I think it's a girl

We went to the doctor's yesterday for our first ultrasound of the newest edition to our family. We were able to talk to the doctor afterward and I got a picture of our little plum sized miracle!

I have to admit, the nausea and tiredness haven't been enough to really convince me about this new creature in our lives, it wasn't until I heard her heartbeat! I had my own reservations about what today could have held for us, but God is true to us and we got to see our little angel is safe and snug as a bug in a rug. The heartbeat was about 167 per minute which is in the girl range. i know, I know, that's a wives tale, but think about this. Noah's heart rate was never above 156. His was in the 130 range most of the pregnancy. Charis and Selah's were also high....

So I think we're having a girl. Which is fine by me cause I want to finally be able to put pigtails and barrettes in SOMEONES hair! And Noah doesn't appreciate being dressed as a girl (ask Moriah).

Well, here it (she) is!

Why Morning Sickness is a Ministry

I have been talking this over with God lately and I think I have decided that morning sickness is my ministry right now. As a woman bearing children is our goal in being fruitful Christians, bearing the next generation and bringing them up in the word to make more disciples. I would not be as Godly of a woman if it weren't for my husband and child(ren). They are my refiner's fire. They teach me what it is to be selfless, truly selfless. What it means to set and example with a good foot forward. What it means to be humble, and more importantly what it means to show Christ's love through my actions daily.

If I were single (this is just me know folks) I would be a much more selfish and greedy human being if not for my family. I have learned how to love unconditionally and thoroughly through them. This next child will be no different. What I haven't yet learned I know this next child will endear me to it. With Noah I learned self control and patience. I learned the true meaning of the timing of God. I learned how to put myself last (that was the hardest lesson for me). Moreover I learned how much God is in my life and in control of it. Noah was conceived the month Jordan lost his job, and we had absolutely no health insurance. We lived in a one bedroom apartment above a very noisy and smokey neighbor. And yet God changed all that into good. God proved to me the words for the good of those who he has called according to his will.

So why should I doubt this morning sickness is any different? Through my newest child this morning sickness has already proven to me my perseverance is more than I thought possible. I CAN eat food I don't want to. I CAN get up and take care of my house while I am ill. I can love this child with every fiber of my being while afflicted with nausea. If I can love my children and accomplish all this through my suffering how much more so then can Jesus for me? Morning sickness isn't my affliction. It's my first step onto the new path God has for me. It's the first indicator that things are changing and this new change brings with it new challenges and new lessons to be learned. Much like graduating to the next grade, it has new and different and harder problems to be solved.

Morning Sickness is not only my ministry to the world for bring forth (hopefully) another believer in Christ, but it is MY ministry. How God is shaping me and preparing me for His will and purpose. So I should embrace it. I WILL embrace it! I will wake up each morning and say, "Praise God for this nauseousness for without it I would not know you Lord!"

I hope. Or at least I'll think a little more positively about it. Speaking so early in the morning makes ma gag a little.... But I'll try!

WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!

So, it all started with me thinking I was pregnant because of my charting and talking to the doctor at my yearly exam. She said that I was showing some basic signs of being pregnant, and I was like, "Nuh uh!"

So, I spoke with Jordan and told him the doctor's findings and we started the waiting game. I took a test at the 5 day marker before my period, and it was negative. Three tests laster over the course of a week and i thought, "Whew, that was a close call!"

I was getting sick and tired of the, "Am, am I not?" game that I decided to call the doctor and be put on the pill. It wasn't worth the roller coaster ride of "what if" each month only using a diaphragm. I thought to myself that they'd take a pregnancy test before they issue the medication and I don't have maternity insurance to cover that cost, so what if I just bring in a pregnancy test taken that morning and use that as proof so as to not incure the costs of the doctor's test. Well, I didn't have to pee.

