Tuesday, April 29, 2008

ALPHABET SOUP "G"

It's that time again...time for alphabet soup. The letter of the week...G! Hmmmm.....

Well, let's start off with the obvious:

GREEN: GREEN, GREEN, AND MORE GREEN! I love green. I love all shades of green. I love all things green!!!

GRAVY: I do like gravy on my food. I love biscuits and gravy. I love mashed potatoes and gravy. I just like gravy! HEE HEE!

GARAGES: I am sooo appreciative of our garage. For the first 2-1/2 years of our marriage, we didn't have a garage. There is nothing better than watching a foot of snow falling knowing that your car is warm and dry out in the garage! :)

GREEN TEA: Careful with this one...this warm, cozy drink will cause the inconvience of frequently the restroom if you drink too much! Green tea just warms me up and makes me feel cozy. I like hot tea in general, but something about that bitterness of green tea just satisfies. :)

GRACE: But by the grace of God go I. Without the amazing gift of God's Grace, how on earth could I have hope?!?

GOD: Sad that it took me this long to get to that "G." I love God. I fail Him often and hate that I cannot be the woman that He wants me to be. I am trying, though...

GAMES: I love to play games. I love word games, puzzle games, arcade games, card games, board games, action games...all kinds of games. Games are just fun. A few of my favorites? Settlers of Catan, Puerto Rico, Diner Dash, Virtual Villagers, Uno, Hand and Foot, for lack of a better title: The Drawing/Sentence game***. Games are just fun.

GIRL TIME: Is there anything better after days and/or weeks of housework, taking care of the kids, and working than time to just hang out with the girls? I love either going out to dinner, popping in a chick flick, or just hanging out talking. It's priceless time to re-energize. When, oh when, was the last time we had a girl's night out?!?

Well, there you have it...my G's. Enjoy!

***The drawing/sentence game is beyond fun. We typically cut paper into quarters. Each person gets 1 paper per person playing...if you have 10 people, each person gets 10 quarter papers. Everyone is assigned a letter (A-J if you have 10 people). You number the papers (1-10 if you have 10 people) with your letter: 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, etc. On the first paper, everyone writes a sentence that involves a noun and a verb. It has to be something that can be drawn...adjectives make it more fun as long as it is still something able to be drawn with just a pen or pencil. At the announced time, everyone passes their papers to the person next to them. That person then draws what the sentence says on their #2 paper. At the appointed time, everyone puts their picture on TOP of the sentence (so that the next person cannot see the original sentence) and passes the stack to the next person. That person then has to write a sentence of what they see in the picture on their #3 paper. Play continues this way until you get all the way around the table, always covering all of the papers except the one that the person next to them produced. When it's gone all the way around, one at a time, you have fun reading aloud the chain of pictures and sentences that occured from the final drawing or sentence backwards until you arrive at your original sentence. It's an artistic twist on the old "operator" or "telephone" game where you whisper in each other's ear. TRY IT!!! YOU'LL LIKE IT! And...if you have any questions or need clarification...be sure to call/e-mail me! :)

My funny girl

I have a good story for you all from my funny little Cassie girl. We have a song that I started singing to her while still in the hospital. It's not very creative, but I made it up and it has been "her song" her entire life. Basically it goes: "Who's the cutest girl in the world? Cas-sie! Cas-sie! Who's the cutest girl in the world? Cas-sie Leigh!" We now sing: "Who's the cutest baby (or brother) in the world? Con-rey! Con-rey! Who's the cutest baby in the world? Con-rey Graham!" Well, last night, I decided to switch it up a bit on a whim. I said, "Who's the cutest dad in the world?" Without pause, she said, "Ma-rk! Ma-rk!" HA! She is just too funny sometimes! She just really doesn't miss a beat on things like that.

Well, that's all...just wanted to share the laugh. Mark and I both got a kick out of it. Hope you did too. Have a great day!

Monday, April 28, 2008

48 Days AND Stimulus Checks

WHOA! I looked up at my pregnancy ticker and is says "only 48 days to go..." WHOA! That is soooo not long in the big scheme of things and sounds much closer than 6 weeks and 5 days. Whoa. This baby is coming...SOON! :) :) :)

My dad emailed the following to me and I thought that it was pretty funny, so I'm posting it. Feel free to steal it and share it if you'd like.

How to use Your IRS Rebate Check
As you may have heard, each of us will be getting a tax rebate check to stimulate the economy.
If we spend that money at Wal-Mart, all the money will go to China.
If we spend it on gasoline it will go to the Arabs.
If we purchase a computer it will go to India.
If we purchase fruits and vegetables it will go to Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala.
If we purchase a good car it will go to Japan.
If we purchase useless stuff it will go to Taiwan
None of this will help the American economy.
We need to keep that money here in America.
***
The only way to keep that money here at home is to spend it at yard sales, since those are the only businesses still in the US!
***
Or if you don't do yard sales you can send it to me & I will keep it in America for you.
***
***
I just thought that was cute...especially in light of the fact that many of you are garage sale/craigslist junkies.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Post 170

Have I REALLY "wasted" that much time?!? 170 posts...man, oh man...

Well, to jump us up to speed on Cassie's allergies (since my sister-in-law must have missed the post about her reactions), Cassie gets a rash around her mouth...it spreads to her cheeks...her lips start swelling...her buccal mucosa (inside of her mouth) starts swelling...that's as far as we've gotten, but the natural next step would be for her throat to start swelling. It's just so bizzare. I can't figure it out, as there hasn't been any consistent thing that I can pinpoint. I'm just keeping the 'ol Benadryl handy and keeping a journal of events/foods.

Cassie has been LOVING spring. Even today, when it is way too chilly for ME to play outside (55 degrees with lots of wind), she was begging and begging for either "walking with Daddy," her way of asking to go on a walk or "pay outside with Daddy with big ball." She LOVES the outdoors (much to my dismay) and loves nature. I like it all...from the window. :) I have just never been an outdoorsy person, but she loves it, and therefore, Mommy loves it too... She and Daddy are out there right now playing with her big ball and such. She just absolutely adores being out there and thinks that Daddy is a lot more fun to play with outside because he plays more hardcore than Momma. :) The other day, I said, "Who's more fun to play with...Momma or Daddy?" She immediately said, "DADDY!!!"

