Family Vacation

BJ and I just got back from family vacation with his family in Pigeon Forge and had a blast! From Dollywood, to the Dixie Stampede, to our amazing house in the mountains, we all had a great time! We enjoyed the family time, and of course watching the girls soak up all the entertainment and fun!

The house was amazing! A bedroom and bathroom for each couple, a view that was breathtaking, and plenty of space for us to gather for cards, eating, or just chatting!
Dollywood was HOT to say the least, and very very crowded!!! But hey, we didn't let that stop us! The girls rode until they were rode out, and even BJ and Mr. Barry rode a few roller-coasters with us!
I think the Dixie Stampede was the highlight of everyone's trip, including the girls! Horses and girls in flowy sparkly dresses (princesses)....Mag and Mil didn't miss a thing! And everyone knows the food is unbelievable!

We all hate to see a vacation come to an end, but we were all ready to be back home too! I'm getting ready for another week of vacation next week with a ball tournament with BJ in Arkansas, then headed to the beach with my parents for a few days!!

Here are a few pictures from the trip!

The girls with Uncle B before dinner, our view from the house, eating ice cream, Maggie snoozing, and the girls and I watching the "the bad woman" from 101 Dalmatians!

A Little Bit Stronger

Hello friends! It literally has been forever since I have posted. Some may know my circumstances, some may not, a detailed post will be coming, but for now, the few moments I have, I just wanted all to know we are doing very well, and my God is still good. We may not always understand the reason for the things we go through in this life, but God does. Our life's path is already set out before us, some good, some bad, all have a specific purpose designed by God! I am so thankful that my faith in God was shown and ONLY by that faith am I able to pick up the pieces of my life and continue in His perfect will for my life. Thank you to those who prayed, visited, called, sent flowers...etc. It meant so much to have your support through it all.

With love and thanks,
*Laken

Long Time, No See

Yes, I know! I've been terrible at blogging lately, but boy is being pregnant hard work. When I'm not sleeping, sleeping, thinking about sleep, or being sick, sick, and oh yeah, sick......I'm at work or at school. Anyway, today I'm 12 weeks so 1st trimester is nearing the end of its course. I can ALREADY tell I feel better! Maybe it's a mind thing? Goodness I don't even care as long as I feel better lol. I promise to get on belly pics ASAP because yes....it's there!! Already discovered pony tail holders are my new best friends for buttons on my skirts lol. You wouldn't believe the extra breathing room! Oh and I'm so proud of my new craving........WATER!!!!!!!! Go me! Here is our little ones 11wk 5day pic! We are growing beautifully!

Growing...Growing...

9 week tomorrow and our little one is growing like a weed to say the least. I wasn't expecting yesterdays visit to be to in depth but boy was I shocked when we started the ultrasound. I knew from week 6 to 8 the baby would double in size, but to see these images on the screen was breaktaking. Mom cried like a baby and I wouldn't quite smiling...ALL DAY! The Dr. said he or she is doing great and growing just as he or she should. I also heard the heart beat again yesterday and it was soooo much more clear and strong! 182 BPM!! I am still going back every 2 week until I am out of the first trimester, but hey I don't mind! That just means I get to see him or her that much more and I love every minute of it. When I go back I will be almost 11 weeks, and my Dr. normally starts trying to determine the sex around week 12....so we MAY get to see the sex in 2 weeks, if not....for sure in a month I am hoping!! I am so greatful for a great Dr. who does an ultrasound every visit. :)) Here are the pics from yesterdays visit! I even got a 3D picture this time!! Although he or she looks really big in this photo, in reality, he or she is only a little over an INCH long. How funny huh?

8 weeks Friday 1-27

I wasn't going to update until tomorrow, but I know I am always anxious to see other blog updates, and hate it when they don't update in like 2 weeks (cough...Brittany lol) so I figured I'd throw a little something in today and of course update tomorrow after my Dr. appointment.
Since my last Dr. visit the sickness and nausea have come full force upon me. From just the nausea feeling all day, to the actual pure sickess ALL day, to good days and bad days....whatever symptoms they have on the books....I feel like I've had them all. I'm hoping once I hit the 2nd trimester that it will just vanish, but I won't keep my hopes up just incase it doesn't....plus that is still about another 4 weeks away until week 12.

