we had a great weekend up in Kilgore with Brian's parents. Brian got off work early so we were able to get there before 9. i enjoyed some personal reading and then reading aloud to the kids. and visiting with Brian. i'm really thankful that the kids travel so well.
we all went out to Tyler State Park on Saturday and swam in the lake, canoed, and had a picnic. it was really just a perfect day!

we went to church with Brian's parents on Sunday and then out to lunch before heading back home. thankfully car travel has been much easier the last few times i've ridden for very long. once we got home and got the kids to bed, Brian and i sat up and watched Dallas beat Miami in the Finals, which meant my husband went to bed a happy man.

monday morning both Brian and i got out before 6:30, he to go play basketball at the Y, and me to get in my morning miles. it was a rush after that to get the kids ready and breakfasted before dropping the boys off at the Langley's and Margaret off a the Koplin's for her weekly job, then on to my appointment with Dr. Love. it's a good thing that all three of these places are within about three miles of our house and each other or i'd never made it on time. Brian met me there, the first OB visit he's been so far in this pregnancy. Dr. Love was beginning to doubt Brian's existence. LOL. everything looked goodon the ultrasound. SHE is beautiful! it's amazing that this precious creature is growing inside of me!

we've been tossing around names for awhile now. first i came up with all kinds of boy names, but then became disillusioned with them. i couldn't think of any names for girls, though i scoured the family genealogy records over and over. there is a name that is growing on us that was not initially picked because it was a family name, but just because we liked it. once i told my mother in law, she said it had been her aunt's name. once we decide for sure if this is her name, i'll let you know what it is.

monday afternoon we went over to Terra Toys, just the best toy store ever, and everyone found some little treasure to purchase. we made a stop at Half Price Books on the way back home for the kids to buy some Calvin and Hobbes books. this is their latest craze and they have built up quite a collection of the books.

with all the swimming we've been doing this summer already, i realized that my swim suit that i bought a few weeks ago won't hold up as my only one, so i went shopping for another yesterday afternoon. i really didn't want to buy a maternity one as it seemed like too much money for something i'd only be able to wear for one season, but i gave in and bought one anyways. i actually really like it and think it's kind of flattering. it can be worn strapless or tied behind the neck. now i feel ready for the rest of the summer.

last night Margaret had swim team practice. i took her and walked around Mueller for the hour or so that they were practicing. practice lasted until 9, and i was so worn out by the time we got home!

after my morning miles the kids and i changed all the sheets, something i usually dread, but was much easier this time with the help of the kids. changing sheets always makes me tired, and especially so when i'm pregnant.

we were supposed to meet Karen, Keegan, and Jewels at Shipe Park for a swim this afternoon, but Keegan was sick so they had to cancel. we went anyways and had a great time. it's been a long time since we've gone to that park. i took the kids there all the time when they were younger. this afternoon i swam laps, and boy am i out of swimming shape! i'll have to do that more often.

we're going to try to have the kids do some school work throughout the summer. i introduced the idea today by giving them each a "summer notebook" for composition writing. they have to write a report about each trip we take or fun activity we do. they all cooperated without too much argument and wrote and drew pictures of our trip to Tyler State Park last saturday. hopefully we'll have some full notebooks by the end of the summer.

now i've got to go beautify myself before the man gets home.

we got a letter from the AISD superintendent today. she wrote to inform us that she could find no reason to give Margaret a priority transfer, and she continues to be on a waiting list - number 17 now. she gave a list of schools that have space, but none of them are places i could safely send my kids.

we're praying fervently for direction for the coming year. it seems as if it will be a big year of changes for our whole family.