Living Proof of a Loving God to a Watching World

Ethan James

2011-09-05T23:17:00.008-05:00

Well Hello! To say that I need to update is quite the understatement.

We welcomed Ethan James to our family on Thursday, August 18th at 3:37 pm. It was an amazing day and wonderful experience. Dr. E set us up for induction again like Henry. Jared and Henry checked me into the hospital at 7 that morning. Jared took Henry to school while I got all worked up and things got started. I labored all day. When it was time, the nurse called Dr. E. He came, I pushed 3 times, and we welcomed our new baby boy!!!!

His name was quite the decision! We had it narrowed down to 4 names for the longest time: Liam, Simon, Ethan, Elam. I loved Liam from the beginning and liked Simon from the beginning too. Ethan and Elam were Jared's picks. James was his middle name and was easily decided upon early. We entered into the hospital with Liam and Ethan as final choices. Our nurse's son's name is Liam, and we found out that one of Dr. E's twin boys is named Ethan...funny! I guess we just needed to see our little man before naming him. Ethan means "strong and courageous", and he's already proven himself such.

Henry has been awesome! He's done so well and enjoys his baby brother so much.

He did this! He pulled the blanket over his head. He was so mad when he was born that he literally screamed for 4 hours. Then he calmed down and has been calm since :)

All my boys!

Then we had some visitors! We've been so blessed with such amazing friends!!!

Aunt Andrea!!!

Rachel

Lauren

I didn't get pics of Sara or the Grus (sorry guys!)

The Arnolds! How precious is Andy?! We miss them so much!

I have more updates from this year and a recent trip to the Arboretum. I'll be posting updates soon...

Christmas2010

2010-12-12T22:07:00.001-06:00

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We're here...I promise!

2010-11-15T22:19:00.008-06:00

Here's some updates from Henry's birthday in September until now. We've had lots of visitors and tons of fun!!!

First, Meme and Grumps visited. We had SO many adventures from the zoo, shopping, Going Bonkers, eating out...we didn't get many pics with our camera, but they got tons!!! Meme, will you share? :)

Then Nana visited. We all went to a pumpkin patch with some great activities.

Halloween came and went...a very scary pirate joined us!!! Aaarrgghhh!!! Our Life Group leaders invited us over. Ironman helped Henry learn how to trick-or-treat this year.

Finally, Grammy and Pop-pop came for a visit.

Our baby boy is no more! We've got a toddler on our hands. He's beautiful, cautious, VERY observant, a fast learner, and we are SO proud of our Doodle! (I just realized he's in the same outfit for 2 of the occasions....it must be a favorite of his!)

These eyes melt my heart.

I know this face looks mad, but he's not. He's just thinking...something he's always doing. I think this shot captures so much of his growing personality.

5th and Final Post for the Day

2010-07-06T22:16:00.002-05:00

So, our friends Adam and Jessi were mentioned earlier from their visit (I hate I waited so long to post bc we had such a fun weekend, that I only hit the bullet points and not many details in the post...AND they gave me a FANTASTIC apron I didn't mention - love it and wear it daily!). Anyway, they've been published!!! Scroll down to the right and click the Go.Be.Do link...that's her blog. You'll get all the details. Please join me in congratulating them. I should note that she's obnoxiously beautiful...I've never seen anything like it. Adam, you're not so bad. Haha!

4 POSTS IN ONE DAY!!!!

2010-07-06T17:23:00.004-05:00

I just posted 4 blogs. Now you can see what's been going on since Christmas...in a nutshell! I'll definitely be better about updating from now on...really. I think it's funny (ironic) that I set a goal to blog more this year, and perhaps this has been my worst year since beginning to post!!! I guess I've been insanely busy with my new job. Perhaps this will be a jump start for the rest of the year!!!!! More to come soon....

Before that...we got NEW Couches!!!!! We got them in April. I'm so happy with the color, shape, size, etc. Lauren, aka Ya-ya, helped me pick out some pillows. Curtains are next...YES!!!!!!!!! So exciting!!!

The Kaufman's visited from LA!!!!

2010-07-06T11:13:00.022-05:00

We enjoyed Adam and Jessi coming to visit! If you remember, Jared married them last summer. Here are some highlights of their trip...

They gave Doodle an Elmo camera...he LOVES it!!!

We enjoyed dinner at the Hard Eight...great Texas BBQ!!!!!

Adam can play a mean game of softball!

Then we headed for to see where JFK was shot

...and enjoyed some apps outside...

My sweet boys

So...we walked up to this...some tourists that must like this Tequila...

Maybe we had a little fun with it?!?!

On Sunday, we all went to play a little golf.

Jared gave a few lessons

Henry got to play, too

Hmm...what shall I do next?

Love these kisses!Um....I don't want to go.

Sadly, Adam and Jessi's last memory of Henry was him screaming the ENTIRE way home because he didn't want to leave. He enjoyed playing in the golf cart and playing with all the golf balls. He was hot, tired, and devastated. I hated that was their last memory of Doodle bug...sorry guys. We enjoyed their visit SO much!!!

Grammy and Pop-pop Came for a Visit in April

2010-07-06T10:58:00.008-05:00

Grammy and Pop-pop visited in April for my birthday. I also had to go to training for work, so they had some much coveted time with the boys (and Rahab...you'll see)! See below!

Henry...oh how you've grown!

2010-07-06T10:57:00.011-05:00

These pictures are from Christmas, April, and just recently...enjoy!!!

Kentucky Derby was so much fun!

2010-07-06T10:48:00.008-05:00

Sorry it's been FOREVER since my last post. Well, get ready cause here it comes!!! The Derby weekend was kind of bipolar...the weather was perfect and gorgeous Thursday and Friday. We had the best time. Then the actual day of Derby was cold and rainy! We made it work, though. Call me a redneck, but I love a sunny day and a cold beer! Throw in some horses and pretty dresses, and you've got a great day for The Oaks!

Okay, so the play by play...I arrived Wednesday to Tiff's and she took me to get mani/pedi's that night...SO SWEET!!!! Thursday, we picked up Rachel and headed to Knoxville to pick up Leslie...then off to Louisville! Thursday was Oaks...see pic below. Doesn't it look so fun! We made some great memories and shared tons of laughs, but they will remain our sweet memories!!!

This pic pretty much sums up Derby...rainy, cold, and trying to make the best of it!!! I'd go again in a NY minute! Thanks, Tiff, for the invite! I had a blast!

Kentucky Derby, Here I Come!

2010-04-27T22:35:00.002-05:00

I'm headed to the Kentucky Derby tomorrow for a girls trip...I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!! That means my sweet boys will have to fend for themselves. Who knows what's in store, but there will be MUCH testosterone, I'm sure! ;) Yes, I'll take tons of pics and upload about the trip. We have TONS of pictures to share of our Doodle bug and recent visitors. Maybe Jared can upload the blog the weekend, hmmm.....

Until next time, I'm headed to the races!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Must Read...

2010-04-12T20:49:00.002-05:00

Our friend, Justin Arnold, shares his view of Christ's death and resurrection in lieu of his recent circumstances. I think it's an absolute "Must-Read". Praise God we have a hope in Him who has risen, indeed!

http://justinarnold.blogspot.com/2010/04/new-perspective-of-cross.html

In other news, we've moved...again. We're still in Dallas, however. We found a rental home just 10 minutes or so from our apt. We're all settled in and enjoying it. Rahab was excited to have a yard again. She just laid in the grass like, "You do love me, don't you?!" Henry's enjoying the sliding door to the back yard...open, close, open, close (and the occasional hand clap because he's so proud of himself). I know, I know. You want pictures. I'll post some in a few weeks. April and May are crazy busy. I'm out of town 2 weeks in April, Jared's parents are coming for a visit in April, and Jared's BFFs from high school are coming in May. I'm so excited!!!!!! Also, one of the weeks I'll be out of town is to go on a girls trip to the Kentucky Derby!!!!!!! I CANNOT WAIT!!! I've begun an official countdown! I'll be sure to take LOTS of pictures over the next couple of months and post some good ones. Until next time...

Ol' MS

2010-03-01T09:27:00.004-06:00

We all took a trip to good ol' MS about a week ago. We ended up staying with the Gardners 2 nights! It was wonderful to spend some time with them...notice the "some" we were SO busy it was borderline ridiculous. We toured State's campus...wow has that place changed! Mrs. Becky took us through the honors dorm and her new office. It was beautiful! Those students are living in style. One morning we had breakfast with the Overstreets. It did our hearts so well to see them and talk for a while. Camp is as cute in person as his pictures...so well-behaved. And that Paxton, he's adorable! I saw my friend Shannon at her new school and hung out for a bit. Then we had lunch with Butch and went back to his house to talk while Henry took a nap. I went back over to Shannon's to see her sweet girls, while Jared went to study for a bit. That night we had dinner with our old church group...the Chapel. These people are amazing! They are just like family to us! The Chessers, the "Scrappy-Pappy" Thompsons, the Daniel Thompsons, and the Gardners were all in attendance. Holly and Daniel's boys are so sweet and well-mannered. I hadn't seen Aaron since we was little bitty and had never met Josh!!! (Camp was little bitty when we moved, too, I might add, and we hadn't met Paxton either.) On Saturday morning, we met up with my mom and sister to tour the campus. Henry was TERRIBLE! He decided he didn't want to sleep well Friday night and just couldn't handle it. Aunt Wendi and Nana rarely see him, and he had to be a toot! What's even worse...I didn't take a single picture while we were there! I had full intentions to take some on Saturday, and the battery was out!!!! Ugh!!! I was so frustrated...I tried to make it Jared's fault. It was nobody's fault; we just didn't think about it being dead. It was good to take a visit, but I must say, it's good to be home!

Who Dat?!

2010-02-16T11:01:00.003-06:00

I'm getting settled into my new job, and I really think I'm going to like it! Funny story, though. I left my previous company because I REALLY like my new manager. On my first day, he tells me he's been promoted. SERIOUSLY?!?!?!?!?!?!? We discussed the issue at lunch, and I feel confident he's going to replace his position with someone similar to his managing style...so that's good!

We've been praying for some time now that the Lord would show us whether Jared should resign from his full-time job and just concentrate on school OR continue plugging along with both. Without boring you with details, it was an extremely difficult decision to make. (Okay, a hint: Losing an income + losing tuition reimbursement...ugh!) God is faithful, and we feel called that Jared should concentrate on his studies in order to graduate next May...yes, I said it, NEXT MAY!!!! It has been a long and bumpy road, and we're beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know, I know...only to go into another tunnel in Ph D land. Nevertheless, we are coming out of one tunnel, and I will be thankful! We are encouraged to take this leap of faith and learn how our God will stretch us/mold us into the servants He has planned for our lives. Henry and I are proud of you, Da; You can do it!

Henry is growing more and more each day. We are so in love with his personality. We all watched the Superbowl game with some friends, namely YaYa and Justy. We were trying to teach him to say, "Who Dat!", but it didn't go over well. He would just yell, "DAAAAA" and look at Jared. Way to Go, Saints! Henry's "talking" so much more...we're really in for it ;) I'll try to post pics/videos soon. It may be while though...and it may be overwhelming!!!

I guess that's it for now. Although, I do ask you to continue to pray for our friends Lauren and Justin (Yaya and Justy), as they are still dealing with the previous mentioned emergency situation.

Need your Prayers

2010-01-24T13:02:00.005-06:00

Please be praying for our dear friends Lauren and Justin, as well as his whole family. They went to Jackson, MS late last night in order to be with Justin's family for an emergency situation.

new job...again!

