~Happy Third Trimester~

(Before we found out the sex of the baby my bestest, mostest creative, personal shopper Ashley sent me these in pink, blue and green to anticipate the big reveal!)
I can't believe I am 2/3 of the way through this pregnancy. I won't lie, the first trimester was ROUGH! I was more tired than I have ever been in my entire life and I spent lots of time not keeping my food down. The second trimester was a blessing. I had so much energy, the morning sickness was completely gone and best of all I only gained 3 pounds (keep in mind I lost 12 the first trimester). Now I am facing the end! I am so happy to welcome the new "gifts" that come with the third trimester. I have already gained a little more weight and I take REALLY long naps. I think I will take advantage of these now!
I am starting to feel Isaiah move more and more but doc is worried he is not moving enough. That coupled with the hemorrhage I had on my placenta the first trimester has convinced her that I need non-stress tests (NST's) done twice a week, every week until little guy arrives. If you had to have these done feel free to pass along any info! These are only done in the morning so I will be missing work which upsets me a little bit since Back To School time is always a little crazy, but Isaiah is MUCH more important. So please just keep us in your prayers. I really think he is fine and that she is following the motto "better safe than sorry" but I believe in the power of prayer! (i also hope my boss doesn't decide to fire me...HA)

meet the grandparents (take 3)

Meet Ray. Ray hasn't come up with a grandpa name yet but we are tossing around Pawpaw, Pawpaw D, and Ray-Ray. Ray is Michael's dad (if you couldn't tell from the picture). The frist thing people say about them is how much they look alike. I remember sitting in Mike's Aunt's backyard one day and watching him stand on the dock with his Pawpaw D. Three generations and from the back they all looked identical. Michael grew up working in the family business and learned so many valuable life lessons. Ray taught him to have an extremely good work ethic and that hard work pays off. He also spent lots of time with his Grandma D. She was the type of lady who had no problem telling it like it was. She taught Michael how to dress appropriately for work. Ray is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. He is so pleasant to be around and loves his kids very much. He lights up when they all get together. Michael remembers his Dad labeling his boots for him (left and right) when he was little so they ended up on the correct feet. He also can't wait to teach our son to pee in the toilet so he can use his dad's method (throw a bug in the toilet and aim) hahahaa. Ray always knew how to handle Michael (and from what I have heard that was quite a task). He knew just when to discipline and just when to love him. I can't believe how many spankings Michael actually remembers getting but all I can think is how many he probably got out of! Ray likes to be with his kids, play with cars and ride motorcycles.


Ray is married to Marianne. Meet "Nana"! Marianne is the gadget queen and I am already putting her in charge of keeping up with new technology so she can watch out for Isaiah! When Michael and I were married she put together an amazing video for us. It is a gift we treasure every day. I love going back and watching our memories unfold. Nana is also very creative. When Michael and I were dating I remember going over for Easter one Sunday and seeing the BEASTer baskets she made for the kids. She had such fun putting these HUGE baskets together for them and seeing the happiness it brought each one of them. Marianne and I share the same passsion for organization. (I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing, what do you think Nana?) She always had such fun adventures planned for our vacations. This took lots of research and scheduling to get in all the fun things we wanted to do. I hope that Isaiah learns to be organized (atleast a little bit). Nana loves trips to Gatlinburg and hopes to have a log cabin there one day (I fully support this dream!)

meet the grandparents (take 2)

Meet "Gigi". Gina is Michael's mom. The first thing people notice about her is how beautiful she is! Gigi is gorgeous on the inside and out and she definitely does not look old enough to be a grandma! She has such a zest for life and loves to do all kinds of things. I know she and Isaiah will have lots of fun watching movies while eating candy and popcorn together. Gigi is a genuine person. What you see is what you get. She is always kind and willing to do anything you ask of her. Gina did a great job teaching Michael how to love and respect other people. She raised an amazing son and I am grateful for that every day. He would not be the man he is today without her influence. I love that she is always ready and willing to try something new. Michael says he gets his sense of adventure from her. They both love to travel and they both march to the beat of their own drum. This is such a great quality to have and I hope that Isaiah loves life as much as they do.

