Our last visit to California before two becomes three

34 weeks - in California

At the start of our 33rd week we were busy packing the cooler with frozen raw milk and snacks, loading up our bags and pillows, checking the oil and filling up the gas tank for our trip South to San Luis Obispo, thus, there is no 33 week photo.

The highlights of our trip:

1. all the time we were able to spend with both sides of the family

2. the fact that we only added 1.5 hours to our drive time on the way down, and only 1 hour on the way back - due to pee breaks and walking about

3. the blessing of a baby shower for our little Ant, complete with delish food and plenty of amazing women, and gifts, did I mention the gifts!

4. watching Andy hang out with our 5 year-old nephew and play G.I. Joes, which completely distracted me from taking a nap

It was during this time when Bridge loaded up a couple of GI Joe's into a spaceship (the Mario Cart Wii Wheel), flew by me as I lay on the couch, stopped for a moment, looked at me intently and said, "I like your hair Aunt Meg"

The low-lights of the trip:

1. the cold that hit me like a flu - without the fever - that took me out of commission for 3 days

2. the cancelled plans with family and friends, due to #1

3. the things I didn't get to check off my list of fun things to do, again, blame #1

4. cutting the trip a day short so I could get home and have an extra day to recoup before returning to real life

our other adventures:

1. Tess' water polo game

2. A visit with Cash

3. Sword fighting

4. Wrestling

5. Fabric shopping for the baby's quilt

6. lunch with Gramps 2 times

7. a visit from Yosemite with my brother and SIL

8. breakfast the morning we left with my mom, and inlaws

This is one of the kids that made me wonder what our boy will grow to be. He loves his Uncle Andy and his

Grandpa, it was so rad for me to see all week.

this is Cash - my brother's dog

After a week of much rest and a long drive, we left California behind and returned happily home to our little house to find our neighbor across the street still sporting her Christmas lights.

It's good to be back.

Opening thoughts

I have contemplated a lot this past year
what kind of wife will I be
what kind of friend will I be
what kind of mother will I be
what kind of wife and friend will I be when I'm a mother?
And such similar things as you may find any woman becoming a mother contemplating.

But today, this morning, I was contemplating what kind of me I will be. The me that has nothing to do with being a wife, friend or mother. It's not the fact that I'm entering a new 'chapter' in life, or a new decade. It's more that everything around me is changing and it's a good time to reflect on who I am, what is important in life, and who I am as a part of it. Age is, after all, just a number.

Obviously I don't have the answers to all these questions. But they're on my mind and forcing my thoughts to be retrospective and projective, which I think is a good thing. All I can say for now is, I seriously doubt this year will be anything but incredible.