Snuggling With My Girls

I slept with Emma last night. She has been having bad dreams (that she got stung by a jellyfish?) and waking up in the middle of the night and waking both of us up. Every now and then, one of us will sleep with her and let the other close up in the bedroom and get a full night’s sleep. Well, Adam has been totally exhausted. He’s been trying to let me get rest since I’ve not been sleeping so well and he still hasn’t recovered from the mission trip and then camp being back to back. He’s such a good husband and daddy. Well anyway, he’s been walking around with bags under his eyes so I decided it was his turn.

So, I slept with Emma and at about 6:00 a.m. she woke up with a bad dream. I didn’t even ask her what it was about because it never fails that it’s the old I got stung by a jellyfish dream. I have no idea why she keeps having that particular dream. We haven’t even been to the beach in a year and she has never been stung but usually, that’s what she says it was all about. So, she says, “I had a bad dream”. I said, “I’m sorry, come here and I’ll hold you”. She said, “Don’t you want to know what it’s about”? I said, “well, sure”. She said, “I dreamed that I was away from you”. L. Now that was a nightmare. So she turned over and I started to spoon her, which put Chloe right in the middle of us. And then Chloe began her usual, “wake up mommy morning dance”. The first time she moved Emma said, “I felt that”. Then for about 15 minutes we laid there and giggled every time she moved and Emma said, “Chloe is a silly girl”. I don’t guess it was a really huge moment but it was moment that I will tuck away and hold in my heart forever. And as Adam said when I relayed the story to him, “that was definitely worth waking up for”.

I went to the Dr. on Monday. I had gained a pound and a half. My blood pressure was good and no swelling! I feel much more comfortable than I did at this point in my pregnancy with Emma. My friend Kristen called yesterday and she asked if I had my bags for the hospital packed. NO! I don’t. I have so much to do. I never thought I’d be pregnant and hoping that the baby didn’t come yet but I keep thinking, “Just hang in there Chloe, I need a little bit more time”. It’s actually still a little bit too early but I really need to get my stuff together.

The primetimers (that’s our retirees) at church hosted a shower for me on Sunday. It was very nice of course. That group doesn’t do anything half way. I think I pretty much have everything I need and a few gift cards for Walmart if I don’t. I would say that probably half of the people that came brought a little something for Emma too. Emma did a great job of helping me open the presents and I think she would have been fine to not get anything but it was certainly a nice surprise for her to get something too. The girls from my mom’s club are having a little celebration dinner for me next Thursday. Speaking as a second child, it’s been very nice to have some special things for this baby too. Ok, well, maybe I can get some of that stuff done today!!

Love from Above,

Dana

We've officially crossed the bridge to being old and dorky

I'm sure that you're already thought that we were old and dorky but I have to tell you, we've hit another plateau. I told you last week that Adam's Jeep bit the dust. Well, after swearing for many years that he'd never drive a minivan, we decided that buying a minivan was the most practical decision for us at this point. I will clarify that the minivan will be my vehicle and Adam will now be driving the Accord. But I will also include that Adam did in fact test drive the minivan. So, we bought a Honda Odyssey. It's very nice and we got a good deal on it and I'm sure it's going to be a great fit for our growing family.

But here's the best part.... We were getting ready this morning to go shop for a minivan. Adam had gotten ready before me so I got out of the shower, and got dressed in a pair of denim shorts and a brown shirt. I walk into the spare bedroom only to find Adam also in a brown shirt. I also need to tell you that we've given people permission to shoot us if we ever dress to match. So I look at Adam and say, "I'm not changing, my wardrobe is limited". Before Adam has a chance to change, in walks Emma who says, "Oh, I want to wear a brown shirt too". Now, I think that I can be clever so I say, "I don't think you have a brown shirt". Emma says, "I have a brown tank top". She hasn't worn it since last summer but it was still in there. So, yes, we went shopping for a minivan in matching clothes. I want this down on record because when Emma is a teenager and is embarrassed by her dorky parents, you guys are my witnesses, she started it.

Love from Above,
Dana

Pics I took of Emma

I'm trying to get Emma's four year pictures. This still isn't what I had in mind. It was way to hot. All of them are starting to look the same to me. I have to figure out something new. We'll try again another day! Hopefully a cooler one.

