Test run

So this is not the week we thought we would be having, but it did give us a chance to have a "test run" to the hospital. Let me go and back fill the story for you all.

On Tuesday night Joanna was not feeling 100% and she had been having a small pain in her side. On Wednesday it seemed to get a little worse. Come Thursday morning she did not look good nor feel too hot. In fact she went to work and an hour later she called me to let me know she was back home.

I was in my sales meeting this week so I knew we would not talk much and I would not see her on Thursday until after 9pm, well that changed. During the meeting Joanna called and informed me that the pain was pretty intense and the doctor had told her to get to the ER so they could run some test. That was all I needed to hear, and out the door I went. I actually got to the hospital before Joanna. We got checked into the ER pretty quickly, but that was the only thing that was quick. After several test, discussions with the doctor and the OBGYN, they decided we would be staying the night. Now keep in mind that Joanna had not eaten since noon and it was now 9:30pm. Did I mention we were still in the ER? We did not make it to a room until after 11pm. Once in the room Joanna had a bit of mashed potatoes as well as a few bites of a biscuit, but that was it. We then attempted to go to sleep around 11:30pm.

At 1am they decided to move us from one room to another because the bathroom light was not working. Not really a problem for us since the IV machine was providing plenty of light and we could see the bathroom without an issue. However we were moving, because it was policy. I wonder where this "policy" was when we checked in? Once in the new room and asleep things seemed to calm down a bit. The OBGYN came in at 7am and checked on Joanna. After that a few more test and then about 1pm they decided that we needed to stay another night because Joanna was dehydrated still and they did not think we should be at home. So here we are, in the hospital for another night of "wonderful" sleep. She is doing better, actually looks and sounds better than before. It does appear that she has/had a GI infection, along with the stomach bug, which lead to the dehydration. Hopfully we will get the green light tomorrow morning and we will head home.

All in all Ruth is ok, in fact she is quite healthy with a 151 heartbeat and she is still quite active according to Joanna. Moral of the story is, Gatorade is your friend... 

It's been a while

Well life has been pretty normal around here since the holidays. We both went back to work and got back in the swing of things. I enjoyed a snow/ice day which was nice but it always means that we will have to make it up later - oh well i guess I will take sleeping in when I can get it. (because according to everyone sleep will be in short supply come May!) Ruth is doing great. She and my stomach are growing each day - hard to believe that I am 25 weeks pregnant!! HOLY CRAP that means only 15 more to go and then she will be here!! I'm not sure we are ready! LOL  I go to the doctor next Tuesday for my oh so fun glucose sugar test - bring it on orange flavored sugar!! We do however, get a sonogram to check up on our sweet girl so I guess I won't complain too much! Although I think she is going to play some type of very active sport when she gets here because I feel like my belly is always moving and she is always letting me know she is there! Just makes me think about what life will really be like in the next couple of months!

Bryce's work has been very busy especially with his sales meetings happening this week! He was in for a surprise on Monday afternoon though. All his friends/coworkers had gotten together and thrown him a little shower; complete with pink cupcakes and plates and napkins!! He was just telling me how blessed he feels to be working with such a great group of people! I have to agree with him!!

On another note Duchess is now at her new home where she has been nick-named "Queen of the Farm"! Go figure!! It was a hard decision to decide to find her a new home but we both decided that it would not be fair to her to live in a house where she would be limited. So the search began to find the perfect home for our fat, sassy cat! Thank goodness we found one. She is now the only cat/pet to a sweet lady and they have really bonded! I couldn't be happier and I know Duchess is happy as well. I really don't think Blitz even noticed she was gone - such a DOG!!!

This past weekend was very eye opening for me and my limits. I had the weekend to myself while Bryce went on a guys hunting trip. I decided to clean the house since Lynn ( OUR FABULOUS HOUSEKEEPER!!!!) had surgery on both her knees right before Christmas and can't come and clean for me!! :(   Well it had been a while since I had been that active and used certain muscles as well as be 25 weeks pregnant - can we say Oh My Gosh!!! I could barely move that night - my back and feet felt so bad - so i said ok Bryce is cleaning the house next time!! Please hurry up Lynn and get better, we miss you so very much!!

