I am exhausted. These times when Trey is gone, I start to really feel for my single parent friends. Its hard to always do this by yourself. October is going to be fun when Trey is gone for a solid month doing the radio promotion tour. One bridge at time. I am feeling a little sorry for myself right now. The other wives all have their husbands home. This is the 3rd trip Trey has done by himself to finish the record. He has a lot more to do on it being the vocalists and acoustic guitar player. And most of October he will go it alone again because of budget reasons. But I know that I am just tired right now and all seems easier in the morning. Its 830 and the kids are in bed. They had a long day at school/daycare too. So maybe I will go to bed too.

I did have a great night last night with my dear friend Sarah. She came over and spent the night so she could take the kids to school for me this morning. The place doesn't open until 630 and I have to be at work at 645 and the hospital is 30 minutes away. My mom is so sweet about doing this too, spending the night, taking them to school, then off to her own job that is like 45 minutes away. Sarah's job is far too. They are both saints to help me out. Plus, I really don't want to drop them off at 630 in the morning and not pick them up until 6pm. I work til 5pm (10 hour days). I have a lot of mommy guilt about them having to be there for 12 hours. Somehow my guilt is relieved if they get there at 8 am, having not been ripped from their beds, breakfast shoved in their mouth, and then dropped off before the sleep is rubbed from their eyes. I am thankful for dear people in my life who are hand picked by God.

Oh, but back to last night. We had a little mini girls night after the kiddos were off to bed. We watched Avatar. I had seen it in the theater, but Sarah had not seen it yet. It was awesome, all over again. Mind blowing. How can anyone be that creative? Trey is convinced that the landscape of the movie is the way heaven will look, minus the man eating animals, of course. I'm kinda thinkin I agree. The floating mountains, glow in the dark plants and animals. Yea pretty cool. Heaven has to be so much more beautiful than we can imagine. And that movie was one of the prettiest movies I have ever seen. And we ate kettle corn with no guilt!

Congrats to Niki and Jon! I am so excited to meet their little man! I can't wait until that day comes for Neil and I to have a little one of our own. Don't worry, it's not happening any time soon. We still need to just be a married couple for a few more years. Besides, we still have plenty of time... even if Neil's parents don't think so... ;)

Nikki and JPs baby is a boy! 6 lbs 12 ounces. Journey Rhodes. Love the name. Everyone is fine! Pictures will post soon!

Today is an exciting day. Nikki and JP are having their baby this morning at 715. Nikki had to have a C-section with her first, so was scheduled one for this baby. And we don't know if its a boy or a girl yet!!!! So exciting. I just talked with them at 645 and they are waiting for the Anesthesiologist to come in. Soon we will know! Please join me in prayer for them.

Trey left last night for CA. I was sad to see him go, but I know this week is important and I pray that God gives he and Calvin favor. They have A LOT to get done in a few days and they need to be productive.

I am off to work now. I have to get the kids up first and take them to school. So I will write again later today and tell you about the baby!!!!

Well, the guys got home early this morning from their gig in Charlotte. They went to do a show with New Life 91.1 before the NFL Charlotte Panthers game against the Tennessee Titans. Then afterward they went to sit in the Coca Cola Box Seats on the 50 yard line. They all had a great time and LOVED the seats that they had. ,I'm glad that they had a wonderful show and a good time, but, I was glad to have Josh home. I really hadn't seen him since Thursday night because he worked all day on Friday and by the time he got home that night I was asleep and then they left at 0 dark thirty in the morning. So, it was nice to spend today with my husband. Every minute we get together is precious.

Tonight we had the honor of going down to Fayetteville to Heritage Christian Church to attend my friend Chad Wallace's ordination service. I've known Chad for 12 years now. And to see how his relationship with Christ has grown over all these years has been amazing. And to celebrate with him his becoming a pastor was such a special moment. I was and am so proud of him and am so glad that Josh and I were able to be there to share this special moment in his life! Congratulations Chad! As your mom told you back in 2008, God's not done with you yet! He has got some amazing things in store for you! And I cannot wait to watch where He is going to take you! Love you bro!!!

The time has finally come for me to have my baby! I am sitting at my in-laws house- Jon is in North Carolina- and not feeling my greatest. We have decided to start timing my contractions since I have been having them tonight and I am hurting in my lower back. My "nest" is about as clean as it is going to get before the baby arrives. The way I would have been cleaning over these past few weeks you would have thought the President was coming. I have cleaned things that people will probably never notice like baseboards and casings around the doors. I know, sounds crazy, but I have at least kept my mind occupied.

If I dont go before then, I will have my baby in my arms early Monday morning. Again, please keep my family and I in your prayers on Monday. Check out my facebook page for updates, but realistically Jon's facebook page will probably be more up to date as I will be a little occupied next week.

Today I am feeling a little anxious. I am not really sure why. There is so much coming up in the near future, perhaps, that is what I am stressing about. I decided to fast today until noon because I want to feel His peace and there is no better way than to pray and fast. I'm getting pretty hungry now, its 11 am and getting up as early as I do makes noon, almost half of my day. I just want to lift up Echoing Angels this morning. There are so many important decisions coming up, so much long distance travel, and some very exciting endorsements in the works that could mean HUGE publicity. I just want to remain in His will and continue doing what He has started. We have no way of knowing what is going to happen but God does and we just have to rest in Him.

