Yard sale

Had a yard sale today...on the hottest day (it seemed) of the year. I am disappointed with the amount I made but it's more than I had going into it. By the time you take out the money you spent on the newspaper ad and the money in change to start with, you expect to still have a good bunch left....well, not this time. My sister tells me I don't charge enough for my junk. I am an 'el cheapo. I just want to be rid of the stuff. Oh well....off to Goodwill I go to drop off all the "unwanted items"! I did save a few things to list on ebay since I tend to make more money there - it's also a lot more tedious work on my part but usually worth it. As for the yard sale, at least I got it done before the baby makes her debut.

38 weeks update

My pitiful attempt to write a "cheesy" poem at almost 2 a.m. -

Another weekly routine check today;
No progression has been made.
Not surprised - I am the typical case.
All the walking I've done this week, I'm in a race.
The ultrasound performed today
Showed she's measuring at seven pounds, they say.
Membranes were stripped - no comment to add
Haven't had the first contraction since, too bad.

Colossians 1:11

Colossians 1:11

May you be strengthened with all power,

according to his glorious might,

for all endurance and patience with joy

I HATE POTTY TRAINING.......I am trying not to pound too hard on my keyboard as I type. AHHHHHHH!

What we've been doing this morning

We've been playing HIDE-N-SEEK this morning. The boys like to pretend they are plumbers by hiding under the bathroom sink.

While I was busy....

While I was out of the room for a few minutes, L managed to find the baby powder. His older brother showed him how to open the top. When I returned, the couch was covered in powder. Needless to say, I need to buy more now.

A welcomed the challenge of vacuuming the couch and floor after the powder spill.

L has also found his brother's rain boots. He likes trying to flip over and looking underneath his legs.

Desiring God bookstore

All books in the Desiring God online bookstore (John Piper's ministry) will be $5 Wednesday and Thursday of this week only. Check it out here.

Little red wagon

Just taking a wagon ride around the neighborhood with the parents.

Cereal Inspectors

A and L both like to eat Fruity Pebbles (we buy the generic kind). Here they are inspecting the package just before bedtime to make sure there's plenty inside for breakfast in the morning.


Remember when we used to "rock the pool" when younger? We would walk as fast as we could from side to side of the pool or walk really fast around the inside edge of the pool to get a wave of some sort. A and L have learned the technique.

This week's checkup

Visited my midwife again today. Small progression has been made.....I'm now 2 cm dialated (1 cm last week). I hope I dialate more than that over the next three weeks or I'm in trouble. She advised me to take some Evening Primrose Oil to speed things up a bit so we'll see how that affects me over the next few days. She did say that the baby seemed a bit small so she wants me to have an ultrasound next week to get a fetal weight check as well as measure the amniotic fluid. She didn't seem concerned so I'm not concerned. However, she is going on family vacation the week before I'm due so that DOES concern me. I must admit that I'm praying for my water to break next week before she leaves (or wait til my actual due date when she'll be back).

Anyway, enough of that....no one really cares about my cervix......ha!

Enjoy these cute photos:

Weirdos...

Need I say more?

Weird....kind of like this game.

Canon in D

You've got to visit my friend's blog.....Erick Erickson (what a cool name!) is a friend of ours and his wife and I have become great email buddies. Anyway, he posted a really funny video about Pachelbel's musical piece, Canon in D, on his blog today. Click here to view it.

A video for MOMS

Ok, this video is hilarious....especially for mothers. Click here to view it. Thanks to the gals at Girltalk.

Airline troubles

I'm so used to posting about every other day...I feel "out of the loop"!

We're back home but it took a lot to get here.

