Waiting for Baby

Well, no baby yet around here . . . still waiting, waiting, waiting!!! Just thought I'd give an update on our lack of update ;-). 

Things certainly do seem to be moving that way, and have been for the past several days--so I'm hopeful!! This is probably the oddest season of life I've ever experienced, to be waiting for baby. Waiting for pain. Wanting pain, because it signals the imminent arrival of our son! I don't think I've ever desired pain before, so that's been something new :-).

My amazing mama arrived here in town this past Wednesday, which has been so wonderful!! I've been so much more relaxed (compared to the hot mess I was before--still wouldn't categorize myself as "relaxed and zen" right now, lol). There's just nothing like the comfort of your mama! We've enjoyed our time of waiting by shopping, talking, and doing our part to encourage baby Carr to come on out (e.g., walking every day, eating pineapple, trying out the famous "Prego Pizza" in Folsom, etc.). The rational side of my brain realizes that this baby will come when he wants to, but it at least makes me feel better to try out some home remedies ;-).

So, that's all for now - thought I'd post a couple pics from my first Mother's Day, even though technically I'm not a mother just yet. But given the size of this belly, I think I earned the right to celebrate a couple weeks early ;-). And hopefully the next time I post, our son will be here!!! 

Sweet card and yummy chocolates from my hubs!

Mother's Day, 2013 - 38 weeks preggo and feeling it!

Parents-to-be!

Lately

Hello readers! My apologies that it's been a while since I've written. Consider this a preview of things to come, as I'm quite certain my time for blogging will be minimal to non-existent over the next few months!

Things have been more than a little crazy over here at our house. The last I wrote, we were still waiting, waiting, waiting to know some concrete answers. As I noted, the LORD certainly pushed our faith by making us wait so long--but boy, when He's ready to move, He moves quickly! In the span of 3 days, we went from zero to sixty, and it hasn't slowed down since!

So, I suppose it's time to make it "official"--we are staying here in Sac! On Thursday, April 25th, Aaron and I had one of the biggest shocks of our lives when UC Davis made him an incredible offer to stay on as a Professor of Surgery. We are blown away by the offer they made him, as it's beyond what we expected or even desired (Ephesians 3:20 comes to mind!!). Throughout the entire job-hunting process, our prayer has been that the LORD would make it clear, and make it clear He did!

Then, on Friday, April 26th, I had a doctor's appointment and we got the great news that, after weeks of being breech, baby Carr finally turned and settled into proper "launch" position!! That was a huge relief, and all looked good, except for my slightly elevated blood pressure (I'll come back to that).

Finally, on Saturday, April 27th, we found a new house to rent in beautiful East Sac! We signed the lease this past Saturday and are set to move in by the very end of this month. Again, we are utterly amazed and overwhelmed at the LORD's provision for us--it's as though we're living out Ephesians 3:20 at every turn!

It's also been a very neat experience for me to see God provide and work through Aaron. Normally, this type of task (finding a new home) is in my sweet spot--I love research, comparing stats, locations, etc. It's just something I'm good at . . . but lately, being so close to delivering our son, I'm frankly a hot mess. One minute I'm happy and elated, the next minute I'm anxious, overwhelmed and in tears. Looking for homes was making me so stressed out and felt like an overwhelming task. I told Aaron I just couldn't do it!

So on the morning of the 27th, Aaron got up and had his quiet time as usual--and he asked the LORD to be gracious and provide a home for us, knowing how tight of a timeline we were on and how stressed out I was. Just after finishing that time in prayer, he opened up his computer to search and stumbled upon our home--he was so excited that he even woke me up to show me (and it was worth waking me up for!!). We went to check it out that afternoon; we were sold! East Sac is a gorgeous area, and moving there is literally like relocating to a brand new city compared to where we live now. It's an entirely new and fresh start, and a chance to live in the kind of neighborhood we've always wanted to! We'll be 1.2 miles from the hospital, a mile from the grocery store, 0.3 miles to Trader Joe's and a ton of cute shopping and restaurants, all while being surrounded by parks. We are so excited about trying out this kind of in-town, walk-everywhere living!! Plus, Aaron is thrilled that he gets to ride his bike to work :-). It's something he's always wanted to do, but of course in a city like Atlanta, such a thing was pretty much impossible (unless you had a death wish!).