Gigi is engaged to Pete! We are still working on a name for Pete ("peepee", "pawpaw pete" and "petey" are a few that have been tossed around). Pete is a pilot and he makes Gina very happy. They are always on the go (well when they both aren't working). Pete is a super nice guy and we are looking forward to getting to know him better and have him join our growing family. Pete loves to play disc golf and travel.

meet the grandparents (take 1)

Meet "GranDebbie". GranDebbie is my (Jenny's) mom. She taught me everything I know about being a loving mother and keeping Christ in the center of my life. My mom loves me unconditionally and is there whenever I need her. We talk atleast once a day (sometimes more). She has always stood beside me even when I didn't make the best choices. Lately she and I have been sharing some of our favorite Bible verses. Her favorite book in the Bible is the book of James and I have to say...I really dig it too! When I am sick I still cry for my "mommy" (she has had to teach Michael not to ask me what I want to eat but just make a grilled cheese and CAMPBELLS CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP). GranDebbie loves playing piano (which Isaiah can't wait to listen to), visiting her log cabin in Arkansas, cooking and taking care of her "kids" (even though we are 30 and 27)! Thanks for being you GranDebbie! Isaiah is so lucky to have you as a grandma.

Meet "Captain Rick" aka "Cappy". Cappy is my (Jenny's) dad. He is my HERO! I think every girl deserves a Dad like mine. He taught me to be responsible and have good work ethic through his dedication to his career and us. He taught me to balance the things that are important in life (God, family, work, fun). He taught me how to multiply (7 x 8 = 56 hahaha). He has a heart of gold and would do ANYTHING for ANYONE. Little girls need and want to be loved by their Dad's and my dad has always provided that. Cappy LOVES to fish and can't wait to meet his little Gilligan. He looks forward to fishing trips which make mommy to be a little nervous aS "Hurricane Richard" always brings the weather with him. I think they will have to start off in the ponds!

The most important thing Cappy and GranDebbie have shown Michael and me is how two people are supposed to love each other. Marriage is not always easy and we all face our battles, but LOVE is a choice. My parents have chosen to love and fight for each other for the last 40 years (that includes some dating time). They have set the bar high and we hope to show Isaiah how to love his future spouse. I respect and admire my parents so very much. I look forward to the memories they will make with their new grandson! Thanks for being such good parents!

~stayed tuned to meet more grandparents!

Pondering

Michael and I started our birthing classes last week. I have really enjoyed the time we are spending together learning more about the event we are so looking forward to, the birth of Mr. Isaiah! I found out a month ago that I would not be able to have an epidural due to the back surgery I had in 97' (L3 L4 fusion). I was leaning towards not having one anyways but I wanted to be the one to make the decision. So my primary focus in class has been to learn about positions that aid in birthing and mostly how to relax.
We have been working on some relaxation techniques and have been encouraged to find things that relax us. I know while waiting for contractions that I will be using my sudoku book and probably a deck of cards. I also love music. Jason Mraz and Jack Johnson are two of my favorites for relaxing. If you have any other suggesstions let me know. For me the music has to have words or my mind starts to wander. Gotta keep focus! My personal favorite so far is MASSAGE! I think Isaiah also enjoyed this as he went on a four hour marathon after Michael finished "practicing". We get more in to positioning next week and I totally look forward to looking like a fool as we practice the positions. hahaha!
Last night something was brought to my attention that I had never thought of. This is where I really could use some feedback. Our instructor mentioned getting a Dula (professional birthing coach) or having another support person in the room. I believe that everyone's birthing experience is different and unique. It is not my right to say what is right or wrong for a birth so that is NOT my intention. I have always felt, for myself and my experience, that I wanted it to just be Michael and me in the room. He is my support person and just what I need. For me this can be an intimate time as two parents welcome their creation into the world. It has never crossed my mind to introduce anyone else into this process....until last night. Our instructor made some valid points and stressed that your main support person can remain your main person but that having someone else can help. She felt that if your spouse was the only one to support you and didn't support you the way you envisioned that in the emotional state the mother could get angry or upset. In the case of a long labor and delivery your main support person will also need a break (sleep, walk, eat, etc). She kept the mother number one priority the whole time and even said this is not about the support person. It was just her opinion. Here is my concern: when I experience physical pain around friends and family I tend to fight back the tears and be tough. This will cause me to tense up. The only people I am truly myself around with pain is my mom and Michael. I know this is not time to play "tough girl" and I would not do it intentionally but I just want to be as relaxed as possible. I normally listen to my gut and my gut is telling me to stick to my guns, but I am also hearing a VERY little voice saying "get some extra help"!