So, Cassie and I ventured down to Emporia yesterday, which is about an hour and 15 minutes straight south of here. Mom, Dad, and Dani were there, as Dani was singing for State competition. So, we just thought we'd see them briefly and give Dani her graduation present. I've fully decided that I'm NOT going to try to go to her graduation. It breaks my heart, but I have to think of Conrey and my well-being and I really feel that it is best for me to stay put. When we were standing around waiting for Dani's turn, my dad...being ornery as ever...said to Cassie, "Hi, Ethan!" Without missing a beat, Cassie said, "Hi, Grannie!" HA! I just thought that was so funny. She caught the joke (not that it's a new one from Grandpa) and responded immediately. Too funny! She was really glad to see them, but really mad to leave them after only an hour.

As we got back into town, we immediately met some of Mark's family at the Deanna Rose Farmstead. It's basically a huge petting zoo of sorts. There is a dairy barn, a chicken house, goats, a goat nursery where you can feed the goats bottles of milk, turkeys, pigs, horses, etc. along with playgrounds, educational stuff, a fishing pond, and more. It is all outside (reference above) and Cassie had a blast. She even went down the slides all by herself (in the toddler area). We were pooped when we got home and got her right down for a nap. Then, momma laid down and we both slept really well. :)

So, we found the "magic" last night for my back/hip. After being completely fed up with all of the agony and lack of movement (I was pretty much completely paralyzed for a while on Friday night from my mid-back on down to my toes), I called my dad in frustration (he's a chiropractor if you are a random reader of my blog). There just didn't seem to be any options left. He had me do some stretching stuff (AWFUL!!!) and that sort of thing with little to no relief. Then, he had Mark come and dig his elbow into my piriformis (sp?) muscle...basically one of the muscles in your butt. It was one of those "he has to do it as hard as he can with you still breathing" kind of things. I had him do it as long as I could possibly tolerate...it was pure torture...no exaggerating. After he was done, I laid there and tried to get my breathing back under control. I seriously was doing labor breathing trying to get a handle on it. I then got up...literally, I got up. That is not a normal thing for me. In fact, it was quite a miracle. It was still sore (probably a good deal from the torture) and it wasn't completely gone, but it was the best it has felt since 6-1/2 weeks. I'm at 33 weeks today. All I can say is "PRAISE GOD" and "Thank you sooooooo much for the relief!" I now feel that I can make it to the end of this pregnancy without doing something crazy like buying a crochet needle to break my own water. :) HA!

Well, I guess that really about sums up our weekend besides church today, which was really good. I've been very encouraged by both our sermons and our class on Hope.

I hope you've all enjoyed my rantings and have a great week. Remember that God loves you and will never put you through more than He knows you can handle!!!

Friday, April 25, 2008

ALLERGIES

Cassie just had allergic reaction #3 at dinner tonight. MAN, I wish I knew what was causing those! If anyone can shed any light on the subject for me, I'd appreciate it. Holly--you might have some insight?

Here's what she has had each time:
EPISODE 1: Handi-Snak (breadsticks with processed cheese that you dip in).
EPISODE 2: Easy Mac-N-Cheese (so, it contains powdered "cheese" and powdered milk...you don't add milk) and a banana.
EPISODE 3: Sour Cream & Chives mashed potatoes (which you add milk, butter, and water to) and bread with margarine.

There is obviously some form of milk products in each one, but she has no reaction to yogurt or ice cream...she's had them lately since she's been having her reactions with no problems. Also, the day she reacted after the mac'n'cheese, she had eaten that very bowl of it the day before, too. Let me rephrase that. It was the same mixture of it, but I didn't just give it to her in the same bowl with her slobber and such in it...that's really gross if you have watched a 2-year-old eat m'n'c....it's pretty messy! :)

Anyway, it is SO BIZARRE-O!!! I just don't know what to think. I'm kinda wondering if maybe she's just developing the allergy and that is why it is only with certain things or something...I don't know. If anyone has any suggestions or references, let me know. THANKS! :)

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Pics from le cruise

These are pictures from the cruise. My brother just uploaded them to facebook, so I stole them. :) If you have a weak stomach, skip the first one. :) :) :)
Is that Nacho Libre? NO! That's my hairy brother, Dustin!!!
The nieces in their Mexican Dresses...all matching! :) (Cassie, Caitlin, Callie)
The nephews on formal night--Don't they look excited?!? (Jason, Ethan, Lucas)
The zipliners ready to go! Please ignore any obscene gestures...
Cassie and Callie--Aren't they cute together?!? :)
HERE ARE THE COUPLES minus my parents...don't know where THEIR picture is, DUSTIN...
Dani and her boyfriend, David
Derin and Mandy. Sad that the only picture of them is goofy...
Dustin and his smokin' hot wife, Laura! :) Dustin is actually not trying to make a dumb face in this picture...that's RARE!

Mark and I, though I look kinda like a horse.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

The Roof Is DONE!

BEFORE:



AFTER:



Here are the "before" and "after" pics of our roof. The 1st pic in the "before" pictures was when our house was painted a different green. Mark hated it from the beginning. The 2nd one, though, is the same paint color as the current color. It's amazing to me how differnet the paint, trim, etc. looks with the darker roof. It will take some getting used to, but I like it so far.



This is just a random picture I took of Cassie in her new outfit. I don't know why she looks so ornery. I think she's practicing for having a little brother. I just thought the hat was too, too cute!!!


Here are some pictures that I finally got cropped and situated from our cruise. They are of Cassie in her Mexican dress. It was her souvenier. She has started doing that goofy smile in pictures some. TOO FUNNY!


