Life as a Leach

April 28th, 2003 is a day we will never forget for a lot of reasons.  Here's why: *  We went on our first official date to the Third Day concert in Salisbury.  Matt drove over for the concert, which ended up being chaperoned by two of my friends who also wanted to see one of our favorite bands! *  Some of you may remember that there were really bad tornadoes that night.  One tore through Cambridge, which is pretty darn close to Salisbury.  We were in a storm warning and all had to go to the basement for several hours until it was lifted.  I was really concerned about Matt's safety driving home, so I asked him to call me to let me know he got there. Welp, I never got a call and finally went to bed, figuring he'd forgotten.  Which leads me to my next reason: *  Matt was in a horrible accident in Annapolis on the way home that night, which is why he never called.  A 20 year old boy crossed the median and Matt hit him (ther...

...Gestational Diabetes free, that is!  I got a call from the nurse at my doctor's office and I passed the three hour test with flying colors.  I guess a little reassessment never hurt anyone, huh? Moral of the story:  eat only very healthy, low sugar foods the day of your glucose test.  Eclairs apparently do not fall in that category.

Today we went out to lunch with one of our adopted daughters, Heather.  While Caleb had had a rough morning, I thought we were in the clear. Wrong! I'm not particularly sure what caused this tantrum, but he was quite difficult throughout most of our meal.  It escalated when I was trying to get him to go to the bathroom before we headed home (sound familiar???) and ended with me carrying him out of the bathroom, nodding to Matt and Heather to follow, and going right out the door.  This time though, I did not have to put him down to open the door, thus avoiding the running across the parking lot!  I'm secretly kind of glad that Matt saw this display this time, because sooooo many times it only happens when I'm by myself.  I let HIM try to put Devil Child in his car seat this time!  To make matters worse, Matt was leaving right after this for a retreat and I was dreading having to deal with the nastiness all by myself.  Thankfully, the sweet bo...

I really need to take some pictures. Caleb isn't the most cooperative when it comes to photographing, so I haven't been pulling out my camera as often as I should.  I need to.  So I will...maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow, maybe soon!  :)

My 3 hour (more like 4 hours) glucose challenge test was today.  4 sticks later, I survived! While my nurse wasn't the most compassionate person I have ever met (she laughed that I would even look at her tray or when she was prepping me), she was efficient and good at it (well, as good as you can be at removing large amounts of something that is essential to my existence!)  I would rather have a nurse who was good at what she did than a nurse that apologizes for missing your vein four times! Historically, nurses have had trouble finding a vein in my left arm.  I started with my right arm and the first two were okay, but the third one hurt like CRUD!  When it continued to throb for the next hour, I asked her to look for a vein in my left arm.  She found it quickly and that worked much better.  I get my results on Monday.  If I do have gestational diabetes, I will have this test done at least two more times....oh goody!  If I do have it, ...

Needles and I are not friends.  We are enemies.  Which is why this is a cruel turn of events. I failed my gestational diabetes test.  I hate failing tests, but this failure requires a reassessment....usually a good thing, right?  WRONG!!! I have to fast, get my blood drawn, drink Glucola, get my blood drawn, drink Glucola, get my blood drawn, drink Glucola, and get my blood drawn.  This all in the matter of 3 hours.  UGH. I seriously think I'm going to die.  Taking that much blood in that little amount of time has got to be lethal.  I have started cleaning my classroom in preparation for a new teacher. No, I'm not being melodramatic at all.  If you knew how much I hated needles, you would realize that I am being absolutely serious.  The prospect of having to give myself shots of insulin makes me want to barf.  UGH. There's my rant for the night.  I will get over it, and I will get the test done....possibly Friday....

Update: After naptime, Caleb was back to his normal self.  We used his behavior as a teaching tool to discuss what is and is not appropriate for public settings (or in this case, any setting!)  I also plan to revisit this time every time we are about to go out into public for a while until I trust him again.  He will also not be watching any cartoons tomorrow. ---------------------------------------------------- Today was a Family Fun Day hosted by the United Way at a local elementary school.  It was a beautiful day and Caleb and I didn't have plans, so I decided a couple of weeks ago that we would go.  They advertised lots of learning stations, giveaways, inflatables, free food...sounds great, right?  Well, it would have been... Matt had a quiz rally today.  No big deal.  I'm used to being on my own.  The thought of going here didn't scare me in the slightest.  Except.... Caleb turned into something hideous.  He was ...

My mom was a December birthday.  I honestly don't know if this was planned or not, but she never liked it.  Everything is over in one month and then there's nothing to look forward to. Enter ME.  I am a December birthday.  I was certainly planned...for about 5 years earlier than I came.  So when my parents found out they were having me, they were thrilled...even though I was due in December!  My mom always did her best to give two separate sets of gifts growing up, and she even threw me a surprise party in the summer for my 16th birthday.  I can honestly say that she did a great job of helping me cope!  She didn't do the "oh, I combined your birthday and Christmas presents" thing that I absolutely hate (unless it was a big gift and I knew she was going to do it).  It was just kind of sad growing up never to have a pool party or a party at the park for your birthday.  And then there's baby #2.  Planned?  Oh yes...just for M...

