Pictures from Christmas

In nine days I will be with Paul!!! I am so very excited about that =) It will have been nearly six weeks apart ... far too long. But it is much, much better than what it would be if this were an overseas deployment... I don't know how those wives survive the 18 month deployments, and I hope I never find out.

It has been a busy week - I have eaten too much and been on my feet too much!! It is so hard to stay quiet when there is so much exciting stuff going on! =)
Christmas day was a very enjoyable day. I missed Paul, but it was fun to be with my crazy siblings Christmas morning =)
Grandpa and Grandma Crowe and the 'adopted' grandparents - Mr. and Mrs. Nummey - joined us for Christmas dinner. I ended up sleeping most of the afternoon away.

This baby makes me SO tired some days!! I nap most days for 2-4 hours.
On Wednesday I had a check up and the doctor said all is well =) He said my stomach will likely grow another four centimeters - FOUR!!! I am not sure how my stomach will stretch out that much further, it feels stretched to its limits right now =)

Thursday Thirteen #5

1. Willow Tree pregnant belly ornament
2. Nearly one dozen Oprah Book Club books
3. Swaddling blankets for baby! (handmade too!)
4. A little lumber jack jacket for baby
5. Make-up brush set
6. All the little outfits for baby... they are all cute and I can't wait to dress him in them!
7. A tea cup - the start of my collection
8. Jewelry - one can never have enough!!
9. A maternity shirt
10. A sewing basket filled with all the supplies I could need should I decide to take up mending =)
11. The book 'Captivating'
12. Dvds - including "Jack and the Bean Stalk the untold story", "Arabian Nights" and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"
13. Scrapbooking supplies for baby's album




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A little of this and a little of that

We have an apartment!!! Woohoo!! I can't wait to get down there and see it! Paul signed the lease for it today.

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Best movie quote "If you fall I will catch you. And if I miss I will sit by your side and nurse you back to health."

-Wolf, on The 10th Kingdom

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I have absolutely no self control. Amanda came over for the evening last night and brought my Christmas present. She told me I could open it if I wanted to, and I asked if she'd opened hers, which I had given to her on Sunday. She said she hadn't... she was trying to wait till Christmas day. So I said I would wait. She said I could open it if I wanted to... but if she could be strong, I could too, right?? Uh... no! She wasn't even gone five minutes and I opened the gift from her. A rather snazzy gift - two different body butters and a full make up brush set and cosmetic bag. Self denial is not my thing.

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This afternoon mum and I went to Mrs. Yuille's where the two of them were hosting a tea for some of the older ladies at the chapel. They made me promise not to "share our secrets or go home and laugh at what we talked about." But I do have to say this - I hope my girlfriends and I have their sense of humor when we're their age! The ladies were a riot. And one of them got engaged just moments before the tea... and didn't tell anyone!! Another lady noticed the ring, and after said engaged lady left, the observant lady asked if anyone knew if she was engaged... seriously, it could have been my girlfriends chattering away excitedly trying to figure out if she was or was not engaged - and if she was why she hadn't told anyone. Mrs. Yuille used her connections and called someone and got a confirmation - the thought to be engaged lady really is engaged! I am pressuming it shall soon be known to all - but all I will say is

"congrats to the engaged lady."

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The baby's kicking has slowed down, and he now seems to be spinning. Whatever it is he is doing inside me I like it =) It feels pretty cool. Only TEN MORE WEEKS till our little guy is born. Woohoo! There are Christmas presents under the tree for him and I am so excited to see what the baby is getting =)

Thursday Thirteen #4

Thirteen Gifts I have bought for different people this year:

1. Calendar
2. Makeup
3. Christmas ornaments
4. Stationary
5. Book
6. Gift card
7. Cologne
8. Picture Frame
9. Shirt
10. DVD
11. Baking
12. Shower Gel
13. Cookbook

... no one knows what is for who though!

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I think I am obsessed

Here's me - I just forgot to add the big belly

Thursday Thirteen #3

Thirteen gadgets I wouldn't want to live without

1. Computer/laptop
2. Digital Camera
3. Cell phone
4. Dvd Player
5. Lights
6. Fridge/Freezer
7. Speakers
8. Hair straightener
9. Electric Kettle
10. Wireless Mouse
11. Washer/Dryer
12. Printer
13. My husband (best gadget I’ve ever owned! He fixes all the other ones. And is cute too.)


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Pictures I found

This was me in Nigeria - the 'international country singer.'

Kristie, Angie and I made that up to discourage a persistent admirer!










One of my girls in Nigeria














I miss him!!

Think our kids will have curls?? We're hoping!

My favourite picture of us!

