Big Happenings

So let's just dispense with all the excuses about why I haven't blogged for so long (even though I actually have something to blog about), shall we? Yes lets.

Ok, so we've got big news going on in Dallas in our little lives so I will hit the highlights.


First BIG item--my tummy.
This picture is actually about two weeks old so it's even bigger now, but I'm just not feelin' the love this morning so this is the picture you get. This is the day I was showing off my nice new "low maintenance" haircut.


Of course even BIGGER news is I have completely failed to even post about what kind of baby we're having (as in either the boy or girl kind). Many of you probably already know, but if you don't, let me enlighten you. How about I show you our very first baby purchases and see if you can guess?

My first baby purchase:
Ian's first baby purchases:

Ian said he'd let the flowery number slide for now, but that he would appreciate a little say in the wardrobe from now on to make sure there is enough coolness factor in there. She may be a Texas baby, but Ian is determined to make sure there is still some So Cal mixed in there.

We're officially on the countdown now before her arrival--about 3 1/2 more weeks to go--and we are on a mad dash to get everything ready and settled before she arrives. I still have freak out moments from time to time, where I suddenly stop and think "Oh my gosh! I'm going to have a kid I have to take care of!" but we certainly feel abundantly blessed and we are so excited to meet our new little girl. (Name still to be determined.)

Another item of big news is I kind of got a new job. When we moved down here I was having to move back and forth between two hospitals to get enough hours. Well, I have finally managed to get a full-time position at just the downtown hospital which is much to be desired. I start my new position this Monday. So at 37 weeks pregnant I'm starting a new job! Not bad, eh? I'm actually really nervous about making it through each day, but we'll take it a day at a time and the ladies I work with are fabulous and will help keep me going. Go me!

OK, so now imagine you hear trumpets for the next bit of REALLY BIG news! Up until a few weeks ago there was a whole lot of studying going on at our house as Ian prepared for the qualifier exams to be able to move on in his PhD program. (Bella was very helpful in this regard).



We finally got the news last week that HE PASSED!!!!!!!!!!! I can't tell you what a relief this is for us! Ian can now finally finish his dream of getting that elusive PhD and he is now fully funded for tuition and has a Teaching Assisstantship that will give him a monthly stipend. Hallelujah! A huge weight has been lifted from his shoulders (to make room for that whole Dad thing) and we are ever so grateful.

We have truly been blessed immensely these last few weeks. We're a little afraid to drive our cars thinking there must be a semi or something coming our way, but for now we will just be grateful for all the good things that have come our way. We are happy and excited and as always, so grateful for our good family that supports us. We love you all so much! More to come!

Happy Birthday Mom

Missing you and needing you more than ever.

Do you believe in miracles?

YES.

No shots, no endless ultrasounds, no uninterested third parties. Just God's miracle when he decided the time was right.

And we are grateful.
ETA: September 1st

WHAT??!!!

The backyard this morning:


"Oh, winter in Texas is not bad at all--it's very mild."

Hah! Texas is determined to prove all y'all wrong.

"You probably won't even need your winter coat."

Sheesh.

Calisthenics

I have a whole new respect for our brave men and women of the military. I love the guy at the end who kind of gives up and just jumps up and down. Bless his heart.

Texas Christmas and other such news

Well I've been meaning to blog forever and start out with something like, "Now that the holiday craziness is over it's time I should be blogging again," but really, in February you can hardly use that excuse anymore. So excuses aside, here I am again, finally.

We had a great Christmas by the way and I actually got two whole days off from work, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! Will wonders never cease! I had to head right back on the 26th, but we won't go into that. And of course, in true fashion, I have no photos to document that we actually did indeed celebrate Christmas. With no kids around and after 10 years of marriage, I guess things just start to look the same every year so I tend to forget to pull the ol' camera out. I'm sure someday I will be better at this. But I digress. We had our lovely traditional fondue dinner on Christmas Eve, made more enjoyable by the presence of some new friends that are in Ian's program. Christmas day was also a wonderfully relaxing day that we spent at Ian's Dad's house. One interesting note was we actually had snow on Christmas day, the first in several decades apparently. Ian said of course it figures since it was his first December here (he's not a big fan of snow see). I did get a picture of the snow falling, but of course failed to document the actual white stuff on Christmas morning.


(This is the view from our back porch, one of my favorite things about our apartment.)








Ian didn't have to head back to school until January 19th, so we got lots of time to hang out and be lazy together. It was just heavenly to have him around so much. New Years celebrations this year were highlighted with a visit from Ian's little brother D-man. He came to stay with us for two nights. The first item of business when he arrived was Ian took him to Target and purchased what is most essential for boys hanging out together while I was working--Nerf guns of course. They got all the proper gear for an all out battle, hindered only by the close proximity of our small apartment. Needless to say, they had a little fun.

Here's the pair of them.











And here's Ian battling D-man into submission. The kid's hilarious--he thinks it's absolutely hysterical if you hit him in the face with a dart. It's really quite entertaining. You can relax on the couch and keep him in hysterics by firing one dart after another. Again, I remind you that this is perfectly acceptable behavior for a sister-in-law (he had safety goggles on after all).












On a side note, I am happy to report that I actually made a resolution in 2009 and kept it all the way until December. I made a goal about my temple attendance and I actually reached it! Woohoo! I think that's my first ever completed new year's resolution. I am now well on my way to not keeping any new resolutions for 2010, but hey, the year is young.

So Ian is now back in school and it's back to the same old grind. School, work, clean, bleh, etc.


And to end, more Texas bumper stickers:

"Illiterate? Write for our free brochure"

And of course, "Gun control means using two hands."

By the way I officially declare the Texas state saying to be "Oh, bless your heart" followed closely by "I'm fixin' to ......" These phrases fit surprisingly well into many types of conversations. Try it for yourself.

This and That

Some of you may have noticed an absence of astute political commentary on Ian's blog. I thought I'd fill you in a little on what he has been up to. He's off studying tonight, so I looked around a little.

Here's an article he's reading:
And why is the equity premium a puzzle?
The answer is totally scintillating, of course, but ask Ian to tell you about it. He explains it better than me.




And here's the white board in the study:


Does this make any sense to you? I mean who needs a PhD in economics to understand that? Isn't it totally obvious?






And what is his wife doing while he's off laboring and working to understand the exciting world of economics? Oh I'm being completely productive. While thinking of how I should be unpacking those last two pesky boxes, or folding laundry, or decorating for Christmas, or I don't know, anything productive, I'm watching a teeny bopper movie on Netflix and eating the last of the mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving. I am so underwhelmed with myself. Sheesh.

By the way, Thanksgiving was great. Ian actually took a break for a day and we hung with his Dad and family.

Ian desecrated, I mean carved, the turkey for us.
He's so good at that. Oh my poor husband has lost his butt, never to return I'm afraid.




That night Ian's little brother came to spend the night with us. He's so fun to hang out with. He and I went for a walk to the little lakes in our apartment community to feed the ducks.


(Good thing there weren't any boogers in my nose.)







Oh, and D-man found the lake. I was being totally lax in my parenteral overlooking duties. Mom's may not let their kids fall in streams, but sisters-in-law can right?











Turkey day was great, now Christmas here we come! (After finals of course.)