Oh the Bliss!

I know I'm pregnant when installment #2... I know I'm pregnant when I find myself standing outside of my house nearing extreme frustration because no matter how many times I press the "unlock" button on my car keys the front door to my house will still not open. I should also throw in #3 and say I had spaghetti O's for dinner with chocolate and biscuits for dessert. Nice . Today I am thankful for... 1. enjoying the shade our new umbrella provides. 2. Ben's 35 minutes of sheer joy while spraying himself with the hose over and over again. 3. my new capri's and swim cover thing, for Hawaii. :) 4. Amanda's silly phone calls. 5. Leslie's birthday!!! 6. OH! the chocolate I made this morning for the biscuits I made yesterday. (It's Leslie's birthday, mom, doesn't that count???) 7. Ben still playing with his basketball hoop after three full days. Ya just never know with toys... 8. Ben not being quite as whinny today!! 9. sharing a smooth...

Today I am thankful for... 1. Ben's sweet kisses. 2. all the awesome garden stuff from a client of Mark's who is moving across the country and can't take it with them. We're talking full patio furniture, potted plants, tools, huge umbrella and much more- all for a really good price. 3. that my getting my blood drawn today went well and was over all a good experience. No wait, little pain, very nice lab technician and a sticker too. 4. really good dinner tonight. 5. the past four days with Mark. Is it not enough that he always gets a three day weekend? Four day weekends are even better. :) 6. AC in my van. 7. sitting with Mark on our new bench, enjoying the warm evening together, watching the neighborhood... life is good. 8. Gma coming home from NC tomorrow!!! 9. biscuits and jelly. Homemade biscuits, mind you. 10. not getting angry with Ben today when he was super whinny. I'm working on that, so it's really an answer to prayer that God gave me a peaceful respons...

Ben is 18 months old today, that's right a year and a half! To celebrate we bought him a basketball hoop, I think he really likes it. :) This is Ben's first "sunny set up". A Fitzpatrick staple -sunflower seeds (in the shell) and a cup. Today I am thankful for... 1. my first OB appointment going well. I didn't meet the doctor yet, or hear the heartbeat, that all comes in 4 weeks. The nurse did say my due date is February 2, not the 10th like I had thought. I dunno though, I think I'm sticking with the 10th. We'll see... 2. a brief time with Lolly and getting to watch her kids for a little bit. 3. Mark being home a lot today and playing with Ben a lot too. 4. Ben's new toy. *** 5. homemade ranch dressing, waaaaaaaay better than the bottled kind I learned. 6. cool evenings. 7. the really neat goody bags I was sent home with from my doctors office. Two bags! A really nice canvas one and an insulated bottle/diaper bag filled with books and vitamins and a c...

Today I am thankful for... 1. Sharilyn and Aaron's beautiful wedding, it was a joy to be there and see her all grown up. 2. seeing old friends, most of whom have known me for years. It reminded me of the fact that living in the same general area my entire life has it's sweet benefits. 3. Mark having yesterday off so he could go to the wedding with me; its always a plus to have a hot date when you're seeing people from the past. :) 4. my brother watching Ben (and his own two) last night. Ben, unfortunately, wouldn't go to bed, but I think they had a nice time bonding - seeing as how when we pulled up at 9:00pm Ben and Jason were sitting on the couch together watching baseball. 5. last minute dinner guests, my favorite kind! It was a great surprise to have Trevor and Coryn over this evening, two of the valley folk I sure wish lived closer. 6. really good salad for dinner. I've been craving salad, which is a giant leap up from the bagels and cream cheese I was craving ...

Today I am thankful for... 1. another great step for my brother in finishing the academy - the pinning of the badge! He still has 8 weeks left, but he's come so far and seeing him in his uniform really brought it all home to me. I'm so proud of all he is accomplishing. 2. my mom's convertible. It's fun and my parent's really enjoy it together. I like that. 3. having three really good meals today. 4. Mark balancing his busy schedule so well, he always makes time for moments with me and Ben. 5. Jason being willing to watch Ben tomorrow while Mark and I go to a wedding. Carrie's working, so he'll have the three boys... and he acts like it's no big deal. (Which it probably isn't to him because not much can ruffle his feathers.) 6. the sweetest congrats card from Ali, she never forgets to send a card for every occasion. 7. my new bathing suit! (Little preparation for Hawaii). 8. my parent's meeting me and Ben for dinner tonight, and treating us to bro...

