Bring on the mini-van!!!

Well, I am 4 weeks and 3 days pregnant with #3.......

I am really excited, but I think I am in a state of shock. It hasn't really hit me yet exactly what is going on here. Surely it will hit me before July. That is when the "due date" is. July 7th.....of course when I have my first sonogram that date may be adjusted a couple of days one way or the other.

I took a test that had 2 lines (1 line=negative and 2 lines=positive). The second line was VERY faint. Everyone I talked to said that a line is a line is a line.....it doesn't matter how light it is. With the tests I took with Avery and Raegan there was NO question that they were positive. I took a few more tests that all had the very faint line. I called my doctor and they let me come in to do a test in the office and they ended up doing 2 that were both positive.....but faint. In all I have had about 8 positive tests.......after that I guess I realized that I may really be pregnant.

Avery is really excited, but says that she wants a girl. She said that she likes boys, but she doesn't want to have to take care of one. She also says that there are 2 babies in there. She has named them Austin and Scoop. (Austin is her favorite name these days......she names all her baby dolls Austin and the little puppy dogs that you have to name on her computer game are Austins too!)

Raegan will nod her head when we ask her if she wants a baby .....but she has no clue what that really means....bless her heart! And she will nod her head if you ask her if she wants a poke in the eye, so you can't really go by that anyway.

Just please keep us in your prayers!! The first part is the worst for me (or has been for the first 2) with the morning sickness and then just not knowing what is going on in there.....before you can feel them moving, it's like "are you okay in there???" I am just giving this baby to God and I know that He will take care of us however He sees fit!!

I know every pregnancy is different, but I was sick with both of the girls. (It was over at 12 weeks with Avery and lasted a few weeks longer with Raegan....I hope that isn't a pattern!!!) Now I have them to take care of and we have the deer business that I have to help Matthew with!! That will be fun during morning sickness......wrapping raw deer meat......yay!

I hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween!!
~Donna K

PawPaw and Nanny.....again....

Here are a couple more pictures of PawPaw and Nanny.......

I've been tagged......

(I never could get the rules clear enough to read)

I've been tagged by Lisa!



7 Random things about me.....

let's see.....

1.) I LOVE to talk!! (This is NO secret! hahaha)

2.) I can't play any type of musical instrument and I have no idea how to read music (I really wish I did though!!)......and yet I own a piano and a guitar.....

3.) I like to make balloon animals and have been a clown several times for different events.....since the kids came along I haven't gotten to do it much.

4.) I have a freakish memory of dates. I can usually remember anyone's birthday or anniversary that I have ever met.....but, I can't remember where I put my keys or cell phone.....

5.) I love the smell of the latex gloves we use in our meat business.....that is random!!

6.) I love garlic and onions. (so does Matthew so, we're good....)

7.) I have been pregnant and/or breastfeeding since January of 2005!! (and yes, I am pregnant now!!)

I put way too much thought into coming up with random things about myself!! It has taken me about 12 hrs to complete this post.....no, I haven't been sitting in front of the computer for 12 hours..... I have just taken that long thinking about what I am going to say!!


Now I am suppose to tag some people to do the same.......
I pick Crystal, Erica, Anna, and Angela!!

Operator Error...

For some reason the post "Happy Birthday Avery" didn't show up yesterday.....I re-posted it today. Be sure to go back a couple of posts and read it!!

PawPaw and Nanny!!

Here is a picture of us all dressed up for Halloween. Avery wanted to be my grandmother, so we went with it. Avery was "Nanny" and Raegan was "PawPaw". I was their caregiver from "Shady Acres Nursing Home and Rehab Center" (I had all that on my badge) Tonight we went to the Hallelujah Harvest at Hill Crest and that is where this picture was made. I didn't expect their costumes to be as big a hit as they were!! It was CRAZY!! People we didn't even know were asking if they could take pictures of them. I think one thing that made it SO funny is the way Avery really was using her walker and Raegan was really using her cane!! They did really good playing the parts!! I can't wait until we get to dress up again!!

