We are adding an act to the circus

One more baby!!! We are so excited to add another baby to our life. We love our family and we love being parents so the news are thrilling and fun for us. I can't get over how beautiful my family is, I can't get over how blessed I am. We have crazy days, rough days, but every night we go to bed and think "this is a good life." God is good and he has been faithful to His promises to us. We know the journey has just begun and we are looking forward to what is ahead while enjoying today.

Baby # 3 we can't wait to meet you and see what kind of fun you add to the Luehmann Circus.

Photo Cred: The incredibly talented, has never taken a bad pic, Alexandra Marie. I honestly don't think she could have done a better job, she exceeded our expectations yet again. We love love love Alex! 

To the big sister

Today there was a lot of crying in my house. Pregnancy hormones just ran rampant and tears came and went. 

After I put Antonella down for a nap and instructed her not to get out of bed because she was a big girl now, I realized indeed she had to be. Today was the last day in her life I was going to put her in her new exciting toddler bed as an only child. She will never again be the only Luehmann girl, and I cried. I cried because my baby is growing and I seem to miss most of it, and I cried because she's about to receive the most amazing gift one could be given, a best friend for life. 

I wrote to Antonella right before she was born here, and I will do a belly progression for Emiliana and share what I wrote to her. But I thought I needed to write to my first born today. 

Nothing could have prepared me for the last 18 months, no book, no movie, no story. Nobody could have ever explained the type of love I was going to feel for you. Everyday I seem to fall in love with you more and more, and unaware you do new things that make me realize you own such an enormous part of my heart, you can wreck it with just a smile. 

For 18 months I've looked down at you while you sleep and I've prayed for you. I've prayed for wisdom, I've prayed for a unique sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, I've prayed for you to see yourself through the Lord's eyes and not your own, I've prayed for a life full of adventures guided by His hand. And over and over and over again, my prayers turn to thanksgiving. I see your father standing next to me praying just as fervently for you and me, then I look back at you and every time without fail I tell God: THANK YOU! I don't deserve this but thank you! 

So my daughter; crazy, curious, rambunctious, wild daughter; I have enjoyed every second of us 3 being a family. I have loved getting to know you and learning everything about you. It has been an honor to parent you alongside Papa. And I cannot wait to see you as a big sister, I have no doubt you will be the most fun, most encouraging, most supportive, most incredible big sister. 

Antonella from now on it is 4 of us, you have to teach Emiliana our ways, you must show her all of our dance moves, secret bird calls, and weird words. You get to introduce her to papa's amazing grilled cheese sandwiches, and momma's ok food. From tomorrow on you will have in Emiliana the most incredible ally, the best of friends, and the most fun of partners. You will never have to feel alone because you will have a sister that will stand with you always, she will be able to read your mind, and know everything about you. You two will make everyone wish they had what you will have, and together you will take over the world and do all the Lord has sent to you do. 

I love you, momma. 

Antonella Week 36

Antonella Week 36

Let's see what my notes from this week show... much better sleeping patterns, naps are down at 10am and 4pm, and bedtime continues to be at 9pm. She generally wakes up at 630am, and snuggles with me for another 15 minutes to 30 minutes before she's ready to face the day. She really likes riding in shopping carts and looking around, very exciting!

December in Pictures

What a fun year 2012 was. Here is the last monthly post of 2012 and I must say December was a good month; not only did my husband turn 33, but we also got to celebrate Christmas with our baby for the first time, and we had all sorts of fun. So excited for 2013 and so beyond grateful for 2012. 

To see November and continue the regression from there click here

Anniversary Weekend

Urban Church is officially 3 years old, and we celebrated with everyone what God did last year and what we know He will do this coming year. I love my church, I really do, I love the people that come and absolutely love God, I love those that know nothing about Him but came to figure things out, I love those who are getting to know Him still, I love everyone. I've learned so much since I started the journey of planting a church, Urban has not only been my church but it's also my family, the place where some of my closest friends are and where my marriage has grown..

Happy Birthday Urban Church, we are blessed and honored to be here.

Happy New Year

2011 was a wonderful year for us, on New Years Eve Caleb, my sister and I prayed together and sat down to talk about all that God did in 2011 and all that we are believing God for 2012 and I was amazed at everything the Lord did this year, He truly is our banner, He truly is our healer, He truly is our provider, He truly is our Father and he makes that known to us every day.

We are believing for great things in 2012, we want to see family members serving Him, we want to see His kingdom expanding, we are believing for His glory to shine. All three of us made a specific list of things we are believing for and kind of a resolutions list. 

I was so blessed to have my sister here with me. Next year she will be a married woman and no longer mi little sister, she will instead be Felipe's wife, man I can't believe it. 

