Marriage

Marriage. It's work. It's fun. It can be hard. It can be satisfying...to know that you have a partner for life. That they will be there for you through thick and thin. We don't always get along. We don't always say the right things in the right way. In fact, statistics show that communication is the #1 difficulty in marriage. Steven and I are in a Bible study called "Making Love Last Forever" by Gary Smalley and this week the focus is on communication. (We better do our homework!) One thing I'm learning about communication right now is something called: Drive-Through Talking. Imagine you are driving through your favorite fast food place and you look forward to your meal. For me, I would look forward to my Junior Bacon Cheeseburger, one small frie and small Dr. Pepper. You happily project the order into the intercom and hear in return: "Okay, that will be a Baconator, small frie and Mr. Pibb." I say: "No, a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger, one small frie, and a small Dr. Pepper." "We don't have Dr. Pepper now, we have Mr. Pibb." "Oh, okay." "So, that's a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger, one small frie, and a small Mr. Pibb." "That's right." "Okay, drive through."
You get the picture. So, with your spouse you try to do the same thing. Scenario 1:
Steven: "I'm going to run an errand. When I get back, if you could have the pizza, that would be great."
Morgan: "Yea, I want to have pizza. Thanks. Are you going to pick it up when you're out for your errand?" OR: "What do you mean? You want me to order out or make some??"
Steven: "What?"
Scenario 2:
Steven: "I'm going to run an errand. When I get back, if you could have the pizza, that would be great."
Morgan: "Okay, so you're running an errand and when you get back, you'd like to have the pizza already here?"
Steven: "That's right."
Morgan: "So, you'd like me to order the pizza?"
Steven: "Yes."
Bottom line: Communication takes a lot of active listening and drive-through talking. Try it!

So, I figure since Steven and I are expecting our first child, it was about time I make our wedding album. Our anniversary was last Monday, June 28th. We've been married for 2 years. It was nice to look at the pictures of our wedding day. I was so excited and nervous- what a huge decision! With the ups and downs of being newlyweds, personality differences, and communication mishaps, it's been a great journey of learning about ourselves, life, and God.

Steven experienced his first Father's day as a daddy. Even though Levi isn't out of the womb yet, Steven and I are still mommy and daddy to him. I enjoyed celebrating Steven on Father's Day along with my own dad and grandpa at the sanctuary I call "Grandma's House". I bought Steven a wonderful children's book from Lifeway Christian bookstore by Karen Kingsbury called "A Day with Daddy". What a sweet book! It's about this: Whether it's going to the park, fishing, playing a sport, or just rolling around on the floor playing, spending time together is the key! Whether it's communicating to our spouses or children, let's all remember to make sure we send the message of wanting to spend time together! Communicate it intentionally and well, and make sure they know without a doubt that you mean it. They will be convinced especially when you back it up with actions, your undivided attention for a time every day. The results are relationship-building!

Being Pregnant with Levi

Being pregnant is an adventure! There's nothing else like it. I'm out of the first trimester and into the second, feel much better (no nausea) and have a hearty appetite with surprising taste in food (as in I'm enjoying Taco Bell!?) One thing's for sure: I love the fact that there is a little life, a real human being growing inside of me that I get to be a loving parent to.
We found out we're having a boy on Friday, June 25th. It was Steven's first time hearing the baby's heart beat. How amazing is it that we are able to see so much so early on in his development: the brain, spinal cord, kidneys, heart chambers, arteries/veins... as well as his face, arms, and legs. I'm starting to feel him move and I believe he's doing somersaults and cartwheels in there!
We settled on a name early on. Actually, I had started looking up names on websites months before we got pregnant, just for fun. I made a list of all of my favorites, to which I can't remember any now except for the one that we decided on: Levi, which means "joined in harmony" in Hebrew. (I'm big on name meanings.) Steven and I both loved this name from the get-go. We also decided that his middle name will be Bernd, which is Steven's middle name as well. Bernd was also Steven's dad's name. It means "brave, strong bear" in Old German and it's pronounced "Bern". So, in all: Levi Bernd Wichmann. Ah, I can't wait to meet him face to face!
I have had a smooth pregnancy so far, which I'm very thankful for! What I have experienced is normal and common for pregnancy: back aches, stretch marks, swollen fingers... I say, if that's the worst that happens, we're doing pretty good.
I enjoy praying for Levi. I pray for Steven and myself, too, that we'll grow closer to each other and to God more and more. I got a great gift from one of my student's parents in May called "Praying for Your Unborn Child" by Francis and Judith Macnutt and it has helpful suggestions on how to pray for your baby while he or she is developing inside. One of my favorite things to do is place my hands on my belly and talk/pray, telling him that his Mommy and Daddy love him and that God loves him, too.
It's a big responsibility to raise a child well. I want to do a good job. I don't want my problems and struggles to be passed down to him. So, I pray specifically that little Levi know the Lord at an early age, that he would know now that he's loved and wanted, that the sins of his parents/family/ancestors are not passed on, that he would be a baby and child and one day, young adult and man, who has great peace and joy through Jesus Christ. I know God hears my prayers, and every time I see Levi on the ultrasound, I know that he is going to be such a huge blessing!
I'll be 19 weeks on Saturday... almost 5 months! I'm enjoying this soooo much! Raising a boy will be a fun adventure all in itself, and I look forward to it.