Fun Facts About Noah

Dear Noah,
First, a brief update...we went to the doctor twice this week, as usual. I had labs done earlier in the week and we had our 2 NST's done. Everything looks great! I think the doctors are surprised you haven't come yet :) They are now sounding hopeful that we will make it full term; maybe even as far as 39 weeks! However, they have cautioned us not to get our hopes up since this condition can change overnight. One thing we know, that some of the doctors may not, is that God is in control. We know He is working for good and I won't be surprised when we make it much farther than the doctors ever expected.

We're currently at 34 weeks and the doctors say things look as good as they possibly could. We are going to have another ultrasound next week to continue to check on your growth.

I thought it would be fun to write some little facts about you that you will be able to read and enjoy yourself someday. I'm sure I could think of a ton to write, but I will just include a few fun ones for now:

• Before we knew if you were a boy or a girl we had 3 names picked out, (none of which we're using): Chloe, Cooper, and Mason. We knew if you were a girl your name would be Chloe. If we found out we were having a boy, your Daddy wanted to name you Cooper and I wanted to name you Mason. Who knows, maybe you'll have a sibling or two by these names someday.
• Since the names Chloe and Cooper were on the table your nickname became Clooper. This is all we called you until we found out that we were having a boy.
• The first theme we picked out for your nursery was Dr. Suess. This was chosen in order to incorporate the painting we bought in Poland. However, I decided I wanted to pick something that was less used and that would grow with you. Thus, your nursery is being done in robots. 
• Your due date is May 18. If you came on your due date, (which we now know won't happen), you would have been born in the same month as your Daddy and on the same day of the month as your Mommy.
• You are the 1st grandchild for 5 out of 6 of your grandparents.
• You are the 1st great grandchild for 1 set of your great grandparents.
• You are the 1st nephew or niece to 6 out of 8 of your aunts and uncles.
• You already owned something autographed by a celebrity: a Seahawks football signed by Richard Sherman, (your Grandpa John bought this for you when you were 25 weeks old, still in the womb).
• You've already proved yourself to be a ham, just like your Daddy, and you aren't even born yet. You love to show off in all your ultrasounds and NST's.
• Since I was diagnosed with Preeclampsia we have been seen by 18 different medical personnel, and the number keeps rising.
• Last, but certainly not least, I want to tell you about a Scripture passage that has been very important in your little life, since before you existed:

Psalm 127 says, "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat- for he grants sleep to those he loves. Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate."

Almost a year ago, on May 8, 2011, we moved from Salem, Oregon, back home to Nampa. Before we left Salem that day we went to church. It just so happened to be Mother's Day. Our Pastor preached out of Psalm 127. This sermon will forever be burned into my mind and heart. It was, hands down, the most life-changing sermon I have ever listened to. That day, the Pastor spoke about what a blessing it is to have a family and that it is so easy to make excuses as to why we should not have kids now, (i.e. we don't have enough money, we're finishing school, we want to travel, etc.), but that children are a HUGE blessing from God and there is no better time than now to act upon receiving that blessing.

As I was listening to this I was thinking to myself, wow! he must have heard all my thoughts. I knew we wanted to have kids someday, but I always thought to myself that it would be extremely difficult to figure out when the best time to start a family would be. Every time your Daddy and I talked about it we listed every excuse in the book as to why we should wait. (Granted I was in school for the first 2 years of our marriage and it wouldn't have been good to start then, but this goes to show God's timing because I had literally graduated from college one day before hearing this sermon...).

So, we moved home and spent a solid month unpacking, painting, decorating, etc. For 2-3 weeks after hearing this sermon I didn't say anything to your Daddy about my thoughts. I kept thinking I was a little insane and that they would probably go away with time. I couldn't have been wronger. Not a day went by in those 2-3 weeks that this sermon didn't cross my mind. In fact, I woke up thinking about it and I went to sleep thinking about it, every single day. Finally, I had to say something.

At first, I think your Daddy may have been a little surprised because he had been ready to have kids since the day we were married and I was always the one saying, "Not now!" He seemed a little bit freaked out that I was actually willing to talk seriously about starting a family. It only took a couple of days for him to feel really comfortable with the idea and the rest is history. It was only a few weeks later that we found out we were expecting you.

You have been a huge blessing in our lives since the day we found out you were on the way! We know the Lord purposed for you to join our family. We love you, baby Noah. Only a few more weeks until you will be coming home with us and we are beside ourselves with excitement!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy