So much, so little

Can I start out by saying God is SO good? The more we give our lives to Him the more we are blessed. He has taken SUCH care of this family, we are richly blessed!

Big News on all fronts, so much is happening it feels like. Just yesterday we got the news that Jimmy is getting promoted. Gah, you guys; you don't know how proud I am. He has never worked harder for something. He has wanted this so bad for so long, & I'm so elated for him. Big crowds and eying soldiers really aren't my thing; but I can't wait to stand up in front of formation and pin my man. (then punch him as hard as I can, of course. Maybe that's the part I'm really looking forward to?) Anyways, yay! I cant say it enough. This is wonderful for him, his career, and our family. We know all thanks go to God for this; it couldn't have been better timing. Staff Sergeant Parker, your family is OH-SO proud of you!

Wondrous miracles yet again. We have been praying since before we got pregnant that our insurance would cover 50% of our home birth. Tricare (our health insurance) covers home births 100%, but; only if your midwife is a CNM (Certified Nurse Midwife). My midwife is an LM (Licensed Midwife), and I had heard that tricare never cover's them because they have know 'nursing' degree. So we had hoped for at least half to be covered, but we were ready to pay out of pocket the $4,000 that would cover my prenatal, newborn, and postpartum care.

A few weeks ago I received a letter from Tricare stating that my prenatal care, labor, delivery, newborn, and postpartum care would be covered; fully. Seriously; this thing is getting framed. We are so grateful, and so blessed! One less thing we have to worry about! Praise the Lord!

My midwife called me this afternoon just to 'see how I was'; gah I love her! I love being able to chat about my concerns even if I do have an appointment in 4 days! & she wants to know things that a doctor would never ask me, like how am I sleeping, how's my weight doing, and even asking about my kids and husband. I cant ever express enough how this decision has impacted not only my pregnancy, but all our lives. It is such a different form of care, and we couldn't be more appreciative. I've never been more sure of my care, and it makes me so excited to think she is a part of my 'team' when shit hits the fan and this baby decides to make a break for it.

Which leads me to what I really want to blog about; this baby...coming! Seriously, I'm at 20 weeks already. Half way. Once July hits, we only have 4.5 months until HE IS HERE. I know how fast that goes! I have nothing for him except diapers and clothes. We had made up our minds that we were done and we donated everything. Our swing, our bouncer; I have to start almost all over. That isn't even the part that slaps me in the face and freaks me out, it's the fact that HE WILL BE HERE IN less then 5 months! 5 months, I mean really...with 2 kids and a husband with a schedule like mine has...that FLIES by. This pregnancy is going SO fast it is unreal. I feel like we just found out we were pregnant, and I swear I'm still getting over the shock that it happened on the first try.

Really, we tried for over 6 months for Lexi and nothing, then I went on birth control & BOOM, BFP. With Lukas it took us almost a year, and we were REALLY trying. I mean taking supplements, charting, basal temp; you name it we did it. We even started looking into fertility treatments and getting tested. So when we decided to TTC for this baby we knew (or thought) we were in for a long haul. Even my mom said 'Yeah, I thought you guys had at least 6 months'. Pregnant, on the first try? I mean come on, it just doesn't happen!

I am constantly turning to Jimmy and saying "holy crap James, we're gonna have a freakin baby again!". He has totally accepted and come to realization with the idea; me, on the other hand; I still cant believe it's real. Yes, WTH is wrong with me. I AM the one growing here, having my insides tossed around, and growing out of ever pair of pants I own, but still; I cannot believe it. I won't say I'm not ready, because I feel like I am, but I just cant believe we're already at the half way point. It feels like I should have SO much longer to go.

I have had seriously difficult pregnancies with my last two, and really, except for my intense sickness in the beginning this kid has been an absolute breeze. I'm not even that big yet! I still ask everyone around me "do I look pregnant yet?'. Everyone says yes, but I still feel teeny tiny compared to what I was with my other two at this point. Im sleeping GREAT (knock on wood), no indigestion, no heartburn, no headaches, no restless leg syndrome. Im sitting pretty and just waiting for hell to break loose. An easy pregnancy is nothing I have ever experienced before. You know those women who say 'I love being pregnant'? Yeah; I have NEVER been among that clan of crazies. Is it worth it? You're damn skippy, but it has never been 'enjoyable'.

Lord, let this not be making up for the labor...

We finally have a name. It makes me 10X more excited to see his face. When we went home this last week, we splurged and let my mom in on the super secret of 'the name'. That made it SO REAL. & I think that's what I needed to do to really have it set in stone. He has a name, & I hope he'll be happy to know that I spent forever, and perused THOUSANDS of names before coming to the decision that this was it. Lol

Lukas is in the midst of potty training and things are going nowhere. Now I know once I figure out how to convince him it's the cool thing to do we'll be successful, but right now he is as stubborn as can be. He totally understands the concept, but he just refuses to make it to the potty. He tells me when he's gone, since we're still doing diapers for night time and nap time--he'll always tell me when he's gone in his diaper. & once he has an 'accident' he'll go sit on the potty, but we haven't actually made it there yet. Ive still got a few months to get this thing down, so I just hopes he cooperates with me! Any suggestions on how to potty train a stubborn 2 yr old boy?

Lexi is loving her summer vacation and playing outside as soon as she wakes up in the morning. She is such a tom-boy and I love her for it. She'd rather be digging and finding bugs outside then playing with barbies or doing dress up any day.

I haven't decided what I'm going to do for her come Fall. The plan was to put her back in pre-k 3 days a week; I have already enrolled her and everything. To be honest though, I am not 'feeling' her school, or her teachers for that matter. & unfortunately, there are no other private preschools in our area. I'm already driving 30 minutes both way, twice a day to take her; which in my Armada you can imagine the gas. Not to mention tuition for next year is $2570, and that's for 3 days a week from 9-12 30. I just am wondering if it's 'worth-it'. I may do some sort of home schooling with her until she's ready for Kindergarten. However, that's WAY a lot to take on with 3 kids and a husband who is never home to help. Lexi also thrives off the social interaction she gets from school, and I do not want to deprive her of that; especially with the new baby coming. So, I am really praying about this one, I am just at odds right now with which way to go.

My garden is taking off, our garden, excuse me! My husband is the REAL green thumb. I cannot wait until we have property and I can do so much more then what our measly backyard can handle. My zucchini and bush beans have taken off in the last week, my cucumber, cantaloupe, and watermelon are budding. Sadly, my tomato plants are not doing as well as they did last year, and I really think it's this odd weather we've been having. Unfortunately, that's what my kids eat most, & I planted 8 tomatoes plants; so I hope they can fight through the elements and give us some fruit! My parsley, basil, cilantro, rosemary, and garlic are all grown and pick-able, I already use some parsley last night when I slow cooked some london broil; yum!

I am so grateful to God and my husband for providing us with healthy fresh food to eat. There is nothing better then growing your own food & knowing it's nourishing your body!

So, basically I just blogged to gloat :) Everything is so fantastically spectacular right now and I'm grateful. When things get tough it is so easy to forget how good we have it. It's so easy to forget that God always provides, and though we may be passing through a storm now, it will only bring us out stronger, and for a purpose.

One more thing: I made a face 'mask' the other day out of organic oatmeal, raw honey, organic yogurt, organic blueberries, and some organic dried alfalfa. AMAZING! I mixed it all together in my food processor and lathered it on ( I even put some on Jimmy's feet) Seriously, it was amazing and made my skin so soft! Super fun and creative and I didn't even have to buy anything!