An awesome Christmas story!

Just a reminder of what this season is all about...the birth of a Savior!!

Luke 2:4-14
Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Baking, baking, and more baking!!!

Wow! You guys offered some really awesome recipes! This was so much fun and I can't wait to try them all out. My only problem is finding the time to bake them all! I plan on spending this Sunday baking with Jacob, but I can't try all the recipes, so I have some narrowing down to do. I appreciate all your responses. We have such a wide variety of suggestions from the quick pick up when there's absolutely no time left, to the family recipes that have been enjoyed for years! This has been one of my favorite posts so far and it's all because of you guys! Thanks and I hope to see you all this holiday season! Love to you!

Baked Goods

Tis the season...of baked goods! I love to bake and what a perfect time to do so. I plan to spend a few of the upcoming days baking for the holidays (gifts for neighbors, holiday gatherings, etc). So, I thought it might be fun to share a favorite baked good recipe and then ask you guys to share one. I'm not very sophisticated like many of the blogs I read and don't know how to use Mr. Linky. I'm also not so very popular, but I know my family reads this and hope you all participate. It can be the dessert you always go to, or a special treat you only make for the holidays. I look forward to reading and trying out all the recipes you leave in the comments section of this blog. I really can't wait! Here's mine!

Pumpkin Roll

Batter:
3 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 c. pumpkin
3/4 c. flour

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
4 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix eggs and sugar together. Add remaining batter ingredients. Bake on a greased cookie sheet (put wax paper on top and then grease and flour wax paper). Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Be sure to keep on eye on it as it bakes quickly. Remove warm cake from pan and turn onto a dish towel sprinkled liberally with powdered sugar. Roll cake and towel up together and let cool. Mix filling ingredients. Unwrap cooled roll and spread with filling. Remove towel and roll again. Let set in refrigerator overnight. Before serving sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Don't forget to leave a comment with your favorite baked good recipe. Just think...it's like a "cookie swap" even though we aren't getting together! FUN!!!!

Prayer Request

I was catching up on my blog reading last night and came upon this blog via Jordan and Patience Leino's blog. Please join with us in praying for this family who is dealing with an extremely risky pregnancy and trusting God through the journey! What an inspiration! Reading these blogs has really opened my eyes and makes me so aware that it's truly a blessing and a gift from God to have a healthy pregnancy. I am so thankful!

Baby Bulletin

Today was our last trip to see Dr. Kuller at Duke Perinatology. We are so happy! That means everything is perfectly fine with our little one! Thanks so much for the prayers throughout this issue with the placenta. The placenta has "moved" and is no longer a problem. We are so thankful for this blessing!

Baby Sloan looked great. His heart was beating at 158 bpm. The technician measured his head, femur, humerus, and abdomen. From those measurements, they let us know that Baby weighs about 3 pounds and 6 ounces and is in the 63%ile, which is great! In this photo you can see his little face. It's to the right of the triangle and he's sideways. His chin is pointing left and I'm really not sure exactly what that is on the left that it's pointing to. Oh, well! I can't wait to meet this little guy.

On another note, Jacob went with us this morning. He was so excited to get to see his little brother and was really enthralled by the whole procedure. So much so in fact, he's asked for an ultrasound machine for Christmas!! Yea...umm...maybe not!!

Hodge-Podge of News

It's hard to believe Thanksgiving is already over. Matt and I enjoyed our visit to my dad's family in PA. Bless the hearts of my dad and Matt! They were troopers as they put up with two women on a seven-hour car ride (which by the way turns in to 8-9 hours with the pit stops two women require)! We had a great time eating and visiting and eating some more. I got a great recipe for pie crust from my Aunt Linda that Matt can't wait for me to try--look out for Episode II of SAHM in the Making! By the way, Dad bought Season 9 of "Everybody Loves Raymond" for us to watch on the ride home (Mema and PaPa have a DVD player in their minivan). My friends, that is one of the funniest TV shows ever to air. It's reality TV if you ask me!!

Matt rode all the way to PA just to get a cold. The poor guy hasn't been sick in forever, but this one really got him. First the sore throat (Tylenol Allergy), then the runny nose (Sudafed), and finally the cough (Mucinex). I think we now qualify as a small pharmacy! He's feeling much better now, thank goodness! There's nothing worse than watching your strong husband feel so bad and knowing there's nothing you can do about it!

