tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25106216185013129932024-02-19T04:07:13.297-05:00Mary Grace HolmesBorn sleeping February 28th, 2009 at 21 weeks.
8 1/2 inches, 6.5 ounces.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.comBlogger293125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-1973686433849274112017-05-30T21:56:00.000-04:002017-05-30T21:56:43.754-04:00One Post a Month: MayHere it is, the end of May and I have caught back up with the blog. <br />
<br />
The baby currently baking is 18 weeks now. I have my anatomy scan this Monday! I am feeling movement daily which is always a reassurance. We have foregone any preliminary testing on the baby this go round, partly to save money, partly because I changed OBs right during the critical testing times, and partly because I didn't want the stress of it. So the anatomy ultrasound will really be the key to finding out how this baby is doing. Prayers, please!<br />
<br />
May brought the close of another homeschooling year and the close of Caroline's first year in preschool. It's nice to have the freedom of summer vacation.<br />
<br />
We attended our first goat show of the year last weekend and we constantly come in behind an excellent herd of Lamanchas that have made quite a name for themselves. It is a great honor to place just behind them every time, but of course we are anxious to get some goats who can compete at just a slightly higher level. We are participating in linear appraisal this year which will basically give each goat in our herd a score so we can make decisions on herd improvements, breeding, etc. So this is exciting!<br />
<br />
Our garden is performing incredibly well this year thanks to more consistent weeding and the lovely goat manure compost that I was able to work into the soil.<br />
<br />
In the evenings we have started having family bible reading/discussion and prayer time. This is new for us to do as an entire family. We used to pray the rosary as a family and then fell out of that routine, and realized that if our kids don't see us in God's word and hear us praying more personally to Him aloud, how will they form their own personal relationship with Him? So this is our start to showing them how to read, pray and live out the Bible as a family. <br />
<br />
That's enough for tonight! Look soon for the June issue! 😉Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-48433638137343565012017-05-30T21:37:00.002-04:002017-05-30T21:37:58.005-04:00One Post a Month: AprilLet's get caught up! April was busy. 3 birthdays and a traumatic goat delivery.<br />
<br />
First off, Caroline turned 4. She wanted to go to "Old McDonald's" for her birthday... because it has a playground. Apparently our kids are Happy Meal and playground deprived.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-mIHhcmDMAvYbkCMmr7LNCXOVLPZg78PGFHLzQ5PhZRpdycolOfedHfkZXQY1o_Qi3x4L5dOQWtzwmCExGy1ceEYeIHg80RpT6LsXExec3J0g8bQRqZSohDNl-4EEN_ipbBXvs0o8q4/s1600/20170404_152608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-mIHhcmDMAvYbkCMmr7LNCXOVLPZg78PGFHLzQ5PhZRpdycolOfedHfkZXQY1o_Qi3x4L5dOQWtzwmCExGy1ceEYeIHg80RpT6LsXExec3J0g8bQRqZSohDNl-4EEN_ipbBXvs0o8q4/s400/20170404_152608.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNb3G5_16akQ1d6TLSR0pe5Opb9GfmKzGbRDK3K0K3ic0zlXtrRJIiUMH56k9f8IKA23B6m8MlkVHyh41pLyrTVUO4GpMIeV2hO-VKRyMCQOLf7AAMfi_eyArCtP31yC7IYuYTxZWbHc/s1600/20170404_143644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNb3G5_16akQ1d6TLSR0pe5Opb9GfmKzGbRDK3K0K3ic0zlXtrRJIiUMH56k9f8IKA23B6m8MlkVHyh41pLyrTVUO4GpMIeV2hO-VKRyMCQOLf7AAMfi_eyArCtP31yC7IYuYTxZWbHc/s400/20170404_143644.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The very next day was Ian's birthday. He turned 6. His request was to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings (because they have gamepads to play video games while you wait for your food)... again, deprived! LOL!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQI9IPCRhyphenhyphenhMhIXa3j4KGRXVuhztBwQDRTMkf3CW9BDsxBvFSrg2yno1sfHnNgCepFJscWmNx9G3EANefXQ-QGKt0CM8kjgyLu0740A6DSB0xFwATs5UkcWnPCoH2FwwdYyP_PlJX5NQ/s1600/20170405_140936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQI9IPCRhyphenhyphenhMhIXa3j4KGRXVuhztBwQDRTMkf3CW9BDsxBvFSrg2yno1sfHnNgCepFJscWmNx9G3EANefXQ-QGKt0CM8kjgyLu0740A6DSB0xFwATs5UkcWnPCoH2FwwdYyP_PlJX5NQ/s320/20170405_140936.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSXm320EhJiVQS4lJSnTcqquZ-X59FmJAIqpxKmOldEz7sOFX8ConOaCrjR8S9goItimn2QHuzrdr0bS1RjPVD79isu8GxKWfaQzYWQw7Z1l3tC1SWq3K58Me2Dz_bQcsz9RIaSxCUq4/s1600/20170405_081333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSXm320EhJiVQS4lJSnTcqquZ-X59FmJAIqpxKmOldEz7sOFX8ConOaCrjR8S9goItimn2QHuzrdr0bS1RjPVD79isu8GxKWfaQzYWQw7Z1l3tC1SWq3K58Me2Dz_bQcsz9RIaSxCUq4/s320/20170405_081333.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
At some point in the middle of the month our last goat was due to kid and she had a terrible delivery with tangled kids trying to come out with the wrong presentations... it was a mess. But in the end, everyone survived and today mom, Doeling and buckling are all thriving!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvf-F7XMycp6vatFPQzIBgqa5QwFbaAMrznCdRwdUPaDmaBR90z7yHOjn69dseo-QRw_RyOUnoOQUOcLw2ABjUnWsMEX5CW2bmuu-DspQ-eX86ZmIOq3ZZD5kY11GnTh01rJOr98F2Qn0/s1600/20170501_151844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvf-F7XMycp6vatFPQzIBgqa5QwFbaAMrznCdRwdUPaDmaBR90z7yHOjn69dseo-QRw_RyOUnoOQUOcLw2ABjUnWsMEX5CW2bmuu-DspQ-eX86ZmIOq3ZZD5kY11GnTh01rJOr98F2Qn0/s320/20170501_151844.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLr_6iUXIbSQJUgTYJpAKcYlwZTL0kGXblE2xOEH0RegKSTMZkdMkrbjlz4Gw7T0NIiSUOcU3zA9Fg0hdaQ7f1-Yur1mYIy9mjtZRpeOfiUi0_MzDckQ8aY-JRAO2bXSZXM4fSmnqfz4/s1600/20170425_191220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLr_6iUXIbSQJUgTYJpAKcYlwZTL0kGXblE2xOEH0RegKSTMZkdMkrbjlz4Gw7T0NIiSUOcU3zA9Fg0hdaQ7f1-Yur1mYIy9mjtZRpeOfiUi0_MzDckQ8aY-JRAO2bXSZXM4fSmnqfz4/s320/20170425_191220.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7iIy4zM9V0txiQmjpFwKbYu8VpPg5Am0Jo_UDsir_6gFIali69crAMFm-IkAnHjz0UJ0TmmZJ8Jt__cyZ1Kmvblqrin6LOOS92yT3gfx8wxbkOcY6xiIwci50tsoNZFCqOmTi0bjFMv4/s1600/20170513_153343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7iIy4zM9V0txiQmjpFwKbYu8VpPg5Am0Jo_UDsir_6gFIali69crAMFm-IkAnHjz0UJ0TmmZJ8Jt__cyZ1Kmvblqrin6LOOS92yT3gfx8wxbkOcY6xiIwci50tsoNZFCqOmTi0bjFMv4/s320/20170513_153343.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
At the end of April we had Isabel's 11th birthday!! She chose to go to a cupcake bakery and we all chose a different cupcake. They were amazing.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXDMPVVSTy3pUNPuZyeu1DFMZ4RgRwUevmZckdB2b2odtGBkL93CvUyboQHybwXCu88WI3rSYLFjy-0cZKifYtlDOcYLcu73jxVILdpb6GZwrEInpZ9Ga8RifKPsd0OEo5Wf-hnS8XGJE/s1600/20170427_154611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXDMPVVSTy3pUNPuZyeu1DFMZ4RgRwUevmZckdB2b2odtGBkL93CvUyboQHybwXCu88WI3rSYLFjy-0cZKifYtlDOcYLcu73jxVILdpb6GZwrEInpZ9Ga8RifKPsd0OEo5Wf-hnS8XGJE/s320/20170427_154611.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRj9JB2KwgbI4AlbJp-ORW2yIRZ6w8qoZsx3Utn3OlJ3OtYVEPF-oOV_NAVS0892V5-SNjpW2uZ5tAEJpxJ5FdpA0ZCMWoLUqyCqdQCqlYrtw9buVrS5TLJBIqhlaEkU8gEgwP3ZPkoA/s1600/20170427_154551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRj9JB2KwgbI4AlbJp-ORW2yIRZ6w8qoZsx3Utn3OlJ3OtYVEPF-oOV_NAVS0892V5-SNjpW2uZ5tAEJpxJ5FdpA0ZCMWoLUqyCqdQCqlYrtw9buVrS5TLJBIqhlaEkU8gEgwP3ZPkoA/s320/20170427_154551.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Somewhere in April there was also Easter. We tried to take pictures after Mass by that was a joke.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAkAR4MzpFtJmjw2jVgYOLwvg1tExtLFWK7F6d5Y9gDo4h7xkXoEJDo68CC_OBG4tYGH3CuIDWK3Jf20COyUoH8DoExEEe1Q8wlFoPYy77kUsVHYmZ40gtoY8IsUfUgLhxFMDL89JmAGo/s1600/20170530_213213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1169" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAkAR4MzpFtJmjw2jVgYOLwvg1tExtLFWK7F6d5Y9gDo4h7xkXoEJDo68CC_OBG4tYGH3CuIDWK3Jf20COyUoH8DoExEEe1Q8wlFoPYy77kUsVHYmZ40gtoY8IsUfUgLhxFMDL89JmAGo/s320/20170530_213213.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39k02-wiuKB27gHg0R5TlzgAVOGo3O29MSMtKPdjTOYW4T9ReSuAPmVqgGM5eyBd7JqysJ-aj25TZ6NcTG6PzLjwkZp5axydCfD6putU4vL4M0kV88Pboy32eDMW6hFMNg4JW6N0a7j8/s1600/Resized_20170416_110846.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39k02-wiuKB27gHg0R5TlzgAVOGo3O29MSMtKPdjTOYW4T9ReSuAPmVqgGM5eyBd7JqysJ-aj25TZ6NcTG6PzLjwkZp5axydCfD6putU4vL4M0kV88Pboy32eDMW6hFMNg4JW6N0a7j8/s320/Resized_20170416_110846.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
And I think that about sums it up. 😉</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-40635004922600441992017-03-26T20:53:00.001-04:002017-03-26T20:53:30.000-04:00One Post a Month: MarchPhew....I'm sneaking March's post in a few days early. I feel like our family has been hit by the plague this year...a plague of sickness. After all but one of us caught norovirus at the beginning of March (I think it was March? All this sickness is running together), now Caroline (3) has the flu....and what appears to be pink eye. Poor kid. We cannot catch a break. I used to read peoples' posts on facebook and think, "Wow....their family is always sick!" And now, well, I am that family! Sadly it has caused us to miss quite a few days of co-op this year, which has been super frustrating.<br />
<br />
In more positive news, we celebrated Rob's birthday with a surprise for the kids! You can watch the video below and see for yourself!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ObVsluVuc8s/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ObVsluVuc8s?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
This past week, the only goat due this month successfully had twins all by herself! I was checking her every hour....or sending a child to check her. After the last report, I thought, "Ok, I'll go out to the barn and check on her in an hour." Of course with four kids, I got distracted and got out there probably 10 minutes after she had finished kidding. A buckling and a doeling. They are doing great.<br />
<br />
Sickness<br />
Baby Goats<br />
New Baby on the Way<br />
<br />
I think we've covered all of March in those 3 topics!<br />
<br />
I've been feeling quite sick with this baby and had to cancel a trip to see dear friends who we were supposed to meet in Asheville. :( That was a disappointment. I am looking forward to feeling better, having an appetite and getting rid of the queasiness.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-12527859610504747202017-03-10T18:48:00.000-05:002017-03-10T18:48:04.493-05:00One Post a Month: FebruaryFebruary brought life and death to our little farm. We lost one of our goats during labor due to complications from pregnancy toxemia. I will spare you all the details, but we believe she was pregnant with triplets and both the mom and kids died before they could be delivered. It was the first loss of one of our dairy goats and it really felt devastating. But the next day, life goes on and there are farm chores to do and other animals that need to be attended to, so you go on. We had a successful kidding of our favorite dairy goat, Cameo. She had a buckling and a doeling. Then last weekend, our goat Matilda kidded a healthy buckling. We are expecting at least one more doe to kid out in March. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFDp8YpXu9gecy7zooelgIG2zD_eHquPzT09VTQpr-Pdo_4qJ7LTujFFheVN7bkpK0O1eIqAySl4zLhaNjIFzmvgGC4jUnonV1XXcT4OOd7yqeXyT60fJkQKYy5IMAbvncUAuRcXHwgM/s1600/20170222_151426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFDp8YpXu9gecy7zooelgIG2zD_eHquPzT09VTQpr-Pdo_4qJ7LTujFFheVN7bkpK0O1eIqAySl4zLhaNjIFzmvgGC4jUnonV1XXcT4OOd7yqeXyT60fJkQKYy5IMAbvncUAuRcXHwgM/s400/20170222_151426.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Bearded Acres White Pearl and Bearded Acres Cannonball</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZmBTKVhSE8mqPlKnp3EPMSyo1ZjYOGOnC_Cc35f2JYC8A1iBZ-qqyi20jpJwdxlH5MJZInFqXE_hB5mCbgQlMGZCBHjNyd1DwS7-UIUU93VXESOUBJgh4MqPL9D65Ce6pG6kDoxAotY/s1600/20170221_153854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZmBTKVhSE8mqPlKnp3EPMSyo1ZjYOGOnC_Cc35f2JYC8A1iBZ-qqyi20jpJwdxlH5MJZInFqXE_hB5mCbgQlMGZCBHjNyd1DwS7-UIUU93VXESOUBJgh4MqPL9D65Ce6pG6kDoxAotY/s400/20170221_153854.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Kids getting positioned for photo shoot! ;)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibw-coLYq26L4uPBYM-U8PoJ0raXUt4CFGN_jgV07ZGoS42pu7VfmGR1vOTG_emC0SOxjAw6CkV4-gL7ouUAqb7VhRewvfzd86-ckmTFmgfm1dNad9SHTozE4DMAPFcfU4AVqfN90WrOM/s1600/20170221_154412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibw-coLYq26L4uPBYM-U8PoJ0raXUt4CFGN_jgV07ZGoS42pu7VfmGR1vOTG_emC0SOxjAw6CkV4-gL7ouUAqb7VhRewvfzd86-ckmTFmgfm1dNad9SHTozE4DMAPFcfU4AVqfN90WrOM/s400/20170221_154412.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
At the same time that baby goats began to arrive, so did our postal shipment of 27 chicks! 11 meat chickens and 16 laying hens of various breeds. So to say that it has been busy around here is quite the understatement. February is also the month that we plant potato seeds, so the garden was worked, tilled and plowed into rows, and we have both Kennebec and Red potatoes again this year in the ground.<br />
<br />
Near the end of the month, Rob and I attended the <a href="https://ignitedbytruth.org/" target="_blank">Ignited By Truth Catholic Conference</a> which takes place here in Raleigh. It is always so spiritually invigorating and encouraging to go to this conference. What a faith builder to hear such great speakers! Fr. Michael Gaitley, Abby Johnson, Leah Darrow, Julie and Greg Alexander were the big names there. My mother-in-law babysat for us and we were able to attend the whole day.<br />
<br />
February is an odd time for us as the anniversary dates of both of our Triploidy babies bookend this month. Francis Marie (13 weeks gestation) on 2/6 and Mary Grace (21 weeks) on 2/28. The chances of having one baby with this condition are so low, but to have had 2 babies with triploidy and both dying during the same month of the year....it's just so unusual....hard to wrap my mind around this reality sometimes. Isabel and I were coming back from a play out in Durham the day before Mary Grace's anniversary, so we stopped by the cemetery (on the way home....which is normally way out of the way for us, so we seldom visit) to add some flowers.<br />
<br />
