Updated Prayer Request

A couple days ago, I requested prayers that the baby would come before the 26th. Well, after our doctor visit today, the baby will definitely be here by the 20th! If it hasn't come before then, we'll go in for an induction at 5am on December 20 and have a baby sometime that day. Yea!!!

Prayer Request

As many of you know, my due date is December 21. While we certainly don't want to have to induce labor, timing is an issue for us. My doctor is out of town until Wednesday, so we don't really want the baby to come before that. However, if the baby hasn't come before Christmas, we have another issue. Phillip's main helper at work will not be there the week after Christmas, so Phillip will not be able to take off work. If we had to schedule an induction for the week after Christmas, we'd have to close Bogie's for a day.

So, all that to say, we really want this baby to come before Christmas. If you could say a prayer about that, we'd really appreciate it.

On another note, if you want to help send a Christmas book to a very sick little boy, please go here. You could win a copy too!

It's been a while...

I know it's been a while since I wrote a real post. Life has been cluttered with stuff, just like my desk currently is. And it bugs me. But, I'm trying to look past it and do just what needs to be done. So, I'm finally posting a belly shot of this pregnancy. I think this is the first one I've posted. (Yes we've taken them for posterity, but I've not thought to post them!) So, just for fun, I thought I'd post the one from the same time with Emily.

with Emily

now

Just to catch everyone up on what's going on with us...
About six months ago, I started talking to a speech pathologist friend about Emily. She just wasn't talking as much as I thought she should be at the time and wanted to visit with our friend about it. At the time, she said that Emily was behind, but wouldn't classify it as a delay. Fast forward six months to now. While Emily's vocabulary has expanded, it hasn't exploded like it should and many of her words are "Klingon" (according to my dad). They aren't English so I have to interpret for people (including Phillip) what she's saying. So, next Thursday, she and I will meet with a speech pathologist at Hendrick Rehab to see what we'll be doing. Keep us (me!) in your prayers as we start this journey.

Yea!!

Our house in Mesquite is finally sold and closed! I just got a call from the title company and they received all the paperwork today. Yea!!!

39 weeks

Today's doctor visit was quite uneventful. Nothing's different than last week, but she is predicting that the baby will come before the 11th. She just won't guess when!!

In other news, my mom has been here a week and a half and almost all but the kitchen has been packed. She's doing a great job and I'm writing down everything she packs. Thanks Mom!!!

One more bit of news...we got an offer on our house yesterday. We've asked them to make a few changes so we're waiting to hear back on that, but, so far, everything is looking good. Keep praying that there will be no major problems from here on out!

Job news

In job news, Phillip has a job!!!! He will be the principal at Panther Creek Consolidated ISD. The nearest "town" is Valera. The town consists of a flashing light, a restaurant, a post office and a few houses.



View Larger Map

For those who want to know:

From Panther Creek to...
...Coleman 22 miles (25 minutes)
...Ballinger 33 miles (35 minutes)
...Brownwood 42 miles (50 minutes)
...Winters 43 miles (50 minutes)
...Brady 48 miles (50 minutes)
...San Angelo 67 miles (1 hour)
...Grandma & Grandpa Ratliff's house 57 miles (1 hour)
...Grandpa & Pearlie Trietsch's house 74 miles (1 hour, 20 minutes)
...Uncle Stetson & Aunt Kim's house 127 miles (2 hours, 15 minutes)
...Aunt Jenni's house 219 miles (3 hours, 50 minutes)

We're planning to go out there April 21 so we can see the school during school hours and the house (that the school provides). Please continue to pray for us as we make this transition: with the baby, new job, new house, new town, moving, etc. Right now, we're a little scared and overwhelmed (or, at least, I am!), but we know this is really where God wants us to be.

Prayer Requests

You may or may not have noticed, but I have added prayer requests to the right hand column over there. --> I'll try to keep it up to date with things that are going on in our life. We appreciate any an all prayers sent our way.

31 weeks

Whenever we go to the doctor, she asks if we have any questions. I usually do, but she's always surprised at how few I have. I guess that's what talking to a friend and looking on the Internet will do for you. But, yesterday I did have a few questions for her and, for the first time, so did Phillip! He asked if he got to cut the cord. {big smile!} I was so happy to hear that! He also told her about our possibility of moving and asked when I could travel. I love hearing him so concerned about me and my health.

Sad news

My granddaddy's brother, Wayne Smith, passed away yesterday. While he was in his 90s, death is never easy. Granddaddy had two brothers and Grandmommy had two sisters, so for years, there were six of them. Granddaddy is the last one surviving. I know this will be hard on him, but I also know he's strong and can make it. After all, he has two new great-grandbabies to look forward to this summer!

Pray for him (and Wayne's wife Charlesta and their daughters Karen & Kathy) when you get a chance.

Test results--GREAT news!!!

I'm not 100% sure what "before the test" means, but I guess it's just factoring in my age, race, etc., and the baby's age. And, I guess "after the test" also factors in the amount of fluid at the base of the neck (from the ultrasound) and the blood results.

Before the test, our risk of Downs syndrome was 1 in 590. After the test, our risk is 1 in 3,500.
Before the test, our risk of Trisomy 18 was 1 in 2,000. After the test, our risk is 1 in 10,000.

It would appear, then, that we have a healthy baby!!!!

Thank you!

The test went well. It was just an ultrasound (where we got to see the baby jumping a little!) and a fingerprick for blood. We should have the results next Wednesday or Thursday. Thanks for your prayers!!

Sara W was closest in the weight gain contest. But, actually I gained 0 pounds since my last visit on October 17!

In other news, tomorrow at 9:00 I will have a nuchal translucency screening. It's a routine test and I don't expect anything will be wrong, but I'm still a little nervous. Thankfully, Aunt Jenni will be there with me so at least I won't be alone. If you would, please say a little prayer for me then that I will be calm and not too nervous!