Lately...

Well, I made it back.  Not sure how.  My flight was delayed and I missed my connection in Cincinnati.  They wanted to rebook me on a flight that left at 8pm.  Ummm... it was 2.  What was I going to do with Cameron in an airport for 6 hours?!?!  So, I just waited by the counter until they came up with other options.  They put me on a flight that would go to Minneapolis and then to Madison.  Only, when I got to the gate for Minneapolis, they said that it was wrong.  So, they rebooked me on a flight to Detroit and then to Madison.  I had about 20 minutes to make my connection and the Detroit airport is huge!  I prayed the whole time I was walking fast with Cameron in the stroller that I would make it.  And I did.

So, a long, hard day, but there were definite blessings:

1.  Cameron had his own seat on the first two flights

2.  We sat next to the nicest lady and her kids on the last flight

3.  My dad had given me cash, so even though there wasn't any time to get food in the airport, they had this little snack box I bought on the last flight

4.  Chad came to get me and waited a while for me.   He also brought me food and water-- I was dying of thirst!

5.  I didn't know until later (thanks for not telling me that day, Chad), but this is the day the plane went down in the Hudson.  Yeah.

So, I'm back.  We had our first ultrasound today and the sonographer says I'm measuring big-- meaning, I should be due earlier than I thought.  Wahoo!  So, I'm 12 weeks and 5 days, but I should be 14 weeks.  OK!

Here are some pics of the baby.

Profile

Ok.  So try not to be grossed out by my skeleton child.  He/she doesn't have any fat yet.

Covering his/her face

Other than all of this, things are going well.  Chad unofficially passed his prelims.  So, on to the next step... writing his proposal!  I'm working a janitor job at the Institute Building that's really good.  I can pretty much name my own hours and take Cameron with me.  I'm hoping I can keep it up for a while and not get too tired.  Funny thing is that I am really tired, but I haven't noticed as much as I did before cause I'm trying to keep up with Cameron.  And the sickness is almost gone, I think.  Cross your fingers!

Going Home

Well, it's been almost 3 weeks since Cameron and I have seen Chad, and I gotta say that we're missing him! And it's been a month and a day since we were in Madison.

We fly home in about 2 hours and are excited to be in -2 weather. Wah????! Well, I'm not exactly exited to freeze my butt off, but I think I'm ready to get back to my normal routine (although, having a baby and possibly moving this summer aren't exactly things I do as my normal routine).

Thanks, mom, dad, Katie, and Jared for all you've done to help me with Cameron while we were here. It was so nice to be able to just relax in my room (while trying to get over an upset tummy) and know that Cameron was well taken care of.

Thanks, ma, pa, Shan, Clay, and families for the fun we had at Christmas. I'm sorry I'm lame and didn't come to visit you again. When Chad has a little more time to spend here on vacation, I'll probably be more likely to visit multiple times. Oh, and when I'm not pregnant!

Ok. Gotta get to the airport!

Uncle Wesley... one of 21 kids!

My great uncle, Uncle Wesley, died on Monday night. He was almost 95-- his bday is tomorrow. I went to his funeral today and it was amazing. Besides my grandfather's funeral (who died when I was 10), I've never seen a chapel so packed for a funeral. That's how I want my funeral to be. I'd like to live in such a way that lots of people would want to come celebrate my life. Yikes. That's a pretty big goal! I'll see what I can do!

Here is Wesley's obit from the Richmond Times Dispatch:

Wesley Powers spent a lifetime explaining his middle name, Lorraine.

He had a cousin whose girlfriend's name was Lorraine, and the cousin recommended it for the middle name of Thomas and Lydia Lockett Amos Powers' 13th child. The parents accepted the suggestion.

His debut into the world on Jan. 10, 1914, one of what would be 21 children the couple welcomed into their home, a converted and expanded store on their tobacco farm near Oilville.

Mr. Powers, who was 94 when he died Monday, will be remembered at a funeral today, Friday, at 11 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Monument Chapel, 5600 Monument Ave. Burial will be in Westhampton Memorial Park.

