17 Weeks and Counting

I can't believe that I am 17 weeks along already only 3 more weeks and I will be 1/2 way to my due date. It's going by so fast! I am feeling better but still very tired at the end of the day, I am hoping to get back in the gym soon. I have not been since Feb and am actually missing it. I keep thinking I will have more energy next week but I am not quite there yet. Ella is doing fine. We took her to the elementry school that is across the street from us and signed her up for Pre-K. It was exciting to watch her walk down the halls but part of me wanted to cry. My baby will be 4 years old soon and will be going to school 1/2 days this August. It doens't seem possible. I now understand what people meant when they say they want to stop the hands of time when their kids are little. She is so excited about "big kids school". She was very very upset the next day when I had to take her to her day care because she thought that she was starting school. Stephen is doing well but fighting allergies. Working outside all day is terrible for him this time of year. I hope it clears up soon! Other than that not much is going on. I go to the Dr. today and then on Friday I leave for Calgary. It will be hard to leave 80 degree weather and go to 20 degree weather!!! But I am excited to go!

Holly

Masters Golf Tournament 2008

We got to go to the Masters last Tuesday for the practice round. It was amazing and so beautiful. Here are a few photos.

Easter 2008

Well, it's that time of year once again. Hard to believe that Spring is bounding in so quickly! We had a good weekend. We went to my parents on Saturday. Mom and Dad bought a swing set for Ella to have at their house so Stephen and Dad put that together. It was only part way put together and Ella started climbing and hanging all over it. She was excited about it. We hope to get one this summer for her at our house. She LOVES to be outside!


Sunday we went to church early service and they didn't have children's church so I was stressed about Ella making it through the service. She did great and didn't really make a sound. She colored most of the time. After that we got our things together and went to Pacolet to Stephen's sister and her husband's house (Robbie and Bob). His brother David came as well as his sister Mary Kay and Chip. We had a feast of lamb and so many sides you couldn't count. It was very very good. After we took some photos and Ella searched for eggs. That afternoon Ella was in Robbie's bed watching cartoons and I climbed up there with her to relax. The next thing I knew it was 45 minutes later and Ella was fast asleep too. I think everyone there found a couch or a bed somewhere and took naps. That is the best kind of day!!!

Things are going well and I have a Dr. appt tomorrow, I hope to hear the heartbeat. I have seen it on the U/S but I haven't heard it yet so I am excited about that! I think the morning sickness is starting to pass and I am a week away from the 2nd trimester. It has been easing off the past severl weeks so my energy is slowing coming back. I keep saying I hope next week I feel well enough to make it to the gym. Even if I just go 2-3 times a week and get on the treadmil I think I will feel much better. It's just having the energy to go that's so hard. I can hardly make it past 9pm before I am in bed any more!

Until next time....

Holly

Showing Already???!!!???

Ok so I think it's a cruel joke in life that almost the moment you find out you are pregnant, your belly just pouches out. Now this was not true with my first, but's it's like the second time around your body says..."Oh hey I remember this, I know what to do.....POUCH!!" I can't belive that I am in maternity pants already. With Ella I was 15-16 weeks along. This time in a span between my 9th and 10th week everything just spread out. I shouldn't be bothered....and most of it is in jest but I really am shocked! But, I am just thankful that we are having another baby. I just hope that I can still fit a seatbelt around me at the end of June when I go to the Ukraine :)

Don't forget to visit my baby site - babysites.com/sites/hollyhoward

Holly Howard

Busy Busy Busy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Time is just flying by and I can't really keep up. I am now 11 weeks along and all is going great. I am sick off and on but starting to feel a little better. The Dr. says eveything is looking wonderful. So we are certainly grateful for that. Ella is understanding more and more that she is going to be a sister and always wants to give my belly a kiss for baby!

Work is going fine and I am really enjoying Upward. I love Global and doing research about countries that we may be able to enter. We have had the opportunity to talk to a missionary in Bethlehem and he wants to start an Upward league there.....how amazing is that??? In Jan. I went to Vancouver for Mission Fest and in Feb went to Mission Fest in Edmonton, Alberta. Both were fantastic and Upward was well received. We have several leagues in Canada and it continues to grow. I will be going to Calgary for one of our trainings in April and then in late June I will be going to the Ukraine to help with a couple of camps going on there. I am really excited to see what God is doing and just so thankful that He sees fit to invite me along! Most of the Global have been or are presently in Brazil and it is amazing the reception. 24 (90 people) churches came to training and want to incorporate Upward to reach their community. That is awesome. I was sad that I couldn't go. I can't get the shots needed to travel there because I am pregnant. So it's worth it but I would have loved to have been there!

