news from the Razorback State

Whew! I've been wanting to blog for quite awhile, now, and only just now am I able to! No internet, Hurricane Gustav, Blogger issues...all were conspiring together against me.

But I'm here now and this is what I wanted to finally say:



It's a GIRL! We're gonna have our baby girl in January and we're halfway there! We couldn't be more thrilled. Andrew's been practicing with, "C'mon, girls!" And "You two." And "My girls, this, or that..." And friends and family have already gifted us with girly outfits, bunny slippers, embroidered bibs, animal books... Which makes it so real! I think it's finally starting to sink in that we're gonna have a "little Cassidy" to love and hold in just around 4 months!

Waiting for a baby to come sure flies by faster than waiting for a deployed Soldier to come home! I'm pretty sure that all my future "waiting periods" of life will be compared to that unending 15-months we endured.

Andrew and I have been having a great time of visiting and resting in Warren, Arkansas for the last week. Mom and Dad H are so hospitable and loving and generous...we decided to stay a few days longer! Andrew's getting in a little lawnmower therapy, working on the yard today, and I'm about ready to learn from Mammaw Smith her secret of perfect pear preserves. : )

We'll pick up our 5X8 U-Haul trailer on Thursday, pack it tight, and then leave out westward on Friday... Looking to arrive in Warren, Oregon about a week later.

So please, if you think about it, pray for safety and smooth sailing on our 2,000+ mile trek! It's an adventure! And I cannot even begin to tell you how grateful and full of pure joy Andrew and I are to be on this adventure together. And baby, too!