I went to the OB again today. This is a landmark visit for me. It starts my "every two weeks" schedule of appointments. We're really progressing! I'll post a belly pic soon. It's getting big. Summary of the visit: I had my glucose test today--they drew blood, they'll send it off and let me know what the results are; I had to step on the lovely scales, but we won't even talk about that; they did a hemoglobin test and discovered that my iron is low--no biggie, just need a supplement; the doctor says Baby Sloan is growing at the right rate (aka "You're measuring just fine Mrs. Sloan); and his little heartbeat is strong and so lovely to hear! We go to the Duke Perinatologist on Monday for our follow up Level II ultrasound to check on the placenta. We appreciate your prayers regarding that situation.

In other news, Jacob has his first Upward Basketball practice on Tuesday night. He's so excited about playing. Santa brought him a basketball goal last year and he's wanted to play on a team ever since. We like to stay busy and think it's great for Jacob to be involved in extra-curricular activities, so we signed him up. To keep it interesting, his basketball season goes straight through my due date to Feb. 24th. So, hopefully I won't be accused of hiding a basketball under my shirt, or deliver on the court, and maybe Jacob's little brother might get to see him play some basketball!

Thanksgiving Time

Tis the season! Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is this week. Here's how I know for sure...Jacob came home with a pilgrim project assignment. I loved school as a child and I love projects. So I immediately sat down to scour my art files and the beloved internet for some great ideas. (Just FYI, Family Fun is a great resource for things such as this.) The tough part of projects for me is making sure that I just guide Jacob as he completes a project. I would love to just do it for him. However, being a teacher, I know that projects are designed to be learning experiences, not just busy work, so today when we sat down to complete the pilgrim project I worked really hard to guide and not do! Truth be told, Jacob is a project pro. Here's the proof.


He was given the clothespin and the directive to make a clothespin pilgrim boy. That was the basic requirement, no more. Mrs. F did say you could make a diorama or write a story to accompany the pilgrim. However, this was not required and was for extra points and the coveted score of 4. Yes, 4! In wonderful Wake County, we no longer use As, Bs, or Cs. We have 1, 2, 3, 3* and 4. I won't waste you time with what they stand for...especially since it's not crystal clear to me! Sorry, where was I? Oh, our project pro! So, this is looking like a project worthy of a 4 to me. Sure we offered guidance and assistance with some of the details--like cutting the buckle of the hat out with a knife--but overall, this is Jacob's work. And I am SO proud!

By the way, Jacob and I are making these really cute, really easy Marshmallow Pilgrim Hat cookies this week. Check them out.

I hope you all get to spend time with friends and family this Thanksgiving holiday. Here at our house we are so thankful to God for the many, many blessings He has provided for us and the awesome things He has done!

SAHM in the making: Episode I!

For all of those who don't know me well, this may come as a surprise...I don't cook. I've never cooked...unless you count Create-A-Meals and Hamburger Helper. Baking has always been my specialty. I'm great at brownies, cookies, cakes, etc. Providing meals however, not so much!

I am so blessed to be married to a great cook, who has kept our family fed, and fed well! But with the upcoming arrival of Baby Sloan and my transition to Stay-at-home-Mom (SAHM), I've decided I need to learn to cook. The idea of caring for my family and serving them in this way has never really appealed to me, until now. I told you all, this pregnancy has done crazy things to me.

So, I've decided that I'll cook every other night. Matt loves the idea! I've cooked some of our regular dishes, but I've also been online researching new recipes. We're tired of the same menu week after week. Yesterday I found Chicken Crunch. It's a chicken casserole that sounded so warm and yummy!

After work, I headed home excited about providing for my family and being able to serve them dinner. I got busy cutting chicken, mixing sauce, and crushing crackers. I had it in the casserole dish and in the oven in no time and felt so productive...maternal and wife-y. I fixed some rice and green peas as sides, and went in with my family to help with homework time while the Chicken Crunch cooked away.

When, the timer went off, I went in and pulled out the beautiful casserole. We got the table set and settled down for this wonderful Jennifer-made dinner. We served Jacob his rice and peas. Then I scooped into the casserole only to discover that the chicken was kind of pink. Hmmm...what's this? I cut into the chicken pieces. Oh, no! Raw chicken--salmonella! I was baffled...I followed a recipe for crying out loud. How could this happen to me! I just want to be a good wife and mother! How can Matt, Jacob, and Baby survive with a SAHM who can't even get a recipe right! Notice the rational thinking of a pregnant woman!

