GREAT FREESTYLE!!!!

This was such a fun dance...and exactly why I have cheered for this couple since the beginning!!!!!! How cute is Helio?? At the end he is just so excited and says I did it!! Like he couldnt believe he could...so cute! Im so hoping they win!!! Doesnt that look like fun to learn?? Lets all take lessons for the next Dunham Dance!!

Tagged....

Ok..Ive been tagged. Thanks alot Kristin...I have to write 7 things you may or may not know about me. And Im tagging EVERYONE on my Blog list....if you dont know who you are...check my list to the right and have fun!!

1. My favorite favorite time of year is Christmas. I love everything about the season. I love decorating and putting up the tree. I love baking and doing gingerbread houses with the girls. I love listening and singing along to Christmas music. I love reflecting on the meaning of the season and attending the Nativity each year. I love the anticipation, the shopping, the wrapping, the gifts under the tree. I love egg nog, homemade chocolates, visits with friends and Christmas parties. I love a cozy fire and watching the twinkling lights on the tree. I love each Christmas that we spend alternately with our extended family....it is always crazy but so much fun. I will miss all of this desperately this year....

2. I love to sing tho Im not any good. If Im alone in the car...Im singing. If Im alone in the house...Im singing. If Im cleaning...Im singing. I love tons of music and enjoy many genres....starting with disco 70's & Abba!

3. Im ADDICTED to Dancing with the Stars!!! I secretly wish I could learn all the dances and just dance!! It is so fun to watch and I love seeing the different choreography! I watch religiously every week...but dont watch the results show. I just check on the internet. This season I have loved watching Helio and Julianne. They are dynamic and his smile is so darn cute! How could you not vote for him???? The finales are next Monday..so tune in and vote!!

4. I love love love the beach, ocean and sun! While living in Florida we visited the beach as much as possible. These were my favorite moments! I loved going with Mike and the girls to the beach and sometimes just Mike ;)!! The beach/ocean is different each time you go. I love the hot sun, the sticky white sand, the crashing waves, the salt on your lips and I love playing with the girls in the waves!!!! Oh I miss it.....

5. I am SOOOOOOOOOOO excited....after 14+ years...to finally (hopefully) get in my 1st house!!!! We have waited so long...and lived in so many places. I cant wait to be in a place of my own....to do with it what I want....to decorate it and make it a home. To get us all organized....oh to be out of boxes and organized! I may have a huge bonfire and all are invited to attend the burning of the boxes!!!! I have loved choosing every detail (tho it was nerve racking)...I love that we will move in and have hand picked every last detail..making it ours. Cant wait...cant wait....

6. The hardest moment of my life was learning that my sweet 9 month old daughter had a brain tumor. Things like that..you just dont expect them to happen to you. I remember distinctly so many moments of that experience....from the moment Mike held my hand in the waiting room of the MRI department and told me that Emily had a tumor, from meeting with the surgeon and learning about the invasive procedure that they wanted to perform on her....from kneeling in her nursery with Mike pleading for the life of our daughter, sitting by her side in ICU as she came out of surgery hooked to every possible machine you could imagine and watching tears stream from her eyes. This was a difficult time for me and one I dont care to revisit often. It changed me and strengthened me. Im so grateful for our family, friends and the knowledge of the gospel that we have...that carried me through this time.

7. I married the greatest guy! I love and adore him to pieces. He is handsdown the hardest worker I know. He has grown and thrived through his medical training...never faultering in his strong desire to be a physician and help people. He works insane hours and I dont know how he does it! He deals with stresses that I cant imagine. He deals with life and death every day...and handles the pressure. He is a great husband and father. I love that he can come home from a 4 day/3night shift at the hospital and pay special attention to each girl and work math problems and work on letter formation. He loves getting the girls outside to do anything. He adores his girls and is excited to have a son! He handles and balances his life perfectly and inspires me to be and do better! Im so lucky to have him in my life!!

Ok..there you have it. That was hard. Good luck to all tagged!!

Home Rest.....

