Fun gifts from our Dad

Have you ever had those moments when you want something, but you write it off as not necessity or not possible? A couple weeks ago Al and I stopped in at Blue Coast Burrito, our favorite after church lunch spot and I saw a woman with a really cute diaper bag. I loved the print. I leaned in for a closer look at saw the brand name. I thought, "Um, yeah, nevermind". I of course had to tell Jeannie about it, which led me to the company's website where I discovered the print, my print, the diaper bag that was the end all be all of bags and it had my name all over it. Only problem was, it also had that designers name on it. Oh well. I put it out of my head without much more thought and moved on. There are lots of diaper bags in this world and I would find one I liked. 

Well, yesterday Al and I were on our way to Opryland Hotel to meet my oldest brother and his kids who are in town for a convention this week. (more about their visit later) We had some time to kill so we pulled off the highway and stopped in at TJ Maxx. We walked in and they had a cute baby display set up so we stopped and looked then Al went his own direction. I walked around the back of the display and there laying on the shelf was my bag. I literally just stared at it thinking it had to be my imagination and it was a similar print purse or something like that. I picked it up and turned it over and there was the familar name. Now, the real test... how much was it? The bag I loved at $162 was at TJ Maxx, in my hands, for $59. Still more than most diaper bags I had seen, but none were so me. I asked Al and after some discussion he said I should get it, then in the car he confessed that he wouldn't say no to me on something that my heavenly Father had set aside for me. 

For years I have been buying baby clothes and toys, but there was something about buying a diaper bag that made this pregnancy seem that much more real. I know its silly, but I have dreamed of the day I could buy a bag for myself. What a blessing to get the very bag I wanted at a third of the price. It was a sweet reminder that my Dad in heaven cares about the little things we care about. 

Jeannie, Trish, Gina and I had a great weekend in Atlanta! I will share more about that trip and the visit with Josh, Diana and the kids later this week. 

The most beautiful sound

Yesterday we had my 15 week appointment in which we heard the baby's heartbeat again. It was beautiful. I can honestly say that there is nothing like it. Dr. Presley said the heartbeat sounds like a cute baby. We agreed. :) 

I feel like I have turned a corner with the nausea. I still have moments, but it is nowhere near as bad as it was. Praise the Lord! It was fun while it lasted, but I am glad to be passed that stage. I have a little bit of a belly popping and my jeans don't fit without the help of my belly band. Those things are the best invention ever. Thanks, Angie! I just wear that over my regular jeans with the button undone. It is every woman's dream come true. So comfy when everything is getting tight. 

We welcomed a new member into our "family" of friends this last weekend. Lars Christian Sloat was born to our close friends, Chris and Carina. We can't wait for the play dates to start! This is a picture of the cute family.  

I'm back!

I haven't posted in ages, partly because I didn't want to say more than I planned and partly because I have been so busy and oh, so so tired. We are celebrating our second trimester! I am pregnant! I am 13 weeks and due August 4th, 2009. As you may remember I felt like God wanted me to run the Thanksgiving Day 5k as a physical sacrifice of my flesh unto His promise of Jeremiah. I hope that makes sense. If it doesn't, feel free to ask me about it. Anyway, as you have seen from the pictures I did run the 5k on Thanksgiving Day and it was awesome.

Here's the rest of the story... (warning: the following contains talk of monthly cycles :)) 

I told Al and I told myself that I was not going to fret over my "Aunt Flow" showing up in November. I knew it would be around the race date and around my family coming into town. The promise was God's and I wasn't going to worry about it. Well, start time came and I expected sweet Aunt Flow to show. Al and I determined that I wouldn't test until I was really truly late. Race day came... still nothing. I kept thinking that it was due to the running that my cycle was changing, etc. So I ran on Thursday and then began the true wondering what if I am, what if I'm not process. Each time I prayed for the Lord to guard my heart I thought of the verse He gave me ages ago, Luke 1:45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told from the Lord. 