2010-01-17T19:11:00.004-06:00

I'm starting over, again, with a new job. I've been recruited since early November to work for an LTAC, or Long Term Acute Care facility. It's a type of hospital. They finally wooed me long enough, so I'm excited/anxious to start my journey with them. It was quite a long process and everything that could go wrong in an interview process did. I'm pretty apprehensive about it, and my new territory will put us back in North Dallas. I'm going to see how things go with the job before we decide if we're going to move again or not. It's not that I didn't like my current job. I enjoy the work and the relationships that I've created. Let's just say that I'm going to prefer my new manager's leadership style and understanding of life/family/work balance. This week is my last week with my current job. I'll start my new one on Monday. I'll keep you updated.
I have to write about this story about my bug; I'd like it recorded so we don't forget. Ashley Norwood was in town at the beginning of Dec. We LOVED having her visit with us!!! We (Ashley, Henry, and I) were sitting at the table having lunch one day. Henry was finished, so he began taking his bowl and putting it on his head/face. Annoyed with his behavior, I took the bowl and said something to this effect, "No, Henry, this is not a good choice. The only way you can have this back is if you say 'bowl'." Then I took the bowl and set it on the table in front of him. Ashley and I were talking about something, so we continued our conversation. I, honestly didn't think anything about it because Henry wasn't saying much those days. Henry, meanwhile, was staring at the bowl and shouted, "BOWL!" I looked at Ashley and said, "Did that just happen?" She said, "Yes, it sure did." Needless to say, Henry got the bowl and continued to put it on his head, face, or where ever. I've adjusted my discipline appropriately ;) I love that little boy so much!

New Year's Resolution

2010-01-10T21:32:00.004-06:00

Every year Jared and I create New Year's Resolutions, or measurable/attainable goals. Some are very attainable, some moderate, and some are dreams we are working on to attain at a much later date but chip away at. All of that to say, I've been lacking with my blogging and posting of pics. I've set a goal to blog at least once a week. I may need some accountability here! Even if I don't have pics or anything particular interesting going on, I'm going to post. Henry's learning so much and changing, and I'd like to have that documented.
Speaking of my doodle bug...he's almost 16 mos. He'll turn 16 months on our dear friends, Justin and Lauren's anniversary! We've all passed around the stomach flu this week. He was so pitiful! He's saying more things these days. His vocabulary includes: Da (or Dada), mama, dog, woof-woof, book, car, Ray-ray, Jesus, this (He must have picked that up from Jared and me saying, "Do you want this? Use your words". So he does, "This?"), and foofbish (toothbrush...still working on that one). He can roar like a lion, woof-woof like a dog, and make monkey noises! And he does this and he does that...how obnoxious is this post getting! Sorry! His personality is coming out more each day. He is such a joy in our home!

Christmas 2009

2010-01-10T21:28:00.003-06:00

We went to Wisconsin for Christmas this year. It was a white Christmas; although, had we stayed in Dallas, we would've enjoyed one there too! I was praying we'd get snowed in and have to stay there for a few days longer, but it didn't turn out that way. Good thing because Jared started class the following Monday. Jared and I gave each other a nice camera for Christmas. We got some great shots, but I don't know how to download the pics yet. I hope to take a class this semester in photography, so that I can learn how to use our camera optimally. I'll download pics as soon as I can.

Thanksgiving 2009

2010-01-10T20:54:00.005-06:00

I know I'm a tad late, but I'd rather have it documented than not at all...

We went to Birmingham for Thanksgiving this year. We had a good time. Henry was so sick with an upper respiratory infection and bronchitis the day we left! What was supposed to be a relaxing morning before the flight (with just me and Henry, as Jared was at a conference) turned into a hectic morning. I had to rush him to the pediatrician, get some meds, and get to the airport in time. If it weren't for my good friend Daron we wouldn't have gotten all of our stuff there...THANKS DARON!!! Henry did really well on the flight. The plane started backing out, and he fell asleep. Yep, slept the whole flight. We had a relaxing week and ate some great food! Here are some pics...

For an update...

2009-12-11T10:17:00.002-06:00

click the A+B icon on the right.

A Month's worth of updates...

2009-11-14T20:01:00.011-06:00

We've got Internet after about a month, so I've got updates galore.

Here's Henry when he was just learning to walk.

As mentioned earlier, here are pics of Doodle at Halloween. Did I mention he was sick...

Big John and Grammy Judy sent a Halloween "happy" to Henry. He walked around everywhere with this little cup!

They also sent him a snow suit for his b'day. We'll be visiting them for Christmas this year, and he needs to be warm. For those of you that have seen the Christmas Story, it was an exact remake...he couldn't put his arms down, fell, and couldn't get up! Hysterical! I mean look at that face!

I don't remember how we got his hair like this, but it was just too cute to pass up! He's clapping...notice the halloween cup...again! Thanks Grammy and PopPop!

BUSTED!!! He gets it honest, his Daddy LOVES candy corn! :)

He'd just woken up from a nap...bed head!

This was just before bed tonight...so sweet! He's getting a hair cut this week; he looks like a frat boy.

We were having dinner one night, and everything Jared did was funny. He was pretending to throw a ball or making gun noises...Take a look

Another night we were teaching him to cheer for the bulldawgs. He was doing it more until I got the camera. Sorry for the redneck "Wooing"

Hello Again!

2009-11-04T20:46:00.002-06:00

It seems like it has been FOREVER since our last post! We'll be getting Internet next Monday...how am I posting now, you ask? I'm on my work computer :) We recently sold our home and moved to another suburb in Dallas. It's closer to both of our jobs, which is SO nice. We are also much closer to Lauren and Justin, and we've seen them every weekend (ok, twice a weekend!). It's really great being so close to them.
Henry celebrated his second Halloween...under the weather. It was kind of sad. I made an appointment for him on the 30th. Although he felt TERRIBLE, I dressed him up in his costume. That may be borderline child abuse, but he looked so cute! He's just now starting to feel better. I'll post pics our our lil Tigger when we get the Internet hooked up at home. I'm not sure if I've blogged about this, but we've got a walker! Henry was toying with the idea of walking when we were packing to move. The week after we were all moved in, he became an expert "beginner" walker (does that even make sense?!).
We are adjusting to our new home and Henry's new teacher/sitter. We are incredibly blessed by his new teacher. I found (by God's grace) an in-home sitter that teaches preschool from her home. She takes no more than 6 children and happened to have a spot available. He gets little "assignments" during the week. It's pretty cute I must admit. She's a believer which is reassuring, and she teaches Bible stories, too.
By the way...How 'bout them dawgs on Saturday! I'll have TONS of pics and videos next time...

We are Moving!

2009-09-29T08:33:00.002-05:00

The house is sold. We have to be out soon...Oct. 9! More to come!

Birthday Party

2009-09-20T19:27:00.012-05:00

We celebrated Henry's birthday last Saturday. It was supposed to be a pool party, but it rained all week and consequently all day Saturday. We moved the party to our house, which was a little nerve-racking because it's up for sale! We made it work and enjoyed our guests. Thank you so much for coming and celebrating our baby boy! We even had some out-of- towners, Aunt Wendi, Grumps, and MeeMee came. Henry LOVED his cupcake. He didn't let a drop go to waste!

Nana gave him a phone for his birthday because he's OBSESSED with mine!

All the family but me...taking the picture ;-)

Aunt Wendi (how great is this picture...why won't he do this for me?!)

Grumps and Henry

Helping Daddy open gifts

At least we got a picture together!

Henry's real birthday was on Tuesday of this week. We went out to Texas Roadhouse, a local favorite. My dad ate ribs and thought Henry should try some! He gave him one of his bones that had some BBQ sauce on it...a tad redneck so I snapped a pic.
Happy Birthday, Doodle! We love you so much!

What a difference a year makes!

My sweet baby boy

2009-09-15T09:35:00.002-05:00

Today is Henry's first birthday, and I'm consumed with thoughts of where we were this time last year. My precious Doodle was on his way. I am humbled and overjoyed that God would create such a gift and allow Jared and I to borrow him and raise him. We celebrated his birth on Saturday with family and friends. Pics to come...

Happy Birthday, Henry, you are truly loved! :-)

Love

2009-09-07T20:57:00.003-05:00

This was supposed to be a mohawk during bath time but oh well...I just think he's so beautiful sometimes! :-)

I'm so proud of...

2009-09-01T09:49:00.002-05:00

ME!!! Henry will have breast milk for the entire first year of his life! This week I'm finally allowed to enjoy a day without having to stop every few hours to pump. There are so many benefits of breast milk, and it became important to us for Henry to have it for as long as I could produce it. It just worked out that I produced enough and had the patience to stick with it for this long! I have enough stored in the freezer to get him to his first birthday and a little after. Yea! When I first went back to work in June, my production decreased dramatically, but I didn't give up! Thanks An, for the pep talks and referring me to the lactation consultant...and, of course, all the difficult/time-consuming caring you do for our little Doodle! I know he loves you and is so well taken care of! So cheers to me!!!! I'm really quite proud!!!

Road Trip and Happy Anniversary!

2009-08-29T19:29:00.005-05:00

Jared, Henry, and I took a road trip to Madison, WI to visit family 2 weeks ago. It was Jared's idea, of course, to drive...he's the most stubborn person I know. Oh well, we did it, and he promised me to NEVER do it again. Henry didn't sleep but about 30 minutes the whole night, Jared drank a 5-hour energy drink and got sick, and I drove the most difficult leg of the trip. The alleged 15 hour trip turned into 20! Thank goodness when we got there everything worked out great! We visited with Lauri, Jason, Emma, and Maddy since they were visiting from England, Grammy Judy and Pop-pop John, hung with Bobby and his new gal MK, and Judy hosted a fish fry one evening with several family members. We had such a great time. Emma is such a sweet little girl, and she's picked up an English accent with some things...She asks to "go wee in the potty" and sings a song about Dickey birds. Check it out below. It's pretty cute! :-)

Maddy's a sweet baby! She's laid back and content...I thoroughly enjoyed cuddling her and holding her because my baby boy has better things to do these days. We had Verwiel Family Fun day at the zoo one day. Judy was sweet enough to take every one's order for sandwiches AND put them in baggies with their names on them ;-)

My camera batteries died as we walk into the zoo, so Lauri and Krisi got some great pics of the kiddos. I managed to get these 2. Henry LOVED the zoo and all the animals.

John and Judy have a playground in their neighborhood; I got a few pics that afternoon

The trip home went much smoother than expected...yea! Then poor Jared had to take the next day off work because his back was hurting so bad. Here are some latest pics of our Doodle! We've planned a pool party for his first birthday. He loves the pool, and I don't have to prepare our house for a party.

Speaking of preparing our house, we're putting it on the market this week. I'll let you know what happens.

In other news, Jared and I celebrated our 5th anniversary this Friday. Andrea watched Henry (which entailed putting him to bed and letting him sleep until we got back!) while we went out to dinner just the two of us. Jared did a FANTASTIC job with my gift! I get to pick out a ring! I'll post pics once I get it. We've definitely learned much from each other these past 5 years, I hope we never stop learning. We've mostly learned the sacrifice of being selfless and learning what it means to glorify God with our union...some days we do a great job...then there are others. I love you, Boo.

Cheap Thrills

2009-08-05T19:08:00.009-05:00

Henry's waving ALL THE TIME these days! All the time except when we've got the camera that is! We tried to get him to wave, but he just won't do it!

Look how much fun a laundry basket can provide :-)

Figuring out this new push toy from Andrea! :-)

Goin' back to Cali, Cali, Cali

2009-07-29T21:35:00.009-05:00

Jared and I enjoyed a fantastic vacation to Cali...just the 2 of us!!! Grumps (my dad) and Meemee (my dad's wife) came and took care of Henry. They did a wonderful job and graciously stuck to his schedule. Henry also got to try some yummy table food! Dad and Jeri, thank you so much for coming and taking amazing care of our Doodle-bug!

