Welcome Home Elliott

Hello All,

Well, the wait is over! Elliott is here and is healthy. She was born on November 13th at 10:37 AM. She weighed 8.5 pounds and is 21 and 1/2 inches in length.

I started having contractions Friday morning around 3 AM and we went to our regularly scheduled doctor appointment that Friday. She sent me to labor at home as long as possible. That Friday night we went to the hospital around 9 PM and the fun began. All night Friday I was in labor and Friday morning we tried to push for almost 3 hours. It was discovered that Elliott was head down but was face up and pushing was causing her heart rate to drop. So, we were rushed to do a c-section. I lost a lot of blood and required a transfusion of 3 bags of blood. That was done on Sunday and by Monday I felt better. Elliott was born with myconium and had to be in the nursery for most of the day on Saturday. Her sugar levels were unstable, so they were working on that as well. She was fine by Saturday night.

We left the hospital on Tuesday afternoon and have been at home trying to get a routine and keep up with the feedings, diapers, laundry, etc. Elliott really is a sweet baby and is doing great! We are supplementing with formula because she has such a big appetite. Like father like daughter, right? She of course sleeps most of the day and night. Shaun is a great daddy and king of the swaddle. I am in charge of feeding and diaper duty.Our church family has been great to respect our boundaries and privacy. They are also bringing us meals and have been such a blessing.

I will be posting pictures soon, but until then, just know that we are all okay and working very hard to get settled.

Thanks for your prayer and support. We need it!

Waiting Game

Hello Friends and Family!

Well, I am sorry to say that there is no news to report as far as Elliott watch is concerned. We are going to the Dr. in the next few days to check in and see if there have been any changes. Other than that, it is just a matter of waiting..... and waiting!

I think that I worked my last weekend service this past Sunday. Shaun is planning on continuing to work on Sundays until she comes. Sundays are just too hard on me at this point. I still work throughout the week and have meetings and appointments, but I plan to not be there this Sunday and hopefully Elliott will come next week or the next!

I've have gotten all my Christmas decorations out and plan to have the house decorated by the end of the week. Usually I set everything up the day after Thanksgiving and Shaun does all the outside lights that day. But, we are hoping that we will be learning to care for a newborn by that time this year, so we are preparing everything now.

I am also cooking and freezing side dishes for Thanksgiving dinner day and have ordered a smoked turkey this year so I think that Thanksgiving dinner will be covered. We are excited to have a couple of friends staying with us over the holiday so that we don't have to spend it alone and we can spend the time at home instead of trying to get out. They also get to help us with Elliott!

It finally feels like fall here on the Coast. High temps are in the 60-70's and lows are in the 50's. So, it is beautiful! We have been walking the pups a lot and keeping the windows and doors open to allow the cool air into the house. I love it when we get to this season. This is about as cold as we will get throughout the entire winter. It is still humid, but much more bearable than August!

I'll keep everyone informed if we have any news to share! Thank you for your prayers and support!

Jessica

Photos

Hello All!

Our friend Heather sent me some of our photos from our maternity shoot. Her hard drive crashed, so there is a chance that the rest of the photos may not be redeemed. The photos came at a really good time. I have been so tired and tired of being preggo. I LOVE her work and her. She is going to be taking Elliott's first photos as well, whenever that day comes!

People are so weird when it comes to being around pregnant women! Note to complete strangers: it is NEVER appropriate to tell a very pregnant woman that she is huge, big, and/ or ready to pop. Neither is it appropriate to try to touch a pregnant woman's belly, especially if you do not know her! Additionally, dear well meaning complete stranger, do not begin to tell a very pregnant woman on how she can induce labor by having sex and then describing how that method worked for you and your partner!

We went to the Dr. today and still there are no changes. The Dr. will not even talk about induction steps until after November the 14th, so until then...... we wait. And.......we wait!

Elliott could be quite the large baby if she decides to stay cooking until 14th or later. She should be about 8 pounds on Sunday, so she could be 9 pounds by delivery! Yikes!!! But, we are grateful that she is healthy and are ready to meet her.

Thanks for the encouragement and support!

Jessica, Shaun, and Elliott!

