New Recipes and New Resolutions

I came across this website and I think I may have a new list of recipes to try out and they all look easy and so delicious!!! Go check it out...I'm loving this. I'm hoping to get better this new year with meal planning. I always try to plan ahead and then seem to rush through when it's time to make my grocery list. I think I need to try to plan further ahead than just a week or two, but more like a month or two at a time so it will be easier for me to do my weekly grocery list. First I hope to use any extra ingredients in my pantry and then go from there. Having a big pantry area in my new home is lovely, but I feel that things have gotten lost in there that I forget that I have. So starting this new year I'm going to use them up and hopefully this recipe blog will help me with that.

My New Year's Resolution...get this house organized. We've lived here for a year now and I'm not happy with the junk I have in some of the closets and some boxes still unopened in the garage. So I'm looking to this lady for help..since she seems to be the queen of organizing. So 2012, let's hope I get things in gear and get my home organized and functioning as I would like it to be. Plus, with a new little one that will be, Lord willing, arriving this Summer (due to arrive July 10) I really need to get things in place before then. Yes, you read that right...I'm 12 weeks pregnant and feeling great. Hoping for a sweet, quiet little girl to calm my boys down. If I get another rambunctious boy that will be fine too. I love my boys.

I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for us in 2012.

Happy New Year everyone!

In ALL things God works for the good in those who love Him...

It has been a rough couple of days. I'm still in shock from it all. I don't even know where to begin to write... On Monday I went in for a 13 week checkup...expecting it to be routine. I met with the doctor and we discussed any questions I had and then talked how since I am going on vacation in two weeks that the next appointment we would schedule the ultrasound to see what we were having - a boy/girl. Then she used the doplar thing and couldn't get a heartbeat. This didn't surprise me since I've had this before with my other pregnancies. So we went to the ultrasound room to check again. They did a belly exam and still no heartbeat. Then I started crying and getting really nervous. They did a vaginal exam and it was clear - no heartbeat. I was shocked, shaking, alone... Joe stayed home with the boys since we figured it was just a routine appointment. I called Joe and had to discuss with him about meeting with a doctor for a D&C...it is still all a blur. I walked out of the office and cried the whole way home. How could this happen...when at 8 weeks I had a perfectly normal ultrasound and the baby seemed fine. The ultrasound tech this time said it did show that there was something abnormal with the baby.
The past couple of days have been quite emotional for me and Joe. It's hard to sleep knowing my little one is still inside me and I still feel pregnant and have no symptoms of a miscarriage. This afternoon we meet with the doctor who will be doing the D&C. I am going to ask for another ultrasound just because I don't feel any different and just want to check and make sure. We've read that there have been stories where the doctor made a mistake or for some reason the ultrasound machine didn't pick up the heartbeat. I am not expecting this to happen with me, unless God performs a miracle. Tomorrow I will be scheduled for a D&C.
It is hard to understand why this has happened. I am very thankful for friends & family who have called, emailed, etc. It is a great comfort knowing we are being prayed for. A friend emailed me this text today and it is the only way I will ever find peace or comfort in this situation: "And we know that in all things God works for the good in those who love Him." Romans 8:28

Please keep us in your prayers as we mourn our little one. Thankfully I can know that he/she is in heaven with our Lord and Savior. What better place could they be than rejoicing with our Lord.

We're settling in...