Jared and I went to California for our friends' wedding. Adam and Jessi live in LA and asked Jared to officiate their wedding. He did such a sweet job, if I do say so myself. Adam and Jessi are friends of Jared's from high school in good ol' Greendale, WI. They enjoyed such a beautiful day; thank you Adam and Jessi for inviting us out! Here are a few highlights from our week. Jared and I left early Tuesday morning and had dinner with the lovely couple Tuesday evening. On Wednesday, Jared and I went to Santa Monica and enjoyed a beautiful day on the beach, shopping, and just having fun. Then on Thursday, the festivities began for the wedding. Adam's aunt and uncle hosted a pool party at their house. Everything was set up beautifully...of course I didn't get a single pic, BUT I managed to catch this video. I promised Adam that I'd put it on our blog! Adam's sister and cousin created this marvelous synchronized swimming routine! Check it out! :-)

Friday was the rehearsal dinner that turned into a late night...well, for me anyway! Jared was tired and went to bed. I, however, stayed and made friends. For those of you reading, I'm sure you're shocked! ;-) The wedding was absolutely stunning...Jessi looked AH-MAZING! Adam cleans up nice, too! Haha! We really needed to get away, and it was an added bonus that my dad suggested he come and take care of Doodle. Here are pics from our trip! :-)

Long Time No See...So Much to See!

2009-07-11T09:14:00.037-05:00

It's been almost a month since I last posted. Sorry about that! I'll do my best to go back to once a week. Lots of things have happened since then...Henry's loving the pool more and more these days. Jared enjoyed a great, relaxing Father's day. Lauren and Justin visited. Shannon and her girls came to visit for the 4th. We took the little ones to Chuck E Cheese! Jared turned 28! Henry's pulling up and scooting around everywhere! Enjoy a several pics and videos below. Like I said...lots going on! :-) FYI - the comments aren't posting near the pictures, so I had to go back and number the comments with the corresponding picture...so frustrating!

4 -

Henry and

YaYa

chicken

fighting!

5 - Henry loves his YaYa!

(Pretty sure YaYa loves her Henry too)

6 - Quite possibly my

favorite picture! :-)

7 - Look at me! I'm so big!

8 - Not quite ready to slide by myself!

9 - Gettin' him started early...haha!!!

10 - Daddy, thanks for letting me drive

12 - Henry is OBSESSED with Karlee! She can just look at him and he laughs...I think it's his first crush! She's so great with him! You may not be able to tell, but they're laughing at each other here.

13 - Family picture. Aren't we festive in our red, white, and blue ;-)

14 - Hmmm...what's going on here?

15 - Can I play?

16 - Wow, look at these!

17 - Holy Moly, It's Chuck E Cheese!

18 - Shannon and her beautiful girls

19 - Caroline, Mattilyn, and Emma

20 - 21 The face that melts my heart!

Ch, Ch, Changes

2009-06-20T20:29:00.008-05:00

We are into the swing of things as far as our routine with me going back to work. Henry's little personality and self-will are coming out. I've put some cute videos of him below. I was telling my mom, Nana, about Henry's latest thing...tantrums. Every night when Jared and I get home, he demands our attention for the first 10-15 minutes. I caught one on video, per Nana's request. Turn your volume down if you don't want to hear the crying...or just don't watch it at all! ;-) I will say, however, there's a funny part towards the end! Jared and I are learning the balance of letting him cry it out, so as to teach Henry that he will not get his way all the time or playing with him, as our time is VASTLY limited these days.

We took Henry to the pool last Saturday for the first time. Poor guy was terrified. Jared took him and plopped him down in the baby pool and sat beside him. Henry's just like his mama and daddy...he HATES being cold! Bless his little heart, he made noises and his entire body started shaking! It was sad. Jared scooped him and tried to comfort him. Then I took him and jumped in the big pool (no, I didn't dunk him!). He was clinging to me, practically clawing me. Any time I want to snuggle, I'm going to take Henry to the pool. I took him on Sunday afternoon by myself, then the whole family went again Sunday evening. Henry's definitely warming to the idea of the pool. We managed to get a few laughs and smiles out of him by the 3rd time around. :-) Here are some pics of our water-baby. (please notice Jared's dark tan)

Jared also took Henry to the dr. for his 9 month check up this Thursday. No shots! Henry weighs in at a whopping 17 lbs 13 oz. (30th percentile) and 29 1/2 in tall (90th percentile). He's doing well but needs to eat more.

Votes are in 14:1!

2009-06-12T20:30:00.001-05:00

The voting results say that you want to hear the details of the process of my new job and how God was in every moment. I know it’s a lot, but here you are…

First know that upon receiving the news that my position had been eliminated with Pfizer, I was deeply saddened. I thoroughly respected and admired my manager at the time and learned MUCH from him in a short amount of time. So, I took some time to be with Henry to enjoy his infancy.

In February I attended an invitation-only lunch meeting for displaced Pfizer reps. There I met a woman named Jude (pronounced Judy) Wardle. She is currently a District Manager for Pfizer. I’ve been keeping up with her during this transition. Keep this in mind, it will matter later…

I applied to this Hospice Company a while ago. To be honest, I don’t even remember when. A recruiter named Lori from Vitas called one Thursday to see if I was still interested/available in the position. After confirming that I was both interested and available, she set up a phone interview. She called and the interview was going really well, but I heard a baby cooing in the background. She apologized and began describing for me that her baby sitter was sick, so her daughter was home with her today. I then explained why the time from 1-3 was the best time to call…Henry’s nap time. One thing led to another and we started “mommy talk”, and I found out that her daughter was born 4 days after Henry! To say the least, we became fast friends. She said she didn’t want to wait to tell me, but that I’d moved onto the next level of a face-to-face interview. She said she’d let me know the time and day for that interview. I followed up with her appropriately on Friday and Monday. When she called on Tuesday, she explained that the manager had interviewed 3 other candidates and was probably going to fill the position with one of them; the main reason being that they had hospital experience. Upset with the news, I asked her to please keep me in mind if another position came up or if things didn’t work out.

The next day, I got a voicemail from Jude Wardle saying that she had spoken with Jack Reilly about my resume, potential job opportunity, and gave a wonderful reference. I called her back immediately, thanked her, and explained that I was grateful for the reference but I had no idea who Jack Reilly was. Later in the afternoon, Lori (Vitas recruiter) called and said that the 3 candidates were still in the mix but that I was wanted to interview face-to-face. She said that a man named Jack Reilly may be there!!! So I told her the story of my friend giving me the good reference.

I interviewed with my now manager – but still no Jack Reilly - , it went well, and she moved me to the next level. The next interview was set up for Thursday afternoon after another interview I had with a pharmaceutical company. I do not suggest 2 interviews in one day! I sat in the interview with my new manager, Jack Reilly, and another General Manager. Jack did most of the talking/questioning. It was a really difficult interview! He didn’t let me know for a second if he liked or disliked me. I mean, wouldn’t even crack!!! I walked out of that interview like, “What just happened?!?!” That night Jude Wardle called me at 8:00 to tell me that she and Jack had been talking about me for the last 45 minutes. She said that she didn’t know what I said but Jack was VERY impressed and said that I was a girl that knew what she wanted and will go places. She felt congratulations were in order. Tuesday morning after Memorial Day I was offered the position. Pay, benefits, flexibility…it was ALL there! So, I enjoyed EVERY minute of my last week at home with Doodle and started back in the workplace on Monday, June 1st.

God had this job for me and me only! He orchestrated every move, every thought, every question, and every answer. I know that God, in His infinite wisdom, worked all of these pieces of the puzzle of my life into His plan for me…Jeremiah 29:11.

Workin' Hard for the money!

2009-06-02T20:31:00.006-05:00

OK, so when I title this post, I couldn't help but think of Kris Allen's version of that song! Love him! Sorry, back to business...

I accepted a job last week and began working on Monday. I am working for VITAS Innovative Hospice Service. I'll be visiting hospitals to educate physicians, nurses, and social workers to help patients transition to death. Sounds depressing but it actually isn't. Providing peace for a family and/or patient during such a difficult transition is a gift. (So in a way, I'm selling a gift!) I will sell the service that my company provides patients and their families. Some of my new territory is vastly different, and I'll also have some of my previous territory from my pharmaceutical job. I'm going through orientation this week and shadowing people with different aspects that our company provides. God, of course, provided every step of this...Without going into much detail things were arranged by the hand of God (vote on the right if you want to hear the details of the story).

Andrea is taking care of Henry, which is a great comfort to us. On Monday when I went to drop him off I cried. I was just going through so many changes (1. contemplating a new car purchase 2. new job 3. breast milk has decided to start drying up - starting taking an herbal supplement today, we'll see how that goes 4. oh yeah, leaving Henry to begin a new career). Andrea just doesn't do tears, but she handled it beautifully. I hopped in the car and called Tiffany...She picked up and I said with tears, "I need a pep talk!" (I'm pretty sure only dogs could hear my pitch!) She gave a pep talk, and then we gabbed for a bit. Thanks friends!

We decided to purchase another vehicle! I'm excited about it. It's a 2009 Hyundai Sonata. After research, I'm proud to quote one of the reviews, "Hyundai built a better Camry than Toyota," which is good because we were considering a Camry or Accord. I wish I knew how to hyperlink, but here's the review if you want to read it! http://www.edmunds.com/hyundai/sonata/2009/review.html We went on Saturday to test drive it. I couldn't decide on what to do. They let us drive it over the weekend to "help" our decision. We took it in on Monday, and after asking a few demands, we bought it! Woo-hoo!

Below are some older pictures of Doodle...I kiss him much more often these days! It's probably a bit annoying.

Jeremiah 29:11

2009-05-14T13:23:00.008-05:00

I don't have any pictures today but wanted to let you know that lately some job interviews have become available to me. I'm REALLY excited about a couple of them. I'll keep you updated. Please pray as you feel led.
Jared has just ended another semester of school. He continues to do so well. He's taking summer classes to stay on schedule to graduate May 2011.

Henry's finally teething. He's cut 2 already, but you can't really see them yet. I've heard that this can be a fussy time for babies, and he's proven so. He's such a content baby, so when he's not feeling good I feel so sorry for him. He'll be playing and crawling around, and then those crocodile tears come. Bless his little heart!

In other news, my sweet friend Brian and his wife Roxanne had their baby last Friday. Welcome little Avery Nicole!!! Brian and I worked on the same team at Pfizer. He got hired about a month or so after I did. Like me, he was laid off in January. I'm asking that you be in prayer for his family, too.

We sincerely thank you for all of your prayers during this time of transition. They are felt and much appreciated. God has given me this time with Henry, and I will ALWAYS be grateful for that. I don't know what I would do without my hope in Jesus Christ and the loving friends and family He's placed in our lives. The enemy is so devious that I become shaken about my job situation once in a while and begin getting worried, but I have hope in my Savior that things will work out. Our Sunday school teacher (also Jared's OT prof) has a mantra that I've grown to love... "What God has done in the past is a model and a promise for what He will do in the future, although He is too creative to do the same thing the same way twice." I also need to thank Tiffany and Andrea for their ENDLESS counseling and mentoring during this process. Jared has continued to be the pillar of faith our family needs and has led our family so willingly. Henry's going to learn how to be a great man with Jared's example...and how to save a dollar! (Sorry, boo, you know i had to!!! We love that about you!) With the title of this post and God's word, of course, my heavenly Father knows the plans He has for me...nothing else needs to be said.

Rocket Man!

