Just thankful.

 

 Two weeks ago we had an ultrasound that was considered the "big" one. Every organ, bone, possible defect, etc was to be checked. Mr. Henry was just too content with relaxing that we couldn't get a very good clear shot of his face as well as ruling out everything. One of the greatest things that was unable to be ruled out were all the chambers of his heart. There was no reason for concern at all, but as the ultrasound tech said, she couldn't say everything was fine until it had been checked. So today we got our bonus ultrasound :) 

She had told me to drink and eat before. I chugged, and I mean, chugged a large iced coffee and ate before it. What was he doing? Snoozing. With Ady I could drink or eat anything caffeinated or not and she'd be bouncing all over the screen. Not so much with Henry. He's going to be laid back I think, just like his daddy. His position today was easier for her to see everything though. She checked for many things and at the end just simply said, "Well...he's just perfect!". I could have cried tears of joy. There are so many things that could have been wrong. Not that I was worrying, but it is music to my ears to hear that our son is healthy and growing. It is a gift that we most certainly do not take lightly. I urge you, if you've never read my post on how we got to where we are today to go here: 

http://1littlemiracle.blogspot.com/2012/04/overjoyed.html

Here are some pictures of my sweet boy from today. LOVE this first one-he's smiling and sticking his tongue out. Looks like he'll be a character, just like his sister :) The second one-I see Joseph. :) And the third one looks absolutely identical to a picture taken while I was pregnant with Ady. Same profile, same position, same pose. Identical. So, we know he'll be cute :) :)

I may be 6 months pregnant, but I still sometimes am in denial. Ady was a miracle. There is no doubt. With Henry, I'm still just floored. I know God can do anything. But twice? Two miracles? Why me? I had no odds. Nothing. Only one quote workable side that was considered quote unusable. All I can say is God is Sovereign. He deserves this praise. I am often asked how many more children we intend to have. (On a side note: I dislike this question almost as much as "So, when are you going to have another?") Maybe it's my sensitivity to this whole conception process, but I don't know how to answer people. I want a house full of children. I intend, as I have as long as the Lord allowed me to feel the desire to be a mother (from probably 5 or 6 years old), to adopt children over the world. There is a burning deep passion that I have for reaching lost children. James 1:27 has always been one of my favorite Scriptures: "....Look after orphans in their distress". It has often been the battle-cry of my heart. I am thankful that the Lord blessed me with a husband who shares in this. He may not have the desire deep like I do, but he is in support of it. This is something that we will pursue many, many years down the road. But just so you know, I'm not finished growing my family just yet. :) God has big, big plans in store for us. 

I love being pregnant. I love feeling the kicks and jabs to remind me just how wonderful life is. Just how blessed I really am. I really want time to slow down. I've mentioned this before, but this will probably be our last biological child. While I know God has done more than I could've ever hoped for or imagined, I also know the reality of my health and the fact that the clock is ticking. And I am thankful, just so thankful that I once again get to experience this. I hope someday Henry and Ady will read this blog and know the deepest part of my heart beats for them and that pray each day that they will know just how much they are loved. 

Ady is growing with each passing blink. She is very vocal and mimmicks each thing we do. She puts words together for sentences, is counting from 1-10 (this teacher is proud!), knows all her colors, and can count her ABC's. I am so grateful for the time I have been able to invest into her life. (And having that degree in education and some years of experience with Kindergarten and 1st grade have surely helped). I also have a very willing student to teach :) 

It is no secret that I love, more like adore, the sun. I know just about every member of our neighborhood pool because I was there everyday for about 8 hours (no joke), the entire time I was pregnant with Ady. I spent most of that insanely hot summer in the pool. And with a cute little pregnant belly you can make all kinds of friends :) The people there have watched her grow over the last almost 2 years and as you can imagine, they love her. She is at such a fun age. She is absolutely fearless of the water (and I guess she didn't really have a choice-she went with mommy every day in utero!). 

This week I decided to see if she would jump in to me. I thought she might be scared, but I was wrong. Look at my little fish:

She is so brave and brings my heart so much joy. I suspect that by the end of our family vacation in August, she will be close to, if not fully, swimming solo. Tatay is going to teach her :) 

Ady is virtually impossible to hold in the water. She watches the big kids and wants to do what they do. I'm happy at this independence and strong will, but the momma in me is scared and always on guard. I can't, not even for 1 second, turn my head. B-U-S-Y. 

Thank you, my sweet readers, for reading about our lives. I am thankful to those of you whom I can call friend. I love the story that is being written for our lives, although it has not been without suffering. I am so eager to hold my precious little Henry in my arms and my sweet Ady in the other arm, and just be still and know. Be still and know....that He IS God.

Investing.

