To baby wise, baby whisper, happiest baby on the block... info. overload!

First a few pictures. The last one is proof of Elliott's first tears. Tough times! We have started Elliott fashion time since we have so many cute 3 month outfits and it seems like she will probably outgrow them before she can safely make her debut into to world and leave the shelter of the house. Who needs a special occasion to look cute, right?!


Now onto the crazy stuff....

All of you know that I am a student by nature. I loved school, hence the 3 degrees. I loved the research aspect and acquiring new knowledge. So, I have been reading and researching in my limited free time all the different ways the experts think one should raise and train a baby. There is baby wise (not created by a pediatrician or child development expert, fyi). Then, there is the baby whisperer book. And don't forget the happiest baby on the block with the 5 S's.

I am working on the getting your child to sleep book right now.

Why all the research you ask? No, there isn't anything wrong with Elliott. But, we are trying to prepare for life when I go back to work and to help Elliott adjust. We have been tracking her daily to see if she had a natural pattern and found that she did. So, we have put her on a schedule based on that pattern but that works better for our schedules too. She is on a four hour schedule and hopefully this will lead to her sleeping through the night soon.

The rock and hard place moment for me concerns the rock not rock controversy. Baby Wise states that you must let you child cry it out when you put her to sleep and not use sleep props like a swing or rocking and shushing. The reasoning is that she will not learn to self soothe and be dependent on you to get to sleep.

The Baby Whisperer encourages parents to rock and soothe their baby's. But, you are to comfort them, lay them down and if they cry, pick them up and pat them and lay them back down. The reasoning being that the baby will eventually learn to self soothe.

The Happiest Baby on the block uses the 5 S's to soothe a child: swaddle, side, suck, shoosh, sway. It directs parents to use these to calm their children and get them to sleep. We have been using these since day one and it really does help to calm her and to get her to sleep.

So, we are trying to figure out how to balance the theories and what works best for Elliott. I tried the whole cry it out bit last night and ended up with an upset baby from 10-midnight ish.

She was awake through her entire 4 hour block. Not fun! I let her cry for 10 minutes and would pick her back up and calm her and lay her down and the process would start all over again.

Now, I know from my training that a baby will cry on average anywhere from 2-6 hours a day and that the APA states that crying is healthy and needed to facilitate sleep. We let her cry before feedings and for a few minutes every time before we put her down for a nap. However, we use the 5 S's to calm her and get her to bed. This method meshes with what I have learned about attachment theory and bonding.

So, bottom line. We are working on it! The 4 hour schedule seems to do well. Just need to figure out the whole how to soothe/ sleep thing. Pray for us as we seek wisdom and guidance in this. Oh yeah and sleep at night for Mommy would be awesome!

5 Weeks

Photos first and then the latest news.....

One of Elliott's newborn photos courtesy of our friend Heather! She was 2 weeks old here. I can't believe how much she has changed since then!

Elliott is 5 weeks old here. She enjoys her bath time. We just have learned not to do them at night because unlike some babies where baths calm them, baths just cause Elliott to be WIDE awake.
Once again, she is 5 weeks old. Daddy is doing a great job! He even braves the poop diapers like a champ now. He has been gone a lot this past week and we have missed him very much. I really appreciate his help and couldn't imagine doing this without him.

We are now 5 weeks old and doing well. Elliott had her month check up this week and has gained to right at 10 pounds and gained 2 inches in length. The Dr. said that she is doing great and can be expected to gain an ounce or 1/2 ounce a day. How crazy is that?!?

I think that she must be in a growth spurt now, as she is eating more and has been cranky the last two days. She has also started having tears when she cries. That is a sign of growth and it makes it even harder on us when she cries. Poor pumpkin!

Shaun is back to work full time and that leaves a lot of mommy and Elliott bonding time! We are getting more of a routine down and hopefully we will have a schedule that works for everyone soon.

I managed to make it out of the house on Friday alone and attempted to do some Christmas shopping. It was chaos out there! I never noticed how many people around you in public do things that are dangerous. For example, when walking into Target, there was a group of people standing right by the doors smoking. So, everyone walking in and out of the store had to walk through their smoke. My shirt smelled like it and it was only a minute that I was exposed to it. If Elliott was with me, I would have been one mad mama! While standing in the check out line, I was surrounded by sick people. The man in front of me kept sneezing without covering his mouth! And he looked like he should have been in the hospital he was so pale and sickly looking. The woman behind me had a terrible cough and I had to look back several times because I thought she lost her lung. To top it off, as I walked to my car, the woman parked beside me was sitting on her back bumper smoking. So, as I rushed to unload my bags into the back of the tiguan, I endured her smoke again and got to smell it all the way home until I rushed into the shower.

So, note to self, it is so not worth the trip for me right now! I'll shop online: quick, easy, and no inconsiderate people. My friends keep encouraging me to get out of the house and I do agree that I need to do so. If I go out, it won't be shopping, maybe to the gym or to get a pedicure!

Christmas is coming soon. I have been overwhelmed with the number of Christmas outfits that have been given to Elliott! It is a virtual 12 days of Christmas Elliott fashion show! She has also received several presents already and I think more Christmas cards than Shaun and I! We aren't doing the whole visit with Santa thing due to her being in quarantine still and the fact that Mall Santa's creep me out due to all my years working child abuse cases. Special side note: clowns, people who do puppet things, people who dress up Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, all make me nervous!

Shaun and I are looking forward to spending our first Christmas with Elliott. Shaun has to work due to how the holiday falls, but we are taking some time this week and next to enjoy. Shaun preaches on the weekend of January 1 and 2. We hate that we can't be home to see our family and friends. We really hate that we will miss seeing some of our family who only comes in during the holiday. And all the fun and food that the holiday brings! We are truly blessed to have such wonderful family and friends. We love y'all and look forward to seeing you sometime in the new year. You know, y'all can always come visit here too.

Merry Christmas!

Already 4 weeks?!?

First a few photos!

Elliott's first bath

Too Cute in her yellow suit!

Handmade bow from Jade

Wow! Time is flying by! I can not believe that Elliott will be 4 weeks old tomorrow! Our days are getting more routine. Sometimes it seems like the movie Groundhog Day.... diaper, eat, sleep, cry, diaper, eat, sleep, cry. But I love it!

Elliott is growing a ton. We had to take her to the doctor's this week for a rash on her face. No worries, it is super common and apparently she has sensitive skin like her mama. So, we have to wash all clothing, including ours in dreft and if anyone holds her, they must be covered in a blanket that we have washed to prevent her skin coming in contact with their perfumes, detergents, or other things. She weighed 9 pounds and 12 ounces on Monday! She is wearing size 1 diapers and 3 month clothes. We are working on a schedule that fits our needs and hers. She seems to be doing well. It is also neat because she has more awake time now and without crying. We really are blessed with a sweet baby and she is a good baby.

I am recovering still and it is getting easier each day. My blood levels are increasing and as they increase, I will continue to get better. My incision is healing and I am off of pain medication. I even get to drive now! In fact, I took my first trip alone to Walmart yesterday. It was weird to not be with Shaun and Elliott! So, luckily it was a short trip!

