The best gift of all...

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays...

I hope this finds everyone enjoying some fun times surrounded by those you love. This year our Christmas is a bit on the quiet side, although full of insanity as we do the big move! We are officially away from apartment living, but still renting. We moved into our house with a gated-backyard and 3 bedrooms on December 22. We now have room for our little family.

This Christmas we sit around the tree at my parents house. Three puppies to fill the quiet times, although their little feet sound more like a herd of cattle instead of pitter-patter, but next year that all will change...

We are so thankful for the blessing of a new life to add to our family.

I am 10 weeks pregnant and man, to be honest, I now have so much respect for people who "keep it a secret" because I have been so sick and so exhausted every single day. Not to mention too excited to keep it a secret for very long.  It has been tough, the nausea, the inability to keep my eyes open, ohh and the mood swings. I read an article in UsWeekly last week, that Megan Fox compared her pregnancy to that of Bella's from Twilight. To be honest, I am embarrassed to have anything in common with her, but that topic has been a discussion in the past. When I am on the couch crying because I just want to feel better, but can't because I just can't kick the nausea I think about that scene.  I can only hope things DO get better as I have been promised, because I refuse to "toss my cookies" after every meal from now until July. Although my "morning sickness" is more nausea all the time-- all day, all night-- then actually being "sick"-- my mother informed me she experienced this for 5 months.

We met with the doctor last week and our expected due date is tentatively set for July 19, 2013. Yes, right in the middle of baseball season. We wanted to share-- it's been difficult keeping it a secret, because we are so happy and so excited. Of course we are early, still, in the pregnancy, so we do appreciate any prayers to get us through all this and to a healthy, happy baby in just over 6 months!!

Merry Christmas everyone... we cannot wait until next year when we are no longer surrounded by moving boxes on Christmas day, but rather dirty laundry, child's spit up, a few toys and a lot of love!!!

Happy Thanksgiving...

It's the time of year again when people give thanks for all the blessings in their life. I know I am probably annoying some with my "30 Days of Thanks" on facebook, but I find it important to my life to just remember all the good things, even if I have to post them on facebook to remind myself of how great life has been to me.

Today, I am thankful for the nurse caring for my puppy-- he had to go in to be "fixed" because he was adopted from an animal shelter. It was time to "fix" him, because, quite frankly, I was tired of seeing his balls all the time. He is like an exhibitionist. Only sleeping on his back, for the whole world to see... sorry Rusty buddy-- put some pants on, cover that up! We hope that this will also settle him a little bit-- maybe make going out to potty a little less about peeing on every rock, bush, tree or house corner (luckily outside, not inside) all the time and a little more about doing your business and coming back in.

We are so thankful for our little family, our little Rusty-pup who brings us so much joy. It's always entertaining to see him chasing his tail, running laps around the living room or just cuddled up with us on the couch. I took Wednesday off from work so I could spend the day cuddled up with him, enjoying some relaxation and letting him rest up. Thursday we will head over to my parents' house for Thanksgiving & maybe Reggie & Riley will like him a lot more (since he'll be on a painkiller and slightly drowsy!)

 

We are looking forward to the holiday season, probably more this year than any other year before... I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and wonderful time with your family. Please remember if you're out shopping to relax, be safe and be thankful...

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Rusty is growing up...

Our insanely sweet and adorable puppy is growing up. This weekend I was letting him chew on my fingers-- one of his favorite things to do-- and noticed he had a loose tooth. When we finally got him to let us back in his mouth to look it was gone. And then a couple hours later, same story. He's losing teeth, but swallows them so we can't save them for the tooth fairy. He doesn't understand why this is a problem. I tried to explain over & over that the tooth fairy brings money so he can buy lots of toys!

Sunday night Rusty rang the doorbell to go outside to potty. See, we have these chimes that hang at the bottom of our door. Reggie was a good puppy and learned to ring the bell to go out, so we thought maybe Rusty would learn to use them too. They've been up for a couple weeks and today he actually rang the chimes and out he went, did his business and came back in.

