I have a way with announcements...not!

So I want to thank all of you for your ideas on how to share the news with my in laws about our newest member of the Whalen clan unfortunately I wasn't able to come up with anything clever and really didn't have enough time to do so because my in-laws arrived a day early due to the snow and ice storm we had brewing on the east coast. So when they arrived on Tuesday night they met us for dinner and after some small talk my husband says we have some news that we didn't want to share with you over the phone or via email. I think they panicked for a second then Dan gestured to me, I smiled and said go ahead, he then said to his parents don't get rid of the crib at your house just yet. It took a second but then they got it and cheers erupted!

Why is it so hard to or in my case so awkward to tell people that you are pregnant? As I shared in my last post I have told my boss as well as my mother. Both announcements were filled with trepidation for me, both for different reasons. I'll start with my work announcement first.

I was out of town on business travel last week in the Midwest for 3 days, my boss and I were traveling together and I knew that this would be the perfect time to make my announcement. I had already shared with a close colleague of mine and he assured me that my boss would be very understanding. A bit of background here ...I have been tasked with launching a new venture which has been over a year in the making and is due to launch July 2009 so timing is a bit tight.

So as we are driving from Kansas City, MO to Omaha, NE we are all chatting and we are discussing how I met my husband and my boss says to me he is shocked that I met my husband online, so what do I respond with? Well ,I have some even more shocking news "I'm pregnant" tactful huh? Truthfully I was dying to tell him because it was bugging me so it felt good to get it off my chest. I'll chalk that one up to crazy pregnancy hormones. He is totally on board and supportive, I have provided him a plan for while I'm out on maternity leave and all is well.

Now my mother on the other hand was a totally different story. I took her to lunch with the kids about 2 weeks ago and planned to tell her over dessert since I knew the kids would be engrossed with dessert and wouldn't be paying attention to what Mommy and Gran were discussing. Well, I told her I had some news and she looked at me with a bit of a puzzled face and then said "don't tell me" keep in mind it was not the typical "don't tell me" with a smile, it was more of a disappointed look. I said yup I am pregnant and my mom said "oh" then went on to hit me with these questions:
"What about childcare?"
What about all that wight you lost?"
"Did you plan this?"
"What about your age?"
"Where are you going to put the baby?"
What about work and your promotion? You know they won't promote you now"
"Aren't you worried about the age difference?"

I could go on but I think you get the picture, it was totally what I expected and I smiled through it all and in the end said this is a good thing a happy thing and we are very excited. After lunch I asked her if she could take a ride with me to the pharmacy to pick up the kids meds (they both had sinus infections) I wanted her to sit in the car with the kids while I ran in to pick up the prescription that way I didn't have to take the kids in and out. She came with us and when I returned to the car she said I am not so sure why I am so worried because you seem to be cool as a cucumber. To which I responded "Yes, I am calm and I am happy, it isn't like I am some unwed 16 year old announcing this news" I acknowledge I didn't need to take my comment to that level however that is basically the response I got from her when I told her. Quite frankly her comment about being worried for me I know is true but I also know it was her way of trying to cover herself for the way she reacted.

I am glad all the big announcements are over now, hopefully I can now relax and try to enjoy this pregnancy as much as one can enjoy being pregnant :)

Today we are headed to Dan's official Military retirement ceremony, he parents are here and they are very excited and proud of their son as well they should be. Saturday I am hosting a dinner for 30 or so people in honor of Dan so I hope to have some great photos to share.

OK the cat is out of the bag.....

I've had a little secret that I have wanted to tell since Christmas, but the timing just didn't seem right. Some of you who might have been following my blog from it's beginning might remember that I have toyed with the idea of expanding the family. Most if not all of you told me to get to work and that I would never regret adding to my already crazy home. I thought long and hard, I had conversations with hubby, I talked with girlfriends, some of which thought I was crazy. I mean.... I got rid of all my baby stuff, I would need to start from scratch and I am certainly not getting younger as the years go on, would child birth be as smooth as it was the first 2 times? What on earth was I thinking!!!!

Well, I took the leap, I never wanted to regret not having a 3rd child. I am happy to announce that in early September our family will expand by one... yes we are expecting a baby!!!

