Catching up

Oh my heavens! I have become the kind of blogger I used to hate...well hate is a strong word but I didn't like it when people would go forever in between posts! To start off this post, I guess I have to apologize for being that kind of blogger--Sorry.
This might turn out to be a way long post but I wanted to record some stuff to look back and remember.

From the last few posts you all know that JC is in Oklahoma training. We moved in with my parents the first week of August. We were told JC might not make it to Oklahoma to train until after the first of the year. We were both kind of bummed but decided that it was what it was an we couldn't do anything about it. About a week and a half after moving in, JC was helping my brother unload some stuff when I got a call from him on the cell phone. The person on the other line was an ecstatic person trying to get the words out, "THE F.A.A. CALLED! SOMEONE HAS DROPPED OUT AND THEY WANT TO KNOW IF I CAN BE THERE TO START CLASSES ON TUESDAY!!" I told him to hurry up and call them back and accept it and that we'd work out details later (This was Wednesday evening). Thursday and Friday were spent running errand and making preparations that we thought we'd have months to do. The following Saturday morning we hit the road. Sunday night we got to Oklahoma. Monday morning we checked JC in to his housing. Ran some more errands. Tuesday he attended his first day of class. Tuesday evening he took me to the airport and we said our goodbyes. I did pretty good until the plane was taking off and the water works started. Here I was pregnant and leaving my hubby in a strange place. Late that night I got to Salt Lake where my wonderfully supportive family was there to pick me up. As you've read from his posts, he is keeping as busy as he can. We talk every day and I still have a good cry once in a while. I am SO grateful for this blessing though. JC is an amazing husband. He misses us and looks forward to coming home. In the mean time, I continue to fall in love with him more and more I realise the sacrifices he is making to support our little family. Only 8 more weeks to go--and counting!!

As for me, I've been--for the most part--trying to enjoy this pregnancy. I do amit I hate the morning, afternoon, and evening sickenss but it comes with the territory. I haven't felt the baby move yet or anything like that but I am so in love with this little one already. I was asked what I wanted and I have to admit I have my heart set on a boy. JC would like a Daddy's girl. Of course, we will love it whatever it is. ( Have I mentioned I hate referring to the baby as "it"?!?!) I can't wait until JC comes home so we can find out what it is. Right now for names we are thinking Lillian Jane for a girl (Jane was my Grandmother's middle name) we would call her Lili. If it's a boy we will name him Kevin Curtis (my Dad's name and JC's dad's middle name) and we would call him K.C. Like I said before though, we will love whatever Heavenly Father has sent to us. It's been a long time coming and we acknowledge it as a miracle in a blessing.
As for the morning sickness I've have my fair share. I've heard everyone's horror stories and I think I've come off pretty lucky. I keep being reminded that the face I AM sick this time is good. (I was never sick with my first pregnancy which ended in a miscarriage). The only things I've really craved are potatoes and apple pie--wierd I know. At this point (10 weeks) I can't stand meat! I can't smell it, look at it, or eat it. I know I need the protein so I try to gag down chicken every so often, but hopefully that will go away. I've always been a meat and potatoes girl--hence my absense of a barbie figure-- so I'm looking forward to being able to eat and enjoy it again. I have only thrown up 3 times so like I said before I'm feeling pretty lucky.

That's pretty much a quick run down on us as of the happenings of late. As for the future, we will be leaving Idaho the first week of November to head for Alaska. I have had many a good cry at the idea of being with my hubby again but having to leave my family. I know when it comes time to leave from up there and come back and I will probably have the same feelings. For now I'm trying to keep positive about it. It truely is a great blessing that has been very humbling to both of us. Of course we couldn't have gotten to where we are without support of parents, family, and friends.

For further information

It's J.C. again.

I just wanted to give people a heads up about my new blog. This one is dedicated to my job and documenting my time here in Oklahoma. Once we get up to Alaska, I'll be discussing my training and stuff up there. So drop by, take a look, and if you need something explained, feel free to ask some questions!

Thanks!

