Country Bumpkins

Kim, Brooke, Me, Angelina, Rachel

We headed out Friday evening for a whirlwind weekend of shopping. What we didn't know is that our lodging would really be the highlight of the trip. Brooke has a family connection to the CEO of Earthlink who happens to own a lovely place in Park Place on Peachtree (that he often leaves vacant). Every inch of this place was decorated for Christmas - the table setting, the towels in the bathrooms, the glass containers on the bookshelves. It was a study in understated elegance.

We, on the other hand, were quite the opposite. Between valets and doormen, men coming to unlock the apartment and carry our bags, we didn't know what to do with ourselves. By Sunday, they all realized we would just rather do it ourselves (and not fork over the $3), and they quit trying to do everything for us. They sure were nice, but that life is just not for us. I think we all agreed that we prefer the portion God has given us in little old Powell, Tennessee. We looked only a bit conspicuous in this building where Elton John currently owns an apartment and where Oprah just recently sold hers.

Thanks, Rolla, for letting us country bumpkins invade your penthouse suite. Too bad I didn't snap a picture of the sunrise this morning. Incredible.

The shopping was a bit more challenging this year with my persistent nausea. I haven't actually gotten sick (thank goodness!), but for the last week, if I'm not sleeping or eating, I feel sick. Seems like a cure would be to snack lightly throughout the day, but food is just not appealing right now. I've had pizza four times in the last week because it's often the only thing I can imagine eating. I should mention that I did okay last night at Pappasito's though :) I've heard

some women tell me it will only last a few more weeks while another told me today that because I get car sick, it will last the entire nine months! It's all good though. When I imagine actually holding a baby in my arms in July, none of this stuff in between seems to matter.

The other highlight of the weekend was this morning's service at Buckhead Church.

Todd Fields and the rest of the band, choir, and orchestra opened with a medley of Christmas carols sang to the arrangement of some U2, Coldplay, and Justin Timberlake. It was nothing short of incredible. God has gifted those people with some serious talent and creativity. I must admit that many Christmas songs had become somewhat ritualistic for me, but not today. I was moved. And the rest of the auditorium was moved to their feet for a standing ovation. Thank you Buckhead Church for the fresh, poignant insight into the Christmas season.

ATL

Tomorrow I'm headed to Atlanta for the annual Christmas shopping trip. This will be mine and Angelina's third trip, but we've got some novices joining us this time. Kim, Rach, and Brooke are in for some marathon shopping and fantastic eating. Pappasito's here we come! Actually, I hope I can handle the Mexican deliciousness. As of right now my diet is consisting mostly of unsalted saltines (how's that for an oxymoron?) and bran flakes. Oh, and Smoothie King. Thanks, Mom!

Since I've actually finished all of my Christmas shopping, I'm focusing on filling out Andrew's wardrobe and getting myself some new winter items. Again, thanks Mom! She so graciously allows us to buy our own Christmas presents, she pays us back, and she wraps them for us to open on Christmas Eve. She's a good one!

I'm most excited about heading to Anthropologie. Girls, just to warn you, I could spend at least an hour in that dressing room. We'll definitely need to split up. I've got my heart set on this top.

But with its hefty price tag I keep thinking, "That would almost buy a bedding set for a crib." Wow, this motherhood thing really changes everything doesn't it? :)

We Have a Heartbeat!

What we learned at today's ultrasound:

• I'm 5 weeks 6 days.
• The heartbeat started yesterday. Ah-mazing.
• The heartbeat was 113 beats per minute - too early for the gender test. Any thoughts on whether or not it's true that girls' heartbeats are faster?
• Baby McAffry measured at 3 millimeters. So unbelievably tiny!
• My due date is July 28. Andrew is already worried about deciding to send Baby Mc to kindergarten at 4 or 5 years old. Guess we will have time to figure that out :)

The first of a multitude of pictures to come!

Out of the Closet

I think it's about time to admit that I've been hiding something. No, really - hiding it in the back of my guest bedroom closet. Here goes. Over the last few years I have collected a few items in preparation for Baby McAffry. They were all great deals and were just too cute to resist.

Can't you just imagine snuggling with a tiny baby in this so soft Laura Ashley onesie? And how perfect is it that with the baby coming in the summer, the size should be just right?

