Tag Archives: pregnancy

Colgate SlimSoft {review}

Being pregnant, my gums are pretty sensitive. WHen I brush my teeth, I usually can expect it to hurt a bit and make my gums bleed (tmi, sorry). That’s why I was really  excited to finally find my Colgate Slimsoft VoxBox in the mail yesterday!
I tried it out, and my old toothbrush found itself in the trashcan immediately!

The first thing I noticed was the easy-to-open packaging. I’m a photographer, but my degree is in Digital Media & Design. Packaging design is important to me. This was super easy to open, so that made me happy.

easy open package for toothbrush

The next thing I noticed was the nice design of the brush handle. Really large toothbrushes kind of annoy me, so I like this smaller one.

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Then the best part, the super soft bristles that clean really well! Those little blue-tipped bristles gently get down below the gum line to remove all that nasty plaque, and the thin shape of the brush allows it to get in all those hard to reach places of your mouth.

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My silly pregnancy gum problems are no longer an issue, and my teeth are clean! Are you looking for a new toothbrush? If so, I recommend then Colgate SlimSoft. 🙂

 

 

 

 

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Disclosure: The reviews and or opinions on this blog are my own opinions . I received a tooth brush to facilitate this review through Influenster.com. No monitory compensation was received. I was not required to write a positive review. Your experience may differ.

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Note: This is Part Four. To start from the beginning CLICK HERE.

Saturday morning Steven left his hotel with a co-worker and arrived at the car rental business a little after 9. If at all possible, he’s always early. This time it paid off. He was told when he reserved his car the night before they wouldn’t open until 10, but once again God helped us out, and that information was wrong. He was headed home by 9:30 am. When he called to tell me he was headed home, a huge wave of relief and peace washed over me.
I have to say that I am always amazed at my husband’s navigational skills. He took a much different route on the trip home than when they had driven out there. He drove home with no map and no GPS. I’m quite certain I would have wound up sitting under an overpass on the East Coast, bawling my eyes out and lost as a goose if I had attempted that.

I really don’t remember a whole lot about that day. I had planned to stay home from church, but a couple of hours in to our morning I realized the boys and I would go crazy if we sat at home all day. Yes, 40 weeks and 3 days preggo, I loaded up two toddlers and took them to church by myself. Yes, I’m crazy. Note to self: Never do that again.  It was exhausting, but it was just the distraction I needed.  When I got the boys loaded into the truck and started the ignition, Every Storm Runs out of Rain by Gary Allen was playing. I sat back as another wave of peace like only God can give washed over me. I knew our storm was running out of rain. Finally. (Though at that point I was just thinking the immediate. I had no idea that another storm in our life was also running out of rain. More on that later though.) That song had been everywhere I turned since Steven had left the week before. We headed off to church, and when the song ended, I switched the station to KLOVE. I Need a Miracle by Third Day was playing. Again, a song that I had heard over and over all week – always when I needed it most and when I was on my knees praying for a miracle. Then it was Praise You in this Storm. Oh how I cried! All three of those songs had been played over and over any time I was near a radio the entire time Steven was gone, and then on the last day, to hear them all at the same time. I felt God’s reassuring hand on mine, letting me know to just keep praising Him because he had not forgotten us.

When we got to church, I dried the tears and put on some mascara. (That makes every day better.)  I laughed as person after person stopped me to say, “I thought for sure you’d had that baby when you weren’t here last week!” Nope, still waiting. (At that point I was 90% sure the baby growing inside me was a girl based solely on the fact that I was 3 days overdue and all the drama!) But I was beaming when friends would ask about Steven and I got to say, “He’s on his way!!”

I tried to stay busy the rest of the day with cleaning, playing with the boys, and resting when I could. I’m always a nervous wreck when he drives long distances, and even more so when he’s traveling alone. It was all I could do not to call him every 30 minutes. We did check in with one another every couple of hours throughout the day, and at 9:38 that night, my amazing husband walked through our back door. Relief. Happiness. He was home. God is good. God is faithful. I went to bed feeling very, very BLESSED.

PART FIVE…

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storm calls at 40 weeks pregnant: hazard of being a linewife

Edit: This is part 2. To start at the beginning, CLICK HERE.

 
October 28, 2012
The call. That dreaded storm call. Every lineman’s wife cringes when the phone rings and there is a major storm brewing somewhere. We all know what it means – days, nights, weeks, or more, will be spent alone, worrying about our husbands and trying to carry on the day-to-day stuff by ourselves, as if nothing is wrong at all. We juggle jobs, kids, grocery shopping, family events, and whatever else life throws at us, all while continuously praying for our husband’s safe return. (And trying to avoid reading the stupid comments on the Facebook pages of electric providers while checking for updates.) This call was different though. I was almost 40 weeks pregnant with our third child, and the storm brewing was a combination of a two different storm systems colliding on the East Coast – Hurricane Sandy. She would later be nicknamed Frankenstorm.  We both knew the ramifications of a storm like Sandy could take him away for weeks. Weeks that we could not afford to go without a paycheck with a third baby joining our family. We had been discussing it since Friday and had decided he had to go. Friday had been our warning. It had given us a chance to prepare ourselves a little and realign our weekend so that we could spend as much time together with our boys as possible.

