You Just Know!

Have you ever had a moment where you can just feel God's presence right next to you? He is holding your hand, your heart, and totally making His presence known to you! You just KNOW it is HIM making you feel a certain way...it was HIM that made things go a certain way! Have you !?!

I feel as though I am in a very awkward season of life right now. I have never felt so blessed, loved, full before in my life! And at the same time, I have a little emptiness, a longing. It is like I have the best of both worlds all at once...and sometimes they happen all at the same time.

This past Tuesday was the half way mark for 40 Days for Life and the half way point for my wonderful pregnancy with our beautiful Baby #3! Partaking in the 40 Days for Life has been amazing!!!! Setting aside quality time to pray, have a date with God, be by myself, try to do good for others has been life changing! I have met some amazing people through this campaign and have been touched by the stories I have heard all over the country of successes in the 40 Days for Life campaign.

On Tuesday, we had a small rally and prayer service outside the clinic that marked the half way point. Tuesdays are tough days at the clinic because this is the only day during the week that they hand out the abortion pill. To see their parking lot packed every Tuesday just pulls at your heart...it makes you pray harder! No...not every person that walks into their doors are getting this specific pill...but prayers are still needed.

As I told you all earlier, I have also have been very emotional because I lost Oliver at our Half Way point. So many emotions came flooding back into by head and heart over the last few days. I miss him! And having lost a child and being part of this campaign, I wonder often if these women ever, even for a second, miss their lost children. I pray for them to miss their children! to ask forgiveness! to show remorse!

The Prayer service that was held was just beautiful! There were about 10, maybe 12 of us present. A small group, but full of so much HOPE! We sang and prayed the Rosary and we focused on the reflection from the 40 Days for Life campaign that is sent to all of us daily. It is so awesome that in a campaign like this...we literally are ONE BODY IN CHRIST! No matter what Faith....we all have come together to serve God's people in some of their hardest times. Everyday an email is sent to all participating in 40 Days for Life providing thoughts to meditate on and pray for and usually a verse from Scripture and a reflection from either a Priest, a Pastor, a Preacher, anyone!

Tuesdays reflection especially touched my heart!

There are certain things that automatically bring my mind straight to My Oliver. I have a necklace that my parents gave me after he passed that I wear every day. Every time I look at it, hold it, turn the chain so that the clasp goes back to the back of my neck, I think of Oliver. Every time I hear the song Amazing Grace...tears flow...without an ounce of effort, sometimes with a smile on my face thinking about how Oliver is TRULY home with our Heavenly Father and sometimes with hurt because I want him here so badly in my arms! Before Oliver passed, I ordered a Baby Be Blessed Doll for him that I so badly wanted to give him. One thing that I love about these dolls is that you can put the child's name and your favorite verse from Scripture on its tummy. I had Oliver's doll be a Lion and the verse I had sewn onto its tummy was this:

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."

Every time I see or hear this verse...Oliver!

So Tuesdays email came with the reflection for the day and what was the verse...Jeremiah 1:4-5! And the feeling started! The feeling of knowing, even in this tough time, God is right there! And so is Oliver. And later that night at the prayer service, we reflected on these beautiful words again

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you!"

We prayed a beautiful Rosary to our Perfect Mother, Mary and all together shared some of our thanksgivings from the last 20 days. Hearing these words pulled at my heart once more...we are making a difference and giving all the Glory to God! As the service was ending, one of the woman suggested we sing Amazing Grace.

YOU JUST KNOW!

I couldn't sing. I was in tears. But I thanked God right then for holding me and my son. For giving me Oliver and for allowing him to touch my life the way he did. And that song never sounded so beautiful.

I want to share the reflection with you now from Tuesday on Jeremiah 1: 4-5. I thought it was beautiful!

REFLECTION

by Rev. J. Kirk van der Swaagh

To be or not to be?

There is no question!

The question of "being" is something philosophers have long pondered. What is the meaning of being and what is the source?

