hanging in there

i'm trying to sort pictures, and i love coming across old ones. this is from thanksgiving 07. she was so little, we bathed her in the kitchen sink. (there's actually a funny story about that with a snowstorm and a poopy blowout, then stuck on the road behind an accident.)

this is from october. blue steel.

mechanicsville

we tackled the Ft Worth rodeo last week, which is huge. we didn't buy tickets to any of the performances, but there are alot of free/cheap things to do in conjunction. downtown ft worth is just a really neat place. when you come visit . . .!

hannah was small enough to fit through the bars, and i had a hard time keeping her out

they had a free petting zoo, where the kids just get down on the floor with the animals. she loved it, but we didn't get many good pictures.

these were some of hannah's favourite christmas presents. a baby stroller that she pushes around all the time, empty or not. and a teddy bear that sings jesus loves me.

we've been busy the past few weeks. I signed up to work at 3 different MOPS (mothers of preschoolers programs) for extra money. they each meet 2x/mo, so 1-2 times a week hannah and i do that. we're also starting a monthly missions focus night at our church. we're going to highlight different regions, people groups, ministries, or opportunities. i'm really excited because i get to bring a snack from that place and have cultural influences to make it more interesting. like my unit studies from homeschooling. patrick graciously let us tag along to Houston last week, where i finally got to see my friend Kristi and her (now) 3 boys. i tried some pictures, but that didn't really work. Patrick surprised me with a valentine's day weekend away too, so david and des will be here to babysit in a few weeks. we did leave hannah for the night over christmas, but this is our first real time away.

so if you've hung in with my post this long, you deserve to get the real news: we are 9 wks pregnant, due Aug 31, give or take. i found out before christmas, when we were apart. i had plans to tell patrick, but we went straight from the airport to the christmas eve service. i was really nervous, my hands were shaking, and i had to play my violin for a special. so in the middle of a song (away in a manger, actually) i just leaned over and whispered that we were having another baby. took him a little by surprise, but we're all ok now. we had actually been trying, unlike last time!

the first month was fine. the second month brought a sickness like i have never experienced, which led to the worst eating habits i've ever seen. in me or anyone else. poor patrick, he's been trying really hard and even getting up at 5.30 to go to the gym. then there's me. bread is about the only thing i've been eating. (or cereal, or pasta, or some version of that). with butter, cheese, or pnut butter. yes, it's been that bad. i think i went a whole week with no vegetables. other than 3x this morning, i haven't thrown up, so it's just very different from last time. anyways, we should hear the heartbeat in a few weeks. we are going to find out the sex, probably not till april. no, we don't think we care. except we have plans for a boy nursery and none, as yet, for a girl nursery. i wanted to tell people pretty early because i definitely will be busting out the maternity clothes long before i did last time!