Amber is 26 today!!

Today is Amber's 26th Birthday today!! Please wish her a happy birthday with me....

Amber, I love you more than you'll ever know...and I hope this day is special for you! You are my princess forever, and I look forward to many more birthdays with you!

Have a great day....!!!

Intelligent Design!

Amber and I were at our last childbirth class last night and they showed a video of several babies being born and handed to their mothers and fathers. Each time they showed it, Amber started to tear up, and I admit that even I had to hold back a few.

What an amazing miracle it is that God created! Amber and I discuss frequently at how amazing it is how the female body changes and re-positions itself to carry the baby and ultimately to deliver. What's even more amazing are the little details that a lot of times go unmentioned...like how the baby's head takes on cone shape to deliver, how before they are born they recognize their mother's smell, how taking their first breath opens up their heart valves to start pumping blood their bodies...and the list is endless! Talk about intelligent design!

Isaiah 43:7 -"Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them."

Psalm 127:3-5 - "Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!..

Isaiah 45:18 - "For this is what the LORD says, he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited—he says: "I am the LORD, and there is no other."

We are so excited for our little girl to arrive, and although we know it will be a life changing event, we are ready for it!

So fellow bloggers...please share some of your memories that you had immediately following the birth of your babies!

Thoughts from the mind of Jason...

No questions asked!

In my reading this morning I was reading in Exodus about the Lord telling Moses exactly how to build the Ark of the Covenant, how to properly build the alter, and so on. While reading that I’d have to say nothing really “spoke” to me…until later today.

While sitting at my desk I began to remember what I read this morning and started wondering…Why was God SO detailed as to how everything needed to be constructed? He gave exact dimensions to Moses! What would have happened if Moses said….”Well, I only have this piece of wood that’s pine instead of acacia…and it’s 4 feet long instead of what the length God wants…good enough!” I would imagine that things would have resulted differently.

All of that led me to thinking about my own life…and how sometimes I question God on His intentions. Sometimes I might be led to do something, or say something…and I ask God…”Are you sure you want me to do it that way?” “Are you sure you want me to write out a check for that much?” “You want me to go where?”

Who am I to think that my tiny little mind can fully understand God’s full intentions, and the meaning behind everything? I pray all the time that God would direct me, use me, bless me…but the first thing He asks me to do I find myself rationalizing.

“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.” Luke 16:10

When God asks us to do things, he wants us to just DO them…no questions asked. We need to trust Him fully, instead of only doing the things we feel comfortable with. Truth is…I don’t know why God told Moses EXACTLY how to build the Ark of the Covenant or Noah EXACTLY how to build the Ark, but I do know that both men were faithful and followed God’s Word…and for that He blessed them.

Just because we don’t always understand why, or know the outcome, we still have to remain faithful. Who knows what will be on the other end….

Thoughts from the mind of Jason….

He's so good to me

I admit I am not a morning person. I am not very talkative in the morning and am certainly not prepared to have important conversations in the morning. Jason and I aren't up and around each other much in the morning as shortly after I am showered, he takes off for the day.

I was a feeling a little warm and "puffy" this morning due to the heat and humidity and casually mentioned to Jason that I was a little frustrated and nervous that I might become absolutely huge and wondered what I might feel like 60 days from now when it is even hotter... I was just feeling a little "edgy."

We exchanged our usual hugs and kisses and Jason left for work. I proceeded to try and dump my "edginess" by praying while I finished getting ready. I don't think I ever even made it to "amen" as I finished my always rushed routine.

I started my car to realize that a special certain someone had put in a praise and worship CD cued to one of my recent favorites - the live version of Chris Tomlin's "How Great is Our God." I was overwhelmed with feeling loved - not only by Jason, since he took this time out to brighten my morning, but by our awesome God. I am always so amazed and thankful at how God honors our desire to draw near to him and how he consistently uses our spouse (His perfect gift created for us) to bless us and remind us of His love for me. When I am down, Jason helps remind me to draw near to Christ. I do my best to do the same in return for him. It is always so cool to me how God has us even each other out. My prayer is that we always think of each other as this perfect gift and that our marriage is a testimony to others.

