Another Great Week!

Hello!

Just finishing up another wonderful week in the Prince home. On Monday, Kieren will be 3 weeks old - the time is flying by already! This has been an especially fun week as my parents have been in visiting all week. They have been so gracious and helped in so many ways, although the best part has been just sharing in the joy of these beautiful days. They have held her, snuggled with her, talked to her, and just enjoyed the incredible moments with Kieren. For me, they have been a GIFT! Kieren seems to be feeling better as far as her colic goes - things are definitely more settled (although she still seems to have inherited a 'vibrant' stomach from her father). She is slowly showing signs of sleeping more at night and definitely is awake more during the day - which is a blast! Last night she slept for two 4-hour periods - which is a new record! Woo hoo! Life has been fun around here as we continue to share her with friends and take her on fun outings. We are blessed.

Thanks for checking in!
Sarah

Two Weeks Down, a Lifetime to Go...

Hello friends and family!

Well, we have reached the two-week mark with Kieren - time is flying by already! Life has certainly changed around here, and every day holds something new. We had some new challenges this past weekend, as Kieren suffered through her first colic stage with some first-class gas and stomach problems - she is definitely her daddy's girl! She has settled down now some, and is feeling better and back to her happy self (except during the late-night shift when dad has her, the the gas and 'fussy-ness' seems to come back...). We are still enjoying every moment, though the sleep-deprivation hits us hard at some moments. I know I have said this before, but how would you do this alone?? Kieren is growing a bit and her 'awake' times are more fun as she is moving and focusing on more. We continue to have many outings, and it even warmed up enough last Friday for a couple walks outside! For me, I continue to LOVE my new role as a mom! It's crazy that only two weeks ago she was still inside me and we had NO idea what we were in for! It seems like YEARS ago that I was pregnant. Life is SO much better with her on the 'outside' and a part of our world.

This week my parents are visiting all week - yeah! It's SO wonderful to share all the little moments with them, and also just SUCH a blessing to have an extra hand to help. Fun times. Continued thanks for all the calls, visits, food, and gifts - you all are amazing! We feel so loved and supported and can't thank everyone enough!

Lots of love,
Sarah

Best Dad Ever!

Good morning!

Just wanted to give some 'props' this morning to Casey, who is the BEST dad ever! He has been such a great partner through our first two weeks, and has made life not just survivable but wonderful in this new world with Kieren. He is constantly holding her, talking to her, kissing her, and just enjoying her. I am blessed to have a husband who is so naturally this kind of dad. He is a BIT tired and back at work these days - and all I have to do is hang out with Kieren! If you see him, give him a big hug and maybe a pinch to wake him :)

Love,
Sarah

Is That a Smile?

Kieren's First Snow Day!

Who Does That?

So a lot has happened in these first days. Everyday Kieren does something new. Unfortunately sometimes her Dad does some new stuff. Now I pride myself on being pretty good at this daddy stuff. Changing diapers, getting her to sleep, whatever that needs to be done. I might even call myself Mr. Mom, but sometimes things don't go as you expect.
On Sunday Sarah and I had a quick post-church nap. We woke up and I started to change her diaper so that Sarah could feed her. As I began that process and got her diaper off, Kieren decided to pee on the changing table. I started to freak and wanted to avoid getting her clothes wet. Well, that didn't happen, so we had to put a new pajama set on her. Sarah grabbed that for me, cleaned up the dirty diaper, and I started cleaning up the table and putting on her new outfit.
Kieren then ate, was held by her grandma for a while, and then I held her while she slept. A while into my time with her I realized that she was wet and that her "diaper was leaking." It was coming through her pajamas, through the swaddling blanket, and was now on my clothes and dripping onto my shoes. I started freaking again, running back to her room to the changing table. As I ran I yelled for Sarah to help me. When I got there and unzipped her pj's I was dismayed and shocked to find out SHE DIDN'T HAVE A DIAPER ON!!
What? How could that happen? I asked Sarah with an accusing tone. "Did you not put a diaper on her? Did your Mom change her and forget the diaper?" The truth was that in the frantic moments of the previous diaper change I had somehow forgot to put a new diaper on my precious baby girl. Now, I was paying the price!! Not only did she pee through her clothes and on me, but then she pooped on the table!
I mean, really, who forgets to put a diaper on their child?!?!? I was so flabbergasted and confused. Surely, it couldn't have been me!! :) After she was cleaned up, new diaper and clean clothes on, we were sitting together in her rocking chair. I was continuing to try and figure out what could have happened. Kieren then gave up a loud squeal. I asked her then, "Is it the blame shifting that's bothering you?"
So, I confess, Mr. Mom forgot to put a diaper on his daughter, but she repaid me. I'm sure it won't be the last totally ridiculous thing I do concerning my daughter, but it was the first!

