Crack of Dawn = Perfect time for a new post!

Hello again friends,

I have been busy and not good at blogging these last 2 weeks, so today at 5 50 am, I will catch you up.
My boss is currently out of commission for this month, so that leaves me in charge of the center while she is gone. I was so nervous today because it would be the first time I had to decide whether to close or open due to the weather, thus the reason I have been up since 5. I am grateful that most of Maryland is closed and that outside my window there's nothing but ice, making my decision quite easy and giving me time to blog while I wait for all the calls and texts from staff and parents. I had to leave the message on our voice mail this morning about being closed, and I think I had to re-record about 8 or 10 times. I hate the sound of my voice on the phone!I am such a nerd.

In baby news, I am now 11 and a half weeks and he/she is the size of a fig till Sunday when Lime week begins! I am pretty much out of my jeans and in denial about having to buy new ones that I could maybe, you know, breathe in. I have gone from feeling sick on and off to being hungry 100% of time. I just don't like red meat or chicken right now. I need to learn some self control before I gain a million pounds. My first OB appointment is coming up on Friday so that will be exciting and will probably make all of this a little more real.Wolf will be coming with me and I really hope we get a chance to hear the little heartbeat.

I have enjoyed this snow even though its not a whole lot. Wolf, Mike,Winnie and I went on a walk in the woods yesterday and it was so beautiful out with everything being covered in the snow. We kind of felt like we were in Narnia or something. Winnie had the time of her life running like crazy through the woods and eating snow. She's been a very sweet and cuddly dog this last month or so, very unlike her. I wonder if she senses the fig....

Today is my sister Monica's birthday. I cannot begin to tell you how thankful I am that she was put on this earth. She is a role model for me, an encourager, a friend, and one of the most selfless and compassionate people I know. She always knows how to help in the best possible way at the best possible time. She is a Godly woman and a beautiful sister, wife, mommy, and friend. I am so glad that she is only ten minutes down the road from me, she helps keep me sane when I am feeling on the edge of crazyness. She treats me like an adult, not like the child I feel like I am most of the time and spurs me on towards God and maturity. Thanks big sister. I love you so very much and I thank God that you are in my life.

So here are some more serious thoughts. I know, they come few and far between, so soak them in while you can.
Pregnancy has been causing me to face the fact that I really am a worrier. I can always find something to worry about, and generally I am good at hiding this. I cannot escape my own brain though. Before I was growing this little alien creature I worried about normal stuff like work, relationships, money,dieting...and now throw a baby into the mix! Here's whats good though. If I allowed myself to worry like I have the capacity to about this baby, I am pretty sure I would be INcapacitated, so I had to try to sort through it and make peace.
Here's the thing. God is in control. He is the only one who knows if my baby is ok or not every second of the day, He is the only one who is in control of that beautiful little life inside me. I, can only watch myself expand, be as healthy as possible, and pray. Matthew 6 is all about worrying and how silly it really is. There is nothing left for me to do, but trust God with it all. Coming to that point where I can trust Him with my baby is a daily decision and when I can do that, I realize that I can trust him with the petty stuff too. Actually, not can but need to. I will not be content to be a control freak worry monster anymore, I will fight to find peace in God who has more than proven that He is able to handle whatever may come my way. I can instead focus on what God is actively doing in my life, where He's leading me, what He's teaching me, and who I can encourage and love on. Do I know if in 6 months I will have a healthy baby after labor that was a breeze? Nope. I just know that regardless, I have a good God who's gonna provide all that I need whenever I need it.

Jesus says it better than me, so I will leave you with Matthew 6.:25-34

25"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 important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look 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? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life^[b]?

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If 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, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Have an excellent and worry free day!