Countdown to Jay & Baby's Arrival...They've Arrived!

Final Words

2008-09-02T09:47:00.002-04:00

Abigail Jane Warren, age 2 1/2 months, passed away on August 17, 2008. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Linda Montgomery and Father Dennis Darilek officiating. Interment will be private. Survivors include her parents, Jay and Lauren Lea Warren; maternal grandparents, Donnie and Debbie Magin; paternal grandparents, Betty and Howard Gudgell and Lloyd Michael Warren; aunt, Angie Magin and Nick Leyendecker and aunt, Victoria Warren and her son, Nicholas; great-grandmothers, Joyce Magin and Johnnie Chance; great-grandfather, Victor Louis Colonnetta and wife, Jo; great-great grandmother, Lucile Schwarzlose; and numerous other family members. Memorial contributions may be made to Hope Hospice, 611 N. Walnut Avenue, New Braunfels, Texas 78130.

And what a beautiful service it was. Thank you all for surrounding us with the support we needed.

These are our final words. Please keep an eye out for a new blog from the Warren familiy. There is no telling what we will come up with next. Until then, happy college football season! Gig 'Em!

Abigail's Memorial Serivice

2008-08-18T18:44:00.000-04:00

Abigail's memorial service will be held Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 2pm at the First United Methodist Church of Seguin at 710 N. Austin, Seguin, TX 78155. A reception will follow at the church.

If you are coming from I-10, exit N. Austin St. and go South. The church is on your right.
If you are coming from I-35, exit Hwy 123 towards Seguin, and just before you get to I-10, veer to the right on Hwy 123 Business (N. Austin St.). The church is on the right.

We look forward to celebrating Abigail's life with you.

An Angel Among Us

2008-08-17T10:55:00.001-04:00

Good Morning Family and Friends,

As you know God graced us with the birth of our little angel almost 3 months ago. We couldn't have received a more perfect gift. Abigail Jane lit up our lives brighter than we ever knew was possible. She has touched numerous lives all over the world in such a short time. Her smile warmed our hearts and her sweet song still sings loudly in our ears. Her gifts were abundant and will remain with us eternally. Abigail is now gracing us from above as the angel she was born to be. Jay and I thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for every prayer, blessing, and kind word you all gave us and Abigail. Thank you for understanding that this message, though digital, is sent with all our love and gratitude.

Love,
Lauren Lea and Jay

Details regarding the memorial services to come.

We are infinitely blessed.

Thunder Thighs Here I Come!

2008-08-13T12:00:00.006-04:00

We are really starting to pack the pounds on now...Abigail is a 6 pounder! Look out, we've got a sumo wrestler in our midst. We might be struggling to fit her into those adorable preemie outfits soon. I can't wait! So needless to say, Abigail is a happy camper here at the Magin Ranch.

Our little family did manage to get away this past weekend for Abigail's first vacation. We told her about all the wonders that make up the metroplex (DFW) and about all the awesome family and friends she would see again or meet for the first time. As you can see here, Killer was excited the most about the trip.

Peanut did amazing on the road. Let's face it, she must to be a member of the Warren Family. Thursday night Grandma Bebe got to babysit while Jay and I hung out with the Yankees and Rangers. We had an awesome cookout at Aunt Vicki's house on Friday night while we introduced the Olympics to Nicholas and Abigail. I believe the word of choice for the night while watching the opening ceremonies was, WOW. I am sure you all had some similar reactions.

Saturday night we enjoyed a fish fry at Bebe and Howard's house, and Sunday was show off your grandchild day at church. All grandparents love those days! Abigail was showing off her family as well. We've noticed she does that a lot.

Great news...Jay finally received his orders to be permanently assigned to Fort Sam Houston. He left for Georgia this morning to out-process from Fort Gordon and to figure out how to move our stuff to Texas. Hopefully he won't be gone for too long...we are going to miss him. We foresee only a year in the San Antonio area since we will be getting another change of station when Jay finishes his Officer training. He should finish sometime later next year.

We will try to take advantage of the time we have here, since we don't know the next time we will be back living here. It's amazing when you actually realize that you have no earthly idea what can happen tomorrow, next week, or next year. I am learning to let go of the wheel and take every turn with as much ease as possible. It's not too easy, but definitely a fun ride.

Happy Birthday to Me!!

2008-08-01T11:07:00.014-04:00

Sooo, come to find out, my Mommy and Pop aren't so good at the bowling...Let's just say I had a good nap because it wasn't too loud in there from all the pins falling over. After I was well rested, I thought I should give them some pointers. As you can see here, I am working on Pop's release. He's coachable, but needs a lot of practice. He kept screaming something about his thumbs and saying that was the problem. Whatever helps you sleep at night Pop.

The party was a great time. Mommy's friends Renee and Rhonda surprised us from Houston. Mommy didn't say much just kept her mouth open when they walked in the door. I guess the surprise worked. Family was there too and we all had a rockin' good time at the lanes. My big cousin, Nicholas, must have some really good mojo because everyone kept asking him to help them bowl. They would get a high five from him or have him hold their hand while they bowled. I'm going to have to ask him about that when I am older.

Gran (Debbie) and Bebe (Betty) brought cake and ice cream. Everyone couldn't stop talking about how good it was. I made sure Mommy had some because I can't wait to get a taste for myself in about a month or so.

Two months and many more to go. I can't wait to see what the 'rents come up with for the 3rd Birthday Party. I've gotta hand it to them, they sure know how to have a good time. I think I'll keep 'em around for a while. Love you all! Bye

Look Mommy & Pop, No Strings!

2008-08-01T11:07:00.013-04:00

Huge News!! AJ's off oxygen!!! We are going on 3 days sans oxygen, and Abigail is kickin' butt! The cardiologist suggested that she should be off oxygen to help her feel more comfortable. Supposedly it is backwards with VSD (hole in the heart) patients; oxygen makes them feel more lethargic. So we let her kick that nasal cannula out the door and she seems to be lovin' it. It took us a little more time to get used to the idea...but we are coming around, we aren't even monitoring her oxygen saturation anymore. I guess Abigail's teachin' us how to let loose. She's Amazing.

Also, Abigail traded that annoying long tube/nipple contraption they called a g-tube for a much sleeker and slimmer "Mickey" button. Now Abigail just has a button on her tummy leading to her belly. We attach a tube to it only when we need to feed her. Sooo much easier!

It is so awesome not to be tied down to wherever the oxygen is, or to be constantly worrying about Abigail's wandering hands just ready to pull anything attached to her body. I think she might be enjoying it too...Yesterday, we heard her scream from her swing in the kitchen, "Look Mommy & Pop, No Strings".

And no strings means dips in the tub. AJ had her first full bath yesterday (no sponges here). Jay needed one too, so he took a dip with her. She really enjoyed it...she actually fell asleep. Like everyone else, she didn't like the getting out idea. But after a good towel dry and Killer's tongue helping lap up the suds, she was content and fresh, and it was time for another nap.

Things are moving fast down her in AJville. Before we know it she will be taking Killer for walks. Look out Texas...here comes AJ.

2 Weeks of Heaven

2008-07-23T19:27:00.006-04:00

Come to find out, Abigail is a pretty cool kid. She really knows how to party. We have had a lot of fun with that little girl over the last 2 weeks. She is a true Warren, nothin' slows her down.

We started out at Zorn Bowling Club...only proper way to go since the elder Magin girls made their public debut there too. Donnie was smitten with pride over his littlest girl as you can see. Yeah that's Abigail on the bar, that's how we do things, haha.

Abigail asked for barbecue that next morning so we granted her wishes and took her straight to Luling for City Market goodness. There she is right up in the mess of it. Don't think she didn't get a little taste.

The rest of the 2 weeks she enjoyed daily activities of push ups and sit ups, cooking all her meals, and entertaining her parents through out all waking hours. We think she likes it here. We definitely are thoroughly enjoying ourselves as well. She is an angel with a million different expressions who has transformed our lives. These past 2 weeks have felt like 2 months, and we are so grateful for every minute with her.

Another birthday is coming up soon. Peanut will be 2 months young on Monday (8 weeks today), and we are going to have a day of fun for her this Saturday. We are working on introducing her to some new activities, possibly bowling...hehehe. Talk to you all again soon.

P.S. As you can see she is a true Texan, she loves her chips and salsa.

Oh What a Busy Life I Lead

2008-07-09T09:48:00.012-04:00

Hi Ya'll! My name is Abigail, but you all may know me as Peanut. I am still thinking of how to get my folks back for that; I'll take any suggestions. I have to make this quick because I snuck out of my cradle to send this message. I wanted to tell the story of my biggest week yet in my own words without mommy and daddy's fancy dancy words. As you all know I have been chillaxin' in the NICU, or as us babies like to call it "The Land Where Babies Rule", for the past 6 weeks. It's some cool livin' in those parts...all kinds of mischief happens when the lights go down, but I thought it was about time I got to teaching my 'rents the way life's gonna work under Abigail's reign. So about a week ago I started working on my plan to bust out of the NICU.

