We Love Our Niece!!!!!!!!!

Rob and I are off on a little weekend adventure. I needed to get away from some things, and so did Rob. It was his birthday Friday, so we just took off.

We are so excited to be an aunt & uncle!!!! We went beach combing to find a shell for our niece, Zoe, from each of us, and I left her a note in the sand!

Skype :)

We got to "see" our niece/cousin tonight!!!! The hospital where my sister is at has internet, so we were able to Skype with Jessica, Scott, and Zoe tonight. It kept cutting out and the quality was rough, but at least we got to talk a bit, joke around and be our usual, silly selves, and most important of all see the precious gift God gave to my sister and brother-in-law (and all of us). :)

She is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Sis & Scott!!!! It's not as good as the real thing, but it is all we have, and I'm so thankful for that!

I'm off to finish packing a change of clothes, get my shower, and put together all the grad school homework I'll need for the weekend.

Tomorrow is my best friend's 44th birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROB!!!!!!!!!!! I love you so very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

quick post

I was "going to go to bed" ages ago- famous last words! Now it's 11:30 P.M. Me and my sore throat are still sitting here, but at least I'm in my pj's. :)

We had a dinner date with one of my third graders tonight; he had to earn this and worked very hard the past few weeks to improve some things. He giggled and smiled the whole time; kind of sweet! :) I hope it made a wonderful memory for him. He picked Cici's pizza and was hilarious watching how much pizza Matthew ate. He & Matthew played some video games afterwards, and Matthew helped him with the claw game. Rob took him to buy some flowers to give his mom as a "thank you" for letting him go, and was whispering to him gentlemanly clues, so my little friend opened doors for me all evening. :) He told me he's going to tell the class all kinds of things about me and my family tomorrow. He was telling his momma about my family and about my car named, Rosie; said his sister asked, "What kind of people name their car?" He told her, "My crazy teacher!" :) :) :)

I have stared at the hospital photos of my niece most of the evening since we got home, haven't done a single thing I needed to do, and now I'm headed to bed.

Rob & I are going on an adventure this weekend. I'll have to take a ton of school and grad work with me, but it'll still be fun and away from my employer and this county- so tired of "them." I'll miss the kids. We've NEVER left them alone; never left them with anyone but parents/my sister. I feel really weird about that, but I guess since they're 18, 19 & 20 (about to turn 20 & 21), this is probably totally silly of me. :)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Rebekah :)

Welcome to the World Zoe!!!!!!!!

Meet my niece, Zoe Nicole Rose, born today at 8:01 A.M.!!!!!!!!!!!

My dear little niece,

Welcome little Zoe!!! You are so very loved, and you don't even know it yet! I haven't met you in person yet, but this first photo looks JUST like your Momma. I hear you've been quite active in Momma's tummy like I was in Grandma's. Way to go, kiddo! :) Now, though, you have to rest, eat plenty, and let your momma heal up from today's big action. You keep growing and learning and then we'll give your momma some fun together. :)

We are going to have so much fun when we get to be together; I'll tell you lots of stories, read to you, teach you fun things, help you play pranks on your momma, do art projects, make cookies, go to church, and whatever things you like to do. I wish that I lived closer to you, and it bugs me a lot that I won't be there to see most things in your life, but I'll write you letters, send you homemade cards, mail you packages of books and cool things, birthday presents and gifts at Christmas. When I go to the mountains, I'll find neat things and send you photos of all the pretty things I find. If I venture to the ocean, I will hunt for the prettiest seashell I can find and send it to you.

And maybe you can send me pretty pictures and drawings you make, and write me when you're old enough. We can be pen pals. :) We'll skype each other and text (yeah, I'm going to be one cool aunt!), and as you learn more tech things that they'll invent in your life, you can teach them to me too!

Zoe, you have to learn all about Jesus. Momma & Daddy will teach you all about Him and how much He loves you. I know you will love Him too.

Zoe, there will be hard times in life. I wish there weren't, but that'd be a lie. But NO MATTER WHAT, never forget that you are loved. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED!!!!!!!!!!!! We all waited for you; you were an answer to prayer. Your momma & daddy are going to be AWESOME parents. You are very blessed to have them. Some days they will make you mad. You will feel like they are so unfair and mean and awful, but I promise you they are not. Listen to them and try to be as obedient, respectful, and thoughtful as you can be.

Zoe, you are one beautiful little girl! I cannot wait to see you grow up.

With all my love,

Aunt Rebekah :)

Daddy, do you know?

Do you know up there in heaven, that you're a grandpa again? Does God let you see anything of our lives without you? Does He show you the important things to us? Do you ever think of us girls or Momma?

Do you know that Jessica is a great mommy already, and she's just started on this journey? Do you know that your grandkids are amazing people- all four of them?

I don't understand the workings of heaven so I have no clue if you get to see us or even remember us or think of us up there. And I'm pretty sure that God doesn't show you stupid blogs of silly people like me, but I wanted to tell you that you are still loved and thought of all these years later. Your girls still wish you were a part of their lives and now their children's lives.

Rebekah

Early Morning Ramblings of an Overtired Crazy Lady :)

I am having the ever lovely insomnia problem again lately. So this morning, I decided to just get up, quit lying there awake, and come say hello since I haven't been on in a few days. I had a big research paper due in my class this past weekend, so I was working like crazy on that plus I continue to try to keep afloat with school work, and I am still walking almost every night.

I hit a wall or something last night. Robert was teasing me at supper; he said I looked like I could hardly lift the food to my mouth, and that was about the truth. I didn't do a thing for college or work or anything else last night and got in bed at 9:15. I don't feel too hot, not sure if it's just the lack of sleep or a bug. Today's going to be hard.

I am eagerly awaiting news from home about Baby M. Hopefully soon he/she will be making their big debut into the world. I am so happy for Jessica & Scott and for my parents who will be wonderful grandparents to him/her! I look forward to seeing some photos of little man/woman. I wish I could be there. My sister and Momma say how I'll be important in this kid's life, and I know I will to some extent. But honestly, I will mostly be a stranger, and that hurts. Yeah, I'll be the aunt that they get to come spend the summers with someday maybe, and of course I'll do neat things with him/her. But I won't get to see him/her on a regular basis, go to the ballgames, concerts, recitals, school programs. I won't really be part of that life, and it makes me sad. I will not dwell on it, and I don't want to have a pity party. It is a time to celebrate!

So for now, I think I'll try to catch a few minutes of snooze or relaxation hopefully before the alarm tells me it's time to start the day officially. Another full day of laughing with my kids, learning about fractions and figurative language and then another lovely afternoon of meetings.

My :) List for the past few days:

• I persevered through that horrible paper! Now on to another pile of homework assignments, readings, postings, and the next big project due in two weeks, and hopefully soon I can start the capstone portfolio and studying for my capstone exam.
• Continuing to walk, stretching it out a little further again- baby steps. I'm working on being healthier, and in April I will be walking in a 5K for one of my special friends, Matthew. I've never done that so it will be exciting, and I want to do a good job for him too!
• My sister is going to have a baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am an Aunt Rebekah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This makes me very, very, very happy!
• Having a colleague in your corner, a compatriot, or maybe we're just fellow partners in crime- hehehehe- whatever way you look at it, I'm so thankful God put someone else new in my corner this year. It helps to not be the only "newbie," especially when the others think we stink.
• I may be getting to spend some time with my best friend, just the two of us, for his birthday. That will be so nice!!!!