Sitting on the couch, eating milk duds.

Yep, the name of this post sums up my week so far. But yes, there is a reason for all the sitting and eating! :)

For several months now my doctor has been suspecting that I have a condition called "endometriosis" which probably lots of people know about because it really seems to be extremely common right now. In a nutshell, it is a condition where tissue that is supposed to be in one place in the body is growing somewhere else. Since this tissue is not where it is supposed to be it causes lots of problems including stomach pain, backaches, infertility.....you name it. The tricky thing about this disease is that the only way it can be diagnosed is by surgery. Bethany found out that she had it last year and had it removed. My doctor said that based on my symptoms and the fact that I had an identical twin with the disease, that he would guess I had about a 90% chance of having it as well. I was not buying it and actually deferred surgery twice. Probably not the smartest decision I have ever made. However, after being sick and tired of the chronic pain I was beginning to be in, I decided to just do it!

I went in for the surgery Wednesday morning and prayed a specific prayer for a very smooth morning, where everything happened on time, and that I would have a supernatural sense of peace throughout the whole thing. God was SOOOO incredibly present the entire time and answered every specific prayer that I prayed. We got there at 6:30am, paperwork done by 7, IV in my hand by 7:30 and "byebye" Kayla by 8am on the dot. I never felt and ounce of nerves, and was actually enjoying the morning talking with all the doctors and nurses. They let Lance sit with me throughout the IV and talking with the anesthesiologist etc. etc. and it was just not bad at all. Before I knew it I was in recovery with my sweet husband standing over me with my water. Side note- Lance is SOOO sweet. I told him that I wanted my own drink when I woke up and that I would really like to not have to wait on something to drink since I had been warned by Betho that you are dying of thirst when you get up and that it sometimes takes a while for them to get to you. I had to smile when the first thing I saw was Lance hovering over me, with my personal cup in hand filled to the brim with ice water. Thanks L! :)

Once I came to a bit more I learned that I did in fact have endometriosis and that they were able to remove it all! It was only stage 1 and my doctor said there was no scarring and that I had a "best case scenario" situation! Such a blessing! I am looking forward to no more cramps & stomach aches, not to mention the best thing of all, our chances of having a baby now are greatly improved. We were told before that we were technically "infertile". Although, I knew in my heart that I was not "infertile" it is still never something fun to hear and is a word that stings a little bit more every time you hear it! I hope to be done hearing that word forever. :)

So, now I am just recovering. It has actually been kind of fun. I don't have to worry about working, cleaning, cooking or anything. I am in some pain but it is not nearly what I thought it would be! It is still hard to stand up straight and my throat has been sore from the tube they had to put in for me to breath during the procedure, but all in all it has been ok! I have spent some fun time with my mom & dad, with one of my best friends who came over yesterday to stay with me when Lance went back to work and with Lance. Only being expected to sit on the couch and eat is pretty easy if you ask me! :)

Once again, I am overcome with how blessed I am with this life that I have!

"Before" being wheeled away! A little visitor we had the over the night before. Have you ever seen a cuter yawn?! I didn't think so.

So much to be thankful for!

So a lot has been happening lately and honestly, I have just not felt like blogging at all. But in honor of my 4 year anniversary with my hub, I thought I would post a little something!

I should be saying, "Oh my goodness, I can't believe it has been 4 years. It has flown by!" But that's not how I feel. I truly feel like we have been together forever. I can hardly remember life before Lance. I can remember life before marriage, but Lance has been part of my life since I was 18, so it pretty much seems like forever. In a good way!! :)

We celebrated with a nice little night in with our fav food, tex mex of course, and a little gift exchanging. While we were cleaning up dinner I told Lance, "I can't imagine a happier life." I don't take what God has blessed me with for granted! I thank God every night before I fall asleep for my marriage and pray that it is in his plans to let us live a looooong looooong life together! I have the "too good to be true" and am so blessed and grateful for it. I am so happy that I am a "wife".

