Jared: 1 month old

This first month has gone by so fast, I am just now finding a few minutes to post.  Jared is doing great, he's healthy and growing up so quickly.  I took him to the doctor last week for his 4 week check up, and he weighed in at 10 lbs 2 oz, measuring 22 1/4 inches long.  Looks like he is going to be a tall one, just like his daddy, as his height is in the 90th percentile for his age.  Jared loves to eat, so much that sometimes mommy isn't sure if she can keep up with the demand.  But I consider it a good thing that he has a good appetite.  He loves tummy time, and has been working on holding his own head up since week one.  He has gotten pretty good at it, and now he is working on putting a little weight on his arms so that he can learn to roll over.  He's a strong little guy!  Here are some recent pics for you to enjoy. 

 Halloween

Tummy time with daddy

4 wk. check up 

Baby Meadows 10/2/10

I have been asked by several people now to share the birth story, so let me fill you in on the last few weeks of my pregnancy first.  We had our ultrasound at week 36, and the technician estimated our baby's weight to be 8 lbs 9 oz, with 4 more weeks to go.  Generally babies gain about 1/2 lb. per week at this stage, so the doctor was a little worried and wanted to discuss the possibility of an early induction to reduce the risk of injury to the baby with a vaginal birth, or reduce the chances of needing a c-section.  We agreed to another ultrasound at 38 weeks, when we would discuss this in further detail.  We scheduled the appointment for Tuesday, October 5th and started praying that our baby would decide to come on his own so that we could stick to our natural birth plan. 

Friday evening, after a long week at work, we attended a wedding reception.  When we got home, we started sorting through bags of baby clothes that had been donated to us.  I felt the urge to pee, and as I got up and started walking to the bathroom, I felt a gush of liquid running down my legs.  By the time I made it to the bathroom, my pants were soaked clear through, and I yelled for my husband to let him know that my water had broken.  We called the doctor and were told to head straight to the hospital, and my husband immediately started running around the house, grabbing the partially packed hospital bag, and trying to fit the rest of the items in that we would need.  We weren't quite as prepared, thinking that we would have several hours of first stage labor to get ready at home before heading to the hospital.  This was the first of many surprises throughout the labor and delivery process. 

We arrived at the hospital shortly after midnight, and they started to monitor the baby and my contractions.  The contractions were happening about every 5 minutes on average, but they weren't very strong.  I had no problem talking through them.  When the doctor called in, he suggested that we start pitocin if my contractions didn't start progressing soon.  I was still intent on following my birth plan if at all possible, so I refused and asked for more time to walk around and try to get labor going on my own.  After 11 hours, the doctor came in and checked my progress.  There was no progress to speak of, so he started me on pitocin.

Over the next couple of hours, the contractions came quickly and with much  more intensity, to the point that I finally requested an epidural when I was told that I might have to endure another 7 hours of contractions until I was to the point that I could start pushing.  The anesthesiologist came in at 5:00 pm and administered the epidural.  About 2 hours later, the doctor said I was fully dilated and could start pushing, but that he wasn't very optimistic based on the position of the baby (not engaged yet).  I pushed for 45 minutes, took a break for 30 minutes, then pushed again for almost 2 more hours.  The baby just wasn't coming down like he needed to in order for me to deliver him naturally.  So 23 hours after my water broke, our baby was delivered by c-section at 10:38 pm.  The labor and delivery were not the way we planned it at all, but in the end, we were blessed to have a healthy 8 lb. 1 oz. baby boy. 

34 weeks

Our little bun in the oven is getting bigger by the minute, or so it seems.  The doctor says I am measuring about 2 weeks ahead of schedule, so at 36 weeks we will have another ultrasound and check the baby's progress, and at that point he may move up my due date by up to 2 weeks.  I have mixed feelings about that.  I am getting more and more uncomfortable with increasing back pain each day, so in that sense it would be nice to have a shorter amount of time left in the pregnancy.  However, having the baby earlier means going back to work earlier, and I was hoping to have my maternity leave go right up until Christmas break.  But I know that whenever the baby is ready to come, he will come, and we will just have to be flexible and go along with it. 