Doctor's Visit at 32-1/2 weeks

Well, I had my appt this morning. All is well with baby and momma. I've hit 140.8 and techniquely have 7 weeks and 3 days to go. Pretty sure if I go that long, I'm gonna be tipping the 150s or more! YIKES! :) If you'll remember, I got to 147 with Cassie. Of course, Cassie was not quite as gargantuan at this stage. :)


He didn't tell me that I COULD go to my sister's graduation in May, but he didn't say that I couldn't. He's always like that where he says things like "BUT, if you DID decide to not listen to ME, then you would need to blah, blah, blah..." He said it with a look that said it would PROBABLY be okay. One restriction is little to no contractions for several days prior. We'll see what happens closer to that time. I'm not going to mention it to my sister yet.

Well, I'm off to lunch with the m-i-l, so I'd better go. The roofers are still going strong and I'm ready to get out of here. Have a great day!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Roof

So, the roof has been being torn off and put back on all day today. It is loud...it is obnoxious...it is overwhelming. We have been stuck here with the car still being in the shop. Tracy took us to get it about half an hour ago or so. I would love to just drive away from here and find somewhere to go for awhile, but I am pooped (see the post 2 below about the storm and such). The amazing thing was that Cassie actually slept through this crazy pounding, scraping, etc. She laid down with it all going on and took a nap. I still can't believe it.

I'm pretty sure that they're NOT going to be done today. I don't think that there is any way they can finish, but it's almost 5:30 and they're still going strong. Maybe they intend to finish tonight and then clean up tomorrow? I don't know, but I do know that I'm ready for the peace and quiet to come back.

It's looking good, though. I think that we're going to be happy with it. I mean, it's just a roof, but our old one looked like crap-ola. When it's all said and done, I'll take pics and show you the difference.

Well, that's all for now. Catch 'ya later.

ALPHABET SOUP "F"

Well, since Meshellyn isn't blogging much anymore, I had to take it upon myself to continue the alphabet soup. However, "F" is again proving to be difficult for me. Here we go:

FRIENDS: I count myself as having many "friends," but not many close friends. That takes time and such to build that sort of relationship. I love having friends that are "any-weather" friends that I know I can count on in a pinch. I am loyal to my friends and find that life is much more enjoyable with them around.

FLOWERS: I love flowers. I am not any good with flowers. I pretty much have a brown thumb. My mother-in-law plants flowers for me every year in my front flowerbed for Mother's Day. She knows that I am clueless and pretty much incapable! :)

FRUIT: I love fruit. I don't like bananas. I don't like most tropical fruits like mango, papaya, etc. Otherwise, I love fruit. I love strawberries, kiwi, blackberries, limes, apples (especially Fujis, which is another "F"), etc. I just really like fruit! :)

FOOD: Need I rehash this one? I think that I've made it quite clear that I love to eat.

FREEBIES: There is just something about getting something for nothing that is just exciting to most everyone! Like yesterday...Mark got jeans on a 2-for-1 sale. So exciting. Of course, they were $50 jeans, so the 2-for-1 made them the price of the jeans he NORMALLY gets, but it was still exciting! I love coupons that are like "spend $50 get $10 free" and things like that. I love gift cards. I love free stuff!

FIREPLACE: I love to sit with a roaring fire. I love to sit around a camp fire, too...as long as the wind is blowing the smoke AWAY from me. It's so cozy and mesmerizing (sp?). There is just something hypnotic about fire to me.

FROGGIES: Yes, I love froggies. I don't like to touch them, but I love to watch them hop, hop, hop. I love cute little froggie things, too...like little collectibles or whatever that are cute frogs. I don't collect them or have any personally, but I think they're cute. I love to see the poisonous frogs at the zoo that are so bright and colorful...behind the glass. :)

Well, that's all I can think of for now. Hope you enjoyed my "F's."

WILD night

So, anyone else living in this area lose sleep due to the electric light show? We had an AWFUL electrical storm last night. I am tellin' ya. The sky was not dark a moment of that storm. The lightening was from cloud to cloud and cloud to earth/tree/whatever it could find. It was CRAZY! After about 10 minutes of that (that I was awake for), it started hailing. It was reported as "penny-sized" hail. At that point, I decided that I wanted to take Cassie (and Conrey) down to the basement...just in case. There were no sirens and we hadn't watched any weather tracking, but it just made a momma feel better.

On the 10 o'clock news last night, the weatherman took out all rain/storm chances for overnight and today from his forecast. I woke to the storm at 2:33. The national weather service issued a severe storm alert at 2:39. Guess it surprised EVERYONE! The funny thing is, it was lightening off and on at 12 when I was still awake. Amazing. :)

What was I doing awake at 12:00 a.m., you ask? Good question. My husband would not shut his little trap last night! He sometimes gets in those modes where he just jabbers and I was sooooo tired. So, I got to sleep some time after 12...woke up at 2:33 and was awake for a good hour and a half...Cassie got up at 7:30. UGH! Needless to say I'm sleepy today.

However, the good news is that I don't feel overly awful today besides the tiredness. I have been having back contractions all morning, which are uncomfy, but my lowback/hip aren't too bad and overall I feel somewhat decent. Not too many of those days, so I have to give them credit when they show up.

For about half an hour this morning, I got to hear a guy up on top of my roof throwing big bundles of shingles this way and that. I got up after the first 3-4 throws and took pictures down off my shelves in the kitchen. I figured if it was making the chandelier go crazy, I'd best not take the chance. It did make a piece fall off of our track lighting. I was not so happy about that. What do you do, though?!? We are getting our roof done sometime this week...depending on the weather. We certainly need it and are excited to get it over and done with. It will certainly increase our home value and will just give us a fresh, new look. I think maybe the storm popped up last night just to give us 1 last, good leaking so that we would REALLY appreciate the new roof. I thought that it was appropriate that they delivered the materials just after the soaking. :)

Well, I'm really rambling about nothing, aren't I? Oh, I DO need to update on my sister-in-law/nephew with the whole measles/fifth disease thing. It was NOT measles, if you'll remember...it WAS 5th's disease. Her test results came back saying that she is immune and therefore the baby is not at risk. PRAISE GOD! She will have a retest in 3 weeks just to be sure that she didn't still contract it, but for now, it seems that God...as always...was faithful. Thanks for your prayers.

