for Harper Annie.

for Harper Annie.

In case you didn't know, my BESTEST friend of ten years is:

Pregnant.

Has A Bun In The Oven.

With Child.

IS GOING TO BE A MOM!

Let's flashback to the first time I heard Brianna was pregnant, shall we?  

Picture me, emotional Ashley on the night of her wedding rehearsal, seeing her best friend for the first time in MONTHS.  Already a roller coaster of emotions, right? Well, add the word "baby" from your best friend's lips on the happiest and most emotional weekend of your life and you have overwhelming joy.  It doesn't get better than that.

  Yesterday, when I saw Brianna for the first time with her ADORABLE pregnant belly at her baby girl's shower, I immediately started crying.  I actually had to hug her around her belly.  A hug for three :)

It's easy to say that the three of us slathered Breezy and her baby girl with ridiculous amounts of love.

Proof below.

Colleen, Mommy-To-Be, myself and Jen

Serious love. Right here, y'all.

Harper Annie, 

I cannot wait for you to enter this world and meet everyone who already loves you so much.  You are going to be blessed with the most incredible Mommy and Daddy that God could give you.  I pray for you and your family so often.  If you're anything like your Mom and Dad are, you won't be anything short of wonderful.  I cannot wait to meet you.

You are so, so loved.

Breezy & Elliot, I love you both and am so excited for your little girl.  

 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:13-14

dry socks, happy hiker.

dry socks, happy hiker.

When was the last time you chanced an afternoon-long rainstorm and went hiking?

That's exactly what we did this weekend and it was beyond beautiful. Sweaty, but beautiful.  The nature trails lead to the ruins of an old mill and straight to rushing river waves.  The water was so inviting that it took everything I had not to jump in.  However, Joe and I agreed that a hiker with wet socks is no happy hiker, so we refrained. ;)

The beautiful ruins of an old New Manchester Mill, Sweetwater Creek State Park, GA.

Over the past few days, I've been thinking about the ruins of that old mill.  The history behind it is ugly: each brick was made by slave labor and it was doused in gasoline during the Civil War only to become a hiding place for passing soldiers and ammunition.

Aside from the slavery, the flames, the war and the ruin, a passerby sees the ruin and declares it beautiful. 

I am in awe that God does not see an ugly past when looking at me.  How thankful I am to be considered beautiful, loved and new.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17