27 weeks!

I'm nearly done with my third trimester as I finish my 27th week. I've got a little under three months to go until my January 24th due date. Keegan will be here, God willing, before any of us know it.

Last visit to the perinatologist, showed that the cyst that Keegan has next to his kidney is the same size it was several months ago. It has not grown at all, and the perinatologist was surprised. "They always grow, this is unusual!" In fact, she says that the kidney is almost certainly functioning! We won't know for sure until the baby is born and an ultrasound is performed. What an answer to prayer!

Lately, I've been feeling better. I sleep most nights now in my own bed instead of the recliner. Last night was an exception due to two wonderfully tasty bowls of chili at Wednesday night supper. I knew I would pay for it, and did only minutes after digestion began. But I did manage to sleep well on the recliner, all the way until 5:30 AM when I dragged myself off the recliner and off to bed until 6:37 when my alarm kicked me back out again to get the kids off to school. It's important that the alarm goes off at 6:37, not 6:30 or 6:35. I feel like I'm cheating a little!

Anyway, pregnancy does continue to go well. I am aided by my life of leisure. No work means that I can take a nice long nap in the morning after the kids go off to school. As soon as I hear the bus pull away from our corner, I am off to bed until about 10:00 or 11:00 AM. It's a tough life, I know. Then I get up, make myself some Maltomeal and settle in to watch some TLC. I think I've watched every single Baby Story TLC has ever made, and cried at every last one of them. I also like to watch the Duggars -- Makes me feel that we've got a very small family in comparison!

I'm a little nervous waiting on the results of Tuesday's three-hour glucose test. Haven't had to do that before. The OB had me take a one-hour test earlier in the pregnancy that came out fine, and then (due to my age/weight/blood pressure/family history) I took a second one-hour test that came back elevated. Boo! So off I went for the three-hour. Such fun. Hopefully it will come back okay.

I've finally kicked my caffeine habit. I was motivated much more by trouble with tingly feet at night than possible gestational diabetes. I've LOVED my one can a day cola throughout pregnancy, but when one of my friends told me that she had to give up caffeine to get rid of her Restless Leg Syndrome, I had to think about my own caffeine intake. And I knew that the one can of cola was not helping. Plus, I was starting to not enjoy the cola. It was causing my stomach to sour, so I continued to cut back to about a half can, and then finally none at all. Surprisingly, I didn't deal with any headache issues, so I must have cut back slowly enough. What a thrill.

I'm not completely off soda, mind you. I've been greatly enjoying my mixed drink in the morning of ginger ale and orange juice. If I have to cut back on my sugar, I'm going to be really bummed. There's always hot tea, though. I love a nice decaffeinated tea as the cold weather sets in.

We've had a few colds go through the house, and I'm sure it's going to get worse, but it's part of the whole big family thing. We all LOVE to share our coughs, colds and flus. I took Kylie to the doctor last week and kept her out of school for one day. The antibiotics have kicked her cold out the door. Kade is next on the list. He's got a nasty cough. Since his ears weren't infected like Kylie's, I was hoping he'd kick it himself, but it seems to be getting worse, so I'm planning to take him to the doctor tomorrow. We most definitely will meet our family insurance detuctible -- as if that was ever an issue before!

Last post, I waxed eloquently about joining the YMCA to get back into shape. Boy, was I excited about it, until later on that very day after writing the post. I started thinking about all the people going to the YMCA with all of their germs. Now I'm thinking, maybe I'll just stay home. Since I have been feeling better, I've been getting quite a bit of exercise just doing household chores. I'm a wimp.

In Christ Alone Worship Video with Lyrics

Libera - Be Still My Soul

The adult child

I hope that Keri Lynn will take this the right way, but I've already grown accustomed to her being gone. It's not that I don't miss her, because I do miss her. I especially miss our talks. We chat on Facebook, but she as yet does not have a cell phone for easy access. (Hopefully that will change this weekend!) Whenever I drive the kids anywhere, I count heads and realize that the reason kids seem so sparse is because one of them is indeed missing. But, I've slowly grown accustomed to the idea of an adult child. She had been moving in that direction for a couple of years under our roof and then slowly slipped off into her own world. And it's okay. In fact, it's more than okay. It's God's intention for those precious arrows to be aimed out into the world to be witnesses for Him.

We still talk. We still have that special mother/daughter relationship that creaks and groans as mother lets go and daughter strikes out on her own. But I know her heart. Her Daddy knows her heart. And more importantly, God knows her heart. And it is with tremendous joy that we all watch her live out her life as God's precious daughter.

I'm a little sentimental today. Mostly because I'm starting to feel better again in pregnancy. I'm sleeping better, so I have more energy. Every household task is not so incredibly daunting. I'm starting to look outside of my own issues a little bit more. I see the kids coming up the pike after Keri Lynn. The girls especially are hugely influenced by her example -- for which I am very thankful. I find that Kathleen comes to talk to me now about teen things that weigh heavy on the hearts of young women. It is my privilege to hear her. I am reminded of a long-ago Focus on the Family program where Dr. Dobson encouraged parents to take the time to listen to their teen kids. In fact, he advised that a Mom's presence in the home is even more important for the teen years than even for the baby and toddler years. I have taken those words of wisdom and stored them in my heart for these amazing teen years. It is astounding to watch them grow.

