Reflections

This last year has been filled with many blessings and changes. As I look back, I can't help but thank God for everything He does for us. Our year started off the same as any other...except for the fact that we were now in Germany! How wonderful is it that we get this opportunity to expierence a whole different culture? On top of all of this, Blake got selected to go to Spain for work this past spring. He brought back many wonderful memories and pictures of that trip! We found out, that after 5 years of nothing, we were pregnant! How wonderful it is that we finally get to have the child we wanted! In July we got to go to Rome for our anniversary. This was the best anniversary ever! Our families are really wonderful. I got to fly back to the states twice to visit. Our families have blessed us with so many gifts fot the baby. They are so wonderful! Thanksgiving was spent with our dear friends, Kimberly and Jason. They have made living here in Germany not as lonely as it could have possibly been. Our Christmas was quiet...just the way we like it. We celebrated it as our last Christmas alone, as next year, Cara will be joining us. Now, as we sit here on New Years Eve, I look back at the year and just give thanks. So many wonderful things have happened this past year. Things I havn't mentioned, things I have mentioned...just so many things. I hope all of you had a year full of memories to be thankful for as well! Goodbye 2007.

Happy New Year!!

A house guest and a Wonderful Hubby!!

We are watching our friends' cat while they are away. His name is Jordan. He's about 8 or 9 years old...so he's getting up there. He's never had to live with another animal before, much less one as active as Gratch. Let me tell you! I thought we were going to have to put Jordan back in his own house and just check on him everyday....he couldn't stand Gratch! All Gratch wanted to do was play, but Jordan just didn't know what to think about him. After two days of this...they've finally worked it all out. Jordan and Gratch play all night. And when I say all night, I sooooo totally mean ALL night! They will take turns chasing each other, stalking each other...just running up and down the stairs. I think Gratch is absolutly loving the second animal in the house. They both sleep all day now becuase they are so worn out! I am so glad they are getting along so great!

Before our friends left, we did our Christmas with them. Look at the dishes Kimberly got me!! I love them. I always see them at the Bx, but I talk myself out of getting them all the time. I am so pleased with them. I have so many uses for them!!

Blake and I have this thing where we will buy each other gifts and then give them to each other right away...without waiting for the holiday. We have only done this with a couple of gifts this year. We actually have presents under the tree, waiting to be opened until Christmas (this is actually a first). Look at some of the things Blake got me. He is so wonderful!! The santa bears are just perfect. I have one for every year but last year. I just figured I'd have a four year break from being in Germany...nope! He totally found this pair for me! They have the year on thier foot and everything. Then....he got me Lego Star Wars, the complete saga! We have been playing this for the last two days straight! It is so much fun. He is such a wonderful husband.

We have been getting more and more ready for Cara to make her appearance. Blake has been so good to me! He really pampers me. I sometimes just can't get over it! I have been having to sleep on the couch lately becuase our bed makes me ache from head to toe. He has been coming down and sleeping with me on the couch! It is big enough for the both of us, but I know he isn't getting the greatest sleep. He still likes to come and be near me. I love that! He put the best ice scraper in my car. I don't even drive everyday, but he wanted to make sure that the one I had actually worked. So he suffers with the cheapy one that really does no good. Last week, I made baked potatoes for dinner and we only had enough sour cream for one person. I was totally willing to give it to him, but he let me have it. I know this seems cheesy to some of you (probably all of you), but I just can't help it. I think I'll blame it on hormones for the moment!I just wanted everyone to know how wonderful my hubby really is!

Just on an off note...this is a picture from my front window. It's so pretty outside....I just wish it would snow. All we have so far is ice. Ice is pretty, but it just isn't snow...I'm still waiting for that!