Sonogram Photo

I am adding the pictures from yesterday. As you can see, they are not very clear. At this point in development, the sonogram doesn't capture images as well because of the size of the baby as well as the lack of amniotic fluid. The first image is her foot. She is sticking it in the air and used it to kick the sonogram tech's machine! This is a profile of Elliott's face. You can see her lips and the tip of her nose. As you can see, she has a big head! We got to see her practicing her sucking with her lips and even her breathing. So cool! Now, if she would just decide to go ahead and introduce herself to the world, then that would be great! The little bubble looking things to the left is actually her umbilical chord. Right below that is her hand and fingers. The stuff around her nose is actually the placenta. Pretty cool, huh?!?!

7.2

Afternoon All!

We had our weekly appointment today and final sonogram. Ms. Elliott is still way head down and according to the sonogram, weighing in at a reasonable 7.2 pounds. Based on the due date, she could be a little over 8 pounds when she is born, if she comes at that time. I am totally ok with her coming NOW!!!

She is measuring right on target. Due to the crazy swelling in my leg and foot, I was sent over to the outpatient portion of the hospital where they did a sonogram on my legs to check for blood clots. I am clot free! I just have to rest my legs and try not to do so much.

The sonogram pictures are not very clear this time because she is so big and because she was constantly moving. We did get to see her practicing her breathing and sucking. She even showed us the toes on her foot as she tried to put them in her mouth. Her belly is very round and her heart is strong. Shaun asked the tech to double check to see if she is still a girl.... She is!

This weekend we went to the child birth class. The class itself wasn't that bad. The video that they showed us was super cheesy and from the 80's, but they gave us a tour of the labor and delivery room and the rooms where you stay after delivery. The L and D rooms are nice. I had already had a stay in one of those thanks to my fall a few weeks ago. The recovery rooms..... uhmm....... not so nice. They are clean and very 1980's themed and tiny. At least it is only 2 nights there though! Poor Shaun might not even fit on the pull out couch!

Hopefully, this will be my last full weekend working at church. I am trying to get things covered and Shaun is wrapping up his immediate projects. It is a tough time of year to try to do so simply because the holiday season is approaching, the church is growing, Mo Kids is expanding, and I'm losing a staff person. However, what great problems to have!

I will keep you updated and posted when anything new develops!

Much Love,

Jess

Full Term

Well,

It is official. Elliott is now considered full term and if/when labor begins, it will be GO time. The Doctor said that everything looks good and we are scheduled for our final ultrasound next week. So, I technically have 3 ish weeks left. The Doctor also said that I should be able to deliver an 8 pound baby no problem. Ummm.... yeah for me?!?! She also told Shaun that should the Rangers make the world series and be playing during the early stages of labor, that he can watch them on TV in the room. Glad to know he has questions about the important things!

I had hoped that Elliott would make her appearance today in honor of Siti's birthday, but so far, doesn't look like that will happen.

I have been thinking a lot today about Siti and how truly blessed I am that she was such a big part of our lives. I know that even today, she is making a difference in the lives of those she is around despite her illness.

I remember how I used to climb the tree in the yard at the house on Farrington and how much she would fuss and worry. "Get down dear, you could fall." I remember how I loved when she would pick me up from school when I was sick and make me homemade soup. "You need to eat, you need to eat." I remember how she sewed all of my Christmas dresses, special events dresses, and even altered my wedding dress. " I don't need a new sewing machine, mine works just fine." I remember how she tutored Shaun in Algebra and got him through his first semester at MSU. " You must learn and use your times tables, math is important." Shaun of course didn't mind all the free food that came with the lessons! "You are a big young man, you need to eat..you need to eat!"

I remember how she saved EVERYTHING and always scraped the bottom of the bowl or pan to ensure that every last drop was used. I admit, I save twist ties and scrape the bowl too. She taught me how to cook without ever measuring and not really following a recipe. She taught me how to clean a house and watch out for germs. I admit, I'm still a little prone to go overboard when it comes to germs and hand sanitizer!

Siti taught me how to love a man unconditionally and what it means to be an honoring wife. That love is truly patient and kind, it does not boast, it is not arrogant or self seeking. I have also seen how much it hurts to lose that love to such a crushing and unfair illness.

