patience & survival

well the last 10 days have been interesting!

last tuesday {7.22} andy surprised me with a babysitter and date night to celebrate our anniversary!

after dinner I was on my way to the bathroom and slipped. . . . didn't fall; caught myself but as I slipped I had this cracking, popping in my pelvis...normally; no big deal....37 weeks pregnant....big deal!

I had severely torn a pretty important tendon in my pelvis and was instructed by my doctor...to rest.

So, rest. . . . It prompted some adjustments in our household...Andy took several days off work; and took on both our roles...with fierceness...joyful to have extra time with our kids and not a moment of complaint for the extras that have been asked of him.

My mom has had the kids for the last 2 1/2 days allowing me some much needed r&r; I am so grateful!!!

I have become a permanent addition to our couch...mostly because I can't lay down. . puts to much pressure on my pelvis. Sleep is interesting when you're pregnant....as you enter the third trimester I truly believe God has designed the body to start the conditioning of being up at all hours with a new baby...so several hours of consecutive sleep without aches or a trip to the bathroom is a milestone....pregnant, sleeping semi-upright on a couch has been an adventure. . we'll leave it at that.

I've been equipped with an arsenal of goodies to keep my brain occupied.

these are the things i couldn't have mentally done without these last 10 days

lots of reading.....my bible, pregnancy book, Hollywood gossip mags

great conversations with friends....i am thankful those who have prayed for us, made and sent us meals and for facebook!!!

i've caught up on thank you notes, folded baby laundry, made luggage tags for new baby's bag, and sipped some fab coffee. . .and of course watched plenty of brainless tv

so now what, 2 1/2 weeks from our due date....this mommy is weary; ready to meet our new addition and start the 'recovery' from what we like to call 'the baby hostage'!!!

....this is the part you quickly forget. . .even having had 2 children....THE WAITING.. the unknown. . the anticipation and ache my body feels every day we get closer to the due date..its definitely harder this time. . .

so amidst the inconvenience of all this. . . its been a sweet time of reflection and excitement for what lies ahead....we are taking it one day at time....we've had some good laughs, trying to keep our sense of humor. . . an attribute we most definitely need it in this next season juggling 3 under 3 1/2!!!

I've had a few hormonal teary moments, we've looked back at pictures of Lillian and Liam and are overwhelmed by all that we are thankful for and blessed with!

hope to have some happy baby news to share very soon!

7 years!

July 21, 2001

toes in the sand in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida!

our 5th anniversary trip to montana september 2005!

glacier national park 12 mile hike. . .on 30 degree snowy day {didn't know we were already pregnat with Liam}

lovey kisses in front of cinderella's castle {may 2008}

how time flies! 7 years...what in the world!

I coudn't be more blessed!

we were married at 4pm on July 21, 2001, in a church 1 block from the beach in Ponte Vedra!!

It was an unseasonably cool day for Florida in July.

It may have been one of the most amazing week of our lives. Several days prior to our wedding friends and family flew in from all over the country to celebrate with us. our week was filled with beach volleyball, shirmp boils, wedding showers......it was one amazing moment to another.

as I think back over the last 7 years, the life changes and abundance of blessings God has allowed I am overwhelmed.... Overwhelmed at God's provision, his gentle promptings and allowance of grace, wisdom, and understanding to trust Jesus every step of the way.

we were talking last night about all that has changed in life since our wedding......

• married july 21, 2001
• honeymooned in cabo san lucas, mexico!
• moved to charlotte, nc in a shoebox apartment!
• andy started graduate school at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary
• arin works full time
• we share a 1992 saturn for 18 months
• we bought our first car
• we got a dog
• andy gets his masters
• we get pregnant with guthe baby #1
• the saturn dies. . . "oscar" lives {car #2}
• we built a house in huntersville, nc
• andy starts working for Forest Hill Church
• Lillian Drew was born Feb 17, 2005
• arin quit her job to be full time mommy
• arin started a stationery business
• we traded in our jetta for a passat
• we get pregnant with guthe baby #2
• we went to montana to celebrate 5 years
• Liam Jennings was born May 30th, 2007
• we get pregnant with guthe baby #3
• we realize we need a bigger car

Andrew, {my public shout-out to you}

I am so grateful for you, for your friendship and unconditional love. I am so blessed to be your wife!! You are an amazing father to our soon to be '3' babies. . . I am thankful for the daily blessing you are in my life; that you cause my heart to love Jesus deeper. I am thankful for your gentle strength and quiet humility.

Its exciting for me to think about what the next 7 years hold. . .

ilysm!

