The Tattoo

You guys are too smart! April had figured out why my husband was sporting a silky smooth leg mere minutes after I posted the picture!

Matt has indeed gotten his first tattoo! After much planning and a whole lotta talking, Brandon (that annoying old brother in law of mine who just happens to be a very good tattoo artist on the side) came over to our house and drew all over my husband.

Here is the finished product. It is a band of images representing his travels that runs around his calf, and what a fine silky smooth calf that is!
The shield in front is for the Dominican Republic, where we met and fell in love. Alright, alright, that's not entirely true. We met then, became friends, then fell in love 4 years later.
The griffins/gargoyles are from a building we saw in Barcelona, so they represent Spain, where he studied abroad and where we honeymooned. The parrot is an image taken from a necklace he got for me in Peru, where he spent some time teaching shortly after we started dating. (The red flower represents the red daisies I carried at our wedding, as well as the one red daisy he wore - awwwww he came up with that on his own). The griffin and parrot repeat on the other side to form a complete band.

And lastly, the Celtic cross is representative of the time he backpacked through Ireland.

This boy gets around huh?

You Have Three Guesses

Does anyone out there want to hazard a guess as to why my husband is getting shaved in this picture? (Family - HUSH...you already know you big ol' cheaters!)
Anyone? Winner gets a...well, actually...nothing, other than street cred. of course!

*Every time I say "anyone?" I want to follow it up with "Bueller? Bueller?" and you know what? I have never ever seen that movie. That urge comes purely from hearing that specific quote over and over. And over. And over. You get the point.

From The Mouths of Pups

I am still working on acclimating Jaco to the idea that come November there will be a new master in the house. It's a slow road people. A SLOW road.

Umm, Jaco? What are you doing?
Oh, I'm wearing a mask.

Well, yes. I can see that. I guess I should have been more specific, WHY are you wearing a mask?

Because you are having a baby. Obviously. Not that anyone asked me first.

Obviously? Why do you need a mask because of the baby?
I heard they smell.

Jaco!

Do they make a "What to Expect When You Are Expecting" for dogs? It's a serious need in today's world people!

Men At 'Work'

Do you guys remember that time I busted my husband and my brother in law "working" on the roof?

Well, this weekend they boys were once again "working" on digging out an area to build a deck. See?
Hard at work.
Uh, Brandon?

Even Emerson manned a wheelbarrow. We start em' young!
As the day wore on, I ended up completely exhausted(from all the hard work they were doing), and promptly fell asleep. I woke up to a strange clanking sound. I groggily pulled myself up to the window and glanced down at the men at work, and what do you think I saw?

An impromptu game of shovel/rock hackysack!
Um guys?

C'mon! Chop chop! Back to work!

Can you hear me? Anyone? Anyone? Hello?? Is this thing on?

But then I saw this...and it all became very clear.
High life huh?

Bump a la Week 18

18+ weeks! Can you believe it? Me either! That is almost 4.5 months. In a little over a week we will officially be halfway to meeting our little sweet pea, and while I am nowhere near ready, I can't wait to see the face of the tiny dancer that has been doing the rumba in my uterus every night. For someone who weighs half a pound this little one sure can dance!
Every time I look at my swelling body I am overcome with feelings. Feelings of love, yes, but so much more. I feel so blessed to be given this gift, to be privileged with the gift of life. I find myself touching my belly almost unconsciously, I'm not even sure why, I think I am reassuring myself that this is real.

Even as I look at that picture I can hardly believe that is me! Is that really me?