gifts from friends...

This past week has been pretty special with more and more folks finding out about our big news, and with that news really sinking in to our friends.  We've already gotten a few little gifts from some of our friends, which I thought was really sweet.

My last post talked about what the office did for me so the photo shows the vase of flowers and *surviving* balloon and the sweet card that everyone signed.  There's also a "Humpty Who?" book pictured -- that's from our friend, Amy, who stopped in one day this past week to visit for a minute.  The book has all kinds of nursery rhymes and even comes with a CD to listen to -- it looks really cute.

The cute little "baby's first Christmas" bib came from our friends, Henry & Allison -- their darling son, Tripp, will turn a year old right around the time that our little one is born so we expect them to be buddies growing up.  :)

The rest of the stuff pictured is from our friends, Matthew & Elizabeth, who came to visit over the weekend.  They have a sweet 8 month old, Emily, and Elizabeth swears by that book there, "The Baby Book".  She said it was the best one she read during her pregnancy and she still refers to it.  I absolutely LOVE the little UNCW onesie.  It's a 6 mo size which will be perfect because when our little one is 6 mos old, it will be spring, so he/she will get lots of wear out of that!  The little elephant was something Emily picked out for little Baby Wenzel.  Aw.

Our friends have really made us feel so very loved and so special, even more so than they've done in the past.  We wouldn't take them for anything!  God bless you all!

special day at work...

Yesterday was the first day at work after most everyone had heard the good news.  We figured that after our SS class found out, it wouldn't take long before everyone in the church would know, including, of course, all my coworkers.

And we were right.  I didn't have to tell a SOUL yesterday -- they all already knew.  And were real excited!  In fact, we had our monthly staff lunch yesterday and when I got to the MPR (multipurpose room), there was a vase of 3 yellow carnations and 3 balloons tied to it -- 1 pink & 1 blue latex, with 1 mylar that said, "Congrats!".  They also had a card for me that everyone had signed.  It was really neat to read through everyone's sentiments about our good news.  They also gathered around me at the end of the luncheon to pray over/for me and Jeff and the baby.  It was so very special.

The office is literally buzzing with the excitement!  The "office shower" is already in the beginning stages of planning according to one of my coworkers.  Guess it's been awhile since they've had anyone within range of having a baby.  :)

We will be well-celebrated, I have no doubt!

big deal today...

We had dinner with friends last night to share our good news.  I wore the shirt we'd made and when they asked us what we'd been up to that day, I said that I'd been crafting and made a t-shirt.  Then I asked if they wanted to see it.  They were really excited when they saw it and figured it out.  It was great to see their faces.  We got big hugs from both Adam and Bekah and talked about different things all night.

Bekah loaded me down with some books at the end of the night which I'm so grateful for.

The BIG DEAL was today, though.  We shared the news with our Sunday School class.  I wore the shirt (we made it originally to tell this group) with a jacket over it and at the end of class Jeff announced that we had decided to have new "Jeff's Class" shirts made and that I was wearing one to model.  I walked up to the front -- heart beating out of my chest -- and unzipped my jacket to hold the flaps open so everyone could see the "Finally!"

It only took a second when someone jumped up to say, "Are you serious?!" and then everyone began to catch on.  Some folks (girls) got teary-eyed, which turned my tears on, and others had big grins on their faces.  It was really, really special.  We got lots of hugs after that, lots of "congrats!" and "we're excited!"

There were only a few folks missing today that we really wish could've been there to hear it...

When we got home, we both posted the photo that we sent to my brother and sister-in-law on our Facebook walls and so far I have 24 comments (at 4:45pm -- **update: at 10:10pm, I have 43 comments. :).  I've had 2 texts and a couple phone calls.  It's amazing to me the love and excitement that this announcement has created.

We are so glad the word is out -- now we can really celebrate!

telling the Wenzels...

