What I am doing...

* Having contractions.
* Not getting very much sleep.
* Trying to do something constructive, fun and educational for my students.
* Trying to get everything ready for this baby to friggin' get here already.
* Trying to finish up school work for the semester.
* Trying not to complain... over and over again.


What I'm not doing...

* Having a baby today ~ Dang it.
* Focusing on one project and completing it.
* Cooking or cleaning.
* Getting much rest.


Where I wish I was right now...

* On the beach w/ my husband and daughter ~ who is in person, not in tummy.
* Sleeping.
* Eating.
* Getting a massage.


The doc's report for today...

* Dilation Factor ~ 1.
* Baby at ~ Minus 2.
* Completely opened (Um, I don't know what that means.).
* Doc's prediction ~ two more weeks and a possible c-section.

Funny quote of the day...

* From Dr. B to Brandon, "Now, don't wait t until you can see hair to put Mae Anne in the car..."

Random thought of the day...

* Why do yappy little dogs only bark at 4:47 a.m.?

Our bags are packed, we're ready to go...

It's official. Dr. B said to keep our hospital bags packed and in the Expedition. AND ~ I've started dilating!!! Right now, I'm all the way to 1, but still, it's further that zero!!!!

I figured that now is as good a time as any (can't tell I'm southern from that phrase, can you?) to begin the "Place Your Bets" game. So my blog friends, I am inviting you to guess the day, time, weight and length of Miss Hadlee Anne Hale. If you want you may also guess the amount of time I'll be in labor, but I will warn you that I refuse to acknowledge any of that. :)

We've got 19 days until the due date. Ready, set, guess!

Boggle Anyone?

Since I was hired to teach a new class one whole day before school began, I feel as if I am perpetually behind. What I am doing is a completely new program so I have to develop the curriculum as I go based on my students' test scores, abilities, and state standards. On top of that, my maternity leave begins in 3 weeks (yes, that's one whole day before the due date) and I have to prepare for the time that I'll be out as well. Good grief! Who said being a teacher was an easy job??!?!?! At least I can wear flip-flops! :)

We have every last thing for Hadlee that we can think of... except for the whole knowing how to be parents thing, which I'm sure will kick in either about the time she leaves for college or calls and needs us to sign a release form for the latest COPS episode. Take your pick.

Classes are almost over for this semester at SCU. Thank goodness! I have put very little effort into the whole grad school deal and my grades will probably reflect it... B's are acceptable every once in a while. Just try your hardest to convince expectant mothers to stay away from grad school and the world will be a place where we can all get along. (Insert random Jon Lennon moment here"Imagine all the people living for today... You may say I'm a dreamer, but I am not the only one. I hope someday you will join us, and the world will live as one...")

Brandon is back w/ my nightly craving ~ Mad Cows and Fruity Pebbles (Yes, I know they are actually called Brown Cows, but I couldn't remember that when I was trying to explain what I wanted and the term Mad Cow just stuck.) Mmmmmm. Sugar and chocolate the only thing that could make me happier at this moment would be to not be pregnant any more. At least I've got the Mad Cows! :)

So, I got this job...

and it pays about 3 times more than I've ever made in my life. Plus, right now I only have one student, an assistant and a special ed teacher in the room to help move things along. Yep, I'm getting paid to basically socialize a "troubled teen" and get him back on his merry little way. I get to model and teach restaurant etiquette and then we get to take a field trip to O'Charleys as a test ~ it's all about the hands on learning here people! Seriously, it's for real. AND, I don't even have to worry about the half days that I'll miss due to dr. appointments... cuz they're cool like that. AND I can even wear flip flops to work, no kiddin'.

Ok, now I must finish a paper on counseling couples dealing with infertility. It only has to be five pages... under normal circumstances I could probably spill out about 50, but I'm so tired and consumed w/ this whole "job" thing that it's taking me longer to get the paper done. Once that's finished (by tonight) I have 3 more papers to do by Friday night (including watching three 3 hour classes, not so much fun) and I'll be finished w/ another graduate class. Woo~hoo!!!

We're going shopping this weekend for the last of the Hadlee things (until she gets here, anyway). Target makes me happy and getting things for our daughter just makes me down right ecstatic!!!

26 more days.

Thank you all SOOOOO MUCH for the advice about the baby stuff. I felt much better after reading it ~ and I have a list which always calms my nerves. Ya'll are great ~ blugs! :)

Questions, questions, questions...

Hi, this is Mae Anne in semi-panic mode. The following are things that I have no idea about and I'm asking you b/c my sister isn't answering her phone... when I feel the need to know something I need the info immediately or I get all stressed out and the end result is a tension headache ~ one of which I can now feel coming on starting in my upper shoulder blades. Not fun. Please inform the uninformed ASAP...

1. How many bottles do we need? I mean we have 6 and if I end up successfully breast feeding it will make a difference in the # needed, right? At the moment, I need worse case scenario figures, please.

2. What do I need to take to the hospital for Hadlee? If we'll be there for 2 days do I need three outfits for her (day 1, day 2 and a coming home outfit)? Should I just take gowns and matching blankets? What about diapers and wipes and various things of that nature?

3. How many pacifiers are needed? We have 3. I figured we should at least have 7 ~ one for every day... but that's just my harebrained idea.

4. When do we need to get the high chair? Obviously she isn't going to need it the first few weeks, but roughly at what age is a baby big enough to sit in the thing?

5. Is a play yard really a necessary item? (And what's w/ not calling them play pens anymore, did someone end up in jail b/c he or she was in one as a baby?) We have a bassinet (sp?) and her crib ~ is the play yard needed too?

6. How many sheets do I need for the crib and bassinet? I have 2 bassinet sheets and one for the crib.

7. Is it better to have a bouncy seat or a swing? One is obviously larger and bulkier than the other, but what I need is what gets the job done... enough time for a shower where all of the shampoo and conditioner are rinsed out and I get to dry off and put on clean clothes.

8. What about burp cloths? I think we have around 10, but that doesn't sound like nearly enough. Don't babies spew after or during every feeding?

9. How do I give her a bath if I can't bathe her until her belly button falls off and when does that happen?

10. Am I an unfit mother if I do something wrong, don't have enough burp cloths, mis-match her outfit and blanket, or run our of clean bottles?????!??!?!!!

AAARRRGGGHH. Stressing over all of this and more at the moment. Answer if you can. Laugh if you must, but please tell me that it will all be ok.

29 days and counting vigorously.

Seeking Mommy Advice

I came home from church this afternoon w/ roughly three loads of laundry to do for Hadlee! The last and largest shower was held by the church ladies (not to be confused w/ the Chruch Lady from SNL) and the smocked dresses and cutsie little things are just delicious. I do, however, need your advice on the blanket deal. How many blankets (receiving, fleece, thermal, afghans, etc.) does one child really need? I'm not asking this in a sarcastic manner, but I REALLY would like to have a ball park figure. I haven't counted exactly the number we have, but I'm quite sure that it's over 10 and less than 20. Other than having lots of warmth and providing great fort and tent building materials, are they really that vital to a baby's existence?

Also (Men, I do here by apologized if you read the following paragraph ~ feel free to skip to the end of this post from this point), I asked my doctor about nursing things and she recommended a certain brand of pump, but not bottles or various assunderies (I don't know if assunderies is really the correct word to use here, but I felt like using it. I mean, how often do you get to use the word "assunderies"?). If you have recently breast fed and used a pump (cuz, they kind of go hand in hand, correct?) would you kindly give a thumbs up for the brand? Did you rent it from the hospital or shell out the $319 for it at Motherhood Maternity?

Ok, I think that's about it for the questions for tonight. I'm sure that many more will pop into my head, probably about bathroom break #3 at roughly 4:37a.m. I'll update things then...

Happy (Manic) Monday

ZOE Conference

Who's going?

Dis and Anti

Yesterday, for the first time in my life, the elders at church made a public announcement that someone was being disfellowshipped from our assembly. In reality, she did this herself (left her husband and family and made a new one in a different place w/ no communication or replies to the concern, inquiries and prayers from the elders) and the church just kind of followed suit. It was sad and shocking and done w/ love (I know that sounds odd, but it really was) all at the same time.

I'm not sure that this would have taken place before our gospel meeting in June. The man who was brought in for the meeting does the International Gospel Hour ~ I can't remember his name for the life of me (googled it, he's Winford Claiborne). Anyway, one of the parts of his discipline subject was on when a person should be disfellowshipped publicly. At the time I thought, "This is going to stir the pot a good bit." And it did, but it was in discussions and questions, not "Lets go get so-and-so, put a red A on their chest and let the entire world know that we follow the Good Book's rules on telling people where they went wrong and turning away from those who have turned from God." (Obviously, there are some who would do that and think it's the right thing to do, but that wasn't what happened, Thank God!)

It's sad that things like this happen. I'm so glad that I am not in a elder's position and have to make decisions like these. When the announcement was made, the congregation was asked to pray for the family affected and to especially pray for the wife and to tell her, if she was seen, that she is loved and wanted and prayed for.

