I thought having a baby would…

• end my career
• ruin my marriage
• be full of tedious work
• end of many friendships
• end my social life
• make me boring

Instead, having a baby has…

• given me a new passion for my work
• increased the joy in my marriage
• shown me that tedious work for your own baby is actually fun
• started and bloomed many new friendships
• started a whole new social world
• made me more alive with energy with new perspectives

We hear so many negative reasons why people don’t want to have kids. I’m here to tell you that if you have a good foundation and joy in your life, a baby will enhance everything you already have.  Now…get to baby making!

Last night, Mark and I had the opportunity to be inspired again. Inspiration is breath for your dreams. It’s the lifeblood of your hopes.  The funny thing about inspiration though is that you must act upon it immediately for it to have any effect on your dreams or else it becomes a cold wind of despair and dried up bones…just a hope that cannot possibly become a reality. Inspiration can even become bitterness – “how can they be so successful at it and not me?”.

So, what am I going to do with this beautiful thing called inspiration? I’m going to hide it in my heart and make 3 changes today:

1. Pray more
2. Practice more
3. Love more

It sounds simple, but really, these are the things that I neglect everyday. I know that if I’m faithful to do these things, the Lord will direct my steps and my works to align with His will. Be inspired today and make a change now.

I never truly understood the fullness of God’s love.

Until…

I had the love of my life – my daughter.

His love yearns for me
His love protects me
His love wants the best for me
His love wants me to accomplish great things
His love never fails

Now I know

The last 6 weeks have been a wonderful, dream state blur. Words don’t come close to describing the emotions and love that we have experienced.

For now, here’s a quick list of things that We are learning and experiencing:

Burping, farting, pooping and peeing are celebrated on a semi-hourly basis.

There are not enough burp cloths in the world.

Losing a pacifier at the wrong time is devastating.

Hearing my baby cry isn’t stressful.

You can become an expert at many new things in less than 6 weeks with daily practice. Case in point: diaper changing.

Being a mommy has rewards that outweigh stretch marks, 3 am feedings, and 30 extra pounds.

Praying never felt so good.

Check out junejett.com to hear about June’s adventures!

Mark your calendars people!

Mark and I are planning on inducing on July 20th. I’m so excited that I’ve peed my pants several times…

Michael Jackson was more than a celebrity in my home while I was growing up. He was a part of our lives…my life.

• He was the first musician I loved and whose album I bought on my own.
• I learned to dance to Billy Jean, Triller, Bad, and Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough.
• I knew how to moon walk before I was 10.
• Some of the best memories from my childhood were spent with my family dancing and goofing off with MJ playing the background.
• I got to stay up late to watch the world primere of “Black or White” and “Remember the Time” – I thought music videos as we knew them were changed forever.
• I have watched the entire Smooth Criminal video over 100 times.
• I spent a whole summer skating to the nearest USPS box to drop off a letter every day to MJ. I sent the letters to Neverland Ranch…I never got a response.
• I felt special to share a birthday with MJ – August 29th (I didn’t think it was just a coincidence)

Now that he’s actually gone, it brings a very surreal feeling to me. I feel like he’s actually been dead for a long time or he’s some ancient artist that never really existed during my time – like Elvis or the Beatles. I was never waiting for him to release a new song that was going to change my life. Most of the music I loved from him was made before I was born or just a child.

The Michael Jackson that I loved was not the Michael Jackson that died last Thursday. The Michael Jackson I loved has been gone for a long time. So…I didn’t cry much (only once), I don’t watch any of the commemorative TV specials, and I don’t care if people make crude jokes about MJ. His music will still have a place in my heart the same way it has my whole life.

On Saturday, Mark and I attended the much dreaded Childbirth class at our hospital to prepare ourselves for the coming of our baby girl.

As horrific as the videos were, we actually left the 8-hour class feeling really good and much more prepared for what awaits us. 

There are so many important moments and events in our life that don’t come with an instructional class which makes me think - childbirth must be the most important event of them all. 

We will observe many weddings, funerals, graduations, and anniversaries…but this special event of childbirth requires a miracle to make it happen.

6 weeks and counting…

As my due date quickly approaches (JULY 24), I am realizing that my life will never be the same. It is a new life in every sense of the phrase – a new life in my baby girl, a new life for me, a new life for Mark.

