Belly Pictures!

Well, as usual... it's been awhile since I've posted a blog! It's been hard to find the time lately with all the baby preparation going on. Just to update everyone, I will be induced on January 8 if Gabe doesn't decide to make his grand entrance before then. Please keep me and Bill in your prayers! We're very anxious and excited about it all. I wanted to post some new pictures that we had taken last weekend of my prego belly. One of Bill's friends that works with him at the sheriff's office has just started doing some professional photography work and took these to get their portfolio started. I hope you all like them!

This first picture was taken in front of the window in my dining room. I really liked the saying that she put in the picture!


I thought this picture was so sweet! We were actually done taking pictures and this was just a natural hug that Bill gave me. She still had her camera out and captured this one when we weren't even expecting it!


I really like how this one focuses on the belly. You can see just how big that boy is getting!


I was glad that she took a picture of us in the nursery. I thought this one was sweet, too.


I'm just sitting and waiting patiently for Gabriel's arrival...

Isn't Technology Great???

OK, I know I haven't posted any pictures of little Gabriel in awhile. I guess I better put these up before I get in big trouble!!!

It's so amazing to be able to see all the little details of his face! Here's another one...

I'm sorry I took so long to post these guys! I really hate that I didn't get to come up to Tennessee this year for Thanksgiving. I wish I had gotten to see all of you! I know God had His reasons for keeping me here. I'll try my best to keep everyone posted on any changes with the pregnancy. Just know that so far... so good!!!

In Loving Memory

Alot of you have heard by now that Bill & I lost our Daisy girl yesterday. I thought I'd post a copy of a beautiful tribute that Bill wrote last night...

We had to put Lazy Daisy Baldridge to rest this evening around 7:30pm. She had taken a bad fall from jumping off our furniture a week ago and had been hobbling around since. For the past couple of days we noticed she was having real trouble walking, then this morning she could not hardly hold up her rear end. After going to the vet this morning we realized she had a spinal injury and had a slight possibility of recovering. He said there were a couple of options; a $1500 surgery and cortisone shots in her spinal column. The surgery was not a guarantee and with our baby situation and Daisy’s age we just could not go that route. The cortisone shots were an option that sounded ok except she would have to be off of her regular medication for awhile before they could give it to her because it could cause bleeding ulcers in her stomach. The cortisone would only have a 20-30% chance of allowing her to walk again in a few months. The vet said that if she got worse or completely paralyzed in the back legs that the most humane thing would be to put her down. By this evening, she was paralyzed in her back legs and could not walk or stand at all. We brought her to another vet who told us pretty much the same as the first vet and after many tears and much deliberation we decided to let her go.

Daisy had been our baby for nearly 10 years. We have shared so many experiences with her and I am so thankful that she shared her life with me. She will be dearly missed.

Why I Can't Vote For Obama...

Yet another reason why this election is so important!!!!! Please scroll down and turn down the volume on my music player at the bottom of this page so you can hear this video...

IT'S A BOY!!!!!!!

Well, the anticipation has been building for quite some time. I didn't get much sleep last night because I was so excited about going to the doctor today! I was just praying that the baby would cooperate and let us see what we needed to. Mom, your dream was right...it's most definitely a BOY! We'll be naming him Joshua Gabriel, but we'll call him Gabe. I can't wait to see everybody at Thanksgiving! Please pray for us this weekend...there's a little storm you might've seen on T.V. called Gustav that's got everyone pretty anxious. I tend to not worry about it until I have to. I guess we'll no for sure where it's headed by late Saturday or early Sunday morning. If we do have to evacuate, we'll be heading to north Louisiana. We'll have our cell phones so you can reach us. We love all you guys!!! Here are the latest pics of little Gabe a.k.a. "Peanut". Click on the pictures for a larger view!

It's amazing how big he's gotten! You can see so much detail now!

In this picture, his foot is at the top and his hand is just underneath it. It looks like he's pointing at the camera!

This is a profile picture of his face. I think he looks like Bill already!!!

I saw this at Target right after we left the doctor's office and thought it was just too appropriate!!!

Carrots, Eggs, & Coffee

This story was passed along to me and I thought I'd share it!

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.' 'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied. Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?' Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water. 'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean? May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying. May we all be COFFEE!!!!!!!

Have a Great Day!

How'd It Get So Big???