Now for the "anti" deal. I have a friend who has an interest who is an anti (a.k.a. non-institutional). Now, I hadn't ever heard of the anti movement until a couple of years ago and what I understood of it was "Oh, yeah, they don't have kitchens or social functions at the church building." (Brandon and I visited one such congregation where two Amish men had just been baptized and in turn disfellowshipped from their families ~ it was an interesting experience to say the least.) Ok, what-ever floats their boat, at least they aren't doing the one cup deal! No biggy, just a different perspective. My friend, however, had heard other things that were much more negative from a person who has a very poor attitude about everything that goes against what he feels is right. Naturally, she was a bit hesitant about diving more into the "interest" b/c of the negative spin on all of this. She called me for advice about all of this and we googled the anti deal and were both quite surprised at how NOT hell, fire, damnation it all sounded.

So much religious stuff going on in my head. So many brain cells being asked to function. Odd I guess. Tell me your insights to these matters if you wish. I hope that what I wrote doesn't sound negative or legalistic or anti anti, but just my view of such matters from my own perspective. Does that make sense?

I'm going to take a break and then hit the books some more. Only one more month of classes and then I'm taking off until January. I am looking VERY forward to that break time and to spending lots of time w/ our daughter... just 36 more days! :)

I've got a pretty busy week ahead. Visiting friends on Short Mountain, in Lawrenceburg, a doc's visit in Spring Hill and a couple of days in Huntsville; plus 3 classes, a paper, a pedicure and a baby shower. What are the chances of those classes and paper getting done?!?!???!!

VBS ~ yes!

Nothing like singing "Three Wondering Jews" and "Booster, Booster be a Booster" to really take a gal back to the good ol' days. Plus, tonight was homemade ice cream and cobbler night ~ MMmmmm, mmmmm good! :)

Tomorrow begins the weekly trips to see Dr. Bullard. Not exciting to step on that scale at all ~ in fact, it's just down right mean of them to make me get on the thing.

B grilled the squash tonight, but I'd already had the afore mentioned ice cream and cobbler, so I'll take his word that it was good. Thank you for the recipes!

Tomorrow I am also going to turn in another teaching application (this time for the city schools, not the county). One of my friends called today and said that they wanted me to come for an interview. This is a 7 th grade position ~ reading and history I think. My personal opinion is "Whatever will be, will be." I'm a great teacher, rather compassionate and very NOT mainstream, but ya know, I'm just ready to not be pregnant any more. That's my passion for the time being. :)

Must head off to try to get at least an hour and a half of sleep at a time between all of those potty breaks and 10 minute roll over sessions (and I'm not talking cell phone minutes here people!). Nighty, night.

Thank you God for...

Not making me into an elephant, as they are pregnant for two l-o-n-g years.

I need your cookbooks!!!

Here's the major malfunction...

We have wonderful neighbors who have a wonderful garden and they are great at sharing it's fabulous produce. Today's produce is squash. I love squash, but all I know to do w/ it is fry it. B asked if I could make a casserole BUT I can't find a squash casserole recipe to save my life!!! Help if you can, please! :)

Thanks a bajillion ~ Mae.

P.S. 44 days and counting.

What I like...

White Karo syrup on my french toast.
PB and Grape J w/ Nacho Cheese Doritos on White Bread (Don't knock it till ya try it!).
Having a clean house.
Going into Hadlee's room and touching everything.
Sitting in the garage talking to B while he works on random things such as the 4 wheeler winch.
Ironing.
Diet Sun~drop.
My husband's cooking... anything, esp. if it's grilled.
Living w/in 20 minutes of almost every family member.
Seeing most all of the family members on a regular basis.
Feeling HAH move around in my tummy and watching it look all lopsided and alien-ish.
Counting down the days until she's here and I can hold her, squeeze her, and call her mine!
Laughing at my husband.
Laughing in general.
AC ~ thank you Lord!
Getting gifts for HAH in the mail, or at a shower, or b/c something is one sale that she couldn't possibly do w/out.
Not working outside of the home.
Having a dog who guards nothing but her food and toys.
Nieces and a nephew.
HGTV.
Looking at house plans and thinking about what we'd like to have in our next home.
Life.
Blessings.
Love.
Smiles.
Compliments.
Blogging.

Now, how 'bout you?

49 Days & Counting...

Seven weeks from today is Hadlee's due date. Last week at my doc's appointment I asked if there was a chance of my due date being moved up since she's measuring on the large side. Nope, apparently if the date is getting moved, it will be further away in order for her lungs to have more time to develop... my balloon of hope was quickly deflated! After next week's appointment I'll be in the office every week until Little Bit gets here ~ frightening and exciting all at the same time!!!

Brandon and I went to Mass on Sunday to celebrate the Christening of his cousin, Johanna. It was my first Catholic experience and I must say it was very interesting and confusing (not to mention the work out from sitting, standing and kneeling so much!) all at once. I was very engrossed in what was happening, the replies of the congregation back to the priest, the children running around, the lack of dress on many women, the absence of Bibles of any sort, the repetitiveness of having the same service each week for a year... basically the whole kit and kaboodle. I was going to participate in communion if B's family did (which they didn't) UNTIL this one particular moment... a lady, probably in her mid 50's sitting two rows ahead of us stuck her thumb up her nose, examined it's contents and then decided they were worthy of ingestion. She did this not once, but TWICE!!! Oh, holy Mary mother of Jesus these people drink after each other!!!!!!!!!!! Buick maguick!!! There was no way on the face of this green earth that I was going to drink from the same cup that she did (and really, what's the point of wiping the rim when it's just spreading germs around more than once?!) . I almost had a come-apart at that time ~ it was BAD! I was trying to figure out a way of avoiding the cup part (and at the same time was incredibly appreciative that we don't do the whole one cup deal!) when my mom-in-law said, "It's ok for us to just sit and observe at this point." Thank you Lord!

That was what really stuck w/ me from my first Mass experience. Johanna was Christened in the fountain ~ not sprinkled, but immersed butt naked up to her neck into a fountain that people then put their hands into and touched to their faces ~ hello babies pee in there! It was really neat, but bogger lady ruined a good bit of it... not to mention my anal-retentive-germ-o-phoebe-ness kicking into high gear. If I'd had my anti-bac wipes with me I'd've been handing them out right behind the alter boys! :)

Yesterday we had a wonderful Fourth celebration which included a cook out at my sister's house w/ all the siblings, nieces, nephew and friends, lots of fireworks, a few burnt hands and my husband catching on fire (just a small one though ~ it left a dime sized hole in his $4 Old Navy flag tee). All in a day's work...

Now I'm working on more school stuff and trying to actually get caught up. Last week I just thought about getting there, this week I'm actually doing it ~ shocking I'm sure...

It's 2:22 somewhere...

Well, here actually. I had a hard time falling asleep and when I finally got to the really good sleep part Sassafrass woke me up. So, I've been reading new blogs since then. Haven't done that in quite a while. Isn't it funny how we get into a routine even in blogland?

I've had some pretty deep thoughts on life issues lately, but hesitate to post them given the fact that there are eyes reading this that I haven't spoken to on said issues and should probably do so before posting them in order to be as un-offensive as possible. How's that for a run-on?

Something that has really bothered me since moving back home is the rumor mill here. Holy crap!!! I had forgotten how mixed up, tied up, tangled up in rumors this place was. That is one area that I am trying desperately to stay out of... Satan's been pulling me lately, but I hope that I've resisted the pulling. Daddy always taught us that we are much better off not getting involved in the drama and politics that go on here. Now I really understand what he meant! Knowing that Hadlee will have to be taught the same thing, I figured that practicing and modeling such behavior would be better than preaching on it and being a hypocrite! Do any of you struggle w/ similar issues?

Well, I think I feel sleep coming on... must get up in a few hours for water aerobics ~ sadly, it kicked my booty on Monday, but then again I AM eight months preggars! :) Hope you are sleeping tightly.

As is par...

Hi. My name is Mae Anne and I'm a procrastinator.

Once again, I have projects due for school and I can think of nothing better to do than laundry, cleaning, blogging, watching TV, and talking to anyone or anything that will listen in order to avert myself from finishing (or beginning) anything. Seriously, I should do better. I'll put myself in time out as soon as I finish this...

In the name of research, I'll ask your opinions. So, what is your opinion on the following:
1. Heterosexism / Homophobia / Christianity in the marriage and family therapy room.
2 Developing a community based project or program... what would it be, how would it work, would you like to develop said project for me?, etc.
3. Venn Diagrams ~ I hate the little suckers.

In other news...

I have such a busy week ahead and it doesn't look as if things will slow down any time soon. I'm trying to get as far ahead w/ school things as possible so just in case I get a call saying "Congratulations, you are hired as a real teacher and I need you to report to work in the morning." I'll have a bit less to stress over. (I heard through the grape vine that I would be getting a call soon, but the grape vine has been known to break down or go bad from time to time so I will count on absolutely no such of a thing.) I have 3 classes, 1 paper and a test to get in this week. Plus a day of shopping w/ the mom-in-law, a doc's appointment (on Tuesday we'll be into week #32!), 3 water aerobics classes, and a pedicure.

