We had a lot of fun this Easter dying eggs and hunting for them. Last year Jack just picked up the plastic eggs and wanted to open them without continuing the hunt. This year he got really excited about cracking the "real" eggs and eating them. He kept saying, "Come on Grapa- le's go find mo eggs!"
Jack got prize eggs and money eggs and looked so handsome in a special Easter hat that Robby sent him from Guatemala.

We're having a Boy!

We are having a boy!!!

July 16 is the official due date but at the ultra sound they said he would probably come earlier...

This pregnancy has been much better than the last, in part thanks to a miracle drug that has toned down my nausea. I'm 26 weeks now and it's been a week since Ive thrown up and I haven't needed any pills this week either. I do feel tired a lot and I don't remember feeling as tired with Jack but it's manageable. I have ligament loosening which makes me feel like my legs are going to split apart! Last time I went to a physical therapist who gave me some exercises that didn't help at all. I guess I don't really believe in physical therapy- too bad since I sort of am one... I just figure I'll have to take it a little easy and not exercise too strenuously or stretch too much until the baby comes. So while Adam has been away, I've been trying to think of names. Jack's vote is for Baby Thomas which is what we've started calling my belly. I think it might be fun and it can be named after Thomas S Monson. But Adam and I aren't big fans of the name Tommy and what if they start calling him that at school? We don't want him to have to go around saying, "My name is Thomas Paul Evans, I'm really not a Tommy." So if you have any comments or suggestions feel free to vote here. :)

1. Thomas
2. Max
3. Luke
4. Noah
5. George
6. Samuel
7. Sean
8. Conor
9. James
10. Daniel
11. David
12. Ryan
13. Ben
14. Patrick
15. Matthew
16. Mark
17. Nathan
18. Alex

My first week alone in more than 3 years

Well, I survived my first week alone. While Adam has been exploring Oklahoma City, Jack has been at his Grandma Julie's in Wyoming. Sunday was very hard for me to be alone. New LDS wards are not that comfortable if you don't have your family to sit by. After sunday though, I began to realize what a gift I had to be able to use my evenings to do whatever I wanted. I ended up having a blast. I deep cleaned the floors at my house, which I haven't had time (or energy) to do since we moved in. I went to several shows with my Mom, bought supplies for decorating projects that I've been wanting to do, got a pedicure, changed my oil, bought groceries without someone yelling and grabbing items for the cart, had a girls night out and went shopping. It was very fun and I think I love having a big bed all to myself. I can sleep with my pregnancy pillow angled at a diagonal and I've had my first real restful sleep in weeks. Jack had a ton of fun at his Grandma's and came home just as I expected him to- spoiled rotten and completely off his schedule. Bad news since he has to start a new babysitter on monday... but I am greatful for the lessons Ive learned this week.

1. Family is awesome but alone time is good for me too.

2. Shopping is a good way to feel productive

3. Some of the things that I missed most were some of things that are most annoying like being asked every 5 seconds in the car, "Mommy, what doing?" "Driving" ... "Mommy, what doing?" "Still driving..."

4. When there is no-one to come home to at night, what's the point of coming home?

5. I am so greatful for all the help Adam has been for me over the last 5 months. I am a horrible pregnant person and have been so sick and he has picked up the slack completely. Which leads to some of the things I still need to learn:
-I missed garbage day on thursday
-I still haven't tackled my first load of wash
( Adam has been doing it all)
-I can't remember the garage door code and had trouble trying to burn a DVD for Laura's school project
-I want to figure out how to clean up the yard but we have absolutely no tools.

All in all it's been a very good week, but I'm very glad Jack is back and I am looking foreward to visiting Adam in a couple weeks and having him come back in April. I think now that I hear Jackson waking up that it's my turn to spoil him. Maybe I'll take him swimming and he can play turtle on my back :).

I can't wait to garden- my nice Dad even got it all tilled for me!

MY MIDWEST ADVENTURE BEGINS – AGAIN

March 9, 2008

As I drove along the rolling hills of Kansas, quiet reflection taught me about life. I had been driving for the second day in a row. On my way to Oklahoma City for: work, school, spiritual enlightenment, physical redemption, and a new chance on life. I listened to a radio program about “stay at home dads” and their place in today’s society. I caught just the end of the broadcast in which they spoke of the bond a father had formed with his children that other “normal” dads had not been able to experience. I caught a glimmer of pride in my self. Having accomplished a time at home with my son, Jackson. I could relate to the bond that comes from having so much time with your kids. I felt like a chapter in my life was sadly closing as I plunged onward to my destination.

Several topics later they came to a segment about a “Daddy boot camp”. Where first time expectant fathers were able to come to a group session for men on how to deal with the birth of their newborn baby. Most of the to be fathers expressed feelings of being overwhelmed at the prospect of parenthood. Not just the mechanics, i.e. (changing a diaper) but also the emotional and social changes that occur. This class was also host to graduates of the program, now pros, these dads of two to three months would bring their babies to help instruct on diapering and calming skills. When they questioned about the most difficult part of having new baby in the house, the most common response was: understanding, and dealing with the new Mommies. The changes in the mothers required the most tact as the woman dealt with her body and swing of attention from her partner to her child.

Experts say that the earliest part of a child's life is the most important time for a father to begin bonding with that child. If a strong bond is formed in the beginning it becomes much easier for that bond to grow as does the child. This bond is not merely chance. It requires work from both parents. The father must be available for the child, and the mother must allow the father to participate. Without a good bonding experience the stay at home dad type of bond could not be possible.

I counted my self thankful today, more than ever before, for the mishaps of our first child's birth. When Jackson was born, things did not happen the way we expected them to. His coming to the world was assisted by an emergency c-section. This procedure rendered my wife frustrated, and stuck. Her open wound did not permit her to do all the things she wanted to, especially when it came to the baby. I, on the other hand was very fortunate to have two weeks of vacation, to spend at home with my family. I was able to get in and do the “dirty” work. This call to arms was extended when a poorly healed c-section had to be re opened a week after child birth, and left open to slowly heal. Extending the time I was so strongly needed. My wife Becky had an terrible time, and some times we wondered why she had to go through so much. It all seemed so senseless at the time.

Though it may not be the only reason why her sufferings were so great, I feel that a part of it was to prepare me for the important role of Father, and “stay at home dad”. By being thrust into service I learned, grew, and bonded in a way I may not have been able to otherwise.

Though life’s circles do not always make sense, today I thanked my Father in Heaven for my small miracle.