Neighborhood Baby Shower

I don't know why, but I almost feel "embarassed" but very grateful and humble to say that our neighbors, who we have only really known since September last year, threw me and Baby Boy a baby shower. And what a shower it was. Perhaps I feel this way because I feel like I don't deserve this. I was telling one of the girls from church about the love that Zev and I have felt living in Virginia and she aptly attributed it to the Body of Christ. We have seriously been so overwhelmed and enveloped by amazing neighbors and friends who showed us their care and love for us yesterday at the "Neighborhood Baby Shower." And I say "Neighborhood" because (and again, I feel so overwhelmed and humbled just writing this), but our Sunday School class is throwing a shower for me in a few weeks and our family in upstate NY is throwing a "Skype" shower for me next weekend! Zev and I were seriously planning in just getting all the baby stuff ourselves. Really, when one thinks about it, you need a few basic things to take care of a newborn baby, but the beautiful, handmade things that we have received will be treasured by us forever. Maybe even for our next baby, God willing! We received beautiful gifts that are practical and will be put to good use, and I felt so loved and happy during the shower. I can't wait to put it all into the nursery and for us to meet our little son soon!

This picture above is of me with the wonderful hostesses, Micah and Robin. Zev used to work with Micah's husband, PJ in Germany, and we were thrilled when they got stationed here. Robin lives across the street from us and her husband and Zev have "bonded" over guns and hunting. That's what guys do I guess.

Aren't these babies beautiful? The little girl is Vivienne and she is Micah's daughter and the little boy, Brett is my friend Amber's son. Both are such good babies.

Micah organized some fun games for us to play.

There were 33 diapers in this vase. Newborn diapers of course :-) Natalie (who is due 20 days after I am) guessed the closest amount!

All the neighbors around us and in front of us came to the shower. I was amazed at the creativity of these ladies! My neighbor Roxane made this gorgeous woollen blanket, complete with a little Scottish Terrier (she breeds them) on the bottom right. Just gorgeous.

Baby Boy received lots of books. I actually registered for books. I pray that our son likes to read like his mummy and daddy do!

My neighbor Sandy made this "body bib" with the flags around the world (including Australia :-)

I loved that Micah tried to incorporate things from Australia as well as things that are unique and special to Zev and I, such as a nursery rhyme from my mother-in-law, Judy; a nursery rhyme from Peru, nursery rhymes from Germany and just neat stories from family and friends. I am going to put everything together into a book for our boy.

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 1 Cor 12

My loves...

I have been up since about 3am this morning because Baby Boy was kicking around in my stomach....and I LOVE it! I love feeling him kick and move around and I thank God every time this happens because it affirms that my baby is moving and growing. Zev and I can't wait to meet our little man. Since I am on the subject of LOVE and since Valentine's Day was only last week, I thought I would share some of my top loves. Just because.

1. God

I love God. He is my first love. Not only has He given us this beautiful, miracle of life, but the more I read the Bible and pray to Him, the more I get to know Him. I pray about everything. Every little thing and every big thing. Sometimes I have something on my mind, a worry or something and even though I don't exactly know what I should be praying about or how to pray it, I just open up my Bible and I read. The Book of Psalms are awesome when you want to tell God something but can't find the right words.

2. Zev

The most important person on the planet to me. He is a really good man to me. I try to be a good wife to him. We aren't perfect and our marriage isn't perfect but I find that being "real" with each other and openly talking about stuff- happy things, sad, frustrating things, hopes and plans for the future, God, our baby- helps unite us. Marriage is work, hard work. I pray every day for our marriage and for God to protect my husband and to surround him with good people.

3. Being pregnant

Now that I guess I am officially considered "heavy with child" (I love that phrase! It's funny to me) I am getting asked whether I am "done" with this pregnancy and ready for the baby to "come out"!? I love being pregnant! This is the happiest time in my life for many reasons, one of which is carrying a sweet baby inside me. I can't wait to meet our little man and pray that his birth is safe and that he is healthy. We have about 6 weeks to go until we meet our baby boy. I also can't wait for my mum and Howard to arrive soon. It will have been 21 months since I have seen my Australian family!! Love transcends distance thankfully (and the internet and calling cards help lots too.)

4. Family and friends

This is a given. Zev and I love our family around the world. Being a military family, the friends we make at each post are like family to us. Our new neighbors are having a baby shower for baby boy and I today. We just moved here in September. I feel very honored by this. About 90% of our neighbors have some sort of military connection. All the neighbors around us are retired military.

5. Warm weather and naps

Being from Australia and having latin blood, I love warm weather. I do. I love to ski and think the snow is pretty, but I love places with more sunshine and pretty days and I love it when the locals here say that this winter has been "unseasonably warm." That is A-Ok with me. It was 79 degrees Fahrenheit yesterday. I loved it. Since being pregnant, I love taking naps during the day. I am usually busy with work in the mornings, but lately I have had to take a 45 min to one hour nap in the afternoon. It really helps perk me up. Speaking of which, I am now once again tired. It's 5am so I'll try to go back to bed for an hour or two.

Hope you have a LOVE-ly day!

Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. Song of Songs 8:7a

What do these three women have in common?

Could it be:

1) All are Air Force wives;

2) All are due within 10 days from each other (I am due April 6th; Megan is due April 16th and Natalie is due April 16th);

3) We are all having boys;

4) This will be the first child for each of us;

5) We are all giving birth in the military hospital on base and potentially by the same doctor!

Yes! (And yes, I look very tired because I was very tired in this picture! And it was only taken at like 7pm at night. Growing a baby is hard work!)

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 107:1

Maternity pictures

Our sweet friend, Ginny, who we met through our church gave us a maternity photo shoot as a baby gift to us! We honestly weren't planning to have "belly" shots done (we were just thinking of taking some pictures of our boy when he arrives) but when Ginny offered to take our pictures we thought "why not"!!

We went to a beautiful, historic former Army post called Fort Monroe (you probably read about my prior post where we visited Fort Monroe).

Ginny had never done a maternity shot before but she researched fun poses and brought some props with her.

We had so much fun. Ginny brought her husband, Mark and we had fun exploring and playing with poses.

We feel so happy and blessed.

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5

Gracias Tias

"Las Tias" which includes three very special women in my life: Auntie Gladys, Auntie Fabi and Auntie Charo sent our baby boy a Graco Pack n Play, which arrived on our doorstep about 5 minutes ago.  It's not the material good which makes me feel happy, but rather, the fact that these women (my mum's 3 sisters) who were as much my mums and treated me like their own daughter, are now showering our baby boy with love.  I can't wait to introduce our son to these ladies and their families (he will be showered with lots of love and kisses....Zev is already used to this :-))) hahaha)

Muchisimas gracias, Tias. We love you very much.

But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.  Joshua 24:15