Tonight we are having dinner with some dear friends we haven't seen in a year. I am excited to reconnect. Since we left our church over 18 months ago, there are so many people we miss and need to get together with. There is just not enough time when Trey is home to do it. I guess we should start a waiting list, huh? Problem is, a show will get booked last minute and we will cancel. Tis our life. And I am first in line then the kids then our families...thank goodness most of our friends understand and won't get upset.

The guys leave tomorrow for Charlotte. They are playing for a pre-game show for the Panthers with a radio station up there. Trey is a die hard Redskins fan, so there will be no rooting for them. Lol! Actually Trey won't even be able to enjoy the game at all. They have the Coke box and all. He will return home tomorrow as well, yes, a one day trip, because he leaves Sunday for LA to finally finish the record. He will come back Thursday, but we will not be here. We will already be at the beach with my parents. Trey will meet up with us after Celebrate Freedom. So much going on, its no wonder I'm anxious. And in all that chaos, I work full time and have to get the kids off to school each day. Blah! Oh well....this too shall pass.

Well, today has been a bittersweet day for me. A year ago today we learned that we were indeed having a miscarriage. The Lord decided that our little baby needed to stay in Heaven with him. It was such a hard and confusing time. But, it was a journey that He allowed us to go on. And even though it wasn't easy, we definitely embraced the journey. So, today I spent a lot of time thinking about our little angel baby that's up there in Heaven and wondering if they were a boy or a girl. Not only one angel baby, but, we have two angel babies up in Heaven. Yes, I did shed some tears last night and today. Even though it is much easier now than last year, it still was my baby that I never got to meet and so you still grieve for that precious little angel. Josh has been so supportive of me today. As have many friends who really gave words of encouragement today.

But, on the brighter side, I also thought about what a difference a year makes. Last year we were mourning the loss of our baby. And now a year later we are rejoicing in the fact that in 4 months we will have our little princess Lacey joining our family. We feel so unbelievably blessed that the Lord would allow us this opportunity. It's all still so surreal. I've been reading a book called "Praying Through Your Pregnancy" and it has been such a blessing to me this pregnancy. I have definitely been praying for our little girl. Not only that she will be healthy, but, that God would bless her even in the womb. And that she would grow up loving the Lord and using her life to spread His love. This is our little miracle and I KNOW the Lord has BIG plans for her!

Philippians 4:19

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

So...um...just because you have a new record deal and an album coming out in 2011 doesn't mean you have money, a common misconception. In fact, we are about to enter one of the toughest times financially that band as been in while we wait on this single/record to be released. A famine, you could say. There are very few shows booked in September, partly due to time being set aside to finish the record, partly due to the economy, and partly due to the fact that the band hasn't had a single out in 3 years so their popularity is not what is was. Let's just be honest for a second, can I? Christian music does not act like secular music, thank goodness. But their venues are not supported by ticket sales, advertisers, alcohol sales, etc. Most concerts are free, right? So when the band plays, they do not get the honorarium that say, Carrie Underwood, gets of 500K a show. No its more like 1% of that for the same amount of work and travel, actually, probably more work because they have a van, not a bus and do not stay in the Hilton, ever! So after all is said and done, there is only a few hundred dollars for each player for each show. Now maybe you are back to reality with us. That is why all of the wives have full time jobs. Now, I am not complaining, just stating the facts today. October is worse on the gig front because that entire month is blocked off for radio promotion tours. Which means the guys will be traveling all over the US playing their single and interviewing for radio stations. It is very exciting....and hopefully will get their song on the play list at every station they visit. They are such awesome guys with an awesome song, seems like a no brainer to me. But, no shows=famine. Hence, the verse above. Only God can supply our needs, only He can sustain us. There will still be bills to pay, not only individually, but band bills that have to be paid. During our time of waiting, the band incurred a lot of debt in this economy, just as I am sure we all have debts on our credit cards. People mistakenly think that bands are not ministries that can be sowed into. I don't know why that is. Echoing Angels is a ministry just like World Vision or The Crystal Cathedral, ok, not on that scale, but a ministry just the same. And if you spend 5 minutes with them you will find out how God is moving in their ministry. I know there are people who are waiting for a place to share financially,a "good cause" to put their faith in, and we will just have to wait on them as well. But we will continue to trust in God because we know, He knows the plan.

Still no baby, but feeling really good. I am so thankful the Lord has allowed me to feel this way especially since I really need to work right up until the baby comes. Tomorrow is my last day at work until the middle of October!! I am very excited!! My time is finally here. The reason I say this is because in the community in which I live there have been a ton of babies born. At my home church I was one of 5 people pregnant. Two of which delivered twins, so in all that makes 9 babies!! Our church is going to need some more nursery volunteers!!! At my school there were five of us pregnant. So of all the people pregnant, or should I say, who were pregnant, I am the very last one to deliver. So needless to say, I absolutely CAN NOT wait until Monday!!

Today at the station Natalie Grant came by to visit with Kevin & Taylor because her new CD "Love Revolution" came out yesterday. As I was listening to her interview she was talking about how her and her husband had been told that they couldn't have kids. So they decided that they wanted to try and she gave herself 76 shots and they were blessed with twins almost 4 years ago. Well, on the day of the Nashville flooding this past spring she found out that she was pregnant...with no help from the doctors. The Lord had blessed them with a child...a miracle! And come to find out her baby is due on Christmas day and our due date is New Years Eve. How funny is that? Natalie and I had a chance to talk afterward and share our stories about our little miracles (by the way, she's having a girl too). She was such a sweetheart and I'm so happy for her and her family. It's amazing to see how God works and the miracles that he can do!

