SNOW

I couldn't resist the temptation to show off our first sticking snow in Kansas. This picture is really blurry, but I wasn't going to stand outside in the cold in my pjs and coat forever.

It's Christmas Time

Christmas season is HERE!

As Ryan and I continue to make our own traditions, today I gave up one of my childhood traditions. We bought an artificial tree! Of course, my family doesn't buy live trees anymore now that we have all left the house, but we always had one as I grew up. I thought there was something wonderful about a live tree. After having four live trees of my own though, I have learned that they are a pain to clean up and they have to be watered and are just a mess in general. No matter how well I cleaned, we found pine needles in our Dallas apartment when we were moving out! So, I have come over to the artificial side. We bought a small one this year and I am hoping to get my grandma's artificial tree or do some after Christmas shopping this year for next year's tree. And then I will have two! Woohoo.

Here are some pictures of our Christmasy home.
Thanks for the new tree skirt, Grandma. I used the rest of my Christmas money because I could not resist!!! (And the bows are from my grandma's tree when I was growing up. She gave them to me a few years ago.)
This is our mantle this year. I am sad not to have a fireplace, but what can I do about it now?! That is Ben's stocking in the middle. I bought stuff to put our names on our stockings now. We will see how that goes. This is the best nativity scene! Each person has a scripture written near the bottom. And the silver angels on the side were gifts from Ryan's sister Kelly and her husband Michael last year. (Of course there is football on in my house right now, it is Saturday!)

We have a tradition of getting each other a new Christmas tree ornament each year. Although this is our fifth Christmas together, we can only find four sets of ornaments. Neither one of us can figure out how that happened. What happened in 2005? Here are the ornaments we bought each other this year. Ryan did the best, don't you think?
We go to the doctor on Monday to check up on this little bun in my oven! I will blog all about it and take my 24 week picture. Yikes. We are getting so close.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanskgiving

The wonderful holiday season is officially here. Today is Thanksgiving. I can't believe it has come so quickly. For our first Thanksgiving in Kansas, we are staying home and being thankful for each other in a non-conventional way. We wont be having turkey and dressing or pumpkin pie. But, don't worry, we had a big traditional meal with our church family last Sunday, so we got our fill of all the Thanksgiving feast. And, we even have some leftovers still in the frig.

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for (in random order):

1. A husband that has made my life so much more rich and makes me want to be a better wife every day. I can't wait to see him as a father to our son.
2. A warm house that I can make my own, no upstairs apartment neighbors, a driveway rather than parking lot, food in my refrigerator and pantry, the parade to entertain me while I blog :)
3. A job that I love and my husband loves filled with some absolutely wonderful people (two of which invited us to their family Thanksgivings, so kind).
   
4. The blessing of a son. We, of course, had our part in getting pregnant, but I am so thankful that God has allowed us to get pregnant so quickly and to have such an easy pregnancy so far. I am thankful for all the kicking and tumbling that it feels like Ben is doing in my tummy.
   
5. YOU! All our friends and family members that love and support us, pray for and support our calling in ministry, and love us so much.

Both Ryan and I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving, wherever you are today.

This is a random picture from a while ago when Ryan got to go to the OU vs KU game in Norman, OK. Ryan is the second from the aisle in the gold circle. To the left of Ryan is Al, the Wichita city director, to Ryan's right is Daren, the Church plant director, and to Daren's right, Gary, a friend of the ministry that had the tickets. I was so jealous I wasn't invited to guys day!

Exciting News

Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you...

We can feel the baby moving. I think I must have been feeling him earlier than I knew. I didn't know it was him moving. Ryan felt him for the first time last Tuesday (a week ago). Tonight, as we sit on the couch just relaxing, it feels like Ben is doing somersaults in my tummy and Ryan can feel it all too.

So much FUN!

Catching Up

It has been a while since I gave you all an update on life in the Carter family. I have had tons of energy during my second trimester (for the most part) and therefore have been driven to continue all my projects before the baby comes. Most recently, I painted Ryan's office. I have dreamed of him having a "real" office for a long time and now it is finally a reality. We were able to buy a solid wood desk from a missionary that is retiring. It works perfectly in the office. Enjoy the pictures below of my hours of work.

Taping the wall to prep for painting.

The final product: I framed Craig Biggio's 3,000th hit from the Houston Chronicle.

The overall picture of the office. Do you see my little secretary desk in the back right corner? And, notice his gorgeous bookcases. I still need some window coverings and this room will be complete.In other news, we traveled this past weekend to Midland for my sister's bridal shower. I was so excited to go and be a part of her wedding planning. It is painful to be so far away. However, she did exhaust me! We shopped for a dress for me to wear in the wedding - it took all day. I did get to see her in her wedding gown. She looked gorgeous. I wish I could post a picture, but that isn't allowed until after the wedding. We also worked a lot on the computer as I am making her invitations and wedding day program. I can't post a picture of that either.

This is the table that the ladies prepared for Candice's bridal shower.

