4 months/ Kay's Bradford Bash

Well, I'm 4 months...and the monthly pic has been taken. My belly button is starting to pop out so Rich thought it would be funny to make a smiley face. I wonder if my poor flower tattoo is going to start growing? EEEK. That could be scary.

Rich said he took all of the pictures of the baby from our doctor visit to work today and he has called me several times to let me know that he has shown everyone in his office how developed this baby boy is. He said, "Everyone has responded, YEP THAT IS DEFINITELY A BOY!" He is very proud and I am seeing the excitement and relief he has now that it is a boy and HEALTHY. He is especially proud of the extra large "boy part". I think he is going to start beating his chest like a gorilla. LOL!!! It's very cute. Erin (Rich's sister) text messaged and said she is excited that the two boys will be only months apart. HOW FUN IS THAT!? I never had cousins close to my age, so I think that is awesome! :) Erin said that Gianna will be making these boys sit at her tea parties. Funny. I told her that Rich and #1 will have these boys hunting by age 2! She agreed.

Kay Bradford's party (Bradford Bash) was this past weekend...her twin girls are getting so big! They were dancing while singing, "Lookin' like a fool with your pants on the ground!" They wanted to wear all of my jewelry and my sun glasses... Poor Richie got eaten up by chiggers! Usually that's me...that's why I don't like being outdoors in the deep woods. Yucky. I had to put nail polish all over his bites, I didn't have any clear polish so he's got an extra pink shine to him today!

There is an opening at Rich's office coming up and I am really trying to talk him into applying for it. He will be doing his dissertation this summer and finally getting his PhD. He needs to start looking into getting ahead...he is brilliant and really good with people, so I am encouraging him. I'm not so sure about being a Superintendent...that is a lot of work and a lot of hours and dealing with a lot of problems. But whatever God has planned I'm sure it will come to fruition!

Went to lunch with a bunch of girlfriends. Robin got me the cutest little outfit that had a monkey on it and it says, "Mommy Loves Me." It is so fitting because I have a feeling any of my kids will be monkeys. Meg gave me a pack-n-play, a stroller and a breast pump...Dear Lord, I won't know what to do with that! But I am TRULY grateful for all of my friends. I AM SO BLESSED and I look forward to helping others like they have helped me.

Time to do Real Estate so that I can make as much money as I can before this baby comes. And Ellie is scratching at the door to come in. I told her last night that she was going to have a baby brother and she looked at me like, "OH CRAP!" I started laughing.

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Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers!
Ecclesiastes 5:10-11

IT IS A..................BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today Rich and I were on a HIGH!!! We went to the Specialist in Temple again and they did all kinds of testing to be sure there were no chromosome diseases or other problems with the baby. They took about 50 pictures and found out that it was VERY HEALTHY!!! And there was no doubt as it was very CLEAR of this little boy's gender. It was a BOY! Rich was so excited...and so was I. I was more excited about all of the doctors and nurses coming in looking at the screen saying how healthy and beautiful this baby looked. My belly is not showing that much and so I was worried that the baby would be small, but the doctor said that he was bigger than average! :) I was VERY happy to hear that! Looking at the ultrasound truly makes you realize this is a TRUE GIFT FROM GOD. The profile of this baby was precious. You could see his nose (we both looked at each other because this nose was bigger than normal as well) and you could see his eyes and even his lips. He would scratch his face and wave and even held up his finger like he was saying, "#1!" I truly am thankful that this boy is very healthy and the doctors could not be more pleased. Jr. was even sitting Indian-Style at one point and it looked so funny!

My friend Meg has so many baby supplies for me and I am SO THANKFUL! There are so many reasons that I know I had to wait for so long to have a child. In my 20's I would want NEW everything...I would be concentrating mostly on the materialistic aspects of the baby items. At this age, I am okay with all of the hand-me-downs my friends are so gracious to give me. I want to concentrate on being a better person for my child and family. My friend Kelly has given me tons of clothes already so I can't wait to go through those. Now I just need to get my husband to help declutter the house. He likes to keep everything!! "Just in case," he says. :) I need everything in place and organized! Well, okay, I'm kind of "messy" but I just don't like CLUTTER! ;)

This weekend is Memorial Day...we go camping every year at this time...Oh dear, a pregnant lady's dream! Especially in this Texas heat! I think about things like, will I take the baby next year, etc... I also think about what I am going to do when I go back to work... daycare? A friend? Gayle? Hmmm, lots of things to think about. I will not stress about these things, these are fun things to think about! And I AM BLESSED!
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"What the mother sings to the cradle goes all the way down to the coffin."
-- Henry Ward Beecher

