As if my butt weren't big enough, Eggnog has been put on the shelves for the holiday season. And boy is it good! I'm an impulsive buyer when it comes to eggnog.

New blog

My "Mommy" blog:

Hope you enjoy!

Audrey Jo

Wow. What a wild and awesome month and a half!

Michael and I welcomed our little bundle of joy and energy Audrey Josephine on Sept. 11th. Since then our house has been bursting at the seams with diapers, laundry, leftovers, and guests. It's been a fun time.

We're now at the end of our slue of guests (Thank you so much for coming!) and our new life is settling in. Neither of our moms are here to fold my laundry, vacuum and mop for me anymore. I was spoiled for 5 whole weeks. Ho hum. Gotta jump into my new shoes as a wife and mother.

That being said, there's a load of laundry calling my name. Shut up, Laundry. I'll deal with you later.

Introducing....

Audrey Josephine Paulus

September 11th 2009

at 7:33pm

4lbs 8oz and 18in

Waiting

I have the Jeopardy tune stuck in my head.

Do do! Do
DooDoo
Do do! Dooo
Do do! Do Do! DO!
Do do do do do

Anyways. My life right now is full of waiting.

Waiting for baby Girl.
Waiting for the insurance company to settle with Michael's truck.
Waiting for my house to magically get clean.
Waiting for our parents to get here.
Waiting for my water to break.
Waiting for this false labor to become real labor.

Just waiting. Thankfully, though, I don't have to wait on my God. He's already given me the patience, strength and endurance to make it through this time of waiting. He's so good to me!

So, I will continue to wait...

Baby Update

Michael and I went to the doctor today and got great news: Baby Girl is ready to get on out of here! My doctor isn't confident that I'll make it to my due date, which is completely fine with me because I AM READY!! As is she. She's in position and making things very uncomfortable for me. :)

I'm officially full term (37 weeks) as of this Sunday which means I can deliver at anytime in the next 3 weeks.

YIPEE!!!

I love how the Lord has given me a love for her and I've been able to enjoy the pregnancy. BUT, I also love that when the time is right He makes you thankful and ready to push that baby out.

Updates to follow!

26 days... But who's counting?

Obviously I am. :) The ticker on the side helps out...

(My newest preggo shot is at the bottom so you have to read ALL OF THIS to get to it!!!) (Well, now you don't because you just read that... Whatever)

So what's been going on in the Paulus household?

• Michael's flying again! He's back in Vegas and diving into the squadron. I must say that both of us love this squadron and have been warmly welcomed since day 1.
• The baby's room is almost ready! Honestly the only thing I "need" to get is a mattress cover, disposable diapers, and a few more white onesies.
• My hospital bag is packed and ready to go. If you think of anything that you, or your mom, found helpful in the hospital please let me know!
• I feel like I'm (excuse the cliche) as big as a house. Michael mischievously replies that I am a house...
• We have successfully completed the birthing class. Michael made jokes the entire time. I sure do love my husband...
• My body is getting ready for D-Day. Over the past two weeks I've been combating Braxton-Hicks contractions, lower back pain, and a general discomfort in my hips. We're almost there!!!
• As of this coming Saturday I will be full term and able to deliver at any time. Yipee!
• Otto is almost completely house-trained (finally!) He's a great dog. Darn it.
• Michael's truck has been recovered in pretty good condition - it was being sold with a few other stolen cars. Looks like it will be a little bit longer till we can get it back. We definitely need patience in dealing with the people that stole it and our insurance company... As well as trusting God for reliable transportation.

As far as prayer is concerned:

• Please pray for peace as my due date draws near
• Of course, for a smooth uninteresting labor and delivery of a healthy baby
• Wisdom for Michael and I as we step (feels more like leaping) into parenthood
• And that I would glide into this new season gracefully. It's very easy for me to be self-reliant and not trust in God or my husband. I will definitely need prayer to be grateful for the slowing down of my body due to this process. (I'm a busybody, if you couldn't tell)

For the time being, I'm trying to practice what my father-in-law has encouraged me to do: PONDER. Ponder this new season, where God has me, what changes this is going to mean, and how to live my life to the glory of the Father. It's a good encouragement.

