Little Boy, Big Yawns!

These are the best! I love it!
Lots going on, still not ready to blog about it yet~ please just be praying for miracles.

And Baby Makes Four... Let me introduce you to Paolo Rio Chaim

HE's here and he's Amazing!!! Our lives are already forever changed!

I will write more later, just wanted to get some photos and video up here since all the relatives and friends are begging to see him. Here he is.

The wait is almost over...

The shoemakers kids wear no shoes...
I finally got started on Rio's nameboard. Not quite done, but enough to show. You can't tell from this horrid pic, that the elements on the side are 3-d. They are raised off the board- the apples and the horse and the squirrel, and the tree on the far right.
I have also made a couple more name boards recently that I LOVE, but I cannot post them on here yet, because they are gifts that I have not given yet. Will show after.

:)
Tomorrow is the day.
We will be meeting Paolo Rio in the flesh.
Pray for us as I do the work, and as Rio takes the journey.

Can't wait for these things:
1. to meet him
2. to hear his little cry
3. to hold him
4. to kiss his little nose
5. to touch his little toeses
6. to give him to papi to hold for awhile.
7. to see my feet
8. to have my body back
9. to not feel heartburn
10. to not feel sciatica
11. to be able to sleep on my back and stomach
12. to eat RAW FISH- my favorite, sushi!
13. to get on the scale and not freak out.

There are more, but I don't want to go on and on...

To answer your question:
YES, I like visitors in the hospital.
SO if you are a friend, and you are in the neighborhood, and you have received notice that HE has arrived, please call and drop by!

By the way, I found a baby name site that listed Paolo as meaning "Humble" and small of course, but I love that. HE is HUMBLE- God is close to the HUMBLE. And far from the proud.

Three short days...

In three short days, alot can change. In three short days, our entire existence will change. In three short days we are about to have something occur, that in a few years, we will have a hard time remembering what life was like before "it" happened.

We will no longer be a family of three- we will be a family of four. (And baby makes four). I will go from having a daughter, to having a daughter and a son. Gabe will have a boy to raise up to be a man. Vivia will go from being an only child, to being a big sister. Enter in: trucks, and bugs, and trains, and sports. Things I know not much about. There will be things only his father can teach him.

I am excited and sad all at the same time. Only sad because the last 2 1/2 years of being with Vivia and watching her grow, and experiencing life with her, and being that family of three- is going to go away forever. Now she will have to share us. Share our attention, and our love, and our time, and our devotion- everything.

I think I feel deeply for her, because she and I have so much in common. I am the first born daughter to my parents. I had a "baby brother" come along right around the same time as well, and, it's wierd, it's like I remember what it was like to -all of a sudden- have to share my parents. And I remember not liking it. And I remember feeling the loss of time spent with them, and loss of attention. I could care less about gaining a brother. I saw him as an alien who intruded on the good thing we had going there. And it meant I didn't have my mom and dad to myself anymore. Something I had to compete with and to blame for my unhappiness. It had to be his fault...

I hope that she really embraces him as hers. Not that Mami and Papi had a baby: but that WE had a baby.
She may not remember any of this. Only through the thousands of photos we have taken of the times we have had together as a family of three. She will always have that experience that none of the other children will be able to claim. She got to have us all to herself for a season. None of the rest of them will be able to claim that. That makes her still, so special. I know she is special in so many other ways- but that is at least one thing that will remain hers and nobody can take that away- for ever.

I know so many people grapple with the thought of "How will I have enough love for this one, seeing as I love that one so much?" I really don't too much. I know I have more than enough love to go around and then some... We were made in God's image, and if he can love the billions and billions of people that have walked this earth since the beginning of time, then love must be an organic thing that has the ability to ever-expand. So, I believe that I will be able to expand and expand to love however many we end up with.

Dear Vivia Victoria, it has been a priveledge and an honor to share the last few years with you alone. I can't believe God trusts me so much as to have given you to us to raise up, to become all he has designed you to be. I am sorry for the times I have let you down, where I have been less than perfect, where I have caused you to see God in the wrong way because of my misactions, but, thank God, I know that I am only a partner in this job of raising you, with Him and your Papi.
The times we have spent together, I would not sell for millions of dollars. I would not have done anything differently. I love you, you will always be my firstborn, therefore holding a very special place in my heart that only belongs to you. Don't worry, no one will take that away. You are so special- and when I think about the little glimpse that God has given us of the plans he has for you, I am overwhelmed, and humbled.
I pray that you and Rio become the best of friends. Allies and partners. Building wonderful memories that you will remember for your whole lifetime.
He is not someone you have to compete with. He is someone you can build an alliance with. Someone you will always be able to count on, confide in, share childhood experiences with.

