Random pictures

Toes.

Recent pics of the cutie

In his Moses basket. This is turning out to be one of the best most versatile baby things we have. He sleeps in it beside the bed, and during the day I take him downstairs in it.


















Grandma and Grandpa came to visit. He loved being held by grandma.

EKG results

Last Thursday we took Benjamin in to get his EKG. He pitched a royal fit for the nurse, but somehow she was able to get his blood pressure and put the electrodes on his chest. BP was normal, and the scan shows that he most likely has a premature atrial contraction. That is good news, since this kind of arrythmia usually disappears by 4 months of age. The doctor said there was a very, very small chance it could be something else, but in his experience this looked like a classic PAC. He told us not to lose any sleep over it. He said we could have Benjamin hooked up to a Holter monitor for 24 hours if we were still concerned, but it's really not necessary. So that's good news. :)

Also, I'm finally getting to the point where I can feed him without pain. It's not much exaggeration to say it felt like needles every time I nursed.

Jeff had to go back to work today because of several important meetings and projects, but someone from church came over to help watch the baby. It has been an adjustment working out a system here in our house after being in Gville for a week, but it's going smoother!

Leave it to dad to figure out that the "helpless little baby" is capable of a little more than I thought. :) He definitely responds to music, especially soft guitar music. It was Jeff's idea to try that. :) And when we put him in his bouncy seat yesterday, Jeff played with him until he could move the parrot that activates the lights and music. It was amazing to watch. It wasn't a coincidence...he kept reaching back over for more!

I'm sure every parent thinks their child is a genius, but for me it was just nice to know there's more going on in there than eat and sleep and spit up :D

Birth Story

I figured I should write this all down before the sleep deprivation and memory loss really catches up! I'm afraid this turned into a lengthy tome. Read ahead if you want all the details; if not, scroll down and read the post below the pictures.

Friday the 21st, at 14 days late, I was dilated just a fingertip and was told to do a lot of walking. I could feel tightenings in my abdomen that were painless, but started noticing they were happening about every 5 minutes. We had supper, watched a Tim Allen movie to get the laughs (and contractions) going, and headed for bed around 11. I couldn't seem to settle down. Finally I got up to go to the bathroom and realized the contractions were starting to hurt a little. I started timing them and they were 3-4 minutes apart. I remember thinking, "that's weird, they're supposed to start at 7-10 minutes." I had this false hope that I was very close to delivery already, and this was going to be no problem! Little did I know!! We timed awhile and nothing changed, so I told Jeff to go to bed and I would try to sleep out on the couch. I sat there timing contractions, which never really changed all night from 30 seconds long, 2, 3, or 4 minutes apart. They weren't that painful but enough to keep me awake. I dozed in between. I didn't know then this would become a pattern for my entire labor. Sleep, wake, pains, sleep.

By morning they were getting a little worse and a little longer, more like 40 seconds, but still 3-4 minutes apart. I was able to get comfortable at first doing the "Bradley" side-lie, but then that soon hurt worse than standing or kneeling on the bed. Interesting...my pains never did "wrap" from the sides to front like they describe. They were always low and in front.

Around 10:00 I started wanting some reassurance that things were moving. I went in to the birthing center and they checked me...only 2 cms. The head also had not turned to engage into the pelvis. That was disappointing. Even though no one is trying to make you feel that way, you do feel like a wimp if you go in too early! At least now though the midwife and doctor knew how far along I was...they had several other births to work around that weekend too. The midwife told me to do some pelvic rocks and "hula hoops," sets of 50 during contractions, to help move his head down.

So, back home and more of the same, through lunch Saturday, very slowly increasing, but not in a regular pattern. Some contractions were 20 seconds, some 30, some 45, and times in between were 3, 4, 5 and 6 minutes. The longer the wait, the stronger and harder the contraction. The shorter the wait, easier and shorter the contraction. It sort of evened out. The exercises killed, but at least they gave me something else to focus on. I had to kneel on all fours while I did the pelvic rocks, and it was extremely uncomfortable to go from lying down to all fours. Jeff had the genius idea to prop up my head and torso on a stack of pillows in between, and then I could go up on my hands easily and quickly when the contractions came. For each contraction I would alternate pelvic rocks and hula hoops (the hula hoops actually gave some relief.)

I slept in between. Around 3:30 p.m. I wanted to call the midwife. Contractions were 45-60 seconds long and averaging 5 minutes apart. I called her and she told me she wanted to hear me on the phone during a contraction. (Whether or not you can carry on a conversation is a good indicator of how far you are.) I had heard of "adrenalin" stops to labor... nature's way of allowing you to escape danger. This is what happened to me on the phone. I started feeling pressured to produce a strong contraction, and instead had a short, weak one.... only 25 seconds. Of course she said I was not close to transition yet and should wait. I sounded undecided I guess so she told me to call back in 30 minutes. I called back in 20, having had the strongest contraction yet. She told me she only wanted to be cautious because, once in the birthing center, many women become disappointed when they find out they still have a ways to go. I wanted to head over and get settled, though, before the drive over became intolerable. The 15 minute drive over was bad enough! However, by some work of the angels, we had green lights the entire way, except for the two red lights where I had contractions. I remember seeing the people pass, looking bored or nonchalant, and feeling like we were in two different worlds.

We arrived there and hurried inside, because I knew I was due for another contraction. The place looked like Grand Central. An entire family was in the waiting room, and there were two other births occurring. I had a contraction as soon as I passed them, and waited it out by leaning on the stair rail.

It's hard to describe the feeling of a contraction, but it feels like your body is made of glass, and if you move even a muscle you will shatter into a million pieces. I wanted to stay as still as possible and put pressure on something hard with my hands. It's not a sharp pain, but a dull ache that is also intense.

As soon as a contraction passed, the doctor (an absolutely wonderful woman with a calm manner and sense of humor... can't even describe how great both the midwife and doctor were!) checked me and she and the midwife both seemed surprised and happy for me that I was 6 cm. and 90% effaced, and the baby's head was already at 0 station! I was relieved to hear I was getting somewhere! We settled into our room, a homey place with lace curtains and wood laminate floor. I sat in the rocking chair while Jeff and the doctor helped us get settled in...put our sheets on the bed, took out our birthing supplies and baby clothes... stuff we'd need afterward. It seemed unreal to me then that we would need the baby clothes. It just seemed like we were here to get help with a labor.

Things continued pretty much the same way. I liked the rocker, and also tried standing and leaning on Jeff, but standing wasn't as good as a position where I could relax every muscle. I wanted to try propped up sitting on the bed, but we'd forgotten to bring extra pillows, so I told Jeff I would be fine if he drove back to his mom's to get those, plus an extra blanket. While he was gone, I really figured out how to labor. When he returned I told him not to touch me or talk to me, but to just try to get some rest. I was glad he could, as he was falling asleep on his feet and sore from shifting me from position to position. I sat there in the rocking chair, dozing and breathing for hours. I used the exhaustion to help me relax, and looked forward to each period of unconsciousness in between. In a way I was "medicating" myself by checking out between each contraction. When I think about it, having a long and exhausting labor may have been the easiest way. I became too tired to fight the contractions... instead I relaxed everything I could and focused on long, deep breaths that I counted. COUNTING was the way I got through it. The contraction would start and I'd feel panicky. Instead, I focused on breathing to 5. Almost there. Now 10. By 20 or 25 I knew the contraction would peak and start to recede. To me, thinking that I could endure anything for "20 breaths" helped so much. This is what I did for the rest of the labor until transition... stayed in the rocking chair, looked forward to sleeping after the contraction, and counted breaths.

