Tyler and Grace reading books at Berean Bookstore.

Playing in the sand at Faith's 2nd birthday.

Tyler riding his bike.

Mommy helping Grace ride her bike.

We're home! BOO!!

Clearly i've not had much time to update the blog, actually i've not taken the time. We got home in almost exactly 12 hours which is great time considering we were in a lot of traffic for a horrific accident and also had 5 people. That meant three stops. The kids were really good on the way home and slept more than I thought they would. They were pretty talkative, loud and argumentative though which annoyed me because Grandma was trying to sleep. Oh well. No screaming fits, no throwing up, no blood, no accidents... it was a very good trip overall.

Sunday Gary was on worship team and I had nursery so we got up and got back into the swing of things.... oh boy. The kids were so overtired it was hard on them. Going from having 5 grandparents, and Josh and lia to talk to to just mommy and daddy has been quite a culture shock! Tyler shared a room all week and now wants his lamp on and the door wide open and someone in there with him. We've said no to all these requests but it's still heart wrenching when he says he misses his Lia and doesn't like his room all by himself. :( They not only have lost their people to talk to, but also have lost their people to go to when they want something. Back to the tight ship is no fun I guess. So Grace cried in the nursery and Tyler cried in preschool, then we went to lunch with the bush's and Pap to celebrate Father's day and while they were fine, everyone was agitated and tired I think. It could have gone better.... but as always it could have gone worse! We came home and napped and then played outside. Outside is so boring with no ocean!!! Tyler chose to test the waters with daddy and they eneded up back inside while I was talking to my dad. After much needed baths and finally finishing watching Cars they started on Friday, it was off to bed. Both of them cried, niether of them were tired but other than the "where's Josh and Lia" comments, they were out.

So now we've come full circle, Gary's back to work, i'm online and the kids are playing. SHockingly they are still playing really well together! (Of course as i wrote that Tyler crashed a train onto Grace's back.)

It was an amazing vacation and we're so blessed! Next year we'll be there for the grand wedding of Josh and Lia!! Let the new coutdown begin!!

355 days!!

OBX Vacation!!

Day 1 Fri/Sat

Friday Gary got home from work around 2:30 so i put him and the kids to bed. I layed on the couch watching Friends and enjoying the peace and quiet and knowledge that I only had a few things left to do. I let Gary sleep as long as i could, and with rain keeping us inside the kids were loud. He got up around 6 which gave him a good 3 hours of sleep. We saw (and heard) storms on the horizon so we loaded the van early just in case we had a huge storm like last year. Then Gary went back to bed, and my mom arrived. We ate, watched a few shows, got the kids in jammies and gave them Dramamine, finished loading, and off we went. We left at 9:30. We made a quick stop at a Walmart so Gary could get earphones for his iphone to listen to music easier. We stopped only 3 more times and got to the Outer Banks around 8 or 8:30. The kids didn't sleep much so we were all very tired and thankful we had early check in at 1. Gary did a wonderful job and i'm so thankful he's able to drive through the night like that. I know it's hard on him but he does a great job. I tried to stay up with him as much as I could... too much! We hit the coffee shop, ate breakfast, hit the Nature Center, the lighthouse (I made it up with only a couple short stops! Very proud of myself!), and then lunch. When the house was ready we were able to unload, figure out rooms, unpack and get naps. My mom bathed Grace and she was begging to go to bed. Tyler took a little longer to calm down but they both slept hard. I even got a nap while Pops, my mom and Gary hit the beach for a little sun. I was able to get up and shower and felt so much better! Dinner was wonderful (Lia arrived and got to eat with us!) and the kids did very well. We then came back for our first walk on the beach. We should have put the kids in swimsuits since they both got completely soaked.... pops too. :) We're all slowly making our way to bed to prepare for tomorrows full day of the beach and probably grocery shopping.

Day 2 - Sunday

Our first beach day! We got up at 8:30 and after a leisurely morning and packing our stuff we headed to the beach. It was nice and hot and the water was great. Grae is afraid of the water this year and again, Tyler is a fish. He's very careful to stay with us though which I"m thankful for. We headed in for lunch, had naptime, went back out in the afternoon, and then for dinner everyone in the house came together for dinner of Hot Dogs and Hamburgers. It was a little hairy when we realized we did not have a grill! We had one, but no lighter, no matches and after we sent Pops out to buy some, we realized the propane was empty! We also found out that the hot tub didn't have enough water and had a "foul odor". Gary was very dissapointed! After dinner Mom, Lia, Gary, Grace and I went to Timbuck II to do some shopping only to find that since it was Sunday, many of hte stores were closed. We still had a great time, headed back to the house around 9 and put the kids to bed and relaxed.

