Then and Now

Jeff and his friend Ben in Guatemala (on their mission)and then last weekend, together for the 4th of July!

"A Daily Scoop"

My friend told me about this amazing blog of one of her friends. I finally went on and I am so glad I did. Here is a mother, just like the rest of us, who has been through unthinkable trials and is willing to share her story and feelings with the world (It all begins on her June 14th post).  She is so inspirational and even though I don't personally know her, I love her and her family. I hope you find some time to enjoy it like I do.

Breaking Dawn

Interview with Stephanie Meyers on Breaking Dawn.

Shout Out!

A little shout out and thank you to my very sweet and thoughtful sister-in-law, Zelma. She brought them over while I was at pack meeting with all my kids. When we got home, the kids rushed in the house and then back out to the garage saying "Mom, there is a huge thing of flowers on the table, did Dad give them to you?" As much as I wanted them be from him, I knew better than to think that Jeff would spend money on something that would be dead in a week. So it made much more sense when he told me that they were from Zelma. She is always so great about celebrating any occation, even the announcement of being pregnant. Thanks Zel! You are the best!

Before and After

A few months ago Jeff and I decided that our white trash yard had to go,  after much neglect for the past 3 years and a very limited budget.  This is what I came up with.  It was fun to get as much done as I could, before Jeff got home from work every day so he could see the dramatic transformation.  I know on the pictures it doesn't look like much, but believe me, it looks much better. 










I still have some work left to do still.  The area around the tree is supposed to be a mound.  It will be 2-3 feet taller with topsoil, and then I'll plant ground cover type plants all over.  It already makes such a difference.

Before and After #2

This is the side walk leading up to the front door. Pretty scarce before and the pink rock from my neighbor's yard kept falling down into mine. I put a huge dry river bed in with river rock to hold her rock and my rock in place. The plants I put here are pineapple guava. They supposedly grow up to 6 feet wide and 15 feet tall. I strategically placed them in front of all the windows. They can't grow fast enough.

Before and After #3

This is the entry way to our house. As you can see there was NOTHING there before. A few of the plants didn't take, but overall, I think it looks much better. It will take a few years for the plants to really fill in the space, just seeing a little bit of green is so much better than just rock! Eventually I would like to have 2 large pots on either side of the archway, as well as a hanging water feature to fill up the big, blank wall.

Week 10 - A little more human like.

It is amazing to me and the boys, how much the baby changes and grows in just 4 weeks!


These are 2 pictures taken at my week 10 appointment. The baby was going crazy, kicking and waving. So weird that I can't feel it moving at all when I see it moving everywhere on the ultrasound. I think it liked the diet coke I drank on the way over to the doctor(it is the only thing that burns the bad taste from my mouth).

6 Weeks- Looking like a dinosaur!

This is an image I found on the internet.  Below is the ultrasound from my 6 week appointment.

Cute Blog to Check Out

You have to check out this blog.  I got it off my friends blog and thought she had some adorable stuff for babies  (hint, hint).  Just the name "fingers and toes" is cute enough!

News...news...news!

Well, today was the day.  Revelation day.  That is what Jeff called it.  The day we reveal to our kids (which means the news will travel very fast) that we are pregnant! (Sorry Brit.  I hate to be another one to add to your "list".)  10 weeks.  Not that far along, I know, but it will be very hard to keep it hush for much longer seeing how my belly is already bulging out of all my clothes.  I'm sure some of you had your suspicions as to why my clothes are a little snug, or why my workouts have been few and far between...well, actually non-exist ant!  I have been not only tired, but very sick.  Not enough to ever throw-up, just enough to taste it and feel it in the back of my throat ALL THE TIME!  Jeff has been so great and understanding at me not cooking, hardly at all.  He is so happy.  I feel like I have waited forever for this to happen again.  5 years this August since Simon was born.  Crazy!  It was in January of 2005 when I started to feel ready for another one.  Due to one reason or another (insurance, last year of law school, moving, taking the bar, starting a new job, insurance again, Max's health issues) we put it off for 3 1/2 years.  The last year has definitely been the longest in waiting but now that it is here and I am sick, I'm glad we waited until we did.  The boys are totally thrilled and I spent part of the day on the Internet with them showing them the stages of the baby in my tummy.  Right now it is the size of a date, only not shrivelled, 1 1/2 inches.  Simon asked me the other day when he could have a baby sister.  Today when I asked him what he thought it would be, he said another boy.  Boy or girl, I really don't care.  It would be a nice change to have another girl on my side and very fun for me to dress her and do her hair, but boys are easy for me.  Either way, we are pretty much starting all over.  Practically a new generation of children.  That's right, if I have it my way our total will be 5.  One at a time.  Thinking of doing this sick thing all over again makes me, well, sick, because I am.  Trying to embrace and love every minute of it, which at times is very difficult.   I am very grateful  to be a mother and even more so to be able to do it again, hopefully with fewer mistakes and more patience.  Although Jeff likes to remind me often that I'm "no spring chicken anymore," I am looking forward to having another one a little later in life than the others.  I hope to enjoy it more and be more relaxed about things.  Easier said than done, I know.  So to all of you who keep wondering if we are going to have anymore and when, the mystery is finally solved.  Love to all of you from the woman with the fast growing womb.....Rachelle