Boy life is just rough I tell ya! :)

Now I'll get right on that paper... as soon as I get in my 9 hours of sleep.

Just one question...

What ever happened to the Diet Coke guy?

SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING?

A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.
A cat has 32 muscles in each ear
A crocodile cannot stick out its tongue.
A dragonfly has a life span of 24 hours.
A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.
A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.
A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
A snail can sleep for three years.
Al Capone's business card said he was a used furniture dealer.
All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.
Almonds are a member of the peach family.
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until the child reaches 2 to 6 years of age.
Butterflies taste with their feet.
Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds. Dogs only have about 10.
"Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".
February 1865 is the only month in recorded history not to have a full moon.
In the last 4,000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.
If the population of China walked past you, in single file, the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction.
If you are an average American, in your whole life, you will spend an average of 6 months waiting at red lights.
It's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.
Leonardo Da Vinci invented the scissors.
Maine is the only state whose name is just one syllable.
No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.
On a Canadian two dollar bill, the flag flying over the Parliament building is an American flag.
Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.
Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite..
Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.
"Stewardesses" is the longest word typed with only the left hand and "lollipop" with your right.
The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing.
The cruise liner, QE2, moves only six inches for each gallon of diesel that it burns.
The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
The sentence: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" uses every letter of the alphabet.
The winter of 1932 was so cold that Niagara Falls froze completely solid.
The words 'racecar,' 'kayak' and 'level' are the same whether they are read left to right or right to left (palindromes).
There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.
There are more chickens than people in the world.
There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous
There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: "abstemious" and "facetious."
There's no Betty Rubble in the Flintstones Chewables Vitamins.
Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.
TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.
Winston Churchill was born in a ladies' room during a dance.
Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks; otherwise it will digest itself.
.............Now you know everything!!!

P.S. Does anyone else love that these are listed alphabetically??!?!?!

Halle, Shelby, Jared & gummies... can't beat it! :) 

Perpetual state of stuffiness

Ah, to just be able to breathe without sounding like a 600 lb. asmatic... 'twould be a dream come true. I sound so horrible, I even frighten myself! We've got 9 weeks and 1 day to go ~ hopefully less if these squats live up to their reputation. Maybe then I'll be able to breathe normally again...

Is it just me, or has this month flown by? I can't believe that July is almost here. It's just crazy. This will be the first summer in YEARS that I'll not be able to go to the beach... sadness. We may end up heading down in October when Hadlee is big enough to travel; just to hear that soothing sound and get our toes in the sand and water. OR, maybe the beach will move a few hundred miles inland ~ that would be so much more convenient!

The baby's crib, mattress and bedding came over the weekend. It is so exciting to go in there to look and touch everything. A bit sobering knowing that B and I will be responsible for the person who will soon rest her precious head in there. Ok, panic attackish feelings coming on. Must stop thinking of such things.

Nuttin' else to report on. My life is great, but not so exciting to read about. Happy Monday blog family.

Anticipation

Tomorrow is the interview day for a teaching position. Currently there are only four positions open in Pre K-5th and they are interviewing candidates from 8:00 - 3:00 with interviews lasting for 15 minutes max. That's a lot of people looking for a job! I'm not really excited about the prospect of having a full time job, especially w/ HAH's due date only 69 days away.... I don't know. I've prayed about it and my thinking is that what ever happens is meant to be and I'll just sit back and say thank you! :)

Brandon is getting back into a traveling routine. Since we've moved he hasn't been asked to go anywhere until this week. Yesterday he was in Atlanta and today through Friday he'll be in Charlotte, NC. Blah.

On a much more exciting note... HAH's crib and mattress will be delivered b/t 12:00 and 4:00 Friday afternoon. I am SUPER EXCITED!! I can not wait to see how things are going to look and getting this special space ready for such a special child. Her bedding and dresser will be here in a couple more weeks. When it's all here and put together I'll post pictures for all to goo and ooh over.

Saturday we are hosting a cook out in honor of all the father's in our family ~ well the immediate family anyway. Looking forward to having everyone over and celebrating being Daddies and having families and all that warm, fuzzy stuff.

My energy level begins to decline greatly at noon and I have to clean the vanities in our bathrooms and try to make sense of the gifts in HAH's room ~ currently it looks like a disaster zone. Then I need to catch up on yet another class, and head off to church for another night of our gospel meeting. It's on marriage, families and the home this year... right up my ally!

They Dance in the Kitchen

Throughout my childhood, my parents always held hands, kissed, and danced (yep, you read that correctly, they danced!). With four children in the house, they knew how to keep the romance alive in their marriage. Although he had to over come his wife's death, Daddy found another woman with whom he could dance in the kitchen, with only the music of voices and sounds of nature as their melody... and I am so thankful that he was given such a wonderful gift; not once, but twice in his life.

Today is Gary Lynn "Butch" McCullough's 50th birthday. For half a century he has brought smiles and laughs from those around him. He can play hard ball with the best of them, but Daddy is a softie at heart and it is shown in the way he treats everyone he comes into contact with, but especially his family.

He has shown my siblings and I how to live, love and laugh. But more importantly, how to be a child of God and admit our imperfections (if only when absolutely necessary!). His influence in my life is very evident ~ besides that fact that I am his spitting image (minus the bald head and full beard and mustache).

I love you Daddy and I am so grateful to have you in my life.

Always,
Your Baby Girl

Nuttin' much...

Thankfully, there isn't all that much going on right now. Things are sailing smoothly along. At my doctor's appointment Tuesday, Dr. B said that HAH is measuring "larger than 29 weeks," which is fine. Brandon and I were both a bit above average... he was 7.13 and I was 8.1 (and two weeks late ~ have mercy!) so she should be right in that area. Then again, they told my sister that her youngest one would be between 8 and 9 lbs. and she was 7.4, so I'm not really putting all my stock into measuring by feeling the ol' tummy.

I've finished all of the thank you cards from the baby showers. Now all I have to do is buy stamps and send them all on their merry way. Of course, this is the point at which I stopped w/ thank yous for wedding gifts. I don't know why, but I'll make sure these get mailed w/ in the next 75 days or so...

Next Thursday I have two interviews w/ 5 principals (of which I know 4, it's so nice to be back home!) for a teaching position for next fall (which actually starts in late July ~ this whole year around thing sure cuts into a gal's summer!). I don't know how this will end. Just getting invited to interview is a good thing; it's the aftermath if the interview goes well that will stress me out a bit... ok, a big... huge... gigantic bit, but a bit no less. I have never thought about putting my children into someone else's hands on a daily basis. SO, I'll not think about it now and all will be well! Just call me Scah-lutt.

That's the oh-so-exciting news for now. I'll have a child in a little over 10 weeks ~ YAH HOO!!!

Let the freak show begin...

It's nearing... the second weekend of June in Manchester means the hippy, free-lovin, take a puff of the cheeba and share a round w/ the tent next to ya, crowd is gathering for the annual "music and arts festival" called Bonnaroo. Lord help us!

In past years, the traffic wait to get to the gate has been up to 8 hours on the interstate in both directions. Surprisingly, only three people have died during this; not surprisingly, they were results of overdoses.

For most Manchester residents, we love it as much as native New Orleans inhabitants love Mardi Gras... that's not a lot if you're keeping a tally. It does bring a large amount of $$$ into the area. How much, I'm not sure, but they'll announce a guesstimate on the news Sunday evening as the last station-wagonniers and hitch-hikers are heading out of town.

Brandon and I were returning some duplicate baby gifts to Wal-Mart (have I mentioned that we're registered at Target??!!) and witnessed numerous 'Roonies setting up tents in the parking lot. I can't imagine how that would be a good night's sleep, especially since the gates don't open for two more days.

Our life for the next six days will revolve around catching glimpses of people who's parents probably enjoyed Woodstock a bit too much and avoiding town as much as possible. It will be interesting, shocking, surprising and some fun all in one, but boy howdy are we ready for it to be over with! :)

Chocolate Sanity

I'm not at all used to being at someone else's beck and call. This week, since I've been keeping Lyla (13 months) my little world has been turned upside down. She's a wonderful child, incredibly easy to take care of, I'm just not used to it. When the mid afternoon stretch gets here (right when she starts to get tired and ready for her afternoon nap) I have to take a sanity break. This means taking a time out on the couch with a tall cup o' milk and a swiss miss. Mmmm. She's waking up. If I don't make eye-contact she may just fall back to sleep!

Chocolate anyone?

Just a couple things...

Lila, the one year old I am taking care of for a while, is preoccupied so I thought I'd take a minute to ask for your prayers.

