home for a few.

(warning: much rambling ahead.)

we made it back from our latest road trip safe and sound yesterday at about 5:30. we went straight to david and delana's -- they hadn't seen ellie in 10 days. oh, the reunion. we had pizza and played cards and it was nice to do it on couches in san angelo. we had a good time in arkansas (it's really lovely there), ellie had a great time in granbury for the 4th and i love being with my family. the old routine and your own stuff is nice though.

i'm typing from my back patio right now, which is wonderfully pleasant with a slight breeze and cloud cover that's keeping it from being hot just yet.

coming home is especially nice when your dog sitter has done your laundry and your dishes AGAIN, watered your plants so they're all still beautifully alive and taken such good care of your dog that he's clean and happy and tick free. (yeah.. doc had a bit of a run in with ticks while we were gone. yuck.) missy is heaven-sent, no doubt. also, i asked her to do this, but she borrowed her mom's steam cleaner and cleaned the carpet in our tiny master bath. she did a great job. i don't know what we'll do when she goes to college!

so lots of quality time spent with my mom and sister. lots of quality shopping done, as usual. my sister doubled gray's wardrobe again. i'm gonna try to hold out until the shower on saturday to see if i get any more baby hangers, but the ones i do have were all in use before we went to dallas. the girl also bought him TONS of baby food and two packs of diapers in different sizes. such a spoiled baby boy, that gray. and, of course, there are never presents for gray without presents for ellie. laura got her tons of stuff too. mom bought gray two amazingly cute outfits as well as made THE coolest wreath for him. i'm going to dedicate a post to that wreath in a little bit. it rocks. my mom is so talented. she also got ellie a new baby doll for practicing how to be nice to the new baby and me a cute new shirt from kohl's. then there were a few things i got at the resale shop and on big sale at gymboree or the children's place or baby gap. my children most certainly will never be naked.

i am SO excited for the shower saturday. i think it'll be way cool to have some things to help prepare gray's room but mostly it'll be great to sit with friends and imagine this baby boy who'll be here before we know it. i've been having shooting pains when he gets real, real active -- like he's gonna break out my cervix (gross, sorry) -- and the same aching pelvis i've had in varying degrees since i got pregnant. but he's in there, and i doubt he's gonna grace us with his presence too early. how five weeks can feel so long and so short at the same time is just the best irony of pregnancy i can come up with right now. his room is coming together slowly but surely -- still at a standstill on the bookshelf plan. it's at that point where i can picture most of it, but it's not quite time for everything to be in place. there's still refinishing and painting to be done, orders to come in (delana ordered his crib!), showers to be had, etc. etc. i know it'll be great. i can't wait to have two too-cute completed kids' rooms.

anyway, we're home for a bit now. the shower is this weekend and next weekend my dad and travis are coming to visit. yea! i'm looking forward to that. they're bringing down my craigslist glider (which i'm very happy with, by the way) and some other furniture we're going to repurpose for gray's room. we'll pretty much be hanging out, showing them the off-the-charts-exciting town of san angelo. the next week is summer camp, and i'm not sure whether i'll be stopping by for a visit in maypearl or not. we'll see how i feel at that time. july 26 is another baby shower for gray in dallas at kelly's parents' house. also super pumped for that one. then the garage sale aug. 1 and the REAL countdown to d-day begins.

yeah. so. there ya have it. i'm going to be doing fewer stories this month and, obviously, next while just trying to rest and spend time with ellie. your prayers for God's provision in our lives would be so appreciated. i know He won't let us down. He never has.

resting does not, however, mean no socializing! let's get together, friends. i am infinitely thankful for all of you and am often humbled at the number of people i know i could call if i needed anything.

look for a post on that wreath and one very special birthday in a little while....