I hope that everyone is getting ready for the holidays. I can't believe that it is almost mid-december. Shaun and I aren't planning on doing too much for the holiday. He will have to work our Christmas services and preaches the first weekend in January.

I hope to return to working on Sundays starting in January. I am answering emails and phone calls, but am not attending meetings or working Sunday services. When I do return, I plan on keeping Elliott with me. It is cold and flu season and the Dr. has ordered that Elliott not be allowed out of the house until 6 weeks of age and recommends that she not go to the church nursery. I learned that mandatory procedure for a child who presents at the Dr.'s with a fever is hospitalization, ivs, and a spinal tap. So, needless to say, it is better to be safe than sorry.

That's all I know for now. Keep us in your prayers!

Jessica

Welcome Home Elliott

Hello All,

Well, the wait is over! Elliott is here and is healthy. She was born on November 13th at 10:37 AM. She weighed 8.5 pounds and is 21 and 1/2 inches in length.

I started having contractions Friday morning around 3 AM and we went to our regularly scheduled doctor appointment that Friday. She sent me to labor at home as long as possible. That Friday night we went to the hospital around 9 PM and the fun began. All night Friday I was in labor and Friday morning we tried to push for almost 3 hours. It was discovered that Elliott was head down but was face up and pushing was causing her heart rate to drop. So, we were rushed to do a c-section. I lost a lot of blood and required a transfusion of 3 bags of blood. That was done on Sunday and by Monday I felt better. Elliott was born with myconium and had to be in the nursery for most of the day on Saturday. Her sugar levels were unstable, so they were working on that as well. She was fine by Saturday night.

We left the hospital on Tuesday afternoon and have been at home trying to get a routine and keep up with the feedings, diapers, laundry, etc. Elliott really is a sweet baby and is doing great! We are supplementing with formula because she has such a big appetite. Like father like daughter, right? She of course sleeps most of the day and night. Shaun is a great daddy and king of the swaddle. I am in charge of feeding and diaper duty.Our church family has been great to respect our boundaries and privacy. They are also bringing us meals and have been such a blessing.

I will be posting pictures soon, but until then, just know that we are all okay and working very hard to get settled.

Thanks for your prayer and support. We need it!

Waiting Game

Hello Friends and Family!

Well, I am sorry to say that there is no news to report as far as Elliott watch is concerned. We are going to the Dr. in the next few days to check in and see if there have been any changes. Other than that, it is just a matter of waiting..... and waiting!

I think that I worked my last weekend service this past Sunday. Shaun is planning on continuing to work on Sundays until she comes. Sundays are just too hard on me at this point. I still work throughout the week and have meetings and appointments, but I plan to not be there this Sunday and hopefully Elliott will come next week or the next!

I've have gotten all my Christmas decorations out and plan to have the house decorated by the end of the week. Usually I set everything up the day after Thanksgiving and Shaun does all the outside lights that day. But, we are hoping that we will be learning to care for a newborn by that time this year, so we are preparing everything now.

I am also cooking and freezing side dishes for Thanksgiving dinner day and have ordered a smoked turkey this year so I think that Thanksgiving dinner will be covered. We are excited to have a couple of friends staying with us over the holiday so that we don't have to spend it alone and we can spend the time at home instead of trying to get out. They also get to help us with Elliott!

It finally feels like fall here on the Coast. High temps are in the 60-70's and lows are in the 50's. So, it is beautiful! We have been walking the pups a lot and keeping the windows and doors open to allow the cool air into the house. I love it when we get to this season. This is about as cold as we will get throughout the entire winter. It is still humid, but much more bearable than August!

I'll keep everyone informed if we have any news to share! Thank you for your prayers and support!

Jessica

Photos

Hello All!

Our friend Heather sent me some of our photos from our maternity shoot. Her hard drive crashed, so there is a chance that the rest of the photos may not be redeemed. The photos came at a really good time. I have been so tired and tired of being preggo. I LOVE her work and her. She is going to be taking Elliott's first photos as well, whenever that day comes!

People are so weird when it comes to being around pregnant women! Note to complete strangers: it is NEVER appropriate to tell a very pregnant woman that she is huge, big, and/ or ready to pop. Neither is it appropriate to try to touch a pregnant woman's belly, especially if you do not know her! Additionally, dear well meaning complete stranger, do not begin to tell a very pregnant woman on how she can induce labor by having sex and then describing how that method worked for you and your partner!

We went to the Dr. today and still there are no changes. The Dr. will not even talk about induction steps until after November the 14th, so until then...... we wait. And.......we wait!

Elliott could be quite the large baby if she decides to stay cooking until 14th or later. She should be about 8 pounds on Sunday, so she could be 9 pounds by delivery! Yikes!!! But, we are grateful that she is healthy and are ready to meet her.

Thanks for the encouragement and support!

Jessica, Shaun, and Elliott!

Sonogram Photo

I am adding the pictures from yesterday. As you can see, they are not very clear. At this point in development, the sonogram doesn't capture images as well because of the size of the baby as well as the lack of amniotic fluid. The first image is her foot. She is sticking it in the air and used it to kick the sonogram tech's machine! This is a profile of Elliott's face. You can see her lips and the tip of her nose. As you can see, she has a big head! We got to see her practicing her sucking with her lips and even her breathing. So cool! Now, if she would just decide to go ahead and introduce herself to the world, then that would be great! The little bubble looking things to the left is actually her umbilical chord. Right below that is her hand and fingers. The stuff around her nose is actually the placenta. Pretty cool, huh?!?!

7.2

Afternoon All!

We had our weekly appointment today and final sonogram. Ms. Elliott is still way head down and according to the sonogram, weighing in at a reasonable 7.2 pounds. Based on the due date, she could be a little over 8 pounds when she is born, if she comes at that time. I am totally ok with her coming NOW!!!

She is measuring right on target. Due to the crazy swelling in my leg and foot, I was sent over to the outpatient portion of the hospital where they did a sonogram on my legs to check for blood clots. I am clot free! I just have to rest my legs and try not to do so much.

The sonogram pictures are not very clear this time because she is so big and because she was constantly moving. We did get to see her practicing her breathing and sucking. She even showed us the toes on her foot as she tried to put them in her mouth. Her belly is very round and her heart is strong. Shaun asked the tech to double check to see if she is still a girl.... She is!

This weekend we went to the child birth class. The class itself wasn't that bad. The video that they showed us was super cheesy and from the 80's, but they gave us a tour of the labor and delivery room and the rooms where you stay after delivery. The L and D rooms are nice. I had already had a stay in one of those thanks to my fall a few weeks ago. The recovery rooms..... uhmm....... not so nice. They are clean and very 1980's themed and tiny. At least it is only 2 nights there though! Poor Shaun might not even fit on the pull out couch!

Hopefully, this will be my last full weekend working at church. I am trying to get things covered and Shaun is wrapping up his immediate projects. It is a tough time of year to try to do so simply because the holiday season is approaching, the church is growing, Mo Kids is expanding, and I'm losing a staff person. However, what great problems to have!

I will keep you updated and posted when anything new develops!