I am looking forward to Saturday as well, Bryce and I are off to Starkvegas to watch a basketball game and eat lunch!! I love spending time with him and Starkville is a perfect place to do that!

Well i think i have caught you up on our life in the past weeks! i am sure there will be an update after our doctor's apt on Tuesday, Until then have a great week and weekend!

Now that the holidays are over...

Well now that Christmas has come and gone it only means that it is time to get Ruth's room ready. We had been using her room as a place to store all of our Christmas items. There was no point in putting all the empty boxes back in the attic when in a matter of weeks we were going to have to get them right back down. So for the past few weeks it has been a very cluttered room. As we packed up Christmas we also went ahead and cleaned out her closet as well, which meant the guest bedroom closet as well as the upstairs closet. After all the cleaning it was time to start putting the furniture together. Unfortunately not all of the furniture came at the same time so we are putting it together in "stages". Below is the progress we have made so far.

  

As you can see we still have a little way to go but we have progress. I am also sure that we will move, change, and rearrange within the next few months. Well as we wait for may to get here, Blitz is taking all of the "lap" time he can get with Joanna while he can.

Now that 2011 is here we are looking forward to a very busy year. We, of course, did go ahead and break Ruth in to MSU football. After a 9 hour car ride to Jacksonville, Ruth got to "hear" what a MSU football game sounds like. Of course we had a blast and are very glad to be back home.

Wierd'O's All the Way...

So I had told Joanna that when I got home we would run out and pick up the last items I needed for Christmas and then we would go and eat dinner. This is the first time in a very long time Joanna has gotten out of the house after 5pm.

First stop was to Pet Smart for Blitz's Christmas bone. No real drama could happen here, right? Well one thing I have to remind myself is there is always a long line, no matter the store. So there were 5 people in line and only one lane to check out was open. Of course by the time they open the other lanes we are in the middle of the line and cannot get out nor would we have improved our spot. All seemed to be going well when the couple in front of us went to pay for their "wireless electric dog fence" with a check. When your balance is more than $500.00 they are going to want to verify the payment. 5, 10, 15 min later they are still trying to verify the payment, and Joanna and I are still stuck in line. Finally the payment went through, but by the time it had Joanna and I had gotten out of line, into another line, and were in the car heading out as they were walking out.

Next stop was to pick up my mom something, and since she reads this I am not going to say were we went. So once inside the lady asked if she could help and I told her what I was looking for and she said what size. Before I could say anything, she said "Is she big". 

Now I need to describe this woman. She was about 5 feet maybe 3 inches tall, and about 195 lbs, with most of the weight in her quadruple double D's. She then points to her self and says "Is she big up here", AS SHE RUBS HER BOOBS!!!! I had several thoughts that ran through my mind, but luckily for her Joanna quickly answered on my behalf. It was a sight I wish I did not have to see.

Finally we were off to dinner. Let me first say it was a slow night at Mazzios and everyone from the server to the manager wanted to tell us this fact. I guess they did not think we would have figured it out on our own. At this point Joanna and I want to eat and get home but since it was so slow, the server wanted to talk to us, A LOT. Finally at the end of the meal she comes over and says "We are so retarded here, we're bored and its slow" she then follows it up with "Yall don't talk much" Yeah, ya think!!! It took all my energy not to cross my eyes, look at here and say "Who you calling retarded!!", but I did not. Joanna said if I would have she might have spewed her drink all over the place. I told Joanna to grab her purse and let's get out of here before anymore craziness occurs.

Wow what a night....

A little catch-up on our lives!

Well, I guess I should post now and again especially now that I am feeling much better! Yes, I thank all who thought of me through those first 17 weeks of pregnancy. They were very rough on me and Bryce but I am glad to say that they seem to be behind us! YAY!! Miss Ruth is doing good. I actually felt her have the hiccups for the first time this week, which is a very odd feeling. Every now and then I can feel a movement and I am sure it will only get more pronounced as time goes on. I am still very small and skinny according to everyone to sees me. They think I am kidding when I tell them I'm half way there at 20 weeks! Today I went to Old Navy and purchased some maternity jeans and leggings and the lady asked me if I wanted a gift receipt. I told her no that they were for me and she was like no way - you are too skinny!! I guess I should not complain too much because in about a month or so I will probably wish I was that skinny again!