2009-05-06T10:02:00.006-05:00

We cleaned our carpets last weekend, so we moved the furniture out of the living room, giving Henry free reign to roam around. He's scooting around so much these days, and he's become a little rocket man. He rocks back and forth and can't figure out why he's not going anywhere. This video is a great example!

Saturday mornings are pretty lazy around here. Jared and I have agreed that he gets to sleep in 2 weekends of the month. These pictures are a typical Saturday morning for us! Have I mentioned that Henry and Rahab are best friends...if not, they are!

I often pick Jared up from the train station when he gets off work. One day when we got home I put Henry in his jumper. He wasn't in there more than 2 minutes when we found him like this. On this particular day Henry was EXHAUSTED...can you tell?

Well, I guess daddy was too...

It's pretty windy here. When Grammy Judy was visiting in January, she was always putting hats on Henry to protect his little ears. When she went home to WI, she sent this hat. It's a little too big but will be GREAT for this winter. Anyway, Jared put him in it the other day to go for a walk, and I just had to get a picture!

Last, but not least, Henry's so funny when he sleeps now. This is a prime time shot of him with his booty in the air. I love this little Doodle!

Bluebonnets

2009-04-23T09:32:00.006-05:00

Last week was my birthday, and Jared really outdid himself! He came to me on Wednesday and said I had a birthday eve present, but I couldn't ask any questions. I went into the guest room where 2 dresses laid. My instructions were to pick one for Friday night. Henry visited with the Learys while we went out. I must say that they took GREAT care of him (Thanks An, Bryan, Riley, Karlee, and Aubree!). Jared and I enjoyed dinner at a really fancy restaurant. It was DELICIOUS!!! I had a fillet and Jared enjoyed rack of lamb. It was wonderful to share some adult conversation over a fantastic meal. Here's a few pics from our night out!
Jared made a memento from candle wax...nice!

Grammy Judy sent Henry a couple outfits. They are so cute! As promised, Lauri and Grammy, I dressed Henry in one of the outfits and put him in the bluebonnets! It was a gorgeous day, and I especially like the baseball cap.

This is the other outfit Grammy Judy sent. He's ready to play for the Mavs!!! Thanks Grammy!

2009-04-14T20:58:00.013-05:00

Hi everyone! Boy are things changing around here! I've got pictures and videos galore. Grammy Judy and Aunt Lauri, I took some pics of Henry in the blue bonnets, but I didn't like them because it was cool, cloudy, and REALLY windy. I'll take him again this week on a prettier day and get them uploaded!!!!

I can't believe it's taken me so long to blog about this particular subject, but Henry's nickname isn't "Too". It's weird. That's what I called him when he was in my belly, but it just didn't work out like I thought. So, I'm sure you're wondering what it is...Doodle. It changes from Doodle-bop to Doodle-bug. We call him everything under the sun from Bubba, Buddy, Hank, the french version of Henry (sounds like On-ray), but it always comes back to Doodle. Kind of funny how that works out. Poor guy...I wonder if he'll know his real name.

I've had a few successful job interviews and have progressed to the final rounds. I feel like I may have something soon. (Wow, a lot of unknowns in that sentence!) Anyway, I have a field ride on Friday and an interview with the regional manager on Monday. We'll see what happens. Please be in prayer that I make the right decision regardless.

Henry's trying some puffs...

Jared's trying to get Henry to crawl. He doesn't do anything in this video but you see his little personality.

Henry "scoots" to find a toy. My little Doodle...he's so determined!

Bath time

Henry's new toy..He's OBSESSED with it!

Ready to go swimming! I got this for $3.99 from a consignment store called Kid-to-Kid...It's FANTASTIC!!! This little find is originally from Old Navy! I cannot wait to take him to the pool!!!

I know this is cruel, but he's just so cute when he cries sometimes!

Pooped after a long day!

BUSTED! Mama, I'll help you wrap the present...

Okay, maybe I'll just eat the paper!

Jailbird and Beautiful Day

2009-04-01T09:22:00.008-05:00

I was talking on the phone with my friend, Tiffany, the other day when I had just put Henry down for a nap. He's such a wiggle worm these days...this is how I found him when I went to check on him. Please keep in mind that before he fell asleep, he cried for a few minutes. He was staring out his crib like this crying...so pitiful!!!!

Yesterday was GORGEOUS!!! Holly and I had a date planned to go to the Arboretum for today, but she called yesterday to see if we wanted to go...YEAH!!!! It was absolutely beautiful. Henry and I had never been, and I was a little obnoxious with my camera (sorry Holly and Lydia). I need to take a photography class because yesterday was a wonderful day to create some pics. Henry was a great subject anyway...here's a few highlights. There are more on facebook, if you want to see. Today, we are getting to celebrate Lauren's b'day! We are excited to go see her and Justin. Her birthday was actually Monday, but Happy Birthday Aunt Ya-Ya!!!

Mama, I LOVE being outside!

Lydia's a bit skeptical of this photo shoot!

Ok, now we're friends!

6 months!

2009-03-25T08:01:00.013-05:00

Henry is 6 months old, now...so strange! He's started solid foods and is funny to watch. These days you can find him saying a little more, like "dada-da-dada". No "mama", of course! He's also trying to crawl...sort of. I'm getting nervous. Henry and Rahab are best friends, now. She didn't really know what to do with him because he didn't move around or talk to her at first...Well that's definitely changed. She greets him every morning with her loud, wagging tail.

I'm still job searching. I did, however, get in touch with the principal I used to work with. We'll see what happens. Check out our little man...

Here's a video of Henry eating squash. He doesn't know what to think about...I hear I'm just supposed to keep trying.

Henry loves his bath! Last night Jared grabbed the camera during bath time
I'm so fresh and clean!

lots of videos!

2009-03-11T08:55:00.005-05:00

This post is quite obnoxious with videos (4)! Sorry! Henry's just doing funny stuff these days, and I want to be able to catch these moments while I can. He's so interested in the video camera whenever I turn it on for him. He's sees the red dot and crinkles his eyebrows like he's trying to figure out what it is...you'll see.

The first is a good one of Henry laughing. You can tell when he catches Jared filming b/c he gets way more interested in the blinking light. I was tickling him while getting him ready to take his bath and Jared grabbed the camera.

Making noises with daddy. We are so funny!

My belly is full

Look at me sittin' up!

Living the American Dream

2009-03-02T08:50:00.008-06:00

Since my last post we've made quite a purchase. We are now the proud owners of a minivan!!! I've been dreaming of owning a minivan since I was about 15 or so. I think I just wanted to have the availability to have tons of people in my car. I even fantasized about having a personalized tag...BRANSVN. Isn't that ridiculous?!?! I'm sure you're wondering why we decided this route...It all started when I lost my job, and we knew I'd have to give my company car back. Jared and I were talking about just having one vehicle. We can totally make it on one. Our friends Chad, Tiffany, and Greyson are supposed to come visit us. We wouldn't all be able to fit in the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Then those thoughts led to...what will we do when Jared's parents visit, my parents, other friends; what if we have another baby? Basically we wouldn't all be able to go somewhere together. Then 2 people that Jared works with got really good deals on vans.

Well, last week I had an interview and Jared had to come home and take care of Henry since having the flu (no one would take Henry in case he still carried the flu germs). Jared decided that he would take Henry to the car dealer while I was interviewing and just see how it drove. I got out of my interview and called Jared to tell him everything about it, and he had the audacity to say, "I'll have to call you back." Needless to say my feelings were really hurt. He called me back and explained that he was test driving a van. Oops! So I said, "DON'T SIGN ANYTHING!!!! I'll be there in a few minutes." I'll save you all the details, but I will tell you that we walked away with a FANTASTIC deal...$7,000 below the asking price! I wheeled and dealed with that salesman and finally got what we wanted. We bought a 2007 Silver Toyota Sienna. So, if you want to come visit us, and you're concerned about us having enough room...Don't be!!!! Check it out below...

In other news, my job interview went really well. I didn't get it however. I was very surprised that I didn't get it. There was a hiring manager and another manager in the interview. The other manager said several times how great I did when I was leaving. The next morning, my old manager text me and said he had heard great things and that I was the best interview all day. I really got my hopes up. The person that got the job had worked for the hiring manager, worked that specific territory, and already knew the drugs so he wouldn't have to learn them. Since the layoff, I would hope that my manager would be as loyal to me if a position opened on his team. I was pouty for a little while and obviously disappointed. I asked the hiring manager when she called what I could have done to get the job and she said NOTHING!!! It kept coming back to me and the guy who got it. Although frustrating, I understand, I guess. So, I'm still job searching and feeling confident about my interview skills. I just need some contacts to help me get an interview.

We went to Lauren and Justin's this weekend and spent the night on Friday. We love those guys so much! We finally got some pictures with them. On a funny note, we were all talking to Henry on Saturday, telling him what we'd teach him. Here's a little how the conversation went:

Lauren: Henry, I'll teach you to play soccer!

Jared: I'll teach you some Greek and Hebrew.

Justin: Henry, I'll teach you how to eat ice cream!!!

I'm pretty sure Uncle Justin wins!!! Check out some pics and video of our little guy!

Poor Baby

2009-02-21T13:38:00.002-06:00

Henry and I are battling the flu...YUCK! We both feel pretty bad. I hate looking into Henry's face and seeing those weepy eyes. He's a champ, however, and has been doing well considering. We both started taking medicine on Friday, so, hopefully, we'll be feeling better soon. I felt so sorry for him. The other morning I went into his room to wake him up. Every morning I sing him a silly song...it's our tradition. So, I walked in his room, turned on the lamp, and peeped over his crib. He was lying there so sweet, so I said, "Hey buddy!" Now, you have to know that I sound like a man due to this whole flu thing. My voice, for some unknown reason, was incredibly deep on this particular morning. Henry looked at me, crinkled his eyebrows, and screamed. He was so confused! He didn't know why I looked liked mama, but sounded like daddy. I picked him up and loved him. He touched my face and looked at me for such a long time. Poor baby! Sorry, I haven't felt like taking any pictures. I'll try to take some today and post them. He's such a little boy now!

In other news, I have an interview this week for a job in Fort Worth. I'm studying for it and hope it goes well. I've also received a lead in the area, so I'm looking into that, too. Thank you for all of your prayers. They are truly felt. Until next time...

2nd post in one day!

2009-02-11T09:43:00.002-06:00

I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! LT made our new page and header! Isn't she fantastic!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the new look! Thanks, LT, you are such a gem!!!!

Here Lately

2009-02-11T09:02:00.008-06:00

I'm adjusting to not having a job...it's strange. I'm enjoying having some time with my little man, though. I've applied for several jobs and just playing the waiting game now. I've gotten in touch with a couple of recruiters, so we'll see. Thank you for all of your prayers. They are needed and much appreciated!

I can't believe Henry will be 5 months on Sunday!!! It seems too fast (sorry, doesn't EVERYONE say that!). He is the sweetest baby! I met 2 of my old teammates yesterday and they just raved about him! Henry goes to anyone easily and is so content. He just smiles, laughs, and "talks" to everybody. I'm a little worried about all this "talking." Perhaps he's a "chip off the old block"! Jared has been afraid of him talking like me...what will he do with 2 of us!!! What will I do! I'm excited to see what he'll be like, but in no rush. I'm trying to enjoy every moment with him, not wishing him to do this or that. We are going to start him on Rice Cereal soon...probably next Monday. That should be interesting. He's done so well that I didn't want to start him too early, but I guess 5 months is a good time to start...

These aren't new pictures, but I just love them! I'm sure we'll get some pics this weekend for his 5 month birthday.

