It's funny how when you're pregnant you want and need as much sleep as possible, yet sleep remains elusive so many nights. So I lay in bed wishing I were snoozing but instead my mind keeps racing. I usually end up getting up at some ridiculous hour like 5 am. Now I know some of you are thinking "I do that every day, quit your whining!"...and I know I should, but I despise getting up early. God made me that way. Even if I've gotten a great 8 hours of sleep, getting up before 8 is painful for me. And I don't just feel it when I get up, I feel it all day long!
All that to say, getting up at 5 a.m. brought me here...back to my blog. I somehow decided that I didn't have time for blogging and started putting everything on Facebook, but now I realize the error of my ways! I need this blog to document my life in one place I can come back to. I want to remember so many things...like sweet little Kate and all her stages. She is so fun right now. She is one crazy toddler. Yes, that's right~ TODDLER! She is 18 months old and just really could not be any cuter, or any more fun. I mean really, there is no possible way she could be cuter. Well, OK, except when she wears pigtails, it somehow takes her cuteness up to a whole new level. I will give you one little picture to illustrate:

We just did a session of all 3 of us in this yellow field and this is one of my favorites. I won't make promises about more pictures in case I never blog again, because we all know my track record here:)
Things have been crazy lately! Not crazy bad, just busy. Keith started a new job back in February. He started right after returning from a 2 week mission trip to Honduras, and right after quitting his job with Outdoor, Inc. God really seemed to orchestrate the whole thing. One day we're talking about how badly we want to adopt but don't have the money, and then Keith casually mentions "oh, I have a job interview tomorrow". The next evening, he got the job! With the way the interview went, it seemed impossible that Keith would get the position. The guy who interviewed him flat out told him "I never hire anyone as young as you for this position!". I prayed and prayed that if God wanted this job for Keith, that God would just lay Keith on that guy's heart. Keith had to be chosen out of 40+ other applicants who were all older than him. But God answered my prayer and laid Keith on this man's heart and Keith was chosen above the rest (and of course he's better than the rest anyway. haha I'm kidding. but seriously. I know I know, I'm biased. Love will do that to you). With the way it all played out, we couldn't help but feel this job was what God wanted for us. His hand seemed to be in it and we praised Him for his faithfulness and kindness. And with all that said, we still praise God for his faithfulness and kindness, but we are at times wondering if this will be a job Keith stays with for very long. He is selling life and health insurance with a company called National Broker's Network. It's a great company, Keith gets to work from home, he's really good at it in so many ways, but so far it has started off slooooooooooooow. Apparently that is what happens in insurance sales...it takes awhile for your leads to make decisions to buy insurance.
So right now we are doing whatever it takes to do some hourly jobs here and there. Keith is remodeling our bathroom and gets paid to do that since this is my great aunt's house. I have gone back to work Tuesdays and Wednesdays and I take Kate to a Parent's Day Out program. I really enjoy working again, and it gives Kate and me a nice break from the norm. When the bathroom is done Keith will probably look for another job of that sort. He's so stinkin' talented at stuff like that. God made him that way. Yes, Keith learns some stuff as he goes, but he also just naturally gets it. He is a true handyman who just gets how things work and how to take them apart and put them back together again. I however get frustrated with the littlest things after 1 minute and want someone to show me how to do it (aka do it for me). Keith wants to figure it out for himself and does. All that to say, things are busy around here.
Already I can see just how much good has come from this though. First of all, I'm not worried. I'm not worried about money. God is so stinkin' faithful and has never failed to provide. In fact, I have never been without a meal. I have never been without a roof over my head. I have never been without clothes, or family, or friends, or things I want, and I have certainly never been without LOVE. I don't know why the Lord has shown me such kindness, but I PRAISE Him for it. And even if He decides to take those things away, I know He is faithful. I know He loves me as my sweet and kind father. I love that he addressed this sort of thing so specifically, knowing how His children struggle with fear:
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:24-34And not only do I not have to worry, but I know God will work it for good. He promises that in Romans 8 to those that love Him and are called by Him. I do love Him. I am called by Him. My life would never have been so changed if it weren't for His work in my heart, done by His work on the cross. I wish I always lived up to that calling, but He is good to me regardless. Loving fathers do that. No matter how awful their children can be sometimes, their love never fails. One good thing that has already come from this insecurity we are feeling in this new job is that my love for Keith has grown exponentially. I guess I just appreciate him even more seeing the weight on his heart to provide for his family. He is working so hard. I really am so proud of him. He's around more too, so of course my love for him would grow more:) But really, there aren't many men out there like him. I could not be more blessed in a husband.
So we're gonna have another baby in about 7 weeks. We're having a boy this time as many of you already know. We haven't decided on a name, so for now he is "junior". And who knows, he may end up being a junior. We'll see. Kate has no idea how much life is about to change! I think she'll be great with a little brother though. You should see this girl with other babies. She loves to hug them and squeeze them and knock them over with kisses. She will have to learn to be gentle though. I've got my work cut out for me! I can't wait to see the day when those 2 cuties will play together. I hope they will be friends. My brain is starting to get kinda fuzzy, so I'm gonna stop typing now.
And now that I am thinking I want to go back to sleep, it is 7 am. Goodnight!