It's a . . .

BOY!  Three of you got it right.  For all you who guessed girl, don't worry, I was right there with you.  On Monday, we had our anatomical ultrasound, and got to meet our new little man.  I always enjoy this ultrasound, not just because we get to discover the gender, but because we get to see his hands, toes, heart, eyes, and so much more.  It really is amazing to be able to get a small glimpse into what goes on in the womb, and we are blessed to report that everything looked wonderful.  Even though this is my third pregnancy, I am constantly awed by how intricate and awesome pregnancy is and it is a great reminder of how great our God is!  

So, here are some pictures of the newest member of our family - Eli James Dilley.  We can't wait until we get to meet him! 

We think he looks just like his big brother Ethan

 Thumbs up Mom and Dad!

 

Can You Guess?

It is already that time!  On Monday, Chris and I will have an ultrasound to check the baby's health and to hopefully discover the gender.  Since we already have a girl and a boy, I considered not finding out and letting it be a surprise, but then quickly realized I am too curious not to find out!  So, here is your chance to guess - boy or girl?  Take a second to vote and then give us your name suggestions.  We are not necessarily keeping with the 'E' theme (it was coincidental with Emma and Ethan), but would like this name to go with the others (Emma, Ethan, and Madge just wouldn't work).  We will keep you posted and let you know Monday the verdict.

Will it be a boy or girl?

Five!

It is hard to believe, but today we celebrate our Emma Lynne's fifth birthday!  It seems like not so long ago we welcomed this tiny, pink, little baby into the world.  She has changed and grown so much since then - she is now in Kindergarten, she ties her own shoes, she dresses herself, and is starting to read!  Even as I write this post, she is busy helping her Nani measure flour for some chocolate chip cookies.  There are so many wonderful things about Miss Emma that we love, but here is a little peek into what makes her so special to us:

• She loves to learn!  Emma absolutely loves school and really enjoys the challenge of learning new things.  She taught herself how to tie her shoes from reading a book I bought her, and even is learning Spanish this year!


• She loves to dress up.  This may not seem out of the ordinary for a little girl, but Emma really enjoys to wear dresses, get her hair done, and do her (and her Nani's) fingernails.  While I would have been just as grateful for a tomboy, it has been a lot of fun to play "princess" with my princess.


• She is an awesome big sister.  I could not have asked for a better first child.  Since she became a big sister to Ethan, she has constantly helped me care for her little brother without being asked.  She get wipes, diapers, and cups when I need a hand and is always the first to give her little brother a hug when he falls.  I cannot wait to see her with the new baby!
 

• She is a singer!   Emma loves to sing.  It has been one of my greatest joys to share this love with her and, as a result, our house is constantly filled with music (her brother also shares this love).  There are not many sounds sweeter than hearing her voice echo through our house!


• She is a creator.  Before all you theologians and seminarians get uptight, what I mean is that she enjoys creating artwork, towers, jewelry, and lots of other projects.  Papa takes her once a month to the Home Depot for their kid's program and it is something she really looks forward to!

I really could go on and on - I am sure you parents know the feeling!  Even at five, her personality is so multifaceted and evolving every day.  Not that I am in any rush, but I am excited to see where the Lord takes her interests, hobbies, and heart as an adult.  For now, it is our prayer that one day, at the top of the list, we can add She loves the Lord.  While we love her dearly as our first-born child, it is our greatest desire that she (and our other children) would one day become a child of God.  Until that day, we will continue to parent her in a way that points her to Christ and enjoy the blessing that arrived five years ago today.  We love you, Emma Lynne!

Emma, the Day She Came Home From the Hospital

Emma's First Birthday

 

2-Year-Old Emma Helping Nani Cook for Thanksgiving

 

3-Year-Old Emma with Nani and Papa

 

4-Year-Old Emma Striking a Pose  

Our (Almost) 5-Year-Old and Her Brother on Halloween

Fall Fun!

Fall is in full swing, and so are the Dilleys!  We recently visited Westview Orchards with Nani, Papa, and GG (great grandma) Dot to pick some pumpkins.  It was a cold and rainy day, but we all had a great time anyway!  We rode the wagon out to the pumpkin patch, and Emma and Ethan had a great time running through the patch, looking for that perfect pumpkin!  Ethan even got to ride on a pony named Jake.  Emma wanted to ride until we sat her on the pony and she was terrified (poor thing).  We capped off our adventure with the classic orchard experience - cider and doughnuts!  Here are some photos from our outing.  Don't you just love fall?

 The Whole Gang

 Ethan and Mommy

 Four Generations!

 

 Finding the Perfect Pumpkin with Papa

 

 What a big pumpkin!

 Riding on "Jake"

 

The Sweetest Sound

There is almost nothing better to hear than this sound:

I'm Back!

