Fathers Day

My father played and continues to play a huge role in my life. He played with me when I was little, he encouraged me in my dreams, he gave me his wisdom. However, the most important thing that daddy did was teach me about Christ. Not only did he lead us in Bible study but he has lived his life in such a way that reflects Christ. He is a great example. He also made me feel like I was the most beautiful, most wonderful girl in the whole world. I remember one year I wanted flowers so bad to be delivered at school on Valentine's Day. I didn't date in high school so I wasn't holding my breath. I will never forget when my name was called over the intercom. I went to the main office and there on the counter were roses from my dad and brother...oh how that makes a girl feel! Now, if you have seen pictures of me when I was in high school I wasn't exactly Barbie...okay not even close. I was very overweight, had acne and a bad haircut for the majority of my high school career. However, I never knew that I wasn't the prettiest girl in school until I pulled out my annuals years after I graduated. My dad made me feel like a princess.

Now that we have a little girl, I see the importance of this even more. I'm not saying that I made all the right choices when it came to boys, or that I don't have any regrets. I do. However, I can honestly say it's not because my father was not involved in my life or because he didn't do his job as daddy to make me see how special I was. He showed me that and continues to show me that all the time. My wedding day was so special when we were dancing. He didn't cry but he just held me and sang to me.

Part of the reason I married Ryan was because I knew that he would make a good father. Not just in general a good father but a good father to a little girl. It takes a special man to be a good father to a little girl. It's hard work...girls are needy and have all kinds of self conscious issues...I know guys to do but it's just not the same for them. They get their rewards by working and being rewarded. I don't care how smart, pretty, "perfect" a girl is if she doesn't have a good daddy she is one screwed up girl.

Anyways, I just wanted to say thanks to my dad for being such a great, incredible dad and to Ryan, you already are a great daddy and Deborah can't even talk yet! I know that you will be awesome with her.

Pictures!

Uncle Nathan with Deborah

My first bath!

Aunt Sarah with Deborah

Holding dad's finger

Napping

Pictures

We loved the head covering and the nurses even made a bow for her

These were taken by a professional at the hospital. I was so glad I got her in her headband!!

Changes

Well Miss Deborah Lucille made her appearance about three weeks early but she is healthy and happy so we are extremely grateful. She weighed 6 lbs. 15 oz., and was 20 1/2 inches long. She was born on May 13th at 3:48 p.m. She came by c-section however, I'm grateful the doctor didn't make me labor forever and just went ahead and got her out. Her umbilical cord was blocking her entrance by being around her head. God is good and has definitely blessed us beyond our wildest expectations.

In about a week is Ryan and I's 1 year anniversary, which we will celebrate with along with Deborah's one month birthday. It's so hard to believe that she will be a month old, although she has already changed so so much in the past three weeks.

Ryan is such a great father and of course she already has him wrapped around her little but long fingers! Everyone says that she looks like him and I agree (I think it has to do with the forehead) He is a great help and has been willing to just jump in and do whatever needs to be done including changing diapers. It's so nice to have someone like him to share this new journey together. He is so calm and rational, and I try to be but sometimes I'm more emotional.

Anyways that's a little update on what's been happening. I'll post picture and make it my mid year resolution to do a better job of taking and posting pictures.

Update

6 weeks (God willing) and we'll have a new little person to welcome in our family. I went to the doctor on Friday and Deborah weighs (this is an estimate) 5 lbs 3 oz and she is healthy.

I'm starting to get to the uncomfortable stage and wonder if I'll survive the next month but having Bekah talk to me has helped so much. She really made me feel better this weekend about things.

The April 15th deadline is now past us so this next month work for me will be getting as much done as possible before I go on maternity leave.

Ryan has now begun working Saturdays but hopefully they'll get caught up quickly and that can stop. I don't like it when he works weekends that's our time together!!

We've got the house as finished as it's going to be for a while and are now enjoying it immensely!

Bekah and Joseph came down this weekend along with Nathan and Katie, and Granny, Paula and Rachel came on Saturday. It was so much fun getting to see everyone and spending time with family. It's such a bittersweet thing because now all I want to do is move back to Lubbock, but it will pass.

Bekah is such a wonderful mom and Joseph is so happy and well adjusted. He just talks and laughs and loves to cuddle. Deborah and baby boy got to meet telepathically through Bekah and I's stomach. They seemed to like each other which is good. Joseph likes to pat Bekah's belly and this morning I put him in bed with Ryan and I and he just patted Deborah. So we have the makings of cousins who love each other :) I can't even believe I'm typing this, cousins, it seems like yesterday Bekah and I were living together in Lubbock going to school and here we are married and pregnant at the same time! It's fun to be at this phase though, it felt right to go shopping together for our kids clothes.

Thoughts

God has been teaching me a lot these past weeks. It seems like the theme has been allowing the Holy Spirit to really live in me and allowing God to write my story. It's so interesting how your life seems so different when you are right with God. I've always believed in God, and really never doubted Christ and the cross and what that means for and to me personally. However, it just seems like I'm more aware of these things now.

As a soon to be parent it is so important to me to pass this on to my daughter. She is special, God uniquely created her and placed her with us to raise and nurture. My prayer is that she will know Christ and know the love that God has for her. Ultimately, that is where (especially as women) we get our security from. God has given Ryan and I a huge responsibility. As her birth draws closer and closer my prayer is that through Him we will be able to give her the foundation she needs to come to know God and to understand how much He loves her and to share the love that we have for God with her.

I know this is kind of a scattered blog but I can't quite put into words what is going on but felt the need to. So I apologize if it doesn't make sense.

We're Alive!

Although I think that everyone that reads this blog knows that, I thought I'd let the world know we are indeed alive. We got moved into the house and oh my gosh it's awsome!! We're about out of boxes and Ryan has been busy putting furniture together and hanging curtains. My parents and brother came down this past weekend and Dad and Nathan put up two ceiling fans for us and they got the baby furniture set up. Deborah now has furniture and her mother can start washing her stuff!

I went to the doctor today and Deborah weighs 3 lbs 6 oz. She is definitely a girl as she had no bashfulness today for which her mother was thankful. She is healthy and growing just right. She does move a lot and she seems to like her hands up by her face. I think I've been so focused on the house and not thinking about the delivery part that I've kind of put the whole thing aside. However, my mom gave me some suggestions and now I feel like I'm better prepared.

Both Ryan and I have been extremely busy at work. Of course it's my busy season and since moving to the new house I'm on a different schedule. It seems to be working and I'm just grateful that my boss doesn't care when the work gets done as long as it gets done. Ryan has been the "project manager" and project engineer on his job and a couple of weeks ago they hired a project manager so that should help some.

I plan on getting some pictures of the house up this weekend, but I haven't taken any yet now that we are in and unpacked.