So, happy birthday Siti! I hope that I can pass on your knowledge to Elliott and pray that I will have half of the servant's heart that you do. Thank you Lord for Siti's!

So, maybe Elliott won't have her birthday, but I do hope that she has her heart! I'll update more next week after we have our final sonogram!

Blessings!

Jessica

Lesson Learned

Hello All,

Most of you know how umm... "determined" I can be. Some might even dare to label my determination as stubbornness. Well, being so umm...."determined" taught me a tough lesson yesterday.

So, what did I learn you ask? I learned that your center of gravity really is off when you are pregnant and that when you are 35 weeks pregnant, you should not run after escaping four year olds because if you do, you will get to visit the labor and delivery floor of the hospital.

So, yes, I took a pretty bad fall yesterday in the front lobby of the church and in a dress! Lucky for me, my ummm...assets remained fully covered and it happened 20 minutes into when the first service had already begun, so not EVERYONE saw it! We had an escaped kiddo running down the hall and I was up front and started running after him (without thinking) because I didn't want him to run out the front doors into the parking lot. I reached for the hood of his hoodie and fell forward right onto the big belly. Good news is it distracted the kid long enough for someone to grab him. I think if I had been wearing flip flops that weren't too big, I totally would have caught him! So, note to self: go buy new shoes! Just don't tell Shaun! :-)

Note to parents: don't give your four year old a mohawk and don't pierce his ear and give him a big blue topaz earring. He's not in a rap video and all your setting him up for is a life of delinquency! He's never going to be bank president or supreme court justice with that foundation. And when we tell you that he hit someone and then escaped, don't blame the worker, confront that kiddo and whip that butt! By the way, the name Tyler is officially added to my list of names that one can not name their child or they are destined to be one of my clients list. For a full listing of all names, just email me! Ok, I'm off my soapbox now...

So, what else did I learn yesterday you ask? I learned that the hospital where we will deliver Elliott is very nice and the staff are all very kind. I also learned that falls should be taken seriously. I learned that the amniotic sack is nature's way of creating an airbag for your baby and that when one falls, they can expect to be ridiculously sore and need to rest.

I also learned that Elliott is 100% ok and that according to the sonogram, she is weighing 6 pounds and 6 ounces as of yesterday! The sonogram tech told me that she is head down (very head down) and then stated and I quote.."Wow, she has a large head". Yeah for me on the day of delivery, whenever that day comes. Obviously, she did not get her father's melon! :-)

So, we spent most of the day at the hospital for observation and they gave me an iv to stop the contractions. I wasn't in labor at all... no dilation or effacement, but the contractions were more than the usual braxton hicks that I've been having for the last few weeks. I was ordered to rest for the rest of the day and to not chase kiddos for the duration of the pregnancy.

Lesson learned!!!!

Fish and Fried Bugs

Hello All,

We met Jan and Gary for a fun filled day in the french quarter on Tuesday. It was awesome to get to spend some time with family before Elliott gets here. We went to the aquarium, the insectarium, and the IMAX. At the insectarium, you can go to their bug cafe and eat the day's special. That day, the special consisted of fried wax bugs or chocolate covered bugs. Guess who had to try the bugs.......

Now, onto our latest Crouch adventure....

We had a great time yesterday in New Orleans with Jan and Gary, as always! Jan brought me some of the fishing trip photos, so there is now proof that I did indeed go fishing AND that I caught and touched fish. For all those doubters, yes I really did go on a two day camping and fishing expedition while being 7 months preggo. Yes, there was no bathroom and yes, I did sleep in a tent. Dad, aren't you proud??

My first big fish!!

Gary and Carter's boat..

Check out the big brown that Jan caught!

We took a picture of Shaun and Clayton, but it didn't turn out. That just means we will have to go on another adventure, this time with Elliott! What a fun trip!!!

Shaun and I are so blessed to have a family that loves us. We love y'all!

Happy Friday

I just thought I'd say hello and give a brief update about the happenings in our world.