Transition was odd for me. Usually the most painful part, for me it was just the part where I felt like I had to yell. They weren't screams of pain... instead they were like the "kee-ai" yells of martial arts routines. Yelling and keeping my tones low kept me from hurting my throat and helped release the incredible energy. I even kind of had fun in a way with them, saying different things each time. I had about 5 "transition" contractions, and then started feeling them more in the back. After two or three of these, I really started to feel better. Before I felt so "made of glass" that every move was torture, even between contractions, and walking to the bathroom was incredibly slow (muscle at a time! Shift off the bed, take a step...like an arthritic old person!) After transition, I could walk around much more freely. The contractions were much farther apart now, but walking brought them on. Soon they started to feel like I might be able to push at the peak of the contraction. Then the whole thing began to feel like I might be able to push through. The midwife checked me quickly at this point, and told me, "oh, girl, you are ready! You're complete and ready to push." I wanted to try pushing on the bed, but the first one was pretty puny, and waiting for the next seemed like 10 minutes (not sure it was this long). My midwife was completely exhausted, having missed two nights of sleep and having just delivered one baby and transferred another woman to the hospital. She lay down on the bench while we waited for another one. She told me to try pushing on the toilet or birthing stool. The toilet felt good...birthing stool too. At this point, I felt excited and powerful and ready to muscle through it. It was hard at first to remember to hold my breath and bear down. The midwife reminded me to hold my breath and it went much better. The most exciting part was when I was pushing on the toilet and reached down to feel what I thought was a head. But it had a little give. It was actually the bag of waters. That was cool!! Seeing that progress made me even more determined. All this time the midwife and doctor left me alone and let me do my thing, just making suggestions occasionally. For me that was the perfect tactic, because I always felt in control and that I was "doing" this myself, not having something "done" to me. The first push I always seemed to forget how to do it right...by the next, I was better, and the third was the strongest...pushing with the power of the contraction. The fourth was usually hanging onto the end of the contraction and not as productive. Finally I reached down and felt the bag bulging quite a bit. I shouted, "I don't want to tear" and the midwife and Jeff got me on the bed where she could massage the perineum and assist. Grabbing my legs and pushing was hard to do! The last thing you want to do at that point is pull your legs back. However, with coaching from the doctor and midwife, I gradually started pushing that sucker out. All this time I felt totally lucid and part of me was realizing just how unreal and weird this was. They told me they could see his hair...lots of it. The bag of waters was very tough and they snipped it with scissors so they could get a grip on his head and help pull him out. I think with that last push they started to worry about his heartrate. I pushed hard through a contraction and the head was almost there. Stopping right there at the "ring of fire" was no picnic! Then the midwife told me very firmly just to go ahead and get him out, we needed to get him out (I'm assuming because his heartrate dropped). "Even with no contraction?" I asked. "Yes, just push. Now." Her words gave me the guts to do it...she wasn't panicking but just sure it would happen, and so then so was I. I gave it all I had. Having the head out was an incredible relief (and the closest to "cursing" I came...for some reason Jeff was really sure I'd lose it! What I actually said was "Oh, God," but it was an expression of wonder and amazement, not blasphemy!) It's hard to explain, but pushing the rest of that wet, slippery little body out actually felt good. Not just "an absence of pain" but positively good. The midwife and doctor went to work suctioning out his mouth, cleaning him with towels. The first thing I said as he came out was "he looks just like Jeff" and "he has dimples!" In full protest, mouth wide open, I could see two adorable identical dimples on each cheek. He was just beautiful. Actual pushing time was an hour and a half...much quicker than anything else in my puttering labor! The doctor pointed out that there was a loose knot in the cord, but nothing dangerous as the cord has a gel in it that is an automatic "anti-kink" mechanism. Jeff cut the cord, and we waited on the placenta, which came out on its own after a few gentle tugs and pushes on my stomach.

The instructions and observations after that were sort of a blurr to me. I was trying to listen but was so exhausted that I kind of zoned out. I knew Jeff would listen and remember. :) They had put a diaper on him and I was holding him on my chest, skin to skin. That was an amazing feeling. I remember thinking how big he was, to have come out of my belly that everyone kept telling me was unusually small! He was a decent-sized baby at 7 lbs. 11 oz, and had so much dark hair...and I couldn't get over that he was just a "little Jeffrey," just exactly. He showed no signs of postmaturity. He had known exactly when he was supposed to come out! Not wrinkled or shriveled, fingernails not all that long, though the skin on his calves and feet were ever so little bit peeled. He quieted down and opened his eyes a little and the midwife helped me get him nursing. It didn't take long and he was latched on. They left us alone for about an hour and a half, then Jeff went back with the doctor to measure and weigh him. It was so nice having all the equipment right there in the birthing center (which had been a house), and I knew they were just right there behind the curtain.

I had not torn at all, and I really felt ready to go very soon after he was born. The ladies suggested we all sleep a few hours (including them!) so we did. Benjamin was as tired as we were.

That's my birth story. I feel so grateful to the women who knew when to assist and when not to. They kept careful tabs on his heartrate and my progress but stayed out of the way when not needed. I had no doubts that I would be referred to hospital care if it were really necessary, so I didn't worry. My midwife is, if anything, more cautious than most OBs would be. She first noticed Benjamin's arrhthymia, and did not hesitate to refer me to Greenville Memorial to see if the heart structure was normal. After he was born, she again checked him out carefully, listening for a long time, then sent us home with instructions to watch him while he slept for signs of slowed heartbeat...blue around the lips for example, and to nudge him to get the heartrate going stronger (it evens out when he is active). She scheduled us for an echocardiogram later this week to investigate it further. I feel like we had such competent, personal and wise care.

We finally left the birthing center around 7 p.m. Sunday night...he had been born at 8:18 Sunday morning, and my entire labor (beginning from the first painful contractions) had been almost 33 hours.

The whole birth experience is already starting to seem unreal. But it was and is a positive, empowering experience. I took responsibility for the experience I wanted and the care I felt was best, and that does feel good. I can look back and see God's hand in all this. Jeff was the prime tool of God in us switching...he was sick of hearing me complain about the care I had been getting in what, to me, was a large and impersonal practice. The day we were to meet and hire a duola for our hospital birth, Jeff had the flu. Frustrated at missing this chance and the path things seemed to be taking, I could see no other option. Jeff said suddenly it was clear to him that we should just take the trip down and go with the midwife (before we thought distance was a problem). The distance suddenly didn't seem as big a problem as the problem I had with our current doctors! At the time we switched we had no clue about the arrhythmia or that I'd go so far postdates. Induction and possible drugs were not what I'd wanted, but would have surely been what we'd have gotten. God used circumstances and Jeff's wisdom to help us make the decision at the right time, and with minimal inconvenience...only a few drives down for prenatals before Benjamin's birth.

