We've been busy!

I realized that we have literally been so busy that I haven't updated the blog in ten days!

The weekend following my last blog (April 9th, 10th, and 11th) was a busy one. On Friday, the 9th, we got up early and went to Des Moines to visit Michael's sister and her family. Our main goal with the visit was to go to a consignment sale at a church in Des Moines. Becca, Michael's sister, told us about this sale a while back and we made a plan to take off of work on Friday so we could get there when it opened. We did REALLY well. We were able to get thirty to forty outfits for a fraction of what they normally would have cost. We were even able to find some outfits that had never even been worn! After we had finished at the consignment sale we went shopping for a few other things that we needed to get while we were in Des Moines. We ended up buying maternity clothes for me. I would like to point out that it wasn't until April 9th, or 31 weeks and 3 days pregnant until I bought maternity clothes! In a sense I was lucky that I didn't need to buy them before that. In another sense I wasn't so lucky because I didn't need those clothes because I was so sick in the beginning of my pregnancy! :) We also got Michael some new workout shoes because he wants to start working out again. Finally we found some material to make valencies out of for the baby's room. Michael's co-worker told us if we found material that we liked that she would make the valencies for us.

After all the shopping we were headed home and I randomly saw some friends from college about two blocks away from my sister-in-law's house. I saw them on the sidewalk with their son and I told Becca to turn around and pull into the parking lot. They dropped me off at the store where my friends were at and I told them that I would walk home or call when I needed a ride. I walked into the store and my friend, Nicole, looked at me and then did a double take and started screaming! It was too funny! We visited for a while and then went to Becca's house and visited some more. I think she's going to try to come to my family shower in May, which is SUPER exciting considering that I don't get to see her hardly at all!

On Saturday we got up early and headed back to Maryville. We had to get up pretty early because we needed to get back for one of our baby showers. Our friends Janette and Belinda threw us the shower. They did a WONDERFUL job organizing everything. They had food, an adorable cake, and great games for everyone! They even had a game where a couple of the boys blew up a balloon and had to put it under their shirt and then try to tie their shoes! It was pretty comical! I'm going to do another post with pictures from the shower. The pictures can show how nice the shower was... at least better than I can explain it. We are VERY blessed to have such great friends and family. We received a lot of things that we needed for Cole. I am kind of in a state of amazement when it comes to the generosity that Michael and I have been shown when it comes to this baby. We have be given so much and I don't think we will ever be able to thank all of our friends and family for what they have given us!

This past week was a pretty quick one. On Wednesday, the 14th, we had our 32 week (8 month) appointment with the doctor. This is our last monthly appointment. Now we will go back in at 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, and 40 weeks. It's hard to believe that we have to start going in every two weeks now and then every week. These past eight months have gone both slowly and quickly all at once. The first trimester of this pregnancy seemed to last FOREVER but I honestly don't know where the second trimester went. It flew by and now we're in the third and it seems to be flying by too! I'm also feeling lucky that we're going to have this baby right as school lets out for the summer. I can't think of a better time for Cole to arrive. That way I don't have to worry about school at all while I'm home with him! :)

Thursday, the 15th, was a special day for my students. They had their interviews for First Communion and got to try the bread and wine (not consecrated). We let the kids try it so they kind of know what to expect! They were so excited to get a chance to try the bread and wine and do their interviews.

Friday, the 16th, was a crazy day! We had our Grandparents/Special Friends Mass. All the kids have their grandparents or a special friend come to Mass and they eat lunch with them. After that they can go to the Book Fair. Once they are all finished the students go back to their classroom and finish out the rest of the day. My class was so excited because of Grandparents/Special Friends day and the fact that they were only two days away from their First Communion... oh and we also were having beautiful weather! We had a great day and all of the kids had a great time with their grandparents/special friend.

Saturday morning, the 17th, I went to the First Communion practice and retreat. We had practice from 8:30 to 9:30 and then the retreat was from 9:30 to 12:30. After the retreat Michael and I went to eat lunch. Later on Saturday evening I went to my friend Monica's house and hung out with her. She recently had her third child so it was a nice time to practice to get ready for when Cole comes! :)

Today, Sunday, the 18th, was a crazy busy day. I was at church at 9 a.m. this morning for First Communion. I got to see all my kids dressed up and looking wonderful! We got all the pictures taken and then had Mass at 10:30. Once Mass finished Michael and I went and ran to the four parties we were invited to. We were finally done with all the parties around 3:45. At that point we had to run to a friends house so that Michael could help install their microwave. We left their house around 5:15 and then ate supper together.

Looking at the calendar this week, it looks like the first part of this week won't be so busy. The end of the week is going to be a little crazy. Friday, the 23rd, my class is having a baby shower for Michael and I. I'm not sure exactly what is happening at the party I just know they want Michael to come too! I'm sure it will be fun though! Friday night I'm watching a friends son while they get some moving done and then Saturday we're headed down to Raymore to help my sister and brother-in-law move. Obviously, I won't be moving stuff but I offered to unpack boxes for them! :)

Oh, and one of the most important things that I forgot to mention is that we have some new neighbors... in more than one way. This past Thursday evening (technically Friday morning because it was 2:45 a.m.) Michael woke up to a weird yelping sound. We thought maybe it was Reese, our cat, had fallen through one of our screens. The screens are pretty old and some of them aren't the strongest. I looked around the house and found Reese. We then decided it was just a raccoon or some other strange animal. We closed the window so that we wouldn't have to hear the yelping. Friday evening Michael was downstairs and went into his bathroom and heard a scratching on the bathroom window, which is in a window well. Michael pulled the curtains back and saw two baby foxes staring at him. He hollered at me but by that point they were already gone. On Saturday morning I was getting ready for the First Communion practice and retreat when Michael came and got me. The mother fox was nursing her little cubs on the back porch. We counted four of them. I took some pictures of them as they nursed. Michael saw them again around noon. They were nursing again. This morning I happened to see the mother out with them again. I started taking some more pictures and realized that there aren't four... there are SIX total! So we have a den of fox cubs in our window well right now. We're not sure how old they are or when they might leave??? Our other neighbor is Michael's boss, Corey. He bought the house next door to us. So we officially got two new neighbors in one week!