BABY JOHNSON!

SO... we have a little catching up to do. . . lets go back roughly 9 months...

On July 1st Jared and I came home from a wonderful beach weekend with the rest of the Johnson clan and a few Coppocks! With a pregnant sister in law (2 actually, but only one was at the beach with us) and a pregnant cousin that we spent part of the week with, we laughed about how funny it would have been if I would have been pregnant too. As we got home and unpacked a bit, I started really thinking.. Curiosity got me and I had to take a test... Thinking there was absolutely no way I could be pregnant... I paced around the bedroom and in two minutes walked back over to the pregnancy test that I had covered up with a towel. I picked up the towel only to find something truly shocking and unexpected (yes I understand where babies come from... ha).. "PREGNANT" the digital test left out a word... "not" I walked in to the den where Jared and I had been watching TV and just looked at him with a surprised look on my face holding the test. Jared looked at me and laughed saying "oh please, really, again?" {I did this to him before but the test was negative- that time it was really funny and I got a kick out of his shocked reaction} but I walked closer and just pushed the test eye level to him... He threw the blanket he was covered with and jumped up so excitedly! "WHAT? You're PREGNANT?" Lots of oh my goshes, hugs, laughing, tears of joy, and kisses later we had to go get more tests to make SURE. So up the street we went to buy 2 more boxes of tests. Immediately we came home and took 2 more tests (One digital and one non-digital). The non digital came up negative, and I'm not going to lie my heart sunk a little. Then the digital one came back positive. After reading the box THOROUGHLY to see what was wrong with this non-digital test I realized, it was not an early prediction test. We were roughly 2 or 3 days shy of being 'late', so I took it as that one didn't count. The next morning I would take another test bright and early in the morning (fresh tee tee!!- and you show higher levels of the HCG hormone in the morning). As we got ready for bed later that night, still shocked and amazed- I looked over at the non-digital test that was still laying on the counter and it had changed to positive. Only took about 2 or 3 hours but it said it, plain as day. Plus sign and a line.. We really were PREGNANT!
Monday I called the doctor and got an appointment set up. July 27th seemed SO far away, but we were going to make it! By then we would be able to see our little pea and hopefully hear its little heartbeat.. Well, being excited and impatient we HAD to tell someone.. and of course the grandparents of this little pea must be first. We were actually spending 4th of July with my family and decided to go up a day early. My brothers and sisters in law wouldn't be coming until Wednesday morning, so we knew it would be perfect. We got a big box and stuffed it full of tissue paper- inside was a bag of goodies. My mom had given me a pig pillow pet for one of my wedding shower gifts that I LOVE (Pigs are my favorite animal, and pillows are just amazing. It was a perfect combo!) so we got my parents a miniature pillow pig that had a note attached telling them that this pig was for a baby who wants his/her grandparents to keep it safe for him/her. My parents were out back by the pool when we got to the house. They had been working in the yard since it had cooled off a bit, so we stuck the box on the porch and walked to the back to say hello! I asked my mom about the big box on the front porch and she looked at me confused. So she went through the house and brought it back to the back and told my dad that it was something addressed to "Gigi and Papa." as soon as they pulled the first flap of the box open my mom immediately looked up and said, "you're having a baby!!" It took dad a little longer but he looked up and said, "really?!?" all smiles Jared and I both shook our heads and said yes! My parent were a little shocked, but so happy! Their BABY (I am the youngest of 2 brothers- both married and with 2 kiddos of their own) is having a baby (and only married 3 months!). We kept it from brother's and sisters a little while longer (until the week of the first appointment) and next we had to tell Jared's parents and our grandmothers. After church Sunday we went to grab something to eat and stopped by to see my grandmother before heading back to PG. We sat down and chatted for a while, then told her the good news! I am the last of her grandchildren to give her a great, and I think she was ready! :) great grand baby number 12 on its way! For Jared's parents we did something very similar to my parents, using a box and goodies, but we brought this one in saying we had ordered them something a while back that just came in. His mom read the card first without opening the box. She got all excited and said, "you're kidding? What?!" dad all confused starts saying, "What? What is it?" so she handed him the card and he got very excited as well! Both of their sons were expecting babies... At the SAME TIME!! (4 months apart!) We got Memaw out to their house and told her as well! Talk about excited! She grabbed Jared and started JUMPING!! Haha it was great! Everyone was excited about the news and we couldn't wait to tell the world and see our baby for the first time!

Final piece of furniture!

The love seat FINALLY MADE IT HOME! :) now we have less space, but we have our completed set. I love it!

