4 more days until Ava is here!

39.5 weeks!
Being induced Jan. 29, 2007
We had our dr's appointment today and found that i was 2 cm dialated and 60 percent effaced. Dr. Mini said she could feel the baby's head, and she stripped my membranes. This was very pleasant -- ha!

we are very excited for this monday, jan. 29 to approach. we have been waiting for 9 months and can't believe the time is here. The Dr. asked if i wanted a "deadline" last week and i said, sure! We are going to go to the hospital this monday at 8 a.m. and are being induced then. I am going with the epidural and know that everything will go ok.

This has been just an amazing time, and i feel so blessed right now in my life. Sometimes the hardest things in life are def. the most worth it - being prego for 9 months hasn't been easy, but the reward is going to be so great. I just believe that God is so great and he is so gentle with us. Even when we are the most weak, he is there and moves mountains to move our hearts closer to him. He is just so good. I look back on last year and at this time i was having surgery to even have Ava. We were going to a fertility specialist to have surgery to have Ava and the Dr was talking about all of our choices. I guess we prepared ourselves for whatever God had for us and can't believe how good God was. This was the perfect time to have Ava "But when it pleased God. . ." Galatians 1:15

I can't wait for monday.

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.

Becoming Sweetly Broken

Vineyard - Live at the Rockies -- has this amazing version of "Sweetly Broken," which is one of my favorite songs. It details the faithfulness and pure mercy that we receive when Jesus draws us to our knees at the cross -- becoming sweetly broken and surrendering our lives to Christ.

I really think that the song speaks so much in this day and age because sweetly broken is really a metaphor for giving up all power and control to Christ, giving him our lives for reconciliation to the cross. What does this mean?

Reconciliation
Rather than seeking pure justice, reconciliation seeks to bring together two parties that are not one. It doesn't punish the offending party, rather it seeks to mend the bridge between the two -- to bring completeness and a renewed or new relationship. It's actually a big buzz word now as the new wave of wars in this century is not between countries, but rather between countrymen.

According to the news, civil wars are replacing world wars. And in Rwanda, Darfur and other countries, researchers are saying that reconciliation is the key to a peaceful coexistence . Justice isn't the main issue, rather a bridge to both warring cultures is -- even when mercy doesn't seem to need to be handed out. The other key to reconciliation is that the offending party wants to change their behavior so much so that they actively work toward that goal.

Mercy for me?
I wonder so many times how Christ can extend his mercy to me over and over again. I can be somewhat of a perfectionist and when i mess up -- the last thing i want to do is say i messed up again. But when i go to the cross, i don't receive justice or punishment for my sins because Christ has already done that. He just asks that i come and receive his sweet mercy.

It's the Holy Spirit that works in our lives to sweetly break our selfish desires, our fear, our need to be right and everything else that isn't of him. As the mentor of C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald stated, "Such is the mercy of God that he will hold his children in the consuming fire of his distance until they pay the utmost farthing, until they drop the purse of selfishness with all the dross that is in it, and rush home to the Father and to the Son and the brethren—rush inside the life-giving Fire whose outer circle burns. "

my labor ipod playlist

Labor ipod playlist:
Hi all! So, Brandon has been getting my ipod playlist ready for me during labor. I told him i want some of his songs on the playlist because angry music helps me workout harder -- he.he. But, so far he has put pretty good songs on my playlist.

I love All American Rejects new song, "It ends Tonight." If you haven't heard it, go to their web site for a snippet http://www.allamericanrejects.com/home.aspx.