Our Christmas Party

Blake's work had thier holiday party last night. It was such a fun evening! Kimberly and I put in a lot of work helping out and everything turned out just fabulous at the end. There were some awesome door prizes to be won...sadly I didn't win anything, however, Kim did! She won the ipod! How great is that? There was a grand prize at the end of the night that everyone wanted. A 42 inch flat screen plasma hidef tv. Yes...we were hoping that maybe we would win this (as was everyone in the room!). The chaplain ended up winning it, which I think is great. He donated it to the airmen in the dorms. I think he was going to put it in their main dayroom or something. I thought that was great. The food turned out to be amazing. You always wonder at bigger functions, but it was great. We had a nice table of people and everyone got along. I won the center piece! That was cool for me. The spouse organization was in charge of getting the center pieces for the tables, and at the last minute, we were 5 short, so I put together the last five. I thought they turned out fabulous, and I got to bring one home! I was so very happy. There were a couple of games that we played. One of them, the highest ranking person at the table had to stand up, and we got to decorate them as a christmas tree. Hee hee...can you guess who our highest ranking person was? That's right, it was Blake!!! He was a good sport, though and totally participated without even a single grimace. We didn't win, although we didn't have very good decorations to work with. I thought we did excellent with what we had. We ended up getting home around 11, which isn't too late. It was such a nice night. Everyone seemed to have a really good time.

As per request....here is an updated side shot from me....We are currently 32 1/2 weeks and really really waiting for February! I feel as if it will never come....but I know it will. My mother will be here in a month, and once she gets here, Cara can come at any point. Woo hoo!!!! I certainly seemed to have gained a lot of weight in the last month. I just keep getting bigger and bigger. I guess this means a healthy baby, right????? (this is what I tell myself...) :)

Gratch and Christmas....

Why oh why does my cat love to bug me???? His newest ploy in life is to eat the christmas tree. The tree is fake...why does my cat crave plastic? This is a question I don't think I will ever know the answer too. All I know, is that he started this "destroying of christmas decorations" at a very early age. We did not have an actual big christmas tree when we lived in Texas, but we did still have the Santa on a bike. Take a look at this lovely picture of Gratch and Santa. I believe he thinks Santa is his arch-nemesis (next to me, of course). This was taken two years ago! He has never changed!!!

(he is not happy with me for telling him to stop....he is stalking me)

_

(5 minutes after I turned the lights off and was typing this blog...)

Needless to say, my life is never dull. This little crazy animal provides daily entertainment for me. He is, as we speak, batting at the snowmans hat from the window sill! I tell ya...he may be difficult at times, but he is NEVER boring!!

Our Puzzle

So, this is our completed 1000 piece puzzle. It's still drying from the glue, but I wanted to take a picture of it anyway! It was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. I thought the hardest part would be the top half with the houses....boy was I wrong! The bottom half which is all smeared reflections of the top half was the most difficult! We got it finished, though, and I am quite pleased!

On another note....I think I've found the perfect "coming home from the hospital" outfit for Cara. Hopefully she won't be premie or anything...this should fit :). I thought it was adorable! Blake didn't really have too much to say on it other than he thought I had already picked out at least three outfits! (He may be right on this....however...this is the choice for the moment!).

3rd of December

So, it's the 3rd of the month...picture day! Boy have I changed in the last month. I think I've finally "popped" and I look like I've gained the 30 pounds that I've gained! We are down to only 10 weeks left (if we're lucky). Blake seems to think this little girl will come early, my mother and sister think she will come late...I am just thankful to have my mother come and stay with me. She will be here no matter when Cara decides to make an appearance...unless Cara decides to come at Christmas time....We say woo-hoo on tax break, however...totally NOT ready!!! We will only be 34 weeks at that point. I am in no way ready yet! I will be by the end of January though.

Blake and I finished a 1000 piece puzzle yesterday. Let me tell you! I thought we had done a thousand piece one before. We had NOT. We have only previously done 500 piece puzzles. This was significantly larger! It's done now and once I have it glued and dried, I will take a picture for all to see.

Happy birthday to a fabulous brother-in-law! Craig, you are awesome. I hope you have a great birthday! We love you!!