Whoa, I have a minute

It has been ages since I did a blog post, but tonight I had an uncommon thing happen--I didn't have anything to do.  It was a weird out-of-body feeling.  At first I stood there for several seconds as I tried to remember if there were any to-dos I had just forgotten.    I found myself actually going on Facebook and actually reading my friends blogs--two things I've been wanting to do for a long time.  Then I thought I ought to update this blog since I have been terrible about keeping it up.  I think its been almost six months since my last post.  That is awful!

Our family has been busy but doing great. We are so excited for baby #2, due December 21.  For those who hadn't heard, it is a little girl.  A few months ago Ben and I were discussing names, and we both agreed that we like the name Lily.  That name has kind of stuck (since there are very few names we can agree on), so that will probably end up being it unless she comes out looking very un-Lily-ish.

Ben's second year has been busy but not too terrible.  We had heard from all of our med school friends who are farther along that second year is a lot worse than first, which really scared, but we've just had to get used to a new study routine.  Ben has a test every third week.  The first week is pretty laid back.  He gets home around 5:00 p.m. and studies maybe one to two more hours that evening.  The second week is a bit harder.  He is available for just a couple of hours every night.  The third week is pretty rough.  I basically don't see him till after 10:30 p.m. every night.  Since there is some ebb and flow, it is manageable, and every third weekend he is completely free, which is nice.  I have our third weekends all planned out for the next few months.  From what he's said, school is more interesting this year.  He actually gets to study things related to the practice of medicine as opposed to general science classes (which I thought we had covered in undergrad).

My work has been about as perfect for our situation as can be hoped for, especially for an attorney job.  I work 8-5.  The atmosphere is pretty low stress.  I have only had a handful of stressful days.  Some of the work can be tedious, but overall I like it.  The firm does all public education law.  I've had some interesting issues to handle too--some special ed legal issues, some religion issues, and some cases involving theft by employees.  I was also in charge of 5-6 employee grievances and got to attend a couple of grievance hearings.  It wasn't quite as exciting as going to court, but I'll take what I can get.

Whitney is doing awesome.  She is developing so quickly these days.  Her sentences are getting long.  Just tonight she said something like, "mommy, hear that sound outside?"  Every once and awhile she will come out with a few words that are strung together in a comprehensible fashion like that, and it kind of surprises me.  Sometimes she seems more like a kid than a baby, and that is just weird.  She is turning 2 in two weeks.  Next weekend we are having a joint friend birthday party with five other kids who are turning 2 in our ward (crazy, huh?).  We are doing some hot dogs and games at a park.  I'll try to post some video.  

Ben said I should post some pictures, so here are a few pictures our friend Marissa took of us back in May.

  

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