give up for Lent this year. I say feasibly because I have reduced my vices considerably since finding out that we were expecting another baby. I'm now down to one caffeinated drink a day on most days, and really don't have as much desire for chocolate as I usually do. I'm drinking water til I float because I crave it. I'm not drinking or smoking, cause I...well....I just don't! I'm not quite willing to give up fast food, even though we have been cutting back since the beginning of the year for financial and health reasons. So the things I kept returning to were 1)a negativity fast, which I tried last year and honestly failed at pretty miserably, and 2)giving up some of my beloved snooze button minutes of sleep in order to spend that time focusing on Bible reading.

Well. Given that my insomniac tendencies are not helped much by adding multiple trips to the bathroom every night, plus the fact that I can't take my sleeping pills when needed, I am thinking trying to give up anything related to sleep is just not in my best interest! And honestly, I've joked (kinda) that what I'd really like to give up for Lent is being pregnant! But it doesn't look like that is going to happen either.

Today I logged into facebook and asked my friends what they are giving up for Lent. I was hoping for some inspiration. I found some...when my friend Lisa said that she is giving up negative comments! I thought,"There's your sign, Christi!" So I searched through my gmail archives for the 40 Days from Negativity emails that I had saved from last year. If you are interested in trying this out, check out this website: 40 Days from Negativity

I am also giving up some things that are honestly between me and the Lord, and am going to try to add in more Bible reading and devotional time. I've been working on that more the past few days anyway, and every time I do better, I wonder why in the world do I let myself get OUT of the habit of giving God time in my day?? I feel so much more focused, centered, and just better when I do!

I NEED to reduce my negativity, and it truly will be a stretch and a sacrifice this year to do so. I have fussed and fussed about this pregnancy, and I need to stop. I need to remember that this is a God-ordained blessing that will add to my life instead of taking away. Yes, there will be changes that I will have to make, but I know that he will be worth every minute of them. God knows my needs more than I can ever begin to imagine, and He saw that we needed to add this little one to our family. So focusing over the next 40 days on the positive aspects of life, including my sweet unborn child, will definitely be a good thing!

So....what are your plans for Lent? If you haven't made any yet, it isn't too late! It's NEVER too late to give more of yourself to God!

Will you visit this please?

I rarely do this, but I feel the need to ask you to visit my blog where I post my Bible studies today. I NEEDED to get this out....what the Lord led from my heart today....and would love to have any kind of response to it. So if you don't care to give a little clicky here I'd really appreciate it! Now if you feel led to read further or follow that blog as well, that's fine, too, but definitely not expected!

And by the way, Happy Valentine's Day!! I love YOU, dear readers! And you know who else loves you, no matter what?? GOD does! Every day of every year! Trust me on this one!

So I'm NOT at Blissdom....

but I can still network! The wonderful Household Diva has set up a Blizzard Bloghop for those of us who are at home for whatever reason! I'm psyched, cause I was feeling pretty lonely thinking about NOT getting to see all the great ladies I met last year at Blissdom! But since we're expecting a baby in April, I knew that I didn't need to spend the money to go this year....and since I have a cold, that probably worked out for the best! I would have hated being miserable in Nashville!

So how about an introduction!

I'm the almost 37 (birthday is Sunday!) year old wife to Chris and mama to Isaac (8.5) and Adam (6), and soon to be mama to Robbie! I am a teacher by profession, and am over half-way through my first year as a Reading Specialist at two schools in our rural county. I'm finishing up my Master's degree in Reading...almost done....one class this semester and two over the summer! I am a proud Christian, and we are very active in our local church. I am also active in the online ministry Worldprayr, and actually have a devotion up over there today! I'd love to have you read it!

Hmm...what else?? Right now my favorite hobby is sleeping, and my least favorite is going to the bathroom constantly, it seems! LOL I am blessed to have my family and my husband's family (most of 'em) living close by, so we spend quite a bit of time with them as well. I love to read, and all my boys (including hubby) are taking Tae Kwon Do, so I spend some time carting kids back and forth from that, too. I sing in our church choir and love to dance, though I rarely get the chance anymore.

