My Pregnant Self

Electrical misfiring. That is what I feel like is happening in my brain. It's the pregnancy, I know. I will say the opposite of what I mean ("I'm cold" when I'm actually hot.) or something totally different than what I mean ("Put that down" when I mean close the door.) It's embarrassing, it's frustrating.... it's comical.

Other than the breakdown of my mental faculties, I am just fine.

At almost 32 weeks, I am feeling lots of bumps and love taps from this wee baby. Who, by the measurements of my last ultra sound, may not be so "wee" as expected. She looked a good 2-3 weeks big. So maybe her debut will be sooner than Oct. 20 or maybe I will be delivering a 10 pound baby. Can I order my epidural NOW?

I still feel pretty well most of the time, though I am slowing down. And OKAY OKAY I'll admit it: I occasionally waddle. I try to stop myself but honestly, it just feels so good to let those hips be free and do as they will. So around the house, I happily waddle away, but while out and about I concentrate on walking normally.

It seems I have two options these days: drink the correct amount of water and be up every 2 hrs during the night OR not drink enough water and spend a good portion of the night battling horrible cramps in my legs. I'm *trying* to drink the water but some days I miss the quota.

The name game is at a stand still at the moment. I have posted a note pad on our fridge where the list of possibilities is kept. Sometimes I scribble a rejected name out, only to re-write it a day or two later. Currently, Seth and I are entertaining the idea of choosing 3 names: one for a red headed girl, one for a brunette, and one for a blond. Or maybe we'll just name her after the nicest nurse in the OB ward. We could make it a contest and see if we get superb care as a result. Or maybe we'll name her Katherine, Jr. Do you all even know my actual name is Katherine? Well, it is. But no one ever calls me Katherine. Seth calls me Kate, or Babe. You may call me Kayte or Kate... but not Babe. That would just be weird. Maybe we'll name the baby "Babe". Kinda sound like that pig movie though, huh? we really should just name her "Maddie-uh Eden uh-you there being naughty!" cause that's what we call the other girls.

Most of this pregnancy, my primary craving was salad... but now the pendulum has swung the other way. I want Big Macs. I'm hanging my head in shame right now. =) But I have created a less horrific alternative: Mini Macs. After explaining to a cashier at McDonald's that I really craved the taste of a Big Mac but could not handle eating such a massive burger, she suggested the following:

Order a McDouble off the dollar menu. Add Big Mac sauce and shredded lettuce.

The result: Satisfaction. Peace in your soul. Sauce on your shirt. Onion on your breathe.

McDonald's and I are are really too well acquainted. The lady in the drive through is one of my closest friends. (Slight exaggeration). It's not entirely my fault though... youth pastors (and therefore their wives) eat fast food. It's part of the job description. Really, when we die early deaths due to heart blockages from all the cholesterol, we should be nominated for martyr hood.

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On a serious note, my mother in law is still in the hospital. She is in ICU today following a laproscopic procedure to biopsy her lungs. She has been on oxygen for a few days and has shown no improvement with various treatments. The results from today's samples will not be in for several days. Please pray that she is at least stable while we wait for results. Her illness has progressed over the past month and doctors are still unsure of what is causing her trouble or how to fight it. We are trusting in the Great Physician and know that He is not dumbfounded. He's always good and always in control.

"Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;" Psalm 103:1-3

Love,

I made a dress... sorta

My latest mis-adventure in sewing: There are lots of wonderful tutorials out there to describe the correct way to sew a dress. Some people actually break down and buy a pattern. But not this girl. And so I will now teach you the very INcorrect way to sew a dress for your daughter.

1. Pay way too much for material.

As I passed by this adorable shirred fabric the other day, I thought, Hmmm... I think I could make dresses for my girls out of that! The pre-shirred fabric seemed like a wanna-be seamstresses best friend. And I loved the bugs and butterflies, and the fact that it was not pink. We're starting to divide our laundry into whites, darks and pinks. So yellow was a welcomed change of pace. I took the bolt to be cut, paying little attention to the price. It was mixed in with the inexpensive cottons and I only needed a yard, maybe a yard and a half to be safe. (As indicated by the make believe pattern in my head). The material was cut and I received my little slip of paper to take to the register. I glanced at it on my way... $18.00?!?!!!!!! groan BUT if I could make the intended 3 dresses from it, it still was cheaper than buying them AND they would match AND I would have the pleasure of making them.

2. Sew a right side and a wrong side together.

Can I blame pregnancy for that one? It's a little embarrassing. I did not even notice this serious blunder until putting it on Madison. I simply wanted to check the hem length and figure out where to work on sleeves when I noticed the front was suspiciously brighter than back of the dress. Oops.

3. Don't bother measuring.

The first version of the dress fit Maddie perfectly. But since I had sewed the panels together with a right side facing a wrong side, I had to start again. No problem, I though. I'll just cut the seams out and it will no doubt fit Eden just right. I will simple cut a new one out for Maddie and hopefully have enough for the newest little McCoy girlie, too. So that is what I started to do. I then had to majorly adjust the length for Eden, which meant cutting a few inches out of the middle of the dress (because the cute stuff is all over the bottom edge of the material, you see). To make it look cute when I put the top and bottom back together, I did that ruffle business below the shirring. And if you look carefully at the photo, the ruffles do not line up. They aren't even the same width. Oh well. It's that special touch that says "My mom made this".

