Infinitely More

It's funny how life turns out.

If someone had walked up to me just 2 years ago and told me that by this time I'd have a baby boy, we'd have moved across the country to SoCal, and my husband would have this new career... I would've thought that was crazy talk. Yet here we are...

Remember when I said Jon got offered a job in less than 3 months, a process that typically takes over a year? (if not, you can read a little about that here) Yes, that was a God thing, but let me back track a little. What I didn't say is that that wasn't exactly our first choice. It was actually our last - or so we thought. It was the least pay, training was away from home, and we knew it was a long process so it was going to be a last resort if nothing else went through.

Jon had passed the first couple tests quickly, so we figured the process would stall for a bit since we were told the whole thing takes a while. But then on one of the days Jon went in for another test/interview, they happened to have all the decision making people there at the same time. After a very long day they called him back in and gave him a one time offer. His choice was to either accept it right away and have his start date in September or wait to think about it, but then there was no guarantee.

So he took it. He didn't call me, he just took it.

Oh boy was I angry when he called to tell me the "good" news. How could he not call me to discuss this?! Especially because this involves being apart for so long! This was my initial reaction, but once I had a chance to process my thoughts I realized he made the right choice. Trust me, I'm all for couples making decisions together, but this was one of those times he had to make the call. You see, he knew. He knew that I would react emotionally and that in turn he would also. It was a limited time offer, he needed to make a rational decision and so he did.

Now that we are where we are, we've realized that this "last choice" was actually the best choice. Being apart is not our favorite, but God knew what he was doing. God knew that physical + academic training + husband and dad duties at home (and still sharing a room with a baby) would be overwhelming. Jon needed to take this time away to focus. And for me - having him home but too busy, here but not "present" would've been really frustrating and probably taken a toll on our relationship. It also turns out that, yes, the starting pay is a little lower than the other jobs he was looking at, but in the long run he will actually make more.

So what we thought was our last choice turned out to be better than what we were asking.

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." - Ephesians 3:20 NLT

We are just learning how to do this long distance thing. Once again we make a temporary sacrifice that will be worth it in the long run (this seems to be the theme of our lives this year). It's not the greatest, but as I read this verse I am reminded that God's mighty power is at work within us, and that he will continue to accomplish even more than we can imagine.

In the meantime, thank God for FaceTime :)

- A

Thankful

It's been about a week since we moved into our new place. We are so thankful for God's provision and timing. We were stuck between a time constraint and unique circumstances and just when I thought for sure  it would be impossible to make this move, everything fell into place.  We were able to find a new home situated close to our new church family and within a short commute to Jon's new job (we had been living about an hour north of here). This is what we were praying for and God totally came through!

We are so thankful for Jon's new job. My heart is so mixed with emotions though, since he will have to go away for training for nearly 5 months! I am both excited for him and sad to be apart for so long. I'm sad that he'll miss out on Nathan's baby phase and milestones, but I'm also glad  that it's now while he's little and won't feel it as bad. I know it will be hard, but I'm also at peace  knowing that  God has led us up to this point and will strengthen us through it.  So instead of worrying and thinking about the negatives, I'm choosing to be thankful.

Thankful  for technology that will allow us to keep in touch and see each others faces.
Thankful for NOW- this time we have together before he leaves.
Thankful  for having my parents living with us - it'll be nice to have the extra help while he's away.
Thankful for a church community I can get involved in and keep myself busy.
Thankful for a God who takes care of all things, big or small.

So Jon officially starts working the end of this month, and then he has to go to Georgia to train from late October to early March. We are still figuring out the legistics  of it but  we're told he'll have off weekends and that I can go visit.

In the meantime, we'll be settling into our new home and soaking up as much time together as we can these next couple weeks. Please pray for us!

- A, J & N

Do Not Worry

After weeks of tests, interviews, and more tests came the time to wait. I think what makes waiting so hard is the silence. You don't have any answers, only hope... along with doubt, fear and worry. Questions were running through our heads like- Will Jon get offered any of these jobs he applied for? How long will it take? Were we crazy thinking we could pull this off? Are we going to burn through our savings? And then what?