You can double click on the picture to see it big. Be sure to look at how Avery has one stocking pushed down and one up. Raegan has white eyebrows and a handlebar mustache. Her hair was VERY hard to get white, but I did manage to give her a comb-over!! Also, Avery applied her own RED lipstick to get the full effect!

Happy Birthday Avery!!

Today is Avery's 3rd birthday!! I can't believe it! Time has gone by so fast and she is such a big girl now! She really enjoyed her party Saturday. Hopefully I will be able to post pictures soon.



Three years ago today (at this time of the morning) I was about to be heading to the doctor where I would find out that it was THE DAY!!! I had been to the hospital the night before because I had started having contractions that were pretty close together, but had been sent home after they checked me and I wasn't dilated at all. I remember it was about midnight but we stopped at Subway because I was SO hungry!! I slept pretty good that night other than some discomfort from the contractions. The next day my doctor called me (he found out that I had been to L&D the night before). He wanted me to come in so he could check me. I got there around 11 and I was very surprised when he told me I was dilated to a 3!! (Up until that point I was wondering if I was ever going to dilate) He sent me over to the hospital and by the time I got changed and hooked up to all the various monitors it was about 12. I don't know how long it was before they gave me Statol (a medicine to help with the pain), but I do remember that the only thing it did was make me laugh.....and I don't just mean giggle....I was laughing so hard I couldn't even talk....and that, of course, made everyone in the room laugh. I could not stop laughing at all!! It didn't help at all with the pain though, but I was too busy laughing to worry about it. After the laughter subsided, they checked me and I was around a 5 or 6.....I decided to go ahead and get the epidural. I was afraid it would slow down the process, ( I had heard that it could) but, I was also afraid that if I didn't go ahead and get it I would end up in one of those situations where I was ready for it and then I would be told.....nope, it's too late. I felt so much better after the epidural! I think it was around 7:30 when I was ready to start pushing. It seemed like 3 days that I pushed and nothing was really happening. It was about 1 hr and 1/2 to 2 hours. For some reason I had developed a fever (we never did figure out why). Everything seemed to be becoming an emergency-like situation. My doctor mentioned going to the c-section room and then if things didn't happen soon, he would do a c-section. I remember by that point I was like, "That's fine! Just get her out!!" I wanted her to be okay!! When we got moved into the other room I was feeling like I needed to push and they were saying "go ahead".....so, I had pushed a couple of times before they realized that she was coming!! When she was born I remember the doctor laying her on me and I touched her and thought....."Oh my goodness, this is really happening!!" I remember how strange it was to hear her cry.....not weird strange....just unreal. Since she had a few issues they took her away immediately to make sure she was ok. The umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck, so she was not the right color. Because of the stress, she had pooped before she was born so, they had to make sure she hadn't breathed any of that meconium in. They thought her hip was out of place, and because I had a fever she did too. Anyway, I remember all of those things were really making me nervous!! I remember asking one of the nurses that was in there how much she weighed and she had to call the nursery to find out. She weighed 8lbs. 11oz. and she was 20 inches long.

They finally brought her to me about 4 hours after she was born. I can remember how crazy it was that the nurse was just handing her to me.....what was I going to do with this helpless newborn?? It is funny how to this day, I am really nervous to hold someone else's newborn baby (I still feel like I might need to sit down and someone hand them to me!! ha ha), but for some reason I didn't feel that way with my own. All of the things that were going on when she was born turned out to be nothing really! She did have an iv for a couple of days and we stayed an extra day in the hospital, but that was no big deal!

We came home and she has been calling the shots ever since!! (well, at least until Raegan got old enough to share in that responsibility!!) Avery has always been very independent when it comes to just about anything. She is so funny and I can already see that she is going to have a great sense of humor! She does still have moments when she thinks the world revolves around her and she can get really upset when things don't go her way. She is VERY strong willed. (I don't know where she got that from....) Since it is my baby girl's birthday I want to share some things about her:

She LOVES....absolutely LOVES to cook.....really cook or just pretend
it doesn't matter which.

She really likes to sing and make up her own songs.

Books are a MUST for her...she will spend hours flipping through the
pages of a book! It doesn't matter if there are pictures in it or not!

She loves magazines the same way, but has to pull all of those cards
out (you know, the ones you send in for another subscription)

She calls me Mommy, Momma, and Mom.

She loves her daddy!

She likes dogs and cats and really any other kind of animal.....but she
gets nervous if you get her too close to one that is big.

It takes her a while to warm up to people that she doesn't know, but
once she is warmed up she will talk their ears off!!

She has always played with her hair when she is sleepy.

She loves to dig in the dirt, but she loves to get cleaned up afterward!

She hates to get food on her clothes. She had to change immediately
if this ever happens.

She loves to talk on the phone as long as it is on her toy phone...every
now and then she will really talk to someone on the real phone.

She tells me she loves me and hugs me more times than I can count
each day.

She is a GREAT big sister and has been since the day Raegan was
born.

She loves babies and says she wants another baby sister.

She shows me the world through her eyes.

She teaches me something new every day.

......I am so thankful that God chose me to be her mommy!!

A small misunderstanding.....

Matthew called me this morning and said that a man came in the co-op and told him that a guy had stolen a tank from Fort McClellan and was being chased by the police down the highway. He said I may want to watch the local news to see what was going on.

My mind immediately went to a video that I have seen more than once of a tank that was stolen and driven (out of control) down a busy highway destroying anything and everything in it's path.

I was thinking, "Oh my, this could be really bad!!" I couldn't find anything on the tv or the internet about it so, I called the co-op in Jacksonville (it is located on the highway that the "chase" was on). I asked if they had heard anything about it. The guy there said, "is that what that was?" He said that about 30 min. before that a tank with about 3 sheriff's deputy cars behind it (sirens on) came by the store. He said that he didn't know how fast a tank would go, but that it was moving on.

Well, I felt I had confirmed that yes, this story must be true!! I still couldn't believe there was no news coverage of such an important event!! Where was this lunatic going?? What had he already demolished in his path?? Why did noone care to inform the public of such a happening as this?? (In the meantime I called my friend, Pam, to make sure she wasn't going to be traveling that way anytime soon).

I kept scanning the news channels for any information.....but nothing. A little while later my sister called me with what turned out to be the last update of the pursuit........the tank was heading to JSU......by police escort.....it was heading there to......be displayed during the homecoming festivities at the college......

.......well, atleast noone was hurt, right? Talk about a misunderstanding!

I guess the guy that told Matthew about it had seen the tank with the police escort, or heard someone that had seen it and everything else was an assumption. We all know what happens when you assume things, don't we? Well, I got a good laugh at the end of it all!!

Just a typical visit to a public restroom....

A friend sent me this in an e-mail.......it made me laugh!!

When you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely and take your place. Once it's your turn, you check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall is occupied..

Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall.

You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter, the wait has been so long you are about to wet your pants! The dispenser for the modern 'seat covers' (invented by someone's Mom, no doubt) is handy, but empty. You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there was one, but there isn't - so you carefully, but quickly drape it around your neck, (Mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR!), yank down your pants, and assume 'The Stance.'

In this position, your aging, toneless thigh muscles begin to shake. You'd love to sit down, but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold 'The Stance.'

To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, 'Honey, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!' Your thighs shake more.

You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in your purse. (Oh yeah, the purse around your neck, that now, you have to hold up trying not to strangle yourself at the same time). That would have to do. You crumple it in the puffiest way possible. It's still smaller than your thumbnail.

Someone pushes your door open because the latch doesn't work. The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward against the tank of the toilet. 'Occupied!' you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly onto the TOILET SEAT.

It is wet, of course. You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late. Your bare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any, even if you had taken time to try. You know that your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew, because, you're certain her bare bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear, 'You just don't KNOW what kind of diseases you could get.'

