A day at the zoo

We spent the day at the zoo with Candy and her kids today. We saw a three month old giraffe, a big gorgeous swan, several tiny duckings, a baby elephant, lions and lots of other favorites. Andrew and Kate held hands clear through the day. They are so cute together!

A belated Birthday Celebration/Greg's Appointment

We took Greg to Ohio to see Dr. Binski one last time before his surgery now scheduled for Saturday, June 6. He will be in a cast until June 17 and then in a walking boot for awhile. He will be on two feet at that point! YEAH!

Since we were in Dayton, we met Greg's parents for a belated birthday celebration for Kate. We were originally supposed to meet on her birthday but I spent that day in the hospital. Anyway, Kate loved the puppy in a carrier from Uncle Brad, Aunt Jessica and Lizzie. Her new pajamas and summer clothes from Grandma and Grandpa are a lot of fun too.....very colorful!

Makenna and Hannah playing with Hannah's new kitten

Candy stopped by last week with a cooler full of fresh produce and a crock pot full of chili....yum! The kids brought their new kitten and everyone enjoyed playing with her. Even Brutus liked her! He kissed her and she tolerated him quite well. Such a cutie!

32 Weeks

I saw Dr. Allen again today and had another ultrasound. At this point, the amniotic fluid level is acceptable and not considered a threat to Ty. They think I can carry full term at the current level. He is still high and I am not any further dilated than I was a week ago. I've had contractions all week while on bed rest so they have lifted the restriction with the belief that it is uncomfortable for me but causing no harm. I am free to take Greg to the surgeon tomorrow and plan on being in Ohio for his surgery next week (we hope). I am thrilled to be off the couch! I lost two pounds this week pushing water to the extreme so I have been instructed to eat! I have been craving cheesecake for several weeks now....this is an order I am thrilled to follow!

On a funny note, at dinner last night Kate informed us that she has two "other elbows". According to her interpretation, Ty will be "elbow fed"! I don't have it in me to correct her so we should be having some unusual conversations when he is here! She used to say she had three belly buttons.

The other morning, Lauren was snuggled into her Joe Jonas fleece blanket and Kate walked up to her, rubbed the edge of the blanket on her face and said "I love you Joe". Lauren laughed and said that she loves Joe and that Joe's too old for her. Kate very firmly said "Joe don't love you!" Lauren responded with a dropped jaw so Kate imitated Joe's voice and said "I don't love you Lauren, I love Kate"! I was doubled over laughing! Lauren was dumbfounded!

We finished school last Friday! It feels good to close the books for a few months. Each of the girls learned quite a bit. Makenna wrapped up her third grade year reading and spelling on a fifth grade level and working at a fourth grade level in math. Erin is pumped and ready for public school this fall. She will be taking summer school to get her physical education and Career Information courses out of the way before the school year so she'll have room for a study hall during the year. She knows she'll need the time with the heavy course load she's carrying. Lauren continues to work hard and is looking into the technology school programs offered in high school as a supplement to our home school curriculum for her high school years. Culinary Arts are her main interest but she has plenty of time to formulate a plan. Assistant Veterinary programs are not offered locally, but would be her first choice.

Miss Hollywood

The girls took advantage of a warm, sunny day to model their new bathing suits and have a pick nick in the yard. This is the suit, sunglasses and flip-flops Lauren gave Kate for her birthday this weekend. She says she looks like a superstar!

Baby Ty's updates

I had an ultrasound this afternoon and Ty weighed in at an impressive 4 lbs. He is quite chubby with a "Budda Belly" (according to the tech). He has fat feet, chubby cheeks and a head full of hair. He had so much that we were able to see it on the screen! There may be something to that old wives tale about heart burn and hair! My amniotic fluid levels are borderline. I have to go to bed and drink as much water as I can for a week to see if it helps increase the fluid levels. Dr. Allen didn't seem to think it was really going to make much difference but wants to try everything we can to keep him cooking as long as possible. I will have another ultrasound and a non stress test next Tuesday to see how he's doing after a week. I am contracting a little today but they aren't regular or progressive. After such a long weekend, it was reassuring to see him so big and strong and have the doctors optimistic that I will be hanging in there a little longer. I hope this testing of all limits is something Ty leaves in the womb!

Happy 4th Birthday Kate!

