Your Hands

Over the past few weeks I have fell in love with JJ Hellers new song, "Your Hands". It just makes me feel so calm and relaxed.

You can listen to on Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlL8LayF0uw

Here are the lyrics:

I have unanswered prayers
I have trouble I wish wasn't there
And I have asked a thousand ways
That You would take my pain away
That You would take my pain away

I am trying to understand
How to walk this weary land
Make straight the paths that crookedly lie
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

When You walked upon the Earth
You healed the broken, lost, and hurt
I know You hate to see me cry
One day You will set all things right
Yea, one day You will set all things right

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

Your hands
Your hands that shape the world
Are holding me, they hold me still
Your hands that shape the world
Are holding me, they hold me still

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave You when...

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave...
I never leave Your hands

23 Weeks

How my life's changing:

Well, nothing great to report this week. I have been having leg cramps again. They are really bad in the morning when I get up and I haven't walked in a while. The more I walk the better they are.

Payne is kicking a ton still. If I sit to long he starts kicking till I get up and walk around. I think he thinks he is smashed! He will just have to wait and see how little room he is going to have. I also feel like I look huge. I tried on clothes at Target on Saturday and whooo. The whole dress/skirt thing is going great! I am not missing jeans at all! Then I find really cute shirts and Ryan reminds me that I refuse to wear maternity jeans and not to buy lots of shirts.

Payne's Development:

Another thing is with how much he moves, I think I can see him move, is that crazy or is that real?

He is around 11 inches and weighs just over a pound! He is compared to the size of a large mango.

Payne's Room:

We did get the glidder and ottoman ordered on Saturday morning. It will take 6-8 weeks to come in. I hope that goes by fast or comes in earlier! In 8 weeks I will be 31 weeks pregnant! AHHHH!

Also, since we were in Rogers and Ryan couldn't play golf because of the pouring rain we went to Target and registered. Nothing had changed since we registered for our wedding. Ryan wanted one of everything!! I just laughed and said ok! We are going to register at Babies R Us in Little Rock as well. Are there certain things you think I should and shouldn't register for? If so, please let me know!

Payne's bedding should be ready in less than 2 weeks! I am still trying to figure out how we are going to get it because we aren't going to Little Rock again until June. I can't wait to see it! I am so thrilled!
When I originally wrote this on Saturday, while bored at work, I said that we hadn't gotten a paint color. Well, Sunday afternoon I went and got one. I loved it! We painted the ceiling last night lime green and today we plan to paint the walls. Painting might not be Ryan's favorite thing his ever done! But, he did it and it looks great!
You can see all my painting samples and then the ceiling! It may be a little out there for some. That's ok, it's all about us and our baby!

Upcoming Events:

May 10th is our next appointment for the blood sugar test. I am a little nervous about all of that, since I am not sure what they will do. I wish they would do an ultrasound every appointment! I love to see him.

We are headed to Dallas this weekend with my dad and stepmom for Urban Dare! I will blog more about this later! Though while we are down there we are going to go to IKEA! I am so excited! I really want to look for organization type things.

It's Official!

Last night Ryan and I finished booking our Anniversary trip!
We have been talking about where we would go since our plane ride home from the honeymoon.
We have talked about going to Vegas, Mexico, on a cruise, Florida, South Carolina, Kansas City, New York, Dallas, California, pretty much everywhere.
Though when we found out we were pregnant things changed a little. We probably wouldn't be leave the country, since I will be about 28 weeks pregnant.
So, in March we settled on New York. I had found plane tickets for $222 round trip so it was settled. Though, when we went to book everything plane tickets had gone back up, we didn't really know where to stay, or if we would be able to do everything we wanted to do.
So.... we were back to square one.
When we were home last weekend we mentioned something to my dad and Tracey about it. They offered to let us use there hotel points from the Hyatt to go somewhere.
Then it was back to searching which place we wanted to go again.

