Hardin family

Family Traits

Now that we're less than two weeks away from our second ultrasound, I'm really beginning to think about our baby and imagine life with him or her.

Obviously our main prayer is for a healthy baby. The health of this baby has been our number one concern since January 4, but the feeling grows stronger each day that its tiny presence becomes a little bigger. I fully recognize that carrying this life in my body is a wonderful gift, and I feel blessed and honored that Jonathan, the baby and I are on this journey together.

People have asked if I have a gut feeling about our baby's gender. I do, but I don't have a strong preference either way. It would be fun to give my parents their second grandson or their first granddaughter. It would be thrilling to add another Hardin boy to the family or welcome the first Hardin daughter of the next generation. I would love to watch our son with his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, or know that our daughter is the next in a line of strong-willed women. 

If you have been following this blog for a while, you know how happy I am that we will learn our baby's gender on Jonathan's grandmother's birthday (April 9) and that our baby's due date is three days before my grandmother's birthday (September 10). I have spent the last two years documenting our family's history and stories, and now I'm ready to see which family traits and characteristics appear in our baby. Blue eyes and fair skin seem like the two most obvious ones, but maybe we'll have a rebel baby with brown eyes like both of its grandmothers.

Until then, I've put together a family album that goes back to our great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents. God willing, our child will grow up knowing exactly where he or she came from and who he or she looks like. What a wonderful thought and what an exciting journey.

Thanks for sharing our joy.

Jonathan and his grandmother Sadie.

Jonathan and his grandmother Sadie.

Me and my grandparents Bill and Lucy.

Me and my grandparents Bill and Lucy.

Jonathan and his mother Denise.

Jonathan and his mother Denise.

Me and my grandma Joan and my mother Julie.

Me and my grandma Joan and my mother Julie.

My dad Fred.

My dad Fred.

Jonathan's mother Denise.

Jonathan's mother Denise.

My mother Julie and grandmother Joan.

My mother Julie and grandmother Joan.

Jonathan's father Greg and his grandfather Gerald. 

Jonathan's father Greg and his grandfather Gerald. 

My grandmother Joan.

My grandmother Joan.

Jonathan's grandmother Sadie.

Jonathan's grandmother Sadie.

Jonathan's great-grandparents Dayton and Elzie with his grandfather Gerald.

Jonathan's great-grandparents Dayton and Elzie with his grandfather Gerald.

My grandmother Lucy.

My grandmother Lucy.

My great-grandmother Jennie Moore (back left), her brother Andy (back right), her mother Martha, stepfather Jacob and half-siblings Jake and Mayme Van Bibber. 

My great-grandmother Jennie Moore (back left), her brother Andy (back right), her mother Martha, stepfather Jacob and half-siblings Jake and Mayme Van Bibber. 

Jonathan's great-grandfather Dayton.

Jonathan's great-grandfather Dayton.

My great-grandmother Elsie (right) and her sister Myrtle.

My great-grandmother Elsie (right) and her sister Myrtle.

Jonathan's great-grandfather Clovis Yates (back, second from left) and his great-great grandparents William and Julia.

Jonathan's great-grandfather Clovis Yates (back, second from left) and his great-great grandparents William and Julia.

My great-grandfather Raoul with his sister Marie and parents Ernesto and Adele.

My great-grandfather Raoul with his sister Marie and parents Ernesto and Adele.

Jonathan's great-grandmother Eliza Michael (top right) and her siblings. 

Jonathan's great-grandmother Eliza Michael (top right) and her siblings. 

My great-grandmother Tina (front, bottom center) with her siblings and parents. 

My great-grandmother Tina (front, bottom center) with her siblings and parents. 

Like Father, Like Son

These photos of Gerald Hardin and his son Greg were taken in early 1958. 

It is comforting to know that we are not alone in our journey. Our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and great-great grandparents were all here before us doing the very things we're stressing out about today.

Perhaps times were different, but deep down we're all still the same. We owe them a debt of gratitude for blazing the trails before us. They built dreams and memories that we'll share with the next generations. 

That's really what life is all about, isn't it?

greg and gerald
greg and gerald 2
greg and gerald 3
greg and gerald 3
gerald and greg 5