Praise God for all He's done and how good He's been to all of us. We give the glory back to Him for the little life He created and the wonderful birth experience He allowed us to have.

Pictures

Benjamin has arrived!

Benjamin Thomas Gray was born Sunday, Sept. 23rd, at 8:18 in the morning. He weighs 7 lbs. 11 oz, and is 21 unches long. It was a long labor...almost 33 hours, but worth every minute. I had a wonderful birth experience and will write about it as soon as I get a chance! Benjamin looks just like Jeff...dark hair and dimples.
We are so thankful for a beautiful, healthy baby boy!

I'm a little slow in posting pictures right now, so if you want to see some, Jeff's posted some on his blog.

Early Labor

It's started...the pains aren't bad yet but uncomfortable enough that I can't sleep. It figures that they started close to midnight. I guess my doctor and midwife are not going to get a lot of rest! It feels a lot better if I sit up or walk around...lying down makes it worse.

It's weird to me that the contractions are still 4-5 minutes apart. The only difference is that they hurt now. I had been having painless contractions every 5 minutes while walking around the neighborhood. We came in, had dinner and watched a funny movie, then slowly headed to bed. I tried to read awhile, but couldn't focus and was feeling talkative. I got up to get some water and realized the contractions were starting to hurt. I am so glad l we don't have a 2 hour drive ahead of us!

It is nice that nature gives you a break in between contractions. In between, there is really no pain and I feel fine.

It may be a while so Jeff is trying to sleep. I'm hoping he can get some rest in the next hour or two.

Finally some progress!

I was totally prepared to list my reasons against induction and have a serious of talk about things, but it ended up being much easier than I thought. Before I had to say a word the doctor that works with my midwife told us that, looking at my charts and considering everything, she thought it best to wait. The check showed 2 cms. dilated and the baby's head much farther down. She did strip my membranes (didn't hurt like I thought it would) and I got some "show" afterward...a good indication. The arrhythmia didn't show up today in the non-stress-test, and everything is looking really good. And the headache I've had for the last few days is almost gone (after I got some caffeine in my system from Port City Java.)
So it's looking like we'll have a baby pretty soon! I'm supposed to do some walking and see what happens. It's good news that, just two days ago, I was less than a cm. and now I'm at 2. Also I'm having more contractions this morning than I've had all week. They don't hurt yet, but seem more regular.
Honestly my worst fears were 1) having to decide about induction and 2) getting the prospect of waiting another whole week! I'm relieved that it looks like neither of those is going to happen.
Thank you so much for your prayers up to now.

2 weeks overdue

Two weeks overdue today, but I just can't bring myself to be panicked for Benjamin's health when he's moving like a little jumping bean! Every time I eat something he goes crazy. I feel fine, Benjamin seems fine, so just because it's the magical "2 weeks" date I want to be careful not to be panicked to get things started. Caucasian women tend to carry longer than 40 weeks. In France, the length of pregnancy is considered 42 weeks.
I've been told that "I would already have my baby by now" if I were at a hospital. Well, maybe so and maybe not. I have heard enough stories of 36-hour failed inductions when the cervix is not a good way there already. It's not unheard of for women to come back for three all-day sessions of Pitocin, only to have nothing happen (except a lot of unnecessary pain). I might have my baby by now, yes, but it might be because the doctors got tired of waiting and performed a C-section.
My thinking is that, if there is no emergency, why let a passing date dictate what you do? I meet with my doctor and midwife tomorrow to discuss moving things along. If there are no medical reasons to induce (aging placenta, low fluid levels, preclampsia), then I see no reason to interfere. The interventions themselves carry risks. Cytotec, the ulcer drug that is used off-label for induction, is not approved by the FDA and has caused uterine rupture (and maternal and fetal death in some cases). In fact, the producer of the drug issued an official warning against using it for induction, but it is still used because of its low cost and quick results. Cervidil is a better choice but carries the same small risks of uterine rupture. Pitocin, unlike the other two, can be more easily regulated...but then again it only causes contractions, doesn't soften the cervix, so it may not work if the cervix is not already ripe.
I am open to doing another ultrasound to see if all is still well in there. I keep thinking...if my date of conception was a bit later than we thought, and I tend to be a longer carrier, Benjamin might just be right on time.

update

13 days late and still no baby, but had an appointment this morning & found out I am a fingertip dilated, the head is lower, and the cervix is much thinner.
We've tried just about all the "natural" labor stimulants, (including eating a whole pineapple!) We've tried the evening primrose oil for 6 days in a row now. Today my midwife told me to take a mixture of black & blue cohosh every 20 minutes, pump, and go for a walk. I'm supposed to call back in 3 hours to report any changes. If this doesn't work, we'll try the castor oil, and if that fails, a ripening agent.
I hope this works!

Monday "blues"

Day 11: Today I'd think this whole pregnancy thing has been a hoax, except for the little feet sticking out of my side occasionally and the feeling of heaviness. This morning was cool and crisp...one of those first days that hint at fall and beckon you outside. I took a long walk in the neighborhood, following the road that winds back through quiet residences nestled far back in the trees. There are some woods and fields and a lake. Beautifully varied morning glories in hues of baby blue, purple and lavender cover the old fence by someone's donkey pasture. There were little white flowers in the shade with a camphor-like perfume. Yellow bitterweed added sunshine to the shadows, and I found a ripe persimmon, just fallen. A huge ugly vulture circled over, maybe wondering if this lone, slow-moving pregnant lady was going to topple over anytime soon! Not today...I was feeling too full of the glory of creation and the life inside. This feeling of peace has to be supernatural...probably a result of many prayers!
I called in this morning to cancel my piano lessons. Jeff's working on design stuff for work and I'm going to settle down with a book. Reading internet stories of late babies and hearing that Jeff was 12 days late have made me realize I'm not the only one. I do understand how some people can say that "an overdue pregnancy is the worst form of mental torture" and I'd probably feel that way if I were at home alone, but as it is having a change of scenery and seeing friends and family have helped so, very much. I feel supported and loved, and not rushed to produce a baby.
To contrast peaceful feelings now, I was pretty depressed driving up to Greenville. I'd finished my teaching week, made final arrangements at the house, and now we wouldn't come back again unless we came with a baby. I'm not sure why that bothered me, but maybe it was sort of saying "goodbye" to life as just me and Jeff. As it turns out I'm enjoying being here and the stress gone from not worrying about a 2-hour drive is pretty significant.
In conclusion, God is good and I'm feeling at peace with my body and with Benjamin. After all he's healthy and kicking. He's just not quite ready to meet the world, and I'm sure he and God have their reasons. When it's time, it will happen, just like the beautiful fall weather that arrived today.

thoughts

Just wondering if anyone else remembers experiencing this. For the last week or so I've had strong Braxton Hicks after dinner. I get excited thinking "maybe tonight" but they go away once I lie down, and by morning not a trace!