In the book of John, starting in Chapter 14, Jesus is comforting his disciples. The time for the crucifixion is drawing near and the He is giving them some last pieces of advice: love one another, He is the only way to the father, the holy spirit will come and dwell after He is gone, the vine and the branches, etc. All these verses, no doubt, you have heard before. Me too. But I never read the rest of it, all that Jesus said right before He was taken by the soldiers in the garden. In chapter 17, Jesus begins to pray and He first prays for himself, then He prays for His disciples, but then He prays for me! And for you!

John 17: 20
20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

I really can't believe I never knew this before. That Jesus, in all His glory, prays fervently that you and I would be one and that we, too, would experience God's glory just as Jesus has. And He says that He will continue to make God known to us so that the love of Christ can be in us. Wow. I look all around me and see that He has kept that promise to make himself known. All you have to do is seek and you will find Him. Of all the things Jesus could have prayed for, He prayed for us and that we would be "one." It was that important to Him that we get along and not have strife between us. If it was that important to Him, then it ought to be that important to me to keep peace with those around me. Of all the commandments God could have set in motion, loving your neighbor is the greatest one. And how can we truly worship God if we don't love one another, right? "What you have done for the least of these, you have done to Me"...so if I am being awful to someone or holding a grudge against them, I am doing it to God. Ouch. That hurts and is very humbling. I have a lot to learn and a long way to go. The good news is that we serve a forgiving God that loves us so much that His son prayed for us, then died on the cross with us in mind, so that we would not be condemned by our thoughtless actions and could spend eternity with Him!

Well, Josh and the the band are in Nashville for a lot of meetings the next couple of days. And I'm sitting here at home reflecting on the events of this weekend. And of course, it revolved around our baby that's on the way. I've heard from several people "Don't worry....babies really don't need that much." I've learned that it's quite the opposite. Josh and I made a list of things we thought we needed and then my friend Bonnie helped me go through it and realized I had forgotten a lot of things. But, we completed the list and I was feeling pretty good.

Yesterday Josh and I went to two different stores to register. Four hours later we finally finished. Aching back, feet and all. We had a GREAT time figuring out what we wanted to register for for our little princess Lacey. But, oh my goodness, who knew there were sooo many baby products, toys, strollers, clothes, etc. to choose from. LOL...it's CRAZY!!!

Josh thoroughly enjoyed using the gun to put items on our registry. And then had a great time playing with all the toys. I was reviewing our registry today and noticed quite a few toys that I don't remember telling him was on our list. But, that's okay. He can have a few items on the registry too, right? ;-)

It's still hard to believe that we are having a baby in 4 months! I told Josh yesterday that it still seems surreal that we were actually there to register for OUR baby and not buy a gift for someone else. We are just soooo thankful that it is happening and cannot wait to meet our little Lacey Elisabeth in 4 short months!!!

I just finished a study on Tamar. Her story is amazing. She was betrothed to Judah's son Er (Judah was one of the men who sold his own brother, Joseph, into Egyptian slavery). Judah's household was cursed because of this deed as he never repented. His sons were wicked and evil. Tamar was a canaanite and married into Judah's household, who were Isrealites. Er was stuck down by God for his wickness before Tamar could bear a son. (Remember that in these times there was no greater purpose, no other purpose, actually, than for a woman to bear sons.) Law said that Tamar now belonged to the second son, Onan. However, Onan was evil too. He married her, but would not allow her to get pregnant because he did not want her to bear a son that would not be his heir. See, the Law stated that if your brother dies and you marry his wife, the first son is the dead man's heir. The second son would be the current husband's heir. Twisted I know, but that was the way of the Law then. So, God stuck down Onan for being wicked as well as not honoring his dead brother by giving her a son. It was her right, as written in the law, to be given a son in the Judah household. So after that son died, Judah sent Tamar back to her father's house to wait until his 3rd son was old enough to marry her. But Judah just feared his last son, Shelah would die too. Now, imagine the situation Tamar was in. Surely, everyone thought she was a witch for having 2 dead husbands and now she has been sent home to her father with no sons and a widow twice over. She had to have brought shame upon her father for being sent away from Judah's household, a man who paid her father a steep price for her marriage to Er. 6 years came and went and Judah never sent for Tamar. Judah's wife died and word got back to Tamar that Judah would be attending the Sheep Sheering in a nearby town. Tamar had waited for Judah to do the right thing but now she was determined to get what was rightly hers. If she never bore a son, she would live a life of shame and desperation no doubt. Law stated that if Judah did not give her his last son, then it was Judah's responsibility to give Tamar children. Yes, thats right...your own father in law.....yep I have the willies too. And yes this story is in the Bible! Cool stuff in there if you read it. But, ok, that is how it was. So Tamar, a grown woman now, dresses herself like a prostitute and tricks Judah into sleeping with her. Well, he was a willing participant, giving Tamar his staff and seal as payment. Once the pregnancy is known, her father wants to kill her for committing adultery. (He nor Judah knows the truth). Judah gets word that Tamar has been unfaithful to his household and orders her to be burned! But Tamar's handmaiden gives Judah back his staff and seal proving this child is his. Judah has compassion on her. He repents to the Lord for all his discretions by sacrificing a lamb. Tamar gives birth to not one son but two!!!! Judah honors Tamar by raising her sons and never sleeping with her again. Judah's house is redeemed. Oh and blessed! Remember that brother who was sold? Yep, he's now highest in command right next to the Pharaoh and ends up saving Judah and all his house during a famine. And God choses Judah's lineage, not his brother Joseph's, to bring about the Messiah!