Thankfully my husband is calm and cool. We nuked our plates, and put the casserole back into the oven. After we finished dinner, I went back to that awful, mean, no-good recipe to see why it tried to sabotage my attempts at providing for my family. I read the directions over and over. I followed it the to the letter. Again, how could this happen. Then I saw it...the awful phrase, the culprit of the crisis--the recipe ingredients read: "4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked" Arghhh!

Notice the title of this post...for your enjoyment, stay tuned. I'm sure Episode II will soon follow!

Happy Veterans' Day!

Thank you to those who have served or are serving in the armed forces--including my fabulous husband! May God bless each of you for your willingness to sacrifice it all for my freedom!

Priorities

I'm going to get real now, so hang on...it could get bumpy.

Recently, I've been dealing with some things in my walk with Jesus. Our family is blessed to attend a great church. Last weekend and this past First Wednesday, the messages really worked on my heart. Our pastors preached on priorities over the weekend. They spoke reminding us that God is meant to be first in our lives. Second priority is our spouses, followed by our children. Then on First Wednesday Pastor Martha gave us some great resources to help us actually place God at the top of our list. Don't we all need those resources to guide us? After hearing these messages I felt that stirring in my heart. You know that stirring...the one that means it's time to listen up and take heed.

Let me admit, I'm a little stubborn. You may not believe it, but God knows it. I say this because this past week, I've also come across some very meaningful blogs addressing priorities and idols. He knew I might need another reminder.

Faithful Chick blogged about idols and their interference in our walk with Christ. She wrote:
"Idolatry is defined by Webster’s dictionary as “immoderate attachment or devotion to something”. Hmmmmm. Do you have an “immoderate attachment or devotion to"…your husband? your children? your home? your car? your cell phone? your pastor? your favorite Bible study author? your favorite recording artist? your clothing/shoes? your computer/email? your blog? Or, the blogs you read?" What about TV shows, too?

Woah, lady...stop reading my mail! I have time to check/read at least 13 different blogs a day, but I have a hard time finding more than 15 minutes a day to spend in quiet time with God. Can you say idol?

Then I found this one. Her blog reminded me that these blogs can not only interfere with my time with God, but can also interfere in my time with my family. What a priority check for me. Doesn't God work in wonderful ways! He used my idol (reading blogs/computer time) to give me knock upside the head that I needed.

Okay, God. I hear you!

Blogs can be great resources. I'm learning so much about being a stay-at-home-mom and managing a household. I'm sharing with other women who know and love God. I'm being creative and writing. I'm creating a journal to share with our family. Now, I'm learning that time management is a new skill I need to work on. I plan to continue to blog and continue to read blogs, BUT I plan to be careful with my time. Time with God comes first. Time with Matt comes second and time with Jacob comes third. Blog/computer time comes after all those priorities have been met! God spoke to me about my priorities and idols--I'm sp glad I stopped to listen. Thank you God for working in my heart and seeking to protect the relationships that mean the most!

Ailing Animal

On Friday night we had settled in, and eaten a marvelous meal of barbecue from a local church. Okay, Matt and I thought it was great, Jacob thinks slaw is "disgusting." But, I digress...I had settled in for a rousing game of Jeopardy, Matt was in the backyard throwing the ball for our 2 one-hundred pound dogs, and Jacob was in the dining room still pondering the spoonful of slaw he was required to finish before leaving the table.

Alex Trebek and I were well into Double Jeopardy when Matt came in the house to announce that Scout (my dog before marriage) was injured. Now, for those of you who don't know, Scout has a tendency to crack/break his toenails. So, I pulled my pregnant self up off the couch to go check on my precious Scout. I walked in the kitchen only to see him ferociously licking the injured paw. Matt pulled his head away to show me the delightful sideways pointing toenail that was almost completely pulled out of the paw pad. This was obviously not just a cracked/broken toenail. Being the great pet parent I am, I called our vet, got the emergency vet number, called them, loaded the big guy in the back of the SUV, and we were off...much to Jacob's great relief, as the slaw was still sitting there staring at him.

When we got there, the vet tech took him back, he was given some really good drugs, and the toenail was removed. (There's a story here about the free coffee offered in the waiting area and the really great one-serving coffee maker, but I just don't have time for it right now). They brought him back out and he was wearing the lovely e-collar to protect his injury from his compulsive licking behaviors. With much coaxing--really good drugs, remember--Matt got him outside and had to pick up said 100 pound dog and put him in the back of the SUV, while I handed over the plastic to the smiling office lady. We drove home with our drugged dog and got him inside to rest.

