good SATurday

Last night Luke had a lock-in with the students at the church so my sweet mom brought over dinner and some movies! It was awesome to have company while he was gone hanging out all night with 25 teenagers! My mom and I watched New In Town--it was so cute and I highly recommend it if you have not already seen it.

I will say that I am getting pretty used to being told what to do. However, I am not getting used to everyone doing things around me while I lay in bed (feeling like a lazy slob) but I know that it's what is necessary and will only last a short time. I know I have said that I can't wait to see our little one face to face...but I guess I should not have told her that so much. Madelyn, I can wait...at least 4 more weeks to see you sweet girl.

Today has been fairly uneventful (imagine that-an uneventful day on bed rest). My mom bought a new tower fan to help me sleep since our old one suddenly turned in to a squeaking machine that did everything but serve as a sleep aid. She and Emily delivered it to the house and Emily helped Uncle Luke put it together.It's amazing how seeing this little girl made having to stay in bed today OK. She is such a sweetheart! She brought me a pillow and put it behind my head. Then she firmly told me to "lay down right now, Aunt Kathryn". I love it when she is serious. It makes me smile. Her seriousness soon wore off when she started playing with Luke!
How could those 2 not cheer you up?? She loves her Uncle Luke and I love watching them together! He is going to be such an awesome dad. Awesome is probably an understatement but it's the best I've got at the moment.

I definitely noticed my contractions were spaced out a lot more than they were on Thursday. Good news on a good Saturday!

*Kathryn

CBC #2...or not

Last night was Child Birth Class #2 for Luke and I. Considering last week we laughed a lot and learned some things (that I wish I had been told by a friend rather than a graphic video in a room full of complete strangers) I was really looking forward to hanging out with my hubby and doing some silly breathing exercises while concentrating on my pelican bath toy of a focal point that I am sure I will forget once I actually need them! But, CBC #2 was much shorter for the 2 of us last night.

You see, a couple of hours before CBC #2 was scheduled to begin, I had my weekly visit to the doctor. Have I told you that I have the best doctor anyone could ask for? I have been going weekly since 28 weeks to be hooked up to a machine for 20 minutes (which in doctor's office land is usually 40 minutes but I love to hear the sound of Madelyn's heart beating inside of me so I don't mind one bit) to monitor our little one's heart beat and my contractions. Her heart beat is always beautiful and perfect and makes those peaks and bumps on the machine that the doctor likes to see.
My contractions on the other hand, make those peaks and bumps that the doctor does not like to see. That, in combination with the tear on the outside of my placenta that has made for some nervous moments throughout my pregnancy, has led us to the sentence I was hoping I would not hear from the doctor's mouth: "I am putting you on bed rest". Thankfully, it is not strict bed rest. I am allowed to take showers, go to the bathroom (was this really an option??), move around for 3o minutes in the morning, at lunch and at night, and venture out of the house for a "short errand" if I have had a good day.

Needless to say, the doctor told me that not only am I not allowed to go to the Child Birth Classes while on bed rest, "they won't help you anyways because the chances of having a routine birth are slim with you". This almost made me chuckle a little on the inside. When do I ever do anything the normal way??

The next thing the doctor said was not even something that I hoped I would not hear. It was something I did not even know that I should have been hoping not to hear. "We just want to get you to 34 weeks". I think at this point I zoned out for a minute and when I came to I asked her if she meant I could go in to labor before then. "Yes, Kathryn. You have to be really good these next few weeks."

So what's a girl to do but bargain with her unborn child (and pray of course). So on the way home from the appointment Maddie and I made a deal that if she waits until 38 weeks to make her grand debut she gets a pony when she turns 8 years old.

The best thing about all of this is: Madelyn is beautiful and healthy. My body just does not want to cooperate. So, whether we see her in 3 weeks or 9, I am confident she will be perfect.

There is a verse at the end of Ephesians 3 that I have had in my heart since last November when a doctor told us that our odds of having any children were virtually non existent (at a time when we were not even thinking about having children yet). It talks about how He is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think according to His power that is at work within us. It is so reassuring to know that His power is not limited by what I can think to ask for.

I guess I will be seeing a lot more of you, blog friends. I just don't know if I will have much to say. One can only blog about daytime television so much.

