Homeschooling

Melissa's blog got me thinking. When I was younger and I would tell people about Homeschooling everyone would think you were cool because you could do your school with a party hat on in your underpants, or on a Saturday just so that you could do something really cool on Monday. Plus I loved to tell them that if you got all of your subjects done by noon you were done for the day! But when I talk about it now, my friends (coworkers) look at me like I am crazy and question my upbringing. Coming across as cool just doesn't happen anymore and it is really frustrating. Especially because Joe and I have talked about NOT homeschooling for various reasons and that is always their next question "so will you home school your kids?" which leads to more explaining! Oh to be a kid again and tease the checkout lady at Wal-mart when they would ask why we weren't in school in the middle of the afternoon we would sweetly answer "field trip" with a nice hick accent thrown in for good measure!
I hate to generalize but when you home school EVERYONE questions your social abilities. When I was homeschooling people would say it straight to my face "how do you socialize with other kids?" or "what about sports?" I wanted to say to the lady on the Ski Lift at Perfect North "You are the only person here that I don't know!!" There are about 250 other home schooled kids here and you don't see us wandering around stuck to our mothers who, by the way, are not all wearing jean jumpers.
I must add that no matter what I say to someone to try to convince them that Homeschooling is not a form of child abuse, they always end the conversation with "wow I never would have guessed that you were home schooled, you are so normal". HELLO!!!

I would like to ask that my sentence structure in this post not reflect my homeschooling. I did go to 2 years of formal High School and 4 years of college and I still never managed to write a proper sentence. :o)

Nursery - After

It took me over a week to actually organize and then another week to blog about, however here it is, the much anticipated "after pictures" I spent ALL DAY Wednesday in this room sorting, moving & unpacking. It took 8 loads of laundry consisting of 2 colors Pinks and whites :o) I realized this about myself I have an unusual obsession with baby washcloths and I will never own enough of them. They are so soft and cute and tiny!

This is her bed. Assembled by her father, bedding provided by her Gram (Joe's mom) and lovingly dressed by her mother.

A close up of the Bumper Pad. Yes I am ignoring all warnings not to use these in a baby's bed. Here is my question, why if your not supposed to use them does every bedding set come with them?
After I was all finished I realized that her walls are seriously lacking decoration. So that is my personal mission, decorate her walls.

Your thoughts please

So my friend Jessica has really gotten me thinking about Pediatricians. This is somewhat embarrassing being a nurse and all however I have not chosen a pediatrician and I don't know what makes a good pediatrician. I obviously don't want them to throw antibiotics at my child no matter what the illness, and I would love a christian MD, I would like to be able to trust the wisdom of my ped. It is sad that you can't trust a doc to do what is in the best interest of the pt. instead of simply doing what is mainstream and convenient for them. That is where being a nurse comes in handy, I work with hundreds of docs and see them make the simple and convenient decision daily...hourly... way to often!
If you don't mind sharing:
What Pediatrician do you see?
How did you choose?
Why do you like them?
And if you care to share any info you have on vaccinations, do you vaccinate on the recommended schedule? Do you get every vaccination offered or do you pick and choose? Please help this clueless mom to be.

Nursery - Before

I thought you all would appreciate the state of the room before we do some serious organizing. These are the piles and piles and things that I have piled on top of the piles that is the fruit of 2 baby showers!! Today my goal is to take inventory and organize, so that we actually have room to assemble the crib next week. A lady at work gave me this piece of advice "don't assemble the crib outside of the nursery because most standard cribs will not fit through the nursery door and therefore have to be taken apart and put back together!"

The only thing I have organized so far is putting all of the wonderful smelling baby soap, shampoo & lotion into a basket!

I woke up at 5:00 this morning and couldn't go back to sleep because all I could think about was having a cold glass of Orange Juice. So I decided to get out of bed and drink my OJ & talk to my understanding blog friends.

I feel like this pregnancy is all I write about. However as I think about it you have all carried a living thing inside of you for 9 months and you all blogged about it just as much, so I guess the fact that it consumes your mind most of the time is normal. I am 33 weeks and really starting to freak out! I am so emotional!!! I freak out about the smallest things, I want to kill people sometimes over very insignificant things, then the very next moment I am thinking about something warm & fuzzy and trying not to cry because who wants to be in line at the grocery store with a crying pregnant woman?

I am really worried about gaining too much, not working out enough & becoming swollen. I am still fairly comfortable trying to sleep however I just am not sleeping as much, which stinks especially the past few days when I have been working back to back 12 hour shifts and getting like 5 hours of sleep. I often wake up (having to pee) and lay awake for an hour trying to figure out how I can control how big my baby will be, who the doctor on call will be, what my delivery will be like, specifically when i will go into labor & yet I judge those who are induced for those very reasons.

However on a good note I have had a few baby showers and my house is starting to look VERY pink! Joe and I are going to try to set up the nursery next week and that will be fun for me, I see it looking bad for Joe, however I foresee his next 7 weeks to be pretty insane putting up with me.

I am sorry if this doesn't make much sense or if my sentences run together. It is very early for me and I am off to get ready for work! Here is a picture of the pregnant sisters with the nonpregnant sisters for your viewing pleasure.

