26w5d

Down to double digits on the countdown already! Where does the time go? Looking at it the other day, I thought to myself "Oh, I still have ninety some days". But then I realized that ninety days equals three months and almost had a mini panic attack. I seriously don't know where all these weeks are going.

Two weekends have passed without blogging, and that's primarily because I've been so busy at work lately. We did go up to NJ for Mother's Day as planned. Gregg and I met up with my mom and stepfather for dinner that Saturday night. My mother chose The Cheesecake Factory, which was located at a mall about halfway between their house and my in-laws'. The place was mobbed. I really don't remember the mall ever being that crowded before. I'm so glad we don't live in Jersey anymore. The wait at the restaurant was almost an hour, and parking was nearly impossible to find. While we waited, I showed my mom and stepdad the latest pictures from the ultrasound and opened a gift for the baby from them- blue socks, hats, and onesies with teddy bears that were absolutely adorable!

The next day the ladies enjoyed a fabulous meal cooked by the men in Gregg's family at his parents'. There was steak, chicken parm, fruit salad, biscuits, veggies, mashed potatoes and two different kinds of dessert. Enough food was left over for an army. We received more goodies for baby boy from Gregg's mom and aunt; a rattle, a wearable blanket, creepers, onesies, hats, socks, bibs, and washcloths with little footballs and racing cars. My MIL even bought us the Winnie the Pooh border for the nursery and a stroller for when he can sit up by himself. I tried on the "dummy" dress she had finished making me for my sister's wedding. There are a few alterations needed and I'll obviously grow some more before July 19, but it came out great. I'm looking forward to waddling down the aisle in it.

The best part of the day was when I woke up that morning, and Gregg simply whispered to me "Happy Mother's Day". I can't really describe the feeling I had at that moment, but I still get all warm and fuzzy inside when I think about it.

This past weekend we spent in town, running errands and having dinner with friends. On Saturday we picked out paint samples for the baby's room. We'll probably leave the off-white color that's already there on top, add the border in the middle and a shade of blue on bottom. I can't wait to get started decorating!

Today first thing at 8am was my sixth month check-up. I asked Gregg why it always seems to rain the morning of our doctor's appointments. Anyway, the nurse checked the usual: urine, blood pressure, weight. All were good! I've gained a total of 20 pounds since the start of my pregnancy. I honestly don't feel like I've put on much weight at all, though. Before the doctor came in, I was given a bottle of that glucola syrup to take home for the gestational diabetes test. They told me I can drink it and have the blood work done sometime next week before coming in again. Fun, fun. The doctor shared the results of my last ultrasound and said that everything with the placenta is normal. It ended up rising on its own, so it won't cause any problems during labor and delivery. She used the doppler to listen for the heartbeat, which is in the 140s. Now that I'm approaching my third trimester, my appointments will be every two weeks. We left the office scheduled for a bunch of dates right up through the middle of July.

I'm starting to develop a case of baby brain. I'm so scatter brained at work, I feel like I can't keep things together. When I went to pick up my new prescription glasses at Walmart the other day, I couldn't find the right words to tell the clerk what I was there for. Gregg had to rescue me, and I felt like a complete moron. I'm also feeling way more emotional than usual. I woke up very early Saturday morning and laid in bed crying for close to ten minutes, for no particular reason. I feel sad and guilty whenever we go out and leave the dog behind. I almost burst into tears after eating the last grape in the fruit platter we bought at the grocery store, thinking that now Gregg would be left with no more grapes to eat. What is wrong with me?? I've become an absolute basket case.

Thinking about coming back to work after my maternity leave depresses me. If I can't bear to leave the dog behind, how can I possibly leave my newborn son with someone else for a few hours during the day? Granted, my job is pretty flexible and I can do a lot of work from home. I've actually been offered a lateral move within the agency that would allow me even greater flexibility and do the adoption work I have wanted to for sometime now. Still, I don't know how I'll manage to do any work and handle the demands of a new baby. I need a lot of strength and grace from God on this one. I'd prefer not to work at all, but that may not be feasible for us financially just yet. This has really been tearing at my heart lately. I talked with our company's benefits manager, and found out that I can take two weeks regular paid leave before my short term disability kicks in for another six, at a reduced salary rate. Two months just doesn't seem like enough time to take off to have this baby.

I'm feeling weepy again just thinking about it. It doesn't help that it's a miserable, gray rainy day outside with temps in the 50s. For now, I will look forward to getting away with Gregg for a much needed mini vacation over Memorial Day weekend. We plan on going up to Raystown, PA with some friends and hanging out. It should be a fun and relaxing time. Our last vacay for a while at least...

25w1d

Wow, 25 weeks and I'm feeling HUGE! Gregg jokes that he can barely put his arms around my belly anymore. :) Last Friday, we went to our friends Dave & Theresa's for dinner and enjoyed a wonderful lasagna, toasted garlic bread, fresh fruit salad, and homemade brownies with ice cream. I can't remember ever feeling that full before. I don't know how women in their latter months of pregnancy possibly eat that much. It felt like my tummy was going to bust!

I'm now at that point where total strangers are asking me when I'm due. A few days ago, someone asked how much longer I had and I seriously thought he was referring to how many more hours I had left at work that day (duh, baby brain kicking in). The guy got a little scared, as if he made a mistake. He paused before saying, "Um, no. I mean, when are you due?" "Oh, the end of August" was my brilliant reply. I should have said, "What are you talking about? I'm not pregnant!" There's really no hiding it now though.

The invitation for my sister's wedding came in the mail yesterday. I can't believe my little sis is getting married in just two months. I can't believe I'm going to be a mother in just three! I'm starting to get panicky about all the stuff we have yet to do before the baby's born. I always envisioned I'd be more on top of things, but I feel like the weeks are flying by faster than I can realize another one's gone by.

This weekend we're celebrating Mother's Day by traveling to New Jersey, to visit our moms (aka Grandma B and Grandma S). We're going to take my mother out for dinner on Saturday night and then spend part of Sunday with Gregg's family, when the guys will treat the women. That will probably be our last trip up there before the baby comes, because it's a four hour drive, and it's not the best idea for me at this stage to sit in a car for that long. Speaking of being uncomfortable, I hear our comfy reclining couch calling my name...

24w1d

We had another ultrasound this morning! The sonographer took measurements of the baby and he's doing growing right on schedule- actually a little ahead of schedule. He's measuring at 24w5d and weighs 1 lb 11 oz already. Our little guy was a bit camera shy, and wouldn't let the tech get too many close shots of his face. He kept putting his arms and hands up in front of his face, just like last time. Because he wasn't cooperating a whole lot, however, we got to see him in 4D much more than a month ago. Absolutely amazing.

Next, the sonographer checked the progress of my placenta since the doctor was slightly concerned it was too low. We'll find out what the status is at our next routine check-up on the 20th. She printed out a bunch more pictures for us to put in the baby album and downloaded a few images onto a CD.

I can't believe I'm nearly done with my second trimester. I'm already at 6 months! It still seems so far away until our son enters the world, but that countdown on the side of my blog is getting close to double digits. My belly appears to grow by the day now and it's becoming harder to bend down. It's a challenge to find tops that cover my entire tummy! My nails are growing faster than I can cut them, too, and my hair is the thickest it has ever been (which is good, because I've always had very fine locks).

Overall, pregnancy is treating me well. I am truly blessed with this little miracle God has given to us. I could already see my baby boy's personality developing on the ultrasound screen, and think about the kind of person he'll grow up to be often. I daydream about holding him in my arms for the first time and wonder what features of mine and Gregg's he'll have. For now, he still remains "nameless" as we continue to discuss what we should name him. We each have our favorites, and a "compromise name" picked out, but nothing is settled yet. 16 more weeks to decide!

24th week shot:

22w4d

Rain, rain go away! We have been spoiled with all of the beautiful weather we've enjoyed lately, but now April showers are making their appearance unfortunately. :(

Saturday was just as nice as Friday. I had to teach another training class to the foster parents early that morning. I got to leave when it was over at 11, but they had to stay there all day for two other trainings. After eating lunch, Gregg and I did our grocery shopping. Then with the few hours remaining of daylight, we went to the park to do some geocaching. This is Gregg's new favorite hobby. I admit I'm not that much into it, but I enjoy spending time with him as he searches for caches in sometimes the most conspicuous of places. We took Tess along, and she was very happy to sniff around and try to play with the other dogs. As it turns out, we only found one of the three caches hidden in the park, but it was still fun to walk around. There were a lot of families with small children, having picnics and playing on the playground. I can't wait to go there with our little boy some day in the not too distant future.

