There is more than one way to spread your wings.

Saturday was the YW broadcast at church with the Mother/Daughter dinner beforehand. I had fun with Emily. I embarrassed her by getting in line for food before she thought we should. She gave me the blackberries from her dessert. I love blackberries. We made baby blankets as a service project.

We sat in the chapel and listened to the speakers tell the YW some very important things. I sat there hoping that Emily was taking the things they said to heart. I was also listening for things that pertained to me. Things that I could do to draw closer to the Lord. I was struck when one of the speakers talked about girls and mothers and grandmothers all working on personal progress. This was something I could do! While Emily is working on her personal progress, I can do it too.

I've completed the personal progress program twice in my life. Once as a youth and once as a leader. Now I'm doing it as a mother. I've decided to do it in a very straightforward way. I am going to choose a value and do all the experiences in order and then do the project. I am doing the values in alphabetical order starting with Choice and Accountability.

I'm excited about this opportunity to grow spiritually using a tool I hadn't considered necessarily for me. I'm also excited that this is something Emily and I can do together. Maybe we can team up on a project. That would be really fun to do together.

PS: If you want to find a picture of the YW logo to put on your blog, don't google the words "young women." It's really sad and yucky what comes up.

Doctor. Doctor. Doctor. Doctor...Doctor. Doctor. Doctor. Doctor....Doctor. Doctor. Doctor. Doctor...Doctor. Doctor. Doctor. Doctor..We're not doctors!

On Tuesday, I reach the 28 week marker in my pregnancy. For me, this is one of the most important milestones in pregnancy. At week 28, I know that the baby will live if something is wrong and it has to be born early. I know this because my sister was born at 28 weeks. She was a tiny little thing, just 2 pounds. For several months leading up to her birth and for many months after, we spent a lot of time at the hospital. I've been thinking about that time lately because my father-in-law is having some health problems and he is in the hospital. We have spent considerable time there keeping him company.

Going to the hospital to visit anyone always makes me remember all the time I spent at the hospital visiting my mom as a child.

Before Anna was born, my mom was hospitalized for several months. This must have been when doctors actually determined your medical needs and not the insurance industry or the federal government. At that time, she was in the University of Michigan Hospital and for some reason, she was in a ward. I wonder if hospitals even have wards anymore. For her, it was a big room with beds lined up and a curtain that separated each bed. I remember she hated the ward. My dad and I drove to Ann Arbor from Toledo each evening. He would pick me up from whatever friends I was staying with and we would drive an hour and see Mom. Sometimes we would stop on Washtenaw for Arby's and bring Mom a sandwich. Back then, it was the only fast food restaurant on the way to the hospital. I knew my way around the hospital incredibly well. I would walk ahead of my dad, rushing to get to her and once there I would sit on her bed with her and tell her all about my day and do my homework. Then we would pack up and head back home for another hour drive in the car. We did this every day. Saturday and Sunday, we left early in the morning and spent all day with her. To me, this is what you do when someone you love is in the hospital. YOU STAY WITH THEM!

I don't know the technical reasons why my mom had to deliver Anna early. I remember hearing someone sometime after say that her placenta was dying, so that may have contributed to it. Anna spent over a month in the hospital until she was strong enough to come home. Guess what? We visited her every day just like my mom. My mom was actually discharged from the hospital before Anna was so eventually we all would go to the hospital together. About two weeks after she was born, I got the chicken pox. I wasn't allowed to go into the NICU where she was. I had to sit in a waiting room. I would read and color. I hated being by myself and not getting to see my new little sister. The highlight for me was when my parents would bring her to the door and hold her up and I would wave at her through the glass. I was sure she knew me and was happy to see me.

Last Saturday, we took the kids up to the hospital to see Chris' dad. He looked relatively good. He did have oxygen and an IV and I think those things threw the kids off. They hung back and were very leery about approaching him. For several of them, it was their first experience in a hospital besides going to see a new brother or sister. I watched them and contrasted it to my own experiences with my mom. It didn't matter what she was hooked up to, I sat on her bed and laid by her. I can distinctly remember when she was in the ICU once, I don't even know if she was conscious but I laid next to her in the mess of all her wires and IV's. A nurse came in and tried to shoo me away and my dad gave her a piece of his mind. I stayed put next to Mom.

