A New Year

Last New Year's Eve, I had no idea what 2009 would hold. Bill and I actually spent last New Years with three precious children that we were hoping to adopt. TJ, Jada and Chloe came into our lives last year for a short period of time and will hold a place in our hearts forever. God allowed them to touch us in a way that would forever change who we are and although we don't get to have any contact with them, I know that Jesus is watching over them and taking care of them. I pray that they are surrounded by people who love them and love Jesus.
That was before we even knew about God's Will that would enter our lives. Our God is amazing and his timing is perfect in all things. I didn't have any idea what God had planned for Bill and I this year and I didn't understand when those sweet babies were returned to there family, but I was reminded that God "knows the plans he has for us". His Word does not say that we get to know the plans, therefore, we will trust Him. Bill and I have learned that lesson through trials and tears all year, but what a reward. Our God is faithful and His Will for our lives is perfect.
I believe that God allowed TJ, Jada and Chloe to touch our hearts to prepare us for our future. Then, He gave us Will as an answer to our prayers and now in 2010, I can't wait to see how He directs our path.
He KNOWS the plans He has for us and I can't wait to follow them.

Our First Christmas

What an awesome month! Our first Christmas as Mommy and Daddy has been amazing. We, of course, were more busy than ever because everyone wanted to see baby Will.
Our first Christmas party was with the Parkin family. I have awesome Aunts, Uncles and Cousins and though we only see each other once a year, I always look forward to it. We laugh and tell tales and eat, eat, eat and it is so fun. Next, was party with the Blackburn's. What can I say . . . that part of our family rocks too and of course, we visited, laughed and ate. Next, party at Aunt Mimi's. More fellowship with lots of family and more food and fun. Then on to Aunt Linda's with Nanny's side of the family. Again, such fun with the cousins, such great fellowship and food! Finally, Christmas lunch with Aunt Amy's gang and Papa, after Christmas breakfast with Memaw, Pappa, Grandma and the cousins. We have an amazing family (and LOTS of cousins) and are so blessed, and can you tell we like to eat! True Southerners I tell you and I plan to raise Will to love family, fellowship, fun and food as much as I do.
Here are a couple of pictures of our wonderful Christmas.

Christmas 2009

THREE MONTHS!

Our sweet baby boy turned three months old yesterday. We celebrated by feeding him cereal for the first time. It took just a few minutes for him to figure out the spoon thing, then he LOVED it! He was so stinkin' cute!
He is such a sweet, happy baby. My new favorite sound is him laughing out loud, which he does A LOT (except when we went for our 3 month pictures, but that is a different story). We have been crazy busy for the last few weeks, but Will is a joy to take anywhere and I must admit, I LOVE showing him off.
On a different subject, one of my other baby boys just celebrated his (hold your breath) 14th birthday. CJ has been such an amazing nephew and it has been an honor and joy to watch him grow into such an awesome young man. Although, he is a head taller than me now, he is still my sweet "buddy" and I'm sure he is still his "Nanny's sunshine".

It's that time . . .

Christmas time is here! I love Christmas! I love big colored lights, music that makes you smile, trees in the house, parades, reasons to get together! I love lots of baked treats and tinsel because they remind me of my Mom. I love family and friends that just stop by to see you. I love shopping in crowded malls. I love buying gifts for other people and that Bill does all the gift wrapping. I love 10,000 Hallmark ornaments that have to be unboxed (most of them are Star Wars and Star Trek because they are Bill's collection over 30 years). And this year, I love it all a little more because I get to share it with my son. So, to the attick I go. . .

Santa, Thanksgiving and the Iron Bowl!