We choose Bonita Springs, FL.
We can't wait. It has four pools and my personal favorite a lazy river on the property! We are going to leave Thursday morning and come back late Sunday night! A quick trip, but I am sure it is going to be relaxing! We plan to have a spa day, a shopping day, and lots of time at the pool!

Hotel Booked
Plane Tickets Booked
Rental Car Booked
Anniversary Gifts Done
Maternity Swimsuit Check

I'm ready to go!

A few more weeks and we will be off!

Thanks Dad and Tracey! We are so excited!

Where would I be....

Where would I be without my students!

I love each and everyday with them because it is always new and exciting! Some days they are so sweet and others they want to test me!!

On Tuesday, one of my students brought me in the most beautiful flowers ever and they smell incredible.

I love them and I have enjoyed smelling them all week!

Some of the things I have learned this year teaching third grade I want to share with you! I should have kept up with these things through out the year! I will try to do better

Lesson one: If you tell them something, you better follow through or you'll never hear the end of it.

Lesson two: Pennies often gets misspelled as: penis. I laughed for a long time at this until I was used to it and we learned to spell it correctly.

Lesson three: Sometimes you need to just shut you hears as a teacher and pretend you don't hear what they are saying. One of my boys told another boy, "You have a one eyed snake too."
Not sure what that was about, but I choose not to address it.

Lesson four: It's never to early or late to ask you what being a late bloomer means. UMMMM.. no answer for this question.

Lesson five: ( A personal favorite from the year) I gave a OPEN book Science test over water and the water cycle.
The questions asked: Precipitation might be _____, ______, _____, and _____.
Simple enough one might think.....yet the answer I received was:

Precipitation might be hell, shit, swom, and water.

I about fell out of my chair laughing!!!

Those are the funny things I can remember at the moment! I will try to do better and post more often about these things. I love each and everyone of my students and thank God for them each day! I couldn't have a better job!

22 Weeks

A big week! We have ordered a crib, a dresser, a rug, and bedding!

Things I have learned over the week! I have no balance! People will rub your belly no matter what and comment on your size!
Also, we have a very active and shy baby! He will kick all day and night for me, but as soon as someone else wants to feel him he quits! This happened several times over the weekend when we were home visiting family! My aunt sat with her hands on my tummy for about 15 minutes and nothing. As soon as she took her hands off several kicks right in a row! I don't know what is up with that!

Payne is about 11 inches and weighs almost a pound! He is strong little man! He kicks and punches hard! I know, I know! Just wait it will gets worse! His eyes, eyebrows, and lips have now all formed. I can really feel my tummy growing this week. It is stretching like no other!

So far this week, I have had no problems. Yet, every time I read a book, typically a week late reading about the week, I have whatever symptom they say is possible that week. That is probably pay back for never having morning sickness.

I have completly given up jeans/pants! So, don't be surprised when you see the same dresses over and over! I'm not rich enough to buy 30 new dresses! Ryan has been kind enough to switch sides of the bed with me. I have found that I can sleep much better on my left side now. So I can lay on my left side and face the outside of the bed. Though I spend a lot of time on my back.

Hopefully, this weekend we can order the glider. I know I have been saying that for several weeks now, but really I hope to get it done this weekend. Anything else I should be thinking about? I am coming up with ideas for how organize his closet.

Hope everyone has a great week. I will try to be a better blogger this week.

21 weeks

I have learned a lot this week. To start off leg cramps. I spend two hours at the doctor Monday for them to tell me nothing. They thought it could have been blood clots because my leg was swollen, but nothing. Then today I learned you can't carry heavy boxes in front of you. The belly kind of got in my way. To add to that I also learned over the weekend that your abs muscles disappear while your pregnant. Not to say that mine were oh so great, but maybe little ones.

In other news I have gained three pounds. I am not sure how that is all. All I do is eat and eat and eat. I'm not complaining about those thee pounds, but I for sure thought it was more. I decided today I'm done wearing jeans. They don't stay up anyways.

