Well we went to see the Dr. today and have our ultrasound to check for all the limbs and important organs. Everything looks great! All the arms and legs are there, and the heart is beating strong. It was great to see the Dr. and find out that things are going good.
Since we've come here I have been slowly losing weight. I thought for sure that I would be gaining what I've lost back with this baby, but I haven't started to gain any weight, which was kinda starting to worry me, but the baby is the perfect size and the Dr. wasn't too worried about it. She just kept asking me if I ate enough. Which, believe me I do. She also gave me permission to eat more!!! Is that great or what?!
She also said that my blood pressure was looking great. She was happy to say that she didn't expect it to be a problem any more, I still need to take the medication to be safe. It is a really small dose, so it isn't a big deal.
I was happy to get a clean check up, we will be flying out for our get away adventure in about 15 days! Crazy. I can't believe how fast time flies. Can you believe we're almost to September?!
Monday, August 27, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
And then we were six
This weekend, Becky headed off to a city about 5 hours away for some last weekend shopping before she heads home. We volunteered to take the older kids, which means we went from a family of 3 to a family of 6. Well 6 1/2 if you count #2.
It was so much fun to have the kids. Amos is 6, Simon 5, and Esther 3. Josiah loves having his cousins around and they love Josiah. They could make him laugh like crazy just by dancing around. It was a joy to watch.
Joey and I enjoyed the opportunity to practice parenting a big family. We kept thinking that in 5-6 years we could actually have a family of 4 kids. We made some pretty big parenting mistakes. Like Parenting mistake #143- Kids don't eat as much as adults. We were sitting at a restaurant after we had ordered all the food. With three small pizzas, a hamburger and a sandwich. At least one full pizza came home with us! Then there was Parenting mistake #7 - Don't give kids too much sugar before bed. They were all loaded up on soda and ice cream, and suddenly it was bed time. It wasn't as bad as it could have been but they were pretty antsy. Luckily we're just the aunt and uncle so its ok if they get a little riled up, eventually we send them home :-)
At the end of the weekend, we were glad for the time with the kids and glad to get back to just Josiah. Praise the Lord that he usually only gives us one kid at a time so you have time to learn what works and what doesn't, and Praise the Lord for nieces and nephews who let you practice on them!
It was so much fun to have the kids. Amos is 6, Simon 5, and Esther 3. Josiah loves having his cousins around and they love Josiah. They could make him laugh like crazy just by dancing around. It was a joy to watch.
Joey and I enjoyed the opportunity to practice parenting a big family. We kept thinking that in 5-6 years we could actually have a family of 4 kids. We made some pretty big parenting mistakes. Like Parenting mistake #143- Kids don't eat as much as adults. We were sitting at a restaurant after we had ordered all the food. With three small pizzas, a hamburger and a sandwich. At least one full pizza came home with us! Then there was Parenting mistake #7 - Don't give kids too much sugar before bed. They were all loaded up on soda and ice cream, and suddenly it was bed time. It wasn't as bad as it could have been but they were pretty antsy. Luckily we're just the aunt and uncle so its ok if they get a little riled up, eventually we send them home :-)
At the end of the weekend, we were glad for the time with the kids and glad to get back to just Josiah. Praise the Lord that he usually only gives us one kid at a time so you have time to learn what works and what doesn't, and Praise the Lord for nieces and nephews who let you practice on them!
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Rubbish Parties
When I married into the Easley family I suddenly had to learn a new language. Not only did most of them speak Arabic, but they also had a whole set of words and phrases that they had picked up from friends they grew up with named the St. Johns. Words like "boo-k", "Chunder", and most importantly "rubbish party".
Now I am not a master at explaining what a rubbish party is, I have barely figured it out myself, but from what I know they end up being quite fun. A rubbish party is when everything is going wrong and you have to stop and laugh and just go with it (those of you who know am I right?).
Well the past few days have been full, and I mean full, of rubbish parties. It all started when we headed out this past Saturday. We (Becky, the kids, myself & Josiah) are taking a friend to the airport so she can head back to the states. As we left I noticed that we were low on gas. The kids were all in the very back of the van, and since it was so hot they were pretty thirsty. So the plan was to stop at our usual gas station get gas and water for the trip. I wasn't thinking though until it was too late. The turn off for the airport is before the gas station and there isn't another gas station until you get to the town where the airport is- which is 2 hrs away!!! So I tried not to worry but I was sending up prayers for help every couple of seconds. I spent most of the trip watching the gas light and the oil light that also intermittently came on.
Finally I couldn't stand it any longer and I pulled off into a town along the way. They don't have a gas station but you can stop at the local 7-11 and ask for gas. So, here we sat, 5 kiddos, three ladies and the lovely van in front of a bunch of questionable guys waiting for them to pour some gas into the van. It worked out ok, and we were off.
