Where Did 2008 Go???

My how time flies! I cannot believe today is the last day of 2008...

Over the past year, I've continued to stay busy with real estate, closing somewhere around 18 transactions. I didn't exactly meet my personal goal but considering the economy, I suppose I should not be disappointed.

Brian continues to steadily and diligently work out of the home and has made great progress on some of his newest projects. (One of those projects was babymaking--just kidding!!!) We decided just after Easter that we were ready and open to becoming parents, and the Lord allowed this to happen at the end of April!

During the Summer, we started visiting Churches in Chapin and feel that we were led to Chapin United Methodist. We've been attending Church there but are still members of First Baptist of Columbia. After much thought and rationalization, we feel this was best for our family due to the distance. We truly are blessed and more than thankful for the friends we've made at FBC over the past 4 years. Those friends will remain close to our hearts and we get together as much as we can. Hopefully, when Cannon arrives, I'll be able to see "my girls" more often!:)

My 10 year high school reunion was in August, and even though it was great fun, those of us on the planning committee were happy to see it come and go! It was enjoyable catching up with so many people, especially since I'm in contact with only about 4 "old friends" from North Augusta High.

In November, we took an overnight vacation to the mountains of NC, which was much needed! Brian and I had great fun just goofing off and not working! It was more than refreshing.

In 2008, we traveled to visit Brian's mom in Princeton, WV 4 times! I think that's a record! I'm not sure how often we'll go up in 2009, but maybe Grammie Powell can come down "South" more than she was able to in 2008:)

This past year, I was able to see my nephew, Dylan, play in his first football game--proudly might I add :-). My niece, Shelby, had her third dance recital in 2008, and I loved every minute of it! She always shines!!!

My family continues to do well (with the exception of Grandpa and Parkinson's as well as the other ailments that go along with it.) PRAISE GOD that Mom FINALLY got a day job after 21 years of working day and night 12 hour shifts. It's done her body so much good to get on a routine!

This was a busy year but nowhere in comparison to what 2009 holds...

This year, I'd like for us to grow closer to the Lord and for us to learn to be the parents we are capable of! Hopefully, we'll finalize our house plans and perhaps get started on lining up things on the construction end late in 2009... I will continue to sell real estate in 2009 and have 4 listings lined up for the month of January. (I pray that the market will bounce back for the sake of my clients!)

Photo Shoot

We had our "Maternity Photo Shoot" two weeks ago. I wanted to wait as long as I could but was so worried that I'd go into labor and have to do it at the hospital...needless to say, these are at 36 weeks!

Anyday now!!!

Well, it's been about two weeks since I went to my Doctor's appt and they seemed to think Cannon would arrive "anyday"!!! It's apparent that he will not be a Christmas baby! I only wish I knew when he was going to enter this world as well as how I'll know! I am so so so curious as to what will happen first--will my water break or will I start having regular contractions?

One thing is for sure, this is truly a test of my patience.....the other night, I just started crying because I can feel his little feel moving and I want to touch them and kiss them so badly!!! I am so excited to finally meet him and to kiss his little lips!

Brian is excited, too! Last night, he bought him this really cool rainforest mobile that plays Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart. We had to get out of the house so we went to see the new Tom Cruise movie and then stopped at a few places at Harbison.

Thanks for keeping us in your prayers during this special time! :)

Humpty Dumpty has a home...

Cannon's room is finally complete. I found this precious Humpty Dumpty back in September but didn't purchase it....Then, in November, I went back and it was still there so I knew it was meant to hang in Cannon's room. I know he'll enjoy looking at his soon-to-be friend!

Dum-Dums and Labor

Did you know that sucking on a dum dum is supposed to help with childbirth? There's a pressure point at the roof of the mouth that's connected with childbirth....I'm going to buy some tomorrow!