Not much too exciting to report. We have been working like crazy just due to the sheer number of families coming to us that need help. That is a good thing! Shaun and I have begun to hand off some things in preparation for Elliott's arrival. We have a great team that can cover it too! I am excited because our friend Eric from the Met in Texas has begun coming here and directing our worship. He is also helping at Colonial too. Of course, our friend Terry is the Pastor there at Colonial and many of you know how instrumental he was in guiding us to where we are now.

We are having a church wide baby shower this weekend after the 11:00 Service. I am hoping that it all goes well and I look forward to seeing all my Mosaic Family. Seems like everyone is excited and ready to meet Elliott.

Elliott seems to be doing well. I am having difficulty bending now due to the size of my belly. I can still see my toes if I lean forward. We went to the doctor yesterday. There is still not an exact due date now due to her size and I measured 36 weeks. According to my original thought to be due date, I should only be 34 weeks and her sonogram measures her to be at 35 weeks. So, we are saying that we have 4-6 weeks left. Give or take a few weeks. She is still head down and the kicks are less due to the lack of space. Although, we can now see her butt on the side of my belly when she sticks it out. Based on the sonogram from 6 weeks ago, she would be weighing in at almost 6 pounds now! We go back again on October the 4rth, so we shall see what develops then. I am hoping that I get to take some time off soon to rest as I am get very tired very easily and still not a lot of sleep at night. The Doctor did say to start to really take it easy now. I am going to try!

I am looking forward to this Tuesday. Jan and Gary will be in New Orleans for a few days, so we will get to spend some time eating good cajun food and hanging out with them. I miss my family very much and it is good to have them here, especially now as we get ready for Elliott to be here.

We had an appointment for Tyson this past week too. He is doing great! He is still not 100 %, but almost. He had all his fur again and it seems like we are really getting to see his personality develop now that he finally feels better. He is super intrigued by Elliott's room. Every time I go in there, he goes and gets his toys from the living room basket and drops them in the floor of her room. He will continue to follow that routine until he runs out of toys or I shut the door the her room. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts!

That's all the updates for now. I hope everyone has a great weekend.

I

Just one year

Wednesday marks a very significant day in our lives and the lives of several of our friends. On September 15th of last year, we lost Jackson and Sebastian. In some ways, the loss seems to be very fresh and yet in other ways, it seems so long ago.

It is truly a bittersweet day for us. We are so grateful for our friends and family who loved us and supported us through this. We are so amazed how God has used something seemingly terrible to create in us a beautiful and useful brokenness that in turn has helped us to love and support others.

We are grateful for everyday that we have had with Tyson and seeing his willingness to love despite pain has been very humbling. We are also grateful that Preston is with us and still the same goofy friend that he has always been. We now have Elliott on her way to meet the world soon and are excited, scared, happy, and at peace all at the same time. Life is truly precious and a gift, whether it be the life of a child or a dog who we loved as our family.

Tomorrow will be a difficult day. This past Sunday, we lost two different church members in car accidents. Tomorrow on the anniversary of our loss, we will be helping our church family members as they say good bye to their loved one who was taken suddenly from them. A Father and a Mother lost their only son at the age of 26. I am grateful for the opportunity to mourn, worship, and celebrate together. I am humbled to be called to do something like this and to be able to use the pain that we experienced to help others.

Bittersweet too as we are preparing for Elliott to arrive and just had an appointment and found out she is still doing well and is healthy and may be arriving sooner than we had thought. And through all of this, we know that there is a purpose and a plan.

Thank you all for loving us and being part of our lives. As we go through tomorrow, may we all take time to appreciate the gift of community and fellowship that we have been given.

Much Love,

Jessica

website link

A few of you have had trouble accessing the site with our photo preview. If you have facebook, go to my wall and click the link that Heather has posted there.

If not, go to http://ellajreesephotography.com. On the bottom right, click the word blog. Once the new window pops up, go to the tab that says latest posts. Drop down, and click the Jessica and Shaun post. It will take you to her post about us.

Check it out!

Jessica

New Pictures

Hello All!

Just a quick note. A few weeks ago, Shaun and I had our pictures taken by an awesome photographer and friend. She sent me a preview of the images on facebook. I can't wait to see the rest of them!

