Refreshing

I have been away from blog-snooping for about a week and just caught-up with some of my favorite people. I love checking out my friends's blogs. It makes me feel like in some small sense I am keeping up with them. I love knowing that Dawn finally got a HOT shower, that Jenny's baby is growing well, that Kristen had a special day with her little man, that Christy's had the same luck with the holiday photo shoot that I did. You get the point.

While many of the people that I love are living in many different places I love having this way to keep in touch with them. I am terrible with the phone, ok with email, too lame for Facebook.

OK, now I must get to what I really came to the computer to do. My job.

Shopping

I'm home. It was a success. I got some great deals. I saw some craziness (people with their infants/toddlers with them). I got yelled at by gray-hairs (not at me specifically but at the crowd). Aside from the gray-hairs no one was mean. Had some fun times with Lindsay. There were A LOT more people out than I thought there would be. I would do it again, I think.

Happy Thanksgiving

I love this holiday. As I sat this morning and watched the Macy's Parade I was nearly in tears. The simple joys. Being snuggled with my girls in jammies sharing something with them that I have loved for so many years. Watching Natalie dance like one of the Rockettes. A day to enjoy yummy food with friends and family.
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I need to get in touch with basketball season. I think that I am in denial that it is here. I can't believe that football season is this close to being over (after last weekend, it looks like it is time for it to be over). I haven't watched a full game yet. Are you kidding me. I need to get serious about some Tarheel basketball. Watching games brings me great joy. I need to get with the program.
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Natalie has been challenging lately. Last week she told me that she missed the carpet from our house in Virginia. I don't think that Kim and I have thought about how tough this move has been on her. It has been easy for us. We moved home. Virginia was home for Natalie. She doesn't remember living here. I am trying to be more reasonable and loving. She is getting better. Parenting is hard.
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Paige sleeps terribly in her pack-n-play. TERRIBLY!!! We have been out of town for the past to weekends and her sleep has been awful!! Quite a challenge. She sleeps great at home so I should count my blessings. Anyone have any tips?
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I am going to Kohl's at 4:00 tomorrow morning with Lindsay. Am I crazy? Yes, I am. I have never had the crazy after-Thanksgiving shopping experience. Lindsay has. She is a vet. I have to be home by 6:00 when the girls will wake-up (Kim works till 2:00 in the morning). I will let you know how it goes.

This was fun.

Thanks roomies for the idea.
Go here if you are looking for an explanation.

What a week

I wish I had better news to report. I don't. Chief is no longer with us, he is with Jesus.

He died at the same moment I was leaving to drive to North Carolina. I had made the decision that if he was alive when it was time for me to leave that I would head south but if he had passed away I would head north. For some reason, he was pushing me South. I had not driven a tenth of a mile and my phone rang. It was my mom. I knew from the tone in her voice that he was gone. At first, I did a u-turn. Then, I did another u-turn. I knew that I had to keep heading south. Natalie would not survive another change in plans, it was getting too late in the day, I just needed to keep driving. Thankfully Natalie had already fallen asleep when I got the call and I could cry as much as I wanted/needed to.

We knew that his death was coming. His body never got strong enough for surgery. They made him a hospice patient on Monday afternoon and told us that he would live about 24-48 hours. He lived about 49 more, he had to fight. He clinged to life until all of my dad's brothers and sisters were there with him. He passed away about a minute after the last one arrived.

I love my Chief. He was a great man. I am going to miss him.

There are still LOTS of boxes to unpack. Unpacking with two children around while you are emotionally and physically exhausted is not easy. Right now I feel like I will be unpacking for the next 10 years!

I should be...

• Taking a shower
• Going through closets
• Calling the utility companies
• Working
• Cleaning out the fridge
• Reading a parenting book (Natalie's behavior has been terrible the past few day, TERRIBLE!!)

But I am here blogging. Why? Because it is relaxing me and bringing a little bit of peace to my day.

I am really sad today, really sad. The tears have fallen, lots of them. I know that we will make it through this transition. I am really excited about being back home. But today I am stuck thinking about how much I am going to miss my friend, Sarah.

