2009 from my nest's vantage point

Is it just me, or is the thought of 2010 just a bit strange? It’s like, hello? What happened to the last twelve months? :-)

At our last life-group, one of the guys asked if everyone would share what God had taught them in this past year. One thing I really like about our group is that they are more than just a ton of fun, they are open about who they are and what God is doing. But anywho, that has had me thinking about things, and about how God has continued to teach me more about trusting Him, and about His grace in my life. These are lessons He has been teaching me awhile… and I hope the lesson never ends, even though the ways to learn seem hard at the time! Sorry this is SO long!
*He has taught me about His grace through our marriage. I honestly have never been so deeply, contentedly happy. :-) Dwight is the hugest blessing I could have ever dreamed up! I had no idea when we began our friendship what a man he was… it is fun discovering more and more about him! I know I have SO much to learn about being a godly wife and friend to him, but it is definitely fun learning, I just get impatient and want to be the wife to him now that I hope to be when we are 100, but growth comes with time. :-)

*He has taught me about trusting in His graciousness as He provides for our needs. Learning to differentiate between needs and wants can be difficult sometimes, but He (and Dwight) is so patient with me! I never budgeted when I was single, so learning to do that is kind of different, but good. Dwight and I know that his being an accountant in full-time ministry (as his stated occupation- we want it to be our mentality for the rest of our lives) is probably only short-term, but it is where He has us now, and that it good, even though it definitely brings its own set of frustrations (those in full-time ministry know what I’m talking about :-P). And honestly, I don’t think people expect that when you are an accountant, or something like that in ministry. It is like they expect those frustrations to only be there when you are something like a pastor, etc. (or another “official ministry type” title). But they are there just the same. But God is our faithful provider, and we are blessed that Focus is able to offer benefits like health insurance. Comes in handy when you have a baby! :-)

*He has taught me His grace in times of loneliness. It is hard being so far away from our families and friends. Aside from our small group, I really don’t know anyone here, and it is so different than living at Heritage, with girls popping in and out of the apartment, not to mention having Kate around. :-) But God has been gracious in allowing friends to come into the area so much more than I expected. I’m trying to think… I got to see Christy like 3 or 4 times??? :-D And Kate several times as well! And Erin and Chloe, and Heidi and Rachel and Amy (others too!)… I have truly been blessed!

*He has taught be about trusting with my health, and how He cares about details (like taking care of Chloe), more than I even do! I have been so tired this past year, and have had a difficult time rebounding since Chloe’s birth, but I know that full healing with come in time. :-) Dwight is so sweet when I’m feeling down, and Chloe is even extra content on those days! And we have the best moms. :-)  When I had the kidney infection these past weeks, my mom flew out the day after I called and asked her to come, and Dwight’s mom was willing to come out, too, even though it was the week before Christmas and it wasn’t easy for either of them to get away from home (and the kiddos still at home!). But it was such a relief to have Mom here (she flew home Christmas morning). We had some rough bits during the time I was sick, and there were times where I was scared because we didn’t know what we should do, and if I would need more than the doctor’s office could give me, but things are so much better now. Now I just need to get strong again. :-) God is gracious in that I was able to begin nursing again after the worst of it was over. (We had to switch to formula because I thought I wouldn’t be able to nurse anymore - I dried up, not to mention one doctor put me on medicine that I shouldn’t have been on, but He has restored my supply back to where it was before I got sick, which is wonderful for several reasons!)

*He has taught me about His graciousness in giving me a huge desire of my heart. I got to become a Mama this past year, and it is the best job in the world! I love my little girlie so much. It is incredible to watch her grow – and wow does she grow! ;-) We are blessed that she is so healthy, and that even her little trip to the E.R. with her toe was quickly taken care of and healed well. I love her laughs and giggles, and her chatter. She is all girl. Loves to talk and look at herself in the mirror. When she realizes how cute she is, we are in trouble! I love singing to her, and just holding her. She is definitely a smiley snuggle-bug.

*I am still in the midst of learning trusting God with our cars and apartment. :-) We had one car get us safely to our families and then back home, but is now pretty much out of commission, so we need to decide what to do about it. Thankfully, it isn’t difficult being a 1-car family, and I don’t mind at all not having one available to me – just glad that we have the Jeep for Dwight to get to work! (Yes, I love that jeep. Even thought it is a gas-hog. There is just something about a 4-wheel drive that makes one feel adventurous! Trucks and SUVs make me very happy.) And it is looking like we will probably be moving to another apartment in the next month. (Such as exhausting thought. But we have issues related to a new neighbor and strong cigarette odors infiltrating inside.)  So even though I don’t know how those two situations are going to pan out, I know that God is in control of them!

Other random lessons –

* Stretch marks are ugly. Enough said. And when I get strong again, sit-ups will be a new great friend.

* Colorado has weird weather.

* I love humidity. I really miss humidity. Our humidifier runs non­-stop.

* We live at 6500 feet. I cannot cook rice normally for the life of me. Many recipes just are absolute flops. But for some reason, I still have good luck with Southern Living recipes. Go figure.  I knew I liked that magazine for some reason.

* I am in desperate need of beef recipes. Please share. :-)

* Cloth diapers are cute. Chloe is currently wearing a bright pink cover. I know, like you really care for that type of info. And, that I’m a disposable diaper snob. There is only one type that I can stand putting on her. :-P I know, pathetic.

* I am getting quite tired of WBLA. It is almost finished (on 54!), and I’m mortified that it isn’t done yet, but I’m really tired of it.

* Root-beer floats are amazing. So is the cherry coating on Dilly-bars. 
*That if I ever get to design my kitchen, I should not install a dishwasher. I’ve had one for over a year now, and have not used it once. 

Anywho, I would definitely say that 2009 was a marvelous year. I mean really, wouldn’t life be boring if not for the ups and downs? :-D Here’s to 2010 (I’m guessing it will be April before I start writing the correct date! Hehe!)

Love you, my friends! 

*Praise update: Dwight's car sold quickly on Craigslist, and it looks like we move into a different apt. on the 16th. Thankfully, our small group is coming over to help with the lugging. :-D They are so sweet and Dwight was quick to agree that we pick up pizza for all that day. He really likes pizza. :-) 

Free E-Book

Thanks to Money-Saving Mom, I was able to download this book for free. :-) Now to just find the time to read it! :-P It is about the power of a wife in praying for her husband - and I want to learn to pray for Dwight better each day! So, I haven't read it, and henceforth am not exactly endorsing it yet, but Mary K. Mohler endorses it on the website, which rates pretty high in my book. ;-)

Someday I Hope to be this Artistic . . .

