Libby Brag

Oh, Libby...

I so enjoy this kid!

She's funny, lively, loving, spunky, comical, and has a great sense of sarcastic humor.

She's definitely (hopefully?) one of a kind!

Libby is learning so much in school and has made great progress on speech in just a few months.

Some of my favorite Libbyisms of the moment are:

"That is so prettiful!"

"MOLY HOLY!"

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa!  Hold it, guys!"

Libby doesn't have a shy bone in her body and has never met a stranger.  She will happily engage any random person she comes across in conversation.

I think everyone needs a little Libby in their lives.  

I'm just glad she's all mine!

Anna Brag

This girl....

she's something special!

Sweet, funny, caring, empathetic, creative, beautiful

to name just a few of her many characteristics.

She's doing very well in school, making great grades, working hard, responsibly completing homework nightly.

This year she was referred - and accepted - into the Gifted and Talented Program at her school.

She's something special, all right!

She was my "right hand man" right while we three (and a half) ladies were alone in Kentucky.

She entertains Libby, cleans up after the cats, does anything I ask with little to no complaining (she is wonderful, but she is still 9, after all).

I love this girl!

New Chapters

Losing Gabriel and Alexander spurred us to really look at our lives and reconsider what was important.  And what is most important?  Family.

For over 10 years we've lived far away from family, and over the past year it became obvious to us that we, especially the girls, need to be closer- physically - to our family.  

So we're making that happen.

We will be leaving Georgetown and starting the next chapter of our lives in Pittsburgh.

We're so very excited for the opportunity Earl has to take a slightly different career path, getting back to his interest of conservation by working for an environmental consultant firm, and for the chance to explore the Steel City and make it our new home!

It will be a shock............I for one am NOT looking forward to the snow.....but the benefits far outweigh the negatives.  And hey, if any of you are driving through Pittsburgh in the future, send us a note!

We would have loved to have been able to say goodbye individually to everyone who has been a part of our lives here, but once the ball started rolling we realized how very much we have to do and how very little time we have to get it done.  Know that this part of our lives - and all the people in it - will always be looked back on fondly.  

But now, we're writing the next chapter....

What else will be written in this chapter?

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Well, if all goes well, a new baby girl will be joining our family in a few short months.

We couldn't be happier with another little girl to add to our soon-to-be trio!

AND

These big sisters couldn't be more excited!

So far we've had plenty of ultrasounds and she looks absolutely perfect.

But....we also know that is no guarantee.

Pregnancy after any loss is difficult, but especially after two consecutive, traumatic losses.  I am now well aware that every 21 minutes in this country alone a family experiences the heart crushing despair of a stillbirth.

Baby Girl has no name yet...and she may very well remain nameless until we meet her since we have had so many other choices to make recently that naming has been pushed to the side. 

We do know one thing...

 She sure is a cutie!

8 weeks...

12 weeks...

16 weeks....

18 weeks...

22 weeks....

I feel very fortunate to have a wonderful group of fellow baby loss mommas who keep me sane on this crazy, emotional journey.

But I know it will all be worth it in the end...

While all babies born are special in their own way, rainbow babies like her are extra special.... even Prince George himself ain't got nothin' on the anticipation of this little girl's arrival!  

Canadian Adventures 2013: Phase 5 - Old Quebec City

After 5 days of camping in 3 different campgrounds in 2 provinces, we were more than ready to pack up and were looking forward to a few nights in a real bed with a private bathroom.  Oh, the luxuries!

Our way down the eastern coast of Cape Breton Island was marked with many bilingual Gaelic signs.  We also passed the Gaelic College, causing me to briefly think I had had a stroke and could no longer read.  

The distance between Ingonish on Cape Breton and Quebec City was about 13 hours, so we planned to spend the night in New Brunswick's capital city of Fredericton.  The trip there was rainy.  Pretty much the whole 7 hour drive.  And the night we spent there.  It was a beautiful old Victorian house located along the St. John River, but you'll have to take my word for it since it poured so much there was no way I was going to subject my camera to a drenching.  After indulging in the many course breakfast and chatting it up with a very nice couple from Saskatchewan, we got back into our car for the 6 hour drive to our next destination.

Crossing the border into Quebec was scary.  The road signs were in French, with no helpful English translations.   Fortunately, we only had to follow the St. Lawrence River to get the city.  The drive was beautiful, and if you ever have the opportunity to travel it by cruise ship, I'd say go for it!  We arrived in the city in late afternoon, found our bed and breakfast with little difficulty, and then made our plans for the evening.

Our host, Danielle, was very nice and tried very hard to make her English understandable.  She gave us a map, explained the city and suggested some good restaurants.   Our B&B was below the Plains of Abraham, and we had a 300 step staircase to climb to get to the city.  There's nothing like a 300 step staircase to remind you how unfit you really are.  Especially being passes by people jogging up and down for exercise.  I think one guy lapped us at least 3 times.

But the torturous "Staircase of Death" was worth it.  Much of the Plains was blocked off with stage and lighting equipment in preparation for Celine Dion's visit.  

FYI: The people of Quebec City really like Celine.

We strolled the city, admiring the views, and made our way to a little crepe restaurant.  To our surprise, right outside the restaurant was a bike race.  We were able to sit at an open window, eating our crepes, sipping hot chocolate, while people watching.  It was a great evening!

The next day we had no real plan in mind, just to enjoy the city and pick up a few souvenirs for the girls.  The flower baskets hanging....everywhere!...were beautiful!  It definitely felt like we were in Europe.

Chateau Frontenac in the distance...

Chateau Frontenac is a hotel that rises high above the city.  We were rebels, ignoring the signs that non-guests stay in the lobby we rode the elevator to the top floor and then took the staircase down, admiring the view along the way.

Quebec City is the only walled city in North America.  The wall extends around the older, upper part of town.

We didn't get to see the changing of the guards at the Citadel, but we did visit and tour the museum.

Parliament Building

This building had more creepy bronze statues than any other building I've even seen.  The front and sides were polluted with them!

Gardens located beside the Plains of Abraham

The Funicular takes people between the upper and lower parts of the city.

Every night Quebec City gives a free performance of Cirque du Soliel.  It was a mad rush to get in and we were one of the last few people to get in before the gates were closed.  We had to stand, but we had a pretty good view.  The show was really good.....but it was also really French.  We were left guessing as to what the plot actually was......history of Canada?  No....it was something about a box...

In any case, the music was good, the acrobats were amazing, and the price couldn't be beat!  Afterwards the people funneled to the pier where another free show was held.  This one was in English....and we still didn't get it.  Something about a guy named Norman?  By this time it was late, it was cold, and we had a long drive ahead of us.  So we walked back to our B&B, soaking in the beautiful city lights one last time...