I have to admit- I'm a worrier. It's in my nature. But in these times I am reminded that God tells me not to. He says "6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philipians 4:6-7). I cannot even describe how much truth there is to this. Whenever I pour out all my worries to God, I am overwhelmed with His peace. 

Two Sundays ago Jon was pretty upset that something was wrong with his ear. We had his mom and brother over visiting and we had been at the beach the day before. We weren't sure if it was water or some wax buildup but his ear was clogged and he could barely hear from it. We tried over-the-counter  stuff that not only didn't work but made him worse. I was worried about his ear and he was worried about having to pay a doctor visit out of pocket because  we  don't currently have health insurance. I woke up  late, he had a rough night and was in a bad mood, and church was an hour away. It would've been so easy to stay home that morning, and the thought of suggesting it crossed my mind, but I knew we had to get ourselves to church. Thankfully we made it and boy am I glad we did!  Not only was the worship and message so spirit-filled, Jon's ear was healed by the end of the service! We knew that was God telling us directly "do not worry". If he heard our plea for something small like a clogged ear, how much more does he care about our overall well-being? 

Fast forward a week and that job that the hiring process supposedly  takes a year or more? Yeah, Jon got an offer and starts this September! Is that God or what?!  We are so thankful to God for hearing our prayers and providing for us! 

“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 than food, and the body more 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? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers 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—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 ‭6‬:‭25-34‬ NIV)

Making Room for Baby - Part II

Once upon a time I wrote the first part of this blog post with the intention of writing Part 2 once everything was put in place. Well since then we've moved twice, each time to an even tighter space, making room for a baby quite a challenge. We've managed, and we're still managing, although I hope our next move means more space rather than less. In the meantime I choose to enjoy this season of having my little family snuggled up in one bedroom.

It's funny how things turn out. I used to be the one who thought my baby would have his own room and sleep in from day one. I also thought I would start sleep training as soon as he was old enough. Turned out I got pregnant while we were living in a one bedroom apartment and then we decided to make this big move cross-country which put saving money a priority over having separate rooms. So here we are, many months later, with a crib next to our bed and sleep training down the drain. I'm pretty sure he's capable of sleeping through the night; the problem is how many nights of letting him cry would it take and is it worth it when we're still in the same room? Some days I think we should try it out for a couple nights to test if he's ready, and then I quickly take it back because I know he'll eventually grow out of nursing so why rush it?

As challenging as it seems right now, I know one day I'll look back at this time as a sweet memory. I'll miss having my baby real close, and I'll even miss that quiet bonding time nursing him in the middle of the night. So I'll keep reminding myself to enjoy it for now.

In terms of space, there's nothing a little organization and creativity can't handle. Plenty of storage is key, as well as making every space count. The first set-up in our apartment consisted of Nathan's crib, a rocking chair (not pictured) in the corner next to my nightstand, and a shared dresser doubled as a changing station. I used the drawer space for items I would need on a regular basis, and left extra blankets and my "going out" clothes in the closet. Nathan's play gym and extra diapers and wipes fit perfectly under his crib.

Our second set-up was similar to our first, only much more spacious since we were privileged to be in a large bedroom at my in-law's house.

Our current set up is a little tighter, so we left our long dresser behind and our rocking chair is sitting in storage. I bought a smaller dresser for Nathan's clothes and his changing pad still fit perfectly on top. I use drawer compartments in the first drawer to keep all changing and grooming supplies neat and close to grab. 

In the living room, Nathan's toy storage unit is doubled as a tv stand and we even made a little room for his tent (although it looks big, it keeps the space looking clean when you just throw his toys in there)!

I dream of the day Nathan will have his own room and hopefully a play room. But for now this will do ;)

Moving in, 7 months, 9 years

 Jon and I keep asking each other, "Can you believe we really live here?" Yes, it's been 12 days but it still feels surreal. What we've been planning over a year is actually happening. We're not on vacation, and we're not flying back in a few days.