Rewind to the previous Friday morning, October 26, we were told he would be leaving Saturday morning more than likely. At first, I accepted the news well. I was probably in denial more than anything. I knew though, that he had to go, and whining wouldn’t change that. We decided to head into town to pay some bills and go by the courthouse for early voting. We stopped at the end of our driveway to check the mail, just as we do nearly every Friday. Inside was an envelope with no return address. I assumed it was a card for our little one’s impending arrival. However, inside I found a prayer written by an anonymous friend. To this day, I don’t know who wrote it. I have a few suspicions, but it doesn’t really matter. I just hope that sweet friend reads this and knows that we had to stop the car and hold one another and cry over it. It could not have been better timing. It assured me that someone wasn’t just giving a comforting answer of “I’m praying,” but was genuinely invested in our family and cared enough to let us know this, but at the same time this person was so humble as to want to take no credit for it. When they put that prayer into the mail, they had no way of knowing exactly what God had planned or how it would be used to comfort us that day. Hopefully that sweet friend is reading this though, and knows how much I appreciate their kind words. I keep that envelope tucked away and still read it from time to time.

Well, Saturday came and went with no call. We started to relax a bit, but were also trying to prepare ourselves. Then Sunday rolled around. We skipped church to be together at home, knowing he could be gone for a while. The call finally came that afternoon. He would be leaving from their usual hotel the next morning. That was absolutely the hardest goodbye ever.  God must have carried him out that door because I know he wouldn’t have been able to leave any other way.

The next few days passed in a fog. The boys were wilder than usual, I was more exhausted than usual, and I was mostly numb. People would ask what we were going to do, and I would shrug, and say, “We’ll just wing it.” I found myself saying over and over,”It’s just part of the package.” “It comes with the territory.” I knew when I married him this situation was a possibility, but every linewife prays it never happens to her!

But I felt loved. Loved by friends. Loved by family. Loved by church family. Loved by strangers. Texts, Facebook messages, hot meals, frozen meals, and offers to babysit poured in. (I know people thought I was crazy, wanting to keep my two wild toddlers at home all time, being so exhausted, but I couldn’t hardly let them out of my sight. They kept me from falling apart.) I was so amazed though, at all the prayers and kindness from everyone.  I am so thankful for every person that took the time to check on the boys and me, ask how Steven was, or pray for us. I’m pretty sure all the prayers are what kept me from going crazy. I assured Steven that even if he didn’t make it home in time, we would be well cared for, and he didn’t need to worry. I felt God’s arms around my family like never before. In those moments where I wasn’t numb, I was at peace. Being at peace with a situation I had no control over was definitely God’s doing! I can be a bit dramatic when things get hectic, so for me to be at peace with it was strange.
Throughout that week, Isaiah 43:19 played in my head, over and over.
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and springs in the wasteland.”

On Wednesday night I took the boys trick or treating with my parents, yet another holiday (Ok, maybe it’s not really a holiday, but it’s a fun tradition for us.) without Daddy. It was fun, but bittersweet.

Ok, maybe it wasn’t ALL fun. 🙂

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I still had no idea how it would all turn out, but I saw God’s hands at work.

Part THREE…

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40 weeks

I apologize for taking so long to get back to my blog. Things have been more than a little crazy around here. In fact, if this post doesn’t make any sense, please forgive me. I’m operating in a fog tonight.

Today I am 40 weeks pregnant with my third child. That doesn’t seem quite possible. I feel like just yesterday it was late Spring and I was shopping for pretty maternity dresses, excited about my growing baby bump. Now it’s turning colder, and more often than not, I find myself reaching for a light sweater in the morning to cover my ginormous belly. Most women would be more than ready to give birth at this point. Many dread the thought of having a baby after their due date. With my two previous pregnancies, I was that way. Of course, both my boys decided to come before their due dates, so I got off a bit lucky with them. This time though, I’m in no hurry. Don’t get me wrong, I’m ready to hold my sweet baby. I’m ready to not have to fully wake up just to roll over in bed. I’d like another few days though. I’d like another week if possible. I would also like for my husband to be home. Unfortunately, Hurricane Sandy took my lineman away to the East Coast. As of this evening, he was staying in a hotel somewhere along the coast of Maryland. He is a two day drive from our home in Arkansas. The plan (for now) is that he will be heading into New York tomorrow. With storm work you never know what is going to happen until it’s actually happening. Our entire life seems to operate that way I guess. We can make plans, but we have no idea what will really happen. We have no idea when this baby will arrive, and we have no idea when Daddy will be home. I’m still praying for a miracle. (On a side note, the song I Need a Miracle by Third Day seems to be popping up everywhere I turn for the last two or three days. Isn’t it funny how God is in control of even the smallest details in our lives?)

