TRACY IS PREGNANT!

I'm soooooo happy!

This is my sister-in-law, wife to my husband's brother. They live in another state but we wish they lived here, both because we really like being around them and because we'd love to be able to help them out with things we could more easily help with if they were nearby.

It's been hard to see them struggle through school and life in general. They work harder than just about anyone I know, and they're so dedicated to their little family. But sometimes it seems like they just can't catch a break. It's frustrating to see and frustrating to not be able to do much about it.

But this news is so wonderful.

They've wanted a baby for the longest time. I'm going to guess about seven years? Tracy has really bad endometriosis. The disease alone is really awful to live with, and to add insult to injury you get infertility along with it. I haven't been through endometriosis, but I've gone down the infertility road and back again. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, let alone one of my best friends.

They have two fantastic boys. They are the sweetest, nicest, most well-behaved kids I've ever known. They've wanted a younger sibling SO badly. I'm just thrilled and tickled pink for all of them.

Speaking of pink, I have a hunch that it's a girl.

My husband rocks.

Really. He does.

How can I say how much I love and appreciate him? Haiku perhaps?

Matt is really great.
Really really really great.
Really really swell.

Okay apparently, I suck at haiku.

But he is great!

We've entered a new stage in our life together. We like to do things backwards, I guess. We got married, had kids, bought houses, and now he's going to school. The thing is, he's going to school while working a full-time-plus job, and still doing freelance projects on the side. All so that my little girls can have their mommy at home, and so that in the future, we'll have more freedom to be together as a couple and as a family.

His schedule is ridiculous. He gets up and goes to work. Works his eight or nine hours, then starts school either right from his desk at work (correspondance) or at his parents' house, where he can get some peace and quiet. He plugs along until he's finished what he needs to finish, and gets home usually between 11pm and 4am. Then gets a little sleep and starts over again.

I miss him so much. But oh, I am proud of him.

When we met, I had initial concerns about his ability to support a family, only because of the lack of a college degree. But that was before I got to know his tenacity, his ambition to realize his potential, and his dedication to his goals. This man is inspiring. When he sets out to do something, any obstacle that might get in the way, doesn't. He goes around it, over it, through it; whatever it takes. He powers through. He pulls himself up by the bootstraps, as it were, and does what needs doing. I admire him for it, and I love him for it.

Thank you, Matt. Thank you for taking care of our family. Thank you for teaching me that anything I want to do only takes making my mind up to do it. Thank you for enduring me, and enduring the hardships we've had, and only coming out of it a better man, a better husband, a better father.

I love you.