So i drank water, and waited, and waited. Finally a small trickle happened, I quickly grabbed the test and got a few drops on the test before I dried up again. DANG IT! So I put the test down and waited a little while longer until I had another urg to pee. 30 seconds later I grab it up again to pee on it only to see not one, but TWO LINES!

My initial reaction was, "Well that's new." Just like Rachel on Friends dreaming of kissing Joey.
I literally said it out loud. I didn't think I had enough pee on the test to even get it wet let alone to turn it positive! So I immediately call Jordan and tell him at work. He was happy, But had to stifle it cause we weren't telling anyone just yet, it was only one test after all.

Then I called my mom. She shreiked the news to her entire office!

Then I raced to the corner walgreens and bought a package containing three more tests. Came home (by that time all the water kicked in) and took two more tests. PREGNANT! POSITIVE!

Then I waited with tthe three tests on the counter for Jordan to come home.

Three days later I took the last test just for grins and, what do you know, POSITIVE.

Needless to say, we are PREGNANT!And by the way, for those of you wondering, First Response is the best test out there. It never gives false positives and was the most clear and correst test we've taken.

Lastly, we are due early October. We aren't sure of the exact date yet but we'll get there soon enough. We'll keep you posted. Please pray in the meantime for a healthy baby and that health care costs are overseen by God. We have done a lot of research and we have found so much that God is already helping with, but a little more would be great!

P.S. Anyone needing help with the financials in the area I have a wealth of knowledge to impart! You'd be surprised how much money is out there and help!

Thanks! and God bless!

While You're Gone

Jordan, Moriah and Josh these are a few videos for your enjoyment while you are away. The girls are great and loving Nana and Opu's house to run around in. And Charis has made it her personal mission to exhaust Nana to no end. Mission well accomplished I might add. Selah has also taken to spitting up orange goo at the most inopportune times, mostly while Nana's in the way. Here you are!

Also, Moriah I have seen that you are buying Meijer brand formula, please let , me get you the stuff from Costco the next time I'm there! It's so much cheaper and better!

While I was Vacuuming

While I was dutifully doing housework I let Noah have a spoonful of chocolate pudding. A spoonful. The rest of the pudding was on the kitchen table aprox. three steps away from Noah's reaching arms. Somehow when I returned to vacuuming Noah went into super stretch mode and retrieved the cup of pudding this was the result. I was astonished. I couldn't have reached the cup how the heck did he reach it?!

Baby to Toddler

Noah has turned ONE! I can't believe that it was only a year ago that we welcomed this new little creature into the world, and every day has been wonderful. We celebrated at Grandma Porter's house with food and cake (of course cake) and Noah had lots of help unwrapping his gifts from the Huff girls.

To be honest, he couldn't have unwrapped them without Charis' help. Noah is such a joy in our lives, hopefully the videos and pictures will tell the story...
Birthday CAKE!



See, he needed Charis' help....sorry Charis, but you were his only hope and you kept him interested.
Daddy and Noah playing with "Piglet" The big brown bear (ask Jordan...the name will eventually mess with Noah's future recognition of animals, and I fully understand that I will receive phone calls from future teachers as to why my son refers to frogs as snakes.)



Noah chasing Daddy around the apartment. Hunting Daddy is good game... especially when he shrieks!

Halloween...and a BIG surprise!

We had a great Halloween this year with our little man! He was so cute in his little puppy costume, and Jordan looked amazing as my wife, Mage. I was her husband Wilbur. We made an amazing couple, except that I had a roaming eye and wanted to hit on anything that moved, sorry kids! I might have played that part a little too well.....

Anyway, we went to the Gallagher's party and had a lot of fun. We really enjoy seeing all the kids and we love how much the kids like Noah, he thinks they are all his older siblings and tags along after them....so cute.

But, something else has happened. Noah began walking!!!!!!!!!! My BABY! SO BIG! We cannot be any prouder than we are of him. Below are some pics of our fn times and a clip of our little man doing his thang!