33 weeks!!!

Dear Emma,
I realize that I have not been writing to consistantly, and that makes me sad :( but I have been JUST so busy because of the move, family visits, and chasing your bro around... BUT, this does not mean that I don;t talk about you ALL the time, and think about you constantly...

We are 33 weeks along, which seems so crazy that we are already here! 33 weeks is pretty close! I'm so excited to meet you! I have been feeling very tight, and I told your daddy today that it seems like my tummy is not stretching with you! Ugh, it feels like my muscles and tummy are playing catch up to how fast you are growing! It actually hurts, and I feel a constant pain in my upper stomache since the muscles are having to stretch so much. Especially the side you like the most. You are always wedging yourself up in my right side, and into my ribs! So that side is always sore not matter what! I sometimes will slowly push you over to the other side to give my right side a break, but you never stay, and always head back to your favorite spot. hahaha!

You are one ACTIVE little girl. I can now say with such great confidence that you are about TWICE as active as Eli was in my tummy! You are kicking me all the time, plus just squirming around. You like to move a lot, and the time you actually move the most is at night when I lay down to go to sleep. You start your engine, and make my stomach do crazy things. I wish I had a camera in bed so I could record how many shapes you make my stomache do! Its incredible and always gets a reaction from your daddy. Hey, speaking of your daddy, It's only fair to warn you that he is always talking about how you will never be allowed to date... Just warning you now so it's no surprise that when all your other friends are dating, you may be having a daddy tagging along ;) haha... He loves you so much and is so excited to meet you.

We just peeked at you again 2 days ago, and you are soooooooooooooooooo cute! We saw you smile, open your eyes, and suck your thumb! You were almost 33 weeks at that point, and seemed so fully grown! Hard to believe you still have a ways to go! I always get so excited to spy on you, and so does your daddy, but Eli does not like anyone else touching mommy's tummy, so he was not as excited! He in fact was trying to climb up to me and get the lady to stop doing the ultrasound! Hahaha!

Your uncle C.J. just got back from being out to sea for 8 months or so, and it's been really fun hanging out with your auntie Jessica, your cousin Nicholas, and your uncle. We have had so much fun all together again, and it was REALLY fun because your daddy, Eli, and I got to go greet him getting off the ship! It was so touching watching your cousin Nic run to his daddy after not seeing him for so long. Now they will all be around and close again, so they will be here when you are born! Yay!Grandma Darcie is praying that you will arrive right on time because she and all the family are heading to Oregon for the last week of July, and that is very close to your due date. So if you could, at least wait till August, I know they would all really appreciate it ;) haha... I don't personally think you would come that early, but heck... what do I know!?

Waiting for uncle CJ to get off the ship :)

All right little one, your daddy is going to rub my aching back and legs now, and then we are going to bed! Love you! Love you! Love you! Can't wait to meet you! My little baby girl :)

Hope in a Nutshell and Family Growth

Dear Emma,
I am so bad at writing these days! So much is happening, and so much is going on that I don't even know where to start... So, we are getting prepared to move soon... Your daddy is working really hard on improvements to the house we are moving into. Can't wait! I'm so excited. We will hopefully have everything together by the time you get here! Hopefully! Our days are spent running errands, visiting daddy at the house to bring him lunch, and cleaning! Elijah has been so good with all the stuff going on, but did get sick a few days ago, which then got me sick! We were both pretty miserable, and talk about terrible timing since we have so much going on! Plus, your daddy preaches this Sunday at church, so he needed a lot of prep-time for that on top of his homework for school, and him working on our house! He took care of us though, and took a day off to help me with Elijah, and just getting better. I'm so happy though that all of this business is going on, because we have been waiting for a long while to get into this place, so we are thankful for the work that is taking place.
This has been such a growing time for us a a family. Your daddy and I have gotten a lot closer through all that has been going on in our lives. It's been a hard stretch of time for me emotionally and physically, and a bit stressful for daddy since he's in-between jobs, and sometimes gets antsy in that area. We have both been able to come to each other and voice our concerns, fears, and anxieties that have been weighing on us. It was such a cool evening when everything sort of hit the fan for us, and we talked out everything and were able to really support and understand where each other were coming from. I treasure those times since it reveals to us how God is growing us as a couple, and how God will always stretch and grow us as a family to trust in Him. There was a break in in the house we are going to be moving into, and it came at thee worst time. It was so emotionally hard to deal with. I really don't care about material loss (which there was none since the place is empty) it was the knowing someone yucky was in our home, and was trying to do a bad thing. Your daddy was immediately able to recognize the situation for what it was, which was a spiritual and emotional attack. He knew there was something to learn from it, and he felt peace sooner than I could. I was struggling with everything, and was unable to find comfort in God. I knew I had to pray, and that praying would help, but I was too busy being worried. SO LAME! Then I received a letter from a friend basically saying she felt like God was prompting her to write to me and she had the same message of hope that Mike had. Although I trust your daddy fully, it was like God was meeting me where I was at, and sent someone to me with words of encouragement. It was so humbling that God would reach out to me like that through a friend. I'm thankful she listened to God's voice and wrote me that letter which I shared with your daddy later. Your daddy was blessed by it too, and we were finally able to come together in prayer about the whole thing. Let me tell you Emma, prayer works! It's so comforting knowing that we can talk to our God and that He loves us and wants to speak to us. We are all going to have so much to learn together Emma! You, your daddy, Eli and I are going to be growing as a family, and growing in God's grace. I can't wait to see how God brings us together in His will. I pray that we are able to share so much of our relationship with Jesus as a family. I want you to know how great our God is, how much He loves us, and How awesome it is to bring Him glory.
I can't wait to meet you Emmasita! Oh yeah, that's what we call you. Hahaha... We call you Emmasita all the time. Or Emmers, or Em... You've already got nick names ;) Aaaaaaaaaaaaah, it's like so close yet so far! We got to peek at you in 3D a few days ago at our doctor appointment, and you are just so darling! You move and kick so much that you are always shocking the doctors and nurses when they see you on the ultrasounds! I just tell them, "You have no idea! This girl never stops!" You really do move so much, and I feel you so strongly! It's crazy! I thought no baby could move as much as your brother Eli, but you have for sure out moved even him. He was a mover and kicker too, but I think you've got him beat! haha.