Men vs. Women

Lesson to be learned Reagan: Men are COMPLETELY different than woman. You will learn this soon enough. When both your Aunt Jen and I were born, our dad picked out the outfit to bring each of us home in. It was something special that we kept all these years and may be the one time he got a say in what we wore. :) I thought it would be fun to continue the tradition down into our family. I gave your dad the option, and let's just say we had different ideas on what we were looking for. Here's what I was expecting:

...and then here's what your dad found for you:

I've already started thinking how I can doll this outfit up more..perhaps sequins, tulle, lots of ribbons and bows. We'll make it work.

I sure hope you come out loving baseball and are a Red Sox fanatic! He has such high hopes of watching every game with you. Maybe we can compromise and have manicure and pedicure time while we watch the game with him. :)

Love you little bug!

Oh! I saw you move for the first time yesterday. What a strange feeling! You were kicking like crazy (Mamaw thinks you're following in my footsteps and are going to be a gymnast), and I looked down and saw my stomach jutting out with every kick and flip. I feel like I'm a giant bounce house for you.

The Lord is so faithful..He sent us a Mary Poppins!

We are so lucky to live right down the street from our very best friends. Seriously, can it get any better than that? Nothing is more fun than deciding we'll all do dinner together at the last minute or the girls will go for a nice long walk while the boys play Nintendo. It's the best. The excitement of finding out that we were having a baby was contagious and the Culvers are now expecting their second child. Again, how awesome is this? I get to be pregnant with my best friend and go through all of the fun (you may hint a bit of sarcasm here) pregnancy moments together. While we are super excited for Reagan's future playmate and/or husband to arrive, this put a kink in some pretty big plans. Amy was to always be our nanny, even when Reagan was only a hypothetical baby. So, now...what to to...what to do?

Plan B! I absolutely adore Ben's sister Sarah. She's an amazing mom and actually likes watching other people's children. Problem solved! Oh wait...one small glitch..you lives in Georgia. Well, with the recent passing of both of Ben's grandparents it looked like she may have been able to move back to TX with her family. Done! Plan B is a go! Hold on...not so fast. While I still have everything that is crossable crossed on my body that they'll hurry and move back, I don't know that it will be in time for Reagan's arrival. Okay..on to plan C.

Hmm...I have no plan C. Oh no! I have no plan C!!!! This realization came to me last week. As the beads of perspiration started breaking out on my forehead during dinner one night while Ben and I were eating, my horrific Type A personality started to rear its ugly head. Never fear though, this is why I married Ben. He had a great suggestion. Let's pray about it. Hmm...simple enough. I think I can do this. So, we prayed about it over dinner and then we continued praying about it individually all week. A certain name kept popping into my head during my prayer, so I finally decided to email her. I simply asked if she knew of anyone who might be interested...not her in particular. If she could pass on my contact information, it would be most helpful. Here's where I just want to give the biggest shout out to Jesus...He never fails. Little did I know that over in the Welnack household they had been fasting during the week and praying over some big decisions. Kathleen felt that she needed to be doing more but that that more should still be taking place in her home following what was already a part of her daily life....like perhaps watching someone's baby!!!! She went out for a walk to think and came back and low and behold...she received my email. Yes, He does work that easy. He is always so faithful and kind. So, while the Murray household was praying for the perfect person and the Welnack family was praying for an opportunity, the Lord was sitting back smiling finishing the final pieces of the puzzle. How awesome is He!?! Have I mentioned that I love Kathleen by the way? She and Matt have the sweetest little girl, Jackie that will soon become Reagan's little playmate. Oh..and have I also mentioned that Kathleen was my first boss out of college? It makes you wonder if the Lord didn't place me in that particular job just to meet her. Oh...and one last question. Did I also mention that Kathleen and Matt live a whoppin' 2 minutes from us? They just 'happened' to move to this neck of the woods a few months ago.
The Lord never fails to amaze me with his faithfulness and love. It reminds me of my current favorite song:
You give and take away. You give and take away. My heart will choose to say Lord blessed be Your Name.

Baby Kisses

We're a little over the half way mark and have about 4 months until I get to meet you little one! Looking at all of my friend's with their new babies, makes me so anxious and excited to snatch you up and give you a million kisses! I simply can't wait! I'll have to remind myself to share you with Daddy, Emmy and the rest of the people that will be lined up down the block waiting to hold and squeeze you. You are already so loved...and have I mentioned spoiled. You are an active little girl, and your sweet little flutter kicks have now turned in to more forceful thumps. I LOVE IT! I think it's your way of reminding me that you're in there and still doing wonderfully. So, keep kicking along. I love to feel every single thump! You tend to be the most active during the middle of the day and sleep at night and in the mornings. Hopefully you keep this schedule when you arrive. You weigh around a pound right now, but it's safe to say I haven't gained just one little pound. Your daddy was so kind as to remind me the other night that he could barely get his arm around me. We love him a lot but he still has oh so much to learn. When I look at my closet full of shoes that I can no longer wear, I just have to remember how much I love you. My shoe wardrobe has quickly dimenished to house shoes, crocs and flip flops. If the shoes buckle, I have to sit on the bed while your daddy fastens them for me. Again...have I mentioned that I love you so much!?! Plans for decorating your room are in full swing. Let the fun begin! Mamaw and Aunt Jen Jen and I are all going to Canton to begin the shopping process. Daddy has said no pink walls but we'll see about that. 4 more months little sissy! I love you so very very much!