Bake it Pretty

Hold On . . .

Excerpts from Hold On, by 33 Miles. . .

Don't be afraid,
You'll make it through,
Just call out to me and I'll come running to you!

Hold on, hold on!
When the current pulls you under,
And your heart beats like thunder.
Just give me your hand,
And hold on, hold on!
Until the storm is over,
And I'll be fighting for you.
Just give me your hand and,
Hold on!

I'll give you hope, I'll give you faith!
And if it's dark, I'll light the way,
For you, for you!
By your side, until the end,
Until you're standing tall again!
I'm here, I'll always be here.

And if the tide, sweeps you out to sea,
When your strength is gone, and it's hard to believe!

Hold on, hold on!
When the current pulls you under,
And your heart beats like thunder!
Just give me your hand.
And hold on, hold on!
Until the storm is over,
And I'll be fighting for you!
Just give me your hand,
And hold on, hold on!

Chloe Sophia - 2 Months

One Year with My Best Friend!

A crazy reason as to *why I blog*

One reason is so that I can discover things I like, post them, and then . . .  find them later. ;-) Hope you don't mind. :-)

Giveaway by Elana's Pantry

Christmas giveaway by Elana's Pantry! She is giving away her The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook along with a 5 lb. bag of almond flour. If you are interested, check it out for yourself - the cake on the cover does look pretty good. :-) Thankfully, there aren't any real food allergies in our family, but I'd still love to learn to cook for those (we have friends in Lifegroup with Celiac) who do. She is up in Boulder (about 1 1/2 hours from here in the Springs), it would be fun to take one of her classes someday!

Christmas is Coming!

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would give Him a lamb
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part-
But, what I can I give Him. Give my heart.
~Christina Rossetti

"One does not surrender a life in an instant. That which is lifelong can only be surrendered in a lifetime."
- Jim Elliot

$ 5 Dollar Magazines from Amazon $

Okay, so this is a big splurge for me, since my Amazon gift cards (courtesy of Swagbucks - see below if you aren't familiar with that - you'll want to be!!!) are verified, but not posted yet. Which means I actually have to pay for them, err. But anyways, Amazon has been having a select group of magazines on sale for $5.00 (yes, for a year's subscription!) for Christmas, and each week it is a different set to choose from. So last week - yeah, this week is the last one for me! - I was able to pick up Real Simple and Southern Living, and this week they are offering Country Living among their choices. Happiness!!! :-) Check it out here. :-)

Okay. So what is Swagbucks? Basically, I use it as a search engine (instead of Google). Every now and then, a little box pops up saying that I have won 1 or 2 or 4, etc. "Swagbucks". These "bucks" are put into my account that I have with them (which is free) and I can cash them in for things like Amazon gift cards (45 Swagbucks = $5.00 Amazon gift card). I haven't had ANY spam, or anything else negative from them at all. And have been able to get over $25.00 in gift cards in just a few months! Please consider using my referral if you want to try it out for yourself! (okay, so that was shameless, see what I get out of it by checking their referral section on their site - you'll want to get your friends to sign up too! *wink*)

*Note - Last year I am positive that I was able to use over $5 worth of coupons out of Real Simple. So... guess that is one way to justify it! :-) Now I am trying to recall if Country Living had coupons... and can't.

Easy Homemade Cream of Chicken :-)

So I am finally getting around to sharing some things with y'all that I've found - it has been a bit busy with traveling and all - and with a new cutie that thinks she is the energizer bunny and needs no sleep at all. *not quite, darling!* Her poor little dream world was shattered when I let her fuss herself to sleep yesterday - but I needed a break! :-) Thankfully, she slept much, much better last night - the several days of 15-30 min. of sleep at a time (yup, day & night) was a killer.

Anywho - I found this recipe for Condensed Chicken Soup (and yes, I do realize that the mushroom - yuck- is at the forefront in the above pic) at The Kitchn and decided to give it a try! {Original intent was to post it before Thanksgiving for you Green Bean Casserole makers.} I was pleasantly surprised! It is easy to make, cheaper than buying a can at the store, and I can make it with as much (or as little, which is my preference) salt as I want.

Here's the recipe for cream of chicken soup. To make cream of anything else, just substitute the broth for another type. For cream of mushroom, cook some mushrooms down in the butter, then add the flour and some cream. This recipe makes a little over a cup, equivalent to one can of soup. Enjoy!

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons white flour

1/2 cup chicken stock
 (liquid)
1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat then add the flour. Cook, stirring rapidly, until the mixture is thick. 

Add the chicken stock and whisk until smooth, then add the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened. Remove from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste. 

This will keep for a couple days in the fridge, but it's best to use it the day you make it.

*note from Beth: I buy my chicken stock powdered concentrate from Whole Foods (from their bulk section). Very cheap and lasts awhile since I freeze it and just use what I need, reconstituting with water. :-)

*Here are some coupons for Campbell's, in case making your own isn't your thing - or there's a great sale! :-)




Free nursing cover with promo - onefree

Can be found here. (In spite of their slightly-cheesy name...)

Simply go to their website and choose the design you want (Elsa is above - so pretty!). At checkout, type onefree (yup, as of today this would still work) into the promo code box, and you only have to pay shipping ($8.95). :-) They typically sell on this website for $32.00 + shipping, so this is a great deal. Never used one? (or, um, wouldn't actually have a use for it? I guess they'd make a good gift!) Try it out! I also have a cover from Peanut Shell and love it. Chloe can be quite wiggly at times! ;-)

Thankfulness

Of course, when we think we don't have what we want to have, what we think we ought to have, we are being discontented with the state God has put us in. The antidote to discontentment is thankfulness and giving up our own way, our own ideas of what we think we have to have. We get God from that. We get His grace. - Elisabeth Elliot

The opposite of poverty (is not wealth, it) is enough. - Compassion International

Leaving our families was hard. We are blessed to be a part of a fantastic church and also a great life-group, but it still gets pretty lonely at times! There are so many things we hope for - to be content with where God has placed us for this time being can be difficult - I want to know what the next step is and when it's gonna happen! ;-) God, help me learn to be content with your plans and provisions for me! I have so much to be grateful for!

