A bundle of joy and nerves

The three of us will move to Oklahoma City next Thursday.

That’s right, Erin’s pregnant again. Today marks the last day of the first trimester (the end of the thirteenth week), so we figure it’s time to start telling folks. We’re thrilled that God has surprised us with a baby for a second time, and we’ve been doing our best to cherish every day we have with our baby. It’s been fun going to doctor visits in each of the last eight weeks and watching our baby grow. Even more exciting was hearing the heartbeat for the first time a few weeks ago and hearing the reassuring words last week that “everything looks normal.” Lots of people all over the world have been praying for years for this to happen. If you’re one of them, thank you.

As wonderful as our news is, our excitement is tempered every day by the memory of what happened to our first baby, who didn’t live longer than ten weeks in the womb. We look forward to the day when we get to meet him or her in heaven and spend lots of time getting to know each other. And we can’t wait until the first part of March, which is when they say our second baby is “due.”

We sure would appreciate your continued prayers for us. We’re asking God to keep our baby healthy and to give both of us relief from the anxiety and fear that we often have. My dad told me a few days ago that this worry never fully goes away, even after the baby’s born. Maybe there’s a point when worry will fade into “loving concern,” which at least sounds better than worry and fear.

So, we invite you to celebrate with us as we say goodbye to the riskiest three months of pregnancy, and look forward to expanding our family in a new place, with a new job, in a new house!

The Big Island

Things around here are brown and crunchy. And hot. People are raking their lawns in August because the trees are shedding like it's November. Experiments like baking cookies on the dash of your car while you're at work are taking place...successfully.

So, looking at the photo I posted at the top of the blog is like a breath of fresh air: deep blue water as far as you can see and deep green mountains. I want to go there. Pololu Black Sand Beach on the Big Island. I'm having a hard time with #2 on the Prescription for Contentment - not imaging myself in any other circumstance or someplace else.

If you live in the middle or southern United States this summer, you know what I mean. Where do you wish you were?

Moving

It's been a little quiet here on the blog. Mostly because a lot of stuff has been going on in our private lives that I just haven't been able to share publicly yet.

That, and it's been 106 degrees on average every day for the past two months. This means my life consists of working, sleeping, reading and generally attempting to go outdoors as little as possible. It did finally rain for the first time in months last Saturday, which ushered in a day of temperatures well below 100 - it was wonderful!

And now it's back to triple digits for as far as the forecasters can predict. I admit that I dream about Thanksgiving and Christmas and even snow.

I might get snow this Christmas, because (ta-da...I can share one of the issues that's been going on in our lives recently!) we're moving to Oklahoma City. Moving is bittersweet. John is changing jobs, changing companies. Besides better pay, this job will require no travel. I can't even imagine what that will be like, but I don't think it will take long for me to get used to it!

This all came about in a matter of two weeks, although we've been waiting an additional two weeks to get a written offer letter. So, while he's accepted the job, we've known we'll be moving, and our house has been for sale, John has had to keep quiet at work about all this. No more. The letter came today.

I am always amazed and grateful at how God takes care of us. After putting a "for sale" sign up, a couple came to look at our house three days later and they love it. So, I think we pretty much have the house sold - just need to get the contract agreed upon and start on the inspection/survey/title stuff so they can close around October 1.

So, even though moving is scary and uncomfortable, and it always takes so much longer than I want to become fully adjusted to a new place, I know without a doubt that God will provide - new doctors, a church, friends, fun times, a home for us, the next job for me, opportunities to serve...and all the things I'm not even thinking about right now.

So, even though every person I've told about the move has been extremely sad, which makes me sad, I'm trying to focus on one day at time right now. Thankfully, I have a fabulous husband who is taking the brunt of planning ahead on his own shoulders so I don't have to think too far into the future. I also have the most supportive family ever - whether it's hugs when I'm sad, prayers, wise advice, or practical stuff like putting in a new back door and cleaning out closets with me - they are here whenever we need them.

Thankfully we're not moving so far away that it wouldn't be possible for us to continue seeing each other often. We've already made plans with my sister to rendezvous for the state fair (of Texas...I just can't imagine Oklahoma having a better state fair).

Mmmm. That kind of makes me hungry for a corny dog and tornado taters. And maybe a funnel cake for dessert.