This post seems a jumble of weird thoughts and memories. I guess it's just stuff I'm thinking of because I have been visiting the hospital so much lately. I know you are going to say, What's New?, but it just makes me miss my mom so much more.

Random Thoughts by Jennifer Vos

We've had varying degrees of flu badness in our house over the past week. Poor Lizzie had it the worst, having thrown up three times all over herself in her bed. Poor girl! I spent most of Thursday sick in bed. Did absolutely nothing except cuddle Lizzie.

Chris' dad had unexpected surgery on Wednesday. He is recovering and goes back into the hospital on next Wednesday for a valve replacement on his heart.

I hate my ob. I went for an appointment today. She made me do the glucose tolerance test even though I did it already at my previous doctor. It is so hard to gag down that drink when you are already feeling nauseated. She also said that my previous doctor didn't perform the correct tests and so I had an unexpected pelvic exam. Not sure how many pelvic exams I've had in my life...I'm gonna guesstimate 20ish...I've never had a painful one. This one was awful! She poked and pinched and stretched. I hated it. Lizzie hated it too. She was sitting her in her stroller and the minute I laid down, she started screaming. Must have known it was awful. Then the doctor listened to baby, measured me and done. Didn't ask me how I am feeling. Nothing. I miss my midwife who gives me a hug and chats and cares. I think maybe the doctor doesn't like me. (Jerry, don't say that!) I know it's hard to believe that someone wouldn't like me.

On that same note, there's someone else who doesn't like me and it's really bugging me. I don't know why I care so much. She's not in my circle of friends. I don't really interact with her that much but when I do, I can feel the disdain she has for me. She hasn't accepted my friend request on FB even though she has accepted all of our mutual friends. I just can't figure it out. Maybe I'm not as great as I thought I was. ;)

Tonight I'm going to play Bunco for the first time at a friend's house. I can't even describe the level of excitement I have over this event. I'm serious. I am so excited. The funny thing is, I have no idea how to play. I know it involves dice. That's about it. My mom used to play Bunco. I remember when it was her turn to host, we made all kinds of goodies and she would go to the store and buy special tally sheets and prizes. She would put me to bed and then her friends would come and I would sneak down the hall and watch them. My mom loved playing so I'm sure I'm going to too.

My Blackberry officially died. I feel very disconnected to the world.

I am rooting for Big Mike and Siobhan on American Idol. I wish Siobhan had straighter teeth though.

How will I know?

I just heard the song, "How will I know?" by Whitney Houston on the radio. That song totally reminds me of being in the 5th grade. I got a boombox for Christmas that year and my first tape. It was Whitney Houston's first album aptly titled, "Whitney Houston." I had the job of dusting and sweeping our living room every Saturday and every Saturday I would bring my boombox with me and play that song and make up my very own cool dances to it as I dusted and danced. FYI: I am not a very good choreographer and if Chris ever got his hands on the video of my attempt at choreography for Senior Halftime Show, my reputation as a semi-normal person would be over.

I love songs that bring back fun memories.

Lucky

Dear Lucky,

I feel you in there kicking around. I know you probably think that since you are #7 that you are going to have to work extra hard to make your presence known. Don't worry. We already are all excited about you becoming a part of our family.

I haven't bonded with your name yet so I'm still calling you Lucky. I might call you Lucky after you are born. I hope you don't mind. I think it's kind of cute. I am going to try and call you Genny. Probably Genevieve when I'm mad at you. And Gen when you grow up and we become friends.

Your grandma was a lucky #7 too. All her family loved and adored her as yours will.

I knew you were coming before you came. When Lizzie was born, I knew another baby would come soon after. I secretly knew it would be a girl too but I never told anyone. When I first saw you on the ultrasound screen, wiggling around, I felt like I already knew you. I could tell that you belonged to me.

