I interrupt my blogging break for this

I know I haven't blogged in 2 months. And I know that in the 6 months before that I have been a terrible blogger. But I am okay with that. It was a choice I finally made a few months ago. With my job and the girls and everything else, I felt like I had too much going on and something had to go. The blog is what went. I hope to be able to bring it back. Not quite yet though. But this is something I just can't forget. ever. So I am blogging. Just this story.

On Monday, most people who receive a Christmas card from us received this (btw, I really haven't updated my card list in 2 years. I should have. I will do that this week.)

Yes, the card is an announcement as well as a Christmas card. (And yes, I know I used holiday and not Christmas, but I do teach at a Jewish school.) And it was a surprise to 99.9% of people who received it. We had told one of our good friends here who is expecting a few weeks before us. and I had told one of my closest friends in Utah who is not somehow intertwined to any of my family. So it became a well-thought out process to make sure people all found out at the same time. And that is what I want to record.

A few weeks ago, we decided that we would include an ultrasound picture on the Christmas card as out method of telling people. I knew I would be near the end of the first trimester when we sent them and we like to keep it a secret. But I also knew that I had to email what I thought it would look like to Courtney because that is just what we do. And I knew the moment I brought my cards home, my mom would want hers right then. So I made a fake card as well. And I sent it to Courtney and brought one home for my mom. (The fake card is just like the real one except it includes another family picture and not an ultrasound.)

And then I mailed out cards. And I was careful to mail the out of state ones the day before the in-state ones so that everyone would find out on the same day. (Too bad I miscalculated the East coast ones, sorry.) And then it happened. John and Stephanie received theirs. And John tried to call. But I was teaching. So he called my mom, who happened to be in a sewing class and had not yet received her "real" Christmas card. And he asked my mom if I was pregnant and she said no. And then he asked about the ultrasound pic on the card and she thought he was crazy. She told him him she had seen the card and there was definitely no ultrasound picture on it. And then Courtney told me I was rude because Costco knew before her.

And then I came home from work. And my dad opened the card. He was shocked but excited. And then my mom came home from sewing class. And she starts going on about how John called her and was very confused about my Christmas card and she was sure that he thought some snowflake or something as an ultrasound. And she needed to see it again. Just as she is saying this, she pulls out the real card. And looks at it and then looks at me and then asks, "Are you pregnant?" I laugh and confirm. And then she asks again. And then she pulls out the fake card. And looks at them. And tells me I am deceptive. I wish I could have taped her talking about how John was crazy. I can't do it justice. So there it is.

Now to answer the most common questions I have received:

1. due June 19th

2. we will find out the gender of the baby at the end of January. Laney is sure she is having a baby brother. I think girl number 3.

3. Let's just say, we like surprise babies and we couldn't be happier about the new addition.

4. No, the girls don't really get it. When I was helping Laney say prays for dinner last night, I encouraged her to bless the baby. She said, ""Bless the baby in mommy's tummy and in Laney's tummy and in daddy's tummy and in Grandma's tummy and in Grandpa's tummy." And when we mentioned it to Allie, she tried to find her baby doll up my dress. Maybe when I start to show more.

And now back to my blogging break, until I can get a better grip on my life.