In the passage before us, we have our answer. We have being because we are known by God. For God to declare that he knows and sets apart the prophet Jeremiah even before he is conceived indicates that our being rests in God's own being. Because He is and because He wills we, therefore, are and do.

The Apostle Paul says as much when he declares before the philosophers of his day, "In Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).

One of the tragedies of the abortion culture is that life in the womb has been so heartbreakingly devalued. To embrace the arguments of the "pro-choice" crowd one must conclude that the child in the womb doesn’t exist, isn't there, has no being. But nothing could be further from the truth.

That child is known by God and, as such, has being.

PRAYER

Lord God, we confess that in You we live and move and have our being. Because You are, we are. May we find grace from You to affirm the being of every human and may we labor to make this truth known to the world around us. Amen.

If you would like to receive these reflections too, let me know. My email is on the sidebar. I know not all would feel comfortable standing outside an abortion clinic...but you can pray in your home...have a date with God...for all those affected by abortion!

Great Weekend!

We had a great weekend down in Berry. We went to celebrate Ian and Tucker's Birthdays. Holly did a great job putting everything together. It was a Lego theme! Isn't the cake great? And it tasted awesome too! It is so fun seeing all our babies interact now. Zoe might have been a tid bit obsessed with the Elmo doll....she carried it around everywhere!

Happy Birthday to YOU!

Moving on to the baby and stroller....she had to let someone else have a turn with Elmo.

CANDY!

Ok...yes...you caught me!

"More!"

After the party, we had a big lunch with all the family. And of course, this means NAPS!

And Zelda gave the kids their Easter Baskets and we had a little egg hunt.

What Blondes!

Zoe and all of her cousins on Daddy's side.

Zoe is so lucky to have so many cousins...especially her age...and so many Aunts and Uncles that love her so much!

Can't believe we will have two more to add to the mix come August (one is a BOY!)...Granddaddy is going to have to build a bigger swing!

20 Weeks

(still recovering from traveling...picture to come!)

How Far Along: 20 Weeks

Size of Baby: Baby #3 weighs about 10 1/2 ounces and is about 10 inches long from head to toe...we have a little banana this week. At our appointment, Baby #3 was measuring 19 weeks and 4 days (about 4 days behind). This was no surprise to me though...due date is still August 14th. The technician said they don't change it for something as small as 4 days.

Total Weight Gain: and so it begins...+7.

Maternity Clothes: I have been shopping around for an Easter dress....and finding NOTHING! Any suggestions? Otherwise...still in my normal clothes.

Gender: This week was our big test...and we passed. Everything is still a surprise. Zach is really feeling Boy, as am I. We changed names...I am so over changing names! Every time we get into the car for a trip....Zach says..."so you want to talk about names?" And I am like...WHOA...we already have them. I told we are discussing nothing until 8 months. He is so indecisive! And luckily, we have no more trips until August!

Movement: This Baby has places to go. During the ultrasound, it was flipping and kicking, moving all over the place. It took forever for the technician to get measurements because there was so much movement. And I felt every bit of it. I don't think it will be too long before Zach will be able to feel our Baby #3, too!

Sleep: Well....let's just say sleep was lacking this week...and in no part to being pregnant. Poor Zoe is cutting some of her molars and she was miserable! And I am tired!

Cravings: No real cravings this week...I have been having some sensitivity to smells. If it doesn't smell good...don't expect me to get near it.

Symptoms: My issues in the bathroom continue...I am hoping to get them solved when I see my midwife tomorrow. My tummy is definitely getting bigger and it seems like my bladder is getting smaller. I had a little bit of heartburn, but nothing too serious. Really emotional this week, too.

Best Moment of the Week:

I mean seriously....how can this not just melt your heart into pieces! I loved every minute of our ultrasound yesterday. Watching this Baby squirm just brought a huge smile to my face. So blessed! Baby #3's heart rate was, once again, high...in the 160s. We counted ten fingers and ten toes...the toes were harder because it kept kicking and kicking. The Baby had its hands right by its face and was even sucking its thumb at one point....another thumb sucker! Its heart looked great and we could see its major organs in its abdomen. Baby #3 started facing my back, knees close to chest and just bouncing....by the end it was facing my tummy, chillin on its back. Amazing....and it gave a big yawn...you could see its tongue moving.

