nc visit

We had an amazing visit to NC recently. We went down to introduce Ruby to our extended families and to give my mom a surprise birthday party. We were there for about 3 weeks and it still never seems long enough. We are so blessed to have families that love to host us for so long and who love being with us. At least they act like it!

We got to attend an engagement party for my beautiful sister in law and her fiance, Shane. It was so much fun to be there and to be a part of the celebration. We are so thrilled for them as they begin their life together. The wedding is in August and we CAN NOT WAIT! Brent couldn't be with us, and I know he wanted to be, badly! That's the hardest part of living away. Not being there for many big and little events in the lives of our families. Birthday parties,, engagements, family barbecues...and the little things to. Soccer games, school plays, baby sitting opportunities for my nephews...how we miss out!

Here, Poppa is fishing with all of his boys...it was the day after mama's birthday party and we were just hanging out by the lake at their house. The kids loved getting that special time with Poppa, but I think he enjoyed it the most.

These boys love each other like you wouldn't believe. Henry adores Hunter and it is evident in the way he follows him around. He mentions Hunter almost everyday, wondering what he might be doing. Its so sweet. When people ask how old Henry is, his reply is this " I am 4, but my cousin is 6." They get along so well and love to be together.

Harry and Owen will play together too. However, they really just follow their big brothers' around! They both just turned 2, and are only 2 weeks apart! Its so funny how similar their personalities are...funny, mischievous, tender and energetic. They are a sight together. I see years of fun ahead for those two.

Ruby of course enjoyed her trip to NC too. So much of our families made special trips over to meet her. She is one loved little girl...and the first little girl born to my side in 18 years! We had 8 little boys in a row!

Hunter and Owen were very sweet to her and Owen in particular couldn't get enough of her. He loved holding her and thought her "toes" were the best. He has the SWEETEST little voice and I love to hear him talk.

Here I am with my brother, JP, and sister in law, Tara. I just want to take a minute and PRAISE GOD for them and for the work He has done in our lives. He is a God of new beginnings, of reversal of destinies and the One who works it all out! They are so precious to me and I love them and so glad that we are in the same family! They love those two boys of theirs more than life itself and I just love seeing that love play out in their daily lives.

They are SO BUSY! JP works an ever changing, demanding schedule that keeps his internal clock working overtime! I don't know how he keeps up! But he does and is always ready and willing to step up wherever something needs to be done. Tara is SUPERMOM! She is a teacher at the local church preschool and is very good at what she does. The kids and parents ADORE her. I know this, because I see them post it on her Facebook page every day! She also coaches soccer and baseball, is the go to babysitter for many friends, party host, and I think she's even about to start playing ball herself! Talk about energy! I look forward to when we get to spend more time together.

Here is the entire Hancock family...Traders included. We had a wonderful time celebrating moms' 60th birthday. We think she was pretty surprised. Surely, she had some idea that we were doing something, but didn't know the details. She'll never tell. So many of her friends and family came to celebrate her life and it was a blessing to us all. Family came that we've not seen in years and I think that meant the most of all.

Thanks to our hosts and for all of the help that we had while we were there. Brent is so good to us and while I know he misses us like crazy while we are there, he knows how important it is to me that our kids spend time with our families. Its important to him too since he pays for us to go!

Can't wait to be there again, visiting and making memories.

Easter

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday this year. I love Easter...probably even more than Christmas. I love that it is the celebration of the most amazing thing that has ever happened in the entire universe. I love that in His providence, God placed it on the calendar at the time of year when things are coming to life again on earth...the grass is beginning to grow, new leaves are appearing on the trees and flowers are budding like crazy. It isn't lost on me that the season of new life (spring) is accutely timed around Easter.

I am so grateful for my new life in Christ and that my old life has passed away. I am a new creation in Christ and my heavenly Father is making me more like Him every day...what a miracle that is!

We woke up early Sunday morning and got dressed even before we came downstairs...an attempt to be ready for church before we got into the Easter baskets, and it worked. We all

made it downstairs at the same time to dig into the loot. We don't do much in the way of Easter baskets. The boys know that they come from us, not the Easter Bunny. Yes, we do Santa...and I have to be honest, it is hard for me!

Have you seen the advertisement for the toothpaste holder that sticks to your mirror? Well, Henry has wanted that silly thing since the first time he saw it. He eyed it one day in Target and thought it was the best thing ever...well, that is what he got in his basket along with some chocoloate shaped race cars and some gum and other junk. Harry, our performer, got a new microphone that make his voice echo and also the chocolateand gum.. Ruby of course got a new purple sun dress!

