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!
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
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.
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.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
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
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
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!
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!
Friday, July 13, 2007
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.
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.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
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.
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.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
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.
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.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Silly picture
Nobody was around except us and Benjamin said he didn't know how to take the picture. :)
Thursday, June 21, 2007
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. :)
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. :)
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
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!
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!
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
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!
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!
Monday, June 04, 2007
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!
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!
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!
Friday, May 18, 2007
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.
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.
Monday, May 07, 2007
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.
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.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
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!
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!
Friday, April 13, 2007
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!
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!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
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. :)
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. :)
Saturday, April 07, 2007
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
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
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