Survival mode

I'm sure all of you at one time or another feel as I'm currently feeling. Like you're living day by day in "Survival Mode". These past few weeks of existence have been pretty much that. Existence. Surviving. ;-)

Not much to blog about because between our school and work schedules and me feeling like death warmed over, we haven't done much.

But I do have some CUTE pictures of my little kiddos, so here they are. I can't believe how big the girls are growing. Joanna looks like such a young lady in the pic with me and the girls, huh?! Not like the toddler that she is. I also love the one with Joanna playing guitar hero. She watches Josh (or me sometimes) play and has learned how to hold the guitar and "strum" the notes. She's our little rock star!!

Jaclyn has been walking for about a month and a half now, and she's really cruising. But she often starts running too fast for her little legs to keep up and then she trips and falls. Her falls are so hilarious to watch!!! That's probably not a nice mommy thing to say, but when she falls, she does it right!! ;-)

Fred Meyer's had a big fat sale on all Radio Flyer bikes so we got the girls one. Joanna's is a tricycle and Jaclyn's is one of those toddler bikes that they scoot with their feet. It even came with a bell and tassles on the handle bars. And the weather is warming up so we've been able to take them outside almost every day (well, when good ol' Ellensburg wind isn't HOWLING!) and practice riding. Joanna is really getting the hang of it, but Jaclyn doesn't have that much interest. Jaclyn rides hers for, like, a minute, and then she's off...you guessed it...RUNNING away!!! She'd rather practice her short distance sprints than her bike-riding skills.

It's finals week at Central so Josh and I are getting through that. Well, more so me, actually! Josh had his first and only final this morning, so he's already done. I still have two more later this week plus two papers due by Friday. Yikes!!! Mmmm, maybe I should be studying instead of blogging!! Nah. Who likes to study?! Blah.

Also, I am nearly 13 weeks pg so that brings GREAT news to me!!! It means that I'm almost out of the woods with the nausea/fatigue phase. Hip Hip Hurray!!!! I am SO ready to feel better and to start liking food again! I told Josh that the minute I'm feeling better he has to take me to the Olive Garden! ;-P Oh yeah, and I also told him that this better be our last baby 'cause I ain't never doin' this again!!! (But you just watch me...I'll be eating those words within the coming year. I said the same thing after having Jaclyn and then I'd go somewhere, see someone else's baby and get baby fever all over again. Yes, yes. I AM insane.)

a mother's influence

"If human infants are not surrounded by genuine love from birth, radiating outward into a truly caring family and social environment, then we pay for our failure toward the next generation by having to live in a world torn with fear and hate...The importance of security for babies and mothers outweighs every other issue. If that is not achieved, everything else we do merely sustains human masses to struggle on from crisis to crisis."
~ Harry Guntrip

I read this quote in a textbook and I thought wow. Even the "big brains" acknowledge the importance of loving, stable homes as the basis of a righteous society!!

Growling Grizzly

Okay, do anybody else's kids behave like a grizzly bear when they're sick?!?! Joanna has had a NASTY cold for five days now and all day, every day, she has been growling, moaning, and screaming like a grizzly bear! I sympathize with her completely, I really do. I, too, hate being sick. It's so miserable. But c'mon. We've got wailing and gnashing of teeth going on over here!!! What a drama queen. I hope she gets better soon. Not just for my sanity, but for her to feel healthy again.

10 more fingers, 10 more toes

There truly must be something in the U.S. water supply!!!!!! Well, chalk me up with the rest of the momma crew that's expecting again, 'cause Josh and I just found out that we're going to have our third baby!!!!!!!! [cue shrilling freak out scream] Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

Yep, that's right folks. Dear Jolie, the girl who, just LAST WEEK (two days before testing +) told someone that my baby factory was gonna have to be closed down for a while until we both finish school. My, my, how life (aka, Heavenly Father!) throws you some curve balls sometimes. This is the way it always goes with me, though. If I were a more superstitious person, I'd knock on wood after making comments like that. HA!