I just thought I'd share: http://96.30.18.221/~ellajree/blog/2010/09/jessica-and-shaun.

Check them out.

:-)

Jessica

Elliott's Room

Happy Wednesday!

I have been working on getting everything put together and almost have Elliott's room ready. I'm still waiting on a fabulous painting from a friend that she did for us. But, all the furniture is in as well as the bedding. I've been washing her clothes as I get them, so everything is ready to go.

The furniture was given to us by one of our Elders in the church. He is a cardiologist by trade, but he handmade the bookcase, dresser, and mirror. And it is super solid and heavy! Just ask Shaun! We had an antique brown glaze done on the furniture so that it wasn't so very white and it looks really good. I changed the hardware on the dresser and bookcase, thanks to new knobs from anthropology and voila! New furniture for our little monkey!

I am feeling more and more tired these days and it is getting more difficult to complete simple tasks, like tie my own tennis shoes! I also officially can not see my feet and my lower back hurts most days. All of this is just part of the experience and means that we are getting closer and closer to getting to meet Elliott. We are excited and can't wait for her to meet all of the people who love us and love her.

Work is still going and going. Shaun preached the main services this weekend and tackled a tough topic and did a great job. You can listen to his message by downloading it from our website: www.mosaicgc.com. He has several other dates scheduled in the upcoming months as well. I have basically ended all counseling clients and am focusing on launching Mosaic Recovery as well as teaching a class on boundaries. Both launch this week. Of course, there is still youth and children's ministry to be taken care of. I am grateful to have a great team to work with.

We go to our next appointment on Tuesday. I will keep you updated. Thank you for your prayers and support!

Jessica

Slide show of images

The Countdown has begun

Hello All!

We had the baby shower this past Saturday and it went really well. It was pouring down rain all day and there were still 40 people in attendance. The shower was really nice!!!!

I am thankful to have so many people here who care about us and to have so many family and friends back home who love us.

We are still getting things that we need together a little bit at a time. I still need a bassinet or a pack and play, bottles, a diaper bag, bathtub and towels, sleep gowns, a car seat, and a baby carrier so Shaun can wear Elliott in between services. Who knew babies needed so much stuff!?!? There are still a few other things, but they will come.

We had our appointment this morning and our 4D sonogram! The Dr. still won't move the due date, but Elliott can move the due date based on her size and if she wants to come early! If she gets too large, as we get closer to time, the Dr. will choose to induce labor.

The Dr. did say that we should make plans to have our Trunk or Treat Event covered by other staff just in case. I'm still measuring ahead and baby weighs 3 pounds and 13 ounces. On average, she will gain an ounce a day until delivery! If I was measuring where the due date is, she would only weigh 3 pounds right now.

Elliott was active the entire sonogram, which is good. Active baby means healthy baby!

Even if she is active all night long! She is head down and just looks amazing!

We were able to see her eyes and eyebrows and lashes, her hair, all 10 fingers and all 10 toes. She has really long arms! She has my lips and cheeks and Shaun's nose and chin! The technology with the 4D is soo freaking cool!

I am attaching a few photos. I am overwhelmed by just how amazing this is and how good God is to us. He truly is the Creator of all good things and to think that He has loved and known Elliott as His and to allow us to be her parents is truly humbling! I will be posting the dvd of the sonogram as soon as I can edit it.

Many o Lord my God are the wonders you have done!

The things you planned for us no one can recount to you;

were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare!

Thank you for the continued prayers and support!!

Much Love!

Jess

Tough Day today

Hello All,

Today is August the 18th. This day is bittersweet for me because August 18th was Jackson's birthday. We always did something special for the Pup on his birthday and it usually involved a trip to Petsmart to purchase a new sheep toy and greenie. Sounds silly I know, but they were very special in our lives and still hold a special place in our hearts. Today also marks almost a year since we lost the boys.

I know that God has grown us through this experience and some may not understand the feelings of loss that we have and still have but I can honestly say that we are grateful.

