You Capture – Quiet
	March 10, 2010 | Filed Under you capture. | 16 Comments

To me and probably you, quiet is lack of noise or lack of movement…it is peace.

I ended up absolutely loving this week’s challenge, I could have captured quiet in a million different places, which I think makes me a little bit lucky that I feel that way.

Quiet is the pretty decor that sits on my dresser in my bedroom … day in and day out.

Quiet is my daughter painting … she loves so much to paint.  (it keeps her busy.)  (it keeps her quiet.)

This morning, I sat by the patio door and listened to the peacefulness of the outside world, the world that we have been missing all winter long.  I created and wrote out thank you cards.  No music.  No TV.  Just me and my gratitude and the sound of the eyelet puncher.

and then there is me, in quiet prayer, quiet remembrance, quiet anticipation, in the baby’s room.

Quiet is good.

Now it’s your turn to share.

Be sure to read the guidelines and if you play along and your link was deleted, it’s probably because you linked directly to your blog and not your You Capture post, so link carefully, please!

Reaching. (courtesy of Nic, she is on a roll!)

	This baby.
	March 9, 2010 | Filed Under Loss, Pregnancy | 56 Comments

I have this baby in my belly.  He makes me nervous and anxious and fearful.  Except he isn’t the one making me feel that way, it’s life and our past and I’m trying to move past those feelings except it’s hard because IT’S JUST HARD.

This baby, we found out yesterday, weighs 6 pounds 15 ounces already.  I think it’s funny that Brian and I both kind of feel like he’s a tiny little peanut where everyone else, (doctor, ultrasound tech) says BIG BABY.  He is set to arrive in 20 days.

20 days isn’t much considering it’s only twenty days and during that time the kids are off for spring break and that’s only like six American Idol episodes and only 19 more sleepless nights with ridiculous amounts of drool with tissue sticking to my face.

My doctor asked if the baby knows his name.  ”Does Supervisor know his name?”  We were caught off guard.  Does he?  I looked at Brian and we both sort of shrugged and said “Maybe?   We don’t know.”  And she said “teach him his name, call him by his name…everything is going to be alright.”

And that made me feel better, for a moment, because how does she really know?

{I’m working on trust.  I’m trusting her.  God.  and James and Jake to continue to provide us with the faith they have so far.}

Last night, Brian, Anna, Noah and I sat on the couch watching Yo Gabba Gabba.  (it was a good one with Weird Al Yankovic and Sarah Silverman…yes, I know some of you think it’s a strange show.  I like strange…I like that my kids like strange, too.)

Anyway, we sat and Anna sat next to me and soon her arm sat on my belly in such a way, like she was just making sure that this baby was moving the way he was supposed to.  and he was and she thinks that means that he likes her and can’t wait to meet her.

I’m sure she’s right.

We like him and can’t wait to meet him.  In just 20 days.

{and right now, as I’m about to hit publish, this baby has the hiccups – those make me so happy.}

	Better than coffee & cake
	March 7, 2010 | Filed Under Uncategorized | 64 Comments

It was all planned out.  Stephanie, Lovelyn, Erin, Donya, Sarah and I were planning to all get together yesterday afternoon for coffee and some dessert.  I was happy to be able to dash away for a few hours to spend with my girls.

I became even more excited when I saw the weather was predicted to be nearly 50 degrees, which in these parts, is like EIGHTY.  I had asked if one of the girls would be willing to take a few belly photos of me, outside, perhaps with something cute on.

I just had no idea.

I had no idea that my long time blogging friend, Megan, who I love so much, would drive two hours and be at the coffee shop.

I didn’t know that Sara would drive down from Detroit (while pregnant WITH twins) and be at the coffee shop.

or that my sister, Amy, would drive from nearly the same location in Michigan, with her daughter and be at the coffee shop.

(photo by Erin)

I most certainly had no idea that my sister, Sarah, would pack up her husband, two kids and a newborn and drive five hours BEHIND MY BACK and be sitting, right there…in the coffee shop.

I was so surprised to see my Mom, right there, smiling so big.

And then to see my soul sister, Natalie, Jen, Nancy, Carrington and Rhonda there, too?

Needless to say?

I was surprised.

The words still fail me.  The fact that my best friends would go to so much trouble to celebrate this baby, the fact that so many people would travel so far, the fact that these people would spend their Saturday afternoon for me, this baby and my family?