36 weeks!

Ipe!

My latest project

Nursing Covers!

I'm going to attempt to make 2 or 3 nursing covers. It should be exciting! I find that if I love the fabric I'm working with I have a higher chance of finishing the project. That's why I'm going to use my two favorite designers: Heather Bailey and Amy Butler.

To find the directions for these cute nursing covers go to Little Birdie Secrets. She has an awesome tutorial.

Days like this

It's funny how you can really get used to a place. Be it a spot on the globe, an emotional place, a state of mind, or the health of your body. I've had to do a lot of changing in the past 9 months... in all of those areas.

Place of residence: I would have never imagined I would ever get used to 113 degree days. If you had told me even a year ago that I would move to Vegas I would have laughed at you and said I was also planning on moving to Mars... But now, rain shocks me. I'm so used to the dryness that when it rains I get excited and nervous, all at the same time.

My emotional state: I can safely say that I am (or, was) pretty even keeled when it comes to my emotions. Not one to cry a whole lot. And I rarely have large mood swings. That all changed with the pregnancy, moving, and living by myself in a new place for 4 months... Now I have very strong urges to cry and then to laugh. To get angry and then excited. It's weird.

My state of mind: That has definitely changed. My "life plan" was to go to college, get my nursing degree, and work. A husband wasn't worked into the "plan". Nor was moving, getting pregnant, buying a dog, and postponing my college dreams. Hmmm. Obviously my "plan" wasn't God's plan. I've had to change my state of mind to reflect a spirit of waiting on the Lord, rather than planning for the Lord.

My body: Before I got pregnant I was a whopping 86lbs. Yeah. The size of a twelve year old. And as much as I tried I couldn't gain more than 3lbs. I was unhealthily skinny, and I didn't want to be. Fast forward to July 30, 2009. I am now 116lbs!! 30lbs!! And I'm still gaining! I would have never imagined I would ever see my scale go up. In fact, that was a fear when I found out that I was pregnant. Would I be able to gain the weight needed for a healthy baby? Please know that I tried everything in my power to gain weight before. I was having milkshakes all the time, drinking boosts with most meals, even on a feeding tube for 2 months. This is a miracle for me! I have never been healthier than I am right now. And it's all been because of the Lord.

Through all of these changes the Lord has remained constant. He's never abandoned me. He was never "surprised" by any of this.

He's been preparing me for all of these changes for years! He knew that I would have to be independent and hard-headed enough to take care of my household and family by myself. He knew I would have to be adventurous enough to move across the country. He knew my pride would be worked on time and time again as I submit not only to my awesome husband but to the plans He had for me.

To be completely honest, it has taken me months to be thankful for my daughter. To be thankful for being a mom. I REALLY struggled when I found out that I was pregnant.

How can God do this to me? Doesn't He know I'm supposed to be a nurse? What is He thinking? I'm not ready for this!

Honestly, who is ever really ready to become a parent. Even the most prepared person isn't ready when that little one pops out helpless and in desperate need of care, love, and nurturing.

So by the grace of God He is growing me into a mom. I can confidently say that I look forward to the day I meet our little one and all the days that follow and all the children that follow.

But for now, I'm waiting, preparing, and being thankful. Thanking the Lord for days like this when He reminds me of how much He loves me. Preparing for the days to come of sleepless nights, loads of laundry, and feeding 3 mouths. And I'm waiting to see what else the Lord has up His sleeve for me...

It's officially official

I am having a baby.

Just thought you should know.

What makes it official? The following:

There is a crib in our guest bedroom

I just folded 2 loads of baby doll clothes

In trying to prepare for the baby I've completely run a blank on nursery songs

My emotions go from super excited to freakin' scared out of my mind

I feel like I'm as big as a house

And... I just ordered cloth diapers in preparation.

Yup. This is really happening.

32 weeks 3 days done
53 days left.

