Only 11 weeks left!

It's a Sadie!

We had our ultrasound last Friday and found out we are expecting a girl! Clint of course knew this all along as he says but I was thankful for the confirmation. She was very cooperative this time and we even were able to capture the moment on DVD! We can't wait for our little lady to get hear. We are getting pretty darn excited! Now to get the girl some clothes, maybe some diapers, probably should finish her room. Sigh, so much to do.

Also, as of right now I will not have to have a c-section!!! I was really nervous I may have to since my placenta was pretty much right next to the cervix but thankfully it moved! I know, kind of gross but thank goodness it creeped it's way up. That would just mean more time recovering and a more painful recovery. I would rather just enjoy my time with my little girl!

Mom had her knee surgeries the last couple weeks. She got both knees done (on different days) but seems to be doing pretty well. I haven't been able to see her yet but will be home this weekend to see how it's really going! Everyone says she has been a real trooper and is doing great though! I'm sure it is a very painful surgery, especially to do twice! Thinking of you mom, hope you just keep getting better and stronger!

November...

November began as I started my new job at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. I will admit, the drive and working overnight absolutely stinks! The opportunity to work with children more then makes up for it though! I work with kiddos of all ages as part of the floor I am on is NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit) overflow. So we get the babies that are premature to the kids who are 17. The focus of the floor (other then NICU) is Infectious Disease but it seems like mostly altered oxygenation kids. I am excited to continue my career there and hope I can start dealing better with the drive and night shifts.

The move is proving to be a good thing for the Meek family. Although we miss our home, family, friends, and jobs in Iowa, we are thankful we made the decision we did. Clint is able to be home more, I am able to work with kids, the dogs are very happy with the extra space they now have, and we are learning to rely on each other and communicate more clearly. I am still very nervous for life after the baby arrives since we have zero help/ support down here but I am sure we will adjust and learn the ropes of being parents quickly.

Speaking of the little munchkin... I finally found a doctor down here to take over my care. It was a bit ridiculous how hard it was to find someone but I did and I like her. Dr Ash is an OB in Independence. She is a newer doctor just off her residency which made me a bit hesitant at first but after talking with her, I decided I really liked her. She talks to me straight but is still nice and pleasant! Her office is attached to the hospital I will be delivering at so unless I go on a weekend when she is not on call, she will deliver us. I have another appointment next week and Clint will be able to go to this one with me so I am hoping he likes her as much as I do. He was not a fan of my last OB so fingers crossed here folks! We also will have another ultrasound at the appointment so lots of prayers the baby chooses to cooperate and we can find out if we are expecting Sadie or Nolan!

Clint and I were so thankful we were able to be home in Iowa for Thanksgiving. We were there for 5 days and they were wonderful days! We saw friends and family, ate wonderful food, and celebrated our niece, Grace's 1st bday, as well as my sister, Beka's bday! I will admit traveling with 2 large dogs is a challange but luckily we have family that is willing to have them along for the ride. Thank-you! Can't wait for next year with 2 large dogs and a baby... crazy!!!

The dogs taking their afternoon snooze...

Millie, Geordie and Payton. So impressed with how well they all got along!

Making friends... Miley & Gracie

Grace's 1st Bday Cake

The baby bump at 27 weeks... please forgive the PJs!

The whirlwind is starting to die down! This is my first full week in MO as well as my first full week working. I finished up in Des Moines last week. It was so hard to say goodbye to all my friends/ coworkers and as much as I complained about it, to North 5. I will miss everything/one so much.

Before work on my final day my car stopped in the middle of the road. Died, turned off, quit running... you get the point. I was able to pull it in to a parking lot and thankfully my mom came and picked me up and took me to work. I was lucky enough to have a car to borrow to get back to MO and over $2000 later returned the borrowed car and picked up my Escape. Looks like we are in the market for a new car. I just can't justify continuing to drive it with a baby on the way and driving through a not so great part of town to get to work.

Anyway, so here are a few pics of what has been going on...

The backyard... it's about 4 times the size of our old yard and the girls LOVE it!!!

The latest big fat belly pic... at 23 weeks.

Our first night in the new house. No furniture, just a fire and a pile of blankets and pillows!

Officially Missourians

Well we have made it. We are fairly settled, or as much as you can be in a week. I arrived last Thursday and Clint and his mom were already sanding and painting our bathroom cabinets. I got the dogs and my stuff inside and we started working... and didn't stop until Sunday afternoon when I finally collapsed for a quick nap before heading back to Iowa for 3 days to work.

We had a very successful weekend. Most of the boxes were unpacked and almost all of the projects got done that were on the to do list. We were so lucky to have our parents and my sister, Emily, come down to help. I am fairly certain Clint and I would have ended up getting frustrated and either fighting or tearfully hugging wondering what the heck we had done. There were a few tears as we said goodbye to our families... and a small melt down on my part when I couldn't figure out where the movers had packed my only other pair of maternity jeans, but all in all things went very smoothly. It was great to have the fam around to help us settle in a bit.

I headed back to Iowa Sunday evening and worked Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at Methodist and cleaned our old house on Monday (thankfully my mom and Jenna went over Tuesday to finish for me) Then I drove back Wednesday night in the rain and my car decided to act up about an hour out. Looking back it was too much in too short of time but I made it through. It was quite possibly the worst, most stressful week I have ever had at work to top it all off. I will say it was great getting "home" at night with home cooked food to eat and sisters that wanted to serve me dinner! I was able to put my feet up and visit with my mom and sisters which is always a good thing.

So to make us official Missouri residents we got our drivers lisences changed and our cars inspected so we can register them next week. I had 2 more interviews this week and received 3 more offers... I have decided to take the hospital position at Children's Mercy Hospital which was my goal since we found out we were moving to this area! I was thrilled when they offered me 2 jobs. One in a clinic (scheduled days) and the other in the hospital (nights). I was leaning toward the clinic job so we would be able to have childcare lined up but when I expressed my concerns of not being able to switch to days soon the nurse recruiter spoke with the nurse manager who said they will do everything they can to make it happen asap. That made it a no brainer to stay in the hospital to gain more experience... and get paid more! I am very excited to be able to make the switch to pediatric nursing!

Our fence finally was finished this week. The dogs are in heaven. I am pretty sure they had already decided they loved the new house but now it's a sealed deal. They both ran laps around the yard which is about 4 times the size of our old yard. Payton especially has been much more active since the move. I think she is happy to have more space. They both love to sit at the top of the stairs and look down on everything going on.

I will post pictures of the house and my ever growing stomach once I find the cable.

The time has come...

So yesterday Clint and I joined reality and realized we really are moving this week. Scary... yes, exciting... yes, overwhelming... definitely! We honestly have no where near what we need done to move this week but I suppose we will just have to make it all work. Thankfully we have family and friends that love us very much and are willing to help out with getting done what needs to be done. So tomorrow I will finish up what I can, Tuesday is closing and then an interview in Independence, Wednesday is packing, Thursday is loading and heading down to our new home, Friday we will unload and the rest of the weekend we will unpack and attempt to get settled. I head back here for Sunday to work so I hope we get a lot done over the weekend and fit in some rest to. I will miss you Iowa... there will never be another place that will feel quite as much like home.

It's a ????

Yep that's right the ultrasound tech couldn't tell! After a half hour of poking, jumping, turning, coughing and everything else we could think of to get the little one to move we gave up. The baby had not only had it's legs crossed but also very stratigically placed it's hands right where we were trying to look! Maybe we have a modest kid or maybe it's just as stubborn as it's parents. I will probably have another ultrasound in 8 weeks, if my OB in KC will let me, so we will give it another shot then. It threw a wrench in to our decorating plans but such is life. Maybe there will be news next time.

Here's a belly pic... 19weeks and 4 days. It has begun.

Boy or Girl?

Tomorrow is the big day... will it be a boy or a girl? Clint and I are excited either way and really just want a happy, healthy baby. We have bedding and names picked out for both. I'm hoping the little one decides to cooperate so we can find out. It's like waiting for Christmas when you're a little kid. All week the excitement has been building. Thankfully Clint will be back for the ultrasound. I can't imagine having to find out alone. I will post what we find out!

The move is scheduled

So I scheduled our move to Missouri this morning. Part of me is jumping with joy that there is now a bright light at the end of the tunnel and part of me is stunned and saddened that this day is here. We have known for so long that we would move at some time to some place but had no clue when or where. It was so much easier to accept when it was just something we talked about. It will be hard to leave behind everything I have known for my whole life. My family, friends, coworkers, church and neighbors all will stay here and we will start this journey alone. Which means we will have the chance to develop all these relationships with new people and places together. We will be able to find our favorite places together and make our new home what we want it to. That part will be fun! Never fear, we will be back to Iowa a lot. How could we not? We will only be 31/2 hours away and with a new baby I am sure we will be required to come back for visits often! So I should probably get to when we are moving. We are closing in Missouri on the 13th of October. We will pack and load October 14th and 15th and everything will be delivered on the 16th.