Go Nest young man

Its not there. I looked, just now. There is no mention of 'nesting' in our Pregnancy Bible. Oh, wait-there it is; a small paragraph on page 211. 211? That is where the editors of this 'Bible' choose to put such a key symptom of late-stage pregnancy? It is sandwiched between paragraphs on things I would NEVER voluntarily read about-topics that are only appropriate when in context of pregnancy and even then...yikes. 4 weeks left in Guthe baby incubation, 3rd edition and this lovely feature called 'nesting' showed up this week. After weathering 7 days of the question and answer for all things pertaining to baby preparation storm, I chose to offer input. My initial response was to point out that the minimal likelihood of the baby suddenly falling out and having the emotional awareness to be eternally scarred because its pack&play was unassembled in the corner of our bedroom-or its freshly purchased bumper pad was not steam pressed and hanging in its crib (still occupied by its brother)-or that the perfect blankets were still on ebay instead of on Mommy's hip in a blanket holster, ready for high noon. I thought better of pointing these things out. Instead I offered a 'sensitive' comment (shocking i know) along the lines of 'I'm excited about the baby being here but ready to stop talking about this baby stuff.'

Today is my 7th anniversary of my marriage to Arin. The first 2 or 3 years were super hard for me because I was struggling to understand the purpose of marriage. I didn't understand why conflict was present when I understood the bill of sale to be a state of ethereal bliss. I have grown to understand that marriage provides individuals with a help mate, a best friend fully committed to working together. The work is not toward some matrimonial nirvana, rather the work is toward that end for which we are all created, Holiness-unity with God. Arin has shown me acceptance and love I never imagined. She has seen the ugliest, most insensitive parts of me (see story above) and not been afraid or repulsed to the point that she has given up on me. She has been the constant support, the committed mirror of truth, calling my ugliness what it is and staying there with me because that is her character. To me, she is the embodiment of true love. This morning as she was feeding breakfast to our little birds, I looked at her and realized my love for her FAR surpasses what it was that hot Florida day 7 years ago. It is proven, tested. It is the real thing. (author's note: i don't really remember that day 7 years ago anyway-i was petrified and had a stupid smile painted on because i didn't know what else to do).

This weekend i engaged in the pre-birthing ritual called 'nesting.' I did it as a man more free, more aware of my brokenness, more committed to having it fixed, and more enraptured with love for my wife than ever. Happy 7, Love!

fun surprise

this weekend we had the usual planned . . . hang out as a family, get a few things accomplished for new baby, fold some laundry, a dip in the pool, sunday morning pancake breakfast.....

but on saturday around dinner time lillibug and I were making some pita chips and the phone rang...it was Lilli's 'Gigi' {andy's mom} she asked for Lilli. . .

we could hear her saying 'i miss your sweet face lillibug. . I would love to see you soon'

not even 2 seconds later we watched as they pulled up in front of our house!!!!

were so surprised and excited to see them!!!!

Phil surprised Terrye for their 33rd anniversary and told her to pack a bag they were coming across the mountains to see 'Lillibug' and 'Liam boy'. . . they came bearing gifts as most grand-parents do . . Liam was given a brio train set that will be the perfect addition to his 'big boy room'!!!

we had a blast catching up with them, watching them love on our babies and are excited to have them come back and welcome baby #3. . . hopefully very soon!

blood. sweat & gears {part 2}

saturday. june 28th was race day. . . !

the race started and finished at Valle Crucis elementary school start time was 730am. . . . 100 miles. . . a cumulative climbing elevation of 13,000+ feet. . . 750 riders

we got to the finish line at the 5hour mark. . weren't sure when andy would finish. . but we wanted to see the first riders cross the line!!! liam wasn't quite sure what was going on. . . why we were all cheering the riders through the finish line. . . everybody seemed to look the same. . the look says it all!

'taylor man' takin it all in

so around the 7 hour mark we spotted him. . . headed to the finish line!!!

lillibug started yelling. . .'there's my daddy'......!!!!

daddy was greeted by lillibug! we were so proud of him for finishing!

around mile 53 andy crashed. . . . .a bit of road rash and shaken spirit. . thankfully nothing too serious to him or the bike {who's yet to be named}! every time I looked at the clock that morning I was praying for his safety! lillibug was extremely concerned for daddy's 'boo-boo' from his crash. . he got off his bike and layed in the shade after the finish line. . and lillibug got this concerned; sad look on her face and said. . 'daddy it was ok to cry about your boo-boo. . . he said 'oh lillibug daddy did cry a little bit' . . its really the first time she's ever seen him hurt in anyway and i think it frightened her . . .

the next day lilli was still sympathetic for andy's crash. . she said. . . . . 'daddy, im really sorry about your boo-boo; but i told you to be careful when your racing your bicycle'. . . .

hopefully it was a weekend that we'll repeat.. it was a blast to cheer him on!

blood. sweat & gears {part 1}

this past weekend we spent in a cabin, just outside of boone, nc. . . . it was a relaxing weekend. .{mostly}. . .

the main reason we were there was for andy and my uncle buzzy to do the 10th annual 100 mile Blood Sweat & Gears cycling race!

before and after the race we did a lot of baby chasing & holding . . sitting. . eating. . rocking on the porch. .. a pregnant mommy's kinda weekend!

the weather made it hard to believe it was the last weekend in june!! afternoon thunderstorms. . . cool nights, mornings in the 50s!