Mmm, its gonna be a good week...

Mmmm! My house smells yummy...

We are trying to save as much money as we can... so I have been trying to think of creative ways to use what we have here in out little cabinets. Today, we have a nice random mixture of chicken, potatoes, onions, celery, carrots, and cream of mushroom soup cooking in the crockpot. I see so many people with their awesome posts on food... yeah, not me! :) I could never make half the things that I see out there! In our season of life we have to make quick, easy meals that fit our very busy, always--changing schedule. So, my crockpot has become one of my best friends lately! It makes my house smell so yummy too! :)

Just placed my yummy Apple-Strawberry Crisp (recipe here) in the oven...

I must say that last week was wonderful... with the most special part being a visit from my sis! She came for half of her spring break. We were able to relax and sleep in, chat about the past few months, have some special lunches out... talking about EVERYTHING that sisters talk about, and the belly laughs that we had were the BEST! There is no one like my sis :) And... she got to feel her nephew move for the first time! She couldn't believe my belly when she got here! :) It was a much needed visit for sure!

After she left I found these old pics up on my computer :)

They made me smile! Such good memories!

So after such a wonderful, restful time last week...

Then the rainy day week started...

I dropped my sis off in Richmond to meet my parents and on the way home I knew I was getting a cold... that sore throat that creeps up on you. Yuck! Though I tried to shove as many oranges and vitamins in me I just couldn't bypass it this time. So... I missed 2 days of work last week. :(

Poor Ray... tissues everywhere...a cough that starts as soon as we try to go to sleep... my new manly voice... and hot tea around 4am the past several mornings. I think I am finally on the mend...

So I had my 28 week appointment this morning...

Glucose test... my sugar was high...

I have to go next week for the full 4 hour test... Yuck! Not what I wanted to hear!

But what the Dr. probably doesn't realize is what my sugar does 1-2 hours after I have sugar. I actually have hypoglycemia... so once we got home from my appointment I was on the verge of passing out. I ate some peanut butter and my sugar soon stabalized. The Dr. said that he didn't think I showed any other signs of a "carbohydrate problem." So, hopefully my next test will be a better result.

After my depressing glucose test results... I had to get my RhoGam shot. I have negative blood and Ray has positive... so my poor hip got a nice big shot this morning too!

Though I have LOVED everyone at my practice... this morning I definitely met my least favorite Dr. He was not in high spirits to say the least... I won't go into all the details. He wasn't mean; just not overly nice. So... on the verge of tears already... we got into his office and he notifies me that my hemoglobin is at a critical low! Oh my goodness... I thought I was going to lose it! BUT... I didn't. I held it together and the Lord reminded me as I was sitting in the office that my little man's heart beat was strong and that is the most important thing! He is doing great according to the Dr. So... I guess it all could have been worse!

Let's see.. we'll just add more iron and prepare for my next glucose test. I have a busy week with work starting tomorrow, but time is ticking away! It won't be much longer now before he is here with us. I finally starting my registering process. It has been fun to talk with people about what they like and don't like (which I would still love to hear from any of you out there!!) We start our prenatal classes in April and can hopefully start getting out nursery ready in the next month. We have been talking about baby showers too. So...Getting more and more excited as each day passes... whether my sugar is high and we are scrounging for every penny and and its a rainy day... but we are blessed and totally excited!

Oh... my Strawberry-Apple Crisp just came out of the oven...

MMMMM! So yummy! You gotta try it :)

So.. I'm ready for this new weeks! Its gonna be good, I just know it!

I WAITED PATIENTLY FOR THE LORD; HE INCLINED TO ME AND HEARD MY CRY. HE DREW ME UP FROM THE PIT OF DESTRUCTION, OUT OF THE MIRY BOG AND SET MY FEET UPON A ROCK, MAKING MY STEPS SECURE. HE PUT A NEW SONG OF PRAISE IN MY MOUTH, A SONG OF PRAISE TO OUR GOD. MANY WILL SEE AND FEAR AND PUT THEIR TRUST IN THE LORD. PSALM 40:1-3

The Beautiful Embrace

So, most of you know, my prayers the past few weeks have been to TOTALLY EMBRACE this pregnancy. I have gone through so many emotions since September... kicking and screaming and refusing this to be God's will, sadness, discouragement, resentment, bitterness, anger, denial, a complaining spirit, and the list sadly could go on... BUT, last night... oh, last night...

