Stinkin' Parking Place

I am soooo NOT good at parking. I've never been good at it and I'm not holding out much hope for the future. I am especially horrible at pulling into the first space of a row right after you turn the corner. I can't go down the neighboring row because someone else might get to the good space before I do. So I have to go for it. No matter how much I back up and straighten (or try to) it's just hard. Last week I absolutely could not get off the curb next to this space at Target. I think I spent a good 5 minutes trying to park better, but it was no use. I'm sure everyone in the lot was staring and no doubt laughing at me too. When it was all said and done, both my passenger side tires were on that stupid curb. You would think I could have fixed it, but you would be wrong. It's just my lot in life - I can't park.

The First Daddy Daughter Dance

This is probably a video that only grandparents will appreciate, so unless you are pretty bored, you might want to skip it. It's really not that exciting. John dances. Later, Aulora comes and joins him. That's all. I just wanted to have it in the future. =)

Celebration of Nine in a Row

Last night we celebrated John David's 9 happy faces in a row. (His streak did finally end at 12, I believe. He's back on another good streak though.) We had lots of fun playing games and winning tickets. It was too cold to go outside for go-karts or bumper boats but the boys did play lazer tag. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of that because I was busy chasing the girls. =)

Lover Boy

I was informed yesterday that Julia called one of friends "loverboy" at school on Tuesday. Sweet Jesus, help us! I don't know where she heard that - really, I don't. The raciest nickname John and I have for each other is "Baby". She told John David that she likes this boy and wants to kiss him. Good grief, she's four years old. FOUR YEARS OLD! So once again, Daddy and I explained how she needs to save all her kisses for when she gets married one day. Other than that, she can kiss Daddy and John David (and of course grandpas and uncles). She giggled and said, "Ok."

I think we're in for a very long ride......

Oh What Fun It Is To Plunge.....

I don't know if we had extra big pipes in SA or if there are extra small pipes here, but I've plunged more toilets in the last couple of months than I had in all the years we lived in our house. Julia especially has the gift of clogging the potty. She uses soooo much toilet paper and just doesn't understand when to stop. I've tried explaining it to her, but it's just not getting through.

Tonight, she came upstairs to go potty. I came up to check on her and to see if she needed help. If only I had come sooner.....

I opened the door to find her standing mostly naked on the water covered floor. She pointed at the toilet which was filled to the brim with water. Aulora was at my heels trying to go in and it was already close to bedtime. We were supposed to be getting a bath and getting right in bed. But no.

I plunged and plunged. My arm hurt and my feet were getting wet. Gross. Even for a non-germo like me. No matter how hard I tried, I could not undo the damage. I called for John's dad to help me since John wasn't here. He came up and like any man he plunged away so hard that water was flying everywhere. I know it had to be done, but ohhhhhh. It was almost more than I could handle. My only consolation was that it was not yucky water at this point.

We had to use a bucket to empty some water out of the potty. The water was poured into my clean bathtub. Cringe. The clog was finally cleared. We got mops and cleaner and scoured the floor. Of course then the potty had to be cleaned and the bathtub too since it was the draining spot and also where the mops were squeezed.

I think it was only about 15 minutes past bedtime when the mess was finally done. Julia was sitting on the bathroom counter with her dirty feet in the sink during all of this. I washed her feet, ran the bath water and put the girls in. Then it was John David's turn. Poor guy - he got to use the girls' water since we were short on time. He didn't seem to mind.

I was exhausted when the last one was finally in bed. Whew. Who in the world installed the teeny tiny pipes for this house??? That's all I want to know......

Denial

Is it bad to still be in denial about having a baby when said baby is coming in less than 9 days? I'm thinking yes, that's bad. I know everything will be fine, but seriously, how is this going to work? I absolutely cannot imagine living somewhere without the help of grandparents in the coming months. If that were the case, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't go anywhere for at least a good year or so. I would have groceries delivered and the kids wouldn't take any lessons and John David would just have to hitch a ride to school because who wants to put FOUR little kids in the car in the winter early in the morning???

BUT, as it is, we DO live with grandparents. So thank you, Jesus, we're going to make it. It's going to be more than ok. And we'll even still eat home-cooked meals! Now that's a wonderful thing right there. When we do move out, I'm not sure if I'm even going to remember how to cook.

Soooo ---- less than 9 days. Wow. The chest is filled. The bed is ready. The hospital bag for the baby is ready. (I'm procrastinating packing mine.) The to do list is pretty much done, although I think of a couple more things that need to be added to it daily. Yesterday I bought a bouncer seat. I think that's what it's called. Would you believe we've never even had one of those before? It just didn't seem necessary, but this time it does. I found a great one at a second hand shop and it looks so totally comfortable. It reminds me of those big circle shaped chairs with the huge circle cushions that were so popular in the 80's. It's all washed and ready to use. Bottom line, for the first time since John David, I think I'm actually going to be ready. Except that I'm not because I just can't grasp the fact that I'm about to have another child. I still have a baby. I still change diapers and make bottles. Wow. Next Friday is going to be surreal.

I know this isn't going to sound the way it's supposed to but I'm going to say it anyway. At this point (I know everything will be different the moment I first see him) I feel like I could give this baby away and not be in great mourning. Not because I don't want him, but because I just can't wrap my brain around the fact that I'm going to have him. That's sounds so horrible! This is just so different than I've ever felt with my other kids. I'm not prepared emotionally, I don't think. Denial, I'm telling you. Flat out denial.

I will say that while driving in the car today one of my worship cd's was playing. I don't know the actual name of the song but it's a very familiar one to me since I listen to it all the time. Today I really listened to the words though. One of the lines goes something like,

"Standing here, in Your presence, thinking of the good things You have done."