It wasn't hard at all not finding out the gender because Zach and I both know how fun it is to wait for Birthday. And don't even try to tell me you can see something in these pictures....you can't!

I had a hard time this week too though. Between 19 and 20 weeks in my last pregnancy, we lost our Oliver. A flood of emotions came rushing back and I cried a lot this week. It is so hard to figure out if what I am feeling is normal, crazy....there are no rights and wrongs to mourning. Some situations are harder for some than others. But all I can say is I am trying to cope. Trying to carry on how I see best. I do things to remember Oliver because they make me happy. It was so weird that this past week, I got some comments about him this just pulled at my heart. I never want anyone to ever think of Oliver in a negative light. I do things to remember him because I love him...and for only this reason. Like I said, Tough Week.

What is Ms. Zoe Zoo up to?

This girl is just changing so much lately. Here is what she is up to:

• Zoe is moving into her size 18mths clothes...and boy did we get some great clothes from our cousins that are just too cute! She is also in size 4 diapers.
  
• Zoe is quite the chatter bug. She talks and talks...some you can understand, some you try to piece together, and some is just Zoe talk. I love the Zoe talk though because by the look of her face...she just knows exactly what she is talking about.
  
• Zoe has quite a vocabulary and it keeps growing and growing. It is crazy what she understands but we have never taught her...some new words are MeMe" for Grammy "Papa", "Door" and she goes and shuts it when someone is leaving, "PooPoo" when she has pooped and sometimes when she hasn't to play jokes on us,"Juice"...I gave her watered down apple juice the other day and she said juice right away, "Diapee" for diaper, "Baba" for her milk, "WaWa" for water, when we ask her if she is hungry she says ya or no...usually always "YA", "Meeee" for please, "Thant To" for thank you and she repeats it over and over until you say your welcome (hilarious), "Bear" for all her stuffed animals in bed with her...only one is actually a bear though, "Baby" and usually give lots of kisses to either my tummy or to a baby doll she is holding, "Night, Night" for nap time and bed time, "Eyes" and points to her ear...we are working on it, she says "Mem Up" for clean up, "Ella" and "Nana" for Ella and Anna Riley....Nana is also Banana. We work a lot on names...she has tried to say Carson, too and Maw Maw, ends up sounding like Mama. She says Mommy and Daddy perfectly. The minute she hears the door open, she screams Daddy! She tries to say Kitty and says Dog. Moo is cows. "Minnie" for Mickey Mouse Club House...and she has her own words when she sings The Hot Dog Dance song...so funny. She Also has her own song she sings to ABCs. "Book" and "Ball" are some most often used. I am sure the list could go on and on...but these are some big ones.
• Zoe eats and eats. She loves fruit, especially grapes. She also loves chicken and pb&js. She is pretty good to eats whatever you put in front of her. She is not crazy about milk, but she has one sippy cup full in the morning. She stopped drinking her mil at night about 1 month ago...so we stopped wasting it.
• Zoe is walking and trying to run all over the place!
  
• Zoe got two molars in and I believe two more are about to make their appearance (from the looks of her diapers).
  
• Zoe LOVES bath time and I know she is going to just have a blast in the pool this summer. She puts her whole face under water in the tub and blows bubbles.
  
• Zoe doesn't love the car seat....at all...
• Zoe loves to be outside and really loves the slides at the park! Her new favorite thing is to walk all the way up our driveway with her stroller.
  
• Zoe has beautiful blonde hair that curls at the end...and has to have her hair pulled back from her face because it is getting so long in front.
  
• Zoe loves to do what she is not supposed to do...and she has a look she gives you along with a little giggle.
  
