The Hairy Husky

Mr. Phoenix never really stopped blowing his coat this year. He started in Spring and it's still coming out in clumps! I'd been brushing him on and off, but last night I'd finally had enough! I grabbed a fine toothed comb to see if it would work better. Um, it did. With treats and a lot of patience, this is what I ended up with an hour later. Richard was astonished.

Rain, rain and more rain!

Thanks to tropical storm Fay just kind of plodding along we have been getting buckets and buckets of rain! We've all been cooped up in the house and Phoenix is starting to get stir crazy! Poor thing, when I woke up this morning it was pouring and windy. He had to go out so bad so I opened the back door. He walked out under the porch and looked at me like "I'm supposed to go in this?" He promptly walked back inside and started chasing the cats. =)
One HUGE blessing is that in all this wind and rain we have not lost our power once. On Wednesday they reported about 15,000 power outages in the Jacksonville area 12,000 of which were in the Arlington area (where we live). By Thursday it had jumped to 80,000 and 100,000 that night. The lights never even flickered!
Yesterday we did finally jump in the truck and head out. I can only stay in the house for so long! We headed down to the beach. As soon as you got out of the truck the sand was stinging so bad from the high winds. We headed down to the water along with several other people. I took one picture but because of all the rain it didn't come out. I did take video which I will try to get on here somehow.
People are funny around here. You would have thought a Category 2 was coming to town and not just a tropical storm. Everyone was freaking out. The stores and gas stations were full and our neighbors even boarded up some of their windows.
Unfortunately, my sunflowers that I had planted right before summer had just bloomed right before the storm. I don't know if they've survived. I haven't been able to get a picture for all the rain. The neighbors would really think I'd lost it!
Well, that's been our life for the past few days. Hopefully the power will stay on!

Update on our Week

Ahhh, the week is finally over! I always like the thought of not having to go back to work until Monday. Not sure why because the weekend is always spent cleaning or something similar. I've been in a throw it out, re-organize, clean everything mood. I'm ticked that it's sunny while I'm working, then when I want to wash sheets and curtains and hang them up outside it's overcast. Blech weather.
Because of this blech weather Richard is super behind. That's why he's working all day today. Poor thing. I feel bad for him.
Other than that this week's been pretty good. Richard had an estimate to give on Thursday so I headed out with him. Afterwards we ended up at the Cheesecake Factory for dinner! Yum! It was crowded but we only waited about 15 minutes. I loveee their BBQ Ranch Chicken salad. Richard finally found something he likes there, so now he doesn't mind going!
In other news Mr. Phoenix has been quite the angel. Thursday when we left we decided, (okay Richard decided..I was skeptical) to leave Phoenix out of his crate. I informed Richard that he was responsible for any and all messes! For anyone that personally knows Phoenix they will know that this was quite the ordeal. We have previously come home to curtains and blinds torn down, and various items chewed on. I guess he's grown up and outgrown his childish ways. Over two hours later we came home to a perfect house. Mommy was so proud. However, he decided that once were home it was groovy to be bad. He jumped on the bed, chased the cats, and tore through the house like a mad dog. At least we were home!
The cats, however, have been quite another story. For some reason they have taken to lounging on my glass top table and snoozing on my kitchen table. I hate that! I'll come out of the house and see one of them scurrying to get off before Mommy sees. Too bad Mommy knows anyway because of PAW PRINTS on my glass table! Miss Maggie has also found kitchen counters quite fun to prowl about on. Grrr! I've racked my brain to think of some way to get them off there and keep the little boogers off.
Well that's about all that's going on in my little corner of the world. As for me, myself and I, I'm doing well. The progesterone has finally settled into some kind of agreement with my body, and I only have nausea in the morning and sometimes at night. The jeans, however, are starting to get snug. It's time to go shopping!

Idol Comes To Jacksonville

Well, Jacksonville has finally landed on the map! Back in 2005 we hosted the Super Bowl...has it really been that long? Now we are playing host to American Idol! Yes it's true, Ryan Seacrest was even here yesterday.
They've been here all week doing tryouts.
Richard and I drove downtown to the Veteran's Memorial Arena, which is where they are, to see all the people. I think there were more policemen and news vans than contestants! We must have hit the slow time. According to the news more than 12,000 people showed up! Now there are 200.
Next week Simon, Paula and Randy are supposed to show up. We may venture down to try and capture a glimpse! Or maybe we'll just watch it on the news!!

