Time for a little Praise

Can I just say Hallelujah!!  Today I took the 3 hour glucose tolerance test and it came back negative!  I was so worried for the last three days.  I originally thought I was out of the woods, because my doctor's office had not responded  for over a day and a half.  They had told me no news is good news.  Well then they called and said my sugar was a little high on the original 1 hour test.  I cried because I was so upset and did not want to have gestational diabetes.  I know there are much worse things, but couple the possibility with a first time pregnancy and whoa!  So needless to say this afternoon, I called all the fam and shared the good news and sent those praises flying!  The Lord is good, even if I would have ended up with g.d., He is still good and always in control. 

A few other exciting events took place this week.  On Wednesday I walked out of the public workplace for the next several years.  Enter "Mommyhood."  I am excited and a bit nervous.  The other exciting news is that we received our crib and Jaime has already put it together.  We plan to go and get the baby's mattress next weekend.  Only 11 weeks to go!!  Oh my!  Also only 14 days until Christmas.  Does it feel like it snuck up on anyone else?  I love this holiday season. 

Thanksgiving in 3D

We had a "mauvelous" turkey celebration and holiday.  I spent some great time with my family.  The 3 of us that are married even went out on a date with our spouses.  Mimi got to keep the grands.  What fun!  I did happen to catch a yucky little something on our final Saturday of vacation.  I am still working through it and can I just say, pregnant girl wants antibiotics, not over the counter time wasters!!  Anyhow that is how I feel about it today.  On Monday we saw life in 3-D!  Can I just say technology is fabulous, even if my sweet pea wanted to keep her/his hands in front of her/his face 97% of the time (I put her first, b/c that is what I still think it is).  We still do not know the sex of our baby, nor did we get a peek during this sono, but we did get a DVD filled with 3 second clips and some pictures.  My sister has requested a posting, so here you go.  Baby Ellis at 27.2 weeks.  Blurry picture, but still my precious baby.  Check out that widow's peak.

Quick update

Hello blogland!  All is well here on the homefront.  I have been enjoying not tutoring for the last few weeks.  I have been able to focus on more important things like budgeting, decorating, and my dear friends.  Even today I had lunch with two great friends and mommies, Ashley and Ashley.  I feel like I am in major crunch time to gain some valuable parenting/birthing/pregnancy tips.  I know I still have 14 1/2 weeks to go, but I think my nesting phase has started way early.  I still think I am having a girl and the hubs still thinks it is a boy, though he often refers to her as a her.  My sister is coming down for a whole week and I am so excited.  She is super creative and crafty, so I hope to get a good start on decorating the nursery.  I will be sure to put up some pictures once there is more than just pretty robin egg blue paint.  We are ordering the crib this week and it should be in next month.  My last doctors appointment went well and the doc did not mention my weight!  Can I get a hallelujah for that one!  That will surely "weigh" a sister down.  This baby is growing and making me feel quite large.  I know this is normal, but it feels everything but normal.  I am so grateful for a healthy baby and pregnancy thus far, and pray it will continue.  Next appointment I drink the sugar laced orange liquid.  Eek, I heard it is bad!  In the next few weeks we hope to get the 3D sonogram done for a sweet memento.   Other than baby news, I have begun putting up Christmas decorations.  My thoughts are that we don't get to enjoy it long enough, so I am starting early.  I also put my Fall decor out too early, but to each his own, right?  I was thinking ahead to next year's Christmas and the fact that, Lord willing, we will have a 9 1/2 to 10 month old baby with us.  That is amazing and a bit scary!!  That is where we are in EllisEllisLand.  How are you?  

