We made it back...

We have made it back to Colorado safely and are glad to be home. We had a great time in California but have a lot of things to look forward to in the next few weeks here. We are planning on moving in to our house this coming Saturday but before that happens we are wanting to get a little painting done. A friend from church is coming over to help me pick out paint colors tomorrow so that will be fun!! Then we have several things being delivered on Friday like our washer and dryer :D. I also have another doctor's appointment in the morning, which is always fun!! I can't wait to get moved in and settled in our new house. I'll be sure post pictures of the house so you can see the progress :D.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!!

Just wanted to say happy mother's day to my favorite lady in the world...my Mom!! I hope you had a wonderful day...sorry we couldn't be there to celebrate with you!! Thanks for everything you do for me!!! Love ya!!!

Congrats Little Sister

Today my youngest sister, Morgan, graduated from Abilene Christian University with her degree in Biology and minor in Chemistry. I'm really sad that I couldn't be there in person but thanks to today's technology I was able to watch her graduation live online from over 1000 miles away!! She is planning on taking a year off to work and then going to PA school. I am so proud of her!! Here is a short video of her walking across the stage...of course its really bad quality because its of my computer screen but that's ok....I'm just glad I got to see it.

Catch up post...

Sorry I have been such a slacker lately. Honestly, I have been so exhausted by the time we have gotten back to our dorm (that's right I said dorm...more on that in a minute) that I haven't felt like blogging. But here it is...my catch up blog for the last few days.

Let's start out with my weekly how big is Maddox update that I usually post on Tuesdays. We are now at 32 weeks...only 8 more to go until our due date :D


By now, Maddox weighs around 3.75 pounds, pick up a large jicama (whatever that is), and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, he'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

I am definitely feeling like a pregnant girl now. Being up here in the warm weather and walking this super hilly (don't know if that's a word?!?) campus has caused my hand and feet to swell which isn't comfortable at all. It also doesn't help to be sleeping on an extremely uncomfortable, twin-sized, hard as a rock bed at 32 weeks but what can ya do?!?! I can definitely tell I am getting bigger. I feel like I've grown a lot even in just the last few days. It's funny because I think pretty much anyone that talks to me out here uses me being pregnant as their conversation starter. I am starting to get the comments like "WOW you look like you're due any day now" and the constant stares of pity as I walk around the Pepperdine campus. For the most part, I am still doing really well but I am definitely getting in to that uncomfortable stage of pregnancy.

On another note, if you haven't pick it up yet, we are now in Malibu at the Pepperdine Lectures. I'll be honest and admit that lectures are NOT my thing. I have a pretty short attention span and sitting in a room and listening to someone speak for an hour is just not my idea of a good time. But Collin LOVES it. The ACU lectures have been one of his favorite times of the year since we started school there in 2002 so I suck it up and follow him around because I know it's important to him. I will say the location is a bit, ok maybe a lot, better here at Pepperdine than at ACU but I am kinda feeling like a small child with my nose pressed against the window of the candy story but not able to go in. Every day I walk out of our dorm room that we are staying at here (not the best accommodations but it was free since Collin is teaching a class) and see the beautiful Pacific coast line and amazing beaches but I just can't go. For one, I don't have anyone to go with (I need to start bringing a friend with me in the future...any takers :D) and two I don't have any way of getting there. We don't have a car out here and the beach is a few miles away so I am stuck here just able to admire what I long for from a distance. Sad I know. LOL. And just an interesting tid-bit about our trip...the dorm we are staying in is really more like a 2 bedroom apartment with living room and a bathroom to share. We met the people who are sharing the "apartment" with us yesterday afternoon and found out that the husband of the couple is actually and OB doctor, sorta ironic with me being pregnant. It kind of gave me a small sense of peace knowing he is the next door over even though I hope I won't be needing his help. LOL. And just in case you were wondering...we haven't had any encounters with the swine flu. I have been conscious to wash my hands frequently and bought a little bottle of hand sanitizer to carry around with me.

At this point, I think I am ready to go back home. It is beautiful here but all the walking, sitting and listening to lectures and meeting tons of new people is exhausting!! Plus, as you know Collin and I have our new house just sitting and wait for us to move in to and I can't wait. I find myself often sitting and picturing how I am going to arrange the furniture in the different rooms. It's a fun thing to look forward to after we get back.

