Papa and I are so excited that I am so sick :) We are just thrilled that after cooking wonderful meals like pot roast, chili and roasted chicken...just yesterday and today, I can hardly eat! This hopefully means I'm very pregnant and beginning to feel more of the symptoms.
So what am I craving?
Saltines and ginger ale!
Baby Sounds
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
who could ask for anything more?
So today is my birthday, and I truly feel I have it all! I am a stay-at-home wife (and mother!), I have a wonderful husband, loving family, and a CHILD! What more could I possibly want?
Well the deal was that we aren't spending money on gifts these days as we are trying to be thrifty. So of course Gary made me the most romantic gift. He was in the garage for days working on his "secret project." And here it is:
As you can see, there is a letter for each member of our family so far and of course we will be adding letters. ('M' is for our first daughter, Mary, who is in Heaven!) I love the stain color that he chose as it suits the yellow room so nicely. He's so crafty!! Thank you, Honey. I'm thinking of handing some decorative pieces on the knobs.
Of course we celebrated at the Cheesecake Factory with the Speniks and Aunt Julie. Later we hung out with Ann and had a great time. And for my special day...we splurged and got Publix subs and then L'Appetito's pepperoni pizza for dinner! What a treat!
It was a great birthday. I am blessed.
Well the deal was that we aren't spending money on gifts these days as we are trying to be thrifty. So of course Gary made me the most romantic gift. He was in the garage for days working on his "secret project." And here it is:
As you can see, there is a letter for each member of our family so far and of course we will be adding letters. ('M' is for our first daughter, Mary, who is in Heaven!) I love the stain color that he chose as it suits the yellow room so nicely. He's so crafty!! Thank you, Honey. I'm thinking of handing some decorative pieces on the knobs.
Of course we celebrated at the Cheesecake Factory with the Speniks and Aunt Julie. Later we hung out with Ann and had a great time. And for my special day...we splurged and got Publix subs and then L'Appetito's pepperoni pizza for dinner! What a treat!
It was a great birthday. I am blessed.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
42!
Today we heard from Dr. Foley's office with the results of my progesterone and HCG level. I am so thankful to God for a progesterone level of 42 (FORTY TWO!!) and the HCG was 1669. Praise the Lord. And now we wait two more weeks to see and hear your little heart beating. It's so hard to wait! :) We love you!!!
Monday, March 14, 2011
First Doctor's Visit
Today we nervously saw Dr. Foley for our first prenatal visit. Since I am just 5 weeks (but who's counting?!) today, it's a bit too early to do an ultrasound, so instead he is drawing my blood to get an idea of my progesterone and HCG levels.
What an incredible visit. The doctor spent an hour with us helping us to understand his approach. Regarding pregnant women who have a known progesterone deficiency (me) and given my history of a recent miscarriage, he was content with just placing me on progesterone without testing my blood. I didn't understand this and became frustrated. After all, I didn't want him to just be guessing. But now I understand that testing my blood isn't accurate for measuring progesterone levels. So regardless, we will continue supplementing daily with progesterone until the 12th or 13th week. We are so thankful for some of the misunderstandings he cleared up for us. And while we don't understand it all, we both left with a peace in our hearts that as parents, we were now seeing the right doctor. To be able to trust your doctor-what a RELIEF!! He encouraged us to just relax and try to be patient as worrying and testing can often (definitely with me) create more angst....let alone driving nearly an hour each time! This doctor answered all of our questions and addressed our concerns and gave such thorough and compassionate answers. I didn't once feel rushed or nervous. Thank you to all of my wonderful girlfriends, for recommending him!
And so we are content with prayer for our child...constant prayer. Less wory, less labs and more prayer.
Today Gary came home for his dinner break around 5:00 and was carrying publix grocery bags. He had a huge smile on his face and I could tell...that doctor's appointment was very good for him. It gave him some peace and confidence. He boldly proclaimed: "I've got groceries for my pregnant wife!!!!"
Of course the bags were oozing with nutritious goodies like blueberries and orange juice. Thank you, honey, for thinking of me. You make the best "pregnancy smoothies!" and I love you!
We look forward to our next visit, when Dr. Foley will do our first ultrasound where we will see and hear the heartbeat! We go on Thursday, March 31, which is 2 1/2 weeks from today...so I will be 7 1/2 weeks by then. Oh boy!!!(or girl!)
What an incredible visit. The doctor spent an hour with us helping us to understand his approach. Regarding pregnant women who have a known progesterone deficiency (me) and given my history of a recent miscarriage, he was content with just placing me on progesterone without testing my blood. I didn't understand this and became frustrated. After all, I didn't want him to just be guessing. But now I understand that testing my blood isn't accurate for measuring progesterone levels. So regardless, we will continue supplementing daily with progesterone until the 12th or 13th week. We are so thankful for some of the misunderstandings he cleared up for us. And while we don't understand it all, we both left with a peace in our hearts that as parents, we were now seeing the right doctor. To be able to trust your doctor-what a RELIEF!! He encouraged us to just relax and try to be patient as worrying and testing can often (definitely with me) create more angst....let alone driving nearly an hour each time! This doctor answered all of our questions and addressed our concerns and gave such thorough and compassionate answers. I didn't once feel rushed or nervous. Thank you to all of my wonderful girlfriends, for recommending him!
And so we are content with prayer for our child...constant prayer. Less wory, less labs and more prayer.
Today Gary came home for his dinner break around 5:00 and was carrying publix grocery bags. He had a huge smile on his face and I could tell...that doctor's appointment was very good for him. It gave him some peace and confidence. He boldly proclaimed: "I've got groceries for my pregnant wife!!!!"
Of course the bags were oozing with nutritious goodies like blueberries and orange juice. Thank you, honey, for thinking of me. You make the best "pregnancy smoothies!" and I love you!
We look forward to our next visit, when Dr. Foley will do our first ultrasound where we will see and hear the heartbeat! We go on Thursday, March 31, which is 2 1/2 weeks from today...so I will be 7 1/2 weeks by then. Oh boy!!!(or girl!)
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Grandma-again
This morning we visited Grandma (Mom Spenik) at Panera for a cozy breakfast. She thought we were just meeting to spend time together and enjoy each other's company, but little did she know we had some "news."
We started off with a delicious breakfast and coffee and quickly started catching up on life. We wanted her feedback and opinion about several aspects of our business including a new coffee table book, new business cards, and new flyers with business card holders that we planned to post throughout the Naples area (starting with the three Naples Paneras!)
Mom loved it all. We also chatted about work, the weather, home improvement projects, and finally...Novenas :) Mom had started a 54-day Rosary Novena after I had shared that we had found so much peace and clarity (and answered prayers) through this Novena. I knew she was praying for us to become pregnant again, if it was God's will. I also knew she was praying to discern what to do about retiring or continue working. I *also* knew that she would know and feel confident about retiring once I told her I was going to have a baby in November and would love her full-time help and companionship!
Sooo...we started talking about Novenas and how they have helped us, how other AMU students, friends, and neighbors that we know have begun the novena as well and how it's changed their lives. We told her recently we had begun our second novena since our first 54 days were completed. And then we revealed....(Gary and I had been rehearsing this as we knew this was going to be our way to "reveal our news!")
It went like this: "It's just been amazing. I mean, since we started praying this novena we've received so many answers! We prayed for blessings upon our marriage and we got that, we asked for healing from the miscarriage-we got that, we asked for clarity with our finances-we got that...and then Gary jumped in and said..."and we asked to get pregnant right away again-and we got that!"
And then-we waited.
We waited a little more.
Mom reviewed her last conversation she'd had with me (her wonderful and "honest" daughter) who had just told her a few days ago that she had received a "no" this month with her "monthly gift." And Mom believed me. So she gasped and she smiled and said..."I thought you got your period?!?!?! And I smiled and quickly shouted-"I lied!"
And she was ecstatic. All over again. So happy. And as I talk to her daily she tells me she still has to pinch herself and whenever she thinks of it all, she prays a Hail Mary.
We had a lovely day shopping, getting our hands on the just-released iPad2 at the Apple Store. And we met up with Julie for a wonderful lunch at Silverspoon at the Waterside Shops. We shared our news with her and she was delighted for us. She began her Rosary Novena that week after hearing our praises!
Of course Mom told Dad once she got home and he was so happy for us too.
And that's it. We haven't told anyone else yet, because we figure we can wait until the time is right and it was so hard to let them down last time. We have tremendous peace about this and know that God will do His perfect will in us, as long as we allow Him. We're Ready!!!
We started off with a delicious breakfast and coffee and quickly started catching up on life. We wanted her feedback and opinion about several aspects of our business including a new coffee table book, new business cards, and new flyers with business card holders that we planned to post throughout the Naples area (starting with the three Naples Paneras!)
Mom loved it all. We also chatted about work, the weather, home improvement projects, and finally...Novenas :) Mom had started a 54-day Rosary Novena after I had shared that we had found so much peace and clarity (and answered prayers) through this Novena. I knew she was praying for us to become pregnant again, if it was God's will. I also knew she was praying to discern what to do about retiring or continue working. I *also* knew that she would know and feel confident about retiring once I told her I was going to have a baby in November and would love her full-time help and companionship!
Sooo...we started talking about Novenas and how they have helped us, how other AMU students, friends, and neighbors that we know have begun the novena as well and how it's changed their lives. We told her recently we had begun our second novena since our first 54 days were completed. And then we revealed....(Gary and I had been rehearsing this as we knew this was going to be our way to "reveal our news!")
It went like this: "It's just been amazing. I mean, since we started praying this novena we've received so many answers! We prayed for blessings upon our marriage and we got that, we asked for healing from the miscarriage-we got that, we asked for clarity with our finances-we got that...and then Gary jumped in and said..."and we asked to get pregnant right away again-and we got that!"
And then-we waited.
We waited a little more.
Mom reviewed her last conversation she'd had with me (her wonderful and "honest" daughter) who had just told her a few days ago that she had received a "no" this month with her "monthly gift." And Mom believed me. So she gasped and she smiled and said..."I thought you got your period?!?!?! And I smiled and quickly shouted-"I lied!"
And she was ecstatic. All over again. So happy. And as I talk to her daily she tells me she still has to pinch herself and whenever she thinks of it all, she prays a Hail Mary.
We had a lovely day shopping, getting our hands on the just-released iPad2 at the Apple Store. And we met up with Julie for a wonderful lunch at Silverspoon at the Waterside Shops. We shared our news with her and she was delighted for us. She began her Rosary Novena that week after hearing our praises!
Of course Mom told Dad once she got home and he was so happy for us too.
And that's it. We haven't told anyone else yet, because we figure we can wait until the time is right and it was so hard to let them down last time. We have tremendous peace about this and know that God will do His perfect will in us, as long as we allow Him. We're Ready!!!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
New Life!
Today is Ash Wednesday. And as I've suspected for a few days now, God has answered our prayers, again! We are PREGNANT! (You are here!!!!)
We hesitated to celebrate after such a recent and difficult letting go of our first child, Mary Bridget. But we stand unafraid and willing to accept whatever God has for us. And it's clear on the home pregnancy stick-God has another child(ren?) for us! We love you already and are so thankful to Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Gerard, St. Gianna and St. Philomena for interceding on our behalf to become parents again.
Of course I called the doctor right away due to my low progesterone and to get established as a new patient too. We took the first appointment we could get (after some convincing....they didn't want to see us for 8 weeks, but at 4 1/2 I insisted I wanted my progesterone and HCG levels checked). We are all set to see Dr. Foley on March 14th!
Dear God,
We praise you and we thank you for this most beautiful blessing you have given us again, a child(ren)! We beg of your graces as we strive to be holy and good parents. We rely solely on your protection, your love and we know with you, all things are possible. Please Lord, calm our fears, fill our hearts with peace, and give our child(ren) all the health and protection inside of my womb that they need to grow strong and be born into our loving family.
Jesus, Mary & Joseph, help us!
While Gary was surprised I was more confirmed in joy as I had asked St. Philomena nearly two weeks before today to intercede for me through the powerful novena to St. Philomena. For my intention I prayed: "to conceive children this month and carry them to term without miscarriage."
Time will tell...but we are so happy. We want to tell the world, but we also want to "ponder it in our hearts" as our beautiful Blessed Mother did.
Life is good :) (truly)
We hesitated to celebrate after such a recent and difficult letting go of our first child, Mary Bridget. But we stand unafraid and willing to accept whatever God has for us. And it's clear on the home pregnancy stick-God has another child(ren?) for us! We love you already and are so thankful to Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Gerard, St. Gianna and St. Philomena for interceding on our behalf to become parents again.
Of course I called the doctor right away due to my low progesterone and to get established as a new patient too. We took the first appointment we could get (after some convincing....they didn't want to see us for 8 weeks, but at 4 1/2 I insisted I wanted my progesterone and HCG levels checked). We are all set to see Dr. Foley on March 14th!
Dear God,
We praise you and we thank you for this most beautiful blessing you have given us again, a child(ren)! We beg of your graces as we strive to be holy and good parents. We rely solely on your protection, your love and we know with you, all things are possible. Please Lord, calm our fears, fill our hearts with peace, and give our child(ren) all the health and protection inside of my womb that they need to grow strong and be born into our loving family.
Jesus, Mary & Joseph, help us!
While Gary was surprised I was more confirmed in joy as I had asked St. Philomena nearly two weeks before today to intercede for me through the powerful novena to St. Philomena. For my intention I prayed: "to conceive children this month and carry them to term without miscarriage."
Time will tell...but we are so happy. We want to tell the world, but we also want to "ponder it in our hearts" as our beautiful Blessed Mother did.
Life is good :) (truly)
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
If you had three...you'd give me two.
Friendship. A real friend. A great friend. A DREAM of a friend...
