Momma's New Kicks

You know, baby girl got new shoes, and yesterday, I got myself some too. Not that I will be running anytime soon, but it was definitely time for some new shoes.



My new kicks - love the Nike shoes, so much cushioning!

My baby girl's shoes next to mine...just because.

The past 2 days in review

Yesterday:
1. woke up at 5:30am (yes, you read that correctly)
2. was at the gym by 8am to do some cardio (avoiding crowds, it was great!)
3. came home, had a snack, showered, was out the door by 9:45am
4. took the car in for an oil change and tire rotation, and they found a nice spike type thing in one of the tires...told them something was in there
5. called Andy to meet me for lunch at 11:30
6. headed to a shoe store for some new tennis shoes
7. had lunch with my darling husband
8. headed to the mall for some maternity t-shirts and a prentatal maternity belt to help relieve some pressure during my workouts
9. finally got home around 2:45
10. made dinner early because Andy and I planned on doing a workout video when he got home
11. did workout video (yep, workout number 2) then ate dinner
12. watched some TV and finally headed to bed around 9:30

Today:
1. struggled to get up this morning, didn't get out of bed until 7
2. made it to the gym just after 8am (didn't do as much cardio because I am so tired)
3. came home and grabbed a snack, checked some emails
4. headed to the bank and grabbed some lunch
5. no, I haven't showered yet (and it's 1:20pm)
6. am about to go to Starbucks to get some hot chocolate
7. will shower upon my return
8. I plan on watching Oprah because she's running a story I want to see on NFL player Kevin Everett
9. have to be at church at 6:15 for a women's kickoff event
10. will leave promptly at 8:30, when it's over
11. arrive home (about 9) and will finally see my husband...after that, it's off to sleepy town with me!

Needless to say, after going full throttle yesterday, I am wiped out today. That would be a problem. I should learn to balance that out a bit more. However, I had so much energy, that I took full advantage of it. In fact, I took too much advantage of it. But, having low energy every other day rather than every single day is something I can deal with.

T-Shirt funnies

This shirt, which I found on Amazon this morning, had me laughing out loud. I might just have to get it too...

Check this out!

You must check out the following site: http://marriageisnotforwimps.com/

A friend of mine created this site, and, I highly recommend it. He's right, marriage is not for wimps, and the goal is not simply to avoid divorce. Good job here David, and thanks for the site!

Now, you all get off of here and check it out!

Week 26: The beginning of trimester 3!

Week 26

Baby: Your baby measures about 9.2 inches from crown to rump and weighs almost 2 pounds now. Its hearing is fully developed. As the fetus reacts to sounds, its pulse increases. Your baby will even move in rhythm to music. Lungs are still growing but are not yet mature. Patterns of your baby's brain waves appear like a full-term newborn. It also has patterns of sleeping and waking.

Mom-to-be: The baby's constant movements should be reassuring. You'll be putting on weight at the rate of about 1 pound per week now. You may be feeling some rib pain as your baby grows and pushes upward on your rib cage. The pressure may also be causing indigestion and heartburn. You may even be feeling stitch-like pains down the sides of your abdomen as your uterine muscle stretches.

I am now in the third trimester of pregnancy. How crazy! Was August so long ago? It seems like we just found out we were having a baby, and now, she is close to being here. Wow! According to the information above, I will start gaining weight weekly. Let's be honest, I am not thrilled that I could be gaining 1 pound a week because I already feel like I have gained too much. Granted, I am in healthy ranges, but still feel like I have put on a few more pounds than I should have at this point (the joys of holiday eating I guess).

Working out is still a great source of stress relief and it just makes me feel better. However, I am hitting that time that I am a bit more tired than usual, and it is so annoying! I do like to be on the go, and this lack of energy is certainly slowing me down. Yes, it is normal, but it is still annoying. Zoe must also be working out more because she has become more active in the last few days. In fact, yesterday at church, my belly was moving along with her. I couldn't help but to laugh because it is so funny to see the bumps and waves of my stomach each time she moves. Feeling her movements still evokes a sense of total awe in me too.

And with that, let me leave you with a conversation I had at church yesterday. The point of me telling you this story? Please watch the words you say when speaking to a pregnant woman!
Friend: Oh my goodness, you are so fat, I love it!
Me: Uh, OK (What did I want to say? "I am not fat, I am pregnant you MORON!)