The same tiny blue flowers were growing around the baby headstones that were there February 2009 when we buried her. I remarked about how Isabel picked a handful when she was nearly 2. She didn't remember. They happen to be my favorite flower even though I think they are just a wild grassy weed ;) <a href="http://marygraceholmes.blogspot.com/2009/03/grave-marker.html">http://marygraceholmes.blogspot.com/2009/03/grave-marker.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-90814917967551563582017-01-29T17:02:00.000-05:002017-01-29T17:02:17.576-05:00One Post a Month: JanuarySince I have been an incredibly slack blogger, I've decided to do a post a month for 2017. I mean, that is 12 posts. <br />
For. an. entire. year.<br />
I can't fail at this, right? ;)<br />
<br />
I won't guarantee what will be in these once a month posts, but I will guarantee to do one each month.<br />
<br />
For starters, I am glad to see 2017! I LOVED getting to see Cooper meet all his milestones and all that beautiful baby newness and joy that comes with adding a child to our family in 2016. His first year was such a blessing. I found myself staring at him a lot over the year and being mesmorized that God would see fit to bestow this little gift onto our family.<br />
Cooper is cruising everywhere, eats like a horse, is by far the biggest baby we have had (finally we had a kid break 20 pounds by 1 year!), and says "uh oh" and "go-go-go". I would love to have another easy baby like him.<br />
<br />
My New Year's Resolution was to drink more water. I am happy to report I am succeeding! I aim for 6 16 ounce glasses a day, so 96 ounces/day. What's crazy is that sometimes I am still thirsty. Before this I was a terrible water drinker. I was just too busy before to stop and think "I need to drink", but my dear husband and I now compete to see who can drink the most water each day, so that has helped to keep me on target.<br />
<br />
On the farm, we are getting ready for baby goats in just 3 short weeks! We love our dairy goats here. We raise only Lamanchas, and recently created a Facebook page for our farm, Bearded Acres. Lamanchas are one of the less common dairy goat breeds in our area, so it is a neat way to connect with other goat people who also love this particular breed. I will be really happy to get back to drinking our raw goat milk. While they are pregnant, our goats are dry (not milking) and we have been drinking grocery store cow's milk. And when you are used to fresh goat's milk...well, there's obviously no comparison. Regardless, it's about to get busy around here.<br />
<br />
While life trucks on with all of our daily happenings, I can't help but feel like I am watching the majority of the world slip into this dismal abyss. Woah, she jumped off the deep end with that one, you are thinking! But truly, are there only a few sane people around anymore? I have this deep sense of needing to become detached from everything I can that is not spiritually beneficial. TV, Facebook, media & news.... I don't think my family will let me throw the tv out, but I feel like we are short on time for preparing our spiritual "nests" if you will. I keep thinking, if Christ came tomorrow, am I ready? Have I done everything in my life today that He has asked of me? <br />
<br />
Deep thoughts, I know. But I can't shake them lately. <br />
Prepare, prepare, prepare. Your hearts. Your homes. Your family. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-88518255737825606312016-07-18T20:50:00.001-04:002016-07-18T20:50:46.598-04:00Our Father times two!Our "confession church" has a new priest. <em> Woah, what did she just say?</em> Yes, we have what I have dubbed our "confession church". It is a parish only 7 miles away and we pop in there on a Saturday afternoon when we are in need of the Sacrament of Confession, because it is soooo close and sooooo quick. But it is not the parish at which we regularly attend Mass.<br />
<br />
So I just thought Isabel and I were going to pop in to confession, but there was a long line which filled up the entire back pew nearest the confessional. So Iz and I went to the next row, thinking it would be clear that we would be next in line. It wasn't clear to the people who came in next, and they did not speak any English. So we got bumped back by 2 people. Confession here lasts from 4pm to 4:45pm, because Saturday evening Mass starts at 5pm. It was 4:42 when I got into the confessional, and this wonderful new priest greeted me with a warm double handshake and told me, "Thank you for coming today!" He was so warm and joy-filled....Jesus was practically seeping out of him. That sounds weird, but he just radiated Jesus' love.<br />
<br />
He gave me 2 Our Fathers for my penance.<br />
<br />
I thought to myself that was a little strange. I mean, I've been given just one Our Father, or an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be, or a triple set of those, or a rosary....but never just 2 Our Fathers. <br />
<br />
Regardless, I went and slowly prayed them.<br />
<br />
Then we went home.<br />
<br />
And at home, I had some time after dinner to open up my favorite new book <u>The Ordinary Path to Holiness</u>, to the next chapter. I'm reading this book at the speed of slow, because I don't want it to ever end. And yet I do, so I can know all that I can learn all it has to offer. Anyway when I opened the page, it was this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfl17gpE-qeiyIWULsFtVfFryuXvd_GNsJ23NdUjWwCvVlqpYv6Cua6hoOrijMesEV6IS5vEDYzXy5ISoi2cMoWLDG2TUpjOmGBY5Gh8FTDGyjwvMfr7jcQGpGM6JonJDa9h3gavkCWc/s1600/OF1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfl17gpE-qeiyIWULsFtVfFryuXvd_GNsJ23NdUjWwCvVlqpYv6Cua6hoOrijMesEV6IS5vEDYzXy5ISoi2cMoWLDG2TUpjOmGBY5Gh8FTDGyjwvMfr7jcQGpGM6JonJDa9h3gavkCWc/s400/OF1.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So I began to read it. So many goodies in this chapter, I can't give them all away. You need to go read the book, but from the CCC (2763):</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>The Lord's Prayer is the most perfect of prayers...</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>In it we ask, not only for all the things we can rightly desire, </em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>but also in the sequence that they should be desired. </em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>This prayer not only teaches us to ask for things, but also</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>in what order we should desire them.</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Wow. So the next evening, Ian opened up the children's Bible to read the next chapter (we had skipped reading a Bible story on Saturday night). And it was this:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fVLRfqSd0bzpF_NKkrhhT3m5kNjQIsVDaOVQGV6Ol14c3aW3vcicV6Z3RRsradHmaGELiBlJE9P471CZQMXsHrkXdu5VZp2bOVMAzJJJadoy4u9DvadFqhMcvPybdzlWBGpuwQGNwj0/s1600/OF2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fVLRfqSd0bzpF_NKkrhhT3m5kNjQIsVDaOVQGV6Ol14c3aW3vcicV6Z3RRsradHmaGELiBlJE9P471CZQMXsHrkXdu5VZp2bOVMAzJJJadoy4u9DvadFqhMcvPybdzlWBGpuwQGNwj0/s400/OF2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A one page Bible "story". Simply The Lord's Prayer.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Our Father times two.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Now, I haven't quite figured out what the Lord is telling me here other than I'd better get focused on this prayer and spend some time meditating upon it. Maybe pray it twice a day? ;) I mean, it couldn't hurt. But clearly, it's a sign, right?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-18557414012063509352016-07-02T19:27:00.003-04:002016-07-02T19:27:44.602-04:00Pretty sure it's broken.My big toe, that is. On my right foot. You know, the driving foot.<br />
<br />
Yesterday morning I scrambled to make a grocery store run and pack up all the kids, make sure meals were planned, swimsuits, sunscreen, bug spray, sleeping bags and various other camping accouterment was ready. Because yesterday was the first day of homeschool camping weekend, which has been one of our favorite family activities for the past 3 years. Typically, I send them off to a campsite, roughly an hour away and then I join them with the baby in the morning, returning home in the evening so I can take care of a.m. and p.m. goat chores. <br />
<br />
I was so excited. <br />
<br />
They had all been shipped off (well, except for Cooper, obviously).<br />
<br />
It was 6 p.m. Friday.<br />
<br />
I decided to go out into the garage to search for a backpack so that while I was with Cooper in the Ergo on my front, I could easily carry my baby gear on my back.<br />
<br />
My mistake was that I entered the garage barefoot.<br />
<br />
Or maybe that I didn't notice the 2.5lb brick-sized transformer or transistor, or whatever the heck Rob told me the black-box-shaped-thingy-with-wires-hanging-off-it was that fell 5 feet, straight onto my foot, as I pulled out the backpack upon which it sat.<br />
<br />
At first I thought, "Oh crap....that was really bad, but okay....it's going to be okay." Until I started to feel nauseaus from the pain. Whatever....it was just a smash... got in, assessed it...still hurts, but at this point Cooper needs to go to bed, so I go and nurse him with my foot starting to throb and put him to bed.<br />
<br />
Goats need to be fed before the pain gets worse.....have to feed goats. Just truck through it. But, our 90 year old neighbor is out and of course he wants to bring 2 loads of vegetable scraps to the goats, so I need to help him, because he is, well, 90 years old. At this point I am not limping....I guess I was pumped up on adrenaline...and this is good, because I did NOT want him to know that I was in pain or he would have tried to help me feed the goats. *Goat feeding time can get pretty rambunctious!* I did not want any more injuries for anyone!<br />
<br />
While I am helping him, he tells me, <em>"Angela, Robert picked a good wife to get all those kids ready for camping, and their clothes packed up and such. You're a good wife."</em> That was so sweet of him, I think I was blushing....or else I was starting to get really hot because I thought I was going to pass out. Might have been the pain creeping in.<br />
<br />
I finish the chores and get inside and reassess and it doesn't look horrific! You know, like if you googled "broken big toe", you would get all kinds of abominable looking toes. And mine is just red, not really even swollen, but my nailbed is definitely black and awful looking.<br />
<br />
I put my leg up and by 7pm I realize I need some ibuprofen because it is really starting to throb...it hurt enough that I could actually tell when the ibuprofen "hit" my system and started to take a tiny bit of the edge off. I tried to go to bed around 10pm and the sheets on the bed hurt my toe. So I went back out to the couch....it seemed like there was absolutely no position in which I could get comfortable.<br />
<br />
I realized that I would not be joining the camping group the next morning. I could barely limp to the kitchen for more ibuprofen. How the heck was I going to traipse around a campsite, with roots and all, down to the lake, carrying a baby in the ergo when I could barely hobble to the kitchen? Heck, I wouldn't trust myself to drive with that foot!<br />
<br />
I started to let the disappointment sink in as I realized the situation. Coupled with the guilt that I would be leaving my husband on a camping trip with 3 of the 4 kids....plus the pain of my toe. Argh. But as I thought about it, I realized that I needed to just accept it. Accept the pain. Heck, who am I to be whining about a broken toe when there are people with way harder and more painful situations at this very moment? Grow up, Angela! This is an opportunity for God to work!<br />
<br />
I finally got some sleep.<br />
<br />
When I woke up in the night, I took it as an opportunity to pray for others. To pray for the safety of the campers. To pray for those who have turned away from their faith. To pray for a sick friend. To pray for the nation. To pray for a mother who lost her baby a few months ago.<br />
<br />
Don't complain, just pray. Don't whine, just let God work. I can always be His tool if I cooperate with Him. In. every. moment. even the broken bone type of moments.<br />
<br />
Cooper woke up twice to nurse. When I got up this morning, my toe was painful, more swollen and stiff, and it was all I could do just to make it out to feed all the animals, let alone think about milking them. I turned the babies loose to their mamas and let the babies do the milking this morning. But over the day, the pain has been better. I've rested and iced it, spent a lot of time lying on the ground playing with the baby. Read, prayed the rosary, prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, talked to God, listened to music.<br />
<br />
For whatever reason, I wasn't supposed to be on that trip. Disappointment happens every day. Pain is all around. But so is our Lord. Always with us. Always with a plan that we cannot fully see.<br />
<br />
Just trust.<br />
<br />
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-15721621246651426072016-06-27T20:45:00.003-04:002016-06-27T20:45:47.238-04:00Sleep Training? What Sleep Training?He's a dream baby. I don't know what else to say. The first night of sleeping in his own room, in his own crib, I nursed him at 6:30pm then put him in the crib. He cried for 10 minutes, and I went in and held him for a few minutes, then put him back down. He cried for 15 minutes...and let me stop and explain "cried". Because Caroline's "cry" was screaming until she scream/cried herself to sleep...well, for hours. Cooper's "cry" is more of a fussing...he was not doing a full screaming type of cry. His cry is just....well, more laid back. It's like he has a cry to fit his personality....laid back cry for a laid back baby. So he fussed for 15 more minutes, I went back in a 2nd time held him, and then put him down and that was it....he just fell asleep. And then I was anxious and couldn't sleep all night and he did not wake up for 8 hours!!! When he did, I nursed him and laid him back down and there was no fussing at all...he just rolled over and went back to sleep for another 3 hours.<br />
<br />
The next day I put him in the crib for his nap and he literally just laid down and went to sleep. What?!?!<br />
It was amazing.<br />
<br />
And so it's pretty much continued. Not all naps have been as easy as the first, but as long as he is tired then he is pretty happy about going to sleep in the crib. And night time has provided us with at least 8 straight hours of him sleeping, then a quick nursing session and then right back to sleep. <br />
<br />
I am just in awe. And so thankful. I am thankful for all my children, but boy, after dealing with Caroline being such a difficult sleeper for so long, it is a super duper blessing to have an easy baby who likes to sleep!<br />
<br />