Then-2004 Now-2011

In other recent news, as you all know by now, Maxwell Stone Girod is here! I know, I know I am an awful sister for not posting earlier, but who are we kidding, people can't take this blog too seriously anymore due to the fact that I go 6 months without posting!! :) He is the most precious, wonderful little man! His arrival into this world was a bit intense, I think he may have a flare for the dramatic like his Mama! But everyone is doing great now. We are all in love with him and can't get enough. He is kinda a little chunkster and his cheeks are getting bigger by the day. Being an Aunt is the greatest thing and I can't wait to see him again soon. Lance and I are going to spoil this little man like crazy!!


As far as work goes, I am in love with my job and can't believe I get paid to do what I do. I am now working about 30ish hours a week for a pediatric, outpatient clinic. I still go into the nursing home on occasion to help out here and there when there is a need, but I pretty much spend my days with kiddos now!! I am constantly challenged at my new job and it definitely keeps me on my toes. I find myself reaching for old grad school notes daily sifting through syndromes and therapy techniques for lots of very strange stuff that I never thought I would actually work with first hand. It has been eye opening for sure! Just when I think I know it all, someone new walks into my office with a whole new set of challenges and the learning continues. However, I love love being a Speech Pathologist. It is such a blessing to help people communicate for the first time or find communication again after having lost the ability for a while! Who would have thought I would truly love a career that I initially picked b/c it didn't require any upper level math. hehe! Just kidding......kinda. ;)

Not much else going on around here, just working, enjoying church and friends and squeezing in as much time with Max as we can! I am so obsessed with him. When I had to get in my car and leave this last time I literally could not let go. Like, I was probably hurting the poor child! He is just soooooooo beyond perfection.

Ok, that's a good ending to this post.

Happy Happy almost weekend!

Fun times coming right up!! :)

I am so looking forward to this weekend! I am leaving to drive to Austin tomorrow after work, staying with Betho & Cody for the night and then heading to our annual family camping trip. The funny thing about this year is that I am going alone. Lance has to be in a wedding, my parents have some things to do for the Girods, and Betho & Cody aren't looking to travel at this point in there lives, so I am just going by myself to soak in some good bonding time with family and friends I don't see everyday and miss TONS!

I will be heading back to Austin (which is only an hour away in case I have to leave sooner) Sunday morning to go back to the Girods and hang with Betho & Cody before we go to the hospital Sunday night to begin the induction! Can you believe it!? I have managed to re-schedule my clients until Wednesday at 3pm. I actually managed to re-schedule 15 clients. Thank you Jesus! It was a miracle! :) So I will be off 5.5 days from work and hopefully Max will come fast so I can spend some good time with his before going back home.

I can't wait for this fun weekend with family & Friends and can't wait to meet my nephew!! :)

Is it April 30th yet!?!?!?

Hi blog world,

Sorry for the lack of posting! Although I have been pretty busy, I have mainly not been blogged b/c I am awful about taking pictures of life and who really wants to read a long post with no pictures. Facebook has made me lazy and I usually just wait for someone else to post pictures and then I steal them. Lame I know.

But for those of you who love me enough to read a pictureless post, this is for you. :)

As, most of you know Betho is going to be having little Max any day now, well probably any "week" now. I am hoping we don't have to wait until April 30th!!! I was sitting in church today holding one of my very best friend's little 2 year old and was just SO in love with her and I know its b/c I love her Mom so much. I leaned over to my friends Mom and said, "I just love her so much, she is the sweetest child I think I have ever met", her mom then replied back, "You can't even imagine how much you are going to love Max when he gets here!" I think it is just human nature to love the children of the people closest you you the most. But it was in that moment that I was just SOOOO excited and overjoyed about getting to meet little Max. Max's mom is not just my sister but my very best friend on the face of this earth! I can't even put into words the love I have for her. Our husbands like to joke that we love each other more than we love them! Which of course isn't true but I can see where they are coming from hehe. :) But all that to say, I can't even imagine how much I am going to love little Max. A little person that is a part of my sister, who she will be personally responsible for taking care of and loving and who will likely grow up using really big words and telling funny stories b/c he was raised by her!!

I know having babies is one of the most normal, maybe even mundane things in this world b/c it happens millions of times every day. Having kids is just normal. However, when you really stop and think about the miracle it is, it is a pretty amazing, wonderful thing. Almost a little bit weird and crazy that you can grow a human being and then a short nine months later here they come! Then once they are here, that's it. You are a mom and your husband is a dad and you set off on this lifelong journey with your new title of "parents" joining the millions of other people doing the exact same thing. Odd. Exciting. Such a blessing.