"A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure. A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth. A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, such as he who fears God finds; For he who fears God behaves accordingly, and his friend will be like himself."
Sirach 6:14-17
A friend of a friend posted here about "The Net" (basically a group of really strong friends who support each other when one of the friends needs it)... which really got me thinking....During extremely happy times in our lives we want our friends to know each other, our worlds to collide. For we want to share with each of our friends, our other friends. Like the time I could. not. wait. for my bridesmaids to meet each other. Here were wonderful friends who, at different points in my life, helped form me. They loved me. And I just so badly wanted them to meet each other so that they too could have another amazing friend. (Alas I was so busy before my wedding I didn't get near the amount of "net time" that I wanted, but, despite me, they made amazing memories with each other and have formed the friendships I had hoped for.)
And of course during those really sad times, they are the friends you want to hear from. The friends you need to hear from.
My motto has always been: "any friend of __________ is a friend of mine" (fill in the blank with all of those friends who are so dear to me). Have you ever felt so loved that you just can't find the cells in your body to thank them enough? No card, no words, no picture, it's just not something you can express. You just know.
And so I pray. I thank God for them. For my "net." I pray for their intentions. I try to call them and write to them (though that happens much less frequently than I want.) I miss them. I love them.
And so to continue from my last post, I must continue to thank them. Because, you see, they came out of the woodwork during my crisis and they loved me. They're still loving me...asking me when our daughter's birthday would have been and promising prayer (thank you, Jen!). They continue to smile, to ask, to reach out to my husband, to give, to laugh with me, to lend me their babies to love on (Katie), to pray. And we are left with such grattitude it hurts. For we know we are not worthy of such a net. But God provides anyway. He knew what we'd need. He sent us you. And you...my net...well-if you had three shoes I know you'd give me two.
I look forward to a "net party" of our own. One where we can celebrate, eat chocolate, love, laugh, pray, learn, discover, smile, cry, decorate, dream and continue to weave the net. .
I don't want any of you to suffer, of course, but I do pledge my love and friendship to you...to be there when you need some catching. I am strong enough to help catch you because of the strength you have given me. Can I dare to list the names in this net? Do you all even know each other? No and no. I am blessed to be related to some of you and even more of you I was just blessed to find along the way. You range in age from just 18 to 83 and you span across many miles. But you are always so close to me. Thank you.
"A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure. A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth. A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, such as he who fears God finds; For he who fears God behaves accordingly, and his friend will be like himself."
Sirach 6:14-17
A friend of a friend posted here about "The Net" (basically a group of really strong friends who support each other when one of the friends needs it)... which really got me thinking....During extremely happy times in our lives we want our friends to know each other, our worlds to collide. For we want to share with each of our friends, our other friends. Like the time I could. not. wait. for my bridesmaids to meet each other. Here were wonderful friends who, at different points in my life, helped form me. They loved me. And I just so badly wanted them to meet each other so that they too could have another amazing friend. (Alas I was so busy before my wedding I didn't get near the amount of "net time" that I wanted, but, despite me, they made amazing memories with each other and have formed the friendships I had hoped for.)
And of course during those really sad times, they are the friends you want to hear from. The friends you need to hear from.
My motto has always been: "any friend of __________ is a friend of mine" (fill in the blank with all of those friends who are so dear to me). Have you ever felt so loved that you just can't find the cells in your body to thank them enough? No card, no words, no picture, it's just not something you can express. You just know.
And so I pray. I thank God for them. For my "net." I pray for their intentions. I try to call them and write to them (though that happens much less frequently than I want.) I miss them. I love them.
And so to continue from my last post, I must continue to thank them. Because, you see, they came out of the woodwork during my crisis and they loved me. They're still loving me...asking me when our daughter's birthday would have been and promising prayer (thank you, Jen!). They continue to smile, to ask, to reach out to my husband, to give, to laugh with me, to lend me their babies to love on (Katie), to pray. And we are left with such grattitude it hurts. For we know we are not worthy of such a net. But God provides anyway. He knew what we'd need. He sent us you. And you...my net...well-if you had three shoes I know you'd give me two.
I look forward to a "net party" of our own. One where we can celebrate, eat chocolate, love, laugh, pray, learn, discover, smile, cry, decorate, dream and continue to weave the net. .
I don't want any of you to suffer, of course, but I do pledge my love and friendship to you...to be there when you need some catching. I am strong enough to help catch you because of the strength you have given me. Can I dare to list the names in this net? Do you all even know each other? No and no. I am blessed to be related to some of you and even more of you I was just blessed to find along the way. You range in age from just 18 to 83 and you span across many miles. But you are always so close to me. Thank you.
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