I immediately thought of each of my children. They are most certainly good things He has done. Everyone of them is such a sweet blessing in our lives in their own way. I know that this little boy we get to meet next week is one more good thing. We didn't plan him but God did. God is wise in His ways and knows what our family needs. He will help me when I need help (which I'm sure will be often) and give me every tool I need to be the mommy and wife He wants me to be.

Thank God for the good things in our lives. There are so many material blessings to be thankful for, but they don't even compare to the rich blessings we've been given through our little ones. I can't wait to meet this newest one. In that instant I know every reservation and every last bit of denial will fade away.

Don We Now Our Gay Apparel

Yesterday, at Target, we were checked out by a female who was most certainly not into guys. She was super nice and I had no problems with her. Julia, however, felt the need to blurt out exactly what was on her mind.

Julia: "Hey, he talks like a girl!"

Me: "Because she is a girl, you Silly Goose." (already very embarrassed by now)

Julia: (intently studying "the girl") "You need a haircut!" (What she meant was that this girl had VERY short hair and she needed a hairdo to make it long.)

Me: "She already got a haircut, Silly. I would have short hair too if Daddy liked it, but Daddy likes long hair." (insert nervous and mortified laugh here)

The checker was still nice through all of this and never missed a beat. I, on the other hand, got out of there as soon as possible. I just love moments like those.....

Before You Can Crack Any Jokes....

I just thought about something regarding my last post.....

I AM the bigger person.

My Sincerest Apologies

Apparently, I caused the Cowboys to lose today. I'm sorry. Really I am. I wanted them to win. But, according to my husband, it was my fault they didn't.

I got home early in the 3rd quarter. I was tired and my back was hurting so I got comfortable on the couch. I watched the game. I asked my usual ignoramous questions (although I think they're getting slightly more intelligent sounding) and cheered and booed at the appropriate times.

Sometime during the 4th quarter my eyes got sleepy and I dozed off. I became the worst bad luck charm ever at that point. I think it doesn't count when you go to sleep if you're pregnant and hurting. I also think their loss had more to do with some horrible dropped passes than with my little nap, but whatever. I'll be the bigger person and apologize.

I'm Sorry......

Especially for Davus

Although our family is comprised of devout A&M fans, Julia had been straying towards the dark side - that would be the Texas Longhorns. We know the only reason she has been doing that is because of her grandpa's evil influence on her. However, we are proud to say that on Saturday, Julia voluntarily put on this hat and showed proper allegiance to the one true team. Way to go, Julia! We're so proud of you!

On a sidenote, our kids love steak. Do you know why? Because Longhorns are yummy! Daddy also has a nice leather wallet with the A&M logo in one corner. It's a really cool wallet because a Longhorn was killed to make it. Those Longhorns are really handy!

My Monkeys in Their Element

Today we went to a birthday party at a gymnastics place. The kids had so much fun and I had lots of fun watching them. It was hard to get pictures of them because they were constantly moving - that's my excuse for the pictures that turned out blurry.

The gym offers a weekly class for kids 6 and up that's a combination of gymnastics and karate. Think big karate kicks while flying through the air on the trampoline. How fun would that be for John David??? We're thinking about it. The gym is about a 10 minute drive away (I know - big deal) BUT the YMCA is across the street from our neighborhood and I know they have some classes too. So we'll figure it out this week.

This is such a new phase in mommy-hood for me - school and lessons and friends coming over and other big kid things like that. Fun stuff, I think.

Life......Easier

Holy cow! Life just got so much easier tonight. Why didn't I do this before??? I took a baby gate and put it upstairs on our side of the balcony so Aulora can't even get close to the steps. Although she has the stairs mastered, it's not usually convenient to have her going down whenever she wants. Now I can keep her upstairs AND out of the bathrooms. So perfect.....

The Donut Girl

I don't think I've mentioned that John is tutoring a high school girl whose family owns and runs a donut shop. Every time he comes home from their session he has a box of donuts with him. For awhile, we were slightly worried they were paying him in donuts. Then after a few weeks they handed him an envelope of money and said, "Oh, tank tou por tutoring." (That's my best impression of how they talk.)

He tutors another guy who works at a BBQ place. Unfortunately, he doesn't come home with a box of beef after those sessions. =(

Sleeping Angel

These are a couple of pictures from Aulora's nap today. She has always been an easy baby, and I would have to say that she is still pretty angelic. Bedtime is around 8:30 (same time as John David and Julia) and she normally sleeps until close to 9:00 in the morning. Then she naps for 2-3 hours in the afternoon. I told you - angelic.

A few days ago she woke up and decided to really show off her personality, I guess. It was funny how it seemed to happen overnight. She was pointing at us and "talking" - sometimes you could actually tell what she was saying. I don't mean one word here or there. I mean whole sentences. It was comical. She was really telling us what she did NOT like. All of that lasted about 2 days and now she's back to her normal self.

She still eats baby food, takes bottles (although mostly just 3 times a day), and loves Ritz crackers, cheetos, and pizza. She acts like she wants big people food but most of the time she won't actually eat it if we offer it to her. Hopefully, she's not following in her big sister's footsteps when it comes to eating! She's wearing a solid size 12 months and sometimes an 18 months. She weighs 22 pounds and has mastered the stairs here. She can go both up and down really fast. Maybe one day I'll catch it on video since it's pretty funny to see.

She can say "Julia" very clearly and delights in calling her sister's name. She cannot say "John David" quite right and usually resorts to "Bubba". John David and Julia both get her very excited and whenever they come home or go to bed or anything else, they want to see Aulora and hug and kiss her. She usually receives love from Julia better than her brother, probably because John David is not quite as gentle and soft spoken (although, in his defense, at least he doesn't shriek Aulora's name in a super high pitched voice when he sees her - why Aulora doesn't find that annoying I'll never know).