An update

It's been too long since I've written a detailed post. A lot has happened over the course of 3 weeks. Because I don't have the patience to write a whole lot right now (I'm getting tireder as the weeks roll on - I know tireder is not a word...) I'll list what's been happenin'.

Gracie came in to town! We had a really good time. It was wonderful to see the Lord work on our relationship, as we tried not to drive each other crazy. :) We had a few days of shopping, went "downtown" for a magic show (Gracie was called up to help!) at the ancient Tropicana, and then off to the Belagio for gelato (yum!). We then stood in line so Gracie could ride the roller coaster at NY NY, but I got really sick so we had to go home. We were able to get some pottery painted. Gracie's "Sun and stars" bowl turned out beautifully! I painted a pig. Oink! Oink!

Half way through Gracie's trip we got a call that my mom's mom, Nannie, had passed away Wednesday morning (6/24) so Gracie had to cut her trip short. We left for VA on Thursday the 25th.

The viewing and funeral went well. It was sad to say goodbye to my Nan but it was good to know she wasn't suffering through chemo anymore.

As it goes with most of my birthdays, something not-so-good happens. This year I buried my grandmother... thankfully the Lord has given me a sense of humor, so I can see the comedy known as my birthday.

Though the circumstances for me coming into town were sad, I certainly enjoyed myself while I was there. I stayed most nights with my grandparents 'cause Jimmy had mono... Sorry, Jim. I got to see good friends, and I had lots of time to spend with my family. I needed this time to get away and relax.

When I got home I was greeted by my exceedingly awesome and handsome husband! I love him so much! He makes my days so much brighter. We had a wonderful time relaxing, hanging out, and enjoying just being together. We don't get much time to do that.

An Otto update: While Michael was here Otto's 3rd eye popped out - known as a Cherry Eye. It was pretty ugly. Our vet gave us steroid eye drops to reduce the swelling, but that didn't work. We were told he would need some surgery costing around $600! I did a little research and was able to get the surgery done for just over $100... The Lord really provided! Otto now has a cone on his head to protect his eye from him scratching it, but other than that he looks great!

As for me, I'm doing well. My last baby checkup went well, I'm right on schedule. Baby Girl is doing wonderfully! She moves pretty much all the time and has started stretching off of my ribs. It hurts pretty bad... The doctor found that I'm a little anemic, so I'm on iron supplements possibly till the end of the pregnancy.

10 weeks to go! Yipee! I'm looking forward to meeting this little mover. We ordered the crib - Thanks, Nina and Pepa (my mom's and dad's "grandparent names") :)

And finally, I'm in the final countdown till Michael gets home from Albuquerque. Finally! He should be back by the end of next week (not this weekend). I really do miss him, but I'm also aware of the transition period we'll be going through soon as we relearn how to live together. ;) Be praying for us!

That's about it. I'll be posting my 7 1/2 month picture soon. Patience!

The death of an empty space

Before: A plain large wall...

Now: Tada! I've got a turquoise blue chalk board and mirrors! I've been wanting to get this chalk board for a while, and I was able to get it for my birthday thanks to Grandma LaMarca!

Hold your horses!

I'll get an update out soon! A lot has happened over the past 3 or so weeks. Good and bad. Happy and sad.

But right now...


I'm spending time with my man!!!


So ya'll will just have to wait...

A request for prayer:

Sorry I haven't been diligent in my blogging. Here's the latest update: Gracie's in town and we're having a great time, Otto is in a testing phase (but the Lord is working on giving me patience... I wish He would hurry up, already), Michael is doing well in Albuquerque (he's flying again!), and I am still very very pregnant - going into my third trimester!!!

If you happen to think of me would you please send up a prayer to the Big Guy upstairs? I am EXHAUSTED. It's pretty normal for the pregnancy, but I don't do well with tiredness. My body is completely worn out, as are my emotions (poor Gracie and Michael!). I hardly sleep anymore at night and naps during the day have always been difficult for me. I have crying spells - and for those of you who know me well, you know that I DO NOT LIKE TO CRY. It's been pretty rough and I know it will probably get worse before it gets better.

