long overdue (again!)

friends and family... SORRY! I have been way out of touch these last couple weeks. With final exams breathing down my neck and a move fully underway, I've had less than a little time for fun things like updating here. In the meantime between my last post and today we have had two doctor's appointments (we are down to one every-other-week until the beginning of June, then every week. yay.) and both visits went great. She is growing perfectly and so am I. :) I acutually went down some in weight, which wasn't really good or bad, I'm still doing fine at having gained 15 lbs total. Dr just told me that I need to gain a pound a week on average until the end to reach my goal. I'm not really trying to do anything differently though, since my body and Bella seem to be handling things fine on their own.

In other news, it has been a rough past couple weeks for my family in general. About a week and a half ago my Nana was told that she has a large tumor on her right Kidney and has since been referred to the BEST doctors for treatment. They have had to perform a small surgery to release toxins from her bile duct (on Friday this past week) and we are waiting for an exact date (this week, we hope) for the surgery to remove the tumor. On the positive side, she is feeling a little better with the nourishment from the feeding tube (also inserted Friday) and the doctor said that she believes the tumor is encased. Which basically means it has not spread into the lymph nodes, just pressing out onto all the other organs, etc. However, she won't know the for a fact until they get in a see during surgery. Things to pray for are that the air in her abdomen subsides and stops hurting her and that surgery is scheduled for this week and goes perfectly. When all this was found out, my whole family (minus David and me) drove to VA to be with her...along with my aunts and uncles from their homes in various states. In short- they gathered fast and are all staying close to Nana and Bunka for all the support they can muster. It will be a rough next few days and weeks..and months, but we are all praying for the best and a fast recovery.

To top that off, my Dad's mom (Grandma Julie) also had surgery this past week (on Friday) for her neck/back. She is in a little pain from post-surgery and lower medication, but doing well. Say a prayer that she keeps recovering well, too!

Last bit of family updates are that my sister (Beca) sprained her ankle (must have gotten those bad ankles from Dad, like me...thanks!) and the family car is acting up. They all were stranded in Charlotesville for a day/night while visiting Nana! Whew! I think that's it though...

So... Bella news isn't so exciting these weeks. Besides getting bigger and stronger, she is doing perfectly. I'm getting pretty miserable at night. Sleep is more like a series of naps and the backpain is becoming frustrating, but it's all to be expected! Bella is getting cramped and really starting to battle my insides... Daniel is able to see her kick out a foot or fist or head every day during at least one of her "fits." Most of the time it doens't hurt me, but sometimes I get a rude punch/kick to my bladder, hips or ribs. She is also definitely responding to music and Daddy's voice...sqirms like crazy during church worship and when Daddy talks to her. :) The last bit of my pregnancy sorrows is the fact that my brain, usually sharp and on top of it all, is totally failing me. I truly respect moms who manage to do this with other kids in the house... I swear I would have left mine at a store by now, or something like that. on accident that is...geeze.

Well, the other baby in my life (Lon Lon) is dying for a nap....wish I could join her today, but I'm way behind on homework for tomorrow. So I better get going...

Love you all- updates again, soon. Bye!


OH- I almost forgot. I cut my hair. :) Hope you like it... well, even if you dont. I love it. I looks a little different today because I didn't straighten the whole thing....but here is the curly (a-natural) look.