I can't lie to you and tell you that when the news was first confirmed that I didn't have a wave of panic come over me, actually it was more like a title wave. However now that I have shared with family and close friends it is starting to become extremely exciting and it is definitely feeling like the right decision for our family.

We have not yet told Dan's folks as they will be here Wednesday for the weekend long Retirement festivities (I swear this retirement thing has been going on for months now) I need a creative and cute way of telling them, don't worry they don't read the blog at least I don't think so ....if so Surprise!!!

So here is our new addition I was so relieved to see the heartbeat, and that little peanut size blob.So send me your ideas, because I would prefer not to just blurt it out like I did to my boss, stay tuned for that story as well as the story of how my mother responded to the news.

Ready to go home

I have been out of town on business the last 3 days and I am so ready to go home and play with the the kids!!! I did however figure out that I must have this bed that slept in at the Hilton. I swear to you I will be on a mission when I get home to find this bed the linens as well as the pillows. I have woken up refreshed every morning!

While I have been on the road I have had 15-17 hour days and I am starting to realize I am not as young as I used to be, Also for anyone who thinks business travel is glamous think again! I remember back in my 20's I used to have this idea that business travel was like jet setting and boy has that philosophy changed!!!

I did get some great face time with the president of our company and I was able to score some one on one time with him which I think was very very beneficial we shall see though.

I have some news to announce but I will hold off till Monday when everyone is back from their weekends. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and be sure to check back Monday Morning.

Today is a special day

I am sitting here in awe, I am normally not one to go into political issues with those I don’t know and maybe it is because I have lived in DC area all my life and I am somewhat numb to the political machine. This is different but not for the reasons you might think. Yes we have elected an African American president and I completely understand the significance of this. I can’t say that I blown away by that fact mostly because I have grown up in an area where the culture is a melting pot of sorts. I played basketball on my high school basketball l team, which was mostly black but I also when to a high school that was mostly white. So I get color, race and creed issues and I am happy to say I don’t have a problem with them.

No this inauguration is not about race for me it is about a feeling of renewed strength in my nation, a feeling of patriotism that I only new through history books and old film clips. Call me an old soul but I feel a sense of Camelot. The idea of a family in the white house that shares what I believe which is family first as well as a sense of pride and respect for this wonderful country fills me with optimism for my children and my children’s children.

Ironically yesterday our president elect called us to a day of service, my family has served the country for many years and some might say we have done our duty after 20 years of military service, but I was reminded yesterday that while my husband and my family may be leaving the military we are still called to serve and it is that service regardless if it’s military, community or church based that service will drive this country back to greatness. Sure we will always be hated by some, what’s the old saying “you can’t please all of the people all of the time”

Today is a defining moment for me in my adult life because I feel in my gut we the American people have been rallied in the best possibly way and we are on the pinnacle of a new beginning. I pray that once the festivities have subsided and the general buzz has passed that we all roll up our sleeves, hold each other accountable and return this nation to greatness.
God Bless you and your family President elect Obama and Vice President elect Binden and enjoy your day!

MIA Blogger!

I am a horrible awful terrible....... blogger! I just can't seem to get motivated..... what is it with me? I can't seem to find the time to read or type...trust me this will be short. I am just in a funk of sorts. I promise to get my bloggy act together maybe this long weekend while I am stuck inside because of the deep freeze going on here not to mention the tons of people who will be invading my city will motivate me to get my bloggy butt in gear!

Melancholy

I am sure this won't make sense and will be just me rambling on please indulge me. I have been a bit melancholy since Saturday. See a friend of ours lost her battle with ovarian cancer after nearly 14 years. We were friends but we weren't particularly close. Dan met Jim and Diane while he was a Lt. in the Army it was his first assignment and they all seemed to get along really well and for 4 years Dan hung out with them. Dan still recalls saying to Jim "so what's the deal with this Diane chick" Time went on and they moved in their different ways always keeping in touch. Jim was a saber bearer at our wedding in 1999. It was there I first met Diane and she was a lovely woman. We saw each other off and on over the years and they ended up having their finally 2 assignments in the DC area to allow for Diane to be treated here vs. a smaller military facility elsewhere in the country.

