*End of March, Beginning of April*

Let's rewind to the end of March shall we?!?

 

We got up bright and early on Resurrection morning to celebrate the fact that HE IS RISEN!  We headed to Stecoah Gap to watch the sunrise with several others even though it was a foggy/drizzly morning.

 

 



 

 

The morning before looked like THIS at Stecoah Gap!!! Whether foggy or not, God speaks through it all.

 



 

 

Little man right before heading to church!

 

Digging for those pockets?!

Jayden's first egg hunt all by himself!

 

A couple of days later we enjoyed some quality time with Lindy!

 

 

Fast forward to the 1st weekend of April which always means THE OPENING DAY OF FISHING so the creeks are stocked FULL of TROUT!  Rance was quite emotional that morning and kept saying over and over "I cannot believe I get to take my son fishing this morning!!!"  Jayden thoroughly enjoyed his first time fishing with his daddy.

 

 

 

His face says it all!

 

BOY LOVES GRAPES!

 

We cook some food around here!  Really, we just love having people in our home!

 

How many people does it take to give Jayden a bath?!  Love these guys, their love for the Lord, and love for Jayden as well!

*Almost 23 weeks*

Well, I've heard this before and it definitely stands TRUE for me that updating and posting pictures of your second pregnancy just doesn't happen as often as with your first.  It's NOT because this baby is not just as important, but with a very wide open one year old and a plate full, things change!

This pregnancy without a doubt has been physically HARD.  I am far into the second trimester at almost 23 weeks and the sickness has not let up, in fact, it has been worse at times.  I'm not going to pretend that it has been enjoyable in the sense that I am SO NOT in the blissful, energetic 2nd trimester where I just feel lovely!  I don't~!  Not even close!  Everyday, all day, (not just 'morning sickness') it feels as if I have the stomach bug with extreme nauseas that won't subside.  I will say, some days are worse than others.  The heartburn kicked in a few weeks ago which seems to make the nausea intensified.  I am just one big mess let me tell you!

Despite how I physically feel, I am doing SO well spiritually (although there have been a few bumps along the way).  My heart has chosen thankfulness in the midst of a hard season.  I can joyfully give thanks for the sickness and for the most part, continue through each day renewing my mind on what is true.  I am most thankful for the way I have experienced the Lord in an entirely new way these last few months.  There have been days I don't want to get out of bed, I don't feel I can take another step, and I just want to collapse....BUT thriving began when I fully believed the Lord would give me what I needed each day to accomplish whatever task was at hand, regardless of how I felt, whether that be taking care of Jayden well (that's a given), preparing meals for our discipleship groups, late night Skype studies that I lead, and the list goes on.  Relying upon Him each day and KNOWING and trusting that He will empower me with exactly what I need for that day is a gift in and of itself.  I am forever thankful for this season! 

When it comes to the nausea, I have literally tried everything out there from ginger, to herbal teas, to prescription medicine (that last 2 days), to pressure point wrist bands, to preggie pops (this taste like yummy candies), to essential oils, to blackberry juice, the list goes ON AND ON!  There is no cure for me :)

Regardless of how sick I have been, I think my body as the opposite reaction than most to nausea.  For me, I eat constantly.  If I get too hungry, the nausea intensifies and it feels almost unbearable at times so eating continually is key.  In the first trimester, I had some serious food aversions.  There were times the look or smell of MEAT (like pork chops) made me want to run as far as I could and vegetables as well.  I couldn't even stomach to look at it.  At that time, I really just wanted bread and potatoes (CARBS please) and crackers and pretty dry/bland foods.  I could not stand the thought of drinking coffee (so sad) and stomaching water (even now) can be hard at times.  I am not a big soft drink person but IF my bladder would allow (I can't b/c of UTI's), I would probably drink coke, sprite and grape juice all day long.  The last few weeks, I have drank some coffee again and thankfully I am able to eat a variety of foods from fruits to veggies to meats to whatever.  Everywhere I go I have my food bag with me! 

My belly did pop out pretty quickly with this pregnancy just like it did with Jayden ~ although it looks completely different sizes depending on the time of day.  I think you will notice in the pictures below how it isn't consistent in it's growth from the pictures taken!  I have gained weight quickly just like the first time around too.

As you all hopefully read here, we are NOT finding out if we are having a boy or girl.  It's pretty SWEET that once this decision was finalized in my mind, I really don't think about it.  I am often asked 'what do you think you are having?' and I can honestly say I HAVE NO IDEA.  What I realized is, every time I think it could be a boy or it could be a girl, all those observations are based upon a previous experience or some wives tale or something someone told me.  Truth is, only ONE knows what this baby is and I am okay with that!


