Week 43 & 42 but Only 42 weeks left!

 It was bound to happen at the rate I was going. Here I am updating in one blog for two weeks! But it has been an AMAZING 2 weeks. I have so much to share, but I will mainly sum-up, as to not make this blog into a book!

 Week 43 went fairly well, nothing to exciting. Tobias and I went to a friends 1st birthday. Toby had a blast. He enjoyed picking out the gift, and had a hard time giving it up! He loved the balloons and snacks, it was quite a fun day for him. I'm really looking forward to planning Tobias' 1st birthday party! I am hoping we can google video with Thomas for Toby's first bite of cake! I am planning on being a bit of a health nut and making an apple sauce based cake with a cream cheese frosting. It should still taste great and Toby will like it! Tobias and I have enjoyed some great walks, lots of sunshine and visits to the zoo. Seeing life through my little man's eyes has been such a joy for me this summer! I've been taking pictures like crazy, and Thomas has been soaking it up as well. I thank God for technology, it's amazing!

 So week 42 came, and I was on pins and needles until Wednesday arrived. I was itching to know the gender of our next baby! I had truly been hoping for a girl, but was happy to get a boy as well. I was very torn and just needed to know (but I didn't want to find out before Thomas, I wanted to find out with him)!  So my mom joined me at my appointment and wrote on a piece of paper the gender. I looked away from the ultra sound screen during this time and tried to analyze my mom's response to the tech's comments. It was driving me crazy! I finally got home and waited an hour for Thomas to get online! As we videoed I opened the envelope and let him read me the gender! It was so exciting to hear him say "Ummm, it says GIRL!" I was ecstatic! Aubrieta Ruth is our babies name, and I just love her already! Her ultra sound picture is below and you can see how beautiful she is!  Tobias is going to be the best big brother. Thomas and I both teared up as we talked about our new baby girl and our growing family. I truly love this time in my life. I love being pregnant, and growing a family with the love of my life. Thomas is an amazing husband and daddy even from thousands of miles away. I'm a blessed woman!

 So during this week, week 42, I found a house for rent in Eagle River that I thought Thomas would like. I honestly had no intention of moving, but Thomas and I had been talking about renting off base eventually, so I had been leisurely looking at craig's list and a real-estate company's website.  I sent the link to this house to Thomas and his response was "I like it go check it out!" I was surprised he liked it so quickly, so Thursday I called the real-estate company and the lady said she'd be happy to show it to me, but warned me that 4 single military guys had been living there. She said she had shown it 3 times and no one could get past the mess. I was a bit disappointed and so was Thomas, but he told me to check it out anyway and see how bad it really was. So Thursday afternoon I went to see the house. I fully expected to walk into a trashed house; it wasn't bad at all. It looked like 4 guys lived there but it just needed some elbow grease and a lick of paint! I instantly fell in love with the floor plan and I knew Thomas would love the two car over-sized garage for his "man cave"! I took pictures and sent them to Thomas that night. We talked about the house for an hour on Friday, Thomas told me to go ahead and pursue renting the house. We got approved Friday afternoon and I signed the lease Friday night! Talk about a whorl wind day, or a whorl wind week; new baby girl, new house! Crazy!

 We are so excited to have more room and space in this 3 bed room, 2 bath, big back yard, all one level home! I have recruited help with packing and moving and have already started the packing process! We move in September 22-24. We hope to live there for a while as we transition out of the military and into the civilian world. Thomas and I are thrilled and so thankful for our friends and family and church family that are reaching out to us and helping us through this time. Once again, the Lord is good, and not just during times of great blessing and beautiful surprises, but during the tough times too. The times that make us cling to Him, and build our character, endurance, and dependance on Him. He's good my friends, He's good all the time!    

 Enjoy the pictures below, and I look forward to writing more soon. HOPEFULLY this Sunday! Ha ha, we shall see!

