Worship and Praise Sunday - More Beautiful You - Jonny Diaz

Click on this button to listen to more wonderful Worship and Praise Music today.

Brittany is back with Worship and Praise Sunday. Actually, she's been back for two weeks now and so I'm a bit slow on the draw.

This song has been playing on our local Christian radio for about a month and I just love it. I guess with a preteen girl and another baby girl coming, Big Man and I are realizing more and more the pressures of "beauty" that the world is placing on our daughters. Princess is tottering on the brink of teenagehood and all the pressures that come with that stage of life. We want her to recognize that she is beautiful and has been fearfully and wonderfully created by God.

Thanks

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers about my hips. I have talked to the nurse at the dr office and with some other Nurses that I know. The pain hasn't gotten any better - at least in the mornings. It does lessen as the day goes on. The general consensus seems to be that it is in some how a form of arthritis. The best advice I have gotten is to just keep moving and to push through it. It is hard in the mornings to get up because it's been a few hours since I have been moving. I have also been advised by several people to wear tennis shoes. That's not a problem at work (we've got a very relaxed dress code), but I don't know if I can do it on Sundays or not. We'll see how the pain goes. Sneakers do kind of ruin some of the cute maternity outfits that I have, though!

I have an appointment with the doctor in a few days. I will talk in more detail to him about this - because I've read (and been told) that if it is arthritis, it will only be getting worse with the coming winter weather.

Trying Something New

I thought I'd try posting from my phone. We'll see how this goes.

I have a question for you mommies. Well, really, I want to complain, but thought it would sound better if I presented it as a question.

For the past week or two my right hip has been killing me. Seriously! There are times I can barely get out of bed or get up off a chair. I sleep on my left side and have tried heating pads. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Clubbing

Today I learned that the mother of one of the teachers at school died yesterday morning. As I was waiting with some other teachers to comfort her and pray with her, I took a good look around at the other ladies with me. Two of them knew EXACTLY how she felt. They had lost their mothers, too. The rest of us didn't. We were all blessed enough to still have our mothers living - and healthy. The two who knew how she felt held her longer and cried harder with her than the rest of us. I thought, "I'm glad I'm not apart of that club."

I remember watching the movie, "First Wives Club." It was a funny movie about 4 (i think) divorced women whose husbands were getting remarried. Hence, the first wives part. I don't want to be apart of that club, either. And I'm confident I never will be.

Then as I read blogs, I hear of so much loss and sickness with babies and children. I get worried about Chumlee. I don't want to be apart of any of those clubs, EVER!!

But, I consider the clubs I am a part of, some good (mother of 3) and others not so good (i'd just rather not mention any of them). But either way, a few years (or months) ago, I never would have wanted to be a part of some of the clubs I find myself in now. It doesn't make those memberships any easier, but God has been with me at each club "initiation" and I've been able to take my membership and become a part of clubs that I never wanted to be in in the first place.

He gives strength just when we need it and not before. I have heard that all my life, but today it really seemed to hit home.

Some of you are "motherless." Please remember my friend and colleague. Those of you whom haven't joined that club yet, remember her too. She needs us all! And when it's my turn, or your turn, we'll be able to bear it.

Helpful Information, Hopefully

I have learned a lesson today. I thought I would share it with you.

Regular panty hose (no matter how big) will not fit over a pregnant belly.

There you have it!

That's the short of it. Now (since i've never really been one to be of few words) for the long version.

This morning, as I was getting dressed (i had decided to wear a new-to-me jean skirt that nana got for me), I realized I didn't have the appropriate stockings for the skirt. It wouldn't look right with white socks and I didn't have any colored socks clean. (are you surprised!?!) While rummaging through my drawer, I came across a pair of queen sized panty hose from over a year ago (before i lost the weight). I had recently (before baby) been wearing a size B. I figured, "Queen is two sizes bigger than B, and SURELY two sizes bigger is plenty for fitting over my belly."

I must admit that they went on quite nicely, a bit snug, but not too bad. Well, that was short lived. I got dressed at 7:30 am and by Bible time (one hour later) the hose had rolled off my tummy and were barely hanging on to my hips. Plus, they were starting to cut my circulation because of being rolled up (come on ladies, you know what i mean, that rolled up panty hose feeling is NOT good).

So, I went to the bathroom to adjust them. There was NO adjusting going on. Only coming off was happening. So, I pulled them down, but that caused the crotch to hang mid-thigh. NOT GOOD. I didn't really have a choice. I had to keep them on like that for the remainder of the day.

Lesson learned.

Buy knee highs.

You can stop laughing now.

20 Week Picture

And there we are! I had Princess take this picture at the end of the day on Tuesday. Tuesday was cold and rainy here, hence the sweat suit. I should have had the picture made yesterday. I looked much nicer then!

We still haven't completely decided on a name for Chumlee. We thought we had one we liked, before we knew who she was, but once we knew she was a girl, I didn't like that name any more! So, now we are back at trying to find a name that we like. At least we have a while. However, with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, I believe these next 20 weeks will be going by faster than the first 20. (let's hope so.)

I am feeling much better than I did a few weeks ago. The nausea and dizziness have left. I can eat a bit more of sweets than before. I haven't gained much weight though. I gained about 10 lbs the first 15 weeks - once I had those special white pills! These last few weeks, I've only gained a pound or two. That might be why my belly seems so big! Also, I'm glad now for the weight loss I had over the last year. I hope that once Chumlee is born, I'll be able to get back to running again and lose that weight again!

I have bouts of tiredness. Unfortunately, it seems that when I am most tired, there is the most to be done or I am needed the most. The worst is when I JUST lay down and the phone rings or someone needs me. We are working on that!

School is going well. Since I am feeling better and am not as dizzy, I have not been sitting down as much. My feet aren't swelling, but I have noticed that my fingers get swollen every once in a while.

I have felt Chumlee move every day for about 2 weeks now. Before, she would move like crazy one day and then rest for a day or two. She is most active at night and in the morning hours. She is also a stink-pot. She knows (don't ask me how, but somehow she does) when Little Man or Big Man put their hands on my belly to feel her move, because EACH AND EVERY TIME they do, she stops moving!!! And as soon as they remove their hand, she starts up again. The other night, she had Little Man in tears because he wanted to feel her so badly and she was being a stinker!!

I am having a hard time sleeping. I will sleep for about 3 hours at a time and then wake up. The reason for waking up is usually because I've rolled to my back and then I start hurting. Then I have to try to get myself back to sleep on my left side. That is very difficult for me because I am a right side and back sleeper normally. I'm sure this will be a problem for the rest of the pregnancy.

I did have some fun registering at Wal-mart and Target online. Boy oh boy have some things changed!! The most noticeable change is that most things are not gender-neutral anymore. It is either pink or blue. I did find the most adorable crib set at Wal-mart. I love the pink and brown color scheme that is popular right now. The crib set is in polka dots! (another of my favorites)

So, that's about how things are going at 20 weeks for us. Aren't you glad you asked??

Guess What?

We are halfway finished! We are halfway finished!! Today is the 20 week mark!!! WOOHOO!!!!!

Although, the "bigger" 20 weeks are still ahead. Hopefully, I'll get a belly picture taken tonight for you!