March 17, 2009

Today is my favorite non-major holiday.

Well...it will soon become a major holiday for our family.

...and what a perfect present for mama on St. Patrick's Day...

Two little leprechauns will meet us today!!!

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers and follow my twitter-ings if you wanna know up-to-date info from the hospital!

Will it be this week?

[Photography by my amazingly talented sister!]

36 weeks today!

Who would have guessed we would make it this far?

All the praise and glory of these two little miracles staying put goes to God above. Thank you all for your prayers and support through this pregnancy (with all of its ups and downs) as well as during this difficult time of loosing the first man I ever loved.

1 month

It has been 1 month without my Dad.

My father met his Heavenly Father on February 5, 2009 at 8:00PM and every day since has been hard. Very hard. I miss him so much. Dad was so young, appeared so healthy. It is hard to believe in a matter of a few short weeks one can become so sick. I have so many questions. I replay so many of the events in my mind. What could have been done differently? However, I know my father is in a glorious place and I have started to find a peace in knowing that it was just time. God has a purpose for Dad...a new task...not an earthly one but a heavenly one...I have to focus on that.

Dad was an amazing man. A wonderful provider for his family and a strong Christian. There was nothing on this earth he loved more than "his girls" (my mother, sister, niece, & me). As a child I can remember he would stay home on Saturday mornings to watch The Smurfs with us and spend hours playing with Matchbox cars. I have so many precious memories of Dad: laughing so hard while telling a joke that he couldn't make it to the punch line, twirling and dancing (something I never thought he would do) with my at my wedding, bringing me "treats" (ice cream, dinner, anything!) to the hospital when I was on call, his mantra "If I can't fix it, it isn't broken" (he really could fix ANYTHING) - all of these memories and so many others dance through my head daily.

There wasn't anything my Dad did not do for me or our family. We used to always laugh when he had his "moments" - times when for no reason he would just start crying at dinner, during a movie or driving down the road. It was during these "moments" he would say he just felt so blessed with all that the Lord had given him - mostly meaning us girls. One cannot even watch my high school valedictorian speech...the camera was too shaky and all you can hear was my Dad...my Dad the videographer boo-hooing through the entire thing because he was so proud. He loved being proud of his girls and I loved to make him proud. He would swell with pride each time he saw me wearing my white coat. He loved that and I did too.

I miss him deeply. It hurts everyday.

I am still pregnant...will be 36 weeks this Sunday. I'm back to work and taking it day by day. Amazing, huh? As my due date approaches I find myself with a mix of happiness and extreme sadness. There is nothing in this world that my father wanted more than to hold my babies. He was so proud. My son was to be his first grandson...the first boy in our family. He had such big plans for the two of them. My heart aches that my two children will not physically know this amazing man. However, I plan to make sure they know as much as possible about their Poppy so that his amazing spirit can live on in them. And on that joyous day when Baby A and Baby B make their entrance to this world, I know my father will be there in spirit. He will hold those babies. Dad always was persistent in saying he would be there to hear their first cries as he was for my sisters daughter (the way the delivery room there was set up was perfect...family could see the baby without having to see the delivery) despite my persistent nagging that there was no way that could happen in our hospital with the set up we have...I didn't want him seeing that stuff!

Well, Dad...there is nothing to keep you out now. And I really hope you will be there to meet my babies & hear their first cries. Nothing would make me happier.

[Thank you to all who have noticed my absence and emailed to check on me. It is so touching to know that you care.]

At my fingertips

One of the daunting tasks on my to-do while on bed rest list is finally complete. I had a folder full of recipes that had been printed from websites, ripped from magazines, cut from labels and even some handwritten ones from my momma. I could never find the recipe I wanted when I needed it. I needed organization. A couple of months ago, I attended a Longaberger party hosted by a very dear friend and purchased a recipe basket (at an unbelievable sale price!) with the thought of someday organizing my recipes.

Well someday finally came (thanks to bed rest)...

...and I now have all my recipes at my fingertips. Plus the basket looks so darn cute sitting on the little shelf in my kitchen.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

[The dogwood in our yard...the snow has a little ice mixed in with it and it sounds lovely as it hits the tree branches]
[A fishbowl of coral and shells from our honeymoon in Anguilla that sits on our back porch...love the combination of snow and shells]

So our meteorologist was waaaayyy off the mark. Figures. The one time I listen to a forecast (cause I typically don't) it is wrong. We were supposed to wake up to a "dusting" and some "light snow." What did I wake up to? Heavy snow and lets just say a dusting plus 4 inches! It is still coming down like crazy out there. I don't mind. I actually love the snow as long as I don't have anywhere to go...and today I don't. However, a heat wave needs to come through our area tomorrow because I have my first baby shower on Sunday and I don't want to miss it!

Perfect Playmats

These little boxes delivered by Mr. Mailman always make even the dreariest of days (like the one we are having today) a bit brighter.

Remember this post by Jennifer? I was floored when I found out I won the giveaway and flabbergasted when I found out Jennifer was going to make TWO of them for me since I am having twins! Don't you just love that packaging? The day keeps getting brighter and brighter.

This one is for little miss Baby A. It is so perfect. And yes, that is a sneak peak of her crib!

And this one is for little mister Baby B. Again, it can be summed up in one word - perfect!

I just love the design, the fabrics, the quilting (freehand!!!), the snugglieness...

...the detail! The backing is beautiful and both quilts have this adorable little square in the middle - one girl, one boy!

Each playmat has it's own personality while mixing some of the same elements...just like my two little ones. I love that!

How many more times can I say perfect in one post? Let me get by with one more time...they are so me, so what I have in mind for their rooms and just so perfect!

Thank you so much Jennifer! You really did an amazing job - I admire your skill and creativity! My day is bright as can be now!!!

Grapelicious

A little fruity grape hat for my little girly...

This is the first knitted project that I finished that required me to really follow the pattern. I was so proud of myself when I finished it. This little hat is well...quite little...yet it took forever (it seemed) to complete. Perhaps it was the very fine yarn and itsy needles. However, I did learn quite a few new skills while making this hat...knitting with both circular needles and then double point needles at the end, increasing and decreasing! I can't wait to see it on her little head.

Also, nursery furniture arrived late Monday night. Actually, I should say early Tuesday morning because they carried it in around 12:30am. The delivery man of the furniture store where we purchased it wanted to come down a day in advance because of a snow storm predicted in his area on the original date of delivery. He asked if we would mind a late delivery. Of course not! It was odd to have furniture delivered in the middle of the night but honestly we didn't mind! DH and my father-in-law put the furniture together last night and DH washed some of the bedding. We plan to put things together tonight! I will have pictures soon. I do have to say though...I love this furniture even more than I remembered and I am so glad we bought it regardless of the price!

Now, off to start a veggie hat for my little boy...