siblings

Last weekend Travis and I went to Riverside to watch Brooke play in the championship fortuna game.  This is a CBU tradition that takes place every year during homecoming weekend.  We really loved going to school at CBU and we love going back to visit.  One of the highlights of the weekend was seeing my sisters and one of his brothers.  There is nothing like the relationship of a sibling. 

fun monday

Being in vocational ministry life is sometimes different.  For example, Mondays are our Saturdays.  This weekend Travis lead worship for all six services at the main campus for Saddleback Church.  So you can imagine how grateful we are for this day of rest. 

This particular morning we woke up and decided to take a walk down to our favorite breakfast place across from the pier.  This is probably one of my most cherished activities Travis and I do together.  I love this time because we get to take a walk along the beach with our dog Gunner while having great company and conversation...and not to mention breakfast food is my favorite food. 

On our walk this morning we were talking about how in 6 months we will have our little one with us. It still doesn't really feel like a reality that there really is a baby inside of me.  It was fun to watch the parade of mothers and strollers pass by us on our walk and it was kind of weird to think we are going to be joining the stroller club in the very near future.  

We are both really excited about what God has in store for us and we can't wait to find out if we are going to have a boy or a girl.  For now we are trying to treasure each moment we have together and each stage of this pregnancy.  The one thing we keep coming back to in the midst of this change is how much the whole process of being pregnant and having a baby gives so much glory to God.  We just can't understand how any parent can go through this experience and still not believe that there is One who is behind all that is created.

Before our walk Trav took a picture of me at 15 and a half weeks pregnant.

oak glen how i love thee...

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year and one of my favorite things about fall is our trip to Oak Glen.  I love going because for a day I get to pretend that we live in a little farm town.  We pick apples, eat carmel apples, eat a delicious bbq meal, and just spend time with the family.  We will be going this weekend and I can't wait!!!   This is a tradition I can't wait to share with baby Collins. 

Oak Glen 2006

Oak Glen 2007

Oak Glen 2008....here we come!!!!

12 weeks

Today I am officially 12 weeks and it is actually the first time I have taken a belly picture. Although, the average person can't tell anything has changed, my family, some close friends and Travis and I can totally tell that my belly is getting bigger. It doesn't seem like I have much to show for all the morning sickness and hard work my body has been doing the last 3 months.  

We have some big news to share!!!

I am 10 1/2 weeks pregnant!!! We are expecting baby collins to join our family around April 25th.  We actually had our first ultrasound today and I couldn't help but to cry.  We saw the baby moving around and waving its arms.  It really made this whole pregnancy feel more real.  I have to say God deserves all of the glory.  He is the One who gives and takes life.  We are so thankful for this blessing and we realize that He is the One in control.  I have to say though that this whole experience has caused my love for the Lord to grow in such a new and deeper way.  

Psalm 89:5-6

"The heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD?  Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?"

Here is the story of how we found out.  It is really long so don't feel obligated to read the whole story...

On Sunday, August 17th, Trav and I decided to take an afternoon nap. Before we fell asleep he asked if I wanted to go to Sonny's Italian restaurant for dinner.  I declined the offer because I had just gone to an Italian restaurant the night before with all the girls who had come down for our CBU weekend. 

During our nap I woke up and thought about taking a pregnancy test.  I thought it was a little early to test, but I couldn't resist and decided to test anyway.  I quietly got up to take the test because I knew if it was positive I wanted to surprise Travis. As soon as I took the test, sure enough a second line started to appear!!! I couldn't believe it.  Really? Me pregnant?  Oh my gosh it was positive...the line started getting darker and darker... undeniably positive!!! I, of course, started to cry and then my hands started shaking and all of a sudden they were clammy.  I didn't know what to do, but I knew I had to get my act together so I could follow through with my plan to surprise Trav.

So, I hid the test in a drawer and climbed back into bed.  A few minutes later Travis woke up and I told him I was starving and I really wanted to go to Sonny's.  He was surprised I changed my mind but hey, I am a girl, I do that a lot.  While I was getting ready he was in the living room playing guitar.  I quickly pulled out of the top of my closet a gift I had bought for him in May of 2007 "just in case".  It was a blue sleeper and a pink one.   

