What an amazing life this is. I seriously can't get over God's goodness over us, and feel constantly in awe of what a gracious Father He is. Something my friend Jade did while we were living in Uganda together, that I picked up and love doing is writing 'Love Lists". It keeps our hearts turned towards gratefulness, and our eyes on His beauty and blessings.

Today's Love List ::

: Waking up next to my husband, and feeling my daughter moving inside my womb.

: Making pancakes with lots of fresh berries (what I have been craving like mad the last few weeks) for breakfast.

: My gorgeous Mom and sister coming down for the day, and having a delicious lunch with them and dear friends!

: Celebrating Selah Bentley's first birthday today. She is a miracle, and God's love and redemption are evident through that beautiful little girl.

: Walking on Butterfly Beach with my hot husband, and watching the sun set. In awe at God's creativity and how generous that He would let us live in such a gorgeous place.

: Dreaming with Jeremy about the future, and praying about the places God might have us go.

: That our little bubs is safe and healthy. And right on track with her growing.

: That I have such incredible friends surrounding me here.

: And that at the end of this amazing weekend, I get to go back to a job I absolutely love, work with people I adore, and with kids that hold my heart.

Elsie's parents...

Our kids are going to be little toeheads!

twenty seven weeks...

How far along? 27 Weeks

Maternity clothes? Yep! My hot husband surprised me with a maternity shopping trip to LA this week!

Stretch marks? Some - The mark of motherhood and your body being no longer your own. Still rocking them with a two piece at the beach, though!

Sleep: sleeping great! Except some pregnancy insomnia, in which I should do pregnancy jazzercise or something. I wish Richard Simmons did a prego workout. 

Best moment this week: The relief we felt when we heard Elsie’s heartbeat, after a scare, and getting our little home a bit more ready and decorated for the baby!

Miss Anything? Being comfortable. And Sushi! 

Movement: Yes, praise Jesus! She’s been moving like crazy the last few days and I can see her move a ton on the outside, like a big wave. 

Food cravings: Strawberries and blackberries! I’ve been eating oatmeal with berries everyday! Yuummm. Also coffee ice cream. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Watching Napoleon Dynamite tonight. 

Gender: Girl 

Labor Signs: No, but starting to feel Braxton Hicks as my body starts to exercise for labor. 

Symptoms: Tailbone pain, and quickly tired at the end of the day, but other than that I feel amazing!

Belly Button in or out? Flat as a pancake 

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! 

Looking forward to: My maternity photo shoot with Chelsea Steller, and decorating more for Baby!

Elsie is weighing about 2 1/2 pounds and is over 17 inches! She’s started blinking and if she did decide to make an early arrival (although we’re hoping she’ll stay nice and cozy for a while), her lungs are strong enough to work for themselves. She’s getting bigger and bigger everyday, and we keep falling more and more in love with her. 

She is His...

Wednesday night Elsie Love decided to give us a little scare.


She has been quite the little kicker for the last month. I love feeling her summersault, kick, and respond to my touch. Jeremy has gotten to feel her move a lot, and my Mom got to feel her move last weekend for the first time! So, when I didn't feel any movement for three days, I started to wonder if everything was alright. 


I tried not to worry, and trust that she was just resting, but three days is a long time. So I did everything they tell you to do to try and get baby moving: drinking cold orange juice, laying on your left side, rubbing your belly, etc.... and still no movement. I called the physician on call, who said that it was probably best to go to the hospital to check for a heartbeat. Not what you want to hear as a Mama. I hung up the phone, trying not to burst into tears and take on fear.... but I felt like my brain kicked into protective mode, and I just wanted to make sure my baby was ok. Jeremy picked me up, and we headed over to Cottage. 


First of all, let me tell you what an amazing husband I have. He is my rock. His steadfast calm soothes my fear, He immediately prays over our daughter, and is by my side. Also, one of our nurses was a friend from church who also immediately started praying over our baby. They used a doppler, and started looking for a heartbeat, but Elsie was hiding, so it took a while to find. Man, do those minutes feel like forever when you're waiting! They finally found it, and tracked her heart and movement for over a half an hour... and she is perfectly healthy. And, of course, started (for the first time in three days) kicking up a storm! We breathed in relief as we heard her beautiful little heartbeat, and her statement kicks were like medicine for my heart. Our nurse told us this must be telling us something of what she'll be like when she comes out... keeping us on the edge of our seat and loving being a mystery. 


As Jeremy and I were talking later that night, I was telling Him how I know that God's plan is the best. And how I can completely trust that. She is His. She is absolutely His. But, He can still take her. And the human part of me wants to hang on as tight as I can. It was so good for me to lay her on the altar, and give my daughter completely to Jesus, trusting and knowing that His plan truly is the best, whatever it may be. Now while she's in my womb, and for the rest of her life, she is Jesus'. It's so good for me to remember to surrender it all, every day. He is so worthy of it. And with hearts of thanksgiving we praise Him for keeping our daughter perfectly healthy, and growing strong and beautiful. 


What a glorious God He is. The heart of a Father more than I can even wrap my head around. 

"Yet you, LORD, are our Father. 

   We are the clay, you are the potter; 

   we are all the work of your hand."

Isaiah 64:8 

six months...

Jeremy and I went on a hike at Cold Springs this weekend, and it was like therapy. I told him as tired as I am, and as weak as I feel (man, pregnancy can take it out of you!) that I want him to grab me, stick me in the car, and do a hike every weekend! Cold Springs has such a part of my heart, because since I was little, we grew up going on hikes there. We'd climb up the creek and swim in the pools, pack picnics and play in the huge rocks that the Chumash Indians had carved into hundreds of year ago, and would get lost in make-believe all day. It is always nostalgic going back there, but especially this time...as I was walking with my unborn daughter inside of me...daydreaming about taking her on adventures there, packing picnics, and seeing her discover all the magical spots. I am loving being pregnant, and feel like it is one of the most amazing gifts there is. Can't believe we're six months pregnant.... even closer to meeting our baby girl!

How far along?  24 Weeks

Maternity clothes? yep! Maternity skirts are from heaven. I could live in them!

Sleep: Wonderful.... by the end of the day, my body is begging for a break. Pregnancy dreams are weird as heck though! 

Best moment this week: Jeremy feeling her move a bunch, going to Yosemite our Babymoon, and getting our house more ready for our little peanut. 

Miss Anything? Besides being able to paint my toes without grunting to bend over my growing belly...We went to this fabulous restaurant in Northern California, and Jeremy ordered this amazing Merlot. I took one sip, and it made me remember  I miss red wine. 

Movement: Lots! I'm feeling her body turn like crazy, some hardcore kicks, and notice that she moves a bunch when she hears Jeremy or I talking. 

Food cravings: Lemonade and oranges. I crave fruit all the time.... as well as thai food about every day. Had some leftovers for breakfast the other morning. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: the smell of coffee, and hearing people sneeze. 

Gender: Girl

Labor Signs: No... but starting to feel my uterus practicing.

Symptoms: body aches.... but that's about it these days! 

Belly Button in or out? flat and quickly disappearing 

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time:  So happy 

Looking forward to: starting our natural childbirth class and meeting with our Doula again.

twenty four weeks...