Besides the most obvious of having a baby this summer, here’s what’s also changing and brewing:

• We are leaving our beloved church family at ORCC to following God’s calling to help start a church plant – Life Song Worship Center. Kick off day is Sept. 13th.
• Mark will be leaving his job that he loves in order for us to plant this church. Appliance repair anyone?
• I have started to fervently pursue my Wedding Hair and Makeup business. I’m booked almost every weekend through the end of September (except for 6 weeks where I’ll be home with baby June.) Check out my humble beginnings: Wedding Hair and Makeup
• Every room in our house has been reorganized and flooded with baby stuff. June already has more belongings than Mark and I combined. It’s like we are living in a new house.

That’s really all for now. We desperately need your prayers. The things listed above are requiring a huge amount of sacrifice, tears, and commitment from us. We won’t give up, we won’t back down, we won’t relent.

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me if only I can finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me…the task of testifying to the gospel of  God’s grace. -Acts 20:24 (I have this verse tattooed on my wrist…it has never meant more to me than right now).

Last year, I wrote this post about Mother’s Day. It was a cry from my heart to be a mom. A cry for hope.

It’s such a miracle that this year I got to celebrate mother’s day as an expectant mother. Mark rolled out the red carpet for me and really made me feel special. I was totally shocked when a few of my friends also got me cards and gifts. I think I’m really going to like Mother’s day in the future – it’s like an extra birthday!!!

As I said in the post last year – KEEP YOUR HOPES UP! Whatever you are praying for…God really does give us the desires of our hearts. This baby inside of me is a testament to God’s love and faithfulness. What more could I ask for?

This is my new phrase…as you can see below, it’s soooo true. According to the crazy fruit and vegetable comparison, my precious baby girl is the size of a head of cabbage. I don’t know why they insist on comparing my baby to food…maybe it’s because food is all I can think about these days – well, food and the baby of course. Only 9 weeks to go – here’s to the pregnant life!

Mark took this picture when I wasn't paying attention.

A thousand new thoughts go through my head every day (I’m conviced this is the reason why I forget so much “regular” stuff). Thoughts like: how can I get up as little as possible today? Wow, my wedding ring feels tighter! Whoa…look at my ankles! Is that rumbling in my stomach the taco salad or little June kicking around?

Every part of me wants to be brave and act like I’m feeling and doing great. The truth is…I’m terrified. What if my baby won’t sleep through the night, what if she has colic, should I use a pacifier? It seems everyone has an opinion about these things (a very strong opinion) and there’s so much judgement in motherhood. My friend can’t get the hang of breast feeding and she gets treated like she threw her baby down a well. The pressure is already mounting up!

As I ponder these things, I will continue to waddle around, put my feet up, and eat popsicles…

Is there such a thing as reasonable fear with the Lord?

I hear statements like, “Every good parent worries for their child.” and I can’t help but wonder if it’s true. Fear is the opposite of faith…so are we just comforting ourselves and making excuses for our fear?

I want to live FREE of fear and the promises in the Word tell me I can. Right???!?!?!?!?!

It’s OK to:

1. Not blog for a week
2. Watch TV all night long with your hubby and neglect the dishes, laundry and dirty bathrooms
3. Admit that some parts of pregnancy suck
4. Avoid the person that makes comments about certain body parts getting bigger
5. To be nervous that you won’t get to buy yourself new clothes because you’ll be buying new clothes for the baby
6. To be hungry at 8 am, 11 am, 12:30 pm, 3 pm, 6 pm, and 9 pm
7. To ask your hubby get you water, your special pillow, your laptop, a snack and the remote (in the course of 10 minutes)

Anything you need to remind yourself not to feel guilty about???

Since I’m so forgetful lately, I’ve made a list of things I continually try to remind myself of…unfortunately, my reminder usually comes too late:

1. Going to work in yesterday’s makeup is NEVER a good idea.
2. You like peas now that you’re pregnant.
3. You don’t like onions now.
4. When you have to pee in the middle of the night, it’s not as easy to “roll” out of bed.
5. You put your keys in your jacket pocket last night instead of in your purse.
6. Go ahead and get the size Medium in maternity clothes instead of the XXL in regular clothes, you’ll feel better about yourself.
7. When you feel tired on Wednesday and you call Mark to tell him you’re not coming to church, you will regret it.

Ok, I gave Mark every opportunity to blog this first, but many of you are asking so…

We are going to have a beautiful, healthy, baby

GIRL!!!

The ultrasound went perfectly and I think she is even beautiful in her very first picture: