7 Years Later – October 2007 and October 2014

7 years ago, my mom and I visited Josh and his family during a college visit trip in October 2007.

Mini golfing

Katie, 10 years old

Grabbing some dinner after put put

Celebrating Josh’s 19th birthday; his first year at BU

Making a wish 🙂

That one time Sarah and I realized we looked like sisters…when Josh’s mom called me Sarah! Now we really are sisters!

Going for a walk to the store

Fall in NY

Can’t ever get enough

Snapping a few photos before flying home to OR

October 2007

Mom, 33. Me, 17.

This year, October 2014, my mom flew out to State College and we drove up to NY with Josh to celebrate our unborn child with a baby shower!

Adorable onesies from Kristen and Miles – Lil Pickle and I’m kind of a big Dill!

Time for a walk.

NY Fall

Cozying up with Tante Sarah.

Time for Tummy Touches from Tante Katie!

Mommy and me.

After Mass at St Jude’s

Hugs and prayers before departing with Katie and Sarah.

Mama Heidi/Granny, 40. Me, 24.

7 years later. 10x the joy.

Family! Papa John and Oma Liesl.

Luke missed Josh.

A very flattering angle – hanging out with my midwife, Barbara. She checked on the heart beat – good to go. Checked my cervix, and I am already halfway effaced (cervix thinning)!

Starting to look like a wee one lives here.

So glad my mom came to visit and help me put together the baby’s room! Yes, that is a guest bed – come visit us! I promise we won’t make you take the night shift 😉

Ma and Pa

I can hardly believe that was 7 years ago – so much has changed! At the time, we were still dating long distance and very much uncertain what the future held for us. I was excited to have found a school that I loved out east and near Josh’s family, but nervous at the prospect of being so far from home. My hopes and dreams for my relationship with Josh were nothing but some serious prayers at the time…and it’s amazing how God answers our prayers 10-fold and in unexpected ways. I never expected the course of our relationship to go as it went…(breaking up my first year out east, moving to Boston to get serious about discerning our relationship, attending 3 different colleges, getting married while still in school…). There were some hard times, but God has been so faithful as he revealed His will in our life and so merciful and patient as we fumbled our way through.

We feel abundantly blessed to have so much love in our life. Having Mama Heidi out to visit is always a treat. Then on top of that, we were able to go to Josh’s family home and spend special time celebrating our child with closest family and friends. Two of our dearest friends of all time, Katie Gearns and Sarah Melendez, helped my Mother in Law, Liesl, plan the party. We’re just so touched that these three women took the time and love to plan this amazing day for us! Although not very many people could be there, we felt so overwhelmed by the generosity that people expressed through their cards and gifts. After this weekend, our home is pretty much ready to have the baby move in – which really could be any day now! Thank you for loving us through your prayers and gifts. We are so grateful and you have no idea what a help you’ve been spiritually and practically!