Thank you

2009-01-30T11:49:00.003-06:00

I just received a phone call from my manager to let me know that my position has been eliminated. Thank you so much for your prayers and concern. I ask, again, that you pray for us. I'm feeling a whirlwind of emotions right now.

teeny update

2009-01-29T16:09:00.001-06:00

All sales reps have been told to wait for a phone call between 11:00-1:00 tomorrow to hear whether or not they will still have a job or will be let go. Tomorrow's the big day. My manager will call me with the news. If you think of us, we'd appreciate any of your prayers. I'll write tomorrow with the news.

Prayer please

2009-01-25T19:36:00.005-06:00

I haven't posted about this because I didn't want to be "Debbie Downer", but I'd really appreciate some prayer. Pfizer has been announcing cutbacks in the higher ranks and my day is coming this Friday. I've been updating my resume and job searching online just in case. I have a peace about things. I know God will provide for us...He ALWAYS has. I'm nervously excited for what He has in store for us and for me with my career. I'm asking that you please pray for us in whatever way you feel led, and, if you would, please put my friend Tiffany's name in there, too. We were hired at the same time, and she has a son just about a month older than Henry. I'll keep you updated.

Other than that, things are going well. Judy is here for one more week, and then she flies out on Saturday. :-( She's been AMAZING! She's cooked, cleaned, and taken such good care of Henry since I headed back to work. Jared's been studying, of course, with school stuff and working full time, too. We've arranged for a lady in our neighborhood to take care of Henry when Judy leaves, so that will be an interesting transition. I'll post pictures later. Please pray for us in the coming days.

Alison made a comment, so I decided to edit this post with Henry's latest stats. He went to the dr. for his 4 month check up on the 17th. Yes, Ali, he's still long and lean! Henry weighs in at a whopping 13.5 lbs, which is the 25th percentile! ;-) As far as height goes, he's 26 in. long, which is the 85th percentile! Long and lean in deed! He's doing so well with breastfeeding that we aren't in any hurry to start solid foods, but have been given the go ahead from the pediatrician whenever we feel ready. He's starting to laugh! I have to resist the temptation to tickle him every time I change his diaper. I just love hearing that little laugh! He thinks its hysterical when someone touches his feet to his face, too. He's such a joy in our lives. We are forever grateful for our little gift and how healthy he's been. We love our little, "Too".

Excuse me, Mrs., what are you doing?

2009-01-15T20:51:00.014-06:00

I'm back to work these days, making a difference in patients' lives! I went to work the last Monday and Tuesday of December. Henry went with me to meet some of the docs and nurses that I knew would want to meet him. We had a big couple of days! We went to about 16 different offices in all. He was so sweet to everyone and everyone was sweet to him. Judy came January 4th and is staying through the end of the month...THANK GOODNESS! She has been so great with Henry! She's really made me feel better about transitioning back to work. I'm not working full time yet, but will be back in full force in February. Big John came down a few days later, but he's leaving this Sunday. BUCKY BADGER!

Now, about the title to this post. I'm still breastfeeding Henry, but since going back to work I've been pumping at the same time as he normally eats. It's really awkward sitting in my car in random parking lots so that I can insure that Henry gets the nutrition he needs. Every time I pump I'm expecting some officer to pull up and say, "Excuse me, Mrs., just what are you doing?" or "I'm sorry to bother you, but we received a call that you've been lurking in the parking lot for 20 minutes". So far nothing like that has happened, but I'll keep you updated! To say the least, I feel creepy sitting in my car topless in parking lots...oh well, you do whatcha gotta do.

Henry is such a good baby. He's taken a bottle and continued nursing since he was around 9 weeks old...maybe 7. He turned 4 months today! We're so exited! Below is a video of him "talking" tonight after his bath...notice the Mohawk! (Please be aware that Grammy Judy's political views might not line up with yours.)He loves the sound of his voice and, like me, is such a people person! He HATES being alone, unless, of course, he's sleepy. He's very interested in those around him. We also got some pictures from Ashley. She did such a fantastic job when she and Bryan came out. I've decided to share some. I also added a video of him "playing the drums"! I hope you enjoy!!!!!

Christmas 2008

2008-12-31T09:02:00.009-06:00

We had such a good time this Christmas with our little one! We spent Christmas Eve with Andrea, Bryan, Riley, Karlee, and Aubree. We cooked breakfast for dinner and just hung out. All the kids dressed in there Christmas pjs! Jared and I slept in a little Christmas morning and then went to Andrea's parents' house for lunch. It was nice to share the holiday with them. They've been so good to us. Here are some pics and videos of Henry's first Christmas. Thanks Aunt Lauri, Uncle Jason, Emma, and baby Carter for the reindeer outfit. Jared and I enjoyed it more than Henry, I'm sure!!! We will be spending New Year's Eve with Lauren and Justin!

Christmas pjs!

Oops...excuse me...

update

2008-12-22T20:33:00.002-06:00

Ashley and Bryan came and went. We had such a great time! We hung out with Lauren and Justin on Friday night and Sunday for lunch. It was terrific to all be together again, laughing and cutting up.
We've ordered our Christmas cards! They are PERFECT!!!!! We probably won't be sending them out in time for Christmas...thank goodness they say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Jared and I are elated with joy for Henry's first Christmas. We have already decided on some traditions we'll set for our family. Of course, Henry's oblivious this year, but oh well! It's exciting to share the birth of our Savior with our little one. Until next time...

The Norwoods are Coming! The Norwoods are Coming!

2008-12-18T11:23:00.001-06:00

To say the least, I'm very excited to see Ashley and Bryan. They are coming in this weekend! Lauren and Justin Arnold are going to pick them up at the airport and then we're all going out to eat for dinner! I'm stoked! Ashley is one of my dearest friends in the whole wide world. She has a terrific sense of style, whether in clothes or design, she loves the Lord, she's talented in EVERY way, and she's taught me so much. I'm counting down until their plane arrives. So, Ashley and Bryan, be careful!

As far as little Henry's concerned, he's great and still growing. Here are some of his latest pics. He celebrated his 3 month old birthday on Monday! He's 12 pounds and 25 inches long.

GO PACK GO!All decked out from head to toeJared reads to Henry every night. They are going through the book of Exodus right now. "Ooh, that's interesting, dad!"Here's a picture for Grumps. Grumps bought Henry's cuddle bear coat. It's so warm! This coat actually looks like a teddy bear...it's got bear pockets and ears on the hood!

This picture reminds me of the movie "The Christmas Story" (TIFFANY YOU HAVE TO WATCH IT!) I feel like Henry's saying, "I can't put my arms down! I can't put my arms down!", but at least I know he's warm and cozy.

He's really filled out. We love you, Henry!

Thanksgiving Holidays

2008-12-03T20:07:00.011-06:00

We hope you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Jared and I decided last minute to take a trip to Wisconsin for the holiday. It was so nice! We flew out on Sunday and came back Friday. Henry was AMAZING! He cried for maybe 2 minutes on the way up and didn't even say a peep on the way back. I have to give a mad shout out to 2 families (Tiffany, did you like that wording?!) the Learys took Rahab on really short notice AND Bryan got up at the crack of dawn on his day off to take us to the airport so we wouldn't have to pay ridiculously expensive parking fees and the Plotkes - our newest neighbors since July - donated Chris, the dad, to pick us up on Friday. We have great friends and neighbors! Thanks guys! Henry's feet did not touch the floor too often while he was in WI. Everyone took turns holding him...even Isabel, our niece in 2nd grade, since Henry was "just like her baby alive". ;-) Wisconsin also had it's first snow while we were there. I just love the snow; it's so beautiful. It always seems to follow me up there. Uncle Billy loves it when I come...not to spend time together, but because he's a HUGE hunter! Just kidding about the spending time part. ;-)We enjoyed spending time with family and stuffing ourselves like turkeys. Henry's starting to talk to us and smile more!!! Here are some recent photos and videos of our little one and our trip!

Okay, so we took a little nap! So tired!!!

I'm so strong!!!

2 months old

2008-11-18T16:23:00.007-06:00

I can't believe my little Too is 2 months old! He's starting to "talk" and smile more these days and he's rolling over, too! I'm trying to get it on video, Tiff, I promise. We thought it was an accident, but he keeps doing it. He's so strong! My dad, aka Grumps, came for a visit last week. We had a good time. On Monday Henry had his 2 month check up and had to get 2 shots. So his stats are as follows: 24 inches long - 70th percentile; head 15 inches round - 40th percentile; weighs 10 lbs. 8 oz. - 25th percentile...Looks like we have another Jared - tall and skinny. I must admit that I cried a little when he got his shots. I did not expect to, but that face and that scream just tore me apart. Here are some pics and 2 videos of our little guy!Grumps

This is my bumbo seat

I can't quite get my eyes to focus (I just love this picture!!!)

I'm finally big enough for my bouncy seat

Did anyone else know this was here?Sir?

Our little family

Just a few pics

2008-11-02T21:56:00.004-06:00

Everything is still going well. Henry will be 7 weeks old tomorrow. Time flies! We went to see Dr. Eisenberg for my 6 week checkup and then went to the hospital to visit the nurses that took such good care of us. It was a good day. Henry is growing and becoming more and more alert these days! I have an infection, mastitis - OUCH! - so please pray I will feel better soon. Here are some pics of our little guy... Henry was 5 weeks old here. It had gotten cold, so I dressed him all warm.

Shhhh, Daddy.
Dr. Eisenberg! So great!

My first Halloween!

Hi!

We hung out with Lauren and Justin on Saturday for a while. Henry wanted his pacifier, which he doesn't get too often.

He enjoys a Sunday afternoon nap, too!

I'm so strong!

1 month old and a visit from great friends

2008-10-20T21:37:00.009-05:00

Things are still going well, and Henry is really growing. I took him to the dr. on his one month birthday (Sept. 15th), and he weighed 8 lbs. 7 oz. He stretched out to be 23 inches long! He's just growing, growing, growing! Here are a few pics...

Sleeping Beauty

One month old!

I love to stretch!

In other news...My friend, Shannon, and her daughter, Mattilyn, came to visit us - Emma and Caroline didn't get to come ;-( . Shannon and I used to teach together in Starkville. We became fast friends. She's like a sister to me; so when I told her we were expecting she booked a ticket quick! I'm so glad she and Mattilyn came. We had such a good time. We ate, shopped, visited, and ate some more!!! We went out for Hibachi one night...so good!!! She also got some great shots of Henry. She's got a really nice camera, so I can't wait for her to send them to me!!! Here a few pics I took when they were here! We miss you already!!!

Shannon and Mattilyn

Jared's new girlfriend

Harry, our chef

3 weeks old

2008-10-07T12:28:00.003-05:00

Hello everyone!
Grandmas are gone and it's just been Henry and I for the past two days. Jared has been keeping the phone close by in case he needs to come home...so far so good! I'm feeling fantastic! He slept 5 hours last night and probably would have earlier but I wanted to keep him on the 3 hour feeding schedule. Since he's gaining weight so well and growing appropriately, he can sleep up to 5 hours during the night! Woo-hoo!
Henry turned 3 weeks yesterday! I can't believe it's been 3 weeks already. He's such a blessing to us and truly a good baby. He's Jared made over...cool, calm, and reserved. He doesn't cry much and is easily self-soothed --- Henry, that is. ;-) I've been watching to make sure that he sleeps on each side evenly (right, back, and left) in order to insure that he has a good shaped head! We also have tummy time every day for at least 2o minutes...he can already turn his head from left to right or right to left while on his tummy! I'm so proud of him! He actually fits into his car seat now (he was too little when we came home from the hospital). I have to admit that I cried a little on Saturday when I put him in it. I just looked at him and said, "Don't grow up so fast!" Ridiculous, I know! I didn't have time to put a picture up today, but I'll try to do it tonight or tomorrow.I like froggies!