1. My great-aunt (Ain't Arlene as we call her) has been diagnosed w/ lung and brain cancer. She's a smoker and the lung cancer, while difficult to find, tends to spread quickly. It completely covers one lung, half of the other, and enough of her brain to be incredibly serious and inoperable. The specialists at Erlanger in Chattanooga have said she may have as little as 2 months and as long as 5 years.

2. My step-mom's sister, Debbie, had a stroke a couple weeks ago. She has lost 1/4 of her brain functioning. It's the reasoning, sequencing, mature part which may or may not be compensated for w/ proper therapy. Dede is taking care of her (plus their mother and aunt, who has epilepsy) and really needs to take it easy. Dede was recently diagnosed w/ fibromyalgia (sp?) and the more stress she has, the worse she feels.

Just a few things we could really use your prayers on. Other than that all is well. Hadlee is growing at the speed of light and taking up more than her fair share of tummy space! :) We absolutely LOVE being at home and are taking full advantage of seeing family on a near daily basis. Lila isn't so preoccupied anymore and I think it's nearly her morning nap time... ahh, nap time...

Happy Blog-iversary... My Dog is Grounded

Today marks the beginning, one year ago, that I began traveling down the bloggin' road. It has brought nothing but encouragement, friends, prayers, laughs, and little touches of Christ via technology. What a sweet treat!

... Now, about my dog. She is SO grounded. Yesterday I took her to the vet for her vaccinations and a flea and tick treatment (ticks are awful this year!). She does good job of traveling after she is in the vehicle, it's the whole getting in the vehicle part that scares her to death. (Can you see where this is going?) Well, all went well with the visit, weighing, seeing my sis-in-law, etc. We were leaving and Karen (the sis-in-law) had walked us to the car to help me get Sass back inside. Karen was at her head and I was assisting at the hind quarters. We try a couple of times to lift her to no avail (really, I was just there to talk, not do all that much lifting). The third time's a charm, right? Not in the Hale family. Sass slipped her head down, managed to get out of her BODY HARNESS and bolted. That's one stubborn dog with no harness in the smallish town of Tullahoma running rampant while three completely embarrassed and frustrated women tried to bribe her w/ treats, dead animals, and a threat to end her life (I was the only one doing that part, though). For 30 MINUTES we chased and tried to coax her back towards the clinic ~ we ran through yards (saw a couple smoking some crack and ran a bit faster) across streets, in front of traffic (luckily the speed limit in town is only 20 mph) and finally headed back to the clinic. Sass followed and was eventually contained. So now she's grounded for 3 days (no attention, no walks, and no treats) and I have to find a HUGE thank you gift for Karen, Amy (the vet) and yankee girl who answers the phones. Any suggestions?

Must head off to the New Union area. I'm yard sale-ing (I can't spell that) today and keeping a one year old... something tells me it's not going to be the best combination of duties. Bye now.

And we're back...

I can't express enough how fantastic it feels to be back home. It's been four years since I've lived here and six years for B (plus his 4 1/2 years of college at Evansville). It took about two trips to his parents' house (5 whole miles down the road) to decide that there are few jobs that can feel right enough in the heart and right enough in the wallet to compensate for leaving Coffee County. Homecoming is so sweet, I can't even begin to imagine what's in store for THE homecoming!

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers over the past week. Ma Penny lived a long life (89) and was tired and ready to get to her eternal resting place.

The rental house is slowly becoming home-like. It doesn't smell like us yet, but I'll take care of that w/ some B&B Works wall flowers and candles! We have decided to stay here (in the rental) save up a good chunk of cabbage and try to find some land to build on. Forget North Carolina, forget Atlanta, forget GE if we have to; it's all about being w/ family!

We are officially into the last trimester. I'm officially ready to not be pregnant anymore and stay swollen no matter what precautions I take (CC, how in the world did you do this for so long??!?!) I've always wanted to have four children, that want is quickly changing to a lower number! :) I guess we'll take what precious gifts we're given. I've come to the realization that it's not really my decision to make anyway. Whatever God sees fits is what we'll take.

Break time is over, must unpack some more and head over to my parents to set up for a yard sale for this weekend.

When it rains...

It pours.

Today, Mattie Jane Tenpenny, or Ma Penny to many of us, passed away. Hadlee would have been her tenth great-great-grandchild.

Stuff 'n Things... n' Procrastination 'n Prayers

Today I left my last Ladies Bible Study class and lunch and gabbing session as a true Lawrenceburgan. Sadness.

Today I am supposed to pack, I'm blogging instead.

Today my great-grandmother (Ma Penny) had a heart attack and was life-lighted (or is it life-flighted? we say it so fast I actually have no idea) to a Nashville hospital (we assume it's Saint Thomas, but do not know for certain ~ Daddy has a large lack of details disease). We have been asked not to flood the hospital w/ visitors (all together there are roughly 75 - 80 children - great-great-grandchildren), but to pray. So please join us in that.

Today I bought a graduation gift for a sweet friend who will be in Nashville at DLU next fall.

Today they put a "SOLD" sign in my front yard.

Monday evening we met the people who will inhabit my precious home in a couple of weeks. My only comment is "I'm sorry house and nice neighbors." Next time we sell a home, I'll screen the buyers in a much more proficient manner. Goodbye nice walls, white carpet, and pretty yard. (Yes, I am being judgmental and I could be wrong, but I just don't think so...)

Today I need a nap and don't have time to take one.

Tomorrow is the last day we have to pack.

Yesterday I (along w/ my step-mom and a friend) scrubbed our rental house from top to bottom to get ready for us to live in.

Today I am exhausted from expending all of that energy.

Today I am a week behind on my classes. Next week I'll have to catch up and unpack at the same time.

Today I have 97 more days until HAH's due date.

Today I could use some laughter.

Funny Forwards

YOU KNOW YOU GREW UP IN THE 80's or early 90's IF-

1. You've ever ended a sentence with the word "PSYCHE ".
2. You watched the Pound Puppies.
3. You can sing the rap to the "Fresh Prince of Bel-air " ...and
can do the "Carlton".
4. Girls wore biker shorts under their skirts and felt stylishly
sexy.
5. You yearned to be a member of the Baby-sitters club and tried to
start a club of your own.
6. You owned those lil' Strawberry Shortcake pals scented dolls.
7. You know that "WOAH " comes from Joey on Blossom
8. Two words: Hammer Pants
9. If you ever watched "Fraggle Rock."
10. You had plastic streamers on your handle bars... and
"spokey-dokes" or playing cards on your spokes for that incredible sound effect.
11. You can sing the entire theme song to "DuckTales " (Woo ooh!)
12. When it was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to
watch cartoons.
13. You wore a ponytail on the side of your head.
14. You saw the original "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles " on the big
screen..and still know the turtles names.
15. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer
class at school.
16. You made your mom buy one of those clips that would hold your
shirt in a knot on the side.
17. You played the game "MASH " (Mansion, Apartment, Shelter,
House)
18. You wore stonewashed Jordache jean jackets and were proud of
it.
19. L.A. Gear....need I say more?
20. You wanted to change your name to "JEM " in Kindergarten.
(She's truly outrageous.)
21. You remember reading "Tales of a fourth grade nothing " and all
the Ramona books.
22. You know the profound meaning of "WAX ON, WAX OFF "
23. You wanted to be a Goonie.
24. You ever wore fluorescent clothing. (some of us... head-to-toe)
25. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his
nose fell off and his cheeks shifted.
26. You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the only female smurf.
27. You took lunch boxes to school... and traded Garbage Pail Kids
in the schoolyard.
28. You remember the CRAZE, then the BANNING of slap bracelets.
29. You still get the urge to say "NOT " after every sentence.
30. You remember Hypercolor t-shirts.
31. Barbie and the Rockers was your favorite band.
32. You thought She-ra (Princess of Power!) and He-Man should hook
up.
33. You thought your childhood friends would never leave because
you exchanged handmade friendship bracelets.
34. You ever owned a pair of Jelly-Shoes (and like #24, probably in
neon colors, too).
35. After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you kept saying "I know
you are, but what am I?"
36. You remember "I've fallen and I can't get up! "
37. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline
skates.
38. You ever got seriously injured on a Slip and Slide.
39. You have ever played with a Skip-It.
40. You had or attended a birthday party at McDonalds.
41. You've gone through this nodding your head in agreement.
42. You remember Popples.
43. "Don't worry, be happy "
44. You wore like, EIGHT pairs of socks over tights with high top
Reeboks.
45. You wore socks scrunched down (and sometimes still do...
getting yelled at by "younger hip" members of the family)
46. "Miss MARY MACK MACK MACK, all dressed in BLACK BLACK BLACK "
47. You remember boom boxes.. and walking around with one on your
shoulder like you were all that.
48. You remember watching both "Gremlins " movies.
49. You know what it meant to say "Care Bear Stare!!"
50. You remember watching "Rainbow Bright" and "My Little Pony
Tales"
51. You thought Doogie Howser/Samantha Micelli was hot.
52. You remember Alf, the lil furry brown alien from Melmac.
53. You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool... and
don't even flinch when people refer to them as "NKOTB".
54. You knew all the characters names and their life stories on
"Saved By the Bell", the ORIGINAL class.
55. You know all the words to Bon Jovi - SHOT THROUGH THE HEART.
56. You just sang those words to yourself.
57.You remember watching Magic vs. Bird.
58. homemade Levi shorts.. (the shorter the better)
59. You remember when mullets were cool!
60. You had a mullet!
61. You still sing "We are the World "
62. You tight rolled your jeans.
63. You owned a bannana clip.
64. You remember "Where's the Beef?"
65. You used to (and probably still do) say "What you talkin' about
Willis?"
66. You had big hair and you knew how to use it.
67. You're still singing shot through the heart in your head,
aren't you!!!