Work is going pretty well.  I'm grateful to have mostly good students this year, and really only one class that seems to have very little motivation to learn.  I was worried about going back to work because of the stress that can come with teaching, but so far I haven't had too many difficult students or situations to deal with.  Probably the biggest stress for me right now is making plans for my long-term substitute.  It has been a huge ordeal trying to find someone with the right qualifications and availability.  At this point, my principal is probably going to have to petition the state dept of education to allow an exception for our situation.  I'm holding my breath and keeping my fingers crossed that they will get it worked out before the baby comes. 

In other news, my hubby's truck broke down... again!  A car with just over 50K miles on it should not be having these kind of problems and definitely not so often.  His dad took it to the dealership for us and they want to charge us over $800 to fix it.  We're getting a second opinion, and more if we have to, until we find someone who isn't going to overcharge us by 200%. 

To end on a positive note, we both passed our certifications this week.  My husband is now Security+ certified (and can keep his job), and I am now a certified online scorer for the Praxis Spanish Exam (ETS).  This means that I will have another source of income to help with the costs of the baby, and maybe eventually something I can do as a stay-at-home mom once my hubby is done with school.  :) 

Bummas' Wipes Giveaway on Love Lives Here

I just entered a giveaway for Bummas' Wipes.  Check it out at Love Lives Here!  http://theloveliveshere.blogspot.com/2010/08/review-giveaway-bummas-cloth-wipes.html

In loving memory

Julia Bell Donnally "Peggy" Atkinson

Peggy Atkinson 1928 ~ 2010 Julia Bell "Peggy" Donnally Atkinson passed away at her home in Sandy, Utah on August 20, 2010. She was born on December 19, 1928, in Charleston, West Virginia to Charles L. and Philomena Pearl Hunt Donnally. Her mother died two years later, and her dad married Gladys Donnally. She married her college sweetheart, Robert Kenneth Atkinson, on January 2, 1948 in South Charleston. They later traveled by train in 1968 to the Salt Lake Temple to be sealed together with their children. Peggy and Kenny spent 62 wonderful years together. Peggy was a convert to the LDS church in 1953 and enjoyed serving in choirs and the Primary and Relief Society organizations. She enjoyed sharing her love of genealogy with others. Peggy and Kenny also loved their time serving two full-time church service missions, in Lawrence, Kansas and Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Peggy took pleasure in numerous jobs, especially opening and operating Atkinson Floral, where she designed arrangements and wedding flowers. Peggy had a very loving heart and was known as 'Grandma' to many more than just her grandkids. She had a love for music and singing that she passed on to her family and friends. She had a delightful laugh and would always strive to help those around her find joy. Survived by her husband, Kenny; children, Robert (Sally) Atkinson; Julia (Ralph) Menssen; Melinda (Rick) Cowin; Janet Atkinson; Sherry (Craig) Perry; 19 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; three sisters and one brother; and many loved ones. Preceded in death by her parents and brother, Jim Crowe. The family wishes to express a special thanks to CareSource Hospice for their loving care. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, August 23, 2010 at the Hillcrest 7th Ward, 8485 S. 1000 E. Friends may call from 6-8 p.m. on Sunday, August 22, 2010 at Goff Mortuary, 8090 S. State St. and one hour prior to the services, at the church. Interment, Utah Veterans Memorial Park.

*Here's a picture of the last time I was able to spend with my grandmother, when she came out for my wedding.

Coming to a close

My summer vacation is almost over.  I go back to work on Monday, and since I have a lot planned this weekend, I figured I should get a post in today before I am too busy and tired.  It has been a fairly relaxing summer, but very hot and humid.  Unfortunately, the beginning of school does not necessarily mean the end of the hot weather.  But it will keep me occupied for the next 9 weeks or so until the baby comes.  Hopefully this year will begin smoothly and not give me a lot of added stress during these last several weeks of my pregnancy.  I am a little worried about my sleeping habits, as I have not been sleeping much at night, and then I end up taking naps throughout the day.  That won't cut it when I'm teaching all day, so hopefully my body can get back on a semi-normal sleep schedule.  My goal starting today is to not take any naps so that I will be so tired that I can't help but sleep through the night (or at least mostly). 