Pregnancy Updates

Now that the secret is out I'm sure everyone will understand why my blog posts have been few and far between lately! It's hard to get motivated when you don't feel good!
For those who don't know, I'll be updating my pregnancy here on my blog. It's just simpler. And I LOVE simple!
I'll start at the beginning, here we go!
I discovered I was pregnant on June 28. To put it bluntly I was scared to death. Probably not most women's reaction but such as it is. My recent loss was still quite fresh and I did NOT want to go through that again.
July 9 we went to see Sharon. I had previously decided to go through a midwife and birthing center, and stuck with the same decision.
Because of my polycystic ovarian syndrome combined with the recent miscarriage we weren't sure when we conceived. We tried a doppler with no success. So we scheduled an ultrasound. Sharon ordered my blood work as well as a test for my progesterone levels to make sure it wasn't too low.
July 10 I headed to St. Vincents Hospital to get my labs done. The lady looked at me and said, "You do know you're getting a LOT of blood drawn today?" Well no but okay!! She was excellent and I was fine.
July 15 was my ultrasound. We saw our little miracle for the first time. I can't describe the absolute joy of seeing that little heartbeat. The baby measured 5mm so Sharon determined me to be between 6 and 7 weeks along. I was hoping for 10 weeks but okay! I just wanted to get over that 9 week hump so I could stop worrying. That night we told my parents and my sister. They were pretty darn excited!
July 16 I got my labs back. Everything was good except the progesterone. It was too low, which is more than likely why I miscarried the first time. So Richard and I headed to the pharmacy and I got started on my Progesterone.
The next few weeks were, lets use the word interesting. The progesterone made me so sick. That along with trying to get past that 9 week mark without completely losing it made everything seem to take so long.
I find it fascinating the things that God uses. I had bought a jounal with my first pregnancy and never used it. The second time around I started writing in it. It's just a simple little journal and has Bible verses printed on the bottom of every page or so. What is so neat to me is that with each entry the verse at the bottom seemed to speak to what I was writing. When I was out of my mind with worry and anxiety there was Philippians 4:6. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
On August 6 we had our second appointment with Sharon. I'm staying on the progesterone for now. After we finished everything up she got a doppler and we waited patiently as she searched for the heartbeat. We found mine pretty easily, then heard the heartbeat of our little miracle. You've never seen three more excited people! Sharon even got emotional. I love her, she truly cares. That is hard to find.
I probably could have sat there for hours just listening. It was so comforting. Richard had the sense to suggest recording it so we did!
As I was writing in my journal after our second appointment the verse was Psalm 107:9. "For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." Tell me about it.
Before we even got out of the office Richard was sending out the video to my parents and sister!
Sooo, as far as my due date, that will be determined at 18-20 weeks. Because of the strong heartbeat and that it was so easily found Sharon is thinking I may be a lot further along. We were originally thinking I was due in March, but for now it's February. I'm going with 11 weeks for now, until I find out a more exact due date. You can also track that here on the blog. I have a growing baby widget. If you click on the weeks it will scroll through weeks and days to go, as well as weeks and days done so far.
Well, that is about it for now. I am doing well. My body has almost completely adjusted to the progesterone and I'm starting to feel a lot more energetic.
Will keep you updated!

Our Announcement

Twinkle, twinkle little star

How we wonder what you are

We hoped and prayed

It would happen some day

And, oh I'm pregnant by the way!

Due Date

February 2009

Only in America

Has anyone else heard about the genius who called 911 because Subway didn't put mayo and mustard on his sub? It happened here locally in Jacksonville so I don't know if this story made it elsewhere. I wouldn't be surprised.
Richard and I saw the story last night. The area looked a little familiar, probably because it was the Subway right next to our church! They actually showed the guy in their story, he was still mad! What was even funnier was when they played the 911 call. He was screaming and then asked the operator if she was still there. She replied, "Yes sir. I'm just waiting for you to finish yelling at me." Oy vey. Does this strike anyone else as crazy!?
Well, I guess we DO live in Jacksonville. You know you did something stupid when even the newscasters are making fun of you!
If you haven't heard about this and would like to read the story go here:
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/080308/met_312931891.shtml

I wish I could find a link for the video they showed on our local news, but alas I cannot.