Catching Up

My friend Monica sent me a message the other day, reminding me I had not updated our family blog for over a month. It has been a full month! The girls and I were blessed to visit Washington for five days and spend time with my sister, my mama, little Ephraim, and my dear friend Ashley -- all on our way to spend a week in Alaska with Erik's parents. Erik joined us in Anchorage, and we had a wonderful, sunny week with Grandma and Grandpa Wachob. We camped for two nights on the bay in Seward. Erik and I saw porpoises from our sea kayak. So beautiful! The girls loved being with their grandparents, and adapted amazingly well to time and schedule changes.

We arrived at our house only minutes before our friends Erin and Karl pulled in from Colorado. They spent three nights with us before driving to Oregon and Washington for their own fall vacation. We were so thankful they included a stop at our house on their road trip itinerary. :)

Then, last weekend, Erik's brother and sister-in-law flew in from North Carolina. Kristen had planned a surprise trip to reunite the brothers. Due to a missed flight, they ended up hitchhiking from the airport, then stealing my hubby's car from the parking lot of the hospital and surprising him by pulling up in front of our OB/GYN office in his hijacked Land Cruiser. I had an ultrasound scheduled that morning, and they were about 14 hours later than planned. The surprise went off with different timing than Kristen and I had planned, but it was awesome! The boys hunted elk in 12-degree weather, and all of us enjoyed the adventure of wood-cutting and hot springs soaking with friends.


Okay, so we have a very basic scanner, and I realize these photos are terrible. But, meet our baby! We had not gone to the doctor yet, so this visit at 19 weeks was the first time we had heard the baby's heartbeat or seen him/her. Erik and I have been holding this precious life so lightly in our hearts as we realize it is a gift regardless of whether he or she is ours to keep. With my heart in that mode of both tender thankfulness and also recognition of life's fragility -- I was almost shocked to discover that our baby is beautiful and healthy and well. Praise God!

As we are parents of two girls, you can imagine the response of those whom we share our happy news with. "I bet you are hoping for a boy this time!" A friend in our Bible Study even went so far as to pray out loud that God would give us a boy. As I have taken in those (well-meant) comments, I have worried that Erik would feel similarly - that he would also have the mindset that our family "needs" a boy. But, as we have talked and shared our hearts, I have discovered that my amazing husband does not feel that way at all! Both of us will be thrilled regardless of who this child is. We are overwhelming thankful that the baby is growing well and seems healthy. Whay a joy! God is good. So, we decided together to let God keep His secrets and wait until the birth to find out the gender of our little bundle. And for those of you beloved friends and family who have been praying for a boy - you can stop! God's already made that decision, and we are thankful that He is the one who gets to! :)

I thought about posting a belly picture, but I don't show very much yet to the naked eye. Or perhaps, I show to the naked eye, but not the fully clothed one. :)

We are loving fall and the crisp air -- the way it can be frosty and frigid at dawn and then warm up to the 50s. Our favorite time of year!