Please know that I am doing everything I can to counteract this tiredness - walking every day, trying to lay down and rest, drinking enough water, eating well, taking vitamins, and making sure I can get at least 8 hours of sleep at night (though I wake up throughout the night).

Thank you for your prayers!!!

I'm still here...

Hey Readers,

It's been a while since I posted, sorry. Here's some updates:

Otto is just as rotten as ever and always encouraging me to grow in patience...
Michael came in last weekend and we had an awesome time!
I've started to do yoga with one of my preggo friends...
Still gaining weight (this is a miracle!)...
Baby Girl is healthy and rolling around, a lot...
I'm cleaning the house for GRACIE!!!! She's coming in on Tuesday...
We bought one of the largest baby purchases - our stroller, I love it...

Life is wonderful!

If you are wondering what you can be praying about for us:

That the rest of Michael's time in Albuquerque would go quickly and smoothly,
the pregnancy would continue to go well,
I would continue to gain weight at a healthy pace,
And that I would continue to see the Lord growing me into a mom that honors Him.

And some pregnancy pics...

Happy 1st of June!

Time has gone by so fast! I've been in Vegas for 6 months! Wow... And I only have 4 months left, more than half way through...

Just want to start June off with a laugh... This totally reminds me of Otto. It amazes me what comes out looking like it did going in... The fuzz from a tennis ball, for instance.

Southern Charm

Tonight I have a potluck dinner with all of the wives at the Commander's house! I signed up for a veggie.

As some of you know, the west is very different from the south... no drawls, sweet tea (they look at you funny if you ask for some), or southern hospitality - people just aren't nice! So I'm bringing some of my southern roots to tonight's dinner with one of my favorite veggie dishes: Zucchini and Squash! (It helps that I've been craving it!)

Here's the recipe:

3 sm. zucchini, washed

3 sm. summer squash, washed

2 lg. onions, halved and sliced thin

Salt and Pepper to taste

In small amount of oil in skillet, cook onion until transparent. Remove from pan.

In same oil, cook zucchini and squash (which have been sliced thin) until just crisp and tender. Combine with onions and serve.

Now I'm thirsty for some of Mom's sweet tea! It's good to be a GRITS!

My husband rocks!

Michael is amazing! I love it that when something bad comes his way he marches through it seeking to be cheerful, even when it's difficult.

Last weekend Michael came back into town (mostly to see my mom and Otto). :) It was such a joy, as always, to be with him. As the weekend progressed, and we bid adieu to Mom, Otto became the center of attention. Let me rephrase that - cleaning up after him became the focus.

After being tempted to grumble about this silly dog, who pees when and where it fancies him, Michael remembered a conversation he had with a good friend. His friend encouraged him to see this (Otto) as an opportunity to be patient and as a preview to fatherhood. Immediately Michael's view changed and he became more patient and started taking advantage of this opportunity to grow.

What wonderful advice! It's so easy to get upset at this little guy, but he's not doing it on purpose, just as the baby won't either! It's part of nature. And the faster we recognize that the better we will be at handling the stress of a little one, with the Lord's help!

Lord, thank you for my husband and for all of the wonderful family and friends You have given us to encourage us towards godliness!

Dinner and a movie!

I am so excited! Tonight I've got "girl" plans. Doing yoga and having dinner with Andrea S and then off to henderson for a movie on the lawn with Joanna R! What a night! It's always good to get girl time and these days I really need it. It's so easy for me to shut myself away in my house and not see anyone for weeks on end. But now that most of the wives are in the same boat as me, husbands being away and all, we all have more time to get together!

Lord, thank You for sending me friends!

Just one of those days

Do you ever have a day when you just don't feel awesome? I've been feeling pretty under-the-weather for the past 2 days. Yuck. My back hurts, my feet are swollen, Baby Girl is moving around so much it feels like my abdomen is bruised, I have a headache, and a stuffy nose. :( Just yucky.

This is all part of the pregnancy, I'm sure. I've definitely noticed my body change over the past week.

