Modern, Original, Christian Artwork

Dustin turned 30 yesterday! Somehow, despite the fact that I am still over 2 years older than him, him turning 30 makes me feel like less of a cradle robbing cougar! Happy birthday, Booger! I love you and can't wait to meet our son - that's my BIG birthday present to you this year - let's see anyone try to top that! I've got it in the bag!

22 Minutes left in his 20's: http://youtu.be/_bmnTeM7_4s

The card from my parents ... pretty funny ... and true!

Dustin's birthday brunch ... keeping it simple - the simpler it is, the more likely it will end up being edible when I'm the cook!

My parents emailed 'Happy Birthday Pictures to Dustin from my mom & dad...

Our 9 year anniversary is today. It doesn't feel like it's been that long that we've been married - I think that's a good thing. Even though we didn't know God when we met, we were not serving Him or seeking to please Him - quite the opposite, really - and it was not in a godly atmosphere the we met (we met @ the Lizard Lounge in Dallas), I firmly believe it was God that brought us together. Dustin really is my other half and I am his. We compliment each other perfectly, where 1 falls short, the other is strong in that area, when 1 of us is discouraged, the other builds up and encourages, we support each other and work really well together, we think a lot alike, but differently enough to help each other see when one of us is not seeing all sides of a situation ... we are not afraid to tell each other the truth, we've always been honest with each other, even when it hurt, Dustin stayed with me through some very dark times in the beginning of our marriage and has been my rock when it comes to self discipline - he's going to be such a good father and he really is my best friend, as cheesy and cliche as that sounds, it's the truth. He has a beautiful heart, I love that he loves animals and living things - like our tree, Willy - as much as I do, even though he calls me a dirty hippie, I think he's a closet dirty hippie and just can't admit it to himself. I love him so much and I feel so blessed that I ended up with the man I did as my partner in this life. I'm looking forward to growing up (neither of us quite feel like we are there yet) and growing older together. ...and, he's as easy on the eyes today as he was the day we met, which is nice for me! I love you, Booger! HAPPY 9 Year Anniversary!

We attempted to do a belly mold at my mom's house this weekend. We had read online to lather up with Vaseline so the plaster wouldn't stick once it hardened, but ultimately, the Vaseline kept the plaster from drying on the inside - the part actually against my body - so we are going to have to do another one with no Vaseline, which is fine with me - soap and water does very little to get Vaseline off and I went home feeling pretty gross from it! This is what we are aiming for. This is not mine - this is a lady from Ottawa Canada that does belly molds for a living ...

Last week we had a diagnostic sonogram & I was told Asher is measuring small, but yesterday, at my prenatal appointment, I had gained 2 lbs. in a week and my stomach was measuring 34 cm, which is in normal range almost - I'll be 37 weeks on Friday and they like you to measure 2cm in either direction of your actual week - so, I was 36 weeks and 4 days yesterday, so they want me between 34-38 cm. My stomach is getting bigger, so I'm not worried about it. God is knitting him together in my womb, and has been the whole time, and he will be born fully developed in all ways and beautiful and I can't wait!

Psalm 139:13-16: For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was intricately and curiously wrought together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.

The diagnostic sonogram - you'll need the sound to know what you're looking at - Dustin couldn't be there, so the sonographer let me tape the whole thing: http://youtu.be/8z4J7Z7sGnw

In other news, I had to bite the bullet and have a tooth extracted this past Saturday while I was wide awake - they can't even give you gas if you're pregnant. And, OF COURSE, it ended up being a stubborn tooth. The dentist said it had been a long time since it had taken him longer than 15-20 minutes to extract a tooth on someone ... it took an hour and a half! I still can't believe I did it - I'm very proud of myself. I usually pay extra to be sedated completely for anything other than cleanings and cavities and I take calming prescription meds for anything I have to be awake for ... The dentist, Dr. Travis Campbell, came in on his day off just to pull it - I was in SO MUCH PAIN - and then he let me come to the office he works out of on Monday's b/c I was exceptionally sore and it seemed to me I was more sore than I should be, given it was day 2 - seemed like it should be feeling better, not worse. Also, b/c I'm pregnant, I can only take Tylenol 3 with codeine for pain - it's a far cry from the normal pain meds they would prescribe for an extraction (I've had 8 teeth pulled and 5 dental implants. Dr. Campbell put something into the socket that tasted like cloves, but eased the pain and put me on Ammoxicillin 500 to get rid of the infection and I am feeling much much better every day. Our baby shower is this Saturday and I was worried I wouldn't be able to eat - that was at the top of my list of concerns - lol ... but I will and I'm very happy about it! Thank you to Dr. Campbell for being so accommodating and patient and available - I would have put my head through a wall if I had had to wait until this week to get that tooth out and I was thinking of doing the same on Monday before I got in to see him ... all's well that ends well!

Dustin spent a good hour the night of the extraction making me drinkable meals for the next day b/c he was going to be at work and didn't want me to have to be standing over the stove making soupy mashed potatoes ... did I mention what an awesome husband I have?

380 Family Dentistry: http://www.380dental.com/

This is out of place. The day of the diagnostic sonogram, I was pretty upset and worried after being told Asher was measuring small ... Dustin came home from work with flowers ... it was really sweet.

... and, I'll finish with some pics of the manimals, as usual ... we thought we had all female mice b/c none of them have turned up pregnant and we've had them since early summer ... we were wrong. 1 turned up pregnant and then less than a week later another had 6 babies also, so we have somewhere around 16 mice, all of which will be released into the wild this Spring! We may have to let the male go sooner though ...

HAPPY HUMP DAY!!!