• Zoe is an awesome sleeper! She takes two naps a day...one around 9:45am til 11 or 12 and one around 3p. She goes down around 8p and sleeps until almost 8a...I don't get her until then at least :)
  
• Zoe can throw quite the little tantrum....plopping on the floor, then on to her tummy and then kicks the ground. It ends in about a minute after she realizes no one is paying attention to her. Time Out here we come...
• Zoe loves to be around kids...and loves the nursery at Church.
  
• Zoe can now climb up onto the couch all by herself.
  
• Zoe says "Hi" and "Bye" to everyone!
• Zoe does well playing by herself. She has really started to like her little people house she got for Christmas.
  
• Zoe is still a big thumb sucker....what can you do?
  
• Zoe is such a toddler and we got her her Big Girl Bed! She loves to play on it and hide under it!
  
• Zoe won't sit still long enough to take good pictures...so this is the best I got....

19 Weeks

How Far Along: 19 Weeks

Size of Baby: Baby #3 weighs about 8 ounces and measures 6 inches from crown to rump...about the size of an heirloom tomato (Baby Center chooses the wierdest things to compare). Baby #3's arms and legs are now in the correct proportions with the rest of its little body. This week was big in the sensory department: its brain is designating special areas for smell, touch, taste, vision, and touch! And Baby #3 just might be able to hear our voices now...good thing I like to talk!

Total Weight Gain: +5lbs

Maternity Clothes: Still wearing my normal clothes...minus my one pair of maternity capris. It is getting so hot...I can't wear jeans!

Gender: Next week will be our big test if we can keep everything a surprise. I am sure we will be fine though...I am still feeling boy though.

Movement: Oh How I LOVE feeling this Baby move. I feel him or her everyday, really low. I get a couple jabs here and some there. Most of the time it is after I eat or when I lay down to rest. LOVE IT!!!!

Sleep: Great sleep...not enough....and crazy dreams! I wake up wondering if they really happened or not they are so vivid.

Cravings: I am loving breakfast foods. Cereal is my favorite.

Symptoms: I had a tough week with symptoms. I was a little backed up, if you know what I mean. I not way, shape or form is this a good part of pregnancy...but it is one of those symptoms you just have to deal with!

Best Moment of the Week: I have just loved feeling the Baby kick. It is such a crazy thing, but so beautiful at the same time! And I am really looking forward to our appointment next week! I can't believe that I am a couple days from the half way point. Time is flying...as it always does! And Zoe pointing at my tummy and saying "Bebe" and giving my belly button kisses pretty much makes my life!

Sisters

Why do I pray outside of an abortion clinic?

What is the point?

Watching this video brought me to tears. I pray for these women, for all woman who are remorseful and those who aren't. I know every baby that lost its life to this 'procedure' is an Angel, being held in the arms of Our Mother, Mary. So my prayers are for the women. I have heard many times that abortion isn't something I would choose for myself, but it is every woman's choice for herself. Yes it is. I have never been in a situation where my pregnancy wasn't wanted, but I have had to make choices in my pregnancies. I chose to let my child live as long as God allowed in my womb, as heartbreaking as it was. I can relate in some way and this is why I pray. I can stand outside of a facility that hands out pills to abort and I pray. Because Jesus says:

For I was hungry and you gave me food,

I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'
Then the righteous will answer him and say,

'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'
And the king will say to them in reply,

'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Matthew 25:35-40

I pray because these women are my sisters! They may not believe the same thing I do, they may see an abortion merely as a choice, they may see it as their only option....but they are still my sister in Christ! They may choose something I would never for myself....but that doesn't mean I should stand aside and do nothing....so I pray.

And I ask you to pray with me.

Glory Story

For the last week, I have been peacefully praying outside of the Lawrenceville Planned Parenthood. Allowing yourself to really have time...good, quality time...to pray, to have a date with God, to think, to listen...is life changing.

I went out on the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday. It was pouring, nasty out and the clinic was even closed. But, I felt the need to go out and pray. I have committed to praying the Rosary everyday during Lent, so this is typically how I fill my hour. Each decade, I have a different prayer intention and then I recite the Hail Mary's, Our Father, Glory Be and so on.

