Happy News

We are excited to announce that we are expecting another little Jones in late May of 2014!

I am a little over 3 months along and we are absolutely thrilled. It has been a different pregnancy so far for me, and not because I'm in a new country or somehow have yet to experience any heartburn. It's mainly different because I miscarried in July earlier this year and met this pregnancy with many anxious and fearful tears. In my mind I was far from feeling "ready" to be pregnant again. {I hope to find more words to describe that painful but powerful - and in many ways precious - time of losing sweet baby #3 in another post.}

So, this pregnancy has been an opportunity to trust God more fully in a new way, and I'm so thankful for that. We've had several friends pray over and for us, and God has been so faithful to replace my anxious tears with those of joy and excitement for this new life.

I got to have my first ultrasound on November 16th - talk about the sweetest early birthday gift! To see a BABY growing inside of you - with a tiny beating heart, wild legs stretching and moving, even a little hand resting upon his or her head - well, I'll just never get over it. EVER.

Then, on the crowded bus ride home, a woman with a 4 month old little boy sat next to me (just as my hormonal baby-crazed self was secretly hoping she would!). We struck up a conversation and I came to find out she delivered at the same hospital I had chosen and said she received excellent care (I picked the hospital from a website... and, though I've asked many mothers in the area, I'd yet to meet anyone who had a baby there...). We also shared the fun fact of being one of 4 girls with the youngest being twins. I was just beaming by the time I got home and whipped out all the ultrasound shots for the girls and Robert to gush over.

Thank you, friends, for joining us in our excitement and lifting us up in prayer!

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.

PSALM 100