Clint and I both love Iowa and will miss everything and everyone very much but we are excited for the new chapter and hope you will all make appearances in it often!

Update

We got a house!!!

We will be living in Oak Grove. MO as of mid October. I am still looking for a job but at least we have a place to live so Clint can be down there. It's a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom California split with an unfinished walkout basement. Way bigger then our last home but room for us to grow. The yard is large so even the dogs will have a place to call theirs!

We sold our house here!!!

After being on the market for 9 days be got our first offer. We accepted the final offer the next day and close the end of October. It is very hard for me to see it go. I have a connection with that house, regardless of how corney it may sound. It was our first home together and we both spent a lot of time and effort trying to make it our own. Now we know what the next one will be like, but no house will ever have the soft spot in my heart that this one does.

It's all becoming more and more real. A true bittersweet moment in my life. I am so excited to turn the page and start something new. Being in a place without family and friends to rely on is going to be tough at first but I think it will be good for our relationship and will make us rely on each other more. I am sure we will be back here to see family and friends quite often but don't forget we like visitors to!

News News and more News

The Meek family is full of new news these days... let's start with what I think is the most exciting...

1. We are expecting our first child!!! I am 16 1/2 weeks and yes my stomach has 'popped'. (pictures will come at some point). Clint and I are very excited to be adding on to our family... especially with a human this time! We will find out if it is a boy or a girl in a few short weeks!

2. We are moving. This is an exciting adventure for us but is also bitter sweet. Clint accepted a position with FMH some time ago that included relocating but now that the time is here it is starting to hit home. I grew up in IA and Clint has been there for some time now. Both of our immediate families and much of my extended family and 90% of our friends are in DM making it tough to say good bye. We will be moving to Missouri. Clint's territory will be from KC to AR and from the west side to around Booneville and then straight down for those of you who know the state. This is a great opportunity for Clint and will mean he should be home more often! We will be only a few hours away so please come visit!!! I promise we will be back as often as we can also.

3. Relating to number 2... we put our house on the market last week and received an offer last night. We are going to counter but are so excited that we received an offer in less then 2 weeks and are hoping they accept our counter. To make things even better, we are currently down in MO and are putting an offer in on a home here this morning. Pray the owner accepts it and things can move forward. We went in to this believing that this was the right decision for our family and that everything would work out for the best. So far, I can't complain. The home we are looking to purchase is in Oak Grove which is just 2 towns east of Independence on the east side of KC. We love the area and are looking forward to making it our home. Oak Grove is still a smaller town and not completely connected to KC which is part of why we liked it. Easy access for Clint's travel and hospitals near by for my job as well. I will post later to let you know what happens!

I just want to know!

So I'm not going to lie, I am getting extremely impatient about our upcoming move. Those small details of when and where are still unknown and it's driving me bonkers! I miss having a husband during the week and sometimes the weekends. I'm trying very hard to be positive but come on, some one throw us a bone here! We are excited for the chance to explore a new area, be truly on our own, get a new house, new jobs, and see each other more often. Lots of positives here I just wish I knew when I could expect them to start. Patience never was my strong point.

BORED!!!!

I am bored out of my mind! I actually wish I was working and I never do that. With Clint away and the house clean I don't really know what to do. I can only surf the internet and watch crappy tv for so long. I've worked out once today and suppose I will again before I go to bed. I don't really like being outside during the day because our neighbors either creep me out or want to talk forever. I need a hobby like no ones business but nothing seems to be jumping out at me. I have most stuff ready for the garage sale... which is in October! Tomorrow will be laundry day even though I really don't need to do it. I plan on changing all the bedding in the house so I have more to do. I've worked out, I don't want to bake, cause let's face it that just leads to junk food. I don't really enjoy shopping and really should be putting that money in savings rather then wasting it. Why is it some weeks I have to work 70+ hours and others (this week) I am not even scheduled for 20+. Dang work schedules that run Wednesday to Tuesday!

The last few months in pictures

Payton & Geordie at the Dog Park...

on the other side of the park may I add!

Matt (my brother), Melissa (his girlfriend)

& Ky (her daughter) came to visit for Memorial Day

weekend. We loved having them and hope they are back soon!

Miley turns 1!!!
There were outfit changes, lots of presents,
yummy cake and whole lot of fun.



Gracie is getting so big. She laughs all the time
& loves having help standing up. She's a wonderful
addition to the Meek family!