I came home from a busy day at work... feeling the need to just sit and relax. Ray was playing basketball and it was just me and my boy... I put on some quiet music and laid down on our bed... just for a minute I told myself... I was lying on my side with the FAVORITE body pillow surrounding my tummy... and as I finally started to relax... Barrett began to move. It wasn't in his typical way... like flutters and bumps and little movements letting me know he is there... this was like nothing I have ever experienced in my life! It felt as if he was swimming around... all around... I felt him high, low, on both my sides... It was as if I could feel his hands and feet rubbing the inside of me.... and it lasted a long time... in a different way than the past few months. It was as if he was saying... "See mom, everything is going to be fine! I'm doing great in here! I am real and you are my mom!"

There aren't words to really describe last night... but I guess it is just something that just he and I will share for the next three months :) My love for him grew last night. My excitement that he is mine brought about more anticipation than I have felt so far. And, my awe at the wonders of my Jesus increased by leaps and bounds! I think, honestly, I realized, IN A REAL WAY for the first time, that my son is gift... a beautiful gift from my Jesus! The Lord has answered my prayers... to truly embrace this pregnancy... and He is doing it! Yes, it has been little by little... seeming that I am heading into the 7th month :) But I am SO encouraged that He is answering my prayers and giving me HOPE FOR THE FUTURE... in a way I have never seen. It is beautiful... the belly and all... it is BEAUTIFUL!

a wise wife...

I read this yesterday at work... and i thought it was soooo good :)
“Let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” Ephesians 5:33

God made Adam first and put him in the Garden with a job to do, a mission to fulfill. In the heart of every fallen man is the self-doubt that wonders, “Am I man enough to climb this mountain God has called me to? Can I fulfill my destiny?” A wise wife will understand that question at the center of her husband’s heart. And she will spend her life answering it, communicating to him in various ways, “Honey, I believe in your call. I know you can do this, by God’s power. Go for it.” In this way, she will breathe life into her man.

God made Eve from Adam, for Adam, to help him follow the call. In the heart of every fallen woman is the self-doubt that wonders, “Do I please you? Am I what you wanted?” A wise husband will understand that question at the center of his wife’s heart. And he will spend his life answering it, communicating to her in various ways, “Darling, you are the one I need. I cherish you. Let me hold you close.” In this way, he will breathe life into his wife.

DO WHAT YOU CAN... its completely done...

Came upon an article linked to Joshua Harris Blog today that so encouraged my heart. Though my little son is not here yet and I have not experienced what some of my dear friends have as they are raising their little ones... but I have had many sleepless nights from my pregnancy... leg aches after a long day of work, nausea and heartburn, getting up to pee on the hour, migraines, and now my baby waking me up several times a night from his activity :) I am still working full time, with long hours, and hard shifts... and carrying a child around (in my tummy) for 12 hours. Trying to keep up with laundry, making dinner and lunches, cleaning our house, staying in touch with friends, trying to stay as active in church as we can, etc. I definitely do not have the luxery of a day with NOTHING to do... I remember those wonderful days in college where a friend and I would just spend the day doing NOTHING... laying around, talking, spending long extended time with the Lord... yeah, its not like that at all anymore. Sometimes I think that God must think I am slipping farther from where I used to be. But this article reminded me that NOTHING I COULD DO WOULD MAKE HIM LOVE ME ANYMORE THAN HE ALREADY DOES. 5 minutes or 5 hours... I am His Beloved and He is mine!

BIBLE READING FOR BUSY MOMS

How does a mom of young children — say, three still in diapers — find any time for Bible intake? “Do What You Can” is the answer Don Whitney gives in Simplify Your Spiritual Life: Spiritual Disciplines for the Overwhelmed (pp. 157-158). In thisshort/excellent chapter, Whitney describes one woman’s example and advice:

She was converted in her late teens. Discipled well from the start, Jean thrived on a spiritual diet strong on disciplines like the reading, studying, and meditating on God’s Word, prayer, fellowship, service, evangelism, worship, silence and solitude, journal-keeping, and Scripture memory. She felt herself making spiritual progress almost daily. All this continued after she married her equally-dedicated husband, Roger.

Then she had three children in diapers. Caring for their most basic needs eliminated almost every moment of the time she used to devote to caring for her soul. Her longings for the things of God reached as high as ever, but her time and energy had new and severe limits.

On at least three occasions I’ve eavesdropped as Jean addressed young moms in similar situations. In effect she’s told them, “At this time in your life, you can’t do what you’re used to doing. You don’t have time for all your heart desires to experience in your spiritual life. Nevertheless, do what you can do, even though it’s precious little. Just don’t deceive yourself by thinking that you can put off a devotional life until you have more time. Because when the years roll around and you finally do have more time, your spiritual habits will be so ingrained that you won’t give more attention to your devotional life at all.”

