1/31/2010

With all that's been going on with us, I thought that Currey needed his own shout out! I will completely understand if people don't want to read this long post and that's totally fine. It's more for me. Just another reminder that God is so good! Currey is a perfect match for me and I praise God for his goodness in bringing us together.


So without further adieu and in no particular order, the Top Ten Reasons I Adore Currey.

10. He challenges me in all areas of life. Whether it's a book he's reading or a conversation he had with his mentor, he constantly challenges how I think and respond to those around me. Currey encourages me in all I'm involved in and kindly reminds me of why I'm doing something if I've lost my original zeal. He is always striving to grow and mature and encourages me to do the same.

9. He loves to spend time with me. Due to having bronchitis and then having contractions, I missed 3 weeks of work in the last month. It was such a treat to get to spend so much time with Currey, especially as we know once Blythe comes our time together will be even more sparse. What I also loved were the calls and text messages once I returned to work, telling me it wasn't near as fun when I wasn't home. (And I felt the same way!) I love that we spent 3 weeks together and could have been just fine spending 3 more weeks together.

8. He makes me laugh. A LOT!!! Tying into the last one, we love to be together because we have so much fun. We laugh often and don't take life to seriously! Honestly, Currey could entertain me for hours. He is quick witted and clever and I enjoy his company immensely.

7. He is so excited about Blythe. I can't wait to meet our baby girl for so many reasons, but one at the top of my list is to see Currey as her Daddy. I joke with him that he is already wrapped around her finger but I think there's more truth in that than either of us would admit! I love that he talks to her, that he talks about her and that he already dreams big dreams for her life. She will be loved and adored and I'm so excited that I get to parent her with Currey.

6. He makes me rest. I understand that this probably sounds strange but it's true! I've continued to have contractions and although they haven't kept me from working, I've been encouraged to rest whenever I can. This is very difficult for me and I do not enjoy being still. Currey is much more reasonable than I am (again, God is amazing in giving me a partner that has strengths in areas that I do not) and has made it his mission to have me rest whenever I'm home. He's doing a good job! I'm afraid I'm getting lazy with all my sitting around! :)

5. He takes care of the house. We have always pretty equally shared the housework load. Whoever had the time to do something would do it. Now that I'm resting so much Currey has really stepped it up in taking care of the house. He's doing most of the dishes, laundry and cleaning so that the house doesn't become a disaster while I'm not doing much.

4. He works incredibly hard. As long as I've know Currey, he has been a very hard worker. After doing Strengths Finder together we believe this is because one of his strengths is achiever but never the less, he works hard. He gives 110% to the youth ministry and at Starbucks. In addition, he spends time every week being mentored and mentoring others. I admire his willingness to give all he has and that he never expects anything in return.

3. He has a servant's heart. Not only is Currey doing all this great stuff, he never complains. He appears to take joy in serving me and others in his life. Currey has an immense love for people and he loves to serve God's people. He honestly inspires me!

2. He cooks with me. One of our favorite places to be is in the kitchen. Whether we are trying a new recipe or making an old favorite, it's always an adventure. We love food and there is something so fun about cooking together! In my time off we enjoyed several cooking adventures, hopefully some that will get their own posts very soon!

1. He loves me! Just like I am. I think it's safe to say that while pregnant one does not always feel incredibly lovable. With only 4 weeks left til my due date I simply feel BIG and that's about it. I love that Currey still comments that I look cute or that I'm not that big (when a small child at Target said I was a school bus! NOT FUN!) Not only his words but his actions remind me on a daily basis that I am truly and deeply loved.

So there you have it! I am blessed beyond measure and I praise God for his precious gift of Currey. I can't imagine life without him. He's a blessing to all that know him and I'm so glad that he's mine!

1/24/2009

I just read about this giveaway and wanted to make any other interested parties aware! Although I think it's unlikely I'll win, I'll give it a try!

Go here to read more about the cloth diaper give away!

JJ

1/24/2009

Currey and I have decided that our sweet baby girl is already ornery! I had my shower with people from church yesterday and had a great morning. I'll post pictures from that soon! I got home and Currey was at work. I began having that same cramping feeling that I was having last week. I waited half an hour to see if it would go away but it continued and they were more painful, so I called the doctor. She recommended that I return to the hospital for monitoring. I contemplated driving myself but knew that would not make Currey very happy so I called a sweet friend from next door to take me. I'm convinced she ran to the house as I was not at ALL ready when she got here. We headed to the hospital, got hooked up to the machines and saw that I was again having contractions.

Thankfully this visit was much shorter. They realized I was not dehydrated and gave me another shot of medicine to help stop the contractions. The medicine worked much quicker than last time and the contractions stopped within a half hour. I was released to go home after a couple of hours. It appears that Bylthe is not quite sure when she would like to make her appearance! We laugh that she already has an agenda and we are already following it! We are glad she continues to be healthy and continue to speculate as to when we might get to welcome her to the world.

