It won't be long now....

Well, we're almost there. I went for a check up today and the Doctor is currently deciding whether or not to induce me. They ran some tests and will make the final determination by tomorrow afternoon. If they decide to induce, they're going to do so on Wednesday. So we're gearing up and hoping for a baby sooner rather than later.

It's so hard to believe that Jacob might actually be here on Wednesday!!

Right now our prayer is that we go in to labor naturally... I've heard it's a much easier process that way. But either way, we know that God is in control and He will carry us through. I'm not nervous yet, I just keep thinking about this precious little boy and I am SOOO excited to finally meet him.

I say that now of course, when there are no contractions and no pain. But I hope to remain calm through it all.

So pray for us please!!

Best yard sale purchase...EVER!!

Ok, so Bill and I have recently become AVID yardsalers...we're obsessed with them. We scope out the advertised sales on Craigslist and plan our Saturdays accordingly. Our favorites are the neighborhood yard sales.. those are the ones that we tend to have the best luck with.

Well Saturday was another yard sale day... and this one was a biggie. It was in an old Louisville neighborhood that is well established. So Bill and I get up and going... the goal is to be at said yard sale by 8 AM.. this is a tip that all pros know :) You see, if it's a really good sale and you're not there early, you usually miss all the good stuff. So we're up and going and off to find the best deal we can.

We drive through street after street scoping out each little group and we're not really finding much. The weather has started to deteriorate and we're fading fast. So we come upon one last house that looks promising.

And low and behold we find just what we've been looking for..... and we got it for a STEAL!

Here's our best yard sale purchase EVER!!




You see, we'd been talking for a while about the possibility of getting a larger vehicle. We had looked in to minivans and hadn't really found anything we liked that was affordable. We knew we wanted to go for used, but we figured we would have to really search for the right deal.

And praise the Lord, He had the perfect deal all ready for us. ....and at a yard sale no less. That is, by far, my favorite part.

The marathon of life...

As many of you have heard, my husband is gearing up to run in the Chicago Marathon this October. Which, incidentally, is just about a month after we are due to have our first sweet baby blessing.

Well as Bill has been training, it has taught us both some amazing spiritual lessons. You see, running a marathon is not only a test of ones physical strength, it is a test of your spiritual strength as well. And watching my sweet husband train and grow closer to our Lord as he does so, that has been a blessing to watch.

Bill gets up each day at 3 AM to run his daily miles. These miles range anywhere from 6 to 14... depending on the day. And as the marathon grows closer, his mileage will continue to increase. And bless his heart, he's not a natural runner. This is all VERY new to him. But he keeps plugging away, keeps his eyes on the prize so to speak. You see, he prays his way through his daily miles. Because he knows that without God's help, he's not going to get through this race. And, Lord willing, come October 11th, he'll have his reward as he crosses that finish line.

Watching this training process unfold, it's such a parallel for what our spiritual walk is like. It has its ups and downs and some stints are easy little 2 mile jaunts, while yet others are those long 18 mile runs where you're chest gets tight and your legs feel like they can't go another mile. But through it all God is there. He's holding us up and carrying us through so that we can one day cross that eternal finish line. And this race is not one that we run alone, we have to depend on others to help get us through.. to hold us up when we cannot support our own weight.

Several years ago I was actually at the Chicago marathon observing. It was my first race and I was just soo excited to be there cheering on all those who were running. The race had begun to wind down and we were standing at the finish line watching as everyone began to cross. It was an amazing site to see. You could watch as these runners would turn a corner... just before they saw the finish line their faces were tired, their stances were downtrodden. Many of them looked as if they wouldn't make it to the finish. But every last one of them, when they saw that banner that said, "finish line", they each picked up their pace and seemed to fill with renewed energy.

Well one lone man was not so lucky. This gentleman was struggling openly and his poor legs looked as if they would buckle. And buckle they did, just about 200 yards from the finish. There was an audible gasp from the crowd as this poor man went down to his knees and continued to struggle, trying to stand. But his legs would simply not carry him. They were done, and it looked as if he would be done.. just 200 yards from the end. You could see the panic in the spectators, as we all began looking at one another and several started to jump over the barriers to help this man and carry him across. But there was no need, two of his fellow runners simply scooped him up and half carried, half dragged him that last 200 yards and helped him cross the line.

