Ice Cream Anyone?

My friend Kristen sent me this in an email today!

Get A FREE CUP of Ice Cream at Cold Stone Creamery ~ Thursday, September 30th

What: Cold Stone is giving away a FREE 3oz scoop of ice cream today! The special give-away flavor is called Katie’s Creation,named after a Make-A-Wish participant. It sounds like a great fall flavor with its caramel apple ice cream, graham cracker pie crust, and apple pie filling. The FREE serving is part of a fundraiser for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
When: Thursday, September 30, 2010 ~ 5:00 to 8:00PM
Where: nearest Cold Stone Creamery location
The Small Print (only made larger): Free ice cream refers to 3 oz. sample of Kate’s Creation served out of a ready to love pan in a Like It^TM cup. Waffle products and extra mix-ins available for additional charge. Valid only during published date and time. While supplies last.

The Help

I just finished reading "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. This was the very first book in my new book club and it was a wonderful choice. I truly enjoyed the book and it provided great discussion.

Last night was actually our very first book club meeting (besides our meet n' greet several weeks ago) and it was so great. To honor the southern heritage of our book, we sure did have some fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, biscuits and DELICIOUS caramel cupcakes! It was fabulous.

More information about the help, here is what is being said about it.

Publisher's Weekly Synopsis:
This novel is set during the nascent civil rights movement in Jackson, Miss., where black women were trusted to raise white children but not to polish the household silver. Eugenia Skeeter Phelan is just home from college in 1962, and, anxious to become a writer, is advised to hone her chops by writing about what disturbs you. The budding social activist begins to collect the stories of the black women on whom the country club sets relies and mistrusts enlisting the help of Aibileen, a maid who's raised 17 children, and Aibileen's best friend Minny, who's found herself unemployed more than a few times after mouthing off to her white employers. The book Skeeter puts together based on their stories is scathing and shocking, bringing pride and hope to the black community, while giving Skeeter the courage to break down her personal boundaries and pursue her dreams. Assured and layered, full of heart and history, this one has bestseller written all over it!

I'll be honest, it took me several chapters to actually get into the book, but once you get going, you won't want to put it down. If found myself relating to several of the characters; love some and hating others. It sheds new light on the civil rights movement and will effect your thinking on the way life was "back then".

I hope that you will pick up this book and enjoy it as much as I did.

Its A Beautiful Day

5 Reasons Why it is a Beautiful Day!


5. The Dallas Cowboys won yesterday and the Texas Rangers clinched the AL West!!!!

4. A new Amazing Race started last night!

3. I am 10 weeks along today! I have finally stopped worrying about every little thing and am just enjoying being pregnant.

2. The sun is shining, a breeze is blowing, and the high is only 75!

1. Because our God is an AWESOME God!

If Its a Boy

I used to dream of having a precious little nautical room for my baby boy, but when your husband is a baseball fanatic like mine, its hard to deny him a baseball room. So we compromised: Brant gets his baseball room, but I get to add a vintage flair to it. The idea has really grown on me and I think that (if its a boy) room will be great.


Here is the bedding I've picked out - kind of vintage with the darker, burnt colors. I like the fact that is doesn't scream "baseball", but that it is also tailored to baseball when most other sport beddings I have seen are sport themed, not baseball themed.


Then, I found this lamp on Buy Buy Baby - how precious is this!


Then for an added decor, I am going to try and find some old, vintage baseball gloves and ball, and maybe an old wooden bat for some wall art.


So what do you think? Like the idea of our vintage baseball room????

Sleep

Want to know my house is in disarray right now - because I just want to sleep.

Want to know why the laundry isn't done - because I just want to sleep.

Want to know why I don't blog - because I just want to sleep.

Want to know why I haven't read my book club book yet (yes, the book club that I host) - because I just want to sleep.

Want to know why I haven't gone grocery shopping in over two weeks - because I just want to sleep.

Sleep, sleep, sleep....that's all I want to do!!!!! This pregnancy is kickin' my rear!

Emotions

So ever since I found out that I was expecting, I have been a ball of emotions. Of course when there were two lines of the first pregnancy test (yes, I said first because there were three), I cried uncontrollably. But I've also been scared, nervous, anxious...almost any emotion you can think of.

I found out that I was pregnant on a Friday night, August 20th to be exact. I was so excited to be able to call my Dr's office Monday morning, but I was also scared to death...what if they told me it was all in my head. Lynn, my nurse (who is amazing) told me to come in and do the blood test. She called me Tuesday and said my HCG was over 2000 - I was definitely pregnant. Again, I cried. I was just elated.