- arrived at the Memphis airport at 11:30 a.m. to check in for our 1:30 flight.
- checked our bags, got our boarding pass
- went through the security check, took off our shoes, had our belongings scanned, and exited the area.
- checked the departure schedule and saw that our flight had been cancelled.
- turned around to reschedule only to be booked on another airline with a flight leaving two hours later than we had scheduled.
- retreived our bags from first airline and rechecked them with second airline.
- got our boarding passes
- proceeded to security check AGAIN
- was told that I was randomly selected for a "pat-down" with a female assist (the male TSA officer yells this when he needs a female for the pat-down. Did I mention I was almost 37 weeks pregnant? By the way, no one from the airline asked to see my doctor's excuse that I carried with me in my pocket just in case. Guess I could fly anytime I wanted to, huh?).
- looked to my right to see that Mitch had also been randomly selected for a "pat-down"...what are the odds?
- when all my belongings were scanned, shoes dusted for illegal residue, and the lady finished feeling my very pregnant stomach, I gathered myself and proceeded to the boarding gate with Mitch.
- we sit for an hour when told that our flight had been cancelled.
- we turn around, retrieve two of our three bags from the second airline, and reschedule on our original airline for a flight leaving six hours later than our original plan.
- we get a bite to eat, give up on finding the third bag (the airline can't locate it, either), recheck our bags, and get new boarding passes - all for the third time.
- go back through the security check
- find our boarding gate and wait for several more hours.
- loaded the plane on time and arrived in Atlanta where we finally found our third bag, which had arrived on another airline carrier....weird.

We were at the Memphis airport for eight hours yesterday. We could have rented a car and been home by the time we finally got on a plane. However, it was time that I got to spend walking and talking with Mitch, even if most of our conversation was full of "stupid airline" venting. I am thankful we didn't have the children with us! We pulled into our driveway at 1:30 in the morning and our biggest disappointment was that, after four days, we weren't able to see and hold our children before they went to bed.

Beale St

"Walkin' in Memphis..." We ate some good BBQ along Beale St. tonight for dinner. Motorcycles, loud music, smoke, and food everywhere. If L was with us, he would have danced his booty off! We're having a great time!

MEMPHIS

We're here.....the journey has been somewhat normal, boring, and uneventful....exactly what any traveler would want. However, there was a mix-up with our hotel room when we got here so we are not staying where we thought but rather many blocks away, relying on the trolley to get us back and forth. Fortunately, there's not a real reason for me to actually leave the convention center so I will probably just tag along with Mitch whereever he goes, if I'm allowed (sometimes they hold closed business meetings on the floor discussing matters only to be discussed amongst elders).

The airline stated on their website that I was to have a doctor's excuse with me when checking and boarding, but no one asked me about my pregnancy when I approached the gate. I don't think they would have until I whipped it out to make sure they knew I was cleared. One of the boarding attendants squinted her nose and took in a large gasp of air and said, "Oh, I don't know about this....you're in your ninth month and we certainly get nervous when women fly this late in their pregnancy." It scared me a little to think that I might not be able to board but she said, "I'll let it slide this time" (Oh, thanks......).

We've already had a wonderful worship service and seen many friends. I'm excited to see more tomorrow as well as attend another women's function and craft. It's totally overwhelming to be in the assembly hall singing with over 1000 other voices in praise. Tears come to my eyes as we lift our eyes to God. I love being here...but I sure do miss my children. I called home tonight to check in with my mother and sister who are keeping A and L. They were in the middle of bathtime and once A heard my voice on the phone, he lost it. He cried, "I want you to come home now, Mommy!". I'm counting the days.

More posting tomorrow, I hope.

OB Check today

Visited the midwife today to get clearance to fly tomorrow. She checked me and I am only 1 cm and showing absolutely no signs of labor. I was glad to hear this but I hope things change quickly when I get back....I'm so uncomfortable! It was also confirmed that the baby is in the CORRECT position, head down, so no planned c-section for me! YEAH!

Interview with Spelling Bee Winner

Click here to watch the interview given to this year's spelling bee winner by Fox News. You can't help but feel sorry for the lady as she's "talking" to the boy. I'm not sure what to feel as I listen to him.

Thanks to Justin's blog for this link.

Coupons

TODAY.....Don't you hate it when you've clipped all these great coupons, put them in just the right "coupon place" where you'll remember and easily have them when needed, only to walk out of the store realizing you could have used them but forgot? AHHHHHH!

VBS is over!