We also had a neighborhood egg hunt, which was lots of fun. It was so nice to be outside enjoying time with the people in our hood. The weather is warming!

I hope that your Easter was a wonderful reminder of the new life that is possible with Jesus as your Savior.

Visitors

We've been so blessed to have so much of our family come up and see us lately...I'm no fool...it's all about the kids...and I am FINE with that! My mom came several days before Ruby was born. It had been a hard couple of days before she got here and it didn't get much better...some sort of the flu had run its course in our house....EVERY single one of us got it...each with a few different symptoms. Let me tell you...being 40 weeks pregnant and getting the flu is NOT the way to go. I felt horrible! The body aches were the worst for me. However, I will stop my complaining there...I have a friend who passed a kidney stone while she was pushing! Harry was the first to get sick, then Brent, then me and then Henry. While it was bad, it lasted only 48 hours. No, we did not get the flu shot and even though we got the flu of some sort, I am still glad we did not get the flu shot...and our immune systems are better primed now for having it! So, we were all better and i went into labor. We headed to the hospital early Sunday morning. We hadn't been there 30 minutes and my mom called....you guessed it, she had the FLU! We gave it to her and I felt terrible! So, Brent hops back into the car and heads home, leaving me at the hospital. I am so grateful that this was my third baby...I remained calm. My sweet neighbors, who have 2 precious little girls took the boys for the day. Brent made it back in plenty of time and just went back and forth between the hospital and home. While I wanted him there with Ruby and me, he needed to take care of the other ones. After all, I was in a hospital!
Mom was such a huge help to me before and after Ruby came...doing whatever needed to be done and I am forever grateful. Its so wonderful to have help that just knows what you need. Thank you mama (grammy)!

Luckily, mom got over it quickly as well so we were clear to bring Ruby home. My dad came up a couple of days later....the boys were stoked! They get all sorts of sweet treats when the grands are up that we don't usually have...he's feeding them ice cream in this pic! Poppa is a hit every time. Henry always wants to go to the MOA and ride rides at the amusement park...and we do.

Next came Martha and Tommy, my most amazing in -laws. This reserved sweet man turns into the best babysitter I have ever seen. He is crazy over these grand kids and they are crazy about him. He loves to care for them so much, that he usually is encouraging me to get out of the house to have them all to himself. They love to play 'camp' ....getting all the pillows from every bed in the house and heading into a closet, flashlights in tow. I love to stand at the door and listen to them giggle and tell stories. Pops shadow puppets provide good entertainment. Mo, as she is so lovingly called is the laundry queen. I wish I had a picture of her folding laundry and I should since that is what she did 24/7! What a relief, because it is not a chore that I love to do.
Then my sweet sister, whom Ruby is named after, came to see us! We call her oopie.... Its so funny when she comes...Henry says "hey" and then its "did you bring your game?!"....nintendo ds that is. He loves to play it and she helps him. We have to limit him and that thing because he would play it all day. I don't understand it...I can't stand to play video games, but they love it. Brent does too....just not my thing. We took Ruby for her doctor's appt when Alison was here, so she watched the boys. Alison doesn't have much of a stomach for changing diapers, but is willing in a pinch. So, I knew that she would probably be faced with a dilemma while we were at the doctor's office, since Harry hadn't 'been' yet. I apologized and then giggled as we left her with the boys. We got home and sure enough, Harry had been successful...and Alison had too....she puked, but she did it! Ah, the love of an aunt!

Then our LaLa came. She even brought her best friend Casey along for the trip. Casey is like a member of the Trader family and she is always welcome. The boys lovingly refer to her as CeCe and she is a riot. LaLa and CeCe played their hearts out while they were here. I would put the boys down for naptime and CeCe would go down with them. Its is busy around here! We made a trip to the MOA while they were here and talked a little about wedding plans and picked out bridesmaids dresses. Laura is getting married in Sept and we are so excited!!! Her fiance Shane is a great guy and we are so happy for them.

So, we're only lacking a few family members making it up this way....but I think we'll get home before they get a chance to get here. I just want to say THANK YOU to all of you. You have no idea how much you help us and I am so grateful that you even want to come! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

Brent's 33rd Birthday!

We celebrated Brent's birthday last week. He turned the big 33 on Thursday the 24th. He loves the fact that I am almost 3 years old than he is, and he and his brother rub it in when they get the chance! I just tell him that whatever he does to me on my birthday, then I have almost 3 years to plan my revenge! Nah, he's always been very loving and thoughtful on my birthdays...

