Big News :)

A little birdie told me a secret....

I'm going to be a BIG SISTER!!!

So...in case you hadn't heard...we have some very big news in our house :) We are absolutely over-the-moon excited about a new little blessing that will be making his/her appearance in late October!! I CANNOT wait to meet our sweet 2nd child!!

Many of you know about our struggle to get pregnant with Elli. The medication that I took made me a nutcase. Seriously. C-R-A-Z-Y. Night sweats (gross!), mood swings, lots & lots (AND LOTS) of tears, cold spells, & weird cravings. Let's just say it was less than pleasant. So, when we started thinking about having another baby (when Elli was about 6 months old...yes, I'm serious), I was really hoping that I wouldn't have to go through all of that mess again. Well, it didn't work out quite like I had planned (luckily, Someone else already had it all figured out :)

My Dr. prescribed said medication about 2 months before we were scheduled to move, and I'm not going to lie, I worried about taking it every day for 2 solid months. The night before I was supposed to start the meds, Chris & I talked & prayed about it. We decided that it just wasn't a good time, that it would make the move really difficult, and we both felt like there was something pulling at our hearts telling us to wait. So, the next morning came and I didn't take the pill. I cried, but I didn't take it. I beat myself up all morning thinking that I was going to delay everything at least another 6 months (that's how long it would take to get started on the "program" again once we moved), and just really felt sorry for myself. I thought I was in control, that I had a say, that I was the one in charge. The irony of it is that I didn't take the pills because I trusted God the night before...we both did. We were so secure in His plans that we made the decision in faith. Funny how it only took about 8 hours, and the actual "act" of stepping out on that faith to trip me up. Thank you, Jesus, for Your grace in my weakness.

*Fast forward about 16 days*

I took a pregnancy test more to get rid of it (I was in my purging stage of the move) than anything else. In fact, I almost threw the test away before I realized that there was a thin blue line staring back at me! I ran out and got a digital test, one that actually says "pregnant" and took it again. Success!!! PREGNANT was displayed, crystal clear! Tears of joy ran down my face, and I immediately hit my knees.

I am not in control, I have no say, and I am definitely not the one in charge. Thankfully...because I would mess up His perfect plan, without a doubt!!

My sweet girl, waiting on daddy to get home to share the exciting news :)

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you future and a hope."

Jeremiah 29:11

It's Friday but SUNDAY is coming!!!

This video was shown at our church last Sunday and it spoke so deeply to me that I thought I'd share it with all of you today. My prayer, on this Good Friday, is that God never allows my heart to harden to these images or these words, but that I might be aware and thankful daily for the sacrifice that Christ Jesus made so that I could be forgiven.

It's Friday, but Sunday's Coming!

How was your Easter?

So, how was your Easter?  Did you have wonderful weather?  Were you surrounded by friends and family?  Did the Easter Bunny stop by for a visit?  Did you remember the reason for the celebration?    

Holidays seem to sneak up on my lately.  I get to truckin' along, and I completely forget that there is supposed to be a celebration going on!  Last week I just happened to be looking through my stash of books and came across one that I read every Easter called "Six Hours One Friday" by Max Lucado.  If you've never read it, I highly recommend trying to get your hands on it.  Once I ran across it, I promptly sat down and started reading the familiar pages.

On one hand, I'm glad that I am so sure that I have been saved by God's grace & covered in His forgiveness that I don't think about the "why" all the time.  On the other hand, I am ashamed that the "why" isn't more present in my thoughts.  I love chapter 11 in this book because it is filled with the "why".  In this chapter, Lucado retells the story of the prodigal son.  You know, the parable that Jesus tells in Luke about the son who leaves his father, wastes his inheritance, and ends up tending to the pigs in a distant land.  Do you remember how it ends?  The son comes back to the father, thinking that he will be angry & ashamed.  But, the father surprises his son by welcoming him home with open arms.  Lucado puts a wonderful spin on the last part of the story.   He asks the reader to imagine Jesus telling this parable to his people.  Did he use his hands while telling it?  Did he outstretch his arms to demonstrate the father's acceptance?  The author admits that he doesn't know what Jesus did that particular day, but he paints a very clear picture of what he did just a little while later.

"He later stretched his hands as open as he could.  He forced his arms so wide apart that it hurt.  And to prove that those arms would never fold and those hands would never close, he had them nailed open.  They still are."  (Six Hours One Friday pg. 85)

I hope that your Easter was filled with plenty of food & lots of laughter.  I hope that you were able to spend it with the ones that you love the most in this world.  And, I hope that you remembered the reason for the celebration..."That God so loved the world that he gave His only Son" John. 3:16.

Blessings, 

Amy