Finally.....

Here are the pictures from our great trip!!!! I had to do something this morning other than what I SHOULD be doing....(cleaning...) So enjoy!

Home Again!

So we had a great time up at Mackinac Island and then at the cottage. :) I will post a slideshow of pictures...eventually! For now, I will post this one of David and me. :) Tonight is my baby shower and I am soooo excited...so that's all for now!!!

ON VACATION!!!!

So David's family arrived this evening and we are all headed out of town for about 10 days...hip hip hooray! First, up to Mackinaw Island to celebrate his paternal grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary and then on to the cottage for a week of relaxation and fun, fun, fun. :) So I won't be writing here or anywhere as I won't have internet access for 10 days!!! I love that. I love being free from all things electronic. :)
It wouldn't be an official, "We're going to the cottage post" if I didn't put up some pictures of the beauty we're about to enter into. :)


A view of the cottage from the lake. The humble, yet, welcoming, peaceful place we love to go. :)


Jane, David, and me on the boat....too bad you're in Europe, traveling every amazing country, Jane!

David having fun on the inner tube!

Me, skiing. :) I guess there won't be any of that this year...bummer because I was just learning to drop a ski and go on one at the end of last summer.... there's always next year. :)

YUMMY!!!! MICHIGAN CHERRIES! Luckily the cherry festival is happening again while we're up there!

And here are some pics of Mackinaw Island...not mine...just for fun.

The island....

And the famous bridge that my dad biked over...he's got a story about that! I should ask him again.

Amazing, famous, homemade fudge anyone?

No cars are allowed on the island...so it's back to horse and buggy!!!!

Is it a boy or is it a girl???

So the great thing about not knowing if I am having a boy or a girl, is that everyone else thinks they know! So I get to hear predictions of my baby's gender fairly regularly. Because I have so much fun listening...I will give you some of the more fun predictions just because I don't have much more to blog about!

*** A friend of mine, felt my belly, looked at the way I am carrying and said, "You're definitely having a boy."

*** The nurse at the doctor's office was listening to the baby's heartbeat with the doplar and said, "Your baby's heart rate is lower (139) so you must be having a boy!"

*** Today at the UofM dental school the dental instructor asked if I knew what I was having and then when she realized I didn't know said, "Do you want to know?" Sure.... so she had me get out of the chair...felt my belly looked at how I am carrying, had me turn around and said, "You're having a girl!"

***When I called my mom to tell her I was pregnant she was picking up a Happy Meal at McDonald's for herself and they asked, "Is it for a boy or a girl?" And she said, " A girl!" Then the phone rang and it was me with the news! She isn't saying she thinks I am having a girl...she just thinks it's kinda funny. :)

Then of course all our friends love to say what they think I am having just because they have a feeling...

So yeah, it's fun to have predictions because surprises are fun and we all want to take a guess! So if you want to reply with a guess as to a Baby Bentley or a Baby Elizabeth...go right ahead, I have a great time with the guesses!

It sure is going to be fun when baby makes the debut!
Oh and for now I have named the in utero baby, "Little Foot" because I keep getting these little feet poking through my stomach!!

Some pics from our special retreat up north

So I held a 3 week old baby in our labor class today...and can I just say August doesn't seem like it's coming fast enough!

A Happy Anniversary....

Today is our 3rd anniversary! And David called from Haiti!!!!! So I am on cloud 9!
I am so thankful for my husband and I love him. :)
A toast...though we are far far apart...I've never felt closer and more in love. You're an amazing man and I love you very very much!

a great visit with my mom...

So my mom had a great time together. I really enjoyed having her here. Here are some pictures of her visit...not many of the two of us... I am not really in the picture taking mood at this point. :) Also, I took some pictures of flowers at the Arboretum. We had a great time there! So enjoy.

Camping at the Pinery on the shores of Lake Huron

So we had an amazing time camping last weekend. The weather was incredible. Sunny, blue skies, warm...everything you could want! I had no idea what to expect...but Lake Huron is soooo cool! It looks like an ocean! We went with 10 other people. So here are some of the pictures from our trip!

So we went to see KT Tunstall perform last weekend in Ann Arbor with friends. It was one of the best concerts I have ever been to. She is an incredible singer and guitar player!!! So if any of you ever get a chance to see her.... you must go! Here's an acoustic mix of one of her songs...although when she's with her whole band it is quite incredible too.

a thought about material possessions

So it's garage sale season in Michigan, and I have been wondering around looking for baby things. I don't usually buy much (for a variety of reasons), but I enjoy looking and talking to the sellers.
It's also a season of giving. Many are cleaning out their homes and giving things away to the various charities or to whoever wants it.
So a friend was cleaning out his place and has some extra tv's, clothes, and other stuff. And he told us he is giving it away to the poor. A nice thing to do of course...don't get me wrong.

So as I was getting ready I started thinking.... why do we have this mentality that the poor want our trash? We think we are doing them a favor. And in some ways we are. I love getting used stuff. But it's not about me getting a rich person's trash. It's really about the way we think about it. Sometimes we give things away because we know someone needs it, and sometimes we give it away because we don't want it. And the poor people must be able to use it, right?

So then I started thinking. What if everything I bought, I bought two of. I buy a nice shirt...and another one. I buy a car...and another one. And the second I give away to someone in need.

I guess the idea is that I am not more deserving of something because I can afford it. And also it would eliminate impulse and ridiculous purchases. I wouldn't think about how I have worked so hard and deserve a BMW.... because I would have to buy two...and unfortunately I might think, "Well, I shouldn't buy two because that person doesn't need a BMW, they just need a car." Well, I really only need a car too.
It's like I think that people who have little money should not only buy what they can afford (obviously), but they don't even deserve the luxurious stuff because they can't afford it....they chose that job, or lack there of...they just need the basics because they are well..fill in the blank. Or what are they going to do with a Gucci purse.

Well, the same applies for me. I am just wondering....if they don't need it or "deserve" it, why do I?
Jesus didn't say, buy what you want and help people in need and live how you want.
He was more of a help people kind of guy. Put others above yourself. Humble yourself. Sell everything you own and follow me.

So yeah.... I am not saying this is what I will be doing.
I am just putting it out there for discussion. And it might be something God continues to pound on my heart... in which case, I will have some surrendering to do.

May all our hearts be convicted by the massive amount of stuff we own and the great need of people around us...both of material things and of emotional things.

So where do you put that stuff anyway?

So I had a pretty intense weekend. It didn't look like it would be intense before it started, but I sometimes you get hit hard when you least expect it. We had one of those missionary dinners again. The family was amazing. They live in Uzbekistan and they have been there for 10 years. One of their latest side ministries (you have to have a reason to be in country...beyond, "yeah, we're missionaries". The Islamic government doesn't usually go for that....) is working at an orphanage for kids with disabilities... children with cleft lip, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, physical deformities and many other disabilities. The orphanage homes about 100 kids up to the age of 7. Then they go to a less than satisfactory place until they are 18. At 18 they either are let on the street or sent to a place of worse condition. The life expectancy at that point is less than 2 years. Mostly they die from starvation. Children are brought in for so many reasons....cleft lip children because they can't nurse and parents can't afford formula. DIsabilities that require surgery because they can't afford the surgeries, and of course some because of the negative stigma associated with disabilities in the community. The ideology is that the state will take care of the kids, so you don't have to. Hmmm. And the adoption system is really corrupt. You have to get all these papers signed, but to get the signature can be impossible...you might have to pay massive amounts of money, or wait until the guy stops being mad at the guy who previously signed the papers....etc... So these kids are just there. Currently they are trying to get some OT, PT and ST to come and live there to help the development of the children, but there aren't many willing to do that....obviously since they still don't have anyone. The biggest project for the upcoming year is a plan to get the kids more protein to help their development too. It sounds like they currently eat formula and a few supplements until their 7. So what the missionaries want to do is get the kids eggs, bananas, bread, and milk a few days a week. This would help boost their development soooo much. The cost of such a project is estimated at $30,000 for a year for 100 children. They would have to monitor it closely to make sure that workers don't walk out with eggs and milk after their shift as their pockets are pretty empty too.
So of course I asked a million questions and I want to hear about orphanages, but it really messes me up later. I guess pain this intense needs a place to go. My longing to help these programs is so much deeper than my pockets and my ability to help. So I have to leave it to God in prayer.... but until He lifts the burden I just kind of go numb for a day or two.
And not only did I have this experience with the missionaries, but I rented the Kite Runner to watch while David studied last night. That is one of the most intense movies I have seen in a long time. It's not like Hotel Rwanda in the brutality of losing a million people to machetes in 100 days, but it's got so many layers of pain. From the incapability of a child to stand up for his friend on so many levels and the guilt that follows that, the reaction of rejection his very best friend because of his guilt, the loss of life when the Soviet invades Afghanistan, the loss of loved ones, unreconciled pain, and the list goes on and on and on. I read the book, but I think when I read an intense book the pain comes in doses because I don't read books cover to cover in a sitting. But a movie just hits you again and again without any breaks for processing. So yeah, by the time I got into bed I was pretty torn up. I couldn't really fall asleep. And I look around and I think of the selfish things I lust after and then across the globe are these people who are really starving and live in awful communities where Islamic law rules and there's no room for anything else.
Louise always told me I have a tender heart... and I like that I feel for people, but the intensity of what I actually feel and process can be so overwhelming. I think it's definitely a way God uses something he has given me to connect with him. Because honestly if I couldn't depend on him to take away what I feel and connect with Him about the brokenness He feels, I would be well, I know what I would do because I was there 4 years ago...stuffing pain without Christ and it makes for a pretty miserable person.
So yeah, this might be the longest post ever, but sometimes I have to process before I start my day.
Hopefully I didn't depress the rest of you. :)
So today, pray for this orphanage in Uzbekistan and the desire to bring food to the kids would be met.

