So THIS is why I've been feeling so yucky....

Its amazing how something so small can make you feel so sick!

Many of you know our struggles with getting pregnant, both with Evelyn and this time around... we are SO excited to announce that we are finally expecting again in December. We are SO thankful for this precious gift!

What's funny about this is that we got pregnant the month we were "taking off" from trying... because we really didn't want another December baby. Apparently we didn't do that well at all.. and we are just fine with another Christmas baby! We also found out we were pregnant less than a week after my appointment with the infertility people, who basically told me I was getting old and if I wanted to get pregnant I didn't have much time left. Apparently I'm not that old.. yet! :)

I wish I could say I am feeling super and enjoying every moment with this one... but I can't. I have been SO nauseous and SO tired.. it has been and is pretty brutal. I am praying that it subsides soon. My goal is to have a spirit of thankfulness despite how I feel... because I really am so so thankful!

At this point Evelyn has no clue as to what is going on.. which is fine. We're not hiding it from her, but she IS only 2 and doesn't understand. (Then again... she probably understands more than we give her credit for....) We will probably start slowly introducing the idea as my belly gets bigger.. or something. We've never done this before with her, so we'll just go with the flow!

So... the adventure begins! WoooHoooo!

Today

April 14th. The day my dad died. 7 years ago. I relive that day often.. not because I want to, just because it is so vivid in my mind. As I look back, tho.. I am SO grateful for many GOOD things that happened that day and the days following... things I know could only be God's doing. My dad was always on optimist, always trying to be positive. So, for you, Dad.. I want to share those good things from that fateful time... cuz you wouldn't want me to focus on the bad stuff!

• It was a BEAUTIFUL sunny Sunday morning in April. A rarity here as you know. Sunshine can make the worst day better, even if just a bit!
  

• I was supposed to work, but got canceled. (Hospital staffing is done by cencus.. if there are not enough patients.. they cancel workers). This turned out to be probably the BIGGEST blessing for me that day.

• Dad was stable when he left the house in the ambulance. My mom decided to just follow in the car. I think both God and my dad knew that she shouldn't be in the ambulance with him. He went into cardiac arrest in route to the hospital.

• I was the first to arrive at the hospital. If anyone had to hear the news first, I am glad it was me. I completely went into "nurse mode" and got back to his room fast. I don't think they would have let me back if I wasn't a nurse.
  

• It was me, not a stranger, who told my mom and family the situation when they arrived. Not that I wanted to, but I hoped it was more comforting hearing it from me.

• We got a hold of my sister in Idaho. Cell phones weren't nearly as common back then... and she has a busy family. But thankfully she answered the phone when I called. I know it was the worst phone call she has ever received, but I am SO glad we got her on the phone and in the end, she got to speak words into dad's ears over the phone before he died. Precious.
  

• After Dad died, someone (Doug maybe) got mom and my other sister home. I had to wait to do some paperwork. I just sat with dad and chatted with him. It was nice to just have some alone time with him. I'll always cherish that.
  

• During that quiet time with him, the main doctor who was caring for him came in. It was comforting to talk with him, in medical terms, about the events of the day. He said that had dad survived, he would have had neurological damage from the extended length time without good oxygen. Somehow that was comforting at the time.. and I am grateful for the time that doctor spent with me.

• My amazing husband and brother-in-law's. Enough can't be said about how they just stepped up and got things done.. all while grieving themselves. SO many people had to be called, SO much to be done.. and me, my mom and sisters were certainly not in the right state of mind at the time. An example: they remembered that April 15th, tax day, was the following day. My parents ALWAYS filed on the 15th. They found the tax forms and got them finished and ready to go out. NOT an easy task! Phew!
  

• The love, support, and grace shown to us. From cards, to flowers, to SO SO much good food (dad would have been jealous he didn't get to enjoy it! LOL).. we were showered with care by so many people, some we didn't even know.

• Over 300 people came to his funeral.. maybe even over 350. Now, I know how awesome my dad was.. but to hear stories about him and see how he touched the lives of so many was so special and so sweet. He impacted many with his life. I am so proud to be his daughter!

"God is our refuge and our strength, an ever present help in trouble." Psalm 46.1

April 14th, 2002. It was a day that changed my life, that brought me to the end of myself. But it also was a time where God did some amazing things for me and my family. It brought me into a better understanding of how deep the love of God is. He truly is my refuge, my strength. He is the reason I can make it thru hard days like today. He is the reason I can grieve my dad with hope.. hope of seeing him perfect and whole again someday. The other day Evelyn asked what street her "Grandpa in Heaven" lived on (lately she has been big into what streets people live on). I am happy to tell her he lives on streets of gold in heaven. How awesome!

What an honor and blessing to have loved, and to have been loved by my amazing and awesome dad.

Catch up...

I really haven't had time(or more honestly haven't made the time) to blog lately. So.. once again I'm gonna just do a picture catch up post (I know.. BOOORRRIINNNGG!) I promise to get better at blogging more frequently!