*A marvelous year of being married to the most Godly and handsome man I know. His wisdom, kindness and desire for the things of God run deep. He treasures me and it is an honor to be his wife
*Our little girl. She brings me such joy! I love singing to her, reading to her, and playing games. She has the cutest giggle. :-)
*Our Faithful Redeemer. I pray that Chloe learns to love Him and give Him her life at an early age!
*Extended families who encourage us and support us with love and stories from when we were little, etc. :-) It was wonderful to be able to spend the last two weeks with them.
*Wonderful friends! :-)
*A safe pregnancy & delivery with Chloe, and health for all of us! She is doing extremely well. I'm also grateful for a fantastic pediatrician. I couldn't be happier with them!
* Our wonderful Church with Godly preaching and our life-group. I LOVE our life-group. Not only are they inspiring to me with their lives of faith & joy - they are heaps of fun. :-) {at church, our life-group is even known as the "fun group". Who'da thought?:-)}
* Beautiful mountains to look at. I love it when they are snow-capped.
*Dwight's job at Focus on the Family, which is sufficient to provide for our needs!
*Our cozy apartment. I love keeping a home for Dwight and our girlie! Visitors are welcome, as long as you don't mind sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor. ;-) It is a lil' home for a lil' family. :-)
*A sparkly Christmas tree, warm tea, scented candles, etc. I can't help it. They make me happy!

This post by Young Marrieds was encouraging to me, and it kinda ties in, so here you go. :-) Small Beginnings.

Have a wonderful December, all!

Our 1st Anniversary!

Thank you, Lord for bringing us together in your time! I love him, love him, love him! :-)

Good Morning, Sunshine! ;-)

Hi there! :-) Thank you all *so* much for praying for us as we (okay, I) impatiently waited for the arrival of our baby and these past weeks as we've begun to adjust to life with her. (I say begun, because sure enough- just when you think you've "got it" you're in for a surprise... hehe!) She is an absolute joy - I love seeing her Daddy in her looks and seeing her smile, grin, laugh and squeal. She is definitely our little chunky monkey pipsqueak. I don't think she is ever quiet. She squeaks in her sleep, while playing, and makes all kinds of sounds when eating, etc. I think eating and bath time are her favorite things. Oh and yes, play with her in the morning when she is all smiles... she is a royal grump come evening. *wink* She has been given the most lovely things - cozy blankets and quilts, music, a pretty hat, nice clothes, etc. I can't wait to tell her about "her friends" as she grows older. She would love to meet all of you!

I am very grateful for the support Dwight was during labor with her - couldn't have asked for better! It was pretty miserable, but God was gracious and now we have her to enjoy. I think every birth is miraculous - it is a new life! :-)

Mom and I were at the mall shopping on Friday afternoon when I began having contractions, but they stopped later in the evening and I'd had similar feelings before, so I really didn't think much about it, other than to dissolve in tears and pound the pizza dough in frustration as I wondered if I was going to be pregnant forever. I woke up in the middle of the night just feeling funny; there was a strange pressure in my abdomen that would come every three minutes. I couldn't sleep with it, so I got up and walked around a bit in our room. By 1:00am it had turned to definite contractions, still every three minutes, and Dwight was up and wondering why I was awake, etc. :-) We didn't know if I should call the doctor or not yet, so after several hours we woke my mom up, who said to call the doctor. (She was convinced baby was coming soon... not quite.) So hospital visit #1 came and went as we were sent home (I was only dilated to 1cm), and contractions continued coming strong so come late afternoon we went back. By then I was really hurting and tired, but still only dilated to 2cm. (Crazy contractions were off the chart, lasting 1.5-2 minutes and coming about every 5-7 minutes.) Thankfully, they gave me the option of either going back home (um... yeah, right!), or being induced since I was just days away from 42 weeks. I took the induction, as I was scheduled for one on Monday anyways. :-)

The birthing rooms at the hospital were really nice, each having showers/ whirlpools/ birthing balls, etc. So they got the IV going (I had to have an antibiotic for Group B Strep), and broke my water. That felt really weird. I couldn't use the whirlpool because of the meconium that was in the water, but the balls worked. Poor Dwight, it is a good thing he has strong hands, because I gripped them pretty tightly. :-) The nurse was really sweet, when I started getting sick she soaked a washcloth in peppermint oil for me - sheer marvelousness!

At about 10:00pm they had me lay down so my progress could be checked. Still only at 3cm, with intense contractions now coming one right after another. I was pretty much feeling like I was about to lose my mind at this point, so I asked for an epidural. Should of gotten it sooner! ;-D Things happened pretty quickly after that, while I was able to finally rest. I could still feel the contractions, but they were nothing in comparison to earlier - I even fell asleep and was snoring (according to Dwight) before the time came to push! I pushed for an hour, with them doing an episiotomy towards the end because my little girlie's head refused to budge even though she had partially crowned. They did not expect her to be as big as she was. :-) My midwife was quite shocked! It was funny to watch my stomach seemingly deflate as she came out and how it would move when she would push her legs, etc. She was *very* alert right off the bat, looking around. They had all kinds of respiratory nurses there (some concern towards the end, she had the cord loosely wrapped around her neck several times), but thankfully she checked out fine! And yuppers, she is a girl! So her official birth time was 2:00am, on Sunday, September 20th. 25+ hours of active labor is definitely *not* fun, but she is worth it!

My mom was called in so she could meet her little grandbaby, and then she had to leave the following day. I'm so glad Dwight was able to take a week off to be with us! And several ladies from church brought over meals once he went back to work, which was really nice and a huge help to me. Dwight had been so sweet, taking care of me and the house and everything, even though he was exhausted, too.

Recovery has been somewhat difficult at times, with getting mastitis (with a lovely little temp of 103.9), and then several bouts of a psuedo UTI. My doctor thinks that my bladder was just moved a bit when I was pushing, so that will just take a bit of time to heal. But hopefully things will begin to be much better soon. :-) 30 of my 40 (eeks!) pregnancy pounds are already gone - it has been so nice to be able to wear my normal skirts again, I was getting really tired of my options ... a pair of jeans, a pair of black pants, a green dress, a brown dress, several t-shirts, 3 tops, and a jean skirt. Ugh, but at least I had them!