Kate turned 4 today. She is so big! We celebrated her special day as a family yesterday afternoon with Dora cake and presents from each of her sisters. Erin insisted upon Ruby Red slippers like she always wore at Kate's age. Lauren got her a really cute bathing suit with matching sunglasses and flip flops. Makenna found the new preschool monkey webkinz that allows her to play preschool games online. Kate had a great day. We had intended to meet Greg's parents for lunch in Cinci today to further celebrate but Ty trumped our plans when I ended up in the hospital last evening with contractions every 2-3 minutes and each lasting 1 minute 20 seconds. He gave us quite a scare but everything is under control just 24 hours later. We had an ultrasound today with another one taking place this week to confirm that all is still well for him. Hang on little guy.....we want you to enter the world as big and healthy as possible.

Updated Photos of the girls

We took the opportunity while we had the camera out to update photos of the girls. My editing program was not working so the ones we ordered from Shutterfly for family will not have red eye.....anyway, Erin is 14, Lauren is 12, Makenna is 8 and Kate will be 4 next Sunday. They are growing up so quickly. Oh, Brutus, who was convinced all of this commotion was all about him is also 4 years old!

Happy Mother's Day!

We decided to play with the camera today for some fun family shots and pregnancy photos. Our little basketball officially has a name now.....Ty David Baughman is 29 weeks 5 days gestation and should weigh around 3lbs and be 17 inches long.

Erin

Hi... you all know me but mom is making me do this so here goes...
Umm... mom peed her pants a second ago. Daddy made her laugh really hard and she went ALL over the place! Just kidding, it wasn't all over the place. It was hilarious! Anyways back to me... If you want to know more about me you can ask to be my friend on facebook. I'll accept your requests I promise. Thanks for telling on me!:p ...Anyways I love you all and I will probably see most of you all in the near future so I'll see you then... Bye!
~Erin Gabrielle Baughman*


Well, I guess that is what I get for asking her to say something about herself on the blog! The next time she accuses me of telling her "private" business.....I'll be pointing out this entry!

Reality is that Erin and her best friend, Carlyn are inseparable. They do everything together. They love youth group, gymnastics and planning for high school together. Erin will be attending Floyd Central in the fall working toward an honors diploma over the following four years. She hopes to take several art classes and would also like to cheer. She calls the baby "the new kid" and hopes we name him Grant because we won't use her top choices of Spenser or Tyson. She babysits two very active boys in the neighborhood three or four afternoons a week and loves going out to dinner or the movies with large groups of friends on the weekends. Shopping is her favorite thing but rarely parts with real money. Gift cards are her best gift! She is a bright, energetic, sarcastic, easily distracted, multi-talented kid. We love being her parents....even when she's finding new buttons to push!

Celebrating with Cousins!

We met Theresa and the boys in Lexington for lunch and some shopping today. They brought Kate an early birthday package full of all kinds of fun surprises. She loves the monster truck, doll diapers, kite, bubbles and snow white dress up dress. Birthdays are so much fun! We love seeing the boys.....they are great kids.

Coming off the Mountain

Tonight’s sermon was one of those that made me think about the message long after it was over. I have found myself praying about it, thinking about the implications, talking to God, seeking forgiveness in a new way and wanting to share it. Travis spoke about Jesus up on the mountain for 40 days, fasting and being tempted by Satan. He followed God up the mountain…..the trek up any mountain would have been tough, but once He was up there, the view would have been beautiful. All would seem perfect. Life would be easy. Then He fasted and prayed. He was hungry and weak as the 40 days progressed. He had the option to turn the rocks into bread as Satan taunted Him to do. He could have made the story about what he could do but he instead allowed it to be about God. He could have done anything He wanted but He was on that mountain for a reason. He was preparing to go back down the mountain and into the valley. Jesus knew that He was facing the deepest valley ever. He was going to die for the sins of all mankind. He KNEW what pain and suffering were in that valley and yet, He made the even more treacherous hike back down that mountain. The journey ahead was going to hurt and He knew it. He could have just gone down the mountain and kept the temptation and fasting to himself but in keeping that part of the journey quiet, he would have kept God’s grace out of the valley. You see, God needs to be at work in the valley because that is where we suffer and that is where we hurt. That is where children die, marriages fail, good people suffer and everyone experiences loss. God has to be there….the world seems clean and perfect on the mountain because we can’t see the pain in the valley from up there. With God, there is victory and hope. There is healing and rejoicing. With God, we are not alone in our suffering. If Jesus had not shared that He was tempted or that He drew strength from God alone then the victory wouldn’t have impacted us the way it does. We all have a testimony of God’s strength and if we keep it to ourselves, we prevent others from knowing God’s character. Most often, we learn much more about God in the valley because that is where we are weakest…..that is where we are raw. God can work through us more effectively when we are not strong enough to make the journey alone. On the mountain, most of us are feeling good….life is going well and the view is beautiful. Satan does tempt us into believing we can do it all ourselves. The reality is that we will be heading back down that mountain and into the valley at some point. As Christians we know that we will suffer and experience pain….why shouldn’t we? Jesus suffered more than most can imagine and did so with perfect grace and humility.

