A Miracle before our very eyes!

I just wanted to pop in and share an awesome miracle! 

In March, during my first OB visit, I had some blood drawn for what the nurse said were "initial labs". I had already informed the billing department that we were NOT using maternity insurance so we needed to know about all charges because we would be paying out of pocket for EVERYTHING. 

The billing department apparently did not get the information clearly because they still tried to file with our regular insurance. On May 9th, I received a form from the lab company saying that they needed to have further insurance information because my health insurance denied the claim for the labs. Along with this form was an invoice number as well as an amount of the claim of $716.00!!!

I immediately called the lab company and explained to them that the insurance wouldn't cover it and that it shouldn't have been filed initally. She was VERY helpful and understood where I was coming from. She said that given that I was self-pay, they could give me a 25% discount. I was a little bummed (read: a LOT bummed) that they could only give that amount off but I was grateful, nonetheless, for a reduction in the amount. 

At the end of the conversation, the customer service rep said we shouldn't pay it yet because it was still out to the insurance and that I should await the full bill and then give them the information she had provided to me. 

Today, we got that bill and I was holding my breath when I opened! 

That's when the miracle happened! The bill was originally $716 but the bill reflected adjustments of $568.50 and making our bill only $147.50!!!!!!! 

We were both stunned and so excited!

I quickly wrote that check and mailed it! 

Thank you, Jesus!

Baby Bedding

Hey There!

I need some help with baby bedding.

We aren't finding out the gender so we need it to be neutral. We both really like gray/white color combo but can't seem to find one that we love. Well, let me re-phrase that, we found a look we loved and ordered it and it feels so cheap and poor quality. That is sad because it wasn't cheap!!

I am thinking I may end up just getting a bumper and crib skirt and may have them made. Anyone out there do that? Or know someone who does?

I'll take all of the help I can get!

I'm also not dead set on the gray/white. That's just something we have liked so far!

Scentsy

Well, as of July 1st, I will no longer be a Scentsy Consultant. I joined Scentsy in August of last year because we had some extra cash and I knew that I would eventually be staying home with a baby or babies and we thought it would be good as extra income.

When I joined, there were no minimum requirements in place but as of April 1st, they have instated a $150 earning for one month every three months. This isn't that much but since I work full time right now and I am pregnant, this just isn't something I can feasibly do.

Matt and I talked about it and decided that maybe that just means I need to let it go. I'm a bit sad because I hoped to use it as income down the road but also, I know that I don't need to over-do anything right now. That being said, as of June 30th, I'll no longer be selling Scentsy. I know some great girls who do sell the products and I'll be glad to contact them if you are interested in purchasing anything. Thanks for your business thus far!

Pregnancy Post--Details, Happenings, Etc (Thus far)

I'm 18 weeks today!!!! Matt and I decided we would start taking some kind of weekly picture this week but we haven't decided what we will do yet. I'm not really showing so there isn't really much to report there.

Since we kept our little excitement for a while, I've been keeping notes to write a random brain dump pregnancy post. Aaaaannnnnddd, here it is!

(Side note: If you are not interested in reading this, just pass it right by. I just wanted to write it all down for myself! :))

February 5th, 2013--LMP

March 1st, 2013--Found of my best friend was pregnant!

March 4th and 13th, 2013--Had some spotting and really thought that I was not pregnant because it was similar to what happened the month before.

March 11th, 2013--called the baby "appleseed" although, we still did not know we were pregnant.

March 16th, 2013--I bought a pregnancy test and on that same day I had my first real craving which was brownies and ice cream!

March 17th, 2013--Had a positive pregnancy test but didn't tell Matt

March 19th, 2013--belched aloud at work :)

March 21st, 2013--First appointment which confirmed pregnancy

March 22nd, 2013--Matt asked "When do you pee on a stick?" :)))

March 26th, 2013--call the baby blueberry; Told Matt he was going to be a dad on his birthday!!! :)

March 29th, 2013--Decided to change doctors from Carolina OBGYN to the Woman's Clinic because of where they would allow me to deliver.

**Side note** At this point, nothing was making me sick but some foods were just completely unappealing to me such as peanuts and popcorn!

