Family visits.

This past weekend was the start to a wonderful series of family visits for us. This timing couldn't be better either, as Derek has begun a very time consuming rotation for the next 6 weeks (7am - 8pm M-F and 24 hour weekend call!). As excited as I am for this learning opportunity for him, I am also happy that the timing of various family visits will help to distract me!

My sister, Lindsey, and her awesome husband, Joseph, came down on Friday from Charlotte, NC to celebrate my mom's 61st birthday. It was so great to see them, even though it was a short visit. We hadn't gotten a visit with them since Christmas - which was way too long....especially in "baby time". Logan and I both have done quite a bit of changing these last 6 months. We ate a late dinner and watched a movie Friday night, spent a fun-filled day at a local pool and cooking out on Saturday, and then said our goodbyes Sunday. My dad came into town early Sunday to spend the week with me and Logan (and to see Derek when he can), so he got to visit with Lindsey and Jo before they got on the road. It was truly a great weekend. They are both doing great...enjoying their new North Carolina residency and even more so their newest family member. They rescued an adorable mutt from the humane society a few weeks ago, and brought him for the visit. We had so much fun trying to teach Logan to be a brave boy around Scout...he tends to be a little anxious around some dogs, but by the 2nd day of their trip he was doing great. I already miss them, and Logan is still asking for his Aunt "Linny". Hopefully the next visit will be sooner than 6 months from now!

The right place at the right time.

Well, as we woke up this morning to a rainy day, my first thought was "how will I keep Logan entertained?"....after all, this boy would live outside if I would let him. So going an entire morning without outdoor time can get tricky. We started the day early, so I figured that we could go to Target (which I knew would be open) and just walk around. When we got tired of the atmosphere at Target, we headed down to the soft play area for the little ones in the mall. What a successful play time!! Logan managed to master the stairs and slide all by himself, and was so proud. He was having such a good time, laughing every step of the way. It was such a treat to watch him accomplish these things by himself - not to mention a nice rest for me and baby Connor! Due to the early hour it was quiet and nice at the play area, which I am convinced help Logan relax enough to master some big boy playing. This turned out to be great for me as well, as I met two other mommy's there. I know, I am always meeting other mothers, but this was different. After visiting for a while, we actually exchanged information, and now I am going to begin going to their mommy group every Wednesday! What a blessing for me. I have struggled since living in Savannah to connect with a stable group of mothers. This has been such a desire of mine, but has proven to be much more difficult than I had expected. I am looking forward to getting to know these women better, and to get Logan involved with more little ones! God definitely had us in the right place at the right time today. After playtime in the mall, we all ended up walking to the Library to take the little ones to story time. This was our first time doing this, and Logan loved it! He did so well...I was very proud of him. Needless to say, this rainy morning was one of the best we've had in a while. I can't wait to see how these new opportunities for us unfold!

Off to a poor start

Okay, so apparently I am not as great as I had hoped at squeezing in time to manage this blog. Sad start so far, but I will try again. I suppose the last 6 months are a bit much to catch everyone up on in any type of detail, but I will do my best to hit the high points ;)

As I am sure it is public knowledge (as I had posted on facebook our updates), Derek and I are pregnant again with baby number 2! We are so excited about this, despite the less than easy journey thus far. I have had a few "scares" so far this time around, but so far we are pulling through. God has been so gracious, always allowing for a healthy outcome after a scary event. I am having to take it as easy as I can, without actually calling it "bed rest". After all, how easy can you take it when you are chasing around a toddler? Anyhow, we are thrilled that it will be another little boy. Connor Jackson will join us, Lord willing, sometime in August (I am actually due August 26th). I am growing quickly with this one, gaining too much weight once again...yet am focused on the end. I can't wait to meet him!

Logan is doing great. He is 17 months old now, and is all boy. I mean skinned knees, mud puddles, and sticks....the works. He is an adorable, though often challenging, combination of personality. He is interested in everything, and never misses anything. He is always asking about things, and has even begun telling me a few things that I should know. He is a very curious about things, especially other children. Is is so funny to watch him, as he loves to just stare and observe. We aren't entirely sure how to interact yet. He is learning to listen and obey, yet has such a strong will that he is often frustrated with his limitations. Temper tantrums are a regular- to some extent- on a daily basis. I am learning to just ignore them when needed, and let him have his "feelings" about things. Recently, he is also beginning to show frustration with our communication gap. Despite his quickly expanding vocabulary, he understands more than he can clearly speak, so we have a difficult time understanding what he is trying to tell us. He still loves his books and reading them with Mommy and Daddy. He will ask to snuggle now, which is one of my favorite times with him. He loves baby Connor, though I am not quite sure how he will do when his baby brother arrives. It will be fun to watch them grow up together, just 21 months apart.

Derek is now into his clinical year (and final year!) of PA school. He will do 6-week rotations in a variety of specialties until next March. He is finishing his first of the roatations in family practice this week. He has been working with a Physician about 40 miles from home in a small, private practice which has been failry low-key. So far he is enjoying the clinical experience, yet we are both a little anxious to see how it continues. The hours and days are never known before hand, and the daily work-load is an ever changing factor. This is both exciting and challenging as we are getting closer to having a family of four.

As for now, we are trying to get settled into a new home. Yes, I know this will sound strange, but we have recently switched homes with my mother. Our owned homes are within 5 miles of each other here in Savannah...both with their individual appeal. Our home is quite a bit smaller, and doesn't have much you could consider a yard. My mother's home, on the other hand, is a little more spacious on the inside, and has a wonderful yard on all sides - a restless boy's dream. Mom had offered the exchange to us several times and we thought she was crazy. We finally spoke about it more seriously, as she felt as though this was what God wanted her to do. We were constantly trying to find more space and storage for things, while Mom had too much to take care of by herself. She felt silly in her home and yard by herself, while we were figuring out how to make a family of 4 work in our home. After we all prayed about it, we decided to take her up on the offer. As tiring as a move can be, I am glad and thankful for the opportunity. It was such a great blessing, and is proving to be a wonderful fit for each of our families. I am hoping to feel completely settled by the time Connor gets here in August, though it has been a slow process so far.