Well, I had another doctor's appointment yesterday and things seem to be going just the way they should be. I am stunned at how much bigger Peanut's gotten in just 4 weeks!!! Even though I'm only 12 weeks, you can already make out its little eyes, nose, and mouth. It was so much cooler this time because it was moving around alot and looking right at the monitor. I think these visits are starting to make me feel like a pin cushion! They had to draw more blood for some routine tests. The doctor did say that everything so far has come back normal. I'm so thankful for that!! We still won't know the sex for at least another 4 weeks, possibly 8. I can't wait to find out! I'm just itching to get in that room and do some decorating. I guess there's not too much more to tell. Just continue to pray that everything goes smoothly. Here's the latest pictures of Peanut...ENJOY!!!

More on Peanut!

Well, I had my first obstetrician appointment on Friday. It went really well! He said that everything seems to be right on course. The best thing that could possibly happen did...He gave me some Prevacid for this horrible heartburn!!! I've been feeling so much better. It's amazing what a little pill can do to relieve something like that! I'm coming up on week 9 and still feeling pretty good. I've had a little nausea, but nothing that has brought me to the point of vomiting. I'm pretty good at psyching myself out when it comes to that. I've mostly just been VERY tired! I'm looking forward to that 'burst of energy' I keep reading about that comes with the 2nd trimester...I'm still a little skeptical about that! All in all, things are moving right along. Just don't eat any macaroni & cheese in front of me without realizing that I WILL be taking it from you...you have been warned!!!LOL!!! Here's another sonogram picture of little Peanut. The arrows are measuring from head to rump. Oh, and the little round bubble in the middle is NOT a Peanut #2. Believe me, I was freaking out a little when I saw it! The doc said that it's just the yolk sac and that it will soon disappear. Thanks again everyone for your encouragement, thoughts, and prayers!!!

The First Picture of 'Peanut'!!!

I'm sorry that I haven't posted sooner, I've just been sooooo tired!!! When I get home from work all I have the energy to do is collapse in the recliner for a two hour nap! I guess I'll get used to all this soon enough. I just wanted to let everyone know that things are progressing well. We had our first ultrasound! You can't really see much, but it's still so amazing to know that it's there. Here's the first official picture of little 'Peanut'...

I have my first obstetrician appointment on June 6. All of my previous appointments were with my ob/gyn. I want everyone to know that I really appreciate all the prayers spoken and the many congrats given. It's been so exciting and encouraging to know that my family is praying for me and wishing us all the best. I'll be posting more soon, I promise!!!

If you are planning to vote in the upcoming election or if you even care about who our next President will be, you owe it to yourself to watch this eye-opening video!!! Scroll down to the bottom of this page and pause the music player so you can hear the sound...

My First Doctor's Appointment

Well, the doctor's appointment went well today. They just drew some blood and confirmed our suspicions. They were going to do an ultrasound today, but couldn't get me in for that until Friday. I'll go back on Monday for the results of the blood work and to go over everything with the doctor. I think they're trying to measure the levels of some hormones in my blood to help better determine a due date. So far, so good! I'm so thankful to everyone who is praying for me. I haven't had any morning sickness and I've really been feeling pretty good! I'm mostly just real exhausted by the time the end of the work day comes. I could pretty much lay down and take a nap at any given moment!!! Speaking again to the fact that God's timing is perfect, I'd like to share a few things. First of all, Bill just started his new position at his work that we've been waiting on since October of last year. No more shift work, just straight days Monday through Friday 8 to 4! He's also gotten 2 seperate offers of computer work just out of the blue in the last 2 days! It's amazing how God is opening doors for everything to work out. I pray that this blog has found all of you doing well also. I apologize that I haven't been as good about commenting everyone else's blogs like I should, but I am reading them! I love all you guys!!!

A New Journey Begins

I've debated for a few days about whether or not to share this news, but it's only family that really reads my blog anyway. Most of you are aware that Bill and I have been trying to get pregnant for quite some time. There have been some struggles along the way, but as of Friday I have taken two at home pregnancy tests and they both were positive!!! I have an appointment with my doctor on Wednesday to confirm that I am indeed pregnant, but I'm like clockwork and I'm over a week late. Bill and I are so excited that we can hardly contain it! We decided to share the news this early because we want as many people praying as possible. I know that God has perfect timing for everything and we believe that this is definitely the time! Please pray for us during this exciting adventure. I'll be posting again on Wednesday after the doctor visit to let you know all the details.

Back On Flat Terrain!!

Well, we made it back from Branson in one piece! We had such a great time. The scenery was beautiful, the weather was fantastic, and we ate more than we should've. I guess that's what vacation's all about, right? I thought I'd post a slideshow of pictures that I took while we were there. Branson has definitely changed since I was there last. Of course, I was about 15 so it's been a really long time. Enjoy all the pics and I'll be posting again soon!