*Kathryn

these are the things...

you stumble upon at 4 am: "breast feeding baby doll" . Seriously? "Lots of baby dolls cry but the only way this one stops is when she's breast-fed. Little girls put on a halter top with flowers that have a sensor in them. Then, suckling sounds as she feeds." I don't think it is necessary for me to say this, but I will; Madelyn will not have this doll.

Let's move on, shall we?

Luke and I just came in (actually we came in 2 hours ago but I have yet to fall back to sleep-he however was asleep before he even made it back to the bed) from trying to get a glimpse of the meteor shower. We spent about 20 minutes reclined in chairs on the deck eagerly waiting to spot something. After each of us caught a glimpse of something the other didn't, we spotted a bright light moving quickly across the sky together. It was awesome and totally worth getting out of bed at 2 am. God is so big.*Kathryn

Family

I bet the last few days you (assuming there is someone out there reading this) have been thinking that I was not kidding when I wrote this post 2 weeks ago! Despite popular suspicions, I have not fallen off the band wagon so soon. I have just had an eventful 4 days to say the least. Friday morning Luke & I drove to Waco to have lunch with his family before they moved his sister in to her new apartment. We were able to see Kenda's old apartment and eat lunch at a yummy Mexican food restaurant before we had to hit the road again. I forgot to take any pictures while we were there, but I did manage to get a picture of my Oger feet while we were on our way home. One lesson I learned on Friday is that riding in a car for 2 hours followed by sitting for 2 hours at your destination and then turning around to drive the 2 hours home = Oger feet!! It was painful and disturbing all at the same time. Needless to say, my traveling days are pretty much over until Madelyn comes. *I love riding in the car with my husband. It seems like we talk the whole way wherever we are going and laugh at each other (mainly me).*

While we were on our mini trip to Waco, my Grandma, aunts and cousin were making their way to Texas from Oklahoma City! They were in town from Friday-Monday & we had a great time!!
This was their first time to meet little Allison and she loved her Great Grandma! Here are some more pictures from the weekend:
They surprised me with a little shower for Madelyn on Saturday! It was super sweet and very special!! Madelyn got some cute clothes to add to her wardrobe as well as a few other baby essentials. Check out the "jersey" Luke and I are holding below with Madelyn's official soccer nickname, Mad Kat, courtesy of the Ammons.I love spending time with family.

*Kathryn

CBC #1

Luke and I went to our first Child Birth Class tonight. Let's just hit the highlights:
1. Despite our instructor's 4 attempts at introducing everyone in the class, she only introduced the couple closest to her ((a total of 3 times)) before distracting herself and moving on to a new topic. This made me laugh on the inside.
2. When we were discussing how to know how far apart your contractions are, Luke kindly whispers, "I bet the iphone has an app for that", at which point I start laughing and realize I have the most goofy husband in the room and that Madelyn is going to be one lucky girl.
3. We watched a video that discussed the stages of labor. It was very graphic in nature and this caught me by surprise. I realized at that moment that all of our joking about Luke needing a stretcher next to me when I am delivering, might actually become a reality.
4. Once the video was over, we (along with the others in the class) quickly realized that our instructor was all tuckered out from a long day of work (or she wanted to avoid the graphic nature of the video), because she was snoozing. Once she came to, she proceeded to tell us repeatedly she was "thinking ahead to the next class".
5. To celebrate our new found knowledge on the birthing process we treated ourselves to a cookies and cream shake from Chick-fil-A. Yummy!
I love this guy!

*Kathryn

the bump

Weeks 29-32 (Month 7): Squash
Baby’s energy is surging, thanks to the formation of white fat deposits beneath the skin. (Have those kicks and jabs to the ribs tipped you off yet?) Baby is also settling into sleep and waking cycles, though -- as you’ve also probably noticed -- they don’t necessarily coincide with your own. Also this month, all five senses are finally functional, and the brain and nervous system are going through major developments.

A fun resource for all the pregnant ladies out there is thebump.com! It has a lot of great information and interesting things to read along the way! I am sharing with you above one of the features that I have enjoyed the most from the site: "how big is baby?"! Although I have never seen a squash that is 16 inches long ((not sure where they get their produce)), I have come to the conclusion that the fruit/veggie comparisons that they make are the size of the baby's body minus the arms & legs :) Who knows?? But that's what I keep telling myself.