Guilty,
Casey

Sleeping Beauty

Good morning! It is a beautiful day in Raleigh, as it snowed through much of the night and the peaceful snow continues to come down. It's Kieren's first snow day! We are sitting on the couch together as a family watching the inauguration and Kieren is wide awake just taking it all in. Couple fun things for me to celebrate with you today! First, yesterday Casey went back to work for a bit and it was my first day home alone as Kieren's mom! It was SO fun! My great friend Carolina came over for lunch with her 8 month-old daughter Tessa, I made a run to Babies-R-Us for diaper wipes and to 'browse,' and the wonderful Karen Latta brought by some trail mix and a winter outfit for Kieren. The fleece suit says 'Let It Snow,' and it did! It was a fun day for me as I evolve in to this new role and world and I loved every second of it. I love the quietness of the house, I love it just being me and her, I love napping when she naps, I love our feeding time together, I just love it all! The joy continues to grow each day with Kieren, and I am so thankful for it. A second thing to celebrate is that I slept last night - many, MANY hours! Praise God! We had feedings every three hours, but other than that I was sleeping from about 10pm to around 9am! Casey was a big help and stayed up with her when she was awake or fussy, and it was SUCH A GIFT to me, because I definitely hit a sleep-deprived wall yesterday :) I woke up feeling like a new person! Woo hoo!

This journey is so incredible, and each day holds something new and wonderful. There are many challenges and it is exhausting, but the fullness I feel is something that surpasses even what I could have hoped or expected. We are blessed.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. -Ephesians 3:20-21

The Loss of a Mentor and Great Man of God

Last week, in the midst of my own great joy, I also grieved the loss of someone very special. My New Testament professor, Dr. Daniel Goodman, who taught at my college, Palm Beach Atlantic College, died unexpectedly last week. He was the definition of a great man, and was an inspiration to many. He taught with passion, creativity, and fullness of life, and every student in his class was drawn into his thrilling world. I spent a great deal of time with Dr. Goodman during my days as a Biblical Studies major at PBA, and even considered continuing my studies in New Testament while at Duke. He was not only a teacher, but a friend, and I even was privileged to get to know his wife and kids, as he graciously invited us into his life. During my college years, I had many questions and doubts about the places where my faith and intellect intersected, and Dr. Goodman was someone who helped shine a light towards the True and Holy God.

Last week, as I was still in the hospital, I laid in my bed very early one morning thinking about this great loss. I recalled a New Testament class where we were discussing miracles. In the world of NT scholarship and studies, there are some who do not believe in miracles or think that they do not happen today in our time. When asked his opinion, Dr. Goodman replied that he believed miracles happened today because he experienced them for himself. He shared that when his first son was born, he witnessed a miracle of God that day, and he knew God was alive in his midst. I am thankful for the remembrance of that class, as I too have experienced a God who is alive and in our midst through the miracle of Kieren. Dr. Goodman will always be one of the most influential people I have ever known, and my path will forever be marked by his teaching and friendship. Many share the same sentiment, and I pray we can make him proud as we continue forward living lives that witness the miraculous, powerful, passionate God that we serve.

Love,
Sarah


Dr. Daniel Goodman



Dr. Goodman's Obituary
http://www.legacy.com/shelbystar/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=122854729


A sermon of remembrance, from my great friend and fellow PBA student, Alan Sherouse

My Teacher, My Peer: Remembering Dr. Goodman
15 January 2009
Written by Alan Sherouse


Hemingway once advised those of us grasping for words, “simply write the truest sentence you know.” So many things are true of Danny but, I suppose, I’m here because I can say, truly, that he was the best teacher I’ve ever had.