Today's class at LMC went very smoothly and Brian and I feel more prepared than we imagined. The instructor was so gracious to offer her time to us as well as her experiences as a labor and delivery nurse of 12 years. At any rate, I am still intending on having a medicine-free birth experience but DO realize that I may really need some relief. I cannot imagine the pain of childbirth, but want to experience it before I tell myself that I cannot handle it! We'll see how it goes...

Our Lake Lure Getaway

I'm behind on my blogging! This picture is from our overnight trip to the Mountains of NC. Lake Lure seems to be "our spot" and the funny thing is that we didn't mean to end up here. We left late Friday afternoon (sometime mid-November), slept in an "economical" motel, and got up early Saturday morning and started driving and here we were....Right back at Lake Lure--the same place we went to for our 3 year anniversary as well as once when we were dating and I was living in Greenville (way back in 2003)! Funny how that happens!

Ashley called this our "Babymoon"! We really had fun talking and spending the day together. We played a game of checkers at this old, country store (Brian won) and even had a picnic lunch right at the base of the Chimney Rock Park....Brian said he scored extra "points" since all of these women were pointing us out to their husbands as we were enjoying the scenery and our curry chicken salad sandwiches! :-)

Christmas Pictures 34 Weeks

Shane came over today after work and took some pictures for us so we can make our Christmas cards! Bentley and Winston were bribed with treats but got pretty tired of the photo shoot after a few snaps.

Getting Ready for Class....

Tomorrow, we are going to the "Your Special Delivery" class at Lexington Medical Center from 9-3! Pray that they don't show any videos or discuss blood, etc. since my sweet husband may pass out--hence the reason he is not going to be in the delivery room on the special day.

We are excited that the time is just around the corner and we'll be able to meet this gift from above. Sometimes, I feel bad because Brian doesn't get to feel this amazing little being move around morning, noon and night. It's such a miracle that this baby is a part of both of us and at the same time is going to be so different! I cannot wait to see who he acts like and sounds like. :-) I hope he gets his Daddy's intelligence and maybe he'll get my "social" ability to talk to anything and anyone. :-)

I've started feeling a bit of nervousness about the eminient birth of Cannon, and even though I'm reading everything I can get my hands on, I realize that there's nothing that can quite prepare us for the big event. I've still got lots of questions but try not to bombard my doctors all at once but rather only ask the most relevant ones for the time being.

This Monday, I will have my 35 Week check-up and they'll do another ultrasound. Last Monday, I went in because I've been having these weird weightlessness/numbness bouts. The doctors did a US and sent me to have an EEG (this was fun since they taped all of these sticky things all in my hair). At any rate, they wanted to be sure my brain was functioning and that I wasn't having some type of seizures. I don't know if my brain has ever functioned correctly--haha. I don't know what the Neurologist found on the test, if anything, but if I were a betting woman, I'd say the feelings of numbness are because Cannon is getting very BIG! He was weighing about 5lbs 8oz. last Monday. The amnio fluid was on the low end as well, so this is something they'll keep a close eye on....Carrie, the Ultrasound Tech said that if it keeps going down, this would be a cause to induce....so, maybe we'll have a Christmas baby.

Brian made a prediction the other day that Cannon is going to make his arrival on Dec. 22nd! We'll see! At any rate, it's too funny because Brian told me the other day, "Kara, that's so weird because I can see where your old body was......" He's amazed at how the body can accommodate a baby. :-)

Blessings....

I am thankful for my sweet husband, to live in the USA, for my health, a roof over my head, electricity, hot baths, crisp clean bed linens, warm towels, candlelight dinners, pumpkin-spice lattes, my puppies-Bentley and Winston, my family, this baby growing inside of me, crisp breezes, ice-cold water with fresh mint sprigs, my eyesight, friends who are followers of Christ, and the chance to meet others who long to know Him...

30 Week Check-up and Yard Sailing....

Yesterday, I had my 30 week visit and our baby seems to be doing very well! My blood pressure is great and the baby's heartbeat is steady and strong. I've still had no complaints about being pregnant! It's hard to believe that I've only got 8-10 weeks to go!