Pay attention to the last sentence up there: Also this month, all five senses are finally functional, and the brain and nervous system are going through major developments. I am attributing these developments to a series of events that have occurred recently in my life that I am CONFIDENT would otherwise not have happened. I mean if our sweet little girl's brain is growing...where could all that goodness be coming from other than her mommy's?? Leaving me with what I like to call prego brain!

Here are few of the series of events I just spoke of. They are in no particular order. Do not hold this against me. Please!

Event # 1:
Yesterday, while shopping, I had a couple of pool toys in my hand that I was going to purchase for my niece. I walked around for 20 minutes or so with them in my hands and decided it was time to go. I proceeded to walk out the door with the unpaid items in my hands!! I could see the headlines flash on the TV screen as I looked down in horror when I tried to get my keys out of my purse: Pregnant Student Pastor's Wife Steals from DOLLAR STORE!

Event # 2:
While cleaning up after cooking dinner one night this week I placed the left over sugar snap peas in the microwave instead of the fridge...and did not realize it until the next day when I wanted to eat them.

Event # 3:
I brushed my teeth with my face wash. Then hopped in the shower and washed my hair with body wash. I realized what I had done, yet I STILL proceeded to wash my body with my shampoo.

I could have a much lengthier list, but my pride is telling me to stop...and I agree with my pride. Please reassure me that this is because my daughter is going to be the smartest little girl you have ever met, thus she needs all her mommy's brain cells during this vital time in her development. And if you do not think that is the reason, kindly keep your comments to yourself :)

*Kathryn

Counting Down

As I sit in bed, envious of my sweet hubby sleeping soundly next to me, I am reminded of a conversation I had with my sister-in-law a few months back. We were talking about the miracle of birth. How fascinating and painful it can be. There is one thing that she said that has really stuck with me: "It's like God lets you forget all of the pain after you see your sweet little baby and hold them in you arms". I am clinging to this statement. Clinging to the hope that this could possibly be true. Better yet, clinging to the hope that the pain is just not so bad...that I could actually forget it!!

You see, this week marks the 30th week of our pregnancy. 30 weeks of carrying this life around inside of me. 30 weeks of anticipation (well more like 27 if you want to get technical). Up until this point it seems I have been counting up. Counting up the weeks as we reached milestone after milestone. First, counting up to 5 weeks, when we first saw our baby's heart beating on the ultrasound. Then counting up to 10 weeks, when we first heard what that beat sounded like. Next we found ourselves counting up to 12 weeks, when we again would see how quickly the little "Baby Blueberry", as the kids in my class would later affectionately refer to it, sprouted arms and legs and began to look like a baby. We anxiously counted up to 20 weeks when we would find out if "Baby Blueberry" was in fact a he or a she. From the day we have found out we were expecting, we have been counting up.

This morning, I find myself counting down. Counting down the 10 short weeks until we see her face to face. 10 weeks until I become a MOM! 10 weeks until we experience something so amazing, only God could have designed it. 10 weeks until I find out just how accurate my sweet sister-in-law's statement is. You know? This one I mentioned I earlier: "It's like God lets you forget all of the pain after you see your sweet little baby and hold them in you arms". Now I know I am starting to sound like a complete weeny (which I probably am)...but knowing that I almost ALWAYS end up doing things the most complicated way possible (just ask anyone who knows me well)...I am a bit nervous about the whole birthing part of giving birth.

I have heard story after story lately of ladies who have "barely made it to the hospital" or "thought they were just having gas pains" or "it was like I sneezed" and BOOM! there was baby. I have also been reminded that my precious mom labored for 36 hours with my brother without progressing at all, eventually leading to a c-section. To add to that, I recall getting a phone call one evening from my mom saying that above mentioned sister-in-law was in labor, then waiting anxiously that night, and the next day, and into the wee hours of the next morning, before I finally met my first niece.

Needless to say, in the midst of my excitement, I am somewhat fearful.

God woke me with this verse this morning from Philippians 4: 6-7
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

I guess He is trying to teach me something.



See you soon sweet girl! Please be gentle to your mommy!

