Pictures as requested...

OK so after having a rather humble conversation with someone who will remain nameless...uh, hum Big Brother... I finally learned how to download pictures from my new camera and can post them on the blog now. Apparently our blog is a bit boring so there has been a request to see more pictures of our life. I thought pictures of just Kevin and me would be a bit boring, but my mind has been opened to other options of photos. So I hope you enjoy...in only about 5 months I know all people will want to see is Baby Lin, but until then here is our life! ABOVE, is our apartment front door (requested). Good ole 1002...we really like where we live. It's tucked away and really pretty this time of year...very green!

Kevin and I went to the golf course a few weeks ago for him to get in a round. The deal was if I went I got to drive the cart. No worries only minor damage done to the cart...just kidding. Kevin was a little afraid we were going to go airborne a couple times though. He still played good and learned a new Golf swing from a guy we were playing with. Look out Tiger!

Kevin's birthday was nice and relaxing. We went to my mom's house and celebrated with her and Grandma. Poor Grandma had just had her pacemaker replaced so she was a little more sluggish than usual but when we pulled out the cake she was ready to party! Some family went in together and Kevin was able to buy two pairs of shoes he has been wanting for awhile. I also gave him a "rain check" to go out to our favorite restaurant when I am feeling like I can handle a rather heavy meal! It was a good day for him!

We have truly been blessed with an amazing small group. We love getting together outside our tuesday meeting and Kevin and I love having them over to our place. This past weekend they came over for game night. Kevin put together a Connect Four tournament thing and the winner got a book he had. It was pretty competitive you know! Then we all played Mario Party on the Wii. Lots of fun for all.

Little Gracie...our pride and joy. We had to give little Dixie away because she was having a hard time adjusting to me being married. She was nice to Kevin but would always pee if he approached and she would not let him take her outside. It was extremely sad giving her away but I know with the upcoming events her strong dependence on me was only going to get worse. So Miss Gracie had a rough day Sunday adjusting to being an only child. She was in trouble most of the day but I think she has adjusted now. We did finally break down the cage and she is a free dog when we are gone. We had trained her that when we said "Cage" she was to go get in her cage. So when she is not behaving now we tend to say "Cage" still and the poor thing doesn't know where to go. She is a smart one though...when we say it she crawls under the coffee table till we say she can come out...or we turn our back. She is funny and keeps us on our toes!

And yes...Baby Lin has a bed. Kevin and I went to Babies R Us this past weekend to look at beds and found one we really liked. It happened to be in stock so we brought it on home with us. Then it was just sitting in the box in the guest bedroom and we were dying to see it put together. So to work we went last night doing just that. And the bedding was given to us by some friend's of ours so why not see what it looks like in the bed! I love it!!! The guest bedroom/office/nursery is a little cramped now but we have plenty of time to get it all sorted out and moved! It's a good reminder to me of why I feel so yucky when I look at the sweet bed that our little angel will be in in approx. 5 1/2 months!!!

So there you have it. I nice picture update. From now on I will post more pictures with the blogs! Hope you enjoy!!!

A card that says it all...

This past Sunday I was down about still feeling yucky and yet being past 12 weeks. Kevin and I decided we would try a pretty strict diet to try to help with the nausea. But I was still down. Then on Monday Kevin brought in the mail and handed me a card I had received from "Aunt Beth and Uncle Bruman". On the front it said "Pregnancy is the best reason in the world to feel like crap!". What perfect timing to receive such a card. The statement couldn't be more true! That card will definitely be making it into the baby scrapbook!!! Thanks Aunt Beth and Uncle Bruman (and pups too)!!!!

Music to our ears!

Yesterday was our 12 week appointment with our doctor. We were surprised when he said he would try to find the heart beat with the doppler. And he did...immediately. There was no searching! It sounded amazing! Our doctor said it sounded strong and steady! Sounds good to me! Kevin and I were on cloud nine the rest of the day! That sweet little swoosh sounded was in my head all day long! Makes the past 8 weeks of being sick worth it completely!
Keep praying our little one is growing just right and is healthy!

