1 month (to the day) and counting

I thought I needed to catch up on my blog. As I have fallen behind. That's what happens though. Quite a lot has been going on since my last blog. I was put off work for 3 weeks, went to my parents and enjoyed a couple weeks there. I got back and couldn't get a note to be released back to work for 3 more weeks. I started work 2 weeks ago. I have since been to the doctor 3 times. The 2nd time she did an exam because I complained of a great amount of pain in the nether regions. Then she did and internal ultrasound and said I am in such discomfort because the baby is sitting/laying on my pubic bone maing every day activities painful.. i.e. walking. She said I was good that the cervix was not thinning out. I got a tentative date for my surgery. WHAOOO!! I am penciled in for the 19th of December. Because of my previous problems they are doing it at 37 weeks. So back to work for 2 weeks and I had to call off 2 times and went home early once. What is wrong with me?? I am sick half the week and just ok the rest. I had my doctor's appointment today and we discussed everything that I have been experiencing. The major pain when walking and doing anything that involves movement of the lower body, my hands hurt like i have arthritis, I have a cold (apparently not good when pregnant), I am very tired, weak and have bouts of a fast heart beat, and others. TSK TSK!! I could hear in her head. She doesn't like them working me the hours I do, she doesn;t like that I have a cold, she doesn't like that i feel weak and have to sit down a lot (even at a store) and everything else. So what is the outcome of my visit today? Well I am off work again until Monday which is better than what she said, she wanted me off for 10 days. She wants me in tomorrow to get more blood work and a urinalysis sone, schedule and appt for an ultrasound to check the weight of the baby and the fluid, get fitted for a pregnancy brace, and make an appt with her.

Why did I go back to work you ask? Why did I go back to work I ask? I wanted to get out of the house, live on cloud 9 thinking I can do it, get Rylie back to her friends, have adult conversation. I don't know really. I love my job and hate to call off, leave early or get a doc note to be off for so many days. Why not quit? Well I am sure eventually I am going to have to. If a position doesnt come open after the baby then yes I will quit. I have already talked with my bosses and they are willing to work with me on all this. Unfortunately... they are expecting me at 10 am tomorrow and well I will be there to hand in my note.

So.. in 1 month from today (unless it changes from now till then) we will have our little girl. Oh and by the way.. Yes John's leave did get changed so he should be here by the 18th at the latest. And YES I am very nervous and each day it gets closer and closer. Yes I am scared. Who actually would opt to be cut open after having it before? Why in the world are all these people wanting a C-Section done? I don't think my doctor would want me to go VBAC given my prior problems. I will be secure knowing that John will be there. And if he can't get there... MOMMY!!!!

Ok so that's about it. I will ppost more when I get results back from the doctor.

Presidential Election '08

So here we are again.. days a way from a big election that could possibly change how the US lives and works and governs. I don't pay much attention to this subject (psst I am not a voter) Clearly this is an election based on RACE. Yes I said it. The dreaded word. And election of this capacity and all some people can think about it RACE. I personally could care less if the runner is black brown, white, yellow, green, red etc. This election could also mean disaster towards the Military. Are you serious!! We have the Military to thank for saving our butts on times of need. Hello do you really want to bring down the military? Yes Military has gone above and beyond in the years past with this but think of what could have happened without our involvement. Could you seriously sit there and think that we would have been better off without intervening when we were attacked? I would laugh in your face. Ok so th person who wins gets to be called President of the United States.. but he still looks to Congress for yes or no answers. The Congress has the power to deny a bill that the President wants to pass. There are plenty more issues I didnt touch but I figured when you out down the military you have crossed the line- hey don't support the war, I don't care, but to not support the troops you should ship your butt off to some other country!! (p.s. don't tick off a military brat, military spouse who is 31 weeks pregnant- I kick your butt)

Anyway.. I am not a registered voter so my mouth will stay shut during the next 4 years. Give me one person.. one person whom everyone that ran for president and was elected who did EVERYTHING their campaign stated and they stood in front of hundreds of people for months on end telling them where they stand with certain issues. Everyone finds fault with every President! All I am saying. But if I were a voter my vote would definitely go to....

