Mimi & Grant's Pre-Jake Visit

Mimi & Grant came to visit for the weekend before Jake arrived. We had lots of fun & kept busy with all of Lily's activities.

Dance class:

Soccer Game: Getting a pep talk pre-game from Coach Jamie

Hanging out

Acting goofy before the game

Red Rockets fans!

Celebrating their victory

BBQ at our house:

Grant & Lily painting seashells

38 Week Update

We went to the doctor for my weekly check-up on Thursday. This was Brian's first time meeting the new doctor & he said he really liked him as well. I am still so glad I changed doctors & feel so much more comfortable with this one. Even though I have only seen him twice I already feel more of a personal connection with him & that puts me much more at ease. I really like that he takes the time to sit & talk with us & explain everything little thing we ask. He also seems very knowledgeable about all the latest studies & techniques, which I like as well.

I am now 2-3 cm dilated & 50% effaced - woo hoo! The doctor said he wouldn't be surprised if I went into labor before my next appointment. He did say if I don't go into labor on my own by next week & if we wanted to, he would feel extremely comfortable inducing me after my next appointment. He said my bishop score is an 8 - and it only needs to be a 4 to have a 90% chance of having a successful natural delivery. He told us to think about it & let him know at the next appointment. He could have me in as early as the next day if we decide to go ahead with it. We've been thinking about it, but I'm going to wait & see how I'm feeling (i.e. how uncomfortable I am by then) to make a final decision. I just do not feel ready yet - we still have so much to do before he arrives! I am now measuring 36 weeks - but the doctor is still not concerned - he said the baby may just be small or he's hiding & curling up in there! Brian was able to feel the baby's head through my tummy, which was interesting. He didn't get to do that with Lily, so that was something neat and different. I also lost some of my mucus plug after the doctors appt - which is another sign that things are moving along. So now we are just playing the waiting game...we'll keep everyone posted on the progress - our next appt is Thursday May 8th.

Month of the Military Child

Well, the Month of the Military Child has come & gone. Lily had fun while it lasted, but Mom is glad it's over. Here are some pics from all the fun:

Lily's class:

"Ethnic Day"
Lily dressed as an American - I know how original of me...but we only had one day to plan this one, so I did what I could with what we had at home.

Here she is showin' some sass:

"Military Day"
Military Day was also "Kite Day"

All the kids made their own kites in class & tried to fly them the next day in the field. Lily's ripped almost as soon as they got outside, so she used the teacher's kite.

Madison, Lily & Stevie in their military garb & their kites:

"Chef Day"

"Career Day"

Here is Nurse Augun posing with Dr Mosack - or as Lily & Stevie were joking about on the way to school "Nurse McPoopie-head" & "Doctor McPoopie-head" - haha

Lily & Stevie playing at the park during the Earth Day Festival

"Oldies Day"

They were supposed to dress from the 60's, 70's or 80's

Here's my go-go girl :o)

Lily & Madison had the same costume!

"Silly Sock Day"

Lily during the "Volkswalk" (otherwise known as a "people walk") - all they really did was take these poor kids on a 2 mile road march (literally - it was 2 miles!) - whose idea was it to take 3-5 year olds on a walk this long?! Most of the kids were crying or at least whining by the end of this walk. "Sunglasses Day"

"Hawaiian Day"

My little hula girl:

"Favorite Book Day"

They were supposed to dress as a character from their favorite book. Lily wanted to dress as 'Fancy Nancy':

Crazy kid...

Lily at the talent show:

Lily with Sparky the Fire Dog before the parade:

About to start the parade:

Lily walking in the parade:

The Army Band playing some music for the kids after the parade:

The kids enjoying the music:

The band let the kids see their instruments when they were done playing. I think Lily's whole head could fit in that tuba!

Trying out the drum:

What a fun month full of activities for Lily!

Brian's Home!

Brian is finally home for good from Dover. We are so happy to have him home!! Unfortunately since he was gone so long, he doesn't have much time to rest, since his honey-do list has continued to grow while he's been away. First job on the list: Put the crib together!!! We're running out of time! :o)

Leaving Dover

These are pics from right before Brian left Dover. The two of him in Class A's are from a ceremony honoring all their hard work and the one of him in ACU's is from one of his last days of work there.

