Tuesday, May 8, 2012

We really are still here

I haven't been very good at keeping our family blog updated lately, have I?  My last post was so long ago that you may be wondering whether or not we've fallen off the face of the Earth.  Let me reassure you that we are still alive and well.  We've just been busy.  Who isn't nowadays?
 I believe my last post was about Nate's birthday in March. We have since made the official announcement that we are expecting another baby this fall.  Our due date is November 1st.  The kids and Nate are all very excited about this upcoming new addition.  I must admit, however, that I go back and forth from excitement and joy to anxiety and wondering what we could have possibly been thinking when we made this decision.  I blame it on the raging pregnancy hormones.  So far the pregnancy's been pretty much normal.  We've entered our second trimester, so the nausea has pretty much subsided.  I'm still tired pretty much all the time, emotional as all get out, and hungrier than a hippo.  Other than that.....
In other news, the kids are almost finished with their school year.  June 1st will be their last day.  They're all looking forward to the summer break and we're making a list of things we want to do.  So far, it looks like we'll be making trips to the zoo, the aquarium, the museum of natural history, Red Butte gardens, bowling, picnicking, swimming, and probably a little camping in there too.  It promises to be a busy few months. 
I finished up my spring semester classes last week and started summer semester yesterday.  This will be my last semester.  As long as I can keep up with everything, I'll have my B.S. in Family Life Studies in August.  Hallelujah!  I've been going to school non-stop for the last two years and I'm very ready to be finished.  My summer classes are already keeping me busy.  One is a condensed course, which means we are cramming 15 weeks worth of material and assignments into only 7 weeks.  While I'm grateful that I'll have one class out of the way a little early, the next 7 weeks are going to be a challenge.  All three of them have interesting content, so at least I'll be learning something that I care about. 
Nate is working like crazy.  He's always working like crazy.  He's also developed a lovely hernia.  If you know his background, you know all about the wonderful double-hernia triple-cyst surgery he had in Mexico a little over 10 years ago.  Well, this one is in the exact same place.  We meet with a surgeon next week for a consultation and to set up a date to get this bad boy taken care of.  I wouldn't be surprised if they find some interesting stuff once they get him open.  If you haven't heard the Mexico story, you should ask him sometime.  It will make you shudder in disbelief. 
So, that's life at the Barnum's right now.  What's up with you?