This New Chapter.

This past month sure has been packed with excitement. On August 7th, we found out that we were expecting a boy!

It was such a memorable evening, that I know we'll be proud to share with him. Brian came with me to the doctor for my 20-week ultrasound and he was amazed at what he saw! The ultrasound tech had to press down pretty hard with the scope to change the focus of the picture. Let me just tell you, that was uncomfortable enough for me, and babyMat sure did NOT like it. After the ultrasound was over, he was kicking me harder than he ever had! I'm pretty sure he was a bit frustrated. It was so awesome to see him moving around during the ultrasound and check out all his little limbs and organs. We fell even more in love with our little guy! 

    

We had the ultrasound tech put the "reveal" photo in a little box that I had made so that we could open it at dinner that night. When we left the doctor, for some reason, we were both thinking it was a girl! Just the night before we had decided on two girl names to choose from, so maybe that is why we were in "girl mode". [If baby M was a girl, she would have been either Peyton Noel or Isabelle Grace--looks like those names will be put on hold for a few more years!] So, when we opened the box about 20 minutes into our dinner, we were literally shocked to find out we were having a boy! It was a pleasant surprise, to say the least.

Since that time, my belly has continued to grow, our boy has continued to be his rambunctious self, we might have decided on a name for him, and he has gained about 20 outfits in his stylish little wardrobe. My grandma just started following our blog, so here are some belly photos for you, Grams!

15 Weeks!

18.5 Weeks!

20 Weeks!

22.5 Weeks!

On a non-baby related topic, we both started class two weeks ago! With just one class to have to worry about, I have gained a much deeper appreciation for my husband. I have absolutely no idea how he handles 3-4 classes a semester, plus working part-time to help provide for us! It's a ridiculous amount of work and I'm so very proud of him for how well he has done this past year. He has a 3.75 GPA, ya'll! Okay, I'm done bragging on him. 

Lord willing, we'll be moving to a new apartment sometime near the first of November! It's a little bit later than we were hoping for, but we can't break our current lease without a penalty until then. We are excited to move into a 2-bedroom apartment (moving up in the world!) and to get the baby's room all set up. His pile of clothes, blankets, books and teethers in our living room is slowly getting out of control...we need a place for his stuff! We have decided to go with a fish theme in his room because we want to use some of the Guy Harvey wall photos we have -- and because his daddy is the best fisherman I know. 

I am getting SO ready for Fall to arrive! It's been about 60 degrees on any given morning and the evenings are just splendid. I'm ready for the leaves to start changing colors again, for Pumpkin Spice lattes, and for apple and pumpkin picking at Huber's farm! Fall is by far my favorite season and its even more enjoyable now that we live in Louisville. 

Well, it's Saturday morning. Brian is at work and I can tell babyMat is starting to get hungry. Time for some eggs and toast :) That's all for now.

-AM

How We'll Be Finding Out...

On August 7th, we'll be finding out if our firstborn is a boy or a girl. We are super excited and anxious for the day to come, but also a little nervous about the reality of it all! We prefer to have a boy first (Brian especially), but we are very aware of the fact that there is a 50/50 chance here! Regardless of the baby's gender, we wanted to make that day extra special--something that we can look back on with happiness and also be proud to tell our future son or daughter about. Here is what that day will look like for us:

Both of us will have to work all morning and into the afternoon. I'm sure that will be oh, so fun!

My ultrasound appointment is at 2 PM, so we'll be meeting each other at the doctor's office then.

We chose to not actually find out the sex in the ultrasound room itself. We'll enjoy the ultrasound (it'll be Brian's first live look at our baby!) and the doctor will make sure the pipsqueak looks to be in tip-top shape anatomically. Then, we'll have the doctor write the sex of the baby on a piece of paper or on an ultrasound photo and place it in the special box I made for the day. It looks like this:

From that point, we'll leave the box unopened until we are at dinner that night (yes, this will be very difficult). We chose a nice Italian restaurant to eat dinner at for two reasons: one, its a locally owned place and our baby will be born in Louisville--so that's just special--and two, we have to raise this baby knowing all about his or her Italian heritage--okay, that's more of my reasoning than Brian's. We'll probably open the box toward the end of our meal! Anticipation, anticipation!

Then, we'll head to the mall! I've been wanting a charm for my Pandora bracelet that is "baby-related", but all the fun ones they have at Pandora are gender specific. So what better night to actually get it then the night we actually find out the gender?! We'll buy the baby bootie charm with either a pink stone or blue stone (courtesy of my Aunt Lala!). After that, we may buy the baby an honorary "this was bought for you on the day that we found out what sex you were" outfit. It just seems fitting (and we've been dying to do that for weeks)!

