Getting the Blogging Feeling Again--YAY!!!

We're still looking for a van to fit our growing brood. There's actually one across town! Only problem...it's new. We were hoping for a used one just because new ones lose their value so quickly. But, to not have to have it shipped or take a trip across country would be a great bonus. Also, the trade in of our beloved Odyssey (I will miss that van) would be easily handled right here in our own city. We're going to look at it on Saturday afternoon.

Found one of comparable value with a few features I like better--lower price, better color and lower roof--in Boise. I'd definitely be willing to make the drive to get those things. Plus, we'd be able to see a few members of Z's extended family (whom I adore). That'd definitely be an added perk. We'll see what the guy says today when he replies to my 10pm email from last evening.

I, after a long time, was reading over some of my friends' recent posts and found a link to NieNie. I have only read this blog very sporadically, but it inspires me every time. After reading this morning, I felt such a great gratitude for the life I have. Z interrupted my reading for family prayer. As he prayed, he named each of our children. At the end of the list, he added "Miss Lachlan." I felt so touched by this. She's such a part of our family already.

I'm at the point where I wonder what she'll look like. Will she have DJ's bald head? Will she have the customary big blue eyes. Will she be dark haired like B? Will she be the one to finally break the Hess mold and have a look all her own? I'm grateful for ultrasound that lets me know that she has a working brain and heart. That she has all of her fingers and toes. As time goes on, they have assured me that they will be doing weekly ultrasounds. At our last appointment, I shared with our doctor the story of A. I will post this later, so you can understand what I'm talking about. I guess with women my age they check things a lot closer, but routinely they start monitoring later than I need. My doctor assured me that the monitoring would start about three weeks earlier in our case. Phew! Thankful for great doctors who listen.

Today is a day off for the kids. There's usually a teacher work day, which means Z doesn't get to join us, on the second Friday in April.

Two years ago it landed on my birthday, so I dragged the kids up the Columbia River Gorge--my favorite place in the whole wide (though extremely limited) world that I've seen so far. I think that if I were to see the whole wide world in its entirety, I'd still love this place the best. My dad grew up on the Washington side of the Gorge in a little town called Klickitat, so we made frequent trips when I was a kid up to his old stomping grounds. These are great memories of my childhood.

On that April day two years ago, we hiked the day away, got lunch at the traditional "hole in the wall" drive-in (the East Wind Drive-in), who used to have the HUGEST burgers and fries and WONDERFUL milkshakes and headed home. They've downsized a bit over the years, but they're still the BEST.

Last year, I begged the kids to do this again, but one of them moaned and complained. Get the kid a doctor!!! Amnesia is a terrible thing. She must have forgotten how much fun we'd had the year before. Today, I'm so tempted to do it all over again, but this time I'm afraid, I'm the one dragging my feet and my overly large belly. I just couldn't do it properly. Oh, but I'd really love to try.

So, funny story....

When we only had two children, Z asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday. I told him I wanted to go up the Gorge. I don't think he'd taken this trip with me in the past. I put him in the driver's seat. What was I thinking??? I was surprised when he totally by-passed the scenic highway and Multnomah Falls and even Cascade Locks. He took me up to the Bonneville Dam and fish hatchery. What???!!! I realized that I was riding with an educator. I had only been to these places on school field trips when I was in elementary school. We saw the sturgeon and the salmon swimming upstream. Ho hum. The one good thing was that Z got his first taste of the drive-in and he was hooked. I have learned that when it comes to the Gorge, I'm a snob. I now know that I have to be in the driver's seat to do it right. I leave that to no one else. So, if you ever want to go see it, let me know. I'll take you in a heartbeat (with my bulbous belly or not)!