I probably need to just take some time to rest. It's funny how I always feel like I need to do that after I either visit or host friends and family for an extended period of time. It's not the company that wears me out... it's me! I do too much - and everyone tells me to take it slow, but I don't.

I'm feeling pregnant. And looking it. Had to buy a maternity swim suit top (my belly hangin' from a bikini is just not as attractive as it used to be!). Oh well. It was inevitable.

Sorry, this post is really random...

What a tease

After living in Vegas for 5 months I've gotten used to the weather - or lack there of. I've got this desert thing down pat. It's dry. Doesn't rain. And there tends to be a lot of wind.

Then the clouds rolled in, welcoming rain today.

My heart fluttered. A smile grew from ear to ear.

To no avail. The clouds stopped at the mountains. No rain for Vegas. Once again.

*sniff*
*sniff*

Until next time.

Name change...

Okay. Just spelling. Auto is now Otto, for all who were confused. After much discussion "Otto" was agreed upon. :)

My cutie. :)

Let me introduce the newest member of the Paulus clan:

Auto!

He's a 7 week old Boston Terrier and has so much energy! I can hardly keep up with him.

The Lord has been using this puppy to grow in me patience, optimism, gratefulness, and how to die to myself ('cause I really don't like waking up at the crack of dawn to let him out and clean up urine every 15 minutes...)

Auto has been such a blessing, especially considering that I did not want a dog. I can definitely see the Lord's hand working on me. The Lord completely opened the door for this little guy - actually He threw open the door, I just didn't want him to. One thing after the other confirmed the fact that I should get Auto. Arrrggh. I did not want a dog.

But now I'm thankful to have the little guy. He's been such a wonderful addition and a great companion.

One of my biggest concerns was housebreaking him while I'm pregnant. But God worked that out too! First of all he's been a very fast learner (much faster than the last dog I owned). I'm still not far enough into my pregnancy that I can't bend over easily. And I'm not too early in my pregnancy that I can't handle the smell of urine.

The Lord is good and knows what I need.

By the way, Michael completely tricked me into getting Auto.

After the Lord threw open all of the doors to confirm that we should get him (I was still hoping He would close one) I woke up with an anxiousness that this isn't the right time to get a dog. Usually, Michael would tell me not to waste my time (it took about an hour and a half to get to the lady's house - one way) and the lady's time. Instead, he told me I should still go and check it out.

Michael knows me too well. He knew I would immediately fall in love with the puppy and take him home without a second thought. And I did.

So here I am. By myself. Plus a dog.

My weekend

This past weekend I had the privilege of having my mom, Aunt Lynn and cousin Hannah in town. We had a blast! I definitely needed the girl time. :)

My quilt!

We stayed in our PJs all day! I loved it!


Mom's quilt... sort of. Still trying to figure out how it needs to be laid out.



Dinner at my favorite restaurant: PF Chang's!!


Mom, Aunt Lynn, Hannah, and I




Waiting for the show to start. We saw La Reve at the Wynn! I totally recommend it! Two thumbs up!

My Mom is coming!

She'll be here in a little over 2 hours!!! Yeah! I'm trying to get my last minute stuff done... you know... cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming, dusting. All the things that should have been done last week. :)

I'm so excited!

The Monday Mad Dash

As usual, I'm in a glorious sleep dreaming of gum drops and sugar fairies when I hear it. The TRASH MAN! I've forgotten (again) to put my weekend trash can out to be taken away to trash heaven.

Then, the familiar questions start:

- Is he going around the corner, or did he already pass my house?

- Did I throw anything away that will rot if I don't make it?

- How much trash do I actually have?

- Can this wait till Thursday? I need my beauty sleep.

No, I need to see if I have time to get my overflowing, rotting trash out to the curb in time to be taken away. So... Where are my clothes? Obviously this is a Monday morning pattern. I need "Trash Day clothes". Like a superman suit that I can quickly change into.

Quick! Where are my pants from last night? I know I threw them over in this corner with all of my other disheveled clothes... Aah! Who's that in the mirror???? Oh, just my "sleep" hair. Grab a hat.

