29 and 30 weeks

You would think since being out of school, I'd be on top of things and cranking out more posts a week. Well, that's not exactly the case when the nesting fever has set in! These past couple of weeks, I've really felt the need to clean house, organize things, and get the nursery closer to being done. Call me Mama Bird. I'm definitely getting our nest ready for our little baby bird!

Since school has been out (really since I finished teaching summer school), Eli and I have:

• painted the nursery walls and trim (thanks to Eli's mom Dana for helping finish the trim!)
• deep cleaned and vacuumed the nursery
• painted a thrifted dresser and nightstand for our girl
• replaced all the knobs and pulls on the dresser and nightstand
• arranged most of the furniture in her room! (it's coming together and so real now!)
• washed many, many loads of clothes, towels, and sheets
• folded/put away said clothes (more of a task than you think...)
• cleaned out our closet and packed up two bags for the youth garage sale
• dusted the entire house
• helped harvest honey again
• walked with Sasha many times for exercise all around
• gone fishing at the creek twice with Sasha
• hung out with my three best friends and their husbands in Waco
• renewed our driver's licenses
• registered to vote
• gotten an offer on my car
• started the car-buying process (Agh... what have we gotten ourselves into??)
• watched my sister and her best friend jump out of a plane at 10,000 feet in the air!
• watched our little girl on the ultrasound screen again (I will never get tired of this)
• taken two glucose tolerance tests (one 1-hour and one 3-hour) Yuck. 
• oohed and ahhed over sweet baby clothes (me more than Eli!)
• daydreamed of an adorable little girl that will be ours to hold in less than 10 weeks!

Whew! I'm sure there's more I've left out, but typing that list just makes me tired, much less accomplishing it!

I am almost 31 weeks now. I never realized how fast the time would go by, but I have really loved being pregnant and preparing for our daughter. When I see how far we've come, 10 weeks left really doesn't seem like that long. I've been questioning lately if we're ready for this. Are we really ready to support and care for another life? Are we ready to be depended on 24 hours a day from now on? But when these thoughts come to mind, so does the promise from our Father who will never leave us and will always be our strength. I'm so grateful we don't have to do this alone. He is more than we can ask for or imagine.

Baby Girl has been growing quite a bit lately, forcing my tummy to grow quite round as well. She's gotten so big that my stomach completely changes shape when she starts moving. It's really pretty crazy to watch. I've heard other moms-to-be say their baby kicks them in the ribs. I haven't had this particular feeling yet, but it does get pretty uncomfortable when she pushes behind my (non-existent) bellybutton. She will usually get cozy in a different position, though, if I gently push back on her.

Like I mentioned in the highlight reel above, I got to watch my sister and her best friend skydive last week for her friend's birthday. They are so brave! You might remember when Renee and I went skydiving last September. I wish I could have gone with her again, but I think I have a little more than my own life to take care of now! I happily took my place as photographer on the ground and watched the crazy dare-devils fall through the clouds. I'll get some pictures up for you to see as soon as I edit them!

Enough talking. Here are pictures from the past two weeks:

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Dear Little One, 

It's getting pretty hot here now that summer has begun. We are trying our best to stay cool, but I'm glad you have your own little climate-controlled home to live in for now. Soak it up, baby. When you get here, it will probably be nice and toasty. Thankfully your room is nice and air-conditioned (probably the best in our whole house!).

We have worked so hard and finally finished painting your room, dresser, and nightstand. I think you're going to love them! I have to admit, I have already spent a few hours in there, just dreaming of rocking you to sleep, playing with you on the floor, and taking in everything about you. Our new addition to the room this week was a beautiful glider and ottoman from your great-grand parents. I think this has easily become your Daddy's favorite place to sit! Several days, the house has gotten quiet and when I went to look for him, he was in your room reading in that chair. I adore this and can't wait to see you in there with him. It makes my heart overflow with love.

We love you sweet girl. Keep growing strong and healthy. I can't wait to meet you and hold you, but also I am ready to see you in your daddy's arms. He's going to be such a great dad, you just wait and see.

Love always, Momma

28 weeks

28 weeks has come and nearly gone now. Baby Girl and I are both continuing to grow steadily, as I'm sure you can tell! I had my glucose test this past week to test for gestational diabetes and anemia. Not a fun experience! Drinking 10 ounces of orange flavored sugary syrup in 2 minutes, then waiting an hour in a waiting room with a baby going crazy inside me, then getting three vials of blood drawn... Like I said, not the most fun experience! Did I mention that our little girl moved like crazy? I guess she's not used to quite that much sugar at once. I was sure the people across the waiting room could see her alien-like movements in my tummy! Haha! I secretly enjoyed it.

Speaking of those movements, she has been squirming like crazy lately. One of my favorite new things to do is sit on the couch and just feel her move. Eli and I play the guess-that-appendage game when she pushes hard against my tummy! Is that her foot? Elbow? Bum? :) it's a fun game! She lets us know, though, when she's tired of being pushed back on. She kind of retreats into her little hidey spot and won't move anymore. Stubborn little thing!

This weekend, we got to meet up with my very best friends from high school and their husbands. This was so much fun just catching up and reminiscing on our crazy adventures as teenagers. One of the girls, Whitney, is also pregnant, due two weeks before me. It has been really neat to compare with her and share this fun journey. There are a few pictures of us over on Courtney's blog. Go check them out! Oh and make sure you look around her design/DIY blog. It's pretty great!

