We're Expecting!!

That's our big news!! As one friend said recently, Albuquerque was good to us. :)

We found out earlier in the summer, and during the past two months, Steph has been experiencing significantly decreased energy and sickness, which tends to hit unexpectedly, morning or not. However, she is now just past three months and is feeling a lot better. It was nice being with her parents this summer -- they were a big encouragement and support -- and, as we'll be having their first grandchild, they are quite excited! On my side of the family, this will be grandchild number seven for my mom (who is also very excited)! So we're adding another cousin to the growing roster of kiddos!

The baby's due date is February 27. We should be able to know the sex of the baby within about two months.

Stephany at thirteen weeks! Her belly is definitely getting bigger by the week.



Our little one at eight weeks. This is a pretty cute picture, with the little arm protruding, almost like he or she is waving hello. This picture came from our initial appointment with Stephany's doctor in Albuquerque.



And here are pictures from our more recent appointment in Dallas. It was probably the coolest thing I have ever seen to watch our little baby move around during the sonogram (Steph couldn't feel it at all, but the baby is only about three inches long right now). Here, the baby is about twelve weeks. This is a picture of the body.



And here are some pictures of the little face! It's so amazing.





And we got to count all ten fingers! Very fun! Also amazing.





And here we have a picture of the baby's legs, which appear to be pretty long! We're wondering if the baby will be getting my height.



We are SO excited about this child! It has been great having the support and encouragement of our family, and our friends are so excited for us.

It's going to be a great year!!

Our love to you all,
Nathan & Stephany

Santa Fe Vacation

This summer, we took a vacation to Santa Fe for a two-night stay at a bed and breakfast there. We had planned the vacation in the spring, as we knew that we wanted to use a weekend to do something special for the two of us. We did not get much of a vacation over Christmas, as my exam schedule was interrupted when my father passed away on December 10 (I had to come back after Christmas and take an exam, and then classes started almost immediately thereafter). Also, our anniversary falls right after school starts in the fall, so we decided to celebrate that a bit early as well (three years on September 2!).

Originally, we had planned on trying to make it back to Durango, Colorado, which is about four hours northwest of Albuquerque. We honeymooned in Durango and also went back for our first anniversary. Both times, we stayed at a bed and breakfast outside of town called Blue Lake Ranch, which we thoroughly enjoyed and recommend to anyone! However, with our work schedules, it was going to be a bit tough getting up there early enough on a Friday to enjoy a full two evenings out of town, so we decided to keep it a bit closer to home. We also knew that the owners of Blue Lake Ranch own a bed and breakfast in Santa Fe, so we decided to try it out. We stayed two blocks from the New Mexico state capitol building at the Don Gaspar Inn.

During our visit to Santa Fe, we patronized the luxurious mountain resort spa Ten Thousand Waves. We were quite impressed with the place. It is modeled after Japanese spa houses, and the design was truly impressive. The grounds were very pleasant.







During our time there (four hours in all), we enjoyed an hour-long soak in a private outdoor soak tub (just us and the mountain butterflies). Clothing was optional (and we enjoyed the opt-out, if you know what we mean). We also enjoyed an hour-long massage, which was great. The remainder of the time, we walked around in our kimonos, viewed the koi pond, soaked our feet in a hot foot bath, and spent an hour in the spa's relaxation room where we sat against the wall on floor chairs and listened through headsets to soothing music and almost fell asleep (several times). We did not take pictures, so alas, you are stuck with pics of the beautiful paths leading to the main facility.







Our first night there, we found an excellent little Italian food place called Pranzo Italian Grill in the district near the railyard. The food was excellent. The entertainment for the evening was a pianist named David Geist who had played something like 600 shows on Broadway -- he was excellent. For dessert, we shared tiramisu -- it was excellent.

Me looking very boy-like and happy. Because I was.



Beautiful Stephany, putting the lovely tiramisu to shame.



We also spent some time walking around the square. The big Spanish Market was going on, and all kinds of artisans were out with their crafts -- some cool, some cheesy -- all Southwestern. It was pretty fun.

Here we were at the Santa Fe Convention Center. These were some cool light fixtures beneath an outdoor walkway.



Stephany near the Convention Center's courtyard.







