Symptoms - Morning sickness is still the same. I am starting to show a little bit.
Memorable Moments – We went with some friends to a see a Christmas light show. Addi was mesmorized. Other than that, the only memorable thing that I can think of is that Jared was the sickest I've ever seen him on Saturday night until Monday night. Wow, he helps a lot...by the time it was all said and done, I was exhausted with taking care of everything for Addi and keeping up with the house, etc. Jared - THANK YOU for ALL of your help, love and support. The days you were sick made me realize that I would be more lost without you than I even thought. I love you!!
Feelings / Thoughts – I am really excited about finding out what the gender of our baby is in a couple weeks. I would love to have another daughter, but I would love to have a son, too. Either way, Jared and I will be happy and we are so thankful that God has given us a chance to experience all of this again! :)
We hope you all have a fabulous Christmas!!! :)
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Change of Plans
We had a great weekend planned that included fun stuff like picking up Addi's Christmas pictures, a visit to the Billy Graham Library (which has a wonderful Christmas event!), church, and a bonfire and dinner with friends that was to end with a walk around Christmas Town USA. The weekend plans also included the not so fun stuff: shopping at WalMart and Target. Don't get me wrong, Target is one of my favorite places to shop, but all that was on my list to pick up there was diapers and baby food...so, not really all that exciting (though I do love shopping for my baby!). :) I left work at Friday with a plan of spending the evening at home with my favorites. This plan worked out wonderfully!
Fast forward to Saturday morning. We were getting ready when I heard the sirens at 9:00. I totally forgot that this was the Saturday the town Fire Department was coming around on a fire truck with a man dressed as Santa on the top of the truck and firmen hanging off the sides and giving children goody bags. While I didn't expect a goody bag for Addi, I insisted that we have her see all the commotion. The fire truck finally made its way through our subdivision and to our house around 10:15. By this time it was snowing and icing slightly which made for an exciting, picturesque moment when the truck came around (which Addi LOVED!), but the roads were just a little icy (really it wasn't anything, but Jared was nervous) causing me to postpone my shopping trips to later. Jared had to work from noon to four and I didn't want to take Addi with me (seriously it is a little difficult trying to find the best bargain and bang for our buck with a nine month old screaming because she doesn't like to be in the cart), so I decided that we should go to the Billy Graham library on Monday night so that Jared could watch Addi while I shopped. Then we remembered the lights in the town beside of us which are beautiful and wonderful, but cause utter chaos on the weekends. I would have been stuck in traffic for probably an hour or more, so I chose instead to do my shopping on Sunday with Jared and Addi. Or so that was the plan.
After wrapping presents, finally putting finishing touches on my Christmas decorations, working on a Christmas present I am making for Addi,and getting all outfits for Sunday ready, Jared and I decided that our lazy Saturday had been lovely and perfect. Then 10:30 pm hit. Poor Jared started throwing up every 20 mins (sorry if that's TMI), and did not stop until around 7:00 a.m. He didn't sleep at all, I slept for maybe three hours...Addi slept through it all, Praise Jesus! Needless to say, church was off, plans with friends were cancelled and I ended up taking Addi to Target, Sears to pick up her pictures and to WalMart. I spent more money in WalMart than I should have because Addi was anxious and I wanted to get back to Jared so I barely looked at prices while grocery shopping. It is now past 8:30 pm and he still is getting sick every hour to two hours. Praying he feels better soon. Addi is still up, refusing to sleep, and I'm feeling a little frazzled by it all.
So it was a great weekend, a terrible weekend, a long weekend and a short weekend all combined. Here's to Monday...and the short work week...and to the hope that next weekend will go a little bit more as planned. :)
Fast forward to Saturday morning. We were getting ready when I heard the sirens at 9:00. I totally forgot that this was the Saturday the town Fire Department was coming around on a fire truck with a man dressed as Santa on the top of the truck and firmen hanging off the sides and giving children goody bags. While I didn't expect a goody bag for Addi, I insisted that we have her see all the commotion. The fire truck finally made its way through our subdivision and to our house around 10:15. By this time it was snowing and icing slightly which made for an exciting, picturesque moment when the truck came around (which Addi LOVED!), but the roads were just a little icy (really it wasn't anything, but Jared was nervous) causing me to postpone my shopping trips to later. Jared had to work from noon to four and I didn't want to take Addi with me (seriously it is a little difficult trying to find the best bargain and bang for our buck with a nine month old screaming because she doesn't like to be in the cart), so I decided that we should go to the Billy Graham library on Monday night so that Jared could watch Addi while I shopped. Then we remembered the lights in the town beside of us which are beautiful and wonderful, but cause utter chaos on the weekends. I would have been stuck in traffic for probably an hour or more, so I chose instead to do my shopping on Sunday with Jared and Addi. Or so that was the plan.
After wrapping presents, finally putting finishing touches on my Christmas decorations, working on a Christmas present I am making for Addi,and getting all outfits for Sunday ready, Jared and I decided that our lazy Saturday had been lovely and perfect. Then 10:30 pm hit. Poor Jared started throwing up every 20 mins (sorry if that's TMI), and did not stop until around 7:00 a.m. He didn't sleep at all, I slept for maybe three hours...Addi slept through it all, Praise Jesus! Needless to say, church was off, plans with friends were cancelled and I ended up taking Addi to Target, Sears to pick up her pictures and to WalMart. I spent more money in WalMart than I should have because Addi was anxious and I wanted to get back to Jared so I barely looked at prices while grocery shopping. It is now past 8:30 pm and he still is getting sick every hour to two hours. Praying he feels better soon. Addi is still up, refusing to sleep, and I'm feeling a little frazzled by it all.
So it was a great weekend, a terrible weekend, a long weekend and a short weekend all combined. Here's to Monday...and the short work week...and to the hope that next weekend will go a little bit more as planned. :)
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
14 Weeks
Symptoms - This baby ovbiously doesn't realize we are now in the second trimester. Which is why I am on the computer at 6:30 this morning. Had to take a break from getting ready because I feel so nauseous. Oh well...I'll gladly go through this every day if it means our baby is healthy and thriving. :)
Memorable Moments – Addi started crawling. Well, not really crawling...more like using one arm to pull herself around the room, but hey, in our book it's crawling! :) She also met Santa Claus this weekend, which did not go over well at all. She never cried, just made her pitiful pouty face and her eyes filled with tears. Jared and I are still in discussions about what we are going to teach our children regarding Santa, but it was fun to get a photo. :)
Feelings / Thoughts – Happy...and ready for Friday. Tuesday mornings seem rougher than Monday mornings at times. :)
Memorable Moments – Addi started crawling. Well, not really crawling...more like using one arm to pull herself around the room, but hey, in our book it's crawling! :) She also met Santa Claus this weekend, which did not go over well at all. She never cried, just made her pitiful pouty face and her eyes filled with tears. Jared and I are still in discussions about what we are going to teach our children regarding Santa, but it was fun to get a photo. :)
Feelings / Thoughts – Happy...and ready for Friday. Tuesday mornings seem rougher than Monday mornings at times. :)
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
13 Weeks
Symptoms - Morning sickness is not fun at all, but sure is worth it. No other major symptoms…I think my energy level is starting to increase, which is very nice for me…and even nicer for our house that FINALLY has Christmas decorations! :)
Memorable Moments – The Hokies won the ACC championship and I was so excited that Jared was able to attend the game since it was in Charlotte! He had a great time with one of his closest friends and I used that time to decorate the house since Addi slept away most of the evening. Addi also learned to clap over the weekend. Her clap is very cute…she keeps one hand open and one shut. :) She also said, “dap” a couple times and would clap. We lovingly refer to her as our immobile genius because she says, “Mama,” “Dada,” “bath,” and “baba” (for her bottle), but she still refuses to crawl. It concerns me, but I know she will soon - hopefully…and hopefully before baby #2 makes his/her way into our crazy lives. :) Oh and Sunday night, Addi and I sat on the couch for over two hours….we played, cuddled, sing, “talked” and laughed. She is a cuddly baby, but not usually that cuddly for that long. I momentarily thought about all the things I needed to be doing, but decided to focus on her instead. It was the best decision I’ve made in a while and was absolutely a perfect moment.
Feelings / Thoughts – Blessed :)
Memorable Moments – The Hokies won the ACC championship and I was so excited that Jared was able to attend the game since it was in Charlotte! He had a great time with one of his closest friends and I used that time to decorate the house since Addi slept away most of the evening. Addi also learned to clap over the weekend. Her clap is very cute…she keeps one hand open and one shut. :) She also said, “dap” a couple times and would clap. We lovingly refer to her as our immobile genius because she says, “Mama,” “Dada,” “bath,” and “baba” (for her bottle), but she still refuses to crawl. It concerns me, but I know she will soon - hopefully…and hopefully before baby #2 makes his/her way into our crazy lives. :) Oh and Sunday night, Addi and I sat on the couch for over two hours….we played, cuddled, sing, “talked” and laughed. She is a cuddly baby, but not usually that cuddly for that long. I momentarily thought about all the things I needed to be doing, but decided to focus on her instead. It was the best decision I’ve made in a while and was absolutely a perfect moment.
Feelings / Thoughts – Blessed :)
Saturday, December 4, 2010
The Turner Four / 12 Weeks
For those of you who aren't aware...the Turner family of three will become the Turner family of four in late May or early June. When we first found out we were pregnant, we were shocked. Our shock has been replaced with gratefullness, an overwhelming feeling of being completely blessed and admittedely a little fear. We are overwhelmed with our daily tasks at times as it is and soon we will have two children needing our love, care, time and energy. I know that we are going to LOVE being parents of two children though and that God will give us the strength to make it through the first few months with a new little one, just as He has with Addi.
As I did with Addi, I'm going to try to blog each week about my pregnancy...starting with this past week (which went from the Tuesday before Thanksgiving through Monday of this past week).
So...12 weeks:
Symptoms - Morning sickness ia in full force. This child is making sure to not be outdone by Miss Addi. The worst symptom thus far though has not been the nausea, it's the terrible taste I experience with almost everything I eat. I have been living off of fruit mainly for the past 7 weeks. It seems to be getting slightly better (fingers crossed!)
Memorable Moments - We told our family about the pregnancy on Thanksgiving day (more to come about that later), experienced Addi's first Thanksgiving as well and heard our baby's heartbeat for the first time on Monday! :)
Feelings / Thoughts - See above this time
As I did with Addi, I'm going to try to blog each week about my pregnancy...starting with this past week (which went from the Tuesday before Thanksgiving through Monday of this past week).