I am grateful for being allowed to have had something in my life that loved me and everyone around me unconditionally. I pray that I can show that kind of love to others. I am grateful that Jackson made such a difference in the lives of the children he got to meet. Many of you know that Jackson spent many days with me through my career at the Advocacy Centers and even was influential in the children's ministry of Mosaic. To some he may be just a dog, but to those kids, he was a companion and friend. He was there in a time when he was needed the most. I pray that others can say that about me.

I am grateful that he wasn't alone in death and that he died protecting someone he loved. Jackson was brother to Sebastian (Tiny) and to Preston. As the pit bull lunged for Tiny and Preston, Jackson stood in the gap and tried to protect his family. I pray that I have that kind of courage to stand up for those who can not protect themselves. I pray that I never forget the value that family has in my heart and life. I pray that when my days here on earth draw to a close, that you will be able to say that I fought the good fight, completed the race set before me and that my Heavenly Father will say to me: "Well done good and faithful servant."

I am grateful because as much as I loved them. I know that it is but a fraction of the amount of love that my Savior has for me. And just like Jackson's love for me, it is unconditional and undeserved.

Thank you Father for the gift that Jackson and Sebastian were to our family and in the lives of others.

I am grateful for Tyson and seeing him through all the struggles that he has faced at such an early age. He has survived a heart surgery, skin infection, and chronic pain. He never complains and you would not know that he even struggles. I know that God gave us Tyson to help us continue to learn and grow. I pray that I can have his fighting spirit and positive attitude.

I am grateful that we still have Preston with us. He is truly Shaun's loyal companion. And he's just plain funny! You can't help but laugh at some of his crazy antics. He also is a loyal friend to Tyson.

As we look forward to meeting little Elliott, may we remember that she is here but for a moment and that she is never really ours, but is the child of her heavenly Father. I am grateful to have had experienced death of our loved one to teach me how painful raising and losing another can be. I know that as a parent, we will experience the pain of growth and separation.

Our Doctor appointment went well. She is still measuring 2 weeks ahead, so not enough to move the due date. We may just have a big baby or she may come early. My blood pressure is good. Her heart is strong and she is very active. I didn't even get threatened with bed rest! :-) Now, we begin going in every two weeks for check ups. At the end of the month we will actually have a 4D sonogram. I can't wait to post it!

We have also been praying for a life verse for Elliott. I think that we have settled on Psalm 40:5. Elliott's name means the Lord is my God. The verse states: Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.

We know that He has done amazing things in our lives. So many that we can not even begin to explain to others. I know that His gift of Elliott will be another instance of His unexplainable goodness. And for that we are grateful.

Back to the real world

Hello All!

We are back to the real world and back home in MS. This is Day 1 back to work. It has been pouring down rain and isn't predicted to end anytime soon. We are trying to get accustomed to the humidity again!

The house remodel is done and Shaun and I are now officially sharing an office. This is Day 1 of that sharing and so far, so good. The baby furniture is in the nursery and we have begun setting everything up. I will blog some pictures very soon.

It was so good to see everyone during our brief trip to Texas. This will probably be our last trip to Texas before we have Elliott. I am so thankful for all of our friends and family. Thank you for all the meals and memories! I think Shaun really enjoyed his Taco Casa 20 pack! In fact, he's starting to talk again about how to get TC here to MS. Ughh!

We had an awesome time in Arkansas! The condo had no internet or phones. How awesome is that?!?! I did not know just how beautiful this place was. We stayed in the Horseshoe Bend area and stayed right on a lake. The lake was so clear that you could see 20 feet down. We spent an entire day just on the lake.

Now, I know that you won't believe this, but I had a great time on our trout adventure! We spent 2 days on the White River. We fished one day, camped overnight, and fished until 2 the next day. I got to share a boat with Jan and we had a blast! We caught over 130 fish and caught the largest brown trout out of everyone in the group. I even touched the fish and Gary helped me eat one that I caught for lunch. Are you shocked?!?! Jan took pictures for evidence!

The water on the White River is 50 degrees and felt like air conditioning! I had to jump in a couple of times to cool off and as soon as I did, Elliott started kicking like crazy!! Apparently she was not happy! She kicks a lot these days!

We did explore a cave, but did the safe, lighted, and paved tour. The cave was beautiful! I hope that next time we can do the wild cave adventure!