We do need prayers for a friend of mine (and Meshellyn's, though I doubt she knows about it). My friend, Jennifer had a baby 4-1/2 weeks premature due to preeclampsia (high blood pressure/swelling/etc.). They HAD to deliver her, as her life was at stake. She tore really, really badly and just had a really rough delivery. The baby (Brennen) has had some breathing issues, but from what I understand, he's doing much better. Please keep them in your prayers.

Well, that's all I know for now. Everyone enjoy the springtime that is starting to take over the yards, the air, and the spirit of everyone as we come out of hibernation! :)

Monday, April 21, 2008

32 weeks, 1 day

Wow. When I put it in perspective (which is VERY hard to do), I've made it through 4/5 of my pregnancy. I have done this 8 weeks that I have left 4 times already. That gives me hope, encouragement, and real perspective to what I've been through. Of course, I'm HOPING it will be less than that 8 weeks, but if not...well, I know that I can do it.

Seeing as how my daughter seems to understand far more than I realize, I decided that she and I needed to start talking a whole lot more about this baby and what it means that he'll be coming out of mommy's tummy before too long. She loves on him all the time, as I've mentioned before, and is so excited about babies. She LOVED baby Abigail and just was so excited. BUT, the baby coming to her house and taking over her old toys and such...I just think we need some preparation.

So, I started talking about how Conrey will come out of mommy's tummy and be like Abigail. He'll probably cry a lot. I told her that he will be living in our house now...it will be daddy's house, mommy's house, Cassie's house, AND Conrey's house. She was pretty excited about that idea. :) I told her that he would be here all the time and not go bye bye from her and mommy...that sort of thing.

I just know that no matter what it is going to be a huge transition, but maybe I can help soften it a bit with lots of talking about it. We'll see. :)

Well, enjoy the pics below if you haven't seen them yet. Yes, there's a mattress...no, it's not a prop. :) Mark was sitting at the desk and it was either a mattress backdrop or a drumset backdrop. I chose the mattress. :)

Sunday, April 20, 2008

32 Week Pictures



Here I am in all my splendor at 32 weeks. WATCH OUT!

Oh, and I don't know what's up with the goofy face.... :)

Friday, April 18, 2008

Strange and Praying for our Children

Well, there is still no explanation for the strange "encounter" with my husband yesterday. However, he came home and gave me a big, long hug. Then, we had a nice dinner and he played a ton with Cassie. This morning, I told him that I had a dream that I went up to a bakery counter to get a (read that "a" as SOME) donut(s) and they told me that they were closed already and couldn't sell me any. I was really sad about that when I woke up. :) So, he went and bought Cassie and I donuts before leaving for work! YAY! I think that it is safe to say that, whatever the issue, it has passed. That's just fine with me.

My goal is to get Mark to take a belly pic either tonight or tomorrow. It's funny, because I took them like crazy with my last pregnancy, but not so much this time...I just don't ever have the motivation! :) Once you've been pregnant, you've been pregnant, you know?

There is something that I read last night that has really been on my heart ever since and I wanted to share it with you. A friend of mine gave me a book when I was pregnant with Cassie called "Praying the scriptures for your children." I haven't ever paid much attention to it, sadly. I have retrieved it from my nightstand drawer, though, and have begun immersing myself in it. The very first section is, in my opinion, the most important. It is "Praying the Scriptures for your child's salvation."

Let me quickly share a story that is part of my life's story. When I was 4 months old, I almost died and had to have major surgery. They told my parents that I wouldn't live. My dad, in the waiting room of that hospital, prayed that if I did not grow up to be a Christian, that God take me now...to heaven. That has always been a part of what shaped me. I knew that God had called me to be one of His children, because I truly believe that He would have answered that prayer otherwise ("For He is willing that none should perish...").

This concept was always in my mind, but I thought of it more as a prayer you would say in a traumatic situation like that. This little, purple book that I've been reading changed my view of this. You see, one of the women cited in the book started praying for her children when she was pregnant, as most Christian moms do. However, she prayed FIRST for their salvation and SECONDLY for their health. She asked God to let them live at least long enough to become Christians, but if they weren't going to make that decision, then to take them on to heaven while they were still innocent. WOW! That totally blew me away. Her son, at the age of 7 was baptized and at the age of 7-1/2 died of a very rare disease that they never knew he had. However, while grieving, of course, she rejoiced in God's faithfulness to her prayers. She said that a shortened time on earth was well-worth it if it meant an eternity in heaven.

WHOA. I am just blown away by this whole concept. I whole-heartedly agree that I would rather lose my child and know that they'll be secure in heaven than to watch them day after day living a life without Christ and them never coming to Christ...therefore being condemned to hell. It's just REALLY hard to give them over fully to God and tell Him TAKE THEM if you must for the sake of eternity. I am a selfish momma. I don't want my time here where I have real, heavy, killer emotions to be cut short.

So, last night, I prayed this prayer. I told God to look through the book of the life of each of my children. I asked Him to give them long, happy, fulfilled lives if they were going to carry on the Christian heritage that is the stronghold of my family and Mark's alike. However, I told Him that I freely gave them both (and any future children) to Him if they were never to turn to Him...never to call upon His name...never to be immersed in the baptism of the blood of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit. I asked Him to let me have them as long as I could, just so that their place in heaven was secure either way. I asked for the easy way out for myself, for sure. I begged and pleaded for them to be safe from disease, pain, suffering, etc. I asked for them each to have strong, Christian marriages and families some day rather than the alternative that I was surrendering to. I begged and pleaded that I not be tried in that way (losing a child) unless it was the only way my children would be in heaven some day.

My heart cried out to God as I laid it all at His feet. I have never and will never pray a prayer more difficult than that one. However, I did it...it was necessary...I fully submit to God's will in this situation. If He finds it necessary to take my child some day for this reason or any other, I will rely fully on Him for the strength necessary to make it through. If He reads the story of the lives of my children and sees them to be faithful to Him in the end, then I will rejoice with God when they become Christians and every day of their lives that I was able to enjoy them in this life and the next.