We have lived life together since I have been here. We see each other nearly everyday. We talk everyday. She is my friend I can talk about anything with, the minor things in life and the major. I know that I have dear friends waiting for me in Winston and that is the only thing getting me through. I can't put into words how much I am going to miss her. She has blessed my life so much.

I am sad for Natalie. I have a feeling her sadness is the root of her TERRIBLE behavior. She and Madeline are best buddies and I know that she will miss her.

Change is hard, not to mention stressful. Stress makes me overly emotional which is not a good combo. Wow, it could be a long week.

Naps

It happened for the first time today. Both girls napped at the same time for over 2 hours!! Praise God!!
I got lots of work for my job done, woohoo!!
Kim's mom and dad came up this weekend to help us out, i.e. watch the girls so that we could get some stuff done. What a blessing! We were able to get tons done and feel like we might be ready to move in 10 days, wow.
OK, I need to go get some more done.....

Earth to Leigh

So, I stole the title to this post from my dear friend's blog because it seemed so appropriate.

The closing went really well. We had a great time hanging out in our big empty house on air mattresses. We started the weekend with pizza night with our best buddies in town, the Greenes and the Mussers. Since we moved two years ago three children have been added to the mix and we are now a lot of people!!! The girls found a SNAKE in by backyard and for those of you who know me, that didn't go over too well.

My brother, sister-in-law, mom, dad, mother and father-in-law joined in the fun too. Kim had way too much fun mowing the yard and breaking in the new grill. Natalie ran around talking about her "new house" all weekend. On the way back to Virginia she kept saying she didn't want to go to hear "plane house".

We spent last week recovering from the trip and preparing for another big weekend. My cousin, Stephanie, got married at the Jersey Shore and we made the trip up. So much fun! So much family time!! Natalie had a blast! She kept talking about being FANCY!! I wish I felt like I had the space in my life to write about the weekend more, but I don't...

This week we are recovering from another crazy weekend and preparing to move in just 13 days. The movers will be here on the 24th!! Kim had his first official graduation function last night. I am so proud of him! I know that he is amazing and think that he is great but to hear others talk about him makes my heart swell with pride. i am a lucky woman.

I had emotional breakdown number 1 this morning. I feel so overwhelmed!!! I am moving in 13 days! I am nursing a newborn which means not much wine and she won't let me eat chocolate or ice cream either!!! My biggest indulgence is a italian ice, come on people....

Ok, more random thoughts updates to come. I really need to blog about my trip to the grocery store yesterday but there is no time now.

Survive and Advance Mode

This is where I feel like I have been living the past week or so. Just getting done what needs to be done for the next 24 hours. I don't really like living in this mode. I like to have the time/space/freedom to stay ahead of the game and do some not so necessary things: blog, cross-stitch, write in Paige's journal, etc. Anyway, I need to get back to doing some "necessary" things. Perhaps life will give me some space soon that I don't feel like I need to fill with sleep.

My mom's encouraging comment of the day

Yesterday

Me: I have only gained about 17 pounds with this pregnancy so far.
Mom: That's not very much...
Me: I know, but I was overweight when I got pregnant.
Mom: How much did you weigh?
Me: 141 pounds.
Mom: 141 pounds! That's what I weighed when I had you!
Me: Thanks, mom!

Today

Me: I was reading today that if Natalie and the baby are both crying I should take care of Natalie first because she will know what is going on and the baby won't remember.
Mom: I remember one time when I was in the grocery store and you all 3 started screaming. It was a nightmare.
Me: Nice!

Stay tuned...I am sure there is more encouragement to come!

I love this time of year!

College basketball on all day long, it is great!

Natalie keeps saying, "Are the Tarheels playing now?"

Davidson nearly messed my bracket up royally today. Perhaps I picked the wrong Cinderella.

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My mom and dad get into town tomorrow. Praise God!! I am ready to be spoiled! Kim has the day off too so it should be a great day.

Because my blood pressure is not behaving, if I have not had a baby by Wednesday the plan is to be induced. I have mixed emotions about being induced. I am totally ready to have the baby and not excited about possibly having to wait two more weeks to meet her. On the other hand, it would be nice to go into labor on my own without a ton of intervention, just to know what that is like. Knowing the induction plan does make life a little easier. Mom and dad will be here to take care of Natalie. Hopefully I can have everything together. Kim will be off of work. Kim's mom and dad are coming up. There are advantages. So, at the most 5 more days until I have two kids. I am trying not to let that freak me out. A bit late for that now.

