Valentine Surprise

When I answered a knock at the front door on Valentine's Day, I didn't expect to see someone delivering flowers.  The technician who had just finished installing our upgraded Dishnet system had  left moments earlier, so I thought he might have forgotten to give me something relating to the installation.

But no, it was flowers.  My first thought, as I placed it in the kitchen, was "Why the hell did Wayne send flowers?"  I smiled at my bad attitude while I retrieved the large card stuck in the middle of the pink, blue, and white flowers...completely missing the significance of the colors of the flowers and ribbon.

Pink and blue carnations, white daisies, pink and blue ribbon. 

I pulled the card out, took note of the photos of Robin and Chad and then read the upper left hand corner, "Coming soon to a crib near you...August 2012".  Still didn't quite get it.  But, a split second later I jerked my head up to look at the vase of flowers again...then jerked it back down again to reread the card.  (It's a wonder I didn't get whiplash!) 

Baby Hensley, how could I miss that?

Oddly, now that I think of it, my first response was to text Robin to let her know how excited I was and to ask when the due date was.  The odd part was texting instead of calling.  ???  It wasn't until I had already sent that text that I noticed the ultrasound image in the middle of the card.  It was at that time that I also realized that the due date was in August (late August).  She was at 12 weeks on Valentine's Day.  Robin and Chad have known since Christmas Eve, but have managed to keep the secret all this time!

A few weeks ago, Robin  and Chad invited us to come to their house for dinner.  It was in the middle of the week.  I didn't think anything about it, but our smart little Kate (I was at Carolyn's when Robin called to invite us) wondered why we were going there for dinner.  I kept thinking about it and wondered if they were going to announce a pregnancy.  We visited and had drinks before dinner.  I noticed that Robin poured a glass of wine for herself, so we were just there to have dinner...no surprise announcement.

As we were about to leave, I turned to Robin and commented that you can tell who's pregnant these days, because they wouldn't be drinking.  I also told her about my thought that maybe they were making an announcement.  Either I wasn't paying attention, or Robin didn't blush, which would have been her usual response.  She was drinking non-alcoholic wine, by the way.

She told me later that the first person she told was a waiter at a party they went to.  She told him she was pregnant but no one else knew and she didn't want them to figure it out by noticing that she was not drinking.  She told him that whatever she ordered was to be non-alcoholic. 

I do appreciate the fact that they waited until they were at 12 weeks to announce it...to anybody.   It would have been so hard to have to keep that secret for 5 or 6 weeks!

What a wonderful Valentine's Day surprise!

Janna's Pride Build Dedication

I sent an email to the girlfriends that are on the "girl's night out" list.  Well, first I sent the email, forgetting to attach the video.  Then, I sent another email letting everyone know that I noticed my goof and that another email with the video attached was being sent.  Then I sent the video.

This morning I heard from one of the girlfriends who said she did not get the video, so I thought I might just upload it here, since it's a pretty large file.

For background (for the one or two people who read this blog and didn't know Janna), please click here to read Janna's story.

Each of us who contributed to the project, in whatever way, feels a wonderful sense of honoring all that was important to Janna.

I had already published this post when I realized that I should have included some of the earlier pictures of the project.  So, before you get to the dedication video...here's the earlier part of the story in pictures.
 

Launch Party - Sept. 30, 2011

Dee and Wanda at the Launch Party

Me and Wanda

What a pretty venue for a party!

Came the longest distance...Audrey, from Norway...in blue sleeveless on the left

I'm not sure what was going on here...something exciting, I guess!

1st Day of Build - October 1, 2011

Ready to get to work!  Rosayn, Jean, Wanda, Dee

Jim & Carole

First wall up!

Many hands make easy work of moving walls

Good 1st day's work

 October 29, 2011 - Another work day

Window installation instructions

Jim, Scott and Wayne

Scott, in the hat

Natalie on the inside while Virgie and crew install the bathroom window.

Oops! Pay no attention to the fact that we had to uninstall this window due to the lack of tar paper on the left side.

Wanda, Virgie, Hannah and Maggie, me and Dee

Scott and others, on the roof

Natalie, surveying what will be her new home.

Carole and Dee

I think we were cheering someone finally getting a nail hammered in.

Dedication - January 21, 2012

In the house---Wanda

There's that bathroom window we installed!

One of the bedrooms

Wanda had just presented one of Janna's butterfly wing photos to Natalie.

Wanda had just presented the house keys to Natalie

Natalie presents a hammer to the next habitat home owner

And now...finally...the video!