Against The Grain

Memorial Day 2011

2011-05-30T23:29:00.004-05:00

I put flowers at Leah's grave today. There were lots of flowers there for other kiddos. When I go to her grave site, I am reminded of how many families are grieving the loss of their children, how we are not alone on this grief journey. There is always a fresh-ish plot, reminding me that loss happens every day. I am reminded and thankful that Leah is not really there.

Memorial Day is a good day for remembering.

"He gives and He takes away."

Abi

2011-05-30T23:27:00.002-05:00

We attended Abi's memorial service on Saturday. Please continue to pray for Abi's parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. This road of grief is long & hard.

Baby Abi

2011-05-15T16:43:00.003-05:00

I'd like to take a second and share a huge prayer request with you guys!

A new friend, Melissa, is pregnant with their first daughter, Abi, who has been diagnosed with Anencephaly. Melissa is scheduled for a C-section early tomorrow (Monday) morning.

Here is a link to Abi's CaringBridge site for a list of some specific prayer requests for tomorrow.

Please pray for Melissa, Danny, & Abi!

Happy 1st Birthday Leah!!

2010-12-05T21:07:00.009-06:00

Thanks to everyone who has remembered us this weekend & sent us cards, emails, texts, etc. It has been so evident to us all week that people are praying for us. We have definitely felt God's presence & His peace in our hearts.

As I was reading & journaling this morning, I was reflecting on God's faithfulness to us this past year as well as some of the ways we

have grown & what we've learned. He has, once again, been so good to us. His blessings have come in unexpected ways, but they have been blessings none-the-less.

Of course, we still miss Leah like crazy & would have loved to celebrate with her today. But we are filled with HOPE because of our faithful Father who has never left our side.

This verse kept popping into my mind this morning. I first read it several months ago & decided to memorize it.

I think it sums up our 2010 pretty well.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.

And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,

nor will the flame burn you.

For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,

Your Saviour,

And because I Love You..."

Isaiah 43:2-4

Update on us

2010-11-18T15:17:00.004-06:00

The changing of the season has been hard this year. I love Autumn, & this year it has been especially beautiful. With this season, however, come lots of reminders of Leah. I remember specific days while I was pregnant & enjoying every minute with her.

I remember people I saw, conversations we had, hugs that I received, tears that loved ones shared with us, etc.

We have learned a lot & grown a lot in the past year. In ways that we didn't really want to or even know about a year ago. We know a part of each other that is hard to know, yet so good too.

I still feel awkward in social settings. It's still uncomfortable for me. I like to talk less & just sit back and watch more. Grief is tough to deal with in multiple settings, much less talk about it. Not everyone gets it. Stuff that seemed important at one time is not even on my radar as remotely important anymore.

We are approaching Dec 5th rapidly. I wish time would slow down a bit so I could have more time to get emotionally ready for it. We plan on spending the day with each other. Nothing big or major. True to our style, I suppose. Just us. And our memories of Leah. It will be a special day. Honoring her.

Jessica-another update

2010-11-18T15:14:00.001-06:00

I've been horrible about keeping you guys updated. I'm happy to report that Jess is doing really good. There was a chance that she would need some radiation to keep the tumor from coming back again. However, she does not need radiation now. So that's a big relief.

Her family & community have blessed them with lots of meals & help with the kiddos. They are all doing good.

Her pain seems to be totally manageable at this point. She is feeling good for the most part.

Thanks for your prayers. The plan now is to have an MRI in February and then annually after that.

Jessica-update

2010-10-29T16:24:00.003-05:00

Jessica is out of surgery. The Doctor said it went as expected. So far so good.
Thanks for praying. Pray for a full recovery! Thanks!

Jessica

2010-10-26T21:06:00.005-05:00

Okay friends, please gather around my dear friend Jessica right now. She & her family need your prayers!!

Jessica & her family were our neighbors for the past 5 years until just a few months ago when they moved back to western Kansas, totally against my will. ;) We know each other well. We have done lots of miles walking or running in our neighborhood together. We knew each other's garage codes & would help ourselves to whatever we needed if we had a "baking or cooking emergency." She & her stocked kitchen were a life-saver on several occasions!

She was diagnosed yesterday with a brain tumor.

She has 4 kiddos, the youngest is around 6 or 8 weeks old or so. My memory fails me often, so he may be a couple weeks older than that. Anyway, the point is she has a big family & they need their momma.

Here is the most recent pic I have of her. Talk about someone who is dedicated. She gave birth a couple months ago & then whipped her body back into shape in order to run the 5K race in Wichita. This picture is the epitomy of how NOT to compose a picture, but who cares. Just ignore the porta-potties & my nasty-ness & see Jessica.

Surgery is scheduled for Friday in Denver. The doctors feel that the tumor is benign at this point. Please pray that surgery goes smoothly & is successful.

Thank you!!!

Balloon Release Event

2010-10-17T18:25:00.003-05:00

October 15th is national Baby & Infant Loss day. We remembered Leah with some of our newest friends from this past year.

Pics

2010-09-17T13:38:00.004-05:00

Brice took our pics. Call him for a photo-shoot. He does a great job!! Pretty proud of our brother-in-law. And he has some great "one-liners." :)

Father's Day

2010-06-20T17:23:00.004-05:00

Happy Father's Day, Andy!

You love your family & fight for us like none other. You are an incredible father and husband. We love you!!

Mother's Day

2010-05-08T21:14:00.006-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to my friends who don't have a child's neck to hug today or a sweet little cheek to kiss. You're a mom still the same. A brave mom. You are loved.

This is what I read in my HOPE book today. It is fitting for this day, a bitter-sweet day for us.

The title is called "The Shadow of Death"

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

"Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse was one of America's great preachers. His first wife died from cancer when she was in her thirties, leaving behind three children under the age of twelve. Dr. Barnhouse was driving home from the funeral service with his his children when a huge truck stopped next to them at a traffic light, blocking the sunlight and covering the car with its shadow. He turned to his children and said, 'Death is like that. It blocks the sunshine, but the sun is still shining.'

The difference bewteen walking into death and walking in the shadow of death is the difference between finality and a new beginning forever.
It is the difference between nothingness and fullness of joy and life.
It is the difference between destruction and re-creation for the future.
It is ultimately the difference between the darkness of eternal separation from God and the blazing glory of everlasting enjoyment of his presence.

There is no doubt that a shadow is a dark place to be. But when the Lord is our shepherd, we no longer have to fear the dark places that death takes us. In the shadows we reach out to find him beside us, and the fear of the unknown fades. When he gently uses his rod of correction to prod us in the right direction and his staff of compassion to draw us close, we find comfort.

When we are in the fold of God, death is impotent to destroy us. It is depleted of its evil power. The valley where we encounter death is transformed into a place of peaceful comfort; it is in this valley that we are more aware of God's presence than ever before."

There is little anyone can say to us to comfort us today. Our hearts hurt way more than we can describe with our words. And while we feel like this "shadow of death" has persisted way too long & too harshly, God is still good to us. The truth is that He loves us & has good plans in store for us. May we believe that with every cell in our body.

John 6:39 "Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.'"

Losing Your Life

2010-04-25T10:45:00.006-05:00

"If you cling to your life, you will lose it; But if you give it up for Me, you will find it."

Matther 10:39

I have a quote to share with you today from my HOPE book. It meets me where I'm at today.

"Jesus calls us to abandon our own agendas, what we have deemed will please and fulfill us, so that we can embrace the kind and quality of life that only He gives. This is not about adding Jesus to the life we are living. This is about making Jesus our Life. This is about putting our plans for our lives to death so that the abundant life He offers has room to take root and grow. And death is always painful. This is not an extreme brand of discipleship only for go-getters. This is the call for everyone who chooses to be a follower of Jesus.

The problem is, we don't really believe God's plan for our lives could be better than the one we've crafted. We don't believe we could be as fulfulled by the life He offers as we would be by the one we've planned. It takes a step of faith to believe God will supply satisying life now and when we die.

...If you cling to your own plans and desires, you will never discover the freedom and joy found in losing your life for Jesus."

Handmade by Leah's Grandma

2010-02-22T16:28:00.004-06:00

My Mom, Leah's Grandma, made the most adorable hats for her while she was still in my womb. I cherish each of them. I wish you could see them in person because they are each so unique & beautiful. I got them out today for a photo-shoot. Thanks Mom, for making these beautiful hats for Leah. And thanks for your prayers for our family as you hand made each one. We love you!

11 weeks, Getting our "groove" on, & Some random thoughts

2010-02-22T11:56:00.007-06:00

It seems impossible to think back over the past 11 weeks at all that has happened & know that we are actually doing pretty well. There have definitely been days during these 11 weeks that I thought I'd never make it another day. Grief can be so debilitating. I'm really thankful that I've been able to sort of ease back into society gradually by working just a couple days a week. Society should be thankful too. Some days it's just not a good idea for me to be around people. :) It's still nice to have a place to "hide" when I need or want to. Overall I think we are finding our groove, our "new normal." It takes a lot of time to re-adjust your heart & mind to a new hard reality.

Thank you to those of you who remembered us last week in particular. It was a hard week, but we made it. We were able to get away for the weekend. We had a nice time & enjoyed some great sunny weather. God has filled our hearts with HOPE, so we rejoiced in that this past week as well.

