Life with The Longs

Updates and New Things

2011-04-07T08:27:00.005-05:00

I'm really not good at this blogging thing....I need to try to be better, but anyway....here's what's new with us.

1. I am starting a new job Monday 4/18. I've known it was time to move on for a while now, but I HATE change; however, I decided to take a job as a PA for an Allergy & Asthma practice in Frisco. Its a wonderful office and the staff is great and I think its going to be a great change! I'm still working 4 1/2 days a week but the pay and benefits are a lot better! It was hard to decided to leave my current office and I'm going to miss my patients sooooo much, but its time to move on.

2. My baby girl turned 1 last week! WHAT? How is that possible? This last year really did fly by. It was a fun, crazy year and I'm enjoying every stage so much. Morgan is so fun right now and just learning new things everyday!

3. My grandfather is battling lung cancer and its been a rough few months for he and my grandmother. Pray for peace and strength for them and for God's healing hands on my grandfather.

4. Tomorrow (Friday) Morgan is spending the night with my parents. This will be the 1st time she spends the night away from us. I'm excited for a fun night of dinner and a movie with Josh and sleeping past 6:30am on Saturday. Morgan and my parents will have lots of fun, I'm sure!

This and That

2011-01-26T08:58:00.003-06:00

So, life is a little crazy this week, but its improving day by day.

My grandfather (Sammy Morgan) was diagnosed with small-cell lung cancer just after Christmas. He started Chemo last week and seemed to be doing quite well. That is, until Sunday evening, when he was rushed to the ER for some breathing issues and turns out he has pneumonia and a critically low sodium level. His cancer has caused a condition called SIADH which causes low sodium levels. Sodium is critical for normal body functioning and too little can lead to seizures, coma, brain damage or worse. He is still in ICU but his level is improving every day. He is a pretty tough guy and I know he can pull through this! Please keep him in your prayers!

So...with him in the hospital, my grandmother is by his side, meaning Morgan is without her nanny, so...luckily my dad can watch her. She's been with Pappa J all week and he's been great with her! I'm very lucky to have family around, I know!!

Changing gears....

EVERYONE is sick! I do family practice so I always see my fair share of sick visits every day; however, lately that is ALL is see! Flu, Strep, Bronchitis, Tummy Bugs, Sinus Infections and more Flu, Strep, etc!! Wash your hands people! You don't want this stuff!

Lastly, my baby girl is getting so big! She took her first steps last week and she's still only taking 2-3 at a time, but she's getting there. We'll have a walker before we know it! Yesterday morning, I told her she looked so much older. Her hair is growing and she's just starting to look less like a baby every day! She says DaDa, MaMa, Mom, Bye-Bye and Pow (I know that's a weird one, but that's what we say when she gives us a high-five and it just kind of stuck). She does patty cake all by herself and she has the most precious little wave you've ever seen. She brings us so much joy!!!!!!

The Colony Long's 1st Annual Christmas Party

2010-12-20T21:20:00.004-06:00

Josh's aunt and uncle and their kids live just around the corner from us; which we LOVE! Marc and Tiff are more than our family, they are some of our very closest friends! We see them pretty often, but we decided we needed to have our own little Christmas party last week so the kiddos could play and exchange gifts. We went over to their house and had Marc's famous tacos and spent the evening watching the kids. Cade loves Morgan so much and he is so good with her and Landry loves to help take care of her! We are so blessed to have them so close!! It was a very fun new tradition!

12 Days of Christmas--Post #2

2010-12-20T20:53:00.003-06:00

We're still counting the days till Christmas and here is what Meems and Pop have given Morgan for "The 12 days of Christmas" days 3-8. (they are a little out of order...but I hate uploading pics on blogger. If any of you know an easier way to get them in order, please let me know!)

Day 7--Bath Toys

Day 8

Day 8---A new bow! Isn't it cute?! Great for Spring!

Day 3--A new Christmas bow

Day 4--Christmas socks

Day5--A new phone

Day 6--A sippy cup

So cute!

ONLY 4 more days to go!

Blanket or No Blanket????

2010-12-17T09:29:00.002-06:00

I have a question for all you moms out there. When your kiddos were little (around Morgan's age----8 months)...did you cover them with a blanket in the winter??? I always put Morgan in warm PJ's and socks and we keep the house warm, but I don't usually put a blanket in there because she's such a crazy sleeper I thought she'd just get out from under it anyway. But, I want to be sure she's warm.

So, what did you do?

12 days of Christmas-Post #1

2010-12-14T21:12:00.006-06:00

For several years now Josh's parents have done "The 12 days of Christmas" with their grandkids. Well, this is Morgan's first Christmas, so its the first time she has gotten to experience 12 days! Meems and Pop (Josh's parents) sent a big box of presents (each small things) labeled Day 1, Day 2, etc.... (And can you believe they also get them several other presents for Christmas day?...they spoil her, but hey, that's what grandparents do)

It started Monday 12/13 and here are the 1st 2 days so far!

Day 1: A new Christmas Ornament!

Day 2

Day 2...A book with my picture in it! So cute!
Its called--If You Were Santa

MORE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COMING SOON!!!

The crazy things people say

2010-12-12T21:46:00.005-06:00

Saturday we took Morgan to see Santa at Stonebriar mall. We had to wait in line about 40 minutes and of course, we were right behind Miss Chatty Cathy with her two kiddos. One was about 5 yrs old and the other was 10 months (I know because she told me practically her whole life story).

Anyway, I don't know how we started talking to begin with, but once we did, she looked at Morgan (who was sitting sweetly in her stroller minding her own business and eating Cheerios) and said "I was just thinking earlier when I saw ya'll that she looks really spoiled and I was thinking my son will one day have to deal with high-maintenance girls like her".

Ummm.....is that supposed to be a compliment? How should I take that. I really didn't know what to say, but you could tell that she didn't think she said anything wrong and that she thought she was being nice. I guess because her outfit was cute and she had a bow on that makes her high maintenance. I wasn't sure if I should smile or punch her in the face.

Fast forward to later Saturday night when we went to dinner at Snuffers.

Morgan loves going to restaurants so she was playing and flirting with strangers, as usual, when a guy who works there came over to tell us that he thought Morgan was very cute. He asked how old she was and then proceeded to say, "Well, you have about 3 more years before you say, I'm about done with you kid". WHAT??? Your done with your kid after 3-4 yrs? Do people never think before they speak?

The whole thing just made us laugh! People crack me up!

Money down the drain...literally!

2010-12-03T16:07:00.004-06:00

So our toilet in the master bath has been "Out of Order" for the past 3 weeks. It just had no pressure and would not actually flush. We have a "handy-man" that we use for a lot of things and we called him to come fix it (he's much cheaper than a plumber), but he was really busy so he just came today.

Well, did you know that tree/plant roots can grow into your plumbing system?? I had no idea. Then again, I know very little about how things work, etc. Apparently, some roots were in our system that he had to get out and now, presto...it works again! Thanks, that will be $65.

So, money down the drain! But hey, at least it works again.

Playing catch-up and recomittment to start blogging again!

2010-11-30T21:02:00.005-06:00

Ok, so as most of you can obviously see, I've fallen off the blogging bandwagon for a while. Don't worry, I still spent plenty of time reading all my friend's blogs, I just slacked off on mine! Well, I promise to restart, starting now!

Ok, to catch up:
Morgan is 8 months old today! WOW...how time flies! She's been sick since Sat night with a terrible runny nose, congestion and cough. Then she really stopped eating/drinking much at all and sure enough..she has her 1st ear infection. So, that means her 1st time on antibiotics. I consider us lucky that this is the 1st time, but I was hoping to postpone that even longer, but oh well. Anyhow...I'm sure she'll be better soon! (then we can both get some sleep around here again)

Morgan is crawling everywhere! At first it was army crawling; now its regular crawling with return to army crawling when she needs to get somewhere fast! Man, when your children can follow you around you suddenly cherish the days when they couldn't. (not that I don't want her to crawl, I'm very excited she is, its just that it makes for much crazier days and for saying the word "No" like a million times!)

Here's a few new pics!
More posts soon!

Don't cry over spilled milk

2010-08-02T21:52:00.003-05:00

Whoever made up that old adage obviously didn't pump breastmilk 5 times a day! I had a bottle of breastmilk (6 oz) in the fridge that I needed to put in a bag to freeze and as I went to get it out of the fridge I wasn't paying attention I guess and somehow I knocked it over, it flew off the shelf in the fridge and onto the wood floor in the kitchen. As it hit the floor, the plastic lid bust open and out spilled 6oz of my hard earned liquid gold!! I was like...."Nooooooooooooooooooo, I worked hard for that." Oh well. So I'm down to only 7 extra bags in the freezer, but hey, we are still doing good for now. 4 months and still only breastmilk. Hope to keep it up!

Can't resist the owl!

2010-07-31T13:00:00.004-05:00

I was in the sorority Chi Omega when I was in college! I LOVED it and have so many wonderful memories and friends from that time! The owl was our "mascot" and anytime I see anything with an owl for Morgan I have to get it!! I found this adorable onesie at a little shop in downtown Grapevine. Soooo cute! She also has some adorable owl PJ's from Gap that I bought for this winter (if any of my fellow Chi-O sisters are interested here is a link to buy them http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=12845&vid=1&pid=764363 )!!

