Kinley Lately

Kinley got a fun surprise a couple weeks ago....one that actually made me squeal out loud!

Her own special chair!!!

My sweet sister-in-law Linde sent Kinley a Happy Valentines Day, Happy early Easter, Happy "you're gonna be a big sister", Happy "just because I love you" gift.

Kinley's got a LOVE for books and climbs into her chair daily to have me read her some stories.

She's also started a new thing where when I try to take a picture and ask her to smile she tilts her head like this and says "HI!!!!"

Love it!!!  Thanks Linde for SUCH a great gift!  I love that I can finally post these pics with her Big Sis shirt too!

Sharing our Big News

Here's how we spread the news of our pregnancy!

I found out I was pregnant right before Christmas (the Wednesday before to be exact!).  Trent and I were exchanging gifts that Friday morning before a weekend and week long trip around Texas to see all our family.  I thought of a fun way to surprise with the news, but it meant having to wait a day-and-a-half to tell him...I just about died =)

So I went and made this shirt - don't be impressed, it's just an iron-on decal.  On our Christmas morning I saved it for the very end and told him it was something I thought he'd enjoy with Kinley (so that they would open it together)....heehee =)

(here's Kinley with her buddy Colton sporting her "big sister' shirt.)

Side note:  Colton is the son of the middle school pastor at our church and he's 10 weeks older than Kinley.  Funny enough this same couple is expecting again as well...8 weeks before us this time!

Second Side note:  Seeing as how Louisa (my pregnant friend/pastor-wife friend/just friend/mom of Colton) and I are both preggers and have double mommy-brain, the day we took this picture I sent it to her and our hubs and she posted it to Facebook...(mind you this is before we've told our 100+ high school kids at church)...I saw her post and actually approved the photo to post to my wall too all before thinking about the fact that Kinley had on this shirt!  Thankfully a good friend helped us see what we couldn't see and we got it down quick!

Needless to say, Trent was shocked...lots of "are you kidding??" "is this a joke?" "is this for real??"  I'd convinced him the day before that there was no chance I was pregnant =).

The great part was literally within days we got to see all of our family and tell them the fun news as well.  

Both times now we've told immediate family within days of finding out the news ourselves and made them keep the secret for a little while....they've been so sweet to oblige!  

We used the shirt again and had her make grand entrances to announce the news for us!

That's the story, we're just thrilled and blessed to have had a smooth and healthy pregnancy so far.  In just a few weeks, we'll find out if baby Thompson #2 is another precious girl, or if we're getting some more testosterone in the house.  I'm so very curious!!!

Thompson 4!!!

We are overwhelmed and excited that we're expecting another baby!!!  

Who we've dubbed our little peanut ;P  

Baby #2 is expected to arrive August 28th -- which just happens to be the day after my 30th birthday....that's some awesome birthday present if you ask me!!

13 week

So far this pregnancy has been a bit different that when I was pregnant with Kinley.  My symptoms have been different (maybe a boy??!) but I've also been a ton more fearful of loosing this precious life inside of me.  I think this is partly due to the fact that the second Kinley was born a whole new sin struggle came crashing into my world -- I like to call it Mommy Fear... 
 
I've had to cling to scripture like crazy, take my thoughts captive and seek that prayer and support of friends that the Lord would give me freedom from worrying about my precious Kinley and my sweet husband.  Sometimes it's terrible and I can't get through the day without imagining some of the most awful scenarios and other days it's not an issue at all.  I can definitely feel my weakness with this struggle and pray for freedom from it!

"We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ" 2 Corinthians 10:5

14 week

Also, I think after having Kinley I've read too many blogs and heard too many sweet friends' stories of tragic loss.  I fell into the trap too many times of reading of a mommy's terrible loss of a child and would end up in tears, pulling Kinley from her nap to just hold onto her as tightly as I possibly could.

Let's face it, we're not promised a rosy easy life hear on Earth, and I feel like I've seen the reality of that fact in all new ways over the past 15 months.

BUT...we are promised the Creator and Father who knows how best to carry us through every circumstance He allows in this life.  So I fully recognize I'm not promised anything as it comes to Kinley, Trent or this new life inside of me.  I have to continually trust Jesus with every single step in this process.

I'm grateful that this pregnancy is forcing me to be before the Lord in seeking His comfort and His peace.

15 weeks....yes I'm wearing the same shirt as last week =) Crazy how the bump appears so much earlier the second time around!