Much Love,

Jess

Full Term

Well,

It is official. Elliott is now considered full term and if/when labor begins, it will be GO time. The Doctor said that everything looks good and we are scheduled for our final ultrasound next week. So, I technically have 3 ish weeks left. The Doctor also said that I should be able to deliver an 8 pound baby no problem. Ummm.... yeah for me?!?! She also told Shaun that should the Rangers make the world series and be playing during the early stages of labor, that he can watch them on TV in the room. Glad to know he has questions about the important things!

I had hoped that Elliott would make her appearance today in honor of Siti's birthday, but so far, doesn't look like that will happen.

I have been thinking a lot today about Siti and how truly blessed I am that she was such a big part of our lives. I know that even today, she is making a difference in the lives of those she is around despite her illness.

I remember how I used to climb the tree in the yard at the house on Farrington and how much she would fuss and worry. "Get down dear, you could fall." I remember how I loved when she would pick me up from school when I was sick and make me homemade soup. "You need to eat, you need to eat." I remember how she sewed all of my Christmas dresses, special events dresses, and even altered my wedding dress. " I don't need a new sewing machine, mine works just fine." I remember how she tutored Shaun in Algebra and got him through his first semester at MSU. " You must learn and use your times tables, math is important." Shaun of course didn't mind all the free food that came with the lessons! "You are a big young man, you need to eat..you need to eat!"

I remember how she saved EVERYTHING and always scraped the bottom of the bowl or pan to ensure that every last drop was used. I admit, I save twist ties and scrape the bowl too. She taught me how to cook without ever measuring and not really following a recipe. She taught me how to clean a house and watch out for germs. I admit, I'm still a little prone to go overboard when it comes to germs and hand sanitizer!

Siti taught me how to love a man unconditionally and what it means to be an honoring wife. That love is truly patient and kind, it does not boast, it is not arrogant or self seeking. I have also seen how much it hurts to lose that love to such a crushing and unfair illness.

So, happy birthday Siti! I hope that I can pass on your knowledge to Elliott and pray that I will have half of the servant's heart that you do. Thank you Lord for Siti's!

So, maybe Elliott won't have her birthday, but I do hope that she has her heart! I'll update more next week after we have our final sonogram!

Blessings!

Jessica

Lesson Learned

Hello All,

Most of you know how umm... "determined" I can be. Some might even dare to label my determination as stubbornness. Well, being so umm...."determined" taught me a tough lesson yesterday.

So, what did I learn you ask? I learned that your center of gravity really is off when you are pregnant and that when you are 35 weeks pregnant, you should not run after escaping four year olds because if you do, you will get to visit the labor and delivery floor of the hospital.

So, yes, I took a pretty bad fall yesterday in the front lobby of the church and in a dress! Lucky for me, my ummm...assets remained fully covered and it happened 20 minutes into when the first service had already begun, so not EVERYONE saw it! We had an escaped kiddo running down the hall and I was up front and started running after him (without thinking) because I didn't want him to run out the front doors into the parking lot. I reached for the hood of his hoodie and fell forward right onto the big belly. Good news is it distracted the kid long enough for someone to grab him. I think if I had been wearing flip flops that weren't too big, I totally would have caught him! So, note to self: go buy new shoes! Just don't tell Shaun! :-)

Note to parents: don't give your four year old a mohawk and don't pierce his ear and give him a big blue topaz earring. He's not in a rap video and all your setting him up for is a life of delinquency! He's never going to be bank president or supreme court justice with that foundation. And when we tell you that he hit someone and then escaped, don't blame the worker, confront that kiddo and whip that butt! By the way, the name Tyler is officially added to my list of names that one can not name their child or they are destined to be one of my clients list. For a full listing of all names, just email me! Ok, I'm off my soapbox now...

So, what else did I learn yesterday you ask? I learned that the hospital where we will deliver Elliott is very nice and the staff are all very kind. I also learned that falls should be taken seriously. I learned that the amniotic sack is nature's way of creating an airbag for your baby and that when one falls, they can expect to be ridiculously sore and need to rest.

I also learned that Elliott is 100% ok and that according to the sonogram, she is weighing 6 pounds and 6 ounces as of yesterday! The sonogram tech told me that she is head down (very head down) and then stated and I quote.."Wow, she has a large head". Yeah for me on the day of delivery, whenever that day comes. Obviously, she did not get her father's melon! :-)

So, we spent most of the day at the hospital for observation and they gave me an iv to stop the contractions. I wasn't in labor at all... no dilation or effacement, but the contractions were more than the usual braxton hicks that I've been having for the last few weeks. I was ordered to rest for the rest of the day and to not chase kiddos for the duration of the pregnancy.

Lesson learned!!!!

Fish and Fried Bugs

Hello All,

We met Jan and Gary for a fun filled day in the french quarter on Tuesday. It was awesome to get to spend some time with family before Elliott gets here. We went to the aquarium, the insectarium, and the IMAX. At the insectarium, you can go to their bug cafe and eat the day's special. That day, the special consisted of fried wax bugs or chocolate covered bugs. Guess who had to try the bugs.......

Now, onto our latest Crouch adventure....

We had a great time yesterday in New Orleans with Jan and Gary, as always! Jan brought me some of the fishing trip photos, so there is now proof that I did indeed go fishing AND that I caught and touched fish. For all those doubters, yes I really did go on a two day camping and fishing expedition while being 7 months preggo. Yes, there was no bathroom and yes, I did sleep in a tent. Dad, aren't you proud??

My first big fish!!

Gary and Carter's boat..

Check out the big brown that Jan caught!

We took a picture of Shaun and Clayton, but it didn't turn out. That just means we will have to go on another adventure, this time with Elliott! What a fun trip!!!

Shaun and I are so blessed to have a family that loves us. We love y'all!

Happy Friday

I just thought I'd say hello and give a brief update about the happenings in our world.

Not much too exciting to report. We have been working like crazy just due to the sheer number of families coming to us that need help. That is a good thing! Shaun and I have begun to hand off some things in preparation for Elliott's arrival. We have a great team that can cover it too! I am excited because our friend Eric from the Met in Texas has begun coming here and directing our worship. He is also helping at Colonial too. Of course, our friend Terry is the Pastor there at Colonial and many of you know how instrumental he was in guiding us to where we are now.

We are having a church wide baby shower this weekend after the 11:00 Service. I am hoping that it all goes well and I look forward to seeing all my Mosaic Family. Seems like everyone is excited and ready to meet Elliott.

Elliott seems to be doing well. I am having difficulty bending now due to the size of my belly. I can still see my toes if I lean forward. We went to the doctor yesterday. There is still not an exact due date now due to her size and I measured 36 weeks. According to my original thought to be due date, I should only be 34 weeks and her sonogram measures her to be at 35 weeks. So, we are saying that we have 4-6 weeks left. Give or take a few weeks. She is still head down and the kicks are less due to the lack of space. Although, we can now see her butt on the side of my belly when she sticks it out. Based on the sonogram from 6 weeks ago, she would be weighing in at almost 6 pounds now! We go back again on October the 4rth, so we shall see what develops then. I am hoping that I get to take some time off soon to rest as I am get very tired very easily and still not a lot of sleep at night. The Doctor did say to start to really take it easy now. I am going to try!