At night we went over to Tranica's and brought ham and veggies and everyone borught something. We celebrated with Colombian traditions, ran around the block, I threw up, we ate grapes and then said HAPPY NEW YEAR. 

I am excited for 2012, if not only for the baby to start growing and join us out here, for all the things I believe God will be doing.

The ups and downs

With the exception of 5 days, my husband and I have been together every day for the last 27 months. It feels like so much longer, and yet it feels like it’s been just a few weeks since we got married. There is still so much to learn, so much to see, so much to enjoy. But as much as we are still rookies in this marriage business, he has managed to learn a few things about me, and I have learned a lot from him and about him. 

A few weeks ago I was sitting in the living room of our house staring into the void and mouthing words so softly he couldn’t hear what was being said. He now knows that means I am going over scenarios that are either too overwhelming or too insane for me to share with him. He also knows now he needs to stop me so I don’t go crazy with all the thinking. So he asked me what I was pondering about with a smirk on his face. 

-You know how people say life is a roller coaster? – I said 

- Hmm what do you mean exactly 

- Well, they say it has ups and downs and we have to go through both. If we are on an ‘up’ then we must be ready for a 'down'. If we are on a 'down' we must be encouraged knowing an 'up' is coming. 

- Ok 

- Well, I am concerned about that. I have been on an up for the last 3+ years and I love my life. Does that mean we are up for a 'down'? Are we overdue for a 'down'? 

- {laughter, laughter, laughter} Honey, from the outside our life surely doesn’t look like an 'up'. We have a very limited income, you have been having migraine headaches, we live in a tiny little place built a hundred years ago, I am allergic to something but we don’t know what it is, we have no insurance, you were supposed to be 6 months pregnant, my computer is breaking, shall I keep going?... We just choose to enjoy where we are. In reality we probably are on our way to an upper 'up'. 

Isn't my husband just the most encouraging man ever? He is absolutely right, our life surely doesn't look like an 'up' but I feel like I have the best life in the world, I really do. 

See when the apostle Paul said rejoice in the Lord always in Philippians 4:4 he surely didn’t mean all things would be fun and exciting, and 'ups' that everyone rejoices in. He meant our outlook in life had to be one that regardless of the situation we would choose joy because we knew our Father is good. I can’t say my joy comes from me being awesome, that would be ridiculous. The only reason I feel like I am at the top of the roller coaster is because of God’s grace. 

I can’t choose joy by myself; the circumstances surrounding my life could surely overwhelm me and fill me with sadness. Some days I do think about my baby, and those days I cry, sometimes I lay in bed with headaches and those days I cry. But then the Holy Spirit whispers in my ear ‘For I know the plans I have for you plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ And He reminds me who my Father is. 

In Philippians 4 we find where joy really comes from 

• Philippians 4:1 – …stand firm in the Lord 
• Philippians 4:2 – …agree in the lord 
• Philippians 4:4 - …rejoice in the Lord

Joy comes from the Lord, and whatever your circumstance I believe you can live a life full of 'ups' and joy. Today I pray for all of those out there that are in a 'down', I pray the Lord will help them change their perspective. I pray they will get the revelation of who God is, and they will comprehend what is the breadth and length and height and depth of the Love of Christ for them.

I am now 29

When I was a little girl being 29 seemed so far away that it was almost never going to happen. I remember thinking 29 would be a fun age, I was going to have my own business by then, I was going to start thinking about marriage by then, I was going to be a grownup. I didn’t have all of them wrong, it will be fun! 

My life plans where ok, but the life I have far exceeds any plans I had ever made. My life is not just ok, it is the best life I could have ever asked for. I married much earlier than I ever thought I would, and my K is the second best decision I ever made. I don't have a business but instead I've given myself to ministry and plan to keep doing that, and I wish I would have made that decision earlier in life. It's funny how us being the closest to ourselves don't have a clue as to what is the best life we can have. Sure we can all achieve an ok life, but the greatest life can only be lived if it is our Father in heaven dictating every step. 

I am excited for 29, it will be an amazing adventure, the Lord will take me new places I have never been, show me new things I have never seen, and love me in new ways I have never experienced. We will grow further in love, and we will walk through the paradise He has set up for me, talking through the decisions that need to be made and learning the importance of my trusting Him completely. 

This new year I want to see more people I love meet my Father, I want to speak about Him with all the friends and family that are still living an ok life but not yet experiencing the fullness of life. I want to declare His goodness, and talk about His grace and that unbelievable gift He gave us in Jesus Christ. I want to be used by Him so others can see Him through me. 

I love my life, it isn't perfect from the outside, but it is far beyond perfect. Everything I have, everything I am, everything in my world, everything is beautiful.