We are actually SUPER excited, and WAY more relaxed and calm about this than I'd originally imagined. I mean, most people will tell you that it's having that 3rd child that really throws things off kilter because now the children outnumber the adults in the house!!! But I know we'll adjust. I'm already looking forward to having s'more teenie fingers and toes to tickle!!! (Incidentally, baby toes are probably my favorite feature on those little things. They're so cute!!)

**This part is for Shara: Do you remember when I called you in a teary panic when I found out that I was pg with Jaclyn?! Josh was at work and I needed someone to talk to before I, like, passed out. I was SO shocked that we were having baby #2 so soon! Joanna was only 6 months old at the time. But you helped me so much and calmed me right down. Ah, I was just reminiscing about that whole experience and it made me laugh.**

My 1st doc appt. isn't for another 3 weeks, so I'll have to wait to tell ya'll what our official due date is. I would have a better "guesstimate" of my own, but my cycles have never been regular, so I really don't know how far along I am. (Sorry if that was TMI for you. I used to care about sharing that kind of stuff but after being in the Ramsey family for 4.5 years, I'm open to pretty much any subject of discussion!!) But judging from my last two pregnancies and when I started "feeling" pregnant with them, I'm guessing that I'm currently 5 weeks along, which would make the baby due in September...right around Joanna's 3rd birthday. (Her b-day is the 10th) And OH BOY am I startin' to feel it!! Ug. The good ol' nausea and fatigue thing is beginning to hit. Hurray for the 1st trimester!! BARF. It's a good thing that it's all worth it in the end, right?!

For anybody who's interested to know, I met with my advisor today to tweak my academic plan to compensate for the new baby's arrival. I can still graduate on time (this coming fall '08 quarter) as long as I take one extra class next quarter (spring) and two summer classes. Then this fall (yes, as in a few weeks after I deliver) I will only have to take one class and my senior exit interview crap-ola class. I figure, I can handle one class and a few interviews with the new baby. PLUS, my sweet mother-in-law has offered to come up here and stay for a few weeks to help out with everything, so that will be a huge, huge weight off my shoulders. And Josh will also be completely done in the fall, so it looks like we will have much to celebrate later this year!!

See, so in the end, everything will work out and at the end of the day I can breathe a cleansing breath of relief and say, "God is in complete control." I know that He is. This is His little child and He wants him/her to come now.

So, let's see here. I now join the ranks of so many of you who are expecting right now!!! There's Anjuli, Tasha, Beth, Shara, Ruth, Janae, Stephanie, and Lacey. I hope I'm not excluding anybody. (Well, unless, of course, you're glad to not be on this sort of list right now!! haha)

Healthy pregnancies to all, and to all a good night!!!

Professor Corihor update

Thanks everyone for your comments and concern. I have decided to stick it out and stay in the class...for now. It's a three-hour class that meets once a week, so I've only attended that one meeting. I figure I'll give it another chance and see how it goes. (Besides, I've been told that taking this course from him is a cinch, and that the other professor who teaches it really piles the work on. So part of me really wants to stay the course!!)

I have not had a chance to make it over to the Dean of the Psych. dept., but I certainly will pursue it if it comes down to that. What I have done in the mean time is spoken candidly about this matter with another professor I have this quarter. I did not tell her who the prof. was, but I guess through process of elimination she figured it out! (oops) Anyway, she was appalled to hear that he would act like that in the classroom, as they have taught together for years. (I thought about that Carl Rogers quote and about the different masks he must wear to hide who he really is.)

She insisted that I have rights as a student and that he can in no way give me a poor grade based upon my religious beliefs or upon what I said to him. She advised me to keep close track of my grades on tests, papers, quizzes, etc. and make sure that everything adds up correctly at the end of the quarter. She also advised me to question any grade I receive on those assignments if I feel that they merited a higher grade.

So, there ya go. I guess that's where I'm at, for today. Man, as if life couldn't get any more stressful going to school full-time as I (attempt to) stay afloat on the homefront with laundry, dishes...and, oh yeah, CARING FOR TWO YOUNG CHILDREN?!?!?!?! Oi veh.