Wow! How do you express the kind of thankfulness we feel? Well, I hope it just oozes out of us, because I know Bill and I are overflowing with gratitude and humbleness! We deserve nothing, but are so blessed! Our sweet baby Will is all smiles . . . and we LOVE it. I am sad that the newborn phase went by so fast, but could never get tired of seeing him grow and change. The smiles, the laughs, the noises, and even the pouty faces are awesome. He has discovered his toys, loves kicking his feet, finally likes getting in his swing, enjoys "talking" with everyone and LOVES bath time. He makes the funniest noises and I could listen and stare at him for days. (Can you tell I like him a little?)
I am keeping him on his toes with his social game too. Wednesday, I took him to work with me, which was great until he spit up all over both of us for the second time. Then, home to change clothes, and off to the mall with Dad and Grandma to see Santa Claus. It was very fun, but the experience went by too quick for me. I guess I invisioned Santa loving and doting on him like I do. Doesn't Santa know he is the cutest, sweetest baby ever???
Thursday, of course, was Will's first Thanksgiving. Daddy had to work, but Will and Mommy watched the parade, cooked, then headed out to Amy's for dinner with the boys and my Dad. (Yes, we were late). We had awesome food, then off to Memaw and Pappa's for spoiling from the cousins, Grandma and the great grands. Will spent the night with Grandma Thursday night, and no, Mommy didn't sleep.
That's ok, because CJ and I headed out shopping at 3:30. Gotta get those deals . . . I'm on a baby budget now. CJ is a great shopping buddy. We were home in time to cook chili and watch the Iron Bowl with friends. Woo-Hoo! What a game! We had a great time. I swear Will watched the TV in between cat naps. He was not bothered by the screaming and even smiled when Auburn scored. I am raising a Tiger for sure.
That gets us to today. What is on the schedule? A whole lot to do. What is getting done? I am still in my pj's blogging and staring at a beautiful baby that woke me up by laughing this morning (insert huge Mommy smiles here)!
What a great weekend and a great life!

Mamma Drama

Since I had the Will, I have had some bad pain in my upper tummy. Well, after 4 different meds and 9 weeks, I went to the Dr. and he scheduled some tests. Can I just tell you that modern healthcare really needs to step it up in the flavor department of the crap they make you swallow. Good Lord! What sadist decided it is ok to make people drink this crap? That was the thought Friday when I left the CT scan experience. Then today, endocsopy. Well I had this done several years ago at another hospital and it wasn't a big deal. Apparently that is where I should have went today. Instead I went in, waited on registration only to realize the computers were down. Then I was hoarded into a ward, given an iv that split open when inserted, given another iv, made to swallow lidocaine, given a shot of demoral(sp) and was still AWAKE when they shoved a camera down my throat. Like I said, you bunch of sadist. Then, in recovery, I was back in the "ward" next to an old man who kept exposing himself (close the curtains, people) and they were "out of blankets". Then the bad news, we don't know why your hurting. We are waiting on the biopsy to come back. BOO! I am hurting, I need an answer so I can be a happy mommy that loves my life. If you see fit, say a little extra prayer that maybe the pain will just go away or that the CT will show an answer.

Family Tradition

Ok, so there is little traditional about my Mom's side of the family but every year in November we have a family reunion, and I LOVE IT! This year was a little different. Um . . . I think I packed everything but the kitchen sink to go out of town for 2 nights. I had 14 little bags where I kept finding things we might need for Will (we didn't need any of it). I filled up the car and a duffel bag the size of a body bag. I took 50 diapers (apparently we don't go through 50 diapers in 2 days). Despite my stress about having everything, once we got there, we had a blast. I spent the entire weekend asking where my son was. Everytime I turned my head, someone else was holding sweet Will. Of course, he didn't mind at all. I got to visit with lots of Aunts and Uncles and cousins. I got to play games with CJ and Gracie and chase Luke and Shelby! And, I got to eat . . . good grief, we ate, and ate, and ate. I hope Will grows up knowing the importance of family and loving them as much as I do.

Two months: 12 lbs 14oz, 23 1/2 inches and PERFECT

Today, our little miracle is two months old. How did we celebrate . . . shots! (Gee, thanks Mommy. That is always what I wanted on my birthday.) He did great. My sweet happy baby laughed and played and smiled at Mommy and Daddy in the Dr.'s office and only cried about 30 seconds after getting 4 shots. He is a trooper. He weighed in at a whopping 12lbs 14 oz and is now 23 1/2 inches long. We got a clean bill of health and dont go back for 2 months.
On the other hand, Mommy goes back to work tomorrow (probably after I have a nervous breakdown in the morning). Don't worry about Will though. He will be staying with Daddy in the mornings and Memaw and Papa in the afternoons this week. Also, Ms. Dawn, a friend of ours, is going to keep him. I can not tell you how happy I am that he will not have to go to daycare right now. God just paved the way for all of this to fall into place and I could not be happier. Although it is hard to leave the new love of my life, I am glad to be returning to work with great friends and a good job.