Coop turned 6 months yesterday, and I just can't believe it. Each baby I have makes me want another baby. That seems like such an odd thing to say, but I just can't imagine that Cooper would be our last, although I know all too well that my fertility is completely in the hands of my Creator. And I will be happy with His plans for our family.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-85619599720740581442016-06-21T21:17:00.002-04:002016-06-21T21:17:37.328-04:00A 6 month hiatus.Wow....I had a baby and never intended to drop off the face of the blog world, but that is certainly what happened! Unfortunately, I cannot completely blame it on the baby. Because he is SUCH a GOOD BABY! And the fact that he will be 6 months old this Sunday makes me want to cry. All of our babies have started out their first 6 months of life co-sleeping with us. And our bedroom just happens to be where my desktop resides. And that desktop is my preferred medium for creating blog posts, so let's just say that for the last 6 months, once the baby goes to bed, the computer gets turned off and so blog posts have not been born.<br />
<br />
But tonight, my friends....tonight is the very first night that I put Cooper down in a different room. In His Own Crib. He cried for about 30 minutes (during which I went in twice) and then after putting him back down the 2nd time, he just went to sleep. And now he has been asleep for 2 hours. So we will see how it goes. Really I have no clue how it will go. The old routine was: nurse him to sleep in the bed, slowly inch my way off the bed like a ninja so he wouldn't wake up, and then go back in and nurse him if he did wake up. <br />
<br />
The last 6 months have gone by fast. When I just had my first baby, the days were long, the nights were long, but these days with 4 kids....there is always something going on and barely a moment to think before the next diaper needs to be changed, dishwasher unloaded, garden tended, goats milked....you can fill in a number of daily activities. So life is busy. But it has made me realize that I need to slow down and reconnect myself with God. Because I have just been going through life in this blur and not really growing in my spirituality, at least not in the way that I know needs to happen. Perhaps more on that in another post....I mean, who knows how long I've got before the baby decides to wake up! Besides that, I've got to tell you about the baby goat with the broken leg, my thyroid nodules and difficulty swallowing, snakes in the barn, 3 birthdays in April, making goat's milk mozzarella cheese for the first time, and the new kitten.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I just wanted to say, "It's good to be back!" and hopefully I will update before Christmas ;) In the meantime, here is an updated pic of my hooligans. Clockwise from top: Cooper, Isabel, Ian and Caroline.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-6QJ8vxcOBBR_UTaYUaDWFUHEwhJeCgdw4ummOLQUL6NC_BKPvFHpvCBZDYEqxbMh-DSFZ7dD1kTO_rKtGWWCGexCCLiNht-_rrdWhG9Q4y-36TQiPyMhvApR01vgtSENolDvJ1SszG0/s1600/20160426_103848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-6QJ8vxcOBBR_UTaYUaDWFUHEwhJeCgdw4ummOLQUL6NC_BKPvFHpvCBZDYEqxbMh-DSFZ7dD1kTO_rKtGWWCGexCCLiNht-_rrdWhG9Q4y-36TQiPyMhvApR01vgtSENolDvJ1SszG0/s400/20160426_103848.jpg" width="362" /></a></div>
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-10496756125578092232016-01-09T15:12:00.000-05:002016-01-09T15:12:10.712-05:00Our Newest Bundle!<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Welcoming Our Newest Bundle!</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cooper Thomas</span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">12/26/2015</span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">10lbs 1oz</span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgKcOGjUkOs9gJ4u4yddNa3CHn5C0vQPEU61sH_ifUHe9bQzChdLG7HpaocQgyWBGa5Io_o__3eBqSBYyoLtfQ4kA5fEG2Mxsxn3Ljhm5BbVYikXBfYQv2rOwt9958gey5Vx36GRgz_o/s1600/B%2526W+baby+Cooper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgKcOGjUkOs9gJ4u4yddNa3CHn5C0vQPEU61sH_ifUHe9bQzChdLG7HpaocQgyWBGa5Io_o__3eBqSBYyoLtfQ4kA5fEG2Mxsxn3Ljhm5BbVYikXBfYQv2rOwt9958gey5Vx36GRgz_o/s400/B%2526W+baby+Cooper.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht9U0qTFZqursSOCPANIAVz7mda8cbXXITPcis7TGLgcMLPMdZ4urhbJNksx8aB-yGASObf7TAThJ1kZ-QwZqP_2rhOhsJw7O3gj7vTVwbBwdpRrXsW7JnJGbuxM4CH_bL-g-ksDLC39k/s1600/kid+hosptial+best.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht9U0qTFZqursSOCPANIAVz7mda8cbXXITPcis7TGLgcMLPMdZ4urhbJNksx8aB-yGASObf7TAThJ1kZ-QwZqP_2rhOhsJw7O3gj7vTVwbBwdpRrXsW7JnJGbuxM4CH_bL-g-ksDLC39k/s400/kid+hosptial+best.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhupsCNAaWCisefMvQ-mG_hdkwsE1nb88-i-zlaGyL2dBPc5yQJEvJAv6Ui4VyL-_SSrdxp4siETsmiVcQIKWdBweObuUggRLRwQzmzsWZAGouXGW3EkgO35ptLGpHkII2gag2sf3PjB3A/s1600/family+hospital.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhupsCNAaWCisefMvQ-mG_hdkwsE1nb88-i-zlaGyL2dBPc5yQJEvJAv6Ui4VyL-_SSrdxp4siETsmiVcQIKWdBweObuUggRLRwQzmzsWZAGouXGW3EkgO35ptLGpHkII2gag2sf3PjB3A/s400/family+hospital.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div align="center">
</div>
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-64091157301982853672015-11-07T14:56:00.001-05:002015-11-07T14:56:27.372-05:00Trip to D.C.Wow, this was such a neat trip. On Tuesday of this week, we woke up early, took care of all the farm chores and headed up to Washington, D.C....about a 4 hour trip from our house. We arrived near 10:30am at the <a href="http://www.myfranciscan.org/" target="_blank">Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America</a>. The monastery has replicas of the shrines that you would find in the Holy Land, and it was beautiful. I handed the camera off to Isabel and she just took all kinds of pictures. We toured the main level of the church and then had a tour of the replica crypts below the church. The entire tour was about 1 hour.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAihO2bxlcg-TpIhjXgOQJQQeK679eJS-UvrFfj9zm69y-IRcOexb2awahj3_he73XOIYuYQZTwNlqYjlx2fiyt-_NuroeolS3ev1mRaF6CvzFKZNbtq6OltY7gBODmC6QJ8w7lWVObQ/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAihO2bxlcg-TpIhjXgOQJQQeK679eJS-UvrFfj9zm69y-IRcOexb2awahj3_he73XOIYuYQZTwNlqYjlx2fiyt-_NuroeolS3ev1mRaF6CvzFKZNbtq6OltY7gBODmC6QJ8w7lWVObQ/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBYJLJYnr7_X0_Jb647Hlfc_h-djCC662Uvmm12Qsbs3WVDHZ_9ZlyD2kC4VgpABxXtFwXO22__27Bj0bxMWvtQLBUti1txmMLJXteu_wj7GTQplbSYvTvxYyKBkst6tbtLd6bYPLYJo/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBYJLJYnr7_X0_Jb647Hlfc_h-djCC662Uvmm12Qsbs3WVDHZ_9ZlyD2kC4VgpABxXtFwXO22__27Bj0bxMWvtQLBUti1txmMLJXteu_wj7GTQplbSYvTvxYyKBkst6tbtLd6bYPLYJo/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYHYvcyImCHey_aZS2xNGAZuuYbQEcy_aaDUBSH6ctazNsBS2xrLhuQsJWah5f5fK6XZq082sruEVM9BkJi6tQI7RGxhWf__zns-vnePbCEJTRYKzx4_OB2MznlRc5vcAZWhPwpFSE-g/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYHYvcyImCHey_aZS2xNGAZuuYbQEcy_aaDUBSH6ctazNsBS2xrLhuQsJWah5f5fK6XZq082sruEVM9BkJi6tQI7RGxhWf__zns-vnePbCEJTRYKzx4_OB2MznlRc5vcAZWhPwpFSE-g/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+006.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6K2tUkgTd02hta9-g4dB6CB9Zww3KBZtKgdGHlh_qm3bN04BC78GvJvjJ8nrskKpTf_mFQXshvAkTQOgFLM2KmjRSr-4FxVWbcrJ3-hmbOxxfSucjKgyrDN8dc7TSKG1EZo_aRs4QXHU/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6K2tUkgTd02hta9-g4dB6CB9Zww3KBZtKgdGHlh_qm3bN04BC78GvJvjJ8nrskKpTf_mFQXshvAkTQOgFLM2KmjRSr-4FxVWbcrJ3-hmbOxxfSucjKgyrDN8dc7TSKG1EZo_aRs4QXHU/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+013.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYGZ60tGUKWO54ukL5X0NrUEhf5SVvrs-nJmdeaLRXz2TFvby7hk6qHw-L0qJzLOKiJVa9f1mCDV8MkMBWSrZmNAF5X1iEIttzUs4Ty8J4iUpeJRq_hiZVFCbPtLYKIiZFdZrsPXM3J8/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYGZ60tGUKWO54ukL5X0NrUEhf5SVvrs-nJmdeaLRXz2TFvby7hk6qHw-L0qJzLOKiJVa9f1mCDV8MkMBWSrZmNAF5X1iEIttzUs4Ty8J4iUpeJRq_hiZVFCbPtLYKIiZFdZrsPXM3J8/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+022.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lUHjNEijxVo0Hw4Tm5LzIQzisGTABo_3AjMvtA06xOiHshhkocpsf4PmC9T9c3qV-hXJipiZDW_CBQZ3rue7qH_fTRNROzhG5UHk3ZcRIvqginCbLuDbnFXRb3WVd7xEfDo1cWsUUdA/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lUHjNEijxVo0Hw4Tm5LzIQzisGTABo_3AjMvtA06xOiHshhkocpsf4PmC9T9c3qV-hXJipiZDW_CBQZ3rue7qH_fTRNROzhG5UHk3ZcRIvqginCbLuDbnFXRb3WVd7xEfDo1cWsUUdA/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+036.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSJ938cjuKg1O1HUBqNrxIOwJGoMuROZBn-MIR9AWUxBzC-8EuQeEXGB5mWKI9_9IWT8swzoa1ETHl5iET3POhuREH8-77kvyQIaIfn19vsngGYw-P6fiO0QERk6HfZMDlvBVySMkq8k/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSJ938cjuKg1O1HUBqNrxIOwJGoMuROZBn-MIR9AWUxBzC-8EuQeEXGB5mWKI9_9IWT8swzoa1ETHl5iET3POhuREH8-77kvyQIaIfn19vsngGYw-P6fiO0QERk6HfZMDlvBVySMkq8k/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+037.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmwYKS-ryKnEbYM_KW2rO2NIxmG9ZnQksZ6J591DDzSUTs4tY3Q-8Afe_WVIWbdZKPab0DREy_uFPeW2wIZIQByHttpu-Ofj7LU9B_QiJ-fB2TFuzb8Gf-dSv3ZjKB5ubpljVpI0MAkjk/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmwYKS-ryKnEbYM_KW2rO2NIxmG9ZnQksZ6J591DDzSUTs4tY3Q-8Afe_WVIWbdZKPab0DREy_uFPeW2wIZIQByHttpu-Ofj7LU9B_QiJ-fB2TFuzb8Gf-dSv3ZjKB5ubpljVpI0MAkjk/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+038.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtSRf_Buj7aZCr8yXwPqHHvMlsOCLdags-cQ9vIGa4rQrWWsjEH2XbJkv_MeF4OhYJYd7Tl2i-mVhGrak6IbDQ7zcO6JzoHRVv-4X3MdEBiuDoO2NArBAuvXmba5D0QMr-d7DvU-4hJs/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtSRf_Buj7aZCr8yXwPqHHvMlsOCLdags-cQ9vIGa4rQrWWsjEH2XbJkv_MeF4OhYJYd7Tl2i-mVhGrak6IbDQ7zcO6JzoHRVv-4X3MdEBiuDoO2NArBAuvXmba5D0QMr-d7DvU-4hJs/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+040.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFOUx9FRx6GJlqFPi2wY6n3SiIDl5wfJ1le3_7zmtmexY23TRn32J3k38otZ8UDE-sTh3uWJ4yzIb_3w2qJJQoYHRg3KALaoAkZHPlz-At6y8LI9ja3reyc1FQODi5tQCkrSg38uryK8/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFOUx9FRx6GJlqFPi2wY6n3SiIDl5wfJ1le3_7zmtmexY23TRn32J3k38otZ8UDE-sTh3uWJ4yzIb_3w2qJJQoYHRg3KALaoAkZHPlz-At6y8LI9ja3reyc1FQODi5tQCkrSg38uryK8/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+054.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
From there we grabbed a quick bite to eat and headed over to the <a href="http://www.nationalshrine.com/site/c.osJRKVPBJnH/b.4719297/k.BF65/Home.htm" target="_blank">Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception</a> and ducked down into the crypt church to attend the Solemn Mass of First Profession to witness the first vows of ten sisters of Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara which is part of the Religious Family of the Incarnate Word. <br />
<br />
Although people did take pictures during the Mass, I did not feel comfortable doing so, nor could I have as Ian fell asleep on my lap during the first reading and slept through the entire Mass (which lasted from 2pm until 3:45pm!) But it was so beautiful....there were so many priests and brothers there, the family of the sisters, the other nuns in the order, the celebrant was Cardinal McCarrick, the singing and atmosphere was other-worldly! What an inspiration to all of our homeschool friends who attended this ceremony....particularly those who God may be calling to a religious vocation. (Maybe even Isabel!) ;)<br />
<br />
And after the Mass, I also have zero pictures of these beautiful sisters...but it was like attending a wedding. Their faces were just all smiles and glowing! <br />
<br />
We went upstairs to the main part of the Basilica and found a chapel for our family to make our own family consecration...it was appropriate that we stepped into the Chapel of Our Lady of Czestochowa (as our home parish in Raleigh is a Shrine to Our Lady of Czestochowa!). There was also a mosaic (well, almost everything in the basilica is made of mosaic tiles) of Saint (Pope) John Paul II, which was really neat because our sweet homeschool friends gave us one of the holy cards of JPII that they had been handed when they walked into the vows Mass (we had come in minutes too late and they had run out of these holy cards, so I had no idea until she handed me one of theirs for us to keep) and it is not just a holy card, but a 2nd class relic of one of his garments! So walking into the chapel with both of these images was really a little smile from God. We literally had just enough time to kneel down and pray <a href="http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=3036" target="_blank">this consecration prayer that I had found online</a> before Caroline was just at the end of her little 2 1/2 year old "rope". So it was a disappointment that Isabel was not able to see, explore, and pray at this magnificent basilica....it is just gorgeous and every nook and corner calls your attention to God's glory! What a place!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRENTB-y2s3iQXiqlJbvaopGaqWtuavOkVnE_RXZY-C5XhRHTSHHmYAjegAq2MCiiyw1oIuUcJZlaMOATEvKrLdrYHVbq44rT26O2rkFq9jUEN5Rl8YXMs-4vtKGS2LHgETLVBM0K2iEs/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRENTB-y2s3iQXiqlJbvaopGaqWtuavOkVnE_RXZY-C5XhRHTSHHmYAjegAq2MCiiyw1oIuUcJZlaMOATEvKrLdrYHVbq44rT26O2rkFq9jUEN5Rl8YXMs-4vtKGS2LHgETLVBM0K2iEs/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+079.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIsPQZaiAl8h1SH9WgzlUIMr8V5ouXkBc7UgaozwgREq9fLbA3Wj9FvakGZJ1ucBeH1EzkHInsrTosRB84wW904fswv45NodWV1KkyHK0tZb2KEjA2RB8hak6UrsF1QnX9DWrO-DuHXQ/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIsPQZaiAl8h1SH9WgzlUIMr8V5ouXkBc7UgaozwgREq9fLbA3Wj9FvakGZJ1ucBeH1EzkHInsrTosRB84wW904fswv45NodWV1KkyHK0tZb2KEjA2RB8hak6UrsF1QnX9DWrO-DuHXQ/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+081.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpGmxmFQcWY2cOtMuPr0ZyACK2E06mLlG4sdTngvZZicqOt4U6qbarKzeUftvnmxewFHwK6D_PlNkRhTmk8SDdUr6dNIKlb3ziH7rdoX1VJpMwlQv_5MD5gf7tStnOO1a2B07d32GX2w/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpGmxmFQcWY2cOtMuPr0ZyACK2E06mLlG4sdTngvZZicqOt4U6qbarKzeUftvnmxewFHwK6D_PlNkRhTmk8SDdUr6dNIKlb3ziH7rdoX1VJpMwlQv_5MD5gf7tStnOO1a2B07d32GX2w/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+085.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
The next morning we woke up and swam in our hotel's rooftop pool (enclosed and heated, thank goodness....it was still chilly, but the kids loved it). Then we went to visit the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial which led us by the reflecting pool and both the WWII and Vietnam Memorials. The younger kids were pretty uncooperative with pictures but I suppose that was to be expected as it was a long walk from the monument to the memorial and back to our car, and they had exercised themselves quite thoroughly already in the hotel pool..... ;) So the pics that we got were just what we got!<br />