1/20/2009

I think this may be my last overdue post. While we were home for Thanksgiving our sweet Texas friends and family hosted a baby shower for us. We were beyond blessed (as the pictures will show!) Blythe has more clothes than she can ever wear but she will be the best dressed baby ever! Saturday night we had a mini shower with Jeffrey and his girlfriend Megan. If I haven't said it before, we LOVE Megan. Not only is she thrilled about our sweet baby girl, she is a great fit for Jeffrey. She is precious, thoughtful, and we have loved getting to know her. Some of my favorite outfits came from Megan. She wrapped each one separately so it was extra fun to unwrap!

Although this is not the most becoming picture I had to include it. It may be my absolute favorite! It's a monogrammed onsie and then there are matching pink fleece lined jeans. Precious does not even begin to describe this outfit!

Jeffrey got me this book. We read this whole series when we were little so it was extra special!

Margie hosted my shower. LOVE her! It was perfect!

Here's all the hostesses.

Mallory sat with me to write down all the gifts. We laughed A LOT! She flew in from California to be there with me.

Smithee was there from Portland. Another special treat!

Currey's Mom, Grandma, Sister and I

The blanket that Terri (Currey's mom) made Blythe

A precious bulletin board that Currey's sister, Caley, made

My Aunt Olivia, Mema, Me, Mom and Megan

Just me and mom

Like I said, Blythe will not want for a single thing! Everything wouldn't even fit in one picture. It took lots of help to get everything to Illinois. Thanks Mom and Dad and the Schroeders!

We have felt so incredibly loved during this season of our lives. The outpouring of those around us has honestly been overwhelming. And we still have an additional 2 showers! We are blessed beyond measure. Hopefully by the end of the week I'll post nursery pictures. The nursery is precious and totally girl! With all the pink we keep joking that the sonogram better be right!

1/16/2010

For starters, this is going to be a long post. And I share all the details of our day, not to be depressing or ultra graphic, but because you are close friends. Those of you that knew what was going on were so sweet to call, text and send emails. And honestly, it's a much easier story to tell because there was a happy ending. As a family Currey and I have made a conscious decision to tell our stories of God's goodness. We believe this is one of those stories.

Yesterday was a very eventful day at the Blandford House! I was going on a home visit yesterday morning and begin having cramps. I continued driving thinking that they would go away but they continued to persist. I was headed to Southern Illinois and decided that I should turn around and call my doctor. I called Currey first and gave him a head's up because I didn't think I should go on the youth retreat that we were planning for this weekend. I was feeling very tired and thought a weekend away might not be the best idea. I then called my doctor expecting that I would be told to go home and rest (I'm convinced that's the resolution to all pregnancy issues!). I became much more concerned when she told me that I should go to the hospital. Thankfully, Currey was home and the house is only 10 minutes from the hospital. The nurse agreed that being with Currey was my best bet so I came home and we headed out. Honestly, I was expecting to get an exam and then be on my merry way. I was shocked when I was admitted to Labor and Delivery as a patient!

They began monitoring me as well as Blythe's heartbeat. It was quickly confirmed that I was having contractions. They explained all the things that could be causing this and began trying to isolate which issue it might be. It was unnerving to lay in a hospital bed and wait. They were concerned that I was dehydrated and starting pumping me with fluids. We were also told that it could be a lingering infection from my recent bought of bronchitis. I went in at 11 am and by 4 pm I was having consistent contractions. That was the scariest part of the day as we knew deleivery at this point was less than ideal. It was decided that I was not dehydrated but the contractions began to subside some. We had to make the sad decision to cancel our youth retreat that was planned for the weekend. It was a tough call to make as we had planned a lot of great activities and the kids were SO excited about our adventure! But we had no idea when or if I would be leaving the hospital so it was the wisest decision for us to make.

As I continued to have contractions, the staff began to discuss additional options with us. They decided the next action was a shot of medicine that would hopefully stop the contractions. I was given the shot and it took awhile to see improvement. I had to be contraction free for an hour before I could be discharged. We were thrilled to have the contractions slow and were hoping to get home to sleep in our own bed. We had to wait awhile as when I got close to an hour I would have a contraction. Finally, around 10 pm I was contraction free. We were discharged shortly thereafter and got to sleep in our own bed last night.

We are so relieved that Blythe decided not to make her debut! She will be full term in 3 weeks so any time AFTER that she can enter the world. They have no idea what caused the contractions so I will be monitored more closely until I deliver. We were also thrilled to hear that the contractions were only preterm contractions and there were no signs that I was going into labor. Another HUGE blessing!

By canceling the retreat, all the youth parents quickly found out about what was going on. Currey had to find someone to cover his shift so Starbucks people quickly knew as well. I had to leave work as well so my coworkers were aware. We were so incredibly blessed by all the people in our lives! We received so many sweet words of encouragement and felt incredibly loved through the entire ordeal. Thank you all for your thoughtfulness! We will keep you posted and hopefully Blythe will stay put a while longer.

