Time flies...

It so disappoints me to realize I haven't blogged in over a year. Ridiculous! It's not that I haven't had anything to say... maybe I just haven't had the time to say it. John and I found out last October that we were pregnant and due July 3, 2013. Though we were thrilled by the news, we were also faced with some stark realities. John had been aware of an impending layoff from his job, and we still owned two houses. Although we were renting one of those (at the time), we were still taking a loss on it each month. So, in the last nine months we've 1) worked to finish up a house to sell, 2) "lost" a renter, 3) moved houses, 4) listed a house for sale, 5) had one contract fall through, 6) been laid off and 7) temporarily lost a key staff member in my department right before my maternity leave. Needless to say, it's been a little crazy.

Amidst the craziness we began leading a small group in January. It's been such a blessing! John and I debated the timing of the group, given our currently circumstances; however, small groups ("connect" groups) are all about community... which involves being real and transparent with each other. We decided there was no better time to start a group, and we've prayed that we could set an example of walking with God through some of these challenging circumstances.

Furthermore, John and I realized we would need to be much more reliant on God this year, which translates into a much more consistent and vibrant prayer life. We've seen God answer our prayers and provide in the following ways this year:

1) I experienced some bleeding during my second trimester. A high risk specialist advised me to have a polyp, that could be causing the bleeding, removed. Though the procedure would be fairly simple, it's still something they don't like to do during a pregnancy. After our Friday appointment with the specialist, I went in to have the procedure performed the following Tuesday and was told that the polyp was gone! (This is a polyp that had been there the previous Friday and at least a year and a half before that!)

2) I was concerned about my maternity leave, given John's layoff and my limited vacation time. I was given a "time bonus" to help offset what would have otherwise been unpaid leave!

3) John received a bonus within a month of his layoff. His severance pay has also been pretty incredible given the 10+ years he'd been with the company.

4) Though a layoff wasn't preferable, John hadn't been happy at his job for a long time. We really do believe this is God's way of redirecting John to something that he will find more enjoyable and fulfilling. (His initial plans are to take classes toward an accounting degree!)

5) We had an offer within three weeks of listing our house! Though the first contract fell through, we now have a second contract on the house. In the interim, we had the roof replaced and were only out our insurance deductible (on a $17k roof)!

6) I'll use a separate post to write more about the greatest gift and answered prayer: our son!