Let me tell you, this was NOT easy to begin...this was not easy to articulate to God...I'm pretty sure that the Holy Spirit had to intercede on my behalf as the agony in my heart at these thoughts was not formed into coherent thought. However, I have such a peace about it now. I know that God is faithful and that He loves my children even more than I do.

I urge you all to find a place in your heart that you can pray this prayer...that you can submit your children's salvation to God whether you have any now or not. It is a powerful feeling to know that, no matter if I fail as a parent in teaching them or whether they hide every word of the Bible in their hearts, God will be guiding their footsteps and will assure that they are with me someday in heaven. I have complete faith in that fact and therefore peace.

Sorry this was such a heavy post. It is just on my heart right now. I intend to continue praying this prayer until every one of my children has turned their lives over to God. I think that it is powerful to pray for other children in our lives whether they have Christian parents or not, as well.

I hope that God has touched you by what I experienced last night. All of the glory goes to Him for speaking to my heart like He did. I only felt compelled to share with you the words that I heard from Him. Everyone have a great day and let me know your thoughts on this matter.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

I need clarification

Alright...I need someone to read this post and then clarify the situation...tell me what I'm missing...tell me how I was wrong, if I was wrong or tell me what is REALLY going on here with my husband.

So, I make his lunch for him. I don't ENJOY making his lunch, but I do it so that he doesn't have to. I do it because I'm here during the day. I do it because his love language is "acts of service" and doing this one little thing for him means something to him. I do it out of love, really, though it wouldn't really speak volumes to me.

I typically make his lunch the night before and put it in the fridge. This is the way he's always done it since we were first married...the way his mom did it before. I have just kept it up even though the thought of eating a PB&J made the day before is kinda gross to me.

Yesterday was a rough day for me. I had lots of aches/pain. I had barely slept the night before. I needed to go to the grocery store, but just did NOT have it in me. So, his lunch didn't get made. I got up this morning, got Cassie her breakfast, and was getting things together to make his lunch when he started throwing a fit about how he didn't want me to make his lunch. He said he wants it made the night before and he didn't want me making it this morning. Then, he said that all there was for his lunch was crap anyway (which is totally absurd, by the way...it was just an excuse he was using) and if it wasn't made the night before, he wasn't waiting around for it in the morning.

OK...seriously...it takes less than 5 minutes to make his lunch. He starts work at 9. It takes 40 minutes to get there. He leaves every morning at 7:40-ish and then sits in the parking lot at work for half an hour until going in to work. I'm PRETTY SURE that me taking the time to make his lunch wouldn't have killed him. He said that he is the one that has to go to work, so he can decide when he wants to LEAVE for work and he wasn't waiting around. WHAT?!?

I just really don't understand what is going on. We talked on the phone while he was sitting in said parking lot and he just kept saying that he didn't WANT his lunch made in the morning, he wanted it done the night before and it was his lunch. I said that I ALWAYS make it the day before and ONE TIME was going to do it in the morning, so what did it matter? He said it mattered because that's how HE wanted it done. Then, I said if I'm taking the time to make HIS lunch should I get some say about when it's done?!?

Anyway, it was all really, really stupid and I still have NO CLUE what the REAL issue is. All I know is that we're going to have a little chatty tonight about things...

If anyone has any insight into this little drama, you just fire it away at me. Don't worry...I have tough skin if need be! :)

Update

So, it's not measles...it's 5th disease. They went and got a second opinion. The first one was a nurse practitioner who is very pro-immunizations and when she found out that he hadn't had his shots, she immediately jumped to the conclusion that it was measles. 5th disease is still not a great diagnosis with a pregnant momma, but way better. Only about 50% of people exposed will contract 5ths disease. Of those 50%, only about 5% of pregnant women will have complications...generally in the first trimester. She is well past that, so Lord willing, all will be well. Thanks for all of your prayers.



On another note, our friends, the Omans (that just had baby Abigail) need some prayers right now too. Their 3-y-o has double pink eye and their 2-y-o has THE influenza...you know, the one you get the flu shot for? Tamaflu kind of flu. SO, because Abbie is so tiny, she can't be medicated, so Jessica and Abbie are quarantined from the rest of the family until at least Monday. It's really hard because Austin (2-y-o) is really sick and crying for his mommy, who can't be near him. It's just really stressful for them all.

Well, that's all for now. I'll try to do a more "fun" post later. :)

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Prayers needed!

Hi all. I have an urgent prayer request for my brother and sister-in-law, Derin and Amanda. Amanda is pregnant with their 3rd child at about 25 weeks gestation. Their 6-year-old, Lucas, was diagnosed this morning with the measles. While the measles CAN be dangerous to him, he should handle it okay with just discomfort and sickness (fever, rash, etc.). The real concern is the unborn baby. My sister-in-law and nephews were never vaccinated due to multiple reasons (some genetic/family history related and some belief related). According to the current info available, measles in pregnancy can cause still birth, miscarriage, and/or pre-term labor with very low birth weight. The semi-bright spot is that Amanda had the measles when she was about 3 years old. However, this does not mean that she is immune and is still able to re-contract them. I'm asking that you all keep them in your prayers...especially baby Jessica. If she were a few weeks further along, it would be safer, but at this early in the pregnancy, it could mean very bad things. Thank you so much in advance for your prayers. You all have been really good to lift up our family so many times and I am really appreciative! Have a great rest of your week and I'll keep you updated as I know things.

Can't think of a title...

So here are a few things:

Bek, Jessica's mom is leaving Thursday (tomorrow). I'm sure that she would be beyond appreciative of any help food-wise. You can call her. If you need her number, you can call me. I accidentally erased the email with your number.

Meshellyn, I sure HOPE that the nurse was a newbie. :) That's all that we could figure out. Moral of that whole story is, PLEASE believe your patients if it's their third baby and they say that it's coming out. :) No, in all reality, there was just a lot of things missed/overlooked/done poorly and I'm just very glad that baby and momma were A-OK.

Laura, I hope that you're all doing better. Did Dustin and Cakey get sick?

I slept from 12:30ish-5:15ish last night and that's all. It sucked. Between the wind, the backyard neighbor's floodlight that kept going on and off, my back, and the fact that I now feel like I'm crawling with ants or something...I just couldn't get quality sleep and then couldn't get back to sleep at that point. It's gonna be a looooooong day...