On Sunday it poured cats and dogs. After church and a quick snack we met Gregg's parents, who were on their way back to NJ after visiting the grand kids in North Carolina, for a late lunch. We pretty much sat around and watched tv for the rest of the evening since it was so yucky out.

This morning I had another routine prenatal check-up. The doctor went over the results of my ultrasound on the 4th, and everything is normal with baby. At the time, he was measuring 14 ounces! She said that the exam revealed I have a "low lying placenta", however. It's not so low that it's covering my cervix and I can still have a vaginal delivery, but if it doesn't rise before the end of my pregnancy I could experience bleeding during labor. The doctor told me that it will probably not be a problem, but scheduled another ultrasound for May 2 just so they can take another look at it. At this visit, she also measured my uterus and checked for the heartbeat, which is in the 150s. Baby Boy began to kick when she put the Doppler on my tummy and pretty much didn't let up until noon today. Must be nap time now!

Gregg and I had dinner Friday night with friends of ours who are in the process of adopting a baby from China. As they talked about all the stuff they had go through just to be approved and then receiving word that because of the Olympics in Beijing this August, the adoption would be delayed even further, I had new appreciation for the ability to have a child naturally. In our case, it was really effortless. I don't know why God chooses some couples to bare children the "good old fashioned way" and others wait months, years hoping and trying to conceive. Our friends are a great example of trusting in the Lord through a difficult time. They are going to be amazing parents and a blessing to the little girl they end up adopting.

22w1d

Warmer weather is finally here!! It is a gorgeous day today; high 70's and sunny. It was the perfect day to leave work early and have lunch at Panera with my friend Ruthann and her two year old daughter. Weather like this reminds me of my childhood- playing outside in the backyard with my sister on the swingset, attending outdoor concerts where we'd always get Italian Ice (and proceed to dribble it all down the front of our shirts), riding bikes around the neighborhood, etc. Ah, the carefree days of my youth.

This past weekend was beautiful as well. Okay, Saturday was at least. Gregg and I decided to hit the outdoor outlets in Hagerstown, MD for the afternoon. My husband isn't much of a shopper, but he endured with me. I still had a gift card left over from Christmas to a store of my choosing, so I bought a couple of shirts and a pair of capris from Motherhood Maternity. I was tempted to get more, but I was good! They have a lot of really cute outfits there. Gregg had to hold me back from going into Carter's or The Children's Place and buying everything in those stores, too.

Sunday, after church and lunch at Cracker Barrel, I relaxed for the rest of the afternoon with What to Expect When You're Expecting. I read the Sixth Month chapter since that happens to be just around the corner, then skipped ahead to the part about Labor & Delivery. Let me just say, labor is a lot more involved than I was originally thinking. It doesn't sound so painful as just absolutely exhausting, physically and emotionally. Like running a 14 hour marathon non-stop. It's good to be informed though. Gregg and I are planning on signing up for a childbirth class so we are even more prepared (as prepared as we can be). Should be interesting and eye opening!

This week was the first time I've felt really crummy during my pregnancy. I know, boo hoo for me, right? My back ached pretty bad and I felt bloated and constipated to the point where I thought I was going to pass a stone. I guess that stuff happens when your uterus is crowding out the rest of your internal organs. It's now about half an inch above my belly button. My baby boy has been very active lately. Making his presence known undeniably with every swift kick and jab. I love feeling him move inside me.

I think I went through another belly growth spurt this past week. Looking in the mirror last night, I couldn't believe how I big I've gotten. It's hard to imagine getting much bigger, but I know it's going to happen. Gregg affectionately calls me "Miss Pregnant Pants". He thinks I'm starting to "expand" pretty fast now.

Speaking of which, here's my 22 week shot:

Wonderful Weekend

One that you want to last... It started off with the amazing experience of seeing our son in utero via ultrasound. I took the rest of the day off on Friday, and besides calling everyone to tell them what we're having, did laundry & packed for our trip up to New Jersey. We left shortly after Gregg got home from work and arrived at his parents' around 10pm.

My sister's bridal shower on Saturday was a huge success. It was a lot of fun and great to see friends and family I haven't seen in a while. Already the proud mama, I showed off my baby boy's first pictures which everybody oohed and aahed over. I got a lot of comments about how good I look.

The next day, Gregg & I had Sunday "dinner" with his family before leaving to head back to PA. That's one of the things I miss about living in Jersey- my MIL's home cooking! I filled up on roast beef, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans, homemade bread and chocolate cream pie with ice cream. My mother-in-law took my measurements for the dress she's making me for my sister's wedding. I've gone from a size 8 to a size 14! We found a nice pattern together on Ebay, based on the style I wanted.

Now it's back to the daily grind. I had to teach a foster parent training class this morning, which I worked on until 11pm last night. This was the first time, believe it or not, that I put a powerpoint presentation together. Thankfully, my technologically savvy husband showed me what to do. The class actually went pretty well, and I received some compliments on how informative it was.

Here are some pics from the shower:

My sister with her bow bouquet and obligatory silly shower garb.

The cake, modeled after the invitation and our theme, which was "April Showers bring July Weddings"

Me and my mom

My dad with his girls, the bride to be and the mother to be

My sister, Valerie with her fiance, Bill

Me and hubby

And here's my 19w5d shot:

Drumroll Please...

IT'S A BOY!!!!!

We've got the "money shot" to prove it. :) The whole ultrasound was just amazing. We could see our baby from every angle- head, feet, arms, legs, spine, stomach, heart. The sonographer was awesome. She explained what everything was and what she was looking for. The image on the ultrasound machine appeared on a small tv mounted on the wall in front of us, so I didn't have to strain my neck to see anything. Baby Boy kept flipping over and putting his hand in front of his face. It was so cute.

This morning I downed a bottle and a half of water as I was supposed to, and did okay until the tech started pressing down hard on my bladder. She let me go potty halfway through the exam, though, before moving on to check my cervix. Then she went back to examining the baby and got some incredible pictures of him in 3D. He is so adorable!! Gregg took the CD that we brought to work with him afterwards to rip the pictures so they can be posted online.

I am on cloud nine right now. I'm very relieved, too, that everything is fine and healthy with our little guy. He's actually measuring 6 days ahead of my due date, which might be changed from the 21st to the 15th. I called my mom as soon as I got home and she was very happy. She can't wait to see the roll of pictures I have.

I was not surprised at all to learn we're having a boy. I've had a feeling all along. My mother, sister and mother-in-law all said it was a boy. One of the foster moms I work with said it was going to be a boy because of the way I'm carrying. I did a couple of those gender predictor tests just for fun, and they both said: boy! So Gregg was wrong. He is still very proud and happy though. I can't wait to meet our son in only a few more months!

Halfway!

Today marks the halfway point in my pregnancy. I can't believe how quickly these first twenty weeks have sailed by. Only 20 more to go!

Tomorrow morning first thing is our ultrasound!! I'll be posting with the gender results afterwards. :) I have been looking forward to this day since we learned I was pregnant. It's like Christmas, my birthday and wedding day all rolled into one.

I could use a big reminder of the love and awesomeness of God. I've been feeling beat up by the world lately, overwhelmed, stressed out. Wondering how to balance of all life's responsibilities. I had a pretty craptastic day at work today. And I've been trying to do it on my own strength instead of in God's; no wonder I feel burnt out. One of the most important things I want to teach to my child is to hold onto Jesus, but I need to exemplify this in my own life.

There is a beautiful song by Erin O'Donnell called, appropriately, "Hold Onto Jesus" which has always been a favorite of mine but has been playing in my head more frequently since I found out that I'm going to be a mother. The songwriter wrote it for her daughter, wishing to convey to her not to put her hope and trust in the things of this world but to cling to Jesus, in all circumstances. How I long to convey this to my unborn child. How God must long to convey this to me.

I am looking forward to catching a very detailed glimpse at the amazement of His creation, in the features of our tiny, 20 week old baby. The place where we're having the diagnostic ultrasound is allowing us to bring a CD that they can download the images onto, so we'll be able to share them with friends and family. Prior to the exam, I must consume three 8oz glasses of fluid. I am not looking forward to that. A pregnant woman and a full bladder is not a good combination. Oh well, it will all be worth it!

