Busy Month

February has come and gone (well almost) and I feel like I haven't hardly had time to take a breath.  Pretty much the first two weeks of February involved lots of cleaning and purging and getting ready for the Florida Fellowship Meeting.  We had a house full of guests that we thoroughly enjoyed and a meeting that was not only very well attended, but one filled with spirit filled sermons and singing.  Plus we had Matthew's 40th birthday and Brady's 9th birthday in the mix of all of that.  And in case you missed it on fb, I've included Kinley's birthday song for you to enjoy!

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I've also just reached the 24 week milestone in this pregnancy.  24 weeks is the magical medical number "they" assign to viability.  To be honest, I really have never put much stock in this milestone, only because I have heard of too many tragic stories of full term babies developing a life threatening issue during/shortly after birth.  So I try to focus my prayers not on timelines, but just on the health of the baby.  The irony of it all is that although these last few months have flown by, this pregnancy seems to be in slo-mo for me.  I feel like I have been pregnant for sooooo long.  Don't get me wrong, this pregnancy has been very easy for me.  It's not like I have been so miserable during the last 5 months that it has dragged on.  I'm probably jinxing myself, but I have felt really good.  My morning sickness only lasted a couple of weeks, no big deal.  No achy back like I've had with all the other pregnancies.  No major sleep issues, other than the unusual/bad dreams I started having this past week.  I've been a little fatigued this past week, but again we had A LOT going on the week before.  So overall I'd say it's going very well.  Apparently, I look REALLY pregnant, because I keep getting asked "how are you doing/feeling" in an extremely sympathetic "you look miserable" tone.  Hmmmm, just some thoughts to ponder.  Oh well, sorry for the totally boring, rambling post about mostly nothingness!  Perhaps something a little more creative will hit me in March!

Happy Halvesies

This week I hit the 20 week mark.  Exactly half way through the pregnancy.  We had our big anatomy scan on Tuesday and everything appeared to be strong and healthy with the baby.  We did not find out the gender but the big kids think they know what we're having.  Abbey said she "didn't see the stem on the apple" so it must be a girl.  Brady claimed the baby's foot looked like a boy foot, so it must be a boy.  For fun, I thought I would compare this pregnancy and Kinley's pregnancy.

 



Kinley's 20 Week







Baby J's 20 Week

As you can see I'm carrying much differently with this one than I did with Kinley.  However, that could just be because my uterus is all stretch out...

• Kinley's heart rate at the 20 week ultrasound was 152.  Baby J's heart rate was 149
• Kinley's approximate weight was 12 oz.  Baby J's approximate weight is 12 oz.
• My weight gain at 20 weeks with Kinley was 5lbs.  My weight gain with Baby J at 20 weeks is also 5lbs.
• Each of my four pregnancies has gotten progressively worse in the morning sickness (not sick at all with Abbey, a little nauseated with Brady, more with Kinley and lots and lots with Baby J.) Although all issues with morning sickness with all pregnancies ended well before the 12 week mark.
• Lots of movement with Kinley (and it started very early ~ 14-15 weeks).  Feeling lots of movement with Baby J, however it's just been recently that I've really felt it (18-19 weeks).
• With Kinley, took a while to agree on a boys name and I "felt" like we were having a girl.  With Baby J, still haven't agreed on a boys name and I'm all over the board on what we're having.

So there you have it!  Make your own predictions.  Everything looks great.  The only thing the doctor is concerned about is my placenta.  It is considered low lying, which means it is too close to the cervix.  He feels certain that as the baby continues to grow, the placenta will move up.  This is something they have to monitor though before delivery.  If it does not move up enough, then I will have to have a c-section.  They will do another ultrasound again at 28 weeks to check on the progress.  I'm not overly concerned about it.  So I will leave you with a few more shots and a video from Baby J's ultrasound!



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Free Family Fun Night

Over the last year or so we, like many other families, have cut back on a lot of luxuries in an effort to save money.  One of the frivolities is going out, whether for dinner, or the movies or some other activity that the kids enjoyed doing that usually involved spending big bucks!  We started having Friday Movie Night at home.  Sometimes we will download a movie on the PS3, other times we will just watch one of the gazillion movies we already own.  We also try to do a fun dinner at the house, that we wouldn't normally have during the week, such as hot dogs over the fire pit (very cheap meal...yet fun family time) or fondue.  But we are always looking for other options for an inexpensive evening out.  One that we have found to be a true winner in our household is the Campfire Movie at Ft. Wilderness (Walt Disney World Resort).  I know it's hard to believe that anything Di$ney related could be free.  Not to worry, there are definitely ways to spend money during this evening out...but it is also possible to have a completely free evening (if you don't count the gas $ spent coming and going).

