This week has been an emotional rollercoaster for my family. We had a doctor’s apt. on Tuesday to make sure everything was good with the baby when we were told everything was not. The ultrasound showed a strong heartbeat and yet the baby was much smaller than thought to be right. We left completely silent with tears running down my face. Over a few days, many prayers and confusing conversations were started. More lab tests were ordered and the wait began. I didn’t know how to pray–for God’s will, for healing of my baby, for a miracle…I wanted God’s will, but at the same time did not want to lose the baby I was carrying. My husband just home from Thailand was so jetlagged it was hard to really find the time or energy to discuss what was at hand. I opted out of a meeting one night to stay home with my two boys. We turned on a Passion CD and began to worship. I fell on my face before the One who had created me and finally gave everything to Him. I prayed in all different directions, rarely making any sense even to myself and then it hit me. No matter what the outcome, I had seen the heartbeat of the child in my womb and had the opportunity for however long it would be to teach my third child why they were created. I began declaring aloud that no matter what the outcome would be, for now, this child and their strong heartbeat would worship the One who had also created them. I turned up the music, instructed my boys (3) and (1) to worship with everything they had, to dance, sing, and rock out in their own airband. I began declaring the life as a worshipper to my unborn child. If the enemy is trying to end their life even now, it would not be without a fight and a win. And then there was peace… I realized that none of us know how long our lives or the lives of the ones we love will last, but if we are constantly pursueing a life of worship to the One who created us…what a legacy we will leave.

We are not out of the shadows yet, good news that my levels are getting where they need to be which suggests the baby is now growing. More tests next week to confirm what the blood work suggests. No matter what the outcome, I do want God’s will, I also want to meet this little warrior inside me some day–but more than any of that I know whatever the lifespan of my child, they did what they were created to do–worship the One who created them…And then there was peace…

It’s true, chapman baby number three is on the way. I just found out last week and my husband, Shannon is on a mission trip to Thailand so I was worried someone at church would find out and tell someone else on the trip before I had a chance to tell the Daddy. I had to email him that our family is once again growing (and his wife would be too). We are very excited, amidst all the uncertainty of what the the Creator is doing in our family and our journey-He has created another little one to experience it with! The baby will be here sometime early March with two wonderful big brothers to take care of him or her. Thoughts and prayers welcome for a safe and happy pregnancy and delivery and healthy baby! I absolutely love being pregnant and having babies. It’s just part of who I am and who I am now once again becoming.

Alex mentioned during the IMN classes that he would love to have a voxchef in every city that goes to restaurants and gives the story and review of various places in every city. This is so totally me, I love cooking, eating at unique places, and love, love, love learning the history behind places and people! Well, it has been so long since our family has been home long enough to have a meal. We have had so many out of town things and restaurants in everyone else’s city have been our routine. Tonight, the restaurant was ours! We had the best time cooking dinner together and it always tastes better when it’s something at home. So, for tonight the chef in my city…is me. We had Basil Garlic Pesto New York Strip with Roasted Potatoes and Lime Pepper Corn. It was to die for. My husband is quite the “Grill Master” and I’m not so bad in the kitchen so together we make a great team! A little history behind the Chapman Restaurant– We have lived in this home a little over a year. Our second son, Jonah, was brought home here as an answer to prayer. You see, we sold our home Christmas of 2004 and I was 6 months pregnant. We had to move in with my in-laws because the house we wanted wasn’t finished being built. I made it through being in a wedding at 9 months pregnant and the house still wasn’t finished. I really wanted our son to come home to his house and not his grandparents’, but I was soooo pregnant, we just didn’t know if it would work out. We closed on the house on a Thursday, I took a boom box and Blue Merle cd and swept my husband away to our new home, we plugged the boom box in the kitchen and tried (more like I waddled) to dance to one of our favorite songs “Lucky to know you”. We moved some stuff in on Friday, set the baby’s room up and the kitchen on Saturday, Sunday was Easter and we had to host a concert on Sunday night at the church. I had several contractions that night and Monday morning woke up with tons of energy unpacking boxes and doing laundry until one contraction that sent me to the doctor and then on to the hospital, a few hours later little Jonah William was born! Two days later he came home to his house, his room, and his camping chair (a whole other story itself). So, you see there is quite a history for this restaurant. The kitchen was christened with a dance and a kiss, a baby was brought home here just in time, and dinner tonight was full of all the love and memories of our family of 4. This city is full of places to eat, but if you’re ever in Chattanooga, feel free to come home to our house and join us for dinner.

Back in Chatt-town, TN. I missed our boys so much, it took all I had not to wake them up at 1:30 in the morning when we finally got home. The next morning was worth the wait, they were so happy to see us, even though they are still to young to have a true sense of time–9 days was long enough. The life we live tends to be very stressful. I don’t understand how doing things we do can produce so much stress, but they do. We hit things hard and heavy the moment we walked in the door, but this time we are really trying to have an attitude adjustment and RELAX. See, I am so relaxed I am shouting in my post. So, to all of you who left LA and reality hit you in the face, I am one of the masses saying that there is more to life than what makes us go crazy. I am really determined not to go to the same place as before. Stress will be there, life can be crazy, God is always there, and He knows what is going to happen way before we choose to stress. So, from me to you, Hold on just a minute! Is any situation really worth the stress I am giving it? Nope! I choose peace and to relax even if I have to lock myself in my closet for a minute or two.

I knew that LA would have answers for us. It’s funny, I don’t even know the question anymore. Finding so many people that are at a critical part of the journey was so unexpected, but I value it so much. Surrounding myself with the same when I get home is crucial. It’s not LA that I needed, it was just LA used as a vehicle to get me to wherever I’m going.