I am posting this from my very own laptop that my husband got me for Christmas! Now all I need is internet at the house and I can actually blog again. Blogging- if I even remember how! And keeping in touch with my friends who probably only faintly recognize my name now LOL! Hopefully we'll have internet soon!

There is a baby, really!

Travis Clarke was born on Thursday, Aug. 5.

He was 9 pounds, 10 ounces and 22 inches long. He has jaundice so we are having to do the bili lights this week, and we had to stay an extra day in the hospital, but otherwise, we're doing well.

I'm just snagging a brief moment of time to update. I hope I'll be able to post a birth story and pics soon!

A Quick Update

I had a Level 2 ultrasound yesterday to check on the placenta and kidney issues. Everything was good news. The placenta is fine and the babies kidneys are a 6 (maybe centemeters? I don't know what the number is for) and anything below a 7 in the 3rd trimester is considered to be fine with no follow up necessary. Yay!

So, we are just hot and tired, but with no complications til July, er, August most likely.

I haven't vanished!

I'm really still do exist. We haven't had internet for a while now, so I have to head out to the library to get online, which is fine, but the little time I have to get on there I have to use planning homeschool. Not blogging. :(

And, the digital camera died last week, so no pictures.

I feel totally lost without the internet. Isn't that funny? What did we do before internet? I guess it wouldn't be so bad if everything wasn't centered around it now.

Anyway, we are doing mostly well. David is still looking for a better paying job, and we are still looking for permanent housing. And, I can't believe it, but the baby is due in just six weeks. I haven't been due in the summer in ten years, and it is HOT here in Tulsa.

My placenta was a little on the low side, not total previa, but still low. Also, the baby's kidneys are a bit enlarged (just a bit) and so my doctor wants me to see a specialist next week for a more in depth ultrasound. My oldest son had enlarged ureters (carries urine to the bladder) when he was in utero, and everything was just fine by the time he was born, so I think all will be fine this time. This condition is very common in boys, so maybe Bailey will be having a little brother?

We'll find out in six weeks. Or if tradition holds, it will be more like eight.

It's a twister, Auntie Em!

We have now experienced our very first Oklahoma tornado, although it was with very little excitement (thankfully!) About 5 am, there was enough thunder to wake me up- it's generally very hard to wake me up- and rain pelting against the window. Then, the power flicked off for just a few seconds. So, of course, I looked out the window and the wind is going crazy. Shortly after it all settled down into just a regular light rain.

Then, I heard the tornado sirens off in the distance. I though it was odd to just hear them after all the "storm", but whatever.

I read on the local news website that there had been confirmed an F2 in a nearby small city and they were pretty sure it was the same that did damage when it came through Tulsa.

Well, we can now rule out that mobile home we were looking into...........

Mother's Day

This morning Brittany cooked some waffles, hash browns and bacon for breakfast, and it was so good. That girl can cook some bacon!

At church all the moms were honored with a teacup/candle and devotional booklet and the pastor did a little fun thing before the sermon. He bought roses and went through a checklist. I got a rose for the "expecting" catagory that he did first, and if you had already gotten a rose in one catagory, you couldn't raise your hand for another catagory. But, if I had been able to raise my hand again, then I would've gotten another for most children, most relatives in church that day, and youngest child in church. Ha!

My sweet sister in law got me a Chili's gift certificate along with some pretty flowers and a cake this morning. So this afternoon, David and I went out to Chili's. I hadn't been to Chili's in probably years, but my burger was so good! And, they gave me a chocolate covered strawberry for Mother's Day.

This mama was spoiled. :)

Baby Bump Number Nine

Kimberly over at Raising Olives thought it was about time to show off those baby bumps again!

Here is Baby Bump Number Nine at 28 weeks and 2 days.

And for the "inside" scoop.....


Can you see the little pug nose and poochy lips and chin?
(Sorry these are so blurry. My scanner wouldn't work-rrrrggg!- so I took pictures of them.)





