I said I would be back to share more of our time in Michigan, so this is that. but there is a lot so it may take a couple days.

anyway, you read the really exciting part- when we found out this little one is a girl. pretty special. but that was just the beginning. below is the day of our ultrasound (twenty weeks), also the day before we left.

^ excuse the face.

our December in Michigan was nothing short of eventful. eventful in the sense that a lot happened, but we were also stuck inside a bunch too.

we had a beautiful drive up; not even one drop of rain. and I was much less uncomfortable than I expected I'd be, thank you Jesus. we got to Michigan, celebrated our nieces birthday (real fun. so much personality, those two.), opened that suspenseful envelope one morning, and that night a massive ice storm hit. massive in the sense that almost the entire county and some of the surrounding areas lost power for many days. with ice and low temps, it was a tad dangerous. the ice took out a lot of trees and power lines. but as usual, God was taking care of us. we went out to breakfast the next morning at one of the few places with power, sat in front of a fire for a day, a generator was lent to my parents, and Chad and his Dad drove to Ohio to buy one of the last and closest generators around for their house. the electricity came back on Christmas evening after four days of listening to the hum of a generator.. which really didn't bother me since I'm a white noise person. hardly noticed it, ha.

then a few inches of snow came and rested on all of the ice and it was the most beautiful I've ever seen Michigan. all of those evergreens! I know I'm crazy, but when I see trees like that I get the feeling that most of you get when you see a photo of the beach (and don't give me that, "you don't have to live here or have suffer through it" junk. I lived there for over twenty years. I just like it, okay?). don't get me wrong, I'd love a trip to the beach. but, I mean, this..

for Christmas, we bought the girls ice skates (per their request). so a few days later we all went to try out the new skates with Uncle Chad, since he is the pro. (; it was so fun seeing him in his element again and also really fun watching the girls figure it all out. I cherish those family days, since they are few and far between. and don't worry.. I was behind the camera most of the time. no skating for pregnant Ali.. she's no pro.

^ after probably five minutes. (; hard worker!

^ one for the books, am I right?

the rest of our trip was full of some exciting wedding festivities for good friends and a polar vortex blizzard, so that's fun. I told you it was eventful. (: I'll post more about that next time. hope you're having a great day!

love..