Garden/Hockey Game

Rich has made a huge garden in the back and we are growing all kinds of things...squash, cucumbers, peppers, melons, etc... it is about 20 yards long...I don't really enjoy going out there though because I hate bugs, MOSQUITOES and icky stuff. I am a wimp when it comes to that! I remember when Rich and I would go jet skiing at his lake...when we were finished, I would stay on the jet ski and Rich would hook it up to the trailer and pull me out of the water so I wouldn't have to touch the bottom of the gross lake! I don't know why I'm like that (I think because of my mom)...if I have a boy I sure hope he is not wimpy like me! Anyway, I am excited to cook up the veggies and eat the melons!!! I have been craving fruit so badly for the last month!!! It is like desert to me! :) I ran on the treadmill for the first time today and I felt very weird. Anytime I move around a lot in my classes I can feel little "movements" of the baby. Like he is swimming in there! It is weird and I think Jr is going to come out saying, "WHAT WERE YOU DOING FOR THOSE 9MONTHS THAT I WAS IN YOUR BELLY???!!!" LOL!

The Hockey Season is coming down to the finals...I like attending the games, and we always end up having a great time with the Elliotts and other friends that are there. We are very thankful to have this opportunity to attend these games, Rich absolutley LOVES them!!! One of the best times was when one of the friends brought their little girl name Alaysia and I held her the whole time...I was in heaven.

I am still feeling good! :) REALLY GOOD! I am so hyped up I can't even take a nap if I tried! I guess that's a good thing.
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Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage.
Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

Philippians 2:3-4 (The Message)

Muddy Buddy

This past weekend we went to the Muddy Buddy where they biked, ran, did obstacle courses and crawled through mud. I did this a long time ago with Becky Vermillion...we were BeBe's (Beaudet/Basinger at the time). I was not in a good place in my life...so it was interesting to compare the two experiences...both they were both fun. This was my first time to just be a complete spectator. I took pics and videoed everyone crawling through the mud. That was even a competition for me. I wanted to get the best footage and I yelled SO LOUD and when I heard myself on the video, I thought...OMG, I am LOUD! I was thinking about myself at my children's athletic games and how they will be mortified with my yelling!!! I just cannot curb my enthusiasm during competition. I love it! Should be interesting! Luckily Rich is very subdued or we would be a crazy couple. :)

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If you want to be like Jesus, you must care about what he cares about most; you must have a heart for the whole world! You can't be satisfied with just your family and friends coming to Christ. There are over six billion people on earth, and Jesus wants all his lost children found. MORAL: WE ARE HERE ON THIS EARTH TO HELP OTHERS, NOT JUST OURSELVES AND OUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY! :)

It's A ...........................

Well, it's been awhile since I've written...I kept meaning to and then something would get in the way. Anyway, lots of things have happened lately...I went to the doctor and they did 2 ultrasounds. Both doctors thought they saw a "boy part"!!! So we might have a boy!!!!! :) I am excited...we have NO boys in our family and I don't think any of us will know what to do...but we will see! I just hope he is a gentleman and respectful, smart, healthy and athletic! I guess I want the perfect boy, huh? Well, I do hope he is healthy, most of all. It is hard to come up with names for boys...you want it to be a strong name but not too trendy. So far we've come up with... Richard Lee Elsasser III and call him "Tre" or "Trey" for the Third...Tre is French and my dad is French. Rich also likes Mason, Logan, Brayden, Ethen, Logan, and Landon. I like Bo or Beau (for my maiden name), Trey, Brayden, Aiden, and Jackson. I like A.J. Elsasser (Aiden Joseph - my dad's middle name) but, don't think Rich will go for it. I also try out names by while acting like a football announcer is saying it, "Number 84, A.J. Elsasser!!!!" LOL! For girl names I like Drew, Kendall, Aiden, Addi and Josie.

Last weekend for Mother's Day we went to San Antonio and spent a couple of days with Rich's sister and his mom and dad. They own a cool restaurant in the Botanical Gardens in San Antonio and we took some cool pics there. Rich's sister, Erin, is also having a boy...so I think that would be so fun to have them be the same age and gender...they could always play together. BUT, if I go back next week and they say it's a girl...I will be just as happy!!!

This week I feel so sorry for my parents as my Nanny had to go to the hospital with severe stomach/intestinal cancer and tumors. OH the joys of getting older. I have watched the pressure of being an only child has had on my dad my whole life. It is not fun! That is why I never want to have just one child. Even 2 kids seems very small. I just pray that she is not a lot of pain and is able to be with her husband, Paul, and that my dad has peace with everything. Sometimes I want to make so much money so I can take care of my parents and they don't have to worry about another thing for the rest of their life. My dad did not grow up with money and he has worked so hard to make money. I wish my child could meet my entire family (including my Paw Paw) so they know where they come from.