As a young man, Mr. Powers worked in his father's tobacco fields.

An avid sportsman, he played baseball a large part of his life -- he pitched and played first base and outfield in leagues in Richmond and for a church team. When he was not playing, he umpired, said a niece, Lora Watkins of Chesterfield County.

Mr. Powers left home at 22 for Richmond and worked on the building of the highway from Richmond to Oilville, Watkins said.

He later drove a streetcar in Richmond, worked at American Oil Co. for 18 years and tried his hand at insurance but didn't like sales. He spent most of his career at Commonwealth Propane Gas, where he retired after 24 years.

All of his life he had tended a vegetable garden on the old farm property with a brother, Elijah Powers. After leaving Oilville, he went back frequently over the next 35 years, keeping up the garden even though he no longer lived there.

Along the way, Mr. Powers, who was a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, served as a counselor in several bishoprics in the old Richmond and old Richmond Third wards or congregations.

He served in elders quorum presidencies and on the Richmond Stake High Council, which helps a three-man presidency preside over a stake or diocese.

"Uncle Wesley," as he was called by youngsters in and out of the church, worked closely with the youth of the church for decades.

He was about 86 when he chaperoned the last of more than 30 youth conferences, one for every year he worked in the church's Mutual Improvement Association for youth ages 12 to 18.

Survivors include his wife of 68½ years, Edna Dorothy Sheridan Powers; and three brothers, Willie Delaware Powers of Sandy Hook, Otto Miller Powers of Oilville and Howard Embry "Mickey" Powers of Henrico.


Honestly, there were 21 kids in that family! Well, my great-great-grandma gave birth to 21 kids, but two were still-born and one died at 6 months of pneumonia. A book was recently published about this family (the Powers) and I'm starting to understand a little more how I'm related to so many people in wards around Richmond.

One story told today was really inspiring. There was a man who showed up at church one day. He had served a mission in Richmond from 1892-1894. He went home from his mission discouraged because he only had baptized a dirt farmer and his wife (both were in their teens). Those were the only two baptisms he had performed his entire mission. This man was asked to speak in the Sacrament meeting the next day in Richmond. He asked how many people were related to the Powers--the couple he baptized. About 1/3 of the ward stood up.

This man had no idea what good he had done. The couple he baptized raised more than 18 children who pretty much all raised their children in the gospel. Just goes to show you don't know how much good you can do by opening your mouth. I consider my great-great-grandparents pioneers for all of the people that have joined the church because of them.

It's been really good for me to be home at this time. I've learned quite a bit about my ancestors and have come to appreciate them more. I'm also related to Pocahontas (my 16th-great-grandma), but that's another post!

The House of Sickies

Well, I'll be honest that I'm tired of everyone being sick in the house. This is supposed to be vacation!!!

My dad was sick before Christmas with a head cold. When we got back from Lynchburg (Chad's parents), I got it. And Cameron got some and Chad got it, too. My sister also had it before my dad even had it.

While in Lynchburg, my little nephew threw up, but then I think he was better by the next day. A little while after getting home, Katie's sister-in-law threw up. They thought it was just something she ate cause she felt better the next day. So, Katie and I took Cameron over to their house (this is Jared's parents' place) to visit. We didn't stay long cause neither Katie nor I felt great from the colds we had. The next day, we found out Jared's older brother spent the whole night throwing up. Great.

So, we decide to go out to eat as a family sans Jared (cause he was busy or something) on Friday night. Cameron was doing well, flirting with the waitress, etc. until about half-way through the meal. He really wanted me to hold him all of a sudden (which should've been my clue). But I didn't want to so I passed him off to my mom. When I looked at his face, I knew he was going to lose it. But for some reason, I just sat there. He then wanted me to hold him. I did and then got thrown up on. Nice.

My dad's stomach has hurt and now Jared and his other brother, Joseph, don't feel great.

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!?!?!?! I'm sick (hee hee) of this. Why does vacation have to be this way? I'm glad I'm not at home in WI with a sick kid or anything, but I feel like this sickness is just circling itself around and around.

I went around the house Lysol-ing everything last night. And I'm washing laundry today. Just annoying.