Let the teaching begin

This morning is a nice, quiet morning. In fact, the weather is supposed to be sunny today, and in the 50s. Ahh, what a nice change from what we have been experiencing. Somehow, we are ready incredibly early for church, so I thought I would blog a bit before we head out.

Andy has begun co-teaching a Bible class on the book of Hebrews. There are somewhere around 120 people who signed up for the class, wow! He is teaching alongside one of the elders, and both men are highly gifted teachers. In fact, they are both very intelligent and quite insightful in their studies of the Word of God. Last week was just the introduction, so I think Andy is ready to get to the real stuff today. I am confident they will both do well. Please pray for both men over the next 9 weeks as they teach this class.

Since I am in the class, and married to one of the teachers, I have been doing my own homework. Hebrews is not an easy book, it is filled with so much, and in just a few chapters. I do enjoy it because of the references to the Old Testament. Having just finished a study that focused on the Old Testament, I am finding I understand more than I have before while reading through Hebrews.

And with that, I will leave you with a few verses:
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:14-18)

Bring it on 5 year olds

I totally stole this from Deidra and I thought it was hysterical. No, I don't think we should go around beating up five year olds. However, this was one funny little quiz. Good to know I can take a bunch of them too. Ha!

20

Click here to find out your score.

What a strange little world we are in

You must read some of the following articles I have just come across this morning. What in the world is going through some people's heads I wonder! Truly, things that make you go "hmmmmm."

"Pet" girl kicked off bus for wearing leash (lack of self esteem or just wanting attention?)

Farmer hides castle from building inspectors (one way to avoid penalties)

Women leave town and children in hands of men (just plain funny)

Hmmm. Didn't I have a house here? (and you thought you were having a bad day)

*Parentheses mine.

Frozen

Our pipes, they are frozen. Nice. That is going to make today quite interesting. And when Andy walked out into the garage this morning? The garage door was wide open. Even nicer. Guess we should feel more confident about the safety of our neighborhood now.

Hooray for books

I must let you all know about Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

Here’s how it works: A community must make the program accessible to all preschool children in their area. The community pays for the books and mailing, promotes the program, registers the children, and enters the information into the database.

From there The Dollywood Foundation takes over and manages the system to deliver the books to the home. You can find out more of the operational details on other pages in this website – so what are you waiting for! Hundreds of communities are providing books to hundreds of thousands of children.

For FAQs, click here.

This is such a great program. Check it out, and get involved!

Ouch, ouch, ouch

Last night, leg cramps. No fun. Pain, agony, sorrow.

OK, maybe that's a slight exaggeration. But, last night was the first time I have experienced leg cramps. Thanks to the workouts I have been doing, I am a bit more sore than usual. It is to be expected, but still. I could do without the sudden shots of pain while I am in a deep peaceful slumber. Most women have told me they got cramps in their calves. Me? My hips and lower back are the areas cramping up. Nice. I guess I now have more of a reason to do one of my yoga videos today. Stretching will also help, but I also have to be careful not to overstretch since all my joints and ligaments are loosening up to prepare for birth. Joy. I guess I will go back to my nightly warm baths with Epsom Salt to help relieve some of the muscle aches.

I keep telling myself it could be worse because really, this pregnancy has not been difficult. And, feeling her kick and move around makes me smile and laugh and forget about the aching muscles.

Shout Out

This article was written by Russ Murphy, my college pastor in Lubbock, and it appeared in Power Source magazine. He was, and continues to be, a huge blessing in my life -- and hopefully this article will be a blessing in your lives and marriages!

http://www.russmurphyministries.com/PowerSource08-RussMurphy.pdf

*Thanks to my friend Jill, who sent this to me!

Baby's got new shoes

Because my baby is going to be one cool girl.

Thanks to Denise, who bought these very cool silver and pink Nike shoes for our baby!

Relieve Soreness

For those of you who workout and are sore all the time, here's an easy solution for you:

Take a bath with Epsom Salt!

SIMPLE SOLUTION: I always knew that soaking in a tub full of hot water with a few cups of Epsom Salts was good for relaxing muscles and drawing toxins from the body, but I could never figure out why. And it wasn't until I spent some time at the Epsom Salt Industry Council web site that I learned that epsom salts—made of the mineral magnesium sulfate—are also a sedative for the nervous system.

