Baby Bump: 13w6d

How far along? 13w6d

Total weight gain: up 8 lbs.
Maternity clothes? I haven't been able to button my pants in a while. I'm not in maternity clothes yet though!
Stretch marks? None yet
Sleep: The usual....asleep....awake....asleep....awake.....alarm.
Best moment this week: We went to Texas over the weekend to get James' car inspected and we also were able to share the good news with my best friend Jessica and and her family, as well as, my aunt and uncle, cousins, and Grandma. They were all really excited!
Miss Anything? Wearing my clothes properly!
Movement: No...too early!
Food cravings: Nothing truly a craving, but I'm loving the slushies at Mr. Wizards!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really!
Gender: We will find out in July!
Labor Signs:  NO....
Symptoms: I am beginning to have serious headaches that won't go away.
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy
Looking forward to: Finding out the gender!!

Faithfullness and Thankfullness

God is truly both of those. The longer we are here in St Louis the more we see both of these qualities in our God.

I mentioned in the previous post that my Pop (Dad's Dad) was in the hospital with an unknown condition. His sickness worsened before it ever got better. I learned much through this experience: power of prayer, power of family, and the power of love. Ultimately God is within all of this and finally I had to leave my cares before him and wait for His outcome. Pop is now home and regaining the strength he lost during his 7+ week hospital stay. The strength of this man is so unreal to me. He conquered a lot through his trials in the hospital. I'm in awe of him completely.

We continually see a way made for us here while James is attending the Seminary. We have such faithful churches back home that provide so much for us spiritually and financially. Without them we would have a really hard time here but instead James gets to focus more on his classes (instead of work) and I get more time with my husband. They aren't just paying tuition bills for us here they are allowing us to build our relationship and marriage and allow James to focus more closely on his assignments. We are so thankful for this!

I am now officially at the International Center as the only employee in the bookstore. The times there are slow but it is providing me much extra time to contemplate and focus on things I've been slacking on. A deepening relationship with my Lord is one of these. I am so thankful for such a relaxed and fulfilling job. I have made a really good friend out of a fellow employee and I'm learning much more appreciation for retail and making it work. Sidenote: I was just made aware this morning that I will be awarded a "Customer Engagement" award which means I went above and beyond in my service to a customer. I didn't even know there was such a thing until this morning!

The longer we are here in this apartment the more I want to make it a home but I have to realize we'll just be packing up again in another year. That realization definitely pulls my heart in different directions. It also shows me how short our time here will be and how I have slacked off in making friends with some of the wives. Quite honestly, right now, I'd just rather come home and lay on the couch and watch tv with James. While, that will provide me some relaxation it isn't doing anything for my relational being. I was created to form bonds and deepen conversations with other women and I have yet to find that here except through a couple people. I just haven't given myself many situations to allow this to happen. I have enjoyed those I've met here, but I also deeply miss those we left. Sometimes I would rather hold on to them instead of reaching out to the new.

Another area of my thought process lately is Peru and foreign relationships. I do miss Peru and the people there. I day dreamed about us moving there and seriously thought about how wonderful it would be to invite our new friends over for dinner or tea. Right now this desire of ours to return to Peru is something selfish and a personal want but maybe in the future God will lead us there in His plan and reveal to us more than we could have ever dreamed.

The future is so impossible to imagine yet so wonderful to positively yearn for. Our immediate future has a somewhat predictable outcome but where we'll end up is far into the unknown of our own thoughts it would be impossible to come up with. Could there be anything more exciting than this adventure with our God?

God is good no matter what!

God has a much bigger plan than we all could even imagine and sometimes it's hard to remember that.

We waited a long time (it felt like forever) to find a new job for me and now I'm at a great place that I am enjoying so much. I have never had coworkers like these people and I enjoy it so much. God knew what he was doing. Plus, working in Christian retail I find far too much that I want to buy than I need to.

We were able to go back for Thanksgiving and let me just say we did Thanksgiving huge...we went to EVERYONE. We stayed with good friends in Frisco and then my aunt and uncles and we even had a dinner with old friends in the Dallas area. It was so great and then we made our way around Texas to three Thanksgivings. We really enjoyed seeing everyone but we both agree it was too much traveling and not enough time with anyone.

Christmas is coming! It is so close and I'm daily reminded of this at work as a retailer. We're excited to see everyone soon but sad it won't be everyone. My Pop is in the hospital and they haven't quite yet figured out what is wrong with him. My family (parents and sister) will have Christmas with him and Mimi at the hospital probably and we won't be able to make it. I so wish this were possible because I want to be there for him and Mimi during this time. God is moving in the healing of his body though and I know God is guiding this time in their life.

There is just not enough time and now I can understand where the "adult life" comes in to play. We're at work/school all day and when I come home I'm physically used up for the day and have no energy to do anything. We've got Christmas letters to send out and I have just got to find the time to do them.

Merry Christmas,

The Mrs.

God is a provider!

Before we came here we weren't sure how we were going to pay for everything being young newlyweds with no savings and a private school tuition to pay for. We knew one thing...God would provide and provide exactly what we needed (not necessarily what we wanted).

