Progress?

Today I had my 36 week check up with the obstetrician. Laura is head-down (yay!). That definitely confirms that all the pokes in my ribs are coming from her bottom, knees, or feet. :) Also...... Dr. Jones said that I am 1cm dilated and 60% effaced!!!! (that's how much the cervix is thinned out prior to delivery. Just before birth, the cervix is 10cm dilated and 100% effaced) He said that's quite a bit of progress for a first time pregnancy. There's usually not that much change at 36 weeks. So, we'll see if Laura will be born early. There's still no way to know when she will arrive, but it's encouraging to know that we're headed in the right direction. Literally!
The Lord has given me such a peace about it. He knows the exact day and time of her birthday, so there is no need to worry. However, we still have quite a bit to get ready and organized before she arrives. Please continue to pray for us!

Sooooooo big!!!!!

36 weeks


Gulp... well, here's the latest belly pic. I'm, I mean Laura, is getting so big!!! Here is how we look at 36 weeks pregnant. Whew! I can see why the last few weeks of pregnancy become exceedingly uncomfortable. It really makes one ready (and looking forward to!) labor. Other than the usual aches and pains of late pregnancy, we're doing pretty well. Not sleeping so much at night, but I suppose that's good preparation for the sleepless nights to come. At least in a few weeks, I'll get to cuddle with a sweet little girl in the middle of the night instead of walking around the living room or propping myself up in bed with an endless combination of pillows. :)


David and I took our house off the market for now and we hope to try again after Laura is a few months old. Ironically, the same day we took the sign out of the front yard, we received calls from two people who would like to see the house! So, we have two showings this weekend. We'll see what God has in store. It sure would be an interesting time to move!


Gratefully, David and I are both taking a vacation week next week. We'll be at home for the week, hopefully getting things ready for Laura's arrival. Although it will be a week away from work (hurray!!!), it looks like a really busy week. Please pray that we are able to redeem the time and use our days wisely.


Here are a few more pics just for fun.... have a great day, everyone!



Oh, one last thing... feel free to leave any comments if you have any last minute advice for us that may be helpful during labor/delivery or Laura's first few weeks at home with us.


My view these days...

It's so funny that some people look at me at say, "Wow! You look like you're just about to pop!"

while others comment at how "small" I look. (I honestly can't even fathom that!) Most days, I fully expect someone to yell from the distance, "There she blows!" :)

The whole earth IS filled with His glory! From Him and through Him and to Him are all things!

Soap Scum... Yuck!

I need help! I've tried several methods to keep our clear, plexiglass shower door free of soap scum and nothing seems to work! Any suggestions? Could you share your bath/shower cleaning secrets with me (products you use, how often you clean, etc.)? Thanks for your help!

Catalyst Youth Group

For those of you who may not know, David and I are part of a church-plant team here in Charlotte. We are helping to plant a church through NewFrontiers ministries, an international church-planting organization. The new church has a brand new name, Catalyst Church of Charlotte. Our pastor and his wife (Euan and Sarah Crane) recently finished an internship in March and moved all the way from St. Louis to spearhead the effort. They are a delightful couple from England and we have really enjoyed getting to know them.

Since their arrival, the church has begun to take on some shape. Although it will not officially launch until September at the earliest, Euan is trying to structure some of the ministries within the church. David and I will be leading the youth group and we are really excited. While we have never officially led a youth ministry, we both have faith for it and are eager to watch God at work in the hearts of the young people in the church.

We had our first official meeting at our home on Friday night and it was lots of fun. There are roughly 12-15 young men and women who are interested in attending the meetings. They range in age from 12-18. Please pray for us and for the youth as we walk through this together. We hope to spend time in the Word, encourage fellowship/friendship, and emphasize discipleship. It will undoubtedly be quite an adventure!

Below are a few pictures of our evening:

Showers of Blessings

We really have been showered with so many blessings from family and friends. Two weeks ago, the ladies at work hosted a lovely luncheon shower for me. It was delightful! I really enjoy working at the Urgent Care and they have taken such good care of me during pregnancy... making sure I eat, rest, and prop my feet up once in a while (although it's been quite busy these days!). Thank you, ladies, for a lovely shower.

This weekend, my Mom hosted a baby shower as well. It was a late morning brunch (my favorite type of meal!) with 25 dear friends. We had a wonderful time! My talented Mom made lots of special treats for Laura... a creative diaper cake, cute pink favors, a candle centerpiece, and a really yummy, beautiful, chocolate cake. It was such a joy to have some time to visit with friends and celebrate Laura's soon arrival. What a perfect day it was!

My Mom made a scrumptious chocolate cake, frosted with a whipped cream icing made by her friend, Roberta. Yum! My Mom-in-Law also made some really yummy home-made cinnamon buns with pink icing. What a treat!

Adorable diaper cake with a stork perched on top.

My sweet, talented Mom and dear friend, Gina.

Mary, Anne, and sweet baby Kate
Carol and Crystal
Melissa, Susie, and (cutie pie!) Addyson.
Terri, Julie (my wonderful sister-in-law), and Amy

David and I are SO BLESSED to have such wonderful friends and family here in Charlotte. Thank you for praying for us and supporting us in so many ways during pregnancy. We are so grateful!!