Aaaand it's done

Our house went under contract within 6 days of being on the market. Everyone has stories of how fast their homes sold in the past but I didn't count on us being one of them. Fortunately, we had a lot of interested buyers and more than one offer so when this one in particular looked good, we took it! We are very thankful and will miss this house so much.

Now to begin the big time packing. I have a hard time bending over with my baby belly, get fully exhausted  after climbing 2 sets of stairs and notice that my feet start swelling with the smallest standing tasks so this should be fun. I also need to determine where everything we own goes - does it stay with us packed in light suitcases? Does it get fully wrapped and sealed and put into long term storage? Does it get thrown out/donated/given away? Thankfully, there isn't a whole lot going on right now besides planning my best friend's (!!!) bridal shower - which I love to do. If anyone loves to pack or watch one of the world's cutest little girls let me know.

In this season of major changes for our family, I've also noticed how incredibly overwhelming the world we are living in is. I feel that this is my time to simplify and reduce the worries. Everyone has something to say about your health care, your hobbies, your parenting style, your diet, the car you're driving, the household organization your using, etc. I cannot keep up. And I'm OK with that. I fully understand that these are folk's opinions or honest to goodness attempts at seemingly bettering the lives of others and I'm very thankful for our incredible outlets of social media that allow us to do this. But I find myself needing to draw back. There is no place for guilt in my life right now. We are trying to be the best stewards of what we've been given and I can't put outside pressure on myself. What does this mean? Well, I buy Cheez-its and let my daughter eat them. I can't always afford the non-GMO/all organic/artificial flavor-free treats.  We eat at Chick-fil-A a lot and I get Carmen 4 count nuggets, the fruit cup and chocolate milk every time. I don't feel guilty. I drive an SUV and use a lot of gas. So be it. I don't keep labeled clothing bins or organized cleaning product baskets (some day I will!). I don't Purell Carmen's hands unless I'm completely grossed out with where we've been. I usually forget to even wash her hands. She has eaten a handful of topsoil straight out of the bag - literally - and swallowed it all. We just washed it down with water, because, what else could we do?! I don't have the energy or desire to meal plan above and beyond the following check list: Are we getting protein? Are there good nutrients in it? Will it fill our bellies? Is there cheese in my future? And there we have it. Thankfully we have no reason to cut out certain food groups and take on the anxiety of all that - that would be too much for me right now. All I'm trying to express here is that, if it fits for you, living intentionally yet with no fads to follow can be acceptable and, in my case, burden-lifting. The comparison game is exhausting and not the way the Lord calls us to live. I have to actively release the guilt I feel when I read a snippet of someones recommendations for doing something better. I'm picking my battles cautiously these days and training my mind to be set on things above. It's the only way I can live. I'm probably in a small minority of northern VA minds, but I'd rather be here. I'm so grateful for God's gifts in my life and my intention is to approach each day with thankfulness in everything.

Selling Our Home

 We have no real updated news yet other than the fact that we put our home on the market a few days ago. It's bittersweet for us. We're excited about the prospects but a little sad to say goodbye to our first official home. We are planning on staying in the area until we know more about where Michael's job may take us in the future. It's all unknown, but that's alright with us. We're trusting and trying to patiently lean on the Lord for his timing and provision. 

Our house sure is pretty! You know how staging and organizing makes you look at your rooms in a whole other way? Well, our space looks great and we, of course, wish we hadn't waited so long to rearrange a couple rooms. If you know our address you can google it and see the official listing and check out a few more pictures that I didn't take. Our patio, flower beds and grass are so pretty now too! Michael does a great job gardening and caring for our yard. We plan on soaking it all in until the time comes to move out. 

Here are some pictures I snapped as I was leaving it ready for a showing. If anyone needs to buy a perfect family townhome, act quickly! It's a great one. 

The Name

Our baby boy is 

Brooks Logan Daubert

We love his name and cannot wait to see his sweet life. 

Back before Carmen was born, Michael latched on to the name "Brooks" and I grew fond of it too. We're not sure where he got the idea from. We don't know anyone named Brooks other than a pro-hockey player and a pro-baseball player, but they weren't the original source of liking that name. We just do. "Logan" is a given because one: it's awesome and two: it's Michael's middle name. For the past two years we've talked about little Brooks. We always knew we'd have him but didn't know when we'd get to meet him - until now!

Michael mentioned him by name during the gender reveal ultrasound and it seemed right. Sweet Brooks, we think you'll just be the cutest darn thing we've ever seen! (Your older sister has won out for the most beautiful thing we've seen.: )) 

It's a........

BOY! 

