Baby Room

Our baby room used to be an exercise room, complete with a treadmill that has not been used in several months! Tonight we moved the treadmill and other stuff out of the room so that we could get ready for the baby. After moving all of the stuff, we finished painting the baby room! I have been trying to paint the room for a week now but just couldn't seem to get it finished. Mark has been helping here and there and was so kind to finish the room with me tonight! Part of the reason that we had motivation to get it done was because our crib arrived!! Mark picked up the crib tonight and we put it together so now the room is looking more like a room for a little girl! Below are a few pictures of our work...

Mark and I were talking as we worked tonight about how glad we were to be making progress on the room. People keep saying, "You have so much time until the she arrives." This is true, but it feels good to be making progress knowing that there are going to be a million other things to do in the months to come. I also know that has the months pass, I will probably be doing less and less work! Thank goodness we have a good head start on things...

Right words, right time

I do not have the right words today. Once again I am in the "in between", wanting a "job" where I can be useful and needed and waiting for a little girl that is going to come and change my life in ways that I cannot begin to fathom. I'm not sure that any of my ramblings will make sense today but I have found once again that God's word is always the right word at the right time.

Yesterday morning I woke up and prayed as I do every morning, yet I did not take the time to open God's word. I rushed out the door to work. This morning as I flipped open my daily devotion, "Jesus Calling" I saw the title for March 26th was, "Waiting on God." I decided to read this devotion before moving on to March 27th. The Scripture was...

Lamentations 3:25-26 "The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."

Psalms 16:11 "You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Isaiah 40:31 "but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

I'm not even really sure what to say....I just know that God's word brings me peace and comfort and that I know I need to be waiting on Him. I'm doing all I know to follow Him in my life and that's all I can do. I regret not taking the time to be with God yesterday morning. I felt down and discouraged yesterday and how this would have been a good word for me.

I then flipped over to todays devotion and the words were just as relevant for me today. The title, "Be Still in My Presence." Oh how true these words are for me. I will be still somewhat today because I am not working and it is raining and gross outside. Although being still is a lot more than simply not working or being out and about. I know that being still is really about listening and being open to hearing God speak to my heart. The devotion today was talking about how as I wait on the Lord, he will transform me by the renewing of my mind (Romans 12:2). My poor lost mind needs constant renewing and transforming by the Lord.

The devotion was also a good reminder that God is deeply grieved when His blessings becomes idols in our hearts. Anything in our lives can become an idol, if it distracts us from God as our first love. Mark continues to remind me that I should be using this time of quiet in my life to seek God and be still. However, I have been caught with many idols, wanting to please others, jobs, security and much more.

I really have no excuse. My prayer is that I will wait on God, seek Him and follow Him with all my heart. Only God can bring a renewed mind, a fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore.

Progress

I've attached an updated picture of the changing table. The drawers are in place and actually move in and out. You can see from the picture that I don't yet have drawer handles, so getting the things out is done delicately with blue tape! You may also be able to see a problem I just discovered tonight. I can't bring myself to type the nature of my mistake... :) My next task is to figure out a creative way to fix the mistake I made. A great wood worker once said that master artisans make mistakes too, they just know how to fix them better than a beginner would. We're going to see if this looks like I made a mistake, or a decorative design.

Knitting Angels

I may have mentioned before on the blog but I think it's worth mentioning again, "I have become a Knitting Angel." The Knitting Angels are the old ladies at church that get together and knit every Tuesday morning. A couple of years ago a friend tried to teach me to knit but it didn't last very long because my friend lived far away and I was never able to ask her questions when I messed up. However, I can see my new angel friends every Tuesday if I want. A couple of months ago, my friend Adrienne and I started going on Tuesday mornings. I reluctantly finished my first knitting project, a scarf, that I had started two years earlier. It's not pretty! I was determined to do something "good" this time around, since I felt more comfortable with the whole process. I got a pattern for a "baby cap" and got some fun colors. My knitting angels and Mark! stood by my side and helped me along the way. Youtube was also a big help when I wanted to learn how to add new colors to my project. Although the project is not completely finished, I couldn't resist taking a picture of my handiwork! I will have to wait until next Tuesday for the angels to help me complete it. I have to "sew" up the back seam and anyone who knows me knows that I don't sew! I do have another pair of needles, so I hope to start another baby hat project. Can't have too many baby hats, right? Although I think the hat will be a little too big for when our little girl first arrives, she will grow into it at some point!

