Challenge: Day 14 and a Bit of Pneumonia

A Photo of One of Your Favorite Family Members

Well, I think the theme for today is unrealistic for me. I love all of my family members dearly. They are all my favorite. But since I have to choose and I've already had pictures up of my immediate family, here is my choice:

This is my Grandpa. :) The two of us are sitting on his bike.Whenever he'd visit, he'd take me out on it. He was a character. When we grandkids were little, he'd ask for a bite of our candy bar and he'd eat half of it. I used to stick my tongue out at him and he'd threaten to pull it out if he ever caught it. One day he did catch it. He started to pull very slowly....I think just to see the panic grow in my eyes.

My favorite memories of him were on "Pocket Days." Usually, Pocket Day took place on his birthday when most of his kids and grandkids were around. We'd all be playing outside and suddenly he would call out, "It's Pocket Day!" All the kids would rush inside and put on an outfit that had as many pockets as possible (overalls were best). Then we'd run back outside and form a line in front of Grandpa. He'd take out a big wad of cash and put a dollar in every pocket we wore. The night before his funeral, at his viewing, I put a dollar in his coat pocket. As good as our Pocket Days were with him, I know he's having even better eternal days now with his Savior.

Oh boy, pregnancy emotion alert! Look out!

Okay, yikes. Enough. On to other topics....I had good intentions of Christmas shopping today. However, I went to the doctor yesterday with chest and back pain. I had to have an EKG and get some x-rays taken (while wearing a protective shield for the Bean!). There was nothing conclusive found yesterday, but today a nurse called to say that the x-rays showed that I probably have pneumonia. So, I am now on a pill for that and I'm taking it easy at home. The bad news is the pneumonia. The good news is, I get to watch all the girly flicks I want (while Gerrit is still at work), read People magazine, and do nothing else....guilt free! The Bean must like the down-time because it feels like he/she is practicing either ballet or boxing in there.

Oh! And Lord willing, we'll be able to find out if the Bean is a boy or a girl just in time for Christmas. I'll let you know after the holidays!

The Mind of a Kindergartener.....

.....is an interesting place. Here's a conversation I had with one little girl after she found out I am pregnant.

(First she said "hello" directly to my belly.)

Girl: Are you gonna go to the hospital so they can take your baby out?

Me: Um....someday.

Girl: How many minutes?

Me: A lot of minutes. The baby won't come for a long time.

Girl (suddenly sounding nervous): I....I don't want to have a baby. I don't want babies.

Me: That's okay. No one will make you have a baby.

Girl: Yeah, my mom doesn't want me to have a baby. She's allergic.

Oh my....what must go on in that mind?

Challenge: Day 13

A Photo of Your Best Friends
(Though I feel blessed by many people in my life and consider Gerrit and my family members as best friends, here are the non-relatives that I cherish as bosom buddies!)

(Brittany, Amy, me, Rachel, Jess, Mandy)

These are my best gal pals in my summer dorm in 2006. Oh my! Time flies and what an awkward picture of us all! But that's probably appropriate. Golly, there are so many stories and things I could say about them. I'll just say that I love them all so much as individuals and as a whole. Sadly, we are scattered about now. :( Brittany is in Ukraine, Amy is in the Boundary Waters, Mandy is in New Jersey. It makes my heart sad. Thankfully, Jess and Rachel are still around. Though, I don't see them much. So, I think we should all just move into the same apartment building like in college. Husbands, dogs, and the Bean can come too. Any takers? Girls? You know you want to.

Well, I couldn't talk about best friends without including Adam and Maria. This is another awkward photo, but again, probably appropriate. We had just completed the "5K Rump Roast Run" at a little celebration called "Beef-a-Rama." Good times. We see Adam and Maria nearly every weekend, take a trip with them every summer; and they have become like family to us. Gerrit has known them both since Junior High. I met them later in college when Gerrit and I started dating. Maria was the only girl in the group and we were forced to become friends. :) It worked out quite nicely! We just love them.

Ah, friends. I hold them near and dear to my heart. I hope they all know how special they are and how I love them so.

My Day and Challenge: Day 12

Oh goodness. The day I had. Have you ever had one of those days where little, but stupid, things just keep happening to you? That was my day today.

Incident #1: I brought a packet of hot chocolate to make at school. I had my little metal travel mug with me. It's the small things in life that put a smile on your face, and this was going to be mine. Our teachers' lounge has a filtered water system with one tap for ice cold water and the other for piping hot water. I was being a chatty Cathy with a co-worker who was commenting that I am beginning to show (finally!). Anywoo, I was trying and trying to get my cocoa to mix with the water, but with no luck. I had used the ice cold water. There was no hope of reviving my very cold, "hot" chocolate. Heart-breaking....

Incident #2: For privacy sake, I can only say this: At one point today, I had someone else's diarrhea on my hand. Before you tell me that this will prepare me for poopy diapers, just don't! This was not a diaper situation. This was not MY baby. No. Just no.

