5:00 a.m., toys, & midwife visit

How unusual that my day started at 5:00 a.m.....has your child ever had one of those loud battery operated annoying toys that has no ON/OFF switch? Andrew does. It rained REALLY hard last night with much thundering, lightening, etc. Suddenly, at 5:00 a.m. I hear a familiar sound: "I'm ready to race! Ready, Set, Go!"

Thinking to self: "Huh? Is that Andrew's little riding ATV I hear? Isn't it outside on the porch? Why is it in my dream? I mean, that has nothing to do with what I'm dreaming about...weird. Oh well, back to sleep.

"I'm ready to race! Ready, Set, Go!"
What? There it is again! I'm not dreaming.....is there someone trying to break into our apartment from the porch? Did a cat jump up on the ATV? I better look outside and then wake Mitch."

I'm ready to race! Ready, Set, Go!"
"Mitch! Mitch! Andrew's ATV is stuck in race-mode on the porch. I think the rain has gotten into the battery area. I hope it's not waking up the entire apartment building!".

So, just imagine Mitch and I in our pajamas at 5:00 a.m. on our front porch trying to keep the stupid ATV quiet so it doesn't wake Andrew or bother the rest of the tenants. I'm scurrying around in the dark trying to locate the toolbox & electric screwdriver so Mitch can take the batteries out (apparently the manufacturer decided against installing an ON/OFF switch) while he's covering up the speaker on the ATV with his palm & mumbling something under his breath.

Fortunately, we both climbed back into bed, thankful Andrew was still fast asleep & that no one was knocking on our door to tell us to call off the races. Oh, & we laughed about it, too....later. Oh, me and my quiet-apartment-living self-righteousness.....God sure showed me!

By the way, another routine visit to the midwife today....Luke already weighs a good 7 pounds & is still showing no signs of coming early. I go back next Tuesday for another routine checkup.

Thanksgiving week & no Internet

I can't believe that I've gone five days without typing a new post. I was waiting to download my pictures from my digital camera upon our return home from Mom's house, but, once we arrived, we realized our Internet service was down. Oh well...better late than never.



We really enjoyed our time in Thomasville with my family, especially since we knew it was gonna be our last little "get-a-way" for a while. We ate lots of food with my mother, sister and her family, and my brother. We missed not being able to celebrate with Mitch's family but we thought we'd better make the trip to Thomasville while we could (I'll probably have a house full of family in about three weeks anyway). I've inserted a few pictures of our time there. I was also able to visit with my two best friends from high school, Dawn and Claire, who were also in town for the holidays.


Mitch went to Lowe's last night to purchase a 7 foot artificial tree so we could get something festive put up before Luke arrived. I'd hate not to have a tree up and decorated when he decides to make his appearance! We haven't taken it out of the box yet but it's on my TO DO list for this week as well as trying to find our boxes marked "Christmas" that I assume are in the mini-storage room.



I visit the midwife on Tuesday......I'll keep you updated on any progress.

I was cleared!

Courtney, my midwife, cleared me to travel to south Georgia to visit family for Thanksgiving! Yeah! I am currently only 1 cm dilated and Luke's head is high so I'm probably in this for another four weeks. I was sort of disappointed that more progression hadn't been made, simply because I'm so uncomfortable and in great pain when walking, but I want Luke to be as healthy as can be....so I'm gonna try not to complain. I'm actually at my mother's house while I type this and it's so good to be around family and get a small break from responsibility.

To Be or Not To Be?

Tomorrow is important.....will my midwife clear me for Thanksgiving travel? Mitch seems to think she won't but I think she will. If I win the disagreement, then Mitch has to buy me a professional massage. If he wins...well, then....he still has to buy me a professional massage since I will obviously have progressed too far to make a 2.5 hour car journey. I will keep you updated. I hope she tells me that I can go but that I'm to come back to see immediately when I return so we can think about a timetable to have this baby!

Peek-a-Boo!

New haircut

I got a haircut today. I'm not all that wild about it but I'll learn to play with it and figure out how I like to style it. The girl that cut it looked and dressed like she sold cosmetics at the MAC counter in the mall. She was sweet but all decked out in black with dark eyes, dark lips, and jet black hair. It made for good conversation and I'm sure she thought this pregnant white girl was a little strange, too. Of course, the weirder the hair-dresser looks/seems, the better haircut I walk away with! HA!

