Saturday Celebrations!

Last Saturday was a big day! To kick things off, the ZOE Girls had a baby blessing for me and Caroline. It was so wonderful to be surrounded by family and friends who have been with us every step of the way through this entire ordeal with our pregnancy. Every person in the room had been involved in some way to help us through-- whether it was by bringing food, coming to entertain me, taking Luke when we needed someone to watch him, or just simply praying. There were many tears, Scriptures, and times of sharing. It was the perfect way to celebrate her upcoming arrival, and it gave me a real sense of peace and closure.... I am ready for her to arrive now!

Immediately after the shower, all of our family gathered to celebrate Luke's 2nd birthday. We opted for the family only route this year. It was great fun! Luke is just so cute! He had a big time blowing out his candles and opening all his gifts. He is blessed to have such a loving extended family all in Nashville-- except for my parents who are only 2 hours away.

So, it was a busy, fun day. Life is so great. What a blessing to share in days like this with people you love. Now we are just in count-down mode, waiting for February 28th-- the day our family will grow again! Hard to imagine, but we are looking forward to it more and more each day! Bring on the chaos! :)

These are photos of Scott and me on our 2nd birthdays! Looks like we had the same cake, icing, and candles-- except mine was square!

You Say It's Your Birthday...!

Yes-- I confess! Today is my birthday! I am officially old-- or at least older!

It's funny that the older you get, the less "exciting" the day actually becomes. Dear, sweet family and friends made the day very special, though. I had a fun birthday lunch with my ZOE girls-- love those guys! Thanks, y'all! :) Scott also came through with chocolate-- always the perfect gift, and also a certificate to get my nails and feet done before Caroline comes!! :)

Last year I was so consumed with Luke's first birthday that I don't even remember thinking about my birthday. It just struck me this year that Luke's birthday is one week after mine-- I had never thought about it before. This year I am feeling much more relaxed about the whole event. We are keeping it low-key-- just family. Luke won't notice, and it just seems like the right call this time. We'll invite the friends to attend next year. Still can't believe he will be TWO!!

We are really getting excited about having a little girl although it seems so surreal still. That will all change soon! :)

Life is good! We are VERY blessed!

Precious Blessings

Technically, we have less time left than that since we are having a c-section on February 28th-- that makes it 34 days to go!!!!

Well, it's hard to believe that in about a month we will have a precious little addition to our family! I have been working on editing and creating Luke's DVD this week by reviewing all the tapes we have made of him during the past year. It is so amazing to watch the footage of him just one year ago-- learning how to walk, to explore, and to play. He seems so small! I am sure this time next year we will be watching tapes of him at this age and be thinking the same thing!

I still can't get my mind around what having an infant in the house again will be like. We are at such a great place with Luke now that it seems crazy to "mess it up" and have to start all over with another! :) He has done so well adjusting to his big boy bed. He has been sleeping through the night for about 2 weeks, so we think he has transitioned at this point. Today, for the first time ever, he even told me that he was ready to take a nap! It was so funny!

Even though we have already been down this road before, I still can't fathom holding Caroline in my arms and seeing her for the first time-- especially after thinking she might never make it at one point. It has been a long road, and I still don't think I realize what a miracle she is. I am really looking forward to enjoying this delivery and my first few days with her.... I just didn't have that with Luke because of all the complications. It took me about a month to feel back to normal with him-- I am praying I won't have to endure any of that this time around. Plus, I think (and pray) that we will be much more relaxed in dealing with a new baby the second time around. We'll know what to expect and surely won't have all the anxiety and fear we had with Luke during those first weeks.

I wonder what she will look like-- what color hair, eyes? Will she have the same look Luke did when he was born or will she have a look all her own? I just can't wait! Bring on the sleepless nights and the utter chaos of chasing a two year-old around while trying to tend to a baby! We have been so blessed-- how can I ask for more-- even if it is a serious challenge?!? I just pray that in everything-- the good and the bad moments that lie ahead-- I will stop to give thanks for my two precious blessings-- three, including Scott! :)

Pretty in Pink

Thought I would post some photos of Caroline's-- formerly Luke's-- nursery. When I first painted/decorated the nursery for him, I decided that I would keep it unisex, so that just by changing a few accents I could easily update for either a girl or boy. S0-- out goes the blue gingham-- in comes the pink! I purchased new bedding that added the pink and brought out the butterflies already present in the border. With a few more pink touches and new name letters above the crib-- it's pretty much finished! You can click on the photos to enlarge them.

My Dad made this crib back in 1997 for the first grandchild-- my sister's daughter, Camille. It has walnut inserts in it from trees from Andrew Jackson's Hermitage that were blown down during a tornado. It is truly gorgeous, and will be a family heirloom for all the grandkids-- and great grandkids-- to use throughout the years.