My family was here for Thanksgiving so we stayed busy and played and had lots of fun. Al & I kept putting off testing knowing that we didn't want to be disappointed. So, Friday night we determined that I would take the dreaded test on Saturday morning. So I woke up went into the bathroom, tested and before I could get back to the room it read, PREGNANT. I just starred at it thinking I was seeing things. I took it to Al and he looked at it and grinned ear to ear. We rejoiced, laughed, cried and prayed. 

That morning we were supposed to be heading to downtown Franklin to run with the New Song running team. Mom, Dad, Al & I were riding together to meet everyone down there. We didn't say anything going, but thought it would be more fun to wait and make a big deal out of it. My sister, Becky and I ran together that morning and I took a break about a mile into it and told her I wanted to take it back a notch that day. She asked if I was sore from our run on Thanksgiving, I said no... I'm pregnant. :) She started jumping up and down and I had to make her chill so she didn't give it away. It was so fun to get to share this pregnancy with her in person and have her be the first to know this time. After the run we had breakfast at Meridee's and my mom was sharing with a friend of ours, Julie about our annual family trips that we call RFI, (Reynolds Family Invasion). She explained that we like to have shirts made up and number them with 1 of 15, 2 of 15, etc. depending on when you came into the family. So Al &  I looked at each other and he gave me the go ahead and I said, Yes, but next year we will have 16 of 16. Mom looked at me like I was nuts then it hit her what I meant. She jumped up in Meridee's and started dancing around and crying. It was a fun celebration. We kept the surprise a secret from Al's family until we could tell them in person at Christmas. We gave his mom and dad a framed ultrasound picture that said, 'Hi Meemaw & Papa'. It took them a few minutes (and Angela interpreting what the picture was) for them to catch on. Angela is so excited to be an aunt for the first time. We have told some close friends, but for the most part kept the baby a secret until we passed the first trimester. Not because we didn't trust this baby was safe, but because I couldn't handle other peoples doubt and pity with they would ask how far along we were. I was not allowing anyone else's fear to enter the picture. 

We are so blessed by our family and friends and how excited they all are for this baby. I know some of you have been praying for us for a long time, thank you for your faith with mine wasn't always strong.

We had an ultrasound at 7 weeks and saw a beautiful heartbeat within the cutest tiny peanut and then at 10 weeks we heard that beautiful heartbeat! This is a healthy baby with no problems and so far the pregnancy has been by the books. I have been gloriously sick and tired, but love every minute of it! God is good and we are giving Him all the glory in all of this. He who promised IS faithful! 

A Very Thankful Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving with my family here! While I was waiting for them to arrive on Wednesday, I started making my first Thanksgiving item, cranberry salad. I don't have a food processor so I used my blender to chop the berries. BIG mistake! You know where this is going. I opened the lid and started pushing the berries down with a rubber spatula. I guess an air pocket formed because after about 20 seconds of this the cranberries exploded all over me! I had them caked to my face, all over my shirt, the kitchen floor and the walls. Al was in the shower so there wasn't even anyone to take a picture! Thankfully Carina is just around the corner and I was able to borrow her food processor.

The race was fantastic! The weather was perfect. It was a bit warmer than I am used to since Al & I run in the evenings, but overall it was great. Al didn't make it from work in time to run, but he was there at the finish line to cheer me on. Becky (my sister) & Jeannie ran alongside me and Dad was a good distance ahead. The girls ran like pros while I huffed and puffed after the 1 1/2 mark. :) Ever been to Cool Springs? Bakers Bridge Road is quite a hill! I was thankful for my teammates that encouraged me (I did some encouraging before I lost the ability to run and talk), and cheered me on. It was a great run and as I ran up that last hill towards the finish line I rejoiced in how far the Lord has brought me. Just like in life the run wasn't always easy, there was prayer needed and people to keep encouraging me further and that last hill didn't seem nearly as large once I got to the top.

