Celebrating 8 years

Jesse and I are celebrating our 8th anniversary today!

I was surprised by some beautiful flowers at work...I have such a thoughtful husband ♥

This next year is certainly going to be one of new adventures, and I can't wait!

24 weeks

Our little boy will be 24 weeks Friday! It's hard to believe, after taking care of 24 week babies in the Neonatal ICU that he's to the point that he could potentially survive...but hoping he stays put a little longer!

Adopted for Life

I love being pregnant with an adopted baby. I love that God has taken any sense of loss over not having a biologic child and replaced it with such joy over this little guy that's kicking me as I type. I love that through this adoption process, God has made me so much more aware of and grateful for my own adoption into His family.

As part of preparing for raising a child brought to us this way, I have been listening to the book Adopted for Life on my Ipod (yay for free downloads!) It has been good to start thinking about how we will talk with our little boy about everything. Near the end of the book, the author says

"all those years, God wasn't ignoring me, He was training my affections to love this boy"

wow, talk about making a pregnant lady teary! i can see where God has been preparing me...training my affections...to love this little one - not our genetics, but completely our son. Though I will never tell him that he has his daddy's beautiful blue eyes, I can't wait for the day I can say that he is as crazy as or celebrates like his Nana, or loves and welcomes others like his Mimi. This little boy has an amazing heritage already...and couldn't be loved more.

"In love, He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, according to his pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace"

21 Weeks...meet our SON!!!

Isn't it just the cutest little face :) We are so grateful that he looks healthy...and seems pretty laid back so far

The ultrasound tech said he has piano hands. I wonder if grandma Schroeder had something to do with that!

We're so in love already! ♥

tomorrow, tomorrow...

Tomorrow is our big ultrasound day... we are so excited!!!

It's always so wonderful to see our little one's face.

praying most of all for a healthy baby...one that cooperates so we can find out if it's a boy or girl! :)

I'll try to post the big news and some pictures as soon as i can after work.

it's going to be hard to sleep tonight!

Half Baked–20 weeks!

A week of firsts...

It's hard to believe I'm 19 weeks now...one week away from the half way point!

I am so excited...I think i'm starting to feel our little sweet potato fluttering. It's so amazing! I still haven't felt any real "kicks" yet, but each time I feel a little movement it is just incredible. I can't wait until Jesse can start feeling it too.

The other first this week... a patient's mom asked if I was expecting...brave soul! I can tell people's eyes are starting to go to my belly when I first walk in the room.

The mom this week said, "are you expecting? You've always had a cute figure, and so I figured you were either expecting, or...or" How do you finish that? :)

I'm not sure when this will all start feeling real, but I'm loving it so far!

updated belly pic to come soon - baby has done some growing this week, or maybe it's my insatiable appetite for watermelon