Quick Update

So Hudson is about 3 days away now. Crazy to think but we are here.

The past week has been a challenging one - Of course I had all sorts of plans of things I wanted to do before his arrival for myself, with the children, around the house, etc and I ended up sick. Thanks to the lovely doctors within my clinic I think I am finally on the road to recovery. It has taken a few tries to get the medicine right and the current medicine makes me feel gross but hey I would rather feel gross today than Tuesday. The medicine gets Hudson all stirred up in there; I actually had to ask a friend yesterday about contractions. Ha! I have three children and still don't know about contractions...ask me about c-sections all day long but about contractions and going into labor and I know nothing.

Neal was kind enough to work it out with my parents yesterday to get the current 3 to them for the weekend so I could have some time to rest. After laying on the couch for an evening and sitting around for a morning I have quickly determined that is really hard for me. Isn't it amazing how God orchestrates our circumstances to teach us. As I sat in bed this morning "resting" I could not help but think of all the things I would rather be doing. Crazy. I am so thankful for the time but realize that in some strange way I am wasting part of it by being discontent with the one thing I know I need.

Well enough of that for now...

What I really sat down to tell you is that for a few weeks now I have been consumed with thoughts of food. What sounds good, where would I like to go eat, and how good these pancakes are. I was not sure at first if the crew around here would like them (not sure why because we like just about everything) but I tried them anyway. I have been eying them in one of my cookbooks for years now. So here they are...

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

1 1/2 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 tespoons kosher salt

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk

2 extra-large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Unsalted butter

2 ripe bananas, diced, plus extra for serving

Maple syrup

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing until combined.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Ladle batter into the pan to make 3-4 at a time. (I used a 1/4 cup measuring cup.) Add a rounded tablespoon of diced bananas to each pancake. Cook until bubbles appear (2-3 minutes) on top then flip and cook until browned. Wipe out pan with a paper towel and repeat until batter is gone.

I kept the pancakes warm by setting the oven to 200 degrees and placing each batch on a plate. The whole process went rather quickly. I think the recipe says you will get 12 but I only got 11, oh well. Even Anna Grace who is not a huge banana lover asked for seconds. They were a big hit with our family.

Okay, so I am hungry now...does going out for breakfast count as resting? I mean a pregnant girl does have to eat and it seems to me that if I go in there and cook that would not be resting!

Its Official

Hudson Knox Hatchett is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday, March 1st.

It seems that this pregnancy has been lost on this blog due to all the other things going on around here. However things have been moving along the whole time. I am now 36 weeks (tomorrow) and the hospital decided to kick it into high gear to get us in the book (should have happened weeks ago but God's timing was a little different).

Neal and I have finally embraced that we will most likely welcome Hudson home to our current home - since it has not sold - which is fine. We are now figuring out where to put everyone and think we have that settled but of course will not know for sure until we bring the little man home.

You may be asking why Hudson Knox and the short answer is that we like it. The long answer is Hudson Taylor, missionary to China, is one of my favorite missionaries (with a normal name) - I really love his story of how God called him...God directed him...God moved him. Knox comes from John Knox, great reformer and often considered the founder of the Presbyterian church in Scotland. He was a man impassioned by truth, full of courage, a powerful preacher and nicknamed "The Thundering Scot."

We will keep you posted on the events to come!

The Beginning

The children were ready to begin their National Championship Celebration not last night - they went to bed instead of watching the game...pre-game yes; actual game no - but instead when Neal returned from Arizona.

Thanksgiving and Christmas All Rolled into One

Since I am so far behind on the blog I thought it best to combine them.

We spent Thanksgiving in Mississippi and had a great time. Here are some of our favorite pictures...

We started out in Gulfport...


but ended up in Pachuta on Lake Eddins.

Anna Grace had her choir performance which was fabulous. Even though you can't tell from the picture Dean really did love watching her choir sing. He sang along in his seat since he had heard the songs enough to learn them himself.

And then came Christmas on Lake Martin. Followed up a few days later by Christmas and New Years on Lake Eddins. The whole thing was a crazy blur.

Our growing crew in their matching Christmas pjs.
(Caleb, 1 ~ Anna Grace, 5 ~ Dean, 3)

Lake Martin

The cousins...kind of...

now all the cousins.

Caleb had enough.

Lake Eddins

There were fireworks...

then smores by the campfire...

finished off with baking cookies.

Dean is funny.

This morning I was outside dead-heading the pansies while Anna Grace, Dean and Caleb played in the backyard. They started asking for the different color flowers. Dean asked for a flower so I handed him an almost dead blue pansy. Dean, looking at the flower says, "This flower is not reading his bible." I dismissed it and thought it was nothing more than the imagination of a 3 year old. However, he looks at my little pile and says again, "These flowers are not reading their bible." At this point I started brainstorming to figure out what he was talking about. Then a few minutes later he walks back over to a yellow pansy that was in full bloom and held it up so I could see it better and says, "Now this flower is reading his bible." I smiled looked at him and said, "Because he is growing?" Dean responded, "Yeah, Mama, you know, (singing) read your bible pray everyday and you grow, grow, grow..." (The Sunday school song that the Saunders have taught him this year.)

She Turned 5

Yes I know I am almost 2 months late with this post but things are moving fast around here and keeping up with the blog is hard to do. However, I certainly don't want to miss Anna Grace's 5th birthday.

This year we did not have a party with friends but we celebrated from sun up to sun down. Neal took the day off so that he did not miss a minute.

We began the day with a trip to her favorite breakfast establishment...

Who in their right mind could resist these faces?

I think seeing the full outfit of our little show-stopper can't be missed... I am not sure Krispy Kreme was ready for us to come walking through the door.

Our day was filled with fun things - ballet, a visit to the toy store and plenty of play time. We ate Chinese for dinner at her request and then concluded our celebration with a trip to the ice cream shop and presents. We would have opened presents sooner but it was a rainy day and we needed the rain to stop for the optimum present experience.

When I see these pictures of you on your bike my heart saddens a little knowing that you are growing into such a big girl. Due to all of the excitement around here this past year has flown by for our whole family and you are a large part of that excitement - and drama. You certainly keep your daddy and me on our toes.

You love your family deeply. It is fun to watch you play with Dean and try to include Caleb. I am so thankful that you enjoy your brothers and look out for them. I know they both annoy you at times but it is obvious that Dean is your best friend. You are even excited about your little brother whom you have not met. I know you really wanted a little sister but you are as excited as you could be for a little brother to come instead. You pray for him to grow strong and for him to be healthy often; you also talk about how much fun it will be to be the big sister once again and hold the little baby.

Your passion for music, dance and art continues to grow every day. Your acceptance of others inspires me. Your heart for prayer - even though you are often praying for others' bad attitudes - convicts me. You maintain an eagerness to learn and are always looking for a way that you can help me around the house. Within in the past few months you have certainly come into your own around here desiring to lead the crew and willing to sass. A little difficult for me at times but I know that God is bending your will each day so that you can glorify Him throughout your life. This past fall you memorized Nahum 1:7, "God cares for those who trust in Him." The full verse is "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him." I pray that you will always remember this verse and claim it throughout your life.

During this next year of your life I pray that in a special 5 year old way you will, "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality." (Romans 12:9-13)

For whatever reason I went back a second ago and read your 4th birthday post. It is amazing that it seems like a year later of growing and maturing on your part and I am still saying the same things. It proves to me that God is developing you more and more each day - you still love the same things but probably even more now and you still have the same strengths but more pronounced.

I love you, my Sugar Bear!