Sunday June 2^nd 2013

Well this week was better than last. No near death drowning, and although there were five tornados to hit OKC instead of the one last week there was not half the devastation and damage that was done on May 20^th. Friday I was out visiting Nikole Lenhart in Yukon (NE Suburb of OKC) and it was a little frightening deciding to try and take shelter at her hotel, or out run the storm on the freeway that the tornado was on. Adam said I had a good head start so he wanted me to come home. So glad I did cause the tornado went right through Yukon and everyone at the hotel was moved to a local hospital for shelter. Freaky! A couple of the tornados got close to our home but they were weaker and went just north and just south, so although we probably should have gotten in the storm shelter we stayed glued to the TV. It was such a relief to have power all through the storm to know exactly where it was headed. Once your down in the shelter your knowledge of what is going on is much more limited, and thus more frightening. Plus the silly Mom in me wanted to wait to the very last min so I didn’t have to get McKay out of bed if I didn’t have to. :/ Kinda ridiculous, but when he woke up twice the night before at 2 & 3am, was up for an hour, awoke for the day at 6am and then only took an hour nap...I was desperate to get him back on schedule! Cause this 38 week prego body does not do well trying to lay on a kids floor in the middle of the night waiting for them to go to sleep! Grrrr! Yeah, its moments like that I think....the two thoughts of “I can’t wait to have this baby out”, and “What on earth am I going to do once I have this baby, and I still have to deal with a crazy sleeper McKay?” Yeah...no good solution.

Wow...who sounds like an overwhelmed rambling pregnant lady?...raise your hand.  Anyhow Saturday our “get it done” day turned into another helping hands project. Adam went out helping a sister in the ward patch up a roof that was torn off. Oh that was the other thing with this last storm....torrential rains, 4.5” in the metro and up to 8” elsewhere! Bad enough that the more mild winds around our home still uprooted some BIG ol’ trees.  Then today our “day of rest” again included another 5 hrs of Adam out helping clean up damage at people’s homes. So although it’s been emotionally hard as a pregnant mom of three little ones to not really have any family time the past two weekends, I am very glad for the opportunity to serve, and for my diligent husband who always answers the call.  That doesn’t mean I’m not entitled to a good cry, and slight emotional breakdown right? That’s just part of pregnancy without consistent tornados.

 So yeah pregnancy....going so well! I can only compare this level of comfort to Emeri’s pregnancy, because I know I had lots of heartburn, and back pain with Ephraim, and McKay at the end was brutal on my legs/back/nerves. This little lady has brought minimal heartburn, the two months of leg/sciatic nerve issues (March & April), and to date only 17lbs weight gain. Crazy! I feel very blessed by my Heavenly Father! Because seriously in March and April, I thought.... there is no way I can have a ton of kids. This condition started so early, and is so painful/debilitating that if it’s only going to continue and get worse with each pregnancy I’m done for! But miracles are real, and I feel fantabulous!

So the best part of this last week was of course McKay!!! My little boy all grown up and a whopping two years old! Thursday was his birthday and we had hoped to go to a bouncy house place, but it was closed on Thursdays so we hit it up Friday morning. But Thursday I tried to play hard with the kids, and although I was totally burnt out by the end of the day, I think it was well worth it. I had decorations for him to wake up to (all yellow...of course), and a big yellow bouncy ball for him to play with all day...think it must have blown away in the storm the next day. L We had lots of yellow balloons to play with, and blowing bubbles all day. Not to mention some fun snake bubble blowers for festivities in the evening. Some fun cake balls for the kids to decorate themselves, and a little “hoop” cake for McKay to tear apart. He always shouts “Hoop!” when we’re in the car driving around and he sees a basketball hoop.  He got a water table to play with for the summer in hopes that the bathroom sink loses its spotlight. We’ll see.

I do SOOO love that little boy, and he’s doing so well potty training! And I love, LOVE how he says “Otay Mom” or “Otay Dad” all the time. Sure he’ll bark “No” at me, with a scowl, when I ask him to get off the table etc. But when reasoned with he’s really a pretty good boy, and I love the Otay! So grateful he is a part of our family and a favorite of both Emeri’s and Ephraim’s! Those three will no doubt be a tight little herd as they grow up together.

Just now: McKay: “Da baby”...pushing out his tummy.

Mom: “Oh yeah is there a baby in your tummy? Is it a boy or a girl?”

McKay “Da Yellow boy, Da out, come” Big smile. J