Three days.
Wow.

I'd like to introduce you to my family:
Gabriel, Freedom, Vivia, and Chaim

We are a family of four.

The three RHEMA words I got for Paolo Rio Chaim

Just wanted to share the three specific things God told me about our son- who will be joining us in 3 short days (at the most...)

First of all, his temperament will be that of a strong, brave, eager, quiet warrior- a war horse.

Rio the War Horse:
- He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing;
he does not shy away from the sword.
- The quiver rattles against his side,
along with the flashing spear and lance.
- In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground;
he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.
- At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, 'Aha!'
He catches the scent of battle from afar,
the shout of commanders and the battle cry.
Job 39:22-25


Second of all: he will carry on the spiritual inheritance that Gabriel and I are working so hard to build for this family:

The House of Martinez, the Chosen
- "But now listen, Gabriel, my servant,
Freedom, whom I have chosen.
- This is what the LORD says—
he who made you, who formed you in the womb,
and who will help you:
Do not be afraid, Freedom, my servant,
Gabriel, whom I have chosen.

- For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring,
and my blessing on your descendants. - They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams.

- One (Vivia) will say, 'I belong to the LORD ';
another (Rio) will call himself by the name of Jesus;
Still another will write the Lord’s name on their hands
and will take the name of Martinez as their own.”
(3 kids????) hmmm.
Isaiah 44:1-5

Third: His special and unique gifting will be healing and bringing words of life to all he meets. Carrying with him for others, hope of a new life!

Paolo Rio Chaim: Little River of Life

In my vision, the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing east from beneath the door of the Temple and passing to the right of the altar on its south side. The man brought me outside the wall through the north gateway and led me around to the eastern entrance. There I could see the water flowing out through the south side of the east gateway. Measuring as he went, he took me along the stream for 1,750 feet and then led me across. The water was up to my ankles. He measured off another 1,750 feet and led me across again. This time the water was up to my knees. After another 1,750 feet, it was up to my waist. Then he measured another 1,750 feet, and the river was too deep to walk across. It was deep enough to swim in, but too deep to walk through.

He asked me, “Have you been watching, son of man?” Then he led me back along the riverbank. When I returned, I was surprised by the sight of many trees growing on both sides of the river. Then he said to me, “This river flows east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea.

The waters of this stream will make the salty waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure.

There will be swarms of living things wherever the water of this river flows.

Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will become fresh.

Life will flourish wherever this water flows.

Fishermen will stand along the shores of the Dead Sea. All the way from En-gedi to En-eglaim, the shores will be covered with nets drying in the sun. Fish of every kind will fill the Dead Sea, just as they fill the Mediterranean. But the marshes and swamps will not be purified; they will still be salty.

Fruit trees of all kinds will grow along both sides of the river.

The leaves of these trees will never turn brown and fall, and there will always be fruit on their branches.

There will be a new crop every month, for they are watered by the river flowing from the Temple.

The fruit will be for food and the leaves for healing.”