<br />
This field trip was a great reminder that planning a trip with little ones never ends up exactly how you envision it in your mind ;)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZS-BXm3Z3E3CLCtVlukwgba7sArQ8VcjO8kg2fANDF1EFcevZvmjW0gmYzMiYAZJHqzbRsWztdp21cIvTjUHYuki-yhmpPp2QYs2af_0Tj-IZAZTC8GjWA6n0PaI2NwOJj4MOeVHQips/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZS-BXm3Z3E3CLCtVlukwgba7sArQ8VcjO8kg2fANDF1EFcevZvmjW0gmYzMiYAZJHqzbRsWztdp21cIvTjUHYuki-yhmpPp2QYs2af_0Tj-IZAZTC8GjWA6n0PaI2NwOJj4MOeVHQips/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+086.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2OXxjj8YYTiRk1XB5DK-6Q8sczL5_r89JSLt3bGj2y9ZzMJ_fW6LLfPU234oM3981W3KAxuXd13BfoIJWFqY6YXsfj850NXHzgeuaqyLFihvVDyL32Lgbr-gPL2h0NpPERDKZQUTbYE/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2OXxjj8YYTiRk1XB5DK-6Q8sczL5_r89JSLt3bGj2y9ZzMJ_fW6LLfPU234oM3981W3KAxuXd13BfoIJWFqY6YXsfj850NXHzgeuaqyLFihvVDyL32Lgbr-gPL2h0NpPERDKZQUTbYE/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+087.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGn9v5KCyhCjq-mq4ROKzb9rfuyM_Ti9JyF5pS-NE32HHCaQCMxxd_dCuJVlituwnREF1br7trUwA2koZYGK9vwRXmSYp-dlZsR0uJGa9Su3S5Vh6JlUj3koKNXWB5ikDpYFPbC2mp0o/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGn9v5KCyhCjq-mq4ROKzb9rfuyM_Ti9JyF5pS-NE32HHCaQCMxxd_dCuJVlituwnREF1br7trUwA2koZYGK9vwRXmSYp-dlZsR0uJGa9Su3S5Vh6JlUj3koKNXWB5ikDpYFPbC2mp0o/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+094.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbN4P3CDMJ2DFzbHW1iYW45Dhvz3x14nIPSXKBvEEM_LHGwLJGWE0woQ9F7sUF7195Qf6s19tthrLoWew-RY4TJdieJHMs2U2nWzD84tmNlqViChcMBmEJtpb5qohvUd9QV-gAvaYueY/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbN4P3CDMJ2DFzbHW1iYW45Dhvz3x14nIPSXKBvEEM_LHGwLJGWE0woQ9F7sUF7195Qf6s19tthrLoWew-RY4TJdieJHMs2U2nWzD84tmNlqViChcMBmEJtpb5qohvUd9QV-gAvaYueY/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+095.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoSfwPmikX8HKseiTECMuL4nuJ6a193ZQOuIkKtAcK0nJZsxnfu6EfwxkVK1p5dO30AtdWviiO_x43-miE-bCN0dUwFJvtbJSPQQDMbOdCjY4vCPEEtJTRp5jj3pEOGQcGpD6GSOEV-Q/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoSfwPmikX8HKseiTECMuL4nuJ6a193ZQOuIkKtAcK0nJZsxnfu6EfwxkVK1p5dO30AtdWviiO_x43-miE-bCN0dUwFJvtbJSPQQDMbOdCjY4vCPEEtJTRp5jj3pEOGQcGpD6GSOEV-Q/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+098.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYnpqO5lCMgpjWIgBXYO-FSNG1_vxmvo22MpoO0ViwwYOi6z2aWKZ4Vx1qB21aHrzaNM0A-J9Fy9BJrzoC5MmwUTbxJOEN-GeNQRLjQyEjqEUv8Erkc0JLByqIer1b9NYQVbOG_5jscw/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYnpqO5lCMgpjWIgBXYO-FSNG1_vxmvo22MpoO0ViwwYOi6z2aWKZ4Vx1qB21aHrzaNM0A-J9Fy9BJrzoC5MmwUTbxJOEN-GeNQRLjQyEjqEUv8Erkc0JLByqIer1b9NYQVbOG_5jscw/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+099.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRZHFqDYHocYTyvymN8uukPOcJ5w_nmEwBHoN_c282ZrKYhkN7ny5HaxgfV6LS7oNBcEjHWZ6wanl2AEIww7ngXkS7Gy2GaEVIOnSXja8HMzNjfl5qaFX0V3vXa5nnc85r-QJYBN0F8Q/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRZHFqDYHocYTyvymN8uukPOcJ5w_nmEwBHoN_c282ZrKYhkN7ny5HaxgfV6LS7oNBcEjHWZ6wanl2AEIww7ngXkS7Gy2GaEVIOnSXja8HMzNjfl5qaFX0V3vXa5nnc85r-QJYBN0F8Q/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+100.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoXhFBHnFt9i2RhGsYRsS3ejkDPANKbU87q0a_hWWffk9xhFq-BJbvELTyBYDTxQZIJlIyxMpQuOhgGT9eqIYaU1nALBiWpOJ3qJ6QXAfXZQpHk-71FWBJEo6r0R7_JnMh4NF1q8zDvY/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoXhFBHnFt9i2RhGsYRsS3ejkDPANKbU87q0a_hWWffk9xhFq-BJbvELTyBYDTxQZIJlIyxMpQuOhgGT9eqIYaU1nALBiWpOJ3qJ6QXAfXZQpHk-71FWBJEo6r0R7_JnMh4NF1q8zDvY/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+113.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9sN7k14-75GeHJyjAw2E1rEXH76pbiZJaFwP85wC-jTHoa5gTVwXzOa2PGrRm5QRwCkz-7ZOZt0syBsKX5t8BuUruhxyovOler4eVd6GgkObkVO7tagKFwZSJdPPd9m_ejniCEsTIqU/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9sN7k14-75GeHJyjAw2E1rEXH76pbiZJaFwP85wC-jTHoa5gTVwXzOa2PGrRm5QRwCkz-7ZOZt0syBsKX5t8BuUruhxyovOler4eVd6GgkObkVO7tagKFwZSJdPPd9m_ejniCEsTIqU/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+117.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjrC-gDbIQGAmHOwXONj3-2oIbSPxJqKWppJ6dHCAWrduRXFNXODpdOwWSb-4KL7BxVEeCjIfGU26TxWpdhPLyXAIjA0HE6h31keUW_IjvLJNwQovveYiv2dkD2Xbsi6p2yBvwnOy5kT4/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjrC-gDbIQGAmHOwXONj3-2oIbSPxJqKWppJ6dHCAWrduRXFNXODpdOwWSb-4KL7BxVEeCjIfGU26TxWpdhPLyXAIjA0HE6h31keUW_IjvLJNwQovveYiv2dkD2Xbsi6p2yBvwnOy5kT4/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+123.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lko-EPyrmhwDvCJ0W-T1fHruvDuuA00YQFtkObkFP6iaRmkf_-nvXVVSKldx3dLHWYZy6Vg2a7HIDWgeU-a6vVesq-UKDw72AXGL9lD2UB6wxQYxOfFDR5qQggG13oNtgL89gVdpOrY/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lko-EPyrmhwDvCJ0W-T1fHruvDuuA00YQFtkObkFP6iaRmkf_-nvXVVSKldx3dLHWYZy6Vg2a7HIDWgeU-a6vVesq-UKDw72AXGL9lD2UB6wxQYxOfFDR5qQggG13oNtgL89gVdpOrY/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+125.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJesKMDNnlq9u6y-k3ldx0MhAfBU-K6BSAaLcG5025zAA8zpKTMCRI2ejHW-7cNHespmxUyahaKpSrgF1UZSkHpAIej2lR0xKwjHgOpho_H6aKe0NXiBRwB3xPFys9ArxaQOu9Xi51HLY/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJesKMDNnlq9u6y-k3ldx0MhAfBU-K6BSAaLcG5025zAA8zpKTMCRI2ejHW-7cNHespmxUyahaKpSrgF1UZSkHpAIej2lR0xKwjHgOpho_H6aKe0NXiBRwB3xPFys9ArxaQOu9Xi51HLY/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+126.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEPSkhtve6x9ZC9OLAuSdRRqu3xI3vWtZOnmhWr-snL7UihVOQp0eTJ9GimKaEKXnwUqU1S3aSFSbKTsn-DIidevdoWQ4_M8yyBoNSBICtJxvfLCQ1CQGPgMo5PExDnnbPWp6ckRqsGY/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEPSkhtve6x9ZC9OLAuSdRRqu3xI3vWtZOnmhWr-snL7UihVOQp0eTJ9GimKaEKXnwUqU1S3aSFSbKTsn-DIidevdoWQ4_M8yyBoNSBICtJxvfLCQ1CQGPgMo5PExDnnbPWp6ckRqsGY/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+127.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2XD8ZV5J3j89Mm7tZsiRbtah4jb8lCL4uZ9P0rxZgnaCQm3uOMMbxWNqX0Xlgk583W6-LpwjltppA5QRO74hMwp5m-wlPG2tPpYMs9biRtDImikZ_IZ-mbXL27PFfogECAZYSZo9yR0/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2XD8ZV5J3j89Mm7tZsiRbtah4jb8lCL4uZ9P0rxZgnaCQm3uOMMbxWNqX0Xlgk583W6-LpwjltppA5QRO74hMwp5m-wlPG2tPpYMs9biRtDImikZ_IZ-mbXL27PFfogECAZYSZo9yR0/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+128.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Fjq0hX9P9sNb_keVFBqn98M4PWMuyDl2VkJG7dDgwq8NapV9RCYKs61OZQeddHUwHkHYlzD6UzqC0VU4hwKLrmQ8qO9yoXGwXdsRvMfR0PhUFJzC-vX0QiuGbJKf9hkrY2XAvtWrQUY/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Fjq0hX9P9sNb_keVFBqn98M4PWMuyDl2VkJG7dDgwq8NapV9RCYKs61OZQeddHUwHkHYlzD6UzqC0VU4hwKLrmQ8qO9yoXGwXdsRvMfR0PhUFJzC-vX0QiuGbJKf9hkrY2XAvtWrQUY/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+143.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5N7SCW9ENhLZ31kCjHCTXOzSm4qvdChKorjdljhfdnwrK5nhE42sIxAGOntRq6tmzOJ1qor_bwXHxFGR1PlXwdLzgypyB4C1FVrYeBjWLNS0bP7T1SVdOy-4rB-l9e-fpOaCasFc6hQ/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5N7SCW9ENhLZ31kCjHCTXOzSm4qvdChKorjdljhfdnwrK5nhE42sIxAGOntRq6tmzOJ1qor_bwXHxFGR1PlXwdLzgypyB4C1FVrYeBjWLNS0bP7T1SVdOy-4rB-l9e-fpOaCasFc6hQ/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+151.JPG" width="211" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfy-XCoVHzz0qicLQiPmIFDqpiNzkA4UuO4qHo7En0LK5ZzPoRamQreWOIdcsDBRXPH-71VQ-EfQFATH8PxicJ9sWZQX0Nsi0hSXr_BocnIIXyLBY7X84PgUEiKmmVr29oL-TqKNI1L4/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfy-XCoVHzz0qicLQiPmIFDqpiNzkA4UuO4qHo7En0LK5ZzPoRamQreWOIdcsDBRXPH-71VQ-EfQFATH8PxicJ9sWZQX0Nsi0hSXr_BocnIIXyLBY7X84PgUEiKmmVr29oL-TqKNI1L4/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+155.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51sMfSGMDs72kmQBPOFRR_WThtuJnyr-_OMG39V3vh6vc6XAIKGSun-JkkKyO-9zIyRW94zJmnrnhnOCCG6V-NQMEq2B4GTXnLRbiizmJrNMU-ahyphenhyphenzdHReOtTyoWjGJI5ve_nb2pQpTQ/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51sMfSGMDs72kmQBPOFRR_WThtuJnyr-_OMG39V3vh6vc6XAIKGSun-JkkKyO-9zIyRW94zJmnrnhnOCCG6V-NQMEq2B4GTXnLRbiizmJrNMU-ahyphenhyphenzdHReOtTyoWjGJI5ve_nb2pQpTQ/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+159.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJlFmi-UoSC_A2B6GoF2EoAQgxUhHq3i211uD86ekeqTKLzJbvSLUfsOrTlGKYzoryk1YKY3yyu5_uBTF8UOHOkIIDr6ZQI4z0CvzJQVCpQvQr2cv6WNn35-KhEwwrnLwjn3cwdYFX0g/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJlFmi-UoSC_A2B6GoF2EoAQgxUhHq3i211uD86ekeqTKLzJbvSLUfsOrTlGKYzoryk1YKY3yyu5_uBTF8UOHOkIIDr6ZQI4z0CvzJQVCpQvQr2cv6WNn35-KhEwwrnLwjn3cwdYFX0g/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+164.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRT_WceLozcnfQHbccx2FHJOLhhaLwHpbNJAXQ-K84L_Po5cqq_FgxFt2dngD8f-mcUepjm8-0a_ztA1rI0cTmHRdu5o0NxsI2xD3xBJo8adjNzx4s3HSyUgOgsRVN3ePZBV5HdiHDg2o/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRT_WceLozcnfQHbccx2FHJOLhhaLwHpbNJAXQ-K84L_Po5cqq_FgxFt2dngD8f-mcUepjm8-0a_ztA1rI0cTmHRdu5o0NxsI2xD3xBJo8adjNzx4s3HSyUgOgsRVN3ePZBV5HdiHDg2o/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+171.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDQP6P8Wig3dFRluIpu9OAoiiHzuR6k0nEP_NE00vd_axszp22f1Ju79aXF47i5FASevP8CQYFOXb2i1XI-JipBjM6_GdqF8D_Fq8cYTcft-6UKs-pHfFKbDj11_FqoRWD8ZItuimSUI/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDQP6P8Wig3dFRluIpu9OAoiiHzuR6k0nEP_NE00vd_axszp22f1Ju79aXF47i5FASevP8CQYFOXb2i1XI-JipBjM6_GdqF8D_Fq8cYTcft-6UKs-pHfFKbDj11_FqoRWD8ZItuimSUI/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+174.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAVcrdjXZHt9687zKNRv0kbmTSnXY5YmrYqd96O-c7a9YzbxEzZ35yxt34nRm6TW9OtluwO7C6Hm-zB6M5fQ1qAOuP_iZDbCWpgqKDw8RMRGpUXhyv0WpEnWGNzSCHp9nYIW7x2VcXdQ/s1600/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAVcrdjXZHt9687zKNRv0kbmTSnXY5YmrYqd96O-c7a9YzbxEzZ35yxt34nRm6TW9OtluwO7C6Hm-zB6M5fQ1qAOuP_iZDbCWpgqKDw8RMRGpUXhyv0WpEnWGNzSCHp9nYIW7x2VcXdQ/s400/Washington%252C+DC+Nov+2015+175.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-62519165818731446842015-10-14T19:45:00.003-04:002015-10-14T19:45:54.928-04:0010 more weeks...more or less.I am 30 weeks pregnant. So we are in the real countdown! Just 10 short/long weeks left until this new baby arrives. I had an ultrasound with Maternal Fetal Medicine docs on 10/5 and baby is still showing a slightly larger area near it's kidney....it is actually the "renal pelvis" that they are looking at. But the good news is that my placenta has shifted into a favorable position, so it is no longer covering my cervix at all!<br />
<br />
I have to go back for one more ultrasound with MFM on 10/26 and the doctor said they will know for sure by that time (32 weeks) whether or not the renal pelvis is too big/a problem. So 2 more weeks of waiting for that.<br />
<br />
This is a super busy month and I know it will just get busier as we get into November and then December! <br />
<br />
Isabel will be showing our baby goats in the NC State Fair in about a week! So there is a lot of preparation for that since this will be our first time showing any sort of animal in a competition! I'm sure there will be a learning curve ;)<br />
<br />
Then we have Halloween and All Saint's Day the following weekend and right after that we zip up to Washington, D.C. to see some religious sisters take their vows! I am so excited about this trip because we will visit the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and our family is going to make a family consecration to Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary while we are there. We also get to take a tour of a Franciscan monastery...it's just going to be a treat for our family and I am so looking forward to it! <br />
<br />
Then....well, like I said it will be November and then Thanksgiving and Advent starting....whew. Then it's baby time!<br />
<br />Have I said that I cannot wait for baby time? I am so excited to meet this new little person!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-37458823383380597492015-09-23T22:01:00.001-04:002015-09-23T22:01:40.737-04:0027 weeks with a pic!I just hit 27 weeks and baby is delivering some strong kicks and punches these days. We attended my brother's wedding this past weekend and got some really beautiful pictures of the kids and a couple good ones of me and Rob too! :) <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchyH0N5pROM3IcqucDoKmZhotSvQEDaHLVbb6jAeaKFEa58vWyjApvuQ2yrMOnrf_xrbinlJIVMefyiGSiTPiP0_XJP4UEXbyCwxkCvL3CPQbKYDOTAxCF-M6ZV3NjlfnWpZdGgCJ6VM/s1600/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchyH0N5pROM3IcqucDoKmZhotSvQEDaHLVbb6jAeaKFEa58vWyjApvuQ2yrMOnrf_xrbinlJIVMefyiGSiTPiP0_XJP4UEXbyCwxkCvL3CPQbKYDOTAxCF-M6ZV3NjlfnWpZdGgCJ6VM/s400/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+221.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8guys4ZbPpABR-SnXxj9q4Lro7I1-B4Iid_DXcBqoW51h32eUvnR6nU9tWdDAgmMg9CRtqNYrft2GqD_YwkhyphenhyphenNKRGFbrvCo6R8TiY0XE2_qpMudrLi23wlGgBVo_lkrXupTQvHGamx4/s1600/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8guys4ZbPpABR-SnXxj9q4Lro7I1-B4Iid_DXcBqoW51h32eUvnR6nU9tWdDAgmMg9CRtqNYrft2GqD_YwkhyphenhyphenNKRGFbrvCo6R8TiY0XE2_qpMudrLi23wlGgBVo_lkrXupTQvHGamx4/s400/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+229.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Poor Ian, if only I had noticed his pants button had popped open. ;)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnptJImvw2QOPUbSWlKhl7LNz3D5koFvCUbhpv1FCXWtWWhyBKrgBt_8Ep4s-nVGC-vTl3lC8ldOL1PZNcw9hhXNHTr0_84KsdHquM4pbjiX37Gw3Kr7FD9NBG7Nj4R4k2olaMrCMDy5Q/s1600/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnptJImvw2QOPUbSWlKhl7LNz3D5koFvCUbhpv1FCXWtWWhyBKrgBt_8Ep4s-nVGC-vTl3lC8ldOL1PZNcw9hhXNHTr0_84KsdHquM4pbjiX37Gw3Kr7FD9NBG7Nj4R4k2olaMrCMDy5Q/s400/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+102.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
