Your life is such an inspiration (to me!)
Gail, I couldn't be more blessed to have a woman like you in my life. Sometimes I selfishly think that God picked you to marry my brother just so I could have you as a friend and sister. Today, on your birthday, I am reflecting on how in the 5 years I've known you, my life has become so much more blessed. Not just my life though, I know your family loves you so much and each of your sisters adore you, too. You are just one of those people who emulate the love of Jesus in such a practical and real way. I value your wisdom that you have given me on God, life, marriage, and family. I respect the way you live out the calling God has on your life. I've never been to a home with so much creativity. You put so much effort into making your house homely. Every holiday I've ever spent with you has been so special because of the way you decorate and plan...I LOVE it! See!!
4th of July!
Christmas!
Christmas morning!
Dad's birthday!
I wish I could be there today to celebrate your birthday...being 3000 miles away can really stink sometimes. Thank you for living your life for the Lord and being such a great example to me as a woman, wife, and mommy... I love you, Gaily!!
I can't believe I'm more than half way there...
"Rock the Bump"
I must say, the 2nd trimester is so much more enjoyable than the 1st.
So, here are some highlights thus far:
Baby - He is about a foot long now and weighs almost a pound. He is developing his hearing quite a bit these days. Iain and I both enjoy taking time talking, singing, and reading Scripture to him in the evenings since he can hear us. He is definitely moving around and working on kicks and punches.
Changes for me - I am completely in maternity clothes now, minus some occasional shirts or dresses that fit. Maternity pants are actually quite comfortable because they have all the elasticity.
Sleep - Well, honestly, since I have been pregnant, my sleep has gotten less and less. I visit the ladies room a few times a night, every night. I sleep with lots of pillows and a humidifier. Little guy is usually active when I first lay down, which I actually don't mind a bit. I am so busy during the day that I enjoy getting to feel him move about. The only thing that is most difficult is having our bedroom on the 2nd floor and our only bathroom on the 1st floor....fun times ;-)
What I enjoy - Milk!!! I never really enjoyed a plain glass of milk before I was pregnant...now, I could have a glass with every meal. Cheese :) Every kind of it, too. Cherries, Mangos, and grapes have been my favorite fruit. Salad has been the only veggies I've liked (that part is a bummer). MEXICAN FOOD!! Yum!! I have liked it from the very beginning and the only thing that stinks is not having a "Chuy's" in Virginia.
The not so fun - headaches, heartburn, and lack of sleep.
Sweet Moments - Iain finally got to feel our baby boy kick last week!! Honestly, I just love feeling him move, it's the best!!
Nesting - It's slowly starting to kick in...We found a wonderful deal on Craigslist for a crib! Our friend, Matt, was so super awesome to help Iain go pick it up and use their SUV. Now, just to put it together! We have picked out a theme for his room.....It's called "Laguna" and it has turtles, ducks, and frogs on it. We just registered last night....YAY!! Target and Babies R Us were the stores of choice. I really enjoyed researching all the different brands to use.
I am currently hanging out with my favorite twins: Jayden and Judah, the sweet little baby boys I have the delight of taking care of. They are taking their afternoon nap and then we will have some more fun times playing when they wake up!
Have a wonderful Saturday!!
Oma at our wedding.
Losing someone you love is never easy...
...but knowing that they are with the Lord and in no more pain is encouraging. "Oma" is Iain's grandmother from Germany and what a feisty firecracker she was. I first met her at Iain's brother's wedding 3 years ago. Iain brought me as a "friend." Oma was much smarter than that, she eyed me from a distance and made sure to inquire about me and find out if I was suitable to be a "friend" to Iain.
A few weeks ago, we got a phone call from my father-in-law letting us know that Oma probably didn't have long left and that she was in the hospital and it would be a good idea for us to come see her. We quickly packed up our stuff and rushed to Virginia Beach. It's not easy seeing someone you love go from feisty to quiet. We made a few trips down to Virginia Beach to spend as much time with her as we could. On Saturday, July 2, we got the phone call that she had just passed away. We packed our stuff and made it to Virginia Beach around midnight. These past days have not been easy as we prepared the funeral and handled details concerning her passing.
The memorial service for Oma was yesterday and it was absolutely beautiful. Each grandkid (Iain is 1 of 5) shared something special about her. Oma was in several work camps in Germany and was a teletypist in World War II. She experienced bombs going off close by her, saw people killed, and became a POW (prisoner of war) by the Americans. The U.S. offered her the chance to come to America on a ship and start over, so she did. She started from scratch and slowly learned English. She got married and the legacy extended through the birth of their daughter, Arlene, Iain's mom. Each grandkid had the privilege of growing up near by to her and learned so much from the life Oma lived. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to know this amazing woman and I will be proud to share her story to my own children about their great-grandmother.
We will miss you, Oma.
