So you may be wondering...

why I got a decaf coffee this morning. You may not be. But if you know me, I'm not a decaf fan. It's not that it tastes different, it's just...well, what's the point?

So, if I haven't told you...let me be the first to say that I am going to have another baby! You're counting now aren't you. Ethan and his sweet baby brother or sister (we'll let you know June 16th!) will be 14 months apart. Crazy fun!!!

I am so thrilled! It wasn't my plan to do it this way. I had altogether very different plans. But Proverbs 19:21 says "Many are the plans in a man's heart,
but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." So I am trusting that He is up to something awesome and I am so thankful for another gift.

Broken Hearted

My heart is broken as I write. For the first time ever, my sweet baby reached for me, crying, as I said goodbye to him and left him in the very capable hands of his nanny. I used the same tactic my sister-in-law used with my niece five years ago, when she was crying and reaching in my arms for her mommy - Praise Baby. His sweet attention was focused on the screen and I was able to slip out. My attention, every thought since I left, has been on him. It's bittersweet. They say it makes you feel good to know that he loves you more than the nanny - and it does. But I hate to see him cry. I know he was probably happy and laughing before my car left the garage. And he'll be happy when I get home and pick him up.

For now, I need to do what I came here to do. Write Chapter 4. And that's exactly what I'm going to do. I'm going to drink my decaf coffee, eat my apple cinnamon muffin, and write. Thanks for letting me share my thoughts with you. I feel better already. I'll leave you with some pics of that sweet baby. I hope they make you as happy as they make me.

And the winner is...

We didn't set out the other morning on a Sausage Egg and Cheese Biscuit tasting, but somehow that's what it turned out to be.

I had been craving one of those biscuits since Saturday morning. So on Monday, when Ryan and I were driving to work together, I asked if we could pick up a biscuit on the way. So off we were. We approached the McDonald's on Hwy 96, and Ryan assumed that we would just grab it there. Unfortunately for him, I had my heart pretty set on Dunkin' Donuts.

"That's like 15 minutes out of the way," Ryan said.

"No. It's more like ten. And I really would prefer the Dunkin' Donuts."

So my husband gave in and we headed in that direction. Things were going as planned as we pulled into the drivethru. We had hit no traffic lights and were right on schedule for my "only 10 minutes out of the way." Until...

Ryan rolled down his window ready to order and waited... and waited...and waited.

Ryan: "Hello? Is anyone there? I'd like to place my order."

Dunkin' Donuts: no answer

Ryan: "Hello? Can you hear me?"

Dunkin' Donuts: no answer

Me: "This is ridiculous! I wonder why no one is taking our order?"

Ryan: "I'm just going to pull up to the window. The intercom must be broken."

Me (to myself): I wonder why it worked for the guy in front of us who's picking up his order now?

So we pulled up to the window and a man with a headphone set came running up to the window.

Man with headphone: "Sir, it just beeped! You hadn't pulled up far enough."

Ryan (somewhat embarrassed): "Can I just get a sausage egg and cheese biscuit, a chocolate covered donut, and a small iced latte?"

The window closed and through the glass we could see lots of people laughing.

Me: "I'm sure they're not laughing at you."

The guy at the window handed us our bags and my flustered husband pulled right off.

Me: "Wait! You forgot your coffee!"

Ryan: "What?! I thought they gave us everything?"

Me: "Why would they put an iced latte in the bag?"

Ryan: "That does it. I'm going in and getting my coffee and I'm getting one of those biscuits!"

He leaves. Forgetting his wallet.

Fortunately, one of the laughing girls (still laughing) ran out with Ryan's iced beverage, meeting him in the parking lot before he was even more embarrassed at the checkout counter with no money.

Fifteen minutes later...we were heading towards the interstate.

Me: "Ryan, you need to pull off on this ramp if we're going to go downtown."

Ryan: "I'm driving to McDonald's to get a Sausage Egg and Cheese biscuit. We'll see who makes a better biscuit." Almost as if to make me feel somewhat remorseful for this monumentally long detour, but I'm sure it was only out of curiosity.

The trip through McDonald's went much more smoothly and so after he had tasted his breakfast sandwich I asked Ryan who won.

Ryan: "Hands down...Dunkin' Donuts."