Chloe is doing great. :-) She is now 6 weeks old and is beautiful in her mama's eyes. :-) She now pushes herself (her chest anyways) up with her arms, pushes her backside up with her legs, and has even scooted about a foot in her crib when put down (She was mad, and being the awful mom, I was letting her cry a few minutes before picking her up again. Sigh.). She is getting really close to rolling over, it will be funny when it actually happens! She is still very alert and loves to look at us, the light coming through the blinds, and strangely enough, doorways. (Must be the contrast with the shadows, hehe.) She was 11lbs. 12 oz. at her one month check-up and is just about to grow out of her 3-6 month clothes. I wasn't expecting that! So, yes. I need to go to Target and pick up some onesies that will actually fit her. :-) I can't snap all three snaps with what we currently have. LOL. :-) Thankfully, Walmart had a great sale with cotton baby dresses for only $1. I snatched up a bunch for her. They are really cute! I love them. :-)

Cloth diapering is a lot better than I had imagined it to be. *Grin* Our original intent for doing it was the cost savings, so I was very happy to discover how easy and honestly non-yucky it is! :-) I just need to get some cloth wipes, because I'm getting tired of finding all the linty ones that I'd accidentally thrown into the dirty diaper bag instead of the trash. :-P The Bumgenuis are definitely the way to go at night (I also have a few Haute Pockets, and those are great, too), because you don't have to do the pin while in a sub-conscious state. During the day I've used prefolds with either Dappi plastic covers or a Thirsties duo that I got to try out. Both are just fine. :-) Though on the days that I've been sick, I've cheated and just done tri-folds in the Thirsties cover. Since it hurt to stand, etc., that was MUCH quicker. :-D

Thank you again, dear friends! Your prayers and well wishes have meant so much to us! :-)

Love you all,
Beth

One Month...

A new *favorite* song... :-)

I absolutely love their music. It has depth and is truth-filled. But yes Dwight, although I am still saddened that we won't be in town when they lead music at chapel next month, I've moved on. Maybe. :-P

By Faith - (Words and Music by Keith & Kristyn Getty & Stuart Townend)

By faith we see the hand of God

In the light of creation's grand design

In the lives of those who prove His faithfulness

Who walk by faith and not by sight

By faith our fathers roamed the earth

With the power of His promise in their hearts

Of a holy city built by God's own hand

A place where peace and justice reign

We will stand as children of the promise

We will fix our eyes on Him our soul's reward

Till the race is finished and the work is done

We'll walk by faith and not by sight

By faith the prophets saw a day

When the longed-for Messiah would appear

With the power to break the chains of sin and death

And rise triumphant from the grave

By faith the church was called to go

In the power of the Spirit to the lost

To deliver captives and to preach good news

In every corner of the earth

We will stand...

By faith this mountain shall be moved

And the power of the gospel shall prevail

For we know in Christ all things are possible

For all who call upon His name

We will stand...

Chloe Sophia Bailey

I love being mama to our lovely baby girl. She was born at 2 a.m. on Sunday, September 20th. She was a big lil' girl, weighing in at 8 lbs. and 12 oz., with a length of 21.5 inches.
She has dark hair and eyelashes, big expressive eyes, chubby cheeks, a beautiful smile & loves to snuggle. We are so happy to have her join our little family!

-Your Whole Life Long -

I pray the Lord will hold you close and keep you through the night,
That you will wake up smiling in the early morning light,
That He will always comfort you and make you brave and strong,
I pray that you will follow Him your whole life long.

I pray that you will grow up to be wise and good and true,
I pray that you will please the Lord in everything you do,
I pray that you will hear His voice and learn to sing His song,
I pray that you will follow Him your whole life long.

I pray that you will follow Him,
I pray that you will follow Him,
I pray that you will follow Him your whole life long.

I pray the Lord will bless you with His presence every day,
I pray he will protect you every step along the way,
Help you love what's right and lead you far away from wrong,
I pray that you will follow Him your whole life long.

I pray that you will follow Him,
I pray that you will follow Him,
I pray that you will follow Him your whole life long.

(By Twila Paris)

Content lil' Baby...

I am pleased to announce that I have a very content little one... I guess. ;-P Baby likes it in there (perhaps the coziness of being all scrunched up?!?), and wants to stay awhile.

I have to admit that I'm surprised, my midwife said that she was shocked, too! Baby dropped a bit over 4 weeks ago, and my midwife says she rarely sees a baby continue with his/her head so firmly engaged for this long. Lovely. People ask "are you having strong contractions yet?". :-) I've been having *strong* ones since June. :-P As in, wake me up strong. :-) Oh well. When she did the exam yesterday, I was 0.5 cent. dilated. She had me promise not to be discouraged, and reminded me that some women take weeks to fully dilate, and then with some it just happens suddenly! I guess we'll see what camp I'm in. :-) Baby is quite happy in there, and we both checked out very healthy, so I'm happy. :-) And grateful that my midwife doesn't let her patients go past 42 weeks... ho hum!

We are still hoping that baby is born before my mom arrives in town (she was planning to take baby with her to her favorite shopping establishments), but we shall see! Mom says that they are either inducing baby before she leaves, or she is buying a new ticket - she's not leaving without meeting Baby! :-) She & Dad bought us a stroller for this little one (helps with those outdoor malls she is gonna be visiting) which is scheduled to arrive today. We found it for a really good price (comparatively) and love how it is an "umbrella" style, yet fully reclines for an infant. (Trying really hard to not clutter up the apt.!) We also found a pediatrician/ ped. group that is wonderful. Totally supportive of certain decisions Dwight and I have made regarding baby. Yippee! But poor Kate is a bit disappointed about baby's lack of early arrival. She has been visiting this week, and it looks like "Auntie Kate" will have to wait until Thanksgiving to be properly introduced...

Y'all, I know this is pathetic... but I really don't want to have this baby on Labor Day...

Weepiness :-P

Is it just me, or did anyone else out there go through a weepy phase as labor approached? Or even throughout their pregnancy? It is funny and pathetic, I can just start crying over nothing (well, okay, I feel a tad stupid so I bottle it up, and then it becomes more like a l-o-n-g *sob on poor Dwight* session), am ultra sensitive, and feel completely overwhelmed about the prospect of caring for our little cute baby. :-) And the birth... well, that is another thing all together, even though I realize that women have been giving birth since the beginning of creation! So I know it is silly... but did anyone else out there turn into a geyser? I need to fill my mind with more of God's Word; my self-thoughts are so crazily unpredictable!

Lil' Wiggleworm

Today marks 37 weeks and our little baby is happy, healthy, and wiggly (though the wiggles are slightly impaired due to a fully engaged head). :-) We are so grateful, God has blessed us far beyond what we deserve, and we treasure this little one so much and pray that he/she will grow to love the Lord with all their heart and live for Him their whole life!

