A crib for our baby!

I can hardly believe that I'm almost in the third trimester!  Thankfully, we're all continuing to do well, and Celeste is definitely moving and kicking strong!  It's been such a joy to prepare for our little one's arrival.  She's actually going to be getting a crib made especially for her by her daddy!  Scott has decided to build her crib from scratch-a labor of love. :)  I can't wait to see it come together! 

24 weeks!

Here I am with baby Celeste at 24 weeks!  I find that the weeks are going by faster and faster, and we are eagerly anticipating the arrival of our little bundle of joy.  All three of us made it safely around Australia and New Zealand and back home again.  Though I discovered that a 14 hour plane ride can be much more uncomfortable and complex when you have to get up to use the bathroom every hour, it was definitely worth it!  We had an invaluable experience with memories that I will cherish for a lifetime.  Not to mention, New Zealand sells some of the most adorable sheepskin booties, and we were sure to pick up a pair for Celeste.  :)

Thank you so much to those of you who kept us in your thoughts and prayers as we traveled abroad.  While we thoroughly enjoyed our time together, it is definitely wonderful to be home, safe and sound.  I'll be sure to post some pictures of our trip soon!

The Land Down Under...

Tomorrow we head out for our trip to Australia and New Zealand!  We're definitely looking forwad to this much needed break and are thankful for the opportunity to spend some time together before Celeste is born.  We'll definitely miss our families and friends during the holidays; wishing you all a very Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!  We'll be taking lots of pictures to share for the next post! :)

Thankful for precious blessings.

We are truly rejoicing!!  The results of the amniocentesis procedure I had almost two weeks ago revealed a healthy and normally developing baby girl...Praise God!  These past weeks waiting for the results have been agonizing, and we couldn't have made it without the love, support, and encouragement of our dear friends and family.

Thank you so much to those of you who were so willing to lift us up in prayer and offered words of wisdom and strength, especially throughout this difficult time.  We are eternally grateful for the prayers that were said on behalf of our baby girl...thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

The doctors were also able to give us the 100% confirmation that our baby really is a girl. :)  By doing the amniocentesis, they could actually map the baby's chromosomes, and sure enough...they saw two XX's there!

We've decided to name our baby girl Celeste, which means "Heavenly", as she truly is a miracle and a precious gift.  We haven't officially decided on a middle name though....any suggestions?

Thank you again for all the love and prayers, we are overwhelmed with gratitude. 

These are Celeste's latest ultrasound pics! :)

"He said to me, 'My gracious favor is all you need.  My power works best in your weakness.'  So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me.  Since I know it is all for Christ's good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Okay, we'll at least we've got the 99% assurance that our baby is a girl! :)  At our last ultrasound, our baby was curled up and had her ankles crossed, but she managed to move positions enough for the sonographer to tell.  Needless to say, we're absolutely excited about our little one.  Welcome world of barbies, pink ribbons, and my little ponies...I can't wait!  Though I must say, I was more into wrestling with my brothers, making mud pies, and digging in the dirt...so we'll see how she turns out!

With the exciting news our a little girl came some frightening news as well.  During our last ultrasound, the doctors found something they consider to be a "soft marker"; meaning, it could be an indication of a few diseases or infections.  The only way to really discover exactly what this soft marker may be revealing was for me to undergo an amniocentesis, a procedure used in prenatal diagnosis of any chromosomal abnormalities or fetal infections our baby may have.  Thankfully, Scott was with me the whole time and provided much needed strength and support throughout our appointments.  Now all we can do is wait for our results and hope and pray that our baby girl is okay and that the soft marker they saw was nothing more than a normal variant.

While we are doing our best to hope, trust, and stay positive during this whirlwind of emotion, it has been very difficult for us as well.  I'm asking everyone to please please pray for our baby; please pray that she is healthy and safe and developing without complications. 

I truly believe in the power of prayer and have faith that the life of our precious little one is in the hands of a Healing God.  We are overwhelmed with gratitude to those who have been incredibly supportive to us, especially during this time...thank you.  All prayers are deeply appreciated.

It's truly amazing how much love you can have for someone you haven't even met yet.  We're hoping and praying that our daughter will be well.

"For nothing is impossible with God."

Thankful for my sweet love.

Honey you are a rock
Upon which I stand
And I come here to talk
I hope you understand

I came here with a load
And it feels so much lighter, now I've met you
And honey you should know, that I could never go on without you

Honey you are the sea
Upon which I float
And I came here to talk
I think you should know

Cause I came here with a load
And it feels so much lighter, since I met you
Honey you should know, that I could never go on without you

Honey you are a rock
Upon which I stand

Our new BIG adventure!

Undoubtedly, our lives have been filled with incredible blessings. Everyday seems to bring a new sense of awe and wonderment of this gift of life. I've learned the importance of gratitude for the simple things like a peaceful walk on the beach, a home-cooked meal, and long conversations with my husband.

Just when life couldn't seem to be any more perfect or wonderful, we are graced with another precious miracle!

We're expecting our first little one at the end of April 2010 and couldn't be more excited! Although quite the UN-expected miracle, this adventure has made our life journey incredibly remarkable and extraordinary.

Last week we had the opportunity to hear our baby's heartbeat. At a strong 160 beats per minute, I was so touched at how perfectly this little one is developing.

Here's the latest picture! In a few short weeks, we'll find out if we'll be having a son or a daughter. :)

In the meantime, we'd like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our family and friends who have been so tremendously supportive to us. Thank you for sharing in our excitement and joy!