Ezekiel 47: 1-12

I am entirely too cranky to be blogging... then, VICTORY

I know I have not been writing much the last few days. I am entirely too cranky to be blogging right now. I am just not that much fun to be around at the moment... I really am a believer in only speaking positive, and since I haven't had all that much "gusto" in me- it has been really hard to hold back the negative reality I am living right now.
SO, here goes...
I am REAAAAALLy just done and over it. LIKE DONE DONE> LIKE MORE DONE than all the other "dones" I have written or spoken in the last month. REALLY done with the false alarms, fat fingers and toes that I can't feel, throwing up in my mouth, agonizing back/sciatic pain, contractions that keep getting stronger and stronger but remain quite irregular (2 hours of 3 minutes apart last night), and inability to sleep. I did not sleep last night, not one hour, not one minute. I haven't slept a full night since Saturday night. I went to lay down early tonight, because I am tired, oh yes! but- tossed and turned again, had a sweeping wave of nausea come over me, and threw up in my mouth a little- had a lighning bolt of pain shoot straight down my leg and up my back- so here I am, on the computer again at 11:40pm... Irriatable, to say the least, and really just want to CRY.
I feel like I am at my wits end and can't see how I am going to make it one more week before my Doc says we can induce. I feel that I am about to go a little nutso. Those of you who have been pregnant, can commiserate. Or maybe you are one of those who just loooove being pregnant, and it is soooooo easy for you- GOD BLESS YOU! I wish I were. I prayed that I would be this time. I am just not. I actually hate it, loathe it, and want my body back.
There, I said it.
Now don't get me wrong. I LOVE what it produces. I do NOT loathe, or hate my children. They are the joy of my life in this season.

A sweet story to balance the complaining:
Vivia, at 3:30 in the morning last night- in the dark, comes plowing through the bedroom door over to my side of the bed (of course right as I about dozed off...) -she's never done this before- and says "I sweep (sleep) well." This is what she says to me in the mornings when I go in her room to get her out of bed for the day. And then she says... "Hugs and cuddles, pwease, mama."
How can you send that back to it's own bed, I ask???? Anatomically impossible... She climbed in bed with Papi and me, and looks at me and does the little "I love you" sign and says it " I wub you, too". She says this whether she is the initiator of the "I love you" or not...

NOW THAT is worth all these nights of sleeplessness, misery, and discomfort. I would have a half dozen if I didn't have to carry them all, and if I hadnt waited so long to start having them in the first place. I wouldn't change any of it for the world, however. I asked God for twins. Two for the price of one. I guess he knows I couldn't have handled it...

... OK- update, I spent some time in God's presence: and it is SOOO amazing how quickly singing a song of praise can lift the cloud of heaviness! I feel better instantly. Here is the song I couldn't help but cry as I sang- and the lyrics posted below...



YOU’LL COME
(Hosea 6) Brooke Fraser 2007

Verse 1
I have decided I have resolved
To wait upon you Lord
My rock and redeemer shall not be moved
I'll wait upon you Lord

Prechorus
As surely as the sun will rise
You'll come to us
As certain as the dawn appears

Chorus
You'll come let your glory fall
As you respond to us
Spirit reign flood our hearts
With holy fire again

Verse 2
We are not shaken we are not moved
We wait upon you Lord
Our Mighty deliverer my triumph and truth
I'll wait upon you Lord

Bridge
Chains be broken
Lives be healed
Eyes be opened
Christ is revealed

Sorry...

YES, I realize I haven't posted since Thursday. No, he's not here yet...
Lots to report, but I can't sit here long enough to type because it sets my sciatica into overdrive.
Let's just say, if he's not here by the 23rd, then we will be inducing.
Lots happening tho, I don't think it'll go that long...
:)

He's dropped...

I am not just imagining. He really has dropped. See? Well, maybe you can't see it from this pic, BUT I SEE it from my angle...
And, I can breathe, and no heartburn today!!!

13:12

of Proverbs says: "Hope deferred makes the heart sick..."
This describes me right now.

Let me tell you why.
I was awoken in the middle of the night by several strong, and painful contractions... After this week of having several days of them. I almost went in to the hospital last night, because they were so strong and I felt SO strange, my stomach hurt, I was nauseous I couldn't sit through them, but I decided to go back to bed to try and get some some sleep- because if this was it, I have been told to stay at home as long as you can stand it. Besides, Iknew I had a doc's appt. first thing in the am.
I knew, that I knew, that I knew, I was going to go in to my doc's and they were going to give me the wonderful news that I was at 4 cm! I have to have made progress after the week I have had!

Well, the first part of my appt. was to have an ultrasound to determine his size right now. I have been trying to tell them I KNOW he is huge! and well, he is. They estimate him at 8 lbs (which is how big Vivia was AT BIRTH at 41 weeks~!) And I am measuring at 39 weeks because of his size...

