Friends, I can hardly believe that this is the last Saturday in April and that it’s already been a month since my last blog post! Between our second wedding anniversary (on March 30th), Wes’ birthday (on April 1st), EMC’s 2-Year Anniversary (on April 12th), Easter, and everything else – this sure has been a packed month full of so much love and goodness – and I can’t wait to recap on all of it a little more throughout this post!
And most importantly, to end this post reflecting on the meaning behind this blog post’s title – Fearfully and Wonderfully Made – and what God has been teaching me through it all as we prepare to welcome baby Judson into the world so soon (his due date is at the end of May)!
So for starters, this past March 29th marked three years since I said my "best yes" to the man of my dreams when he was down on one knee...
...and March 30th marked two whole years of being married to the absolute love of my life and I love my sweet husband more than I ever thought possible.
Every day, I still can’t believe he’s my husband and is about to be the sweetest daddy to our little baby Judson on the way!
Being married to Wes has truly been the definition of “immeasurably more,” because I have tasted and seen the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord like never before through his Christ-like love, patience, kindness, gentleness, steadfastness, and grace - and know that he truly is my greatest gift from above! He continues to amaze me and is everything I prayed for and more in a husband (for all those years in my little “husband journal”), and I am the luckiest girl in the whole wide world to forever be loved and pursued by him!
I have fallen more and more in love with Jesus because of the way he always points and leads us back to Him, and for that I am eternally grateful!
You are the very best thing that ever happened to me, John Wesley Mabry! As I always say, I’d follow you anywhere!
After going on our anniversary/babymoon trip to Charleston the weekend prior, we got to go out for a nice dinner on our anniversary (the following Tuesday) and then got to celebrate Wes’ birthday just two days later! I always joke and laugh about the fact that we have all of our “celebrations” packed into one week – but, hey, it is always so much fun! I am all about a good celebration!
I took this photo of sweet Wes surprising me with tomato plants he bought earlier that week and wanted to plant for me so I’d have fresh tomatoes this summertime – and now it’s one of my very favorite photos of him! If this doesn’t represent this man’s precious and thoughtful heart, I don’t know what does! It was so fun getting to celebrate him on his birthday with bagels, yummy cheesecake, and dinner at his Nana and Pop’s house that evening!
And our sweet Red also graduated from “doggy school” training the next day, so we got to pick him up and celebrate him, too! We are so thankful for his main trainer, Renee, who worked so hard with him to make sure he was “baby ready” and did lots of practice with the little baby stroller and “pretend baby,” too!
Such a joy-packed week and so much fun getting to soak in time with my sweet boys before our sweet baby Judson gets here in just a little bit!
That following weekend, we headed down to Charlotte after church to spend Easter afternoon with my parents and had the best time! We even got to celebrate Wes’ birthday with some of my momma’s famous funfetti cake (if you know, you know) and it was just the best!
We have so much to be grateful for and loved getting to spend the day with those we love while celebrating the life and sacrifice of our beautiful Risen Savior – Jesus Christ!
1 Peter 1:6 - “Be truly glad, there is wonderful joy ahead…”
The weekend after that, I got to come back up to Charlotte for the sweetest Zoom baby shower that my mom, sisters (Judson’s “aunties”), and a dear close family friend threw for us!
I am so thankful for all of the love, prayers, kind gifts, words of wisdom, and support for sweet Baby Judson – and was so humbled by it all!
And then, just like that, April 12th marked 2 whole YEARS since I took the biggest leap of faith and started Emily Mabry Creative (EMC) from the ground up... and so incredibly humbling that there are now over 10,000 of y’all following along on this special creative page (over on instagram) where I get to share so much of my heart and passion!
Starting this lettering art business the week after our honeymoon and watching it transform and grow right before my eyes has been humbling and amazing all at the same time, and I can only give God the glory! He gave me this vision, but I had no idea it would turn into what it has now. It has been such a fun creative outlet for me to share my love of creativity and lettering art, while also a place for me to share the light, love, beauty, and joy of the Lord with so so many!