A closet full of pink! I went out and bought everything pink once we found out it was a girl!

Caroline's name is twice as long as Luke's was so it takes up the entire wall!

"I'll help with the diapers!" --- Luke will be a great big brother!

The only thing we purchased furniture-wise for the nursery was this changing table. My dad made the fence bookshelf for me. I took him to a local store in town who was selling this piece for almost $600. My Dad made it for me and it was the perfect accent for the room. So nice to have such a talented father! :)

This chest was actually in Scott's nursery many moons ago-- we just painted it to match the room.

I had so much fun painting these bugs on the wall-- I used the ones in the border as my guide.

God is Good

Well-- you know that my life is getting back to normal when I no longer post to the blog every day!!! :) It actually is WONDERFUL to be busy again! I am getting out and about just like before, and I have to say that I feel completely normal again. I am SO thankful that I am able to have this time to readjust to normal life before Caroline arrives. I have been able to get so much done that I wouldn't have been able to do if I was still on strict bedrest.

Her nursery is finished! It looks so cute! I basically kept the walls and everything the same, I just added new bedding and pink accents-- and changed the wall letters to her name instead of Luke's. I am very pleased. I will post photos soon.

Luke's big boy bed transition has gone really well, too! Yippee! On Sunday I sat him down and explained to him that he did not need to get up during the night anymore. I told him that he couldn't get out of bed until the sun came up in the morning. For some reason that clicked with him, and he has slept through the night for 5 days straight! We are praying that he has officially made the transition now. When he would get up, he wouldn't make a sound-- he would just fling our door open and come in. Then I would just lead him back down to his room and he would climb back into bed and quickly go back to sleep. This really didn't bother me-- in fact, I enjoyed it in some ways. I never had to rock him or soothe him to get him to go to sleep. We would just lay him down and he would go to sleep on his on... So, I really don't mind tucking him into bed and patting his back now-- even at 3:00 am!! It is rather sweet to sit by his bed and watch him sleep. It reminds me of how blessed we are, and how I will be up at all hours of the night anyway soon with Caroline!!

Scott celebrated his birthday on the 12th. Luke helped me make him a cake. He LOVES to "help" now with anything and everything. He's pretty good at following directions.

We went to the doctor on the 17th and we now have an official birthday for Caroline-- Tuesday, February 28th, 7:30 am. I had initially wanted her to arrive in March, and we could have scheduled the c-section for the next day, March 1st. But, when it comes right down to it, I just feel blessed to be at this point. After all we have been through, I don't dare get concerned about what day she's born-- I am just SO happy that she will be born happy and healthy and at an appropriate time. I will be 33 weeks next week which is a GREAT place to be. Tonight Scott and I were talking about what a blessing my being on bed rest actually was. We both were able to spend such quality time with Luke that we never would have had if we had just kept living life as usual. All the drama surrounding my cervix made us stop and appreciate each day-- literally. It allowed Scott to be at home much more than he would have and to assume a much larger role in Luke's day-to-day life. It allowed me to spend great amounts of focused time with Luke instead of just running around from place to place with him each day. I will always treasure the times we had curled up together on the couch playing games on the computer, reading books, and watching Charlie and Lola-- and Thomas. God really worked good out of the entire situation on SO many levels. Although I would never want Caroline's very life to be at risk in any way again, I would gladly go through the bed rest experience again if necessary.

So, life is back to "normal" as we await Caroline's arrival. I still can't really grasp what it will be like to have an infant in the house again. I am praying Luke will adapt just fine and not be jealous or bothered by the chaos she will surely bring. I am looking forward to many things-- Knowing what I am doing and not being afraid that I am going to mess up or do something wrong; Not being anemic, sick, and traumatized from the whole delivery process this time around (please, God!!); Savoring the times I have with her because I now fully understand just how quickly it passes; Watching Luke interact with her and being able to see her respond to him.... Can't believe all of this is just 5 weeks from Tuesday!!! WOW!

Luke's 2nd birthday is also coming up on Feb. 3rd. We are doing a casual family party on Saturday the 5th. I am also so excited to be having a baby blessing shower for Caroline with close friends and family earlier that day. It will be SO nice to celebrate with all of them-- they have been our support, encouragement, sanity, and strength through all of this.

Still on track with my Bible reading-- we are in Matthew now.

Life is good. Life is good. God is good. God is good.

Sleeping Well, Moving Again, Reading the Word

Today was a great day! First, we have reached the 31-week mark in our pregnancy! Yippee! And, Luke slept through the night without a peep in his new big boy bed! He went down this afternoon for his nap without a fuss, and Scott had no problem putting him to bed tonight! He went right down! Can this transition really be that easy?!? We are hoping! :) I can't wait to put the finishing touches on his old nursery to make it Caroline's!

