Thursday, September 30, 2010

Retreat (n) : a place affording peace, quiet, privacy, or security.

DSC_0257

Every once in a while my soul craves an escape. I felt this way last summer as we took our little show on the road and headed for the great pacific northwest for a family reunion. As we drove over the grapevine, out into the desert, beyond where our normal commutes and errands take us, I could literally begin to feel my soul breathing. The land just stretched out in front of us and we were free from our daily obligations and we had begun to experience God's beautiful creation together.

The last time we road tripped was when Michael and I drove out here from MI some 9 years ago. I didn't realize how much I missed this experience until we once again hit the road, this time with two kids in the backseat. It's not that I haven't traveled - oh my, have I traveled by plane... back and forth, forth and back, east to west, west to east, north to south, south to north almost every year since we've moved here. For some reason, there's nothing like the adventure of a road trip that my soul craves.

This past weekend our family was blessed to be able to stay at Aunt Pam & Uncle Pete's cabin in the mountains. After pizza Friday night, we changed the girls into their pjs, tucked them snuggly into their carseats with pinky, bunny, lovies, and blankies and set out on our adventure. Granted, our two hour trip to the cabin didn't quite give us the "road trip" experience, but it did afford a much needed retreat from our daily lives. Absolutely nothing was accomplished or checked off on my mounting to do list over this past weekend, but it didn't matter. In the solitude of a little rustic cabin in the woods, without internet access or cell phone reception, our family took priority.

DSC_0354

Good morning campers!

DSC_0020

It's time to start the day!

DSC_0022

Let's see them guns

DSC_0027

DSC_0032

DSC_0046

Ada teaching Daddy a game she made up

DSC_0040

Pass the Rock

DSC_0024

DSC_0006f

We're getting ready for our Bear Hunt!

DSC_0049

We're gonna catch a BIG one!

DSC_0054

We're not scared!

DSC_0056

What a beautiful day!

DSC_0066

Oh no! A fall gives Isla an Owie!

DSC_0067

We'll just have to muster through it

DSC_0068

after lots of hugs and smooches of course

DSC_0069

We're more determined than ever

DSC_0070

She's ready to walk (instead or running ahead) this time

DSC_0073

Two for the road - a safer way to travel

DSC_0079

Oh No! A GATE! We can't go under it, we can't go over it, we'll have to go through it!

DSC_0100

Counting change at the local starbucks err, I mean, watering hole we "hiked to"- we were really roughing it out there.

DSC_0117

Happy hikers with joe in tow

DSC_0122

exploring the beautiful trees

DSC_0123

DSC_0125


DSC_0126

pine cones everywhere

DSC_0129

a tired Isla hitchhikes on daddy's shoulders

DSC_0206

Evening entertainment

DSC_0188

making silly faces in the windows

DSC_0191

DSC_0237

peek a boo!

DSC_0238

I see you!

DSC_0207

DSC_0246

DSC_0253

DSC_0271

DSC_0273

DSC_0276

DSC_0297

DSC_0312

DSC_0327

Reading from Laura in the Big Woods

Until next time!

Friday, September 24, 2010

{this moment}

DSC_0280

Ok, maybe not a moment from this week per se, but close enough. It's seriously not easy to ONLY pick one each week. We are hoping to get out to Mike's Aunt & Uncle's cabin this weekend for a little family getaway.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Inspired by: Soule Mama {this moment}

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

My Son?!!

Wow, can I actually say that?! We first learned that our little baby nubbs was a boy in MI when we traveled down to the hospital that Ellie works at in Detroit. She was able to have one of her fellow residents perform the ultrasound in her on call room. Before we knew it, the room was flooded with about 7 residents all in agreement that we were having a boy.

DSC_0630

Gaging from the photo above, there really was little room for doubt. I was in quite a state of shock as I just assumed we would be blessed with another girl.

DSC_0638

It was really special to have Ellie there with us when we found out!

DSC_0639

Thank you Ells for sharing in such a special moment with us!

We also had an appointment two days after I returned home from all of our summer travels that really confirmed it for me. A BOY! Oh My Word! We are sooo excited to meet this little guy! So, in the midst of my knitting, sewing, scheming up new plans for a now co-ed bedroom, and going through some really crazy nesting hormones; this little fellow is cooking away! He loves to remind me of his presence at all hours of the day.

Ada is ecstatic as she has been asking for a baby brother since before she even knew we were pregnant. She loves to talk to him, tickle him, and feel him move. Isla also loves to give him kisses and say "Awww, he's soo cute!", but she doesn't quite have the patience to sit and wait for him to kick.

I've forgotten what a toll pregnancy takes on one's body. This past thursday night I woke up around 1 am to some cramping on my right side. It was as if I was being pinched repeatedly all night long every couple of seconds. It kept me up all night and on into the next day. Finally the pain broke around Saturday morning. From everything I've read it sounds like I had a case of some round ligament pain.

Sunday night around 5 pm, the Braxton Hicks contractions started up. This took me by surprise as I really didn't have them much at all with Ada and with Isla, it was only 2 weeks before I gave birth. So, to start having them 2 1/2 months before D-Day is a little unnerving and the fact that they were coming every 6 minutes on average. They kept up on through the evening, slowed down a little at night and started picking back up the next morning. I was checked out on Monday by my OB and everything looks fine. I just need to lay low, rest, and hydrate.

I'm so thankful for this new life, this new little boy in our lives. He's already such a part of our daily routine. The girls kiss him goodnight every night, they greet him in the morning, they love to talk about how they will hold him and play with him and pick up tiny toys to keep away from him once he's here. In the meantime, I'm trying to savor my girls as they are now anticipating their brother's arrival and savor the quiet moments where I feel him kick and tumble inside me.

Here's a little glimpse of our littlest one.

Scan 102370000 copy

Oh how I love you my son!

Scan 102370001 copy

Already learning to smile for the camera!

xoxo!

Related Posts with Thumbnails