Time flies.

I sat outside this afternoon watching Adi swim in her little pool and reminisced on this last year. Actually, I reminisced on the last 4 1/2 years of marriage and the journey that we have been on. I thought about the feeling of dating my sweet Luke. The anticipation of waiting for him to pick me up for a date, or waiting for his call. The joy when he told me that I looked beautiful, and the giddiness I felt when he would whisper sweet nothings into my ear. From the day he asked to date me, my heart was his.

I thought about the nights that we would lay in bed after a year of marriage and talk about wanting a child. We knew that a baby would completely change our lives and we felt like we were ready. Adalin Rose was born and my oh my was that a blessed day! My little 7pd 12 ounce girl came squealing into the world and completely changed our capacity to love forever.

I thought about the first year of her life. All of the ups and downs of having a newborn. She was quite the "easy" baby, but there were still days that I thought to myself, "why do woman have more than one of these?"

I thought about how the Lord blessed our desire to have another baby so very quickly. Within two months (by Adi's 1st birthday) we found out that I was pregnant. Adi and her brother or sister would be 21 months apart, and that sounded perfect.

Perfect is His plan. Even when my flesh thinks it should be different.

I thought about this last November when I found out that I was pregnant again. The crazy emotional roller coaster ride of having yet another baby inside of me, and the uncertainty that came with it. "I am not forgetting you Olivianna," I would whisper to her. I feared moving on, hoping again for a child. What if something happens again? What if this baby has problems too.

I thought about sitting on the doctors table the week before Christmas and hearing the doctor say that there was no baby inside of me. That sac was there, I was pregnant, but "this pregnancy will not result in a baby." Hope crushed. Again.

I thought about all of the people in the world who suffer from infertility and multiple miscarriages. I thought about my sister in love and my cousin, who have the desire so strong to birth a child, but have not been able to. And the defeat every month when a period starts.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future. Jer 29:11

I looked at my 2 1/2 year old daughter, and was thankful. Thankful for a healthy child and for the blessing of the day to day that I get to share with her. Thankful for the love that she has brought to Luke and I, and for the hope that we truly do have in Christ.

Each day is a gift and I want to unwrap it with joy and thankfulness to the one who gave it to me.

And now I must think about tonight...I have a date! I am super excited...because it is a surprise date, and those are my favorite kind!