wedding and weekend pics

So on Saturday Luke and Katherine were married. It was great! David's family came into town and we hosted his 4 siblings...in our tiny condo with one bathroom! It was soo much fun! I am exhausted from all the events and anxiety of BIG weekends. Anyway...so I don't have much to say, but here are some pics:


Jennifer, Adrienne, and Julie


The three cousin preggos part two: December, September, August


Elijah- Jenny and Todd's 9 month old son (Jenny is pictured in the second pic...due with baby 2 in December with the dark hair!!!)


Our dear friends Frank and Jennifer who just moved to Canada.


Luke and Katherine in driving off to the reception in their Porsche!!! (well it's not always theirs!)


David and Elijah dancing!


The happily married couple and us!


The Crawford family (Adrienne, David, Steven, Mark, Jane, Dad, Mom, Caroline....oh and yes the squiggly bean in my belly!) We're almost a family of 9!!!!

spring cleaning and elephants

So I started spring cleaning and it's so cool to open up a cabinet and see it organized! Those of you who know me well, know it takes an extreme amount of effort to keep things orderly. I am just a mess! A friend in college, Nicole, would always laugh at my purses because I would go looking for a piece of gum and pull out 50 other things...trash, lip glosses, pens, and a variety of other things...and she would just laugh. :) I guess that's just me! The thing is that I really do love organization and cleanliness. So I am trying to take extra time in my day to put things away and organize rather than think, "Oh I will just deal with it later!" So yeah, hopefully this works!

And the other thing I wanted to tell you all is about these African elephants. They were from Angola and during the Civil wars fled to Botswana and Namibia. Well, the civil war ended a few years I guess...and they have slowly been migrating home...this is the cool part. Apparently the land is polluted with land mines everywhere...and the elephants are avoiding the land mines...they walk in a field of them and manage to not explode. Scientist at Univ. of Mass. tagged the matriarchs which are usually head of 30 or so elephants and having been watching their migration via satellite and know where the land mines are because of some maps or coordinates or something and they are just walking right through the fields. Isn't that amazing? Animals are soooo cool! They just get their environments and notice changes. It's kind of like the elderly in nursing homes. They notice every new tree or plant or picture in their buildings...especially those who have lived there for awhile. And they'll say to me, "Wow, look at that beautiful blah blah blah plant in the corner!" And I think of how I never notice these things. I guess it's good to be aware of your surroundings...be it a new plant or a land mine. So yeah, that was a massive side note...Oh and for all you who like a works cited page (JANE!) I read the article about the elephants in the Ann Arbor newspaper when I was at Marcheta's this morning. It was from yesterday...so you can read more of the details that I miss. (You know I am teasing you, girl!)
Oh and I love elephants. I want to see one someday.