If memory serves me correctly, Mom and I got this while buying Christmas gifts for all the baby girls born in our family last year. It's Ralph Lauren - our favorite!

This one just might be my favorite. When Andrew and I were in Charleston just months after being married, I found this. He was a little hesitant, but just like he accepted all my Bride's magazines when we were dating, he allowed it.

Don't take this sampling of clothes to mean I only want a girl. In fact, I would love to have a boy first. It's just that girls are more fun to buy for! I know many couples won't admit to a preference for a boy or a girl, but you know we all have them. Of course, we will be delighted either way, but there it is. I said it. It's out of the closet. Really though, I'm so anxious to hear a heartbeat tomorrow that nothing else really matters.

The Big News

You may have noticed the blog silence here at The Handwriting on the Wall as of late. It's not that I didn't have anything to say; it's just that everything seemed insignificant until I could say this. After five years of marriage, Andrew and I are excited to announce that this party of two is about to become a party of three. We're going to be parents!

As excited as we were to find out, we were almost as excited to tell my parents. Check out this video to see the play by play.

Check this link if the video above doesn't work.

What did Mom and I do immediately after sharing the good news? Go to Target of course!

I'm so glad we didn't run into anybody we knew because our giddy faces would have given us away. We had to buy something gender neutral, so we went with the multifunctional Boppy. The lady at the cash register asked if we needed a gift receipt, and we both couldn't stop giggling. "No, we don't need a gift receipt. It's for us!"

I can't wait to see this Dad in action.

Me on the day of the first ultrasound.

Mom brought me a Pregnancy Survival Kit complete with Tums, chocolate, and baby lotion - just to get used to the baby smell. :)

With the cookies, doughnuts, and brownies Mama Ese has been bringing me, I might be needing this a little sooner than expected. Thanks, Rachel!

My next ultrasound on Tuesday should provide me with a more definitive due date. I look forward to journaling Baby McAffry's development with you all.

Things have been busy over at the Sarah C. Photography blog. Click here to check it out.

Maybe Tomorrow

While there are some fun things to report, I'm not feeling motivated to do it tonight. Maybe tomorrow. For now, my full attention will be devoted to Brothers & Sisters - and the fabulous French guest star. Ooh la la!

Almost Everything

Though our plans were almost blown, Andrew and I took headed to the mountains to take a picnic. He packed some yummy PB&Js, some chips, etc. Can you tell by the picture below where this is going?

Cut us some slack. We passed three of them on our drive up Chapman Highway. We finally succumbed once we hit Pigeon Forge.

We actually never really made it to the mountains. Once we had the buttery, garlicky, hot Crazy Bread in the car, we didn't exactly want to wait through the Gatlinburg traffic to get to the picnic area.

So we found a sweet spot by the river near the Apple Barn.

And my new lens lets us take the cliche self-portrait.

We had one minor mishap during the ride. Mostly we had great conversation talking about the future and how we love almost everything about each other. :) While on the romantic drive through South Knoxville, we began noticing a cigarette smell in our car. The person next to us at the stoplight was smoking so we huffed and thought it would disappear soon. Minutes later the smell was actually getting worse. We spent much of the drive sticking our heads out the window and spraying air freshener.

Andrew even lifted the hood thinking a cigarette had gotten in there somehow. No luck. We both ended up smelling like a lit up Marlboro - uh - lets make that a Virginia Slim.

With Andrew not willing to miss any of the game, we turned around and headed for home.

But not before a quick stop at Five Oaks!

I would like to record the fact that we went shopping for some pants for Andrew - and we left with only some pants for Andrew. I didn't even enter a dressing room. I barely even looked over the women's section. Guess I'm saving it all for the annual Atlanta trip coming in a few weeks.

In the past I've totally felt like a poser. An English teacher pretending to be a photographer. However, on my last two sessions, I've shot full manual. I've known I needed to for a while, but was scared to take the leap. Add to that my new L series Canon 24-70/2.8 lens and you have a real photographer. Yes, I'm going to claim it and own it. I am a photographer.

Thanks Cox family for being my guinea pigs for the new lens! Click here to see more.