hmmm...

...took a little break there, sorry mates! :) It was totally unintentional. I kept saying to myself, "I could be blogging about this (insert event)" or "I could be blogging RIGHT NOW" ... and then I didn't. :/ I use a lot of emoticons, I hope that doesn't bother anyone (if so, there's the virtual door :P) I use them, because how else would you know what I'm emoting?!

No news yet on the ttc front. AF is due around September 8th, coincidently, we'll be camping in the wilderness, so I'll let you know when we get back if there is any exciting news! I doubt it, as I am not having any symptoms like I did with Meghan.

Onto this camping business. I love camping, I really do. Two summers ago, hubby and I went with his brother and 2 sisters and their significant others. It was interesting to say the least. We went for 4 days, it rained 2 days and every night while we were there! So, there was a lot less craziness, although there was a fair amount of it. I don't want to go into details, but by the end, we were so grateful to get out of each others' hair!

Last year we didn't go camping as I was enormously pregnant with Meg and I would have been up to it, maybe earlier in the Spring, but Drew and I moved into our own apartment and got married within 2 weeks, so we really just took the rest of the time to settle in and set up shop for baby.

We will be gone from the 7th to the 11th. We are going camping in the Adironacks. When I said 'wilderness', I meant it! Short of wandering aimlessly, I don't think there could be a more remote way to camp. Literally, you sign in on a sheet of paper with your info, place your marker in the occuppied column and make your way to your site. It's first come-first served. There are Park Rangers around if needed. There is a store, gas station, boat rentals, etc.

At any rate, we are taking our first family vacation! And I am stoked! (can you tell?!) I don't know how Meg's going to do in the wilderness. I think we're taking an inflatable mattress, or we are sleeping on the ground. She did okay when we spent the night at the homestead (in laws) but that was just one night and in their back yard. And by okay, I mean she woke up a couple times and I had to nurse her back to sleep. Here at home, she sleeps in her crib, so she almost always settles back to sleep on her own and at least I would know she wouldn't be fooling around in the tent in the event she woke up. She also wouldn't be rolling off the air mattress! Obviously we can't take her crib with us...I'll probably just wing it like I usually do! :)

Back to babies, Drew has 2 cousins that are sisters and they are both pregnant and due in January! Very exciting in and of itself (almost as exciting 2 years ago when his 3 cousins were expecting within a month of each other!) Then we got the news that 1 of his currently pregnant cousins is expecting twins!! So excited and surprised! Multiples don't run in his family, even with all the large sized families. (10+ children per family) Around this same time, we learned that his Aunt, who was expecting her 17th (22nd pregnancy) lost her little one at about 10 weeks. The baby was still there, but no heartbeat. I am so saddened by this news, I admit I did cry. His aunt yearns to have another newborn and I know it would have brought her much happiness. My heart goes out to her and her family (all the children knew about the baby, her youngest is 3) I did not write anything on her blog as I did not know what to say. I haven't yet felt that loss, and hope I never have to. It is all in God's plan and He knows what is best for us.

I hate to end on a sad note, but perhaps I shall come back from camping with good news!