Tick Tock

6 days! We are on God and Matthew's schedule. I am taking advice and sleeping as much as I can feeling as uncomfortable as I do. Our little guy has to be snug in there since I can feel every little move. Mommy and daddy are very ready to feel him in our arms. I feel content with the progress that's been made on preparing for his arrival. I have the most urgent projects completed. Bags are packed and in the car, car seat is installed. Our last task will be completed by Billy tomorrow, courtesy of his family by picking up a pump tomorrow.

Many people have asked about a birth plan. I think it comes with the territory in this stage of the pregnancy along with, "How are you feeling?" and I'm not offended by either question. I'm a fairly open book since I believe what we've gone through, are feeling and experiencing are as Ecclesiastes says 'Nothing new Under the Sun'. As far as a plan, it's one of the things we've live out the last few years that God's will is different in each of our lives. His plan, timing and ways are His alone. We are not cookie cutter patterns of each other and so what His plan looks like for each family is different. I think two of the perspectives I've gained with conversations about labor is first, having Matthew and wanting what is best for him is God's will. Also, each woman has an individual ideal in their head of what that the perfect labor story would be like. I've asked many a mommy for different perspectives on what/ how/ why/ when etc... I do indeed have very patient, compassionate and generous female friends who were not threatened by my curiosity of all the different ways this can happen nor did they pressure me in to their way of doing things. I truly desire in my heart to be confident in the direction the Lord is leading us and our Godly doctor to do what is best. I do not want too many specific expectations or pressures on his arrival since I know my tendency towards perfectionism could very well end with the thought of failure. How can it be failure when God has graciously, beautifully carried us through the journey we've been on for 3 1/2 years towards the culmination of our dreams in this area? God has control over our lives and nothing I would want to plan is going to take that away from Him.

I do ask prayers for the week(s) ahead for the strength to do what is necessary to do my part to bring Matthew in to the world. Unknowns easily get built up in my head. The temptation to worry, from what I hear, never really goes away. There is always the next step fraught with potential pitfalls . I remind myself in those moments again God brought us here and also women do this every day. I can do this, what ever it may be. Everything is also tinged with excitement, emotion, anticipation and hope. This time next week, Lord willing, Matthew will be in our arms :-))

We are looking forward to a quiet week with a last pre-baby date night planned in there. Part of me giggles thinks by typing that he might come early, but only God knows.

Nursery

I posted a few times today so scroll down for more :-)

Now that we know it's a boy, I had some fun this morning after our regular monthly check up for the baby which went great. I had planned the nursery to be just baby blue with no particular theme until last Sunday (before we knew) Donna & Gerry gave us this beautiful quilt:



So I went to the fabric store this morning and bought these. It's a fabric called Jungle Babies that I thought went well with the Noah's Ark theme. I'll cover the giraffe pattern with the solid binding on this panel.


I have been waiting for 3 years to be able to buy this minky chenille for the bumpers. The pattern fabric is for the box pleated crib skirt I plan on making.

I'll work small sections of the this patterned fabric in with the rest. The little animal faces in boxes I plan on framing as wall art.


We do plan on telling the name as soon as we agree on one. Believe me, I want to get some things personalized and I know I'll want to post it here as soon as I do :-) Next to do: paint the nursery, stain the glider, and kiddy table to match the cherry wood crib. Oh,... put together crib. I need to make a list... more later!

Welcome Mr Turnbow :-)

This morning we are very relieved and thankful to announce our SON is developing on schedule and is very healthy. I'm excited to be preparing his room, our home and our lives for this very blessed addition that God have given us. A name is still TBD.

Fun week

I updated 6/15/09 to include pics:

Grad night at The Cheesecake Factory. This was our appetizer, yuuumm!


Ashley learned to sew last week :-) She did an amazing job, I'm so proud of her. She had creative suggestions I hadn't thought of!

Front of her new t-shirt quilt:

Back fabric, great batik material.

Her grad gift she asked for was a build-a-bear, so here is Kyle, her bear. She brought her book along with her... We are soooooo alike, hehe.

Her class ring

Shopping


This week has been so much fun with my niece Ashley staying with us after her graduation. I was going to post pics, but am not sure why my computer isn't recognizing my camera. We went to Watter's Creek graduation night, shopped and had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory to celebrate. She picked for her graduation gift to make a bear from Build-a-Bear. First time I had been there, it was pretty cute. Ashley also brought along enough t-shirts to make a t-shirt quilt. She picked out this great fabric for the back. She hadn't touched a sewing machine before now and I'm very proud of how well she's picked it up. It's been a great experience watching her gain confidence. This week we have shopped, sewn, cooked, watched a couple chick flicks and had some great talks. We probably could have done with out having to huddle in the Harry Potter closet last night because of the tornadoes in the area, but memories are memories. It's so special to spend this time before she starts college together.

Tomorrow we have the 19 week obgyn appointment. The information we ask prayers for is to learn whether the baby has any known health complications. The exciting information we get to find out is the gender :-) Then I can start in earnest sewing, painting and shopping :-) It would be great to hear what gender you think the baby might be and why if you have one. I posted the same question on facebook and got some replies that made me laugh, so we'll see what happens here.

