One precious little face...

Here you are my precious little boy at 32 1/2 weeks. Some sweet friends from our church gave us a gift certificate to have a 3D ultrasound and we got to see your adorable little face! You have quite the chunky cheeks...mommy can't wait to kiss them! :)
At my 33 week check up we found out that you already weigh over 5 pounds...you are a growing boy! I think you're going to be a football player! We will have another ultrasound at 35 weeks to see if you are still growing by leaps and bounds or if you just hit a growth spurt last week. Mommy is trying to lay off the sweets till then - easier said then done when daddy eats ice cream every night. I still have about 8-9 pounds left in my weight gaining allowance so I'm holding out to those last few days when I'm sure we'll both pack on the pounds!
Mommy and Daddy have never been more ready to meet you after seeing your little face, your fingers and toes on the ultrasound. The whole ultrasound you slept with your hands and feet by your face - it was so cute! You even tried to put your thumb in your mouth. And you when you move your head certain ways you have the cutest double chin I have EVER seen!! You are such a precious gift from God. We can't wait to hold you in our arms!!!! We hope to meet you SOON!!! :)

8 weeks - ahhh!! :)

We have passed the two month mark - WOW! Mommy and Daddy have so much to do before your arrival! We are setting up your crib, putting your room together, washing your cute little clothes. It is a little overwhelming but SO exciting that soon we will get to hold you in our arms!

February 27, 2012
Exactly 2 months from your due date! :)

Baby Bump - can call it a bump when its this BIG? :)

With the move and all I have fallen WAY behind in updating picture of my beautiful baby boy growing inside me. They say he will gain about a half a pound every week from here on out...lets just say I am bigger than every with 8 weeks to grow. Brace yourselves...next time you see me I am sure to be even bigger :)

Here we are at 27 weeks! You are getting bigger - 2 pounds to be exact - well give or take some ounces here and there! You are moving all around in my belly! Its SO much fun to feel you move and kick! Sometimes you will be moving so much and as soon as I call daddy over to come feel you stop...you little trick-ster you! :) Dad likes to talk to you a lot! It probably sounds pretty muffled in there but we enjoy it anyways! You gave mommy a little scare this week when you stopped moving for almost 2 days. We tried everything, singing to you, talking, orange juice, cookies, and you didn't budge. We ended up going to the doctor where they checked your heart beat. Never heard a more precious sound in my whole life. I had been so worried. Once again God was trying to teach me to trust him that He is sovereign and has a plan.
Keep growing little Eli - we love you and can't wait to meet you soon!

Here's daddy wanting to take a picture of his preggo belly - not as big as mommy's though :)

Happy 30 weeks Eli! Can't believe we are just 10 weeks away from seeing you precious little face. We now live in what will be your very first home! Daddy and Papa Bear painted your room a beautiful blue last weekend. It looks great! I can't wait for you to see it! You have definitely grown these last few weeks and mommy has too. I know we are on the countdown! You are not about 3 pounds - so small and so cute!! You even get the hickups some times and I love it! I know you probably aren't a fan but it makes me giggle a little. You seems to always get them at night or early in the morning.
You are really loving chocolate these days - well Mommy mainly is but I think you like it too! :)
We are enjoying seeing my tummy move and jiggle as you roll around. Enjoy it because space will be very limited from here on out my little fellow :)

Here we are before our first doctor visit in Kentucky. Your heart rate was 164 - a little higher than last time but that's because you we doing your exercises before she checked on you. Its always good to hear that sweet noise.
Next visit we will get to see you on a ultrasound....we can't wait!! :)

Life in Kentucky...

WOW - have we really been in Kentucky for over a month?? It has really flown by!! Since internet time is limited (we don't have internet at the house yet...good ole AT&T who refuse to answer my sweet husband's phone calls)...I've decided to make a quick list of the last 5 weeks in Bowling Green to sum it up...
1. The people at Calvary are seriously the sweetest church family you could ask for! I missed a Sunday due to nerve pain in my back and I bet I had 30 people ask me how I was feeling and tell me how much I was missed - seriously one Sunday and these people want to bake you a cake or something...it is awesome!! :) We have LOVED getting to know so many families!
2. POT LUCK - we've had at least 4 since we've been here....good thing I'm pregnant and have an excuse to go back to the serving table 2, ok maybe 3, times. They are the BEST cooks!! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!
3. I learned to sew - thats right just call me Martha Stewart! A group of older ladies from our church were getting together to sew pillowcase dresses to send with our pastor on his trip to Hati. One of the sweet woman let me use her machine and showed me how to sew all by myself....I was pretty proud of my accomplishment and one sweet little orphan in Hati has a new dress :)
4. Our house is great - I've even mastered climbing the stairs with a belly - I can almost make it up them without losing my breath - if you've ever been pregnant you know what an accomplishment this is! Just don't make me go up them two times in a row and we're good! We still have some boxes to unpack that are in the garage but we'll get to them eventually - we finally have a free weekend coming up so maybe we will tackle it then!
5. Valentine's Day ROCKED!!! My husband is SO creative and thoughtful - we agreed not to do big exchanges this year as we are saving for a washer and dryer but that didn't stop him from being creative...I woke up to find a card on the kitchen counter that had a cute clue inside that led me to find double stuffed oreos and another card...it took me to a while to figure out the next clue, but when I did I found a dozen roses hiding in our guest bath - they smelled GREAT and their was another clue that led me to our fridge where I found chocolate covered strawberries! YUM!! He knows how to make his wife feel special thats for sure! We went to Olive Garden which is my favorite restaurant and we haven't been since I got pregnant...couldn't handle Italian food till now. After dinner we headed to the mall and bought me LOTS of jelly beans to fix my pregnancy craving then went to the movies! It was a WONDERFUL night!! :) I am so blessed to share my life with such an incredible man. Guess next year we will be hiring a babysitter for our Valentines Night out :)
6. BABY SHOWER - last weekend my parents drove up and we set off for Ohio for my baby shower. Poor Steve didn't get to go but he enjoyed leading his first youth trip to Indiana for a short ski trip. They had a great time and he came home to LOTS of baby stuff. It was a wonderful shower and it was great seeing my in-laws! Pictures to come!
7. OUR BABY IS GROWING!! Our little man is getting bigger and so am I :) although there has definitely been a few discomforts this last trimester I am incredibly grateful that God has allowed me to carry him this far...only 9 weeks to go! I can't believe it! I have my 1st doctor's appointment in Kentucky tomorrow. I'm anxious to meet our new doctor...please pray it goes well. Eli seems to be moving around all the time in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon, and then again at night. He LOVES when I eat chocolate or drink orange juice...he goes crazy :) And Sunday mornings are his favorite time to do his exercises...last Sunday his foot stuck out the whole service :) can't wait to see his little toesies soon :) We are thrilled that God has answered our prayers and given us a baby - I try to remember that when I'm having a hard time sleeping or have to get up 3 times to go the bathroom during the night but its worth it. Its a priveledge and blessing and i dont' want to forget how much we prayed that we could get pregnant and here we are counting down to his arrival. Isn't God good!!!!!!