Learning and making animal noises is a favorite thing now (she does bear, lion, and dog the best) as is playing peekaboo with towels over our faces. She pulls the towel off your face and your job is to do something really funny. It's always a game to see who can make her laugh the hardest.

I combed her hair in pigtails for the first time last Sunday and absolutely loved it. I didn't know how she could get any cuter, but I guess I figured it out! =)

Tonight, for the first time, she crawled into her baby bed all by herself. I think she climbed onto her chair and then went headfirst into her bed since the side was lowered down. She was only pleased for a minute or two and then she was fussing to get out. Funny girl.

Her favorite toys are:
1) anything Julia has
2) phones (real and working - never a toy one or an old non-working one - she knows the difference)
3) remote controls
4) dollies
5) Julia's panties. I don't know why she is obsessed with panties. I'm just thankful she only gets the clean ones and that she doesn't get mine. =)

That's all. I just wanted to record some of what my littlest baby (for now) is doing these days.....

Our Little Home

Here's pictures of our bedrooms and bathrooms. I never knew 5, almost 6 people, could fit so nicely into two bedrooms. We also have a small living area/office but I didn't take any pictures of it. I wish I had some before pictures too. These rooms were inhabited by young adult guys for quite some time and, uhmmmm, you could tell. =) Not anymore!

Notice the door beside our bed - it opens to a walk-in attic. So cool! It's been a lifesaver to have an attic right there. We are able to have a bookshelf right inside with our books, besides some extra storage space.

We're so blessed to have family who is letting us stay with during this transition. Thank you, Mother and D, for all you've done for us! =)

10 Going on 30

John David has really been doing well in school. We got his report card and he made very high 90's, S's (the highest letter grade), and then one B. His one lonely B was in citizenship, poor guy. He's still learning all of the social aspects of school, I guess. He was sad a couple of days ago because one of the boys in his class started a club only for kids who had Webkinz. So now he HAS to get a Webkinz so he can have friends again.

A goal was set long ago to get 9 (no, I don't know why it wasn't 10) happy face days in a row. Every time he would get close he would come home with a warning of some sort. Tuesday was the big day. Day number 9 if he could follow the rules all day. John and I talked about it on the way to pick him up, wondering if he did indeed do it and what he would be feeling like if he didn't.

He got in the car and from his expression we could tell that he did not have a happy face. He was pretty sad and felt cheated, as the lunchroom lady did not treat him fairly (according to him). Right before we got out of the car I told him to hand me his notebook so we could see exactly what his warning was for. He pulled it out and looked at it. His eyes widened and a big smile appeared.

"It's a miracle! I got a happy face!" He was so happy! Somehow, by God's grace apparently, he got his 9th happy face. His reward is to go to the "Plex". A place with lazer tag and go carts and stuff. Happy, happy boy.....

By the way, he has decided that if he can get 30 happy faces in a row we will go to Hawaii. Daddy did not argue. So I guess I can only hope that his behavior slips at least once before he reaches 30. Such a sad thing to hope for.....

Almost Done.....

The bedding is done. The chest is filled. My to do list is getting smaller. The doctor says it all looks good and there are no changes. His head is VERY low so I go to the bathroom a lot. I lost 2 pounds this past week - it's gotta be the stairs. The c-section is scheduled for January 25th at 12:30. So he'll have a birthday no later than that day. I would be starting to rest easier except for the fact that I'm getting too big to be comfortable. Crane, anyone?

I'll post some pictures soon......

My Official Girlie Girl

Ok, it's official. I am the mother of a total girlie girl! We had our nails done on Monday and then yesterday she had her first ballet lesson. Actually, when we got there, we found out it's a tap dance, creative movement, and ballet class. So we have to get some tap shoes this week. To say Julia was excited about the class would be quite the understatement. I can honestly say that yesterday was a day I had been waiting on for a long time. Seeing her in those little pink ballet shoes and leotard was just so stinkin' cute! We're going to get some kind of skirt or tutu this week too. I was under the impression they weren't allowed, but now I know. So much fun....

My Babies

Here are some pictures that were only possible with my new camera. It takes the pictures so quickly - it's great! I missed lots of good pictures before because of my slow camera. Aulora's eyes were almost always closed. So hurray! I have a new camera! =)

I suppose it won't be long at all and there will be 4 little faces in all our pictures.....

Matching Girlies

Aulora wore pigtails for the first time today! The girls were also wearing matching outfits they got for their birthdays so it seemed like a picture day. The problem was that it was windy and Aulora was less than interested in saying cheese. So we didn't get much but I'll share what there is.....

Playing Outside

We've had a streak of beautiful warm weather the last couple of days. Yesterday, we spent some time outside playing with new Christmas things that have pretty much just sat around because it's been so cold. We really had a lot of fun! The house here sits in a circle so it's perfect for playing.....

Shopping Spree

Sandy had some Kohl's cash that expired today - $70 worth. (Sorry, I'm not trying to rub in the fact that I now have a Kohl's to shop at, but.......nanna nanna boo boo - I have a Kohl's to shop at!) Anyway, she gave me the "cash" and sent me out to get what I wanted. I absolutely did not want any more maternity clothes. That just seems silly at this point. So I shopped for some normal things for after I'm no longer the beached whale I've become. Of course, I couldn't really try anything on, but I bought things I think will work. If they don't, I can exchange them for something different later. All I know is that it felt so great to shop for some normal clothes! And thank the Lord that the style is big and flowy and kind of prego looking anyway. That really helps.

