Sunday, May 20, 2007

Graduation!

Friday, May 11th was my college graduation! HURRAY!!! Noah was able to switch shifts with someone and be there, which meant a lot to me. (I cried). I was really happy that I finally acomplished this one thing....I got a little emotional during the ceremony too! The 13th was Mother's Day. Megan got me my very first Mother's Day card and Dad Jim got me the most beautiful necklace. Again, I got emotional.
I had visited the midwife earlier in the week and everything seems to be right on target. Alistair's heartrate was 150 this time, still right where it should be. We're almost to 26 weeks now and it's freakin unbelievable! Sometimes I panic, thinking there isn't enough time left, but that is par for the pregnancy course. Also, Noah and I had a day off together last week and cleaned out our apartment, got a bigger storage unit and made Alistair his own closet. (I was needing a place to stash the small items that were piling up in my dining room.)
There really isn't much going on now. I'm just relaxing, enjoying some time off and getting pretty excited to go to Ohio on Wednesday!!!! WOO HOO!!! Here are pictures from graduation night ("The Belly" at 24 weeks), and Alistair's closet begining to accumulate "stuff!"




Sunday, May 06, 2007

Here are some funny words....

...SACROILIITIS, BOPPY, STRATIGRPAHIC CORRELATION, GRADUATION!

SACROILIITIS, It's inflamation in the Sacroiliac joint (where your spine meets your pelvis). I have this. It hurts. I partially dislocated this joint, it won't fix itself, and it's pinching a nerve. Unfortunately, during pregnancy, a woman's body releases a hormone called "relaxin" which relaxes (duh) the ligaments in her body. So, this sacro-whatever is not likely to get any better until after Alistair is born and my ligaments can return to normal. The UPSIDE: I've started getting massages! Not only is it WONDERFUL and relaxes the rest of me, it really helps ease the "pain in my butt."

BOPPY, yes, Boppy. If you haven't heard of it, come back to Earth. (J/K) The above mentioned ailment is compounded by the weight of the baby and the increased curvature of my spine, so I started looking at pregnancy pillows. I was on a mission to find one that wouldn't kick Noah out of the bed. (Believe me, those things are HUGE). When a lightbulb came on in my head: All I need is a boppy! I'll buy one now and use it as back support, then I'll already have it for Alistair when he gets here! DUH, PATRICIA! This thing is great! Let me tell you, I even have to compete for it when I want to use it:



STRATIGRPAHIC CORRELATION, It's geology. I had a HUGE project in Historical Geology this semester where I was given samples of rock formations, had to identify the rock type and the fossils in them, determine how old they are, correlate the three sections to eachother and write a geologic history of that region....based on rocks and fossils. Well, it was A LOT of work. I was so proud of it when it was complete that I took it to Kinko's to get it bound nicely. I got 100% on it! YAY! I've never done a project so big and so involved and am so proud that it turned out so well.

GRADUATION is this Friday! Finally, I have finished something! After all of the roadblocks that were put up for me during my pursuit of this Associate's degree, I couldn't be any happier! What perfect timing, too! Now I have the summer to get our life ready for Alistair!

P.S:
Thank you so much, Mom, for being there when I thought I was fed up with school. For helping me out when tuition was due and for being on the other end of the phone line when I needed to chat. You are always the best!

Thanks, Aunt Connie, for all of your support not just these past few years, but throughout my life! There is something you told me a few years ago, that has given me strength when ever I needed it, "Just keep pluggin away!" And I did!

Thank you, Mom Gail, for being so encouraging! And also, for buying all those books I needed. I love you!

Thanks, Dad Jim, for always having an encouraging word when I felt overwhelmed.

And, finally, the one who is here everyday pulling my head up out of my hands, giving up evenings together for me to work on group projects, driving me to Kinko's at midnight to finish projects, and cooking countless dinners while I did homework. Noah, I know our life it not like we planned it to be 4 years ago, but we have played the hand we were dealt, and played it well. This degree is something I never could have acheived without your constant love and support. I am so happy to be spending my life with you and am looking forward to the rest of my life and whatever may come our way! I love you, for serious!