"You can have all this world,
but give me Jesus".

1 Week and Counting...

...'til the big ultrasound!!! Hopefully Baby B will cooperate so we can learn his or her gender. I'm anxious to find out. I'm also anxious to make sure he or she is developing properly, and that there are no problems. I had a bad dream last night where I delivered early and there was a chance the baby might not make it, but right before I woke up the doctor told me everything was just fine. I was so relieved!

We elected not to have those tests done where they tell you if your baby may be at risk for such and such a defect or abnormality. I'm not really sure what the point is. It's still our child, and we'd love it regardless. We don't believe in abortion, for any reason. I'd just be a nervous wreck for the rest of my pregnancy if I was told the baby may have something wrong.

The gas bubbles I've been feeling have turned into stronger, more defined kicks. It's very reassuring to know Baby B is alive and active inside me. I think I felt a somersault earlier today, but of course I can't really be sure. He or she is the size of a mango now and weighs 8 ounces! And I read that my uterus is the size of a cantalopue. Yikes, a whole melon. By the end of the pregnancy, it will grow to rest just under my rib cage. Again, yikes.

I've really enjoyed being pregnant so far. I like sporting my new baby bump, and can't wait to show it off to friends and family at my sister's bridal shower next weekend. The shower should be a lot of fun. I love girly stuff like that; oohing and aahing over all the gifts the bride to be receives and playing cheesy shower games. I'll (hopefully) be able to tell my mom and sister then what I'm having!

18w4d

Well, it did get a little warmer since my last post. Despite a light dusting of snow Saturday morning, the temperature got up to 50 something later in the day and it stayed pretty nice throughout the weekend. My mother & stepfather came to visit as planned and we had a nice time with them. My mom got me a couple of very cute maternity tops and some adorable gifts for baby as well- a bib, pajamas and a onesie. The onesie says "In my little world, being toothless is a good thing!" She also brought me a solid chocolate Easter bunny like I used to get as a kid.

I had my fifth month checkup this morning before work. Pretty routine- they checked my weight, blood pressure, and urine, and all were normal. So far my total weight gain during the pregnancy has been a whopping ten pounds. We heard the heartbeat again, too. This time the doppler picked it up instantly- 140 BPM. I got the okay to travel to D.C. for my sister's wedding five weeks before my due date, as long as no complications arise between now and then.

And now for some long awaited belly shots... hmm, it sounds like something you'd do on Spring Break! Please excuse my lack of photography skills.

Here's me at 11 weeks:

and now at 18 weeks:

18w1d

Happy Good Friday! Spring is finally here and it's... 35 degrees out. So much for warm, light jacket days skipping through the tulips. It was so windy yesterday that I had to force my car door open and it kept trying to close on me! I am so ready to say goodbye to winter weather.

Life has been ridiculously busy lately. I feel like I'm having a hard time keeping up- with work, home, friends. I've been such a slacker with house chores, especially laundry (blech). It's time to get to steppin' though, because my mom and stepdad are coming to visit tomorrow and staying through Easter. We haven't seen them since Christmas, so it'll be fun to see my mom's reaction to my newly sprouted (and ever growing) baby bump! I was feeling like Gregg and I were two ships passing in the night, but yesterday after work we spent some nice quality time together. It was nothing fancy- we went to Staples so Gregg could buy a headset to use at his job and then to Michael's to get netting for the favors I'm putting together for my sister's shower in two weeks. Afterwards we ate dinner at Panera, where a group of women were having a baby shower for one girl who looked very pregnant. I can't believe I'm going to be that big in just a few months. On the way home, we stopped at Mower Meadows Frozen Custard since they were giving away free ices for the first day of spring. We both got cherry and our mouths and teeth turned bright red!

I was feeling pretty yuck-o after eating the entire cup. Me and sweets don't get along these days. I tried eating a bowl of Honey Bunches O' Oats (the kind with cinnamon) this morning and could barely finish it. The Easter candy we have sitting on the kitchen table, which we got from Gregg's mom in our annual Easter package, has barely been touched. It's strange what pregnancy does to you. In more preggo news, I've since retired my non-maternity pants until sometime this fall. Elastic waistbands are now my best friend. A friend let me go through her stash of maternity clothes which had been hidden away in the attic. I have a huge bag of them in our bedroom waiting to be washed and put away. This will save us a pretty penny on a brand new wardrobe, which of course my husband is very happy about.

Over the last few days, I've felt the baby moving around! It's hard to describe the movements, but they're kind of like random, spastic gas bubbles. And I know that it's not actually gas- don't ask me to explain HOW I know this. There's just a difference. The baby was having a disco in there on Tuesday night as I watched Idol. I told Gregg I could feel it moving, so he put his hand on my belly to feel it too but he couldn't. He's been rubbing my tummy frequently and commenting on how big it's getting. Not in a "wow, you're getting really fat" kind of way, but a "wow, our child is growing inside you" kind of wonder. We are both in awe that this miracle is taking place inside me.

In just two weeks, we'll find out the gender of our "tiny dancer". I'm so excited! It will become a lot more real and personal to us when we can say "him" or "her" instead of just "the baby". Then we can start really picking out names. I have my two favorite names for a boy and a girl already, but I don't know that Gregg is sold on them. And we most likely won't be revealing the name we do settle on, even to our families, until the baby arrives.

We took the plunge a couple of weekends ago and registered at Babies 'R Us. Holy cow, babies are expensive. I'm still wondering how such a tiny little being who did just fine living in my womb for nine months without anything suddenly needs a buttload of gear upon the day it's born. Don't get me wrong, registering for all that stuff was definitely fun. We picked out the nursery decor which is really cute and all kinds of goodies that are both practical and adorable. But there was certainly an added element of stress in there. It's not like registering for your wedding. I felt pretty incompetent walking into the store, like a total mommy rookie. We did have some very good tips, however, from our sister-in-law who just had a baby last May. And Gregg's parents offered to buy us the crib and mattress. I think my mom & stepdad are getting us the changing table, too. Yay for grandparents!

Not much else to say except I hope it gets warmer soon. Oh, and have a wonderful and blessed Easter!

16 weeks

Holy cow. I can't believe I'm almost halfway through this pregnancy already. It seems like only yesterday that I was staring at a positive HPT. I am actually starting to look pregnant now, and not just like I ate too much for lunch.

I bought my first pair of maternity jeans two weekends ago. It was funny getting pants in size medium! I can still just barely fit into my favorite regular jeans, but I think those will have to be abandoned very soon. I've been taking pictures of my growing belly each week, and I can definitely see a difference just between weeks 14 and 15.

Last Friday, I had another prenatal appointment and got to hear the heartbeat for the first time! It took the doctor a little while to find it, but it was a strong 155 BPM. I have to admit, I wasn't really sure what I should have been listening for so it wasn't obvious to me when she pointed it out. Oh well, all I care about is that everything's going well in there. All my bloodwork came back fine, too. I found out that I'm type O positive, which I did know once upon a time but forgot. Apparently, that's Gregg's blood type also. Oh, and since my last doctor's appointment I've gained five pounds.

I was scheduled for another routine check-up on the 24th and an ultrasound of the anatomy on April the 4th, when we'll learn our baby's gender! Which is perfect because we're planning on heading up to Jersey that evening since my sister's bridal shower is the next day, then visiting with Gregg's family. I can't wait to tell my mom that she's having a granddaughter or grandson. :)

14w1d

Note to self: no chocolate, in any form, close to bedtime. Last night, we went out for dinner at Applebee's and I ordered a dessert shooter to top off my meal (don't worry, the dessert only came in a shot glass). It was chocolate mousse with whipped cream and crumbled Oreo cookies. Yum. And I paid for it dearly during the night.

I discovered what was making me so wigged out. I would fall asleep with no problem, but wake up at least three times feeling like I'd downed a bottle of NyQuil. So, new rule- no chocolate after 12pm. I still don't know what the heck I ordered as an entree. It was some kind of cheesy chicken pasta thing. I don't know that I would get it again, but it made fantastic leftovers this afternoon. From the beginning of my pregnancy 'til now, I've favored chicken and pasta over my once favorite red, juicy steak and potatoes. Could this mean I'm having a girl, or that my baby just caters to its Italian heritage more than its Dutch side?