It's now day 6 of the e-collar (which can't be removed because of previously mentioned compulsive licking behavior and the fear of God the vet imposed on me of the possibility of a very scary bone infection). The collar has become a source of humor at our house. Apparently my dog is not nearly as adept at maneuvering around the house in an e-collar as Matt's precious Eva has been. Now, in Scout's defense, let's not forget that Eva has had much more experience with the e-collar having had multiple surgeries and recoveries for mast cell tumors.

Poor Scout bumps into everything...door frames, table corners, the stairs, walls, Eva, us, and we won't even discuss the dog door. He just can't seem to figure it out. Don't' feel bad buddy, some days I feel the same way and I don't have the e-collar to blame!

Second Best?!?

So, last night I got up for one of my many middle-of-the-night trips to the bathroom (another pregnancy plight) and when I climbed back in bed ever so gracefully Matt opened his eyes. Oops, maybe not as graceful as I thought! Maybe he'll just roll over and go back to sleep...no harm, no foul! But no, my husband did not just roll over and go back to sleep. No, he reached out and stroked my face and my hair.

Give me a minute to swoon here!

In my middle-of-the-night genius, I could only come up with, "You are the best!!" To which I hear, "Second best." Again, middle-of-the-night genius, "What do you mean second best?" His reply..."You're the best!"

Swooning again and knowing he's more than I ever deserved!

The Fall...of Halloween

For the first time ever that we can remember, Jacob was with his mom on Halloween. As we discovered, that makes Halloween so much different around our house. No excited little one jumping around asking "When can we go?" "Is it time?" "Are you almost ready?" No rushing through dinner to get out to the neighborhood before it gets too late. No pondering who takes Jacob out and who stays home to hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters. No Halloween candy hangovers. And as awesome as all that sounds...I missed it!! So, Matt and I settled ourselves in for some baked spaghetti (OMG--I cooked and the smoke detector didn't go off and no one died) and a night of handing out candy to the neighborhood kiddos. After we ate the delicious meal I prepared (don't you love self-promotion), we decided to head out to the front porch--you know, the beautiful wrap around porch that sealed the deal when we were house hunting, but has only been used twice--and enjoy the night. We loved that time without the distraction of the TV or laptop and really had some great discussions. The talk was occassionally punctuated by a trick-or-treater or two. As the night wore on, however, our conversation turned to the lean number of ghosts, princesses, and Star Wars characters that were coming to claim the unreasonable amount of chocolate we had purchased! At 8:30 we realized we'd seen the last little critter, which brought our grand total of trick-or-treaters to...8! Yes, 8! What's happened to Halloween? Where are the kiddos? Can they all be at the Highland Harvest Hallelujah Hootenany? Have trunk-or-treats taken over? Now, don't get mad! I don't think there's anything wrong with the church and/or civic organizations that hold these events, but I miss the neighborhood Halloween. Am I alone in this? Anyone else notice the drastic decrease of the neighborhood trick-or-treaters? How many trick-or-treaters did you have last night?

Hello everyone, I wanted to share that my BE-U-T-Ful wife and I have been temporarily seperated for the weekend. We had a trip planned to visit my family in Pennsylvania this weekend; however, Jennifer is having some problems with her back so she couldn't make the trip with Jacob and I. I'm very much looking forward to the time when we will be together, but in the meantime I've decided to add a post that my parents had on their refrigerator celebrating the fact that they are expecting two new babies into the family. For those of you unaware, my little sis Mary is also pregnant and expecting a baby a short time after our bundle of joy will be here. Alright, everyone other than my wife, you need to stop reading now cuz this is going to get mushy and I don't want you all to know how whipped I am.

I love you baby and miss you. I hope that you're feeling alright and I can't wait to see you on Monday. I know that you've been feeling a little down lately so I wanted to remind you how much I loved you and that I find you more beautiful today than I did yesterday and that I'll find you even more beautiful tomorrow than I did today. I sure can't wait to see your cute "little" ankles when I come home. 8-)

Must Read!

Head on over to Shannon's blog @ Rocks in My Dryer. This is my must read for today!

What's Going On?

Maybe you're wondering..."What have those Sloan people been up to recently??" I'll take a few minutes to fill you in.

• Jacob's baseball team is in the single-elimination playoffs right now at Garner Baseball. They played last night and won! So, they play tonight against the number one team! Jacob has really improved this season and is consistently hitting the ball, getting on base, and scoring with the help of his teammates. He's been playing in the infield much more, too! The most improvement has been shown in his ability to play catcher! He does a great job in that position!