JOHN MCCAIN and SARAH PALIN

And HER name is.....

I know it's late and I am almost positive everyone knows but.. It's a GIRL!! Yes we both knew from the time we found out we were pregnant. 2 ultrasounds confirmed it. Hey I still holding out for that little boy so maybe we'll have another one one day. I am happy with a girl but like I said holding out for a boy. After having a girl the first time around and having many problems with finding THE name I decided to get a jump on that as soon as I found out. Girls names are hard for me as I don't get into girlie names and some of them are a bit umm.. stereotypical. So we went with a male name that is becoming more and more popular as a feminine name. Well yet again a girl name we had to find and a girl name we couldn't decide on. Going through my usual names I had for Rylie and knowing John didn't like. We had one picked and then I said well I like this one. John is ehh not to big on it but.. oh well. We have the name. Yea the name is yet again a boy name but becoming popular with the girls. Plus I think it suits our family and goes nicely with Rylie. And HER name is... Haiden Dawn Jacobs



Stay tuned for more updates

Rylie at 3

How could it be that just 3.5 years ago John and I wondered if we would have any rugrats running around- other than our dogs. But here we are 3 years later with a smart funny "big" girl. Rylie Ann Jacobs is her name. yes she is definitely our child. I see everything of her is her dad and brother and sister none of mommy. But it is ok (she has my hair). Rylie is absolutely infectious with her talking and laughing. You hang on to every word and till the end of her long laughs. She likes to dust and sweep (yea I know wait till she gets older and has to do it right). She loves her dogs and hates most bugs (that would be me in her). Watching t.v. is becoming more and more popular these days. Her favorites to include.. Dora, Franklin, Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends, My Friends Tigger and Pooh and the ever annoying Oswald. Rylie knows what some letters of the alphabet are and can count occassionally to 11. She is real good with shapes. Still loves her books. Every night before bed we read several. Day care isn't at the top of her favorite things. But she has fun when she goes and sometimes gets upset if we leave too soon. The lead in her room has nothing but good things to say about her. If I wasn't mistaken I would swear Rylie is her favorite. Always talking about how well she talks and knows many things. When she is the room during nap time, Rylie isn't normally put on a mat she gets to be up and sitting with her. Sometimes its harder for me to get her in the room without her cryin when the lead of the room isn't in there. Oh well. Growing like a weed she is. She knows basketball, baseball and foot ball. We cheer for either Steeler's or Sea Hawks. She likes to be right beside me (as I like to say up my bum) wherever I am. Talks about her "sissy" and Justin. Loves the water, the beach and family. These days it's all about daddy. Though daddy isn't around and won't be for a while, she doesn't quite understand. When mad at me or the world she wants her daddy. She talks constantly about missing her daddy and wanting him home. Everything is daddy... this is daddy's truck, daddy bought this for me, daddy bought that, daddy says, daddy did... etc ( i am chopped liver next to daddy). Although she is in the missing daddy stage and everything being about him. She will forever be a "Mama's girl". Not that I mind. Rylie is sensitive and sweet (at times) and has becoming very much a preschooler. The attitude has started!! Oh yes it has. Not fun for me. Not yet potty trained at night or for nap times but she is in her "big girl" bed. She loves it, I know Rylie is going to be a very good big sister. She has talked about the baby a good bit. (more on baby in another post). Our little Rylie.. gets more amazing with each passing week. I think we have someone very special on our hands!!

A little late...