Without further ado, week 28 pictures:

Sweet Baby Girl,

Daddy and I are really enjoying getting to feel your movements! You sure are stronger than ever with your kicks, nudges, and squirms. Sorry if we bother you when we push back. We are just smitten with you and everything about you, including all of your wiggle-worming.

We are praying for you, Little One. For your growth as a person and as a child of God. For your leadership and courage to stand up for Him. For the influence you'll have on your siblings. For your future husband to love and adore you. And most of all, for your sweet heart to know and love Him personally, and that we will be parents who guide you and raise you in the Lord. We love you more than you know.

to the moon and back, Momma

p.s. I painted something for your room yesterday! Can't wait for you to see it.

27 weeks

We've made it to the third trimester! This gets us that much closer to meeting and holding our baby girl. Oh I can't wait!

We are already preparing for her to be here. Eli has worked hard to paint her room. All we lack is a second coat on the trim. It's taken a little longer, though, because he's been swamped with school work for his summer class. But the room looks so great! I can't wait to really start decorating it. I think I'm most excited about the quilt my grandmother made for her room. It's beautiful and perfect. I can just imagine holding our little girl, wrapped up in her very own quilt. Makes my heart swell with love.

The ladies I work with at school threw our first baby shower this past week. They are so wonderful and I absolutely love working with them. Baby Girl has so many adorable clothes, toys, bath towels, a Bumbo, a tub, and a bouncy seat now. It's overwhelming how sweet and loving these ladies are. As a special surprise, my mom, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law even came! 

Our sweet girl is just over two pounds now and about 14 inches long! She must be starting to run out of room inside of me because she sure is kicking and squirming like crazy! I love feeling her, though. She constantly reminds me how glad I am to get to be her Momma very soon.

My sweet little girl, 

Daddy jokes that you now have more clothes than he does. We laugh, but it's just about true! You have so many people who love you (and are loving spoiling you!) I love looking at all your little clothes hanging in your closet. Pretty soon you'll get to wear them all and look so adorable!

In less than three months, about 85 days, we will welcome you into our world and our house. Trust me, we are very ready for that day! Don't ever forget that we love you very much and we pray for you every day. Keep growing strong and healthy.

Love always, Momma

Salsa!

I have been wanting to make fresh salsa for a while now. I've tried before, but I can't ever seem to get the perfect combination of ingredients or techniques. Too much hassle. Too acidic. Too chunky. Too spicy. Spoils too fast. Too many cans...

So this time, I trusted the Pioneer Woman and her recipe for restaurant style salsa. Excellent decision! I felt a little like Goldilocks, because this is just right!!

I'll copy down the recipe for you, but please go back to her recipe and leave her some comment love if you try it!

Ingredients: 1 can of whole tomatoes, 2 cans of Rotel, 1/2 onion, 1 fresh jalapeno, 1 garlic clove, 1/4 to 1/2 cup cilantro, 1 Tbsp lime juice (or juice from half a lime), 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp sugar.

Basically, you just chop up the fresh ingredients, and dump them into the bowl of a (large!) food processor or blender along with the tomatoes and Rotel. Add the lime juice, salt, sugar, and cumin. Give it about 10-15 pulses. Refrigerate it for about an hour (or longer if you can stand it - the longer, the better). And there you have it - some of the best salsa you'll ever taste!

Just a quick note - this does make close to 2 1/2 quarts. Make sure you plan accordingly when putting it in your blender or food processor. My food processor only holds two cups and my blender holds 6 cups. I stirred everything by hand in a large Pyrex bowl first and blended it in two separate batches.

After it sits in the refrigerator to let the flavors blend together, you can then pour it into cute little jars and give them away to your fellow teachers or friends! ...  Or you could always park yourself on the couch with a giant bag of tortilla chips and devour it all! Either way, it's so good!

Renee: Senior 2012

*Disclaimer: Momma, if you're reading this, you might need Kleenex... :)

A little while back, I posted some of my sister's senior pictures. I still can't believe that she graduated and is moving on to the next stage of life. She has grown into such a beautiful and talented young lady. I couldn't be more proud of her!

She has always had a great personality:

Impeccable fashion sense: 

And a big sister who loves her:

Now, she is a high school graduate and getting ready to move to Florida to attend Jacksonville University. She is still her fun, caring, silly self and I love her for every bit of that! Renee also has a heart that is so big. She has participated on several mission trips with her church, including one to Venezuela last summer and one to Ukraine this summer. She has a passion for God and his people that really shows through her words and her actions.

Renee, you are my favorite sister ever! I love how we have grown so close over the past few years - I know this is something that will last and not fade out. I love your passion and drive in life. You are one spirited girl with a huge heart. I want to encourage you to keep God first in your life and always follow his direction. He will never leave you, even in life's hard times. I love you always, to the moon and back (and with a few tiger kisses every now and then!)                                 Love, Robyn

Renee and her best friend Laura.

Renee graduated 14th in her class! So proud of her!

Renee graduated with her three best friends. I think this is so neat, since I also had three, wonderful friends that I graduated with. Click here to see more of our friendship! I know Renee and these girls will stay friends and always remember the fun times in high school, just being crazy together!

We both have something special to celebrate!

Proud parents and grandparents!

I've said it many times, but I really am proud of Renee and who she has become. I know she will do wonderful things in her life and God will receive the glory.

Thank you, Renee, for being a fantastic little sister. Don't ever forget how much I love you!