I give God the glory for bringing me to this point. I was once a girl with asthma that was limited and God completely healed me. I used to think running more than a few feet was not worth it or too hard. I used to cheer others on while I stood on the sidelines. Not anymore! I will cherish this time as a reminder that whatever God calls me to, is not impossible with His strength and endurance. For me it was a physical race that represented what is always happening in the spiritual. I plan to race again and continue running for as long as God has me to.

Thank you Jeannie, Dad & Becky for encouraging me while I ran! Thank you Carina, Chris, Mom & Al for cheering for us as we crossed the finish line! Thank you Trish & Gina for running with us all the way in Georgia! Thank you everyone else who said a prayer on Saturday morning! 

Here are some pictures of our weekend. 1st is Al & Chris (the twins ;)) napping after too much turkey. 2nd is me and Jack watching the water show at Opryland, the 3rd is me showing off after the race, the 4th is our group of runners. Dave & Felecia friends who also ran the race, Jeannie, Al, Dad, Me, Becky

Today

I have a spot on today's date on my calendar that is whited out. Not that I expected to forget, but I also didn't want the constant reminder of what November 19th, 2008 was to be. Today was to be our due date. I expected today to be hard and it is, but it is also peaceful. I grieve today that I am not holding a new born, complaining that I am ready for a baby to come out or being told to push. Only God knows why that is not where we are today, but that is ok. I realize I don't have to let today go unnoticed. God gave us this due date for a purpose. So today we grieve, but we also celebrate what is to come. Our first baby's due date came and went last April 21st. That day I cried a little, but I also rejoiced, because I was pregnant again. Today is a bit different, but God is the same today as He was then and I can rest in the fact that He made a promise. He has bound Himself with an oath so that we, Al & Martha, who have received the promise can be perfectly sure that He would never change His mind. (Hebrews 6:17)

We had an incredible weekend in Gatlinburg. It was cold and rainy the first day, but it snowed on Sunday! It was such a fun weekend. Just as we drove into town I looked in my rearview mirror and there was a huge rainbow covering the sky. I took a few pictures from the car and Al pulled over so I could take a couple more. It was beautiful. When I uploaded them to my computer I realized it was a double rainbow! So incredible. God is awesome and His creation is unfathomable. We turned off that road and headed a new direction, looked again and there was another rainbow. Thank you Lord for your reminders in your beautiful creation.

I am still training for the 5k which is now just a week away! I am up to running 3 miles straight! Praise the Lord! Last Friday night when Al & I headed out to run I told him I wanted to push myself harder and do distance rather than time. I had really only been running in 7 minute intervals (3 miles of walking and running combos), so I thought I would be doing well to run a full mile. Well, we hit the one mile mark and I told him I could keep going. We ran 2.2 and then I took about a half block breather and went again for another mile plus some! Praise the Lord! I was so excited and Al was proud (he can do much more than 3 miles at a time). After cooling down I was walking around the house praying and thanking the Lord for getting me to this point. I realized that by me choosing to run a distance and not time, I went further. Just as I had that thought I felt the Holy Spirit say to me, Just as with your promise. If you focus on the time its hard and long. Look at the finish line and Jeremiah will be here sooner and this race will be finished well. So, as I run I am continuing to run as unto the Lord. I want to finish this race well both physically and spiritually. I shared that with Al and he encouraged me with this scripture:
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

Here is a picture of the rainbow from the weekend.

I tend to have crazy dreams...

Today Jeannie and I were talking about how email has become a type of journaling for us. We save the good ones with fun stories, dreams and devotions that we want to remember. This is the case with a dream I had October 27, 2007. I had forgotten so much of it, but went back into my email and read it and cracked up again at how crazy my dreams can be. In case you weren't one who read it the first time I have posted it here for your reading enjoyment... 

