16 Weeks

How far along? 16 weeks

Maternity clothes? No, but my pants are beginning to be a problem. I might end up in maternity pants soon, or at least live in dresses and leggings! Edit: I'm in early maternity pants now, why did I wait so long, they are amazing! 

Sleep: I wake up in the middle of the night at least 3-4 times. Not sleeping all that well, but think that is because of thinking about Tim, not pregnancy related yet?

Best moment this week: Had a 15 week ultrasound, and the little one scratched their face, and swam to the probe. So cool. I'm so in love. 

Miss anything? My husband. More than anything. And having the occasional good beer. 

Movement: Not yet, can't wait!

Food cravings: Spicy food, carbs, ice cream...sometimes the craving for salad. I better watch it or I will turn into a balloon :)

Anything making you queasy or sick: If I don't eat frequently, OJ, and tea.

Gender: Not finding out, that was the one decision Tim and I had made together about this little one. Will be a wonderful surprise in November.

Labor Signs: Nope & it'd better stay that way for a long time!

Belly Button in or out? In!

Wedding rings on or off? On

Mood: According to Tim, I was much less crazy than he thought I would be in the beginning. And now, my emotions are a roller coaster,but again, not pregnancy related. I'm mostly a combination of numb/sad/joyful/depressed/angry/hopeful.

Looking forward to: Seeing Colleen and Rod and baby Jane, and celebrating Tim's life with the best friends

16 Weeks

My life is forever changed.

I don't know how to write this. I was supposed to be telling about the wonderful news about Tim and I expecting our first baby. Instead, our world was flipped upside down. Honestly, I'm pretty sure that most days I'm still in shock. Sometimes, I forget that this is real life now. And sometimes it hurts so much I can't catch my breath and I can't stop sobbing. Mostly, I'm just numb. I want my husband back. I want him here. However, I will choose to trust in our God, that His plan is being carried out just as it should. As Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Instead of trying to write this again, I am just going to put an excerpt from my eulogy of Tim. At some point I will post all of it. For now:

The morning of April 3rd 2013 will forever remain imprinted in my mind, as will the days that followed Tim's accident when family and friends lived with us at the hospital to pray, give support, and be with Tim. Tim fought hard to hang on, and it was a blessing to be witness to the love and support of everyone all over the world that was praying for him. On Sunday, April 7th at 6:45 PM, Tim went to be with his Savior. It had been a sunny day, and for about twenty minutes surrounding his passing it began to rain. Our dear friends reported seeing a rainbow above the Hine house in Southbury just after 7:00 PM. We were all able to say our goodbyes, and I was able to wrap my arms around the love of my life one more time. I am so grateful that we were all there with him.
That night, I awoke at 4:30 AM after having a vision of Tim putting his arms on my arms, looking me in the eyes, and smiling. He said "I'm ok." He was big and bright, and when I opened my eyes, there was still a bit of light in the room. I feel such peace because I know Tim is in Heaven and I know I will see him again. My faith has been strengthened over the last few weeks and I feel closer to God than I ever have before. I am angry and devastated that Tim is gone, but not at God. I know Tim 
is in an incredible place and I know he is doing amazing things, and I am sure he is climbing mountains up there. 

I miss my best friend. I miss my husband. I love you babe, and I really can't wait to be with you again! You would have really loved the last ultrasound, this little one is just like you. Baby Hine is moving all around, rubbing their face, and kicking (although I can't feel it just yet). 

I am going to start to write weekly updates on our baby, so that I can remember everything.

So, I have a blog?

I can't believe I haven't posted since the summer...well actually I guess I can! It has been a crazy 6 months since then! Let's place a little catch up shall we?

-In late August/September I started my very first teaching job, as a 5th grade teacher. It has been so much fun, hard work, tough days, and fun days since! I love my class, and feel blessed that they are my first group. It has been a whirlwind, and there is always so much to do, but I love it. I fully understand now just how challenging this profession can be, but also how rewarding. I am so grateful that I was given this opportunity.