Let me know anything that helped you through your experience. I have opened the comment section so anyone can comment. Thanks!

thankful

Tonight my favorite "loon", Karen, invited us over for dinner. I met Karen about two years ago and she has been a real blessing! She and I share the same sense of humor and both have great taste in wine! HA! I admire her outlook on life as she always does her best to stay positive even when things are down. She and Tony have become our Florida Family and we are so glad they are along for this chapter in our life. Pre-pregnancy I was "Jenny the Entertainer". Always planning gatherings at the house, cooking food, socializing, etc. Pregnancy has created a more "lazy" Jenny. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing my friends but the mind capacity to plan, clean and cook is absent. I am looking forward to this part of me returning soon! So needless to say the offer of a home cooked meal prepared by someone other than myself was very well received! Thanks so much for everything Tony and Karen. Ya'll are the best!

Vacation 2010

We spent vacation this year in Destin, FL with my best friend Ashley and her family. We had such an amazing time. I got in lots of relaxing and baby time! Meet Miss Katelyn Jane Miskel....

KJ (as I like to call her) is the happiest little girl in the world. She is always smiling (especially at the boys) and is content anywhere you take her. She was such a trooper spending days at the beach and the pool. I have been so looking forward to meeting her and I think it was pretty obvious I was in love with her from the minute I saw her. Jay referred to me as their Au Pair all week and whenever she would wimper he would ask if my "bat signal" had gone off.
Cole was the hit of the trip! I cannot believe that four years ago I was in a hospital room with his Mommy waiting for his big arrival. He is a talkative little guy and such fun to be around. He took the gigantic waves head on. NO FEAR!

I don't think Cole has ever met a stranger. He talked to every person in the elevator, every kid at the pool and beach, and even picked up a little lady friend at Pompano Joe's (I think he may have gotten her number).

By week's end he even got brave enough to take his life jacket off at the pool and was all over the place swimming! All of his bravery and entertainment earned him many nights of ice cream, cupcakes and (my favorite) KRISPY KREME DOUGHNUTS!


I even have to give some props to Jay! Not only did he master some great meals on the grill (including crab legs), but he branched out and ate RAW FISH on our adult sushi date night! If you know Jay and his "foodisms" this was a major feat!

Mikey (as Cole likes to call him) was ON VACATION! He so deserved this little break and he really enjoyed himself. I don't know what he liked more, the little smiles KJ would pass his way or playing with Cole's water toys. He is such a kid at heart. Isaiah is going to have a great time with his Daddy!


The best part of all of this for me was getting to spend time with Ash! A visit and some girl time was overdue. I miss her so much and I often wish our kids could grow up together, but my heart is happy just knowing that she is a phone call away. 800 miles can't keep these two moms from "losing their shoes" every once in a while! I love you Ash. Thanks for making vacation 2010 so great!

What's in a Name?

