Baby Bumps and More Favor

This weekend was my cousin Matt's wife, Laura's, baby shower for the girl with the mystery name! I wasn't able to go due to the extremely long drive...but my mom sent me pictures and I thought I'd share. She looks SO cute and her friends did such a great job of planning the shower from what I got to saw through the camera lens...we can't wait for this baby. I will share a few pictures of what we got her...

UPDATE on God's favor:
Howard called the owner of our dream house again on Saturday just to further go over our offer with him and talk more about certain details pertaining to the house. I guess he seemed kind of fifty/fifty about it, so now it's just up to what is supposed to happen. We were kind of bummed, I guess just thinking he would immediately say, "Ok sure!" or that we would get more of an idea which way he was leaning on the issue. However, I am determined to not lose faith, because things do take time and maybe it will just take God a bit to work on his heart and to think, "Hey, maybe I should give these kids a chance." I know that anything is possible and will continue to believe that. THEN upon opening my inbox this morning, I read Joel Osteen's daily message and here's what it said...

Set Your Hope
Today's Scripture
“Set your hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace (divine favor) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed” (I Peter 1:13).
Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
Is your hope set on God’s divine favor in your life today? One translation of this verse says, “Look forward to more and more of God’s favor.” That’s God’s dream—to pour out His goodness and grace upon you. He wants to help you get ahead in this life. He wants to lead you to the right job. He wants to lead you to the right relationship. But here’s the key: we have to be on the lookout for more of God’s favor. That tells me that we can’t get stagnant. Don’t ever think that you can’t rise any higher. God wants to do more than you can even ask or think. It says in Ephesians, He wants to show us the immeasurable, limitless, surpassing greatness of His free favor. In other words, God wants to go far and above what we’re used to! He wants to show you favor in unusual and extraordinary ways. Set your hopes higher today. Increase your expectations of what God will do in your life. As you open your heart and mind to His unlimited favor, you will experience the abundance He has in store for you!
A Prayer for Today
Father, thank You for your increase in every area of my life today. I choose to set my hope in You knowing that You want to do more in my life than I can ever imagine. Teach me to be a vessel used by You today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bottom line: This is almost exactly like the sermon we heard on TV and how coincidental that I got it in my inbox today. But, there are no coincidences with God-so continue to keep us in your prayers.