Hangin' with Ray

Put your dukes up...I love when daddy reads to me!I really don't care much about this burping thing, but I'll do it if I have to.

Henry is 2 weeks old!

2008-09-30T09:43:00.009-05:00

Our little one is growing! We (Judy, Henry, and I) went to the doctor yesterday for his 2 weeks checkup. He weighs a whole 7 pounds, grew an inch longer, and grew 1/2 inch in his head! He also had to have the PKU test done again and get his Hep B shot. HE DIDN'T EVEN CRY!!! He just kind of moaned an uncomfortable moan, like he just didn't appreciate the nurse bothering his sound slumber. We are so proud! Then we went to Jared's work so that Henry could be shown off a bit! It was a big day!

Things are going really well. He sleeps well and is really content with everything. He is such a blessing! We've had a lot of help, though. My mom left last Wednesday and Judy came the same day. She leaves this Saturday! What will we do?! My friend Shannon, from MS, will be here next in mid October.

Here are some pics of his second week of life...

Sweet dreams!

I love my Nana!

So much hard work...

I love my moses basket with the black and white colors! Looking all around made me pooped!

I love my Grammy!

This presidential debate is too hard for me!

Aunt Lauren and Uncle Justin came for dinner and a Bulldawgs football game!

Daddy, don't you want to wake up and play with me?

My first bath in my big boy bath tub...Thanks Tiffany, Chad, and Greyson!

It's so cold out here!!!!

I like alligators! They keep me warm!

I guess a bath isn't so bad after all!

Let's go to the doctor! Don't I look handsome?!

1st week of life for little Henry

2008-09-23T12:27:00.005-05:00

Hi everyone time is short, so I'll just post some pics with captions today. Please know that things are going well with our little guy. We are incredibly blessed by this miracle and thank God daily for his life. Please continue to pray for our family during this transition, but, more importantly, that he will accept Christ at an early age and glorify God with his life.

I had to show this one. This is Dr. Eisenberg checking on Henry. I cry every time I see this pic. Just look at Dr. E's facial expression. I LOVE him!

Nana

Such a tough life!

Playing with daddy!

Praying already? Meditating?

Let's talk...

I like my swing!

This thumb is FANTASTIC!!!

Sister and brother. Rahab loves her baby brother and protects him!

He's here, Henry's here!!!!

2008-09-18T17:22:00.007-05:00

So, I will not go into incredible detail, but Henry's birth process was LONG! Thankfully, the actually delivery was only 24 minutes and 5 pushes!!!! We entered the hospital Sunday night at 10:00 in order to get the process started...You know there has to be a funny story or it just wouldn't be me. We get there and my sweet nurse is explaining to me that I needed to get undressed and wear the gown provided. Should be no big deal, right? Well, I noticed that it had sticky tape goo on it when I went to put it on, so I wanted to request another. I thought I pressed the nurse call button, as I'm standing naked in the bathroom. Apparently I hit the emergency button and 4 nurses burst through the doors to see what the emergency is. Yes, I'm standing there naked! Welcome to motherhood! Needless to say I got a new gown and the nurses got a good laugh! On with the story...I labored all night and all day the next day, and our bundle of joy arrived at 5:24 pm at 6 lbs. 12 oz and 20 in. long. My dr., per usual, was amazing, and we had a fantastic nurse named Julie that did an incredible job to make sure we could have a safe delivery. My sweet friend, Andrea, was there, and we don't know what we would have done without her. We are home now, as of 8:00pm last night, and things are going well. Here are some pics of the last few days!

Sunday night when we got to the hospital...puffy face for sure!!!!

Proud daddy! Look at those tears!
First Verwiel family photo
Let's go home, mama and daddy!
We're off to our first doctor's visit!

At the doctor. Daddy, what will he do?!

So sweet!!!!

I have more pics, but I just wanted to wet your appetite. My mom, Nana, will be arriving tonight at 8:00!!! We are so excited she is coming...Next, is Judy!!!

Today is the day!

2008-09-15T08:02:00.003-05:00

Well here we are! We have been in the hospital since last night at 10, and we are under great care. Henry is expected to arrive in the afternoon ! Rahab is waiting patiently at the Leary's. I hope she's enjoying her little spend the night party.

This weekend was lots of fun. We finally got the chair for Henry's room and hung the letters up of his name. Everything's ready...we think! We have pictures of his room and of us, but we can't upload them here. We are so excited for today. Praise the Lord that we are here and healthy. Please pray that things will continue that way. If you would, leave a comment. I've been wondering who knows about our little family.

1 week away!

2008-09-07T22:27:00.003-05:00

Our bag is packed, car seat is in the car, and I've sent the email to Andrea of everyone's email addresses so she can let everyone know when things start happening...SHOUT OUT TO ANDREA! She has been a life-saver throughout this pregnancy. I've asked countless questions!!!
You can tell by the picture that I've dropped significantly. Henry's in position and we are just waiting. I'm happy to wait. Most women I've talked to by this time are like, "Get this baby out!" I'm enjoying it for the most part and just waiting to for him to come when he's supposed to...In my mind he can come starting next Thursday, but not before! Just because of my mom and Judy coming when they are. Their planes are already booked, so I'd like things to be as close to Sept. 15 as possible!!! Please pray for a quick and easy delivery and a healthy baby!

Also, thank you for all of the comments and suggestions for Tiffany and Chad for baby Greyson!

Prayer Request

2008-09-03T14:47:00.003-05:00

One of my dearest friends in the world had a baby 3 weeks ago. You can check her blog - Andersons- on the right. Anyway, they learned last week that Greyson has colic AND reflux. Today was the first day I've talked to her in quite some time (we used to talk daily or every other day). Anyway, I can just hear the exhaustion in her voice and the sheer desperation with the situation. She and her husband are not getting any sleep, and Greyson cannot be soothed. I'm asking on her behalf for prayers for this sweet family. Chad and Tiffany are wonderful parents and just need a break. Little Greyson needs his tummy to be soothed. Please pray whatever is put on your heart for this couple (patience, rest, calming of fears, etc.) They have an appointment with the dr. and lactation consultant tomorrow, so hopefully they will get some help and answers.

If any of you have suggestions for colic or reflux, please leave a comment on our blog or hers if you visit her site. Any help will be much appreciated.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

2008-08-28T13:31:00.002-05:00

On this day 4 years ago, I married the perfect man for me. I didn't realize the extent of what this gift was, and still don't. God, in His infinite wisdom, designed a day where Jared and I became one in covenant to glorify Him. I dearly love my sweet, Boo. Never could I have imagined the husband that I have today. He loves the Lord and serves me daily. Boo, you have no idea how much I love you. We are now expecting our first baby, and I yearn to see what an amazing father he will be. I have no doubt that he will be anything less than amazing! So, here's to you, Boo...thanks for asking me to marry you. I truly am the luckiest girl alive.

2 1/2 weeks and counting

2008-08-27T20:56:00.005-05:00

Well, it's official. I've been off work since Monday for maternity leave. Although I did cheat and go to work on Monday...long story, but I just had to say goodbye to some of my offices. It just wouldn't have been right to have just disappeared. Some of my drs. and nurses have really gotten to know and become attached to this little "Too". Today was such a productive day for me. I am enjoying being home right now...ask me in a week if I feel the same! ;-)

We are scheduled to be induced on the 15th...I hope that sticks. I know you're not supposed to plan these things, but it would be nice if he'd stay in there until then. This pregnancy has been so good. I didn't appreciate having morning sickness for as long as I did, but it wasn't too bad. Little Too loves pressing on my sciatic nerve as well, but it isn't awful or anything. I'm really grateful for such a good pregnancy. God is so good, isn't He?! We'll keep you updated of course...

4 weeks to go!!!!

2008-08-18T20:18:00.008-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted (as some people have pointed out), so I'm going to follow suit like Meredith Horn and Kim Shirley and post with bullet points! thanks y'all!

We have about 4 weeks to go until Henry comes!!!! We are scheduled to be induced on Monday, Sept. 15th! We visited the hospital we'll be going to and took a tour, otherwise known as a "turr" by one of the nurses there ;-) I can't find a picture of it on the internet, however, it doesn't even look like a hospital. It looks like a castle! (You can take a "turr" by going to google and typing in Baylor Frisco, TX. Click on the Women's Center tab, then click Our Facility.)
I must give a shout out to 2 friends! Adam and Jessi are friends of Jared's from high school. They are engaged to be married next September! Anyway, they sent us a gift for Henry. They gave us a onesie and some binkies! The onesie is so precious!!!! Henry will be sporting that with pride!!! Another that he'll be proud to sport is from Ashley (I'm glad you're finally home, by the way. I've wanted to call, but figure you are soaking up quality time with Bryan). Anyway, she sent this to us from NY, and it is so CUTE!!! See below...

This weekend Jared whisked me away for a weekend getaway for just the 2 of us. I took my camera but didn't take a single picture. I got some from the internet, so I hope these will do. He sent me an email Tuesday of last week that said, "Don't make any plans for the weekend..." So we left on Friday and had a wonderful weekend of eating, shopping, and just being together.

Some of you may be thinking..."What about Rahab?" This is a story in itself. Jared works with a friend named Jason. He and his family (Joni his wife, Laney 8, Miller 4, and Hadley 10 months) came over last week to visit and meet Rahab. To say the least, the kids fell in love. It was a SAD moment when they had to leave. So, of course, Jared asked Jason if they wanted to keep her over the weekend. The kids exploded with joy...YEA!!!!!! We went over to there house on Friday, dropped her off, and gave the kiddos instructions with how to take care of Rahab...when to feed her, let her out, all of her commands for her tricks, etc. When we called to see what would be a good time to pick her up, Jason said, "You don't have to do that. She's just fine here!" When we went to get her, the whole family just "oohed" and "ahhed" over her. Talked about how sweet she was, how amazed they were that she doesn't even have to walk on a leash, on and on. We spent a couple of hours visiting with them, but eventually we had to go. Laney and Miller literally clung to Ray as they said goodbye...so sad!!! They begged us to take care of her again. We are so proud of our little Ray and can't wait to see what good friends she and Henry will be...just look at that face!

Here are the latest belly pics from the last 2 weeks. Yes, I'm wearing the same outfit! I only have 1 pair of shorts, and I wear them literally every day when I get home from work!!! This week is my last week of work until the new year!!!! I work for a phenomenal company!!!

Last week

This week

Another Baby Shower!!! (sorry, this is a LONG post!)

2008-07-31T20:59:00.023-05:00

Welcome everyone! (Andrea made this out of diapers!!!)

He has his own candy bar!

Well I've received strict instructions from others to get this post up with pics ASAP! Last Saturday, my sweet friends, Andrea, Lauren, and Stephanie hosted a shower for me. We had a good time. It is so humbling to see people who love our little Henry already! Everything was perfect! Andrea did all of the decor (so beautiful and sweet), Lauren cooked the food (delicious by the way...I have to share her recipe for some truffles that she made!), and Stephanie made punch and got some prizes for games (the punch was so good...Steph wanted to spike it, however. she's the mother of 3 - a three year old and twins!) We ate, we laughed, I cried a little, and we played some great games! I got pics with Andrea and Lauren, but Stephanie had already left :-(

Lauren made these!!!!Andrea's mom was in charge of the flowers...didn't she do a great job!

Andrea put these together as little party favors for everyone. They are jelly beans...Karlee couldn't stay away! Games

1) Name that baby food! Thankfully Andrea didn't have us taste the food. We had to guess what the baby food was...I didn't do so well. Thank goodness for labels (Her husband, Bryan, on the other hand, did the test the night before and did quite well!!!)

2) Don't say "baby" or cross your legs, ladies! This was fun. Everyone was given a necklace with a lotto ticket on it. If someone caught you saying the word "baby" or crossing your legs while you sat, they could take your necklace. I had my necklace about 2 minutes...crossed my legs!