-In September, on the 14th, we closed on our first house! After looking for quite awhile, we found a great place in Ridgefield that we just love! It is an old barn that was rebuilt, and has high beamed ceilings, a loft, wide plank floors, and a beautiful kitchen. We are even right across the street from a pond and can see a lake on the other side! We have loved living here so far, and have found some great hiking places in the area!

-In September, we also found out that my best friend, Nora, and my sister-in-law, Sarah, are both expecting babies! Sarah is having a girl, and I can't wait to be an aunt in June! I also am so excited to meet Nora's little one in May!

-In October, Tim's grandfather, Poppy, passed away. It was a really rough time for the family but we did get to spend a lot of time together remembering all the wonderful memories. He truly was a remarkable man, and I think that if you knew him, it was a privilege to know him.
Also in October, Hurricane Sandy hit hard, and we were without power for 4 days.


-In November, we got our puppy, McKinley! She is a Shiloh Shepherd, and now is just over 5 months old. She is a beautiful girl, and we are totally in love with her! She makes everything that we do more fun. She loves playing fetch, her ball, and ice cubes. She even enjoys her crate usually, and it took her awhile to like her bed. Recently, she has enjoyed snuggling in OUR bed right before we go to sleep, and gets down as soon as we turn off the light, which I think is so cute :). She is always so excited to see us when we get home, and we love taking her for hikes. We certainly got lucky with her!


-In December, I celebrated my 29th birthday with a wonderful dinner out with Tim. We also got our very first Christmas tree, that was over 10 feet tall! It was HUGE, and we barely fit it through the door. It was so fun to decorate for Christmas, and along with the regular holiday traditions, we also hosted the Hawes side of the family for the day after Christmas. Tim made a 20 ft. long table just for the event!
Also in December, the Sandy Hook shooting occurred...as a teacher, in the next town over, it was a terrifying, horrific, and completely heartbreaking day.


-In January, we went to an amazing Christian concert to Benefit Sandy Hook. HUGE Christian artists from around the country came to Bridgeport to perform and pray with us, and it was spectacular.

And so far this month, we have had a CRAZY winter storm that dumped about 18 inches at our house, and 30+ in Southbury. I didn't have school for 3 days, and then came back for a quick 2 days before our 4 day weekend!
We celebrated our THIRD anniversary, seriously where does the time go! I made lots of treats and a really yummy dinner to celebrate! Tim also took me on a trip to Jay Peak, Vermont where we stayed at a Bed & Breakfast, skied for 3 days (well, 2 and a few runs on the third), hung out in the lodge, and stopped at Harpoon Brewery on the way home for some great beer and food. It was a wonderful trip to celebrate, and I am so thankful that we went!


I think that about catches us up, I'll try not to wait too long next time! :)

-

I'm a teacher!

I am incredibly thrilled to say that I was offered a fifth grade teaching position recently.  I (along with my mother in law) have been hard at work setting up my classroom this week, and I am very excited for school to start in a few short weeks. I am so looking forward to teaching these kids, and to work with a fantastic staff, who have already been incredible.
It's also pretty awesome that I get to work with the Burke clan :)
More updates on school and house stuff soon!