Vacation Time!!!

Well, I thought I'd blog a bit before I leave out for Branson tomorrow. I'm really excited to be getting a little time off from work. It's always nice to get a break from the daily grind! I'll be sure to take lots of pictures and post them when we get back. Everyone please pray that we have a safe and relaxing trip. There's still so much to do before we head out tomorrow morning. If you're not a preacher's kid you might not understand this, but packing is a finely honed skill that we acquire early in life. We always lived far away from family, so every vacation involved packing luggage, packing vehicles, packing icechests...you name it! (Can I get an Amen?). Anyway, I have to finish packing everything up and tieing up the loose ends around here. I hope everyone has a great week next week!!!

Happy Birthday MOM!

Ah...another week come and gone. Not really the most eventful week, but a good one none the less. I'm looking forward to next week when I'll be leaving on Wednesday to go to Destin, Florida! Several people from work are all going to a dental conference there and to be honest with you, I'm just happy to be getting a little sunshine and beach time. I'll be back on Saturday, so it won't be a very long trip. Then I'll only have one more week of work before we leave for our vacation in Branson! That's when I'll really get to relax. Some people enjoy lots of sight-seeing and running around when they're on vacation. Me...I'm more of a sit on the balcony and read a good book kind of vacationer. I think sometimes we forget to slow down and just enjoy the little things that do actually help us relax! That's gonna be my goal for this trip, to just enjoy taking it easy and not run around town the whole time.

Enough about that! Let me move on to even more exciting news...today is my mom's birthday!!! Mom, if you read this...

I wish so much that I could be up there in Tennessee to celebrate her birthday with the family. But, I know I'll get to see them this summer, so that makes it okay.

Well, unfortunately there's only 3 more days until the deadline to file taxes. I guess that means if you haven't even started then you should probably file an extension right? Yeah, so I better go so I can get that filed!!! I used to be so good about getting my taxes done early. Something changes, though, when you stop getting lots (or any) money back. I guess it's that Brannen procrastination kicking in! LOL!! I hope everyone has a great week next week!

Another Week Gone...

Well, I made it through another week of work and boy was it a busy one!!! The kids were out of school down here this week so we were super busy with lots of kids in the dental office. I'll be glad to get back to a regular schedule next week. Only four more weeks and we'll be going on our Spring vaction! We've decided to ditch the beach thing this year and go with something a little more cozy. We'll be staying in a nice cabin/condo in Branson, Missouri. It's been years since I've been there and it's close enough to drive. It'll be nice just to get away and have some peace and quiet! On a different note, I don't know about all the rest of you, but we've been having some of the most beautiful weather that we ever have here in Louisiana. This is always the prettiest time of year at the start of spring. I'm definitely gonna enjoy it because it'll be hot and humid before we know it around here! I'll leave you with a little collage of things that says alot about who I am...

It's been a great week this week! We've had some of the most gorgeous weather we ever get down here in Louisiana. I've done a little work in the yard and had Bill's mom and stepdad here visiting since Friday. We've had a pretty good visit. They'll be here until Monday or Tuesday. Well, before I forget to tell everyone...

And don't ever forget...

I pray that everyone has a happy and blessed Easter!!!

Well, another work week has started! I'm thankful to say that it looks like all of the strep throat has left my body. I'm feeling good and looking forward to a good week of work! It just dawned on me that today is St.Patrick's Day. I guess I better dig something green out of my closet. Here's wishing everyone a Happy St.Patrick's Day!


Before we know it Easter will be here, too! I hope everyone is having a great spring holiday season. My body is finally getting used to this time change. I think I do better on this time. There's more daylight to do everything that has to get done in the day. Well, I won't ramble on and on...I'll post again soon~~~

It's Been Awhile...

Well, I know it's been a long time since I have posted a blog!! I finally had enough fellow bloggers fuss at me about being away so long so .... here we go. The holidays were fast and furious. Here are a few pictures from Christmas in Louisiana with my family.

Bill and I celebrated our 9 year wedding anniversary with a weekend trip to Galveston. It was a nice trip! Here are a few pictures from that.

Work has been going pretty well...still cleaning teeth everyday! I've been sick this last week with strep throat and had to miss 2 days of work. I haven't had that since I was about 15 years old. I forgot how bad it can make you feel! I think I'm over the worst, but it looks like Bill may be getting a little bug now. Please just keep us in your prayers! I'm really going to make an effort to try to keep up this blog regularly. I guess we'll just have to see how it goes.......