15 Weeks, 4 Days In

Well, we had our second appointment with Linda. Because it was a general check-up and we knew the appointment would only last about 15 minutes, Tim did not go ... just Katie and baby. Baby's heartbeat came in at 154 and it was recorded. The recording did not turn out as nicely as the first one, but we still have it. Linda was happy with what she heard. I asked all of my questions, and we were on our way.

In the next few weeks, Katie should be able to feel Baby Liby move more consistently -- which will be awesome! Also, we scheduled our next appointment, which will be our ultrasound -- yeah!!! We can't wait to get another glimpse at baby. We are going to try to record it so that we can post it up to the site.

Tim worked in the bedroom/nursery this weekend (which, if we don't finish before baby comes, we will rename it the mastursery, or something!). :) What he is doing right now is slow-going, but after this big project gets done, we should be able to move much faster.

Katie finishes with class next week -- this semester flew by! When she finishes, she will be done until probably next January. She is opting out of Fall classes, since baby is coming in October and that would definitely coincide with class. She has a ton to do this weekend to finish, and is praying for wisdom and strength to finish well. Honestly, with everything else going on, she can't wait to be finished, so this is a good thing!!

Big garage sale at Auntie Anne and Uncle Jeff's home this weekend ... should be fun. Katie is going to be helping out there for a bit, but Tim will be slaving away on the house again (as he will most every weekend until Baby comes). Katie might need to find a quite place to do homework since Tim likes to bring out every power tool he owns for his projects! :)

We promise to post photos soon, so keep checking back.

Love,
Tim & Katie

A Baby is Coming

Dear Friends and Family,

Well, the time has come … Parenthood is looming before us! We couldn’t be more excited … busy … blessed … nervous … then we are right now. We know that God has timed and created this baby perfectly for us and can’t wait to meet him/her.

We found out on February 23 that baby was on the way -- which began our walk into Parenthood. We had our first doctors appointment on March 7 (which was an information only appointment) and met with our Midwife (the Fabulous Linda French) on March 28. It was at this appointment that we heard baby's heartbeat (which we recorded and it will soon be added to the site). It was 171 bpm. Linda moved to Katie's heartbeat (coming in at a normal rate) and the difference between the two was crazy!

As if hearing the heartbeat wasn't awesome enough, we were able to get an ultrasound to help determine our due date (October 18). This was perhaps one of the most amazing experiences of our married life ... to actually see life moving inside of Katie ... wow! Arms and legs kicking and moving ... a-mazing! Our next appointment is April 28, at which Katie will probably hear the heart beat again (Tim is not going to this appointment due to work stuff).

Katie felt the first flutter in her belly on April 10 while laying in bed. Tim, being half-asleep didn't have too much to say about it (he was excited, but, well, sleeping). While she hasn't felt the baby move since then, it did keep her up for a long time in awe and wonder, hoping to feel another little movement. It was a true blessing to feel movement as she had been asking God to help her be aware for a few weeks.

The thing that is sticking out the most to Katie right now is the way that God created women to have babies. It is quite intriguing that anyone could walk through a pregnancy and believe that humans just happened ... that they evolved from nothing. There are so many things that occur in a woman's body when she is pregnant that to think that it all happened by chance, at the right time, in the right order seems ... well, unthinkable and impossible.

Psalm 139:13 - 16 states:
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

It takes a lot of the stress and pressure off of us knowing that God is creating this life, and that He knows about every day it will live. We just can't wait to meet this child that God is knitting together in Katie's womb!

An update of where we are at with the house: As some of you know, there is not a wall between what will be the nursery and what will be the master bedroom (ask Tim if you want the details of why we had to resupport the wall!) Tim is busy working on that every weekend that he is available. We also have many other projects going in the house that we would really love to have done before Baby Liby comes, so it is going to be a busy summer!

Signing off for now ...

Tim & Katie