New Update On Baby

Just an update on the baby front. Last Thursday, and Friday night I was working in the NICU. We had some busy babies and I was on my feet a whole bunch. I kept contracting a lot. Every hour-one to 6 or 7 times an hour. At home while resting I continued to have contractions. So on Saturday morning after talking to the on call doctor I decided to go on maternity leave a little early. I love taking care of premature babies but I would rather not have my baby born early and need to be in the NICU.
Such a cute little face!!!!





Today I got my last ultrasound. The baby looks great. It's little heart is beating strong and around 150 bpm. On the measurements the baby is a little small. Only in the 23 percentile. They don't get really worried until the baby is lower than 10 % though. It is the size of a 33 week and 4 day old baby and it should be 35 and 2 days. The baby is about 4 lb 14 oz. With five more weeks to go our child should be just right when born. And yes, I will take it easy.This is one of the baby's hands.





It took awhile to get the foot (not that I could even tell what it was without the labels) because the babe kept holding onto it's foot with it's hand while they were both almost in it's mouth. This little one is definitely getting squished. But at least the baby is head down and is positioned well.

Don't Know What To Write

Last night around two in the morning I woke up and started thinking about my blog. I must have spent an hour laying there trying to think of something creative to write about. I think I did think of some stuff but I have completely forgotten all that I dreamed up to write. I'll try something though I have no pictures. But as I have been told several times, "You don't need pictures to blog!!"

I have been involved in ministry almost all my life. I love how God takes the time you give Him to serve Him and turns it around to bless you. So often I feel that I get more out of ministry than I ever put in. Chris and I are working with the JR High kids and really enjoying getting to impact their lives. So many times I do leave them wondering if they heard anything that I said or if they Know how much I care about them. Then there are the times when I see a glance at what God has done through me. The other day one of the mom's of a JR High girl told me how much her daughter looked up to me. She said that often in the course of conversation her daughter will through in, "Well, Sarah said this the other day or Sarah thinks this about that topic." I was so encouraged to see that I was having an impact in a childs life. God is so good about encouraging us when we need it.

When we serve God and just make ourselves available to be used of Him, He will use us and will do awesome things. I am reminded that God will do what He wants whether we help Him or not-but I think it is much better to be willing and used of God than to loose out on His blessings b/c we weren't available. I see so many people in our group reaching out and serving in the church and ministering to those around them and am encouraged. Just remember that God will use you in ways that you may never even know.

Six weeks to go!!

Only 6 weeks to go. I feel pretty good most of the time. The baby is kicking and moving all the time. I love looking down and seeing little bumps on my tummy where the baby is kicking. God is so awesome to create babies this way. I am really tired though and am starting to have lots of Braxton-Hicks contractions. It will be so great to have the baby and get back to normal. I also got my hair cut. Too short for a pony tail but I like it.














Some say that my belly looks so small.












Some people say my belly looks huge. This is how I actually feel most of the time.












Stephanie and I took a couple of JR high girls out for dinner. We went to the Crepe Escape. The food was soooo good. I especially liked the pumpkin pie crepe. I am so in the mood for harvest/fall time. It tasted just like hot pumpkin pie.










We had a great night over at Jeremy and Stephanie's. After dinner we played two games of Settlers of Catan. Jeremy beat us all the first game. Man does he play cut throat when he wants to.












Jeremy and Stephanie















I won the game. It was so close. Jeremy and Stephanie only had one point left to get. I had called work and asked to be put on call for the night since we only had two babies and four nurses scheduled. I wanted to have the night off so I could stay and play the game. I thought they said I was on call and would get called in if they needed an extra person. However, I kind of misunderstood. I was supposed to go to work. Anyway, I won and then we left for home. We were almost there when work called wondering where I was. I hustled and got to work in 15 min.








My sweet doggy.

Our new floors and Jessie's Birthday

Chris and my dad spent 3 days working so hard on ripping out the old linoleum and laying the new tile. They retiled the laundry room, hallway, bathroom and the kitchen. I love walking through there and seeing the new floor.














They kept on working and working.
















My dad spent hours on his knees as he helped with the floor.


















Our newly tiled kitchen. It looks so good and is so much better than the linoleum.















The entry way in our house.


















Our dining room.

















This is our dining room with our new cabinet we got to keep baby out of Chris' electronic stuff.



















Our living room with our new rug. This is now Bailey favorite spot to sleep.











Jessie turned five years old and got such an adorable cupcake birthday cake.














So cute.














Jessie got some fun dolls to play with for her fifth birthday.

Baby Shower

Sarah at 30 weeks and Tina (with twins) at 29 weeks. The wonderful nurses that I work with at Sutter threw a baby shower for my coworker and I. It was so much fun. We had great food and a fun time hanging out. I got such nice things for the baby.












This was such a cute card.














Cute baby outfits. These will work for either a boy or a girl. I did get a couple for a baby girl and Chris pretended to be all upset (b/c we don't really know if it is a girl or not).













Tina and Sarah opening baby gifts














Jody, Miriam, Helen, Alice and Rita















Deanna, Debbie, Barbara and Katie (my manager)

Camping

Camping at Spring Lake was really fun. We got the group campground and it was perfect. Peter drove his truck down to the firepit with a bunch of firewood. The next day Mike decided to drive down in his car. He got a little stuck on the cement and needed a whole bunch of help getting back. We carried the stuff down.















Chris and John did a great job starting up the grill and cooking us dinner. We hustled all the kids away when we saw the lighter fluid come out (guess it was a good thing). Chris' eyebrows are growing back really well. Hehehe.


















On Saturday evening after a great potluck dinner, we sat around the campfire and sang, talked about what God was doing in our lives, prayed together and were challenged by a short devotional from Josh. It was so encouraging to hear what everyone had to share. I thank God all the time for such a close group of friends that really love God and are able to encourage me. One by one each couple left for the night or went to bed. Matt and Robin, Matt and Emberli, and Dan had a great time of fellowship until 4 in the morning.














Chris and Sarah















Kim and Leo with Katrina, Lena and Ashton Bogue(she and Katrina were inseperable)















Matt and Emberli. There kids had more important things to do besides taking pictures, but they were there and had a blast.















John and Diana















John and Monique














Matt and Robin with Josiah. The rest of the boys are around somewhere.
















Dan, Michelle and month old Maximus.
















Peter and Patricia: Able to relax for the evening while the kids are babysat.

















Jeremy and Stephanie. Jeremy had hurt his back 5 days before and was in quite a bit of pain when they came out. He was a good sport and hung in there during singing and the talking.















Josh and Christine