So, all this to say I am just so so so so excited to get to be on the sidelines watching, helping, encouraging, and loving Max when he gets here. He is so loved by so many people already and I can't wait to see him and meet this little mixture of Betho and Cody-which I must mention that due to the fact that Betho & I are identical twins and have the same DNA Max is pretty much just as much my son as Betho's (kidding of course)!

Love you Betho! Can't wait to see you as a mom and love Max and be his favorite Aunt!! Aunt Kayla & Uncle Lance have lots of room for you to come over and play!!!! :)

Twentyten

2010. Started at the Paquare mountain lodge in Costa Rica. Will never forget watching fireworks from a hut in the jungle with lance. Next COMPS. AKA 12 comprehensive finals to get out of grad school. Passed, well all but one. Re-took it. Passed. Whew! Threw a baby shower. Spent time with our small group. Went on a few road trips. Went out with the girls. Scraped ice off my windows. Went to class. Studied. Went to class. Studied. Scraped ice off my windows. Took the national exam. Scariest day of my life. Waited and waited on the results. Passed! Whew! Turned 25. Mom came. It rained, snowed, hailed and sleeted. Scraped ice off my windows. Organized some field trips for my Aphasia support group. Love those people. Graduated! Cried when I said by to my friends. Parents threw me a party. Most beautiful cake I have ever seen. Worst thing we had ever tasted! Packed. Looked for a job. Lance looked for a job. Moved to Houston. Found an awesome apartment. Went to Mexico. Unpacked. Re-connected with some great church friends. Placed membership at church. Joined a women's Bible study group. Love it! Lance got promoted. Found out about 15 of my friends were pregnant. No exaggeration. Found out I was going to be an aunt! Threw a Thanksgiving party. Threw a Christmas party. Did lots of holiday stuff. Found out I was havin a nephew!! Cried! So happy!! Decorated my most beautiful tree yet, if I may say so myself. Celebrated early Christmas with my family. Fun! Celebrated with Lance's family. Fun! Went on a New Years "staycation" with my hubby to the Magnolia Hotel in Houston. Danced/sang the night away to some awesome live 80s music. Knew every song. Such a dork. Took down my wonderful tree. Threw all the Christmas decorations in the guest room and closed the door. They're still there. Uggh! Went back to work. Tired of working but glad I have a job. Decided to work out more. Original I know. Ok there it is. 2010 in a nutshell. Happy New Year!

Gender reveal pics!

Here are the "Gender Reveal" pics I promised (see below post). Enjoy! Lance & Kate playing outside. As you can see Kate thought it was a girl! ;)
Its a boy!! First outfit!

Cute letters Lauren made!

Finally got the cake cut!! And......it's.......BLUE!!

10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...BOOOY!

Josiah making his guess!

Check out that cute table!

Everyone made guesses about what it was. I guess this pic is before ppl put up their guess!

Russ thinks it's a girl. Lance does not agree. :)

Me and the cute preggo!

Some partygoers!

Wonderful friends!

Just a little decorating....can't have a baby party without balloons!!

Betho & her 1st BOY thing!

MiMi hanging up Max's stocking. She had one on hand for Juliet just in case!!

Aren't they cute!?!?!

The Fam!

MiMi & Grandpa

Pink team can't believe it!!!

Cute Cute Betho!

Such a good idea!!

Jamie placing her bet!

SO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!

Anxiously awaiting!!!

Thank Heaven for little BOYS!!!! :)

This weekend was one of the most exciting weekends of my life! Betho and Cody had their "gender" ultrasound Friday and only Cody's mom found out the sex of the baby! She then called a bakery here in town and they made the cutest cake ever! It was covered with poured chocolate icing with lots of little pink and blue question marks so we couldn't see what was inside. No one, not even even Betho & Cody knew what the baby was until they cut the cake! We all wore colors according to what we thought it was. Boy WAY outnumbered girls, however, MiMi & Grandpa thought it was a girl! Enjoy the video!! It was SOOO much fun and I can't believe in a few months I will meet my little nephew Max!!

(more pics to come soon)