However, I warn you, it will be LONG!
June was BUSY; it seemed like every weekend was filled with weddings, showers, baby arrivals, graduations, or family get-togethers. And what tells of those events better than pictures?? Some you may have seen on FB but, either way, enjoy the Lessa's event-filled June!
First up, my "baby" cousin graduated High School! I was so thankful to be able to witness it; our dads joined forces back in '96 to raise us as single dads...we lived together for about five years and she became more like a sister than a cousin to me. While we don't get to see each other too often these days, (read: she's super popular and I'm the dorky older cousin) I cherish this sweet girl. I will miss her as she moves far away (Seattle!) for college but I can't wait until the day she comes back and we can be "adults" together.
That same day we were blessed to meet our dear friends' new little girl...
We can't wait for Aaron to meet her and more amazingly, we can't believe that in four months, this will be a picture of Brandon holding our sweet little one!
And yet ANOTHER event, the same day, was a beautiful wedding of another couple from the college group we serve in. I was blessed to have Nicole in my small group one semester and it was a blessing to watch her marry Charlie...
at the beautiful Angeles National Golf Course...
The following Monday I was blessed by my co-workers who threw me a shower in honor of Aaron and my "retirement"...as you note the two signs in the picture below.
Jessica and Michele were the first friends I had when I started teaching six years ago and, although we no longer taught the same grade level after that first year, we remained close. When they asked if they could throw me a shower I was blown away...I will miss these two dearly.
Jessica decorated the tables with handmade "quilts," lovingly drawn and put together by her 2nd graders. They were so sweet!
And just look at the goodies we were showered with! Totally unexpected and totally wonderful! We can't wait to see Aaron in all the fun outfits!
The following weekend was a family celebration for Brianna (my cousin above) and my other cousin, Tory, who also graduated High School.
We hadn't seen my family since learning we were pregnant so it was fun to see everyone and their faces when they "saw" Aaron.
and Aaron got a little "Grandpa" time in...
Father's Day was pretty low-key. We went out to lunch with Brandon's parents and went out to dinner with my parents, celebrating our dads, but the day wasn't complete without celebrating the newest dad in our family...
I wanted to get Brandon something that he could use with Aaron...something to aid in father/son bonding so what could be more perfect than these...
Matching tool boxes!
Brandon loved them and I can't wait to visit them years from now, working alongside each other in the garage! Picturing it now just makes me smile! :)
The NEXT day, we got to shower one of my besties (my maid-of-honor) with a night celebrating her growing family!
She's having a little girl and, I would say, potential wife for Aaron, but they will probably be moving out to Georgia in a few years. :(
While we have them here, though, they are going to be fast friends!
I am so blessed to be shadowing her in pregnancy; we got married two weeks apart and now our children will be about six weeks apart. The Lord has been so kind to let us walk these roads together!
Now for some events not caught on film...
RETIREMENT!!
I closed up my classroom for the last time on June 24th and walked away from formal teaching permanently to be a stay-at-home mom and housewife. These past six years have been such an immense blessing; from not wanting to be a public school teacher at all to LOVING working with the community I was privileged to teach in for all six years; from starting out as an upper-grade teacher to trying my hand at pre-school; they were all opportunities I am so grateful for. There is definitely a part of me that will miss teaching, especially as I rummage through old lesson plans and projects. BUT, I am also thrilled that I have the ability to stay home with Aaron and raise him; I am thankful that we have lived life frugally these past three years and thankful for a husband who desires to work hard to enable me to stay home. We are not rich but richly trusting in our heavenly Father to provide for our every need. We know that this season of raising children will definitely be a blessed one!
And, lastly, this past weekend we were blessed to be able to attend Resolved 2011, a Christian conference held in Palm Springs, with our church's college group. We had the opportunity to hear 5 of the greatest preachers of our age preach a total of 10 sermons in 4 days! And, while it was, indeed, more difficult than I imagined to sit through all those, in 110 degree heat...while 6 months pregnant, it was such a privilege to do so! I will probably share more about our time there in a post to come.
And...the real reason for the post; the entire point of why my cousin asked me to blog...and updated "belly" shot...
6 months!
I know I still "look" small but I am finally gaining some weight and I definitely don't "feel" small!
The doctor says everything looks great but has admonished me to slow down...saying I am doing far too much (I guess so...just look at this post!) and advising me to lay down for 1-2 hours a day.
I don't have much energy these days and I can't sit or stand for long periods without feeling it in a very uncomfortable way but I am delighting in the still, quiet moments when I get to sit down and feel Aaron moving around. He is getting stronger with each passing day and, while some say those kicks are weird and painful, they elicit a gleeful laugh from me. When I think back to our two year struggle with infertility, I am all too grateful for each discomfort and each new symptom. They mean we have our prayer being answered in such a sweet, sweet way.
We have come so far and the Lord has truly been kind to me during this pregnancy. While I struggled with morning sickness and have had a "rough" time adjusting physically, He has been kind to make it an uncomplicated and joy-filled pregnancy. We are in shock that, four short months from now, Aaron will be here, filling our lives with more joy than we can yet imagine!
Blessed.
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