I took these pictures of her this morning while singing "Chi Omega Yours Forever" to her!! (I think its her new favorite song!!)

4 months!

2010-07-31T12:44:00.004-05:00

4 months old! I can't believe its already been another month! Morgan is our little princess and continues to make us smile all the time. Her smile and laugh are infectious and when she smiles her whole face lights up!!! She's really playing with toys now and getting such a personality! Unfortunately, she's very impatient...one of my worst character traits to inherit! But all in all, she is just plain wonderful!!! We tried rice cereal last night and she wasn't a big fan, but we'll keep trying!

Her 4 month stats:
Weight: 14lbs 12oz---------75th-90th percentile
Height: 24.3 inches---------75th percentile

At least somone likes my singing!

2010-07-25T21:44:00.003-05:00

Yep, that's right...I have one major fan....MORGAN! I think we could say she's the president of my singing fan club! She loves for me to sing to her. I have sang songs to her since the day she was born. We sing while she takes a bath, we sing while we play, we sing all the time. We sing baby songs, church songs, silly mommy-made-this-up songs. Lately, she has gotten into throwing fits occasionally, especially when she is done riding in her car seat, but the one thing that makes her stop and start smiling again is me singing to her. Let's just say I have never been told I sing well, but now poor Josh has to hear me sing off key all day long! I actually sang the entire way from church to home today, just to keep her happy...O the things we do! It doesn't work when Josh sings to her, just mommy!

I have to admit though, it makes me happy that I make her happy!

Bows....they are just our thing!

2010-07-11T22:13:00.002-05:00

So you all know very well by now that my daughter wears a bow pretty much all the time. No, I don't put them on her when we are just at home or when she is with my grandmother during the day while I'm at work, but if we are going somewhere....she wears a bow. There are 2 reasons for this...#1 I LIKE THEM & I THINK THEY ARE CUTE! #2 People will know she is a girl.

The one day I didn't have a bow on her someone told me she looks like a boy because she is so big. Ugh, did you not notice the hot pink polka dot outfit she was wearing?

I get annoyed by so many people telling me that she doesn't need to wear a bow. Yesterday the lady taking her pics said "I just don't get the whole bow thing". At church, the lady in the nursery takes her bow off and puts it in the diaper bag as soon as I drop her off. She says "bows are my pet peeve".....Well, you taking her bow off is my pet peeve. Anyway, I like them. We have LOTS of them. And she is going to keep wearing them! They are fun and I think she looks precious!

More 3 month pics!

2010-07-11T22:01:00.003-05:00

So here are the pics of Morgan we had taken this weekend. Just a little fun at the local Picture People Studio. I was bummed that she wouldn't give us her big cheesy full-face smile for these pictues. I was acting like a crazy idiot, singing and making silly noises and she just wouldn't do it. As soon as the camera was off, she was back to her smiley self---of course! But....they are still great pics of her!

3 months!

2010-07-05T17:32:00.002-05:00

Morgan turned 3 months last Wednesday! WOW.....I can't believe how big she looks in these pictures! She is doing really great. Right now she is starting to really like sitting in her Bumbo and playing in her Baby Einstein exersaucer. She is sleeping from 8:30pm to 6:30am!!

She loves to hear herself make noises and smiles at pretty much anything!! She also LOVES to sing!! We sing all kinds of silly songs and she loves it!!! She's been occasionally laughing out loud for several weeks now, but she saves those laughs up and only lets them out when something is really funny!!

I love watching her explore, study things and play! She is starting to actually reach for toys now! So fun!!

Morgan is 2 months old!

2010-06-03T15:54:00.003-05:00

Morgan was 2 months old on Sunday!!! I can't believe how much she is changing. She is all smiles right now which is so fun! She's awake so much more and we're really getting into a routine now.

Her happiest time is on the changing table! She will smile and coo and talk every single time you lay her on it! She is still sleeping about 8 hrs straight at night and I think we are going to move her from the pack and play to her bed in her room this weekend (we'll see if I can really do it...I'm a little nervous, but she's just the next room away)!!

Here are her 2 month stats:

Weight: 12lbs 6oz ---90th percentile (breast milk agrees with her...she's my chunky monkey!)
Height: 22.5 inches-----75th percentile
Head: 15inches-----40-50th percentile

This weekend is mine and Josh's 6 yr anniversary, so Uncle Marc and Aunt Tiff are going to watch Morgan while we have dinner! (My parent's are sharing her with Marc and Tiff since they get to see her all the time and have kept her several times while we run errands!)

Of for the love of Pumping....

2010-05-12T15:50:00.004-05:00

So, first of all, I'm sitting at work waiting on my next patient and just finished pumping for the 3rd time at work today! Yep...I'm pumping 3 times a day at work, so I try to pump around each time Morgan should be taking a bottle. Its going well, but man, this is a chore! I mean, what girl doesn't love being connected to a milking apparatus that many times per day! When I sit there pumping I think "Man, I'm glad no one sees how ridiculous this looks!"

It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to clean all the pieces to the pump each time, but its really a hassle. I have to load up the pumping bag in the morning, all the pieces, bottles, etc, pump 3 times, load it all back up before leaving work, sterilize the pieces at night and repeat!

I love breastfeeding and I love that its going well! I really want to breastfeed for as long as possible and I am really very thankful that I have a job that can accommodate pumping, but it definitely takes determination! I just pray that my supply stays up enough for us to continue!

So much to do....so little time!

2010-05-11T13:46:00.004-05:00

Ok so I never realized there were so few hours in the day until I became a mommy! I mean, hello...I just can't accomplish all I'd like to in a day. (I know you're probably thinking, "then how do you have time to blog"...well I'm at work and eating my lunch right now and doing paperwork too) I know I'm talking mostly to moms since most people who read this are moms too, but seriously! I'd love another 2 hrs a day so I can get a few things done and still sleep. Right now I get about 6 hrs of sleep a night, not uninterrupted sleep but still 6 hrs cumulative and after 6 weeks its starting to catch up with me!

I could just let Josh give her a bottle at night and me go to bed early but she already has 3 bottles when I'm at work and I want to nurse her too, so sleep is the sacrifice I make.

I love being a mommy and I love Morgan so much! I just wish I had a little more time to do all the small things that life requires, but its all a work in progress! The 3 of us are learning together and Josh has been really great too!

And...I appreciate my mom sooo much!!! She has been so great! We have bonded in a whole new way since I became a mommy and we've always been very close! She has come over anytime I need her to, gone to the store for anything I need, helped me figure out what to do, let me get some sleep, and loved Morgan sooo much! There has only been 1 day of Morgan's life that she hasn't seen her Nana (at that day we took Morgan to Oklahoma to see Josh's family)! Thanks Mom, you are amazing!

Oh, and a little update on Miss Morgan, she is doing better (I think)...still congested in the nose, mainly in the morning and otherwise no other health issues and still no fevers yea!!!

I'll post pics of her church dedication soon!

3 more days

2010-05-06T19:49:00.004-05:00

I have only 3 more days until I have to go back to work. Its hard for me to even type that without getting teary. I have been very blessed to have a paid 6 weeks off, but that means Monday its all over. Wow, these 6 weeks has flown by!!

My days have been faster than any days I've ever known. They've been full of breast feedings, diaper changes, baby baths, being peed/pooped/spit up on, cuddling with Morgan, singing to Morgan, doing TONS of laundry, rocking Morgan, kissing Morgan, sleepless nights, happy tears, tired tears, sending Josh on endless trips to Babies R Us or Target, just simply staring at Morgan and thinking "How did I ever deserve this precious gift from God?" and realizing that I have never loved someone the way I love her!!!!!

These have been the best 6 weeks of my life! I am so blessed to have this little girl and I'm sooo going to miss being here to see her every minute of the day. However, I am also very blessed that my granny and mom will be the ones keeping her; that makes me feel comforted for sure!!

I LOVE my job..don't get me wrong. I spent lots of years and lots of money (that I'm still paying back) to have the career I have today, but next week will still be hard.

Please pray for me! Pray that I won't cry too much and make my patients think I'm crazy! Pray that Morgan will do great! Pray that I'll be able to get enough sleep to function during the day too!

Just another reminder that I have no control....

2010-05-05T19:21:00.003-05:00

What the heck....I've literally left the house with Morgan like 4 times ever, I make everyone wash their hands all the time and I have like 3 bottles of hand sanitizer around my house and don't let people touch her without using it....and she has a runny/congested nose...WHAT????

Yesterday she started sounding really nasally and congested and it just got worse overnight. I've had to use saline mist and bulb suction all last night and today. I took her to the pediatrician this morning and they think it could be a virus but they aren't sure. I hope its just allergies. Anyway....her lungs are good, no ear infection, no fever, just nasal stuff. BUT...you know its bad for a newborn to have fever, so please please pray with me that she doesn't develop a fever and that this clears up ASAP!

We are supposed to do baby dedication Sunday and the doctor said as long as she is getting better and not any worse we are fine to still do it, so pray for the best. And...I really am sad that the last few days I have home with her she's all congested and not feeling like herself.

I've been in tears several times today over it all....please pray for her to get rid of all this nasal congestion and that she is better very soon!!

Clean House??? When?

2010-05-04T19:36:00.004-05:00

I LOVE a clean house. I love those vacuum lines in the carpet...they make me very happy! I love shiny counter tops and the smell of cleaning chemicals! I love all clean and folded laundry and organized drawers and closets. I LOVE a made up bed. I made my bed EVERYDAY before work because it looks so pretty when I get home. I'm a little OCD and that's ok with me, but its very hard to be OCD with a newborn.