It's been so long...

I have been a blogging slacker for a while now. Where do I begin?

I didn't blog about the beautiful baby shower that my friend Sarah had for me, slack!

I didn't blog about the great weekend that Natalie and I spent with Lindsay and Daisy, slack!!

I didn't blog about the Heels winning the ACC regular season and tournament titles, slack!!!

So, today I am deciding to stop feeling guilty and to move forward.

38 weeks pregnant and waiting. I am trying to be patient but not doing a very good job. I am ready to meet this baby and hold her. I feel great, too good in fact. Every night when we go to bed I say to Kim, "wouldn't it be great if my water broke right now!" I know the chances of that happening are small but a girl can dream. Kim is anxious for me to go into labor so that he can get out of part of the bad rotation that he is on now. Really, we just want to have our baby here and know that she is ok. I can't wait! Bring on the pain!! I will get the drugs!

It looks like I, too, might experience what I am going to call the "T-6 Curse", living away from your spouse. It will not be to the extent that my dear roomies had to endure. Our townhouse had an offer put on it which would have us out on May 7th. We are not supposed to leave this area until June 23rd. The best two options right now are for us to find a furnished place to move into for about 6 weeks or for me to go live with my mom and dad and Kim to stay here. Kim is hopeful that we will find a place here. I have my doubts!! I just don't think we will find a place but we will see. We are looking and trying to get prepared. I am so ready to be in our house in NC and have a "normal" life for a little while, whatever that means.

What else, I don't know...I do need to post some pictures, another front I am feeling overwhelmed on.

I told myself that I wasn't going to watch AI this year, but I am. What can I say? I have to find something to watch while waiting for SYTYCD and it will not be Dancing with the Stars.

OK, that's enough.

Couch Potato

Yesterday at the doctor....

Doctor: So, I am not telling you that you are on bedrest, but you do need to be the official couch potato.
Me: OK.

Inside my head I was laughing at the man. Would you mind passing that information along to my 3-year-old and my husband's work. While you are at it, if you could tell the laundry to wash itself and the meals to cook themselves and the junk to go back where it belongs, that would be great!

Joyful Weekend

Well, it all started on Friday when we found out that our townhouse will not be foreclosed on on March 14th. We received a yucky letter last Tuesday stating that our landlord had been unable to pay the mortgage (even though we have been paying rent) and that the house would be foreclosed on. We were, umm, shocked. We had NO idea. We talked to our landlord, got the scoop from her, and started doing some planning. Our landlord talked with her bank on Friday and they worked something out so that we should be good through March. We are taking it one week at a time, trying not to panic, trying to be prepared, etc. But the good news is that we should be able to bring our new baby home to this house (rather than a friend's basement or an "Extended Stay America").

Saturday, yummy breakfast at Chik-Fil-A with my hubby and daughter. Kim did not have a single weekend off in February so to have him around was great! We spent to day together as a family doing a whole lot of "nesting" and catching up. Kim and Natalie had a great time together. The pitiful part was the way Natalie kept saying, Daddy, don't go to work! She just thought at any moment that he would be leaving. Pitiful!

Sunday, great time at church and a lazy afternoon. What could be better? Just having Kim around was such a blessing!!

Of course, lots of people came by to look at the house but I have a new level of patience with that now. It was a lot easier to keep the house clean and get out the door on a moments notice with Kim around.

It was the most relaxing weekend that I have had in a long time!! I was so thankful for it!!

Tanzania

I just a really fun update from my dear, dear friend from college, Jen. Jen is an amazing person!! She is loving, compassionate, wise, fun, I could go on...We were the best of friends in college. We lived in the same dorm for two years, lead a small group together, were discipled together. We saw each other through broken hearts, random kisses and choosing husbands. She is one of those friends.

After college we headed down different paths. I got married, took a job as a nurse and settled down in Winston. She headed to NYC to persue medical school. She married her high school sweetheart. Their relationship has had some interesting twists of living and working in different places. While I felt like I was living a very generic life hers was so exciting!!

