Graduation!

Q. How many Social Workers does it take to change a light bulb?

A. Only one. But the light bulb has to want to change :)

Here I am at Western Michigan University's Masters of Social Work graduation ceremony! Three years of being at school every Monday and Wednesday night is OVER! It took the love and support of my family and friends (both in Ohio and Michigan) to arrive at this day, and it was more emotional and exciting than I thought it would be.

While I got to walk with my class tonight, I will be wrapping up a degree requirement this Fall at Calvin College (I can't get enough!). I'll be interning two days a week as a counselor at the college's Broene Counseling Center. I will also be leaving my job at that time. This will allow me to focus on this internship and of course baby! Mike and I are thankful that we can make this decision and recognize what a blessing it is.

Our Family

I'm not the only one who graduated today. Mike put in long hours helping around the house when I could not. He made dinners, proof-read papers, listened to practice presentations, and encouraged me when I just didn't think I could do it one more day. He was my biggest fan, therapist, friend, and coach along the way. Thank you Mike!

Grandma VA, Me, Amy

I'm not the first one in the family to graduate with a MSW. Mike's grandfather Nicholas VanAndel was also an MSW (University of Michigan) and worked with at risk and in need youth in the Grand Rapids area for much of his life. Grandpa Nick passed away this past year, and he is dearly missed. I will always be thankful for his support and interest in the work I was doing, and appreciate the special connection we share.

More of my cheering section: Mike, Shamu (Isn't the robe so flattering?!), Mark, David

Friends from Lansing: Dean, Angie, and their little guy Austin stopped by afterwards to say Congrats!

My brother in law, Scott and his wife Cindy, also came out to celebrate!

28 Weeks

28 Weeks

First week of 3rd Trimester

The Middle-Mester

27 weeks

The Second Trimester or the Middle-Mester has a positive reputation for being the best of the three. Being a middle child, I happen to like that this middle is viewed so fondly. Having just closed out my middle-mester, I'd have to say it's by far my favorite! During the first trimester I could literally give you daily updates of interesting pregnancy happenings, but this one has been much quieter. Here's the instant replay...

Week 13- Goodbye nausea and good riddens! Like magic the nausea was gone...and my happy appetite returned. Food is once again a pleasant treat (I'm sure this will catch up with me later...)

Week 14- I noticed that once I started feeling better I could stay up later than my 7pm bedtime:) It's amazing what you can do with just a few extra hours in a night!

Week 15- Our guest room, formally know as "Blue Lagoon" and a longtime favorite of our regular out of town guests has now become baby's room...crib included.

Week 16- Children's books are so much more exciting to read than adult books...so many fun pictures and everyone is always happy and rhyming. We started reading to baby and look forward to finding out what books are his/her favorite.

Week 17- Mike and I started taking walks once the weather improved and it has been good to get out and moving. I do miss simple things like being able to hop on a bike, go for a jog, or I'd even settle for being able to strap on my own sandals...thanks Mike!

Week 18- I felt the baby kick for the first time...the first time I was sure anyways! It happened to be on Mike's birthday and was a great gift. This is the BEST part of pregnancy, and something I think I'll actually miss.

Week 19- Baby name books...10,000 "names" to choose from. I now know why people end up with Jr's and stick with family names. It's not tradition or honor...it's simply easier that way! So Michael McMichael it is...

Week 20- The gender guessing continues, as baby decides that mom and dad don't need to know just yet...I've had lots of guesses these days, but the majority are now saying boy. Some because I have a storehouse of girl clothes and so it just won't be a girl, and others think I'm carrying lower which is a wives tales that indicates you are having a boy.Also this week: Mike felt the baby kick for the first time! He has even had a kick to the face, at which point he looked at me like I had done it!

Week 21- Celebrated my first mother's day :) Hopefully I remember it, because I also happened to lose my mind this week. Mike could give you countless stories of my driving aimlessly past our exits, forgetting words for things like the "disposal" (it's not the thing that eats food up in the sink?), calling people the wrong names (apparently this happens before you even have the child or a sibling for that child), or singing the wrong lyrics...oh, wait I did that before I was pregnant too:) Mindlessness during pregnancy is the real deal.

Week 22- My belly is increasingly itchy!

Week 23- I can now pee on command.

Week 24- Baby can hear noises outside the womb, and loves (and by love I mean kicks, punches, and moves around while) listening to music.