1/10/2010

As promised...our Branson trip!

The last week of October we met my parents in Branson for a week long vacation. Everyone we told that we were going to Branson would laugh because when most people think of Branson they see images of elderly people attending cheesy shows. We grew up spending time each summer at Big Cedar, a resort outside Branson on Table Rock Lake, after my parents picked Jeffrey and I up from camp. It's an amazing place and it was a special treat to be able to take Currey to a place that held so many memories for my family!

I can honestly say it's the most relaxing vacation I've ever been on. We spent time reading, working on a puzzle, walking, cooking, eating and shopping. Currey and my dad even took a day trip to go fly fishing together. My mom and I got to spend that day shopping which was a blast as we had found out a week earlier that our sweet baby is a girl.

When we arrived at Big Cedar the leaves were beginning to change and the colors were amazing. Here's a look at the week in pictures. It's several pictures but I promise I narrowed it down!

It's a beautiful property that we enjoyed walking around every day. It's HUGE and has great views which we took advantage of by enjoying lots of picture opportunities.

Everything was beautifully decorated for fall.

This is the skunk that lived outside our rooms. We saw him everyday and my dad got his picture. We were convinced my dad was going to get sprayed on his quest but thankfully that was NOT the case.


There are several restaurants on the property that we took advantage of. We enjoyed lunch on the outdoor patio at Truman Coffee and Cafe....


And an outstanding dinner at the Worman House.


The boys didn't take any pictures while fishing so we had them take this with a truck from the White River.

And like I said, we relaxed a lot!

And I just love this picture so it's getting put in!

It was a wonderful trip and we enjoyed it so much we are talking about making it an annual event. More overdue posts to come!

1/1/2010

I can't believe that it's already 2010! This year will be huge for us as we await the arrival of our sweet baby girl but before we look forward I thought that it would be fun look back at all 2009 held for our little family. This is bound to be a lengthy post, but we have been talking a lot recently about reflecting on God's goodness in our lives. Looking back at the milestones of the last year we can see God's hand in our lives guiding and directing each step along the way.

January was a big month for us as we decided that we would be staying in Illinois and moving into a greater role within the church we had been attending for a year and a half. We were leading a small group with our best buddies, Devin and Andrea, and spent a lot of time celebrating life with the sweet friends Life Church has brought us.


Moose also had leg surgery that month. We realize that we are insane for paying for surgery for our dog but it was the best choice for us and he is a much healthier and happier puppy.



In February I decided to leave my job without having a plan as to where I would begin working. It was a season were our faith was grown and we trusted in the Lord's provision. It was a scary experience but we are so glad that is the decision that we made. I was able to begin my current job after getting 2 weeks off, one to enjoy with Currey while he was on Spring Break and the following with my mom. It was a blast and a precious time of rest and restoration for me.

At Easter, my brother Jeffrey came for a visit. I love his visits! I love that he and Currey love to be together and we make precious memories and have interesting adventures with each visit. This year he got to be a part of our Seder Supper at church.


May held several milestones for us, the most significant being Currey's graduation from Wheaton. He worked ridiculously hard for 3 years for both of his degrees and it was such a treat to celebrate that accomplishment with friends and family!






Another event for us was Currey being the guest speaker at the All Church Retreat for the youth. What no one else knew at the time was that we would be taking over as the youth pastors at Life Church. We had a summer full of fun events and loved growing in relationships with all the students in the youth group.



In July we celebrated 4 years of wedded bliss. At our wonderful anniversary dinner, my sickness prompted the purchase of a pregnancy test. Our anniversary gift this year was finding out we were expecting our first child. Probably the most exciting anniversary gift that anyone could ever receive!

In August, we went to South Carolina to watch Kristine and Ryan get married. It was a wonderful vacation and such a special wedding to be a part of.



In September, Jeffrey and his girlfriend Megan came up for a visit. It was our first time to meet Megan and we had so much fun with them. We love Megan and enjoyed getting to explore Chicago with she and Jeffrey. (These pictures are from Megan's facebook. She takes great pictures and captured so many of the fun moments of the trip!) Jeffrey and Currey even tried chicken feet while were in Chinatown!





In October we found out that we would be having a baby girl! We were thrilled with the news and continue to anxiously await her arrival. We also went to Big Cedar Lodge with my parents. It was the most relaxing vacation that I remember being on and it was good to spend a week relaxing. (This trip will get it's own post SOON! As will November and December! I promise that they are coming!)



November was wonderful as we got to go home to have a baby shower and celebrate Thanksgiving with all of our family and friends. We were showered with sweet blessings for Blythe and enjoyed getting to spend time with our families. As always our time at home went by way to fast but we treasured each moment we were there.



December has flown by. We had a quiet Christmas just Currey and I and have enjoyed having my parents here for the past week. They have helped us get the nursery all put together and of course there will be a post coming soon revealing the finished project! What a great year we've had. We look forward to more adventures and life changes as we enter 2010.