New Beginnings...

Looking back at where we were this time last year, I never would have imagined where 2014 would take us. As the New Year approached we prayed for God to move in big ways in 2014, and man did He deliver!!! When we initially prayed that prayer, I wasn't sure what it meant or where it would take us. And I didn't know that His plan would include moving us back to Indiana. When we made the decision to move forward and follow His calling back to Indiana, it was extremely scary. It seemed as though it would be an impossible feat, and to be honest I don't know that we were all that convinced that we were ready to leave Arizona. There were many days that I questioned God and that tugging at my heart to move back. There were a lot of emotions tied to our decision, and definitely a lot of fear. But God's calling to trust in Him was greater than any fears, reservations, or anxieties we had. So many details had to fall into place, and it felt like we hit every bump in the road. When He threw in the surprise pregnancy on top of everything else we had going on, I was really starting to wonder what He was thinking! In the end He was faithful, and once again trusting in Him took us where we needed to be to begin the next stage of our lives.
As we look forward to 2015, I am excited to see what God has in store for our family. There is something very exciting and special about beginning a new year with a brand new life. I know that baby Mila will bring so much to our family, and I am looking forward to settling into a new routine as a family of 4. I know it will not be without challenges, but having Luca I know what an incredible blessing every child is, and I am so thankful that God has given us this opportunity to add another child to our family. I feel much more secure and confident in my role as a mother now that it's not new to me, and while I have anxieties about how I will balance life as a working mother of two children, I know that everything in life that has value is hard work.
My prayer for 2015 is not very different than my prayer for 2014. I pray that God would once again do big things for our family this year. I pray that it would be a year for positive changes, new adventures, and new opportunities. I pray that He would lead us with our finances, which I know needs to be a priority this year after a very busy year of moving across the country and having a new baby. I pray for opportunities in our careers, especially for Santi. I pray that He would help us to focus on Him, and also to open our eyes to opportunities to serve Him. I pray that He would guide us as we raise not one, but two tiny humans. I know that this stage, while exhausting at times, is so important. I know that this is the time to invest in our children. I pray that we do not miss opportunities to teach them and lead them to walk with Him. I pray that our children would see us following Him and that we would be examples for them.
Welcome 2015...welcome Mila...new beginnings!

Dear Mila

Dear Mila,
I have always written little letters to your big brother Luca, so I will be doing the same for you. Although I haven't had as much time to blog about my pregnancy with you as I did with Luca, I am happy to say that things have been going pretty smoothly. I guess you will have that second child syndrome. I promise though I will get your baby book done before you move out:)
You haven't even arrived yet, but we already love you! We are just weeks away from meeting you, and I am all kinds of nervous and excited. You will be making Luca a big brother, and I can't wait to see how he reacts to his new baby sister! He is so excited to meet you. I am also very excited to have a little girl. It's been a challenge to not buy every single adorable headband and bow I see. You will most definitely be fashionable. I am looking forward to seeing the new dynamic you bring to our family. Will you look like your brother? What will your personality be? Will you be sweet and sensitive like Luca? Will you have a wild and crazy side like he does? Only time will tell...

Love,
Mommy

Here I am at 37 weeks, Christmas Eve

Sotomayor...Party of 4....Coming Soon

I cannot believe we are going to be a family of 4 NEXT MONTH!!!! Time is flying. Life is crazy. Welcoming baby number two is so very different than baby number three. So different. Add in the Christmas craziness and I feel so unprepared. I still can't wrap my mind around the idea that this is our last Christmas as a family of 3, and I am trying to savor every memory and moment. I remember this point with Luca, and we were just over the moon excited to finally be parents and to meet our little boy. But we were definitely anxious about our new roles and all of the changes. This time it's a very different kind of anxious. We are so excited to meet Mila and add another little personality to our family, but this time our anxieties revolve around how Luca will adjust and how we will handle two kids. I worry a lot about how he will react, and I worry about how I will meet his needs and hers. I remember when Luca was born I had a really difficult time finding myself in my new role as a mommy, and I was trying to figure out how to maintain my identity as a wife and teacher in addition to mommy. This time around I feel confident in who I am as a wife, mother, and teacher. I know what it's like to have a newborn. Most importantly I know how quickly that first year passes by, and I want to slow down this time and really take in every stage. This is mostly likely our last biological baby, and I don't want to miss a moment in these next couple of months. It will be gone in a flash. I look at my three year old Luca now and I can't believe I blinked and I missed it. He is a big boy now. He is about to be a big brother. Where has the time gone?! I feel like life has been on fast forward since he was born. As we approach the next few weeks, my hope and prayer is that God would prepare our hearts for this special new blessing that is about to change our family forever. I pray that God would carry me through this last month of pregnancy and that baby Mila would arrive healthy in his perfect timing. All the details will fall into place. Everything WILL get done. I am trusting in His grace and mercies to provide the strength and energy needed for the weeks ahead.