Eureka!

This morning, Russ had to leave at 6:30 a.m. to drive to another city for a preaching engagement. I opted not to join him this time due to the swelling that ocurred during the two hour car ride the last time we went. I was awake when he left this morning and I heard him start his car and drive away. A few minutes later I heard the door open. My initial thought was "Oh no. His car didn't start." I got up and went to ask him what was going on. The car was not the issue this morning. His 50 pound weight loss ended up being the issue. As he was driving through the parking lot, he stopped to throw some trash in the dumpster. (Insert horror music here) You all know what is coming. When he threw the trash into the dumpster, his wedding ring slipped off of his finger....right into the pile of trash. Of course, he was in a suit and tie all ready to preach and couldn't exactly go dumpster diving at that point. I started crying...okay sobbing. I don't know why. I'm blaming it on hormones and the fact that I am quite attached to our rings. This could have happened to me at any point over the last year. My rings have been loose for ages. We were waiting to get them all sized when we both got to our goal weights. This is apparently not a good idea. I briefly considered dumpster diving for it myself this afternoon, but the risk of getting an infection from that was too great...plus I have an enormous belly that would have inhibited the search. Russ arrived home at 9:00 tonight and promptly got a flashlight went dumpster diving. He actually found it. I can't believe his luck. I had already written it off as a loss. I felt like I was in an episode of King of Queens. Doesn't this sound exactly like something Doug would do?

Ready.

Her clothes and blankets are all washed and ready.
Her pack-n-play is set up.
Her carseat is installed.
The hospital bags are all packed.

Now all I need are contractions 5 to 7 minutes apart for an hour to an hour and a half. Soon.

Almost Term...

I am finally term tomorrow. I love being able to say that. My sweet baby girl will be here before we know it. I am going to get the pack and play out this weekend and put it together. I'm also going to install the carseat. I'm getting really excited about everything going on.

I had a doctor appointment today. I'm still closed up tight so nothing is going to happen for a while yet. My Group B Strep test came back negative which is good. I didn't gain any weight from last week. This was incredibley surprising to me because I have been a bottomless pit lately and my tummy has had a growth spurt.

I am 36 weeks 6 days and am 11 toilet paper squares around.

Busy Weekend

Russ and I were able to start lamaze class on Saturday. It was supposed to last from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. but our lamaze instructor let us out at 12:30 instead. I was actually quite thankful for that since I had/have so much to do. The class was interesting. There wasn't anything really groundbreaking for me that was said, but still informative. We did start doing different breathing techniques. I thought a lot of it was very similar to the breathing I do during yoga. Our instructor has had 11 children and has been an L&D nurse for over 20 years so her credentials are pretty fantastic. She's an odd sort, but still very knowledgable. One thing that was really odd is that there are 10 couples/pairs in the class and there is another girl whose name is Lisa and she is also due on April 17th. I thought that was an odd coincidence. We did get a tour (which is the main reason I signed up for lamaze). The L&D ward was redesigned last fall and is really nice. Every room is private and they are also very spacious. We have two more of these Saturday classes, an infant CPR class and I have a breastfeeding class to go to.

I finally got everything cut out for my birth announcements. I am going ahead and doing the fronts of them and will do the insides after Chloe is born and I have her stats and a picture to send. I've had these on my to-do list for a few months and I'm so glad I finally have all the pieces cut out. I just have to find some time to glue everything together!

I also ended up going to Wal-Mart on Saturday evening with my Mom while Russ was at work. I bought the pack-n-play which is one of the last large purchases we needed to make. Since Chloe isn't going to have her own room until we move out of our apartment, we decided to get a pack-n-play for our room for now. We will eventually move into a three bedroom something and buy her a crib, but for now, this is how we decided to go. I also bought a few baskets and storage things for Chloe's stuff. I am slowly finding places for everything to go. I had to clean off a few of my scrapbooking shelves and find other places for that stuff, but I am getting organized and feeling good about her impending arrival.

I have been washing bottles and clothes all weekend. I am starting to feel like I need to get all of this done soon because her due date is not that far off. Can you believe I will be term on Friday?!?!? Where has the time gone? I know it will go even faster once she arrives. I am slowly getting thank you cards written and sent. I have a large stack to pass out at work tomorrow morning. 3 1/2 weeks left until my due date. I can't wait.

Joke of the Day...er...year...

I guess I can't call it joke of the day since I don't post jokes very often.

On my way home from work there is a billboard that always has a joke on it. I liked this one so much that I wanted to share.

Q: How do you catch a unique rabbit?

