Tulip Girl

This past week was my church's Vacation Bible School (VBS). It was a lot of fun working along side my friends and church family. There was a lot of energy all week. I helped my friend, S, with the three and four year olds. They decorated surf boards out of poster boards and made sea treasure in water bottles. They decorated turtles with tissue paper and another one with buttons. It was so much fun. Tonight the children will sing the songs they learned for their families. It was really great working with the people at my church. There are people I am becoming friends with but my focus has been so inward this year. I am really wanting to change that. God has put quite a few awesome women in my life here in Richmond and I plan to at least start with making sure they know what I think about them. I've always been a collector of greeting cards and not so good at giving them out. :) I've got to change that. Dan and I both agree when we get home or when we are toget...

The last few days have been really good. I've gotten a lot done and don't feel as bad as I have. My doctor gave me some different prenatal vitamins and I think that has a huge part in it. The previous prenatals were making me sick no matter when I took them. One unfortunate side effect of this pregnancy is my attitude. I have been pretty negative. Yesterday some comments flew out of my mouth that shocked me. I prayed last night about where they came from. I know that they wouldn't be coming from know where. I always want to be a genuine person so my prayer is that God changes my heart rather than me trying to hide what is in it. This week is our churches VBS so I will definitely being staying busy. It will be fun. Dan is doing the kick off sermon this morning in both services. I am going to watch him in the second service. I can't wait to hear what he has to say. I know it is on a topic that God has been talking a lot to us about; the difference between a c...

Wow, here is an article that is a disturbing and sad result of our consumerism. Click here to read. Please write your thoughts on this.

Today Dan and I went to see our nine week ultra sound and the baby is doing awesome. We even got to here the heart beat. Of course we both cried. I can't even convey what a relief it was to see this little one in their flourishing. I am so thankful for everyone's prayers. I can't tell you how much they have all meant to us.

Dan and I had a great anniversary. He really pampered me. I had breakfast in bed followed by an Easter Egg hunt of sticky notes all over the house with things Dan loved about me. Dan made popcorn and we watched our wedding video. My favorite part is when one of my dear friends, C, sings "You Raise Me Up". Then Dan took me to lunch at the Botanical Gardens. I took a long nap and then we went to the Melting Pot for dinner. Dan gave me a Willow Tree statue of two parents and a baby. I gave him a kayak rack for the car. It was a pretty awesome anniversary. This past weekend we went to Atlanta for Dan's friend, P's wedding. That was pretty fun. We had a really good time. I did not dance though to be safe though I did want to. The bride's dress was pretty awesome. It was very elegant. We also while we were there went to the Aquarium they have there which is the biggest in the world. It was a lot of fun. Admitadly I probably shouldn't have gone, but ...

This morning Dan opened the blinds to find that we had two kittens and a mama cat on our back deck.They were very cute. I know I shouldn't have, but I gave them some food. I wanted to much to go hold them but knew that would be a very bad idea since they are wild and I don't know what diseases they have. It was cute to watch them though. The mama cat knew we were watching but she was fine with us there. Dan did have to eventually go out there though since we planned to barbecue and all three instead of running for the stairs flew off the deck. It is a long way down to, at least one story. They are all three out playing in the creek out back and appear no worse for wear. I'm sure they will be back tonight, but no more food. I want the mama cat to not forget to teach her kiddos to hunt. Its crazy but there are kittens everywhere around here. There are four moms that I've seen. This morning there was a mom, a baby and a tom cat all walking along together. I th...

I hope every one had a great July 4 weekend. Dan and I enjoyed his four days off. It was so good to have him around all that time. Today he is off back to Raleigh for a few days. Bummer. Speaking of Raleigh. We will not be moving down there. Dan declined the offer. They were completely understanding of his reasons and his boss explained he has had to turn down offers in the past as well so he wouldn't count it against him. I am excited to stay. I think part of me is a little bummed that door is closed, I like moving. We won't be doing it for a while though. I had another ultra sound on Monday. Everything is great. The baby is fine. There was a cyst that had formed but the baby had popped it. I get them occasionally and they are no big deal. The growing baby pushed on this one (well, I mean the sack did, the baby isn't big enough for that yet :) and it hemorrhaged as the doctor said. All is well.

Last night, Dan and I had some friends over for dinner. Dan did everything and I got to just relax and enjoy the conversation. I had considered canceling, but I knew with these particular friends, God had a purpose. We had an amazing conversation on many topics pertaining to faith and action. It was so awesome to edify and encourage each other and especially at the end they prayed over me and me baby that God would keep this baby safe and growing. I was so thankful for their prayer and care. Thanks guys!

This morning as I sat for my alone time with God, I read a devotion that gave a fresh perspective on the realness of Jesus before His time on the cross. In the garden He was in such distress, such agony desiring for His Father to change the plan. Here is what I wrote in the journal space. For all that He suffered for us, great sorrow and agony and yet He did not turn back. Jesus could have stopped it. His Abba, Father could have stopped it. Neither did and for what? Us? Weak sinful people in constant need of saving, yes! It was us He chose to die for. To God, to Jesus, to our Father, we are worth dieing for. The weakness of His body was no match for the strength of His divinity. Nothing would stop Him. Our wild, untameable, uncontrollable, unchangeable God has chosen, decided to love us with Agape love. Nothing will stop that, nothing will change it. I've been so wrapped up in myself lately, it was a nice realignment to put my focus back on God this morning. Still be...

We had another ultra sound today and from what we could see our baby is definitely bigger than last week and sack around the baby is really really bigger. Instead of the whole baby beating, it is now clear the heart is beating. No longer looks like a little jumping bean. However as great as that is, the doctor told us judging from the ultra sound we are six and half weeks. Though that actually makes more sense than last week's six weeks prediction, it still is disappointing. The baby is bigger though so that is good. We will be going in again next Thursday.

Last Friday we had our broiler coil replaced. I put the old one next to the trash can to throw away later. Well, while getting dinner ready I went and cut myself on the rusty corner of it. It was a minuscule cut but I immediately washed it, used hydrogen peroxide on it and then neosporine. Just a disclaimer, if you get cut by rusty medal, you need to go straight to the emergency room or doctor if possible to get a tetanus shot. Don't wait until there are symptoms because then it is to late. Anyway, I went today because the area looked irritated where the cut is on my ankle. I do not have an infection or tetanus fortunately. I have developed an allergy to neosporine. Weird I know, but its better than tetanus so I am happy. Today I am officially at seven weeks in my pregnancy. Thursday we have another ultra sound to get that confirmed. I am really looking forward to it. I am also looking forward to this weekend. It will be so awesome to have Dan all to myself for three day...