Congratulations, Tim and Amanda!

My cousin Tim, proposed to his girlfriend, Amanda, last Friday, October 8th. Tim and Amanda have been together coming up on five years I think. They had gone to the beach for the weekend and Tim proposed on the beach and of course Amanda said yes. They haven't set a date yet, but it could be around this time next year. However, the location will be at the beach. They haven't decided which beach and I don't know if it will be like at a resort or actually on the beach. Amanda loves the beach and has always wanted to get married on the beach. She has talked about it since I got engaged and probably even before that. We wish them all the best! (The only picture I had of both of them was from our wedding).

15 Week Check Up

Yesterday, I had my 15 week check up. I was in and out of the doctor's office in like 10 minutes. They checked the basic stuff and we got to listen to the heart beat. It was 158, which the doctor said between 120 and 160 was good. I've heard that the faster the heart beat, means it could be a girl. I go back in 4 weeks, November 11th for my next appointment. They will do an ultrasound then and hopefully the baby will corporate and we will get to find out if we are having a girl or a boy. I am feeling pretty good these days. I still can get tired easily if I do too much and I can bring on the nausea if I wait too late to eat or eat the wrong thing. However, things are going pretty well. I'm excited about the next visit, not so much that we will get to find out what we are having,but to get to see the baby again. It was very reassuring to hear that heart beat yesterday. I'm over the first trimester symptoms, I'm not really showing yet, it's too early to feel the baby move, so I'm almost feeling normal. Wondering if there really is a baby in their after all? Knowing there is, but you understand what I'm saying.


15 weeks and 1 day: Sunday, October 10, 2010

Hunter

This afternoon, Kevin and I went over to visit our new nephew, Hunter. We both got to hold him and see the completed nursery. He was awake at first, but then fell asleep. He has changed from when we saw him in the hospital. He is still as cute as can be. He is doing very well and so is mom and dad. So far, he has been sleeping great through the night and has been a great baby. I know Katelyn and Ryan feel they have been very blessed with a very precious gift.

Here are a few pictures from today.

Hunter and his "Super" Uncle Kevin. There's no point in trying to fight Kevin on who will hold the baby first. He always wins. He got to hold him twice and really didn't like sharing with me.

Kevin couldn't even let me and Hunter have a picture just the two of us.

Hunter's room has a firefighting theme as you can tell. Ryan is a firefighter and works in Charleston and then volunteers around here. So once they found out it was a boy, there was no more deciding on how the nursery would be decorated. I only hope he likes firefighting just like his dad!

This little guy has so many clothes!

My New Nephew Has Arrived!

"Hunter" Phillip Delk

September 29, 2010

Born: 8:33pm

6 lbs. 4 oz

19 in

After 15 hours of labor, my new nephew, Hunter, has finally arrived. My sister-in-law told us back in February that she was expecting this bundle of joy and now he's here. The time went by fast. She was at the hospital at 5:30 am this morning and began inducing her right away. At 3:00pm she was only 4 cm. By the time we got to the hospital she was beginning to push, but it was 2 hours later before we actually saw him. Katelyn was due October 10th, however, in both of Hunter's kidneys, he was retaining fluid. The spots got bigger and they told her this past Monday that he would be coming today. So, he arrived 11 days earlier. And once he got here, he was going to the bathroom very well, thankfully. Both Hunter and mom are doing great. I know Katelyn is very tired. They had about 20 something people in the waiting room, waiting to see this little guy. I have to say that Hunter looks like Katelyn, so much like Katelyn. He's so cute! We are very excited for Katelyn and Ryan. I know they have many changes ahead, but some wonderful times as well. Katelyn and Hunter will get to come home sometime late, Friday afternoon.

Ryan got to bring him to the nursery and ring the bell when he brought him in.

He was not very happy with them taking his weight and measuring.

The proud parents!