This was a truly bizarre public art piece near the Convention Center. We could not figure out why there would be huge fish coming out of the ground in such a desert-like place. Go fish.



So we decided to play with them.









And here we are during breakfast at Don Gaspar Inn. The food, as anticipated, based upon our experience at Blue Lake Ranch, was fantastic: yogurt, granola, breads, fresh fruit, green chile stew, stuffed french toast, fresh orange juice, and good coffee.







And this was outside of our room, which was accessed by entering a wooden gate through a courtyard/private garden.



We stayed in the "Territorial Suite." And we enjoyed it.



Me enjoying my morning coffee, reflecting upon the simplicities and complexities of life.



Stephany laughing at me. Okay, not really. She's just a super-happy and very pleasant person 101% of the time.



Us sharing a camera moment on our front-porch-for-the-weekend.



One of my personal favorites. You wouldn't even believe all the silly pictures we take of ourselves and each other when given the opportunity. I'm just slipping one of many in here, because of the sheer awesomeness of this one.



And finally, some pics of our room. It was really nice. And really Southwestern. But, honestly, with a name like "the Territorial Suite," we were prepared.











The bathroom was very cool. We decided that if we ever own our own sink, we want to own one like this.



We enjoyed Santa Fe. We had taken lots of day trips there before, but it was nice getting a better feel for the city and what it has to offer. Since we were there on a weekend, we did not get to visit the state capitol or the state supreme court building, which we hope to do another time.

All in all, it was a great vacation, and we really enjoyed spending some good time together doing some fun things.

Nathan

Stephen's Residency Reception

Earlier this summer, my brother finished his five-year urological residency program. The past five years have been such an amazing and challenging time for him and Jamie. During that time, he has worked insane hours (they limit (sort of) the time residents work to 80 hours a week). Also, he and Jamie have had three children during that time. They have also managed to be somewhat involved with church and social groups. Stephany and I were so glad to be able to be there that night for his reception. He and another resident were being honored for completing the program.

I am so proud of my brother. Seeing what he has endured during these past five years has given me much encouragement for facing difficult times in the future. He would be the first to say that it has not been pretty at times, and that he has sometimes failed. However, even though the flesh has been weak, and even though the spirit has been pressed, he has made it through a very demanding chapter of life - even if God had to drag him through some of it. The picture above is of the head doctor of the urology department honoring Stephen. I say this in a very selfish way, but it was so rewarding to finally hear the praise that was due to him.

The pictures below capture Stephen speaking about his experiences during the program and how certain people there (doctors, staff, etc.) had contributed to it. The pictures are a bit blurry, as I was in the back of the room and the lighting is not great.





One thing I really appreciated hearing was Stephen honoring my father during his speech. He said that something he had learned from our dad was that you should treat patients like they are your family. Anyone who knew my dad would readily agree that that was how Stewart Stimson treated people, especially his patients. I hope to apply that to my own career, to approach those I serve in my profession (and beyond my profession, in my law-related personal interests and in my love for people in general) with empathy and understanding - in a way that communicates they are my brother and sister.



Stephen also took some time to thank Jamie in particular (first and most of all), for all her love and support throughout these years. It was really sweet.





Stephany and I were there partly to babysit Macy, their youngest, in the back. We love that little girl, and it was fun being there with her at our own table.





Stephen, Jamie, and Macy.



And other pictures of all of us.











On a final note, I would account, for anyone who did not know, that Stephen's residency is what brought me out to Albuquerque back in 2005. He had matched through his residency applications at the University of New Mexico, and I followed him and Jamie out here about six months after they moved here, because I was inbetween jobs and wanted to get out of Texas for a while. A year after I moved here was when Stephany and I met. Also, a lot of really significant life growth happened for me during that first year here - a lot of really trying times and personal difficulties - and I am thankful for coming out on the other side of a lot of those things, with a deeper, more abiding, more solemn and honest faith.

So for me, it was especially meaningful to be there that night. I was fortunate to be there at the beginning of Stephen and Jamie's New Mexico journey, and I was fortunate to be there at the end. It's all quite amazing to me.

They are now moving on to Waco, where Stephen will enter private practice with a urology group there, and Stephany and I will be back to Dallas in a week to finish up my third and last year of law school at SMU. Lots of good things.

Nathan