Karate kick



The wave (I know it looks like 6 fingers, but there are only 5.)




I had my glucose test on Monday and I passed. My blood pressure had been up in the 130's over something at my last visits, so I was getting concerned, but thankfully, it was back down to the low 100's this time.

I was having the most difficult time finding a doctor here in Tulsa. I found just one midwife who was part of a practice- I can't do a private midwife right now- and she told me she couldn't deliver me as a vbac. It would have to be a repeat c-section. And, as a matter of fact, there were only a handful of doctors in the area whose insurance would let them deliver a vbac. It was too much of a liability so the doctors' insurances would not cover them. Are you kidding me? After 7 vbacs they would have me have another c-section. Seriously?

So, this midwife, who I really liked, gave me the name of one doctor who still could deliver vbac. I had an appointment with this doctor last week and was totally pleased. He's a Christian, homeschooling dad of five, who prayed with me at the end of my appointment! He is actually in family medicine and has a focus on mother/baby care. He is into natural childbirth and no birth control and actually was excited that this was my ninth. I totally like this guy! Finally!

My placenta may be a little low, (previa), but the ultrasound tech said she'd seen lower. So, I guess they'll keep an eye on things from here on out. Wouldn't that be ironic if I had previa and had to have a c-section anyway? Let's just hope not. Otherwise, little wee one number nine is healthy.

Yum! Yum!

Awww, Mom, can't you just give me a little bite?

Sshhhh. Don't tell anyone it was cake batter ice cream!

Swingin'

Belated Pictures from Easter

I didn't get these pictures up after Easter, but here are just a few- better late than never. Aunt Cassandra spoiled us with baskets of goodies, then we had an egg hunt after church and then it was home to grill out. A very fun day to celebrate our risen Savior! I might be biased, but this is one good looking bunch!

A Shared Birthday

As we go along in our birthday season, we added a cousin to the mix. Emma's birthday was on the 16th and Brooke's on the 17th, so they decided they wanted a joint birthday. It was fun. They shared a cake and played some games. I think it was special for them.

And this little girl helped herself to the birthday candy. Sugar rush, anyone?

The technically free purse

Before we left South Carolina, I was in the market for a new purse. Well, not necessarily a "new" one, but a bigger one. My smallish $3 Goodwill purse wasn't working for me anymore. (If you see that Goodwill is a trend on this blog, you would be right.)





I decided that I would keep my eye out for a purse, but Goodwill can sometimes be expensive and sometimes the nicer purses are priced a bit high. So, I decided to just browse through the purse section at Wal-Mart, since I was there. Just in case they might possibly have something interesting.





And they did!





They had several good sized purses on clearance for $9. Some had patterns, but I decided on this cream one. So it wouldn't clash with my clothing, of course.





Now, I had $8 in my wallet that I had acquired earlier that day. Who knew that the happiest place on earth, which I like to call Kroger, gives you the cash value back for the coupons that you totally forgot to bring with you shopping because you have pregnancy brain, if you take them and your receipt to the customer service desk? Well, I didn't know that little snippet of information until I was standing at the register saying, "Arrg! I forgot my coupons!" And the lady said, "Don't worry, they'll give you a refund for them at the customer service desk if you bring in your receipt."





And I said, "Really? Well, I'll be dog!" (I am from the south, you know.)





So I, on my return trip to Kroger, went to the customer service desk, with receipt and coupons in hand, and made myself $8.60. And, another reason I like Kroger is because they send me "ten percent off your order" coupons, among others, very regularly. Maybe they just feel the need to give back a little since my family along could keep them in business for a week.





When I took my new, discounted, cream purse to the register at Wal-Mart, it was not $9. Gasp! It was discounted down to $7. (If you see the trend that I don't pay full price for anything, you would be right.)





So, technically, the purse was free, because technically I wouldn't have had the $8 in my wallet had Kroger not sent me the coupons in the first place. Or, technically if I had never taken them back in to the customer service for the refund. But, because technically they did, and I did, and the purse was discounted down to $7, then I think it was technically free. Whoopee!