One of my girlfriends from San Diego emailed me today and she said that she has really been praying a lot lately (since her recent break-up from her boyfriend)...she said she felt the presence of God and I was the first person she thought of to write and tell! (I was so honored because I don't talk to her that much). But, this is a sign from God that I am doing the right thing and "planting the seed" and let him do the rest. I just hope that my children get this relationship with God at an earlier age than I did. This is the only thing that will hold them accountable.

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One Door Closes..Another Opens

Revelations 3:8

When God leads you to the edge of the cliff, trust Him fully and let go, only 1 of 2 things will happen, either He'll catch you when you fall, or He'll teach you how to fly! 'The power of one sentence! God closes doors no man can open & God opens doors no man can close.

Getting HOT!!!

Wow, it was 100 degrees today...it's getting so hot, but I like summers. We laid out by Robins's pool today after I worked (the kids were off school so there were about 10 kids playing in her pool). Chaos! I love it! It is tough to get into a bikini at 3 1/2 months preggers, but I did it! The kids at Robin's house always say, "Yes Ma'am" when asked a question...very polite and I hope my child is just as polite!

Not much to say tonight...I am so tired! I will write more later.

Lots of stuff...

Just trying to catch up on the lost days that I didn't write anything. Over the weekend we went to the Kyser's house to shoot guns (this is the Elsasser's best friends). I really like shooting...I think it's the competition in it and the thrill of holding something that is so powerful. I want to shoot that bullet in that red bull's eye more than anything. I did pretty good! Almost every single shot was in the bull's eye or close! :) I think Jr. would be proud of his mama! On the way home there was a car that was crossing the road in front of us...she was going about 80mph and didn't know her road came to a dead-end. Her car flew up in the air and landed about 250 yards into a field. I called 911 and had Rich talk to them. Very scary when you are the first one at the scene of an accident. Rich and #1went to help her and they found that she had been drinking...I thought to myself, "This is one thing I will try to instill in my children is to not drink and drive." My mother always said, "If you do, they could take our house and home!" So that always stuck in my head because I didn't want my parents to be homeless, funny as it sounds, but it worked. The lady was okay, amazingly...but definitely had some bones protruding through her skin.

The next day Rich went to his "Concealed Weapon Class" so that he was able to carry a weapon if he wanted. Not growing up with guns, it's a new concept for me...but he is very safe about it and was proud of himself that he got the top score in his class. He text messaged me on the way home, "I'm packin'"...I started laughing.

This week the Specialist called from the hospital and said that the test results came back "negative" for any genetic diseases! THANK GOODNESS!!! I don't take anything for granted and am so thankful that my baby looks healthy! I get to find out in 2 weeks what I am having...I am very excited! I think it is a boy...we will see!

I had been feeling better and then for the last 2 days I started throwing up...I was laying in bed 2 nights ago and I looked at Rich and said, "I am going to puke..." I went to the bathroom and sure enough I did. He was trying to be so helpful by asking what I needed and getting me water and a wet rag...anyway, I have found out that after I throw up, I feel better!!! HMM!

Last night I went to the hockey game...I do it for Rich...he LOVES these games. Again, I felt sick and went to the restroom and threw up...I actually don't mind it at all because I puke and then say, "I am thankful I am pregnant!!!" People must think I'm crazy. I came back to my seat and started eating my Skittles again. Rich just laughs. I'm not sure he understands this whole pregnancy thing.

I talked to my niece, Peyton, yesterday and she played me her song that she did at the recital...she is really good! Then she played me about 10 more songs and I listened to them while I cooked dinner...it was awesome. She even played me songs that I taught her about 5 years ago! She has such a good memory...and it made me feel good that I actually taught her something that she can "keep". She is so smart and such a doll.

Well, I am off to teach some Bootcamp...luckily I feel good today! It's 98 degrees out so I will keep them inside. Whew...summer is here.

Thoughts About my Childhood

Yesterday I was having lunch with my girlfriend, Meg. She is married to a cardiologist and so we were at her Country Club having salmon and rice pilaf (when I told Rich he just rolled his eyes)... Anyway, we were talking about us both being the youngest in our family and if we think we were spoiled. I know I was! (She definitely was, too). I told Meg that I remembered when my sister went off to college my mom and I went shopping every single weekend (if not almost every DAY). Meg replied, "Ohhh, probably because she didn't want you to be sad that your sister was gone!" I started laughing so hard my water almost came out my nose. I love my sister, but I am thinking that's not why we went. :) Sometimes we would keep the bags in the car for days until it was safe so my dad wouldn't see them (after talking with many friends, they all did the same thing to hide their bags from their dads!!!) Sorry dad! I already do this with Rich. Even if we were millionares I think I would still do this (men don't understand the shopping thing). Funny thing is now I hide my McDonald's and Taco Bell bags from him because I'm embarrassed!!!! :)

I was talking with my Bootcamp class yesterday and I was telling them I remember when I was young telling my mom to time me as I set up an obstacle course for myself. I would flip over the couch 5x, do 20 sit ups, push ups, jump in and out of a laundry basket, run around the house 2x, and I'm sure much more. They were all laughing because they said, "You were a Bootcamp instructor in training!" :) Anyway, I always think about these little things and wonder if this baby will love sports and working out and maybe we can do races with him.

I'm off to a closing (YES!) and I am hoping my new bed comes today!!! I have never been so excited for a bed in all my life!!! It is a Tempurpedic adjustable bed...this is the excitement of my days right now! WAHOO!
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Thought for the day
The height of your accomplishments will equal the depth of your convictions.

-- William F. Scolavino

Doctor Visit and Dinner for friend's 30th

Yesterday Rich and I had to go to the Temple Hospital (by Fort Hood) to see a Specialist because I am over 35 yrs old. Lucky me! Anyway, it made me nervous as the drive up there was an hour long...I told God, "Thank you so much for blessing me with a pregnancy and if you make this baby healthy I will make sure I live my life to the fullest for You." I know you aren't suppose to "bargain" with God, but for some reason in circumstances like this you seem to do whatever it takes. It is crazy to think in a split second your whole world can change. What if this baby did have Down Syndrome? I finally said to myself, "I will just have to be like my Paw Paw and get all of my friends to work at the Special Olympics." Your thoughts go a mile a minute during times like this.

The doctor finally came in and he took about 10 minutes to explain the whole process...and then we had to decide whether we wanted the test done. We said yes and it was the coolest 3-D images of our baby. Rich said when the baby first came on the screen his stomach was a little queasy because it made him nervous - the baby was so real. It was funny to peek at him as Rich stared at the screen like a proud father. I just wanted to grab Jr from the screen and hold him. It was adorable!!! You could see his little heart beating, all 10 toes and 10 fingers, his organs and how he was connected to my umbilical cord. He was "waving" to us and looked like he was doing "yoga" poses. The baby was being "stubborn" the doctor said (oh great!) and so we tried to get him in the right position so I had to cough to try to move him. When I coughed, Jr would jump up with his hands and feet in the air. He looked like he was like, "Holy crap, what was that???!!!" It was the cutest thing. I wanted to talk to him because I was thinking, "Oh, I hope he is not scared or lonely in there all by himself!" The doctor said everything looked good so far! :) I was so relieved.

I will get to find out the sex of the baby in 3 weeks! FINALLY! I want to know so badly! This is going to be one of the most interesting children I've ever met. I hope it has Rich's height, hair, and brains...and my skin, eyes, and love for people. Rich said he hopes our children get my prettiness, I thought that was sweet. (Even though Rich is always so nice, he doesn't hand out compliments, so you take it when you can get it!) :) And anyone who knows me knows that I love "warm fuzzies" and giving/getting compliments...I hope my child doesn't get my constant need for affection and affirmation.

I asked the doctor if I could still do the Muddy Buddy Race (6 miles of running and biking and swimming through the mud while doing obstacle courses) he said he would not recommend it because if I crashed on the bike or someone ran into me it's not safe for the baby. Enough said for me. Again, I thought I was going to be the one with a little belly doing all kinds of races...well, not so much. So I am going to have a get-together for all the girls and be the picture taker. :)

Tonight I put together a 30th birthday party for my girlfriend, Jennifer McLaughlin. We had it at the mexican restaurant, Dos Salsas, which is the only place to go in Georgetown. It's a regular for all of us. It was fun! I love doing things for others...I wish this could be my job and I could do it all day long! I was the designated driver so everyone could have some margaritas. It's nice to know everyone got home safely. I actually liked being the responsible one!!! :)

I've been thinking a lot about my future...what do I want? What legacy do I want to leave? I think of my grandparents. They have a football stadium named after them!!! I can always think of every excuse not to get involved...such as I don't have any kids in school yet, I work 2 jobs, etc... BUT, my Paw Paw volunteered when he had no kids, grandkids or anyone he was related to at the school. He owned his own company and worked long hours. He had every excuse not to give his time. But he still did...and he gave 100% at everything he did. I wish he was still alive to see my baby be born. My grandparents are the kind of people that you want to be proud of you...EVERYONE respects them the moment they meet them. My grandma has so much grace...when I was young, I always thought to myself, "I will never be as Godly as my grandma or be as good of a person as her." She has really affected me though and I slowly watch myself on the path of my grandparents...my personality is probably like my Paw Paw's and my faith is hopefully becoming as strong as my grandma's. They were incredible grandparents growing up and kept our family together like glue. Thinking about this has given me the drive to know I can do anything for this community, school, athletics, no matter where I am in my life. I always feel the more I GIVE the more I GET BACK. I thrive on it. Even though my Paw Paw has been gone for many years...his legacy is still alive today because of everything he did while he was living. That's what it's all about!!! I love my family and everyone who meets them says the same thing. I have watched the "trickle down" affect come from my grandparents, to my parents, to my sister and myself and it will go down to my nieces and my own chldren. That is how you make the world a better place.

Well, I've got Ellie "spooning" me and ready for bed. She is so cute as she has one paw on my arm which mean, "let's go to sleep."

Can't wait to sleep with my baby, too, in the future.

Good night.
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I would rather live one day knowing that I did the right thing than live 10,000 days knowing I did the wrong thing.
- Jackie Camplain

Tuesday...

Today I only made it through 2 of my classes, I know that if I taught one more my back would be hurting again. So, I chilled out, got a substitute, and went to Chipotle instead! HA! I am slowly learning...but I still wanted to be the most muscular pregnant lady ever!!! Oh well. :)

Sometimes when I am writing this blog, I think..."Gosh I am boring!!!" If I would have written a blog 5 years ago it would have been CRAZY! Jet setting everywhere, overseas, Vegas, meeting famous people, hanging out at the beach, etc... But, this is my life now and I love it. It is very stable and pretty mundane, but I'm sure Jr. feels safe. :) It is ironic that I am watching Joyce Meyer right now and she is talking about how her life use to be always in turmoil and so much drama...finally, when she was at peace with her life and nothing tramatic going on...she was bored! She said, "Now what do I do with myself???" LOL! I can relate to that sometimes. :)

On Sunday we went to our church Potluck...it was at my friend's beautiful ranch. I brought Ellie and and there were other big dogs there. Ellie would try to play with them and when they would play back they would hit her with their paw and she would be knocked over 3 or 4 times...this is the first time my "mama" instincts came out because I wanted to save her. She was so small and helpless. So I would scream and go run and pick her up. Once the big dogs were tied up, Ellie would run under their legs and go right up to their mouth and play 'dead'. It was hilarious. She would just lay there and not move an inch. All of the kids loved playing with her and she just went with the flow...

One of my friends gave me her maternity clothes and so I tried them on for Rich last night and he was laughing his butt off. My girlfriend had size 12-14 and the pants were up to my neck and the stretchy front of the pants were not so cute. Rich would say, "Only wear that when I am not around." So, I think I might have to go shopping for some new maternity clothes soon.

I went to Emery's softball game last night and it reminded me of watching my nieces. I LOVE watching them play sports. It made me homesick. I called Peyton and told her I wanted to move to Old Fort...she said, "You can't, you have to live in Texas so I can come visit."

My belly button is starting to pop out a little...I have always had an "innie" now I almost have an "outie".

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Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.
1 Timothy 4:8

Important quotes and information I want to tell my children...

"Be a blessing, not a burden!"

"Bloom where you are planted!"

You cannot be selfish and happy at the same time!

If we live a life away from God, we not only affect ourselves but everyone we are responsible for.

Living a life away from God doesn’t mean God will punish us, it just means we will not get to use his Blessings he has waiting for us!

Getting your own way is like eating a dessert you don’t need…it takes 2 minutes to eat and an entire day to get over the guilt.

Don’t FOLLOW the example…SET the example.

If you have to “hide” something…it is not the right thing to do.

Let your pain be someone else’s gain. When you have to go through something horrible, turn around and help someone else who has to go through the same thing!

When your child grows up in church/Sunday School, that is a tradition and he will always feel comfortable there, so he will want to go on his own when the time comes. If this is not part of his tradition, it is hard to put a tradition in place as an adult.

3 Months...

This weekend Rich went hunting with Kyle and the Herman boys. They had never been hunting or even shot a gun, so Rich wanted them to experience it. When he came home today he looked at my stomach and said, "I think JR grew!" LOL!!! (meaning my belly got bigger) at least he said my butt hasn't changed. I am looking forward to whether I have a boy or a girl, Rich will take them hunting at a very young age I'm sure...how fun! Chandler shot a bird and he told me, "Mr. Rich stepped on it's head so it wouldn't suffer." Ugh, I almost threw up in my mouth. Rich loves hunting and being in nature more than anyone I've ever known. He is truly in his element with camo, guns, and animals.

Me on the other hand, I was shopping and getting a mani/pedi with Robin and Emery. It was fun! I truly need some new pants. It reminds me of when I was in college and my mom had to make a special trip so that we could go shopping for the FRESHMAN 20 lbs I had gained!

I can't believe I only have about 6 months until I have this baby! That is crazy! I better start working on the room or doing something to prepare before I get bigger and am unable to do the things I want. I hurt my back badly the other day moving mulch bags and teaching kickboxing, so I told myself that I will not be worrying about "MY BODY" but I will concentrate on being healthy for my baby. So, not worrying about my body is a new concept for me. I will take on many new challenges and I can't wait!!!

This week my nieces got new baby chicks (they are farm girls!!!) and Sammy had her first competition in pole vaulting!!! She tied the school record and she was excited. I love that girl...she is so courageous and doesn't care what people think.
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I read some notes on a speech that Colt McCoy's dad made the other day...I thought it was so profound that I wanted to take the best parts of this and hopefully use it in my children's lives:

Proverbs 22:6: "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."

Proverbs 23:13, "Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die."

"Prepare to be our best." He cited 1 Corinthians 9:24, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize."

"Do your best and be a leader!"

"Expect to Win, Play to Win."

We don't aim high and miss - as we would like to believe. In fact, most times, we aim low and hit the mark! As parents, he implored us not to aim low! Aim high!!!

He then said that how we spend our time and money is a direct reflection on where our true priorities lie.

"Thoughts become things." Don't let anyone walk in your mind with dirty feet.


"Prepare for Open and Closed Doors."


"My positive energy must be better than my negative energy. My certainty must be me stronger than my doubt. The battle is won before I ever start the fight. I choose faith over fear. Leave a legacy of excellence, love, dedication and service.

I never question what God does. God is in control of my life and if nothing else, I am standing on the Rock!"

On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand.

Back to the Blog...

It's been awhile since I've written...over the weekend we went to a hockey play-off game and during the pre-game practice, a puck hit me on the foot. Rich said, "GRAB IT!!!" Not, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He just wanted the puck. HA! So I grabbed it and thought, this would be a great thing to show JR as this puck hit his mama. But then I looked over and saw a little boy with sad eyes and I told Rich to give it to him...the little boy was so happy! Our friends, Bob and Bonnie Elliott, have seats that sit right up against the glass and are so sweet to invite us to many of the games. It's scary when those players get checked and slam against that glass...everything goes flying.

Saturday night we played Wii Fit with Rich's parents and I love the hula hoop game, but I think JR must have been sloshing around in there because my stomach was going crazy after each game. :)

Sunday I mowed the lawn, put mulch on all of the tree beds and pulled weeds...I swear I am the only pregnant lady doing all of that (I hired a young boy to do the rest...) That is too much for mama to do!!! LOL!

I feel better since I'm in my 2nd Trimester...still a bit tired and ALWAYS hungry, but everything is feeling much better!

I know God will take care of my baby and it is all in His control. I am going to start volunteering somewhere...I need to start giving instead of thinking about me so much. The number one thing I want to teach my children is that we are on this Earth to serve others, not ourselves. And I know that you teach children through your actions.
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Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God. You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (New Living Translation)

Doc Appointment

Yesterday I went to the doctor and we heard the heartbeat...it was "very strong" the doctor said. I just want to know if it is a boy or girl!!!! It's wild how things have changed through the years with pregnancies...for example the doctor said I can lay on my back, do sit-ups, workout, lift weights, run marathons...all the way until delivery. Things sure have changed over the years.

I found out I am due November 2nd...thank goodness! They told us last time it was Nov. 24th! So, this baby is going to be a Scorpio...they scare me! All of the Scorpios I've ever met are rigid and very type A. However, my friends Cherie and Kara said they were Scorpios and they are the most care-free individuals I know. Nonetheless, the Bible says we are not suppose to believe in astrology, etc...so I try not to base any judgement on that (but it sure seems to be very good at describing someone).

I talked with my niece Sammy today and she said she got second in the 400 meter race. Good for her. She said she jogged most of the way around and then sprinted in at the end and passed everyone. I wish I could watch her race...she is SO FUNNY!!! Very unique personality and "not a care in the world" about anything going on outside her world...she is born the same day as me...so it should be interesting to see how she grows up. :) I have a feeling this baby will be like Sammy or like Peyton...Sammy very much like me and Peyton very much like Rich!!

______________________________
Christian
by Maya Angelou

'A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ
that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not shouting 'I'm clean livin''
I'm whispering 'I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain..
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow!

Good Start to the Day!