Then I heard Jean tell her own story. She would keep Bibles open in several rooms–in the kitchen, nursery, bathroom–and look at them when she could. While warming a bottle or changing a diaper, she’d glance over and perhaps read only one verse. But this discipline helped her keep the Word in her heart and the presence of God in her awareness. And as the children’s needs grew less demanding, her disciplines were already in place to receive any additional time she could give them. Even though Jean felt almost spiritually dormant during those years in comparison to her early growth as a Christian, she kept alive the spiritual disciplines through which her soul would blossom in years to come.

Like Jean with three in diapers, you may be in a situation that curtails many of your spiritual activities. You may be looking at many months or even years of such limitations. Do what you can. God does not love us more when we do more, nor less when we do less. He accepts us, not because of what we do for Him, but because of what He’s done for us in Christ.

The Bible says, “He made us accepted in the Beloved [that is, Jesus]” (Ephesians 1:6). And nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). Love God, and within the limitations He has sovereignly placed in your life at this time, do what you can.

"THE OLD HAS GONE, THE NEW HAS COME. WHAT YOU COMPLETE IS COMPLETELY DONE. WE'RE HEIRS WITH CHRIST; THE VICTORY WON! WHAT YOU COMPLETE IS COMPLETELY DONE!" (sovereign grace music...sons and daughters cd)

Here are some pics from some of my dear friends in Staunton... now amazing parents! What an encouragement to hear their hearts for the Lord, their spouses, and their children. such transparency and love...

Adelaide Fitzgerald

Brian and his boy!

Audri... she has the funniest expressions!!

Adelaide and Aunt Ash... she is so loving! Anything you ask her, she says, "Yes!"

The dad were so cute!

I am so proud of my dear friends Brian and Derek!

the kids

Kaelyn Alese

Derek and Kaelyn... Kaelyn has her new hat on from Aunt Ash :)

And the newest addition... Ezekial at 4 weeks old! He liked hanging out with Barrett!

Notice how I have no pictures of the adorable moms... :) they were busy feeding,correcting, making dinner (hotdogs and mac and cheese) and trying to catch up with me! They were truly an inspiration to me! I hope that Ray and I can be half the parents that they are! God's amazing grace and strength was evident in their lives!

Love Today

I'm sitting here in Staunton at MUGSHOTS, a cute little coffee shop, with my computer and my white chocolate mocha, and my little boy doing flips in my tummy.

Wow... it seems as if life is just flying by...

So many memories flood my mind as I sit here and reminisce. To think of the days that I would sit here and do homework, dreaming of what I would do with my life... now to be sitting here married and pregnant. Yikes! Where did time go??

I worked three days in a row to be able to come visit my parents. Have you ever just feel like you need to get away? Well, I kinda felt like that... not that i'm running from anything... just need a break from the mundane. It was such a sweet feeling to drive over Afton Mountain yesterday and see the sun setting over the beautiful mountains. It made me smile... I love the quietness of this town. The peace that I always feel... life feels slower here.

I pulled up to the little house that I grew up in... dirty snow still covers the ground, but it is beautiful. I always love walking into the little childhood cottage :) Mom welcomed me and rubbed my belly to tell Barrett hello. She said my tummy was so cute! The house was straightened and new pictures from my wedding decorated the living room walls. That made me smile too! Mom and I chatted... picked up where we always do... just sharing life. Had a yummy dinner with mom and then settled into our pj's to watch the Olympics. It was as if, though I have a child in my belly, I was a child again. We laughed, talked, remembered, and laughed some more! It is fun to get all the attention... my sis is away at college in and Ray had to stay home to work. So Barrett and I get all the attention :)

Then mom pulled out a little journal that had the many details of her pregnancy and my birth. It was the sweetest thing I have ever read! I can't believe that she had all of written down! Then she gave me my baby book.... she had captured the first 7 years in detail of my life! It was so amazing to read. I can't wait to compare notes when our son is born! We ended up staying up rather late as she remembered all the little things I used to say and do when I was little. It made me anticipate the birth of our son in a new way! Mom also felt him moving last night for the first time! :)

On that note, to bear my heart, I have been struggling for the past few weeks with allowing my self to let my guard down and love him fully. It is hard to explain... The more I feel him move, the more I think about him, as each day passes, I fall more and more in love with the child that I have never even met. How could I love something this much? I wasn't really ready to love anything more than my family and Ray... and now this new love is slowly growing and growing with each day. Because of the many sick children I see each day, the horrible stories that you hear regarding babies, my friends that have lost children, etc... this has caused fear to creep into my heart and take over the love that I have for this precious gift. I haven't wanted to buy much for our son because I have been scared of the "what ifs." I have asked the Lord to change my heart and allow the walls to come down. I am asking God to help me to trust him... He has blessed me TODAY with our little guy and I want to celebrate today! I want to give him all the love I can TODAY. I cannot live in the "what ifs" of this life... I must LIVE in today and LOVE with all I have today. So, I am going to embrace all that it means to LOVE my boy TODAY. I will choose to thank the Lord in the times when fears tries to come in... He has never failed me and His peace will cover all my fears. He is taking care of my baby... and I need not walk in fear but in complete peace TODAY!

