Charlotte, NC Christmas

Aunt Christen with the oldest Hathaway cousin, Katie. Aren't they beautiful?

Fireworks in the street entertained the kids for hours: Thanks, Christen!

Eric, safely back from Iraq, with Princess Katie who is smitten with her dad!

Aunt Becca with Brooke, the baby princess of the cousins. (There are 8 boy cousins between Katie and Brooke!) There are currently 10 cousins on the Hathaway side, with our "Mary" to be #11!

Cousin Chaos! Brooke, Zeke, Isaac, Jonah, Caleb, Logan, Ben. . . We missed you, Farel and Cooper!!! Thank you, Grandmom and Grandpop, for a Fun Fun Fun time in Charlotte!

Kissing cousins and other Buford, GA Christmas shots

Zeke with his new Polar Express track.

Isaac the gentleman with a Knights and Castles felt board.

Jonah and Nana with a baseball bat for yard practice.

Shannon with Mary due in March and Lindsey with "baby boy" due in January. Mary and "Baby boy" are sharing a cousin kiss!

Just in Case you haven't heard. . .

It's a Girl!!!! We had our 4 mo. ultrasound on last Thursday and were thrilled to find out we have an appropriately sized baby with healthy brain, abdominal and limb measurements, and female anatomy!!! It's a girl!! I can't even believe it. . . we were every bit as surprised as if we had waited until birth to find out. I wept with joy, Joel teared up, and Isaac giggled and chuckled for 30 minutes straight! Isaac's first comment was, "Boy, it's a good thing we have a pink cereal bowl! I've been wishing for a sister since I blew out my 6 year old candles." I guess I'll finally have some pink in my life. . . I still can't believe it. Kudos to Joel for graciously giving up his home office to make a new nursery and "girls room". Lots to do in the months ahead. . . looking at girl names, purging baby boy and toddler boy clothes, painting pink and white into Joel's green office, moving scads of electronics and cables and cords, decluttering and rearranging, collecting pink hand-me-downs. . . Thank you, Lord for a healthy daughter! Please shape these 3 boys into the gentlemen and leaders and protectors she will need them to be!

September pictures

What a first-born. I walked into the boys' bathroom on picture-day to see why brushing teeth was taking so long. I found first-born, unprompted by anyone, taking it upon himself to make sure little brother looked his best. Hysterical!



Zeke's first birthday present! So exciting!!! I'll have to upload more tomorrow. Evidently uploading these two pictures messed up Joel's online t.v. show. . .

Our First Days of School

Zeke and Ellie helping Emma with a letter puzzle.

Isaac was so excited that he couldn't stop swinging his school supplies around wildly!

First Day of School for Jonah (3rd) and Isaac (1st), the annual pose by the flagpole!

Jonah with some of his Third Grade Pals (Nate, Jonah, Andrew and Luke).

Zeke's First Day of Pre-K by the flagpole. Every year we compare their height against the rope's cleat! Getting taller (40 inches)!!

My brother's wedding

Zeke and Uncle Carter


Hot and exhausted!!

The bride and groom with their beautiful baby, my nephew Carter III.



Ring-bearer Zeke with cousin Flower-girl Hannah.

My guys.




Hannah and Zeke

More later!

Can you say "Announcement Faux Pas"?

Like my friend Sara said today, I had "bad management" with this one! I am so sorry especially that I installed the pregnancy widget on my rarely-updated blog before telling the most important people: the grandparents. I've never had a comment on my blog from anyone except Karen Mirabella and Joel, so I truly didn't think anyone ever checked it.

Yes, it's true, I took a pregnancy test yesterday morning before church, and got 2 pink lines!!! I left it on the bathroom counter for Joel to find at his convenience, and sat down to eat my breakfast, somehow feeling gentler and softer than usual. I knew I had a sweet, sweet secret that nobody else had. Well, any of you who know me are aware that I can't keep a secret for long.

Joel finally woke up and came out to the living room, commenting, "I don't know what's wrong with me; I feel soooo tired." I just chuckled under my breath, thinking, "you just wait." He then went into the bathroom, and came right back out, saying, "You stinker. Come translate this thing for me." I grinned and said, "Congratulations". Joel immediately sat down next to me and hugged and kissed me and put his forehead to mine. After praying for me and thanking God for new life, we opened our eyes and realized the kids were still happily oblivious and playing on the living room floor.

I was so proud of myself for telling only Rhonda at church. She is an extremely trustworthy and medically-trained friend who I knew would pray for me without telling anyone else. After church, however, Joel felt strongly that we go ahead and tell the children. As Joel asked the kids what could be different with mommy, Jonah guessed what was going on, and his sparkling eyes erased any concern of mine that he would resent having another person getting into his stuff. (He actually expressed that concern a few months ago when Joel asked everyone how they would feel if God gave us a new baby.) Isaac pinched his nose and made a comment about upcoming stinky diapers, and Zeke was very excited about becoming a big brother. Zeke strongly expressed that he wants a baby girl.

Since the kids found out a few hours after we did, I knew we'd need to start spreading the news before they did. I am only a week late, about 5 weeks pregnant, with a new baby the size of a grain of rice. Please pray for peace for me about this. I am so excited about this baby. . . I have yearned for and prayed for this event for 3 years now, since Zeke was 18 months old. I am a little bit nervous since my cycles have been changing in my thirties, and I think I may have miscarried a year and a half ago. Pray for a strong and healthy baby and for me to give this new child over to the Lord every day. Lord willing, he or she will arrive in mid-March.

Please leave a comment so I can know who has actually read this.
Love,
shannon