 

Mommy of 1 . . .

So, the last two weeks have been super busy and super fast. Here is what all we have done:
Shopping for the first time with Mommy and Daddy
Met Joy and Will's future bride, Miss Payton :)
Church for the first time (well, for Will)
Pumpkin patch and petting zoo with great friends
Dinner at Stix (I think Will is going to love sushi)
Great Pappa's birthday party
Church with Great Pappa
Visit and Dinner with Papa
Dinner at Aunt Amy's with the cousins
Work with Mommy two days in a row
Halloween party at Mommy's work
AND tomorrow is Halloween!

So, my six week old little man has now officially been introduced into the social scene. If you know his Mommy, then you know that this IS my life. I love to be on the go. BUT, with all of this going on, I have had a little cause to reflect on God's wisdom. When we got pregnant with Will, there was a possibility for up to have six babies. PRAISE GOD for His wisdom . . . Mommy of 1 is fine with me. Well, at least 1 at a time and at least for now :)

Someone might want to remind me of that in a couple of months . . . as I don't think the baby bug will take to long to bite again. There again, God's wisdom is amazing. If I had had my first baby when I wanted to at the age of 23, I would probably have five or six by now . . . I love this motherhood thing!

Will and Ryleigh

What a weekend!

This past weekend was wonderful. Bill cooked dinner for me on Friday night to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Every year, he cooks spaghetti for me. It doesn't sound fancy, because its not and neither am I, but it is our tradition and I LOVE it.
Saturday morning, we had Grandma, Aunt Lindsey, Aunt Jessica and Ryleigh come visit, then off for shopping. We had a great time and I realized why people who have kids have no money! We did make some great finds though.
Sunday, we took Will to church for the first time. We went to our old "home" church for the first time in years. Its funny how some places feel like home no matter how long your gone. I know Will liked it, because everyone just loved and doted on him. Of course, most of those people prayed for us to have a baby for many years, so seeing him is seeing your prayers answered.
Our friend Joy is here from Kentucky with her three kids (Andrew, Eli and Payton). Payton is two months older than Will, and we have decided to arrange their future marriage, so we introduced them as a courtesy. I think they love each other already! We went to lunch together and had a great time.
After lunch, we visited Memaw and Papa, then Amy, Corey, CJ and Luke. Memaw and Papa just love this baby and I love to watch them love on him. It thrills my soul. Of course, Amy does too. Luke is hilarious with him. Will was making noise and Luke was cracking up, like he couldn't believe that Will could make sounds. I think they will be great buddies in just a few months.

Yesterday 1 Month, Today 10 Years

CELEBRATE!!!

Yesterday, our little man was one month old! We celebrated with a big day. First we went to the Dr. for a check up. We have a healthy baby boy. Will is now 21 1/2 inches long and weighs a whopping 9 lbs and 12 ounces! Surgery didn't slow him down a bit. He eats 4 ounces every 3 hours and would snack in between if Mommy would let him. After the Dr., we went to visit all of the doting girls at Mommy's office and we LOVED it! Then Will and I went shopping at the baby store and he got new pappies for being so good :)

Today, Bill and I are celebrating our 10 year anniversary. Ten years sounds like a long time, but somehow, it has flown by. I feel like I missed some of them and yet, I can't really remember life before Bill. We grew up together. We've been through a lot together . . . some awesome wonderful times and some really hard things, but through it all, our marriage gets stronger every day. I am truly blessed to be married to my best friend!

