Flashback Friday

Recently a few of our good friends have had their first babies...

its awesome...

I caught myself flashing back to our beginning as parents...

I remember...

wishing people had shared with me more of the messy details of birth...

yet understanding why they didn't (smile)....

trying so hard to learn a completely new role...

and feeling completely unprepared and overwhelmed...

(I still feel this way often)

BK and I stressing about every little detail....

Keeping stock of gas drops, because we were sure every time Quint cried it was gas....

reaching a new level of emotion I never knew was possible...

love, fear, anxiety, more love, guilt, joy, exhaustion, and more love....

realizing our life had been completely changed...

A flash back to us as new parents....

Christmas 2006 (Quint 1.5 months)

The Mail

Going to the mailbox is a man activity in our home. I could care less about checking the mail and BK is really into it. The boys have taken to the tradition and nearly every night they make the trek down the hallway of our building to get the mail. They love it, and it is something special to do with Daddy. I love it, because it is 5 minutes of total silence during a hectic dinner hour:)

Tonight the boys decided that Rett should come too. I love that they already want to include him on man adventures. Here are some pics of Daddy and his little men on their trip to the get the mail.

Kids day at Kinnick

BK heard about kids day at the stadium. They let families in to Kinnick to watch practice! We were a little late because we didn't want to disrupt nap time, but it was a hot one so it worked out great. It is an amazing stadium and Iowa fans are die hard. It was fun to see the atmosphere and look for our old neighbors who play for the Hawkeyes. We walked there, well, BK walked, I waddled, and the boys ran:) It was fun. We are excited to be in Iowa in the fall. It is the best time in my opinion.

Daddy, Russ, and Quint walking into Kinnick

Mommy, Quint, and Russell checking out the view from the stands

Hawkeyes practicing

Russell running on the way home

It was a fun memory:)

He ran to us:)

This weekend BK was able to come see us!! It was a total God thing. He realized he was on call Thursday night which means he would get out early on Friday so he can sleep. It also meant he could make an airplane. It all worked out for him at the hospital, but I didn't think we could get a good ticket. I looked and it was pricey, but some frequent flyer miles did the trick!! I could not believe it!! He had a flight out of Cedar Rapids to Rochester (which we can never afford normally). Plenty of time to get there too.

Well, in the grand O'hare style he was delayed in CR....and delayed....and delayed. Finally he got out of CR but it was going to be close. Then he landed in O'hare and there were no gates! Seriously. I was dying waiting for text message updates. He was going to have to run if he was going to make it. Finally he got off the plane, and HE RAN.

HE RAN to the shuttle to the next terminal, and then HE RAN to the other end the terminal to his gate. The Rochester flight was delayed too, and they had waited an additional five minutes and we still don't know why...or do we:)

HE RAN TO US!

When BK was running through o'hare I kept thinking, BK is really fast, he has long legs, he will make it. And he did. I picked him up at the airport at 130 AM....the middle of the night for us, but it was soooo worth it! I did not tell the boys, because I knew flying is unpredictable. Their expressions were priceless when they saw Daddy and played with him over the weekend.

We had 40 hours together, which was far too short, and went way to fast, but it was amazing to be a complete family again. BK could have easily said it was too much to fly. He sacrificed a lot of sleep, and post-poned a lot of work he has to complete in the next two weeks to run to us. I am so so grateful he jumped at the chance to see us, and that he is a fast runner:)

I didn't stop smiling all weekend!

My hubby was home!

Russell and Daddy bonding

Lots of hugs for Daddy

And kisses

Even leg hugs:)