16 and 17 week belly pics

Today we are actually 19 weeks. The time is flying by so quickly and I am torn between feeling sad that this precious time is almost over and feeling such impatience wanting to hold this precious baby in my arms! I love being pregnant and I love knowing that this life is growing so perfectly according to God's plans inside me. It is more than magical. It is the greatest miracle I have ever experienced. On Thursday I felt the baby move for the first time! Well the first time that I knew it was baby and not something else going on inside there. It was so wonderful. First it felt like a bubble. Then I felt a little bump like someone was poking me with a finger from the inside of my tummy. Next it felt like little butterflies fluttering around in there. It actually tickled and I started laughing. Then, of course I started crying. I just can't believe how beautiful God has designed this process. It is more amazing than any words I can think of to describe it. I still can't believe that this is all happening to me. By God's grace alone there is life growing inside me.
I was so happy that Gabe was there to witness me feeling baby for the first time too. We were working in the office together that day. It was such a blessing. Ever since that day I have felt baby more and more often. In fact, as I write this I can feel my little tickler inside me! :) I love it!!
We also went to the doctor again that day and had a good appointment. The doctor said that the baby is in the normal range as far as weight, length and heart rate. So we felt very blessed. We asked again to know the gender of our little sweet pea but the equipment was not strong enough to see. But at my 20 week appointment I will be going to the hospital to see a new doctor and there they have a 3D ultrasound. So if the baby cooperates maybe we can find out then. Even if we can't I just can't wait to see a clear picture of our little angel.
We are slowly getting unpacked and settled into our new house. It is hard to unpack when I feel so tired at the end of a work day. But we got a lot accomplished yesterday in preparations for our friend Nathan coming to visit. So today we are relaxing in a clean house. There is a nice breeze and beautiful sunshine. As I write this my sweet husband is planting marigolds around the windows outside our house. Marigolds are supposed to be good mosquito repellents! Mosquitoes LOVE me for some reason and since we don't have air conditioning we will have all the windows open all the time this summer, sweet Gabe is trying to do all he can to prevent me from being boiling hot and itchy with bites! I'm so blessed! Well I guess that's it for now. I will post 2 belly pics. Hope you enjoy

16 weeks

17 weeks

"Bare Feet On the Pavement" a poem for my dear brothers

I remember we dancing all around
As rain the came falling to the ground
We left the front door open wide
We couldn't stop smiling even if we tried

Suddenly all our worries gone
Washed away as we sang that song
We used to sing when we were small
Before you'd grown to be so tall

We used to fight
So much back then
You always had to be right
And I always had to win

But right there in that moment
With the rain upon our heads
Our bare feet on the pavement
We forgot all the things we'd said

And we all live so far apart
We're all grown up some how
But I often think about that day
And I keep you all close to my heart.

June 2008
I wrote this poem on a rainy day last year thinking about my dear sweet brothers. My loving husband told me I should blog it.
I love you and miss you so. Love, Yaya

14 and 15 week belly pics

Hello friends and family. We are so looking forward to this Easter Sunday when we can celebrate not only the new life growing within my womb but the new life that our heavenly father has given us through the loving sacrifice of His only son. I also think of Mary and the agony she felt as she watched her beloved son lay down His life for her and for all humankind. What an amazing mother she was and how I hope to be even a little like her. I am so thankful for this gift of motherhood and I pray that I will have the strength to endure it's challenges with grace.

14 weeks


15 weeks

The Beating of A Heart

Yesterday we heard the most glorious sound we have ever heard. We were finally able to hear the beating of our little baby's heart. Gabe and I went to the doctor around 3:30 yesterday and we both felt anxious waiting for the doctor to come in. I was lying on the table and Gabe was sitting beside me holding my hand. We laughed together as we waited. Finally our sweet doctor came in.
I was pleasantly surprised that the gel that he put on my belly was comfortably warm. I just expected it to be cold for some reason. Then he placed the Doppler device on my belly and began the search. As I waited a million worries rushed through my mind but then I looked into my sweet husband's beautiful eyes and felt his calming gaze wash over me. Finally that miraculous sound came through the speaker. At that very moment I began laughing and crying at the exact same time. Then as I laughed my stomach muscles tensed up which made it impossible to hear the baby. So I started trying to take deep breaths and tried to calm down again. But it was no use. I cried tears of joy the entire time. The doctor let us listen for a few minutes and said the heart rate was about 160. I felt that my heart rate must be about the same as it seemed to be beating out of my chest! We felt so relieved and so blessed.
When we got home we got a package of books from someone here in Japan. She was giving them away and we requested some of them. One book is called "The Child Within". This book is a devotional for pregnant moms. It couldn't have come at a better time. Before bed we read the chapter for the 3rd month of pregnancy. It spoke so deeply to me. It helped me to remember that God is in control of this pregnancy and that He alone can form this life within me. He only asks that I take care of myself as best I can and leave the rest to Him. For only He knows the perfect plan for this life. I rested so peacefully last night and fell asleep to the sound of our precious baby's heart beat playing over and over in my mind.
Thank you all for your continued prayers. We are still so overwhelmed with joy by this miracle God has so graciously granted us.

Phillipians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.