In fact, I start to wonder, as we struggle with our finances. Here I am, STILL without a job. And not only do I have no job, I barely have the where-with-all to get up in the morning to get the kids to school. I wonder at the timing of the little one growing inside me, a full NINE years since the last baby was born! And as the months go by, and Keith and I creak and groan in our own personal growth, my heart grows more and more at peace. It is all in the LORD's very capable hands.

Also, I am quite hormonal. I cry at everything. It's not sad depressing crying at all. It's just hormonal crying. I cry at weddings on TV -- The latest being the Duggars' vow renewal. (Here I thought it was going to be so cheesy, but I cried anyway!) I cry Every. Single. Time. a baby is born on TLC's Baby Story. I cry when I see someone else cry. I cry in Bible study and at church, when I sing a worshipful song, when I read Scripture. I cry when I type about things I cry about.

Tomorrow, I'm going to my OB check-up. I don't get excited about the OB visits. I look forward to the Perinatalogist visits much more because there's the ultrasound machine and I get a glimpse of Keegan's progress. The OB just tells me all the things that the Perinatologist told them. It's just going through the motions. Half the time, I'm seeing a midwife or nurse practitioner -- neither of which will be delivering the baby. I've only met two of the doctors since starting prenatal care. I'll probably meet more in that last trimester, which is just around the corner! Time has gone FAST!

By the time I get back, Keri Lynn should be getting home for the weekend and the elementary school kids will be home, too. She has big plans that include El Charro's, Dr. Who DVDs and getting that cell phone. Keith finally switched to a pay-as-you-go phone that is working well. We're hoping that it will work for Keri Lynn, too.

I'm having some computer issues, so hopefully this will get to you all. If you're on Facebook (hint, hint), you'll get this in my notes anyway. And there's always the blog, of which I've been neglecting in a major way for lack of energy.

Good-bye, Evil Stomach Bug!

I am SO thankful to be feeling better after a 24-hour stomach bug. I wasn't feeling so well by Saturday late afternoon, and by Saturday night my stomach was roiling and didn't stop until 7:30 the next morning when I finally thought to myself, "I've got to throw up NOW!" I did just that and was finally able to lie down and go to sleep. What a relief!

Keith took everyone but Kylie (who had a cough) and Keva (who needed adult supervision) to church that morning. Both Kathleen and Kristofer sang in a mass choir that morning. They sang "Days of Elijah", one of my favorites. Kylie was supposed to sing, too, but she was battling that cough. While Kylie kept an eye on Keva, I slept off my rough night in my very own beloved bed until about 3:00 pm. Keith and the kids did dishes and foraged for food (we were at the end of our groceries, so when I say "forage" I mean "forage"!)

By Sunday evening, I was feeling better, but Keith was still having to do my usual Taxi Service to take Kristofer to his choir and praise band practice. Then, he stopped by Taco Bell for a dinner run. Kathleen was the main motivator behind that plan. I ate a tostada that thankfully stayed down. It may have not been the wisest choice, but after a lunch of Top Ramen, I was happy to just eat something that I didn't have to cook.

This morning, after most of the night sleeping in a fairly comfortable position in the recliner, I was able to get Keva dressed and to the bus, and see the rest of the kids off to school before hightailing it right back to bed until 11:00 am. Ah, the life of leisure! Mortgage payments are highly overrated!

I even managed to get groceries today, after such good rest and the end of that horrid little bug. It makes me nervous about the beginning of the flu season. Keith and I have been debating back and forth about whether or not I should get the regular flu shot, let alone the H1N1 shot.

Meanwhile, after that little stomach bug episode, it was made very clear to me that I really need to get into better shape. So tomorrow, I'm heading off to the YMCA to start an exercise program for my weak pregnant self. It's not something that we can afford to do, but on the other hand, it's not something we can't afford not to do either. I think I should be able to get a discounted membership after I fill out some paperwork. And then once I eventually get a job, we should all be able to get the family membership. I have big plans for the YMCA -- with the elliptical machine being the main focus -- not too hard on my crackly knees. Then, I plan to do weights two or three times a week as well. After watching a hundred episodes of A Baby Story on TLC, I'm ready to get into baby delivery health!

I'm 24 weeks now. It's hard to believe that time has passed so quickly for the little one and me, but then again four more months seems like an ETERNITY away! I'm planning on having my Mom and Rich come for the baby's arrival. This is kind of funny, because I never asked anyone to come help before for any of the other babies, since family has always been close by in case of emergency anyway. But this time, I'm not so sure I'll be springing back as easily, if just the pregnancy is any indication. I have never felt so tired as I have these 24 weeks. Everything just zaps my energy in a major way. The perinatologist puts it so "nicely", "Well," she ways, "You're old!" Yes, I am, and feeling older every week! So even though I don't have the major fatigue and nausea of the first trimester, now I've got the extending tummy to deal with. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to see that tummy. In fact, I still kind of get a jolt of surprise to see that tummy in the mirror! "Hey, I'm pregant!" It is very truly a blessing!

I'm off to go make dinner now that there is something to cook. I'm making a chicken & rice soup. I made it last week and it was a surprisingly big hit. Soup is always a big hit for me personally, and it's so nice in this cooler climate. It was 70 degrees this morning. We haven't touched the air-conditioning in nearly two weeks. Soon, it will be time to start up the heat, but for now we're enjoying the few weeks of lovely fall weather before sinuses start flaring up! The leaves are turning, too. The willow tree that I pass on the road to town is already bare!