Welp!

It's been a loooong time since I've posted.  My last post was about school starting...and now it's almost over for the year.  Sheesh.  I think I tried to do some catch-up posts at one point, but it just seemed too overwhelming.  I hear there's a site that will take your Instagram pictures and Facebook posts, along with blog posts, and put them in a book for you.  Looks like we'll be going that route for this past year.  I haven't slacked on Insta or FB.  Phew!  Memories will still be preserved.

I'll do a brief catch-up:

Cruise - Hubs and I went on a cruise to the Bahamas in September. It was magical.  My amazing in-laws took on kid duty and all went really well!  Tyler and I took a picture of our feet with the beach and crystal-clear blue ocean in the background while we were lying in a hammock together on Half Moon Cay.  That is the screen saver picture on my phone and it still brings joy to my heart every single time I look at it.  I love my husband so much and I loved that time with him!  Funniest thing on the trip was that we took non-drowsy and regular dramamine with us, but just popped the non-drowsy stuff. We both had a seasick day on our last cruise, so we were prepared this time.  We popped a pill or two several times during the trip just to be on the safe side {motion sickness is no joke!}  I slept HARD the whole cruise and we commented how surprised we were that we were still so tired when we were getting so much sleep.  At the airport on the way home, I opened my bag for something and pulled out an unopened box of non-drowsy dramamine.  We'd been taking the sleepy stuff the whole time. Ha!  Gave us a good chuckle.

Sports - Kelly and Max played soccer in the fall, Max played basketball in the winter, the three older kids have been doing swimming lessons, Max and Kelly will both be starting flag football in a few weeks, and I think we'll have THREE kids in sports starting in the fall {Max is deciding between soccer and tackle football, Kelly and Ev will play soccer}.  Ty has been an awesome coach for soccer and basketball this year.  He's pretty darn amazing.

Babe #5 - In November we found out that we were expecting a baby!  I was tentatively thrilled, but worried about giving my whole heart to this pregnancy because of our miscarriage.  That miscarriage was really, really difficult for me {I had a total breakdown in the shower, just before going to this babe's first ultrasound, since that is how we found out that we were losing the baby last time.  I felt like it was my final release of raw, very real grief for my last pregnancy and the baby we lost.} Finally, though, I let go, and have loved and tried to really cherish this whole process, as it is our last. Pregnancy is miraculous and beautiful and...hard. But mostly beautiful. I am so very tired much of the time.  Couldn't stand the thought, sight, smell of chicken for the first half.  Now I can EAT some chicken, but preparing it is difficult.  I'm hitting the uncomfortable stage, but, like I said, trying to really enjoy the beauty of it.  We found out in March that our 5th and final babe is a GIRL!  I was really surprised and we are all ecstatic!  Before we knew what we were having, Kelly would occasionally sit next to me on the couch and softly chant to my belly "girl! girl! girl!"  I told her I wasn't sure that would do the trick, but she was welcome to try.  Still in the naming process, no decision yet.  She is super active {and spastic!}  We are getting excited to meet her!  Just about to move Tuck into the newly painted/decorated Boys' Room and then I will get to decorate the baby side of the Girls' Room.  Kelly is all moved in and digging her girly room, excited to share it with an infant in a little while {though she may be singing a different tune when that infant wakes her up at night :)...though the babe will be in a bassinet in our room for a while}.

I might do a catch-up post or two over the next few months...but probably not.  My plan is to start from here.  We've got some big things going on here in the next few months, after all!  I've got to document better...