Now that it is announced and official I thought I would share that we have some big changes coming our way. Besides the obvious new member of our family joining us in 2 1/2 weeks is that Chris has accepted the Director of Worship Ministries Job at Clearbranch UMC in Trussville.
We are sad to leave Vestavia and loved our time there. We are especially thankful to everyone there who has made us feel so welcome and loved. Next Sunday is our last Sunday at Vestavia and it will be a bittersweet time but look forward to worshipping one last time with everyone there.
We are headed to Clearbranch excited about what God is up to there and joining in and continuing our ministry there. Everyone we have met so far has been so sweet and welcoming and we couldn't be more thankful!!
On that note, I ask for your prayers as our next few weeks are super busy with the transition and Baby Mills upcoming arrival!
Lastly, I must put in a shout out to my sweet husband. I couldn't be prouder of the man God made him to be and thankful for how I get to witness The Lord work in and through him!
Everyone loves to celebrate babies! That is just what we got to do last weekend. We headed back to good ole Gump Town for the weekend to get together with some old friends who sprinkled Baby Mills with some love! Being that this is our second baby and we're having another boy, we didn't feel comfortable with a big shower but some of our friends spoiled us with some love in a low key sprinkle fashion!
We can't thank them enough for the sweet gifts they "sprinkled" us with but the best part was the time spent with them. Since moving we obviously don't see these friends as often as we would like. Hutton enjoyed his time with all these ladies and Baby Owen! As you can see, he's not into pictures as much as the ladies!
We are so excited to meet Baby Mills and see how God blesses our family of FOUR! Five weeks from today!!
Who is looking forward to Fall? I can't even begin to express how excited I am for Fall this year!
The official first day of Fall is September 23rd so we have less than ten days to go! With that I decided my 10 things today would be 10 reasons I am looking forward to this Fall of 2014!
1- I think the most obvious reason is the new addition to our family we will meet this Fall! October 17th to be exact. James "Mills" Whatley will be joining our crew and we cannot wait to meet him. I can't figure out if Hutton is the most excited to meet him or the racecars he thinks his new little brother is bringing him!
2- Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Need I say more? I'm obsessed with these things. I have purposefully ignored every article that has popped up telling me how bad they are for me. I cannot help it - they are my favorite piece of Fall.
3- Leaves changing colors and falling. In the same way that we look forward to the blooms of Spring, I love the leaves of Fall. (Chris may not agree as he is not a huge fan of blowing leaves but it sure is pretty!
4- Auburn football. We're currently really good. Yes- we have a crazy hard schedule ahead of us but I'm hoping we continue to show that we're a powerhouse in footb
5- Fall Events - Pumpkin patches, Fall festivals, Bonfires. Granted, I don't actually have any of these scheduled but I'm convinced they will happen!
6- Family. Since we moved from Montgomery we don't get tons of visits from family but I have a feeling with a new baby coming soon we might get a few more than normal and I can't wait!
7- The smells. The smells of Fall seem to be the best. Making some apple butter to make our home smell delicious!
8- Leggings and Boots. For this pregnant and soon to be trying to get off pregnancy weight girl I don't think my body wants anything more than some leggings and boots to sport everyday.
9- Maternity Leave- Weeks at home cuddling my new baby boy- who could resist this perk of Fall!
10- Holidays! The fall is the busiest Holiday time of the year. Anniversaries, birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, preparing for Christmas! What joy and time with family these all bring. I've always wanted to host a "Friendsgiving" - anyone interested?
Chris and I have always been huge fans of the worship music coming from Hillsong in Australia. Each summer they release new music and we look forward to that release each year. This year the morning it came out I immediately purchased it and played Chris the song "This I Believe (The Creed)."
The song is so powerful and puts the Apostles Creed into a contemporary song. You can hear from Ben Fielding of Hillsong here about how this song came to be. I love how he notes that in contemporary churches these songs are becoming the confessions of the modern church and this song is able to take a historical unifying piece of liturgy and allow it to be used today.
This pregnancy I have gotten the question A LOT of whether it's a boy or girl. When I say boy, people often apologize as if we wanted a girl and are disappointed.
Most of my closest friends knew that in my heart I did truly want another boy! So today we are doing a Throwback Thursday to a post I wrote 2 years ago when Hutton was only 6 months old.
Over the last year, my eyes have been opened to a heartbreaking concept more than normal. If you read my blog, which I seldom post on, you know that we experienced a miscarriage last December. It was devastating. Can I look back and see God's perfect timing now - Yes. Can I see God's perfect plan - Yes. Am I beyond thrilled that we have Baby Mills awaiting meeting us in 6 weeks - More than words can say.
But...
Yesterday, I got a phone call from a precious friend that just recently had a miscarriage. I had sent her a text checking on the babe I knew was in her belly and she called to let me know that their sweet babe was in Heaven. We had a smile and laugh over our babies laughing and worshiping in Heaven together. Then - I didn't know what else to say. I just had a miscarriage less than a year ago, but words just wouldn't come.
First, I felt guilty that I was pregnant again after my miscarriage. Did my friend want me to feel guilty - no! She is thrilled for the life growing and forming inside of me. It breaks my heart that so often we don't have the words to say when someone experiences a miscarriage - because it shouldn't be that way. We've been there - so many of us. I've said more times than I can count... "I have more friends who have had a miscarriage than have not had one." That is an alarming statistic. It is common. Devastating. But very common.
We're so silent about it, which I feel is why the words don't come to so many of us. Even those of us who have walked that road often don't know what to say. Silence - we're so silent about many things in our life. If you're my friend- you know I'm not a very silent person. When I'm hurting, people know. When I'm stressed, people know. Is this a good quality? I have no idea, probably not - but I rely on those people. Why? Because when I'm broken or in pain or hurting- they lift me up. Even when they don't have the words- their presence is what I need. Their presence reminds me that God loves me and desires us to live in communion with one another. Jesus had 12 disciples He did life with for a reason. For a reason He wants us to follow. We're not called to be in this life alone. So for those people in your life - be present. Even when the words don't come. And when you're hurting - maybe let them in a little more. No- they probably don't have the words to say, but their presence might be all you really need.
They will be standing firm like a flourishing tree planted by God's design, deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss; bearing fruit in every season of their lives. Psalm 1:3