The funny thing is that Friday and Saturday morning, I woke up VERY early, which gave me time to get up, read a little, and start the day. Saturday was especially fun since I decided to do something I had not done in YEARS...."YARD SAILING!!! I left the house before daybreak. The best part is that I found a really cute lamp that now rests at my "prayer credenza" and I also found a few other things!

The Riffe's Halloween Party

We had great fun at Dallas and Judy's Halloween Party! Brian wore my FAVORITE hat that I still wear!!!

Baby Powell is GROWING!!!

Last night, Brian and I started reading On Becoming Baby Wise! We're only in the first chapter but I can already tell that I like the author and totally agree with his philosophy...Children are a blessing and are given to the parents to ADD to their relationship. He also reminds us of the importance of keeping our relationship strong and lively. I can't wait to read more!


27 Weeks Pregnant!

I am walking every day this week because I have to do the three hour glucose test on Monday since my levels were "slightly on the high end." I am also trying to cut back on carbs and sugars this week!:-) I haven't had any cravings so far and feel like I eat really healthy foods, so I pray that the test was wrong because I ate two pieces of bread that morning....My friend, Julie, warned me of that!

My Newest Project

One of my favorite things to do is pretty much anything that deals with home decor'. At some point, I'd like to start my own interior decorating business since it's such a love of mine...why not make a little money at it?!?!?! Plus, it goes great with selling real estate.

Lately, I've been working on my "word walls," thanks to my new friend Karin. She and her husband and their precious son live in our neighborhood and are recent transplants to SC from Los Angeles! What a shock; they moved from LA to Chapin, SC. :-) Karin's huband is the music minister at Chapin Baptist.

At any rate, I decided to get creative on my own and re-decorate a few areas in our home. Luckily, Brian is so very open to my decorating ideas and usually ends up liking my creations.

It's hard to see it in the photo, but the one over our bed says "Always Kiss Me Goodnight." Brian liked the fact that I put a reminder over our bed so that I wouldn't forget to give him a kiss before bed! :-)

The other area says "We Do Not Remember Days, We Remember Moments." I'm not too crazy at how this turned out but it will be a work in progress as I change the photos with time....I actually need to have larger frames, but these will have to do for now!

Nursery & 24 Weeks Pregnant

Our baby is growing!!! Everything seems to be going well. This was taken at 24 weeks. He is kicking quite often now and seems to favor my left ribcage as well as my bladder for his pillow! Thankfully, he doesn't mind when I eat spicy foods.

Brian built the frame and I sewed the fabric together to frame the crib nicely. I finished up the curtain panels recently, and everything else is pretty much ready to "go." I still need to get some baskets and make some basket liners for the green armoire. I also need to find a large, round, fluffy rug for in front of the crib. I am sure Winston will decide to rest on that rug quite often since he's such a mamma's boy....He will be sure not to miss a moment, even if it means getting up for the late night feedings.

We feel so blessed and are excited about what the future holds!

Dylan's First Football Scrimage

On Sept. 10th, Dylan had his first football scrimage at Lyons Field in North Augusta. He's sporting my lucky 13. He seems to really like football even though his pads are twice as large as his head!

Shelby enjoys watching Dylan play football, and she pretends to be one of the cheerleaders. She even brings a snack so she can take a "break" when the cheerleaders eat their snacks. :-)

Trip to Denver, Co 9/11-9/16

On Thursday, Sept. 11th, Mom, Grandma, Aunt Becky and I left from the Augusta Airport (the one Brian helped to design) and headed for Denver, Colorado! Might I add that of the Atlanta, Denver, and Augusta Terminals--the Augusta was the most welcoming and nicely decorated! :-) Brian did a super job.

I was a bit fearful to fly not only because I was 5 1/2 months pregnant, but because it was only my second time flying. God was in control though, and we arrived safely without any problems.

We went to Denver for my cousin's wedding. My Aunt Renee moved out there many years ago and she's the only one in our family that doesn't live in the Augusta, Ga area. It is so amazing to see the landscape out there, but goodness....it's very different!

