Shower #2

Before I begin talking about shower #2, I must tell you about our Doctor's appointment yesterday! Millie's head is down my people! Until this last appointment, she has been breeched! I am proud of my girl! Thank you Lord for having her turn! Also, while her strong little heartbeat was being checked, the midwife noticed Millie had the hiccups! I hadn't felt them before, but when she mentioned it, it was very obvious that that is what it was. Too sweet! I have gained a total of 10 pounds for this pregnancy and continue to have good blood pressure readings! They are also very proud of me for not having any swelling! Go us!

We had our second baby shower this past Saturday! It was GREAT! It was at my mom’s house and was thrown by my two Sister-in-laws, Megan and Christy!

The highlight of the weekend was by far seeing my two best friends from Nashville and H’s sweet precious baby girl K! I have waited patiently to get my hands on her and I finally got the chance! They were only in Warner Robins for a mere 16 or so hours, but I am SO glad they came! As I held and loved on beautiful baby K, I couldn’t help but get emotional! H has waited SO LONG for her and she is perfect! She is the perfect fit for their family and H is wonderful with her! Also, I couldn’t help but think to myself…and I think I said it outloud too, “I want one of these!”

I also began to think how much I doubted that I would ever be able to conceive a baby. I never thought I would be able to...thanks to Satan and his ability to get in my head every now and then. I always “knew” it wouldn’t happen or that it would be a long hard road! Thankfully, that wasn’t God’s plan for us. When the times come that I get scared or nervous about what to expect…I have to remind myself how sad I would be if I weren’t in this position! I am thankful HE knows the plans for my life and that I can fully trust HIM to take care of me!

Anyway, back to the shower. It was a drop-in shower. I was able to visit with many of the ladies that have seen me grow up. I don’t have many friends left in Warner Robins, other than my good friend Lisa. It was still wonderful to see all of them and hear them reminisce about when I was younger and how crazy it is that I am having a baby and how time flies. It was really special to share this experience with my mom too! My grandma was there as well as my Mother-in-law. I felt so blessed!

As far as gifts….we got her bedding!!! TONS TONS TONS of clothing! Her hamper, nightlight and lamp. The CUTEST lady bug twilight thing…(not the books mom)…that lights up a starry night in her room. The bjorn carrier thingy. Her pack n play! Did I mention clothing??? Some of it I have already taken back and gotten size 24 months! Seems crazy to be buying that big, but it was the only logical thing I could think to do!
We did get a HUGE box of diapers too! Oh yeah and her diaper genie! LOTS of bibs and burp cloths….even two with her name on them! Oh yes…and she now has a total of 52 baby washcloths. May be exchanging some of them as well! All in all we have almost everything a baby could need…or so I think!

It really is fun unwrapping it all and seeing the gifts that people so kindly get for us. But, I have to say the most fun thing has been, opening them again at home and finding the perfect places for them all!

Last night, Clint and I got to put her bedding on her crib! That was SO neat to see it all come together! It looks great and I am SO satisfied with my first and final choice of bedding….I never wavered until the end….weird I know! We still have tons more to put away, but will be doing a few loads of baby laundry first…no clothes yet. I did get to do my first load which was sheets and mattress pads….even that was fun!

I am overwhelmed by the love that has been shown to us! I am unbelievably appreciative and grateful!

Off to write more thank-you notes!

Until next time,
Sam

Shower #1

Shower #1 was SO FUN! It was a drop in shower from 3:30-5:00! Teachers, students and parents were invited. It was really neat to see who all came. Several of my boy students came with their moms. I could tell they were THRILLED to be there, but they did like the cake.

We got quite a few things that will be of great use I am sure. Tons of diapers and wipes. LOTS of clothes. A few blankets. Pacifiers, sock, teethers and more. I had two favorite gifts. Is that normal to have favorite gifts? Not that I didn't love the other stuff of course.

One was her bouncy seat! Two kindergarten teachers and one of our secretaries went in together to ger it! I was so surprised! It is so CUTE...they kindly reminded me that I was the one that picked it out! :o) I got a laugh out of that.

The other gift was three cardboard books. Goodnight Moon, Dr. Suess ABC's and We're Going on a Bear Hunt. The sweetest part was the card that came with them. It was from one of my students, Jimmy, and he wrote "Mrs. Thompson, These were my favorite books when I was little. I hope Millie likes them as much as I did. Jimmy" I just thought that was the sweetest thing! They are proudly displayed on her very own bookshelf!

