City Planner...or something like that.

36 weeks! 4 more to go...or hopefully less. I want her to cook as long as she needs but I'd be ok with sooner than later. Come on Berkley...come out! Give me my ribs back. :)

City Planner...or something like that. If you are reading this you probablly know me pretty well and thus know I have too many opinions and so if you don't want to hear one of them then quit reading now or you may add to the list of reasons to roll your eyes at me. But...if you have stuck around long enough in my life, you hopefully have learned to love me even with all my faults such as this one. If not...well that's ok too.

One of my many faults is judging things. I really truly don't do it with a mean heart but I realize that doesn't make it ok. I have worked on it and I do think I have matured and grown in many ways but still I judge... christmas lights, car colors, how people park, music lyrics, customer service, and most recently how cities should be laid out. There are many more but I would like to say a word about city planning. I am sure we all do this but I talk about it...again most people are smart and keep it to themselves. NOT ME! Nope, I love to say what I am thinking, outloud.

Ok, so the whole point is I think I should be a city planner. I would like to warn you this is not real city planning, this is Brooke planning and how I think I would be really good at deciding where my favorite resturants, stores, gas stations and other such things should be placed around Edmond. When I see a new piece of land being cleared, or a new building going up I find the need to tell anyone near me what I think it should be and why and really that we actually need more green and trees so I just end up annoyed at more buildings. I really think I have good reasons behind my thoughts, but don't we all?

Example: There is a new shopping center going up at the corner at 2nd/Western. That whole area if you were a developer or someone like that...someone wanting to make money could really do well. There are new neighborhoods, a big church, schools and tons of land and the closest good resturants are over by the mall and boutique shopping is way down Penn or over on the other side of Edmond. In this particular shopping center they are putting in a Louie's which I think is great, but I would also like them to add a Panera and some boutique shopping too. I think it would do amazing in that area. There are like 4 elementary schools withink 1/2 a mile and teachers need a great quick lunch place. There are 2 highschools within maybe 3 miles...again teenagers at lunch, great idea. Sunday lunches at Louie's and Panera- hello there is a huge church 1/2 a mile down the street, tons of neighborhoods and there is nothing out that way! That corner could also use a Chick-fil-a, Chili's, Cafe 501 (ok I realize that would be amazing but never gona happen. They are putting one on Western, just wayyy down near Classen). Ok nway, the point is I really think that I could be good at this whole deciding where things should go. OH and I would put a MidFirst over on Memorial and Kelly. There is no MidFirst anywhere on the southeast side of Edmond. It's just werid.

Ok I am done. :)

Blessings and Love,
brooke

P.S. On a serious note...I have some amazing friends and family members and through them I have some amazing aquaintences. I know a girl who's baby boy has been going through so many medical issues and she has chosen to look to the Lord and stay faithful when most would be beaten down. It is such an inspiration. I have a great friend who is one of the happiest people I know, most supportive wives I know and a great friend to anyone around her. What an amazing gift to truly love people and love the world around you. I have a great friend who is a great mom, and who I pray I can be an ounce like her. I have people I know who are serving others in Honduras and Brazil and other places. They have literally picked up their lives and gone to serve the Lord and his children. What an amazing heart these people have, such unselfish choices they all made. I know people that have know idea the amazing gifts they have, but I get to witness them all the time. I look at all these amazing people around me that I have the honor of knowing. I appreicate all my friends and my family (like my amazing mom and my amazing husband) and I am so thankful Berkley will have all these people in her life. I know she would be in trouble if she only had me raising her so thank you to those of you inspire, guide without knowing and lead me so that I can be a better person and mom. I realize I just ranted about something silly like city planning, but as I am about to have a child it is humbling to think I won't have to do it alone. I get to do it with amazing friends and family and mentors who love me, support me, forgive me, see the best in me even when I don't deserve it and stick by me no matter what. Thank you Lord for all these people. Continue to bless them and surround them with your love.

It is getting close...