When magnesium sulfate is absorbed through the skin, such as in a bath, it draws toxins from the body, sedates the nervous system, reduces swelling, relaxes muscles, is a natural emollient, exfoliator, and much more.

Here are some other uses for Epsom Salt too:
Relaxing and sedative bath: Soak in warm water and 2 cups of epsom salt.

Face cleaner: To clean your face at night, mix a half-teaspoon of epsom salt with your regular cleansing cream. Just massage into skin and rinse with cold water.

Homemade skin mask: Apply the mask to damp skin. For normal to oily skin, mix 1 tablespoon of cognac, 1 egg, 1/4 cup of non-fat dry milk, the juice of 1 lemon, and a half-teaspoon of epsom salt. For normal to dry skin, mix 1/4 cup of grated carrot, 1 1/2 teaspoons of mayonnaise and a half-teaspoon of epsom salt.

Foot soak: Soothe aches, remove odors and soften rough skin with a foot soak. Add 1/2 cup of epsom salt to a large pan of warm water. Soak feet for as long as it feels right. Rinse and dry.

Skin exfoliator: Massage handfuls of epsom salt over your wet skin, starting with your feet and continuing up towards the face. Have a bath to rinse.

Remove excess oil from hair: Epsom salt soaks up excess oil from hair. Add 9 tablespoons of epsom salt to 1/2 cup of oily hair shampoo. Apply one tablespoon of the liquid to your hair when it is dry; rinse with cold water. Pour lemon juice or organic apple cider vinegar through the hair, leave on for 5-10 minutes, and then rinse.

Remove hairspray: Combine 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of lemon juice, and 1 cup epsom salt. Combine, cover and let set for 24 hours. The next day, pour the mixture into your dry hair and let it sit for 20 minutes. Then shampoo as normal.

Hair volumizer: Combine equal parts of deep conditioner and epsom salt. Warm in a pan. Work the warm mixture through your hair and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse.

Soak sprains and bruises: Epsom salt will reduce the swelling of sprains and bruises. Add 2 cups epsom salt to a warm bath, and soak.

Splinter remover: Soak in epsom salt, it will draw out the splinter.

Adapted from the Epsom Salt Industry Council

*Information found here.

Week 25 off to Workout

Week 25 off to Workout
Originally uploaded by coachdiscavage.

This was taken last night, as I was leaving to go teach a fitness class at church. Fun times, and man is the belly starting to grow! However, I am thankful I am still able to help lead the class because it is so incredibly fun. The women are a blast, and my friend Tricia and I have a grand time leading. Really, working out shouldn't be so fun.

Check that off the list

Well, the baby registry is done. I may go back and tweak a few little things, but it is finished! Praise the Lord for my friend Tirsah. We loaded up her two kids, headed to Babies 'r' Us, and had a ball. It was so helpful to have her input and insights on different items. I also took her my list from Target to review. We joked that she was grading my paper, and *whew,* I passed. She did tell me some things she thought I should change that would be more beneficial, and yes, I just did that too. What a blessing today was!

Thanks to the kindness of so many friends, we do not need too much. Truly, we have been blessed beyond measure by friends and family in preparing for the arrival of our little one.

And with that, I hope today has brought you blessings and a time to reflect on one man's journey to break down cultural barriers in our country. It was about more than just "a dream," and more walking down an unpopular road for the benefit of us all.

Tomorrow begins an end

Tomorrow will be the beginning of week 25 of pregnancy, the last week of the second trimester. Wow. Is time really going by that quickly? I remember wondering if the last trimester would ever arrive, and now? It lies just around the corner. Mind you, I am not wanting it to rush in at me, I am just amazed at how quickly things seem to happen.

Right now, I feel great, am working out, and only deal with mild aches and pains. I have heard that these aches and pains increase in the last trimester and energy decreases. If that is the case, I am not looking forward to it. Thankfully, I will have the fitness class at church to help keep me going and motivated to keep exercising.

This last week of trimester two though? Here is what will be happening:

Week 25

Baby: Your developing baby now measures about 8.8 inches from crown to rump and weighs 1.5 pounds. Skin now becomes opaque instead of transparent. Its body is still covered with folds like a puppy dog that need to grow into its skin. Heartbeat can be heard through a stethoscope or, depending on the position of the baby, by others putting an ear against your belly.

Mom-to-be: Besides your uterus growing upward, it may be getting bigger on the sides of your abdomen.

