Hello Roanoke!

Well we are finally here!! And we finally have our internet up and running! Woo hoo! I was seriously beginning to go through withdrawal :) We are starting to get settled in the new house and are beginning to remember where the various light switches are, etc. so it's really starting to feel like 'home.' We LOVE the new house and have already met some nice neighbors and some other young married couples with kids through a nearby church. God has been very good! Here are some other updates:

Tristan in our back yard

Tristan:

Our big boy is doing SO WELL and we are soooooo proud! I never imagined he would do so well with the move (AND the week we had to spend in the hotel!) but he has been a super trooper. His room was the first room we got set up in the new house and he was SOOOOOOOOOO excited to see his bed!!! I don't think he got out of it for about 2 hours :) He also loved seeing all of his toys. He's really starting to get adjusted now. He especially loves seeing all the trucks and tractors in the neighborhood that are working on the new houses around here. He thinks they're there just for him!

Tristan sporting his new "smile" on our new couch. I ask him to smile and this is what we get! It's hysterical!

Baby & pregnancy:

Tristan is getting a BIG kick out of my belly button these days - I look like a Thanksgiving turkey!!! He asks to see my "BIG BELLY!" and then points and laughs hysterically at how it pokes out :) I am trying to keep a good sense of humor about all of this - ha! :)

Tristan & Mark at a Santa event in downtown Roanoke. We went with another couple and their kids from church. We feel so fortunate to have already met some other young adults with kids!!

Baby seems to be doing well and has also been a real trooper. Baby is still breach and we tried to do an aversion last Monday. Unfortunately it was unsuccessful but baby hung in there and kept a good strong heartbeat throughout the procedure. We have scheduled a c-section for 12/26 @ 7 AM - just NINE days from now! It's crazy to imagine that we'll have TWO KIDS in such a short amount of time! I am so thankful that my mom is coming up to help!!!

If anyone has any tips or advice about c-sections, please pass it along. I'm kind of nervous about it since I've never had one and I'm worried about not being able to pick up Tristan for so long :(

Mark:

Mark is working really hard and so far he really likes his new job. He only works about 5 minutes from our house and has been able to come home for lunch quite a few days which has been fantastic. And if I may brag on him a little bit :) He was on a call with his new boss (who works out of Richmond so isn't here on a day to day basis) and they were discussing various work things when he stopped all of a sudden and said "Mark, I just wanted to say how glad I am that you're on board here." I am SO PROUD! Mark would FREAK if he knew I was posting this on the blog but I'm just bursting with pride and had to share :)

Other news:

Mark's grandma's husband Lyle passed away last week. He has been pretty sick for quite some time but the end came quickly. Please keep his Grandma Betts in your thoughts and prayers as she goes through this terrible time. Thankfully Judy is able to go and spend some time with her over Christmas but I can't imagine losing your partner, especially after 30 years and especially at Christmas.

That's all for now. Sure would love to hear from you! If you didn't get our new information via email, please let me know and I can send it to you. Hope you are all doing well and enjoying the season. I'll be sure to keep you all posted on all the news and of course get some new pictures up as soon as we get the house more settled :) !