ROAD TRIP!

CAR SEAT HOURS LOGGED
3 hours - Cedar Hill to Lampasas
2 hours - Lampasas to Giddings
1 hour - Giddings to College Station
1 hour - College Station to Giddings
2 hours - Giddings to Buda
4 hours - Buda to Cedar Hill
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13 hours of driving in 3 days = 1 saddle sore baby boy

God surely abounds in grace!  He blessed us with the sweetest tempered baby who withstood 13 hours in his car seat over a very long 3 day weekend.  We were able to spend a little time fishing with Drew and Mikey out at the ranch, then pop over to Camp Tejas where Jason delivered the Word at youth camp, followed by a quick trip to College Station to see Dana, back to camp for a morning sermon, down to Buda for Austin and Misty's wedding, and finally home.  Jason took the 4 hour trip from Cedar Hill to Giddings a second time just 1 day later, but we figured poor Judah needed a break.

Relaxing, fishing, friends, weddings...it was worth the drive!

LAMPASAS RANCH

BRASHIER WEDDING

PEANUTS and CRACKER JACKS

Fun night!  Thanks to the Durhams who invited us out to Caleb's game. 
Chicken Express and baseball...how American :)

PICTURE PERFECT

What a stud!  Jason assembled all the activities that constitute a perfect date to create an unforgettable first Mother's Day for Hannah :)

The date began by leaving Judah with parenting veterans, Mark and Bev - whose hands are probably a lot more capable than ours'.  We then proceeded to have a picnic lunch by the water (perfectly overcast skies), followed by Iron Man 2 at The Grande, and finished with dinner at Pappas BBQ.  Note: the perfect date is not entirely defined by what you do...it's HOW you do it.  And with plenty of conversation and lots of laughter, this date was irrevocably perfect!

MARK and BEV

PICNIC LUNCH by the WATER

...we were surrounded by ladybugs

IRON MAN 2 and MILK DUDS :)

DINNER at PAPPAS BBQ

HEY! MAMBO ITALIANO!

Another fabulous dinner party with the Pappalardo's!  It was a different mix than usual - a little bit of Mexico in the appetizers, some Italy in the dinner music and sides, and good ol' American BBQ for the main course :)  Chicken, beef, and the most incredible pork (way to go John).  And as an extra special treat...Dana and Matt drove up for the weekend!  You can't spend an evening in this house without having a blast...

EASTER!!

While the national celebration is long over, please know that the Hatch family is part of an ongoing party to celebrate Easter's Good News...Jesus Christ is ALIVE!!!  And more than just being present, He is ACTIVE.  His sovereignty, victory, and continual work in our lives is celebrated DAILY!

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to the Durhams for having us over for a special Easter lunch :)  It was delicious and fun!  It was also Judah's first time to visit (rather than be visited by) friends.  We had a great time!

GRANDMA BOBBIE

In mid April we made our first trip in several months to see Grandma Bobbie!  The wildflowers were just beginning to show, and in another week or two the ranch would be covered in color.  Meanwhile, the mornings were cool, the afternoons warm, and we enjoyed an amazing West Texas thunderstorm.  God really shows off while you watch the lightning split sky several miles across the flat distance.

It was good for Jason to get out of the city for a breather and good for Judah to finally meet his Great Grandma Bobbie :)  We had an awesome visit!

Aunt Julia

Little Rocky...

Jason showing Judah his favorite view

AUNT HOLLIE!!!

In early April, Hannah's sister (Hollie) flew out from Atlanta to meet her new nephew!  We missed Uncle Tya and Cousin Sydney, but that will be amended this coming October in Tennessee :)  Even Hollie's visit was no simple arrangement - until the day of delivery we'd conceded that pictures must suffice for several months (one of the many heartaches caused by distance).  But the morning of Judah's delivery, we received a surprise...

Over the past several years Tya has purposefully acquired enough frequent flyer miles for one round trip ticket to South Dakota where his life long friend recently returned after military assignment.  HOWEVER, (godly husbands, take note) he sacrificed his mileage to purchase Hollie a surprise ticket to Dallas during Spring Break :)  We were ESTATIC!  Hannah was updating EVERYONE on the good news...via text to her coworkers and friends, then by excitedly relaying Hollie's phone call to every nurse, doctor, lactation consultant and anesthesiologist involved in Judah's debut!

We had a WONDERFUL time :)  Not only aunt and nephew, but sisters!

Sweet friend, Beth

Hollie caught Judah sucking his finger...

...just like Jason as a baby