The Resident Athlete

So, all three of us in our house are growing right now...just in all different directions! The other day Joe walked out of the bedroom wearing his long sleeve undershirt that we'd bought last year and he was literally bursting out of it in the bicep/chest/back area. With an appalled look he wondered "what has happened to my shirt, did someone do laundry recently?" Oh, WOE IS YOU, I wanted to shout, your muscles are just getting tooooo big for all of your shirts. (Not to mention, who do you think I am? I never shrink your clothes!) He stands in front of the mirror lamenting that his shirts don't fit, while I lament at the same time but it is  not my biceps that are bulging! I truly do not lament, because I don't resent a single ounce of growth on the part of our wee one, but I do agonize over just how to clothe my new shape :) We had a good laugh about our growing pains. Little One has grown the most (proportionally) as he or she is now the size of a 6 inch or so sweet potato. We heard the sweet and strong heart beat the other day, and our wonderful doctor laughed over just how much the baby was moving around, we had to keep re-locating the heart beat! "We've got a little track star in there", Joe said!

Anyhow, I don't have much time to write more, but I wanted to post some recent pictures of Joe playing basketball (for all of his fans out there) :) Mama and Papa Packard (and Grandparents in California also) I'm thinking especially of you!

Look at that intense face!

Shootin' a free throw!

Hang time!

My man can JUMP!

Life is great for us! We have lots of challenges, but most of all we laugh sooo much! I am just so in love with my husband and despite all of his hard work and the frustrations of the job search, he is still so very romantic and thoughtful. We are reading a wonderful book right now called, "Parenting with Grace." We just finished a chapter on relating styles and we learned so much more about each other and our different needs based on our relating style. My dear Beloved has a kinesthetic relating style (or touch) while I am visual, which explained alot! Needless to say I am sooo thankful for these wonderful Catholic thinkers who aid us in our path to holiness and a joy-filled marriage, and help us understand each others "quirks".

If you want to keep up with Joe's team you can check out this link. Their first game is on March 19th and he is starting! Go Eagles!! http://www.sportingpulse.com/comp_info.cgi?a=ROUND&round=-1&client=1-913-0-151640-0&pool=-1

We love you, our dear ones. We pray for you always, especially those of you who may have extra suffering in your lives right now. We miss you so very much and can't wait to be home and close one day soon! XOXO

(AND THE LITTLE BEAR)