I am looking forward to this Tuesday. Jan and Gary will be in New Orleans for a few days, so we will get to spend some time eating good cajun food and hanging out with them. I miss my family very much and it is good to have them here, especially now as we get ready for Elliott to be here.

We had an appointment for Tyson this past week too. He is doing great! He is still not 100 %, but almost. He had all his fur again and it seems like we are really getting to see his personality develop now that he finally feels better. He is super intrigued by Elliott's room. Every time I go in there, he goes and gets his toys from the living room basket and drops them in the floor of her room. He will continue to follow that routine until he runs out of toys or I shut the door the her room. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts!

That's all the updates for now. I hope everyone has a great weekend.

I

Just one year

Wednesday marks a very significant day in our lives and the lives of several of our friends. On September 15th of last year, we lost Jackson and Sebastian. In some ways, the loss seems to be very fresh and yet in other ways, it seems so long ago.

It is truly a bittersweet day for us. We are so grateful for our friends and family who loved us and supported us through this. We are so amazed how God has used something seemingly terrible to create in us a beautiful and useful brokenness that in turn has helped us to love and support others.

We are grateful for everyday that we have had with Tyson and seeing his willingness to love despite pain has been very humbling. We are also grateful that Preston is with us and still the same goofy friend that he has always been. We now have Elliott on her way to meet the world soon and are excited, scared, happy, and at peace all at the same time. Life is truly precious and a gift, whether it be the life of a child or a dog who we loved as our family.

Tomorrow will be a difficult day. This past Sunday, we lost two different church members in car accidents. Tomorrow on the anniversary of our loss, we will be helping our church family members as they say good bye to their loved one who was taken suddenly from them. A Father and a Mother lost their only son at the age of 26. I am grateful for the opportunity to mourn, worship, and celebrate together. I am humbled to be called to do something like this and to be able to use the pain that we experienced to help others.

Bittersweet too as we are preparing for Elliott to arrive and just had an appointment and found out she is still doing well and is healthy and may be arriving sooner than we had thought. And through all of this, we know that there is a purpose and a plan.

Thank you all for loving us and being part of our lives. As we go through tomorrow, may we all take time to appreciate the gift of community and fellowship that we have been given.

Much Love,

Jessica

website link

A few of you have had trouble accessing the site with our photo preview. If you have facebook, go to my wall and click the link that Heather has posted there.

If not, go to http://ellajreesephotography.com. On the bottom right, click the word blog. Once the new window pops up, go to the tab that says latest posts. Drop down, and click the Jessica and Shaun post. It will take you to her post about us.

Check it out!

Jessica

New Pictures

Hello All!

Just a quick note. A few weeks ago, Shaun and I had our pictures taken by an awesome photographer and friend. She sent me a preview of the images on facebook. I can't wait to see the rest of them!

I just thought I'd share: http://96.30.18.221/~ellajree/blog/2010/09/jessica-and-shaun.

Check them out.

:-)

Jessica

Elliott's Room

Happy Wednesday!

I have been working on getting everything put together and almost have Elliott's room ready. I'm still waiting on a fabulous painting from a friend that she did for us. But, all the furniture is in as well as the bedding. I've been washing her clothes as I get them, so everything is ready to go.

The furniture was given to us by one of our Elders in the church. He is a cardiologist by trade, but he handmade the bookcase, dresser, and mirror. And it is super solid and heavy! Just ask Shaun! We had an antique brown glaze done on the furniture so that it wasn't so very white and it looks really good. I changed the hardware on the dresser and bookcase, thanks to new knobs from anthropology and voila! New furniture for our little monkey!

I am feeling more and more tired these days and it is getting more difficult to complete simple tasks, like tie my own tennis shoes! I also officially can not see my feet and my lower back hurts most days. All of this is just part of the experience and means that we are getting closer and closer to getting to meet Elliott. We are excited and can't wait for her to meet all of the people who love us and love her.

Work is still going and going. Shaun preached the main services this weekend and tackled a tough topic and did a great job. You can listen to his message by downloading it from our website: www.mosaicgc.com. He has several other dates scheduled in the upcoming months as well. I have basically ended all counseling clients and am focusing on launching Mosaic Recovery as well as teaching a class on boundaries. Both launch this week. Of course, there is still youth and children's ministry to be taken care of. I am grateful to have a great team to work with.

We go to our next appointment on Tuesday. I will keep you updated. Thank you for your prayers and support!

Jessica

Slide show of images

The Countdown has begun

Hello All!

We had the baby shower this past Saturday and it went really well. It was pouring down rain all day and there were still 40 people in attendance. The shower was really nice!!!!

I am thankful to have so many people here who care about us and to have so many family and friends back home who love us.

We are still getting things that we need together a little bit at a time. I still need a bassinet or a pack and play, bottles, a diaper bag, bathtub and towels, sleep gowns, a car seat, and a baby carrier so Shaun can wear Elliott in between services. Who knew babies needed so much stuff!?!? There are still a few other things, but they will come.

We had our appointment this morning and our 4D sonogram! The Dr. still won't move the due date, but Elliott can move the due date based on her size and if she wants to come early! If she gets too large, as we get closer to time, the Dr. will choose to induce labor.

The Dr. did say that we should make plans to have our Trunk or Treat Event covered by other staff just in case. I'm still measuring ahead and baby weighs 3 pounds and 13 ounces. On average, she will gain an ounce a day until delivery! If I was measuring where the due date is, she would only weigh 3 pounds right now.

Elliott was active the entire sonogram, which is good. Active baby means healthy baby!

Even if she is active all night long! She is head down and just looks amazing!

We were able to see her eyes and eyebrows and lashes, her hair, all 10 fingers and all 10 toes. She has really long arms! She has my lips and cheeks and Shaun's nose and chin! The technology with the 4D is soo freaking cool!

I am attaching a few photos. I am overwhelmed by just how amazing this is and how good God is to us. He truly is the Creator of all good things and to think that He has loved and known Elliott as His and to allow us to be her parents is truly humbling! I will be posting the dvd of the sonogram as soon as I can edit it.

Many o Lord my God are the wonders you have done!

The things you planned for us no one can recount to you;

were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare!

Thank you for the continued prayers and support!!

Much Love!

Jess

Tough Day today

Hello All,

Today is August the 18th. This day is bittersweet for me because August 18th was Jackson's birthday. We always did something special for the Pup on his birthday and it usually involved a trip to Petsmart to purchase a new sheep toy and greenie. Sounds silly I know, but they were very special in our lives and still hold a special place in our hearts. Today also marks almost a year since we lost the boys.

I know that God has grown us through this experience and some may not understand the feelings of loss that we have and still have but I can honestly say that we are grateful.

I am grateful for being allowed to have had something in my life that loved me and everyone around me unconditionally. I pray that I can show that kind of love to others. I am grateful that Jackson made such a difference in the lives of the children he got to meet. Many of you know that Jackson spent many days with me through my career at the Advocacy Centers and even was influential in the children's ministry of Mosaic. To some he may be just a dog, but to those kids, he was a companion and friend. He was there in a time when he was needed the most. I pray that others can say that about me.

