Pray for this guy...

awww! this was David shortly before we were wed (1993)...so much promise ahead of him...

He is recovering well from his surgery that he endured this past Tuesday...After much prayer and some research, our childbearing years will end in June, when the nameless one emerges. (A collective whoop whoop from all of my family and friends...I can hear you!!) he texted his friend, Jeff, the other day, to tell him that he was officially "sterile", and Jeff's reply was PRICELESS..."You had a good run!!"......David got a kick outta that, even in his Valium-induced stupor. Six kids later...yup, you did, my man...a good run indeed.

I know he would appreciate your prayers, as he has had a difficult time sitting still enough to heal...

On a brighter note...well, there really isn't one. it's 35 degrees here today...cloudy. bring back the 70 degrees, Lord. ok, I will be thankful that it's not snowing....

Let me just say this...I will choose to embrace and enjoy this last pregnancy. Even though it has been my most uncomfortable, panicky one to date, I know it is a gift. I know I'm very blessed to be able to carry this little fella. I'm almost positive that I will have a textbook delivery. And even though I can't breathe very well, and can't eat big meals (which, hey, is a good thing...right?) because the heartburn and general discomfort induce some amazing panic...I will praise the Lord for this gift. In light of the decision we've made, I will cherish these last three months of pregnancy (my due date is 3 months from today, though I feel I will go before June 24).

Hope to get out of the bloggin' slump soon...our two big boys leave for Spring Break Work Week on Sunday...so I will only have 3 kids around here next week...ohhh, the parties we will have! :) ha ha. yeah right. good night, folks. hugs to you, wherever you are....know that I'm praying for u.

Let's get this party started...

Hello Big Whale...

Right outside the Newport Aquarium...Molly wouldn't join them!

Me too...

Show off 40 year old guy....whew! can you believe this guy is FORTY???

Miss Shortypie

Levi's getting tall...

Mel is now officially taller than me.

Ethan is catching up to Will's height quickly...

Will was sleepy...

I know I promised to get the Cincy trip pix up on here....and not to disappoint...here are a few highlights of our Monday at the Newport Aquarium....

In other news...

David's big 40th Birthday Skating Bash will be taking place on Saturday, March 19, 2011 (a little over a week away) from 5-7 p.m. I've tried to send out a mass email and I'm sure I will miss some folks in the hubbub...so if you check this blog, and you know us and want to come skate to some mad 80's tunes at Wheels of Wonder, Indy...we'd love to see you there! Admission is covered, all you have to pay for is skate rental ($3.00)!

Seriously...gonna do a pregnancy update now...so if this isn't your thing, you can leave now....but I kinda use my blog to keep track of our lives....and since this is my last pregnancy, I need to make sure I'm doing that...

I think our fourth son is in the midst of a growth spurt. Shellee, you may be able to answer this since you are almost a mom of NINE...but man, I don't remember my other kids growing over night. YIKES! I started out with a big kid (Will, 8 lbs, 11 oz) and I have a feeling that the other side of boy sandwich is going to end big....please tell me I'm incorrect. He is all. over. the. place. literally....and I have 3 more months to go. oy vey.

choose joy. this too shall pass. and then I will miss it. (or will I?) I'm extremely thankful to the Lord above for this pregnancy. Whatever I may convey on my blog or on Facebook. I truly am. It's amazing how much we can let our circumstances affect our JOY. Forgive me. Spring or no spring...I have so very much to be praising Him for. I really do. And this little nameless boy is high up on my list!

I will see midwife next Monday at 10 a.m. I pray she tells me I'm measuring big so will have this dude in EARLY June. yah baby.

Ok, on that note...I hope to be back tomorrow or the next day to post the rest of our trip pix! Hope that this Wednesday finds you happy, healthy and thankful. good night...

Next Stop: Colorado Springs

I think this is Pike's Peak...my nose just started bleeding looking at this picture. I feel faint.

skills.

scrunch that nose...

so agile

pondering life on the red rox

I think Levi is playing in traffic in this picture...isn't this terrain just amazing?

har har...as Wendy M. pointed out, Levi, you ARE the Gap here...watch out!

this kind of picture NEVER gets old.

Garden of the Gods is spectacular...

balancing rock

this sign warned of Bear and Mountain Lion activity in the area of the Garden of the Gods. Yikes!

More G of the G

this formation is lovingly referred to as the "Kissing Camels"

so cool

Hey Mom, take my "piture"

yes, this is the photo we will be using for our debut album...

almost missed this in the drive-by

Co Springs is bee-you-tee-ful!

Molly wanted to help us load up the trailer...such a good girl.

Facebookin', catching the tail end of "Babe"...before heading out yet again...

These were taken at the Hyatt Place hotel...we got a great deal on this suite...and if you are out on the road and happen upon one of these delights, stop in. We'll leave a light on for ya.

Good evenin' folks.

What's new in your world?

I am so behind in the blogging...so for tonight, I will continue on the next leg of our westward adventure...friends in Colorado Springs was a draw for us...and once we saw just how beautiful it really is in that state, we saw why they'd want to live there (one of many reasons)...

So here ya go...just a smattering of some of the pix that were taken in Co Springs and not nearly enough of the J family...being up in that elevation did weird things to my head. I mean, weirder things than usual. no joke.

There are stories here and more pix...but I will save them for Facebook or for my next blogging session. remind me to tell you the Pike's Peak or Bust story...good mothering/fathering at it's BEST. or maybe at it's Peak....

