Profiles

I don’t know why I’ve been so reluctant to take these, but I have. Here is a picture of me on Sunday morning, May 23 at 16 weeks and 2 days.

I’m just pudgy. I’ve certainly gained my 5 to 9 pounds - about 7 to be honest - and where is it? It’s hardly baby weight I’d say! Oh well, that will come all too soon, I’m sure. But here ya go for those of you who have been asking!

He's Got Goods

Wednesday, May 19th was one of the first days in a long, long, long time that I have actually counted down the days until it arrived. I think the last time I did that it was for my wedding. It’s such a wonderful thing to be excited about something.

So I counted down from 21 days; from my 12 week appointment at my OBGYN where they scheduled my “gender check” appointment. First, I should tell you that I was against even knowing the gender - but that was before I got pregnant. Then, it was one of the things that floated into my mind most often in those idle moments of your days.

So, so, so, so many people would ask me what I though I was having and I’d have to say - I don’t know! Almost everyone I know is either pregnant with a boy is has a baby boy less than 6 months old (except ONE person.) So, there was large part of me that thought I must be having a boy, but on the other hand, there was a large part of me thinking odds are saying this baby has GOT to be a girl!

I played all kinds of mind games with myself, thinking that if I started pseudo planning that it was a girl, then I could make it a boy and vice-versa. It wasn’t until 2 nights before our appointment that I told Chris I was worried because I had actually begun to want a boy - "and what would happen if it’s a girl and I feel disappointed? That would just be devastating! And do you think if I started thinking that it’s a girl that it will be boy, you know, because people are almost always wrong about this stuff? or maybe I should really be praying it’s a boy because that’s what you want, too....”

“Lydia! Seriously!” said the mildly annoyed voice of my sleepy husband. “This is NOT karma. It doesn’t matter what you think or plan or do or say. It is what it is. It’s either got one or it doesn’t at this point.”

I just started laughing. He was so right! And so, for the next 2 days I was just still excited about thinking about either one, knowing God would give us what we were supposed to have first.

So Mom and Dad met me and Chris at the doctor’s office for the visit. This is what we saw. Watch the video closely and you'll see IT'S A BOY!!

This is the Ro-Bean's first movie!! Enjoy!

This is us just as pleased as punch after we left. I get to see my actual doctor on May 26 to get a real report on how the baby is doing. Stay tuned for profile pics of me and hopefully a name soon!!

The Star

If you read my sister’s blog, you’ve already heard about this. If you don’t, go to this link. My oldest nephew, Conner, had his kindergarten musical last Tuesday night. He was spectacular. He had a few lines and a solo. Here are a few different pictures that Rachel doesn’t have on her blog. I tried and tried to get the video to download, but it's just too big.

Meeting Nanna

I lost all 3 of my grandparents within the last 2 years - actually, it all happened within 15 months of each other, but time is passing now. Grandparents are SO important.

Chris has 2 living grandparents. His grandfather, his dad's dad, was

at out wedding. Again, I hardly remember meeting him. He is no longer married to Chris's Nanna. Nanna lives in a nursing home with Harry, her new husband. Nanna has dementia and Chris tells me she has not really carried a conversation in about 8 years. On Sunday May, 2nd, while we were in Pensacola, we drove down to Martin where her nursing home is

to visit her. She was lovely! Chris and his family were all so delighted that she recognize

ed them all and she even seemed to know that Chris was married and was ready to meet me!

All afternoon Chris's mom and dad spoke of how they had not heard her say so much in years. What a blessing that we got to see her and I got to meet her on such a good day. I'm not gonna lie. I shed a few tears while I was in there - jealous tears. Tears that were screaming, "at least they still have their grandmother! And Lucas has a great grandmother!... and I just plane old miss mine." And then they turned into happy tears. My MeeMaw and my Gwe Gwe are certainly better off. Gwe Gwe isn't lonely and MeeMaw doesn't hurt... and how lucky am I that I got to meet this wonderful matriarch on one of her best days in years to form memories of her.

Here are a few of our pictures:

Fireman Wedding - May 1st

I guess it's been about 3 weeks ago now that Chris and I flew to Florida on a Friday morning with his parents, sister, her husband, and out precious little nephew Lucas. We were going to see Chris's cousin, Steve, get married. I've met Steve before, at our wedding, but - if you've been married, you know how meeting people at your own wedding goes - I hardly remembered him. Steve is a fireman in Pensacola and he married a lovely young lady named Cathy.