I ended up with 4 new super nice tops - one that is actually a short dress but since I'm so tall, it's going to be a top. =) I love the slightly retro print and built in belt. It's by Candies and I couldn't resist when I saw it. I think it will look nice with my new bag, jeans, heels, and a baby in my arms. =)

Gran is Home

John's mom, Gran, just came home from the hospital. She's been there since Monday morning and it has certainly been different around here. For one thing, there hasn't been much cooking going on. =) I've been totally spoiled with not cooking now that we're here. I help a lot in the kitchen and do a lot of clean-up, but the cooking mainly falls to her.

She will still have to take it very easy but at least she's home now. The kids were really missing her and I know she was anxious to get home. Welcome home, Gran!

THE Diaper Bag!

I finally got the diaper bag I've been wanting! Wendy turned me on to this brand of bags and said they were great. I saw them in the local boutique and had to agree. It's tan corduroy but then laminated so it will stay clean. You can't really tell from the picture, but it's a great size and has all kinds of pockets and things to stay organized. This is now going to baby number 4 and this will be the first time I've ever bought THE bag I wanted. I found an incredible deal on a brand new one on Ebay and it came in the mail yesterday. Yea!!! I'm a happy girl. Now I'm just waiting on the bedding......

Boring, Boring, Boring

I had my 8 moth check-up yesterday and I'm happy to say that I have nothing exciting to report. Nothing. No dilating. No contractions. No big weight gain or loss. Plenty of amniotic fluid. Etc, etc. Boring, boring, boring. But boring is exactly what I needed this time! I've had my share of early babies and unexpected, sudden c-sections. Granted, I'm still 3 1/2 weeks away from my due date and plenty could happen, but so far it hasn't. So yea!

Last night John bent over backwards to make sure we could eat wherever I wanted. He was even suggesting places he doesn't like but that I do. I was surprised but he explained that it could be the last time I got to eat at those places for a good while. I realized he was right - any day could be the last day before my little guy comes. When I went in for my 8 month check up with Aulora I had no idea that I would be holding her later that same day. Whew - that's some good incentive to make sure things are constantly in good order and caught up. Laundry done. Bathrooms clean. Beds made. Clean underwear on. All that important stuff.....

I made a big to do list this morning - some of it for John, some for me. Some things to be done today and some a little later. Anyhow, not a single thing on that list got done today even though I've been busy working all day long. Obviously, I should write down some of the things I did just so I can cross them off. That will make me feel better.

Aulora is sick today. I took her to our new pediatrician - Jesus Ucol. Insert lots of "going to meet Jesus" or "see if Jesus can make us better" jokes HERE. Anyway, he was a little wacky professor kind of strange, to say the least. Very nice, but different. She has an upper respiratory infection so she has not been very happy today. Poor baby. Daddy's about to be home with the medicine though.

Speaking of Aulora, she has learned to give kisses and it is the sweetest thing ever. I LOVE IT! What a sweet, sweet girl. Time to go give her medicine.......

Chips for the Poor

We decided to celebrate the New Year with some fine dining at Taco Bueno tonight. John's mom was admitted to the hospital yesterday for some serious asthma issues, so that's why there were no black-eyed peas here today. (She's doing much better now. Hopefully, she'll be released in a day or two.)

Anyway, at Taco Bueno, Julia was sitting beside her Uncle Matt. He had some chips that she thought looked really yummy. He was generous for a while, but he was running low and started trying to keep her away. Daddy whispered in her ear to tell him, "Share with God's people in need." Julia put her own spin on it though and leaned over to Matt and said, "If you don't share with me then you're making the devil real happy."

She earned a good laugh, and, if I'm not mistaken, a chip or two for her cleverness. Funny girl.....

Christmas Day

Here's some pictures from our Christmas Day here at John's family's house. My old camera is on the fritz and, although I did get a new camera from Santa right before our day began, I didn't know how to use it very well yet. So the pictures aren't that great but it's what I have.

John David's big present was a really nice basket ball hoop and ball. John stayed up past 4 am putting it together. Poor Daddy. =( The hoop is in the driveway now - not in the living room. And I do know that the silly picture is sideways. For some reason, slide.com keeps making it sideways.

Julia got a Barbie Jeep. I still haven't seen her ride it outside even though she did get to do it once or twice. It's been cold and she's been sick. Soon though..... A funny thing Julia got that she was super excited about was a big box of macaroni and cheese like you would get at Sam's. I wish I had video of her opening that one!

Aulora got a push car that she really likes and also a chenille chair. Soooo cute! It's in their room now and pictures of that will be coming soon. Aulora really liked everything Julia had and Julia really liked Aulora's main present from us - the Backyardigan's Circus. Silly girls.

John got a really nice chair massager. I think we've all appreciated that present! I've always thought those were silly, but I'm a believer now. It really feels like someone is sitting there massaging you!

Pictures of my family's Christmas will come later when I get them from my Dad and brother. I didn't have my new camera yet.....

The Chocolate Milk Jug

This is not something that just happened but I don't want to forget about it. Before we moved here, we were visiting for a few days. Gran would always buy chocolate milk for the kids to have while they were here. One day, John David came in the kitchen as Uncle Maka (Matt) was drinking some. John David said, "Hey, that's my chocolate milk!" Matt answered, "I don't see your name on it."

You could see the wheels start turning in John David's head. He went off and found a pencil. He got out the jug and went to town writing his name on it. We were really laughing but told him he needed to use a marker, not a pencil. While he was gone finding a marker, Matt got his own marker and wrote "Uncle Maka" on it and crossed off John David's name. The expression on John David's face when he returned was so priceless. I wish I had a picture of that too.....

