Going Private

I have decided to not have my blog just completely open...I get a little nervous since I post pics of us here! I would love you if you read it to still read it...just ask and you can view it. I've got to figure out how this works but for now I am gonna do this! Julie

Pippi Longstocking!

I tried to make e some pig tails for the first time the other day! They were so cute...although now I understand a little better as to why mine were always crooked when I was little!

A Busy Weekend!

Can't you tell he loves me taking pics. in public!

ready to eat!

My date!

Aren't you impressed! He even did the dots like the
cookie co. does!

First of all I'd like to thank each of you for your prayers and sweet comments. I can't begin to tell you the how the Lord began to lift my anxiousness on Thursday...not long after asking you all to pray. Thursday was my 29th birthday! Can't believe I am almost done with my 20's! I still see myself at about 22! Maybe I should look deeper into the mirror!

Kevin had already taken the day off for my birthday and to take his final exam for the class he has taken this fall. After a long restless night I woke up on Thursday to my husband who made me a delicious cookie cake...and french toast, two of my favs! I always say I want a cookie cake from the mall...those things are super expensive..and so my super frugal hubby decided he could do it himself...and he did! He researched...I guess on google...how to make a cookie cake...bought parchment paper (didn't know he even knew what that was) and bought a cake decorating kit! It looked great and tasted great too!

For my gift he made me a DVD of our honeymoon footage to Colorado and a few of our other vacations. We had never been able to watch the video because it was on a small video camera tape...and the camera didn't belong to us! Needless to say it was fun to watch..and see how much younger we looked...already!

Friday night Kev took me out to dinner! This was such a treat because this was our first date just him and I since the night before e was born. Don't get me wrong we've gone out a few times with friends but not just the two of us. We had a great time. We ate at one of my favorite downtown restaurants and strolled the streets! We had dessert at my all time favorite dessert place and then headed home!

Sat. we enjoyed our Sunday School class progressive dinner. We had over 40 people packed into vans, cars and houses. We had tons of delicious food and fellowship!

I am thankful for a busy week that distracted my brain from worry! Kev taught on Mary and Joseph yesterday. It was a great lesson and reminded me that as a servant of Christ my response always needs to be Yes Lord....just as Mary said it Luke 1:38

Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to do whatever He wants."

I am trusting the Lord for a miracle on Fri. I am praying that the baby will have made a great growth spurt and be measuring closer to what we think it should be. I am praying that it will have a strong heartbeat. I am praying that I will praise the Lord for this answer to prayer.

All the while I am telling the Lord that He knows better than me what this child needs. He knows better than me what I need. More than I need a child... I need to become more like Christ...and I know He will be faithful to me on the mountain and in the valley!

Asking for your prayers!

This is not the way I've intended for this post to go...but I am at the point in which I need my friends and loved ones to once again pray for the life of my unborn child. Yes, we are pregnant...surprise! I have been so proud of myself over the last weeks for keeping this secret. Those of you who know us know that in our 2 previous pregnancies we've began sharing the news almost immediately. This time for some reason I've been content to just wait! I've longed for the day when I could shock my friends by saying...hey by the way we are pregnant and in the 2nd trimester...I was gonna wait a while longer to share.

For those of you who don't know us well I'll give you a super fast version of my long pregnancy file..which I was told yesterday at the doc. was huge! First pregnancy...easy until 20 weeks and the bottom feel out...lost our little Samuel at 33 weeks! Struggled to conceive after losing Samuel...had two super early miscarriages or chemical pregnancies...pretty much got positives only to a few days to a week later lose it. Continued to struggle to conceive...resulted in 3 infertility procedures...and thankfully conceived on the 3rd with our precious little e. Sorry I know that was way more than you ever wanted to know about me.

So after weaning miss e a few months ago we began trying again. We both long for more children..they are such a blessing. bam...pregnant the first month. All I can say is thank you Lord because of the struggle that it was last time. So thankful...I've just been breezing through my first trimester...very sleepy and a little nauseous here and there...no complaints.

Yesterday was my first appointment. I should have been like 8 weeks and 5 days according to my calculations of my LMP...but knowing that it could be off even a week due to the fact my body was still a little crazy do to just weaning e. So once again I lay on the ultrasound table and my life flashes before me. I cannot tell you the anxiety associated with ultrasounds for me....literally the outcome can change you life forever! So here is what you all want to know. Our baby measured very small at only 6 weeks. I know and would bet my life that I have to be more than six weeks...I've had a positive preg. test for almost that long. The hopeful thing is that the baby did have a good heartbeat...just measuring so much smaller than we thought. I left in complete worry and barely slept last night.