I have had a suspicion all along that I'm actually having a boy. The only baby dreams I've had so far have been about little boys and my mom had one like that, too, about a week ago. Gregg has held to his position since the night we found out I was pregnant that I'm having a girl. We'll see who's right...

I've been having "round ligament pain" for the past few days, which was alarming to me at first because I felt sharp stabs on both sides of my abdomen. I read though, that this is just my body doing exactly what it's supposed to- preparing for the growth of the baby. My uterus is stretching, causing the pain. It's supposed to have moved out of the pelvis into my abdomen by now. I'm showing a little bit through my clothes at this point. My jeans feel tighter and tighter every day, especially right after lunch. I'm also starting to feel what I can best describe as... sensations in my lower belly. I don't know if it's quickening yet or not. It's not gas, but not exactly butterflies either. It's all becoming more real to me now, which is fun and exciting.

We get to hear the heartbeat for the first time next week! That will be so cool. Sometimes life can become so monotonous; get up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, clean up, watch tv, go to bed and do it all over again the next day. But then I get these little reminders that there is something truly amazing and miraculous happening inside me and it breaks through the monotony of every day life. Sometimes I get pee in my pants excited for this baby to arrive, and other times I sail right through the day hardly thinking about the pregnancy. I really do want to cherish every moment. Thank goodness for blogs!

Good and Bad

So a few weeks ago, Gregg and I bought a mini-van. We got one because 1) our family is growing, and 2) it was really about time we had a second vehicle. We got a great deal on a pre-owned van, which was in almost pristine condition. It drives well and has a good bit of room inside. After owning it for almost two weeks, an illegal immigrant driving a borrowed vehicle lost control of his car and slammed into the front left end of the minivan while it was parked at Gregg's workplace. The man who was in the country illegally was arrested by the policeman who arrived on the scene and most likely deported. Leaving us to deal with the insurance company of the guy who let this idiot drive his car.

Right off the bat, we could tell this would not be a smooth process. Gregg filed a claim and the insurance people weren't playing very nice. They did eventually have someone come out to appraise the damage on the van and determined it's a total loss. They're claiming no liability because they only insure the owner of the car that hit us, not the driver. Which is a bunch of crapola. So we're filing a lawsuit against the owner to recoup the value of our van.

This whole thing bothers me on so many levels. First, the injustice of it all. The fact that this insurance company is being shady and not paying up. The fact that we spent hard earned money on a car and did not do a single thing to cause this accident in any way, shape, or form, but some fool comes along and in one second, destroys a possession of ours. Second, the sheer frustration of having to deal with something like this. Third, sadness that we have to actually sue somebody in order to get our money back. The whole filing a lawsuit thing really creeps me out. But what other choice do we have? Hopefully, it will just be settled out of court and we won't have to appear on Judge Judy (ha ha).

I've been hesitant to blog about this because I don't want to seem complainy. There are plenty of very good things happening in our lives right now. Nobody got injured. Nobody died. We have suffered a material loss and setback, but there are worse things in life. I remember reading an article last year in a Christian magazine that said our life is like a railroad track, and at all times there are good things happening and bad things happening. There are no mountaintops or valleys. As I look back on my life, I find this to be true. Especially now. We have been blessed with a wonderful little miracle we are so looking forward to. That's obviously the good part. On the other hand, we are experiencing unfairness and a big irritation. That's the bad part. I shouldn't be caught off guard when negative things happen to me. But I am. Jesus said, "in this life you will have trouble." He guaranteed it. He did not want us to be surprised when "bad things happen to good people".

I guess what I'm trying to say in all of this, is that I need to give it over to God and leave it in His hands. He is still in control. And like I said before, there are worse things in life.

So on to more pleasant things... we had a very nice Valentines Day. Well, evening really. We were invited out to dinner at Red Robin by our friends Dave & Theresa. I was so glad that after a long and somewhat frustrating day at work, I got to spend time with my husband and good friends eating good food and enjoying great conversation. You know you have good friends when you leave their presence feeling reenergized and blessed. On Friday, I met my friend Ruthann and her 21 month old daughter Calleigh for lunch. We talked about pregnancy and our husbands (all good stuff!) over sandwiches and ice cream. Then I got to go home because I didn't have to be back at work. That night, Gregg and I went over to Ryan & Anita's and played Scattergories and watched a movie. Saturday we pretty much enjoyed the day off together, running some errands and getting some great bargains out shopping. I picked up a baby names book for $3 which I spent a few hours last night going through and highlighting.

On the pregnancy front, I am officially getting too big for my own pants. I'm not sure if it's all the bloating, or if it's truly my tummy poking out there. I haven't been sleeping as well, either. The last few nights, I've woken up in the middle of the night feeling like I'm going to crawl out of my skin. Like when you have too much caffeine. Only I've been avoiding caffeinated substances. My digestive system is still screwed up because of all the hormones that are raging. The hormones are also making me way more irritable and sensitive. Oh yeah, I have now entered my second trimester! 1 down, two to go. They say the second one is the easiest. The nausea has let up and you're not running to the bathroom constantly anymore. My risk of miscarrying has decreased signficantly. I can't believe I'm in my fourth month already. Only 27 more weeks to go!

Snow Day

Well, the winter weather the forecast called for happened. This morning when I woke up, there was already about an inch of snow on the ground. I decided to work from home today and cancelled my afternoon appointment. It was a good thing, because the snow just got heavier as the day wore on. There was an army of kids outside with their sleds and saucers, taking advantage of the pile up.

In addition to getting some things done for my job, I folded and ironed clothes, called my mommy because it's her birthday, and worked on some ideas for my sister's bridal shower. I am really excited for this shower! I've been coordinating with the other girls in the wedding party along with my mom, and we've come up with some great plans. I'm in charge of favors and I found the perfect ones to go along with our theme. I'm going to add some ribbon and a colorful tag to them that includes the event and date. It's like the Martha Stewart in me has come out.

On Friday, I told the rest of my co-workers that I'm expecting and my inbox was flooded with words of congratulations when I returned to the office yesterday. I said I was open to name suggestions, and they were happy to oblige. One of the girls is bringing her baby name book to work so I can peruse it. I have a few names for both a girl and boy picked out, but nothing I'm sold on yet.

Because I'm a cheeseball, I watched A Baby Story and Bringing Home Baby on TLC while folding laundry today. Seeing those shows just confirms my desire to be a mother. It makes me so excited for my little one to arrive! I know in my last few weeks, the anticipation is going to drive me absolutely crazy.

12 Weeks

I thought I would narrowly escape the first trimester without getting sick. But this morning, it happened. A miniature yakk fest. Thankfully I hadn't gone into work yet. Afterwards, I managed to get down a multi grain English muffin and a glass of juice. I opted to type my progress notes at home, finally leaving for the agency around 12:30. I am so grateful I have such a flexible schedule!

I told my boss about the pregnancy yesterday, and he was very happy for me. In fact, he couldn't say enough good things about being a parent. He said that having a kid was the best decision he and his wife made. He stated, "I assume you'll be taking some time off, then?" I told him yes, but didn't know how much yet. He said that was fine and we'd play it by ear as I got closer to my due date. How great is that??

Last weekend, Gregg and I went to a Super Bowl party at Ryan & Anita's. We are so not football fans, but it was a good excuse to get together with friends. They just had a baby boy in January, and he is so adorable! I held him for a while during the game, the whole time thinking "I can't believe I'll have one of these in 6 1/2 months." Okay, I confess that I nearly fell asleep during the second half. But the game was dragging for a while and I need something more than just mere will power these days to keep me awake past 9. I was very glad that the Giants won, with minutes to spare, defeating the cheaters (oh, I mean the Patriots).

My lower abdomen has definitely rounded out by now. Still only really noticeable to me and hubby, though. I can't wait until I start sporting a baby bump! My veins are a lot more prominent, too (under my clothes). I read that's because my body has an increased supply of blood to help grow the baby. Where did it come from, I wonder? The whole baby making process is an absolute miracle.

11w1d

Today we had some pretty awful weather here in South Central PA. Icy, slushy, rainy, cold- what a way to start February! Despite it being yucky out, we still made it to my 11 week doctor's appointment this morning. It took me about twenty minutes to defrost my windshield and scrape the thick layer of ice off so that I could see. Gregg had already gone to work and met me at the medical pavilion. I got there after my scheduled time, but the office had a delayed opening because of the weather so it was crammed full of patients who had been waiting for a while. I was seen not too long after checking in.