But that may be too sweeping a statement. He wouldn’t want hyperbole today. “Don’t just throw that kind of jargon around, Sherouse,” I can hear him say. So let me fill it in.
___

To have been a student of Dr. Goodman/Danny/The Kid was a rare and distinct gift. Distinct, for one, because our teacher was so blessedly idiosyncratic. Yes, even quirky…

Lunch with Goodman meant the same ham sandwich in a brown bag, day after day. If he was feeling particularly loose, he’d join us in the PBA “Caf.” But not without bringing his own plastic cutlery along. And let’s not even talk about the episode when I dared to eat from his plate!

He cut me down that day with his unmatched wit. The very same wit that crafted student nicknames like “The Colonel,” “The Dean,” and “The Brothers Cook.” The quick tongue made him a legend of banter and trash-talk, as you know if you ever engaged him in fantasy baseball, or table tennis, or foosball at the Goodman home. “You’ve got nothing, Sherouse. You’re a one-trick pony.E2 And if he’d fall behind by a goal or two, he’d say, “Look out…I’m about to reach into my move bag.”

But his tongue had some self-imposed limits. Despite his appreciation of the irreverent, you would never hear him curse (with the exception of the “shucking” episode). No, he respected his mother too much for foul language, he said, so he preferred to let Gary Poe do his cursing for him.
___

But of all his particular traits, the most rare may have been his presence in the classroom: his scribbling, his enthusiasm, his graceful dips to emphasize a point. I’ve seen a lot of school since my last Goodman lecture in Okeechobee Hall and, I promise you, no one can match his ability in the classroom.

He was a transformative teacher. And, at PBA, he was so in a particular time and place where curiosity and disruption were often unwelcome.

Nonetheless, our questions found permission in the lecture hall and in his office. Our assumptions found critique. The work was urgent and vital. And the deepest hopes we carried for ourselves always found a match in his enduring belief in us.
___

He loved his students. And he let us know it, as he collapsed the requisite professorial distance. He and Barbara wanted us to know them, to know Daniel and Dylan, and to see them all as friends.

So the man who scribbled on my papers with fountains of red, was also the man that rapped on the bathroom door one morning when Jenny and I stayed at the Goodman home in Boiling Springs. He wanted to know if I wanted peanut butter on my morning bagel.

When I’d see him at professional conferences, this man described by his colleagues as a rising star in the field of New Testament Studies was quick to turn dinner conversation to updates on Barbara, Daniel, and Dylan.

Dr. Goodman, the master of the lecture hall, was also Danny, Dad, and “Coach Dan.”

The man whose teaching and mentoring touched my life, was also the one whose hands gripped my shoulders as he led my ordination prayer, and whose lips kissed our cheeks as he blessed Jenny and me at our wedding.

It was not his accomplishments, his charisma, or his intellect, but the things he showed me as my friend that made him, in so many ways, the man I want to be.
___

“A good teacher finds his reward in the peers he has created.” I heard Dr. Goodman express this several times. And that’s a great sum of his legacy: an assembly of peers. We who know something of what he knew. We who see the world differently because of him. We embrace complexity and curiosity. We dialogue with those different than us. We live in this world in such a way as to give evidence that a Messiah has visited.

Some of us are ministers and teachers, like him. Others among us are musicians, real estate agents, retail managers, and really great moms and dads. In the end, being his peer is not about what we do...it's about who we are because of him.

And I suppose I stand today as some sort of representative. But I’m not enough. Not enough to represent those gathered here, or the hundreds that have joined online tribute groups in the last two days.

Instead of me, it could be Erin telling you how he inspired her to continue in graduate school, or John expressing how a biblical scholar influenced his song-writing, or Lydia and Chris telling you what it meant to watch him tenderly hold their baby boy.

So, it’s not enough for me to stand. We peers should stand together. I want to invite you today, if you called him “teacher,” will you stand?