I think you are really lucky. You are being born to a great family. We are fun and happy and wonderful. But we aren't perfect. Sometimes you might get mad at us. That's ok. I can't promise that you will ever have your own room or be given money to go to college. I can promise that I will give you a hug and a kiss every day and tell you that you are wonderful. I can promise that I will always love you.

I can't wait to meet you. Sometimes I imagine those first moments when they put your slimy, squirmy body on my chest and I can hear your tiny cry. I have experienced that six times before and each time ties as number one for the most blissful, wonderful moment in my life.

See you soon.

Love,

Mom

And the award goes to...

Thursday was the 1st Annual Mom's Academy Awards. Moms from all over Plymouth, Canton and Livonia gathered to eat and gab and receive their special Golden Spoon award. It was a fun night and I think we could have partied into the wee hours of the morning if it weren't for kids that still needed to be put to bed. It was such a fun time. I can't wait to get together again.



Here's the winners list:

1. Mom most likely to be found in the service of others: Angela McFadden

2. Most musical mom: Becca Winder

3. Most athletic mom: Dianna Maisano

4. Mom with the best fashion sense: Laura Galbraith

5. Most patient mom: Valerie Mercado

6. Best blogger mom: Jennifer Vos

7. Most Web Savvy Mom: Natalie Farrell

8. Mom with the best decorating skills: Angie Gardner

9. Most creative cook mom: Mari Noble

10. Best seamstress/crafty mom: Anna Onofrio

11. Mom that always greets everyone with her beautiful smile: Valerie Williams

12. Mom best at being "herself": Patti Banka

13. Most organized mom: Teresa Murphy

14. Mom most often found taxiing kids: Sue Barfuss

15. Mom with the best sense of humor: Lisa Nielsen

16. Mom never seen without her makeup and hair perfect: Esther Rogers

17. Most well-read mom: Melissa Farnsworth

18. Mom most often seen holding other mom's children: Carol Vos

19. The Renaissance Mom: Rachel Clawson

Happy Birthday, Emily. I guess.

Dear Emily,

I would appreciate it if you would please stop having birthdays and just stay how you are. The thought of you getting older and leaving home some day brings tears to my eyes. I don't know who came up with this "having a birthday every year and becoming older" thing but they are really stupid.

Please give my request some thought.

Love,

Mom

Garbage chute. Really wonderful idea. What an incredible smell you've discovered! Let's get out of here! Get away from there...

Spencer is a crafty little kid. He loves to make things. Give him some paper and glue and scissors and he's set for hours. It's fun that he is so creative. Lately, he has been taking items from around the house and using them in his creations. You will often hear him saying about an old box or container, "Can I have that?" He takes it and glues it to another box or container and voile! he's got a mailbox or a restaurant or a spaceship. The items that he likes to take often includes items that I have put in the trash. Old milk bottles, pop cans, take-out containers...Spencer loves them all. Here's a photo of his most recent acquisitions. I made him throw most of them back in the trash cuz, GROSS!

Why don't you try squeezing something the size of a watermelon out of an opening the size of a lemon and see how hot YOU look?

Have any of you ever seen this site?

Baby Center Slide Show

You can go there and see how big your growing fetus is compared to fruits and veggies.

I really like looking at this site. However, some of the fruits and veggies are leaving me cold. Truly, how often are we eating figs, rutabagas and crenshaw melons? In our house, not that often.

So for awhile I've been pondering a more "Jennifer-friendly" list of foods to compare my baby's size to.

I've only gotten to 20 weeks but I'll keep working and I welcome any suggestions.

Enjoy!

This free photo slideshow made with Smilebox

When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.

Chris and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary last week. We got married on February 23, 1995 in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada LDS Temple. It was a cloudy, gray day outside but my heart was bright and sunny because my best friend and I were sealed together forever.

I think the best part of the experience was sitting with him all alone in the Celestial Room as we waited to be escorted into the sealing room. We looked in the eternity mirrors and our smiling faces went on forever and ever.

Over the past 15 years, we have had days with smiling faces and days full of tears. We have our yucky moments, like any married couple. Yet, Chris remains my very best friend. I love him and I also genuinely like him. Being together makes me so happy.

Chris, thanks for making me so happy! I love you.