It caught us by surprise earlier this week when our moving company called and said our stuff, which was estimated to arrive on the 18th, was here and ready to pick up! WHAT? We rushed to find a storage unit we thought we'd only need the middle of the month and set to pick it up later in the week. 

We are so thankful for my parents for letting us squeeze in with them and share their space, and also for our friends Tiff and G who helped us move our stuff in!

Yesterday I finally finished organizing our stuff and having a sense of familiarity here definitely made me feel at home.

 

 

On top of the eventful week moving in, we also celebrated Nathan's 7 months and our 9 year dating anniversary!

UPDATE: Jon has been pretty busy with his job application process. Things are slowly moving along and seem to be looking good so far. We are feeling confident that God is paving the path ahead of us. We have definitely felt his provision even in the smallest details happening around us. Please continue praying for us as we embark in this new journey!

Love, 

J, A, & N

Goodbye, Hello

Today is the day we say goodbye to the home we've always known, and hello to a new one. It's a bittersweet feeling as we're so excited to experience this new journey, but there's so much we're leaving behind. NJ, you've been good to us... Your people, your places, and the memories we've had here we'll hold dear to our hearts forever. We may miss some things more than others, but you'll always be a part of our story.

GOODBYE  sunrise, HELLO sunset

GOODBYE old friends, HELLO new friends (with a few recycled ones ;) 

GOODBYE to some family, HELLO again to others

GOODBYE snow & never ending winters, HELLO sand & ideal weather

GOODBYE  lushous green nature walks, HELLO mountains & hiking 

GOODBYE refreshing summer rain, HELLO cool summer nights

GOODBYE new jersey, HELLO california

We're Moving!

WHOA, it's been a while! Last time I was here I was about 6 months pregnant and this time around my little guy is almost 6 months old! I realize I have some catching up to do, but first I'd like to start off with some NEWS (if you didn't already know) - WE'RE MOVING!

It feels so surreal to be writing about this because it means that it's actually happening and getting close! Backing up a bit... a little over a year ago (right around the time I found out I was pregnant) we started brainstorming the idea of moving from New Jersey to San Diego, CA. I always dreamed of moving out of state to someplace with more "outdoor friendly" weather, but during my dating years and engagement with Jon it was pretty clear that his idea for our future was set in NJ for a while - so I put that dream to the side and just let him know that if he ever changed his mind I would totally be on board. Well, it definitely caught me by surprise when this idea came from him less than a year into our marriage! We spoke about it a whole lot and more and more the pros were weighing more than the cons. Really, we both knew, but decided to pray more about it and wait it out to see how we felt when we visited my parents out there last Summer. I can't explain it any other way than it just felt right. Yes, it's a challenge to leave the security and familiarity of life here, but we truly believe God has a plan for us over there. Simply put - we believe that God created us and put certain desires in our hearts, and as much as New Jersey is dear to our hearts, it is not the place that fulfills our desire for the kind of lifestyle we want our family to live.

After making our decision, we started planning. We would have the baby in NJ (while we still had job security and health insurance), move into Jon's parents' for a couple months to save some extra money, and make the big move in the Summer of 2015. Here we are, Spring of 2015 and the date is set - July 1st!

So why am I sharing this? We have our perspective plans, but there are still a lot of unknowns. So please PRAY for us. I promise I will try my best to keep up to date and blog our journey along the way :)

- Angie

P.S. We'll be having a GARAGE SALE in UNION on May 30th to help downsize our amount of stuff since we're limiting ourselves to 1 U-BOX container to ship. I'll be selling some of our clothes, shoes, jewelry, kitchen gadgets/appliances, decor, furniture, etc. SAVE THE  DATE!

Making Room for Baby - Part I

As I've mentioned before, Jon and I decided to renew our one-bedroom apartment lease even with the arrival of our baby boy this December... which means a shared room situation for at least a couple of months. Of course I'm taking this as an excuse for projects and getting creative with fitting baby Nathan into our lives and small apartment. Although we still have a few months to go, I'm a believer that it's never to early to start planning and getting things ready ahead of time, rather than waiting til the last minute.