Last night was the night we told Jeff's family (his parents and siblings).  We called Duane and Sherry first.  When we told them, Sherry immediately got emotional -- I actually thought she was going to hyperventilate because she kept gasping for air.  :)  A shocker, for sure, but when she finally pulled it together she kept saying how happy she was for us.  Duane, too -- I think he was just glad he didn't have to come down here and "give instruction" on how to get it done (his words).  Sheesh.  :)

We called Scott (Jeff's oldest brother) next and caught him at still at work.  He was surprised and asked if we were serious.  I don't think it hit him until the end of the conversation -- he congratulated us several times.

We called Jill then (Scott's wife) to share with her.  I think she was shocked because she really didn't say much.  But I think she was happy for us.

When we called Tim and Leslie (Jeff's younger brother and his wife) they didn't answer the first time so we called them later on.  We got to hear all about the progress they've made on their new house (a fixer-upper) and then we shared our news.  They were both really excited.  Leslie kept saying (in her thick northern accent), "Omigosh -- that is so cool."  :)

We hit the same roadblock with Daniel and Kristin (Jeff's youngest brother and his wife) twice -- couldn't get an answer.  The 2nd time we left a message for Daniel to call.  And he did.  He was excited for us when we told him (he was at work) and kept saying he was "proud for us".  :)

We're telling some more friends (who aren't in our SS class) tonight -- can't wait to see their reaction... :)

telling the Batts'...

Made a last-minute decision last night to share the news with some good friends (that aren't in our SS class).  We had planned to just send them an announcement but we met them for dinner before the Fee concert (which totally ROCKED the house!) and decided to go ahead and tell them (and swear them to secrecy!).

When we got to the restaurant, they were there trying to figure out what to order.  We met them and told them we were buying.  Of course, they gave us grief about that, but we were adamant saying, "We're celebrating."  Then we just grinned real big.  Melissa knew right away but it took Adam a minute to catch on.  Both were shocked!  And then completely estactic for us.  :)

It was fun to see their reaction -- I'm glad we went ahead and told them.

telling the McAfees...

My mom's brithday is today and she agrees with us that we win the prize for "best gift" this year.  :)

She got her birthday card in the mail yesterday, actually, and inside were 2 of these "tickets":

She eventually figured it out and then freaked out (with excitement, of course).  She and daddy called soon after that and we all talked about it.  It was pretty surreal.

The plan was to email this photo:

to my brother and sister-in-law when we got off the phone with mom and dad.  So we did.  At 6:30pm.  And the idea was that they would open it, figure it out and call us a short time later.

FOURTEEN HOURS LATER...Daniel finally calls me at 8:30am this morning.  They didn't see the email until this morning -- well, Daniel saw it before he went to work but Brandi was already at work.  So he called to tell her and she was really excited.  When he called me, he had his own little "plan" in mind.  He started off with this mindless chit-chat .  I eventually had to ASK him if he got my email.  And then he played dumb about it.  Punk.

But the conversation was fun and full of this and that.  He's pretty excited for us.  He's been sending me texts all day.  Brandi called me this afternoon to talk to me a minute and tell me herself how excited she was.  She's pretty excited about being an aunt.  I told her it was lots of fun being an aunt!  :)

Whew.  Two down, lots to go.  It's weird to think that someone now knows we're pregnant.  Even if it is family.

big week for us...

So we're sharing the news this week.  I'm pretty relieved about that, actually.  Not because I'm afraid I'm gonna slip up (I'm more worried that Jeff will :), but because I don't want to have to skirt any more questions about when we're going to start our family.  At this point, we have to get pretty creative to keep from right out lying.

We went to Babies R Us last night so I could see the crib we agreed on in person and so Jeff could get some measurements.  We went to the one in Jacksonville because we knew they had it but I pointed out that there would be less chance of someone that we know seeing us.

Would that just ruin everything??

Anyway, we plan to make sure that our families are aware, through multiple means, this week and then Sunday we will tell our Sunday School class.

Whew.  Makes my heart just about beat out of my chest just thinking about it.

I'll be glad when the beans have been spilled.