Anyway, I put the pregnancy test in the box and stuffed it in my purse.  (By the way at this point i had probably checked the test at least a dozen times to see if it was still positive...sure enough it was).  We walked down to Sonny's and didn't have to wait long to get a table inside.  I wanted to wait and give him the gift after the waitress took our order so I would have time with him without interruptions.  Before she took our order Travis was saying how we really have to trust God with the timing of this whole "trying for a baby".  During his little chat I had a smile from ear to ear...the kind you can't really disguise, but of course it isn't unusual for me to smile in regards to the subject of babies. 

(The picture below was taken as soon as we were seated...before he knew)

After we ordered, I pulled out the box. As soon as he opened the box he could see the pink and blue sticking out.  He just looked up at me with big eyes and said, "Are you serious? Is this for real? Are you pregnant?"  Of course, by this point I am sobbing.  I began to tell him about taking the test and my plans for surprising him... and continued to sob.  

(I took this picture right after Trav opened the box)

Little did we knew we drew an audience at the restaurant.  The manager ended up coming to our table with a bottle of champagne and 2 glasses on the house.  (Of course, being pregnant I denied joyfully).  The waitress came back to the table and said we were making everyone in the back cry.  

It was such a fun and memorable night.  After dinner we took a picture of us holding the sleepers outside the restaurant. On our walked home, I couldn't help but to scream with excitement.

 

We emailed the picture to his parents right away and even called them at midnight their time in Ohio to get them out of bed to check their email.  Then we had to wait until the following weekend so we could tell my family in person.  We had some onesies embroidered with "coming to the collins' come near you".  We wrapped the onesie along with a book from the perspective of grandparents to their grandchild, and the framed picture of us outside Sonny's.  Everyone was soooo excited and many tears were shed. 

I have definitely had my share of morning sickness...which includes throwing up.  But, I am thankful because it is a reminder that God is doing something inside of me.  So, this is the reason I haven't blogged much.  Between being tired and sick there really isn't much energy to sit at a computer and blog.  The morning sickness should pass in a few weeks, so I will probably begin blogging a bit more regularly.  Thanks for reading if you made it this far.   We will definitely keep you all updated on this new journey. 

Girls Weekend Update

I just thought I would post a quick picture from our girls weekend.  We had so much fun catching up and just being together.  If you want to read  more about our weekend or see more pictures click here or here. Thanks girls for coming down to San Clemente and for such a great weekend of friendship!

trever "the amazing"

My brother-in-law Trever is amazingly talented and not just at photography.  Anything he puts his mind to he can accomplish.  Whether it be playing the guitar, photography, painting, or riding his weird  bike... he is the best at it.  Below are few of the pictures Trever took during our family get away.  If you want to see more pictures click here.   I am excited to see what the future holds for he and Brooke. 

it's that time of year again...wooo hooo!!!

Some of my CBU girlfriends and I have made it a tradition for an annual girls' weekend.  We all look forward to this time of catch up and girl time...and it is about to begin in less than 24 hours!  

Fam Weekend

We spent some time in Oceanside this last weekend with my family.  It was a lot of fun to be together especially after the wedding.   Now we are all ready for Britt and Taylor's wedding in 4 1/2 months!!!

Waiting for Summer to arrive 



the old married couple

  the newlyweds 

the soon-to-be-weds

the brother-in-laws




crab dinner is a tradition for the fam vacation



The waitress had Travis wrapped in tin foil and dancing like a robot 

while we all sang happy birthday.

It was quite entertaining.

We had a great weekend just relaxing at the beach and spending time as a family.  Summer and her boyfriend, Brian even treated us all to a boat ride tour through the harbor. I only took pictures the first night, but Trev took some pictures so I am sure he will post a few of those on his blog. 

Happy Birthday Travis

Yesterday was Travis' 25th birthday.   We ended up just celebrating with the 2 of us.  It was actually a lot of fun and quite relaxing.  One of the things we love about San Clemente are all of the "mom and pop" shops in town.  We decided to walk downtown to eat dinner at Sonny's which definitely carries the persona of a "mom and pop" shop.  It was a wonderful night of reflection on all that God has done in this past year.