Urgent Prayer Request

I'm sure most of you follow Kelly's blog and know all about her journey to get pregnant and their excitement over their daughter's pending birth.  I just read that Harper is here now, but in VERY Critical condition and being life-flighted to children's hospital in Arkansas.  I cannot imagine the fear and anxiety they are going through in these first moments of Harper's little life.  Please join me in praying for Scott, Kelly and Harper.  Our God is able to do all things and He always acts in the best interest of those who love Him, no matter how hard it seems to us.  If you read this on my blog, leave a comment and let Kelly know who you are and that you are praying.  I would love to give these to her someday when Harper is home safely so she can see how God used people all over the country to pray.  Thank you!

And Here We Go, Welcome Third Trimester!

Happy Friday!  I am finally sitting for a little while with my feet up.  We have been busy today, waiting for my parents to get here tonight and trying to put our house back together.  Travis is done painting the nursery and it looks great!!  It's still going to remain a guest room for a little while longer, but we have a few new baby things in there, including the crib bedding which arrived at our door yesterday!  We don't have the crib to put it in yet, but I know it will look so pretty, I love it already!!  I'll take some pictures when I get some more work done in there. 

We took my belly picture tonight, because we're going to be busy with my parents all weekend.  I will be 28 weeks on Sunday, officially marking the start of my 3rd Trimester already!  Can you believe that??  We went to the doctor today and got to hear Ava's sweet heart beating.  I always love that sound.  She is doing great and I am right on track.  It's been fun to really feel her more and more in my stomach.  Several times lately she's been really close to the front of my abdomen and we've been able to feel her body parts because they're so hard!  We're not really sure what we're feeling, but if she's still in the same spot, then I'm guessing we're feeling her little rear end and spine!  How fun is that?  She woke me up in the middle of the night for the first time a few days ago, while she was moving all over the place.  I tried to tell her it was time to sleep, but I don't think she cared :)  I just had to wait until she was ready to settle down again.  

Anyway, we are very excited to have my parents for a couple of nights.  I have a list of things I'm hoping to accomplish, but we'll make sure to have plenty of fun together too :)  It's a little warmer here today, we actually broke into the positives for the first time in days!  It's kind of like a heat wave!!  I hope you have a great weekend.  I'm really looking forward to ours :)  

A "frigid" Evening at The Birthplace Gala!

Oh friends, if you only knew the fun we had tonight!  If you only knew the cold we experienced.  If you only know how mad I am that I forgot my camera....

So tonight was the big night...our big "Gala" at the hospital, ok I'll stop calling it that.  It wasn't a "Gala" it was actually titled "An Evening at the Birthplace", but it just sounded like it should be a "Gala"??  I really wanted to dress up and come in a fancy outfit!  But I quickly let that go and upon seeing the rest of the people there tonight, it could have been quite embarrassing :)  Good thing my sound judgement took over!  Anyway, moving on, we drug ourselves out tonight, like the CRAZY Minnesotans that we are, and we attended a 2 hour presentation and tour at the hospital with about 100 of our closest friends, well actually they were all strangers.  But, it's amazing the connection you feel when you all look about the same and are thinking the same thing, "Is there anyway to back out of this whole "labor" thing??"  

I said we were crazy because today has been one of those, "I can't believe this is my life" kind of days.  I told you on Tuesday that we were freezing here.  Well as if it could not get any worse than that, it did.  When I left the house this morning to go to work, the thermometer in my car read -22.  I KNOW.  That is not how you want to start your day!  I flipped the radio on to hear that while the temperature was actually around -20 to -24, the wind chill in the twin cities made it feel more like -47!!  What in the world????  WHY DO WE LIVE HERE??  What amazes me about Minnesota is that no matter how cold it gets, life here doesn't stop.  School was still in session, people still went to work, I ran errands, and we were out until 9pm tonight.  How is that possible?  Layers people.  Lots and lots of layers. 

