The Balance....of Thanksgiving and You've Got To Be Kidding!

*We got our first, major snow storm here in Declo this week. Well, first and second and third.....combined with wind from somewhere very unholy, I'm pretty sure. It has been SO cold, but it's also been so pretty! I am a fall girl, not a winter girl. My mother (and her inner Indian) would have winter 365 days a year if she could. How we are related, I'm not sure. I'm still checking into the accuracy of hospital records from the 70's. :o) But this year, it's been delightful. You just can't have Thanksgiving and Christmas without major snow. The balance?? Why, o why, do we have to defy death and DRIVE in it??? Oh, that's right. We live in Idaho, and we live in Declo......

*My sweet husbnd is VERY good about keeping things shoveled and cleaned up when we have a snowfall, let alone the pour down that we got this week. He came right home from work and shoveled our driveway and then into the street so we could get the car out of the garage. (Remember, Declo doesn't have snow service that cleans the streets for you). We also feed this little family of kitties, so I tried to scoop a little path on the back patio where they could get to their food. It was very heavy snow, so I decided not to do too much. After we both come in, it's not 10 minutes later that there is a plow on our street, attempting to clear a path for our vehicles and in the process, piling it right in front of our driveway! Three feet of packed snow......um, duh! So little Darren goes back out there, to dig us out again. Ya gotta be kidding me. I too, look into the back yard and see my path, my lovely path, is now completely covered because the wind keeps drifting the snow. Sigh. Time to get the kitties fitted for snow boots I guess. :o)

*I have the hardest time finding boots. It's amazing. Either snow or dress for winter, it's a drama made for T.V. I finally find some but the only store close to us is in Utah. I think, "great", we are headed down there anyway, I'll have Darren's mom run over and grab them for me. After finally getting her, and after she got over there and they found my order, I have boots! Well, I will have them once we get to Utah. Then this morning, I open our mail, and what do you know??? A 20% coupon for that very store, for their boot line! You've got to be kidding me. Poor girl at the boot store....she gets to hear from me again this week. You guys really ought to send her a sympathy card. :o)

*Being pregnant with Muhammad Ali has it's bonuses. When our little girl is in a "work out" mode, she can wake me up she's so active. However, she's a faker.....in faking shyness. How do they know how to do that so little?? The minute someone's hand is on my belly, she quits. Dead quick about it too! I think everyone thinks that I am a big, fat liar because she will NOT kick on cue. It's really quite comical, except for those who really want to feel her and she won't let them. A surprise attack is the only way. I'm going to have to have peoples' hands glued to my belly for a 24 hour period in order to feel less Pinocchio-like. However, the fun part is to have such an active baby at this point. It's a feeling of relief to feel her moving about in there. It's also a delight to look down and see my shirt moving! Yeah, again....no one believes me with that one either.

Gotta Do It

It's the season, so you will have to indulge me doing a Thankful List:

#1--My Parents
Who have been monumentally supportive of me/us while I have been pregnant. They have helped us haul furniture back and forth a gazillion times, taken me shopping for baby stuff to get a few things ready, won't let me lift anything over the weight of a kitten, drive myself anywhere, my mother has rubbed my achy feet and my dad my back without me saying a word. Amidst all of this, have been very excited and love to watch me in this process. I'm a grateful girl.

#1--My Husband (it's a tie)
Who has been going to work, and in school working on a Master's, and taking care of the yard alone, and cleaning after our cats, and making me food along with keeping me on an eating schedule, who gets up with me when I'm throwing up and tucks me in when it's bed time, who drives me everywhere as he doesn't like me traveling alone either, who lets me bring another kitten home so I can "babysit" when he knows I just need some kitten time. Who never complains when I make scrambled eggs AGAIN, and who willingly and cheerfully eats leftovers more than anyone I know. The husband who was a huge help in getting our nursery organized and cleaned out so we actually have somewhere to put our little one when she comes and during all this gets cold and manages to still keep going. Cheerfully, even. What a darlin'.

#2--My Brother Jake
.....who was deployed this week for Iraq. Who has NEVER been away from home for longer than a couple of nights at a time until he joined the Reserves. Ah, Jacob.......our family isn't complete without you. I love you, brother.

#3--Unexpected Miracles
Yeah.......I just can't wait to meet her.........

#4--Little Creatures
Kittens.....horses......otters......puppies.....pretty much anything that contains Life, fascinates me. I adore the creatures of the world....and if it isn't adoration, it's fascination for sure.

#5--The Season of Christmas
The new energy in stores......mint and orange flavored Kit Kats......the MUSIC.....the movies......the lights.....the preparation. I ADORE Christmas. This Christmas, I am SO SO SO grateful I don't have to ride anywhere on a donkey. Oh my!

Go Shutterfly!

