Meet our first nephew!!!

Well, this past weekend was a little crazier than usual!  Our first nephew, Jon Charles, decided that he wanted to enter this world several weeks before any of us had planned.  Jennifer (Wesley's sister) had to have an emergency c-section on Friday afternoon.  Fortunately, Wesley got off work earlier than usual on Friday, so when we got the text message at little before 4pm on Friday saying that Jon Charles was about to come, we were able to be packed, ready, and filling the truck up with gas within 18 minutes!!!  And we didn't forget to pack a single thing!  We made it to Nashville at 11pm on Friday night and got to go back and see Jennifer and her husband Jon.  Wesley's brother, Drew, and his fiance, Sydney, made it to Nashville around 12:30am.  We were all just so thankful that Jennifer was doing well!!!

The next day when we got to the hospital, Wesley and I were able to go into the NICU and meet Jon Charles.  Since he was just 33 weeks, he had to be placed on oxygen and have a feeding tube.  AND he had to be under the phototherapy lights which is the reason that he is wearing his sporty sunglasses in the pictures!

I have to say though, I have seen many 33 week babies (and term babies for that matter) while I've been a nurse, but there is just something about this sweet baby boy that tugs at my heartstrings even more than usual!  He is so precious, and I think that his fuzzy blonde hair is the cutest thing ever!  I am one proud aunt! Wesley called and got an update a few hours ago, and the nurse said that he is doing great!  They are going to try to take is nasal cannula out of his nose today, they are increasing his feedings, and he is under just one phototherapy light instead of 2.  She said that by tomorrow he should be considered a "step-down" baby and no longer a NICU baby!  We are all so thankful for the prayers and for God's blessings!

Progress on the house!

Just when I thought that Wesley and I were so much alike and had so much in common....he proves me wrong! If someone told me, "Kathryn, you have 2 weeks before starting work to relax," I would enjoy every second by RELAXING!  Not Wesley!  He cannot sit still!  I must say though that I have benefited from his work ethic!  Our study got finished this week, he has replaced 9 brass/gold light fixtures with more modern brushed nickel ones, he has vacuumed, swept, and our front and backyard look so much better!  

Here are a few BEFORE pictures of the 4th bedroom which we made our study.

And AFTER pics:

 

Wesley still has 4 days off before he starts work. There is no telling what else will get accomplished!!

He did it!!!

Whoohoo!  I am still celebrating!!!!  This past Saturday, Wesley graduated from CRNA school and received his Masters of Science degree in Nurse Anesthesia AND not only that, but he graduated with a 4.0 GPA and received an Academic award!  I couldn't be any prouder of him.  While I am celebrating this week, he is studying for boards....which he will hopefully be able to take this week before my baby sister's wedding this weekend!  Here are a few pics from the ceremony!

Since the day Wesley started back to school, his Grandma said that as long as she was well enough to travel, she wouldn't miss his graduation!  God is good and blessed her with the health and the ability to make the long drive to watch Wesley graduate!  She was such a proud Grandma!

Wesley getting hooded!

Wesley 's fan club! 

God blessed us with such great friends to go on this journey with! We are so glad that Nick, Joy, Jillian, and baby Emma Joy (who should arrive in a few weeks) will be in Dothan with us as we begin this next chapter!

I'm still here!

I didn't realize how long that it has been since I have posted anything!  Time is going by so fast!  I seriously cannot believe that Wesley is graduating in 4 weeks!  I told him the other day that I feel like I have wished away the past 2 and a half years.  Not that they have been bad, but I have been counting down the months until he would be done with school and would no longer have to study.  Well, graduation is approaching fast!  Wesley only has 2 more clinical days as a student.  He is getting to use up his vacation/sick time and will have 3-4 weeks off to study before boards.

Here is a quick update on what we have been up to since my last post:

I started my new job at Flowers Hospital in the nursery!  I LOVE it!  Everyone has been so welcoming, and it has been nice to be around healthy babies for a change....although we have had our share of sick ones too!  I definitely think it's a MIRACLE when a baby comes out and is perfectly healthy and can go home with it's mom in 48 hours.  Working in the NICU has definitely changed my perspective on healthy deliveries!

We had Sarah's bachelorette weekend in Watercolor.  It was so much fun getting to know all of her friends better!  She got some beautiful lingerie!  I'd say she is all ready for the New York honeymoon!

Wesley and I spent one Sunday afternoon in October at Aplin Farms picking sunflowers. (They also had a corn maze, hayrides, and a pumpkin patch....but we figured that we could wait til we had little ones to participate in all of that!)   It was such a beautiful fall day!  We got way more sunflowers than we could ever use!  We made 3 arrangements for our house, gave some to my mom and some to our next door neighbor.

Nick, Joy, and Jillian were here for Halloween!  Jillian was a "Jag-wire" as she says it!  She was adorable and had a diet that consisted of candy the whole day!!  I can't believe she didn't have a tummy ache!

Wesley and I spent 2 weekends ago back in PC.  He had to work his last weekend at Bay Medical Center, so I decided to go with him and see friends in PC while he was in the OR.  It worked out for me to be there for Kelly's (one of my co-workers at GCMC) bachelorette spa day.  And I loved going back to our Sunday school class there and seeing church friends.

So that's a quick update....or not so quick! 

Playing house!

Well, I finally found my camera cord! Here are some pics of what we have been up to recently!

The previous owners had this sitting on the kitchen counter when we walked in the door last Friday.  A sweet welcome note with flowers from our garden!  It was so sweet!

My parents were a lot of help the first few days....they stayed busy lining kitchen shelves....

assisting with hanging ceiling fans....

Ta-da!

and recovering kitchen chairs!

I can't wait to post before and after photos as we finish decorating rooms!  Right now the only room that is close to being finished is the kitchen.  We replaced the brass hardware with brushed nickel and think that it gave it a new look.  I LOVE the lighted kitchen cabinets.  Now I have the perfect "home" for our fine china and crystal.

Before

After

another view of the kitchen

and I FINALLY have the counter space for my mixer!

Ok, that's pretty much all for now.  The rest of the house is "un-done" at this point, but hopefully I'll have more "after" pictures to post soon!