Scott's mom will be watching Luke tomorrow, so I am hoping to go shopping for birthday party invitations. It is so nice to be able to get out and about again. I am really feeling almost "normal" as far as my mobility. I think it just took a week or two for my body to realize that I could actually move again. I am so thankful that I am able to regain this agility before she arrives.

God is good! I am still on track with my Bible reading plan-- up to Genesis 29. It is so interesting to read all the stories again about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob... as well as Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel, and Leah. Haven't families been flawed since the beginning of time?!? Makes me feel a little better about my day-to-day foibles!

Big Boy, Big Bed, Big Birthday, Big Brother

Well-- today we made the "big move"... Luke is sleeping in his new "big boy bed!" He took his nap this afternoon in the bed and did great. Tonight he was a little hesitant to fall asleep. I sat beside him until he fell asleep-- which we never do, but, I figured we had to cut him some slack while he is getting used to the new room.

I think it is harder on me than it is on him! I was so sad today as I moved all of his clothes out of the nursery into his new closet. I just can't believe how fast time has flown! He is such a big boy now, but it seems just like yesterday that I was working so hard to get the nursery ready for him. Every little detail had to be just right-- now he is no longer even sleeping in the room. And, at the same time-- it hit me that this room is soon to have a new occupant! Seeing all her pretty little pink outfits hanging so perfectly in the nursery closet made it seem a little more real.

I still can't really imagine what it is going to be like having another little soul in the house. I am somewhat worried that Luke will have a rough time adjusting... he is such a good kid, I'd like to think that he will remain easy-going and flexible about it, but you just never know. He will have just turned 2 (by a month) when Caroline arrives-- if she waits until the 38 week mark. We also have no idea if he will succumb to the "terrible two" syndrome.... having a new baby sister could really exacerbate the problem!

So-- he will probably get a better night's sleep than I will tonight! I will probably toss and turn, hoping that he sleeps well and doesn't fall off the bed or wake up in the middle of the night scared to be in an unfamiliar place. My mind will also most likely be racing with all the "to do's" that I need to get done this week. We will be having Luke's 2nd birthday party in less than a month! I have a cake to order, decorations to buy, invitations to be made and sent, photographs to be taken, and a DVD to be made of his second year! Please let me get it all finished!!!

It is just crazy how fast life seems to be getting. I can't fathom that I will be the mother of two in less than 8 weeks! I am just praying that all goes smoothly, and that we will be able to roll with the punches!

30 Weeks! Hooray!

I am 30 weeks pregnant today! Hooray!

There were a few times along the way when we were afraid we wouldn't make it to this point, but God is faithful!

I go to the doctor tomorrow. I am looking forward to celebrating this milestone with her! Yes, we have at least two more months to go, ideally-- but we are a long way from the danger zone weeks were facing in the beginning.

I started on Luke's curtains today and got one panel finished. He went home with my parents on Monday, and they are going to bring him back on Thursday. I miss him, but we are using this time to try to finish up all the projects on our to-do list.

Thanks so much for all the prayers. We truly believe God was listening and has brought us to this point!

Man or Monkey?!

Hope all of you enjoyed the first day of the New Year today! We passed our last evening of 2006 playing Scrabble with my parents! We are just two wild and crazy kids! Scott won thanks to his use of all 7 tiles on "massacre"-- a 50 point bonus.

The first Sunday of the New Year also brought a great lesson at church. Tim showed a clip from Leno where he interviewed people on their Bible knowledge. If you have ever seen any of his "Jay-Walking" segments, then you know how pathetic the answers were. Who was swallowed by a big fish?-- Pinocchio. What did Joseph receive that made his brothers jealous?-- a new car.

Anyway-- his point was that basic Biblical knowledge-- even within the church has declined greatly over the past 50 years. Statistics bear this out. We live in a culture where 12% of people think Noah's wife was Joan of Arc ("ark?!").

I have always been extremely good at Bible facts. My dad would do Bible flash cards with us before bedtime-- always accompanied with a Bible story read out of our big white Bible story book. It was just something that was always emphasized, and I thankfully have retained much of the knowledge I learned as a child.

It is sad that the "Church of Christ" used to be widely regarded as a fellowship who knew its Bible. For better or worse, we were known as people who could quote book, chapter, and verse on just about any topic. That doesn't ring true today. It is simply not a priority in most of our churches or families today.

Tim actually passed out a "Bible quiz" and had everyone spend close to 15 minutes testing his/her basic Bible knowledge. Questions like, "Who wrote Philemon? A. Peter B. Paul C. Philemon D. Onesimus (Answer= B. Paul) He went over the answers. My score? 21 correct out of 25. Not too bad considering I was trying to pacify Luke and keep him from stealing my pen the entire time!