3) Pick what you want! (Not an official title but it will work). See the pic below if my instructions don't make sense. Everyone was given a sheet of paper with a list of attributes: eyes, hair, nose, complexion, intelligence, money habits, etc. Next to it were check boxes for Jared or me. Each person had to choose which attribute I wanted Henry to have. For instance, Jared's eyes, my laugh, etc. My copy was the answer key, of course. It was really neat to see what I want this little one to have of Jared's and mine. Lauren is so observant! She notice that I picked equally 10 for Jared and 10 for me! When everyone had left and Jared came to help clean up, I had him play the game, too. It was fun to see our similarities and differences.

We received some wonderful gifts. Stephanie took pics, so take a look...

Lauren made this...made me cry!!!

Wendi sent this gift set from
Charleston. It's so sweet and soft!

My mom sent this little outfit...can we say "little Jared"?!

I'm unsure how many weeks we are because of Henry measuring ahead and my due date being moved up, but here is a recent belly pic for you.

Baby Shower

2008-07-20T11:31:00.000-05:00

This Saturday some ladies from our Sunday School class hosted a shower for Henry and I. It really was a lot of fun! We had a brunch with all kinds of wonderful foods! I love breakfast, so this was perfect. We played a few cute games: 1. We got a sheet of paper, closed our eyes, and had to tear out what Henry would look like! (scary) 2. With a different sheet of paper, we closed our eyes and drew what I look like carrying Henry (hysterical!) 3. We each got a note card and wrote a question a new mother might have (i.e. How do I take the baby's temperature?), then passed the note card one person to the left. On the back of the card you receive, you write the answer to your question. So, we ended up getting some good questions with really random answers! Henry got some really cute things, and the ladies were so thoughtful! Here are some pics from the day...
All of these onesies had sayings like "God's little Lamb", "You are safe in His hands", etc. So sweet!

Daddy's little ball player!

I hear you can't have enough of these!

We laughed a lot...something was apparently hysterical!

All of the ladies...

Krista and Mary Helen...the hostesses

Mary Helen called this picture, "From pregnancy to menapause!" She is so funny!

not too much, really

2008-07-16T20:21:00.000-05:00

It's been a week or so since I've written, so I decided I should. Belly doesn't look much different, so I'll post a pic this weekend. Henry has found my ribs. Since he's breech, he's been poking them. I wonder, Can he see them?...Is there any light in there, or is he just feeling his way around in there? He's moving like crazy most of the time, so I wish he'd head south soon.
I haven't seen much of Jared lately, as he's engrossed in Hebrew. That language is crazy...no really! He'll be finished Aug. 8th just in time for the olympics! He'll need a break, so the games will be a great way to celebrate!
I'm taking my car in to get fixed on Friday. They are supposed to give me a rental car...wonder what it will be!

BIG BOY!!!

2008-07-10T22:20:00.000-05:00

We had our 28 weeks sonogram today...At least that's what we thought. Henry is growing at a faster rate...30 weeks. He's so HUGE! No, really. He's already longer than 15 inches and weighs a little over 3 lbs.! Not to mention that his head is measuring in the 90th percentile! WHAT?!?! Dr. Eisenberg is planning to induce at least 2 weeks earlier than the suggested due date. Fine with us! I assume that they'll just keep monitoring his growth...maybe more sonograms?! We'll see. It was so beautiful to see that little Too today. Everything is looking healthy. Praise the Lord! He has given us such a sweet, big gift.

I am disappointed in the pics that we got of him...not many. He was playing hide-and-go-seek; except he doesn't understand the seek part! He'd cover his face, then play with his feet, then cover his face again. So, needless to say, we didn't get to see his little face. He's just not ready to meet us yet. I guess he wants a formal introduction. I'm only posting 2 of the pics...they are my favorite. I think he was rubbing his eyes.

Look at that sweet little hand. You can see a little bit of his face.

Happy Birthday, America...and Jared, too!

2008-07-07T16:53:00.000-05:00

We had a pre-birthday celebration with the Learys, and I didn't get a picture until the next day! We didn't do much of anything on the Fourth of July this year! Well, we did A LOT of sleeping. I guess it was much needed rest. Thanks Lauren and Justin for coming to play for a little while. (We see them often but never get pics together! I'll do better!)

Jared finished his 1st class in Hebrew on Wednesday of last week and will begin the 2nd class today. It's crazy difficult, but we are glad he's doing it before Henry comes! (Supposedly Hebrew 2 is the hardest class in the languages)

Here we are at 28 weeks. We are going for a sonogram on Thursday!!!

A Work in Progress...

2008-06-29T21:31:00.000-05:00

Here we are at 27 weeks.

These are some pics of Henry's room. It's a work in progress, of course, but I wanted to show you guys what we have so far. I took a pic of all the walls, so I'll try my best to explain what's going on. It's not nearly as organized as we'd like it...a work in progress for sure! :-)

This is the accent wall. I'm standing in the doorway.

Moving to the right...I got some of the accent wall so that it would make more sense. We're going to get a chair and ottoman to put in the corner.

Still moving to the right...You can see the corner of the bookshelf in the pic above.

Last one adjacent to the door.

A close call...

2008-06-27T10:37:00.000-05:00

Well I haven't posted a belly pic in a while b/c I've been sick. I felt so bad and probably couldn't stand still b/c I've been coughing so much! Good news, though, I'm feeling much better! Ahhh...The wonders of medicine and my wonderful doctor! I'll try to get a pic up this weekend.

I was in a fender bender on Wednesday of this week, and we had a little scare! A lady rear ended me in traffic on the way home from work. She came with such force that I hit the man in front of me...fantastic! Henry got jostled around a bit and didn't like it. Thankfully, Jared was only a few cars in front of me, so I called him first and he came to the rescue. Yes, I called 911 and the police came, but Jared's my hero! The officers were very strict with me and wouldn't let me out of the car. I was feeling some pressure where Henry is, so we went to the hospital per the EMTs suggestions.

Now for those of you who know Jared, you know that's he's a pretty calm, relaxed guy. He drives extremely careful...no make that, annoyingly careful! We've often joked that he "might" drive 5 over the speed limit when the baby comes. I don't know what got into him, but he took charge and drove us to the hospital with flashers on at 90 miles an hour!!!! To look at him, he was cool and collected. You'd think he was going 60 or so, but when I looked at the speedometer...the needle was WAY OVER!!! He even cut through a parking lot! He never showed a sign of distress, however. Once we got to the hospital, they hooked me up to some monitors: One to gauge Henry's heartbeat and one to gauge my contractions. We were there for 6 hours! They did all kinds of blood tests and such. They let us go home but had some concerns (I will save you from all the details). So needless to say, we went home feeling apprehensive. On Thursday I went to see my doctor, Dr. Eisenberg. We listened to the heartbeat, and he did everything necessary to make sure Henry was safe. I LOVE him, I LOVE him, I LOVE him!!! He takes such great care of us! Dr. E assured me that everything's okay. YEA!!!

Jared and I will go in for a sonogram in 2 weeks. We opted to get the 3D, 4D sono done. I can't wait to see that little "Too" (Henry's nickname in the "Oo" Family). He'll be so much bigger!

25 weeks

2008-06-15T22:02:00.000-05:00

Well, as you can see the belly is growing more and more each day. I go to the dr. on Tuesday, so we'll see what he has to say about that. When we set up our next appointment, we'll have another sonogram. I can't wait to see him and how much he's grown! The last sono I had was at 16 or 17 weeks...He'll be such a big boy! :-)

This is Henry's coming home outfit. I just love it! I'm not completely sold on the hat, but I'm obsessed with his little outfit. He'll probably wear this for his first picture.

We also got his crib and armoire this Sunday. We are putting his room together, so I'll post pics when we set it up how we want. (Ashley, I may need some help...all the furniture looks wrong, as I don't know where to put everything - I may be sending you some pics...I want the space to be as open as possible). I still can't believe we got free furniture!!! Casey and Kathy, I don't believe thank you is enough! Andrea, you too, for introducing us!

We went to our friend's parents' house (Andrea's parents) on Sunday for Father's Day. This family is so loving and have really adopted us. Andrea's dad, John, is a huge Chicago Bears fan, so there's always rival talk when we come over, seeing as we are big Packer's fans (they are America's team!). So John thought it would be cute to give Jared some baby Bears gear for Father's Day...check out the shirt bib! Then he felt bad and gave us some Packers gear, too! It's got 2 onesies, a cute pacifier, a wrist rattle, and a hat. I cannot believe he spent $$$ on Packer stuff!!! We are so grateful to such great friends! GO PACK!!!!

24 weeks and counting :-)

2008-06-09T22:36:00.001-05:00

We think we have a name...

2008-06-05T07:47:00.000-05:00

We've decided on Henry Micah. We liked both names and then Jared came home from work one day and suggested that we put them together...SURE! We think it's a good, strong name for our little man...I wonder if it will stick! :-)

What have we done lately?

2008-05-25T21:19:00.000-05:00

Since my last post Jared and I went to WI for some Verwiel family fun! We had such a good time. The highlights of our weekend were going to the Market on the Square (Ashley, you would have LOVED it!!!) and a baby shower. We are all loud and obnoxious when we get together, so going to a public event just put us all over the edge...in a good way!

The Market on the Square was fabulous. With fresh veggies, fruits, breads, flowers, and various vendors around, I would've have liked to live closer so that we could take some goodies home. We tasted plenty, though. The cheese curds they had were fantastic!

That afternoon came the baby shower with Jared's family. We had a cookout at Brian and Krisi's house (Jared's brother-in-law and sister, respectively - my family, too, it just wouldn't have made sense to say brother and sister-in-law would it?). Laurie, Jared's sister, was in charge of the games. We played guess what's in the diaper (so glad I'm over morning sickness/nausea) and a game where the boys had to see what it's like to have a big belly. The boys had to blow up 3 balloons, put them in their shirt, and tie their shoes. Priceless...see the pics below. We received some wonderful gifts and are so thankful that his family did this for us.

As you can see, the belly has grown. I missed a few weeks of pictures. I didn't think I'd care, but I really do. I'll be more diligent to take the weekly pic from now on. You should also know that we repainted a wall in the nursery (it's the wall behind me). Three of the walls are khaki and one is navy blue (instead of the green and yellow room that it was...the green accent wall pulled yellow out of the khaki, and, to say the least, I hated it.) After much discussion and debate, Jared finally allowed the navy wall. I LOVE IT!!!! We should be getting his furniture soon, so I'll post pics of the nursery when we get it somewhat together.

We have narrowed his name to two: Henry or Micah. We had decided on Henry Jonathon, but Jared then decided that he wanted a strong Old Testament name. He's been reading the book of Micah for about 10 days now. He's picked out a great verse to put on the wall or a canvas. That does tempt me a little, but I'm completely sold on Henry...I LOVE THAT NAME! Of course we'll keep you updated with all the baby news.

We've had quite a big day today (Sunday). We purchased a king size mattress, new comforter, and got a membership to Sam's club! BIG DAY!

It's been a while

2008-05-13T17:51:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Sadly, we don't have any updated pics of the belly. I'll try to get one up this week.

Jared and I were out of town this weekend, and I was plain exhausted!!! He went to Cleveland, as he was in a wedding, and I went to B'ham to see my mom...see our Mother's day pic. It was windy!!!

