"Just means we live"

Today in the car I was listening to Scotty McCreery's CD when the words to this song jumped out at me. I highlighted my favorite lines. It reminds to appreciate what I have and that some of the 'annoyances' in life are a product of the things we love so much and wouldn't trade the world for. My husband has a secure job, that I am very thankful for. The result of this secure job is his deploying for months at a time, but I love that I never stress about an impending layoff or downsizing. And boy do I have dirty dishes lots lately, but I love now that I can think of this as a reminder that 'we have enough food to eat'!!!!

Dirty Dishes by Scotty McCreery

Mama hollers, "Supper time and don't make me tell you twice
Wash your hands and wipe your face
The table's no place for your toys and try to use your inside voice
Don't dig in 'til we say grace"

So we put down our forks and bowed our heads
And then she prayed the strangest prayer ever said
"I wanna thank You, Lord, for noisy children and slammin' doors

And clothes scattered all over the floor
My husband workin' all the time, draggin' in dead tired at night
My never endin' messy kitchen and dirty dishes"

We all got real still and quiet and daddy asked, "Honey, you alright?"
She said, "Dear, ain't nothing wrong"
Noisy kids are happy kids and slammin' doors just means we live
In a warm and lovin' home

Your long hours and those dishes in the sink
Means a job and enough to eat

So I'm gonna thank You, Lord For noisy children and slammin' doors
And clothes scattered all over the floor
My husband workin' all the time Draggin' in dead tired at night
My never endin' messy kitchen

For my little busy bees beggin', mama, mama can you please?
Always wantin' me to call their name
Loads of laundry pilin' up, crayons crushed into the rug
And those little sticky kisses and dirty dishes, and dirty dishes

What hassle do you have in your life that really is a reminder of how great you have it?

10 Years ago....

11-11-01 A very handsome man brought me out to Golden Corral (for free Veteran's Day food) with some of his military buddies and then told me it was time we did something with just the two of us. We went to the theater and saw Monsters Inc. (main character is BOO). That night I received my first kiss from this VERY special man.

Ten years later:

• I can get all the kisses I want from him
• Lived in five different cities with him
• Adopted two amazing puppies with lots of compassion
• Said two very very hard good byes (proud of my own veteran)
• Gifted with our very own BOO
• Life then got sweeter with Reese
• Now await for Dale. Third times a charm?
• Learned more about life then I had in the previous 20 years
• Have my soul mate there for me every single day of the last ten years (even if he isn't always physically there)

To my better half (or three quarters) I love you and appreciate every day of the last ten years. Thank you!

Can you believe it has been ten years?

Art Spotlight: Brady

Recently the paint station has been opened at the preschool. One of the first days after it opened this was in the 'going home' folder.

 Well the next day I received this in the going home folder...

 Got this later on....

 Picked this one up today...

The teacher laughed with me and then said, there is another one drying right now!

I love love love it!

Art Spotlight: Reese

Reese recently created this drawing:

In the bottom, you can see the backwards RE which is her 'signature' on artwork. She created this while under someone else's care. So I asked who the person is. Brady pipes in for Reese that it is mommy. Then Reese corrects her and says "no, no, that's Nana"!

I love it! What a sweet way to remember Nana.

First Baby Gift

My dear and sweet friend of mine recently gave me "my first baby gift" for this third baby. I just love that she thought of me and it cracked me up.

Baby Dale now has Dale playing cards.... TOO CUTE!!!!

Baby Bump: Week 9

Here is my new profile picture I took today. We have made it to the nine week mark. I also followed with my first profile shot so you can compare. Dale's sisters wanted to be in this picture.

Facts about the last 4 weeks. I have very sick for 3 of the 4 weeks....still going. Eating large amounts of 'heavy' food seems to be about the only thing that gives me energy. Currently, my fav is a foot long sub. A few days ago, I ate a total of 4 bagels with cream cheese in one day, but the next day I wanted nothing to do with the cream cheese. About two weeks ago, every morning I woke up wanting McDonald's biscuit.

So yes, I crave certain foods, but nothing weird. I do have dump cake in the oven right now! And yes, it is 9x13 all for me, Karl doesn't like it and the girls are in bed. I look forward to the next few nights. I also made myself a green bean casserole today and I am the only that eats that. Hey, don't judge, I have to do something to keep me happy in this first trimester.

Dale's other family members: The girls are still taking their same stance. Brady is uber excited and Reese still think I am making the whole thing up. They do enjoy my weekly update on the baby's growth and getting to find out how big the baby is now. We are currently at the size of a grape. :) As for Karl, he is being extremely supportive and PATIENT.  I know it has to be very difficult to be married to me right now and he hasn't complained one bit.

I will leave you with another sweet picture of Dale with his sisters.

Baby's First Picture

We got our first ultrasound today! YAH!!! We saw one little heartbeat, which is exactly what we wanted. It made all these days of sickness seem worth is seeing that little blinking spot on the screen. There is nothing like that feeling, my first connection with my baby. The heart was beating 178 beats per minute, which is high but apparently at 9 weeks the heart averages at 175 and then drops.

The baby is right on track in size so they are sticking with the due date of June 12, 2012...yes that is Brady's birthday as well. For the first time, she showed some discord when talking about the baby. She doesn't want to share her birthday. She said it is okay if the baby is born on the 11th or the 13th, just not the 12th. I said I will try my hardest to make that happen.