I really want Luke to grow up knowing the Bible. It weighs on me heavily. I want to make sure that I do my part to teach him all the great stories-- from the major to the obscure-- like my personal favorite tidbit of Bible trivia from my youth-- King Og had a bed 13½ feet long and 6 feet wide (Deut. 3:11). I even have an entire set of Bible flannel graphs to use on a flannel board-- a favorite memory of my Sunday school days. Yes, I know I am a nerd...

One of Tim's last points-- The difference between a monkey and a man? A monkey looks at a telescope, a man looks through a telescope. The Bible is an amazing telescope which gives us great insight into the heart of God and all the answers to life. We need to learn to look through the Bible and see its wonderful truths instead of just looking "at" it and never fully grasping the bigger picture.

All the Bible facts in the world can't replace a genuine, meaningful relationship with Him. That is ultimately the most important thing, but treasuring His words in our hearts is also important, too. It helps shape our souls and attitudes in His likeness and ways.

So-- my New Year's resolution is too spend more time in the Word-- not just reading for reading's sake, but really trying to glean wisdom and guidance from the Author Himself.

Happy New Year!

"...Forgetting what lies behind, and looking forward to what lies ahead..."

Philippians 13:3

One Project at a Time

This week Scott was off, so we decided to tackle several projects that we needed to get done-- preferably before Caroline makes her debut! First on the list was setting up Luke's new "big boy room". We had to move the office out into the bonus room so we could move him into the office space.

Luke's new room is cute. He has a blue race car bed which we pray he will transition into easily when we finally decide it's time for him to leave the crib. We hope to go ahead and have him start sleeping in the new room so that he will already feel comfortable and at home and not feel like he was kicked out when Caroline comes home. We'll probably move his crib into the room first for a couple of weeks until he is used to the idea and the prospect of sleeping in an actual bed. He's still a baby-- not even two. We really want to stay aware of this and not try to rush him into growing up too quickly just because a new baby is on the way.

We still have much work to do on his room, but we're getting close. I hope to get started on his race flag curtains in the next few days. We need to put up another shelf in his closet... It will all get done eventually.

We can hardly believe that we are a single day away from 2006!!! Not too many weeks ago, 2006 seemed like an eternity away. We were so hopeful that we would make it to the new year and reach the big 30 week milestone-- now, here we are! Praise God!!! He is so faithful! Being the completely sentimental type, I can only dream about what lies ahead of us in 2006. I can't even imagine what having a new little girl in our family will be like! How fun it will be to watch Luke grow into his new role as "big brother"! I am looking forward to getting back into a normal routine-- especially getting back to the Y every day. I'm even looking forward to being able to clean the house, wash clothes, and cook again!

(Don't hold me to that one!)

We will always remember 2005 as the year we learned that we can make it through anything as long as we work as a team. We learned that only God can bring true peace in the midst of chaos and uncertainty. We learned that good friends and wonderful family are some of God's biggest blessings to us in this life. And, we continued to learn that being parents is the BEST job in the world!

A New Church Family... A New Journey Begins!

Our photo from Otter Creek which was shown when we placed membership.

Today Scott, Luke, and I officially placed membership at Otter Creek. This is the first time I have blogged any about the whole process that led us to this place. Changing churches is such a hard thing to do....

I have attended Woodmont Hills since my college days, and Scott and I placed membership there after we got married. So, I would guestimate that I have been affiliated with that church for going on 13 years in total.

The one thing that I hope is never construed from our decision to go to Otter Creek, is that we no longer "like" Woodmont Hills. The truth is that we will ALWAYS love Woodmont. It is such an amazing place with wonderful people. I know I would not be the person I am today without the instruction and experiences I had there. I treasured every moment that I had there.

So-- why the change? There are several reasons... When you are in your 20s-- and childless-- you have much different needs, spiritually speaking. You are somewhat self-absorbed in ways. Church is all about the sermons and to a big degree the social interaction. Woodmont was such a great place to be on all counts for us while we were in this stage of our life and spiritual growth.

When you hit your 30s, you start to re-examine your church in terms of "community." You began to realize that you want church to be much more than hundreds of acquaintances that you only see once or twice a week. You want church to be where you commune with those who are you dearest friends-- people who know you intimately and know your battles, pains, and struggles... as well as the joys. When you have children an entirely new level of needs develop. You want your child to grow up in a church of people who know them, love them... where they feel secure and happy.

