Amy came to visit!

In the last couple of weeks before Kyle came home, my oldest and VERY dear friend came to visit!  (I can honestly say she is my oldest friend.  Not like that, we are the same age.  But we have known each other and been friends since we were 2!)  It was so great that she could come out on her time off in between school and work - she just graduated from law school, and that is kind of an understatement: she kicked law school's butt!, and just started her new career.  It was so amazing to see her and spend some time with her!

On the first day she was here, we went on a carriage tour of downtown, walked through the old slave market (this is not where they sold slaves, but where they came to buy produce and other stuff), and walked around parts of downtown that our carriage tour didn't take us down.  On day 2, we went to the beach.  It was such a nice, relaxing day to just sit and chat and enjoy some really beautiful weather.  The last day we went to Middleton Place, which I had never been to before either.  It was beautiful!  Definitely worth the (kind of) high price of admission.  Oh, and we ate lots of yummy food of course.  Naturally, I didn't take pictures of most of these occasions (I really am trying to get better about this!).  I did take pictures at Middleton, so here are some of those:

Amy and I

The reflecting pool

View of the Ashley River where the original house stood.  The Union army burned it after the Civil War and an earthquake leveled what was left.  It was a 3 story, very impressive house.

The gentleman's quarters that the family later used for the main dwelling after the earthquake.

It was such a great visit, even though it was short.  I had so much fun with such a special friend!

Keep reading.  Another (and very important) post is below!

So its been a while.

And even then I was behind.  Truthfully, it has gotten to the point where I can't really make any more posts without posting this one first.

Most of you are already aware of this, but in case you aren't, Kyle and I are very excited to say that we are expecting a little boy in August!  Having said that, here he is:

(If you can't really tell what you are looking at, its ok.  On the left side of the picture is his chest and abdomen and the little round thing above that and to the right is his face with a hand next to it.  He is laying sideways, maybe that helps.)

I am now a day shy of 26 weeks and I feel good.  Physically, this pregnancy has been relatively easy.  I didn't really get sick at all, and besides being tired a lot in the first trimester I have felt really good.  Mentally, it has been kind of difficult.  Kyle left on his deployment not even 2 weeks after we found out, so up until my last appointment, he was gone.  I have had anxiety anyway, and with him being gone it was that much harder.  But everything seems to be going well and it is so nice to have Kyle back.  I have also had requests from some to see my belly.  The latest one I have is me on Mothers Day (at 24 weeks):

We weren't actually going out for Mothers Day per se, we were on vacation in DC and this was our last night there before we headed off to TX.  It just so happens it was on mothers day.

We are thrilled and would appreciate prayers for the safe and healthy arrival of this little boy.  In case you were wondering, no we don't have a name yet.  We didn't even start talking about that until Kyle got home, and well lets just say its hard.  We will keep you updated on the goings on with our little guy!

Magnolia Gardens

Ok, so I know I am really behind on blogging.  Sorry.  Anyway, when Rachel was here we went out to Magnolia Plantation and walked the gardens and toured the house.  It was fun and the weather was great!  So, here are the pictures from that excursion (and yes, I have already put up some pictures from a different visit to Magnolia, so some of these may look familiar):

Some camelias were still blooming, with azaleas in the background.

Most of the azaleas weren't quite in full flush, but this bush was really pretty.

Some other camelias that were still blooming

And some pretty wisteria.

I am terrible and didn't get a picture of us together.  Oops.  But we had a good time anyway.

Kyle's Bday, again

So, I know I already posted about Kyle's birthday.  And I know I mentioned I did my best to send him his birthday in a box this year because I couldn't physically celebrate with him.  Well, here are a few pictures of his "birthday":

His cake(s).  I basically baked them in the jars while the lids boiled.  When you take the jars out, you put on the lid, it self-seals and voila!  You can send homemade cake overseas.

His box all ready to send.  Complete with cake, frosting, present, card and forks :)

Aaaannnd me.  On his actual birthday.  I saved a jar for myself so I could celebrate his bday too.  (By the way, I really debated on whether or not to post this picture.  I look awful.  But I had just worked out and then showered, so whatever.  I swallowed my pride.)

Rachel came to visit!

Well, as promised, I would keep you updated on the goings on between now (or when I made my last post) and when my darling husband returns from his desert excursion.  Last week, a very dear friend came down to visit me!  It was so great to see her, but of course, I was completely terrible about taking pictures.  So, I don't have any except for the ones I took during our walk through Magnolia Gardens (which I will save for a separate post).  We went to Magnolia (which is one of the old plantations around here.  It is pretty much all gardens and the house now, but it used to be a rice planation before the Union army flooded the fields with salt water during the civil war).  Anyway, we walked through the gardens and went on the house tour.  Such a beautiful place.  We also did some shopping (of course) and I found a really cute dress to wear for Kyle's homecoming, ate some really yummy food and talked.  A lot.  It was fabulous.  I am so thankful to have such a great friend, who drove 10 hours each way to come visit.  Thank you Rachel for coming down, and hopefully I can repay the favor soon!

In other news, they have already begun talking (more like speculating) as to when everyone, including Kyle, will be home!  There is a plan but, as the squadron commander said, that plan "is about as firm as room temperature jello".  Ha!  For some reason, that phrase really made me laugh, because I have never heard it before and its so true.  BUT, they have started talking about it, so I will take it.  It's not any different than I expected anyway.  To say that I am excited about him coming home is an extreme understatement!  Not to long now... :)

I have an old man on my hands...

I say that every year (teasingly - is that a word?  if not, oh well, it is now) to my wonderful husband on his birthday.  I have that luxury because he will always be a year older than me, thus my ability to call him an old man year after year.  In reality, he is the most wonderful man and I am so thankful to be married to him. 

He is still on his trip, so he unfortuntely has to celebrate his birthday over there this year.  I did my best to send him his "birthday in a box" and I was officially the first to wish him a happy birthday...at 8pm yesterday, my time (his time it was already today.  Weird huh?). 

In other news, he will be home very soon!  There are some other things happening between now and then, that I will post about after the fact, just to keep you coming back, but it should help the rest of the remaining time go by much quicker for me and I am really excited.  That's all for now.

Half way day!

Just a little FYI - today was the half way point of Kyle's "trip".  I am excited!