A. Unique up on it!

I'm laughing. Are you?

Bump Watch - 36 Weeks

Almost there. I'm starting to swell. My face and legs are swollen and I just look worn out. I had a doctor appointment yesterday. I had to have my Strep B test. I was a little nervous about it, but it was a walk in the park compared to the HSG and IUI. Doc did check my cervix and I am closed up tight. He said that nothing is going to happen for a while still, but just in case, if I do start having contractions 5 to 7 minutes apart for an hour and a half or more to come on in to the hospital. I know it's getting close to time since he is saying things like that! Russ and I are going to our first lamaze class tomorrow. We will go for the next three Saturday's. We also have the infant CPR class and I have a breastfeeding class to attend. We still have two big purchases to make. We need to buy the pack-n-play for our room and I have to get a breast pump. I may wait until after the breastfeeding class to see what they say. I know the Medela's are supposed to be the best, but I really don't want to spend that much on one. I have been researching the Lansinoh's and may just go with that.

Weight gain: 23 pounds. I have been swollen so I'm going to blame a little of that 4 pound weight gain on that. I have completely stopped working out. I do still go on walks, but I sure don't get anywhere fast. I'm just trying to stay as active as I can without being completely sore.
That's it for now. I am getting nervous and excited about Chloe joining us. My ticker is under 30 days now so it won't be long.

Baby Shower

Tonight was the baby shower that the church we are members of threw for us. Chloe recieved a lot of stuff. The turn out was wonderful and we really appreciate everything the church here does for us and means to us. Here are some pictures from this evening.The hostesses: Sue, Julie, Judy, Marcella, Pat, Marilyn, Cindy, Julie and Robbie

Extremely proud parents-to-be
Beautiful punch and cake table

The gift table
Gorgeous cake. The hostesses really went with my dragonfly theme!
I love how happy I look in this picture.

My sister made me a scrapbook for the first year. Unfortunately, the picture didn't turn out good at all so I don't have one at this time. I'll have to post a picture of it soon. I did want to share the beautiful poem that she wrote just for Chloe, though:

"Little baby, baby girl,

May you grow, and learn, and laugh, and twirl.

May you reach your dreams that are bigger than life,

And may you thrive and prosper with little strife.

May you live the love that is the purest there is,

And always know you are a child of His.

Welcome to this world, beautiful and bright,

May your spirit shine as a little light.

Know that you are loved more than the finest pearl,

Little baby, baby girl."

Chloe Jo is so lucky to have such a wonderful family. We are all blessed!

Movie Date

Yesterday Russ and I did end up going to see Twilight at the $2.50 theater. It never ceases to amaze me how Hollywood can take a best selling book and totally ruin the whole thing. The movie was awful. Slow, melodramatic with bad acting and even worse special effects. The characters in the book are so vivid and alive! What happened to them in the movie? They were boring. Half way through the movie, I started laughing at how bad the special effects were. Maybe if I was thirteen and in love with the actor who played Edward (who incidentally also played Cedric Diggory in the fourth Harry Potter...and played that role badly, also) I would have enjoyed it. The only thing that salvaged the date was the popcorn and candy. I have no intention of seeing the second one that comes out in November and this is definitely not a movie that is going to be in my library...unless I buy all of them off the shelves so no one else will have to endure two hours of horribleness.

TP Thursday and Other Things

It's TP Thursday again! I am 34 weeks, 6 days and am 10 1/2 squares round.

Last night's bible class was a little interesting. First, we had a child (K) come in with tears. Now K has been in our class for months and has never cried about his mom leaving him. But, last night K was completely inconsolable. After about 5 minutes of his sobbing, E (one of our little girls) got upset and started crying because K was so upset. I let E sit on my lap and she calmed down just fine, but K just kept on. He sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. This is so out of character for him that I was very concerned about it. I think his mother may have been helping in another class because Grandma finally came and got him. Even Grandma couldn't help him. They had to leave class and we could still hear K down the hall. Poor guy. I don't know what the deal was last night, but I sure hope that doesn't become a habit!

We also had a little boy (D) come who hasn't been to class in a few months. He is very sporadic in his coming. He will come every week for a few months and then miss for a few months. Well, he obviously hadn't seen me in a while and about half way through class he looked at me and said "Why you that bigger?" I looked at him, thinking that I had surely misunderstoood what he said so I asked him to repeat himself. "Why you that bigger?" He kept looking at my belly. I find this so funny because most men A: don't care and B: wouldn't notice. I just grinned at him, but didn't answer since the last little boy I told that I have a baby in my tummy thought that I had eaten my baby. D did keep looking at my belly through the end of class. Too cute!

