waters gone by

"You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by." Job 11:16

I stumbled upon this verse a few days ago and it really resonated with me regarding our house. Having a second house payment clearly is a financial burden and there are many days that I feel like it will never end. Throughout these 11 months we have been able to tithe, pay our bills, have food on the table (praise Jesus!) but I am quick to go to a very dark place when I think about this burden hanging over our heads. I was reminded through this scripture that this too shall pass and one day we will look back and forget the frustrations it has brought us. When we suffer troubles, we, like Job, must trust God. He will provide the strenth to go on serving him.

My prayer is that God would continue to teach me and grow my faith throughout this process...

use me, break me, waste me on You, Lord.

It's a boy!!!

Shhhh. Don't tell Derek I put our son's boy parts on the internet. He wouldn't let me put this picture on the facebook. I didn't ask him about my blog. Also, remind me to take this down before he gets to an age where he understands his mom put his prives on the internet.

We are so excited it's a boy. We obviously would have been grateful boy or girl but definitely would have picked a boy if we could have. It is more of an order thing for us than anything else. Derek is almost giddy. I don't think I realized just how badly he wanted a boy until we found out. He has been so careful not to say a preference but he was on cloud 9 Monday after we found out.

We have the names narrowed down to about 4 so hopefully we will have a name picked out soon. One decision is for certain, all of our children's middle names will be family.

The ultrasound went well. The nurse was showing us all of the body parts and when she got to this view she started showing us his little legs and feet and I looked at her and said, "It's a boy, isn't it?" She just laughed and said, "yes it is, I was trying to get a better shot before I told you." My heart was racing...that moment determined the identity of our family. Would we be going to dance recitals or baseball games? I never realized until that moment how much of our future was determined by that ultrasound. She was able to clear just about all of his anatomy except for his heart because he was being a little stubborn (not sure where he gets this) and wouldn't let her get a clear shot of his front. She said she didn't see anything wrong but that she couldn't clear it without a better shot. Lucky for us because we get to get another ultrasound when I go in for my next appointment July 15th.

I am so in love. I can't believe how much I can love this tiny little man who has done nothing but exist. I can't wait to hold him and kiss him. I am truly overwhelmed by the blessing of my son and have spent two sleepless nights thanking our heavenly father for the perfection he is knitting together in my womb. Oh how I pray that the Lord will raise up a mighty warrior for His glory.

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." 3 John 4

Children, a reward from HIM

Since I'm not a huge fan of talking on the phone or exercising while I have a bulging baby bump, I have decided to combine the two (thanks to the IPhone). I was on my daily walk at the Troy University track and decided to call my mom, who I knew was at my sister's house. I ended up spending about a half a mile talking to these two precious angels. Each time I hear their sweet voices it gets me even more excited about meeting baby Irons. Meet Jackson (3) and Julia (2), dear son and daughter to my sweet sister….

Jackson's first question was, "where is Uncle Derek?" Of course it was. I am chopped liver in comparison to my husband who will play any game imaginable with this child for hours on end. We discussed his baby cousin “in my belly” and he declared it a boy (which we will find out Monday). After about 10 minutes of discussing something he had seen on the television it was time to give the phone back to my mom and as he was hanging up he said, “thank you for my baby cousin in your belly.” That little boy has got to be the cutest thing ever. He and his sister just melt my heart. I wish I could get a lasso and pull Houston, Texas closer to Troy, Alabama.