Update on Baby (from 9-11-07)

On By mrsjmejonesIn archives, family, MJLeave a comment

Just got back from Dr a few minutes ago…..everything is going fine and the baby’s heart rate was between 150 and 160.  Baby is about 12 ounces now and was insanely stubborn with feet in between the legs the ENTIRE time!!!!!  So, I have no more gender news…..just the news that two weeks ago it was 75% girl.  🙂  We’ll see in the future I suppose! 
I’m doing fine, a little sick today but that’s become quite normal…..and have gained only 6 pounds my entire pregnancy so far!  I’m shocked to be honest! 
We are picking up the crib tonight and that will be our next little project!!!  Wish us luck!
Thanks to everyone for your support and love and prayers!!!  We appreciate it so much!! 
I attached two ultrasound pics…


Jme & Baby

My Tender Heart

On By mrsjmejonesIn my heartLeave a comment

I’ve always been “tender-hearted”…I’ve always cried at sappy movies.  I’ve always teared up when there’s a sad commercial.  (Folgers, Hallmark….whew!)  When I am in full-on worship, that’s likely characterized by tears streaming down my face.  When Mike talks about our relationship, his love for our children or anything sensitive at all – I do the ugly cry more often than not.  It’s funny that I just KNOW it now.  I have no idea what to do about it…if anything…but I know that it’s just a part of me.  I’ve thought about meds because I am sure they would work, but again, I also feel that it’s a part of me.  Sometimes I do get embarrassed by it, sometimes I am sure my family does too, but mostly – I accept it and so do they.  Thank the good Lord they do – otherwise, I might…CRY….

What soap is for the body, tears are for the soul.  ~Jewish Proverb

My first wreath!

On By mrsjmejonesIn craftsLeave a comment

I’m pretty excited about this!  My Mom has always made these and they are beautiful!  I didn’t know I was even capable of making this because I am SO not the hands-on creative person.  I can think of it, make a spreadsheet about it and certainly delegate the duties necessary to create it….but DOING it, friends, is not my thing.  But…I made it my thing!  So proud of myself!  Can’t wait to do another!

Memories

On By mrsjmejonesIn memory3 Comments

I remember events.  I remember things I feel like I should.  I remember most appointments and important dates and big deals.  But….when it comes to lots of small things…lots of young life things…I just frankly DO NOT REMEMBER.  It’s not about one particular time period in my life (like tenth grade) or a certain person being involved (like a boy, perhaps).  I dare say that maybe there are hurts there…maybe pain…a bit of stupidity….maybe just silly-ness….that the good Lord just doesn’t want me to remember.  I have no idea what the reason is, but I know it’s there.  I’ve often even worried about it…like I was worried I had something really wrong with me.  Beyond what I already know….  🙂  But I don’t worry anymore over it.  I appreciate the memories that I do have and I do crave to remember more.  When I find a picture or a blurb of something I wrote, I do what I can to figure out what piece of my life that was from….I am serious when I say that some things I have NO memory of.  I guess that’s why I take SO many pictures now – and I try to write things down more often.  I make notes and write things in my calendars (which I keep every one of) and I hope to not lose fragments as the years keep going by.  Any ideas on better ways to document life?  I’d sure love to hear them!!

Blogs – Coming Soon

On By mrsjmejonesIn Blogging1 Comment

I have found myself recently starting a blog because there’s something that I want to document whether it’s a thought or event or discussion point….and then I don’t finish it.  I have tons of drafts of things.  And maybe even some are because I want them to be private – which I made myself promise I wouldn’t do with this blog.  So, over the next few days I am going to just finish them, or just publish them as is.  I just have to!  It irritates my teeny bit of OCD-ness to have so many drafts!  Ugh!  Okay…so you’ve been warned……

Watch this!!

On By mrsjmejonesIn hubby, shoppingLeave a comment

My sweet, hardworking, high-maintenance husband is into watches. Like, think about how I’m ‘into’ purses. And shoes. Yeah, that’s the level I speak of!! I’ve never bought him a ‘luxury’ one. Now is not the time, either, with the house hunting…obviously! But, I need a plan…a goal… I’ve bought him tons if Guess, Fossil, a Tommy Bahama…and they are all nice-ish. But, I want a WOW factor watch. Keep in mind I will be in the Bahamas again this December…so I will have duty free options. I just need to decide on one and try to budget, save and commit! I’ve shopped Tag, Breitling, Rolex (which is my least fave)….what am I missing? Anyone!?