To be a student - a peer - of Dan Goodman, is a rare, distinct, transformative gift. He was the best teacher I’ve ever had. But he was more. He was one of the best human beings I have ever known. And in all my life, few things will ever be so true.

Thanks be to God for the life and enduring influence of our teacher. Amen.

Praise God From Whom all Blessings Flow

Hey there!

Another great day in the Prince world! My mom is visiting this weekend and has been helping out around the house and loving on Kieren - it's been SUCH a blessing! Between the three of us, we got ourselves together and Kieren all ready and we headed for another outing - Kieren's first visit at church. No, we are not crazy for taking our 6 day old daughter out once again, this time to meet 100's of her new friends, she didn't even leave her car seat the whole time! We feel that we have SO MUCH to be thankful for, and really wanted to worship with our church community. It was awesome to see so many people we love and who are so excited to meet baby Kieren. They already love her so well! It was great to worship in song and be taught, as it always is, but this weekend I found each song deeply moving and profound now that I am a mother and Kieren is in our world. Lines like "Praise God from whom all blessings flow," and songs that talk about God as the giver of life and the savior of our souls, moved me deeper then they ever have. Sure, the hormones are a little 'off' these days in my wrecked and sleep-deprived body, but I have been struck in a totally new way by God's love because of Kieren. It was a beautiful morning, and I hope that I continue to see and know God in deeper and new ways because of my daughter. And wow is she loved! Not even a week old and she is one popular little girl. I think she could even surpass Casey in facebook 'friends' if she opened a page...

Pray for us this week as Casey returns to work and I adjust to my new role as sole caretaker of Kieren during the day. I am so excited about it!! Continued thanks for all your love and support - we feel it from both near and far!

Love,
Sarah

Life is Good

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to shoot off an update from Momma Prince! All is well in the Prince household. It's currently after midnight, and I'm typing while waiting to see if our daughter will go to sleep at this perfect, dark hour of night, or want to wake up and hang. We'll see! Kieren is doing great, she is healthy and happy, and we continue to soak up the moments! It was a blessing to get such a great report from the doctor on Friday - she makes me proud already! This weekend, my mom is visiting from Charlotte to help out and spend time with her granddaughter, which has been fun and SUCH a huge help. On Saturday, we went out to run errands and to walk and get out of the house, which feels great. Kieren loves to ride in the car and be out-and-about - and so do I!

I wish I could describe in words what I am thinking and feeling this first week with Kieren - but as any other parent knows, it is impossible. I am filled with love and peace, and just enjoy looking at her and talking to her. There are so many adjustments, and it can certainly be difficult and frustrating at times, but the joy surpasses it all. Life has changed forever, but it is all welcome to me.

Thank you so much for all your calls, emails, facebook posts, and visits. It has been overwhelming to me how much support and love we have, and I feel so inadequate in expressing my gratitude. Kieren has been welcomed into this world with so much love, and I do not see how we could be more blessed. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the love and for being a part of this beautiful journey with us.

Lots of love,
Sarah

More Firsts

Yesterday it was Target. Last night it was the Carolina Hoops game. Today it was the doctor and a Youth Ministry Meeting.
She really enjoyed the game. She even stayed awake for most of it. I think she may just be the good luck charm the Heels were waiting for.


Her Doctor's Appointment was very successful. We saw the doctor (Goodman) that our friend Ivy really hoped we would and she used the word "perfect" to describe our child. Of course, we already thought that! Kieren's weight is back to her birth weight so she doesn't need to go back next week and gets to wait until one month.















Then, this afternoon several students came over for a Youth Ministry meeting. We were brainstorming about their class' mission trip. Kieren was very helpful with her ideas as the students passed her around.

Our First Outing!

Hey there!

We had our first outing today - as I was ready to get out into the world AND we had like two newborn-sized diapers left (this girl can move through diapers...). So we bundled up, headed to Moes for lunch and then to Target! Even though Kieren slept through it all, I could FEEL her excitement in the glorious world of Target :) It felt great to be out, even though no one around us knew what an INCREDIBLE day it was for us!