One of the most exciting moments came when I got home. Clint was still at work and gave me very strict instructions to NOT bring the stuff upstairs that he would help when he got home. I obeyed...it was hard...but I obeyed. When he got home we lugged it all up the stairs and began show and tell. He was SO INTO IT! I quietly thanked the Lord for giving me a man that wasn't just excited because we got stuff we wouldn't have to buy ourselves, but he was genuinly excited. He looked at all her little outfits. Stacked the diaper boxes up just so, organized the wipes in their corner of the closet and was just so proud. He listened to all of my stories too. I was overwhelmed with thankfulness for all the "stuff", but also for my husband and best friend with whom I get to share this experience with! I wouldn't have it any other way!

We did find out yesterday that our lease is going up $60 a month and that he got furloughed AGAIN! We were bummed, a tad worried and anxious, but by the time the evening was over, once again, we KNEW...God will take care of us!

I will be leaving for Warner Robins in 2 hours and 15 minutes!
Can't Wait!

Until next time,
Sam

Excitement Abounds

I meant to write a "post-birthclass" post after our class on Saturday, but time got away from me! It is now Wednesday and some information stuck and other information went in one ear and out the other.

Clint and I attended the class at a hospital about an hour away. Poor guy had a Championship Soccer game to cover in Atlanta on Friday night that had a 2 hour rain delay causing him to roll into bed at 4:20 a.m. We woke up about 7:20 for our 6 hour class. I felt SO badly for him. It is one thing to run on 3 hours of sleep but to attend a class and SIT for 6 hours with the lights off as slide shows played was a whole different thing. He was SUCH a trooper for doing that with me and staying awake the whole time! I offered to drive home and he was sound asleep within the first 5 minutes of the trip!

Anyway, back to the class! As you recall I was a little apprehensive to even take a class to begin with. I am glad I did...not over the moon glad...but still glad. Right away we introduced ourselves and told the name of our doctor along with what week we were on. I fit right in with the weeks varying from 28-34. There were two women there alone...one making it very clear that her husband was fully supportive, but had to work, the other not saying a word. There were about 6 other couples as giddy as us. There was another couple who were both 16. I got to talk to the momma several times during our bathroom breaks. She was so cute...so young, so nieve, but so cute. She was naming her baby Ava and was on bedrest already. (She got permission to go to this class) Anyway...my heart went out to her. I was glad she had her baby-faced boyfriend with her, but I just wanted to hug her! I smiled at her a lot and tried to be as engaging as I could. I in no way wanted her to think she was being "judged" or "looked down on." What a brave thing she did by showing up to that class.

They divided up the class in several sections: Pre-term Labor; Labor; Post-Partum care; Breast feeding and Infant care. I did pretty good once we got through the Pre-term labor and labor sections. If I wasn't scared before...I sure am now. I know that women do this everyday and that it will all be fine and that God will be with me all the way and on and on and on...but I can't help but feel a little scared. I knew the time would come when the reality of what is happening would sink in and it sure is starting to. We got to see the needles used for the epidural, which scared me, but didn't sway me! We got to watch a video of a woman giving birth naturally and through c-section, which scared me too! It was all very informative!

The one part that I paid the best attention to was the Pre-term Labor section. I wanted to know all the signs to look for. My life is never normal, so expecting the "my water-broke" scenario to happen is quite unlikely! I know the things to look for now and not pass off as "normal."

Surprisingly, my viewpoint on breastfeeding has changed a tad. I have not planned on breast feeding baby, until now. (please don't hurt me) Now, seeing the benefits, I plan to do it until I go back to work and seeing what happens with pumping. I am not sure exactly how a teacher would pump at the same time each day on a regular basis...but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. I have not, however, joined the "la leche" group by any means!

We did get to learn how to swaddle a baby too! Clint did a good job! Now I just need to teach him how to changea diaper and we'll be good to go! ;)

As for the title about excitement...my first ever baby shower is tomorrow! The 6th grade class is throwing it for me! I am SUPER excited! THEN...THEN...THEN...Saturday is my next one, at my moms house, thrown by my sister in laws! I am SOOO excited! Other than the shower I am MOST excited about seeing my two best friends and Millie's best friend baby K! I think I have written about that 10 times on here by now...but I just can't help it!

My next post should be all about my showers and how much fun I had!

Until next time,
Sam

Thoughts

I am a walking poster child for "when times get tough!" Seriously, it is when times are tough that we are closer than ever to our Savior. That is me...
I love that, and I hate that. I know I should be closer when things are rolling right along. I know I should pray more, praise more and read more when things are rolling right along. But, ashamedly, when things come to a hault and my happy little rolling right along world is rocked...that is when I get it, that is when I realized I NEED Him. I have been like this for as long as I can remember with my Christian walk. I know it is my weakness and I do try. Don't get me wrong...I praise, I pray and I read regularly, but at times it seems it is the "going through the motions" thing. I don't want to do that! I want to be the same on the mountain top as I am while I hang out in the valley for a while. It really is a sweet thing to have a relationship with Jesus. I don't want to take it for granted and I will strive to keep it more than just motions!

