Christmas Vacation 2009

This year we decided that instead of using our Christmas budget to buy a bunch of presents, that we would instead all pool our money and rent a cabin and go away as a family for a few days. We are coming to the end of our stay, and i must say that this was one of the best decisions that we have ever made as a family! It has been completely relaxing and we have made some wonderful memories as a family.

in honor of the Christmas season, i will share "a few of my favorite things" about our Christmas.

My favorite moment:
watching Denis with harmony. i love the way she just adores him and calls for him when he leaves a room. she would climb the stairs each morning to go and wake him up.

My favorite Christmas present:
A new vacuum cleaner!!!!!!!!! lame i know...but i am super excited about it.

My favorite meal:
Fried turkey and mac and cheese. so delicious. so incredibly delicious.

My favorite competitive event:
Playing Wii. on the game Wii Play, there is a shooting game similar to "duck hunt" (for those of you who remember that Nintendo game) We played it over and over and over again. the only person i couldn't beat was Rachel. but i think she was cheating.

My favorite holiday dessert:
My mom's classic peanut butter cookies topped with a Hersey kiss. definitely had some for breakfast. i am positive that i gained the weight my doctor insisted i gain in just these past 48 hrs.

My favorite decision:
Allowing time for the things that are most important. i have barely touched my phone or my computer since we arrived. Posting pics on facebook and writing this blog has been the extent of my social networking. plan on keeping this up throughout the week.

Here is a belly pic of me on Christmas day at almost 23 weeks. i have only taken 2 belly pics, so i don't have much to compare myself too. I have definitely noticed this week just how much different i feel. breathing is getting harder, walking up and down stairs leaves me incredibly short of breath, sleeping is getting increasingly more uncomfortable, and i have found i am carrying low so shirts are starting to ride up and show my belly. Denis and i are going to stop at the waterloo outlets on the way to watertown to see if i can find a few more tops to get me through these next few months! Our next stop is Watertown for the week. We are recording a live album with Christopher Hopper. I am looking forward to spending time with some of my favorite people. My biggest fear right now.... Amy going into labor while I'm away. I can't wait to meet Baby Keller! (aka: little bean)

"You make all things new..."

6 months...it has been 6 months since i last posted...and what a six months that has been. There is no way i am even going to try to fill you in on the craziness of life. I can only sum it up in the simple lyrics of my life's song:

"You make all things new, and I will follow you forward."

That is basically where i am at. Moving forward. Plain and simple...not always easy, but none the less, what needs to be done.

Another line of the same songs says this:

"You have risen, with all power in your hands. You have given me a second chance..."

This past years highest high and lowest low wrapped up in a simple phase. Most of my blog followers know that this past year Denis and I lost our first baby. I can't believe that at this time last year i was pregnant and didn't even know it. I carried the baby for 6 weeks before losing our first little life that was given to us for such a short time. But the power of life and death are held only by the Father's hand. In hinds sight, i know now that our first baby had a life and a purpose, and it fulfilled his or her purpose before God took them home. Save in the arms of love. We miss him/her everyday, but we know that their little life changed ours forever. And that is what i cling to.

But as i said before, our God is a God of second chances. We found out in mid-august that we were pregnant again! It has been a wild ride, but i am happy to say that we are almost 22 weeks along and our Doctor has said time and time again that she is PERFECT! Growing perfectly, developing perfectly, and a perfect little beating heart. Hearing the sound of that little heart beating practically takes my breath away. One of the greatest sounds i have ever heard.

We found out the day before Thanksgiving that we are expecting a little girl! We almost didn't find out cause she had her legs tightly crossed and wasn't budging. But our incredible ultrasound tech worked her magic to confirm my "gut feeling" that i was carrying our little Nora(h) Kathleen! It is crazy how much i love her already. I started feeling her right at 20 weeks. It felt like being on a roller coaster at first, now it is kicks. When she gets going, she gives it to me. Denis hasn't been able to feel the kicks yet, but Rach swears she did! Right Rach!?

I promised my mom that i would keep this thing updated so she can have another way of stalking her second grand daughter :) So i am going to try and do my best! Here is a picture of our growing girl!