February 25

One year ago today Rick asked me to be his wife at sunset at Battery Park in NYC.

Rick...I still can't believe you asked. Saying yes was the best decision I ever made, and you are the greatest gift I'll ever receive. Thank you for making marriage so much better than I ever could have imagined.

This is one of the pictures we took that day (pre-engagement).
And Rick, I was wrong. You did wear that outfit. Good job saving it for a special occasion.

Cravings

I don't know if I've actually had any pregnancy cravings. Just a big desire to eat something in particular. But I like to pretend I have just so I have a good excuse to eat some yummy things (and sometimes it gets me out of making dinner). They've been...

• Peanut butter and banana sandwiches
• Skittles (lots and lots of them)
• French fries
  
• Chicken Parmesan and french fries

Not too much else on the pregnancy front. I've been feeling the baby move for about a week now. I love it. Rick has decided he will learn to tap Morse code on my stomach to send signals to the baby. He's got SOS down and is now working on Hi. And in two weeks we'll know if it's a boy or girl! I can't wait.

Thank You For Voting

The polls are now closed in the "what am I having?" poll. Nine of eleven of you think that I'm having a boy. According to the old wives' tales, I am having a girl (the baby's heart beat was 160). And Rick and I don't know. We've gone from boy to girl to we don't really know. In my heart of hearts, I'll be happy with either (even though I've always pictured myself as the mom of a bunch of boys). We're planning on finding out the sex and will know in the beginning of March (God willing)!

Question: how do you know when you become one of the old wives?

What Faith Looks Like For Me

Having faith and trusting God is a theme for me lately. When I asked Rick how I could grow this year, that's what he said. And then on Sunday one of the points in the message was to use this economic recession to see our own helplessness and trust in God's provision.

See, we've been looking for a house. With the low interest rates, a buyer's market, sisters buying houses and a baby on the way, it has seemed like the perfect time. To me. We've put offers in on two houses but both have been rejected (even though one was the highest offer they had). Sometimes this makes no sense to me. And that's how I know that I am where God wants me to be. Rick and I are completely helpless...we are waiting on God's provision. Who knows what it will be, but I'm sure it will be absolutely amazing. I waited for a little while for God to provide a husband, and I got the best one out there. He has been faithful and He will be again.

So in our family devotions last night Rick asked me what it looks like to grow in faith, particularly when it comes to house hunting. Here is my list:

1. Pray expectantly, believing that God will provide.
2. Have joy (and ignore the Eeyore mentality I can adopt so easily).
3. Know God more. Packer says that you can't trust God if you don't know Him. I'm making it my business to know Him.

And you can pray for us too. That we would trust Him, obey Him, have wisdom, and find a house within our means. And if a house isn't the answer, then we would know what to do this coming year.

i love you more than

Today I discovered this site and I'm officially addicted. All day I've been trying to think of something to fill in that blank. I love you more than...bacon, sleeping in on Saturdays, french fries, Jane Austen on snowy days.

What about you?

Roles and Goals

I spent some time reading the posts on CJ Mahaney's blog on biblical productivity. There is some really good stuff in there. He helps you to see that you need to identify your roles in life so that you can assign goals to each and then organize your schedule so that you accomplish the goals. It makes sense.

So first you figure out your roles (it's not rocket science). Mine are:
1. Christian
2. Wife
3. Mom
4. Daughter
5. Sister
6. Administrative Assistant
7. Friend
8. Church member

Next, you assign goals to each role. Important: do not assign more than three! Or you will never get them done. CJ's goals are 1) how can I serve others? and 2) how can I surprise others? Surprise is just a fun way to say honor and bless. So a goal might be:

Daughter - have lunch with my mom this week

That is all I know so far. He hasn't gotten to the scheduling part, but it's probably just a matter of putting that lunch with my mom into my calendar. And I think he must re-evaluate his goals every week.

You should definitely read the posts. I feel like this could help me to focus on what's important and what God wants me to do instead of whatever is most appealing at the time (aka. American Idol).

Having a Baby

I'm 13 weeks and 2 days pregnant...just getting to the end of my first trimester and my pants are getting too tight (which may just mean I'm eating too much). But I'm starting to get that bump.

You hear lots of things about pregnancy but you don't really know how it will affect you. I haven't had it too rough and am glad that I have 9 months to process all this. Usually I don't like to wait, but right now, I'm just fine.

Best parts of pregnancy: imagining what the kid looks like now (this week he is the size of a shrimp), visits to the doctor with Rick along, getting books from Nikki, starting baby traditions (like going to McDonald's every time I go to the OB), hearing Rick talk to the kid.

Worst part: sickness (not just nausea but my colds have been intense), prenatal vitamins, crying over silly things (seriously), having to go to the bathroom all the time.

Best advice (so far): a friend told me it's important to exercise...that the baby weight comes off a lot easier. I need to do a lot better at this.

Scariest part: becoming a mom and having to take care (physically and spiritually) of another person. Are you ever ready for that?

Most looking forward to part: holding him/her for the first time, watching Rick as a dad (he will be the best dad in the whole world).

What I tell the baby: whether you want me or not, I am going to be your best friend in the whole wide world.