Here are a few pictures:

*Our first ultrasound about 8 weeks*

Many days have looked like this with Jayden hanging on the bathroom floor while locked in there with me!

 

*12 weeks*

 

*14 weeks*

 

18.5 weeks

 

Our FULL anatomy scan at 19 weeks

So thankful for a GREAT, healthy report

 

 

The girl who did our ultrasound did a PHENOMENAL job not give the slightest clue what we are having!  The entire ultrasound felt like dejavu though because it was soooo much like Jayden's anatomy scan.  The baby was constantly moving, flipping all around, and made it impossible to fully check everything.  Baby had hands all over the face, just like Jayden and even gave a thumbs up just like he did.  The measurements and all just seemed so much alike.

 

*20 weeks*

 

21 weeks at Lauren & Josh's rehearsal dinner!

 

 

Next day at Lauren & Josh's wedding!

Here is to the next 17 weeks or however long the Lord sees fit until BIRTH-DAY!

 

*Prayer Update 4.12.16*

Somehow I missed posting this update to the blog :)


Today is the day we had our ultrasound to find out if we are having a baby girl or baby boy except...


WE DID NOT FIND OUT!!!


For all of you with your mouth dropped open wide right now in shock, I get it!  For all of you who are high fiving us right now because you are all for the big surprise, I never thought I would get it but never say never right??!!

For those that know me know that I have NEVER desired to wait to find out the sex of our baby.  I have NEVER desired to wait for the big BIRTH DAY gender surprise.  I didn't judge those who chose to wait, but it just wasn't for me.  I wanted to know for a laundry list of reasons and waiting was just never an option.  Rance was the same way.  We were on the same page so it was never discussed!

To my ultimate shock and surprise, Saturday a week ago, Rance completely left me speechless when he asked a really OUT OF NOWHERE kind of question...

"Would you be willing to pray about waiting to find out what we are having?"

SAY WHAT?!?!?!?!  Everything in me wanted to fight back!  Where is my husband?  Who talked him into this?  Was he really doing this 10 days before we actually find out?  This is coming from the one who has been WAY more eager to find out than me.  The other part of me thought "how on earth can I resist his request????  If he desires to wait then we wait right?" 

Rance went on to say that he was totally okay with me finding out but again asked would I consider keeping it a secret from him and everyone else until baby arrives.  He desired to wait.  I did not; however, I agreed to pray about this even though everything in my flesh wanted to resist! 

THE INTENSE PRAYING BEGAN...

I started by evaluating all the reasons why I did NOT want to wait.  I am a type A personality, I like to plan, I like to prepare, I like to organize, I like to get all my ducks in a row, I like to know!   If this is a girl, we got NOTHING!  If this is a boy, I feel somewhat prepared.  There are so many things in life we DO NOT KNOW, this is one decision I could choose to know so why on earth would I wait?  Slowly but surely as I began to go through each reason, something began shifting.  I knew I was willing to surrender all of these reasons except one that kept plaguing my mind.

When I found out Jayden was a boy and we chose his name, the Lord gave me a very specific prayer to pray for Jayden.  I prayed it everyday until the day he was born (this is another update at another time).  It is often shocking to see this prayer answered in Jayden already and he is only one.  While I have been praying for this child in the womb already, I have felt a block in regards to a specific prayer and really thought it would be clarified once I knew if it was a boy or girl and I could pray for him/her by name. ..THEN the  prayer would be confirmed right?!  What is interesting is that during prayer time one morning this last week, I realized the Lord had already given me the specific prayer for this child (it was the prayer I have been praying for WEEKS now) and knowing his or her gender AND name was irrelevant.  It was unbelievable.  He blew me away with connecting the meaning of couple of names we had already picked out/tossed around before Jayden was born with the prayer I had been praying all along for this child.   HE MADE CLEAR THE PRAYER HAD BEEN GRANTED ALREADY!  I will share these details eventually but for now you will have to trust me when I say the Lord's nearness and revelation left me speechless and full of many joyful tears!  This whole process has been emotional not because of NOT finding out the gender of Baby Shuler but because of the sweet intimacy with the Lord and His grace in revealing sweet truths to me all week long! 
When I said above 'something began shifting' - the shifting was in regards to waiting.  I was afraid to admit right away that I wasn't just willing to wait but something in me became excited about it as well.  I kept quiet about this because I really desired NO outside influence in this decision or anyone's opinion.  I knew in the back of my mind all along the answer was to wait in honor and submission to my husbands request, but I really desired to want that as well and not just be willing!  I really did not think it was possible for me to be on board with waiting but it's crazy what the Lord will do if we are willing to yield and seek Him above all!