Will my house ever be clean again? I'm thinking maybe No!

How can one little girl cause such havoc on the cleanliness of this house. Everyday I clean, pick up things, do some laundry and yet it never looks totally clean. Ahhh....I think I may have to learn to live with a little more mess than I used to (but its not easy for me)

I'm realizing more everyday that I really have no control over anything. I used to think I did, but now I'm admitting that for the most part I don't. God grant me patience...its never been a strong suit of mine!

Oh well were movin' on up....

2010-05-04T19:29:00.002-05:00

Yep, we're movin' up...Diaper sizes that is! Morgan is out of her newborn diapers. It makes me sad! I can't believe it...the size 1 diapers look so big, but they fit her! Its crazy how much she's grown! We knew it was definitely time to move up to the size 1's when she had 2 big poopy blowouts in 1 week. The newborn size just wasn't big enough to cover the chunky hiney anymore.

And, its not just diapers. She has also outgrown a lot of her newborn clothes too. There are still a few brands and outfits size newborn that fit her, but she is wearing several of the 0-3 month clothes now. I actually packed up a small box of newborn onsies and nightgowns this morning. My baby is growing everyday!!!

In other news, she is starting to like bathtime more and more everyday! So fun!!!

One Month Old!!!

2010-05-01T12:44:00.003-05:00

My sweet little girl turned 1 month old yesterday! WOW....this month has flown by.

Morgan's 1 month stats:
weight: 9lbs 11oz---70-75th percentile
height: 21 in----50-60th percentile
head circ: 14----40-50th percentile

Morgan loves to eat, she is still only on breast milk and takes 1 pumped bottle a day (next week we start 2 a day because I go back to work soon....more on that later). She is a great sleeper too...I her feed around 9pm then we go to bed, mommy wakes her up to eat at 12am then she sleeps until 6:30!!! She smiles and laughs in her sleep and she is starting to occasionally smile back at us!! We are so in love with this sweet girl and can't believe she is growing so fast already!

Also, she is starting to finally enjoy bathtime! Yea!! (I think I wasn't making the water warm enough at first).

Morgan's 1st Bath

2010-04-12T19:53:00.003-05:00

Morgan's umbilical cord fell off at the end of last week, so we got to give her a real bath! Well, she wasn't really a big fan. It started off with a stunned look on her face and quickly changed to screaming and then finally she was a little happy by the time we were almost done. I think she was most happy to be wrapped up in her towel than anything else! Hopefully she'll grow to like them!

My life was changed forever in a moment and it was the best moment of my life!!!!!!

2010-04-07T12:52:00.003-05:00

So a lot has happened since the last time I blogged...I became a MOMMY on March 30th 2010 at 12:46 am...here's some pics and a brief overview to get us up to date!

I went to work on March 30th knowing I was already at least 4cm dilated and we knew it might be a possibility the dr would send us to the hospital that day, but I went to work as usual and Josh met me at the appt at 1pm. Sure enough, I was 5cm and almost fully effaced so she told us to go home, get our stuff, go to the hospital and get ready to have a baby! It was so surreal but before we knew it we were all checked into Presby and ready for baby to arrive.

The labor wasn't bad; however, Morgan's heart rate didn't respond well to my pushing and my dr was pretty sure the cord was wrapped around Morgan's neck....I didn't push very long and my dr said we had to get her out now because the cord was really wrapped tight around her neck, and so she encouraged me to push with all I had and if she wasn't out in 3 more pushes we'd have to do forceps or an emergency c-section....well, through my tears God gave me amazing strength and Morgan was born!!! 7lbs 3oz, 19 3/4 inches long!!

I will never forget the moment they layed her on my chest.....it makes me cry just typing about it!!! My life was changed forever in a moment and it was the best moment of my life!!!!!!

Morgan has done well, but she developed some jaundice and at first they just kept checking it for a few days and then decided she needed to be under "the lights" the help bring it down. I was in tears thinking they would bring this huge incubator-type thing to the house that she'd have to be in all day long, but to my suprise they brought out this "bili-blanket"....which is basically a blanket of lights that wraps around her toso and velcros on. We were able to hold her, feed her, etc all while she was under them. However, as of today, she no longer needs the lights because her level has came down...YEA!! And....she eats so well, she's already gained 9oz in 6 days since we left the hospital!!

Nights are going well, she wakes to eat every 3 hrs and then is back down until the next time...she really has been a wonderful baby!!

So...that pretty much brings us back to today! Josh is back at work as of yesterday and my mom is still here helping us. Life is good!! :-)

34 weeks and Pictures!

2010-03-02T14:04:00.004-06:00

I just finished with my 34 week appt, and things are pretty much on cruise control. My belly is measuring right at 34 weeks, gained a total of 18lbs overall and feeling pretty good (except for trouble sleeing). Next visit in 2 weeks will be my first "check" to see how things are progressing and the week after that we'll do our last sono to see how big little miss is getting!

My sister in law, Crystal, took a few maternity pics for us this past weekend. I wanted to have some pics to look back on but I didn't want to pay a forture for a formal session since in another month or so I plan on having some professional newborn pics of Morgan done. So, here are a few of my favorites...Crystal did a great job!

33 weeks!

2010-02-22T20:36:00.002-06:00

33 weeks!!! They told me at the doctor last Thursday that in 3 weeks that won't stop my labor if it starts and they won't let me go longer than 7 days max after my due date....That means between 3 and 7 weeks from now, Morgan will be here!!! Ahh....so crazy! I can't wait! I'm hoping she comes around 39 weeks on her own!

We had a wonderful 1st baby shower Saturday with lots of family. I'll post pics soon!

Car Shopping Weekend Here We Come

2010-02-12T14:04:00.002-06:00

We found out that Josh's SUV was indeed a total loss. The good news, at least, is that they are giving us a little over two thousand dollars than we owed on it, so we have extra money to put down on another car. But...this also means we have to spend the weekend shopping for cars.

We're looking for a used car but one that's still in really good condition and that will keep our payment about the same as it was. That, unfortunately, means that we have to look at a million different cars and on a million different lots. We've been looking online, but its hard to tell about the condition of a car based on 1 or 2 pictures online. So, that means my weekend will be spent looking for a car for Josh, haggling with sales reps and signing lots of papers. Boooooo. I wanted to go shopping for me clothes for my baby showers and for a wedding I have to go to in 2 weeks. Oh, well.

I'm going to put on my smiley face and enjoy shopping for cars with my hubby and my 8 month preggo belly!! :-)

Wish us luck!

Thankful !!!!

2010-02-10T14:01:00.003-06:00

The start of this week was not a good one and it was one of those days when you just wish you had a magic remote control for life and could go back and rewind the day, but......when it was all said and done I was so thankful for God's protection on us. Here's what happened....

Monday morning started off as usual; I left the house around 7:30, kissed Josh goodbye and was off to work. He usually leaves around 8ish, but by that time I'm already at work going over patent's lab work,etc. Anyway...my phone rang around 8:15 and Josh says "Don't be mad, but I just crashed my car. I'm ok, but my car is pretty bad." Of course I was panicked and went to get him. He hydroplaned during pouring down rain on Hwy 121 just a little way from our house. He spun and hit the cement barrier between the north/southbound lanes then bounced off and the back of his car hit a metal guardrail. Thank the Lord no other cars were involved. And, other than a slightly sore L shoulder, Josh is just fine.

We got the SUV toed, got Josh a rental and we are still waiting to hear back from the insurance on if its going to be a total loss of repairable.

But...all of that to say, that I am so thankful Josh is ok. Every morning I pray for God's protection for him, me and Morgan. I can't imagine life without Josh and its even scarier now that Morgan is almost here. Accidents happen, I know, but thankfully we were blessed to only have a banged up car.

Josh and I were both a little shaken up thinking about the fact that a few months from now Morgan could have been in the backseat, but, THANKFULLY, she wasn't! I know he'll be even more careful from now on!

Thank you Jesus for protecting him and keeping him safe for me and his baby girl!!!!!

30 weeks....only 10 more to go!!!

2010-01-31T17:35:00.002-06:00

Well, here's the belly at 30 weeks! I can't believe it, but she'll really be here before we know it! So exciting! Dr appt this Thursday, but it should be a pretty quick one. And...the heartburn is doing better....Yea! :-)

Oh Heartburn....How I Loathe thee!!!!!

2010-01-26T16:20:00.002-06:00

So I have been struggling with heartburn since practically the day I found out I was pregnant. I had NEVER in my life had a moment of heartburn before, but now...we'll its with me every day. At first I just did TUMS or Rolaids then I was sick of that and ok'd it with my doctor to start Zantac. I just take the Zantac 75mg dose (the OTC dose) once daily and since about 27 weeks that's not cutting it anymore either. It doesn't matter what I eat....it WILL cause "the burn".

So...I'm either going to have to switch to Zantac 150mg or try something else. Its making it hard to eat anything because I know I'll be hurting afterward and it makes sleeping not so fun either. I pray this goes away after she is born!

And...I do know about the myth that heartburn means a baby with lots of hair, but I didn't have any until I was 2 yrs old and at my 4d sono last week the sonographer said so far Morgan only has a tiny bit of fuzz on the back of her head. So, I think its totally a myth, but we'll see soon enough!

