Friends: Our bellies, our babies, and butchered sausage - Part I.

So, I have a few pics that have been waiting so patiently on my digital camera for me to get my Macbook back from the tech department of my school!!!!! :) Whooppee! We're just so excited we're going to post a few updates from recent weeks. This is

Part I: Carolyn, her baby boys, and butchered sausage.

So, about a month ago, Thomas and I were in Charleston, SC for a local camp we were working with. We had a great time visiting with a few old college friends while we were there. My friend Carolyn is one of my funniest friends. She is absolutely hilarious and I can't help but laugh my butt off when I am around her! :) So, here are a few pics of her baby boys. Aren't they gorgeous?

This is Cameron. He is so precious. And I might add he loved me to pieces. :)


This is Brandon. He didn't quite take to me as quickly. He refused to give me five and often gave me these kind of looks that say "Don't come near me you crazy woman with a huge belly." Otherwise, he did wave bye-bye and learned to say my name!


Okay, the story of the butchered sausage is not quite as funny as it's title. Carolyn decided she was going to cook some Italian sausage for dinner and yet it would not get done. She must have had it in the skillet for 30 minutes and every single time she cut it, it was red in the middle. We'll say it was a stubborn pig. Either way, she posed for this beautiful pic of the incident that was the brunt of her own stand-up comedy. Nevermind the cuts, the sausage was DELICIOUS!

Michelin Man

Okay. So this is MY nickname for myself lately. Just to clarify, I am the only person authorized to refer to myself in this way so don't get any ideas. :)

For real, I thought I would somehow magically avoid the swelling and water retention others had warned me about. However, it has been a recent plague now going on for about 10 days. Ugh! I have chunky feet, "kankles", and michelin man hands. Well, my hands look mostly normal during the day but get quite puffy at night and make it nearly impossible to make a fist. Why oh why me?!!!

Unfortunately, the doc said I will have to deal with this until Baby Jrew arrives... due in 4 1/2 weeks. Sure, that doesn't seem long to you, but it seems like an eternity to me. In addition, the nurse so wisely suggested I prop my hands up at night time by sleeping on my back and putting my hands on my tummy. Has she ever been pregnant? I would like to know. I have also tried using pillows to prop up my hands when I'm sleeping, but who in the world can control their hands while they're sleeping.

Okay. Other than the syndrome I have complained about, I am doing great. I had my 36 week check up this past Monday. I have to go every single week now. Scary.
So, the doc said I am measuring right on, blood pressure is good, and my weight is still under tabs!!! 25 lbs thus far! He did say Baby Jrew is about 6 pounds right now. Just to be certain I didn't have preeclampsia, he ran some blood tests to make sure. The good news is that I DO NOT!!!! They made me wait for an agonizing two days before they told me this... but we're all thankful. This did propel me into the "nesting" syndrome where I began counting the newborn onsies I already have just to see if I'm really ready for this baby!

Well, off I go. Laundry basket #417 is waiting.

A funny and an update - all in one! :)

First, here's a quick update on week 34. Thomas, who never reads my blog anyway (thankfully), suggested I update you all on the pregnancy so far. I'll put it into bullet format... just because.

*I am measuring the right size and haven't gained any weight in a month. Okay by doctor.
*Baby Jrew definitely loves music and moves a bit more actively when music is playing.
*I have been officially inducted into the stretch mark hall of fame.... against my own will and the unguarantee of Curel and Tummy Butter. Can I sue anyway???
*I am having a lot of sleepless nights... I'm tryng to remind myself to get used to it.
*I am giving in and going to make, what I hope to be, my last purchase of maternity clothes tomorrow b/c my khaki pants have "shrunk" and the heat is killing me.
*I am very excited to be counting down the days to holding Baby Jrew in my arms!

Okay, here's the Funny! :)

At one of the youth events we recently led worship for, a middle school girl and I have the following conversation.

(Girl enters empty "worship" room and is looking frantically for something)
Me: "What are you looking for?"
Girl: "This thing I put in my mouth."
Me: Thinking she means a retainer.
Girl: (mumbles while looking) "My paci."
Me: A look of confusion.
Girl: (clarifying) "It's a little plastic top I put in my mouth. I can't sleep without it."
Me: "Oh..." or was it "aw..." (in pity) "well, maybe you'll find it soon."
Girl: "I guess I'll have to use my thumb."
Me: "I'm sorry. You'll be okay"
Girl: "When I get home, I'm gonna' use my money to buy a real paci... a red one."
Me & now Thomas (who just began listening in) - "Well, have a good night."
Girl exits room. Funny story is now over. Aren't you laughing yet?

Oh boy!

Okay. No offense to those of you who have beautiful baby girls.... but I have noticed, since we found out we're having a boy, that many retail products are aimed at girls. I decided not to complain and have been enjoying all the wonderful baby things I have been receiving/finding in the stores. I decided tonight to start my search for a small, yet attractive, cd player that I can put in the baby's room. I was looking on Target's website and was scrolling through the audio section. To the left of the page I found a list of categories to help me narrow my search. However, sheer laughter has forced me to post this blurb at this moment b/c there it was - a category (apparently entitled to have its own category) .... "Pink Electronics".