Ok, back to the "Gala"....so we were very encouraged with our time there.  I think all of my questions were answered and we both really enjoyed our tour.  Kind of made everything seem a lot more real.  I did have a few moments of panic wash over me where I was scanning the room for the nearest exit.  Moments when I thought for just a second, "Is it possible to just stay pregnant forever??"  or "Do I actually have to go through with this part?"  But, I quickly took a deep breath and started to breathe again and then I felt a tiny bit better :)  It's really hitting me these days...she has to come out!  I can't wait for that moment, but I'm not too thrilled at how we'll get there.  Or should I say "I'll" get there.  Oh well, I'm at peace with our choice of hospitals and I really felt happy with the labor and delivery nurses we met and heard from.  That's exactly how I was hoping to feel when we left, so I would consider this night a success.  

And, because my questions were answered and your advice was good for me to hear, we are choosing not to do the childbirth classes.  We were kind of leaning that way before I asked you, but upon hearing your encouragement to skip out, we feel better about that decision.  I do think I'll sign us up for a breast feeding class though.  I was interested in that anyway and your comments made me feel like it was good idea.  So, thanks for weighing in and giving us your opinions :)  

Well, I am exhausted from a long day of being in and out of the cold.  I'm watching TV in bed while Travis is finishing some painting in the nursery.  We have some fun things to share with you soon, it's really coming together and I am SOOOO happy about what I've found!!  I hope you have a great Friday tomorrow!  Stay warm!!

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

If you didn't see the national news tonight, you might not know that we are FREEZING in Minnesota tonight!  When I left this morning, it was -16 degrees outside, with a wind chill of -34.  Yes, you read that correctly.  NEGATIVE THIRTY-FOUR!!  I think the high for today was -6.  So, you know what that means for the Armstrongs....a hot meal!  As promised, I have some more recipes to share with you from dinner tonight.  Nothing fancy and more chicken, but it is EASY and very good.  And on a cold night, it is a good thing to have your oven running!  

Ava, Travis and I are just relaxing tonight, watching the madness that is American Idol.  We are quite entertained, although I've already had to run out of the room for the bathroom once! I was laughing so hard at one particular contestant and I almost wet my pants...this could be a problem!!  I never cease to be amazed at the people who honestly think they can sing and have a total look of shock on their face when they're told they cannot.  It's priceless and crazy.  Even Ava thinks so.  She's jumped several times at the shreaking noises coming from the TV!  

Don't you just love a jammies and TV kind of night??  Trav's even rockin his new slippers!  Yep, it's that cold outside.  

So, on to the entree we had this evening...Rice Krispy Chicken.  See, I said it was easy!  And it only requires three ingredients.  Chicken breasts, butter, and Rice Krispies.  

Dip your chicken breasts in melted butter, 

Then roll them in rice krispies.

I usually pour the remaining butter over the chicken and then pour the remaining rice krispies on top too.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, covered.  

The second dish I made is one of my Mom's recipes and one of Trav's favorites.  I married a guy who loves corn and because I'm from Iowa, he also married the right girl!  I'm full of recipes that involve corn :)  This one is kind of like a corn souffle.  No idea if I spelled that right.  You need the ingredients above.  1 can of creamed corn, 1 can of whole kernel corn, 2 eggs, 8 oz. of sour cream, and a package of corn bread mix.  The jiffy brand is the perfect size.  You also need a stick of butter.  Yes, my secret is out, we like butter at the Armstrong's!  

Mix all the ingredients and pour into a greased 9x13 pan.  Top with the stick of butter, cut into pieces.  I actually used a pan here that was a little bit smaller than a 9x13, so I just cooked it a little bit longer until it was done in the middle.  

Here is the yummy chicken goodness, fresh out of the oven. 

And here is the Corn Bake.  

If you use an 9x13, it will be a little thinner than this and will cook for 30-35 min. in a 350 degree oven.  If you use a slightly smaller pan, it is thicker and fluffier and will cook for about 45-55 min. at 350.  It is so good though!  It's very buttery and tastes a lot like corn bread.