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

One more thing...

I just forgot to mention in my TWO posts from this morning that today is exactly TWO MONTHS until my due date! YAY! I can't believe it and am so happy about that. I'm trying really hard to not wish life away, but it's very difficult at this point to not do just that. For now, though, I will just rest in the fact that my due date is now only 2 months away!!!

THE Delivery of Abigail

I did a really long post below if you haven't checked in awhile to update. I just wanted to take a moment to blog about Jessica's delivery of baby Abigail. It was beyond crazy...beyond disorganized...beyond me how it all happened as it did...

So, they checked into the hospital at like 9:00 or somewhere thereabouts. The nurse that was assigned to her hooked her up to the monitor, checked her progress, etc. We should have known at that moment that things were going to be weird. The nurse said, "I'm not really sure if that is your cervix or not...I'm going to get someone else......" Hmmm... Turns out it WAS her cervix and she was at 3-4 dialated. The 2nd nurse left and this nurse said that she wasn't getting any regular, good contractions on the monitor so she might give Jessica a muscle relaxer and send her home. Let me clarify that this was her 3rd baby...she was having contractions every 3-5 minutes...she was at a 3-4 dialated and 100% effaced. WHAT?!? Jessica was really upset about it and after the nurse left was crying about it all saying, "They CAN'T send me home! I will have this baby in the PARKING LOT!" She told the nurse, "You may not be SEEING any mountains on your monitor, but I'm HAVING mountains and you need to adjust the monitor...I'm in active labor!"

So, after talking to the doctor, the nurse said that they were going to monitor her a bit more. By 11:05, Jessica was at a 5 and decided to get her epidural due to intense back labor (she was practically crawling up the bed rails and trying to get out of the bed...sound familiar, Meshellyn?). :) She never did get that epidural... The goofy nurse (which there were many, many more goofy things that I'm not remembering at the moment) stuck her twice for an IV. Another nurse came in and stuck her twice for an IV. The anesthesiologist came in and on HIS second stick (I would have bet money that he crawled out of bed and down the hall to her room...he was a wreck) finally got an IV started. They blew FIVE veins and didn't use ANY lidocaine to numb her arms in the process!!!

So, they got the IV started and Jessica said, "This baby is coming. I'm not pushing, but my body is. She's coming right now." The nurse said, "Don't push...it's not time." Jessica said, "I'm NOT, but my uterus IS and the baby is COMING!" The nurse said, "No, she's not." The doctor came in at that point. He broke her water and was kind of moseying around the room. He chatted with me. Jessica was screaming bloody murder and saying that she was delivering. One nurse grabbed her head and said, "JESSICA! YOU HAVE GOT TO GET CONTROL OF YOURSELF! Your baby is NOT coming yet! You are only at 8-9 and she's not coming! You have got to pant!!!" Merely 2 minutes or so later, out comes Abigail...onto the bed...the doctor had 1 glove on...the nurses had no gloves on...the baby nurses rushed in...the doctor quickly got his other glove on and suctioned Abigail out...I was in there on the other side of the room (there was a couch)...it was all just insane! I really can't describe it as anything BUT insanity!!! It was mainly the fact that nobody believed her when it was her THIRD baby that it was happening. They could have saved a LOT of money by having her at home... :)

All's well that ends well, though. Jessica and Abigail were fine and both continue to do really well. The hospital expressed their deepest apologizes (sp?) and gave them a gift certificate for a restaurant. They are currently doing an investigation into the labor and delivery. Oh, yeah...HER doctor was never even called to tell that she was in labor. AND, with her history of tachycardia (racing heart rate), they never, ever had her hooked up to a blood pressure cuff or pulse monitor. Her doctor was really mad and he's the one that called for the investigation. Of course, I'm not so sure about him in general, though, because he never even came to see her the day after delivery. NO DOCTOR CAME TO SEE HER the day after her delivery. NONE! She had no check up.

SO, that's the BIZARR-O story. Hope you enjoyed it. Cassie's done with breakfast and wanting down, so I'd best go get her. Peace out.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Ok, ok...

Alright...I'll update. My bitterness is subsiding. I don't really have a whole lot to say today, though. I'm tired and in lots of pain. How's that for unusual. :) I'm just pretty tired of this whole pregnancy thing, though I can see the light at the end of the tunnel...it's a teeny, tiny pinlight. Yes, I'm in to the single digits...less than 9 weeks until my due date...less than 7 until I plan to deliver. :) I know, I know...he'll come when God's good and ready, but I can partake in a little wishful thinking right now to get me there... I just really and truly have not had a single break from this pregnancy between back pain/nausea/throwing up/contractions/etc. I've dealt with SOMETHING every single day since the end of October. It is just hard. I look at my house and think of how neglected everything is. I look at my bed and think of how many hours I've wasted in that thing. I look at my bathroom and remember how many times I threw up in there for 16+ weeks (and a few random times since, as my mom can attest to). It just is discouraging. However, like I said, I CAN see the light and know that before I know it, I'll be holding that baby boy and crying that he has to go get his little thingie sliced. Have I mentioned that I'm very sad about my baby having to be circumcised? I'm not so upset that I'm going to not do it and let him be ridiculed in the locker room or whatever, but I'm just dreading that little procedure. The fact that he is stinkin' huge and growing daily makes the discomforts even more joyous. Nobody ever said it was gonna be easy, though, neh? In fact, I'm pretty sure we were told that it would stink because of sin. So why do I continually gripe and whine about it? Because I know that you all are reading my blog. Maybe everyone should boycott it so I'll dry up. :) Please don't......... :( :( :( :)

So, the pain...it's my back as usual. Cassie wrenched it pretty badly Friday night. Just what I needed, huh? Whenever I get up I do 1 of 2 things. I am either limping (best case scenario) or dragging my left leg behind me because I cannot bear weight on that leg without the worst imaginable pain shooting from hip to toe. It's pretty much hurt since I was 6 weeks pregnant, but has been much worse lately and then worse yet thanks to Cassie thinking that I was a fun amusement attraction. HOWEVER, I have a POA...plan of action. My friend, Tracy, is bringing home the crutches from the chiro office that she works at. See, the leg dragging only lasts a little while...maybe 15-20 minutes of walking after getting up. So, I thought that if I can have them around to kind of take some of the pressure off whenever I get up, it would help me transition and ease that pain. It's especially bad after lying down, so it's really, really hard to get up with Cassie in the night. So, if I have them good 'ol crutches, maybe I'll just make it to June. :)

OK...I really am done with the whining. I'm so sorry. I just need to get my happy pants on and rejoice in the good things...the blessings...the miracles in my life.