Bucket of Goodness

Every now and then a movie comes along that causes its viewers to turn inward a bit to evaluate themselves and their own lives. The Bucket List is just that kind of movie. The movie will take you through a range of emotions and to a moment of reflecting on how you are choosing to live this thing called life.

When you hear the statement, "The cats beat me to it," you will laugh until you cry.

When you find out who the "prettiest girl in the world is," you will simply cry.

It is worth seeing, in spite of some language (which I would actually expect from someone like this character at the times it's used) and an occasional slightly crude joke, I do recommend this movie. Take some time out and treat yourself.

And then I must ask, what is on your list?

I passed!*

This morning, I started my day a lot earlier than ususal. Such is life when one has to go in for a glucose test. And let me just add that making a pregnant woman fast is NOT, I repeat NOT of the Lord! However, all was well, I passed the test. Hooray for me. Everything else looks great, and I will be going in for another ultrasound in four weeks to check on the position of the placenta. However, I have been feeling well and am working out five or six days a week. Aside from a slightly pulled muscle in my right leg and soreness in my back, I do enjoy my workouts. Granted, they are a lot different from what I am used to, but it still feels good to get my body moving.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love my doctor and his staff? They are so funny. One of the nurses and I could not stop laughing this morning. I went into a tirade of how I had to tell myself, while driving there, that the folks working in the doctor's office are not mean and evil people, they just have to follow the rules for how to do the glucose test. But really, it is cruel to not allow a pregnant woman to eat. Luckily, she stopped laughing before she began drawing my blood. Then, as I was waiting the required one hour until the next drawing of blood, another patient called in who clearly wears out the entire staff. The nurse called out to me, "You know why we like you? You aren't high maintenance." My reply? "I am too lazy to be high maintenance!" That had them laughing again. It is nice to be able to go in and enjoy the people there regardless of what is happening during the visit.

Following my appointment, I headed over to my favorite Thursday morning hangout to pray over one of the women who is going to be leaving for Sudan at the end of the month for a mission trip. It was a wonderful time of prayer, fellowship, laughter, and yes, food. I have missed those women! As I left, I was given some more clothes for our baby girl. Really, the blessings we are already receiving are incredible!

And today, my nephew would be turning 5 years old. During my first trimester, I had dreams of him talking to our child before we became pregnant. It was like God had arranged for my nephew to brief our child on our family, on life, on many things. These dreams always left me with a sense of peace and joy, despite how much I miss him. I like to think he got to meet his cousin as she was being formed and thought of by God before she was given to us. It's a bit fairy tale sounding, but still, I like the idea.

So, it has been a good day. My heart misses my nephew immensely, but God has brought many reasons for rejoicing too.

"Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (Psalm 16:9-11)

*Wouldn't it be funny if this post was about passing gas? That's all that went through my mind as I typed the title. What if I wrote: I passed...and it wasn't gas! HAHAHAHAHA

Snow flakes

Snow flakes
Originally uploaded by coachdiscavage.

Oh my, we have not seen this stuff in a while! What crazy weather we are having. Last week, rain and tornado watches. This week? Snow. What craziness. Pray for us all, since we do not get much of the white stuff, folks drive even more maniacal than usual. I guess it's just too shocking and overwhelming!

Holy Cow!

My cousin told me she sent me a bunch of clothes for our little girl (again, I love hand-me-downs!). But really, I never could have imagined how big the box would be:

Nor could I have imagined how many wonderful items would be in there!

Wow! We are so blessed. Our child is good to go, for sure through month 9 of her life! It is good to know our child will not have to run around naked. Whew.

Cravings? What cravings?

Cravings? What cravings?
Originally uploaded by coachdiscavage.

At least I am being healthy and all...hahaha.

I really wanted the cinnamon flavored jelly hearts, that I have only found during Valentine's. Pregnancy however has seemed to weaken my ability to read. Had I paid attention, I would have seen those are cherry flavored. Ick. They are in the trash now.

Hour of Prayer

"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:20)

Yesterday, prior to church starting, we had a "concert of prayer." There is nothing like a group of people coming together to pray. WOW! It was powerful, it was wonderful, it was just what we needed.

The time started with families praying together. I love to hear my husband pray, and I love to pray with him. And now, we include our daughter in those prayers which makes that time even more incredible.