I am asking the Lord..that His will be done. I know from past experiences He is loving and good and will not leave me in my time of need. My doc. who I am not sure is a Christian but who we have been able to witness to over the years actually was trying to remind me of my faith yesterday...I think it was weak. She told us that we had been through the worst situation she'd faced with Samuel and had one of the best pregnancies and deliveries she'd had with e! She even told us to rely on our faith until next Fri. when we go back for another scan.

So friends...not how I intended to share the news of this pregnancy...but once again we need to you petition the father for our child! Hoping one day to just have a simple, easy pregnancy...I know you all would be thankful for that! Please pray that I can keep busy and not let my mind drive me crazy until next Fri. Pray that this little baby will continue to grow and the little heart will continue to beat. Thanks

6 years Ago Tonight...

Us in Tuscon Arizona

San Diego, California

Disney Cruise!

One of the only pic. we have of when I was preg. with
Samuel. What a great husband who was with me every step
of the way!

.......Kev asked me to be his wife. At times it seems like only yesterday and then at times it seems like we've lived two lifetimes since then. Just for memory sake...I'll take you on a walk down memory lane. I was expecting the proposal any day. We had already put a down payment to build a house...I knew it was coming. In fact I asked my dad everyday if he had seen or spoken to Kevin that day. It was a Fri. night and we went out on a date..which back then we did pretty much every Fri. and Sat. night....my how things change! We went downtown to a great Italian restaurant....and I was anxious and excited...just ready for him to pop the question already! Well we ate...and no ring...instead of strolling the beautiful street of our hometown we headed to the truck. I wanted to suggest a stroll..thinking it would make a perfect scene...him on one knee...old homes in the background...Christmas lights twinkling below....but I refrained...hoping he had a plan. So in the truck we got and he proceeded to leave downtown...couldn't for the life of me figure out what the plan was...I mean this had to be the night. As we were almost leaving downtown he made a turn and headed toward a local gazebo. We got out and strolled a bit and sat on the steps of the gazebo...my heart was pounding ...I knew it was coming. He got down on one knee and said a bunch a sweet things..that I really can't remember but to the effect that he knew God wanted him to marry me and he placed the most beautiful ring I'd ever seen on my finger. One thing about Kev..if he is gonna buy something..say a tv, refrigerator, or ring...he's gonna research the thing to death and buy the best...and he sure did. I think he thought if he got me a great ring he'd never be required to buy jewelry again. Needless to say we were over the moon excited. We had a strange dating relationship....met on a blind date the previous Jan. dated until June...broke up (he needed to find his way..poor guy...but the best thing that ever happened to our rel.)...in Sept. we started hanging out only as friends...every night after work he'd come over to my parents. We kept it totally a friendship...even though I really liked him...and then in Nov. he told me he loved me! I think the next weekend we were house shopping and the next weekend we got engaged. Sometimes I'd think...this is so fast. Especially when compared to previous relationships we'd both been in...but one thing I can say is that the Lord always gave me complete peace about marrying Kev. I am so glad I did!

Win a Sling!

One thing that I never got when I had e was a sling! I had a front carrier that was...so difficult to wear. I used it a few times when trying to clean and she wanted to be held. Needless to say it was a waste. I check the 30 days sight often because she does a free give away every week. All you have to do is comment and you are entered. Check it out...you can click on the 30 days button on my sidebar. My favorite sling pattern is the chloe...hopefully it will come in handy one day in the future...and maybe I'll get lucky and win!

Christmas!

I love Christmas time...I always have. It is definitely the most wonderful time of the year in my opinion. I love the shopping, baking, decorating..dressing e in cute festive clothes, seeing the lights...and on and on! I think sometimes in my mind I want a Southern Living/Pottery Barn kind of Christmas...you know the scene where everyone is perfectly festive, the house is all a glow, the turkey is plump and on the table, and the snow is covering the ground. Everything in those pictures look so perfect...like the perfect holiday...just as it should be! I was amazed the other day that my 3 year old nephew was so enamored with my Christmas Village! He sat looking at each piece forever...wanting to see the people inside. Sometimes don't you just want to jump into those little villages and camp out! Maybe it's just me!

I came across this poem several months ago and saved it on my computer. I loved the message of it and hopefully it will help me to remember to focus on the true meaning of Christmas!

CORINTHIANS 13 CHRISTMAS VERSION

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata, but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.Love never fails.