April 5th, 2013--Having mild discomfort after having to slam on the brakes while driving; was a little worried that day

April 8th, 2013--accidentally rear ended someone and spent the day resting; no symptoms

April 9th, 2013--9 weeks!!! saw my new doctor(s); saw the baby on the portable ultrasound machine;

April 10th, 2013--wanted chocolate chip cookies and while we were making them, the oven went out! I sent Matt out for my first pregnancy craving!!

April 15th, 2013--lots of belly aches during this week; no desire to eat; it was weird because it wasn't related to anything specific and I just felt yuck but it only lasted 2 days;

**At this time I was really enjoying salads and ICE COLD WATER; No tap water for this girl.

I also had the stomach virus twice during the pregnancy so far...talk about BLAH!

Early May, Talked to Crystal (ShopCrystalFaye) about monogram items that are gender specific to be delivered ahead of time and opened at the hospital since we will not find out the gender ahead of time!

May 9th, 2013-got to see baby on portable ultrasound again; started buying letters for the alphabet wall

May 12th, 2013--First Mother's day; got breakfast in bed from McDonalds; and a card for pampering
During this week, I really could feel the baby growing and also could feel my uterus moving etc. Cool stuff.

I've been wanting hamburger steak, even a hot dog one night; eating LOTS of peanut butter.

In May, my legs also started falling asleep some and giving me little issues at night but it's fleeting and doesn't bother me much at all.

Between May 24th and June 3rd, we got to tell all of our friends and family about the baby and that was a blast!

June 6th, 2013--Heard the babies heartbeat for the first time. We had seen it on portable ultrasound twice but had not heard it until this day. That was AWESOME!

That's all for now!

Alphabet Wall

Lots of fun pictures and videos of when we told people are going to be posted (eventually) but until then, here's something fun!

For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to have an Alphabet wall in our nursery. I love reading, words, letters etc and I think the idea is so neat. Since we live in a rental and can't paint, etc, it's something we can do to personalize the space. Here is one of my inspiration pictures.

The names we have chosen have the initials "MMM" so the letter "M" will be the focal point and we will use one that we received as a wedding gift. 

So far, we have the letters: 

M, S, K, P, Z

We need the letters: 

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, L, N, O, Q, R, T, U, V, W, X, Y

We are wanting a wide variety of letters but none that are too big or too small. If you see any fun letters anywhere, let me know and I'll go check them out! 

Talking in my sleep

Matt often tells me that I talk in my sleep. This isn't new information because all of my friends from high school told me the same thing when we had sleepovers. When Matt works the late shift and/or I'm VERY tired, I do it more often.  This is how this most recent sleep chat went.

(Matt gets up to go to the bathroom)
(I sit straight up in the bed)

Me: We need to leave a note!
Matt: What?
Me: We NEED to leave a note!
Matt: For what?
Me: Because we are sharing that bathroom now.
Matt: I don't understand what you are saying.
Me: Just go
(I promptly lay back down and fall asleep)

Always something funny happening at our house!

BIG NEWS!!!!

Matt and I are pleased to announce that we are going to be parents!!! 

We shared the big news with our family while on our trip. I'll share LOTS of details soon! 

May 2013--101 in 1001 Update

May 2013--101 in 1001 Update

**I know I haven't said much lately when I post our goals update. I'll try to do better about that. We are still enjoying the list but it's just taking us a little longer to do some of them. :)

Our Goals

1. Add a member to our family. 

2. Pay off all student loans. (We have under $4,000 left!!!!)

3. Visit NYC.

4. Take a long road trip. 

5. Sell something on Etsy  

6. Have Dad's Crawfish in Louisiana.  

7. Take a trip to Louisiana at least once a year. (2/3) 

8. Host a holiday in our home. 

9. Go camping.

10. Build a real fire.   

11. Rent or buy a house. 

12. Decorate the outside of a house for Christmas.   

13. Stay at or Visit the Biltmore.  

14. Serve in a soup kitchen. 

15. Grow our own tomatoes. 

16. ******* ;)