So here is what I learned: 1) You can be totally in God's will, right where God purposed you to be, and suffer because of other's sins. Tamar suffered greatly because Judah would not repent and lived a life of sin. She was caught in the crossfire of God's wrath.
2) It is possible to be wronged by others and walk with grace, having mercy on others. Tamar did it with grace. She could have shamed Judah by proclaiming his sins at any time, fought for her justice by disgracing him. But she didn't.

3) God will always restore you. In the end, He blessed her two-fold. She remained faithful and God got the glory. Judah repented and became favored by God. So no matter what you have done, God will surely forget it once you have repented and will redeeem you! Giving you more that you deserve but placing you back right where you should be! Wow! SO humbling.

My prayer is that I can see God's will even when the fire burns hot and can stay on course even when the troubles threaten my very existence. I hope I can walk with grace and give mercy to those who hurt me knowing that God sees me through! Tamar played an important role in bringing about the Messiah! And she suffered in the process. But her journey was well worth the cost....

So time is ticking and the day for the single release is approaching. The song that will be released first has not been chosen yet!!! Mostly due to the fact that so many of them sound SO good that it is hard to choose. It is a great problem to have! To be honest, I feel like some of the choices being tossed around are "safe". They are GREAT songs and will definitely fit right into mainstream Christian radio. But then there are those that are completely different than anything you hear on the current charts and will make a statement, a ripple, perhaps. I sit the fence right now on which way to go (not that I have a say). I can see playing it safe for the first single to hook the audience, but I also have an argument for "playing it safe is for wimps!"...just go for it and let God take care of the rest! Ultimately it is up to God and I think a day of fasting is in my future about the right choice. This single is make or break...if the listener doesn't get it then the rest of the album is sunk. So...needless to say, the tension in the Heffinger house getting bigger everyday. And the Enemy is after us just as we thought he would. And the opposition has come from unlikely sources. James 1: 2-6 says


"2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."

We have been in this season of trial for a long while now. And we are learning the perseverance part quite well. We will continue to seek His wisdom on this journey because if we lose sight of that, we have lost everything. Pray with us that God will direct us to the right radio release and that His anointing and favor is poured out.

Today I had the day off and I took James to school this morning, just for a 1/2 day so that I could spend the afternoon with him. I thought about letting him skip all together, but he is a little behind his classmates in knowing his letters and being able to write them so I want him to have every opportunity to learn it before he goes to kindergarten next year. I really can't believe I have only one year left. It makes me nervous already! But after I dropped him off, I got back in my car and had a feeling of sadness. This is how I want everyday to be. I want to be with my kids. I want to make him breakfast everyday and take him to school. So I prayed. Psalm 37:3 says, "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." I know that God knows my heart and what it beats for. He gave me these precious children so He knows my love for them and my need to be with them. However, I also know that God has given me my current assignment, to work so that I can support Trey and his ministry. I don't resent it but that doesn't mean I can't pray for God to deliver me. Only He can, so I will wait. "In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation."
Psalm 5:2-4

I am 11 days away from my scheduled c-section and this waiting is about to kill me! I feel my precious one move all of the time and have actually discovered its little foot which I move often because it kicks my ribs. I can not wait to get this baby in my arms! Also, I can not wait to see if it is a boy or a girl. I go to the doctor today and am hoping I have progressed so they will go ahead and take me. Some time early in the week would be perfect for this little blessing to arrive because the guys will be in North Carolina the weekend before my c-section. I really want Jon to be there so I am praying I either go way before next Friday or wait until the 30th. I'll keep you posted......

