Vicksburg Shower

What a fun shower! Family and friends gathered in Vicksburg, MS to shower Baby Rockette with lots of love and goodies. It was great to visit with family and friends that we do not get to see often as we do not live in MS anymore. Thank you to all that came! You were very thoughtful and made the shower special!
Pic 1: Most of the attendees (we took the pic after a few left)...Thanks to all the hostesses!!!
Pic 2:My high school friend, Neeli Watts, her three precious children and her mom, Mrs. Judy Jones
Pic 3: My high school friend, Heather Murphy
Pic 4: me opening presents with Jackson friend, Sha, helping me.
Pic 5: My sweet niece, Amber.
Pic 6: My very active nephew, Hunter.
Pic 7: The McCarley Family...Not only did they help host this shower, but they previously gave us Kailyn and Julia's former baby bed for our baby along with many other things like a jogging stroller. :)
Pic 8: Chris and me (at 33 weeks)

Little Rock Baby Shower

What a blessing! My friends in Little Rock were so thoughtful to give Baby Rockette a shower. I had such a good time and felt so loved. Thank you to everyone that came!

Pic 1: Hostesses: Elizabeth, Chrissa, (me), Jennifer, Layla and Baby Reagan - Thank you girls for hosting a wonderful shower!
Pic 2: Attendees to the shower...
Pic 3: Playing the Price is Right
Pic 4: Brock helping me open gifts
Pic 5: Cathy wrote a precious poem for us and then led out in a special prayer time.
Pic 6: Reagan and Caroline playing
Pic 7: Prayer time...
Pic 8: Belly shot...
Pic 9: Each girl wrote cute messages on diapers for us to read while changing baby.

32 Weeks

Comparison: 17.5 Weeks vs. 31 Weeks

Bittersweet: Closing the Seminary Chapter

After last week in New Orleans, I completed all my in-class time for seminary. Our Greek Exegesis class had a great time getting to know each other as we translated the second half of 1 Corinthians from the Greek and wrestled with its theology/application. We had many laughs along the way, particularly due to Adam. It was nice having 5 girls in the class as well. I think the class liked me as "the pregnant lady" got the class restroom breaks regularly. Even if one of them "had to go" (uh um...Jay), they would act like they were taking care of me and suggested we take a break. Ha! Dr. Price took care of us as he provided coffee for the class several days...even decaf for some of us girls. A final paper due soon will end my seminary chapter. What a bittersweet time!
Pic 1: About half of the class...
Back Row: David, Jay, Adam, Bill, and Professor Craig Price
Front Row: Jamie, Pat, Christi and me
Pic 2: The XAIROMENiacs (means "we rejoice" in Greek plus the English "maniacs" added to it). This was our study group from our Greek Grammar class in June that reunited for the Greek Exegesis class last week. Loved getting to know these unique guys!
Pic 3: On-campus students, Matt and Jackie Middlecamp, graciously opened their home for me to stay with them during my class. I am so thankful for their hospitality and kindness! Thanks again Jackie and Matt! Great to meet you!

College Friend Reunion '07

God sovereignly placed Gina, Kristen, Souhaila and I at the University of Southern Mississippi at the same time and grew our friendships in a special way. We are blessed to be lifelong friends who all meet together once a year as we all live in different states now. This is the first year the husbands did not attend due to scheduling. Hopefully, they will all be able to join us in the future. For our 5th annual reunion this year, we met in Slidell, LA where Gina's parents live. Her parents were wonderful as they showed extraordinary hospitality, which included babysitting by them and her sister, Ginger, as this is the first year we had babies attend. Gina had Sable on March 10, 2007 and Souhaila had Eli on March 26, 2007. Baby Rockette has some precious friends anxiously awaiting her arrival. Eli was already flirting with her as he rubbed my belly when I held him. :) We had a great weekend visiting, eating (Mrs. Bobby is a great cook!), laughing, working out, playing with Sable and Eli, worshipping together, praying together, sharing testimonies of God's work in our lives, enjoying jazz brunch in New Orleans, shopping in New Orleans, doing our annual gift exchange, etc... We had such a great time together again that it was hard to leave...so we stayed up til 3 am the last night. :) Notice the last pic...Gina's dad, Mr. Gibbs, cut holes (after Gina's permission) in the feet of Sable's sleeper as he said it was too small and she couldn't stretch out enough - hilarious!!!

30 Weeks

Precious Bloomers

Sweet Emily Richardson, a volunteer with Conversation Club, gave me monogrammed bloomers last night at our last Conversation Club for the summer. I have enjoyed getting to know Emily as we serve together at CClub loving on international students. Emily is also a labor and delivery nurse at the hospital where I will deliver. I hope and pray that she will be there during my hospital experience when Baby Rockette comes.