Now this is where I am being convicted. God has carried me through some extremely painful times. I know God was there. I drew strength from Him. He taught me about His character and equipped me to grow in those circumstances. The journey was painful, to say the least. Sadly though, that is where I stopped growing. You see, I know the journey with God is painful and the valley is where we spend our walk with God because that is where God is at work in the world. I don’t want to come off the mountain. I don’t want to walk in the valley. I want to be on the mountain believing the illusion that all is perfect and I am capable of making my life work as I see fit. I have kept a wall up between God and me so that He can only get “so close”…I don’t want to be in pain anymore. I have avoided following God into the work He’s doing because it can and possibly will hurt. I know God is preparing me on the mountain top for the journey back down the mountain and into the valley and I’m afraid. Not that I don’t believe or trust that God will be there with me. I know He will equip me for anything His plan has for me but I also know the pain of the aftermath that can follow working for Him. But I am sinfully selfish and prideful for believing my life is my own when I have in fact, committed my life to following God. I have promised to spend time with Him, loving Him and worshipping Him. The truth is, I put my husband and my children and even my own selfish desires ahead of Him and He knows it. I grew bitter from some of the experiences I’ve had with God. That is me allowing Satan a foot hold that says that I shouldn’t have had to be in pain because I was following God’s plan. Really? What did Jesus suffer through for God’s plan for me and all of mankind? As a serious control freak, the idea of letting go and letting God lead my life is frightening beyond words but I know without exception that it is exactly what God expects from me. I give my faith a lip service only if I try to control the reigns as I tell others of my journey as though I’ve done enough for God and He should leave me alone now. After all, I followed God to a place that had me holding my adoptive son in my arms as he died. I would not have chosen to be there. It hurt too much. God lead me there and carried me through that time but I hurt so badly afterward that I told God….look, that’s all I got for you. Isn’t that enough? I can just hear God mentioning the suffering of His son for me…..no, it isn’t enough. I cannot DO enough. It is through God’s grace that I am saved. Anything I do for God is me living for Him rather than selfishly living for me and my desires. That is sin. Simple and straight forward. I have lived selfishly for myself since that day I rocked my precious son. That is where I left my heart and the sad thing is, so few even know that God was the leader of the journey that let me be the blessed mother to a tiny, perfect boy that otherwise would not have known a mother’s love and touch. God took me there and chose me to be Ryan’s mom. I was blessed even in my suffering. God carried me and He made sure I knew it but, it was there that I left my testimony. It was private….or was it? If I had shared the journey, would I have been glorified or would God? I have struggled with that a lot over the last 5 ½ years. At times, I want everyone to know about my son. Other times I think that no one can grasp the impact of his life on mine therefore it is best left unsaid. But is that making it about me again?

I need to come off the mountain. I need God to lead my life. He does so without my permission but it is best I follow with a willing heart and love for Him rather than the kicking and screaming that has lead me to where I am tonight. I am broken, but forgiven. I am sad that I have not allowed God to use me for the last 5 ½ years but looking forward to seeing where He leads me tomorrow. I want the love relationship that He seeks to have with me. I want Him first in my life. I know pain is part of any life in this broken world, but I want to be alongside God when my journey includes suffering. I cannot do it without Him. I have tried and can fake it with the best of them but reality is that I am not worthy of the love He so willing gives me. I am blessed beyond measure and that has me kept me holding onto all I have that much more strongly. I don’t want to let go of any of it. Life is good and I am blessed but, I am blessed to know and love the Lord with or without the many blessings that are additional in my life. The reality is that it can all be taken away without warning and I will be left with God…..if I am not willing to step off that mountain with God, where will I be when life happens?