Thinking we'd have a baby by now Jeff and I didn't pack any Sunday clothes. Maybe we'll spend the morning praying for Benjamin and the upcoming birth and just enjoying some quiet time together. With all my impatience, I realize we're going to miss being just us soon. It will be harder to make time to just talk or pray together.

It is comforting to know God's been control of when we conceived, Benjamin's health and growth, and everything else from the beginning of this pregnancy. I'm trying not to be a control freak and obsess about which day He's chosen us to become parents.

I said goodbye to my parents tonight...they leave first thing in the morning. I'm sorry they didn't get to meet the baby but maybe it's just as well, as they'd just have had a lot of nerve-wracking waiting to do if I had gone into labor and not much to do to help.

I hope to be able to post some news soon. :)

...

Still waiting! I think he really wants to share my parents' anniversary or Dayton's birthday.

Update

Still waiting! Last night I thought it might be the real thing, since after dinner I was having some pretty strong Braxton Hicks, but they went away and this morning I'm feeling fine.

Yesterday at my appointment I found out I am not dilated at all (it is normal to walk around for a couple of weeks dilated 1-2 cm, but not me!). The arrhythmia was especially pronounced yesterday, so the midwife called in an ultrasound to check on that, measure amniotic fluid and check the placenta grade. The placenta ages after a time and becomes less efficient at nourishing the baby. Again they said the heart structure seems normal, and though they couldn't get an entirely good look at the aorta because his ribs were obstructing the view, the overall report was reassuring. They hooked me up to the fetal monitor for a long time to observe the heartrate. Again they said the results were as expected, and also told me I was having some light contractions. Apparently I can't feel them! The heart structure is normal, but the nervous system is not yet regulating the beats perfectly. It should disappear shortly after birth, but we'll have it checked out afterward if not. The amniotic fluid levels were normal, and placenta grade was good. They estimated his weight at 7 lbs, 13 oz. There is not really a question that my dates are wrong. He's just taking an extra week or so to be ready.

I'm taking evening primrose oil, which can sometimes move things along.

We're staying here in Greenville for the next few days with Jeff's mom, since Jeff is working from home. My parents are here since they can't visit after this Saturday night. I'll spend some time with them while Jeff works.

We are praying that Benjamin will come before Sunday, for so many reasons...parents being here, friends leaving the country Monday, and the dilemma of deciding whether to go back to Atlanta or not. I get 4 weeks off and would hate to waste one just waiting. If nothing is happening by Sunday night, I will feel like I need to go back and teach another three days. It would be nice not to have to do that! :)

Come on, kid.

Benjamin's taking his sweet time, which everyone tells me is normal for a first baby. I'm only three days late, but it doesn't take long to start thinking "what if I have two more weeks of this??" Sitting in church today was very uncomfortable. I didn't play for the church choir...since this was probably my last Sunday for a while, I was looking forward to sitting with Jeff. But I'd forgotten how hard it is now to sit still for any length of time. Benjamin's legs were pushing on my ribs and I really wanted to stand up or stretch out on a couch.

I went to a shower for Andrea Barnard, a grad school friend, two days after my due date. That made me feel better. If you're overdue and feeling decent, get out and do things. I was driving myself crazy just sitting around the house waiting for something to happen!

I'm actually kind of thankful that I have to teach tomorrow...it will keep my mind occupied. I am praying that Benjamin will not be later than the 15th. My mom really wants to come up to Greenville shortly after the birth, and my aunt will be gone the 16th & unable to relieve her from taking care of my grandma. However, this too is in God's hands...He knows best. And in any case, I am thankful for the miracle that's about to happen, whenever it happens. :)

Due date come and gone

Today was the big day, but nothing yet! At my appointment they told me the baby had descended, so at least things are on track.

We're all packed and ready....when we went to Greenville last Monday we brought the suitcase along, just in case. :)

I'm still feeling pretty good, though having trouble sleeping. I must have waked up 6 or 7 times, either too hot, or getting up to go to the bathroom, or rearranging pillows to try to get comfortable. Someone told me this is nature's way of getting you ready for nights with a newborn!

Since he has to drive an hour and a half to work, Turner is allowing Jeff to work from home until I deliver. That is a real blessing, since this way we will be able to leave right away when we need to.

Any day now...

Babymoon

Some wonderful friends gave us an incredible two nights at the Chateau Elan spa. We opened the envelope with the red seal that held our reservation information and were speechless. Two nights, all meals paid, plus spa treatments for both of us. The experience was so relaxing and special. We were greeted at the door by a doorman in uniform who offered to help us with our "luggage" which consisted of a couple of very college-looking backpacks. We felt a little outclassed seeing the BMWs and Mercedes parked out front, but we didn't care, we were here to enjoy our stay! Our Vintage themed room was full of antiques.














We relaxed a little in our room, ordered drinks from room service....














...then had lunch in the beautiful airy Versailles restaurant, modelled after a Victorian train station in France, with the glass ceiling and open feel.














Taking a load off my feet on the balcony of the Versailles (the main hotel is in this building as well)

















That afternoon I had my pedicure, which was extra nice because I have a hard time reaching my toes anymore. Jeff sat there and chatted with me and the pedicurist (is that a word?) while he waited for his treatment. He had a men's luxury facial (and if he had known that included an upper body massage he would have been even more excited). "Mavis" was a tiny Indian woman who gave him a longer massage than she had to, and Jeff said he felt incredible afterward. After dinner at the Cafe Elan, we headed back to our room where they had prepared us a "Spa Journey package" which was rose petals strewn on the floor, tea lights, and rose-scented spa products for a hot bath. It was the perfect end to the day. And the best part was knowing we had a whole other day left...

spa journey
















my red toes













(Not pregnant, just had a good meal.)


















Next day we had breakfast in the little spa restaurant, Fleur de Lis, and then walked over to the winery. I wanted to steal some grapes from the arbors but Jeff wouldn't let me. :) We toured the winery and the gift shop, then had lunch again at Versailles. Our massages were that afternoon. I had a special pregnancy massage. It felt great and almost put me to sleep!
Dinner at Cafe Elan was delicious! I highly recommend the peach bread pudding with ice cream. My only regret was not being able to eat huge meals because the baby is taking up so much room!
Jeff and I really enjoyed our "Babymoon" and will remember it with fondness as we are spending sleepless nights with a newborn! :D Thank you to our dear friends who did this for us--you know who you are--and we appreciate your kindness so much.

Someday my little prince will come

This Thursday I will be at 37 weeks and technically full-term! If the baby comes this week he's not considered premature. I'm hoping he doesn't decide to surprise us, since my paperwork is still enroute from my current care to my midwife. It's taking so long because the ultrasound was done by another practice, who had to send their records to my current care, who take 7-10 business days to process records. I'll feel much better when I know everything has gone through!