(artwork provided by my personal shopper/very talented bestest Mrs. Ashley Miskel)

I think one of the first things a couple starts to do when they find out a child is on the way is begin the "name game". For Michael and me this began WAY before we were expecting. We had decided on a name for a girl about a year ago (she would/and hopefully will be one day named after Michael's favorite Jimi Hendrix song), but that's a whole other story! Naming the boy wasn't such an easy task. I knew when I married Michael that our first born son would have the middle name that all first born sons in his family have: Joseph. I love this name. Especially the way it fits so well with DeAngelis. So now to pick a first name.

REWIND TO 2006: In the summer of 2006 Michael and I found out that we would be moving 800 miles from home to a smaller town in Florida called Lakeland. I could not believe that we were going to be so far from everything we knew. Neither of us had ever lived more than 30 minutes from our parents. Now we would be living 12 hours from them and all of our closest friends and family. WOW! How would we handle this? Would it cause problems in our marriage or bring us closer together? WOuld we ever move back home or would we be that far away forever? Who is going to help us and comfort us? Will we ever make friends? The questions went on and on!

On October 1, 2006 we packed up our remaining belongings and our dog Runkle, said a few tearful goodbyes and started our new journey. There are so many things I remember about the drive down. Excitement, anxiety, sadness, hope.....but mostly I remember having an overwhelming sense of calmness and something telling me "it's going to be just fine". We got moved in and spent our first week together in FL setting up our little piece of the world. My mom came down on the second week when Michael started his new job. Everything was smooth operation until the dreaded day MY MOM LEFT! I watched the garage door close behind her and squatted lower and lower to see her pull out. Then I ran in to the house and watched her drive down the street in a puddle of tears. Once I could no longer see her I flung myself into bed and cried for HOURS! YES HOURS! Poor Michael! He was so great though. He just sat there with me and held on letting me know that it was going to be ok.

We truly began to live the Florida Lifestyle. We hit up the beach almost every weekend, took a trip to SeaWorld and spent countless hours in our new pool in the middle of November. Life was grand! But, I needed a job! Begin JOB SEARCH! Finding a teaching position mid-year is not an easy task. I went for many interviews but always came up empty handed. Little did I know that God was waiting for my perfect match! Life was treating us well but we felt a little tug in our hearts saying..."ok you two, you are settled in and it's been 2 months. Time to get to church." So in the process of the job hunt we began the church hunt. We visited some churches but nothing really made us feel at home. We settled on a BIG church on one of the lakes and hoped for the best. The Sunday morning services were just fine. I remember sitting in church one Sunday after communion and praying that I would find a job. Money was really getting tight and I was getting bored. A week later my prayers were answered. I went in for an interview and within 1 hour the principal called and offered me the job. I was ELATED!!! I began my new teaching adventure in February 2007.

INTRODUCE CHERI LEGG: Cheri was the kindergarten grade chair and my saving grace with the class I walked in to! She was outgoing, energetic, positive, supportive and all around a good Christian lady. She also sat in on my interview! Cheri and I became quick friends. I have learned so much about teaching and attitude from her but I never imagined what a huge influence she would have on our walk with God. We struggled through the remainder of that year together. When I would have a break down she would let me walk in the closet and lose my marbles and pick them back up all while she watched over my "cherubs". The following year I was hired permanently and ready to make a fresh start. It was a great year. Cheri's oldest daughter was in my class and we had lots of fun that year. Cheri and I worked together and planned together. Sharing so many ideas all the while getting closer. I told her about the church we were attending and how we really wanted to get involved more. She told me that her husband was a minister right down the road from our house and we should come check out their church. I guess we just let life get in the way. Always going and doing. Meeting new people. Taking short weekend trips. All the while still praying but not really seeking His glory. We attended church when we had time. Cheri didn't give up though. She wasn't annoying about it, to be honest I joke with her about "why it took her so long to finally invite us to her church". She was very graceful in the ways she mentioned it. FINALLY by the fall of 2009 Michael and I decided to give TBA a shot. TBA...who doesn't know what to name a church? That was my first thought. The first service was a bit overwhelming for me as I grew up traditional Methodist and was not quite ready for the rockin' out that would take place on stage. However now I LOVE IT! We attended church for about a month and after a moving message about seeking God decided nothing was going to fall in our laps. We had to begin seeking. So we started asking about small groups. We could not have been placed in a better small group at that time.