I started off with the measurements of a simple IKEA crib and figuring out that shifting our dresser over  about a foot (and we have plenty of room to do so) makes room for a crib in the corner of our room where my tall mirror currently stands. I'm also going to plop a changing pad on top of the dresser to turn it into a changing table, and aligning the bed and nightstands with the dresser means plenty of room for a simple rocking chair in the other corner.

With the excitement of finding out we're having a boy and finally giving our child a name, I dedicated some of my time at home last week with some decor projects. Since we're in a shared room, I thought a nautical theme would be appropriate in order to not turn the room completely into a baby room. Also, our room is mostly grey and white, so I thought navy blue would mix well. Baby Nathan isn't getting his own room, but I still wanted to at least dedicate his little corner to him.

I started with some inspiration from Pinterest and then went to Michael's for supplies and the creativity sprung from there.

(Pinterest photo used for inspiration)

Materials used: Large letters (for initials), Small wooden letters (to spell name),
2 Wooden frames, Blue acrylic paint (permanent), paintbrushes,
Scrapbook paper, Sheet protectors (not photographed), Boat Kit (only $1!)

Since I was dealing with permanent paint, I did all the painting in the
balcony and covered the table with some butcher paper to protect it.

Painted the small letters and frames blue, making sure all sides and
edges that would show were painted evenly.

Cut background paper to fit perfectly inside frames and cut and pasted my
own nautical design. Placed small letters to fit on large letters.

Glued letters on with wood glue. Wrapped paper design in sheet
protectors (frames didn't come with glass) and cut to fit inside frames.
Taped back of paper design to the frame for extra support (although
they fit pretty snug on their own).

Building the boat kit.

Painted everything but the sails blue.

Finished boat with sails glued.

I'm pretty proud of the finished product. Saved money by making instead of buying decor and I think the fact that I made it myself makes it that much more special. Hopefully Nathan will like boats and the decor can carry over into a little boy's room. :)

The next project I'm going to tackle is the re-organization and arrangement of storage space in the closet and eventually the rest of the room. I'm sure I'll be posting some before and after pics during the next couple weeks!

~Angie

It's a BOY!!!

 IT'S A BOY!!! We are thrilled and feeling so blessed! Little Nathan Andrew, we can't wait to meet and hold you!!

       

*Photos by Fabiane Photography - more from this shoot coming soon!

We had our ultrasound appointment this past Wednesday, the 23rd, and I must admit I was a little anxious for the news. I really wanted to find out whether this little one was a boy a girl so we could start calling him or her by name and I could start preparing all the little things we'd need before the arrival. I was nervous that we wouldn't be able to find out, and while many parents are able to prepare without knowing, I just wanted to KNOW.

Jon was able to leave work early so we could go to my 2:30 appointment together. We were so excited to finally be able to find out. So many speculations, but now we'd be able to see! Ever since the beginning of this pregnancy, I think it's safe to say that 85-90% of people who told me what they thought said it was going to be a girl. And I must admit that I was leaning towards the girl side too. Even my grandma, who rarely gets these things wrong was sure it was a girl. But sure enough, the evidence is there that it is definitely NOT a girl!

We patiently waited as our sonographer measured different parts of the baby, until she finally got the image and said, "So you guys wanted to find out right?" and there it was, she didn't have to say it but she did, "It's a boy! Good thing you guys wanted to know because it would've been hard for me to hide this one!" Jon and I just looked at each other in shock and started laughing! Of course we were happy with the news, but with so many people guessing girl, I guess that's what we were expecting! The sonographer went on to continue her job and we got to see all of his ten little fingers and ten little toes. We are so thankful to God for this healthy little boy, who is right on track with his development.

Here are some of the pictures from the ultrasound...

3-D image of face

Profile of face

His little feet!