I think it is fitting that the end of our first 10 years is marked by the beginning of our adventure in parenthood! I am so excited to take off on this adventure with Bill and Will and am sure that we will have a lot of exciting moments ahead. Through it all, I pray that God remains the head of our family and that we continue to love each other more every day!

Four Weeks and a little Baby Drama

Last week was a world wind. Our sweet baby started throwing up sporadically last Sunday. We saw the Dr. on Monday and otherwise, he was doing really well. He weighed 9 lbs and 5 oz and appeared completely healthy. We assumed we were dealing with a little reflux after eating, so we made some minor diet changes. Well throughout the week, the symptoms got worse and our sweet baby began getting sick more frequently. I was in constant contact with the Dr.'s office and we were trying different things to see if he got better. By Thursday afternoon, baby Will could not keep anything down. We spoke with his pediatrician and were directed to the Emergency Room at Children's. We were admitted Thursday night after an ultrasound and diagnosis of pyloric stenosis. This is apparently a fairly common thing presenting in first born males at approximately 3 weeks of age. Will was a classic text book case and was prepared for surgery. On Friday, October 9, 2009, I experienced one of the worst feelings I've ever had. I handed my baby over to strangers to take him to surgery. The only thing that allowed me to do that was I knew that Will was in Jesus' hands, not theirs. Jesus had already prepared every Doctor and Nurse that would touch our precious baby and Will was already healed (for by HIS stripes, we are healed).
Through this all, we have been reminded once again that God is in control. He knew what we would be facing and had already paved the path for Will's surgery and healing.


As I look back over this last week, I think about my Mom. I know she was there with us through the whole thing. I know that I draw from the strength she gained when she was a new mom. I think about my parents having to let them take me to surgery as a baby and know that they felt the same emotions, the same heartbreak and the same love for me that I feel for Will, in the same place. And I know that God was there with them then just was He was with us!

Today, Will is 4 weeks old. Four weeks is such a short time to fall completely and totally in love with someone and yet, we are there! Looking at our precious baby softens the hard parts of my heart. He is a reminder that our God is a kind, faithful, loving God that answers prayers and is still in the miracle business!

First time in my swing, my boppy and my bath tub

 
 
 
 

Two and 1/2 Weeks

WOW! Time is flying by. Our little man is 2 1/2 weeks old and it seems like just yesterday I was looking at him for the first time. He is growing and changing every day. Bill went back to work this past Monday and when he came home Tuesday morning, he said Will "looked different". It is so true! We are tryng to cherish every single moment. I look around the house and know there are things to do, but all I want to do is look at him and take in every expression. Even when it is time to sleep, I have a hard time because I don't want to miss one second of him. What a gift! What a blessing! What a responsibility!
Being Mommy and Daddy to this precious baby is the most amazing wonderful thing that could every happen to us. Thank you God for this sweet baby.

 

Today

Yesterday, we had our newborn pictures made. I can't wait to be able to share them. I know they are beautiful because, well, Will is! He did so good and slept most of the time. Last night we had a little scare. He had some swelling on his "privates" and has had blisters caused by diaper rash on his hiney. I called the nurse and they wanted to see him FIRST THING this morning and wanted us to watch for any fever through the night. Being new parents, we were scared by the urgency and stayed up most of the night with him. We never put him down and checked his temperature all night long. It was fine. We went to the Dr. this morning and it is just swelling due to his little "procedure" last week. It is fine. We got new meds for his hiney and should be fine. The Dr. was worried about the blisters, but said they are just from the acid in his system.
Anyway, all that to say we have a healthy baby boy. He now weighs 8 lbs 1 oz! We are smitten with him and can not get enough of him.
Tonight, I sat here and watched as Bill talked to Will and loved on his, playing peek-a-boo. I must say that I am thoroughly in love with two people now!