There are days when the pain of grief seems to be a good distance away & then I have days when the pain is so fresh & hits me in a new way. During the "good" days, I try to enjoy it while also bracing myself for the next tsunami of grief coming my way, from a different angle, usually one I can't see or anticipate.

You wouldn't believe the amount of mail new parents get. While it's probably exciting to most new parents to receive countless formula coupons & parenting advice from one magazine to the next, it's pretty much a nasty reminder almost weekly of our reality that Leah's not here anymore.

I've met some incredible people on this new journey we're on. A support group called Glory Babies has offered some opportunities to meet people who are on different journeys, but each one involving children in one way or another. An almost instant connection occurs when meeting someone who has lost a child.

Well, that's enough randomness for today. Thanks for reading. And thanks for continuing to pray for us. And we're glad you enjoyed the pictures. :) Thanks for letting us share our daughter with you in a small way.

Have a good Monday. Here's to more "good" days ahead!

Leah

2010-02-17T10:34:00.001-06:00

We are missing Leah like crazy, especially today on her due date. Thank you to those of you who have remembered. Here are a few of our favorite pics.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Leah's Afghan

2010-02-15T17:16:00.003-06:00

We received a very special package in the mail Saturday. Leah's Great Grandma sent the afghan that she crocheted for her. I imagined that it would be beautiful, but never dreamed just HOW beautiful it would be. We both love the color, which is sort of a neutral tan/goldish-brown. It's really amazing. And warm. We snuggled up with it the first evening we got it when it was so cold. We really love it and it has the sweetest meaning to us. Thank you Grandma for making this for Leah! And we covet your prayers for us as you hand-made this for her. We are so hapy to have one more thing to remember her by. We love you!

This special afghan came at a really special time for us. Leah's due date is just a couple days away, on Wednesday, Feb 17. We would appreciate your prayers for us this week especially. I have mixed emotions about this week. On one hand I am thankful that delivery day is behind us. Knowing how difficult the past couple of months have been, I would not want to start this journey all over again this week. But on the other hand, I am sad that delivery day is behind us. This is just one of the many milestones that we'll go through. Christmas was hard. Her due date will most likely be hard. Thank you in advance for praying for us this week. We appreciate it and know that God will continue to cover us with His grace as we move forward another step.

"You Do All Things Well"

2010-01-13T17:25:00.004-06:00

This afternoon I listened to Chris Tomlin's song "You Do All Things Well" and was just thinking about Leah and how God made her so "well." I can get wrapped up and focus on her birth defect and her death, or I can choose to believe that God really did make her as He intended to. He formed her; He saw her body as he knit her together in my womb; she really was fearfully & wonderfully made. God really does do all things well.

I recently was at a book store glancing through books on grieving. One story caught my attention. I cannot remember which book this was in, but there was a story about a woman who was born with a birth defect involving her face. Apparently according to our world's standards, her face was deformed, or in some way deamed "not pretty." But this woman's faith amazed me. In fact, she stated that she was glad, even thankful, that God had made her the way He did.
The reason, she said, was because she knew God in a unique and very personal way through her journey with her deformity. She said it was worth it to her to know God more.
She also said that the term "birth defect" seems to admit to some sort of mistake. When in fact, if God truly does not make mistakes, then really there are no birth defects. Everyone is made uniquely as God formed them, without any mistakes. I love that. That's faith lived out.

Yes, God really does do ALL THINGS WELL.

I can't say that everyday I'm at a place where I can tell God that I'm glad He made Leah with Anencephaly. In fact, if I could change things, I probably would. Actually I know I would. But I do know and believe that God has us on this journey for a reason & that He still has an amazing plan for our lives. For now, I can wrap my brain around those Truths. And I pray that one day I can have the faith that this woman had...

Desert Song

2010-01-04T09:19:00.004-06:00

Here's a link to a YouTube video about the writer of the song called "Desert Song."

I've always felt a special connection to this song & now I know why. A friend shared it with me today. I hope you'll enjoy it too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE33ejdgWIY&feature=player_embedded

Leah's Memorial

2010-01-02T15:26:00.004-06:00

It has taken me a while to get this post written. Part of the reason is that a memorial seems so final, so permanent. There are still days when I'm not willing to accept reality, when it hurts too much to make my mind accept all that has taken place during the past 4 weeks. I guess today I'm feeling up to it...

Shortly after coming home from the hospital 4 weeks ago, we began receiving money from caring friends like you all. We both just sort of stood & stared dumb-foundedly at the checks coming in. We had no idea that we'd receive money during this time. We never expected it. And we certainly didn't anticipate it. We were extremely taken off-guard.

That said, we are blessed by your generous gifts for our family. More than anything, the show of support has been an encouragement beyond words. Thank you. Thank you for caring about us & about Leah.

We have decided what we are going to do with ALL of the money that we have received for Leah. We have set up a memorial fund through our church to be used specifically for the Children's Ministry.

Our church, Eastside Community Church has an amazing Children's Ministry program. From little infants to high school students, one of Eastside's main focus is on kids....growing kids into fully-devoted followers of Jesus. That said, we were looking forward to having our kids grow up in a church with such a great focus, such a strong emphasis on their spiritual maturity.

And while Leah won't be able to grow up at Eastside, she can still be a part of it through your gifts. This is a huge blessing to us as her parents. Knowing that her life will continue to impact kiddos & their spiritual growth is something that you can't put a price tag on. We are truly grateful for all of your generous gifts. Please know that every single penny that we have received will go directly to this purpose.

While we don't expect it, for those of you who feel led to give to Leah's memorial, you can send your checks via us or send them directly to Eastside. It's up to you. Again, thank you. From the bottom of our hearts.

Hemmed.

2009-12-16T10:37:00.003-06:00

These days have been so up & down. Yesterday was one of the first days I have felt "human" since Leah came into our lives in body. Most days I am a complete wreck honestly. Most days I cannot complete a full sentence without crying. I have made it through a few days where I could complete my sentences and those days make me feel like a little bit of myself is starting to resurface again. There are so many things going on. I told my Mom last night that post-pregnancy hormones & grief were NEVER meant to collide at the same time. It's ugly.

I am reading through several great books about grieving & about hope. In one of the books I have been challenged to "grieve with HOPE." Believe it or not, it's pretty hard to do. It's easy to get caught up in grief & despair. But it's a conscious choice & decision to plow through grief with HOPE.

God has been so good throughout this journey to give us HOPE the entire way. My prayer is that I will cling to the HOPE that He offers. Please pray with us that we will know how to grieve with HOPE, not despair.

I love this verse & it has been coming to my mind this week a lot. It reminds me that God has us completely surrounded (hemmed in) with His love & provision for us. I remember hearing once the analogy of an actual hem on a piece of clothing. We are in the middle of this hem. And God is on both sides of us...sewn in tightly behind & before us. It is comforting to know that we are hemmed in His love. Nothing surprises Him. He isn't caught off guard by anything that happens in our lives. He's protecting us. He has us hemmed in on all sides.

"Before a word is on my tongue

You know it completely, O LORD.

You hem me in--behind and before;

You have laid Your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderul for me,

too lofty for me to attain."

Psalm 39:4-6

Leah's Stats

2009-12-14T09:13:00.002-06:00

In case you are interested, here are a few stats about Leah:

29 weeks, 3 days gestational age
2 pounds, 5 ounces
14.25 inches long

Her torso was really long, like mine. And she had dark, curly hair like her daddy's.
Oh, and she was beautiful. And perfect.

Psalms

2009-12-08T12:00:00.003-06:00

This verse says it all so perfectly:

"I AM DYING FROM GRIEF; MY YEARS ARE SHORTENED BY SADNESS. MISERY HAS DRAINED MY STRENGTH; I AM WASTING AWAY FROM WITHIN. BUT I AM TRUSTING YOU, O LORD, SAYING, 'YOU ARE MY GOD!' MY FUTURE IS IN YOUR HANDS."

PSALM 31:10, 14-15

We're Home

2009-12-06T16:46:00.003-06:00

Andy and I are proud parent's to our precious Leah.

We are at home now. Our arms feel so empty, but our hearts have never been so full.
We fell head over heals in love with our daughter. We miss her terribly.
Thank you for your prayers. Every single one of our prayer requests were answered favorably.

God is so good to us. He showed Himself all throughout our labor & delivery....from our doctor, the nursing staff, our families, visitors, etc. He was very present with us in the room the whole time. Throughout the day as we cried out to Him, He heard us & cared for our ever need. The delivery was an emotional one, as you can probably imagine. Our doctor bawled with us as we delivered her. We praise God for delivering Leah from any pain or suffering. And we just cherish the fact that she is with Jesus, so safe and so perfectly healed.

Prayer requests for the new Mom & Dad:

1. Rest. We're exhausted to say the least. We really need time to sleep & just be together.
2. Comfort. I find myself still rocking side to side as if I still had Leah in my arms. I still want to rock her & smell her & sing to her & see her face. Yet God knows best & we trust His sovereignty.
3. Physical Healing. My body is healing nicely as far as we can tell. But please pray for complete healing. And please lift up Andy as he is pretty run down both physically & emotionally from the past 72 hours. Please pray that he doesn't get sick.

