Valentine's Carnival and Our Love Story---Part I

 Kristen at We are THAT Family is hosting a special Valentine's carnival this week with some FABULOUS prizes.  Click on the button above to find out more.

In honor of this holiday, we are sharing stories or tributes to these wonderful men God has brought into our lives.  Since I have never really shared much about our love story, I thought this might be a good time.....

Many of you know Sarah from Short Stop.  For those who don't know, she was my roommate in college, and I was able to watch her love story unfold with her sweet hubby, Jason.  Sarah and Jason were driving one day and they had a conversation that went something like this..., "Do you know who would be perfect for Patrick?"  The other replied, "Lynn."  "Yeah, that's what I was thinking."  Patrick and Jason worked together in a Christian bookstore.  They had never set up anyone before, but they decided to give it a try.  I think Jason's conversation with Patrick went something like...

J: There is this girl we think you should meet.

P: Okay.

Sarah and my conversation was a bit longer....she made sure to explain that she didn't think Patrick wanted a girlfriend...don't have high expectations....many more details about what he looked like, where he worked, his personality, etc.  Patrick and I were going to the same church but had never met, and we had lots of friends in common.  Sarah said she thought we should meet.

In January of 2000, we planned for the four of us to go out to dinner.  We had a wonderful evening with great conversation.  I fully expected to get a phone call soon after that date...but I didn't....  Stay tuned!

My First Born...

It seems tags are no longer limited to the blogging world.  The facebook world is on a tagging frenzy!  I've been tagged for several meme's, and since I've been in a bit of a blogging rut, I thought this would be a good time to play along.  

The rules for this one are to answer the questions based on your first born...

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED? Yes, but not in my timing. We struggled with infertility for what felt like forever. God's timing is perfect though.

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? Yes

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? Thankfulness, elation, pure joy

4. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 28 when I found out, 29 when I gave birth

5. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? Had a feeling...took a test.

6. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? Patrick (I surprised him at work. I brought him dinner at the hospital while he was on call and asked him to come to the car to help me carry it inside. I gave him a card that talked about what a great guy he is...blah, blah...and I ended it with "and I know you'll make a great..." Then he opened a present and found the + test!).

7. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? Nope...I LOVE surprises.

8. DUE DATE? March 5, 2007

9. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? Very rarely. I had to snack a lot and take my time eating some meals, but I only threw up a few times.

10. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? Nothing throughout, but occasionally... Chic Fil A nuggets, anything with Velveeta, french fries (with lots of ketchup), and vegetables.

11. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? Having to wake up to roll over, people telling me I looked like I was ready to pop....are you carrying two....and other such insensitive nonsense.

12. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX? my sweet baby girl

13. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? Nope...I REALLY wanted a girl.

14. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? I don't know if it's good or bad that I don't know the answer to this. I know I stayed in the normal range. I don't really care much about what I weigh. I care about how my clothes fit.

15. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? Yes. (work, friends and family in PA, friends and family in MD, church, and residents in Patrick's class)....yeah, we were blessed.

16. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? I knew about all of them.

17. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? We had to have a special ultrasound because at her 20 week one they thought her stomach was "slightly enlarged." If you saw how this girl can eat...you would understand. ;o) Other than that, it was pretty normal.

18. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? Andrews Air Force Base

19. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? 24 hours!!! (3am to 3am)

20. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? Patrick

21. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? Patrick, my mom, my family practice doc that delivered Adeline, the best nurse in the world, and various other medical people.

22. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? Natural

23. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? Nope! I highly recommend the Bradley Method.

24. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 7lbs. 11oz.

25. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN? February 27, 2007

26. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Adeline Kate

27. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY? 23 1/2 months...she'll be 2 in two weeks!

I had a cute picture to add here, but blogger is not cooperating with picture loading tonight.  

She's down for the count...