Christmas Program

The church here had their kids' program in early December. The pictures aren't too great since we weren't on the front row. The musical was called "A Country Christmas" so the manger scene was country themed.

John David was a wise man dressed in a plaid shirt with a cowboy hat. When he came to see Baby Jesus he tipped his hat to him. It was so cute.

My three babies!

Julia was excited and ready to do her "thang"!

All of the babies and preschoolers took part in a song about Christmas in the city and they were going around the stage like busy shoppers. I was surprised at the end of the program when Julia's class came back out and did the song with the older kids. She knew the dance and everything. It was unbelievably cute!

I Think Aulora Loves Her Daddy!

John David's 7th Birthday

John David with his friends at the mall. We ate at Chickfila, played games in the arcade, and went to Neon Jungle Mini Golf.

He wanted to go to Red Lobster for lunch on his actual birthday. He got to pet the lobster.

The servers sang and brought him ice cream. He was in heaven!

Finally, he's 7!

Sweet Surrender

Unfortunately, my legs have not seen a razor too much the last couple of months. First of all, we were so busy moving and second, it's been getting harder and harder to reach down there. On our Christmas vacation, I decided to give it a try and so, for the first time in quite a while, my legs were baby smooth. Very nice.

Later that morning, I went in the bathroom and found my razor on the counter as you see it the picture. I'm married to quite the comedian. =)

Fall Festival

Obviously, these pictures are VERY late, but I think I have a pretty decent excuse. This will be my first blog post on my own computer since we've moved. I finally took some time to get pictures off of my camera and do some mild editing. I'll have many posts coming soon, hopefully.
The kids had a lot of fun at the fall festival here in WF. They still called it RTP, even though that wasn't its name. To them, that's all it could be. It was on the 31st - I drove in with the kids from SA just in time to go to the festival. I left the next day to go back and pack. You should have seen us changing into costumes in the van, which was crowded with stuff we were moving to WF. I would not want to do that again!

In case you can't figure it out, John David is Edmund from Narnia, Julia is Strawberry Shortcake, and Aulora is Custard, Strawberry Shortcake's cat. The girl in the first picture with them is Kara, my sister-in-law. She helped me out that night, thank goodness! =)

Almost There!

Our little "apartment home" is so close to being done. It feels wonderful! I'm missing one of the kids' quilts for their bed (it's hiding in storage somewhere apparently padding some furniture - grrrrr) and I'm waiting for the baby bedding to come in the mail. The main other thing is the big chest we will use in our room for the tv and all the baby clothes. For some reason it ended up too far back in the storage room so John gets to pull out lots of stuff to get to it. That storage room is a wreck! It's not a pleasant site to look in a big room filled with all of the things you've spent the last 8 years of your life acquiring only to see them in a great big jumbled mess. Heaven help us when it's moving time again. Our carefully plotted out moving and storage plans have gone very much awry, to say the least. =)



This is the bedding set I finally decided on for baby Joshua. Probably not quite what I would have chosen if he had his own room, but since he'll be in our room I went with what would match our stuff. I can't wait for it to come in the mail so I can put it on the bed.

Today I started looking through the tub of baby clothes I've been buying throughout this pregnancy. My child will not be naked, of that I'm sure. As soon as that chest is in our room I'll wash everything with sweet smelling stuff and put it all in the drawers. That's going to be one happy day! =)

_______________________________________________________________

Our Christmas was great and, as always, too fast. We went to Dallas with my family first and then came back home for Christmas day here. While in Dallas, we went to the Gaylord "Ice" exhibit. WOW! I'll post pictures when I get some from my dad. We put on great big coats and went into the exhibit where it was only 9 degrees. There were HUGE ice sculptures everywhere. You could get on some of them too. The manger scene was incredible and then there were big ice slides at the end.

The kids went inside a life-size gingerbread house and we saw live reindeer and a toy soldier man on stilts. It was a really cool place to visit.

We got to see Alvin and the Chipmunks but we were disappointed in it. It was still neat to see though and I'm glad we went.

We had our family Christmas on the 24th in our hotel. The day before we decorated a tree for the room and instead of our traditional orange cinnamon rolls for breakfast, we ate Krispy Kreme Donuts. Not a bad trade. =) It was a little crowded in our room but we made do and still had a great time.

The kids got so many nice things (we did too!). They each got digital cameras which has been lots of fun. John David got a basket ball goal for outside and a real basketball. Julia got a Barbie Jeep to ride outside. Now we just need some warmer weather! Aulora got lots of fun things too, but it seems like she mostly just wants whatever Julia has. =) She does really like her dolly though.

My parents bought us a new mattress, down comforter, sheets, and feather pillows. OH MY GOODNESS!!! Heaven has come to WF, let me tell you. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! Need I say more?

Anyway, this post is endlessly long so I'll stop here. I have lots more to say but I'll save some for later. =) I miss all my SA friends........Hope you're all doing great!

Woohoo!!!

Today, while John David and Julia were both at school, Aulora and I headed out to try and finish Christmas shopping. We were so VERY successful! Aulora was a perfect angel and even fell asleep in the stroller while I shopped. Incredible. Woohoo!

I also found the crib! It's actually one of the first ones I found on Saturday and didn't get because of the price. It was at a second hand store and I just didn't want to spend that much money on a baby bed. BUT, after looking at all my options, and after having a beautiful bed for both of my girls, I just can't do the inexpensive Walmart beds. Don't get me wrong - they have some nice ones. But, in order to get the nice ones I have to spend the same amount as the used one cost so I might as well get it. It's a super nice brand (the same that we got for the girls and spent a small fortune on) and is a great deal. I didn't actually buy it yet since I figured I would be smart to measure the little alcove the bed will go in just to make sure. We measured tonight and yea! it will fit. Woohoo!