So...12 weeks:
Symptoms - Morning sickness ia in full force. This child is making sure to not be outdone by Miss Addi. The worst symptom thus far though has not been the nausea, it's the terrible taste I experience with almost everything I eat. I have been living off of fruit mainly for the past 7 weeks. It seems to be getting slightly better (fingers crossed!)
Memorable Moments - We told our family about the pregnancy on Thanksgiving day (more to come about that later), experienced Addi's first Thanksgiving as well and heard our baby's heartbeat for the first time on Monday! :)
Feelings / Thoughts - See above this time
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
I am a full-time mom
I read something the other day that slightly irritated me. Since I am devoting a blog post to it, it probably irritated me more than just slightly. I have heard moms who are blessed to stay at home with their children complain about people thinking they don't work. I agree, moms who stay at home with children do, in fact, work. Being a mom is a full-time job.
What I read, referred to stay-at-home moms as full-time moms as if to imply that moms who work outside the home are not full-time. We moms who work outside the home, work inside the home full-time as well. We devote as much energy into our children's lives as any other mother. Our time may be limited, but our love for our children has no limits. We may have to send our children to daycare or leave them with a sitter, but we leave our hearts with them. We think about them all the time, worry about their well-being, long for more time with them and wish we could always be the ones to kiss their boo-boos, feed them, lay them down for a nap and play with them. We get tired - bone-tired - and feel like we can't deal with all the pressure at times, but we manage to muster up enough strength for our children to not know that we are exhausted, overwhelmed, or have had a bad day. We are moms...that's our job.
Having to work full-time and leave Addi at daycare bothers me quite a bit. I have cried about it, fussed at Jared about it (though it's totally not his fault...he works very hard!), and have felt guilt-ridden about it quite a bit. However, if I really stop to think about how I have seen the hand of God move in our lives and in our work situations in the last year, I can say without a shadow of doubt that we are where God wants us to be right now. Jared and I pray all the time to be in the center of God's will. Sometimes, God's will is our will, sometimes it is not. For now, God's will in this area is different than mine, but only God knows why He has us where He does. So, I publicly declare to God and to my husband that I am finally willing to accept this and will do my best not to complain. God has allowed undeserving me to be a full-time mom...how can I complain?
What I read, referred to stay-at-home moms as full-time moms as if to imply that moms who work outside the home are not full-time. We moms who work outside the home, work inside the home full-time as well. We devote as much energy into our children's lives as any other mother. Our time may be limited, but our love for our children has no limits. We may have to send our children to daycare or leave them with a sitter, but we leave our hearts with them. We think about them all the time, worry about their well-being, long for more time with them and wish we could always be the ones to kiss their boo-boos, feed them, lay them down for a nap and play with them. We get tired - bone-tired - and feel like we can't deal with all the pressure at times, but we manage to muster up enough strength for our children to not know that we are exhausted, overwhelmed, or have had a bad day. We are moms...that's our job.
Having to work full-time and leave Addi at daycare bothers me quite a bit. I have cried about it, fussed at Jared about it (though it's totally not his fault...he works very hard!), and have felt guilt-ridden about it quite a bit. However, if I really stop to think about how I have seen the hand of God move in our lives and in our work situations in the last year, I can say without a shadow of doubt that we are where God wants us to be right now. Jared and I pray all the time to be in the center of God's will. Sometimes, God's will is our will, sometimes it is not. For now, God's will in this area is different than mine, but only God knows why He has us where He does. So, I publicly declare to God and to my husband that I am finally willing to accept this and will do my best not to complain. God has allowed undeserving me to be a full-time mom...how can I complain?
Monday, November 22, 2010
So Excited!
Only 2 more days of work then it is time to let the Thanksgiving / Black Friday festivities begin! I cannot wait!
That's really all I have to say...or maybe it's just all I have time to say. Between work, a sick baby, and everything that needs to be done before we leave on Wednesday night or Thursday morning, I really don't have time to be on here.
So...have a great Thanksgiving!! Enjoy the time you have with your family and loved ones!! :)
That's really all I have to say...or maybe it's just all I have time to say. Between work, a sick baby, and everything that needs to be done before we leave on Wednesday night or Thursday morning, I really don't have time to be on here.
So...have a great Thanksgiving!! Enjoy the time you have with your family and loved ones!! :)
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
A letter to my 8 month old!
Dear Addi,
You turned 8 months old yesterday. I can't believe it! Time is going way too fast, but I cherish every single moment I have with you.
You are such a sweet girl! You smile all the time. People always comment on what a happy baby you are. You love life and it radiates all over you. I hope that through the years, you never lose that joy.
You are easygoing, like your daddy...except when you're hungry or really tired. When you are hungry, you scream your head off. Seriously, you kick and scream and shake your arms. You've done this every since you were born and I don't think it's going to change any time soon.
You are very curious. You are not crawling yet, but somehow still manage to get into things. The other day you rolled underneath your swing and next to the lamp in the corner. I still don't know how you did it. I have a feeling once you start crawling, daddy and I are going to really have our hands full!
Speaking of crawling, you are a little stubborn. The fact that you are not crawling shows that. You have been acting like you are going to crawl for over 2 months, and yet, you start to attempt and then decide you don't want to and would rather have mommy or daddy give you the toy you want. When we don't give it to you right away, you cry and act like the world is coming to an end. Unfortunately, you have a double dose of stubborn...hopefully, you'll learn to manage it well in spite of everything.
You are funny. You love to giggle and love it when we act crazy. For example, I taught you how to put toys on your head and then move your head to make them fall off. You think this is hilarious. We have a hard time putting hats and bows on your head now though. You would rather try to shake them off and make us laugh than keep them on. We need to work on that.
You like to play. Daddy says that when you were born, he knew the minute he saw you that you were going to love to play. :) Your favorite toys right now are your toy piano and your infantino toy that makes crazy noises. You also love your seahorse that plays music and glows. You sleep with it every night. You think songs like "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Patty Cake" are a ton of fun. You also love to play with your wipe box. That's kind-of weird, but I'm sure you'll grow out of it.
You are beautiful. Total strangers will come up to us and tell us what a gorgeous baby we have. It's true...you are the cutest baby I've ever laid eyes on. Your beauty runs deep though. It's not just the way you look, its who you are inside. You have a beautiful soul, I can already tell. I believe you are going to grow up to be kind and compassionate and pray that you are going to love Jesus more than anything.
You are a pure delight! Daddy and I love you so much and LOVE having you in our lives. We can't imagine the world without you. We love watching you grow. One day, when I'm holding your babies (if you decide to have them), I'll think about this time and I'll miss it. But, I'll love being the mom of a grown up Addi (who will probably choose to go by Addison at some point).
Happy 8 month my sweet Fufe!! :)
Love,
Mommy
You turned 8 months old yesterday. I can't believe it! Time is going way too fast, but I cherish every single moment I have with you.
You are such a sweet girl! You smile all the time. People always comment on what a happy baby you are. You love life and it radiates all over you. I hope that through the years, you never lose that joy.
You are easygoing, like your daddy...except when you're hungry or really tired. When you are hungry, you scream your head off. Seriously, you kick and scream and shake your arms. You've done this every since you were born and I don't think it's going to change any time soon.
You are very curious. You are not crawling yet, but somehow still manage to get into things. The other day you rolled underneath your swing and next to the lamp in the corner. I still don't know how you did it. I have a feeling once you start crawling, daddy and I are going to really have our hands full!
Speaking of crawling, you are a little stubborn. The fact that you are not crawling shows that. You have been acting like you are going to crawl for over 2 months, and yet, you start to attempt and then decide you don't want to and would rather have mommy or daddy give you the toy you want. When we don't give it to you right away, you cry and act like the world is coming to an end. Unfortunately, you have a double dose of stubborn...hopefully, you'll learn to manage it well in spite of everything.
You are funny. You love to giggle and love it when we act crazy. For example, I taught you how to put toys on your head and then move your head to make them fall off. You think this is hilarious. We have a hard time putting hats and bows on your head now though. You would rather try to shake them off and make us laugh than keep them on. We need to work on that.
You like to play. Daddy says that when you were born, he knew the minute he saw you that you were going to love to play. :) Your favorite toys right now are your toy piano and your infantino toy that makes crazy noises. You also love your seahorse that plays music and glows. You sleep with it every night. You think songs like "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Patty Cake" are a ton of fun. You also love to play with your wipe box. That's kind-of weird, but I'm sure you'll grow out of it.
You are beautiful. Total strangers will come up to us and tell us what a gorgeous baby we have. It's true...you are the cutest baby I've ever laid eyes on. Your beauty runs deep though. It's not just the way you look, its who you are inside. You have a beautiful soul, I can already tell. I believe you are going to grow up to be kind and compassionate and pray that you are going to love Jesus more than anything.
You are a pure delight! Daddy and I love you so much and LOVE having you in our lives. We can't imagine the world without you. We love watching you grow. One day, when I'm holding your babies (if you decide to have them), I'll think about this time and I'll miss it. But, I'll love being the mom of a grown up Addi (who will probably choose to go by Addison at some point).
Happy 8 month my sweet Fufe!! :)
Love,
Mommy
Thanks Ms. Kim!
So I had planned on blogging each day in November about something that I am thankful for. Obviously, my intentions are much better than my actions. Today though, I'm thankful for Addi's teacher, Ms. Kim. Ms. Kim was the first teacher I spoke with when Jared and I dropped off our precious baby her first day of daycare. I was so sad and so scared. She put my mind at ease that day and has every day since. Addi loves her. She beams when she sees her, reaches for her and even gives her hugs. Ms. Kim can look at me in the mornings and without me saying a word she knows if I'm stressed or rushed. She instantly lends a helping hand...putting Addi's bottles and other necessities away and uttering an encouraging word. She knows the days I need to hold Addi for just one more minute because I'm having a hard time letting go and patiently waits for me to hand her over. As I have said before, I hate leaving my girl, but when I leave Addi with such wonderful people, I truly feel blessed.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Eye Opener
This doesn't happen frequently, but sometimes I feel sorry for myself. This is a pathetic trait. This week, I have felt sorry for myself. Addi has been sick, work has been hectic, I have been tired, the house has been consistently messy, and the list goes on. Usually a time of feeling sorry for myself results in me crying and pleading to God for help. I did this last night. It helped, but sometimes just asking for help doesn't change things. Sometimes we have to be open to how God "helps" us. He didn't reach down and take the stress away, instead He opened my eyes. I just read a portion of a blog of a first time mom named Libby. She has a daughter not much older than Addi and a loving husband...and she has cancer. Cancer. I feel sorry for myself for being busy and stressed and she is dealing with chemo and its side effects. I complain about having to leave Addi so that I can go to work and she is praying that she can have the strength to rock her baby to sleep every night. I am worn-out from the daily grind and she rejoices when she has enough energy to get out of the house for an hour. I am selfish and she is a warrior.
