second ultrasound

We had a second ultrasound this afternoon, which confirmed that there is no baby. All I can say is that it's better to know, than to wonder. I was way past the point of caring about the cost...I just wanted to know.

Tomorrow I'm going to look into the pro's and con's of a D&C. If anyone has any experience there, I'd love to hear about it.

It's the little things...

On Saturday night, I went to the sink to wash a spatula so I could use it to frost Brayden's birthday cake, and noticed that Todd had re-filled our soap dispenser that had run out of dish soap. So I thanked him.

He looked at me funny, and then said:

Today I ran power to the bathroom downstairs, hooked up an outlet and three light switches, installed two light fixtures, installed a new faucet in the bathroom upstairs, and made icing for Brayden's birthday cake....and you're thanking me for re-filling the soap dispenser?

But see, the thing that he doesn't get, is that re-filling the soap dispenser saved me a few minutes when I was tired, and I was grateful. I probably would've thanked him for changing the toilet paper roll too....but that didn't happen :o).

I am ALSO grateful that he did all that other stuff, because we are well on our way to a second bathroom.

Thank you Todd! I am so grateful for all you do for us, but especially the little things, like scraping the frost off the van window in the morning, getting up early to light the fire so our house is warm when we get up, and throwing in loads of laundry, or remembering to rotate it when I forget.

You are my "happy thought" and I love you for...you.

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa S!

Brayden's 8th Birthday (OR) Felicia is drowning in a sea of testosterone

The birthday boy, saving the day.

I got the (brand new) costume on ebay for 99 cents.

The display. The dollar store was packed full of Spiderman stuff,

so I gave myself a $10 limit, and went to town. My mom used to go all out for our birthdays...blowing up that balloon and taping it to the ceiling above our chair.

I had a lot to live up to. :o)

Brayden dramatically collapsed when he saw the display.He got his scout stuff...

...and a scooter!

He asked for strawberry milk (yuck!), which we had with

muffins and oranges (his favorite food).

The boys blew their party blowers(?) until they were so full of spit they fell apart. Always a hit.

Spiderman vs...the green leprechaun??

"Web slinging" with silly string. Yes, Mom, they are wearing shorts, and yes it's freezing cold outside. Luckily, it only took about 30 seconds.

I bought silly string for each of the kids (make that 3 of the kids...the 34 yr. old was a bit upset at being left out). So, he "helped" Dillon....while wearing his SUIT PANTS!@#!

We got trick candles, but our Spiderman was too smart.

He blew them all out, and they didn't re-light.

I had never made, or even tried, a red-velvet cake, but it reminded me of Spiderman, so we did it. Not bad, just...not chocolate. Todd made the cream cheese icing.

Here are the boys, playing with fire, trying to figure out why the trick candles didn't re-light, and what would happen if they burned the entire candle??

As I left to come downstairs to download these pictures, I heard: "What would happen if we lit our eyebrows on fire?"

Heaven help me.

10 things I love (and hate) about my house/yard

My friend, Mindy, did this on her blog and I thought it sounded fun.

10 things I love:

-the aspen trees in my backyard
-the country lookin' fence
-the branch of my crabapple tree that grows apples
-my dining room wall (after I removed the 70's wood paneling)
-the boys' bedroom after we painted it
-my new kitchen floor (it hides everything)
-the window boxes that Todd made
-it is inexpensive to heat
-there is a separate room for my quilting machine
-We have good neighbors
-We live on a quiet street

10 (or more) things I hate:

1- the rock and the brick behind the stove....and the stove. It always looks dirty no matter how much I clean it, and I want different doors so I can see the fire :o) Someday I hope to cover the brick and rock with NEW rock. Don't tell me to paint it....the only thing worse than ugly brick, is ugly brick that's been painted.

2- Notice something missing? It's called a garage. I need one.

3- This "growth chart" is on my master bedroom wall from a previous owner. I plan to paint, but it's oil based so I have to prime it first, and that's what's holding me back.

4- The kitchen cabinets, and of course the famous orange countertops.

5- The crumbling cement on my steps, and the "dead" chainsaw that has been living there for over a month...

6- The electric heat in the ceiling that causes the ceiling to expand and contract and CRACK.

7- My stairway is just nasty. There's no other words. And of course the large orange sign that everyone ignores just adds to the beauty.

8- My unfinished basement ceiling, that has to be pulled out so we can figure out the wiring. There is no electricity in the family room, so we run extension cords.

9- The brown shag in the master bedroom. You can go over it four times with the vacuum, and it still brings up new "layers" of crud.

10- HATE the ugly thermostats all through the house, but when we tried to replace one of them, we couldn't find an electric thermostat that would work.

11- This light switch cover is in the master bedroom. I have a million new ones downstairs...I just haven't bothered to change it yet.

Still waiting...

My blood test results came back, and my HCG levels are going up, however that can also happen with a blighted ovum. So basically....I know nothing. I'm supposed to have another blood test next Thursday, but I will be out of town.

The "not knowing" is really starting to wear me down. I am frustrated, and I don't feel well.

The words to a hymn just came to my mind, so I will post them, and then try to get on with my day and accomplish something.

How gentle God’s commands!

How kind his precepts are!

Come, cast your burdens on the Lord

And trust his constant care.

Beneath his watchful eye,

His Saints securely dwell;

That hand which bears all nature up

Shall guard his children well.

Why should this anxious load

Press down your weary mind?

Haste to your Heav’nly Father’s throne

And sweet refreshment find.

His goodness stands approved,

Unchanged from day to day;

I’ll drop my burden at his feet

And bear a song away.

Still hopin' for a miracle

I finally talked to the doctor, and my HCG level is between a 5 and 8 week pregnancy.

This is a little behind my calculations, but it is consistent with the ultrasound that I had.

So...I have to have another blood test today (hopefully results tomorrow) to see if my HCG level is going UP.....or down.

And the duck pecking continues...