Our small group is the bright spot in some rough times. There are nights I don't feel like going but once I am there I feel so loved and supported. I always leave with a new outlook on things and another challenge for myself. Thank you Bryan, Jen, Mary, Brandon, Stephanie, Mike, Megan and Mike for welcoming us and making us feel like we belong.

Finding a small group and church home would have been amazing enough but God had more in store for us. In February, unknown to us yet, a little boy was beginning to grow in my belly. Around this time we were invited (or maybe invited ourselves) to attend a Tres Dias walk (this is similar to Emmaus and Christio walks...sorry if spelling is wrong). It is a fourth day movement. A very close encounter with God and an intense time to really look inside yourself and turn a lot over to God. Everyone's experience is unique and different. All I will say about it is that if you have a relationship with God and are looking to seek His kingdom further find a sponsor. YOU WON'T REGRET IT. I am sure you have guessed who our sponsors were...YUP, Bryan and Cheri Legg (remember the K teacher).

Micahel went on the men's walk the weekend before the women's walk. When he came home we couldn't really talk about anything as he and I both knew I needed to be open minded and have my own experience. At the end of my weekend I received the most perfect letter from my hubby. Here is a very small part of the letter, but a very profound statement that will lead us to the baby's name:
"Over my three day journey I realized something amazing. I saw how God has carried us in part of His ultimate plan. When we moved to Florida 3 1/2 years ago it never had anything to do with my career. It had everything to do with God. It was you who was placed in a job where you met Cheri. Cheri brought us to TBA which has led us to our walk of faith. God brought us 800 miles from home just to bring us back HOME."
I still cry everytime I read it. I am so blessed to have this man as my husband. What does all this mean? It means GOD SAVES! He has been so good to us and continued to seek us even when we weren't seeking Him.

So back to the name search: we tossed around 100's of names. Never really agreeing. One day I sat down to revisit my letter from Michael (as I really like to make myself cry HA) and I kept hearing "God Saves". Obviously I would not name my child that but it was the words I kept hearing in my heart. Michael came home from work that night and was talking about something he had read. I had not told him what was on my heart. He said "I was looking up Biblical names today and found Isaiah. Did you know that means God saves?" I just looked at him and said "that's the one!"

So there you have it. A 3 1/2 year journey with God led us to our baby boy's name.
I can't wait for you all to meet ISAIAH JOSEPH DEANGELIS!


~side note: you may now be asking "what does TBA mean?" When we began it literally meant "To Be Announced". There had been a merging of two churches and we are now preparing to move in to our new building. TBA now stands for "Trusting Believing Acting" . How perfect is that? Isn't that what ALL churches are about?

So Spoiled!

Last week we spent 9 amazing days at Miramar Beach with my bestest, Ashley, and her growing family! We had such a great time and feel so blessed to have such wonderful friends. Ash and I have been friends since we were five (so if you are doing the math right now that would be 25 years). If you don't know her you are really missing out on an incredible person. One of her real knacks in life is SHOPPING. Not your typical run out to the store and pick out a cute gift shopper, but really think about WHO you are shopping for and what can be meaningful. She finds these great little businesses people run from their homes through her love for blogging. My week began with a little happy for the Mommy to be. If you know me at all you know that I HEART CROSSES and hats. This will be a great hit at the gym!