Soon, soon, my little prince will come. It will just take him a lot of time afterward to become verbal, do anything for himself besides drool, charm anyone with something other than spit-up, and it will be a long, long time before he looks good in tights. But that's fine, because I believe the spell works so that I'll fall in love at first sight anyway.

Plants Post

Sounds like we all needed a jumpstart for blogging! I thought I'd pick from one of Elizabeth's ideas and start with the gardening tips. So...a short post on growing zinnias. These flowers come in all varieties from daisy-looking giant ones to fuller flowers that resemble carnations. Also come in every color of the rainbow. They have a country charm, not sophisticated, but so hardy and colorful.

All you need is a husband (to dig up the beds), a couple bags of compost and manure (about 2 bucks a bag), seeds, and a trowel.

Plant in mid-May for a longer bloom time (later is fine, just won't bloom as long.) Plant in full sun. Zinnias were originally grown by the Aztecs in Mexico so they don't mind being baked! Dig up the beds about 6 inches down, and mix in the compost/manure. You might have to take some of the original dirt out to make room. Be generous with the compost, since this is what guarantees you good growth, and then the beds are ready for next season's planting too. Then...sprinkle your seeds in rows if you're picky, scatter them if you're not. Either way they'll grow (and actually look better clustered.) Then stir up the top inch or so with your trowel to cover the seeds.

Water VERY liberally. The first watering is the most important!

Then, water a little every two days or so and wait. The plants germinate in a couple of days. If I remember right we had blooms within 3-4 weeks. The cool thing is you get blooms all summer long!

These things are so hardy, that when I put some in a vase and forgot about them, they started to grow roots into the water! We've had a couple of storms that washed out their roots, and instead of dying, they somehow re-rooted themselves. Which makes me wonder, maybe they're a weed??

And couldn't resist posting a couple from the yard....the potted plants and the yellow marigolds are from my shower. Also the white impatiens.

Saga continues

Wellll, little Benjamin's heart appears to be fine. I had the special ultrasound done yesterday where they were able to look at the heart. The extra beat is still there, but they can see no abnormalities in the structure of the heart or the blood flow. The nurse was super nice and explained everything I was seeing...and I got a couple of good looks at his face where even I could tell it was a face! I have a hard time seeing anything other than a blob. He has chubby little cheeks and poochy lips, and a flat squished little nose. He weighs 5.5 lbs right now, which is, surprise, surprise, almost exactly average. He's been average every time they've measured...just an average little guy :)

In the unlikely case that there was something wrong with his heart we were going to plan on staying here for the birth, but now we can continue as planned with the midwife.

Glad everything's okay and can't wait to meet him!

And a pregnancy note...the hand swelling everyone talks about started (though it's mild) this week. When I leave my hands down by my sides too long they puff up. At night I have a hard time getting my ring off. Ah well. If this is the worst I have to endure! :)

Monday night the sweet ladies at church gave me a shower. They were so generous and got us our travel system (stroller/carseat/base) among other things. God is so good to us!

Changing Care

We interviewed with Laura's midwife in Greenville yesterday. It went great, she answered all my questions, and reassured me about the distance (that was our main worry!) She has had clients from Atlanta and other places in GA before and said she could tell us when to come in. And, if it turns out to be a false alarm, we can spend the night at Jeff's mom's if necessary. :)

It wasn't an appointment but I told her we want to go ahead and switch, so she had a listen to the heartbeat and measured fundal height. She picked up something the OBs hadn't...a little skip or murmur in the heartbeat every few seconds. We could hear it very clearly ourselves. She said this could be nothing & often straightens itself out as the baby gets older, but wanted to monitor it in the future to make sure. I'm a little concerned about the murmur, of course, but was glad to find out about it. She also felt my belly to see what position the baby was in, and what I thought was confirmed...feet on the right side, rear on the left, head down.

B/t/w something I wanted to happen was for Amy & Jeff to click. It's very important that your caretaker and your coach be able to communicate well. I loved how she included Jeff in the conversation and even let him feel where the head was. She's an art collector & has more than a dozen pieces from Jeff's old art teacher. So they immediately had common ground and get along great.

My prenatals will be a little more of a hassle since I have to drive to Greenville, but so worth it in my opinion. The knot in my stomach is releasing (Jeff noticed right away that I was more relaxed...on the way home he told me I was no longer so tense when discussing birth!) I am praising God that it looks like this option will work for us.

Nursery coming together

We picked up the crib from Ikea and put all the bedding together. Jeff says "please, no more yellow" :) The curtains will be blue and some of the wall decor will be blue.

The Twins are Here!

I'm looking forward to hearing the whole scoop from Erin when she's able, but as of now I know the twins were born around midnight last night (10:33 and 10:41 a.m. on the 18th Thailand time)! Both were vertex so she was able to have the home birth she wanted. Dayton caught. The babies were 6 lbs. 8 oz. and 6 lbs. 14 oz. Their names are Shira Faith and Miriam Joy. There are beautiful stories behind the names but I'll let Erin explain. I can't wait to see pictures but we'll just have to be patient! :D

8 Random Things You May Not Know About Me

8 Random Things You May Not Know About Me
I got this from Elizabeth! Let me know which ones you knew.

1. My favorite bum-around outfit is a flannel shirt and baggy sweats. So unflattering but so comfortable.

2. When I was little I used to write stories and poems and secretly throw them out the window on long vacation trips, just knowing they would be a blessing to someone! (maybe not the trash pick-up crew)

3. I think it would be fun to be a personal trainer.

4. I have a secret appreciation for haute couture, though only on the computer screen (doesn't fit the budget!)

5. I never plug in my phone. This has become Jeff's job.

6. I think it would be interesting to do a wilderness survival program. Then again I might hate it, but the idea sounds fun. :)

7. I sell everything I don't want on ebay!

8. I love reading about Biblical archaeology.

If you're reading this you're tagged!

Shower in Sumter

Last weekend we went to Sumter for the 4th and for my baby shower. I was impressed by Elizabeth's creativity with the decorations, and the awesome games provided by Laura! I have never seen this done before--working off my nursery theme of ducks, Elizabeth created a "ducks in a pond" theme for the shower. She used a blue tablecloth for the pond, and a green tablecloth underneath for the grass. The centerpiece was the best part...instead of cut flowers, she chose plants that were still in their pots. Everything went in one large container, with tall "pond grass" in the center, and lily-pad-looking plants and flowers surrounding it. (The plants are now looking perky and colorful in my yard!)

Everyone was so sweet to pitch in. With a brand-new baby and sleep deprivation, Abbie couldn't come, but being as amazing as she is, she managed to decorate the cake! Ruth brought her famous chicken salad and helped with the finger food. Ma-Ma let us use her house. Aunt Barbara provided the punch set and plates. My mom made sure we were all housed, fed and comfortable during our stay.
Laura's games were a lot of fun. There was a timed "quiz" first where you had to answer facts about nursery rhymes. Then we played a game sort of like Taboo, where you divide up in teams of 2 and try to get the other person to guess the word without saying any part of the word. A lot of the questions were about current baby items, so it was fun to see what the older ladies had to say about how things had changed. Laura had an "advice sheet" for everyone to comment on.