Paul has been adopted for Christmas day!! I am so happy knowing that he isn’t going to spend the day sitting in his barracks watching movies and eating microwave food all day long. A family from the church invited him to spend the day with them, and I am so grateful that they did =)

He has been faithfully hunting for apartments for us… first floor or second floor? Two bedrooms or three? One bathroom or two? Small kitchen and big bathroom or big kitchen and small bathroom? Closer to work or closer to church? So many things to decide when trying to pick a place to live!
I have complete confidence in his ability to pick our place – I cannot wait to move down there and be with him!

Weird thought – I might actually pick up the cute Georgia accent. It’s too bad I wouldn’t even notice it if I do pick it up.

A Guilty Pleasure Abused

I have come to the conclusion that the enjoyment in reading is found when it is a guilty pleasure, a luxury, or a reward. When you steal time away to read just one more chapter in that gripping book it is enjoyable. When you reward yourself -at the completion of your “to do list” – and sit and finish off that book it is a treat.

But when you have absolutely nothing else to do but sit and read the novelty quickly wears off. Very, very quickly wears off.

I am sure in the months and years to come I will look back at this time with great envy, wishing I had the time to just sit and read all day long.
However right now it is hard to find the enjoyment in reading when there is not much else to occupy my time.
I have been reading quite a bit, but something is lost in the enjoyment and simple pleasure of it when it is all there is for me to do.



One book I recently finished is worth writing about.
A novel by Jodi Picoult entitled Plain Truth. It is the story of Katie, an 18 year old unmarried Amish girl who secretly gave birth to a baby boy that dies of unnatural causes. The body is found in a barn and local authorities are called in and an investigation is launched as to how the baby died.
Katie doesn’t want a lawyer, however a distant relative, Ellie, is a defense attorney who is visiting an aunt to get away from her stressful job and she volunteers to defend Katie.
Ellie moves in with Katie and her family on their farm and it becomes a clash of will, worlds and ethics for both women.
Ellie who is a successful career woman would stoop to any level to win her cases and Katie, whose core being is bound to her faith and to her morals will not allow lies to be told or fabricated in the court room.
The twist though is that Katie does not at first remember having ever been pregnant or giving birth. And she consistently denies any knowledge of how the baby died.
Ellie must work through her own frustrations at the apparent simplicity and ignorance of Katie, gain her trust and stretch her own abilities as a defense attorney.
Katie has to face the harsh realities of an outside world with a system of laws entirely different than that of her Amish ways.

The book was absolutely fascinating.

Thursday Thirteen #2

thirteen seemingly pointless and/or irresponsible things I would like to do:


1. Backpack around the world with Paul
2. Go bungee jumping
3. Go skydiving
4. Get a nose ring
5. Be on a ‘Best Friends’ version of “Wheel Of Fortune” with Paul
6. Do a road trip that covers a good portion of North America
7. Do something memorable in every US state
8. Go white water rafting on some real rapids
9. Cut my hair short
10. Dye my hair blonde
11. Take a cake decorating class
12. Own a pair of shoes in every color and heel type
13. Have my leg hair permanently removed


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An obsession with us

Last Day

We did the stupidest thing of our lives - this morning we got up at 4:45 to make it to Walmarts 5:00AM opening - we hadn't gone to bed till 2:30AM.
There were hundreds of people there! It was quite insane and the view from my wheelchair wasn't so nice. People were pushing, rushing, jamming aisles and cramming their carts full of things. It was unbelievable to watch all the people! We did enjoy ourselves, but now are SO tired!!

We went out for breakfast with Nathan, Anita and Levi - a final goodbye! Now we need to load the car and head out ... our life here in North Olmsted is over. Weird thought.
I think I shall sleep most of the way up to my parents! Though that is a little rude, seeing as I am the one who pushed Paul to go out with me this morning! I should stay up and keep him company!! I WILL be sleeping in tomorrow morning!

Nathan and Anita

Uncle Paul and Levi

The pregnant bellies! Our babies are due just a couple weeks apart!

Tursday Thirteen #1

13 Books I Love

1. Do They Hear You When You Cry? By Fauziya Kassindja
2. Husbands and Wives By William J. Peterson
3. Gone With the Wind By Margaret Mitchell
4. Night By Elie Wiesel
5. Princess
6. The Mark of the Lion triology By Francine Rivers
7. The Bible
8. Pride and Prejudice By Jane Austin
9. Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail By Malika Oufkir
10. Jane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte
11. Redeeming Love By Francine Rivers
12. My Sister's Keeper By Jodi Picoult
13. Most of Mary Higgins Clark =)


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Happy Thanksgiving!

I am not sure which is worse - having to sleep on the floor, or having a baby that dances on my bladder in the middle of the night! Either way, neither are making for a good nights sleep and today we slept in VERY late.

