20 week baby belly

20 week proud daddy belly…HAHAHA!

Ultrasound 19.5 weeks

Baby, laying face down. Good view of spine, legs tucked under tummy.

baby leg, hmm or was it arm? One of those limbs..

I’m pretty sure this is the arm and not the leg. It looks like he’s hitchhiking?

This one just scares me a little bit, his eye and mouth is wide open if you can figure it out. Unfortunately, as you can see she didn’t label the pictures so good luck.

I believe this is the top of the head looking down onto his face..

And last but not least…..The “BOY” picture

The view is from under his bottom, you can see his legs are out in front of him, sitting semi-Indian style and the goods are right in between his legs! One day, I’m sure he will want to kill me for this, showing the world his man parts! LOL So much fun.

Pregnancy Journal: 20 weeks

We had our sonogram yesterday! It was so exciting. Amy came up to be apart of it and waited with Kenny while the technician took all of the “doctor” pics. It took FOREVER! The ultrasound technician kept sighing and saying how active the baby is!!! Every time she would blink the baby was in a different position. She seemed a little irritated, it was pretty funny. After she got enough pictures she called in Kenny and Amy, then showed us the baby. He was in such a weird position that she couldn’t determine at first what the sex of the baby was. I was severely disappointed. But after having me in different positions, on my side she was able to get a good angle of the ‘goods’ and there it was A BOY!!!!!

He definetly didn’t hide anything he let us see it. The only problem was getting him to stay still long enough to get a good glimpse! I looked over at Kenny as soon as she showed us his male parts, and he just stood there with this HUGE smug, proudful look on his face! It was priceless, he said…I knew it! That’s my boy! It was a very sweet moment. Amy was very excited too, she wanted a nephew since we have so many girls in the family.

All in all it was such an amazing day. The news shocked me, but I couldn’t be happier, it felt so perfect so complete. So I am pleased to announce that Josiah Mathew Ragsdale is looking healthy. We are on schedule for the due date, although he seems bigger than I thought he would be right now. She said he weighs almost 2 pounds. I thought he would be under a pound. Oh well, whatevs, I guess not all the pregnancy guides can be 100% accurate. It was also pretty funny hearing the disappointment in my mom and dads voice when I told them boy (especially mom). It doesn’t bother me, they are both so used to girls and I told you mom NOT to buy stuff yet!!! It was my gut feeling it was a girl, an opinion, not a fact!!! ha-ha. Oh well, what can you do? Both Kenny and I just couldn’t be happier!

What was that?!

What was that?!

 

On Sunday while we were praying at church I kept feeling the little flutter I’ve been feeling for the past week of so. It kept getting stronger, and stronger and stronger, then a BIG movement like a kick or something. I was staring down at my stomach totally wide eyed and freaking out, saying Oh my gosh what was that?!?! Kenny just looks at me nervously….what? What’s wrong? What? The baby just kicked me!

 

I felt it doing those same movements later in the day after lunch and then in the evening.  I kept trying to feel it with my hand on the outside of the tummy, but no luck. I can’t wait for Kenny to be able to feel his little acrobat. Yesterday it was those same movements about the same time of day. Just so strong! It probably freaked me out more yesterday when I got to thinking more about it. It scared me to think, if I can feel the baby than that means it’s big enough for me to feel. If it’s big now, it will only get bigger and one way or another…. is coming out of me! And that’s what freaked me out the most.

 

It is absolutely like nothing I have EVER felt though. It makes me laugh sometimes when I feel it, I’m not quit sure why. I’ve read that you can determine the sleeping pattern of your baby before it’s even born based off of movement in the womb. The times I feel it most active while pregnant should be its waking times when it’s born. Interesting to keep in mind….

 

I’ve been feeling the baby again this morning too, there is a lot of action after I eat and also towards the end of the day in the evenings. Don’t get me wrong its amazing to know the baby is there, whenever it happens I hear in the back of my mind, “mommy, I’m here” but it is still a little freaky, especially when you’ve never felt it before. I will get more used to it I’m sure and enjoy it even more. This kid is pretty active for being barely 5 months; I think we have a kick boxer on our hands…or maybe a little ballerina, hmmm..We will see in just a few short days.

Pregnancy Journal:18 Weeks

I cant wait for our ultrasound next Friday, we will finally find out what our little spud is! Let’s keep our fingers crossed that we can find out anyway. My mom told me that she never knew what I was untill she delivered me at the hospital. She said that everytime they did an ultrasound my little legs were crossed, so lets hope that doesn’t happen to us. I would LOVE to know ahead of time. But I am mainly just excited to see the baby. It is such a blessing to be able to see whats going on in there.

I have been feeling pretty good latley. I have had cramping like always, apparently it is the ligaments growing and stretching since there is so much growing and moving around for my body to do. They havent been too bad latley, but they are there off and on. I have still had one wild overly active bladder, not much fun at night. But I know it will most likley only get worse. Eating is still touch and go, I havent been eating a lot, just more often. I noticed that my appetite has kicked up a few notches, but I still don’t really ever want much…salad, fruit, and cold foods (not by choice!). And needless to say I have had one sensitive stomach, which is so not normal. The dog has been getting sick at night (lucky me… the time I have him…alone!) It has been a train reaction, monkey see… monkey do. All it takes is one swoop from paper towel in hand, to the trash can and I am a goner! I was SO sick over it this past weekend. What a whimp!