We've really been able to see how exactly this has come into play. We've had generous support from churches back home and without them we truly couldn't make it. They are being the hands and feet that most certainly support us financially and spiritually. Ransom support has come in through various people as well such as our families.

Our field Church continues to prove their support through their friendships, advice, help, and even financial support. We just couldn't be more blessed with our placement and we are so happy to be there. Its been truly amazing.

James will be working with one of the men from our church as an IT part time worker and will be making a significant amount that will pay for a lot of his tuition. I, as well, have been offered a part time job doing some computer organizational jobs and am waiting for more information on that. This extra income here comes at just the right time (As only God could know) and my goal is to truly be aware and so grateful for the opportunities He is bringing to us.

Our time here at first was a bit slow in God's movement (that were visible to us) with a few exceptions but now as far as we've come here it has been incredible. We first were told by older seminary families that this will be one of the most memorable, amazing times in our lives and I can see it happening day after day. Its just amazing to think we'll never have "this" again so we better soak it all in now.


Every breath you breathe will be filled with thankfulness, when you realize Jesus Christ is your blesser, giver, and healer. --Charlie Jones

God is moving!

There's always a still part in life and always a moment to look more closely during those times to find the movement of the Lord.

This moment in our adventures here is definitely not one of those times....it is completely obvious. We have met amazing people that desire to use their talents (and money) for the good. I have learned so much about people and myself in this servanthood so much lately. We've been given the opportunity to be blessed by local organizations that just desire to gift people in the ministry. Its truly amazing and really makes me stand back and sing praises.

I still don't have a job but may have an interview soon. We're being patient in that and being good stewards of the money I've (and James at his campus job) made to make it last until I do find something full time. We've seen the Lord work in many ways during this particular time. James may be getting a new job working at an IT office for one of the members of our field work church. Just a whole lot of exciting stuff going on.

James is studying so so hard to take his hebrew final early (a whole 6 weeks early) and I am so impressed by his determination. What an attractive trait in a spouse. He learned over 100 new vocabulary words in one afternoon (he would say day...). Amazing!

I am such in the Christmas mood. I think mainly I just want to get all the things out to see what goodies we have to decorate for Christmas. We are looking forward to Thanksgiving and secretly would love if I didn't have a job so we could go to Texas as long as we wanted.

Its a new week and a new moment. We are trying are best to be in it! Love to all!

-The Mrs.

Settled in finally...

We're finally living in what feels like "our" home. What a change from the start of our marrige. Speaking of, we'll be married for 2 months soon. I can't believe how amazingly fast it goes and how it continues to get so much sweeter. I can honestly say that I love being married now. I'm not sure why I didn't feel that way at the beginning but I feel comfortable now and am slowly learning how to be the wife James needs me to be.

James is over halfway done with his summer Greek class and it is still coming naturally to him. I am so spoiled with his educational abilities and enjoy the extra time he has to devote to me when I need him.

I've started a bible study on campus with first year seminary wives and I really like it and the women involved. I would say I'm the youngest and it goes up to mid 40s. It is a nice range of ages I'd say.

My parents came up July 4th weekend and we had such a great time with them. They were only here for 2 full days and then left. It was so short and so hard to see them go. James is such an amazing husband to comfort me when I needed it. He's just simply amazing and an amazing person to love me back.

I, hopefully, have a job secured for the fall and am just waiting on my MO certification to come through for them to give me the "official" call. I have inside sources that are letting me know this which is helping my nerves SOOO much. About a week after we arrived here I was going insane with boredom and finally got the idea to get a summer temp job. I'm looking at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and will hopefully get a good month in before school starts.

I am so excited about teaching and having my own classroom and also freaked out. It is so nice to have wonderful teachers around me that can give me advice. (Jessica, so blessed by you!) I have the longest list ever of things "to do" and "to buy"....and we don't have any money! I need so much for my classroom because they don't give you a stipend to use for supplies...YIKES! My room may be bare for the first couple of months until we gather up some savings to spend. I have a lot to do before the school year starts and it excites me to start making the things I'll need!

James and I painted our dresser today and it looks purple so we're crossing our fingers that it dries a dark, deep brown color like the man said it would....pictures later maybe!

--Mrs.

St. Louis

Where do we even begin to describe the transition we've made from Texas to Missouri.....specifically St. Louis?

We can say one thing: we miss Texas!

The roads aren't crazy there and there are actually 24 hour WalMarts and Targets with a grocery section!

We've nicknamed St Louis "Crazy Town". There are no other words to describe it.

The town is beautiful though with amazing scenery that goes on forever and we're finding God's provision each day here.

The seminary has a Food Bank where we can shop at twice a month and it has been a HUGE blessing in the fact that all our gift cards to WalMart and Target no longer are able to supply us breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

James just finished his third week of Summer Greek and he is doing amazing! From what I hear (from James and some peers) he's the "smart one" in class that the professor mentions day to day. It feels good to be "connected" to such a smarty! ;)

This blog was created to keep in touch with our family and friends back home and possibly to "vent" a little about things going on in our new life together! Bookmark us so you can keep up-to-date with us!

-Mrs.