I wondered if I had dropped 2 weeks ago, because one day my pants didn't fit right and certain tops did! (My ribcage had expanded a little under 3 inches, thankfully it went back to normal!) So maybe it happened then, we just know baby has dropped sometime recently. I still can't tell by looking at myself, but my nurse and my midwife could tell (2 weeks ago, she was out of town, so I saw the OB). So, I'm happy and uncomfortable, all rolled up into one waddling gal. :-) I sleep best on the floor (I'm weird), but Dwight has been so sweet - we just spread out the sleeping bag and camp out in the living room! It is just hard to believe the due date is only 3 weeks away.

It has been fun getting ready - baby's bed and layette are all ready to go! (We do need to move the carseat from the living room into the car, though.) It is so nice to see the little stacks of clean clothes and diapers. I like to go through them over, and over, and over. :-) Friends have been so generous to us, and God has been so faithful in providing. The ARC thrift store here has clothing half-off on Saturdays, and when Dwight took me this past weekend, they had all kids clothes for $0.99. I like that! And then there is another children's resale shop (Children's Orchard), that offers you $5 credit just for signing up for their mailing list. So, after doing that :-), I went to check them out. I found some really cute things... though it will be fun to finally find out our baby's gender, so that I can get some actual boy/girl clothes! They had a like new Hanna Anderson (a store in Oak Brook that I would drool over) one-piece for $2. I snatched that one up! It is so soft and pretty. It looks like you get $5 for referring someone (and then they would get $5 for signing up), so I've already warned my sister and mom as to what to expect when they come visit. I'm so cheap.

One thing about being pregnant is you feel like a walking apothecary (when I remember to take the vitamins- which is most days). Between prenatals, the Omega-3/ DHA (Love the Expecta, it is made with no fishy whatsoever! Very exciting.), the Emergen-C, the occasional papaya enzyme, Mama's 3rd trimester tea, and now primrose oil, it is like "eeks!" I guess it all depends on what you are used to, and this is unusual for me. :-) And my ginger compress mixture (for labor) is now cooling. I'm supposed to bring it with a crock-pot to the hospital when I'm in labor. Have to admit, a *crock-pot* wasn't exactly on my list to bring prior to my appointment this morning! ;-D I guess the hospitals being so friendly towards typically home-birth things is a perk for living in a "crunchy-granola type" town.

You Mama's out there, wanna be Mama's, older sisters, faithful babysitters, etc.... what is your essential baby item, especially for the first month or so?

oops. A blonde moment in my life.

This past week I discovered something new. :-)

My fuel tank was getting to be past half empty, so on Monday I went to refill it (now please, keep in mind this is only the 2nd time since becoming a Mrs. that I have refilled my little Jeep's fuel, Dwight did it the other times it was low). So anyways, I went inside to pay cash at the register (note to self... try and remember to check which number you parked at... makes it easier should a pole be blocking the view to where your car is located) and then went back out to commence the filling. I took the nozzle off of the stand, punched the button for regular and then tried to put the small nozzle end into my car. It didn't fit. Seriously, I thought my car was broken. I tried to jam the nozzle in, and that didn't work either (thankfully). So there I was, looking at my car and looking at the nozzle. I began to try and remember if maybe the nozzle didn't actually go into the car. Perhaps you just filled the area with fuel and it dripped down??? Nah... that just didn't *seem* right.

Then I realized (um, after a minute or two, gulp) that I had grabbed the nozzle for diesel. My Jeep doesn't use diesel. Sheepishly I switched nozzles, put the correct one right in, fueled my car up, and went home, happy to realize that maybe my car was normal after all. :-)

I was so happy to learn that they make the nozzle larger for diesel! Could you imagine??? If they came the same size, I know I would have filled my poor Jeep up with that concoction. And that wouldn't have been good....

So, here's to reading the signs! ;-P

I love my Dwight. :-)

He is sweet to me in countless ways! I am thrilled that I am able to be his wife, and little wiggleworm will have him for his/her daddy. He is amazing, and more than perfect for me. God has surely heaped blessings on me through him! :-)

Yesterday he was so thoughtful, from the message on the chalkboard (that I didn't even see for 10+ hours, and it is above our kitchen sink...poor guy!), to the yummy cake he made for me, the hugs, and fun gifts. :-) Thank you honey!

It was a fun day. :-) I dressed up in my green dress and put on my green sandal/heels, and went to the mall to browse, and namely to see if the dept. stores had samples of some of the perfumes I like available to take home. :-) I admit it, I love *free stuff*. :-) Did some grocery shopping, too.

Did you know that you can get free food to celebrate your birthday, just by signing up for the restaurant's email list? I had lunch for free per Noodles & Company and Coldstones. :-) Yumminess. Tomorrow I'm going to go to Maggie Moo's and I don't know when I'll go to Baskin Robbins. Yeah, you could say I like ice cream. :-)

Drive Through History... these are really great to watch. I especially enjoy the parts about Turkey. :-) (Hehe... I had bought the same ones just last month for his birthday in Nov. Definitely something we both enjoy. :-D)


A beautiful vintage silver bracelet with a B monogram. I think it is so pretty. :-)

How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
And make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the man upon the cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Why should I gain from His reward
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Written by Stuart Townsend

Ants in the Kitchen - gasp!

I loathe bugs. Doesn't matter what size or kind. I dislike pretty much all of them. That is why I am thoroughly disgusted to find them crawling *all* over my kitchen floor. The "Consider the Ant" song is not exactly what first came to mind. Yuck. Double yuck. I've been using the soft scrub on them (hehe...), and just washed the floor last night, but I'm gonna go clean it again. Now. And maybe several times today. ("Dear Ants.... I'll show you!!") Let's see if a vinegar/ lemon/ baking soda mixture will help...

Cheerio!

Ho Hum...

Had another appt. with my midwife yesterday, and all is good in the land of baby! :-) At 24 weeks I measured 24 cm. and now at 31 weeks I'm measuring 29 cm., but my weight gain has been on track and baby seems to be a good size, so she says that I'm just seeming to carry *small* since I'm tall and baby has plenty of room in my lengthy torso.

Baby is fond of the head-down position now, it is so much fun to actually be able to "name that bump!" I'm getting more and more excited about baby coming, yesterday I asked Dwight if for my b-day we could put up the crib, I can't wait! :-) But it is a little interesting buying a few outfits for him/her. I've stuck mainly to a few gender neutral things, but I did buy a cute navy/green polo romper and a pink/ green polo dress & pants set. They were on clearance and cute - maybe we will be able to use the *other gender* item if God gives us another baby someday. :-) I mean, if we have a girl, I may put the romper on her when we are around the house, but there is no way a bright pink dress is getting near a son! ;-D It will be fun to discover baby's gender at the birth, and I don't regret waiting, but sometimes it is really, really, really hard not knowing!