On a less nauseating note, I think I’ve been feeling baby movements. They started very lightly about a week ago, I wasn’t so sure what they were. But they have gotten more frequent and a little stronger. It feels like a flutter, it is really quick too, that’s why it is so hard to say if that’s what it was. There are a lot of things going on in there, its hard to tell if it’s the little spud or not. This week those feelings have kicked up a little bit, I mainly feel it during or after eating, sometimes it seems like a muscle spasm except inside my stomach! One day last week there was a strong movement, and I wasn’t sure what it was, I looked down to brush something off my shirt thinking it was a bug. But it was inside, no brushing that away! Only time will tell for sure if what I’m feeling are baby or just bodily functions. I should know soon, cant wait to know FOR SURE that it was/is the baby moving!

Aren’t all religions basically the same?

Very very interesting article I came across today:

“Perhaps the greatest difference of all [among religious views] lies in the Christian assertion that none of us can save ourselves and make ourselves acceptable to God, try as we may: all the other faiths assert that by keeping their teachings a person will be saved, fulfilled or reborn.”

“All religions are not the same — Biblical Christianity is absolutely unique among all the religions and philosophies of mankind. Its claim to be necessary for salvation is based squarely on the uniquely powerful evidences for its truth and finality. Actually, true Christianity is not a religion, but a person, Jesus Christ.”

Read on…

http://christiananswers.net/q-aiia/religionssame.html

Yummy Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

This is the BEST pie ever. And right now it’s all I can think about. So I am making two, one for Easter and one for me! That’s right back off Kenny It is a melt in your mouth pie crust that taste like shortbread, and a whipped cream cheese filling topped with lots of fresh strawberries. MmmMmmm!

Filling:

• 1- 8oz package of cream cheese softened
• 1 small container of cool whip
• 6 tbsp powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons of vanilla
• About 4 cups of fresh strawberries cut lengthwise (or any fruit of your choice, pineapple is yummy too)

For Crust:

• 1/2 cup of clog up your guts and arteries Crisco (ha-ha)
• 2 cups of flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
•  2-4 tbsp of cold water

You will also need a pastry blender/cutter and wax paper for this crust!

Step one: In a large bowl Crisco into 2 cups of flour, DO NOT MIX! Cut the Crisco in until fine and crumbly.

Next add one tbsp of cold water to the mixture at a time. You want to mix the mixture and water with your hands making into a ball of dough using up to 4 tbsp of water to hold together.

Let sit refrigerated about 10 mins, cut ball of dough in half. (dough is enough to make two pie crust or one pie with with a top)

Step two: On a flat surface lay a piece of wax paper down, sprinkle with flour. Place ball of dough in the center, sprinkle another piece of wax paper with flour, lay on top of dough (so that the ball of dough is sandwiched between two pieces of wax paper). Using a rolling pin starting from the center and rolling outward, roll out dough into a circle that is slightly larger than the pie plate.

Next peel off top layer of wax paper, flip dough into greased pie plate and peel off other side of wax paper. (see below). Finally poke crust with fork all over and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. Let cool completely.

Step Three: Meanwhile combine softened cream cheese, cool whip, and powdered sugar in bowl until mixed together and creamy. Add vanilla and stir. Add filling to pie crust and top with strawberries.

 

What are we here for? Servanthood.

What are we here for? Servanthood. God has been teaching me what it means to be a servant lately. I am still learning, but have been amazed at this passage in scripture:

John 13 1It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.[a] 2The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

I view it like this. Jesus knows exactly what kind of severe crucifixion that awaits him, just hours away. In an order to show His disciples one last lesson on what true servant hood and humbleness is, he washes their feet. It’s an important lesson for us to learn as well. Many times, people line up to do the tasks that are considered important, glamorous, or respected. But Jesus showed humility by doing the task that no one wanted to do. He washed the disciples’ feet — a dirty job usually performed by the lowest ranking person in the room. The king of our world who can snap His fingers and make them clean in an instant, or send any number of servants to do it for Him; actually takes on the lowliest of positions to wash the feet of those he came to save. But, not only the feet of those who loved him and followed him, also the feet of his betrayer….

6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8″No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9″Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” 10Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean.

He washed the feet of Judas, the feet that lead him to his killer. He looked in his eyes, and cleaned the grime and dirt off of his enemies feet. Wow, truly amazing. I admit it is hard to serve the ones we love and love us; but to serve our enemies? The ones that blatantly crucify or cause pain to us and those we love? That is a difficult task, but not impposible. John continues on..

12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13″You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things; you will be blessed if you do them.

I believe we are here on this earth to serve and love Jesus. He commands us to serve and love others. These versus hit the true heart of who we are to serve and how. To take on the lowliest of positions, humbling ourselves towards others and serving them because the one that sent us to serve is so much greater than ourselves. What a gift.