40 weeks +1 day

Be patient, Be patient, Don't be in such a hurry...
My husband, father, and brother keep singing this childhood song to me as I have been getting so bored and anxious waiting for our little guy to arrive. There was good news yesterday at our weekly doctor's visit. Yesterday at 2:00 PM, I was 2 cm dilated, 70% effaced, and the baby's head was at the 0 station of my pelvis. Today, I lost my mucous plug. Now, for those of you who have had babies recently, you know that all of these things are good signs pointing towards the beginning stages of early labor. Our doctor thinks we won't make it another week. For those of you, who have not had a baby, or do not care to hear the details, it just means he should be coming soon! But, for me it feels like the waiting is unbearable. Everyone says to enjoy the last minutes of quiet and rest...but I feel like I have been doing that for 8 weeks. I am NOW as READY as I will every be...I know it will challenging, I know I don't know how hard it is going to be...but, I am ready to start this new chapter.
In all seriousness, my emotions right now are incredible...excitement, fear, anxiety, peace, readiness...We know God is protecting us and will bring His new son into this world in His time.

So, Oak Lowell Carter, mommy and daddy are ready to play...come out, come out, wherever you are!

P.S. We do promise to post updates and pictures as soon as possible after the buddy is born...we will have our computer at the hospital with us!

39 weeks-TODAY...

and are you coming any time, soon, little guy?!? Alan and I have been having heart to heart chats with our son often, letting him know that we are as ready as we will ever be for him to join our family...and with how we are feeling right now...sooner would be better than later! Thank you for your continued prayers...we hope to be posting some pictures of little Oak, soon!

Baby Shower:)

My mom and sister-in-law were kind enough to host a baby shower for Oak this past Sunday. They made beautiful, yummy food, and many of my family and close friends living in GR came to celebrate our new little one. We had a great time hearing stories and getting much needed advice from the veteran moms, and enjoying being women! Thank you to everyone who made me feel so loved and special! We are so ready for the little guy to arrive!

Aqui estoy...Lo proveera Dios

Here I am, Lord...God will provide...

Throughout the summer, as Alan and I have been visiting different churches and trying to discern where the Lord wants us to join in His work and family, I have been using my spanish Bible in service. I want to keep the language as fresh as possible in my mind. Often hearing and reading in different languages reiterates for me the true meaning of the words and it is so amazing.

This past Sunday was an amazing time for Alan and I. God really spoke to us, exactly at the point in which we are right now, faced with big decisions, life changes, and uncertainty. We both were in tears by the end of Sunday morning knowing that if we respond as Abraham did in saying to the Lord, "Here I am, Aqui Estoy," willing to sacrifice what is most precious to us and trusting with all of our beings..."God will provide, Lo proveera Dios," and usually at the last minute. Re-read Genesis 22...a story we have heard many times...but truths that are still profound today!!

38 Weeks-Come and Gone

Well, the 38th week flew by with a blur and we didn't get any actual "belly" pictures. But, here are some from a nice walk Alan and I took on one of my new-found trails. Alan wanted to take pictures of nature and snapped a few funny ones of me, too. (I am not as exhausted as I look in the last one, he just happened to catch my mouth open:)