So now that I decided on a bed, I changed my mind about the bedding that I already bought. Oops. I got it on Ebay and it has a money back guarantee but I think I might be past the 10 day mark. Even so, I got it super cheap so it's not too big of a deal. Isn't it ok to change your mind lots when you're a woman, especially a pregnant woman???

**Sidenote - Christmas shopping is great when you're pregnant because you get to park in all of the special "expectant mother" parking places up front. Woohoo!

Julia got to feel Baby Joshua's hiccups tonight. She was smiling so big everytime she felt it. Very sweet moment.

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law finally started their move today to their new house that was supposed to be ready for them long ago. They have more patience than me, because I would have told those builders off by now, I'm pretty sure. =) Anyway, that means that it won't be long before we can get things more settled here with our own things. I can't wait to get the kids' bunk beds up so I can move around better in their room. Right now it's pretty crowded with the extra furniture that will be going away and with 2 twin beds on the ground. Woohoo again!

John David is doing great in school. His teacher is wonderful, he's learning a lot, bringing home awesome grades, and lots of happy face days. Woohoo yet again!

We made Christmas cookies today and decorated them. It was perfect until Aulora found a case of Sprite cans and dropped one on the tile floor which immediately caused the can to explode, sending Sprite everywhere. I do mean everywhere. John David was on the other side of the kitchen and even he had to change clothes. It went all in the pantry and all over the floor. What a no fun mess to clean up. I'm pretty certain that the floor is still sticky now, even after I mopped it twice. Sorry, no woohoo on this paragraph.

My blogging will most likely be pretty sparse until after Christmas since we'll be going to Dallas. Merry Christmas! Ok, I guess I'll go ahead and throw in one more for the road.....Woohoo!!!

Monday, Monday......So Good To Me.........

I went to the doctor today for regular appointment. There's nothing to tell. I guess it's a good thing to have a boring pregnancy. I didn't carry pee in a cup today at least. They forgot to send me home with a cup last time and I sure didn't bother to remind them. They didn't forget though. Guess what I'll be doing in 2 weeks? =)

My clothes are all starting to fit badly. My under the belly pants are sitting too low since my belly is getting bigger and my shirts are all getting shorter. This is a bad combination. I did breakdown and buy a couple of new sweater kind of tops because it's just too cold for short sleeves. I just really don't want to buy lots more stuff. I can look cute later.

I found a gorgeous place for some outdoor pictures here. I wish we had time to do them and send them out as Christmas cards, but it's just not happening this year. Hopefully we can get out there soon though - it's soooo pretty! I found it because John was showing me the house he's been going to for tutoring. These people must be so stinkin' rich because this house is amazing. We'll have one like it one day, he assures me. =) Don't worry - I'll invite everyone over for tea.

John is a sub today for an elementary music teacher. I had to laugh when I found out he would be teaching every grade starting with K-5. Hehehehe. I talked to him during his lunch break and he said it was going good. It is something I'd like to watch though. I have no doubt he can handle it fine - he's the best disciplinarian you've ever met. He knows how to lay the smackdown!

Cribs, Parties, Christmas Stuff, and 4 is Better Than 8

Today I headed out to buy a crib. My first mistake was going on a Saturday so close to Christmas. It was so chaotic everywhere and very, very frustrating. Parking places were few and the wind was extremely cold. Baskets were hard to find, people were everywhere, and lines were long. Yuck. What was I thinking???

My other dilemma is that I do NOT know what color crib to get. Plus, my taste exceeds my budget. =) The baby will be in our room with us which means his furniture needs to match ours. But, we can go with oak (what was in the room already) or we can bring in some of our cherry bedroom furniture. My indecisiveness comes in to play because I don't know what our living situation will be next. Which kids will share what rooms? Or maybe we'll live with my in-laws the rest of my life and then it won't really matter, because then I'll be in an institution. Hahaha. Seriously, every woman does need her own house, doesn't she?

So tonight, my brain is overwhelmed by the seemingly simple and unimportant decision about a crib. Yet, to a mommy TRYING to nest, it's the decision of a lifetime.

___________________________________________________

Friday morning, Julia and I went to the Military Moms of Faith group. They were having their Christmas party at one of the girl's houses. No, John didn't join the military, but they invited me anyway which was so very sweet of them. I really had a good time and so did Julia. It feels good to at least be in the beginning stages of some friendships, although I really miss all the close relationships. Hopefully, some close ones will blossom here.

___________________________________________________

I wish I was done with Christmas shopping. But no, I'm not. I think I at least have the harder ones done. My parents are coming on Wednesday night - this Wednesday. We won't actually see them until Thursday, but the point is that everything needs to be finished by then. Breathe in. Breathe out.

I may go without ribbon on all our presents this year. It's killing me just to think about it, but 1) it will be soooo crowded under the tree anyway that they'll get smushed, 2) I don't have any of my ribbon because it's in storage, and 3) I don't think anyone else here cares about it as much as I do. So I'm going to give myself a break. I feel better already. I think.....

__________________________________________________

Does anyone else watch that show on TLC called "John and Kate plus 8"? I get stressed out just watching it. If they can do 8 though, surely we can do 4. Right? I hope? I pray..........Man, I better go start stocking up on sleep.......

Stuff

I kept the kids home from church tonight since they're still getting over whatever they've been sick with. Everyone else is gone and the relative quiet is so nice. Granted, my kids are often a lot of the noise, but everyone else adds to it, plus more people just make the kids louder. Their uncle tickles them, their grandparents play with them, and so on. So it's nice to have an empty house with the tv off and only the sound of them slurping up their dinner. Ahhhhh......