• We learned yesterday that my brand-new vehicle (that I've only made one payment on) was counted as a total loss due to the accident I was in two weeks ago. So, off we go to buy another new car! I'm looking for the exact same vehicle-a Hyundai Tucson. It did such a great job holding up and keeping me safe in that accident.
• Baby Sloan is pulling his shenanigans again. He has decided that he is most comfortable laying on my sciatic nerve. So, I'm experiencing some pain from this newest position he's chosen. I'm comfortable once I sit down and get still. Walking, turning, bending, and any unexpected moves may cause that sharp pain in my lower back, I never know. Oh, well!


• Just for kicks...Baby Sloan is kicking!!! I LOVE IT!!! I first felt him about two weeks ago. At the time, I wasn't sure what it was (as most of you know, this is my first pregnancy). It felt like someone was blowing bubbles in my belly and they were popping. Now, I'm sure it's Baby Sloan. What a wonderful feeling!! I can't wait to see those little feet in February!


• We're leaving Friday morning for a long weekend with Matt's family in Pennsylvania. It's always so nice to spend time with them and catch up. Jacob and his cousins really enjoy seeing each other and getting a chance to play together. Unfortunately, we don't see Matt's family as often as we'd like, so the time we do have together is such a blessing. This picture is just one example of the fun to be had when Pappy's around :)

So, that about sums up what's going on right now. Check back later for more exciting updates from the Sloan family!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

This post is dedicated to my mother who is a breast cancer survivor thanks to early detection (breast self-exams monthly, ladies--or hubbys tee hee), a team of great doctors, and an awesome God who still heals today! Her strength, courage, and unwavering faith in God, even through the toughest times, is a ministry in and of itself. I thank God everyday for healing and giving me more time with a mother who loves and trusts Him and taught me to do the same!

Belly Bumps!?!

So who's carrying this child of ours???

Nesting is for the Birds

Hello everyone, I wanted to share that my BEAUTIFUL bride has moved into the "Nesting" stage of her pregnancy with a vengeance. For those of you unfamiliar with the "nesting" stage, I'm including a excerpt from a webpage dedicated to the education of the ignorant.

Pregnancy Weekly says...

"Around the fifth month of pregnancy, the "nesting" instinct can set in. This is an uncontrollable urge to clean one's house brought on by a desire to prepare a nest for the new baby, to tie up loose ends of old projects and to organize your world."...blah, blah, blah,,,

For me, here's the most disturbing part of it all.

blah, blah, blah,,, "Nesting brings about some unique and seemingly irrational behaviors in pregnant women and all of them experience it differently. Women have reported throwing away perfectly good sheets and towels because they felt the strong need to have "brand new, clean" sheets and towels in their home. They have also reported doing things like taking apart the knobs on kitchen cupboards, just so they could disinfect the screws attached to the knobs. "

Now some of you may be thinking that I'm concerned with the portion that says "perfectly good sheets and towels" finding the garbage can. Let me assure you that I'm much more concerned with the "seemingly irrational behaviors" part. SEEMINGLY??? Who the heck wrote that? Yesterday, she was laughing AND crying at the same time, and I was seriously concerned that I was the reason for the crying part. My dilemma is that I've got approximately 45 seconds worth of short term memory when I'm in a room with a working boob-tube (My mother used to call it that.) and I just happened to be in the room with the boob-tube on. I can only assume that I'm the boob. Alright, here's the deal with 45 seconds. I'm good for staying on topic for the past 45 seconds while a TV's on, anything beyond that and I'm lost in the sauce (boob).

My wife's super-power is growing a baby in her belly. My "super-power" is the ability to respond to her question, "Are you paying attention to me?" with the recitation of her last statement/question within 2 or 3 words. IF, and only IF, the, "Are you paying attention to me?", question is presented within 45 seconds of the time her statement or question was first presented.

Alright, back to the task at hand.

I'm not sure the exact day it all started, but currently we have this funny little (I'm being nice) list on our refrigerator that's beckoning her name. I haven't yet succumbed to the pressure of including things on the list. Somehow I know that THAT would fall into the same category as telling on myself because of guilt and fortunately I've matured past that stage. PHHHT!

Here are some of the other things I know:
1. I know that scratching a chore off the list won't make it go away.
2. I know my handwriting is messy, so I couldn't erase and then re-write the list without her knowing.
3. I know that I'd try to be cute and add something like "#5 Have Wild, Passionate, _ _ _ with my loving husband. (ha,ha,ha)

And Here's a testament to our undying list...


