it's a....

GIRL!!!! And this is the news from Dan...

It came as quite a shock to me! Going into the appointment I was 99% convinced it was going to be a boy. Neither one of us really cared what we have, in all honesty, but I just had that gut feeling this was a boy. We asked the Ultrasound Tech to write the gender on a piece of paper and put it in a sealed envelope so we could open it during lunch. While she was doing her thing she panned across the "zone" and I swore I saw a definitive sign, if you know what I mean. I didn't want to ruin the surprise for Brooke so I kept my mouth shut. Now I was 100% sure it is a boy. Then the U/S tech pointed out the umbilical cord. Was that what I saw? Couldn't be. I know it is a boy. So we finish our appointment, the tech puts the photographic proof in the envelope and we head off to a few meetings and then lunch, The Cheesecake Factory. We ordered our food and then tore open the envelope. "Don't forget to look surprised when it says boy," I thought. It's a... it's a... GIRL?! Wait, what?! Check again. Even with the proof in front of me I don't believe it. My jaw drops to the floor and all of a sudden it hits me. It's a girl! That means, two tea party schedules, two boyfriend related set of issues, two weddings! Do you have any idea what weddings cost these days! But it also means two daddy's little girls, two little sweethearts, two beautiful little ladies, two little souls I am madly in love with, and a million other great things girls bring that I'm too shocked right now to think of!

I am slowly getting used to the idea of being completely outnumbered in my home. Anyone who has multiple daughters please email the meeting info for your support group. I'm going to need some help!



And an extra note from Brooke...

We truly feel so blessed to be having a healthy baby & appreciate all of your support and prayers for us! We didn't even get into the studio today (running around working on construction stuff), so we don't have a scanner to put the ultrasound photos up yet, but we will tomorrow!!!!

Love and Hugs, and baby girls!!!!

Dan, Brooke, Samantha, and SLS (Sammi's Little Sis) :) :) :)

the big day is finally here...

In an hour and a half, it will be THE DAY we find out: GIRL OR BOY!!! So, in 7 hours we will get up, get ready, get Sammi up and ready for school, take her to school, and get to Carmel for our Ultrasound and doctor's appointment by 8:30. HOWEVER---we will not actually know whether we are having a girl or boy until the afternoon. We decided that we wanted to have the U/S tech put the gender of the baby in an envelope for us and open it at a nice lunch out together. Lunch versus dinner because 1. I can't wait that long and 2. Sam will be in school for lunch which makes for a less chaotic time to open the news. :)

Right after our appointment we have a construction meeting at the new studio followed by a technical meeting with the phone/data guys, so AFTER that we will be going to The Cheesecake Factory to open our news and celebrate together. :) :) :) I CAN'T WAIT!!! The Cheesecake Factory is special to us because it is where we had our first date and also where I took Dan to tell him I was pregnant with Samantha. And---we just LOVE the food! YUM!

I don't know if I will be able to give up the opportunity to see the "parts" that determine the gender (proof, please!!!) so I am hoping the U/S tech will be kind enough to include an U/S photo in our envelope too. :)

We'll be posting our news tomorrow afternoon!!! PLEASE PRAY FOR US THAT WE HAVE A HEALTHY BABY!!!! It is truly the only thing we really care about!!! Much love & hugs to you all!!!

love is the killer app

I am posting this blog to be held accountable. For years I have said that I need to read more. Actually, saying I need to read would be more accurate. Every New Year celebration this is a goal. Every Christmas I ask for good books to get me motivated. But, what I end up reading is emails, Facebook, websites, blogs, and sometimes, magazines. Or, by the time I finally crawl in bed sleep sounds much more appealing.

On Thursday evening Dan and I attended a seminar by David Jay, a wonderful, famous, photographer known not only for his photography but for his speaking ability, his relationships, and his products invented to help photographers succeed. The seminar was awesome. We are always looking for ways to grow and learn, and this one was a great one.

Back to the point of my post... David Jay was the first person who said something many people have said to me before, but this time it really opened my eyes. It was this: "The difference between who you are today and who you'll be in 5 years is the people you surround yourself with and the books that you read." Today Dan and I went to Borders and bought two books that he reccommended for small business owners. The first one I am going to read is called "Love is the Killer App" by Tim Sanders.