Day 3 - Monday

Will have to record later... children need someone to play with!!

Day 4- Tuesday

ditto.... Breakfast, Wright Brothers, Captain Franks, Naps, Dinner, Beach, Playtime and BED!

AHHHHHH

Several long posts started and unfinished! We wanted to pass along that we are VERY excited for our friends Ben and Amy and what this weekend/week could mean for their family. They are in our constant prayers and we ask you'd pray for them too. Ben and Amy, we love you so much!!

Our prayers are also with a family who are friends of a friend of a friend. At 22 weeks pregnant they found out their baby is not developing correctly and will not make it. Our hearts ache for this family and we wish them God's grace and peace through this. They found out on their wedding anniversary.

Lastly we again Praise and Thank the Lord for the way he provides for our family. Our baby girl is doing well and if her movements are any indication there is absolutely nothing wrong with her. I expect her to come out with a full head of hair (can you say mommy heartburn?!!?) and learn to walk well before a year. Tyler was active like this and he was a bit slow to start walking, but he ran shortly (as in hours) after his first steps and has not stopped running since. I expect from this little girl more of the same!! We are also very excited to be leaving tonight to drive through the night to begin our vacation in North Carolina. Pray for traveling mercies and for Gary to stay awake and the kids and my mom to sleep.

Blessings and Love from Gary, Heather &Kids

Ultrasound #2

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16

Thank you for all your prayers and support, our baby GIRL is fine! There is a small spot in her heart-likely calcium- but not big or dark enough to mean anything. There may be a slight increased risk (1/500) for Downs but I have no other risk factors or indicators. No one will know anything more for sure until she's born. Thank you again and Praise the Lord!

The Rest of the Story...

I"m primarily posting for myself...i want to be able to recall everything!

So last Wednesday I was 20 weeks, and Thursday I had my first ultrasound done for this pregnancy. The kids got to pracitice sitting still and being quiet and got a good anatomy lesson. I think it also helped cement for Tyler that there really is an actual person growing inside me. The tech was very nice but quiet. She had laryngitis so she din't talk any more than necessary. While I REALLY do understand, it unnerved me a bit.

I know God is good and wishes to bless us, I also know that his will is greater than my own and sometimes means things beyond what I want for myself- including trial and pain. When discussing having more kids Gary and I often talked about being content with two beautiful, healthy children who eat and sleep well. Let's face it- not everyone has that! We are very thankful and very content- I don't want anyone to ever question that. We're blessed beyond measure and we know it and strive to Praise God for it every minute of every day. We felt the desire to have more kids and after a LOOOOOOT of prayer, decided to leave it to the Lord, and *snap* i was pregnant. I know that statistcally speaking, this baby is likely to be unhealthy, coliky, never want to eat or sleep, and will most definately be very different from her siblings. I know that. I love her anyways because she's my precious gift God has given me. Going into this ultrasound though, I felt very nervous and at teh same time peaceful. I know God's in control in my head and my heart. I feel His peace, but I also felt that nagging "prepare your heart" feeling.

The tech took a look at the placenta and uterus and all that stuff that just looks like foggy static and told me each thing. Plus when she types it i can read it. Gary had the kids situated on his lap and of course as soon as i saw head, torso/spine, arms and legs I was crying. Just like that there she was. We'd said yes, we wanted to know and when the up-through-the-legs shot came, it was pretty clear before she even said- GIRL! I was shocked! I'd been calling her "he" for awhile now! I really really thought it would be a boy. Gary thought girl and most family and friends were split. Most didn't want to say, and a few were sure one way or another. I will say this pregnancy has been more like Grace's than like Tyler's so while I leaned towards girl, i felt boy. These things are not 100% so it still could be a boy! :) The tech of course can't say for sure because nothing is for sure but she was pretty confident. I know what I saw and I am too. :) She moved on and took some pictures, she measured the head and the leg bone, looked at the kidneys and stomach and heart and stayed there quite a while. We could see it beating and see the four chambers and i thought she was trying to get a good clear photo of all four chambers. She took a couple profile shots and the face and measured whatever else she did. I kept asking "is that normal", "does she look ok" kind of questions and she said yes. She wasn't overly talkative and raving though which i figured was just her personality. When she was done i asked if everythign was ok and she said it looked "good" and the doctor would give me the results. It was an answer that made me think nothing major, but possibly a problem. I wanted Gary to stay but he said it was fine, she said it was fine and she just didn't say more because she had laryngitis. So he went to work and the kids and I waited for my appointment. In hind sight i'm SO glad I went ahead and made my appt. for the same day because orriginally they could not get me in the same day with the doc i wanted and i was either going to choose someone else, or go another day.