11:00 pm Update

2009-12-05T22:46:00.004-06:00

Last update from a very proud aunt! Andy and Steph feel God's peace and you can see it reflected in them. God calls us to do everything for the glory of God and they have done this with excellence. We don't know the exact hour or day that Leah went to be with Jesus, but we rejoice because of the wonderful assurance that she is whole and perfect. He even knew her name before the rest of us! She is a very loved baby girl and we won't ever forget her. She will always be part of our family.

Steph will probably be discharged tomorrow. Since the delivery, the risk of infection for Steph has greatly decreased, but please pray for protection over her body as she heals physically. Thank you for your continued prayers.

We love you Andy, Steph and Leah!

her name

2009-12-05T20:26:00.003-06:00

Steph and Andy named their little girl Leah. She was delivered at 6:28p.m. God is good.

the baby has been delivered!

2009-12-05T18:59:00.002-06:00

We talked to Steph's doctor about 5 minutes ago and Steph delivered her baby girl! We don't have any details and haven't talked to them yet. Andy and Steph are spending time with their daughter and we will update with more details as we know them. On behalf of Steph and Andy and our entire family...thank you from the bottom of our hearts for praying them through this.

5:15pm Update

2009-12-05T17:17:00.003-06:00

Good News! Steph is 100% effaced (cervix is completely thinned out)! The contractions can now be more effective to help her dilate. Thanks for continuing to pray!

4:30 pm update

2009-12-05T16:34:00.003-06:00

OK...her doctor said that in this special situation, even though Steph has maxed out on the pitocin, she wanted them to continue the pitocin, but at half the dose. A lot of times, that will cause the uterus to relax more and the cervix to open up and dilate. So, please pray that this will happen quickly for Steph. She is sleeping now (thanks to the epidural) and the nurses are limiting the traffic in and out of the room. The nausea should go away since she is off the morphine. Thanks!

4:15 p.m. Update

2009-12-05T16:16:00.004-06:00

I wish I could say she has dilated more, but not yet. She is still at 4.5cm. She got the epidural at around 3:30pm and is resting comfortably. She has maxed out the pitocin and we are waiting to hear back from her doctor about what she wants to do. Their favorite nurse just came on at 3pm for an 8-hour shift, so they are really happy about that. Please continue to pray for more progress!

Andy's parents just arrived...all the way from South Dakota. Your prayers mean so much to them!

2:15 p.m. update

2009-12-05T14:14:00.002-06:00

Steph was able to get some rest and I think she looks a LOT better! PTL! The nurse is doing labs to get ready for the epidural. She is having steady, strong contractions. We don't know if she has dilated further yet. Thanks for the continued prayers!

12:45 p.m. update

2009-12-05T12:42:00.002-06:00

Steph is still at 4.5cm. She is almost to the max of the amount of pitocin she can have. And she can only have one more dose of the other labor-inducing med. PLEASE PRAY THAT SHE STARTS DILATING MORE! Also, please pray for rest. She is so tired. Thanks so much!

11:45 a.m. Update

2009-12-05T11:46:00.002-06:00

Just checking in real quick to let you know that things seem to be about the same. Steph is exhausted...she is trying to sleep right now. Please pray that she can get some much needed rest for renewed energy.

9:30 a.m. update

2009-12-05T09:36:00.002-06:00

Well, it was a long night, but Steph and Andy were able to get some sleep. She is dilated to 4.5cm. They started pitocin again because she had been given the max of the other med. So, they increase that every 15 minutes. She has been on morphine since yesterday afternoon, I think, and will probably be getting the epidural fairly soon. She is absolutely amazing. She is so strong...Andy is too. We are SO proud of them both. They are both very tired but the mood is very positive. They are being so patient.

Please pray that her nausea subsides and that things continue to progress and for endurance.

Her parents, brother and sister are here. Andy's parents will be here this afternoon. Your prayers are so important and so needed. Everyone is staying positive. We are focusing on the Lord. There are still good things happening despite such a difficult situation. We praise God for that!

10:30 p.m. Update

2009-12-04T22:25:00.002-06:00

Steph wanted me to update that she is almost at 2cm now and her cervix is thinning great. She will get another dose of meds at 11pm. Things are slow but moving in the right direction. Your prayers are really appreciated.

6 pm Update

2009-12-04T17:23:00.006-06:00

Steph here. I wish I had something exciting to report, but there's not much going on except for more contractions. They are getting stronger though, but not too bad. They haven't checked me since about 3pm, so I'm hoping that by the next time they check, we will have made some progress. This afternoon I think discouragment was setting in, but I'm doing better now.

Honestly I'm just ready to be done & see our daughter. Then we'll deal with whatever emotions come along with that. I know that it'll be hard, so part of the discouragement is from the slow pace, but also knowing the outcome already is hard too. I'm doing okay overall, but you can pray that I won't be discouraged as the day/night goes on. My OB is great & is not getting anxious about anything. We're trying to get my 29-wk-along pregnant body to jump in to pre-term labor. And it's fighting back. So I guess that's good in some respects.

I can't remember if Heidi mentioned it earlier or not, but they stopped the Pitocin & started a different drug at 3pm to see if that works better. I can't remember the name. Pitocin just seemed to not be doing enough & I had made it all the way to the max dose. So far the contractions just seem to be getting gradually stronger. I think they are pretty close together, but I get distracted & forget to keep track of the time.

Andy is doing good & holding up well. He's a good sport. He's been encouraging today & very helpful as well.

Thanks for praying for a good nursing staff. They have all been great so far. I'm on my 2nd day-shift nurse, because some nurses do 8 hrs shifts. But we have been very pleased with everyone that has come into the room to check up on us.

We've had a few visitors too. Heidi's family rolled into town this afternoon & my not-so-little brother is here too. :)

Well, another contraction...one of us will update more later on. Thanks for continuing to journey with us & lift us up in prayer.

3:00 p.m. Update

2009-12-04T15:01:00.002-06:00

Still waiting...progress is slow...1cm so far. She has walked the halls for a while and she is going to try to sleep now. Thanks for your continued prayers. Jared, her brother, just got here.

11:00 a.m. update

2009-12-04T10:56:00.002-06:00

Steph is dictating to me...=)

They started the pitocin at 9a.m. and I am having frequent contractions. I still feel good but my nurse says that I am smiling too much! She is increasing the pitocin every 15 minutes. Please pray that things progress quickly and not drag out. Please pray for the emotional strength to handle everything that comes with the delivery and after the delivery. Thanks!

8:00 a.m. update

2009-12-04T07:45:00.003-06:00

Good morning! Sounds like Andy and Steph were able to get a little rest last night. Steph's doctor will be in between 9 and 9:30am to start the pitocin, they are just waiting around until then. Please pray that the labor and delivery will go smooth, quickly and with no complications! Psalm 46:1 says, "God is our Refuge and Strength, an ever present help in time of trouble." God's strength is very evident in Andy and Steph right now! Thank you so much for praying for them!

10:00 p.m. update

2009-12-03T22:01:00.005-06:00

Praise! Steph's doctor was able to turn the baby! Thanks so much for praying about this specific request. It didn't take very long and Steph said that it really didn't hurt much (after a good dose of pain meds!) The plan for now is to hopefully sleep. She will have meds every 4 hours to thin her cervix and then the doctor will start pitocin in the morning. So delivery will more than likely be tomorrow. Steph and Andy are both in good spirits. They feel like they are ready for this and can definitely feel your prayers. God is carrying them through every step of the way. Please pray for them to get as much rest as possible tonight. Thanks!

More info

2009-12-03T14:56:00.005-06:00

Well today has been a very different day. It is nice to have a little bit of time to get prepared for the evening. My friend Tara Jo is here this week staying with us. It has been great to have her here to help with some of the last minute details. My sister Heidi is also here for the duration of the labor & delivery.

We went shopping & got a baby blanket and something to possibly wear.

Dr. Hague called me personally from Oklahoma to check up on me. She is so sweet & will meet us at the hospital tonight for the delivery. She went over a few details with me over the phone to get me prepared for tonight.

More prayer requests:

1. Currently the baby is head down. Normally this is good, but in our situation, we want her to be breech. Delivering her head down would be a LOT more difficult for me. So Dr. Hague will give me some pain meds & then try to turn her. Please Please pray that this works & that she will turn for us.

2. Again, we are thrilled that Dr. Hague can be there. Just pray for a great nurse & staff team this evening.

3. Emotional & physical strength. Tonight will be a long hard night both physically & emotionally.

Schedule

2009-12-03T11:00:00.002-06:00

Another update:

My Dr. office got ahold of Dr. Hague in Oklahoma. She wants to do the delivery.
She wants me to check into the hospital at 7pm & she will come straight to the hospital from her conference in Oklahoma at about 8pm.

She'll then start my labor & get me going.

All of this is the plan unless I start to have contractions, run a fever, or feel bad otherwise.

Quick Update

2009-12-03T09:01:00.003-06:00

A quick update here to let you know what's been going on the past few days.

Saturday I remember feeling the baby move in the morning sometime.
After that, I don't remember feeling much movement at all.
On Sunday, no movement. I was beginning to get worried, but stayed pretty calm & tried to not over-think anything.
Monday...still no movement. A really emotional day for me, but I was too nervous to look with ultrasound to confirm what I thought was true.
Tuesday...I thought I felt a little something, so I decided to look. What I saw was what I had expected. No movement. No heartbeat. No blood flow in the cord, etc. Nothing.