Shaun and I actually feel rested and made some great memories! Thank you Jan, Gary, Carter and Clayton! We love y'all!

Tomorrow we go back to the Dr. for a check up and I hope to find out more about the due date. Can you believe that we are already in the third trimester? I will keep you posted. I am looking forward to my baby shower here at the end of the month. I am grateful for the family get together and all the cute stuff. Thanks for limiting the pink! Stella and Dennis gave us a gift card and we used it to purchase a mattress for the crib. Thanks y'all!

Speaking of due dates, Rachele is having her baby today. I am still waiting to hear how it is going. Last check, it should be around 7:00. I can't wait to meet Carter Tyson! Please pray for her, Patrick, and Carter.

Much Love,

Jessica

Big Baby Girl!

Hello All,

As some of you know, Shaun and I had a little adventure this past Sunday and got to have a quick stay in the Labor and Delivery portion of the hospital. Now, no worries! I started having contractions Saturday night. I didn't know that was what they were though. I just thought it was weird cramping. They continued through the night and finally Sunday morning we left church and went in. They gave me some meds to stop them and a bag of fluids to rehydrate and ordered rest. I wasn't in labor, just having contractions. So, we are totally fine! I am resting as ordered and bought a baby book so I could read up on preterm labor. Hadn't thought that far ahead yet! :-)

In the hospital, she was very active. Her heart is strong and she was just kicking away. An active baby is a healthy baby, so we are very blessed. It was neat to see and hear her moving and kicking.

We went to the Dr. on Thursday and had a sonogram. Good news is that there wasn't too much fluid and Elliott is measuring almost 2 weeks ahead. That means that I am 25 weeks and she is measuring 27 weeks. Right now, that isn't enough to move the due date because she may have a had a growth spurt and will level out. If next visit, she is measuring progressively larger, then they will move the due date. I have a great picture of her face, but can't upload it right now due to our office being a disaster in prep for the remodel. It looked like she has my eyes and Shaun's nose! She was asleep the entire time, so they were able to get some good measurements and still photos. Of course as soon as we walked out of the sonogram suite, she was wide awake and kicking up a storm!

I wasn't put on bed rest, but ordered to start taking it easy and no lifting over 20 pounds. We can still go on vacation to Arkansas with Jan, Gary and the Boys. It is a 9-11 hour drive, so I'll have plenty of time to rest. I was told that there will be no cave exploring for me. Maybe they can just take a picture of me in the helmet with the light and the knee pads?! I am still able to do everything else, so whoo hoo!!!

While we are gone, the remodel of the house is to be completed. That means that the cabinets in the office will be installed and the baby furniture will finally be brought in. I need to be cleaning everything out right now and will quit procrastinating soon. Ughh.

So when we get home, we will have a nice surprise and can finally get things ready for baby. Shaun put together the glider and ottoman that Rachele and Patrick bought for us. It looks great! Thank y'all! We also received and awesome gift card from Grandma Stella to use to purchase baby stuff. Thank you!!! I think that a baby shower is being planned here for us at the end of the month of August, but the girls won't tell me anything, so I don't know! If you get an invitation, please do not feel like you have to come! Save your trip for when you can actually meet Elliott!

We also took Tyson to the specialist this week. He is doing better. He was placed on a new antibiotic and seems to be responding well. They gave us permission to board him at our vets office, so that is a HUGE win as before, they had said that wouldn't be good due to his immune system being weak. So, he is getting stronger! His first birthday is August the 8th. Poor pup has survived so much his first year and he is a fighter! We love him so much and can see glimpses of Jackson and Sebastian in him. Of course, Preston is still the same stubborn, goofy pup that he always is, except his is now quite plump.

We have to get a new windshield for the Tiguan now thanks to the intelligent city planners in New Orleans. On the way there, the windshield got hit with a rock from a truck and it cracked. Someone in the City thought that it would be a good idea to place palm trees covered in pea gravel in the median of the freeway. That's Katrina recovery money in action folks! Seriously!! So, our car gets to have a new windshield now. It has been ordered, so hopefully it will be soon. Thank goodness we have insurance! I swear since we moved here, we have replaced more windshields. This will be our 4rth! I miss the nice and smooth roads of Texas!

