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...