I am plum-tuckered tonight but brimming with stories and tidbits that I'd like to share...

Good night...

Our trip to the zoo. last week.

The dolphin show is always delightful...

My peeps, checking out the cool sharks....yeah, my pix are out of order as usual.

running out to check the rhinos....I love that my husband is a big kid. David, you are the best dad I know! hands down...thanks for taking the day, though hot, to go to the zoo with us...it was really fun, in spite of the heat.

it does this on it's own.

whatta place to be...on top of the world, on your daddy's shoulders...no better place to be, huh, Molls?

Lovely daughters...

Hello Komodo...you are a scary sort.

He just kept circling his enclosure...seeming to say "I really wanna eat a few of those people out there....since I can't, I pace...yeah." Very frightening to me....and yet, so amazing because God created this guy for something. Don't know what...but I'm sure it's good.

Will and Levi, hanging with a local anaconda. ha ha.

Majestic...dog sharks....my kids (1-3) did pet them....so cool. I wasn't brave enough.

I have more pix I could post but I am exhausted tonight...we are on our new schedule...and it's working well...up at 7:30, in bed by 10:30...it's working well. (Besides that, I spent 2.5 hours at Dr. Q's today...1-4 had cleanings...and my loving parents were outta town for the day...so, yup, you guessed it, I had Molly, at the dentist office, smack dab in the middle of NAP TIME! fun, fun times!)

Will is now a high school kid...so I've been laboriously working on getting a portfolio together to begin the task of record keeping so the boy stands a chance at college....and for an unorganized sort like me, that is no easy task!

A nice reward lies ahead for me though. Tomorrow, I am leaving all FIVE of my children here at home with their loving father! I'm outta here....heading to a Women's retreat with the lovely ladies of my church...and it couldn't have come at a better time!~ Looking forward to being edified, refreshed, exhorted, and taught from God's Word...get to hang with Courtney (memba her???) and her momma...sharing a room with 'em...yehaa! (but I will miss you, kids, I really will...call me, text me...)

So that's that...hope you've had a fantabulous week...and that you can find something everyday to be thankful for...I know I've been trying to focus on that...but that's for another post.

Good night and God Bless YOU!

King's Island FUUUUN!

Happy Campers...what a great group of youngsters!

Fun Guys...

Started out on that big ol' ship that goes baaaack and fooooorth...pretty tame...still kinda scary. Natalie, your shirt is glowing....

Mel's first roller coaster, The Adventure Express....it was a blast.

Will and E. on the Adventure Express...

forgot what ride this is...but that ride in the background? it's the Son of Beast...and it wasn't running...which was kinda spooky to me.

going up the scary climb in the Adven. Exp.

Flight Deck...who takes pictures while on a fast moving roller coaster?

Mel and Will didn't go on Invertigo...and she's pretty sure this is a picture of us on it. maybe not. who knows? I'm gonna say yeah. I screamed the whole ride.

this is that swing ride...see the two people in the bottom right? That's Mel and Natalie. I'm such a tool to be taking pics while on a thrill ride...

I think this is the Adventure Express...

David, throwing his hands up...and I think this is the Racer. but I'm not certain.

This is for you, Levi...the Spongebob action ride...a 3-D adventure...wow.

Backlot Stunt Coaster, a spin off of the Italian Job...our car was a Mini Cooper...this is no one we know but it's a great shot nonetheless...Mel's favorite ride...we did this one twice it was so much fun!

these next few shots are from 275 ft. up...ahhh...in the Eiffel Tower replica

This is the newest coaster, Diamondback....awwwwwe-some ride! amazing.

I think this is the Vortex...

275 feet up in the air. we weren't excited. we were clinging to life here...

Mystery machiners...

David and his little map

this is the climb up on the Diamondback...so cool. so scary.

horribly unattractive...but at least E's cute.

that there is the biggest Rubik's cube I ever did see, I reckon

Mel and Nat gearing up on the Stunt coaster.

Getting ready to ride our second water ride...the wild thornberry's something or other!

Natalie and Mel making puddles....I think they got the most soaked on each water ride...Natalie Definitely...and she was wearing jeans. poor girl!

Look-alike soakers

a good ending to a wonderful day! we are all soaked here....

Levi and Aunt Nat...doing tattoos...

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Ahhh. I'm definitely NOT as young as I used to be. It's been almost exactly 16 years since I was last there. 2 months before I married Daveyboy.

I knew that. I did. And I have to admit, I jumped onto those rides a lot easier than I thought I would. I looooove a good roller coaster. something about it. But put me at the top of a tall structure/building? yeah, not so good. We went to the top of that fake Eiffel Tower that is at King's Island....and it kinda sways in the breeze (275 feet up there)...Mel and I were hilarious...clinging to the inside area....ahhhh. skeery.

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All in all, we had a great time...weather was nearly perfect...a tad hot for me...but quite thankful that Natalie came over from Ill. to be not only that sixth person but also a great auntie to Mel. They sat some of the scarier, tummy turning rides out and it was neat to know Mel could be with Natalie. Thanks...we really appreciate it! and we love you.

And thanks Mom, Dad, Becky, for all of your help with #4 and #5....it was so nice to know that they were in good hands! Gracias! We love you guys too!

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Ok, so now, on to the next big event of the week....our trip to Holland is tomorrow thru Friday....hopefully, thanks to Beck, I can blog while we are gone....she's letting me use her laptop. u rock, B. Hope this finds you well....God Bless You!