Incident #3: An older male co-worker stopped in the hall to chat with me. Knowing that I am pregnant, he asked me how I am feeling. I said I've been feeling good lately. He went on to ask, "So, how much weight have you gained? 10? 20 pounds?"

*{I will now pause here for your reaction.}*

10? 20 pounds? Are those my only 2 options? Do I LOOK like I've gained 10 or 20 pounds?????? Why? Why would you ever ask ANY woman that question????????

Instead of sharing the many unrighteous words that were reeling in my head, I simply said, "NO! I have not gained 20 pounds. I have a doctors appointment coming up. They'll check then. You'll be the first to know." He walked away saying, "Oh dear, I'm so embarrassed. I shouldn't have asked." To which I thought, "You should be. And you shouldn't have."

In brighter (lighter!) news, I think I've started to feel the Bean moving around in there. It's hard to know for sure, but it's exciting nonetheless. It just makes it all the more real. With that, here is my Photo Challenge picture.

A Photo of You

This is me around the 14 or 15 week mark. I'm 17 weeks now and a bit bigger. I hide the 10-20 extra pounds in my feet, I guess. Wowza.

Challenge: Day 11

A Photo of Your Favorite Film

Oh goodness, I just love Sleepless in Seattle. For those who "knew me when," you'll know that I always say my favorite movie is Dumb and Dumber. It's a great movie and will be a never-ending source of jokes between my brother-in-law and me. But Sleepless (as we call it in our family...we're on a one-word basis with this movie), holds a special place in the movie section of my heart. I LOVE movies. I'm sure it stems from my parents love of them. We were always watching something at home or going to the movie theater. There isn't much else to do in a small town! I'm glad that I married into a family that loves movies, as well. If you know Gerrit, you know he loves his movies.

Anyway, back to Sleepless...I could probably quote it all the way through. This movie is one that my family has watched over and over again. I watch it when I can't fall asleep, which is kind of ironic given the title and theme. You can't deny the chemistry that Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan have together. They are both just precious. The soundtrack is right up my alley. And who doesn't love a love story? *{warm fuzzies}* I could go on and on.....I'm stopping now for your benefit.

Another favorite of mine is While You Were Sleeping.

My family quotes this movie when we're together. When someone says something completely "out of left field" (which is often), someone else always says, "John Wayne was tall" or "These mashed potatoes are so creamy." If you don't get the reference, you need to go rent this movie. No, just buy it. You'll love it.

I know that someday, Gerrit will love these films the way I do. My kids will too, because I'm making them watch these starting the day they come home from the hospital.

Challenge: Day 10

A Photo of You as a Baby

This is little me at Christmas-time. I don't think it looks like me at all. But what I like about this picture is that I stole the hat off the bear and put it atop my own head. I look pretty pleased with myself. :)

For some reason, Gerrit really likes this one. So, I'll put it up for him.

Again, in the pattern of stealing, I am snatching a cracker from the jar. I guess I used to do this a lot. I'd get myself up there and take one. So crafty.....Supposedly, Gerrit was a mischievous little one, too. What does this say for our future child? Uh-oh....

Challenge: Day 9

A Photo of Your Family
(Dad, Mom, me, Gerrit, Courtney, Aubrey, Paul and Jozie)

Hard to believe, but this picture was taken over 3 years ago on Gerrit's and my wedding day. What a day, what a day. I think this is actually the most recent picture we have with most of us in it. And my sister, Carey, and her family are missing! Why? Well, let me tell you....Carey gave birth to her second child the night before the wedding.....2 months early! She and Courtney were supposed to be co-matrons of honor. We figured since she would only be 7 months pregnant at the time, that this wouldn't be a problem. If she got uncomfortable, she could sit down in the middle of the ceremony. But God decided Owen needed to come sooner. And that he did! Carey and Greg missed the wedding, but they had a big day of their own! Most importantly, she and Owen were healthy and he was a little trooper who has grown into a pretty awesome kiddo. Below is a picture of their family: Greg, Sophie, Carey and Owen.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, we plan to take one big family picture while wearing ugly sweaters. :) I can't wait. I love when we're all together and I wish that could happen more often. I just love my family. They are pretty fantastic as a whole and as individuals. I feel very blessed that God chose to put me in this family.

And finally, here is a picture of the other side of the family. The in-laws! On either side of me and Gerrit are Ed, Gwen, Darcy (older sister), and Ahna (younger sister). The one person missing is Ahna's fiance, Rico. They're getting married this winter! Lord willing, I'll be posting pictures of their big day in the months to come.

I think when you start dating someone, it's really a test run with the family as well. I was relieved when I met Gerrit's family because they are wonderful people. They have welcomed me right in and treat me as one of their own. I appreciate and love them.

Aw, family. I get warm-fuzzies thinking about all of them. :)