1 week already!

No time to write about what an amazing week it has been...probably the best week of my life! Travis is an absolutely amazing daddy, and Jack is more than we could have ever dreamed of. I am absolutely in love! I have cried so many tears of joy and feel so blessed to be his mommy...and this mommy has to jump in the shower while i have a chance, but I leave you with this handsomeness...

Our Angel is HERE!

I cannot tell you how in love I am with my son! He is just amazing....Travis and I cried the whole 27 min. ride to the hospital because we were just so overwhelmed by God's graciousness in choosing us to be Jack's parents. He is everything I dreamed he would be and so much more!!!!!! I was scheduled for a c-section Monday, the 21st, but Jack had other plans. My water broke, and boy did it, at 1:35 am on the 17th. We got to the hospital at 2:30, and Jack was here at 4:15 am....all 9 pounds 19 1/4 inches! He chose to make his appearance on my parents 37th wedding anniversary. This has been the most amazing 30 hours of my life so far, and my husband, parents and in-laws have been wonderful. It is so fun getting to watch Travis be Jack's dad. I see years and years of fun for those two. Thank you so much for your prayers and thoughts. They have truly been felt. Here are two pics of our little angel, but I will have to post more this afternoon because he looks different already!





"Nothing compares to the moment you were placed in my arms
and I kissed your sweet baby face for the first time. Complete
love and indescribable joy filled my heart from that day on."

Just Waiting

I know I'm just now in my 37th week, but I'm pretty sure the last time I felt comfortable was some time in April. I went to the doctor yesterday because I have experienced some swelling, but she was "not impressed" with my swelling. My doctor is super wonderful, and I really love her. She has a great sense of humor....she laughed when she lifted up my shirt to check Jack's heart beat. She said, "I am sorry, that was rude," but I just laughed too because my belly looked like a volcano! Everything was fine, but I was just a little concerned because his heart rate was high last week. They put me on the monitor then, and it had gone down within 20 minutes. They said he was just excited...really? What could be exciting in there? He seemed to have calmed down this week. My sweet friend friend, Courtney, and I went swimming today. Here is a pic from our outing...





yep, that's about what I feel like right now....here's one of me trying to get on the raft












It was great to be "weightless" for a few hours, but when I got out I felt heavier than ever!!! I think this is what it would feel like to have cannon balls in your stomach!!

I go back tomorrow for my weekly apt, so hopefully there will be some progress. I am just so ready to meet our little boy!

5 Years!

Happy anniversary to my best friend! I love you more now than I ever thought I could, and I can't wait to see the daddy you will become. Thank you for your love.

Many miles to baby steps

I have been a terrible wife and have not bragged on my husband. I missed his birthday blog and his 2nd and 3rd marathon posts. To explain the name of the title, Travis has run 742 miles in 2 years!!!! Yes, you read that correctly, 742! He could have run to Toronto, Canada! He didn't get to finish the Music City Marathon this year because of lightning, but this preggo did truck it all over town to try to catch a glimpse of him in the race... so the next weekend he ran the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. Just happened to be the same weekend as the flood, but thank goodness my sweet friend and Jack's godmother, Courtney, was here to baby sit me and assure me that my husband would make it home in one piece. Praise the good Lord, he did. Now I can't wait to see the baby steps...Jack will be here in 24 days or less, and Travis is already blowing me away with how he has taken such good care of me, our house, and prepared for this sweet baby that we can't wait to hold. He is going to be the best daddy to Jack, and I just can't wait to see it and take pictures of them in coordinating outfits!! So, thanks for letting me brag on my sweet husband, and hopefully our next post will be filled with pictures of our baby boy on the outside of my belly!!

Jack's Room

So my parents, Tyler & Katelyn all headed up to Indiana for the Indy 500 today. Laurette is too far along for us to be able to take a road trip like that, so we will be watching on our couch this year. In an effort to create a little of the race day experience, I have gone out and bought my KFC fried chicken and will put it in a cooler to eat tomorrow during "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

Things have been going well so far, but Laurette is at maximum capacity I believe. Comfort is a thing of the past and she has been couch sleeping for the last couple weeks. On a positive note, Jack has dropped quite a bit so that has taken a little pressure off of her back. The bags are packed, the car seat is in place and I have plotted my route. Now we wait...

Since my parents are visiting my grandparents while up there, I wanted to post a few pictures of Jack's room. Laurette painted a lot of nice things for the room and we had some great help from both grandfathers with the bead-board (Thank you Mr. Clark!) and the painting (thanks Dad!). I hope you enjoy.










This last one was pretty funny, for some reason while we were taking photos our dog Maggie decided to stick her head under the crib. I have heard stories about our old Springer, Muffy, sleeping under my crib when I was a baby so maybe Maggie is just getting ready.



Almost forget, here is a photo from our last ultrasound!

Though you walk through the waters.....

It should not come as news to you that Nashville is flooded. It's no secret that I hated this place when we moved here almost 5 years ago, but it has truly found a spot in my heart. And the people of Nashville have become dear to me as well...so my heart hurts tonight as so many are hurting and I sit here wanting to help but not knowing where to start. My mind has gone to the passage in Isaiah today that is a favorite praise song of mine as well...."Though you walk through the waters I will be with you. And the waves, they will not overcome you. Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name, you are mine! For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." So, the only thing I can think to do right now as people like my dear friend and Jack's godmother, Courtney, wait for morning to break to see what devastation the Cumberland River has brought to their lives... is to Pray! I hope that you will pray with me for the people of this city. Here are some pictures that Travis found and uploaded to a flickr account to give you an idea of what is going on. We also found this Chris Tomlin video that truly reminds us that the He is still the God of this city.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49850674@N07/



on a lighter note:



Blessings,
Travis and Laurette