So, my raging pregnant hormones led me to shed tears of gratefulness, humbleness, and awe at how truly blessed I am and how truly great our God is - most of my 45 minute commute to work!

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jason. I love you both - my main men!

Satisfied Customer

Jason and I bought a mop at the State Fair two summers ago. I also bought a nail file kit with a "crystal" file and three other files that buff and shine. I am happy to report that I still use both frequently!

We learned our lesson about buying things off of the TV... But, these State Fair purchases have been pleasantly suprising in terms of being actual great products. What is better about the State Fair than corndogs, funnel cakes, caramel apples, and listening to people try to sell you things?

Now, why am I a satisfied customer, you ask? Becuase the mop that I bought, called the Starfiber StarMop PRO broke a couple of weeks ago while I was cleaning (it was totally my fault - I banged the plastic on our backyard railing in a lazy attempt to smack the dust out of the mop head. You are supposed to remove the mop head and shake only that). Anyhow, I was very upset with myself. I really like the mop and have been enjoying it even more now that we have our new floors in the living room, dining room, kitchen, and Baby Girl's room. The mop works great and picks up TONS of dust, etc and can be wet down with vinegar and water for a great clean, too. The mop head itself is very large and covers much more ground than a Swiffer, not to mention that it picks up much more than a Swiffer, has a longer handle, swivels better, and is machine washable. Yes, I really do like this mop.

So, I pouted for quite some time and felt sorry for myself and my mop. I thought I remembered a "100% guarentee" on the mop from the sales people at the State Fair. I found their website when I got to work that Monday and called their customer service line. I quickly got through to a Customer Service Rep and without any questions asked WAS TOLD I WOULD RECEIVE A BRAND NEW MOP BASE IN THE MAIL. I was in shock and awe. "Do you need me to send in the broken part?" I asked. "No." "Do I need to pay for shipping and handling?" "No." I was in so much shock at how quickly my issue was resolved, that I forgot to ask how long it would take for the replacement.

I figured I would be doing quite a bit of Swiffering for quite a long time... But, to my pleasant suprise, within about 7-10 days, a UPS postcard came alerting me that we had a package! (Why the postcard? Baby-brain struck again and I gave the company a combination of our old and new address. Yes, we have lived in our house for over a year...) So, I have a new mop base! I am actually looking forward to cleaning my floors this Saturday!

It is really sad that I never expected to get this piece and thought I would have to bring my mop to the Fair to beg for a replacement! I have obviously come to expect very little from companies these days. Hooray for Starfiber - a good company who sells great mops and excellent microfiber cleaning rags!

Any other satisfied customers out there???

****OOh, one more plug for a great company - we have some credit card points to redeem and decided to go with this Land's End Diaper Bag which Trisha swears by. I wanted to know what the color would look like and requested the free fabric swatch. It came in a matter of days and we look forward to our green diaper bag!

Who do you work for?

This morning I was reading in Genesis the story of Joseph and how his brothers had sold him to a trader because they were jealous of his relationship with his dad. Potiphar, a right hand man to Pharaoh bought him. The interesting thing that I read after that was… “His master saw that the LORD was WITH him and the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.” Genesis 39

This made me think of my own work ethic and my own work situation. So many times I find myself boasting of how valueable I am to the company and how I feel I should be put in charge of more, how I should make more, and how my bosses should listen to my ideas, but the one thing I fail to ask myself is, “Can they see that the Lord is with me”? Does my life, my actions, my words reflect the very nature of God? Humbly I’d have to answer no for most things. We as a society have taken on the mindset where we think we deserve everything, and that everything should be handed to us. We value success by our bank accounts and our own achievements.

