We're not the least bit excited. Really.

TOMORROW'S THE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is what Baby Rumble looked like last time we had the chance to sneak a peak at our 7 week appointment:

Our "Raspberry Baby"
 

Now, being almost 19 weeks, our first visit seems like FOREVER ago!  Needless to say, we have been anxiously awaiting this day for what feels like an eternity.  We will be more than happy just to finally be able to see our baby again even if they can't quite determine the gender yet.  I am confident that Baby Rumble will be ready to show off for us though! :)

So many women I've talked to say they experienced mother's intuition during their pregnancies and "just knew" they were having a boy or girl.  No such thing for this lady! I am {clueless}.  But I think that's a good thing.  I will be pleasantly surprised and extremely overjoyed one way or the other! For someone that loves surprises, I'm pretty sure this one will go down in my book as one of my "best surprises EVER."

I am feeling really good and have lots of energy again (which will come in handy over the next couple weeks!) Nolan started taking my picture at 14 weeks and we are going to do our best to keep up with it... I'm sure there will be many more to come!

Love to all! Can't wait to share our news with the world tomorrow! 

Baby Rumble- boy or girl?

What do you think?? :)

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope." Psalm 130:5

Today's a big day.  Today marks the end of my first trimester of pregnancy... we are a 1/3 of the way there! :)  It's hard to believe that 13 thirteen weeks ago, this baby growing in my belly was just a prayer in my heart...  

Going from this...

to this...

 is an { indescribable } feeling.  

I can't begin to tell you how many times I've prayed over the years that the Lord would allow me to have a family with this man...      the love of my life :) 

p.s. (don't judge... I had been crying lots of happy tears and definitely had the FLU... 

wouldn't be a traditional Weeks' girl pregnancy without it, right??)

Nolan and I had prayed for and hoped to conceive for exactly one year when the Lord chose to bless us with the gift of pregnancy.  Our season of waiting seems minuscule when I think about women I've known who have waited for years upon years, or who are still waiting, hoping and praying for a child.  I am so humbled that the Lord would entrust me with such a high calling and important task as being a mother.   

I've realized a big portion of our lives involves waiting...  even now, I am waiting... waiting for my next ultrasound... waiting to see, boy or girl?... waiting for October... waiting.  However, in seasons of waiting, the Lord wants to mold us and prepare our hearts for His plan. 

If I've learned anything about waiting, it's the following:

* Regardless of the duration- whether its 3 months or 3 years- waiting is waiting, and it often requires a great amount of faith on our part.

* Many times, we are waiting because the Lord wants to stretch us, grow us, and teach us to place our hope in Him.  It's so easy to rely on our own strength and to believe that our plan is best.  God often uses seasons of waiting to teach us that apart from Him, we can do nothing, and only by His grace and through His power, can we live out His plan for our lives.      

* Waiting becomes a much lighter load when we surrender our desires and our plans to Christ and trust in His plan rather than our own.  Saying "I trust Him" and living like I do are two totally different things.  

So, as we wait, may Psalm 33:20-22 be our prayer:
           "We wait in hope for the Lord;
           He is our help and our shield.
           In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name.
           May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord,
           even as we put our hope in You."

Lord, help us to count our seasons of waiting as some of our richest blessings.  How we love you and praise your wonderful name!

You're Beautiful

Do you ever hear a song that makes you think "Man, I hope I get to sing that in heaven!"??

This is one of those songs for me:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGlTzH9xkXQ

When I sing the words to this song, I imagine being amongst a sea of people that are bowing down before Christ and worshiping Him in all His glory.

Here are the lyrics ("You're Beautiful" by Phil Wickham):

I see Your face in every sunrise.

The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes.

The world awakens in the light of the day-

I look up to the sky and say "You're beautiful."

I see Your power in the moonlit night

Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright

We are amazed in the light of the stars. 

It's all proclaiming who You are- You're beautiful.

I see You there hanging on a tree-

You bled and then You died and then You rose again for me.

Now You are sitting on Your Heavenly throne-

Soon You will be coming home.

You're Beautiful.

When we arrive at eternity's shore-

Where death is just a memory and tears are no more

We'll enter in as the wedding bells ring-

Your bride will come together and we'll sing "You're beautiful!"

I see your face. You're beautiful.  You're beautiful.

Shew, Flu, Don't Bother Me

I have the flu.  

Anyone who's ever had the flu knows what it entails:  fever, aching all over (like you've been hit by a semi-truck), coughing, sneezing, sore throat, and the list goes on.  I should have learned my lesson though- it was around this time last year that I was out of commission for close to a week (which is FOREVER when you're a school teacher!) So, Mr. FLU, I have something to say to you: Next year, you will not have me.  I will dominate you with a flu shot! 

Even though I've felt quite terrible these last couple days, it's been nice to have some snuggle buddies to stay close by and keep me company:

Reesie and Roni :)

Roni is really starting to love his new friend, Reesie.  We adopted her about a month ago, and she is the sweetest thing ever.  At first, Roni was unsure about her and would bite her and try to chase her all over the apartment.  Now, they play together, take naps together, share food, and even give each other kitty baths :) I think they will be life-long pals and we love their sweet companionship.  Here are some other great ones:

We like to call her "Reesie Cat" :)

 

Chasing the sunlight.

Lounging around.

Playing with their favorite string :)  

 These kitties are livin' the dream! 

I think they are long lost siblings, don't you?? :)