hey fellow "clovite" friends.

Did y'all hear about the prison break at the Curry County Prison? To most, it would be just another small unknown town, but this town has made it's own history in last few years since we have lived there.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/26/national/main4386459.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_4386459

We've had a high profile murder, a tornado, a man who managed to get bitten by a gila monster (please note, these are some of the slowest moving creatures), and ridiculously low gas prices that caused "confusion and delay" at one of the busiest intersections in this town! Is there anything I am missing?!

I will say that I hope the town's people stay safe (not only because I am nice, and do not hate the town) but because there are some very near and dear friends that we have made there that still reside there.

Ben, we don't need to know EVERYthing....

Today, we were running errands that included signing him up for soccer, visiting his new classroom and new teacher for this year at preschool, getting a new vacuum belt, etc. Ben had decided that after our mandatory errands that we should go to base to ride his bike for a mile - I keep insisting that I need his help in exercising. So while I walk the track, he rides his bike.

Ben is funny, because some days he doesn't really feel like being chatty, but those days usually tend to be few and far between.

Today was one of them, because as were were going through the gate, the female gateguard says hi to him, and he takes this as his moment to inquire ALL the things that go on in a 3 year old's mind. So before I know it, he is asking, "Why do you have yellow teeth?" The shock and horror. The lady with the gold tooth was good natured about it, and said it made her rich, because she has a gold tooth.

Unfortunately, this question did not surprise me, but took me off guard. See, a few weeks back when we were entering base, he had spied this lady's tooth before, and as we had driven through, he was asking me questions about it. I told him that he should not ask certain kinds of questions. And as kids are inquisitive, I decided to answer the question myelf by saying that sometimes people don't take good care of their teeth, and they have to get a false tooth.

Apparently my reply didn't satisfy his needs, because he had to get it straight from the "horse's mouth". No pun intended!

a maternal prenatal sap.

Is what I am turning in to. I have been going "awwwww" over every animal story. It is in stark contrast to what I was like when I was pregnant with Ben. With Ben, I was watching "Baby Story" like every first time mom-to-be. This time around it has been these animal stories that have been making me tear up! With Ben, it didn't take me long to hate my dog, Rainey. Seriously. I was so tired and focused on doing the right thing with a new baby.....and really, REALLY TIRED. I just didn't have the patience to deal with another "thing" demanding my attention.

This brings me to my current pregnancy. I have loved seeing Ben grow up with Rainey. He is the only person that Rainey will completely submit to and I trust her wholly to keep her safe and be gentle with her. It doesn't matter how much Ben torments her, sits on her, runs his noisy toys in her direction. She would never harm her. I am pretty sure Rainey would never harm anyone. I think, sometimes, that the husband and myself trick ourselves in to thinking that if there were an intruder to threaten our home or us, that she would rise to the occasion, but even I have my doubts about that.

But seriously, Ben can walk right up to her and grab the ball right out of her mouth. But when we want to throw her the ball, she plays keep-away most of the time. I also recount a time over Easter where I stayed longer at the Brooks' home in SC. Liz was going to drive us home a few days later, and as we were trying to get Rainey in the car, she got this look in her eye that said, "A-ha! I'm free. Catch me if you can!" I tried for 20 minutes to apprehend Rainey, only to have the golfers take a break from their game and snicker at the sight. Finally, I thought to myself, and told Ben, "Go get Rainey!" It took him a few minutes (not 20), and sure enough my 3 foot wonder was able to walk right to her, grab her collar, and drag her toward me.

I really hope that when this baby arrives, that I have the patience to love my dog, while loving a new baby in the house. And to be fair to me, Rainey has grown up a lot since then, and Ben and Rainey have clearly grown into their relationship.

Today, I was reading an email from my best friend (who I dedicate this entry to, because she is an animal lover!), and when I got up, I noticed that Rainey had "nosed" the cracked door to Ben's room, and was sleeping on the floor at the foot of his bed. Rainey RARELY opens doors, even if they are cracked just a little (I have always thought it was weird). But here is where I found her, waiting for her best little bud to wake up. It melted my heart.

Here are the other things this week in the news that have melted my heart - Don't laugh, you know you want to say, "awwwww..."

Christian the Lion


Isabella the Golden Retriever

it's really a girl?

So this is the question that has been on my mind a lot lately. I obviously have nothing to found my fears on - but when do you ever?!

BUT....here are the reasons, for whatever they are worth:
1) we found out early - a day shy of 17 weeks (here in MS they do the gender determination between 18-20 weeks. I even asked if was still alright to find out. I was told yes.

2) Most recently, a flight doc was in the husband's office where this exchange transpired:

Flight doc: (spies a "the shot" of the ultrasound) "So it's a boy, huh?"
The Husband: "No...? It's a girl."
Flight doc: "Oh. I could have sworn it was a 'turtle head'."

The husband proceeds to tell the wife this story, who is already feeling bad for being so paranoid, and she says, "Was he kidding?!?!?!"

Turns out, he wasn't kidding. But, hey, I suppose anyone could be wrong. I am just hoping it isn't the ultrasound tech. And in all actuality, I had said from the beginning that I would be so excited, if not a little bit more, to have another boy. But now that some physical plans have been made to welcome a little girl, it would be slightly disappointing.

I am 25 weeks pregnant today, and in a month or so I can schedule a 4-D ultrasound to be done. It is mostly a frivolous (sp? I don't even feeling like spellchecking be/c someone might think I'm dumb. Frankly, I don't care if you do. I am not dumb, just really tired and lazy right now.) thing to have done anyway. So I think we'll go for that, and have at least a couple months "heads up" for if we need to regroup.

I will certainly keep you posted of the last ultrasound's findings.

**Oh and it turned out that I did spell it right....did you honestly think I could NOT look it up? you silly, silly people, but here you go anyway....

Frivolous: unimportant, small, inconsequential, minor, insignificant, slight, trifling, petty, marginal, negligible.

However, I find none of these terms to describe what may result in this next ultrasound. A surprise 'turtle head' is HARDLY "minor, slight, or insignificant" - not to mention "inconsequential".

HA!