23 Weeks!

Baby is 23 weeks today and moving around in momma's tummy more and more every day. I love it! I've been feeling him since 17 1/2 weeks, but now I feel him several times a day and much stronger. The pattern seems to be that about 0 to 10 minutes after I eat, he does his little happy dance. (Just like Daddy.) Sometimes, when he's kicking like David Beckham, Josh can put his hands on my belly and feel the thuds and thumps. It's very fun for him. Josh has also been talking a lot to my tummy, telling the baby all of momma's secrets, what to do when I give him "the look" when he's about to be in trouble, and to grow big and strong (only, between 7 and 8 lbs. in the womb, but as big as he wants outside of the womb, haha!).

What's new in baby's development? Well he's about a 1. 5 lbs now, the size of a large mango and the weight of three 8 oz. glasses of water. (I sure feel like I've got three 8 oz. glasses of water inside me when I have to go potty all the time.) He can hear my heartbeat, my laugh, my voice when I'm talking or rooting for the Boston Celtics, and the gurgles from my digestion. Outside noises like music, the vacuum, and the dogs' barking will all be familiar to him once he's born. To learn more about what he's doing this week and what he kind of looks like, check out: http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-23-weeks_1112.bc?intcmp=timeline

In other news: Baby's cousin, Jeremiah William Wagner, was born last Tuesday, June 10. My older sister Adeena gave birth to her second child, little Jeremiah, and he is just a prince! "Beautiful," "perfect," and "gorgeous" are words I've heard from others to describe him. Josh and I cannot wait to meet him the weekend after next, when we'll be down in San Diego for fourth of July weekend.

Also, Josh's sister Stacy just announced that she's pregnant again! Her first child, our niece Sienna, just turned 1 years old in May, and will have a new baby brother or sister in late February or early March. So, our baby will be four months younger than Jeremiah and five months older than Stacy's new baby. Cousins, cousins, cousins! The grandmas and grandpas are going to get more grandchildren than they could ever hope for in the next year, haha!

Hope you all are doing well and blessed. Stay tuned for an update on the baby's nursery and more photos to come...

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart." Jeremiah 1:5

IT'S A................

The icing on the cake, after my two-week trip to Israel and Rome, was coming home to Josh (who I missed SO much), and getting to go the doctor’s with him the next day for my 19.5-week sonogram. After seeing the most beautiful and interesting places in the world, I can still say that seeing my perfect little baby moving around in my tummy was the coolest and most beautiful and miraculous thing I have ever seen! We also found out the sex of the baby, who was incredibly cooperative, haha! Let’s just say the baby was in full “hiking the football” mode, so it was plain to see that………………..it’s a boy! We are THRILLED!!! We were really hoping for a boy first, but would have been totally happy and blessed either way. The doctor said he’s 300% sure it’s a boy, in case you are wondering, and that he’s as perfect as a baby can be. Praise the Lord!

Unfortunately, we didn't realize that the video camera's battery had died, so we were not able to catch this on film and deliver one of Josh's famous Merrill Movies to you. :)

As for the name, Josh and I are tossing around a few that we like, and aren’t telling anyone until we’ve decided. So don’t ask, haha!

In other baby news, I felt him for the first time at 17.5 weeks at work one day, but I wasn't positive that that's what I was feeling. It was definitely confirmed for me the second or third day in Israel; I felt him move one time when my pastor and boss (Pastor Dudley) was speaking on the Mount of Beatitudes and another time he was speaking on the Sea of Galilee. I leaned over and told him quietly on the boat while everyone was singing worship songs, "My baby must like your preaching! I felt him move twice today for sure." Dudley got teary-eyed and it was a very cool and sweet moment. :)

Love you all and thanks for your continued prayers and love.

Baby's Big Adventure in Israel and Rome!

Me and the baby at the steps leading into the outer gate where the Jewish temple used to be and was destroyed in A.D. 70. These are one of the places that historians and archaelogists can say for sure that Jesus visited, because the Bible tells about several visits that He made to the temple, along with Mary and Jospeph when Jesus was just a boy.

The empty tomb at Golgotha "th--one of the two places that archaelogists, historians, and Bible scholars believe that Jesus was crucified and buried. The other place is inside the wall of the city of Jerusalem at Via Delorosa (the way of the sorrows).

Me and my friend and coworker, Carla, at Caesaria Philippi. One of my most favorite places in Israel. It was so beautiful. This is where Jesus revealed Himself to Peter as the Messiah for the first time (Matthew 16:13-20). It is also believed that the Transfiguration took place here (Matthew 17:1-3).

Hi everyone! I'm sorry it's taken me a while to blog. My computer has been in "the shop" for the last week and a half, so I haven't been able to update you all on my trip and Baby Merrill's progress. As many of you know, I got back last Monday night from an amazing, two-week trip to the Holy Land and Rome. We learned SO much about biblical, cultural, and historical relevance of Israel and the Jews--God's chosen people. We saw the places where Jesus and His disciples walked, as well as some important places that King Saul, King David, and the prophet Elijah were from some pretty familiar stories in the Old Testament.

Our guide, Julie, was amazing. The two places we spent the most time in Israel were Tiberias and Jerusalem. We took a boat on the Sea of Galilee, went to the River Jordan where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, the Mount of Olives, Jericho, the fortress at Meggido (or, Armageddon), Mount Carmel (where the prophet Elijah defeated the false prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:20-46), the Mount of Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-11), Caesarea Philippi, the Dead Sea, Masada, other significant places from the Roman rule and Islamic conquests of the land...and many, many more places...and that doesn't even include Rome!

Many people who have been before told me that this trip would be life-changing, but I didn't quite understand. I dont' think you can truly understand until you go, and see these places of holy and historical significance, and hear these things from Jewish historians who don't even believe in Jesus! It made the Bible come to life in ways I never imagined! I still can’t get over how God blessed me with this awesome opportunity to go. He is SO GOOD! He protected my health and I was energized and fabulous, despite several people on our trip coming down with the stomach bug or a cold.

How cool it will be to read Bible stories to my firstborn someday, and to be able to tell him or her, "You were there, in Momma's tummy!" :)