Artfully Said

Disney World here we come!!!

We leave tomorrow and will be back the following Sunday. Everything has come together SO well I cannot believe it. Some one want to pinch me?? We have still not blown the surprise to Grady - all out luggage is packed safely in the trunk so when we head to church tomorrow nothing will seem amiss. I cannot tell you how excited I am! Now I won't be posting while gone but I'm sure I will have lots to share when I get back. Toodles!!

We're so proud of you...

Grady completed today in Oregon's Kids Triathlon. A first for him. His start time was 8:07:30 this morning. His age group did a 50 meter swim, 1 mile bike, and .4 mile run. He did an awesome job with a finish time of 14 minutes and 23 seconds. he came in 46th place out of 122 participants. We are SO PROUD of him!!! And we had so much fun. It was great weather for a race - not quite 70 degrees. He are just a few images but for my whole album click on the link Grady's Triathlon Album. Way to go Kiddo - we love you!!

   

That's what she said...

So yep, that is the rather surprising news our sonographer bestowed us with today. She said it appeared pretty text book. I asked her "really???" three times. We are indeed going to be the parents of a little girl. I still cannot believe it although it is starting to click and come together. I guess I just always thought I'd have all boys. Guess that is not the plan after all.

Grady lost interest pretty quickly with the ultasound and asked to go out in the hall with Grandma. After the appointment, Jason talked with Grady and asked him if he was excited to be having a sister. His response? "No. I'm just glad to have something to play with!" When I heard this I just hugged him. He has waited so long to be a big brother I'm not sure he would care if it was to an alien, just make it something!

I'm amazed as I start looking over the last 9 months or so and wonder how much God's hand was in all this. I mean, I KNOW this little girl is God's blessing and plan for us. But I think back to the antique felted wool baby shoes I picked up months before being pregnant - I just loved them and had to have them. And now they can go on my sweet baby's feet. Oh and the cute little dolly high chair I got from my in-laws has sat in my garage since about a year ago. My ideas for fixing it up a bit running around in my head. Now I have some incentive. Baby M and I will share the same birth month. Over the years, Jason has gotten me quite the collection of blue topaz jewelry and now I will have a daughter to pass it onto. It just feels right. It feels planned. Which makes me smile deep within because my whole struggle with deciding to find out stemmed from my concern that our human nature is to try and control as much as we can. And I really did not want to do that. After all, babies are one of God's great miracles and I want to enjoy that as much as possible. What a wonderful feeling this is to know that even when we think we might be in control, we're not. I'm humbled really.

So now...20 weeks to go. December 24 here we come.

So busy I can't keep up!

Just taking a quick moment to say I have not forgotten my little blog. I am just in a frenzy of activity. We leave for our surprise vacation on Sunday. I am so glad that Grady is at his Dad's this week so we can spread stuff for our trip all over the dining room table and not worry about him seeing it. I have tons of church work to get organized before we leave and have not had a single minute to get to it since last week. I had my last photography class before vacation last night and got ready for that at the last minute. Grady has a kids triathlon he is competing in Saturday morning and that evening he has a Vacation Bible School service at the church he goes to with his dad that he wants us to come to and somehow we will manage to. Whew...just makes me tired to think threw it all.

I am officially 20 weeks as of yesterday - half done, half to go. I have a monthly check-up at the doctor later today. And the BIG excitement of the week is we find out tomorrow if Baby M is a boy or girl!! I will be sure to post before vacation the outcome. But right now, I'm outta time. I don't even have a photo for you!!