30 Weeks :-)

Bed has been a wonderful friend lately! I just want to sleep, and do nothing. So I'm enjoying the option of being able to sleep while I can. :-) With the higher altitude and dryness, I'd been having up to 3 strong contractions some days w/ pelvic & back pressure, but thankfully drinking more water (up to about 80 oz. a day now, plus lots of juice and milk) and resting has made a huge difference! No contractions yesterday or today! I'm also really thankful that aside from one night, there hasn't been any swelling. On that one night, I had to move my rings... made me so sad! (I know... pathetic, right? I mean, I moved them one finger over.) I think I was just overly warm. And even though baby is a bit on the hairy side, this 3rd trimester has been heartburn-free. (Can't say that for the first two - I kept those papaya-peppermint chalk "tablets" near me at all times. The taste did grow on you... mainly because they made a huge difference!) It is just so amazing to have a little person growing and wiggling inside of me... I'm am so happy about our little one!

Bought a car seat today, too! :-) That makes me *really, really, really* happy. And y'all have been fantastic with offering helpful suggestions on the diapers. Thank you so very much!

Snapshots from recent life...

I have a *really* big sweet tooth. And Sunset had a recipe... It's basically a lemon butter cake w/ lemon curd filling and a meringue "frosting". This weekend I'm going to try their Peanut Butter Chocolate cake. Yummy. :-)

Sunflower Farmer's Market (a store here) has fruit for a really good price. So one week where I was feeling insanely energetic, our freezer got stuffed to the point of being hazardous. I like having cold fruit to snack or to make into something when it is so hot outside! (But yeah, that week was insane. I was inwardly freaking out... everything had to be clean - i.e. cleaned the pantry 5 times, ALL baby stuff HAD to be purchased & ready, etc. Dwight was great about reminding me that we still have *plenty* of time. Yup, at that time I had over 2 months. :-D

Started some seeds in egg shells. :-) Unfortunately, these didn't survive the hanging basket breaking and falling, but the okra, tomatoes, and peppers (next picture) have - so far!

... and my garage sale find. :-) Someday when we have a sofa (lol... room for it!), it will make a cute coffee table.










Met up with Peyton and Grace at Glen Eyrie one Saturday, and Peyton showed us around. The "Castle" is really pretty, and so are the outbuildings. The little house below is the schoolhouse (I think...), and you can see rock formations similar to to those at the Garden of the Gods (eeks, I really don't like that name...), which it neighbors. Actually, I think the "Kissing Camels" formation is in the background. Hum.

Random Nothings...

1. Soft Scrub (the spray kind), kills ants immediately upon contact. Incredible, but scary. I mean - Dwight and I clean with that stuff. Eeks.

2. 15 passenger vans with luggage racks set atop them actually look kind of suave and adventurous (it's all about perspective). There is a family at our church with one like that, and I am renewed in my amazement each time I see it. I mean, honestly, I may have totally clued out, but I don't ever remember seeing one like that before. And I have seen quite a few large vans in the last ten years.

3. Sonic's Happy Hour 1/2 price drinks are amazing. Try the medium cherry limeaid without ice. Marvelous. :-D (I think it is $0.88) - plus Sonics is fun. They rollerblade your drink to you!

4. Lots of really amazing places offer free food for your birthday. Noodles & Company, Maggie Moo's and Coldstones, just to name a few.... yummy. You just have to sign up for their mailing list!

5. Next time I'm faced with the possibility of not having enough work in the day to keep me thoroughly busy, I'm going to thank the Lord for His grace on my life and *enjoy* it. If I had done that back in 2007 (rather than adding 2 other jobs at HQ into my task list), I'd have been done with WBLA long before now. Argh. What was I thinking. Now I just want to get it finished before baby comes! Yeah, I should be working on it instead of writing this.

6. Someday I want to have a Yellow Lab, name her Penelope, and buy her a pink collar. Yup. I'm beginning to view German Shepherds in a fonder light (per Dwight), but Dobermans... I just can't do it (sorry honey!). So, maybe we will have a GS and a Lab... my Lab can teach the Shepherd to be sweet, and the Shepherd can teach my Lab how to settle down and behave.
*To Doberman fans out there, I'm sorry. I had an encounter with one chasing me when I was 5. I was small, it was big, and the front door to our house was locked. I thought I was going to die. :-P

7. Pikes Peak still has snow on it's cap. How's that for random? :-P No seriously, it is strange to be out in the sunshine (roasting), and to see snow off in the distance. You should try it sometime. ;-)

p.s. I have my 3rd Ultrasound this afternoon and Dwight will be coming with me! I'm so excited - I ♥ seeing little wiggleworm! He/she is just so cute and precious...

Help!!! (i.e. cloth diaper Q)

Okay, so we know that we want to do cloth diapers, and I'm thinking that I'll do a mix of prefolds & covers/ BumGenius one-size AIO. But I feel lost... anyone out there do cloth/ know someone who does cloth (recently, I mean, most of our generation was clothed as babies)? I've been browsing google and I feel like I've been dropped into the middle of the Amazon. Or Sahara. Take your pick.

I don't mind doing the Gerber covers occasionally ('cause they are so cheap), but I don't really like them. Anyone familiar with the Blueberry one-size coveralls? What covers would you recommend? And is it worth it to pay the extra for the snap BumGenius? The price makes me choke, but they might last longer (???). :-P

And what detergent is good to use? My mom always used Dreft, but some sites say that it shouldn't be used on cloth. And I tend to have really sensitive skin anyways, so if another brand came in bulk size and could be used by all of us, I'd be happy. :-)

Thanks, y'all! :-)

Musings...

I was thinking the other day of where I was last year and everything that was racing through my heart and brain at the time. I had so many dreams, fears, and desires - seemingly all tangled up in a knot! God has been so gracious to me - and has definitely reminded me of how He holds me in the palm of His hand.