What happens to a pregnant stomach

I hope you guys can handle a medical pencil drawing of a naked girl. I just had to show you what's happening to my stomach. No wonder I have heartburn. I knew that my stomach was squeezed but I didn't know it actually changed positions. I found this picture in this little anatomy book of Emma's. That's right, we went to a book store and I told her she could pick one book out the children's section and she picked an anatomy book. She's either going to be a doctor or an anatomy teacher. We're hoping for doctor. Anyway, just wanted to share this new found information.

My Little Pity Party

Ok, I'm going to whine. And I mean whine like a baby. I know that people don't want to hear people whine and that's why I'm writing it on my blog instead of telling you about it therefore, if you sit here and read it, it's your responsibility not mine. For now, this is my mode of therapy. Read at your own risk.

It's been one of those years.... I've heard my parents talk about them, I remember them happening for them when I was a child. We were definitely due one and blessed that we haven't really had one until now but still, no one ever wants to see them come. Anyway, one of those years of tons and tons of extra expenses. In Dec. 2006, we paid off Adam's Jeep achieving our long held goal of being debt free except for our house. We achieved it.... And one day, we'll achieve it again.

So weve been swimming in hospital bills because Emma was sick and in the hospital in March and I'm pregnant. Which, when we had Emma we didn't have maternity insurance so that wasn't fun either. We made it through that. I know we'll make it this time. This could possibly make for a good mastercard commercial but I will go ahead and tell you that credit cards are EVIL. But regardless this is how 2007 has gone so far.

Cost of pregnancy--- $1000 deductible plus 20%
Cost of child being in hospital--- $1000 deductible plus 20%
Removal of rotten tree in yard--- $200 (and that was a pretty good deal)
Car Repairs---- $1000
Broken computer--- a lap top attached to a monitor that overheats every few days.
Cost of Gas--- Who knows but it's broken all of us
--- and then there are a few other little mishaps that I'm either too embarrassed to write about or won't write about to protect some other sad soul that total I'm guessing around $2000

Ok, all of this was until last week.... Then, Adam's Jeep started making a funny noise and we took it to the shop. Verdict... It needs a new motor. Yep, that's right a new motor. Well, since it has 175,000 miles on it. You know what that means? New car payment. We found this all out on Wed. and then guess what happened last night? My washing machine broke. Calgon, take me away!! I'm thinking about going ahead and taking a sledge hammer to anything that is still working and getting it over with.

Oh, btw, it's 4:30 a.m.

Cost of good nights sleep--- Priceless

I know God has something really really good coming for us. Satan is trying hard to stop something!

Love from Above,
Dana

Connections Mission Trip

If you're curious about where we've been this week. Check out the youth blog at www.gcym.blogspot.com

Love from Above

Emma's Birthday Party

My mom and my sister came to visit this past weekend. We had a nice time but as always, the time went too quickly and we tried to pack way too much in that small amount of time. We had Emma's birthday party while they were here. We had it at the park. The weather was beautiful and it came off well, thanks to my mom and sister's help. I was so glad to have them here. It's so difficult for me to try to pull something like that off by myself.

On Sunday evening, after we got done with Revolution with the teenagers, we went down to city park. There was a carnival there. For those of you that are from here, thanks for the warning.... Apparently, this is where the prime of Parkersburg congregate. For those of you that teased us about moving to WV. This is what you were teasing about. But, despite the intresting company that we had, we still let Emma ride the kiddie rides. Only those low to the ground because I was pretty sure that they could fall apart at any minute... And of course, she had a wonderful time.

I had a dr. appointment on July 5th. Chloe had hiccups when she was trying to listen to the heartbeat. That was pretty fun. I had gained two pounds which is the recommended lb. per week. I think that is bringing me to about 15lbs. all together so far. My blood pressure was good and no protein in my urine (I'm sure you wanted to know that) so, so far, not pre eclampsia like last time. Thank God for that. I'm not sleeping real good which I don't really understand because I'm not feeling very uncomfortable. But, I'm not that good of a sleeper anyway so maybe I'm just getting ready for those long nights when she gets here. The dr. said that starting at 39 weeks, if my cervix is favorable, she will give me the option of inducing. That will be August 22nd. Mom is planning on flying in on August the 28th. So, if it looks like I'm ready and I mean really ready, we might induce after that. If, she doesn't come on her own before then. It's getting close!!

We are doing a local mission trip with the teenagers this coming week. We are putting a VBS type day camp thing on for housing development that the church continuously works with. After we get done with that, I have to get busy on getting Chloe's room finished and quick! Well, I guess that's it for now.

Love from Above!