She's here!

Yep, I said "she". We have a third baby girl. Rylan Nicole is doing well and is healthy. That's all that really matters, right? Russ is doing well too. We BOTH were in shock when the dr. told us it was a girl. It really took us a while to realize that we now have THREE girls! But it is God's plan for some reason. It is exciting for me to think about my girls having each other. I always wanted a sister, so for me to have three girls is pretty neat.

Maddie was in as much shock as we were. She was totally convinced it was a boy. When we told her we were naming the baby Rylan, she got mad at us, because that was going to be our boy's name (Ryland). So Maddie refused to call her Rylan. She started calling her Megan. After much convincing, Maddie finally started calling her Rylan. She's gotten used to it now.

Becca was so excited. She's one of the very few that has said from the beginning that we were having a girl. I think every time Becca looks at her, she says, "Awww". It's pretty cute.

So we all are doing well. Thanks to all of you for your prayers throughout this pregnancy. She is here and she is beautiful and healthy.

So much to do...

Do you ever feel like you have so much to do and so little time to do it in? That's where I am now. I have a list about a page long of things to get done before the baby is born. I've gotten most of the "big" projects out of the way, so now it's just the little stuff.

But I've got to get through this week first. Tomorrow I have to finish working on stuff for VBS. Then VBS is Wed- Fri, with a Dr. appt. in there too. I'm helping with a baby shower on Saturday, and going to another baby shower on Sunday. We have friends that are moving, so Russ wants to plan to go out with them on Saturday night. Russ has softball Mon. and Tues of this week and next. I'll be cleaning the house on Wed. because my parents will be here on Thursday, then off to the hospital next Friday. It will be here so soon! I have GOT to get a pedicure somewhere in there! It is a requirement that you have pretty feet and toenails when you have a baby. :)

So wish me luck on getting my list done. It just seems like once I get about half way through the list, I think of other stuff to do, so I add it to the list and it just never gets done. Plus, when you can't bend over very well, it sure does make cleaning take longer!

Bible Camp

Bible Camp is very important to Russ and I. Our camp in Iowa is a very special place. That's where we met. Russ has talked about taking our girls there since they were babies. He can't wait until they are old enough to go with him.

Growing up Church of Christ in Iowa was not easy. There aren't many around. In fact, Russ counted one time and there are more Churches of Christ in the OKC area than in the entire state of Iowa. Both of our families had to drive 30 miles to go to the nearest C of C. And they are all small. A large C of C in Iowa is 100 people. My church had about 25. Five of those were kids (me and my two brothers being 3 of the five). So I couldn't wait for church camp every summer. Just to be with other kids who believed the same thing I did was awesome.

I started going to camp when I was in 4th grade. I didn't miss a single summer. Russ and I met there the summer after I graduated HS, and we were engaged at camp two years later. I love Bible camp.

So two weeks ago, Maddie had an opportunity to go to a day camp just a few miles from here. We found out about it the Thursday before (it started on Monday and went through Wednesday). But luckily, we had time to register her. So our Life Group sent all of our kids (ages 5-9) to it. Erin was awesome and said she would be their sponsor so they could go. Thank you Erin!! The kids loved it! They learned so much, made new friends from other Churches of Christ and can't wait to go back next year.

I realize there isn't a lot out there for kids ages 5-9, that's why we were all so excited about this. But I have to admit that I was a little upset that we didn't know about it sooner. It was not our church that sponsored it, but a C of C from a nearby town. I would have killed for something like this when I was a kid. To know there are other kids out there that believe like you do is so important.

We are very blessed to be part of such an awesome church. My girls have a huge youth group and I love that. But I want them to know kids from other churches of Christ too. So I guess my question is, why don't we do more with the churches here in town? Why can't we sponsor a camp for the kids?

When I told other people at church about Maddie going to camp, they were a little upset, because they would have sent their kids if they had known about it. So Erin is going to be sure that it gets in the bulletin next summer so everyone does know about it. I really appreciate Erin taking the lead on this one. I just know there will be so many from our church who will send their kids to this wonderful camp. And I thank the other church for putting it on. I hope we all can help out and make it bigger and better next year.

5 kids from our LG plus 3 others. Maddie and Mason

Becca, Maddie and Jaylee Maddie made ice cream at camp.

They even brought out a bunch of animals for the kids to see and touch. This is a HUGE snake!

I've been bumped!

So my doctor looked at my chart today and said, "the 28th? I'm starting my vacation then! We've got to move you to the week before." Not a problem here, because I told her I wasn't waiting for her to get back. So now it's the 25th! Woo Hoo! Three less days of being so stinkin' huge! It will be almost 2 weeks before my due date, so I just pray it's lungs are ready. They should be, but you just never know.

Here's two new pictures. It's face is getting so chunky. My fluid level is down to about a 23. My Dr. was very happy that it had gone down. But it's still high, so they are still going to do another ultrasound next week, just to be sure it's all o.k. But everything looks good to go. I just have a bunch of stuff to do around the house now! Only 2 weeks from tomorrow! Yikes!

It has been driving the ultrasound girl crazy that we don't know what we are having, so she just "had" to look today. I closed my eyes and turned my head so I wouldn't accidentally look. It was hard though. A part of me wanted to just look and not tell Russ. But I've made it this far, what's two more weeks?

These pictures look like a boy to me. Everyone keeps telling me that. I'm going to feel really bad if it does end up being a girl. We just won't tell her that everyone thought she looked like a boy before she was born. ;)

mostly pictures

I had some pictures I wanted to share, so that's this post, mainly pictures.

Slip 'n slide fun. Becca always has to get a big running start. Then she falls to her knees and scoots down to the end. Maddie's gotten pretty good at making it to the end.

This is for my mom so she can see how huge I am.

Thursday night was spent at a work 4th of July party. They had a climbing rock wall, a big moon bounce and this HUGE slide. Becca's first time down didn't go so well. She ended up flipping over and over again to the end.

Russ and the girls laying down to watch the fireworks.

Here's the baby and it's arm at 35 1/2 weeks. My fluid is at 27. Still really high, but at least it hasn't gotten any higher.