Week of Firsts

Well, it's been quite a week! We've had a lot of "firsts" this week.

The first week in which I've had FOUR graduate classes (Saturday, Tuesday night, Wednesday night, and a course through the district all day Thursday). Whew.

The first week of warmer weather! I wish spring was here to stay...what a long, hard winter it's been here, with record snowfalls. So lovely to see again our yard, which was buried under feet of snow and ice.

The first week in which we've known our baby is a girl. Orilus and Jackson are so excited (especially since Jackson had a dream a couple months ago in which he felt God told him we were having a girl, so he was quite proud of himself). They both have a couple female cousins they ADORE, and so they were really hoping for a girl...though they're having trouble understanding whether our baby will look "just like" Cousin Lily or Cousin Anna. So hard to explain genetics! Both boys proudly brought all 9 of our new ultrasound photos in to school this week and created quite a stir...it's not often that a fourth and fifth grader have a baby on the way!

The first week in which I've begun secretly calling the baby a name--figured I could keep trying them out. Lots of people are asking us what we're going to do for a name...we're taking suggestions, but we're going to wait to tell everyone until after the birth. We know too many people who've changed their minds once they see their child, or who were deterred from a name they really loved by well-meaning (but mean) comments. Some names on our list, though, include: Mackenzie, Ryan, Olivia, Madison, Addison, Madeline...and we are happy always to hear your thoughts and other suggestions!

The first week in which I've felt the baby moving...not all the time, but sometimes, and especially between 3:00 - 5:00 am (which is apparently the time at which I wake up on a regular basis for the day now). Small butterfly-like sensations, and an occassional soft thump.

The first zit. Yup, that's right...yet another sign that 13 is just a month away for Orilus. It really is an amazing thing to have one child beginning to navigate puberty, another child still more in the "older child" stage (and what a calm and fun year that's been for him), and a baby on the way! We're going to be developmental-stage central here! Orilus is beginning to plan his birthday party in March and told me the other day that he's begun counting down to his birthday. Since we've been hearing about 13 ever since he turned 12, we're all happy to have it finally come.

The first week in which our "baby's room" is no longer a room of junk. Jason's been working each evening on cleaning out the room, which means--tearing down the ceilings (yes, multiple layers of ceiling), removing wall boards of all kinds--the demo is nearly all complete, and the mess cleaned out. Pray for wisdom for us as we make a decision in the next couple days about how best to restructure the space--it's a small little room that used to be a front porch and was enclosed by the owners before us, and it's a tricky space as one of the bedroom/closet walls is actually the outside wall of the house.

Oh, and this is the first week that we've had a vacation to look forward to! For months we've talked on and off about trying to take some kind of family trip...we thought about returning to Mexico with some friends to build a house, but that didn't work out. We thought about seeing a U.S. city the boys hadn't seen. But in the end, we decided that a really fun, really relaxing vacation was what we were after--a last hurrah of the Team Winchell foursome. And so we are off during the April vacation week (the week of April 20th) to...Costa Rica!!! That's right, the ultimate eco-vacation! We'll be staying in a bed and breakfast tree house in the rain forest near a volcano and spending a lot of time swimming in the b&b pools (natural pools created by a waterfall), hiking, and relaxing. I cannot WAIT for this time away as a family, and find myself looking forward to it more and more every day.

This coming week is our February break from school. This weekend Becky and Mike (my sister and husband) are visiting us from New Jersey with their new foster son! Monday I'm taking the boys to Gordon College, where a former student of ours is going to treat the boys to a tour of the campus (since so much research shows that late elementary school years are "the" time for casting vision for college and careers with college visits, I thought that would be a meaningful trip for them and they are SO excited). Tuesday through Thursday I'm teaching a course for the district while Jason works on the baby's room and the boys attend art classes here in Lynn. And, of course, I have classes this week--but only the usual 2. :) We're SO looking forward to this break in routine and the extra time to be together.

Happy Saturday morning, all! I'm off to do a few hours of reading before the house awakes!