Thankful!

Woah, has it already been a month since my last post???  I have been quite the lazy blogger.  Thankfully its because time has just gotten away from me.  I say thankfully because that means I haven't been sitting around anxiously counting each moment until September.  I still have my moments, but they are definitely farther apart than they were a few months ago!

On my last post, I requested prayers for my ultrasound a few weeks ago.  Thank you so much to all of you who lifted us up in prayer during that day.  We were incredibly nervous the day of the appointment... especially because the ultrasound tech was pretty stone faced for the first few minutes.  We briefly explained our story and why ultrasounds terrified us and she quickly became much more interactive and was great about reassuring us that everything looked good.  We felt even better when we met with our doctor again after the ultrasound and she again reassured us that HE is healthy.  We were happy to find out we are having another boy.  I was worried this would remind me too much of being pregnant with Isaiah, but thankfully it hasn't.  We have already thought of some names (and no we are not telling until he has made his debut!) and that has helped me bond with him.  This pregnancy will always remind me of Isaiah, but I want to bond with this little guy as his own distinct person.

Our days since then have been filled with fun things and a bit of busyness which has been wonderful.  We had a fun Easter brunch and celebration with my mom and  visited Matt's family in MN...and yes, it snowed in May.  Ridiculous if you ask me!

Matt has been keeping himself extremely busy.  He is diligently working on taking the 7 required exams to become a licensed architect.  They are all pretty intense but as of next Tuesday, he will be more than half way done!  He does like the house quiet while studying so I am trying to tip toe around and I am getting good at watching TV episodes on the iPad with my noise cancelling headphones.  It also doesn't hurt that I can't stay up past 10:00....ok most nights I am passed out on the couch by 8:30 or 9:00.  As long as I don't start snoring, that helps keep the place nice and quiet.

Matt has also signed up and started to train to run the Chicago Marathon in October with Team World Vision.  This team, made up of believers from around the Chicagoland area, is raising funds for World Vision, an organization near and dear to our hearts.   World Vision works with communities in need around the world to help provide things like clean water, nutritious food, education, medical care and economic opportunity. We have been sponsoring three children in Africa, Ntilibabi and Bilibi from Ghana and Warku (who shares a birthday with Isaiah) from Ethiopia and it has been such a blessing to watch our money go to things like getting Ntilibabi her first pair of shoes, helping the community that she and Bilibi live in get a well to provide clean drinking water, and providing food and water during times of great drought to Warku's community.  I am thrilled to see the amazing things that world vision will be able to provide with the money that Team World Vision will raise.  If you are interested in sponsoring him, check out this website: 

http://twv.convio.net/site/TR/TeamWorldVision/General?px=1161775&pg=personal&fr_id=1430

I think back to life a year ago.  I was thankful just to get through the day without crying more than once and now I feel like I have so many things to be truly excited about and thankful for.  That doesn't negate the pain that Matt and I have been through, but it reminds me that in His time, He makes all things new and truly does turn our mourning into dancing!