That's what I get...A friend recently told me it was time for me to post again.  The thing is, there just haven't been that many blog worth events here recently.  We've done some fun social things (dinner with friends Saturday night sans kids, and Superbowl party with the same friends on Sunday with kids), but I didn't take pictures and well....NEVER, I repeat NEVER say you are lacking in blogging material because you never know where such a statement might lead.

I was helping a patient get washed up in her bathroom this morning (I'm an occupational therapist for those who don't know), and I started feeling a bit warm.  Then, that wave came over me that warns you that you better sit down.  I ignored said warning because I have never passed out before, and I really wanted to finish this treatment.  I probably should have thought this through better BEFORE finding myself on the floor.  Yep, I passed out!  I didn't lose consciousness and immediately said, "I'm okay".....and then proceeded to fall again when I tried to stand up too quickly.  My poor patient was quite shaken at the thought that her pregnant therapist just landed on the floor.  I bumped my cheek, but have no other battle wounds of note.  Baby is kicking all over the place...

I drank some water (I think I was dehydrated) and ate some nuts (for protein), and I did fine the rest of the day.  I've felt lightheaded a few other times with this pregnancy, and Patrick tells me it is quite common in pregnancy.  Anyone else out there have this experience?  I'll be sure to pay better attention to those warning signs in the future.

Much better...

Thank you for all of your prayers and well wishes after my post last evening.  I am feeling 90% better today and feel like I can actually form a cohesive thought.  I still plan to take it easy today, while taking some time to make our house look like we do not live in complete squalor.  I woke up to a house that looks like a 2 yo was in charge yesterday.  Do the laundry piles not understand what it means to take a sick day?  Seriously, no mercy. 

Sick Day

This post is not for the faint of heart.  It all began last evening...perhaps because I wasn't humble enough about my lack of pregnancy sickness.  It was around 9 pm.  I was looking at recipes, and suddenly I didn't feel too good.  Nothing was looking very appetizing anymore.  Not long after, I found myself violently hurling into the porcelain throne.  I felt a bit better after that...but not for long.  My mom has been telling me about this stomach bug that has been plaguing their area, but I don't know many people here who have been sick.  I didn't even go anywhere yesterday.  Well, my rendezvous with the commode continued every hour until about 7:30 am.  I'm not sure if I got more than 15 min of actual sleep.  I spent the ENTIRE day on the couch or in bed.  I had no energy to even be on the computer...certainly no mental energy to leave comments.  So, your blogs went unread today.  Due to the weather, my hubby got home early today.  I was never so happy to see his smiling face, and Adeline, well, she was an angel today.  She played well, checked in with mommy on occasion or made enough noise so I knew she was okay.  She ate the dried cranberries and Cheerios I gave her for breakfast without asking for more or fussing.  We only dealt with one tantrum where she was sure mommy needed to get up from my spot on the couch.  I assured her that wasn't happening.  I managed to keep down some Gatorade (even though I still don't understand why pure sugar in liquid form is GOOD for you when you're sick).  Tonight I ate about 3/4 of a piece of bread.

Pray that the rest of my family does not endure this plague.  I can't imagine what I would have done if Adeline had been  vomiting along with me today.  I guess God only gives us what we can bear, and He would have given me the strength if I needed it.  Of course, I was in the church nursery on Sunday.  Not sure if that's where I picked it up or if there will be many unhappy families swearing off all groups of children until May.  Sorry everyone!

Heidi, we will have to play this weekend by ear.....

  

Christmas Party in January...

I realize I should have managed to post this BEFORE changing my blog look away from the Christmas theme, but such is life...

I hosted the annual Women's Christmas Party for our church.  We decided to do it in January (the 8th to be specific) this year so more people could come (or not be so stressed out about fitting one more thing in their December calendars).  There were about 25 women in attendance.  Everyone brings food, so cooking the entire meal was not on my shoulders.  My mom was here to help (since she comes at the end of every week now), which was a HUGE help for me given her clear talent which I have shown on many previous posts.  The biggest job was just getting out, washing, and putting away all the dishes!  Thanks mom for doing the bulk of the clean up work on Friday while I was at work...