 

Life is moving so fast. I just can't believe how much Ady is growing and how stinkin' smart she is (I know, I know, every parent says this....). I'm amazed each day at how much she picks up on (and a little leery-yikes! Making sure every word and expression I say and make is "Ady appropriate"). I notice it in the little things. Like when I tell (more like yell....) at the dogs to jump down from trying to get her food off the table. Well....now Ady yells at them too. She mimmicks and copies each thing we do. But there's one thing I don't ever, ever want her to stop. And that's praying. 

I am humbled by the child-like faith that I see displayed in her. It doesn't matter how many toys she has in her hands (and believe me, she can hold plenty of Sesame Street characters), she will still find a way to fold her hands over them when we tell her it's time to say our prayer. She will even wait until we pray before eating. How precious is that? There are times I'm still trying to get everything on the table but she is sitting there with her plate, and she just sits and waits. Please don't think highly of this. It's just something I've always done. Praying before meals was our second nature growing up. It was a home where Jesus was very, very prevalent.  I don't remember eating a meal and not praying before it with my family. So, naturally, when Joseph and I got married we started the "tradition", and when Ady joined us she just picked right up along. 

I am working so hard on investing as much time in her spiritually because I already see how she is watching. When she looks in her Bible story, she always tries to find the pictures of Jesus on it. Why? Because she knows He made her. She knows every night before she goes to bed when Joseph reminds her that mommy and daddy and Jesus love her so much. She knows He made her absolutely perfect and blameless in His sight. And everyday I pray over her precious little body that she will make the decision to seek Him. I told her just the other day that I couldn't wait to see what He would do through her. I started counting her toes and fingers with her while she just giggled. Then we went and pointed to her eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. I explained to her that our purpose in life is to glorify Him; to use our hands and feet for Him. She sweetly said, "mmm...hmmm..." I know she doesn't get it yet, but I'm still going to tell her.

I decided a couple weeks ago I was going to start getting her to memorize Scriptures. The Bible clearly commands that we are to study His word and know it. One of my favorite verses is Deuteronomy 6:6-7 "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." I don't want Ady to merely be a fan of Jesus, I want her to be a follower of Jesus. I really didn't know how it would go. I started with Matthew 28:20 that says "I am with you always". She would repeat it after me every time we would sit at the table for our meals. I went 3 or 4 days without saying anything. Things had been a little wild and we had been out of town. When I told her we were going to practice her verse I was absolutely floored when she began quoting it herself:

 

I am truly in the middle of the season of: "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." Tonight while she was getting a bath, I started a new one: "Be kind to one another"-Ephesians 4:32. It was so sweet hearing her say it. I hope when she goes to Preschool she can quote verses to her friends. I hope that when she is scared when she is away from me as she grows she will remember the very first one she ever learned; that God is with her always. I hope that when the pressures of this world fall on her shoulders, she will be reminded of multiple accounts in Scripture when He tells us to trust in Him and not to look to the world. 

My mom has always told me that I would never understand her love for me until I had a child. And that the decisions her and my dad stood by (that were never, ever popular), would one day be understood. Boy, was she right. (Moms are always right!). I see this so much today. I just want to keep her in this little bubble forever. I watch the world around me so filled with sin, so filled with material desires, so filled with lust and hatred, so filled with the desire to "live for the moment", and I want her to be different. I want her life to stand out. And I know we will not be popular. We will not support many things that parents will allow or support, but it is not our job to do that. We are to teach her and train her. I have already made so many mistakes, but I am fervently praying that Joseph and I will be equipped with the wisdom, discernment, and knowledge to handle the years ahead. And praying, too, that time would just slow down. 

In other news---I get to see little Henry tomorrow on ultrasound and see how much he has grown, especially from our last ultrasound!! 

This is the BIG one. They will look at every organ and see how everything is functioning. I can still remember just being in awe when she showed me everything on Ady. Praying for a healthy and strong little boy tomorrow. :) I still smile (and sometimes tear up), when I feel those kicks. Which, are often. He is very, very active and I love it. However, I am still in amazement. Still in awe that it is real. Ady talks about him all the time. Our lives are about to change (once again) forever, and I can't wait. The Lord has been so good to us. I do not deserve the abundance of blessings, but am so grateful for them.

In honor of Father's Day, let me just say-I hope Henry is just like Joseph. He is such a sweet and caring and compassionate person. I really don't know anyone else who could have loved me and stayed by me during some of the darkest times I've ever gone through. He is a wonderful, wonderful husband. And his love for Jesus has grown by leaps and bounds since we got married. I have watched him lead our family and watched how he loves and adores Ady (and how much she adores him!) 

 

So, for all those daddy's out there-Happy Father's Day! :) 

Thanks for following our blog. I don't get to blog nearly as often as I'd like. Ady keeps me so busy and on my toes, but I will miss this one day. I heard someone say the other day that our marriages and families are defined and written by the ordinary day to day moments, not the big ones. So true. Love this little family of mine :) 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Col 3:16