Growing & Grateful!

For all my begging belly friends...here's a little growth tracker of our sweet Laine! :)

14 Weeks!

18 Weeks!

22 Weeks!

30 Weeks!

Yes, we have a name! Not a middle, but at least a first...LAINE! It's the name we prayed for! We also found out that it was my great-grandmothers middle name, so that's kinda neat!

I actually don't remember Lily being quite as active as this sweet one is! She can literally take my breath away with some of her kicks and punches! It would be nice if we could give them a little "labeling" lesson on all the organs they're sharing space with, so they at least know the bladder is off limits! :) In the same breath, I say kick away sweet girl because I love feeling every move you make!

I've been able to share with a few of you our Laine praise! At our last dr. appointment we had an ultrasound and it showed that my placenta has moved up and is in the exact place it needs to be! I've been given permission to no longer be restricted on my activities! ALL praise to the ONE who is the giver and sustainer of Life! We were also blessed with a surprise free 4D ultrasound. We got to lay eyes on her precious face! Michael and I both looked at each other at the same time and said, "that looks like our little Lily!" She and her sister definitely both share the same button nose and chubby cheeks! There are truly no words, but to be left with a heart that is awe struck to be able to get a glimpse of God's masterpiece...and oh how we can't wait for Laine's perfectly knit self to be in our arms in less than 2 1/2 months!

The sweetest thing right now is to watch God grow Lily's little heart of love for her sister. Laine is usually the first person she wants to greet in the morning with her lips pressed against my belly yelling cocka-doodle-dooooooo!!! She makes us laugh so hard and then melts our hearts when she tells her, "you're my Laine and I love you sooooo much!" I can always count on my belly getting a good rub down several times a day from the sweetest 3 year old hands I know!

The Lessons from the Lord during this pregnancy journey have been spiritually stretching! I am incredibly grateful that God continues not to leave me the same! I have been reminded over and over again that circumstances are uncertain to man and can either be tightly anchored to happiness or JOY! In Philippians, Paul reminds us that our happiness will either be rocked by happenings or our JOY will be rooted in the ONE who orchestrates every happening for HIS ultimate glory! JOY is having QUIET CONFIDENT ASSURANCE of who God is, His love, and work in our lives whether we feel it or not.

The enemy loves to "blind" us with our present conditions, but God sees the grand picture! So whatever circumstance you find yourself in today, He is after strengthening your Faith and TRUST! Let me encourage you and leave you with a powerful acrostic for TRUST: To Rest Under Severe Testing or Trials! HE IS TRUSTWORTHY!!!