Broken

I am still on my journey to become more like Christ. Boy a journey I have been on lately. Something I remembered about Jesus lately is that He was broken. He was broken in many ways. His heart was broken for the sins of the people. He was saddened by what this world had become. His heart was breaking for us and still does.

Jesus was also broken before He died. He cried out to God asking Him to take the cup from him 3 different times. (Matthew 26:36-46) Even though He was broken and crying out to God to take away what He was going to have to do, He also said "Your will be done" (verse 42)

Jesus was also physically broken for us. His blood was shed and his body was broken was for us. He knew He was going to have to die for us and came to this earth anyway. At the passover He told His disciples what was going to happen. (Matthew 26:26-30) Then He died a physical death for us!! (Matthew 27:27-56) But He is risen and now we can live eternally with Him and have forgiveness of sins and salvation! (Matthew 28:1-10)

Jesus was broken in many different ways. He was broken emotionally, spiritually, and physically. When I started this journey to learn more about Jesus and to become more like Him I asked the Lord to break me, grow me, and deepen our relationship. I said that in my first post about wanting to go deep with Jesus. Let me tell you, He is giving me what I asked for. I have been broken in many ways lately. I have been broken mainly emotionally and spiritually. Jesus has shown me things that have broken my heart. He has taken me to points where I am not comfortable and I just dont like. He has broken me spiritually and shown me where I am weak and where I need to go. And let me tell you, it has been hard. It has not been easy. But through it I am growing. I am learning to trust like I have never done before. I am learning to daily surrender my life to Him and rely on Him constantly. I am learning to seek Him first and when things are not going well to look to Him. I am learning that even though we have to go through hard times, it makes us stronger in Christ. I am going through a time where Satan likes to attack me at every corner every second He can. I am learning to shield myself with Christ and His word. Nothing can get through that shield.

It has been a tough experience. I am not going to say I enjoy it because I dont. But I know what I am learning through it is priceless. Because of that I am thankful. Am I ready to be out of this "storm"??? Yes! I feel as though I am getting there. It takes time and God as my partner to get there. Together we will do it! I am going to be just fine!! I will make it through and I already feel stronger than I did when I started this journey and that was my prayer, so I am thankful for that! God will never give us more than we can handle. It may not always be fun to handle it, but we can handle it with Him!

How are you broken today?? How are you leaning on God in your brokeness?? Will you cry out to God like Jesus did?? Or will you try to lean on yourself??

Have a great day!

19 weeks - cant believe it!

Pregnancy Highlights:
Week: 19

Fruit/Veggie: Heirloom Tomato

Baby Changes: Our baby's sensory development is EXPLODING! Its brain is designating special areas for taste, smell, sight, hearing, and touch. It is also possible the baby can now hear our voices! Baby Webster will hear daddy's singing voice every Wednesday! Our baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and is about 6 inches long. Our baby's arms and legs are now in proportion to the other parts of its body! Its kidneys are continuing to make urine and it is "sprouting" hair on its head. Our baby is forming a waxy coating on its skin called vernix caseosa to protect it from "pickling" in the amnotic fluid. Our baby is also producing meconium. It is amazing to see how much a baby develops in just one week!

Gender: Just want to know! 1 week from tomorrow, May 3rd, we will find out. Then I can stop calling our baby "it".

Movement: I am feeling baby more and more!! It is the coolest experience. I feel like it is saying, hey mom, how are you??

Sleep: sleep is about the same. Sleeping well and about a normal amount of time - 7-8 hours a night.

Symptoms: I had some really bad stomach aches last week. My stomach just hurt. It wasnt like muscle pain from muscles being stretched, but just a stomach ache. It was hurting after I ate every time and I was getting sharp pains. I have not had these in several days so maybe it is passed!!

Daddy Update: He is doing great! He is excited for next week as well to know if he will be wrapped around a little girls fingers or playing sports with a boy! He did feel the baby move, BARELY, but just a little. I hope he gets to feel it stronger soon! He is busy with renovations go on at church and life with me. He is so strong and helps me through all my emotional spells :) I wouldnt want to be going through this with any other man on this earth!

News: I signed my contract last Thursday which is a praise! I had Friday off so Aaron and I slept in. I cannot sleep in as late as I used to be able to which is kind of sad. But it is also good since that will all disappear soon!We cleaned the house up, then we decided to go looking for Easter clothes. We both found some. Then we went to Orange Leaf and tried them out and loved them. We will for sure be going back, plus Katy teachers get a discount! :) Then we went home and got ready and headed to a really nice Good Friday service. We also watched The Passion of the Christ to be reminded of the great sacrifice God made for us.