(Brian is 5th from the left)

Tornado in Colonial Heights!

What a day we had yesterday! Lily & I were just out enjoying some shopping time with some friends on a rainy day. We had been shopping in Target - we had just left & were planning on walking down to Old Navy which is in the same shopping plaza as Target - just at the other end. Jamie & I ran out to my car to stash our Target bags, while Kim waited on the sidewalk under the awning with all the kids (Lily, Stevie, Kallie & Haley). Just as we ran back to the sidewalk, we turned around & there was a big flash of blue light and a really loud noise, which at the time we thought must be thunder, but later realized it was not. We thought the blue light must have been lightning hitting a building & something exploding. We're still not sure exactly what that was, but right after that we started seeing all this debris flying through the air in a circle - heading straight towards us! We just stood there for a few seconds not believing what we were seeing when Jamie said "Oh my God, look at that huge piece of sheet metal flying through the air!" That snapped us all out of it & we went into the closest store to us (it was a clothing store called Catherine's). As we were all walking toward the back of the store, the doors to the store starting opening & slamming shut from the wind & one of the sales ladies told us to run to the back room of the store. We ran back there & waited for everything to be over. When we went back outside, everything was just total chaos. There were windows blown out of all the stores in the plaza, there were windows blown out of a lot of the cars in the parking lot, there were cars flipped over - some on top of one another, debris everywhere, shopping carts strewn all over the place - some on top of cars. We told the kids to go back into the back room of the store so they wouldn't get scared, but after being in there a couple minutes we were told everyone had to get out of the store because there was a gas leak! Jamie & Kim walked down the shopping center to see all the damage that had been done & the Dress Barn - that was TWO stores down from where we were - was completely demolished. There was nothing but rubble left to that store. Kim's car was not damaged and she was able to leave, but 3 of the windows in my car had been blown out, so we had to stay & wait for the police & firemen to tell us when we could leave. It was the scariest thing I have been through. Everything happened so fast, it wasn't so scary while it was happening, but once I got the chance to sit down & realize what had just happened, I was really upset. I just have to thank God that we are all safe & that the worst thing that happened to us was my car being damaged. There are so many what-if's - it's pretty terrifying to think about. The kids were all so brave. I think most were a little too young to understand fully what was going on, but I was so proud of them. They really supported each other & kept each other calm. Lily got a little upset when we were told about the gas leak & when she saw all the police, fire, ambulances & other emergency vehicles & also when she saw a few people that were hurt, but she did really well with everything. I think it helped that I kept calm & didn't let her see me upset - luckily I was able to hold most of it in until we got home & I was behind closed doors! But she is a real trooper - all the kids were. It was confirmed today that it was a F-1 tornado with winds from 86 - 110 mph! It was unreal how the tornado just came out of nowhere. We had no warning of any kind - it was not windy, the sky was not black or green, it wasn't even raining that hard! The sky looked cloudy, but still bright. We never saw a funnel or anything. News reports say that the tornado first formed on the other side of the freeway & that it jumped over the freeway & formed again on the other side (where we were). So we're thinking that when we saw the flash of blue light & the debris flying in the air, that it must have been reforming then.

Here are some pictures of the aftermath from the parking lot & shopping plaza we were in during the tornado:

Right after the tornado, as the emergency vehicles were arriving:

The store with the red sign on the far left of the picture is the store we were in. My car was parked directly in front of Catherine's, in the first parking space closest to the stores:
These cars were in front of the Dress Barn:

This A/C unit was torn from the Target roof & was blown across the street!

Radio Shack:

America's Best Eyeglasses:

This is the inside of the Dress Barn - 2 stores from where we were!

We are so grateful & lucky to be safe!! THANK GOD nothing worse happened!!! I am so thankful my family & friends are all safe - just shaken up quite a bit. And I thank God it didn't get near our house! I don't even want to let Lily out of my sight now & I couldn't stop hugging her & kissing her last night. I am so happy we are all okay.