I wonder how successful some of us would be if we were like Joseph. The Bible says that whatever Joseph did, the Lord made him succeed. Even while he was in prison, God showed him favor and success. It’s amazing at the kinds of things that God can do in us, through us, and for us if we only live for Him. If we put Him first before all things and circumstances. We think that titles and positions matter, but for Joseph God made him successful and showed favor even in a prison setting!

My prayer is that the people around me would start to see that the Lord is WITH me as well. May I focus on God so much that success just follows. Not success in the world’s eyes, but through God’s eyes. May I radiate Christ in me, and may my hands, my words, and my thoughts work unto the Lord instead of unto man….


Thoughts from the mind of Jason…

Vivid dreams

They say your dreams can be even more vivid when you are pregnant. I felt like mine have become more vivid in general since marrying Jason (I basically attribute this to his wonderful influence on me of going to bed at a decent hour each night and getting at least 7 hours of sleep. I rarely got more than 5 or 6 before due to my night owl tendencies. I think that I must get more deep sleep now). The funny thing is, I sometimes feel less rested after a night full of vivid dreams!

Last night was full of them - bizarre dreams mostly centering on the topic of being in labor. I attribute this to the fact that we saw more childbirth videos and talked even more in depth about labor last night at childbirth class #2. I wasn't necessarily in a lot of pain in my dreams (that I can remember at least), but the dreams were full of frustration and angst related to labor. Sorry, folks, I really forget the details after being awake for about 3 minutes, and thus have no more to share. But, it seems like no matter what the topic of my dreams are, there is always frustration in them. Must be a side-effect of my "worry-wart" and "want to be in control" personality...

I hope tonight brings more pleasant dreams!

What have you been dreaming about???

Friday

This afternoon is DRAGGING... Maybe it is all the humidity outside. Who knows. I am attempting to email some people. It is sad when I feel like I am dragging too much to even put together and type decent sentences via emails to friends!

Nothing too profound to say.

Thanks to Cjoy, I am researching The Bradley Method and hope to get some great books on it from the library.

I started this post a few hours ago - now it is 4:34 and I get to leave work!

So, friends, have a superb weekend!

On my mind

What is on my mind?

1. Our childbirth class last night. It was great - Jason is going to be a great labor coach/partner! We watched a great video that was contemporary and nicely done. We saw several women in labor and saw a birth. I know that I am in for a lot of pain. I really don't want an epidural for many reasons, so just about every day I try to get myself geared up that it is going to hurt like heck to be in labor and deliver this baby. Start praying for me now! I would like to think that I will just be able to push myself and get through it - knowing that the "reward" will be SO worth it when I get to hold our precious little girl in my arms immediately afterward.

2. Our registry. We were so unimpressed with the "big" items that Taget had. We also have been talking to people about the horrific return policy that Target has. I have been looking at Walmart.com and actually have been finding many things that I like better. They carry other styles of items such as car seats and pack 'n plays and have a free shipping to your local Walmart store option for online-only items. The things that they and Target carry the exact same item of, Walmart is also less expensive on. I admit that I shop there all the time - get all my groceries there even. But, for some reason, I didn't want to register there. But, now I already started to! And, I know that they are GREAT with returns, so in case something doesn't work out, they will take it back with little or no hassle. So, please consider shopping at Walmart for us. I know that some people are opposed to going there, but I think we will be happier this way! I have been burned by Target too many times.

3. My friend. I just found something out about her and want to talk with her ASAP. It is all good, so no one worry! But, I hope I can reach her when I leave from work.

4. Should I try bidding on a hotel room on priceline.com? I am tempted, but nervous to get locked into something that I don't want. I am booking a Sunday night in a smaller city, so I can't imagine I am going to get something too horrid...

There are many other things on my mind, but I think I will sign off here. I think I have a work thought somewhere in my brain too (which is good, since I am at work!)

Happy Tuesday! Friday won't be here soon enough!