We had our pre-admission appointment at the hospital last night.  While we do not have a formal birth plan typed up yet, we were able to share some of our requests and feel good about them being met, as long as there are no extenuating circumstances during labor and delivery.  I am hoping to deliver as naturally as possible.  Of course, this being our first, we are really not too sure what to expect.  So we are just hoping for a good experience and that there will be no major complications.  *Fingers crossed*

I had a doctor's appointment this morning.  I am 30 weeks and a few days along, so I am seeing the doctor every 2 weeks.  Baby Jared wasn't very active this morning, but then again I hadn't been awake for very long, and I didn't have a big breakfast.  His heart rate was about 120, which is lower than usual, but still within the normal range.  We just caught him while he was resting.  I am supposed to start counting kicks every day from now on.  As long as I feel 6 in an hour, there is nothing to worry about.  Sometimes I feel 6 in 10 minutes or less, so I don't think there will be a problem with his activity level. 

We did receive some sad news this week.  My maternal grandmother had a stroke earlier in the week.  She seemed to be doing okay, but then Tuesday night she took a turn for the worse.  They think she may have had an additional stroke.  She is stable, but having a hard time eating or drinking.  She is fighting, but she may not have much time left.  It is hard to be living so far away and not be able to go and see her, and it makes me sad that she might not live long enough to see our son born.  But it also makes me feel very blessed that she and my grandfather were able to make it out here for our wedding last fall.  I wish we had the time and money to be able to fly out and see her, but that just isn't possible.  So we just have to pray and wait for news. 

It's almost time for my hubby to get home from work, and we are going out on a date tonight.  Dinner, movie and Old Navy (he needs new jeans).  Should be fun.  Next week we have our first baby shower, and another one in a few weeks.  I should have more new and pictures to post then.  :)

Baby update

Here is a photo from our anatomy ultrasound, which was taken about 4 weeks ago.  Sorry it took me so long to post this, but with all my trips and then trying to get projects done around the house, I've been a slacker with keeping up on my blog. 

We are getting really excited about our baby boy, and can't wait to meet him.  Daddy felt the baby kick for the first time when he came to pick me up from girls camp.  Ever since then, we have both enjoyed feeling him move around in my belly.  He seems to be a pretty active little guy, which I'm sure will continue to be the case after he is born. 

At my doctor's appointment this morning, I took the glucose test.  No word yet, but the doctor assured me that he would call if there is anything to worry about.  Heartbeat is still good, and I'm measuring on track for our Oct. 19th due date. 

This past week I was able to make a lot of progress on the baby's room.  I cleared out all of the junk that was taking up space in the spare room, packed up all of my non-maternity clothes, rearranged the closet, moved the treadmill out to the living room, and then we put a rug on the floor and set up the crib. 

We also moved in some of our baby things that we have so far (stroller, high chair and changing table), most of which have either been garage sale purchases or hand-me-downs from friends and family.  Next step is to get all those items cleaned up and sanitized from their long stints in the various garages/sheds.  Baby showers will be coming up soon, and we hope to get a few things from our registry (at Wal-mart) to help us finish setting up the nursery before the baby comes. 

Puerto Rico - June 2010

The week after girls camp, I took a couple of students on an educational tour of Puerto Rico.  We met up with groups from 2 other schools (from Iowa and Pennsylvania) and had a really fun week. 

Stake Young Women's Camp - June 2010

For the first time since being in the YW program, I went to Girls Camp, but this time as a leader.  We had the biggest group of girls that our ward has had in many years.  Karen, the ward camp leader, had never camped before (girls camp or otherwise) and with me being pregnant, it made for a very interesting week.  It was hard, and we learned a lot in the process that we wish we had known ahead of time.  But overall, I think all the girls and leaders had a good experience.

It's a boy!!!

At 19 weeks and 3 days, we had our anatomy ultrasound today.   Our little boy was definitely not shy, and we saw what we needed to see right off the bat.  Heart rate is good at 148, he moves around a lot, and the baby is measuring right on track.  I found out that my placenta is on my tummy side, which is why I haven't really been able to feel baby move yet, but that's perfectly normal.  Next visit with the doctor is in a week and a half, but everything looks good so far.  :)

Summer is here!

