Bliss...

From my original post I let you all know all of the exciting news there was to announce about Michael & me…and our future together. We were married on February 13^th, 2011 and due to all kinds of factors, we opted to do so without our bands. We’ve got a baby on the way & other things going on that just took precedence over the expense of wedding rings. Well today, almost 4 months later, we finally get to showcase our promise to one another in the traditional sense of wearing a band on our left ring finger and it’s just a joyous day that reinforces the love we have for one another.

Michael and I have been through more than most can tolerate and yet we persist and overcome and at the end of the day, love has never been lost. People who tend to believe that relationships are always going to be sunshine and rainbows have a very distorted sense of reality. Although, imperfect, our relationship is perfect in its own special way. We work towards the same goal everyday and we constantly communicate. The church and our faith have been integral as well in providing hope & direction to keep on a successful path.  

While writing this, I’ve got to tell you I’m very overcome with emotion knowing that any day now, an expression of our love will be here and I’m elated to share that with my husband.

These are some pictures of us from beginning to present day :)

XOXO,

Mel

Counting Down…

7 days of school left… 3 ½ weeks until Marlon… Woohoo & AhHHHHhh pretty much sums that up.

This school year started off to be my most challenging year as an educator. I didn’t realize how much work was going to go into opening a school, or at least the effect that it was going to have on me, the PE teacher, BUT it was definitely a year for learning & expanding upon my own capabilities. I’ve learned where I’m strong, as well as what areas need improvement. I was also blessed with some of the most wonderful, caring, & talented friends & coworkers. Everyone willingly extends their time & knowledge in various ways & it’s always done with a smile :)

Pregnancy-wise, I’m still good and for the 3^rd post in a row, my feet are not. My Nike flip flops are pretty much the only shoes in my life that matter. Everyday I go to work with tennis shoes on my feet & they usually take a hike before I begin teaching my first class. My car has 5-7 pairs of tennis shoes in it at this very moment. I should probably do something about that.

I started feeling the Braxton-Hicks contractions this week. Thanks to good ol’ GOOGLE for educating me. My belly has been SO tight & my lower back is starting to hurt from time to time. Nap time is crucial & I can easily nap for 3-4 hours…crazy. There’s finally been some progress at the house too, so now we’re just waiting for Mr. Marlon to make his arrival. We finally got Shawnie into his own “big boy bed” & he was a SUPER TROOPER about it. He’ll be here for the summer, the week after Marlon’s born & we’re gonna tackle potty training once & for all… I hope.

Michael has been a busy bee at work, but his hard work is paying off. We’re still on opposite schedules, but I’ll (we’ll) get to spend more time with him this summer. He actually got this weekend off, so I’m excited about having two days off with him. We’re going to meet up with some friends on Sunday & go to the lake & we can’t wait!

XOXO,

Mel

The latest & the greatest...

Not much new info to share, but I’ll share what I’ve got.

We are now at week 33 of my pregnancy. All of my complaints from the last post are still in tact. I have 2x4s for feet & I CANNOT eat a full meal without completely regretting it.  The foot to shoe & baby to belly ratios are still not in my favor, but I’m surviving :)

The newest addition to the complaint pool is difficulty sleeping…actually not SLEEPING per se but movement when I sleep. The other night I turned from my side to my back & I felt Marlon’s entire body shift like a sack of potatoes in one swift move…BOOM and I WISHED I had just stayed put! The tinkle monster tends to get me multiple times in the middle of the night, so I’m having to move multiple times each night. My favorite is when I’ve got to go 20 minutes before my alarm is set to go off.  He’s getting so big; I’ve got to have a pillow perfectly placed under my belly to help support him. I’ve got to tell you though; Marlon has taken to my sleep schedule so I should probably be thanking my lucky stars.

This school year is almost over & the end of school is putting the start of mommy-hood into perspective and there is soooooo much to do! His crib is still in a box along with all of the other things I’m going to need. Michael’s work schedule is horrible & I’m just too tired, lazy, & impatient to even read the instructions. I opened the boxes & if I saw a bag of screws/nuts/bolts, I put everything back into the box & into the, “ehhhh, we’ll do it later” pile. I need someone to come here & crack the anti-procrastinator whip OR just put it all together for me. I prefer the latter.

Well next weekend is Mother’s Day. I already have a breakfast date with my three boys & I can’t wait! It’s been 9 years since I got to physically honor my Mother, but she’s never forgotten. Wishing all of my mommy friends out there the happiest of Mother’s Days… there’s never a day off, you often go without recognition, & sometimes you may feel underappreciated, but yet it’s somehow the most rewarding job out there!

 XOXO,

Mel