There is something about Mary that just amazes me. Reflecting on the Hail Mary really got me thinking. Read the words if you have never heard the prayer before.

Hail Mary, Full of Grace, Our Lord is with Thy

Blessed are thou among women and

Blessed is the Fruit of Your Womb.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for Us sinners

Now and at the Hour of our Death.

And it just got me thinking that...God chose a woman...a human....to bear HIS SON...and bring himself into this world. God chose to come into this world as He made all His creation enter the world...through their Mother. But He did not choose any woman. He chose Mary, a young, unwed, virgin, woman. He trusted her with the gift His Son, to carry Him, deliver Him and raise Him. How relatable is she? Yes...she had no sin....not very relatable...but she said Yes to her God and found herself pregnant, unwed, in a world where a woman was stoned to death for such actions....and she still said Yes.

But she put her life and her trust in God's hands, as we all should in hard times. Mary had a choice...she could have said no. But she said Yes and trusted.

Blessed is the Fruit of Your Womb

Yesterday, I went to pray with my friend Katie and her mom. We spent about an hour out in front of Planned Parenthood. And let me tell you...it is so worth it. It was probably my 4th time out praying throughout the week....most of the time it is silent prayer...there are some honks, some waves, some cursing, some laughing....but in my heart of hearts...I know all the prayers....being said around the world during these 40 days....are making a difference. As we were packing up to go, a gentlemen walks up to us. I thought he was coming to pray with us and so we invited him to pray. But he wasn't there to pray.

He said to us, "I paid for an abortion 30 years ago...and I want to thank you all for standing out here and praying." WOW! My heart just went out to him because you could hear the pain in his words...in saying them aloud. You could tell that even 30 years later...he was still troubled by the decision him and his girlfriend made to end their child's life. We all went on talking, listening and he just thanked us for standing there...reassuring us that is not going unnoticed. He wondered if someone was standing outside praying the day he had an abortion, if they might have changed their minds. We discussed how loving and forgiving Our God is...he said he knew he was forgiven...but the hurt never goes away.

I told him..."Well you have an angel in heaven!" and he said that he believes his child is with him always...right there beside him in his truck. I feel very similar about Oliver. Although our children left this world differently, they are both angels in heaven and with us always!

Blessed is the Fruit of Your Womb

18 weeks!

How Far Along: 18 Weeks

Size of Baby: Baby #3 is about 5 1/2 inches long, the size of a bell pepper, and weighs almost 7 ounces.

Total Weight Gain: Went to the doctor this past week and was up 5 with clothes....so I am staying steady!

Maternity Clothes: Still sticking to my normal clothes, but definitely have had to put away some things that won't cover my tummy. All pants are still good...but would rather be in my PJs all day :)

Gender: I am so surprised that I haven't had one urge, want, nothing to know what the gender is this time around. With Zoe...of course I wanted to know, but thought it would be so fun to wait. With Oliver, knowing was everything to us. With Baby #3, we are just content. We know August will be here before we know it and we are just excited to meet our little one!

Movement: Lots of movement this week....little jabs here and there. Just fills my heart!

Sleep: Great sleep again this week, just never enough of it.

Cravings: No real cravings this week. We did have Japanese and it was great!

Symptoms: My boobs have definitely tripled it feels like....and boy do they hurt. But it will be worth it once Baby #3 arrives...all that breast feeding will just melt the pounds...I wish.

Best Moment this Week: I got to hear our baby's heart beat again...still in the 160s. I just love that sound! And I can't believe I am almost halfway to delivery and arrival of Baby #3. Call me crazy...and I just might be....but I CAN'T WAIT to go through labor and delivery again. It was such a beautiful and empowering experience for me...to think that God gave me the gift as a woman to bring life into this world just blows my mind.

Torn

I feel like any time you are passionate about something....you just want to shout from the hill tops! You want everyone to feel the way you do, to understand why you feel that way, and to know you are genuine and true in your feelings.