Quick Beach Trip

On By mrsjmejonesIn family, kids, travelLeave a comment

We decided to have one last fling at the beach for the day on Saturday.  Our family of five + sun + fun + lots of driving + donuts + sand.  We left around 9 and headed out!  We decided to drive the “old way”, HWY 421 all the way there.  It.was.long.  But, it was nostalgic.  Growing up, this was really the only way we ever went and it was neat weird nice to see how it all had changed so much.  I just realized I didn’t take a pic of my hubby driving!  Wow!  A first!  😦

As we came into Wilmington/Carolina Beach, we stopped at Buffalo Wild Wings.  Give the boys chicken and an abundance of televisions and they are happy.  (Mike is included in that, btw.)

The boys, waiting on yummy food.
MJ snuggles her Daddy every time she has a chance.

We ate, watched the beginning of the UNC – Elon game and then headed off to the Boardwalk at Carolina Beach.  Traffic was crazy!  (Yes, I know, it was Labor Day.)  However, the Boardwalk was not crazy.  There was a steady flow of people passing through but it was kinda sad to me how very deserted it looked.  Of course, this place wasn’t deserted….

Then we walked on the beach for a short time.  A VERY short time.  The sand was burning my soles…I mean BURNING!  I guess this is why we go in the fall or winter.  However, my baby girl picked up seashells and that made her day!

Then, we rode.  We talked.  We laughed.  We slept.  It was nice to have all the kids captive and be able to talk…and listen.  I was afraid they were bored….they assured me they weren’t.  They are all like Mike and myself.  The love to ride.  It’s not even about where we are going.  Just being together, soaking up the moments that we are able to spend together.  Not working, not worrying about school or anything else.  Just being with each other.  Mike told the kids about how right after we got married we surely logged hundreds of miles going to lighthouses, different islands of the OBX and checking things out.  It wasn’t really about any certain destination…it was just about hanging out with one another.  I’m so glad that my children are completely satisfied with just hanging out with us.  Oh.  And we sang.  Okay, me and MJ did.  We rocked out Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood.  Sorry, boys.  🙂

My Little Sunshine

On By mrsjmejonesIn kids, photography1 Comment

So since the boys were playing golf this afternoon, MJ thought a fashion show was in order.  When I take picture of her though, it becomes about her FACE more than her fashion though.  I love that her personality comes through on her pictures….because it’s one of my favorite things about her!!  Here are few of the many…

She really, really loves this dress!  (WIN for Mommy!)
I just love her sly little smiles.  So much.
Oh, the faces of MJ.
Those eyes.  I can’t even edit them.
This is one of those that just totally screams her personality.  So well!!
For the record, I gave her no direction…she just posed her little self right away!!
And then, we did nails.  They lasted about an hour!  Record?
I’d like to quote my sister.  “Honey Boo Boo would be proud!”  🙂

My Body

On By mrsjmejonesIn my heart2 Comments

So here is the direction for this one:  Your opinion about your body and how comfortable you are with it 

Hmm.  This is ironic as I’m battling diabetes (or, rather, trying to keep it away – and winning currently!  Yeah!)  and losing weight in the process.  I’m feeling better about my body…my health…life.

I am certainly not a size 4.  Though, I have been….  Back then I was young, silly and totally didn’t think I was pretty enough, smart enough…or anything enough.  Mind you, my parents were awesome, I had good friends and I had somewhat serious relationships with boys.  I was not lacking people to TELL me I was enough, but as many young women, I just had a self-image deficiency.  I find it very interesting that in my old(er) age, as I’ve put on pounds and a few wrinkles and a stray gray hair or so….I feel more comfortable with ME than I ever have.  I am now sure that body image has less to do with body than ever before in my life.  I have a great life, I’m a Christian (who knows that I matter, because my Savior died for ME!), awesome kids, a husband that I never dreamed existed beyond fairy tales, parents who have always supported me and loved me (even when I was so very ungrateful for the things they did), a sister that is amazingly strong, an independent niece, a new adorable baby niece, amazing inlaws…friends that are fabulous and a rewarding job that allows me to try to improve experiences of my employees as well as our customers.  I am living the LIFE!  So why wouldn’t I hold my head high and not worry about what everyone is thinking of my round face and freckled skin?  That is SUCH a small thing in the scope of the big picture.  I know that I have good intentions.  I try really hard.  I try to be a thoughtful person…say thank you…open doors for people…give back when I can…pray for anyone and everyone who needs it (and even those who don’t know they do…okay, ESPECIALLY those).  So, I am WORTH IT.  I am worthy of people’s respect and the admiration of my husband.  I am loved and I am so very, very grateful.  In return, I am PROUD of my life and my family and my freckles.  I am proud that I can walk in a room and know that I might not be the most skinny or flawless – but KNOW that I AM worth feeling like I am beautiful.  Because beauty can be a reflection of what you feel inside.  And what I FEEL – is jawdroppingly blessed…and ENOUGH.