First we met with one of the nurses, who asked us about a million questions about medical history and genetics. I learned that because I'm primarily of Italian decsent, there's a slight chance I could be a carrier for some type of anemia. She filled out a lab slip for me to have blood work and a urinalysis done, and gave me a bunch of reading material. Afterward, we were ushered back to the waiting room before my physical exam with the doctor. I then had to pee in a Dixie cup again, and had my BP and weight checked. I'm down one pound from my last visit, but the medical assistant said it could just be the difference in scales.

I had to put on a very flattering (ha) hospital gown and froze my butt off waitng for the doctor to enter the room. She said she was going to try to hear the heartbeat this time with a Doppler, but said not to be discouraged if we didn't because it's still early. She completed the phsycial, then checked out my pelvic area. How she knew this just from pushing on my abdomen, I don't know, but she said my uterus is tipped slightly and kind of hiding back towards my pelvis. This will straighten out as the pregnancy progresses, but for now it apparently makes it near impossible to hear a heartbeat, so she said she'd wheel in the ultrasound machine and get a glimpse of how baby is doing.

I couldn't stop smiling. It was so amazing to see it again. This time, we could make out hands and feet. It definitely looked more like a baby than a jelly bean. The doctor said that it appeared like Baby B was crossing its feet and waving. He or she jumped a few times, too! Okay, it was more like spastic movements, but it was so cute. We got a few more pictures to put in the baby album. Our next appointment is scheduled for February 29, when the doctor will go over all the lab work with us and we'll finally be able to hear the heartbeat. The next one after that, we find out if it's a boy or girl!!

After we left the doctor's, Gregg went back to work and I met up with two friends at Panera for lunch. Since the lab was basically across the parking lot from the restaurant, I went in for my blood work and such right after. They filled like, six or seven tubes which made me a little woozy. But, the tech who drew my blood was really good. I hardly felt a thing.

Last weekend, Gregg and I made our first journey into baby shopping land. We went into the baby departments of Target and Toys'RUS. It was fun... and daunting. Very daunting. I mean, how can such a tiny little thing possibly need all that stuff? We were clueless. What kind of car seat do we get? What type of bottles? We didn't buy a single thing. We did however, decide on a theme for the nursery, which will be Classic Winnie the Pooh. It will be so much fun purchasing items and decorating the baby's room, when we actually know what we need! Grandma, some help please?

Sometimes it's hard for me to believe this is all happening. I feel so incredibly blessed to have this baby growing inside of me and that I've had such a smooth pregnancy so far. I know it will become more real as the weeks progress, and my tummy grows! Right now, it just looks like I've eaten a few too many donuts or something.

I'm looking forward to seeing what each new week brings. Every Wednesday evening (that's my day six), I log onto whattoexpect.com to read about what the week ahead entails, for both me and baby. I've marked down the week number in the corner of each Thursday on our kitchen calendar. I now know I will be just over 35 weeks pregnant on the day of sister's wedding. Yikes. They might have to wheel me down the aisle.

9w2d

It's amazing how fast a week flies by. A quick recap of last weekend is in order: We enjoyed the remainder of our anniversary with a nice dinner at Rosalie's. Gregg let me pick which restaurant we went to, and I was having a hankering for good Italian food. Warm bread and salad, followed by Chicken Marsala with a large bowl of angel hair pasta... it was a pregnant girl's dream. The next day we went grocery shopping and among other things I got some high fiber cereal and a large crate of clementines to keep me, ahem, regular. I feel like an eighty-five year old woman! Maybe I should have bought prune juice too, ha ha. I guess I should be grateful it's not morning sickness. On Sunday, Gregg's parents drove down from NJ to visit. They attended church with us and then took us out to eat. After lunch we went back to our place and opened our first set of baby outfits they got for us, a pack of cute onesies.

I can't believe I'm already in my third month, two-thirds of the way through my first trimester! Baby B is now the size of a green olive and starting to develop sex organs. Most evenings I can barely stay awake past 8 o'clock anymore. I'm so tired at night and have to drag myself out of bed in the morning. I've been having all kinds of crazy dreams lately, too. The "girls" are still pretty sore and have firmed up quite a bit. I've also noticed that my lower abdomen is starting to protrude slightly and my waistline is expanding. You can't tell when I'm fully clothed, but I know it won't be long before I'll need to make my first trip to Pea in a Pod for some maternity pants!

I've gone through a period of anxiety this week, thinking about the reality of it all. I'm entering completely unfamiliar territory and it's kind of nerve-wracking. I keep thinking I'm going to do something wrong, like not eat enough of the right foods or gain too much weight... or something. This baby's growth and development is all on me essentially. It's not a bad thing, it's just sometimes a bit overwhelming.

Most of my thoughts about this tiny life inside of me are filled with great joy. I get a warm fuzzy feeling when I think of the newborn I'll hold someday, seeing both our features in him or her, witnessing all the milestones to come. It seems like there's so much we should be doing right now to prepare for the baby's arrival, but it's still relatively early yet. Sometimes I think wow, August is only seven months away, and start to get a little anxious. It blows me away that in that amount of time, our little bean will be here! :)

You Know What They Say...

... a picture's worth a thousand words. "For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made..." Psalm 139:13-14.

There's Really A Baby In There!

This morning was my first prenatal visit. We got to the doctor's office right at 8:15, the scheduled time. Shortly after filling out some information about the pregnancy, I was called back to give a urine sample in essentially, a Dixie cup. Gregg and I waited a little while in the exam room for the nurse to come in and take my weight & blood pressure. My BP was good and I've gained a couple of pounds since I saw our PCP three weeks ago. The nurse confirmed the date of my last period, then told me to strip from the waist down so the doctor could do an internal exam.

Dr. Myers came in a short while later and briefly went over my current medical history. Then she said she was going to do an ultrasound! I was really surprised. I thought I wouldn't have one until my next visit. The doctor did a quick pelvic exam first and asked Gregg to stand by my side so that he could see the screen. Baby B appeared right away! It was kind of hard to tell what we were looking at, but the doctor said everything looked great and that he or she is measuring at eight weeks so my due date of August 21 is right on schedule.

Then she pointed out the tiny flutter of the heart. It was incredible. Gregg said out loud, "That's amazing." The doctor told us we'd have our first baby album picture! She printed out the first photo she took and gave it to me. She continued viewing... I guess the uterus from several different angles to look for different things, like if there was another baby somewhere in there (there isn't!) When she was finished, she said I should come back in three weeks for a complete medical history and physical exam. I will be having visits every four weeks from now on, until my third trimester when they'll become more frequent.

The doctor answered some questions for me next, such as to how to get rid of constipation (yes I know, TMI!), before leaving. I made another appointment for February 1, which will put me at 11 weeks. Gregg and I left the medical center in a daze. It was so wonderful to actually see our baby, but surreal at the same time. It was very reassuring seeing the heartbeat and knowing that Baby B is developing properly. Wow! I'm still amazed.

We're going out for dinner tonight to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and also our little miracle! Five years of livin' our love song- I can't believe we've been married that long already. It's been both a wonderful and difficult journey. God has truly blessed us abundantly.

Don't Blink

Wow, 2008! Where did 2007 go?? It seems the older I get, the faster the years go by. 2007 held a lot of changes for me and Gregg- we up and moved from Florida to Pennsylvania, started new jobs and made new friends.

In 2008, even bigger changes are in store for us. We'll celebrate five years of marriage and become parents! It seems like only yesterday I got my BFP, and now I'm approaching seven weeks. I know that's still very, very early in pregnancy and I have 7 1/2 more months to go. But I also know these next several months will fly by, too. I want to enjoy every moment of them.

When we were leaving Dr. Peterson's office two weeks ago, the receptionist said to us "Don't blink. Before you know it, your baby will look like this", and showed a picture of her two grown, twenty-something children. I've heard my mother say many times over the years, "Oh, it seems like just yesterday, you were in diapers", and I'd usually roll my eyes. I have a feeling I'll understand exactly what she was talking about very soon.

It's hard to imagine while it's cold outside and my tummy is still flat that I'll be as big as a house in the hot, summer humidity. The dress I picked to wear for my sister's wedding in July that was designed to make me look stunning will now make me look like a beached whale. It's time to choose a flattering maternity gown, if there exists such a thing. Yup, '08 will definitely bring more than its fair share of changes.