If you look closely, you'll see
that the list has grown. At the rate we're moving, look below, you'll see that we're gonna have the cleanest, newest (i.e. Kitchen floor is short for *NEW* Kitchen floor), most straightened up house,
this side of the neighborhood. I
think I saw a lady down the
street that "may" have been
pregnant so I'll just claim this
side of the neighborhood.
















Folks, I'm really having fun with this blog and I hope that I'm allowed to "blog" again. 8-)

In closing I'll say that I have really been enjoying my time with my beautiful wife while we go through this miracle called pregnancy. She is a beautiful wonderful person and we have been blessed to have been brought together.

P.S. I sure am thankful that my responsibilities exclude the physical act of giving birth.

Travelling Mercies

God is good!

Yesterday morning on my commute to the OB's office (which is about 30 miles), I was waiting nicely in a queued up line of traffic on an exit lane. I was minding my business waiting in that queued up line for the light to change and dreaming of hearing Baby Boy's heartbeat again, when CRASH!!!! I was hit by the car behind me. I looked up, gained my bearings, and realized I was just in a five car pile-up on a busy 5 lane highway. After getting my wits about me and making sure everything felt ok, I dug around in the emptied pocketbook mess on the floorboard, found my phone, and called 911. I got off the phone with the VERY, VERY nice lady at the communications center and just cried. I was so grateful to our awesome God who held me in the palm of His hand during that crash. I am so thankful for His protection!! I was transported via ambulance to my OB's office (which is not typical ambulance policy, but a supervisor approved the trip)! Baby Boy's heartbeat was great! My blood pressure was elevated, but the doctor said that was expected due to the traumatic situation I was in! So, by the grace of God, we're fine!

Psalm 121:7-8 "The LORD will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Thanks to God for His promises!

Change of Scenery

My mom rearranges furniture...I rearrange my blog. It's a hereditary disorder, I'm sure!

Pregnancy plights!

I've always enjoyed roller coasters, but I did NOT buy a ticket for the emotional one I'm on. Laughter and sobbing within the same 5 second span. No need to elaborate..for more information, ask Matt (and pray for him)!

Sleeping is becoming a chore-did I really just say that? There are pillows supporting my head, my belly, and my legs--which makes my six(teen) trips to the bathroom each night much more difficult. Did I mention that it's now right side or left side only? Baby boy has decided that he doesn't want me on my tummy anymore. I figure this is the first, but not last time, he dictates what I do! I'll never take sleeping on my back for granted again, I promise!

Is anybody else hot, or is it just me? Where's fall? Isn't it October? 90 degrees, really? God, is this a joke? I'm sweating in places that I didn't know made sweat!

Cankles! I've moved into Crocs (which I swore I would never do, as I don't like to follow the trend and/or jump on the wagon) because they allow room for the daily swelling of my feet and ankles, which is oh, so attractive!

Boy, my body is changing. But, I've decided the only thing getting smaller is my bladder!

Speaking of my body...let me tread gently on this one! Let's just say that my body is producing unwanted hair, fluids and gasses. Can someone assure me that things go back to normal after delivery?

Who knew that to a pregnant woman sitting in an office all day was a equivalent to running a marathon--both exhausting and not my idea of a great time! I can't wait for the clock to hit 4:30, which is quitting time (no offense to any employers/co-workers reading). My next favorite time of the day is 10:00pm. Which is officially my bedtime. But as Matt will tell you, I'm lucky to stay awake until then! Nothing worse than making it through 50 minutes of House only to doze off at 9:50 and miss the amazing diagnosis and cure!

So many pregnancy plights, but all in all it's SO worth it for this little miracle growing in my belly. I can't wait to meet him!

Halfway there!

We have reached week 20 in our pregnancy. It's the halfway point!! Only 20 more weeks to go (my gracious, that sounds like forever). Little boy Sloan is now covered with a greasy white substance called vernix caseosa. It coats his little body to protect his skin while he hangs out and soaks in the amniotic fluid. Hair and nail growth continues. Meanwhile, I've developed a little belly and moved into the most comfortable clothes ever imagined--maternity pants! Who would have thought that an ugly band of stretchy material placed at the top of a pair of jeans would make me soooooo happy? We're in the difficult process of making decisions about what to name this little guy. Jacob is leaning toward Luke (as in Skywalker)--go figure! Matt really likes Phineas and I think Elijah is great. The list goes on and on...Asher, Caden, Ezekiel, Gideon, Jude, Mitchell...so many choices and we only get to choose two. Any thoughts?? As I sit here and write this post, I asked Matt if he had anything to add. His response, with a mouthful of their peach flavor, "Pelican's has great ice cream!" So, for your ice cream and snoball needs, we recommend Pelican's on highway 401 in Garner! Take care and love!