I taught Bootcamp and then went to Bible Study...it was the last one. I told my Study Group that I was pregant and they were very excited. The first day we told each other what we are working on and I said, "Getting pregnant..." so, they were all excited that it happened by the end of Bible Study. Beth Moore is amazing...this series was about BREAKING FREE of our bondage and things that hold us back from living the best life possible!!! I love that. When I leave Bible Study I feel like I can conquer the world. Bistro on the Alley catered it and I had Tomato Basil soup and it reminded me of having lunch here in Gtown with my parents when they visited. I chowed down so much that my mom looked at me with big eyes and couldn't believe how much I could eat. In Bible Study this morning they let me go through the buffet line first first (out of 100 women) because they knew how hungry I was!!! Ha!:)

In Bible Study we wrote down things that we are going to work on to help free us from bondage. I wrote:
MY COMMITTMENT
1. Make every decision with God in mind.
2. Bloom Where I am Planted! Live in the moment - not wanting what others have, not wanting someone else's life or body. Instead, live a Godly life full of blessings for everyone involved.
3. Let my pregnancy be guided through God and raising my children through God's grace.
4. Love my husband, family, friends and others with all of my heart and GIVE everything I have with the love that God has for me.
_________________________________________

Last night I went over to the Hermans and I made pizzas and cookies with the kids...it was fun. Ellie came over with me because the kids love to play with her. Ellie is definitley getting a dose of what it is like to have kids around. Everytime I looked, Ellie was on another adventure...whether it was jumping on the trampoline, or sliding down a slide with the kids, or in an office chair going around as fast as Darsen could spin. Ellie never made a peep, just looked at me like, "Help!"

Time for my nap, work, doctor's appointment and then Bootcamp.
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I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.
John 14:27

My Busy Day...

Tuesdays are always my crazy workout days at the Rec Center. I just taught Bootcamp, Step Aerobics, Lunch Crunch and Quick Cardio. JR and I are TIRED!!! :) I love to come home to my bed and take off my shoes and chill...which means I now work on Real Estate.

I'm watching Dr. Oz...I really like this show! (Rich thinks he makes this stuff up - ha!) But he always has good health information.

I felt good today (always just a little nauseous, but I am craving "good for me foods" which is nice for once.) I've been craving pizza and burgers and fries, etc...but I can now handle nutritious food, too!

My friend Jeanette called me today and said that her friend who was very nauseous during her pregnancy has a wild child! OH NO! Well, this baby is going to be one way or the other...extremely hyper like me or "comatosed" like Rich. :) Rich said he will take care of the children that like to take naps and the children that run around will be my responsibility...LOL! NICE!

When I come home I always take Ellie out of her crate and today I was holding her like a baby and rocking her...she was looking at me like I was crazy. But she just laid there and looked at me. Her "doggie smell" is slowly killing me and I've been begging Rich to give her a bath. He thinks it's funny.

Rich won't be home for dinner as he has to work, so I am going to make pizzas and bring them over to the Herman's house. Her kids are so fun and I love doing Emery's hair in braids and then she wears them to school the next day. I also need to practice making "kid friendly food."

I go to the doctor tomorrow, so I am excited to hear what he has to say...but never excited about getting on the scale! I wonder if he will be able to tell what gender it is???? AHHHH! That will be exciting!

I need to start getting into The Word again...this should be the most important part of my child's life! I will start writing a quote each time I do a blog. Always words to live by:
"Every decision we make in life not only affects ourselves, it affects everyone around us...especially our children."

Feeling better?

I actually made it through an entire workout with my Bootcamp class this morning. And I am starting to get excited about having a baby because I am feeling good and can talk and socialize and be myself! I can't wait to squeeze this baby and hold it so tight.

I am trying to eat veggies so that my baby is healthy...but they still make me nauseous...I used to go into Souper Salad Restaurant every single day and make myself a big salad (the owners and all of the workers know me personally because of my frequent visits)...I tried to go in there last week and could only eat macaroni and pizza! They were all laughing at me. The owner of the restaurant teaches with Gayle and she told her, "I thought something was going on with Jen when all she was eating was macaroni and pizza!" Nice. Oink. Oink. I've definitely become part of the "clean plate club!" The "hail damage" on my booty is getting bigger...but I am okay with that.

Today I am homesick...I want to shop with my mom, workout with my dad, and hang out with my nieces. :) I am also missing my old frineds that have been in my life forever. I'm sure it's part of the emotional roller coaster ride!

I loved another little story where Kelly Scott told her daughter, Kacy, I had a baby in my belly and she said, "Mommy, how did Shinny (that's what she calls me) get the baby in her belly?" Kelly said, "God put it there..." Kacy said, "No, Mommy, Shinny drank her baby in her belly...ewww that's digusting!" That little girl cracks me up!

Capital 10K

JR ran his first 10K today! It was tough to go slow as people passed me I wanted to say, "I'm running slow because I'm pregnant!" LOL! I wonder if this child is going to be as competitive as his father and me? Rich ran a 46 min. and even stopped 3x. It was raining the whole race, so I didn't want to fall as it has the most ridiculous hills. Rich and I saw so many Moms and Dads running with strollers...he said he wanted to do that next year...I remember YEARS ago training for marathons and acting like I was pushing a jogging stroller and my friends would laugh. Every time I see a baby or child I want to eat them up!!! God has put the love of children in my heart since I was young and he has taught me PATIENCE by waiting to have my own. But I have loved helping my friends and family with their own children. It is my passion in life.