We’ve had a lot of trials over the last month or two, and in each one, this verse has found it’s way into my head and heart.

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19

I have no idea what the plan is, but I know God has one. I know he is doing great things that we can’t yet see.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

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6 weeks (#3!)

It is incredibly hard to believe that I am already writing this again.  In less than 40 weeks, we will be a family of five. I will again be sleep-deprived, overly-emotional, changing about 20 diapers a day (assuming we get the oldest potty trained by then!), and staring into the face of a third little blessing. I will be kissing little tiny fingers and toes and breathing in that wonderful fresh baby scent that only newborns have, from the top of  a tiny little round head.

 

 

How far along? 6 weeks, 2 days
Total weight gain/loss: 0
Maternity clothes? nope
Stretch marks? now that would be scary at this point
Sleep: I sleep all night, and then want to sleep all morning too. 🙂
Best moment this week: Sharing the news with our friends and family!
Movement: none
Food cravings: all things chicken
Gender: unknown
Labor Signs: nope
Belly Button in or out? still in
What I miss: caffeine!
What I am looking forward to: Our first doctor appointment
Weekly Wisdom: Don’t lie down on the couch with a toddler and drift off to sleep without making sure the toddler is asleep first. You will wake up to a destroyed living room.
Milestones: I made it a whole day without snapping like a crazy woman at anyone.
Other Pregnancy Symptoms: My psycho mood swings probably make my husband want to slap me.
Other memorable moments: Tonight on the way home, it was late and Lincoln was about to fall asleep in the car. He said, “I love you Mommy.” before he went to sleep though.

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23 weeks (Baby #2)

How far along? 23 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: -2 lbs

Maternity clothes? Some, most the shirts are still big and odd looking on me, and I can still wear at least one pair of non-maternity jeans. (woohooo!)

Stretch marks? no new ones

Sleep: let’s not go there

Best moment this week: My new vacuum! (Isn’t that sad?) Oh wait, Steven did get to feel the baby move this week for the first time! That was great.

Movement: Oh yes, there’s movement!

Food cravings: Sweet stuff. My cravings change on a weekly basis. I find it interesting that I also craved sweet stuff at 23 weeks with my last pregnancy. I’ve also eat a lot of mini dill pickles lately. You should try those.

Gender:Boy #2!

Labor Signs: nope

Belly Button in or out? still in

What I miss: NOT the hot weather, that’s for sure.

What I am looking forward to: Our family pics coming up in a couple of weeks

Weekly Wisdom: Sleep is over-rated.

Baby’s Development:


Baby’s little face is fully formed…minus the baby fat, of course. The next task at hand for baby: sprouting two teeny-tiny nipples!” – thebump.com


“Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she’s more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby’s increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won’t faze her when she hears them outside the womb.” – babycenter.com

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13 weeks (Baby #2)

How far along? 13 weeks, 3 days

Total weight gain/loss: -6 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Nope. Well, just the shorts, but I can still wear my other shorts too. See last week’s post.

Stretch marks? no new ones

Sleep Well I’m awake at 4:30 a.m…

Best moment this week: Seeing great friends this weekend at their showers

Movement: None that I felt.

Food cravings: none

Gender: girl? We won’t know for another couple of months.

Labor Signs: nope

Belly Button in or out? still in

What I miss: sleep

What I am looking forward to: going to church in a few hours

Weekly Wisdom: Pretzel twist sticks, apples, bananas, and bagels are still my friends.

Baby’s development:

“Your fetus is forming teeth and vocal cords… savor this, their non-functional phase. Baby is approaching normal proportions, with a head now only one third the size of the body. Intestines are in the process of moving from the umbilical cord to baby’s tummy. (Much more convenient.)” – thebump.com


“Fingerprints have formed on your baby’s tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you’re having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.” -babycenter.com

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9 weeks

How far along? 9 weeks 3 days

Total weight gain/loss: – 7 lbs

Maternity clothes? nope

Stretch marks? no new ones

Sleep: normal

Best moment this week: Spending Saturday afternoon swimming at the creek with my family

Movement: none that I can feel

Food cravings: none

Gender: I’m thinking girl, and more than one person has told me they had a “feeling” I’m having a girl.

Labor Signs: nope

Belly Button in or out? still in

What I miss: my husband

What I am looking forward to: going back to the Dr. next week

Weekly Wisdom: If something makes you sick twice, don’t try to eat it again.

Milestones: Lincoln has FOUR teeth!

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