Second part of the visit was that I started contracting again, so they decided to hook me up to monitor me and see exactly what was happening. I contracted about every 7 minutes and the cont's were literally registering OFF THE CHART- in strength. The nurse was in disbelief that they didn't hurt. She told me that it was so weird, because most women with those strength of C's would be sweating, and hollering and saying they couldn't handle it... They take my breath away, and they were tight, but not painful! So, I am a bit of an anomaly. (sp?) They were thinking, "ok- we're gonna send this girl to the hospital" and I'm thinking, "Today's the day!"

So, I finally go in to be "checked". (imagine the air slowly leaking out of a big balloon... turning into a wrinkly, deflated thing...) She says I am at... ZERO. Yes, I said zer00000000. Now, how is that possible? The doc last Thursday said I was at 1. How does one go BACK??? I DONT GET IT. She said, "Go home and have sex, walk, and eat spicy food" I wanted to punch her.

So, here I sit, having another off-the-chart contraction, that lasts at least a minute, that does NOTHING, except exhaust me and leave me with a sick heart, wondering what I have done to deserve being the butt of this not-so-funny joke. As Ellen says "You're not joking properly. If you were joking properly, we would both be laughing..."

little update at 1:23am

I am a little hopeful right now.
In my nightly relaxation shower, I'm pretty sure I saw some MP.
Not going to go into details. If you know what I mean by MP, then you won't be grossed out by it. If you don't know what the heck MP could possibly stand for, then You WOULD be grossed out, so don't worry about it. Just know that it is a good sign that things could be coming soon...

Massage therapy for pressing all the "right" pressure points: Tomorrow.
UltraSound for Rio's size and cervix check: Wednesday.
Seeing my normal Doc for more checking and hopefully a game-plan: Friday.

Contractions getting stronger to where I have to sloooowww down, and becoming more intense and some downright painful. But not regular enough to go in to the hospital, just to sit around in the waiting room all night. I need my rest. Gonna go to bed now.

Weekly Finds...

I have one of these pendants, that I had personalized, with each member of my family's names on them. The place I ordered them from before girlshop.com- when Vivia was due, is no longer in existence- but with a little research, I found them somewhere else. These little gems are so cute, and so not "MUMsy".
I have one that says "Gabriel" for my main man, two that say "Claire", and "Hannah," for my two babies that I will meet in heaven, and one that says "Vivia". Now I have one on the way that says "Rio Chaim". I wear them all on the same necklace, all together. On the site you can order them with a chain or without. I had my own necklace already, so I only ordered the charms separately. You don't have to get your children's names on them, You can write whatever you want on there. Designed by: Christie Martin, and found on CoutureCandy.com. Get creative!

In my never-ending quest at becoming the Home Manager I was NOT born to be... one of my friends turned me on to this site, and I can't begin to describe to you how awesome it is. I have tried so many times to get my family's finances in order in programs like Quicken- to no avail. I am a MAC girl- tried and true. And they don't really make those programs with visually-minded people like me in mind. This is a safe, free, online service that helps you track your finances. It is SUPER EASY to set up, it automatically updates every night. It also automatically does all kinds of pie-charts, and graphics to explain and categorize your spending. It also automatically, did I say automatically? does a budget for your family based on the uploaded spending it sees. Sends you warnings and updates if you've gone over or if you've received deposits you've been waiting for. SO COOL! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND it. Mint.com takes 5 minutes to sign up. You will love it, PROMISE. After you get over the shock of seeing where all your money goes. The Bible says, "people are destroyed for lack of vision." This literally gives me a "visual" of where we are, vs. where we want to be... I feel really empowered.
Let me know how it goes...

This is one of the most clever things I have seen. I LOVE IT! A company called TRANSLATION TEES- go to their site to see these creative, unique and FUNNY tees that they will customize JUST FOR YOU based on special words your child invented. Click on the photo on the left to see these tees closer. I want to order one that says "hock-a-pus"- TRANSLATION: "Octopus", for Vivia. SO cute, and you can keep it for a memento for the baby book...



OH SOOOO CUTE!!! You guys know by now that I love one-of-a-kind stuff! LarkAndLoon.com super cute art on clothing- for ages 2-12. I LOVE IT, and so will you!



THIS SHOW is Brilliant!!! WordWorld.com or through the PBS site:
Vivia loves books and reading so much more than toys. And this show is truly mesmerizing to her. When it's over she's like "How 'bout again, mommy?" She is learning the alphabet by sight, and the concept of "building a word". I am not the only fan of this show- it actually is A Winner of the Parents' Choice Gold Award, and funded by a grant. Click here to find out when it is on in your local listing.