And this is why I am torn.

I am finding more and more....people don't want to listen. And that is ok.

Someone I am friends with on facebook the other day posted a status that I could relate with perfectly. The two of us are very different, different upbringings, different views on Faith, different....but my heart leapt for her and what she was expressing. Even though we are different....what she wrote I found beauty and joy in. If she reads this, I hope she doesn't mind I posted...it just warmed my heart so much what she wrote.

I am so thankful that I allowed GOD to open my eyes!!!! I feel like a brand new woman! What I feel inside I wish everyone could feel it!!!!! Being obedient to GOD will get you a long ways! Obeying him feels so amazing and what I feel now I could shout it from the roof tops!!!!!

I am torn because even though others don't want to hear what we have to say....should that silence us. Should we hide how we feel just because someone may not agree?

If any of you know me, you probably know it is hard for me to hide how I feel....good or bad. I am very vocal...to the point that it can come off the wrong way. I know this.

This has been one of my most persistent prayers. When you know there is something wrong about yourself....you just want to change it so badly. Well, I do at least. I have passion, but I want my passions to come across in a positive light. I want to be heard positively....if people are listening!

Have you ever struggled with this? Please tell me I am not the only one!

40 Days for Life

I must say that this year's Lenten Season is going to be very different for me. I have always given something up...something I loved and had to have...or so I thought. This year I am doing more!

I told you last week about a book I just got done reading Unplanned. It moved me....my heart, my soul, my thinking....it was life changing. It sent me to tears at the turn of a page to think about how people treat their bodies and see it merely as a choice. I am sure in some cases it seems more than this...but ulitmately I feel it is about respect.

I don't think people realize that they are made in the Image and Likeness of GOD! How often do we abuse our bodies in one way or another....often! We are TEMPLES! We are the Body of Christ! It is about Respect...respect for Life, for God, for Ourselves and our Bodies, Respect for the ones who don't get a choice...

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

before you were born I dedicated you..."
Jeremiah 1:5

No matter how a child is conceived....God is present...we are His creation! God can make good out of any bad....if we allow Him into our hearts. I know many Glory stories of pregnancies that were not expected or unplanned. God was present! God IS present!

My heart genuinely goes out to all Mothers, because that is what they are, that have had an abortion. I have shed so many tears just thinking about it. My prayers are with all of them...every one. I ache to think that the only reasonable option for a woman, in her mind, would be to kill their child....not tissue....a CHILD! And I pray for all woman who are considering abortion....if only you knew!

My heart prays for all who support Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics. Which leads me to my Lenten promise.

I will be participating in the 40 Days for Life Campaign! I am excited and nervous, scared and blessed....

Pro-Life was never a choice for me....I didn't one day say...hmmm...I think I am going to be for life. It is natural...it is natural as a Christian to chose life...GOD IS LIFE! Simple as that really.

The 40 Day for Life campaign starts tomorrow and last until April 17th! This campaign is a peaceful vigil of prayer and fasting! Little did I know, a Planned Parenthood opened just 1 year ago in my town. Defistating! To think that I have passed by this builing, this abortion clinic, numerous times and never knew it existed breaks me.

"Can a mother forget her infant,
be without tenderness for the child of her womb?"

Isaiah 49: 14-15

There are other CHOICES!

I have commited to praying once a week for 2 hours outside of the Lawrenceville Planned Parenthood...but I will be out there praying as much as I can in between. I am also praying a Rosary a day as part of my Lenten sacrifice. Lives can be changed through prayer...Prayer is POWERFUL!

If you want to find a way to get involved too...click on this link 40 Days for Life. If you are unable, please pray for all those who are going to be part of the 40 Days for Life Campaign.

"Speak Up for those who cannot speak for themselves"

Proverbs 31:8

17 Weeks

How Far Along: 17 Weeks

Size of Baby: Baby #3 is about 5 ounces in weight and about 5 inches from crown to rump. Its skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: +4lbs.

