What's up with me

It has been an overwhelming month...almost three weeks ago we found out that a spot on my dad's ankle was melanoma. This discovery threw us all into an emotional roller coaster. In fact, my poor father learned this information while he was overseas in Israel. Meanwhile, the women of the Austin family became scared, nervous wrecks. Why Dad, why now, how could this be...why DAD? The man who meant the world to all of us - who would give the world if he could to all of us - sick?

For four days we all prayed feverishly that the cancer was localized until my dad made it home and to the doctor - then came promising news - the cancer surgeon believed that the tumor was still in the foot and had not spread - but the barrage of tests would then begin...brain scan, PET scan, tumor removal, lymph node removal...

Then the bittersweet news today...brain scan is clean of cancer, PET scan (body) is clean of cancer, but there was a trace found on the nearest lymph node. So the worry shall continue awhile longer as he begins immunotherapy treatment and possibly more lymph node removal.

Thank you for all the friends and family that prayed for him these past few weeks. As I mentioned in a facebook note, I began to feel a wave of peace comfort me last week and I know that God has been close to us all.

Love and Thanks,
Kristi

25 weeks

Looking back...

Boy versus Girl debate

Maybe it's the nervousness of finding out the gender this afternoon that's putting me in the blogging mood...not sure, but I thought I would go into a subject that has reappeared in my mind. One that I am pretty sensitive about.

I vividly remember how amazed/hurt/shocked I was at some people's reaction that our first baby was going to be a girl. There were people that actually repled "oh...maybe next time" - without even asking me if I'd had a preference. I remember the very pregnant sales girl at Lone Star Baby telling me she "would have just died" if she was having a girl - after finding out what we were having. Of course, not all people reacted this way, but I still found it shocking that anyone could be that ignorant with regards to their rude statement.

Our plan is for two children...regardless of whether this one is a girl or boy. Neither I nor Trenton really care about keeping the "Brockett" name alive - I personally find that idea insanely outdated. I think it's disrespectful to every little girl when I hear these things - are we living in China, for goodness sake? I remember crying for my beautiful little unborn girl - was she not as special as a baby boy? Why can't everyone see that she is?

Maybe I'm being overly sensitive on the subject - likely so - but I couldn't help but mention it...also to give an heads up that if this is a girl, I probably will not be able to be polite to the offending person any longer.

I almost, but did not forget!

I only scanned one because a lot of them were the same...and now I think I remember why I wasn't too motivated - it's not a very good picture! The baby really does have arms and legs...just hard to tell from this perspective...

Second Baby Syndrome Begins...

I had such great intentions with this second baby...being the second child and marrying another second child, we both very much understand how it feels "not to be first." There are never quite as many pictures, your baby books aren't filled out - or even started sometimes...so I thought that I would make a point of treating this second child not identically but with equivalent attention.

So far, not so good...with Kendall I started a special pregnancy blog just for her. I dedicated time at least once a week to blog about the new feelings and reported all the details of the doctor visits and sonograms. With this baby, I already had a family blog in place, so it seemed silly to start another one alone for that purpose. I didn't make the pregnancy public knowledge until very recently (now that it's half over) so I couldn't really mention it on the family blog. Plus, with a baby already running around the house, I can hardly find time to write notes in even that once a week.

I actually read pregnancy books with the first pregnancy - although, I did just go through one not much longer than a year so I may excuse myself on that one. I prepped for Kendall's baby book and her room - even down to her name. As soon as we knew it was a girl, we had her name picked out and within a week later we had her middle name. This poor child may remain unnamed until he/she takes his/her first breath!

There is just isn't time in the day to dream about the second little wonder as much when your first little wonder is toddling around the house, threatening to pull down lamps or fall over toys at any given moment.

Now that we have our 2nd sonogram within reach (Thursday to be exact) I will make a promise to this little seedling that I WILL post its 1st sonogram pictures on the blog within the next 72 hours...it's the least I can do, right?

Happy Valentines Day!

Hope everyone is having a great Valentines Day! I don't particularly care for this holiday, or crowds for that matter, so we will be having a relatively quiet dinner at home this evening. I think I will go rent a chick flick to celebrate however!