Walking on Corn Starch

walking on cornstarch

Congrats to my friend Sara!

I am going to a baby shower tonight for a friend of mine who is having a girl. After years of not being able to get pregnant, they were able to adopt twin boys! Then recently, at Christmas, one of her 4 year old boys told her that the only thing he wanted for Christmas was a baby sister and toys. What do you know, they get pregnant and are having a girl! How awesome it must be for her to be able to experience something that she never thought possible. Then this morning as I was blog surfing, I came by another site of a woman not able to get pregnant after many failed IUI (intrauterine insemination) attempts. Well, 1 adoption later, she got pregnant. On her blog was this video. Maybe a little sappy for some, but I loved it. I was just talking yesterday with my older sister, Emily, who has adopted 1 boy and is now patiently waiting for another baby.(Link to website she started to help families in Utah find the right resources.) She conveyed to me her feelings about adoption with regards to the birth mother. How she doesn't really have the right to "know" if and when they are the right parents. That the experience really belongs to the mother and her feeling who is right. She also went on to say that any time a child is adopted, that it really is a small miracle that a woman would be willing to give up her child, knowing that it could have a better life with a family who, otherwise, would not be able to experience the joy that a child can bring. I thought this video depicted that beautifully.

Good days and not so good days...

Life is going along here and not much is new or has happened. Simon has a fat lip, Marshall is getting ready for a spelling bee (that isn't for another 6 weeks) and Max had another WinRho treatment today. Yesterday was his follow up appointment, last one being when his counts actually went up! Not the case again. Platelets were back down to 26. Unfortunatley they didn't have the WinRho in the office. Someone else used it since the last one was ordered. So, we went back in this morning at 9am. Jeff was out and about and was able to stop in while Max got his IV in (he prefers his dad to cover his eyes if at all possible). That was a nice surprize,and it all continued on as planned. They first gave him Zophran, to help with the nausea. Then, instead of Benadryl, they gave him something else (he HATES Benadryl and always gets really sick from it). Finally came the WinRho. 10 minutes after, Max was a wreck! Crying, sick, shaking, just not feeling his best. It went on for about 20 more minutes and then the doctor ordered some Ativan/Valium. Within minutes Max was able to calm down. "Why do I see 2 of you" he asked. His pupils were as big as the blue in his eyes. He was fully wacked out. He could hardly talk, and when he did, it didn't make much sense. By 12:45 we were leaving the office and by 1:30 he was resting up on my bed. At one point I heard him calling my name. I go upstairs and find Max on the floor. "What are you doing?" "I tried to walk but couldn't and now I can't get back on the bed." What a mess he was. Now, 5pm, and he is back to his spunky self, out playing with the neighborhood kids. As hard as it is for him to go through all this, I still feel so lucky that we aren't dealing with something worse. And that it was 11 weeks since his last treatment. Hopefully we are on a good streak that will continue.

Simon's Birthday Calendar

Simon kept asking when his birthday was. I was getting frustrated at having to answer it EVERY SINGLE DAY. So we made his Birthday Calendar. 72 Days until his birthday, from the day we started it. We also put in other holidays and family birthdays. I hope this will help the time go by faster for Simon. He is so excited about his birthday and wanted me to know that every person is invited to his party! We will see about that. I doubt everyone enjoys taking their children to the germ infested Chuck E. Cheeses.