Dear SweetPea,

Guess what???  I found out this morning at about 6am that I am a Registered Nurse!!!

I can hardly believe it.  That was the hardest test I've ever taken in my life... it was mostly on pharmacology and that is NOT my strength.  All I can say is that God is SO wonderful and SO faithful.  Always, always trust him, littleone.

We're going to Olive Garden in just a few minutes to celebrate with Mimi and JJ.  They would absolutely die if they knew you were coming... so we'll just have to wait until the NCLEX excitement wears off some before we surprise them with you!!

We're going to visit Nina and Papa... your uncle David, aunt Susan and 3 cousins this week.  Then we'll make the drive up to Jacksonville to visit Melanie and Billy.  It's going to be so, so hard not to tell about you.  Maybe we'll only wait about 3 more weeks instead of 7...  It's only been about a week since we found out about you and your daddy and I are about to burst!!!

We're so excited to share the good news of YOU with everyone.

I love you.

I have my schedule to start work.  It's going to be pretty intense these next few weeks, especially since your daddy is going to be working on a big job almost 2 hours away  He won't be home during the week, only on weekends for about 3 weeks.  BUT the exciting thing is that we'll be able to tell EVERYONE about you when the job's over and he's back home!!

You're making me feel a little bit sick today.
But I can't help but love you.

         Forever and ever.
                                  -mommy- 

My Little Baby,

Today was a great Monday.  It's our 6month anniversary and your daddy is wonderful.  He's doing the dishes from dinner... Papa and JJ came over to eat.  I wonder if you liked the key lime cheesecake and the lemon meringue pie...

I'm about to study just a little more because I'm taking the NCLEX tomorrow morning.  I'm still praying for you, but I'm also praying to do well on this test.  I know God's gonna carry us through.

Here's a few pictures...                                                
                                                                                                  The two of us- about to finish week 5!
                    

              These are the flowers your daddy got for you.
        
              Your heart will start beating this week.  You're such a miracle, sweetpea!!  
              It's amazing... God has His hands on you... growing you even while I'm writing you this letter.

                          Lots of love, LittleOne.
                                                          

Dear LittleOne,
 
Secrets are SO hard to keep.

       Especially secrets as cool and exciting as you, sweetpea.
I don't think your daddy's too crazy about me calling you sweetpea.... oh well.
There's all kinds of thank you cards and things that say "sweetpea" and I think your daddy and I are gonna invest in some...  He just doesn't know it yet.  I think we'll talk about it tonight.

You've got me feeling pretty strange lately.  You're not so easy to keep a secret... and it's only been a day!!  Connie Fulmer almost guessed at lunch... your daddy covered for us and said that Snoopy is our first child.  Ha!! 
                       I can't wait for you to meet the Snoop.  He's going to love you, I know it.  
Your daddy and I decided to tell you that he's your big brother and never tell you anything different.  
                                                                       I wonder how long you'll believe that story...  
          Hopefully not too long... I'm praying that you take after your daddy and you'll be smart. 

We joined the church today.  I teared up when we were in front at the end of the service because I feel so ... strange about not being a member at Papa Smith's church anymore.  ...but at the same time, I know that this church will be a place where you'll hear about the Lord and learn how much He loves you.  That excites me beyond belief.  I hope that you can't help but love Him back...

Daddy brought home pink tulips and sparkling grape juice to celebrate you.  I wonder if you're a girl...   
                                                    hmmmm... well, whoever you are... I'm just praying that you're healthy.

Love you, LittleOne.
          -mommy

Dear SweetPea,

We found out today that we're going to have you. I took an at home test... and it said, "pregnant." I was absolutely shocked... and I cried really hard. Your daddy was at his first Home and Garden show for the business, so I called him to see how he was and tell him the good news. He is SO excited and almost told Matt Rainey right then. But we decided to wait until you're a little stronger before we tell all of our friends and family about you. We're going to tell your Papas, Nina and JJ about you in just about 8 weeks. You're only about 4.5 weeks along right now!! 
                                                                                                         This is what you look like right now!
                  

You are such a surprise to us, little one! Your daddy and I met a year and a half ago and just got married 6 months ago. We can hardly believe that you'll be here just 2 months after our 1 year anniversary!!
We're so excited about you, sweetpea.  I told the waitress at Fatz about you.  She wrote "Congrats" on my cup.  Actually, she spelled it "congrads"  ... but it doesn't really matter.  We'll teach you how to spell that word someday.

I've been praying for you so much today, my sweetpea. Praying and praying that you'll be safe, that you'll grow strong and that I will be able to give you everything you need to be healthy. It's still not completely real that you're growing inside of me... but I know it will be amazing when I start to feel you moving.  I'm excited about this new journal that's just for you...  this way we can remember all of the small, sweet moments before you get here.  Someday we'll tell you about them and about how much we've always loved you.

Your daddy and I will be praying for you very hard... every day of your life. From now until we're in heaven, we will be praying that God will watch over you, and that you will love Him with every fiber in your being. 
                                                                                       We're so excited to meet you in September.

I love you, LittleOne. 
              -your mommy