Wow

We are leaving for the hospital in less than an hour. Wow. Last night was the last night for it just to be Cody and me. Today we become parents. There are really no words to describe what I feeling. You guys know how high strung I am so you know there are a million words and thoughts running through my mind. Mostly I feel blessed, excited, humbled, and anxious, but I have such a peace that it is all going to be okay. Plus, I am ready to get this girl out!

So....say prayers for us. I'll blog more when I get back from the hospital. Carley Alyssa Nelson is on her way!!!!!!!!

Updates

I have nothing exciting worth an entire blog entry, so here are some random updates and things that make me excited.

• A week from today Carley comes. I still cannot believe it. 7 days. I must say that pregnancy has become flat miserable except for the precious baby that I am doing this for. I now sleep in the recliner, pee every hour and a half, and have the worst indigestion. I am not complaining, I am incredibly blessed. I am just so thankful the end is in sight.
• Tomorrow is my last day of work until mid to end of February! Yeah for Christmas vacation! Christmas vacation is just as exciting as an adult in schools as it is for kids. One more alarm clock morning!
• Matt and Sally from the Biggest Loser are dating according to People Magazine. They look really cute. I love random stuff like that.
• Also, I miss the updates from my friends at Wisteria Lane, Seattle Grace Hospital, and from an island between Australia and America. How long must I wait to find out if Walt was messaging his dad, if Andrew is going to stick it to Bree, and if Dr. McDreamy is going to leave his wife?
• Cody bought me a large tub of miniature powder sugar donuts to eat on this week. I love unhealthy breakfasts. They soothe my soul.
• Jason on Laguna Beach is friends with Paris Hilton? That is too weird for me. Those crazy teenagers.
• For the first time in well over a year, I can't complete the People Magazine crossword puzzle. What is up with that? I am a pop culture champ. I feel so unknowledgeable. I'll never get my own talk show now.
• There is a great E True Hollywood Story out there on the Kids From Dawson's Creek. It is must see TV.
• I cannot wait for my family to open the gifts I got them for Christmas. Don't you love this time of year? By the way, Alyssa, I know who everyone has as their secret gifts! :)

Sorry this one is so random. Then again, that is why you read my blog! :)

Happy Wednesday!

Happy Birthday, Dad - the luckiest winner of free stuff

Today is my Dad's birthday! Nobody loves their birthday as much as my dad so I definitely wanted to dedicate a blog to him today! He is the funniest, sweetest, most generous and patient dad on the planet. He is just something else.

One of the things that is the funniest and quirkiest things about my dad is his luck. He is truly the luckiest guy I know. It is so exciting to me when free stuff happens. In a world of bills, credit cards, bankruptcy, budgets, insurance, deductibles, and debt I like it when good people get stuff for free. Our friend Brice won a huge gift card the other day at work, Cody came home with a Walmart gift card from work, and our friend Mike and my dad are always on the radio winning prizes. Well, my dad is the king of randomly winning free stuff. I have a really funny, but long, story about how at a Cotton Kings game he won a round trip for two to Playa Del Carmen that ended up getting all 4 of us a free round trip the next year. 6 free trips to an awesome resort in Cancun! He is on the radio all the time winning random stuff.

Yesterday was no exception. He won a Christmas CD then he got entered in the big drawing for the big 12 Days of Christmas package. Later that day we won the big prize which included gift cards to Dillards, Lujanns, Cinemark Movies, the drive in, Ralphs Records and Tapes, House of Flowers, Copper Caboose, 6 month free gym membership and personal trainer, bookstores, and Village Hairstyles. It totals over $500.00! That guy! I am telling you, he is so lucky!

Happy Birthday, Dad. I hope you have many more years of winning random free stuff!

Two Weeks Notice

Well, mark your calendars. The hospital is booked. I am having a C-Section on Wednesday, December 28th and noon. (or so) We have less than 2 weeks. I absolutely can not believe it. We are so excited, but truly going through a wide spectrum of emotions. We are nervous, anxious, thrilled, giddy, and in complete shock. I am 36 1/2 weeks now so we went from becoming parents in 4 weeks to becoming parents in less than 2. We are trying to take advantage of every last minute of it being the two of us. Eating out, movies, and naps are things we are trying to work in as much as possible. I am just ready to stop wearing her and start holding her. Pregnancy is an amazing blessing, but she is clearly running out of room and sleep and life in general are becoming more and more uncomfortable. These yucks of pregnancy make me more and more ready for her to come. I can't wait to hold her!

So, please keep us in your prayers and be thinking of us. The end is in sight.

On a side note, we aren't sending out Christmas cards this year. We will send baby announcements/New Year's letters after she gets here. I have LOVED receiving your cards and putting your beautiful faces on my fridge. Don't think I forgot you. Our Christmas present is just coming 3 days late so we want to have pictures to show you!

Less than 13 days....crazy!

wrapping it all up

I am a little nostalgic today. It seems like the end of lots of things are upon the Nelson household. Today I want to give a little shout out to things that are coming to a close or have ended this month.

• Girl's Bible Study- Every Monday night 9 of the most wonderful girls in the world have blessed me with thoughts, prayer, discussion, and laughter. Our Monday nights have been great. We read a book that really challenged me on some stuff called Creative Counterpart. Some chapters were better than others, but the time with my friends was wonderful every single week. Last week was our last one. It was such a blessing.
• Child Birth Classes- Cody and I have been doing 5 weeks of child birth classes and this week is our last. It has been a really neat (and scary) experience. We have learned a lot about what to do, what not to do, how to care for our little one, and what to expect when she comes. The best part is they taught Cody how to give me really effective back rubs! Plus it has been a really special time for Cody and me.
• End of the Fall semester- Next week will be one of the very busiest for me. The end of the semester means semester grades, credits, schedule changes for the fall, and all sorts of school fun. I can not believe the school year is half over. It has been a really good year and I am so blessed by my job. Plus I won't be back after the holidays because I will be on maternity leave, so I am about to go on a long hiatus.
• The Deavers- This year we have been been blessed by a really amazing couple joining our class at church. Brian and Melissa are awesome and we have loved having them become part of our church family. They are moving to Austin soon to start Pharmacy school and get new jobs, a new place to live, and a new church family. They are a really special couple and we are going to miss them so much. (It's not too late to change your mind!!!)
• End of just the two of us - Cody and I have had a really great fall together. We went on lots of dates to football games, movies, dinner, and just spent a lot of time together. It has been a really good time in our marriage. If Carley hasn't arrived on her own by the last week of Dec. My doctor scheduled a C Section and we are going to get her into this world! I can not begin to tell you how excited we are. She will be here in just a little over 2 weeks! But, it is the end of just Cody and me. I am so blessed to be a wife and my prayer is that we always prioritize our marriage. Here is to Coco- the best hubby in the world.

Last night was our class Christmas party. I had such a wonderful time. GREAT friend, GREAT food, and GREAT fellowship. Things like that always remind me why God set up the church. He knew we needed the body of Christ to be physical in our lives at times. He knew I would need hugs, laughter, tears, and the feeling of not being in the world alone. The support of our class is really amazing. I look forward to the new things the Spring will bring, new bible studies, new life lessons in parenting, a new semester at work, new friends, and a new baby.

What a blessed time times of transition are....

The paparazzi loves me

I try not to do too many blogs about pregnancy. Some people find it boring to talk about family stuff and I try to keep the public happy. However, I got some pictures developed today and one fact really stood out to me.....Everyone should get their picture made with someone who is 35 weeks pregnant. It is so good for your self esteem. Everyone in these pictures, aside from the large pregnant gal, looks so good. Therefore, I have decided to make a profit off of my bovine-esque condition. If you would like for me to be in your holiday picture so you can look really good, send me an email or post here and I will send you the information for sitting fees. Here are my good looking friends and family.-- Moo, Ashley


In this picture, you can almost hear the zipper screaming for mercy. "UNZIP ME, PLEASE". This is what we call zipper pilates. A zipper being stretched to the max.










This picture is actually being solicited by pregnancy magazines everywhere. The lovely blonde on the left (my sister) is the poster child for healthy pregnancy looks. Here she is at almost 20 weeks looking energetic, healthy, and fit. The blob on the right is the example of swelling, stretch marks, and pregnancy acne. Clearly, you want to be the one on the left.








My husband is a hottie no matter what the picture. However, in this picture he looks like the winning contestant on "The Biggest Loser".





Here is the lovely lawyer. She could use this as some political add on how she cares about people in all shapes and sizes. I am the compassion cliche' that could secure her mayoral nomination.

Lastly, this picture has nothing to do with me, but how cute are my parents and my niece. She loves their dog Daisy so much. I just had to throw it in.