**sigh**

Okay so I haven't written on here in, oh forever. I haven't decided if it's because we have had a lot of changes and challenges in our home lately I have tried to ignore or if it's because I am trying to keep too busy and haven't made time. In all actuality, it is probably the first but lets pretend it's the second.

So Clint and I decided awhile back that he was going to apply/ accept a new job. Training for the job we knew would require a lot of travel and many nights/ weeks away from home but in the end we both decided it was something we were willing to take on to get to where we want to be. Well, at first it wasn't so bad. Most of the travel was in Iowa and he was able to come home often. Now not so much. This is his 3rd week gone (home for the weekend usually) and he is gone again next week for the week. This last weekend he was in Chicago and next weekend we go to MN for a work event. This will be our only weekend together for the month... really our only 2 full days together without work involved. MN should be fun. We are going to a dinner theater which is something neither of us have done so we are excited but wish we had more time together. This all probably sounds like I am just a big whiner which is really not where I was trying to go with this. I am still thankful we made the decision we did, I just didn't realize how hard it would be to have Clint gone every week, all week. He's my best friend and I am lost without him. I have sulked and laid around for the last few weeks and finally (yes it took me 3 weeks) I decided today that I need to suck it up and start getting on with life. This is the perfect time to get some house projects done, catch up with friends I soon will only see once or twice a year, and get my rear end back in to shape.

So what else is new... Work is work. I continue to learn and although this is not at all where I want to be long term, I do enjoy the challenges N5 has to offer. It's amazing how quickly and how much is learned once school is done and you hit the floor. It is a whole new world. School doesn't even touch what actually happens in the life of a real nurse. That makes me want to be a teacher even more to help prepare new grads for what they are really in for. I suppose I should get going on the BSN so I have the option to teach. One more thing to add to the list.

The pups are doing good. We just got back from a walk and they are doing so much better on their leashes! They walk when they are told to walk and stay when they are told to stay! I got them new leashes, longer ones with their names on them... I know corny but whatever. So anyway we had to try them out. Plus we had ice cream treats today so it was a must to go for a walk. Hopefully this weekend we can hit the dog park. The girls love the dog park. Payton is even running and playing this year! In the past she would stay right by me and growl at all the dogs that came over to welcome her. Geordie has gotten in a couple of fights this year and neither owner is there when it starts or sure who has actually started them so we haven't gotten to concerned about it yet. She has never tried to fight before so I really have a hard time thinking it is her. I think they just need to be there more often and they will be fine.

Random Thoughts

Some days I find myself lost in thought. Not neccessarily about anything specific but about lots of random things. Things about work, things about home, things about the future, etc. I absolutely hate when this happens at night... say around the time I lay my head down on my nice soft pillow and shut my eyes. Boom! Out of nowhere things I haven't thought about in months or things that I am absolutely certain I have taken care of pop up and don't want to leave my mind. This has been happening a lot lately. I really can't remember the last time I slept for more than 3 or so hours at one time. Of course napping is out of the question right now as I have been working OT at the hospital and at FMH on the side in addition to "everyday life". Maybe that's part of the problem. **Sigh** I need a vacation!

Absence make the heart grow fonder...

Clint and I knew at the beginning of the year that he was going to be consistently gone a lot during the week for work. Training others, being trained, etc. So now we are left to adjust. Things have gone okay so far. We have been lucky enough that the trips have been here in IA or not all week so we can see each other some. It's hard when he's gone all week, I work the weekend and then he leaves again on Monday for a week though. Which is were we are right now. Flat out stinks! I haven't figured out how to easily fall asleep at night without him. The dogs love to snuggle but they just aren't the same. I miss coming home at night to no hubby and no dinner and no lights. I would rather be here though then doing what he does. I can't imagine having to wake up in a new hotel room in a different city every morning. Not having anything of my own to use or make me feel comfortable. He is certainly amazing. He is working hard to give us the life we dream of. He never complains and he never gives up. He continues to find the best in the situation and make the best of being apart. It has made us treasure the time we are able to spend together that much more though. I get so excited at the end of the week for him to come home. The dogs and I watch for him and shower him with hugs and kisses when he arrives.

Catch up

Yes I know, I know, I am behind again on blogging. Clint and I have both been working crazy hours lately. Heck it took us a month to go 1 block to see our friends new baby. Clint's been out of town a lot lately and I have been working extra hours at the hospital on top of my usual 36 there and 10 at FMH. Insanity I tell you!

