I feel like I am finally getting a chance to relax after a busy school year. May started with us going back to La Crosse to clean up some of my old things at my parents’ house. They bought a new house along the Mississippi River and made the move at the end of May after living almost 20 years on top of Ten Mile Hill.

Emily came home to help them move, so we spent a day with her in Madison. Odessa and Emily had lots of fun, although Odessa kept lamenting Bonnie’s absence. We went to the zoo, got ice cream, and Odessa is still talking about it.

Scott and I also celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary by having breakfast at the Pancake Cafe and then going to Allen Centennial Gardens to re-visit the spot where we got married. Then we topped off the evening with my very last final exam.

For my birthday, Scott planned a surprise trip to Chicago for a few days. We went to the Lincoln Park Zoo, did some swimming and shopping, and just relaxed.

May finished with a Von Ruden family trip up to the Hayward area. Dave and Paula rented a cabin and we did a lot of fishing. Scott’s grandparents came and camped in their motor home and took care of Odessa during the day so the rest of us could catch some fish. We had a lot of fun, ate some very good food including two dinners with fresh-caught fish, and enjoyed being together.

I am 13 weeks pregnant and starting to get bigger. Yesterday, I was able to hear the baby’s heartbeat at the doctor’s office. December 11, 2009 can’t come fast enough. This summer we hope to relax, have fun, and spend lots of time together before school starts up again in the fall.