How I love time with family!

That's it..it was awesome. So awesome in fact that if I don't have to work tomorrow I intend to write a blog about the last two weeks and all we got accomplished. So stinking happy! I went back to work today and it was great to be back. I missed it but I sure did love having time to spend a whole week with Mom and Dad and then to head back to Indiana to see my family and Brad's family. That was the first time Brad had been home since Christmas so it was especially nice to be back in Indiana with him.

Want to hear another pretty sweet thing...I have been begging Brad to take us on a cruise before Baby Noah comes to play..but that didn't look as if that was going to happen. Well...while we were hanging out with Brad's family this weekend Carl and Rosemary asked if we would be willing to go on the Disney member cruise next September. Um what?! Yes please! They totally made my month! We so appreciate them being willing to allow us to join them on the Disney goodness and we know we'll be super thankful for that come September!

And for the coolest thing ever...well timeout:
This is the coolest thing ever, so cool it made me forget the whole point of this blog but OH WELL!!

So last week I was pretty sure I was starting the feel baby boy move around a bit in there..but wasn't certain. it kinda felt like someone was running a finger along my skin on the inside of my belly...weird But I just wasn't positive. Well last night after what felt like the LONGEST flight ever we were just ready to get home. While we were on the shuttle to our car I started feeling a very distinct flipping in my belly. So I put my hand on it and I actually felt the tiniest movement through my hand. WHOA! Then today I've felt that same thing a couple of times...so I told Brad to come over and put his hand on my belly to see if he could feel it. The next thing I know I felt the little dude kick and I looked up at Brad and his eyes were huge. HE FELT HIM TOO!! Amazing. Seriously. Period. That's it.

Alright I'm sure there's more to write..but I'll hit on that tomorrow with what we've been up to for the last two weeks. Like how I'm already planning on not working? We don't have patients..which while this is great for the patients...not so great for those of us who require patients to work. I'm totally planning to take advantage of that though and have a list of things we need to get done over the next weeks and months.

Have a great week!

AND we have a....

BOY!!!!


**I realize this picture doesn't show that he is in fact a boy...but I feel kinda weird posting a picture of his teenie weenie on the internet**

HOWEVER!! He is precious! We love him so much! We love that we know he's a HIM! He was kicking, and moving his hand, and crossing his legs up, and moving his mouth. I mean it was amazing. Hands down the coolest thing I've ever seen. Still hard to believe he's really in there but it's true. I was feeling worried because I haven't felt him move yet, but my doctor informed me that his placenta is anterior..which basically means he's just kicking around at his placenta all day long but as he gets stronger I'll start to feel it. Can't wait for that day!

Anyways...can't explain how happy we are! Brad was so adorable with his big smile...it's so neat to just know what is in there!

That's all our news this week! Have a great week! We've had an amazing week so far with Mom and Dad being in town! We're so thankful for all they've helped us do to the house this week! We've just loved having them here and hanging out. We get to head home here shortly and we'll get to see Brad's family too! We love family time!

And I'm out..have a great week!

Clumsy. That's me.

So yesterday...part of my cleaning was mopping all the floors. I love mopped floors. I love that they are so clean! Makes me so very happy...BUT THEN....we were having friends over for dinner last night. So I finished up the cleaning, ran some errands, came home and started making dinner. Well, I was tired, and I tend to be a bit clumsy anyways...and last night was not my night!

First...I was running behind because I took too long running errands...which is really because I took too long getting the day started but who's judging...so I got home and I was in a rush. At this moment, I decided this would be the best time to refill our pepper grinder (which literally has not been refilled in a year) so that I did. Well, after I refilled it..I reached for something quickly and knocked the whole grinder over with the lid OFF. Out poured all those evil little peppercorns onto our freshly mopped floors. Then I tried to just use the remaining peppercorns I had to fill the container so I could put the lid on...and spilled those all over the counter..and again...onto the floor. I was not pleased with this obviously...but again was trying to hurry so I decided I would sweep them up after I had cut up my butternut squash I was using for dinner. Well, as I was seeding the butternut squash my hand slipped and I threw a big chunk of that on the floor. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!




Anyways...I always thought I might grow out of my clumsy ways..but apparently they only get better with time. Yay.

At least they were easy messes to clean.

Have a great day!

I'm so excited!!

Why? A number of things actually...

Mom and Dad come on Wednesday and stay for a whole week!
Anna said hi to me on the phone this week..and she said my name! That's the first time! It was awesome! It kinda made me cry!
In that same conversation Emily talked to me like mini adult that she is. I love those girls!
We're finishing up painting hopefully soon! (If I could just pick out paint colors)
We find out if the baby is a girl or a boy one week from today!!
We're going to Indiana next week!
We will get to see family and friends from back home!
We get to see the Peterson's! They moved to Ohio and are so sweetly driving to see us..and we're pumped!
It's football season. I LOVE football season. I do not love that the Colts lost yesterday.
Austin Stone just opened it's new campus...it's amazing.
We know of four babies about to enter the worlds of our sweet friends..and we couldn't be more excited for them!
After tomorrow (unless they cancel me) I have two full weeks off of work. I love that job..but 2 weeks of vacation will be so refreshing!
The house is coming together...slowly but surely.

I'm pretty much just excited. I'm feeling good and I'm so very thankful for that. It's soon to be fall and I can hear hot chocolate calling my name. I'm a sucker for fall.

