Headed to Fredericksburg

I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Easter. The Simpson clan is headed down to Fredericksburg tonight until Monday morning for a little r&r, yummy Grananny cooking and birthday celebrations. We're celebrating Dave's, mine and Scott's birthdays. Maybe Emma will like cake now, hmmmm.

This post isn't just to wish a happy holiday, but more so to tell everyone that I have the most wonderful husband in the world. For my birthday he took me to Mike's American Grill in Springfield, while Barbara stayed late to watch Emma. Just after we ordered dinner he gave me my present. This was not just any present, it was the best birthday present I have ever gotten aside from my engagement ring. Actually, it's pretty darn close.

I opened the box, roughly the size of a shirt box, to find a bound book. I turned it over and immediately started crying. In fact, I'm welling up just thinking about it. My dear husband hired our friend Anas to design a coffee table book for me based on this blog, following my entire pregnancy with Emma. Together they spent three weeks gathering, copying and laying out this book that follows my blog from the first post to the post just after we brought Emma home. I still cannot believe that he thought to do something so touching, something that I will cherish the rest of my life. It's truly amazing and I wish I could share it with each and every one of you. Well, if you're a follower you know what the book says, but just to have it in my hands is more special than anyhting. I am so grateful to have a husband that knows enough about me to know that that gift was absolutely perfect and touched my heart. I am so blessed. I will post pictures of it later next week.

For Dave's birthday I got him Family Tree Maker software. He's been very interested in tracking his family tree lately and thought it would help keep it all in digital format. In fact, we've started it with not only his family but mine as well. I am so anxious to sit down with my grandparents and other relatives to fill it in - there's so much to learn and I know our children will appreciate it later in their lives. I never knew much about my ancestry and it's conforting knowing that I now have the tools to learn, as time allows, and create something for my family that I can pass down through generations. We hope to gather stories and pictures of relative long past so if you have anything that you think we'd find useful please let us know.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday weekend. Don't eat too many peeps!