Last year I was in Istanbul, Turkey with a missions organization. Met some amazing workers over there, who work and live with their families in very difficult regions. One gal, just a couple months after the gathering, was killed by a well-known muslim-extemist terrorist group. They were passionate about living the Gospel. They loved life. I also met a group of people from a country where it is illegal to worship God freely. They were enjoying their "retreat" immensely (and not just because the women were temporarily freed from the restrictive clothing they were required to wear in their homeland), because they could preach, pray, and sing without persecution. Several were baptized there in the Black Sea, they had waited years for the chance! That night there were about 70 of us present, and after the baptism we sang hymns. We didn't speak each other's language, so we sang in our own. It was so beautiful to hear "Great is Thy Faithfulness" (in Chinese, Iranian, German, Swedish, Russian, Uzbek, Turkish, English, etc.), even in a country where mosques dot the landscape quite profusely, and you hear their call to worship throughout the day. I did get a bit nervous when the guards came to check up on us... I can't even imagine daily life for these dear people!

While there in Turkey I could rest, and think and pray. I'd been talking to Dwight for several months, one one hand valuing his friendship and on the other hand being scared to death of reopening my heart. The only emotion I could feel was fear, and even that was vague and distant. I felt emotionally numb, had for the past few years, and didn't know how to escape. Often I was so busy with work, etc. that I could ignore it. I'd been sick earlier in the year (sick as in down to under 112 lbs., skin sticking out after you pinched it, unable to be propped up by pillows because I was so exhausted sick) but my brain had been too achy to think at that time. So in Istanbul I could rest. Somewhere along the city streets, long bus rides, sleepy warm nights (no AC, my friends! Oh and the fun fireworks going off in the middle of the night right outside our window! Scared the daylights out of me the first time - I seriously thought there was a gunman coming down the hall. My imagination is pathetic.), splashing pools and quiet walks along the sea when I could get off by myself, I found His peace that had already been there waiting. I rediscovered deep joy, and after several years I felt like me. It was so amazing!

I loved "my kids" for that week (really... you'd be amazed at how incredibly fun it is to teach 12-15 three year olds (mainly boys) in an open hotel lobby full of breakable glass, 3 or so of them not speaking/ understanding ANY English, and only one of the few having English as his first language being without a STRONG British/ South African/ Austrailian accent, it was so creativity stretching and FUN! :-D I had a blast! I also had my humility reinforced as I could occasionally get one of my 3 year olds to translate for me. That sweet little brain spoke three languages fluently. I was jealous. Thankfully for that week I was able to take the curricula and then, make it my own - which allowed for plenty of skit time, color time, etc. Oh and even though I had one lady get upset (why?), I did have Pastor Jeff's okay (he heard about it later and laughed... he has 4 gals under age 7 I think) to divide the snack into two separate times. Rather than 4 cookies at one time, they got 2 cookies twice! Helped break up the 1 1/2 hour class time. I mean goodness! It would be hard enough for me to sit that long! The coconut ones were the best...

Yet I couldn't wait to get home. I had a certain friend waiting with Janny and Marty to pick me up. And I missed him. I had so wished that he could have been in Instanbul with me, to explain customs, etc., to help me understand the culture better. (He'd been in to the Middle East previously.) I'd come to where I couldn't get him out of my mind - soccer games on the beach, a worker who looked *just* like him, arabic culture, etc., didn't help any either. I saw in the heart of each worker, the same heart I'd found with Dwight. A steady, assured in Christ, love for life and people. It wasn't shouted out, life wasn't about looking good or saying the right things so that people *know* you are a believer, life wasn't about ease, it was a quietness that you discovered more of as time was spent together.

Soon I was back stateside, and he was off to Co. It was sad to have him leave just as I had began to have a peace about a relationship with him! But a dating/courtship began, and our cell phones could have smoked with the usage they received. (As in up to 7-8 hours most days... sometimes less, sometimes more.) Not easy when you are still working at HQ (yup, I was on my way out and Mr. G did know... just fyi... hehe). Staff meeting came WAY too early. But one month later, Dwight was placing imo the most beautiful ring in the world on my finger, and we had a busy 12 weeks before our wedding. So yeah, my heart didn't just thaw... it melted. I love being married to him, sharing our life together! I am so excited to be the mama of his baby and I would love to turn 100 with him, though older would be fine with me, too! :-P God's graciousness in my life leaves me overwhelmed.

So anyways... my musing turned into rambling. And got long. And the clock is ticking away - it is Chapel day today! I am determined to not be late this month. Yeah, haven't always been too great about that! I get distracted!!! So for now... "I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date! No time to say 'Hello, Goodbye!' I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" :-P

O great God of highest heaven
Occupy my lowly heart
Own it all and reign supreme
Conquer every rebel power
Let no vice or sin remain
That resists Your holy war
You have loved and purchased me
Make me Yours forevermore

I was blinded by my sin
Had no ears to hear Your voice
Did not know Your love within
Had no taste for heaven’s joys
Then Your Spirit gave me life
Opened up Your Word to me
Through the gospel of Your Son
Gave me endless hope and peace

Help me now to live a life
That’s dependent on Your grace
Keep my heart and guard my soul
From the evils that I face
You are worthy to be praised
With my every thought and deed
O great God of highest heaven
Glorify Your Name through me

© 2006 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).

Colorado Springs, CO. USA. :-)

I took this one of our town while we were out driving around & doing errands this past weekend. You can see the Front Range behind Co. Springs, the snow-capped peak just off-center is Pike's Peak. Isn't it pretty? (And yes. Dwight was the one driving. No worries!) *Though a side note with driving is that if you have a jeep, you will fit right in here. They are everywhere. I do have a hard time finding mine at times! ;-) *

25 weeks

Here is proof. I really dislike every self-portrait I have ever taken. Hence the weird expressions (well, and baby was kicking me in the first one... gonna be a great soccer player!) So Mom, Kate and Shel... here is a token of my love for y'all!

20 Week Ultrasound :-)

Baby's profile... look at that tiny nose!








It looks like our little wiggleworm is smiling. :-)








Mama's favorite... sucking his/ her thumb! And playing bashful. :-)

Question for you gals!

How would you use one of these? What is your favorite color? :-)

The color just makes it happy. Isn't that silly? :-) I'm so glad God chose to make this world colorful!

"Oh, wouldn't it be loverly?!"

Thank you so much for rejoicing with us in the coming arrival of our baby! Y'all are too sweet. :-)

I'm going to ask Dwight to help me figure out the scanner so I can post some of the ultrasound pictures. One (it is 3D or something like that) is darling - our little sweet pea is sucking his/her thumb, and you can see baby's little nose! Baby has definitely been getting stronger, too. I love the kicks! Most of the time it just tickles, but Baby seems to have an affinity for kicking my pelvic bone and bladder, and I have slightly different feelings about that. Oh well, I praise God for such an active little one!

