leaving japan

I can't believe I am about to get on a plane to go back to America! This morning we came to the airport expecting for Connor and me to get on a 1300 flight, but the plane was grounded due to mechanical problems.  So, now Scott is hanging out with us until 1900 to make sure we get on the plane.  Over the past three years there have been times I thought this day could not come soon enough, but now that it is here, I am a little sad.  I will miss friends and friends who have become family.  

The past weeks have been full of farewell dinners and a baby shower. We are so blessed to be undeservedly loved by friends here.  Here are a few shots from the baby shower...

4 preggers all in a row.

A few of the friends from our unit

CDC ladies

 I only hope CJ is as cute at little MJ.  Her smile will totally melt your heart!

And here is a picture I stole from Julia's blog.  This was over the summer after we were coming home from Tokyo Disney.  Words can't describe the way Julia, Mark, Scott and I got close (literally) during that train ride.  Nor are words adequate to describe the horror that I felt when Mark and Scott started singing Christmas carols as they shared Scott's iPod during the same train ride.  I wouldn't trade the memories with those three for anything!  

Looking back over our three years, we have been so blessed.  I will never forget the way Chad and Kenalea loved us through hard times, adventures with Paul, Erin, Dreaka, and Cora in the Town Ace Royal Lounge (I really wish I had a picture of that van!!), the ladies from the CDC who kept me going when I  thought I would pull my hair out over work, and too many friends to name from our unit who are like family.  We will miss you guys so much, but the beauty of the Army is that we will most likely see you again in the future.

CJ's first photo shoot

Well, here they are...the much anticipated pictures from CJ's first ultrasound.  

It's a boy!

Scratching his head wondering what the heck is going on.

His head is on the left side of the picture and his torso is on the right side.  He is still scratching his head.  It seems like he may be a pensive little guy.

Full frontal - I like that you can see his eyes.

One little foot

Two balled up hands with one little pinky pointing up on the left side.  Scott thinks he is practicing his boxing skills in this one.

And finally, a great profile shot.  I thought he was blowing bubbles in this one, but the little spot is the placenta.  (And Scott thinks he looks like Homer.)

22 weeks

Sorry I am so behind updating!  This is a picture from almost a week ago, and I've already outgrown the pants I am wearing.  They were the last pair of regular pants that fit, and when I tried them on this morning and couldn't zip them, I confess I was a little sad...they are (were) my favorites.  : (  

I will write more tomorrow while the MOVERS ARE HERE!!!

WARNING: Spoiler Alert!

If you don't want to know if Sprout is a boy or a girl, then do not proceed any further.  If you do, scroll down to see more!

Why are we wearing blue you ask...because Spout is a BOY!!  And why am I wearing a Baylor T-shirt...because where else would he go??

We are going to name him Christian Josiah and call him CJ.  Christian is Scott's middle name and we both really like the story of King Josiah from the Old Testament.  If you want to read it, his life is chronicled in 2 Kings 22-23 and 2 Chronicles 34-35.

We packed our scanner last week, so we have to find a friend's scanner to upload the ultrasound pictures.  The radiology technician said CJ was very "well endowed."  That of course made his dad proud.  = )  Also, it seems he might have Scott's ears.  We'll hope he grows into them. 

20 weeks

Here's an updated picture.  We find out Thursday if Sprout is a Camden Grace or a Christian Josiah so check back in a few days.  = )

the house that echos...

We are coming home and it is starting to feel real!!  Last Thursday the movers came and packed up our big shipment.  They took almost everything, and the last little things will be packed on the 29th or go with us on the plane.  It really is amazing how much we can live without.  And it is much easier to clean the house now that there is nothing to dust!

We were able to borrow furniture from the housing department on base.  So right now the only furniture we have in our house is a horrendous hunter green sofa with gold leaf patterns, a semi-horrendous hunter green chair with gold and navy blue checks, a coffee table, a dresser and a bed. The only think worse than looking at the pattern on the couch is sitting on it.  It is really hard and sounds like you are sitting on plastic, but at least it is a sofa.  Even Connor doesn't like it.  The first day we got it, she jumped up on it and immediately jumped off.  Then she looked at me like "what the heck is that thing?"

The other funny thing is that every room echos.  We have hardwood in every room, so there is almost nothing to absorb the sound.  Connor sounds really ferocious when she barks!

Seriously though, we are leaving Japan and I can't really wrap my head around it.  I am excited to see y'all back home - we have missed family and friends so much!!!