This is my Baby Momma, isn’t she the most beautiful baby Momma in the world? I think so too. Here she is 19 weeks in and sporting the belly real nice. Inside there is a little chublinka. How cool is that?

If you are a boy, and we named you Luke, everyday I would get to say “Luke, I am your father!” and I would do it in this weird voice, and you would be like that’s weird Dad. But you see one day we will watch Star Wars and you will see how cool that line really is. So ya I guess I just spoiled Star Wars for you, but you will get over it, its still shocking every time I watch it. So it will be OK.

So what if you are a girl? That rules out the Star Wars quotes, but any daughter of mine is still going to watch it and learn to love it. You will love it. I like girls, your mom is a girl and I love her dearly, so I will love you dearly also, actually I love you right now, and I am not sure what you are yet. Girls can have fun too, we will have a good time everyday.

If you are a boy you can help me do the yard, have I told you how big the yard is? It is huge, so yea I need some help with that, plus your Mom, well she is kinda demanding sometimes, she likes lots of things done all the time, so you will be getting your very own “Honey Nard List” I have one, only boys get them…so be prepared for that.

If you are a girl, well you will be so lucky because you have all these wonderful Aunts that love to go shopping and spend all their men’s money, so that should be a lot of fun for you. Plus you have a posse of cousins who are boys, and they will be a great comfort to have if anyone ever gives you any trouble. Plus there is Ivy, she is very cute and will be like a big sister for you.

Either way, you are stepping into a circle of love, the world is scary, but our little circle is safe and secure from all that. Am I scared you are coming to visit forever? Not really, some days I might freak out, but I am really excited to see you. I must warn you though, I am very strange, I talk about goats and tacos and random farm animals, usually all in the same sentence. Ask you cousins they know. So just be prepared for that. Your mom is awesome also, she is really going to be a lot of fun for you. I can only imagine all the nick names she will come up with to call you.

Well Chublinka, keep on doing your thing in there, and we will keep on doing our thing out here.
We are looking forward to you.

Love, Dad.

Today the doctor visit went very well, it was real fast, they did another listen of the babies heartbeat, it was very loud and strong, it took no time at all to find it unlike last time. It was very exciting!

Ok thats all.
Greg.

I originally wrote this the night we found out we were pregnant, its time to share it.

I cant post this yet, which is torture, but I needed to write it down now, so this was actually written Monday May 7th 2007.

So this weekend goes down in the memory books as one of the biggest and life changing events so far in the life of Greg and Jackie. In the days leading up to Sunday night my heart was telling me that something was true, the signs where there, but the proof was not. We needed the proof. So Jackie bought a Pregnancy test, and 3 minutes turned into a life time. The result? and there you have it. Sometime in January 2008 a new member of the Hogan family will appear. I said I knew in my heart long before the test confirmed that it was true, I have known in my heart for about 3 days. Seeing Joey and Kelly with Danny this weekend, as he sat on the table taking his first real bites of food I knew I wanted to be a Dad, I needed to be a Dad. My life is changing, my heart is growing, and God has decided that now is the time. We did not plan this, God planned this. This reminded us that we are not in control, as much as we like to think we are. But God has new plans, bigger plans, and now we will honor those plans. It’s time to change course, and bring some new love into the world.

How do I feel? Thrilled, overwhelmed, excited, scared, mellowed, serious, calm, nervous…the list goes on, but over all I feel blessed and am very proud of my wife. I look forward to our family.

My mom mailed Jackie and I this picture today, and it really brought joy to my soul of what I can look forward to soon. Thanks Mom.

I cant post this yet, which is torture, but I needed to write it down now, so this was actually written Monday May 7th.So this weekend goes down in the memory books as one of the biggest and life changing events so far in the life of Greg and Jackie. In the days leading up to Sunday night my heart was telling me that something was true, the signs where there, but the proof was not. We needed the proof. So Jackie bought a Pregnancy test, and 3 minutes turned into a life time. The result? || and there you have it. Sometime in January 2008 a new member of the Hogan family will appear. I said I knew in my heart long before the test confirmed that it was true, I have known for about 3 days, and seeing Joey and Kelly with Danny this weekend, as he sat on the table taking his first real bites of food I knew I wanted to be a Dad, I needed to be a Dad. My life is changing my heart is growing, and God has decided that now is the time. We did not plan this, God planned this. This reminded us that we are not in control, as much as we like to think we are. We have actually been trying to not have a baby. But God has new plans, bigger plans, and now we will honor that. It’s time to change course, and bring some new love into the world.

Being an Uncle is a fun role to have in life. you get to be an adult figure who is in charge, but also have a little fun with kids knowing they are not your own. Plus you can give them back at the end of the day to let mom and dad deal with the consequences of your actions. However I struggle with being one who likes to keep order. Going to Atlanta today was Jackie and I’s first day trip with three boys who were and are all in all excellent, but also are a handful when together. I was curious to see how it was going to play out. I find myself getting into a certain “mode” or “mood” before any child is placed in my care, and that “mode” being an enforcer of sorts. I tend to be tough, firm, but fair. The struggle Jackie and I realized is how tough is too tough? You want them to have fun, but you also want to put an end to questions and comments like “when are we going home?, can I have a snack? I don’t want to hold your hand, don’t touch your brother, put down the stick, are we there yet, I don’t need to tee-tee, I need to tee-tee”. I could go on. Anyway, I call it tough love, because J and I would do just about anything for our nephews and niece, but being tough can also leave a feeling of guilt inside, because we want them to take away all the fun they had, and not how mean Aunt Jackie and Uncle Greg can be. I have a lot to learn about being a parent when that day comes, and my hat if off to you who are, because it is no walk in the park. Kids will be kids and sometimes you just have to pick your battles with them.

The pictures are not the best, the lighting was poor which caused a lot of blurriness, plus I found it difficult to take pictures and keep track of three boys, a skill which I have not yet mastered. Anyway, here are the best of the ones taken at the Georgia Aquarium. Enjoy!