Our beautiful blessing!

Our baby boy, Micah Carter Ulrich is growing like a little weed! We are so excited for this amazing opportunity that God has given us to be parents to His miracle. There is so much to do to prepare for our little one...lots of organizing our home and lives that Micah will soon be the center of! Cleaning, organizing, picking out a baby theme, buying furniture, clothes, baby essentials and diapers...lots and lots of diapers!

Darren felt Micah kick for the first time a few weeks ago and it was such an amazing sight to see Darren recognize outside of sonograms that there really is a baby inside! I feel Micah all the time- kicks, flips, hiccups and all! But seeing Darren react to feeling Micah for the first time brought tears to my eyes. We can't wait for our precious little Micah to grace us with his presence!

Big news ahead!

Darren and I are so excited to announce that a sweet little baby will be joining our family late summer 2013! Although unplanned, God has blessed us even more and we couldn't be more thrilled to expand our family! I found out we were expecting around six weeks from a little stick that changed our lives forever!

I had so many emotions and didn't think it was possible to be excited, scared and grateful all at the same time. It was a quite a surprise for us, but we quickly re-adjusted our lives as a couple to add a little bundle of joy! We had our first ultra sound mid-January. Darren and I were nervous, well mostly me because I kept having "mommy fears" - I had thoughts of "Is the baby alive?", "Is my morning sickness hurting the baby?", "Am I eating the right foods?", "Am I drinking enough water?". Then, we saw our baby on the screen - it all became real and tangible at that moment. Baby Ulrich was moving and grooving - and doing these body like thrusts, that made us laugh out loud! And hearing the heartbeat for the first time, there are no words other than to say, it brought me to tears.

Darren has been so supportive during my episodes of morning sickness, my extreme fatigue, and mood swings - but seeing his reaction to our baby on the screen made me even more incredibly proud and I thought to myself, "Darren is going to be an amazing daddy!"

Hugs & lots of love,
Tara

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb" Psalm 139:13

A Glimpse at Our Love Story.

Always, always, always a bridesmaid. Never a bride. Until now, that is! Darren and I met when I was in college. We had instant chemistry and had a lot in common. Our first date in fall 2004, we both made up an excuse to go shopping for new shoes. I bought a pair of $85 tennis shoes that were half a size too big. Who spends $85 on a pair of shoes when they are a poor college student? Surely, I could have used that money towards food. Oh, the things we do when we're In love! Many years later, Darren told me that he too disliked the shoes he ended up with and only wore them a couple of times. The first movie we saw together was The Last Samurai with Tom Cruise. I think that is when our friends picked up on the fact that there was romance in the air. We dated for the next several months. But being young and immature, led us to going our separate ways.

During that time, I remember telling one of my very good friends that I could wait until I was thirty years old to get married. Well, I guess God took that statement and held me to my word - I will be getting married just nine days before my 30th birthday! In actuality, I believe God was working in my heart, preparing me, letting me wander and fall and picking me back up (wash, rinse & repeat multiple times) until I was ready to REALLY face life's challenges and great blessings with my husband by my side. Darren and I reconnected after many years of being apart. Again, instant chemistry and lots of romance. It was like no time had passed at all. I was nervous because he had left me in tears as a young vulnerable girl so many years prior, but I opened my heart up again and boy, am I glad I did!

Darren and I have been dating for the last several years. We have had our fair share of ups and downs. Remember the wash, rinse & repeat that I referred to? Well, little did I know that God was working in both of our lives and hearts preparing us for the "unknown" through our good times, laughter, love for each other, disappointments, frustration and unmet expectations placed on one another. Through all of this and the Holy Spirit changing our hearts toward one another, we have found the best love for each other that began with His love!

On New Year's Eve 2012, following a Christmas apart from one another and following a pretty serious discussion with one another about commitment and our future - Darren nervously, but proudly asked me to be his wife. Of course, I said yes!! And the rest is history!

I had previously moved to Lubbock, Texas to be closer to my family. It was a difficult decision, but Darren is sacrificing a life he has made in Roanoke, Texas and is moving to Lubbock as well, so that we can stay living closer to my family. I love and adore this man who I will soon be calling my husband!

Soon after, I called my mom and sister who were excited to get started with the wedding planning! What a fun and sometimes stressful journey this has been. More to come, but for now - relish in our love story, that of course I think is my favorite!

Hugs & love,
Tara

It's been too long!

Sorry, friends for not keeping up with my blog! A lot has happened in just a short time, since my resignation from Denton County CPS in October 2012, which was a life-changer. God has broken me, built me up and blessed me with such joy in my life! I think this is a non-stop cycle of our relationship with Him: our continuous failures and His continual grace and faithfulness towards us. Praise God that He is such a big God that despite our sin, He can be glorified through any event, big or small.

Over the next few posts, my goal is to catch you all up on my life. But first before I end this post, for those of you who don't know....I'm getting married!!!! Darren and I will be joining our lives in a forever covenant on April 6, 2013. I am so blessed. I pray that we will glorify God in every step of our marriage and the beginning of our family!

Hugs & smiles to all,
Tara