2nd pregnancy

So, in case you're curious, things are going well. I'm 9 1/2 weeks, and if you look at the ticker on the side bar and see how many days I have left, you'll see that it's quite a long time!

I've felt so much worse this time around. Never threw up with Cameron and I haven't thrown up this time (my mom never threw up during her three pregnancies, either). But, I started feeling gross almost immediately with this one. And it still hasn't stopped. Luckily, my OB is a Saint and prescribed me Zofran. It's not quite the miracle drug I was hoping for (to completely take everything away), but at least it was something that helped me function... and through the holidays, which I was really worried about.

I think I'm coming out of the worst of it. I'm hoping that things will pretty much be gone by the time I go home in a few weeks. It's been really nice having my family around to help with Cameron. Let's hope they can be around when I'm 36 weeks pregnant and packing.

Oh yeah, guess I should mention that we will probably be moving this summer. Where? Who knows. But Chad's funding is running out and it would be a good idea for him to get a job teaching at some other school (for experience and more money) while he works on his dissertation. So, that means that we'll probably be moving around a bit during his career--so he can move up, etc. But it's kind of exciting.

Prayers have already been answered, though. We found out we were pregnant and then a few days later realized it would probably be best to move this summer because of lack of money from UW. The baby is due July 30 and our insurance runs out July 31!! Well, I just assumed I would eat a lot of spicy food and lift furniture, etc. in those last few weeks to get the baby out before the 31st. But it still made us a little nervous since the baby will go to the doc a lot in the first few months.

Then the other day, Chad got an email that said they would extend our insurance coverage until October!!! Wow! Things are still up in the air... where will we be by then? Will we not even need this other insurance because of Chad's new job (wherever that will be)? But we're so grateful for this blessing.

I've been nervous about having a baby again. Cameron can be a handful at times, but it's something I'm definitely used to. And I like that he can communicate with me. So I've been really nervous about it. Then, the idea of moving to a new place with a newborn didn't make me feel too excited. I remember how hard it was for me after Cameron was born (with postpartum), and I've been worried about it.

But yesterday, I received a sweet assurance (even if it was little) that things will be ok. I was trying to get Cameron down for a nap and was singing some songs to him. I think I was singing, "I'm trying to be like Jesus." I got so emotional during the second verse. Don't know why. But I had this overwhelming feeling of love for him. It's amazing how much you can love your child. So, I started to feel a little more comfortable with the idea of a second child.

I'm sure I'll freak out a lot over the next 200+ days... wow, it seems like a long time put that way! But I'm so grateful Heavenly Father knows me and knows what I need to help me accomplish what He wants me to do.

Christmas

Ok. So, Chad flew home today. I was super sad last night, but a little too tired this morning to be depressed. We got up at 4:30 and dropped him off at 5:30. He go through the line and security with about 30 minutes to spare. And then he flew to Cleveland. And, he's still sitting in the airport. Yes, you guessed it folks... they CANCELED his flight. And why? Because of crappy Madison fog.



This reminds me of two years ago when I was 5 months pregnant and we were flying home for Christmas. Madison had too much fog so no flights were going out. We could drive down to Chicago and hope to get a flight from there, but we knew our chances would be slim getting anywhere from Chicago. So, we hopped in the car and drove to VA. 17 hours. Ugh.



UPDATE: I just got a call from Chad that he and some friends (new friends he made in the airport) are splitting a rental car and driving the 9 hours to Madison. Oh man. Poor guy. He felt kind of dumb cause before they canceled the flight, they offered seats on a flight to Chicago (and that would have been about a 2 hour trip). But there was no reason for them to cancel the flight anyway (not that the passengers were told of), so he didn't know.



Anyway, that's been my Christmas, as of late. Below are some pics that my brother took when we all got together last Saturday. The next day, Chad and I drove to his parents' place a few hours away and stayed until yesterday afternoon.



I've had fun and will enjoy being here a few more weeks while Chad is at home studying for his prelims, but I know Cameron and I will miss him.



Study hard, Chad!

Merry Christmas!