I LOVE the lyrics in this song

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

November 7

There are many things to write about today, so here it goes.

I just did all my grocery shopping online. It was harder than I anticipated, so I didn't love it, but I am thankful for the option of sitting at home and doing it all online, and receiving it the next day right at my door. I guess I wont take it for granted when I can start going out and getting them myself again.

I am at a new clinic this time with this baby. I was looking for a place that had midwives and was also into more preventative care. They have done a great job of keeping a close eye on me, which is great. I have been getting ultrasound every 4 weeks to measure my cervix and make sure that I am not starting preterm labor again. well at my 15 week ultrasound everything was looking really really great and I was encouraged thinking maybe this pregnancy would be different. We went to Denver, had a really great time, I've been feeling the baby move a lot, and just been feeling really great overall. I don't remember feeling this good with Evy. So I had my 20 week ultrasound last week and found out that my cervix had shortened 2 cm which was way too much. Especially in only 4 weeks. Right away I got the 17p shot which gives me extra progesterone in the hopes that it will make my body keep the baby in longer. I was also told I need to lie down when Evy is napping, and be careful about how much I pick her up. Along with that comes cutting out other activities that will help me take it easy. So I am no longer going to BSF, which is a bummer because I LOVED studying Acts, there is so much that I was learning. Also little things like grocery shopping, there is a lot of lifting involved there so that's another thing that I can cut back on. I am still working out the details, but I really hope that if I do these things, maybe complete bedrest wont happen this time, and life can go on as normal for Evy.

Whew. Now you are updated.

Evy is seriously so so so sweet. I cannot believe how much fun I am having with her. Usually she is a Daddy's girls but I swear the minute I came home from the Dr appt last week she just wants mama all the time. Ha ha ha. She is so verbal and mimicking everything we say. It is so fun to see everything that she learns every day. I am really proud of her.

Today marks the 12 year of my mothers passing. I don't really have any special memories about this day, I don't really enjoy thinking about the day that she passed but it means a lot to me that people close to me remember what this day is.

When I think of my mom, which I do often, usually I wonder what it would be like to have her here now. I wonder what she would think of my life, of Alex, and Evy. I wonder what it would be like to have her around at times like this, when I especially need help with keeping up on everyday life. I guess most of those things are selfish thoughts on how it would be different in my life, but that is just what I wonder. I can't imagine going through what she went through knowing she had to leave her babies too early. That part is the hardest to think about.

I am thankful for what time I did have with her. I am thankful for the fact that I will see her again one day. I am thankful for my God, who has a plan for my life, and all I have to do is simply trust Him. I am thankful that my God chooses to allow difficult things in my life because it has deepened my faith and brought me closer to Him. And I am thankful for peace that really does pass understanding.

October

Hey all!

Not sure who is reading but Hi! I am at home, it has been a very quiet weekend and I thought maybe I should take some time and catch up on my blog. Here is Evy and I and the amazing view we had a couple of weeks ago up in Silver Bay, MN. It was a perfect getaway for our family, we had some time up there alone together and later in the weekend some friends came up and joined us. This is where Evy really started to walk! No TV or internet, just the beauty of God's creation and time together- so refreshing! Sorry the quality is so bad- these pictures are all from my really old iPhone :)

This was taken at the Pine Tree Apple Orchard, another fall must if you live in MN. We have actually had a long gorgeous fall this year, and have been doing our best to take advantage of the great weather before it leaves us. And yes, I got bangs. I did it on a whim at my last hair appointment but I have to say, and I am surprised, but I have never had so many compliments on a haircut before! Even from strangers! It's funny too, because it has been over a month but people still tell me they love it, so I think its a hint from everyone that I must be a bangs person. I remember in third grade the long painful chore of growing them out, but I think it was worth it this time to chop them off :)

Alex and I went on a date Friday night to a place in downtown St. Paul called Cosetta and I LOVED it! Best Italian restaurant in MN! Seriously, this place is legit. So of course I want to bring everybody I know there because I get excited about food (the most Italian thing about me) but really, most people have probably been there it has been around for a hundred years or more. I think. Anyway, like I've said before, it really is the little things :) At least for me.

And there is one more sweet piece of news. I've been waiting to share, but baby Walburg number two is coming in March! It was a bit of a surprise, but a wonderful one nonetheless. We are so happy and excited! I have had two ultrasounds already so here is a picture at 15 weeks, I am currently 17 weeks and feeling really, really great. More details to come later on how this pregnancy is going. But as always, there is SO much to be thankful for.

All things Fall

Sorry about another month off, sometimes I feel like there is nothing that is worth writing about so why waste time. Truth is, there is always something, but I haven't been feeling "inspired" to share lately.

We had SO much fun with Evy's birthday! There were lots of loved ones there that showed up, and despite the weather being a lot warmer than anticipated, we all had a great time. (There could be many worse problems) Evy was a doll, and it is amazing how fast she changes! I still can't believe that just a year ago at this time she was so tiny and I hardly knew her. I am loving the personality that is coming out of her, she really is very sweet and happy, and I can't wait to see what else shows up in the next year.

