Bursting with Happy!

I am on an absolute high. We are bursting with happy.

Our friends welcomed their baby girl Tess yesterday afternoon. As her dad said in the email announcing her birth, she is a little slice of perfection! Everyone is healthy, and we are just as thrilled as could possibly be! It was a long road, but yesterday we were all reminded that miracles do exist. I am certain that Tess and Marin will be B.F.F.s. Every night before we go to bed we thank God for making us a family. It is a tradition that my parents started with Jake and me when we were little. Last night we also thanked God for making them a family. Our prayers have truly been answered.

Tomorrow, Jason's cousin Mike and his wife Elizabeth are going to welcome their second baby boy. We can't wait to meet him next month!

It's a big week for cousins. Jason's other cousin, Neal, FINALLY asked his darling girlfriend, Nicole to be his bride. Lucky for Neal, we don't have to kick him out of the family to keep Nicole in. :) We're looking forward to a winter wedding!

Marin is cracking us up every second. She recently learned to say "shoes" and she says "hi" as clear as a bell. Now she's waving, telling people hi, and pointing out shoes at every chance she gets. She also is into repeating every thing we do. She helped me dust the other day, repeating the exact wiping motion with the cloth at the exact point where I had cleaned. The other night I was rubbing her back before bed, and her little hand started to rub my back as well. When we say our prayer before we eat, Marin has started making her version of the sign of the cross by tapping on her shoulder four times. She's babbling away so much, and her babbles seem to have a little more definition lately. I am totally convinced that she knows exactly what she means to say. She's also in love with nature. She loves to point to the trees and the sky and the birds. She often says, "Dis?" (This?) and we will say, "That's a bird!" and she tries to repeat it back. And of course, she dances her way through the day from morning until night.

We have a lot of visitors the next few weeks. Miss Kathy is taking some vacation days this week since her sister and niece are in town, so Aunt Vee is here to play with Marin through Friday. On Saturday, Pappy arrives for a week straight to help Jason build our deck! We are so grateful for their help, and Marin is looking forward to soaking up the constant attention and firmly wrapping them both even tighter around her little finger. :) Rumor has it, Aunt Lindsay may even spend the night a few nights! We've also had a chance to spend some quality time with my family. Last Sunday Marin and I spent the whole day with my parents-not working or running around. Just at church, and then a trip for ice cream and a girls only tea party in the afternoon. And Uncle Jake and Aunt Katy had the opportunity to spend the night two weekends in a row. One night Jake and I stayed up together after everyone else went to bed, and we talked and caught up until the wee hours of the morning. It was my favorite moment with my brother in a long time. I am so proud of the man he has become.

I've really been cracking the house project whip. :) As foreman of our household, it is my duty to see that these things get done. Jason is so glad. :) Stay tuned for big changes here and here:
The bench seats are also done! Jason worked so hard on every single detail of the design, craftsmanship and assembly, and I reciprocated by having cushions made by someone other than myself. Not only do I not own a sewing machine, I don't trust myself to thread a needle properly, much less sew a straight line. They should be here soon. This is why I need to be the foreman, and not the handyman. The credit is Jason's for the taking.

There's one other thing. It's big. Life changing. But I'm going to make you wait that one out. I'll be announcing that next week. :) (I'm not pregnant!)

Now it's your turn. What are some things that have you bursting with happy these days?

A scare (with a happy ending!)

Never underestimate the power of family! My parents took us all to Green Lake, Wisconsin for an extended weekend get away together. We stayed right on the water in a gorgeous home belonging to very generous friends of theirs. We had a great time, as we always do when we are all together. Sometimes I think I revert to a kid again at these occasions- seeing who can make the biggest cannonball splash, can I dunk Jake and still have him think it's funny, "Dad, will you please get in with us!".... the whole nine yards. We play card and board games until we say, "Oh my gosh, it's __ o'clock already?!" It's a good time, and Martin Moments (as we affectionately call them) always prevail.

This past Saturday between a family picture organized by me (and my handy tripod) accompanied by the usual light hearted groans and the "are we done yets" of my family, and a spirited game of boys vs. girls catch phrase, I started bleeding. If you know me, I don't do anything calmly, so naturally I freaked out.... but my family was there for me in every way they could be. Never underestimate the power of family.

I called the Doctor on call, and she was very patient with me, asked a lot of questions, calmed my fears, encouraged me to rest and not do anything strenuous, and to go to the emergency room in the morning. I am forever grateful to her; it was late on Saturday night.

After a small walk with my ever calm Dad, where he said all the right things, just as he does in every crisis situation, and lot of good prayers and hugs with my mom who is ridiculously nurturing, I did fall asleep, wondering if I'd ever be as good a parent as they are.

Jason is very good in these situations, and almost exactly opposite from me. He never over reacts (I inevitably ALWAYS do), he never jumps to conclusions (I prepare for the worst) and most of all, he knows what I need to hear to be assured that no matter what happens, we have each other, and that everything will be okay. As my dad said on Saturday night, I am lucky to have him. No one could love me more than he.

Poor Jake and I fell from the same bush, so to speak. He was just as upset as I. Jason and Katy are cool, collected cucumbers; Jake and I are emotional, babbling fools. Still, in a scare, sometimes it's good to know that there is one of your kind out there. Thinking just as you are.

We went to the emergency room on Sunday, and after five hours of exams, ultasounds and blood tests, being wheeled here and there on the gurney ( a first for me), and waiting for all sorts of results... we are just fine! I am okay and the baby is okay. We feel so blessed.

It turns out that Jason isn't the most patient person in the emergency room. I think I'll have to add "activities for Jason during delivery" to my list of things to plan in the next 6 1/2 months. One sight at a 24 hour labor, and that kid will be toast. Bless his heart.

It also turns out that being in the emergency room for five hours on a Sunday is a little bit like being on the set of Grey's Anatomy (returning in September- yay!) There was a drunk guy next to me that got into a fight and lost 4 teeth (Emergency room nurse: "How did this happen?" Drunk guy: "I'll tell you what happened, I was talkin' $hit and some guy punched me out. I usually the dude that do the punchin', but I couldn't swing at him this time." Emergency room nurse: "Did they give you anything for the pain?" Drunk guy: "They didn't give me nothin'! Says I still have too much alcohol in my system or somethin'. (then to his infant grandson: "Don't you go off to grow up and be like your granddad!')") There was also a baby crying (poor thing) and then Jason had to chime in with his impersonation of a baby crying (strangely similar sound), there was some guy handcuffed in the bed, and a policeman was guarding his door, and there was some sort of announcement "ER ALL ALERT. CODE 888!" No clue what that means, but glad that it didn't apply to me.

All in all, not a good way to spend a Sunday, but with a happy ending. I haven't even met the baby yet, and already I am worrying like crazy. How will I ever survive it's teenage years?