At any rate, this whole experience has been so good for me personally--God is teaching me, a serious get-it-done control freak, to let go and let others handle things. Being 9 months pregnant, I am well aware of the limitations I have. It can feel a little scary at first to relinquish control, but ultimately it feels oh-so-good to rest in the strong, loving, and capable husband God has given me. I don't have to be "superwoman" and try to do it all. And there's no way I possibly could, no matter how hard I tried! I just love that God led us to this new home by answering the faithful prayers of my husband.

So--to characterize this month as manic and unpredictable is a hefty understatement! We're preparing to leave our current home, move into our new home by the 31st of May or the 1st of June, and waiting for this sweet little boy to make his debut--an event that could occur as early as tomorrow or as late as early June! How's that for unpredictable?! I don't think I was prepared for this end-of-pregnancy waiting game. And, to add to our stress, my blood pressure has been a bit elevated lately, as I noted above. I went in early last week for a re-check, and it was even higher than before; so, to be on the cautious, conservative side, my doc put me on a course of testing and monitoring that has involved me going to the doctor pretty much every single day! I was so overwhelmed at first, but things have been going well and baby is looking great--and overall, I'm thankful for great medical care and a team who's keeping an eye on things.

Per doctor's orders, I'm trying my best to stick to modified bed-rest . . . though it looks more like resting for intervals in between packing up boxes ;-). I suppose it is nice to have the distraction of packing and moving to help these days pass before baby arrives. It's keeping me occupied, focusing on one day at a time. The emotion that accompanies the imminent arrival of your first child is difficult, if not impossible, to put into words. I'm so glad we've been taking this Bradley childbirth class, as Aaron and I both feel as prepared as you can be going into the unknown!

So, that's an update from here; my apologies if it seems a bit disjointed! Right now, I'm just doing my best to take deep breaths and hold on for the ride ;-).

"Where you go I'll go, where you stay I'll stay, when you move I'll move, I will follow . . ."

Happy Monday morning, readers--as I sit here in stillness, drinking coffee in a quiet house, I'm both thankful for the fresh start of a new week and saddened at the feeling of emptiness that seems to embody my home after a truly wonderful visit from my mama. She was here for 4 1/2 days, but it's never enough. I miss her terribly the moment she leaves, as do the sweet pups. Being so far from home is the pits :(.

But, I'm incredibly thankful for this visit that we got to have--a few days to steal away with just the two of us. No husbands, no baby just yet . . . just mother & daughter, shopping, talking, drinking coffee, and soaking up the remaining free moments before Aaron and I enter the new world of parenthood. I'm so very thankful for the sweet gift of time. Is there really anything better than time with those we love?

So, I wish I had news to share, but alas we are still waiting to know what the next steps hold. I'm thankful for and exhausted by how much the LORD is stretching our faith. I am always wanting to go deeper with Him, praying to go deeper in my faith . . . sometimes I think I forget that such a request means having your faith put to the test ;-).

For me personally, this time in life feels like a little "refresher" class in all the things God taught me during the course of our fertility struggles. He used that as a tool to break strongholds and thought patterns in me and to demolish some of the outright lies I was believing about God and who He is to me. What an amazing feeling to be set free from the untruths that had wrapped their black tentacles around my mind!

At this time, I feel as though I'm in the middle of a mid-term exam of sorts . . . did I really get it? Did I learn lessons of faith that can now be applied to a new set of circumstances?

And with great thankfulness, I can answer yes! It still isn't easy (will it ever be? and is that even really the goal?). But it is easier.  And as hard as it is to close my eyes, breath deeply, and say "LORD, I choose You in the face of uncertainty and so many questions," it's also a very exciting place to be. I firmly believe that God honors faith, and He wants us to just let go and trust Him with everything!