We made it through our first night of parenthood all alone at home! The night definitely had it's moments of joy and frustration, as Kieren seems to think pitch dark means 'daytime and scream-time' but we did it! She is eating well, and we continue to all adjust to this new world. She is just so beautiful, we are in heaven and enjoying each moment with her! Life is GOOD!

Love you all!
Sarah

They let us leave!

So they let our little poopeater leave the hospital on Wednesday afternoon. My sister, Kara, had been to visit and helped us get home.

We're Outta Here!


She had a solid first meeting with Lance. He wasn't quite sure what to think at first, he was mostly just so excited to have us home. Once he calmed down a bit he checked her out some. He gave her some kisses, but he was a bit skittish with the carseat. (He doesn't like big contraptions). The only problem we'll have with him is that he'll always want to steal her hats, socks, blankets, and burp cloths. He was also pretty funny last night trying to figure out what the deal was everytime she cried.

Kieren's 1st Car Ride


We had some more visitors last night and then tried to begin finding our own nighttime rhythm. It was definitely a long night. She's eating about every 90 minutes, so that's not a lot of sleep in between for us. Usually when she wakes up I get up, change her diaper, and then hand her off to Sarah to feed. I know we'll figure it out, but it would be nice if she would eat more each time and then sleep a little longer. But, I guess, it's just part of the deal.

Special moment with Mom and Kieren


We're thankful to be home and start this journey together. Thanks for everybody's well wishes, prayers, support, gifts, and visits. We feel very loved!

Thanks,
Casey

Hello from Sarah

Good morning family and friends!

Well, it's 6am in the morning on Wednesday, and I SHOULD be sleeping as Kieren and Casey both are, but I can't shut my mind down! It's all too much to take in at this point! Thank you SO much for all your prayers, congratulations, and well wishes - not to mention all Kieren's first visitors. We feel abundantly blessed to have all you in our lives to share this miraculous time, and we are so thankful for you!

What an experience this has all been - words can't even describe it. I will share bits now and continue to use the blog to share what's going on in my heart and head. But I would love to share ANY part of it with you - so just ask! We had a rollercoaster weekend as we thought I was going into labor on Saturday night, got ourselves all packed and ready, and then I just turned out to be really sick with stomach 'bug' symptoms all Saturday night into Sunday day. It was pretty miserable, and we're still not sure if I was in labor and my body was 'cleansing' or if I did have a bug. Either way, on Sunday night Casey went to youth group and I started to have cramping, but wouldn't let myself get too worked up about it. Once he got home after 9pm, the contractions started coming and I decided to slowly get a shower and get myself ready to go to the hospital. In the shower I had about 3 majorly painful contractions and realized it was time to go NOW to the hospital. The contractions came on really quick and were extremely painful. We rushed to the hospital, were rushed to our room, and once checked learned that I was 9cm dilated (you start pushing at 10cm). This was my one 'outburst' moment, as I cursed knowing it might not be possible to get my magical drugs because the labor was progressing so quickly. Other than that, I kept my mouth honoring God :) The pain was intense but the doctor stated working on getting the epidural while nurses went into quick action to get all else ready. Somehow, by God's grace, the anesthesiologist got to me in time, gave me the magical epidural as I was having contractions and writhing in pain, and everything could finally slow down. We then waited 45 minutes to start pushing so we could relax for a second, take it all in, listen to some music, and pray together. Then we started the pushing process, and I pushed for 45 minutes and Kieren was in our world! Casey was the BEST coach ever - very encouraging, calm, and a part of everything. He was amazing. The whole experience was perfect (now that I can see it from this side and know that my story included an epidural. Praise GOD!).

Kieren made her first bowel movement before delivery, so she had to be taken to a special nursery to remove all the fluid and be monitored a bit. Basically she ate her own poop even before entering our world. Nice. She is very healthy now, and made a quick recovery, as Dad watched and I got cleaned up and moved to our new room. We have been at Rex Hospital for 2 nights now and it has just been a dream. The only ways I can describe the feeling of having Kieren here and being a mom, is that all seems RIGHT with the world now, and I have never been in such peace. She is perfect and beautiful and just having her in my arms brings me all the joy in the world. Our time at the hospital has been wonderful - the staff here is so great at their jobs and wonderfully kind and encouraging. We have had so many visitors, including the new grandparents (my parents) from Charlotte which has been a blast. I have been having a little pain and am a bit sleep deprived, but recovering really well and just honestly enjoying each moment.