Decisions... not that they are all that important or life altering, they're just more fun at the moment.

I'm having a problem deciding on which baby bedding I like the most. Other than seeing it in person, this is as close to touching, feeling and smelling as I can get w/out putting any $$$ into the purchase. Tell me what you think "Coronation" or "Pocketful of Posies." (Click here, then check out children's, then baby bedding, and girl's bedding.)

Yesterday was so much fun. The Ladies Bible Class held a shower for me. The whole "I'm going to be a mother in a short while" thing is beginning to really kick in. There is pink frilly stuff everywhere and I LOVE IT!!!!

I need to whip up some lunch for Brandon, pack up some boxes and dive into the oh so interesting world of Marriage and Family Development. Woo~hoo!

Oh yeah. B was officially offered the North Carolina job yesterday. There is much to ponder, look at, think and pray over, and several more options in the GE job search to look into as well (one of which would probably allow us to stay in Manchester). Please keep us in your prayers over these decisions (the not-so-fun, life-altering ones).

Dreams

Last night Brandon told me of a news story where a local couple had to deliver their child in the car en route to the hospital. Apparently this bothered me some what on a sub-conscious level, as I dreamed the following.

It was a hot Tennessee summer evening. Brandon and I were hosting a BBQ for some friends and family members. He and the others are outside chit-chatting away and I'm in the hallway cramping and feeling a bit out-of-sorts. I sit down on the guest bed, (which if you know me, sitting on a made bed is definitely an unpardonable sin) reach down and deliver a baby boy... a boy? A BOY??!??!! It's a BOY??? What happened to my sweet little girl? What in the world am I going to do w/ a boy? I'm not prepared for a boy! AARRGH!!!! In walks my sister and niece all excited about me delivering a baby and not having a mess of any kind to clean up. I hand Lynette the baby and run out to get Brandon. He gets all perturbed b/c I interrupted his conversation (if you know him at all, you know he just doesn't get perturbed at anything). I"m crying hysterically over delivering A BOY and he could care less. He has guests to entertain and I had sat down on the bed for crying out loud! My sister calls the doctor who appears at the house and says "Congratulations on your son. What are you going to name him?" I let out a blood curdling scream and the dream pans to a beautiful sunset.

That's what I call messed up! For the love... I can't handle too many more of these. I'll be a nervous wreck by the time we reach the hospital (an hour and a half drive from the house in Manchester ~ let's think about that at a later date!). Just thought I'd share that little tid bit. Not much else to blog about. Getting boxes packed and working on summer school.

By the way, the next time I decide to have a child while in grad school please remind me of the pocket protector wearing professor from Nebraska and I'll definitely change my mind! Holy Moses, how in the world am I supposed to "think scientifically, academically, and critically about marriage and family development" when I can't even decide what to fix for supper?!!!

Life is in the details, not the parachute.

More than just about any other saying, I firmly believe that life is definitely in the details. I love details about absolutely everything. I mean EVERYTHING! (Unless it's my grandmother describing what she ate for supper three nights ago for the fifth time in one phone conversation, then I'm not so appreciative of them.) The good thing about seeing, knowing and understanding the details is that there is little room to be un-prepared for any (detail) given situation. I am SO INTO DETAILS, that I asked my ob/gyn for a c-section so that I could be fully prepared and know exactly when HAH is coming into the world ~ she laughed and said "Umm, no!" If you are around many men you probably know that most of them could give a flitter about details. One such man is my husband, bless his heart.

Unfortunately, men run the course of our life right now. Every person who is higher in the GE food chain and has a remote in-site to our future, just isn't too detail oriented. What we do know is this: Brandon has a job through the end of September and probably will continue w/ the company after that date. As of now, his boss has his eye on two very different places. One is the North Carolina job (we would probably live in South Carolina ~ one of the guys B works w/ said it's much less expensive, just as nice as Asheville, and only 30 minutes away) and the other is right outside of Atlanta. The girl who has rather strong opinions and hates, detests, can not stand curvy roads, hills, or mountains, just isn't all that excited about living in a very curvy, hilly, mountainy area (when the interstate speed limit is 50 b/c of natural terrain I tend to have panic attacks). This job would be wonderful for B's career and we are told we'd be there for at least 5 years (Holy crap ~ Hadlee will be in Kindergarten in 5 years ~ someone give me a paper bag and tell me to breathe ~ not easy to think about!!!) My brain is having a hard time thinking now, I'll try to continue... The Atlanta job would be more of a lateral slide in the career area. BUT, as we all know, it's not located in the mountains and if you go 50 on any road you will shortly meet your maker. Nascar's got nuttin' on Atlanta highways! Also, Atlanta is only 3 hours from home and we know people there, while NC / SC is 5 - 6 hours depending on who is doing the driving and we know no one in that area. Both are in a different time zone ~ I'll not go into how much that messes w/ my mind right now. We probably won't know until June or even later when or where we'll be moving east. If you'll remember, HAH will be here in August... at least, that's what we're counting on.

If you read paragraph one, you will notice that I'm BIG on details. In paragraph two, there is a large lack of them. Yep, it's not really my kind of thing, but if I have learned anything at all in life, it's that all things will work out in the end (if I knew exactly which "things" these were and when exactly they would "work out" I'd be much more at ease, but ya know how that goes). I seriously think God was bored and needed to laugh so He decided Brandon and I should have to manage our lives in a different manner. He better be getting some good guffaws in is all I have to say about that!

Boxes are slowly being packed and moved to storage in Manchester. Leaving is sad, but being there is going to be so much fun (once the boxes are un-packed)! We are going to miss our church here dearly. (Speaking of church, they are giving us two showers and one going-away party next week ~ FUN!!!) But since my doc's office is only half an hour away I'm going to try to make the appointments on days that social activities are happening and just make myself at home w/ my retired friends.

Changes, details, imagining having a 5 year old... it's a bit much for now, but that's what's going on. Stability seems to have disappeared. God is providing us w/ a parachute. It's not necessarily cute, nor does it match my purse and shoes, but it is a parachute none the less. All we can do is trust in Him, jump, and enjoy the ride down. (If only I knew when the ride was going to be and where we would land...)

Sugar and spice...

and everything nice
that's what
Hadlee Anne Hale ~ a.k.a. HAH
is made of!!! (We're 95% sure, anyway.)

She has chubby cheeks, a blank space between the legs, long appendages, and was incredibly bouncy from the Sun-drop I enjoyed before hand. It was a lot of fun and crowded ~ I was joined by my sister, brother, sis-in-law, niece, her aunt (the ultra stenographer ~ that's a fun one to say) and her daughter in a pediatrician's exam room on a very small table!!! YAY! Just 16 1/2 weeks (or so) to go.

I chose her first name and her father chose her middle. I think it's a cute combination, and not something you hear everyday. How 'bout you? (If for some un-godly reason you disagree, keep it to yourself, please. Thankyouverymuch!)

We found a house in Manchester to rent for the next little while. It's in a cute neighborhood and has a garage and plenty of space for us, HAH and almost everything she'll bring along. It'll work until we know what will come next. RELIEF in one area at least!

Woo~Hoo!!!

I can now feel HAH's jazzercise and breakdancing moves outside of my tummy!!!! So exciting! :)

Question...

Does Sonic, America's Drive-In, really need a drive thru?!?!?!?!!

Saturday Hilda and I spent several hours looking at the baby sections of Target and Toys-R-Us (we weren't sure where Babies-R-Us or USA Baby were located). I successfully went through Target zapping away at large and small things for the baby's registry. If you have the urge to spend money on a gal, I urge you, do not be afraid to send it our way!!! :) Kidding, but really, I'm kind of not too.

Massive head ache, probably sinus related. Going to watch Oprah and veg, then pack up Brandon to send him on his weekly Georgia trip (he's been asked to commit to Wednesdays and Thursdays for an undetermined amount of time). He'll be on the five hour drive around 4:00 in the morning. Please pray for his safety. Mrs. Paranoid isn't too keen on him driving for so long all alone. Yes, I am officially turning into a worry-wart mother ~ he's my closest experiment!