I am grateful that he wasn't alone in death and that he died protecting someone he loved. Jackson was brother to Sebastian (Tiny) and to Preston. As the pit bull lunged for Tiny and Preston, Jackson stood in the gap and tried to protect his family. I pray that I have that kind of courage to stand up for those who can not protect themselves. I pray that I never forget the value that family has in my heart and life. I pray that when my days here on earth draw to a close, that you will be able to say that I fought the good fight, completed the race set before me and that my Heavenly Father will say to me: "Well done good and faithful servant."

I am grateful because as much as I loved them. I know that it is but a fraction of the amount of love that my Savior has for me. And just like Jackson's love for me, it is unconditional and undeserved.

Thank you Father for the gift that Jackson and Sebastian were to our family and in the lives of others.

I am grateful for Tyson and seeing him through all the struggles that he has faced at such an early age. He has survived a heart surgery, skin infection, and chronic pain. He never complains and you would not know that he even struggles. I know that God gave us Tyson to help us continue to learn and grow. I pray that I can have his fighting spirit and positive attitude.

I am grateful that we still have Preston with us. He is truly Shaun's loyal companion. And he's just plain funny! You can't help but laugh at some of his crazy antics. He also is a loyal friend to Tyson.

As we look forward to meeting little Elliott, may we remember that she is here but for a moment and that she is never really ours, but is the child of her heavenly Father. I am grateful to have had experienced death of our loved one to teach me how painful raising and losing another can be. I know that as a parent, we will experience the pain of growth and separation.

Our Doctor appointment went well. She is still measuring 2 weeks ahead, so not enough to move the due date. We may just have a big baby or she may come early. My blood pressure is good. Her heart is strong and she is very active. I didn't even get threatened with bed rest! :-) Now, we begin going in every two weeks for check ups. At the end of the month we will actually have a 4D sonogram. I can't wait to post it!

We have also been praying for a life verse for Elliott. I think that we have settled on Psalm 40:5. Elliott's name means the Lord is my God. The verse states: Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.

We know that He has done amazing things in our lives. So many that we can not even begin to explain to others. I know that His gift of Elliott will be another instance of His unexplainable goodness. And for that we are grateful.

Back to the real world

Hello All!

We are back to the real world and back home in MS. This is Day 1 back to work. It has been pouring down rain and isn't predicted to end anytime soon. We are trying to get accustomed to the humidity again!

The house remodel is done and Shaun and I are now officially sharing an office. This is Day 1 of that sharing and so far, so good. The baby furniture is in the nursery and we have begun setting everything up. I will blog some pictures very soon.

It was so good to see everyone during our brief trip to Texas. This will probably be our last trip to Texas before we have Elliott. I am so thankful for all of our friends and family. Thank you for all the meals and memories! I think Shaun really enjoyed his Taco Casa 20 pack! In fact, he's starting to talk again about how to get TC here to MS. Ughh!

We had an awesome time in Arkansas! The condo had no internet or phones. How awesome is that?!?! I did not know just how beautiful this place was. We stayed in the Horseshoe Bend area and stayed right on a lake. The lake was so clear that you could see 20 feet down. We spent an entire day just on the lake.

Now, I know that you won't believe this, but I had a great time on our trout adventure! We spent 2 days on the White River. We fished one day, camped overnight, and fished until 2 the next day. I got to share a boat with Jan and we had a blast! We caught over 130 fish and caught the largest brown trout out of everyone in the group. I even touched the fish and Gary helped me eat one that I caught for lunch. Are you shocked?!?! Jan took pictures for evidence!

The water on the White River is 50 degrees and felt like air conditioning! I had to jump in a couple of times to cool off and as soon as I did, Elliott started kicking like crazy!! Apparently she was not happy! She kicks a lot these days!

We did explore a cave, but did the safe, lighted, and paved tour. The cave was beautiful! I hope that next time we can do the wild cave adventure!

Shaun and I actually feel rested and made some great memories! Thank you Jan, Gary, Carter and Clayton! We love y'all!

Tomorrow we go back to the Dr. for a check up and I hope to find out more about the due date. Can you believe that we are already in the third trimester? I will keep you posted. I am looking forward to my baby shower here at the end of the month. I am grateful for the family get together and all the cute stuff. Thanks for limiting the pink! Stella and Dennis gave us a gift card and we used it to purchase a mattress for the crib. Thanks y'all!

Speaking of due dates, Rachele is having her baby today. I am still waiting to hear how it is going. Last check, it should be around 7:00. I can't wait to meet Carter Tyson! Please pray for her, Patrick, and Carter.

Much Love,

Jessica

Big Baby Girl!

Hello All,

As some of you know, Shaun and I had a little adventure this past Sunday and got to have a quick stay in the Labor and Delivery portion of the hospital. Now, no worries! I started having contractions Saturday night. I didn't know that was what they were though. I just thought it was weird cramping. They continued through the night and finally Sunday morning we left church and went in. They gave me some meds to stop them and a bag of fluids to rehydrate and ordered rest. I wasn't in labor, just having contractions. So, we are totally fine! I am resting as ordered and bought a baby book so I could read up on preterm labor. Hadn't thought that far ahead yet! :-)

In the hospital, she was very active. Her heart is strong and she was just kicking away. An active baby is a healthy baby, so we are very blessed. It was neat to see and hear her moving and kicking.

We went to the Dr. on Thursday and had a sonogram. Good news is that there wasn't too much fluid and Elliott is measuring almost 2 weeks ahead. That means that I am 25 weeks and she is measuring 27 weeks. Right now, that isn't enough to move the due date because she may have a had a growth spurt and will level out. If next visit, she is measuring progressively larger, then they will move the due date. I have a great picture of her face, but can't upload it right now due to our office being a disaster in prep for the remodel. It looked like she has my eyes and Shaun's nose! She was asleep the entire time, so they were able to get some good measurements and still photos. Of course as soon as we walked out of the sonogram suite, she was wide awake and kicking up a storm!

I wasn't put on bed rest, but ordered to start taking it easy and no lifting over 20 pounds. We can still go on vacation to Arkansas with Jan, Gary and the Boys. It is a 9-11 hour drive, so I'll have plenty of time to rest. I was told that there will be no cave exploring for me. Maybe they can just take a picture of me in the helmet with the light and the knee pads?! I am still able to do everything else, so whoo hoo!!!

While we are gone, the remodel of the house is to be completed. That means that the cabinets in the office will be installed and the baby furniture will finally be brought in. I need to be cleaning everything out right now and will quit procrastinating soon. Ughh.

So when we get home, we will have a nice surprise and can finally get things ready for baby. Shaun put together the glider and ottoman that Rachele and Patrick bought for us. It looks great! Thank y'all! We also received and awesome gift card from Grandma Stella to use to purchase baby stuff. Thank you!!! I think that a baby shower is being planned here for us at the end of the month of August, but the girls won't tell me anything, so I don't know! If you get an invitation, please do not feel like you have to come! Save your trip for when you can actually meet Elliott!