And for the record.....I have had such a great and wonderful pregnancy and I've really enjoyed being pregnant, so even if I didn't have anything to take at all for heartburn....She would definitely be worth it!!!!! :-)

29 week update and 4d ultrasound pics

2010-01-23T18:24:00.004-06:00

Thursday night we had a 4d ultrasound! It was so fun to see her moving around and yawning. She is already getting some cute little fat cheeks and I love that! The sonographer said it doesn't look like she has any hair.....which is what I expected, so we'll just have to see.

It is so surreal to actually SEE her. I can't wait to get my hands on her!!!

I also had a dr. appt yesterday and things are going great! My belly is back to measuring on track and they said she is measuring right on track as well. Based on sono measurements they think she is about 2lbs 14oz right now. I still have only gained 11 lbs total, but my dr isn't worried about it since she is growing perfectly....I guess maybe its to be expected because my mom didn't gain much at all during her pregnancies either. (but who knows, I could still gain quite a bit in the next 11 weeks)

Here are a few pics of her....enjoy!

29 weeks

28 weeks and Pics of Morgan's Room!!!!

2010-01-17T16:43:00.005-06:00

Well...we've officially entered the 3rd trimester! I'm now 28 weeks! I have an ultrasound and dr appt this Friday, so we'll get to see about how much she is weighing now. She is still very active and I LOVE every kick and movement!!!! I'm starting to have a little trouble getting comfortable and sleeping at night, but other than that...we're doing great!

And, here are the pics of Morgan's Room....its even cuter in person. I'm really happy with how it turned out!

Big baby????

2010-01-07T16:59:00.004-06:00

Today was my 26 week appt. I am actually 26 weeks 5 days today, so almost 27 weeks, but my belly measured at 28 weeks today. My weight gain has been great....I'm only up 11 lbs total so far. Morgan was her usual active self during my visit and kicked the doppler monitor when she was checking her heartbeat! I think she's going to be quite a mess!! Anyway, my doctor seems to think she may be a little bigger than average so we'll do a quick sono at my next appt in 2 weeks to get an idea. She also said that I might be measuring a little big because my weight gain was so low at first that maybe she just finally had a growth spurt and will level off now.

Anyway.....as long as she and I are both healthy, I'm happy! (but hopefully she won't be as big as her daddy when he was born....9 lbs...ahh)

Now, I start going every 2 weeks! Crazy, huh? She'll be here before we know it!

26 weeks......and Growing!

2010-01-03T19:52:00.002-06:00

Oh, my goodness....my belly is growing so fast now! I took my 21 week picture in this same shirt....5 weeks makes a BIG difference! I'm starting to get scared that I'm going to get huge!

I have my doctor's appt this week (Thursday)...pray I'm measuring well and everything is still right on track!

My new car!

2009-12-28T20:28:00.004-06:00

Josh decided it was time to trade in my black car for a little bigger, "safer" car before Morgan arrives. He also thinks the end of the year is the best time to buy and if we traded now we could make some money on my car....so Saturday after we got back into town, we went looking for a new car. We pretty much knew what we wanted because I've liked them for a while now and so by Saturday evening we were the new owners of a 2010 Mazda CX-7.

I love it!!! It drives great and it even has bluetooth in the car so it recognizes my phone and when someone calls me it just rings through the stereo and I can talk hands free in the car!

Thanks Joshy! Morgan and I LOVE it!

Here is a pic....mine looks just like this. Color is the same as shown in the pic....white!

Lost in the snow!

2009-12-28T20:05:00.004-06:00

This year we headed up to Oklahoma on Thursday afternoon just as it was started to snow here in the area. Its wasn't yet freezing here so the roads were just fine....that is until we crossed into Oklahoma. Suddenly the roads were slick and we had to drive about 40mph the rest of the way to Ardmore, but we made it safe and sound at around 4pm on Christmas Eve.

Josh went outside to bring in our luggage and all our gifts while it was snowing like crazy. Somehow, his hands were wet from the snow and his wedding ring slipped off his hand and onto the snow covered grass. We went outside to look for it, but could barely see our hands in front of our faces it was snowing so hard, so we decided to wait until it melted and look for it then. Well.....by Saturday morning it still hadn't really melted off and the ring was buried under some 6 inches of snow. I decided to put on my gloves and just start rummaging through the snow in the general area of where he lost it and low and behold....I got really lucky! I bet I only looked for about 3-5 minutes and found it! YEA!!! Josh was so happy to have it back!

All in all, It was a beautifully white Christmas!!! Here are a few pics in the snow!

Our nephews outside playing on Christmas morning....this was BEFORE they started crying because their hands got so cold!

As the belly grows...24 weeks!!!!!

2009-12-20T17:21:00.002-06:00

My belly is growing by the minute.....she is really showing now!!!!

Show us Your Christmas Tree

2009-12-06T15:44:00.004-06:00

My friend Jennie started this blog, so I thought I'd pass it on!

This is my Christmas tree. My mom and I have always loved making our Christmas trees beautiful. My tree is red, silver and white. I've added several things to it over the years and I really love it! When Morgan gets here, I'm planning on setting up another one in the front room to put all her fun ornaments on!

This is our 1st Christmas together ornament. It was given to us by Josh's aunt and uncle (Stephanie & Mike)....I LOVE it. (And...Jennie, I think its the same one ya'll have)

21 weeks!

2009-11-29T17:53:00.001-06:00

Definitely getting bigger!!!!! :-)

Morgan's Bedding Fabric!

2009-11-22T18:15:00.004-06:00

So we got the material for Morgan's bedding all picked out this weekend. I'm going for pink and green with some accents of chocolate brown. The wall behind her bed will be pink with lighter pink scroll-like swirls painted on top with her Monagram in green above her bed (sorry...its kind of hard to explain) and the other 3 walls will be a very light green (like the color of the green fabric below).

Here are the main fabrics for her bedding. I'm also using a pink/brown/green stripe for some accent pillows and her curtains.

20 Weeks!!

2009-11-22T18:11:00.003-06:00

YEA!! 1/2 way there!!! Not a big change in the bump this week, but maybe a little! Enjoy!

19 weeks and counting!

2009-11-15T20:15:00.003-06:00

Baby bump update here! I'm 19 weeks and 1 day!!! Morgan is doing great and my belly is growing by the day it seems!!!! :-)

Josh got to feel her move for the 1st time on Friday!!! We went to dinner at BJ's in Lewisville and as we were walking in I was telling him that I hadn't felt her moving much that day; well as soon as we sat down and started looking at the menu, she started kicking me like crazy!!!! I thought it wouldn't last long, but she just kept going. So I told Josh to come sit on my side of the booth and feel. I put his hand on my belly and sure enough she kicked him!! He was a little startled by it, but it was really cute! HE LOVED IT!! And I LOVED that he got just a little experience of what I get everyday! Its the best part of being pregnant I think!!!

We had a busy weekend, I co-hosted a baby shower Saturday then we went to Oklahoma Saturday evening and this morning saw our oldest nephew Tucker get baptised!! It was great!!

Baby Bump

2009-11-08T19:29:00.008-06:00

18 weeks!

Ok, its been 2 weeks since my last bump update. In 2 weeks, my belly has definetly grown a lot! I went Friday night and bought a pair of maternity jeans and a few pairs of slacks for work. My regular clothes all still fit but some of them put a lot of pressure on my belly. I can't believe I'm almost 1/2 way to meeting my baby girl!! :-)

Be sure to read the post below to find out her name!!!! :-)

What's in a name.....

2009-11-08T18:59:00.005-06:00

Josh and I really liked 2 girls names and we've had a hard time deciding which to pick if our baby was a little girl....However, when we found out Friday that we were for sure having a baby girl, it was pretty easy for us to decide. One of the names just "fit". So, our baby girl's name will be:

Morgan Laurice Long

Morgan was my mom's maiden name. Obviously that makes it my grandparents last name and therefore it is very special for my family. Laurice (which is pronounced "Lor-Reese") is Josh's mom and sister's middle name. So she will be named after both our families!

It has been fun saying, "she" and "her" the past few days; it makes it so much more real!!!

Baby bump pics coming soon....I've definitely got more of a bump in the past 2 weeks!

So...Its a GIRL!!!!

2009-11-06T14:00:00.006-06:00

We are so excited to announce that our sweet baby is a little...............GIRL!!!!!!
The sono girl said she has been doing this for a very long time and she was very sure its a baby girl. She said "If I'm wrong, I'll re-paint your nursery." So, that made me happy that she wasn't just guessing.

I'm only 17 weeks and 6 days today as I was originally supposed to have my sono next week but my OB had to be out of clinic that day so they rescheduled me to today. Well during the sono just after they told us the sex, baby turned with her back facing up/face facing down and the sonographer said she couldn't get a good look at all the anatomy. She also said that its hard to see as much of the heart as they'd like this early on as well so they want me to come back at 20 weeks to finish looking at the rest of the organs.

My OB also said I need to gain a little more weight as I'm only up 3 lbs total so far. Otherwise, all looks great.

Next sono and visit is on Nov 23rd.

Friday is the Big Day!

2009-11-04T16:36:00.003-06:00

Well, I realized that I never posted to update that my Quad screen at 15 weeks came back normal with no increased risk of chromosomal abnormalities. YEA!!