After our evening of celebration, we'll contact some loved ones and then announce it to the world via Facebook of course.

So that's the plan! Boy v. Girl? We'll see what the outcome is!

Life.

I'm not really sure where to begin this one. We've had a lot of exciting things happen lately...yet I'm still at a loss for words...

Of course, Brian finished his second semester at SBTS in May--literally the day we left for France. It was a tough semester for him, but he grew a lot in his disciplines and also in his faith. We recently found out that he got A's in all of his classes, which is quite a difficult task. So we were very excited about that! He has been enjoying some time off this summer and really likes the prospect of reading some "fun books" while he doesn't have to worry about reading for classes. He took a J-term class this week--basically a 16 week class condensed into 5 days of intense study from 8 AM to 5 PM. He really enjoyed that and the practical things he learned about family ministry and raising Godly kids. I have enjoyed seeing him think through issues of discipline, authority, and gospel-centered teaching in the home--especially as we begin to plan for the arrival of baby Mathews. I think this has been one initial step in a lifelong process of equipping us to be Godly parents and that is exciting to me!

While my life is pretty routine right now, I will actually begin a Master's program at SBTS in the Fall. The company that we would like to head overseas with has a new requirement for spouses to take 4 specific classes before they are appointed. I've toyed with the idea of pursuing my Master's since moving to Louisville, so this requirement gave me that extra motivation necessary. I'll be taking one class a semester--not nearly enough to finish the degree any time soon, but a good head start at least. I figure even if I finish the degree when I'm 40 years old (or even if I never finish it), it will still be worth my time and energy. Oddly, I have missed being a student this past year, so I'm looking forward to hittin' the books again. (Remind me that I said that when I'm 9 months pregnant, please.)

My parents visited earlier in the month and we had a really great time with them! We really didn't do anything too exciting...we really just relaxed. But it was nice and needed! My mom took me shopping for maternity clothes--something I appreciated SO much. I have been anxious to wear some of my new shirts because they are just really cute, but they still just swallow me whole, so I have refrained from that. Pretty soon (and I'm sure when they do fit, I won't be as excited)! 

Night out with the Ordways!

I had a doctor's appointment this past Tuesday at 14 weeks. It was fairly uneventful--bloodwork, labs, pee in a cup--but it went well. The highlight was definitely getting to hear the baby's heartbeat again. 160 beats per minute. My doctor said he or she is strong. And I'm guessing stubborn like his or her father! My next appointment will be in 4 weeks (just more routine stuff) and then another 2 weeks after when we will find out the sex of the baby. We are very excited for this appointment, but we feel as if its so far away! I know it will go by quicker than we think. 

Brian and I with my Mom and Dad.

I'm starting to show a lot more now. I couldn't button my pants for the first time this morning, so I know that baby's definitely growing in there! Still, if I wear loose fitting clothes, my little bump is still pretty concealable. I haven't felt as sick lately as in the first trimester. Usually, just in the mornings now. For some reason, taking a shower and brushing my teeth (still!) are the triggers of my nausea. It's the oddest thing. I'm convinced that this baby doesn't want a clean mama! My new favorite snack is homemade guacamole and chips--and it has good vitamins for the baby, so that's a plus. I haven't experienced any noticeable cravings yet. I did really want some macaroni and cheese the other night, but I think that's just because of a show we watched on Food Network. 

Cookout with Ethan, Anna, Mom and Dad to celebrate Father's Day!

We've decided to find out and reveal the gender (obviously), but no one will know the baby's name until his or her birthday! We feel like this is a good compromise as we are admittedly not hardcore enough to not find out the gender. I'm too much of a planner for that! This way, there is still some surprise that accompanies his or her birth! And it's fun for us to be the privileged two who can decide, know, and use the name before anyone else has any clue about it. By the way, we still have no clue either :)

Well, my break at work is coming to a close. Time to wrap up this post. Thanks for taking the time to read this and stay updated on our life in Kentucky! It sure has been the adventure and we look forward to many more.

-AM

So...We're Having A Baby.

So as is public knowledge now, we are having a baby. And sometime on or around Christmas day, which is still crazy to us. Neither of us have ever particularly wanted a "Christmas baby." We felt as if the holiday celebration would overshadow the birthday celebration, but obviously we don't have a choice in that matter now so we are set on making it work! Who knows, maybe he or she will come a few weeks early?

So this was not planned--it was actually very unexpected--but we are excited! A little over a year ago we came to the conclusion that we, in our finite wisdom, had no clue when we should begin our family. As many of you know, we long to move overseas, so there never really seems to be a "good" time to have a kid when you plan on doing that. Before we leave? After we leave? So many questions. But we know that God knows when the best time is and that He gave us this baby NOW for a reason. We are confident that He will provide and He will direct us as we begin this new chapter in our marriage and in our life.