Of course after a flood of emotions, I finished out the day at work & somehow kept myself composed for the most part.
Andy & I drove home from KC together tonight & talked about some plans. We wanted confirmation that she was gone with another ultrasound.

Wednesday...confirmation with sono that she had indeed passed away.

Today...Delivery day. After speaking with my doctor's office, I was told that I will be induced today.

Some prayer requests:

1. Dr. Hague is in OK City today...supposed to return around 5pm. Dr L. could get my labor started & then we are hoping that Dr. Hague could make it in time for the delivery.
Please pray that Dr. Hague can make it in time. We would really prefer for her to be there, although it will be fine if it doesn't work out this way.

2. Details. Andy & I had just started discussing plans for after the baby was born. Memorial/funeral plans, pictures, etc. With everything happening so fast, we have to make all of these decisions pretty much today.

3. A great & caring team of doctors & nurses.

Pray for our doctor

2009-12-01T12:58:00.003-06:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, Dr. Hague lost her baby, actually she lost twins, in June. She had mentioned that her due date was in December. While I don't know her exact due date, I know that December will probably be a hard month for her in general. She was one of the first people on my mind this morning as I got up. Please be praying for Dr. Hague this month. She would normally be anticipating the arrival of her kiddos soon. Her loss is so great. And I know that it is still extremely hard for her. I have my next appointment with her this Friday. Pray that we can be an encouragement to her in some way. Thanks everyone.

Thankful

2009-11-24T20:25:00.013-06:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

We have so so much to be thankful for. Here's a few things that are on our list:

1. Jesus and His resurrection. I know this probably sounds cliché, but seriously, this is our bread & butter. Our meat & potatoes. (I must be hungry again) :) Without this, we would be, well, toast.

Check out what several verses in I Corinthians 15 say:

14 "And if Christ wasn't raised to life, our message is worthless, and so is your faith."

17 "Unless Christ was raised to life, your faith is useless, and you are still living in your sins."

19 "If our hope in Christ is good only for this life, we are worse off than anyone else."

But here comes the HOPE...

20 "But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life."

So you see, because of Jesus' resurrection from the dead, we have HOPE.

HOPE for today & HOPE for tomorrow. He's the reason we can get both feet on the floor in the morning and get moving again. This is the reason our faith is not in vain. This is why devastating news does not have to devastate us forever.

2. Each Other. We have a strong marriage. We're best friends. We seriously love just being together, just us. Andy has been such a rock for me during this time. He offers a listening ear when I need to complain. And he frequently gives me a shoulder to cry on. And he puts me straight when I need to re-align my thinking and focus on the Truth.

3. The opportunity to be parents. Not everyone gets a chance at parenthood. Ours may be relatively short in comparison to most, but nonetheless, we are still thankful to be Mommy & Daddy to our sweet daughter.

4. Everyone's Prayers. So many people have commented to me on "how well we are doing." To that I say, "Well please don't stop praying! Because I know it's because of all of your prayers for us that we are getting through this storm."

5. Our Family. And by this I mean our family by genetics & also our community around us. I know I mentioned your prayers in #4, but we are also so thankful for your kind words of encouragement, your cards, emails, texts, etc. throughout our week. Thanks for those little reminders that you are on this journey with us.

There are still so many more things to add to this short list...We truly have SO much to be thankful for. We rejoice this Thanksgiving in the HOPE that we have.

Hebrews 6:19

"This HOPE is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary."

Yiiiiippppppeeee!!!

2009-11-24T20:22:00.002-06:00

I just received a sweet gift in the mail today from some dear friends in Texas.
It's a gift certificate for a 1 hour Pre-Natal Massage. Oh my. I am so excited.
I can't wait to use it! Thanks you guys! That totally made my day! :)

Happy FRIDAY!!!

2009-11-20T08:06:00.003-06:00

I am so excited to announce that this is my LAST Friday to work. Well, I wish I could say it was the last Friday that I will EVER work, but that would be a lie. Anyway, I'm wrapping up a contract deal today, so my Fridays will be free after this. The timing couldn't be better.
TGIF!!!! Hope your's is a good one too.

Baby Afghan

2009-11-14T14:31:00.004-06:00

Here's a sweet picture of my Grandma, our daughter's
Great-Grandma crocheting her baby afghan a few weeks ago. It's a beautiful color called "wheat". Kind of a tan with some gold in it. I love it! It will be so special to have a baby afghan from Great-Grandma.

Update

2009-11-09T09:55:00.009-06:00

Well, not much is new here. Just a quick update on what we've been up to....

The weather was beautiful this past weekend, so we worked outside a lot, which we both really enjoy. We got a lot done, but there's still more to do of course.

We've been feeling lots of movement these days, especially at night when I'm trying to sleep. It seems she likes our attention!

Speaking of sleeping...that is becoming more of a challenge these days. I ruined my shoulders in high school playing volleyball, so sleeping on my sides has never been comfortable. As my belly (ahem, the baby) is growing, sleeping is becoming more of a challenge. I know many of you can relate. It's just crazy going through it for the first time. Overall I'm still pretty rested, but there are nights that I've slept all over the house just trying to find that perfect sleeping position! Andy woke up the other night & got worried 'cause he couldn't find me! I was sleeping in the basement on the couch! I'll try anything to get sleep!

Thanks for your prayers for last Monday & Tuesday. Everything went fine with turning in my notice. Everyone was understanding and for the most part, I only received one or two strange comments from people. Whatever. I can deal with it. People often don't know what to say, so they say something very very strange (and sometimes hurtful). But I'm usually prepared for it now. Usually I can brush it off pretty well. I know they don't mean to be hurtful.

Saturday was to have been my first baby shower. So the day was sorta bittersweet. But I decided early in the day that I could either feel sorry for myself & be miserable all day, or I could choose to believe & hope in what God has for us. It turned out to be a great day, a great weekend. I was not sad at all.

Sometimes it's wierd because I feel like people expect me to be sad all the time. But really I'm not. Yes, I have hard moments still. But overall, I am still happy & hopeful. Andy is too. I have told many people that our HOPE is not in having a family. Our HOPE is not in our dreams of life "as it could have been." Our HOPE is not in what this world thinks we should be holding on to. Our HOPE is in the Lord.

I don't know how I would live without HOPE. Seriously, I would be in a completely depressed state all of the time without HOPE. God is so good to give us promise after promise that He is with us, even walking before us. But at the same time, walking right along side of us. And He not only promises that He is here with us, but also that He has good things planned for us (Jer. 29:11). And I'm not interpreting "good things" to mean "kids." I don't think that's right. We have no idea what good things He has in store for us, but we trust that He does & that He'll bring them to us when it's right. And I'm positive that there will be more hard things mixed in with the good things. I guess that's just life.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a future." Jer 29:11

Monday Monday

2009-11-02T10:02:00.004-06:00

Well, I guess Monday is here...whether or not any of us like it or not! :) We had a nice weekend. We hid out from all the trick or treaters in our neighborhood. We just turned out the lights & watched a movie. It was very nice & relaxing.

I am in Kansas City today again. I turned in my notice today to the doctors here. I gave them plenty of notice--my last day will be Dec 22nd. I'm nervous about all the questions about my pregnancy. You know, the usual stuff...are you ready for the baby? What are you having? What color is the nursery? I know I don't have to explain everything to everyone, but I will have to address it at least a little bit. Those conversations will be hard.

So anyway, I would appreciate your prayers as I deal with all of those questions over the next 2 months. Thanks.

Pumpkin

2009-11-01T18:34:00.003-06:00

We think this pumpkin is adorable that our nieces & nephews carved for us. Thanks!

OB appointment

2009-10-31T09:46:00.007-05:00

On October 1st when we first learned of our daughter's fatal diagnosis, it was an amazing doctor, Dr. Hague, who delivered the news to us. She was stepping in for my regular OB doc, who wasn't in the clinic that day. Dr.Hague was put in an awful position to deliver horrible news to someone she had never met before. She was amazing. She was frank, which we needed. Yet she was so sweet, gentle, & sincerely concerned for us. I'll never forget some of the words she said...they re-play in my head frequently. She cried with us as she explained the diagnosis. She also asked us if we had a church family who could surround us during this time. We told her we did & she asked where we go to church. We told her we had a great community of friends & family around us. Then she asked to pray with us, which we happily accepted. Overall, we left the appointment devasted, but we just thought the world of Dr. Hague.

We've talked frequently over the past 3 weeks about possibly changing doctors. My regular OB is a great doc too, but her personality is very different than Dr. Hague's. We thought this might be a better fit for us during this time. We wanted to be on the same page with our doctor, especially with all the decisions we are faced with. Anyway, we decided to switch to Dr. Hague.....
Thursday we had our 24 week appointment. Our decision to switch doctors was so confirmed during this appointment. Dr. Hague was again amazing. She began to share her own journey about her very tragic loss of her baby, just in June. Her situation not only involved a fatal diagnosis for her baby, but also a fatal diagnosis for herself. We all cried together as she shared with us the journey that she & her husband went through, just a few months ago. I have been praying for her ever since. You can join me in praying for her if you want...for her body to continue to recover fully, & for her and her husband's emotional healing. Obviously she works in a field that basically slaps her in the face and reminds her that she lost her child each time she delievers a baby or sees a pregnant patient in the office.