I was supposed to go in Monday for my 18 week visit and anatomy sono but my OB's office called today to tell me she had to be out on Monday and wanted to know if they could change my appt to THIS FRIDAY or wait until the next week!!!! Of course I said YES to this Friday!!! Josh and I are so excited to find out if this is a little boy or little girl!!!!

Pray that all looks well and baby looks healthy and great!!!!!

Oh, and I've been feeling the baby move more and more everyday!!! VERY FUN!!! :-)

Tag

2009-10-27T08:46:00.006-05:00

I have been tagged by Julie... Thanks girl! Julie is a wonderful friend of mine that I met in the Young Married's Sunday School Class about 5 yrs ago. I've watched her go from a married girl with no kids to now having 3 beautiful children and she has been a wonderful example to me. I think she is a great mother and I know I've learned things from her that will help me with my kids...AND I'm so happy she'll be there for me when I need her advice when baby Long arrives!

So, Here's the deal with this tag: share five things you're obsessed with and then pass the award on to the five most fabulous blogs you know.Just so you know it's going to be hard to narrow the list to 5 things.OK, here we go...

1. I'm totally obsessed with vacuuming the house. I LOVE a freshly vacuumed floor. 1/2 our house is wood and the other 1/2 is carpet. When I get home, if I can't see the vacuum lines on the floor then I usually break out the vacuum. That means that I probably vacuum about 5 times per week, BUT....it just makes me feel good!!

2. I'm obsessed with Planning! Its probably a character flaw of mine but I always feel the need to plan things....from what we're doing this weekend to my plan for next year...I'm just a natural born planner. I blame it on my dad. I drives Josh a little crazy but he's gotten used to it over the years. I'm trying to change, but is a slow process.

3. I'm obsessed with our sweet dog Maggie. I love her so much! She has been such a wonderful addition to our house and most of the time I talk to her like she's a real person. She's really great around kids and would never hurt a fly so I'm really excited about the baby growing up with her.

4. My TV shows and my DVR. Oh DVR, what did I ever do without you?? I am embarrassed to admit how many shows I record on a weekly basis but I'll list the biggies....Dancing with the Stars, 90210, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice and Project Runway. How did this happen??...I have no idea, but I love them all and watch them when I can. (Often on Sunday afternoon while I do laundry)

5. I'm currently obsessed with wanting to feel the baby move. Last Thursday when I was lying on the couch watching Grey's I thought I felt him/her move. I'm in my 16th week and I know people often start feeling "flutters" about now. So...in the evenings I'm always trying to be still and hope I feel something. Its so crazy that there is a tiny moving little life inside there...I can't wait to start feeling those kicks!! :-)

Here's who I tag:

Baby Bump

2009-10-26T09:04:00.003-05:00

I decided that since I'm 16 weeks now, its about time I start taking more pics. My belly is finally starting to change a little. I'm still in my normal clothes but I don't know that I will be much longer. So...here are the first of the belly bump pics! 2 weeks from today we get to find out if we're having a baby boy or baby girl!!! YEA!! :-) Happy Monday everyone!

This was at 8wks!

Now...16 weeks

16 weeks...close up

Blood Test Tomorrow

2009-10-21T10:15:00.006-05:00

I'm currently in my 15th week and traditionally women are encouraged to get the "Quad Screen" done between 15 and 18 weeks of pregnancy. This is a blood test that screens for a few chromosomal disorders like downs syndrome and also for neural tube defects. Its only a screening test and I am pretty familiar with it because of PA school. All my patients at Parkland all had it done and we were taught in school that its very routine and should really be done on everyone. Well, now that its my time to have it done, I'm finding myself a bit nervous.

I know there is about a 5% chance of a false positive screen (meaning the screen is abnormal but the baby is really just fine) which worries me a bit.....which I'm sure is no surprise to any of you given that I often worry about a lot of things.

Well, my doctor recommends doing the test because it could possibly change the rest of the pregnancy care or delivery...like I might need to be followed by a high-risk doctor or I might need to have a c-section, etc. She knows this test will not change anything for us other than just knowing if something is wrong ahead of time. My doctor is great and I trust her totally and I would be saying the same thing to my patients if I were in her place. But...I'm just REALLY ready for it to be done with and get the results back. It will take about a week, so please pray all is well and baby Long is a healthy baby!!!!! And...pray that I won't worry about it in the meantime.

Baby Update!

2009-10-16T09:24:00.003-05:00

Dr's appt yesteray and baby Long's heartbeat was very loud and strong at 158. My mom went with me to the appt because Josh was really busy at work and she was so excited to hear the heartbeat...now she's convinced its a girl!

We'll just have to wait and see.....Ultrasound on Nov 9th to find out!!!! YEA!!! CAN'T WAIT!!!!

So ready for Friday!

2009-10-07T09:49:00.004-05:00

Well, I've been a single-lady for the past 13 days and I am soooo ready for my husband to come home! He doesn't usually have to travel with his job, but he's currently been in Michigan for work since Sept 24th. It has been really strange not having him to eat dinner with or fall asleep with or wake up to in the morning. I've spent a lot of time with my mom & dad, granny and friends from church, but I miss MY HUBBY! He comes home on Friday and I can't wait!!!! We are going to have a wonderful, relaxing weekend together and probably go out for a fun dinner Saturday night.

In baby news, I'm 13 weeks and feeling really good. Still tired often, but that's about it! 5 more weeks till we find out the sex! Yea!!

Baby Update!

2009-09-17T19:26:00.002-05:00

I went to the doctor today, 10 weeks and 5 days. Josh went with me because we were supposed to be able to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time. (Last visit we saw the heartbeat on the sono but didn't get to hear it). Well, she couldn't seem to find it with the handheld doppler so we went back and did a quick sono to make sure all was well and the heartbeat was good. I'm glad Josh was there! The baby was moving around like crazy in there and his/her hearbeat was 146 and that's great!!!

YEA! Please continue to pray all is and will keep going well!

Britney Here I Come!

2009-09-17T19:20:00.002-05:00

Ok, so please don't judge me, but I have wanted to see Britney Spears in concert for several years. I have never gotten to and well, she's coming to Dallas (tomorrow)!!

Let me first say that I don't like her as a person, I think she has lots of issues, but I know she puts on one of the best concerts ever! So....my sister-in-law and I got tickets at the last minute (they are really pretty good seats) and tomorrow after work we are going! YEA!!

I figure, I'm about to be a mommy and I need to do these things now while its easy to just decide to do things like this at the last minute. And yes, I asked my doctor and she was fine with it. The area is non-smoking so no worries about that.

I CAN'T WAIT!!!!! :-)

What's that noise??

2009-09-15T09:18:00.003-05:00

So Sunday after church Josh and I got groceries and then came home and were going to take a nap (as we often do on Sundays). As he was changing clothes I was in the kitchen putting up groceries and noticed the fridge was making a very strange noise. It sounded like a lound fan and you could hear it from the living room. Well, of course I called Josh in there to check it out. He said it was nothing and would probably stop by the time we got up from our nap, so I let it be.

Well, we woke up 1.5 hrs later and I could still hear this strange noise from the fridge. I started telling Josh we needed to call someone, blah, blah, blah. He pulled the fridge back, unplugged it....and the noise was still there! I was like "see Josh, something is wrong...lets call a repair man." He was sure it was nothing so I went in the other room while he proceeded to "fix" it.

A few minutes later I find him craking up in the kitchen and he tells me he fixed it. Turns out, the bottom cabinet that is right next to the fridge holds a few odds and ends that we don't use much (including 2 of those bottles that hold water and have a motorized fan to keep you cool when outside, etc). Apparantly when I was putting things away, I somehow nocked one over and it turned itself on causing a awful, loud, "fan" noise which I mistook for the fridge. Thank goodness we didn't pay to have a repair man figure that out!!!!

Is there really a baby in there?

2009-09-04T14:42:00.003-05:00

Apart from my stomach never feeling quite "normal" (and by that I mean I'm either nauseous, not hungry at all or completely starving), I don't really feel pregnant. Its strange to think there is actually a baby growing inside me! I know it will feel more real when I start showing and can feel the baby move and I'm excited for that!! As of now....I just feel a little fat and nauseous (but happy!!)

FYI....I'll be 9 weeks tomorrow!

Feeling Yucky....but for a good cause!

2009-08-26T16:07:00.004-05:00

Well almost immediately after I finished typing my last blog entry I stated feeling the beginnings of nausea set it. It seems to come in the early afternoon and last all evening. Last Thurs-Sun were really terrible and I spent most of the evening laying on the couch. I get really hungry for dinner but take 1 or 2 bites and can't eat anymore. But...NO vomiting yet, So that's good news! Josh has been really sweet and has gotten me crackers, ginger ale, preggo pop suckers, sea sickness wrist bands...pretty much anything and everything to help! I really don't want to take any medicine if I can avoid it and the wrist bands have helped a lot!

Today has actually been much better....but I don't want to jinx it!!! Its all for a wonderful cause! :-)

Speaking of a good cause.....That's what I'm reminding myself when I look in the mirror and see my horrible roots that are in desperate need of new highlights but my OBGYN wants me to wait until 12 weeks to have it done...only 5 more to go!!!!!

Things are changing!

2009-08-19T21:11:00.002-05:00

We are having a baby!!!!