So there is a basic introduction! Browse around here, comment, and I'll be sure to visit you back! I'll admit I've been a blogging slacker since finding out we were expecting, but really WANT to do better! Thanks for stopping by, and may God bless you richly!

Remember how I said I was gonna do better??!

Like, 15 times?! I'm so sorry ya'll. Every time I start to share something I think that it is nothing anyone else cares to hear! BUT today I thought you might like to see what me and this baby look like together, and I thought I could explain how we spent several hours in Labor and Delivery the other night!

First of all, thankfully, nothing is wrong! I was having some pains that I thought were contractions, and they were coming every few minutes for about an hour, so I called the doctor's office. The phone nurse, when she realized that this was baby #3 for me, told me to go on over to the hospital to get checked out. I was NOT expecting that, but I went ahead and called my parents to drive me over there since Chris was at his school 30 min. away (this was at the end of the school day). We got over there and they asked 5 million questions and got me set up in the lovely hospital gown, and hooked me up to the doppler to listen to Robbie's heartbeat. He did NOT like having the monitor on, as usual, and ran away from it and kicked at it every chance he got.

They did a preterm labor test, and checked me, and I was as I should be at this point. Finally, several hours later, the doctor on call came by and basically said he thought it was intestinal upset. Nothing to make you feel like a huge fool than that! So I cried in frustration and we got ready to head home. Chris took me to Chik-fil-A for dinner and we went to pick the boys up from my parents, then went home, where I crashed.

I'm still having some of the same type pains and I'm not convinced that it is just gas. I'm thinking it is round ligament pains, personally. I have a doctor's appointment this week so we'll see what he says. All I know is I am so stinkin' TIRED! I make it through work each day, but I get very little done here around the house. That another reason I don't post here or on my usual message boards, cause I'm too tired to think of something to say!

Well, friends, there is an update. Hopefully life will become more interesting in my mind soon so I can find something to tell you about! :)

Happy 2010!

Hope it has been happy so far for you! The last few hours of 2009 weren't the greatest I've ever seen because my beloved Tennessee Volunteers got beat in the Chik-fil-A Bowl by Virginia Tech. Now, that may not seem like too big of a deal to you but around HERE, that has to do with some serious braggin' rights! We live smack dab between the two schools, and very rarely do you find someone who doesn't love one and dislike the other. But truly, it was one of those things that we (Vol fans) knew could happen. It was still a disappointment, though.

I forgot to update you on the latest OB appointment! The boys and I all got to go have another ultrasound on Wednesday the 30th. That was the first time either of the boys had gotten to see an ultrasound, and they really thought it was neat! The ultrasound tech was EXCELLENT, and even made sure to do some 3D shots for them to see. My sister and mom both say that the baby looks like Adam, and then my sisters are conspiring and saying that they see another baby in there, but there is NOT!! Right now, the baby weighs around 2 pounds. I did actually see a change in MY weight on the scale for the first time in 6 months, so that isn't too bad, is it?!

We finally got to do our Christmas cantata for our morning worship service this morning. It was scheduled for 2 weeks ago right after we had a big snowstorm and many people were out of power, so we were pretty much forced to put it off. Then last week, some of our key singers were going to be out of town. Then today it was FRIGID cold, at least for us....it was 14 degrees when we drove to church! It went really well, though, and was very well received. I had a solo, and baby Robbie must have been lying higher in my tummy cause I was able to hold my 'long' note better today than I did when last we sang it two weeks ago! What about that?! Shocked me, for sure!

Then Pastor Ken had a small sermon discussing some things that we needed to remember as we made resolutions, and the one that struck me as important for me to remember was "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding". How hard that is sometimes to do, isn't it?! I think of one situation in particular where I have been wanting MY way, but obviously the Lord's timetable and mine are very different. It has been difficult to not think that God needs to get on MY schedule, but He knows infinitely more than I do, and I need to trust that He knows what is best, even if it isn't the easiest or most pleasant to deal with. Remind me of that later on when I'm trying to take control AGAIN, will ya?!

