AMAZED

I have stated many times that we have the most awesome friends and family. Most of our friends are like family. We love them to pieces and in the last week they have really amazed us with their love for us. Yes, our family has been wonderful. They always are, but I have to talk a little about what God is doing through our friends today.

I felt a little guilty about posting our needs last week. It seemed to me that we were asking for so much. As I read over the requests time and time again, my guilt grew. I prayed about it and I felt like God was saying to me that I needed to be humble and let Him work trough the people He had surrounded us with. Boy did God show up through our friends in a big way. He has blessed us time and time again and I am just amazed at the love our friends have for us. It's a love that I know God has planted in their hearts. There is no other way to explain why people would be so good, so giving, so selfless, so sacrificial, so kind. God does that in people. Isn't it awesome?!

Let me just share how blessed we are. I posted a meal sign up sheet online. I set it up for four days per week. Justin is home on weekends and can cook and on Wednesdays we have bible study, which often includes dinner. I have it set up to run through the end of May in hopes that by June my doctor will allow me to come off of bed rest and resume normal activity until this little guy arrives. It is full! Yes, FULL!!! There isn't a slot left. Friends from far and near are providing dinners for us. That is amazing!!! It sounds so small but is a huge blessing. Justin has a ton on his plate. He says again and again that he can do it all, but the fact that he does not have to come home every night and prepare a meal is a huge burden lifted. It also helps me feel better about my inability to be the cook to know that I set something up that took care of that for him.

We have lots of childcare needs. Grayson is typically my responsibility a lot of the week and I care for two other children on Fridays. I listed the days we needed help and over 50% of them are covered. THAT IS AMAZING!!! Again, people who have a whole ton of their own responsibilities and their own busy schedules are stepping up and blessing us in a huge way. I stand in absolute awe.

We have been offered so much help with household things that I am actually having a hard time organizing and keeping up with who is doing what and when. Not only that, but as I type this the laundry is fairly caught up and the house is pretty clean. AMAZING! Next on the list, NURSERY!!!

Also, keep the visits coming. We have been so blessed with visitors and I love it!!! Having visitors really helps the time pass and keeps me from feeling so isolated from the world.

We feel loved. We feel loved in a big way by our friends and by God through them. It is just an awesome feeling.

Additionally I need to post an update on the baby. I know I haven't posted in a few days. I have actually stayed pretty busy in my resting place with work related stuff. I am thankful for that because it helps the time to pass more quickly.

Little Firecracker is doing really well. During my first few days of bed rest I was often having contractions. Nothing consistent or close together, but they were there and often at night they would be as close as 10 minutes apart for about an hour or two. Since Sunday I have had very few contractions. Well, other than the pesky Braxton Hicks kind. I hope that is an indication that the bed rest is helping. I had also prayed that he would turn. He was breech last week and that would not be ideal if I were to go into labor. I am not certain but the kicks that were really low have disappeared and I am feeling lots of nudges up around my ribs. Either he has decided to punch me instead of kick or his feet are in my ribs now. I am hoping for the feet in my ribs which would mean he is now head down. Head down is good.

The rest of the family is doing fairing pretty well. Justin is busy and tired, but who wouldn't be with all that he has on his plate. He is SUPER HUSBAND of the year!!! We have had some issues with Grayson. He has had some trouble at bed time and he has been having potty accidents. All of this is to be expected with a 2 year old who has had his world turned a little upside down, but please be in prayer for him. I hurts my heart to know that these circumstances are having an impact on him. I want for him to feel secure, loved, and cared for. I worry that he feels anxious, shuffled around, and confused.

Thanks for the continued prayers and support. You all are AMAZING and we would not be thriving in these circumstances without you.