Much Love
 ~Iris

  Tobias celebrating his buddy Hudson's birthday!

 Aubrieta Ruth Williams! She's beautiful!

 Tobias and a big lynx at the zoo! :)

 Mommy and Toby at the zoo. Toby with a classic daddy look! :)

Decorating Daddy's birthday box! Love that smile!

44 Weeks!

Okay, here I am finally. I have not felt like writing much this past week. But I do want to continue my weekly updates and not slack, well, not slack too much that is. Tobias and I had a good week, but a busy week. It seemed as though we were on the go non stop. We ran errands, spent some time at my parents house visiting with my little brother Alan (who just got home from a summer of traveling). We helped out with the FRG bake sale, we went for our Friday walk and we went to a great birthday party for a dear little friend who turned 3.

 We also got to spend some time talking to Thomas! Tobias was so happy to see Daddy on the computer screen. His face just lit up, and he started trying to sign Daddy. He kind of over did it a little and was smacking himself in the side of the head. He has Thomas and I rolling laughing. Thomas has been pretty busy lately but has still had time to call a few times and video chat once. It's been such a blessing.  

  Last week seemed so busy, and looking back we really didn't DO a whole lot, but lately any type of outing is quite an undertaking for me. Getting Tobias in and out of the car, in and out of a stroller. Making sure Tobias is clean, has a clean diaper and most of breakfast off his face. Making sure his diaper bag has diapers, wipes, extra clothes, plenty of food, sippy cup (preferably full of juice), and snacks for the road. Making sure the dogs have water and food before I leave, stepping over the toys in the living room while holding Toby and hoping we both don't crash to the floor, cringing at the un-done dishes in my sink as I leave, and passing by the trash that continues to pile up in my garage (I keep meaning to ask my dad if he'll haul it to the dumpster for me, I keep forgetting); and remembering I forgot to put the towels in the dryer for the 3rd day in a row, knowing I'll be re-washing them for the second time, it's all just a little...well, overwhelming! Not to mention the list of other things I've promised to do, or really need to do, like get my oil changed, look into some paper work for Thomas, and write a few letters.
 I find that when I look at all of this, all at once, I can feel myself sinking into this pool of murky water called life. In reality the pool is more like a puddle and I just keep looking at it face down! All I have to do is take it one cup full at a time and spread it out where it needs to go, but the puddle can look so big when your face is right in the middle of it. Anyway, enough with my silly analogy. So I have spent the last three days doing a lot of nothing. Tobias and I have only left the house once in three days. I have enjoyed staying home, and I have completed a few things, like laundry and dishes, but mostly I think I'm realizing, once again, that I'm not depending, or resting rather, in my Lord.

 I've been thinking a lot lately about truth, and quotes, or sayings. I realized that we can find up lifting truth, and quotes from well meaning intelligent people, that speak to our heart's emotions and intellect. But the only truth that speaks to our souls, and fills us with the strength to carry on, is the Word of God.  So I have decided to start memorizing scripture on a regular bases. While doing dishes, laundry, and changing diapers, I'm going to have little 3 by 5 cards taped at eye level full of up lifting scripture. (I would love some of your favorites if you'd like to share them with me).
 Life can be crazy, but we are called to live it, and live it intentionally. So enough with my overwhelmed self, one cup of murky water and scripture verse at a time and I'll get it done.

 Much Love, have a great week (what's left of it!) :)

 ~Iris

 Tobias, getting into trouble!

 Trooper about to take his toy that Toby found.

 And Toby taking it back! Good thing Trooper is a gentle giant! :)

 Watching the train on our walk last Friday!

 Helping Grandpapa set up the baby gate! (Tobias is holding a screw driver for Grandpapa)

 Waking up from a nap to see Daddy! Love that grin!

 Trying to sign Daddy, my sweet boy!

 20 Weeks on Thursday! Half way there! We find out on the 10th if we can shop for pink, or gather more blue! :)