J.C.'s ATC Blog

In Oklahoma

Hey all,

This is J.C. I don't post on here often, but with all that's been going on lately, I thought it would be a good idea.

Most of you probably know that I've been waiting to start an Air Traffic Controller job that I was offered back in June.

Well, last Wednesday, I got an e-mail from the FAA asking if I could be in Oklahoma City to begin training the next Tuesday. They said if I couldn't, I would have to wait till next year to get in. So, of course, I called back and said 'YES!' I quit my job at Lowes, where I was only able to give about a 4 hour notice, and prepared to move to Oklahoma. I train in OK for about 10 weeks, and then I go to Anchorage to work at my permanent assignment.

Jena and I left Saturday morning, and drove to Denver. We got in to Denver around 8PM or so. After staying the night there, we drove to Oklahoma City the next day, on Sunday. I checked into my temporary housing on Monday, and was at the FAA Academy on Tuesday at 7AM. I work from 7AM to 3:30PM. Not much happened on Tuesday, just a bunch of HR stuff. I was sworn-in as a Federal Government employee. It was pretty neat to take an oath of office, where I swore to protect and defend the Constitution, as well as the country.

We're pretty excited for me to begin my new career, and with the baby and all, we can truly see how much we've been blessed by our Heavenly Father. It's amazing to see all the things that have come together for us over the past 3 weeks. Thank you all for your prayers, and I'll try to post more about how I'm doing here.

Howell Family Reunion

This year for the Howell Family Reunion we went to Bear Lake where Mom and Dad had rented a condo for the weekend. We spent Saturday at the lake and the rest of the weekend everyone hang out, played games, watched movies, and ate yummy food. I played the party pooper who spent the rent of the weekend on the couch trying not to succumb to first trimester nausea. JC's family is the best and I'm grateful to have married into it.

One + One= Three!!

That's right!! We're PREGNANT!! It's been almost 5 long years of trying to get pregnant with only a miscarriage to show for our efforts. We are SO excited to say the least! It still feels like a dream and we'll wake up any minute.
Last week we were preparing for our move to Idaho. I had been REALLY tired for the last month but thought nothing of it. Then Sunday night I started feeling really yucky. On Wednesday I took the dreaded home pregnancy test and to my SHOCK the second line lit up rather quickly. I yelled for JC and he came running in! Crying, I hugged him and said, "Is it for real? I can't take this if it's a joke!!" He was bouncing off the walls confirming that it was positive. I got decent again and we went to get two more tests from the store. I said if they were both positive I would believe it. Of course, they were!
I called that night and asked my Mom if she could come down and help me clean. She said she would be there in the morning and that my Dad would come too. We told them as soon as they got to our apartment. My sweet Dad got emotional and hugged me. My Mom was so excited as well! As they were leaving she said, "Maybe later there will be tears but right now I am so excited I can't stop smiling!!"
After packing, cleaning, and checking out of our apartment we attended the Howell Family Reunion where we told JC's family. Our baby is one lucky kid to have so much family that already loves it!
The following Monday we hooked back up to my Dad's trailer and pulled our stuff home. My siblings came to help unload and before unloading we announced our news to them as well. They too were excited for us.
The next day we went to our first doctors appointment and the PA tried to do an ultrasound because from my dates she thought I was 9.5 weeks along. She couldn't see anything so she sent us to a specialist. At this point I was SO scared and on the verge of tears. When we miscarried the last time, the ultrasound is how they told us, because they couldn't find anything.
A few hours later I was lying on another table during an ultrasound, trying to hold the tears back, when the guy says, "And that's the heartbeat. Heartbeat looks really good..." I couldn't help it and the tears started coming. He looked up and saw me crying and asked if I was ok. JC proceeded to tell him about our past miscarriage and the guy looked and me and said sweetly, "Everything we have found looks great. You are about 7 weeks along. Your due date is March 23rd." Of course I cried some more but they were happy tears.
JC and I both feel extremely blessed and can't put into words the gratitude we have towards our Father in Heaven.
The countdown to March 23rd, 2010 begins!!!