Finally we got to the town with the airport. I pulled off and got some gas. I also decided i should check the oil. There wasn't any!!! Bad news! So I ran inside to buy some. Trying to explain to the guy what I wanted and what was going on wasn't going super great. Finally he grabbed some oil and came out to help me. Praise the Lord he did. I haven't ever added oil to the van and I was a little out of it. So I had taken off the radiator cap ready to add oil. He looked at me shocked (wouldn't you be?!!!) and kindly explained that was for water not oil. So we added a bunch of oil and then he wanted to get some water for me too. The kiddo's were not happy to say the least. Josiah was screaming his head off and the bigger kids were anxious to be going. The guy helping me was moving SO slowly it hurt. So I was a little anxious for him to take the time to add water. So I told him the kids were freaking out and we needed to just go. He understood, but said if I didn't' get more water the van would die. That was a pretty convincing argument to wait.
I got up to start the car (he told me to) and I wasn't thinking that it was in gear. I started it up and it lunged forward. Luckily no one was in front of me and all that was damaged was my pride. Finally we got gas, oil and water and we could leave. The gas station was so small I had squeezed in there and on my way out to add to my humility, I ran up over the curb with the car. Uhg, I was so happy to get out of there!!!
The rest of the day was pretty smooth sailing, no major rubbish parties, just minor slips and spills here and there. The next morning I got up and made German pancakes. I was so excited to get them made. They turned out beautifully. They just looked perfect. I got everyone a plate. Got them all put together. A little powdered sugar, a pit of lemon and away we go. My friend Caitlyn who we were taking to the airport took the first bite. At first she didn't want to say anything, but she was thinking the recipe was a little salty and then it hit her. It wasn't powdered sugar - it was baking soda!!! Oh my goodness! I couldn't believe it! Simon, who has a way with words told Caitlyn that I wasn't very good at cooking and we should have warned her. It was the classic statement for such a rubbish party!
So with the day starting off on an interesting note I got Caitlyn to the airport and came back to relax a bit at the beach. It was really nice and we didn't' have any problems. The kids love the beach and couldn't wait to play in the water. We came home, ate pizza, watched a few movies and went to bed. Becky took good care of me so there wouldn't be anymore rubbish parties and the day turned out beautiful.
Unfortunately the rubbish parties are sticking with me, I have spilled more in the last few days and had more little accidents than ever. Hopefully they will pass soon. I am having a hard time giggling and going with it. It does make it a lot better though when you can smile and think about what a great story this rubbish party is going to make! Hope you can laugh with me.
Now I am not a master at explaining what a rubbish party is, I have barely figured it out myself, but from what I know they end up being quite fun. A rubbish party is when everything is going wrong and you have to stop and laugh and just go with it (those of you who know am I right?).
Well the past few days have been full, and I mean full, of rubbish parties. It all started when we headed out this past Saturday. We (Becky, the kids, myself & Josiah) are taking a friend to the airport so she can head back to the states. As we left I noticed that we were low on gas. The kids were all in the very back of the van, and since it was so hot they were pretty thirsty. So the plan was to stop at our usual gas station get gas and water for the trip. I wasn't thinking though until it was too late. The turn off for the airport is before the gas station and there isn't another gas station until you get to the town where the airport is- which is 2 hrs away!!! So I tried not to worry but I was sending up prayers for help every couple of seconds. I spent most of the trip watching the gas light and the oil light that also intermittently came on.
Finally I couldn't stand it any longer and I pulled off into a town along the way. They don't have a gas station but you can stop at the local 7-11 and ask for gas. So, here we sat, 5 kiddos, three ladies and the lovely van in front of a bunch of questionable guys waiting for them to pour some gas into the van. It worked out ok, and we were off.
Finally we got to the town with the airport. I pulled off and got some gas. I also decided i should check the oil. There wasn't any!!! Bad news! So I ran inside to buy some. Trying to explain to the guy what I wanted and what was going on wasn't going super great. Finally he grabbed some oil and came out to help me. Praise the Lord he did. I haven't ever added oil to the van and I was a little out of it. So I had taken off the radiator cap ready to add oil. He looked at me shocked (wouldn't you be?!!!) and kindly explained that was for water not oil. So we added a bunch of oil and then he wanted to get some water for me too. The kiddo's were not happy to say the least. Josiah was screaming his head off and the bigger kids were anxious to be going. The guy helping me was moving SO slowly it hurt. So I was a little anxious for him to take the time to add water. So I told him the kids were freaking out and we needed to just go. He understood, but said if I didn't' get more water the van would die. That was a pretty convincing argument to wait.
I got up to start the car (he told me to) and I wasn't thinking that it was in gear. I started it up and it lunged forward. Luckily no one was in front of me and all that was damaged was my pride. Finally we got gas, oil and water and we could leave. The gas station was so small I had squeezed in there and on my way out to add to my humility, I ran up over the curb with the car. Uhg, I was so happy to get out of there!!!