I wish I had something to report...

But I don't. Nothing happening, that I know of.
I have had consistent contractions ALL DAY YESTERDAY- every 5-10 minutes, lasting at least one minute long, but whether or not they are producing anything- I still don't know- Until WED. when I go in for another ultrasound to determine weight. And see if I have "progressed".
whoop-de-doo...

Strong-Willed Children, God, I love them!

Vivia pitched her largest fit, to date, this morning...

Instead of staying in the room, and trying to get her to stop crying, and threatening her with a spanking, and spanking her until she stopped- which has been my response in the past, I decided to try another approach.

I got in her face and screamed a bloodcurdling scream- And then, without a word, I left the room, shut the door- which pissed her off more, and then after she realized I was gone, she came out of the bathroom, and came into our room to find me (and continued the screaming in the room with me). I completely ignored her, got dressed, and left her there too. I said to her very matter-of-factly, "this behavior is unacceptable, and I am leaving. You know where to find me when you are done." And I left her upstairs and came down.

Well, she stayed upstairs, screaming, saying "no", and crying etc. And then I heard her at one point come to the top of the stairs and scream down the stairs, as though I couldn't hear her. (I laughed to myself).
I realized how much of this fit pitching she really does do for attention- even for the attention of a spanking.

I had to collect myself too, because this type of thing can escalate into a war, which I have realized today, I am going to refuse the war because all this lack of sleep and these drugs and these hormones are really not good timing for me to be in there with a wooden spoon in my hands beating her into submission- I mean this figuratively, people- don't go calling DHS... I was shaking like a leaf while all this was going on.

SO, anyway, when she finally got tired of screaming, she came to the top of the stairs and in the sweetest voice said "I gotta go pee pee and pooo"
So I said, "OK, go ahead" and I came up. I said "Are you done with your fit?" very calmly.

She says "YEs, I done. I done screaming too." Total smiles and change of attitude. I said, "Good, now we can have fun together"

I guess she's been frustrated too lately.

I am going to try the ignoring (the fits) approach- as spankings do not seem to be working in the way we had hoped. I am all for spankings as a Godly tool to raise a child as long as they can be administered in the right way. But if they are ineffective with a particular child, then why keep doing it? At least in certain instances. They work like a charm in other instances...

That way, she is not learning to get our attention in negative ways and being rewarded for it.
I will just drop what I am doing, and leave the room, and she can finish out her fit with no one around to watch. I have heard this works really well. So I am willing to give it a shot at this point.

That was crazy. I hated that. And I think she did too.

Strong-Willed Children are the ones who grow up to be presidents and CEOS of major corporations. I love that about her- I just pray I am faithful in how I raise her with her personality type. I must be able, because I believe God sends us the kids we are the best for... Out of the billions of little personalities there are up there in heaven being sent to earth in the form of children.
In other words, He doesn't give us more than we can handle. But He knows what we can handle and what we can't. He must think really highly of me, that I can handle all this... haha
S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-ggggg!
In more ways than one rightnow.
:)

MASK or no mask?

I have heard of this "Mask of Pregnancy" that supposedly shows up right before you are about to go into labor. My mom said I had it tonight. What do you think? Have you ever heard of it, but more importantly, do you see it on me in this pic taken 2 seconds ago???
If' you're my friend, you'll say YES!
J/k
It is 3am and I can't sleep for the umpteenth night in a row- this is really getting bad. I still have to function as the mother of a very demanding 2 year old during the day, you know.
Please God, I am begging you for mercy!
Send baby Chaim NOOoooow!
All this after a rather disappointing visit to my doc today. When one reaches the "home stretch," doc's visits become these "oasis in the desert" type-meetings, like the ONLY thing you look forward to in your week. Where you go in, full of hope for good news in between endless days of discomfort (that word even sounds too comforting to use) and promises to one's self of how you are never going to do this again...
So I told my doc that I was DONE and I had a little "moment" of tears - yes, I actually cried in my doctor's office- when she told me the disappointing news that my week full of 5-minute-apart-contractions EVERY NIGHT has only produced one stinkin' centimeter! And that my cervix is not favorable for induction at this time. What an insult! I've never been an unfavorable kind of gal. I'm usually quite favorable with everything! Why start being unfavorable now??? I'm favorable! You think so, don't you?
So, my light at the end of the tunnel is now my appt. Wed. of NEXT week, where we will be doing an ultrasound to guess size. If he's as big as I feel him to be, then our chances of inducing are greater. I am not super set on inducing, it's just that I am HUGE. WAY bigger than I was with Vivia, and she was no small cookie! AND nervous that he's not going to fit seeing as Vivia was stuck for over an hour and a half! And I had two herniated discs on my low back, after having given birth- I totally think this is related. I feel those same discs sending shocking pain down my back as he grows larger and larger- pressing on those areas. Why don't doc's listen to their patients anymore? Do they really think we are ignorant of what's going on in our own bodies?
Please someone listen to me, I am telling you---
Going to try and sleep now- 3:35am, signing off.