Live like you believe!

Many of you were with me as we prayed for the Leino family as they dealt with a very sick infant and eventually Isaac's going home to be with the Lord. I have another friend whose baby, PJ, is in the NICU fighting daily. Through another blog I also recently learned about a family who just lost their baby girl, Copeland. Through it all each of these families has one thing in common--their reliance and complete dependence on Jesus Christ. I was reading a blog that I enjoy today and I read this...
"But, in a way I am jealous that they have truly experienced such a deep and intimate relationship with Christ where He was their ALL! He was the ONE THING that never failed them. I have experienced that in my life, no doubt, but on that level, no way. I crave that deep reliance on Christ where my every move beckons His guidance. I believe God wants us to have that sort of reliance on Him. It's not because we aren't intelligent and can't make decisions on our own. It's because He is our creator and He knows what we need before we even realize that we need it. What an amazing concept. I am so glad I don't have to have all the answers."
Prayerfully, I will never have to experience the situations which these incredible people have experienced, but I would love to experience that deep, intimate relationship--complete dependence, complete trust, complete surrender--with God. In the words of the Farleys who just kissed their little good-bye, “Thank You, Jesus, for reminding us that heaven is real… You are real…and it’s time we learned to live like we believe it.” And thanks to Amy for ability to put my thoughts in words!

Awesome Opportunity

Children's Cup is a ministry my church supports. You can check it out at http://www.childrenscup.org/. It's purpose is to take humanitarian and spiritual aid into places where war, natural disasters, and disease epidemics have devastated societies. Many children that this ministry reaches have been sexually abused, beaten, and some have even been forced to murder and maim as child warriors. This particular project through Children's Cup is an awesome opportunity to show them the love of Jesus. You can get a Christmas card from them by going to their website and clicking on the Children's Cup Christmas in Africa logo in the right hand navigation bar. You then take the card, write a note in it for one of their kiddos at one of their CarePoints, put $6 in it and send it back to Children's Cup. They'll take the card to one of their CarePoint kids, who will write you a note or send you a picture. The $6 will ensure that the kiddo gets a Christmas gift, dinner, and an awesome Christmas party! What a great use of $6. I just thought I'd share this opportunity! We are so blessed!! Even those months when the money is stretched thin and going out to eat happens a little less frequently, we are blessed beyond belief! What an awesome way to serve God and His children!

Party Boy

Jacob had a great birthday party! I think my cake turned out pretty well, too! He was so excited. About 9:00 that morning, he told me if he had to wait much longer his head might explode :) Funny kid! We had fun visiting with family and the padawan pizza was great. So now we have an eight year old. Does that make us old?

Baby face

What a cutie!?! This isn't the best picture, because I had to scan the picture in order to post it here. You can see his little eyes, nose, and mouth. You can also see his little arm above his head. Looks like he has the Dougherty forehead (also known as the "fivehead")! Enjoy this picture of the newest member of our family! I know I can't stop staring!

Great news!!

We have just come home from the doctor and are pleased to announce that we are having a healthy baby boy!

We are so excited! I'll try to post some ultrasound pictures later today. The doctor said that everything looks great and we are right on schedule to deliver on February 15. Our little guy was adorable...I'm just in awe of what's happening inside my body! The placenta has shifted some, but is still low. However, the doctor said that as I grow the placenta will only shift up, not down. We are scheduled for another ultrasound at 28 weeks, just to be safe. The chance of a placenta previa in a first pregnant are almost unheard of, so the doctor did not seem concerned--yeah! So, everything's back to normal! Thanks for all your prayers. I'm off to prepare for a Star Wars party. Take care!

Big Day!!

Today's the day! Please cover us in prayer as we go to the perinatologist this morning. We have such mixed emotions--excitement, anxiety, elation, trepidation. We know we'll find out about the placenta, about any structural abnormalities, and the gender. That's quite a doctor's appointment! After we leave, we're swinging by Jacob's school to let him know first, then we'll head home and I'll post. Talk to you then!

Baseball, baby, and birthday!