My prayer is that I don't forget that there are people in this world who have it a lot worse than me. Not just the people that we tend to often think about when we feel sorry for ourselves...you know, homeless people, those without jobs, lonely people, etc. I also want to remember those who are fighting every day so that they can live one more day. God has blessed me and even if He chooses not to bless me anymore, I have it so good. Makes me hope I never feel sorry for myself again. But when I do, I'll think of Libby, her husband and her sweet baby girl. And if you can, please think of her too. Pray for her and pray that God will heal her body and give her the strength she needs to make it through this horrible illness.
My prayer is that I don't forget that there are people in this world who have it a lot worse than me. Not just the people that we tend to often think about when we feel sorry for ourselves...you know, homeless people, those without jobs, lonely people, etc. I also want to remember those who are fighting every day so that they can live one more day. God has blessed me and even if He chooses not to bless me anymore, I have it so good. Makes me hope I never feel sorry for myself again. But when I do, I'll think of Libby, her husband and her sweet baby girl. And if you can, please think of her too. Pray for her and pray that God will heal her body and give her the strength she needs to make it through this horrible illness.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Burned Out
So I am completely burned out. Trying to give 110% percent to being a wife, mommy and full-time employee has caused me to become completely stressed, overwhelmed and exhausted. Perhaps it's because I'm not giving 110% to God. Unfortunately, it's easy to let my relationship with God be put on the back-burner when daily tasks require so much time and energy. So, I'm taking steps to get back to the basics. Back to spending time in prayer and reading the Bible. The amazing thing is, upon making this decision, I felt immediate peace. I've been welcomed with open and loving arms by my amazing Savior. I feel like I'm home again and on my way to becoming refreshed and restored.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Six Months
Where does time go? I often think about this blog – think about updating it and wonder if anyone ever even reads it anymore. If you do, bless you!!
The last 6 months have been surreal: filled with moments of complete bliss intertwined with moments of utter chaos and complete confusion. Being responsible for a child will both age you and make you young all at the same time.
To recap the last few months (mainly for us to document these precious moments that we will yearn to relive one day):
March 2010 – What an absolute JOYOUS day March 1st was! We were finally in our sweet baby’s birth month! I woke up singing, “HAPPY BIRTH MONTH to you!” to the child who had already infiltrated our lives in the form of smiling animal mobiles, swings, blankets, tiny socks and shoes and pink…lots and lots of pink. Once Addison Hope entirely entered our world (as in she was now a sweet, beautiful, slightly jaundiced baby that we could not ignore) we were in for one of the longest yet shortest months of our lives! It was complete craziness. I wouldn’t want to do it again, and yet I would. I often tell people that I am convinced that God puts something special in children of first time parents – an ability to be patient while their parents learn (something I assume Addison will be doing for the rest of our lives because we will never fully learn). So to all of you children of first time parents…hats off to you!!
April 2010 – April started off on quite a different note than March. I was sad. Sad to know that would be the month I had to leave my baby girl at daycare. My wise husband gently, but firmly, gave me advice to enjoy the time I still had left as a “stay-at-home” mom and not think about the time I wouldn’t have with her. So I did. I enjoyed every single moment with my baby…cuddling and singing to her, suds-ing her up at bath time, listening to her breathe as she laid on me, and soaking in every single moment of every single day with her. Yes, there were times of being so tired that I cried and yelled at Jared for no reason at all (still sorry about that Mr. Wonderful!) and there were times that I thought I was completely unqualified to be a parent (but in truth, we all are!), but I ENJOYED my time with her so much. It was heavenly. Jared and I also got brave that month. We started taking Addi out in public to more places than the doctor’s office and church. Of course those outings ALWAYS required for Addi to wear a big hair bow and of course, pink. Addi’s first holiday and trip to Virginia were also thrown into that month. Then came April 26th – “Back to Work for Mommy Day" (aka ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT DAYS OF MY ENTIRE LIFE!), but we all got through it. And on her fourth day of daycare, I dropped Addi off and she smiled at me with a smile I had never seen before. A smile so intense that for a moment I wondered if God had allowed her to look inside of my heart and see the tremendous amount of pain I was in while dropping her off just so that she could reassure me that she was ok. And she loves her daycare and I love the ladies who love her so much during the day…our “daycare family” that God has placed into our lives. They are blessings indeed.
May 2010 - May was a very special month! Jared and Addi had their first daddy/daughter date - they went shopping for Mother's Day! Mother's Day was a grand affair for me. I was completely spoiled by Mr. Wonderful and my precious princess! To anyone who has ever struggled with getting pregnant, Mother's Day can be such a difficult day and I remembered that this Mother's Day. I said prayers for those who I know are having difficulties getting pregnant and prayers for those who have lost their moms or have lost children. Sadly there are too many names on all of those lists. On May 16th we publically declared that we would raise Addi up in a Christian home. Even though we had already made this promise to God on several occasions, to be able to stand up in front of our church family, our families and our friends and make the promise again was so important and so special. It was followed by a big celebration with some of the closest people in our lives. Jared and I also celebrated our 5 year anniversary. We did it up big…he worked at a race that night while I spent time at home wit Addi. Somehow, though…it really didn’t matter. We celebrate live with each other every day.
June 2010 - June was another adventurous month. It started off with Miss Addi getting sick. Her first fever of 101.2 put this mama into a panic! Thankfully it was just an ear infection due to a cold, but seeing my baby feeling poorly just about broke my heart into pieces. She handled her first illness like a champ though and definitely proved she is one tough cookie! Jared celebrated his first Father’s Day…complete with his favorite meal of enchiladas and lots of pictures of Addi to hang up on his office walls. I loved seeing Jared hold his daughter on this day…I love seeing him hold her every day…it makes me feel like all is right with the world. He is such a good daddy! June ended with my birthday celebration and a road trip for Addi and me to Virginia. She did great in the car (on the way to Virginia)…on the way back she did not do so great. I got to hear her scream for about an hour and a half…but hey, I can’t complain…her lungs are obviously in great shape!
July 2010 – July was another month filled with firsts for Addi! Her first 4th of July: which included a trip to church and her first picnic at the park. No fireworks for our little sparkler though…we figured we’d wait until next year when she is more observant. Following the fourth, she had her first full-week out of daycare (thanks to the grandmas for watching her while the daycare was closed!). The next week was her first, and hopefully last, case of croup. After the croup was out of her system she had her first taste of food…rice cereal (she didn’t like it) then oatmeal (she didn’t like it), then bananas (she loved them) and green beans (she loved them the most!). This was the month she also started smiling all the time and laughing. The first time she really laughed out loud was one day after work when she was in her daddy’s arms. I did something silly and she and Jared both laughed out loud. It was one of those moments you feel God just wrapped up and put a bow on before presenting it to us. I will never forget it and will forever treasure it.
August 2010 – August was busy, busy. I started a new position at work while transitioning out of another position which made for a crazy first couple of weeks! Addi and I made our second trip to Virginia without our favorite guy (boo) and then the next weekend we took our first family vacation (albeit for one night…but hey, it was fun!). I must say, Addi LOVED the hotel room. She thought it was so fun to play on the king size bed! Somewhere in the midst of our crazy month, Addi completely grew overnight. She started sitting up all by herself, reaching for her toys, talking even more and just overall became more observant and even more excited about life. What a fun baby she is!
And so here we are in September. It’s already been a great month! My sister and husband came to visit and we had a three day weekend! Addi has started to copy what others are doing. We first observed this on Saturday when she puckered her lips at my sister after my sister made “fish lips.” She is almost crawling and is just such a happy little girl.
Yesterday she turned six months old. What a bittersweet day it was. She has infiltrated our lives in the most amazing way. She fits into the mold of our little family so well that it’s hard to remember that she hasn’t always been here. However, time is going so fast. I hate that. I want to hold on to every second and add five more to it. But as Addi grows, we grow. We’re growing into our roles as parents…there are good days and not so good days. Days we feel like we have this parenting thing down and days we feel like we don’t have a clue. Every day though is filled with kisses, hugs, smiles, laughter and love….lots and lots of love. God has blessed me indeed…I couldn’t ask for more.
The last 6 months have been surreal: filled with moments of complete bliss intertwined with moments of utter chaos and complete confusion. Being responsible for a child will both age you and make you young all at the same time.
To recap the last few months (mainly for us to document these precious moments that we will yearn to relive one day):
March 2010 – What an absolute JOYOUS day March 1st was! We were finally in our sweet baby’s birth month! I woke up singing, “HAPPY BIRTH MONTH to you!” to the child who had already infiltrated our lives in the form of smiling animal mobiles, swings, blankets, tiny socks and shoes and pink…lots and lots of pink. Once Addison Hope entirely entered our world (as in she was now a sweet, beautiful, slightly jaundiced baby that we could not ignore) we were in for one of the longest yet shortest months of our lives! It was complete craziness. I wouldn’t want to do it again, and yet I would. I often tell people that I am convinced that God puts something special in children of first time parents – an ability to be patient while their parents learn (something I assume Addison will be doing for the rest of our lives because we will never fully learn). So to all of you children of first time parents…hats off to you!!
April 2010 – April started off on quite a different note than March. I was sad. Sad to know that would be the month I had to leave my baby girl at daycare. My wise husband gently, but firmly, gave me advice to enjoy the time I still had left as a “stay-at-home” mom and not think about the time I wouldn’t have with her. So I did. I enjoyed every single moment with my baby…cuddling and singing to her, suds-ing her up at bath time, listening to her breathe as she laid on me, and soaking in every single moment of every single day with her. Yes, there were times of being so tired that I cried and yelled at Jared for no reason at all (still sorry about that Mr. Wonderful!) and there were times that I thought I was completely unqualified to be a parent (but in truth, we all are!), but I ENJOYED my time with her so much. It was heavenly. Jared and I also got brave that month. We started taking Addi out in public to more places than the doctor’s office and church. Of course those outings ALWAYS required for Addi to wear a big hair bow and of course, pink. Addi’s first holiday and trip to Virginia were also thrown into that month. Then came April 26th – “Back to Work for Mommy Day" (aka ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT DAYS OF MY ENTIRE LIFE!), but we all got through it. And on her fourth day of daycare, I dropped Addi off and she smiled at me with a smile I had never seen before. A smile so intense that for a moment I wondered if God had allowed her to look inside of my heart and see the tremendous amount of pain I was in while dropping her off just so that she could reassure me that she was ok. And she loves her daycare and I love the ladies who love her so much during the day…our “daycare family” that God has placed into our lives. They are blessings indeed.