To I am thankful for... 1. Ben eating all of the food on his plate at dinner and then asking for more, a first EVER. 2. surprise guests for lunch and welcoming them into a clean house. 3. cleaning my house yesterday. 4. the sunflowers that are over 6 feet tall in my neighbors yard so they can be seen from my kitchen window. I love them so much I wrote a note and thanked her for them. 5. Michael being back to his lively self and feeling great. 6. pictures from Keri of her adorable kids. Little Bo is getting so big! 7. new friends, Paul and Kari, coming over for dinner last night. (Hence the cleaning of the house.) They are a very entertaining couple, very funny. 8. Mark having a three day work week this week because he has Saturday off! 9. apples, because Ben is obsessed with them and eats a whole one, everyday. 10. a nice, hilly, walk with Ben today. Ok, it's verse day. Here I go... Psalm 139: 1-16 "Oh Lord, you have searched me and you know me, you know when I sit and when I ...

Ben and his crazy self. I love that boy. Today I am thankful for... 1. Ben's really long morning - which turned into afternoon - nap. 2. a card in the mail from my cousin and stickers for Ben from Natalie. :) 3. Carrie's phone call tonight. Usually when I talk with her, and all my friends for that matter, it's to make plans, so it was really nice to know she just wanted to see how I was doing and chat. Very sweet. 4. my mom's prayers. I know I can call her and ask her to pray for something and she will, and she always follows up on it too -asking how everything turned out and such. 5. already having a thought for dinner when Mark said he'd like to eat at 6 and it was 5:30. I was prepared and I had a good meal in mind, taco salad! 6. the lovely breeze we had all day. Helped with the heat. 7. seeing Darren, Pam, Jesse and Luci yesterday!!! So GOOD to see them. Luci is a chatty sweetheart and Jesse is very entertaining. We had a lot of fun with them. I'm so thankfu...

Today I am so thankful for... 1. my dad. Having him here; just 30 minutes away, close enough to call up and meet for lunch. That is a blessing, a huge one, and I don't take that for granted. So many people, even a couple good friends of mine and my own dad, have lost their fathers recently. So I do not take it lightly that I can reach out and touch him, and always have been able to. He is an incredible dad. 2. the father/daughter fishing trip my dad took me on when I was so young, but I remember it vividly. Such a good memory. And if my memory serves me correctly, I think we caught the most fish. :) 3. my dad using a couple of years of hardship to grow into a new man. Allowing God to transform him into a spiritual leader, full of wisdom and joy. 4. his devotion to my mom and to us as a family. 5. his commitment to memorizing scripture. I am also so thankful for... 1. the dad that Mark is to Ben. They are a perfect match and it makes me laugh when I see them together. 2. his prayers...

(I think I'm going to start a new segment in my blogs titled "I know I'm pregnant when..." tonight is my first installment.) I know I'm pregnant when... Mark is leaving for work and through a tearful goodbye he sees I'm not feeling well and sweetly suggests I call a friend and invite someone over. My (pregnant) response to this: "I have no friends." Poor, poor, pregnant -and friendless- me. Today I am so thankful for... 1. an impromptu neighborhood gathering outside of our house which was a direct answer to Marks prayer. Ben played with a little 2 1/2 year old for over a half an hour and I got to know some of the really neat people who live all around us. I LOVE this neighborhood! 2. the so sweet card my mom sent us, covered in stickers of course. 3. Mark's Mighty Prayers. 4. Mochi, ice cream balls. 5. the water rock in Tiny's cage so he can help himself to water now. 6. baked potatoes and ranch dressing. 7. Ben having such a fun dad, who doe...