Following that, our pastor asked different people to step forward and pray for various areas of ministry and groups. Let me just say, there were some prayers spoken by teenagers and some preteens that were powerful! I love the innocence and the simplicity of their prayers. They do not care about sounding profound or impressing others, they simply poured out their hearts, honestly, to God. Oh, it was good!

And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3)

Needless to say, yesterday was a great day. God is good, even in the midst of praying for some very hard circumstances being faced by people whom we love, it was obvious that God was there.

Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! (Psalms 66:20)

Start of week 24

Start of week 24
Originally uploaded by coachdiscavage.

I took this picture Sunday morning, on our way out to church. Really, I should get someone else to take the picture, but oh well.

24 with 16 (give or take) more....to go

Week 24

Baby: Your baby, now about in its 22nd week of development, is 8.4 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 1.2 pounds. It is starting to produce white blood cells, mostly for combating disease and infection, and may respond to your touch or sounds. If you haven't felt hiccups yet, you might feel some jerking motion now.

Mom-to-be: Your uterus is about 1.5 to 2 inches above your navel. Expect to gain about a pound per week this month. Glucose screens for detecting gestational diabetes are given between this week and 28 weeks.

Tip of the Week: Dad-to-be might be able to hear the baby's heartbeat by putting his ear to your abdomen.

Have I mentioned how wonderfully sweet people I know are? Well, it's true. Today at church, I don't know how many times I heard, "You look great, and so cute!" I appreciate it, to say the least. I feel, like I have said before, slightly like a house. It seems my perceptions are a bit off, and even if these folks are just being nice. Who cares? I'll take their word for it.

Crib and bedding

Crib and bedding
Originally uploaded by coachdiscavage.

Thanks to my sister, we now have sheets and such for our little girl. Ah, I love hand me downs! Unfortunately, the sheet ripped as I put it on, thanks to some rips that were already in it. Oh well, for now, it will suffice. I'll just add the sheet to the registry when I do that!

Listen Up!

Mandisa - God Speaking lyrics

Have you ever heard a love song
That set your spirit free
Have you ever watched a sunrise
And felt you could not breathe
What if it's Him
What if it's God speaking
Have you ever cried a tear that
You could not explain
Have you ever met a stranger
That already knew your name
What if it's Him
What if it's God speaking

Who knows how He'll get a hold of us
Get our attention to prove He is enough
He'll do and He'll use
Whatever He wants to
To tell us I love you

Have you ever lost a loved one
Who you thought should still be here
Do you know what it feels like
To be tangled up in fear
What if He's somehow involved
What if He's speaking through it all

His ways are higher
His ways are better
Though sometimes strange
What could be stranger
Than God in a manger

God is speaking
I love you

Preggo Update and Such

A few random things for you:

* Craving - lately, if I am out and about, I crave a hot dog to eat. And not just any hot dog. Oh no, only the ones that Target makes will do. How stinking random is that? But, I must say, they make some darn tasty hot dogs. And usually, I am not one to eat such food. Oh well. I've began to control myself and have them less now. (and just so you know, you get the hot dog and a drink for $2.19!!) Other than that, I am craving lots of fruit, which is a good thing.

*Weight - I have gained 17 or 18 pounds, and according to what I have read, that is 2-3 more than I should have (stupid holidays!). The good news is that we are starting up our F3 Fitness Class at church next week, which will help keep everything in check a little better. Plus, having to talk to the women about nutrition and such keeps me more accountable.

*Nursery - my sister was kind enough to give me her crib sheets and such. Score! That and the furniture from my friend Denise, well, we're set. I have been taking some pictures, so I will have to post those later.

*Registering - a friend of mine has offered to go with me to register. Andy does not care one way or another what things look like, as long as they are functional, so my friend Tirsah has offered to help me. That way, I will be sure to register for things I actually need and not things that just look neat. You know, I'm all about function! Besides, I went into Babys-R-Us the other day for a baby book and about freaked because the store is BIG, and there are so many options! I'm gonna need her help!

*How I feel - honestly, I feel wonderful. I am more content than I think I have ever been and am excited about what lies ahead of us. My energy level is up, I am sleeping really well, and I am doing my best to enjoy this growing belly. Plus, feeling Zoe kick is about the coolest thing in the world.

And there you have it, that's the "4-1-1" on this pregnancy thus far. I think I am a pretty lucky girl really.

