Tomorrow....Tomorrow!!!!!!

In the words of Joey Russo from "Blossom"..."WHOA!" My shower is tomorrow! Holy crap, am I far enough along to be having a baby shower??? Yes folks, I guess I am! I am 30 weeks today....10 weeks to go! So excited for tomorrow. I have waited a long time it seems for this day! You all know me, I am sure I will cry at least once. I know seeing all these goodies just for Zachary will not only get the water works going, but also make this pregnancy once again seem even more real. Even with the growing belly and tap dancing from within going on...there are days when I still have to pinch myself and wonder if this is really real? Are we actually going to be PARENTS?? I just feel extremely blessed every single day. Becky and I were chatting yesterday and laughed because I said I have loved being pregnant SO much that I think I will be ready to do this again very soon...this coming from the woman who has not gone through labor or the sleepless nights yet! HA! But I digress, point being, I am still loving being pregnant. Knowing Zach is safe and comfy in my womb just gives me an unexplainable kind of peace. Although I am sure Matt will be glad to have his not so emotional and sappy wife back! :-)

Anyway, thanks in advance to all my "sisters" for hostessing the shower tomorrow. You guys are my rock, where would I be without each and every one of you!? I know I couldn't make it without you all!!

Updates!

Hello world!

Today I had my monthly appointment...I will be 30 weeks on Friday! Holy moly! Now I will start going in every 2 weeks until 36 weeks and then I will go weekly. I can't believe how quickly time is passing! With Christmas in the mix, time is just flying by! Everything looked good today. Only gained a few pounds which I thought was pretty good considering its been less than a week since Thanksgiving! Still measuring a little bit ahead so we will do another ultrasound around 35 weeks to get a better idea of Zach's size. If he is too big, I guess we talk about inducing early? We shall see! I am excited to get a peek at him again though in a few weeks! I cant wait to meet him!

In other updates...I didn't get to properly post last week, it is confirmed that Ginny is having a So excited for Ginny and Jeff! I know mini Ginny and Zach are going to be the best of friends just like their mommies! :-) Or perhaps more than that one day! Ginny and I will make great MIL!

And lastly...my shower is on Saturday! So excited! I know that will really make things even MORE real! Not sure where we will put everything as the hutch is not due in until the end of the month still. But I guess we will find somewhere. Just feeling so blessed and excited and ready to be at this point! I am loving the ride!

It's me!

A couple of pics from me after church on Sunday. I love this top too (thanks Kerri!) It accentuates the belly nicely! So yep, this is what I look like entering the 3rd trimester. I think I look pretty normal, but a couple of people have commented like, "You are ONLY 7 months!" Sheesh, I wasn't a small woman to begin with but c'mon people! I am not huge either! Just right.....although I can't sleep for crud these days and apparently I snore now. I even asked my doctor about it. She assured me about 95% of women start snoring when they get later into their pregnancies but it will go away after Zach is here. I know Matt will be happy!

Turkey and Jingle Bells

Is it really Thanksgiving week already? Where has the year gone? After Thanksgiving, I think time is going to be flying by and we will be that much closer to holding little Zachary in our arms! We have our shower in 2 weeks and I cannot wait! I am blessed by a bunch of wonderful friends for making it all happen. I think that is when things will be really be real! Can you believe that at 28 weeks I still have issues believing this could be true?

Anyway, I have a list of things to get done, none of which I have completed yet. Christmas shopping, nursery preparation, childbirth classes, etc etc etc!

But I am loving this time of year (minus the 80 degree heat). Enjoying Christmas music, getting excited to decorate (or delegate, Matt may be doing some more of the actual decorating this year), and all the general merriment that goes along with Christmas. Especially I love church at this time of the year. Looking through the bulletin on Sunday had me excited and reflecting. As we approach the celebration of our Lord and Savior's birth, I am all the more humbled by the miracle of God's son, and the miracle of our own son that He created! He is wonderful!

Ok, need to make dinner. Tonight we are having a Company's Comin casserole. Delish and so tasty if you ever want a quick and easy dinner! They are great!

THIRD TRIMESTER!

Wow. It kinda snuck up on me. I am two thirds of the way through this pregnancy, maybe even a little more if little Zach decides to come early! 28 weeks complete, 12 to go. WOW! Did I already say that? I cannot believe how quickly time is passing.