Dr. Hague was great at answering our questions & saying that she would research the ones that she didn't know answers to yet. We left with even more respect & admiration for Dr. Hague. We look forward to how God will heal both of our families as we walk this road...

"I will never leave you, nor forsake you."

Weekend

2009-10-25T19:27:00.006-05:00

We had a nice weekend with family. It was fun to just play with our nieces & nephews, relax, & just be silly and laugh.

Here's a few more pics from the weekend.

24 Weeks

2009-10-25T19:20:00.004-05:00

Here's a couple pics of our family at 24 weeks along.

It's a GIRL!!!!!

2009-10-21T20:10:00.002-05:00

Today my friend did a sono on me & told us that we are having a GIRL!!

Wow, I'm still in shock. For some reason this whole pregnancy I've had a "feeling" we were having a boy. Anyway, it was pretty sweet to see our daughter again today, wiggling around & just having a good 'ol time tucked safely inside of me.

Be strong & courageous

2009-10-19T15:59:00.004-05:00

It's interesting how God speaks to us. I think it's one of those things that we miss so often every single day. But when we're hurting or just at the bottom, it seems like we can hear Him speaking to us even more clearly. Or maybe we are just better at listening when we're at the bottom.

Today I have received 2 emails with the same Scripture on them.

Joshua 1:5b-9.

"As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Be strong and courageous because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

I love these verses, especially the part about not being discouraged. It's so easy to get discouraged. All of the "why" questions don't help that. Even though we carefully followed all the do's and don'ts, took my prenatal vitamin, etc., all to prevent things like this from happening. It still doesn't make any sense. There's no explaination for anything. Even though we'll probably never have our "why" questions answers, we're still NOT to get discouraged. Easy to say. Hard to live out.

We'd appreciate your prayers to fight off discouragement. It sets in easy these days & it's hard to fight off. We're clinging to His promises that "He'll never leave us or forsake us." Our hope is still in Him.

Random.

2009-10-18T18:46:00.004-05:00

We are making it, day by day. Sometimes moment by moment. Some days are harder than others, but overall, we are doing okay.
We're finding that our bodies are needing lots of rest these days, so every chance we get, we rest. We go to bed early & sleep in as late as possible.

Sometimes I feel like I've been removed from earth & taken to some other planet, where I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. This afternoon after taking a nap, I sat for a while & thought about what I should be getting done. After not coming up with much, I asked Andy, "What should I be doing? Is there something I'm forgetting or not getting done?" It's like I can't even think straight some days. Fortunately Andy has graciously picked up the slack. He just looked at me today and said, "No. There's nothing you should be doing." Good. I was hoping he would say that because I didn't want to anything anyway. :) I'm usually pretty task-oriented, but these days I'm happy to get to work & back home to collapse.

Tonight for supper I "made" cheese dip (Velvetta & Rotel) and opened a can of peaches & a carton of cottage cheese. Yum. Chips & dip were a hit for Andy. But I'm the only one who ate peaches & cottage cheese. Oh well. There were thankfully some leftovers in the freezer that he warmed up.

Amazed.

2009-10-10T11:07:00.004-05:00

Here's a picture I took this morning of all the flowers & gifts we've received. This doesn't include all of the sweet cards, emails, texts, & meals obviously. Thank you doesn't describe how grateful we are for our incredible friends & family. My amazing Chiropractor even sent the roses & also a gift. I saw him yesterday & he gave me several big hugs. He really cares. If you live in Wichita & need a great Chiropractor, let me know. :)

Andy hasn't posted anything on here, but everyday he comes home from working & tells me that he saw "so and so" and they are very concerned & are praying for us. He truly loves & values his relationships with his farmers, & many of them are like family to us. Word even spread quickly to all of the reps & dealers that he knows & he is getting lots of phone calls letting us know that we are in their prayers. Thank you for all of your prayers. We know of at least one church who literally has someone there to pray 24 hours a day & we are on their list of people to pray for. Thank you. We feel your prayers.

So we got through our first week since we got "the news." We left the doctors office last Friday with more questions. Over this past week, God has shown us answers to a lot of those questions & given us direction. Our days are still hard, but we have more good moments than bad ones now. The Lord is seeing us through, moment by moment.

Deut 31:8

"It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

Checking in...

2009-10-08T21:39:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to let you know that we are doing good.
I've had the past 2 days off of work, & just spent the whole day yesterday praying, reading the Word, & researching.
He has really spoken to me & I am so thankful for His still, small voice that is clear when everything else is chaos.
Tonight our church small group gathered around us & prayed for us. I've said before that we have an incredible community of friends & family. We are so thankful for them & for all of you. We continue to feel your prayers for us. The past couple of nights we have slept & rested very well. Our days are getting brighter, and our path is getting clear-er. The meals that have been provided are delicious & nourishing too. The cards, emails, flowers, & texts are all so sweet & have been such an encouragement to us. Thank you.
God is good. May His name be honored & glorified in our lives.

Luke 12:48 "To whom much is given, much is expected."

Psalm 145:17-21

2009-10-06T17:46:00.003-05:00

The whole chapter of Psalm 145 is great, but these particular verses stood out this morning as I was reading.

"The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made.
The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;
He hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord watches over all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.
My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise His holy name,
for ever and ever."

Monday

2009-10-06T17:36:00.004-05:00

Mondays are usually not my favorite day of the week, but this one was especially hard. By then end of the day I was very angry & depressed. At one point during the day, I just told God, "OK God, this is the part where you just reach down & take my life. I'm ready to be done."

I'm so thankful for a God who can take it when we're angry with Him, really just furious with Him, questioning Him, or just the opposite...when we're praising & thanking Him.

And I'm thankful for my husband who took me to supper & cheered me up.

Ironic.

2009-10-04T11:57:00.002-05:00

"Blessed are those who mourn,

for they shall be comforted."

Matt 5:4

I've said before how God is so sweet to meet us where we're at. This morning at church the message was on the passage above. I don't really believe it was irony. Rather, it was God speaking to us where we're at. Even though the mourning process we're going through cuts us to the core, we have to go through the mourning to receive His comfort. We pray that we can have the strength to continue through the mourning & be restored again.

It was good to worship with some dear friends this morning. We have a great church body who loves us & is lifting us up. We are so grateful for that. Thank you.

Rest

2009-10-04T11:39:00.003-05:00

Thank you for your prayers for us for rest.
We were both able to sleep well last night & felt rested this morning.

The next couple of days ahead are really on my mind. Mondays & Tuesdays are my hardest days to get through each week. They are my most physically challenging days & really long hours.
Please be lifting those up if you think about it. Thank you.

Psalm 62:1 "My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him."

Sleeping

2009-10-03T12:56:00.003-05:00

Sleeping has become more of a challenge these days.

If you think us about before you head to bed or if you wake up in the middle of night, please say a prayer for us. The past 2 nights I have been awake from about 2-4:30am, my mind just racing with various thoughts & concerns. At that time the baby's usually pretty active too, so it's hard to slow my mind down while he/she is letting me know the whole time that he/she is very much alive inside of me.

Andy was able to feel the movement this morning too. Pretty amazing & sweet.

Thank you again for your prayers, emails, texts, & phone calls of concern for our family.

Psalm 121:3 "He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber;"

Anencephaly

2009-10-03T12:50:00.002-05:00

In case you wanted to understand more details about the birth defect our child has, you can read more about Anencephaly.

I will warn you that there are some pretty graphic pictures online, so beware. Here are a couple of sites that aren't too graphic, yet describe the defect pretty well.

http://www.chw.org/display/PPF/DocID/34371/Nav/1/router.asp

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/anencephaly/anencephaly.htm

Worth It All

2009-10-02T19:20:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite songs has been coming to mind & I thought I'd at least share the lyrics with you. Andy & I thought it was a perfect fit tonight as we have worship music blaring through our home. Today has been a really good day of just processing & being together. We have been in dialogue all day about concerns & fears & decisions. Thank you for lifing us up as we make decisions. Thank goodness I just stocked up on Kleenex the other day. We are really using them up.
We are steadfast. We are crushed, but not destroyed. God is our Rock. We will not be moved.

Okay, here are the lyrics I promised by Rita Springer.

Worth It All

I don't understand Your ways
Oh but I will give You my song
Give You all of my praise
You hold on to all my pain
With it You are pulling me closer
And pulling me into Your ways

Now around every corner
And up every mountain
I'm not looking for crowns
Or the water from fountains
I'm desperate in seeking, frantic believing
That the sight of Your face
Is all that I need
I will say to You

It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it all
I believe this
It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it all
I believe this

You're gonna be worth it
You're gonna be worth it
You're gonna be worth it all
I believe this
You're gonna be worth it
You're gonna be worth it
You're gonna be worth it all
I believe this

OB appointment

2009-10-02T16:06:00.004-05:00

Andy's family sent us these beautiful flowers today. Thank you. It's nice to have something cheery to look at!

My sweet friend Erica canceled our baby registry for us so that we wouldn't have to deal with one more horrible thing. Thank you so much.

So this morning we saw my doctor. She was great at answering our questions. Although she has personally known someone with a child with this same disorder, she told us that I am her first actual patient who has had it. It is rare.