Really, you have to read it

Yesterday, I finished "The Shack" by William P. Young. There are no words to adequately describe how much I enjoyed the book. It is like no other book I have ever read. This book uses no typical cliches on why bad things happen in this world, it's a very heart felt conversation between a man and God and his realization of who God really is and what faith and relationship really mean. If you do nothing else this year, read this book! I promise it will challenge and change certain views you have on faith, and it is incredibly refreshing! In fact, I will be reading it again, it is that good.

This morning, I was looking up information on various childbirth classes offered by the hospital I will be delivering at. Sometimes, I still cannot believe we will be having a child...and soon! I looked at Andy the other day and asked, "Do you realize that in 15-17 weeks (unless she's a big procrastinator), we should have our little girl in our arms?" We just stared at each other in total shock and amazement. And then, reading about the classes offered and trying to decide which to take, well, that really has my mind flip-flopping. WOW! With this growing belly, you would think I would be getting more accustomed to the fact there is indeed a little girl in there, she will in fact come out, and we will be raising here. But no, it seems I am a bit slow to process these facts. Again I say, WOW!

And now, with that being said, I am headed into my living room to workout. Because really, another day like yesterday will not do any of us any kind of good. Happy day to each of you.

Just a thought

If I continue to eat throughout the remainder of my pregnancy as I have today, I will be as big as a house. It's true. I won't even fit into the door of my house if this continues. Time to stop the madness and go back to my healthy ways. Clearly, it's different then before. But really, healthier eating is good for us all.

That is all.

Feeling better, hooray!

First of all, it is nice to have our computer back! Strangely, I kind of miss my little ventures out to the library, but not enough to go there rather than use our home computer. The fitness class I co-lead at church is starting next week, so I've been getting things in order for that. You know, it's always nice when the teachers are prepared! Step one? I actually worked out yesterday. I went on two walks yesterday because it was so nice outside. The sunshine felt so good! Since the pleasant weather isn't sticking around, I figure I should take advantage of it. Today I plan on lifting some weights then going out to walk again. Tonight, maybe I will do a yoga video I have. We'll see.

Yesterday, while out running some errands, I saw quite a few friends. It was a day filled with moments of unexpected, but sweet, fellowship! A friend I was planning on calling to meet for lunch was at the mall, and we ended up having an impromptu lunch together. Check that off my list!

I also started reading an incredible book. There is a line on the book's cover that says, "Where tragedy confronts eternity." That about sums up the book. It's a beautiful, insightful, gut wrenching story. This book also puts on paper the struggles so many people have with God and faith. I love it!

The cold that I thought might kill me last week (it was less than fun), is finally going away. It's nice to breathe again! And, I am actually sleeping through the night without having to wake up to blow my nose or cough up my lungs. Praise the Lord for healing! I woke up this morning just feeling good, and what a blessing that is.

Now, time to load some programs on the computer. Enjoy.

"The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes." (Psalm 19:8)

Thoughts for the day

As suggested by a friend of mine, I have started reading "The Shack" by William P. Young. And yes, I recommend it...HIGHLY. I have come across a few quotes and phrases that I wanted to share.

"Nothing makes us as lonely as our secrets" - Paul Tournier (intro to chapter 2)

"Living unloved is like clipping a bird's wings and removing its ability to fly. Not something I want for you." "Mack, pain has a way of clipping our wings and keeping us from being able to fly. And if left unresolved for very long, you can almost forget that you were ever created to fly in the first place." Papa (God), Chapter 6

"The problem is that many folks try to grasp some sense of who I am by taking the best version of themselves, projecting that to the nth degree, factoring in all the goodness they can perceive, which often isn't much, and then call that God. And while it may seem like a noble effort, the truth is that it falls pitifully short of who I really am. I'm not merely the best version of you that you can think of. I am far more than that, above and beyond all that you can ask or think." - Papa (God), Chapter 6

"Let's pray that the human race never escapes Earth to spread its iniquity elsewhere." - C.S. Lewis, intro to Chapter 7

It's week 23 you see

Week 23

Baby: Your baby is about 8 inches from crown to rump and weighs almost 1 pound. The body is becoming proportioned more like a newborn, but skin is still wrinkled because your baby still has more weight to gain. Lanugo hair on the body sometimes turns darker.

Mom-to-be: Your round belly is definitely noticeable by now. Weight gain will be about 12 to 15 pounds. You may still have aches in the small of your back. Lying down, massages and applying a heating pad or hot water bottle to the area can help.

