Camping in Austin!

We went camping for the first time. Jude sat this one out though. We packed, packed, packed! It was amazing how much we had to tot along for just one night of camping. We lucked because we were able to borrow camping equipment from Sonya and Kevin. I really only had to buy a few items.

Of course we were running behind schedule. We pulled into our campsite around 3pm, on Saturday May 21st. Steve and our friend Ramsey quickly set up the tent, while I unpacked the extras. It was really nice camping with another family because everyone had an extra set of hands. I had told the kids that they could go swimming, as they have swimming holes at McKinney Falls State Park. However, Jessica informed us that the water was less than desirable to swim in. Just as quickly as we unpacked, we repacked to head to Barton Springs for some swimming.

I had heard of this place, natural springs, but really had no idea what to expect. What a surprise it was!!! It's a HUGE swimming hole. Probably the length of 3 olympic sized pools. There were life guards, diving boards, everything you find at a chlorine feed pool, but all natural!

The water was freezing! It didn't seem to bother the kids, so I bit the bullet and jumped in. Laiah and Jet were having a blast! Splashing us, and playing with their friends Silas and Isaac. Towards the end of the hole, there is a slippery rock landing. I told the kids it looked like the surface of the moon with all the crater holes. After an hour or so we decided it was time to get out and eat dinner.

Jessica and I decided that each family would take a day of meal preparation. They took Saturday lunch and dinner, and we took Sunday breakfast and lunch. They had premade an awesome pasta sauce, and we it was heated up on a single burner outside the park. We ate on a picnic table, and it was perfect.

We headed back to camp after everyone had their fill, and started getting the kids ready for bed. Steve was concerned how the kids would react to the sleeping situation, but they handled it quite well. We did p.j.'s, brushed teeth, said good night to the other family, read books and laid with them for a bit. Jet ended up falling asleep first, and Laiah followed. After the kids were snug in their air mattress bed, we opened a bottle of wine and relaxed. We all ended up not going to sleep until after 1am!

Next morning we prepared eggs and pancakes for everyone. Ramsey has made some pesto with the basil from their garden and we mixed that into the eggs. It was delicious. After breakfast we broke down camp, packed up, and headed to the walking trails. The kids loved it all! They loved watching the braver folk jump into the waters, begged desperately to kayak in someone's boat, and got all wet sitting in the lead to the falls. After hiking a bit more we made lunch. We quickly learned that the last meal is the largest. Everyone tries to eat up everything! We did pretty well.

After lunch, we said our good bye's to the Devereaux family and headed back to San Antonio. A week later, we still haven't recovered from the trip. Our weekend schedule is so packed, that taking one day off really threw things off. It was worth it though!

Morning excitment!

Laiah's cousin, Gabriel, is having a birthday tomorrow, although we are celebrating it today. I have been telling Laiah for the past 2 days that we are going to give Gabi a gift and wish her happy birthday at dinner. Well come the morning of the celebration, Laiah was SO excited that she popped out of bed bright and early, got out of p.j.'s and into her clothes. She even put a bow in her own hair! When I groggily asked her what she was doing, she told me she was getting ready for Gabi's party! It was so sweet! The girl doesn't' even get this excited about Christmas. Showing me that she's anticipating an event really proves how mature she is becoming. Nice Sunday morning.

Have it really been three years?????

Oh baby, I have neglected you dear blog! It was either you or my real babies ;-) I am publicly committing myself to keep this updated for here on out! After looking back on the 22 posted from 2007, I am just amazed at how Laiah has grown! I'm also amazed with the toll we have taken on the tile in our shower.......errr, guess it needs a good scrub-a-dub! Those pictures of the house are too big a dose of reality for me.

Anyhow, I listened to a man, a father, an author named Ian Brown being interviewed tonite. He and his wife have a severely disabled 15yr old son. The poor being can not talk, swallow, or care for himself in anyway. He has the speculated mind of a 2yr old. The disease that alls him is incredibly rare. One 100 cases have ever been reported. Brown spoke of the daunting task of tubing feeding his son Walker. Feeding a child.....something that most parents take for granted, and often do while accomplishing another task simultaneously. But this seemly simple ritual is not so simple for he or his wife. As the interview progressed I found my mind wondering, trying to comprehend their existence. Of course this is not possible.

In the end Brown stated that his son should not be empathized for or with, because he believes that Walker is a different type of creature. He believes that his 15yr old's life is not pointless, or wretched, but rather just very different than what we know and understand.

I often find myself feeling 'down' for various reasons......the demands of three children that I can not fulfill, the insane heat that forces one into involuntary hermit-hood, money or lack there of, the distance between myself and my loved ones....on and on. Then I imagine what life would be like if one of our kids would have been born with a similar diease. The complication would be unbearable to me. After hearing that recent research suggests that 1 in 38 children now fall under the autism spectrum, I feel rather foolish for my previously stated concerns.
The fact that I have a computer, in my living room, at my finger tips ;-) should make me grateful! And for this moment, on this evening, it does.

Easter!

Japense Suken Gardens

We went to the see the sunken gardens over the weekend.
It was a sight to see. It's quite an usual thing to stumble upon in the middle
of a major downtown area. There reall is always something to do in San Antonio.

She's growing up!

Finally I'm posting new pics of Laiah!
These are very recent, in the last wk.
She is really starting to look more like a child, and less a baby.
I think she's preparing for big-sisterhood.

The proof is in the picture.

I'm sure you all know that we are expecting another addition to our household mid-august.


We found out last week they Laiah will soon have a brother!
The news took us both by suprise. I am so excited to have baby boy!
These are the ultrasound pics from the sonogram last week.
BTW I also included Laiah's ultrasound picture.