I went back over my post from yesterday and I realized how negative I sound. One of my first thoughts this morning was that of "I need to be more positive." I am glad I have this blog where I can record my thoughts and feelings and weeks later look back and see that I survived. I am glad that I can be real and not worry about how "Face.book" will take it.

So, now on to being real...being real and being positive/thankful real...

My Mom! I love my mom! My mom is one of the silliest/craziest 54 year old women you will ever meet! She has spikey dyed red hair and totally fits the description. My mom teaches high school...not just any high school though. High school culinary arts to kids that don't quite make it for various reasons in "real" high school. (She would hate that I said that, don't knock her kids, but I am trying to get you to get the picture) She POURS her heart into those teenagers. Quite a few of them are already parents, and several of them live on their own due to family situations. She adores them! My mom spends lots of time on facebook and surfing the web...it's how she spends her down time. My mom and I have always been a "talk-once-a-week" kind of pair. I love her and she loves me and we catch up about once a week. That was until I got pregnant. Now my mom and I talk almost everyday. I usually call her, and we just go at it. From school to my sister to the baby throw in a little "grandma is nuts" and we have chatted for about 45 minutes. I LOVE that we are in this stage of life and I LOVE that I have her! I am so blessed!

9 more sleeps until I get to see my two best friends and baby K! I cannot wait to get my hands on that little girl! I am preparing to cry like a baby. I have prayed and prayed and prayed for this and what a blessing to see the results of your prayers. That doesn't always happen and I am so glad to have that experience. I will remember to praise Him for all He's done concerning this situation!

16 more days of 6th graders!!! That's it! I am SO ready for a break that it's not even funny! For me, time is going quickly which I am thankful for. I have a feeling it has something to do with what is to come this summer! :)

ALL of our laundry is done...and put away! I worked like a mad woman Monday night to get it done! I hate when it is looming...however...I am told that it is never done when you have a baby. Might have to change my thinking on the whole laundry thing!

Flowers, flowers everywhere! I love flowers! In my house at the moment I have 6 pink carnations from a student; a boquet of wild flowers and roses from my love; 4 red and white roses from Mother's day at church and 15 colorful roses from the children's ministry! I have them all over and I love them. How can you not smile when you walk into a room full of flowers! FUN!

That is all for now! Thanks for reading!
Until next time,
Sam

And the craziness continues

Seriously! I feel as if things around me are falling apart at the seams. I am fine. Clint is fine, but the circumstances surrounding our happy little bubble are daunting!

First, my BFF loses her home due to a horrible flood! She would be the first one to tell you that she too, is fine. But, my heart hurts for them. They lost basically every earthly thing they had! Their spirits are up as the waiting game goes on, but I hate it for them!

Secondly, Clint's great uncle Mason, the cutest 93 year old man ever, accidentally ran over two children at a bus stop last week. The fog was terrible...and he is 93. The worst part is that the 5 year old boy that was hit passed away. My heart is breaking for this child's family. My heart is breaking for uncle Mason who wouldn't hurt a flea, and my heart is breaking for the bus driver that witnessed this...who just so happens to be Clint's Aunt Marie. This is an extremely small town where everyone knows everyone and most people are related in some way. I am just so sad over this!

Third, the VERY best preschool teacher, my only friend last year and one of the Godliest people I know...WAS NOT offered a contract for next year. She has been teaching at NFC for 13 years...she has a daughter that is a Junior and a son in 8th grade. She is loved by so many and usually has 30 or 40 requests for 4K students to be in her class. SHE was not offered a contract to come back next year. Why? Because she rarely/never went to Sunday School. Yes, we sign that in our contract. Yes, she was probably asked to attend and warned about it. BUT, I am so sad! I got to speak with her about it and she is at peace and blames herself. Regardless of the "should haves" and "would haves" it is official...and I hate it!