I just finished an awesome book on Bathsheba. I've known the story since I was a teenager but hadn't studied it in depth before. She is one of many important women in the lineage of Christ. Her beauty stirred the passion of a king and her pain moved the heart of The King. You all probably remember the story. King David saw her bathing on her roof from his palace walls. He sent a soldier to find out who she was. She was Bathsheba, wife of Uriah, one of David's higher ranking soldiers in his army. He sends for her anyway, and he sleeps with her. (Even though he already had 5 wives and something like 10 concubines.) Her beauty was rare. And she gets pregnant after one night with the king. She has been trying to get pregnant for years with her own husband. And since Uriah was off to war, her adultry would be known and the punishment for adultery was to be stoned to death. She sends word to King David about the conception and he devised a plan to cover it up. He summons Uriah home from war saying he needed an update. Then tells him to relax and have night at home with his wife, hoping he would sleep with her. Catch the plan? One problem, Uriah was a man of the Law and there was some rule about not being with your wife for so many days after war and he didn't feel he could eat the feast prepared for him and sleep in a bed when his friends were still on the front lines. So King David sends Uriah back to war with a note for the captain to make sure he is killed on the battlefield. By the time word is sent back to the king of Uriah's death, all the women left behind have figured out Bathsheba's secret. She was condemned by her piers and hated because other men were killed along side Uraih! King David took her in as his 7th wife, hoping the people would be believe he was just showing compassion on a widow of his army. But the truth was revealed in full when a healthy normal sized baby was born only 5 months later. A prophet came to David saying the his house would always be troubled but that he was forgiven and would not die for his sin. The baby died a week later. Now this is just a part of this story. David was a man of God, after His own heart! He was an awesome worshipper who pleased God. But he was human and made a mistake. And he paid for that mistake the rest of his life. Some of his sons betrayed him and killed one another, his close advisors set out against him, thousands of his men were killed by a plague. BUT, in God's infinite mercy, Bathsheba had 4 more sons who were all worshippers of God and who followed the law. The eldest was annointed King even though he was not the next in line for the throne. That was Solomon!
It is imperative that we avoid sin and temptation with all our strength. Sin has a cascading effect on all those around us. And the changes brought on by those sins can never be reversed, its the price we pay. And our children and children's children could be affected too. We change the course of our lives when we choose to sin. However, God is more than able to redeem us. Those changes will still happen, but God changes us and will use it for His glory. Bathsheba was an redeemed adulterer, and God used her to birth a king and she became a woman in the lineage of Jesus. How awesome is God, to use our weakness for His purpose! But you have to give Him your failures, all of them, in full! He has already paid the price for them anyway, when He sent His son! There were still devastating repercussions from their sin but both she and David were restored in the eyes of God and played an important role in history. It is important to note that they were only fully redeemed after they fully repented. They turned their hearts back to God and he forgave them. There is so much to learn from this story. If there is something in your life that needs changing, don't hold back, repent and watch what God can do with your changed heart! Yes, there will be hardships that result from your sin but, one things for sure, it will be better than the life you live now in secret!

So now that Josh and I know that we are having a baby girl, preparations have finally gone into play. I spent this weekend washing Lacey's clothes and blankets in Dreft. My momma and I went and did some shopping and bought some really cute outfits. And then my parents went with me to look at the crib bedding that we've picked out. I couldn't wait for them to see it. Plus I was able to talk to the lady there to find out exactly how long it would take to order it so we can be prepared. So I'm sooooo excited to get her little bedroom done. Josh has no idea what kind of a honey do list he has when he gets back from the road today! ;-)

The big excitement though this week is waiting for Jon and Nikki's baby to make it's debut. I remember last year at this time Nikki and I talking about how we both were wanting to get pregnant and have a baby. And now...we both are. Her due date is upon us and we are just overjoyed in meeting their new precious angel. So stayed tune...hopefully we'll meet their baby very soon!

I was struck today by the wave of change that is about to hit all of our lives in the next 6 months. Everyone in Echoing Angels is about to have their lives turned upside down. JP and Nikki have a baby on the way in 2 weeks!!!! And the anticipation is awesome because we don't know the sex! Josh and Cami have a baby girl coming in 4 months! And all of us are in great expectation for the single to drop on the the radio the first week of October. It is an exciting time in the life of the band, God is moving, no doubt, and we all, thankfully, on are the train for the ride.

This weekend, I am on call for 48 straight hours. Sounds awful, but it is at home beeper call and it is $10/hour so you can do the math, and we could really use the money. If I get called in and have to work, then I get paid the overtime rate. It has the potential to be a nightmare. I have worked 21 straight hours before! But today I haven't been called in at all, so I got paid to hang out at home. The biggest bummer is that you can't go anywhere because you have to be ready at any moment to run out the door. My mom and dad have come this weekend to hang out in case I need to leave so the kids won't be alone. It has been really fun, like old times when they would drive down from NC to visit. I always enjoy my time with them. Hopefully I won't be called in in the middle of the night.

Today, I listened to all the songs on the new record twice! Some are not done yet, but every time I hear them, I am more amazed. They sound SOOOOO good. The guys all did a phenomenal job! It is really a tribute to their talent. I can't wait for all of you to hear it!!!!!!!!!! There are surprises in every song....elements you aren't expecting that keep you listening for more. All the songs are so relevant, even for people who don't share our same beliefs. God is doing a mighty work....

I always look forward to Fridays! I guess because I know that I will not have to get up at 4:45 am the next couple of days. So that makes me very happy! Josh is out on the road with the band this weekend. They are playing somewhere outside of Pittsburgh...not exactly sure of the name. But, I'm definitely missing him. What I do know is that they are going to touch a lot of lives this weekend. I have no doubt about that!

With him gone, I want to try and get a lot done around the house. There's just one problem...it's called pregnancy brain. I seem to forget everything these days. And I hear that this is common. So I decided to make a list so that I can see everything that needs to be done and then I won't forget and can check them off as I do them. However, this list is HUUUUUGE!!!! Yikes...do I have my work cut out for me. Hopefully I can get everything done. But, I'm not holding my breath after looking at this list. Sometimes it just all seems so overwhelming and feels like I'm not going to get anything done. But, all I can do is my best, right?

I'm very excited about getting started on things for our little princess that's coming in 4 1/2 short months. A friend of mine gave me some baby blankets that she was given. So I've washed them all in "Dreft" and bought a pink bin to put them in. I've also got a few onesies and outfits to wash and put away for our little Lacey Elisabeth. I'm just having sooo much fun right now. I love preparing for this little girl. I'm hoping tomorrow to go and buy her bedding for her crib. Josh and I found it a couple of weeks ago before we knew what we were having. And now that we know, we can go get it. It's so adorable. I can't wait to get her room all set up.