And still another birthday

Before we left Columbia, we celebrated Tristan's 5th birthday. We surprised him by taking everyone bowling. He couldn't have been happier- or more surprised.



Although someone wasn't quite as interested......

The next day was his actual birthday and it was also the day before we left. My wonderful friend Genny had offered to watch all of the kids that day, so Tristan got to spend his birthday playing with his friends....



And eating blue ice cream in the CIU cafeteria.....

Then, de ja vu, we had a Deigo cake with the McDoles for the second year in a row. And to top it all off, he got to have a sleepover at their house as well.

I think it was a good birthday for him.

Birthdays, and more Birthdays

After Bailey got out of the hospital (on Bethany's birthday) we decided to do a joint party for the two girls.

Bailey enjoyed her cake and presents, but she was still not up to 100% yet. I think Bethany was excited to share her party with her sister and that her cousins got to be there.

Poor little sicky

We hadn't even been in Oklahoma for a week when everyone started to get sick. Some crazy fever, sinus, coughing thing. Poor Bailey started feeling sick on that Wednesday and by Friday she was miserable. No birthday party that weekend for her. :(

Sunday morning we went ahead and went to urgent care they sent us over to St. Francis Children's Hospital. The poor girl couldn't keep up her Oxygen Sats. She would barely even open her eyes. She was so miserable. She had RSV and Pneumonia.

This picture is from the second day, Monday, after she actually started sitting up a little. She got to the point where she would start freaking out if anyone came in the room in scrubs. She was tired of them messing with her!

She was on an IV and oxygen. She also had an oxygen sats monitor taped onto her foot. She had so many wires, it was hard to move her. The phone was on the other side of the room, and her cords wouldn't reach that far. So when the phone would ring, I'd have to put her down, pick up the phone, walk back over and pick her up and then reverse when it was time to hang up. Ha! Not so user friendly!

The respiratory therapists came in every four hours the entire time she was there to do breathing treatments and beat her senseless with a rubber thing. Well, not really senseless, and she really didn't seem to mind, but my goodness, were they beating on that poor girls back and chest!


By the third day, she was feeling a lot better. I almost had my girl back! She was fussing to get out of the crib and wanted to get down on the floor and crawl around.

They let us go on Tuesday night, which was actually Bethany's birthday.

No. Never a dull moment.

On the road

On our journey to a fresh start, we passed through several states on the way..........

And saw some interesting things...........

We didn't have a bit of trouble on the road.

Hello, Oklahoma!

Visiting my family

After we left South Carolina, we drove to see my family in Alabama. I don't get to see them often, and the one night we spent there was just not enough time! Alison brought us over some yummy pizza for dinner and Amy made some deliciuos ribs. This was the first time most of my kids had ever seen their cousins.

My Brother in Law James (Amy's husband), Luka and Timothy


"Say cheese, Luka!"


Luka, Kayla and Bethany



My Mom, who is also known as "Granny". Grandad, were you hiding from the camera?





Luka, Thomas and Noah


Alison, me, and Amy holding Jacob. Aren't my sisters beautiful? We were only missing our other sister Erica.

Saying Goodbye........

As many of you know, in February we left the state of South Carolina which had been our home for the last 12 years. Unfortunately, the economy hadn't been kind to us, with a year long unemployment for David, ultimately resulting in our losing our house, and filing for bankruptcy. The bankruptcy wasn't an easy decision for us, but we felt we didn't have much of a choice. The last ten years were filled with a full time ministry position, two years of trying to establish a career in the financial industry in a failing economy and then a one year unemployment. So, we had used up, cashed in, and sold everything we had, but it just wasn't enough.

So, we decided to move to Oklahoma for a fresh start.

Why Oklahoma?

David's sister and family, brother, uncle, and cousins are near the Tulsa area. We thought it would be nice to finally, after 15 years, to live near family.

But, we left many in South Carolina that we considered to be family.

The goodbyes were hard.