After the news today

I really, really, really cherished and soaked up my Kirby bedtime - time.  I always enjoy it.  My favorite time of the day next to my coffee and quite time every morning with CR before she arises.  However, with so many families heavy on my heart tonight, it just meant so much more to me that I was still blessed to be holding and rocking her.  I know - I shouldn't be holding her - but we have worked out a system for our time together and it seems to be working out ok.  Tonight when she prayed with me and asked God to give those families strength, it warmed my heart to the core.  And when she said, "Thank you for Jesus dying for my sins" I almost lost it.  Mind you she repeats me, but some of it she says on her own because we say a similar prayer every night.  Such as, "We love you and praise you, Amen ..." that she says on her own.  Snapshot for the cookie jar.  One day she will get it and these are the planting times.

To update you on how things are going with baby #2:

• Medicine seems to be working ok.  After about 3 hours in (I take it every 6) the contractions come on strong and semi close (6-15 minutes apart) for about 30  minutes and then calm back down as long as I am laying down.  They come and go strong inconsistently until I take the meds again and then I am good for about another 3 hours.  Wednesday evening they came on so strong I about cried - mind you I never felt them with Kirby so this is all new to me. 
• I am taking it as easy as Lauren can take it.  If you know me and my mother, we can not sit still long.  And it may just be me, but my rear side feels like it is getting flatter because of all the sitting.  Umph.  Whenever I watch movies, I always am doing something else too.  Lately editing pictures or working on Route One somehow, but I also do laundry, pick up stuff around the living room, something to keep me going.  Sitting still is H.A.R.D for me.  CR brings me the laundry to fold so that helps some.  I am working on getting my computer stuff better organized so that I have better work flow for the upcoming year with my business.  And then I look at the office and think, well I can work from the chair and organize this ... next thing I know I am up and going through drawers, cabinets .... and the contractions come on.  Back to my perch I go ...
• Kirby is doing well with it, but when she does get mommy time, she wants to be my person.  She wants to sit as close to me as possible.  She wants to squish her face onto mine and practically become me.  She wants to hold baby away so she can sit on my belly.  Thankful I am here for her to sit by me instead of in a hospital bed where it would be really, really hard.   
• i go back Monday for measurements of the baby and for a full pre-term labor test.  

Kirby's LOL moment of the day:

Starts out the other day - we were reading a book that is written in spanish.  I showed her that cat is gato.  Today she was sitting in my room reading a book and she looked up at the window.  She said, "see the tato ... hold it ... see it momma?"  I looked at her like, "what the heck are you saying?"  She repeated it over and over like "mom, what are you not understanding?"  .... so I finally got up and went to the window.  What was sitting there?  Our outdoor cat.  The gato.

 Wednesday was Kirby's Christmas party at school.  Before she left that morning, I had her practice telling people, "Merry Christmas".  She decided to add emphasis by putting her arms in the air.  Not sure where she gets her charisma and charm ;).  I went to her Christmas party.  I did fine while there (sat most of the time) but afterwards and that night are when the painful contractions came on.  Lesson learned, but at least I got to see her party.

                   

 Kirby and her classmates sang "Jingle Bells" and a few other songs for us while there.  Kirby was all about singing and doing the moves ...

 she kept looking back to make sure her daddy was watching.  Lately she is in pure awe of him.

 One of the moms asked if this is how it always is when they sing ... the girls singing and the boys playing.  Katherine's response, "Not usually ... at some point I usually have them all singing and on the rug for a short period of time.  However, Kirby and (another little girl) are always on the carpet, ready to sing."  Just like her grammy and cousin Kyleigh!  I would say just like mommy, but I can't carry a tune in a bucket.

CR made pulled pork tonight and I had to take a picture of him using his new Bear Claws that my parent's got him for his birthday ... they worked great to shred the pork ....

and to eat it like the true barbarian he is.

 On Tuesday Kirby and I made a prayer chain for our advent calendar activity.  I can't take credit for the idea ... my sister in law comes up with all kinds of wonderful, fun, Biblical activities every year for us to do throughout the month of December.  I decided (since there are so many we know of) we would put all of those going through cancer and other health issues.  Our chain is full of names ... our prayers go out to them daily for their strength, for the doctor's involved, and for God's miracles.

The other night I camped out on the couch and wrapped presents.  I really miss my Grandma Quallen (mom's mom in California).  The last time I saw her was at our wedding 6 years ago.  We keep in touch through occasional letters and phone calls, but it isn't the same as her being with us to capture cookie jar moments.  I am hoping that maybe next fall (call me crazy) we can take a road trip to Cali to see her.  It's really hard on her to travel (almost 90) so I think the only way she will ever know our children is for us to go to her.  I pray we can make this happen.

Here's the pumpkin at 33 weeks.  17 pounds of pumpkin!

Kirby loves to help mommy out ... she told me she would vacuum today since I couldn't bend over to do it.  She vacuumed 1/2 the house with the hand vac.  Gotta love her helping spirit and joy!

Precious Father,

I pray that you would watch over and give extra love and strength to the families that lost loved ones today.  Parents. grandparents, children who lost their parents ... help them to find a peace somehow.  I pray you would be with our nation as we face yet another tragic event that stops us all and makes us wonder what in the world is going on.  I pray that you would be with our leader; give him the guidance to make the right decisions.  I pray that this act would not promote others to go out and do the same and I pray that our politicians would not turn this into a craze of politics.  Let it be what it is - a tragic event done by a human that was lost and not right in his mind.  I pray for protection everyday for your children.  May your hand be on those who need you most tonight.  May we patiently wait upon you Lord as you renew our strength.

In your name,

Amen

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God,   the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint,   and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary,and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;   they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary;   they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:28-31