We will head home today, o pray for us as our daughter comes home for the first time! We will continue to update the blog, but if you have 'facebook,' check out Casey's page for more pics. We would love you to come by for a visit, we just ask that you call to check first. And if you have called and not heard back, we love you and will call back soon! Thanks for all the joy you have brought us by sharing in this time, and we feel so blessed that Kieren already has so much overwhelming love!

Lots and LOTS of love,
Sarah

Family Pics

The Prince family snuggled together


Grandma Collins meeting Kieren for the first time on Monday


Grandpa Collins holding Kieren on Tuesday

Kieren Joy has entered our World

Kieren Joy Prince has entered our WORLD and we will NEVER be the same!!
She came very quickly on Sunday night. As I returned home from Youth Group it was obvious she was on her way. As I'm fearing is my future, she kept me from watching the end of the UNC hoops game. :)
We left the house at 10:30pm, arrived at 10:45pm and at that moment she was already 9cm dilated. Oh no, she may not be able to get drugs!! After about an hour of dealing with major contractions she got the drugs and was able to chill before starting to push. She pushed for about an hour before Kieren appeared.
It was so amazing to watch the whole thing happen! Sarah did such an amazing job and had incredible strength! Just to watch what was happening at those moments was so cool.
I'm sure we'll most many more details later, but here are the ones that matter:
7 lbs. 8 oz.; 20 1/4 inches long.

Thanks for the prayers. Keep em' coming!

We're Not Crazy...

Casey found an interesting article this week, written by an atheist who has deep ties and relationships to Africa, and has seen the progress and impact Christians have had on the continent. Definitely thought provoking, but also encouraging! Maybe we aren't TOTALLY crazy after all...

Love,
Sarah

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/matthew_parris/article5400568.ece

This is way too close...

Picture of Kieren

At yesterday's appointment that Sarah so wonderfully described (see below) they did an ultrasound and took a 4D picture of our little girl.
Here she is:


Hopefully you can find her nose, mouth, eyes, etc.
Ain't she beautiful! (If you disagree, I will hurt you!)
Thought you guys would want to see. Hopefully you'll get to see the real thing, really soon!

Casey

Baby Kieren at 39 Weeks!

Hello everyone!

Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers this past week as our due date gets closer and closer! All three of us really appreciate it :) A few updates for you all, as things are slowly but surely progressing along here. We are eventually going to have a baby - that is a FACT!

Our due date:
So people are always asking about our 'due date,' which is just an estimation given by the doctor, and only 20% of women even deliver on that date. At a very early dr. appointment, they gave us January 18th as the date, and then later said we were actually closer to January 11th. SO, we have always been vague with the date, but it is somewhere in the very near future.

Latest doctor appointment:
On Wednesday we went in for our now weekly doctor appointment. They decided to schedule another ultrasound (not usual for this point, but just to check stuff out) because my belly 'measurements' were a bit small. So we got to see Kieren yesterday! We did confirm she is a girl (yes!), she was yawning and moving around a TON, she has chubby cheeks ALREADY in there, and she looks healthy and happy at this point. She is a very healthy weight already - they are estimating 8.1 pounds right NOW (meaning she could be anywhere from 7.1 to 9.1 pounds), so not a small child even if she was born today! They checked to see if I was dilated and effaced (doctors do an internal exam to see whether your cervix has started ripening: softening, effacing (thinning out), and dilating (opening)), and I am 2cm and 75% effaced. This is exciting because it means SOMETHING is happening, but I could stay at this stage for days or even weeks, so don't hold your breath. My amniotic fluid, the fluid around the baby, is a bit low, but still in the normal range. All other tests, weights, and measurements are normal and healthy, so we are right on track. It was a fun appointment to know she is healthy and that things are progressing a little bit. We are definitely going to have a baby at some point :)


Kieren's size at 39 weeks:
This week, Kieren is the size of a small watermelon - and seeing was believing! She is still very active, and moves all the time, so that's a great sign!

