ANGEL among us

This is going to be very hard to write but I've been thinking about it for weeks and really wanted to do this. Eleven years ago today, on October 23, 1998, Corey's mom, Diane Konow, went to be with the Lord. Unfortunately I never knew her so all I have to go on are lots of wonderful stories and a few pictures. The stories are all so precious of a mother and wife who worked hard, took care of her family, and gave of her time and talents at every available opportunity, and the pictures tell the same stories of such a beautiful and unselfish person. They are all inspirations to me and I can only hope to some day be the special "glue" that she was that held her family so tightly together day after day. I know that I missed out not knowing her and it makes me so sad. I'm so sad that I'll never get to ask her how to make vegetable soup or chicken casserole JUST the way Corey likes it, or how she would lift their spirits after it rained for days and they couldn't get their corn and beans in fast enough, or who she thought Corey looked like when he was born, or what the perfect gift would be for us to get Joe for his birthday, or what helped her with her morning sickness when she was pregnant with the boys.

Today is a bittersweet day. My heart literally breaks as I remember the story Corey told me about the phone call he received 11 years ago today telling him to get to the hospital ASAP...my heart literally breaks just imagining what it would be like to lose my soul mate and best friend and the life we shared together...my heart literally breaks just imagining what it would be like to lose my mother whether I was 26 years old or 56 years old after she had taken care of me for so long...and most of all my heart literally breaks knowing that our child, who is growing in my belly right now, will never get to crawl up in their "Nano's" lap and hug and kiss her and tell her how much they love her. BUT what gets me through a day like this is one of the sweetest truths I know and that is the fact that someday I will get to meet her in heaven and what a wonderful meeting that will be! That gives me comfort!...and the fact that I know she's an "angel among us" now who watches over her family and comforts and takes care of us all each day, just like she always did.

I want to share one of my favorite scriptures with you. It inspires me each time I read it and it seems so appropriate for today. There are 3 people who have touched my life in such special ways and I think of them every time I hear this scripture...my own mother, my Grandmama (mom's mom) and Corey's mom...

PROVERBS 31:10-12 and 25-31
A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.

She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.

She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her;

"Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Happy Birthday, Corey!

Today is Coreys 35th Birthday so I thought I would honor him with his own post. :-) I'm sure he will be impressed, if he ever sees it (he doesn't check our blog out much).

When it comes to birthdays, he is one of the most unselfish, laid back guys ever, so he doesn't expect much but I always try (or at least have good intentions) to do something special for him.

I planned on going to go to the Fatted Calf in Bowling Green after work today to get him a fillet and grill it for his supper (it's a butcher shop in BG) but he insisted that there was no need for me to go to the trouble and decided he would pick a place and we would just go out to dinner tonight. So, we'll go eat, come home so he can open his present, and then we'll have homemade birthday cake. That is, if it turns out. ha! For the first time in my LIFE I am making a birthday cake for him, which is a story by itself that I'll post later (with a picture of the finished product...and please don't be expecting much).

We had birthday dinner with his family at Montana Grille on Sunday night and had a wonderful time and we'll have dinner sometime this weekend with my family to celebrate his and dad's birthday.

With that said....Happy Birthday, Corey Lee! I hope you have the wonderful birthday that you deserve!

13 1/2 week doctor visit

Corey and I just spent half a day doing the doctor thing. Since we have chosen to go to an OB in Nashville, we have also chosen to spend lots of time on the road between here and there, but we definately think it's worth it.

The best part of the morning was the good news that Baby K is doing great! There are no worries whatsoever and she called him/her a VERY cooperative baby because the second she put the doppler on my belly we heard the heartbeat (170 BPM) loud and clear. She almost acted surprised that she heard it that fast. Awww...already taking after its mommy...being nice and cooperative! :-) She said that if we listened to the old wives tale that a heartbeat that fast would indicate a girl but NOT TO BELIEVE THAT because it does not hold true. So, still no gender clues. The worst part of the morning was all of the blood they had to draw! MAN...it was like 4 viles (of course I didn't look but Corey told me after)! I am a major weenie when it comes to drawing blood (although not as bad as I used to be) but I made it. They let me lie down and Corey was standing up with me reminding me to breath as I told him...my face it getting hot!!...my ears are hot!!...I think my ears are red!!...I'm getting really hot!!... :-) But he helped me calm down and once again I survived without passing out. We go back to the doctor on November 9th for our monthly check-up.

This week the baby is the size of a peach and will start growing faster and faster each week. Monday will start my second trimester and the major growing phase for both of us. She told me that it would be really beneficial to start exercising (blah!) so I guess we'll think about dusting off the tread mill and plugging her up again soon.

Wedding/Baby Present

I thought this was too funny and just had to share....

Mom ran into a sweet friend of our family in the last couple of weeks and they told her that they still had a wedding gift for Corey and me that she had been meaning to give us. We don't see them very much so that is totally understandable as far as I'm concerned. Mom said they talked a little bit and then mom shared our baby news with her. She didn't know we were expecting.

Yesterday she shows up at moms house with a wedding gift and a baby gift for us! She told us that we could just consider the wedding gift an anniversary present since it was so late. Of course we didn't care and thought it was just sweet of her to think of us. I just thought it was funny to be opening a serving spoon/fork and a bunny at the same time but then again...guess we really didn't waste a lot of time in between, did we?

Belly Pics

I thought I would wait until I had a few to compare before posting this. We've been taking pictures every 2 weeks to keep up with my growing belly. I've been taking them in the same spot with the same clothes on (tacky as the outfit may be...not sure why i picked this one to start with??) so that you could really compare them. Corey Lee is my photograher and doesn't let me miss my every 2 week photo shoot...actually they kind of look like mug shots. He's not a huge fan of the belly pics...especially sharing them, and I can't say that I blame him, so we will spare you the sight when I really start growing, or at least cover it up with a shirt. :-)

Today I am 12 weeks and 1 day and Baby Konow is about the size of a lime. My belly has definately grown more than the size of a lime (ha!) and has caused me to have to start wearing maternity pants (at 12 weeks....ahhh!) in order to be comfortable. I definately wasn't expecting this so soon but that little band was squeezing me and making it uncomfortable. Therefore, I am on day 2 of my 5 pairs of maternity bottoms weekly rotation...isn't that how it works? :-) Thank goodness Mom and I went shopping for maternity clothes and comfy shoes on Sunday.

I think I'm definately getting over the morning sickness stage too, which excites me to death! I haven't been too sick in about a week and have actually had 2 or 3 days in the last week where I feel pretty normal! Hooray! There are still a few icky days here and there....and I'm still completely drained by 8:00...but I'm getting over the hump and am thankful to be feeling as good as I am. I've heard better days are right around the corner, for a few months at least! Too bad for Corey, that means chores will start back where they left off. ha! Actually, he's been a HUGE help around the house lately. He'll stay up after I go to bed and get things done that I just didn't make it to that day. I couldn't do it without him!!