Lastly...today I had a meeting with the Executive pastor. I am no longer the Children's Director of NFBC. Well, I have 4 weeks left until I am done. Basically, they fear that when I have Millie I wont be able to handle being a new mom, a full time teacher and continue with my Children's Director duties. I get it. I do. I fear that too. BUT, now I have another fear...money! Rediculous I know! But just the time that we REALLY need that extra money...when we are having a baby, it's gone! I KNOW that God provides. I KNOW He will take care of us and all will be well. I know this is for the best because that is what God's wants for His children. I am thankful it is now, rather than after Millie so we weren't dependant on that money...can't be dependant if it's not there. I am glad it came from them and wasn't me as a stressed out mom of a 2 month old storming in and quitting leaving them high and dry with nothing but guilt left on my side. There are so many positives and I get that, BUT somewhere inside of me, I feel like I failed. Of course, the pastor reassured me that I did exactly what they needed me to do and I did a great job and all of that, but like I said...I feel like IF I would have come accross as a stronger person, they wouldn't have thought I couldn't handle it. Who knows. All I know at this point is God's Got it and all will be well! As long as Clint and I are on the same page (which we are) and loving each other and continue serving our Savior...All is well!

See what I mean by daunting! It's times like these that we really get to see the hand of God work. I am looking and watching and praising as I see it...I don't want to miss it!

Until next time,
Sam

Tid Bits

Work- I survived the worst week of work ever! I had to stay behind from the 6th grade trip and had the job of babysitting 31, 6th graders for 5 solid days. We could do no work due to having 27, 6th graders missing. We watched movies (that they talked through), did worksheets (that they complained about) and basically just vowed to survive. I had grand plans of doing science experiments with them, until I found out that it would be JUST me with 31 one of them. No thanks! The part that made it the absolute WORST was having other teachers give me the look that says “you poor thing” AND having principals and people of authority say they had “no idea I was being left by myself.” Bologna! They knew, and it wasn’t their problem, so why should they be bothered!
Anywho…it is now Monday of a new week and I am MUCH better! We are back in our routine and have a working schedule! I love schedules! It is teacher appreciation week and so far I have received 2 Krispy Kreme donuts complete with chocolate milk, a slice of homemade strawberry cheesecake, a bag of cookies with a sprite and a bath set for Miss Millie! So fun! We have 24 days left of school with kids and 5 more without! I am pumped!

Home- Life is good in the Thompson household! Clint didn’t have much going on as far as work was concerned this Saturday so we had quite a bit of time together. Not a whole lot got accomplished other than some much needed rest. I took a great nap on Saturday and Sunday! We got a package in the mail this past weekend from some friends of ours (their first baby is due in June). It had 2 REALLY cute outfits. One was a giraffe print outfit with the cutest pink giraffe. The other was a sweet little fishy dress with jewels on it. SO fun!

Millie- We have our next doctors appointment this upcoming Thursday. We are now going every TWO weeks. Time sure is ticking! We have 11 weeks left! Crazy! We are officially registered for a birthing class. We opted for a one-time Saturday morning class that lasts about 6 hours. The other classes were 3 weeks or 5 weeks, one night a week. There was no way we could do that with Clint’s work schedule, so finding the Saturday class was a blessing. We will have to drive an hour…but….it’s FREE! The others were $75 and $80! This hospital does them for free…cool huh?!?!
We have officially booked THREE showers! SO FUN! My sister-in-law Megan is throwing one for us back home on May 22nd! I am SO looking forward to it! Then on the 29th, Clint’s Aunt is throwing us one from the Thompson side of the family. And lastly, June 1st, a lady from the church Clint’s family goes to is throwing us one. I feel SO blessed knowing that so many people are so excited for us! I will be stopping by TJMAX today to start stocking up on thank you cards!

Friends- Oy! My two best friends in the whole wide world live in Nashville, TN. If you’ve been watching the news at all you know that Nashville is currently under water. It has been so incredibly wet there. H and her family had a little scare with a creek rising and roads flooding, but they were able to get through unharmed. Karen and her husband on the other hand had to be taken by boat from their home. They have not been able to get back to their house just yet to see what kind of damage is there. I have seen a few pictures and am in absolute shock. My heart hurts for them…but their attitude is great….God is Good, All the Time! Even when things happen that are SO out of your control! I love these girls and can’t wait to see them….dry and in one piece please!

Church- BUSY! VBS is right around the corner….well kind of. I will actually have a baby by the time VBS gets here, but we work on this year round! Thankfully we have a 20 year old guy, John Paul, that is SO passionate about VBS…every little detail of VBS, that he does most of it!
Next Sunday is mother’s day and I am in charge of getting 32 kids and 16 teenagers up to the main service and down the aisles to pass out roses to all of the ladies in the church. Sounds like an easy enough task, but it takes a lot of planning and coordinating! We shall see how it goes!

I think that is all for now. Thanks for reading and have a great one!

Until next time,
Sam