...and I don't care who knows it!!!  Glee returns tonight at 9 p.m. EST and I am incredibly excited.  I am wearing my Glee shirt today in celebration of its return.  It has been wayyyyyyyyyy too long!!! In other news, I dropped my freshly microwaved lunch of tortellini all over the floor yesterday in the teacher's lounge...every last bit of pasta!  It was sad.  I had an apple, a roll, and a cupcake for lunch. In other other news, Matt brought me an eclair from Walls Bakery in Waldorf after he took the van in to get a special coating put on the windshield.  They are heavenly.  I can tell he really loves me, because he doesn't even like them!  Turns out, Caleb didn't either...MORE FOR ME!!!  :)

We have our names picked out...yeah I'm just like that. :) Noah James We picked this without knowing the meaning, but I love it: Noah = peace and James = to replace I take that to mean replacing/giving back our peace. Given the difficulty we had when you compare it to having Caleb, this is very fitting. Abigail Elizabeth I have had Abigail since high school and have somehow managed to keep any other close relatives from taking it...well except for my aunt and uncle's dog! :) Abigail = sense of joy or father's joy and Elizabeth = lively. I interpret that as a lively joy! Sounds like my kind of girl... I really like having the names picked out so early. I know there are differing opinions on that and that my sister doesn't announce the name until the baby is born, but I do like it. I think it goes with my it's a baby, not just a fetus mentality and helps others to remember that this baby is already a part of our family! I called Caleb by his name from the ti...

Caleb has been begging us for a sibling for quite some time now.  I think I'd prefer if he were asking for a puppy, because I could just go out and get one of those (excect for our attack dog, but that's a different story...) and be done with it!  I have had no control over giving Caleb his beloved sibling, as God has reminded me many times over the last 10 months. Sooooooo, when we finally told Caleb that there was a baby in my tummy, what was his reaction? "Yay!  Yay!  YAY!!!!  Thank you, Mommy!  THANK YOU!!"  (direct quote, I might add!) Since then, he has been giving the baby hugs and kisses nonstop.  It's very cute.  ------------- The other day, Caleb was entertaining us with songs he made up about random topics we gave him (Easter, trees, his friends, etc.)  I asked him to make up a song about the new baby.  He eagerly complied and said, "This is going to be really special."  After a few strands of floaty soft...

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  It's the least commercial of all of the major holidays, and it seems like everyone is always talking about how blessed they were and being optimistic.  I just love it!  (Plus, the food is good!) Soooooooo, with all of our issues this time around, it seems quite fitting that God would choose for our second child to be born right around/on Thanksgiving!!  We're going to have even more for which to be thankful this year.  :) Do you see the "diamond ring?"  The baby is the diamond, about the size of a blueberry.  So there you have it...the news that I have been bursting to tell!  Besides having the normal tiredness, I'm feeling really good.  I was vehemently sick for many weeks with Caleb and was not really pleasant to be around.  I'm sorry to say that my attitude was rather negative.  This time, I was determined to be thankful for everything this pregnancy threw me (remind me of that!!!),...

...for Glee!!!  Ohhhhhh just 7 days until I get to give those people a virtual hug and let myself get lost in the songs and story.  If you haven't seen it and have a love for musical theatre, WATCH IT!  It's so great.  :) -------------- In other news, today was my first day back to school after spring break.  I dive into stay-at-home-momdom sooo quickly.  However, this group does make it easier to go back because they are amazing....and I get to have them for another year next year!!  :)  I'm tired tonight.  It was a looooooong day!

I completely forgot to take any formal pictures of Caleb in his Easter outfit.  You can see his outfit a bit in the pictures though. Matt had to be at the sunrise service and Caleb wasn't awake when he left, so we waited until after church to give him his Easter basket. Hiding his eyes while we were bringing in his basket Very excited about his Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakquel movie! Going for the Handy Manny tool belt! Handy Caleb

We had a MOPS Easter Egg Hunt on Friday at our house.  37 people--21 kids--enjoyed an egg hunt, ice cream sundaes, and lots of playtime in the sunshine!  It was wonderful! I let the littlest ones go first so that they wouldn't get trampled.  The older kids waited very patiently on the steps until it was their turn! Hunting for eggs A little too young to hunt, but still having fun in the sun! Playing in the playhouse Getting out of the sun for a few minutes Enjoying ice cream sundaes One of our youngest visitors!

Matt and I have been married for 6 years today.  I love you Matt!  You're the best husband and dad anyone could ask for!  :)

We're having an Easter Egg hunt here in about 45 minutes...37 people (with 21 kids!!)  It should be tons of fun!  I will post pictures soon...promise!  (Just not tonight because we have our Good Friday service tonight and I am babysitting in the 2s and 3s nursery!)