This is when Candice was opening the gift from me and Ryan and Priscilla and Ray (my college roommate and her husband). We bought her a pink Dyson vacuum - she believes she will vacuum more with a pink vacuum cleaner. Sounds like fun to me.

This is Candice posing with some flowers and one of the cakes after the shower. She loves flowers!
This picture is just to prove that I really am 22 weeks pregnant! I am standing on the left talking with my grandma's best friend, Lynda (middle), and my sister (on the right). Our good family friend, Cindy is looking on. Sorry I didn't get a better picture of me with my sister, but I was sitting writing all of her gifts for the majority of the shower.

Also, while in town, we got to bring home some gifts for Ben. Prepare to be jealous - my mom gave me the cradle that my uncle (my mom's little brother) made in shop class for me when I was born. I spent nine months in this cradle. Another uncle (my dad's sister's husband) refurbished it for us. It is gorgeous. I can't wait to lay Ben in this cradle.

Don't you love the baby-shaped bath towel? Thanks Grandma.

Pregnancy Woes

I read a friend's blog today entitled "Warning - Vent Alert" and I decided to join in her fun. There are two things that have been driving me crazy lately:
1. leg cramps
2. emotional basket case hormones

A good night's sleep is something that I have had to try to forget about. I roll over multiple times each night, rolling my body pillow with me and I am still not comfortable. My calves are cramping regularly now and I have woken up almost crying in pain (and scaring my dear husband) while clutching my calf muscle. When that isn't happening, my hips hurt a lot which leads to more adjusting and rolling over. Ugh. No fun.

I have been proud that my hormonal balance has been rather stable - until now. This week we found out a friend was pregnant, but suffered a miscarriage only three days after getting the pregnancy confirmation. She and I had talked a lot about trying to conceive and I was so excited for her to join me in being pregnant. While I would naturally expect to be saddened at their loss, I have found myself distraught over it. I practically cried through our entire church service this morning. I was so embarrassed, but I can't seem to control it. I am even tearing up at tv commercials these days. Ugh. No fun.

To add a slight bit of positivity, we are traveling to Midland this weekend for my sister's bridal shower. I am so excited to see my mom, one sister (too bad the other can't come) and my grandparents (maybe both sets, I don't know yet), Ryan's cousin and her husband and many family friends. I am really looking forward to it!

Half Way There

Today we are at 20 1/2 weeks along in this pregnancy, so we are half-way there. It is bitter-sweet to be half way. Part of me has really enjoyed pregnancy (for all the suffering that is soon to come, there have been perks so far - like lots of guilt-free eating). It is fun to watch my belly grow, to hear the heartbeat, and just to talk and dream about having a child. But, to get that child, we must continue on and bring him into the world, so onward into the second half of pregnancy we go.

Here is the picture of the belly progression. In the picture, I don't think my belly looks too much bigger, but it is definitely taking more shape and becoming firmer.

I also have lost the ability to see my feet when I am standing straight. My socks are a little harder to put on and I love it that Ryan always helps me up from the couch or a chair. He is so kind to me. I still get looks everywhere I go. People first look at my belly and then to my eyes. At least now I know they aren't wondering "Pregnant or not?" There is no denying it is a pregnant belly. I am having no sickness and barely any swelling in my hands. I have enough energy for most tasks, but require weekend naps pretty regularly. All in all, I feel great!

We went to the doctor for our 20 week appointment today. All is well. My doctor went over the untrasound and Ben is fitting perfectly into the "normal" stage of everything. The due date remains the same, March 19th. She recommended a pediatrician and since we don't really know anyone here really well, I am just going to go on her recommendation. I really like her and she knows these doctors, so I find more comfort in that. Ben's heart rate was 150 bmp which is right about where we have been from the beginning.

The only thing that is bothering me now is whether or not I am feeling him move. The nurse and doctor asked at my 16 week appointment and I said no, then the untrasound tech asked at our 18 week untrasound and I said I wasn't sure. Now, today, the nurse and doctor asked as if they were expecting me to say yes - like it wasn't really a yes or no question, but that I would instead confirm that I was indeed feeling him move. I just don't know if I feel him or not. Even as the nurse used the doppler to listen the the heartbeat, she said he was moving all over the place and looked up with a smile and said, "Do you feel that?" "NO!" I felt nothing. I wasn't bothered by it until now. But even now, I know it is still just at the beginning of the time I might feel him, so I will not be too nervous about it. I kinda think I feel him, so I will just keep trying to feel that feeling :)

Other than that, we are glad to be home from Dallas and back in the swing of things here. Today is a super windy day and reminds us that we are indeed in Kansas! The temperatures go back and forth a lot. One day will feel like a middle-of-Dallas-winter day and the next will be a nice fall day. Hopefully, neither of us get sick with all the tempermental weather.

Here is a picture of me just goofing around today in the bright sunshine and gusty wind. I don't know that I like taking pictures of myself so much though, but hopefully all you who are missing out on seeing us in person will enjoy.