I am amazed at how our little Baby B is growing each week. At 6w 5 d, it's tiny heart is already beating and the central nervous system is coming together. Facial features are beginning to develop. I wonder if he/she will look more like Gregg, or more like me. Right now baby is the size of a small lima bean and will grow to the size of a pea by next week.

I'm still feeling relatively good. The last couple of days, though, right before and during breakfast I've felt like I was going to blow chunks (sorry, TMI) but the morning passed by without event. My lower back is achy on and off, and I'm still pretty tired throughout the day. Last night, I fell asleep around 8pm! What a party pooper. No staying up 'til midnight to ring in the new year for me.

I've also been having an aversion to beef lately. I am a lover of all things beefy: hamburgers, steak, meatloaf, pot roast. But now the thought or smell of a beef product makes me want to... you get the picture. I feel grateful that I'm not spending each morning hugging the toilet, which oddly, makes me feel less pregnant but I know not all women actually experience morning/afternoon/evening sickness. It's kinda strange writing about all the little nuances of my newly pregnant body, too, which will become an open book to my OB in the months to come. Yay.

I'm looking forward to all of it. :)

Don't blink,
cause just like that you're six years old and you take a nap.
Then you wake up when you're 25, and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife.
Don't blink, you just might miss your babies growing like mine did, turning into moms and dads. Next thing you know, your better half
is there in bed and you're praying God takes you instead.
Trust me friend, 100 years goes faster than you think.
So don't blink.

- Kenny Chesney

There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays

Christmas in NJ was wonderful. Our trip started out a little rough- Tess got loose as Gregg was loading up the car and took off, putting us about an hour behind schedule. I found her not too far away running around a neighbor's yard, completely oblivious to the fact that we had a four hour drive ahead of us. I called her over, knelt down and grabbed her by the collar, then waited for Gregg to drive by since he had gone looking for her.

Since she had also decided to go roll around in cow poo, Gregg had to give her a bath. He didn't bother drying her off because we were so late by that time, so we just threw her in the back of the car and started on our way. About an hour and a half into the trip, she then got car sick. That was fun. Barring that snafu, we proceeded to have a very nice holiday. It was really good to spend time with family, celebrating Christmas, stuffing our faces full of yummy goodies and exchanging presents, except I wasn't quite feeling like normal myself.

The night of the Christmas concert at church, I started feeling really weird. Like I was all hopped up on caffeine or something. I just brushed it off, thinking I was overtired. The next morning when I got in the shower, I felt really dizzy and just a tad nauseous so I decided to work from home that day. By the afternoon, I was feeling a lot better so I went into the office to meet with a couple clients I was scheduled to see. That night I had Bible study and that dizzy feeling came over me again, stronger than it had been in the morning. By this point, things were starting to add up: feeling dizzy, queasy, sore boobs, and AF was nowhere in sight.

The next day I mentioned to Gregg that I was five days late, which is really unusual for me. I asked if I should perhaps test and he said to wait a while. That evening, though, his curiosity got the better of him, and over dinner he told me to go ahead. We needed to go to Walmart for a few odds and ends anyway, so while we were there we bought a digital pregnancy test. When we got home, Gregg took the dog out and I went straight upstairs to the bathroom. I did the "procedure", laid the stick down on the counter and went into our bedroom to wait for the results, my heart pounding. A few minutes later, Gregg came upstairs with a questioning look on his face and I told him I hadn't looked yet. We went into the bathroom together, and I picked up the test. There was no mistaking it; it was positive! I couldn't believe it. Gregg smiled and said, "Cool. I knew you were." Still in somewhat of a daze, we decided to go online to calculate my due date.

First thing the next morning I called our primary care physician because I knew he'd see us right away and we wanted to be certain the test was indeed accurate before going ahead and telling our parents over Christmas. I was given an appointment for the following day. The nurse saw me right away, took my weight and blood pressure, then had me do the obligatory pee in a cup routine. I waited with Gregg in the exam room for her to come back with the results. My heart started pounding again as I heard the timer go off. The nurse walked towards us and simply smiled and nodded her head as she closed the door behind her.

About five minutes later, Dr. Peterson came in to congratulate us. He gave us an estimated due date, which is the same one we had calculated ourselves. He then talked with us about ways to have a healthy pregnancy and wrote out a prescription for prenatal vitamins. We went straight downstairs to the pharmacy to have it filled and also pick up a bottle of Omega-3 Fish Oil supplements he recommended. As we were heading out of the medical center, we ran into our friends, Ryan and Anita, who are due in January. Ryan looked suspiciously at the white bag in Gregg's hands and said, "Going to pick up some drugs this morning, are we?" We played it off, but the gig was pretty much up, so they were the first ones to know.

We told both sets of parents over Christmas by making up a phony backorder notice for a gift that hadn't arrived yet. The card read: "One precious package is still in processing. It is due for delivery approximately August 21, 2008. To track the status of this package, please visit the manufacturers' website", and we included a link to a webpage that we designed to fill them in on the details of the next eight months. They were ecstatic. My father, however, was just speechless. He was so choked up, he could barely get words out and wouldn't let me go! He is very much looking forward to being a grandpa.

So we are very excited! I'm six weeks and two days along today, and feel good for the most part. I get queasy at different times throughout the day, but no morning sickness yet. And boy, am I tired! I'm also hypersensitive to what goes into my body now. I've started reading up on foods to stay to away from and ones to eat more of. I've had to forgo my favorite Diet Dr. Pepper because of the caffeine & sugar substitutes, and replaced it with water and fruit juices. A small price to pay for a healthy, full term baby!

Our first OB appointment is on January 11, our anniversary! I'm hoping the doctor will do an ultrasound, but from what I've been reading it's likely it will only be an informational visit, plus a very invasive and oh so fun pelvic exam. I'm really looking forward to the next several months, seeing how this baby develops and how I change too. I can't wait to welcome our new son or daughter into the world this August!

2 More Sleeps Until Christmas

So Christmas is just around the corner, and I've had my fill of baking, shopping and wrapping to last me until next year. The counter is loaded with plates of cookies, the gifts are wrapped and stashed in the closet, waiting to be taken with us to NJ.

It's been a good, but busy, week filled with Christmas festivities. I went and saw the church's musical on Sunday afternoon, which was pretty good. I stayed afterwards for the dinner that was provided for the cast and choir, then went home for a few hours. I came back around 10 to pick up Gregg. I was so glad the long week of rehearsals and lonely nights was finally over, and we could actually see each other for more than an hour each night.

Now I'm looking forward to spending time with family for a few days. I've got about five loads of laundry going so that we have clean clothes to go away with. Tomorrow I'm packing, attending the 8 o'clock Christmas Eve service, then we'll probably go out to eat at Denny's which will be the only place open at that time, and we're loading up the car the next morning with presents, cookies and Tess. I'm so ready to slow down and just enjoy Christmas.

Have a very Merry Christmas with your loved ones this season and a happy & healthy New Year!

Confessions of a Ministry Widow, Part II

Shortly after nine last night, Gregg called me to come pick him up. It had just started to pour down big, thick icy rain drops so it took me almost half an hour to get to the church when normally it takes under ten minutes. I had to wait for windshield to defrost and then I drove 20 miles an hour so as not to send the car into a tail spin. My wheels locked up a few times as I was making turns, but I made it safely. By the time I got to King Street, everyone had gone home and there was Gregg standing outside looking small and cold. I let him drive back home, of course. He said that the show was very successful, standing room only.

This morning at 7:00 when I went to walk the dog, there was a sheet of ice over everything. It looked as though the Ice Man had touched everything with his cold, bony fingers and turned the neighborhood into one giant ice skating rink. I decided to skip church. Gregg was not as fortunate. They didn't cancel services, so he still had to go in. As far as I know, the two productions of the Christmas play are still on for today. The weather is calling for a mix of rain and snow with wind gusts of up to 40 mph. Yay.

I've been thinking about just how much work goes into these stupid productions. Okay, so they're not stupid. But it's hard to fully appreciate them when you hardly get to see your hubby because he's working morning, noon and night for them. All those people who come to simply enjoy the musical for two hours, then get to go home afterwards, I kind of envy them. They have no idea all the time that goes into one of these things.

Sorry for the rant. I've been PMSing like crazy all week and Aunt Flo is taking her sweet time getting here. Like I said before, I can't wait for this weekend to be over!