That trend continues. I am having my second child and heading back to Winston. I am mostly a stay-at-home mom. Very typical life! This is what she is up to....still living in NYC in a fellowship for infectious disease. She has an amazing heart to work with the poor, espcially the HIV population. Her husband is living in California (he has his PhD and is a professor at Fuller). Last summer, for vacation they went backpacking in South America. They have both done extensive work overseas. To top it off, they are spending 6 months together next fall in Tanzania!!! I don't even know where Tanzania is!!

Despite these many differences and the distance she is still one of my dearest friends. I would love to spend hours with her over coffee. Chat, chat, chat, make a groovy song mix (we have made a couple on TAPE, we need to get with the times and put it on the iPOD) and chat some more. I admire her so much! I am so proud of her!!

Grocery Store Alone

For those of you, mainly my two wonderful roomies from college, who have to go through months of single-parenting please disregard the whining.

I got to go to the grocery store today by myself! It was great! Kim was home this afternoon and Natalie wanted to stay with him. Who am I to stop that daddy-daughter time?

I hopped out of the car, all by myself, so much easier. Picked out one of the small carts to push instead of the cart/spaceship and started my stroll through the store.

I quickly decided that it is probably better that I usually have Natalie with me to keep me distracted. With my mind to myself it wanders way too much...

• Oh, that watermelon looks really yummy, but will we eat it before we go out of town, probably not, it will just go bad, maybe next time, look, pineapple!!
• That mom looks really tired!!
• (While watching the obviously new mom with her baby and mother in tow struggling through the store saying sternly to her mother, "You need to keep moving!!" Baby cries! "Did we get enough? We can come back tomorrow!") She needs a hug, Honey, you will make it, I promise!
• Why are there whoopie cushions in the grocery store?
• Jeans and heels in the grocery store? Is that really necessary? You are just trying to make the rest of us look bad.
• Ben and Jerry's is a lot easier to pass up when you are not pregnant!
• If I wasn't still buying wipes for my almost 3 year old then I would use that money on Ben and Jerry's.

My mind is a scary place and that is just a sampling.

Merry Christmas to all!

We leave tomorrow to go to my parents house for Christmas! I am so excited. I hope that I can sleep tonight. We have to wait until the morning to leave because Kim is working tonight. He gets off at 6:00 in the morning and we will leave as soon after that as we can!

Did I mention that I am so excited? My brothers and their SOs are already at mom and dad's house. This will be the first Christmas morning that I will be at my parent's home in the mountains. The house that I grew-up in. The house that I live in for 22 years. How is this my first Christmas at that house? Well, because all of my extended family lived in New Jersey we spent every Christmas there. I loved my NJ Christmases but am glad for the chance to celebrate at mom and dads home. I love anytime that my whole family is together. So special.

I am also getting really excited about seeing Natalie on Christmas morning!! I think she will be thrilled and over-come with excitement. She didn't really get it last year but she is totally into the season this year. She is excited about celebrating Jesus' birthday. She is excited about Santa coming. She is excited about seeing her Mimi and Papa and uncles. I am excited for her. I am a child again through her. So fun!!

Merry Christmas! Rejoice! Rejoice!!

Temptation

OK, so I'm just going to put this out there.

When you live in a small house with limited hiding places it is very difficult not to go peak at your gifts!! And when, with just the click of the mouse you can find out where the gifts came from, well. It is taking every bit of self-restraint that I have not to cheat!! Really, I guess that I would only be cheating myself but still. The information is right there, waiting to be had!!

With only a week left to wait, I guess that I will make it....

I agree

I saw this license plate on the way to MOPS today...

AH-2BNNC

I couldn't agree more! The holiday season is making me a bit home-sick.

23 Weeks

I can't believe that I am 23 weeks pregnant already! That is craziness! I am going to be chasing this child around before I know it. I love this part of pregnancy. I am definitely looking pregnant, the baby is moving all the time and I still feel good. These are the weeks to enjoy.

So, here is a picture of one of the only times in my life when I will be showing off how big my belly is and trying to make it look bigger!!