First off, thanks for the advice on finding maternity clothes.  I went to Old Navy this weekend and was disappointed again.  Seems that all these places don't carry much in the store, so I am going to have to resort to buying online without trying anything on.  Wish me luck!

Now on to the reason for this post:  SUMMER!!  So here are some things I love about summer: 
1.  birthdays (mine and hubby's)
2.  baseball games
3.  catching up on the shows I haven't had time to watch during the school year
4.  time to read
5.  sunshine
6.  traveling (Puerto Rico in June)
7.  time to do projects around the house
8.  sleeping in
9.  swimming
10.  making money while I'm not working (and extra money if I decide to take on a summer job)

Temple Groundbreaking, KC Ballet, and Mother's Day (Unofficial)

Saturday morning I had the privilege of attending the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Kansas City Temple.  There were a limited number of tickets allotted to each ward, but my parents were able to get an extra ticket for my sister and I.  It was a chilly, windy morning, but the meeting was amazing.  It is so exciting that in about 2 years, we will have our very own temple in Kansas City.  This is a rendering of what the finished temple will look like.  If you would like to learn more about LDS temples, click here. 

Saturday afternoon while my husband helped my sister finish moving things out of the storage unit into their new house, my mom and I went shopping for maternity clothes.  We went to Kohl's first, where I bought one pair of black pants and a black/white maternity top, as well as a few items from the clearance rack (not technically maternity clothes, but the styles and fabrics will work).  I was disappointed in the small selection of actual maternity clothes.  We went to Target next and found even less there.  Looks like I will have to make it work by buying stretchy fabrics and tops with empire waistlines if I want to have enough maternity clothes to fit me throughout my pregnancy. 

After shopping, I met up with my hubby and watched my niece and nephew for about an hour, then we went to the batting cages, and then to dinner at Jose Peppers.  He went home, and my sister and I went downtown to the KC Ballet spring performance.  Our friend Caitlin had a duet and a solo, and she did an amazing job. 

The debate is on as to whether I was officially allowed to celebrate Mother's Day or not.  My hubby says that I am "with child," and that makes me a mother.  My brother-in-law says you aren't a mother until you "pop one out" (a baby, that is).  So I am calling this my first "unofficial" Mother's Day, and next year will be the first official one.  Either way, I had a very nice day, starting out with waffles and fresh pineapple prepared by my hubby.  

At church, I enjoyed hearing the precious primary children sing about mothers, I had the opportunity to teach the Relief Society lesson about scriptures, and then all the adult women were given a marigold to plant and some chocolate.  After church we went to my parents house and helped make a delicious dinner with steaks, baked potatoes and steamed veggies, followed up by a peanut butter fudge swirl pie. 

The only kink in my day was going home last night and opening up my laptop to find that all the work that I had done writing my finals was gone.  I had to start over and write 2 final exams, which I finished at about midnight.  But all in all, it was a good day! 

What is 167?

A.  The number of days that I have been married to my husband
B.  The number of students that will pass my class this semester (out of 169 total)
C.  The number of days until the baby is due
D.  A & B
E.  A & C
F.  B & C
G.  ALL of the above


And the answer is....  



...




...



...



E! 

My husband and I have been married for 167 days, and we have 167 days until the baby is due.  Pretty cool, if you ask me.  That makes today a special day! 

As for the students who will pass my class this semester, as of today that number is 163.  We'll see if that changes at all in the last 11 days of school (2 days for seniors). 

FuzziBunz Diaper Giveaway - Ends April 30th!

Check out this FuzziBunz diaper Giveaway at The Eco-Cheap Mom! 
http://www.ecocheapmom.com/2010/04/fuzzibunz-one-size-pocket-diaper-review.html

A little bruised, but definitely not broken

Last night at our coed softball game, I was hit by the ball just above the ankle as I ran through 1st base on my first hit of the night.  It stung pretty badly for a minute, but once I got moving again, I didn't really feel it for the rest of the game.  My poor husband was about ready to pummel the guy that threw the ball.  I convinced him that he didn't hit me on purpose, so he let it go.  Then in the 2nd inning, I caught a pretty hard line drive, and my left hand (glove hand) is also a little bruised and swollen now.  Kind of a rough way to end my already crappy day. 