The first step was a G-Tube surgery since I am not quite hip to the sucking game yet. My parents scheduled it for Monday...silly parents...I had to show them who runs the show now. So I decided to throw a scare of pneumonia at them to delay the surgery until I was ready, which turned out to be Thursday morning. This way I got to go on my first ride outside the hospital, and I did it in style too...ambulance and all. I had my G-Tube put in on Thursday morning at North Central Baptist. It went well, of course, I'm a pro. The ride back to Wilford Hall was even better than the first, I got the royal treatment...lights and sirens. We left mommy and daddy in the dust!

After a few days recovery, the next step was extibation. That means that the last gosh-forsaken tube in my face was coming out! Thank goodness! Sunday morning was the day of freedom, the day I would get my voice back, the day I could really tell those doctors what I thought of their precious ventilator. Well, you know that went perfectly as well, and I got the good stuff afterwards too...100% pure O2. Talk about a cool high.

I soon realized that those folks of mine had gotten to planning again without consulting me. They were working on scheduling my discharge out of the hospital to this place they spoke about with a lot of laying around, sleeping and eating...uh hello, what have I been doing the last 6 weeks. I don't think these two are too sharp. Although, they did keep talking about this interesting creature named Killer who seems a lot cooler and more relaxed than them, so I figured it can't be that bad. None the less, I did need to keep them guessing and remind them whose in control here, so with a quick flick of the wrist, oh no my G-Tube came out. But those dang doctors swept in with a quick recovery and somehow fixed that problem faster than I expected. Oh well off to this new land we go.

Departure day arrived Tuesday and after several hours of saying goodbyes to my nurses and docs, or should I say butlers and maids, at the NICU, I escorted my parents to our new home in Seguin. We now are living with my Grandma and Grandpa Seguin in a not so dark forest. I am really enjoying it, I have a bigger bed, several rooms I party in, and come to find out, just as many butlers and maids. I think I'll stay here for while...these folks of mine are pretty cool, cheesy but cool. I'll check you kids later. Come check out my crib sometime. I'm out!

The First of Many Celebrations

2008-07-02T18:26:00.006-04:00

Saturday was a day of celebration and thankfulness. Abigail Jane celebrated her 1 month birthday as well as her baptism. Early Saturday morning we had Abigail baptized in the NICU. It was a great ceremony. The NICU staff allowed us to have several people at bedside to attend the christening. My parent's priest was able to come on short notice and did a beautiful job. She was blessed by her parents, grandparents, aunts, cousin, and godfather.

The luau birthday party was to commence after the baptism, but shortly after the ceremony, as Jay and I were decorating her bed and area (Oh Yes We Did), the doctor's and nurses surprised us. They had arranged for her to join the birthday party so we could sing to her and partake in some hula dancing. It was great to surprise our family as we wheeled the birthday girl into the party. We sang "Happy Birthday", opened some presents and of course took several hundreds of pictures from which you will see she thoroughly enjoyed herself to say the least.

After she was back at her tiki hut and ready for visitors, the touring hours began. Jay and I introduced Abigail to several new family and friends throughout the day. She is a very popular hula princess. We had 40 people visit her that day! Thank you all so much; Jay and I really appreciate you all making the drive to celebrate our little girl. And to those of you who weren't able to make it, thank you for all your birthday wishes and we hope you enjoy these pictures, and the many more to come.

Jay and I are looking forward to our next party; however, everyday of our life is a celebration of the joyful blessings Abigail has brought to us. She lights up our days and will forever bring smiles to our faces. It's amazing how someone so small can change our lives in such gigantic way. We're working on that small part though, maybe a few more cookie cake birthday parties will do the trick.

Abigail Jane Warren!!!

2008-06-24T15:29:00.002-04:00

Friends and Family of AJ,

In case you have not heard, or checked our the blog, we have a beautiful baby girl! We would like to thank all of you for your continued prayers and support. You all rule. We have had a tense few weeks sitting around waiting for a diagnosis from the doctors. Abigail has been in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for the first few weeks of her already blessed life. The doctors told us that she had some abnormalities when she was born and that further testing would be required to determine her status. After extensive tests and some retesting the doctors have diagnosed her with Zellwegers Syndrome. We are attaching a website that will help explain in better detail what that is.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/zellweger/zellweger.htm

The low-down is that AJ's brain did not develop properly from the beginning. She also has a small hole in her heart, some kidney problems, cataracts, low muscle tone, and some hearing loss. To be discharged from the NICU she will have to show the abilities to maintain her own body temperature, regulate her respiratory rate, and to feed. She still has not shown the natural instinct to feed herself and will most likely require a direct feeding tube into her stomach before she comes home. AJ has also had some trouble breathing recently. She has been on a ventilator for the past few days and will likely have trouble breathing for the rest of her life. As you all will probably soon read the prognosis for Zellwegers is poor. We want each of you to know how excited we are to be parents. We consider ourselves extremely lucky to be able to hold our baby and to tell her we love her. Many parents never make it this far and never get to experience the awesome feelings that we now cherish.

Our future appears to hold many tough moments and some pretty daunting challenges, but we are excited to get out there and live life to the very fullest with our beautiful baby girl. One of our great teachers told us that, "Everyone comes into our lives for a reason. They teach us something about life and ourselves." Abigail is teaching us to cherish every moment we have with those we love and care about. We thank all you again for your concerns and support. We look forward to a long, happy life with the most beautiful girl either one of us has ever met.

Very sincerely,
Jay, Lauren Lea, Abigail, and Killer

p.s. This Saturday (June 28, 2008) we are throwing a one month birthday party for Abigail on the 5th floor of Wilford Hall Medical Center (Lackland AFB, San Antonio) and you all are invited. No need to bring a gift, she has more clothes than any one person could ever need. Party hats will be worn...

HOLY SHIT!

2008-06-10T16:19:00.005-04:00

Holy shit we have a kid! And she beat her dad home...she's good. And Jay is the coolest!

After a very short labor at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Abigail made it known that she needed to come out via emergency c-section. The labor didn't provide any time for phone calls or updates, barely enough time for Debbie to get the labor bag from the car. Abigail Jane quietly arrived at 10:40 p.m. (2240 for you military types) Wednesday, May 28, 2008. Finally after the longest few minutes of our lives, she made a peep and was rushed to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) for high fives and hot chocolate. That is what we like to tell ourselves.

Once I arrived from recovery, we were finally able to contact Red Cross to spread the word to Jay. Thankfully his unit was able to put him on a plane back home the next morning. Daddy was finally on his way home! And Jay is the coolest. Just after receiving that awesome phone call 9:30 a.m., I was able to meet the most beautiful bundle of joy in the world. She was amazing. It had been really tough sitting through recovery after the c-section thinking somethings missing here, where's our baby?

Jay's plane arrived late Friday evening. Let's just say it got a little emotional in the labor & delivery hallway that night. I couldn't believe he was walking towards me...it was like a dream come true. I took him over to the NICU right away to meet Abigail. Once they locked eyes, I knew he was going to refuse to share the baby with anyone. Including the mother. We are definitely smittin'. And Jay is the coolest.

Abigail is doing really well in the NICU. She is totally chillaxin' like a pro. She is obviously the most loved child in the World right now. The doctors are telling us that she will probably be there through the end of the month. She has some exercising to do before she can leave, so Jay is running the PT sessions every day. And Jay is the coolest.

Bring it on Home to Me

2008-05-24T13:46:00.002-04:00

A message from Jay:

I reckon it's about time I said something to the cheering masses..."I'm coming home...made up my mind, that's what I'm gonna do...can'tlove nobody on the telephone...I'm coming home to you!" Ok maybe thatwasn't for the masses but my large-and-in-charge wife (read: big girl).Thanks to everyone who helped out Lauren Lea, AJ and the Killer Dogwhile I was busy playing soldier. I'm much obliged for all the love andsupport everyone gave to my ladies. My unit should be leaving soon tomake the long voyage home. I hope you all will pray for us because I amterrified of flying. Or maybe just not being in control of the hugechunk of metal being hurled through the atmosphere...

Lauren Lea is definitely the more gifted blogger so I will let her takethe reins back, but I wanted to thank everyone again for taking greatcare of my lovely ladies. See you all soon!

Jay

2 Weeks and Counting!

2008-05-21T15:30:00.005-04:00

Oh my goodness can you believe that it's almost June. Crazy! My giddiness is getting a little out of control, hehe :) Less than two weeks and Jay is back in the states. It looks like it will be a very close call come early June...the combat boots are running head to head with Abigail Jane's little tootsies. It might come down to a photo finish. Oh lets be honest, there will definitely be photos.