So the doc listend to the heartbeat and then sadi "the ultrasound tech put a note on your chart that the baby had "blah-blah-blah". (huh?) It's almost always nothing but we'll need to send you to the hospital (insert panic) for a more in depth ultrasound (relief)." So I asked her what that means. She said something showed up, it happens a lot, its almost always nothing but we just want to get a better picture. I wanted to say- well, take me back to that room and you can take pictures all day! So i remembered then i wanted to ask her specifically about induction which I did. SHe said I could if i wanted and she'd get her schedule so then i asked again, so this ultrasound- it's something with the baby's brain? yes. So what are we looking at here, what's our worst case scenario? oh, it's almsot always nothing, we're not even getting itnto it. in fact i can't remember a time when it was ever anything, i'll take you down to get scheduled at the hospital. (me)But it's soemthing with the brain right? yes.

I packed up the kids (who were coloring on the ground very quietly the whole time) and away we went to the lady's office who schedules things with the hospital. She asked when and I'm thinking, oh it's no big deal, i gotta pack for vacation next week, let's make it after... so then as I'm telling her this it occurs to me, oh well, it'd be nice to know before we go because everyone is going to want to know. So i tell her when NOT to make it because we'll be on vacation, make my next regular OB appt. and go to the car. I call Gary and as I'm telling him it hits me- something might be wrong with this baby's brain! I have to know now! So i unbuckled the kids and we traipsed back in there for me to tell her if at all possible make it before the 19th because i have to know. She said she'd probably call me that afternoon. then we went home. SO Gary calls again wanting to know the medical term which of course i did not understand when she told me let alone be able to recall and repeat. So he wanted me to call so we could do some research and see what we're up against so we're prepared at this next ultrasound. I said i couldn't do it. I was calm, still at peace, but didn't know how i'd do on the phone. I'd already called my parents and my brother and updated on here and I had to get packed and get the kids fed and to bed. So he called and someone promised to call him back. Meanwhile the lady who makes the appointments iwth the hospital calls, she does not yet have an appointment for me but my husband called wanting to know my ultrasound results and could they give them to him. duh- of course! She had just talked to the ultrasound tech and read it off to me and i wrote it down but my stupid phone made it sound like she was whispering from across the room into a phone and i had to ask her to repeat things and i was locked in the bathroom upstairs to avoid all outside noise. She asked if I wanted to just tell my husband or if someone should call him back. at first i was just going to tell him, then i realized he could probably hear better and think more clearly to ask questions so i said go ahead and talk to him. Well like 2 hours later i called - have they called you yet!? because they talked to me awhile ago. He'd talked to them and figured i knew what he knew and he'd been researching and couldn't find anything and to tell him as soon as there was an appointment. Well, all day I'd had on our facebook about a potential problem with the baby's brain. When he got home i showed him the many comments of prayer, love and support. Immediately he laughed, and said "brain". Um, yea. He saw i was not laughing at what he assumed i knew was my silly mistake and said, Honey, it's the heart! Panic again! WHAT?! who told you that!?!? He'd talked to the lady who does the scheduling at the hospital too, and she'd repeated what the tech said and he'd written it down. Left ventricle of the fetal heart. I was so annoyed. Now it's 5:00, i can't call, and now there is either a problem with the brain or the heart, neither is worse than the other i'm sure but I WANT TO KNOW!!! So i didn't change anything on face book because i didn't know anything. Friday comes and I called, left a message, called again, then we packed up the car and i stupidly packed my phone in the bag i wanted it, and put it in the van and Gary took off to go to the bank and get gas. His mom came iwth lunch and we ate and got in the car to go. I realized immediately my phone had been there the whole time. I'd known it was there, known the office closed at noon, known that lady SHOULD be calling me back but did i put it all together and have the phone near me? no. She called at 11:54 and left a message at which time my phone allerted me she'd also called at 8:15 that morning. I'd checked that phone 100times for missed calls. I was furious. Of course she tells me in both messages just to call back, here's the number... and in the second one, call back Monday because we close in 3 minutes. It's 7minutes past noon so i call and asked the answering service lady if there is ANY way i can get ahold of the lady i need. nope. Thankfully Stephanie suggested i call the hospital, and thankfully Gary has internet on his phone so i caould find the number and PRAISE THE LORD i was able to find out my ultrasound date- Wednesday the 17th. I still didn't know if it was the brain or the heart, but I knew I'd know more before vacation and I would not have to wait until after.