But today, despite the sore hand and bruised leg, I am having a much better day.  First of all, today I am giving the last test of the semester (not counting the final exam), I paid off one of my credit cards (hooray for tax returns), bought tickets for the Royals vs. Rockies game to celebrate the beginning of summer vacation, and we got our lawn mower fixed!  Pretty good so far, and it's not even lunch time yet.

16 more days of school left until summer vacation! 

10 things that make me happy

Not feeling very well today, so in order to lift my spirits a bit, I decided to blog today about the things that make me happy.

10.  Only 17 more days of school left until summer vacation!
9.  Wednesday night = coed softball
8.  Discount tickets to Royals' games
7.  Students who do their work without complaining
6.  16th week of being pregnant
5.  Steak & shrimp last night for dinner (yummy)
4.  New electric range/oven installed last night (thanks Dad!)
3.   My newly forming baby bump
2.  Finding bargains on baby items

and...
1.  My wonderful sweet husband who endures all of my mood swings.

Baby Registry

Even though it is still too early to determine the gender of the baby, we decided to go ahead and begin our baby registry.   I was very disappointed with the selection of items at Target, and Babies 'R' Us didn't seem to have anything different than Wal-Mart.  And since we know that most of our friends/family are close to a Wal-Mart, we decided to start a registry there.  We don't have everything on there, but we have started to add things to our list.  We were lucky enough to find a crib and a rocker/glider with ottoman at a yard sale on Saturday, and we have been given a few other items.  When we know the baby's gender, we will go back and add some more gender-specific items. If you have suggestions of other good stores to register for baby items, please let me know.  I also am still taking recommendations on cloth diapers, if you use them.  Until next time...

2nd Trimester

  I am officially in my 2nd trimester with Baby Meadows, and he/she is doing great.  We had an impromptu ultrasound yesterday, and the baby is starting to look more like a baby now.  The doctor measured him/her at approximately 10 cm from crown to rump, and about 152 for the heart rate.  It is still too early to determine the baby's gender, but the doctor tells us that we should be able to find out in about 6 more weeks. 

We have begun to create our wish list of things that we will need for the baby.  We have been lucky enough to find a great stroller and an infant tub at a yard sale a few weeks ago.  We are going to hit up the Great American Yard Sale at Fort Leavenworth tomorrow morning, hoping to find a crib and maybe even a dresser/changing table.  Cross your fingers that the rain doesn't ruin the sale.

In other news, we have started to plant our very first garden!  We have several tomato and pepper plants growing in containers on the back patio, as well as a hanging strawberry plant on the front porch.  We also have 2 raspberry plants and a grape vine that have yet to be planted in the backyard, and as soon as we till our little plot on the north side of our driveway, we will be planting other vegetables and herbs.  Can't wait for the first harvest this summer.  I love fresh fruits and veggies straight from the garden!

17 more school days left until summer vacation!

Blame it on the rain...

... and maybe on recent lack of sleep, but I am just having one of those days.  I woke up this morning with absolutely no desire to get out of bed, and as a result I left the house late and was almost late for work.  My first class went fine, but after my planning period, I could feel my energy level going way down and knew that my next class was going to be a challenge.  I ate some apple slices in an attempt to raise my blood sugar, but it didn't seem to help.  And of course, this class was the one that had to be loud, off task and disrespectful, despite the fun and laid-back activities that I had planned for them today.  Thankfully I made it through the class without any casualties, and I am so grateful that my 3rd class was a little more sensitive to my mood and willing to do what I asked. 

Sorry, I don't like to use my blog to complain, because I know that you don't really want to read it.  Just needed to take a minute to vent and get it out of my system.  So to end on a good note, I think I have found a long-term substitute for my maternity leave!  I hope it works out, because I think she will do a fantastic job.  It's also a great thing because it means she is moving back to KC and I will get to see her more often.  Plus, now I don't have to stress about leaving my students with an absolute stranger, because we are good friends.  Gracias, mi amiga!  :) 

Spring Break & Baby's Heartbeat

Spring Break came and went, with temperatures in the 60's, followed by a half a foot of snow. I had a huge list of things that I wanted to accomplish, and of course I ran out of time. I did get most of my thank you cards sent out (yes, from our wedding 4 months ago). I still have a few more to get out, so if you haven't received one, it will be in the mail before the end of the week! You know, everyone kept telling me that things would settle down after the wedding, but apparently not when you get married in the middle of the semester. However, now that Cheerleading season is over, I will have a little more time to get caught up on all my projects.