C did not want to participate in picture taking...so I got a good one of her pouting.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVMZorYl1ryQcnFf_1-jGbSLCACJ8F_LsThdJdlFv9P3flMRge00YPF0f0us2qthG0jXRqZcsBC7-ZAhLOJRgNaWxft1taJ_jKGdgdXQK2-KzeofXAuuYn590tUwR9gV8z3G0xISd64I/s1600/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVMZorYl1ryQcnFf_1-jGbSLCACJ8F_LsThdJdlFv9P3flMRge00YPF0f0us2qthG0jXRqZcsBC7-ZAhLOJRgNaWxft1taJ_jKGdgdXQK2-KzeofXAuuYn590tUwR9gV8z3G0xISd64I/s400/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+104.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSWNG4ZalPDJtQp1PW0Vio81f0JJjjquRfSXYeLWLYplhwiYRgx-cnGFU4-PyTF_JXCYOK1bcv8TPY73tWGj3EtuF0vrXTlEHKdAHMLcm-HRyGulTnUWYV0YNTm3mSmmVe9iXS6RIu-bE/s1600/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSWNG4ZalPDJtQp1PW0Vio81f0JJjjquRfSXYeLWLYplhwiYRgx-cnGFU4-PyTF_JXCYOK1bcv8TPY73tWGj3EtuF0vrXTlEHKdAHMLcm-HRyGulTnUWYV0YNTm3mSmmVe9iXS6RIu-bE/s400/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+183.JPG" width="211" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29vnRhDHaKxeuYLpMj53GkpXQakNYK_4bC-PxXhDT2IL1-l7QaQXG6gx3E26wWW1uS1gFowXOFCmbD-GNHaTFzHWC1eWYxpR0zbkDZgLrDNCjmS6-h4npBILVKJyhTA-i1V6zpW4cuHY/s1600/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29vnRhDHaKxeuYLpMj53GkpXQakNYK_4bC-PxXhDT2IL1-l7QaQXG6gx3E26wWW1uS1gFowXOFCmbD-GNHaTFzHWC1eWYxpR0zbkDZgLrDNCjmS6-h4npBILVKJyhTA-i1V6zpW4cuHY/s400/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+207.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxAYQt3YuLpgCMxJiLGB2CbGf0AdP13ZGdVlRwzUVW-SyGA8JL_uyQ2aqh81AkxbODTLQ8tMi9NYZpJjrXOexBXkDAY8HGSiPph5unTbIUAgvpN90ogKYN9kmcvSvb4LBS03fbAw5Ons/s1600/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxAYQt3YuLpgCMxJiLGB2CbGf0AdP13ZGdVlRwzUVW-SyGA8JL_uyQ2aqh81AkxbODTLQ8tMi9NYZpJjrXOexBXkDAY8HGSiPph5unTbIUAgvpN90ogKYN9kmcvSvb4LBS03fbAw5Ons/s400/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+077.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBB86REZQG4xx9VQmaIi3oUAGyyLN278gYFd31imJwPxLbIMyi36qBLboLCC4JE_IEgKgPQj9kZSBhCS7qdl6uxs8wNi7vDl5IFG7I_-bVgyCI9WezSAUsn6gsjdnGSrYoTLGZkAKfTH4/s1600/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBB86REZQG4xx9VQmaIi3oUAGyyLN278gYFd31imJwPxLbIMyi36qBLboLCC4JE_IEgKgPQj9kZSBhCS7qdl6uxs8wNi7vDl5IFG7I_-bVgyCI9WezSAUsn6gsjdnGSrYoTLGZkAKfTH4/s400/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+079.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0FAKwwY-WTodGQvdL2FaSaOqFw9uFN2VXoqv2etztjsnacZquXvmm4GJ5cSxGV5DpZzES0oiTX_9gMl098ia9_IhQay2eMw2nJgWkuIEJhRjU75SAUBGNSRX25O_J9XQYem_76i2_Aw/s1600/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0FAKwwY-WTodGQvdL2FaSaOqFw9uFN2VXoqv2etztjsnacZquXvmm4GJ5cSxGV5DpZzES0oiTX_9gMl098ia9_IhQay2eMw2nJgWkuIEJhRjU75SAUBGNSRX25O_J9XQYem_76i2_Aw/s400/Matt%2527s+Wedding+Sept+2015+080.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I was really excited because I took all these pics myself! Well, except for the one shot I am in ;) And I was so happy with how they turned out....I can't wait to see what the wedding photographer got!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
As far as the pregnancy goes, I am still on my crazy thyroid med schedule and my thyroid levels are now balanced for the time being, so I will continue with all the fasting and pill popping. My next high level ultrasound to check placenta placement and the baby's kidneys is October 5th, so I'm praying all is well/resolved and also quite excited to get another peek at baby.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I am feeling...well, achy. Ever since about mid-way through my pregnancy with Ian, and during each subsequent pregnancy, my left leg goes numb/tingly/pins and needles throughout my pregnancy and gets progressively worse. It usually resolves months after delivery, but man, this time it is really just driving me crazy. If I brush against something it either feels like hot ice (I know, that doesn't make any sense), or a bee sting, or a knife, and if I rub my leg it is painful. So, definitely counting down the weeks until little baby's arrival with great anticipation!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-11656971977790354032015-08-07T14:36:00.002-04:002015-08-07T14:36:07.747-04:0020 1/2 weeks PIC and Thyroid Med TweakMy NFP/NaPro doctor tweaked my thyroid meds after a blood draw last week, showing that my thyroid ratios were off.<br />
<br />
I did not start these new meds/dosages until today because last week we were on vacation and the schedule for taking the doses is a bit crazy. I was not about to start that at the beach. But speaking of the beach, here is an updated pic of our little family from this past week!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVPlXxsWHeiayKVOIg7camPnOvO9PbZc3qEmaBZRXPF7Uo4pIVPY3SsmgNjJHX7otc6wQ8GVnwmRZoGWkIadTYa9aiEB_vVSUcRstLvFxEY0gaHzVaTxgHiYkjcmSigmWc0lVnaTkGPI/s1600/Family+Atlantic+Beach+Aug+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVPlXxsWHeiayKVOIg7camPnOvO9PbZc3qEmaBZRXPF7Uo4pIVPY3SsmgNjJHX7otc6wQ8GVnwmRZoGWkIadTYa9aiEB_vVSUcRstLvFxEY0gaHzVaTxgHiYkjcmSigmWc0lVnaTkGPI/s400/Family+Atlantic+Beach+Aug+2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
Everyone is smiling except C!</div>
<br />
My Armour got reduced from 45mg 1x per day to 15mg 1x/day. <br />
<br />
And she added 5mcg of Liothyronine Sodium every 12 hours.<br />
<br />
Now, this doesn't sound like a big deal except ideally, neither of these medicines should be taken together, and they both require fasting 4 hours prior to and 30 minutes after taking them! Plus I have to take my regular vitamins a good bit of time apart from these.<br />
<br />
So here is my new schedule:<br />
<br />
8pm No more eating for the night.<br />
12am (yes, midnight) Take 1 Liothyronine Sodium pill.<br />
6am take 1 Armour Thyroid<br />
No food until 6:30am.<br />
6:30am-8am Eat lots of breakfast ;)<br />
8am No more eating until 12:30pm.<br />
12 noon 1 Liothyronine Sodium pill.<br />
12:30pm eat lunch!<br />
5-6pm Take vitamins with dinner.<br />
8pm No more eating for the night.....and my medicine cycle starts over.<br />
<br />
I think most people take their LS pill like 6am and 6pm, but I thought that might be harder to fast from 2-6:30pm, than to do a morning fast. So when Rob recommended this time frame 12am and 12pm, I asked the pharmacist and she said that would be ideal, if it was possible for me.<br />
<br />
I have been so moody, short and snappy lately....I can't believe I didn't guess that something was off with my thyroid levels. And frankly, I'm so glad they <em>ARE</em> off, because it helps explain my increased fatigue and my moodiness. So I'm actually excited to get it my hormones leveled back out and hopefully feel better even though the med schedule does sound crazy. Honestly, I am waking up so much right now to run to the bathroom in the middle of the night, that it didn't seem that out of line to just set my alarm and take a pill.<br />
<br />
Baby is very active these days. I've started having heart burn if I eat anything with any spice....even BBQ sauce! We have a boy's name picked out and are very up-in-the-air about girl names....we have a list but I don't feel very led to a certain name for a girl at the moment....at least we still have lots of time. And of course we are thinking this baby is a boy,...so I don't feel a lot of pressure to have a girl's name ready ;) That's about it! Thanks for all the prayers for my pregnancy and Baby Holmes :)<br />
<br />
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-44697680897576315812015-07-27T17:57:00.001-04:002015-07-27T17:57:10.473-04:00Anatomy Scan 18 weeks and 6 days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzssUpsOXl3OF2SPPRGLE6SQ7wcJdEvkwoad0aMmkK_af2_uoev7g7z89eRR_DijigmhbwHTLZsSsKLMfuUGA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Baby Holmes made his or her first video debut today at my anatomy ultrasound. I am 18 weeks and 6 days today and baby is moving sooooo much in the last week. I feel movement every day now.<br />
<br />
My ultrasound went really well. I had the same male tech who has been so kind to me in my previous problem pregnancies and he just always puts me at ease and seems so genuine. Everything looked great with baby except for 2 things which they will monitor again by ultrasound in 10 weeks (early October). <br />
<br />
First, the baby's kidneys were just slightly enlarged...the right more so than the left. Because of all the genetic testing we have had done which came back normal/negative, this is very unconcerning to the MFM doctor. He thinks it will resolve on it's own....could be the baby needs to pee, could be that there is a blockage....we just have to wait and see in 10 weeks. They were not worried about this, and we are not worried either.<br />
<br />
Second, my placenta was very near/covering the top of my cervix. Upon first noticing this, I was having Braxton Hicks contractions, so the tech suspected it was the contraction pushing my placenta over my cervix. At the end of the ultrasound, he looked again and I was still contracting and still the placenta was over the opening of my cervix. So they couldn't tell if this is truly a placenta previa condition or if it's just the contractions pushing on my placenta. They will look at this again in 10 weeks and get a better idea. In the meantime, if I should have any bleeding that kind of rules out "contractions causing the problem", and I would wind up with a C-section as baby can't come out the cervix if my placenta is in the way. So we wait and see....it is in God's hands and I can't worry about it. <br />
<br />
The tech definitely could tell if Baby Holmes is a girl or boy. He even said, "if you google this kidney condition, just know that it can happen in boys and girls"....which I thought was funny he mentioned this because that was my first idea...I could get a hint at what I am more likely to have if it occurs more commonly in one than the other. ;) <br />
<br />
I really marveled today at the technology we have....I mean my parents and certainly my grandparents never got to see images like we see today of their unborn babies. It's just amazing. And to know things in advance.....the good and the bad....to be able to prepare our minds and hearts. We just have to try to find the good in all we can and give thanks.<br />
<br />
I came home with a whole disk of videos of this little baby. In fact, I was surprised when he handed me a disk and not a printed picture! Ahhh.....times are a-changing...or maybe I'm just getting old ;)<br />
<br />
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-62634700435098741632015-07-21T20:43:00.002-04:002015-07-21T20:43:48.530-04:00For a friend...For a friend who recently lost her unborn baby boy....please pray for healing for her. Our family has been praying for this family as their unborn baby was diagnosed with a fatal condition and it just hit so close to home; this mother has been in my thoughts and prayers day in and day out. <br />
<br />
I recalled all the emotions from Mary Grace's diagnosis....waiting and hoping and wrestling with God, begging, struggling....the emotions were exhausting and just so heavy. It is so heavy for a mother's heart to bear....but it is such a grace that women can turn to the mother of Jesus as an example when our hearts feel like they can bear no more sorrow, grief or anguish over our children.<br />
<br />
Mary, Mother of Jesus, please pray for this sweet mother who has lost her baby. Wrap her in your mantle and hold her close. Ask Jesus to show her His merciful hand in all of this.<br />
<br />
Jesus, please hold this family close to your Sacred Heart and give them your consoling peace and love.<br />
<br />
We ask all this in Your Merciful Name, Jesus...Amen.<br />
<br />
<em><strong>Isaiah 43:2</strong> “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em><strong>2 Corinthians 1:3-4</strong> “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,<sup> </sup>who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”</em>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-55116492315437273072015-06-25T13:38:00.001-04:002015-06-25T13:38:42.893-04:00What's new? Well I finally announced this on Facebook so it is time to let the blogging world know too!<br />
<br />
Saturday was my birthday! <br />
<br />
My present was to get my hair done...yes, I know most people get their hair done just to get it done, but I just cannot stand the cost to get it done right, so to make myself feel better, this year, it was my birthday present. A cut and highlights.<br />
<br />
I posted the following on Facebook:<br />
<br />
"New hair, new BABY on the way....35 is going to be a great year! Thanks for all the birthday wishes!"<br />
<div align="center">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_T8qaioB6BPm7dCoFtxtuxMhbnFoh3_nQBg689vHhgdBvxUBkWkiYraKtSTnv0kTqzeycecvhu54CQlH_2wbduoPyKsuVvPp6PKQF6Cb52vaFdI3D6f0gLVmGeOSezt0w1gmLR58JZaU/s1600/My+birthday+June+2015+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_T8qaioB6BPm7dCoFtxtuxMhbnFoh3_nQBg689vHhgdBvxUBkWkiYraKtSTnv0kTqzeycecvhu54CQlH_2wbduoPyKsuVvPp6PKQF6Cb52vaFdI3D6f0gLVmGeOSezt0w1gmLR58JZaU/s400/My+birthday+June+2015+039.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So now that all of you know, I can fill you in on the rest of my health history over the past few months!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I finally gave in and took the (out-of-pocket) adrenal function saliva test, which tests your cortisol levels at different times throughout a 24 hour period and gives you an idea of your adrenal gland function. And I was shocked when the results came back as "highest level of adrenal fatigue"!! I mean, I was tired and hadn't felt great and along with my high blood pressure at every doctor's visit but normal blood pressure at home, I was starting to wonder if I was falling apart. So when my doctor suggested Adren-ALL, I quickly agreed and started taking this OTC supplement and it was working great! I was starting to have energy like I had not had in....well, as long as I could remember. I also changed my diet, because the adrenal glands are all about managing stress and apparently mine were overloaded, so anything I could think of to lower stress (yes, even all those pesky carbs that are difficult to digest are stressful on your adrenals!), I did. And like I said, I was feeling so good....and then I got pregnant and my doc said, "No more Adren-ALL." </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
