Blog Party!

I am still learning more and more about this blogging world, and one thing I've just stumbled across is this Blog Party. I know that lots of you who read my writing (mostly old friends and family, I think!) do not blog yourselves. This Blog Party is a way to introduce my blog to like-minded bloggers, because we all list our sites on the blog that is hosting the party. You can check out the hosting site, and look at the other blogs that have linked up here.

The host of the Blog Party, Lynnette Kraft, has posted 20 questions for participants to answer about themselves as an introduction to new visitors. Here are mine!

1. What is your favorite thing to snack on while you're blogging?
A latte I picked up from my hubby when I visited him at his job-- Starbucks!

2. What is one thing you wouldn't want to live without?
God's grace; it has changed the way I live, what I hope to accomplish in life, and the way I view myself.
Romans 5:1-2 "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

3. Beach, Mountains or Farm? Where would you live if you had a choice?
I live in the mountains now. They're little, but I love them!

4. What's your least favorite chore/household duty?
Folding the white laundry. Endless undershirts and socks with no matches!

5. Who do people say you remind them of?
No one in particular, but people say I act like a mom and teacher... which is fine by me!

6. Prefer parties and socializing or staying at home with the fam?
I love spending time with my husband, and would choose alone time with him over a party. But we enjoy socializing together.

7. What's your all time favorite movie?
Honestly, Toy Story. I don't think that will every change!

8. Do you sleep in your make up or remove it like a good girl every night?
Every night? No way!

9. Do you have a hidden talent or a deep desire to learn something that you've never had a chance to learn? What is it?
Reed bought me a sewing machine for my birthday this year, and I can't wait to master it! I think that might take a while, though.

10. What's one strange thing you're really good at?
Finding my way out of a town we're completely lost in. At least, I'm better at it than Reed is!

11. What first attracted you to your spouse?
Reed's desire to live for God attracted me to his life before I was attracted to him. I told my friends that he was the exact type of person I wanted to marry, even though I wasn't attracted to him yet! Then, within the year, I knew he was for me.

12. What is something you love to smell?
A warm house filled with yummy food. And newborns.

13. Tell something about you that you know irritates people.
I bite my nails, and that bothers a lot of people. Particularly, Reed and my grandmother.

14. When you have extra money (HA!) what's the first thing you think to do with it?
Pay off the ridiculous amount of student loans that Reed and I owe, for sure!

15. Are you a silent laugher or a loud laugher? What makes you laugh the hardest?
I hope my laugh isn't obnoxious, but I think I am a loud laugher. Silly kids, story telling with friends, and enjoying genuine fellowship make me laugh.

16. Where is your favorite place to shop?
I love T.J. Maxx.

17. What's one thing you'd do more often if you had more time?
Practice on my sewing machine.

18. Are you a big spender or frugal?
Frugal! Trying to grow my frugal skills with every week.

19. Who is your favorite character of all time (from a movie or book)? (Can't be real)
After wasting way too much time trying to think of someone, I'm just going to say that I'll have to come back to this one.

20. Would you want to be famous?
Nope. I have enough trouble trying to please God and my husband. I don't need millions of others judging my actions and choices!

Living in the "Now"

I must admit that I have a problem with focusing on 'now.' I couldn't wait to graduate from high school, and go to college. Then when I went to college, I couldn't wait to get married. When we were married, I couldn't wait to finish school and start a family. Now that I'm pregnant, I'm already looking forward to the next one.

Of course, it is good to anticipate joys in our lives. But I have far too often pushed aside today in my eagerness for some coming event. I am called to glorify God with my living every day, not just with big decisions and big events. My focus was misplaced as I finished high school, came to college, and got married. I should have been seeking to glorify God and enjoy the moments of the phase I was currently in. I truly have been trying to take this lesson to heart with this current season in my life.

Today, my husband and I celebrate an anniversary of sorts-- 7 years ago today he asked me to be his girlfriend. We have spent 7 years being able to spend as much time as we'd like focusing on each other in our relationship. But in 3 months, that is going to change when we bring baby Abel, our first born, home to join our family. As eager as I am for that little one to join us, I am focusing each day on soaking up one on one time with my precious husband. This pregnancy has flown by! I want to be sure I don't miss the wonderful times in this season in my hurry to prepare for and look forward to the next. This re-focusing has made this time alone with my husband so sweet, instead of a time of anxiety.