Please check out my baby website I am using to journal the pregnancy and birth!
http://babysites.com/sites/hollyhoward/


Holly

PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can hardly believe that I am actually posting that I am pregnant. After 13 months and finally accepting that it probably wouldn't happen for us......it happened. I am just over 6 weeks and the Dr. said all is great. He did the ultra sound and the baby was there with a heartbeat already. I am due Sept. 30th

God is so good!!!!!!

Holly

New Year

Ok so I am really really behind on my posting. A lot has happeded the past few months. My brother, Joe and his family came for Thanksgiving. It was great to see them and Setphanie and Anna really had a good time with Ella and Ella really loved them. Christmas was good as well. Ella really got it after Christmas was over the whole santa thing started making sense. Now anytime we make cookies she thinks we are making them to leave out for Santa. I have started a new position with Upward to the Global deapartment doing Global Research. I am really looking forward to this change. I had the opportunity to go to Vancouver last week to Mission Fest. It was a great experience and just beautiful. Cold but beautiful!!! I will update with some other news I have in a couple of days.

Holly

7 Year Anniversary

It's hard to believe that Stephen and I have been married for 7 years. But it has been amazing. It took a year or so for us to adjust to life with another person but it could not be any better. I am so very blessed to have him. I cannot imagine life with anyone more wonderful than Stephen. He is the best husband and an even better father! God has truly blessed me with him and with Ella! He took me to a cabin for a long weekend Thurs-Sunday. It was so very nice and relaxing. It was a special time for us to get away just the two of us. The cabin was nice and cozy and already had a fully decorated christmas tree. I am ready to go back again soon!! We enjoyed it so much we hope to go back every year.

Holly

Halloween 2007

We had a great time this year. Ella helped Stephen carve a pumpkin. As you will see in the photos she wanted to go out as a Solid Gold Dancer but it's a little chilly for that get-up!! So Ella dressed up as a lion and she had a blast. We went to the church first for the festival and then Stephen took her out to a neighborhood. Ella was a little shy but when she realized she was getting candy she wasn't so shy anymore. She really enjoyed herself!

Is it meant to be????

Well, Stephen and I have been on this fertility journey for close to 10 months now. Two weeks ago we had great excitement because I finally took a pregnancy test and there was a faint positive, five days later I miscarried. I just couldn't believe it. Thankfully it was very early and no surgery is needed. I am physcially better now and getting there mentally. I am so disappointed but at the same time at least I know I can get pregnant. We go to an RE on 9/24 which is a fertility specialist. I don't know how far we can go financially with this but we will at least explore our options. I feel a sense of peace in my heart, I don't know if I am coming to terms with the fact that this may not be meant to be or if I have a peace that it will happen in due time. I am trying to be ok with either and that is my prayer to be at peace with God's will and to also be at peace with the fact that I don't really know what that is right now.

Keeping the Faith,

Holly

Joe Came to town!!!!!

My brother came into town over the Labor Day weekend. It was so nice to see him again. He took me and my Dad on a hike down to the Green River. It is very secluded and not many people even know or attempt the hike and therefore never get to see amazing parts of the green river. It was a good hike but the hardest I have ever done. Thank goodness for the ropes, I would have never made it down or back up without them!! Joe enjoyed seeing Ella and they had a good time playing. Too soon it was time for Joe to head back to LA. I really hope he, Jane, Stephanie and Anna can make it here for Thanksgiving!

Holly

More Vacation Photos

Vacation Time

Well I can hardly believe that it is almost September and I have not posted since July. Time just gets away from me so fast. We are all doing fine. We are still working on the baby thing and so far nothing to report. This is my last month on Clomid and we will have to talk to the Dr. to see what the next step will be. A lot of what we can do will depend on the cost and what insurance covers. So we are praying that we will have options to think about after Clomid, and if we don't then for God to give us peace and to be grateful for eachother and for Ella. It has been HOT HOT HOT!!!!!!!! The last few weeks we have been from 96 to 105 degrees. We are ready for it to cool down! Stephen works outside and the air conditioner in his car just went out this month so I really feel for him! Ella is doing great. We all went to the Carolina beach with my parents a few weeks ago (thankfully 1 week before the heat wave hit). Ella LOVED the beach. The firt time she saw it her eyes got big and she just looked up and down the ocean and beach and just put her hand up to her mouth in total amazement. It made me think that I bet that's what we look like the first moment we see heaven! We took her down to the water and she would jump over the waves and splash around, by the third day she was riding waves in on a boogie board. No fear in her at all. We mostly stayed at the beach but we did go to the aquarium and then to South Port one day. All too soon the week was over and it was time to come home. We all needed the break but it was nice to get back to our own bed too. Well, on to some new things for me.....I am coaching Upward Soccer this year at Holston Creek Church. I have a K4-K5 league called the Fire Balls and that sums up the personality of my team. We have had a couple of practices and will start our games this Saturday. It is a lot of fun! I have posted some recent photos.