We also took Tyson to the specialist this week. He is doing better. He was placed on a new antibiotic and seems to be responding well. They gave us permission to board him at our vets office, so that is a HUGE win as before, they had said that wouldn't be good due to his immune system being weak. So, he is getting stronger! His first birthday is August the 8th. Poor pup has survived so much his first year and he is a fighter! We love him so much and can see glimpses of Jackson and Sebastian in him. Of course, Preston is still the same stubborn, goofy pup that he always is, except his is now quite plump.

We have to get a new windshield for the Tiguan now thanks to the intelligent city planners in New Orleans. On the way there, the windshield got hit with a rock from a truck and it cracked. Someone in the City thought that it would be a good idea to place palm trees covered in pea gravel in the median of the freeway. That's Katrina recovery money in action folks! Seriously!! So, our car gets to have a new windshield now. It has been ordered, so hopefully it will be soon. Thank goodness we have insurance! I swear since we moved here, we have replaced more windshields. This will be our 4rth! I miss the nice and smooth roads of Texas!

That's all the updates for this week. Now, off to get that office cleaned out!

Love,

Jessica

24 Weeks

Hello All!

We have officially made it to the 24 week mark. That is a great milestone. At 24 weeks, babies can survive outside the womb with medical care. Due to Elliott measuring 29 weeks, we have moved the sonogram up to this Thursday. That way, we will know if the due date is off or if something bigger is happening before our vacation. I am thinking that the Doctor is going to put the kibosh on my cave exploring expedition on vacation. Guess that means I'll just spend the day at the pool instead. :-) Maybe I'll even get time to read a book for fun?!? I haven't been able to do that since I started the second masters. Yeah that I am graduated!

Also, about this weather system Bonnie, we should be just fine. They are now projecting that it will hit us as a tropical storm. This means tons of rain and wind, but nothing too serious. It is projected to hit us tonight at 2 AM. The weather and tides here are already changing in preparation for the storm. We are fine and grateful that it is just a tropical storm.

Tyson also has a doctor appointment on Tuesday to see about his infection. His immune system just isn't fighting things very well and that is the reason for the skin issues. He is responding well to the new medication and we will find out Tuesday what course of action to continue on as well as if we can board him when we leave or if he has to come with us. Poor pup! He is a trooper though and you'd never know he was ill except for the baby booties on his feet to prevent scratching.

Have a great weekend!

Jessica

Extreme Week recap and Baby news

Hello all!

It has been a BUSY three weeks. We have been preparing for our huge children's summer event Extreme Week. It's like vacation Bible school, but not cheesy, boring, prefabbed, or full of Christian subculture garbage. It is an event written to be culturally relevant and to reach kids in real and life changing ways. It takes more work that your traditional children's event, but His kids deserve that! I write the teaching and the skits and the drama is written as well. Snacks were created and survivor themed and craft was created and included all of the day's teachign and the theme. We had over 150 volunteers and over 160 kids in attendance. And the theme this year was LOST: The wait is over... yes like to tv show. We also tied in survivor into the theme.

My friend Steph came over from TX to lead the worship band and it ROCKED!!! I am so proud of her and how she lead our band. We did the worship for the main services this weekend as part of Extreme Weekend and our people really enjoyed it. Most asking if we could do those songs as part of our weekend services. Thank you Steph for everything! I heart you and am glad that we got to feed you all that the Gulfcoast has to offer! See you soon!

The event was a huge success, despite the air conditioning in the building crashing, me throwing up one day before the start, a volunteer fainting, and video issues. Day One focused on the fact that we are all LOST. Day two: Jesus was never LOST. Day 3: We don't have to be LOST. Day 4: Our friends don't have to be LOST. Day 3, we had 42 kids become Christ followers! THAT IS AWESOME!!!

Needless to say, I'm still really tired and have missed a lot of phone calls due to all the week's activities. If I missed your call, I'll get to you. I just need to rest for a week. The event was more of a challenge for me this year being preggo and all. :-)

Speaking of bun in the oven, Elliott is doing well according to today's visit. Her heart is strong and she is kicking up a storm. Those kicks are getting more powerful too. The Doctor is a little concerned because she is measuring 28-30 and I am only 24 weeks. Typically they measure the area from your pubic bone to the top of the uterus and for every week that you are, you measure that in inches. For example, 24 weeks= 24 inches. I am larger than that, so they have ordered a sonogram to get a more precise measurement. Causes usually are that the due date is off, there is more fluid than typical, or it could be a larger baby due to gestational diabetes. I get tested for that soon too. Or, it could just be a big healthy baby! We will know more next month and this is no real cause for concern.

Other than that, we are doing great. We are gearing up for the Fall and hopefully the baby nursery will be done soon. I've got the crib, changing table, dresser, and bedding already. I'm just waiting to get the furniture back from being refinished. I am registered at target.com, babiesrus.com, and jcpenny.com. My friends here are also busy working on the baby shower stuff. I am hoping for a small, quiet, uneventful shower. No pink, no games, and real food!

Thank you for your continued prayers an support. We will be in touch again soon!

Jessica

Big 20!

Morning!

I am excited to say that we have officially made it through the 20 week mark! So, now just 20 weeks to go before we get to meet our sweet Elliott Swaydan Campbell! Unless she decides November 14th is too late or early....let's hope not!

I decided that I wasn't going to be one of "those" people who take pictures of their belly every week and place it out there for everyone to see. It is just kind of weird to me. Besides, I really don't want my hugeness being forever documented! But, I will tell you that you can now see for sure that I am pregnant. I look like I swallowed a pillow! The experienced moms tell me that I am carrying high because it is a girl?!

We have picked out the baby bedding and are now onto shopping for paint. Our friends were kind enough to give us their hand crafted nursery furniture and Jeremy is now glazing it to give it that southern and antique look. I can't wait to get it in the house! Shaun has been so kind and he even cleaned out his closets and moved his stuff out of the baby room.

Church is busy as always. I am in super work mode as we are gearing up for our summer event, Extreme Week. I am in the middle of ordering inflatable sumo suits, processing registration forms, and writing lessons. I always seem to run out of time! I can't wait to see Steph as she is coming to lead the band! It is going to rock!

Shaun is home safe from his mission trip to Texas and his official duties as youth pastor have been passed onto our new youth pastor. This leaves Shaun to be freed up to serve all of our community groups and assist Dustin. My title has changed to family minister and Ashley is now the full time children's minister. This frees me up to help families and to lead all of our ministries for children ages birth- high school. Summer is typically lower in attendance and this is no different for us.

Of course, we are all concerned about the oil. We had been untouched by the oil until this week. Now the oil has made it through our barrier islands and has hit our beaches. We are praying that a hurricane does not come because that would be even more devastating to our Coast.

That's all for now! Thank you for your prayer and encouragement! Oh yeah, and for those who remembered my birthday.... THANK YOU!!! Somehow birthdays just are not as fun as we get old!

Much love,

Jess

That's right... Baby C is a Girl!!!

Hello All!

I am excited to share that Baby Campbell is a Girl!!

I went to the Dr. today and had a sonogram. Great news is that she weighs 9 ounces and looks to be right on target. They did move my due date to November the 14th.

