Four Years and Counting

On November 28, Chris and I will have been married for four years (and together as a couple for nearly nine).

Looking back, I’m thankful that we’ve had each other’s love and support through so many of life’s ups and downs. Looking ahead, I’m praying that God will help me to resemble the Biblical descriptions of a Godly wife more and more.

For the husbands and wives out there (and for those of you praying for a future spouse), I’d like to share the Amplified translation of Ephesians 5:33. Since I’m not a Hebrew and Greek scholar, I appreciate how the AMP expands words and phrases to capture the connotations of the original text:

We're Having a Baby!

It's true! We're about to help increase the Hispanic population in our area. ¡Olé! Here are some answers to frequently asked questions we’ve received about our pregnancy:

1. When’s the due date? June 11, 2013.


2. Was it a surprise or were you trying? For about a year, Chris and I took the “whatever happens, happens” stance and left it in God’s hands.


3. Will you find out the gender? Yes. (I can sense judgment from the pro-surprise crowd as I type this.) We just want to know, okay?


4. Do you prefer a boy or a girl? We’ll be thrilled with either.


5. Do you have morning sickness? Thankfully, no! I just feel much more tired than usual.


6. Do you have names picked out? We’re flip-flopping on a few. We’ll share them once we’re a little more decided. When that time comes, please let us know if we’ve inadvertently chosen the name of an infamous ax murderer or someone you couldn’t stand in high school. 


7. Are you and Chris excited? Yes, definitely. We’re also terrified. We’re grateful that we have God’s strength to rely on, however, as well as an amazing support system of family and friends. I’m also thankful for my wonderful husband, whose quiet strength and unwavering faith keeps me sane.


8. Will you (Michelle) go back to work? Yes, I will. Although it’ll be tough for me to kiss our baby goodbye each morning and head to the office, I’m extremely thankful for my job, and I wouldn’t want to lose it. We’re going to try to work things out so that my mother can help with childcare. There’s no doubt that our baby will be in great hands… Although, he or she may learn to talk with my mom's Brooklyn accent. I can hear it now: Yo, Ma! You gonna fix me a bottle or what? I ain’t got all day! I’m starvin’ ovuh heah! (Cute, right?)


9. How do you feel about people touching your stomach? Okay, no one really asks this, but I just wanted to say that I’ve never been a touchy-feely person. Being pregnant isn’t going to change that. I won’t slap your hand away or anything, but if you can resist rubbing my belly like I’m some kind of good-luck-Buddha, that’ll be great.


10. How can we pray for you? Please pray for a healthy pregnancy, and that our child will come to know Jesus and learn to walk in His ways. Pray for Chris and I as we plan and prepare for parenthood (or at least try to). Pray also that we’ll miraculously be able to sell our house and move closer to our jobs in York by the time the baby arrives. Thanks so much!

The Time I Played Hooky

Caught in the act (skipping school at age 6)

Growing up, did you struggle to understand how to please the people who raised you? Unless your folks were as blissfully yoked as Ward and June Cleaver, I’ll assume that you can relate on some level.

My parents have vastly different personalities, and they express their approval in different ways, for different reasons. It was tricky for me as a kid to grasp what sort of behaviors could make both of them happy.

For instance, one morning when I was in first grade, my mom determined that I should stay home from school. I wasn’t sick or even pretending to be sick. She simply felt that it was best not to interrupt my creative flow. At the breakfast table, I’d started some “masterpiece” in marker, and she couldn’t bear to ask me to stop. My dad had already left for work, so she made the executive decision to keep me home without his input.