We're having a GIRL!

So this has been a crazy week! It's surreal to be able to say that we are having a baby GIRL! John Paul and I can't stop saying how fun it is to be able to say "she" and "her" :) We are so excited and thankful to the Lord for a healthy baby first and foremost. The Lord has used this process to teach me so much about letting go of control (which I don't really have anyway) and trusting in Him. It is so comforting to know that He is good and worthy to be praised in all circumstances.

We went for a sonogram Wednesday morning at 8am and nothing makes my heart happier than to hear the sonographer say that everything looks perfect! We got to see the four chambers of her heart, her spine, her hands moving, her swallowing...so amazing. She is 8 oz. and 8 inches long. There are no words for the awe that I experience when I see the way God creates each and every one of us. John Paul and I just look at each other like, this is incredible! We had Judy, our sonographer, turn the screen away when it was time to determine if baby Schulze was a boy or girl! Then Judy wrote down the results on a card and sealed them in an envelope which I then delivered to the bakery to have them bake the cake with pink or blue in the middle! Needless to say, the rest of the day was filled with a lot of anticipation...

Wednesday is our usual family dinner night so we planned to do the cake cutting all together! We also invited a few of our close friends to be there for the big reveal. (Sadly, we missed Liz & Daniel, Russell and the Spencers!) We also missed so many of our out of town family & friends that are in Corpus, Shreveport, France, CA, NC, etc. and wished they could've been there with us!

My mom made pink and blue bows that everyone wore in their hair to show what their guess was! So here we go...I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking :)

With YiaYia Libby by the fun table!

Girls!

Peter & Petie rocking the blue bows...wishful thinking :)

John Paul attached Uncle Nick's bow to his glasses :)

Me and Ken

With the super cute cake!

Nicki and Allie

Sweet Mikey and Joey

Family pic

Here we go...

We're having a girl!

Showing the cake to our Corpus family on FaceTime!

Yay!! We're so happy!

Future great-grandparents!

My awesome friends! Allison, Cassie, Annie & Lindsay

Me and Mom

Opening the gift from my Mom! He's going to be the best dad to a little girl:)

Future Aunt Nicki!

And finally, a week 19 bump pic after an amazing night!

It was definitely a wonderful night and we are so thankful for our sweet baby girl! It is so special to have such amazing family and friends to share all of these experiences with! We are so grateful.

17 weeks and other thoughts...

So this week I am 17 weeks and I definitely have a bump! I have attached an updated bump pic as promised :)

Maternity pants feel like heaven after wearing tight pants for the past several weeks. I still haven't felt any movement from this little baby yet but hopefully I will soon!

17 weeks

In other news, John Paul started his job as a manny this week! He likes to call himself a bodyguard, ha. The Lord has been extremely gracious once again by providing an additional source of income for our family while John Paul is in school. And not only that but it could not be a more perfect fit! The boys that he watches are 7, 9, and 13 and are precious...and they are basically in heaven having John Paul with them from 3-6pm after school every day. He is so great with them. They love playing sports, talking about sports and watching sports. So there you have it...match made in heaven. Yesterday I watched them for about an hour and a half while John Paul coached my brother's basketball practice. They were out in the back playing basketball when I got there and I could tell they were bummed that John Paul was leaving so I told them I would play with them. They definitely looked at me like Oookkk, ya I guess we'll play with a girl. Well let's just say after I beat them at knock out...TWICE...I totally earned their respect and they thought I was the most awesome girl ever. Thank you very much :)

By the way, I just have to mention how awesome and multitalented my husband is. In the past 6 months he's been on YL staff, a landscaper, a valet, a basketball coach, a seminary student, and now a manny. Early hours, hot weather, cold weather, papers, finals, middle schoolers...he does it all. Hardest worker. Never a whiner. Keep your eye on the goal, babe :) Things are always changing around here and we've had to trust the Lord a ton these past few months. And although it hasn't been easy all the time, I can honestly say there has been so much joy in the journey and in all the ways God has answered our prayers and provided for us. Can't wait for what's ahead in 2012!

We have a blog!

Hello! Hopefully this blog will help all of our family and friends stay up to date on all that is happening with Baby Schulze and anything else that is going on in our little family!

It's hard to believe that I'm already 16.5 weeks along! John Paul and I are so excited and humbled that the Lord is giving us the honor of being parents to this sweet baby. Thanks for all of your love, prayers, excitement and encouragement. Our 16 week appointment went very well last week and we got to hear baby's heart beat (best sound in the world) which was nice and fast in the 150's. We cannot wait to find out if baby Schulze is a boy or girl on January 18th! Only 2 weeks to go!

Here's a bump picture of

me at 14 weeks...I'll have to get an updated bump pic this week because I'm definitely bigger :)

And down below are picture from

when we told our families that we were pregnant!

Me,  Mom and Nick

John Paul, Ken, & Petie

Baby Schulze June 2012 with Dallas family!

Sibling shot

All the girls

Dad & Barbara in Shreveport

YiaYia Tina,  Papou Sammy, and Uncle Pat in Shreveport

Cynthia & Michael in Corpus

Mom & Son with baby's new Aggie gear!