Baby really wasn't too cooperative at the Ultrasound, the technician really had to work, because he/she was a bit stubborn! ;-) Worries Dwight and I a bit... cause we are a bit familiar with this baby's parents. We should have been sweeter to our parents in our childhood! I was a chubby little toddler with blonde curls and big blue eyes... but a bit of a drama queen when I wanted my way. I dislocated by elbow twice throwing temper tantrums, both because at the ripe age of two I was convinced that I was definitely able to take care of myself and refused to hold anyone's hand. Yeah right. Once was in the middle of O'Hare airport, the other was at an intersection in downtown Chicago. I guess if you are gonna do something, might as well give 100%. Groan. And then there was the time my Uncle asked if I would share my cupcake with him. I said "sure!", promptly taking a big lick off the entire top before handing it to him. I know, real self-sacrificing. That one is *sadly* on videotape (I was five), and I actually maintained the sweetest little smirk the whole time. Poor guy.

It was marvelous to have my family here! I miss them so much! They piled into our little living room (our apt. is about 570 sq. feet total- perfect size for camping out with sleeping bags!), and spoiled us rotten. My dad made his pancakes, and mom made her asparagus. Yum, yum!!! Oh, and Kate made her macadamia nut cookies, which definitely help me towards my daily protein goal, right? And they brought lotsa Giordano's deep-dish pizza. Call it a Chicago thing. :-)

We had so much fun tramping around Garden of the Gods, Manitou Springs, Castle Rock, the AF Academy, Focus (at which supposedly the boys set the record for the number of times going down the slide at Whit's end - I don't know how they were able to sit afterward, it is a bumpy ride!), and elsewhere. It was so much fun (even though I was beyond exhausted and my poor calves ached)!!! It was so hard saying goodbye - Dwight held me as I cried all morning! (And poor Sammy is still crying... the distance is really hard on the guys.) He was so cute. He and Henry called me throughout the day and one time Sam goes "I'd climb Mount Everest in my *underwear* if it meant seeing you sooner!". He could barely get the words out he was crying so hard. They are definitely "my two boys." I love them all so very much.

Well anyways - thank you for your continued prayers for Dwight, I and baby! They mean so much to us. Let me know if you are ever in the Colorado Springs area! I'm off to go sooth my tongue. I burned it yesterday licking a spoon. Oh brain - "where art thou???!" I know you don't lick metal spoons immediately upon taking them out of a boiling mixture. I don't know what I was thinking. Was I thinking? ;-P

See What a Morning! (Resurrection Hymn)

This has been my favorite song as of late... and the one baby has heard most often over the last few months. :-) I love how it tells of the Easter story!

See, what a morning, gloriously bright,
With the dawning of hope in Jerusalem;
Folded the grave-clothes, tomb filled with light,
As the angels announce, "Christ is risen!"
See God's salvation plan,
Wrought in love, borne in pain, paid in sacrifice,
Fulfilled in Christ, the Man,
For He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!

See Mary weeping, "Where is He laid?"
As in sorrow she turns from the empty tomb;
Hears a voice speaking, calling her name;
It's the Master, the Lord raised to life again!
The voice that spans the years,
Speaking life, stirring hope, bringing peace to us,
Will sound till He appears,
For He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!

One with the Father, Ancient of Days,
Through the Spirit who clothes faith with certainty.
Honor and blessing, glory and praise
To the King crowned with pow'r and authority!
And we are raised with Him,
Death is dead, love has won, Christ has conquered;
And we shall reign with Him,
For He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!

A sweet little baby!

I am happy to announce to you dear friends that a little Bailey is heading our way! Dwight and I are overwhelmed at the responsibility of being parents, but so grateful for this precious life that God has given to us!

Our baby's anticipated due date is September 9th (yup... 09.09.09!), and baby is healthy and strong! It's so much fun to feel this sweet baby wiggling and thumping around inside of me, he/she is rather hyper! ;-) The other day baby was kicking quite hard... Dwight could even feel him!

I have the 20 week ultrasound next week, and mom (possibly Kate, too) will be able to go with me (I had the 1st ultrasound when I was about 10 weeks along... seeing baby is so precious!!!). Dwight and I have decided not to "discover" whether baby is boy/or girl... pray that our precious child is modest! ;-) 'Cause I love watching the screen... and seeing baby wiggle and move!

My family gets here on Saturday—I'm so excited to see them! I haven't seen my parents or the boys since Dwight and I pulled out from the wedding to head off on our honeymoon!

Overall the pregnancy has gone well, I began feeling nauseous/ headachey/ bloated very early on (eeks! couldn't zip most of my pants or fit into some of my skirts within 2 weeks of conceiving!). Thankfully the actually "getting sick" part is over with for now. (I hope!) That phase began shortly before the 2nd trimester began, basically just about the time I thought I was getting lucky. Argh. And I've been soooo sleepy. Causes me to love our comfy bed. And my sweet husband who encourages me to take many naps and not overdo it. :-) He has been marvelous to me... I think our baby has the best daddy in the world!

So thankful for God's graciousness to us and for this beautiful gift!...
-Beth

"The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian does make me a different kind of woman." - Elisabeth Elliot

I found that quote online today and it caused me to think. Do I really think like a believer ought... (as in) not to simply believe what it right and true, but to have that as my initial reaction when situations come up, or when I'm thinking about how something is (or needs to be) to be done? Dwight and I attended a memorial service recently held in honor of one of our friend's Dad who has passed away. His children and friends spoke of many of the things in his life that impacted them for Christ. Many spoke of his love for the Word and filling his heart and life with it. I want to have a life like that... one that automatically turns to Scripture when I have questions, or joys, or anything! Even though my memory is so fickle and short.... I want to have God's Word deeply rooted in my life. *God, help me in that! May I spend the time necessary and not be distracted by common things!*

Today is Chapel Friday. :-) I love those because I get to go be with Dwight from 10:00 - Lunch hour while Focus has their monthly chapel. Each month there is a different speaker/ musician/ theme. Last month they were focusing on Right to Life, and so Selah did the music and Todd Smith (from the group) and his wife told about their little's ones life. They spoke of the impact she had even in the few hours she was alive, and showed a picture slideshow. I cried... and cried. (Dwight had a white shirt on and I was so worried that I was going to see black streaks running down the front of it from my mascara! And he had meetings that afternoon, too!! Eeks. Thankfully, the mascara stayed put. Good stuff.) They were so sweet as they talked about her and their love for her and their other children! Today I think it is Dr. Albert Mohler, Jr. speaking and I have no idea what the message will be about. :-)

Off I go... !