Confessions of a Ministry Widow

'Tis the season when church sees more of my husband than I do. Gregg was setting up tech equipment and running sound at rehearsals for the Christmas musical/concert/play during most of last week. That meant a lot of nights of fast food and me sitting home alone with cable tv and the dog. The actual production is tonight and tomorrow. I'm planning on going to the 3 o'clock show Sunday. We both can't wait until this week is over.

It hasn't been all bad, though. We did get to spend some time together. Last Friday night, we went to dinner at TGIFriday's and stopped downtown afterwards to look at everything all lit up. There were carolers, a brass band and the stores were even open past 5! Chambersburg doesn't exactly have the most happening night life, if you couldn't tell. It was very festive and Christmas-y, but really really cold so after ducking into a store or two to get warm, we headed home.

Sunday we hung out with another couple from church, Ryan & Anita, at their house. I've nicknamed Gregg and Ryan the "tech twins". We watched the Steelers game and had chili and hamburgers. Then on Monday night, we rushed off to meet our small group for dinner at Ruby Tuesday's and went to Starbucks afterwards. Mmmm, a dreamy dish of parmesan chicken and pasta, topped off with a Peppermint Mocha. I'm seriously going to put on ten pounds by the end of this month.

Today after straigthening up the house and doing laundry, I entertained myself by elfing different members of my family. It was hysterical! The first one I did one of my sister Val and her fiance Bill was especially hilarious because Bill's head was way too big for the little elf hat. If you want a good laugh, go to http://www.elfyourself.com/.

This morning, we stopped at Walmart for a few things before Gregg went over to the church. It was a madhouse. Lines out the wazoo, crowded aisles, people playing bumper carts. Everyone was in the holiday spirit, too, of course. Yeah. There's nothing like last minute shopping the week before Christmas.

I'm happy to say that our tree is now complete. Yesterday, Gregg's parents stopped through on their way down to North Carolina to visit the grandkids and dropped off a small gift bag. He waited until I got home to open it- inside were our annual engraved ornaments. Tess even got her very own one too, an adorable little doggie with her name and the year on it.

So my big plans this evening pretty much include eating dinner alone and watching cheesy Christmas movies on ABC Family. One more day until I get my husband back. There was one day last week where I only saw him for about two hours. Two hours. I mean, I get that this is the holidays and all, but the madness needs to end!

Google Image Meme

I saw this on a few other people's blogs and just had to do it! Here's how it works- you type the answer to each question into a Google image search and then pick an image from the first page of results:

1. Age at next birthday

2. Place I'd like to travel

3. Favorite place

4. Favorite object






5. Favorite food

6. Favorite animal

7. Favorite color

8. My nickname

9. Town I was born in

10. Bad habit I have

Snow Day!

As I type, snow is swirling about, covering the ground, trees and rooftops with a blanket of white powder. It's been falling since sometime this morning, adding to the light dusting that had already fallen the previous day. Since Wednesday is Gregg's day off and I didn't have to be at the agency by any particular time, we stayed in bed until 8:30 and snuggled. I didn't make it into work until 10:00 and went home at 2:30. I cancelled the home visit I had this afternoon and rescheduled for tomorrow because the roads were bad. A lot of people chose not to come in, so the girls in my office and I played Christmas music obnoxiously loud.

Tess wasn't sure at first what to make of the snow. She didn't know if she was allowed to go potty on it or not. It was pretty funny as she took her first steps onto the white, powdery substance she never saw in Florida.

I love how peaceful it gets after it's been snowing all day and the night sky doesn't go completely dark. You feel like you're in a magical winter wonderland. It makes me want to wrap myself up in a fleece blanket with a steaming cup of hot cocoa.

In other news, we received a letter from the auto insurance company of the guy who hit me back in August. They have agreed to pay 90% of the repairs on the X-Terra, so now all we have to pay out of pocket is about $160 instead of our $500 deductible. We got an estimate from two different auto body centers a while ago that were pretty close to each other. We decided we may leave the car to be fixed during our trip to NJ for Christmas and take a rental. I was so surprised. I had resigned myself to the fact that we'd just have GEICO pay for the damages. Talk about an unexpected Christmas blessing!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas, Part 2

Everywhere I look, there are signs of Christmas. Lights and decorations adorning houses, crowded shopping malls, Christmas music 24-7 on radio stations. And oh yeah, it's now officially cold enough to freeze your winnebago here in PA. They're forecasting snow tomorrow (yay!) and Tuesday.

Yes, the Christmas season is in full swing. Yesterday at Sam's Club, Gregg and I loaded up on ingredients to make Christmas cookies. We're planning on baking three different kinds and sharing the wealth with family, friends and co-workers.

Christmas gifts are beginning to pile up in the coat closet. We're about 3/4 of the way done with our shopping. That's one of the best things about Christmas- scowering the stores (or internet) for just the right present for that special somebody and then giving it to them on December 25. Of course, receiving gifts is always nice too.

We attended our first Christmas party already this afternoon. My work threw a little shinding at a nearby church's fellowship hall. Management staff whipped up a sizeable feast for us clinicians and the foster parents, as well as the kids. I got to visit with a few of my clients (all teenage girls) and chat with co-workers outside of work which was fun. As we were driving home, Gregg told me "You work with some really nice people". It helps that a good number of them also go to King Street Church. I am very blessed to work where I do. I'm valued and I have a good time doing my job.

This is also the busiest time of year for Gregg professionally. Rehearsals have begun for the Christmas musical at church. It will be an off-beat production of the Christmas story. Think the Gospels meet Rent. There are three services on Christmas Eve which Gregg needs to work, a 4:00, 6:00 and 8:00. Fun. I am so glad we are both taking off the rest of that week. We're going to spend time visiting with family in NJ and enjoying a little R&R.

I love Christmastime- there's just nothing like it. The hauntingly beautiful hymns about Christ's birth and redeeming love, gatherings with family & friends, celebrating traditions, eating yummy foods, exchanging gifts. Yup, life is good.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

Could it really have been more than a month since I've posted anything? Where did October go? The end of November is almost here now- only four more weeks until Christmas!!

Last month was exceptionally busy. Gregg worked three out of four weekends for various events taking place at the church, and I helped him out where I could. My sister and her fiance came to visit the last Saturday of October and the four of us went out for dinner. They brought their dog, Sophie, with them and she was introduced to Tess. The two "cousins" had a ball playing together and pinning each other down while us humans chatted and sipped hot chocolate back at our place. My sister's wedding plans are in full swing. Here is the dress I decided on wearing:

The actual color will be more blueish. Valerie is sending me a swatch of material so that the dress can be made in the exact shade of teal she wants. I've asked my mother-in-law to make it for me and she said she'll start "production" in January. She is a great seamstress. She made all of the bridesmaid dresses for my wedding five years ago, and only had three months to do it!

Work has gotten busier recently. Two more clients were added to my caseload, which puts me at a total of 8. A few weeks ago, I downloaded software (with Gregg's help!) to access my agency's metaframe server so that I can work from home when I want. It's so convenient. I can sit in my living room and type progress notes, schedule appointments and write emails.

I'm really enjoying my Ladies Bible Study every Monday night. We are almost at the end of a DVD/book series called Discovering God's Will by Andy Stanley, which is very thought provoking. I am blessed to have made some really good friends out of this group. It's great having women that pray for me and share my struggles each week. We are planning on getting together with our husbands one evening soon for coffee & dessert.

Between working, church and every day responsibilities life is hectic. I was so ready for a break this weekend. Gregg and I decided not to travel up to NJ for Thanksgiving. I'm glad we stayed home and spent the entire time by ourselves with nowhere to go and no plans, except buying a Christmas tree, which we did on Friday. On Thursday, we went to Cracker Barrel and got two turkey dinners, slices of pie and drinks for only $8.99 each. We came home with a box teaming with leftovers and spent the rest of the night looking for gifts online and relaxing in front of the tv.