All I can say is that I cannot wait until I can get back on those supplements. I am tired. And it's now the I-slept-all-night-but-still-feel-unrested-the-next-morning type of tired. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This baby is due in December! The 22nd/23rd (depending on which of my doctors you ask). And so far, Praise God, things are looking very good! I will be 15 weeks on Tuesday and I have had 3 ultrasounds so far. Baby in the right place, check. Baby has a heartbeat, check. Placenta looks good, check. Baby was scanned and I had a blood test to check for chromosomal disorders and everything came back looking great. I was so relieved. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The doctor who did my last scan was the same one who dealt with my partial molar pregnancy last year....that baby, as did Mary Grace, had triploidy, and the doctor mentioned again that he had never had a patient (or had heard of his colleagues having a patient) who had 2 triploidy pregnancies. I go back in July to the maternal fetal medicine people to have my big anatomy scan, and like with Caroline, we are not finding out the gender. I just pray that everything continues to go well.....all I can do is take it day by day...and sometimes moment by moment. The anxiety sometimes comes out of nowhere and I constantly think of purchasing a fetal heart Doppler to calm my nerves. But ultimately, whatever happens, God is in control and His big picture is something that I do not yet get to see. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In the meantime, we pray, hope and enjoy watching my belly start to grow!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-52255268552763506592015-04-25T10:55:00.001-04:002015-04-29T06:43:10.827-04:00The CD and the Puzzle.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QQ26chSLq5FuQQ4yzlwEobf05jvXFlshyDoI3PP7qyq8Qa9GqMiEcpAeDtgR2gpeGYxsJaILT8RYKQrDChhJnkWDiatOHjmZ2qKoAlMEx5mR4E7BvRETppDJ-caHzjLvbBmov7r3E6o/s1600/puzzle+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QQ26chSLq5FuQQ4yzlwEobf05jvXFlshyDoI3PP7qyq8Qa9GqMiEcpAeDtgR2gpeGYxsJaILT8RYKQrDChhJnkWDiatOHjmZ2qKoAlMEx5mR4E7BvRETppDJ-caHzjLvbBmov7r3E6o/s1600/puzzle+001.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<br />
I just have to document these events that took place because it is a reminder that we, our lives, things that happen which we don't understand....all of these are specks...pieces of a magnificent puzzle that the Lord is putting together....fitting together to make a clear picture, but of which we only sometimes get glimpses. We find two pieces of a thousand piece puzzle that match and we have a momentary rush of excitement and wonder that we were able to put 2 pieces together.<br />
<br />
The same is often true of our lives and I had a small glimpse of this last week. <br />
<br />
Rob was out of town Thursday night, the 16th. I was tired and went to bed with the phone beside me in case he called (sometimes he is out late with clients). At 10:15pm, the phone rang, but it was one of his co-workers (also a friend and a Godparent to one of our kids)....but my heart began to race as I woke up and tried to comprehend why he would be calling instead of Rob. <br />
<br />
"Hello?"...."Hello!???".....I said....there was no reply. And then he hung up.<br />
<br />
My mind started to panic.<br />
<br />
I immediately dialed Rob and to my relief he answered and was okay.<br />
<br />
Well, what happened was this: Rob and his co-workers were in the hotel lobby having a drink and Rob received a phone call from his sister. His co-worker thought he was talking to me, so he thought it would be funny to interrupt "our" call by calling me....unfortunately, he was wrong about who Rob was speaking with, called me, woke me up and then felt terrible for his mistake.<br />
<br />
Because he felt so bad, he made me a cd with 5 songs on it. My "I'm sorry, Ang" cd....to make up for playing a joke at my expense.<br />
<br />
I thought that was pretty nice and I didn't have any hard feelings. He's a jokester anyway.<br />
<br />
The next morning, after Mass, we found out Nancy had died. I took the kids home from Mass and waited for Rob to get home from his travels. As soon as he got home I was ready to head back to church to a special day of Adoration which had been set up to pray for Nancy and her family. I was a little annoyed when I got into the car and Rob said, "I've got music already ready for you." As I drove away I thought, <em>Why would he think I would want him to pick out music for me? A friend died today and I want to pick my own music.... </em><br />
<br />
How arrogant of me to have had those thoughts. <br />
<br />
I relented of my mental battle and let the cd play as I drove to the church.<br />
<br />
It was the "I'm Sorry, Ang" cd from his co-worker.<br />
<br />
And each of those 5 songs touched my heart deeply. It was just what my soul needed to hear. I played it there, repeated it, and played it on the drive back home. These songs, while not necessarily written about death, spoke to me with their lyrics and their melodies and some haunting harmonies. <br />
<br />
We listened to it all this week and on the drive to the funeral yesterday. <br />
<br />
The "I'm Sorry, Ang" cd turned into the "Nancy's Gone" cd for me....those songs will forever remind me of this time in my life. Of saying goodbye to a friend.<br />
<br />
As I started to think about the songs and this cd and how it came to be that after being woken up in the middle of the night as a prank, that I would get this music as an apology, and that unknowing to Rob's coworker that my friend was dying, he would pick these songs that were meant for me to be heard during this time..... it's just like God gave me 4 or 5 pieces of a 10,000 piece puzzle and I was able to make out one small image and see clearly something within all the mess of jumbled, turned over pieces. <br />
<br />
I messaged him to tell him how the cd was meant for me during this time and to explain how his calling me that night set all this into motion...and he replied, <em>"God is so awesome. This is the third time this week someone has sent me a note like this."</em><br />
<br />
God is fitting the pieces together....everyone's pieces....all of the time.<br />
<br />
We can't see the finished puzzle.<br />
There are too many pieces.<br />
We can't match them all. <br />
<br />
<em>We won't see it</em> until we have reached our final home, and the entire puzzle is displayed for us by Our Father. But sometimes He reveals to us a section. A few pieces that fit together and we must know that while we are living and "working out the pieces" of our own lives, He already knows how each piece must fit together to it's completion.<br />
<br />
<br />
Edited to add the songs on my cd:<br />
Waiting on the River to Rise by Kingsley Flood<br />
Just Visiting by Wookiefoot<br />
Welcome Home, Son by Radical Face<br />
Little Hands by Inland Sky<br />
Morning Light by Annabelle's CurseAngelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-91411588528200139932015-04-17T14:07:00.000-04:002015-04-17T14:07:01.824-04:00I thought she was making a fairy garden...Today, our church and our homeschool community lost a beautiful friend to cancer. Her husband lost his wife. Her 6 children lost their mother. And heaven has gained a good and faithful servant. We are so sad to see you go, Nancy. If only we could truly fathom the joy of heaven. Heaven, the land for which we were created. We are only passing through this life on our journey home. And you have made it. Pray for us, Nancy, and for all those who were blessed to call you a friend.<br />
<br />
I thought Isabel (just about a week shy of turning 9 years old) was making a fairy garden.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6Ua8UnZs0eQkQO6-HVKsjKV6_wBXIbBNw1tIgvCZdjXg05t2d52XeJ2X_jGxXd7t7_3DyxDnA4wzOa7VWZ6opK0GEfhm3O_XeF9cKGfXXUn-nV2AZ7U6owD6ZQXiQGeqSafLrJt8BA4/s1600/April+Birthdays+2015+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6Ua8UnZs0eQkQO6-HVKsjKV6_wBXIbBNw1tIgvCZdjXg05t2d52XeJ2X_jGxXd7t7_3DyxDnA4wzOa7VWZ6opK0GEfhm3O_XeF9cKGfXXUn-nV2AZ7U6owD6ZQXiQGeqSafLrJt8BA4/s1600/April+Birthdays+2015+001.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
She wasn't.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsJwosDBSUQetKvd5mgxrD_u_EPQPlAQHVllV5RB-qx7MMca9YRJUGeDUwA8rnGdhCQgbN2yhNwpUArW_DP05_VRcSZCXzq3C5x5BhNmPlMrfaE6QAby5TzWpiq3twfA-v4ohlmN6lpU/s1600/April+Birthdays+2015+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsJwosDBSUQetKvd5mgxrD_u_EPQPlAQHVllV5RB-qx7MMca9YRJUGeDUwA8rnGdhCQgbN2yhNwpUArW_DP05_VRcSZCXzq3C5x5BhNmPlMrfaE6QAby5TzWpiq3twfA-v4ohlmN6lpU/s1600/April+Birthdays+2015+003.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
It was a memorial. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So she could "have a place to remember Nancy and to pray for the Mack family".</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSacggYhjzUqgqd7akirPp0KwdV0D-5LXRTShwBdRhY02ZiBDB1RPxNV1W6V2Tyox0gqPAVNTc2WZcF9fm7nhuBvTjYSFtKTRcqofy1yF5APq5DyXoizjHhrQ2cbnLlLGEL-QXp0HSZMI/s1600/April+Birthdays+2015+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSacggYhjzUqgqd7akirPp0KwdV0D-5LXRTShwBdRhY02ZiBDB1RPxNV1W6V2Tyox0gqPAVNTc2WZcF9fm7nhuBvTjYSFtKTRcqofy1yF5APq5DyXoizjHhrQ2cbnLlLGEL-QXp0HSZMI/s1600/April+Birthdays+2015+004.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-70765810844504120422015-03-10T21:14:00.001-04:002015-03-10T21:14:53.217-04:00February to March: Anniversaries to Baby Goats...Strange title, I know...but I will explain. February was a tough month in that the anniversary of the passing of our baby, Francis Marie was on the 6th and Mary Grace's anniversary was the 28th. So the month was sort of bookended by these anniversaries. I don't know if I adequately grieved Francis Marie, but I felt particularly sad on the 6th. The 28th was full of snow and ice, but we made it to the cemetery on the 29th and it happened to be a miserable, cold, wet day.<br />
<br />
But February and March kept us busy, because it is now kidding season for our goats. And as this was our first kidding season, it has been full of anticipation, excitement and a bit of nervousness. <br />
<br />
These are our two mama goats:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Amaretto</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yypX8HgjT5BNefFm25l6H6rw34rTfXrNX0Zm6Clr1iKe8REx39PFamdkoMavru6Rbq897O1OJJ-OPcfbSAwNpZ6qL94HtWeB9ADuK_h-CmFJMN8_B4Sx6KMo1Zq4OonNfrCu_K8Ax3s/s1600/20150307_134256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yypX8HgjT5BNefFm25l6H6rw34rTfXrNX0Zm6Clr1iKe8REx39PFamdkoMavru6Rbq897O1OJJ-OPcfbSAwNpZ6qL94HtWeB9ADuK_h-CmFJMN8_B4Sx6KMo1Zq4OonNfrCu_K8Ax3s/s1600/20150307_134256.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div align="center">
and Cameo.</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqC_GL2oSC9ZIdB2Jj5JyiNzp29IybnRl8imXM8DmmQkA0EIwFV3S0Dbxccd4olydjYLNww1InmW9vlfbzhZweOjI2oW6N4zeLDiirYiPTt_caLz0ywthuXDCYpZI_D8FlUMJufd-fxko/s1600/Baby+goats+March+2015+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqC_GL2oSC9ZIdB2Jj5JyiNzp29IybnRl8imXM8DmmQkA0EIwFV3S0Dbxccd4olydjYLNww1InmW9vlfbzhZweOjI2oW6N4zeLDiirYiPTt_caLz0ywthuXDCYpZI_D8FlUMJufd-fxko/s1600/Baby+goats+March+2015+001.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Cameo went into labor first. Poor girl. 12 hours of pressing her head against the wall.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6i85lH8ql6-LT0-mSiC_FkSh1c8pVLlPpHrOuD19Mi8SB3JJY_TsaTNOdFyN_-Sl5XuZ-7yjq7Dkpt84QDaEPWeFRQQqkmjqE_Sh0IoKen3fGV91DOxpR5e5YER8sd5sAt3eOEp2VWiU/s1600/20150306_191919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6i85lH8ql6-LT0-mSiC_FkSh1c8pVLlPpHrOuD19Mi8SB3JJY_TsaTNOdFyN_-Sl5XuZ-7yjq7Dkpt84QDaEPWeFRQQqkmjqE_Sh0IoKen3fGV91DOxpR5e5YER8sd5sAt3eOEp2VWiU/s1600/20150306_191919.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div align="center">
She delivered two bucklings around 7am.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYyb-3XUpDn9L9OhpbMpsowKoPhCZ4tEgENyzsPxj7U29G5aBnw3WhYtFi69pEn-7y7llZaurcSGhmCY_smngbbGi4CllZzM04D9psCIzXg7H4PD7sa99pQdqTbQ7hLdV5IXhoOuyXXA/s1600/20150307_074039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYyb-3XUpDn9L9OhpbMpsowKoPhCZ4tEgENyzsPxj7U29G5aBnw3WhYtFi69pEn-7y7llZaurcSGhmCY_smngbbGi4CllZzM04D9psCIzXg7H4PD7sa99pQdqTbQ7hLdV5IXhoOuyXXA/s1600/20150307_074039.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This is one of her bucklings below (yet to be named).</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVtqGRfRRQr_gR9puU_RF2C52ipkMm72CO18y1hnvVTXsJk5MREmpOLMnWDzB5lSeJwuIPBIpta9R6GhkiT0ukTjxcxgBVxJhzzZ8ZDspdw3xUdTKZ50p7Bd7XULPF3cfiWp1LB3UGsMg/s1600/20150308_132212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVtqGRfRRQr_gR9puU_RF2C52ipkMm72CO18y1hnvVTXsJk5MREmpOLMnWDzB5lSeJwuIPBIpta9R6GhkiT0ukTjxcxgBVxJhzzZ8ZDspdw3xUdTKZ50p7Bd7XULPF3cfiWp1LB3UGsMg/s1600/20150308_132212.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
And Ian has started calling her other buckling "Snow Runner" (below).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqrAZokeHRphJNmvMSVkbRBjvYAkXqGmqb-Fsb5k-pdV5HFfeUjkg6Fw_WAcIcL_dDyZ9UvSrb_sfjWl1SeDBP2Kv5vj4GX_2sqBODchxWxJQsU5uuyCOyS-5-9EMgjvTfmDNtgLl9us/s1600/Baby+goats+March+2015+104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqrAZokeHRphJNmvMSVkbRBjvYAkXqGmqb-Fsb5k-pdV5HFfeUjkg6Fw_WAcIcL_dDyZ9UvSrb_sfjWl1SeDBP2Kv5vj4GX_2sqBODchxWxJQsU5uuyCOyS-5-9EMgjvTfmDNtgLl9us/s1600/Baby+goats+March+2015+104.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
That same evening, Amaretto went into labor and her labor was even longer; ending around 11am with the delivery of triplets!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4F2HkKG_U3PDzFajro6iiOHgde2eRQy0ZcCK673mCMpYOuVb5fiGlfrsIm72w-Ba27Ta4u6B2CiwB98ZxRnUt1tH9PPcad2CfMfcuvTDQcqrEc_18a83vu7XMkk5tWQAwMRLgLswFvQ/s1600/20150308_134936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4F2HkKG_U3PDzFajro6iiOHgde2eRQy0ZcCK673mCMpYOuVb5fiGlfrsIm72w-Ba27Ta4u6B2CiwB98ZxRnUt1tH9PPcad2CfMfcuvTDQcqrEc_18a83vu7XMkk5tWQAwMRLgLswFvQ/s1600/20150308_134936.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Ian was really excited because he and Rob were home to help deliver these babies; just the two of them!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOeh5bRfiYDTsxaQbj7v5otAJUmBzxPzeQZTRZSWgBVKi6y82zK31zBibuXw-LcfOUK3lmFaP1T5OVzTyxivnQKwKwx0yAINhbDOOaPubZzdDjdDamv7PzVfowC7w1zm8DwXWrdTPVrI/s1600/20150308_135824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOeh5bRfiYDTsxaQbj7v5otAJUmBzxPzeQZTRZSWgBVKi6y82zK31zBibuXw-LcfOUK3lmFaP1T5OVzTyxivnQKwKwx0yAINhbDOOaPubZzdDjdDamv7PzVfowC7w1zm8DwXWrdTPVrI/s1600/20150308_135824.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHilfFD3iQVoJ6VFklz8WNYxNJw9uPT01dxMw7ArwIqHibY_Y5JKG9gXsEtzlV_-c1mq1a0pH94ztaqwVI2aQQ6-z_47j5rN2Yk18rZMnzBTG-C4lyappoPA7BSpneAyWuA_SHEArlLE/s1600/20150308_135850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHilfFD3iQVoJ6VFklz8WNYxNJw9uPT01dxMw7ArwIqHibY_Y5JKG9gXsEtzlV_-c1mq1a0pH94ztaqwVI2aQQ6-z_47j5rN2Yk18rZMnzBTG-C4lyappoPA7BSpneAyWuA_SHEArlLE/s1600/20150308_135850.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtT-F5JpmrrdwJtqqhxwKTHUfAgkFiiReqfWXxpSzmbrzdI-1c86Dh4r6L18VW8X7IRmADazGmzTiyU9JxYnTmrOGW-rXDlkV7HHHGEqjRBOgJYRW-btYMgOySdR3sjXw392RN0H8Kg6M/s1600/20150308_135906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtT-F5JpmrrdwJtqqhxwKTHUfAgkFiiReqfWXxpSzmbrzdI-1c86Dh4r6L18VW8X7IRmADazGmzTiyU9JxYnTmrOGW-rXDlkV7HHHGEqjRBOgJYRW-btYMgOySdR3sjXw392RN0H8Kg6M/s1600/20150308_135906.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The kids were tuckered out their first day of life.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwiB1j29GJ3pdgaVpvqzwOT7BN9WNzdNd-jdIuxYQwG010WCt27RrBAuw2RlWMw8UHC_6Mht3oTPEAtf074P_N-pGxL7c8-zNBJJ7em-HZT_DqkNn2HQK1I_uSUR4Fi6gJ1ublr791gk/s1600/20150308_185900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwiB1j29GJ3pdgaVpvqzwOT7BN9WNzdNd-jdIuxYQwG010WCt27RrBAuw2RlWMw8UHC_6Mht3oTPEAtf074P_N-pGxL7c8-zNBJJ7em-HZT_DqkNn2HQK1I_uSUR4Fi6gJ1ublr791gk/s1600/20150308_185900.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