There's a person in there :-)

Today it finally feels like there is a little person in there courtesy of the first real kick. :-) So in light of that I'll also get posted the belly pics so far. We have been taking them the first week of each month. It's reassuring to see the pictures myself, because I feel much bigger I guess than I look. Ha, why else would it be socially acceptable to show pictures of your stomach???

March 5 when we found out

April 7


May 6
June 4

April Photos & My Birthday

I can tell I haven't blogged my pics because they sit in a separate folder ready for me to do so. Seems it was a good idea as I needed the reminder. Here goes :-)

Easter!




I thought this was such a sweet pictures of my in-laws. They took a cruise with their high school friends.

Here are my carpool buddies Sarah on the left and Amy on the right from the Ladies Retreat. I love these girls!!

For my birthday Billy spoiled me with most of all with his time. He also willingly let me drag him to Joann's Fabric Store and other shopping. The strawberries come six in a box, that's what made it home. On Saturday we went to dinner at my favorite gluten free restaurant with four friends and watched a movie.


We received Billy's niece's baby announcement which inspired me to do some card making/ scrapbooking early while I still have time. Congrats Starla!


So, I started working on the scrapbook for the baby. Yes, you can see the bump here. I'll post more as I get it done.

Encouragement cards we have received. This lay out needs more work.

I printed out what I shared at the retreat to include in the baby's book. I want him/ her to know what God in our lives to bring them to us.
The next layout I'm working on is all the great responses we've received. I spent hours copying and pasting responses from here and Facebook. This child will know how excited so many people were to hear what God had done. This is our "stone building".

Some light reading. What can I say? I'm a reader. It's how I approach most life experiences, this is no different. Thank you to Amy and Robin for a couple of these books and for the maternity clothes!!


Can't do an entry these days without food, could it be because I eat ALL the time??


After weeks of trying different solutions. This finally got me a restful night sleep.
I bought some general pastel fabric to start blankets. I didn't know until after I bought the polyester fabric to do a tie fringe quilt, that it requires flannel. I'll find something to make out of this.
Wonderful gift from Billy.... just because :-)

Week 12

I have never been more happy to see a phase go. The second trimester rawks so far!! I have my energy back, the nausea is only slight and occasional now. I can handle food and smells better. I feel and look like myself. I look forward to getting out of the house seeing three-dimensional people and getting back in to some routines that have gone by the wayside the last couple of months-church, small group, the gym. We had our 12 week appointment on Tuesday and heard the heartbeat. Billy got in on video and the sound is most precious to us.

I have a question for those that had the option of sequential screenings. Was it worth it? I'm not for more tests just for the sake of knowledge unless it will affect delivery or something that can be treated in utero (sp). It sounds as though it's nothing we wouldn't find out at the 20 week appointment anyway.

In fact, all the yuckiness lifted just in time for me to be able to head to the Ladies Retreat for church this weekend. I wasn't sure for a while I would be able to make it this year. Only thing I won't be doing is trying to do is sleep on a bunk bed this year. I'm grateful the retreat is only about half an hour from my house so I'll drive back and forth. I ask for prayers at 1:15 pm tomorrow as I'll be sharing our journey to parenthood with about 90 women. I haven't stood in a group of people in years, so I'm a bit rusty. I knew this was God leading to share when the theme of the retreat was announced "While We Wait: The Adventure Unfolds".

The more things change....

My lack of personal entries lately has been due to adjusting to the shock of family news. After almost three years we have found out we are pregnant. We are very grateful for God revealing His timing to us. Of course the journey to this point might ( and I stress the might) have been easier to know from the beginning, here is your wait time. We did not get any such E.T.A. We haven't done anything different. Any clique in regard to relaxing, being in the adoption process or other such urban legends do not apply. This is quite simply what God's plan is for us. We are in no way experts in how to 'get this to work'. His will, plan and timing are played out differently in each situation. We also do not loose the perspective from the last 3 years either.

The division that seems to exist like an invisible line between being a parent and not has long been and still continues to be mystifying to me. Not only has there been shock as the news has been settling in for us but also fear. Fear of somehow undoing this, of yet another disappointment. Miscarriages are in my family and I do have several higher risk issues. My age, how long it took us to get pregnant, as well as my auto immune condition are all in God's hands. We pray frequently not to live in that fear. Satan will not steal this experience that we thought was lost from us. God made this baby start to grow and only God knows the future. We do trust all the unknown to our known loving God.

This process can be like planning a wedding, overshadowing the rest of your life for a time. No, I will not complain in regard to the feelings of discomfort that have already begun. We did pray for this step of the journey emotionally and physically. If you want to know the symptoms I'm experiencing, I'll be glad to share. Doing so here with out the benefit of tone of voice can be too easily misconstrued as complaining. One of the things I've wanted most of all in sharing our news was to show respect for other much cared for friends whom I know very well where they are at emotionally. They announced last week in church about several births and there was still a twinge knowing our news. That awareness doesn't go away for me with one test result.

We ask for prayers for the health and growth of this baby. Thank you for being part of our journey the last 3 years and onward. We also ask for prayers for those still waiting not knowing what God's plan is for them. We have made amazing friends in the last three years and know this news will affect them. It's still early and anything could happen, but the doctor says we are due November 3, 2009.