We're growing!

I know I haven't blogged much this summer, but believe me, it's not from lack of activity! I have so much to share with all of you that I haven't really been able to share until now!  I have wanted to document this for a while to show how God has been so clearly working in our lives! It's something that we've been praying for for a while, and it's been so exciting to see God move.

Almost immediately after Andy graduated with his Masters in Administration, he was contacted by a school an hour south of here that he had interviewed with 4 years ago.  He was turned down for lack of experience (insert eye roll here :), but now they wanted him for a teaching position!

We spent an entire weekend surveying the small town, seeing if we would like to live there, looking for houses... We both decided that we were up for the adventure!  We had been restless for a change. I could feel that God was going to move this summer, I just didn't know how or where.  We were thrilled with the opportunity for a new adventure, and had decided to take a leap of faith. 

The night before Andy was going to accept the position, he was reviewing the insurance plan.  He realized that if we were to have a baby in the next year (which we had already talked about trying again this summer), he would be hardly making any more money than his current job, making a big move almost pointless.  I suggested that I would take a pregnancy test that I had upstairs, just to rule out that option.

To my HUGE surprise, that little thing showed up with a +!!!!!  I could hardly believe it!!!! As I came down the stairs, Andy said, "soooo, what'd it say?"

"Ummmmm, I'm pregnant!!!!"

We were SHOCKED!!!!  We just sort of sat there for a while saying, "oh my gosh!"  It was so crazy!!!

Clearly, God was shutting that door for us!!!  Andy called and turned down the job the next day, knowing fully that that might mean that he would have to stay at his current job for the next school year.  I think we were both more than ready to move on from that school, but we were trusting that God was in control and had a plan.  Boy, did he!

The next day, while teaching summer school, Andy received another phone call from a school about 20 minutes from our home, wanting to interview him for a teaching position!  We celebrated at the work of the Lord!!!  After the interviews and much anticipation, he was offered a teaching position AND an opportunity to coach football at a very talented school!  Andy felt the decision being confirmed as he met with the Superintendent, who is a believer, and many other faculty members as well!  He has already began practicing with the team, and is loving where he is!

Again, it has been so exciting and comforting to see God's plans come to fruition in our lives!  I'm sure there's more, and we can't wait to see it!

As far as Baby news, I'll fill you in a bit!  As of today, I'm 10 1/2 week pregnant, with my due date being Valentine's Day!!!! :)  What a sweet day to be born...if that actually happens :)  As soon as my family found out, my parents delivered some wonderful gifts.

Dad continued the tradition of the carnations.  If you follow my sister's blogs, you may be familiar with this, however, I did not receive them with Tucker because we found out he was a boy so early.  The story goes, when Mom was pregnant, Dad gave Mom 3 pink carnations, and 3 blue carnations.  With each pregnancies, the 3 blue carnations all died, leaving the pink ones...hense, 3 girls!!! 

The carnations have continued to accurately predict the sex of the baby with each of my sister's pregnancies as well!!!!

So, what state are my flowers in, you may ask?!

That's right!  All 3 blue carnations have shriveled and died, leaving 3 beautifully open and alive pink ones!!!!  Now, this is just a fun tradition for our family, and I'm in no way saying that I base major life events on chance activities, but let's face it, this is just so fun!

In addition to the carnations, I have been SO sick with this pregnancy!  WAY more sick than I was with T, and am thankful to have medicine to keep things...down :)  I'm also thankful each morning that I wake up feeling sick as a reminder that everything is going well with baby. :) 

Andy still thinks it's a boy...shocking ;), and we have NO names picked out!!!  Not a big deal to most, but for the girl who loves a good name, it's a bit crazy!  I will take any suggestions that you might have!!!

If you made it through this whole post, I hope you share in our praises of what is going on in our lives! I will update more from here on out!  We are leaving tomorrow for a little family vaca to Charleston, SC!!!!  See you when we get back! :)