Dear Little Man,

Yesterday Mama went to see Karen (your midwife). I drove about two hours. You may be thinking that is pretty far but Karen is a christian and your Daddy and I absolutely love her! She loves you already :)

Before I went to see Karen I had to stop at a Denny's and eat a specific breakfast so that once I got to the office I would be able have my blood tested for gestational diabetes. Because I had to go by myself this time (your Daddy has been working at a job so hard the past few days he is such a good provider) I decided to go on a much needed date with Jesus. Why you ask? Well, Mama has been struggling lately in her walk with Jesus and two  nights I had some repenting to do and after that today was like a fresh start. It was wonderful! I want so badly to be a godly example to you baby boy. I pray that when you look at me you will see Jesus shining through me and you will become a mighty man of God Elijah boy!

So, got to the office and while I was waiting this super nice lady came with her 14 month old daughter. She is a pastor's wife and so her baby is around people all the time. All the sudden her little one came right over to me and lifted her arms wanting up. I picked her up and sat her in my lap and just got so excited thinking that soon SO VERY SOON I will have my own little baby boy to cuddle and love on. I can hardly wait Elijah! I am so excited to meet you!

Speaking of meeting you. Last night I dreamed that I got to see you! Then when Karen gave me a quick peek at you yesterday I GOT TO SEE YOUR FACE! You are so adorable! You have the cutest little button nose that slightly turns up and your cheeks are already starting to get pudgy! You were opening and closing your little mouth and even sucking on your umbilical cord. The last two times I have seen you had your little arm up next to your face. That is exactly how your Daddy sleeps so pretty sure you got that from him :)

Speaking of your Daddy:

We decided to start a prayer letter to share what the Lord has been doing here in Florida with our friends and family. Here is our first letter :)

Sunday, January 22, 2012
  Dear Friends and Family,
  I didn't think that I would be writing this first prayer email so soon but this past weekend I have been absolutely amazed at what the Lord has been doing and so I really felt as though I needed to share it with all of you so we could have others praying for us and the work that is going on down here in Florida. This past week Jason refocused on the actual goal that we have for being here. Which is to share the Gospel and to teach and equip others to be able to share the Gospel with others. So, after that re-commitment things just exploded in a way.
Saturday was a really amazing day! First thing in the morning some Jehovah's Witnesses showed up at our door for the second week in a row. One of the ladies from the previous week had returned bringing along a man this time. Jason and Jen were able to really share and witness with them for over half an hour. They will be coming back this week. Please pray-that the Lord will continue to soften their hearts especially the younger women's and that the Lord will give Jason and Jen and I wisdom as we interact with them.
After witnessing to the Jehovah's Witnesses it was time to play soccer. About 14 boys showed up and almost half of them were new! So, before the game Jason got out his stuff and gave a Gospel message as well as juggled. One boy in particular was very receptive and thanked Jason afterwards then showed up for church today! Please pray-for this boy and also his friends that they will continue to come and also continue to search and find the answer-Jesus!
So Jason played soccer and football for hours. Then he went to a friends house and stacked wood. By this time he was EXTREMELY hungry because he hadn't really had a chance to eat all day. So we went home and I was going to get dinner. Well, instead he was invited to play basketball with two guys that he doesn't really get to hang out with a lot. So I gave him water and a snack and off he went. He was so exhausted but after playing he got to really witness to the one guy who listened and then invited him back sometime to talk more! Please pray-for both of these guys that the Lord will soften their hearts and for wisdom for Jason as he shares Jesus with them.
So finally Jason got home and ate dinner then went and cleaned the church! It was a very full day for him :) But so neat to see all that the Lord is doing! Today we had Bible study and we talked about the Gospel. In fact, Jason went through it all along with some role playing. It was really amazing to see how some people responded. One boy especially realized that he is not good enough to measure up to God's perfect standard. They definitely have some things to think about after tonight. Also, now every single person in our study has heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Please pray-for one of these boys especially who knows that he is not good enough but thinks that he would not be able to change anyway even if he did get saved. Also for the others who heard the Gospel tonight.
God is doing so much here and we are so excited to see what the Lord is going to do! Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. Please continue to remember us here. Truly it is a mission field here and the harvest is ready but the laborers are few.
Praises:

• My sister Jen is here and what a blessing she has been!
• Our little one is due in less than 12 weeks! We are getting so excited. Please pray for continued safety and a safe delivery.
• The people that the Lord continues to put in our path in amazing ways!