Well, I could go on and on about how excited we are about our little Lacey. But, housework and chores await me. So, I will sign off for now and hopefully be able to report back to you that I have finished my HUUUUGE to do list. Say a prayer for me! LOL!

I am the world's worst worrier. I worry about the weather, about work, about the safety and health of family and friends, but most of all... I worry about money. It seems as if my husband and I are always behind. Don't get me wrong, bills never go unpaid and we have yet to go hungry. It feels as if we are barely making it every month; like we are scraping the bottom of the barrel to make ends meet. Life can become about money, not necessarily for possessions, but because it is necessary to survive. However, God has never failed us and provides for us every month. We always make it somehow!

Yep...our little Princess will make her entrance sometime toward the end of December. Josh and I couldn't be more thrilled. It was such a surreal moment. And it was just amazing at the technology today for us to be able to see the spine, vertebrae, skull, heart, kidneys, legs, feet, arms and hands. The pictures they gave us were just priceless. We feel so blessed that the Lord would entrusts this beautiful little miracle to us. Only 4 1/2 months until we get to meet this little girl. Oh how I can't wait!!!

Along with the surprise of Trey's early return from Nashville came the stress of another delay in the recording. I believe the single drop date has been moved from September 24th to sometime in October. Trey is feeling the pressure and is blaming himself since he got sick to cause the first delay. Calvin's wife and baby are doing well. She is out of the hospital on bed rest. It turns out her water did not break but was in preterm labor. Trey goes back at the end of August to finish up the album. He will be going to LA more than likely so that Calvin can stay close to home. I am not sure yet what that means for me yet. But I know he isn't sad about "having" to go to California! I am not sure what to make of all this. Is it God telling us to slow down and that the original date was wrong? Or is this the Enemy trying his best to defeat a God plan? Whatever it may be, I know that God will prevail. This album is all for His glory, nothing else or less, and He will use these hitches to bring about His will.

Josh and I had quite the weekend. We left last Thursday to fly to Chicago on our way to Michigan. Getting started though was quite a chore. Our flight ended up taking off 4 hours late and then when we got 100 miles out of Chicago we had to circle in the air for a bit because they had closed the airspace so President Obama could fly out after celebrating his birthday in Chicago. So, by the time we landed it was almost 5 hours after we should've been there. We went to stay with my Aunt Mary that night and bless her heart she had gotten us a Chicago style pizza and had it heating waiting for us when we arrived. It was so very sweet of her. On Friday we drove up to Fremont, Michigan where I grew up to attend my high school reunion. Once we arrived there I was able to take Josh on a tour of my hometown. Granted it's not a very big city, but, it was fun letting him see all the things that I used to do and go growing up. We stayed with my friend Billie Vandermolen and her family. She made us a wonderful dinner and had some friends come out too. We stayed up until like 1:00 am just talking and catching up after all these years. It was so much fun! On Saturday we went to have dinner with Beth & Gary, some friends of my family. It was so nice to spend time with them and for them to get to know Josh. Then that night was the High School Reunion. Oh my gosh...how much fun! So many of my classmates looked the same. It was great! I loved catching up with everyone seeing where they are at and what they are up to. It was also eye opening to. I was able to catch up with a dear friend of mine whom I had lost contact with. We had been really good friends during middle school. She spent a lot of time with my family as she did not have a very good home life. Then in high school she started hanging out with other friends and we just kind of went our seperate ways. We were always friendly and stuff. But, what I didn't realize is that she had the worst high school experience. She apparently was being bullied by a bunch of girls and became a loner...even though she was absolutely beautiful and a cheerleader. She always made me believe she was doing well. I felt so bad that I did not see this happening and that she went through this alone. I told her I wish she would've told me because I would've been there for her. Just broke my heart. But, thankfully, she is doing so well now. She loves the Lord and has a wonderful husband and 4 beautiful children. Anyway, we just had an absolute blast that night. Then on Sunday we went to church with my friend Billie and enjoyed a wonderful service then lunch on the lake. It was such a wonderful weekend. And just reminds me how fast time really does fly by and that we need to cherish every single second. Now it's back to the real world of work. BUT...tomorrow...Josh and I will find out what we are having...a boy or a girl. Yeah! I'll let you know!

Today was a great first day back at work. I teach 8th grade and think I am going to have a great group of students. I kind of freaked them out today when I told them there is a chance I could go into labor at school. Actually the boys were freaked out. The girls thought it would be neat! So, I guess we will just have to wait and see how things play out. I just really hope Jon will be here. The guys are supposed to leave for PA Thursday. We are going to the doctor Thursday morning for our regular scheduled appt. and they will probably check to see if I have progressed any more. If I could just make it through this weekend then that would be great. As far as I know- which doesnt say a lot because I very rarely know when he is going to be home- but I think he will be close to home for the next two weeks.

So I got the biggest surprise yesterday. I came home from church and put Eliza down for a nap. I came down the stairs and saw Trey standing at the bottom!!!!!!!!! I was so shocked I was speechless. I had just talked to him earlier on the way home from church and thought he was still in Nashville! I actually had to sit down it scared me so. It turns out he drove up there Saturday night just to turn around and drive back Sunday morning. Calvin, the producer, called him about midnight to tell him his wife was in premature labor and he would be taking the first flight back to LA. His wife is only 31 weeks and her water broke, so there is no stopping this baby now. If you are reading this, please pray for them, for the safe arrival of their baby boy. Calvin is just a great guy and is so excited for this child, it is their first.