Because I am a carb fanatic and I could eat some type of potato at every meal, every day, I also whipped up some mashed potatoes and gravy tonight.  Now, I would have preferred to serve the chicken and potatoes with fresh green beans, but I was trying to cheer up my husband tonight and make something he loves.  He had a long day and occasionally I'm that thoughtful:) 

It did occur to me that this meal is a little too "golden" in presentation :)  Perhaps I should have put Coldplay's "Yellow" on a playlist tonight... 

Anyway, if you're looking for an easy, kid-friendly meal, this is an option.  We loved this chicken when we were kids and today it's still one of those simple comfort foods that I love.  Those rice krispies are a great coating, kind of like corn flakes, but even better.  And the corn bake is a great substitute for corn bread.  I hope you stay warm tonight where ever you are and I especially hope I stay warm tonight!  It's a good thing I'm pregnant, I need the heat!!!  

Misc. Monday!

Happy Monday friends! Hope your day is a good one so far :) I have lots of random, misc. things for you to enjoy today, so I'll get right to it!

#1- Because I'm feeling oh so generous today, I'm going to let you in on the cutest crib bedding in the world, that I just ordered online!!!! I cannot wait for it to get here in person...

After a long and exhaustive search, that involved many trips to local stores and many hours logged online, I found this sweet bedding from Rachel Ashwell's shabby chic line.  It's called Bella Rose and did I mention that I L-O-V-E it??  My wheels started turning the second I saw it. I have lots of fun things I've found and will be purchasing to go with this :)  It's a little hard to see, but the same cabana stripe on the inside of the bumper is also the stripe on the crib skirt.  Won't my baby girl be so sweet in this crib??

#2- It is an official winter wonderland here today!  It's been snowing hard and fast since the moment we woke up today and I am loving it.  It's gorgeous outside and thankfully, I don't have to go anywhere today :)  I'm still in my jammies, happily cleaning away and paying some bills.  I'm always floored by the incredible beauty of snow.  It's such a great reminder of the picture God gave us when he told us that His blood is able to wash us "white as snow".  It's amazing how clean and pure everything looks with a fresh foot of snow on it.  

#3- I can't remember if I've mentioned that Ryley is still on vacation in Iowa??  Our baby stayed at my parents' house when we left after Christmas.  They graciously took him off our hands so we could stay with Barrett and deal with New Year's Eve, without the hassle of the dog.  That is one of the biggest reasons we are painting right now too.  It's so much easier to have the house torn apart and furniture everywhere without it getting in his way or him getting in our way :) BUT, good news, he will be here on Friday night!!!  My parents are coming for the long weekend, to deliver Ryley and to help us with some projects around here.  We can't wait to see all three of them!  

#4- I was having a little panic attack last night over childbirth classes.  It seems they fill up quite quickly and we don't have too many options left before Ava is here!  We're debatingabout  whether or not we want to take one and trying to decide if we think $100 is ridiculous for a one-day class??  I can think of a thousand things I'd rather spend $100 on, especially for Ava's nursery...hmmm, what do you think?  Did you take them and were they helpful?  

#5- We are signed up for some hospital fun on Thursday night.  We are attending "An Evening at The Birthplace."  Doesn't that sound like a gala or something?  Should I wear my fanciest gown??  Just kidding :)  I signed us up for a FREE spot at this 2 hour tour of the birthplace at the hospital where we will hopefully get our questions answered and our paperwork pre-registered.  I'm kind of looking forward to it, but I'm not sure Travis shares my excitement!  It will be a good dose of reality for both of us though :)  

#6- I am officially totally excited about American Idol starting tomorrow night!  The timing of this season is perfect for me, as I'll be staying in a lot more in these coming months :)  This gives me hours of fun T.V. that doesn't make me feel guilty!  I'm not sure how I feel about a new judge, but Paula is the founding member of "crazytown" so I'm  sure a normal female will be a nice addition!  

#7- I'm so glad that many of you tried the chicken and rice recipe from last week!  I got lots of emails and lots of raves about it...makes me think that maybe I'll try to share some of my favorite recipes in the coming weeks.  I'm serving soup and grilled cheese tonight, so I'll spare you the nutritious details, but tomorrow night I'll probably cook, so look for something new after our meal tomorrow night!  