My doctor's appointment yesterday was very exciting! I really didn't think anything was going to happen since it was so close to my last appointment, but as he was doing an ultrasound, I was apparently having contractions, haha. I didn't even know it. He told me and I said, "What seriously?". I couldn't feel anything. The only way he could show me was to have me feel my belly. The uterus was like a rock near the top, I just thought that meant she was sticking her butt in the air, haha. I had a couple of them during the ultrasound, so he decided he would check my cervix and apparently it is ripening quite nicely. It has thinned out a lot but hasn't dilated any. I asked what that meant and he said well he couldn't say anything for certain, but that I was probably not going to make it to full term (40 weeks). So that being said, it looks like we are only a few weeks away. Today, I am 36 weeks! That means she may be coming in 2 to 3 weeks, CRAZY!!!

I was so anxious to talk to Jay and tell him this astounding news that our little girl seems to be in a rush to meet us. I bet she's trying to get in on the baseball action too. My guess is she is shooting to make it before the College World Series or the Astros-Yankees series. Wouldn't that be nice! Let's hope those Aggies don't continue to choke at the end of their season.

Anyway back to telling Jay...after he caught his breath and finally finished a complete phrase which ended up being "Oh boy"...he said that I needed to do everything I could to keep her cookin' for a little longer. He reminded me that he can't obviously drive from Afghanistan. I just told him to make sure there are no delays in his return and I'll do my best to not pass out from this exhausting Texas heat and that was all I could promise. Needless to say, I think I shocked him a little with that news. I love that!

I guess we are as ready as we are going to be...I hope you all are as well. I know its going to be a shock seeing Jay and I holding our little angel, so just make sure you're all prepared. I don't go back to the Dr. again for two weeks. Crazy, I know! The doctor even said, well I hope you still have a baby in there when I see you again. haha...I guess we'll see!

In the Home Stretch Now!

2008-05-15T17:08:00.015-04:00

So the mountain man finally came down from his lonely look out. His call was the best birthday present ever! He was a little out of it at 3 am his time, but I'll take whatever I can get. He's so sweet when he is delirious. After 24 days of solitude, no hygiene what so ever and sleeping on rocks, Jay and his fellow un-bathed com padres finally heard the beautiful bird arriving to take them back to the oh so civilized Bagram. That's gotta be an oxymoron. And on top of that, it does sound like he's pretty much done with his duty and waiting around for his trip home. What a way to end a 6 month long deployment. He has about 2 weeks left at Bagram filled with out processing and a few more meetings before returning to good old Georgia. His estimation of return to the states is around the first of June. And as we have all learned with Army intelligence, this means nothing, no definites and can change at any time. But Guys...We Are In The Home Stretch Now!

After all the missions and the delectable MRE's (dehydrated meals), Jay's protein bulked body that he left with has depleted to a much leaner muscular version as was expected. I guess he's similar to when he arrived back from Basic Training. You all remember the slim jim at the alter touting a waist size very close to mine. haha just kidding. Although I am very worried that between his loss and my gain we are getting dangerously close to meeting in the middle.

As for me, the baby shower this past weekend was a great family and close friend gathering to end the shower season. My Aunt Dale and Jeanette threw a wonderful brunch for many ooohing and awwing ladies. There was a platter of adorable Abigail cookies and a fabulous cranberry punch. (Isn't it funny how I always must comment on the food and beverages, haha). We received so many great gifts, cute outfits, and very useful supplies of diapers and wipes. My mom and I were successful putting the stroller and carrier together the next day. That was a great reality to see sitting in the living room!

Furthermore, I had a great time celebrating the holiday weekend with Jay's family who were able to come down and stay with us out at the lake house. A little shopping and dining in Gruene and bbqing and lounging out at the lake made for an incredibly relaxing Mother's Day and Birthday! Killer obviously had a exhausting time playing with my cousin Nicole and nephew Nicholas.

Oh and on top of all that I finally had another Drs. Appt with a different doctor this time. The new doctor was really nice. He looked younger but claims to have 7 children ranging from 2 yrs to 15 yrs, wow. Jay don't get any ideas! The ultrasound was very quick and I only managed to get one picture out of them. Its of her face and you can make out the nose, lips and supposedly she is sticking her tongue out a little. Like my dad does when he is concentrating. haha. She is weighing in at 4lbs 14oz right now. I also talked with him about the next few weeks and what they would entail. After not having an appointment for a month, I will now be going every week. goodness. He said that he would start checking my progress around 37 weeks. I am 35 weeks and 2 days now. He is aware of our situation and again said that there won't be a reevaluated due date until probably early June. That is really all I have to report, but as I said I will go again in a week. I doubt I will have anything new then either though because I can't really see what they are going to do. Oh and good news, they didn't weigh me so I am still ignorant to the fact that I quite possibly weigh the same or more than Jay due to his deployment diet. You better start hoovering those power bars babe!

April Showers Bring May Flowers

2008-05-03T17:46:00.010-04:00

I am sorry my posts are coming fewer and farther between. There just seems to be so much happening that I can't get a moment to capture it all in a short and sweet blog entry. The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of baby celebrations. So many wonderful friends got together to celebrate Abigail Jane's upcoming arrival. April 19th Cathy Beicker and Glenda Moreno (two lovely mothers of friends of mine who I have known forever) hosted a come and go shower which celebrated both a mom-to-be and a grandma-to-be. It was a great laid back chit chat party with ladies' nibblets and some amazing lime sherbet punch. Unfortunately all of the great moments were captured in my memory and not on paper. I had a spurt of mommy-memory-loss and didn't pull my camera out for anything.

The next day my parents and I drove to Houston to say Hello to our good friends, the Astros. I am sure you have heard of them, the madmen of Minute Maid Park. The weather was great so the roof was open and it wasn't too crowded. My mom did, however, have to give up her seat for the handicap section since she was still sporting her immobilizer and couldn't quite make it down the steps to our seats. But Dad and I took turns keeping her company. We are sure our presence at the Sunday game was what sparked a fire in the 'stros' bats and started a nice little winning streak. It was the least we could do after all the joy and frustration they have given us over the years.

The following weekend, April 26th, I had another shower which included the gals from high school and their mothers. I did actually remember to pull my camera out for this get together. Molly Oehlke and Liz Sedlacek did an amazing job with the luncheon at El Ranchito. My face was hurting so much from consistent laughing and smiling caused by reminiscing hilarious moments from our teenage years. It was so nice to see all those girls again. I must say we are all looking quite beautiful in our maturity. Many other friends from Mom and Dad's offices and out of town guests joined in the celebration as well.

We have received so many wonderful gifts from everyone at all the showers. Every one's enormous generosity is so overwhelming. Jay and I are so grateful to have such caring friends and family who continue to keep us in their hearts. We are so blessed to have such a large circle of faith and friendship. Thank you all again for celebrating our little miracle's upcoming debut.

The other reason I was slow to get back to you all, was my lack of contact with Jay and not having anything to update. He left on a 2 week, no contact, mission just before my last entry and said he would not be in touch again for a couple of weeks. It was to be early May before we heard from him again. I have been anxiously awaiting early May to get here, and as of this afternoon I had not heard a peep, not an email, nor a call. But thankfully when I got home today (Saturday), after a fun filled day in San Antonio watching Daniel's 7 on 7 football tournament, I discovered an email from Sgt. Blair, Jay's direct superior and friend:

Lauren Lea,
Hey, I'm writing to let you know that your husband has been extended on his mission by 5 days at his current location. He will be back around the 10th. He just wanted me to let you know. He is doing a great job out there.
Sean Blair

Good to know! And that's all I've got on Jay, haha. At least it's something. We'll take what we can get. He just knew I would be wondering what was going on after not hearing anything by now. I sent on my love and immense gratitude to Sgt. Blair for his update. I am not sure if you are all aware, but Jay was accepted to OCS (Officer Candidate School) recently and will be attending probably early next year. This will mean a new standing as a soldier and a new job. We do not know what his next job will be or where he'll be working after he passes OCS and becomes an officer, but we will most likely be moving again in about a year.

One last note...One of my favorite qualities that I think makes Texas so beautiful is that we have such an amazing array of wildlife and vegetation. May is a gorgeous month for wildflowers as we all have noticed while driving down our Texas highways. But one of my favorite wildflowers is one not seen on the highways, in front of city hall, or by "Welcome to Our Town" signs; it is the one whose blooms soften and brighten up a harsh unpopular plant growing all over south Texas. The cactus blossoms open up in shades of golden yellows, vibrant oranges and fiery reds. I feel so lucky every year because they always bloom right around my birthday. They are such a beautiful surprise amongst the May flowers. I hope you are noticing them as you drive down your neighboring country roads because this is the cactus's one shining moment all year long. I think they deserve our attention for these few weeks of spring. Love you guys, talk to you again soon!