So today, I am clinging to His promises and the truth that, while the future seems uncertain to us in this moment, it is anything but uncertain to Him. Rather than straining my eyes to look ahead at what's next, I'm spending time looking back at all He's done, all those stones from the middle of the Jordan River, piled up high (see Joshua 4).

I'll end by sharing the "Jesus Calling" devotion from yesterday, April 21. This devotion speaks to me daily, and yesterday in particular as I faced the decision to trust Him or give in to my own fickle emotions. This is what it said:

Let Me control your mind. The mind is the most restless, unruly part of mankind. Long after you have learned the discipline of holding your tongue, your thoughts defy your will and set themselves up against Me. Man is the pinnacle of my creation, and the human mind is wondrously complex. I risked all by granting you freedom to think for yourself. This is godlike privilege, forever setting you apart from animals and robots. I made you in My image, precariously close to deity. 

Though My blood has fully redeemed you, your mind is the last bastion of rebellion. Open yourself to My radiant Presence, letting My light permeate your thinking. When my spirit is controlling your mind, you are filled with Life and Peace.

I hope this encourages you today as much as it has encouraged me!

Chris Tomlin

"Waiting here, baby it's like we're walking on a wire through the fear"

Hello readers, and happy Friday!! After having back to back weekends filled to the brim with activities, I'm very much looking forward to a calm, restful weekend ahead. I've said it before, but at this point in pregnancy, I simply can't keep up with a full schedule! We had a good friend of Aaron's in town last weekend, and while it was a lot of fun, it took me until Wednesday to feel "normal" again, ha. I suppose it's nature's way of slowing you down for all the changes to come . . . !

Outwardly, there isn't a lot going on right now--but inwardly, there is much occurring in both my heart and Aaron's, and God continues to work in and stretch our faith like never before. If there was a gameshow entitled "Press Your Faith," I'd say we'd made it to the final round in this season of life.

Looking at what we are facing the next few months is mind-boggling: welcoming our first baby; Aaron needing to find a job; Aaron's fellowship ending in June; our lease ending in June, necessitating a move to somewhere else, though we have no clue where just yet.

I'd say new baby, new job, new house, & quite possibly new city constitutes a lot to undertake in just 2 1/2 months :-).

And right now, things on all of those fronts are quiet. Too quiet, on some days! Yes, there is movement with Aaron's job search--just one week from today, he has a very exciting interview that we are thrilled about. I won't go into detail, since it's in the early stages, but it's an opportunity the LORD brought about out of the blue and has used to grow our faiths tremendously. Over these past several weeks, God has been bringing both of us to the point of total surrender to His will, changing our hearts and making them malleable, open, and excited to accept God's great plan, whatever that may look like and wherever that may be! It's the most freeing, peaceful feeling to sit back and say "LORD, we want your best for us, even if it's something we never imagined!"

It's like all things in this walk of faith, really--it's never about the "thing" we think it's about (e.g., a baby, a job, a this, a that). It's really about the getting there, and the work the LORD can do in our hearts--if we're open to Him--along the way. Giving us a baby was never a difficult thing for the LORD. Could He have provided that gift right when we started trying 3 years ago? Of course. But to think of all the lessons we would have missed brings me to my knees.  I am so very thankful that He gives us His very best in place of what we think we have to have, when we have to have it.

Don't get me wrong, it isn't as though this journey is an easy one. Some days I look at the calendar and kind of scratch my head, thinking LORD, you do know what day it is, right? You do know it's April, and Aaron's job is up in June, and our lease is up in June, and this baby is coming soon, and we have to move with a newborn, and we don't even know where, and . . ."

That's about the point I end that inward conversation and remind myself to "Be still, and know that [He] is God" (see Psalm 46:10) :-). As I was praying and thinking through these things this morning, I was reminded of a fantastic quote from one of Andy Stanley's sermons on faith:

When God seems late, be on the lookout for Him to show His glory.