Losing it / Gag a Maggot

So, as with all prego's it is beginning to happen to me. My innie is becoming an outie... and I find this extremely disgusting (or as Shelby used to say "di-gust-ing"). I am so not interested in belly buttons. When my sister was pregnant she could easily make me gag by belly flashing me w/ the big button staring at me like a one-eyed monster (what are those things called? I just can't remember.) I'm cringing just at the thought. Today's term is "GAG A MAGGOT!!!"

Tomorrow I am going w/ my mom-in-law to a baby shower for Brandon's aunt. Yes, you read that correctly, his aunt. (She's a couple of years older than B, but his uncle is in his late 50's. It's an interesting story to say the least!) And then we are going baby furniture shopping!!! I am SOO EXCITED!!!! What fun. I can't wait to pick stuff out. I doubt that we'll buy anything just yet. It will more than likely wait until we move back home, but looking is the fun part.

I have to start compiling the list for my own shower invites. Apparently I'm not supposed to know about the shower, but hello, I picked the date! It will probably take me days to try to remember everyone I should invite. Maybe I'll just get Lynette to put an ad in the paper. That would be so much more convenient, don't you think?

The energy phase is beginning to slip away. I'm glad of that for only one reason... the end is near!!! Only 123 more days... and if I do my yoga squats, it could be even less than that (is it bad to think that way??!!).

Off to rest and do some laundry. Have a great weekend and kiss your babies (or someone else's, either way will work!)

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Do you ever look at situations and ask yourself, "Is this a gift from God, or is He just bored with my current life and in need of some real entertainment?" No, I didn't think so.

With the closing of Murray getting closer and our move from our little home even closer still, Brandon and I have been tossing around several different living scenarios...

Our favorite is striking it rich, buying a home in Coffee County and flying our private plane to exotic destinations along w/ any friends and family who wish to join in. Since we've never played any type of "strike it rich" game, that one seems to be a bit out of reach...

Next is finding a job that allows us to live happily ever after (again in Coffee County). Only, the more realistic version includes me having a "real job" and HAH and any subsequent children being watched by someone while B and I bring home the cabbage. While we both know that having excessive amounts of $$$ isn't everything, we also know that it sure does seem to make some things easier. I've been thinking about what my dream has always been (staying at home w/ the babies, being an SUV driving soccer mom, having lunch and play dates w/ all the other mom's in the neighborhood, etc.) and what reality seems to be handing us. Working (more than likely as a teacher ~ the more you know, right? ~ until I finish my master's anyway) and having what can be the best of both worlds. We want to provide our children with whatever they want, but more importantly to be available, nurturing, supportive, loving, and set the best examples possible for their lives. How do you decide what is best for your children when you have no idea what being a parent is like?

It's not a stressful decision. Obviously if there is anyway that we can be geographically close to our families that is the path we will head down. Neither of us are worried about the future. God always provides. He always has, and He always will. It's just that there is so much more to consider with a child coming into the world. How do you know what to do when you don't even know what to expect next week?

Just some ideas and details that are swimming around in my head. Apparently, I don't have enough going on in my life already. Any insight on this whole "parenting" thing would be greatly appreciated.

Home

Safely returned.
Stir crazy.
Swollen.
Incessant appetite.
Craving pizza covered in ketchup and Hawaiian Punch Kool Aid.
And homemade vanilla ice cream.
Ready to be in Manchester for a semi-permanent stay.
HAH is moving around like crazy.
She doesn't like it when I go down inflatable slides at Party Palace.
Fun weekend w/ the New Orleans family.
They gave me a surprise baby shower ~ fun ~ & INCREDIBLY surprised!
Going to rest on couch and lay on heating pad.

Yee Haw!!!

Brandon and I just finished up a celebratory trip to the DQ for some ice cream (his choice ~ a Dilly Bar, mine ~ an M&M Blizzard). Why were we celebrating you ask? Well, there is finally a contract on the house ~ YIPPPPPPEEEEE!! We are supposed to close on everything May 16 and then we have two weeks to pack up and move on. The plan for now is to head home (that sounds so surreal) and live in one of my parents' rental units until we are given further instruction by the powers-that-be to head to another place.

It's an exciting time. We've never lived in the same town as our families (always been 2 - 4 hours away) so for the short time we'll be there I'm sure we'll gobble up every chance to see the peeps as is humanly possible. And as an added bonus it will be much cheaper to live in Manchester, so we'll be able to save up some extra cabbage for HAH's future and the down payment on house #2.

Must catch up on classes and begin packing for a weekend trip to New Orleans.

Hooray for a contract, heading home, and not having to keep an immaculate house! :)

Danger: Overly Occupied

Just taking a small reprieve for a moment. I'm in the middle (ok, really, just the beginning, but humor me for a minute!) of a project that is due tomorrow (or today, actually) by 5:00 p.m. and trying not to get overwhelmed by the gargantuan size of this. Going brain dead and losing ideas as soon as they seem to take a tangible form. Is this mommy mush or am I just losing it?!! I'm thinking the best thing for my brain is at least six hours of sleep and a good breakfast. Mmm, breakfast!

Leaving the paper at page three ~ the beginning once you get past the ever important title page and completely useless abstract. Seems like a good place to stop for the time being. Hope your reading this when you've had sleep and some fortifying food... Mmm, food...

Hallelujah for the end of the semester on April 20!!!

Sugar & Spice or Snakes & Snails?

I am not a patient person, nor am I one who likes to be left out of the loop of knowledge. I guess you could call me stubborn or perhaps hard-headed... I truly believe this child will be just like me in every way (her father is the polar opposite in each of the afore mentioned characteristics). We were unable to check out the "important" area in order to determine the baby's sex, she just floated there pretty as a peach w/ her legs crossed in a very lady like fashion. The rad tech, nurse, and doc all think that HAH is a girl (heartbeat was b/t 150 and 160). I was so disappointed and even shed some tears. Oh well, the baby is healthy and doc is pleased w/ our progress. Her brain activity and growth (10 inches and 1/2 lb) are all in line w/ the projected due date. All's well, I'm just left out of the loop for the time being. We'll try again between weeks 30 and 32 (late June / early July)~ maybe HAH will cooperate then. My sister also told me that they have an ultrasound machine at her office we can play around with the next time Brandon and I are in Manchester.

We've had three house showings this week... looking forward to having a contract put on the place sometime in the near future.

Tomorrow B and I are off to Birmingham to visit w/ some friends and do an area survey. It's on the list of possible re-location areas. I'd much rather be there than in North Carolina, but we really don't have a clue as to where we'll end up. The plant isn't closing until Sept. 30, so we have at least that long to find something else. The other option for now is a job where he'd be traveling constantly, but we'd be back at home. I'd rather live away from home and see him on a constant basis ~ call me selfish...

I'm going to soak some strawberries in sugar water for strawberry shortcake and put cucumber slices in salt water. Just a few cravings coming my way! :)

Have a fantastic weekend.

?

We just returned safely from a fantastic trip down to Mobile. I've "done" Inner City work before for a while in Montgomery, but this was an entirely new experience. Instead of just riding the bus to pick up the children and take them to Tues. / Thur. evening studies (not that this isn't an important job by any means!), we were in their homes trying to make new contacts for Chuck and attempting to show them the one thing we ALL have in common ~ the love of GOD. I haven't yet fully processed what happened; I'm not sure that I ever will. What I can say is that it makes me take a look at what I do in my walk w/ Him and want to toss it out the window b/c it is nothing compared to what I am capable of doing. I also have so many questions. Some that I will probably post on here and some that I am sure only the Good Lord himself can answer.

What I do know for sure:
* People in the Inner City are precious chilren of God.
* Mother's in the Inner City are the foundations of the family and home.
* They have struggles. I have struggles. Some we may share, and others we may not, but we all are just trying to get from here to there w/ safety and securtiy.
* You can't map out the "Five Steps to Salvation" for someone who hasn't ever heard of Jesus, who doesn't know how to find Bibile passages and can't imagine how God is going to help them put food on the table.
* It all begins w/ forming relationships, showing God's love, telling them the story of His love and showing them the right way to live.
* It's incredibly exhausting work, but the rewards are immeasureable!

********************************************************************************

Today marks the half-way point in our pregnancy! Woo ~ hoo!!!! Just two more days until we find out what's swimming around inside of me... Holy Moses am I afraid to find out, for fear that I'll have to eat my words! ;) Excitement abounds.

Off to nap before services tonight.

Hey.

It's a little after 10:30 and I just finished book review #2 for one of my classes. Now all I need to do is finish a couple loads of laundry and pack for the mission trip to Mobile for tomorrow morning. I am headed down along with about 15 others to help remodel the Inner City Church building, teach games, and do some Bible studying with people in the neighborhood. Please pray for us as we travel and plant the seed of the Kingdom.

Have a wonderful weekend and I'll update you all when I get back.

{Only one more week until we know HAH is a GIRL!!! And if she isn't we'll have to come up with another name and get into a completely different mind set for the remainder of the pregnancy. Week #20 here we come! :) }

Mush

The best part about living in TN is getting to fully experience every season; the worst part about living in TN is getting to fully experience every season with allergies. Today my head feels like a big puffy marshmallow that has gotten a bit too close to the camp fire. Sluggish, non-attentive, and certainly not up for two more school projects that must be completed before I leave Saturday morning on a mission trip to the Mobile, AL Inner City Church.