Shopping Extravaganza

We had a blast this last weekend with my sister in Dallas.  We did some serious shopping and laughed until it hurt.  On Friday night went to Ikea and Jason's Deli.  Saturday we got up and got ready for Canton at 5:30 a.m. and finally left the house at 6:45.  We made a quick pit stop at a nearby Starbucks and arrived at Canton for some extensive shopping.  There is so much to see there, it is a bit overwhelming.  We also met some interesting people.  After lunch I got up from a picnic table and sent the 5 other people flying.  We screamed and laughed so loud and hard it turned into tears.  That was hilarious and we could not seem to get it together the rest of the day.  We then proceeded to Sam Moon, Macaroni Grill, and on to Grapevine Mills.  Boy were we tired by the end of that night!  The next morning we took our time getting ready and enjoyed our precious Reese.  We went to Kohl's, Dick's, Sweet and Sassy, and Charming Charlie before we packed up and headed home.  We did not make it back until after 10 p.m.  Praise the Lord for the extra hour of sleep.  I had such a blast hanging out with my sister, my mom, and my 2 aunts.  I am so blessed to have them as a part of my family.  There are some precious pictures from our trip on my sister's blog.  I usually take my time uploading and posting mine, so you can look at her's.  I pray this election day will remind all of us that our Father is sovereign over all things, including American presidential elections.  Have a marvelous week! 

Pictures

These are a few photos I wanted to post, since I don't do it enough.  All things are well with us, just continuing to grow.  Sorry the pics from the sonogram did not turn out, or I could share those.  Maybe at 28 weeks.  This weekend we have a baby shower for my sweet friend Kira, and next weekend we are going to Dallas for the much anticipated shopping trip.  Mom, all the aunts, and female cousins are going to my sister's.  It promises to be a blast and we are very excited.  I pray all things are well in your lives.  

This is one of my favorites from our last trip to the big D.

Isn't she so stinking cute!

This one is more for me and Whop.  Reese was much more interested in watching Uncle Jaime climb the rock wall at Dick's sporting goods.  I kept egging him on, and totally forgot he does not do heights.  He is such a sport, and he made it 3/4 of the way, before it really got to him.  Only later did he kindly remind me he hates heights!  Oops.

                       

We cooked out with Dad, Brooks, and Blake for their b-days earlier this month.

This is my brother Brooks.  Enough said.  

We also had our Halloween party for the littles.  This is me, Holly and Whoppa.  You can look at my sister's blog to see more pics from the party.  We had a blast.  (I am missing the sun in a bad way!)

   Last, but not least this is my precious Hatira!  She came and spent the night with us this last weekend and we enjoyed our time together.  We shopped, played Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, and ate some yummy food.  We even had a picnic on Sunday after church.   The weather was gorgeous.  We love our Meanie Meanie.

1/2 Way

We are almost half way there and I am so excited!  Our next appointment is on the 13th, along with a high-tech VHS recording of our little peanut.  VHS you say....why yes!  It is the latest in technological advances, and my dear friend Gidge has offered to convert it into DVD form, so I can at least watch it in my very own home.  The doctor's office has not forked over the dinero for an updated machine, but I still am impressed with his many years of experience.  

Pregnancy is a humbling experience, to say the least.  I am learning this first hand and have heard plenty of stories.  My belly keeps growing and I am pretty sure I no longer have a waist.  It is also a wee bit on the exhausting side.  Many other changes are taking place too, such as major hormone imbalances.  Poor Jaime, he never knows what he is going to get with me.  He has been wonderful and so very patient.  I love my husband and I am so tremendously blessed to be his wife!  

We have chosen a few names: Eva Sophia for a little girl and Oliver John for a little boy.  I feel like I am just going to have to see that little face, before I can officially name it, even if we were finding out.  I can feel this precious little baby moving around inside me and it is the most incredible feeling.  I cannot wait to see him or her.  I am so curious to see her skin and eyes.  By the way, I think it is a girl and Jaime thinks it is a boy.  50/50 on the winner!

October is busy, busy, busy.  I have started tutoring for the school district three days a week.  My Dad, bro Brooks, and bro Blake all have birthdays this week.  I have 2 baby showers to attend, plus another trip to Dallas at the end of the month.  My sister, sister-in-law, and I are throwing a Halloween party for our younger cousins, nieces, and nephews.  It is next Saturday and we really are running a little short on time and planning!  We will get it together and it will be a blast, as long as we can sew those wings to our pants (so we can fly by them)!

So that is life in Ellis land for now.  We are growing and learning more each day and we pray you are too! 

Happy First Day of Fall

Harvey sends his pumpkin love to you all!  

Something for the Sweet Tooth

I just wanted to share three treats with you guys that I made for my Bible study group!  They were a big hit and simple to make.  