Holly Howard

HAPPY 3rd BIRTHDAY ELLA !!!!

Ella turned 3 on June 29th. The week before her birthday Stephen's Dad and Dorane came down. We all went to Robbie and Bob's lake house and spent the night. We got up on Saturday and went to the zoo. It was so much fun and Ella loved it especially the elephants. BUT, it was so HOT I thought we were all going to melt. We spent more time sitting in the shade, going to the gift shops, getting water and ice cream than we did seeing the animals. Ella didn't mind she loved it all. We had a cookout and a DORA party for Ella the next day at our house. We also had another party with my family. Ella got cute clothes, a shoe to learn to tie with, golf clubs, a vacuum, money, a birdhouse from Aunt Ricki and Uncle Ron and a lot of other fun things. It was a good time. The next week we made cup cakes to take for her party at day care and as you can see with the photos, it was messy and fun!!! Now she thinks that every day is her birthday! We finally finished her room by putting up the chair rail. I have to really give credit to Dad and Stephen for that. It looks like a little girls room now and she loves it. We are getting so excited about going to the beach in 2 weeks. Ella doesn't really understand the beach yet but is talking about it. She will have so much fun. We didn't take a vacation last year so Stephen and I are REALLY looking forward to it!! We are going with Mom and Dad. I am so thankful that they go every year and don't mind us tagging along.

**No news on the baby front. I finished 1 month on clomid and will start another round in a few days. We are still hopeful....

Holly

Hoping and Praying

Well I have a confession.....not many people read this blog, that I know of anyway so it's not a confession for the world but I want to let the close people around me know what is going on. Some may already know others may not. Stephen and I have been trying to have a baby since last November. I never thought we would have a problem since in 2003 we got pg the first month we tried (I miscarried) then with Ella we again got pg right away. It never crossed my mind that we would not get pg fast again. Each month I hope and pray that it is the month and each month I am disappointed. Well being 37, I don't have a lot of time to waste so I have been to the Dr and they are currently running tests and labs. I started Clomid today and will take it for 5 days to stimulate ovulation. If it does not work within 3 months we will look at other options. And those other options may or may not be an actual option for us as it can cost thousands of dollars, dollars that we don't have. I want a sibling for Ella and she is almost 3 and I don't want her to be so far apart from her sister or brother. I know it's all in God's hands and He is teaching me and Stephen lessons on faith and patience......but it is hard. We arem thankful for Ella and blessed to have her. If we are not given another child to raise we will be ok......but I am going to keep trying, hoping and praying!!

Holly

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

I am so very blessed to have a Father that I love so much and he loves me. Growing up he was always so much fun and made me laugh......he still does. I have such a high respect for my Dad and my Mom....they worked together to raise my brother and I. They did an amazing job, and they still do. They have an amazing marriage, it is complete love and respect for one another. You don't see that much anymore. I have to say now that I am grown and have my own family, I understand more the sacrifices they made but see the reward as well. Do they have as much as I would like for them to have, no, but they have each other, they have pretty decent children (if I do say so myself) and they have a grandchild that they adore beyond words and she adores them just the same. If I could, I would love to send them to the beach for the whole summer and it be my treat for a change.....and then I would send them out west. Just back and forth as much as they wanted. I would have Dad's music sung all over the country and world.....I would like to do so many other things for them to say just how much I love and appreciate them. Alas, I can't, for I have limited means. I guess I just have to settle for telling them that I love them. When it comes down to it that is the greatest reward anyway, to love and be loved unconditionally!

I love you both......Holly

Pink Princess Room

We FINALLY painted Ella's room. We painted it light pink on top and dark pink and green striped on the bottom part of the room. She loves it and told me that it was a princess room. I am glad that it is done and glad that we did it when she was old enough to notice and be excited about it. Everything else is going well at home and work.

Are You Kidding Me???

The other day I was talking to Stephen and Ella was trying to tell me something. She kept saying "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy" I told her that I was talking to Daddy and she could talk to me when I was done. She waited for about 15 seconds and said "Mommy, Mommy......Mom, Mom, Mom.......HOLLY" I stopped and just looked at her and she just looked up at me and said "That's your name, right?" Lord help me, she isn't even 3 years old yet.

Photos From the Funeral

Here are some photos from the funeral includig some with Stephen's brother David who had not been back to Spartanburg for 17 years. It was nice to have the family back toghter, Kay would have been so happy to see all of her children reunited!

Goodbye GranKay

Stephen's mother passed away this past Wednesday April 4th. She was put on Hopsice care on Friday and it was decided on Monday that she would only be treated for pain. We all knew that she was suffering and ready to go. There was nothing more that could be done for her. We were all present when she passed and it was very peaceful. We will miss her very much but know that she no longer suffers and she is with the Lord.

This was the last photo taken of her the week before she passed.


Holly