Spring is here!

"Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land." Song of Solomon 2:12


This evening our adorable little neighbor girl, Phoenix, brought us these wild flowers she had just picked "from her garden". I love spring!! Everything is either blooming or is on the very brink of blooming, and I can't think of a better place to be experiencing that than at the foot of the mountains, still capped with snow.

It's a boy!

Yesterday I had a long-awaited ultrasound and we found out our baby is a boy! As any of you mothers and fathers would know, it was so incredible to see him and his little features swimming around inside. We saw some amazing angles of his face and limbs and beating heart. As usual, he was jumping around a lot during the ultrasound and the coolest thing for me was seeing him reach up with his fist and punch me in the stomach and, of course, feeling it at the same time. Toward the end of the ultrasound he was turning around to lay face down and that's when he gave us a good flash of his masculinity:). Of course when he was face down that's when he decided it was time to take a nap...right before it was picture time. So unfortunately the ultrasound photos aren't very exciting. But here they are none-the-less.

Our New Home

As of April 1^st Brandon and I will be the proud new owners of a mobile home. We moved into this rental trailer on a month-to-month basis upon returning form Australia, planning to stay here only until we found something else we wanted to rent long-term, but God had other plans. I must say, I am quite excited about it. Odd as it sounds, I remember the first time I felt the desire to live in a trailer park. I rode my bike through a park close to school my freshman year of college and God begin conjuring up this desire within me not just to minister to those who lived there, but to “become part of them” in a mother Theresa kind of way. This desire was cemented even more when I got to know my friend Mel, who was the Jr. high pastor at our church and who lived in that same park. She and her roommate had such an awesome ministry with the kids in the neighborhood. They even decked out one of their rooms into a permanent fort for the kids. When Bran and I made the decision to move here to Boulder, I never thought about it fulfilling my longing to live in and love the people of a trailer park, yet it so perfectly fits the mission and calling of Emmaus Road. There couldn’t be a better community either; this trailer park has over 2000 residents! God is so amazing! I love the way he builds a passion in me for that which he calls me to—doesn’t just throw me into something.

On a different note, we love the house. Even more, we love that the two lots on our west are empty, giving us a gorgeous foothills view. This was my view when sitting on the couch having devotions a couple mornings ago. And another morning shot, from the street right out our front door.

Australia

We are almost officially "back into the swing of things" after being back for a week and a half from our 2 month vacation down under. After asking if we had a good time on the trip, it seems most people add, "were you able to do/see a lot of things?" Our answer to the first half? Absolutely! We had a wonderful tme. But no, we didn't do or see a lot of things...in fact that was the beauty of the vacation. Honestly, most days we were still in our pj's, playing games or watching the 42" tv, until after lunch. It was so wonderful not to have to get around for anything, other than an occational evening barby (that's bbq, for our American friends, and no, shrimp were not involved :)). Not only was it great for me not to have any demands for 2 months, but it was so relaxing not to feel stressed about having to come back to a draining school schedule. So for me this trip provided more of a relaxing, refreshing time than I've had since summers in middle school.
All that said, we still did/visited some fun places, and seeing as how that might be more exciting to you than pictures of me laying around the house in my pajamas, here are a few photos that highlight some of our unforgettable trip memories.

Christmas was interesting for me with the 90-100 degree weather and the Australian traditions. Notice the party hats that everyone wears for Christmas dinner.


We really enjoyed the beach (a 3 min. drive away). This particular evening we went down there with family and friends and Bran did some off-shore fishing. He caught a stingray (not that that's what he was after)!


One evening the family all went to a park overlooking Perth city for a picnic. From left to right is Lisa, Wuss (our affectionate name for Bran's dad), then Ma, Charlene, and her husband Rich.


We went camping "down south" over the new years weekend with friends. Although we didn't have to worry about any visits from what I would consider the usual camping pests (like racoons) we were visited one night by a kangaroo who broke into our food.


Bran and I went down south to visit his relatives on the family farm for a couple days. We stopped at Hamilin Bay on the way and I took some photos of the beautiful beach.


This was our last day in Austraila. Bran and his sisters and brother in law took surfing lessons. My oversized belly and I just watched and swam.

Little Moments

I have a new fascination. Borderline obesession?...perhaps. Every morning right after I peel my eyes open I begin what is becoming my ritual belly-stare. Usually it is uneventful, yet somehow incredibly intriguing as I watch my ever growing bump pulsate with the life that is being pumped into the baby's tiny body inside. Some mornings, however, my staring is rewarded by a sudden thump that can only be a tiny fist or foot testing out the boundries of his small dwelling. it's on those mornings that I wake Brandon up to join me in my mezmorized staring. Unable to force his eyelids open, he usually substitutes watching with touching and sets his hand on my stomach. As I feel a twitch I look over to see a huge smile on what otherwise appears to be a sleeping face. It is in those moments that I am convinced I've been allowed to be a part of some inexplicable miracle. And if that isn't enough, I've been given an incredible man to share it with--someone who is not just happy for me, but who is marveling in this beautiful miracle just as I am. Thank you, Jesus, for the little moments.