But two days later they have lots of energy! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Here is a picture of Amaretto's only doeling (below), still unnamed.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SkSMqdHwQomCKXHusrZ7tbuV8SumQDDmywoiZ-guuFWU06mCvCBnc7xbCGJuBlg5O8Y9Wg0a42LEjwVuhzYJxitMUB2fDhDnN-Bu3SQFdeyF82o4q2ItzdQnupTG0_2TaxDmScXvDl8/s1600/20150310_132536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SkSMqdHwQomCKXHusrZ7tbuV8SumQDDmywoiZ-guuFWU06mCvCBnc7xbCGJuBlg5O8Y9Wg0a42LEjwVuhzYJxitMUB2fDhDnN-Bu3SQFdeyF82o4q2ItzdQnupTG0_2TaxDmScXvDl8/s1600/20150310_132536.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
And one of the bucklings; Isabel has named this one Charlie.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-FS-hGimy5CBcetWnyrpYhbl8y1VYBcJmxGFV5Y469VseOc4UXIa70HGbEuHT61qwctWZcuyZwAf2GaOQK5gqh57NvrmHpFxnAFYCWeW0e0CCHoBKVgLFN2DcpFPQ5Chac4dPdtsmWA/s1600/Baby+goats+March+2015+087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-FS-hGimy5CBcetWnyrpYhbl8y1VYBcJmxGFV5Y469VseOc4UXIa70HGbEuHT61qwctWZcuyZwAf2GaOQK5gqh57NvrmHpFxnAFYCWeW0e0CCHoBKVgLFN2DcpFPQ5Chac4dPdtsmWA/s1600/Baby+goats+March+2015+087.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Close up of Charlie.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfr9b__V0L3zNTFMUuI5cO2C4mrZpsJRM1UvPtyZlMauMy8TZduBuh07Esn8f5-kPyi8khFTF-Q3bXEws5AqwCKmtbdemBU6TwufxWNXdgYtSTNAY-ic_Smd07XW57g4PEz2Q5qm6ABok/s1600/20150310_134815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfr9b__V0L3zNTFMUuI5cO2C4mrZpsJRM1UvPtyZlMauMy8TZduBuh07Esn8f5-kPyi8khFTF-Q3bXEws5AqwCKmtbdemBU6TwufxWNXdgYtSTNAY-ic_Smd07XW57g4PEz2Q5qm6ABok/s1600/20150310_134815.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
And the third triplet (second buckling), still unnamed.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2zaCOFX1PZ0O6XUMabZ1fmKH-cW_66YMAysIfYgEw_401x09ZJE5sxFqQ_vtq3JeGmjYs6-EBb1fua4uS4gtPxocm-ht4gJColBZptJAQXQ99wqkyL_-NfN_5IESIEb15_n99Yn1HP0/s1600/Baby+goats+March+2015+092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2zaCOFX1PZ0O6XUMabZ1fmKH-cW_66YMAysIfYgEw_401x09ZJE5sxFqQ_vtq3JeGmjYs6-EBb1fua4uS4gtPxocm-ht4gJColBZptJAQXQ99wqkyL_-NfN_5IESIEb15_n99Yn1HP0/s1600/Baby+goats+March+2015+092.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Charlie and his sister (below).</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcASwKEyIRBNg1xd37PSuXGdpbsUmUXzwHVQ9dYc6KwTxa4n_StIMtTJ6FG6y0XV5v3fprhwipwsdOiAUSB5ILff8-wNxj62dZ7y0fmY69KlIvMvP6q8HCOx18mueOxsvBcWeaLgFPPq8/s1600/20150310_135344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcASwKEyIRBNg1xd37PSuXGdpbsUmUXzwHVQ9dYc6KwTxa4n_StIMtTJ6FG6y0XV5v3fprhwipwsdOiAUSB5ILff8-wNxj62dZ7y0fmY69KlIvMvP6q8HCOx18mueOxsvBcWeaLgFPPq8/s1600/20150310_135344.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Our two "teenagers" were worn out after babysitting all the "babies".</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvrw4snavjlQAoBSOe1dPBFIZnRFTMJ9JJChU6WTosJXSXh3cXMclxZTrKU5HOuTVGa5gZo6ghfN4wdsjoap54ua1C1UvuFt7_j4MNnDGPYUDV6BLyIl_M2FvAjKJBy9nDX-UzZqfvsg/s1600/20150310_135659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvrw4snavjlQAoBSOe1dPBFIZnRFTMJ9JJChU6WTosJXSXh3cXMclxZTrKU5HOuTVGa5gZo6ghfN4wdsjoap54ua1C1UvuFt7_j4MNnDGPYUDV6BLyIl_M2FvAjKJBy9nDX-UzZqfvsg/s1600/20150310_135659.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AJdjHIyGdDHhqCEbBBunLuWEqySonQ9JYgZyse5sYNXX0b9WI-DqBBAik_BJ6CtaDjDIgso-oFkvZhRWCtyK0eNjt71oOWUwyyU6xB7xTJEYZylhpH5KKc_m3GnYM3pSEACSXEuDDNg/s1600/Baby+goats+March+2015+080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AJdjHIyGdDHhqCEbBBunLuWEqySonQ9JYgZyse5sYNXX0b9WI-DqBBAik_BJ6CtaDjDIgso-oFkvZhRWCtyK0eNjt71oOWUwyyU6xB7xTJEYZylhpH5KKc_m3GnYM3pSEACSXEuDDNg/s1600/Baby+goats+March+2015+080.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MIQCFk3gl2ul_UAvnhKNLmENxLz0c5Gt0j5X-sPYLZ06VmlhHCxLEZeIrYQWDB1sJ4TMMeU967rtPzj_Cb_cCqpqV0HzpEVbor_N43sCeyEB3TB7InUOAFVOxiBhDbInkfmF3CnSPpM/s1600/20150310_151445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MIQCFk3gl2ul_UAvnhKNLmENxLz0c5Gt0j5X-sPYLZ06VmlhHCxLEZeIrYQWDB1sJ4TMMeU967rtPzj_Cb_cCqpqV0HzpEVbor_N43sCeyEB3TB7InUOAFVOxiBhDbInkfmF3CnSPpM/s1600/20150310_151445.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div align="center">
Caroline doesn't mind the newest babies, but the teenagers are starting to get a little rough for her.</div>
<div align="center">
She was sipping "seashell tea" from a dog food bowl here. </div>
<div align="center">
Yum.</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
Below: All the kids for this year (7 total) together.</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Dxe4_Tt14e0KpE9XuIfMfrRYyiELiOdO05iZUQsoGQvgAfZmDTPhyhuEB7R87DxwoWb1sGKl8lnztXjbXtJheIE4anUlvD8CnR0umLIQtO37owsuRht9gfWMkd4gVrmj6sOyCU9bi3A/s1600/20150310_140720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Dxe4_Tt14e0KpE9XuIfMfrRYyiELiOdO05iZUQsoGQvgAfZmDTPhyhuEB7R87DxwoWb1sGKl8lnztXjbXtJheIE4anUlvD8CnR0umLIQtO37owsuRht9gfWMkd4gVrmj6sOyCU9bi3A/s1600/20150310_140720.jpg" height="273" width="400" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
It's really tricky to get pictures with these little goats, because at first there is only one.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fIxixVZ2AmwYEmOqj9xLM_vz34GADv_nPB2xXji3sCRDdXBgih-vY21z8_SjhnVNvD-3qbBHDDXdGT7T9rJuoyXrw-1vzfLhtlU_fAAqa95T-v3Wfuqv_DDXECt1Zjo-YDLbt6pmSpE/s1600/Baby+goats+March+2015+110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fIxixVZ2AmwYEmOqj9xLM_vz34GADv_nPB2xXji3sCRDdXBgih-vY21z8_SjhnVNvD-3qbBHDDXdGT7T9rJuoyXrw-1vzfLhtlU_fAAqa95T-v3Wfuqv_DDXECt1Zjo-YDLbt6pmSpE/s1600/Baby+goats+March+2015+110.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
And then there are...well, more than one.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7BQauq88ydM96Y2eDDKZoaOEK7e-Uh6CN5x6DAlrnvrGbZLlGBqPViyCBQ7bKRHAJZV_Wv_NFOSpoH7NIKgvq34FB0TdY9l5LOHWVN1brEOCmFg74vaV3zZY5wkMBzD7gV6BVqYI6QQ/s1600/Baby+goats+March+2015+113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7BQauq88ydM96Y2eDDKZoaOEK7e-Uh6CN5x6DAlrnvrGbZLlGBqPViyCBQ7bKRHAJZV_Wv_NFOSpoH7NIKgvq34FB0TdY9l5LOHWVN1brEOCmFg74vaV3zZY5wkMBzD7gV6BVqYI6QQ/s1600/Baby+goats+March+2015+113.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
And nobody wants to stand still!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6Y8UPln8fhMc4lnApu3ohuwzR590PGtdGA5V3RhhM2ENUuoPIL5P2uZTCyKBdkrTACK44kq-Oci-FKsUVpHp1fjcHHchTFYZfYERDzNfCUy5j7O7B0X7T9BKCDX8zOCk6c3K62BoQ1g/s1600/Baby+goats+March+2015+115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6Y8UPln8fhMc4lnApu3ohuwzR590PGtdGA5V3RhhM2ENUuoPIL5P2uZTCyKBdkrTACK44kq-Oci-FKsUVpHp1fjcHHchTFYZfYERDzNfCUy5j7O7B0X7T9BKCDX8zOCk6c3K62BoQ1g/s1600/Baby+goats+March+2015+115.JPG" height="188" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-12361396086957068832015-02-04T19:13:00.002-05:002015-02-22T16:39:13.839-05:00So I had a thyroid biopsy...*Update*Check that off of my list of weird medical things to do.<br />
<br />
It went fine and an initial look at the cells that they extracted look normal and not like cancer. We are awaiting official pathology results that should come in Thursday, but it looks good. Praise God!<br />
<br />
So just in case you are wondering what it is like to have a thyroid biopsy, I went in and sat upright in a chair. They put betadine on my neck and the doctor looked at my thyroid nodules by ultrasound and then stuck a needle in my neck and extracted cells/fluid/tissue...not sure what all came out of the nodules.<br />
<br />
So I had 2 nodules and they had to do 2 biopsies on each nodule to make sure they got a good sample.<br />
<br />
That was FOUR needles in my neck!!! The first one hurt a little but, you know like getting blood drawn by a not-so-good nurse. The second stick was much better, but right after he got done with that one I got really, really lightheaded. The room started flashing, I thought I was going to be sick. I had to sit forward, turn a fan on, sip cold water, put a cold washrag on the back of my neck and two ice packs on my thighs and hands. And finally, I started to feel better. The ice really helped. That was pretty embarrassing and the doctor suggested we not do the last 2 biopsies, but I was not going to drive all the way again on another day for something that we could get done right then, so we trucked through the last two and I had some juice afterward and felt fine. My neck was a little sore afterward, but all in all, it was a very simple procedure. The worst part was me getting faint.<br />
<br />
As long as the pathology report comes back clean, my little nodules will remain right there on my thyroid and I will go back to the endocrinologist in a year to check on them.<br />
<br />
Overall I am feeling better...I think all the vitamins are definitely helping me, and being on the thyroid medicine must be helping. But my heart still does pound on a daily basis, although it no longer seems to be skipping beats. <br />
<br />
I go back to my NaPro doctor in 2 weeks. So we will see what she has to say about it.<br />
<br />
*UPDATE* My biopsies came back normal...they are benign! Praise God and sorry to keep you waiting for the results. Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-67609529398724070692015-01-20T11:52:00.002-05:002015-01-20T11:56:23.740-05:00Yet another Thyroid Update (with numbers)!To begin with, my bloodwork came back from endocrinologist and there are no signs that I have a paraganglioma! Which is great news! Which means we can proceed with a biopsy of my thyroid nodules in 2 weeks on February 3rd.<br />
<br />
Today I had a follow-up with my NFP doctor. She asked if the endocrinologist had discussed my thyroid bloodwork and I told her that he had told me that it was all normal. She laughed and said, it is definitely not normal!! Basically I am hypothyroid. My Free T3 and Free T4 were in normal range, but my total T3 was 71 which is low (normal is 76-181) and my Reverse T3 is 13. She explained a chart of thyroid function and dysfunction which I can't really explain...it seems to come down to the fact that my T3 to reverseT3 ratio is not normal....mine is 5.5 and normal is 10 or higher. <br />
<br />
SO.....long story short, I am starting Armour at the smallest dose (15mg/day) for a week to help my thyroid and then she is bumping it up to twice that. She wants to be cautious, because with my blood pressure on the high side, she doesn't want it to jump.<br />
<br />
I am also low on iodine and vitamin D, low-ish on B12, low on estrogen (during my cycle) but everything else seems to look good.<br />
<br />
Here are the supplements/medicines I will start on:<br />
<br />
Iodoral 12.5mg/daily for 2-3 months to get my iodine levels up.<br />
<br />
B Complex daily to boost my B12.<br />
<br />
Vitamin D prescription 50,000 units 1/wk for 4 months and an extra 5000units daily.<br />
<br />
Niacin no-flush, slow-release 1/day as a starting point to work on lowering my blood pressure <br />
<br />
Armour 15mg/day for 1 week then 30mg/day<br />
<br />
HCG shot on P+3, 5, 7, 9 of my cycle to make my body make more estrogen <br />
<br />
B6 Sustained 500mg/day to increase mucus in my cycle<br />
<br />
She threw around the idea of doing an adrenal function test, but because insurance doesn't cover this it would be about $180. Not sure if we will do it or not. Adrenal fatigue she said could be caused by stress over many years, which she noted I have had lots of stress (of losing babies) but overall we think that I've handled it pretty well....so not going to check adrenal function as of yet.<br />
<br />
I go back in 4 weeks to check on blood pressure again.<br />
<br />
Thanks for the prayers! I feel like we are headed in the right direction.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-82697996256878416652015-01-17T11:32:00.003-05:002015-01-17T11:32:44.930-05:00Thyroid Ultrasound UpdateOn Thursday I went to the endocrinologist and they went over my history, symptoms, took my blood pressure (which was much lower at 140/90!), did an ultrasound of my thyroid and pulled lots of blood.<br />
<br />
All of my thyroid blood panels had already come back at normal levels.<br />
<br />
On the ultrasound they confirmed two nodules that were side by side on my thyroid about 1.5cm each. Normally they would do a fine needle aspiration biopsy right then to check them out as they were not just fluid filled, but had solid parts. However, this doctor suspects that it might be possible that I have a rare adrenal tumor called a paraganglioma on my thyroid. Basically a paraganglioma is an adrenaline producing tumor. If they were to biopsy this, it could send out too much adrenaline and have....well, unfortunate results for me! So, he wanted to be extra cautious and do some more bloodwork that would help determine if that is what this is. <br />
<br />
I really saw God's hand in this, because the doctor relayed to me that they had had a case like this last month and he had really been reading up on this condition and discussing with other doctors about the best course of action should they come across this diagnosis again. <br />
<br />
They put me in a dark room in a supine position for what was supposed to be 15 minutes. However, they must have forgotten about me, because about 40 minutes later (although I really had no idea how long it had been and didn't want to get up to go check because that would ruin the whole lie-still-so-we-can-take-your-blood-and-get-an-accurate-reading thing)....I finally prayed, "God, please let me know you are with me in all this and send a nurse in within the next 60 seconds so I know you haven't forgotten about me!"<br />
<br />
And I started counting down with confidence....Sixty.<br />
<br />
Fifty-nine.<br />
<br />
Fifty-eight.<br />
<br />
Fifty-se........*knock knock knock*<br />
<br />
A nurse walked in the door to take my blood! Yep, even though I was confident God was listening, I was somehow still surprised he answered that prayer so quickly!<br />
<br />
So she took my blood while I was so calm and that should give a good idea as to whether adrenaline is pumping through my body when it's not supposed to be; thus suggestive of the paraganglioma.<br />
<br />
