Yes, I'm still around :)

It seems like forever since I've sat down and written.  Life has been so busy and with the warmer weather there just seems to be so much more to do.

I'll give a summary as to what we've been up to the past month or so.

This pregnancy is going well.  The baby is healthy and is getting more & more active.  I was 20 weeks on Saturday so we're half-way there.  We found out at my 17 week ultrasound that we are expecting another baby girl.  She is healthy, which is the most important thing.  Hailey is excited to be getting "our" baby and is looking forward to giving the baby her bed (Hailey sleeps in the crib with one side rail off so it's more like a toddler bed).  Ethan was a bit disappointed at first because he really wanted a baby brother but he has adjusted and said he needs to get the baby a princess outfit.  

It is amazing to me how that God uses every occasion in our lives to teach and mold us.  I recently became aware of how much my attitude was being affected by the world and things that I was reading and allowing to come into my mind.  I "thought" it was just pregnancy hormones but after prayer (and a good "talking-to" from my husband) I realized just how pervasive I had allowed these things to become.  I thank God for my husband who will "tell it like it is" to me (in love of course ;) ).   So other than a recent attitude adjustment I'm doing well with this pregnancy :)

In other "news" my grandmother passed away last Tuesday (May 27th).  She had fallen a couple weeks before and broken 6 ribs.  Apparently that fall caused a blood clot which caused a pulmonary embolism.  She passed very quickly and we rejoice that she is home with the Lord and not suffering anymore.  Per her request my younger brother performed the funeral service and did a wonderful job.  He presented a very clear gospel message while also honoring my grandmother with a very personal touch.  

I have to say one of the blessings of my grandmother's passing was to see the tender hearts that my children have for people.  On Tuesday, after receiving the call from my mom that my grandmother had passed, I explained to the kids that we would be going north to spend the day with Mimi.  I explained that Mimi might be sad and they may see her cry.  We talked about my gram and that while we are happy that she's with Jesus we miss her and so are sad.  My son's first response after hearing that Mimi might be sad was "mommy, if I give Mimi a hug will that help her not be so sad?", my daughter immediately piped in with "I'll give her kisses so she's not so sad".  I said that was a wonderful idea.  A little while later my son came up to me and quietly said "mommy, I'm going to draw Mimi a picture of a smiley face so that she can be happy" he proceeded to go downstairs pull out paper & crayon and draw a smiley face inside of a heart.  He guarded that picture all the way to my mom's house and explained why he had drawn the picture.  These may sound like small things but it was encouraging to me to see them both thinking of how to help others and coming up with ideas of their own.

While we are certainly saddened to not have my gram here with us it has been such a wonderful reminder of the blessings God gives to us here on earth and also the eternal blessings that as believers we will have when we pass from this life.

So that is a basic summary of the big events in our lives.