Wow!! It sure as been a very long time since I posted anything. Guess I been a little busy. Ok here we are Sept 8,2008 and we are watching My Friends Tigger and Pooh. Oh yea Rylie likes tv now. AWESOME!! We have a year to go on this deployment. Oh brother! Oh yea.. I know everyone knows now but we are pregnant!! Yea as of today I am 22 weeks. Has been a very eventful, sickening, tiring and hurtful pregnancy (so far). I have been a walking pin cushion since we found out. Had a scare and had to travel up to Louisville for 2 (yes 2) Level 2 ultrasounds (ok in our language that is just an ultrasound with indepth measurements and done by a specialist). Thank goodness I dont have to go anymore. I dont want to see downtown Louisville for a long time. (i am not a city person). Anyway.. so now we are 22 weeks and the scare or I should say worry will not be confirmed or dismissed until the baby is delivered. Being high risk.. I am advised to not have the amnio done.. I wouldn't anyway. Work.. oh gosh where to start on that? Ehh nothing big just petty stuff that is below me. (high school garbage if ya get my drift). Rylie.. is absolutely positively her mom and dad's daughter. She has my anxiety problems and her dad's smarts. She is very much a 3 year old. Not 10 minute s go by (if we are at home or together) that she doesn't ask about her daddy. She "understands" that mommy is having another baby and the doctors think she took it pretty hard. For almost 3 weeks she was waking up in the wee small hours of the morning throwing up for hours. Going back to bed after those long and tiresome hours and waking up with diarrhea. So 1 ER visit at 2 something in the morning and 3 doc appointments later... we just hit the 3 week mark with no throwing up. Unfortunately my body has become accustomed to the waking up and being up as I am usually up now at those times for hours. DARN IT!! Oh well. The car.. well still dealing with them people. So 2 months and 2 car payments later.. They received the settlement check and now I have to deal with the GAP insurance part of it. When it rains it pours let me tell ya. Anyway that's bout all. I just thought I would get a little post on here as a sort of catch up. Oh and John is doing good, homesick and busy but good. Well more posts later hopefully.

Deployment Day 20080531

Ok so here are some pictures I took of the "waiting time" on deployment day. Nothing special but hey it's nice to see that we can be photogenic. Anyway.. The picture with the bus.. you can't tell but john is in the second big window. I will truely miss my honeybear!! Oh and yet again the pictures are out of order. So the bus is the last picture before they moved out.

Deployment Ceremony 20080529

These next few pics above are of the Color Guard putting the Unit flag and colors away until they get to their final destination

General Lally giving his speech (above)

If you notice the smoke in the background is where the cannons were shot off no actual picture was taken because we were standing at the time

I am pretty sure they are covering the guidon (above)Color Guard

I think John is in this group (above)

The Color Guard

The band!!

These are the pictures of John's Deployment Ceremony. It was on May 29th, 2008. The pictures aren't very good because I wasn't in a good seating area and well we were just a bit far. But I got most of it. They are out of order. I always do that. So they are in order from taking last to first. OOPS!!! But you guys get the gist of it anyway.

Our new Neighbor!!

Ok so its only a few weeks late but.. this post is really for Justin and Sarah anyway so I dont think they will mind. Anyway.. We used to have 3 horses across the street from us. Beautiful horses at that. There was a young male (the stud), and a momma horse and her daughter. Anyway, the owner apparently has been tryin to breed the little girl for a few years now. Little did he and all of us know (becuz of of course we are over there quite alot with Rylie-she loves em) that the girl was indeed pregnant. It was early so noone suspected. And then one day a few weeks ago.. She was born. Our newest neighbor, a beautiful little girl. The day she was born the owner let us go into the area with him and just gawk at her. He was just so surprised and was just amazed, it was like watching a brand new dad. Rylie was definitely excited. She is soo beautiful and what a good mommy Telly is. In the picture the big horse the baby is by is of course Telly (mommy) and I am pretty sure that the other big horse in the other pic is the stud or daddy. HEHE!! They are all wonderful and friendly horses and always come to greet the passerby. They have wonderful temperments. We have even fed them some hay that blew out of their land and they didnt try to bite. I love having them as neighbors. The best you can ask for! I can't wait to see how she grows over the years that we are here. Sorry so late but Congrats Telly!!! (the 1st 8 pictures are taken from our front porch while the last few were taken while driving down the road to our home)