Sorry this is so long. I don't blame you if you don't read all. Please continue to pray for our health and safety as our trip comes to a close in a few days. I look forward to getting back to Colorado and seeing all my friends :D.

Huntington Beach

Today we headed down to Huntington Beach and had lunch at Ruby's on the pier. Unfortunately, it was a cool, cloudy day but here are a few pics we took...

Laguna Beach

We have made it safely to California and are already enjoying our time here. The weather has been nice and today we made the short trip from Newport Beach to Laguna Beach. It is beautiful there. Here are a few pics...

Signing Our Lives Away

That's what it felt like we did yesterday afternoon as we signed the many, many papers agreeing to our 30 year mortgage. 30 years...that's a lot!! If we end up paying our our entire loan we will be 55 years old when we are finished. Pretty crazy. But regardless of how crazy that sounds we are SO very excited to be official homeowners. I love our house and can't wait to move in in 2 weeks after we get back from California!! The house is in perfect shape and all we have to do is paint a few rooms and that is just because I want to and not because we have to. We are so thankful that we are able to get a house and look forward to having people over and watching our little Maddox grow up there. We feel so blessed to have so many special things going on in our lives right now.

On another note, I am sitting here writing this blog at the Denver airport as we await our flight to Los Angeles, California. We are so excited to be getting away for a couple of weeks. We will spend a few days in Newport Beach with Collin's parents, then go with them to San Diego for a couple of days, then head to Malibu for the Pepperdine Lectures, and then finish up with a couple of days in LA just the two of us.. It is nice that we are able to have one last big trip before Mr. Maddox arrives. I will be posting during our trip as long as we have internet access, which I am pretty sure we will. Be praying for safe travel for us!! :D

How big is Maddox? - 31 weeks

Maddox now weighs about 3 1/2 to 4 pounds, about as much as 4 navel oranges, and is about 16 inches long. He is going through major brain and nerve development these days. His irises now react to light, and all five senses are in working order. (He won't pick up anything from his nose until after birth, though -- smell is transferred through air, not amniotic fluid.) He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

I had another doctor's appointment yesterday afternoon and got the OK to go to California tomorrow (YAY). I'll admit that even though Dr. G said it was fine, I am still a little bit nervous just because you never know when something could happen. So far things have gone smoothly so I have no reason to worry but I guess worry is just one of those things that comes with motherhood :D. Please be praying that both Maddox and I remain healthy and safe as we travel over the next 2 weeks. Maddox's heartbeat is still strong and Dr. G said that I am measuring at about 30 weeks instead of 31 but since I was a "thin" girl to start out with he wasn't worried about it. He also told me that if something were to happen while we were gone that I could call and he could either call me in some meds to stop contractions if that was the problem or advise me on what to do. He also mentioned, since we are going to Cali, to be aware of that crazy swine flu and that if I had any flu like symptoms at all I could call and he would call me in some Tamiflu, which is safe to take during pregnancy.

It's funny, I have never been one to worry much about stuff but from the moment I found out we were pregnant I think I have worried more than in the whole rest of my life combined. I just want everything to be perfect with Maddox and so far it has and I am so thankful for that. But please just be praying for peace for me especially over the next couple of weeks as we are away from our Dr. And like I said before, also be praying for health and safety as we travel. Thanks so much!!

P.S. We close on our house this afternoon!! YAY!!!!

Showered with LOTS of Love

Well it was really more like flooded than showered. Today we had our baby shower and I cannot even begin to tell what a blessing it was. We received more stuff than I ever could have imagined!! There was about 85 people that showed up and then even more that weren't able to make it but sent gifts anyways. It's amazing to me that we have only been here for about 9 months and already have SO many people who love us enough to give us a gift during this special time. I can't say thank you enough to everyone that came, gave us a gift and helped out with the shower. Collin and I feel so blessed to have a church family that loves us as much as they do. I can't imagine being at a better place. Here are a few pictures from the afternoon...

My hostesses (minus Judy who was out of town)

Me opening a gift

SOOOO much stuff!!!!

the precious cake

the sign-in table

the napkins with Maddox's name on them

Me waiting for the first piece of YUMMY cake ;D

Thanks again to everyone who helped make this day special!!