If you're wondering about the name Nathan Andrew, we had chosen this name for a boy... actually since before I knew I was pregnant. Nathan is part of JoNATHAN which both mean "Gift of God". Andrew is for the "A" in my name, we liked the way it sounded together and that it means "manly and courageous". Also, as an unplanned bonus, his cousin Leo's middle name is "Andres" which has the same meaning as Andrew. Speaking of the two, can't wait to see them playing together! Yay for boy cousins not even a year apart!!!

-Angie

Reflections on a Devastating Game

As I lay here, reflecting on the most devastating World Cup game in history, I couldn't help but notice all the life lessons that relate here. It may be silly to some of you, I know soccer is just a game, but to those who take this game to heart, maybe you can join me in these reflections. What I write here are only my non-sport expert opinions and I'm not looking to make excuses for the loss nor bash the team. I'm simply stating what I've seen and my interpretation of it.

It's no question the Brazilian team this World Cup was not as strong as the team has been in the past. They were, in my opinion, too dependent on the star player and kind of all over the place- not working as a team at all. We were fortunate enough to go as far as we did, but unfortunately couldn't follow through to the finals. It wasn't just any loss, but an embarrassing record breaking loss. I do recognize, however, that the team had a lot of pressure on them. They were in their home country, and it was almost as if winning this cup would save their country. They didn't want to let their people down and then to add to all the pressure their star player and team captain were unable to play the semi finals. The team wasn't as prepared as they should've been and this loss is the result of it.

The most embarrassing of it all was reading how people were reacting on social media. People bashing the team out of spite because of their own country's loss, and even Brazilians losing the pride of their country over one bad (REALLY bad) game. At the end of the day, it is what it is- a game. One team wins and the other loses, but they both deserve respect for making it as far as they did.

After a lot of thought, these are a few life lessons I thought of...

Be prepared
- In life, unprecedented things happen and you always have to be prepared for it: You have a savings account even though you have a steady job just in case something happens to you or your job, when planning you make a plan B or C in case plan A doesn't work out, in sports you train how defend when your opponents attack, and in your walk of faith you learn to be prepared for when trials and temptations come your way.

Don't depend on the past
- It's one thing to be proud of what you've accomplished in the past but it's another to depend on it. We need to constantly be improving ourselves, do more, and work harder. If you find yourself constantly pointing to past accomplishments, ask yourself what have you been doing recently. As a teacher I need to constantly be learning more, reading more and improving myself as an educator. As a Christian I need to constantly check where my relationship with Christ is right now, and how have I reflected the love of God every day.

Learn from your mistakes
- Don't be a sore loser. In life you win and you lose. You make embarrassing mistakes you wish you could go back and change, but the greatest people are those who learn from their mistakes. You learn and you grow and you keep trying until you get it right. As humans we constantly mess up. We sin, we disappoint, we fall short, but we should always be trying to better ourselves, growing each time we fall.

Learn to take criticism
- Part of growing and learning from your mistakes is learning to take criticism. Our natural tendency is to defend ourselves, but sometimes we need to hear it- we need an outside point of view in order to see what we can't see ourselves. Just as in art, critiquing helps an artist master his or her techniques, in life hearing the hard stuff helps us better ourselves.

Depend on others
- As humans we were designed to be dependent on other people. We need family, community, friends, co-workers in order to function. A community works together in order to survive, a team works together to accomplish a goal, and above all things we are dependent on God. Living independently just doesn't work. You need others to help you when you fail, to pick you up when you fall, and to encourage you to get up and try again.

Don't depend on others
- Although this statement seems to contradict the one above, I mean something different by it. As Christians we can't let our faith and relationship with God be dependent on the "rocks" in our lives. It's great to have friends who are strong in faith, have great leaders in our lives, and listen to great messages or read great devotionals, but my relationship with God is solely dependent on me seeking him on my own. It's easy to follow someone's else's bandwagon, but it's important to have your own quiet time/personal worship in order to have that close relationship with God.


I apologize for the lengthy post, but these thoughts were spinning in my head and I just had to get them down. May someone be blessed by it.