Our Big News

In case you haven't heard from us or through the grapevine yet....I'm pregnant! I am 13 weeks 2 days. I am due April 4, 2011 and yes this was planned. This weekend we went to Greer to tell my family. (My parents knew already,but we wanted to tell the ones that we could in person our news). My favorite thing about telling people I'm pregnant is to see their reactions or hear their reactions. Some are very excited and others are quietly taking it all in. I told some of the teachers I worked with today and I am telling my kids and other teachers tomorrow. (My principal has known for a little while, I wanted her to know first). How am I feeling? Well, honestly not that bad. Yes, I have been very tired and have gone to bed many of nights early or on the weekends taken naps. Yes, I have had my share of being nausea, however, I haven't thrown up at all. And most of the time when I do feel this way it has hit me in the evenings more than the mornings. Junk food, greasy food, and spicey food do not help the nausea, so I don't eat any of that stuff. I am doing my best to eat healthy and do what I am suppose to do to ensure the best for this little. I haven't gained weight yet, and actually I've lost 7 pounds so far. I'm still wearing my regular clothes-I know that will change soon. I really haven't had any mood swings yet, this weekend I had my first crying break down, but for the most part, I'm doing very well I think. I am very forgetful and that really comes into play with school. I'm not stressed much with school this year so far, I know I am doing the very best that I can do every day and I just can't let myself worry about the rest.

Here's our story:

Last year in August, Kevin and I began to discuss when we wanted to expand our family and we decided that by the time I was 30 years old I wanted to at least either be pregnant or have our first child. My mom had mentioned in passing that I needed to start taking folic acid about a year before I even begin to try to get pregnant. (She said this not knowing what Kevin and I had discussed). So I started on that vitamin. In April, I went to my doctor to get checked out and to talk with him about us "trying". Most of you may know but those that don't, 5 years ago I had labscopic surgery due to an ovarian cyst that rupture (which for those that haven't experienced that I hope you don't, I honestly can say that was the most pain I have been in in my life so far. I was on my way to work and thankfully still on my street when the pain hit. It was all I could do to get my car turned around and get back in the house. Once I reached the kitchen I was crawling to the bathroom, crying and screaming at the top of my lungs. I couldn't stand or sit, I had to roll around on the floor from side to side. It felt like forever before I got a little relief, in reality probably about 10 minutes. I called my mom, she called my OBGYN doctor and they saw me within 2 hours. They did an ultrasound and 2 weeks later surgery. (This happened on a Monday and had I not just had sinus surgery 6 weeks before, I would have of had surgery that Friday. My doctor wanted to wait to give my body a little more time before I was put to sleep again. Plus, it wouldn't happen again until next month. So, after the surgery I was diagnosed with endometriosis-which we had figured since I was a teenager that I had those symptoms. I went through a 6 month period of my body going through medicial induced menopuase. My doctor was very encouraged and hopeful that the endometriosis would be at bay for 5 years and was hopeful that I would be able to have children one day. Kevin and I really didn't know how long it would take us to get pregnant or if it would even happen. We feel so blessed! So, with all that said, my current doctor said that everything looked good and the endometriosis had not left any scaring so he was very positive as well. I started on the prenatual vitamins then and came off everything else. We used the ovaulation kits to help us and when we came back from Tybee Island, July 31st we found out I was pregnant. We actually didn't think it had happened because I was cramping all week. I called my doctor on Monday and the nurse told me that I wasn't drinking enough water. So once I started drinking more than I should think I would need, the cramps went away. At 9 weeks we went to the doctor but nothing was done but yet another test,which was positive and an exam. We came back two weeks later, to do the bloodwork and our first sonagram. I was 11 weeks 4 days then. I tell you, I have seen some amazing things in life that you just marvel over how God made them or created that scene in nature, but nothing as amazing as this baby who was 4 cm long inside me. When we first saw the baby it started moving it's hands and kicking it's feet. It actually moved to the very bottom and made it difficult to get a good picture. Kevin thought it was like him and had A-D-D, I said it was like me, we woke it up and it didn't like that. We heard the heart beat, which Kevin said was to the tune of 2001 (Gamecock theme song). I go back at 15 weeks, so in two more weeks. They will listen to the heartbeat and just check everything. Then at 20 weeks, sometime in November, we will get to find out what it will be a boy or girl. Our prediction right now is a girl; according to the Chinese birth chart and my mom's number system. You take the age the mom is when the baby is conceived and add it to the number of the month when it was conceived and if it's an even number it's a girl; odd number it's a boy. But we will see. We are both so very excited! It has made the school year go by faster for me because I have been thinking about the baby and what is to come. Plus, it makes my school year shorter. If the baby comes the week it's due date is, I will have about 3 weeks left to go back and work at school. Kevin's mom has offered to keep the baby.