Amber

Weekend Update

Congratulations to Steve and Liz!!! Liz was my student worker here at the university last year. She moved to Missouri and has a year of graduate school under her belt. I was honored to be invited to her wedding and see her and Steve unite as one! She was a radiant bride and the whole wedding and reception was lovely. We didn't know anyone there, but it we ended up having a great time because we sat with three other pregnant couples at our reception table! Go figure! We all had a great time talking and comparing notes on pregnancy, as three of the four of us are on our first round! Congrats and best wishes Liz & Steve! May God richly bless your marriage!
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Jason and I washed up and put together the changing table and crib on Saturday! It was so fun to get her things into her room and really start imagining her in there! We still need to get a dresser, so we haven't decided where each piece of furniture will go yet (it will depend on the size of the dresser). But, it is awfully fun to look at her little baby doll and blankets in her crib and look at the little hats, socks, and outfits I have picked up and people have blessed us with! SO fun!

On Saturday, Jason also worked diligently to pick up and fix up our basement. He put down the carpet from our upstairs living room in the area adjacent to our laundry area. We are going to store books and other things in that area as well as Jason set up a great little sewing area for me. I will have to get started on Baby's bedroom sewing.
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Sunday was filled with a great message from our pastor at church on JOY and the difference between joy and happiness. Joy is found and completed in the Lord, whereas happiness is temporary and found in circumstances. Thankfully, we have had wonderful circumstances lately and have been able to live in both joy and happiness. But, his message was a great reminder of keeping joy in our everyday lives by loving the people around us.

We stayed after church talking to friends and actually closed the church down! We were talking to the youth pastor and his wife (they are due with their first about two months after us) and ended up going to lunch with them. It was great to talk and get to know them better and engage in some true fellowship and "dream sharing." We hope to continue to get to know them better.

Then, about 2 1/2 hours later than anticipated, we headed to Target to register! I had been trying to convince Jason that registering for Baby would not be nearly as long and painstaking as registering for our wedding. I was wrong... I hate to say, but I think that we were there for over 3, maybe close to 4 hours... We did not find a stroller, car seat, or Exercauser there that we liked either. This bummed us out because now we will probably end up going to Babies 'R Us which is a long drive away and is pretty useless to register at since hardly anyone we know could get to one to one of their locations to purchase us something.

Jason was also amazed at how much "stuff" it takes to have a baby. He asked me "how to people in poverty have a baby? They can't possibly buy all of this." This made me think about the fact that you can raise a child with little to nothing - just a few necessities and lots of love. Plenty of people have bathed their kids in the kitchen sink or regular tub - no little baby tubs with hammocks and inflatable duck tubs...

Jason also made fun of me as I registered for pack upon pack of onesies. I tried to explain that they wear them under everything, "spoil" them often, and grow out of them quickly (hence, registering for several packs of every size!) Onesies are one thing moms tell me you can never have enough of! I have purchased quite a few at garage sales. So, maybe I did go overboard. We'll have to wait and see!

I am looking forward to sneaking a peek onto our online registry today and see all of what is on there. I realized that I forgot onesie type t-shirts. (Last time I helped with my newborn little sisters and brothers, you had to use these until their umbilical cord falls off, right?...)
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Well, I think that is all for now! We start our childbirth classes tonight! Very exciting, too!

And, I have my glucose test to look forward to at 7:45 a.m. tomorrow - YESSS!!! (That was a totally facetious remark - I hear it is nasty drinking that syrupy stuff).

Oh, and apparently I made it sound like I lost my purse last week. I knew that I left it at home - knew it was exactly where I always drop it when I walk in the door. I was just feeling a little silly that I managed to forget to bring it with me to work! So, it was never lost, but it was found, right where I knew it would be when I returned home on Thursday!

~Amber

Preggers Poses #2

Here I am last week - Thursday, May 30th - 26 weeks pregnant!

She thumps a lot in my tummy and I think has recently started to get the hiccups a lot...that is the only thing I can imagine for the somewhat strange rhythmic movements I feel sometimes. Any comments from the mommies out there - what do in-utero hiccups feel like?