Faster! Did I grab all of the trash from around the house? Did I clean out my fridge? Oops. I forgot about that... Hm mm. That old yogurt can wait another week (hold on, I said that the last two weeks... maybe I should run it out to the can...)

I made it! With time to spare! Yes! Now, do I start my day or finish my sleep? Rats. Start my day wins...

And therein ends my Monday Mad Dash...

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

This weekend rocks... Like my husband!

Why my husband rocks (!):

Yesterday, I received one of the best presents ever... my awesome Husband on my front stoop with gorgeous flowers in hand!!! I had talked to him throughout the day and he said he had been flying and then was off to the bike shop to replace some flat tires. Unbeknown st to me he was really on his way to Vegas to surprise me for the weekend! I sure do love him! I couldn't have wished for a better present!

Honestly, part of me was hoping that he would have flowers delivered for mother's day, but it seemed like a long shot so I threw it aside. But Michael went above and beyond my expectations!!!! Not only did I get some of the prettiest flowers that he has ever given me but I got HIM for the weekend! Yeah! I got a hot date! No flying solo this weekend... :)

On top of all of this, on short notice I was able to book an appointment with an ultrasound technician so we both could find out what we're having...

a GIRL!!!!!!

We are very excited with this news! I was pretty bummed that Michael wasn't going to be able to be with me at my Dr. appointment on Wednesday (but was thankful that Mom could at least share the excitement with me). You can imagine what a blessing it was to have my hubby there! This was the first and possibly only time Michael has been able to be a part of this process - aside from hopefully being there when this little one makes an appearance!

Thank you for all of your prayers!

Our little GIRL!!!!

Her legs were above her head most of the time... our acrobat. :)

New glasses and belly pics!

Maternity Pants! 19 weeks...

You're supposed to be able to see my toes. But, they disappeared. My doctor told me not to worry and that they would reappear in 5 or 6 months...

Please let me know what you honestly think of these glasses. I need to know if they're dorky, not right for me, or just plain old ugly.

My husband rocks! ~ Friday ~

Because even though his truck was stolen, Michael knew that the Lord is in control of his life. Though it was a hard pill to swallow (the fact that his awesome truck is now in Mexico) Michael sought to be cheerful, even joking about his contribution to the Mexican mafia.

I love my husband.

And so they stretch

My pants, that is.

I finally got fed up with my pre-pregnancy pants (the truth is, my butt and belly got big enough that I finally had to give up the ghost) and I decided to take the plunge and go all out maternity.

*Sigh*

Thank you, Motherhood Maternity! They had my size, with some extra room to grow. I was even able to find some shorts that look pretty good on me! Yeah! I finally have clothes that fit and that will go with me throughout the rest of the pregnancy.

I don't know why, but this is a pretty big deal for me. This signifies that my body really is changing, that I'm not the same size I was in January, and that my body is continuing to change. I'm not used to my body changing. It's been the same since I was 12. Yes, 12. Well, give or take a few pounds.

Now, everything has changed!
I swear my pinkie toe is pudgier!

All is well, though. I want to say that the Lord is shaping me into His image... but... I don't think God has ever been pregnant. Hmm.

Just arrived:

My shipment from Soft Cloth Bunz! Yeah! I just got my first batch of infant pre-fold diapers. Who knew I would get so excited over cloth diapers! (See if I'm still excited in October when I 've been washing them for a month while being tired, hormonal, and learning how to be a mom!)


If you are interested in cloth diapering I would highly recommend Soft Cloth Bunz to you! If you're able to make it to the store you won't regret it. The owner, Bryana Guckin, is extremely helpful. She walked Mom, Gracie and I through the process of cloth diapering. One of the most important things to me was explaining each process for each diaper, from all-in-ones to pre-folds and covers. I felt like I was in the candy store. And her business started online, so if you want to shop online only (like me!) then it's the perfect place to do so and support a local business.