I saw someone I worked with at the race and she said, "I noticed you were getting a little pudgy around your belly so I wondered if you were pregnant..." Ohhhh dear...if anyone knows me, that is the last thing to say to me...BUT, nonetheless, Richie, #1 (Rich's dad), and I went to Red Robin and got ourselves a big fat Guacamole Burger (my mom would pronounce it Guatemala), fries, and finished it off with a milkshake....mmmm, mmmmm! Came home and slept the rest of the day...I have started to become one with my bed...not good.

Tomorrow back to Bootcamps and classes...

I am going to try to get Rich to write something sometime this week...we'll see!!!

2 Months...

Welcome to our pre-baby website! Since so many of my friends and family live far away, I wanted to have a journal to keep loved ones updated on the progress of JR (JenRich). Please feel free to visit anytime...

I am starting my first entry in this blog at 2 months pregant. Why so late? Because I have been so nauseous and laying in bed!!!! I always thought I was one tough cookie until I started growing a little one inside me. I was down for the count. Never any puking...I've just literally felt like I have been "car sick" for 2months...but on a positive note, I know it will all be worth it because this has been my dream for the last 36 yrs (as my husband always likes to remind me, "You wanted this for 36 looong years." Love him. I'm am writing this journal not only for my family and friends far away but for my little one as well so he/she can read about the good times in my belly!!! We call our baby JR for now...stands for Jen and Rich.

I found out I was pregnant while Rich was in Michigan with his dad (I call him #1)...I was going to drink a glass of wine and thought, "Maybe I should check to see if I was pregnant first..." so I had bought a Dollar Store pregnancy test and the results came back with 2 lines...what did that mean? So I started to read the instructions as my little dog, Ellie, looked at me with her head turned to the side. I finally read that two lines meant it was a positive outcome. I started telling Ellie...oh my goodness, the first positive test came back and I used a Dollar Store one? So, I said, "Ellie, let's get in the car and go get a the mac daddy test..." We drove to CVS and got a $30 digital one that came up either YES or NO. So, I came home and instantly it came up YES. I called Rich several times and text messaged him a picture of the two positive tests. No answer...I was dieng! So, after stalking him a little more he finally called me and said, "What's going on?" I said, "Did you get my text picture?!?" He didn't really understand what they were...he thought it was a thermometer. (Hey, it's better than my dad, he thought it was a picture of a running gadget that I was sending him...) I finally said, "I AM PREGNANT!" I think he was in shock as he said, "Wow...are you sure that's a pregancy test that you used?" Oh dear... A couple of weeks later we went to the doctor and saw JR for the first time...the heartbeat was beating so fast! I said to Rich, "He is so cute, isn't he???" (I say HE for the sake of pronoun use). JR was the size of a rice grain. I saw Rich for the first time with the biggest smile on his face and even some excitement! (If anyone knows Rich, he is pretty much 'even keeled' when it comes to emotions...) Not like his wifey who is more peaks and valleys!!!! I like to think TONS of PEAKS!!!

I sent my sister and nieces the picture of my positive tests and my sister called me screaming...Peyton got on the phone and said, "You know, you can't be so loud anymore...babies need to sleep. You are even loud with me and I'm in the 5th grade!" My little mother hen. We called Rich's sister and she told us that she was pregant, too! How fun!!! She is having a little baby boy. This Christmas (or Thanksgiving) should be a little different this year...I love it, because I LOVE BIG FAMILIES..so fun! Gianna said to Erin, "Tell Jen to bring her baby to my house right now." :) She is funny. Erin is due in August and the doctor told me I am due November 24th...but when I do calculations on the computer I should be due October 31st...hmmmm, I go back to the doctor on Wednesday so we will see!!!

These last 2 months we've gone to the Houston Rodeo with friends Mike and Stephanie Tippit and my parents came down to visit last week. I had to take naps every afternoon which I think was a different experience for my parents as they are used to seeing me constantly run around (as my dad says, "Always in perpetual motion"). JR did get to climb to the top of Enchanted Rock in Fredricksburg with my parents and Ellie made it, too! (and my mom).

I've been teaching my Bootcamp classes, Step Aerobics, Lunch Crunch, and Cardio classes and still doing Real Estate, so thank goodness I have 3 closings this month...JR needs a new pair of shoes! I will continue this journal later... I THINK (knock on wood) I am finally on the upswing of feeling better...