The room is pretty much done, clothes are washed and put away, we have diapers and wipes and blankets and everything I think she will need. I am ready for her to come. Technically I have about 4 weeks left, but I am good with it being less than that. :) I kinda constantly ache. I am glad I can feel her move and groove...I am glad she is still cookin and growing but it has put a major hiccup in my getup. I am back to being exhausted and everything kinda hurts. OH well- I will be going sleepless here soon (or so I hear). :)

Some of our good friends had their lil girl this morning. We have enjoyed going thru pregnancy together. This is her second so she has been great for advice. We got pedi's last week in anticipation that she would need to have her feet lookin good. We were right. Little Allie came about a week early. She is perfect and came into the world happily and very easily on her mom. It gives me hope for the same type of labor/delivery. My nightmares and all the stories I see on TV or hear from other friends have me thinking the worst but after seeing Allie today and hearing her delivery story I feel much better. Praise God for a healthy baby.


Allie Featherstone-1/19/2010-7lbs1oz.

While walking into the hospital to greet this new life I couldn't help think of all the babies and people in Haiti and all over the world who are suffering. We are so lucky to live in the USA, to have all the wonderful modern medical technology and knowledge...to have all the blessings we have and all the opportunities we are able to take advantage of. Thank you Lord for blessing all of us.

Oh and I was also thinking and telling B as we were walking up the steps...OH MYLANTA! We will be back here in a few weeks and we will not be leaving alone. Berkley will be here. That is a WEIRD feeling.

Love and Blessings,
Brooke

Washington, D.C. - great trip!

Rotunda at the Capitol.

White House - so cool all that is behind those walls!



Bart at the Lincoln Memorial.



Well, we made it to DC and back with no baby coming on the plane! My husband was thrilled. The pressure during take off and landing was a little weird. I think she kept balling up behind my ribs, very high up in there...so that was a little uncomfortable! Overall though, I flew well and for me that's a huge accomplishment. I did use my sleepy/nausea meds but that doesn't count. ;)

We saw everthing! It was so amazing. If you are an American you need/should go to DC and see what our nation was built around. All the historical documents, the goverment buildings and national monuments are amazing. It was so surreal to be standing in front of Lincoln and knowing how many have walked those same steps. It is surreal to be in the Capitol and know that in a week our law makers and representatives will be walking those halls. It is crazy to look at the White House and know that somewhere inside our President is walking around doing the best he can (hopefully) for the American people and for our freedom! We went to Arlington Cemetary and that might have been my favorite place. Weird, I know...but to look at the tomb of the Unknown's and to see the changing of the guard and the whole ceremony just makes you shiver with pride. JFK's tomb and the flame that never dies -all that his presidency represents...it truly made me feel so thankful for all our liberties and all that we are able to do in the US. I am so thankful for the men and women who fight for our freedom so that we can walk around DC and around our state capitols and make laws and enforce our constitution! The Constitution - holy cow! What an amazing thing to see in person. To know that men sat together so long ago and came up with that, wow! It was humbling. I feel so blessed to have been able to go to our Nation's Capitol.

The shops and food and the little towns around DC were awesome too! :) I loved Georgetown and just north of the Capitol there are some great shops and resturaunts. It was all so great. What a cool place to live. I wasn't that great at the whole METRO system but it was better than traffic!

On a side note - We stayed at the Gaylord National (really cool), got to eat some great food and see some of the cool areas outside of DC. I of course hurt my foot (bad actually), luggage got lost in St. Louis, leg cramps galore, hobbled all around DC, and I am still exhausted from walking around but still so thrilled at all I got to see and do. Oh and my husband got to hear Colin Powell speak - how cool is that? He had jokes...B enjoyed it. :)


OH and.......... We got back at midnight Friday from DC and Saturday night some of our sweetest and dearest friends had a couple's baby shower for us. We got our stroller/carseat (yeah - she can come home from the hospital when we have her!) We are so blessed to have all these wonderful people in our lives.


I forgot my camera at the girl's shower at my second mama's house (Cynthia)... so when I get my mom's camera I will post some of those. If you have met my mom you know she took lots of pics and was hugging and smiling the whole time! Those special women who did that for me and the women helping Kerry Pope next week (which I am so looking forward to) are all so amazing. I am so blessed and so overwhelmed with all the love and just want to say thank you to all the wonderful people in my life who have made Berkley's arrival so special. We are so thankful.

Love and Blessings,
Brooke

new layout...

I actually did something on my computer other than check facebook and my email! I love MIchelle and I loved our blog layout that she created for us but I found a website and did one myself. I had to use it because I was just so proud. I am not very good with computer stuff. :)

Happy New Year to everyone. Please pray I don't go into labor on the plane, or in DC...that Berkley waits til February to come!