Grateful Friday

1. Watching Jack and Stella watch this video over and over again, every time the garbage gets dumped over Jack gets all excited.
2. Eating Ice Cream at night.
3. Watching Project Runway in bed at night with John, and knowing that he really likes it as much as I do.
4. My new skirt from Target.
5. Laughing at the stories my sister tells, (today it was about her new hair color fiasco)
6. The lady who offered to help me put my groceries in the car a couple weeks ago.
7. My kids asking to watch their Fraggle Rock video everyday.
8. John telling me that last night he found Jack snuggled next to Stella in her bed.

Stella's birthday was on Friday. She's 2 years old now. I can hardly believe it. I wish you all could know her, she is the funniest little girl. She is brave, and silly, and loving. This year we had her party at a park and it was fun.
I skipped my grateful Friday this week, I've just been busy, but I'll get it up this Friday. John is doing really great. He right wrist, left shoulder and elbow are healing great, he goes in for surgery for his lift arm tomorrow afternoon. In the morning he has an interview at a company he really wants to work for. It's his third interview so we are hoping maybe they will make an offer. That would be so great, even though it would mean we would have to move, that makes me sad, but it will be worth in the long run.

Nap Time

It's 12:30 and that means as soon as I'm done writing this I'm putting Stella down for a nap and then taking one myself. Having John home has been great for my naps. I can go into the bedroom shut the door while Jack and John watch a movie on the couch. I usually don't really fall into a deep sleep, more like a weird inbetween kind of rest, but I still love just snuggling in bed and relaxing anyway. I had my midwife appointment today. Everything looks great. Heart beat is strong, and she predicted a boy, which is what I think it might be too. All those who venture to guess say it's a boy by the way I'm carrying. In my mind I'm saying it's probably a boy, but in my heart I secretly hope we get a surprise and it's a girl, though I'd be equally happy with both. Ok I'm tired off to my nap. Have a good day all.

Grateful Friday

1. Watching Jack explore. In these pictures he found some slugs and watched them and eventuality picked them up and put them in his bug container for awhile before releasing them back into the wild

2. Everyone's kind heart felt comments. They really encouraged me and John. Thank you all so much. John is doing much better now.

3. Being home, John has been able to actually spend a lot of time looking for work. He had an interview yesterday with "the" company he wants to work for, he though it went great so hopefully we'll hear from them soon.

4. Listening to Stella sing along to "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree."

5. We are so busy, dealing with hospital stuff, pregnancy stuff, work stuff, we have been constatnly on the go, it's been hard but at the same time really great to spend so much time with John.

6. Survivor started last night, and Amazing Race starts on Sunday, 2 of my favorite shows.

7. The weather has been so cool and crisp, I'm so ready for winter.

8. Another mid-wife appointment on Monday next week, I love these.

Intensity

Everything in my life seems to be magnified right now. We feel the pressure of time, pressure to find a job, pressure to heal and have the Dr. give the Ok for John to go back to work, pressure to get all this figured out before the baby is born. Our due date is November 29th, I don't think I've mentioned that yet. I feel pressure to try to stay calm for the kids, for the baby, to make sure I carry full term. Our emotions are full and strong ranging from hope, to depression. I look at Jack and Stella right now and feel strong intense love for them. Last night I had a dream we were driving fast and busted through the guard rail into the ocean below. I remember my heat stopping, sinking, realizing it was over, but we all made it, we floated to the beach and were all fine. In my heart I really know everything is going to be alright, but I can't help but feeling scared that we'll run out of money, or that stress is hurting my growing baby, or that John won't find a job. When he was in the hospital our friend Jeff came and visited, before he left we all prayed together. As he prayed he said that these are the times that we will remember our whole life, that we will tell our children about how we got through them. He said these are the times that build our character and make us stronger people. The good times are great, but we really grow as people during the hard times. As he prayed this I nodded my head and knew he was so right. I hope I'm not bumming you guys out, I promise happy posts to come.

Grateful Friday

30 weeks pregnant

The day after John's accident our friends took the kids overnight and I came home to an empty house. It was late and I was tired and I'd never ever been without John at night. I was lonely, and sad. I saw my reflection as I passed by a mirror and realized I wasn't alone, I had this little baby right there with me. I grabbed Jacks Spider man and Stella's froggie and slept on John's side of the bed holding all of my babies and slept in peace.

Today I'm grateful for:
- John recovering nicely
- Our friends and family who have shown us so much love
- Jack and Stella who despite everything going on have remained their silly little selves and make us laugh
- A healthy pregnancy
- My friend Gretchen for being there for me yesterday when I had a breakdown
- John has a phone interview today

Truck vs. Scooter

John has a scooter. You've all seen them I'm sure, with gas prices sky high lots of people are riding them now. The Vespa is a classic, but there are many brands out there. John owns a Barron. It's been a great commuter bike, leaving me with the car everyday. That is until this weekend. As John drove home from work he was hit by a truck. He bounced off the truck, tumbled through the air, and landed on the asphalt. He layed there in oncoming traffic, watching as distant cars got closer and closer, he tried to roll and scoot to the center lane. People showed up quickly and helped. A man called me at home, leaving a message with his cell phone #, but the last 2 digit's got got off and I was left hanging, knowing only that John was about to be taken away in an ambulance. I swept the kids off and drove his usual route home. I found him as they were putting him in the ambulance. It was scary, he was scared and hurt. He ended up with a fractured shouler, elbow, and forearm. He also fractured his right wrist and chipped his knee capp, plus just being brused and battered from it all. His home for the last 4 days has been the Trauma Nursing Unit at UC Davis Hospital. They took great care of him and today we are all home. Our family and friends have gone above and beyond helping me with the kids. Thank you!!! We are so grateful to everyone, we are also so grateful he got away without more serious injures. Even today his nurse told us he was lucky, just across the hall were 2 other motorcycle accidents and they were in bad shape. I'm happy he is home and know he will be back to his normal self soon.

Grateful Friday

- My appointment with Ruth my midwife on Tuesday went great. I'm getting more and more excited. When she said I was coming back in 3 weeks instead of 4 and then after that they would get closer together I couldn't believe it. When she said that I realized I don't have that much longer yet. At other times I feel like I have an eternity left.

- Spending the morning with my mom yesterday. She once again bought us clothes and lunch. When John came home I told him and he just shook his head and said how grateful he is that our family's can help when times are a little tougher. I'm so grateful for my mom, just the small things like being able to wear a new pair of pants or a new shirt make me feel so good. I know that sounds so material, and it is I guess, but when I'm feeling huge and sloppy, a new outfit somehow changes more that just my outside appearance. Thanks mom.

- Feeling the cool morning air every morning when I take the garbage out.

- Watching the VMA's last night. I love award shows.

- Making Risotto last night and having it actually turn out tasting good. I'm made it in the past and for some reason it is always inedible. I used Barely instead of Arborio rice and it was very good.

- Jack's friend Maya is turning 4 tomorrow, Jack has been talking about her party all week.

- Blue cheese.