It's a.......!!!!!

Well, color me jealous!! FOUR of my fabulous friends are pregnant, and ALL are due around the same time!! I've had a great time guessing what the sex of each of their babies will be, and the results are all in!! I have to say, I'm a little surprised that things turned out this equally...

Anyways, here we go...



For Ashly and Casey Gann (who already have a beautiful little girl, Lexi, who turned 3 last month)...

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!

And to make their pregnancy a little more exciting, they've sold their house, and are in the process of building another. BTW, for the next 6 months or so, they'll be living out of a BARN!! This is one tough pregnant mama! Congrats, Ashly & Casey!!

_________________________________________________________________



For Stuart and Jennifer (who have a precious 1 year old, Hannah)....

IT'S A BOY!!!

I snagged this sonogram pic from Jennifer's blog for proof!!



Congrats, Stuart, Jennifer and Hannah!!

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My beautiful Delta Delta Delta love, Ashley, and her husband Clay are pregnant with their first bambino!!!



And...

IT'S A BOY!!!

Yeah! I am so thrilled for Clay and Ashley, not just because it's their first baby, but because this has been such a long time coming.

_____________________________________________________________

And the final announcement....

This is Amanda and Madison (who turns 3 this month), and then Brandon (how is it possible that I don't have a picture of you guys together??)





IT'S A GIRL!!!

As a side note, please be in prayer for all of these wonderful women and their families, and their unborn babies. All of them have experienced different struggles, and for all of them, the news of new babies is just incredible.

Congratulations, all!!!

Oompa Loompa

Thought I'd let you in on a little laugh, just to make your Friday a little better....

In an effort to look extra special for Melanie's wedding this weekend, I decided I should Mystic Tan yesterday. I've done this before with minimal adverse effects, so I wasn't worried.

Last night, when I got home from Team Dinner, I took one look in the mirror and was surprised to find that I really resemble an oompa loompa!! I am very orange!! I apparently did not apply the lotion correctly to my hands, and they are looking nice and weird.



Not really trying to make a claw here, but rather show you the creases on my thumb knuckle. Also, check out the white blotch below my index finger. Did I just leave a giant blob of lotion on there or something???

The funny thing is, I really thought that I had applied the lotion well, and was expecting amazing results!!

Here's my oompa loompa face...




The cheeks are especially delightful. See the resemblance??



Oh well. I'm hoping my hair will turn out better than theirs.

No Scheme of Man....

I hope I can be "authentic" with you. ("Authentic" is one of our life group leader's favorite words... He's always telling us that we should be authentic.) And I feel that I can be with you.

I feel like I can tell you that I'm terrified right now, that I don't know what tomorrow will hold for us. I feel like I'm being cryptic, because unfortunately, I'm not allowed to share exactly what's going on with us, so I can't make you understand what my fear's founded on. Once everything's said and done, I'll share a little more.

For now, please be praying for me and sweet husband, and for all other parties involved.

Yesterday, we had an awesome praise and worship time at church. The choir sang a song that I just stood and wept to, tears streaming down my face as I looked heavenward and had a sweet conversation with God.

"In Christ Alone"
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

My favorite part of this whole song is a line in the very last verse:

"No power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand; Till He returns of calls me home- Here in the power of Christ I'll stand."

No matter what evils plot against me, nothing can change that fact that God's arms are permanently wrapped around me. Till my dying day, or when Christ comes back to Earth, I can stand firm in that knowledge.

It look me a while to realize that just because I'm a Christian doesn't mean that I won't have to face hard times. In fact, the opposite is true. Because I'm a Christian, God guarantees that I will face hard times. That Satan will be a presence fighting for a hold in my life. But nothing, nothing, can change the fact that God will walk through this fire with me. Amen to that.