Please be my friend again

This post is for Ashley Rodriguez, somehow I was your blog friend and now I am not and I loved reading your fun updates especially your tummy pictures. If we can't be real life friends couldnt I be your internet friend again? I am not savy enough at this blog thing to figure out what happened....

Remember When

Our Honeymoon

I never do these however this was kind of fun to remember...
1. Where/How did you meet? I don't actually remember, probably the first day of school Jr year at Calvary
2. How long have you known each other? 9 1/2 years
3. How long after you met did you start dating? 3 Years
4. How long did you date before you were engaged? 3 1/2
5. How long was your engagement? 1 year
6. How long have you been married? 2 1/2 years
7. What is your anniversary? December 30
8. How many people came to your wedding reception? Hmm Lots!! Over 200
9. What kind of cake did you serve? Cheesecake Factory Original Cheesecake (just like Kate & Doogie) and Italian Cream Cake made by my wonderful sister
10. Where was your wedding? Grace Fellowship Church
11. What did you serve for your meal? We had Hours devours, many different kinds, I let my parents choose, all I cared about was the candy table, I got the idea from a Martha Stewart Magazine it was all different kinds of white candy in big glass jars
12. How many people were in your wedding party? 8
13. Are you still friends with them all? Yes, mine were my sisters and I will always be friends with them. Joe is still friends with his however he talks to some more than others.
14. Did your spouse cry during the ceremony? There were tears.
15. Most special moment of your wedding day? Most special... the morning spent with my mom and sisters, seeing Joe for the first time in the morning to take pictures
16. Any funny moments? Pastor Brads podium came undone and Joe had to hold it up for him through part of his sermon, and when Micah Simpson brought me a grape at my reception because he said I looked hungry! The boy was like 5 years old, it was adorable.
17. Any big disasters? not big disasters just a near miss, lets just say I spent the wee hours of the morning drinking Prune Juice...
18. Where did you go on your honeymoon? Sandals Grande Ocho Rios Jamaica
19. How long were you gone? 1 week.
20. If you could get married again, would there be anything you would change? I would have a recieving line so that I could thank everyone for coming, I felt like I had to mingle so much during my reception that I didn't get to dance or eat anything at all!! We were starving when we left we actually drove through Wendys on our way to the hotel!!
21. Greatest strength as a couple? We have a lot of fun and we are very laid back
22. Greatest challenge as a couple? Communication
23. What did you dance your first dance to? Come what May
24. Describe your wedding dress: Ivory with a lace overlay... amazing!!
25. What kind of flowers did you have at your wedding? Roses, Hydrangeas, berries.
26. Are your wedding bands engraved? Nope
27. How old were you when you got married? I was 23, Joe was 22

31 Weeks

Well I had another ultrasound done Monday morning. The doc's wanted to rescan her to make sure the choroid plexus cyst on her brain has gone away. OK small science lesson from Nurse Katie: The Choroid Plexus is where Cerebral Spinal Fluid is made in the brain, it is very common to see cysts formed here and 93% of the time they resolve by the 3rd trimester. Any baby can have one however they take a close look because nearly half of the babies with Downs Syndrome have a cyst (not to be confused with half of the babies with a cyst have Downs). However all babies with Downs AND a Cyst have other MAJOR anomalies with their organs therefore easily detected on ultrasound. The majority of babies who have cysts dont have Downs and they aren't currently using an existing cyst as a marker for downs like they used to many years ago.

With all of that said the scan on monday of my baby showed a very healthy 3 lb cherub with no existing cyst! The ultrasonographer called her the "model of perfection"...ok fine maybe she called her "a perfect little show off" all I know is for about 20 min I got to sit and hold my husbands hand while we watched our little girl in her world like a goldfish in a tank. She moved, kicked, pursed her lips, she is beautiful!! My US tech gave me many pictures and I have scrapbooked them (dont make fun) so here are a few plus a bonus picture of me (its very difficult to take pictures of yourself). Now don't be jealous but I have my US's done in the Seton Center at Good Sam, they follow all of our high risk pregnancies and therefore have the latest ultrasound equipment and the best Ultrasonographers, thus the amazing clairity of the pictures.

This One is my favorite, Its the heart, can you see all 4 chambers and the valves??

A New Season

For the latest news in our family Joe is switching jobs! He is very excited about this new move, ever since high school he has been working on and off with Drew Dawson doing construction/handyman work. Now Drew is finding that this business is profitable enough so much that he can no longer handle the jobs on his own (always a good thing when you have too much work rather than not enough) and he has felt the Lord leading him to ask Joe to go into business with him! Joe has always loved working alongside Drew and they are frighteningly similar. Now the Lord has put things in order and it has happened very quickly. Ben (who Joe is currently working for) has found a new employee and Joe will stay for the next 2 weeks while he is being trained, meanwhile helping Drew a little on the side as he is desperate for help until Joe will be with him full time! I am so excited that God is blessing Joe in this way because where he has liked working for Ben in the computer business he is passionate about working in the construction business. It is a little scary with a child on the way in just a few months however I will continue to trust God that this is his plan and his timing.
So with all of that said, if you or anyone you know has a carpentry/handyman job that needs to be done please hire my very talented husband!! :o)