A Quick Trip to Nashville

While Jesse is home, we decided to take a quick trip over to Nashville so he could see some of his extended family and some friends. Our first stop was dinner with Bill (Poppi) and Cindy (Pippa) Mason. Ellie got spoiled with some new toys and had fun climbing in chairs and visiting with everyone around us. It was a fun dinner with the Mason's and Ellie loves the new toys she got from them. The next visit was with our friends, Jason & Lena Cox, who we stayed with that evening. It's always a guaranteed good time visiting with them. Ellie was able to play the piano for the first time, mainly wanting to touch the lowest and highest keys after some random pounding. The next morning, we drove over to Nana's (Jesse's grandmother) house for a few hours and Ellie had a ball playing there. It was great to catch up with Nana and let her have some time with Ellie without all the craziness of a packed house. Jesse was also able to visit his grandfather's grave (his dad's dad) since he was unable to make the funeral in April. We met Uncle Jeff (Jesse's dad's brother) for a lunch visit to catch up with him and then headed back to Knoxville afterwards. We were sad not to be able to see everyone, but it was a productive visit and Ellie was a trooper!

7th Wedding Anniversary

Jesse and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary on June 26th. We were lucky enough to be able to be together for it as it was (lucky #7 I guess). We ended up having a little dinner date on our short Cincinnati trip to a restuarant close to my brother's house that we highly recommend to anyone visiting Cincinnati. It's a local Italian place called Betta's. My brother and his wife have spent some of their anniversary's going to this place and so it came highly recommended and didn't disappoint! I am so blessed to be married to my very best friend and I am more in love with him every day. I hate that we will spend most of the next year of our marriage apart, but God has blessed us so much and I know he will return to celebrate our 8th anniversary together! Thank you Lord for an amazing husband - I am blessed!

Meeting Langston Kate

In late June, Jesse and I were able to schedule a quick trip up to Cincinnati to meet my new niece. Langston Kate Hardwick was born on March 22nd when she was only 30 weeks in the womb. Jennifer (the trooper Mom) had preeclampsia that developed quickly and caused her to have to deliver Langston early. She was a fighter and was in the NICU until May 10th. Now, she is a thriving, adorable little girl that has made it through such a hard ordeal with flying colors. Langston is a really good mixture of both Jonathan and Jennifer.

I was so happy to finally meet her after all the restrictions being lifted due to her immune system building up. It was also really neat to see my brother as a new dad. He's really patient and loving with this miracle baby. So happy to have this new addition to the Hardwick Family! :)