People

Love this. I took it from a friend's blog. felt like it needed to be shared.

http://www.chron.com/opinion/outlook/article/Time-to-get-off-the-cell-phone-1733321.phpp

day 1

wow...so it's been a while...last time I wrote, we were still waiting for our sweet girl's arrival and now I have a 2 month old!  Our world has been rocked to say the least.  This girl has stolen our hearts in ways that I did not know were possible.  However, to say that we have loved every moment of it would be a lie.  Don't get me wrong, i love being a mom but the lack of sleep and other hiccups along the way have been rough.  Being a new mom is kind of like a roller coaster and without the support of my husband, family, friends, midwives, lactation specialist and doula, it would have been exponentially more difficult.  Seriously, just the simple words from people who have been there or know what it's like, have been absolutely invaluable.  To know that people were praying for me, when I didn't have a whole lot of hope, was invaluable.  ANd then the gifts and meals from others was also completely invaluable. I totally thought I knew a lot about babies and being a mom but then I became a mom and was suddenly unsure of everything. So the words,"i'm proud of you" and "you are doing a good job" almost brought me to tears many times.  They were exactly the words that I needed to hear at those moments.  I doubt I am the only new mom that has ever felt this way so if you know new parents, pray for them, they may be having a difficult time.  

Through all the difficulties, there is so much joy in watching this little life grow right before our eyes!  It is incredible to see our genetics in this little human.  I do finally feel like things are beginning to level out and life is beginning a new normal that we love.

gg

I actually had a very long draft that I was just about to add to and edit that magically no longer exists so instead of giving you a more detailed update on how life has been for the past 2 months, I will just leave you with some pictures of this precious little face.  I have learned a lot over the past 2 months that I plan on sharing when I get the chance.

PS I have been meaning to write thank you cards for all of our showers for 2 months and have yet to get around to it...so if you fall in the category, know that they will come eventually and it is not because we are not thankful :)

 Month 1 (really difficult to take a picture of a baby not in movement)

 Sweet moment - dedicating her with ppl we love dearly

 i spend a lot of time right here

 visit from sweet friends

 month 2

in love with these 2

waiting...

my sweet friend Carla Perry is very talented

So at the beginning of my pregnancy, I knew that these last few days would come and I had seen many of friends get frustrated with not going into labor on or near their due date so I was determined not to get stuck on a date because I didn't want to feel that way at the end....well my friends, I'm there...almost a week past my due date and I am over being pregnant!  Not that the overall experience hasn't been incredible and that I have had much to complain about over the past 9 months, just that I'm ready to be moving back to having a normal body annnnnd I am also pretty over being uncomfortable.

Had an appointment with our midwife on Wednesday and little one hasn't even dropped.  She is happily tucked away inside of me and taking her sweet little time...so there are a few things that we will be doing over the next few days to maybe get some contractions going but I fully understand that babies come when they are ready and I will not be pregnant forever....although it does feel that way :)

This little one is where she needs to be right now and I will simply trust in that and cherish and be in this short time left ahead of us without a third human in our home.  

Thank you for all who have asked and are praying.  

on a completely different note...during this election season, I am not wanting to argue/choose a side or hear any ugly comments..#1 the way that politicians talk - not really even in reference to the content - in their speeches is kind of funny to me.  and #2 I just wanted to vent about the fact I am little tired of hearing people talk about how hard they work for their money and how others don't.  Please come to my neighborhood (where many of "these other people" live) and find some of the hardest working people that I know.  Don't just believe everything you hear, come see it and maybe do something to love those who aren't "working hard" - that could actually make a difference. That is all.  

Killing Us Softly 4 Trailer



Interesting...with the knowledge of a precious daughter growing inside of me, the idea that this video discusses is terrifying for a soon to be mother.  I hope and pray that my daughter would not get pulled into believing that society's idea of a "beautiful" woman is reality.  Lord help me to help my daughter know that beauty is far beyond what she is bombarded with

Baby Bump

So...I'm going to be honest..it's a bit strange how often people ask for baby bump pics buuuut...I've given in.  So here ya go, the very sporadic progression.

 first signs of little one

 last week

 We are excited to meet her but happy to where we are right now. 

hearts are full

baby girl!!!

isn't she precious :)

In the process of buying our house.....what?! definitely not what we were planning to do 2 months ago but it seems to have fallen in our laps, we will see where it takes us.

incredible people around us to love and support us (not enough space for pictures to fit all of these people in)
 we couldn't be more grateful!

I did not write this but this is something that I forgot most of the time....

"Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, wrote, "We believe that spiritual action is the hardest of all -- to praise and worship God, to thank Him, to petition Him for our brothers, to repent of our sins and those of others.  This is action, just as the taking of cities is action, as revolution is action, as the Corporal Works of Mercy are action.  And just to lie in the sun and let God work on you is to be sitting in the light of the Sun of Justice, and the growth will be there, and joy will grow and spread from us to others.  This is why I like to use so often that saying of St. Catherine of Siena: 'All the Way to heaven is Heaven, because He said I am the Way.'"

Prayers for myself and for you...

"Lord help us to see that our well-being is inextricably bound to the wellbeing of our neighbor.  Our sorrows are shared.  Our longings are shared.  Our fears are shared.  Enable us to share compassion, patience, and courage today.  Amen"  

"Lord, we pray that we never find ourselves without hope, without a glimpse of the empty tomb each time we happen upon the cross.  Help us begin our daily journey expecting both crosses and empty tombs and rejoicing when we encounter either because we know you are with us."

yipeeeee

So this will be quick and not proof read...

So for those that don't know yet...I am 14 weeks pregnant!!!  It's still crazy to me to say"pregnant" when I'm talking about myself...wonder if I'll get over it :)  We are excited to say the least.

I also started a new job about 6 weeks ago with San Antonio ISD Head Start as an assistant and it's been really great so far.

Thank you to all who support us through Blood and Fire!  We have not forgotten about you; however, I would like to apologize be being silent for the past couple months.  It seems as if the moment things calm down or we begin to send you all an update, we are stopped for one reason or another.  Lot's of planning and new things happening around here.  I feel like the last couple months has been a time of many surprises and time to learn about our Father's heart for us as a family and the ministry that He has for us.  Can't say that it's been simple but it has been good.  We WILL be in touch with each of you very soon.  Again, I apologize for our silence.  We have continued to work with the after school program and grocery distributions.  Blood and Fire will also be hosting 2 groups of students over spring break to do various projects in our community.  Keep praying for this community, many beautiful things about to happen that I will share with you in the near future.  Pray for your community as well.

I hope you are all doing well...I've been missing some College Station (although most no longer live there, you re still college station friends to me) friends lately.  call me, i'm really bad at calling you!

I'll leave you with this...

"The hunger for God can only be satisfied by love that is face to face, person to person.  It is only in the eyes of another that we can find the Icon of Christ.  We must make the other person aware that we love him.  If we do, he will know that God loves him.  He will never hunger again." - Hueck Doherty

love