Waiting in Wonder | We are Expecting!

 

Well, this post was supposed to happen quite some time ago but yet, that seems to be a trend in life lately...being behind! I've decided to embrace it instead of beating myself up about it so here you go, my last minute post to announce that my husband and I are having a baby!! So last minute that this is also a timely post to let you know that most likely that baby will be arriving tomorrow! EEK! Double whammy on the news front.

Last September I had the joy of surprising my husband with the news that God had blessed us with a little life and we were overjoyed. I've always wanted to be a mom and yet nothing can quite prepare you for that surreal moment when the pregnancy test is positive and you blink several times in disbelief. It's a moment I will never forget and still can't believe. After my husband and I recovered from some of the shock, we began to marvel at this precious little life that was developing by the grace of God and that marveling hasn't stopped. Over the last nine months we have continually stopped and praised the Lord for His incredible craftsmanship and creativity. The way a human being develops is AMAZING and it has only increased my faith in countless ways. When you see the heartbeat on the screen, when you feel that first kick, when you watch your child respond to touch inside the womb and when you study how a baby develops it is overwhelming. The process is so beautifully designed and SO beautifully points to a glorious Creator. 

All that to say, while my pregnancy hasn't been all rainbows and butterflies, it has truly been a joy and a privilege that I wouldn't trade for anything. Jimmy and I feel so inadequate to parent this child but SO honored that God would choose us to do so. 

Now for the fun part...I'm not due for another two weeks but because of some unforeseen complications (thankfully nothing too serious) our Dr has recommended that we have this child TOMORROW! We will see what happens as there are still some things that could change that but as of right now, we are packing our bags and preparing to head to the hospital in the morning! It has been a whirlwind of a week and honestly, not at all how I pictured this experience going. Yet, in the midst of it all, I've been challenged so much to see how the Ultimate Parent, God Himself, so perfectly sees what we do not see and works for the good of His children, even if it means laying down His own life. Some of the ways in which this is all unfolding is not at all what I would have chosen and yet, that's because I do not see in full. As I think on that, I am reminded just how much that is the heart of a parent. You work for the good of your children and yet, that doesn't mean they will always understand because they simply cannot see the big picture. As my husband and I are about to embark on this journey of parenthood, I'm so thankful that we not only have wonderful earthly parents but that we serve a God who is the most loving Father and who works for our good even when we don't understand. He is our ultimate example.

So, all that to say, we are expecting a sweet addition to our family...VERY SOON! Here's to new adventures, precious life and God's sweetest gifts! Since I don't have cute pics of our sweet babe yet, here are some from our maternity session! Thanks to my wonderful assistant, Julie, for capturing this sweet season for us! 

Oh, and if you don't follow me on social media and this is all news to you, then let me add a little bit of excitement in saying that we don't know the gender of this baby! Yes, we are those crazy people...but we love it. We are waiting in wonder at what this child will be and also who he/she will become over the years! So stay tuned...

 

 

Take Me Back Tuesday | The Sweetest Two Years

Take Me Back Tuesday | The Sweetest Two Years

As my husband kissed me goodbye on his way to work this morning, I smiled to myself. We are not the same people who stood under that tree and under that banner two years ago. Marriage has changed us. Shaped us. Challenged us. It has chipped away at our selfish pride and brought as a replacement the sweetest of change. While the newness of marriage has begun to wear off, the profundity of daily commitment and growing together is beginning to take root and when I think on that, I get so excited for the days ahead. I am confident that they will be days that are made up mostly of the mundane and the uneventful. Days that to the average person would seem to be lackluster and without much glamour. To me though, I think those days will be the ones that shape us the most as we continue to daily learn to live out our vows and to help each other walk more faithfully with Christ.  Our wedding day was one of the sweetest days of my life, marked by overwhelming joy. Yet, every day since has served to only add to that joy, both on good days and bad, and because of that, I think the best is still ahead.

Our Italian Honeymoon Part 1 | Positano + Rome

Our Italian Honeymoon Part 1 | Positano + Rome

Buongiorno! That's Italian for good morning and so fitting because today, I'm taking you on a walk through Italy. Well, part of it anyway. After weeks of thumbing through my 4,000 images (not even joking) I've finally narrowed it down enough to do some posts. It's still kind of long but can you blame me!? I'm dividing it up in two (maybe three posts) so hang with me if you're interested in seeing snapshots of our Italian adventure. We had the trip of a lifetime and I fell in love with this amazing country and culture.

Take Me Back Tuesday | Life in the Midst of Ruin

Take Me Back Tuesday | Life in the Midst of Ruin

We walked through the ancient ruins of Pompeii and Rome, gazing at countless numbers of stones that though now crumbled, were once built to show off the power of the dynasty they represented. Stones littered the ground, many of them etched with ancient writings that I could not make out, giving the whole place a strangely eerie yet majestic feel. You could tell that at one time, these stones were layered to form the most beautifully jaw-dropping structures and that the people who once graced their steps would have felt like they owned the world. In many ways, they did. Being part of the Roman empire at that time would have meant being a member of the greatest empire in the world. They would have been at the pinnacle of civilization at that time. Yet, walking through those ruins, I found that that was exactly what they were. Ruined. 

#MaryFieldsStories Winner Announced!

#MaryFieldsStories Winner Announced!

Well, what a week! After months of hard work, the website was finally released! A huge thank you to everyone for their kind words and support. It is much appreciated! If you read the blog on Tuesday, I announced a mini campaign I was doing to honor all of my previous MFP clients. If you didn't get a chance to read it, check it out here. So, the time has come to announce the winner of the #MaryFieldsStories campaign! Thank you to all of you that participated and celebrated with me this week. Your words were so special and I loved getting to 'walk down memory lane' with you as you posted your favorite images. Because I had such a wonderful response to the #maryfieldsstories campaign, I decided to change my plans a little bit and do not one but TWO free portrait sessions. 

A Thank You Letter

A Thank You Letter

Yesterday, Jimmy and I talked about our first year of marriage and I was overcome by thankfulness. As I thought about writing this thank you post, I started with thinking I’d write an open thank you letter to my husband but I changed my mind.Don’t get me wrong, I have a LOT of thankful words to say to my husband but today, I am struck by a different thank you that I must write. So, here it goes.