Anniversary

June 16th was our 2nd anniversary. Brian made this video for me for my first Mother's Day...but I believe it is appropriate for our anniversary as well. Since meeting Brian on July 2nd, 2006 my life has changed dramatically. What my plan was for my life drastically changed that day...and in less than three years we have packed in a trip to Mexico, two 1/2 marathons, a wedding, Jamaica, road trips from Wisconsin to Texas and back, three football seasons, China, a mini triathlon, and a baby girl. This video is a snapshot of our lives for the last three years or so...needless to say...even without the post pregnancy hormones I would have cried! I have been blessed beyond my imagination and God has heard my prayers! Enjoy!

Pictures

Here are a few pictures of our first weeks at home. In one picture Culley is wearing a sweater dress that my Grandma Culley gave to me as a baby. It was her first Sunday at church. The other picture in the blue polo outfit she is wearing a pair of shoes that her Grandma Lambert bought for her before she was born. The picture with Brian is with Culley wearing the dress he bought for her the day we found out we were having a girl. The other pictures are Culley with her cousins on the Fish side. We have ordered her "newborn" pics...and by the time we get them it will be time for more to be taken! She's growing so fast and in many ways she is not our petite little newborn anymore! 8 weeks tomorrow! :)

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China

It is that time of year again when the Fish family travels. The only problem is two of the Fish girls won't be able to go. On July 1st Brian leaves for China and will be gone for 13 days. We are so excited that he will be able to take a group from our church to visit the same places and people that we visited last year. There are 13 total going. The group is very diverse...four college students, two moms, one single woman, a young married couple, and a retired couple, and the youth pastor. Of this group, there are only five or six who have traveled outside the United States before.

We would covet your prayers for a couple of things:
1. Mr. Yang: we taught in his schools last year and they will be going back this year. He is a Chinese muslim who is friends with Peter. We have been praying for him since we left.

2. Brian: as he leads a very diverse group of people and as he is away from me and Culley for two weeks.

3. GBC (our church): this is somewhat of a scouting trip for our church. If there is positive interaction, approved vision and like-mindedness with Peter there is a chance that our church would like to develop a partnership/relationship with Peter's vision.

4. Culley and I: we will be staying part of the time at the farm with my parents and the other part of the time here in Sterling.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support. I will keep you updated on the trip AND I will be soon adding more pictures of our little peace-maker (who hasn't been much at peace lately :)

Blessings!

Culley Jo?

Many people have asked where the name Culley came from...they'd never heard it before. That was our plan! :) No...but truly...the name Culley has many siginificant meanings for me. Culley was my mother's maiden name and my grandmother was always Grandma Culley. I have only known one other person whose name was Culley...and he was a boy. BUT...I have always wanted to use the name somehow, so when I suggested the name to Brian as a boy's name he looked at me and said, "I like it...but for a girl's name. It sounds more like a girl's name to me." So...there you have it. We rambled through a few middle names, but when he said Culley Jo we knew it was the name for our baby girl.

Now...as we repeat the name and often have to spell it for others, we know that she'll probably get called all kinds of variations of the name, but our prayer is that the meaning of the name will mean more to her than the struggle for others to pronounce it. My mom has left a legacy in my life, and our prayer is that our little Culley will live to leave a legacy much like her grandmother.

Oh...and the meaning of Culley is "dove". Our little peace-maker will prayerfully live up to her name! :)

Culley Jo Fish

She's here!!! Culley Jo was born on Friday, May 1, 2009. Brian calls her his little "Mayflower". I have never in my life experienced a miracle of this kind. We came home on the 2nd and have been enjoying life these past few days. I believe that mothers are special people...as my mom has been here this week to help out during fussy evenings and helping me learn the ropes of motherhood. I couldn't have been this calm without her!

I've posted a few pictures of her here...there are more on facebook and a video of her very first bath. Hope you enjoy...now I hope we can focus more on Culley rather than on my growing tummy! :)

Almost Here!

Monday was my last appointment. When we went in, the doctor was not content with how much the little girl has been moving. She was extremely lethargic and didn't move most of the day. Therefore, her heartbeat was slow and based upon my measurements the doctor thought that maybe she was actually losing weight. So...she ordered another ultrasound...hooked me up to the monitors again. After about an hour the doctor came in and said we had two options. Based on the ultrasound and everything else, she felt very reassured and confident that I could go home with no problems...I'd just need to return Thursday for more testing/monitoring. OR we could go straight to the hospital to be induced. Brian and I decided to give the baby a few more days to come on her own. But, alas, nothing. So...tomorrow we'll make the decision not IF to induce, but when.

I know there are many out there with their own opinions on the idea. Everyone at school has been very vocal about their opinions. ALL of them very different. However, as my mom said...I have to trust my doctor...and after reading up on inductions and various other things I feel much more content. Nothing is out of God's control...whether we induce or go into natural labor...God is still the controller of all things. So...she'll be here soon! If not tomorrow...soon! :)

Still Here!

Yes...I am still here and still working and still walking (barely). Each day brings us closer to the due date...and while I am very vocally hoping that we are a few days early I have had to daily settle my excitement and rely on God's perfect timing. Brian's birthday was yesterday and he was really, really hoping for a little girl as his birthday present. Unfortunately, I couldn't control that, so we are now hoping for Shakespeare's birthday...tomorrow. We aren't short of birthdays to hit here...Emma's is the 28th and Anna's the 30th. So we have a few marks we could hit between now and the 4th.

I went to the doctor on Monday. She said there was little change and if I didn't go into labor this week, we'd talk about different options at my next appointment. So...I'm praying that this week I'd go into labor naturally and we won't have to make any decisions.

Below is the most recent picture of the baby's room (and her closet...thanks for the clothes Betsy, Roxie, Kim, and Michelle!). Unfortunately, we can't put anything on the walls yet. On one wall will be pictures of children from around with world that Brian and I have been blessed to love on...with scripture as the center. I'm still in the process of getting those framed. The other wall will have her name on it...but for obvious reasons we can't put that up. :) So...here is the bare necessities for now. The cradle look beautiful and if you can't see, the walls are a pale pink with white trim. Grandma Patsy made the quilt (I need to get a better picture of that posted...it's beautiful!). The only other major thing missing is the rocking chair which my mom and dad will bring when they come. It's the very chair that my mom rocked all of her five babies in. It was tough to get it from her, but I promised to give it back some day. Some day. :) So...that's all for now...hopefully the next time will have a picture of the baby!

Pictures

Oh my...I am so ashamed at my lack of blogging the past couple of months. I truly thought that once basketball was over I would have time...my own time. However, from the beginning of March we have had Spring Break (we spent in Indiana), a women's conference at which I was asked to speak, then we moved the last week in March. Ummm...did anyone know that blizzards are still possibilities in March and God chose to send one our way the very day that we decided to move? Oh...and the very day that my friend Amy and her husband Dan came to visit.



Friday about noon it started snowing and didn't stop until Saturday at noon. BUT, the warm weather Saturday afternoon helped melt the snow and actually made a great moving day. I couldn't have done it without the help from my family. When I got home on Friday, Kim and my mom had packed my entire kitchen and were unpacking it in my new home. It was such a blessing to have that done. THANKS!



On another note: Today marks my 37th week. So, today I am considered full-term and we are anticipating a baby girl in the next three weeks. So...if you don't hear from me, and you are friends with Brian on facebook...keep tabs that way until I can get back to blogging. Until then, here's my latest picture taken yesterday at our Easter dinner. :)