That's about it! Have to go knock out cleaning for when my parents come! Have a great week!

Confession Part Two.

Alright...so my plan to eat better starts tomorrow.

Yesterday I had Fro Yo and today I had Mighty Fine (A-MAZING!) for lunch..both with friends that we love. (Which totally makes it ok)

And then tonight I made this...for a husband that I love.

Loving this food thing. L-O-V-I-N-G it!

This weekend has been awesome! By awesome I seriously mean FANTASTIC!! The only bad side to the whole weekend was that sweet Brad has been feeling under the weather all weekend. Stinking sinus infection. I hate when he's sick and I can't help him, makes me sad. On the upside..he is feeling better now and that makes me happy.

Overall it's been an awesome Labor Day weekend. It will be difficult to go back to work...but only 5 more shifts until Mom and Dad come! Then we get to head home and we'll get to see both our families. We're so excited! We sure do miss those families of ours.

That's it...kinda a pointless post. Hope you have a great week!

Confession.

In the last week...I have eaten

2 Cinnabons
Wendy's once (maybe twice)
McDonalds
Cookie Dough (Made specifically for eating as dough..without eggs)
Sweet Tea (Not decaf) twice
Chips and Dip
Chips and Salsa
Cheese sticks...too many to count
Chipotle


It's a miracle I didn't have a heart attack. I'm sure there were some grapes, and spinach, and apples, and chicken, and fresh things in there...but obviously the majority of my meals this week revolved around junk food.

This week..starting tomorrow obviously since one of those beautiful cinnabons just took up residence in my belly...I resolve to eat much healthier. Food that will not cause this child to come out of me screaming for french fries. We'll see how it goes.

3 Years ALREADY!?!

Whoa! Yesterday we celebrated our third anniversary. Three whole years I've had the privilege to be Brad's wife. It's been AMAZING. I am so thankful for him! I'm thankful that when I'm crazy and emotional..he always knows exactly what to say. I'm thankful he's awesome!

We celebrated our anniversary on Saturday when we spent the night downtown and went to dinner and played some putt-putt. The dinner was AMAZING and putt-putt was at the Peter Pan Putt-Putt which is my favorite place to play! Brad won of course...he always wins. I was winning for over half the course...but then on one hole it took six strokes and I was no longer in the lead. Defeating. On the actual day we went to dinner at Monument Cafe..which is just pure deliciousness and then just spent the evening enjoying hanging out together. I received some pretty flowers too...yay Brad.

(I think this is our very first picture together since we found out about the baby...whoa we're slackers.)

So each year we try to come up with what we've learned... here's our list for year three.

10. We love Texas. We already knew that..but still...we love it. Chances are if you are our friend or you are related to us we have tried to make you move here with us. Door is always open!

9. Homes are meant to be shared. Part of what makes a home is having people in it, and we feel that as long as we have an open bed or floor or couch - we have room for someone in our home. I guess that doesn't have much to do with marriage..but kinda.

8. Brad is funny. Always. Sometimes I have to give him funny looks to say "seriously...that's what you thought to say just then?" but in the end...he ALWAYS makes me laugh..even if it's because I just don't know how to respond. :) Seriously though...it makes life so easy.

7. I've mentioned this before...but selfless service is one way to make a marriage rock. Brad is such a good example to me of being selfless. I'm so thankful to have a husband I can look to as a leader.

6. Communication seems to change every year, but we figure it out each year. I'm so glad..because otherwise we could go crazy.

5. Since being pregnant...my style of clean has changed...not so much in my brain but more in my execution. On the upside...Brad rocks and has picked up right where I have dropped the ball. It's a good thing he's awesome.

4. We're so excited to be parents. We learned this prior to finding out we were having a baby...but once finding out there is a little one inside of me that excitement has like tripled.

3. We really like doing things to the house. By we I mean... I like picking things out for Brad to do...and I love to enjoy the finished product. I also enjoy the fact that Brad is handy. It's awesome. Thanks sweet man for that!

2. We learned that if I don't see it in the yard...I can forget it's there. Such as the weeds in our flower bed in our backyard..I tend to not go out in the backyard (mainly because I'm afraid of snakes, tarantulas, and scorpions that may be lurking out there) so I don't see the weeds in the flower bed but then when I do see them..I freak out...and then I go all "we have to get this done and this done and this done right now so it will stop looking crazy back there ok?" To which Brad replies...ok. Seriously. I need to learn to be a little less compulsive. The nurse at my OB's office told me I am going to have to get over that. I wasn't a big fan of that...but apparently I am. The baby is teaching me that everything doesn't have to be perfect at all times.

1. What we learned most this year...and every year...our marriage wouldn't be where it is without Jesus. Without his example of a life where He walked without sin despite being tempted, and then His sacrifice for us on the cross...where would we be?! Basically..every year we discover more and more How much we need Him to live this life here on earth..and to have a marriage that will be a light to those around us. Not to say that we haven't learned more and more the depth of our own selfishness and abilities to be stubborn..because we sure do learn that alot...but we are learning more about grace and mercy and forgiveness and sacrifice every day. Either way...we LOVE being married. It's so exciting to me what is ahead in our year...can't wait for this baby to arrive! We're almost halfway through and that's so exciting!

16 weeks 5 day picture! It's starting to grow. I've been a little sensitive about it...but I love it still. September 20th we find out if this precious little baby is a boy or girl and we CAN'T wait!!
Anyways..that's all for today! Have a great week!