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!" :)

16 weeks!

My husband and others would like me to blog more, so here I go:

First off, please excuse the frumpy and terribly nonflattering workout pants, haha! These photos were taken last Sunday. Last Saturday, May 3, I woke up definitely feeling pregnant. The mornings are when my tummy feels the smallest, but there was some serious roundness going on. Josh noticed too! So I feel pregnant now, and it's very exciting! I can hardly believe I'll be officially four months along in just a couple of days. Time flies--but as a few ladies have made it a point to say, "that's because you weren't sick your entire first trimester!" I feel a little bit bad about that, but, hey, people, I prayed to the Lord for nearly two years that He would spare me from nausea and vomiting during my pregnancy, and God is GOOD! :)

Some more changes:

• Weird twinges in my hip flexors and lower abdomen. They say your ligaments and bones and organs start moving to make room for the baby. Waking up two to five times in the middle of the night to stretch, drink water or go potty. Unfortunately, it doesn't make for feeling completely rested come morning time, but I guess it's prep for a newborn waking me up in the middle of the night. :)
• Taking naps here and there. I had the most awesome 30-minute nap on Sunday. In the past if I took a nap--which was rare--I'd need to block out a whole hour to do so. Problem is, you feel like you got hit by a truck when you wake up. But I think 20 to 30 mintues is the key, for me at least. I took a nice 15-minute nap today in Josh's office. He has a couch. And his sweatshirts are practically the size of blankets, so I'm nice and warm, hehe!

Been walking and hiking with the dogs at least three times a week, so I think that's why my energy has been so good.

I'm getting excited for my trip to Israel and Rome next week! I leave next Wednesday for 13 days with 98 other people from my church. Sadly, Josh is not one of them, and I will miss him soooooooooooo much. If some of you can call him from time to time and remind him that I need him to paint our bedroom and work on the backyard, that would be GREAT. :)

I got to hear the baby's heartbeat again yesterday at my doctor's appointment, 16-week checkup. That never gets old, and is quite possible one of the best sounds in the world! Looking forward to hearing my baby's breath, laughter, and voice once he or she is born, too. Speaking of "he or she" we find out the sex of Baby Merrill on May 27, the day I get back from my trip. Stay tuned.

Baby Merrill @ 16 weeks

From BabyCenter.com - Your pregnancy: 16 weeks

How your baby's growing:At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. In the next three weeks, she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, though, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. Her lower limbs are much more developed now. Her head is more erect than it has been, and her eyes have moved toward the front of her head. Your baby's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of her more advanced body systems are working, including her circulatory system and urinary tract. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating her total blood volume through her body many times. (By the end of your pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts.) The patterning of her scalp has begun, though her hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, her eyes are moving (slowly), and she's even started growing toenails.Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing:Have people been telling you how wonderful you look? The "glow of pregnancy" is real, thanks to increased blood flow to the skin. You may be enjoying yourself more, too, now that your hormones have stabilized and nausea has eased up. You're also probably less anxious about something happening to your baby (the risk of miscarriage drops dramatically after the 14th week) which likely adds to your overall sense of well-being.Soon you'll experience one of the most wonderful moments of pregnancy — feeling your baby move. While some women notice "quickening" as early as 16 weeks, most don't until about 18 weeks or more. If this is your first baby, don't be too anxious — you may not be aware of your baby's movements until 20 weeks or so. The earliest movements may feel like little flutters, gas bubbles, or even like popcorn popping. Over the following weeks they'll start to feel unmistakably like kicks.

Mommy turns 27 and Baby turns 14...weeks

Photos coming soon!

I turned 27 this past weekend, and it was quite a memorable birthday--one of the best, thanks to my darling husband, family, and friends. I guess it's safe to say it started a couple of weeks ago when my mom came up a couple of weekends ago to celebrate my birthday. She bought me some new running shoes and took Josh and I out to dinner!

Then on Friday night the 18th (day before my bday), Josh surprised me when our friends Peter and Jocelyn met us for dinner at Macaroni Grill. I had lobster and shrimp ravioli, and mommy and baby likey! Josh organized a bunch of my friends to go see the movie "Expelled" at the theatre. I knew where we were going and what we were doing, but I didn't know how MANY friends were going to be there! We took up a whole row and two seat behind the row in the theatre. The flick was EXCELLENT and a MUST-SEE. It is from a very eye-opening perspective about the evolution vs. intelligent design debate, and we may not all realize the ways it affects our freedom of speech, freedom to ask questions and pose a valid argument in the spirit of true science, our schools and therefore our children, the media, the courts and government and so much more. It's funny too, and very educational. Here is the link to learn more about the movie and find a theatre near you: http://www.expelledthemovie.com/

Afterward, we went across the street to Coldstone (ice cream) and talked 'til 11 p.m. My friends Jennifer and Seth, who are getting married in September and are originally from San Diego but Seth is now an engineer in Palmdale and Jennifer is a meterologist ("weather girl" as some might understand it) in Boise, Idaho, also just happened to be in town and met us for ice cream. Then we came back to our house and talked 'til midnight.

This mama was tired, but it was a great night!

The next morning, Josh drove me up to Los Canyons golf course to have breakfast. I had no clue, but 10 of my closest girlfriends were waitng there for me sitting at a round table with balloons and flowers and gifts, oh my. What more could a girl ask for? It was a total surprise, and I have to thank my AMAZING husband for planning the whole thing, and my longsuffering friends who (half of them) had just seen me the night before, haha!

I got to open their gifts and, later at home, a bunch of gifts from my in-laws Sue and Norm, one from my sister Adeena, and several from Josh. Then Josh and I drove up to Santa Barbara where Josh had a semipro basketball game and won! Woohoo! Nothing like watching your man kick butt, three-pointer style, hehe.

If that wasn't enough, the next morning my dad and little sister, Yoli, drove up to meet me for breakfast and spoiled me with their presence, love, and some great gifts!

It was a fabulous weekend. I felt so incredibly loved and blessed, and my heart is full. Baby can't wait to meet all the people who love his/her momma so much. :)

My little choo-choo train

I had my 12-week check-up yesterday and got to hear the baby's heartbeat again. It instantly brought a big smile to my face! My doctor says it sounds like a small freight train passing by, and that is such a perfect description! Next check-up is at 16 weeks, right before I leave for Israel and Rome.