I passed my 3 hour glucose test too, thank goodness. I am relieved to say the least. I am still watching what I eat but at least I am not on a super strict diet. And Zach is moving a lot these days, enough to where I can see it on the outside!! I haven't seen a foot imprint or anything like that yet, but I have been staring at my belly to watch it move, so cool!

My shower is coming up in 2 weeks too. I cannot wait! I know that will make things even more real. Beware, I will probably cry at least once!

My glider is in too but I think I will wait until the hutch arrives to have it all delivered.

Hmmm, not too much else going on. My whirlwind month is practically over, thank goodness!! I missed my hubby and furbabies. Birmingham was lovely though. Fall foliage. I wish I had my camera, something we don't get to see! Have a busy weekend planned and then turkey day next week! Where has the year gone??????????

Weekend in Abilene!

Nonna turned 90 this past week so we made the trek out to Abilene to celebrate! Uncle Jack Key came in from San Fran too, but unfortunately Karen and Rebeca couldn't join him too. Julie also come in late last night from Lubbock to visit too! We had a good weekend just visiting and relaxing. Donna gave me some of Matt's baby clothes that she had saved as well as his Beatrice Potter china, so cute!! Its a plate, bowl, cup, mug, and bank. The clothes are little outfits as well as some shoes/booties. I cant wait to put Zach in them all and compare to pics of Matthew! Aunt Julie gave Zach some bath time things too! All in all, a nice weekend with the family!

I had my second glucose test on Friday. It sucked way more than the first as it was on an empty stomach and the orange stuff was double the size and concentration! Plus I had to give blood four times. Ouchie. I did talk to my nurse practitioner while I was there and she said I "barely failed" the first one, whatever that's worth, so I am hoping maybe I will pass this one! I should find out Monday or Tuesday....will let you know.

Well, we ordered pizza....the guy just called, he is lost. Man, I am ready for a house that can always be found by the delivery people! SHEEESH!

Here are a couple of pics with the fam from before we headed out....

Hump Day!

Not much going on here...just a midweek post to let you know what's going on my life this week.

Well, Monday I found out I flunked my glucose test. So........I have to go back in Friday morning for the 3 hour more intensive test. Fasting Thursday night, and then Friday morning, drink the sugar drink and they will take blood every 3 hours. fun fun. I just pray I pass! I just want me and Zach to be healthy!

Last night I went to Lake Charles for business. My company has an LNG terminal there. We had a record breaking summer, so some of us were able to go up there for a celebration today. We stayed at the La Berg du Lac Casino last night. I have to say, it was pretty nice! We ate at Snake River Grill which was delish! I cant seem to get enough of steak these days! The casino was PACKED! I find it bizarre since it was a Tuesday night, but I guess people could be there on vacation? It was weird! I'm not a big gambler to begin with, but I must say with the heightened senses...the smoke really got to me. So I went to bed early and left the boys to the gambling and drinking! It was one of the best nights sleep I have had in awhile. Without dog and cat in the bed, and I knew I wasn't bothering hubby with my sprawling or snoring, I SLEPT!!! It was divine. Although I missed hubby, waking up without him by my side always makes me sad :-(

Today we had a tour of the terminal which is quite impressive. Last time I was down there, we had a vessel in and I was able to tour that. So seeing the terminal kinda completed the picture! For those of you that are wondering what a LNG terminal looks like, here you go!

Its more impressive even in person. These are some massive structures. The record was we brought in 17 cargoes in the month of June here. That's a vessel about every 1.5 days. There were lots of other really impressive statistics but I would have to be able to remember them. The lunch was neat though. Employees of both BG and Trunkline were there, as well as members of the Coast Guard, Pilots Association, and even a couple of Louisiana senators and a congressman! Pretty neat! This second pic is one I got off Panhandle's website, but shows 2 vessels docked and an ariel view of the terminal. If you ever have questions, feel free to ask! :-)

So anyway.......that was today!

Other news, The Martin family was coming home from the hospital today! I got text from Amy this afternoon so hopefully all went well and they are home safely tonight!

Tomorrow is the big Nutcracker Market! Mom and I have been going for like the past 5 years and always have fun. Since I didn't spend hardly anything at all in Fredericksbeg, Mom and I are ready to shop!

And then Friday........after the glucose test, we are heading to Abilene for Nonna's 90th Birthday! So, that's my life in a nutshell this week. very busy! Next week I head out Tuesday night to Birmingham for the Sonat shipper meeting. Looking forward to that but not being away from home again!