That means more to me than anything else.  I just wanted to sit and talk and take it all in.  But there were baby things to be unwrapped and who was I to argue?

And to these five girls? Thank you for everything – the planning, the fact that you got this by me, the decor, the party favors…YOUR FRIENDSHIP.

Yesterday was entirely about love … and it will be etched in my soul for the rest of my life.

(all photos were taken by Crooked Eyebrow, unless otherwise stated.  To see the rest of the photos, go here!)

	Friday Morning Coffee
	March 5, 2010 | Filed Under Pregnancy, stupid crap | 47 Comments

By my calculations, including this post, I could have only four more Friday Morning Coffees before the baby is born.  Every week is flying by so fast that I can barely keep up.  I just had the realization the other day that my belly shots will soon be ending.

I love taking my belly shots.  (when there is a baby in my belly, otherwise?  Not so much fun.)

Nearly two weeks ago, I was at my 34 week check-up when the doctor measured the size of my uterus.  (that is what she’s measuring, right?)  Anyway, she held the measuring tape and her face looked incredibly perplexed.  I asked her point blank “HOW BIG?”

“Well, you should be measuring 34 and you are measuring THIRTY-EIGHT.”

Oh dear. (or Oh shit, I can’t remember which one.  Either way, there was lots of sweat involved not just in hearing this latest burst of growth but also lots of sweat because getting up from that position is like a circus act.)

I’m just letting you know that there is a slight chance that this baby will be born slightly sooner than March 29th.  I base this only on the fact that Noah, who NOW is all cute and normal sized, was ten pounds…AT 38 WEEKS.

Which is why they took him early.

So, it’s possible that Maxwell Hammer or Supervisor or Tiny Big Friend of Ours (all of our names for him) could make his appearance slightly sooner than 39 weeks and 3 days.  (You know how little brothers like to be like their big brothers.)

I will know more after a very exciting ultrasound and OB appointment late Monday afternoon.

IN OTHER PREGNANCY NEWS:

My drool problem is serious.  I’m pretty sure there should be a study on me.  The fact that I’m not severely dehydrated after waking up in the morning makes me a MEDICAL MARVEL.  The drool, spreads like a river with tributaries and BARGES.  Yes, BARGES.  I have stopped using my hand to clean up the disgusting mess and have just moved to using my sheets and blankets and last night I pictured myself sleeping with kleenex taped to my face and BEING HAPPY ABOUT IT.

Or maybe a SHAMWOW! Yes.  I must go to Walgreens and buy a SHAMWOW!

It’s bad.  It’s not cute and I can not wait for the drooling to end.

So, I’ll leave you now, with the vision of drool in my ears and hair while I head to the chiropractor, go to my final hair color appointment before baby is born and schedule a bikini wax before it’s too late.

Do not even get me started on that.  Just say a prayer. Not for me, for the poor soul who will be sore after my visit.

	You Capture – Hopeful
	March 4, 2010 | Filed Under you capture. | 60 Comments

Hi friends – I hope you had a great week capturing the word “hopeful” in your photographs.  I am excited to see some of your entries – it’s sure to invoke some emotion.  Speaking of seeing your entries, I wish I could spend an entire day just clicking on your wonderful links and seeing your captures … someday.  Maybe.

My first images of “hopeful” I took outside.  I love taking outdoor photos but haven’t been able to because it’s SO STUPID COLD and also?  I am lazy.  I drive by these little guys every single day and yesterday, the sun was out and was able to get these wonderful shots.  (from the driver’s seat, of course.)

Why hopeful?  Because non-frozen water makes me hopeful for SPRING.  Oh, spring, I love you so much.

And these images make me baby hopeful.  Do you realize we have like 25 DAYS until we meet this amazing creature.   We are so hopeful and beyond happy.

His current home:

his future wardrobe (a small portion of it):

and his sister’s words written at school scream out HOPEFUL to me.

There is my HOPEFUL for this week.  I loved this challenge, thank you to Nic for the idea!

Now, it’s your turn to share!

Be sure to read the guidelines and if you play along and your link was deleted, it’s probably because you linked directly to your blog and not your You Capture post, so link carefully, please!

Quiet.  (courtesy of Nic, once again.)