The daughter of a lion, is a lion.

Here is the tee design I did for the Revolution Conference this weekend. U know you want one! Actually, you have to work the Conference to get it...
See the "School of Purple" donning these in Purple with White print.
See you then! And I will be sporting mine in an XL until Rio decides to grace us with his presence!
Then I will auction it off and go back to my usual Medium.
GOnorthwest!!!

I am Jesus Branded

Coming from my background, and seeing the things I have seen in my lifetime so far, unfortunately, sincerity and integrity are sometimes hard to find in the realm of "marketing Christianity". And that goes for anything from the music to the stuff I lovingly refer to as "JJ". Jesus Junk.
Come on, you've seen it, the "Testamints", the Cards, the Snowglobes, the bracelets- I admit, I did wear a WWJD bracelet and it DID get me to think before I acted... u name it, they'll print a cross or an ICTHUS (sp?) on it and sell it! This being sometimes the same companies that turn around and print a Pentagram on the same necklace and sell it to Hot Topix.
Some of it is great and genuine in message, but usually lacks in design, with at least something I would normally buy or want to be seen in. Myself being a graphic artist, I cannot tell you how many times I have cringed at the sight of the shirts that say "My heavenly father went to heaven and all I got was this lousy teeshirt..." or the cartooned hands with nails through them, saying "Body Piercing changed my life!!!"

Anyway- I am a true LOVER of Jesus Christ, and I truly try and be like him every day by maintaining a relationship with him, my family, my church family, and those he's placed in my life to follow and lead. and I know that where I fall short, is where grace kicks in, and I am loved for even trying.
SO to come across a company like this with a product like they have- to be excited is an understatement. I think it is high time we stop trying to bring "coolness" to Christianity, and just be who we are, and speak our minds, and be CHRISTlike, and do what we do- which is all kinds of things that are cool. Yes, we surf; yes, we design; yes, we are into fashion; yes we watch tv; and yes- we like to wear cool clothes, especially if they have a story, or mean something to us, and no not all of us would be deemed as "cool". But who FREAKIN' CARES!!!!
Some of us like to wear the best clothes, even. FYI: Jesus himself wore the nicest clothing a person could get their hands on at the time, an EPHOD. Don't believe me, look into it...

Now that I have that off my chest...

In that spirit, as I usually do, it is time once again to pass along my good finds and my love for certain things straight to you!
As I posted back in June of this year -click here to see-, the first prego pic I put online was of me in a really cool tee shirt that I explained was not a maternity shirt, but I had to utilize it thusly, because of the subject matter. What I failed to mention is that I absolutely LOVE this company and have several of their shirts. I can't remember how I came upon them, it may be through contacts I had while working at Relevant Magazine, but their stuff is the BEST I HAVE FOUND! Really COOL DESIGN, a really STRONG MESSAGE- one which I subscribe to as well, and stuff that causes other people to ask- which is my mission in life. To get people to ask.

This is the shirt with the baby boy in a basket on it:















These are the others I bought too...






























I actually bought this one for my husband for Father's Day too:












EVERY time I or he wears one, someone asks where I got it, or comments on how they love it!

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this company and their products because I believe wholeheartedly in what they are doing. AND more practically speaking, their customer service is very good! Anytime I have ordered from them, I have been shocked at how quickly it shows up in my mailbox.
CHECK out the Christian Tee's HERE. Make sure and read through the website to get a feel for these guys and what they stand for.

