New Beginnings

Growing up, I always wanted to be a Mom.  Playing house was my favorite thing (if I could talk my sisters into it!)!  If I wasn't playing with them then I was playing with dolls pretending I was their Mom.  The last 5 years I have started off every August walking into the gym at Coulson Tough Elementary.  When I found out I was pregnant with Lucy, I knew I wanted to stay home with her but never saw how that was financially possible.  I cried my first day back to school last year.  Not because I hated my job, but because my heart was torn in 2 places - at school and at home with Lucy.

Sitting at my computer this morning looking at all the back to school pictures, I felt my eyes well up with tears.  I was sad to be missing all of the fun excitement that the first day of school brings.  But then, I saw a little girl standing up in her crib waiting for me to go get her and the tears went away.  I will always love and cherish my memories I had teaching school.  But, there is another job I know I'm supposed to be doing right now - being Lucy's Mom.  The job that has been engraved on my heart since I was born.  

So, here's to new beginnings!  I told Jared this morning that instead of having 1100 students everyday, I only had 1! (And to be honest, she's my favorite!)  I know that God has blessed me immensely with every job that I've had.  I pray for my new job - that I can have the patience and wisdom to run a Godly household.  I hope everyone that is teaching school or sending their kids to school have a great year!

I'll leave you with a picture of my cute "student" this year!

My Girl

I'm sure most of you have known for a little while that we are naming our little girl: LUCY GRACE I have been wanting to write this post for awhile now and I've been trying to get the words out. Jared and I have loved the name Lucy since the beginning but I wasn't sold on the name until one day I decided to look up the meaning. Bringer of Light -- is what the website said that it meant

Wow - how powerful! I wanted our little girl to have a powerful and meaningful name and I pray this one suits her just perfectly.

I was at Beth Moore's bible study on Deuteronomy - the law of love- a couple weeks ago and she said the best thing we can do as mommies and daddies is to first off "love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind." I hope that Jared and I can live that out for her each day.

Since naming her, I have also loved praying specific things for Lucy and over her little life. It's not as if she wasn't real before, but having her name makes it seem more real to us. I have loved reading Philippians 2 and praying this over her:

"Shine like the stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life."

My prayer for my precious daughter Lucy is she will love her God and she will shine like the stars. Would you join us in praying for her?

It's A Girl!

Jared has been BEGGING me to start blogging for awhile now, and what better day than today! We want to record our life for our family and friends! I'm halfway through my pregnancy, and yesterday we found out SHE is a GIRL! To be a little transparent, I wasn't sure if I was shocked or disappointed. I thought all along it was a boy. After thinking about it, I wasn't disappointed at all, just had to change my mindset. I am SO honored that the Lord chose us to raise up a girl. We have a big challenge in front of us and we are more than ready for it! I am excited to be a "girl mom" and she is already wrapped around Jared's little finger. He wrote the sweetest blog post about her HERE. I will try to start doing weekly pregnancy updates and pictures. Before I found out she was a girl, I bought her the cutest little shoes yesterday. I can't wait to put her little feet in them. Have a great weekend ya'll!