One week old

Baby Will is one week old today! What a week it has been. We came home from the hospital on Thursday. Grandaddy came to help us bring home all of our goodies (you would have thought we were there a month!). Grandma Deb and Memaw and Papa came over when we got here and loved on our baby. They brought us ham, mac and cheese, deviled eggs, and green bean casserole. Definitely better than hospital food. Mrs. Penny came to visit later in the evening. We had a great night. Baby Will slept right beside his Mommy and Daddy and it was wonderful!
Grandaddy and Granny Michelle brought Lucy home on Friday night. She was really excited to be home and very interested in Will. She is doing great with him and lets us know if he is unhappy. She doesn't like it when he cries and she gets up everytime he does. I think she is exhausted.
The rest of the week, we have had lots of visitors and calls from people who love and care for us. Pappa (my Dad) came over and finally got to spend some time with the little man. I think he might love him already. Memaw and Papa brought us another wonderful meal on Friday. Amy, CJ and Luke came over Friday night and it was great to have all the boys together. We enjoyed it very much. On Saturday night, after a long day of loving on Will and visiting, Grandma Deb stayed through the Auburn game and kept an eye on Will while Mommy and Daddy napped. Usually, I am screaming at the television during an Auburn game, but I don't even think I knew who was winning most of the night.
Missy, Marc, Claudia and Kayleigh brought us an awesome dinner on Sunday night. We have enjoyed visiting with all of our friends and family and have certainly enjoyed every second of having our baby boy home. What a dream come true!
We went to the Dr. on Friday and Sunday mornings to have Will's jaundice levels checked. He is doing great now and we don't have to go back until he is 2 weeks old.
Today, we give thanks and praise to the God of wonder and majesty! Today, I reflect on my baby boy coming into this world and I know that we saw the mighty hand of God at work!

Remembering the Best Day Ever

Tuesday was the best day of my life! After going to the Dr. Monday morning and learning that my fluid levels were dropping, we had several tests on Mr. Will and learned that we would welcome him into the world on Tuesday. We checked out of the hospital Monday afternoon and went home to gather our bags. I visited my Dad in the hospital to share the news. We got Lucy and headed out around 4:00 PM. We visited with Memaw and Pappa and ate a little dinner. We then went to Amy and Corey's for a few minutes and headed to Grandma Chelle's. We dropped Lucy off anf headed to the hospital We checked into the hospital at 8:00 PM on September 14, 2009. At 11:00 PM the nurses gave me medication to get my body ready for labor. At 1:00 AM on September 15, 2009, we received the second dose of that medication. At 3:00 AM, I woke up and thought my back was hurting. I was having contractions every 2 mintues. They checked me and there had been no change. We sat around and tried to rest. At 5:00 AM, my water broke on its own and I was 1-2 CM. Now I knew I was in labor. No questions. At 6:15, we were at 3 CM and waiting on the epidural. Full Labor = WOW. I got my epidural around 7:00 AM and the rest of the morning was a breeze. At 8:15, we were at 6 CM and moving right along. By 10:15, we were at 9 CM. They checked me again at 11:00 AM and started the laboring down process. We had lots of visitors and guests during this time frame and other than being tired, we were SO EXCITED. I started pushing at 11:55 and Baby Will was born at 12:27 AM. If pregnancy were as easy as labor and delivery and God had seen fit, I would have 10babies. This was the most wonderful process and experience of our lives. When Dr. Sharp held up the baby, I would not believe it! We were finally Mommy and Daddy and he is perfect. God is still in the miracle business. After 8 1/2 years of people telling us "maybe its not meant to be", we are celebrating God's Will for our lives.

Welcome to the World

William "Will" Raymond Blackburn V
Was born September 15, 2009 @ 12:27
He weighed 7 lbs 13 oz and was 21 inches long
Everyone is doing great and Baby Will is PERFECT!

Baby Will on the way

It is 11.30 on Mon night, and after a hectic day we(mel and I) are finally settled in at room 335 of the north tower @ ST. V's downtown. The good doctors have seen fit to inducing Mel @6.00 am. They tell us that Will will be here by midafternoon, so lots of prayers are needed fior mommy and baby, i will update periodically throught the day tom.