Evelyn is such an outdoor kid. Even when it has been raining lately, I have made it a point to watch for a break in the showers so we can go for a walk... even if its just around the block. She LOVES it! She really wanted to go play outside in the rain one afternoon last week. I figured what the heck.. let's do it! We got her all bundled and went out.... this is what happened soon after:

BIG tears... all because she didn't want her hood up!

Once it was off she was fine! Of course, she really didn't like her hair getting wet either, so we went in shortly after this was taken!

Then Saturday the sun started to show itself again.. YAY!! We have had SO much fun playing at the park, at the school playground, and in the backyard.

Yes, she is up in the apple tree. Yes, Doug is holding on to her, but got out of the shot so it would look like she was all by herself! She LOVES this picture and has asked to look at it over and over again!

Supervising Daddy!

Her favorite.. the curly slide. She could spend hours on it!

Our on way home today from the park. We were out ALL afternoon and had so much fun!

She then proceeded to play with daddy outside after dinner until bedtime. Needless to say she went to bed without issue tonight!

That's all I've got. The fresh air has made me tired as well. Enjoy the weather while it lasts! :)

Giving in to the whining AGAIN!

So, my sister is whining again because I haven't updated my blog for over a week. Well.. I DO have a good, but sad, reason. I accidentally erased ALL the pics/videos from the week off my camera. Painfully sad. Tears.. lots of tears. I won't ever do that again!

BUT... I guess I could post without pics, even tho its hard. Here it goes..

There was this "tag" going around on Facebook where you write 25 things about yourself and then "tag" people to do the same. It was a crazy phenomenon. I did it, but I didn't really take the time to think about it, so my "things" were pretty generic and ones that most people already knew.

SO.. I thought I would appease my sister and share with you 25 things that you just may not know about little 'ol me.. in no particular order. Enjoy!

1. I started wearing glasses when I was 22ths old (got contacts at age 15). Four eye surgeries before the age of 10.. and still have messed up eyes.

2. Sushi scares me. Even if it does taste good (which I don't know.. I've only had a California roll), I can't bring myself to eat raw fish.. I just. can't. do. it.

3. My first crush was on a boy named Clint Gorthey. We were in kindergarten together and our names were next to each other on the "jobs" board. We always got to pass out snack together. I was totally twitterpated!

4. After Clint, I only have truly "loved" two boys.. and thankfully one of them loved me back.. so I married him! :)

5. My first car was a 1978 lemon yellow Toyota Corolla, My parents paid $400 for it. I drove it into the ground!

6. I love the smell of gasoline.

7. I sometimes blow my nose in the shower. My friend Jenni admitted on her blog that she does it, so I felt the freedom to share it on mine.

8. I can be VERY indecisive at times, probably more than I should!

9. I really don't like clothes shopping. Even when I was a size 8 (*sigh*) and looked cute in things.. I loathed it. I need to have someone shop with me to pick out stuff for me.. cuz apparently I can't! (see #8)

10. I L.O.V.E. sweets. Especially chocolate chip cookie dough. I have yet to meet a sweet I didn't like.

11. In fifth grade, my friend Jenny and I won grand prize in a talent show by singing "My Favorite Things" (from "The Sound of Music") as a duet. We rocked it!

12. I was really good at Atari 5000 games. I was a master at Space Invaders. I wish I still had one, actually. Wii, shmee!! :)

13. One of my biggest heroes is Ronald Reagan. He was one of the greatest men ever!

14. I jumped off a high dive for the first time when I was 7. It was such a rush! You couldn't pay me to get on one now. OK.. in this economy.. I might do it for some cash.

15. I really don't like to read. College ruined me in that area.

16. My favorite teacher ever probably was Mrs Massey in 5th grade. She had braces, I had head gear. I felt a big connection!

17. I could eat ice cream with every meal

18. One of my favorite Saturday morning shows as a kid was "Land of the Lost". Remember.... "Marshall, Will and Holly... on a first rate expedition"?... Chalka? ... the Sleestacks? Good stuff!

19. I had my first kiss at 18 and my first real date at 19. Yeah.. I'm a late bloomer.

20. I wore Wonder Woman "Underoo's".. and I'm proud of that.

21. My first job was at McDonalds. It was one of the BEST jobs I ever had.. seriously!

22. I have ALWAYS wanted to be a mom and a nurse. Always! Glad I got to be both!

23. I love black coffee. Always have, always will.

24. I don't like baths. Something about sitting in my own "soup" kinda creeps me out and i just don't find it relaxing.

25. Growing up I knew more about sports and played them better than most boys in my class.
My daddy brought his girls up good! :)

That's all I've got.. hope to take (and keep) lots of pictures this week to share with you later!

The week in pictures...

Evelyn started out the week sick (actually just continued being sick from last week). Her face pretty much sums up how we ALL felt about that! Thankfully she is better now!

She rediscovered a tippy cup that she hasn't used in a while. It is now her "V8 Juice" cup, according to her. Yes, my daughter LOVES V8 Juice. This picture reminded me of one I took a long time ago.....

... when she first got her tippy cup (10/07)! Look how little she is! (*sigh*)

What's on sale at Safeway, sweetie? This was sitting on the table and was in reach, so she decided to check out the ads. Or something! She's already becoming a thrifty shopper!

