New Year - New News!

There are so many new things this time of year - well, the year itself for one, new calendars and planners, new resolutions (or recycled), new low temperatures (ha!), new opportunities, new instruments to learn (thanks hubby!), new, new, newwwwww.

And for us, there is an extra special new title this year - family of four!

Come late May or early June we will have a little boy to teach our nerd-faring ways. He has no idea what he is getting himself into...ok, maybe we don't either. But we're ready to tackle whatever it is together.

Little one inside my tum,

All three of us are over the moon excited to meet you, to kiss your sweet little cheeks, to snuggle you up in blankets, to dress you up and look into your fresh, bright eyes. Your dad has known from the start that you were a boy - this pregnancy has been very different from your sister's, but no less fun or exciting! We aren't as terrified as last time which means we have more energy to devote to happy anticipation.

Our arms and hearts and families are open wide to welcome you to your new clan. You are already so loved - we can't wait to see how your puzzle piece fits into ours.

Keep up those kicks and squirms and wiggles, keep growing healthy and strong, May is not too far away ;-)

A New Years blog (finally!)

New year, new blog post [finally]!

I was just telling Chris the other night how much I miss blogging - the truth is, I have dozens of drafts waiting to be published but something just keeps holding me back. I want every word on this little site to be perfect even if only 3 people read it (hi mom!). But...alas...perfection is a long way off for this mama. This year I want my mind to be open, to embrace imperfection, to stress less about the struggles and be extra present in the little moments.

Little moments like these:

Bundling up for the freezing Texas temps in a vain effort to save the Hibiscus tree and insulate the banana trees. Zara enjoyed waddling around the yard and ripping off her mittens just so she could ask me to help her get them back on. I was just praying Chris would hurry up so we could all get back inside and cuddle by the warm fire.

And even though my to-do list feels too-long right now, these little moments remind me to slow down, the Christmas tree can wait, the thank you cards can wait, the dishes and laundry and cleaning can all wait. When I'm on my death bed I'm not going to regret my lack of cleaning, but I will yearn for more time with her, and with my (growing!) little family!

Happy New Year friends - may all your resolutions be sustained, wishes granted, and prayers answered!

Memorial Day Weekend Warp Drive

Last weekend, the starship "Expedition" (read: Ford, Expedition) set out on a course to chart the newly discovered Gamma quadrant (read: New Orleans) and planned shore leave for Captain Chris's birthday! Lieutenant Zara (chief of security) happily tagged along, enjoying the sounds and the tastes! Commander April (ship's counselor) loved seeing the unique architecture and watching Captain Chris experience his high performance birthday present!

A spontaneous marching band parade captured Lieutenant Zara's attention, and, in true New Orleans fashion, she was chosen for a set of "beads" (no flashing required ;-). 

The left picture is titled "Lambo-baby" around these parts. Captain Chris was so dang proud
seeing her in the bonnet of a supercar!

New Orleans is about a six hour drive from Houston, and thankfully Zara snoozed most of the way there and back. I had my first taste of the famous "beignet" (yummmm), and Chris hopped in the driver's seat of a Lamborghini and Ferrari. It was a fun 36 hour-or-so trip!