Does the house selling ever end? We got another offer from the crackheaded couple that still doesn't come anywhere near what we are asking. Our realtor said she was in love w/ the house, but that they didn't qualify for the amount we are willing to negotiate. Sorry Charlie. There is a house being built on the lot next to ours for what they put on the table ~ buy it and pick out every little detail you want... No sympathy on my part. We've had showings every day this week so I've been to town just to be out of the way a million and fifty-three times. I love the farmer's market and flower stands ~ however, my allergies disagree.

Need a nap, need to do yet another book review, need to map out the entire Bowenian therapy choices I would use for the Steel Magnolias girls, need energy, need lots of stuff... Lord help me.

P.A. (Procrastinators Anonymous)

Hi. My name is Mae Anne (but you can call me Mae if you wanna) and I am a procrastinator. I meant to do this yesterday, but well procrastination happens. Plus, it was Easter and I was munching on a not-so-traditional meal of pizza and cheese sticks from Pizza Hut.

Back to procrastinating...

I have two five pages papers that are due on Wednesday. So far, I have the title and abstract pages written for one of them. I figured that was enough work for an hour so I'd take a little break from all of the difficulties of writing a book review of a book that I haven't read. Well, technically I read almost the whole first chapter. That should be enough to get me through the rest of them. A ratio of 1:16 isn't too bad. Did I mention that I'm an honors student? It's amazing how that works.

So...

The other night I decided to check out Gymboree clothes online for my little peanut. Holy crap! That stuff is so stinkin' cute, I think I'll have to be a part of Gymboree Moms Anon. from doing so much shopping. Come to think of it, that may interfere with my P.A. meetings or grad school or shopping at Gymboree so then again, maybe not...

Also...

Today I had to make myself scarce while the house was being shown. I entered the store that Vette and I promised not to enter until we're 80 ~ but only to look at baby clothes I promise to stay away from the old geezer outfits ~ YUCK! (Sorry if I offended any Peebles shoppers, just my opinionated opinion coming out).

I have come to the conclusion that...

I LOVE LITTLE GIRLS CLOTHING!!!!

Hmm, think I can work that into the book review? Maybe after dinner...

Pure Bliss

For me, there is nothing more calming, soothing, or meditative than being able to work in a flower bed or garden. I itch in the late winter / early spring to get outside and dig up last years' remains in order to start the entire process all over. Even if it is simply clearing out clutter and digging up bulbs, splitting them and finding a new area in the bed so that they look fresh and new. It makes me so happy to feel as if I have accomplished a task and enables me to go to bed exhausted, but happy.

I could literally spend hours in the gardening department of any store checking out the planting season, blooming season, soil and sun preferences and watering preferences of any plant. I love the smell of freshly tilled soil and feeling the cool dampness of the dirt and worms squishing between my fingers. I'll often take off my flip flops and walk barefoot in the beds just to feel this mess that will eventually turn into precious flowers.

On this weekend of remembrance of what Christ did for us by submitting to death on the cross I wonder if God sees His children as a dirty bed of weeds, rocks, and last years' remains, or of the beautiful flowers and plants that He knows we can be? I'm sure that just as any gardener will attest, it's not necessarily the end of the season when the work you have put into your soil has come into fruition that you are the happiest but the hours of sweat, the callouses and the dirty fingernails, the smell of dirt, the physical exertion and the simple joy of gardening. God's love for us never ceased, even when we were weeds, rocks or remains of what used to be ~ He's loved and looked upon us through every bad storm, every sunny day, and every frost to help us know that we are loved ~ no matter if we are in bloom or out.

Happy Easter ~ go hug your gardener.

End Scene.

I love vacation time. It's getting back into reality and dealing w/ adulthood that seems to put a damper on the whole trip back home.

B and I had a wonderful time in the Smokies ~ regardless of mullet sporting, sock w/ sandal wearer's. Of course, we didn't do Ober, so I'm sure I only saw a small percentage of the mulleteers.

We spent Sunday in Asheville and Hendersonville, NC which is more than likely the area we'll be moving to when we leave Lawrenceburg. We drove around Hendersonville expecting to see family neighborhoods all over the place. Much to our surprise all that we found were retirement communities, homes in excess of $250,000 and a neighborhood that we thought may work out, but turned out to be a Habitat for Humanity area. It seemed to be either feast or famine in H'ville. We just didn't get a good vibe about the place. So we headed for Asheville expecting it to be a similar and a bit ritzier situation. Again we were surprised, but by the normalness, all be it, yuppie-esk areas that we drove around in (all near the Biltmore ~ go figure!). Once the house is under contract we'll contact a GE certified realtor and get moving on finding a new home that we may actually be in for more than 2 1/2 years!

B was given another job offer w/ the same company which would allow us to move back home, but require him to be gone about 75% of the time. We've talked and talked and prayed and prayed about it and decided that it'd be better for our family situation for him to be home all the time and us be a longer distance from family than for us to be surrounded by family and him not really be an everyday part of the baby's life. Plus, I'm really not as highly functioning as a person if he's not around. I think I'd go stark raving mad and that just wouldn't bee good for my future professional life as a marriage and family therapist. If the Asheville situation doesn't work out, we'll take this job for a while until he can find something that will allow him to be at home every night.

The job B currently has is very cushy. He leaves around 8:00, is home at lunch for an hour or so, and back again by 3:30 or 4:00. I am incredibly spoiled and used to having him here. I hope that this sort of thing will be able to continue, but w/ the responsibilities he'll have in that particular management position in NC, I highly doubt that will be the case.

The house has showing #3 tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed, we've only got a little time before we have to be in a new city. Being able to buy a new house in the new place will be great as long as our current home belongs to someone else at the time.

Brandon and I have been tossing around names for the child. We're trying to make words w/ her initials. So far the one we have is HAH! We really want a SHH, DUH, DOH, and B wants a BOB, but that doesn't exactly seem possible. The name is a secret, but I'm not above giving out initials! Besides, I'm so fickle, it's bound to change in the next day or so.

Have a fabulous Wednesday all. I'll be w/ the retired gals at our weekly gab session, a.k.a. the Ladies Bible Class. It's such a fun time ~ something I'll dearly miss when we leave.

Vandalism and Thievery

We've been having problems in our neighborhood lately with missing items and tattered patio furniture. As it turns out, my dog is to blame. She's spending the next week in canine juvy while we skip town to avoid the papparizzi.

My mother-in-law asked Brandon if it was ok for her to buy the baby's furniture for our Easter / Anniversary gifts... hmmm, let me think about that for a minute. HECK YEAH! Woo~hoo ~ shopping is going to be so much fun! Not that we will take advantage of her generosity in any way. We've been looking at stores on the internet and checking prices on e-bay for ideas of what we like and what is a definite no. We're more than likely going to get a cherry sleigh bed convertible set and a dresser w/ the changing table and pad on top. I found a rocker / glider / cutsie / chair deal in a small store in Huntsville and I can't wait to order it. They custom make the things for a very reasonable price and it looks like a regular piece of furniture instead of the wooden contraptions that can only fit in a nursery. Do any of you have ideas for what you couldn't imagine doing with out or items that were useless? Any comments are more than welcome!

I must hit the books and watch another class before head out to Gatlinburg and Asheville. Have a wonderful Spring Break and be careful if you're traveling. :)

Thoughts... or the lack there of...

I spent all night Thursday and from Friday morning around 10:00 until Saturday morning at 1:00 writing a paper on personality theories. Due to the fact that all of my "extra" brain cells went towards writing a semi-coherent paper worthy of a master's level student... and the fact that this child is sucking away at any intelligence I formerly housed in my cerebral cortex, I now have zero energy to sit at my computer and type anything of particular interest or humor.

I will say that my hormones have officially taken over my sensory functioning and if I thought my mouth was uncontrollable earlier, boy was I mistaken!!! It seems as though Mrs. Say-what-you-think/feel/should-be-said has been embedded in my body.

Yesterday the family that sits in front of us at church (usually two parents, a grandmother, and three children ages 8 to 12, plus a friend or two) was rather slim. It was only Dad, little sister, middle brother and a friend. Dad got an emergency page for work, leaving children and friend all alone. The two boys began thumping knuckles (we called it a horrendously derogatory name when I was in school, which shall be left out of this blog entirely). I sat, and sat, and sat waiting for them to end the game. It continued through the entire sermon, the song of invitation, a couple coming forward and asking for prayers from the church, two interval songs, and the shepherd's challenge and even a prayer on the family's behalf. I was annoyed, then irritated, and then IRATE!!! This is not something that would be tolerated had any familial adults been near, so I decided to step in. I leaned forward, put a hand on each of the boys shoulders and said, "Stop, please." in the most controlled, caring, teeth clenched fashion I could muster. I got a look that said many things and then the boys both turned beet red and did actually stop. I ask you, had it been your child or children and you had to leave, would you want another adult correcting their behavior? Because if I'm near enough to say something, believe me, I will. I certainly hope that it will be the same for my children, though I am certain they will be as near perfection as I was and will need no correction what-so-ever.