I'm back!  I am happy to report that my nausea has subsided considerably, so I am back to blogging (and to life, for that matter).  As you may have suspected, a lot has happened since my last post, so this post will be a bit of "potpourri", after one of my favorite Jeopardy categories - a little bit of everything.

Probably the biggest thing that has happened is Emma starting Kindergarten this fall!  She is an amazingly smart little girl, and has absolutely loved elementary school.  On the first day, Nani and I dropped her off at her classroom and, after a while, she looked at me and asked, "Mom, are you leaving now?"  Needless to say, she has adjusted to school quite well!  Ethan wasn't too sure about his sister being gone at first, but now he is enjoying being the little King of the castle when she's gone.  Chris and I have been so thankful for her school and her wonderful Kindergarten teacher, and we feel very blessed that the Lord has taught Emma and us so much during this new transition time.

Another item of significance (at least to me), is that Emma learned to tie her shoes!  That may seem like it is not worthy of a blog mention, but it was a very big day in our house.  Last year, I bought her a book shaped like a shoe with strings that teaches you how to tie your shoe.  We had been through it a few times, but, one Saturday, she picked up that book, sat for about 2 hours practicing, and, by the end of the afternoon, was tying and double-knotting her own shoes.  It was such a reminder to me of how fast she is growing up.  She even asked Papa this week if they could take her training wheels of her bike this weekend.

 

Our beautiful little Kindergartener

  

Ethan wasn't too happy about Emma's first day

Giving Mom lots of hugs!  I needed them more than she did.

At her locker

As for the little man, his vocabulary has been growing as fast as he has.  He is starting sentences with "actually" and "well, Mom" and loves reading books with his sister!  He has been slightly influenced by "the terrible twos" lately, but it has been another great growing opportunity for him and us!

Ethan at the Armada Fair this summer.  So corny!

Finally, I wanted to share some pictures from this summer that never made it into the blog, but should have!  This July, we were able to see one of our favorite Louisville families - the Wellums!  They stopped by on their way to Canada, and it was so wonderful to see them.  Dr. Wellum is a professor at Southern Seminary, and we became close to their family after being a part of their young couples Sunday school class for 7 years.  Here is the photo of almost the entire gang (their eldest son wasn't with them):

 

 Visiting with the Wellums

We were also blessed to be able to see my close friend and college roommate, Wendy, and her family.  Wendy married a Michigan man (she has good taste) and we met them in Ann Arbor for a quick visit.  I couldn't believe how big her boys are getting, but it was a blessing to be able to see them.  Wendy has been an instrumental part of my life since college and one of my closest friends, and she is one of the people I have missed the most since moving to Michigan.

 Roomies!

 Almost every was happy! 

 

How's that for potpourri?  Since I am done spending the majority of my day in the bathroom anymore, I will be back blogging on a consistent basis!  Have a great day!

Morning, Noon, and Night Sickness

I was hoping that my next blog post would be about Emma's first day of school, our recent trip up north, or some cute story about something silly Ethan did.  Unfortunately, I haven't been feeling well enough to blog on a regular basis because I have had "morning" sickness pretty badly.  I was placed on some anti-nausea medication by my doctor, but the side effects were worse than the nausea (if you can believe that), so I recently started another medicine that is supposed to help relive the nausea.  It has helped some, but I still find myself struggling to be able to get anything done.  I am sure many of you Mom's reading this can relate.

I wanted to share my difficulty as of late, not to complain, but to be reminded of how dependent I am on the grace of God in my life.  First, I am thankful for my morning sickness.  You may think this crazy, but it is a reminder of the tiny gift the Lord has given me to take care of.  There are many in the world who are not able to have their own children (through no fault of their own), and I am humbled that the Lord has allowed me to give birth to two beautiful children.  (As a side, we need to remember to pray for those who struggle with infertility and to thank God for men and women who show the love of Christ to so many orphaned children through adoption).

Secondly, my morning sickness reminds me that God is in control, I am not.  Obviously, this is not something I would choose for myself - I miss going to church, participating in activities, and frankly, I am tired of the bathroom!  However, I know the Lord has a plan and that in my weakness, He is strong!  I can trust that the Lord will use this for my good and His glory.

Lastly, I am once again reminded that I am so grateful for my family.  They have helped with the kids, ironed our clothes, and sat with me on the couch when I have felt the worst.  It has been humbling and encouraging to be taken care of when I can't take care of myself - just because they love me.

If this pregnancy is anything like the last time I had morning sickness, it should only last a few more weeks.  While I look forward to the day when I no longer wake up and immediately head to the bathroom, I don't want to miss out on the blessings and lessons that He has for me now.   I appreciate your prayers and hope to be back to blogging soon!