This weekend we are going to Silver Bay and I am incredibly excited. I have been looking forward to this all summer. Our first family outing in a long time. We have friends joining us later in the weekend but we will have some good time together just the three of us. I think that the leaves will just be changing as we get up there and the weather should still be nice and sunny. There is a lot of laundry and packing left to be finished but I thought I would update quickly and promise more pictures soon. Currently they are all on other peoples camera's. Ours never seems good enough any more :) oh boy.

Birthday Blessings

Today is my dear husbands birthday. What comes to mind when I want to tell people about him... servant leader. Honestly. He works SO hard for our family, and rarely takes a break. He is solid, ALWAYS there for me. He laughs at me a lot, and I think that is a good sign. He is my best friend, my closest confidant, the one who challenges me to be better, we pray together almost every day, and he means what he says with all his heart. We watch movies together that make him cry and hug me really hard, I get pouty when I don't get enough time with him actually staring at my face when we talk. I discovered that when he is gone I literally cannot sleep. Not because I am scared, because it is now completely unnatural for me to sleep without him right next to me. We go on dates a lot now that we have a child- I know that's backwards. He has beautiful blue eyes that really stand out in pictures and yay for us, evy got them too. He smells good, I love hugging him and smelling that smell that only he has- its home to me. He is one of the most patient people I know, with me, evy, riley, we all test his patience at one time or another. He tells me he loves me every day. He says good bye to me every morning and gets evy for me every night when she wakes up. He does dishes, he loves God, and isn't afraid to show it, even in front of a lot of people, like when he is leading worship at our church. What job is more important than leading others in worship? When I think about my life before him, I laugh because he has made me the happiest and most fulfilled I have ever been. He gave me a lifetime commitment, a child, a marriage that points others to Christ (I hope) a life of service, and so much more. He is my provider and protector and everything that God intended him to be. Even when things are hard with money, or time, or whatever it is, when I look at it from the right perspective I can't help but be at peace because- get ready for it- I really am beyond blessed!

Some News

So in this race to do the best you can at life. He he. We are making a change (hopefully) in that direction. We own our townhouse in Hugo, we were not planning on selling it any time soon, and we couldn't even if we wanted to, it is worth far less than what we bought it for. Not a good feeling, but it's ok. We have planned on renting it out as an investment, maybe for quite a few years, depending on the economy.

In order to have the money to move on to something else, we need time to save up, which we haven't done while living here. So... we are going to move in with my Dad. In Lindstrom. My sisters think that I am crazy, but I am just thankful for the opportunity. Not many people have this option, and we are excited to see what happens. My Dad is single, living in this big house alone, and we will fill it and keep things hopping. No more meals in front of the TV Dad!

This is a scary step for us in leaving the only home we've had since being married, but we know that the future is open, that anything can happen at this point, and it is exciting to see what will!

I feel like there are so many areas in our life where God is stretching us to learn to trust, and it has not been easy. But we didn't ask for the easy path, did we? Bring the rain... Sometimes it takes being brave and saying, "Lord, do what you want with me, I'm willing to go through the storm, so that I can be closer to You and help others be closer to You." Sometimes there are things we go through and it's not even for us, it's for other people to learn and grow through our trial. I know I've been that person, learning from others, and that is why it is so important to share what God is doing, don't waste those opportunities. Okay. Back on track. :)

So I think that we are aiming for September, and that is if we can even find a decent renter and get packed up before then. But if it's supposed to happen... it will! My Dad is not happy about us bringing Riley with because of his shedding... but I just can't bear to think of pawning him off on someone else for a year. He is part of the family. So we're not sure how that is going to go...

Now you are updated. On that. But there is so much more! It will have to wait for another time :)

Evy with her first cone, she loved it of course!

Time goes on. It is so interesting to me as I get older, I understand more and more what "adults" go through, where they are coming from, and why they do the things they do. It used to be hard to understand them. I used to think, "When I'm in that place in my life, I will be so much better, I'll do things differently." Well, now I'm in that place, and it is hard to be different. We struggle with a lot of the same things my parents struggled with. Sure, I've learned from their mistakes, but life is life, and we are all going through it.

As I continue to enter into this "adult" stage, with responsibilities and children depending on you for everything, I realize more and more how important it is to redeem the time, to keep the big picture out in front of you. Too many days go by and I feel like I was so bogged down with getting things done that I didn't play with evy or I didn't enjoy the gorgeous sunset.

I understand now why people put so much weight into making the most of every moment. I am striving to rise out of the mundane, every day sameness, and make memories as much as I can. Sure, you have responsibilities, and yes, I let my laundry go sometimes, but the challenge is making sure that I am laughing with my husband, that I threw the ball for the dog, that I taught evy a new word.

I hate that feeling of just going through, doing what you need to do, and not making memories while in the midst of it.

ps this is leading into another post, later :)