05.26.08
The most exciting news!!!
Matt and I have had a huge secret for about 15 weeks now! WE’RE HAVING A BABY!!!! We learned this amazing news in late February and have held on to it until this past weekend. We have eagerly anticipated the day we get to share our big secret with our family and friends and are thrilled it’s finally here! On Friday night Matt and I were at the lake preparing for our family reunion and in a moment of downtime we took the opportunity to present my parents with cards and a gift which held the secret we had been dying to share. My parents were surprised and thrilled with our news. They both claimed that they had a feeling but I think it was just wishing! My mom is super excited to have 4 grandchildren in 4 years and has already started providing suggestions for baby names. My brother was there to share in the big reveal and is just as excited as my parents. I think he’s relieved to know that a baby will come into the family and it doesn’t have to be his. 
I had the opportunity to share the news with my sister and Emma first. We met for dinner on Thursday night and I shared with her that she would be an aunt all over again. She, is so excited and mad that we are moving to Ft. Worth.
My grandparents learned our news when they arrived on Saturday morning. They can’t wait for November and to meet their 4th great-grandchild.
On Sunday we celebrated Mother’s Day with the Hopkins’ family. Genie, Adam, Matt and I cooked dinner for Carla and invited Grandma and Grandaddy over to eat. Carla thought we just insisted on celebrating her day but in actuality we wanted to share our big news with the entire family. We gathered the family in the living room before dinner to give gifts and cards. The first card Matt handed Carla was the singing card with the ultrasound pics. It took a bit of time for her to focus on the picture and for it to register but when she finally realized what it was she got so excited. Tears streamed down Carla & Ronny’s faces, there was tons of hugging, I mean lots of hugging, and “oh my goshing” and “really?, really?”. I wish we had the moment on video, it was priceless. Adam and Genie were also equally excited. Adam had a hard time letting the news sink in, I think he was in disbelief that his brother was going to be a daddy. Grandma is thrilled that she’ll have a great-grandchild she can see and hold. She already has one but they live on the east coast, too far for G-Ma and G-daddy to travel. It was an exciting day for the Hopkins’ family. Basking in the glow of Adam and Genie’s new marriage and now becoming even more excited that we have something just as exciting to look forward to.
Matt and I can’t wait to be parents and are amazed at how fast the first trimester has flown by. We are looking forward to November 19th but are enjoying and taking advantage of our last 6 months w/o kids. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on the progress of Baby Hop as he or she grows! Until then!