So, funny story. The day we found out, Brian was the one who actually made me take the test. I actually did not think I was pregnant at all. Maybe it was denial, maybe ignorance--I'm not sure. When I saw that it was positive, I literally went straight to our room, laid on our bed and looked at the ceiling for what seemed like 30 minutes. When Brian actually realized that I had been missing for who knows how long, he came looking to see where I was (we have a 1-bedroom apartment, there aren't too many options). I told him that it was positive. He didn't believe me (classic "boy who cried wolf" syndrome--I had joked with him multiple times in the past about this when tests were actually negative). And then I showed him the proof! So...then we went to the family room, sat on our couch and stared blankly at the wall for what seemed like 30 minutes. It wasn't that we weren't excited, it was just that feeling of, "holy crap, this is for real."

So it's been about 5 weeks since then. I'll be 12 weeks along on Tuesday and I am so ready to reach that milestone! We had a close call around week 6 (which is why we already have a picture of the little squirt), but after a doctor's appointment, they confirmed that everything looked normal and healthy. Praise God! Then our baby went out of the country for his or her first time and got to experience France with us. Or should I say, I got to experience France with him or her! Thank you, constant nausea. I'm starting to show a bit, which is pretty strange, I must admit. I've learned that pesto is not my friend and neither is Chinese food. Brushing my teeth also makes me want to puke (ironic, I know).

So, that's where we are at. Brian, myself and this little person who we are anxious to meet. We know its going to be interesting, but we are ready for the journey! We'll be in touch.

Two Months In Review.

It's hard to believe its been 2 months since our last post. That's pretty sad. We've had so much going on over the past two months that I don't even know where to begin! I'll give you some highlights.

The highlights of February:

• We celebrated two years of marriage on February 13th! We've been extremely blessed to use my parents' timeshare for the past 3 years to celebrate our wedding and anniversaries. Two years ago we celebrated on our honeymoon in Spain, last year we went to Orlando for our first anniversary, and this year we had the amazing opportunity to spend some time in Gatlinburg, TN. We spontaneously decided to go skiing during our time in Gatlinburg--something that I've never done and Brian has only done a handful of times. I can say that was probably one of the top five most fun experiences I've ever shared with my husband. Brian was a natural from the beginning (I think it's because of all the skateboarding he used to do!) and it took me pretty much all day to get the hang of it! It was fun to see my skills progress throughout the day--I started on the bunny slope and finally mastered the green slope after 8 hours of skiing :) We had a great time celebrating our two years of marriage and we look forward to many more.

When we first got to the ski area! Excited!

After a long day of skiing! We were exhausted and cold!

A new ornament to add to our collection.

• We met with our IMB coordinator twice in the month of February and learned some more details about the process of finally getting overseas. We will be attending an "expo" during the Spring of 2013 where we will learn about different positions that we can apply for throughout the world, more specifically in Europe. It is hard to tell right now exactly when we will be leaving, but we know that it should be anywhere between June of 2013 to May of 2014. A lot of that will just depend on how quickly Brian can finish his classes! We are super excited though and are working to prepare now for the huge transition. 

The morning after the best snow of the season.
Brian getting Clifford ready for work :)

    

The highlights of March:
March was such a fantastic month for several reasons.

• My friend, Anna, and I ran our first 5K after training for about 5 months! We ran the entire thing without stopping and we had a great time. 

Anna and I after the Anthem 5K!

• Two of our friends from USF, Austin and Briana, visited with us during their Spring Break. They stayed with us for 5 days and we had such a great time with them! It was so nice to have a break from my routine schedule and just have an opportunity to hang out with some amazing friends. We cooked dinner together every night (well...I cooked, they watched), they went with me to my SWI class, and they even met me at work one day so that we could have a picnic lunch during my break. It was so much fun! After their time here, I rode back down to FL with them...which leads me to my next highlight....

Walking with Austin and Briana around campus
on one of the first days of Spring!

• I got to go home in March! I had an awesome few days with my family, spent some time in Tampa with friends, and got to attend the wedding of Ryan and Amy Warters. After 8 months, I was really needing some good FL time. And I even got to go to the beach to help combat my new-found KY paleness! It was glorious. I was sad that Brian couldn't come with me, but I appreciated his sacrifice in letting me have a few days there. 

Hanging with my dad and brother at the beach.

Walking around USF to check out the changes since we've moved!