I was hoping from hear-say that I wouldn't really have any cravings or eating frenzies until I was well into the pregnancy.....WRONG. I'm not sure if it is just my mind telling me I'm pregnant, or really the pregnancy lol, but when those cravings or urges come, I've given in every time, and I can tell I've GOT to do better with that. I was on a major health kick before I found out I was pregnant, eating very well...and now the thought of a turkey sandwich with mustard, or oatmeal, or egg whites, or even plain yogurt just make me cringe....although when I'm able to eat (which isn't very often these day) I want cheeseburgers, FF, or chicken nuggets....GO FIGURE!

As far as the baby bump....I can tell it is beginning to form and sticking out just a hair right now...but nothing noticeable in clothing. None of my clothes are to the brink of putting away as of now, and I'm hoping I can stay in them for at least maybe another 3-4 weeks.

All in all I am ready to head back to the Dr. tomorrow and see how big out little boy or girl has gotten since week 6. I hear they double in size between those weeks so I am anxious to see. Also, mom ordered me a heart doppler last week so I can keep at home and listen to the heart anytime I want, and I was soo very thankful for that. Again, with being early on in pregnancy, and my first pregnancy, every little thing scares me and I'm already on a first name basis with the nursing staff because of my continuous calls....so to be able to listen to the heart at anytime will be a big reassurance to me that things are alright, and a blessing at that to sit and listen to it nights on end if I desire :)
Thanks mom!!!


Have a great Tuesday!

*Laken

Baby Dr.

I had another Dr. appointment today and today was the day for us to hear the heartbeat since I was so early the last time we were there. I will be 7 weeks this Friday and so far our baby is growing wonderfully. And let me say...the experience of hearing YOUR child's heart is beyond amazing. To know that I have another life inside me that will soon call me Mommy, and that I am helping supply his/her heartbeat was so life changing for me. My excitement grows everyday and the anxiousness to see him/her doubles :)
As for the pregnancy updates...I feel like the sickness for me is here to stay, and yes as bad as I'll hate to admit it, I've had a few mood swings that I've been terribly sorry to my husband for. I also feel like I rarely see BJ for me sleeping all the time......literally 8:00 has become my new bedtime, so we hardly have any time to enjoy each other's company. HOWEVER, I have made a promise to myself to do better, and enjoy every little minute we have left alone, because I do believe all those moments are special in a relationship. Although we both can't wait for the arrival of our baby, one on one time is important! Here are the pictures of our visit today, and the showing of our little one's heart beating at 117 BPM.
Also, as far as the poll goes as for what I will have......BOY is winning by a long shot! I only have a few people here at the bank who believe it will be a girl. Some just say they have that "feeling" and others by old wise tales of the heart rate, the sickness and tiredness and so forth. ME....I'm still clueless and don't really have a "feeling" yet, but hopefully that gut feeling will kick in soon. :)

Who Put That There??

If you haven't guessed....yes, I wrecked! And let me tell you it was traumatic!!!  Don't worry I'm completley fine, and it didn't involve any other vehicles, just a huge pole at Walmart. I won't even go into detail about how it happened, but I will say it was in the Cleaners delivery van, and lets just say I smashed the front side of it pretty good :(.....which leads me to my prego update. THE EMOTIONS ARE FLOWING! I literally sobbed..not cried....SOBBED for almost a solid hour after this happened. I was able to drive home fine, and although there was damage the van was still driveable, but is already somewhere being fixed. I was so upset at myself for doing this and I could not hold anything in....I was a complete basketcase!! Those of you who know about "the van" will understand why it was so crazy for me to be so upset over this lol, especially since I and of course the baby were perfectly fine! I could for sure tell that my emotions were way different than normal....because the crying lead to nausea and so on and so forth lol.
Anyway.....as far as other updates, no real baby bump yet obviously, but the "feeling" of being pregnant is here! Emotions, nausea all throughout the day, although no physical sickness as of yet thank goodness, and fatigue.....TERRIBLY! I have been in bed by 8:30 for almost a solid week straight now, with sometimes naps on my lunch break and after work before supper. I will be thankful if and when that goes away, especially with my night classes starting tonight. 4:30-6:15 and 6:30-9:15.....so please say an extra prayer for me!!! I go back to the Dr. on the 17th and will hopefully have more pics to post of our growing little boy or girl.

