Baby News!

No...it's not MY baby news, but I'm so excited to tell you that my best friend Emily had her baby boy this past weekend.

Emily & I at the baby shower I hosted for her

Emily has been one of my closest friends since moving to Alabama. Her husbands name is also Matt, so we have a lot more in common than most people! When she found out she was expecting a baby, we were so excited! Right then, we stared doing all kinds of research & eventually she was able to fill me in on all the things I had to look forward to, when I found out I was expecting.

Her due date was May 30th...but she ended up having her son on May 27th, 2011 via C-section.

Meet Jace Matthew Powell!

He was 8lbs 5oz & 21 inches long

Picture from my phone

He was born with a little mohawk! But what was most surprising is that he has blonde hair & blue eyes. Both Matt & Emily have dark brown, so he takes after his grandma or someone else in the family. Alot of people say he looks like his daddy, but some say he's starting to look more like his mommy! All I know is that he is one cute little guy =)

Me holding Jace in his little "cacoon"

I was so excited that Emily asked me to come to the hospital the day he was born. I was priviledged to share some alone time with just Matt, Emily & the baby. It was so cute to watch them adjust to the newest member of their family. I felt like I was able help Emily a little as well, when Matt ran out to get some food.

I am so proud of Emily!! She did such a great job & we had been looking forward to that day for-EVER it seemed. I am excited to see them as a new little family!

~Congratulations Matt & Emily~

Just my luck...

Most everyone knows that my husband Matt is an avid horseman. In fact, he grew up on a farm & has raised, broke, trained & has shown horses practically his whole life!

Matt riding our old horse Fancy

When I was young...all I ever wanted was my own horse. Just ask my parents...I had it all planned out just where we'd keep one & everything. Well, sometimes Matt travels out of town for work. On these occasions it is up to me to feed.

We recently got a new horse...meet Zeke.

He's very kind & gentle & he likes attention...something our old horse never liked..she was very ornery.

This past saturday, I had to feed because Matt was out of town. This was my first time to feed Zeke, but I did what I had always done before...I left the stall door unlatched but closed so I wouldn't have to juggle that & feed at the same time. The doors are heavy enough that the horses can kick them & they will stay closed.

However, Zeke is smart enough to fully open the door because that is exactly what he did. The next thing I knew Zeke was trotting out of the barn, out into the yard & of COURSE I would be the only one home to catch him! Just my luck....

Fortunately, since he is so calm, he didn't run into the neighborhood, or down the road & out the circle into oncoming traffic. That is what immediately flashed into my head! Even though we live in a subdivision, with land that allows us to have barns & horses, we are still inside the city limits!

*This* came to mind!

He had no halter on, so the first thing I grabbed was a lead line & headed out after him. Thankfully he was enjoying the grass so I could walk right up to him. Of course, he figured out what I was trying to do, so he would scamper off to another part of the yard while I'm calmly saying...whoa...whoooaaaaa.

OK skip to the part where I finally was able to loop the line around his neck & take charge. Otherwise the hopping around the yard lasted awhile. Once he knew who was boss...he slowly trudged across the yard, back into the stall...No more funny business.

After he was tucked safely back in his stall & I had the door secured & latched...he tried it ONE more time...just to see if I had remembered. Maybe his sore nose will teach him not to try that again! When I told Matt...his first words were...Oh yeah...he tries to do that all the time. Well...thanks for letting me in on that.

I'm just glad it wasn't our old horse or I would have NEVER caught her & all the fears from above would have come true!

Spreading the News!

It's official!

Most people now know about our little bean...or beanette

ultrasound at 9 wks 

We had such fun telling our parents, family & friends. I can honestly say I'm glad we didn't wait any longer. My parents had to keep it a secret for about a week & even that was almost too hard.

Of course, Matt's parents had "known all along". In fact his dad predicted it about a month before we told. He gave Matt every opportunity to tell the news, but it wouldn't work!

They even bought us a baby bassinet the weekend before we officially annouced to them that they were in fact going to be grandparents! Talk about "on the ball"--We even have a crib in storage that they found for us last year.

                                                                I love the shabby crib & the bassinet was made in Germany

I wonder if those were all hints?? Either way, everyone is so excited & I can't wait to see what's next!

My "first" Mothers Day

For the past several weeks, all I've been able to think about is our baby. Naturally, I am making sure I do everything right physically so the little bean or beanette will be strong & healthy. But along with that, most of the time I end up thinking about becoming a family, motherhood,  & all that comes with it. 

