Gallup Christmas

WARNING!! THIS POST IS LONG AND HAS TONS OF PICTURES!!!

Today, we had our Gallup Christmas party. We got together for lunch at my parents. We ate lunch and then got to the presents! Charlie was the only grandkid at this one, so he was spoiled rotten! He got so many presents! We opened all our presents, and then Charlie went down for a nap. We played LCR, a dice game for those who don't know. Then my mom pulled out 3 gingerbread house kits. Each couple got to put together their own house, which was really fun! Steve and I put ours together and then we tried to get a good picture, but people kept making me laugh and Steve was making faces....you will see the progression....

After the houses, we watched UP, a DVD that I got for a gift. After Charlie woke up, we went to the Stob's house for dinner and games. It's something we like to do each Christmas when all the Stob kids are back in Michigan.

All in all, it was a great day! Thanks again everyone for all the great gifts!!

And Now, the Gingerbread Saga:

We tried to get a cute picture of us and our house after we were done with it. Jonathan took the first one, I started laughing cause of Steve's face he made, and then it just kept deteriorating.....

Through the whole thing, Steve is making me laugh and he manages to keep a good smile on each time the picture is taken! We did end up getting an ok one....

VandenBerg Christmas

This year, we didn't have a super busy Christmas. Don't get me wrong, ,we had a busy few days, but all in all it wasn't bad. We had nothing on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day! The day after, we had Christmas at Steve's family's house. We had a big morning brunch party. There are so many little kids that need naps and to be in bed on time, that we decided to do it in the morning. We started out the morning with breakfast and then headed to the presents! The kids went crazy! 6 kids under 6 is a very busy time! I welcomed nap time for Charlie, that is for sure! We hung out there the rest of the day and headed home later that night. It was a good time!

All the grandkids

Charlie and all his paper

Grandma helping Charlie open his firetruck

Surgery

I'm feeling ok, just so you all know.

Yesterday, I had a procedure to clean out everything that was "left over" from the miscarriage. We had a big fiasco trying to schedule it, and get everything figured out, but after that was straightened out we were set to go. We went into the hospital at 12:45 for a 2:15 procedure time. After we got there and got registered, Steve was hungry (and how he dared tell that to the girl who had nothing to eat or drink since midnight monday I don't know!) so we went to the coffee bar so he could get something to drink till I went in. We got in pretty much right away, and taken back to a bay to get ready. I had all my vitals taken and made sure I was healthy enough to have surgery. I was....Yippee! Then the nurse came in to start my IV. OK, I hate needles! I know I work with them, but I hate being poked by them. So where does she try to start my IV? My HAND! Ouwie!! My veins are notorious for rolling and there was no difference yesterday either. She was digging in there and I was trying not to scream! Finally she stopped, and got another nurse, who specializes in IV's to come start mine. She got in right away, which I was very thankful for. After that, my OB came in to talk to me about my procedure and settle any nerves that I was feeling. She also warned us that they were about 30 minutes behind. A little bit later, the Anesthesiologist came in to talk to me about sedating me. I told him that I did not want a tube down my throat, and he said he wouldn't do that. The procedure itself only takes 10-15 minutes, so he said he would breath for me for that amount of time. He asked why and I said I had to sing on Christmas and didn't want a sore throat! I know, it's selfish, but hey, I'm the patient!! About 2:45 they came back to get me, and take me away. Right before I left, Steve asked me if I wanted to tell him the password to the online banking.

(I have always said if I die, he wouldn't know what to do, cause he doesn't even know the password to our online banking and bill pay!)

That made me feel great! Seriously, I'm not going to die! I got wheeled away and into the OR room. I don't remember much about that. I remember moving to the bed and seeing my doctor in there, and she came over and held my hand. The anesthesiologist gave my an oxygen mask and my arm started to BURN! It was the white stuff! (the stuff Michael Jackson died from!) I can't spell it, but it is good stuff. The next thing I knew, I was in the recovery room. It was a nice nap. I stayed there till about 4, then I got moved to the post surgery room and they got me something to eat and drink. They helped me get up and change so that I could go home. All in all, I was pretty happy about how it all turned out.