We had a wonderful time in Chicago. We were actually outside Chicago but I call it Chicago. We were actually in McHenry which is where Gary was born. Grace got carsick a little over an hour before we got to the Kandray's but they were kind enough to let us wash out her seat, and leave her clothes and seat cover for them to wash, bathe her and put her jammies on her. We got to the hotel pretty late and all went to bed. Saturday we drove around the area and see where Gary was born, where he want to half a year of preschool, and four houses they lived in before they moved to Wisconsin when he was 4 or 5. It was neat and a beautiful area. We went to the party and had a wonderful time with family. Grace napped but Tyler ran from when we got there until we left. I hope to take time to post pictures this week. I hope i got some good family ones. Grace did not get carsick on the way home and we only made two 20 minute stops so we got home in very good time. We all went to bed at 8:30 which was wonderful.

This morning i called to get my appointment, then we called the hospital to change it because of a meeting Gary had that day- it'll be earlier in the morning. And i found out it IS the HEART. So now we know. I've not even had a chance to do any research but I"m thankful I only have to wait another day and a half to find out what is going on. Thankfully I have some amazing friends willing to watch the kids so Gary and I can go by ourselves.

We love this baby more than we can describe and we know God will provide for us whatever we need to raise her. She's in God's hands. We're excited to meet her but also praying the Lord would allow this to truly be nothing. If not, we know it's in his best will for our lives and for hers. Thank you all for your prayers and for allowing me to record this long account for my own recollection!

It's a Girl!!

The ultrasound tech this morning said she was pretty confident in that. Sure looked like a girl to us!

She also detected a potential problem on the baby's brain so I'll go for a more in-depth ultrasound at the hospital. I should find out when sometime today. Thanks to everyone for the prayers!

HALFWAY THERE!! I'm exactly 20 weeks today! aproximately 140 days to go. Tomorrow will be my ultrasound to make sure the baby is developing correctly and healthy. We also hope to find out the sex of the baby. I still kind of want to be surprised but the Type A Planner in me feels like we need to know what we're getting ourselves into! Please pray that the ultrasound goes well and that everything is going well. If not pray for strength! Actually, either way pray for strength. We can't do this alone- we need the Lord's help every moment. Please also pray the Lord's will for our house in Mansfield. We had a verbal offer last week, we countered, and the person is seeing the house again. We are encouraged by the interest, and hope we don't lose this potential buyer.

We got to see the Duggars! Last night, the Duggar family- 2 parents, 18 kids and one daughter-in-love- was in Canton Ohio and we went to see them. They performed some music, shared a passage of scripture they memorized with motions and JimBob and Michelle shared their testimony. It was so much fun and so very encouraging. It's one thing to see a family on TV and believe certain things about them, but to see that many kids up on stage in person, and to hear their testimony was truly inspiring. I was so impressed to hear them truly speak from their heart and not accept any financial help for the trip or payment. We got a laugh out of the small paper posted on the front door stating that reality tv crews were inside and basically by walking into the building it was assumed we'd given our consent to be on TV. So, even though we can't watch the episodes because we don't have cable, we might be on one! They did several crowd shots so you never know. :) Below are a few pictures- nothing came out very well, and two "pregnancy" shots of me. I hate those... The Duggar Family on stage. JimBob and Michelle share their testimony. Gary and I. Duh. June 1, 18 weeks 6 days.

Sunday again! You know it's spring/summer when weeks fly by like this.

