A few weeks ago I mentioned that I found the book, I am a Bunny at the library. I was excited because it was one of our favorites, but somehow got lost ... last week we went over to my parents' and my Dad had bought us a new copy of this book. How sweet is that???

I'm not sure what happened to me but over the past several days I've undertaken several house projects. I'm painting our living room tables, redoing the hutch in the kitchen, stenciling the dining room and looking for a new dining room table. I'm trying to do all of these things on a limited budget and so far, so good. I found this dining set at Ikea and I'm in love!! I have to check it out with Nate first though.
I'll get some pictures up soon. This weekend is busy busy ... My best friend Beth is in town from Colorado!!! She has been working out and eating well for months and I can't wait to see the changes in her :) Also, we're going to some friends' house for dinner again. Different, new friends from church. God is so good to us ...

The pregnancy is going well. Still tired and sick, but nothing too horrible. I have a pre-natal appointment in two weeks with my new OB. Gee, I hope she's socially adept and knows how to handle a scalpel. I don't want a repeat of last time. Mercy no.

So, that's that. I'm taking the girls out to breakfast and then we're making a trip to Lowe's. I love doing things with them. I can't wait until Nate is around more to join us!! Only six more weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Weekend recap:

Friday - A friend and her daughter came over for a playdate ... it was great, but went by way too quickly!

Some friends from church invited us over for dinner. It was nice to sit down with some new people and get to know them a little better .. it was also nice to not have to cook!!

Saturday - Work. After work Nate and I relaxed while watching a movie (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). I had to fast forward a lot of it. I have become my father.

Sunday - Some family friends met us at my parents' house for lunch to listen to Nate talk about his trip to Kyrgyzstan. It was fun. Nate went home to study for a test while my mom, the girls and I went to Lowe's and Walmart ... Nate and I are undertaking some fun projects and I had to get some supplies. And toilet paper. (The toilet paper is not for a fun project)

It was a good weekend overall. :)

Last week our neighbors gave us some tiger lilies to replant. So I did. Right now they look like sad corn stalks.

Here are some pretty flowers in the flower bed. Who knows ... they might be weeds?

A perfect evening to sit outside (and study)

Our neighbor's tree is very pretty. I wonder how long it will last?

I went to my pre-natal appointment where I gave lots of blood and urine. The nurse wasn't able to get a vein in my arm so she had to go for the hand. Hand pokes are the pits, but I love pre-natal appointments so that made it worth it.
Later I went with my mom to a free kidney screening (It is National Kidney Month after all, which I'm sure you are all celebrating) where I gave more blood and more urine. The lady there was able to get an arm vein. Win!
I feel drained. Haha. Right?

But, really ... so, so tired. It's difficult to explain first trimester tired, but I will try ... it's like one minute I'm prancing around fine and dandy and the next minute I'm immobilized by exhaustion. The fatigue is so ridiculous ... I feel like throwing up and passing out and maybe crying. There is a part of me that appreciates the fatigue and nausea because it's confirmation that I'm growing a baby. It's miraculous.

Speaking of babies, the ultrasound showed one baby with a heartbeat in the right place. :)


Oh, I almost forgot ... apparently my arm grew between my prenatal appointment and my kidney screening because the kidney lady used the fat arm cuff on me. I was like, "Nooooo. I don't need the fat cuff. The prenatal nurse lady used the regular person arm cuff just FINE this morning ... No fat cuff!!"
Fat arm cuff.  :/

A few weeks ago I let Mazie (who was busy working on her sore throat sucker) tell Nate about the new baby. His "deer in the headlights" reaction is the best. He was so excited he spent the rest of the evening calling his family and continually hugging me. :)

These might be the best years.
I pray that they just keep getting better ...
but it's difficult to imagine a time sweeter than this.
The simplicity is breath-taking.
The newness is to be savored.
Home is safe for me. For them. For us.
Gratitude drips from every pore and I am constantly amazed at the beauty.
Empty pocket, overflowing heart.

Nate comes home today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have missed him so much. He is, hands down, my most favorite (adult) person in the entire world and I would be so lost without him. I just can't even think of the words to describe it.
He is tender, super handsome, funny, creative, responsible and intelligent, goofy and very kind. I can't wait to be in his arms again ... they make me feel small. :) He is so protective of me. I need my Nate!!