He also told a story of how when his father was in the throes of Alzheimer's Disease, he might not know who people where around him, but he would respond to scripture that people would quote aloud if he was agitated. It reminded me of my own dear grandmother, who also had some form of dementia later in her life. Sometimes she might not know who I was, but if you started singing "Amazing Grace", she could sing along. If you asked her, "Mawmaw, are you a Baptist or a Methodist?", she'd always answer rather emphatically, "Methodist!" or if you asked her, "Are you a Democrat or a Republican?" she knew that she was, "Republican!" Remembering that brought back fond memories of the closeness we shared while she lived with us on and off for several years. I wanted to record the memory before I forgot!

Tomorrow it is back the grind of work! The boys will go to school with me for the teacher workday, and then they will be back to school on Tuesday. I can't believe our break is over, but then again, that means that I only have about 3.5 months left before I give birth to our baby! EEEEEK! That is hard to believe!

Have a GREAT week....I'm going to try my best to do better about posting, for real this time!!

What a beautiful Christmas!

It has been wonderful! We started off on Christmas Eve with the celebration with Chris' family. We were all spoiled and filled up with good food, then came home and got ready for Santa. We usually go to our church's 11 pm Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, but for reasons I won't go into here, decided not to this year. Instead, we read the Christmas story to the boys and sang some hymns....and Jingle Bells and We Wish You a Merry Christmas, for Adam! Santa came, and we were all up at at 'em around 7:30 Christmas morning!

Santa was very good to the boys, and Isaac got the game he had wanted more than anything, so he was thrilled. Adam was pleased with all his toys and spent the day going from one to another! We went and had brunch at Waffle House, which was delicious and fattening, as always! We came back home for a relaxing afternoon, which included me taking a nap beneath my new down comforter that Chris got me for Christmas! Then it was time to gather with my family at my sister's house. We got to meet my niece's new beau who is REALLY nice! Again, we were spoiled by lovely gifts and delicious food, and enjoyed sitting around and visiting.

Today we head to celebrate with Chris' extended family on his mother's side. His mom has 4 sisters and each sister had at least 2 children, each of whom have families of their own now, so this is a BIG crowd! This is the one time a year we all get together, so it will be nice to get to see everyone!

I'm more tired than usual, but I guess that is to be expected! I'm already experiencing a lack of room for food, so that is an adjustment....last night my family was laughing at me because I wouldn't let them throw out my plate til I had digested some food and had room for the rest of it! LOL I was NOT going to let those yummy potatoes and bread my sister fixed go to waste!

All in all, it has been a very relaxing holiday. I need to get myself in gear and finish up some school work next week, but I've decided to give myself through tomorrow to relax and just enjoy being. God has blessed us so much that it is truly overwhelming. We're all given much more than we deserve! I pray that each of you who might read this have also been blessed til your cup runs over, and that you take the time during the hustle and bustle to thank the One Whom has given you more than you can fathom!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

yep, we're covered in snow, and loving it! It started late yesterday afternoon, and we have about 6 inches here at the house. This is the most snow my children have ever seen! We went out like crazy people last night, to get a battery for the van and to go to a Christmas dinner with our TaeKwonDo school. Our power has flickered off a few times, but we've never lost it for more than a minute, thank Heavens! (I have a serious phobia of power outages....another story for another day!)

I've been neglectful again....so sorry. I really don't mean to be! I had a while there that I was concerned because my heart rate is running higher than 'normal'. I wore a 24 hour monitor and the report came back as basically normal. I still wish it wouldn't run quite so high, but hey--such is life, right?

My ankle is feeling better, so that is certainly welcome news!

Adam has walking pneumonia. He complained of a sore throat for 2 days but ran no fever, and was coughing some at night. This child does NOT complain, so I took him to the doctor on Thursday afternoon. He's taking some yucky antibiotics, but otherwise seems no worse for the wear.

Well, I'm sure I could write more, but I think we're gonna finally decorate the tree now!

Peace

I feel much more at peace tonight. We made it through the first Thanksgiving without August. Her kids were there, and that was very good! It was also fine to be somewhere different than usual....we were still with my beloved family! Funny how worked up we can get over things, and they're firmly in God's grasp and well taken care of before we even begin to worry.