Now this just isn't enough for my personal shopper. A day later I am feeding little Miss KJ her bottle. (more to come on her later) I ask for a burp cloth and the trendy mom busts out the most functional and CUTE burp cloth ever. Katelyn's burp cloths are curved perfectly to fit your shoulder and not fall off all while remaining super fun and fashionable. I comment on how great these little cloths are and remind my personal shopper that I will DEFINITELY need the website for this newest find. SURPRISE! Guess what's in the bag? Yup! A set of three for Mommy to be and little Isaiah.





By this time I am feeling a little spoiled but loving every minute of it. Gigi (Ashley's mom AKA Cole and KJ's grandma) graciously volunteered to baby-sit one night so the four of us could head out for dinner and some grown up time. This was a super special treat! We planned a night at Harbor Docks with some sushi and snacks. Cocktails were also enjoyed by the non-pregger members (again...more to come on this later). Another fact most of my friends and family know about me is that I HEART SUSHI! Michael and I have our own table at the local sushi place and are known on a first name basis. We have joked in the past that we probably spend enough money there to pay their monthly electric bill. Isaiah's wardrobe would not be complete without a little Japaneese influence. I cannot wait to dress him up in this little number and take him to meet our friends at Sumo Sushi! Along with the super cute onesie was a set of washcloths presented as a sushi meal ready to go. Really? Who comes up with this stuff?





Now, when I first found out I was pregnant Ashley sent me straight to the computer to look at diaper bags from a great company out of New Orleans. Kalencom diaper bags are PERFECT for mom's on the go. They are just the right size and come with a changing pad, smaller diaper/wipe pouch and a bottle holder. I can tell you how great these bags are because, of course, Miss Shopper herself has one and I got some use out of hers! Everything was so easy to get to and even better, the bags LOOK GREAT! I can also now say that I am the proud owner of my very own Kalencom Diaper Bag. The material makes them super easy to wipe down and clean up for those little spills and mishaps. Thanks Teena and Rick for getting this for us. I am in love with this bag and have already filled it wish some of Isaiah's necessities.




Thank you Ashley, Jay, Cole, Katelyn, Teena and Rick for making this such a great trip. I feel so blessed to have you all in my life. Ashley, Isaiah is so lucky to have TWO Aunt Ashley's in his life. He is ready to "rocks the onesie"!
If anyone is in need of a personal shopper I highly recommend Ashley! :)

Recap!

So, a quick recap: The entire month of February I was feeling a bit run down. I came home every day from work and was napping for hours. For two weeks the gym was pretty much placed on the back burner as I just KNEW I was getting sick. Funky little illnesses are all a part of being a Kindergarten teacher. By the end of February I was napping during work when my kids would leave for PE. I was so busy I hardly noticed I had missed a certain monthly visitor. At 530AM on February 28 I woke up to relieve myself and figured "what the heck! i have only taken 100 of these (pregnancy tests)so why not one more?" I figured it would be negative but crossed my fingers and sat on the edge of the tub in suspense. I looked down at the little stick...."could this be true?" I looked at the test, looked at the pamphlet to make sure it really said what I thought it said, looked back at the test and of course started to cry. I just froze. What do I do now? Do I plan a whole dinner to tell Michael? Can I really wait that long? Oh wait, I need to stop and thank God. So after a prayer and BIG THANKS to the man upstairs I took off in a sprint to the bedroom and started jumping on the bed. Let me remind you that by this time it's only about 545AM. Michael woke up and had NO IDEA what was going on. Guess I couldn't keep this little secret through the day. I don't really remember what I said but I know when I handed him the pregnancy test my hands were shaking. It was such a wonderful EARLY morning surprise and I feel so thankful and blessed to be sharing this time with such an amazing man. Michael is my best friend, my support system, the one who makes me smile and makes me laugh, he comforts me when I am hurting and has really stepped up as the religious leader in our home. I feel so blessed to have such a Godly husband who has such good morals and really cares for me and treats me the way a husband should treat and love his wife. We cannot wait for little Isaiah Joseph to join us. His expected due date is October 21, 2010.