And that brings us to April:

• April is always an eventful month for us because both of our birthdays are in April! We celebrated Brian's 25th this past Monday night with Cajun jambalaya (Brian's request), NY style cheesecake and fellowship with our great friends, Ethan and Anna. My birthday is this coming Tuesday--the big 2-1! I'm not sure what Brian has planned for that yet, if anything! Either way, I'm anticipating that it will be a good day :)

• Easter is fast approaching and we are being continually reminded of the reason for this season: the saving work of Christ on the cross and His glorious resurrection. Tomorrow night we have the opportunity to celebrate His atoning death at Sojourn's Good Friday service. Here, we will reflect upon our sin and the blood that was shed on the cross some 2,000 years ago in order to make us right with God. What an ultimate sacrifice that was, once and for all. Then, Sunday we will join together yet again to celebrate the fact that the story of salvation does not end with the cross, but with an empty tomb. An empty tomb that signifies the power of God over death and the life that is found through the blood of Christ. Get excited!!

That's it for now. Thanks for following! We'll try to do a better job of keeping you informed!!

-AM

Where You Go I Go.

I don't even know where to begin! It's been nearly two months since our last blog and there is a lot to update you on! These past two months have literally flown by. I'm not even sure where the time has gone...

February 1st will mark 6 months of us living in Louisville. We have mixed feelings about this.
On the bright side:

• We both enjoy our jobs and count the fact that God has continually provided for us during our time here as a complete blessing. 
• We have met some incredible people that we wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet otherwise--our friendships are growing and deepening, and for that, we are grateful. 
• We have had the chance to experience a different culture than what we have been accustomed to our entire lives and that has been a great opportunity for growth. 
• We are absolutely in love with the body of believers of Sojourn Community Church and their zeal for Christ.
• We have found this season of study at SBTS to challenge and encourage our personal spiritual lives.

Some negatives:

• Our family is far away...and that's no fun. We miss them all the time. 
• We haven't been able to wear flip flops for months--and winter isn't even over yet! And we are going through some serious beach withdrawal. We have never been so white in our lives ;)
• Often, we reflect on our life at USF and we miss being carefree college students. We miss our friends there and the spontaneous fun we used to have. 

It is obvious: the good outweighs the bad! Please continue to pray for us in these areas as we continue to stay open to wherever God leads!

Lately, our faith has been challenged in many areas. We are confident that this is the Lord's way of pruning us as radical followers of Him--as always, it is tough, yet exciting. 

As many of you are aware, we will be going to France in May for a short term mission trip with our church. Last month, we met our team for the first time and we are enthusiastic about the group that has been assembled. We need $3,000 at the end of February for our airline tickets and another $3,000 by May 10 to cover the rest of our trip expenses. To date, we have $845. We are so grateful for those of you who have given generously and sacrificially!! But obviously, there is still a need, and there have been times lately where we have been getting discouraged. We need to continually remind ourselves that we have a God who can create the universe with a powerful word, who can raise the dead and give them new life, and who can save a lost and dying world by giving his very own Son--and we are worried about raising $5,200 more for our trip?!? Pshh...He's got that one in the bag!

We have also recently completed our preliminary applications with the International Mission Board. The process is very lengthy--complete with several interviews (together and separate), medical assessments, spiritual assessments, and a lot of paperwork. We are totally excited for this process because it means the beginning of our journey overseas. Our first interview with our regional coordinator with the IMB will be on February 7th. We are also prayerfully considering initiating a long-term sponsorship relationship with our church here in Louisville. While we would still be IMB missionaries, this would mean that we would be sent from Sojourn--something that the pastoral leadership does not take lightly. It would require a very high level of service within the church itself while we are here in Louisville (something that we have no problem with), high accountability to the leadership of the church, and being held to a very high standard while on the field--as we reflect Christ (ultimately), the IMB, and the church. Overall, we are extremely excited about the possibilities that God has set before us and request your continued prayers for our growth!

Classes start this week for both of us! We are actually pretty excited about this. Brian is taking another full load of 12 credits and he has already started working ahead. I am taking two more wives classes--the first 6 weeks will be Cross-Cultural Ministry (super excited about this because it is taught by the wife of the dean of the missions school here on campus and former missionary) and the second 6 weeks will be Hospitality (I've heard this is good from others who have gone before me...but I'm interested to see how it goes)! I am also planning on sitting in on one of Brian's night classes with him...we'll see how long that lasts ;)

Well to wrap up this lengthy post, we'll leave you with a few pictures of our festivities throughout the last two months. If you've actually read all of this, count yourself loved because that was A LOT to fill you in on!

-AM

Picking out Christmas trees with our friends, Ethan and Anna.

1st Christmas Eve in Louisville.

Heading to Nashville for a post-Christmas adventure!

Snowflakes!

Visit from Brian's family on New Year's weekend.

Tour of Churchill Downs!