My doctor told me that we would have to wait probably 3-4 months before we try again, so it'll be a while till there is any sort of announcement.....

The post I don't want to make.

Well, I see I haven't posted in a while. And I'm really not looking forward to this post, but it has to be done.

For the past few weeks, I have not felt "pregnant". You know, the typical tired all the time, kinda gross feeling in the morning, pants getting tighter.... I just thought that maybe this time, it was different. They always say each pregnancy is different, so I just thought this one was. I even emailed my OB to ask her about it. (That's what happens when you are friends with your patients on facebook :-) She told me it can be normal to not feel sick and not show yet, even on my second pregnancy. Then on sunday, I was singing in praise team at church and another expecting mom came up front to light an advent candle and she is majorly showing!! Plus she is due after I was. Well, then I got nervous. I knew I had an appointment on the 22nd, so I would have to wait and see. Monday morning rolled around and I went to work. At about 3:30, I went to the bathroom and saw that I was spotting a little bit. Then I knew. Something is not right here. I called my OB's office and I was scheduled for an ultrasound originally for Thursday, but I got in Tuesday due to a cancellation.

All day Tuesday, I was preparing myself that it was not good. I was trying to steel myself against heartbreaking news that I did NOT want to hear. So when 1:45 rolled around, I just told my coworkers I'd be back in a bit, I was going to get and ultrasound. I was nervous sitting there waiting, and then Joy called my name to come in. Joy is an old coworker of mine who moved from the ultrasound dept at Metro to my OB's office. She asked me a bit about what was going on, and I told her. She said it doesn't mean that it is bad that I'm spotting, apparently when the baby implants, you can spot. So I thought, "ok, maybe that's what's happening". Well, as soon as she started scanning, I didn't want to look at the screen. I did for a second, but I didn't see anything moving, no heart beat. I looked away, and she said, "I'm sorry, but it looks like the baby stopped progressing around 9 or 10 weeks."

I lost it.

If you think that you can prepare yourself for something like that, you can't. Even though I had pretty much told myself already that I had miscarried, I was not prepared to know that I was right. Even though I hadn't ever felt the baby move or heard a heart beat, I still had plans and dreams for that baby. People say, "you can have another one". I know I can, but I really wanted that one!

I don't understand the plans that God has for us, but I know he has something better planned for us. He obviously needed this child with him more than we needed him/her. We have the hope of knowing that we will meet this baby someday. It gives me something more to look forward to, knowing that when I die, I will finally be able to meet our child.

Thank you all for your prayers. It means a lot to us to have such great friends and family that we can lean on in times like this. Hopefully, I'll be posting soon about another brother or sister for Charlie.....

Rumor has it....

Well, many of you have probably heard already, but to make it official............

Yes, we are having another baby!!

We are due June 25th!

I'm going to have to change my blog name.........

Charlie's 18 Month Pics!

A huge THANK YOU to Kat McClure from my church for taking Charlie's pictures! They turned out great! Check them out by clicking on the link below!

http://www.pictage.com/747067

The Event Key is Charlie Robert

Side note:

If anyone wants Kat's name, give me a call! She is very reasonable and will take pics till you are happy!

If you step in a puddle...

If you use my bathroom and you step in a puddle, I'm sorry.

But now you know why.

He looks sweet and innocent huh?

A New Post

I figured it was time for a new post. Nothing is really new for us. I guess I'll just tell you what's happening.

**A girlfriend of mine had a baby last week! Jason and Katie Ruis has a new baby girl, Ella Mae, on Monday Sept 28th. She was 9lbs 12oz! All I have to say about that is, GOOD JOB KATIE!!

**We went to visit some friends of ours in St. Joseph this past weekend. We were the best of friends when we lived there, and once we sat down to talk, it all came back. It was a great time and they will be life long friends!

**One of my favorite nurses is leaving. I'm sad sad sad. She will be sorely missed, cause she was a great IR nurse. :-(

**I'm getting the hang of the Lia Sophia thing. I'm loving selling it and having parties. It really is just a great excuse to have a girls night out! (If anyone wants a party, let me know!)

**Charlie is getting teeth. Lot's of teeth. I think that he's getting his canine teeth (sorry Kara, I'm not sure what the proper name is for those pointy ones!) He's always chewing on his finger and drooling everywhere!