We packed up the Bug afterward, and everything just, JUST, fit. I don't think there was room for a single other thing!

It was such a fun shower, and made me grateful for the blessing of family...dear friends that are there for you throughout life.

Me with the genius party planners













The table...love those adorable yellow rubber boots!













Cousin Laura and niece Ella.













Ma-Ma and Aunt Frances chat during the shower.

Providence

God is so efficient! Wait till you hear this story!

Last weekend we drove to Sumter for the annual family reunion/picnic and my baby shower, which my lovely cousin Elizabeth and sis-in-law Laura threw for me. We had been planning to pick up a crib Laurance & Kimberly weren't using, so we decided to drive our bigger car. We got everything packed up and started to drive off. We hadn't got 300 yards before we realized we had a flat tire...we'd run over a nail. After 3 months of living in a construction site (building going on everywhere around us), we've never run into a nail, but there it was. So, we put everything in the Bug and left, wondering at our bad luck!

We got to Sumter and met Kimberly's sister & her husband, and found out this newly-married couple was expecting. We told Kimberly we couldn't take the crib after all (wouldn't fit in the Bug) so she gave it to her sister. My thought then was, "oh, that's why we got the flat tire. They needed this crib worse than us."

But there was more. Jeff went in Monday to see about fixing the flat tire, and in the process found out the front tires were misaligned, and as a result were chewed up and ready to blow at any time! If we had taken the Mazda to Sumter we would have been delayed at the least, gotten in an accident in a worst case. (We also had to order the Mazda tires, so they aren't always in stock.) So...God accomplished two things in one, simply by having a worker drop a nail in the road!

It's a little thing, but a great reminder of how God looks out for our safety. Many times we don't even know it's happening. I think about the first weeks I was pregnant. I had two sets of meds, one very dangerous to an unborn baby and one that was safe. "Randomly" I chose the safe meds. God is so good, and nothing happens without His allowing it. That's very comforting.

Benjamin meets the Transformers

Thursday night Jeff & I did something spontaneous. Some friends of ours had free tickets to an advance showing of Transformers and offered to share. So we drove 1.5 hours to Greenville (ok, mostly to see these friends, not so much because we were dying to see T, though who could pass up a free movie?) It was a great time, we ended up seeing several people there we knew, and I even got some nice maternity clothes out of the bargain (thank you Michelle!). The movie was pretty intense. There were lots of blurred machine parts flying around, like a cyclone hitting your local Grease Monkey.
But the funny part was Benjamin's reaction to the sound--jumping at the loud parts and curling himself into a ball on my right side. I found myself covering my side with my arms trying to protect his sensitive little ears. But the woman with the 3-month-old being passed down the aisle from friend to friend made me feel like a better mom. Her little guy seemed perfectly oblivious and content in all the noise!
It is funny how protective you start to feel even before you MEET your little person!
It's been fun lately to share Benjamin's hiccups with Jeff (happens when they swallow too much amniotic fluid too quickly) and his bigger movements. He's not a punch-punch kick-kick kind of baby, but he's constantly in motion. Last night he did an all-over body wriggle. But usually it's just constant gentle movement. It feels like he's hammocked with his head on my left side and feet up under my right ribs.

Silly picture

Nobody was around except us and Benjamin said he didn't know how to take the picture. :)

Day off

Yesterday Jeff took off work and we toured Gwinnett Hospital and puttered around the house. The tour lady was awesome and gave us an honest, clear picture of how the hospital works and what to expect. The main thing we brought away from the tour was "be assertive." You can have the birth experience you want, but you have to keep reminding your caretakers exactly what you want or don't want.

We got our complimentary gallon of paint from the builder and picked a rich rust-red for the dining room. And finished painting the nursery. :)

Three more months!

It's hard to believe. It's kind of crept up on me. I've been thinking pregnancy is the "new normal" but it's starting to dawn on me that this baby will be COMING OUT one of these days. (Hopefully not too soon!)

I've decided to change care from my current OB. It's a large clinic that was recommended to me by others I know, but I think they now have more patients than they can give attention to...the waiting room is always full. I hardly know any of my 5 OBs, and each time I go I meet another nurse. I just need more personal attention and need to feel less like a number instead of a person. Because I'm healthy, have no complications, and am not the pushy type, I think I'm just getting rushed through the system.

I think I will stay with the hospital I'm with (Gwinnett Hospital). Rooms are homelike, there's a jacuzzi in each room, and they say they are open to working with your individual birth plan. I take the maternity ward tour tomorrow, so that should give me a better idea.

I've also decided to hire a duola (labor companion). If I'm going to make it with a natural birth I'll need someone besides Jeff to be there with me. My mom willl most likely not be able to be there until after the birth (it would have to work out perfectly so that Aunt Mattie could fly down to care for Grandma). I found a wonderful duola service and they are going to allow me to phone interview a couple of them to decide who I click with. That is a huge weight off my mind, knowing I'll have a knowledgable and caring person there who will support me in my decisions.

So anyways... :) here is my latest belly shot, at 28 weeks. As I write this Benjamin's little hands are tickling my ribs!

Settling In

With a lighter teaching schedule, I have had a little more time to get things straight. Last weekend was the second wkend we had since moving to actually devote our attention to "house stuff..." Of course, I'm home a lot more than Jeff, but I need him to move things & hang hardware. We're taking it one room at a time, but we got a lot done last weekend. Pictures below!!

Loft/study, where Jeff will spend a lot of his time working or reading. We're still waiting on his desk legs that are on backorder. I made the curtains...don't look too close. :) I want to add decorative fringe to the top part of the curtain that hangs over.














Guest room. We got this put together pretty early on. Jeff was busy so I did it all myself. Even used the power drill to put up the curtain hangers (which are a little off center...oops). That mirror was heavy!














Guest bathroom & simple curtains I made. They didn't make blinds that size.
















Living room. The couches, chair you saw in the loft, and coffee tables were Craig's List finds. We got the whole set for a great price, but the couches smell like curry! It's slowly fading with the help of daily doses of green tea spray. I haven't made curtains yet b/c can't decide on the color I want to go with.














Music room. It has no furniture except a shelf and the piano, but I got the idea of hanging the instruments on the wall. I'm looking for an antique-ish chair to put in there. These curtains were my first attempt. I like the loft curtains better, but this blood-red color is just amazing, and added some much-needed punch to the room.









Music room curtains.


















We painted the first coat on the nursery last weekend. I love it when the sun hits the room. :) I have a few ideas...the letters of his name painted with baby chicks, light blue curtains, yellow and blue rug, plus the baby furniture. Not too sure yet, but I'll figure it out as we go!

A new nephew

There are more details and pictures on Laura's blog, but I thought I'd do a quick post to say how thankful and excited we all are about the newest addition to the family...Jonathan Laurance! He came 5 weeks earlier than his projected due date, but he's a healthy 6 lbs. 11 oz. and doing fine.

