BIRTH day news!!!!!!!!

In honor of my 27th birthday being this Monday, we thought we'd shout it from the rooftop now that we are having a SWEET BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Lord has given us such a precious and GLORY-filled gift, and we are overjoyed to share that this little life is alive and well. I will be 13 weeks along on Wednesday, and the due date is August 11th. Above are the coolest u/s pictures ever (it gives me chills and makes me tear up when I see them!) He/she is measuring to the millimeter exactly to be due August 11th, so that was pretty neat to see. We saw fingers and toes actively moving around in there, and most of the time he/she wanted to dig their face into my wall. We seem to be cleared for not being at risk for Down Syndrome, and we are thrilled to see that everything is developing well so far. We'll have to wait two more months to confirm the sex, but the u/s tech is tentatively guessing girl! We've been thinking the whole pregnancy so far that it is a boy, so we'll have to wait and see! We will be thrilled either way, of course, and can't wait to find out.

I have been spared the horrors of morning sickness and have been feeling pretty good! Verrrry tired, which is so unlike me, but it's been a great excuse to take it easy and have some authentic rest. I am eating like a horse (I thought I already did, but nothing like this!) and somehow that hasn't translated into weight gain yet. Love it! My biggest cravings have been popsicles and bagels. I haven't wanted a bagel in years! Along the popsicle line, I went out in the freezing cold the other night to get an Icee from the gas station because it was the only thing I wanted. How crazy is that? I can tell at times that my patience is short, and I tear up at lots of sentimental things, but Greg has encouraged me that I haven't been a pain to be around! :-)

Will keep you posted with more pics when we start actually getting a little belly (not much to report on that yet!) My mom is here this weekend and gave me my first maternity clothes! SO FUN!!! I can't wear them yet, but I love them, and will be happy to have some new pieces of my own. But I also talked to my step-sister, Kim, this week, and she is sending me some, too! I was worried I'd have to buy all of that up here since I don't know many people yet to borrow from, but I am so thankful to have a few pieces coming my way for when I'll need it.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His love endures forever!" 1 Chronicles 16:34

"He has made everything beautiful in its time." Ecclesiastes 3:11a

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)