Half Way There!

So I am about a week late in posting this but we are officially half way to meeting our little miracle! I am feeling movement in there all day everyday now. It is such a neat feeling. The baby is a little stubborn with Daddy though. Kevin feels the baby kick a good bit but the baby makes him work for it. And the baby didn't quite cooperate with Aunt Allison a couple weeks ago. We tried all weekend and it just didn't happen. When I visited my brother and Allison (and kids), Allison took some awesome 20 week photos of me. Since I was so sick the first trimester we have no pictures of that part of the pregnancy. So Kevin and I decided to do 20 weeks and "about to pop" pics. Below are a few of my favorites but they were all great! Thanks Al!

July 4

For the fourth Kevin and I headed to Florida to spend a long weekend with his family! I managed to get five days off so we took advantage of it! We had a wonderful time there. On the fourth we went to downtown Groveland and enjoyed a festival and some fireworks. Kevin's brother George also was playing various instruments for a band there so it was fun getting to see that as well! Overall it was a fun weekend and our little baby surprised Kevin on Saturday with a nice strong kick that he felt! We have a strong one in there apparently since I felt a kick at 16 weeks and Kevin felt it at 17 and 1/2!

Kevin and I in Groveland at the festival


Fireworks!!!!

An interesting week...

The past week and a half has been interesting. Kevin and I parted ways last Thursday (June 19). Before I left for Connecticut on thursday and he left for the Dominican Republic on Sunday we enjoyed a nice dinner out. I had given him a "coupon" to have dinner at our favorite restaurant when I was feeling like I could handle the food. So we thought before we left on our trips it would be perfect timing. We got all dressed up and went out!


Here I am right before dinner...Is that a bump???? Kinda. And since then I have popped out a little more and felt the baby moving around. Last night especially! It is the neatest feeling.


Me and Kevin right before heading out. We have not figured out how to take a picture of us together with the new camera. Much bigger than the other one. This is the best we could do!

Here is Kevin down in Dominican Republic checking a patient. I can't tell you much about his trip at this point. I downloaded this picture off the website the leader has been updating. I have not talked to him since before he left last Sunday. It has been a challenge. I received a few texts from him last night and was so excited I couldn't go to sleep. So baby and I enjoyed a nice PB and J sandwich at 1 in the morning and watched a movie till I fell asleep! I cannot wait to see him tonight when they all get home!!!!!!! More on his trip when I hear it from him!

And here I am in Connecticut! I had a wonderful time being with my dad, step-mom, sister and brother. I felt like I had quality time with everyone. The baby sure liked it up there too...I felt better than I have in months! We celebrated Jaci's graduation with lots of parties and otherwise just hung out as a family! It was a great time. I also got to see Kevin's sister Wendy for lunch. Jaci and I met her in NY which was a nice treat!

So the Lin family is doing well...I'm just very anxious to have us under one roof again. Gracie is ready to see Kevin too. Everytime I let her outside she runs up to his car. She will be so excited tonight!

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!