So, if you're interested, please visit

online: http://www.softclothbunz.com/
locally: 5760 Northampton Blvd Unit 112
Virginia Beach, VA. 23455
by phone: Toll Free 877-791-8065
Local (757) 961-1400

By the way, this is my 100th post! I'm so excited! I feel like I'm still new on the block... :) Thanks for reading!

~ My husband rocks! ~ Fridays!

So, I found on this wonderful blog on marriage an encouragement to express why my husband rocks. The idea is to encourage marriage and support your spouse, especially when society speaks so harshly on marriage.

I'm going to try to do this! And I would encourage you to do the same. It's a written affirmation of your husband. Why does he rock? Why did God choose ______ to be your husband?

Yeah! I'm so excited! I really need this. To be honest, it's easy for me to not think about or to overlook the reasons for why I love Michael. Especially with him being away. I say "Good night" and then continue with my day. I need to remind myself of why I love my husband. What is it about him that gives me butterflies? Why did God bless me with Michael?

I'm hoping that this will help encourage me to be a better wife to Michael, a better housewife, and bring me closer to the Lord.

Living by myself, I find it easy to focus only on me. I need to change.

Michael

My Love,

If you're reading this, I just want you to know that I love you. And I miss you terribly. I wish you could be here to laugh with me, cry with me, just be here 'cause you're wonderful. I love you. I'm so thankful that God brought you into my life almost five years ago. Being married to you is such a great adventure that I'm glad we embarked on.

Aside from being the handsomest guy I know, and getting handsomer as the days go on, the smartest guy I know, and the wisest guy I know, you are exactly what I didn't know I needed in a husband. You search my heart motives, bringing me back to the cross, even states away. You laugh at me when I'm being too serious. You please my girly whims (I'm sorry Confessions of a Shopaholic was such a let down). You are 110% man, which I'm learning how to appreciate (how your truck can bring you such excitement, I will never know). The Lord knew I needed someone honest. You're my George Washington - "I cannot tell a lie." And even when we squabble you're the first to start working it out. You're my support system. My right-hand man. My Superman.

And when duty calls, you are Johnny on the spot. Not only concerning your duty to our nation, but to our family. I must say I was amazed at how you handled Kara's situation last Sunday. Something needed to be done and you where there and executed your plans with perfection. The night couldn't have gone smoother - besides Kara not crashing... :) There was no question that that random man called the right person to do what needed to be done. You were so efficient that we thought we were going to get air support at any second!

To sum it up:
I love you.
I miss you.
And you're awesome.

Yipee!

I can bowl!!!!! I am so excited. I've really missed bowling and was afraid that I wasn't able to due to the possible strain. You never know.

So tomorrow we're bowling... Yeah!

Happy Easter!

I couldn't resist this photo. :)

Happy Easter, Everybody! It is so wonderful to reflect on the Lord's goodness, every day, but especially today.

He is risen!

If you can, download Kirk Alexander's message from this morning at www.SGConline.org. It was wonderful!

It's late

12:15 am

Why am I not asleep yet?

Maybe 'cause I'm on this time-sucking machine.

Today's been rough. I cried, or felt like crying, pretty much all day long. I'm hormonal. I've never really had to deal with being this hormonal so it feels kinda weird.

Just life.

This too will pass.

A break through!

As some of you know, Michael and I have had a hard time meeting our neighbors here in Vegas. I take that back. They don't even wave back at us! People here just aren't very friendly. We actually get excited when someone drives by and smiles at us! A wave is even more impressive...

So you can imagine my shock this morning when I took the trash out and the guy next door initiated the "Good morning!" I hardly knew what to do with myself! So I stuttered a "Mornin'!" and went inside to share my surprise and joy with Michael (over a text).

But it gets better!

Shortly after text messaging Michael the door bell rings. Who on earth could that be? Our neighbor again! He was very friendly, told me about his wife and daughter, offered to help if we needed it, and gave me back the Tupperware I had sent over with cookies (never expected to get that back!). Holy cow! Two unbelievable happenings in just 15 minutes.