I told Mitch a few weeks ago that I was gonna let my hair grow out but I've finally admitted to myself that the longer my hair gets the thinner and trasher it looks...so, I've not labeled it a "Mama-cut" just yet but it does seem that my hair keeps getting shorter as the years (babies) go by. I hadn't had a haircut since this past May so my split ends were thanking me. I'm sure that once Luke arrives that the time between now and my next cut will probably be even longer.

Picture Day!

I was camera-happy today and snapped pictures everywhere we went. Andrew was in his first school program this morning and did wonderfully. I was so proud that you can hear me crying on the videotape! Out of all six one-year olds in his class, only four cried - Andrew just sat staring at his crying friends and sang while he shook his tamborine (the other child decided she would lay down and sing). Some were dressed as Indians but Andrew decided to be a pilgrim so he could sport off his hand-designed pilgrim hat. Of course, as the program progressed he was tiring of the pilgrim costume and simply wanted to go home; that's when I handed him to Mitch. Because we couldn't calm Andrew, Mitch decided he would join in the distress and make a "sad-face" of his own. My boys are cute, huh? Later tonight we journeyed to Books-A-Million where Andrew always plays hard while we TRY to relax and thumb through a few pages. This mother says, "Kudos to the management for the ever-faithful THOMAS the TANK ENGINE play area!".

When the cat is away, the mice will play....

So, I came home today from an outing to find that the two men in my life (soon to be three) hijacked my blog. Of course, I must say that the below pictures they posted are the cutest I've ever seen so I didn't mind that they disobeyed. Isn't Andrew's "sad face" the best? He will make it on command when at home but he's a bit too shy to show it off to others. That's why the pictures are so special!

HIGHJACKED!

Today Jawan left the boys at home and went out!!!! She'll learn NEVER to leave us ALONE!!!!! She also left behind her digital camera!!!!! Here are the dreaded results!!!!
This is Andrew with a sad face b/c Mom left -- he didn't know what fun we would have!

Here's another sad face from Andrew.

Here's a pic of Andrew & Dad highjacking Mom's blog!

Finally, here's Andrew thinking "Stealing Mom's camera is FUN!!!!

WE LOVE YOU, MOM!!!!

What have I done?

"Oh, no...what have I done? She won't go out with me!"

Wow, another surprise!

I was surprised again....twice in one week! After church this morning I journeyed to the back of the building to pick up Andrew from the nursery when I was surprised by another baby shower, this time given by the women in the church. It was fun to sit with them all, eat a bite of cake, and open gifts. They are so thoughtful and were really good at keeping a secret! Thanks, ladies!

Yeah, sure....it's just a game....

As I begin typing this post, THE GAME officially ended about six minutes ago.....what game? Well, the majority of my friends live in the state of Alabama, hence making them cry War Eagle or Roll Tide. Now, I'm not a football fanatic but I do have my loyalty to a certain team and hate to see them lose. So, that's why I'm posting...I'm using this as an outlet to vent my stupid frustration over UGA losing to Auburn tonight (by one point!). I'm sure many of my Birmingham friends are overjoyed at their field goal win but I'm disgusted. It was a tight game, which I appreciate, and a nail-biting four quarters (well, I skipped most of the second and third quarters because I was performing motherly duties), but I still can't believe that we lost. I'm not the BCS expert but I think we still have one shot left to insure we get to go to the SEC championship game....and we better not lose that shot next weekend to Kentucky!
Yeah, I know....it's just a game.

Just some memories

My brother confessed to me that he doesn't spend the time to read my long blog entries if there aren't any pictures attached...so, I looked back in some old files and decided to post these older photos so he'll be happy. (*tee hee*)

Dawn came to visit me soon after giving birth to Andrew last year on her drive south from Atlanta to Thomasville. It was good to see her and take a few pictures of her with my little one. She's due to have her first child just three weeks after I deliever my second, so I hope we can capture another moment like this one.

The other picture was one Mitch happened to snap of me admiring Andrew just minutes after he came into the world. He was so tiny and I was so amazed. I can't wait to have those bonding moments with my next child, Luke, in a few weeks.

Finally, how could I NOT include a picture of me with the finest man on the planet!?!?!?!?!

