Finally!

I am so excited to finally be able to post this entry...we are expecting a baby!! We found out in late January, and the following weeks were a mixture of pure joy and a little bit of torture. Joy - obviously - because we are beyond thrilled to welcome this new little life into our world, and torture, because I wasn't quite ready to tell anyone yet. (I can keep a secret, I just don't like it.)

So we waited. However a couple of weeks ago, I had a good visit with the doctor and we got to hear the baby's heartbeat. What an incredible moment! There really are no words to fully describe the sensation I felt when the doctor finally located that steady, quick whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. I was amazed.

And honestly, I needed that little bit of confirmation. You hear that you're pregnant, and then aside from a little bit of nausea (I realize I was lucky!), constantly going to the bathroom, and a whole lot of exhaustion, there's no tangible sign. But that little heartbeat changed my mind in an instant.

That's when we decided to start sharing the news with everyone we know. And let me just tell you, it's been incredible to feel just how excited all of our friends and family are for us. Not only does it make us feel loved, but it's also encouraging to know just how loved this baby will be by those same people. I've often written about the difficulties of being so far away from friends and family, and I know this experience will not make any of that any easier. But I am so thankful for the messages, emails, phone calls, and texts sharing in this very special time for our family. It makes us feel not quite so far away. Thank goodness for technology!

Herschel and I are soaking up these moments. We've had a lot of days where we've just hung out together, not doing much of anything, but knowing we better enjoy these quiet days while they last. At the same time, we are trying to prepare as best as we can. My heart is full every night as I hear Herschel pray over this child. We are humbled by this immense blessing in our lives. While at times, it seems to be an overwhelming task, I'm trying to take it day by day. There will be plenty of time to freak out, and today is just not the day.