I have been marinating on that all morning, and it's so true!! Each of these looming, unanswered questions is an opportunity for God to do something great--and I believe deep in my soul that He will. He has never failed to act in the past, so even though the "waves" are higher this time than they have been before, He is still in control.

I've also been so encouraged by The Message Bible's version of Jeremiah 29:11. I've never been into that translation of the Bible, but Beth Moore noted this verse in one of her lessons and it stuck with me:

"I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out--plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Sometimes, it's just nice to hear God's work spoken plainly in the vernacular of today. I know what I am doing! Such a great comfort to us as we wait, wait, and wait on Him to reveal the way, one step at a time. As Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (emphasis mine). We may wish God would shine a massive spotlight in front of us, revealing the 5-year plan for our lives, but that isn't how He works. That isn't how faith works.

One day. One step. One piece of the puzzle at a time . . .

And so, we wait. With excitement, anticipation, and an openness to what He has in store. I certainly don't have any answers today, but how grateful I am that He does.

And in that truth, I find rest.

Mat Kearney

A Day At The Beach + Easter

Hello all! Just wanted to post some pics about our Easter weekend - what a fun, whirlwind of a weekend it turned out to be!

It all started last Wednesday afternoon when Aaron came home from work and gleefully informed me that he had Friday off from work, due to the State's observance of Cesar Chavez day (you've gotta love California!). In mulling over what we wanted to do, we quickly came to a consensus: head to the beach for the day!

Ever since moving here, we've been wanting to check out the coast . . . but we've never been able to make it further West than wine country, hehe ;-). So, after a little googling, we booked a dog-friendly room in Bodega Bay on the Sonoma coast, packed up the pups, and headed for the beach early Friday morning!

One of the great things about road trips around here is how the getting there part is half the fun! We "oohed" and "ahhed" over the gorgeous, green, rolling hills of Sonoma farm country, counted cows and sheep till we were blue in the face, and tried to fully drink in the beauty of Highway 1. Coming from the South, it's quite an experience to see pristine, sprawling dairy farms on your right and expansive, gorgeous ocean on your left. We were struck by the sheer beauty of the Pacific coast--so raw, untamed, and untouched.

Arriving in Bodega Bay was like arriving in another world. Time seems to tick by at a delayed pace in this sleepy, enchanting town on the water. It felt very much like a New England coastal town, yet with more sunshine and warmer temps, which we welcomed. Come to find out, Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" was set and filmed in Bodega Bay, so after a full day of lounging on the beach, we had to watch it! :-).

We had our fill of fresh seafood and just about every flavor of saltwater taffy, and Aaron had the chance to fulfill a boyhood dream of flying a kite on the beach :-). It was like watching a little boy, he was so enthusiastic! I had the "warm fuzzies" thinking about how much fun it will be to have our little boy running around out there with him. Aaron is so thrilled about having a son! (and of course I am too!).

Upon returning home, we broke out the old ice cream maker and had a little ice cream social with our neighbors, then topped off the weekend with a lovely Easter Sunday church service, lunch with dear friends, and our 5th Bradley Method class. Phew! It was wonderful, but a whole lot of going and doing for a large pregnant lady like me ;-). Today, I'm feeling it, and I'm still in my yoga pants at nearly 1 pm, haha!

At any rate, I'm thankful to be able to enjoy the time we have right now before this little one comes and overwhelms us with love and change. We'll be going on a very new adventure in just a few short weeks, so better take advantage of our spontaneity now! :-). I hope you all had a blessed Easter weekend!

Here are a few pics:

The raw beauty of Portuguese Beach

Our little man - he was in Heaven he was so happy!! 

My handsome hubs

With my original boy :-)

Classy!

And not to be outdone by Aaron, I had to get in my own classy picture, lol. The beer, I of course did not consume--the Cheez-Its, however, are a different story ;-)

Aaron and Izzie - she wasn't too sure what to think of the sand!!

