Spring Break

I am so glad we get a Spring Break as teachers! It is much needed and I am enjoying mine as much as I possibly can. Right now I am in my pjs (as I have been all day- except when I dropped Bella off at the groomer this morning) updating our baby registries, eating some yummy cinnamon muffins that I just baked-it is 5:22 in the afternoon now :o)! Mom, Dad and Carter came into town Saturday afternoon to visit. We had a nice dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and turned in early to watch a movie. Sunday Mom and I shopped while the boys went to a gun range with some of Adam's friends. That night we had 3 couples over for Fajitas minus one couple, our good friends Gabe and Lindsay who were at the hospital having their baby boy Brody! Dinner was fun but we missed them not being there. Brooke and Steve brought their week old baby, Gavin and another couple brought their 2 month old little girl with them. We are so excited for the other couple that was there- they are expecting twins in October!! Our lives are changing, but we are really happy to have such great friends around us who are at the same stage in their lives too! Tonight Adam has his first softball game of the season with the "Old Guys" as we call them. They are a team he has played with the longest before he started a team with some of his other guy friends. That team is no longer around due to the baby boom :o) Most of the guys who played on that team now have new additions to their families so no time to play softball. Adam's uncle Jed and his wife Christy and their 7 month old twin boys Jack and Ty are driving from the Arlington area to meet us at the softball game in Plano. I am excited to hang out with Christy and the twins while Adam and Jed play. Tomorrow I have a much needed hair appointment and I am meeting a friend from my Plano school for lunch who I have not seen in a little while! Saturday my cousin Franki will be in town and we are going to meet for lunch that afternoon. I still have to finish report cards before Monday so in my spare time I guess I will be doing that! Next week we are busy busy with Adam's aunt Ann and her 2 kiddos coming into town and staying with us on Tuesday. Wednesday Adam's mom Lynn will arrive and visit us until Monday! Thursday Adam's uncle Tom and his family are coming to visit the twins and we will all walk/run in the Butterfly Boogie Saturday March 28 in downtown Dallas. This beautiful letter explains more about it:

Dear Friends and Family,

We find ourselves approaching a very special time of year for our family. April 6th would be Ella's 2nd Birthday. As many of you know, we ran three Team Ella runs last year, each run bringing together a new group of the special people in ours and Ella's lives.

The runs were an incredible success! On October 20, 2007, seventeen of us ran a four mile course through SeaWorld and Mission Bay, and together raised $1400 for Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego! We all wore Team Ella shirts, with her pictures on our backs and her determination in our hearts. We ran strong, and celebrated a day of health, friendship, and remembrance. It was truly an exhilarating day for us.

On her birthday of last year, another seventeen ran the Carlsbad 5000, and then in May, while diagnosed with TTTS ourselves in our pregnancy with Jack and Ty, thirteen of us ran the 5K at the Rose Bowl benefiting Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome. Each race has been different and equally rewarding.

This year, we would love to extend a casual invitation to anyone who would like to join us on March 28th, in honor of Ella's birthday. We are excited to have found a race that is especially perfect for her: The Butterfly Boogie!. There are three race options: a one mile stroller walk, a 5K, and a 10K. All fitness levels are encouraged to run/walk at any pace. We will be walking as a family in the One Mile. Jack and Ty are very excited to run their first Team Ella event (well, be pushed by Mommy!!), proudly wearing their very own Team Ella onesies! Christy will be running the 5K, and James will be running the 10K.

We have both enjoyed our past races tremendously, and it feels awesome physically and mentally to join with so many others pushing themselves and being positive. For those of you in California and New Mexico, of course we know that you probably won't be joining us this year, but we wanted you to know about it so that you can be with us in spirit on such a meaningful day for us. For those of you in Texas, though you never got to meet Ella (with the exception of her TT Nicole!), we'reexcited to share the spirit of Team Ella with a new family!

The link is included below if you'd like to read about the race, or sign up online. Please let us know if you have any questions, and thank you so very much to all of the special people in our lives that have completed races with us already! With love, James, Christy, Jack, and Ty http://www.butterflyboogie.com/

We are so excited to be apart of the walk this year! I'll have lots of pictures to post when this busy week comes to an end and we will then be in April!! Its getting closer!!!

Love Amber