Post I - Baby Will and Mommy Update from August

So, it has been a while since I posted and thought today of all days might be appropriate just to update everyone on the everyday excitement that is my life. (Unfortunately, this will take several posts to catch up on everything)
First of all, I was diagnosed with Cholestasis of Pregnancy which is basically a malfunction in my liver that causes me to itch uncontrollably and can cause problems for the baby late in pregnancy. I have had good days and bad since this started. Some days have been wonderful and blessed and a time of just looking forward to being a mommy. Some days have tested my very ability to function and made me wonder if I am really cut out to do this. On those days, I have to remember, that not I, but Jesus, can do anything through me. Bill and I are trying hard to Trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understand, but sometimes, my "big head" gets right in the way of faith. Those days, I have a rotten stinkin' attitude. I hope my little one is not picking up on that. :) I am off work until the baby gets here and praying daily that God will send him as soon as he is healthy enough to come. We have been getting biophysical scans of Will since this started and he still looks completely healthy, Praising God for good days and bad. The bad days serve to remind me to call out to Him in our time of need because He is always there. The good days remind me that He is there, He is in control and if He can will die on a cross to save my sould fromt he very depths of Hell, He will answer our prayers and protect our baby!

Being Still. . .

So, for the last few days, I have been grounded by the Dr. until my blood levels come back. I have spent a lot of time thinking and even more time complaining about not being able to do what I want to do. Then tonight, as I looked around my home, I realized that there are many times in life when all I want to do is sit at home and do nothing. I think the problem is that no one wants to be told what we can or can not do. However, tonight my sweet Saviour reminded me that I am doing exactly what has been the desire of my heart for many years. I am allowing our precious sweet son to grow and mature until the day that we meet him. I am trusting my God to protect him and all I have been asked to do is "Be Still" and know that He is God! Tonight, I will spend the remainder of my time being humbled and grateful by God's amazing faithfulness. I will Praise Him for my precious husband who has been more supportive than anyone could ever ask. I will Praise Him for our growing baby boy. I will Praise Him for the amazing family and awesome friends that surround us. I will be ever grateful for a God that sent His only son to die for our sins, so that we could boldly ask and receive forgiveness. I will lift my hands and heart to the God of my Salvation for the opportunity to teach my own son about the love of Christ Jesus! I will BE STILL!

BABY WILL'S NURSERY

Getting Ready . . .

So, the last month has been really exciting and hectic as we prepare for Will's arrival. Since my last post, we have the nursery pretty much complete and I am so proud of what Bill has created for our little one. I have been to the Dr. almost every week for a few little setbacks, but for the most part, things are going well. My blood pressure is a little high most of the time, but baby Will just looks perfect. We saw him on ultrasound on August 4th. We definitely have a "he" and he is just cute as a button. He has a sweet little nose and is constantly sucking on his hand. He was already practicing his "breathing exercises" and the technician said that is awesome because that is developing his lungs. His approximate size was 4 lbs 10 oz and about 16 inches long. I have memorized the video of him and am more excited than ever to meet my little buddy.

This past Monday, we had another little hiccup in the road to delivery. I started itching all over after lunch on Monday. At first, we thought it might be a new food allergy, triggered by pregnancy. Well, not so much. Wednesday, it started again and hasn't stopped. I saw Dr. Sharp on Thursday morning and apparently I have developed something called PUPPP's. Dr. Sharp is also checking my liver for a possible problem associated with pregnancy. They did another ultrasound to check on Will's progress, amniotic fluid and movement. He looks good and his estimated weight is now 6 lbs. I will get lab results back on Monday or Tuesday at the latest. If my liver levels are OK, I can go back to work. If not, we may be meeting baby Will a little earlier than expected. No matter what the cause, apparently the itching will not stop until after delivery. Thank God for Benadryl.

We are praying for our precious baby. I can't wait to meet him but I want him to stay put as long as he needs to grow big and strong.

Jeremiah 29:11

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Today, my baby boy has been growing for twenty nine weeks. Each day, each week is such a milestone in our lives. Bill and I stand in amazement every time we hear his precious heartbeat or feel him move. Reaching this milestone has me reflecting on God's wonderful faithfulness. I have to admit that there were plenty of times that I lost all hope that we would ever be parents. There was even a time when I thought I understood "why". I really think the only reason I kept going through the fertility treatments was because I wanted to feel like I was "trying" and I didn't want to admit failure. What I realized today is that my God heard my prayers and my God doesn't know failure! That is where this verse comes into play. God already knew his plan for us and for this child. He knew what twists and turns our lives would take before we got to this point and He knows what our future holds. God is fervent in every promise that He makes to us and I am utterly overwhelmed by His love.

