Some Promised Pictures

I have passed my six month marker which is very exciting and freeing.
Some of you have been curious to see how big I am getting. I hope these pictures will help.
The baby moves a lot more and as I did when I was in the womb she is kicking into my ribs.
I can hear my father say...you reap what you sow my child.
I'm loving all the energy and clearness I feel right now.
I crave anything citrus lemons,limes, oranges ect. I think it helps with my indigestion and
of course I still drink water like its going out of style!

What We Are Created To Be

I must say that there are only a handful of books that I have read in my life that have truly changed my heart and mind about the way I live my life. This book by Debi Pearl is one of those books. It is a MUST for every woman...I don't care if you've been married for years, are just starting out or still dreaming of that special someone. I'm not even done reading yet and I wish I had a copy for every woman I know. What do I love about it? Well...it's raw and filled with Biblical truth for starters, but most importantly it works. I started doing just a few of the things she mentions and my marriage has already been more of everything I need and want. This book has been a refreshing change from all the pregnancy books I've been consumed by lately, and I'll tell you what, I feel way more blessed by this then anything I've read in a long time. Go ahead give it a try...read this book....I dare you!

Nesting and resting in the Lord...

So I have officially entered the "nesting" phase of pregnancy. Things are getting cleaning and organized, thrown away, and stored properly. I must admit I love to throw things away! It's a very freeing feeling when that old bottle of suntan lotion you thought you should keep gets eliminate. Score! another clean space for me to live with. I love space and totally prefer it to stuff being shoved in every corner of my entire apartment. Also, I feel more inclined to look for a house when our little space is straightened up and ready to go. I'm trying to box things up with that thought in mind. It just makes it all so much more comforting to me.

On another note scott and I will be starting our birthing classes this Thursday. We had originally wanted to just take the classes the hospital had to offer but then decided to go with the more intense route and do the Bradley classes a few people had told us about. This class will be 12 weeks long and cover pretty much everything you could possible want...or not want to know about having a baby with the emphasis on having a natural birth. That's right you read right...a natural birth. I'm shooting for that but I am NOT opposed to having medical intervention if necessary. My reasons for having a natural birth are mainly because I am a curious cat and I want to know how bad this pain is going to be. I may sound crazy but remember i'm the girl who went to school for out door education and lived in the woods for half of my high school and college life...being chased by bears, followed by strange men, dealing with crazy campers, bad bad flesh wounds, storms, mountains, raging rivers....ect. I want to experience life... i was taught that at school so i'm going for it. Also people say recovery is easier and faster when you have a natural birth and that sounds good to me. I know i may sound a bit flippant when i speak about this but really i've done a lot of praying and thinking and I'd like to at least try. The cool thing is that I know my friends and family are supporting and praying for me and that what ever happens the Lord is with me. Also I realized a few weeks ago that my due date is also the same day as the national day of prayer! Sweet! I can't think of a better day to have my girl then when millions of people will be praying to the Lord!

Another wonderful thing that has really blessed our lives these past few weeks is the way the Lord has been providing for us. Scott and I have been a member of Samaritan Ministries for over two years now and we are reaping the benefits of being part of this organization. Since we don't have regular insurance we joined Samaritan by giving money each month to people in need. We pray for them, send a card and send a check. Since Samaritan covers births we started to receive cards and money from people all over the country. I can't tell you how awesome it has been to be so blessed. One note stood out to me..."Dear Mr. Scott and Mrs. Aimee I hope that your baby comes out well. We will pray for you. May God bless you and your family." I thought that was cute....I hope my baby comes out well too!

Its been a busy couple of weeks. well to be more accurate my days seem to ebb and flow with times of rest and peace and then filled with running errands, work, hanging out with people and playing games. In it all though, I know my life is changing and I'm not just talking about physically which is obviously the case right now but in other ways as well. Let me try and explain without being too...umm mawkish.

Generally when i go through change in my life I have a very hard time. Ask my mom she'll attest to this with a resounding YES. I don't really know exactly why i'm like this...its just me. When I get plunked down into a whirlwind of change I kick and scream (internally) and I want out, I want control and "freedom" from what every is forcing itself upon my unwilling body. I hardly ever went right to the Lord or spent time really reflecting my fears. Lately though, I feel more drawn to getting myself comfortable on our couch and really getting into the Bible and finding comfort there. Yes, I know this is a very simple thing and something I should have been doing more of years ago but hey that's how things go sometimes. Maybe I feel a bigger responsibility knowing that I've got a little baby growing inside of me. One day she'll be asking me questions and looking at my life and I want her to see the truth that I cling to. I'm not a solid person but I want my children to see Christ in me and this is the only way I see that happening.

This is meant as an encouragement to all who read and as a way for me to share my heart. I'm not about spouting out how good I am! We all struggle with what we believe and why. I want to say that through Christ we find our answers we just have to be still long enough to let it happen. At my parents farm house I was reminded of this simple and beautiful truth. My parents have sheep and they have the young ewes down in the pasture near the house. Every day I was there I went down to give the girls crackers. They would get so excited to see me and bahhh and leap up to receive my treats. Only one of the girls, Raven, would eat the crackers and then just hang out with me. The other two were too scared and freaked out to come close to me even though i had just given them all treats. So I would sit down and love on this little black lamb. She let me massage her back and head. She would get so into it that she would sway and start to close her eyes, just letting me love on her. Later that day I thought on how this event was an example of how I approach my God. Sometimes I just take what I want and run off afraid I might get hurt if i get too close or even worse I just don't care and can't be bothered with it. But sometimes like Raven, I get up close and get real still and let the Lord lavish his love on me. The thing i forget sometimes is that he actually enjoys this. It says he DELIGHTS in us! Amazing isn't it?

I'm growing!

Over Christmas I really started to show and so we decided my body was finally picture worthy! ha! I am feeling so much more alive and energetic and I am also very thankful that our little girl is healthy and growing strong. She is a pretty active one as far as I can tell and I just LOVE feeling her kick and wiggle around. Sometimes I'll just sit back and watch my belly pop out and in as she moves about. Scott has started to read more about the whole pregnancy thing. I think it overwhelmed him at first. I received so many different books from friends and family members he didn't know which one to start with! Now he is telling me bits of facts that he has been learning and I am thankful that he is able to take some time during his busy day to find out more about this amazing experience we are going through together.

Home for Christmas

Scott and I made the 11 or so hours up to my parents house in Kempton, PA for Christmas this year. Actually first we stopped off in Elmer, NJ to spend some quality time with Scott's sister Heather her husband Steve and their four energetic and lovely children. Then up to the farm house where we spent Christmas eve and the morning of Christmas day. Then down to Cherry Hill, NJ to visit with the Schimpf's and then back up to the farm late that night. Boxing day was spent with Scott's grandparents and the Suliks up at the farm. Everyone had a wonderful time except maybe Steve! My mom's parents came the next day and we enjoyed some laughs, stories, and good food. In between all of the visiting Scott and I had a chance to soak in the beautiful country air and walk the peaceful grounds of my parents property. My favorite times were spent loving on the ewes that had been born last spring, watching the deer prance about, sitting by the fire with my loved ones, and playing Apples to Apples with my parents and Scott. All in all a wonderful time spent laughing and loving.


The girls raven and lucy

Nana, Poppy and my cousin Lauren's baby Chase Bradley

Scott and his grandparents eating gift basket goodies

My Dad and Caleb Sulik going to feed the rams and levi

My beautiful parents Christmas morning