And-- before I continue-- let me say... We have struggled SO SO much with all of this. There is a fine line with having your needs met in church and feeling "at home," and at the same time, not slipping into the "consumeristic" approach of "church shopping" when it becomes all about which church meets our criterion of what we think will make us spiritually content. I genuinely believe that we made our decision out of pure motives and that we have tried with all our hearts to carefully analyze our reasons for wanting to make the change.

So-- at some point, Woodmont just stopped feeling like "home." We felt like we had gotten lost in the crowd, and for me, I felt like Luke was getting lost. Woodmont is just big-- which is a testament to the wonderful things that happen there and the wonderful teaching that speaks to so many. We had NEVER considered attending anywhere else, but this summer, a restlessness arose in our hearts, and we started to consider other places.

We started to visit OC in August. We attended a new member's luncheon in early October on a whim... we literally were pulling out of the parking lot, and I said to Scott, "We really should go", and the next thing we knew we were eating chicken and sitting with a room full of others who were interested in making OC home as well. We left feeling like OC sounded like such a great place to be. We really connected to the vision and goals that were presented. We felt like it was a place we could be needed and used.

My bed rest put a kink into our plans to keep visiting since I wasn't able to attend church anywhere. Scott and Luke continued to go without me. But, sitting on the couch for two months gave me so much time to think about this decision and to discuss it over with Scott.

At some point, I think it came down to-- OC feels like a place we can grow and develop the strong sense of church community we are looking for vs. Woodmont doesn't feel like home anymore. I was also just tired of "riding the fence." I wanted to make a decision and go with it. I'm not really a middle of the road person when it comes to being involved-- I just want to jump in and start working.

So-- we thought that Christmas Day 2005 would be a special day we would always remember as the day we started our new journey with Otter Creek. It was a great day, and we feel like we have made a great choice.

We are aware that we are leaving behind many wonderful relationships and memories at Woodmont-- I don't even like pondering on it for very long because it makes me sad. We had invested over a decade there and it is always hard to close the book on such an important chapter in your lives. Woodmont was so much of my identity for so long. I will always love WH and the people and ministries there.

We look forward to our future with OC! We are really getting in at a hugely transitional time. Otter Creek will be moving to a new building at the end of February after 50 years in their current home. It is also hard for them to let go and move on, but also a time of great anticipation. We are thankful that we will be joining the "new era" of OC and are excited about what lies ahead!

Ultimately, we are all members of Christ's church. The people we fellowship with each week are just a tiny part of the larger universal family to which all believers belong. Our loyalty must first be to Christ alone-- above all other things, even the names above our church doors. Right?

So-- thus begins a new chapter for the Westerman crew! If you knew how much I truly hate change and transition, you would know what a HUGE step this is for us! But, I feel a wonderful sense of peace about placing membership, and I am looking forward to all the great things that lie ahead for us and for OC!

Good news!

I am happy to report that although my initial blood work screen for gestational diabetes came back elevated, my follow up test shows that I DO NOT have gestational diabetes! YIPPEE!

I am so relived that at least one thing has turned out well and has not become a complication during this pregnancy!

Only 10 weeks to go before she arrives! As of now, and unless she decides to come early-- we are planning to schedule a c-section at 38 weeks sometime during the last week of February and the first week in March.

We have also decided on her name-- after MUCH thought and deliberation.....
Caroline Mae Westerman

Caroline is a form of my Mom's middle name, Carolyn. Mae is my grandmother's (my mom's mom) middle name

Caroline carries a variety of meanings-- strong, beloved, a lovely melody, a song of happiness. Mae is sometimes considered a short, feminized form of Matthew which means "gift from God." It is also an adaptation of Mary which means "bitter." This pregnancy has definitely had its share of "bitter" moments, but, in the end, we know Caroline will have proven to be our strong, beloved little fighter, and she will forever be our song of happiness!

Thanks for the continued prayers and support-- and for sharing in our joy!

Happy 28th Week! :)

Today is my 28th week of pregnancy! Yippee!

Although we aren't completely "in the clear" yet, we feel SO much better. Our 28th week was kind of a goal we were trying to reach, and it is crazy to think that we are already here! We are so thankful!

Scott didn't win his car or boat! There were 10 people-- he made it to 6th person to try out his key, but the 8th person won. Oh well-- wasn't meant to be!

I survived my 3-hour blood test. It wasn't so bad. I just worked on my dress and caught up on my journal while I waited. Guess it is easy for me to just sit and occupy myself now-- I am certainly used to it!

My best friend from Texas was here today to visit. She took me to get a pedicure for my Christmas present. I SO needed one, and it was wonderful! Very relaxing! What a fun treat to catch up with her, get my nails done, and get out of the house-- all in one day!

We are looking forward to Christmas this weekend. This will be our last Christmas as a family of three. Next year our little girl will be 9 months old! It is impossible to visualize that! Almost as impossible as it is to believe that Luke is almost 2 this Christmas! Time really does fly!