Here's Ben's big news! :) I don't think he's so sure of this news... My sweet mama on her ?teenth birthday. The gang, minus the San Fran clan, celebrating my mom's birthday.

Happy Birthday Mom!!! It was so fun celebrating with her tonight. My dad took some really good pictures, so hopefully I can post some soon. Although we had a couple of kids who weren't too fond of the outing, (Ez and Ben) over all it was a really nice dinner. Carrie made a German chocolate cake, my mom's favorite, and we ate at The Crab Cooker. Having the family together is always fun, but always incomplete... we miss D P J & L!! Maybe we'll get to see them soon though. I'm hankering for a trip to San Fran... so we'll see! I haven't posted in awhile, so I'm going back a few days here. I am thankful for... 1. my mom arriving safely home from her trip and being able to pick her up from the airport last Wednesday. 2. seeing all the pictures of distant relatives back in MS and TN. 3. a really nice time at Casey's baby shower in Simi Valley yesterday. And getting to see all the (pregnant) valley girls together at the shower. 4. February 10, 2007 5. Spendi...

First things first... today is verse day, so here I go, check to see if I'm right... Psalm 139: 1-8 "O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise. You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my laying down. You are familiar with all of my ways. Before there is a word on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in - behind and before. You have laid your hands upon me. Such knowledge is to wonderful for me, to lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there. If I make my bed in the depths, you are there." Yesterday was my dear mother-in-law's birthday! What a fun life she is living with her hubby and family. She doesn't let a day go by without being love to the people around her. We celebrated her on Sunday, but we also remembered her special day yesterday too. She is a wonderful mother and we're so thankfu...

We had a great day today with family and friends. Here are some pictures, enjoy. :) Little Benny eating some watermelon, and then wanting "moe, MOE!" for the rest of the day. These crazy ladies are such a hoot when they're all together! Nonny (Tina's mom), Tina and Didi (Tina's aunt.) We celebrated their birthday's over at our house today. Silly ladies. Here are my boys, wishing they were taking a nap. Ben had his wish granted shortly after this picture was taken. Mark, however, did not. Today I am thankful for... 1. a fun visit with family; Howie, Nonny, Paul, Tina, Didi and my dad all came over for lunch. 2. all the help Nonny was to me in the kitchen. She de-boned two chickens for me, and I really appreciated that! 3. my dad coming down and bringing three very thoughtful cards and gifts to the three birthday girls. So sweet of him! 4. Ben being such a great napper, he really is so easy. 5. the laughter that took place in my house. 6. Paul's great sto...

I had an encounter with a sales clerk this afternoon who treated me like I've never been treated in a store before. I've had 2 gift certificates to Williams-Sonoma since my birthday, just burning a hole in my pocket. I've actually had a couple failed attempts to buy things, but they were never exactly right and I took them back each time. Well I finally found something, a large salad bowl, that I knew was perfect. I gave the sales lady, Gail, my gift cards and she rang me up. The first card had a whopping $5.85 on it, the second card $0.00. That's right, NOTHING. I knew there was something wrong; that card should've had over $80 on it, but she swiped it over and over again and each time the register said "Balance $0, card closed." I was embarrassed and heartbroken and then I was angry. I felt I had been wronged big time. The last lady must have given me the wrong card when I took my last purchase back. There was no way I could afford the salad bowl without...

You've heard me talk about 139, the ministry at church that I work with. 139 is based off of Psalm 139, specifically verses 13-16. My dad, being a big proponent of Bible memorization, saw me wearing a hat the other day with a big, bold, hot pink 139 written across the top. He asked me what this was knowing full well the verse it stands for. I hmmd and haad something about it being, you know, the verse that talks about being knit in your mothers womb and God knowing our innermost parts. Then quickly said I should memorize that verse, and he quickly agreed. All this to say Lolly and I have decided to memorize the whole chapter. It's really quite a personal and intimate look at how well our Maker knows us, I mean really knows our beings. We're taking one week per four verses. So this will now be a place for me to recite my verses for the week. Starting for this week, which I was one day late memorizing it's entirety. Psalm 139:1-4 " Oh LORD, you have searched me and...