So what is new? Really, nothing. We work, we eat, we sleep, we clean and that's about it. We had a very eventful day today. Suit & glasses shopping. Clint needed a couple new suits, I needed new glasses. All in all we got everything we needed and then some. I now know what size suit, shoe, and dress shirt my husband wears. I suppose that's something every wife should know but I have a feeling that means next time I will just get a list of what is needed for an upcoming meeting or event. It was interesting to see them fit him and see how many different suits there were to choose from. It's kind of like shopping for a wedding dress without the emotions attached. Massive amounts of the same yet slightly different. In the end he ended up with 2 nice suits, a new plain black one and a brown pinstripe kind of deal. He got new shoes, a new belt, new shirts and new ties... and I got a pair of glasses and a new purse. That's a fair deal right?! We both hate shopping so much I was actually quite impressed with the outcome. Now for a new shower curtain and a hair cut and we will be set for awhile... I hope!

Miley & Geordie watch television...

Need I say more?! That's Clint's hand by the way. The 3 of them were watching tv and he was petting Geordie but the picture was way cuter as a close up!

Grandpa & Grandma Swallow

Over the weekend we went out to see my grandparents for a late Christmas and to celebrate my grandma's birthday. I grew up with them living a field away which I walked through many times to visit. We (me and the siblings) spent a lot of time with them growing up. Not too long ago they moved from the farm house to a assisted living community in Dallas Center. They are both 91 years old now and amaze me every time I see them. They are still full of life, happy and have so many interesting stories to share. I never realized as I was growing up just how knowledgeable the were or how much they care for me. I saw them as the grandparents down the road where I went to play games, watch some television and have root beer floats. Looking back I realize some of the things they taught me and some of the wonderful moments I had with each of them. I wish I would have realized earlier just how important they are to me but am thankful I have realized now.

Home Improvement

So when we bought our home a year and a half ago we were already way ahead of where we thought we would be in the home improvement department. We started off talking about a fixer upper... thank goodness we didn't do that! For those who don't know, the house we bought was basically stripped to the studs and rebuilt... a long term flip. It took the guys 7 months to do the work before we officially bought the house. Sure we had to give up some of the things we wanted to have and the area we are in is not 100% out ideal and there are always projects just like any other house. The good thing is, we still love it! So overall our house is on the smaller side. Our top floor is 860sq ft and the basement is a little less. Our attic has a basic floor in it but isn't livable. We can store some things in it but not everything and definitely not the everyday things we use. Our kitchen is one of the smallest I've seen which leads to more storage issues. We have been using the stairs that go up to our attic as our pantry. I had half of my kitchen stuff in storage because there just wasn't room. Well... things have changed, thank goodness. Clint and I tackled the job of putting up shelving, floor to ceiling in the stairway. We bought the boards, cut them (Clint even got a new electric saw for this project which made him very willing to participate!), painted them, found the studs, mapped out the shelving and screwed every last screw in to the boards and wall. We did it!

~BEFORE~

~AFTER~

Happy Anniversary

Our wedding party

We both worked on our anniversary so we postponed the celebration until January 1st. Clint surprised me and brought home roses and a card on the 29th! We went to dinner at Bistro Montage on the 1st for dinner and came home to our year old wedding cake (which actually was surprisingly yummy) and some wine. The year has flown by. We have had a great first year and are looking forward to many more. I am so thankful to have a husband who is as wonderful and caring as Clint. He is always there to cheer me up when I'm down and to bring me back to reality when I need it. He drives me crazy some days but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I have friends that ask me how I knew Clint was "the one". I can't explain it, it's just something you know.

Love you babe! Happy 1 Year Anniversary!

Christmas

Phew, we have made it through another Christmas year! This year was especially busy. In addition to our usual activities we also went to WI for the Hill Family Christmas and Grace's baby shower and I worked Christmas day. We have the most wonderful family. Everyone was very willing to work with my unfortunate Christmas day scheduling so I was able to make it to all of the Christmas events for 2008!

Aunt Brenda and the kids reading The Night Before Christmas and having a gift exchange at the Hill Family Christmas.

HoHoHo!

Andrew (Clint's cousin, Matt's son)

Wisconsin was a great time, once we got there. We left around 5pm on Friday and drove through horribly thick fog all the way. I should say Clint drove. He was great though and got us there safe and sound. I met a lot of his family I hadn't met before and got to experience my first Hill Christmas! We also had Grace's baby shower with the family while we were there. Aunt Kathie, Aunt Brenda, and Lisa did a wonderful job. Everything was so beautiful. It was the perfect celebration to welcome Grace in to the family.

Lisa, Aunt Kathie, Jen, Grace, and Aunt Brenda

How adorable... that's a little candy baby in the star box! Love it!