I think that's all for now...I have some scrapbooking to do this afternoon :)  Yep, I've been working hard all weekend and now I'm going to relax and do what I want to do.  Happy Monday everybody!

27 Weeks and 13 More To Go!!

Happy Sunday!  Hope it's been a blessed and relaxing day for all of you.  Travis and I had a really nice day, which involved a great nap after lunch :)  I'm not going to lie, it kind of makes me sad that we're going to lose our quiet Sunday afternoons and our long naps, but what can you do?  Pray for Ava to take a long nap too??  

Speaking of Ava, she is really starting to take over now and turn our little world upside down!  If you were to walk in our condo right now, you would agree with me!  Her nursery is in limbo, with furniture strewn about in the halls and PINK baby stuff ALL OVER THE LIVING ROOM!!  While Travis has been painting, I've been organizing and cleaning like a crazy woman :)  I'm proud to say that our walk-in closet has been completely cleaned out and re-organized.  It's so tidy in there it makes me smile!  I kind of want to sit on the floor with a cup of coffee (decaf of course) and enjoy my work :)  Yep, it's that good!  I keep finding myself in there, just looking around...it feels like the only place in our house that is "ready" and totally organized.  I just keep reminding myself to take it one room at a time...

Here is the latest shot of my growing stomach.  Today is 27 weeks already and the last week of my second trimester!  In church I seemed to be attracting lots of attention and getting the same comment over and over, "Wow, you've really popped!"  I'm choosing to enjoy that comment and not over-analyze it :)  When we got home I asked Travis to take my weekly picture.  I saw this one above and told him, "I don't think I look very pregnant."  He gently suggested I take my jacket off and we take another one...
Ok, point taken.  I now see what everyone else is seeing!  I have popped!!  Ava is taking up more and more room in there...She's now 2 lbs. and almost 14 inches long.  That's one more pound I can deduct from my grand total of ** gained!!  I am feeling very good, I think I'm in the long anticipated "golden days" of pregnancy.  I am a motivated girl right now with lots of energy during the day.  Which is good because I have LOTS to do!!  

I know you're all waiting for the nursery update and I promise it will be coming.  For now I'm just going to give you a little sneak peek at what we've been working on.  Travis has been painting for the last couple of days and is close to being done.  We have lots of furniture coming in the near future and I'm ordering stuff online like crazy! I'll give you more details as it comes in.  Above is the last picture of our very white guest room, before Travis started painting.  
And here is my lone worker :)  He's got a small work crew but he's really affordable!  And he's pretty cute to watch...I think I'll hire him out for a few more projects around here :) 

And finally, here is peak at the color we chose.  No, it's not pink, it's light brown and we love it!  While I would love a pink room, I know that we will not be in this condo forever and the thought of having to re-paint makes me sweat with dread, so I wanted to choose something that would work for re-sale.  This color matches the rest of the colors in our house and it will look great with our white baby furniture and the bedding I've chosen.  But fear not, there will be plenty of pink in this room!  Ava's world will be "g-i-r-l-y"  by the time I'm done!!  I have found some of the cutest stuff for her and I'm having a blast getting to order it and put it all together.  Seriously, this part is what I've been waiting for!!  It's so much fun to think through the details and I have a great post planned to tell you about all the ways the Lord has BLESSED us already in this room.  He has been so good to us and I can't wait to show you how!!  Why I ever doubt Him is beyond me...He continually reminds me that He is our provider and sustainer and I LOVE Him for the little ways He chooses to bless me specifically.  What a joy this pregnancy has been and what a sweet gift we've already been given!  Happy Sunday friends :)  Have a great week!   

2009 Resolutions

Ok, I'm about 10 days overdue on this post, but I'm letting myself off the hook and writing it anyway!  I love a new year because it represents a new start.  I also panic about a new year because I know from my own personal history what will most likely happen....