If it takes me a year, I will read this book. I will not be distracted by other "more interesting" things, including sleep. So.....next time you see me, ask me how the book is so far!!! I'm off to read my first chapter. :) Goodnight!

19 week update

I'm almost 19 weeks so I'm doing a 19 week update. :) This week flew by; I'm not sure where it went! It was an emotional week for me. Not because anything happened. My hormones just decided to get the best of me for a few days. It's embarrassing and frustrating to be sad and not have any good reason to be...but I've been feeling much better and hope that I will continue to feel normal the rest of my pregnancy!

It's already harder for me to get around an do things; my belly is growing, growing, growing. I get tired easily, haven't slept very well, and am always starving! Otherwise, I am feeling pretty good. I have to be super careful because I had lots of problems with my gallbladder with my first pregnancy, and the doctor says it's very likely I will have problems again so I have to watch what I eat. That's really hard because I am always so hungry and craving bad-for-you foods!!!

I have felt a little more of the baby from time to time, pushing against my belly, but not too much yet. I'm excited to really start feeling the kicking! My nausea has gotten so much better this week. Sometimes I still get a little dizzy and woozy, but most of the time I've been feeling so much better than before. That is GOOD NEWS!!!! :)

I'm off to watch a movie with my hubby and get some rest before a kickin' wedding tomorrow...we'll be updating you all very soon (4 DAYS!) with the news of our little one being a girl or boy!!!!!

Love & hugs!

jordie and ashley's wedding

My brother Jordie married his sweetheart Ashley yesterday!!! The weekend was so much fun and we really enjoyed seeing all of our friends and family at the wedding. We are so happy for Jordie and Ashley and wish them all the best!!!!

Friday night was the rehearsal dinner at the Rathskellar. Jordie and Ashley stood up to thank everyone for coming...

My Uncle Bart, Grandma Parker, and mom.

My brother is the biggest Reds Baseball fanatic that I could ever imagine someone could be. Pete Rose is sort of an idle for him, and when Dan was in Vegas he heard that Pete Rose was there signing autographs. They weren't going to be there at the same time, so Dan made arrangements to have a signature done while they were in the Grand Canyon and picked it up before they came back to Indiana. We gave it to them as a wedding gift.

Jordie was so overwhelmed that he had an authentic autograph specifically made out to "Jordie and Ashley---Congrats", he got choked up when showing everyone! It was really really sweet.

Jordie and Brooke- sibling love. :)

Brooke and Danny...can you see how red his nose is from his trip? :)

My AWESOME grandma! I love her so much! She is one of the sweetest and funniest people I know! My dad in the background...

THE WEDDING DAY IS HERE! Sammi with the bride (and also known as one of her babysitters), Ashley. :)

Sammi hanging out before guests arrive. Always the lady...

Samantha is SO SHY with new people, which made it hysterical that she walked right up to the harpist and put her arms up to hug her!!! She had never met her before! The harpist picked her right up and kept playing with Sam in her lap!!! (This was before the official ceremony started.)

Playing in the rocks near the ceremony site.

The ceremony. The Indiana State Museum is so beautiful and allows for a ceremony outside along the canal and reception inside. This is Ashley walking "down the aisle" with her dad.

My parents watching for her.

Jordie waiting for his bride. His best man, Neil, by his side.

Ashley and her dad...almost to Jordie!

See Dan with Sammi at the top of the stairs...this is where they watched the ceremony because Sam decided she did NOT want to sit still when they started! (The people in the foreground are my cousins Dennis and Melanie from Atlanta...we loved seeing them!!!)

The first kiss moment...

And a high five...one of their "things". :)

Mr. and Mrs. Jordan and Ashley Sherman!!!!

Woo Hoo!

And off to the cocktail hour...

The wedding party's exit. SO cool!

Daddy entertaining Sammi during the cocktail hour with goldfish crackers. :)

My parents entering the reception...

The newest married couple in the room entering!

Sammi LOVES hanging out with her grandpa!!! (Ba paw.)