Abigail Update

2008-04-21T20:52:00.002-04:00

Here's the latest as of last Monday:

Well the doctor's appointment went really well today! The doctor looked at her brain with the ultrasound and he determined that the "holding tanks" for the fluid passing through the brain which were larger than normal didn't increase in size. They are the same as three weeks ago. Which he said was great news. He still wants to do the MRI because he says it wouldn't hurt anything. The Dr forgot to schedule it so I didn't do one today, but the radiology dept should call soon to set up an MRI some time in the next few weeks. It was so nice to hear that.

I asked about the gestational diabetes results and he at first thought he remembered that my numbers were high on that too, and he said he was waiting to pass along the bad news until later in the appt. He checked again and thank God he was wrong. we all giggled because it just couldn't have been me. not another thing wrong.

We talked a little about pediatricians. I asked what would happen regarding my situation since I would be departing from the hospital soon after the baby was born. He said the baby would definitely be monitored after birth...meaning she would most likely have an ultrasound or MRI done on her head after birth sometime. He also said if there was no cause for immediate concern than we could probably just go back to Augusta ensuring there would be good Dr's there to keep tabs on her.

I also mentioned to him that I was hoping to do a natural birth without meds. He said that the meds might be helpful during labor regarding my Chrone's and minimizing the stress on my body. He said that they would be monitoring the baby so my ability to move around would be some what limited to just the room. Which sounded fine to me. I don't need to be showing off that sexy hospital gown to the entire natal wing.

I reminded him that we are looking to get this baby out before June 19th and he laughed. I mentioned that the situation with Jay was the same (having to make a call that said "ok start driving") I also asked if he would for sure be the one delivering me, and he said that is a good possibility that it won't. He remembered that he had mentioned to me that I would need one of the more experienced doctors to handle the delivery since I have concerns regarding my chrone's. Apparently there are very few inexperienced ob's at Wilford Hall since they deliver about 200 babies a month! wow!

Overall, I left the doctors with a great sense of relief. Although, I hadn't allowed myself to get worked up over the news from the last appointment, it was great to hear that she is doing well. She is weighing in at 3lbs 4oz. now. She is just below avg on her size for this age. But she has stayed consistently just below avg on size over the last 8-12 weeks. She is really starting to look like a human being and less like a bony alien. It was great seeing her round face on the screen. She loves putting her hands in front of her face, so we only really see a little at a time. Either shy or doesn't like pictures. Knowing Jay and I she can't be shy...

Her femur bone is about 5 centimeters long which is about 2-3 inches I think. Her belly is about 7 inches long and her head about 9.5 centimeters...from that the Dr. told me she is about 14 inches long right now. Isn't that neat! Anyway...I think that is all that happened. I go back in exactly one month, so May 14th. I meet with one of Dr. Fausett's partners. That will be helpful to meet him because he could possibly be delivering me too. I can't wait to see what she'll look like then, and how big she'll be then too. oh my!

I hope all of you are well. Talk to you all soon. Lauren Lea

P.S. Sorry no pictures this time, feet and hands were all up in the way.

And The Fun Continues...

2008-04-09T22:05:00.010-04:00

So when we last left off, I was recapping my magnificent month of March which ended with a weekend in the DFW area. The weekend was planned, as usual, to include several visits with family and friends over delectable meals. Eat, drink, and be merry seems to be the reoccurring theme of our visits to the metroplex. I love that!

As you read in a previous entry, I enjoyed a indulgent dinner with friends at a Cuban restaurant and an ice cream sandwich shop. Well the next day was a great celebration of family and friends going googoo-gaga over onsies, washcloths, fluffy toys, and tiny shoes while nibbling on lovely finger foods and bite size desserts. My sister-in-law, Vicki, aunt-in-law, Toni, and cousin-in-law, Melissa, threw me a very sweet baby shower at Jay's mom's church. I was definitely the larger-than-life of the party surprising many guests with my large belly. Jay and I received so many nice gifts including some top notch sarcastic baby-ware, a clamp-to-the-table high chair, and Abigail's first piece of jewelry. My very sneaky husband surprised me with a gift at the shower which was snuck in to the party by my even sneakier mother-in-law, Betty. Jay's adorable surprise was an ID bracelet which Betty had engraved with "Abigail" on one side and "Daddy" on the other. You can't surprise a pregnant woman with something like that and not be prepared for the waterworks... Thank you all so much again for celebrating "Peanut's" upcoming arrival.

I then had a lovely brunch with Jay's dad, Mike, at which we caught up on his newly retired life, scouts, and Jay, who amazingly must have realized we were talking about him because he phoned during brunch. He had great timing and was able to visit with his dad over the phone. It was so nice to see Mike and hear all about his retirement adventures. It's great to hear that his time is filled with so many rewarding activities. The brunch was the perfect combination of breakfast, lunch, and family to start the day off right.

Sunday turned out to be a gorgeous day to be outside, and why not while your outside, do some walking to raise some money for a very important cause. Jay's mother, Betty, was diagnosed with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) several years ago and has been walking in the MS walk ever since. This year she invited her family to walk with her, and we were honored to support her and MS research. However, we did a little more than just show up on Sunday with our tennis shoes on...we surprised Betty (a.k.a. BeBe) with t-shirts for everyone advertising "Team BeBe" which she of course welcomed with tears of joy. :) We also managed to raise $800 as a team...oh and this ragtag group of supporters I am referring to included Betty, her husband Howard, her sister Toni and her 7 year old daughter Betsy, her niece Melissa and her 5 month old daughter Sofia, her daughter Vicki and her 5 year old son Nicholas, and finally her daughter-in-law, yours truly, and her fetus "Peanut". When I said ragtag, I meant it...Look at us sportin' those doo-rags.

The walk, also known as "the race" to the kids, was great fun. We all walked the entire 3 miles together and finished victoriously. Nicholas, who was determined to defeat the entire family, decided it was better to win the race hand in hand with our team leader, BeBe. She, of course, crossed the finished line in tears...but let's be honest, preggo here was fightin' the tears back as well. Damn Hormones! haha. We all walked so hard that day...that the old-timers and preggo were all konked out by 8pm, haha. Party On! It looks like we all will be walking again next year. We were pretty good at the fundraising side and are only going to get better, so keep that in mind when your phone rings next spring.

I won't be gone long this time...I have another ultrasound on Monday, so maybe a few more good shots of Baby Warren. I will also be updating the belly shot again soon. It's amazing that this thing can still get bigger. Catch you later dudes!

Ain't Nothin' Gonna Slow Me Down...Oh No...I've Got to Keep on Movin'

2008-04-01T22:22:00.008-04:00

I hope some of you sang that entry title with me...and if you didn't, you need to get with it. :)

Well being preggo doesn't seem to slow me down one bit. I had a few fun filled weekends recently that I haven't been able to share with you all yet. I was blessed to spend a weekend in Houston with Renee, a weekend with my sister/family for Easter, and a weekend in DFW for a baby shower. I got into all sorts of shenanigans from staying up to all hours of the nights to wearing myself out enough to pass out at 8pm. That's how we preggos get down.

Houston was great. The Kristyniks and I reminisced about old times and previous visits. Renee (Nea) and I had a lot of catching up to do. We partied hard on movies until 2am one night. Nea couldn't hang with the preggo though. Amateurs...haha. Ronnie (her dad) fired up the boilers the other night and we feasted on crawfish, shrimp, sausage, potatoes, and corn. Abigail did alright with the spicy food especially when I washed it down with few cold O'Douls. Haha. Good times are always had with the Kristyniks in Houston. Looking forward to the next time when Jay and Abigail can join in the fun.

When I made it back to Seguin, I had to drive straight to the hospital to aide my mom, the new patient. She slipped and broke her knee cap the last day I was in Houston. She was out of surgery and recovering by Monday afternoon. She was determined to be back on her feet by the time Angie and Nick arrived, and she did it! Strong woman. We all got our fill of Mexican food, the Lenten meal of choice for our family.

There were several activities that weekend. Between the Leyendecker's Good Friday picnic, Angie and Nick's 10 year high school reunion, and the Zorn Olympics several memories were made. Of those, the most memorable being a pregnant woman suspended in the air at the height of an egg toss match. In short...my foot slipped...I became super-preggo-woman flying through the air...and thankfully hands hit first, then leg, then belly. No damage done. Tears of laughter were shared by all.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the Zorn Olympics, let me just share with you the best idea for family fun on any holiday. A time honored tradition has commenced on Easter Sunday at the Schwarzlose/Magin property for many years known as the Zorn Olympics. The various games have evolved with the times but several classic competitions have always remained in the line up such as the Potatoe Sack Race, Three Legged Race, Egg Toss, and Scavenger Hunt. The 2008 games were altered due to a certain fat lady, whom will remain nameless, who wasn't able to fit into a potatoe sack and who's ankles were too swollen to do the Three Legged Race, to include the modern Wii Bowling, the vintage washers, horseshoes, and dominoes. Couples compete for reign over all the family, and a year's worth of bragging rights. There may also be a prize involved.