Oreo Truffles (Oreo Balls): 1 bag Oreos and 8oz. of softened cream cheese, almond bark.  You put your Oreos in a food processor or blender until they are a finely crumbled.  Then add your cream cheese and mix well.  Form your mixture into bite-sized balls and freeze for 30 minutes.  Dip your Oreo balls into either chocolate or white chocolate Almond Bark (bakers chocolate).  Keep refrigerated and serve cold.

Red Velvet Truffles (Cake Balls): 1 boxed cake mix, 1 tub frosting, almond bark. Choose any type of boxed cake mix and follow instructions.  Once you have baked the cake, crumble it up and add ready-made frosting of your choosing.  Mix thoroughly and form into balls.  Freeze for 30 minutes and dip in chocolate.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Buckeyes (Peanut Butter Balls): 1 1/2cups peanut butter, 1 cup softened butter, 6 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, almond bark.  Combine all ingredients and form small balls.  Freeze for 30 minutes and then dip in chocolate, leaving a small opening at the top so they resemble the buckeye nuts.  Keep refrigerated and serve cold.  (This is a gluten free recipe).

I used toothpicks to dip the balls and it made much less of a mess.

Have a marvelous weekend and enjoy the rain!

 

Slow down Porky.....

We went to the doctor today and he always asks if the scales were good to me.  Well, let me just tell you I told him, "I don't ask and they never tell."  So.... he says, "Not to make you self conscious or anything, but this last month was a pretty steep weight gain."  And so he proceeded to tell me I would have a hard time losing the weight for my 6 week check up after the baby is born.  Luckily, I did not have a melt down in the office, nor did I shed a tear over this dreary news!  I remembered that these last 4 weeks I have gone to San Antonio twice, it was my birthday, and my Mom made some awesome chicken fried steak!  Not to mention prego has got to eat!  Healthier choices and more exercise are this baby's future!  Oh, the bliss of being called out on a WEIGHTY issue!  Tee hee hee!  Now if you guys see me in the next few days or weeks and I am having a serious meltdown about the body, just remind me I laughed about it and Weight Watchers is around the corner!!

The Month of August

Beautiful roses from my hubby

Birthday wishes from my pumpkin doodle

My sweet cake

Megan and I, as First ladies

Hello friends!  Can I just say this has been a crazy, but fabulous month!  My bday party was a blast and then my actual bday was pretty special too!  Last week, I got to keep my sweet second cousins, who are really like my little sisters.  We had a great time shopping, watching movies, swimming, and we even took a trip to the library!  I love those little girls more than you could know!  (their story is one that would break your hearts)  Last Friday, I left town with some friends from church to attend Living Proof Live with our dearly beloved Beth Moore!  It was nothing shy of incredible!  What truths I took away and how blessed my little heart was to stand and worship in the presence of our Almighty Father!!  

Jaime is on vacation this week, and as I sit typing this post, I have 3 strange men working in my house!  1 finished tiling the guest bath and then dropped our toilet and broke it!  He cursed so much my ears were on fire!  He and Jaime headed to Home Depot to get a replacement and the 2 carpet guys showed up.  They are recarpeting the nursery and the office!  Yay!!  I have never had workers in my home, so this is odd!  One guy has used our restroom twice now!  Hello, uncomfortable!

  I dropped Harvey off at the groomers this morning, and asked them only to trim the essentials, but not his whole body.  The lady said, "I sure am glad, because he did not look like himself when he left."  If you could have known what I was thinking!  At the beginning of the summer I dropped my sweet crazy-haired Havanese off, and picked up a short-haired Jack Russell.  I almost cried because he looked so bad when I got him!  I was thinking never again, but that boy's nails can grow, and he needed his teeth cleaned!    I just picked him up and he looks great, with a blue bandanna to boot!!

  We are planning to leave in the morning for a mini-trip to either Austin or San Antonio.  Mom and Dad are keeping the boy for us overnight!  My precious niece will be here Friday night and I cannot wait to hold her!  She is getting so big already, and I miss her terribly!  The blog world has made it easier, because we get to watch her grow through pictures!  For now I have got to run to my old preschool and pick up some Fall belongings I left!  Can I just tell you I am SAD that I will not be working at  JOY School this year!  I already miss it so much!  Thanks for letting me catch up!  Have a blessed week and weekend!

Playing Catch Up!!

Well, we have almost made it through the first trimester!  Praise the Lord!!!  I had another doctor's appointment this last week and they were not able to find the heart beat with the doppler, so we got to have another sonagram.  That was fine by us, because we got to see our little peanut again!  He/she is growing and it is amazing how fast that little heart beats.  What a miracle human creation is!  We have been in awe of God's amazing ways!  

We, ( I mean Jaime) has started painting the nursery and it is looking great!  I will post pictures when we finish.  We chose new carpet for the nursery and the office, as well as new tile for the guest bath.  That should all be completed by the end of the month.  PTL we are hiring that out, because I think that may be a little much for my man to tackle!  He is taking great care of this pregnant girl, plus his full time and very demanding job!  He has even been so gracious as to cook for me on several occasions.  He is so excited about our baby, and it is wonderful to watch!  

In other news, my 26th birthday is in a few days and we are having a party at my wonderful friend's house this evening!  It should be a blast and I will post pictures soon!  Yay for the Olympics too!  Hope all is well in your worlds!  

A Peanut with a heartbeat!

Today was appointment numero uno!  It wasn't so bad, especially because we got to see the little peanut and hear it's heartbeat too!  The sweet thing is sooo tiny and still called an embryo.  The official due date is March 1st, 2009!  Wow, I cannot believe we are going to be parents!!  You should have seen the look on Jaime's face when he saw the baby and then heard it's heart beat!  Definitely priceless!  He will be a wonderful father!  We would covet your guys' prayers for a healthy pregnancy and future parenthood.  I am excited to take this journey with you guys coming along, and by the way we are not going to find out the sex of the baby!  Surprises are in store!  Have a blessed week!

And one more.......

Makes Three!!!!  That is right!  A positive + a positive= a BABY!  I will go to the doctor next Wednesday to get everything checked out!  The nurse set the due date at a possible early March!   Yay!  We are definitely so excited!!  I will post more as I find out!

My niece is here!!

Before the Princess arrived!

The Happy Adams Family!

The sweetest Princess I know.

All decked out in brown and pink, plus a matching bow!

She was born Tuesday night at 10:53.  She weighed 7.6 and was 20.5 inches long.  She is absolutely beautiful and favors my sister quite a bit.  Her name is Reese and we are so proud to have her in our family!!!  Mommy, Baby, and Daddy are at home and doing so well!

I'm baaaack!

I just returned from visiting my very pregnant sister in Dallas.  We had a lot of fun, but still no baby.  Everything is ready for her, they are just waiting for the little princess to make her final debut.  She is already 7.7!!  Whoa Whoppa, look out!  I can't wait to have a niece!  In other news, it is Summer time!  I am thrilled!  I love the sunshine, the family time, the swimming pools, the sno-cones, and so much more.  I am anxious to get a semi-set schedule in place.  I plan to work on my Spanish and get ready to begin a Master's degree.  It is almost my 1 year anniversary to my precious husband Jaime.  My how time flies!  Lots of upcoming birthdays, anniversaries, and parties!  The summer will be over all too soon.  Prayerfully it will be a profitable summer, with each day being seized unto the Glory of God!  Be blessed this week as you seek Him.

Hope you enjoy the pics! 

Fotos de mi vida....

Little Brookie's Kindergarten Graduation Day

My Whoppa and Aunt Becky at Kristin's shower

My new green kitchen

Overgrowth no more

more updates in the living room

My precious nephew Tootie Ta

This is my sister in law and niece dancing (Hot stuff- I know)

These are all the Ellis women on Mother's Day

Ashton's graduation from Preschool with his Mom and Dad

Overdue Omelets

Hello my dear friends.  Much has happened in the last several weeks, and frankly my head is still spinning.  I will do a quick recap of all I can currently remember.

• my m.i.l. made it from Venezuela and is currently still here
• attended two graduations for a niece and a nephew
• got to meet (for the first time) the b.i.l., s.i.l., and niece from Vzla. (they were here for a week)
• another part of the fam visited for 3 days
• drove to Louisiana and back in only 3 days (LSU graduation for the nephew)
• sent my precious preschoolers off to have a wonderful summer
• packed up my room for good at the one and only JOY School, where I have spent the last 3.5 years of my life (bittersweet)
• spoken more spanish than I ever dreamed possible
• run more errands for other people than could be healthy (jk--I enjoyed serving my fam!)
• anything else major I will have to post later, as well as some great recap pics.
  

I pray you guys have a wonderful week and are tremendously blessed as you seek the Lord!  Happy Memorial weekend.

one million + one

I am still alive!!  The shower was a hit!  My sister was so grateful and she really enjoyed herself, which is all I wanted.  Praise the Lord!  We are still working on the house and little by little it is coming together.  Saturday afternoon we had the choice of painting our bedroom or demolishing our back yard.  We opted for the sunshine and the demolition work.  Whoa!!  It turned out to be a massive job, and we are still pulling up vines.  We cut down 3 eliagnises, trimmed 2 rose bushes, and destroyed a 10 year overgrown honeysuckle vine.  This vine had taken over and was even growing into our neighbors tree top!  My "brown" thumb and hand are very sore and I caught some hamstring-itis.  I am so thankful my husband and I get to work on our house together.  It makes laborious jobs so much easier!  

This week I am finishing up the backyard, painting our bedroom, and cleaning the house all in preparation for my dear suegra.  That means Mother-in-law in spanish.  That's right!  My dear Judy is coming this Saturday and she will be staying for a whole month.  Did I mention she only speaks spanish???  I made it 2 weeks prior to the wedding when she stayed here, but I was not living here then.  I am looking forward to her coming, but a little nervous on the language part.  Sometimes she just laughs at me or gives up when I am trying to talk to her.  It is quite a scene.  My brother in law and his wife are also coming from Venezuela for their daughter's college graduation.  I have not met them yet, so I am anxiously awaiting their arrival.  It will be a big family reunion on Jaime's side in honor of Mother's Day and Gabi's (my niece) graduation.  We are praying the Lord will bless this time together and that there will be little to no drama.....  Have I mentioned that I love FAMILY!  All of it!  The good, bad, and ugly sides that make each of us stronger and more thankful for the Lord's grace and mercy.  I pray you have a blessed week and are reminded how wonderful your own family is!  

A New Home

No, we did not buy a new house, but we are currently making our house a home.  My husband had lived in this house for 3 years and he had not even fixed the holes left from the previous owners.  He was as happy as a clam.  Needless to say, when I came along the demolition began!  I started by ripping off this incredibly hideous forest green wallpaper that had gold lightning strikes in it.  Then I proceeded to rip up gross carpet in the master bath.  ----Long break for the wedding and adjusting to married life.---Since then we have painted the office, the kitchen and the master bath.  Then I accidentally melted the top panel on the fireplace, so of course we had to replace it.  The much anticipated replacement happened yesterday.  (approx. 4-5 mos. later)  

Sheesh!  Making this house a home, has come with much difficulty for me.  It should be fun, but I get easily overwhelmed with making too many decisions.  Growing up, we always rented houses and moved quite frequently, so I think this added to my decorating dilemmas.  It's funny how your childhood subconciously affects your adulthood in so many ways.  

Anyhow, this coming weekend I am hosting my sister's baby shower here.  It is her first child, a baby girl, Reese Berit, and I want it to be very special.  So this weekend we have been so very busy fixing up our house.  It is looking good and it feels like home.  I woke up so excited this morning.  One because it is the Sabbath, and two I have a mostly decorated home!  I am telling you when you have a hard time making up your mind, and when there are 100 things to do, requiring decisions, one tends to get a little bogged down.  So that is where I have been, in a funk.  I finally asked the Lord to help me and He did.  I am so thankful He hears us when we cry out to Him and that He answers.  Praise the Lord the cloud has lifted and the sun is shining.  He has taught me so much this week.  (Will post more later).    

Still trying to figure out the stomach issues.  The doc found nothing to worry about, but a condition called IBS.  I am trying out a new medicine and flax seed oil.  Did I tell you I strongly dislike taking pills, but here goes another round.  Prayerfully we can figure this out.

Lastly this is going to be a super busy week.  Here's how it will go, Lord willing:  Preschool M&W, Bunco M Pm, Staff Meeting T Pm, Stepping Up Bible Study W Pm, Sister's shower S Am, plus Jaime and I are going to get back into the routine of going to the gym at 5:30AM.  Add about 30 more minor errands and there I will be.  Whoa, this is a long post.  Have a blessed week!!  