We would love to stay in contact with you! May the Lord richly bless you.

For HIS glory,

Jason, Katy and Elijah

So here are the nursery pictures I told you would be coming :) I love it honestly and I don't think that pictures do it justice but at least there is an idea! It is simple but perfect for us and I am so ready for my little man to get here so we can put this room to use (besides me walking into it every day and dreamily smiling as I look around lol).


We decided to go with the Noah's Ark theme which has sort of morphed into jungle animals (which still fits lol). Elijah's bed is ready and waiting for him to be here!!


This picture the lighting was kind of weird but it is what you see when you walk into Elijah's room. I don't know if you can tell but the walls are clouds which is something my amazingly artistic and inovative husband came up with :)  Another reason we decided to do the Noah's Ark/Jungle Animals theme.


 Elijah's dresser stuffed to the brim with clothes. Truly he is one blessed little boy! I can HARDLY WAIT to bless people the way they have blessed me during this pregnancy! It is so fun it is like this club you join when you become a Mama :) So fun to swap clothes and baby stuff! Such a blessing too! :)


Love, love, love these stickers! They were from Walmart and only about $11 dollars! So worth it! They just added so much to his room :)


 My little man's clothes (well a very small portion of them lol). People have been SO generous! Truly Elijah is set for the first year of his life! See that row of overal's? They range from 3-12 months! I LOVE IT! :)

 My little man's clothes next to his Daddy's clothes :) Makes me smile when I see it! And yes, they are sharing a closet but that is ok! I think it is just adorable  :)


A beautiful handmade quilt my Aunt Val made for Elijah. She also made us a quilt when we got married so now he has one in his room and we have one in our room :)


This is the young adults sunday school teacher and such an amazing blessing to us here in Florida :)


 Me and an AMAZING friend that I have met here in Florida :) She is such a sweetie!!!


My beautiful Mom and I :) It was so neat that she was able to be there for her first grandbabies shower!

So yes, life has been wonderful the last three weeks with visits to NY and then my family visiting Florida but now it will be returning to more normalacy. 12 weeks until my little man's due date! Hard to believe how fast the time is going by!

Until next time :) God bless!

I have only 13 weeks to go until my little man is here! I am so excited :) Things are starting to feel more real (besides the fact that he is growing which means I am  growing...alot. Ahem.)!

Tonight we are headed off to a Bradley class. Have any of you ever taken them? They are geared toward the husband as well and helps him learn to be a coach and also deals with natural pain relieving techniques (we are going all natural for this birth) as well as many other things. I am so excited!

Did I mention that my parents are here visiting us in Florida? My sister Jen is going to be living here for the next few months and so they came and dropped us off. This is my family when we were up in NY for Christmas :)


My amazing Mom has been helping out so much and we got Elijah's room completely done! It is absolutely adorable! I love it :) Here is my favorite new picture of both of us:

Tomorrow an amazing friend is throwing me a baby shower! I can hardly wait for that!

Also, I just finished ordering some cloth diapers (after HOURS AND HOURS of research) I CAN HARDLY WAIT TILL THEY GET HERE :)

And I am off to play a game of EURCHE!

Short but sweet :) Just wanted to let you know that I am still alive :) Lord willing once my family leaves I will be able to post more regularly :)
Blessings!

You know those times in life when you are torn between two things. When it feels like your heart is in two places at once? When you love certain things about one place and yet you love certain other things about another?

Did I mention is is after 2am?

We have had a wonderful two weeks visiting family and friends here in NY. It has been so nice to be with people who know me completely inside and out. It is so much fun to laugh at things that we have been laughing about for years.  It has been so neat making memories.