May 2010 - May was a very special month! Jared and Addi had their first daddy/daughter date - they went shopping for Mother's Day! Mother's Day was a grand affair for me. I was completely spoiled by Mr. Wonderful and my precious princess! To anyone who has ever struggled with getting pregnant, Mother's Day can be such a difficult day and I remembered that this Mother's Day. I said prayers for those who I know are having difficulties getting pregnant and prayers for those who have lost their moms or have lost children. Sadly there are too many names on all of those lists. On May 16th we publically declared that we would raise Addi up in a Christian home. Even though we had already made this promise to God on several occasions, to be able to stand up in front of our church family, our families and our friends and make the promise again was so important and so special. It was followed by a big celebration with some of the closest people in our lives. Jared and I also celebrated our 5 year anniversary. We did it up big…he worked at a race that night while I spent time at home wit Addi. Somehow, though…it really didn’t matter. We celebrate live with each other every day.
June 2010 - June was another adventurous month. It started off with Miss Addi getting sick. Her first fever of 101.2 put this mama into a panic! Thankfully it was just an ear infection due to a cold, but seeing my baby feeling poorly just about broke my heart into pieces. She handled her first illness like a champ though and definitely proved she is one tough cookie! Jared celebrated his first Father’s Day…complete with his favorite meal of enchiladas and lots of pictures of Addi to hang up on his office walls. I loved seeing Jared hold his daughter on this day…I love seeing him hold her every day…it makes me feel like all is right with the world. He is such a good daddy! June ended with my birthday celebration and a road trip for Addi and me to Virginia. She did great in the car (on the way to Virginia)…on the way back she did not do so great. I got to hear her scream for about an hour and a half…but hey, I can’t complain…her lungs are obviously in great shape!
July 2010 – July was another month filled with firsts for Addi! Her first 4th of July: which included a trip to church and her first picnic at the park. No fireworks for our little sparkler though…we figured we’d wait until next year when she is more observant. Following the fourth, she had her first full-week out of daycare (thanks to the grandmas for watching her while the daycare was closed!). The next week was her first, and hopefully last, case of croup. After the croup was out of her system she had her first taste of food…rice cereal (she didn’t like it) then oatmeal (she didn’t like it), then bananas (she loved them) and green beans (she loved them the most!). This was the month she also started smiling all the time and laughing. The first time she really laughed out loud was one day after work when she was in her daddy’s arms. I did something silly and she and Jared both laughed out loud. It was one of those moments you feel God just wrapped up and put a bow on before presenting it to us. I will never forget it and will forever treasure it.
August 2010 – August was busy, busy. I started a new position at work while transitioning out of another position which made for a crazy first couple of weeks! Addi and I made our second trip to Virginia without our favorite guy (boo) and then the next weekend we took our first family vacation (albeit for one night…but hey, it was fun!). I must say, Addi LOVED the hotel room. She thought it was so fun to play on the king size bed! Somewhere in the midst of our crazy month, Addi completely grew overnight. She started sitting up all by herself, reaching for her toys, talking even more and just overall became more observant and even more excited about life. What a fun baby she is!
And so here we are in September. It’s already been a great month! My sister and husband came to visit and we had a three day weekend! Addi has started to copy what others are doing. We first observed this on Saturday when she puckered her lips at my sister after my sister made “fish lips.” She is almost crawling and is just such a happy little girl.
Yesterday she turned six months old. What a bittersweet day it was. She has infiltrated our lives in the most amazing way. She fits into the mold of our little family so well that it’s hard to remember that she hasn’t always been here. However, time is going so fast. I hate that. I want to hold on to every second and add five more to it. But as Addi grows, we grow. We’re growing into our roles as parents…there are good days and not so good days. Days we feel like we have this parenting thing down and days we feel like we don’t have a clue. Every day though is filled with kisses, hugs, smiles, laughter and love….lots and lots of love. God has blessed me indeed…I couldn’t ask for more.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Little Moments
I am watching my amazing husband hold our sweet daughter as they both sleep on the couch. The house is quiet and for this moment, all is well with the world. I never want to forget moments like this. Since Addi has been born, I have learned to appreciate the "little" moments more. The word "little" is used loosely because in my book, the little moments are the most important moments of our lives. The moments where I look up to the sky and thank Jesus for another day, where I kiss Jared good-bye before we depart for the day, make a goofy face at Addi just to see her smile, talk on the phone with a family member or friend, hold the door for a perfect stranger, smile at my co-worker in a way that says, "Hey...I know it's crazy here, but it's OK", utter a prayer for someone else, or just simply stop and reflect on the day.
Jared and I are filling our lives with little moments with Addi. We don't want to miss a thing. She is such a joy and aside from the time we share with God and with each other, the little moments with her are the most precious moments of our day.
Jared and I are filling our lives with little moments with Addi. We don't want to miss a thing. She is such a joy and aside from the time we share with God and with each other, the little moments with her are the most precious moments of our day.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Sweet, Sweet, Sweet..
Our beautiful Addi has been smiling and I love it! :) She is also talking now...her favorite "word" is "aaaaaaaa" but a she throws in a "goooooooo" every now and then. Music to our ears!!! :)
More extensive updates to come later this week or early next week...promise!
More extensive updates to come later this week or early next week...promise!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Latest quote from Jared
While holding a screaming Addi:
"I swear, sometimes I think she's just bored."
She doesn't cry all the time, but when she does...she takes the roof off. Thank God for great lungs!!! :)
"I swear, sometimes I think she's just bored."
She doesn't cry all the time, but when she does...she takes the roof off. Thank God for great lungs!!! :)
Monday, April 12, 2010
Just out of curiosity...
How long can one child cry?????
After listening to Addi cry for a few hours the other night (we were doing our best to comfort her) the following conversation ensued:
Jared - Maybe we should just scream with her.
Me - No, that will just scare her.
Jared - (long pause) Well, she scares me.
Haha. :) We are scared of a child who as of today weighs 7 pounds and 13 oz. Wow. This parenting thing is tough stuff. Rewarding and wonderful, but tough.
After listening to Addi cry for a few hours the other night (we were doing our best to comfort her) the following conversation ensued:
Jared - Maybe we should just scream with her.
Me - No, that will just scare her.
Jared - (long pause) Well, she scares me.
Haha. :) We are scared of a child who as of today weighs 7 pounds and 13 oz. Wow. This parenting thing is tough stuff. Rewarding and wonderful, but tough.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Addi's First Month
So since my blogging is once again sorely lacking, I am going to go ahead and fill out information about Addi's first month. Perhaps I will provide an update later about with more details about the stay at the hospital and her first week at home...but probably not. :)
Milestones - After over a week of losing weight, dropping down to an even 6 pounds, and going for a daily weight check, Addi started gaining weight on her 10th day of life! She gained an ounce and we were thrilled! :) At 2 weeks she weighed 6 pounds and 6 ounces and at last check (3 weeks) she weighed 7 pounds. She seems a lot heavier to me now...I'm thinking she may even be close to 8 pounds. Her Jaundice is also gone (more to come about that later). She has started pulling her head up some and is also very alert these days and has given us a couple of smiles that we think have been real smiles. Not 100% sure about that, yet! A milestone for Mommy...I've gone an entire month without throwing up! That hasn't happened since I started to experience morning sickness in August. A milestone for Daddy...he got a wonderful new job! :) God has blessed us abundantly! :)
Memorable Moments - SO MANY! Her being born tops this list. :) Hearing her beautiful cry for the first time (which is not as beautiful at 3:00 in the morning now), holding her for the first time, bringing her home, introducing her to family and friends, her first church service (which she slept through...phew!), her several doctor's appointments, rocking her to sleep, reading to her, praying with her, riding in the car with her, Easter, the joy and struggles of being new parents...It has all been memorable! :)
Most Challenging Moments - That would be everything there is about being a parent. I was expecting to be overwhelmed, but not THIS overwhelmed. From the moment we arrived home (and after a brief almost panic attack) I have been completely overwhelmed...and so has Jared. Between trying to get on some sort of schedule (ha!) and trying to get our precious baby to sleep at night, we are struggling. Exhausting? Yes! Well worth it? More than words can say! :)
Sickness - (Hopefully most months this will be a big fat nothing) - this month though, she had Jaundice. She was under the bili light for almost 24 hours while she was in the hospital. That was heartbreaking. I cried my eyes out when she went under the light. We were only allowed to hold her while I fed her every 3 hours. Her Jaundice levels had to be checked every day until they leveled out (her last test was on 3/18).
Holidays/Celebrations - Easter!! :) Jared and I were quite nervous about actually getting to church on time for Easter service. He ushers at the 8:30 service and has to get to church considerably early, so we have to leave no later than 7:10 for him to be there on time. The first Sunday morning service we took Addi to, my mom was here to help get her ready, but for Easter we were on our own. If you had walked into our living room the night before, you would have thought we were going on a trip. I got everything together the night before. We got up super early, but we left on time! Hallelujah!! :) After service, we came home and ate while Addi slept. We then prepared for the Button's (some friends from church) to come over and visit. The visit was great...they brought Addi presents, including an adorable stuffed Easter chicken that I fell in love with and have since tried to get Addi to do the same. :) After they left, we went and got some ice cream and came home and relaxed! :)
So that's been our life in a nutshell for the past month! :) We are currently listening to our daughter cry, no scream, her head off in her crib because she doesn't want to sleep alone...and we are trying to avoid going in there for much more than a minute at a time to comfort her. Jared just suggested that we see a Child Psychologist...I don't think that's necessary yet, but stay tuned. :)
Milestones - After over a week of losing weight, dropping down to an even 6 pounds, and going for a daily weight check, Addi started gaining weight on her 10th day of life! She gained an ounce and we were thrilled! :) At 2 weeks she weighed 6 pounds and 6 ounces and at last check (3 weeks) she weighed 7 pounds. She seems a lot heavier to me now...I'm thinking she may even be close to 8 pounds. Her Jaundice is also gone (more to come about that later). She has started pulling her head up some and is also very alert these days and has given us a couple of smiles that we think have been real smiles. Not 100% sure about that, yet! A milestone for Mommy...I've gone an entire month without throwing up! That hasn't happened since I started to experience morning sickness in August. A milestone for Daddy...he got a wonderful new job! :) God has blessed us abundantly! :)
Memorable Moments - SO MANY! Her being born tops this list. :) Hearing her beautiful cry for the first time (which is not as beautiful at 3:00 in the morning now), holding her for the first time, bringing her home, introducing her to family and friends, her first church service (which she slept through...phew!), her several doctor's appointments, rocking her to sleep, reading to her, praying with her, riding in the car with her, Easter, the joy and struggles of being new parents...It has all been memorable! :)
Most Challenging Moments - That would be everything there is about being a parent. I was expecting to be overwhelmed, but not THIS overwhelmed. From the moment we arrived home (and after a brief almost panic attack) I have been completely overwhelmed...and so has Jared. Between trying to get on some sort of schedule (ha!) and trying to get our precious baby to sleep at night, we are struggling. Exhausting? Yes! Well worth it? More than words can say! :)
Sickness - (Hopefully most months this will be a big fat nothing) - this month though, she had Jaundice. She was under the bili light for almost 24 hours while she was in the hospital. That was heartbreaking. I cried my eyes out when she went under the light. We were only allowed to hold her while I fed her every 3 hours. Her Jaundice levels had to be checked every day until they leveled out (her last test was on 3/18).