We got an early surprise at my 17 week visit when we found out that baby #2 is a little boy. Michael and Carmen came into the room with me (the nurses were so amazing and totally let me switch rooms to be in the  ultrasound room) and it took Dr. Wolf about 5 seconds to find that it is, without a doubt, a boy. We were both so surprised. Mostly because this is only our second baby and we were only pulling from the experience of having found out Carmen was a girl. My pregnancy has been relatively the same as the last so I had no reason to suspect something was different. Carmen was absolutely uninterested in the whole ultrasound and just sat twirling her hair in Michael's lap. She was too cute. Oh big sister. 

This is me at 18 weeks pregnant.

I feel very, very pregnant already. I know I'm not super huge yet, but my body feels like it skipped the whole 2nd trimester phase and went straight to being near impossible to climb stairs and bend over. I'm being dramatic. It's not that bad. I can still wear normal clothes, but maternity is definitely more comfortable. 

I first felt baby boy move at only 15 weeks. I feel him all the time and it's so cool. I first felt Carmen at 17 weeks along. 

It's so weird to me - baby boy?! He has nothing to wear. I only have pink. And a pink boppy. But I love pink and won't be getting rid of it any time soon. But he won't be wearing it.  

So here we are, 1 Girl and 1 Boy! What a blessing. 

Oh blog, I have no desire to keep up with you. Life has changed for the better and my priorities are elsewhere. I'm keeping it around because every once in a while it's a good outlet to share something....like in a month we find out if baby is a boy or a girl! 

Our household is absolutely ready for spring and ready for this cold weather to go away. We want to be outside and in the sunlight. I'm so itching to get away to somewhere tropical. I think that might have to be my goal for 2014. We may go to NYC for a weekend in March but that is nowhere near Florida and sunshine. And the baby girl is up from her nap....hurry up spring. Please come soon.

We're Having a Baby!

It's true! Baby #2 is here and real. This sweet baby is due somewhere around the end of July to early August. Our 20 week ultrasound will give us a more accurate measurement of when this babe is due. 

The timing is so perfect. Carmen will nearly be 2 years old when the baby arrives. It's also the same season as my first pregnancy which means I can wear all the same clothes and (if it's a girl!) use all of Carmen's baby clothes too. We are so grateful to Jesus for this precious gift. 

Attending the first appointment this second time around was even more fun. The nerves were less, it was like a big reunion with the nurses and my OB, and the magnitude of how incredible this image was seemed deeper than before. It was so neat to look at the screen and then look over at Carmen sitting on Michael's lap. Dr. Wolf gave us a few video clips of the ultrasound and baby's arms and legs are moving and wiggling just like a newborn does. 

I'm totally nauseous. The late afternoon and nighttime are the hardest. It was this way with Carmen but this time I can't chill on the couch, I have to cook dinner for my sweet one year old. I'm very much OK with it; it reminds me of the growing baby and that things are good and healthy. I'm also showing already! I'll get Michael to take a picture, but I'm sure if you've seen me in the last few weeks you've already suspected something. Second time around doesn't play games. 

My only thought

I am stunned and still pretty speechless in light of the most horrific school shooting at Sandy Hook ES. I cannot believe this happened. I have cried a lot thinking about those children and their families. Don't know anyone personally. But like everyone else, I sure do know a lot of children their ages. I'm having a hard time posting happy, light-hearted pictures on instagram or posting in general on Facebook or even here because I feel as if we are in this reverent grieving period. Unfortunately, I have experienced (to nowhere even near the same capacity as others) going through grieving and standing by my closest friends as they travel through the grief process. I learned am still learning a lot from it.

I'm finding it hard to see people discuss the shooting in the media and on social networks. I don't think it's time yet to start talking about issues of the shooter, or his family, or gun control, or picking up the pieces. For goodness sake, just be still and let the families (and country) grieve. Just wait. Just pray for them. Knowing and watching my Ashie deal with the loss of her sister has taught me that when someone is ripped away from you there is nothing you can do or say to help them. Just be there. Just hug them, say nothing, and pray. Don't tell them it will be alright, Don't say things will get better, Don't talk focus attention onto the killer. Grieve the loss of the sweet lives and sit and pray. I do understand that for some folks this is somehow still far removed from their every day lives and I don't want it to seem like I'm angry at anyone. But I do wish that people would not try to be solvers, thought provokers, or menders. If we want to truly stand beside these families effected, then we will just be sad with them for the time.

It will be a lot easier for us to heal, move on, and live life normally. I'm sure I'll be back to posting about the joy in my life very soon. I'm thankful for that. But I am also ever so aware that for the CT families it will not be easy and they may not ever understand joy again. But in the meantime, I will pray for them and focus my thoughts on those sweet babies and teachers and their community. It's so, so very sad. "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted" Psalms 34:18