And even though a beloved friend is gone on to Heaven, I have made new friends and have reconnected with ones that I thought were long lost to me. It has been a very interesting year, to say the least, and one in which I've grown in many ways. I am very blessed, far more so than I deserve! I am very grateful to my Heavenly Father for these many blessings, and for many answered prayers.

I hope you feel this peace tonight as well.

Thanksgiving--

I could write so much....


So many blessings, so many things to be thankful for....


Instead, insomnia and anxiety are rocking my world early this morning. I miss August so much, and tomorrow is gonna be hard without her there. She'll be there in spirit, I know, but it will also be like the elephant in the room that no one wants to mention for fear that we'll all break down. And in MY mind it is made even more difficult by it not being held at my sister's house like usual. I'm not sure who made that decision or why, and that really isn't my concern. I just hate that on top of being uncomfortable because we're all missing her, we (at least me) are/am gonna be uncomfortable because it isn't like 'home'. Then I start thinking how selfish I'm being--dwelling on things I cannot control instead of the many things I am being blessed with each day....


ah, hormones and a cold to boot, add to my pitiful saga.

It's my blog and I'll cry if I want to!

I hate being down. I really want to just jump out of my skin and go walk around Wal-Mart or something. I don't even want to be me right this minute. I hate that I don't feel like I can verbalize this to anyone because I don't want to upset anyone else. I hate sitting in the dark crying because a beautiful life was lost to us, though I know she is in Heaven now with her Mawmaw who she loved so much.

So durn it, not a happy lovely life is great and I'm having a baby post today. I'm certainly thankful....in a way that I haven't had to be before, thankful that I, at 36, am just now having to deal with the death of someone I love at such a young age, in such a senseless way. Thankful that I have been lucky enough to NOT wreck my car when I was driving and very upset. Thankful that my boys have their Mama to hug and kiss each day. Thankful that I get to see them grow up one more day. Thankful that I have a husband who I love dearly, who loves me as well, and who I trust more than I trust myself. Thankful that I've always known how loved I am. Thankful for the 'breaks' and opportunities I've had in life. VERY thankful for having known and shared with August. So thankful for that last prayer we had together, and that she followed His leading to come to me that night. THAT I will hold in my heart forever, along with her last hug, and words: "Be careful. I love you."

The words "...and I'll cling to the old rugged cross..." have become more real to me over the past few months. I've been clinging to my Savior more than I ever have before, in a desperation I've never felt before. He is my Solid Rock and my hope when I don't know how I'm gonna put another foot in front of the other. His love lifts me up and fills me up. I'm so very thankful for the relationship I have with Him, more so than anything in this world, for if it wasn't for that....though I love my husband and sons so, so dearly....if it weren't for Jesus holding me up, I couldn't make it. I am powerless on my own.

I do feel better for having gotten all this out. Thank you if you read it, and I am sorry if it brought you down....know that it has helped me to look UP in hope!

A few less words Wednesday: It's a........

Yes, I'm most definitely living in a testosterone zone! I had a feeling that it was, so I had started 'preparing' myself! She said the heartrate (151, by the way) so I really knew then....and I saw a little turtle hanging down before she even pointed it out! Yes, it would have been nice to have a daughter, but I'm thrilled with the thought of another son, too!

We also went to Toys R Us and got most of the boys' Christmas shopping done! AND we had a delicious lunch at Carino's! MMMMMMMMMMM!

As far as how the rest of the appointment went, everything looked GREAT! They didn't see any markers for Down syndrome, Spina Bifida, etc. I feel a TON better after seeing that and knowing that everything looked good. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest!


So...now on to getting to get new baby stuff since I gave pretty much everything away! LOL

Time for an upity-date!

Hi!! I'm Christi, Remember me?! So sorry that I've been a lame blogger as of late. I really don't mean to be. I just don't have the energy to post!

BUT today I do!

So. How am I doing? I'm doing okay! I'm tired much of the time, but I guess that is to be expected. I don't sleep the best already. I am excited if I sleep more than 2 hours at a stretch before having to get up to pee. That gets old, and I know it has only just begun!

