Busy Weekend

This weekend was absolutely PACKED with stuff for us. Friday night we had a softball game for the 12 & Under Oak Grove girls in Dora. The girls did a great job and pulled a big win, 19-3!
Saturday, we started out with an all day (9 am – 4 pm) Prepared Childbirth class.
The class started out with a lot of information about the changes going on during pregnancy. It was amazing to see how squished everything gets inside of you as baby grows. Then we moved on to what to expect with different types of births (natural, induced, c section). As you can see in the picture to the left up top, Bill was thrilled to learn all of this new information.

Before we had a lunch break, we got in the floor and worked on different types of breathing and relaxation techniques. The last thing we did before break was my absolute favorite. The instructor came around with some lotion (Hand Therapy by Aveda) and showed the daddies/support people a hand/foot massage to do that would relax Mom. Let me tell you, she knows what she is talking about. After all the relaxing breathing, that hand massage was just what I needed.
When we broke for lunch, Bill and I decided we would just walk to Red Lobster for a quick salad or something. Bad idea. The parking lots were not at all connected. We had to climb a pine straw covered hill (I was in flip flops) and then scale a retaining wall. It was just as much fun coming back.
After lunch break, we moved on to what happens after the birth. I think that is the part of having a baby no one ever talks about. I had no idea about a lot of the stuff we learned. The last thing we did before going to the hospital for the tour was infant care. We swaddled mock babies and watched the instructor change a diaper which I thought was kinda pointless until she polled the class and there were a few people in our class who had never changed a diaper before.
When we got to the hospital, we got to see the Labor, Delivery and Recovery rooms and then moved up to the 2nd floor where we will spend our hospital stay after Tyler is born. The rooms were all very nice and we got to see the suites you can stay in. The instructor said the first thing you should say after your baby is born is not how beautiful he/she is but that you want a suite! There are only two and they are on a first come first serve basis. Hopefully Bill can remember that because I am thinking I will not have so much luck.
The tour was the end of that part of our day. From there, Bill headed to the softball games and I headed to Wesley and Beth’s wedding. After many wrong turns and several loud screams inside the car, I arrived at the wedding safe and sound. It was such a beautiful day for a wedding and Beth was such a beautiful, glowing bride. I was so happy to get to be there for their special day. Congratulations Wes and Beth!!!!
After the wedding, I went over to St. Vincent’s to visit with Hailey and Jason. Their sweet little guy Kason was born about 5 weeks too early so he is still in the NICU there. It is amazing how much cuteness you can pack into a little 4lb fella. I know Hailey and Jason will be so happy to get him home. Hopefully it won’t be much longer.
When I FINALLY got home that night, Hannah and I worked on her graduation invitations. I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of her. She has worked hard and is very deserving of all the praise in the world. I love you Hannah and am so proud of you!!! Lydia, one more year honey. You can do it, and we will be just as happy for you.
Sunday, we had a guest speaker at church. Dr. Gerald Bray is a professor at Beeson Divinity at Samford part time and spends the rest of his time traveling all over speaking to different groups about Biblical truth. Before Sunday, I had never heard of him but after he visited with us I did a bit of research and he is a pretty well-known guy in theological circles. He earned his degrees at a university in Paris. I bet when he was strolling through France in his youth he never imagined God would take him to a church in the sticks of Adger. I am glad He did though. His message was simple but good and he had just the right amount of humor.
After church, we all headed to Grandmother’s for Holly’s, Nathan’s, Aaliyah’s and Katie’s birthday parties. We ate a good lunch of barbecue, chicken fingers and chips and dip. Then we moved to the party time. All the kids want money for their birthdays so there wasn’t a whole lot of present opening. Aaliyah did get the 4 wheeler she had been saving up for forever. The kids all had a good time riding it. The main thing the kids look forward to the most about the birthday parties is just playing together. They really do love each other so much. There is no denying our family has lost so much, but even after suffering such a loss we still have more than most.

Hannah had brought a sweet 6 week old baby boy that belongs to her friend Amber so Bill and I got to get some practice in at the parties. After the birthday parties, I hung out at Grandmother’s for a while and then headed out to Mom’s. After I left Mom’s, Hannah and I got the last bit of stuff we needed to finish her invitations and we got them finished! By the time all of this was done I was so ready for bed.
Writing this, I have been thinking about how busy we stay now. I am not complaining, Bill and I both like our lives very much. I wonder how we will keep it all up after Tyler makes his appearance. I guess there will be a natural phasing out of things. We probably won’t even notice and will be left wondering what we did with our time before there was Tyler. I am ready to find out!