We're a "2"

Had a doctor's appointment on Wednesday, the big 36 week check-up and we are dilated to a 2. Emma was at a 1 at this point in my pregnancy with her. We are anxious to see when things will get started rolling. We have the weekend planned out to celebrate Paul's birthday and are hoping against hope that we won't have this baby before or on next weekend, as Paul and I will be celebrating 5 years of marriage. I can hardly believe that we've been married that long - even though it seems as if we've known each other forever, it seems like only yesterday that we were making wedding plans. So we have two big celebratory weekends planned with a baby falling in the middle or after all of it!

Just waiting...

Paul and I figured it up last night - it's almost baby time around here! We have our 36 week appointment on Wednesday and after that we will see Dr. Abney every week! She said we should expect this baby to come around the same time Emma did...well, that means after Wednesday, we would go to next week's appointment and then deliver!!!! Crazy, huh? We can hardly believe it is coming so fast! We spent Saturday afternoon washing baby clothes and rearranging the nursery and have been talking to Emma about everything from having to move her car seat to make room for baby's to what it will be like when Mommy's in the hospital. She asks most mornings if we can "open up that baby" yet. A little name update -- the boy's name (the consensus around here is that it is a boy...) is Gabe Christian and the girl's - well, still in a bit of an upheaval - I know, I know, a little late for all of that, but I promise it's all been brought on by Paul! He's not so sure on Austen Bea anymore - leader of the pack so far is probably Jessyn Bea, with Maya close behind (not high on my list) and he's still pulling for his all-time favorite, Lauren. We will just have to see...no promises here, but I am the one who will be delivering the child...hmmm.

Moon Gazing

Emma and I went to our New Community service at church tonight while Paul stayed home to get caught up on some rest. It was a nice evening and the full moon shone bright, so bright that Em couldn't help but notice it and talk about it the whole ride home in the van. Every time it would get stuck behind a tree, she would wonder where it had gone and couldn't wait to get home because I told her we could see it really well from our back yard. We walked in the door and she ran to get Paul and had us all put on shoes and walk out into the back yard to see this big moon in the sky. It was a precious sight seeing her walk toward that big, far away moon and think she could catch it. First, we were on the deck and then she wanted to watch from the grass, then the fence, and finally, she asked if we could open the gate to the greenway and walk toward it. Neither of us could say no and I sat on the grass in the summer heat and watched as my daughter and her daddy walked hand in hand toward that big beautiful moon. I could hear her talking to him and asking him about the stars and lightning bugs and watched as they unsuccesfully tried to catch one. She walked back toward me telling me that moon was just too far away to catch and those lightning bugs were too hard to catch. She wanted to stay out there all evening and we promised her to make another moonlight visit tomorrow evening! We came in and sat at the table and had cookies and milk and she recounted the many fun stories from her Tot Zone experience that evening! What a fun age this is - what a blessed summer! I cannot but be awed at the family God has chosen for me. I wish you all a night of moon gazing in your near future!

Wedding Central

Well, it was the biggest wedding of our wedding-filled summer this past weekend!! Our good friend, Seth, married his beautiful bride, Holly, on Saturday evening. Paul was an usher and Em made her debut as flower girl!!! Something she's been very excited about! She had a beautiful pink dress and a white rose ball and her hair was pinned in curls all over her head. The ring bearer was a 3 year old named Micah whom Emma suffocated! She followed him everywhere and bossed him all around! They sprinted down the aisle in rehearsal Friday night, a relief since none of us thought they'd even make it down! Saturday when the doors opened, Emma spotted her Aunt Dara and began waving and getting all excited. They made it about a fourth of the way down when Micah spotted his little sister sitting in a pew, he decided to sit down beside her and Em - well, of course she followed! Took a seat right inside the pew. Paul had to move from the back doors to shoo them out of the pew and they made it the rest of the way to me at the front of the church with no hesitation! The new purse filled with toys helped my daughter, I'm sure! Nonetheless, it was a precious memory now stamped in my heart forever! The reception was a big party! We had so much fun! Emma danced til the very last song at 11:15! She's not stopped talking about Saturday since! What a fun day! Yeah God for Seth and Holly!

The Perry's as of July!!!

What a difference community makes!

So I just watched as my precious baby girl, Emma, walked up the street with Lexi and Jaeda to play for a few hours. As you know, our household has been turned upside down with this mono thing--but the amazing part is...our friends and community! We have been blessed with meals each night and someone to take Em to their house to play every single day that Paul hasn't been able to be home. We have friends who have come into our home and cleaned and played and cooked dinner so that I could get much needed rest. I feel so blessed and undeserving and yet I know this is how God calls us to live in community. I cannot imagine doing life any other way - my daughter knows love from so many different people and I love to watch her love them all right back. My husband has had a support system around him as he takes such amazing care of this household. I have been able to recover in peace and quiet. God has never left our side through all of this, even though I've tried to tackle so much of it on my own. I am forever moved and grateful for my wonderful friends and family and for the ways in which they've served us and Christ. I can only hope to have the same servant heart in any other situations we are faced with. God is so good!