October 2012 Tornado

Let me paint this semi-embarrassing picture:
It's a Saturday night, around 9PM or so, Ryan & I are in our pajamas, on the couch, cuddling with the puppy and watching the DVR. Ok, ok, so it was Jersey Shore on the DVR, it's true... I almost died watching Jersey Shore on a Saturday night-- and I'm ok with it.
We are watching TV and this storm is getting insane around us. We hear the rain and it sounds like it's coming into the apartment-- it's coming in sideways-- it's loud and I say to Ryan "maybe we should turn on the weather." So off goes Jersey Shore and I turn it on to Channel 5 News-- you know the news channel with Garrett Lewis. One look at his sleeves and you know if you're in trouble or not... I hear Garrett's calm voice and the only words he says are "there's rotation..." and off go the lights, the TV and we're now sitting in the dark. (A link to Garrett Lewis' update)
We thought about our options, I called my parents to see if they had electricity and we contemplated driving over there. If the electricity was going to be out for hours on end we would just pack up a few things and head over to my parents, for air conditioning and TV... but we opted to stay in. Just go to bed early. Our awesome Saturday night. We were admittedly totally unaware. We walked outside to see if the entire apartment complex was without electricity, spoke to a neighbor, got Rusty to take his last outside break and then went to bed.
I woke up Sunday morning to a few tweets about destruction right down the road from us-- to put into perspective for those who don't know, if you stayed at the Staybridge for our wedding, we live right across the street and down about a quarter of a mile. The most destruction was up the same road as the hotel-- at my dad's office. Maybe a mile from us an entire Doctor's office was destroyed. They lost their roof, some buildings lost windows, and every where you looked trees down. The wind was blowing so oddly it actually spun out a car and caused a bank to lose it's sign.

The doctor's Office

The car that spun

The car went for an unintended ride

Highland Oncology lost windows!

Trees were uprooted, branches were broke

Big trees, little tress... trees on their side.

 

This stop sign was on top of a car last night

We are so thankful that we survived completely intact-- without any harm to us and barely any harm to anyone. We were totally oblivious, the destruction was in a mostly business area on a weekend night-- God was looking out for all of us.

Puppies and prayers...

Wow, two blog posts in two days. I guess you could say I might have gotten the motivation from some where and sadly the start of this motivation stems from a weekend tragedy. A local news caster was involved in a one-car accident that killed him, leaving his wife and beautiful baby with out their husband and father. This newscaster was a bit of a local celebrity, involved in many charitable galas as an emcee and around area he was "known" by everyone. He seemed very approachable probably, partially, due to his faith. He had time for everyone and because of this feeling that we all knew him we all mourn his death with great sadness.

While reading all the loving notes, blog posts and updates I was so moved by his family's blog. His wife kept up with monthly updates about their daughter, posting about things that some day their daughter could look back and see how loved she is and how much she's grown. I thought it was such a perfect use of a blog & I thought to myself... when it's all said & done I want people to look at my blog and be motivated. While saying your prayers today, if you could add in one for his wife & 10 month old baby I know they need to be lifted up in prayer, they need the extra support.

I would love to update you on the News in the life of the Newlyweds... us & our New Addition!! We were married on September 1 and Ryan had promised me we could adopt a puppy if I just waited until after the wedding. September 5 we went to the local animal shelter and walked through all the cages. I immediately saw this adorable face and said "uh oh, I think that's the one" but walked the other way first to be sure I didn't just stop at the first puppy I saw. We walked around and there he was again. A dachshund, red, short haired and sweet as could be... we asked them about the baby. He was rescued on September 1 and wouldn't be available to adopt until Saturday. He was a baby, maybe 11 weeks old and had all the ailments of an abandoned puppy. We nursed him back to health, he went to work with me for a week and spends his mornings playing with his uncles Reggie & Riley.

He's a puppy, full of energy and teething... usually on us, our fingers, our toes, our ears. He's a bit of a monster from time to time and we wouldn't have it any other way. He was suppose to always sleep in his crate, but he was so sick that we immediately gave in and he now snuggles in our arms, while laying on his back, head on the pillow. He is smart, playful and QUITE the jumper -- in fact he jUMpqe.... OK so he jumped up on the couch, attacked my hands, licked the keyboard and then deleted this post (but luckily it saves automatically!!!)

Last night Ryan went to the bathroom and I was cleaning up dinner in the kitchen. We had eaten at the coffee table while watching TV and left our cups of water on the table. When I came around the corner I found the dog-- back legs on the couch, front legs on the table, head in the cup-- drinking Ryan's water. I probably could have scolded him or taken a picture of it, but all I could do was laugh hysterically!!! I'd like to introduce you all to Rusty Charles Fitzpatrick.

Rusty, the brand new puppy, sick & underfed...

I think he feels like he fits in now...

 

Still sick, but at my work-- being adorable & sweet.

 

Now this is pathetic

Monster Puppy-- on the attack

 

I got out of bed to pee, I came back to him in my spot-- just like this...

 

 Happy Boy... we love him so much it's absolutely ridiculous!!