She scheduled us to come in for our first sonogram the following Friday because she knew I was flying out to NY for a few weeks and she wanted to give us peace of mind before I left. That Friday my stomach was in knots. I just knew that there wasn't going to be a heartbeat, or that something was just going to be wrong. But I was wrong...there was the most beautiful sound...a heartbeat. Not just beating, but beating strong. As soon as we heard it, tears just streamed down my face with the realization that God really had created this little miracle. This wasn't all in my head!

But I still worry; I still feel anxious that something will go wrong. I think these feelings come from the fact that just a month before I got pregnant, God and I had a big talk. I told him that I was ok with whatever path He had for us; whether we would have a child of our own, or adopt, or even foster. I was ok it. If He would lead us, then we would follow. I had accepted that I may never be the one to see a positive pregnancy test; I may never be the one to say "I'm pregnant".... and I was ok with that. Then, to my surprise, I got to see and do both of these things...I saw two lines; I got to tell Brant "I am pregnant". But these were two things that I had waited so long to do, that I didn't believe them and I just "knew" the bad was coming.

I talked with Brant and Sister about it; both people reminded me of the same thing: God is sovereign. He has already written this baby's story and whatever His plan is, then that is what will happen - whether I worry about it or not. The only thing I can do is this: pray! I pray for this baby so many times a day - I pray for its health that it will grow healthy and strong; I pray for its heart - that it will love unconditionally; I pray for its salvation - that it will know the Lord at a young age and have a passion for Him; I just pray.

Yea - I Cooked!

So for the past two weeks - or since I have actually "felt" pregnant, I have had little to no appetite. I get hungry, so I eat, but nothing ever sounds good. On occasion I get in the mood for tacos and burritos...but that about the only craving I have had.

So when I come home from work, that last place I want to be is in the kitchen. Brant has been amazing (to say the least) and usually cooks for us, or goes and picks something up for me. But last night I actually cooked - YEA! Now it was nothing special - some bbq chicken and roasted new potatoes - but still, it was progress!

This pregnancy thing is kind of funny. I have always been a red meat kind of girl - I LOVE me a good steak. But not now! Red meat just looks bad to me. Chicken is pretty much my one source of protein right now (unless its a Taco Bueno taco!) so Chick-Fil-A and I have a meeting at least once a day! I found that if I eat good protein for breakfast, I have a much greater chance of having a nausea-free day!

We're Soon to Be...

So many have prayed us through the past 2 years;
Through struggles and trials, heartaches and tears;

We've had good days and bad days, toils and snares;
But God has been faithful and answered our prayers;

Our hearts are blessed, filled with wonder and glee;
The Williams family of 2 will soon become 3!!!

Brant and I are so excited about this little one who will make their debut in April, 2011. We are in awe of the Lord right now. He has been faithful every step of the way and we are simply in awe.

This is a picture of our first sonogram (at only 6w4d)...I am 8 weeks now) so there isn't much to see, but it still amazes us every time we look at it.
On the day this sonogram was taken, we were able to hear the sweetest heartbeat...it was literally music to our ears. This little heart was beating strong at 114 beat/minute and the dr. says that everything looks fantastic!

For those of you who already know and have asked, I am feeling pretty good. I had a stomach bug last week that was not fun, but once it passed, things have been good ever since. I have a little bit of nausea every now and then, have no appetite and nothing ever sounds good to eat...but don't worry, I'm forcing it down anyways.

To those who have been so fervently praying for us, words cannot express what your prayers have meant. For the past 2 years, they have kept us going. Saying "thank you" just doesn't seem like enough; but I say with all of my heart...Thank you, thank you, thank you!

North Carolina

I'm so sorry its been so long since I posted. Last Thursday I flew to Atlanta then made a nice 3 hour drive to Andrews, North Carolina for my dear friend, Rachel's, wedding. It was so beautiful. We got to stay at the Hawkesdene House which is a gorgeous estate tucked away in the Appalachian mountains. It was just gorgeous. I have a few pictures so as soon as I get them uploaded on my computer, I'll put them up here.

I can't believe its already September! Brant and I had originally planned on going to the lake Sunday, but I got called away to New York for work. So I'll be working while he is playing!

Well I hope everyone has a fabulous holiday weekend!