Sadie is Here!!!

Sadie Lynn arrived this past Tuesday, October 13th at 11:41pm. She weighed 7lb 4oz at birth and was 20 inches long. We are overwhelmed by how wonderfully blessed we've been and are still in the phase of looking at one another in disbelief that she is actually ours. It's crazy how fast life can change and how quickly you can fall in love with someone. We are in awe and it still hits me multiple times every day that a week ago she was kicking around inside me and now she's here in our arms. It's so incredible!

As far as labor, it seemed long to us, lasting approximately 28 hours, but it was uncomplicated and an amazing experience all in itself.

Alright well enjoy the pictures of our little one and thanks for your prayers, support, and love. We've been so taken care of and blessed this past week with phone calls, messages, and meals. It's made the beginning of our adjustment to being a new family wonderful and we appreciate all of you!

Our friends made this day so special waiting for hours in the waiting room to welcome our little girl.

Please Pray!

So yesterday my dad had an MRI which showed what we all feared it would someday. It showed that the tumor in his brain has spidered out into the healthy parts in such a way that it can no longer be treated or operated on. For us this is obviously heartbreaking and devastating news and honestly it all feels like too much to process.  Really the only thoughts in my head right now are those of grief. I know that God has a plan, but in all honesty it's just too difficult for me to think about it today. For today I am torn between the celebration of Sadie's life which is possibly only days away and the mourning of what seems to be an immeasurable and inevitable loss for our family also in the near future. So, with nothing much more to say, I ask for your prayers. Prayers for peace and comfort for all of us, for wisdom and strength for this day, for blessings on our conversations and time together as a family, and very selfishly that my dad would be in good enough health to come down and meet Sadie when she is born.

Baby Showers

The past 2 weekends have been filled with celebrations for Sadie's upcoming arrival and have been so much fun! There's no greater blessing than being surrounded by family and friends who love you and I was reminded of this again and again. What a blessing it is that God gives us other people to walk through life with. People who are there to support us when life is difficult and who are there to celebrate with us the joys in life, such as new babies, which has to be one of the greatest!

Anyway, last weekend Brandon and I made a trip to Arizona for a baby shower thrown by my sister Amy and my Mom, with the help of Kendra and my aunts. It was a great time of reconnecting with family and friends and we only wish we could have stayed longer.

Amy and I

So many cute little girl things!

Kendra made this cute John Deere Blanket!

Amy made this great cake.

The weekend truely flew by but before we left we talked our brother-in-law Brian and my sister Amy into taking a few maternity photo's of us. Amy helped us think of poses and Brian took the pictures. I thought they did a great job and so had to post a few of our favorites. Thanks Brian and Amy!

Then this past weekend my friends Melinda, Courtney, and Andrea hosted a shower for me with the help of many of my other girlfriends here in California. Again it was wonderful getting to see so many people that I care about all together at one time.

Katy, Tiff, Christina, Me, Melinda, and Allison

Nancy, Courtney, Candace & Jacob, Kelli, and Andrea

Brandon's Family

Mom, Lynn, Licia, Nana, & Me

Debbie, Catharina, and Violet

Our New Kitchen!

Brandon has been hard at work on our kitchen for over a month now and I'm excited to show off his nearly completed project. He's been doing remodel work for other people for a long time now but it's fun to finally get to watch him and to enjoy the finished product. It's pretty impressive!

Kitchen Before

The Demolition Begins...

Notice Paul in his flip flops :)

There's no turning back at this point. Scary!

The beginning of putting the kitchen back together.

Jeremiah, Paul, Brandon, and Matt laying tile backer.

Hanging the ceiling.

New cabinets being installed.

Finishing up: Tile, Appliances, and Countertops

Our New Kitchen!

Oregon

This past week I had a chance to spend a little more time in Oregon with my family. It is always fun to visit, but time is especially precious to us now with dad being sick and our new baby on the way. It's an interesting balance we're learned to strike between the highs and lows of life. We continue to learn to recognize God's presence in both and to acknowledge His hand in it all. While I was up there my siblings continued to amuse themselves with my growing belly. Sadie received many rubs and pokes and Kendra and my cousin Michaelah even spent some time practicing for when she arrives. Although I'm not sure that I'll be leaving her with them anytime soon. :)

One of my favorite things about Oregon in the summertime is all the fresh fruit! I especially love the blackberries that grow around my parents' dairy and am so glad that I was able to bring back what I picked on the airplane.

Finally, on my last day there Dad surprised us by requesting to take a trip outside to see what the boys were up to. Robert started building a new barn a little while back, Ryan purchased a new welder which he is putting to good use making all the stanchions and gates for the barn, and Mom, Grandpa, and Caleb have been working on getting a garage ready for the winter. Dad has been so worn out over the past few months that he hasn't felt up to getting outside at all recently so this was hugely encouraging to us. These are the little moments that have become anything but little to us. They are the moments that encourage us on and remind us to be so thankful for every "today" that we get to spend together.