I appreciate the godly mother I had growing up, as well as my grandmothers. They have shaped me into the woman I am today. Of course I give so much thanks to the Lord, who allowed me to be raised in such a loving Christian family.

My Mom & I

As I reflected on Mothers Day & what it has meant to so many; I focused more on this passage of scripture for myself. Even though I will be a mother soon enough, I want to strive to be this kind of woman, wife & teacher, FIRST.

Proverbs 31:10-31

¹⁰ A wife of noble character who can find?
   She is worth far more than rubies.
¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her
   and lacks nothing of value.
¹² She brings him good, not harm,
   all the days of her life.
¹³ She selects wool and flax
   and works with eager hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
   bringing her food from afar.
¹⁵ She gets up while it is still night;
   she provides food for her family
   and portions for her female servants.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
   out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
   her arms are strong for her tasks.
¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
   and her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
   and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
   and extends her hands to the needy.
²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
   for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
²² She makes coverings for her bed;
   she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate,
   where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
   and supplies the merchants with sashes.
²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
   she can laugh at the days to come.
²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
   and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
   and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;
   her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “Many women do noble things,
   but you surpass them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
   but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
³¹ Honor her for all that her hands have done,
   and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Quarter of a Century

Today is my birthday & I am 25 years old! Where has the time gone!! I feel like only a couple years have passed since we got married, yet I feel like I've known my husband a lifetime.

This morning I got the funniest card from Matt. It was one of those "Hoops & Yoyo" birthday cards. If you have ever seen one, they are hilarious!

I'm not sure what the rest of the day will bring, but I'm hoping some sort of food plan because I would really hate to cook for myself today! ha

Of course one of the MAIN reasons I've been looking forward to this time is...

I am right around 9 weeks pregnant!

Of course I feel like I'm already showing because I've been so bloated lately.

(like everyone really wanted to know that)

But it's true. I have definitely gained weight. Those pants were significantly larger when I bought them.

Thankfully, the reason I've put on the pounds is because I have had a GREAT pregnancy so far.

I hardly ever get nauseous & when I do it doesn't last very long. I have only been sick a handful of times but nothing too traumatic at all...in fact, I owe the weight gain to being able to keep just about every single thing I eat down...& I am hungry ALL THE TIME! It's like I just can't get enough food & I've had to go to the store every week just to buy more fruit or snacks to tide me over throughout the day, especially at work!

I'm definitely not complaining though. I know a lot of my pregnant friends who hardly kept anything down & actually lost weight in the first trimester. Of course one of the main things I'm dealing with right now is exhaustion...but I've managed to sleep all the time get the rest I need to make it through each day & still have time to cook or clean & even throw an event (like a baby shower) at my house. Even though I feel just...BLEHH...for lack of a better term...I really am greatful for not being as sick as I could be & am doing pretty well in spite of it all.

..But back to another main, MAIN reason I'm excited it's my birthday. We have decided this would be a perfect time to tell my wonderful parents that they will FINALLY be grandparents!

We have loved keeping this a secret for the past several weeks, but it is just getting TOO hard! We would have waited even longer, but with the way the dates fall, it's just too perfect.

I have been leading up to this moment by telling my mom Matt is getting me something spectacular for my birthday.
She thinks I'm totally spoiled all the time anyway, which I beg to differ, but whatever.

Of course, when we skype later, I will get everyone together to show them what Matt really got me for my "birthday". Unfortunately my 2nd doctors appointment was made for May 5th & since my first appointment was with my regular doctor who is no longer in the OB department, I've had to switch doctors & I'm hoping the new one will need another ultrasound ( I got my 6 week ultrasound done at the first appointment) . If that's the case, I would like a bigger, better picture for my parents to see so they will just have to wait till then I guess, to find out the news.

I'm SO EXCITED! =)

Changes

I said I would never start a blog unless ONE thing happened. Can you guess what happened? Well, I've started this blog to document a new adventure & to capture all the changes that are bound to happen.

After being married nearly 5 years, our lives are about to change! Some would say...It's about time! but being blessed with a great marriage & having lots of time for work, travel, house renovations, new purchases..etc. & anything else we wanted to accomplish...we decided it was "time"....

It's funny how you think YOU can decide when you have a family. Ultimately I realized it wasn't "our" timing, but God's timing. It's His choice whether we get to have a family or not & thankfully after much prayer & anticipation, He saw fit to bless us with our miracle! We are beyond ecstatic & what a precious gift He put us in charge of.

And now it begins...