Happy Shopping!!!

Memaw- a hero.

One of the most beloved women in my life, that I have had the honor of calling "Meemaw" for the last 10 years is laying in her bed dying at this very moment. Her earthly tent has finally given out. They don't expect her to make it through the night. One of the most amazing examples of "GODLY" on this earth. A true Matriarch. She is old. She has run an long and glorious race. We just didn't think cancer would be what took her. She has been fading for the last year, it all seemed so quick- the last few months have been the worst. She is Anna. Her daughter is my Pastor and my mentor~ And I am one of the people privileged to have learned from her and her mother. And to see them interact, and to see the love and honor that daughter alway bestowed upon mother. What FAITH, what INTEGRITY, what CHARACTER. She and her daughter have taught me the meaning of those words and shaped me into the woman I am today. She has served up until the last. She has cried with me, believed for me, cooked amazing rum cake for me- THE best- no joke (and no one could pry that recipe from her), and most of all prayed for me, (as a regimen, she would wake at 6am to intercede every morning, not to mention the meetings upon meetings she attended just for the purpose of bringing petitions before God.) They just don't make 'em like this anymore- Oh, what a long way our generation has to go!!!

I hope to be half the woman she was in life. I know she will be welcomed at the gates with a trumpet blast announcing her name as she runs, full of her restored youthful vigor, into the stadium, packed with those who were cheering her on through the finish line. Ready to receive her gold medal. Ready to receive her applause. Ready to receive her recognition! Ready to receive her crown adorned with thousands of jewels. Each representing a life she changed!
MeeMee, you will be missed~ but only for a short time. We will be joining you soon, and you will be there to cheer us on when it is our turn to run into the stadium. And receive our standing ovation. You are an inspiration to anyone who has ever taken the time to get to know you. The Kingdom of Heaven here on earth is losing a hero. Can we even hope to fill your shoes? They are shoes of gold. And they ought to be retired. Because no one will be able to fill them like you.

LABOR day... (NOT!)

The tiniest part of me really thought we would "go" today... it being labor day and all...
The signs were all there.
I have been having contractions every 5 minutes, every night since I last wrote. Lasting anywhere from all evening, to a couple of hours. Then I go lay down in my bed or take a warm shower and they pretty much go away until the next day. Although, I did have a couple in my sleep last night that woke me up.
I am beginning to wonder if I will know when it is time, with all these sporadic contractions! They are not "Braxton Hicks" they are real contractions. They vary in intensity as well. Some I have to stop moving. Some, I can move right on through. Do I get out and start walking, or will that just exhaust me for no reason? It is too hot to walk outside during the day right now, I would pass out from overheating. And walking in the mall leads to spending money. :( Now that it is night, I am thinking of putting on some mosquito protection, and taking a walk around the neighborhood, because it is as cool as it's going to get this time in September. I do not want to spend the night in triage. Better to let them go until morning, me thinks.

I am SOOOOOO ready to meet little Rio Chaim.
So is everyone else.
I have this big event I am helping to plan/put on this weekend. But I am ok with missing it. Some things are more important!
I am in the phase where I am going stir-crazy, however I do not want to be seen in public. I am sick of being gawked at. And really, who said it was ok to walk up to a complete stranger and say- "OMG, you're so big!!!" or, "are you sure there is just one in there?" I can put on appearances for only so long as the hormones allow, and these days it ain't that long...

OH- BTW, all this time (9 mos.) I have been so happy because I was looking forward to my husband's 3 WEEKS of paternity leave that we would have to adjust and bond as a family. Well, albedam, guess what he tells me tonight? HE HAS NO paternity leave AT ALL. NONE. zero zip. "Some"one told him wrong (several months ago, by the way, because we have been believing this all along)! He checked into it, and found that any time he takes off to be with me, comes out of vacation time -which we have already used most of it up for this year, with our cruise we took, and other stuff. I can't even begin to tell you how disappointed I am feeling at this very moment. This is why I blog sometimes. Either blog or cry.
Sometimes both.

ME at 9 months. Yes that is a princess crown on my head. I can if I want. I may even give birth with it on, if I want. This is one of my Isabella Oliver shirts , and a really cool way I found to wrap it.