Holidays/Celebrations - Easter!! :) Jared and I were quite nervous about actually getting to church on time for Easter service. He ushers at the 8:30 service and has to get to church considerably early, so we have to leave no later than 7:10 for him to be there on time. The first Sunday morning service we took Addi to, my mom was here to help get her ready, but for Easter we were on our own. If you had walked into our living room the night before, you would have thought we were going on a trip. I got everything together the night before. We got up super early, but we left on time! Hallelujah!! :) After service, we came home and ate while Addi slept. We then prepared for the Button's (some friends from church) to come over and visit. The visit was great...they brought Addi presents, including an adorable stuffed Easter chicken that I fell in love with and have since tried to get Addi to do the same. :) After they left, we went and got some ice cream and came home and relaxed! :)
So that's been our life in a nutshell for the past month! :) We are currently listening to our daughter cry, no scream, her head off in her crib because she doesn't want to sleep alone...and we are trying to avoid going in there for much more than a minute at a time to comfort her. Jared just suggested that we see a Child Psychologist...I don't think that's necessary yet, but stay tuned. :)
Monday, March 29, 2010
And then there were three...
My apologies for the delay in blogging...things have been a bit busy and overwhelming for us the last few weeks! :)
In order to keep a record of the events that have transpired in the last three weeks, I will be posting a few blogs. Praying that I just get through this one tonight before passing out. To say that Jared and I are lacking in the sleep department right now is an understatement!
Anyway...on Monday, March 8th, Jared and I went to what would be my final prenatal visit for Addi. My blood pressure was up, so the doctor came in and told us that he wanted us to get to the hospital by 7:00 pm so that I could be induced the next morning at 7:00 am. It was overwhelming how many emotions I felt when he said that. Jared and I had to take a few minutes to take it in before we called our families and told them the news.
The rest of the day was a bit chaotic. I still hadn't packed my bag for the hospital, Jared had a couple stories to submit, we had some last minute house cleaning to do, the carseat base had to be installed and the list went on, but we somehow managed to make it to the hospital at 7:00 pm.
Once at the hospital, I was given something to help the whole dialation process. My mom came in around 8:30 pm and visited with us for a while. Then came the Ambien... At the doctor's and nurse's recommendation, I took an Ambien to help me sleep. I do not take sleeping aids at all and apparently there is a reason I don't. First I grew very nauseous...and then I became very tired, but also very confused. I was sort-of in and out of sleep, but was mainly trying to figure out what was going on and remember being very concerned about being sure I was going to get a shower the next morning. Anyway, I managed to sleep at some point and was woken up numerous times because our sweet baby girl would kick herself away from her heart monitor and it would have to be reattached. She was feisty in the womb, and yes, she is feisty outside of the womb. :)
Anyway, I got my shower at 6:00 that morning (even though they weren't supposed to let me take one) and then at 7:00 they started the Pitocin (sp?). 7:00 to 10:30 was pretty uneventful...I wasn't feeling any contractions and basically passed the time just talking to Jared, my mom and Jared's parents. Around 10:45 things started picking up...my water broke and the contractions started. The first time they checked me I think I had dialated 2 centimeters. The contractions grew worse and I eventually got to the point of tears...and was crying out to Jesus with each contraction. Seriously, I was afraid I might curse or be rude or something in labor, but I was begging God to just help me through each contraction. Anyway, I held out as long as I could before I was checked again because I knew that I had to be at least 4 centimeters before I received an epidural. Around 1:30 or so, I had enough. I looked at my mom during one of my contratctions and told her not to touch me (yes, that was rude), but to please go get me help. I apologized right away, but it did get the nurse in there...she checked me and I was 7 centimeters. Within 15 or 20 minutes, I received the epidural...HALLELUJAH! :) It releived the pain, but not the pressure...but it was well worth it!!! :) Around 4:00 or so, the pressure intensified to the point that I was in constant discomfort. I finally started pushing at 4:51 and at 5:27 pm, our family of two became a family of three when our precious Addi arrived, weighing in at 6 pounds and 13 ounces and 19 inches long. I am quite proud that I only pushed for 36 minutes...I was determined to get that baby out...and I knew with each push my blood pressure was going to go up. Which I was told later definitely happened.
When Addi arrived, all pain truly did disappear. It was amazing. I cried, Jared cried...we were totally overwhelmed by our dark-haired beauty. Her cry was priceless at that moment and I couldn't believe that our beautiful miracle was here and was ours.
Throughout the labor and delivery process, Jesus was my strength and Jared was my rock. He was totally amazing. He was a constant encouragement and would not leave my side. The only time he wanted to leave was when he wanted to go buy bubble gum cigars after Addi was born (How sweet is that??). He was and is such a proud daddy!!
Our moms got to witness Addi's birth and I am so glad they did. They were great the entire time and I've never seen two prouder grandmas!
Anyway...there is more to come. More about Addi's first and second week of life, but for now I will leave you with this...
THANK YOU!!! For your prayers, your encouragement, your support...for reading this blog and going on this journey with us!!!
And to Addi...we couldn't have prayed for or asked for a sweeter, more beautiful daughter!! You are such a joy!!! We are so proud to be your parents...you have changed our lives forever and we LOVE you more than words could ever express!! :)
In order to keep a record of the events that have transpired in the last three weeks, I will be posting a few blogs. Praying that I just get through this one tonight before passing out. To say that Jared and I are lacking in the sleep department right now is an understatement!
Anyway...on Monday, March 8th, Jared and I went to what would be my final prenatal visit for Addi. My blood pressure was up, so the doctor came in and told us that he wanted us to get to the hospital by 7:00 pm so that I could be induced the next morning at 7:00 am. It was overwhelming how many emotions I felt when he said that. Jared and I had to take a few minutes to take it in before we called our families and told them the news.
The rest of the day was a bit chaotic. I still hadn't packed my bag for the hospital, Jared had a couple stories to submit, we had some last minute house cleaning to do, the carseat base had to be installed and the list went on, but we somehow managed to make it to the hospital at 7:00 pm.
Once at the hospital, I was given something to help the whole dialation process. My mom came in around 8:30 pm and visited with us for a while. Then came the Ambien... At the doctor's and nurse's recommendation, I took an Ambien to help me sleep. I do not take sleeping aids at all and apparently there is a reason I don't. First I grew very nauseous...and then I became very tired, but also very confused. I was sort-of in and out of sleep, but was mainly trying to figure out what was going on and remember being very concerned about being sure I was going to get a shower the next morning. Anyway, I managed to sleep at some point and was woken up numerous times because our sweet baby girl would kick herself away from her heart monitor and it would have to be reattached. She was feisty in the womb, and yes, she is feisty outside of the womb. :)
Anyway, I got my shower at 6:00 that morning (even though they weren't supposed to let me take one) and then at 7:00 they started the Pitocin (sp?). 7:00 to 10:30 was pretty uneventful...I wasn't feeling any contractions and basically passed the time just talking to Jared, my mom and Jared's parents. Around 10:45 things started picking up...my water broke and the contractions started. The first time they checked me I think I had dialated 2 centimeters. The contractions grew worse and I eventually got to the point of tears...and was crying out to Jesus with each contraction. Seriously, I was afraid I might curse or be rude or something in labor, but I was begging God to just help me through each contraction. Anyway, I held out as long as I could before I was checked again because I knew that I had to be at least 4 centimeters before I received an epidural. Around 1:30 or so, I had enough. I looked at my mom during one of my contratctions and told her not to touch me (yes, that was rude), but to please go get me help. I apologized right away, but it did get the nurse in there...she checked me and I was 7 centimeters. Within 15 or 20 minutes, I received the epidural...HALLELUJAH! :) It releived the pain, but not the pressure...but it was well worth it!!! :) Around 4:00 or so, the pressure intensified to the point that I was in constant discomfort. I finally started pushing at 4:51 and at 5:27 pm, our family of two became a family of three when our precious Addi arrived, weighing in at 6 pounds and 13 ounces and 19 inches long. I am quite proud that I only pushed for 36 minutes...I was determined to get that baby out...and I knew with each push my blood pressure was going to go up. Which I was told later definitely happened.
When Addi arrived, all pain truly did disappear. It was amazing. I cried, Jared cried...we were totally overwhelmed by our dark-haired beauty. Her cry was priceless at that moment and I couldn't believe that our beautiful miracle was here and was ours.
Throughout the labor and delivery process, Jesus was my strength and Jared was my rock. He was totally amazing. He was a constant encouragement and would not leave my side. The only time he wanted to leave was when he wanted to go buy bubble gum cigars after Addi was born (How sweet is that??). He was and is such a proud daddy!!
Our moms got to witness Addi's birth and I am so glad they did. They were great the entire time and I've never seen two prouder grandmas!
Anyway...there is more to come. More about Addi's first and second week of life, but for now I will leave you with this...
THANK YOU!!! For your prayers, your encouragement, your support...for reading this blog and going on this journey with us!!!
And to Addi...we couldn't have prayed for or asked for a sweeter, more beautiful daughter!! You are such a joy!!! We are so proud to be your parents...you have changed our lives forever and we LOVE you more than words could ever express!! :)
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Addison's Debut
More details about the day of delivery to come, but for now...
Addi - Daddy and Mommy couldn't love you more!!!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Something for me to keep in mind...
I love how God never fails to reveal so much to me when I spend time with Him. I don't know why I often turn to other, unfulfilling things to occupy my time when God is so fulfilling.
Today I came across this verse:
"Now she who is really a widow, and left alone, trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day." 1 Tim. 5:5
At the time this scripture was written, a widow had a tough life. Widows were usually not able to support themselves and had to rely on family to support them. If they did not have family, they relied on the church. A true widow - who in my mind had a reason to whine and complain - trusted in God and prayed. If someone who was completely alone in the world could do that, how much more should I do the same no matter the situation?
Today I came across this verse:
"Now she who is really a widow, and left alone, trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day." 1 Tim. 5:5
At the time this scripture was written, a widow had a tough life. Widows were usually not able to support themselves and had to rely on family to support them. If they did not have family, they relied on the church. A true widow - who in my mind had a reason to whine and complain - trusted in God and prayed. If someone who was completely alone in the world could do that, how much more should I do the same no matter the situation?