**Steve is getting busier! He's volunteered to be on the committee at church for the building addition and for the building fund. He also has a class on Monday nights so he's a busy boy all the sudden!

**I start volleyball next week and I can't wait! It's the best workout I get all year and I love playing it anyways, so it doesn't feel like a workout!

**Speaking of working out, I went to Zumba last week with a friend, and it was super fun! If you have a choice, try it!

**I've been told(by someone who shall remain nameless)that I have too many shows that I watch. Do you think? Monday-Trauma and Gossip Girl. Tuesday-Biggest Loser. Wednesday-Law and Order SVU. Thursday- The Office and the occasional Grey's Anatomy. Friday-I got nothing! See not too many....right??

**Steve and I had an anniversary this weekend. 5 Years, WOW!!

**My girlfriend Amber comes back to work tomorrow. Her wedding was beautiful, but I miss her at work! I'm so glad she's back!!

**I miss summer already and I think I might have missed fall in there somewhere...

**I wish I was 15-20lbs lighter. I gotta work on that one.

**I love watching hospital/medical shows. I love the new show Trauma, but Mercy needs something. I'm not sure what, but I don't care for it.

**Starbucks is my crutch. If I'm feeling bad, or fat or tired or moody, starbucks always makes it better.

That's all for now, hopefully I can get some new pics up, but I gotta take some new ones!!

Weekend Vacation

Last weekend, Steve and I went to a wedding of a friend of mine in Sutton's Bay, MI. It is about 20 miles north of Traverse City. We left Friday after work, and came home sunday afternoon. It was a great weekend away! We stayed at Leelanau Sands Casino, which was really cool. I don't have any pics of that, because they don't allow cameras in a casino. We arrived at the hotel Friday night at about 1000PM. We stopped in Long Lake at Boone's Steakhouse. It was really good! Steve has been there and wanted to take me there too. When we got there, we checked in and then went down to the casino. We lost $20 and then left. I thought it was kinda boring. Casino's don't really excite me too much. Saturday we got up (late, no kids!!!!) and went into Sutton's Bay and walked around town and out by the marina. Around noon we went back to the hotel and took naps (weird huh?) and then got really for the wedding, which was at 3PM. We headed to the wedding, which was at a beautiful cherry orchard on a bluff overlooking Grand Traverse Bay. After the wedding, we went to the marina and hung out on another one of my girlfriend's boat. Then the reception. It was at the Field of Flowers Farm in Leelanau. When we walked down to the barn, which was decorated in white christmas lights, we were surrounded by all different types of flowers. We had a great night hanging out with my friends and coworkers and dancing the night away! Sunday morning, we got up (late again!) and went into traverse city, got some coffee and walked around that marina and on the piers. They have a great park right in downtown Traverse. We walked around there for a while and then started to head home. It was a great time away, and a beautiful wedding!

The Bluff where the ceremony took place

Mr. and Mrs. John and Amber Guinan!

My Big Boy

Wednesday, Charlie got his 4th haircut! Can you believe that? He's only 17 months old, he shouldn't have needed any haircuts yet! He really needed it bad though! We went over to the Henion's house and got to work! It was quite a challenge but I think Emily did a great job. Good thing that we know them so well too, because I just threw him in the tub at their house and put him in his jammies. Now that's a full service salon! Afterwards, he looked like such a little man! My baby is growing up! He's still cute though!!

Camping 09

At the beginning of August, we spent a week at the conference grounds with some of the other families from Providence. This is our second year doing this, and it was really fun! Charlie was at a great age, and he loved the beach! He didn't like the water so much as the sand! Each time we lugged a TON of toys, water, snacks, beach chairs, a beach umbrella, sunscreen and towels. We were quite a spectacle! But Charlie had a great time each time, so that's all that matters. He had fun with all the other kids there, and if I counted correctly, there were 17 kids in our group! That's a lot of kids to keep track of! We did lose a few a couple times, but they were only as far away as the playground. Steve got to enjoy the week this year with us too! Due to his job change, he was "in between" jobs that week! It worked out great! We had a great time as a family, and I can't wait to do it again next year!