Things like:

• playing euchre and realizing that I am totally random at it, yet amazing people that somehow I still win alot of the time! I think the best times is when I am super tired and somewhat not there! Because seriously...I love that game :)
• dinner with my Grandma and Grandpa Kelley. Familier food, smells, and house. They don't change and I LOVE IT.
• Going to the church that people have known me my entire life on Christmas day. Nothing has changed there either. I played hymns with my sister Abby. Sang a song with both my sisters. Laughed while feeling my face completely flush when my Dad used me as an illustration from the pulpit. It was the same. It didn't change and I loved it.
•  I was on the computor waiting for Jason and some friends to get done playing hearts and I started playing hearts on the computor. I was doing great! Getting all the hands and had the most points. I was telling Jason this as we were falling asleep later that night and he gently informed me the point of the game is to have the LEAST points. Ahem. Well, you know!
• Our amazing 2011 New Years Eve Party. What a neat thing it was to start off the New Year in the Word and in prayer as a group of young adults.
• Getting Matt and Sarah hooked on "Sue Thomas FBeye".
• My baby shower that my family (on Jason's side) put on.
• Having a girl day.
• A maternity photo shoot with another friend :)
• Playing with my nephews.
• Getting blessed with so many baby clothes from a friend.
• SNOW!
• Wood stoves.
• Christmas with my family...

Things just really have not changed here. They are familier and that, to me, is such a comfort. And yet...I am surprised at something.

I have changed.

Here are things I have to look forward to in my other home...Florida:

• Being with people that I have really grown to love over the past sixish months.
• Cooking for the boys that make up most of the Bible study.
• Having my own home and really striving (in the new year under conviction from the Lord) to make that my priority and to create a haven for my husband, family and then friends.
• Sewing on my sewing machine.
• Setting up my little man's room :)
• My sister Jen being there for a few months. I can hardly wait to have a girl around! Cooking, baking, learning things with her :)
• My parents coming for two weeks. I get to see them Saturday. Somehow that makes it easier to say good bye.
• My sister's Abby and Sarah coming in 13 short weeks for Elijah's arrival.
• Bradley classes :)
• Seeing my midwife again.
• Striving to be more natural and less processed in the way I cook. Learning new recipes and creating yummy meals for my husband to enjoy.
• Using my new bread machine (that I got at a yard sale with the booklet for $3).
• Working on getting a newsletter going so that people can know what we do here for a ministry.
• Changing the priorities in my life (kicking computor out of the number one spot).
• Growing closer to my Lord and Savior.
• Watching God provide in miraculous ways.
• This year is the year my Elijah will be born! I can hardly wait to meet him (he just kicked me hard I think he was agreeing).
• Watching the kids in our Bible study grow and mature in the Lord
• Doing projects as a group and reaching out beyond ourselves to show Christ to our neighborhood.

I am torn. Because Florida is becoming my home. And yet NY will always be home. I truly am amazed how blessed I am. To have two homes. To have people that love us so very much in two states.
We feel as though the Lord has truly called us to be missionaries to...Florida. I feel bad because I just have not really blogged a lot about what we are actually doing there! I am hoping to change that and to let you all in on what we do through pictures and stories of everyday life.

 Please pray for us! Ministry is definitely hard and there is definitely spiritual warfare in Florida. Please pray for the kids/young adults we are ministering to. Please pray that Jesus will be glorified and lifted up through us as a little family. Please pray that we will continue to reach our community and that there will be revival right there! Please pray for wisdom in running the snack shop, leading two Bible studies a week, game day on Saturdays as well as the people that we run into on a daily basis. Please pray for us as a family that we would keep our priorities straight and that when people would look at us they would see Jesus Christ in and through all that we do.



So we start out this year...some times feeling torn and yet so very blessed at the same time. Later today we are leaving my first home and traveling to our second. And although it is hard to leave...I am excited to go and do the work that we truly believe God has called us to. He is so faithful! God truly is good!

So you know those Toll House cookie icecream sandwich things? When I was little one of my favorite memories with Dad was going on our "date". He would let me pick a treat and then we would talk and it was amazing father/daughter time. One of those treats I remember sharing with him (he always got one too) was a chocolate chip cookie icecream sandwich.

In the years since while, I enjoy these cookiewich concoctions, I have never really had a burning desire to have one. Until tonight.

It started when we were talking with our group of friends where we wanted to go to get food. "A gas station so I can get one of those ice cream sandwich things" was all my heart desired.  So we decided to go to Wegmans eventually but that ice cream sandwhich just would not leave my head.

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