For Court

37 weeks!

It's raining onesies and wipes!

Preparing for the birth of a baby is a truly unique experience--the clothes, the books, the diapers, the classes! Not long ago we were celebrating our wedding...attending bridal showers and writing seemingly endless thank you notes. Bridal showers are unavoidably self-centered, but still full of celebration and love. Baby showers don't have the same feeling.

As I sat at the couch at the Guzman's house in Pueblo, I became aware of the eager anticipation for a new member of the family. I was awash in the entire family's love and tenderness toward Jose, which was overflowing in my direction because of this little one I'm carrying. It was a joy to hear about what a wonderful father my husband would be, how curious (or certain) everyone is about the gender of our baby, and how genuinely excited each family member and friend is to meet our child. While I appreciated everyone's generosity with all of the adorable baby gifts and my mother-in-law's incredible hospitality in hosting, I was more thankful for the lightness in my heart at the end of the shower. Our child will be born into a world where he or she will be welcomed by numerous helping hands, loving arms, and joyful voices. There is little more that I could hope for.
(Most photos are courtesy of Jose!)

Dracula strikes again!

After receiving a homemade cape from his mom, Jose decided that Dracula is meant to be his regular Halloween costume. This year, the gloves and bow tie were added to the look. Scary, huh?
Not only did Jose go all out for the costume, but also became a bit of a jack-o-lantern expert. After getting a few carving tips from a professional carver at our church, he bought a pumpkin carving kit and was ready to go. By the end of our little training session at church, Jose even had a few tips for the expert, of course.