By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose against the inside of the bowl that sprays a fine mist of water that covers your butt and runs down your legs and into your shoes. The flush somehow sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the empty toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too.

At this point, you give up. You're soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat. You're exhausted. You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks.

You can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women still waiting.

You are no longer able to smile politely to them. A kind soul at the very end of the line points out a piece of toilet paper trailing from your shoe. (Where was that when you NEEDED it??) You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it in the woman's hand and tell her warmly, 'Here, you just might need this.'

As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used, and left the men's restroom. Annoyed, he asks, 'What took you so long, and why is your purse hanging around your neck?'



This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with a public restrooms (rest??? you've GOT to be kidding!!). It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long. It also answers their other commonly asked questions about why women go to the restroom in pairs. It's so the other gal can hold the door, hang on to your purse and hand you Kleenex under the door!

This HAD to be written by a woman! No one else could describe it so accurately!

This is pretty random......

Deer season started today. It is bow season, and last year we weren't open until gun season, so obviously that means we didn't do any deer during bow season.....Well, we got our first deer in today!!! I am excited about getting started again, but I know there is a lot of work ahead of us!!! I just have to keep in mind that it is only for 3 1/2 months!!

Last Saturday we gave Avery her birthday present from us.....(her birthday is the 20th, but I couldn't wait that long! Besides, she doesn't know the difference yet!) We gave her a Leap Frog, Click Start, My First Computer.....SHE LOVES IT!!! It is so funny to watch her use the mouse and play the games! She has always been interested in the computer, and now she has her very own! She acts like she is doing some really important stuff on it....I love that!

Avery has FINALLY learned to steer her john deere gator that she got last Christmas. This has been something that we have continuously worked on, but she finally got it. Before she would just stop right before she would hit something for us to come help her. The whole time we would be telling her to turn the steering wheel but she just would not!! I don't know why she wouldn't, and then finally a couple of weeks ago she just started using it. Now she will take stuff down to the barn for us (she really enjoys that because she is helping), or she will just follow us around everywhere. Raegan is always by her side (with her seat belt ON). They try to get Pepper (our poodle) to ride in the back, but so far that hasn't happened. As soon as Avery starts going Pepper jumps out (I don't know if I blame her).

That reminds me.......I better go give Pepper a bath!! She sure needs one!!! Sorry for the randomness of this post! I am just rambling!!

Life is worth the living just BECAUSE HE LIVES!!

Because He Lives

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus

He came to love, heal, and forgive.

He lived and died to buy my pardon,

An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.

Because He lives, All fear is gone.

Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living just because He lives.

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,

And feel the pride and joy he gives.

But greater still the calm assurance,

This child can face uncertain days because He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.

Because He lives, All fear is gone.

Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living just because He lives.

And then one day I'll cross the river,

I'll fight life's final war with pain.

And then as death gives way to victory,

I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.

Because He lives, All fear is gone!

Because I know He holds the future

And life is worth the living just because He lives!

Words: Bill & Gloria Gaither

It is easy to get caught up in everything that is going on around us and let worry creep in. But I know that God holds the future and no matter what happens in this life, when it is all said and done, His promises will remain! He never promised things would be easy and we would go through this life without trials, but He did promise that He would take care of His children! I don't know what this life will bring, but I know that "life is worth the living just because He lives"!!

I really like the story about how this song came to be and I wanted to share it!

I have included 2 videos with this post, the first one is Gloria Gaither explaining the events that inspired the words to this song, and then the Gaither Trio performing the song in 1972. The second video is "Because He Lives" being sung at the Gaither Homecoming in Israel.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Hebrews 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Some pictures with friends....

Avery is with our neighbors, Nanny and Pop, today. It is just me and Raegan here. Raegan doesn't know what to do when she has all my attention. She likes for me to hold her more than she usually does (which is a good bit anyway!) I don't mind it too much though! She is growing up so fast, I know the day is coming when she won't want me to hold her.....:(

I wanted to share some pictures that my friend Janna sent me of the girls from the last time we got together. She has 2 girls, Jessica and Allie....Avery and Raegan really enjoy playing with them!!