It has been BEAUTIFUL (although a bit cold) outside the past couple of days! Evelyn had asked me to open the window so she can have the" wind blow on me and the sunshine on my face". Apparently with the window closed the sun isn't "on your face". Who knew?

Since it has been nice outside we've trekked up to the school to play on the playground some this week. Evelyn has discovered how fun it is to go down the slide on her belly, face first. Well... yesterday we were there and she somehow hit her face on the way down, resulting in her first ever fat lip! :( Thankfully I had brought a bag with me and had something to wipe off all of the blood (man, lips bleed, don't they?). She was a trooper, tho, and kept playing. I tried to get some pics, but this one is the best I got. I'm hoping it isn't as swollen when she wakes up this morning.

I'm trying to think of more things from our week.. but It's 5AM and I'm up cuz Evelyn passed on her cold to me and I am congested and can't sleep. UGH. I am glad it's the weekend!

Enjoy yours....

I'm a Winner!!

BACKGROUND:

1. I used to be a girl who bought high end hair products. Then I retired from nursing to be at home to raise Evelyn. Obviously with that came dramatic income change. I needed to make some changes. So I started using Suave "Professionals" products. They aren't the same by any means, but I like them fine and they get the job done for MUCH cheaper!

2. I don't enter contests. I never win when I do, so really, what's the point.

THE STORY...

I vaguely remember clipping out a coupon for Suave a few months ago. The coupon was one part of a whole page ad for Suave. They were having a contest. Everyone wouldl at least get free samples of stuff for entering. I was at the computer desk clipping/organizing coupons (I think) so decided to do it. It was simple. I though nothing of it. 'Cuz like I said... I never win.

WELL.... I WAS A 2ND PLACE WINNER!!!
( to be honest.. I don't even remember what the "grand prize was!)

I got this big box in the mail today from an advertising agency. I had NO idea what it was. I was pleasantly surprised to find the letter saying I had won... along with a ton of cool stuff packed in a cool bag!

The Loot!

Pretty exciting stuff happening over here at the Morris house! :) Maybe I will buy a lottery ticket tomorrow!

Nah....

Its a long post, but ends with ponytails...

WOW... its been a bit since I have written a decent post. I have been in a funk about blogging. About lots of things, actually. I think I know one reason for this....

I have been convicted lately about how much time I am on the computer. I have become on of many who have been sucked into the "online social network" craze. While it does have its benefits, it lately has caused me ignore other important things in life.. or at least make them less important. I am such a social bug.. I love connecting with people. But it can't be at the expense of my family and close friends. That's ridiculous! Anyhoooo.. I dumped my Twitter account and been on FB not as much during the day. Since then I have been amazed at how much more I have gotten done. Crazy! I seriously thought about dumping Facebook, too.. but I am on my High School reunion committee and we are using FB to communicate info with classmates, so I really can't. Maybe this fall.. who knows. Since blogging was how it all started for me, I WILL keep this up.. I actually enjoy it the most.

One of my favorite verses is Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord" (NOT facebook, twitter, blogging.. etc) "and he will grant you the desires of your heart." I feel the "funk" I am in is due to my heart needing to be recharged... with the right things! I am excited for that!

Ok.. off that soapbox now (sorry for the ramble). What else has been going on? Hmmm..

• The basement is SO close to being move in readly.. Doug has been working so hard to get it done.. which is hard when a sweet 2 year old wants ALL of his time when he is home! I am so excited.

• We had a very postive end to a customer service issue we were having with the store be bought furniture from 3 years ago. Long story short.. we got a brand new sofa and love seat for the basement.. for $24!! Seriously!

• Unfortunately we have had a NOT so good customer service experiences with Verizon lately. I have heard SO many people complain about them.. but we have really never had any issues with them (and we have ALL of our services with them... tv, phone, cell phone, internet). Until now. Ugh..

• I need a haircut. And color. BAD!

• I felt God laying on my heart for me to give up something for lent. While it may be a sacrifice for me.. in comparison to what HE did for me.. it's small potatoes! 2 days in.. so far so good. Thanks for the strength, God! :)
  

• We took out and washed Evelyn's car seat for the first time since it was installed (15mths ago...GASP!). Let's just say it wasn't pretty.. how many cheerios can slip inside that thing.. sheesh! It's great to have it clean again!

• My daughter still doesn't sleep consistently at night. Yes, she IS 2. It's painful. We are always tired (hmmm.. that could be part of my "funk" as well). Trust me.. we have tried everything. Both Doug and I weren't sleepers either.. apparently its payback time! FUN! Actually, I am hoping God is just doing this so I will still be used to being tired when we have another one! :)

• NASCAR season has started... I am excited. Let's go racin' boys!

• We are working thru the budget again. It's a good thing.. there is always room for improvement!
  

I wish I could think of more enticing things to tell you about... maybe next time.

Onto the ponytails. I'm ending with this. I'll let the pics do the talking.

I can't begin to tell you how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE being her mom!

That's all I have... enjoy the weekend, all!