I went shopping when I went. Got clothes to fit this belly and a baithing suit for this summer! My mom bought me this dress...it's a little big, but I'm sure I'll grow into it!!! I will say, though, that my favorite maternity shirt so far was a gift from my friend Tiffany. It's so cute and on the front it says, "Due in September". Everyone thinks it's the cutest shirt and it answers the question right off the bat...The next thing people say is, "Oh my, and you've got THE WHOLE SUMMER TO GO!" ...as if I don't know it's hot and miserable in TX during the summer as it is. Oh well...I'm loving getting ready for this baby anyway!

BELLY

2008-04-27T17:45:00.000-05:00

The first pic is from last Sunday at 17 weeks. The second is today at 18 weeks.

It doesn't really look like much of anything, but I promise something's going on. I can't fit into my pants anymore!!! Also, on Saturday, I felt the baby. My friend, Andrea, told me that if I'd lay on my stomach after I felt the first, initial movement, that would make the baby move more...well I did and baby was upset! He was like, "Get up, mama! You're squishing me in here!" Sweet baby. I'll do my best to post pics of the belly every Sunday.

Look at Jared and Rahab...this is where they sit to take the belly pics!!!! Aren't they sweet?!

Thanks for Tagging me, Ashley...

2008-04-23T21:08:00.000-05:00

I really hesitated to do this. Ashley tagged me, and I saw it a few days ago. But here goes...

What was I doing 10 years ago?

Ugh!!! I was 17...nothing good coming from that age/era. In high school causing ridiculous amounts of trouble and pondering getting a tattoo (will FOREVER regret that decision!!!!) Drama was my middle name, and I had the friends to help.

Here's the music that was popular in 1998:

1. I Don't Want To Miss a Thing - Aerosmith
2. Everybody (Backstreet's Back) - Backstreet Boys
3. Jump Jive An' Wail - Brian Setzer Orchestra
4. I Want You Back - N*Sync
5. The Cup of Life - Ricky Martin
6. Too Close - Next
7. Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) - Green Day
8. From This Moment On - Shania Twain
9. My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion
10. Suavemente - Elvis Crespo

Five things on my to-do list today: (really tomorrow, it's after 9:00)

1. Grow Baby!
2. Work
3. Lunch program (need promos!!!)
4. Meet Kathryn for dinner at Texas Roadhouse (Mmmmmmmm!!!)
5. Watch Grey's

Five things I'd do if I were a billionaire:

1. Save for the rest of Jared's school (Masters, Doctorate, Post Doctorate, Research...does it end?!)
2. Give to a few needy families
3. Set up/pay off college fund for baby and maybe prepare for a college fund for another baby just in case
4. Build a house with 5 bedrooms...just a dream of mine.
5. Adopt a child
6. Invest, invest, invest

Five bad habits:

1. Screening phone calls (is that really bad or necessary?!)
2. Dramatic (I've gotten much better, but it pops up every now and again)
3. Caring what others think and letting it affect my behavior
4. I'm so sure there are others, but I'm too tired to think of them...will update later if needed ;-)

Places I've lived

1. Birmingham, AL
2. Starkville, MS
3. Houston, MS
4. Wylie, TX

Five Jobs I've had

1. Mail Sorter
2. Pharmacy Tech.
3. Jewelry Store Clerk
4. Teaching
5. Sales Rep.

I want to know more about (nice way of saying tag)...sorry I don't know how to hyperlink

1. Tiffany - http://chadtiffandbaby.blogspot.com/
2. Woodman - http://wpwardlaw.blogspot.com/

IT'S A BOY and a great birthday present!

2008-04-17T17:39:00.000-05:00

Well, Jared has been bragging for quite sometime that he only makes boys. So far, he's exactly right. I went today to the Urologist's office, and we found a beautiful baby boy in there! :-)Let me tell you... this boy is NOT shy! He was just lying there with one hand behind his head and legs sprawled out. He IS his father's son already! We had no problem seeing what we needed to see. I didn't receive a c.d. like I did last time, so I'll try to scan the pics in and post them later. I just wanted to share the news. My birthday was yesterday...what perfect timing for a great present, huh?!

Now for my birthday surprise!!!
On Saturday, Boo threw me a surprise party. (By the way, for those that don't know...we are the "Oo" Family. Don't ask me how or why; it just evolved. Jared's Boo; I'm Moo; and Rahab's Poo...I guess the baby will be Roo...or Noo...or Woo...I don't know, we'll work on it!)We got up early Saturday morning and cleaned, which is our Saturday ritual. About 9:00 he said that he was going somewhere and, when he got back, he'd have a surprise for me. I immediately thought, "Mmmmmm...Breakfast!" When he wasn't home by 10:00 I called to see if I should eat anything. "Sure," he said. So, no breakfast. When he came home he had a bunch of shopping bags from Wal-Mart. I just stood there thinking, "So you went to Wal-Mart for groceries? What a great surprise." Then I left to go to Riley's soccer game. Jared had asked me to ask Andrea and Bryan if they wanted to come over for a BBQ. I asked but understood that if they didn't want to come it was no big deal b/c they have 3 kids and all the toys at their house. They said they'd come. When I got home there was a cake and a card on the counter. How sweet! So I thought we'd be celebrating my birthday with the Learys. WRONG!!! Our friends kept showing up and saying, "Happy Birthday!" Jared had arranged the whole thing. Isn't he great?! We had about 15 people come over and enjoy good fun, good BBQ, and really good cake! (Thanks Riley for picking it out!) My sweet friend, Andrea, is terrible at keeping secrets, but she kept this for a week and helped get me out of the house. I have terrific friends and a pretty fantastic honey! I just love my Boo! I must mention, however, that Rahab had a grand time and thought everyone was coming just to see her! She greeted everyone and catered to them the whole time they were there...Way to go Ray! :-)

Not too much to tell

2008-04-08T21:38:00.001-05:00

I went to the dr. today and heard the baby's heartbeat again. Sweet little sound. My friend Andrea has a little boy named Riley. He says the heartbeat sounds like horses. Andrea just had her 3rd baby, so Riley is an expert big brother and has gone to a couple of Andrea's doctor's visits over the years. Anyway...I'm ready to stop drastically pulling over and vomitting on the side of the road or bolting to the bathroom at home...I'm sure other drivers are ready for that to stop, too!

We'll find out in a couple of weeks just who's in this belly. Ashley, I promise I'll get you pics as soon as there is a belly to see ;-)

By the way, if you haven't tried the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser...YOU HAVE TO TRY IT!!!! Jared and I clean on Saturdays and this new invention has changed my cleaning life. Our shower is so clean!! :-)

I love my job...especially right now!

2008-03-22T12:22:00.000-05:00

When we went to the dr. on Tuesday we were told that if we wanted to find out the sex of the baby, we'd have to pay for it. Dr. E does a sonogram at 12 weeks and 28 weeks, so insurance wouldn't pay for another one. Well, it would be $75, minimum, to find out...they have all different kinds of packages up to $300! So...we all know that Jared is a bit frugal, but he said we could pay to find out! We have phenominal insurance and baby will only cost $115 to deliver ($15 for first copay with first visit and $100 for hospital admittance - SERIOUSLY!!!!).

I'm sure you're wondering why I titled this "I love my job...especially right now!" Well, I went into my favorite Urologist's office on Wednesday to announe the news and show them my pics of baby. I love this office! The staff is wonderful and the dr.'s are top notch. Anyway...Sheila, the receptionist, said that I should come in and found out what it is...So, here's the conversation:

Sheila: You should come in on a Thursday. That's the day when our sonogram tech is here. His name's Rick, and he'll tell you what you're having.

Me: No, I don't want to be a bother!

Sheila: WHAT?! You're not a bother! We all want to find out who's in there anyway!

Me: Sheila, you shouldn't have told me that...I'll be in every Thursday bothering this man to look at my baby!

Sheila: Come tomorrow and we'll see.

Me: Okay!

Thursday morning I go back to the office and Rick was busy with patients. I didn't want to be a brat but the staff insisted that I stay. When Rick was done with the patients, he called me in there, and we took a look...FOR FREE! Now I knew it was too early to tell but I wanted to see my baby again!!! He said I should come back when I'm 16-20 weeks, and we'll see just who's in there!!! So, God has provided again! We'll save some $$$ and still get to know who's in there! I'm so shocked and humbled with the people I've met with my job. They are loving our family already. By the way, I should mention that my friend, Andrea, suggested I find an office that would do the sonogram for free, then this just happened!

Other updates:
Jared has painted the baby's room...I'll post pics later.

We're getting baby furniture for free! My dear friend, Andrea Leary, has a brother that lives in our neighborhood. He and his wife are preparing their little one for a toddler bed or "big boy bed", and they said we could have their furniture!!! Just have it! I can't believe it. I must mention that my wonderful friend, Ashley Norwood, has told me that we can strip and paint the furniture, and she'll even tutor us on how to do it!! I have the most fantastic friends anyone can ask for!!!!

Introducing Baby Verwiel

2008-03-18T21:11:00.001-05:00

We had a sonogram today. Baby Verwiel is measuring at 13 weeks and 4 days. He/she is quite an active little one. Today was so much fun. The sonogram technician made a guess as to who's in there, but I'm not revealing that to just anyone yet. We'll go in for the confirmed gender in about a month or so. We even received a couple 3D videos that last for a few seconds each...too cool!

A sigh of relief

2008-03-11T21:45:00.000-05:00

Today Jared and I went to the doctor to hear the heartbeat. Although I had no reason to be anxious, I was. I just wanted to hear that tiny heartbeat and know everything was okay and progessing. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my dr. Dr. Eisenberg is fantastic. Whenever I go in there he makes me feel calm and at ease about my pregancy and our decisions. So...on with the story. The nurse calls us back to the room and leaves. While waiting on the dr., Jared says, "Are you going to take your clothes off?" I say, "Well...the nurse didn't say to, and I don't want the dr. to come in here and I'm naked for no reason." Thankfully I listened to the voice of reason and kept my clothes on. If not, I would have been really embarrassed, as that was unnecessary for this particular visit. Dr. E came in and explained that the objective of this visit was to find and hear the heartbeat. He looks at me and says, "Now, this is like finding a needle in a haystack. So, don't get nervous if it takes a while." So I lie there and prepare myself to wait a while. Baby Verwiel was ready to show off. Dr. E put the doppler on my belly and we immediately heard that precious thump, thump! Good strong heartbeat! I looked at Dr. E as if he was making that crazy noise! Because the look was written all over my face, as per usual, he felt the need to assure me; "That's your baby." I let a sigh of relief and gave praise and thanksgiving to my Creator who's given us this little, bitty blessing. I thought I would cry, but I was just elated with joy and excitement. We are due Sept. 29th, which will make for a comfortable summer I hear :-) We'll find out just who's in there around my birthday. What a great present, huh?! We go in for a sonogram next week, so maybe I can post a pic

A nice day off!

2008-02-29T17:53:00.001-06:00

So I went to work today and told Jared that I'd be home by lunch. He took the day off and said we could just hang out together. Now I love my husband dearly but he cannot be still! He's always doing projects around the house, so I figured he'd have some things in mind for today. As promised I got home at 12:00 for lunch, and he was nowhere around and, of course, he didn't take his cell phone (common prob. for him at our house!). He comes home from Home Depot with a truck load of stuff: 1) paint for the nursery -Ashley, what would we do without you? I told you he just couldn't wait! We got the colors you suggested; thanks so much! 2) all the supplies to paint the nursery A.S.A.P. - no, we have no idea the gender for the baby! 3) a fan for the nursery! baby just can't be hot in Texas heat! 4) 2 trees, mulch, and whatever else needed to get them in the ground and pretty. I just kept watching him come in with stuff thinking, "That's probably the last thing", but it took a few minutes to unload everything. It isn't safe for me to be around paint fumes yet, so Jared will be painting the nursery all by his big self ;-) I'll post pictures soon. I'm so thankful for Jared and his eager attitude!