God is so good to me! I was kinda worried about the fact that I knew no one in the neighborhood that I could ask help from while Michael's gone. Now I do! And they're really nice! Yeah!

One victory in Vegas! Hopefully a lot more to come.

You know your life is pitiful when you start to tear up reading your old posts. Or you're hormonal.

I'm pathetic. The tears started when I read about Gracie giving me the coloring book while I was sick. Then I reread about the man whose life was just not going well, when I voted. I reflected on how blessed I am to have my husband. How the Lord has been so good to me through the whole process of this move.

I am not, thankfully, the same person I was one year ago. And that is totally and completely due to the grace of my Father in my life and the people that He has placed in my life.

Of all those people, Michael sticks out. A year ago, I married the man I was in love with. I did not, however, know fully why God had given me him. Michael reminds me to keep my tongue in check (which all too often doesn't happen), to be grace-filled, to love even when I don't feel like I'm being shown love, to take life one step at a time, that anxiety is not from the Lord, to bring my gaze back to the cross. Among many other things.

Ya'll, my hubby is AWESOME! I am honored to get to walk through this life with him by my side. Often figuratively. I'm excited to get to raise a family with him. I love going to squadron parties without him and person after person coming up to me and telling me how great my love is. He is great. And keeps on getting better. :)

I love you, Michael! Looking forward to spending the weekend with you!!

15 Weeks

Sorry the picture's kinda grainy. Baby and I at 15 weeks! The second trimester is so much better!

Would love some insight:

I'm on a quest to find out as much as I can about cloth diapering.

Drum roll, please.... I am going to cloth diaper our little person. Yeah! It seems like a really big undertaking right now. I've read, however, so many encouraging entries of how people "love" cloth diapering, how they save so much money, and how they're so green. Whatever. We're attempting to do it mostly for the sake of our finances - especially since we would like to have a larger family (4-5 kiddos????).

According to what I've read, on average a household would spend $2,500 to $3,000 per kid to diaper them from infancy to potty training in disposable diapers. Cloth diapering, on the other hand, ranges from $300 to $500 for the entire diapering experience! That's a lot of money to save! Not only that but you're able to use the same cloth diapers (if you're thorough in cleaning them and take care of them) with your next kid!

On the flip side, though, some of the money you save with cloth diapers you lose with your water bill. Supposedly it's not a whole lot, but it does make a difference. On average you'll do a load of diapers every 2-3 days. That's not too bad. I think.

So, here's why I'm posting: I need advice! Lots of it. If you've used cloth diapers before and you have some tips, have a favorite brand, have a friend who's used them, know anything about them please share with me! Even if you've found a website that's been helpful. Let me know. I'm hungry for information.

The two types I'm most confused and interested in are pre-folds with covers and pocket diapers. What's the difference? Which one is easiest to use? Which one is more economical? How many times (in a day) can you use the same diaper?

You are the Titus 2 women that I need to learn from! Please share the wisdom you've been given!

Thanks, Everybody!!!!

Coming soon...

Right now (with my limited burst of energy) I'm cleaning up the house so I can take pics of our abode. Sorry it's taken so long! Our camera broke while I was on the road (trying to capture the absolutely stunning countryside in Roscoe, TX). So now it's fixed and I'm taking pics again.

Miss you all! Hope everybody is doing well!

It's the weekend!

Hurrah! I am having a very lazy day. I love it. You know when you've been going and going and you finally slow down and realize you're tired? That's me. I've been cleaning and helping friends move and getting things settled in the house so my time apart from Michael is smoother. I know it's not a whole lot of work, but my body get tired much faster than it ever has. I'm pooped!

So today, I'm bein' lazy. :) Hanging out in my pjs. Eating leftovers. Relaxing. Aah.


Oh! For all of my crafty friends, if you sign up as a member (free) with Michael's Arts and Crafts they'll e-mail you sales and coupons! I've received coupons from 10% upto 50%! I love it!

All better.

Before: Aweful.

After: Much classier (is that a word?)

Our little peanut is no longer the size of a peanut. He/She's the size of a lemon now! Yeah!

I just love this print!