Yesterday we had an extremely rare weekend day where we had nothing planned. We talked about several activities we could do but my letting Gary sleep in and the kids needing naps limited us. We ended up going to the nature center near us which was a lot of fun. The kids both loved the turtles in the pond and we all enjoyed the walk and the fresh air. It was a great change of pace to do something free and educational but still be together and having fun. We rarely do things just the four of us and it was a special time. We came home and napped while Gary went to work then ran off to the Bush's to watch what would turn out to be the final Cavs game of the season. When we got there Pops had the tractor charged up to take the kids on a little ride around the yard- arguably Tyler's favorite part of the entire day. They rested/slept well while the game was on and when it ended we returned home to bed.

Today was cousin Brandon's graduation party out in Columbiana which was fun. We got to see and even meet a lot of Pop's family which meant a lot to us. Now Gary's at work with Tyler (who is watching TV i'm sure) and I"m entertaining Grace. We've played with many toys, puzzles, food, dishes, colored and used the "little grace potty" so mommy's taking a quick break. :)

There isn't much news to share but it's been a wonderful week. The rain we expected to go on for days only came twice, and primarily at night. We spent many days playing in the sandbox and in the yard. Tyler's preschool work is going well. He's listening better, and his fine motor skills have greatly improved. I"m confident that another year of maturation and pushing his academic skills will be very valuable to him when he begins Kindergarten. Based on most lists i've come across he's at or above where he should be to begin Kindergarten already. Until next time.... God Bless!

Grace playing dressup on her birthday- new shoes, purse, gloves and necklace!

GO CAVS!! I really hope they win! We don't have cable anymore and we watched the last two games over at Gary's parents. It's exhausting though, bringing hte kids home at midnight and getting them back in bed before i can get ME in bed! Tonight Gary wanted to watch so he's at work watching I think... or at his parents. I'm enjoying peace and quiet. I got the kitchen cleaned up and while I SHOULD do laundry, I thought now would be a good time to catch myself up on life here.

We got Grace a sand and water table for her birthday and it's been a big hit in this great summer weather we've had. So has the picnic table my mom got her. They want to eat every meal out there and since it keeps the kitchen floor cleaner, we eat at least lunch there when we can! I don't know what i'd do with out a nice back porch to send them out on!!

Last Wednesday we met my dad at Chuck-E-Cheese's. He's been begging to get to go with us since last October or so and I finally gave in. It was a really fun night and the kids, of course, loved it. It was another reminder of what a big girl Grace is getting to be.

Friday night we went out for haircuts and I let Tyler get a buzz. I hate buzz haircuts but I know they are good summer cuts and they sure are practical for the hairwashing time of day. Saturday we went to Penny's in an attempt to get a good family photo. We got lots of good ones of the kids and a couple good ones of the four of us. I"m anxious to see if they look as good on paper as they did on the computer screen. Grace has had a runny nose pretty bad and I fear that's going to show. eek!! I think she might have allergies and am kicking myself I didn't ask the doctor about it Wednesday at her 2yr checkup. The nurse measured her at 35 inches and 25 pounds. I know the pounds are right but the Dr and I both agree the length is a bit generous. She's growing at a good pace and healthy and fully on target for development.

For Memorial Day we went to the parade in Alliance and then to the Bush's for a cookout. it was a beautiful day and we stayed outside and the kids just ran and ran most of the day. It was supposed to rain today but so far it has only sprinkled. We've loved getting outside so much but the grass and the flowers sure need the rain we're supposed to get!

Seems like there should be more to share but we live a nice, quiet, boring life and I'll leave it at that. We love it. Blessings!

Tyler blowing bubbles at our house Monday Grace resting on Grandma's couch... this one shows how big she's getting!! Grace got VERY excited when the Carnation Queen's came in the parade. The kids and their flags.

   We went and got pictures taken today at JC Penny's.  It went really well.  Here are 3 of our favorites!      

Grace is TWO today!!

We had her birthday party yesterday and it was so much fun. I was so excited to have the whole family and some of our friends here for the big day. We definitely do NOT have room to have family and friends as the kids get older and get more friends though! I made her a Winnie the Pooh cake which she loved. Saturday night Grandma Sandra came after work to stay over and she helped me get things cleaned up. Amazing how many dishes i dirty when making and decorating a cake. We had a good day at church and she wore her birthday dress and her new favorite accessory- her sandals. We went to McDonald's for lunch with mom and the Bush's which was fun. We talked a lot about our upcoming beach trip and, believe me, we're all getting more excited by the day! Grace napped well but Tyler didn't. Guests began arriving a little after 3 and we just had a wonderful time. We ate and then did presents and then the cake. She blew out her candles and it was TOO CUTE! It could be months before I get good photos because Gary and I focused on getting video and so i'll be waiting for grandparent photos. Thanks to everyone who helped clean up all the food and do all the dishes. After everyone left we cleaned up the toys, vacuumed the cake out of the carpet and got the furniture back in place. Then we bathed the kids and all four of us were in bed by 9:30!

