Thoughts on Memorial Day

It is the

VETERAN,

not the preacher,

Who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the

VETERAN,

not the reporter,

Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the

VETERAN,

not the poet,

Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the

VETERAN,

not the campus organizer,

Who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is the

VETERAN,

not the lawyer,

Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the

VETERAN,

not the politician,

Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the

VETERAN,

Who salutes the Flag,

It is the

VETERAN,

Who serves under the Flag,

God Bless them all!!!

Nursery Updates

I promise that if you hang around, I've got some pretty good posts (and pictures) up my sleeves. We have really been putting the finishing touches on several different rooms around our house. I plan to finish up the last few things, and then I'll be back with some great before/after pictures!!! I'm also going to get the hubby to take a picture of me and my ever growing tummy. I've been bad about taking pictures lately. Kevin has been very busy with work, sports, and house projects, so I forget to have him take my picture before I get into my grungy clothes...and then it's too late :-)

 

Updates on the Nursery:

 

Update #1: Last night I spent several hours cleaning and labeling my rubbermaid baskets that I had saved from teaching (I knew those would come in handy one day:-) I used them to organize the closet in the nursery! It turned out really cute and organized in an OCD - but very practical - way. Now everyone (postpartum-me, Kevin, grandparents, babysitters, etc...) will easily know exactly where everything is (or at least where it is supposed to go). I've also got bins in the top of his closet of clothes that are too big for him (labeled by their size - of course:-) I'll take & post a picture of the results soon - I promise.

 

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Update #2: We have finally decided on and ordered a travel system (carseat, base, and stroller), and it's supposed to be arriving on Friday!!!! So, as of Friday, we'll be able to at least get Carter home, should he decide to arrive early (my siblings and I were all a couple days early and Kevin was 3 weeks early...I'm keeping that in mind :-)

 

I've been going back and forth on which travel system to get (if any), and soliciting feedback from various moms for months now. I decided to allow myself to splurge in this area because I was told by so many moms that, "This is the single most important piece of baby equipment you'll buy...get a good one...it'll make life easier!" We decided on the Peg Perego Pliko P3 travel system (in Java), and I found it online for over $100 less than the store here in town was selling it for (with free shipping & no sales tax)! I'm a nerd when it comes to researching gadgets, and the features that "sold" me on this stroller were:

• It only weighs 16 lbs!!!! That's practically nothing compared to some of the travel systems out there!!!
• It has a compact umbrella fold (VERY important to us because we travel to Auburn so often - with a lab & huge dog crate in tow!)

I've heard so many moms say that they don't use their travel system because it takes up so much room in their car and is so big and bulky!

• It has both the convenience of an umbrella stroller and has storage options. 

I want this to be a stroller I'll still want to use when I'm no longer snapping in the infant seat! I can't tell you how many moms have told me "Don't get a travel system - just get an umbrella stroller...that's all you'll use once they are able to hold their head up."

• It has a rear footboard.

**Thinking ahead for an older sibling who's tired of walking.** I hope to, one day, have more than one child - the reviewers who had more than one child really loved this feature! I'm pretty sure Carter will have fun buming a ride off a little brother or sister one day :-)

 

I'm pretty excited about playing with it this weekend :-) I may even take a baby doll for a ride!

 

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Update #3: I've purchased Carter's letters....you know.... C A R T E R ....to hang on the wall :-) I found them for pretty cheap at Michael's. They need to be painted, and I'm thinking that I'm going to paint them navy with white "stitching" around the edges. I dont' think I'm going to hang them with ribbon, but I have not made the final call on that yet. I've decided that I'm a little too OCD to hang things with ribbon...although I LOVE the idea (and I have things hanging from ribbon in my guest room) ....it is IMPOSSIBLE to get them to hang perfectly!!!

 

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Update #4:  My furniture is supposed to be on a truck headed this way in the next week or so. We shall see...

 

That's all for now folks!!!

Kevin and I are off to Breastfeeding Class tonight - oh dear :-)

I promise...more pictures...fewer words next time :-)

 

 

 

Still Waiting

At this point, nothing knocks the wind out of my sails or makes the tears start flowing faster than hearing the furniture company telling me it's going to be YET ANOTHER 2 weeks until my baby's furniture comes in!!! I want nothing more than to be able to put my son's nursery together, so that I can relax knowing that we are ready for him to come. Unfortunately, that's just not possible. My furniture isn't coming in until I am around 35 weeks pregnant, and there's absolutely nothing I can do about it but wait...as I have been waiting...since the beginning of March.

