practically perfect in every way

Lily had a birthday on Saturday!

Lily turned 8 years old on Saturday!

Lily was baptized on Saturday!

Let's walk down memory lane, shall we?

((in no particular order))

big reveal

If I'm even an hour late for my "monthly meeting" I start freaking out.

I was a day late and overwhelming panic was setting in. I played it cool whenever the-man-who-did-this-to-me asked how things were going.

The next day, I stopped by the Dollar Store to pick-up a pregnancy test. They have always worked in the past, so why spend the money on the more expensive tests?

Came home. Put Cade and Oneil down for naps. Took the test.

I think I stared at it for a good five minutes thinking that it was going to miraculously change signs. It didn't. Then I was thinking that it was just a stupid Dollar Store test and that it was probably made in China and that the lead poisoning messed up what the real result was supposed to read. So I made sure the boys were really asleep, turned on Netflix in case they woke-up, locked the doors and drove to the grocery store and bought the $8 pregnancy test.

Those two tests had the same result.

I didn't call and tell Aaron at work.

I didn't tell him when he came home from work.

I didn't tell him when he asked if we were in the clear.

I finally told him when he asked after dinner. The kids were around and so it was spoken in the adult form of secret language. We used words and phrases that made sense only to us. His first words were something like:

You're kidding, right?

Are you sure?

You're joking.

For real?

A little bit of a pause and then.....

Are you seriously that flippin' fertile?!

I soon after called my baby doctor and put in an order for the pills that make it bearable. I have never had a smooth sailing pregnancy. If only I knew when I was puking while pregnant with Corgan how easy it was compared to going through the same thing with five other kids at home.

The worst is over. ((I also thought that while pregnant with Oneil and so we went on a family backpack trip to Ozette. I started getting sick and throwing up on the coast. Ahhhhh....the happy memories.))

Up until last week, I would only have about 3 hours in the afternoon when I would feel okay. I wouldn't feel like staying balled up in the fetal position on the couch. Now I'm only a little nauseous in the mornings and then starting around 7 or so, the heavy duty nausea sets in and all I want is to be knocked unconscious. 

One evening, Aaron and Corgan were returning home from church activities. Upon entering the living room and seeing me on the couch, Aaron said, "What happened? Who died?"

I said nothing had happened and that I was just laying on the couch. He very lovingly said, "Oh, well you look like you were hit by a bus, I thought something bad had happened."

Nope. Just me looking all sexy and pregnant.

Speaking of looking good, I'm not one of those women who put on 12 lbs and only look pregnant from the side. My entire body becomes pregnant. Expansion happens all over the place and has already begun. So I have that to look forward to.

We told the kids about the baby on Sunday and that's why I've been sick lately. Blake said, "Well, you have been sitting on the couch a lot." 

They all said they hope it's a girl. And for Lily's sake, I do, too. But boy or girl, that baby is going to be smothered with love and kisses.

But I've told my doctor to start practicing triple knotting, 'cause this surprise isn't going to be happening again.

blame game

Lily brought this project home from school after St. Patrick's Day.

I posted it on Instagram and had a good little laugh.

We weren't laughing a short time later when the three pregnancy tests all showed up positive.

surprise

sur·prise [ser-prahyz, suh-]verb, sur·prised, sur·pris·ing, noun 

verb (used with object)

1. to strike or occur to with a sudden feeling of wonder or astonishment, as through unexpectedness: Her beauty surprised me.

2. to come upon or discover suddenly and unexpectedly: We surprised the children raiding the cookie jar.

3. to make an unexpected assault on (an unprepared army, fort, person, etc.).

4. to elicit or bring out suddenly and without warning: to surprise the facts from the witness.

5. to lead or bring unawares, as into doing something not intended: to surprise a witness into telling the truth.

noun

6. an act or instance of surprising or being surprised.

7. something that surprises someone; a completely unexpected occurrence, appearance, or statement: His announcement was a surprise to all.

8. an assault, as on an army or a fort, made without warning.

9. a coming upon unexpectedly; detecting in the act; taking unawares.

As in,

Surprise! I'm pregnant.

Specifically used with definitions #5 and #7.

better luck next year

The Pinewood Derby was two weeks ago.

Corgan's car didn't do so well.

Whatever you do, do not use the white graphite.

Slows the wheels way down.

Lesson learned.

aaron junior turned 6

It was actually a week and a half ago.

He's a simple boy, like his father before him, and all he wanted for his birthday was to go to the bouncy house place and have army guys on his birthday cake. Easy-peasy.

See the resemblance?

This is Aaron circa 3 or 4 years old.

boston strong

Colbert says it perfectly.

      



My Junior and Senior year of high school, I had Mr. Cunningham as my math teacher. He didn't magically make math any easier, but he most definitely made it enjoyable. I loved going to his class, not because it was math, I loathed math, but because I knew I was going to laugh. And I did miraculously pass the required math classes.

Cunningham was always active. At that time he was a serious cyclist. So serious that he shaved his legs. You know a cyclist is serious when they shave their legs. I think it has something to do with if they crash and burn, the healing goes smoother. Or they just like silky, smooth legs.

He used the overhead projector.

He had a silly dance called the "Rit-ta-ta" where we'd stand on top of our desks and do bizarre body movements while singing a nonsensical song. I think part of it was to the tune of Singing in the Rain.

He told hilarious stories.

Like the time he managed to procure the street sign that bore his last name, Cunningham.

Or the story of his wedding. He is a huge, HUGE, UW Huskies fan. The day of his wedding was the same day of a big game. As he walked down the aisle, to his back he had taped the score of the game for the others to see.

I babysat his two little girls once.

He was involved with the Young Life program. A few years after I graduated high school, he left teaching to take on a more permanent position with Young Life up in Sitka, Alaska.

This is his story of his experience at the Boston Marathon.

I cried when I read it.

Having finished two marathons myself, I know how much finishing means and having the medal to show for it.

Cunningham proves that running is much more than just collecting the finishers medal.