But miss priss found her preferred spot for sunbathing :-)

Family of 4 3/4 

Ok, I had to add this pic, b/c it captures my face just as a HUGE wave crashed and covered our feet and ankles! It was freezing!!! Too funny ;-)

Getting in some early-morning whale watching from the point at Bodega Bay

Cuties

Enjoying the lovely views and sea lion spotting!

Easter Sunday, 2013 - 32 week bump! Getting big!!!

A family photo outside our house

Trying to talk her into taking a couple more pics ;-)

My sweet Vick, lounging in the grass

The Devil Doesn't Always Wear Prada

Hello readers! Today I wanted to share something a little different--below isn't my typical type of blog post. It's more of a personal essay, something I wrote freely without thinking of sharing it on the blog. But, as always, my heart in having this blog is to talk not only about fun trips and baby showers, but to to talk about faith. Real faith being lived out in the minutes and hours of day-to-day life. So, I've decided to share.

By way of background, the impetus for writing this essay (I'm calling it that, because I'm not sure what else to call it, though "essay" sounds horribly academic!) lies in the reflecting I've been doing lately on the past 6 weeks--specifically, quitting my job quite suddenly (though it was a long time coming) and the diagnosis of Aaron's mother with stage IV lung cancer. As I've grown in my faith over the years, my heart's greatest desire is to attain God's best plan for my life. I don't want Plan B or C, D, E, etc. etc. I desire Plan A. Of course, by our own actions we can short-change ourselves and miss out on that "Plan A." Thank goodness that our Heavenly Father is not ham-strung by our failures, for He is able to work all things together for the good of those who love Him and serve Him (see Romans 8:28). 

For me, being away from work at CPCA these past 6 weeks has been amazing--returning to "normal," being free of the burden of that place, and having time to prepare for this baby and make friends and be involved in Bible study has been an incredible blessing. But, since my decision to leave was quite sudden, I have spent some time recently thinking about it and wondering was that really the LORD's best? Did I bug out a couple months too early on where He wanted me to be?? 

So the passage below contains my thoughts on answering that question, as well as some amusing bits at the beginning. From week 1 on the job, I felt as though I was living out a real-life version of "The Devil Wears Prada," only set in a healthcare policy world versus fashion. Of course, no names are mentioned in order to protect the (not-so) innocent ;-). 

Thanks for letting me share my heart, and I hope it speaks to you in some way!

The Devil Doesn’t Always Wear Prada

The devil doesn’t always wear Prada.

In my recent experience, I’ve learned that sometimes, the devil wears faded blue button-up shirts that should have been donated 3 sizes ago, with buttons straining under the tension of an ill-fit, revealing through gaping holes the disturbing image of a flowery bra.

Eww. A little “TMI” if you ask me.

Other times, the devil wears short, tight, overly colorful suits and Snooki-worthy hairstyles, topped off with bright red lipstick and even brighter lip liner. And, don’t forget the gobs of blue eye shadow, without which the “look” would certainly be rendered incomplete. This type of devil makes you wonder if you stumbled back into the 80s, only to realize that, (1) you are in fact living in the present, and (2) a “vintage” look isn’t always a desirable one.

But aside from what the devil may or may not wear, the deeper question bugging the recesses of my heart lately is, did I allow the devil to get the best of me by quitting my job early?

Was I too weak? Too puny? Too lacking in my faith to hold on to the “end,” with the end being maternity leave? Perhaps the LORD was giving me a test run at whatever purpose He has for me . . . if so, I can’t help but feel as though I failed by exiting early. And yet I’m torn, because I can easily see my leaving in one of two ways: (1) an early exit, or (2) the gracious provision of my Heavenly Father, who does not leave us in the fire for a moment longer than is necessary to accomplish His will.