The rest of the day was pretty smooth sailing, no major rubbish parties, just minor slips and spills here and there. The next morning I got up and made German pancakes. I was so excited to get them made. They turned out beautifully. They just looked perfect. I got everyone a plate. Got them all put together. A little powdered sugar, a pit of lemon and away we go. My friend Caitlyn who we were taking to the airport took the first bite. At first she didn't want to say anything, but she was thinking the recipe was a little salty and then it hit her. It wasn't powdered sugar - it was baking soda!!! Oh my goodness! I couldn't believe it! Simon, who has a way with words told Caitlyn that I wasn't very good at cooking and we should have warned her. It was the classic statement for such a rubbish party!
So with the day starting off on an interesting note I got Caitlyn to the airport and came back to relax a bit at the beach. It was really nice and we didn't' have any problems. The kids love the beach and couldn't wait to play in the water. We came home, ate pizza, watched a few movies and went to bed. Becky took good care of me so there wouldn't be anymore rubbish parties and the day turned out beautiful.
Unfortunately the rubbish parties are sticking with me, I have spilled more in the last few days and had more little accidents than ever. Hopefully they will pass soon. I am having a hard time giggling and going with it. It does make it a lot better though when you can smile and think about what a great story this rubbish party is going to make! Hope you can laugh with me.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Its the little things...
Living overseas is sometimes kinda hard. The hardest of course is being away from family and friends, but then there are the little extras that you don't have that occasionally get to you. Like not having a clothes dryer, not being able to buy stuff for Mexican food, or having dial-up internet. Its so great though that in the midst of going without those things God blesses you with wonderful little things that make life beautiful and fun.
For example, a few months ago our shower head wouldn't stay on the wall. You had to hold it with one hand while you showered. It wasn't a super big deal, we had hot water and everything. Then Joey fixed it. AMAZING! Standing under a shower, being able to use both hands to wash your hair and just getting to enjoy the water splashing over you! Seriously it was one of the most wonderful gifts. God is always giving me little gifts like that, I love it.
Lately the little gift he has been giving me is fresh tomatoes and basil. When my grandparents were here in March we planted basil and we found some wild tomatoes growing in our garden. They are now ripe and I am enjoying the harvest! The other day I had a slice of bread with swiss cheese, a fresh tomato slice and basil all slightly toasted. It was so yummy! It seems that almost every morning I look outside and there is another red tomato saying "Good morning, here I am a special treat".
Its funny how these little things are such big blessings. I have officially decided that as long as I have a shower over head, fresh veggies outside and my hubby and kiddos' with me I can live anywhere as long as God wants. To be honest I'll live wherever even without those things, it would just be a lot harder to be full of joy :-)
For example, a few months ago our shower head wouldn't stay on the wall. You had to hold it with one hand while you showered. It wasn't a super big deal, we had hot water and everything. Then Joey fixed it. AMAZING! Standing under a shower, being able to use both hands to wash your hair and just getting to enjoy the water splashing over you! Seriously it was one of the most wonderful gifts. God is always giving me little gifts like that, I love it.
Lately the little gift he has been giving me is fresh tomatoes and basil. When my grandparents were here in March we planted basil and we found some wild tomatoes growing in our garden. They are now ripe and I am enjoying the harvest! The other day I had a slice of bread with swiss cheese, a fresh tomato slice and basil all slightly toasted. It was so yummy! It seems that almost every morning I look outside and there is another red tomato saying "Good morning, here I am a special treat".
Its funny how these little things are such big blessings. I have officially decided that as long as I have a shower over head, fresh veggies outside and my hubby and kiddos' with me I can live anywhere as long as God wants. To be honest I'll live wherever even without those things, it would just be a lot harder to be full of joy :-)
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Burgers & Boggle
It is such a blessing to have friends with you when you're in a foreign country and in unfamiliar places. Joey and I have been really extra blessed to have our friends Tom and Caitlyn with us here. Tom grew up with Joey and now lives in England, when he isn't here, Caitlyn is from southern California and actually heads home this Saturday! Sad day!!!
The other night we planned a date night over at our house. It was so much fun to entertain. I spent the afternoon making cookies and watching a movie with Amos, Simon and Esther. Then I started getting ready. I loved getting to put out dishes and a cute little table cloth. When I started getting ready the weather was wonderful, a nice breeze, a bit of sun and the perfect temperature. So I set us up outside. Little did I know what the evening held.
Around 5 Joey came home and decided he wanted to BBQ the burgers and he wanted to make french fries. So off he went to get potatoes, bricks, charcoal and a grill of sorts. He came back and set up the make shift grill and started peeling potatoes. It was so cute to watch him get excited about having people over too.