Sam goes to bed between 7-8 every night. This was around 11:00pm!!! She was SO tired, but such a trooper!!! My little pumpkin. :)

my week without dan

I was a little nervous about Sammi starting in a new classroom the same week her daddy was away. I worried it would be too much change for her. I also changed her school schedule for the week so that she could spend her entire Friday with her daddy instead of in school upon his return. So...she went to school Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday without a day off! I should have known she'd adapt PERFECTLY!!!! She was shy when I dropped her off the first day but all three days when I picked her up, she literally cried because she didn't want to leave! I feel so blessed to send her to in a place that she loves so much and learns so much! In this classroom they are working on colors, the alphabet, and counting numbers. I imagine she'll be doing all of that very soon! It's amazing!

On her third day of school my parents picked her up for me and this is how she looked when she came home! The girls at school decided she needed a new style!!! :) Here are a few photos of her playing with grandpa at their new house...(I still need to do a post on their house!!!)

Sammi LOVED hanging out with her grandma and grandpa last week! We spent a couple of evenings with them and they also took her the entire day Thursday and Friday morning to let me get lots of work and errands done!!! They helped me out SO MUCH through the week and allowed me to have so much time to get things done. Thank you so much, mom and dad! You're the best!

My week without Dan went fast. I spent everyday at the office getting a ton of work done, which was so rewarding! Somehow I also managed to get our house clean, run about 1,000 errands, a couple of projects done around the house, cook real meals, and get in bed early every night! I'm not sure why I got so much done (or, why I don't get as much done when he's here), but I was READY for him to come back!!! I missed him a lot! I also felt a lot better this week. I think that may have a lot to do with getting so much sleep. I'm going to try to do that more often from now on.

Their flight Thursday night, which was already a late flight, was delayed. By the time he and his dad, Orlie, got to our house Thurs night it was 3:30 in the morning! Needless to say, none of us got much sleep that night! It was exciting to catch up with Dan when he got home. I didn't talk to him at all on the trip because they didn't get reception in the Grand Canyon! Dan felt like he'd been away for a long time. He said when he got home that my belly was a lot bigger, Sammi's vocabulary was a lot better (she is saying so many words I can't even begin to count!), and the studio was so much more complete! We had a meeting about our new studio space the next morning and somehow we all managed to stay awake through it. :) It is coming along fast and it is getting so exciting!

Danny, I'm so glad to have you home! Sammi and I got a lot done but we missed you! I love you!!!

dan's rafting trip

Dan wrote this for our business blog and I thought I would copy it here for anyone who might not check that blog regularly...what an exciting trip!

What did you do last week? Oh me, I just went on the trip of a lifetime! 28 men from my family and some close friends took a 3 day 100 mile rafting trip on the Colorado river through the Grand Canyon. We rafted and hiked through the day and slept under the stars at night. It was the most unbelievable experience I think you could ever have. Every turn was more beautiful than the last.

We started out in Vegas and took a chartered flight to a gravel runway in the Grand Canyon. From there we took a helicopter to our starting point where we met our 4 guides and two rafts. The river was the same color as the one in Willy Wonka's factory but didn't taste nearly as good, especially if you thought about the "liquid hits liquid" restroom requirement. Gross. Every single rapid was a blast and provided quite a few splashes to keep us from melting in the hot sun. The breeze felt like a hair dryer so the wetness didn't last long.

We had to hunt rabbits and rattlesnakes for lunch and dinner and had rock soup for breakfast. OK, that's not entirely true. We did have breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the food was more like eggs, bacon, sausage, coffee, spaghetti, shrimp cocktail, steak, salmon, cheesecake, poppyseed cake, blueberry cake, birthday cake (happy birthday Tim!) and all the lemonade and water you could ever want. The last night the captain announced that the dinner was black tie. The two male guides then proceeded to put on a tuxedo shirt and bow tie. The two women guides put on black formal dresses. I wore a dirty swimsuit and t-shirt and my formal Colts hat. That night ended with a fire twirling extravaganza by Kelly, one of our female guides. Both nights we were treated to a great meteor shower.

The trip ended at Lake Mead and from there we took a bus back to Vegas. In total, no broken bones, one bug bite (sorry James), 2000 images for me to edit, and probably a combined total of 100 pounds gained. We sure were roughing it!

Here are a few shots from the trip...