I finally bought a laundry basket today. Nothing fancy - just a round white basket so I don't have to carry our dirty clothes through the house dropping dirty underwear along the way. It was great to use it today. How is it that I'm thrilled with such small things?

Aulora is so addicted to "Lil' Crunchies" by Gerber. They're like cheese puffs for toddlers. They cost $1.68 for one can of them and let me tell you - the child can eat a whole can in one sitting. No joke. She LOVES them. I could go broke buying this snack. But it's kind of worth it if you need to get anything done. They're also a lifesaver at the grocery store for a restless little one. $1.68 well spent if you ask me. =)

I think I bonded with one of the dogs tonight. He jumped up in my lap (without invitation) and made himself comfortable. Normally I would have dumped him back to the ground, but I decided to give him a chance. It wasn't half bad. I miss the purring of a cat, but he was so content and cuddly that I didn't mind so much. His name is Phantom and he's an all black cocker spaniel. John's parents have had him since he was a puppy because his mother was one of their former dogs. They still have his father and one brother. Too much information? Yeah, probably. Sorry.

John David earned his first Book-It award for the month of November. That brought back some memories. I used to LOVE going to Pizza Hut for my own pizza from Book-It! The program really has helped him make a habit of reading and he's enjoying it too. Tonight he sat on the couch and read 3 books out loud to Julia. Mommy got a break. =)

For whatever reason, they are both sitting behind me now, biting my shirt and and occasionally my back. Gross. What's wrong with these kids???

John finished classes for this semester today. They didn't even have a Christmas party. What's up with college? I would have gladly made some cookies for him to take. =) We're so glad this semester is over for now!

Is anyone else super excited about the Chipmunk movie coming out? I think I'll cry when we see it because I loved the chipmunks so much growing up. And the Christmas song is on there! I really can't wait to see this movie! And the National Treasure movie too. The best part is that we finally have grandparents around to help with the kids so we can actually go to the theater. What a luxury!

More Elves

Ok, I know the elf thing isn't new, but my kids thought it was so hilarious and they too wanted to be elves. So I made it for them and figured even though most people are probably tired of seeing elves, some of their grandparents would like to see it. It was a pain to do since it messed up the first round and I had to start totally over, but it was worth all the effort. They laughed and danced so much when they watched the completed version! Even Aulora was wiggling her little booty all around! So here it is:

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1341181905

Yucko!

I took Wendy's suggestion and found caffeine free Dr. Pepper at Walmart. I was so excited! The first can even tasted kind of good. And then I think the excitement must have worn off, because after that it was just horrible. Too bad, because I thought I had found heaven.

So, thanks Wendy - it seemed so great, but just didn't work out. And thanks to Kylah for the inspiration for the title of this post - not that she's yucko. It's just the opposite of yummo. =)

Fajitas, Musical, No Good Mommy, Lefty, Sicko, and in Need of a Stick

I ate fajitas from Pappasitos for dinner tonight. They were leftovers brought back to me, yet they are still blogworthy. Still, my next meal from there better be in person. I think we are going there for the holidays. I'm finding it hard to contain myself already. =) If you have never eaten at Pappasitos, you need to drive to Arlington and do it. It's worth it - I promise.

On another note, the kids' Christmas musical was tonight. I don't have any pictures yet, but I'll try to post some soon. They were SO cute and we loved seeing them do there thing. The weather was kind of icy and rainy, but there was still a wonderful turn out. I just got them in bed less than 20 minutes ago - it's 10:10 now. They were just a little wound up =) I plan to let John David sleep until he wakes up in the morning anyway since he's sick. Even then I may or may not take him to school. We'll see.

I think perhaps my mommy senses are getting duller. Apparently, Julia fell out of bed last night and cried and cried for me (in the very next room) and I didn't even hear her. I also didn't hear when Stormy (an 18 year old girl who lives here too) came in to get me and called my name over and over. This next baby better have some good lungs or he won't get fed at night. =) Poor little guy.

Julia has learned to write her name. She's made J's for a long time now, but this week she began writing her whole name. She kept writing from right to left though and I was concerned about what that might mean. After talking to Kara (my sister-in-law who is a teacher) I realized that it was because she is left handed. So I followed some advice she gave me where I drew some animal on the left and its home on the right with an arrow pointing to the home (which Julia thought was soooo much fun) and voila! She can write her name! It won't be long before we're working on reading and I can't wait. John David has really begun to love reading (thank you Book It!) and I know Julia will too.

Aulora woke up sick today so we didn't go to church this morning. I will probably have to take her to the doctor tomorrow because I'm afraid she's getting strep throat. It's hard to keep everyone well when this many people are in one house. Stuff really gets passed around.

That's probably way too much for one post. I obviously have not had the chance to get all my words out today. =) I should go find a stick to talk to.......

Little is Sick

My buddy has strep throat and bronchitis. =( He had been telling us for a couple of days now that he thought he was getting a cold and he didn't feel good. John took him to the doctor today and got him some antibiotics. He missed practice for the Christmas musical tonight, but hopefully he'll be good enough to go to the musical tomorrow night. He's a wiseman and so excited about it. He layed in my lap tonight and watched The Polar Express. I love that boy.....

It Pays to Be Fast

I told John the other day that it was a good thing I had lots of kids because I LOVE hugging and kissing them. I went on to explain that Aulora probably gets the most of it because she still has to be held and carried around so much.

John just smiled and said, "She gets most of it because she runs the slowest." Oh well, it's probably true......