So Trey is home now unexpectedly and we had a nice evening. I am off today and we will enjoy today too. I have no idea what is in the agenda. James will go to preschool tomorrow and Eliza is signed up for daycare and she will have to go because it is too late to cancel. They will charge me anyway, so Trey might as well have a day to himself. I already asked him if I could leave him a list! (all smiles). This never happens, a day when Trey has no kids and nothing to do! So I will let you know what I put on the list!

So, Trey's next trip to Nashville/PA is all worked out. I took Monday off, James goes to Preschool and Eliza goes to daycare on Tuesday, Wednesday Trey will be keeping them, Thursday Trey has them again and will leave to drive 1/2 way to PA after I get off work and Friday my mother has them. I am on call all weekend, 48 hours, so my mom and dad are moving in for the weekend. Now, I am looking ahead to the almost 4 weeks Trey is gone in September/October. I know God has help on the way.

I am so glad it is Friday. Today was a nice, non stressful day and I am home now with the kids and Trey. I came home to a clean house and Trey is cooking...it is so nice. He leaves for Nashville tomorrow. I am reading a good book and plan on finishing that while he is gone. It is summer and there is nothing good on TV anyway after the kids are in bed. Ok, dinner is ready!

So I went to the doctor today just for a regular visit. While there I told the midwife that I have been experiencing some pain. I am 36 weeks and since I went into labor with my son at 37 weeks, she suggested that I be checked. Well, she checked me and I have already started to dilate! Based on what she said and my past history, I could possibly have the baby next week. She doubts very seriously that I will go to my actual due date of Aug. 30th. Unfortunately, Echoing Angels is supposed to be in Pennsylvania next weekend, so we are starting to discuss options. Stay tuned for updates!

So last night was an interesting night in our house. I took my eyes off the Lord and my flesh got in the way. Trey and I had a fight, which is unusual for us. We have disagreements but hardly ever actually have a real fight. And I admit I started it. Let me give you the story. Trey just got home from Nashville on monday, he was recording vocals for the album. They were not able to finish all the songs, partly because Trey was feeling under the weather and his sinuses were clogged, and partly because there just wasn't enough time. So it was decided last night that he has to return ASAP to finish it.....as Neil would say, seriously? They have almost the entire 11 song record done in 16 total days. That's all the instrumentation including a strings ensemble and a horn quartet....all that's left is Trey to sing 4 songs, some bvgs (thats background vocals) and then some comps (that means editing, picking the best takes of each song). So yeah, I think that's pretty darn good, do we have to finish this right now? I thought we were ahead of schedule.....Anyway, so that's how the drama started. The producer called Trey asking if he could come back this Saturday through Tuesday. As Trey is making these plans and asking me while still on the phone, if that would be ok, I'm thinking "no" . I have to work all week. My luxury of my in laws being here is over....my mom is at the beach so what am I to do with the kids? (my mother is gonna feel guilty reading this....please don't mom, it was inevitable. She was gracious enough to ask me if I needed her this weekend anyway before she made plans.) Oh and the band leaves next Thursday for Pennsylvania. So there's more child care I have to figure out. So my mind was racing with the fact that now I have to call my boss and see if I can rearrange my schedule and call James' preschool and rearrange his schedule and hope the daycare has room for baby girl and now I have to pay for that and there is $43 in my account and nobody I know will watch them for free besides mom and be willing to get to my house at 6am til 6pm! Yeah so I was not in a good place and turned the focus on myself. And I said something like, "no, we will not work it out, you mean I will work it out and at least you get to go do something fun!" Yep, shouldn't have said it. It turned into argument about everything under the sun. You know how that goes....but the root of it all was I am overwhelmed and Trey feels guilty that I am feeling this way. Alot of things shouldn't have been said, but now that they have, you can't take em back. But we ended with apologies and prayer. And hopefully we are better off for it. We are only human and I was not feeling like super mom last night. Most days that's exactly who I am trying to be, mostly because I have to be, probably because I try to rely on myself and not Him, who gives me strength. I failed to let Him take over last night. The truth that this journey would get harder before relief came is now in full force. We are there. And Trey leaves for a 24 day radio promotion tour in September. Yikes. I catch myself questioning Gods timing. Why couldn't this be before we had children or when they are older and in school? But I know He is perfect and knew all of this beforehand. I just have to trust Him and continue to obey. That road always leads to His will and thats where I want to be, the only place worth staying.

It's funny how you never know when God is going to decide that a change needs to be made in your life and then take you through a transition when you least expect it. That's kind of where we are at right now. It's not necessarily a fun time but it's one that has to be done. I guess sometimes we get content where we are at and think that we are exactly where we are supposed to be and then God says nope time to move on (by the way...this has nothing to do with Echoing Angels). I guess it makes it extra hard when you don't know why the circumstances came about and you get blindsided and hurt. But, God in His infinite wisdom does understand. And maybe he used this circumstance because He knew that we wouldn't leave where He wanted us to leave without a big push like that. I'm not really sure. So, even though I'm so confused about this certain situation, Josh and I have complete trust in God that He knows what's going on and what's best for us and where we need to be exactly. So even though I'm sad and hurt, I'm holding fast to the Lord and waiting on Him to guide us in His direction.