We are supposed to be having a yard sale this Saturday (weather permitting), so my focus this week will be to de-junk-ify the house. If I can work for a half hour each evening, I think I can get a good amount of it done and ready to set out this weekend. And maybe I can even convince my hubby to help, when he's finished with his homework... ;)

Now for the best part of the week, which was our visit to the doctor. I scheduled the appointment during Spring Break so that I wouldn't have to take a sick day from work. The doctor said that we might be able to hear the heartbeat, and we were really excited (and I'll admit, I was a bit scared). My husband took a couple of hours off work to come to the appointment with me, for which I was very grateful. After giving my urine sample and weighing in (gained 0.2 lbs since the last visit), we went in the exam room to wait for the doctor. He came in shortly and gave us the results of the blood work (all good!) and then he started to listen for the baby's heartbeat. He warned us that it might still be a little bit early in the development to hear it, but that it was nothing to worry about. After what seemed like a lifetime of listening to the strange ocean/alien-like sounds, we finally heard our little baby's heartbeat. It was amazing! Can't wait to go back in a month and hear it again!

Here's a quick update on the development of our baby at 10 weeks (courtesy of www.whattoexpect.com):

Your baby's growth is fast and furious when you are 10 weeks pregnant. He or she is nearly an inch and a half long and the size of a prune, but not nearly as shriveled (even with all the time it spends in water). In fact, your baby is really taking a human shape now. Bones and cartilage are forming, and small indentations on the legs are developing into knees and ankles. The arms (complete with elbows) can flex already, but don't run to the store for a baseball bat just yet. Though your baby's arms are taking shape and getting stronger, each one is only about the size of this number 1.

The tooth bud fairy is making her appearance this week, heralding the arrival of your baby's little choppers, which are forming under the gums. (Those pearly whites won't break through the gums until your baby is close to six months old). Other systems are go, too. Your baby's stomach is producing digestive juices, the kidneys are producing larger quantities of urine, and, if your baby's a boy, he's already producing testosterone (yikes!).

Week 9

Today is the first day of my 9th week of pregnancy, and I am happy to report that I have still not been hit with "morning sickness." I am tired all the time and make frequent trips to the bathroom, but that's about the extent of it so far. I have mixed feelings about my symptoms: on one hand, it is nice not to be sick, but on the other hand, I don't really feel pregnant yet. I guess I should just count myself lucky on this one and move on...

My baby should be about the size of a large raspberry now, according to all the baby books/websites out there. Facial features are starting to form, and hands/feet are growing and moving. We saw the heartbeat during our early ultrasound, but I am excited to hear the heartbeat at my next appointment (next Friday). They did my bloodwork last week, and I am assuming that no news is good news. I don't even know what they check for in the OB blood panel. If anyone can clue me in on that one, I would appreciate it.

I told my bosses last week about my pregnancy, and once they found out that I am still planning on coming back to teach next year, they were very excited for me. Of course I will have to find a long-term substitute for the second quarter to take over during my maternity leave. That might prove to be a litle more of a challenge than most people realize. First of all, there are no spanish-speaking substitutes in our district. So my choices are to find a retired teacher or a recent college grad who hasn't found a teaching job yet, who of course is fluent in Spanish. So if you know of anyone in the KC area who fits that description, please let me know!

Along with informing my bosses about my pregnancy, I submitted my resignation as assistant cheerleading coach for the upcoming year. Cheerleading is officially done for this year, but as soon as they hire a new coach for next year, I will be helping with tryouts and getting everything organized for summer camp. I will miss coaching, but it will free up some much-needed time to get the house ready for the baby, and hopefully allow me to get a little more rest.

Now I have to get back to work. It's the last week of the 3rd quarter, and then I get an entire week off for Spring Break!! :)

I'm going to be a mommy!