SO, here is a list of things that I'm thankful for...are you ready?
*Jesus
*God's Patience
*Hope
*Mark
*My children
*Mark selling his work van enabling us to get a new roof next week
*My health in other aspects
*Cassie's allergic reaction (see below) on Saturday being minor
*Being able to witness the miracle of birth with baby Abigail Grace
*Watching Cassie's face light up when she met Abigail...she was SO excited and just loved the new baby...it makes me feel that she'll transition okay when Conrey comes. I know it won't be simple, but maybe easier.
*The fact that my parents have been married 38 years and Mark's have been married for 40. How many couples can make those types of claims?!?
*Good morning snuggles and good night kisses from my precious girl
*Church--yesterday was just uplifting to me (I know you can't tell by the above post, but I AM writing this list...) :)

There are so many other things, but that list has at least gotten me going in "thankful mode," so I'll end it there and leave you with this exciting story of the quickest ER visit ever known to man...

So, Saturday morning, Cassie was my little moo-cow. She grazed on all kinds of stuff including goldfish, peanuts, string cheese, fruit, fruit snacks, pretzels...the girl ate a LOT. Before nap time, she ate a Handi-Snack (although it was off-brand). You know, those things with the little tub of "cheese" and the breadsticks? Well, afterwards, she had a rash around her mouth, but I just assumed it was contact dermatitis or something irritating her skin...didn't really think much of it. As I was changing her diaper, she said, "Mouth funny..." I said, "Huh?" She repeated it. I said, "Your mouth is funny?" She said yes and started tugging at her tongue, at which point I realized said tongue was about twice it's normal thickness. Upon closer inspection, the inside of her mouth (buccal mucosa for all you scientific-types) was starting to swell and the rash now covered her mouth area and both cheeks. Well, being that it was nap time, I wasn't willing to just give her Benadryl and put her down for her nap. Being Saturday, I was faced with 2 options: walk-in clinic or ER. At the walk-in clinic, you get a number and wait your turn no matter the symptoms. I wasn't going to do that in case she started having trouble breathing. SO, we headed for Olathe Med Center's ER. By the time we were sitting in the waiting room, she was saying, "Atheths, Atheths, we all faw down!" That translates to "Ashes, Ashes, we all fall down," but her tongue was now impairing her speech. They got us back really quickly and had a nurse come in really quick. By this point, the swelling was starting to subside (thank goodness) and the rash was receding. By the time the doctor came in (all of 5 minutes later), everything in her mouth was only slightly swollen and she had really red cheeks with rash only around the mouth again. He advised on Benadryl, food allergies, etc. and gave her a popcicle for the remaining swelling. She was quite excited about that! :) He said that it is what is called a self-limiting reaction meaning that it flares up and then dies down on it's own as siliva and such purify the mouth/skin. He also said that it will get worse each time she has a reaction, so I'm to keep Benadryl handy. All we can assume based on timing is that it was from the processed "cheese" and keep her away from that. At some point in the future when we'll be home, I will try American Cheese and/or Velveeta to see if she has reactions to them. She never has, but it may have just developed. If she does okay with them that time, then we'll let her have those in her diet and be careful about other things. It's all just mysterious. One thing he said was that it for sure was not the peanuts, because peanut allergies are never self-limiting...they just react and keep reacting until intervention is introduced. That was a big relief to me, because she loves peanuts and PB. We'll just have to wait and see what happens in the future. If my kid comes to your house, though...no cheese and crackers that are pre-packaged or Handi-Snacks. Thanks. :)

SO, how's that for an update?!? Long enough? :) We'll see if I can walk when I get up from typing this long update. Y'all have a great week and I'll be back again soon...

GRR!

So, last Thursday, I had a big, long post...then it was erased. Now, I'm just mad still. I've been frustrated ever since and just haven't put my hands to the keys to excite you with more in the life of the Vickers. I even had Cassie stories, labor and delivery stories (of my friend, Jessica), and wit. Sad. To see a funny video, though, go to my brother's site. It's the second post down. It's funny the first time, but more funny each time you watch it. Oh, and have a great day...

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

God is Good!

Well, post 150 seems like an appropriate milestone to mark the reassurance that all is well with Conrey and Momma. "FREE, FREE, I'M FREE AT LAST! THANK GOD ALMIGHTY, I'M FREE AT LAST!" I mean no disrespect to the REAL meaning of this song...it's just sooo liberating to be off of bed rest!!!

I am now off bed rest, though instructed to "take it easy" until the end. I don't have any restrictions other than the usual third trimester precautions of rest, drink water, don't lift anything too heavy, etc. You know...the normal. I like being normal right now! :) Dr. MacFarlane said that if Conrey were to "drop out" next week, it really wouldn't be that big of a deal. He said that he'd need extra TLC, but he'd be okay. He's not expecting that to happen...he's just saying that it's really less of a concern as each day passes. Conrey did drop some yesterday. That was both nice for breathing and rough on the 'ol ligaments that support the bottom of my belly. It's definitely getting pressure-y. :) It wasn't a huge drop...just enough for Mark and I to notice. The first thing that tipped me off was that my *LOOK AWAY BOYS* boobs don't rest on my belly anymore. HA! There is basically 9-1/2 weeks to tick off on the calendar until my due date, but I'm really not expecting to go that long. I'm hoping for more like 7-1/2 to 8. We'll see. For now, I'm just trying to be patient and remember that God's timing is perfect.