I painted some paint samples on the wall this week. I like the green for the ceiling, but the blues were not what I has in mind. I'll keep trying. We didn't get the glider order because we redid the flower bed instead. Maybe here in a few weeks we can get up there to do so. We are ordering the bedding Saturday morning. I'm so excited. It will probably take a lifetime to come in.

I have enjoyed feeling him kick a ton this week. Our big news for the week is that last Tuesday night Ryan felt him kick for the first time. He loved it. Now everytime he starts his kicking I make Ryan feel it. Also, we got a DVD of the ultrasound last Friday and I love watching it over and over.

Well that is all I got this week. We are at the golf course so I typed on my phone. So I am sorry for any mistakes. Also, i put up the picture when I get home tonight.

Yard Makeover!

Last week Ryan and I decided that we wanted to completely redo our flower beds. We had gotten this great patio furniture earlier in the week and so redoing the front was now on the agenda. We love the furniture! It was our Christmas present from Ryan's parents! Thanks!!!

I couldn't take a picture of ours because of the sun hitting patio funny.
We met Friday afternoon with TJ and Heather, who are great landscapers. They suggested some things to us and then we went to the nursery to get a few things. Ryan and I then came home and dug up everything in the flower bed. Here a few pictures of the weekend project! I love it so much!!

We pulled up the entire flower bed on this side.

We pulled this flower bed up last fall, but we add a little something to it.

When I woke up this is what I found. The men working hard!
Almost finished!
The finished project! I love it!
When the pansies die, we have impatiences to plant there.

TJ and Ryan also built another flower bed on the other side of the house.


The whole house
We love it so much! Thanks again TJ and Heather! You all are the best!

PS. All our neighbors mowed their yards or redid flower beds after they came down and told us they loved our yard makeover! I was happy!

20 week doctor appointment

Jackson Payne Green!

Sorry, it took me so long to get these up! We went to the doctor Friday afternoon for an ultrasound and for a check up with Dr. S. First, we had the ultrasound. It was fun to get to see him again. She said that he weighs about 12 ounces. Almost a pound! His heart was at 142 this time. Then we were just watching him and he kept throwing his head back and stretching, punching, and kicking me. Also, we doubled check to make sure he was still all boy and he is! We will start ordering furniture and bedding! By the end of the ultrasound she told us he was one of the most active babies she had seen in a while! Great!!!!!!!

There he throwing his head backwards!




This picture is him looking at you.

Dr. S said everything looks great we go back on May 10 for the sugar test. I think I will just take the day off and have him room painted on that day. Hope everyone had a great weekend! I will post tomorrow what we did!

Easter Weekend

Easter Weekend was fun and relaxing (at least for me)! My dad and Tracey came to stay with us for the weekend and Ryan's parents came to stay with A and B. Saturday morning B, Ryan, Rae-Marie, Dad, and Tracey all ran at 5k or biked 18 miles and ran 6 miles. So we were up early and out at Drake Field for the Iron Pig! It was so funny to see how not serious our group was and how serious everyone else was. This picture should prove it!They suggest that you jog a mile to warm up for the 5k! Ryan laughed and said that was 1/3 of the race no way was he doing that!Here is the group getting their start times! They all did well, and came in under what their goal times were! I'm impressed they all did so well!!! Congrats team!After the race Ryan and I went home to rest, then headed to the baseball game with the Fite's and my dad. It was cold unit we moved to the sun. It was a beautiful day to just sit outside!

Heather and I on the way back to the car.

That night we just laid low and hung out at the house! My sweet dad and wonderful hubby did some chores around the house for me! I was excited!

Sunday we went to church then out to eat at Noodle's for lunch. Then Ryan's mom came over and hung out with me for a while and planted some plants for me! She also brought us our Easter baskets! Payne even got one too!