This lesson is one I am trying to apply to my life in a different way, too. As I mentioned before, Reed and I are planning on moving to Kentucky in less than a year so he can attend Seminary (Lord willing). Knowing that I have such a short time left here in Lynchburg tempts me to close off my heart to those here I love. Since I know I am leaving, why pour into those friendships? Why join another group at church, another study? We're just going to leave, and the more relationships we make, the harder it will be to go. I am already truly heartbroken that we're leaving, why make it worse?

But I can't focus on next year. I am here, Reed is here, because the Lord would have us here now. We are seeking to glorify God wherever we go, whenever He places us there. Since we are in Lynchburg, I am opening my heart to friends here so that we can learn and grow from each other. When we move to Kentucky, we will probably only live there as long as it takes Reed to finish school. But I sure hope to build relationships, pour into the local body of believers, grow and make friendships in those 4 short years. How sad and miserable (not to mention un-Biblical) my life would be if I waited until I thought we'd 'arrived' in life to settle down, make friends, and build relationships.

When we began building a new (precious) friendship here in Lynchburg recently, our new friends jokingly said to Reed and I, "Let's start hanging out a lot, so we'll be really sad when you leave." Every time I think of that, it makes me smile and it makes me sad. But I am willing to be sad when we move to enjoy a godly friendship now!

Each day we have is a gift from God, and I truly hope that I act like that is true. I do not want to fast forward through today just to get to an exciting event, or live my life like I'm just killing time until we arrive at some perfect life circumstance.

Pregnancy Week 21

Abel Kenneth Kerr 16 weeks, 6 days

Wow! I cannot believe that I am already 21 weeks 3 days along. I really feel like the time has flow so far, and I just know the second half will be even quicker since I have Thanksgiving and Christmas to look forward to. I think the last time I blogged about the baby is when I announced I was pregnant! Time for an update.

We found out during week 16 that I am going to be having a little boy, who we have named Abel Kenneth. We also had a scare around that week when my doctors thought that Abel was going to have Spina Bifida. Though Reed and I joyfully submitted to the Lord either way, He saw fit for the test results to come back negative-- no Spina Bifida. In other medical news, I am still giving myself blood thinning injections twice daily, for the safety of both Abel and myself, which I will continue until 6 weeks after the birth (for my own safety).

Through a strange set of circumstances, which was obviously put into motion by God, I will be switching my primary obstetrician. Though I love my doctor, her office is over a half an hour from my house. When I soon begin going weekly for testing, that drive will eat up more time and gas money then I care to think about. However, our insurance did not cover an OB doctor in Lynchburg. This also meant that I would not be delivering at our local hospital. But, at my last visit my doctor decided that Abel and I were too high risk for her little hospital that did not have a NICU, should we need it, and she asked me to find a new doctor. The closest doctor to me that took my insurance and could deliver me at a hospital with a NICU was about an hour an a half away! Even worse for those weekly tests I'm going to need. Then Reed and I remembered that his company was switching insurance companies October 1st! And, the local OB group in Lynchburg would now be covered! So, not only will I be able to deliver here in Lynchburg, but I will also only have to drive about 5 minutes to get to my weekly appointments.

The other development in the pregnancy thus far worth noting is the kidney problem Abel has: hydronephrosis. Because of the high risk nature of my pregnancy, I have to see a Perinatologist in addition to my regular OB. During a sonogram, they discovered that Abel's kidneys appeared bright, and that one of them was swollen with fluid. My doctor said that his kidneys required monitoring, and that if the fluid levels worsen or blockage occurs, Abel will need to be delivered prematurely so that he can have surgery. We have been back for a follow up sonogram once and his kidneys already looked a little better. I will continue to follow up with this doctor so he can monitor Abel's kidneys, though obviously we are praying this issue goes away and our baby will not need surgery!


Abel and Mama, 21 weeks 3 days