I think we left her office with a few more questions...most of which we may never have answers to. We are still wrapping our minds around all that is happening. Last night I pleaded with the Lord to wake me up from this nightmare. Waking up today, I realize that this is still very much our new reality. Andy & I have a lot of really tough decisions to make. Please be praying for us as we sort through some of the things she told us to consider.

God never fails to meet me where I'm at. As I spent time this morning reading His Word, I was just reminded of so many promises that He has for all of us. "You are good and do good..." Psalm 119:68.

"Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people both now & forevermore." Psalm 125:1-2

Andy & I have both commented today that we really feel God's peace & His presence surrounding us. Thank you for all of your prayers for us. We desperately need them as we face the days & weeks ahead.

"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. For His lovingkindness is everlasting." Psalm 118:29

OB appointment this morning

2009-10-02T09:04:00.003-05:00

I have an OB appointment this morning. This has been scheduled for a month or more. It will be good to go over some questions we have thought of in the last 24 hours & just get more info on what's to come & what we can expect.
I will post after our appointment to keep you in the loop.

Last night we were able to fall asleep quickly & sleep hard for a while. I woke up about 2am & couldn't go back to sleep. Thoughts kept flooding my head & tears kept coming. I woke up Andy & he just prayed & prayed for us and for God's grace on our little baby. I actually think I was able to feel the baby move for the first time during that time as well, which just made our hearts ache even more, of course. This morning I have still felt quite a bit of movement. I've heard that it's an amazing feeling & it truely is. I feel honored to be this little baby's mommy & to have the opportunity to feel him/her kicking & playing safely inside of me.

Andy & I also want to say thanks for all the encouragement & support for our family & friends. We feel very loved & prayed for right now. My good friend Erica blessed us with a yummy meal last night so we didn't have to think about dinner plans. My parents came for a visit & brought all kinds of food, paper products, etc. and just spent part of the evening with us. My neighbor & good friend Jessica came by & cried with me for a bit. It is so nice to be able to share our burden & not have to carry it alone. Later, about 8:30pm or so, my good girlfriends Heather, Abbe, & Beth all showed up at my door to love on me & pray for me. We've received lots of texts, emails, & phone calls, and just want to say thanks. We are blessed to be surrounded by a community of people who genuinely care about our family.

I will try to post more later after we have seen my doctor.

A new journey...

2009-10-02T08:57:00.006-05:00

I knew there was a reason I kept this blog! The Lord knew that I would need to communicate what's going on in our lives to lots of family & friends. Below is an email I sent out yesterday regarding our latest news about our baby...
___________________________________________
Well, I guess there's no easy way to tell people about one of the hardest things we've ever had to deal with.
Please know that my head hurts from crying & I have no more words to muster...otherwise I would totally call each of you personally with this news.

So, here's the news. We had our sonogram this morning. Everthing went fine (we thought). We got home & got a phone call almost immediately from my dr's office that they wanted to discuss the sono results with us right away. Not the thing you want to hear.

So, basically the bad news is that our baby didn't develop a brain. He/She is growing like a normal baby...all the other organs look great & are functioning normally from what we can tell. But the fact that there's no brain is obviously horrible. So I will carry the baby to term, or almost term. If the baby survives the delivery, it will only be for a few minutes to a few hours from what our doctor told us. He/She will basically be unconsious, but may involuntarily breath on its own for a little while. There's absolutely nothing that can be done between now & the delivery to change the outcome.

We would first of all ask for your prayers as our hearts are sooo broken over this news. The fact that I will be carrying our baby 18-19 more weeks that we know won't survive is completely heart-wrenching. We totally dread delivering our baby & then going home with empty arms.

Please pray for us as there's a bunch of decisions to be made & planning to be done in the next few months.

Here's some things I dread:
-canceling our baby registry at Babies R Us
-crossing off my "to-do list" all the things I was going to do to prepare for this little one (order yarn for Great Grandma's baby afghan, make cloth diapers, burp cloths, clean out the office & put baby stuff in it, etc. This list is endless as you know.)
-getting a bigger belly & looking pregnant even though I won't have a baby to bring home
-putting away some of the baby stuff I've got set aside
-having to think about burial/memorial type of stuff.

I know there's more, but those are the things on my mind at the moment. Thanks for lifting us up & for your friendships.
While we don't understand why all of this is happening, we know & believe that God has a plan & purpose bigger than what we can fathom.

Trusting...

Lunch Meat & Cheese

2009-06-06T14:41:00.006-05:00

My husband eats a sandwich for lunch almost every week-day, especially during the summertime. He enjoys Smoked Turkey Breast, Roast Beef, or Ham sandwiches the most.

One of the ways we save money on deli meat is by avoiding the deli! Today I purchased a 10.3 pound Mesquite Smoked Turkey Breast and 4.5 pounds of cooked Roast Beef at Sams Club. I had the meat department slice them for me into deli-thin slices. They are always more than happy to do this for me.

I also puchased real Colby-Jack cheese slices from Sams Club (2 lb package which was 43 slices).

When I returned home, I put the Turkey Breast, Roast Beef, and Cheese slices into labeled ziploc freezer bags. I don't weigh the bags. I just "eyeball" the amount that I think he'll eat in a week's time. I keep a large basket in our deep freeze for this purpose. Each weekend, I grab another package of meat cheese for the following weeks lunches.

I let it thaw in the refrigerator and then make sandwiches the night before so they are ready to go in the morning.

Here's a picture of our full basket of deli meat and cheese. This amount usually lasts about 2.5 months.

My friend Heather began doing this a while ago and also swears that it saves her family tons of money as well.

Just to give you an idea of what I paid today...the Mesquite Smoked Turkey Breast was $3.60/lb and the Roast Beef was $4.64/lb. This is MUCH less than the deli at the grocery store.

Try it out! You might like it! :)

Steak Dinner & Bread recipe

2009-06-01T10:23:00.003-05:00

Over the weekend we grilled these "to die for" steaks. Wow. My taste buds are still thanking me. My husband requested a good steak. And he specifically requested that I buy "the good stuff this time." Ok. I can handle that. :) So, I went for it & bought KC Strip steaks for $10.99/pound. I'm pretty sure I've never done this before in my life, so I was nervous.

Oh my goodness, it was worth it!! They were seriously the best steaks we've ever grilled! They even beat a lot of the steaks we've had at a restaurant.

We used Daddy Hinkles marinade & seasoning (recommended by a friend), which was the perfect seasoning for these steaks.

Along with some other yummy sides, I made this bread. It takes about 24-28 hours to make, so you have to plan ahead. But it's very easy & delicious. Try it. You'll love it.

Great Recipe!

2009-06-01T10:21:00.003-05:00

I have made this recipe twice now, and it's a winner in our opinions.
It's called "Grilled Spicy Lime Chicken with Black Bean Salad."
You should definitely try it out. It's very easy to make too, and great flavors for summer.

http://www.ezrapoundcake.com/archives/1841

Menu 5/4

2009-05-04T10:05:00.002-05:00

I bought a large container of fresh spinach last week, so we'll be trying to finish that up.
This weekend I smoked a Brisket. It was really yummy. We'll eat up the leftovers fromt that this week.

Dinners:
Tomato Spinach Pasta Toss
Brisket Sandwiches with home made buns.
Chicken Fajitas
Leftovers of all of the above.

Lunches:

Spinach salads
Turkey sandwiches
Leftovers

For menu ideas check out Organizing Junkie!

Spring is here!!

2009-04-25T14:33:00.004-05:00

Look what we have in our wreath on our front porch!

My Dad says it's a Finch nest. So pretty.

My latest obsession...

2009-04-19T18:29:00.002-05:00

JARS.
I know, I need to get a life! You gotta check out what I want for my spice cabinet. These little jars are the cutest things & I love that they are air-tight, and well, GLASS jars. I haven't broken down and bought any yet. But I have this link bookmarked for maybe my birthday or some special day when I feel like buying myself something really nice. :) Ha!

Ever since I read this article I have slowly been trying to get away from storing our food in plastic containers. Plus, I just like how pretty everything looks in a glass jar. Does this matter to you too?

Menu 4/19/09

2009-04-19T17:57:00.003-05:00

It has been a while since I've posted my menu. Here's what we'll be eating this week:

Breakfasts:

PB & Jelly Toast
Oatmeal Buttermilk Muffins

Lunches:

Turkey sandwiches
Hummus with Pita Chips & Carrots

Snacks:
Pudding
Rice Krispie Bars with Chocolate Frosting

Suppers:

Chicken Fajitas
Baked Flounder with steamed veggies
Hamburgers
Sloppy Joes

Friendships

2009-04-19T15:04:00.003-05:00

Wow, I'm so glad God gave us friends. Talking with a good friend feels like "coming home," if you know what I mean. Today I was blessed to have a great conversation with my best friend who lives in another country currently. I am so thankful for relationships that challenge me and encourage me to know the Lord in a new & different way.

Cranberry & Orange

2009-04-05T19:53:00.002-05:00

I am soooo ready for Cranberry season. I have no idea when it is, I just know the produce guys at the store are giving me a funny look when I ask them where the fresh cranberries are! :)
They nicely tell me that they are not in-season. Bummer. I want some.

I am dying to make anything with Cranberries & Orange flavors together. I tried this out-of-this-world Cranberry Orange muffin at a bakery & I am dying to replicate it. I have several recipies bookmarked to try, but I just need Cranberries. :)
I'm keeping my eyes peeled for cranberries. If you spot some, please tell me where!!!

