Rain, Rain, Rain

*I added this picture on Friday to show you that I'm not kidding about the rain. If you click on the picture and make it larger, notice our flooding sidewalk and the lake forming in the Farmer's field to the northwest of our backyard.

Who knew that we'd moved to the rainiest place in the country?!? Why didn't somebody warn me? I thought that was what the Pacific Northwest was known for? Well, did you know that north-central Illinois is running a close second? Well, it is.

We've had rain pretty consistently since the weather broke and winter finally decided to stop being winter. But instead of snowing now, it rains...like all the time. We've had several flood watches, thunderstorm warnings (which have followed through...big-time...whoa!!), and now as of last night our first tornado watch.

I know that our family and friends out west are probably rolling their eyes right about now. I remember what it was like to live there. The constant drought conditions, the prayers at the pulpit on Sundays for "more moisture", and all of that. But seriously, this is going above and beyond.

Yesterday it rained all day long. And last night was our first tornado watch. I've heard that it's getting serious. Farmers haven't been able to plant their crops because of too much rain this Spring. They are almost a month behind where they should be, and those who would have planted corn this year are having to reconsider soy-beans because they take less time or whatever.

Anyway, it's not just me. We don't have rain today, but the forecast changes on a dime. The weather is definitely different here than Michigan. Who woulda known?

In other news, things here are fine. I am fine. I did have some testing done recently for my heart. I had a fainting episode that apparently set this all off. I had my echo-cardiogram on Monday and things look fine. All of my symptoms are pregnancy related, and I am just pumping more blood than what I am used to and have been dizzy as a result. It's good that my doctors are all being thorough, but I am already beginning to feel like a bit of a lab rat. I have another appointment in Peoria (the specialists) next week. They will be doing ultrasounds every 4 weeks until my due date to measure things (my cervix) and predict whether I could have another premature birth. They want to avoid that, thus the regular ultrasounds. I'm just glad we know so much more this time going into things than we did with either of the girls. I am hopeful things will be different than they were when Avery was born.

Baby girl is doing great. When I had my echo, the ultrasound tech asked if I wanted a peak at her. We did, and confirmed that she is a she. She is mighty busy now. I can feel lots of movement and am getting rounder every day. (Not so sure I like that part so much.)

The girls are doing great. They are counting down the days until school is out. They are out the last Friday of May, but their last week is a blow-off. They will have Memorial Day off, and then two days of field trips and the last day being an all day Field Day and picnic. My question is why even have "school" at that point?

Mark is winding down things with this semester. He has been a grading mad-man, and tomorrow will be the last day of Finals and I think he'll be able to turn in his grades and be a free man. This break will be his longest until Summer Term starts (2nd week of June). I know he is looking forward to the break, but I am putting him to work around the house. We have lots of projects to get done. Could I be nesting already?

We are also hoping to squeeze in a little vacation too. Possibly a few days in Chicago seeing the sights, or we had thought about Nauvoo as well. We'll see what happens.