Natalie went with me today because Shaun is in Texas with the youth doing their mission trip. I was sad that he couldn't be there but had to do it this week because the sonogram tech is on vacation next week! Natalie was so supportive and gracious. I am blessed to have her for a friend. Now, no worries about Shaun seeing the baby because they made me a video of the sonogram too just for the Daddy to be! I have a few of the pictures below. Here she is sucking her thumb.

Here you see just her legs and they are crossed. She was VERY active during the sonogram and moved constantly! And then of course here is the evidence. This is a picture of her bottom and thighs from below and you can see that she is a girl!

Thank you for your continued prayers and encouragement. I feel great and I am looking forward to meeting our little girl soon. I was just amazed at how clear the sonogram is in person and what a better gift for my birthday than seeing our baby!

Now, the fun stuff..... getting the nursery ready!!! No pink for this Baby Girl though, that is too plain and boring!

Love,

Jessica

Happy Hot Monday

Hello All,

Can I just say Summer is here? Ughh.. We have had so much rain and now the heat and humidity is crazy! I've heard that it is really hot back in Texas too. I am thankful that we have beach and wind here. It helps a little!

Shaun is gearing up for his youth mission trip next week and I am looking forward to visiting some friends and being there for Rachele's baby shower this weekend! It will be a really quick trip but I am so excited!!

Extreme Week is July 12-15th and I am busy working on all the details for this huge event. Registration has begun for kids and I still need 100 volunteers to make the week work. Our theme is Lost: the wait is over. Think Lost meets the Incredibles with a dash of pirates of the Carribean. It will be great!

Baby Campbell seems to be growing and we are almost in week 18. The testing results came back on Friday and the baby is negative for downs syndrome and spinabifida. I have an appointment next week and I will know more then. I am feeling less tired, but the weird cravings and inability to withstand certain smells is still here. I've had to buy maternity tops to cover the belly and am trying to get comfortable in the awful stretchy belly pants. Shaun and I took our first trip to Babies r us last week and created our baby registries. We are registered at Babies R Us, JC Penny, and Target. All of the registries are available online. We went ahead and registered as several people have already wanted to help us. Our church family here has been so supportive!

That's all for now!

Love,

Jessica

Update on Baby C.

Hello All!

We went to the Dr. yesterday. We did not have a sonogram, so no new pict of the little one. However, we did get to actually hear the baby's heartbeat which was very comforting! Baby is doing well as far as the Dr. can tell. I go next week for some testing that screens for downs syndrome and spina bifida. I will get those results in June.

Thanks for all your prayers!

Today is our 8 year wedding anniversary! Hard to believe, huh? This year's gift of hearing the baby's heartbeat was the best! Happy Anniversary! Now if we could only have Shaun's favorite Taco Casa his day would be complete. :-)

That's all for now!

Love,

Jessica

I PASSED!!!

Hello there family and friends!

I am excited to announce that I passed my comp test and am set to graduate this week! I am still wrapping up my last class, but should be good to go! I can't tell you how much of a relief it is to know that the test is over and that I passed. I finally can sleep again! Thank you for all your prayers and support. With my degree completed, I will now be able to move forward with my counseling practice and begin charging for sessions as well as earning all my LPC hours. That takes only 2900 more hours but can be done as long as it takes . Whoo hoo!

We have a baby appointment on Monday and hope that we will receive good news and an even better picture! I have made it through the first trimester and as far as I can tell, everything is good. After the appointment, we will begin sharing the news with our church family. I just wanted to make sure that all is truly indeed well before we share with everyone. I will be sure to keep you updated!

We had the pleasure of having Dennis and Stella with us last week for a few days. Although the visit was short, it was fun. Craig and Lindy hosted us for a crawfish and shrimp boil and they got to hang out with most of the Mosaic crew. Thanks for visiting us!!

I will update more next week!

Blessings!

Jessica

A Little One

Hello there Friends and Family!!

So..... most of you know already, but here is a visual confirmation of Baby Campbell who is due in November. We have a week left until we are out of our first trimester and the Dr. says that everything looks good. Now, I don't know if you can see the baby, I couldn't until she pointed it out! But... the white marks are the head and the bottom. Right now the baby is the size of a lime and is 2 inches long. Thank you for your prayers! I think I haven't had morning sickness because I have such a supportive team of people praying for us!

The only symptoms that I am having are the weird dreams, extreme fatigue, multiple trips to the bathroom (boy that is a change) and the food cravings. I can tell that I am carrying Shaun's kiddo due to my craving for Taco Sombrero, Shaun's Taco Casa substitute and for meat. I even ate shrimp with tails on them last week! Well, I took the tails off with a knife and then ate them, but still, that's a BIG deal for me!

We are still keeping the baby news on the down low for now and have just told our friends and family. We will be telling our church family soon, but wanted to wait until after the next appointment in May.

I am busy trying to study for my State Comp Test which I take on Monday. If I pass it, I can graduate, if not: no graduation for me. I have finished up my internship hours and am wrapping up my last class in the next two weeks. I covet prayers for this test. I have been trying to study, but ended up writing a 20 page paper for class instead.

Shaun preached this past weekend as Dustin and Natalie have been out on vacation. We can't wait until they get back! Running a church is a big job and so much easier when we all share the weight. If you want to hear Shaun's message, you can podcast it or go to www.mosaicgc.com.

Easter has come and gone and we are up and running with our third service on Saturday nights. Shaun and I are in the middle of planning out our big summer events for the church, the Youth Mission Trip and Extreme Week for Mo Kids. We also have our baptisms scheduled for May 16th and hope to baptize 75 -100 people!

I am headed to Atlanta on Tuesday to go to the Orange Conference, which is the largest children's ministry conference and is partnered with 252 Basics and the Rethink Group. I am excited to get to see what ideas are out there and to get to worship and listen to Donald Miller! My Coworker and partner in Ministry, Ashley, will be coming with me, so it should be a fun week!

Tyson update: They are not sure how he got his skin issues, but he has staff infection and another infection and we are treating it with 2 pediatric antibiotics. It could take another 6-8 weeks to heal. He is feeling better though and up and playing more. All the fur on his back fell out and is now looking less infected and red. We also have to bathe him every other day in a special shampoo. Poor pup! But, he is a trooper and reminds us daily of how to handle times of trial with calm and patience. And given the upcoming changes in our life, I know we can learn from that!

So.. thank you for your prayers! Keep praying for us and for Baby Campbell. We will be taking bets as to the gender, so feel free to wager. And we will be voting on a name.... how does Megatron Campbell or Gertrude Campbell sound?!?! Just kidding!!!!

Have a great weekend and much love!

Jessica

Mississippi's State Bird: The Gnat!

Hola friends and family!

With Spring is full swing, we are once again getting the special honor of putting up with the joys of the GNAT. Mississippi really should change their state animal to this creature from the pits of hell. Now, in Texas, we have gnats. But here, we have swarms of Gnats and they bite and cause huge red bumps larger than mosquito bites and much more itchy.

Unfortunately, living near the bayou just seems to be a haven for them. Poor Tyson has been so traumatized by these evil creatures that we have had to endure 4 vet visits, his back shaved, steroid antibiotics, and the cone of shame. He was attacked by them one night and it is slowly getting better. We are on week 3.