Fresh Air

This morning was so great - I got to go on a long walk with two really great ladies and their kids. We walked all the way to a park in their neighborhood and let the kids play and then walked back. It was good to be outside, to get some exercise, and really nice to have some good company. I hope I didn't talk too much. =) It has been awhile since I've been able to hang out with other girls and talk.

I remember when I was about 11 years old and I felt so friendless because we had just moved - again. I sat in my mom's lap, even though I was almost as big as she was, and I cried and cried. We prayed together that God would send me a special friend. It wasn't too much longer before I met Jessamy, who was my best friend all through jr. high and high school. We are still "kindred spirits" even now. (If you don't know what a kindred spirit is then you REALLY need to watch Ann of Green Gables with some girlfriends!) I've always been so thankful for how God answered that simple prayer for a friend.

Even though I'm not surrounded by lots of friends right now, I know that God cares about even this and He will once again send me a special friend or even friends. (To add to the ones I already have, of course!)

So to the friend who reached out to me and invited me to go on a simple walk this morning - thank you. It was wonderful! And the nap it required afterwards was pretty great too. =) I look forward to getting to know you better........

Angels

Julia and John's mom were in a car accident today because someone ran a red light. Thankfully, Sandy was able to react quickly enough to avoid a serious wreck, otherwise, it could have been so bad. It was just another reminder that we never know what our day will hold. Julia was reportedly so very cute the way she had the policeman wrapped around her little finger. (She was awfully cute this morning in some pink and white striped overalls and pink bows in her hair. A dolly indeed!) She was given an "accident bear" by Mr. Policeman that she has carried with her all day. So very sweet.

I'm sure I'll hold my baby girl a little longer the next time I tell her bye. I can't imagine losing one of my babies. =( Thank you, Jesus, for taking care of my family today.......

Finding My Place

Moving away from what was home for seven years and leaving all my friends behind was no easy thing. Normally, when someone moves, they leave one place but have another place to go to. But we are living with family. We're incredibly grateful for them letting us stay here and putting up with all of us, so I hope this doesn't sound like I'm ungrateful. That's not at all what this post is about.

It's just that it feels like my life is boxed away in a storage room down the street. My friends are living their lives in good old SA, my dog is happily sleeping on my brother's bed in Austin, my beloved trees are probably gloriously red and orange and now belong to some woman named Isabelle, and here I am living day to day just trying to not pass out before bedtime. And hey, have any of you ever tried getting ready for a new baby and nesting in this situation? Seriously - Aulora is still sleeping in a playpen, most of their toys are packed away, all of our furniture is stored, and the new baby's clothes are somewhere in storage along with anything else I could possible want or need. There is no possible way to follow my nesting instincts at this point.

The church here is great, but it doesn't feel like ours yet. Everyone knows who we are but I don't know many of them. I suppose most of them assume we already have friends and don't need any since our family already went there. (John's brother is the youth pastor and his mom is their children's director). Their youth group meets on Wednesday nights and serves to remind me that we no longer have "our teenagers". Our first Wednesday night here we went in the youth service - it was really hard to keep from crying. So I went to the nursery wing with Aulora. I felt quite out of place in there as well. At the risk of sounding childish, I'll just say what it feels like at church. I don't feel "important" anymore. I'm not in charge of anything, I have no authority, and if something needs attention, it's not my place to take care of it. It's not a control thing. It's just a matter of adjusting from what was life for so long.

I know I need to look forward and not behind me, but that's so hard when what's behind you was so great.

What's ahead is going to be even better, I'm sure, but I can't see it yet. And sometimes it's hard to imagine it. But I know that's where faith comes into the picture. Faith that God isn't leading us on some wild goose chase. That's kind of what it feels like right now if I'm not careful to remember that we are following His leading.

The verse at the top of my blog has been especially meaningful to me lately:

"God's love, though, is ever and always, eternally present to all who fear him, Making everything right for them and their children." Psalm 103:17

God's going to make everything right for us and for our kids. We will have a place, in every sense of the word. We will look back and see why we were taken on this paticular path, versus an easier or shorter one. We will see the great things God has in store for us.

John's website, Faith Conversations, is getting closer to being done. It looks great and I can't wait to be able to share it. With so many things unsettled, an up and running website will be a big comfort.

I miss you, friends. I can only hope to find some new friends as wonderful as all of you!

Met My Doctor

I finally met my new doctor for the first time even though I've already had 3 or 4 appointments here. She's really nice, although I liked my old doctor better for sure. A c-section is looking more and more likely =( but we'll have to wait and see how all the timing works out. I only gained 1 pound in the last 3 weeks so that was nice. I like that nurse who weighed me. =)

On another note, this doctor's office sends you home with the little urine sample container to bring back filled on your next appointment. So I got to do something I had never done before today. Carry pee around. How lovely.

A Side Note

I really can't complain about many things during pregnancy. I was apparently made to be pregnant and have babies - that's a good thing since this is my fourth go around. BUT, if I was going to complain (I'm not going to, I'm just saying), there would be two things:

1. No Dr. Pepper or other caffeinated things for that matter. I miss Dr. Pepper soooo bad. Yes, there's most definitely drool. Dr. Pepper on crushed ice from Sonic. Oh yea.....

2. Sleeping on my side. Ughhhhhh. I'm a back sleeper for sure and when you're pregnant this is a no-no once you hit that certain point. I constantly roll onto my back during the night in my sleep and John, being the good daddy he is, constantly rolls me back on my side. It makes my ribs hurt and I wake up achy. I would look greatly forward to sleeping on my back again once the baby's born except that then I'll be nursing all the time so I'll still be on my side.

I hope my children will one day appreciate these small, yet very huge to me, sacrifices I made for them. They're worth it. =)