As I look toward the future and raising this precious child, I find myself excited and thrilled with the opportunity to teach Will the love of Jesus and the power of God! What an awesome responsibility and challenge.

Thank you Father for the plans you have for us.

Twenty Three Weeks and Counting!

A lot has happened since I last updated our blog.
First of all, on April 20, we learned that we are having a BOY! William Raymond Blackburn, V is set to make his debut towards the end of September. Bill and I could not be more thrilled.

After that exciting news, Bill was determined that we must choose the look of our nursery. Baby Will will come home to a room decorated in brown and blue with Elephants. Bill was very happy about the colors (yes, believe it or not, he cares) and if you know me at all, you know I LOVE elephants and we are not Alabama fans  We have purchased the bedding and are in the process of working on the nursery.

Finally, last week, we purchased a new car. It is a 2009 Dodge Journey. Nothing fancy, but certainly something that our baby boy will be safe and comfortable in and it has four doors.

It seems like everything we do now is centered around this precious little guy that we haven’t even met yet. The funny thing is, both of us love him more than anything. God has given us such a great gift and responsibility and we are honored and humbled.

Our busy life

Since my last post, we have had a few busy weeks. We moved all of the furniture in the office and living room and Bill and Uncle Corey installed new wood floors in the living room. Of course, they are beautiful and I am thrilled, though our house is not quite back to normal :) I am in desperate need of the energy and nesting instinct that I keep hearing about.
We went back to see Dr. Sharp on March 30th and had a wonderful visit. Baby Blackburn is growing and looks incredibly healthy.
This past weekend was Easter and we had an amazing time! Of course, celebrating the resurrection of our Lord is great, and we did it with our whole family. Friday night, we had dinner with Bill and Michelle, Jessica, Jeromy and sweet little Ryleigh, Daniel and Lindsey. Saturday morning, we had breakfast with Grandma Deb. We then celebrated our friend Erica's 5th birthday with a bunch of our friends. We finished off the day with my Daddy spending the night. Sunday morning, we went to a wonderful worship service, then lunch at Memaw and Pappa's. We finished off the day with an Easter Egg hunt at Aunt Linda's with the rest of my family. WHEW! It really was great!
Now, we are anxiously awaiting Monday morning, when we will learn if Baby Blackburn will play softball or baseball!

Another Day

Well, today has been just another long day. Sometimes it feels like the harder I try to do everything right, the more little mistakes I make. That gets me down, but then I remember that I walk with Jesus holding my hands and everything is ok. I mean, no matter what else is going on right now, Bill and I are going to be Mommy and Daddy! What could be better? We are 13 weeks and 3 days. I can't wait to go back to the Dr. and get new pictures of our little one. In the mean time, God is giving me a good dose of faith and patience and I am trying to learn these lessons. I have a feeling they will come in handy when baby Blackburn arrives!
We are still praying for Bill's schedule to change at work. I have learned that he may go to dayshift everyday, but his off days will be Thursday and Friday. We have lived that before and I truly think it will make a world of difference in his health, so I am still praying for straight shifts.
We see Dr. Sharp a week from today. It is funny. I never thought I would look forward to seeing my OB/GYN this much!

Nannie

This week will be three years since we lost my mom. We miss her incredibly every single day. Some days it seems like a lifetime ago since we saw her, but today it feels new that she is gone. I can't believe that I am having a baby without my Momma by my side. I think it is really starting to sink in that she is not going to be here when our little blessing arrives. I know that she is celebrating in Heaven over our angel and if it is possible, she had a hand in all of this because she wanted us to have children as badly as we do. We miss you Mom! Thank you so much for loving us so much! I know you will be with Bill and I has we go through this exciting adventure. Thank you for the lessons that you taught us and most of all, for encouraging Amy and I to always be close. I couldn't do this without her and with her, I feel like I have some of you too. I will always miss you. It doesn't get any easier as time goes by, but I am so thankful to know that you are with Jesus looking down on us and that we will all see you again soon!

