Overwhelmed!

I am SO INCREDIBLY busy these days and I am so incredibly tired; physically and mentally! I mentioned that last week I practically lived in Corbin at the doctor's office.

Corbin is a 45 minute drive from campus... so we've been in the car ALOT. I wrapped up my visits to the doctor's office on Monday. After driving 45 minutes there and 45 minutes back, I had to drive 25 minutes to work in Middlesboro. I left work at 4:00 on Monday, driving 25 minutes home. Being home for 20 minutes to fix dinner, then driving 45 minutes to Harrogate for sign language class, then another 45 minutes back home after class. I AM TIRED OF BEING IN THE CAR!! And I am tired of Sign Language Class. The class started in February and was supposed to be over in May. So many classes have been cancelled that now this class will run through mid JULY!!! I am tired of being so rushed on Mondays and doing all the extra driving to go to class. I'm sure this will only get more and more interesting the further along I get. :/

All the other nights of the week are spent at the ball field for Nicholas' T-Ball or Baseball for Zachary.

This weekend Patty and I are hosting a women's event, and to be honest, I have been totally stressing over it! I feel so unprepared because of my busy schedule and my lack of time to work on it.

I am stressing over the house, I am so ready to have the nursery ready... gotta have baby showers first though! The thought of having a baby in 10-13 weeks kinda puts me in panic mode wanting to detail clean the entire house and get everything organized! Is nesting beginning?

At work, beginning next Monday, I am rolling out a huge bank wide training that has taken a lot of preparation and energy. So, next week will be exhausting as well -- training all day, every day. Trust me, it takes a lot out of you, pregnant or not.

I am so tired. I need a vacation! Oh yeah, but I can't take vacation this year because I have to save all my time for maternity leave! That's ok. I would much rather have a baby than go on vacation. :) I guess I'm ready for maternity leave.

Thanks for letting me vent! Hopefully things will slow down soon. I need the break.

A Bit of a Scare..

Last Wednesday, I had a unplanned visit to the doctor's office. On Tuesday night I noticed my feet, ankles, and legs were severely swollen. They looked like balloons! Ugh! At the time, I didn't really think much of it, considering it was a very warm day and we had just returned from the boy's T-Ball and Baseball Games. However, after sleeping a full nights sleep with my feet prompted on a pillow all night, the swelling had not gone down at all. I became a bit worried because of my history of preeclampsia. I called the doctor's office around mid morning Wednesday, not really sure if it warranted a phone call, but I wanted to at least ask about it. Of course, they wanted to see me.

Unfortunately, I do have other symptoms of preeclampsia. I've had a rapid weight gain in the last week. Since my last visit 4 weeks ago, I have gained 8 pounds - you should only gain a pound per week at this point in pregnancy. My current weight is 151. :/ Not liking that number at all! I've had blurred vision and puffy eyes. And as I've already mentioned, I've had severe swelling in my feet, ankles, and legs.

My blood pressure was good at that visit, which is great news! The doctor sent me down to the lab to have other tests done. They took my blood to run some tests on my kidneys and ordered me to do a 24 hour urine test over the weekend. yay. fun stuff right! They want to do the 24 hour test to see if there is any protein or sugar in my "fluids". The protein would indicate preeclampsia. The sugar would be a positive sign of gestational diabetes. Either one is bad and could be dangerous to me or the baby.

While I was at the doctor's office on Wednesday, I mentioned that I had noticed that his movements have slowed down quite a bit. Byrson has been very active, and I normally know what times of the day he will move the most. Tuesday night I hadn't felt him move at all. Wednesday morning when I first woke up.. nothing. I felt him a little while in the waiting room at the doctor's office. From the time I left the office (around 2:30), until I went to bed that night, I did not feel any movements from him. Nothing. I woke up on Thursday morning still not feeling any movements. I drank a glass of orange juice to try and get him going. He moved a bit at around 9:30 on Thursday morning. Then, nothing. I drank a small chocolate shake during lunch. Nothing! When I arrived home at around 5:00 on Thursday evening, I tell my worries to Dan and he encouraged me to call the nurse at the hospital to ask her opinion. She said to eat something sweet and lay down for an hour. If I didn't feel him move 10 times in that hour than I needed to come in. An hour went by, and I only felt Bryson three times. So, it was off to Corbin to the hospital. They hooked me up on a monitor and monitored his movements for an hour. The first half of the hour, he was pretty calm and still. The second half, man this little boy began going crazy in the womb! I think he was doing flips and jumping jacks in there. Of course, I was very relieved, but I was also a bit embarrassed and frustrated. But, at least he was ok! Dr. Parent still ordered a biophysical exam for Friday morning, since Bryson hadn't been very active over the last couple of days. The exam was a four part test. They checked the amniotic fluid, his breathing exercises, his movement activity, and his muscle tone. Everything came back perfect! Bryson is still very healthy and growing rapidly in my womb! Thank You Lord!