I had a long talk with my mom about the events of the weekend. She and Kimberly went to the mall for some mom-daughter time, and all the walking must have triggered the labor. They came back, both took a nap, and when Kimberly woke up she found her water had broken. She and Laurance had to go to the hospital in Manning to have the baby, since legally her midwife couldn't deliver (the baby was too early). Later that night when Mom got a call from Laurance, she told Dad, "We've got to go to the hospital and be there for them...we can't let them have this baby there all by themselves!" Dad was tired after a full day and at first didn't think they'd be of any use, but he is now so glad he went....and even rated it as one of the best experiences of his life. Mom & Dad waited outside (Mom was so worried for Kimberly, as she could hear her crying and screaming...it came so fast it probably seemed overwhelming). They were fully expecting to be at the hospital all night, but near midnight the nurse came out to say "you can come see your grandson now!" Mom said he was very red, and still covered with "cheesy stuff" but crying his little lungs out (no lung development problems!)

Kimberly wanted to head back home as soon as possible, but Jonathan needed to be monitored and treated for jaundice. Mom said they put him under a heat lamp and had to leave him unswaddled for the rays to be absorbed into his skin. He didn't like feeling like there was nothing around him, and thrashed around most of the night. He had to wear protective goggles to shield his eyes, and he kept knocking those off. Kimberly stayed up most of the night putting them into place and trying to quiet him. (How cute and pitiful is that...tiny newborn goggles...poor little guy!)

I'm so glad Laura & Will were there to offer their support! Kimberly's mom will be coming down as soon as she can get their plane tickets changed. I hope L&K get a crib for this little one soon.... :) I'm very glad they got their glider and...I'm sure...tons of other nice stuff at the shower. :)

God is so good! I can't wait to see my little nephew!

Is there a "Major Life Change Fairy" in our family??

It's just too bizarre. I have to believe there's something in the genes, which has waited until now to emerge, affecting spouses and cousins of our family. I do have a theory. I believe one of the homemade bombs my brothers made as teenagers caused a fluke in the genes (this also affected cousin Jim). It all started with that harmless little pipe bomb, forever setting in motion a chain of events that has just now, 15 years later, begun to disrupt all of our lives.

Don't tell me it's coincidence. I place the blame firmly on the Brothers and Cousin and their insane experiments.

Here are the events as I see them. They began almost exactly a year ago, to date.

#1. Charles, through a strange series of events, moves overseas to Guam with a 3-year teaching contract. Being younger and more susceptible, he was affected earliest.
#2. Emily and Jeff, homebodies and longtime residents of Greenville, get an urge to pick up and move to Atlanta. (Apparently those in any proximity were affected by this biological timebomb. I happened to be inside playing Chopin, yet we were some of the first targets.)
#3. Abbie discovers she is pregnant. This owing of course to the fact that Jim put the actual bomb together.
#4. Just weeks later, Kimberly is pregnant. It was Laurance that fired the fuse, and his proximity caused this major life change.
#5. Even in Thailand there is no escape. It's encapsulated in the genes. Erin is pregnant with TWINS.
#6. Emily is hit again with a second, more serious symptom. It's not a bladder infection, it's a BABY.
#7. Elizabeth and Kris, long content at their beautiful beach home, accept a job opening for her in Florence. In a whirlwind of events, they uproot and move.
#8. Willie and Laura do not escape. A better job offer in Florence has them even now preparing to sell their house, drop everything and move. (Somehow Will, Elizabeth, and Jim were affected magnetically. The magnetic field recently became stronger, causing them to converge together near Florence. Of course, their spouses were affected as well.)
#9. There is apparently a second magnetic field, affecting the birthdate of two babies (though this is unconfirmed...more details to come later!!)

We still do not know if these events are converging ONCE in a lifetime or if they will happen again. In any case, be forewarned that if one major life change begins with one of the family, prepare yourself for anything. It could be your spouse will announce a career change to NASA astronaut. Perhaps you will find yourself moving to Siberia. Or you may find you are expecting quintuplets. Forewarned is forearmed!

Internet woes

Sorry I haven't been posting...our internet connection is messed up. It turns on once a day at an unpredictable time and dumps email into my box, but I can never seem to catch it when it's on...until right now. :)
I had another prenatal appointment yesterday and things seem to be fine. The little guy kicks a lot! Yesterday he ws so active...I don't know when he sleeps (hopefully when I do!) As far as reading, I'm halfway through "Thinking Woman's Guide" and getting a lot of good information. Information overload, in fact. I'll need time to process everything.
Jeff's mom and grandmom are coming this weekend, so it will be nice to see them.

Hopefully this internet problem will be resolved soon! I miss chatting with y'all.

Busy week

There is a lot going on this week, and wouldn't you know it, I came down with a nasty cold of the cough cough hack hack green phlegm variety. (TMI? Sorry!) I spent yesterday in bed instead of at church, and today I cancelled a couple of lessons. Also had to cancel on the dress rehearsal for the volunteer choir I'm involved in. It's a 2-and-a-half hour rehearsal, with an hour-and-a-half drive there, and since I can only sing Tenor, I figured my time tonight was better spent drowning myself in fluids and catching some Zzzz's in between coughs and potty breaks...

On a more perky note, some fun things have happened lately. :) Last week we received our first baby gift. It was a blue bib that says "Millionaire in Training!" I love it...soft and fuzzy and plenty big to contain messes! While we don't want to install a materialistic, get-as-rich-as-you-can mentality in our kid, we do want him to learn how to handle money, how to save and invest, and all the great stuff we've begun to learn from Dave Ramsey.

Speaking of money, while convalescing yesterday, I read a book by Ellie Kay called "1/2 Price Living: Secrets to Living Well on One Income." (I'm not planning to leave off teaching, but neither are we really living on what you'd call a "two-salary income." My teaching is a pleasant outlet for me and generates a little extra income which we put right in savings, so this book is a good fit for us too.) There's a great "working mom worksheet" which allows you to crunch numbers and see how much you're REALLY making as a working mom. There's also a good chapter on cutting grocery costs, along with a handy chart for what you "should" be spending for a 1) thrifty, 2) low-cost, 3) moderate cost, or 3) liberal grocery budget. I love seeing real numbers so this was helpful for me. If you're curious I'll send you the figures! And, if you're a SAHM and looking for a cottage-industry type thing to earn a little spending cash, read chapter 10, which lists some ideas to get you started. A good read overall though I wished she had fleshed out some ideas a little more. (It's a short book, 168 pages, large print).

Hmm....somehow I got sidetracked to a book review. :) Other fun stuff...I bought some lovely, red silk material for my music room curtains, Jeff bought a curtain rod for the same. Also found a weird shade of gray green that actually matched the guest room comforter. I'll cover a pillow with it and try to get some color into that room.