Was he really this small?

Andrew and Daddy take a break to rest on the bed while Mommy is, once again, taking another picture. I can't believe Andrew was ever this small. He's growing up so fast.

Surprise!

I am moving slower (hence my Frankenstein limp) and therefore was a few minutes late reporting to work this morning (for those of you who don't remember, I teach Art two days a week at the private school at our church for only 2.5 hours each day). So, I parked the car and looked at my watch......"8:35 isn't too late...only 5 minutes behind. Maybe I'll just poke my head in the door to let the others know I'm definitely here and won't hang around for the morning meeting since I'm in such discomfort." So I drop my belongings in my classroom and waddle around the corner to the morning meeting in the conference room. I poke my head in only to find that everyone is in attendance and waiting on me so they can give me a SURPRISE baby shower! WOW! I wasn't expecting that at all and was glad I decided to make an appearance. I received many needed items as well as some cute outfits for Luke. Since he's gonna be a winter baby (and Andrew was a spring baby), I was in need of some heavier, long-sleeved clothes to which they supplied me with plenty. Thank you, sweet friends and co-workers! I'll miss you after my last day next week but I'll be around...I mean, I am the pastor's wife! HA!

By the way, my sister-in-law, Valerie, is having another girl (due in March)! It seems that she is going to supply the extended family with all the granddaughters and neices while I'm gonna be the one to give them the grandsons and nephews. I'm looking foward to the many stories we'll be able to share as we watch our children grow.

My sweet brother, Stuart, sent me the cutest movie he made of Andrew today. It made me cry. Thank you, Stuart, for taking the time to make and give me such a special gift...and, yes, you can call that my "belated birthday gift" so now you don't have to feel as if you should buy me something! HA! Nothing could mean more to me than the time it took for you to make the movie. Thanks for saving all those pictures I've sent to you over the years and for sharing your heart in your latest blog. Blah, blah, blah...... (*tee-hee*)

Am I really 31?

Today is my 31st birthday. It's a time to rejoice about the gift of another year of life to spend with friends and family. I was just telling Mitch last night that I couldn't believe I was no longer in the decade of my 20's. So many memories, huge events, and moments happened in those ten years.....high school graduation, boyfriends (well, that might not have been such a highlight but still.....), college relationships and graduation, seminary, marriage, and the birth of my first child. I have so much to be thankful for as I look back on the past 31 years but I am most grateful for two things:

(1) I am thankful that from the beginning of time that the Father chose me to be His. What a priviledge it is to be called a child of God. I know that my name is engraved on his hand, never to be wiped away. His death has brought me life...I only hope that my life displays the light of Christ, the grace of the Gospel, and that I strive to live out the verse John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must decrease".

(2) I am so thankful for my family:
My husband, Mitch, who is my best friend and constant encourager.
My son, Andrew, who is the apple of my eye.
My mother, Wanda, who is such a prayer warrior and excellent example of a godly woman.
My late father, Jim, who, although he was rough around the edges, wrote the sweetest words to me in various notes, letters, and emails.
My sister, Angela, who makes me laugh and is someone I admire.
My brother-in-law, Steve, who has built a home of love for his family.
My neice, Meredith, who is sensitive to others and longs to serve others.
My nephew, Ethan, who is ALL boy but still gives me a hug when we're together.
My neice, Emily, who loves to share her personalized songs and stories with me.
My brother, Stuart, who shares his heart with me and isn't afraid to take risks.
My grandmother, Ruth, who is still spunky and energetic as ever in her early 80's.
My mother-in-law, Cheryl, who loves me as if I've always been a part of her family.
My father-in-law, Anthony, who hugs and kisses me, especially since he's the only father I've got left.
My sister-in-law, Valerie, who calls me just to say hello and trusts me with her daughter.
My brother-in-law, Tyler, who is my side-kick on the McGinnis vacations.
My neice, Emma, who cracks me up with her stories and two syllable words.

And I'm thankful for many, many others.....uncles, aunts, and cousins!

"Just sittin' back, smokin' my pipe!"

Blogger Issues

When in Blogger, I didn't realize that when you save a post as a DRAFT that it doesn't change dates after finalizing and posting at a later time...therefore, after finishing your draft and uploading it to your blog site, it keeps its original posting date. Anywho, I've got a new entry below for November 1...not that it's all that interesting but thought you might want to read it in case you have had some of the same moments of rage, ummmm...., I mean, concern.