My dream started I was standing in the kitchen and I was pregnant the
clock said 5am. All the sudden my water breaks and I call for Al who
runs in just as my first, (yes, 1st) baby falls out of me. He caught
the baby and wrapped it up just in time to catch the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and
5th baby. Yes, standing in my kitchen I birthed a set of quints. It
was bizarre b/c we didn't know we were having quints and I kept
thinking, that was so easy, what is the big deal? I felt great
immediately afterward, so much so I was in shock and not sure that it
really happened. Al put all the babies in the nursery, but there
wasn't room for all 5 of them so he just laid them where he could find
a flat surface. We then went to the living room to start the naming
process. We had 2 boys and 3 girls. We could NOT agree on 10 names, in
5 combinations. All this time the babies are sleeping and I didn't
even think to feed them or get them checked out at the hospital. We
decided we would get some lunch because by this time we were hungry.
We were eating burritos that we very messy and I remembered I should
call some of you and let you know we had babies. Anyway, I called and
ALL these people showed up including a bunch of people I know, but
didn't really know. Like Racheal Edwards family. It was mass chaos.
Michael Sweet (lead singer of Stryper) was there in the swimming pool
(which was in the living room). Finally I remembered these babies and
decided I should try to feed them. I took the first boy who I THINK we
decided to name Tres (AEP III), and fed him. He was a good eater I
remember thinking that, so I ate some more burrito so there would be
enough for the other 4 babies and in the process I got cheese from my
burrito all over him. I laid him back in the bed and tried to wipe the
cheese off him, but it wouldn't come off so I decided to leave it so
Jeannie could come and give him a bath (Jeannie LOVES cheese dip!) but
when she got there she was more concerned about the mess everyone was
making and she went into hostess mode and started cleaning up and
feeding all these strangers in my house. Then Cindy Wagner came and I
was so relieved b/c I needed help and my mom and sister were still on
their way here. Cindy advised that I should feed the rest of the
babies (I had forgotten about them being there) and then head to the
hospital to get us all checked out. Suddenly we were at the hospital
and my doctor was there, he was so impressed with how well I was doing
I didn't have to stay and the babies were all great but very big for
having all been in my belly (which was remarkably flat and in great
shape!). So all this made me wonder if they were really mine. Al
assured me that he was there and they had all come from me. The Dr.
recommended we call the Today Show. He thought we had a good story but
I told him I didn't want to be on TV until they all had names. He
called for us and so we had to hurry up and name them all and get
ready for TV the next day. Thankfully Jeannie was still cleaning my
house and Racheal had shown up to kick her family out. Micheal Sweet
was still in the pool but I decided that since Al was such a fan it
would be ok, but I did refuse to name one of the babies after him and
told Al he could call one of the girls "Sweetie" in honor of the
singer in our pool. At the end I suddenly remembered that Becky used
to play with some dolls called Quints and there was a fun song on the
commercial so I starter singing that to the babies and Michael Sweet
commented on my good singing. (HA HA HA!!!!) "Quints, quints 5 times
the fun, I love taking care of every one!" So then I woke up and you
can quess what song has been in my head all day. :)

Registration & Reminders

Its official! I am registered for the Turkey Day race! I am looking forward to crossing this milestone (or 3 milestone, ha ha). It will be such a fun thing to do with Becky, Dad, Jeans and Al! We will make quite a team. Anybody want to join us!? Its in Cool Springs on Thanksgiving Day. If you don't want to run, you can join our cheerleaders at the finish line.

Below is some scripture I am meditating on right now. In our daily bible reading we are in Hebrews. I love the book of Hebrews and it seems each time I read it, the truth jumps off the page at me. I love the way it is full of reminders of who God is. He is a promise keeper, He is unwavering and He is loving and cares about us. I put italics on a few of the key points that I have underlined in my journal right now. He is faithful to keep His promises! Whatever promise God has spoken to you, He will fulfill them. Get under & remain under His hand of protection and covering and choose to walk things out His way. Abide in Him. Allow His words to penetrate your heart. He will fulfill His promises and that is truth, He doesn't lie and He doesn't forget. =) What a relief! ha ha ha

Hebrews 6:13-20
13 For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying:
14 “I will certainly bless you,
and I will multiply your descendants beyond number.”[a]

15 Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.

16 Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. 17 God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. 18 So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. 19 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. 20 Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.