So....Shutterfly is giving away free, 50 of them, Christmas cards if you blog about them and this promotion. I've only used Shutterfly for a few photo options, as they are new to me, but I am anxious to try this Christmas card promotion and see how we like it. My sister-in-law has used their services multiple times and always seems very happy with what they do.
I was looking around their website and since I live far, far away from civilization, I love how many options are available not only for Christmas car ideas, but for calendars, stationary, etc.....almost anything you can personalize you can do. What fun ideas I am having for Christmas!
Click http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards to see options on Christmas card ideas! One thing I love is that they offer Christmas cards with a religious theme, if you want it. I am SO tired of seeing nothing about Christmas, and only about "holidays."
They have calendars, aprons, shirts, puzzles, life size posters, stickers, gift certificates, ornaments, keepsake boxes, and just about anything else you can imagine. I always thought making ties with little photographs on it was a little kitschy and kinda dumb, but there are some fun variations of items that we all use that can be personalized in a fun way. I LOVE technology when used like this. So fun! Be sure and make sure those Christmas cards make it to the Lotz family here in Idaho. Ahem. :o)

Video From Her Ultrasound

It's really hard to tell what is what in an ultrasound video, but this is one Darren took and isn't too bad. At first you are looking at her from the top of the head, and then the tech shifts to see her from the side, and then back to the top of the head again. You can see her little heart beating and at one point, her spinal cord. I thought that was so neat! At the beginning, you get a really great shot of her feet and leg.

Catching Up from Being a Zombie

Since I am getting back into being a human person in the Land of the Living, we have a few things to catch up on. Somehow, this pregnancy, has not allowed me to be on the computer (at all in the beginning) or do too much driving, so I am playing catch up! Since I was a whiner in my last post, which isn't common for me, I am committed to the balance of joy. Which is where I'd rather land anyway, sick and all. :o) So, here are a few pictures of our little "bumpette" and the day we went to the ultrasound. This is a photo outside of the hospital where we are planning on delivering. My cousin Leslie was a sweetheart to come (driving 3 hours to be there) with us to our ultrasound. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have had the faith that this blessing would ever be ours, without Leslie's constant faith and continually reminding me that I would be a mother. One of those times that I had to lean on the faith of another.......literally. With our history in this department, it was difficult for Darren and I to trust that this was for real, and this baby was for sure, and everything was okay. We'd work on it continually but there is that human side that prepares itself and you for the "just in case" scenario. "Just in case" was more true to our experience, so it truly was an act of faith to trust. After the first sonogram and after the ultrasound, you could almost feel the sighs of relief across the globe from Darren and I collectively feeling like we could settle into this whole pregnancy thing. On this one, Darren seemed a little more cautious than I was, which is major role reversal for us. Probably on account that he now had to girls to worry about if everything wasn't all right. What a fun day it was to see our little one! I love living in the age of technology, for reason like this. These next two are....well, horrible of me. We always would remember to journal our baby progress with photos, in the evening. Hair brushed, no make-up, and not looking gorgeous at all. This just shows how much I love you guys that I would brave the Internet looking like a mountain troll. :o) This is about week 16.....This is about week 20ish......
My shirt, the only "kitschy" one I have bought says "Embrace the Bump" on the front. I thought it was kind of cute and my mother insisted I have one shirt that is kitschy. I conceided.

Ugggghhhhh

On days like today, I am very grateful for a husband who is so amazing and so supportive. I am pretty sure that after the last few months, I would be a welcome addition to State Hospital South without his help and support. Seriously. Although much of this phase has passed......
......there seem to be new phases right after the old ones. Like the phase I am in now. Fatigue seems to be the battle of the day. Like monster-mono fatigue. Trying to figure out something that sounds good to eat seems impossible, especially when you factor in that it has to be like 50,000 times per day. Ugghhhh. If I have to cook it.....blehhhh......start over.
I also seem to want to take my cats to the pound. If you know me, you know that my stomach turns over and the tears are right there when I see road kill. I worry that I care more about the world's animals than I do people and I carry this fear inside me that there is an animal somewhere that is being mistreated. So this is a new one. We've been kitten sitting for the last few days and it's been such fun to have a little one around that is playful, healthy, and affectionate. I am weary of dealing with health issues with my own cat or the other one that is great companionship for the first one, but not so much for humans.
At the beginning of this pregnancy, we were so excited and surprised, we really couldn't have cared less about anyone who wasn't equally excited and/or supportive. Now that we are closing in on the 6 month mark in a few weeks, to experience the contrast is difficult! Luckily, most everyone has been darling and patient......and very enthusiastic. It just takes one or two to deflate that a bit these days, and it's very frustrating. What happened to my thick skinned side??
Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, and this year I might be content on skipping right over it and enjoying Christmas. Can you enjoy Christmas if you skip over Thanksgiving? Not sure.
Okay......I never appreciate those who use FB or their blog to whine about life. I promise to be better. Promise. The good news is............I'll keep you posted.