On Saturday morning we went to my little 10 year class reunion but when there is only 14 people in your graduating class it becomes more like a get together. It was lots of fun. There were 8 of us there and if you ask me that is pretty good considering that is half of the class! It was great to see everyone again and catch up. We were all really close 10 years ago and I felt like we picked up where we left off.
Here are a few photos from that adventure ...
Then we went to Aaron's friend Grat's wedding on Saturday night. It was beautiful and I am so glad we made it in to be a part of that! Baby Chambers was too because he really liked the food ... a lot! They are such a cute couple and we love Grat's family! They have always been like extended family to Aaron. Grat's dad, Steve is just precious and he makes me smile. Steve and Kathy (Grat's mom, who is wonderful and makes me laugh) along with Debbie (who is also a close friend of the family and so sweet to us), and Barbara (maybe my favorite family member :) surprised us and showed up for our baby shower. I was so happy that they came! It was lots of fun having them here for that too.
Speaking of the shower ... wow! It was lots of fun! I am not even sure where to start on the decorations. They were amazing! All of it was like a fairytale. I loved it. Tristin and Michele were so good to us. There are so many people who went out of there way to help us welcome this little boy into the world. I wouldn't even know where to to start to thank them. My sister, my parents, and Aaron's mom came in too and it was fun having a house full of people. Anytime I can spend with my family makes me happy and I loved every minute of it!
Here are some pictures from the shower ...
My Mom and Dad surprised us and bought us a glider for the baby's room! It is precious and I love it! My sister and I put it together right away ... well, honestly it was mostly her but it was fun to share that with her. I did not want her to leave. I am still wishing she were here :(
Michele finished painting the baby's room. It isn't completely done yet but it is so cute that I have to share some pictures. She is incredibly gifted and did all of this by hand! I am so thankful she is my friend. She has done so much to help me ease into this whole new world of motherhood!
Well, it's time for the Olympics and I have become, yet again, an Olympic widow. Aaron lives for this time like every 4 years - 2 if you count the summer games. I have never met anyone who can spit out stats from the years past and predict winners like he can. I feel sure that he and Bob Costas were meant to be friends. Aaron could step in and do his job any day. I have enjoyed it so far though because he lets me ask him questions and he teaches me about the games. I am amazed though that he can sit and watch fencing at 3 in the morning or beach volleyball all day long. His most favorite though are the swimming events so I try not to talk too much during that time :) He loves Michael Phelps! So much fun to sit back and watch him get excited about these different games.
Work is going great. I am amazed everyday and so thankful for my job. I honestly love it and I am so lucky to work alongside such incredible people. Aaron and I were talking on the way home from our trip this weekend and I guess I had never realized it but I really work about 6 months head of our releases. Once the CD comes out I am kind of out of the loop (unless I screwed something up in the packaging - which hopefully doesn't happen often :) So normally I can tell you all about what we are working on releasing but not much about how it does after we get it on the shelves.
Lately though, I have been drawn to two projects that I have to share here with you. The first is Steven Curtis Chapman's new version of his song, "Yours." After the tragedy of loosing his daughter he wrote a new verse to add to the end of this song. I can't listen to it without getting all teary eyed. I am going to post the words here for you to read ... If you have the chance to listen to it you should. The new verse is highlighted in blue.
Yours
I walk the streets of London
And notice in the faces passing by
Something that makes me stop and listen
My heart grows heavy with the cry
Where is the hope for London?
You whisper and my heart begins to soar
As I’m reminded every street in London is Yours
I walk the dirt roads of Uganda
I see the scars that war has left behind
Hope like the sun is fading
And they’re waiting for a cure no one can find
And I hear children’s voices singing
Of a God who heals and rescues and restores
And I’m reminded that every child in Africa is Yours
And it’s all Yours God, Yours God, everything is Yours
From the stars in the sky to the depths of the ocean floor
And it’s all Yours God, Yours God, everything is Yours
You’re the maker and keeper, Father and ruler of everything
And I walk the sidewalks of Nashville
Like Singapore, Manila, and Shanghai
I’m brushed by the beggar’s hand and the wealthy man
And everywhere I look I realize
That just like the streets of London
For every man and woman, boy and girl
All of creation, this is our Father’s world
And I’ve walked the valley, of death’s shadow
So deep and dark that I could barely breathe
I’ve had to let go of more than I could bare
And I’ve questioned everything that I believe
And still even here in this great darkness
A comfort and hope come breaking through
As I can say in life or death, God we belong to You
Since I can't remember when, I have been drawn towards music. I honestly feel God speaks to me through lyrics sometimes. Right now, He is teaching me a whole different type of love. I am learning that this little man growing in my belly is not mine, but His. I just get to be a small part of his life. And if this is true then the same must be of me as well ... I am HIS! What an incredible truth to sit in for today. I know that this will be a struggle for me once our little one is here. Aaron will be able to tell you all about it I am sure ... but He is already preparing my heart to know that this child is a blessing to us but is ultimately His and not ours.
Our gospel division is working with an artist named Heather Headley. If you don't know her ... you should! She won a Tony Award for her work in Aida and has also been on Broadway doing Ragtime and The Lion King. She is an incredibly gifted singer and also seems very genuine in her faith. She came today and sang a song for us that left me in tears. As soon as I can get those lyrics I will post them. The song she sang (and wrote with Keith Thomas by the way) was about wishing just enough for someone ... wishing that they had just enough gray skies to appreciate the blue ones, and wishing they had just enough need to understand what wealth really is. I sat there with my hand on my belly feeling our little guy move. I am filled with so many emotions these days but what I felt the most was hope. Hope for his little life and a passion that he will make God the center of it. That is going to be the song that I write in his baby book.
I pray so many things for him but more than anything I pray he fully understands his need for his Creator and that he finds Him early in his life, and I know, from living my own life, that to understand your need for Him sometimes He lets us get to a place where all we can do is reach out for Him. These are lessons I wish he didn't have to learn on his own but all Aaron and I can do is help him build his foundation so that if and when he falls his foundation is solid and once there he realizes that all he has to do is reach up his hand and God will be there waiting for him.
Our pastor preached one Sunday along time ago about the Prodigal Son. What I remember most from that message is that he said all that the son had to do was start walking towards his father and the father ran to meet him. I try to remember that on the days that I feel like my head doesn't coincide with my faith. In my heart, all I have to do is reach up - even a tiny bit - and He will reach out and grab me and hold on tight. This is what we have to teach our son and then we have to remember that he is God's and not ours and ultimately God will protect him better than we could anyway. This love is what I am learning and I believe it has only just begun.