How is Sarah feeling??
Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers for me these past couple weeks - I REALLY appreciate it all! I'm feeling very 'pregnant' :) these days! I have my tired, sick, or achey moments, but for the most part I still feel pretty good. I am still working part-time retail at Ann Taylor Loft, and will probably try to work until I deliver this baby to keep me busy! I get tired being on my feet, but it's fun and keeps me moving. Still working out and walking just to keep strong and get ready for labor, and I think that is still helping me to feel so good. Starting to get a bit more restless as I am running out of things to do before she gets here, but I am definitely not miserable - either physically or emotionally. Every day I try to be thankful and positive, and just use this time to the fullest while I have it! Casey is SO supportive and sweet to me and really takes care of me - he is the BEST. We are enjoying our time together and having lots of dates - yesterday it was ice cream from McDonald's - my choice!

Keep Casey in your prayers as he is preparing to be a dad, and getting youth stuff at Grace squared away for this crazy time ahead. Please pray for Kieren, her health and growth (I would prefer BRAIN growth and not body growth at this point, but whatever...) and peace for her, as HER WORLD is also about to be rocked! You can just pray for health and PEACE for me as I prepare, as well.

We are blessed and just taking in each moment! We are going to have a new little princess in the this world soon!

Love,
Sarah

The Anticipation is Killing me!

We are getting down to the wire on this baby gig and the anticipation is killing me!! We are at that point that I know that at any moment Sarah could call and say, "I think she's coming." With that realization I get more and more anxious. I'm just very ready for her to be here. I asked her to stay in through last night so that I could give the talk I had already prepared for Youth Group, but she can come now (technically she could wait till after tonight since we are hosting poker, but who's counting?).
Everything that we do now I have this moment where I realize that going to the gym together won't happen again, or that grabbing a quiet dinner won't happen again, or that leaving the house for church won't be a quick 10-15 minute process anymore. I'm probably driving the anxiety level up a notch with all of these realizations. I'm just keenly aware that at any moment now my life will change forever!! I'm ready and excited, but very aware how different it will be. And I know that I actually learn so much more once she finally arrives.
If nothing happens before Wednesday, we are scheduled to get another ultrasound that day. Sarah is measuring a little small, so they want to ensure that everything is fine in there. I know that's going to be a crazy look inside!! I'm pumped about that.
We cherish your prayers for Kieren and mommy (they don't hurt for me, too). Love you all!
Cheers,
Casey

My Sis' New Blog

Hello!

My sister and brother-in-law, Lauren and Tre Jones, have a new blog at http://www.keepingupwiththejones2009.blogspot.com. Check it out if you know them - they have FUN new news to share!



Love,
Sarah

Kieren's Nursery

It has finally happened - we have FINISHED Kieren's nursery! It's been fun to get the last details done, and we are so happy with how it has turned out. We didn't buy any new furniture, and her crib will be the 'pack and play' we have gotten. We think it's simple, fun, and PERFECT for our little adventurer. Hope she is ready for a safari :)

Love,
Sarah

Baby Kieren at 38 Weeks!

Hello everyone!

It's hard to believe, but I am 38 weeks into my pregnancy this week! What?!? I must admit that I am definitely FEELING this far along in my pregnancy at this point... I got through the Christmas rush on adrenaline (it's my FAVORITE time of the year), but since then I have been exhausted, achey, and feelings lots of different pains. Nothing to be alarmed at, just carrying around a child in here. Hope it's a newborn and not a toddler by the time she is ready to come out...

Baby Kieren is the length of a leek this week and around 6 pounds. She is moving a TON this week which is fun because we are seeing some major kicks and punches on the outside of my belly. Crazy!

Lots of love,
Sarah

Prince Family Christmas

Hello everyone!

Merry Christmas and happy new year to all of you! We had a wonderful Christmas 2008, as the Collins family descended on North Carolina. My parents, sister Lauren, and brother-in-law Tre, all came in for the week, and we had a great time together. Here are some pictures of our adventures!

Lots of love,
Sarah