We had a baby!

3 weeks ago, today, to be exact. There's been way too many important things to do (hence the blog abandonment). Our days have been spent staring at her, feeding her, changing her, kissing her, holding her, but mostly just staring at her. I just can't get enough. I seriously, honestly, just can't wrap my head around the fact that she is ours - that God blessed us with such a sweet and healthy little being.


We just knew she was going to come early. I had been having contractions for weeks. I had been dialated, effaced, blah blah blah, for weeks. The doctor told us she would "be here this week!" Two weeks later, still not here, she was induced on her sweet Aunt Meagan's birthday, July 23rd. Ben and I checked into the hospital around 5am. Pappy, KK, Uncle Grant, Chief, Sassy, and Aunt Meag got there around 9:00. Doc broke my water around 9:30. My hero, I'm not even sure of his name, came and gave me the epidural about 10:00. And Jenson Kaye Hawley arrived at 12:35. She was 6 pounds 15 ounces and 21 inches of perfection. The rest of the day was a blur, with lots of family visiting, and picture taking, and passing around of our little girl.

Ben, Jenson, and I are so incredibly blessed with the abundance of sweet family and friends in our lives. Here are some pictures of Jenson meeting some folks that are bound to be her favorite people in the world.

Dear Jenson,

We are so ready for you, sweet girl. Doctor said it would be any day now. You keep psyching us out with all of those annoying contractions. Dad gets a full week off of work whenever you get here! He doesn't seem nearly as stressed out about your arrival as I do. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are all anxiously awaiting you. We all love you so much. (But I love you the most.)

Love,
Mom

36 weeks, oh my word.

Bumblebee is growing like a weed. We had our 3rd and final ultrasound yesterday. Ben couldn't come because of stupid doctor stuff, so my mom and Sally both accompanied me. Here's what we found out:

She's still a girl! 

It looks like the girl has some hair!

We think we might have a major thumb sucker on our hands. 

Little girl is not so "little", already weighing in at about 6lb 12oz, with still about 4 more weeks to go!

It's becoming more real everyday. Her nursery is still a disaster zone, minus the few things my mom has accomplished (adorable curtains, newly painted bookcase, and painted walls) and the few things her Dad and Aunt Meag have done (put together crib and swing) - but we're working on it. 

My sweet work friend, Tara Trenary, took a few maternity pictures of us last week. I apologize for the kissing picture, but being pregnant makes me feel really mushy gushy. 

Oh yeah, also since the last time I posted - Kritz Family Vacation. All of Ben's aunts, cousins, uncles, nephews, etc (minus Mary and Thomas - which we were all really sad about), went to stay for a week at Table Rock Lake. There were 34 of us; it was great. 

We caught fish,

jumped off docks,

went down slides, 

(pictures courtesy of Aunt Shelley's facebook)

and of course played lots of cards and ate lots of food. 

Ben officially starts his career as an otorhinolaryngologist intern on Monday. How are we spending out last weekend of freedom? Well, he's playing golf with his dad and brother, and I'm going to make a chocolate chip cookie dough recipe (sans raw eggs) that I found on pinterest and eat the whole thing. And then tomorrow, we head to Henryetta for our last shower. Have I ever mentioned on here how glad I am that we're staying in OK? I would die without my short hour and a half drive to my parents. 

Ahhhhhh SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED.

First, I had to say goodbye to these little guys forever, and to teaching for awhile. 

Then, the next day we went out and bought a house! 

Then later that day, we decided to have a party - at the house that we had owned for approximately 6 hours. 

The next day, Ben graduated from medical school. Proudest Wife Ever. 

Later that day, my wonderful sisters and cousins-in-law, threw us a shower. 

Girl cousins (minus Abbie and Mary)

Best Friends Forever (minus Kerri)

It was such a crazy, wonderful weekend. 

The last few weeks have been spent mostly with Ben, working on the house, going to estate sales, watching my belly, and trying to soak up every single minute with him before he starts residency in a few days. As excited as we are for Jenson to be here, I will forever cherish this past month with him, and am so thankful that we've had this time together before she blesses us with her presence. 

We spent last week with my parents and brother at a beach house in Galveston. I was way too relaxed to take any pictures. It was so great - the boys did some fishing, and the girls did lots of reading and laying in the sun. 

Jensie Girl is just moving right along. She's the size of a pineapple, and we've got roughly 6 weeks to go! My precious mom came earlier this week to paint her room, so we're very slowly but surely getting ready for her big debut. We love her more than we can stand it. 

Jenson is one lucky lady. We've had two showers so far, and they have both been so sweet and thoughtful. My kindergarten/pre-k team had one at school a couple of weeks ago.

My pretty mom and her pretty mom were both there. 

I've decided to not teach next year, and I will miss these girls so much. 

Our sweet Bible study group gave us a shower last weekend. It was perfect. It included great food, too many generous gifts, Jensie's very first Bible, lots of sweet prayers that, of course made me cry, and good friends. I have no doubt that Jenson will be so blessed by these girls and their husbands. 

Jenson is the size of a head of lettuce, and we'll possibly meet her in 9 short weeks. 

Sold!

Ben and I put a contract down on a house, and when we drove by it the other day (not that we're stalking the poor people who still live there) we saw this: 

Sold! Now, it's not really ours until May 25th at 9:00 am, but things are looking pretty good! 

28 weeks. Jenson weighs about 3 pounds, and is roughly the size of a small head of cabbage. 

I LOVE cabbage - and it's so good for you!  While living in Africa, you have to come up with some pretty creative ways to cook the same thing over and over again. In honor of Jens, here's our favorite cabbage salad. 

7 Day Salad 

Ingredients: 

1 head of cabbage- chopped

1/2 C chopped onion

1/2 C chopped green pepper

1 tsp. salt

1/2 C sugar

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour. Drain off the liquid then add: 

1/4 C oil

1/4 C vinegar

So easy. So good. 

so blessed

Sometimes it just hits me, and I am completely overwhelmed and amazed with the ways God has decided to bless me. I am so undeserving. I forget to stop everyday and take inventory of all the blessing He has so graciously given. 

1 Chronicles 16:8
Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

I am so thankful for my patient, loving husband.

I am so thankful for both of our families - people that we both genuinely enjoy being around.

I am already so unbelievably thankful for Jenson. She makes me want to be a better person. 

I am so thankful for our Q-group.

And I am so thankful for this wedge pillow - that makes sleeping just a little bit better these days.

I start a new week tomorrow; but as of today, Jensie is cauliflower.