Ok...Im ready to blog...I had to come to terms with my assessment with my OB yesterday. The doctor has put me on what we will call 'home rest'. I am not to leave the house (I did get permission to pick up Paige from Kindergarten everyday..as long as I drive). I can only leave the house for my ultrasounds and checkups. I need to be laying or sitting as much as possible....at least 3 (3 hour) periods per day. I can be on my feet for less than 20 mins at a time and do occasional stairs( I didnt mention how many stairs are in this place). I am not tied to my bed...I can do laundry as long as Im not hauling, I can prepare light meals as long as they take less than 20mins and luckily I can still work for Mike in short periods. The goal is to keep pressure off the placenta to deter bleeding as long as possible. If or when I bleed it is possible delivery time for baby...and at 27 weeks it is still far too early for him to come. I have a nurse that will check in on me 2 or 3 times a week and a direct link to an ambulance in case of bleeding. Soooo.....that is the update. Im less than thrilled ( a bit teary to be chained down)...but glad Im not stuck in a bed. At least I can do little things to keep this family functioning. I sat down with the girls and explained that getting this baby here..safely and healthy is now a family affair and we are all going to have to work hard. They are anxious to help and most concerned about the baby. I love these girls and am so glad they are willing to pitch in..I love to see their enthusiasm and love for a little brother whom they havent even met yet!

Baby Update....

Okay... I met with my doctor last week and had a detailed ultrasound yesterday. To save myself explaining this I will blog it. At my last ultrasound I was diagnosed with Complete Placenta Previa (CPP) and I was put on pelvic rest and required to restrict activity and relax. Well I found that was virtually impossible with 3 little girls so all it did was cause me to feel guilt along with more stress. Anyhow, we were quite anxious for this ultrasound at 26 weeks as my doctor told me last week if the previa hadnt resolved that she would put me on home bedrest. Again, not a great option going into a busy holiday season and trying to finish a house. So I was a basket case (fragile) to say the least. My apologies to Mike. My ultrasound was long and detailed and they determined that the placenta has moved slightly with my growing uterus ...so I am now considered a 'marginal' previa (border line partial...the placenta is ever so slightly over the cervix). So this is good news....but not great news. It has to move 2 cm away from the cervix in order to lose restrictions and have a normal birth. Baby is in a breech position right now and sitting right on the placenta. Crazy boy. So my restrictions remain as there is still a huge risk for bleeding...I will meet with my doctor again on Tuesday to further discuss bedrest ( I hope she will accept a plea deal to restrict my activities but not lay me out in bed). I also have a followup ultrasound in 3 weeks to check on the placenta again. So, Im sure that is more than you ever wanted to know about pregnancy and placentas. I definately have taken my previous pregnancies for granted that things went so smoothly. But on a positive note...baby is growing perfectly....and is as active as ever!! Cant wait to meet him!! And no....no names yet...all my suggestions are quickly denied. This is nothing new...Mike has named all the kids so far. Im sure we will wait till the 11th hour and be forced to write a name on the paper before we are released from the hospital.

Special thanks to Alex who has volunteered to skip school and move to Calgary to help take care of me if I have to go on bedrest. Complete with a bell...just ring and he will come! And for Christy volunteering to make all my meals for my family and do all my shopping! Hmmm..maybe I should rethink this bedrest thing! LOL

An MRI breakthrough for Emily!!!

Emily had an MRI scheduled last week. For the first time, she did it with NO sedation!! This was a huge accomplishment for her and we are so proud! In fact, Grandpa called her a hero for being able to do it. Emily has had MRI's since she was 9 months old. She went from having them 4 times a year, to 2 times a year and has now graduated to just one a year! These days were always a huge deal because she would have to fast prior to her MRI and then she always had a difficult time coming out of sedation and really wasnt normal the whole day as she recovered. So none of us looked forward to her MRI days....but we all wanted the reassurance that her tumor was not re-forming. So, finally, the doctor thought she was old enough to give it a try. It is scary....she is totally strapped to a board from head to toe and immobile. The machine is loud and she is in there for almost an hour holding perfectly still! I question whether I could do it! Mike met us at the new Childrens Hospital and was able to sit with her and rub her legs to reassure her that she was doing great. She was out and done and off we went with our day! It was soooooo nice!!!! Our MRI days will be so much easier now!! YEAH EMILY!! And Mike has read the report and she has the ALL CLEAR!!! That is always a relief for us...as we are well aware this type of tumor could always resurface no matter how far out we are from its removal. We are so grateful once again for a clear MRI! And we are done for another year!!!!