Baby Update: 26 Weeks

Gotta love the backwards "26" in the mirror! lol:-)

The Significance of a Flower

Is it springtime yet?  I couldn't have planned a better time to have a baby.  God's timing is so perfect!  I've always loved spring... it seems as though everything is coming back to life.  Flowers start to bloom, later sunsets, warm breezes, flip flops and dresses, and celebrating Christ's resurrection.  It truly is a season of rebirth... the most perfect time to welcome a sweet baby girl into the world! 

This past weekend, Josh and I went on a random-last minute date!  We were coming home from visiting his dad at the hospital (Thank you for your prayers!) and decided neither of us wanted to cook so we went out to eat.  We figured we should take advantage of random dates while we can.  While we were eating we were reminising about when we first figured out our baby girl's name.  We were only teenagers.  Josh mentioned her name and how he thought it sounded beautiful, and I immediately feel in love with it.  We were driving in his jeep right by the lilac bushes near his parent's house, while they were in full bloom.  He told me her middle name would be Violet, named after his beloved Nanny.  I didn't realized the amazing symbolism in that evening in high school until now.  We choose our girl's name while the lilacs were blooming... it must have been early May, matching with her due date.  Her middle name being Violet the color of the lilacs.  And the significance behind the flower- every year Josh stops by those exact bushes and picks lilacs off of them for his mom.  It's so amazing to think of how this little precious girl has, in a way, always been apart of Josh and I.  We always knew we'd have a baby girl and we've been praying for her by name since we first fell in love.  God is so good, to bless us with this little girl and create such a unique, beautiful story for us to share.  And yes, her first name is a surprise:-D

Since my last post my baby girl has gone through a little growth spurt!  I'm thinking she weighs around 2 lbs, because I know she is measuring a week and a half ahead of schedule.  I feel her wiggles and moves now more than ever!  She is definitely more active at night.  I enjoy falling asleep with my hands on my belly to feel her move, although sometimes she ends of keeping me up!  There are really no new pregnancy symptoms other than leg cramps at night and bleeding gums- I am so blessed to feel as good as I do!!  

I can't wait to see what she'll look like...if she'll have hair when she's born, who's chin she'll have, and get to know her little personality!  By the moves I feel, I like to think she'll be my little dancer or ice skater. 

I can't wait for the lilacs to bloom!

Updated picture coming Friday!

Baby Update: 23 Weeks

My sweet baby girl has been ALL KICKS lately!  I have definitely moved out of the "butterfly" flutters.  She enjoys kicking at one hip, while tickling the other!  We like to call her Tigger.  It has been very exciting to feel more twists and turns and her movement is such great confirmation that she is doing well. 
Pregnancy Symptoms:
-No cravings really... except for Sierra Mist or Sprite.  This is strange because we NEVER drink pop! 
-Braxton Hicks contractions...I drink TONS of water to keep these at bay
-Very emotional...everything makes me cry and worry (even saying this makes me tear up..lol)
The verse I am clinging to everyday "Trust in the Lord always and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight."  Proverbs 3:5-6
God is teaching me to not try to figure things out for myself, but to trust in Him wholeheartedly with everything. 
Our next appointment is on Tuesday, when I will be 24 weeks.  More updates coming then!

P.S.  So I think the shirt I'm wearing is causing an optical illusion.  My belly looks really small here... maybe the angle?  We'll have to get a better shot next week!

Looking back at a wonderful year!

Reflecting back on 2010, it's hard to believe all that can happen in a year.  Each year seems to go by faster than the year before, and yet each one holds so many memories that it's sometimes hard to believe it was only one year.  Here are some reflections from this year.

2010 started on a sad note for us, as we learned about the news of an earthquake that shook Haiti.  Josh and I started to feel a tug on our heart to go back to Haiti.  Josh decided to go back to Haiti in April and I joined the team in June...the day they bought the plane tickets.  Our trip was the last week in July and it was extrememly memorable for us! 



My hubby doing what he does best...making people smile.

 In late January/ February, Josh and I joined a community group through our church.  It is amazing the friendships we have developed in just one year!  We have lifelong friends and we praise God for providing us with our community group.

Summer break for us was WONDERFUL! We spent long days at the pool, reading good books, taking Charlie for runs, and grilling out, and working in our garden.  Knowing now that this was our last summer with just the two of us, it was definitely fulfulling! 

In July we started to co-lead a community group at our church for Financial Peace University.  Dave Ramsey's wisdom on finances has encouraged us to change our way of living and spending money.  Within one year, Josh and I have paid off all debt (minus our home) of about $35,000.  We have now started an emergency fund of 3-6 months expenses, which we hope to have filled by this spring.  We enjoy encouraging others to find finacial peace by checking out the resources available on Dave Ramsey's website:
http://www.daveramsey.com/home/

Early September we received the best news...that we would become parents!!  Josh and I have prayed and trusted in God's plan for us. Even after hearing from doctors that we would have difficulty conceiving, God revealed His faithfulness to us by providing us with a baby girl that we have been praying for for years! Thank you God!

October of 2010 was spent doing all of our favorite autumn festivities.  We started off the month by going to our favorite "haunted" corn maze in Malta, IL.  We hosted our first Halloween pumpkin carving party, went to Goberts Farm, and went to Scarecrow fest. 

For Thanksgiving we were able to visit family in Cincinnati.  It was great to be able to spend time with my Grandma and family... our last visit before our baby girl joins us! 

My favorite month of the year was very exciting!  We found out we are having a healthy, baby girl!  My sister Katie and Josh painted and helped me decorate the baby's room.  This month we attended Christ Community's Christmas concert, CCC's Christmas Eve Service with family, The Christmas Pageant with Josh's parents, and Josh's family Christmas party.  On Christmas Eve we had our parents and Katie come over for lunch and our church service.  We surprised our parents by revealing the baby's sex one day early, by showing them her room.  They were so surprised and excited because they thought the baby was going to be a boy!  At the end of the month and into New Year's we traveled to Canton, OH to visit family for the New Years. 

This year was such an exciting year for us, and we can't wait for the joys that are to come in 2011!!