Well that is far as I can go tonight...please check back later for the conclusion of this entry which will include my recent awesome adventure to the Arlington area. You got a sneak peek in the last entry with the Cuban food and Pokey-O's. But don't think that was all the excitement...there was much much more! Including a joyful tearful surprise, sarcastic/humerous babyware, and a cracker jack team of supporters that crossed the finish line for a great cause! Be back again soon.

Growing Baby & Dinner with Friends

2008-03-29T12:30:00.004-04:00

I am doing this different this time. Here is an email from me to Jay (and you all as well):

These are from Tuesday's appointment. I hope you enjoy them. It's so awesome to see how much she is growing. She has her feet up at her head again. Her favorite position.

The 3D Pics might look cooler on April 16th, but they still are really interesting now. The one that is an exact profile of the face is really amazing. I love that you can make out her every detail and curve.

The doctor said she is 2 lbs. 5 oz. and the Baby Center updates say that she should be about 15 inches long. I am feeling kicks in my ribs now, so she must be stretching out here and there. Her head was down on Tuesday. I also asked the doctor to confirm again that there were definitely female parts still there, and sorry, no mistakes with that verdict.

I saw Aimee, Caleb, Scott and Allyson last night. Dinner was awesome. We went to Cuba Libre. The cuban food was amazing. You would have loved it because their specialties are tacos. Very similar to the tapas bar in Augusta we loved. I had a chicken taco and a mahi mahi taco. The mahi was great. We had plaintains to start out with three different dipping sauces. And they have a drink called a Cuba Libre that is a rum and coke that is the frozen to the consistency of an icee. It looked like they had just ran to the 7/11 and bought a coke slurpee. It looked delicious, yet I stuck to my extra special cocktail of club soda with a splash of cranberry and a lime.

I was sneaky and paid the bill without anyone knowing until we were ready to leave. I thought that would be our present to Aimee and Caleb for their anniversary and Scott for his birthday. I can still be sneaky even though I am not as light-footed as I used to be. Then afterwards Aimee and Caleb suggested we go to Pokey-O's for dessert. I don't know if you have ever heard of it, but you need to go!! You would absolutely love it. It is an ice cream sandwich bar. You get to pick each flavor of the homemade cookie you want to go on either side of your sandwich (I chose peanut chip and chocolate chip). Then you pick your ice cream (I went with vanilla). But they had all sorts of choices...snickerdoodles...cappuccino cookies...mint chocolate chip ice cream...rocky road...the combinations were endless. Great ending to a wonderful evening. I was so happy I didn't stuff myself at dinner so that I could enjoy dessert. I hope you got Scott's picture of me enjoying my ice cream sandwich. haha.

I am sure it is no shock to you when I tell you that I forgot my camera at home and didn't get one shot from dinner. Oh well. A preggo mind is not a sharp one.

We missed you all night. Me more than anyone, of course. We all kept referencing you and commenting on how much you would have loved the evening. We all can't wait to do it again with one more seat at the table. Can't wait for you to come home. Love you and miss you more than words can describe. Stay safe,

Love,
Spaz

Update from Camo-Man

2008-03-20T09:40:00.003-04:00

Thought you all would like to see this update from Jay. We know how much he loves his bbq, and it looks like he and his team fired one up recently.

Jay Wrote:

This is a picture from the last place we went. This was when the mission got cancelled. We celebrated by having a cook-out. Locke made the grill out of rebar and wire, Ponce stole the steaks, Craig (the new Navy guy) got the other stuff, Shah (our interpreter) got the bread, and I did the cooking and fire building. Thought you might like the pic. I really don't have any other new ones. I will try and get some more. I love you and miss you.
Love, J

P.s. The other people in the second pic are members of another team we were there to work with.

Update on Daddy Warren

2008-03-11T22:49:00.004-04:00

Since I am given such an abundance of insight and details into Daddy Warren's "vacation" overseas, this will be a short but important update regarding his duties. He was swiftly sent out on another mission over the weekend to a very remote location at which he will not have access to any communication methods to the outside world. Unfortunately this mission will last through the end of March. So please do not get discouraged if you are not receiving responses to your emails.

With only this concise and ambiguous explanation from Jay, I am left to fill in the blanks myself to satisfy my curiosity. I can only conclude that this is code for a mission to a remote island in the Pacific where he will be studying the communication methods of wild natives. That sounds better.

Well whether its the mountains of Afghanistan or the beaches of the Pacific, I know you will all be praying with me that he and his team stay safe. Before we know it, he will be back in satellite range and we will be gushing again about Peanut's footsteps inside my belly. I'll keep you all updated as much as I can. Talk to you again soon.

How's It Going?

2008-03-06T17:36:00.003-05:00

I have been lagging on the entries, I know. There really hasn't been much going on here. I am just working hard and trying to relax as much as I can on the weekends. I have been able to soak up some great sun down here lately. I even got into the hot tub the other day. Of course it wasn't too hot. It was like taking a bath outside with massaging jets rumbling around me.

Speaking of that wonderful weather...do you all know what that means??!! Opening day is just around the corner! As I am sure you all know already that spring training games are in full swing. Those 'Stros are getting ready for a killer season, I can feel it. haha just kidding, who ever knows with those guys. All I know is I am getting revved up for the sound of smaking bats.

My last doctor's appointment wasn't very interesting. No pictures to share. I did do a tour of the birthing center, and it is really nice. The rooms are huge and they are all suites (singles) where the baby stays with you the whole time. I am looking forward to the next appointment because we get to see Peanut again. I am hoping both my parents will make it so I can show them around and they can see how big the baby's getting.

I worked on my room (a.k.a. my sister's old room) recently as well, trying to make it more accommodating for Abigail Jane. I don't know if I told you all, but I am using a family heirloom. I don't know if it's technically an heirloom yet, but my Aunt Cathy made it in her college shop class 28 years ago just before Angie was born. All 6 of our cousins (including myself) have used it since then, and she handed it on to me. My mom and I dusted it off, made it a tad more sturdy and got some cute bedding for it, and it looks like Abigail is going to be sleeping pretty while she's in Texas.

So I also thought that maybe we could turn this whole blog thing around and you guys could update me on what's going on with you. What's the news in your world??? I would love to know. Maybe you could post a comment to this entry updating me on your life?? I can't wait to see who and what's happening! Talk to you all soon.

Hive Five!!

2008-02-16T14:59:00.009-05:00

It looks like Peanut already has her "high five" down. I guess she was telling me "Good Game" at the doctor's office the other day. We had a great appointment. I met with two of the high risk doctors, and both were very nice. They measured my belly this time; never had that happen before...and I believe they said I was 19 centimeters. Who knows what all that means, but it sounds large to me. After the initial consult with the first doctor, I went in for an utlrasound to look at Peanut's heart. That was our only concern now that the amneo results came back negative. The doctor back in Augusta thought that two of the heart chambers may be communicating when they shouldn't be.

The set up was really nice. I didn't even have to strain my neck to look back at the ultrasound screen because there was a flat screen on the wall in front of me to watch. They even had a lazy boy in the room for visitors. At first Peanut didn't seem to want her picture taken because she was in a pike position. Her feet were actually up at her head. So she was doing her best to cover that heart. They tried everything to get her to move, pushing on my belly, having me turn from side to side, I even walked around for 20 minutes and had a snack. Finally after an hour or so, she moved her legs down and let them check out her heart. The head of the high risk doctors came in to examine the pictures and look at the ultrasound himself, and after about 20 minutes he determined that he didn't see any cause for concern. High Five, Good Game!

I go back at 24 weeks which is Feb. 26th and then have another ultrasound at 28 weeks (not sure of that appointment's date). Oh and she is really movin' and grovin' in there lately. I hope that soon, other people will be able to feel her summersaults too!

The past two weekends, I have had the pleasure of watching my cousin, Nicole, play basketball. She is in the 5th grade and plays for a city league. Her team was undefeated until today. They are really good. Great team work and everyone gets their turn to try out their moves court. Nicole is one of the lady Orange Crush Ballers, she's got a sort of Horace Grant thing going on with her swift styling specs. I remember those days...and I can't wait to go cheer on Peanut!!!

And of course we had the Valentine's Day. Jay actually figured out the mail situation over there and mailed a present to me and Killer. I got it today and as you can see Killer really enjoyed hers. Jay got us some North Face jackets. I think he might have been hinting that we need to head somewhere cold. He is still chillin' over at Bagram, not doing much of anything, but thinking about coming home. But he did find one good perk about being stuck at Bagram...wondering off to explore new dining halls, or dining tents I should say. Apparently one day he was exploring the property when his Texas senses led him to a secluded building off in the corner of the base that few had discovered. He walked in to be hit with the wonderful aromas he was only able to dream about. Bar-b-que in Afghanistan??? What, that couldn't be safe...but low and behold, Jay claimed they had the best ribs he had ever eaten. Who would've thought.