I suppose I’m struggling with this question because I am still struggling to understand His purpose in placing me at CPCA at all. Such a dark, oppressive place with an even darker, more oppressive agenda—one that I was required to be a part of advancing. On the one hand, I panic to think that I exited too soon and missed His purpose for me . . . and on the other, it’s hard to imagine that two more excruciating months at that place would have “done the trick,” as they say.

To me, my experience at CPCA and all preceding circumstances (CDC, law school, etc.) highlight the difficult balance of being in the world, yet not of the world. How did Jesus do it?? How did He live in the midst of sin and in the face of murderous hatred and love so freely and free of judgment? That is so who I long to be . . . but I can’t help but feel that I’ve failed at attaining that goal. Was I ever really a light at CPCA? Or CDC? Or in law school? Or did I play the “silent game” a little too much as far as my faith is concerned?

It feels like the LORD continues to try and teach me how, how to live in this world but love like He did. How to speak His truth in love, without judgment and without apology. Hebrews 10:38 says, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.”

Is that what I’ve done here? Did I shrink back under the burden of the enemy? The thought horrifies me. How can the LORD ever use me in this world if that’s the case? And that is my greatest fear, for my greatest desire in this life is to see the LORD’s purposes for my life fulfilled.

“The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever—do not abandon the works of Your hands.” (Psalm 138:8).

I am comforted in knowing that the words above were written by none other than David—and having just finished Beth Moore’s revised study of King David, I can’t help but take comfort in the fact that the LORD did indeed fulfill His purposes in David’s life, in spite of David’s many mistakes and missteps.

But even as I sit here writing, mulling this question over with piping hot coffee warming my hands, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of peace within my soul—a peace that tells me there is no other place the LORD would have me be than right here, right now. Reading and mediating on God’s word, praying for our son Isaiah and his impending birth, prepping a grocery list for the Easter lunch we have planned with friends this Sunday . . . I am washed with the reassurance that, while certainly speedy, my exit from CPCA was from His hand and of His timing.

It is once again a reminder that this life can change on a dime, for good or for bad. Sometimes, that change involves receiving the call that your mother-in-law’s body is riddled with cancer. Other times, that change involves the LORD’s sweet deliverance from a time of trial and suffering.

I have experienced both of these in the past several weeks. Life is strangely juxtaposed right now, as Aaron and I experience the simultaneous mingling of sorrow over his mother’s illness and joy at the coming of our son and this time of restful, peaceful preparation for his arrival in our own lives. It is an odd balance of emotion. Add to that the fact that we do not know where we are going and where Aaron will be working and where we will be living, and phew! I’d say our lives are currently a case study in taking one day at a time, drinking in God’s grace and strength for each moment of the day.

I am reminded of the sweet words of an old hymn, I need thee every hour. How true. How beautiful. How comforting!

So, I may never fully understand why the LORD brought me to a place like CPCA, but I do know that He never wastes any experience or training. I am incredibly thankful that He gave me a job, allowing me to plug into this city somewhere shortly after moving, even if it was painful every single day! And I am equally thankful that He provided a way out before the birth of our son, giving me this sweet time to prepare and enjoy my last few weeks on this side of the parenting tunnel. I already know that I will look back and treasure these three months and the gift they are from my Father. Oh how well He knows me! How well He knows that I am dust (Psalm 103:14) and that I needed a break before taking on the hardest job I’ll ever know and love (aka, motherhood!).

“For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.” ~ Psalm 100:5

He is a good God indeed.

Shower The People You Love With Love

And shower us with love, our friends and family certainly did!!

I've been wanting to write about our baby shower and trip home ever since arriving back in Sac last week, but I think it's taken me several days to recover from it all. I'm also really starting to feel the fatigue of 3rd trimester, so blogging is something that ends up on my daily "to do" list, only to be moved to the next day ;-).