Oh, and I found a Cranberry Orange Cake recipe too. When cranberry season starts, watch out!

Baking Therapy

2009-04-05T19:38:00.002-05:00

Baking is so therapeutic for me. I think it has to go down as one of my favorite things to do. I mess up a lot, but sometimes things turn out just awesome & that keeps me trying again & again. My husband is so easy to please, so it's fun to bake for him when he's so appreciative of anything I come up with.
One of the sites that I turn to almost weekly is Tammy's Recipies. Tammy is a great, practical cook with a LOT of experience...much much more than I have. I have tried multiple recipies from her blog & they have never let me down. Each one is quite tasty & very very practical. I'm not into preparing 5 course meals. Usually I want a one-pot wonder or maybe a main course with one or two sides at the most.

To celebrate with a friend earlier this week, I made a batch of Tammy's Cinnamon Rolls which turn out so good every time. I think I decided to scrap all my other Cinnamon Roll recipies after making Tammy's again this week. They just can't be beat.

A long time ago I bookmarked Tammy's Oatmeal Buttermilk Muffins with Raisins to try them out someday. Today I got the "baking bug" again & made them. I had a cup of buttermilk frozen in my freezer so I decided to go for it. Wow, they taste wonderful! Fortunately we had some friends drop in so I could send some home with them. We certainly did not need to eat them all by ourselves.

You should certainly make these muffins very soon. They are yummy & moist. Enjoy!

I'm not dead yet

2009-04-05T16:20:00.003-05:00

Yes, I'm alive. For the one or two people reading this blog, I'm still here. You could say life got a little busy this past winter, and well, other priorities had to have my attention first. Blogging didn't make it even close to the top of my priority list. I'll post a great recipe that I tried today. You gotta make it as soon as you can....

Menu Plan 9/7/08

2008-09-07T20:00:00.004-05:00

Nothing too fancy this week as far as food goes. Here's what we're having:

Breakfasts:

PB&J on toast

Leftover Peanut Butter Granola. (not my favorite granola, but I'm trying to use it up)

Snacks:

Vanilla pudding with frozen berries
Saltine crackers with leftover frosting from a cake

Trail Mix

Lunches:
Turkey Breast sandwiches
Frozen leftover Mexican Lasagna (this is a great recipe, but makes a LOT. Feel free to cut it at least in half, if not more)
Other leftovers from supper

Suppers:

Red Beans & Rice with Chicken, canned peaches

Chicken Fajita & Cheese Quesadillas

Zuccini Parmesan & Frz Dinner rolls (I found about this recipe from this blog).

Pepperoni Rolls with Pizza Sauce for dipping

Taco Soup in crockpot

Desserts:

Zuccini Bars (these are very delicious!)

I love being able to find new recipes online--so easy & free!! For more great recipe ideas check out Organizing Junkie!

Frozen Tomatoes

2008-08-24T16:47:00.002-05:00

My parents recently gave us lots of fresh tomatoes from their garden. After giving lot of them away to our friends, I cut them up into small pieces and then froze them in ziplock bags. I put roughly 2 cups per bag, so I got at least 10 or so bags of frozen tomatoes. I love having these on hand, especially in the winter when I make lots of soups. I also froze some zuccini, but I only did about 2 ziplock bags since this is my first time to try freezing zuccini. I have read that it works fine, but I wanted to ease into it this year.

Kays Crispies

2008-08-24T16:17:00.002-05:00

I found this great recipe online a while back to use up any kind of cereal you may have lingering in the house. I had some cornflakes that I knew were never going to get eaten, so I made these bars. They are very, very easy to make & yummy too.

Check out Kays Crispies recipe.

Menu Plan 8/24/08

2008-08-24T14:32:00.009-05:00

I'm excited to try a couple new recipies this week. I'll try to post reviews so you can see how we liked them. We'll be at the lake over the weekend, so I won't have to plan those meals.

Breakfasts:

Lazy Granola

The "usual" PB&J toast

Bananas

Lunches:

Bean Burritos, watermelon, & yogurt

Turkey Sandwiches & fruit, chips

Leftovers

Snacks:

Trail Mix

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Crackers & Cheese slices

Yogurt

Suppers:

Mexican Lasagna (I can't wait to try this one!), watermelon

Chicken/Cheese Quesadillas (I didn't get to this one last week), fruit

Lentil Soup (this is the other one we're excited to try), fruit

Couscous & Black Beans (we love this so much I think we could eat it every week!!!), bananas

Go on over to Organizing Junkie's site to check out more great menu plans!

This is RIDICULOUS!!

2008-08-23T11:35:00.004-05:00

Okay, since when do you need a "Special" 15 dollar bowl to throw your trash in?

I saw this fancy bowl while at Bed Bath & Beyond a few weeks ago and I couldn't believe my eyes. Wow, I just grab the trash can, pull it over to the counter, and toss. Maybe I'll consider throwing it into a bowl instead, but probably not. Because why dirty one more dish? I'll probably just stick to the trash-can-by-the-counter method. :)

Am I the only one who thinks this is crazy?

Menu Plan (8/18/08)

2008-08-17T20:47:00.009-05:00

Here's our simple menu for this week:

Breakfasts:

the "usual" PB&J on toast

Lunches:

Turkey sandwiches

Leftovers

Snacks:

Watermelon

Crackers & Cheese

Suppers:

Grilled chicken breasts with grilled tomatoes & zuccini

Chicken/Cheese Quesadillas

Hamburgers with tri-color pasta salad

Homemade Pizza (hamburger & pepperoni with black olives & mushrooms)

Grilled Pork Chops

For more great recipie/menu ideas, check out the Organizing Junkie.

2 Recipe Reviews

2008-08-17T20:32:00.004-05:00

Last week I told you that I would review 2 new recipes on our menu. So, here goes:

Both recipes originally came from the boxes of our whole wheat pasta. We use strictly whole wheat pasta in our house--except for lasagna--last time I checked I couldn't find whole wheat lasagna. Anyway, we've been using whole wheat pasta exclusively for about 4 years or so & we really like it.

First, the "Penne Macaroni with Peppers & Grilled Chicken." It was just "OK." We didn't love it though. I think I'm engrained to want "sauce" on my pasta--red or white or just something "liquidy." And this didn't have any. It was basically just pasta with veggies & chicken. Very little liquid in the dish. It bothered me. I probably won't be making it again. The flavors were fine, but it just seemed dry to me without a sauce.

Second, the "Fiesta Rotini." Again, just "OK." My husband didn't mind it. I was bothered by the fact that it combined Mexican flavors with pasta. The two just didn't seem to go together. If all the ingredients (minus the pasta) were rolled up inside a tortilla, I'd probably like it. However, the mix of the 2 didn't sit well with me. Whatever. I'm strange about that. I probably won't make it again either.

So I won't bother posting either recipe. Hopefully this week will be better. Nothing fancy on the menu this week.

I Realized I AM a Peanut Butter Snob!!

2008-08-17T20:23:00.002-05:00

Several months ago, our local grocery store was running a great sale on Peter Pan Peanut Butter for $1 for 16 oz. I stocked up since we eat a fair amount of peanut butter. My hubby eats it EVERY day on his toast for breakfast. Anyway, we recently ran out, so I bought our "usual" generic brand of PB...the one I always bought before "the big sale." Neither of us liked it anymore!!! We realized we had gotten spoiled by "name brand" PB & now we can't go back!! So this weekend I used up the remaining "generic" PB in a desert. And I bought Jiff from Sams--a good deal if you go through a lot of PB like we do. You should check it out. I price-compared it before I bought it & it is definitely a better buy compared to our Wal-mart price.

I'm definitely a generic brand buyer for almost anything...but now Peanut Butter will be one of those things that I HAVE to buy name brand. Maybe I'll use generic for baking & deserts in the future.

So I'm pretty sure that makes me a Peanut Butter Snob. I admit it. I like name brand PB better. Yummy. I can't wait until breakfast now. :)

Fresh Tomoatoes!!

2008-08-13T08:19:00.005-05:00

Last night my parents loaded us up with fresh veggies from their garden!!

Mostly tomatoes, a few cucumbers, and a couple zuccini. Oh, and one bell pepper. :)

My parents have a huge garden & they graciously let me plant some veggies of my own this year in the extra space. The zuccini, cucumbers, & bell peppers were the ones I planted. I think they have enjoyed it too!

I don't want to take the time to learn how to can at this point, so I'll be chopping up the tomatoes & freezing them in ziplock bags. This works really great to pull out a bag of chopped tomoatoes for soups and other recipies all year long.

Plus, I'll be making this amazing Black Bean Salsa. You should try it out. It is so yummy.

I already have my black beans soaking in the crock pot so I can make it later today....I can hardly wait!!

Menu Plan Monday (August 11th)

2008-08-10T14:31:00.010-05:00

Even though I haven't been posting much this summer, I have definitely still been menu planning. Menu Planning keeps me sane. :)

Here's what we're having this week:

Breakfasts:

PB&J toast (I know, my husband is SOOOOO easy. He wants this EVERY morning)

Cereal

Lunches:

Chicken Salad (I just love this stuff) with crackers or toast

Leftover Quinoa & Black Beans

Snacks:

Blackberry Cobbler (if there's any left after the weekend) :)

Dinners:

Penne Macaroni with Peppers & Grilled Chicken (I'll let you know how this turns out)

Spaghetti with homemade sauce, frozen corn

Hawaiian Chicken Stir Fry

Fiesta Rotini (I'll let you know about this one too!)