He was finally able to send some more pictures. These are from the small base he was at recently. Snow, snow, and more snow.

Well, I'll be catchin' up again soon. I hope you all are doing well. Let me know if anyone feels an urge to take a trip down south to Seguin. We would love to have you. I can show you all the hotspots...well they may not be so hot, but they sure are a hell of a lot of fun. You know you are courious...hehehe.

When is Life Going to Slow Down

2008-02-07T20:22:00.000-05:00

When we last spoke, I was about to make the trip to Texas from Georgia...well as most of you know already, I have made it safely on Texas soil. But before I left Georgia, I had one more important thing to do...Party! You know me, there's always time to have a party to celebrate!

Angie and Mom threw a baby shower/going away party for me and my friends at a hopping soup/salad/sandwich restaurant on Sunday afternoon. We dined lightly on ladies' fare and a little heavier on the desserts including a 5 layer chocolate cake...WOW. I am still having dreams of that dessert case. I got tons of goodies from the girls. It was my first baby shower and I will remember it always.

You can click on the picture to see the adorable gifts up close.

Then it was on to the Lone Star State. It took us 18 hours in 2 days. Really easy drive since it was on a holiday. I didn't stay put for very long because in less than 48 hours I was already up in the DFW area. I forgot how easy that drive was. I made sure to hit all the important stops...bar-b-que, mexican, Jason's Deli, home-cookin', oh my. Thank you to all of you who had to suffer through those evenings of watching a "Miss Preggo-Piggy"eat like she going for the gold medal. I am so glad I was able to see so many of you. Hopefully I will catch the ones I missed next time. I am sure I will still have the raging appetite so don't worry, you won't miss out.

On my way back to Seguin, I received a phone call from a family friend that turned out to be a job offer. It was Tuesday afternoon and I began working for Brent Beicker Enterprises and Beicker Insealation on Monday (this past Monday). I guess I should have taken advantage of my time off a little more intently. I didn't realize I would be working full time in Seguin, but I am happy that I decided to do it. One company is flooring, granite, and more and the other is spray foam insulation. I have a handful of responsibilities that boil down to helping organize and manage the numerous jobs they work on. The position isn't quite polished off yet, so I am helping figure out the exact description for the next person and laying the groundwork for some new office mechanics. It's great so far. I am enjoying it. It's keeping my mind busy, helping the time go by faster, and giving us a little extra money.

Oh and on the upside of my hormone rollercoaster, I decided to cut my hair and go a with little more natural color. Would you believe this is only a little darker than my roots? I was going for a hot mamma look...Do you think I pulled it off?

Again I am sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you all. I feel like my life is not slowing down; it is stuck on 60 mph and in the fast lane when i would prefer it to be more like 40 and coasting. Oh well...the faster the time goes by, the sooner we hear those footsteps in the distance. Which brings me to updates on those footsteps.

Jay is back at Bagram. He arrived back from his mission about a week ago to a huge selection of packages. He wanted me to tell you how grateful he is for all the wonderful care packages you all are sending. He and all his soldiers/friends are enjoying the goodies. Ffrom what I understand, much to their dismay, those soldiers' significant others are hearing all about Warren's abundance of packages. Jay was so anxious to catch up on the hundreds of emails he had missed over the last month, but unfortunately was denied access when he attempted to to get online. He could only access .gov, .mil, .us sites. He should be up and running soon, if not already.

In regards to the smaller more delicate footsteps...I will have a better update this weekend. I found out that I am assigned to Wilford Hall Medical Center on Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. It is a hike from Seguin (45 minutes - 1 hour), so I guess it might be good to choose a c-section instead of natural. I went for an orientation already and go for my first doctor's appointment tomorrow (Friday). I am not sure what all I will find out; it may just be an introduction. I might see if I can get a tour of the birthing center while I am there. I also may have to wait a week or so for the next ultrasound. We'll see...I can't wait to see Peanut again!

Oh and we chose a name for Peanut...Abigail Jane Warren. Abigail means "A Father's Joy" and Jane means "God's Gracious Gift" and was my grandmother's middle name.

Talk to you again soon. I promise! I have my computer set up now at the 'rents house so I can get online whenever and not have to wait my turn. Since my parents got their 50 ft tower they have discovered a new love for high speed internet. Watch out cyberworld, Seguin is making a comeback.

So Sorry!

2008-02-05T13:57:00.000-05:00

I am so sorry about the delay on my next entry. Life has been crazy busy, and I am having trouble downloading pictures. But know that I am going to do my best to get an entry done this weekend.

Thanks for your patience.

Snowed White and the 3 Dogs

2008-01-18T16:20:00.000-05:00

I was gitty as a school girl when the snow began to fall Wednesday night. The last time I saw the picturesque powder plummet was several years ago in Alexandria, VA. This snow shower only lasted an hour or two, but that was definitely enough time for Angie, Nick, and I, along with the 3 dogs, to run around like we were kids again (the last time we remember it snowing in Seguin).

Killer decided that the fluffy flakes falling on her face looked tasty enough to snack on. Fortunately for me, I had the camera on her for her first snowy experience and captured her nipping at the snow as it floated down.

We bundled ourselves and the dogs up and headed outside to join the other neighbors in the col de sac who were also out enjoying this rare winter weather. Angie and I were immediately thrown into battle against Nick. The war was on after I almost received a snowball smack in the smacker.

It was a great break from reality and Angie's studies for her huge licensing exam on Saturday. Also fun to see the ground, houses, cars, and dogs turn white for a short moment. Although it is chilly winter weather outside, this is nothing compared to Jay's wintry windchill experience with temperatures recording in the teens. Hopefully he is staying warm enough while out on his latest mission. He currently isn't receiving any mail or emails. He probably won't receive any mail until he gets back to Bagram, which could be several weeks from now. That is all I know for now. I'm leaving for Texas Sunday, as in 2 days from now, and will be arriving Monday night. I do not know where I will be after that because, as I said before, everything lies in Tricare's hands and how they schedule my doctor's appointments. I will let you know when I may be coming to a city near you. Until then...

The Pecker-Checker Test Results are in!!!

2008-01-15T07:50:00.000-05:00

The moment we've all been waiting for has finally arrived...Peanut is indeed Honey Roasted! Oh wait we knew that already. I mean Peanut is a girl!! Can you believe it?? Some of you were right on the nose with your predictions. One more female to add to Jay's repertoire, but this little lady will definitely be an entirely new adventure. What I understand so far from Jay is that she will not be leaving the house until she is 21. No doubt all his friends will agree and take turns guarding the door from the outside. I am sort of excited to learn more of these Jay-isms regarding raising our little girl...they are intreging.

So needless to say we are both extatic, smittin', and wondering what the heck are we going to do with a little girl...come on I know you all are thinking it too. haha. Well we all know Peanut will be wearing a baseball cap and cowboy boots before she is 1, like any Texas girl should (my prediction anyway). Jay is already protesting against pink, just an FYI for all of you who have visions of pink everything in your mind. Let's be honest, we all know Jay, and knew that was coming. No matter pink, green, or yellow we will figure it all out with a little help from all of you who have raised their little girls (like myself) most successfully.

Before we received this enormous news, Jay and I did have a few scares over the last month or so...and I personally think "scares" is an understatement. In December, my high-risk specialist found an abnormality on an ultrasound that led him to believe Peanut might have a chromosomal abnormality. He ordered the mulitpile serum screening test (bloodwork) for late December and from that bloodwork came some more abnormal calculations that suggested Peanut was positive for Trisomy 18 Syndrome. This is an extremely scary and pretty much fatal diagnosis. They kept our hopes up with the fact that its common for false-positives to be calculated from the screening. So the next step was an amneocentesis on Jan. 9th. The procedure sounded scarier than it turned out to be (needle going down into the belly and getting a sample of the amniotic fluid surrounding Peanut), but it was the only definitive test available. So we definitely said YES in bold letters and even threw in some of our own money to get the results in 2-3 days instead of the normal 2 weeks. Definitely the best $400 we ever spent. After the longest 5 days in our lives, because the 2-3 days included a weekend, the doctor called back yesterday and confirmed that the test was negative for Trisomy 18 (Peanut doesn't have the syndrome). The results are 98% accurate and the definitive results arrive in 2 weeks. phfeww!!!

After about 30 minutes of losing it, regaining my togetherness, and losing it all over again...it all finally began to sink in...We are having a BABY GIRL! In only 5 months! Oh my GOSH! So of course the first thing my sister and I thought was to celebrate in the best way possible, SHOPPING! We went straight to Target, got a starbucks and b-lined it straight for the baby section.