Today is her actual Birthday- May 18th. I can't believe that only two years ago I was getting admitted to the hospital ready to have her. She's been such a blessing in our lives and we are so excited for what the Lord has for her future. She's been such a good girl and she's my princess for sure. She's a girly girl through and through. She loves to wear shoes, dresses and have "pretties" in her hair. She loves to read books and color, play dishes and carry things around in her purse. She's also VERY active! She can climb up on the table and will stand on the chairs (before getting caught and diciplined), she LOVES to be outside chasing her brother and playing in the dirt. She loves to swing and can do her slide all by herself and loves balls of all shapes and colors. She talkes constantly and can hold a crayon and pencil better than her brother. :) She's a girl through and through! She's so very fun and loving and her smile can cheer anyone up. We love her so much!

Happy Birthday Armandina Grace!

Mothers Day Weekend

The days are flying by for us! Last week on Friday we had the Kelloggs over which was SO much fun. They brought Grace a birthday present and cupcakes and princess gear so she and Faith could celebrate. I thought we were celebrating Josh and Jackie but Josh would not wear his tiara. :( bummer! Sometime I'll have gary post pictures because we got some cute ones. I, for the life of me, cannot figure out how to post pictures on this site the way I want too and the stress and screaming at the computer is really not worth it. :) Saturday I drove Jackie to Amish Country to meet Connie and we spent the day shopping and gabbing. It was heavenly. What a wonderful Mother's Day present- my THIRD Saturady off! Jackie isn't likely to ever ride with me again since it was only because of her GPS that we got there and back. I'm a pretty cautious driver so I hope she did not have elevated blood pressure all day. :) When we got back she and Josh and Faith headed home and Gary's parents came over so Gary and I could go out. We had no idea where to go or what to do with ourselves. I"ve decided we need to write down what we want to do on nights we talk about it but cant' so that when these date nights DO come around we can have suggestsions of our own.
Sunday I got the surprise of my life when I opened my mothers day gift and it was A CRICUT!!!! I refused to open it and threatened to take it back, then had a major meltdown because I can't find Grace's white button down sweater anywhere (still can't- have you seen it?) and I HAD to have it to go with her white summer dress (we've now officeally grown out of all winter clothes so summer better hurry on up and get here!!!!!!). We made it to church "on time" but argued the whole way about the expense of my gift on top of dinner and a day in Amish country and how the kids need socks and shoes and I've been out of conditioner for two weeks. The way we spend our money is often a source of contention but through it all Gary stood firm that he wanted me to have it. I finished getting me and the kids ready and fed while Gary had worship team practice. The service was so nice and Tyler sat fairly well through the part he had to be there for. After church we went to lunch with the Bush's and Pap which was very nice. I'm at the point in my pregnancy that buffets are a good thing because I need the options and can actually eat enough to make it worthwhile. :) We "discussed" Gary's generosity most of the way to my mom's and I gave in. I've wanted one of these for years, I love it and I KNOW I'll get a lot of use out of it. Plus now I can have people over to use it and give myself some more scrapping time (once I figure out how to download and print photos of course). The visit to my mom's was very fun and it was SO nice to just eat pizza and not have to cook or clean up after a large meal. It was so nice to spend time with family too.
Monday Hannah and her kids drove down from Cleveland and they had a blast. The boys played in the dirt in teh back yard (and there is not much of it!) for hours and the girls napped well so Hannah and I actually got a lot of good visiting time.
I spent yesterday trying to motivate Tyler to do his schoolwork faster than a snail, ironed about 8 tuesdays worth of stuff and tried to recover from my weekend. Today my dad was here for lunch so not much other than school, and additional ironing and landry has been completed. I"m gearing up for a big weekend again though! Saturday we celebrate my Grandma's 75th Birthday and Sunday we celebrate Grace's 2nd Birthday. Lots to do!
Today our baby is at week 16. I've been asked a lot lately if I"m feeling anything. I"m in that 'I think so but i'm not sure (so i'm saying no)' stage. I'm sure (s)he is moving around a lot but i'm too busy to feel it. I know usually it's easier to feel in bed when you are resting but I keep forgetting or I try to feel and freak myself out. I"m starting to look pregnant so that's a good sign. The baby is now the size of an avacado. Hopefully my uterus around it is much bigger because it's pushig all my lovely belly fat out. I can wear my regular clothes a size or two up but they just don't fit right so i'm mostly wearing smaller maternity pants and my own shirts or small maternity shirts. I"ve not gained anything yet but my body has most definately changed. Last week I was tickleing Grace's belly and poking her and she said, "Stop touching me. Me baby in belly." oiy! I said no my dear! The Baby is in MOMMY"S Belly! There won't be a baby in your belly for many many years! Let's hope/pray at least 18 more years and post-wedding band!!! it was cute though. She says it a lot and sticks out her little tummy. Once i correct her though she'll pat the reall baby and kiss my tummy. Tyler tells everyone we're going to have another baby- mostly people who already know but he's caught a couple off guard at church. It's kind of fun to be approached and asked if it's true. I ask how they heard (assuming Gary's parents) and they say Tyler. Apparently my hands are going to be full.... which apparently means right now they are empty? ;)

