Driving and Settlers

Hi Baby Bug!

Okay, the countdown is on! In about 8 days we get to see you again and find out if you are a he or if you are a she! Mommy is VERY excited to see your sweet little face on that machine...You can't imagine how much I pray for you and how much I think about you...You are very loved. This week you played a little kick game with me! Baby bug, I think you might be quite bright for such a little thing...most things I read about pregnancy tell me that you shouldn't be exploring so much inside of me, but you are...The other night Daddy and I were laying in bed talking and you kept kicking me high up (near the top of my uterus according to my understanding of where that is hitting me these days) and then you stopped. So I pressed down twice where you were kicking, and waited--- nothing...so I pressed down twice again...no response...and then I did it AGAIN...and you kicked/hit me back! It was precious! I thought I would die from a bursting heart I was so overwhelmed. Sorry to be so sappy sweetheart, but I couldn't believe that that had happened...it's supposed to be about another 5 weeks before those sort of shenanigans are going on! You're still very little baby bug...you don't even weigh a pound yet. Tiny, tiny little explorer in my tummy, you are always moving and shakin'!

I thought of some things that you should know:
1. There is no logical way that you won't be competitive. Your Mommy and Daddy have been beating up on everyone in Settlers (this board game we love to play)...Mommy is on a hot streak these days. But, as far as competing goes, Mommy and Daddy love to win...at whatever. Mommy went to watch Daddy play ultimate frisbee with his friends on Sunday afternoon this past week. Let's just say, your Daddy really likes to win ;) So get ready little one...later in life when we're telling you not to be a bad sport and try harder (etc etc) just remember that we are probably preaching to the choir, hahahaha! Juuuust kidding ;)

2. There is no way that you won't be an excellent driver. Mommy and Daddy both are very good drivers...Your Mommy grew up on go carts and riding lawn mowers, and I drove my first car with your Great Grandpa Baer when I was 13. You should know that I always tell people that if I hadn't been in theater, I would've been a race car driver. I love it. Daddy feels likewise...and when we were married, he brought his mustang into the arrangement ;) Mommy loves driving Daddy's car because it's a stick. Just get ready baby bug--- you'll learn how to drive stick. It's a must. Mommy taught a lot of her friends over the years to drive stick. She even taught her brother and sister--- your Aunt Rachel and Uncle Steve. If your Great Uncle John were still alive (Mommy misses him terribly. He missed knowing about you by about a month...) he would teach you about cars and driving. Mommy and Uncle JB (that's what we call him) were very close friends. We lived near each other in California and spent lots of time together over the years that I lived out there. We grew in our relationships with the Lord and he was like a Daddy to me when my Dad was on the east coast. I am very sad that you won't ever get to meet Uncle JB...He was seriously THE COOLEST. Seriously. There will never be ANYONE like Uncle JB. One day in heaven we'll get to be together again and he's so blessed now to get to be with Jesus. He was in a lot of pain before he passed away last year--- so I'm glad he isn't suffering anymore.
Uncle JB and Mommy worked on some cars together in California. He taught me how to change brake pads and rotars, among other things. Your Grandpa Baer (my Dad!) is Uncle JB's older brother...Grandpa Baer can tell you lots of stories about Uncle JB...he had the fastest cars over the years. When he was young no one in the state of Ohio that challenged JB could beat him in drag races--- even with a rolling start! You would've loved to hear his stories. Grandpa Baer and Uncle Steve know lots about cars too. If you are a little boy you might take up an interest in cars. That would be cool =) I'm sure some of the men around here would love to do that with you. If you are a little girl, you can still work on cars, just be the best driver around sweetheart and help change the stigma about "women drivers"...it's our duty baby bug...

I'm crazy in love with you Baby Bug. Daddy told me today that he hasn't written recently because he's been mighty busy with work stuff. And that's true. You are going to be very proud to call Jonathan Elmer your Daddy one day. Your Daddy is a very hardworking man. He is constantly seeking the Lord these days about the different things he should be doing. Your Daddy and I have no desire to live apart from God's will. We have zero design for our lives, choosing rather to humbly submit to God's divine purpose for us. I have to admit, it is WAY MORE EXCITING that if we were planning things ourselves. Of course, this still means we have work to do, it's just important to know what the peace of the Lord is about so that you know where to "walk" =) Seriously Baby bug, the best thing about Jesus is that He is the friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24)...it's easy to know Him and this is the most important decision you make in life...to know Jesus. Life is not worth living without Him and I can tell you that with all sincerity because I know. I pray for your little heart to be in love with Jesus as often as I think of it...praying that you would never ever be separate from Him because of your own choices. You should know that the Lord answers prayer, so watch out! haha ;)

Maybe one day I will tell you about sin and its consequences as far as it relates to my own life...my story...but for now, you're much too little.

Baby bug, one last thing before I go: one of your Mommy's favorite verses is Galatians 1:10

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

LOVE IT! Daddy and I have been feeling that verse this week a lot. Sometimes taking a stand for something Biblical is very unpopular. You are being born into a culture that loves themselves, prefers tolerance over truth, promotes the murdering of babies for convenience in their own lives, and subscribes to moral relativism...they worship the CREATION rather than the CREATOR and it leads to death. Solomon of the Bible (in Ecclesiastes) would simply say "There's nothing new under the sun" and call it a day. And the Bible says he was the wisest man to ever live--- God gave him liberal wisdom because he asked for it. I LOVE the story of Solomon...he had everything at his disposal--- yet at the end of his life said it was trash. Your Daddy's favorite book is Ecclesiastes =) All that to say darling, that verse has always been important to me, but this week I felt it heavily. Sometimes the Lord calls you to stand up for something and it's unpopular. Knowing Him, you understand that reverentially fearing Him is more important than "pleasing men" or looking the other way to avoid conflict, etc. etc. You should know that your Daddy and I will never fear man over our Lord. Even in my weak moments when I feel attacked (this week we stood up for a subject in the Bible that caused all sorts of drama--- people wrote Mommy emails that weren't very nice and said things that could've been taken personally), I remember that the wellspring of my heart flows for Christ. He is my Savior and My God. I would give up everything I have, do anything He asked me to, or offend anyone (unfortunately), in order to please Him.

I would be nothing without Him.

Have I talked enough about Jesus now? Haha =) I have to get some work done baby bug. Your little nursery isn't going to arrange itself and I need to hunt for a crib for you--- praying that the Lord would provide, knowing that He already has it all taken care of.


I love you...xoxo Mommy