Thank you so much for all your prayers. Peanut is our little miracle and we are so grateful to be able to share her with all of you. We cherish this huge circle of friends and family that expands from Texas, Georgia, Virginia, all the way over to Europe, and I guess right now to Afghanistan. We will make sure Peanut knows of the faith, love, and support that brought her here to us.

Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year!

2007-12-30T07:57:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, I am not keeping up as much as I promised, but you must believe me when I say that the last couple weeks have been a whirlwind of holiday hustle and bustle. So the last time we left Peanut was waving "Hello" to the world. Peanut is still growing, as am I. I am trying to remember to send Jay picture messages of my progress. The last one I sent was only appropriate for Jay: His wife preggo in a wifebeater. I have now realized why he wears them so much. They are soooo comfortable. I mean, I am wearing them as undershirts, to bed, around the house, and I believe I have even made a short appearance in public to get the mail. Good lord...I guess it was only a matter of time before I would take on his ways. (Jay your plan is working)

I guess I will start with the 5 day Christmas marathon. This spaztastic blizzard blew into Arlington first and hit the von der Heydt's for a quick dinner and gift exchange Friday night. Then traveled down to Mansfield to visit the Gudgell house for a quick breakfast and gift exchange. Made a trip back up to Arlington to celebrate with Mike over lunch and more presents :) , and finally settled over Mansfield for the evening to catch dinner and a dance party.

Oh but this blizzard had some strength and was just getting started...That next morning she made her way down 35 blowing past the 10 thousand cops on the road, with nothing better to do than ruin traveler's holiday, to the good old community of Seguin. They hadn't seen a spaztastic anything hit their town in a long time. None the less, they were willing and waiting at Debbie and Donnie's house along with the entire Magin family. We had an afternoon of my favorite Magin Christmas tradition, spaghetti and meatballs, laughter, and yes that's right, another gift exchange! woohoo. Gift giving is so much fun!

Well it wasn't until the next mornig, Christmas Eve, that the blizzard started making its move again; her sight set on Buda, Texas and the Colonnetta Christmas (My mom's side of the family) where a wonderful new tradition was started: BRUNCH in PJs. Its fun, exciting, and relaxing all at the same time, what we all need during each of our own Christmas marathons. The Colonnetta family is always known to bring laughter loud enough for the next town to hear, fun, food, and most of all games! Yeah that's right, Jay and Scott you are reading it correctly...DOTS!

It was time for this hyper, indecisive weather system to make a move again back to Seguin...it was Christmas Eve and carols were needed to be sung at Christmas Eve service. Fortunatley, St. James had a children's choir to muffle my beautiful voice. And goodness, we can't not have a picture in front of the tree...this year it was actually my idea, not mom's.

Finally the blizzard began to lose steam and settled in Seguin for the two days just in time for Christmas morning with the 'rents, ang, and nick. (everyone missed you Jay at each gathering) I think it would be an understatement to say that this year was the year of technology. So many gifts were exchanged that required downloading, an hour long introductory course, installation cds, and too many power cords to count. GPS Devices, IPODs, Digital frames, Digital books, Video baby monitors, Irobots, and a new found love for high speed internet at the Magin house thanks to a 50 foot tower and a quick course on Itunes given to the 'rents given by Angie and Lauren Lea.

There was just enough time for a stop at El Ranchito before the weakening blizzard traveled east and would no doubt fizzle out. So my 12 days of Christmas wrapped up in a hectic but fun-filled 5 days left me excited to get back to Texas to see all those friends and family members again.

I hope everyone's Christmas was as exciting, exillerating, and exhausting as mine. It just wouldn't be the holidays if you didn't need a vacation afterwards. Unfortunately, Augusta did not have one waiting for me...it looks like we might actually be selling our house by the end of the year. Yeah you read it right...THE END OF THE YEAR!

I found a buyer the day I signed with the realtor, great luck...but I am actually glad that I have her because I would have been lost and this entire process would have taken a lot longer. Anyway the buyer is military and will be getting a VA loan which lends to some difficulty and much anticiption. We had agreed on our terms but the deal seemed to weigh on the appraisal of the house. Long story short, the appraisal came through (12/27) as did the inspection (12/29) and it looks like we are closing on 12/31/07. Jay and I have managed to get out of the sell a little better than we expected. We thought we might lose his whole bonus to pay out our home loan, but the cards played in our favor. We should be able to make the money back by the time he gets back from the stan.

I have to be out of the house by Jan. 14th....those details are to come. I haven't quite figured all that out yet. I just found out everything would go through yesterday! But it is looking like we are driving back MLK weekend and should be in town that Monday or Tuesday. I hope you are all keeping up with our pace of life. I know I am struggling to. Thank you all for being there through all of this. I feel like I can't say it enough. I may need a little more shoulder to lean on in the next several months, but we have almost made it through the first hard part. The second hard part doesn't come for another 5-6 months. However, its the good hard part. The pitter patter of tiny feet and combat boots will be music to my ears!

Hello Again!

2007-12-13T15:37:00.000-05:00

Angie and I left for the ultrasound appointment this morning. I had to chug 32 oz of water in 20 minutes so that my bladder was nice and plump. However, the chugging was totally worth it when I got on the table and the technician turned on the monitor. I couldn't wait to see Peanut again!

It took a while for the technician to finish all of the initial pictures of the cervix and other boring stuff before she actually got to what, or should I say who, we came to see. Once she finally found Peanut hiding away in there it was all oohs and awws from the peanut gallery. IT WAS AMAZING!

The jest of what the tecnician had to say was that Peanut is doing well. All the bones are forming (those are represented in white on the pictures). Peanut is sort of a skeleton right now since it hasn't developed very much fat and skin yet. It helps to think of that when trying to make out the pictures. I find it easier to stand back a little and then you can see Peanut's bright smiling face in one, Peanut waving "Hello" in another, Peanut pondering with a fist under the chin, and Peanut's long body as seen from a side view.

The best part of the whole experience was when Peanut decided to wake up and all of the sudden started moving! It was great, Angie and I freaked out a little because we weren't expecting it. There was kicking legs and dangling feet, even an arm moved up toward the head. We could see and hear the heart beating again at approximately 168 beats per minute. The ultrasound also confirmed that I am 13 weeks and 2 days. They didn't allow me to get a video tape of everything, but I will get one on the 19th at my next appointment with the High-Risk Specialist. So look for more information coming soon.

In all, this utlrasound was enough to keep me smiling and gitty for days! Jay we do good work! I can't wait to see our Peanut again!

Peanut Will Be a Texas Baby

2007-12-07T17:45:00.001-05:00

I thought I would update everyone with my decision to move back to Texas for the duration of the birth. Jay and I talked about it a lot before he left, and we both decided that our peanut and I needed family, friends, and the state of Texas surrounding us throughout this pregnancy. I think we all understand why...I didn't think mailing the Texas soil to the hospital in Georgia would have been good enough.

Then came the decision of where to stay in Texas. Family and friends are spread all over Texas and if I could I would choose to stay in each city for a month, but unfortunately traveling after March or April may not be allowed. This was a really hard decision for me, but I did finally come to one. I began to realize that the maternal instincts I was beginning to feel were not just for our peanut, but instincts that I wanted to be mothered myself.

So with those motherly cravings, I have decided to move this ever-growing belly back to Seguin to live with my parents. It was a shocking revelation, but one I am truly looking forward to. It has been many many years since I have lived near my parents, family, and hometown friends. I feel I should take advantage of this opportunity God gave me to reconnect with all of them and that old town of Seguin that raised me so well.

Now, don't think I have forgotten about those other towns, family, and friends that are so close to my heart. I will be visiting you all while I am in Texas. I will be making my rounds to H-town, A-town, and D-town hopefully through April. You know I have to take peanut to his/her first baseball game, hopefully opening day! Don't worry Jay, you and I are still going to take him/her to their real first game where he/she can actually smell the roasted peanuts and hot dogs.

I hope you all are as excited about my decision as I am. I can't wait to get there. I should be driving in around mid January. It is really depending on the schedule of doctor's appointments. So I will know more after the next couple of weeks. Peanut should be making another appearance soon, so keep an eye out.

P.S. Thought you all might like to see my progress. On my way to being large and in charge!