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Catching Up - Weeks 35 and 36
The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind! To recap the last two weeks of pregnancy briefly...
Symptoms - Morning Sickness - Still coming and going; energy level was pretty low until I was put on bedrest this week...now I just want to do everything I can't; emotions - I go from smiling to crying too many times throughout the day and am not really sure why.
Memorable Moments - Will get to in a minute
Thoughts / Feelings - Excited, scared, nervous, happy, reflective and on and on and on.
So, since the last time I wrote we've had a few memorable moments...
We had 2 surprise showers from 2 different classes in our church (one from my Wednesday night class and one from our Sunday School class). These showers were done so thoughtfully and just completely made my day (one was thrown last Saturday and one was today). :) We are so blessed with such wonderful people in our lives and the extent to which people have gone to show they care is just amazing! :)
I began training my temporary replacement at work. We got through a full-day of training on Monday and an hour worth of training on Tuesday before I went to the doctor and was told I couldn't go back to work this week.
We have had two doctor's appointments, one overnight stay at the hospital and a follow-up blood pressure check at another doctor's office. That's right...Addi isn't even here and I have already had my fill of doctor's appointments and hospital stays (granted it was only one overnight stay). The appointment last week went pretty well. My blood pressure was a little elevated, but nothing too bad and another appointment was scheduled for this past Tuesday. Tuesday's visit was not good at all. My blood pressure was high...to the point that the doctor thought I needed to go to the hospital to be monitored for 24 hours...which turned into 30 hours. While at the hospital my blood pressure dropped and all was well. The highlight of the hospital stay...an ultrasound of Addi! :) Totally made my day to see our baby girl's beautiful face and to find out that she is doing great and weighing in at around 6 pounds right now! :) I was discharged on Wednesday evening and put on bedrest till Monday. We had another blood pressure check on Friday and it was up. They made me lay down for 5 minutes and it lowered, which showed that bedrest is a necessity right now. Who knows what will happen on Monday. We will either find out if I can be released from this stinking bedrest and go back to work for a week or so, if they will induce before 38 weeks, or if I will be stuck in the bed for another week. My vote right now...honestly, I don't know. I either want Addi here happy and healthy or want to go back to work. I do not want to remain on bedrest. If I have to though so that Addi can grow stronger and I can remain healthy, of course, I will do it.
I must take a moment to brag on Mr. Wonderful. Seriously, the man is amazing! He has been waiting on me hand and foot. He has wiped my tears when I have cried (on numerous occassions), has cleaned the entire house, has gone grocery shopping, prepared my meals, made me laugh, helped to plot a surprise shower for me, and the list goes on and on. All this while continuing to interview people and write stories. His attitude has been great and he is truly my hero!!
My family and friends are amazing, too! I already mentioned the surprise showers, but I have also received numerous emails, text messages and phone calls to encourage me whil I am on bedrest. My mom is finishing up shopping that I can't do right now for Addi and a friend from church who has a 7-month-old and is pregnant with another spent part of her night tonight shopping for other essentials that I will need once the baby is born. Again...the word that comes to mind is blessed!!!! God has truly blessed us in so many ways and we are overwhelmed!!
A special note to Addi...Daddy and I love you so much and we cannot wait for you to be here! We pray you're healthy and happy when you are born and hope that you will feel loved and secure as soon as you take your first breath. Being pregnant with you has been the most amazing experience of my life. Sure there have been ups and downs (that's the way it always is with pregnancy), but don't ever think that means I haven't LOVED carrying you!! We will see you soon...maybe even this week! :)
Symptoms - Morning Sickness - Still coming and going; energy level was pretty low until I was put on bedrest this week...now I just want to do everything I can't; emotions - I go from smiling to crying too many times throughout the day and am not really sure why.
Memorable Moments - Will get to in a minute
Thoughts / Feelings - Excited, scared, nervous, happy, reflective and on and on and on.
So, since the last time I wrote we've had a few memorable moments...
We had 2 surprise showers from 2 different classes in our church (one from my Wednesday night class and one from our Sunday School class). These showers were done so thoughtfully and just completely made my day (one was thrown last Saturday and one was today). :) We are so blessed with such wonderful people in our lives and the extent to which people have gone to show they care is just amazing! :)
I began training my temporary replacement at work. We got through a full-day of training on Monday and an hour worth of training on Tuesday before I went to the doctor and was told I couldn't go back to work this week.
We have had two doctor's appointments, one overnight stay at the hospital and a follow-up blood pressure check at another doctor's office. That's right...Addi isn't even here and I have already had my fill of doctor's appointments and hospital stays (granted it was only one overnight stay). The appointment last week went pretty well. My blood pressure was a little elevated, but nothing too bad and another appointment was scheduled for this past Tuesday. Tuesday's visit was not good at all. My blood pressure was high...to the point that the doctor thought I needed to go to the hospital to be monitored for 24 hours...which turned into 30 hours. While at the hospital my blood pressure dropped and all was well. The highlight of the hospital stay...an ultrasound of Addi! :) Totally made my day to see our baby girl's beautiful face and to find out that she is doing great and weighing in at around 6 pounds right now! :) I was discharged on Wednesday evening and put on bedrest till Monday. We had another blood pressure check on Friday and it was up. They made me lay down for 5 minutes and it lowered, which showed that bedrest is a necessity right now. Who knows what will happen on Monday. We will either find out if I can be released from this stinking bedrest and go back to work for a week or so, if they will induce before 38 weeks, or if I will be stuck in the bed for another week. My vote right now...honestly, I don't know. I either want Addi here happy and healthy or want to go back to work. I do not want to remain on bedrest. If I have to though so that Addi can grow stronger and I can remain healthy, of course, I will do it.
I must take a moment to brag on Mr. Wonderful. Seriously, the man is amazing! He has been waiting on me hand and foot. He has wiped my tears when I have cried (on numerous occassions), has cleaned the entire house, has gone grocery shopping, prepared my meals, made me laugh, helped to plot a surprise shower for me, and the list goes on and on. All this while continuing to interview people and write stories. His attitude has been great and he is truly my hero!!
My family and friends are amazing, too! I already mentioned the surprise showers, but I have also received numerous emails, text messages and phone calls to encourage me whil I am on bedrest. My mom is finishing up shopping that I can't do right now for Addi and a friend from church who has a 7-month-old and is pregnant with another spent part of her night tonight shopping for other essentials that I will need once the baby is born. Again...the word that comes to mind is blessed!!!! God has truly blessed us in so many ways and we are overwhelmed!!
A special note to Addi...Daddy and I love you so much and we cannot wait for you to be here! We pray you're healthy and happy when you are born and hope that you will feel loved and secure as soon as you take your first breath. Being pregnant with you has been the most amazing experience of my life. Sure there have been ups and downs (that's the way it always is with pregnancy), but don't ever think that means I haven't LOVED carrying you!! We will see you soon...maybe even this week! :)
Thursday, February 25, 2010
34 Weeks
Symptoms - Morning sickness was a little worse, but manageable. :) My energy has almost vanished, of course we were super busy so that could be part of the reason. Emotions are still pretty good...Jared's prayers continue to work! :)
Memorable Moments - We completed our last birthing class and I am not quite as freaked out about the birth now. We also toured the maternity area and it's awesome! Very excited that we chose the hospital we did! On Friday we went to the doctor and had a not so great appointment. My blood pressure was up a little bit and the doctor almost didn't allow me to make the trip to VA on Saturday for my shower. Thankfully, he did allow it and we had a great time! :) We were so blessed by all of the people who came and shared in our excitement! It's amazing how many people already care about our sweet little girl!
Thoughts / Feelings - EXCITEMENT!!!! :)
Memorable Moments - We completed our last birthing class and I am not quite as freaked out about the birth now. We also toured the maternity area and it's awesome! Very excited that we chose the hospital we did! On Friday we went to the doctor and had a not so great appointment. My blood pressure was up a little bit and the doctor almost didn't allow me to make the trip to VA on Saturday for my shower. Thankfully, he did allow it and we had a great time! :) We were so blessed by all of the people who came and shared in our excitement! It's amazing how many people already care about our sweet little girl!
Thoughts / Feelings - EXCITEMENT!!!! :)
Saturday, February 13, 2010
33 Weeks
Symptoms - Morning sickness is much better and much less this week...only once! :) Jared's prayers must be working, because my emotions have been somewhat more stable this week as well. I'm still really tired and still feel HUGE...somehow I don't think those two things will change anytime soon.
Memorable Moments - We went to the doctor's on Monday and Addi is doing great! :) Her heartbeat was beautiful! On the other hand, my blood pressure was up a little bit and the doctor is a little concerned. At this point it is nothing major, but he said that he definitely won't let me go over 40 weeks (works for me!). We learned infant CPR on Monday night and had another birthing class on Tuesday. I have decided that I don't want a C-Section, a natural birth or an epidural...basically, I just wish that Addi could punch her way out of my stomach. Since that is not going to happen, I guess we'll just see how it goes when it's time to give birth. :) Last night, Jared got tired of hearing me say, "You have no idea what it's like to be pregnant." So he attempted to learn by putting a huge pillow in his shirt and tried to sleep with it like that. I told him I would also wake him up each time I had to get up and go to the bathroom so that he could walk to the bathroom with me. He agreed to the challenge, but I didn't have the heart to actually wake him up each time and sometime during the night the pillow came out of his shirt. His efforts made me smile though. I am truly blessed! :)
Feelings / Thoughts - I have been like a mad woman when it comes to getting the house organized. I just want everything perfect for Addi's arrival. Jared has been really sweet and keeps reminding me that Addi isn't going to notice if certain things around the house aren't done. Still, I want it perfect for her.
Memorable Moments - We went to the doctor's on Monday and Addi is doing great! :) Her heartbeat was beautiful! On the other hand, my blood pressure was up a little bit and the doctor is a little concerned. At this point it is nothing major, but he said that he definitely won't let me go over 40 weeks (works for me!). We learned infant CPR on Monday night and had another birthing class on Tuesday. I have decided that I don't want a C-Section, a natural birth or an epidural...basically, I just wish that Addi could punch her way out of my stomach. Since that is not going to happen, I guess we'll just see how it goes when it's time to give birth. :) Last night, Jared got tired of hearing me say, "You have no idea what it's like to be pregnant." So he attempted to learn by putting a huge pillow in his shirt and tried to sleep with it like that. I told him I would also wake him up each time I had to get up and go to the bathroom so that he could walk to the bathroom with me. He agreed to the challenge, but I didn't have the heart to actually wake him up each time and sometime during the night the pillow came out of his shirt. His efforts made me smile though. I am truly blessed! :)
Feelings / Thoughts - I have been like a mad woman when it comes to getting the house organized. I just want everything perfect for Addi's arrival. Jared has been really sweet and keeps reminding me that Addi isn't going to notice if certain things around the house aren't done. Still, I want it perfect for her.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
32 Weeks
Hmmm...I somehow missed posting week 31...I'm sure it was pretty typical of week 30...same symptoms...same feelings. Memorable moment...I missed a class about nursing on Tuesday night because of a date mix-up on a flier and Jared and I missed an Infant CPR class on Thursday night because we went to the wrong hospital. Who knew there were two so close together? :) We also got snowed in and had a lot of time to spend together over the weekend. It was great fun and I realized how thankful I am that God gave us almost 5 years of marriage before children came along. We have truly been able to get to know each other so well as a result...but yes, we are ready for Addi to be here!!
