Long OVERDUE Update

I can't believe it has been so long since I have posted on my blog! I have so many things to catch everyone up on, that I am going to be lazy and list them.

1. I moved back to Winston-Salem, NC on November 12th, and it seems like I have been running NON-STOP around here. The boys have settled into the new routine in NC and Ed has completed his training at work, and is officially taking live calls. He works at the Help Desk for Market America in GSO, NC. It's been REALLY nice to FINALLY be home with Silas and Timmy.

2. We moved in with my parents, so I have unpacked and settled into the space available to my family. My parents are VERY gracious to allow us to move in while we get back on our feet. It's SO nice to be able to spend so much time with my parents daily.

3. We spent Thanksgiving Day over at my little sister's house. We ate TOO much food and laughed WAY too hard! Lots of memories were made that will last a lifetime.

4. I found an OB to take over my prenatal care, so it was a pretty smooth transition. Ed and I took the hospital tour a couple of weeks ago so that we would be familiar with the surroundings. It will be REALLY different to not have Emma in Texas like I did with the boys. The fact that I have so much family around is pretty darn amazing! I CAN'T WAIT to have family visit at the hospital.

5. My pregnancy has been going very well since my arrival in NC. Since I am not working outside of the home, I have been able to take naps when Silas naps in the afternoon. This has helped tremendously in this last couple of weeks when I feel like I am the size of an elephant. After becoming a stay at home mom since arriving in NC, I don't know how in the world I managed when I worked 40 hours outside of the home...sometimes I can't make it without a nap everyday. God has blessed me tremendously by allowing us to live with my parents. It's AMAZING to have help getting Timmy to and from school and having free childcare when I have appointments.

6. We found out on December 23rd, that Emma is BREECH! I was 37 weeks, but Emma was measuring 39 weeks and they estimated her to weigh 8 lbs. 4 oz. On the ultrasound, we were able to see that she has a TON of hair! The ultrasound technician couldn't believe how long her hair was...she kept pointing to it and saying, "Look at her hair just floating in that fluid." I have had TERRIBLE heartburn with this pregnancy, and I REALLY wanted her to have a lot of hair...looks like I will get my wish! They told me that if she didn't turn on her own, that I would have to have a c-section. I have ALWAYS been afraid of having a c-section. Something about the word surgery kinda scares me. I have NEVER had a surgery in my entire life other than having my wisdom teeth cut out, but I don't count that as a surgery because I only had "laughing gas" and it was in my mouth. I went back to the doctor on December 28th, and she was still breech, so the OB scheduled a c-section for Tuesday, January 5th.

7. After all these months, I now know Emma's birthday 01/05/10. That is if I don't go into labor naturally between now and then. I have had some significant contractions, but nothing close together...Ed is off the next 2 days, so if I went into labor that would be just great. But if not, then we will welcome Emma Grace Lockwood into the world on Tuesday, January 5th at 7:30am EST. I packed our bags today, and it was so hard to decide what to bring her home in. I have packed a couple of options, so we shall wait and see what this little one looks like before I decide.

Since I have never had a c-section before, I am unsure of what the recovery will be like, but as soon as I am able, I will try to blog pictures of Emma's arrival and her "birth" story!

PICTURE TIME....

Here is a picture of me at 36 weeks...it's hard to tell, but I am REALLY carrying LOW. I am even lower today, I feel like Emma is going to fall out.



Here is a picture of the boys playing in the snow that we got the week before Christmas! Timmy LOVED it...Silas wasn't too sure about it at first, but once Daddy came outside, he got off the porch and walked around in it.



Here is a picture of Silas wearing a suit that was handed down from his cousin Matthew...isn't he just the CUTEST!



Here is a picture of Timmy doing the Bungee thingy in the mall.



Here is a picture of the boys in their Christmas PJs on Christmas morning.



Here is a picture of Ed and I on our way to Ed's work Christmas party.



That's all for now....check back in a couple of weeks to see pics of my baby girl!

Much Love in NC

Let Freedom Ring

My sweet friend in Texas, Shelly, had this video posted on her Facebook page, and in light of it being Veterans Day, I just had to post it today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8GgzOQ-UHY

This song reminds me so much of home because I grew up listening to the Gaither Vocal Band. That is one memory that I enjoy...going to concerts with my sisters to see the Gaither Vocal Band, Gold City, The Cathedrals...Southern Gospel music is definitely a memory that I hold dear to my heart.