Hopefully I will be able to upload pictures VERY soon of my baby belly and our new apartment! And soon I will be uploading pics of a precious baby boy!! Stay tuned....

New adventures....

So I was sitting here reading an update from everyone else's blog I realized I never blogged about our Christmas. It was great but not our traditional Christmas (which will change next year when the baby comes along). Since Steve had to be at church for both the Christmas Eve and Christmas morning services we decided to pretend Christmas was on Tuesday. We spent actual Christmas Eve and morning with our Memphis family - the Roberts.

Here we are at the Roberts showing off our bellies :)

They were so sweet to welcome us into their home and share their traditions with us. After a yummy Christmas morning breakfast we headed to church then another delicious meal with the Roberts. After eating for two :) we loaded up and headed to my grandparents. I was SO happy to be with my family. We enjoyed a relaxing night with yummy foods and finished up some gift wrapping.

Christmas Eve - 5 months pregnant!

On Christmas Eve we woke up bright and early and enjoyed another relaxing day in the woods and of course ate lots of yummies! Soon we started to smell the aroma of our Christmas dinner and the rest of the family started to arrive. We had our traditional Christmas Eve dinner and played dirty Santa. Christmas morning was filled with lots wonderful gifts followed by our traditional homemade biscuits and bacon - have I mentioned I LOVE eating for two during the holidays! :) Christmas afternoon is one of my favorite days cause we sit around and play cards ALL day and eat of course! It is such a blessing to spend time with my family - but we did miss Adam and Amy - they were in Virginia this year. Hopefully next year we will all be together for Eli's first Christmas! :)

Since Christmas we've had a whirl-wind of events. Steve announced to the youth that Wednesday the the Lord was leading us to a church in Bowling Green, KY for him to be the music and youth pastor. It is always hard to say goodbye but we are VERY excited about this new opportunity of ministry. There are of course lots of anxious thoughts with me being almost 6 months pregnant and trying to find a doctor, a place to live, and countless other things before the baby comes but we are packing up and moving out. I taught for a week in January before taking off to start the packing process. It has been a HUGE undertaking trying to pack while pregnant. Steve has been so patient as he is getting the rough end of the deal - I think I call him about every 5 minutes to come pick something up for me or move some boxes. But we are starting to see a small light at the end of the tunnel as we finish rooms and tape more boxes...we still have a lot to do but we will get there - eventually haha! Well actually we will get there by Friday because the movers will be here bright and early at 8am to load us up and move us out.

And this isn't what our apartment looks like YET but I have a feeling it will soon! HAHA!

So here's to the new adventures of 2012. Please be praying for us as we embark on this new ministry and a new stage of life with our little one arriving in a couple months. Lots of exciting adventures ahead! :)

Here we are on moving day - looking a little rough and a little sad to be leaving our very first home as husband and wife...

Whatcha got cookin?

I am FINALLY cooking real meals again - still simple as always but SO thankful to be feeling

good enough to be cooking for us! Although Steve did a great job for SEVERAL weeks I have officially taken back over the kitchen!!

Here are some of the super simple meals we've had the past few days! I love how easy they are but Steve seems like them! Anything I can cook quick is great for me - especially while I'm working and when the baby comes! :)

One of my favorite is my cheesy bacon chicken....I put some veggies and rice with it call it yummy - plus it only takes 30 minutes and its so flavorful.

Salt and pepper chicken, wrap in bacon and cook for about 25 minutes on 350 then add some swiss or motzerella cheese and cook for 5 more minutes - easy and good!

We enjoyed the family favorite of pigs in a blanket last night - couldn't get easier than that and we both love it!

Tonight we had good ole BBQ chicken, cubed potatoes, green beans, garlic cheese bread, and mexi-corn cause the pregnant momma was craving it.

Obviously this is not a picture of our actual food but it was close!

Lost of yummies on the list for the rest of the week...

Beef Strogonoff, Poppyseed Chicken and my hubby's favorite sloppy joes!

We are simple around here but it works for us and I'm just glad to be able to cook again even if its uber simple - hubby and baby like it and thats all that matters! :)

22 weeks and growing....

We're crusing through our second trimester and growing EVERYDAY!

I have been feeling you move around a lot these last few weeks and just last night daddy felt you move for the first time. It was VERY special!!

We love you! Keep cooking and we will see you in a few months! :)

We also got our stroller today!! I am SO SO SO excited about it! :)