Beginning on January 1st, I'll get out my fresh pack of new thin-line sharpies, a new crisp, blank journal, and I'll do what I do best...make lists!!  Lists about what I want to change this year, what I want to accomplish, what my goals and resolutions are, etc., etc.  Lists are kind of like my OCD drug of choice.  I LOVE a good list.  But what I don't love is that inevitably, by the middle of February, I will have already failed to do or keep up with half of what I've written.  Why?  Because I always seem to shoot for the moon when I have a new year in front of me.  Rather than choose 1 or 2 things to work on, I choose 25.  And no one can do 25 new things!  

So that is why this year, I have let myself think and pray about what GOD wants me to work on this year.  I have taken my time to be careful about what I'm going to commit to and to also be realistic.  I keep reminding myself that I'm having a baby!  I know every thing that has been "normal" up to this point, is about to be thrown out the window.  Including my loads of free and personal time :)  So, in effort to not fail this year, I'm focusing on one thing that the Lord has been putting on my heart consistently.  

Memorizing Scripture.

In the past, writing those words and publicly committing to that would have sent shivers up my spine.  This is one of the hardest areas for me in my walk with the Lord.  Not because I struggle to memorize but because I haven't had the discipline to do it.  I get lazy, I forget to do it, and I just don't prioritize it like I should.  But I've had an epiphany about memorizing lately and why I believe the Lord is calling me to it.   

It is terrifying to think about becoming a mother sometimes.  I've shared this fear of mine before that almost paralyzes me about wanting to do this right and wanting to do it well.  And if I'm honest, maybe even perfectly.  I want to be a great Mom and I want the Lord to be pleased with my efforts.  So I do what comes naturally.  I lay awake with anxiety, I get every book that tells me "how to really love your kids", I scour the internet for "tips", I register for the safest, newest products to help me, I plan and scheme and make lists, I labor and labor and labor.  And then I wonder, "is this what God wants or is this what I want?"  And then the guilt sets in and I beat myself up for yet another spectacular "attempt" at being what I want me to be and forgetting about what God wants me to be.  And so the cycle continues.  

But lately, in a million little ways, I keep hearing that still, small voice of the Lord speaking to my heart.  Not audibly, but in my thoughts.  

"Stay in my Word Stephanie, everything you need is right there.  Let me teach you how to love me and how to love Ava.  Let me show you how to be a better wife and how to love other people.  Let me show you how to give and how to be a blessing.  And let me do it under the umbrella of my grace and my love and my sovereignty.  I am the way, the truth, and the life.  My words bring wisdom and freedom and the comfort you are so desperately striving for.  Spend time with me, let my words soak in and marinate your heart.  I loved you first and I want you to succeed in everything I call you to.  You're going to make mistakes, but I'll be there to help you recover if you'll turn to me.  Trust me Stephanie, trust me and know me.  Write my words on your heart and let me guide you this year."  

At every turn, those words are in my head and on my heart.  And so I've decided to do something about it.  I have had several offers to join scripture accountablility groups in the last few weeks (Isn't that just like the Lord??  He prompts you in something and then provides you an opportunity to take Him up on it??)  but I've tried to be careful about which one I say yes to.  So, I've chosen to partner with some women from my Church who have formed a group on facebook, of all places :)  Isn't that funny?  It's perfect for me. I see these women all the time, which keeps me motivated and accountable, and yet I have to flexibility to get on facebook when it's convenient for me and to check in with my verses.  We are committing to memorizing whatever verse or passage we want to and then writing it out from memory every Thursday.  I can do that!  One verse a week and God's words etched on my heart...

Here are the verses I've memorized this week and the verses I'm claiming as my "theme verses" for the year.  I'l be sharing some of my verses as I do this, again mostly for accountability, but also to encourage you in something the Lord has shared with me.  I am asking the Lord for a wonderful 2009 and for a new hunger to delight in Him and His word as never before.  So, here we go!!  I said it.  It's public.  And I'm going to do it!!  Here are the precious words I have been praying over this week and now I'm praying for you!   Happy New Year!  

Phillippians 1:9-11

"And this is my prayer for you, that your love may abound more and more, in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ- to the glory and praise of God!"