That's all the updates for this week. Now, off to get that office cleaned out!

Love,

Jessica

24 Weeks

Hello All!

We have officially made it to the 24 week mark. That is a great milestone. At 24 weeks, babies can survive outside the womb with medical care. Due to Elliott measuring 29 weeks, we have moved the sonogram up to this Thursday. That way, we will know if the due date is off or if something bigger is happening before our vacation. I am thinking that the Doctor is going to put the kibosh on my cave exploring expedition on vacation. Guess that means I'll just spend the day at the pool instead. :-) Maybe I'll even get time to read a book for fun?!? I haven't been able to do that since I started the second masters. Yeah that I am graduated!

Also, about this weather system Bonnie, we should be just fine. They are now projecting that it will hit us as a tropical storm. This means tons of rain and wind, but nothing too serious. It is projected to hit us tonight at 2 AM. The weather and tides here are already changing in preparation for the storm. We are fine and grateful that it is just a tropical storm.

Tyson also has a doctor appointment on Tuesday to see about his infection. His immune system just isn't fighting things very well and that is the reason for the skin issues. He is responding well to the new medication and we will find out Tuesday what course of action to continue on as well as if we can board him when we leave or if he has to come with us. Poor pup! He is a trooper though and you'd never know he was ill except for the baby booties on his feet to prevent scratching.

Have a great weekend!

Jessica

Extreme Week recap and Baby news

Hello all!

It has been a BUSY three weeks. We have been preparing for our huge children's summer event Extreme Week. It's like vacation Bible school, but not cheesy, boring, prefabbed, or full of Christian subculture garbage. It is an event written to be culturally relevant and to reach kids in real and life changing ways. It takes more work that your traditional children's event, but His kids deserve that! I write the teaching and the skits and the drama is written as well. Snacks were created and survivor themed and craft was created and included all of the day's teachign and the theme. We had over 150 volunteers and over 160 kids in attendance. And the theme this year was LOST: The wait is over... yes like to tv show. We also tied in survivor into the theme.

My friend Steph came over from TX to lead the worship band and it ROCKED!!! I am so proud of her and how she lead our band. We did the worship for the main services this weekend as part of Extreme Weekend and our people really enjoyed it. Most asking if we could do those songs as part of our weekend services. Thank you Steph for everything! I heart you and am glad that we got to feed you all that the Gulfcoast has to offer! See you soon!

The event was a huge success, despite the air conditioning in the building crashing, me throwing up one day before the start, a volunteer fainting, and video issues. Day One focused on the fact that we are all LOST. Day two: Jesus was never LOST. Day 3: We don't have to be LOST. Day 4: Our friends don't have to be LOST. Day 3, we had 42 kids become Christ followers! THAT IS AWESOME!!!

Needless to say, I'm still really tired and have missed a lot of phone calls due to all the week's activities. If I missed your call, I'll get to you. I just need to rest for a week. The event was more of a challenge for me this year being preggo and all. :-)

Speaking of bun in the oven, Elliott is doing well according to today's visit. Her heart is strong and she is kicking up a storm. Those kicks are getting more powerful too. The Doctor is a little concerned because she is measuring 28-30 and I am only 24 weeks. Typically they measure the area from your pubic bone to the top of the uterus and for every week that you are, you measure that in inches. For example, 24 weeks= 24 inches. I am larger than that, so they have ordered a sonogram to get a more precise measurement. Causes usually are that the due date is off, there is more fluid than typical, or it could be a larger baby due to gestational diabetes. I get tested for that soon too. Or, it could just be a big healthy baby! We will know more next month and this is no real cause for concern.

Other than that, we are doing great. We are gearing up for the Fall and hopefully the baby nursery will be done soon. I've got the crib, changing table, dresser, and bedding already. I'm just waiting to get the furniture back from being refinished. I am registered at target.com, babiesrus.com, and jcpenny.com. My friends here are also busy working on the baby shower stuff. I am hoping for a small, quiet, uneventful shower. No pink, no games, and real food!

Thank you for your continued prayers an support. We will be in touch again soon!

Jessica