Sharing Our News

We tossed around a few ideas of how to tell our families about the gender of our baby.  We decided with Joey's family we would all gather at his grandparents house to tell them and watch the DVD of the baby.  It was of course a different atmosphere than when we first told them we were pregnant because they weren't expecting that news, but this time they were all anxiously awaiting! 

We put a "It's a Girl!" balloon in a box and let Joey's grandma open it and then the whole family watched our little girl on the DVD.  Someone said, "it's so crazy that what we are watching is going on in your belly!"  It was a really fun moment.  I had a baby shower for a friend at church that I had to go off to and it was sure hard not to tell the people at the shower.  They all knew I found out that morning and were thinking they would find out that night, but I had to tell them to wait one more night because I had a surprise for the youth girls in my Wednesday night class.

I had set up Skype the night before with my parents (why am I just now discovering Skype?!?!?!)  and so I was able to "see" them and tell them and my brother about their little granddaughter and neice.  I then "facetimed" my sister and shared with her.  Everyone was so excited, it was so fun!

It was so great to share with our families, but as far as reaction goes, I knew the youth would definitely have the biggest!  We had already planned to have a little revealing party with them on Wednesday night.  I had a couple of sneaky girls trying to bribe Joey, his mom or sister to tell them first, but everyone kept their lips sealed!  This was the first and I'm suspecting the only time I will ever come into class ten minutes early to find all of the girls already there and seated waiting for class to start.  Joey had to bring some stuff upstairs for me and he said he could only last about 30 seconds in the room with all the girls cause they were so hyper and excited.

I knew better than to try and plan a real lesson for us to go over that night, so at Joey's suggestion I used the situation to talk with them about some stuff.  I pointed out the excitement and joy and peace that surrounded Joey and I during this time in our life and talked about doing things God's way.  It didn't just start with us waiting til we were married to have a baby, it started long before that when we totally committed ourselves to the Lord's will and waited on Him to bring us to each other and then waited on Him for this child.  I want each of them to feel the joy and excitement that we feel, and not the regret of doing things your own way and against God. 

They could only take a few minutes of talking before it was time to reveal boy/girl!!!! They were HYPER.  One girl yelled out, "How many of you didn't wear makeup tonight because you knew you would cry?!"  Several girls raised their hands!  I don't know why they had planned to cry, other than the fact that they are girls!  I made cupcakes and put pink filling inside and decorated the outsides blue and pink.  The girls wouldn't know what we were having until they got inside the cupcake.  Rather than tell you the rest, I'll just show you, but a bit of a warning, you may want earplugs!!!

After the revealing I pulled out the laptop and showed them the video of the baby and reminded them about what we had just talked about weeks before, that God forms us in our mother's wombs and He is the giver of life.  It is so obvious to see the Lord's hand when you watch a child that is inside the mother's womb.  It was a wonderful evening ended by people at church just running around saying, "it's a girl, it's a girl"  I kind of felt like I was in a parade with all the excitment and exclamations. I am just amazed to be in this place and amazed at the work the Lord is doing.