..... Barrett turns 6 months tomorrow!! Tomorrow marks 24 weeks of pregnancy! Wow! I know this pic has alot going on..haha, but it shows really well how big he is in me! I cannot believe he lives in me! :) I have honestly been laughing so much lately... every time he moves it makes me crack up laughing. Poor Ray, the other night the laughter started at 1:30 am. I could not stop laughing though... I was wheezing and tears were coming down my face it tickled so much! :)

And tomorrow also mark our 8 month anniversary! Another WOW! I cannot believe how fast time has flown by. It has been the HAPPIEST 8 months of my life! I am blessed with a cutie.. thats for sure! :) Its so much better than I imagined it to be! "God bless the broken road that led me straight to you..."

I have been quite focused on getting our house together lately... working on little projects on my day off. I am not the most artsy person in the world, especially when it come to decorating a house. My latest project is to get some pictures up on the wall. I was talking to a dear friend about how I could better serve my husband in this busy season of our lives and the the changes that come with pregnancy. She said that one of the best ways she found to bless her husband was to have yummy dinner ready when he gets home from work... the house straightened... ready to focus on him and hear about his day. So, I decided that with a few days off last week I would make dinner and get our house looking a little more like a home. Ray came home from work the past few nights and has cozied right up on the couch... it seems he wants to be there. He loves the pictures on the wall and the time that I spent making dinner for him. So, ultimately it has blessed us both to have a few nights a week at home together. We only have about 4 months left.. just the two of us! Ahhhh! :) But we truly are enjoying this special season together!

Here are a few pics from the house...

Going through LOTS of pictures...

found these adorable picture keeper boxes at Michaels for cheap!

This is my attempt at creativity...

These are eventually going on our bedroom wall...

This is a shadow box that I made for Ray with the ultrasound pictures

and some Scripture that I put beside his bed.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord

ITS A ..........

"Barrett" is my maiden name... seeming that my dad had 2 girls we decided that might be a neat way to carry on the name for another generation. Barrett means, "strong and handsome."

David is my father-in-law's first name. We also wanted a biblical name. So we figured that we can have both our dad's names for our firstborn son.

I love thinking that my son will be a "strong, handsome man after God's own heart!"

That's what we pray for him! :)

Yes, Yes, it is our little MAN! :)

Ray only wanted pictures of this part!

Ha! You should have seen his face when they said BOY!

I will never forget it!

How cute is he??? :)

The ultrasound lady kept saying...

"He has your nose!" :)

I drank a few sips of Dr. Pepper before the ultrasound because my mom had driven 4 hours in a snow storm... so I was bound and determined to make sure that he moved so that we could find out the sex.... well, the DP kinda jacked him up! haha! He was so hyper, moving all around... we could barely get a profile picture! I am sure that he will have the energy of mommy and daddy combined! Wow! Watch our world!! :)

It was very special to have my mom and my mother-in-law in the room with us! They were both pretty teary eyed when they saw him for the first time! I am so thankful for such a supportive family during this season in our lives! We definitely could not do it without them!

So, Ray and I decided we wanted a FUN way to tell Katelyn and Caleb if the baby was a boy or girl. We got a Pinata and filled it with BOY (blue and green) things...

Caleb attacked the pinata and demolished it :)

...and all the stuff fell out!

When Caleb saw the Redskins jersey (daddy's team) he started saying,

"Its a boy, its a boy!" It was so cute!

We had the back room set up with all boy stuff to celebrate little

Barrett :)

Caleb said he couldn't see where it was a boy...so his mom had

to point it out.

My best friend, Kristi, got Barrett some of his first outfits!

Thank you Aunt Trusty!

We're having a SON!

Auntie Kates! Though she was a little disappointed that she has yet another

boy in her life... she is going to be the BEST AUNT! She already has some

awesome ideas of things she wants to make for him! He is going to

blessed to have her as such a caring, thoughtful aunt!

I could not express how grateful I was to have my best friend come in for the party :)

And... get snowed in with me the next day! Yeah!

Kristi, you are the kind of friend that everyone wants...but few find...