Baby on Board!!!!

As you can tell it has been awhile since I've posted. It has been a crazy past couple of weeks getting over Christmas and the New Year, as well as some VERY exciting news that BJ and I encountered Friday, Dec. 30th! WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BABY!!!! That's right........come September, I will be a mommy and I am full of joy!! Words can honestly not describe the sense of gratitude and thankfulness we both are to God for allowing us to take on such an important role in life as being parents! I'm sure most of you would like to know "the story" so prepare to read :)

We have been trying for a baby for sometime now...a little over a year to be exact, and as some of you can probably relate, for me, it became very stressful. Month to month was like a huge waiting game, only to see the ONE red line on the test. So, like most other women would do, I told myself no more tests, no more worrying, and that God would work it out in His own time! The month started out by wanting to eat steak, in which I haven't touched a steak in almost 3 years now! Can't stand eggs and won't look at green beans....but they all happened in spurts so I really thought nothing of it. Finally Friday rolled around and I was ONE day late, and no symptoms of it approaching at all, so for peace of mind I bought a test. After about 5 lol, I was convinced our wait was over!!

This was New Years holiday so I knew I wouldn't be able to get to the Doctor until Tuesday and to hold news in that long would have killed us!! However, we decided to tell our parents and siblings only and hold out for a Dr. visit to tell everyone else! Since I had hardly no time Friday to plan a cute way (I took the tests about 3 o clock Friday afternoon) I had to think fast! My parents and my in-laws do banking with the bank I work at, so I typed up a letter and enclosed it in a BHS envelope with an "important" stamp on the outside. **BJ couldn't hold it in to quite everyone.....he told his dad as soon as I told him lol, so Mr. Barry helped in gathering that side of the family for an important talk at his house. I walked in like I had no idea what was going on, and simply handed the addressed envelope to Mrs. Karen and said since I was doing mail today I saved postage and just brought this to you! Literally, it took her 10 MIN to comprehend lol....the note said...."Congratulations, you are the soon to be MEME of three!" This is when the fun began....laughter, excitement, and tears of joy with Barry, Karen, Kasie, Colter, and the girls. Paige and Justin were at a Grizzlies game so we had to phone her the good news and I believe you could have heard her across town she was so excited!!

Then it was off to round up my parents spur of the moment! My parents just so happened to be eating at Mexican, so I told them about the letter they needed to come pick up from the bank and also had to throw in that I had a late Christmas present....and it was to big to fit in moms car so dad had to come. (They were in seperate vehicles) They arrived, mom read the letter, and the tears began to flow!! Their letter read "God couldn't be everywhere, so He made grandparents!" I guess you could say, excitement is an understatement for how our weekend went!!

I finally managed to get in to see the Dr. at 10 AM Tuesday and he confirmed the good news. Although I am very early, and at first was a little hesitant to spread the word because I'm so early, I have faith that God is going to bless us with a very healthy boy or girl. As of this Friday I will be 5 weeks, and I go back in 2 weeks to hear the heartbeat and hopefully make a better determination of my due date, which for now is set for September 7th.

So.......I'll be posting and updating very often about our little bundle of joy! Here is a pic of the very first ultra sound....no bigger than the end of an eraser, but like the Dr. said...you gotta start somewhere! :))