The Wash Tub

So today is laundry day for Jared and myself. For those who do not know, when we were engaged, Karen and Doug Harris offered us their washing machine and dryer! They had remodeled and wanted to get something that matched their updated look. We were thrilled! It was the first home appliance that we owned! We didn't have furniture, but we were now proud owners of a beautiful washer and dryer set. [yea!] So the hunt began for a house. [which I must say, I don't suggest this when you are planning a wedding in four months and are doing most of everything yourselves. Or without a "wedding planner"] It quickly got overwhelming and the decision was made, find an apartment and when things finally slow down, start the house hunt again. So we started the search. Too expensive; too far away from church, home, and work; too scary; and you've got to be joking... Then we came upon one that would work. We asked if it had washer dryer connections for the one bedroom.. "no, we have a laundry mat though. The two and up have connections." Awesome. The one thing we have you don't have the accessibility for. So we thought we would look around a little more. It wasn't perfect and we really wanted washer dryer connections. The wedding got closer, more weekends were taken up with wedding showers, planning, and final decisions and we realized that our perfect apartment was just not out there right now. So we called the Abbey and said we wanted to sign a lease. Turns out their rates dropped about $50 since the last time we were there and we thought it was a sign. It's not going to be exactly what we want, but it's just a year. So we signed a lease the week before our wedding and the stress of a place to come home to was relieved. 3 months into this "just a year" we are realizing several things about apartment living. Not crazy about it. Kitchen is too small, no cabinet space, awkward small shower and toilet area, vanity is too small for two adults getting ready for work in the morning, no overhead lights in the bedroom or living room [odd], and bringing a week [or two's] worth of laundry back to PG on a Sunday when all you want to do is nap, is not as simple as it seemed 3 months ago. Sure it's great to spend the day with Jared's parents, and mine if they happen to be in town, but the 6 loads of laundry we try to cram into an afternoon and split between two homes to try and make it go by faster
Is tiring and gets old fast. I can honestly say that I have taken an "in home" laundry room for granted over my 24 years and cannot wait to make a sweet and awesome sanctuary for that amazing little washer and dryer that is sitting in Jared's parents' basement when we finally get a home of our own! :)
So I say all of that to say, Jared and I have spent the last hour at "The Wash Tub" in the Pleasant Grove Shopping Center and it has been a treat. In about 20 minutes and then folding time we will be loading up the car and heading home with 2 weeks worth of laundry. If you know the two of is, that's a lot! It cost just under $30 to do but it's been a real treat to have it all done so quickly. And now the rest of the day is ours to hang out in our cozy little apartment for two! ;)
Happy wash tub laundry day!

"How's married life?"

We are getting close to our 3 months of being married anniversary and I have constantly gotten the question "How is married life treating you?" Words cannot completely express how married life is treating me and the only thing that I can think to say is "It's GREAT!" I am loving every minute of sharing my life with the most incredible man, and my best friend. Things have slowed down, a bit, and we have actually been able to come home from work, cook dinner, clean the kitchen, sit on our very own couch, and watch movies. It is an amazing feeling to come home to my amazing HUSBAND and settling into our own routine. 


We are getting SO much closer to finally getting our "Thank You" notes out (this has been a battle and has taken us WAY TOO long to get these ready and sent! Our apologies to all. They WILL be out by the end of this week! Fingers crossed) Other than that we are still trying to figure out where our stuff actually is. Some of it is at the apartment, some (that wouldn't fit) is at my parents' house, and other deliveries have gone to Jared's parents' house. The search for a house is MUCH needed right now. We need a larger space and a full size kitchen. We were blessed with some incredible gifts for our wedding and I am looking forward to getting them all arranged into my very own spacious kitchen and learning to use so many of our gizmos. So needless to say, I am dreaming of my perfect home and constantly searching.. 


So that is married life so far. We are getting closer to a normal schedule every day. We are learning little quirky things about each other, and growing closer and closer each and every day! :) I am so happy and blessed that God has chosen me for this life. I could not imagine being happier. We are both looking forward to the future and all that God has planned for our lives. Please be in prayer for us as we continue this new journey as husband and wife. Many many things to come.. 


Love!


Some photos of our almost finished living room. 


After an . . . [ordeal] with Macy's and a delayed delivery, we received our couch, chair, and ottoman (not shown- it is in our bedroom because we didn't have room for it in the living room). ((We picked out our end tables and black ottoman from Ashley Furniture and took it home that day)) The delivery date has been set for May 23 for our LOVE SEAT [finally]. So this is not 100% complete, but very close! :)

Color is a little odd.. not sure why. [we were watching Avatar! :)]

The mirror Pop gave Jared. We see it everyday! :)

Soon there will be another piece of furniture in our tiny space, but we absolutely love coming home and being able to sit and hang out together, comfortably. 