4. Assume it will fit the recipient. Kids don't grow that fast, after all.

I had it to the stage you see in the picture before I thought it would be a good time to try it on Eden. I really did think it would fit her fine. I simply wanted to figure out where to put sleeves (you don't even want to know how I planned to do that... very unorthodox!).

I did not fit... at all. It wouldn't have fit her 6 months ago.

So there you have it. 4 easy steps to making a mess on your dining room table.

And so, THIS dress will be the baby's. I have decided to put away the rest of the material lest I ruin it all. When this baby fits the dress, I will practice sleeves on it. And then, maybe by then I can successfully make matching ones for Eden and Maddie. (Or maybe this poor dress will end up on a stuffed bear! HA, and I though Build-a-Bear was expensive!)

In the meantime, I may learn to read a pattern.

Love,

P.S.

Thank you to those who have been praying for my mother in law. Mrs. McCoy went to the ER on Friday where they determined that while she does have viral and bacterial pneumonia (as we already knew), there is an infection of some sort and her lungs appeared "abnormal". She will be seeing a specialist tomorrow. It has been several weeks since the pneumonia began but in the last 2 weeks she has really declined. She literally can not get out of bed. Having always been a person who gets up and gets going even when sick, she is truly not well. Please continue to pray for her.

Can I ask you to pray?

My mother in law, Mrs. Christine McCoy is very ill right now. She started out with viral pneumonia which has lingered for about a month. It has escalated and now she has bacterial pneumonia as well. Please pray for her. She is really very sick. She has been on antibiotics but her fever persists. She needs the Healer's touch.

Thank you, friends!

Love,

Busy Beaver!

*phew!*

I have been one busy beaver! And really, I like being busy, especially about our church and ministry. I feel so thankful to be an assistant pastor's wife... our life is so rich and blessed.

I mean, don't get me wrong... we're eating mac-n-cheese for dinner these days like the rest of America, BUT we're still very rich and blessed, in a different way. ;)

My family has had a whirl wind of a month and a half, and no signs of slowing down soon. Lots of church projects underway (anyone wanna help me wall paper the ladies' room?) amid two youth conferences, a family conference that our family was super blessed to be able to go to, and let's not forget that I am busy growing a human being here. My energy levels were fantastic until about 2 weeks ago when suddenly, as soon as lunch was consumed, the only word my lips could form was "Naaaaa- naaaaaaaaa- naaaaaaaaap!!!!!!"

And then in the mix of the business and tiredness of being almost 8 months pregnant, I decided that it was perfectly logic time to cut an entire 8 inches of my hair off.

Oh please stop gasping, people! It will grow back!

Oh was that just me gasping? Ahem, yes. I liked it for exactly 8 minutes. Then when I got into the car and Seth expression was something like Where is all you hair? and I hope my face isn't showing that I'm not love with it. And then I realized.... I had gone temporarily hormonal induced insane.

Of course Seth is extremely kind and sweet to me... he assures me over and over than he would love me and think I'm beautiful when I am bald. Or when I weigh 500 lbs. These sentiments don't seem to have the romantic effect on me, which is baffling to him.



Later that same day, we took a break from working (and lamenting hair no more) to treat the girls to a local fair. It was a very inexpensive fair, without allot of fancy bells and whistles which made it perfect for out little ones.

A few simple rides, including the giant slide, a couple of huge yummy cookies, and look see at some gorgeous prize winning flowers.

Summer is getting away from us again, I'm afraid. It's never quite long enough for me! But this year, I actually look forward to summer fading to fall so I can met my newest baby girl. We had another ultra sound this week, and she looked well but BIG. She is measuring about 3 weeks larger than my due date would indicate. So I need to either have my due date changed or get the epidural ordered before I even step into the hospital. ;)

Love,

Hi Friends!

Hi Friends!

Life around here has been extremely busy, as my lack of posting reflects. I have to say though: I like being busy. Honestly, I do.

We have lots of projects needing attention at church and it's my privilege to work on them with my husband. What a great gig we have! ☺

The girls have little summer colds right now. I really love the ages they are at right now. Maddie is soaking up everything around her. Eden is developing the quirkiest little personality you ever saw! She makes me laugh all day long. Two is anything but terrible with her... as long as the Sharpies are kept out of reach, of course!!

I hope you are enjoying these warm summer days! I am enjoying them... from inside where it is cool! Our blissful weather has caused the garden to burst at it's seams with veggies! Tonight's menu: Garden veggies in pasta with homemade Alfredo sauce! It sounds so delicious to me! I'm not sure how Seth will respond when he sits down to dinner tonight and there is no meat on the table. ;) When I tell him how little I spent on dinner, I think he will be pleased at least!

Happy Tuesday! ☺

Love,