Being in customer service is making me realize just how gullible and naive I really am. Don't get me wrong, most of the customers are polite about things. Then there are the few who are just rude and you can't help them no matter what you do. These are the types of customers that turn their own utilities back on after they have been disconnected for non-payment. This is where I realize how naive I am. I, for one, never considered turning my own utilities on. Well, I've never had them disconnected, but if I did, I would not connect them back. I wouldn't have a clue how to do it. Even now, after training, I wouldn't know how to do it. I wouldn't consider not paying my bill every month. I guess I just give some people too much credit. But, then I think that that's a good thing because I don't want to be untrusting of everyone. I do believe the majority of people are good and that there are those who are truly struggling, but trying to get things worked out. I do enjoy the job for the most part even though I make lists of ways to annoy the customers.

I've been keeping up with my daily bible reading goal. 5 chapters a day. I've been a daily bible reader since the second week in January. I have also stared a new novel, New Moon. It's the second book in the Twilight series. So far it is wonderful just like the first book. I think Russ is going to take me to see Twilight, the movie, this weekend. We are hoping our $2.50 theater will be showing it.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading my blog, buddies. I do appreciate the support I get from my family, church, friends and blogosphere.

Another List

Here is a list of things I would like to do while speaking with some customers:

1. Add an insanely high deposit to the account just because they are being rude.

2. Stab myself in the eye with my pen.

3. Make static noises and hang up.

4. Start humming show tunes.

5. Tell them flat out that they are being horribly rude and that I'm not going to help them.

6. Put them on hold while I take my lunch.

7. Transfer calls to the General Manager.

8. Fill out illegals on the customers. (Illegals are forms that we can fill out if the company has turned off the utilites and the customer turned them back on illegally)

9. Call the customer by the wrong name during the whole conversation.

10. Start talking about what is supposed to come on TV that night.

Interesting Day

I have been hung up on a total of 7 times today. I actually find it a little bit funny, but a little annoying at the same time. How do people expect me to be able to help them when they won't listen to what I have to say. I know I don't always have good news, but I truly do try to help people settle their accounts in a way that is good for both us and them. 7 times in one day, though? I must have had my "I'm a mean, mean person" voice on. Or maybe it's because it is getting close to a full moon. That's what my coworker told me.

Finished

I finished reading the last half of Revelation today. Since I started reading the second week of January this year, it has taken me roughly two months to read through the whole Bible. I'm actually surprised that I finished it that quickly. I read for an average of an hour a day for two months and I'm not a fast reader. Plus, I would reread passages if my mind started drifting. The goal now is to read 5 chapters a day. I am going to start back at the beginning of the New Testament and read that through a few times then will reconsider reading the Old Testament if I do well with reading the New. I may throw in Psalms and Proverbs a couple times during the New Testament if I am feeling down. I love Psalms and Proverbs. They are so uplifting. Anyway, just thought I would share with you all. I hope everyone is having a good weekend.

Bump Watch - 34 Weeks

34 weeks. 42 days until my due date. Breathe in. Breathe out. Time is flying by and I almost want it to slow down. There are so many things up in the air about our life right now. I don't know how we are going to make all these big decisions (like about where to live!) during this time. I also have started thinking about whether I really am going to be a good mother or not. I thought about this before we pursued treatments to get pregnant, but it didn't really hit me as hard as it needed to. There are so many aspects that I need to work on in my life. How am I going to be a good example for this little person. How am I going to make sure that she makes it to heaven along with Russ and myself? What and enormous responsibility. I know I'm ready to take this step. It's just a very big step and I so want to be the best mother I can possibly be.

Weight gain: 19 pounds.I have started having a few new pregnancy symptoms. I blogged yesterday about my emerging stretchmarks and belly button so I won't bore you with that. I have been having an increasingly difficult time sleeping. I have to get up to use the restroom about four times a night and I just can't seem to stay in one position for too long. Also, I have had the worst drooling issues! I've never been the most beautiful sleeper, but I've never woken up in an enormous puddle of my own drool...or when I snuggle with Russ and put my head on his chest, I wake up because I drool all over him. It is a big problem...hilarious, but a problem. Another thing, I have become the most clumsy person...which is quite evident by the salsa I just dripped down my front. Or maybe I have always been clumsy, but I didn't have the belly for food particles to hit to notice? I guess all I can do is laugh about all of it!

Update

My titles are getting more and more boring.