On Friday morning I ran out to do a home visit for a kid that lives close to our house, and then Gregg & I went in search of the perfect tree. Lowe's yielded little possibilities. The trees were overpriced and didn't look... quite right. We looked at ones in a couple of lots and weren't impressed with those trees either. We spotted a nicely painted sign advertising Christmas Trees on a road half a mile off the highway, so we pulled off and checked them out. It was a small gathering of trees (maybe 100) but the prices were very reasonable and we found our tree right away. Gregg tied it to the roof racks of our X-Terra and we let it settle in its stand. We got lazy once we came home and decided to just decorate it on Saturday instead. The next day we drug the Christmas decorations and ornaments out of the closet. After Gregg strung the lights and we both hung ornaments, I put the tree skirt around the base and stepped back to admire our work. Tess decided it would be fun at that moment to run around the tree, shaking all of the ornaments and making pine needles fly in every direction. Oy. We don't need a train; we've got a dog!

I just love Christmastime. That warm fuzzy feeling you get during this season when it's chilly outside and you're bundled up inside, snuggling together under a blanket with the one you love. Our living room is so homey now with the tree by the window. I love to sit in the dark with it all lit up. I'm so happy we're only four hours away from our families, too, and can spend the Holidays with them this year. Christmas is coming soon, and then three weeks later will be our anniversary! It is the most wonderful time of the year. :)

Bobbing For Apples

Wow, these last few days have passed by in a blur! I'm so grateful to have some downtime right now. I *finally* started at Family Care Services this past Wednesday. It was weird after not going to work for two whole weeks. I think I got too used to the time off, because the job is kicking my butt! There is SO much to learn and honestly, I'm overwhelmed which everyone there keeps saying is perfectly normal and I'll get the hang of things eventually. The program director, who's my supervisor, is great and very patient with me.

I can't help feeling like an idiot though, because I don't even know yet where I can get a stinkin' pen to write with. It's been like my first few days at school or something; I have to learn how to do my job as well as learn the agency "etiquette" and where things like office supplies are. My co-workers have been very helpful with stuff like that, thankfully. I've already met four of the kids on my caseload along with their foster parents, and accompanied another social worker on a home visit to see how it's done. I feel pretty good so far about the job and can tell it will be so much better than my last one.

The one thing I'm not crazy about is all the paperwork involved. There's just no getting around it in social services though. The "bigwigs" in government handing down the money have gone to the extreme making sure we do our jobs correctly, we're doing everything we can do protect the well-being of the kids we're in charge of, blah blah blah. Of course, all that is very important but it's ridiculous when you're spending more time writing progress notes than actually meeting with clients!

I also learned that I have the potential to earn more money if I take on more cases. I'm considered full-time with a caseload of seven, but could take as much as 10-11 if I felt comfortable. The agency is also offering dental and vision coverage in addition to medical benefits and a 403(b) plan that they start contributing to after six months whether you put anything in or not. Since we only have the health benefits through Gregg's work and a flex spending plan for everything else, I'm taking advantage of Family Care's dental and vision insurance for both of us which they pay 100% of.

After a three busy days of trying to cram all this new knowledge into my head, I am so glad the weekend's here. Last night after dinner, Gregg and I went to the new Lifeway Christian bookstore to get the study guide we need for small group. They didn't have it, so we left and stopped at Bruster's on the way home for ice cream. We both ordered Apple Pie flavored cream in a waffle cone. Yummy!

Today we went to the Apple Harvest Festival out near Gettysburg which was really fun. There were like, a million people there, and the temperature was up in the eighties! Not the typical Autumn outdoor event I was looking forward to, but oh well. There were times the sun was so strong it made me dizzy and light headed. I felt better after chugging a sample of apple cider at one of the stands. In addition to all the apple-themed stuff, there were all kinds of arts and crafts booths, concession stands and a tractor pull.

Gregg especially liked the displays of the antique machines. They had several old car engines from the original model-T days, a steam powered apple corer/peeler and an old washing machine. A good time was had walking around, eating overpriced food and yes, even buying a homemade apple-y craft. My feet were hurting by the time we got to the car and I was ready for a nap!

I had an upsetting incident this morning before we left when I took Tess for a walk. This stray cat around our building that is really nasty just recently had kittens. The kids on our street thought it was a good idea to put out cat food and water for them just ten feet away from our door. When I went outside with the dog, I noticed the cats by the bush on the opposite side of the stairs leading up to our unit. As we were coming back from the walk, Tess started getting all worked up because the mother was sitting there staring at her making these creepy sounds.

Now, our dog goes nuts whenever she sees a cat. When we lived in Florida, she jumped right through the window in the living room, tearing out the screen, to go running after a cat that was across the street. I don't think she's out to harm them; she just thinks they're fun to chase.

She started pulling on the leash so I had her sit, knelt down and petted her to try and keep her calm. I made sure I got my keys ready, stood up and walked towards our door. Tess kept pulling towards the cat and her kittens though, and an altercation ensued. The cat hissed and lunged at her, stratching her on the nose. When I saw the blood, I freaked out which didn't help the situation. I started yelling at the cat to get away and yelled up to Gregg who was probably still in the shower and couldn't hear me anyway. I'm sure I must have looked like a complete raving lunatic to all the neighbors at 8am.

I tried to go around to the backyard, but the psycho cat followed us. After she was clawed, Tess backed down but the cat kept coming after her. I just froze where I was, afraid that if I moved anymore she would hurt Tess again. She sat down right in front of us and kept making those horrible banshee-like noises. We must have had a stand-off for at least five minutes there before finally I held the leash firmly in both hands, turned around and walked the other way. The cat went back to her kittens, and now I still couldn't get back in the house. Gregg saw me from the window kneeling with Tess in the parking lot and I motioned for him to come outside. I started crying and told him what happened. He told me to go inside and unlock the back door while he brought the dog around the side of the house.

This is not the first time this particular cat went postal on our dog. It happened about two weeks ago, again right outside our door. I was actually standing on our stoop, just about to turn the key in the lock. I was hoping Gregg would call Animal Control then, but he forgot about it. It's on now. That cat has got to go. Vent for a minute: How is it that by law I'm required to leash my dog in public but cats are just allowed to roam free? I understand the reasoning that some breeds are by nature unpredictable or vicious towards humans but in this case the cat attacked my dog. Not once but twice. If I had a tranquilizer, I'd shoot the thing myself and sell off the kittens. And not to the neighborhood kids who feed them!

It reminds me of the Mad About You episode when Jamie's sister adopted a cat from the shelter and it turned out to be a baby Puma or something. It went psycho on Paul and Murray, their dog, and had them trapped in the kitchen. They had to sit up on top of the refrigerator! Funny stuff, but not when it actually happens in real life.

Tea and Sympathy

It seems God has been answering my prayer for female connection here in different ways lately. Gregg and I made a very last minute lunch date after church with Mike & Jodi, one of the couples who stayed behind to help us clean up after the Sound & Vision Dinner back in June. Mike and Gregg have already worked on a few "techie" projects together for King Street since then. It was great to get to know them better and we really hit it off.

Jodi invited me to a women's Bible study that was just starting up, which I went to last night. We are doing a study by Andy Stanley called Discovering God's Will. We watched a DVD segment on the first session, then discussed questions in the study guide. That's every Monday night from 6:30 to 8. Then our small group begins tonight and continues every Tuesday, which I'm very excited about. We're going to pick which study we'd like to do and spend some time introducing ourselves.

So we have a lot going on all of a sudden! Not to mention that I've signed up to be a helper twice a month on Sunday mornings in the first grade classroom. I'm also going to be reading through a book called "Healing Is A Choice" with one of the wives of the men in Gregg's Bible study. They're going through a really rough patch in their marriage, and yesterday this woman took me out for lunch and poured out her heart for an hour about all the stuff in her life she felt was going badly. I just let her talk, interjecting comments here and there.

She's been through a lot and it's not hard to see why her marriage isn't doing so great, but hopefully with God's wisdom and leading I can speak truth into her life when everyone else is saying "just do what feels right for you". God is providing me with friendships, while at the same time asking me to be a friend to someone in need.

I still have not started my new job yet. They've been waiting on the last of my references to get back to them, and their process is by mail rather than phone which I didn't find out until last week. So on Friday I called a reference in Florida and let him know that I couldn't start until he mailed the form in, which had been sitting on his desk for a few days!

It's been nice to have all this time off, though, since I'm able to get a lot of things done around the house like laundry which I never seem to get caught up on during the week. Gregg's been taking Wednesdays off recently, so last week we spent the whole day together. We went to Sam's Club to stock up for the month and ran some other errands. Friday afternoon I met him for lunch and spent the rest of the day helping him put together cd series of Sunday sermons. I almost wish I didn't have to go back to work!