Random remarks

Ok so here it is end of April already. As most of you know, John is deploying for 15 months. we are not sure of the exact date but we think it's like 1 June. I do have an address for him and will email it to anyone who would like to have it. I will also let people know in the email as to the location of his unit but don't feel it wise (OPSEC) to post it on here. Although everyone over there is a permanent station for unit and the enemy is aware of their whereabouts I still don't feel the need to disclose that information. We're not at all looking forward to another year and an extra 3 months away from each other but.. Tis the life of an Army wife I say. There is so much to do still around the house and now they will be out on hold for the next 455 days ( more or less who knows). I can however let you know that he will not starve over there nor be bored. They have plenty of facilities to visit and a PX to go to for anything he may need. The time difference there is I think as follows ( from Eastern Time that is).. from April to October its 7 hours ahead and from November to March its 8 hours. But don't mark me on the months.. they don't turn their clocks ahead or back. I do not know how well the internet or phone services over there are. But hopefully I can get some info about that at a later date.

On a happier note (and I know it is a few weeks late but) we welcomed (well not us personally) a new member to the family on April 7th... Miss Katelyn Victoria Tepker. Wish we could be there to hold her and visit her. I am sure her big brothers Collin and Owen are happy for her to finally be there. Miss Katelyn makes the 8th grandbaby for my mom and dad in law. I think on my dad's side alone there are like 15 of us and like 5 great grandkids... hehe big family

Rylie is getting smarter everyday and if I wanted to I could go on and on about her funny little words she knows. But I won't. She is learning her shapes and numbers very well. She knows her colors very well. Still loves to read books and not leave mommy's side. She likes to play outside with her golf ball and her birdie (a badmitton birdie). She is learning to use pedals for her bike and likes to use the little scooter that used to be Justin's. Day care is not her favorite thing but pretty soon it will be an everyday thing. Naps are slowly fading away but there is still always rest time.. HAHA!!! She is becoming a very good little dancer and singer. She likes to sing songs and then dance to them. She is big on throwing tantrums now (not the tantrums I am used to seeing but they are all different in some way) she will start fake crying and get louder until she is screaming and crying (for real). So time outs are becoming popular around here as well. If you ask her how old she is she ised to say "rylie's 2" and now she will tell you "rylie be 3 soon". So she is smart and funny and cute and squishy and well all that good gravey.

As for me.. I am hanging in there. I haven't been volunteering since beginning of March. OOPS!! I did however apply for a job, get an interview and then finally get the job. Its a clerk position at the CDC building. It doesn't pay much but at least it gets me out of the house and Rylie socializing with kids her own age. it's basically an on-call position. I most likely wont start until sometime in June since I have to complete background checks and stuff. The job isn't umm... it doesn't guarantee that I am going to work everyday or all day so with Rylie being in full day I may be able to continue volunteering at the hospital red cross office. But we'll have to wait and see.

Well I reckon that's about all I got for now. So when the time comes closer I will email the address for John and then I will keep people up to date either on here or in emails of how is doing over there. TTFN

Spring Break 2008

Justin taking pictures while we wait in the truck

another good action shot

Umm I think she went over the line.. penalty!!!

Rylie bowling for the 1st time

Nice action shot!!

Justin helping Rylie bowl

"do I have to eat my green beans?"

being silly with applesauce "You mean this green bean?"

"CHEESE"

learning to play "Elefun" game

helping move rocks in the driveway (above)

Posing for the camera (above)

Listening to Grandpa J play the ukele (dunno the spelling)

Wow I can't believe I haven't posted anything since March whatever it was. I guess I been busier than I thought. Anyway I had been wanting to post some of the pictures I took while the kids were here on their Spring break. It was great seeing them again and I sure miss them. Rylie talks about them a good bit still. She really enjoyed meeting her brother and sister (again). She was like Sarah's little shadow and then she wanted Justin a lot too. It was nice having all the kids here again. Anyway we didn't do much because the weather was so bad. And plus John working didn't help either. Umm so yea there are some pictures and some captions to go along with them. Enjoy...