Changes come... and they keep coming!

Today marks my fifth month of pregnancy, and the just over half way point. This morning as I was reflecting on that fact (reflecting is something I used to do all time time, and it seems I've not done enough lately!), I realized that in 5 months, my life and everything I've been and known is going to irraversibly change, God willing, and I will be a mom.

Yesterday I went to Kim's baby shower for Keturah, and celebrated the birth of this precious little girl with a bunch of other ladies, I think all of who were themselves moms with little ones, or not far from it. As I looked around the room, baby on my lap, I realized "wow, it's very rare that I'm in a group like this, and pretty soon, this will be my group!" Up till this point, all my time has been spent with peers, many who are single and don't have kids, teenagers who have lots of questions about pregnancy, but never have experienced it themselves, or college students.. same thing. Of course I have friends and family with little ones running around and genuinely enjoy being with young families, but realizing I will have my own family very soon is a very new thought... is 5 months enough time to be ready for this????

I guess now is as good of a time as any to write in cyberspace other news of transitions happening in the Coons home. This entire year Dave and I have been praying about what is next for us. It's the end of our contract at TIS, and in the last 5 months, the beginning of our preparation for having a family. Up till this point, we've been very sure and very blessed to have lived and worked in China in a place we love amoung people we love. I've been able to "live the dream" in so many ways as I've pushed forward in creating summer adventure programs and now am beginning to train others to do the same. It's been so rewarding in so many ways to follow this dream. I wrote earlier of a vision/thought in Mongolia where I felt that God might be calling me to a different goal, something I couldn't see yet, and to leave behind the trails I've trod. Well, and Dave and I have been seeking together, he's felt similiar things and more specifically, a desire to pursue graduate school very soon. This brings us to our news... This will be our final semester in China, and after the baby is born in June, we will be heading back to North America to pursue the things God is placing on our hearts. We would love to talk more specifically with anyone interested, so please let us know if you want more specific details, and we would love to fill you in!

So far, we plan to spend our first 6 months as parents learning how to be parents (any suggestions?) while staying with family. We're also hoping to catch up with our long lost friends! Hopefully next January we will be lead to the right school and Dave will begin starting classes. This is our plan, but we're open to whatever God might have for us. We've loved our time here and are truly thankful for the chance we've had to live and work in China. It's been an adventure of a lifetime-- and we look forward to the next great adventure-- PARENTHOOD!