I am 6 weeks and 4 days today. We went for our first OB appt today and saw the baby's tiny heartbeat on the ultrasound! We just wanted to wait to see the heartbeat before telling everyone. I've been feeling really great. Nothing to really complain too much about. As soon as Josh scans the sono pictures, I will post them (although its still very tiny right now).

Please pray the baby continues to grow and develop normally and that he/she will be a healthy baby.

I promise to keep you updated!

MIA

2009-07-11T08:56:00.005-05:00

Ok, so I've been a little MIA on the blog updates lately. Not too much has been going on here, but I'll go ahead and give you a little synopsis on what's been happening with us:

Work: My work is going great! Our clinic was a little slow last week, but things seems to be back to normal this week so all is good! I really enjoy being a PA and I am reminded everyday that medicine is a life-long learning experience.I've realized that I really love patient education and helping my patients understand and take a personal interest in their health. Josh's work was a bit stressful for a while, but things are really going great now!

Bdays: Josh turns 29 on Monday and I'll turn 27 in a few short weeks.

Vacation: Josh and I haven't taken a vacation, just the 2 of us, since our honeymoon 5 yrs ago. Me being in school really put a damper on travel. But, now that I'm free, we're off to Mexico at the end of the month. I'll be taking along my Twilight book series, laying by the pool and working on my tan! Sounds heavenly!

Family: We've been enjoying getting to spend a lot more time with family lately. My mom, dad and brother live close so we see them alot. We spent the 4th with my brother and his wife at Kaboom Town in Addison.....an annual tradition for us! We hosted a Long Family get-together in June for all of Josh's family (aunts, uncles, cousins all included), we had about 28 people here and it was fantastic! We've also enjoyed seeing out sweet nephews and niece and went to Ardmore a few weeks ago for Leah's baby dedication!

That's about all of the major issues in our life. Here's a few recent pics...Enjoy!

My little 2nd cousin (baby Jessica)

Josh with Leah

Me and Leah

Crystal and I at Kaboom Town

My brother and Crystal with us at Kaboom Town

We LOVE Kaboom town!

Making Changes....Before and After

2009-05-23T23:01:00.007-05:00

Since we had some free time this weekend we got to work on our guest bedroom. When we moved in we hated the color of the room but just made do and pretty much left the door closed since we didn't like it. Well, we got new bedding and just ran with it. We got up early this morning and started painting....Josh was great and we actually had fun with it. My mom helped me pick out the wall decor and made the beautiful arrangements above the bed. I can't believe that we did all this in 1 day!! Yea!

We also got new curtains today (which I LOVE) for our front living area. Things are really coming along with the house!

Guest Room Before....Awful!

Guest Room AFTER

After (sorry about the the weird shadow the light casted on the wall)

After

New Curtains in front living area

Fun in Tulsa with Amanda & Graham

2009-04-19T19:52:00.003-05:00

I went to Tulsa Thursday-Saturday to visit Amanda, a wonderful friend of mine from my college/Chi Omega days, and her new baby Graham. Her hubby had to go out of town for work so it was a great time for me to visit and also be able to help her while her husband was away. It was a wonderful trip. It was great to catch and talk with Amanda while getting to know her sweet baby boy and learing his little personality. It definetly made me leave Tulsa wanting a baby! I am so blessed to have such an amazing friend...who is really more like family. She's only been a mommy for 6 weeks but is already WONDERFUL at it! Look at this sweet little face....he really is precious!

Good Friends

2009-04-15T17:44:00.005-05:00

I am a lucky girl...blessed to have some really great friends and a few that will always hold a special place in my heart. Well, life gets busy and sometimes WAY too much time goes by before you see them. Well, tomorrow I am flying up to Tulsa to see one (and hopefully two) of my very best friends from my Chi Omega days. Amanda just had her 1st baby and while her husband is away for work I am going to stay with her and baby Graham and enjoy 3 days of catching up. We're hoping Erin is going to be able to join us for a little while too!!!!! We lived together for 4years and for those 4 years they were my family.....and always will be! I'll be sure to take pics and post them when I return!!!!

Can't wait!

Jinx

2009-03-31T12:34:00.004-05:00

Ok, so I totally jinxed myself since last last night I got one of my terrible headaches....1st one in quite a few weeks but I feel like crap!

Headaches be gone!!!

2009-03-30T18:57:00.009-05:00

So if you know much about me you know that I have suffered with headaches since my early college years. I have been on many different meds and I do use a medicine that helps me when I start feeling bad; however, I still get headaches every week and sometime multiple days per week. Its terrible!!!

Well...a little over 3 weeks ago on a Sunday I was feeling awful...my head was killing me and despite medication my headache still wasn't going away. My mom came over to massage my neck and shoulders (she's always so sweet to me) and she mentioned that maybe I should get a chiropractic adjustment to help. My medical training is obviously in western medicine and although we learned alot about other medical treatments, I can't say I know tons about things like chiropracty and how it works. Conveniently, my brother is in chiropractic school and he's pretty dang amazing!

I had never been adjusted before so I didn't really know if it would make a difference for me, but since my brother has his own adjusting table and has been taking a lot of neck and upper back adjusting courses, I decided to give it a try. He came over to my house, set up his table and adjusted my neck and back. I couldn't believe how much better I felt even the same day! The rest of that week I didn't have any headaches and I've been adjusted every weekend since then and have probably only had 1 headache total during this whole time! I've been really amazed! I'll keep taking my medicine, no doubt, but I've become a real believer in how much a chiropractor can help! And...I'm really proud of my little brother....he's going to be great!

Then & Now!

2009-03-10T21:24:00.008-05:00

As you all know Josh and I have been together a long time (12 years as of Feb 8th)! We've been married for 5 this June and I love him more every day! But....many of you have asked to see pics of us from back in high school, etc.....well, here ya go! I think we've improved over the years!

Now-2008

~1998 (high school).....its amazing the difference 10 years can make!

Early college years (~2001)

These pictures make me laugh! We've been through so much together, Josh is my very best friend in the whole world! I can't wait for many many more years together!

Our New Niece

2009-03-08T19:40:00.003-05:00

Our sweet little niece Leah Charlene Long was born this past Thursday! She is such a beauty and looks alot like her big brother when he was a baby. She was 8bs 4oz, 19.9 inches long! Melanie (my sister-in-law) did great and Leah was born safe and healthy! We had to go out of town this weekend so I haven't gotten to see her in person yet, but next Saturday......I'm going to be loving on her like crazy! Now, we've got 3 nephew and 1 niece.....we're becoming quite the experimenced Aunt and Uncle...gonna have to get busy on changing that into mommy and daddy before too long I hope!

A Work in Progress

2009-02-22T21:11:00.004-06:00

This weekend Josh and I got a great deal on a leather sofa for our front living area which has been empty since we moved in!!!! I went on a mini shopping spree yesterday and got quite a bit of stuff to complement the sofa (including some awesome throw pillows from Pier One). Now we're looking for a matching pair of leather chairs to complete the room!

Better Late Than Never!

2009-02-12T19:43:00.010-06:00

I guess its about time I posted some pics of our new house. I made my friend Amanda post her baby bump pictures with the promise I would post pics of the house since we both live too far from each other to see them in person! So.....to Amanda (and all my other friends and family who haven't seen it yet)...here they are! We're still working on things but we're getting there!

Street View

Guest Room that still needs a lot of work
....Sorry its at the beginning....blogger makes it so hard
to post pics in any order!

office view 1

office view 2

Entry & Empty front living area....we're working

on getting furniture and a rug for this room

view from entry

dining room

Kitchen View 1

Kitchen View 2

Wall with a few classic Shel Silverstein Poems/Quotes

Family Room View 1

View from standing at kitchen sink

Family Room

Our Room with Our new bedroom furniture that I LOVE!

The room is not as small as it looks here!

It is so nice having a King Bed after sleeping in a Full for 4.5 years

I don't know why the reflection in the mirror looks

like a checkerboard....the walls are not really like that

Hallway Bathroom

What will one day be our nursery....yes we already have a crib (its a long story)

We still have a some things we want to do but

we're really LOVING IT!!

COME VISIT US!!!!!!

Work Update!

2009-01-21T15:42:00.004-06:00

I just wanted to post an update on my wonderful new job! Things are really going great! I've seen around 98 patients just since I started two and half weeks ago! I've had some really great and interesting cases and have lots of really wonderful patients who have graciously accepted me as a new provider in the office. Life is really wonderful right now! We've changed out some light fixtures in the house and got some new furniture too. So I will try to post some house pics this week...sorry its taken me so long to get around to doing it. AND.....bootcamp is getting a little easier and I've lost 4 lbs so far too! YEA!

Bootcamp!

2009-01-10T19:58:00.003-06:00

Well, I started a women's bootcamp this week. Tiffany (Josh's aunt & our neighbor) has been trying to talk me into it for a while and since now I live so close to where it is and I'm not that busy, I decided I needed to get more serious about my workouts and do it! I don't really know what it is that I expected, but its REALLY hard. Basically, its a solid hour 3 times/week of non-stop cardio/weight training/body weights combined with almost throwing up multiple times (I never actually did) and sweating like I've never done before. The instructor is actually very sweet and encouraging, is 13 years older than me and probably has 1% body fat, if that. She's really amazing, but works us soooooo hard. I have never been more sore in my life. Every muscle in my body hurts and for the last few days my hamstrings have been so sore that I can't walk completely normal. I'm definetly going to keep it up and I have friends doing it with me to keep me motivated, but I'm just praying that before long some of this soreness starts to go away (although, I've been told since every workout is different, the soreness just moves to different areas). What did I get myself into????

