pretty in pink

Matt and I had the opportunity to experience something wonderful together this week.

No, it wasn't a trip to Hershey, PA where we ate our weight in chocolate at the factory (that was only a dream). Nor did we receive notice from Matt's place of business that, due to his outstanding work performance, they decided to graciously double his salary [though, he did actually receive a small raise recently, praise God!].

This experience was even better. Right up there close to the day I married the cute redhead with glasses.

On Wednesday, we discovered our lives will soon be blessed with a darling baby girl. [Let's hear it for the Pink Team!] As all soon-to-be parents, our main desire is for our growing baby to simply be a healthy newborn. But the selfish part of us sometimes also hopes for a particular gender. You can count me amongst this selfish group. I was totally rooting for the Pink Team. Would I have been just as happy if the ultrasound technician had pointed to some barely visible thing on the TV screen resembling boy parts and said, "Looks like a boy!"? Well, of course! Boy or girl, this child is and will be loved just the same. Even so, I am so thrilled and honored to hold this precious girl within me.

We wanted to have a little fun on our ultrasound day, so we wore these shirts in jest:



I don't think it began to sink in until after the ultrasound was complete that this baby (who we no longer have to refer to as an "it") is a girl. It had been almost six weeks since we last saw our sweet girl via ultrasound, so I am always anxious to see that she is doing well. I said a quick prayer just before the technician started that the tiny child inside of me would be doing well. That prayer was answered, and now I have to be faithful for four more weeks until the next one that God will watch over her in a way that I am unable to.

I did a little dance when we stepped out of the ultrasound room. Matt calls this the "Misty dance". The ultrasound was finished, and I could finally let it sink in that in four months (or less), I will be holding a tiny bundle of pink bliss in my arms. Completely amazing.

After we left the doctor's office, our first stop was baby GIRL clothes shopping! We each picked out an outfit for Natalie.

Here was Matt's choice:



Since I was a young girl, when I always thought about my future, the vast part of that vision included a husband and children. I have wanted to be a wife and mother my entire life. I recall a time in college when I had the realization that it truly didn't matter what I did with my life career-wise. Some people define themselves by what they do for a living. And that's ok, if that is what they desire. I realized then (and it still holds true today) that I wanted my life to be defined by the kind of wife and mother I am, and by how I represent who and what I believe. Family has and always will be more important to me than some outstanding, respectable career could ever be. In other words, I want to work to live, not live to work.

With that being said, our growing girl is definitely one of the biggest blessings in my life, and it is truly a humbling experience that God has allowed me the privilege to be her mother and to be the one to help usher her into life. I know raising a child will be no walk in the park. Brandi, who is such a sweet and dear friend, is the mother of three children who are all 5 and under, and constantly reminds me of this. Ha! However, I just cant help but sit here and get lost in the thought of how beautiful it will be to see our little girl smile and laugh. I think that is what I look forward to the most. Children have the most heart warming smiles and laughter.

I could go on and on (imagine that!), but I will stop with one final thing. During the five years we dated, Matt and I often talked and dreamed of our future life together and the children we would share. We picked out a boy and a girl name before we were even engaged! Now that those dreams are a reality, we are able to put one of those names to use. Our baby girl will be Natalie Elisabeth. Natalie was chosen simply because we like the name, and it is a family name on Matt's side. Elisabeth is how Elizabeth is spelled in German and was chosen in honor of my German grandmother who affectionately goes by "Elsie". My grandmother has one of the sweetest hearts of anyone on this earth, and though she has nothing, she would give all of herself if you needed it. I am so happy that a part of my grandmother will live on in Natalie even after my mammaw is no longer with us.

And thus begins the pink mayhem of clothing, nurseries, wash clothes, and bows in our little (but expanding!) family. Don't worry, if you know me, you know I will still manage to get some blue thrown in as much as possible!