Tip of the Week: As your skin continues to stretch, it may become dry and itchy. Keeping it moist with lotions or cream can help reduce these symptoms.

Luckily, my cold is subsiding so I will resume working out tomorrow. Praise the Lord! I am excited about that because my legs have been cramping more than they have the entire time I have been pregnant. I am ready to move, sweat, and get my heart rate up! The 14th, we will resume our fitness class at church. It will be an interesting experience for me to co-lead being pregnant. Say some prayers for me when you think of it. The bonus is the class will help me stay fit throughout this pregnancy, which is a bonus. We do need to find another person to take my place as a leader of the class closer to my due date and for a time after. All in all, I am feeling really well, and for that, I am so thankful. I know so many women who have difficult pregnancies, and I am thankful I am not in that category. We are doing well, and I praise God for that fact.

"The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!" (Psalm 18:46)

Genius I tell you, genius!

My husband, the genius that he is, has fixed our computer. I told him he could do it. HA! I love it when I am right! And, it is nice to not have to drive to the library just to send an email or post a blog. Oh happy, happy day. It's nice to be married to a genius.

We're bored, I blame them

The past two nights, when Andy has gotten home, we have agreed on one simple fact: our house is not as exciting as my parents' house was while we were there. We miss our nieces, the silliness they provided, and all the laughter. As much as we enjoy each other, we miss the cheap entertainment too. I laughed and told him that in a few months we'll be thinking, "remember that night we were bored and said the house was too quiet? Man, I kind of miss that." Now we are really ready for the little girl and the life she'll bring into our home.

I still have this stupid cold. And really, how much mucus can one person produce? I think I have met my quota for 2008 already. Really, it's time for this cold to walk on and get out of my system.

Our computer at home is still sick as well. We have a plan of action for this weekend, and are praying it will work. If not, ick. But, if that is the worst that is happening in our lives, I figure we are pretty blessed.

On a much more fun note, Mandisa will be performing at our church Sunday, and I can't wait. We'll be having a concert of praise from 9-10, and they have invited her to come and sing for it. Woo-wee, it's going to be good.

Enough rambling, I still have some other things to accomplish on this library computer before I head out. Peace.

Home sweet home

Believe it or not, we arrived home last night without a single plane delay. Can you imagine? I guess flying on January 1st isn't such a bad idea. It was nice to sleep in our own bed again, very nice. If I didn't wake up to blow my nose or because I was hacking up lungs, it would have been even better. But still, I have missed our bed.

I was a little worried that staying for 10 days would end up being a mistake, that at some point, we would regret that decision and just want to be home. Boy was I wrong. We had a blast. My nieces were an amazing source of entertainment, and the time to just relax and watch a multitude of football games was so nice. I also liked the fact Andy got to spend more time with my family. More than likely, they will miss him more than me! HA! And the next time we see them will be when our baby girl is born, which is so crazy to me.

We told my youngest niece, who is 2, that there was a baby in my belly. She would walk up, pat my belly, say hello, then look into my belly button in hopes of seeing the baby. It was so funny. She would then walk over to Andy, lift up his sweatshirt and ask, "Baby in there?" Oops! I surely hope she doesn't do that to any strangers! That little one is so full of life, I love it! She is constantly on the go, talks all the time, and certainly does not lack personality. I could write tons of blogs on the things she did and said, but, I'll restrain myself.

My older niece is becoming such a wonderful young lady. The girl is intelligent. We were watching something on TV about the presidential cadidates, and she asked, "What is Democrat and Republican? Why do they matter?" My parents also told me she asked my dad this summer, "Papa, tell me about WWII. I know Hitler was bad, but tell me more about it." If she doesn't know something she asks, and she retains so much information! I also had some time with her, which was fun, and as she put it, "just like the old days" (which was funny coming from a girl who turns 9 this month).

As glad as I am to be home, I already miss my family. It was so nice to have time with my nieces (their parents headed to NY for a vacation after Christmas) and my parents. We had such an extraordinary time, and are so thankful that we were able to stay for as long as we did. Moments like those are ones I will cherish forever.

Me and my son

Me and my son
Originally uploaded by coachdiscavage.

Here we are, me and my son. He's so precious. After missing the original day planned to meet for breakfast, he made up for it by buying mine the next day. He's so sweet.