Pregnancy Update...

I know, I've been lame about posting updates about my pregnancy.  Here is a picture at 23 weeks (I'm 24 weeks today) of my growing belly.  I had my 20 week ultrasound on Christmas Eve.  It looks like all the right parts are growing in all the right places.  And no, we didn't look at those parts....you're just going to have to wait until May with the rest of us.  This has been a very easy pregnancy thus far....no sickness AT ALL!  Except for the nagging fatigue at the beginning (which led me to go to bed at 9 and still take 2 hour naps in the afternoon), I've been feeling great.  Thanks for all your comments, prayers, and questions.  Baby is kicking all over the place, and I am loving every minute.

Right of Passage....

As of Tuesday, I can now check another box on my responsible adult list (not that I actually have one of those).  I served my town and my country for a day of jury duty.  I arrived at 7:30 am, waited in line for 45 minutes, and then sat for about five hours, never being selected for anything.  I was released at 12:45, and my duty is served for another three years.  I ate some snacks, met some nice people, and read a few chapters in my latest book club book.  All in all, not such a bad day.  Thanks, Nancy, for adding my baby girl to your crew (especially at 7 am!)....she had a blast.

Wordless Wednesday---She's practicing...

More book reviews...

I just read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson for my woman's book club at church. I've read it before, but it's been YEARS! It is a quick, fun read (you can finish it in a little over an hour). It's a fun story about a troubled family of kids that decide to be part of the local church's Christmas pageant. It gives a refreshing (and many times comical) look at how it feels to hear the Christmas story for the first time.

My aunt, Fay, gave me this book to read when our family was together for Thanksgiving. She also recommended Too Small to Ignore, which became one of my favorite books. I tried to find a link to my review, but it seems I read this before I started doing these reviews. One day I need to review some of my favorite books that I have not read in recent months. Anyway, back to the book at hand...

Amish Grace looks at the Amish communities' response to the schoolhouse shooting in 2007. Some were amazed and inspired by their quick forgiveness and grace extended to the killer (who committed suicide after his crime) and his family. Others criticized them for trivializing a horrific act of evil. The authors not only explore the public's response but also explain how the Amish belief system lends itself to this kind of forgiveness. The chapters get a bit redundant, but I enjoyed this book none the less.

Radical Gratitude by Ellen Vaughn was December's book club selection, and I am regretting that I did not write this review sooner as I am now struggling to remember specific examples of why I liked this book. This book is well written, and despite it's unappealing cover, it

is certainly worth your time. I found it to be witty but with depth to each story. To quote the book jacket..."Radical Gratitude isn't about yet another discipline to master. It's about God's thundering waterfalls of love, and how to recognize and celebrate His presence in days both light and dark. It's about living in today's jungle, with practical--if offbeat--ways to grab hold of God's good grace and to swing free of the pesky vines that so easily confine...yodeling all the way."

I was recently in a book lull...I know it doesn't seem possible with my posts about books I've read, but I was. Patrick recommended I read a few of the shorter novels and stories about Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Oh. My. Goodness! There is a reason these are classics! I loved that I could read an entire mystery before going to sleep, and I loved that they were thought provoking but not scary. I loved the creativity (in a Jason Bourne kinda way) of how Holmes would solve the murders. These are great when you just need something quick and entertaining.

I'll Walk a Mile in Your Shoes...

She's stylin'!

It was time....

Her hair was starting to look straggly in the back.  If I put it up, it was still cute, but down...not so much.  I just wasn't ready to part with those baby curls.

We went to "Pigtails and Crewcuts," a kids salon.  They had trains and bubbles and lots of fun things to make the experience less scary.  Adeline did great!  She loved the airplane and fire truck seats, but wanted nothing to do with sitting in them.  She sat on mommy's lap.

Here she is with her stylist.

All done!  And looking too cute!  Mommy gave her some time to play with the trains.  And, she threw a ball with a boy who was getting his hair cut to help him not to fuss.  The parents were very thankful they were able to borrow her.