Here are the words in case you want to follow along.... Enjoy

LET FREEDOM RING
Deep within the heart has always known that there was freedom
Somehow breathed into the very soul alive
The prisoner, the powerless, the saved have always known it
There's something that keeps reaching for the sky

Even life begins because a baby fights for freedom
And songs we love to sing have freedom's theme
Some have walked through fire and flood to find a place of freedom
And some faced hell itself for freedom's dream

Let freedom ring wherever minds know what it means to be in chains
Let freedom ring wherever hearts know pain
Let freedom echo through the lonely streets where prisons have no key
We can be free and we can sing let freedom ring

God built freedom into every fiber of creation
And He meant for us to all be free and whole
When my Lord bought freedom with the blood of His redemption
His cross stamped pardon on my very soul

I'll sing it out with every breath, I'll let the whole world hear it
This hallelujah anthem of the free
That iron bars and heavy chains can never hold us captive
The Son has made us free and free indeed

Let freedom ring down through the ages from a hill called Calvary
Let freedom ring wherever hearts know pain
Let freedom echo through the lonely streets where prisons have no key
You can be free and you can sing let freedom ring
Let freedom echo through the lonely streets where prisons have no key
You can be free and you can sing let freedom ring
You can be free and you can sing let freedom ring
Let freedom ring

I like America

I just had to write this post about a conversation overheard between my 6 year old son, and my 6 year old nephew. This is classic....

While throwing the football back and forth to each other:

Timmy: Andrew, what is your favorite college football team? Do you like the Georgia Bulldogs?

Andrew: No, I like America.

Timmy: Are they the elephants?

Andrew: Yeah

Timmy: Yeah, I like them too!

My little sister immediately called me to share in this conversation. Our son has been saturated with college football since the time he could hold a football. Our nephew, doesn't really know any college football teams or even what college football is. I can TOTALLY tell this friendship of cousins is going to be amazing!

Thank you Lord for moving us to NC! We are having SO much fun!

SISTERS

As my time in GA quickly draws to a close, I have had a lot of time to reflect on my future endeavors in North Carolina. There are SO many things that I am looking forward to, and I shared some of them in my last post, however, I wanted to share about some more.

I CAN NOT WAIT TO SPEND SOME QUALITY TIME WITH MY SISTERS!

Tina, Nikki, and I have been SO close almost our entire life. When I talk about my family and childhood, I really have more good memories than bad when it comes to my sisters. There are so many inside jokes and memories that can just keep us laughing for hours. There is just a bond between us that NO-ONE will EVER be able to break.

In January of this past year, I kinda got a little jealous of Tina and Nikki. The opportunity was given to Nikki to be Tina's assistant in her K-3 class at school. I was like, "WHAT?!?! Nikki gets to see Tina EVERYDAY AND WORK with her!" I SOOOO wanted to be there and enjoy in making memories. I just KNEW it was going to bring them closer together. I think my jealousy was more of not wanting to be left out, but you know what...when I came home in March, it was just as it has always been. Tina and Nikki treated me as if I had been at work with them all along. They included me in all their discussions, and was eager to share with me about the kiddos in their class.

My sisters have been there for me from the VERY beginning of our time away from each other. When Nikki got married and moved to Germany, and I when I got married and moved to Texas....I NEVER dreamed that one day we would be ALL back together again. Do you realize what this means???? Sister (and mom) Movie Nights, Dessert Nights (not just on New Years Eve), SHOPPING, SHOPPING, SHOPPING, late night talks and slumber parties (yes, even married with children you can still have a slumber party), Ladies Retreats in the mountains, workout accountability partners, Bible study partners, and so much more...

As I sit here and type this post, tears are coming to my eyes when I realize that I get to see my sisters face to face EVERYDAY! I haven't had that in over NINE years! No more just weekend visits or holiday visits. I am going to be LIVING in NC! I thank God EVERYDAY that HE is allowing us to all be together again!

Dreams REALLY do come true! Hold on sisters....I will be there soon! I love you both so very much! Oh, the memories we will make....