For more Menu Planing ideas, check out I'm An Organizing Junkie!!

Quinoa & Black Beans

2008-08-10T14:11:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posting this summer.
Needless to say it has been busy & blogging isn't my top priority.

BUT I do want to share with you a recipe that my husband & I have both enjoyed this summer. It uses Quinoa. If you haven't check out Quinoa and all of its nutritional value & benefits before, please check out this site. There's quite a bit of info out there on Quinoa if you just google it. It has made a believer out of me...this is something we should definitely be adding to our diets regularly. I buy Quinoa at our local Whole Foods store. They sell it in bulk & I got approximately 3-4 cups of it for just under $3 if I remember right. I don't remember the price per pound. But it's Cheap. And so good for you. That's what I'm talking about.

Okay, so here's the recipe you've gotta try (originally from www.allrecipies.com):

1 tsp. Vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
3/4 cup uncooked Quinoa
1 1/2 c. vegetable broth
1 tsp. ground Cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt & pepper to taste
1 c. frozen corn kernels
2 (15 oz each) black beans, rinsed & drained
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Heat oil in saucepan. Saute onion & garlic.
2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan & cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, & pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat. Simmer 20 minutes.
3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated throughout. Add black beans & cilantro.

Beans!

2008-06-23T21:18:00.013-05:00

We use mostly dry beans at our house. We keep some canned ones on hand too, in case we need them at the last minute. However, with a little planning we really prefer the dried ones. They are so healthy & yummy! Plus, they are soooooo cheap! We eat quite a few beans each week (black beans are our favorite), so I figured out this little calculation that saves me lots of time and keeps me from wasting them. And yes, I actually measured them before & after they soaked. :) My husband laughed at me for doing this.

1/2 Cup Dry Beans = 1 1/2 Cups Soaked Beans

Here's another helpful equivalent:

2/3 Cup Dry beans = about 1 (15 oz) can of "canned" beans

This is how I soak my beans. I'm not sure it could get any easier than this...

Start with a good sized slow cooker (at least 2 quarts or so).

Measure beans into a slow cooker. Fill (almost completely) the slow cooker with water. I am always amazed by how much liquid they absorb. Turn slow cooker on low all day (about 8 hrs) or until the beans are tender. Then use in whatever recipe you want!

I encourage you to try this Black Bean & Couscous recipe. It's so yummy!

For more kitchen tips, see Tammy's site.

Menu Plan 6/23/08

2008-06-23T21:00:00.009-05:00

This week (on Friday) we're taking dinner to a family with a new baby in our church. Other than that, we having mexican food a couple of time because, well, we just love mexican food!

I found avacados at our Wal-mart for $0.33 each, so I am having some yummy lunches with those.

Breakfasts:

-Scrambled Eggs & Leftover waffles from weekend. (I froze them with wax paper in between so I could easily separate them. I just pop them in the toaster to re-heat)
-PB&J toast

Snacks/Desserts:

-Carmel popcorn (this is amost gone)
-Chocolate/PB Rice Krispie Bars (I made another batch b/c we love them so much!)
-Trail Mix

Lunches:

-Spinach Veggie Wraps (these are so yummy!)
-Turkey & Ham sandwiches
-Dinner Leftovers

Dinners:

-Cheese Quesadillas with Chips & Salsa
-Tuscan Pasta with Tomato Basil Cream with Veggies
-El Grande Burritos & Homemade Salsa
-Baked Pork Chops, Steamed veggies, Danish Pastry Apple Bars (this one's going to our friends with the new baby!) I'll make enough Pork Chops & Veggies for us, though. :)
-Frozen Pizza
-Leftovers

Frugal Friday: Toothpaste--good to the last drop!

2008-06-20T09:55:00.005-05:00

So here's a tip for getting out ALL of that toothpaste out of that stubborn tube. I received one of these roll-up devices for free somehow while I was in college. But I have seen them at Wal-mart since. They truly do a great job of getting all of the toothpaste out.

See for yourself:

And for those of you who cut open your toothpaste tube to scrape out any lingering toothpaste, you woudn't have to do it anymore! Because there's NO toothpaste left in the tube!!

Rock on. Not only is it frugal, it's super easy!! For more Frugal Friday tips, see Crystal's site.

Menu Plan (June 16)

2008-06-11T22:15:00.007-05:00

Breakfasts:

Cereal
PB&J Toast

Lunches:

Turkey Breast and/or Ham sandwiches with fruit
Leftovers
PB&J with applesauce

Snacks/Desserts:

Grapes
Cookies

Dinners:

Black Bean & Couscous Salad
Tomato & Spinach Pasta Toss with frozen Rolls
Chicken Salad (I loved it so much last week that I can't wait to have it again!!!)
Grilled BBQ Chicken Breasts with Slow Cooker Baked Beans
Frozen Pizza
Leftovers

Freezing Individual Cookie Dough Balls

2008-06-10T11:57:00.009-05:00

We like cookies at our house. Actually, we like pretty much everything! A friend shared this idea a couple of years ago with me and it has save me tons of time. I have wasted fewer "dried out" cookies because of this tip as well.

Here's my tip:

When making cookie dough, use your cookie scoop (I love this one!) to make your cookies nice & even in size. Place them on a cookie sheet close together.

Cover with wax paper or parchment paper or something like it. Place in the freezer until they are frozen completely. When they are frozen, put the cookie dough balls in a storage container that you can use in the freezer. Use wax paper or parchment paper to separate the layers. Put them back in the freezer.

As you need to make cookies, simply get your container out of the freezer, put the cookies on a cookie sheet, thaw on the counter for a few minutes, and then bake as you normally would!

My husband loves this because I can always send a fresh-baked cookie in his lunch. I love it because I can just bake a half-dozen or a dozen at a time and not waste the dough. And I know that I always have something easy to whip out of the freezer if we need to take something to a party or have friends over unexpectedly.

For more kitchen tips, visit Tammy's site.

Red Hot Applesauce Jello Recipe

2008-06-09T21:27:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I just had to share my recipe for this after mentioning it in my last post.

As one of those kids who was raised on casseroles (yummy ones!) and some version of jello (lime jello with pears, cherry jello with mandarin oranges, etc), it was a real treat to have Red Hot Applesauce Jello!! This is the best version of jello ever! I'm not sure where my Mom got this recipe, but I know for a fact that my sister is serving it to her family on a regular basis & I make it as often as I can for us too! Okay, so here's the recipe you're all dying to try...

Red Hot Applesauce Jello:

1/2 c. Red hots
1. water
3 oz. package of Cherry Jello
2 c. applesauce

In a pan on the stove, dissolve Red Hots in water. Simmer. Add jello. Stir till dissolved. Don't boil. Remove from heat. Add applesauce. Mix well. Put in serving bowl. Refridgerate until set.

Chicken Pasta Primavera with Sauce

2008-06-09T21:12:00.006-05:00

This is another one of our favorite pasta dishes. Kind of a great all-in-one meal if you ask us. And fairly healthy too compared to most pasta cream sauces! Serve with a side of Red Hot Applesauce Jello and this is a perfect meal!

Chicken Pasta Primavera with Sauce:

8 oz pasta (we like whole wheat Penne)
3 c. frozen loose-pack broccoli, cauliflower, & carrots
2 chicken breasts, cut up into small pieces
3/4 c. skim milk
2 Tblsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. Instant chiken bouillon granules
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 Tblsp. Dried Parsley
1/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 c. plain fat-free yogurt
3 oz. reduced-fat shredded Monterey Jack cheese
More parsley, if desired
2 Tblse. grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Add frozen vegetables for last 3 minutes of cooking time.
Cook chicken in another pan on stove until completly done. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan stir together milk, flour, bouillon granules, Italian seasoning, Parsley, & pepper. Cook & stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened & bubbly. Stir in yogurt, Monterey Jack cheese, & additional parsley, if desired; cook & stir until cheese is melted (do not boil). Drain pasta & veggies. Transfer to a serving bowl. Add chicken. Add sauce; toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Menu Plan 6/8/08

2008-06-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

Breakfasts:

PB&J Toast
Cereal

Snacks/Desserts:
Carmel Popcorn
PB/Chocolate Rice Krispie Bars
Strawberry Fig Newtons from Aldi's
Canteloupe

Lunches:

Ham & Turkey Sandwiches
Baby Carrots
Apples
Leftovers

Dinners: (I'm not going to assign them to a certain day--I feel too "boxed in" by that! :)

Chicken Pasta Primavera & Red Hot Applesauce Jello (This pasta dish has become another one of our favorites! I'll post the recipe soon!)
Grilled Hamburgers & Ramen Noodle Salad
Chicken Salad

Visit Organizing Junkie for more menu ideas!

I Love Flowers!

2008-06-08T16:46:00.005-05:00

I thought I'd post a few pictures of my flowers. I love having a flower garden. To me, it's relaxing to water my flowers at the end of the day and just enjoy a few minutes outdoors after being inside at work all day. Enjoy!