The wedding was at a state park in Aurora, Co. The vistas were breathtaking, and someone told me that the Pope visited there in the early 1990's. I couldn't stop taking pictures.

While in Colorado, we rented a car so we could go sight-seeing. On Sunday, we went to Breckenridge, a precious ski town/resort area! I wanted to go to Aspen (for my love of Dumb and Dumber) but we decided not to go there! Breckenridge was hosting their annual Oktoberfest, and it was quite a sight to see. I'd love to do a winter trip but maybe sometime later in life.

We had great fun, and more than anything, it gave us a chance to spend some time together. Grandma had great fun, too. She even let us cut her hair and I did her makeup! It was a well-deserved rest from Grandpa since he's quite demanding these days...

McCain and me at Adluh in Columbia, SC

GOD and COUNTRY 1st!!!

Baby Powell is 21 WEEKS!!!

Last night, it was nice and cool outside so we took Bentley and Winston for a nice, long walk! They prefer walking in the evenings since the pavement doesn't burn their paws! :-)

After our walk, I got Brian to take a picture since my belly is FINALLY starting to show!

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10 Year High School Reunion August 2, 2008

Cassaundra, Orissa, and me...

Marianne and me...

My sweet husband...

This "class photo" took and act of Congress to get everyone inside and seated, and it still doesn't look organized! :-)

Livia, Laura, and Erin...

Erin's hard work paid off....The decorations looked fabulous!!!We had a great time Saturday night and I think everyone enjoyed themselves...Overall, there were about 75 people present--not too bad but not great for a graduating class of over 300! At any rate, it was so fun to see old friends and to catch up on everyone's lives. Even though Brian didn't go to North Augusta High, he still had fun since he was able to talk "stock market stuff" with some of the guys! :-)

Maybe for the next reunion, we should plan a cruise! This was a lot of work to pull together the entire weekend's activities! Livia did a wonderful job getting so much of this done! Erin's decorating skills made the Marbury Center look great! Stacie and Marianne helped so much as well, and without all of us, none of this could have been possible! Way to go ladies!!!

10 Year High School Reunion Weekend

My parents hosted an informal Mixer on Friday, August 1st during the weekend of my 10 year High School Reunion...My mom and dad have always enjoyed my friends so why not?!?!?! Their house is centrally located in North Augusta and is great for entertaining....Most of the evening, people hung out on the back deck, even though the humidity was 120%!!! Isn't my mom cute?

June 23, 2008

We went to Hampton Street Vineyard for Brian's 31st Birthday! This was really the first "date" we have had since I found out I was pregnant on May 9th....We had a really nice time, even though the portions were small, according to Brian. After dinner, we went to Ruby Tuesday to share one of their chocolate tallcake desserts with ice cream.

Bentley and Winston as Big Brothers...

These guys have been so spoiled by Brian and me, and I am hoping once their little brother arrives that they will adjust well! I think they know something is going on and their lives, as they know it are going to change drastically in about 4 months! Believe it or not, right when we found out I was pregnant, Bentley (on the left) started barking in the middle of the night--something he never did before! So, instead of making them sleep downstairs, we started allowing them to sleep upstairs in the loft area, but not in our bedroom! This solved the middle of the night barks! I think he wanted to be close to me! :-) Winston is a mama's boy, and he is perfectly content with being on my lap or right beside me all of the time, so he is also very content now that they are allowed to sleep upstairs!

August 26, 2008

We are having a little boy!!!

Brian and I had our 20 week appointment and everything went well! We are so thankful to the Lord that so far, this pregnancy has been so wonderful! I have not been sick at all, and there have only been three times when I've been emotional. (Once was just this week when I tried to save a turtle crossing Hwy 378...) Needless to say, once I turned around and parked in the median, he had already been hit and the animal lover in me just couldn't take it!!!! So, I bawled, and cried out to God to help the poor helpless little being! :-) Luckily, Brian wasn't with me, but I did call him!