- Angie

Hello July

Although I was very aware of what month we are in (and even updated my office calendar last night) I was taken by surprise when one of my emails this morning was titled "Happy 1/2 Year!" How has half of the year gone already??? With a baby due early December, that only gives me like 5 months! [Side note: let's take a moment to recognize that pregnancy lasts more like ten months than nine. 40 weeks divided by 4 weeks in a month equals 10, and I'll be halfway there in just 2 weeks!!!]




Back to July. This month is a pretty exciting one for my hubby and me.

1) We go on Vacation to California!!!

2) July 12th is our 8 year Anniversary!!!

3) We find out (hopefully) whether we're having a BOY or GIRL!!!


I will definitely be blogging about our California adventures (especially now that we bought a new camera for pictures) and Baby Brito's big gender reveal!


Happy Summer!
-Mrs. Brito <3

One Year

Today marks one year of our marriage. It's crazy how one year flies by so quickly. The waiting for our wedding day felt like eternity, reasonably since we dated for almost 7 years beforehand. But since the day we said "I do" it seems everything went fast forward. Before we knew it we were back from our honeymoon, the Summer was over, we were celebrating our "first married" holidays and birthdays, we became aunt and uncle, found out we too were soon to be parents, and here we are celebrating year one.

Okay, so it didn't go THAT fast, but looking back it sure does seem like it. Year one was filled with "firsts", new experiences and adventures, celebrations, struggles, victories, and learning. I must say, considering all the stories I've heard about how the first year of marriage is the hardest year, I think we nailed this one. I don't want to claim to have the perfect marriage-- I don't. There were struggles and there were arguments and disagreements but we were able to handle them. Why? Because we were prepared. The year of our engagement we agreed to invest in our "marriage" as much, if not more than our wedding. We read books, talked a lot about our plans and goals for the future, went to a marriage conference as "pre-marrieds" and got pre-martial counseling. Our foundation was on a Christ-centered relationship and our goal was to live out God's intention of marriage. We learned quickly that we needed to first look at ourselves before trying to fix each other, and that if we put each other on a pedestal we would only fail each other-- only Jesus is perfect and can satisfy all our needs. We also learned to prioritize what is really important in life and not argue over little things that don't really matter. But most of all, we learned to point each other to Christ.

Jon, or should I say "Mr. Brito",

This year has been one of the greatest years of my life. 

Thank you for always striving to be the best husband you can be and for always seeking God first.

You are so gracious to me with your servant heart and unconditional love.

Thank you for supporting my dreams and passions, even when it means quitting my job

For picking up my slack around the house when I don't feel well

And for always trying to make sure I'm "okay".

Your hard work, determination, and "strive for more" inspire me, and yet you don't lose focus of the important things in life.

You know the right time to make me laugh, but not everything in life is a joke and you know that too.

Thank you for choosing me to do life with.

I love you.

Happy 1st Anniversary!

and

Happy (kinda) 1st Father's Day!

Love,

Mrs. Brito <3

Summer Dreamin'

As we enter into the month of June, I can't help but love the feeling of Summer taking over. Although Summer doesn't officially begin until the end of the month, it sure is starting to feel like it! The days are warmer, the sun is out longer, and after weeks of not feeling myself it serves as a chance at a new beginning. So this season, in between the big things we're looking forward to (one year anniversary and vacation to California), I've set a few goals for myself...

READ the Bible more

EAT more fruits

COOK new recipes

LEARN to make delicious summery drinks

DINE out in our balcony at least once a week

HAVE picnics

SPEND more quality time // less money

EXERCISE daily

ENJOY the simple things

GO to the beach on free days

BUY a decent camera

WATCH the sunset

CELEBRATE life // milestones

I'm sure I'll come up with more along the way, but this should be a good start. I can't believe this will be our second Summer together as a married couple. I also can't believe it will be our last Summer together as a family of two. So here's to enjoying the seasons in life... Cheers!

Baby Brito

I've already mentioned the little bub on the way, but here's a little more about our little surprise...