Stopping the endless, mind numbing babbling.

Hey, hey,hey what do you say?

We got a call yesterday from B's boss. Looks as if we may be headed for mountainous living sometime this summer. Click here for more information...

Things are going well. Yesterday we sold the car that I bought to drive back and forth to Henderson. Thanks to a lady from Clifton, we now have thousands of dollars less in debt! :)

I finally got a heart rate on the baby yesterday at my regular check up. It was beating in the 160's. My sister was elated ~ both of her girls were in the 160- 170 range. Yet another clue as to HER sex! We will have the second ultrasound on April 8 at 9:00 to find out for sure.

I'm having the hardest time coming up w/a name for this child. I love ever-so-many names... until I have to tack "Hale" onto the end of them. My plan is to keep the name a secret (since everyone will know that she's a girl). Plus if I change my mind a bajillion times no one will be disappointed. If you have any suggestions I will be happy to entertain them.

I must stop procrastinating and get back to work on a theories of personality paper that is due on Friday.

But first... I have a time share in Gatlinburg that my parents deeded to my younger brother and me. Our week goes from Friday to Friday 3/18 - 3/25. Jonathan and his wife are not going to be able to use their half (a one bedroom condo) so if you need an escape let me know and I'll be more than happy to share our time share w/ you! Brandon and I plan on being there from Sunday afternoon until whenever we get sick of the clean, mountainous air... Does that really happen??!?!! :)

Ok, now I'm working on that paper... right after Oprah, for sure.

Being an example

This morning began a new quarter of classes at church. I volunteered to take on the high school girls (all 7 of them) in a discussion / question / learning more about who you are and who you want to be / huh? / I don't really know what I'm doing/ class. There are two ladies who have been teaching the girls for 28 years, so we decided that we'd take turns about doing their lessons on purity and my random discussions on the topic of the day.

You know the saying, "Tred lightly and carry a big stick."? Well, I feel that I am going to have to do just that. What I really want to provide for them is a place where they feel comfortable asking questions and discussing matters that they wouldn't necessarily ask their mothers. Questions of any sort: Biblical, moral, teen-ish, sexual, etc. I hope, with God's guidance, to be able to create an atmosphere of trust, love and acceptance. Where I think I will have difficulties is keeping MY opinions out of the way and straying too far from what is provided for us in the Word. I am a rather opinionated person with quite radical / left sided / liberal views, especially when compared to those that are taught at this church. I do not in any way, shape, form, or fashion wish to stir up controversy. Instead, my hope and prayer, is to encourage the girls to think about things before they take action and to ponder things and learn to value who they are, whose they are, and what they can do to help further God's kingdom.

All of this is a big duty, but one that I am certainly looking forward to getting into. I hope that I can set some sort of positive example and help them to have open minds and hearts and to think for themselves. Please wish me luck in this endeavor, and pray for my mouth to be on it's best behavior and my heart in the right place!

Random e-mail from some guy I've never heard of.

Hey ya'll. I got this e-mail from a couple of people I've never heard of, but thought that I'd share it anyway...

Fellow CofC bloggers:

I'm putting together an aggregator for Church of Christ bloggers. If you're not familiar with aggregators, they're useful tools for bringing together posts from all aggregator members on one links page. They're updated periodically and they're a good way to keep up with what's being said on a particular subject.

If you'd like to see what an aggregator looks like, here are a couple I already belong to:

http://groups.blogdigger.com/groups.jsp?id=1634

http://groups.blogdigger.com/groups.jsp?id=1575

Please let me know if you'd like your blog to be included in the Church of Christ bloggers aggregator. If so, please e-mail me and include your blog's URL your reply.

There are many CofC bloggers (including the much-read Mike Cope) whose e-mail addresses aren't available on their blogs. Please spread the word and let them know they're invited, too.

Peace,

Milton Stanley

http://transformingsermons.blogspot.com

I just got back from the doc. Yep, I've got the funk ~ a.k.a. Shingles. They put me on Valtrex ~ you know, the VD drug that is so eloquently advertised on tv? Umm, hmm I get to go to the most popular drug store in town and get herpes medicine. That's a real self confidence booster, let me tell ya!

Nurse Johnnie w/ the purple hair was listening for the baby (the pulling I felt was just her moving up ~ she' s above my belly button already!) and had a hard time hearing her. Johnnie's exact words were, "Umm, hmm, this is a girl honey, I never have this much trouble out of boys." Woo~hoo!!! See, I'm not the only one who thinks so. We finally heard the heartbeat and the swishing of my placenta (didn't you want to know that?) and all is well. I have to go back on Tuesday for my regular monthly checkup w/ Dr. B to get some tests done, I think. Can't remember whether these are optional or not...

Lot's to do and time's a waistin'. Caio baby.

Itching and Pictures

Below you will find some pictures from this past weekend ~ of the not-so-stressful times that is!

I think I know what the mysterious rash is that popped up on my back this weekend ~ shingles. How gross ~ and almost STD sounding. I had my sister and a friend who is a retired nurse look at it and they both definitely think that's what it is. So I have a doc's appointment in the morning w/ purple haired nurse Johnnie to get it taken care of. I'm also going to have her check on the baby. Last night I was getting up to get a load of clothes out of the dryer and I felt something pull in my lower stomach ~ it was the worst pain I think I've experienced in a long time. Brandon was freaking out b/c I couldn't speak and was doubled over crying hysterically ~ paranoia isn't in me for nothing, huh? We didn't go to the ER b/c the pain subsided after a few hours, but I'm still pretty sore today. I did feel her moving aroudn for a few minutes today, but I'm still concerned. Yesterday was just crappy all over!

We got good news today ~ Ron will be discharged from his hospital apartment next Wednesday. All of his tests are looking great and everything he's gone through seems to be working. Thank you God! I know he and Hilda will both be so relieved to be at home after an entire month away and numerous days in the hospital.

My back is killing me so I'm gonna break out the lovely heating pad and read up for school.

~ Toodles.

Beanbags are a ball of fun, especially when you are upside down and under the age of 10! 

Brandon and me after an exhausting Saturday ~ look at that tummy ~ pregnoid or just fatsoid??!?!?! I will say that I'm pooching out for exaggeration factors, but still, not the cute little pregnant lady like you see on t.v. 

Shelby, me, & Halle (in her favorite night gown ~ it reads "Gettin' Lucky in Kentucky" ~ hope that's not a sign of things to come!) 

Welcome Flip Flop Season!

The first day of March (in my world, anyway) brings w/ it the beginning of Mae's flip flop and sandal season. This wonderful season lasts through late October and requires a couple of things ~ 1. freshly pedicured toes & 2. new colors of flip flops to match any outfit! Woo~hoo!! I sadly must postpone wearing my flops for a few days. There is snow falling from the heavens and I'm not getting a pedi until this weekend. However, I am still incredibly excited that spring is so close!

Pregnancy has been good to me so far. This time next week I'll be into month number 4 and just a few weeks later we'll be half way through and know that I'm having a little girl! Until this past weekend, I didn't think I was very hormonal at all. Not so! Along w/ the raging hormones, I have contracted some random rash that has an unbeknownst origin and my appetite goes from ravishing every two hours to being turned off immediately at the smell of food. I'm not nauseous, I just can't seem to eat much ~ three bites of jambalya last night for supper was it. (Although, Brandon did make a special trip to Captain D's to bring home some of their tasty breadsticks!) It's all just interesting going through and still exciting. I haven't felt the baby move since Thursday night and I'm incredibly paranoid about anything going wrong.

Did any of you become extremely afraid of your husbands being abducted or having a horrendous car wreck while you were pregnant? I've gotten really off the wall about B leaving ~ even if he's just going out to feed the dog. It's even worse now that he's traveling more. He's in Nashville, Murfreesboro or North Georgia at least two days a week and it doesn't rest well w/ Mrs. Paranoid. Just wondering if anyone else had the same feelings.

Brandon found out from one of the plant managers yesterday that Murray will not be open past the end of September. It's good to finally have a date for the end of stuff here ~ things were much more stressful not knowing if the place was going to close down tomorrow or sometime next year. If any of you know of a sales / chemical rep / good paying job in the south please let us know. B found a really great sounding job w/ GE doing the same things he does now, only w/ a higher salary, but it's in Montana. Granted if it's Montana or nothing, I'd be on the first plane there, but this gal has never lived out of the south or more than four hours from home and she really doesn't want to now!

I've got a mid-term to do, a class to take and tons of reading to catch up on for school, so I guess I need to quit procrastinating and get to work... right after a shower... and maybe some lunch... or a nap... or an episode of a Baby Story... or... well, nevermind. Have a great day and get our your flip flops! :)