I've been researching what can be put in the yard to fight these fierce ninja gnats, and there is nothing. The only cure is that they live short lives and the County sprays for them starting within the next few months. So, not the best way to start Spring or the Easter season! I know now how the people in the old testament must have felt after being part of an insect plague.

This past weekend, we were blessed to have Rachele come visit and stay with us. With her being pregnant, we had the perfect excuse to take her to try all of our local favorite food places, including Cafe Du Mode and Maspero's in the French Quarter . It was so great to have her here and for her to see Shaun preach the Main Service. I heard he did a great job and it is up on our website: www.mosaicgc.com. It was also amazing to see how God has blessed her with a sweet little boy destined to arrive sometime in August. God is so good to us! I can't wait to be there and to be called Aunt Jessica. Good friends are always good friends no matter what the distance and I am so thankful that God placed her in my life soo many years ago. Her strength and loving heart are truly a blessing and inspiration to me. Thank you Rachele for always being a true friend.. despite a few teenage feuds! I can't wait to see her again in Texas this Summer. Love you Roach!

We are gearing up this week for the launch of our 3rd Service on Saturday nights, which begin this Easter weekend. The number of guests each week has been overwhelming and amazing! I am anxious and excited to see what this weekend brings and to see how it changes the face of Mosaic once again in the following weeks. It is hard to believe that we are still not even 2 years old! And yet are facing another forward change.....including the fact that we are now officially supporting our first church plant back in Texas. Some friends from the Met have launched out and the Met supported us as a plant and now we are able to support another church plant. How cool is that?!?!?

That's all that I have to blog today.. Please plan to come see us soon. I swear the Gnats will be gone soon! And, pray for Shaun and I and our health and energy as we continue with the season of growth. And for rest and sanity as I try to graduate and balance all of this!

Love!

Jessica

Gator?!?!?

So, a friend of mine in the neighborhood went for a walk today and ran across this creature!

Oh the joys of Spring! I hope that Mr. Gator makes his way back to the bayou where he belongs. I think that the sudden burst of cold air last week must of confused him and all trees here! I hope everyone is gearing up for Spring and for the Easter season. We are excited to see what next weekend brings!

Have a good week!

Jessica

WOW! Long time no blog!

So... it just hit me tonight that I haven't been in the blog world for a few months. I would use the excuse that things have been crazy busy, but that seems to be the pattern of our lives now as I know is true for many of your lives as well.

Last weekend, we held Mosaic Kids in the Main Service. We do this once a quarter and it allows for kids to worship and learn with the parents. Due to the teaching, we had a giant, human sized hamster ball as part of the teaching. Shaun was voluntold into being the giant hamster to roll inside the ball down the main isle. It was awesome! Although, does anyone else ever feel like they are spinning in their life like they are in a giant hamster ball? We have been praying and seeking to see which things we can let go to simplify our life and stop the spinning. I know that it is good to be busy and productive, but sometimes I think that we have become so busy that we have negated our productivity level.

I am not complaining, for I know that it is an honor and a privilege to do what we do and we have been blessed beyond words. I know that this is also a season that we are living in. I however, look forward to a new season where there is more productivity and a balance that includes true rest.

Let's see if I can think back and recall any major things that have happened since the last blog entry......

1. Texas. We made an ever so short trip back to Wichita Falls and we able to see the family since we missed coming home at Christmas due to the crazy snow. It snowed while we were there but the roads were fine. It was good to see all the family. We are truly blessed to be loved and cared for by our families. I am grateful for all that they have poured into us and for their prayers. We also enjoyed all the great food and even ate at some hometown favorites thanks to Jan and Gary... pioneer steak dinner and breakfast.. ummm!!! I think we gained 10 pounds while there due to all the Mexican food! It is weird but although we miss our family terribly(ya'll know you really should come visit us!!!), Texas feels less like home now. I will always claim that I'm a Texan.. but it was actually nice to come back to our home and our Mosaic Family too.

2. Fasting Season. We have declared a church wide fast in preparation for the Easter Services and the launch of our new Saturday night service. As a Staff, we are doing the Daniel fast and have asked the church to fast with us from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday. Fasting has presented some challenges for all of us, but has also created a renewed excitement and dedication to the true food that sustains. It is so sad how dependent we become on the comfort of food to sustain us instead of turning to the Creator. I am most guilty of this and this season has revealed a lot of the ugly sin in my life and made me even more grateful that Jesus chose me not because of who I am, but because of who He is. We have a fasting blog on our church website, so check it out: http://mosaicfast.wordpress.com/.

I have been humbled by the stories from the kids who have given up their security blankets, DS systems, TV, and even whole families fasting together.

We launch a permanent Saturday night service on April the 2nd and we sent out a 66,000 piece mailer to residents of the Gulf Coast inviting them to attend. The last mailer we sent was for the grand opening almost 2 years ago and we still have people who come every weekend because of that mailer. Our Church grew from 200 people to 350 people within a matter of 2 weeks after the last mailer. So, I am excited to see what God does through this season. We have been averaging over 700 each weekend right now!

3. School for Me... I officially filed for graduation.. whoooohhooooo!!! All that remains is for me to complete the internship and a class as well as passing the comprehensive exam. I go to New Orleans on April the 26th to take the exam. If I do not pass it, I do not graduate and I only have one chance. Please be praying for me to pass and for time to study! I have taken on quite a caseload of counseling clients through the church and I am still working two days a week at a psychiatric hospital (which I actually really enjoy). If all goes well, I graduate in May and will continue seeing clients but actually get paid to do so and have 2900 hours left until I am an LPC.

4. Shaun. Shaun is in school and working. He has been mentoring his Student Pastor Assistant and will be taking a less active role in the youth ministry to focus on the community aspect of his job and the executive leadership role that he is to play. Needless to say, he is busy too. He preaches at the end of the month and again in April, so be sure to check the website to hear him! http://www.mosaicgc.com/ and check out our redesigned website with all of our staff photos and updates. Shaun also will be getting braces soon and this is an awesome gift for him. Although painful, it will be so worth it. So, no making fun of the dude with braces peeps!

5. Tyson. Tyson is doing well and his heart is completely healed. He is full of energy and poor Preston gets worn out sometimes by his constant pestering! He had 4 teeth pulled and was neutered last week, but even that didn't slow him down! He latest trick is to jump inside the toy basket and throw out the toys that he wants to play with and then jumping out to begin running around the house with the toy.

I think that about sums everything up! Shaun and I did take part in a fundraiser this past weekend that Mosaic put on as an outreach called night in a box. Over 50 people did this. We got cardboard boxes and slept outside in the church parking lot over night to raise awareness and money for the homeless. The local news even came out. We are still exhausted but it sure makes you grateful for your own bed and warm house. Check out the media clip about the event:http://www.wlox.com/global/category.asp?c=151146&clipId=&topVideoCatNo=15006&topVideoCatNoB=116100&topVideoCatNoC=116467&topVideoCatNoD=116474&topVideoCatNoE=88558
That's all for now Peeps! Have a good week and enjoy as Spring is coming... yeah!!!
Love,
Jessica