Woohoo!!!

We've got some good news to share! Matt received his promotion orders this morning and will have his promotion ceremony some time this week; most likely today or tomorrow. We were hoping he'd be pinned before the end of the year, but hadn't anticipated it coming so quickly. The November promotion list was posted a couple of days after he returned from school, but his graduation papers didn't make it in on time for his name to be on the list. This morning he found his promotion papers waiting for him when he got to his office. This is a huge blessing for us and we're thankful for God's continuing provision.

The other fun news is that my youngest sister and her husband are expecting another baby! Thank goodness for Yahoo IM and another sister (Tammy)who likes to "chat", or I wouldn't have known for a while still. Kristin and her husband moved to California a couple of weeks ago and she announced their good news at their farewell brunch. (We miss out on so much living so far away!) So, their adorable son "E" will meet his first brother or sister within a day or two of his third birthday. This kid will have his/her work cut-out climbing out from under the shadow of super-overachiever "E"!
Tammy and her husband are also expecting another little girl in February, so the only one left to jump on board the Bean Family Baby Train is Anne. Tammy's little guy, "R", will be three in July and is hands-down the most mellow little boy I've ever seen. He dwarfs his cousin "E" and is every bit as gentle and calm as "E" is bouncy and excitable. It's hilarious to see their starkly different personalities together. "E" is a tiny little ball of energy. Much like Taz. "R" is a gentle giant with killer blue eyes. Congratulations, Krick and Tam!