Everyone getting ready to go down the slide!!

Allie and Raegan climbing up !!

Raegan and Allie swinging together!!

Avery and Jess cooking.....that is Avery's thing!! She is ALWAYS cooking!!

Everyone jumping in the "jumpy thing" as Avery calls it!

This is what you get when you tell Raegan to say "cheese"

Jess and Avery swinging together and cheesing!!

Are they checking their myspace??

"It's okay weetheart...it's okay"

Raegan had her 18 month check-up yesterday and she does NOT like the doctor's office. As soon as a nurse started talking to her she tensed up and laid her head on my shoulder. When the doctor came in she started crying as soon as he took his stethoscope from around his neck to use it. It was SO sweet though because Avery put her arm around her and was telling her "it's okay weetheart...it's okay" (she has been calling her "weetheart" for a little while now). Raegan had to get a couple of shots and that really upset her. Avery kept asking me "what did that ady do to my sister?" They were both okay after the suckers and stickers were passed out though! Avery has to go at the end of the month, but I don't think she has to get any shots.

I had to go to the doctor today for a follow-up visit. A few months ago my heart started fluttering really bad. I stopped drinking drinks with caffeine and I haven't had any problems since. The tests they did came back normal. So, today I was only in the doctor's office for about 10 minutes. It was the quickest doctor appointment I have ever had!! I have to go back in June for another echo cardiogram just to make sure nothing has changed but, that's not too bad.

well, I guess that's about all for now....
Donna K

I wish I could describe Him to you....

I had never seen this version of this until I found it on youtube. It is good....It is really good!! It is good though, because HE is good!!

WOW....Is it really October already?????

Well, it is OCTOBER.....I can't believe it! I have really been looking forward to fall this year, I'm not really sure why....I'm sure it won't take long for me to get tired of cold weather and being cooped up in the house all the time, but for now...I am happy that it is fall! I have been wanting some chili and grilled cheese sandwiches lately! Yum! So, that is what we had today!!

We have a lot going on! Deer season starts on Oct. 15th. It is just bow season, but we will hopefully start getting some deer in! So, anyone who reads this and didn't know, we have a deer processing business!! Tell everyone that you know that hunts to bring their deer to us! Last year was our first year and we got started late getting everything going. This year we have been able to do improvements and get things done that we didn't get around to before. We are going to have a playroom this season and that will HELP SO MUCH!! I will be able to help more and the kids will have a good place to play!

Today Matthew was off and we were doing some work around the house. We are trying to get our house ready for winter. One of the things we are going to do is recycle our dryer air. Our laundry room is basically a back porch. It has windows all the way around it that are screened, then there are roll out windows that don't really keep out the "weather" (by "weather" I basically mean wind and hot/cold air). Anyway, today Matthew insulated it and we are going to fix the dryer where instead of the hot air blowing out, it will be blowing back in the house. There are different ways to do this. We are going to use the hose that normally blows the air out and run it up behind the dryer where it is easy to reach, and then we are going to attach a vacuum bag to it. We will just have to check the bag regularly for lent. It just seems like such a waste to blow all that warm air outside!!

We are getting ready for Avery's birthday!!! She will be 3 years old in 18 days!!! I can't believe that!! She is having a "Bob the Builder" party per her request!!
Well....Bob the Builder and Scoop!! Scoop is her favorite character on the show. Along with getting ready for her birthday we are trying to get their costumes together for Halloween. When I ask Avery what what she wants to be, she says, "Polly Nanny"....That is what she calls my grandmother, so.....I have decided to go with that!! I figure since Avery is going to be an old woman, and Raegan is still too young to care, it is only right to make Raegan an old man!!! I think it will turn out cute! I just have a lot to do to get all that together!

Well, I am about to go to bed!! I have been so sleepy lately! I don't know what is wrong with me!! By the way, today is Matthew's brother's birthday! Please keep him and his family in your prayers. They have recently moved to Germany! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL!! WE LOVE YOU!!


~Donna K!!