Well the school year of 2010 ended well for my classroom. Although it seemed at the last minute everyone was getting sick in my class! I only had 13 kids out of 23 on Monday and I had several e-mails that informed me that their child was sick with the flu or strep or the stomach bug - ALL of which I don't want!!! I am just thankful that I am not sick!! However, our party was very good and the kids really had a good time which is all that really matters!

I really can't believe that Christmas is in like 3 days! It just seems like it came so quick this year. I know it didn't help that I had to work until the 21st! But i can honestly say that I finished my shopping and wrapping yesterday! The rest is up to Bryce and apparently we are getting out tonight to finish his list! (procrastinator!) I am looking forward to starting our time with family as well as the food. I couldn't enjoy it at Thanksgiving but Ruth and I are ready for it now! I just might put on some weight this weekend!

Well I wish everyone who reads this a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Years!! Remember Jesus is the real reason for the season and try to carry his loving and giving spirit with you throughout the whole year!!

Teachers go all out

Well as all of you know by now we are having a little girl, and naming her Ruth Lily Hopkins. We will call her Ruth and apparently I have been told that girls are more fun than boys. Not sure about that statement. Anyway since we were both off on Tuesday it seemed to drag the rest of the week out. Well on Wednesday when Joanna went back to work she had A LOT of surprises to say the least. Below are the photos of what she had waiting for her once she got back.

 

The sign said: Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice!

 

The Christmas trees had words that all deal with little girls!! SO CUTE!!

And now we know!!

So today has been a great day, but I think we both need to take a day off to recover from our day off. We started the morning at the doctors office in anticipation of finding out what this baby actually is. Regardless Joanna was dressed for the occasion.

It will be a BULLDOG no matter what

 I was doing pretty good calling out the hands and feet and spinal cord, as well as the heart (We could actually see the 4 chambers, that was cool) but we never could tell the sex. After seeing the baby hiccup, yawn, as well as stretch we were still trying to answer the all important question, instead the baby showed us this.

Coming to a Christmas card near you

  Finally after a little pressing and talking to the baby, the baby finally moved the legs apart and there we could see.... nothing. At that point the nurse said it's a GIRL!! Joanna was like great I've been calling our baby a he for the past 4 months!! Oh well time to change pronouns!


It's pretty neat that the baby has a name and now that we can put the two together it is becoming a little more real. Coming May 8th, give or take a day, we will welcome Ruth Lily Hopkins to the world.

I would like to just give all the praise to God because without him none of this would be possible. He has blessed us so much more than we deserve! I am just glad that we serve a loving Father!!

AHHHHH Holiday food

Well what can you say. The holidays are always a great time for friends and family, and of course the holidays mean time off from work! Now those are all great reasons but one that is just as important is the FOOD. Now I have to say most of us have our "favorite" dishes and of course we all say our parents can cook the best. Now with that being said my grandmother had the best dressing known to man. In fact if Jesus could have chosen the food for the last supper he would of had her dressing. See I know that he has had it now because I am sure when she got there he had her fix it for him. SO with that being said it is sad that we only get to "typically" eat this wonderful dish during the holidays.

So of course we had this for Thanksgiving and I make sure that we can bring some home because Joanna always needs to have seconds. Well I thought I had brought enough home for the "two" of us, however this was not the case. The "two" of them ate it all before I could get anymore. So what do you do in a time like this??? Yep you have your pregnant wife call your mom and see if she can make some, and you know what... she did!!! Yep had it for supper tonight. Ahhhhhhhhh, I love this time of year.

Tis the season

Well with one day left until Thanksgiving, Joanna and I did something last night we had never done before, yep we put up our Christmas tree.

We also successfully were able to get all of the outside decorations up as well. Yes we were the first in the neighbor to do so but since we only get to put it out once a year we thought why not start a little sooner. We still have some inside decorations to do but no need to be in too big of a rush.

Also for you viewing pleasure we though we would include another video of Blitz. He really is a lab at heart, he loves water. I found this out a few years ago, he loves to attach the water bottle, or at least catch the spray as it comes out. So for the fun of it this morning we caught him on camera.