Another Christmas Surprise

On Christmas Eve, we had another Christmas Surprise. We got to tell my mother & my family that we are EXPANDING BY TWO FEET and EXPECTING a BABY in July 2012!! We had to wait to send out our Christmas cards/announcement until late last week because we had not told my family the news yet. SO here it is....

From Christmas Card

And here's how it went down on Christmas Eve.

Every Christmas Eve, my entire family (all 76 of us) gets together for my MawMaw's birthday. We eat and then play White Elephant gift exchange where you open one gift and people can steal it. This year's theme was 'As Seen on TV'. I wanted to wait and tell my mom about the baby in person and I thought this would be a great way to not only tell her but to also tell my entire family.

We all pulled our numbers and I was number 29. My gift was a picture frame that said "Love At First Sight" and had a picture of our 1st ultrasound. My gift was in the mix of all the other gifts and I was SO nervous that somebody else would pick it up. I was literally giving myself an upset stomach. Finally, my time at come. I went up and got my gift and asked my mom if she had a number. She told me that she didn't pick up a number because she wanted everybody else to get a gift. I insisted that take my gift. And she fussed at me that she didn't want to open a gift. In the mean time, my Uncle Larry had his number skipped and came up and tried to get my gift. I think I told him to "back off" and I almost bit his hand off. I grabbed another gift from him & his "Bump Its" shut him up and got him out of my way.

From Christmas 2011

After Uncle Larry was out of the way, my mom finally conceded to opening my gift since it was obvious I wasn't giving up.

From Christmas 2011

She didn't have her glasses on & claims she couldn't really see the ultrasound. So she flipped the frame over to read "Merry Christmas 2011! Love Todd, Candice & Baby Craig". Thats when her face turned to this...

From Christmas 2011

Then she announced to everybody "CANDICE ANN IS PREGNANT!"

Then I met her on the ground & the crying began.

From Christmas 2011

From Christmas 2011

From Christmas 2011

It felt like we hugged forever. Then she went straight for Todd

From Christmas 2011

Then all of my aunts & MawMaw came to hug me. I love this picture because they're all crowding me and you can see MawMaw squeezing my face like she always does.

From Christmas 2011

And then she came straight for the belly.

From Christmas 2011

She immediately got my stepdad Rodney on the phone to tell him the news. Unfortantely he wasn't home for Christmas this year. He had to work in Russia and missed the big reveal. It was loud in the house but Mom said that Rodney began crying over the phone he was so excited!

From Christmas 2011

It seriously was the BEST way to tell her & all of my family. It killed me not to tell her for the last two months but it was so worth the wait.

From Christmas 2011

From Christmas 2011

I was smart enough to ask my sister-in-law Rachel & brother Jonathan to not only take pictures but to also take video. And now we have the moment captured so that we'll never forget it! You have to check it out - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZNMWdprAi4&feature=youtu.be


Todd & I are SO excitedfor this next chapter in our lives. This is a HUGE answer to prayer & a desire of both of our hearts. We look forward to all that God has for us in 2012.

I hope you & your family had a wonderful Christmas!
Love,
Todd, Candice & Baby Craig