SO the decision is FINAL - we are waiting and I am excited which is ONLY a work of the Lord in me.  I am giving thanks for this journey with Him this last week because it truly has been precious indeed.

In Christ Becoming,
Jenni

Prayer Update - May 3, 2016

 

 

What a fun, crazy, exciting month!  We knew as we headed into the month of April that our schedules seemed a bit overwhelming; however, the intensity of schedules does not seem to be changing anytime soon BUT the effectiveness of our team in working together in the midst continues to grow and develop into an asset we continually give thanks for.

In 2013, Rance and I had the privilege of working alongside of a church in Zionsville, Indiana with Eternal Truth Ministries for the summer and it was during that time that we gained an entirely new perspective on what it means to be a team.  Over the last couple of years, this perspective has continued shifting and growing as we personally experience the team concept being fleshed out day by day in the ministry we are called to.

The book of Ephesians is very clear that you cannot become the fullness of Christ while living all alone.  Each individual within the Body of Christ is given unique gifts and abilities.  Noone receives ALL of God's gifts - why?  God wants us to be dependent upon one another, as we are each using our individual gifts, so that we can experience all the fullness of God, TOGETHER.

It really is fascinating how different each individual is on our ETM team.  We come from very different backgrounds, with a variety of personality types, with all sorts of spiritual gifts & talents.  We have some extroverts, some introverts, some very serious, others that are always lighthearted and fun, some planned and organized, others that are more prone to 'fly by the seat of our pants.'  Are any of these characteristics wrong?  Can you imagine if ALL were serious or ALL were the 'fly by the seat of our pants' type?  How in the world do all parts fit and function together well?  While we all may be very different, we all have one purpose/one goal we are aiming for in this life ~ to hit the mark of the glory of God!  We are not competing against one another!  No person is better than the other!  All parts (each individual) are extremely important as we work together to make each other maximally effective!

This past month I have become even more aware of the beauty of each part functioning well to make our team effective as a whole.  Rance may not know the first thing about construction but he can joyfully work under Ben's leadership (who has such talent in this area) each week and help make Ben maximally effective which is all for ONE PURPOSE - the glory of God!  Colin is learning to delegate the responsibilities he has taken care of for 20+ years according to the individual gifts and talents on our team. Jess and I have spent many hours working together to complete the tax work for the ministry and we have had a blast doing so.  It's not the taxes that are fun but having a teammate that has your back and that you know is 'in it' with you until the end.  David has the wonderful gift of administration.  If it wasn't for him, we would lack organization and timeliness but we are constantly wowed by his ability to plan well!  I could elaborate for days on the importance and uniqueness of each individual on our team, but Ephesians 4:16 expresses the beauty of each part doing its share:

"from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love"

So while the month of April has felt crazy, our team continues to be learners of grace, working together well for one purpose and growing in care for one another in the process.  

And here are a few snapshots to capture a little of this past month...   Rance speaking at Robbinsville Middle School FCA about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus! The cross Rance originally built to use at FCA (see picture above) but later transported it to Stecoah GAP to enjoy the morning of sunrise service and it has been there ever since!   I have enjoyed the journey with this gal over the last several years!  I have said many times that I am pretty certain that discipling others has taught me more than I have ever taught the other person!  She (Lindy) has no idea all that she has taught me.   We enjoyed our annual ETM team retreat in Georgia this year!  What a sweet yet intense time it was of study and putting our heads together as a team! Camping for Christ Apil 14-17, 2016 Baptizing Brother Josh Lane on this year's Camping for Christ trip!    *Meet the crew that went on the 2016 CFC trip* Thankful for Brooke's visit in April.  It's a blessing how Brooke and Jasmine met during XC season 2013 and their love and desire for Jesus has blossomed a beautiful friendship as they are now both going through the models together   No idea if this little one is a boy or a girl but we are thankful for a healthy report during our 20 week ultrasound!   *The building of the Director's home has begun* The conference room inside the office building is coming along as well!     Jayden's excitement and JOY are contagious!  He learned how to hit the ball with a little help from his Pa on our trip to eastern, NC last weekend.  We celebrated with two of our favorites on April 23, 2016 as they made a covenant before the Lord in marriage! *Family picture as we celebrate Mr. & Mrs. Josh Davis*      Prayer Requests:   Baby Shuler in the womb and Jenni's continued sickness in pregnancy. Continued pursuit in managing time well in the midst of intense schedules as well as focus on making each minute count. Wisdom in regards to current and future discipleship groups.