Maternity Clothes: I am starting to find all my looser fitting shirts. My pickings are slim these days. I am still on the hunt for long dresses for the warmer weather that is approaching....know of any good deals?

Gender: Totally feeling Boy, but we will see come August! My friend that is also pregnant is thinking boy too based on Chinese Calendar and HR....based on these I am having a GIRL....really high HR and Calendar says it, too. With Zoe, everything pointed to Boy...makes me laugh! Maybe I am always opposite.

Movement: I have definitely been feeling Baby #3 this week....especially after I ate a very yummy lunch on Saturday!

Sleep: Sleep has been great this past week! Zoe is such a good and dependable napper and that helps so much! I have started to have to sit up some to fall asleep...most comfortable position since I am a back sleeper.

Cravings: Chiptole continues! But I have also loved some cream cheese lately! Looks like salty is my craving this go around....haven't even thought about a Chocolate Milkshake like I did with Zoe.

Symptoms: I have been having a little bit of reflux when I eat red foods, mainly tomato based....not fun at all. But I cannot stop the Pico...so good and well worth it!

Best Moment this Week: I am surrounded by pregnant woman....and I love it! I have something to look forward to until my little one arrives...whether it be someone finding out gender or someone giving birth...and Lord knows....someone else I know will be pregnant soon..it is inevitable! I just feel so blessed to be surrounded by so many beautiful and loving Mothers!

Eating All By Myself

Zoe Jane has really enjoyed learned to eat all by herself.

I am pretty sure she really, really enjoyed Daddy's Birthday cake!

Zoe is becoming more and more independent every day!

Books and More Books

Ever since we turned off our TV, I have been reading and reading and reading. I love a good book!

Here are some of the books I have read over the last year:

One of my friends was gracious enough to let me borrow this book back in July or August. I cried through the whole thing...every word. It is really hard to face the realities we are given sometimes and this book helped me feel that I was not alone. Angie Smith is truly an amazing woman of God and has a beautiful perspective on the lose of her child...one that deserves reading if you have ever been in the same situation or know of someone who has. Sometimes, when you are a friend or family memeber of someone who has lost a child, the words to say seem so difficult. This book really helps to explain how a person feels that has endured such loss.

Love, Love, Love this book! Realizing that God not only was the 3rd person in my marriage, but also the 3rd one in my bedroom was eye opening, yet beautiful. God created marriage, sex and all the in betweens for specific reasons....for beautiful reasons. Reasons that are not very apparent to us in the 21st century, nor encouraged by our society. We have lost our way to what our marriage are to be, what they can be and what God intended them to be....and the first place to start shaping it all up is....with sex.

A very interesting read that was quick and I enjoyed very much. Allen Hunt, a former Methodist Pastor of a massive church in Alpharetta, GA...Mt. Pisgah, tells his story of how he found beauty in the Catholic Church and found a home. He does a wonderful job of comparing the two, all the goods and bads of both, and why he decided to become Catholic after being Methodist his whole life, being raised by generations of Methodist pastors and leading one of the largest mega-churches of our time to such success. All too often...I don't think we look into why we believe what we believe, the history behind our beliefs and what other denominations believe. Although, I think this book was geared more towards a Catholic population, but I believe if you can open your heart to it...many would find it interesting.
I don't even know where to start with this book. As a Pro-life supporter....it was extremely difficult to read the beginning...but it once again, showed me a perspective I had never seen before. Abby Johnson, a former director of Planned Parenthood, tells her story of her conversion to the Pro-life movement...and some of the truths behind the Pro-choice movement and Planned Parenthood as an organization. This book is one that truly reveals how God works in people for good. It gave me a different perspective on those who choose to be Pro-Choice...but all in all....strengthen my choice for life. This book can be for all!

After reading this book, I am excited to do a post in more depth on my thoughts and how it changed my thinking...how it has got me moving...coming soon.....

Books to come:

Have you read any great books lately!?! I would love to hear all about them!