Bill's Birthday and No More High Risk

What a week. On Monday, Bill's 33rd birtday, we went back to see Dr. Sharp. Our little one is still measuring ahead of schedule, but looks completely healthy so we are no longer on the high-risk rotation! Our new due date is September 25, but Bill is still planning on September 30th or later. I know it sounds weird, but we had a great time at the Dr. I swear, I think Bill and I could laugh and act like kids in any inappropriate situation. I love it!
We both had a long week after Monday. We hardly saw each other until Friday night, but I did get to do a couple of fun things. I went to see Cirque Dreams at the Civic Center with Robin and that rocked. On Thursday night, I went to paint with a friend from work and that was fun too, but I really miss Bill when he is on evening shift. I hate evening shift. We are praying that Bill's department will vote to go to straight shifts soon and there will be no more evening shifts or weeks without seeing each other.
This has been a completely emotional week with lots of questions, but we are thrilled with the news from Monday, and resting in God's plan for us! As of Friday, we are at 12 weeks.
For the record, I now am convinced that we are having a little boy. Bill hasn't staked a claim just yet. Angela says its a boy, but she just wants Cole to have a play buddy. Aunt Linda says its a girl and she is only buying pink. Stay tuned and we will capture everyone's opinion, because it won't be too long before Bill is twisting my arm and having them tell us! ;)

March 2 visit to Dr. Sharp

Today was fabulous. We went to see Dr. Sharp for the first time and had a wonderful visit. We are almost ten weeks along. Our ultra-sound was so fun. We heard our little one's precious little heartbeat. We got to see our little ones legs and arms. He was doing flip-flops. The ultrasound technician said that she has never called the sex of a baby so early, but she was pretty sure from what she saw that we are having a baby boy. We won't be painting the nursery just yet, but I think that is really fun and exciting. We will find out for sure in about six more weeks. In the meantime, we are patiently praising God for such a great day and an amazing miracle.

Praise for our Miracle!

Hey guys! We are ready to start sharing our story! Today, we are resting comfortably in God's blessings. Bill and I are expecting a baby. That is the great news, but not where the story began. We were married almost ten years ago. We started trying to have a baby eight and half years ago. We have been through tons of fertility treatments which equals tons of tears, tons of disappointments, tons of frustrations, about 10 surgeries, and tons of dollars! For those of you who have been there, you know. Every month of your life starts out with high hopes, followed by being poked and prodded, followed by being hopeful, then followed by disappointment. Some months its OK and you just look forward to next month; other times, you are heart-broken and devastated. it takes a toll on everything about you: your faith, your relationships, your joy, and your life as a whole. In April 2003 and September 2005, Bill and I learned that we were pregnant. We were elated both times and both times, we were devastated when we learned that we had lost our precious children.
Fast forward to now, after taking a break and rebuilding our friendship and marriage, we decided to give this a try again. Well, I started going to the ART Fertility in August 2008. In November I had another surgery. On December 27 I started another round of shots and on January 5, 2009 Bill and I had our last round of intrauterine insemination. We had prayed and prayed and had decided that we would no longer go through any further treatments if this didn't work. Well the next few weeks were horrible. I had a reaction to the medicine, hyper-stimulated ovaries, swelled up like a whale and hurt constantly. Then on January 19, I went to the Dr. to have blood work. At 11:35 that morning, my nurse called to tell me that we are having a baby. I had just walked in the door and Bill was right here with me. It was wonderful news, but we had been here before. Now came the waiting and praying and praying and praying. After a couple of scares, I went back to the Dr. on February 2nd and saw our precious miracle's heartbeat. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Since then. we had weekly visits and and everything looks great so far. On February 17, we went in for our final visit with Dr. Housermann and ART. Bill and I saw our little miracle move. We are claiming victory through this blessing and can't wait to welcome our little one into this world!