two cool stories

So we had our first birthing class last night. I have been praying for awhile that God would provide me with a friend...a young mother who I could connect with...or a couple that we could be friends with. So usually there's like 7 couples in these classes, but we are in it with one other married couple. So we are sharing about ourselves, why we chose this class, etc... I said I heard about it from a friend from Tucson...that we had just moved here in July. And Heather (the other mama to be) said, "Oh my gosh, we just moved here from Prescott in July!" Turns out she had wanted to go the UofA too...didn't get in for some odd reason....was accepted to UofM at the last minute and they moved here. And the day they left ARizona?? The SAME day we left! Weird. They are friendly and we'll see what God does with that friendship. So anyway, that's my first God story.

So I am sitting and reading my Bible when the phone rings, it's Dale. So I answer. (He doesn't usually call). "Hey, so I found this Graco travel system (car seat, base, and stroller) for free on freecycle and I emailed the lady. Apparently she received 75 emails and she chose me. Do you want it?" I was in shock. Apparently she received all these emails about people who wanted it and Dale was the only one looking for someone else, so she chose him. She bought it 2 years ago and it's like a $300 thing....something we never expected to own. So yeah, that's amazing.

a bend in the road

So I got bad news today. I have been a companion for 2 women at the local (mile away) retirement center in Ann Arbor. One of them has been not doing well for awhile. She's 93 years old and her health is deteriorating....not just physically, but mentally. So her family is going to use an agency to provide round the clock health care. They were so sad to say the end is nearing (within the next week or 2), but we both know it is in her best interest to have this kind of care. Plus with Baby coming I can't promise anything after birth. I mean I can promise I will work again, but I don't know if complications will arrive, or if healing after a c-section will occur....I just don't know. So yeah...we are losing 1/2 our income, which isn't half of what we had last year.
I have never felt poor and this isn't going to bring us to that "poor" state. It just sucks because I like taking the girls from the youth small group out to talk, and I like having people over and making up whatever menu I want. And I want to buy my baby whatever I feel like buying....which at this point has been only used stuff anyway!
So anyway, that's not really the significant part of my post. I guess the part that amazes me is the reaction of my husband.
He doesn't want me to stress, he doesn't want me to job search, or have a pity party. He wants me to continue to focus on the things I am working on. My ministries and my 3 other jobs....well I am losing one of those in 2 weeks too! Ironic. He's bound by the dollars that I bring home. It's a sacrifice for him too and yet he isn't angry or irrational or worried, he just believes we are going to make it.
It would be so easy for me to feel insignificant, worthless, and not a contributer at this point. And yet he reacts out of love and reminds me we will make it.
And it's so freeing because I will be able to have more time to be with my baby. And it's freeing to see how he reacts with change....tough change. And to know that when the bends come I can confide in him and know he reacts with wisdom.
So anyway. Just pray for us right now.

And really pray for Louise. Because she needs more support than I do right now. She's really suffering.

ultra sound picture

So I had my ultra sound on Monday. Things look 98% good! There was one little thing they found, but I have been told by numerous people, not to worry! So I won't. :)

From the top left you see the baby's spinal column and the head is looking down, then next to that you can see baby's profile, followed by a frontal shot of baby's face, and then a cute little foot! I am sorry the pictures didn't take well. I took a picture of the u/s picture! They also gave me a tape with the heartbeat....I wish I knew how I could upload that! Oh well.

As most of you know, we decided not to find out baby's gender. I am excited to know when he/she makes the debut into the world!
I am starting to feel kicks and I usually can tell you where baby is resting. I feel flutters throughout the day. I think the big kicks and punches are just around the corner!
Thanks for keeping us all in your prayers. :)

Ask and you shall receive deux

I don't really like these pictures that well. Receive that statement as a sentiment of my love for you and I would want the same of a far off pregnant loved one...so here they are. :) Watch out...Junior Lima Bean Bambino is taking over my body!




PS I am about 20 weeks.

Spring is here!!!

As you can see from the first two pictures, it's not Spring as one would think. However, I did find this tiny little purple flower when I was on the phone with Sue today, and I screamed for joy!!!!