Melissa & Carson - 6 months and counting

Here's the latest picture. Carson has been a lot more active lately, jabbing, and kicking, and giving my stomach a jolt on a regular basis. It's been a lot of fun, and I'm guessing that the remainder of this nine months will fly by just like the first 6 has. We're very excited. As Cary often says, "Okay Carson, you can come out now. We're ready to meet you!!"

Oh, and sorry for the gargantuan picture of my belly - it just turned out that way, and I can't figure out how to make it smaller - the picture, not my stomach! Hey, keep that snide comment to yourself and wipe the smirk off your face :) Actually, you can post it if you want, it might be funny...

P.S. I just resized the picture, so it's not nearly as large, but you can only imagine!!! :)

More answered prayers

After feeling like we have been in a desert for so long, God sure has chosen to poor out his blessings on us! I am so overwhelmed at His goodness and faithfulness to us.

Cary got a new job. He wasn't looking for one, and was quite content at Starbucks, but out of the blue a company that he had been acquainted with while working at another job called and offered him a position. He's super excited. It's a great Christian owned company called Maintenance Connection. There based in Sacramento, CA, and Cary gets to work from home. They cover all of his expenses and benefits in addition to his salary; he gets to travel to somewhere in the USA once a month, and I can go with him if I choose and all we have to cover is my plane ticket - they pick up our stay and car and food. Anyway, this is a super turn of events. It will enable me to either only work part-time or stay home with Carson all together once he arrives. We'll be out of debt by the time he is born, too - which I can't believe! We're also considering buying a house - which is a big venture, so be praying with us about this one.

Also, Journey Fellowship - the church we are helping out - wants to bring Cary on staff more permanently. We're praying about this, but are unsure at this point.

On another glorious note, we are taking a trip to Mexico in March with our friends Josh & Kelly. WOO-HOO!!!! It's official, and I am oh so excited!

Sing it with me now....

God is so good,
God is so good,
God is so good,
He's so good to me.

Fit Mama

My great aspirations for being an extremely fit pregnant mama are not going so well. What with the morning sickness in the beginning and the extreme exhaustion, activity in the first trimester just wasn't happening. I've been feeling great though for several months now, so I really have no excuse anymore - thankfully I haven't gone into food overdrive - but still, if I exercised for myself in the past, surely I can exercise for my baby. Swimming is my absolute favorite way to exercise, so, last night I went and got a maternity swimsuit from Motherhood - which I LOVE! It's so cute, and I actually don't feel like the fat kid! Yay!! I guess this is the one time in my life it's okay to look a little round in a swimsuit! Ha ha. Anyway, I went swimming last night, and plan on making it a habit. I'm so excited!

On another note, Cary suggested last night that we should maybe take a trip to Mexico with some friends in March. Woo-hoo!! I hope it all works out! It would be the first major trip we've taken since our honeymoon! Fun, fun, fun!!!

Random thoughts

So it's been a busy few days. Got to spend some time with Cary's mom and Tommy and siblings this weekend. Very fun. What is it about cramming a visit into a weekend that just zaps all energy out of you. I still haven't recovered - but I have unpacked and started laundry - which for any of you who know me well will understand that this means I must not be doing to poorly.

I had a Mary Kay meeting last night. It was a skin care class, which is always fun because guests get to play with the products while I learn something. Next week I become a senior consultant. This sounds like a big deal, and I guess it is, except that it took little effort on my part. It basically means that my friend Lindsay signed up to be a consultant through me. This is a lot of fun for me because we're both in kind of the same "just starting out" spot. It's kind of nice to not feel like I'm lost by myself.

I got punched in my diaphragm today - by Carson that is. Tell me...how does this little guy go from poking me in my belly to punching my diaphragm in a little over a week? That's some fast growing. It is kind of neat though, and nice to know he's having a good time in there. Oh! and in other news...I got asked if I was "expecting" for the first time yesterday. I guess I've finally passed the look of "maybe she's just gained a little holiday weight." In the same day, I had someone who I barely know ask if they could rub my stomach for luck. Umm, no. Why do random people think that it's okay to touch a pregnant woman's stomach? My mom or my sister, or a good friend, sure why not, but not the lady who I only see on my way to the restroom. I know this is a regular phenom that pregant women have to deal with - I just think it's weird.

Okay, enough randomness for now. Maybe I'll have something of worth to say later - or at least something humorous.

I love Baby USA!!

We found our nursery furniture, and it's on sale until the end of this month!!! :) Once again, God has provided for us, and we will be able to get the furniture without stress or trouble! This is such a huge relief! Our baby will have a place to sleep! Okay, I know some of you are saying "Good grief, Melissa. It's not that big of a deal." but yes it is! Two months ago, I remember thinking that if we had to wait to get a crib until Carson was older - say 6 months or so - it would be okay, but I can tell you right now that emotionally, it would not have been as okay as I'd convinced myself. Anyway, I am so excited and I just had to share. Thank you, Lord!

Also, our couch came in yesterday, and it looks so good in our living room!!

Okay, as I reread this, I see how shallow and materialistic this post makes me seem, but had you seen our former couch, you would be happier than I am - even my mother thought it was in shambles! Ha! And I think everybody will readily admit that babies need a place to sleep - so there! I'm justified - and oh so excited!!

Happy day!!

God is so good.

When we first found out we were pregnant, I remember telling Cary that I knew God would take care of us and not let us falter. I was saying it in faith, but recently I have been reminded of how true this is. Cary got a call yesterday out of the blue from a church that we helped at in college saying that they needed an interim worship leader for the next few months. It is just part-time, and something Cary can easily do while working at his beloved Starbucks. This is such a blessing because we have really had a desire to get back into leading worship and haven't been quite sure how to go about doing that. Today, we found out about a bill we hadn't exactly planned on, and because of this door God has opened for us, we are going to be able to pay it without going into debt. Thank you, Lord!

It seems so amazing to me the way God always shows up just in time. I can't tell you how many times there have been in this last year and a half when we weren't sure how we were going to make it through the next week, yet without fail, God has allowed us to have just enough. Just enough that we have to look to Him for the next week and the next move. Thank you Lord for leading us just far enough that we don't panic at what's ahead, and thank you for providing the stepping stones to get us there.