BEAUTIFUL

After two days of rain and fog, this is how the day ended. This was the view from our backyard as I was making dinner. It looks like tomorrow might even have some sunshine in store for us.:) I know that rain is a lot more preferable than the snow and ice that many people are experiencing right now, but it was still so beautiful to see this display of God's incredible artistry to end our day.

Feb. 4th is the day!

We will have our ultrasound of U2 at 12:30 on Wed., Feb. 4. I am so so nervous about it! I am nervous about what my response will be. I have spent so much time praying about being content, but my heart just doesn't seem to be listening. If you think of me, say a little prayer for me that day. Jon is fine either way. Thank you!

A neat surprise...

I got a call this morning from the crisis pregnancy center in town. They had just gotten a brand new ultrasound machine and needed someone to test it out on. One of the ladies from church volunteers there, so she called me. Of course I was all for getting a peek at U2. My last peek was at 10 weeks, so almost 2 months ago. I hesitated for just a moment to call Jon and make sure it was okay. I knew there was a possibility that we would be able to tell the sex. He sent me on my way, but on the drive there I decided that I would have the tech look and take a picture and then put the info. in an envelope for Jon and I to open together when he gets home from work. U2 had other plans! She/he stayed with their back to us the entire time!!:) So we will just wait for the official ultrasound... I find out when that will be next Wednesday. I am actually relieved we didn't find out! I was a nervous wreck about doing so. This gives me more time to gear up and pray up.:) But it was such a wonderful treat to have a little peek at U2 and see that he/she appears to be doing very well. Eliana was thrilled to be a part of it, and to get to hold the pictures of her little sibling.

A "premonition" and more nap time adventures...

We mentioned in our Christmas letter that Eliana wants a baby brother and always talks about U2 as if it were a boy. We have done our best to explain to her that we don't know yet, and that we will have what God wants us to have. I am also trying my very best, with the Lords help, to be content with either a boy or girl, even though my heart still longs for a sweet dark haired boy that looks like his Daddy. Well yesterday at church I had several people come up to me and say that they had found out I was having a boy. I asked how and they said that Eliana was telling people we were having a boy! Oh my! What do I do with this? As if it weren't challenging enough for me to be content with either, those same people were telling me stories of how their child had "predicted" early on what their sibling would be. Lord help me... I don't need any more encouragement!:) We have again talked to Eliana about how we don't know yet, and that U2 could be either, but we shall see what she does with that.

Jon wanted me to share this story from yesterdays attempted naptime. Once again Eliana did not nap, but instead was singing and talking in her bed. At one point she was yelling down the stairs, "Jon, Jon, I'm awake. Come get me." And then it moved to various versions of, "Come get me because I am American. Uyboco's are American. Jon is American." All of these crazy, random statements were followed by the sound of a muffled giggle. We could just picture her sitting up on her bed covering her mouth with both her little hands and she giggled over her silliness. We have no idea where she gets these things from!:)

So it's nap/rest time at our house...

and all is not quiet. My darling 3 year old is belting out Chritmas carols from her room... where she is supposed to be resting quietly. She will string together several different ones, because she cannot remember all of the words. We had the discussion before she went down about using her inside voice all the time, even at rest time. I cannot remind her right now, because that will encourage her to have a running conversation with me from up in her room. Even now she is calling to be to come and get her because she took a good nap. What do I have to do to get this child to actually TAKE her nap? Any suggestions?

(Sorry this post is not pictures from our trip. I am still working on that. We didn't use our camera very much as Grandma and Grandpa were busy snapping shots, I have to get some of those pictures first.)

We have now been home for 3 full days, after being gone for 10. Our trip went by very fast and was very busy, but we enjoyed it just the same. The first part of our trip, including Christmas, was spent in So. Cal. with Jon's family. It was a special time for my in-laws as they had not had both boys and their families home for Christmas in many years. We celebrated a traditional English Christmas, which was very special. I think that Eliana's favorite part was the Christmas crackers, which she continued to want to open the entire time we were there. We had a good time, and even got to enjoy some sunny days in the 70's. One of my favorite times of the trip, was taking an early morning run with my hubby around his old neighborhood. It was really cold at first and I felt like my hands were going to fall off, but it was just so nice to be running and sharing that time and memory with the love of my life. The mountains were also absolutely gorgeous as they were covered with snow. We visited Disneyland and were thrilled to meet up with the Crestetto's, friends from our Hawaii days, while we were there. While we just saw them for a bit, it was great to see them again and to finally meet Jared. He is absolutely adorable!!

On our way back home to Virginia we made a slight detour to the Atlanta area to meet up with some other friends from Hawaii, the Spayds and Conners. Julie, Hang, and I were all pregnant at the same time along with two other girls at our church in Hawaii. Our babies were all born within months of each other, so it was really fun to see those children playing together. All of those friends now have two kids, but we are slowly catching up.:) It was a wonderful visit, and just felt like old times! Thank you Sam and Julie for being such wonderful hosts!

I will try and post some pictures pretty soon of our trip, so check back.:) My next doctor's appointment is the 21st of this month. At that appointment they will schedule my ultrasound and we will hopefully be able to figure out what Baby U2 is. It is funny this time that I am finding out, that it seems to be taking FOREVER to get to that ultrasound. Another funny thing is that I have not looked at any boys names in baby books or even talked about them with Jon. We have both looked at and discussed girl names a lot!! Emily is this how it was for you with Aubrey?