Update from Jay

2007-12-03T10:17:00.000-05:00

Ok so I know you all are astonished that this is two blog entries in less than 15 hours, but I Thought you guys would like to hear an update on Jay from Jay. (P.S. You may want to scroll down and read the previous entry first.) Here is his most recent email:

Spaz-
Nick and Angie are amazing. I don't know how to thank them but pleaselet them know they are greatly appreciated and I am very sorry Ididn't do my part. I love them. Please thank Jim as well. That is ahuge lifesaver.
We are still at Bagram AF. We might be leaving within a week but thatobviously is no guarantee. We are very antsy, only one mission in themonth we have been here. Very frustrating. I see SSG Blair everyday,he lives in the same B-Hut as me (that is a plywood shack that eightpeople share). Gardner's wife is doing well. She is due at the endof July. I think Gardner is freaking out.
VIDEO TELECONFERENCE onDecember 16th!!! If I am here we will be able to participate. I willlet you know when I fing out if I am going to be at Bagram orelsewhere.
I truly am sorry I am not there to help with the house and that I leftit in such disarray. I am horrible. I never meant to dump all thaton you guys. Once again you Magin's show what great people you are.I love you guys.I hope you are doing alright.
Second trimester. Super exciting! Ican't wait to see you and the little peanut again. I love you all somuch. Please take good care of yourself while I am away. Give Killermy love. I'll try and call soon. And yes I will check out theRogue...
All my love, J

So there you have it...more evidence of the Army's motto: Hurry Up and Wait.

Busy Bee

2007-12-02T18:44:00.000-05:00

So sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you all. I have had so much on my plate the last week and still haven't been able to clean it yet. You know I have to clean my plate.

Last week was my last five days at the Doubletree. I was ready to move on to a new endeavor which was finalizing a deal with a realtor and getting the house on the market, which I did early in the week. She sounds good; I heard really great reviews about her marketing abilities and that is what I was looking for. Plus she is from Texas so we hit it off really well. Unfortunately with the worst housing market in ages, we are going to have to pay out the wazoo to get rid of this house. Jay and I decided to just get rid of it now because there is no telling what the market will be like in the next year. So the realtor gave me the task of tidying up the house and desensitizing it so potential buyers don't think about who is currently living in the house, only about them living in the house. The deadline for this task is Dec. 5th (Jay's Birthday).

Angie and Nick joined in the fun of cleaning and packing up the house this weekend. They were life savors to say the least! They both worked their butts off inside and outside the house. Well lets be honest, neither of them have much to work off, haha just kidding, but they exhausted themselves none-the-less. We had several disheartening surprises which tore at my already sensitive emotions, but we made it through them.

God is testing me now...I can feel it. I am trying so hard to keep my spirits high and stay positive. I have to to make it to Wednesday. I have more cleaning to tackle, but all day to do it now since I am not working. I hope that with my new freedom I will have a new energy to get this house in proper order for selling.

A week from Monday (12/10) I have another doctor's appointment to follow up with my thyroid levels and then another ultrasound the Thursday after that (12/13). Keep on the look out for another picture of "Peanut Warren". Oh I am two days away from completing my first trimester. WooHoo!

Oh Turkey Day!

2007-11-23T12:42:00.000-05:00

Well friends and family my favorite holiday has come and gone yet another year. I have such fond memories of waking up early Thursday morning at my parents house to wonderful aromas drifting back from the kitchen my mother had no doubt been slaving in for several hours. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is always first on the agenda, then I would get dressed because so many family members and friends would be arriving soon. Grandma Austin, Betty to some, was always first to arrive toting her famous pumpkin pie...one for the family and always one for ME!

Once dressed, I would catch up with old G-Ma while I did my notorius duty of creating or dressing the pickled vegetable tray. It was a work of art that I had mastered right down to 10 black olive tipped fingers. They tasted better that way, right Jay.

Once the large extended family, including friends, had arrived the house was filled with laughter, "howdy do"s, hugs and kisses, and screaming and running kids. Oh and of course me tasting and nibbling everything in the kitchen that was on its way to completion. It was amazing how my mom was, and is, always able to hold up interesting conversation, probably more than one at a time, all the while orchestrating her Thanksgiving feast production. The lady could do it with her eyes closed.

After everyone had stuffed themselves to the point of exhaustion, it was time to rest our heads back for the Cowboys game. Oh and by the way...you wouldn't find mom resting right next to us...the dishes just weren't going to do themselves...don't think she had stopped the multiple conversations either.

Every year, Thanksgiving Day was a blessing in itself for me. When Jay entered my life, I began to notice more and more that I had to be thankful for. He brings that out in people. He called yesterday and he told me about his pumpkin pie experience as well. He emailed a great photo of him and his soldiers I thought I would share. I am so happy we could talk on this special, and my very favorite, holiday.

I also told him of my holiday...which included Angie, Nick, KoKo, Molly, Killer, and I. Angie and I cooked like dueling chefs Wendesday night and Thursday morning. We had a great meal, great desserts and great football. Oh and one other similarity to the many Thanksgivings past, our "Killer" Cowboys' fan needed a nap too.

I hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving. We all have so much to be thankful for in our lives. Jay and I are so happy to have all of you in our life. You bring us great love and support whenever we need it. We hope that we provide that blessing to you as well.

And so now on to the next festivity...I hear the faint sound of Jingle Bells in the air...oh wait that is the radio stations already playing the music.

One Week Down!

2007-11-17T10:15:00.000-05:00

So we have made it one week! Congratulations to everyone; you all are doing great! I spoke to Jay several times over the last week and it looks like he has finally made it to his final destination. I made out, through some groggy, slightly half asleep converstation from Jay, that he has finally landed safely at Bogram. I guess the pilot was feeling the jet lag as well because Jay said he was sure they were headed for a tailspin a few times. He is now 9 1/2 hours ahead of me, 10 1/2 ahead of you guys.

I mailed my first care package this morning. I discoverd I could use the online "Click & Ship" on USPS.gov even with an APO address. So excited I could avoid those annoying lines at the post office. It was only about $12 to send the package, not bad. I am crossing my fingers it actually gets there. If anyone would like Jay's address, I will be happy to email it to you with the few rules we have to follow when sending items.

I hope everyone is well. I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! We have so much to be thankful for in life, and what a great time to focus on all of those wonderful blessings. Health, Happiness, Family, Friends, and Pumpkin Pie!

He's Off and Running

2007-11-12T12:18:00.001-05:00

So 3:30pm Saturday finally arrived and we said our goodbyes for now. No tears were shed. We had prepared ourselves very well for that moment. Also, I think we were both ready for the process to get started. That is one big step out of the way, and now we are closer to his homecoming.

He has made it to Maine, Ireland, and some central Asian Nation ending with "stan" I am sure. He has been able to call twice now. Sunday morning and this morning. He is 11 hours ahead of me right now (12 hours to most of you). So he managed to actually get all the way on the other side of the world. Imagine the sites he will see. I will definitely try to send out or post as many appropriate pictures as I can.

As you can see, Jay does look a little out of it in this first photo, but chalk it up to 10 hours of jet lag. I am sure we will see some more interesting poses and views in the future, but we can be assured they will all be priceless. So far so good in "Stan Land".

We're having a PEANUT!

2007-11-08T19:27:00.000-05:00

Sooooo.... Lauren Lea and I went to our ultrasound this afternoon and found out this so-called baby is actually shaped like a roasted peanut. Obviously honey-roasted. The little tyke had a crazy strobe light going off in the middle of its shell (the heartbeat come to find out). Then the doc played the heartbeat for us and Lauren Lea lost it. She started boohooing and what not. I might be exaggerating a little. We were obviously glowing though. We got a few printed versions of the pics (see attached photo). I personally showed our child's first "school pic" to everyone I passed in the hospital (including the entire staff of Starbucks). Please take the time to notice the kiddo is clearly going to look like me with a noggin that big. See ya'll soon! JBird

Jay's Exit Ceremony

2007-11-08T11:16:00.001-05:00

This morning I attended Jay's Exit Ceremony which recognized the 202nd MI Battalion Delta Company among others in lieu of their upcoming deployment. The ceremony was held outside on Barton Field in which many fellow MI soldiers, distinguished guests, family members and friends attended to acknowledge our brave soldiers. The Signal Corp Band provided the music, the Battalion Commander provided the speech, and the perfectly aligned soldiers in formation saluting the American Flag provided the undeniable fact that this was really happening. Jay is deploying in a couple of days along with many other soldiers, brothers, husbands, fathers, and sons. It is something I never thought I would be a part of, but I am so proud to say that is my good-lookin', brave, caring and strong husband leading the way.

It was a short ceremony, but a powerful one. It brought reality to light.

Go forth, go strong Jay. We are behind you 100%. Hurry Home!

Welcome!

2007-11-04T21:11:00.000-05:00

As you all know Jay and I have our own dramatic style to life. Keeping everyone on their toes is essential to living life to the fullest, and we hope we have kept up our end of the bargain.

As with other monumental choices in our life, we left it up to God and figured he would send the gift of a child to us when he felt we were ready. But Jay and I couldn't just get pregnant and blindly lead each other through 40 weeks of gestation, discovering the difference between my water breaking and Braxton Hicks contractions together. We some how slid a pregnancy in just weeks before Jay deploys to the other side of the world for a "convenient” nine months and created a much more thrilling route to birth. What would life be if we didn’t have stories like these to tell our children and grandchildren?

So I dedicate this blog to the countdown until we all hear the pitter patter of tiny foot steps echoing among the long strides of combat boots.