River Walk

Chris and I went for a walk by the Arkansas River today. I think it is time for new workout tanks! As I walk, they keep riding up.

29 Weeks

Apparently, this shirt makes me look quite big as it is very flowy. I had several comments tonight about how big I was. Ha! Maybe I am that big and just in denial. I laugh when I can't do some things as easy as I used to do...like getting out of bed, standing up from the floor, etc...not quite as agile anymore. LOL! The pregnancy is still going well overall. Indigestion has kicked in pretty strong though. Tums and Pepcid ac have become my good friends. Otherwise, I feel good. Swimming laps have been highlights of my week as it makes me feel great! I can't believe Baby Rockette is due in about 11 weeks. Time is flying by so fast! Still plenty to do to get ready for her...

"It's All Greek To Me"

Many of you joked "it's all Greek to me" when I told you I was taking Greek this summer. The last two weeks of intense study of Greek Grammar was all Greek to me...but in a different way. I spent almost every waking moment learning Greek. Since Baby Rockette supposedly can hear well now, she has had a jump on Greek as she heard me practice saying 350+ vocab words over and over amidst the grammar studies. Even though the immersion style stressed me to my limit, I learned heaps, made new friends through a study group and enjoyed getting to know my professor, Dr. Stevens and his wife, Jean. They graciously opened their home in New Orleans for me to stay with them during the class. Their hospitality, generosity, service, kindness and love overwhelmed me. They seemed to have an extraordinary amount of God's love that poured from them, which made me feel a part of their family. I feel very blessed to know them. Thanks again Dr. Stevens and Jean for everything!!!

25.5 weeks and growing

I seem to have popped out much more in the last 2 weeks. My appetite has increased a little, but this may be due to the stress of the last couple of weeks of preparation to go to New Orleans for 2 weeks for Greek Grammar. I'm not looking forward to being away from Chris for this long, but I think the workload down there will make the time go fast. I still feel good overall which makes me very thankful. We are also very grateful to have received good news from the fetal echocardiogram this past Friday. Our baby does not seem to have any of the heart defects that my brother had. Praise the Lord!

Upcoming Baby = House Projects

A new baby on the way seems to have spurred on the many house projects we have put off for a while: new kitchen floors, changing out light fixtures, replacing sink/faucet, etc. The first one that we have been wanting to do for 2 years now was completed this past week with new hardwood floors laid in the kitchen area. We threw a party with some friends to help move the furniture/appliances out, write Scripture on the 1989 linoleum floor, and share Chris' 30th birthday cake with them. It was a special and fun time.

23.5 Weeks

As I ordered a one size fits all tank top that says "due in September," it should stretch with me through the entire pregnancy (supposedly). So, Chris and I decided to take belly shots for the blog with it from this point on to show further belly growing. At 23 weeks, I am feeling great and enjoying the pregnancy. I have been fascinated in how people treat pregnant women as they are so polite, respectful and helpful. People must be captivated with pregnant women as the stares and smiles follow me everywhere in public. Sometimes, people offer to help in ways that make me feel disabled, but I know their heart is good. In the grocery, people move their buggies and constantly make room for me. In various places, people offer to carry stuff for me (rather it is heavy or not), open doors, let me eat first, etc... I like this treatment. :) However, I hear that I better not get used to it as people do not have as much patience once you are with child. I'll enjoy it while I can! :)

I have been feeling the baby swimming and dancing around for the last 5 weeks; she is very active. Chris felt her for the first time on our vacation 3 weeks ago. Her movements have become stronger, but it does not hurt. Actually, I love feeling her move around as it makes her seem more real. She moves most when pressure is on my belly (seatbelt, book propped on her, a arm or hand, etc). I can tell she is already going to be a bundle of joy and full of excitement as she makes me smile and love her more with every flip turn.

Registering at Target

Two of my special Little Rock friends/new moms, Layla Ramsey and Elizabeth Hallum, met Kristen and I at Target on Saturday to register for baby stuff. Despite the scanner guns being down, we walked the baby isles as these girls educated me on baby/nursing stuff I will and won't need as the baby comes. I took lots of notes and look forward to officially registering soon at Target, Walmart, and ToysRUs. Who knew you needed so much to get started with a new baby?!?!. These girls were very helpful in their advice. I am so thankful for the time they took as they continued Baby 101 with me. I say "continued" because I have been asking them 101 questions since I got pregnant. They are troopers...and so is Kristen for browsing the baby isles with us for so long! Thanks again girls!!!