Here is some more information on these tumors, in case you are interested. I was so glad this doctor took the time to write down all this information because my brain could barely keep up with all the information he covered in a short amount of time, much less was it able to spell or even remember the word "paraganglioma"!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://adrenalcenter.org/paraganglioma.html" target="_blank">http://adrenalcenter.org/paraganglioma.html</a><br />
<br />
Of course this would be something that is rare....because all of my issues turn out to be "really rare" and "this will never happen twice" and "surely <em>it couldn't be this</em> because you've already had x, y and z".<br />
<br />
I should get the results back Monday or Tuesday and then they will let me know how we should proceed.<br />
<br />
My symptoms are: lightheadedness, high blood pressure, very strong pulse, pulse skips a beat, nausea, eating less, constant dull headache, irritability, times when I just have no more energy.. and I could go on! <br />
<br />
I did ask again about what I should or should not be doing in the meantime, and the doctor just said, "Don't run a marathon!"<br />
<br />
Ha. Don't worry about that.<br />
<br />
My mom sent me a really encouraging psalm and I just loved reading it yesterday. I am not too worried about this....God has it all in His hands. <br />
<h3>
<span class="text Ps-16-1" id="en-NIV-14094">Psalm 16</span></h3>
<div class="poetry">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-16-1"><sup class="versenum">1 </sup>Keep me safe,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14094A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14094A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup> my God,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-16-1">for in you I take refuge.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14094B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14094B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="poetry top-05">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-16-2" id="en-NIV-14095"><sup class="versenum">2 </sup>I say to the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, “You are my Lord;<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14095C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14095C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-16-2">apart from you I have no good thing.”<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14095D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14095D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup></span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-16-3" id="en-NIV-14096"><sup class="versenum">3 </sup>I say of the holy people<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14096E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14096E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup> who are in the land,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14096F" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14096F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-16-3">“They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-16-4" id="en-NIV-14097"><sup class="versenum">4 </sup>Those who run after other gods<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14097G" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14097G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></sup> will suffer<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14097H" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14097H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></sup> more and more.</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-16-4">I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods</span></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-16-4">or take up their names<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14097I" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14097I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></sup> on my lips.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="poetry top-05">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-16-5" id="en-NIV-14098"><sup class="versenum">5 </sup><span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, you alone are my portion<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14098J" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14098J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></sup> and my cup;<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14098K" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14098K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-16-5">you make my lot<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14098L" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14098L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></sup> secure.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-16-6" id="en-NIV-14099"><sup class="versenum">6 </sup>The boundary lines<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14099M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14099M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></sup> have fallen for me in pleasant places;</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-16-6">surely I have a delightful inheritance.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14099N" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14099N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></sup></span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-16-7" id="en-NIV-14100"><sup class="versenum">7 </sup>I will praise the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, who counsels me;<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14100O" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14100O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-16-7">even at night<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14100P" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14100P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)"></sup> my heart instructs me.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-16-8" id="en-NIV-14101"><sup class="versenum">8 </sup>I keep my eyes always on the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>.</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-16-8">With him at my right hand,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14101Q" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14101Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></sup> I will not be shaken.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14101R" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14101R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)"></sup></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="poetry top-05">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-16-9" id="en-NIV-14102"><sup class="versenum">9 </sup>Therefore my heart is glad<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14102S" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14102S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)"></sup> and my tongue rejoices;</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-16-9">my body also will rest secure,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14102T" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14102T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></sup></span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-16-10" id="en-NIV-14103"><sup class="versenum">10 </sup>because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14103U" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14103U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-16-10">nor will you let your faithful<sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-14103b" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NIV-14103b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+16&version=NIV#fen-NIV-14103b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</sup> one<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14103V" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14103V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></sup> see decay.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14103W" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14103W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></sup></span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-16-11" id="en-NIV-14104"><sup class="versenum">11 </sup>You make known to me the path of life;<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14104X" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14104X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-16-11">you will fill me with joy in your presence,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14104Y" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14104Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)"></sup></span></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-16-11">with eternal pleasures<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14104Z" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14104Z" title="See cross-reference Z">Z</a>)"></sup> at your right hand.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14104AA" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14104AA" title="See cross-reference AA">AA</a>)"></sup></span></span></div>
</div>
<br />
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-19387429688312802672015-01-08T19:00:00.003-05:002015-01-08T19:00:23.619-05:00Photo #5 Putting away Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSkeREhseC831q5Ll3C3Xkh8qqWFn_vcaKsfrcx7TEZHeEFKbNoDp-eIrpA0Do-2Ow2hmWPM8VMXAzUPybANPhINB-VNcbHjeUO1nTLhSyQTTQGGqUWebdTQ8YK8RJ3cOAvs4FGhW2YU/s1600/20150108_104739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSkeREhseC831q5Ll3C3Xkh8qqWFn_vcaKsfrcx7TEZHeEFKbNoDp-eIrpA0Do-2Ow2hmWPM8VMXAzUPybANPhINB-VNcbHjeUO1nTLhSyQTTQGGqUWebdTQ8YK8RJ3cOAvs4FGhW2YU/s1600/20150108_104739.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
We packed up all the ornaments today. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This is one of my favorites. Divino Nino, the Divine Child. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A gift from my mom.</div>
<br />Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510621618501312993.post-67656864350531694852015-01-07T08:49:00.000-05:002015-01-07T08:57:51.541-05:00Thyroid and blood pressure madness.Yesterday I went to see a new doctor. She is great. She is an NFP only practitioner which means she does not prescribe birth control and I knew that I wanted to become a patient of hers to support her in this, because I feel morally, that is the only way to go. But it was hard for me to think of leaving the OB/GYN practice that I have been with for almost 10 years. They have seen me for 8 pregnancies. I knew exactly where everything was in that office. I knew office staff. I knew the routines. I was comfortable there.<br />
<br />
I told Rob I was nervous about leaving and going somewhere new, and he told me that sometimes God wants us to be uncomfortable. Doing the right thing is not always comfortable.<br />
<br />
And so I made my appointment after nearly 2 months of having a bounding pulse. My bounding pulse is not a fast heartrate, but a insanely annoying throbbing of my pulse which I mainly feel in my neck. I can usually see it pulsing on my wrist as well. So that was my impetus for making this appointment. It felt like last February when I was in the hospital for the partial molar pregnancy and my blood pressure was high and my thyroid was hyper.<br />
<br />
I left my kids with a paid babysitter (for the first time ever I think)....and went to the office. When I got in there the waiting room was small and I thought, "Oh boy, was this a good idea?" But once I got back with the nurse and doctor; my opinion of the place greatly changed. They were so nice and the doctor ended up spending 30-40 minutes I think, talking to me and discussing my history. One of the things I noticed right off about the doctor's office was that she had a huge picture of Jesus with little children gathered around Him. Right there, hanging on her wall. No wonder I had such a sense of peace. That and beforehand I prayed that this office visit would be fruitful and that I could adequately relay all that had been going on with me physically without forgetting or getting "brain fog". And God gave me the grace to do that!<br />
<br />
So on to the health stuff....the nurse took my vitals and noted that my blood pressure was high. Like 166/100 high. They ended up taking my pressures 6 times and it was high every time and with 3 different cuffs. I was told to go about my daily routine but not to exercise/overexert myself.<br />
<br />
She went over all my symptoms and history and checked my neck. Only to find that I have a thyroid nodule. So that could be what is causing my blood pressure to be high. Or I could just have developed high blood pressure based on my familial history. Or I could be stressed from all that I have been through and not properly grieving Francis Marie. Or it could be something else.<br />
<br />
I am being referred to an endocrinologist to check out the nodule. They will determine without it is solid or fluid-filled and whether or not it needs to come out.<br />
<br />
In the meantime I had a ton of blood drawn and she is running thyroid tests and who knows what else.<br />
<br />
And I have to go on P+3, 5, 7 and 9 of my cycle to get blood drawn.<br />
<br />
This doctor is on top of things. <br />
<br />
I am to call her if I get a headache that won't go away, shortness of breath, more chest pain, vision changes, etc.<br />
<br />
So that's where I'm at. I'm not really nervous about any of it....this doc really has me confident that we can get to the bottom of this and get it straightened out and then we can try to conceive again.<br />
<br />
And in the meantime, here is Photo #3 and #4<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFXRyAjkuZdzY6sXr39DerrsVvf2b6lH6KOTkV_KZqR3NZn5pkY6Hz-18vFjLVdHrP3ggO2uGAVHk4A6u3_nWOINGEQET-rkMc8SETw5T7g1ipacfvAxN-sIkK9MBPgY8eNLqEK4gS3uw/s1600/20150105_180139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFXRyAjkuZdzY6sXr39DerrsVvf2b6lH6KOTkV_KZqR3NZn5pkY6Hz-18vFjLVdHrP3ggO2uGAVHk4A6u3_nWOINGEQET-rkMc8SETw5T7g1ipacfvAxN-sIkK9MBPgY8eNLqEK4gS3uw/s1600/20150105_180139.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkze2fZi8wlZEbQBrLdD96JwDO95CXrlmDC5ckWbEJfN_W86vFAweqVpxem4vR2_PXl-592nBDNCH1vI71mHDH_B8IElvYMnsU89_BbtYj3QUpHroeZVFf83xAMy-LLfizLnpuk6snu4/s1600/20150105_180143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkze2fZi8wlZEbQBrLdD96JwDO95CXrlmDC5ckWbEJfN_W86vFAweqVpxem4vR2_PXl-592nBDNCH1vI71mHDH_B8IElvYMnsU89_BbtYj3QUpHroeZVFf83xAMy-LLfizLnpuk6snu4/s1600/20150105_180143.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042100782571641258noreply@blogger.com1