The wedding was so cute. It was at a lovely bed and breakfast right on the water in Pensacola called the Lee House. It was absolutely beautiful and the owner was charming. We had to park away from the home and ride a trolley to the wedding on the Saturday night it was performed.

This is sweet little Lucas on the trolley with Uncle Chris behind him.

Here's everybody else on the trolley.

The wedding was outdoors under a tent. The weather was not beautiful May weather by any me

ans that weekend, kind of a constant mist and humidity (you'll be able to tell when you see my hair in a minute!) But here are a few pictures from the wedding:

Apparently, this is all I have from the wedding, but after the wedding, they had firetruck rides and we took some family photos. It was a fun evening.

The Back(ing) Up Plan

I was just reading some of my friends' blogs and it seems like April was CRAZY busy for a lot of people! Without pictures, here's a little view of what my month was like:

First weekend: Easter - which for a youth minister's wife means LTC! Yay! There's not much more an 8 week nauseous pregnant woman wants to do than stay on the 12th floor of a cramped hotel full of kids! No, really. It was fun. Only a few running trips to the bathroom and the kids did a great job. Then on Sunday, my whole family and Kelly, my brother's girlfriend, came to my house for Easter hamburgers and the most overdone Easter Egg hunt any 3 little boys could ask for. I think each of the boys got over a hundred eggs... there were a lot!

Second Weekend: I went to a course on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday about transitioning NICU babies to home and advanced practice in physical therapy for the development of children from birth until age 6. Wow. Since the following Monday (April 12) was our second anniversary (already!) Chris and I went to a movie and dinner on Saturday night while we were in Dallas. It was lovely. I love him so much and tell him all the time that I don't think anyone I know is as good a picking a husband as I am. I'm blessed.

Monday, April 12 - I married my wonderful husband two years ago this day. As if that isn't' enough to overwhelm a day, all of this happened: Chris left to go to an OC camp planning meeting and I had a speaking engagement that evening. That's right. A speaking engagement. Ha! My mom was my lovely date. My high school called me a few weeks before and said they were looking for a former National Honor Society Member who was successful to come back and speak at an evening banquet for the kids and parents. At first I was a little confused why they called my, but then I discovered they were very interested in my education as a doctor of physical therapy. It was a delightful evening. There were a few more people there than I thought there would be, but I was so honored to get to do it and give back to the "village" that helped raise me. I hope I made my momma proud.

Tuesday, April 13 - I hosted BUNCO at my house! A few month ago, a group of 12 young ladies at my church invited me to be a part of their bunco group. To make a long story short, my month to host came much faster than it should have. I canceled a few of my afternoon patients that day and came home to cook and do last minute cleaning. I made green chile chicken enchiladas (my sweet husband grilled and diced the chicken for me before he left), guacamole, salad, queso, and chips. We had an Blue Bell ice cream buffet for dessert (a pregnant woman's dream!). I think I spent a ridiculous $30-40 just on ice cream, but it was fun and it was good.

The Third Weekend: the great flood = canceled youth group event. We actually stayed home this weekend due to the weather, which was okay because I had been very sick (just pregnancy throwing up stuff) the Thursday before and I really needed to get some sleep!

Last Weekend in April: Youth group retreat in Oklahoma. It was such a fun retreat and our new intern, Michael, came. It was great to meet him. I very excited about getting to know him better over the summer and I think he will get along with Chris and the kids great. At the retreat we talked about "story" and "what if." If someone read about my life in a book, would they keep reading like they do Harry Potter, or would they put it down because it was boring and seemed like it was going no where. We talked about different Bible characters who lived great stories and how so often our stories may be more exciting if we ask the question, "what if... I offer to buy that family dinner who appear to be struggling...what if ... instead of watching the office at my house by myself tonight I go knock on my neighbors door and ask if they want to come over and watch it. Stuff like that. It was good. AND I finished my first trimester!! My sweet baby is growing and growing. The throwing up and nausea hasn't ended yet for me, but I'm still hopeful that it will. (and we find out what we are having on May 19th!)

And now, we're to the first weekend in May: We flew to Florida for the wedding of Chris's cousin Steven and his wife Cathy. It was fun to spend time with Chris's family and to finally meet so much of his family that I never have! I'm hoping to put some pictures of this on here soon.

And just so you know, a foreshadowing - We sat right behind home plate at the Rangers game last night because Chris graduated with his Master's degree! I'm so proud of him. More to come on that later, too.

Sorry for the marathon post. That was all so important and noteworthy I just feel like I had to pay tribute to it!