Angel Oak Tree

Just a quick blurb to show you the most amazing tree I've every seen. It's called the Angel Oak tree and maybe it's old news to you, but I lived in SC my entire life and had never heard of it until this week.

The Angel Oak Tree is oldest living things East of the Rocky mountains and dates to approximately 1500 years old!!!! It's amazingly beautiful and resembles a tree from Narnia or Harry Potter for sure.


The tree and its branches take up over 17,000 square feet of ground!








This pic is just for comparison purposes... I am not nearly as big as this tree!!!

Adventures with Thomas and Dita

So, throughout the past decade, no joke, Thomas and I have enjoyed life together. We have had many, many "incidents" along the way and most of you know those incidents are usually related to automobiles. We dubbed our little incidents "Adventures with Thomas and Dita" quite some time ago and vowed we would one day write a book about our many adventures. It has been about a year since our last "incident" and we somehow forgot about these little adventures that tend to find us wherever we are... UNTIL last week's new adventure which requires retelling so that all of you may be more thankful and appreciative of your own daily adventures however exciting they may or may not be.

Once upon a time... Sunday, June 8 ... Thomas and Dita set out to make a long trip (81/2 hours normally) to Charleston, SC to work with a summer camp sponsored by mosquitoes, chiggers, and two lane roads. As they were very aware, many long trips do not end without "incident" and so they took necessary precautions to prepare for this long journey. Thomas had taken the family vehicle to get an oil change, fluid top-offs, tire rotation and balance, etc... The couple set off on their trip and were happily riding along when they noticed a smell coming from the front of their vehicle that smelled very similar to burning rubber. Stopping to take a look, it was impossible to identify the culprit and the couple decided to try again. As they neared the next exit, the car suddenly began to release a large amount of smoke that seemed to encompass every vehicle within a 1/2 mile radius. The couple, reluctantly, pulled off of the interstate and teetered to an auto store.

NOTE: In the following excerpt, names have been changed to protect the innocent.

The couple consulted with several people at the auto store and decided it would be best to leave the vehicle at a nearby shop for repair and to rent a car to finish their journey to the camp. The man at the auto store said he used to spearhead the customer service for XY Rental company and promised he could get them a price of "cheaper than everyone" within a few minutes. They listened as he called in to set up the rental. The helpful man proceeded to say he was setting up a rental for his "wife" and began his speech in getting the couple a "cheaper than everyone" fee. The couple stood in surprise as they heard this man speak many untruths into the telephone, including that his company "BIG RESTARAUNT CHAIN" used "XY Rental Company" often and have received this "cheaper than everyone" rate before. Immediately, the rental company conceded and a reservation was made.

FAST FORWARD - the couple arrived at the airport rental company by taxi to pick up their amazing rental car for the cheaper than everyone rate. The wife was completely shocked to have the rental agent make comments such as "your husband called for you" and "he works for Big Restaraunt Chain" and we're glad to help you out. The wife was nervous as she picked up the key to the car and drove around to pick up her husband. She felt as if she had been catapulted into a charade for which the cops would surely search for her and throw her behind bars and she would be forced to have her baby in prison.

FAST FORWARD - the car was returned to XY rental company safe and soundly and the wife returned home free from prison and still 8 months pregnant. Stay tuned for the next adventure with Thomas and Dita as they battle the bugs on Watamalaw island.

9 weeks to go!

We're are certainly getting excited... with only 9 weeks left and a camp scheduled for 7 of those weeks, we are sure the summer is going to fly by. So, we're anxious to get the baby room ready. So, here is a sneak peak of the baby room. It's nowhere near finished... I could list a million things we still need to get before baby Jrew arrives! :) Not to mention my failed attempt to convince Thomas we should paint the 10 foot ceiling brown.



In other news, Baby Jrew has the hiccups like twice a day! I love it! He also likes to play hide and seek because every time I tell Thomas to "look, he's moving a lot"... he stops and lays completely still for as long as Thomas stares at my large belly. Then, as soon as the tv or something attracts Thomas's attention, Jrew gets hyper again. Boy, oh boy. He, (Jrew not Thomas) woke me up a few nights ago. He was so still and all of a sudden started going bezonkers in there like something startled him. I was even startled. All is well. I'm sure it's got to be tough having to hang out in there with very little room to move.

Weird dreams are a part of my nightly routine now too. I also dreamed about this precious little bundle... that I could hold him in my arms, kiss his little forehead... but I could not see his face! And then some weird man said "He can walk" and took him out of my arms. He put Jrew down on the grass where Jrew just stood there clueless. I, being the protective mom I apparently will be, snatched him back up in defense and yet marveled that he could stand at 4 months old. :) Silly me.

Okay... one more story for the other moms out there... but if you're a boy I'm warning you to stop reading now. :) So, with baby Jrew's birth nearing and my body experiencing a bazillion changes, I was very taken aback and shocked when a boy asked me the other day if I was ready for the baby to be born. I said "Yes. We just have 9 weeks left". He replied... "Now I guess you're just milking it for all it's worth."