Weekend Getaway

This past weekend Jaime and I went to Medina for my great college friend's wedding.  We had a wonderful time getting out of town and enjoying each other's company.  Tiffany was a gorgeous bride and the wedding went so smoothly.  The ranch where she had it was amazingly beautiful and the day held plentiful sunshine.  I got to meet several of Tiff's friends from Dallas and I got to spend time with a few of my good friends from home.  The wedding began at 5:30 and ended after 11pm.  We danced and danced and danced some more!  We all had so much fun and we are thrilled that our dear friend Tiffy is married!  Now our circle of 5 are all wed..... Yeah!  Family vacations are in our future.

Phi Lamb Shuffle---Webster girl style

Me, Cami, and Hillary

Tiff and her groom Michael

It's Over

Wow, both of the procedures are over and I am a sore little girl.  They did not find anything abnormal, praise the Lord.  They did biopsy two places, just to see if I might have a parasite or some strange bacteria.  We should hear about those on Friday.  Can I just tell you Tuesday was a doozy!  I started drinking a full gallon of GoLytely at 12:45 and did not finish until 7:45pm.  That is no way to spend a perfectly great afternoon.  It was really, really bad.  And the name should be a little more fitting, i.e. "Horrible Metal-Tasting Salty Junk, or You Can Add Flavor and I Will Still Make You GAG."  I am pretty sure I read on the label description, "a refreshing mineral water flavor."  OH, oh, oh.  They were so wrong.  Praise the Lord it is over, and prayerfully we will figure out what is causing my belly to react the way it does.  I will post a pic, just so you can feel the pain of drowning in GoLytely fluid.  Have a wonderful day and thank you for praying for me.  

O-scopy!!

Well....the doctor ran some blood tests to check for Sprew and cancer, and he also lined me up for a colonoscopy and an EDG.  Anything with an "o-scopy" sounds really scary.  I have never had any kind of surgery in my entire life.  The nurse so gingerly explained to me that I will be conciously sedated and will not feel a thing.  I have never had to be sedated either, so I sure am praying my body will handle that well.  I am thankful for tests and doctors and the whole of the medical field, but I will shout for joy, when, prayerfully, all is finished, and my stomach is okay.  On to other news, Jaime is helping with a Walk to Emmaus this weekend and he has been gone since Thursday.  It is our first time to be apart since June 16, our wedding day.  It has gone well, but I sure miss my husband, and I am realizing how blessed I am to have him.  Harvey, our little Jack-Russell-Havanese mix, says hello to all.  I love dogs!  Have a blessed day.

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Okay, I think we are good now.  I have a doctors appointment today in regards to my stomach.  I have been having quite a bit of trouble lately and I am praying the GI doctor will be able to give me some answers.  I feel kind of run through the mill over this, after 6 years, and more recently quite a few tests!  Blaghhh!  On a much greater note, Psalm 32:1-2 says "How happy is the one whose transgressions is forgiven, whose sin is covered!  How happy is the man the LORD does not charge with sin, and in whose spirit is no deceit!"  Hallelujah!  The Lord is so merciful to us.  This was the main topic of my Stepping Up Bible study this morning.  Beth Moore does a wonderful job of teaching the Scriptures and helping them to be put directly into use.  I think this is my fourth study of hers and I have been tremendously blessed and challenged by them.  All of us are sinners and in need of such a great salvation, as only Christ Jesus can give.  So today I am going to rejoice in the forgiveness of ALL my sins, because Jesus forgave me, cancelled my debt, moved it out of the way and nailed it to the cross!!!!(Colossians 2:13-15)  Thank you King Jesus!   

Blogging 101

How much I have yet to learn from dear old blogging school!  This should be fun!  I am excited about my fam and friends all over the world getting to read this!  Now on to learn how to add your friends to the line up.  It is a bad weather day for our school, Yippee!!  Going to take the husband some lunch and then run a million and 2 errands!  Have a blessed day.

Yeah for firsts!

Blog land here I come!  I thought you could only do this if you have children!  Wrong!  I am really excited about having my own, after I have followed the lives of so many of my friends.  I also have a horrible memory, so I am hoping this will help!