We had our thanksgiving day meal at the Golden Corral - mmm! All you can eat steak, turkey and pot roast! I ate lots of those three, and then some mashed potatoes and some gummy bears. Gotta love weird food cravings. I enjoyed myself though! =) We are now back in our very empty apartment just hanging out. We'll probably watch a movie a little later, and Paul might start packing the car - we've decided to leave for my parents tomorrow afternoon instead of Saturday morning. Tonight is my last night in this apartment! Weird thought.

Things I am thankful for:

A personal relationship with Christ
A sweet and lovin' hunky husband
Our baby kicking away in me as I type this
That Paul is going to Georgia and not Iraq!
Friends back home that are ready to do the "bed resting" thing with me =)
Chocolate!

Just click on the link!

I`m my own grandpa

Life

It's a sad fact that our apartment is cleaner now than it has ever been in the time we have lived here! Mum and Paul have been cleaning away and our place certainly smells like it!

Monday night Paul's dad, brother and another man from the chapel came and took away all of our big stuff! Our place is looking empty!

We are 'camping out' in our own apartment =) Plastic forks, knives and spoons. Styrofoam plates and cups - we are the height of style and class!



Tomorrow I am taking Paul on a 'surprise' outing - I had won two $25 gift certificates to a local spa, and since we're leaving I decided to use them tomorrow. But upon calling them to make the appointment I found out that the certificates cannot be combined, they need to be used for two seperate services either by seperate people or on different days!
So I had the brilliant idea that I would schedule an appointment for Paul with the second certificate - so he is getting the first manicure of his life tomorrow at 4:30! =) He doesn't have a clue - ah, this will be fun!! =) When you see him make sure to ask to check out his nails, they should be all purdy pretty soon!

Things I love about being pregnant - in no particular order!

~I have a baby growing inside me!
~All the extra backrubs I get from Paul!
~Eating mac & cheese with green olives!
~ORANGE JUICE AND WHIPPED CREAM
~Bubble baths
~Debating all the baby name options
~Actually deciding on a baby name!
~Feeling the baby kicking
~Ginger snaps with cheddar cheese
~Looking at baby clothes
~Buying baby clothes
~Being given baby clothes!
~Paul talking to the baby =)
~Getting to eat MORE food
~Foot rubs from Paul
~Our baby mobile (thanks Max and Sage!)
~Cute maternity clothes
~Baby magazines
~Hearing the babies heartbeat
~The smell of baby shampoo – can’t wait to use it!
~Working on baby’s scrapbook!
~Working on baby’s birth announcement cards
~NOT being so cold all the time!
~Baby belly pictures
~Paul feeling baby kicking
~Talking to baby

Pass the Packing Tape and Sharpie Marker!

Thanks to my mum, Paul's mom and Paul our kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and hall closets are ALL PACKED!!!

Paul got the bedroom, bathroom and closets done this evening, and I think plans to work some more and get the computer room done too!

His dad was able to get more boxes for us today, so we drove out to his work to pick them up - I think we have all the boxes we could possibly need - at least I HOPE we do! Packing is really not very fun! Tho I think the baby is enjoying it! The baby has been dancing away in my belly all evening!!

Between Sunday and Monday we hope to get everything moved out of here and into Paul's parents garage. Then Tuesday - Friday we have to finish off my health insurance details (headache!!), clean the apartment, pack up the belongings that are to go to Toronto and Georgia, say goodbye to friends and do anything else that my pregnancy brain has made me forget about!

On Saturday (25th) we are heading up to Canada - to a new couch for me to recline the days away on =)

Paul will stay with me until the 28th, then come back to Cleveland, do some last minute things and then he flies out on the 1st!

We are excited about Georgia ... rather randomly I found a Xanga site that belongs to a girl that I slightly remember from the camp I use to go to - I recognized the pictures of two other people that I knew quite well from camp, and seeing she lived in Georgia I sent her a message to see where she was from - she lives RIGHT around where we are moving to and goes to the church we were thinking of going to!! So cool! =)

Hoooah!

I am a proud Army wife.

On Monday we went to the Golden Corral. In honor of Veterans Day they had free dinner for any vet. The place was PACKED. It was both sweet and sad to see all the men (and a few women!) who had served. There were old men and young men. Healthy men and disabled men. Standing in line waiting to be seated I did choke up and almost cried. I don't think it can be blamed on the pregnancy hormones. I am proud my husband is one of the men that serves.

Today the husband of the lady who lives on the lower level of our apartment is returning from Iraq!! He has been gone for 14 months!! There is a huge welcome back planned for him - Channel 19 News even plans on being here for it! Last night I couldn't sleep very well - I am just so excited for this lady that her hubby is coming home!! Hurray! Or should I say "HOOOAH!"