http://mecuriorealestate.com/?mls_number=9009252&content=expanded&this_format=0

Our house is for sale and listed online! Tell everyone you know and PRAY!!!

I had my 14 week Dr. Appt today. My group of doctors opened an office right here in the town I live in which is SO much more convenient! It was also very relaxed as an atmosphere because there were about 4 people in the whole building as opposed to 400. The doctor I met is new sice Grace was born and was wonderful. I like her a LOT. My belly is measuring just right and the baby's heartbeat is nice and strong. It was so nice to get to hear it again. She had a hard time following it for long because Tyler was talking her hear off and the baby was "swimming all over the place." :) Active is good at this point but i hope (s)he isn't TOO active! :) We discussed my history and she thought i might be able to be induced again if I want to at 39 weeks. Something we'll definitely consider and pray about. Ultimately I need to talk to my preferred doctor (who induced me and delivered Grace) to see what she says. I figure she knows me "best" and I want to get her input. I've gotten this from the nurse practitioner and a doctor now though so I think in the end it will be up to us. This past couple weeks I've felt much better and stopped losing weight. Getting out of the weight loss mindset is very hard when pregnant! You go through those months where you can't eat anything and after 4 years of steadily losing weight (with a break to have Grace of course) and increasing my health, I can't deny that seeing the number go down gave me mixed emotions. It's a thrill to see it, but immediately fear enters- is this good for the baby? I've finally got my appetite back so it's nice to just be in "control" mode. I also like that if I want to cheat (a little) I can without paying for it in the gym! Assuming I don't cheat every day! So with my new ability to eat more than just crackers and bagels and apples I've also got glimpses of energy and the sunshine has been a huge help. So last week we traveled to PA on Wed. for Lori's birthday, I took Grace shopping with me while the boys went to the Tribe game, I went back to PA to have a girls day with Lori on Saturday and we played outside a LOT the next few days! This week I took the kids to Galion to see the Pierce's for the day and tomorrow I head to Mansfield to have another girls day out! It's nice to be human again. :) Wednesday was so much fun. The drive was a little under 2 hours and very easy from here. Bethany has 3 boys including a 3 month old baby. It was a nice treat to have a baby in my arms and encouraging that I enjoyed it so much. :) Her boys played really well with Tyler and Grace and we even got all 5 kids in beds and quiet for 2 hours so we could visit! We left around 8:15 and got home a little after 10. I wonder if i need my eyes checked because I had a harder time than usual seeing in the dark. I think it was the headache of listening to the kids sing along with our Elmo CD combined with just being exhausted. :) In other news we've contacted our realtor again and put our house up for sale. We ask anyone who reads this to please please commit this matter to prayer. It's the Lord's house and wish for Him to do with it what He wants, but in our human desires we want it SOLD. We want to break even and be able to begin saving so we can buy a house someday that we can actually live in. We don't feel at this time like God has any major location changes ahead for us so we feel ready to 'put down roots' so to speak. However if He keeps us mobile it could be for a reason. We need to have complete trust in Him and his timing. Have a great weekend!

Tyler at his first Indian's game.