My ankle continues to give me trouble. By the end of the day it is often swollen and itchy under the aircast. I know that in the scheme of things it really isn't that big of a deal, but it is just one more bothersome irritant that I'd rather not have to deal with, ya know?

I'm finally starting to feel some relief from the antidepressants. I remember with Adam that it took about 6 weeks to get them fully back into my system, and I'm right around that point now. I had a minor breakdown the other day and ended up coming home early. It just all got to be too much! I did feel better after just having some lazy me time here by myself. It hasn't been the easiest fall ever, even if I weren't hormonal and pregnant! But God will see me through, I know. The semester is almost coming to an end, and that will be a RELIEF! Though I won't be totally done with one of my classes and the tutoring that is required for a while longer. But that is okay, I can deal!

How is everyone else, you ask? They're fine! Isaac is having a tiny bit of anxiety about the baby....worried that we won't have time to help him with his homework, worried about sharing a room with his brother, etc. He didn't mention it specifically to me, as is often the case when something is on his mind. He knows that Mommy worries, so he goes to Daddy with his concerns. He felt better after I told him that when the baby first gets here, he/she will pretty much eat, sleep, poop, and cry, and that we will still have plenty of time for him. He's growing SO FAST! I can't see the top of his head standing beside him now. I won't be surprised if he passes me up within this year!

Adam is.....well, he's Adam! We had been having some issues with his negativity and whining, but it seems to have resolved itself some with prayer! It gets worse when he is overly tired. We're trying our best to keep both of them from being over scheduled and therefore overly tired. Easier said than done sometimes, as you know!

Chris is fine! His latest project was smoking barbecue for our church's annual barbecue cook off, which was held last night. He didn't win, but he had fun trying! He knows I think his cooking is always the best, hands down! He tried a new white barbecue sauce that I really like! He's such a great husband and Daddy...I have been so blessed by him, and I thank God for him every day! I don't know what I'd do without him! I'm amazed that he puts up with me, and so thankful that he does.

Now that both our dogs have gone on to Doggie Heaven, we've been more lax on letting the cats come in and spend time with us...now that it is chillier and they WANT to spend time indoors! I don't know what I'm gonna do when something happens to my Francie. I have had her since before Chris and I met. She is much more feeble now. I pray that nothing happens to her soon!!

Well, that pretty much covers it for us right now....update me on how YOU'RE doing, and I promise to try to come by and get caught up on your blogs, too!

OH, we have an ultrasound on Wed.! I'll be sure to update then!

And the klutz status gets even worse.....

Got a call from the doctor's office yesterday...the wanted me to return their call about my x-ray. Wonderful, I thought. I've been walking around on this foot for a week and something is broken!

I'm not sure if the real news was better or worse.....



The x-ray showed either tendon or ligament damage. Now that would be acceptable if I weren't pregnant! I can't even have an MRI done to see how bad it is until after I have the baby. So I guess that means I treat this ankle very gently for the next 23 weeks and pray I don't hurt it worse! I have been wearing the aircast pretty religiously, though I didn't wear it one night to sleep. I felt it the next morning. So apparently I really need the support it provides. May be wearing this thing til the baby comes, huh?

Has this been ONE MORE fall for me, or what?? Family member dying, flu, dog dying, classes that are HARD, unexpected blessings that do complicate things such as pregnancy does, and now a hurt ankle! I'm just ready to sit back and say What's next, Lord??! I'm not gonna say Enough, because I know He won't give me more than He and I together can handle, but it is getting to be almost comical now! Stay tuned to see what happens next, I suppose!!

I am such a klutz!

Granted, this isn't a photo of my toes, but you get the idea....

Guess who fell when stepping off our deck last night?


Yep, that would be ME! I missed the paving stone and landed on my foot. At first I thought it was just barely hurt, but when the pain woke me up during the night I decided that I might ought to see a doctor. So today I did! After x-rays with double-layered protection on my belly, it was determined to be a bad sprain. I have an air cast on, and it is helping the pain when walking and moving around quite a bit!

Only *I* could fall and sprain my ankle while pregnant!

Don't you wish you were so lucky?!?!
Photo credit: CellPhoneSusie