Reagan Abigail Murray

It's a girl! We found out Tuesday at 3:30 that we will be having a Reagan Abigail, and we could not be more excited!!!! Immediately following the appointment (after we called all grandparents, aunts and great grandparents and heard shouts of happiness across the country) Jennifer and my mom and I all went to Babies R Us to register. I am SO thankful that I had them both there to help. Jen was so helpful in letting me know what was useful to her with her boys and what was a complete waste of time. Hopefully her advice will hold for Reagan as well. We all three left with bags full of little girl goodies. With this being the first granddaugther, I kept having to tell my mom that this is why I am registering and that you don't have to buy everything today. I think the opportunity to buy pink and lace just overcame her. If my mom and Mimi have their way this poor girl is going to be so covered in lace and bows and ribbons that she won't be able to move..poor thing....poor spoiled rotten thing. I've already started on ideas for the nursery and can't wait to begin shopping. The theme is a shabby chic tea room. I'll post pictures of the room along the way.

Hooray for little girls!

Grandpa Murray (Gerald Lee Murray)

My sweet baby,

This week was a tough week for your dad, and a week that I was hoping wouldn't come until after you were here. Your great grandpa Murray passed away Friday, July 3rd. While we knew he was sick, we were so hoping that he could hold on long enough to meet you. His time came though and he went to be with his Savior and his Ruby. Although it was extremely difficult for him, your dad did an excellent job speaking at the funeral. I'm so proud of him. I wanted to pass on your dad's favorite memories of his grandpa, so that you can get a small glimpse of what an amazing man he was and how important he was to your dad.

He hardly ever missed one of your dad's baseball games, high school or college, though your dad at the time might have hoped he would. It would embarrass your dad so much because your great grandpa would constantly yell at the referees no matter the call. He was a bit competitive, also very athletic. Your dad, grandpa, great uncle Tim and great grandpa all played softball together. Your dad also loved going to Oklahoma with Aunt Sarah and Aunt Na to spend summers with his grandparents. I've been told that he would always leave one sock behind to guarantee another visit, though your dad will deny this to the end. He also enjoyed going camping with his grandpa in Colorado. It's probably still one of his favorite vacations to date. This is where his grandpa taught him about getting "ill". You better not learn about this ever! His grandpa set a great example for your grandpa and Uncle Tim that trickled down to your dad. He taught them the value of hard work, the integrity of a man, the joy of being a family man and the honor of serving the Living God. We all loved him so much, and he loved you too. At your great grandma's funeral, he was patting my stomach and telling your dad to be sure and take care of us. He was so happy to find out about you, but knew that his time had come to return home. His service was lovely complete with three marines and the sound of Taps playing in the background to recognize his service to the country. I'm pretty sure you could hear the music playing because I felt you moving around. It was a beautiful service to commemorate a beautiful life.

With rain the Lord always provides a rainbow. During this sad time, we've been so happy to have your Aunt Sarah and Isaiah and Alex stay with us. Aunt Sarah keeps telling us this will be great practice for when you come along. I have a feeling you're going to wear me out, although I know I'll love every minute of it. I already love you so much. Only 12 days till I find out if you are my sweet Reagan or my sweet yet to be named boy! (Your dad and I are having a bit of a difficult time deciding on a boy's name.)

Pickles and Ice Cream

I thought it would be fun to begin keeping track of all of the odd foods that I've started craving. Here goes:
1.) milk (might not seem strange, but I'm despised milk for the last 10 years or so. I had to stop at a gas station on the way to work one morning because I absolutely had to have it.)
2.) hamburgers/hotdogs (also might not seem strange, but I haven't ate beef since I was around 7, but one Sunday after church Ben and I went to Kincaid's and I had to have the biggest hamburger. It was so good)
3.) peanut butter on waffles...so good! I've been told that I should add syrup to the peanut butter..we'll see.

The Murrays are an amazing bunch

I think Ben and I could sleep for the next two weeks and still be exhausted from this past week and weekend. We've laughed, we've cried and we've played with our now 6 nephews! Throw Tommy in the mix and we're officially wiped.

Ben's oldest sis, Na (Naomi) and her amazingly awesome now husband Chad left to go to Antigua on Friday to get married. We love Chad and are so happy for the two of them. High school sweethearts reunited let's just say a few years down the road... On the heels of our anticipation for Na and Chad, we learned that Ben's grandma, Ruby Murray, had passed away. While it is devastating to lose anyone that you love, Ben was not only close to his grandparents but he had been so blessed to have never lost a friend or family member before. Mourning and processing these sorrowful feelings were unchartered territory. We had a lovely memorial service for her last Tuesday which turned in to a great celebration knowing that our sweet Ruby was without doubt dancing with her Savior. It was great hearing stories about both Grandma and Grandpa Murray outside of their 'grandparent realm' and hear fun stories from friends about when they were young. We were able to get great practice in for the baby and have two of our nephews stay with us along with Ben's sister Sarah who was visiting from Georgia. While they are the most well-behaved boys...boys will be boys...and boys will make Uncle Ben and Aunt Jojo exhausted. I think when they see Uncle Ben they just see one giant punching bag and tickle monster. It was so much fun watching Ben play with the boys and see what a great father he's going to make. The week ended with some very exciting news...I felt the baby for the first time! I was swimming with Amy and I had just jumped in the pool and felt something on my right side. I put my hand on it and gently pushed back and kept feeling a little flutter against my right side. Either the baby loves swimming or hated the cold water and was trying to tell me to get out. What an amazing feeling though. Thank you Lord for the life that Ruby led and the example that she set, and thank you for this new life that you are forming right now.