Here are some more samples that are on the playlist:

• Into the Rush - Aly & Aj
• It Ends Tonight- All American Rejects (get it?) ha
• Get on the Floor - BananaRama - favorite fun song!
• In the morning - razorlight -brandon found these guys on the UK hit list
• and Before i fall to pieces - razorlight
• She moves in her own ways - Kooks
• Here it Goes Again - Ok Go! (Treadmill video)

And some sappy post labor songs -

• How to Save a life and Over my Head-- The Fray - hey, you have to have a Grey's Anatomy Song in the hospital
• Snow patrol - any song! :)

Fun songs:

• (Here) in your arms - HelloGoodbye - my favorite new group - i found these guys before brandon even did!
• Oh, it is love - HelloGoodbye

Angry music:

• One step Closer - Hybrid theory - linkin park

Misc:

• Winds of Change - Kutless

39 weeks...the end is in sight

Hi all. Still here and now i am on maternity leave. I am feeling pretty tired now and have lots less energy than i used to. I tell brandon that i can do one to two things a day and then i am done. I am really excited to meet our little one. we have everything ready for her -- tomorrow i have an appointment to get the car seat installation checked at the health department here in marysville.

The dr's office called today and said that our induction is scheduled for next monday, Jan 29 at 8 a.m. if we haven't delivered yet. I really can't believe it's getting so close. It's so crazy to think that ava will be here then. I really don't even believe there's a little one in there! how weird huh. But, i know that until i see her, i won't totally believe it -- or feel the painful contractions!! I have been having contractions off and on for about two weeks. Last saturday night, i had a contraction that hurt so bad i shot up in bed in the middle of the night. I was seriously so sick i thought i was going to throw up. mmm something to look forward to!

and tonight brandon and i went and stocked up on groceries for when baby is here. I also went to dream dinners in powell (www.dreamdinners.com) and stocked up. It was so fun -- i went with my aunt rita--and so nice to get 10 meals done in 1.5 hours. I didn't know if the food would be good, but it was!

Since i have some extra time on my hands this week, i am trying out some new recipes. i am going to make my friend Joleen's lemon mini muffins tomorrow morning- they are so good - lemon mini cupcakes dipped in glace'. I love them! And trying to make some mini banana breads for next week.

anyways, we are delivering at Riverside Hospital in Columbus. Hope to have more news soon!!

roundhouse kicks

Did you know that there is a Napoleon Dynamite devotional that helps teenagers study the Bible using lessons from the movie? I found it on amazon the other day.

TBS has been airing the movie and it reminded me and brandon of our litte roundhouse kicker this morning (ava). Brandon and i were driving to work and he was feeling my stomach when ava did her usual roundhouse kick.

Brandon said, "Whoo!" And i just stopped breathing for a second because it hurt. We call ava our little roundhouse kicker because she goes crazy with her little kicks. I can't believe a little 6 or 7 lber could pack such a punch!

In honor of our kicker, i put the text from the Napoleon Dynamite scene below! Enjoy!







Kip with his sensei

Rex: My name is Rex, and if you study with my eight-week program you will learn a system of self defense that I developed over two seasons of fighting in the Octagon. It’s called Rex Kwon Do! I need a volunteer.
[Kip raises hand]

Rex: Okay, you’ll do. Come up here. Bow to your sensei. Bow to your sensei! Okay. Now I’m gonna give you one chance. One chance, people. Give me your best shot. All right. That was pretty good. Okay. Now, watch this everybody. Grab my arm. The other arm. My other arm. Okay, now watch this. I’m just gonna break the wrist and walk away. Break the wrist, walk away.

[Rex hits Kip in the wrist]

Kip: Geez!

Rex: Okay. It’s just that simple. Now, I want you to kick me. Come on. Kick me. Okay, do it again. Do it again.

Kip: Ouch.

Rex: Okay. You’ll block it every time. Have a seat. Now, in addition to what you just saw if you study with my eight-week program, you’re gonna learn these things. First off... Rex Kwin Do, we use the buddy system. No more flyin’ solo. You need somebody watching your back at all times! Second off, you’re gonna learn to discipline your image. Do you think I got where I am today because I dress like Peter Pan here? Take a look at what I’m wearing, people. Do you think anybody wants a roundhouse kick to the face while I’m wearin’ these bad boys? Forget about it. Last off, my students will learn about self-respect. Do you think anybody thinks I’m a failure because I go home to Starla at night? Forget about it! Now, for only $300, you can sign up right now for my eight-week program.