Back to normal.. But what is that?

Well, our Easter drama is over and it was such an amazing success. We had wonderful crowds each night and the performances just kept getting better. What a blessing it was to see our Jesus (played by PG Naz's very own Wade Ferguson) come out of that tomb on Easter Sunday!! He was no longer dead but ALIVE! Just as he said he would.. Risen on the third day. Death could not take him and the grave could not hold him! What a blessing to serve a truly incredible savior.

So tonight will be the first night (maybe second or third, ha) Jared and I will come home to each other and hang out for an entire night just the two of us. No plans to travel much farther than the grocery store or the gym across the street. No sets to build, no more lines to rehearse, no painting to be done... Just a night to get back to normal. But for us.. What is normal? We have been together a little over a year (we were married 364 days after our first date), but for the last 6 months we have been planning a wedding, looking for a place to live, and we are just finishing a well involved Easter drama. We are now at the point that we have to start our married lives together. It's time for us to learn those quirky little habits about each other, what foods we really like and kind of like, we get to learn how to cook, and how to live together. Sure we have spent nearly every day together for the last year and two months.. But we could go "home" and get away from each other. Now home is together. Jared has to learn that I am a somewhat messy person. I leave clothes everywhere and shoes usually stay where they are taken off until it's time to wear them again. I have to learn that Jared is a typically neat person and my stuff being everywhere kind of bothers him! (also, piling things 'neatly' in a corner does not count as being put away) Ha. So we are looking forward to learning and growing together and making a life as husband and wife.
I guess I'll keep you posted on how that goes! :) I hope everyone had such a blessed Easter weekend with family and friends!

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."
http://bible.us/Rom1.20.NIV
Verse of the day from my Bible app

God bless!

Six Hours, One Friday · Max Lucado

Six Hours, One Friday · Max Lucado

Six hours, one Friday.  Mundane to the casual observer.  A shepherd with his sheep, a housewife with her thoughts, a doctor with his patients.  But to a handful of awestruck witnesses, the most maddening of miracles is occurring.

God is on a cross.  The creator of the universe is being executed.  It is no normal six hours.  It is no normal Friday.  Far worse than the breaking of his body is the shredding of his heart.  And now his own father is beginning to turn his back on him, leaving him alone.

What do you do with that day in history?  What do you do with its claims?  They were the most critical hours in history.  Nails didn’t hold God to a cross.  Love did.

The sinless One took on the face of a sinner so that we sinners could take on the face of a saint!

My Cross

So this is what has taken precedence in our lives for the past 4+ weeks. We got back from Mexico on March 3^rd, and Jared went right on in to work as soon as the following week could get started good (I know this is supposed to be "well" but it doesn't sound right with what I am saying, ha). I’m not going to lie, I have whined and complained and been ill about the fact that my husband and I have not been able to just hang out at our (still unfinished) apartment and be married people, BUT I will say that this has been a great experience (put aside all my complaining) and the drama is going to be phenomenal. **If you are going to be in or around Pleasant Grove on Friday April 6^th, Saturday April 7^th, or Sunday April 8^th I highly suggest and encourage you to come and watch Pleasant Grove Church of the Nazarene’s Easter drama “My Cross” Written by our pastor, Bruce Hudson. It will be performed each night at 7:00 PM at our Amphitheater (behind the church). I’ll say this; it is not your typical Easter presentation. It of course tells the story of Jesus and the crucifixion and resurrection, but this story is from the point of view of one of the Roman soldiers (My Jared). It is very interesting, and has a wonderful meaning. So I would love to see EVERYONE there this weekend. A lot of hard work has been put in to making this a great production for the Lord.

Easter weekend is quickly approaching! I hope everyone is ready to see what the Easter Bunny is bringing, but more importantly I hope we can all realize the true meaning of this day and thank God that he could give his precious son so that we could live eternally in Heaven with him. Praise and Glory to the King of Kings, the Lord or Lords, and the GREAT I AM!

Here are some pictures from the dress rehearsal we had last night! :)

The Last Supper scene.

 

Lily *(NIECE!)* the angel. 

The centurion's home. 

"The crowd" -also the choir

The last supper, missing a few disciples.

My bebe in a dress.. Ha. He had taken off part of his costume already.

Our Jesus that hangs on the Cross. Such an amazing teen taking on a very important roll! HE does an amazing job

Me and my soldier. Both missing parts of our costumes.

Showin' a little leg.. Ooooo...

Who is ready to see this show live?!! I know you do! And we would LOVE to see you there!!