Ten Days!

Well, I started a post last Thursday night, but much has changed since then, so I'll just start over.  It's now Saturday evening, April 14th.  Lowell took this picture last Wednesday night of the crib in our room.  We get to borrow it for as long as we need to.  :o)  It's beautiful and in great shape!  Thanks Ann!

 

Last fall we moved upstairs to the long room before I knew I was pregnant, but it has plenty of space for us and Cayla.  Haven't done any decorating up there.  We were given  some flowers that hang on the wall and this beautiful white crib.  I didn't have any bedding, bumper pads or anything more than sheets for the crib, but wasn't too worried.  For some reason, I'm not feeling like I'm in any hurry... I have a little over a week.  I don't know what's up with me, but oh well.  I stopped in to see a friend yesterday and she gave us a beautiful bedding set that had the exact same flowers in it that are for the wall!  So, last night I washed it all, and Lowell and I put it all on the crib and it's so cute!  He even put the flowers up on the wall.  This is so amazing how God works.  There's a baby shop in Jefferson I believe is called "Another Time Around."  She said this was the only bedding set they had and it's not like she had a bunch to choose from.  But that it matched perfectly is so neat and it was brand new considering it's a used baby store.  If you haven't been in there yet, you should!  Such inexpensive baby things... especially clothes. So anyways, it's just great to see how God so perfectly meets our needs.  Here's a picture of the crib now and a picture of me and my hubby.  And yes, I finally got my hair cut Friday afternoon!  Feels so much better!   :o)  Amazing what a simple thing like a hair cut can do for morale...

Lowell called me from work yesterday to say they had baby shower for Cayla at his work.  Wasn't that just sweet?  He said they had a really cute cake with her name and a duck on top.  They sent home the whole top cake with the duck, very cute.  I didn't get a picture before they started eating it today.  But his boss took pictures of it all and said she'd email them to us.  Don't have them yet, but will have to post some when she sends them.  They gave us a Wal Mart gift card and this so soft and cuddly, purple baby blanket with Cayla's name on it.  Lowell's standing behind it on the end of the crib.  Here's another picture of it below.  You can kind of see the back of it through the crib.  It's black with purple and pink flowers all over it.  Very special blanket, and I am so glad God has given Lowell a work place that is so good!  He really enjoys the people he works for and works with.  They even got a bag and gift for big brother Samuel.  :o)  They gave him a family pack of 4 free movie tickets.  He's been waiting patiently to see "The Avengers".  I'm not even sure that's the title, and I have no idea when it's coming out, but I think it's got all the Marvel comic book characters in it like Captain America, Thor, Hulk and others that he has really wanted to see.  I have absolutely no interest in it, so he's already decided he wants to go with Lowell and 2 friends, Joseph and Gary.   Let's just say that made his day!  Thank you to all his office co-workers for the special gifts.  We already bought a few diapers from it last night to have when we bring Cayla home.  Wow, was that weird buying diapers last night...

This is a picture from last Sunday on Easter.  Samuel's sporting his new purple shirt, tie and pants.  He's looking so grown up these days.  Although at 16, he's still not quite as tall as Lowell's 6'3", but pretty close.  Love my boys and looking forward to having Cayla to balance the boy/girl ratio out in the house.  :o)

I guess while I'm posting pictures, I might as well post a pregnant picture I didn't put up from when I had 4 weeks to go.

Ok, moving on. I had a doctor visit last Thursday with Dr. Kayland I think her name was.  The ultrasound tech did her test on Cayla and she got all 8 points fairly fast.  She measured her and Cayla is now 6 lbs. 15 oz.!  :o)  She's right on target.  We had to do another non-stress test and she did fine.  She told me to lay very low this week.  Cayla seems to be in position and could decide to come early if I'm not careful.  I see Dr. Rajabi again next Thursday for my last appointment.   

Dr. Mayock I think his name is, that gave me the physical last week at Cleveland Clinic, called me this week asking me to get some blood work done Thursday while at Hillcrest.  So I did.  He said he wanted to check my potassium and kidney functions and other things.  Well, he called me this morning on a Saturday to tell me that all my levels of everything he checked were "outstanding".  Ok, but then he said he had to list my kidney function as abnormal because it was so high above normal.  I don't understand that, and he didn't really explain it, other than to say it's great and I'm super healthy.  I guess I'm just going to have to let it go and not try to figure it out... Nice to know I'm healthy.  All this they're doing is apparently because my pregnancy is "high-risk".  Just so blessed to have great insurance.  We got a bill from Cleveland Clinic this week too.  I have only been to them since February.  This bill was not including previous appointments with my regular, local OB, just since I started seeing Dr. Rajabi, it was for just under $12,000 already!!!  I haven't even had the C-section yet, nor Cayla have any of her operations that might be forthcoming...  I can forsee this bill increasing tremendously before the end of this year.  Our insurance covers 80% and we pay 20% up untill our family deductible is met at $2,500, then they cover 100%.  They said our part due was around $900.  This is all so, so surreal what it's costing and how much insurance is paying.  I looked at what things were costing and they listed one of the ultrasounds done at one of my visits with 3-D and who knows what, at $975!  Ok, moving on... but God is providing is all I can say!  He is taking care of us in miraculous ways! 

Wow, it's already 10pm and I'm exhausted.  Oh, I was going to say it was great having a friend come over last Wednesday who helped me clear my dining room table, mopped my bathroom floor and drove me around town to do my errands.  Thanks Kim!  You blessed me greatly!  And Samuel and I love hearing your stories that kept us laughing!  :o)

I have given up on making announcements... I was doing 2-step stamping with ink pads that eventually do need to be reinked, but I can only find the refills for 1 out of the 4 colors I'm using.  It was taking too long and we have come up with plan B.  Gotta love plan B's.  :o)  I might use the ones I've done as thank you's or something.  We'll see.  

I know there was more I was going to say, but can't quite remember sitting here feeling sleepy.  We're down to 10 days!  Amazing.  I love being pregnant and feeling her move around in there.  It's so, so amazing to think there's a baby in there.  I know, I'm tired and pregnant, so this is what comes out when I write.  As much as I love being pregnant, I can't wait to have her in my arms and love on her!  It's not long now. :o)

I really would like to ask you to continue to pray for Cayla and what all she'll have to face after birth.  Have no idea what it will be, but God does.  Keep praying also for my sugar levels that morning of delivery to be right, and that our precious Cayla Joy will be patient and wait until Tuesday the 24th.  :o)  We appreciate the love, support, prayers, money, and so much more that we have been blessed with by so many of you!  Thank you all who've been following us so far for all of this!  For all you reading this, here's a prayer from us for you and a good one for us too!

"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you,

 and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will

in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing,

being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 

Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power,

unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;"

Colossians 1:9-11.