Going through my jewelry box....

The necklace on the left is a locket my dad bought for me when I was born!

The one on the right is a jade necklace Paul bought me when he was in Korea.
















It's such a horrible picture of a very beautiful bracelet! Aunt Polly gave me this - she got it for her birthday when she was growing up! =) You can see her name engraved in it.









A necklace and bracelet set that Grandpa Dibble gave to Grandma on their wedding night! Grandma gave it to mum on her 16th birthday, and mum gave it to me on my 16th birthday!

Morris family get-together

The Orders have arrived!

We got Paul's orders today!! We have been waiting for them in order for us to get started on things like my health insurance, getting out of contracts here and having an official time line!

The orders state that Paul isn't allowed to drive his own vehicle down, and he has to live on base, and a few other details that we're not very excited about. So it now makes a few added complications to our situation... but they are things that wil have to be sorted out once he is down in Georgia, so we're not even going to think about those things right now!!



Our little baby has been very active lately!! It's fun feeling baby move around though baby is making it hard for me to sleep at night - it's so hard to get comfortable!!

The 'great name debate' is over!! We have finally settled on a name that we BOTH love! Whew, I never knew it could be so much work to name a baby! =)
The name is a secret - though it is none of the names Caleb and his friends suggested - names that included (but not limited to!); Lemon, Timberlake, Paulisa, Queen, Tootless, Kit-kat, Super-tank-child and Tonka.
No offense to you and your buddies Caleb... but those names were all rejected. Thanks for the suggestions though! Your time and creativity in those names was greatly appreciated!

Date day and other things

My sweet hubby took me out for a date - first to the grocery store (hey! I'll take what I can get!!) then he took me to Starbucks. Mmm - I got Caramel Apple Cider. YUMMY!
We sat and talked for a while and then Eric and Carrie walked through the door!! So cool =) They joined us at our little table and we talked for quite awhile longer. Fun times.


Earlier today Paul's mom came over and Paul and his mom got our kitchen all packed up! Hurray. This place is slowly getting packed up!

My mom left me lots of little presents for me to open - just one a day - after she left. Todays present was a kids book "What Was That!" It was one of my favourite books as a kid - though I had completely forgotten about it till I opened it this morning. So of course I had to read it to Paul, and he liked it too. =) Thanks for remembering it mom!!! And thanks for all the times you read it to me... I don't think I can stand to read it over and over and over and over again! Good thing I have Paul =) Daddy can be the story reader!

A colorful family!

Baby twins born with different skin colors!! Check out the story HERE

Staying postive =)

“I’m actually looking forward to being liberated by childbirth. While my fellow expectant mothers anticipate losing mobility and independence, I can’t wait to be off bed rest and carry my baby and his hundreds of accoutrements through the house and out into the world. I’ll be free!” - a quote I found online

A cool website

Send a postcard to someone serving overseas - LET'S SAY THANKS

Belly pictures - 23 weeks

October 25

Paul left bright and early this morning - he had to be at the airport for FIVE in the morning!!! Many thanks to Josh for spending the night and driving him there this morning!! =)

I had another doctors appointment this morning. I got there and the receptionist told me I was seeing Dr. "X" - the same doctor I saw on Friday that I DID NOT LIKE. What are the chances? I have seen SO many doctors in the last two and a half weeks, and none of them twice - what are the odds that I would be seeing the one I don't like twice?? And twice in a row at that! I asked the receptionist if she could please let me see a different doctor... she was really nice, but said she couldn't get me to see anyone else that morning - but that she'd make note on my records for me to not see that doctor again!

I was kind of upset, but there wasn't much I could do about it - but as it turned out, I got a different doctor!!! HURRAY! Dr. "X" was so bogged down that another one was helping her out and seeing some of the patients!!!
So this other doctor checked me out and such, and then called the high risk doctor - I always have to see the high risk doctor before they'll let me leave now!
I had met this particular high risk doctor before, and absolutely love him! He was really pleased with how well things are going, and said to continue taking it as easy as I am.
I was able to ask him about future pregnancies, and he said that although he doesn't believe in the "once a cerclage always a cerclage" (his exact wording!!) he does think that because I had the "emergency cerclage" and "silent dilation" that I will need a cerclage for every pregnancy.
But, on a positive note, he doesn't think that other pregnancies will require so much care!! Because future cerclages will go in between 12 and 15 weeks they won't be considered "emergency" and therefore I won't be on bedrest!! Hurray - we may actually have more babies knowing that =) I can't imagine being like this with my own child to care for too... agh!

We (ok, mum!) got a little bit of packing done today - ornaments, books and picture albums! It is going to take a long, long time to get this place all packed up!