Kidney Bean, Top of Your Thumb, Brasil Nut, Raspberry, Gummy Bear

It's too bad this isn't live action...you could see it's little heart beating so strong! We had our first appointment today which established the official due date at December 4th 2010. My guess was the 2nd, I was close! It was so amazing to see a live picture of our little baby. I think it made it real for Matt. After they took the first picture and stepped out of the room we both looked at each other with the same look we had when we found out we were pregnant...profoundly excited, in love and scared out of our minds! Everything is just fine for both of us!

First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage....

Obviously there have been a lot of changes and exciting things happening in our lives lately. Our wedding was absolutely amazing. I would not have changed a thing about the day. What I will remember the most is the feeling I had sitting up at the alter with Matt. I couldn't stop smiling and feeling so comfortable with life. I saw people in the pews but they seemed like miles away to me. I felt like I was in a bubble all night long. Besides the joy of being married to the most wonderful man, was the love that I felt from everyone around us. I heard such heartfelt words from my coworkers, friends, new relatives, cousins, sisters, parents, and everyone. I really felt that our love was shared by everyone who joined us for our special day! Matt and I bicker and banter but we try to constantly remind each other that we need to be a positive image of love and marriage to the world around us.

It took a couple of weeks to get used to living with each other and the different styles we both have. It can still be challenging here and there but we are really enjoying just being together and everything that comes with owning a home and starting a young family. Matt built two raised vegetable beds and we spent a whole afternoon loading up compost from the dump to fill them in. We make a pretty good team when it comes to painting. I do the trim and Matt fills it in. We even tiled our basement together. Matt's dad showed us how to lay the tile and then Matt took over while I followed behind grouting it. We try our best to make our home nice and presentable in a neighborhood full of run-down college rentals and otherwise shady junk houses. We have a long list of to-dos around the yard and house but we are checking them off slowly. I try not to let it overwhelm me because we get a lot of enjoyment and fulfilment out of doing these things on our own together.

I got pretty used to coming home to a warm dinner every night but since Matt has been helping his brother get his business up on it's feet, we are getting a taste of what it will be like to both be working 9-5. Matt has the opportunity to put an end to his sailing career and go into business with his brother based out of the family's farm just north of town. Being home has meant the world to both of us, I sometimes forget that this wasn't always the plan. Now we can't imagine what it would be like for him to have to leave again although we know it may still be a possibility or a back-up if things don't take off with the new endeavor. I can't imagine that being the case. I am so proud of Matt's brother for the entrepreneur that he is and so thankful for the opportunity to have my husband home with me every night!

We announced just a couple weeks ago to family and friends the soon-to-be arrival of our first little baby dutt expected to join us around Thanksgiving! Boy, what a thing to be thankful for!!

This will be number 22 for my family and number 2 for Matt's! Laura just gave birth to #21, little miss Evangeline. Boy is she cute and chubby and pretty much perfect. She was just over 10 pounds and I was so sad that I missed her birthday while I was travelling for my job. I will see her for the first time this weekend when I go back home for Lexi's first communion. I can't imagine how I can love someone more than I love all these children. Impossible.

As long as I'm feeling well, we plan to do a lot of camping, canoeing, and going up to the lake this summer. Maybe even some Jeeping if Matt's a good boy. We have a couple of very special weddings to attend which will be all the more enjoyable knowing that we'll never have to plan one of those again ;)

God is so good to us in so many ways. It's no secret that I am an anxious person but I feel a lot of peace about the near future and pray that all of you can experience the love of God that we feel every day!