So-- tonight we are so thankful to be at this place and are so excited that my due date is getting ever closer. God is good!

Let them eat cake!

This week has gone by faster than any other week that I have been on bed rest. It is almost hard to believe that on Tuesday-- just three more days-- I will be at 28 weeks. This is a big milestone for us. Things start looking MUCH better after this point in the pregnancy. We are so excited to reach this goal.

I can remember having a conversation with our doctor when I was only 23 weeks along-- right before my surgery.... She was explaining to us what our odds looked like. At that point our little girl had virtually no chance of survival if she came early. The next bench mark was 26-28 weeks; she would have a much better chance of survival, but most importantly her long-term handicap rates would start to drop. So-- we are still praying that she doesn't show up until my scheduled c-section at the first of March, but we are at least feeling more hopeful that we're finally approaching a "safe zone" of sorts.

Our next goal is to make it to 32 weeks. Survival rates and long-term disability rates start to reach those of a full-term baby. Luke was born at 38 weeks and weighed over 9 pounds! So, we're hoping that our little girl will be big like him-- just in case she decides to show up earlier than we'd like! :)

I finally got my Christmas cards in the mail today! YEAH! It takes so long to put those together, but I really enjoy it. It is so worth it to me. Yet another example of how odd I am! :) I get pleasure out of weird things like that which most people don't give a second thought about.

Scott goes to the Titans game on Sunday to try to win us that car and boat. The odds aren't really on his side. There will probably be around 15 people who will get a key to see if they win. I don't expect him to come home with a new set of keys in his hands, but at least he will have a chance-- regardless of how slim! I'll keep you all posted!

We are planning to get Luke's "big boy" room set up next week. We would really like to have him used to his new room before the baby comes and he feels like he is being booted out of his space. We will probably try to get him in his new toddler race car bed in the new year. I am sure there will be some frustrating times trying to get him used to his new environment, but I am hopeful that he will eventually adjust and grow to like it.

Life is good! Although I do have to go in on Monday for a 3-hour blood test to see if I actually have gestational diabetes, the upside is that I have been "ordered" to eat DESSERT twice a day as a part of the 3-day carb-loading meal plan I have to follow to get ready for the test! It has been SO long since I have been able to eat chocolate! I had a BIG piece of chocolate cake tonight! YUM!

Another Hurdle on the Journey

Well-- as I expected, my blood sugar test came back elevated. This really wasn't a surprise to me since the same thing happened with Luke. I have to go in Monday for the 3 hour test to confirm if I actually have gestational diabetes or not. I passed this second test with Luke, but I don't think I'll be so lucky this time around since I am getting NO exercise to counterbalance the effect on my body. Oh well... it will just be yet another hurdle for us to tackle during this pregnancy.

On the up side-- I am 27 weeks today! For some reason this seems like such a big milestone, although we really won't be in the clear until we get past 30 weeks. But, I remember thinking how very far away that seemed, and now it is less than a month away. Yeah, God! I feel so thankful to have made it so far with no major complications.

Got my Christmas newsletter to the printer today-- thanks to Scott. Hope to have them all in the mail no later than Friday. It's so fun getting cards in the mail each day and seeing what everybody has been up to-- I'm sure that some find my newsletter annoying and containing WAY too much information, but I don't care. It is tradition that my mom always did and the first year Scott and I were married I put one together for us-- and I have every year since. I have them all filed away in an album and it so great to be able to flip back through it every Christmas and re-read all the highlights and see the photos of all the great memories we have shared over the past 10 years. So-- it is more of a historical record maybe than a Christmas card! :)

Found out today that my best friend's mom has cancer. She is upset. Reminds me of how I was when my parents were fighting their own battles with cancer a few years back. Makes you very thankful to have your family with you and to treasure each moment that you have with them.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Love, Luke

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

Went to the doctor today for my blood sugar test. That 50 grams of orange sugar water sure was a shock to my system-- especially since I have tried to eliminate sugar from my diet the last three weeks! YUCK!

I really don't expect to pass the test. I have already been warned that women on bed rest have much higher rates of gestational diabetes.... So, all I can do is wait and hope for the best. And, if it turns out that I test positive, it can't be any worse than the other hurdles we have already faced. It will be just one more hurdle for us to jump before our little girl makes her debut.

I definitely have a light at the end of the tunnel now. Dr. M says that at 28 weeks I can start loosening my be rest restrictions a little-- going out to dinner or to church! Even that little window of freedom sounds wonderful to me! So-- my eyes are focused on the next 14 days!

Thank you, Lord, for allowing us to reach 26 weeks with our precious girl. I can remember when 26 weeks seemed like an eternity away-- yet, now, here we are. You have been faithful to us once again!