I remembered another Cassie story that I just had to share. I hope that it's not one of those "guess you had to be there" stories, because I found it very funny. Mark, Cassie, and I all laughed really hard throughout the event. Cassie was singing her ABC's to us over and over and over in the car. After about the 5th repeat, Mark started adding in random letters while she was singing. She started laughing. Finally, she said, "SHHH!!!" She started over at A, but he kept it up. Finally, she said, "SHHH, QUIET, DADDY! SHHHHH!!! DADDY, QUIET!" Every time he would add in letters, she'd stop...laughing, and repeat a variation of those lines and then start back at A. It was the first time that she's shown this personality and I thought it was quite humorous.

Weckle-Beckle...I don't have long distance on my home phone, so I can't call you from it. However, my cell is working now and is the same number as before. Feel free to give me a buzz or I'll try to call you sometime. It's always easier for people to call me because I have no outside work/obligations really, so I'm always available! :) I never know when other people are working and such.

Well, that's my update for tonight. I hope that you are each having a good week. I'll catch 'ya later!!!

All about Cassie

There have been so many funny, funny things that my daughter has done lately that I just HAD to take a moment to record them. I will be having a doctor's appt at 11:45 today, so be expecting a post this afternoon about that.

We all know that Cassie is a talker. Well, last night, I think she was on speed! She jabbered NON-STOP for the hour and a half (total) that we were in the car yesterday doing errands (I stayed in the car--it was to pick Mark up, pick his car up, and other stuff). She would tell me about things outside, about things in her book, about anything and everything. Mark finally said, "She is going to drive Conrey NUTS!!!" HA! She just never stopped whether we were listening or not. Man, oh man, we've hit the talkative stage!

One dialog that totally cracked me up was when she was reading her book, "Good Night Moon." There is a page that shows the whole room. There is a bookcase that has a baby doll on top (I think it looks more like a monkey, but she calls it the 'baby'). She was really concerned about that baby being up on top of that bookcase. She kept saying OVER and OVER and OVER, "Don't worry baby...it's okay baby...your momma will help you, baby..." those types of things. She was just so concerned for the baby and I found it so heartwarming that she is a caring little thing. She was saying it in a very comforting little voice and I just thought it was so cute!

Let's see...what else was I wanting to write about her? My mind is blank. I know that I had other stories about her that I wanted to get down, but my mind is drawing a blank right now. UGH! I HATE THAT! Well, that's all I have to say, I guess. I'm mad about that, but I guess I'll do it when I remember...

Thursday, April 3, 2008

BORED OUT OF MY GOURD!

OH, GOLLY! This whole lay around and do nothing bit is getting old! I don't know WHAT I'd do if my mom wasn't here, as at least I have someone to talk with. My hips are sore from laying around on my sides (I can't lay on my back and obviously not my stomach). I just hope and PRAY that it is all over by Tuesday. I really think that he'll just tell me to take it easy until the end of the pregnancy. I haven't had any contractions today, so that's good. My mom went and bought the whole entire grocery store for us today. WAY too many sweets for a pregnant lady!!! :) She's done some chores around the house and kept Cassie entertained.

As for Conrey...now that he's head down, he apparently likes to head-butt. That's right...the area of concern is being repeatedly head-butted. I really think that he's trying to make an escape! :)

Did I MENTION how freakin' huge he is?!?

My dad and sister will be coming here tomorrow night. My dad has chiropractic seminar all day on Saturday. The plan was to do some shopping...specifically looking for a white graduation dress for my sister. Also, a bedspread for her dorm room and my mom is looking for a new comforter, as well. Well, with this whole rest thing, either I will stay home and they'll take Cassie with them (not gonna happen) or I'll go with them, but stay in the car and read most of the day with only occasional store ventures. My mom doesn't think that I should go with them, but she has been WAY overly protective. The doctor said that I could still go places and such, but that I should lay down when at home and sit as much as possible when out and about. Most places these days have motorized wheelchairs, right? :) I'll be going with them. If nothing else, then because of the fact that they have no clue how to get around in this town without me! :)

Well, I guess I have nothing exciting to say from my 4 days of just laying around. I hope that you're all having a great week! Nobody has been calling/emailing me with those phone numbers!!!!!

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Out of order update! :)

So, I realized that I never told you all about my suspected water breaking yesterday that turned out to be a mystery. NO, I did NOT pee on myself, so don't think that! :) Anyway, I got up and had a decent sized rush of fluids. I was freaked. I went to the doctor and after hearing what happened, he started talking about admitting me after doing the tests and such. We talked about all of that and then he did a test. It was negative, which surprised him, so he did a different test. Three negative tests later, it was confirmed that no, my water did not break, though we were both stunned by this result, and I was just left to go back home on bed rest. Today, my sonogram confirmed again that my fluid levels were great and my water had not leaked. YAY!

Remember to send me those phone numbers!!! I'm antsy here with no one to talk to! :)
Well, I just went for my sonogram and have GREAT NEWS! Everything is looking alright. My cervix could stand to be a little bit longer, but I'm not dialating at all, so there is no concern at this point. Another good thing: Conrey is no longer breech!!! He is head down! I thought that he was turning last night, as he was doing quite the acrobatics and sure enough! He's in the right position! He looked great and all of his organs looked great. We couldn't see his face, as he was facing completely back toward my spine, but his little heart was just beating away. OH, and he has HAIR! We could actually SEE it on the sonogram!!!

Just as a precaution, I am still on bedrest until my appointment Tuesday. My mom is probably going to come this afternoon to help me out through the weekend. If anyone would like to come hang out Monday, let me know! :)

Oh, another thing about the little runt. He weighs about four and a half pounds! 4.5!!!!!!! Can you believe it? He should NOT be that big yet. Oh, mylanta! :)

Anyway, thank you all for your prayers and praise God for taking care of my little man.

My phone is back to working now. Unfortunately, my old phone completely crashed, so if you could email me your phone numbers...home, cell, etc. if you're someone I call or family that I should call more *grin* then please email them or call me so that I have your number.

Have a great day and everyone enjoy the sunshine (If you've got sunshine where you live)!!!