Babies in Love

In case you hadn't heard...I'm married to the most wonderful man on the planet. We've been married for six years and each day our marriage gets better and better. How blessed I am that God has given me such a wonderful gift. I love you, Mitch.

I know this picture is on the humorous side and this blog sounds somewhat "deep", but that's one thing I love about Mitch. He makes me laugh and there's no other person in the world I'd rather spend every minute of my day with. I've always said that I wish I could carry him around in my pocket with me all day, everywhere I went, just so I could see his face and hear his voice. Right now, he's sleeping.....and, as I type, I can say that I love hearing him snore. Now, where's my tape recorder?

Why do I love him so? He faithfully seeks ways in which he can serve me, especially since I'm currently eight months pregnant. He carries Andrew on his hip so I can rest, he pushes Andrew in the stroller so I can waddle behind, he cleans the toilet, he takes out the trash, he cleans out the van with the dust buster, he switches the car seat from car to car when needed, he is always home for supper, he calls me many times during the day just to say "hello", he spends his day off with me and Andrew, he seeks out "moments of retreat" to keep our flame alive!, he works hard, he speaks gently to me, he communicates well, he's forgiving, he listens, he confronts with sensitivity, he is reliable and trustworthy, he stands firm on the Word of God, he is affectionate toward his son, he talks to my belly so Luke can hear his voice, and, most importantly, he preaches grace and the Gospel of Jesus Christ not only on Sunday morning from the pulpit but also to my heart.

Thank you, my buddy.....I love you.

Encouraging words from my midwife...

I am 33 weeks along in my pregnancy today. Seven more weeks seems like such a long time; however, my midwife gave me some encouraging news today. She said that I should anticipate Luke to make his appearance sometime by the early part of December, possibly two weeks early. Oh, that was music to my back (Oops! I meant ears!). I go back to see her in two weeks and then start going every week so she can keep a closer eye on me. I can't believe I'm about to be the mother to two children....both boys!

Mom is Obsessed!

Yes, I'm a mother who is always snapping pictures of my child doing almost anything. I remember being in the hospital room two days after giving birth to Andrew and my friend Crissy saying to me, "Remember, Jawan....you don't have to take a picture of EVERYTHING that he does!". Oh, how Mitch wishes I had heeded her advice. It seems that my camera lives in the car or on my shoulder. I am constantly clicking, downloading, adjusting, ordering, deleting photos only to start the process all over again. I mean, we visited the local pumpkin patch three times this week and I managed to take pictures of Andrew all three times in three different outfits. That's gonna be a difficult layout to journal/explain in his scrapbook. Well, anyway, let me share this picture with you while I'm "at it". We were stuck inside ALL DAY today since it was raining but I managed to find a few minutes to take Andrew outside to escape with his bucket so we could go "rock-hunting" in our small patch of grass in front of our apartment. He found 36 rocks! He's washing them off in the kitchen sink here in this photo. He's our little geologist.

Road Rage

There are a few traffic issues that have my blood boilin' today:

Why is it that when there are three lanes of traffic, all headed in the same direction, that the car in front of you, who plans to go straight, always decides to stop in the lane farthest right at the traffic light when you want to turn right?

"Is that a car behind me or a huge bug? Ok, get off my tail! You're so close to my bumper that I can't see your headlights when looking in the rear-view mirror! Not to mention I have a child in the car...can't you see I'm driving a mini-van!??!?!?"

Why is it that some drivers don't stop at a crosswalk (like the one at the grocery store) to let a pedestrian by...especially when that pedestrian is a woman with children or is pregnant (did I mention that I was eight months preg.....,oh, yeah)?

"How long have you lived here? Ok, you've got a Muscogee Co. tag so how could you not have known that that lane was going to evolve into a turn lane at the top of the hill? Now you want to get back in my lane, cutting in front of me, huh?". For those of you who have also had this thought, I'm referring to the right hand lane which turns onto OLD MOON RD as you are traveling north on Veteran's Parkway.

Got blinkers? Please use them.

Whew....it's late and I've got if off my chest so that's enough for now.
NEXT WEEK: Semi-truck drivers......