Okay...so who will she choose??? Roberto or Chris? Or will she not choose either? You know what I'm talking about! Just admit it! Yes, I'm talking about The Bachelorette! The Finale is on tonight and then After the Rose is on after that. They are advertising it as "this has never happened in Bachelorette history." What could it be??? There are so many rumors and spoilers out there that quite honestly I'm ready to just know what happens. Then I don't have to worry about setting the tivo to watch it the next day because I'm afraid I'll fall asleep during it. Josh always laughs at me when I watch it. BUT, he'll ask me "so who did she let go?" See...you get sucked into it even if you don't want to. You know it's true. You may not admit it...but...you know you want to know and will be talking about this at work tomorrow. Don't deny it...just go with it!

I came home from Nashville today. I hated leaving Trey but missed my kids dearly. I had a great time there. We did not have much time for sight seeing but he did drive me around town a little. Saturday, we waited an hour in line, outside in 100 degree weather, to eat at the Pancake Pantry in downtown Nashville...totally worth it. The sweet potato pancakes are what made this place famous and I now I see why....or taste why I should say. Holy moly were they good and had a creamy honey like syrup. Wow. Quite tasty.

The recording is going awesome! The songs are sounding soooooo good. It is like nothing you hear on Christian radio today...so watch out CCM (that's Contemporary Christian Music)! I really think this album could go mainstream secular. It is that good and that relevant to today's listeners. It has such great message with out beating you over the head with all things church. We shall see what God does. I know marketing to the secular radio world is really expensive and not in the budget as is. But I know my God can do all things! Call me crazy, but I really feel like He has big plans for these guys. God saved the day at the last minute and has been pouring on the annointing ever since....why would He bother if not to use Echoing Angels in a BIG way? All we need is faith of a mustard seed right? Well, what if you have the faith of an entire jar of seeds....? What more can He do then? I want to speak life into this endeavor. You may not believe me, but I had enough faith for 100 men even during the lowest parts of the last year, when the band was without a label, a manager, a booking agent, and debt up to their ears. I say that not to brag at all....it is a gift God gave me. God planted in my heart,a long time ago, that Trey, and now EA, is favored and would be blessed someday for following Him, that is why I can have the faith that I do, because He gave me the vision so long ago. Since it is a gift, it is my purpose to keep everyone else on the train too. Some days it was hard, when Trey was ready to give it up and go back to a full time church position. But it was reminding him of the ways God had showed up in the past to bring us to this very point in our lives that would get Trey back on the train. And thank goodness he did, because we are just seeing the beginning of the vision....

Ok, I am finally writing on our blog. It's been an interesting journey trying to get acquainted to this... Needless to say, I'm not the most technology-savvy of the group.

So, I figured for the first blog, it would only be appropriate to use it as sort-of an introduction. I am married to Echoing Angel's talented, somewhat boisterous, and very handsome keyboard player, Neil. We will have been married for two years this fall, and I couldn't be happier! When I'm not at home, I'm working at a dance studio in North Georgia as a full-time studio manager and part-time teacher/choreographer. I figured it is only fitting that my first blog be on NATIONAL DANCE DAY! If you don't know what that is, check it out!

Anyway, I have grown up dancing and exploring the arts. I absolutely love anything that has to do with dance or theatre. So instead of getting a degree in something useful like accounting or nursing, I decided to follow my heart and obtain a liberal arts degree in dance and theatre. I figured one day I might end up living in a cardboard box, but at least I knew I would be happy! I never ended up dancing professionally, but I knew God has other plans. Because I never moved up to New York or Chicago to really "Do the Starving Artist Thing" I always sort of felt like I have missed out on certain life experiences. However, because I have chosen to pursue a career in teaching, I have found a new love for choreography. I absolutely love creating a work that means something, and seeing it come to life onstage through my students. It is one of the most rewarding experiences for a teacher. Don't get me wrong though, I still love to take classes and I really miss performing sometimes, but I have really enjoyed learning how to become a teacher and choreographer these past three years. Even though my name is not in lights, and I'm not dancing for some fabulous modern company in New York, I am still using God's gifts in a way that I can share it with others, and to me that is even better.

Twenty-nine days from today is when our new bundle of joy will arrive, or possibly sooner, only the Lord knows. I am so looking foward to that day. One- we will find out what we are having and two- I can finally sleep on my stomach again! Those who know me well, know that I have VERY peculiar sleeping habits. Anyway, I go back to work on Tuesday and have mixed feelings about it. I absolutely love my job! I am such a people person and with what I do I get to gab all of the time. Granted- the majority of the people I gab with are my students, but I love the people I work with so whenever we get the chance we love to sit and talk. However, I am a sad to be leaving my little boy.

This pregnancy hasn't been the easiest, nonetheless, I know it could be worse. I am thankful that it is all about to come to an end. I developed gestational diabetes during this pregnancy, and had no idea the seriousness of this disease(I guess this is what you would call it). I have to see a specialist once a week to make sure the baby is thriving and then see my regular OB at the end of that same week to check it's heartbeat and activity. It feels like the baby has hiccups right now. Every little kick, squirm, hiccup, is reassurance that everything is ok so I am thankful for each movement.

I am a little nervous about when the baby comes having to take care of two. Jayce is such a precious little boy, but with Jon being gone a lot, it makes me weary about doing everything by myself. I know the Lord will give me strength and I have an amazing support system, so I have faith that everything will be ok. Well, my nap is calling- another thing I will miss when I go back to work, but I am sure I can squeeze one in every now and then.