July 31, 2010: Just took the test and found out I was pregnant! It really get's your heart racing to see those two pink lines.

5 weeks 1 day pregnant: August 1, 2010

11 weeks 4 days pregnant: September 14,2010

Our Little One: 4 cm long

12 weeks 1 day pregnant: September 18,2010

What's Going on

As you can see, since school has started, life has been very busy, and I haven't taken the time to blog. So, here's the latest on us:

School: I do have a prayer request, one of my students was in a wreck over the weekend. He is okay, however his younger sister was thrown from the car and killed. He was the one to find her. There were 5 children in the car. One is still in the hospital along with the dad and other adult in the car. Not sure about the dad and other child how they are doing. The rest of the kids are okay. The boy is suppose to come back to school tomorrow. Pray for this family and child.

I can't believe we are in the 5th week of school already! Today was the 20th of school. Which means 160 more days to go!

1. So far, school is going well this year. I have a really good class. We will see if it will last, but I really don't think I will have the problems that I had last year with all the fighting.

2. I am in a temporary room at school. My old classroom is getting new floors, sometime this week. Due do leaks and a mold problem.

3. I only have 14 students. Our enrollment has dropped this year. I had 4 that didn't show up. Then I got two new students. Lost one last week-moved away. Then lost another one today-moved back down to second grade. So....it's nice while it will last having this many students.

Kevin:

1. Working just as hard as ever. Things are going fine with the farm. We are hoping the compost sells will pick up soon with the fall season and really double what we did last spring.

2. Was so excited about his Gamecocks beating Georgia Saturday. Even if the satellite did go out for about 10 minutes during the 3rd quarter and he had to listen to it in his truck.

Abby: just as spoiled and spunky as ever!

Kevin and I have joined a new Sunday School class that has started. It's for newly married couples and young couples with young children. Most of the couples in the class have been married longer than us, but are either our age or younger. If they do have children, they are under the age of 4. We have been 2 Sundays now, and really think this might be a good match for us. We joined a class when we first got married, and stayed from July-February. However, the couples in the class were older than us and had older children (like middle thirties and elementary age kids). We just didn't feel like we fit in there. So, we are excited to meet some new people. We have not seen any of these people before. Some are coming from another local church. We hope to make some friends. It would be nice to have a couple or two that we could hang out with, go to dinner with, every now and then.

School

I know I haven't blogged in awhile, but the week right after we got back from Tybee Island, I went to work at school getting things ready. Then last week was our official week to be back and school started this past Monday. I have had a good 3 days so far. I started with 18 students, Monday I had 14 and yesterday I had 15 and today 15. Four of my students moved over the summer and are either out of state or have moved to a new place and new school. I got one new student (new to Kelly Edwards) yesterday. I'm sure as the next 3 or 4 new students come, they will come to me because I have the least. I'm not complaining about only having 15 students, it's nice. However, it's hard getting new students throughout the school year. They just never seem to fit in because they didn't start with the rest of the kids. But we will see by the end of next week what my total will be. Things are always up in the air the first 10 days. I have been very busy as to be expected, but so far, things are going well. However, I am tired, because I'm not use to standing on my feet all day and my voice is going in and out due to talking all day, but it doesn't take long to get back in the routine of things. So, as of now I have 177 days till summer break again! Ha, or maybe we should just focus on the fact that its like 3 1/2 months til Christmas! Crazy!