 

I'm starting to get very uncomfortable, and the aches and pains of third trimester pregnancy are increasing every day - not to mention the emotions.

 

Today as I was {yet again} crying about the fact that I had just been told the end of the waiting is not as close as I thought it would be, I was reminded that the topic of waiting is often addressed in the Bible. There are so many times we are told, as Christians, to wait....patiently. That's hard to do, y'all!!!! Waiting is one thing....waiting patiently is a whole different ball game. I have all these different emotions swirling around in me, and I have to say that patience is not one of them right now...not even close.

 

Not knowing what to do, and feeling like I was about to go crazy...I found this verse... 

 

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer" Romans 12:12

 

There's nothing - absolutely nothing - inside of me that is able to do this. I'm really only good at crying and complaining at this point, but with God's help over the next few weeks, I'm going to try very hard to:

 

1. Be joyful that I have a healthy beautiful baby boy growing inside of me.

2. Patiently wait for the furniture that I know is ordered and slowly but surely on its way.

3. Pray for my lil' man and for our family as we start this new phase of life (Goal: Pray every time my mind tries to wander into crying/complaining mode).

I've Been Pampered, but Not Like That!

My sweet husband gave me a Valentine's Present back in February which I have saved until yesterday. It was a prenatal spa package which included a message, facial, manicure, and pedicure. He said he wanted me "to feel like a queen for a day!"  I cashed in on this "queen day," left work early, and checked-in the spa yesterday afternoon. I arrived at 2:45pm and left at 7:30pm feeling completely refreshed!!! My finger nails are always neglected and at this point I can't bend over long enough to paint my toenails, so the manicure/pedicure were heaven sent!!! I had never had a message or a facial, and I must say that they were both luxurious!

 

The message was just what I expected (completely wonderful!), and the facial was completely different than what I had envisioned! I pictured a clay-like mask with cucumbers over my eyes (see above - very unattractive - image:-)....not so! It was really pretty much another message which concentrated only on the face, neck, shoulders, and arms. I totally lost count of all the many creams that were put on my face and then washed off with wonderful warm towels and steam! Some of the creams tingled, some made my face feel tight, some were heavy, and some were just so soothing - they all smelled wonderful! It was so much better than the green paste and cucumbers I had envisioned :-)

 

After my amazing afternoon of getting pampered...I ran by the grocery store on my way home because even if I HAD been pampered like a queen for the last 4.5 hours....the queen's pantry was STILL going to be empty when she got home :-) Ahhhhh, yes....real life!

 

It was a wonderful little vacation from the reality of third-trimester aches and pains though, and I'm so very grateful to have such a thoughtful husband!!!

 

Thank you, Kevin :-)

Renovations in BlogLand

You may have noticed, but my blog now has a new name and a new look! I decided that since our "Cord of Three" was soon becoming "A Cord of Four" that I probably needed a new name for the blog! I wanted the title linked to a Bible verse, so the new name - "Me and My House" - comes from one of my favorite statements in the Bible:

 

"...As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."  - Joshua 24:15

 

I've also done some decluttering here in blog-land. Content will remain the same - completely random :-) Hope you all continue to read, and please feel free to comment! I love hearing from those of you who do read :-)

Thank you, Thank you!!!

Above you see a picture of me with the beautiful hostesses of my Hometown Baby Shower and a close-up of the loot! Thank you to all of my wonderful friends and family for throwing us the most wonderful baby shower ever!!!!! It was so nice to get to visit with so many family and friends. We were thoroughly showered with a wide variety of amazing gifts, and I am feeling much more prepared for our little man's arrival! (Now if my furniture would just come it...I'd really be set :-)
 
He's due exactly 2 months from today - wow!
 
I do have to say that, at this point, I'm really hoping the doctor is not wrong about our lil' guy actually being a  guy...if not..it will be bad :-/ Some people have said to keep tags on stuff just in case, but I've decided to pull tags off and get things washed and ready. After all, I do not have (hardly) any gift receipts or know where anything is even from, so - oh well! I guess it would be good to be "safer than sorry," but at this point....I'm just preparing for a boy and praying they are right :-)

Edible Beauty

This beautiful piece of art also made an appearance at the shower - but only very briefly before it was eaten up! It was the most delicious cake on earth - thank you, Natalie - it was absolutely AMAZING!!!!!