3 Weddings, 3 Weekends, 3 States, Part 3: Colleen and Rod

This past weekend, we flew to Colorado for our final wedding of the summer. We have been incredibly excited about this trip, because not only would we get to celebrate two of our friends getting married, but we would also be able to hang out in our former home of Boulder!
We flew out west on Wednesday evening, and arrived in Boulder at 10:30, after a shortish walk from the bus station to our hotel we pretty much passed right out because we were incredibly tired.
On Thursday morning we woke up bright and early to go for a hike. We hiked the Royal Arch trail with Nora and Ellie, and had a blast! It was warm, but a lot of the hike is in the shade which is unusual for CO. Ellie was such a trooper, and really loved her first hiking experience in Boulder! We loved getting back out in those beautiful Foothills! After the hike, we met up with Joe to go to Mountain Sun (YAY!) and may have had a few beers with lunch...and then stopped at Ozo where I got my favorite vanilla latte. After relaxing for a bit, we biked to see Allison, Rob, and M. The hotel we stayed at had free commuter bikes to use, so between those and rides from Nora, we didn't have to rent a car. It was awesome! It was so fun to see the F's, and even though M didn't really recognize me, it was still great to see them. After that, we biked to Pearl and sat outside at The Kitchen Next Door and had a lovely dinner while watching all the people walk by. After dinner, it was time to get all dressed up for the 80s dance party for Colleen and Rod's pre-wedding party. We had an amazing time dancing to The Goonies cover band and dressing up! Those people sure know how to have a good time.
On Friday, we biked to Pearl to have Ozo and relax. Then we walked along Boulder Creek and had sandwiches at Snarf's. Then it was time to get ready for the wedding. Tim helped Joe set up the ceremony site, and I walked from our hotel up to where they were all staying. That was a long mile in my dress when it was so hot out! We picked up Wally (Colleen and Rod's dog) for the ceremony, and arrived with a minute to spare. It was held at the Flagstaff Ampitheatre. The ceremony was absolutely beautiful, and Colleen was simply stunning. It was so cool to have such a God centered ceremony, and the Burke sisters (Sarah Kate, Nora, and Jen) sang an amazing version of 1000 Years with Joe on guitar. Their vows were wonderful as well, and I'm pretty sure there weren't many dry eyes! The reception was at Chautauqua Dining Hall, and the tent and tables were gorgeous. The cake was AMAZING - and totally gluten and dairy free, crazy! The speeches, dances, and everything else was so fun and wonderful. When Rod danced with his aunt with his cousin singing, everyone was crying - it was a very special moment. We all danced the night away, and had delicious food and drink! It was so fun to be in this amazing place with our best friends!
On Saturday, we went to the Boulder Farmer's Market and met Karin and Caleb - it is amazing how much that kid talks now, and I LOVED seeing them! After that, we headed to North Boulder Park for a post-wedding picnic. Some of the highlights were hanging with everyone, seeing Tony, and the Sweet Cow ice cream truck. JH totally bashed his leg playing a game of frisbee, and had to get 11 stitches, but the kid is a trooper and I think might even be a little proud of his battle scar! After the park, we got ready and hit Mt. Sun for dinner again, and Tony met us for a few drinks. It was a fantastic day!
On Sunday, we walked to our former church, All Souls, and got to attend church and have lunch with Cassy, Justin, Lora and Andrew. It was a blast to hang out with our friends again, I sure do miss them! I also sure do miss going to church every week - must fix this! After lunch, the Bohnets were so kind to get out bags and drive us to Colleen and Rod's. We relaxed for the afternoon, took Wally dog for a walk, and had dinner with Jeris and Melissa who so kindly brought Tim's bag from Denver!
On our last day, we awoke early to hike our favorite hike, Anemone, with Wally. It was so fun! I totally miss being able to walk to such amazing hiking. Then we got our stuff ready, went to Mt. Sun for one last lunch and beer, Ozo for one last vanille latte, and then we went to the airport and flew home.
It was an incredible trip - we realized just how much we miss Boulder, I def shed a few tears when we left. It just isn't everywhere that you can walk, bike, or hike to such amazing places. We miss our old home immensely, and need to get back more often!

Colleen and Rod - 80s style

Burke fam, 80s style

We are two hot couples haha

Me, Nora, Ellie at the Arch

Burke fam after the wedding

Gorgeous

Burned out trees on Anemone hike

Beautiful bride and proud dad

Mountain Sun Date Night burger and Annapurna Amber make me happy!

Flatirons!

Soooooo happy!

Hiking Anemone

Sweet Cow Ice Cream

Joe and Nora

Nora and I

Random, only in Boulder

YAY!

P loving his fudge

Beautiful placecard holders

Rod seeing his bride for the first time

Singing!

Our table

Where the ceremony took place!

At the reception

Wally!

Sorry so many pics - hard to choose!