The wind was starting to pick up and the lights were flickering. The sun started to get dimmer as dark clouds rolled in. I even went and put on a sweater it was getting so chilly! By the time Tom and Caitlyn arrived, the power had gone out and we were using candles to tell if the french fries were done or not. The wind didn't hinder our fun times though. No way, we sat outside and enjoyed the stormy weather and the opportunity to eat hamburgers. Let me tell you they were so good! We had onions, Swiss cheese, garden tomatoes, bacon, fried eggs and REAL hamburger buns! Each bite was a little taste of heaven.
After our yummy dinner, full of wind, talking and laughter we moved inside for a fun game of Boggle - one of our favorites. It is great to play with different people from around the world. They have a much different vocab and it keeps you on your toes. I actually did ok this time, I even beat Joey by one point! That has never happened before!
Caitlyn and Tom had made a yummy dessert of apples, Cinnamon and tortillas all baked together with butter and sugar. I call it Caitlyn's Tortilla Bake. If you want the recipe let me know it is super yummy! Tom made custard to pour over the top and we ate our dessert by candlelight.
All in all it was a great evening and we were so encouraged by the fun and fellowship. Isn't great how God provides everything you need exactly when you need it, even hamburgers!
(sorry there haven't been any pictures with these posts, we don't have a camera right now. I hope to have one soon to show you all what we're up to, until then just use your imaginations :-))
The other night we planned a date night over at our house. It was so much fun to entertain. I spent the afternoon making cookies and watching a movie with Amos, Simon and Esther. Then I started getting ready. I loved getting to put out dishes and a cute little table cloth. When I started getting ready the weather was wonderful, a nice breeze, a bit of sun and the perfect temperature. So I set us up outside. Little did I know what the evening held.
Around 5 Joey came home and decided he wanted to BBQ the burgers and he wanted to make french fries. So off he went to get potatoes, bricks, charcoal and a grill of sorts. He came back and set up the make shift grill and started peeling potatoes. It was so cute to watch him get excited about having people over too.
The wind was starting to pick up and the lights were flickering. The sun started to get dimmer as dark clouds rolled in. I even went and put on a sweater it was getting so chilly! By the time Tom and Caitlyn arrived, the power had gone out and we were using candles to tell if the french fries were done or not. The wind didn't hinder our fun times though. No way, we sat outside and enjoyed the stormy weather and the opportunity to eat hamburgers. Let me tell you they were so good! We had onions, Swiss cheese, garden tomatoes, bacon, fried eggs and REAL hamburger buns! Each bite was a little taste of heaven.
After our yummy dinner, full of wind, talking and laughter we moved inside for a fun game of Boggle - one of our favorites. It is great to play with different people from around the world. They have a much different vocab and it keeps you on your toes. I actually did ok this time, I even beat Joey by one point! That has never happened before!
Caitlyn and Tom had made a yummy dessert of apples, Cinnamon and tortillas all baked together with butter and sugar. I call it Caitlyn's Tortilla Bake. If you want the recipe let me know it is super yummy! Tom made custard to pour over the top and we ate our dessert by candlelight.
All in all it was a great evening and we were so encouraged by the fun and fellowship. Isn't great how God provides everything you need exactly when you need it, even hamburgers!
(sorry there haven't been any pictures with these posts, we don't have a camera right now. I hope to have one soon to show you all what we're up to, until then just use your imaginations :-))
Friday, August 3, 2007
Surprise!
I don't think I realized when I married Joey just how much of a surprise guy he is. He loves surprises (mostly giving them - he's too hard to surprise himself!). He doesn't care how big or small, he just wants to keep things a secret and then "Bam" surprise me.
It has taken a little getting use to I must say. I like planning things out and knowing what I'm getting myself in to. I like being able to syke myself up before an event and imagine exactly how things are going to go, which to be honest usually leaves me disappointed and wishing things had been more like my imagination.
The big surprise right now is a trip Joey has planned for during September. It is partially for our anniversary and partially to see some of the world. He has bought all the tickets and figured out all the details and I know nothing about where we're going and what to expect. It is killing me!!! I am pretty excited too, and doing my best to be good and not check his email or read over his shoulder. It sure is hard though not to snoop and try and figure things out. Do you think I'll make it until September?!!!
It has taken a little getting use to I must say. I like planning things out and knowing what I'm getting myself in to. I like being able to syke myself up before an event and imagine exactly how things are going to go, which to be honest usually leaves me disappointed and wishing things had been more like my imagination.
The big surprise right now is a trip Joey has planned for during September. It is partially for our anniversary and partially to see some of the world. He has bought all the tickets and figured out all the details and I know nothing about where we're going and what to expect. It is killing me!!! I am pretty excited too, and doing my best to be good and not check his email or read over his shoulder. It sure is hard though not to snoop and try and figure things out. Do you think I'll make it until September?!!!
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