Dear Reader:

I have been hinting that there is some “changes in the air” feelings circulating around our family homestead. Ever since Tommy and Kaitlyn’s wedding some speculation that Mollie might be expecting again (no celebratory champagne indulgence at the ceremony) has been whispered about with communal nodding. But no one knew for sure…

After Mollie’s doctor confirmed what she and Walsh, both suspected…the secret slowly began to unwind and infiltrate throughout the close-knit web of family and friends.

Of course now that the ‘expecting’ disclosure has been confirmed…the second tier of anticipation centers around the question of gender. As you can see Rutledge is very protective of the baby…and when asked if he would like a little brother or sister…his quick response a “little sistah.”  (Lachlan ‘parrots’ his big brother’s response automatically…whatever he says…goes.)

Our latest little Dingle is due either the end of December or first of January. We all want a healthy little baby…boy or girl. So now let’s have some fun with predicting like we did Mollie’s last pregnancy…because you readers predicted the gender overwhelmingly correct…a boy!

We know it is pretty early ‘in the game’ but Walsh and Mollie’s next-door neighbor has the tightly concealed envelope with the three-letter or four-letter word in it….she is going to get some some confetti “cannons” for our family’s Fourth of July party and whatever color confetti shoots out…blue or pink… is it! The excitement is mounting as the revealing for one and all draws closer.

So come join in the fun! Pick a color and let me know what you think (Boy or Girl)…no players’ names will be revealed…just the total number of tallies for each gender. The prediction tally stops at noon Tuesday on the fourth so I can get them counted and make the prediction Tuesday evening right before the confetti flies. A little added excitement to the Fourth of July festivities!

* In the last pregnancy Anne even predicted the exact date that Lachlan would arrive…St. Patrick’s Day…so you readers are good!

You can email me at rebecca_dingle@hotmail.com or just write the gender on the comment section under the post.

*Honey…remember those seeds of happiness you made for Rutledge’s revealing a little over four years ago…you made both blue and pink seeds of happiness. Well…while cleaning out bedroom drawers in the guest bedroom last week…look what I found! All the pink ones that were never used. So…what the heck…will take the bag and leave it in my car until we know…too funny!

This event also might clear up another mystery to any of you Facebook readers who happened to see several announcements about a house for sale in Mt. Pleasant (next to the Wando River) by family members trying to help get the message out.

Walsh and Mollie were needing a larger home to meet the demands of their growing family so they had put down some security money on a home being built near their present home and were under a time-line to get their home sold in time to meet the next installment deadline.

Suddenly lo and behold…a gentleman came to look at their place Thursday…loved their home, beautiful property and made a cash offer right there and then. It was all very exciting…what made it even more interesting was that the buyer told their realtor that from the moment he turned onto their road…he felt that he was being lead to the right place.

He was looking for a home for his parents who had just sold their home in the midlands and were moving closer to them. He saw the pictures of the family on the walls and felt goodness and happiness within the walls. He wanted to meet the owner so Walsh immediately ran over to meet with him. The buyer’s mother is in a wheelchair so the small one-level flat compact home was perfect for her and her needs.

*The only snag is that Walsh and Mollie must be out of their house in two weeks because the buyer’s parents’ house sold in one day and they are needing a place to move and live in quickly.

Whew! It has been a crazy roller coaster ride for all the family the past few weeks…little did we know the wedding would be an impetus to a whole set of family surprises. God is the Master of Surprises and He must be smiling down on all our excitement.

Yesterday Mollie and the boys came and spent the day with Boo…the weather cooperated…we played hard…at the park, on the deck, in the neighborhood…as you can see!

Our breather inside was when the boys were watching 20 Trucks, Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 on the computer screen.

At the park…Rutledge was hugging Barney the Dinosaur because he said Barney missed him so much when he wasn’t around to play with him and he told Lachlan to go play with “Pony” because he looked sad…to kiss him. Rutledge is a very sensitive child.

So until tomorrow…

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*More fresh flowers from the garden to brighten my day!