Memorial Day Weekend

What a weekend.

What a fabulous weekend!

 

I had a craving - first, I don't believe in pregnancy cravings...but I sure do love giving in to them!

So Friday night we went out for Mexican.

Just me. Andy. Eleanor.  It's amazing how much fun the 3 of us can have together. 

 

Saturday we had a college roommate reunion grill out. 

Hot Dang do I love these girls!  I'm far to lazy to upload a picture of us from back in the day.

The wild and crazy days at Marquette...

In some ways we have really changed - in some ways we haven't changed at all. 

I am SO incredibly lucky to have these amazing, smart, talented, beautiful ladies in my life. 

AND each one has an equally amazing man that has embraced the craziness of "The GPP" and it feels like they have been with us from the beginning.

AND the petite gpp kiddos that we have introduced.  These adorable, energetic, hilarious kiddos.  Ah!  I just can't get enough of them.  One is cuter then the next! 

We had too much fun just sitting on the patio, talking, catching up, (getting sunburnt) and before we knew it - the sun was setting and the day was coming to an end. 

 

Sunday we went to church, ran some errands, ate some lunch, packed some boxes and then headed to our friend's house for dinner.  We nice dinner out on the patio that no one had to cook - what's more American than pizza? :)  The kiddos played until the sun went down. 

 

Today, Monday, I started the day at the doctor's office with my 1 hour glucose test.  This is a test every pregnant woman undergoes between 24 - 29 weeks to test for gestational diabetes.  I told my doctor I wasn't worried because I feel so great (oh, and I gained 8 lbs in 4 weeks!).  He informed me, that unfortunately, that isn't how it works.  Something about pregnancy hormones and insulin...I don't know - you know I have a HORRIBLE memory.  But the bottom line is, I can't really control this.  It's just another one of the joys of pregnancy.  Another example of how my body is just doing what it wants. 

 

So after 1 hour - and a REALLY sweet, Tangy, McDonald's Orange drink cocktail, I made a quick stop at The Mayfair Collection, Sendik's and headed home for lunch with the fam.  E took a nap and Andy and I packed. 

 

I mean - I KNOW it's gorgeous weather...and I really love it....but I also weigh 20 more pounds then I did last summer...so I think it's rather steamy!  Argh, it's not really going to get hotter, is it?!

 

When Eleanor woke up, we knew we wanted to do something fun as a family...but what?  I was SO hot. So Eleanor and I had an idea.  We snuck off to Target, purchased 3 water guns, snuck back home, filled them up.  We opened the front door, threw the water gun inside and announced, "Consider yourself armed, Dad!"  And the water gun war started!  We chased each other around the house, welcoming the cool stream of water!  We laughed until our sides hurt and it was great!

 

We grilled out, bathed the weekend of Eleanor and now Andy and I are finally sitting, watching TV, his hand on my belly, feeling the babe kick and summersault around. 

 

What a weekend indeed!  And yesterday in church, I had a few moments to be introspective. 

I remember, very vividly, being handed the American flag at my husband's funeral. I remember the 21 gun salute.   I remember taps.  Those are the images and the sounds that haunt me from that day. 

And my military funeral was different than most.  Yes, my husband was taken too soon.  However, I prepared myself, with my husband, for that day.  Imagine.  Imagine getting that news.  Kissing your loved one goodbye and never kissing them hello.  The uncountable number of people that have given their life so that I can have the weekend that I just had.  How many widows have been given that American flag?  How many other widows are haunted by taps?  Just so we can grill out on a beautiful Saturday afternoon with our friends?  Don't forget that.  Our military deserves all the respect they can get.  It's an amazing, selfless, task they have taken on and God Bless Them for that. 

For those that have served.

For those that are serving.

And for those that have given their life, serving. 

God Bless them and God Bless America. 

I hope you had a chance to also enjoy this amazing weekend and through it all - remembered the reason for it.  

 

Our petites!  Minus 2 nappers (and a few others that couldn't join us)  :-(

The lovely ladies...minus a few...but a good representation!

Jakob and Eleanor!  These two truly are friends - at 5, even they can pick up right where they left off!  It made my heart so happy to see them play....like we never moved away!