9 months!

Today Lily is 36 weeks old and her dad is home! I can't imagine being much more uncomfortable, but Lily doesn't seem to care :) I've felt more movement the last 4 or 5 days than I ever have, and she's clearly having trouble getting comfortable as well! Our next doctor's appointment is on Monday, and Matt and I are determined to enjoy these last days as a couple before Lily comes. She got the most beautiful blanket from the Fero's a few days ago, and today got a beautiful book from the Waggoner's about children from all around the world...Thank you so much! Lily's baby shower is Sunday, so I'll have more pictures then!

a round baby bird!

We had our first appointment today in four months, and Lily is doing perfectly! She's head down in the perfect position for a normal delivery, and she's 5 pounds 12 ounces, putting this little one in the 60th percentile for weight! 5 months ago she was underweight and I was underweight, and now, four months of rice, beans and corn mush later, she's just a round little thing with chubby thighs :) Our doctor was pleased with my health and hers, and it was a nice relief to hear and see that everything is just fine and right on schedule: due date...still December 26th, and predicted birth weight: right around 8 pounds.

Personally, I thought her head looked a little big, but that is probably just because I'm the one getting ready to deliver!

The secretary mentioned that her cousins worked in Haiti, only to discover that her cousins are our good friends in Port-au-Prince that just visited us last month, whom I lived with for seven months in college, Greg and Cathie! It's such a small world :)

Thank you all for your prayers these past months that Lily and I have had no medical...anything! The Lord's been taking care of us, and we know so many of you have been faithful in praying for our little family. 5 weeks!

home safely!

After a VERY long day yesterday, Lily and I are home safely and happy to be in a colder, less bumpy environment! We're getting ready for our doctor's appointment tomorrow, pre-registering with the hospital, finding a pediatrician...etc. Thanks for your prayers getting us home! We'll let you know how tomorrow goes!

Lily is definitely protesting much less in this snowy weather!

presents and my big belly

"OOOOOOooo!" said 2 year-old Gideon last night at our Tuesday potluck, staring up at my stomach in wonder. He quickly stuck both hands on it, and said loudly in amazement, "THAT is a BIG belly!"

He's seen me 20 times before and has never mentioned it :) He quickly followed it by his favorite phrase: "Wh-hy?"

"Because I have a baby in my belly."

"Wh-hy?"

too cute!

AND, yesterday was a BIG day for Lily and I! We got two big boxes in the mail: One, her crib!!!! and the other, a goody box from Tim and Carey, with a new lamp, some adorable clothes, hangers, and shades for the back seat windows of the truck! (Thank you, thank you!)

Matt, after a ridiculously long day, sweetly dove right into the crib building when we got home from our last meeting of the day at 7:00, knowing how anxious I have been to have her crib! By 8:30, it was finished (don't have the mattress yet, but STILL looks SO good). SO exciting! It's such a beautiful crib (THANK YOU so much!!!) and Lily now has a place to sleep, so we guess she can come now! (or at least, as soon as I get to a hospital!)

It's a little sad that we're not going to be able to bring Lily home to her new room for several weeks after she is born, but we're pretty sure she won't mind.

We are SO very blessed...The Lord has taken such good care of us, providing above and beyond our needs, constantly overwhelming us with His faithfulness to lavish love upon us as we live and work here! Thank you for all of your encouragement and prayers! Lily will be 34 weeks old on Friday!

surprise shower!

THANK YOU Angie, Dorothy, Lilibeth, Cammie, Jen, Doreen, Erica, Kate, Mary Lou, Alanna, Brianna, Dora, Daphne, Kristina and John!!! Tonight we had SUCH a blessing and a total surprise! A "last minute tea party for the kids" following our women's prayer group was actually a surprise shower for us and for Lily! We had NO idea (the thought had never even occurred to me that we would have a shower here!) and it was SO fun!

There were flowers, presents, a gorgeous from-scratch "Lily" cake and games, and Matt and I (and Lily!) just felt overwhelmingly blessed and touched! We got lots of infant diapers (didn't think it was possible for diapers to be cute!), bath stuff, some adorable outfits, a beautiful violet blanket, bottles...etc! Pulling off a lovely party like this in Haiti is JUST not easy...I have no idea where everyone found such lovely gifts and wrappings and all, but it was PERFECT. I think everyone should have a baby shower for themselves a few times a year to remind them how blessed they are to simply be loved!

Only wish I had thought to get a group photo!

Lily is 33 weeks today, and we are grateful for this Haiti family that she already has!

8 months...

Whew, that has to mean the end is in sight, right? Yesterday marked 32 weeks, or 8 months, with just 8 weeks left to go, give or take! Most days, I'm feeling good, especially considering that I am carrying a 4 pound, 17 inch baby around all the time, who insists on sitting in all the wrong places and shoving her heels and fists into my ribs and lungs :)

We had SUCH an exciting mail day on Thursday (really, mail day is like Christmas day whenever you get packages!) Lily got a box from Hannah, Lori and June...complete with some of the CUTEST baby outfits, a blanket Hannah MADE, teethers, nail clippers, baby shampoo...the WORKS. Not only that, but Lily's parents got some of the best of the best...goodies from a baking event at New Bedford (oh my heavens...thank you), air tight containers, a TOO cute snow lamp, and lots of other wonderful things. Thank you guys SO much!

Lily's convertible car seat also came this week (thank you, Millers!!!), and our mail carrier notified us that Lily's crib is coming in next week! All of this is so exciting...to realize that we are almost there, that Lily WILL have a bed and a car seat and clothes and everything that she needs, and that this increasingly exhausting and uncomfortable stage in life is almost finished (to be replaced with a different kind of exhausting stage in life!)

Thank you all for your continued prayers, especially for our health as we spend the next few weeks here in Haiti before heading to the States.