In case you haven't heard the news yet, I am in my 7th week of pregnancy. We went in for an early ultrasound on Tuesday, and everything looks good so far. The baby's heartbeat was hard to find at first, but once we found it, it measured at 165 beats per minute, which is in the normal range. Here is a close-up of the ultrasound. The round thing is not the head, it's the yolk sack. the little tadpole shaped thing is the baby. Patrick is sure that it's a girl, and he knew I was pregnant before I did, so he may be right. We'll see! So far no nausea, just some abdominal cramping, lots of trips to the bathroom, and I'm hungry and tired all the time. Thanks for all the well-wishes we have already received. I have more blood work to be done next week, then another doctor visit in about a month (we should be able to hear the heartbeat by then). I'll keep you all posted on the developments. Due date is October 19th, 2010.

Ready for the weekend!

I'm down to the last hour of the final Parent Teacher Conferences of the school year! I feel like a broken record right now. I don't know how many times I can explain to parents (or students, for that matter), that in order to be successful in learning a foreign language, you must practice, practice, practice! My students seem to think that showing up to class and doing the work in class will be enough, and then they are upset when they come home with a C. Of course I could go on for hours about the evils of grade inflation, but I'll just say that C is average. If you do the bare minimum just to get by, then you deserve a C. A students are the ones who go above and beyond what is expected, and they turn in outstanding work. They study and get A's on every quiz and test, and they never turn in assignments late. How hard is that to understand??

The best part of my day, though, was during the dinner break. My hubby drove a half hour to meet me at school so that we could go out for dinner together. Even though the service was slow at the only sit-down restaurant in this tiny town, and according to him, the barbecue sauce tasted like ketchup with some spices, it was still nice to spend some time together. I've had a lot of nights working late and he is so sweet and understanding about it.

Some exciting news on the job front: we think he will finally be able to start his new job on March 1st! The unofficial job offer came early in January, so it has been a long time that he has been waiting for the government to process all his paperwork and get him hired on. He will be working as a student hire (part time for now) in the IT department, which is what he is going to school for. So we are excited that he will be able to get some valuable on-the-job training and experience in his field. He will be transferring to Devry in a couple of months and then he will be the one that's busy all the time, with all the work and studying that he will be doing. But even he will tell you that it's definitely a good thing after this past 4 months.

We also found out this month that my brother and his family are going to be assigned to North Carolina with the AF. He will finish up his tech school around the end of March, and then in April they will move. They are excited to be so close to the beach. We are excited because we will get to see him for a few weeks in between, before they move again.

I guess that's about it for now. I have the day off tomorrow, which I am very much looking forward to. I already have a long list of to-do's for the weekend to catch up on all the things I have been procrastinating: grocery shopping, laundry, pay bills, balance checkbook, file taxes, car maintenance (if we can afford it), just to name a few... If I can get half of the things on my list accomplished, I'll be feeling pretty good.

22 days until Spring Break!

Still busy in 2010

Yes, it is already February and this is my first post for 2010. Life continues to be very busy for me since the wedding. I am working an average of 10-12 hours per day, teaching and coaching. Meanwhile at home, my hubby is working on his online courses and waiting patiently for his new job to begin. I would say we are adjusting pretty well to married life. Of course we have had and will continue to have challenges, but I'm just grateful to have someone with which to work through them.

Parent Teacher conferences are coming up in a few weeks, and the only thing about conferences that I am looking forward to is the day after when I don't have to go to work. For some reason our school is observing Presidents' Day on February 22nd, but even though the students are off that day, the teachers have Inservice. So no holiday for me! So I'm counting down the days until Spring Break (28 work days), and hoping that the weather gets nicer by then.

I have a new calling in my ward as the Visiting Teaching Leader in the Relief Society. I am excited about this calling because it means that I can sit with my husband in Sunday School and attend Relief Society regularly. I am also hoping that it will help me to get to know more of the sisters in the ward. So is it a bad thing that I didn't sign up to be on the Primary substitute teacher list that they passed around last Sunday? I know that we won't always have callings that allow us to be together on Sundays, but after being in the Primary presidency and then substitute teaching for 2 weeks in a row over Christmas break, I could use a little break from the kiddos.

To end this blog on a happy note, here are some things that I'm looking forward to this Spring: my husband's first paycheck, Spring Break, softball, cheerleading off-season, planting my first flower garden, and tax returns!