Pathetic Pity Party

Today I was a little sad for the first time since I have been on bed rest-- which I guess has been going on for close to a month now. Why? Well, besdies the fact that Luke turned 22 months-old today, Santa came to church, and I wanted to make sure that Luke had his picture made. I also wanted to make sure that Scott captured every second on video and with our digital camera so I could share in the moment. It turns out that Luke is still not very keen on sitting on a man's lap who is dressed in red with a big white beard! Scott had his hands full trying to get him to sit long enough for a picture-- he cried the entire time. This didn't leave him much of an opportunity to capture the moment on film-- he had his hands full.

I was disappointed. I wanted a nice shot of Luke on Santa's lap for our Christmas newsletter (the official photos won't be back in time to include). I felt like if I had only been able to go I could have helped-- I might have been able to calm him and get him to sit long enough for a good shot. I was also just sad and frustrated that I missed out on the moment period.

I have missed out on several things already due to bed rest-- two weeks ago ZOE got to lead worship at the Ryman! How I wish I could have had that experience! Last week ZOE led at church and I hated to miss out on that since we rarely sing during church services here in Nashville. This weekend is Scott's company Christmas party in Denver. Of course, I can't go now... And the list goes on... But, I think the whole Luke thing bothers me more than any of the rest.

It is hard to be motivated to even decorate for Christmas since I can't be the one to hang the wreaths and trim the tree. It won't be the same directing Scott on where to put everything. I absolutely LOVE to decorate for Christmas, too... I have four trees and boxes and boxes of decorations that I love to pull out every year-- not to mention my Santa ornament collection! I must have close to 500 at least! I always pull out my Christmas music stash as soon as the plates are cleared at Thanksgiving! I so love to hear all my favorite Christmas cds again and to sit down at the piano and play carols to my heart's content... Add to that not being able to go shopping for hours in all the wonderful bustle of Christmas looking for the perfect presents.... Anyway-- I know I need to at least get one tree up for Luke's sake even if it's hard to get into the spirit.

OK-- so enough of the pity party sob story! My gloom only lasted for 30 minutes at most! I just reminded myself of how very blessed I am this Christmas. I have the most wonderful husband any woman could ever ask for-- I have the most precious son who delights me each day in new ways-- I have a gorgeous, comfortable home with or without Christmas decorations-- and I have a sweet baby girl who is on the way that I can't possibly even imagine how she will shape and change my life for the better-- I have devoted family and friends who are always there to support and love me.... Who could ask for anything more?!? God you are TOO good to me! Forgive me when I stop for even a single moment and try to feel sorry for myself! How pathetic!

So-- my "one day at a time" mentality is still in full gear. And despite the first four paragraphs of this entry, it hasn't been nearly as bad as I had anticipated. I started our Christmas newsletter today and that will take me all next week to compile-- plenty to keep me occupied! It is so fun to look back on the past 12 months and to ponder all that has happened, and it further reminds me of how very blessed we are.

25 Weeks and Counting!

The past few days have been rather tiring! Odd that I can actually get tired from sitting around all day doing next to nothing! Luke has been with us every day since Thanksgiving-- which really means that Scott has been mainly responsible for him along with trying to work from home. I know it must be very draining for him, but he hasn't complained once. He is being such a trooper through this entire ordeal.

Having Luke around is tiring for me, too, just because it wears on me that I cannot do anything with him like I used to. It is frustrating and sad, but at the same time, I love having him near me. I am thankful that he is still a tad too young to really have a concept of what is going on, but I know he realizes something is up with Mommy.

Today I was pondering how very strange it is all the silly day-to-day things I haven't been able to do for the last month. I haven't picked Luke up or changed his clothes or diapers. I haven't cooked a meal, swept a floor, folded/washed clothes, made a bed, gone to the Y to exercise-- all things which completely defined my world just a short while ago. It makes me long for the day when I will be able to resume all these tasks-- with joy and a renewed appreciation for my role around the house. I really miss the "normality" of it all. I hate feeling like I contribute nothing to the maintaining and running of the house. Like I already mentioned... Scott is a saint for picking up my slack along with all of his regular responsibilities, although I would have expected no less from him anyway. In the scheme of things, all of this temporary "sacrifice" on our parts is really minimal and trivial. Lord willing, once our little girl safely arrives, we'll be able to resume our lives again-- although having her here will automatically make things a ton more hectic-- not to mention the sleep deprivation we have to look forward to!-- But what a blessing even that will be!