1st week on the job!

2009-01-05T19:47:00.003-06:00

This was my 1st week working as a real PA!! Wow...I really can't believe it! It was WONDERFUL! I've been pretty busy this week (much busier than I expected for the 1st week) and on my first day alone had 13 patients on my schedule!!! Everyone at the clinic is really great and what's crazy is it didn't even feel like work....which I guess is all you can ask for in a job!

The House is Ours!!!!!

2008-12-30T20:42:00.004-06:00

We Closed On The House Today!!!! YEAH! Its all done and we finally own our 1st house! And, we bought a new dining room table and a new bedroom suit today as well! So, we're done making large purchases for quite some time.

Thank you guys for the prayers through my exam and all this house drama....we appreciate it more than you know! We owe ALL that we have to God!!!

Closing!

2008-12-27T17:26:00.003-06:00

Just thought I'd share that we close on the house on Tuesday! YEA!

We are really loving being here in our 1st real "home". Can't wait to have some parties here!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

Good News!

2008-12-23T09:24:00.003-06:00

I wanted to share the good news that...I PASSED my certification test! I'm officially a certified PA!!!! And....we are all moved into our house and thanks to my family we are all unpacked with everything on the walls and all! Thank you all for the prayers! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I'll try to post pics of the house later today!

Graduation!

2008-12-20T20:59:00.002-06:00

Here are a few pics from Graduation last weekend! It was a wonderful day! I'm going to miss these 5 girls sooo much! BUT....now we can all meet after work for happy hour!

Moving Day is tomorrow! The movers are coming at 7am! More pics to come soon!

Finally!

2008-12-19T18:20:00.003-06:00

Well....ITS OVER! I took my certification exam today and although it was VERY long (it took me about 5 hrs), I feel pretty good about it and really think that I probably passed. Last night I read a verse in 2 Corinthians that said simply..."My grace is all you need"; I totally felt His hand on my today!! Thanks for all the prayers! Please continue to pray that I DID actually pass and that my scores will come in soon so we can close on the house. (They are supposed to be posted online no later than Dec 31st.)

We move into the house on Sunday!!!! God is good!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Moving....and Studying!

2008-12-12T22:51:00.003-06:00

Well I thought I should post an update on all our house craziness. Basically our lenders won't let us close on the house until they "know" that I will be able to start my job as a PA (i.e. they want to be sure I will be making money). So that means they won't let us close until after I know that I've passed my PA certification exam. So....since us and the sellers were already planning on moving they are letting us go ahead and move in as planned, lease it for a couple weeks and we'll close as soon as I get my "passing" score on the exam. I graduate Sunday (YEA!) and then take the PANCE (PA National Certification Exam) on Friday the 19th. Then the movers come to move us in on Sunday the 21st!! The scores are available online and should be posted before Jan 1st. Its all pretty stressful but we're super excited about being in the house! But...it is all riding on me passing that test....the house, my job...all of it is riding on one test. I know I'm ready and in my heart I know I'll pass but it still make me very nervous. PLEASE, PLEASE keep me in your prayers as I study for this test. I know I'm ready and I know I will continue studying until next Friday comes, but pray I will stay calm and allow God to take care of it all! I would greatly appreciate the prayers...especially next Friday!!!

2008 Holiday Photos

2008-11-25T15:15:00.002-06:00

Most of you know that I always send out photo cards for Christmas. I've done it since our first Christmas as a married couple and I will continue to do it forever! I just love photo cards!! Well, this year a friend of my sister in law's in Oklahoma who is a photographer took our pics in downtown Ardmore. They turned out amazing! The new pic at the top of my page is one of the ones she took! I can't post too many or you won't be surprised when you get your card! But if anyone in Oklahoma is looking for a great photographer I'd be happy to refer her!

Prayers Please!

2008-11-24T14:10:00.002-06:00

Hey friends! Well, we got a bit of bad news regarding the house buying today and we could use a few prayers. Basically, we were told it was no problem to get our home loan with my employment contract instead of paycheck stubs since obviously I've been in school and don't start until Jan. Well, today all of the sudden our lender tells us that a contract won't work anymore and they also need a copy of my state PA license and proof of graduation OR a full 30 days of paycheck stubs for proof of my employment. NEWS FLASH: I don't have either. I don't graduate until 5 days after we are supposed to close and I won't have my license until after I take my certification exam and get my scores which won't be until the 1st of the year. So.....our lender is trying to figure out something else. Pray that they will get this figured out so we don't lose the house AND pray for my sanity as all of this really stresses me out.

Lost in the moment!

2008-11-11T18:15:00.008-06:00

Today while I was running my iPod played a song by Big & Rich that I haven't heard in a while and it almost brought me to tears (happy tears that is). The chorus goes like this:

Lost in this moment with you

I am completely consumed

My feelings so absolute, there's no doubt

Sealing our love with a kiss

Waitin' my whole life for this

Watching all my dreams come true

Lost in this moment with you

This is really how I feel at this point in my life! Josh and I have been together for almost 12 years, married 4 1/2 and I love him more today that I ever have! We are moving into such a wonderful time in our life....me graduating PA school and starting a wonderful new job, buying our first home together and thinking about starting a family in the next year. It is so much of what I have always dreamed for my life with Josh and its all happening! We are soooooo blessed! I am reminded of God's love for us each and every day and I am so amazed at His plan! HE and HE alone deserves all the praise!!!!

Our 1st Home!

2008-11-06T21:39:00.013-06:00

Hi everyone! Well, we're in a contract on a house! After lots of going back and forth, we finally agreed and are about to be homeowners! (As long as the inspection, appraisal, and all that stuff go as planned)

Here are a few pics! Sorry, I don't have more. These pics are with the current owner's furnishings, so look past that! Its 3 bedroom 2 bathrooms with formal living, formal dining, den and a HUGE backyard! AND...its just around the corner from our amazing family (Marc & Tiffany). The kitchen is my favorite!!! Keep us in your prayers that all the minor things continue to work out perfectly and if so, we close the middle of December!

Kitchen View 1

Front of house

Just part of the backyard!

Family Room

Formal Dining which we will use as a formal living and take down that chandelier

Formal Living--Which we will use as an office

Kitchen view #2

Dining Room

Update

2008-10-30T18:18:00.003-05:00

I wanted to give everyone an update on our house search! We have decided to look for a home in The Colony area (between Lewisville and Frisco off 121). We looked last weekend and are going out with our realtor again this weekend to look again.....so, hopefully we'll find what we like and make an offer before too long!!! Keep us in your prayers....this can all get a bit overwhelming, but its still lots of fun! I'll let you know how it goes this weekend!

P.S. I was tagged by Holly and I promise I'll reply soon!

Change=Stress

2008-10-22T16:47:00.005-05:00

Time has creeped up on us and its now time for us to start looking at buying our 1st home! Our lease is up right after Christmas and now that I know where I will be working we know where we'd like to buy a home!!!!! (I took the Family Practice job, by the way). So, as exciting as that is, its also really scary. Its a lot going on at one time....finishing and graduating PA school, taking my PA certification exam, looking for a home, moving, and starting a new job....and its all during the holidays!!!!! Obviously, thinking about it all makes me a little stressed, so I try to just think about one at a time! Keep us in your prayers as we embark on many new and exciting things in our life!!!!!

Curveballs

2008-10-14T14:13:00.003-05:00

Well, its official...I am terrible at predicting how things are going to happen. If you know me, you know that I'm a planner! I try to plan everything and usually that just creates stress for me and frustration for my husband! Well, I was all planning for my wonderful upcoming job as an OB/GYN PA given the offer I received a month or so ago and what do you know....life threw me a curveball. Another job offer came along that isn't what I thought I wanted, but seems to be much more perfect for me than I could have imagined.

What is it? Well, its working as a Family Practice PA for a small clinic in Plano. Its a wonderful place to work and it feels almost like a little family. The physician there is amazing and so sweet and its the type of place that thinks about you as a person and not as just an employee. They made me an offer that was very comparable to my other offer, but included a wonderful bonus program that would make my potential earnings much greater. They are also much more flexible and willing to pay for part of my maternity leave! Its also very close to where Josh and I want to buy a house and very close to our church and friends as well.

So, after making a pros and cons list and talking it over with God (and those closest to me in my life), it looks like the Family Practice job is the one I will accept.

Maybe God was just trying to teach me that I don't always get to do the planning.....HE has a plan for me as well!!!! :-)

Perceptions!

2008-09-28T19:29:00.005-05:00

At church today the message was about honoring God with our bodies. Our pastor talked about how the world views beauty and the messages we all are bombarded with day after day that make us all feel that we need to be "perfect". The video below is a Dove ad that they played during the service today...I had never seen it before, so maybe you haven't either. Check it out--its pretty cool!

This is a message that we all need to remind ourselves and the young women growing up in this world. We all compare ourselves to others....even when it subconsciously. I know I've done it, but today's message was just a wonderful reminder of how God created us in HIS image and in HIS eyes we are already "perfect"!

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made" Psalm 139:14

Weekend with Braden!