You always make me and the little things and big things in my life as much a part of you as they are me! I could not ask for a dearer, more selfless, fun, sweet, giving, and LOVING friend! Thank you for walking this journey with me! I love you! :)

This had to be one of my favorite weekends EVER!

I am so grateful for so many blessings in my life!

We had no idea we could LOVE something so much!

Barrett, mommy and daddy can't wait to meet you, son!

Glorious Gospel of Grace

So many thoughts have been running through my head the past few weeks...

Life is changing everyday...

If you've read this blog much you know that CHANGE does not come easily for me.

I usually kick and scream and try to get my own way.

I am learning...slowly but surely, learning to TRUST.

I have been pondering relationships lately...

I am a very relational person... always in trouble in school for talking and laughing,

always ready to meet some new person, always ready to share my heart (probably

more than I should sometimes), love talking, love hearing testimonies, stories, etc.

Relationships are so wonderful! Ray & I have been blessed with families that are such a great example of loving people, showing hospitality, and wrapping the sweet arms of the Savior around those that do not know Him. We are so blessed to be in a church that is based on biblical fellowship and relationships. It is wonderful to have people that you know love you, care about you, and are there for you no matter what!

I just have to share an sweet example from this past Sunday. Lisa Hulme and Marie Hughes hosted a baby shower for a girl (Libby) that has just moved here and does not have a home church. She and her husband pour their lives into a ministry in public schools, called Young Life. They just had their first baby a few weeks ago. Women from our church showed up to bless this young mom with the love of Jesus! What an honor to be able to be a part of the heart of God! Lisa Hulme stated that this baby shower has nothing to do with coming to SGC... but only that she is part of the body of Christ and we want to wrap the arms of Jesus around her! I think I was blessed more than anyone there! I got to meet such a sweet sister in Christ that is in the same season as me! What a blessing! I also got to hear encouragement from the more experienced moms in our church. I was blown away by the outpouring of love from the sister in our church! Now that is a perfect example of the heart of God in our relationships!

BUT, what about the times when relationships get shaky...

You have to confront someone about a specific sin or a misunderstanding happens...

Then how do we react?? I know my initial response is usually, as my mother in law and I joke, "to take my earrings off and fight!" :) Now, is that the way that the Lord deals with us? No! Do we all perfectly handle people exactly as we always should? No! That's why we need to the GOSPEL!

I just got off the phone with my dad. We were talking about the mistakes that we have both made in the way we have responded to people or spoken correction. It was humbling to both of us to remember that we make mistakes in our relationship...we allow pride and judgement to take over our emotions. I think of my dad and the path that he has had to walk in finding forgiveness, humility, grace, and trust in God's plan through the situation with his past job. God has mercifully helped my parents to give grace as our old church grows in the way they handle people at times. Yes it is hard, and yes the feelings of anger and bitterness try to creap in, but this is exactly what satan wants to happen. He wants to causes division between the body of Christ. As, I look back over the journey that my parents have walked, I see how God has kept us. He has kept my parents relationships with the pastor and elders and the church body as a whole. Yes, my parents were called to leave. Yes, they were not handled in the most compassionate, loving way. But they have taught me what is means to know that we have been forgiven much, therefore we can forgive with that same degree.

Eric, our pastor, shared a message Sunday from Galations 4 that really impacted my heart. Paul was a theologian. He could lay it all out :) But in this particular passage (Gal 4:12-20) he had a personal plea for the Galations. He called them "brothers". He had AFFECTION, LOVE, and COMPASSION for these Galatians. He did not want them to live under the law any longer! He wanted to remind them of the JOY that they used to have when the Holy Spirit first came into their heart. Eric said, "Paul had FACES come to mind." Is that how we deal with our friends, our brother and sister in the Lord? Does a face come to mind when we realize that we need to point out something in someone's life? Wow, I am totally convicted! I am usually thinking of myself and what the outcome will be for me when I confront someone.

I have been asking myself these questions this week, as I prepare for work in the early morning... or talking with my husband at night... or sharing with my sister... or talking with my best friends over the phone...

*Am I making the gospel accessible to anyone?

*How do I think of the detours of my life?

*How do I view my weaknesses?

I was so blessed at the end of Eric's message to know the heart of our pastors...

To see us conformed to the image of Christ through His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. .. that we would be sanctified according to the truth.

I am humbled to see God's forgiveness even this week as I have handled people wrongly, been angry or bitter, or not been a testimony to the gospel that has changed my life. Oh, but what grace and love He has poured out on me this day! The gospel is power for my everyday life! We are all growing, all being sanctified and it is GLORIOUS!

Luke 7:36-50
A Sinful Woman Forgiven

One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”