31 week baby bump, a baby shower & the heart of the Great Restorer!

I am 31 weeks preggy and in 7 more Fridays, our sweet Gabriel will be born! We could not be more excited!!!! I can't help but imagine what he is going to look like? Will he look a bit like his big brother or sisters? One thing is for sure ... this little one is STRONG and loves nothing better than to break some serious moves in his mommy's tummy. He is constantly stretching out and making his presence known. My whole bump changes shape constantly with his daily exercise routines :0) So much so that I catch people laughing at me watching from across the room! hee hee :) He is such a little entertainer already - constantly making his mom and dad giggle! Out of all 4 babies, I've never felt such strong moves! Someone recently wrote to me and shared that this is probably another one God's amazing ways to reassure my heart that this little boy is healthy and strong. Hubby joked the other day that maybe we should have named him Samson!!! But this little one is already living up to his name. Gabriel means "strong man of God" and strong he certainly is! Here's some pics of the growing belly. 3 weeks ago he was weighing 1.3kg's. I can't wait for my scan next week to see how much growing he has done.

2 weeks ago my beautiful big sis from Jozi arrived for the weekend. In the arvie we went over to visit my brother and sis-in-grace (our family doesn't have any 'in or out-laws' - hee hee). I arrived to a room filled with the beautiful friendly faces of so many precious friends. A few of my specials went to so much effort to arrange a precious baby shower to surprise me! I cannot tell you how loved I felt. Here are a few pics of this special day. (Some of the pics were taken on my cell phone, so please excuse the picture quality).

 I just LOVED the "boy oh boy" signs my sis-in-grace lovingly made for me. I have to find a spot to hang them in his room.

 Oh so yummy treats with the "Gabe cake" made with love from Granny. "Gab" said in stars "God's angel baby" :0) 

 Just look at these gorgeous cupcakes made by a precious friend!

 I can't tell you how much I am loving all the blue!!!

Did I mention how yummy they were :0) They even match my little bear's eyes ;0)

 My beautiful sister who always makes every effort to be at every meaningful moment in my life. I am one blessed little sis. She brought along the most beautiful card and pressies from my precious Mommy Darling who is coming out to meet her little "prince" super soon! HAPPY DANCE!!!!

(For some weird reason this photo WILL NOT cooperate, but I had to show you the stash of all my blessings! Just look how blessed I was!).

My beautiful Leelee, precious mom-in-grace and sweet niece Caylah

Something I have to add in here is to share God's amazing faithfulness. I made a promise to the Lord to always declare His goodness. Despite what we went through in our journey of loving and having to release our precious Zac, God continues to extend His amazing love to redeem even the most painful memories. While the ache still pushes through, God's grace is always so tangible to hold us close and redeem. I share this because God knows how to truly bring healing. Unbeknown to those who planned my baby shower, they did not realise that the very Saturday they picked for this special day, would be another redeemed memory for me. This specific Saturday I was 29 weeks pregnant. The very Saturday that I went for the foetal scan that revealed Zac's heart defects was the Saturday that I was 29 weeks pregnant. That Saturday began a journey that would change our lives forever. As the Lord highlighted this to me, I quietly felt Him whisper to my heart how He is able to replace such pain with renewed hope and joy. Only God. And let me remind you that He is no respecter of persons. He loves us all this deeply. My testimony will always be to anyone who finds their way onto this blog that He is able to redeem anything that you have gone through. The deepest of pain, disappointment and shame. His love and grace is steady and strong and ALWAYS walks the entire journey with us. It is my prayer today that you will find tangible encouragement in this. 

Back to my continued blessings ... we are finally getting stuck into setting out Gabe's little room. It's still a work in process, so I will only be able to post pics in January. I am excited to say that it has a blue wall :0) Something BIG to this mommy of all things pink for so long ;0) This week I washed all the precious presies I received. Take a look at these darling gifts of love lavished on our son!

 We are doing a jungle themed room for our little brave adventurer, so I was so blessed to be given so many jungle looking things. 

 I just LOVE all the bright happy colours for this child of laughter and joy. 

 How sweet is that lion and Dr. Seuss jumper!!!

 Surf shorts just like daddy ;0)

 LOVE this!!! And this mommy is head over heels in love with her baby Gabe. He makes me smile <3

OK ... I think I have pictured-you-out enough for one day. Thanks for all the love and support that always comes through from so many of you. It is such a delight for us to share our great joy with you after so many of you walked through our greatest heartache and have prayed and loved us so deeply. May your heart be uplifted and encouraged to visibly see the mighty hand of the Great Restorer. 

All my love as always,

Jan xxx