God gives us dreams for a reason, and it is so beautiful to watch them unfold as we trust Him and walk the path He has for us! And especially now, as we are right about a month out from our baby boy’s due date, there are not enough words to explain how much this sweet business has blessed our growing family - as we follow God’s leading for us and all that He has in store ahead with ministry (for Wes), parenthood, and chasing the dreams He has so clearly placed on our hearts!
I am so thankful for my “happy little corner of the internet,” as I’ve had lots of friends and customers refer to EMC as. But seriously, there are no words to describe how much I love getting to create happy and encouraging lettering art that sparks beauty and joy in the lives of others! My hope and prayer, now and always, is that EMC will be a welcoming and encouraging space that points people closer to Jesus, most importantly! He is the one behind, before, and ahead of all things that I do and I am so grateful to get to steward this sweet business of mine for His glory alone!
And now that April is coming to a close and I am over 8 months pregnant, time is truly flying by and it is absolutely mind-blowing to me that I am #35weekspregnant and sweet baby Judson is going to be here so soon!
It was so special getting to have our maternity photos done by the amazing @emilymoncusphotography – who captured such sweet moments for us to cherish and remember this season forever!
At church this past Sunday, we sang one of my favorite songs - “Canvas and Clay” by Pat Barrett and these lyrics at the very beginning made me tear up as I thanked Jesus for this sweet blessing of carrying His precious child in my belly during this season -
“In my mother's womb
You formed me with Your hands
Known and loved by You
Before I took a breath
When I doubt it, Lord, remind me
I'm wonderfully made
You're an artist and a potter
I'm the canvas and the clay..”
As the title of this blog post reads, being pregnant with my sweet baby boy has taught me a whole new meaning to the phrase - “fearfully and wonderfully made” as I have experienced the love and care of my Heavenly Father and seen so tangibly just how much He cares for this sweet little boy already. It is so beautiful and humbling to know that my baby boy is Jesus’ child, first and foremost, and that He is entrusting us to love and take care of Him - and most importantly, to raise him up to love and serve the Lord!
Psalm 139:14 - “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
I was just sharing with a dear friend the other day when we went walking, but it has been so humbling and beautiful to experience the peace of the Lord while walking step by step with Him during this season - in a way I never truly have before! Where I thought I would be anxious, He has covered me and given me a peace I never knew I’d have during such a new season as this and has just continued to show me how much MORE he cares for sweet little Judson than I ever could - and that’s a beautiful gift and so so freeing! I trust this sweet little boy’s life with Jesus because I know, trust, and believe that he is God’s child, first, and that his life and story is in the greatest of hands.
Isaiah 26:3 - “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”
I am so grateful for a growing healthy boy and all of the wonderful (and honestly, miraculous) ways my body has been able to be a vessel and provide for Him as I carry him into this world! And another sweet blessing has been getting to walk through this season being pregnant with my amazing older sister, sister-in-law, as well as so many of my very best friends! Getting to share this season with such a strong community of women has been a gift from Jesus that I longed and prayed for, and I have been so humbled by how specifically He has answered that prayer!
And in terms of our “plans” for this weekend, Wes and I plan to work on finishing up some last few little things in the nursery (can’t wait to share pictures of it with y’all soon), and to keep soaking in sweet time just the two of us (well three - including our puppy, sweet Red, ofcourse)!
Even though today is supposed to be a rainy day, this is always my very favorite time of the year – with all of the beautiful azaleas blooming all over our yard!
We have so so much to be grateful for – including sweet baby boy growing in my belly (who yes, like the nurses even commented at my appointment earlier this week, makes it look like I have a little basketball sitting under my shirt these days haha)!
Thanks so much for following along with all that’s going on with my growing little family – and I can’t believe that Baby Judson is going to be here before we know it! I am so beyond grateful for your support of my small business as we enter this new season of life as well as for your prayers and kindness through it all!