We had dinner at Ruby Tuesday...just so happened that we had a BOGO coupon...you know I love a coupon! We really LOVE their salad bar! It was fun...Harry of course, must announce himself to any public place that we go...with his HIGH PITCHED, EAR PIERCING scream. We are kind of use to it, but I have witnessed him scaring the heck out of some people with his outbursts! There is no warning...just NOISE! It's kind of funny. We can always tell who has children and who doesn't by the reactions we get. Mostly laughs and giggles at what we are going through.




Brent enjoyed his cards and opening his gift. He doesn't like to be the center of attention and may be embarrassed that I am dedicating a blog to his birthday, but he will take it in stride. He is such a humble person and I love that about him. Much different than myself and I try and learn from his example.

We had birthday cake at home that Henry and I made and decorated. We decided that since our daddy is such an awesome daddy that we we would make him our own superhero birthday cake. SuperDaddy! At first Henry wanted to do "Batdaddy", but we decided that black icing might not taste too good. So, we decided to do SuperDaddy! After all, superman could fly!



blowing out candles!!

The boys really enjoyed the fruits of our labor...well the dessert of our labor! Harry just about finished his cake and ice cream and Henry preferred to eat the icing from the cake using a candle as a utensil.

It always fun to celebrate birthdays! We don't get to take an entire day to honor someone that we love and cherish very often. I want our birthdays to be memorable because of the time we spend together on those days, the little things we do to make it special and because for that one day of the year, the birthday honoree gets to be the center of attention! We love you Brent and Happy Birthday!

Preggers!

Well, most of you know that we're expecting our third child. We are so excited, but I do have to admit that I am starting to get a little nervous. Our second, Harry is a handful! He is so much fun and cracks us up daily, but boy, does he need attention! He is much less 'content' than Henry was at his age and definitely prefers to be up in the middle of it all! It's so much fun to see the difference in their personalities and know that those differences were designed exactly by God himself! I am exicted to continue to see who God will make them to be as they grow in a relationship with Him. What peace it brings me to know that HE knows the future He has in store for them...to give them hope and a future!

So, we are gearing up to have a tiny baby in the house again, sometime in Janurary. I love new tiny babies...my due date is January 8th based on early ultrasound, but I typically deliever late! So, I am thankful that I feel well most of the time. I have heard horror stories and I have truly been blessed with bareable pregnancies. I love being pregnant. It's probably when I feel most special. I don't think that I'll ever choose to say "this is our last pregnancy"...I can not imagine not feeling a baby kick again. Now, we'll see how I feel after this 3rd one comes! Those of you with 3 or more babies were probably thinking just that!

I am around 22 weeks pregnant and we had our ultrasound about 2 weeks ago. It is always so much fun to do that! We decided that we would not find out the sex of this baby during the ultrasound, which is not what we have done in the past. We couldn't wait to find out with the boys, but this time, something felt differently. Atleast for me. Brent was so funny...he wanted to find out, even trying to talk me into it while the Tech was doing the ultrasound. I am so grateful that he really was ok with waiting...he was just testing me I think! I am a planner and like to have 'all the info' I can, so for me to not know is a big deal!

Because I am 35, the risk of certain chromosomal issues goes up. We chose to have a quad screen done, which checks for certain risks. It really is a test to see "who should be offered an amnioscentesis"...I didn't really realize that and since I wouldn't do that anyway, there really was no need for us to do the quad screen. However, we did have an increased risk for having a baby with Down's Syndrome. The only way to know 'for sure' is to have an amnio...not doing that.

We did have a level 2 ultrasound. I don't know if that's because of our increased risk (from the test) or simply because of my age. That doesn't matter, but it was a really great ultrasound! We got to see so much! Everything looks 'normal' to the doctors, but I already knew that everything would look exactly as it was supposed to look, for my God placed that precious baby there exactly as he or she should be. I am so grateful for the peace that Jesus gave to me concerning this baby. It doesn't matter the 'labels' that could possibly be given to our child, I KNOW that my Father in heaven, knew this baby before He knit him in my womb. He knows every hair on his head and He knows the future that is planned for this baby! I love knowing that because He knows my future and the plans He has for me, for hope and a future, that I can handle anything...because He will be there with me. I rest in His sovereignty on a minute by minute basis.

I can not wait to meet this little one, who will probably end of with an "H" name! Any ideas? I love traditional names...ones with a past. Henry and Harry are both family names, and we will definitely have a family name somewhere...first or middle, but it doesn't matter which! We've been told some doozies....hortense...? I hope they were kidding...ha ha ha.

Well, left you with a 3-d pic of our new addition. Can't wait to tell you more in January!