Monday morning I was back in Corbin for my regular appointment --- and to drop off my "fluids" test! I had my glucose screening test on Monday and should know the results sometime this week.

After last week, I am tired of the doctor's office! But, now my visits go to every two weeks because today marks the day I begin my third trimester!! OH MY! Can you beleive it?!?! In 10 - 13 weeks we'll have a baby!! I can't wait to meet our Bryson!

Half Way Mark!!

Dan just completed his finals last week, which officially makes him a Junior now at Clear Creek!!! Which also means.... WE'RE HALF WAY THERE!! 2 Years Down. 2 To Go! I am so incredibly proud of my husband. Each semester he learns more and more about the Lord. And so far our time here at Clear Creek has done amazing things in our lives. We have become stronger as a couple, a stronger family, and closer to the Lord! He is about to burst however with all this information! Dan misses teaching youth. TERRIBLY! Don't get me wrong. He really enjoys the children at church, and loves teaching them as well. But his passion is youth. His calling is youth. I pray in the Lord's timing that He will open a door for my husband to fulfill his passion and calling.

But for now, I'm just celebrating in the moment that we are at our half way mark!! :)

I'll Hold You In Heaven!

It's been a year since we lost Thomas. We still think of him often. We still wonder what kind of little boy he would have been. We still miss him. But I still praise my God for using Thomas the way He did. I still praise Him for His unexplainable comfort during that diffcult time. I still praise Him for drawing me nearer to Him during the pain. I praise Him that my son is in Heaven! I praise Him that my son will never know pain, sorrow or the disappointments of this life. I praise Him that Heaven is all that Thomas will ever know! And I praise Him that I will hold my sweet, precious, healthy baby boy in Heaven one day!!

Thank You Lord!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." ~Proverbs 3:5

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!!

Nicholas is sick today, and although I hate seeing him like this, I must admit, I love these moments of cuddling with him! So precious! Dan cooked a wonderful dinner for me on Saturday night and we've spent the whole weekend together just hanging out at the cottage. It's been very nice, considering we've been so busy lately. The R & R is wonderful!

Happy Mother's Day to two very special ladies in my life. My mom. And Marquita, my stepmom. I hate that I didn't get to see them this weekend, but I hope they both know how much I appreciate them!
Thanks mom for being my mom! For the long drives that you made when Ryan and I were kids. Three hours one way twice a weekend, every other weekend. For all the fun memories at the pool and beach and the awesome camping trips in San Diego! Awe... good times!


Marquita. Thank you for always being there! For creating many special memories for me as a teenager and young adult. Proms and dances. Pregnancies and births.

Both of you mean so much to me and I love you both very much! Happy Mother's Day!

Women's Senior Tea & Graduation

Thursday night was the Lady's Night Senior Tea on campus. A time to honor all senior ladies who are either graduating or who are Senior Wives who have supported their hubbies through school. It was a special night and a wonderful time of fellowship with these ladies. I will miss each of them dearly, but I am excited to hear the things that God is calling them to. We have some going to Turkey as full time missionaries, some to be pastor's wives, some to help their husband's plant a church, and the list goes on and on.


I didn't get as many pictures as hoped, but enjoy the few that I did snap!

This is Casey and Brook. They've spent the last year to two years working in the daycare watching Nicholas. I know he will miss them dearly!

Ashely & Taylor. They've been with Nicholas at the Day Care since the day we arrived on campus. I hate seeing these two ladies leave. :(

Whittney and her daughter Ella. I love Whittney because every time I see her, she always has such a bright smile on her face. I'll miss having her in the Clinic and taking advantage of all her medical advice. They will be moving to Louisville for Seminary. Maybe we can still sneak in a visit when we're in the area!

GRADUATION NIGHT!

Huge Congrats to all the Seniors!

Nicholas and Ashely

I had to snap a picture of Zachary singing out of the hymnal. This was his first time actually understanding how to read a hymn!

Taylor and Benny Wilson with Zachary and Nicholas. Our families have become quite close over the last couple years and we will miss them dearly.