So anyway......its late now, time for bed. Must be well rested for shopping!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Caroline!!

We welcomed another new addition to the crew this morning! Right in between Halloween and her daddy and uncle Jack's birthday...Caroline Norene made her appearance this Sunday morning! Mom and I were shopping in Fredericksberg this morning and I got a text from Thomas about 6:15am saying Amy was going in for a c-section shortly. We didn't even know she was in the hospital...I had chatted with her Saturday night around 7pm before she and T went out for his birthday dinner! But anyway.....Caroline is here safe and sound, born at 7:12am, weighing 4lbs 9oz and 18 inches long. She is tiny but perfect in every way! So alert too, I think its a girl thing. Katie was like that too! Amy was doing well when Matt and I saw them tonight but getting tired and starting to feel a little pain. We wished them well and were on our way!

I managed to snap a few pics, but didn't get any of the family as a whole! Drats! Someone will have to get one for me. Caroline is adorable!

On another note...wow, my ticker. 96 days to go. Where is the time going?!?! I have an insane schedule these next 3 weeks, praying I don't have a mental breakdown. Between work obligations and house crap, it's going to be STRESSFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hopefully we all survive without too many injuries. We keep getting SO close to getting the house on the market when something else decides to rear its head. Any prayers for our sanity and getting the house on the market would be greatly appreciated!!

My friend Rach

My friend Rach..............is an amazing woman! She had the best sense of humor, a fabulous smile, and EVERYONE wanted to be her friend. She had the certain something that just made you want to be around her. I wouldnt say she was the Life of a Party, but she could make a party out of anything! That was just her way, she made everyone feel special!



Some of my most favorite moments were just me and Rach...driving of course...us talking, singing, and lovin life! It was our special time, those drives. Catching up in a way we didnt usually get to. Dont get me wrong, I loved all the times we were ALL together, but those car trips, that was our time! Passing out cards, crazy detours, it was a blast. Telling people half the stuff that was funny to us....most of the time it didn't even make sense to others!



Ive known Rachel since the sixth grade. Like most of my friends, I have known them since elementary or Jr High school. Pretty cool. We experienced almost everything together! Strack Speech & Drama, first day of high school, first crush, drivers license, parties, going to college, first love, first heartbreak, true love....When Rach left us, we had known each other for almost 20 years!



And now tomorrow, it will be a year since she left. Truly, not a day goes by that I don't think about her in some way at least once. Some days it feels like just yesterday that I got that call for Al. We went up to her apartment to get some of her things. I kept waiting for her to walk through the front door and yell at us for messing with her stuff! But she wasn't coming back. This week has been hard. I have been moody and emotional. Even a year later, I am still angry. I am mad for what she missed in life, and in turn her parents too! I wonder what would have been going on as she would be approaching her 1 year wedding anniversary...would we be pregnant together? Would she and Rodney have bought a house together and had a goat in the yard for Kari? Could we ever convince her to move back to Houston to raise our kids together?? And then I get sad selfishly for what my life misses without her here...our phone talks, our weekends together-reliving memories, her being here for the birth of my first child...I feel cheated.

Bu life goes on. That's the hard part. I was in a tough place last year at this time, still struggling to get pregnant, frustrated. And now, a year later, I have my miracle growing inside me (which I truly think she helped me out on, our gaurdian angel). We have had 2 babies born, another due any day now, a wedding., and a couple more babies on the way and hopefully a few more soon...There are so many things to be thankful for!! My only wish is that she was here to experience these things with us. I know she is in spirit though, which I guess has to be enough for now...

Rach, I miss you. Know we are always thinking of you...I know you are gone, but you are never forgotten. Come visit me sometime in dreamland, we need to catch up! I love you sister!!

Bedding...take 2!!

So I bought some spare pieces to mix and match the bedding...which do you like best?

Here was the original all gingham!


Gingham skirt/white sheet




Blue skirt/white sheet




Blue skirt/gingham sheet


So.......what do you think? Obviously no matter what, the bedskirts need ironing, but you get the point! Which do you like best or is there another option out there I should try? (solid green skirt, blue gingham skirt, white skirt, etc)

BTW, had doc appointment today. Zach's HB still 140 (as usual), only gained 2lbs, and blood pressure looks good! I also took my glucose test. If I don't hear back from them tomorrow or Thursday, looks like we are okay. I hope I pass!