17. Give an item away each time we buy something new (clothing, housewares, etc).  

18. Go on dates at least every other week.  

19. Complete a blog series together.

20. For one month, don't buy anything extra. 

21. Contact our family members at least once a week.

22. Go to a shooting range. 

23. Go sailing.

24. Get involved in a community service group.

25. Go on a mission trip.

26. Read at least one book a month for a year. (12/12)

27. Start a small business. 

29. Buy a new Christmas ornament each year. (2/3) 

30. Get a massage.  

31. Send a card to a friend or family member just for fun. 

32. Begin a photography business (big or small).  

33. Eat at a local/non-chain restaurant every time we travel. 

34. Visit a new place together once a year. (2/3)       (So far this year...Charleston, Raleigh)

35. Ride in a hot air balloon.  

36. Attend at least one festival a year in the state where we live. (2/3)

37. Stay at a B&B. 

38. Floss more- at least once a week. 

39. Give a 100% tip. 

40. Go see a musical. 

41. Eat a new type of food. (Korean, African, etc)

42. Repurpose a piece of furniture. 

43. Watch a sunrise and photograph it. 

44. Explore secret paths.

45. Do something nice for someone anonymously. 

46. Pick fruit at an orchard.  

47. Get a library card. 

48. Go to a garage sale together. 

49. Celebrate our Golden Birthdays in style! (1/2)

50. Make homemade ice cream. 

51. Learn a new hobby together.

Leslie's Goals

52. Lose my desired amount of weight. 

53. Continue to utilize this blog to document our lives especially once we start having children.

54. Get a Skype account and use it. 

55. Paint something worth looking at (not just a wall)  

56. Add at least one cross to my cross collection. 

57. Learn to make the best sweet tea my husband has ever tasted. 

58. Make homemade marshmallows.  

59. Sell/Give away at least one cake or cupcakes that I've decorated for a party/gathering/birthday/etc.

60. Plan a scavenger hunt for Matt. 

61. Bake and decorate each of Matt's birthday cakes. (2/3)

62. Rake someone's leaves.

63. Meet up with at least one other blogger whose blog I read. 

64. Complete a blog series or post about our wedding, including the planning. Just for my own sake :) 

65. Continue mailing out birthday and anniversary cards to our friends and family. 

66. Invite someone to stay with us for a weekend or longer at least once a year. (1/3)

67. Complete a vlog.

68. Go fishing.

69. Make a point to call my closest friends as often as possible, not just texting.

70. Take a continuing education class related to Autism or other childhood disorders.

71. Find a yummy Low Country Boil recipe and cook it. 

72. Take at least one picture of Matt and I every time we travel.

73. When we take a long trip (5+ hours one way), drive so that Matt doesn't have to. 

74. Take a trip to visit a few special friends (we know who they are).   

75. Take a cake decorating class.

76. Read a book, write a blog post about it, and link up with a book club blog. 

Matt's Goals

77. Run a 5k. 

78. Take a photography class. 

79. Take Leslie to an air show. 

80. Make a picture frame out of an old or hand-made window frame.  

81. Go to a college football game.  

82. Get a dog.  
83. Get a new camera lens.  

84. Make my wife cry in a good/romantic/sweet/you get the idea way. 

85. Give Leslie a love letter at least once a month for a year.  

86. Visit Chimney Rock, N.C. 

87. Wear a suit, and look good doing it. ;) 

88. Visit a new, to me, zoo. 

89. Watch the Flyers destroy the Hurricanes in Raleigh (hopefully with Leslie).   DONE 4/20/13

90. Fix something for someone.  

91. Cook something new and exciting. 

92. Swim in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

93. Make something from scratch. 

94. Do something with Granddad. 

95. Journal more often. 

96. Learn all the words to OR learn how to play one of Leslie's "high school days" favorite rap songs.

97. Teach something to someone.

98. Ride a horse.

99. Surprise Leslie with surprises.  

100. Spend an entire day, literally the entire day, in bed. Hopefully not while sick. 

101. Figure out how we will finish all 101 things on this list. 

Ours: 26/51

Leslie: 14/25

Matt: 17/25

Total: 57/101