Saturday we slept in again. Then we decided we had a great Chick-fil-A lunch, headed to Best Buy to "look" for a "little bit" but ended up buying a new router and internet service which is turning out to be worse than we had and spent 2 hours at the store. The 2 hours was just fine but realizing this service is worse was a bummer. We will go back to Comcast. We then went on a date and saw Source Code and it was a really good movie! Then headed home to cook steaks and corn on the cob on the grill and relax together.

We had 2 wonderful Easter services on Sunday. Watch them on lwnaz.org if you missed them. We went to the Shinn's for lunch and to hang out with a bunch of people until about 6 pm. Aaron played basketball while I chatted and snacked all afternoon :) with the women. Overall, great week and weekend! I get to go to OKC this weekend and see friends and go to Laura's wedding which I am really looking forward to!!

Next week I will blog on Tuesday instead of Monday so that the gender can be revealed!!!

Days until due date: 146 days!

Mommy to Be

18 weeks..almost half way there!

Pregnancy highlights:
Week: 18

Fruit/Veggie: Sweet potato

Baby Changes: Our little peanut is just growing a lot!!! It is about the length of a bell pepper or 5 1/2 inches long and weighs almost 7 ounces. Getting close to 1 pound!! Our baby is flexing its arms and legs a lot now. Blood vessels are visible through its skin and its ears are now in place. Myelin is starting to form around its nerves. If its a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If its a boy, his "parts" are now visible. Its exciting and cool and see our little one grow every week!! Ossification is also happening this week which is the hardening of our baby's bones. Its sense of smell, taste, sight, and hearing are also forming and developing. Lots of developing happening this week and that is exciting!!!

Gender: Healthy, happy baby! We will find out in 2 weeks and I am really excited!!!

Movement: I am feeling baby move quite a bit now!! It really is the coolest experience ever. Feeling a little thump and knowing its your baby is amazing! I cant wait for Aaron to feel it!

Sleeping: I am sleeping very well :) If I am really busy during the day and go a lot, I am wiped at night. But for the most part I have normal energy.

Symptoms: I have been having leg cramps. Last week I got a "Charlie Horse" cramp and my calf hurt really bad for several days. It hurt to walk. My mom said she got leg cramps a lot during pregnancy.

Daddy update: He is doing awesome. He is of course ready to feel the baby move in my belly. He is starting to notice my belly more and can see it a little better now. Yesterday I was told it looked like I ate to much :) I guess thats better than getting as big as a house. I think he is getting more excited as time goes on to meet our baby. Last night we were talking and it seems like so long ago that we found out but also has gone fast. We have known now for 14 weeks, 3 1/2 months! Thats crazy!

News: Last weekend we had the 30 hour famine. I obviously didnt participate :) Aaron did and he did so great! The students had a lot of fun and with the help from our students and a few from other churchs, we raised over $5000 and that will feed 14 children for a year!! This week has been busy but good. I should get to sign my teaching contract for next year so thats a relief!! I will be glad once it is signed :)

I am excited for this Friday! I have it off and get to spend it with my hubby! I love these days. We get to sleep in and do whatever we please :) We are enjoying these last few that we have before baby!!!

Next week will be busy as well with District Assembly at our church, TAKS testing at school, and me going to OKC for Laura's wedding. Lots of exciting things happening. Until next time..

153 more days until baby Webster's due date!!!

Mommy to Be!

Baby Webster - Week 17

Pregnancy Highlights:

Week of pregnancy: 17

Fruit/Veggie: Onion

Baby Changes: Our baby is also about the size of our palm as well as an onion. Our baby's soft cartilage is changing to bone this week. Its umbilical cord is growing longer and stronger this week and is its lifeline to the placenta. Our baby weighs about 5 ounces (about the size of a turnip) and is about 5 inches long from head to toe. Our baby can move its joints and its sweat glands are developing. Our baby is starting to form fat as well. Our baby's heartbeat is controlled by the brain now and it was 145 last night. Our baby is practicing sucking and swallowing.

Gender: Just a healthy baby! We find out in 3 weeks! :)

Movement: I have been feeling baby Webster move more and more. I have to be sitting down to feel it but I can tell it is for sure the baby. It is so cool!!! It makes me so excited each time I feel it and makes my heart skip a beat.

Sleeping: My sleeping is ok. I have always slept on my sides, so not being able to sleep on my stomach is not a huge issue for me.

Symptoms. SO BLESSED!! Still no symptoms and feeling wonderful!!