Week 25- First baby shower in Ohio. Baby loved it's gifts...I'm sure of it. I know baby also loved all the home cooking because mom gained some extra lb's for the month with this trip. It's around this time that I nearly stopped using my belly band with my pre-pregnancy pants, and decided dresses are best:)

Week 26- Kankles! I thought if I avoided salty foods I could avoid kankles...but late one night after a long, hot day on my feet I noticed my ankles had disappeared! Thankfully they came back to me...for now anyways. I think this might be the only downer of the middle-mester.

Week 27- Baby is getting bigger, and I can feel it not only kicking but also moving around. My belly feels hard in some places from time to time and I know it's the baby head or arm or some other body part...haven't quite figured out what is what, but it's amazing just the same. Lately, the baby is most active at night or first thing in the morning...it's a nice way to go to sleep and a great way to wake up.

Also this week: Mike celebrated his first Father's Day:)

I am thankful for a happy and healthy middle-mester. I am praying for more of the same in the weeks to come. Mike and I just feel so loved by family and friends and are really excited to share this JOY! On to the final round...

Ohio Baby Shower!

Whew, this post took some work! It was a well documented shower to say the least. Mike and I had a great time seeing both family and friends and having some time off together. We are so thankful for the work that was put into the shower and the time and gifts everyone gave. We are blessed, blessed, BLESSED! Mike managed to pack up our economy sized Nissan for the trip home. It was tight but we made it! Below are pictures from the week...

Michelle, Liz (Grace), Esther, and Marissa
All my Ohio girls couldn't make the shower so we met the morning of for breakfast.

Bump to Bump with Michelle's little girl. Michelle is due just 3 weeks before I am.

The party planners....My mom and baby's Nonna!

My sisters, Jenny and Rachel, who made the beautiful Martha Stewart inspired decorations.

Baby face cookie favors...so yummy!

Friends since we were little girls...and the shower's cake decorator and gamer, Krissie.

She made this cake! It was as fabulous as it looks!

Some of baby's guests...Lisa, Gina, Esther, Mama Lee

Mom, Auntie Barbara, Mona, Mona, Auntie Donna, Melissa, Grandma Lillian

It looks like this table was not alerted to the fact that their picture was being taken! But I don't want them to be forgotten...Gene, Marylana and her daughter Sarah, Antoniette, Melissa, and my Aunt Diane...who I believe was on the phone with....

...my cousin, Angelica! She made the baby a jungle theme blanket that is so soft. If this baby has it's mother's love for blankets this will only be the beginning of its collection:)

Thank you Antoniette for making me my favorite Italian cookies- soft lemon biscotti! She wouldn't let me share them with anyone so I got to take them home with me:)

We were beyond blessed with gifts for baby. And as you can see, our guests made sure we were ready for either a boy or a girl's arrival!

Mike made an appearance at the end of the shower and was happy to see the stuffed monkey he wanted had been purchased:)

Dad, Jason, and Mike joining the party

Thanks to Jason (Krissie's husband) for his creative work on the baby's price is right game! This one was filled out by Mona Humble and is too funny:)

It was so nice to see family....all the way from Florida.
Allie, Chrissy, and Giada Geremia (My cousin's family). We have had all baby girls in the family...we'll see if I break the trend or add to it!

Esther and I have been friends for 21 years! She represented the Ohio girl crew and they all chipped in to buy us the pack-n-play. This is perfect since we will need it often on our trips back and forth from Michigan to Ohio.

Family friends...the Mona's saying "hi" to baby!

I had two helpers at the shower- my neice Emily (above) and Piper. They loved opening the gifts. Emily loved it so much that she re-opened them all again once we got home. She would be playing and then all of sudden burst out into, "Oh presents!" and as she opened each she would say, "Oh so cute! It's beautiful". It was hilarious.

Grandma Lillian's first look at baby!

Grandma Antoniette's first look at baby!

Other random pictures from the Ohio trip...

Not to be forgotten is my nephew William!

I love this girl! She caught on fast to the idea that I was pregnant. She would occasionally point to the baby and shout, "Big Belly!" When I asked her why it was big, she would tell me, "There's a baby in there!" We are not sure yet why she told my dad he had a big belly...

25 Weeks

Every good and perfect gift is from above... James 1:17