It was down to the final days of my sister's pregnancy... Baby Leo was already passed his due date and I was the one driving Barbie to and from the doctor's appointments to check on her status. It was Sunday when I realized I was already "late", so Monday after taking Barbie to get checked only to be sent back home again, I decided to buy a test on my way home. In a rush to find out right away, I overestimated how much a had to go the bathroom and wasted 1 of the 2 tests on only a few drops of pee. The faintest blue line came across but it was so faint that it wasn't believable enough. I convinced myself that was the line "to be filled in" with a positive test. With the big event of a the arrival of my nephew I decided to keep this little discovery on hold... If I didn't get my period by later in the week I'd take the second test.

Barbie was admitted into the hospital that Monday night to begin the inducing process, but since the actual inducing wasn't going to take place til the next day, that's when my mom and I were going to go. We arrived at the hospital Tuesday late morning and stayed throughout the whole process. The plan was for only my mom, brother-in-law, and grandma to stay in the room to watch the birth and I was only going to stay up until they kicked me out. Up until this point, I had only watched labor and births on TV, so this was my first live experience. I must say, it was very "informative" for letting me know what to expect, but all I could think in the back of my mind was "this might be me in just a few months" and "if I am... There's no turning back now!"

After hours of pushing for natural birth I was only kicked out along with everyone else once they decided to do a c-section. My nephew was finally born Wednesday morning at 5:16am! We waited until we were able to see both baby and mommy before heading home. Due to my lack of sleep, I ended up staying at their place to nap and then spent the day there since my dad was flying in later that night. Jon joined us after work and we went down to the hospital once again so that the new grandpa and uncle could meet baby Leo and so that my mom and brother-in-law could swap hospital shifts.

That night I slept like a baby, and only remembered my mission to take that second pee test once I woke up the next morning. I nervously ran to the bathroom and it didn't take long before that blue line appeared right before my eyes. I couldn't believe it... I showed Jon when he got home and we were both so shocked yet so excited.

Although this little bub wasn't planned by our standards, there's no question in our mind whether he or she was planned by our Creater. We are thrilled to receive and care for this little bundle of joy gifted to us! We are so thankful that everything seems to be healthy thus far, and we pray it continues. Here are a few of baby Brito's first pictures :)

Left: the very first ultrasound on April 15th at 6 weeks, 5 days. Right: Leo's reaction to the news!

This ultrasound is from our appointment today, at 12 weeks, 6 days:

Any guesses for boy or girl?? We will probably find out July 23rd, baby permitting... the legs were crossed today so hopefully he/she won't do that to us on the day it counts! Besides that, the forehead gives me a little inkling this little one will look like his/her daddy... or at least have his forehead! We'll see!!! :)

Nature Walks

This Spring there's nothing I'm enjoying more than a breath of fresh air. I wake up in the morning and the first thing I do is stick my nose out the window and take deep breaths. I've always enjoyed fresh air, but it seems this pregnancy has taken it to a whole new level. All I'm saying is... my husband should be very thankful the pregnancy landed in the Springtime, otherwise he'd be coming home to wide open windows even in the middle of Winter.

Since I wasn't already on a heavy exercise routine, doctor's orders was to take it light and she basically summed it down to walking and speed walking (BORING). I decided that if that's all I'm allowed to do, I was not going to do it trapped on a treadmill inside a gym while it's gorgeous outside. So I've resorted to nature walks outside, and even got my husband to tag along when he can.

Oh the sound of the swishing trees and chirping birds. The crunching under my feet as I walk on the rocky trail and the running streams of water. The views, oh the views... and of course that sweet smell of fresh air and greenery. We walk and talk about life and our plans and dreams for the future. We look back at how God has orchestrated everything thus far and we smile in faith that He will continue to do so. And sometimes we don't talk and we just listen to nature- to the swishing, chirping and crunching.

So far our walks have taken place in the trails of the Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morristown. We walked there a couple times during our dating years and it is also where we took pictures the day before our wedding, so it is filled with sweet memories. It's so funny how the same place can look so different after a few years or even months and especially in a different season.

(If you look really closely you can see a deer between the trees)

Off to meet my hubby after work for another little walk!

-Angie