I have really enjoyed this past week of directing VBS. It was fantastic! But, honestly, I am worn out and so glad it's over....that is, until next summer. I've co-directed VBS for the past three summers and I am tired. I am praying that someone will rise up and volunteer to do it next summer before I have to start begging.

Just remembering...

I was going through some of my photo files tonight and found these pictures to share.

Can you spot the boys playing in Dad's closet?

Ok, this one is a little freaky!

"What, Atlanta says I can't water my plants during the day? What about watering my pool?"

Tranverse or Oblique?

Apparently, Abigail is in a difficult position. She is either lying transverse or oblique inside of my tummy. Either way, she can't be birthed how I had hoped. Looks likes another c-section for me unless she turns soon. Since I'm 35 weeks, my midwife and nurse tend to think she's made up her mind and won't turn. I occassionally see Dr. Thorne (he is awesome!), who is notorious for being the best at "baby turning". Maybe he'll help Abigail when I go in for an exam on Monday. If not, look for another McGinnis baby to be born around July 4th.

What the World Eats

I found this to be very interesting. Look at the cost of food per family and then spend some time looking at the specific items on the table.

Only 5 more weeks!

I'm officially 35 weeks pregnant. Only five more weeks to go. Not that I have a real choice in the matter but I would like it very much if Abigail waited just two more weeks before making her appearance. Selfishly, I have much to do before she arrives. I want to finish this week of VBS, travel on our planned trip to Memphis (Mitch & me only - my mom is driving up to keep the boys), and do the last minute touches to her room (tidying up her drawers & closet so I can get a handle on where her things are located). However, my biggest prayer is that, if she does indeed come early, I hope she doesn't decide to do so when I'm up in the air on the plane to Memphis next week. Fortunately, it's only a hour and a half flight. That might make a cool news story but I'd rather be another boring, yet healthy, hospital statisitic.

WHEN WILL IT END??? AHHHHHH!!!!!!

It has almost been a year.....a year that has brought no improvement in the area of putting Andrew to bed at night. HE STILL SCREAMS AND CRIES AT THE DOOR WHEN WE TELL HIM GOODNIGHT! It is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO frustrating! He tells us things through the door that we know are just tactics he's using to get us to open up and let him out:

I need to go pee pee!
My toe hurts!
My eye hurts - I need ice!
Why you close the door?
I want you to hold me!
My milk is all gone.

All the while, Luke is in his crib (in the same room) going to sleep. He has grown use to Andrew's nighttime routine. I wish I knew WHAT ELSE TO DO. Do you ever get tired of praying? It's been ALMOST A YEAR! When will it change? When will I be able to leave the room without him chasing me to the door, only to have me have to "push" him back in to keep him from coming out? AHHHHHHH! He's three years old. Maybe I'm expecting too much. Maybe I'm comparing him to ALL the other three year olds I know whose parents have told me they have no trouble at night. Maybe I rocked him too much when he was little. We do all the loving and reassuring we can before turning out the light. We have THE SAME routine everynight, too.....sit on the floor and pick out two books which we then read, sing a few songs, pray and then turn lights out. I have been rubbing his head for only a few seconds but he never relaxes because he's squatting in his bed, waiting to leap out after me towards the door. Once I've closed the door, either Mitch or I stand in front of it holding the doorknob still so he can't get out. He thinks we've locked it but then he is quick to kneel down and peek under the door to see our toes. He KNOWS we're there, but it brings no comfort to him. He usually ends up sticking his fingers out from under the door in effort to get our attention. We just stand there and make ABSOLUTELY no noise until he finally gives up and retreats to his bed. I have no trouble standing firm but it still breaks my heart.

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dancing with frogs

Our friend, Kacie, has been collecting frogs that she's won when playing a game at an amusement park. Since getting married, she's decided to give away her collection. So, Andrew and Luke each got a spotted frog that hangs around their waist and neck. They love them! So much so that they like to put them on and dance around the room to music. Thanks, Kacie!

Overwhelmed

I'm deep into the planning process for VBS. We're expecting around 70 kids to attend and I'M IN CHARGE.....ahhhhhh! Therefore, posting may be light over the next week.