Twenty-three Weeks

I am now 23 weeks along - more than half-way and less than 4 months to go. My little tummy sure is feeling bigger this week. Our little guy is pretty active sometimes. Just this week he's had a few kicks that I could see, not just feel!

One of my prayers recently has been that I would be as keenly aware of God's touch on my life as I am of the touches of this little boy. Just having him with me and making his presence known in the most interesting moments reminds me that the Lord is working at every moment and in every circumstance.

Two of my good friends who have shared this journey of waiting and praying for a little one had babies in the past couple of weeks. Thanks, Missy and MaryLindsey for sharing your stories, your friendship, and your encouragement with me. It's meant the world to know you were just an e-mail away. I'll understand if I don't hear from you as much for a while! But it won't be long until I'm asking you about bringing home a baby!

Puppy Birthday

Thursday was Luther's third birthday. I can't believe that we have had him that long already! We've celebrated in different ways over the years - they've had party hats, noise makers, bones, and new toys. Two years ago on Luther's birthday we had just brought home Augustine.

We celebrated on Friday night and this year Luther and Auggie got a special treat for the big day - a steak. You can only imagine the drooling and tail wagging that went on for this one! Here they are, sitting by the stove, anxiously awaiting their meal as I cooked. Somehow they seemed to know it was for them.

Happy birthday, Luther. We are so glad you're part of our family!

Thoughts about a name...

Since we found out just over a week ago that we're having a boy, we've had several conversations about names. We haven't settled on one for sure, but are getting close. We haven't decided yet whether we'll share the name we pick, but with so many weeks to go, I think it might get hard to keep the secret!

Before we knew whether we would ever have children, when we were praying and waiting to see what the Lord had for us, I poured over scripture to see what the Lord had to say about having children. As I read, I was struck by how much the Lord speaks about names and what they mean in His Word. Names must have a special significance. So we've decided that our child's name will have special significance as well.

I want our child to have a name that will be appropriate for whatever the Lord chooses for him. Whether he gives his life to ministry, becomes a doctor, a businessman, a lawyer, is a professional athlete, musician, works with his hands, or becomes something I couldn't even dream, I want the name to fit.

Pray with and for us as we prepare for our little guy to join our family. We want not only to be prepared with a great name, but with a home and relationship that is dedicated to the Lord.

Growing Tummy!

I thought everyone might want to see how I am growing. I am now 19 weeks along. It is strange to put on shirts that used to be a little loose and find that they are getting tight! I can't wait to find out if this little one is a girl or a boy. Neither Shane nor I have a guess...I think I'll be surprised either way. We should find out the end of next week so stay tuned...

My "Old" Kentucky Home

The front of the house...
The backyard...
Right as you walk in the front door...
The living room...

And the dining room/kitchen.

More of the House

Looking upstairs into the loft...

The loft...

Our (very green) bathroom...

And our bedroom. There are no pictures on the walls yet, and we left all the paint as it was. It is all generally neutral, except the bathroom - you just can't tell how bright it is in the picture!! The baby's room is fairly empty, so I'll add pictures of it when it's ready for our little one...

Packing Up and Moving

Thank you dearly to everyone who helped us move and say goodbye to Missouri! Every box you packed, corner you cleaned, wall you painted (thanks, Jackson), and dog you entertained meant so much to us! We couldn't have done it without you. We miss you all and can't wait for our first visit back...