The Sloan family has quite a busy week coming up. School is back in full swing with the assignments that come along with that. Jacob has baseball games on Tuesday and Friday night this week. He is playing on the Rams this season and they are 1-1. Jacob is proving to be a great baseball player--he is the best catcher I have ever seen!! Matt and I have our level II ultrasound Friday morning. This test is performed by a specialized perinatologist and can identify if any structural abnormalities are present. It will also allow for the perinatologist to check on the placenta placement. Hopefully it has shifted!! Last, but not least, if little one agrees and behaves, we will find out the gender of our baby. (Don't forget to vote on your thoughts about our baby's gender on the poll on the left hand bar of our blog site.) I'll spend the rest of that day updating the blog so you will all know about our doctor's visit, basking in the glow of seeing our little one again on video, baking Jacob's birthday cake, and preparing for our Star Wars party. Which leads us to the undeniable fact...Jacob is turning eight. We can hardly believe it! I tell Matt that it seems like just yesterday that we were dating and Jacob was two. At that time it was Jacob's joy to bring me my keys to kick me out of the house, so he could have his Daddy back to himself :). He's now in third grade, playing baseball, and becoming so independent. His personality is just blooming and he's such great fun to be around. I just know he's going to be the most excellent brother to this new little one. With that said, off i go to take a nap. Pregnant women need their energy...especially facing a busy week like ours!! Love to you all!

Gracious??

So, it's been a tough couple of days for me and I was searching online for some inspiration or encouragement when I came upon an article that included this passage.
1 Peter 2:19-25:19 For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Wow! That really touched on the struggle of my past few days. Have I been gracious? Have I extended high grace as Jesus would? I know this really pertains to exactly the situation I am dealing with personally, but it also speaks to dealing with people in general. I can be so quick to lash out or judge or get angry, but Jesus' examples in this passage remind us how to be gracious like He was, how to love unconditionally like He did, even to those who are undeserving! What an awesome lesson!

Pregnancy and placenta

I am officially 16 weeks pregnant. Every week I read about the amazing things happening inside my body. According to what I read, our little one is about 5 inches long now and weighs about 3 ounces (about the size of an avacado--which reminds me of how much I like guacamole and mexican food, but now I've gotten off track). Baby has fingernails and is growing hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes. The eyes and ears have moved to their correct place and the umbilical cord is attached to the stomach. I should be able to feel our little one moving soon--I can't wait for that! I am amazed at this whole miracle and feel so privileged to be blessed with this little one! However, after a recent doctor's visit, we discovered that we are dealing with a small, prayerfully temporary, problem. My placenta has decided to implant itself low in the womb, which is not desirable. As I grow, the placenta can shift to a more desirable location. So, we go for a level II ultrasound on Sept. 21 and they will let us know how things are progressing. In the meantime, we know that God has this pregnancy planned and we are trusting in Him! Take care and love to you all!

My awesome husband!

You know, I was looking at our family blog and realized that there are no pictures of my gorgeous husband yet. He's such a great husband (especially dealing with a pregnant wife) and father! So, here's one of my favorite shots of him from Disney World. With that look on his face, it makes me wonder what he and Minnie have been up to! :)

Friends with Einstein(s)

This past Sunday, Matt and I were able to visit with my best friend from college, Sammie, and her husband, Rich. Sammie has been accepted as an Einstein Fellow and will be leaving tomorrow for Capitol Hill. This was the blurb from the website about Einstein Fellows: "The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program offers current public or private elementary and secondary mathematics, technology, and science classroom teachers with demonstrated excellence in teaching an opportunity to serve in the national public policy arena. Fellows provide practical insight in establishing and operating education programs. Fellowships increase understanding, communication, and cooperation between legislative and executive branches and the science, mathematics, and technology education community." We are so proud of Sammie and so excited about what she will be able to participate in!

On another note, our own little Einstein, Jacob, starts third grade on Monday. This will be a big transition year as third grade moves into more abstract concepts and state-mandated testing. Summer fun will surely be missed, but we know Jacob will sail through with flying colors, as usual!

We're Pregnant!!!

It's official! The Sloan family is expanding by two feet. We are happy to announce that we are expecting a bundle of joy on February 15, 2008. This is the ultrasound picture from our appointment on July 13. It was awesome to see the little heart fluttering away. At my most recent doctor's appointment on Monday I actually got to hear the beautiful sound of our baby's heartbeat--"whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh"--how awesome! Right now, our little sweetie is about the length of a lemon and weighs approximately 1.5 ounces. We are so excited about this new life growing inside me and can't wait to share each step of the way with you. Keep checking in and we'll keep posting!