It's been one week since we arrived at our new home here in Chattanooga. Life definitely has changed a bit for us. Joe has a new job, which he is quite excited about and is already going to school most mornings and this week started going in the afternoon as well. For me it's a bit different since I am now always at home and I have no car since Joe takes the car to school. I'm enjoying staying at home with the boys. I wish I could get outside with them a bit more, but the heat here is incredible. It's been in the upper 90's most days and the humidity is extreme. So it's just a bit too hot to take them out, especially for Seth. We've taken Isaac swimming a few times and the pool water feels like warm bath water. We've gone on a few little outings in the area. Walmart and Target :) We went to a local park last Saturday morning at 8:30 and only could handle being there 30 min or so because it was already 85 degrees outside. I thought we could handle a bit more since we do have hot and humid days in the midwest, but it's crazy here lately. Yesterday we drove over near the Tennessee River where you can walk across it on a bridge that is meant just for pedestrians. Isaac loved that and kept saying.."Look at the Wiber (river), Mom!" and pointing out the blue bridge, etc etc. We walked to the Tennessee Aquarium where there was a steep downhill walk to get to it from the bridge. As long as we held onto the stroller it was fine, but on the way back we both had to push the stroller up hill in order to get the boys back up. We'll have to take Isaac's swimsuit with next time so he can play in the fountains. They have animals that are squirting water and fountains that squirt out of the ground that the kids can play in.
We had a great time this past Sunday visiting a small OPC here in Chattanooga. Isaac loved the Sunday School. He was a bit nervous at first, but once they sang "This is the day" (a song he knows) then he told me I could go and he wanted to sit by the kids. The pastor had us over for lunch and we enjoyed a nice time of fellowship with him and his family. They served cold tea as a drink and I guess it's a Southern thing. I'm thinking I might have to learn how to make it since it's expected to be served when you have guests over.
It's been interesting living in someone else's space. I don't have all the normal things I would cook with. Plus they have an electric stove/oven, which I don't do well with. I think that's common in most homes here, so I better get used to it. I prefer gas, but I hope to figure this out. We are definitely thankful to have such a nice place to live. It fits us comfortably and is working out really well. It's very convenient too since for Joe it's only a 10 minute drive to school.
One thing I am missing is adult conversation. I haven't had the opportunity to make any friends here yet...I mean it's only been a week. But I'm used to more interaction with other friends and that is a little hard for me. So feel free to leave a comment or email me or call me. We actually have done Skype a few times and that is great since you can see people on video as well and it's FREE!!

My Photography Website!!

I've finally been able to put a website together. I found a site that allows me to have 5 free webpages and I get to use all of their settings. Some day I hope to add more pages and details but for now this will have to do since I don't have much of a budget to work with. So here it is....introducing my new photography website:

http://raevenphotography.showitsite.com

Please give me any suggestions or advice about the site that you think might be better. I'm always welcome to new ideas. So this is one thing checked off my list of the many things I'd like to have done. Next will be business cards, price list, maybe a blog of my photo sessions....we'll see. Right now with running after a 2 year old, working part time, pregnant - due April 3, and taking care of the house, I'm not sure how much longer my list of things, that I'd like to accomplish BEFORE the baby comes, can get. It will be interesting to see how many photo shoots I get this coming Spring/Summer/Fall. I already have a few senior sessions that just need to be scheduled once the weather is nicer. I really enjoy those. It's fun being creative and incorporating props and stuff that the seniors are into. I also am looking forward to taking some pics of my friend's two girls. We are hoping to set up a tea party and make the shoot a lot of fun. I can't wait. Well, until then...enjoy the website and let me know what you think!

Take a guess - boy or girl?

I hope this picture is okay to post online for all to see. It's quite obvious, but in case you can't tell what the baby is, we are having another boy! Do you think it's okay to post this in his baby book? It is quite humorous, but I'm not sure if he will some day think that same thing :) We told Isaac he is going to have a little brother and he seemed excited. It's hard to tell how much he understands. He just repeats everything we say to him. He's like a little parrot. It's so fun watching him grow and learn new things every day. This morning we ran a quick errand and on the way home he exclaimed, "Mom, the trees are different colors!" I didn't even realize he paid attention to stuff like that much less knew how to put that sentence together. He amazes us every day with what is going on in his 2 year old brain.
We are looking forward to Thanksgiving next week. It is a great time to spend with family and friends and also reflect on how thankful we are for all God has blessed us with. He has blessed us so abundantly.

Baby Update

I just scheduled my ultrasound for next week Saturday morning. Thankfully it's at a time where Joe is able to come along. He is now coaching the girls basketball team so that leaves zero open evenings. I am super excited because we are going to find out if the baby is a boy or girl - as long as the baby cooperates. Of course, we will tell family first and then I'll post about it so you all might have to wait a bit before finding out. We didn't find out with Isaac so we decided that we would find out this time around. Well, that's my tidbit of news for today. I had fun scrapbooking at a friend's house tonight - can't even remember the last time I scrapbooked. It's been way too long. I really need to get caught up on that. But for now it's late and I'm going to bed. Big weekend coming up - Isaac's birthday party!

NW Indiana Flood Zone

As many of you have probably seen on the news in the past week, NW Indiana and parts of Chicago were hit by heavy rains from remnants of Hurricane Ike. Please pray for the residents who had to evacuate their homes because of the flooding. Also many roadways are closed due to the flooding so it is very difficult for people to get where they need to go. Here is a video from a local news station for more info.
We also need to keep in mind those who were affected by Hurrican Ike in Texas as well. Many people may feel lost and without hope. May they look to our great God for comfort. He controlled the powerful storms and he will give us hope in trying times.
I have to admit that when we first experienced flooding it was when we lived in Washington. We never thought we would have flooding like that here in this area. It is quite a site to see.