2008-09-28T17:49:00.004-05:00

What a fun weekend! Our 2 year old nephew Braden came to visit us all by himself this weekend! Josh & I were really looking forward to spoiling him and I prayed all week that he wouldn't cry and would have lots of fun! Well....God answered my prayers! He was WONDERFUL! I mean not one cry, not one tear, no tantrum, no fits, nothing but smiles and laughs and fun! We started the weekend out by taking him to Gatti Town in Frisco were we played games and rode the train and had pizza. Then we came home and Maggie and him ran around outside for an hour, then it was bath time and bed time (he was all tuckered out and slept all night). Saturday Uncle Josh let him wear his PJ's to the donut shop and then we all got dressed and went to feed the ducks and play at the playground! Then we went to play with cousins Cade & Landry where Braden leared he LOVES to play the drums and then had lunch with them at Snuffers! Finally we went to to the petstore to see all the animals and then to the bookstore to buy a new book! He was asleep before we even got out of Lewisville as we headed to take him back!

We had so much fun with him and are so blessed that Jessica & Chris let us share some time with their sweet little boy! Here a just a few of the MANY pics I took this weekend!

Feeding the ducks with Josh

Fun at the park

Loving on Aunt Kisha

Looking a fish with Uncle Josh

Our cute photo booth session

Playing games!

Riding the carousel

Shivering after a bubble bath!

Uncle Josh & Braden in their almost matching shirts!

Proud Sister!

2008-09-22T16:31:00.003-05:00

Well, for those of you who might not know, my brother is now in Chiropractic School. Yes, he too has a white coat now and is joining me and mom in the health care profession! He started ~2 weeks ago and is already studying hard! I am really excited for him and know that he has a lot of work in store for the next few years, but I am REALLY proud of him. He is going to do wonderfully!

This is a pic from his White Coat Ceremony!

The Shack

2008-09-21T18:10:00.009-05:00

Well, I don't mean to make this blog all about the books I've been reading but I had to post something about this one. Josh and I both just read a book called The Skack. Its a Christian novel that's been on the bestseller list for a while and we had heard it was good. Well....its amazing!

Here is the premise from the cover....Mackenzie Allen Philips's youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation, and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later, in this midst of his great sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change his life forever.

The book is totally fiction and I have read reviews of people that take it much to literal...its not the Bible nor was it meant to be, but for me it was an amazing reminder of how much I am loved by God. I cried many times, mostly out of shear amazment at how much God takes care of us, loves us and is with us even when we are not drawing near to Him! This is a book I will get out and read again when I go through struggles in life. Whether you are stronger in your faith than you've even been or are going through a difficult time really trusting God....this is a wonderful place to lose yourself and be reminded of how much God truly loves you. It made me really think about things and it sparked much discussion between Josh and I. I wish Josh and I would have bought 2 copies and read them at the same time so we could have discussed it as we read it, but I read it and then Josh did and it was killing me that I had to wait for him to read it before we could talk. Its a quick and easy read and you can find the book anywhere...I was at Wal Mart yesterday and they had TONS of copies. If you read it, let me know what you think!

Fall is is the air!!

2008-09-14T20:14:00.007-05:00

Today was my favorite kind of day!! It was sunny and beautiful and breezy and it actually felt like fall! (Which living in Texas is a season we don't really experience much of). Since it was so nice out, we decided to take Maggie to the dog park after church today along with my brother and his wife and their 2 dogs. We haven't taken Maggie to a dog park all summer because it was so hot she didn't want to be outside, but today we all just enjoyed the breeze and watching the dogs play. The cool air and sun gave me a new kind of energy and made for a wonderful end to the weekend! Hope you all enjoyed it as much as we did!!

Jeremiah 29:11

2008-09-09T20:54:00.002-05:00

Jeremiah 29:11 is both mine and Josh's favorite Bible verse. So many times I find myself back at this verse for encouragement, strength, hope and so much more. Recently Josh stumbled upon a website that makes and sells Christian jewelery (www.c28.com if you're interested). We noticed they had both male and female rings with the verse engraved on the outside and decided to get matching rings in order that we might be reminded of that verse often during our days. Well, the rings came in yesterday and we LOVE them! It was great to feel and see the Word of God everytime I looked at my hands today!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

About Me...Just for Fun!

2008-09-07T17:18:00.002-05:00

What time is it? 5:22pm
What's your full name Kisha Renea Long
What are you most afraid of Losing someone I love
What is the most recent movie that you have seen in a theatre House Bunny (it was actually very funny)
Place of birth Plainview, TX
Favorite food Mexican food!
What's your natural hair color Dirty Blonde...that's why I have to "enhance it" with hi-lights!
How old are you today 26
Ever been skinny dipping No
Love someone so much it made you cry Yes
Been in a car accident Yes
Croutons or bacon bits Croutons
Favorite day of the week Friday
Favorite restaurant Abuelo's
Favorite Flower Gerber Daisy
Favorite sport to watch I hate watching sports on TV
Favorite drink Diet Dr. Pepper (with vanilla if its from Sonic)
Favorite ice cream Cookies and Cream
What color is your bedroom carpet Tan
How many times did you fail your driver's test 0
What do you do when you are bored Vacuum and Play on the computer
Bedtime 10ish
Favorite TV shows Jon & Kate plus 8, Dancing with the Starts, Grey's Anatomy, Project Runway and Lipstick Jungle (I know I have too many favorites)
Last person you went out to eat with Josh and Jennie and Kyle Jones (after church today)
What are your favorite colors Black and Red
How many tattoos do you have 0
How many pets do you have 1 (Maggie Dog)
What do you want to Do before you die A lot, bust mostly be a good Christian wife, mom, friend, etc
Have you ever been to Hawaii No
Have you been to countries outside the U.S. Yes
Time this survey ended 5:31

The Art of Loving Dogs!

2008-09-07T16:41:00.006-05:00

Its funny....Josh and I both grew up having dogs, but neither one of us ever remember being "dog people"....that is until NOW!! We got Maggie (our adorable dog) a little over a year ago and we love her so much most people think we're crazy! She totally transformed us into "dog people"! She has so much personality its almost like she is a person sometimes (and if you know us you know that we kind of treat her like one).

Well, Josh was playing on the internet and found a review of a new novel called "The Art of Racing in the Rain" which is a book written by a dog about his life as he recalls it from his death bed. The reviews were wonderful and so last weekend we went out and purchased the book. I have to say that if you've ever loved dogs you should read it! It made me laugh and cry and made me want to curl up and love on my sweet dog even more! So....if you've got some extra time READ IT!

Playing with the kiddos

2008-08-29T09:05:00.005-05:00

Last night I watched my friend Holly's 2 kids while she did some shopping!

We had such a good time....listening to all the things an almost 3 year old says can really make you laugh!

Are these not 2 of the cutest kids you've ever seen? It was such fun getting to spend some time with them while their mom got to get out for a while!!

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!

2008-08-27T21:23:00.002-05:00

Well....I have some exciting news. I have been recruited to join an OBGYN practice here in the Metroplex. Its a great office and a wonderful opportunity for me and something I am really excited about!!! I spent a month working there during a previous rotation and LOVED it so I know alot about the clinic and what its all about. I still have a few months before I actually graduate so I won't be working there until the 1st of the year, but it looks like this clinic will be where I start my clinical career!! Exciting!!

Right now we are in the middle of negotiating salary and benefits and all that good stuff, so I haven't signed the contract yet, but I anticipate everything will work out great!!
They called me today and things are moving in the right direction!! Keep me in your prayers!

Working Out is such WORK!!!

2008-08-25T15:53:00.003-05:00

Over the past few weeks I've really tried to jump back into working out daily again. I've been lucky over the years to remain a pretty constant weight (give or take 5 lbs) but I know that won't last forever and more than anything I just want to remain healthy (unlike so many of the patients I take care of everyday).

The problem with all of this is that I've realized I really hate working out....mainly because I really hate sweating!! Sweating just makes you feel icky and yucky!! I dread coming home and having to put on my workout clothes and go to the gym or go out to run but somehow when I'm done I feel so much better! Working out is just one of those things I put on the list of things to do for the day but I'm trying to make it something I really look forward to. I'm hoping to soon become one of those annoying people who just can't have a good day if they haven't worked out....we'll see, I still have a way to go!!

Getting into Blogging!

2008-05-08T20:12:00.008-05:00

Well for everyone who we wish we could talk to all the time but in reality don't talk to nearly enough, we thought we'd jump on the blog bandwagon!!!

The summer has been busy but lots of fun....my brother's wedding was in May. He married a wonderfully sweet girl named Crystal and I'm enjoying having a sister-in-law so close by! They live about a mile away and my parents just built a new house about 10 miles away!!

Also....Josh took a new job in July pretty much doing the exact same thing (logistics and distribution) for CarQuest Automotive. Their distribution center is only 2 miles from our house which really cuts down the miles compared to the 40 each way he was driving before and he also got a great raise!! He also recently got rid of his old red Ford Ranger and got a new SUV!!

I am completing the remainder of my clinical rotations and only have a couple left to do and then its graduation at last!!! I will finally become a PA on Dec 14th and hope to be working by January. My hope is to work in OB/GYN but I also really enjoy family practice and pediatrics, so....we'll have to wait and see where the Lord leads me to work! (I'm just happy I'm finally about to be done with school forever!!!)

That's all I've got for now, but stay tuned and I'll be sure to keep this updated!!