A cheer went up from the crowd and, looking around, there wasn't a dry eye to be found. At that moment, I had an epiphany. This is what Christianity is all about. This! Helping one another when we cannot help ourselves, allowing yourself to become vulnerable. Admitting that we can't do it on our own. We're all running this race and we are doing so TOGETHER. It's not about who can run the fastest race, it's about crossing that finish line. And whether we do so under our own power or with others carrying us, the important part is that we cross it.

I'm so glad to be reminded of that story. To be reminded that I'm not alone in this marathon that we call life. And I'm so proud to watch my husband as he prays his way through training and continues to give God the glory each and every day as he grows closer to the race. I know that he'll cross that finish line, and he'll do so by depending on the Lord to get him through it.

"My flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalms 73:26 NIV

6 months down... 3 to go!

Well, we've reached the six month mark and are now heading in to our third and final trimester. It's been a wonderful pregnancy so far and I'm hoping that it continues to be easy. Of course now that we're getting in to the hotter months my feet have begun to swell and I can no longer where my wedding ring. But, baby Jacob is worth it.

We've gotten a good jump on the nursery. It's painted, the crib is assembled and the rocker is ready and waiting. Now we just need to decorate those bare walls and get a mattress and bedding for his crib.

It's hard to believe that it's almost time to meet this sweet child. I love how his personality is already coming out in utero. So far, we've figured out that he doesn't like to be forced in to action, that he's a night owl, and that we may be purchasing Dr. Dobson's book on the strong willed child. And all of this is just while he's baking... I can't wait to meet him and see if that personality, that he already seems to have, continues.

Good things come to those who wait....

Sunday will be our one year anniversary. So today, I want to pay a tribute to my husband, the wonderful man that God has blessed me with.

I waited quite late to get married, and had begun to wonder if marriage was something that God had planned for me. I was happy and had grown into a truly intimate relationship with my Lord, but I still felt that there was something missing. But knowing that I could not control it, I gave it over to the Lord and asked that if His plan for me included marriage, that He would bless me with the right man. And He did. And not in the way I expected. First of all, I met my husband on E-Harmony...ok, not what I would have guessed but this IS God after all. Secondly, my husband is five years younger than I am. Again, not really something I would have chosen but... Ok God. And thirdly, he lived in Kentucky. Now I have never in my life had a desire to visit Kentucky. I'm more of a big city girl.. I like the bustle of the city, the access to take out at 2 AM... things that you just don't get in smaller places.

All these things weighed on me in those first few months of falling in love, but God always found a way to quiet my heart. To give me a peace about this man, and so I continued to trust the Lord and fall more in love with Bill. Here are just a few of the many, many reasons why I love my husband.

1) He's God filled. Bill is a Godly man through and through. I love that he takes the spiritual lead in our relationship. It is his first inclination, when faced with a decision, to go to his knees and ask God for direction.

2) Bill is thoughtful. You can say that so easily, but he is honestly the most thoughtful man I have ever met. He always, ALWAYS puts my needs above his own.

3) He's protective. Most men are protective, yes. But I think it's because Bill is so quiet naturally, that when his protective side comes out it's a site to see. I LOVE that he loves me enough to be my protector. It makes me feel so wonderfully cherished.

4) He's helpful. I love to cook, I mean I really enjoy it. I could cook all day and be happy. But I tend to make quite a large mess when I cook and I hate to do dishes. So my sweet husband cleans the kitchen. He knows that I'm not a fan of the clean up, and so he comes in each and every night and cleans up after me.

5) He's willing. Bill is analytical by nature. When making a case, you need to appeal to his sense of logic. Well, I'm not always what one would call logical. I tend to be more creative and emotional. I'm an idea person, Bill isn't. But, he is always willing to listen and try. And I could not ask for more. He may not understand it, and he usually doesn't. But he loves me, and he trusts me, and he's always willing to give it a go.

6) He's calm. This is one of my favorite qualities. I'm a whirlwind and he's a quiet breeze. When I get overwhelmed or worked up, my husband steps in and calms me. I've never been able to relax as I have being married to him. Just being with him gives me peace.

7) He's loving. I never wonder for a minute if my husband loves me. He constantly reminds and shows me. Whether it's a little touch, a whispered endearment, an act of kindness, or just saying the words. Bill shows his love in so many ways.


Dear Lord, I want to thank You today for this wonderful man that You have blessed me with. Please continue to mold our relationship and keep us growing ever closer to You as we grow closer to one another. Please remain the center of our relationship and help us to keep our eyes on You. AMEN