Daddy update: He is doing well. He is ready to be able to feel the baby move as well. He is getting excited to meet our baby as am I. Yesterday he was telling someone he was very excited and couldn't wait to be able to have a kid to help with yard work and to give illustrations at church with :)

News: We went to San Antonio this past week just for a get away. It was great. We really had a lot of fun just spending time together with just us. We know that time is precious and will soon be gone so we are enjoying it as much as we can right now.

I am waiting to hear this week as to if I will have a job next year or not because of budget cuts and layoffs. We know that the Lord will take care of us no matter what. We are trusting Him and His judgement and timing and decision.

Youth is really busy right now with College Days, 30 hour famine, youth led Bible study, Extravaganza, camp, NYC. Lots going on keeping Aaron and I busy. Plus I am doing cheerleading at school so that keeps us busy as well. We are enjoying life and loving each other! We got to the dr. April 26th for our check-up then we will go the first week in May for an u/s to see what gender we have. Thats about all for now! See you next week! :)

Days until Baby is due: 160

Mommy to Be

16 weeks/4 months!

Pregnancy Highlights:

Week number: 16

Fruit/veggie: Avacado

Baby Changes this week: The next few weeks our baby is going to double its size in weight and add inches to its length! That is crazy!!! Right now our baby is about 4 1/2 inches long and about 3 1/2 ounces. I remember when it was the size of a poppy seed!! So crazy! Our babies legs are getting longer and its eyes are moving more toward the center of the face now. His/her ears are ALMOST in position now. The patterning in the scalp has begun, but no hair is visible yet. Our baby will grow toenails this week as well!!! Our baby's heart is pumping about 25 quarts of blood a day!! That is impressive for an avacado! :)

Gender: Like always, we just want it to be healthy but we would prefer a boy first. I now think it might be a boy, but who knows :) We will find out the first week of May. I CANNOT WAIT!

Movement: I felt something Saturday and Sunday (April 2 and 3). It feel like someone thumped the inside of me. It was a strong thump so I know it was baby :) It was pretty amazing!

Sleep: I still am so blessed and sleeping well!! I feel like I need so much of it and could always use a nap but that comes with the territory I suppose. :)

Symptoms: I have been SO BLESSED!! Besides aches and pains here and there, I have felt wonderful my whole pregnancy. I can eat what I want when I want to and feel great!! I am so thankful!! I was really worried about this before pregnancy.

Daddy Update: He is doing great!!! He looked at our picture from the ultrasound on the fridge last night and said "Hi Peanut". I think it is sinking in a little more for him. He is going to be such a great dad!!! I think once we know the sex we will start thinking more heavily on things like bedding, furniture, name, etc.

News: Everything is going great. I am still not showing much. Someone told me yesterday I dont even look pregnant and I am 4 months now! I like to hear that but I dont. It helps me know I am gaining only the healthy amount for the baby (6 pounds so far and doctor last week said I was right on track and doing great!) but at the same time I want the baby belly :) I know it will come in time and when it does (especially August and September) I am going to wish I just had a tiny bump :) I am also ready to start feeling baby more. Feeling those few thumps was so great!!! I loved it!! I cant wait to feel baby more!

Aaron and I are taking a San Antonio trip this weekend just overnight for a little get away. We really need it. I am excited to spend some quality time with him doing something we dont normally do. He is my world and I am so thankful for my wonderful husband!!!

See you next week at week 17!! 167 days until baby Webster's due date!

Mommy to Be!

Countdowns!!!

There are several countdowns I have going that I am pretty excited about! Here they are.

1) San Antonio get away with my hubby: April 8 - Days Left: 3

2)Laura's Wedding/Oklahoma City get away: April 28 (day I leave) - Days left: 23 days

3)Finding out the sex of our baby! May 3rd - if everything works out like it should. Days left: 28

4) Mothers Day Tea with mom and sis: May 6 - Days left: 31

5) OKC (for extrav, but I just love going and seeing all my friends!!): May 27 - Days left: 52

6) Last day of school: June 2nd - Days Left: 58

7) NYC with our kiddos: July 4th - Days left:

8) My parents repainting rooms in my house: July 4th - Days Left: 92

9) My 3 year anniversary: July 26th - Days left: 112

10) Colorado trip with my family: July 30 - Days left: 116

12) Labor day weekend (Naz nite/family reunion): Sept. 2 - Days left: 150

11) Baby Webster is DUE: Sept 19 - Days left: 167

So many exciting things in the near future!!! I just cant wait for all of them :)