Gracie Update

With all the excitement of a little one on the way I have not posted anything on Miss Gracie! She is doing fantastic. You would never know she had surgery a few months ago and her rediculous hair-do is much improved. We are technically still supposed to have her in the cage majority of the time but have actually decided it is worse if she is in there. When we let her out she is bouncing off the walls. So we have actually started testing how she does with some freedom. When she lived with my brother and sister-in-law she had a history of eating lanoleum (sp?), being quite destructive, etc when they were gone. Her vet at the time diagnosed her with "Seperation Anxiety". Kevin never knew this side of her so he has had this idea for awhile. I on the other hand do know that side and delayed us trying anything. However, she has done very well. She gets on the guest bedroom bed and looks out the window. Then when we get home she greets us at the door. She has done great and we can tell she enjoys not having to be in the cage all the time. Our goal is to completely graduate from the crate and break it down. We need space for the baby. I am afraid though it will be difficult cause she still goes in there to chill sometimes. I am afraid she will miss it. So...overall she is doing great. It is nice not having to watch her every move anymore. We are hopeful that this surgery will last and the other leg will stay strong and not need the same thing!

Life Cereal...NO MORE!!!

So I had been doing so good for about a week. Still feeling the nausea but not getting sick from it. I was so very thankful for that week. Well on thursday I got up and was getting ready for work. All seemed to be as it had been the other 6 or 7 mornings. I had my bowl of Life Cereal as I had 6 mornings before. And then BAM it was straight to the bathroom for what I thought was never ending puking. I felt like my eyes came out of their socket from heaving so hard. Then I proceeded to work, got report from the night shift nurse, and headed to the bathroom to do it again. Wow! Where in the world did that come from? So having said that I learned a lesson as I told my dear sister-in-law, Allison, the story. She asked if I had eaten anything out of the ordinary. To which I replied, no...Life Cereal, like i had for a week. Allison's response was priceless (she is coming from raising three precious children and has some experience). She said "Well, you just saw your baby's first act of defiance. Little one in there wants you to move on to a new cereal!". Ha! I had to laugh. So Kevin went to the store and I am now on to Frosted Mini Wheats! And it has settled great. No sickness and less nausea! Gotta love the little lessons! Gotta love this baby! :)

10 Weeks!!!

We hit another milestone...the 10 week mark. Nope not to second trimester yet but our little miracle has graduated from embryo to fetus this week!!! All the vital organs are developed and now just will continue to grow and strengthen! And apparently this past week my hormone levels hit their peak!!! All of which I am thankful for. I have also had 1 week of feeling pretty good. I am still nauseous throughout the day but not nearly as bad and I can keep all my food down. I have actually enjoyed eating this week. Another thing I am so thankful for. I told Kevin today about our baby's newest developments and what has been accomplished. He said "Good job". To which I replied "Yea, that was some tough work"! But so worth it indeed!
So now that I am feeling a little better I get to celebrate Kevin's birthday with him tomorrow! We had cake with our small group tonight which was fun and then we will celebrate at my parent's house tomorrow night. I plan to take him out for a nice dinner when all is definitely clear and I feel like getting all dolled up! Hopefully in a couple weeks. So we decided to spend a nice evening with Mom and Grandma (Jim's out of town). And of course Kevin has clearance to play a round of golf in the morning! He definitely deserves it! So things are ticking along nicely. We are always in amazement of what God is busy doing with the little life inside me. It blows us away!

8 weeks!

We hit the 8 week mark this week! I am quite excited for several reasons. Each new week is another step closer to trimester TWO!!!! And I am hoping to feel like myself, or at least eat like I like, again! But this week has been better than last week with the exception of one day, so I am grateful for that! And of course Kevin has still been wonderful through it all. He had the day off yesterday so he straightened up the house and had dinner ready for me when I got home. So wonderful!!! I married a good one! But all this is to say it is comforting knowing the our little one is inside me growing and developing like he/she should!
We are excited to head south for the weekend. We have not seen his parents since February so we are going down to Florida for a quick visit. I am praying I handle the trip well. When we went to Nashville a few weeks ago I was sick most of the trip. The plan is for me to drive or sleep! We will see! Not to mention once we get there I know we will both be well taken care of by his precious mom. Kevin will get in a much needed and deserved round of golf with his dad and i will get to hang out with his mom! Overall it will be nice to get some Florida air in us! Always does a body good...baby will like it too!