I had a doctor appointment this morning with my OB. Everything still looks good. No protein in my urine. Blood pressure was good. My systolic pressure was a little elevated at 130 which is normal for me, but they didn't say anything about it. My doctor told me three weeks ago that I would be getting my Group B Strep test today, but they didn't end up doing it. I wasn't really looking forward to a vaginal/rectal swab anyway! The nurse did tell me that my next appointment will start the "getting undressed" appointments. Oh goody. I can't wait. She did say that all that means is that I'm getting very close to being done with this pregnancy. There was one thing different about this appointment. Doc measured my belly. He hadn't done that before. I don't know what it measured. Must have been okay because he didn't say anything. You know, he really doesn't say much of anything ever. But, I don't say much so I guess I can't complain. If I had a pressing question I'm sure he would be more than happy to answer it. Chloe's heartbeat is getting harder to find. She just won't stay still long enough to get a good, strong reading. Today it was quieter than usual because she wouldn't stay still. At least I can feel her moving around so there is no doubt in my mind that her little heart is going strong.

I have about four stretch marks and a belly button emerging. Three of the stretch marks are under my belly so I can't see them really without a mirror. I have been very faithful about using my pregnancy lotion every morning and evening so I can just imagine what my belly would have looked like without the lotion. My belly button is starting to pop. Not enough for others to notice yet, but enough that I can tell it's going to come out sooner or later.

I have been able to walk three times this week, twice outside. The weather was absolutely gorgeous today and yesterday. I was able to walk outside with Russ yesterday evening after bible class and I walked outside today after work. I haven't been able to do that since before Christmas and it felt so good to get out. I'm hoping we have seen the last of winter and spring is here to stay.

That's it for now. I will be posting more tomorrow since it's a bump watch day. Thanks for reading my blog and commenting. I do so love the support that I get from the blogosphere!

I've Been Awarded

Elana awarded me with the Honest Scrap Award. Thanks a bunch!The Rule of the Award: List 10 honest things about yourself.

Well, you all know I have no problem being honest on my blog so here goes:

1. For some stupid reason I still get insanely jealous when I hear about women getting pregnant by accident. I guess once you are infertile, you never really get out of that way of thinking.

2. I hate answering questions in bible class. I am taking a class on Monday nights about the book of Psalms and it is one of the only classes I've ever been comfortable enough to speak in.

3. I hope to be able to go to nursing school one day.

4. I'm scared that Chloe is going to be an only child.

5. I love lotions and body sprays from Bath and Body Works. My favorite scent is Cherry Blossom.

6. I have not been able to keep up with House, my fantasy husband, this season. I have classes on Monday night and we keep forgetting to set the DVD recorder. I definitely can't watch it out of order so I've initiated a this season House ban until this season comes out on DVD.

7. I don't think I'm ever going to be caught up in my scrapbooking. I've done well with the pregnancy book, but I have at least 3 years of pictures that need to be done.

8. I have a favorite blanket that my Gramsie made for me in high school for band trips. My Mom recently rebacked it with yellow flannel with monkey's on it. I take it with me on long trips and won't take a different blanket. I guess you could call it my security blanket.

9. I love getting Old Time photos taken. We have four around our apartment of Russ and I and I absolutely love them.

10. I stopped drinking soda in February of 2008 so it has officially been a year since I've drank any.

That's it for now. Feel free to yank the graphic and play along if you want!

The Year in Review

I realized this morning that I started this blog in February of last year. After looking back over the year and what I've written about, it's interesting to note how this blog evolved.

When I started, this blog was about my life minus a lot of the dirty little secrets. Russ was in his last semester of preaching school and I was working, trying to save money for our impending move that hasn't happened yet.

Then the blog became about my weight loss ventures. I even posted numbers. Yikes! Blogging was a great resource to motivate myself. I didn't want to blog that I had gained a few pounds. It kept me going.

A while later, I came out with my infertility. I had been getting treatments since the beginning of the blog, but I hadn't written anything about it. My personal journal moved to the internet in search of support and a way to release my frustration. I also realized that infertility is a very real thing and happens to many couples and I shouldn't be ashamed of it or the treatment we chose.

In August 2008, this blog took a flying leap into the pregnancy category. I was so excited to post a picture of my pregnancy test. I thought I would wait until everything was secure and definite, but I just couldn't and ended up posting it the day after I got my positive. There were a few downs in the first trimester, but we got through it and now we are oh-so-patiently waiting for the blog to evolve into a parenting blog.

Happy Anniversary Preachmanswife.blogspot.com. You've been a great friend and companion over the last year.