And now for week 32...
Symptoms - Morning sickness was a bit worse this week, but nothing too major. :) I am amazed at how quickly I get tired these days! I am also getting a little irritable when it comes to being pregnant. I feel bad even saying that because I am so thankful for this opportunity. However, I am very moody, my muscles ache, I can't move as easily, I had to take my rings off this week because my hands will swell so much, and I just feel blah most of the time. The truth though...I would do it all over again and even experience worse if I had to to be able to experience the joy that I have felt every time I feel our Addi move, or every time Jared looks at me and says, "You are doing a great job carrying our baby." I am still so overwhelmed that God is using my body to carry a child that is "fearfully and wonderfully made" by Him.
Memorable Moments - We took our first birthing class on Tuesday night. It was so much fun and also a little scary. We watched a video of a lady who had a natural childbirth - with absolutely NO pain medication. I walked out of the class and told Jared, "I will have an epidural." Seriously, why do it without one?? I do not need to prove I'm a superwoman. I'm a big wimp and that's fine by me...I wonder if I could have 2 epidurals?? ;)
Feelings / Thoughts - Nervous that Addi will be here early and we won't have everything ready for her. Nervous that Addi will be late and I will be typing what my symptoms/memorable moments/feelings & thoughts were for week 40 and 41. Our excitement levels are also increasing and I didn't think that was even possible! :)
And now for week 32...
Symptoms - Morning sickness was a bit worse this week, but nothing too major. :) I am amazed at how quickly I get tired these days! I am also getting a little irritable when it comes to being pregnant. I feel bad even saying that because I am so thankful for this opportunity. However, I am very moody, my muscles ache, I can't move as easily, I had to take my rings off this week because my hands will swell so much, and I just feel blah most of the time. The truth though...I would do it all over again and even experience worse if I had to to be able to experience the joy that I have felt every time I feel our Addi move, or every time Jared looks at me and says, "You are doing a great job carrying our baby." I am still so overwhelmed that God is using my body to carry a child that is "fearfully and wonderfully made" by Him.
Memorable Moments - We took our first birthing class on Tuesday night. It was so much fun and also a little scary. We watched a video of a lady who had a natural childbirth - with absolutely NO pain medication. I walked out of the class and told Jared, "I will have an epidural." Seriously, why do it without one?? I do not need to prove I'm a superwoman. I'm a big wimp and that's fine by me...I wonder if I could have 2 epidurals?? ;)
Feelings / Thoughts - Nervous that Addi will be here early and we won't have everything ready for her. Nervous that Addi will be late and I will be typing what my symptoms/memorable moments/feelings & thoughts were for week 40 and 41. Our excitement levels are also increasing and I didn't think that was even possible! :)
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Contentment
Our neighbors across the street had their 4-year-old grandson with them today and allowed him to take advantage of our snow/ice covered sidewalks. His grandma would push him on a rubbermaid top and he would slide, laughing the entire way. I thought it was adorable how before he would even get off of the top, he would be yelling, "Again! Again! Again!" and would proceed to yell that all while running as fast as he could back to his grandma.
Lately Jared and I have been struggling a bit with contentment given his current job situation. We are keenly aware of God's blessings and are amazed at how He has blessed us just in this situation. At times though it seems like we are like the little boy...before we can even fully appreciate and take in one blessing, we are yelling for Him to bless us more. Maybe it's because we are spoiled, maybe it's because we want the blessing of Jared having a full-time job, maybe it's just that we don't know how to be as thankful as we can for what we have. Whatever the reason, we both have realized that we need to learn how to be more content in our present circumstances. God's grace should be the only blessing we truly desire and He has already given it to us!
"Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:11 - 13
Lately Jared and I have been struggling a bit with contentment given his current job situation. We are keenly aware of God's blessings and are amazed at how He has blessed us just in this situation. At times though it seems like we are like the little boy...before we can even fully appreciate and take in one blessing, we are yelling for Him to bless us more. Maybe it's because we are spoiled, maybe it's because we want the blessing of Jared having a full-time job, maybe it's just that we don't know how to be as thankful as we can for what we have. Whatever the reason, we both have realized that we need to learn how to be more content in our present circumstances. God's grace should be the only blessing we truly desire and He has already given it to us!
"Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:11 - 13
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
30 Weeks
Symptoms - Nothing new with the morning sickness. Energy has been about the same as well. My desire to eat tomato based products and to drink orange juice is the same also. I still feel larger than life...Addi is definitely growing...unfortunately, that means Mommy is too. My emotions have been a little better the last couple of days, so I'm REALLY hoping that for Jared's sake it continues. As Jared told me the other day, "I don't know why I'm out looking for a job. Dealing with you is a full-time job." At least he said it while smiling. :)
Memorable Moments - Jared got home late Wednesday night from a freelancing thing. Addi had not been moving much before he got home. He started talking and singing to her and she started moving like crazy. She seemed so excited! As soon as he stopped, she stopped moving again. So sweet! We also celebrated Jared's birthday yesterday. His last one before he is a full-fledged daddy! :)
Feelings / Thoughts - Very excited! We've started talking about what it is going to be like those first few moments when she is born...we can hardly wait! :)
Memorable Moments - Jared got home late Wednesday night from a freelancing thing. Addi had not been moving much before he got home. He started talking and singing to her and she started moving like crazy. She seemed so excited! As soon as he stopped, she stopped moving again. So sweet! We also celebrated Jared's birthday yesterday. His last one before he is a full-fledged daddy! :)
Feelings / Thoughts - Very excited! We've started talking about what it is going to be like those first few moments when she is born...we can hardly wait! :)
Sunday, January 17, 2010
2nd Letter to Addison Hope
Dear Addison,
This letter is all about your daddy. While you will always know that he loves you, I wish so badly that there was a way for you to see the love he has for you now - before you even come out of the womb.
For starters, he sings to you every single day. He has made up a song for you that I am sure you will grow to learn and love. :) When he sings it to you, he always has a smile on his face.
He also LOVES to talk to you. He will tell you how much you are loved, how we can't wait for you to get here and how much help he will need you to help deal with me. ;) He tells you that he hopes you look like me and act like him. (Sometimes I think he is scared of mommy's energy...and her emotions!) He also tells you about my good qualities and how he hopes that you have those, too. :)
He is so proud of you. He lights up when he talks about you! He loves to tell people about you and he already knows that you are the sweetest, most precious baby in the entire world.
He has only had to miss one doctor's appointment I've had for you so far. He has been so supportive of me during this pregnancy. You see, even though I'm the person blessed to carry you in my womb for 9 months, your dad is doing everything possible to experience all that he can with this pregnancy. He's already took a daddy class and has given me very important tips on how to care for you!
He works so hard to give our family a great life. Right now he has been laid-off from his job (something he couldn't help and that was a result of a bad economy), but he has not for one minute allowed this to make him lose his desire to work hard. He will always do everything he can to support our family. Be sure to thank him for his hard work!
He is not afraid to say, "I love you." Your dad tells me multiple times a day that he loves me and I know he'll do the same to you...in fact, he already tells you that he loves you. You will grow to appreciate this so much.
The best quality of all about your dad is that he loves the Lord with all of his heart. Church is important to him, serving God is important to him, fellowship with other believers is important to him...these are all qualities that we hope to instill in you as well. You see, if you love the Lord, you'll NEVER have a reason to give up.
My hope is that one day when the time comes for you to find a spouse that you will search for someone who has the positive qualities that your dad has. Someone who loves God first and foremost. Someone who is not afraid to work hard or express his feelings of love for you. Someone who will show you kindness and respect. Someone who has integrity and stands by his word. Someone who will treat you like the princess you are, but won't be afraid to remind you that he is your prince and deserves respect too. Someone who will put his heart and soul into having a great marriage. If you find someone like this, you will have found a prize. Treat him like one and thank God for him every single day. I guarantee you, though there will be tough times(all marriages have tough times!) , you will enjoy a marriage that few people get to experience - a marriage very similar to the one I have been blessed to experience.
We love you our precious Addi!
Love,
Mom
This letter is all about your daddy. While you will always know that he loves you, I wish so badly that there was a way for you to see the love he has for you now - before you even come out of the womb.
For starters, he sings to you every single day. He has made up a song for you that I am sure you will grow to learn and love. :) When he sings it to you, he always has a smile on his face.
He also LOVES to talk to you. He will tell you how much you are loved, how we can't wait for you to get here and how much help he will need you to help deal with me. ;) He tells you that he hopes you look like me and act like him. (Sometimes I think he is scared of mommy's energy...and her emotions!) He also tells you about my good qualities and how he hopes that you have those, too. :)
He is so proud of you. He lights up when he talks about you! He loves to tell people about you and he already knows that you are the sweetest, most precious baby in the entire world.
He has only had to miss one doctor's appointment I've had for you so far. He has been so supportive of me during this pregnancy. You see, even though I'm the person blessed to carry you in my womb for 9 months, your dad is doing everything possible to experience all that he can with this pregnancy. He's already took a daddy class and has given me very important tips on how to care for you!
He works so hard to give our family a great life. Right now he has been laid-off from his job (something he couldn't help and that was a result of a bad economy), but he has not for one minute allowed this to make him lose his desire to work hard. He will always do everything he can to support our family. Be sure to thank him for his hard work!
He is not afraid to say, "I love you." Your dad tells me multiple times a day that he loves me and I know he'll do the same to you...in fact, he already tells you that he loves you. You will grow to appreciate this so much.
The best quality of all about your dad is that he loves the Lord with all of his heart. Church is important to him, serving God is important to him, fellowship with other believers is important to him...these are all qualities that we hope to instill in you as well. You see, if you love the Lord, you'll NEVER have a reason to give up.
