Celebrating from East to West

• April: firs trimester misery continues but eases towards the end of the month; we both have birthdays; Ricky goes to a few meetings; we go to visit my family at their farm over a long Easter weekend and then leave the kids there for several days while Ricky and I flew to Mexico for our first time both to celebrate our 10-year anniversary and as a sort of missions trip (slideshows below); dentist appointments (all that vomit had built up a lot of plaque on my teeth); and, I got to organize an adoption shower for some friends who were about to travel to China to get their little girl!.
• Aolani -- wrote a sticky note that read, "read year of the baby tomarwwer" (YOB is a book),  and told us that "In my Bible Jesus loves kids more than adults" ;)

Our early anniversary dinner in Charlotte (Ricky and I shared) 

Their "house"

The Adoption Shower

Refreshments: fruit, cupcakes with pink frosting and flags, egg rolls, wontons, Chinese-shaped sugar cookies (found China cookie cutter on Etsy) with icing to dot location of girl, and specially ordered red, cinnamon fortune cookies stuffed with Matthew 18:5 :)

Note-writing station

Attached the prayer requests to origami Chinese stars

• School verses: Micaiah -- Proverbs 12:22, Proverbs 25:15, Proverbs 16:18 ; Aolani -- Matthew 7:7, Philippians 2:14-15
• Verses I memorized: Matthew 5:11-14  

Faith is a Free Gift

I was reading in Mark 4 about Jesus calming the storm. The disciples are amazed by this/Him, and Jesus then asks (incredulously/sorrowfully/rhetorically),

"You still have no faith?"

 I remember that faith is a gift.

Surely, Jesus isn't accusing them of not having faith because the gift was never offered. The gift of faith has been more than amply offered to them. Day in, day out Jesus has been with them offering them the gift of faith. Like He's standing there with outstretched arms holding a present, waiting for them to take it. Just reach out and receive this free gift.

So, after the disciples grow afraid of the wind and waves and wildly shake Jesus awake looking for help, He indeed helps and the storm is calmed. And Jesus asks, "After all the daily opportunities to receive this gift of faith, you still haven't taken it?" (my own paraphrase/interpretation). That is sad; I feel for Jesus.

And pray that I daily, boldly reach out to receive this free gift.

Slowing Down by Force

•  Sorry, pictures and videos are pitiful for the month of March :( I hope to do April next week. At one point, I was stretching one week of curriculum into four weeks of time. I just couldn't get much done. The house went under since Mommy was out. I reclined, napped, went to bed early, and barfed. I ate small portions but frequently, couldn't keep dinners down (I had evening sickness). I couldn't meal plan. Some of our normal food repulsed me (yogurt, bread, cheese...), and I craved grits and mango (right now, it's ice cream :). I lost a few pounds and got a cavity from all the vomit. Every time I tried to do any work in the office, I'd vomit ;) It was my roughest first trimester (out of four), and I am so, so, SO thankful it's over! The house is getting back to normal, and schooling is back on a normal schedule. (Although my to-do list is still long.) Baby is growing, and I am growing :) We find out the gender on June 15th, God-willing.
• March: Before I went bad, we went for a prayer walk, held a church missions committee meeting, and had some friends over for dinner and new games. Then, I woke one morning, got ready, ate breakfast, and proceeded to take a two-and-a-half hour nap. The rest of the month included two showers which I brought my misery to, dinner with friends, chiropractic appointment (fell asleep on table), and Ricky put on a chess tournament (which he won and I slept through).
• Aolani asked, "Daddy, why do you eat so much?" and "Are fairy tales real?" (What a great opportunity to talk about the Good News and Jesus!)
• Micaiah is wondering a lot too and keeps repeating Perhaps…

They went in the kitchen one Sunday afternoon and each made their own muffins without recipes; they were so proud! ;)

My mom sent me this pic of my dad and me :)

One of his many Lego creations

• School verses: Micaiah -- Proverbs 12:18, Proverbs 19:11, Proverbs 12:10 ; Aolani -- John 13:34, John 14:6, Joshua 1:9
• Verses I memorized: Matthew 5:6-10  (This will be the baby's chapter, as Aolani's is Philippians 4 and Micaiah's is Romans 8 and Avalynn's is Colossians 3.)

We're Back and...

We're expecting!!!!

Second trimester begins today :)

Kids are super-excited!

Due date is November 4th.

Yes: planned, doctor's appointments, ultrasound, heartbeat ;)

I've been terribly sick and even put myself on bed rest for the first trimester. I'm feeling better and hope to get caught up on everything this month but we'll see (I rest a lot and go to bed earlier) -- hence, my two-month blog sabbatical.

Rejoicing in this new life,
the DiMartinos