It's about time...

I have been feeling the baby for a few weeks now but Mark has not really felt her at all. This afternoon, she finally put on a show and did lots of good movements for Mark to feel. Fun times!

Some thoughts from 35,000'

As I'm typing this, I'm flying to Dallas to do a short training program that I've done three or four times before. I wish I could say that I'm excited about the training or the trip to Dallas, but I'm not. Every so often, I get that feeling that says that I'm travelling too much. Don't get me wrong, I love travelling, and flying especially. I also love being home. I can't really describe how much I love waking up with Nicole, hanging out on the front steps watching nothing in particular with her. I am crazy excited about our baby joining us soon and the awesome things she will teach us. And at this moment, I'm zooming west, away from all of that. I'm blessed to have a job, and to have a job that lets me do what I need to do without a bunch of oversight. I can schedule what I need to schedule in order to get the results we all want. Lately, there have been some BIG opportunities that have dictated that I hop on a plane and fly off to somewhere for a few days. It's bitter sweet.

I don't know where God is leading me but I do know that I'm following him. Probably from a farther distance than I'd like, but certainly close enough to feel His approval of many of the things I do, and don't do, I suppose.

The flight attendant just gave me THREE Biscoff cookies. My favorite!

I am a blessed man and don't feel scared or nervous about the responsibilities that such blessings require. I may not know what I'll have for dinner, or if I'll have dinner at all, but I know that my Lord provides for me far beyond what I deserve and what I've earned.

Below me, out my window to the right is a small lake with several towns dotted along it's shore. I wonder what they're going to wake up and do today. I wonder if they know the peace I have. I wonder if she'll bring me more Biscoff cookies.

Feminine?

Last Sunday Mark and I were talking to his parents on Skype. It has been so wonderful to catch up with them on Skype since they live so far away from us! It feels like we are just sitting across the table from each other having a conversation! Of course, we had a few moments of chatter about the little girl that is on the way and Mark's Mom made a comment that surprised me. She was actually reporting what Mark's Dad had said, "Mark and Nicole's little girl is going to be sweet and feminine just like Nicole." I was shocked(in a nice way). I had just never really thought of myself as feminine! I've never been afraid to sweat and get dirty. Mark and I can often be found working on projects together. He can attest to you that although I am not as strong as he is, I work just as hard. We have built a fence together, a friends deck, carried multiple railroad ties across the yard and much more. When Mark is out of town and the grass is too tall, I will mow it. I LOVE sports. I played almost every sport imaginable growing up and now one of my favorite fall activities is watching college football! Feminine - I don't know?? I guess I just had never quite thought of myself in that way.

Well, apparently Mark's Dad knows me better than I know myself! This past week my Mom came up to visit! YIPEE! It was so great to have her here. We did lots of girly things...mostly shopping and spending lots of money. We also picked out the fabric and paint for our little girls' room. This is where I learned how "feminine" I really am. The fabric is a floral pattern and we are going to paint the walls a very light pink! Even before we were pregnant, I asked Mark, "If we have a girl, can we put a chandelier her room?" He kindly obliged so we also picked out a little chandelier this week! I love it (I'm not so sure Mark does though)! So, after all of my decor choices I have decided that maybe I really am feminine and I guess that's not such a bad thing! I am so excited to see the baby room come together. I'm hoping to get all of the painting done this week and then will be anxiously awaiting our furniture and my super seamstress (Mom) to work on the curtains/bedding. Everything is coming together!

Baby Stuff

I have been agonizing about the cost of baby stuff ever since we found out we were pregnant. All the important things seem to cost $200 (stroller, car seat, crib, bed, etc.). Eeeks! I really don't like to spend a lot of money on things. I like nice things but at a cheap price. I'm difficult, I know! After a few months of walking through stores and then totally avoiding stores because it was overload for me, we have finally made some purchases! Today we went to The Baby Store and bought our crib, rocking chair and mattress. Yipee! Mark and I are so relieved to have that stuff done! Although, it was funny because when we went to purchase the stuff, Mark handed the lady his whole wallet to pay!

We have also received an activity blanket, swing, pack and play, bath tub, jump-a-roo and car seat from my friend Noelle! I'm really thankful to have a friend that is willing to share all of her goodies with us!