At any rate, we did indeed have a fantastic visit back South that was packed with spending time with family, friends, celebrating baby, and enjoying a much-needed break from work (for Aaron, that is! hehe). We even decided to take the dogs with us on the trip home, since boarding them for an entire week was quite pricey, and they love spending time with their grandparents :-). Flying with both dogs was an interesting experience, but I'm thrilled to report that they did great, thanks to an effective sedative from our vet. It was stressful at times, but good to know that we can fly with both of them. I hate the thought of always leaving them when we go home for visits, especially if we're going to be staying in California for more than a year (more on that a little later!). 

It felt so good to be home with all of us, dogs included! In a weird way, it felt as though we'd never left...and as though we hadn't been there in forever. The passage of time is weird like that, isn't it? Mom and I enjoyed some shopping the day after we arrived, picking up those last items on the list in order to prepare for baby's birth and arrival. My heart skips a beat when I think about how close it's getting! 

On Saturday after we arrived, my dear sweet friend gave me the most wonderful baby shower--I was entirely overwhelmed by the love and friendship on that day! Baby Carr was showered with oodles of adorable clothes, blankets, toys, and so much more.  I got to visit with friends from every phase of my life, which was such a blessing--I'm so thankful for the people God has placed in my life through the years, from childhood on! We also had lots of family from both sides. As I looked around the room, it was hard to process all of the Lord's blessings--especially when I'm already in a hyper-emotional and hormonal state, haha :-). 

At any rate, I could not have asked for a better or more beautiful day to spend with loved ones, celebrating this miracle life. I'm bowled over with thankfulness!! 

I'm still working on collecting pictures from that day--per usual, I failed at making sure I snapped pictures with everyone, but thankfully many of my friends did! However, here are a few--to our friends and family who came and showered us with love, we can't say THANK YOU enough!!!

Sweet host and friends from law school!! Love these ladies!

Lots of family! This is the Carr side of the fam

The sweet ladies in my fam! Mama, Leslie, Evi, and Granny

My hubs and baby daddy :-)

My sweet, sweet father!! <3 td="">

Rocking the bump--if only it could stay small ;-)

Dear friends from childhood - like sisters to me!

Bump watch!

My sweet mother-in-law and my mama

Some of the lovely table decorations 

Best petit fours ever!! Lovely calligraphy courtesy of a dear friend

Love the framed invite! It looks so sweet in his nursery now

More yummy treats

Aaron with our niece Ella

My sweet sis-in-law (my brother's wife)

So, after celebrating in Atlanta for a couple of days, we headed over to Gadsden to spend some time with Aaron's family. It was great to have some quiet, restful time with Aaron's mom especially. We also had the chance to head to Birmingham and spend the afternoon and evening with Aaron's brother and family, and to see their beautiful new house! We so enjoyed having a chance to catch up with them and spend time with our sweet nieces. It's always good to be back in the South!

Speaking of the South--we still don't know about Aaron's job yet!! Still waiting, waiting, and waiting . . . the LORD continues to lead us through many shutting doors. Aaron is certainly doing his part by applying to places all over, but thus far we've only heard "no." It is eerily quiet at times, but we are confident that God is moving all the necessary puzzle pieces into place!

We did, however, receive a very interesting piece of news while we were on our trip--the owner of the home we're renting needs to move back in (and sooner rather than later!), so once our lease ends in June, we know for certain that we'll be moving! And, given that our landlord has agreed to let us out of our lease as early as May (gulp!), we may even be moving sooner--even before baby boy is born! We're not quite sure what that's all about--we just know that the LORD is moving us to a different house, be that a different house in Sacramento, Atlanta, or anywhere else in the country! The location is still TBD :-).

I'm excited, but overwhelmed, too. The thought of packing up the whole house while this belly of mine continues to grow can induce anxiety at times, but because this move is so clearly from God's Hand, I'm excited to see what He has in store! Not that I'm comparing myself to Abraham, but it feels a bit like that--we know we have been called to pack up and move--but for the moment, we simply don't know to where! So we'll see . . . interesting days ahead, that's for sure :-).

Well, that's the update from here for now - more to come later!