Happy Mother's Day

Well last night we decided to go over to Ron & Ebby Ray's house to watch a movie, have dinner, and just hang out. It was good for me to get a change of scenery and lay on a different couch. I seriously do not know how people go on long-term bed rest like our friend Kristen Spielman during her last pregnancy. Just two days, and I really can't take it.

The Rays have four children: English, Veronica (a.k.a Victoria), Hunter, and Cole. I can always count on Veronica to take some pictures for me when she is around. Here are a few of Veronica's snapshots from the evening.

JB making a dish he created early in our marriage: Cheesy Chicken Marinara. It was delicious! We also had Cole's favorite (NOT!) -- broccoli. Also, JB is wearing the Iowa Cubs T-shirt that he got at Justin's game after the kid behind him dropped his hot dog down the back of his Air Force shirt.

Tara stopped by for a bit to watch "Red Eye" with us. This is Tara (left) and Veronica (right.) Now that I think about it, Veronica couldn't have taken this picture. Oh yeah, I took this one.

First of all, Kevin, is STILL a weird name for a cat, but I really love this cat, and for some reason, this cat loves me. No one made this cat crawl up and nuzzle his face in my neck. I think he knew I was too sick to bother him while he laid there. Kevin is very cool!

Ronaldo being Ronnie. Did you know Ronnie's middle name is "Eugene"?

We were hoping to stay and watch another movie at the Ray's, however, I had lost steam, and we headed home. My biggest issue during the last 36 hours has been major GI upset. We aren't exactly sure where this has come from, (medicine, surgery, pregnancy etc.) but it has left me most uncomfortable. Hopefully this will pass soon.

Now, that I have shared with you the events of last night, I have a few other bits of news to share with you.

• My cousin Justin was traded again. He is now with the Seattle Mariners and is playing for the AAA Tacoma Rainiers. (I have no idea what a Rainier is by the way.) Now the funny part of this was that Round Rock Express was playing the Rainiers when he found out he had been traded. So, he literally walked across the field during batting practice and changed uniforms. Justin promised he would write a blog to explain all this, and I got some message that he did write it and lost it. Sounds fishy to me! Just kidding Justin. Hopefully, I can provide you with an update in Justin's own words sometime soon.
• Some of you know that know me well or know the Huisman side of our family, may be familiar with the story of Erica Van Zuidam. If you are not, there is a link to her webpage on the right side of my blog. Erica is my cousin Josh's wife Sarah's first cousin, and she recently lost both her hands and feet to bacterial meningitis. The News-Gazette in Champaign, Illinois did a huge story on Erica that was on the front page two days in a row. You can read Part One and Part Two. In addition, the local Christian Radio Station did an interview with Erica which you can also read entitled: "God's Shining Star". Feel free to drop in and read Erica's whole story from her yourself.

Well of course, the obvious is that today is Mother's Day, and of course, I have to wish my mother, JB's mother, and all of our grandparents a Happy Mother's Day. As usual, JB and I do not attend church on Mother's Day. For one thing, our church combines Mother's Day with baby dedication Sunday -- neither of these are an easy thing to be a part of. You want to remember your own Mother, but when they are giving flowers to all the mothers and they leave you out, it can be difficult. Or when the whole service is about the joys of motherhood, it can hit a nerve.

What's so weird is that this year, we might possibly already be parents. We sort of, are, already parents. My Aunt Janet wrote me an email and told me that she couldn't call our embryos "embryos" and had to call them "babies". I repeated this to JB, and he said that he felt the same way. They are children. So we are parents. Nonetheless, we decided to stay home. We wanted to do something outdoors today but the weather is so cold and rainy that we instead may catch a movie or something else together, to celebrate our wonderful marriage and our hopeful "babies". STICK GUYS STICK!

I also wanted to add a thank you to my wonderful husband JB. While I write this, he is cleaning up the kitchen, doing the dishes, and cleaning up my messes. He has waited on me hand and foot during the last week without one complaint. He said that if he didn't have to work, he could totally be a "house dad/husband" which kind of cracked me up. However, tomorrow, when we both try to go back to work, things will get a little challenging so pray that I get the strength to do things and that he has the patience to help me over the next few weeks.