Rice crispy treats and lots of gifts cards!

A cute little bunny and a cookie with his name on it!

That night Tim had given up pizza for Lent so we went to Mellow Mushroom to celebrate and eat with him and Leigh!

Hope everyone had a great Easter with their families!

Half Way-20 Weeks!

I'm half way through my pregnancy now! 20 weeks!

Payne's Growth:
Payne is about 6 1/2 inches long now and weighs about 10 1/2 ounces. He is about the length of a banana. He is swallowing more now and he's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and it will been seen it in his first soiled diaper. That freaks me out a little!

Lifestyle changes:
I am sleeping better now. I had a dream last week that I had a boy with a head full of brown hair and brown eyes. So...we'll see. I am still trying to eat smaller meals more often. I have gained 7 pounds according to my scale. Which makes me nervous. I have noticed that if I see someone with something to eat or drink, I want what they have. Yesterday, it was a milkshake.
I can feel him kicking a lot more this week, than in weeks past. He likes to kick mostly when I am home from school trying to relax on the couch or right before I go to sleep. Ryan still hasn't been able to feel it, but I can't wait till he can.

Funny of the week:
Last Friday, one of our teachers brought her baby to school to show off and I was holding him. When I handed him back one of my students poked me in the belly and said, "There's a baby in there." Then he ran off! I laughed and then thought, I don't really like to be poke in the belly!
Also, more and more people are starting to rub my belly. That makes me laugh as well!

Looking forward to...:
We have our ultrasound this week on Friday! I just image him looking so big! I also want a conformation on our due date. I plan to order the glider this weekend and paint sample colors on the walls. Also, next weekend I plan on ordering the bedding and the crib! Everything is starting to fall into place!

Bedding Options!

We have two options to choose from. There will still be a few adjustments and these are not all final, but they are for sure a huge start!

The stripes will be the bed skirt, the dots will be the bumper ties and crib sheet, and the white (which has a pattern in it) will be the bumper with a blue cording. I'm thinking about changing the cording to something a little more funky. With this option we would be paint all the walls the aqua color and the ceiling lime green. I'm really leaning towards this idea! I would do my glider in a brown or lime green simple fabric with a funky pillow.

The second option. The stripes would be the bed skirt and bumper ties. The orange and green would be the bumper. One color on each side with the cording being the blue zigzag. The crib sheet would be the polka dots. I don't know about this one! I just can't decide.

When the sweet sweet girl said she would draw it up for me I was thinking she would just list where each fabric went. Nope, she drew a picture for me! I was so impressed! I can't tell you all how thankful I was for this sweet girl who was helping me! She made me feel like it could actually happen!

Tell me what you think about each options and feel free to give me more ideas!

Coming Home Outfit!

Since I found out I was pregnant I have wanted to find a simple, yet cute little outfit for him to come home in. Of course, its lime green and white stripes. I love lime green! It is a little gown, so I have no worries that it won't fit. As long as he doesn't come out more than 8 pounds! I am secretly hoping for 5-6 pounds! I am going to get his name monogrammed on it in aqua.

I am kind of thinking after he is born and home to get it framed and hang it in his room with other baby memories from those first few days.


Random question: Do you take other outfits to the hospital for him to wear while we are still there or just a coming home outfit?

Michelle and David Archer's Wedding

Michelle was my freshman roommate! I loved her so much! I couldn't have had a better roomie in the dorm!
She was beautiful! I loved the flowers and cake! I am sucker for both!

One of the coolest cakes I had ever seen!


Center of the buffet!
Anchor tables! These arrangements ran all the way down the long tables. I really liked these!


I didn't get a picture of her in her actual wedding dress, but the reception dress was so freaking cute!!!!

Allison, Drew, Me, and Rachie! The bridesmaid dresses were so cute. They were from J. Crew!

Congrats Michelle and David! I hope your lives are full of fun, adventure, and happiness!