Graduates

We officially graduated from our prepared childbirth class last night. After four weeks of class we feel a little more prepared for what is to come in the next few weeks. Last night we had a pediatrician come and answer some questions, which was very informational. Then we watched a video about newborns. We also talked about the second and third stages of labor, which include the actual delivery of the baby. We finished up the class by talking about postpartum. To me the recovery after sounds worse than the actual labor itself. But I guess I will just have to wait and see. We are glad to be finished with the class but feel like we learned a lot of useful information in it. I have two other classes that I am going to take...one by myself and one with Collin. The one by myself is a breast feeding class and the one with Collin is an infant care class that teaches about practical things for the first month of their life, like feeding, bathing, sleeping, etc.

Next up on the agenda...Church tonight, then FPU tomorrow night, then the Rockies game Friday :D.

How big is Maddox and Mommy? - 30 weeks

I CAN'T believe we only have 10 weeks left until our due date!! Time has seriously flown by!! I am so thankful that things have continued to go so smoothly. Let's see how big Maddox is this week and then since it has been 4 weeks since my last belly pic I'll put that on too...I am definitely getting bigger :D

Maddox rivals a good-size cabbage in weight, tipping the scales this week at 3 pounds and lengthwise is about 15 3/4 inches, head to heel


As baby's skin smoothes out, his brain just keeps getting more wrinkled. All those grooves and indentations increase surface area, meaning more room for that oh-so-essential brain tissue. He's also adding some brawn -- his grip is now strong enough to grasp a finger.

As for me...here is my 26 week picture and the new 30 week picture...You can't tell here but my belly button has officially popped out and become and outie. It's ok with me as long as it goes back to being an innie like before after Maddox comes :D.

And a few things I'm looking forward to coming up that you can be certain you will hear about...
1. We have our last childbirth class tonight.
2. We are going to the Rockies game on Friday and will be sitting in AWESOME seats.

3. Our baby shower is on Sunday...YAY!!
4. Monday I have a doctor's appointment, which are much more fun when you are pregnant :D.
5. Tuesday we close on our house!! FUN!!
6. And then on Wednesday we leave for California!!

Talk about a fun few days coming up!! I can't wait!!

I survived

In case any of you were wondering (since I haven't blogged since Saturday morning)...I survived the blizzard and Collin made it home safely. Like I said on Saturday my friend Jennifer (who is awesome!!) came and picked me up so that I could get out of the house and have some human interaction. We had a fun time playing in the snow and just hanging out until the guys got home at about 10:30 Saturday night. I will admit that I am really glad to have Collin home. It was a rough few days here in Colorado. But thankfully I made it through my first really Colorado blizzard and Collin made it back here safely. I did learn one thing from this experience though...the next time Collin decides to go on a trip, I'm either going with him or I'm going home to Texas to see the fam!! No more of this being stuck in the house by myself in the middle of a giant snow storm. :D

Hopefully, this blizzard marks the end of winter and the beginning of a beautiful spring.

Snow Day

Here are some pics of us playing in the snow...yay for human interaction!!! :D










And here is a video...

Making a Break for it...

So, after about 60 hours straight of being in my house (all alone mind you) I am making a break for. My amazing friend Jennifer is braving the snow to come pick me up and take me to her house where I will be able to have some much needed human interaction. I'm not gonna lie it's been a rough couple of day for me. Collin has been in Arizona on a guys golf trip where it has been sunny and in the 70's while I have been trapped in our apartment for 2 1/2 days with just me and Toby (our dog). I think at this point we have gotten about a foot of snow and it is still coming down. Yesterday was the worst because I was just getting so bored and frustrated about the whole situation. I will admit there were some tears shed but today I am doing better because I'm getting out of the house and because Collin is supposed to come home tonight. Say a prayer that their flight doesn't get cancelled and that they make it back safely. I'm pretty sure with all that has gone on plus the added joy of pregnancy hormones that if he doesn't make it home tonight a few more tears will be shed. Here are a few pics I took on my cell phone of the snow we have gotten...the first 3 are all of the same thing so you can see how much has accumulated over the last 24 hours or so...it's waaaay too much for my taste...

This is from early Friday

This is from Friday afternoon.

This is from Saturday morning.

Saturday morning again