Summer's coming!

I'm not sure how 5 months lapsed without a blog update, but then again I'm also not sure how 31 weeks have already passed in this pregnancy! It has been a very busy few months I suppose, the time has flown by.

Summer is creeping up on me, the kids only have 5 more days of school!!! Only 5 weeks for me!!!! I can't wait to be a nurse, everyone pray for me that I can sit for the state boards before these babies come......or that everyone is healthy and settled enough for me to sneak away for a few hours.

I'm so proud to announce that Anthony has decided to get baptised this weekend!! He has always been strong in his faith and enjoyed church, and this was his decision. Words can't express how proud he makes me!! Now, if I could just get him to go to the middle school service, not bicker with siblings and maybe clean his room, all would be perfect in pre-teen land.

Pregnancy update: I am growing bigger by the day and am already measuring at 41 weeks! I'm so glad that with this pregnancy when someone says "Are there two in there" that I can honestly say yes. You'd be surprised at how many people make comments every day on how humongous I am :) So far, no concerns about delivering early so we are hoping and praying that me eating right and taking it easy will keep them cooking long enough to at least get to 38 weeks. My doctor has me on a diabetic diet and I get plenty of rest, so I am doing my part. Sleeping is not as easy as it once was, but that's probably God's way of training me for what is coming. The baby shower is coming up soon, so hopefully we will be all set and ready by the time the first contraction hits!

It's a new year already!

Wow, hard to believe I'm halfway through nursing school and into my second trimester with the twins! It feels like the last six months have flown by, definitely the last three at least. We had a great Christmas and we were lucky enough to get visits from Grandma and Grandpa Barney as well as Auntie Gina, Connor and Lydia. We are all back into the swing of things again for the most part. I get to start clinicals on Friday at a hospital two miles from the house, the same hospital we are planning on having the twins. I'm super excited to actually get to work with patients, wish me luck! (Or maybe wish them luck....)

Mark starts up again with night school next week, it's been great having him home at night for a whole month, we might just go through withdrawls when he goes to class or needs study time. Luckily, he's down to one night a week with the rest of it all online.

The coolest news since my last post is that Anthony and Naomi were BOTH in the geography bee this year and both did really well! It is such an awesome feeling to see two of your kids on stage for being smart! They were the only siblings on stage. The geography bee is an academic competition for 4th - 8th grade and so far Anthony has been in it for 4th, 5th and 6th and now Mimi is following in his smarty pants footsteps!! Naomi tied for 1st in her grade and Anthony made it to the finals (just like he always does!)

Christmas time already?

I have no idea how Christmas snuck up on me again this year! I sometimes dream about being that perfect mom that bakes cookies, puts up the Christmas tree in November, and shops in October but sooner or later I have to love myself for the ridiculous holiday procrastinator that I am. We'll just call it an endearing quirk for now. I will eventually come to terms with not being a perfect mother who can sew and bake and scrapbook too, but that might take more time. Even though Mark calls me "June", he never ends it with "Cleaver". I am uniquely me and I know my kids love me for all my good and my faults! Next year I'll be on it. I swear.

This year, my wonderful sister in law is getting me into the spirit with a Christmas cookie exchange. Knowing Cristina, it will be an awesome event and if I'm not in the spirit after that, I will have to change my name to Jennifer Jane Scrooge. Unless I want to try and explain that to Mark, I better find my Christmas cheer and that fake tree in the garage! Maybe I'll even hang lights this year, you never know! I still have 14 days until Christmas Eve.....

I'm so excited that I get to see all of my Martin family in just over a week! I am finally making it to Aunt Bettie's Christmas party this year. It's been so fun spending the weekend with all of the girls every summer, now my kids will finally get to meet everyone too!

Mark and I are down to one final each until classes end, it has been a LONG semester! I am really looking forward to my two weeks off, although if the twins have their way, I might just sleep through my vacation.

Merry Christmas Everyone! Enjoy all of your blessings this season.

TWINS!!!

So now I understand why I have been so tired and nauseous so far this pregnancy....we have double the blessing! We were so surprised at the ultrasound on Monday afternoon we were both speechless (for once). I immediately started shaking and crying, I was so happy and stunned at the same time. The wonderful ultrasound tech, Glissette, had to ask me a few times to hold my breath so she could see because of my tremors.

It has been a whirlwind of a day but the shock is finally starting to wear off just a little. I don't think the reality has set in quite yet but I'm starting to get feeling back in my extremities at least!

We know that this change might rock our boat and our ability to control things a bit, but maybe that's why the Lord blessed us with these two angels. We have to learn that we can't plan out everything. I am looking forward to experiencing this pregnancy and having babies around again, even though I know it will be challenging. I need to cherish each moment the twins are inside of me because between Mark and Naomi I may only see them at feeding time after July! All of the kids are ecstatic about the babies and talk about them constantly but Naomi doesn't even walk by without tummy kisses. I'm so blessed to have a houseful of helpers!

Now if I could just stop focusing on baby and hit the books I would be set! I'm pretty sure I bombed a micro quiz tonight and I left studying for tomorrow's test off until now. I guess I'd better stop writing and start reading. I hope to keep the updates coming as the belly grows!

We are finally adding to our family!

Mark and I are as giddy as a bunch of little kids with stars in our eyes! We are expecting our sixth child! The kids are so excited to have a baby in the house again, it has been too long. I hope to be posting belly and ultrasound pics soon!

Since Marissa is in kindergarten, all of our baby gear was gone years ago. It has been fun looking at cribs and bouncers, strollers and clothes. So much has changed in the last 7 years since I was pregnant with Alexander, I almost feel like I've never done this before. I'm blessed to have a friend who has tons of things to hand down to me so we don't break the bank, but it is still fun to shop and see all of the new things that are out there! I'm already mentally making my wish list.

Also, my sister in law Sherri is pregnant too! We are only about a week apart, it will be so fun to be pregnant together and have cousins the same age. Now if I could just get her to move to Arizona.....

More Recent Pictures

Family Reunion July 2009

Camping near the Mogollon Rim Summer 2009

Naomi's Theaterwork's Play in her role as Bingle Cringle

My beautiful sisters at Gina's birthday

Verde Valley Railroad January 2010

Update!

No, you are not losing your mind - I AM updating my blog.

Wow, lots of changes in the last two years since I decided to start a blog. Maybe this time I'll be better at it!

Mark and I are busy as usual balancing the kids and work. We are both now pursiung degrees as well. I am going to nursing school full time and Mark goes part time and works full time.

The kids are getting big and they really keep us on our toes. Anthony is going to be 12 soon and is in the sixth grade. This is his first year of middle school and so far so good! He is doing really well academically as always and really likes school this year!

Naomi and Rochelle are in 4th grade and they are nine. They always make me so proud, they are doing great in school too. This is their last year in "the younger grades" so I am trying to enjoy it while I can. They are growing up way too fast!

Alex is in first grade and Marissa is in kindergarten. There are still a few growing pains getting used to new teachers this year but they are smart and friendly and will adjust just fine! They are both so caring and cute, I hate that they are not my "babies" anymore.

Hopefully I'll post more soon!