(we did splurge on a box of popcorn)

Ft. Wilderness Campground is one of Disney's resorts.  They play a Disney movie (rated G or PG) every single night in a big outdoor campfire setting.  They have stadium seating set up in the very back.  They have some "log" style benches in the middle and then they have a big open area for laying blankets down to watch the movie.  Parking is FREE!  Bus ride to the Meadows Trading Post (a.k.a. Campfire) FREE!  Entrance to movie FREE!  Best of all you can bring your own snacks and drinks (or you can purchase some from the snack bar).  You can bring your own Smore's ingredients and roast them over the camp fire (or you can purchase some from the snack bar).

The late Fall/Winter is definitely the best time of year to go.  The crowds are not too big.  The weather is gorgeous.  Plus the movie starts and hour earlier than it does in the Summer months (due to longer daylight hours).  This website lists the months movie schedule so you pick the best movie/date to take the family.  Camp fire is lit at 6:30pm, Chip and Dale perform around 7pm and then the movie starts at 7:40 (times about an hour later in the summer months).

We took the kids on Friday night and saw the movie Brother Bear.  Which was awesome because it had been YEARS since the kids had seen it they didn't even remember what the movie was about.  So it was like taking them to a new release.  We love living this close to Disney.  We have taken advantage of the Campfire movie on a number of occasions and the kids enjoy themselves each time.

(waiting for the bus)

Reflecting...

I've been reflecting today.  Reflecting on parenthood.  More specifically, motherhood.  I know all mother's deal with guilt at one time or another, but sometimes I truly feel like I'm on an island.  A friend of mine recently left her full time job to stay at home with her three kids.  I am well aware that although this is the life(being a mom) I have always dreamed of and wouldn't change my "career" for anything in the world, I know that I was raised in this environment so it wasn't a foreign concept to me.  However, so many people were not brought up in a household where Mom was at home through out the day.  So for them to make a decision to stay at home with their kids, it is probably a much bigger struggle.  I decided to write my friend some words of encouragement in her upcoming journey.  And her reply caught me by surprise somewhat.  She called me "Super Mom".  And as I read this I both laughed and cringed at the same time.

Now, I'm not going to lie and I'm going to try to say this without sounding like I'm bragging.  But I've been called this before.  And sure it makes my ego feel good to hear someone say this about me, but in all actuality when I hear this I am secretly rolling my eyes or snorting in sarcasm.  Because when I hear these words said about me, I instantly think "wow, I must really have them fooled if they think I'm a great mom!"  My mind instantly starts replaying the fact that I totally lost my cool with the kids over a dirty sock left in the bathroom, or the dinner of frozen chicken nuggets and canned green beans I fed my family one night or the ginormous pile of clothes waiting to be ironed for the last month and a half.  Even my dear sweet hubby tells me ALL. THE. TIME. what a great mom I am and I just stare at him in disbelief...because he actually lives with me.  He hears me rant and holler over the dirty sock in the bathroom.  He eats the frozen chicken nugget meal with canned green beans.  He digs his clothes out of that massive pile and irons something himself.

So I ask, how do we combat this enormous guilt we are plagued with as mothers?

1. Try to focus on what we HAVE accomplished in a day/week/month:

"Finally, brethren whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8

 2.  Be grateful for each and every situation you are in:

"Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.  Let your moderation be known unto all men.  The Lord is at hand.  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:4-6

3. Turn to Christ and His Word in our moments of weakness:

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.  Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corr. 12:9 

 Yes, I will still have days where I feed my family a less than gourmet dinner.  And yes, I will still have days where I go all Archie Bunker on the kiddos.  And you can bet your biscuits there might be a day where I don't invite you in because of the entire contents of our kitchen may still be sitting in the sink with leftover chicken nuggets and canned green beans hardened into a crusty layer.  But, I know that in a few years I will look back upon a quiet/clean house and say thank you Lord for giving me this life.

A note from teacher

On Tuesday, Brady's teacher sent a note home to me.  I don't know about anyone else, but anytime a note comes home that is stapled closed and addressed to "the Parents of Brady Johnson" my heart skips a little beat.

Here is what the letter said:

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson,

I just wanted to take a moment to let you know how proud I am of Brady.  He has been working very hard in reading and math.  As a result he is making steady progress in both areas.  He has a great personality, and I can always count on him to break out the dance moves.

Sincerely,

"His Teacher"

And in case you have forgotten how cool his moves are, check out this old post!

Change your blog roll...

Just in case you all didn't realize, Rachel A. has moved to a new blog site.  Please make sure you update her on your list.  Her new blog is also in my sidebar.  It's called Ever Growing.  She's an amazing gal who has some great things on her blog!

1994 - Eternity

18 years ago I was just 18 years old. 18 years ago I married my soul mate. 18 years ago I envisioned this fantasy of what our marriage would be like. And 18 years later I am living every girls dream! Happy anniversary to my favorite husband in the world...oh wait, he's my one and only!