Today is the day after our first official visit to the doctor. Yesterday, we had our first ultra sound of Baby Meyers, and it was an AMAZING experience!

It started with a blood draw that Karlene almost didn't make it through. She gets really woozy when people take her blood. She made it however and did a great job. After the blood draw and other various tasks that we won't bore you with, we headed to the ultrasound room. Karlene and I were virtually holding our breath because we didn't think that everything that was happening to us was really happening to us. We knew that if we saw our baby, it would make it more real. As the doctor seached for signs of life, he finally focused on our developing child. What made an incredible moment even more incredible was that we saw the baby's heart beating!! It was something that I will never forget. I kept looking at the ultrasound machine and then back at Karlene's belly and saying, "Our baby is there, it's really there!" It is mind boggling to think that there is another life growing inside Karlene. Life that we made together. Life that God is currently knitting together in the womb. WOW!

So here's all the official stuff:

At the time of the ultrasound, the baby was six weeks and three days old.

The expectant due date is September 18, 2009

If you look at the pic above, you will see a dark oval. In the oval, near the top left is another oval. If you look closely enough, the doctor placed two plus signs on the baby to mark its location. The baby is not the entire second oval, but on top of the second oval.

Karlene is doing well. She is exhausted most of the time, but I would be too if I were growing a baby inside of me!!

Karlene is pregnant!

Yes, the rumors are true, Karlene IS pregnant with our first child. I cannot begin to express the tremendous excitement that the two of us are experiencing at this time. You see, we have been married for twelve years already and never imagined that we would be this far into our marriage without children.
When we first got married, we decided that we would wait five years before trying to get pregnant. Those five years flew by, so we jokingly said we would wait five more years. Oddly enough, that time flew by also. Over four years ago, we decided it was our time to have a baby. We figured it would be easy, since all of our friends had no trouble getting pregnant. God had other plans for us...
As each year passed that we were not getting pregnant, we began to fear the worst. The last year and a half have been spent researching and talking to Dr. Anderson who is a fertility doctor. The first thing we learned from him was that both Karlene and I were fine physically, but odd that we couldn't get pregnant. His diagnosis basically was that there was no reason for us not to get pregnant which deeply concerned him.
In the meantime, our friends and family were getting pregnant (sometimes two or three times) while we were trying SO hard just for our first. It's strange how when you are trying so hard to get pregnant, you begin to notice how everyone in your community or life breaks the news to you that they are. Though you feel exicted for them, you hurt more inside as if something is wrong with you.
Still, we placed our trust in the Lord and kept our "nose to the grind" at trying to have a baby. Finally, on January 10th Karlene took a pregnancy test to confirm our greatest desire. We are pregnant!!

Karlene and I are in another play.

About a year ago, Karlene came home and made my day. She asked, "How would you like to be in a play with me?" Of course, being the stage ham that I am, I replied with a resounding YES! So, we starred in our first play together in "You Know the Old Slaying." It was a murder mystery with total audience interaction. Karlene did FANTASTIC in her first ever stage appearance, and more importantly began to share in a love that I have had for years: the love of theatre.

I was so surprised this year when Karlene asked if I wanted to do it again. Of course, I couldn't refuse even though this time of year is INCREDIBLY busy with many, many other things. So, we both said yes to "Insane with Power!" This play kicks so much butt, and we get to play patients in an insane asylum who think they have superhero powers. Simply put, it is hillarious!! It is nearly impossible to get through the entire play without laughing at one another, but the best part about the play is being on stage with Karlene again. I love sharing the stage with her, and I hope we continue to do this together well into the future.

If you are in town, you still have two days to catch the show: Dec 19th & 20th. Starts at 7pm and costs $10 each.

Thanksgiving!!

Thanksgiving Day!

Since moving to Alaska, we have developed the tradition of going to Dave and Les' home for Thanksgiving. It is always a great time, and a ton of people are there. This year, we had over 30 people there spending time together as a family. Not all of us are technically related, but we are mostly related through our bond in Jesus Christ.

The Daniels (Les and Dave) set up a table that goes from the dining room all the way into the living room, and we all sit around it at our assigned seats. Half the fun at Thanksgiving is finding your name tag at the table. It has been an ongoing joke between some of us about where we are seated at the table. Mark Knudsen and I brag about who is sitting closer to the "head" of the table. This year, he won the bragging rights!

After dinner, some of us break out the games and spend time cutting loose and getting loud while others just sit around and visit about the year gone by. This year I noticed the plethora of young ones running around and enjoying every square inch of the Daniel home. It was great to see the children of our friends developing the next generation of friendship. I'm happy for our friends who have children and hope they cherish this special time of year.

I have to admit though, this time of year makes it especially hard to be away from my family back in Indy. Of course I talk to them on the phone, but I miss staying up to the wee hours of the morning with them as we play cards or dominoes all the while taking wise cracks at each other. I miss my family dearly, but I know they are all there for each other and that I have incredible in-laws here. That makes this time of year wonderful!

Sunday Afternoons

Last Sunday, Daemon and Dylan really wanted to ride their "motorcross" bikes, so Karlene and I took them up and down the block. Notice the snow on the ground. Nothing keeps them from going outside!!

The funny thing was, they wanted to push their bikes instead of ride them the whole time. You never know what is going on inside the mind of a 4 year old.

My favorite part is when I said, "Say bye to the camera"

and Dylan answered..."BYE Camera!"

Daemon & Dylan

This is Daemon and Dylan.

They came into our lives four years ago when our niece, Maggie, gave birth to these beautiful baby boys. On their first birthday, Maggie contracted transverse myelitis and was paralyzed from the shoulders down by the end of the day. She was flown to Seattle for over three months as she tried to regain control of her breathing. During that time, Karlene and I decided to begin keeping Daemon and Dylan overnight on Saturday night to help while Maggie was out of town.

Three years later, those two little boogers have wiggled their way deep into our hearts. They have their own room in our house, and love coming to visit Uncle Adam and Tee-tee on the weekend. Just recently they have started taking turns sleeping on the top bunk. Another advantage to getting them on Saturday night is that we get to take them to church with us on Sunday morning, and they love their teachers and friends there.

I can't imagine not having Daemon and Dylan in our lives. They bring a joy to Karlene and I that no other child ever has. Just ask anyone who has ever been around them...they are addicting! We look forward to watching them grow physically, mentally, and most of all spiritually.

The Smiley Face

I mark my desk calendar with a smiley face.

You know how some people "X" out their days on a calendar when those days are expired? Well, I have always placed a smiley face on my calendars. I have done this ever since I can remember. There are many reasons why I do this: it makes me smile; it looks better than an "X"; this is America and I can express myself any way that I want to. There is one main reason though that I do this that I would like to explain.

Barbara and Denny Brown are very significant people in my life. They came into my life just before I turned a year old, and we have been family ever since. When I lived in Louisville (properly pronounced Lull-vull), I would travel to Barb and Denny's house in Indianapolis in the summer time to visit. You know how car rides can seem like an eternity to kids? Well, the two hour drive seemed like forever to me when I was young. I knew that I was close though when we would pass this large holding tank (I still have no idea what was in that tank) on I-65 that was painted with a smiley face. Every time we passed it, whether mom was driving or Barb & Denny, they would point and say, "There's the smiley face." As dumb as it sounds, it brought joy and peace to my life to see that smiley. Ever since, I have tried to point out the "smileys" in other people's lives, and continue to spread the joy.

That's why my calendar will always be marked up with smiley faces.