When we learned 3 or so months ago that the cancer had spread yet again and at this point was terminal we really didn't know what to say or do. Dan saw Jim a few times and I asked him always to pass on my well wishes. In September a website was set up to help those friends around the country and locally to keep up with Jim ,Diane and Tyler their only son. I checked there often and always said a prayer for Diane after each visits.

Diane was able to spend Christmas with her family at home, she went in to the hospital Jan 3rd to drain fluid from her lung unfortunately the tube inserted to help drain the fluid caused a blood clot that eventually took Diane's life.

Friday last week I checked the website hoping to see a positive update, instead there was no update and that day unlike other days I had a sinking feeling that something was wrong. My sinking feeling was right Diane passed at 4:10 surrounded by loved ones.

She and Jim made a great team he was a loving husband and is a great father. While I wasn't extremely close my heart aches for them. This has been a long battle and I pray that Diane is "hanging with the angels" looking down on all of us saying "don't worry I'm at peace now"

Diane was not much older then me and spent nearly a third of her life battling this horrible disease, I can't help but think how incredibly lucky I am to be healthy and I am not going to take that for granted moving forward.

The vacation is over!

Ok so I am still obsessing about my zit, it is a bit smaller now but of course all the crap I have put on my face to kill it has caused me to have dry skin. One would think what is the big deal it's not like I am trying to get a date or anything. Like I said before just shows how vain I am!

So Dan's big vacation is over as of Sunday, he starts back to work on Monday. I can't imagine what is going through his mind. After 20 year in the military he is off to the private sector. I know he will do fine but I must say I will miss him being home being a house husband of sorts. Earlier this week I was so wiped out from work I came home he took one look at me and told me to go upstairs and he would bring me some dinner. Not only did he bring me dinner in bed he did it with style. I had a tray with pasta & chicken and a side salad as well as a glass of water. But he didn't stop there no he went right back downstairs and made a tray for my daughter who was in bed next to me. She was over that moon that she got to be like mommy.

So hubby to you I say thanks...thanks for putting up with me and my crazy hours, my lack of sleep and my sometimes bitchy mood. Thanks for calming my fears and making me laugh when all I want to do is cry. I know our lives will soon get hectic again with both of us back to work and when I pout and stomp around like a child because I am tried and grumpy know I'm sorry. Also Know that I love you and you are the best hubby a wifey could have!

Zits, hump day and stuff!

So I am on day 3 of being back to work and the euphoria of coming back (yes I like to work or at least I thought I did) has worn off. I am beat!!!! I swear last night on my way home I thought I would fall asleep in traffic. I guess I took my daily 3pm catnap while I was off a little to far because now my body is screaming at me that it needs sleep. Hopefully I adjust soon because I don’t’ think I will look good going to meeting at work with toothpicks holding my eyes open.

This morning I look in the mirror only to find a gianormous zit on my face. I felt this bad boy coming on the day before yesterday but I thought for sure it would amount to nothing. I mean I am 36 freaking years old, my time for zits is long gone!!! Well the zit goddess had other plans and she bestowed upon me a big one. I mean look at the size of this thing. Yes, I really did take a picture of my face as I was rushing out the door this morning. I am so embarrassed but I cannot hold my hand up to it to cover it during meetings because then I will rub off all the makeup I have on it to make it look not so gross. I am sure people are going by me saying nice haircut and in their mind thinking “what a huge zit” can you tell I am traumatized by this? Guess a little too vain on my part huh?

Kids are back in school and happy, now if we can just get hubby off to his new job we will be al set. Although I must say, it has been nice having him make dinner and help with the kids after a hard day at work for me. However, he has been off since the 19th of November and I am afraid that he may have forgotten that most of the world does not rise at 9am of later. If only I could earn enough to make him the househusband, maybe one day.

OK I am off to obsess about my zit some more!

The winner is.......

Happy New Year!!!

And the winner of the PSP games is..................

Kelli H

Kelli clearly had a support system on her side as I was overwhelmed with Kelli H to win entries. I will be sending your games out in the mail later this week

Enjoy!!!