Our Baby Girl's Name

Well, I know that you have all been anxiously awaiting the name of our baby girl. This was a little more difficult for us because we were having a hard time agreeing. Even though Nathan told me that I could choose for myself, I think it is important for him to like the name. And the name I really liked, he didn't and the name that he really liked, I didn't. So, we went back to square one. We had something in mind, but couldn't come up with a good middle name. While at dinner about a week ago, we were discussing it, and Nathan just said the perfect name, and we are stuck with it now. The good thing is that we both really like it, although, it is a little different. So, our baby girl's name is................Kinley Brooke Hendricks. Named Kinley after the tallest mountain in the US, which is also in AK, Mt. McKinley, and named Brooke after my dear younger sister Brooke. I think it goes together well, and if you think of a mountain brook, it is very beautiful and very peaceful. It reminds me of God's creation, which of course, our baby girl is also His creation. So, there you have it. Let me know what you think!

Family Day

Yesterday, we played hooky from church. We never do this, but we really felt the need to have a family day. Nathan arrived back in town Saturday afternoon, and we were able to spend a few hours with him Saturday evening, but it just wasn't enough time...considering that the kids and I took naps, and bathtime and such. I made the comment that evening that I wished we could just have a family day the next day, because lets face it, on church day, we just don't spend to much time together. We get up, get dressed and ready to go, the children go in the nursery, I sing in the choir, we were having church potluck this Sunday, and then it is home for naps, wake up, go to evening church, come home, eat and put the kids down for nap. So, we just decided since Nathan had to go back to work on Monday (even though it is a federal holiday and he was supposed to have it off) we would just play hooky. We had a good time together as a family. We went to IHOP for breakfast, and then we went to the mall for a little while...we didn't find much, I just bought some new pajamas. We then came home and took naps...except for Nathan who watched to Cowboys game. After naps, we went to the new TARGET store that just opened...it was so cool. I really love that store, and I have missed it so much. I can't wait to move into a new house and be able to decorate it (on a reasonable budget) from Target. As we walked through the home decor section, I thought that I could really decorate so much just from that one store. I can't wait. We also finished buying winter gear for our kids. Nate needed a snowsuit (luckily someone gave us one for Brianna) and they both needed snow boots. I also got Nate a couple of solid colored shirts, and now we are officially ready for winter. Good thing too....it snowed a lot last night. Anyway, after that we just came home and I cooked dinner and Nathan and the kids just hung out and played while I made homemade bread for Nathan.
It was a really relaxing day, and even though we hated missing church, we felt very refreshed at the end of the day.

Snow...and stuff

So, I guess by your fourth winter in AK the first snowfall of the year isn't as big of a deal. We did get our first snow this past Sunday, and I didn't even take a picture of it. It was really cute though...I was just sitting in the living room with Nate and Brianna, and I glanced out the window, and saw the snow. I told Brianna and Nate to check it out, and they ran to the window. Brianna was so excited (I should have taken the picture of her, but she had just thrown up on her shirt and was actually topless, so I didn't) and all she wanted to do was call her Daddy and let him know. We tried, but he wasn't available at that moment, but he called back soon enough. It snowed off and on for the rest of the evening, and the roads were really icy Monday morning. My friend Nicole came over and we took my car in to have the snow tires put on it...of course that is going to take them a few days, but at least I have Nathan's truck to drive in the mean time (it has all weather tires on it).

So, I guess that is all the fun information going on here. Not much happening. Today was the middle day of Nathan's trip away, so that is good. Tomorrow I have Bible Study, Wednesday I don't have much planned, but I was going to see if Uncle Josh would watch the kids so I could have some time to myself, and Thursday a friend is having a Southern Living party, so that should be fun...I always love to spend money. Although, I don't really know what I would get, but at least I am going to get out of the house. Hopefully by myself. Friday we will probably just go grocery shopping and make sure the house is cleaned up (although, how come I can keep the house so much cleaner when Nathan isn't here???). And then, Saturday we will get up early to watch the OU/Texas game (it is on at 8am here) and then I am going to the Arctic Bazaar (a craft show) on base, and then we will go pick up Nathan at the airport. So, hopefully we will make it through this week.

OK, enough about me...I'll talk with you later, when something interesting happens.

It's A Girl!!!

We are so excited!!! We had our ultrasound yesterday, and we are having a girl...at least, that is what we think. The technician wouldn't say for certain, but do they really ever? We had a pretty good picture of the baby's "private" area, and there wasn't anything there...so that tells me it is a girl. Which is what I suspected, because this pregnancy is much like the one with Brianna. Anyway, the ultrasound took forever because they have a new 3-D ultrasound machine, and the tech was actually in training on how to use it, and I was one of the guinea pigs. But, we didn't mind too much because we got to look at the baby for a long time, and we even got a 3-D picture of her face and one arm, bent at the elbow. I don't quite know how to use our scanner to try to post the pic, but when Nathan gets back in town I will have him do that so you can see our precious little girl.

So, if you haven't noticed, I have a poll question. We aren't sure what to name the baby...so everyone gets a vote. Let me explain them to you. The first one, Hosanna Grace, is mostly because of Brianna. She has been saying that we were going to have a sister, and that her name would be Hosanna (because she likes the song "Sing Hosanna, Sing Hosanna...) for a long time. I think it is cute, but would having a Brianna and Hosanna be too much? I really just like the names Rachel Elizabeth, Isabella Grace (calling her Bella), and Emery Elizabeth. So, vote and let me know what you think. Feel free to leave a comment to let me know why you like one name over another.

So, tomorrow, I am going shopping for the kids. It should be fun. You would think with this being our second girl that we wouldn't need clothes, right? But, unfortunately for Nathan, or fortunately for me, we do. Let me explain. Brianna was born in OK in the summer...therefore all her 0-3 month clothes are summer clothes and then basically we moved to AK, so all her 3-12 month clothes are winter. But, with this girl, she is going to be born in AK in the winter, thus needing 0-3 month winter clothes, and then we are moving to GA, where she will need mostly summer clothes. It does kind of even out after 12 months...fortunately for Nathan. Anyway, I am excited to go buy a cute baby outfit or two. I will try not to go overboard, because knowing my family, we will get some between now and when she is born. And, I will want to shop the day after Thanksgiving and get some good things on sale.

OK, I'll stop rambling now. Pray for the kids and myself as Nathan is out of town for awhile. It is especially hard this time because, well, with this pregnancy, I am pretty much an emotional basket case all the time. But, the Lord will sustain me. Thank the Lord for Uncle Josh who came over to play with the kids tonight to give me a little bit of alone time. And, I am thankful for good friends to go hang out with. OK- really, enough rambling....go vote on my poll.