Of course, there are still a million things that we will need. My Mom is coming to visit this week so I'm hoping we will be able to pick out some bedding and some other decor for the baby room. Other than that, we will probably not be buying much baby stuff until June or so! I'm so glad! Spending enormous amounts of money truly wears me out! I'm going to take a nap!

Girl Scouts

Last year at this time, Mark and I were having a "discussion" when the Girl Scouts arrived asking for our order. Mark went to the door and ordered his favorites without even asking me! How dare he! :-)

So this year, I made sure things were different. Several weeks ago, Mark and I spotted the Girls Scouts walking through our neighborhood selling their delicious cookies. Mark and I were on a walk at the time so I made sure to point out our home and tell them to come visit. We ordered enough (are there really ever enough girl scout cookies?) cookies to make it through a few days... I mean weeks. We both ordered our favorites and I have been anxiously awaiting their arrival, having heard from others in the community that they had made it to town! Side note: I actually heard from people in my water aerobics class! Isn't it funny that while we workout, we torture ourselves by talking about yummy food!

Today our Girl Scout Cookies arrived. Oh how happy that makes me! I did try to make myself feel better about eating them by taking a yoga class tonight before I indulged in the tag-a-longs and somoas! YUM! I also put my favorites in the freezer because as everyone knows that makes them last sooo much longer! :-)

Pics of our announcement to my parents

Wanted to share what our announcement looked like for my parents....

Behold

It's a...

GIRL! I must say that I was totally shocked. I always thought "mother's intuition" about the gender of an unborn child was crazy and that was proven true. I was convinced it was a boy and I was totally wrong! I have always thought that Mark would be a great Dad to a little girl and I know that I will love dressing a girl, so of course we are thrilled. Just surprised and thrilled.

Everything at the doctor still looks good. It was really great to see her on the sonogram today. She has little legs, hands, arms, and a big head. Her head measures 21 weeks while the rest of her body measures 19 weeks. She is going to be a smart one! I was a litte sad to find out that this will be our only sonogram throughout the pregnancy though. We made the most of it, looking at her, and asking lots of questions. It's so fun to be experiencing this joy with a loving husband, awaiting a child that is wanted! A funny moment during the sonogram was that at one point, I said, "Is that the face?" and Mark followed with "Are those the eyes?" The sonogram lady smiled and explained it was her abdomen we were seeing and the dark spaces were her stomach and bladder! We obviously don't know much! The baby and I are still doing really well.

We did not want to find out the sex of the baby in the office. We wanted to find out on our own so we had the sonogram lady give us a print out of the baby picture and on it she wrote, "I'm a girl." We then put the picture in an envelope and went to lunch together. We really had a great time at lunch. We went to a place we had never been called, "Canvas." I knew it was a little sandwhich shop/cafe/bakery but we had never been. We ordered sandwiches and I had a seat. As I was waiting I pulled out the envelope with the pictures inside and a few of the other pictures that did not show the "parts." The owner was walking past the table and said, "wow, that's a little baby." Of course, I couldn't resist sharing so I told him we were getting ready to open the envelope and find out the sex. Mark soon returned with our drinks and we opened the envelope together. It was a sweet time. We happily ate our sandwiches and talked about what it will be like to have a little girl. After we had finished, the owner came over with two huge cupcakes and said "Congratulations!" Canvas, is our new favorite little spot. It's also right across from the hospital so I'm sure we will be eating there again soon!

When we got home, Mark and I both made some calls to order goodies for the grandparents-to- be. All of our parents were sweet enough to make trips to the store to pick up their surprise! Mark had the best idea. He ordered a cake for his parents that said, "We're having a " on the top and then on the board the cake was sitting on, it said, "girl." I ordered a little cake for my dad and Janet and then I ordered some pink flowers for my Mom and Vern. It was really fun to get phone calls throughout the day as they all found out about baby girl Taylor!

One of the questions Mark asked me at lunch today was "What do you want to do first?" All I could think was that I wanted to buy our first baby girl outfits. Tonight, we headed out to Target and Mark picked out the first new outfits for our little girl!

I feel very blessed by God in the timing of everything. I have patiently waited to find out the sex of the baby and today turned out to be a great time for Mark and me. I have also been working a good bit lately but this week I have several days off. Lindsay and I plan on going baby/maternity clothes shopping tomorrow and I'm sure that I will begin my search for baby room decor this week as well! Many more posts to come...