3 Weddings, 3 Weekends, 3 States, Part 2: Emma and Adam

Emma and Adam's wedding weekend was an amazing experience that I don't think any of us will forget any time soon.
It started off on Thursday evening, when Tim and I picked up Nora and Joe and we headed up to Vermont. We of course stopped at our favorite restaurant, the Northampton Brewery, on the way there for dinner and beers. We then continued our drive to Quechee, and stayed at my parent's place for the evening.
On Friday, Tim and Joe tried to get our car fixed (silly check engine light), then after stopping for some breakfast, we headed to the Ludlow, VT area for field games and lake swimming. We hung out with new friends and old - playing fun games,swimming in the lake, relaxing, and just enjoying a beautiful summer day. That evening with took school buses to the Long Trail Brewery for the rehearsal dinner, complete with awesome beer, delicious dinner, Ben and Jerry's, and Blue Grass Band playing. It was a ton of fun hanging out and celebrating the couple at one of our favorite places.
On Saturday, we had an amazing breakfast at the Apple Pie Co. with the Edwards and Perreaults. Awesome food, free samples, and a cute place! After an afternoon of resting, we got ready and headed up to the Castle (the wedding was at Castle Hill in Ludlow,VT), and were treated to Izze sodas with adorable straws for a refreshment during the ceremony. The bridesmaids were beautiful, the groomsmen looked great, the flower girl and ring bearers could not have been cuter, and the bride and groom were simply amazing. Tony did a great job officiating, and the rhyming vows were so sweet. Cocktail hour was awesome, and the scallops with bacon were the best! After we headed down to the reception tent, where there was a vintage 20s style theme.The speeches were touching, the First Dance to Stuck on You was so cute, and the Father/Daughter dance with a song written by Emma's dad made me cry. The cakes were beautiful (and one was an Iceberg) and the food was great. The wedding band was absolutely incredible, and we all danced all night long. It was one of the most fun receptions I have ever been too.
On Sunday, we had breakfast and headed home, exhausted and happy from the night before.
Emma and Adam truly have unique and wonderful friends, and it is so cool to see just how much they all love each other!

Tim, Adam, Joe

So cute!

Ben and Jerry's!

Ridiculous breakfast

Joe and Nora

Beautiful bride and her dad

They are crazy

:)

First Kiss

Iceberg cake

Izzes!

Long Trail tables

They are too cute

Awesome sign!

Ladies at the lake

Tim and I

3 Weddings, 3 Weekends, 3 States, Part 1: Shannon and Ryan

Our first wedding in the weekend of weddings extravaganza was the wedding of Tim's cousin Shannon and Ryan. They were married the last weekend of June (June 30th) at the Candlewood Lake Inn in Brookfield,CT. It started on Friday night with a rehearsal dinner at Down the Hatch, where we got to meet people and hang out with Tim's sis who was in town for the wedding from St. Louis. It was fun to see how excited Shan was for her wedding the next day.
 The day of the wedding was a very hot day, but with the ceremony being right at the edge of Candlewood Lake, the breeze off the water really helped! The ceremony was beautiful, with a stunningly blue lake backdrop. The purple bridesmaids dresses looked awesome with the lake, and the flowers by Mrs. D were beautiful! Shannon was beaming and a beautiful bride as she walked down the aisle toward her new husband, Ryan. There was a few awesome readings, a beautiful song by Aunt Amy, a releasing of the bees, very sweet vows, and even a fainting groomsman! All in all a very nice ceremony.
The cocktail hour had awesome hor dourves, such as fried mac and cheese and lots of fruit! The reception was a lot of fun, with a performance by Ryan and a few friends, an awesome choreographed First Dance, delicious food, and dancing sister in laws.
The couple sailed away on a boat at the end of the wedding, and it was a beautiful end to a beautiful day!

After the wedding, we had snacks and fireworks at Tim's aunt's house, and it was a blast.

The Boat Escape

Beautiful Bridesmaids

First Kiss

Sarah, Tim, Lisa

Shan and Me

Tim and I