I have a few projects lined up for the next couple of weeks. One is working on a smocked day gown for her. I was so excited to learn we were having a girl, because I had always wanted to learn how to smock. I wasn't convinced it was worth it for a boy, but was so eager to sign up for classes after we had our ultrasound! Obviously I wasn't actually able to make it to any of the classes due to the best rest. God has a way of sending you angels though, thus special thanks are due to Lana, our dear friend, who came over to teach me how to smock as well as also picking out material for me for the gown! She is the BEST! I will also start work on our 2005 Christmas newsletter. I really look forward to doing that each year. It is so nice to reflect back on all that has happened to our family during the past year and to see how much we have experienced and learned along the way.

Some things I am learning even now--- sacrifice is a crucial part of life along with self-denial. It teaches you to think outside yourself and to truly observe the world that is going on around you. I am learning that time is relative-- and very precious as well. The next month is critical for us and for our little girl's very survival, but for most, it will just be 4 weeks of chaos, shopping, parties, and routine which will pass in a blur. It all depends on your perspective and life circumstances. Externals tend to dictate the way we live our lives.

So- today we definitely have reason to celebrate since today I have safely reached 25 weeks of pregnancy! Each passing day means a better shot at life for our little one, and we feel very blessed! Thank you, Father! :)

In All Things Give Thanks

On this Thanksgiving, we have so many things for which to be thankful-- I don't even know where to start!

We give thanks for

• our little girl, who is still doing well and has made it to 24 weeks
• our incredible Luke, who is the most perfect son any parent could ask for-- he is such a joy to us-- so smart and sweet
• our marriage-- through the good and the bad, we remain best friends and genuinely appreciate the relationship that we have shared for 13 years
• our wonderful friends and family who lavish us with love and support
• our beautiful home that we are so blessed to have and to enjoy each day
• all the many blessings, big and small that God continues to send

It is good to pause and reflect on how fortunate and amazingly blessed we are. It is a day to refocus and "re-prioritize" and renew our spirits...

That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever. Psalm 30:12

May you all have a magnificent day of thanks with the ones you love and may you bask in the love that the Father has lavished upon us!

Good News!

We had a good report from the doctor today! The latest ultrasound showed that my cervix is now back to 2.5 cm! This is still on the short side, but much better than what it was when they first noticed it was short at 20 weeks when it measured 2 cm. He did a good job placing the cerclage, it seems to be holding well, and so far, I have had no complications from the surgery.

Yes, 2.5 cm is still short, but considering I was down to less than 1.5 cm at the time of my surgery, this is good news. Yeah, God!

I will remain on my modified bed rest, but they did say I can eat at the table and also encouraged me to walk around a bit more-- no prolonged standing, no lifting, etc. I will continue to play it safe over the next several weeks until I get to around 28 weeks-- no need to take any risks. They told me that it would also be ok to travel for Thanksgiving dinner with all my family!

The best news is that our little girl looks like she is doing great and looks perfectly healthy!

Baby Girl Westerman-- her head is to the right and she has her hand over her eyes!

We are so thankful for the good news, and we believe that all the prayers have sustained us to this point.

Blest Be the Ties...

I have posted before about our small group-- what a blessing they are to us. We usually switch up the hosting duties amongst us, but they are planning to meet at our house each week now, so that I can still participate from the couch! :) They all gathered around me tonight to lay hands on me and to pray over me and the baby. It was such a special moment for me.

Tough times can truly be a blessing. They remind you of how important relationships are and how much you need good friends, good family, and God to see you through the hard times. If you even have a circle of good friends and a supportive family, you are already blessed... and God is always with you!

It was so nice to hear Luke running around the house again this weekend. He is so wonderful and we love him so much. No matter what happens, we will still be blessed to have him.

I just feel so incredibly thankful tonight. I have no idea why I deserve to have such amazing people around me who continue to offer help and prayer. We literally have hundreds of people praying for our situation-- it is overwhelming, and I truly believe I have the peace that I have due to all those petitions on our behalf to the Father.

Luke Sweet Luke

Another good day today-- made especially great because Luke returned home!! I think he has aged at least 5 months in five days!!! He looks so much older than when I saw him last! Mom and Dad said he did great and didn't even cry once-- which is almost hard to believe.... They might be trying to make me feel better.

I am honestly shocked that this week has almost come to a close. It went by remarkably faster than I had anticipated, and I managed to maintain a positive attitude the entire time-- only by God's grace I am sure. I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now that Dr. M said that I might be able to minimize the bed rest at 28 weeks. That's only about a month from now. One month-- still sounds like an eternity from the couch, but it could definitely be worse, I'm sure. I just pray that our visit with the surgeon on Monday shows signs of improvement or at minimum that things haven't worsened.

Lessons I have learned this week? Good friends are priceless. Family is priceless. Knowing that people are praying for you-- priceless. Thanks to you all!