This is life (a bullited list)

- Elijah has been working in earnest on potty training for the past week. So far we are enjoying the success and getting a little bit better every day. He has actually not had any accidents since the first 2 days (going "number 1"). I'm almost at the point where I can trust him, but not quite. We did spend all day Friday out and about and he did awesome. I've been watching his signals - because he still refuses to tell me when he has to go - and just give him plenty of chances to go. I'm so proud. Now if he would just get over his hold-up on going "number 2". Because frankly, I'm sick of washing out dirty undies!! And Lightning McQueen is sick of getting his face pooped on! Yuck!

- My Dad went to a cardiologist on Friday. Things are not good. So very not good. Mom said they walked away with very little hope. Basically they were told there is nothing the doctor can do to help with the erratic highs and lows of the blood pressure. He's calling the condition Autonomic Neuropothy , which is almost exactly a description of his symptoms to a T. He did start a new medicine (that makes 39 now!!) for the rapid heart rate. I simply cannot believe that yet another specialist has said he doesn't know what's causing the problem and that he can't help. So frustrating!

- One small bit of encouragement is that Dad has gained back 6 of the pounds he lost. We attribute this to the fact that the new pain patch he's on doesn't cause the lack of appetite like the other meds. He's also been up and about more often. Though the medicine makes him feel better, it does not make him better. So it's a little deceiving. But we'll take some good days at the cost of deception right about now.

- Mother's Day was sweet. Elijah colored me a fabulous picture in Sunday School and my boys got me a big wooden flower pot filled with herbs. Basil, German thyme, oregano, and parsley. Elijah LOVES to pick and eat them. I'm not sure the poor basil will get a chance to grow before he picks it clean. I love cooking with herbs and can't wait to use these. After church we went to my parents' house to give Mom her gift - a burgundy Calla lily- and visit for a while. Then it was home for naps before the family get-together. It was fun to visit with my pregnant cousins. We realized that by Christmas we'll have 5 new babies in the family! What fun that will be! After that we headed back to my parents' house to visit with my sister Chyna and her little guy, Brilen. A full and happy Mother's Day to me.

- I took my sister Ragon's senior pictures on Friday. I'm not super thrilled with how they turned out, but some of them are ok. She liked them, which is the important part. (Man, I sure wish Kristen would dish out some of her secrets!!! wink wink.) I'll post some soon. Maybe even today.

- Manny is still unemployed. He thinks he's looked everywhere there is to look and hasn't had any luck. I'm frustrated. He's frustrated. We're broke and expecting a baby in 8.5 weeks. This is an overwhelming feeling. The last thing a pregnant lady needs is an unemployed husband so close to her due date! God has still been faithful to provide for our needs. But I'm nervous. And, for the sake of Manny's manhood (that sounded funny) he needs to be out there in the world earning a living to provide for his family. It's just the way God designed men. It's hard to remain hopeful in a situation like this.

- Along the baby front, things are going quite well. I'm 31 weeks now. I feel good and have very little to complain about. My belly feels GIGANTIC, but it's not slowing me down too much. I'm a little tired by the end of the day and could really nap at a moment's notice. My bellybutton is on the verge of inverting itself - how gross does that sound? Not to mention how gross it looks. Ew. No major aches or pains to speak of. I have noticed that I have a hard time getting comfortable at night because my hips have started to ache when I lay on my side. Also, I've been getting charlie horses in my feet sometimes. Oh, and there are days when he's up so high under my ribs that I can't eat much... but the other days I make up for it by eating everything in sight. So it's all good. I go to the doctor tomorrow to verify, but I'm fairly sure I've gained 30 pounds since my last visit. I could be wrong though.