My hope is that one day when the time comes for you to find a spouse that you will search for someone who has the positive qualities that your dad has. Someone who loves God first and foremost. Someone who is not afraid to work hard or express his feelings of love for you. Someone who will show you kindness and respect. Someone who has integrity and stands by his word. Someone who will treat you like the princess you are, but won't be afraid to remind you that he is your prince and deserves respect too. Someone who will put his heart and soul into having a great marriage. If you find someone like this, you will have found a prize. Treat him like one and thank God for him every single day. I guarantee you, though there will be tough times(all marriages have tough times!) , you will enjoy a marriage that few people get to experience - a marriage very similar to the one I have been blessed to experience.
We love you our precious Addi!
Love,
Mom
29 Weeks
Symptoms - Morning sickness is still the same...though it was also night sickness once this week. I definitely feel larger and less energetic. Jared said I should just put, "I feel like crap" as my symptoms, and he's kind-of right. Can't believe I still have 10 weeks to go, but also still can't believe that I am pregnant! What a blessing! :) My emotions have been on a roller coaster ride all week though...pray for Jared. ;)
Memorable Moments - The other night when Jared and I were praying before we went to sleep, we both had one hand on my stomach so that Addi could pray with us too. :) Just as Jared said, "God, in the times we can't see Your hand at work..." to which Addi responded with a swift kick into both of our hands. We smiled and Jared continued with, "and the times when we can see Your hand at work..." We certainly see and feel God's hand in this pregnancy and in other areas of our lives as well. :)We went to the doctor on Wednesday and everything is good...heart beat is beautiful, measuring around 30-31 weeks, and my blood pressure was really good! Praise God for a great report! :)
Feelings / Thoughts - Blessed..thankful...ready for Addi to be here...but not quite ready yet.
Memorable Moments - The other night when Jared and I were praying before we went to sleep, we both had one hand on my stomach so that Addi could pray with us too. :) Just as Jared said, "God, in the times we can't see Your hand at work..." to which Addi responded with a swift kick into both of our hands. We smiled and Jared continued with, "and the times when we can see Your hand at work..." We certainly see and feel God's hand in this pregnancy and in other areas of our lives as well. :)We went to the doctor on Wednesday and everything is good...heart beat is beautiful, measuring around 30-31 weeks, and my blood pressure was really good! Praise God for a great report! :)
Feelings / Thoughts - Blessed..thankful...ready for Addi to be here...but not quite ready yet.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
A Reminder to Myself
It's always easy when faced with a trial to forget to look at past trials that God worked out beautifully. As a reminder to myself, I am posting a blog that I wrote on 6/26/09, but that I never posted. I didn't post it for several reasons...the main being that the blog is a very revealing post of my deepest, rawest emotions (some emotions that I'm really not proud of) during our journey to have a child. I had no idea when writing this blog, that God had already begun a work in my body and that a month and 4 days later I would find out that I was pregnant.
INFERTILE...I don't know if there is another word in all of the english language that is so ugly. I am infertile (at least for now). What does that mean? For now it means putting my biggest, longest dream on hold. It means cringing when people ask when we're going to have a child. It means wanting to scream when people are insensitive to what's going on (though most don't even know we're struggling). It means pretending the tears I cry at a baby dedication are tears of joy for the parents. It means feeling guilty because there are times I am envious of those who have children. It means wanting to smack some people across the face when they complain about having a bad day with their children. It means wondering why me, why out of all of my friends, I seem to be the one to have to carry this burden. It means feeling inadequate and unfeminine knowing that my body can't be part of creating a miracle. It means getting angry with God once in a while and then quickly crying out to Him in despair. It means hurting worse than I have ever hurt before. It means being scared that when people we love find out about this that they will judge me. It means wondering if there are times my husband wishes that he had married someone else...someone who could give him a son or a daughter to hold in his arms. It means questioning every thing I buy because each purchase is less money to put in savings for adoption. It means hiding behind a smile more often than I'm not these days. It means times of feeling so lonely I want to run to the closest insane asylum. It means wanting to wake up from a very bad dream and realizing daily that this nightmare is very much a real part of my life.
On the other hand...
It means hope. Hope that God will bless me like he did Hannah and Sarah in the Bible. Hope that because Jared and I have had to face this, we will be stronger and more sensitive to the needs of those around us. It means assurance. Assurance that God will grant me my heart's desires if I delight to do His will. It means joy. Joy in knowing that I have a Heavenly Father who puts my tears in a bottle and holds me close to His heart. It means healing. Healing from this pain and allowing God to mend my broken heart. It means awe. Awe that God is allowing me to deal with this because He knows I am strong enough to handle it. It means love. Love that grows daily for God, for my husband and for the child I will one day hold in my arms.
INFERTILE...I don't know if there is another word in all of the english language that is so ugly. I am infertile (at least for now). What does that mean? For now it means putting my biggest, longest dream on hold. It means cringing when people ask when we're going to have a child. It means wanting to scream when people are insensitive to what's going on (though most don't even know we're struggling). It means pretending the tears I cry at a baby dedication are tears of joy for the parents. It means feeling guilty because there are times I am envious of those who have children. It means wanting to smack some people across the face when they complain about having a bad day with their children. It means wondering why me, why out of all of my friends, I seem to be the one to have to carry this burden. It means feeling inadequate and unfeminine knowing that my body can't be part of creating a miracle. It means getting angry with God once in a while and then quickly crying out to Him in despair. It means hurting worse than I have ever hurt before. It means being scared that when people we love find out about this that they will judge me. It means wondering if there are times my husband wishes that he had married someone else...someone who could give him a son or a daughter to hold in his arms. It means questioning every thing I buy because each purchase is less money to put in savings for adoption. It means hiding behind a smile more often than I'm not these days. It means times of feeling so lonely I want to run to the closest insane asylum. It means wanting to wake up from a very bad dream and realizing daily that this nightmare is very much a real part of my life.
On the other hand...
It means hope. Hope that God will bless me like he did Hannah and Sarah in the Bible. Hope that because Jared and I have had to face this, we will be stronger and more sensitive to the needs of those around us. It means assurance. Assurance that God will grant me my heart's desires if I delight to do His will. It means joy. Joy in knowing that I have a Heavenly Father who puts my tears in a bottle and holds me close to His heart. It means healing. Healing from this pain and allowing God to mend my broken heart. It means awe. Awe that God is allowing me to deal with this because He knows I am strong enough to handle it. It means love. Love that grows daily for God, for my husband and for the child I will one day hold in my arms.
28 Weeks
Symptoms - Morning sickness is the same (don't think it will ever completely go away). Energy level pretty good; just getting larger which is making me mover slower.
Memorable Moments - Addi has been moving so much and we've realized that when I am upset, she moves A LOT. Due to the news we received on Tuesday, I was pretty tense the whole day. She literally moved the entire day. I guess she can sense it...I don't know. But her moving was a blessing...it made Jared and I remember how blessed we truly are. There will be rough spots in life, but as long as we have God, each other and our precious baby, it really isn't bad at all. :) You can also see Addi move quite a bit...she is moving my entire stomach! Oh and Jared went to his daddy class Thursday night. He loved it and learned how to change a diaper, how to hold a baby and quite a few other tips and tricks. He missed the first half of the national college championship football game for it...yup, he's in love with our little girl! :)
Feelings / Thoughts - Wow...we are pretty much all over the map right now. I'll just leave it at that.
Memorable Moments - Addi has been moving so much and we've realized that when I am upset, she moves A LOT. Due to the news we received on Tuesday, I was pretty tense the whole day. She literally moved the entire day. I guess she can sense it...I don't know. But her moving was a blessing...it made Jared and I remember how blessed we truly are. There will be rough spots in life, but as long as we have God, each other and our precious baby, it really isn't bad at all. :) You can also see Addi move quite a bit...she is moving my entire stomach! Oh and Jared went to his daddy class Thursday night. He loved it and learned how to change a diaper, how to hold a baby and quite a few other tips and tricks. He missed the first half of the national college championship football game for it...yup, he's in love with our little girl! :)
Feelings / Thoughts - Wow...we are pretty much all over the map right now. I'll just leave it at that.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Jared's Job Loss
There is no way to sugarcoat it, life is tough sometimes. Right now we’re in a tough situation. We’re not happy about it. We’re not really thankful for it. We don’t like it. But the fact is, the earth will still rotate, the sun will still shine, and life will go on. So, we deal with what we’ve been handed. We’re hurt, we’re frustrated, we’re impatient…we’re human. The good news is: there is a God in heaven who loves us the way we are. He ordered our steps before we were born and this situation does not come as a surprise to Him. He already knows the outcome. There are lessons to be learned along the way, and we are ready to learn them. Will it all be fun? No. Do we really want to have to learn them? No. Do we wish that this was all just a bad dream? Yes. Will we be better, stronger, and happier in the long run as a result of this? Yes…if we keep looking up and receiving our strength from our Savior. So, that’s what we plan to do. We will thank God daily for our many blessings (and they are abundant!) and we will be still, listening for the voice of God to direct us and trusting that His plan is far better than ours.
To those of you who know us and have offered an encouraging word and/or prayers during this time, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You have no idea how much it means to us to know that people care.
“Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has.” – Billy Graham
To those of you who know us and have offered an encouraging word and/or prayers during this time, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You have no idea how much it means to us to know that people care.
“Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has.” – Billy Graham
Sunday, January 3, 2010
27 Weeks
Symptoms - Morning sickness is still the same. I have been a little more tired this week, but that's probably just coming off of the holiday season. Every day movements have also seemed to be a little slower, probably thanks to my ever expanding belly.
Memorable Moments - So many! We went to the doctor on Tuesday and I had to take the standard gestational diabetes test (don't have it...yay!), Addi is doing beautifully and growing...absolutely LOVE her heartbeat!! We celebrated New Year's and what a feeling to come into 2010 knowing that our sweet Addi will be born this year! :) We also bought all of the nursery decor/bedding and a crib.
Thoughts / Feelings - Such excitement and joy! We just can't wait! A little fear as we went and saw some friends of ours newborn yesterday...he weighed in at 10 lbs and 2 oz's...yikes! But he is such a cutie! :) I'm sure him and Addi will be great friends...the dads are already talking about the two of them dating in future years! :)
Memorable Moments - So many! We went to the doctor on Tuesday and I had to take the standard gestational diabetes test (don't have it...yay!), Addi is doing beautifully and growing...absolutely LOVE her heartbeat!! We celebrated New Year's and what a feeling to come into 2010 knowing that our sweet Addi will be born this year! :) We also bought all of the nursery decor/bedding and a crib.
Thoughts / Feelings - Such excitement and joy! We just can't wait! A little fear as we went and saw some friends of ours newborn yesterday...he weighed in at 10 lbs and 2 oz's...yikes! But he is such a cutie! :) I'm sure him and Addi will be great friends...the dads are already talking about the two of them dating in future years! :)
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