*Kathryn

Sunday

Today was pretty eventful around our house! We had 21 one of the students out to the house for hot dogs and swimming after church. I am not sure that pool has been that crowded since Luke and I were in high school!!
I do not think that I have been brave enough in my 23 years of life to ever attempt one of these. Nor do I think that will change in the next 23 years. However, my niece and I enjoyed watching as the students sacrificed their bodies for a good laugh. I was in pain just from watching. Seriously.
Of course Luke would get in on the action! This picture makes me smile. He is so much fun and is always doing something crazy! I love this guy!

To top it all off, I got to hang out with this little one and her big sister all day! My mom brought the girls over and helped out so much with the food for the students! It can't get any better than that!

*Kathryn

I know that you are for me

Yesterday as Luke and I were sharing about a mutual burden for a dear friend, he mentioned a song by Kari Jobe, "You are for me". As we sat together and listened to the words of the song, God really started to stir my heart. The song describes the attributes of God and leads in to a chorus that says:

I know that you are for me, I know that you are for me
I know that you will never, forsake me in my weakness
I know that you have come now
Even if to write upon my heart
To remind me who you are

It seems like it is so easy, especially in our moments of struggle or hardship, to doubt if God is on our side. I think the number one question that Luke gets asked by students is, "Why does God make me go through bad times?". This is one of those questions, that usually no answer will really satisfy the one who is asking. So many times we place ourselves, through our choices or even sheer disobedience, in a position that is uncomfortable at best. We lack a confidence in Him, that He will carry us through. Just as the Bible says in Joshua 1:5, "I will not leave you or forsake you", this song reminds us that even in our moments of weakness, He is there for us. He is on our side. He will not forsake us. It breaks my heart for these students and young girls in particular, who have yet to find their identity in Him. It is only when we are truly able to say we know who we are, can we begin to know who He is.

I pray that as Madelyn grows, she will know who she is in Christ. That He is for her.

Check out the song here: You Are For Me

(When my techno savvy hubby gets home I will have him post the video to my blog- but until then, just follow the link)

*Kathryn


**Obviously he made it home so there is no need to follow the link unless you are having trouble viewing the video from the blog! Thank goodness for the techno savvy husband!)**

mmm mmm good

A lot of people have asked me since I have been pregnant, "Have you had any weird cravings?". For the most part, the answer is no! But there is one thing that is very weird about the few things that I have craved; every time I crave something in particular, Luke is hungry for the same thing. Yes, you heard right! I have had SO many people tell me about their husbands having sympathy pains or that they can't sleep when their wives can't sleep. Not mine. He is snoozing right next to me as we speak. He has sympathy cravings!

Last night we were returning some movies to Red Box (which I happen to think everyone should check out-movies for $1 a day) and I told Luke that I had been thinking a lot about Texas Roadhouse. At just about the same time we said we wanted a nice big salad! What's really funny about this is the fact that if you have ever been to Texas Roadhouse, salad is not normally the first thing that people rave about. The peanuts, rolls with cinnamon butter, and maybe a steak with some good Southern sides is what normally comes to mind. So we laughed for a minute and decided it was meant to be.

So we called in our order (the lines are soooo long on Friday & Saturday nights) and headed to Pier One to kill some time before it was ready. Luke has been looking for a little podium of sorts to use on Wednesdays & Sundays when he is teaching. He found this one while we were looking around and had to "try it out"!
After 20 minutes of looking at a lot of really nice things we'd like to have and talking about where we would put them in our house if we had them, we headed to pick up our dinner.

There were probably 30 people standing around outside waiting for their numbers to be called. I was so thankful we got ours to go!
Now some of you are looking at ^ that picture asking yourselves, "I thought she said they were getting salads? What is that next to the salad?". Well this is what happened...I called in our orders of 2 chicken salads to go and even resisted the temptation when the girl on the other end asked if we wanted extra rolls. When I hung up the phone, my sympathy craving husband says, "I thought you would have gotten a sweet potato!". So I picked the phone back up, dialed their number again, & added it to my order!And can I tell you that it was the best loaded sweet potato that I have ever eaten??? I am thinking Madelyn is a fan too. She was bouncing around after dinner. Or maybe it was the marshmallows & caramel sauce on the potato :)No, Thank YOU Texas Roadhouse!!

*Kathryn