I wish I could do more right now. I have a million little unstarted projects in mind. However, after dropping the vaccuum cleaner down the stairs yesterday (in a moment of "sure I feel fine, I can do it" delirium), I am not allowed to attempt anything besides staying safely in bed...my reflexes are nonexistent and energy is very low....and now there's a hole the size of my fist in the lower part of the wall...thankfully Fixit Man Jeffrey says it's repairable... :D

Another good thing that's gotten done (by Jeff, not me) was digging up the beds & enriching the soil on two sides of the house. I planted zinnia seeds early last week, and they're already sticking their perky little heads up! By the end of the month, we should have flowers. Jeff bought a tomato plant and put that in yesterday. Also the potted rosemary and oregano plants can now grow freely in the ground.

And...Friday, when I was sniffly but still mobile, we went to Ikea to get the adjustable desk Jeff's been wanting. His legs honestly do not fit under normal desks, and this one is on an adjustable sawhorse. We got that as well as a huge bookcase for an amazing Ikea price. He assembled that and it's ready to receive a PORTION at least of his plethora of books. :)

The nursery is still completely bare except for a yellow, sealed trash can I got for dealing with stinky diapers. :) We have the paint color picked out, and are just waiting until next month & the funds & time to get it done.

The place looks more homey already with pictures on the walls. We're working on acquiring a living room couch. Jeff is selling a lot of his beautiful, leather-bound Easton Press books to help with that expense. He figured he'd rather have something for guests to sit on than a beautiful library of books that he could read in paperback if he really wanted to... Thankfully he's keeping a few of both our favorites. They do look great on a shelf!

Well...it's back to bed for this chickie...those of you in transition are in my thoughts & prayers! Take care all.

It's a Boy!

Most of you got my email (sorry Letisha, I didn't have yours!) but I thought I'd post it officially! Apparently our guy was being pretty shy...all he would show the technician was the top of his head! She said it was like he knew she was trying to look at him and was hiding from her. But finally she got a good look and it's certain...he's a boy! The measurements were all within average and he's developing normally. I've been feeling him kick a lot more lately.

And yes, closing went fine and we're all moved in!! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!! We slept here the night after closing on an air mattress and brought over our immediate living stuff. Then Saturday we got some guys from church to help us move. It was Men's Retreat weekend, so we were very thankful there were a few "slackers" who didn't go! :) The piano was the worst to move, with Jeff on one end and two guys on the other. It's amazing they got it done and it's in one piece!

I puttered around a little helping with small items. It was actually really nice to be pregnant and not have to do a lot, hee hee. :) I'm very thankful for Jeff and his ability to carry large objects and hook them up (washer, dryer, internet and computer)! We're fully functioning and did a mountain of laundry yesterday, along with stacking the dishwasher full of packed-away dishes...

Oh, and also got my new Bug on Thursday. :) The stick is a little tricky to drive but it's great having my own wheels. :) (Okay, my cheeks are getting tired from all the smiley faces)

I knew all this would happen in time, but it seems unreal now that it has. I feel incredibly blessed. Jeff has a hard time going to work every morning because we both want to putter around and settle our "nest." It will happen in time. :) Meanwhile we have visits from friends and family to look forward to. Love you guys and thanks for your prayers and support!

Closing snafu stuff

Okay, the appliances are in, minor fix-ups are being done, and we're ready to move in...except the check hasn't cleared which we transferred from another account for the downpayment. It's been a week. They're just incredibly sloooow. I hope it will show up by closing Wednesday...another chance for us to trust, I guess.
Also the Bug won't be available until Thursday. :( Until then I'll be heading out early with Jeff so he can drop me off and I can get a lot of extra practicing in...hey, this way my guitar skills should improve superfast. :)
I'll be very thankful when everything's done!

House walk-through!

Today (Tuesday) we did our walk-through of the house! It's beautiful! :D Final walk-through will be the morning of closing. The beautiful wood floors were unveiled (actually they're laminate, we found out today--cudda fooled us)-they had taken up the protective brown paper. It's a lot of Swiffering, but when I'm done, I'll know it's clean!!
We went through each room with the builder and looked for imperfections or things that weren't what we expected. The company is great and will not hesitate to change anything we like. A couple of special things we'd asked for weren't there, b/c they changed builders mid-build and some things got lost in the cracks, but they assured us everything could be fixed by closing date (Wednesday a week from now). We were impressed how many things they caught that we didn't...everything from little dents in the wall or drywall imperfections.
The appliances aren't in yet, and they haven't done their final spic-and-span cleaning, but we got a very good idea of how it would look.
I never did get those curtains done and it looks like I won't, so we'll make do with a few mini-blinds in places until then. Wednesday, while I'm teaching, Jeff will move our current living stuff out there, and we're planning to sleep on an inflatable mattress until we can do our actual move on that Saturday. Can't wait!! We're going to be too excited to sleep! :)
Just eight more days...it should go fast! And, good news on our VW Bug that has been "coming" for the last month...it's in and can be available probably by this Monday. :)
Happy, happy. :)

Silly Survey from Letisha!

Letisha, I filched your survey for lack of anything else to write about. If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged!

Favorite magazine? Better Homes & Gardens

What is your favorite tv show? HG TV? I don't watch a lot

What's on your mouse pad? It's weird but I don't have one.

Favorite smell? tea olive blossoms, or maybe wisteria

Worst feeling in the world: oh no, I forgot about that make-up lesson....!

Things I do on the weekends: hiking, errands, sleep in

Favorite Soundtrack: Pride and Prejudice (the BBC version)

What is the first thing that you thought of when you woke up this morning? I have to pee

Do you get motion sickness? nope

Roller Coasters, Exciting or Deadly? Deadly, not fun

Pen or Pencil? Mechanical pencil

How many rings till you answer the phone? 4th or 5th. I hate phones!!

Favorite Foods? Subway turkey & provolone with banana peppers, vinegar and Italian spices

Do you get along with your parents? Yes

Have you ever been convicted of a Crime? no

Chocolate or Vanilla? chocolate, with peanut butter!

Croutons or Bacon bits? Croutons

Do you like to drive? when I'm by myself...no backseat drivers!

Do you sleep with stuffed animals? no, but I sleep with a husband and sometimes a cat

If you could have any kind of pet, what would it be? a horse...which someone would groom and feed for me :)

What is your zodiac sign? don't really care

Do you eat the stems of your broccoli? yes

If you could have any job you wanted, what would it be? interior decorator? Though I like my job pretty well

If you could dye your hair any color, what would it be? same color but with a little more red

If you could have a tattoo, where would it be? somewhere hidden

Have you ever been in love? yes...am currently :)

What is on the walls in your room? a wreath, paint

Write the first thing that comes to your mind: the baby is kicking me...little tiny kicks

Is your glass half empty or half full? half empty...trying to work on that!

What is your favorite Snapple? Not sure I've ever had it

Are you righty, lefty or ambidextrous? Righty

Do you type with your fingers on the correct keys? yep

If you could be any gardening tool what would it be? a trowel

What is under your bed? a couple of framed pictures

What is your favorite number? 7

What is your favorite color? salmon

What was your first car? 1992 Mercury Sable (the Great White Whale)

What is your dream car? a blue Miata

Favorite sport to watch? horseracing? Maybe ice skating. The tour de France isn't bad