14 Weeks!!

Yes, I am officially 14 WEEKS! Our baby has a fully functional thyroid gland, and could possibly begin sucking his/her thumb! I am amazed at how quickly our baby has grown... already 3.42 inches! We had our first sonogram on Monday, May 7th, and got to hear and see our baby's heartbeat. (We only saw one.) It was incredible. How amazing it is to know that I am carrying apart of both Philip and I. To have someone that truly makes us bound as one. It is so incredible. A couple of my friends have told me that I am about to enter into the next few most wonderful months. (3 - 7 months.) I am already starting to get more energy and the nausea is slowing fading. I am looking forward to it being gone completely. I am excited to see what the next few months hold. It is also great to know that I will be getting more energy when we have so many weddings and things going on. The Lord certainly has the very best timing! :o)

Philip has been accepted into Paramedic School at Tri-State Business Institute. He starts May 16th!!! He will have a year and a half of school. (Graduation due September of 2008.) We are thrilled, and are amazed at how the Lord has provided Philip with the opportunity to do what he really wanted to do to begin with! Everything has fallen into place, and we are so blessed beyond words! (That means we won't have to live in Mike and Jan's too much longer after the baby is born!) We are very thankful for them opening up their home, but we will be ready to have our own space once the baby comes. God is so good!

Love,
April (for both)

Balloons and Boots

To whom it may concern,

Yes... Our children will wear cowboy boots and they will be allowed to play with balloons.

Sincerely,
DAD

P.S. For example:

11 Weeks!

So this picture is not actually our baby, but it is about what our baby's feet look like. It amazes me at how much growth and change is taking place. Already the baby has all his/her parts, and has begun kicking and stretching. The baby is now 1.5 inches long. (Sorry Adam, much bigger than a peanut!) We have our next appointment on May 7th. We expect to have our first ultrasound, and FINALLY get to hear our baby's heartbeat! We are so excited to see the new life that has been growing for the last 11 weeks. (By the time of the appointment I'll be 13 weeks.) I am overwhelmed by the thought of being a parent, but as Philip always says, "the Lord will be our Guide." I am also so excited for my parents to become first time Grandparents and my siblings to become first time Aunts and Uncles. Amy wants us to have a boy, and Cara thinks we will have a girl. I am just excited to have a baby. We'll see which the Lord blesses us with. We have picked out a few names, but aren't going to "officially" decide until we know what we are having. We'll keep you posted! Love you all!

Love,
April (for both)
1 Timothy 1:12

I can hardly belive it...

I am so thankful that God blessed me with such an incredible wife, who is truly an amazing woman of God and my best friend and love of my life. I cannot even begin to express how fiercely in love I am with her... and now she is carrying our child. Another incredible gift from God, for which I am beyond thankful. Today we are having our second appointment to meet with a Midwife and hopefully we will get to hear our baby's heart beat. I think once we hear his heart beat, then he will be more real. (I always refer to our baby as a "he" because I want a boy, but April says that I shouldn't do that, because if it's a girl I might be disappointed. Of course that's just silly... I will be ecstatic whether it's a boy or a girl!)
I know that being a dad will be a huge responsibility and a challenge at times, but I still can't wait to hold my adorable child in my arms and tell him over and over how much I love him. I know that I will make mistakes as a father, but I desire so strongly to make as few as possible and to be willing to learn how to be an even greater dad. I am so thankful for a wife who shares that same desire and determination that I do to be the best parents we can be and to always make our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the head of our home.
Well... it's late and I should sleep.

Our First Appointment...

So we had our first appointment on my sister's birthday, March 27th. We discussed our medical history and the "dos" and "don'ts" of pregnancy. It was very educating. I was disappointed to find that I cannot wear any type of "fake tan." Amy's wedding is in less than two months and I am soooooo pale! You won't be able to miss me, I'll be the one glowing, because I am so white! It is worth it though. I would much rather us have a health baby, than risk it just for a weekend of "looking tan." We are telling everyone else this weekend! We are very excited to share the news. I have been feeling alright. We got moved in this past weekend to the basement of Jan and Mike's. We are settling in and hoping that we can get the rest of our place set up. I guess that is the update for now. Soon everyone will be reading this!! Fun fun!!
Love,
April

I Had a Weird Dream...

So I have read that pregnant women can have very strange dreams. This morning I had one. I dreamed that every time you did something for someone else they would be attached to you. Kinda like they had "static cling." My sister was changing my nephew Judah's diaper and then got up to walk around, and Judah started floating after her. Then I did something for my sister and she started floating around and following me everywhere. It was really strange. I figured out in the dream that the "static cling" only happened when you did something for someone. It was weird. I am sure I will have even more weird dreams to come. I'll keep you posted.

I am feeling pretty good today. I think it is the ample supply of vitamins I am getting. (Thanks for the list Andrea!) I am most assuredly "feeling" pregnant. It still hasn't fully set in, but I am starting to believe it. What an amazing thing to be carrying our child!! God is so good!

Love, April.
John 13:1

Here is the First of Many Posts About...

We just found out on March 4, 2007, that we are PREGNANT!!! It still feels so surreal.

The recount of events:

Sunday morning I got up to test, and Philip and I prayed together. We prayed for whatever the Lord willed to be done in our lives. I went in to test and just quietly prayed, "Lord, if this shows negative I am not going to test again. I am just going to let it go and not obsess again whether or not we are pregnant." I "did the test" and started waiting on the the three minute mark. The little hour glass was blinking in the window, as I stood there waiting to see the result. Just within less than a minute it showed up. "Pregnant." My mouth dropped and my eyes widened! I yelled, "Oh my gosh!!! I don't even believe it!" I ran into the bedroom and tackled Philip, he was already sitting up in bed. He grabbed the test from my hand and said, "no way!" I said, "Oh yeah!" We started hugging and kissing and the shock set in.

We then placed the phone calls to the family. (Mine anyway.) We called my parents and told them, "You're gonna be Grandparents." They started saying, "Oh my gosh! Wow!" Then we called my sister, and she told us to "shut up!" Then we called Adam and Cara and they were still asleep. Adam said, "Congratulations!" (And apparently went about the rest of that day smiling really big!)

Then we went to church and got Philip's family into a side room to "show them a picture." Everyone was there except Joseph and Christy. Philip said, "we don't have a picture to show you, we want to tell you..." I said, "we're crazy." And Philip said, "we're pregnant!" The family started yelling and Jan and Elizabeth started crying. I was shaking so bad! Reality was starting to settle in a little bit! We let Joseph and Christy know on Monday night when Philip was working at the ranch. We actually showed them the picture!

Sunday evening we went over to Mike and Jan's to get their advice on what we should do. The plan we came up with is to move into their basement and save money. (As soon as possible.) Me keep working, and Philip get a part time job and have him finish college. We are both kind of excited about the idea of change. It is like a new adventure.

We will face many challenges over the next several months, but the Lord is faithful and allowed this timing for a reason. I still cannot believe we are going to be parents! What an honor and HUGE responsibility.

I have been feeling okay. I little nauseated at times, VERY TIRED, and having little "flutters" in my abdomen. Our first doctor's appointment is on March 27th . (Amy's Birthday!!!!) I will be 7 weeks by then. Hopefully we will get to hear a heartbeat. After that date this site will be widely spread to friends and family... that don't know right now!

More posts to come... this one is the "First of Many!"

Love you all, April (for both.)
Romans 8:28