Exciting News!

December has been full of fantastic gifts and surprises - I am so thankful for all my God has given to myself and my family!!

For starters....It's A Girl!! John's reaction was absolutely precious...one of sheer happiness, surprise and fear...all at once. We are so very excited to start getting to know this little one. Baby Peanut is going to be so loved! She's the first grandchild on my side (with a Pap who just loves little girls) and she's the only granddaughter on John's side with a bunch of adoring uncles and a Pop who also has a thing for baby girls!

Oddly tho, amidst all this excitement, I have had unexpected feelings of uncertainty and fear this week. I want my baby to be strong in will, strong in her faith and respectful and loving to others (among so many other hopes and dreams). How will we do this? I am really capable of being the mother this child deserves? John is worried about all those boys and the confounding girlie drama that everyone likes to talk about. Then this morning, after my devotion, I have started to feel peace. Thank you Jesus. I was reminded of some very important scripture....my Father's words reminding me that this is all in His PERFECT and loving plan for my family. That it is not my job to worry! My baby is a good and perfect gift...one that I will cherish forever. She has the best protection...our Father's hands. I may not always be there with her, John may not either...but He will never leave her.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above...
~ James 1:17 From KJV

In other news....Nate, my brother, has asked his girlfriend Ashley to marry him! I am so very excited to have another sister (officially now). They have dated for years and in many ways she is already family, but we are incredibly happy to welcome her to our family circle in marriage this year. Yay!

I promise pictures of the holiday festivities in the new year...so much fun to look forward too!

My Favorite Time of Year

Our fall and winter has gotten off to a fantastic start. I am back to feeling pretty great (most of the time!) and things seem to have settled into a good routine around here - as many of you know, I love routines. However, there is this sweet thing that really wants to disrupt our routine - our sweet baby! Peanut, as we call him or her, has started to move around and respond occasionally to John's voice. My growing body and all the resulting changes are a not-so-subtle reminder of all the changes our routine will undergo in just a matter of months. With Peanut feeling more "real" each day John and I are reflecting on some of our family traditions that we want to share with our own family. We decided to get Peanut off to a head start in this department...with a new tradition, the family-centered Turkey Trot in Huntsville on Thanksgiving morning. We had such a great time at the race with my brother and his girlfriend. Peanut made his/her prescence known as I crossed the finish line with lots of wiggles and flips! It was a great way to start off the Thanksgiving holiday. We spent the rest of the day at John's family and cherished the time spent with all of them.

This year's Christmas season has become much more meaningful as we prepare for our child. Our routine is much the same this year as we start to experience this season of Advent. However, I am beginning to realize how I all to often get caught up in the cookie baking, gift buying and wrapping, party scheduling that I forget that the real reason for this special time of year is Christ, his birth, and his ultimate sacrifice. I want better for my child! So this year, I will still bake cookies, buy and wrap gifts, and have much fun at the holiday parties...but I will do my best to keep Christ at the center of all this activity and remember how very special this season truly is.

His birth was for his death; his death was for our birth! (John 1:29 and John 3:1-8)