TODAY! TODAY! TODAY!! TODAY!!!!

So, I haven't driven in a while. Need a refresher on why not? Click on me! Pick me!

Today, on my fifth and final trip to the DMV, I got my license back!! I win, I win!!
It was nerve wracking. I was biting my nails and pulling my hair out strand by strand. The wait was intense. I passed my test, posed for my (beautiful *cough*) picture and then waited anxiously as the lady in charge reviewed my 1,245 documents. I had tunnel vision and the place fell silent. I think everyone was holding their breath. Final review ... PASS!!!!!!!

I feel like a new woman. If the girls weren't feeling under the weather I'd take them out driving around tomorrow, just because I caaaaannnnn. Woohoo! I'll have to wait until they feel better to go hotrodding around town. To happening places like the grocery store.
(By the way, I love grocery shopping with the girls. Seriously, cutest ever. Speaking of cute, Mazie kept pulling the security strip thing out of her library books so I told her that if she did it again she wouldn't be able to read them for an entire day. She doesn't have much concept of time yet, so she probably thought I meant for eternity. Anyway, she hasn't torn one out since and yesterday she stated, "Mom. It's really hard. I want to rip it. But I don't. It's so hard." She was so serious about it.)

Ok. I must head to bed. But I'm so hungryyyyyyy.

P.S. I miss Nate so much it hurts. :(

Today I started shopping around for a new OB/OB office. The first (and only because I liked them so much) office I called was very helpful and went out of their way to answer my questions. Questions such as: do you use staples to close up the c-section incision? I really, really don't want staples again. First of all, it seems rather antiquated. Secondly, my recovery was so much worse with staples than it was with stitches. Staples are awful.


Anyway. I'm so very ready for Nate to be back. Poor little Mazie is sad. Freya saw a man walking down the street today and said, "Daddy! Daddy!". We're all missing him ... only a few more days. I've heard from him a few times and it sounds like things are going really well over there so far. I think he has one more presentation before the end of the week. I can't wait to hear all about it!!!

Good night.

Here we go again!! :)

Mazie was very excited when she discovered these on the counter after dinner. She exclaimed, "MOM! Look! Cook mittens!" Cook mittens ... that's probably what they'll be called in our house from here on out.

Perpetually happy girl :) She probably gets it from me. Yeah, probably.
Ok. She doesn't. Fine.

One of Nate's new assignments is to read a counseling encyclopedia. Reading an encyclopedia sounds gross and sad. I feel bad for him.

He leaves for his cross-cultural experience in a few days. It's all kinds of exciting and scary at the same time. I think he is going to learn so much and have the time of his life!!! I'm very happy for him, but I am going to miss him so, so much!

And ... his passport photo looks really good. Who takes a good passport photo? How does that even work? My official photos look like a smashed turtle face wearing glasses. 

Nate's parents came for a lovely visit yesterday afternoon. We went out to dinner with them and by the time we got back home it was way past bedtime. Getting home and getting the girls cozy and tucked into bed was our first priority. Well, it was until our first priority became getting into the house. We locked ourselves out somehow so we had to load the (crying, tired, confused) girls back into the car and drive over to my parents' for the spare key. Oh, the crying that ensued. Devastation ran rampant. I mean, it was as if we had taken away Christmas! I'm surprised the neighbors didn't come out to check on things. They were probably too scared. Actually, most of them have kids so they were like, "Yep. Been there. Done that."

Power through.

These thin pieces of fabric are more entertaining that I'd thought

... and the fun has worn off

Nate is at the ICAC (Indiana Counseling Association Conference) where he will be giving a presentation! How awesome is that??? I'm so excited for him!!! He has so much going on right now and is handling all the pressure so well ... love, love, love him so much. 

We found this book at the library!

I used to read it to Mazie all the time, but somehow it got lost :(

The pictures are so beautiful and you can never go wrong with a Richard Scarry illustrated book. R. Scarry rules. Remember Goldbug?

The girls rode in the big kid cart today. Hugs all around!

It was like they won the lottery. Only instead of a big cash prize it was a cart built for two with a steering wheel.
Mazie steered and she took her job very seriously.