Looking back, our time in Indiana seems a blur, but at the same time it seems like we were there forever. Ryan hit the ground running with opening the new Costco store in Mishawaka. He worked 70-80 hours a week, working tirelessly to do a good job and make a good impression on everyone he worked with. He never complained. I was so proud of him and all the hard work he was putting in. With his busy schedule, we hardly saw each other. It was very difficult for me especially since we were in a new home, in a new town, in a new state, with no friends or family and I was in the early stages of pregnancy. I felt so alone and confused. Why would God allow us to get pregnant now?? This was the worst timing possible!

I called my mom in tears and told her that I needed her to come to Indiana and be with me.  I was not doing well. All the changes were getting to me and I just needed my mom. She bought a ticket and was there a couple weeks later. Thank God for moms!! She flew into Chicago and since neither one of us had ever been there before, my dad surprised us by getting us an over night stay in a hotel close to downtown so we could play “tourist” and explore the city for a couple days. We had a blast! We ate Giordano’s pizza, went shopping for all things baby, and just walked up and down Michigan Avenue. It was exactly what I needed to keep going and I am so thankful she came.

I wanted to work and find a part time job so I could meet people and have something to fill my time, especially with Ryan gone all the time. I couldn’t have dreamed of a better job than the one that opened up right as I arrived in Mishawaka at a family owned Chiropractic center. The family who hired me took me under their wing and gave me a place to call home. They loved and supported me and Ryan in a time when we needed it the most. They were a complete God-send and I’ll forever be grateful for their friendship and the time we spent together. I get teary eyed even now when I think about how they even had a mini Baby shower in the office the day after we found out the gender of our baby. I came into work that morning to a pink banner, pink balloons, pink treats, pink everything, and, let me tell you, I cried. I didn’t cry like a cute little tear here and there. Oh, no. I ugly cried like nobody’s business. I was a giant, pregnant mess. But you know what? It’s one of the fondest memories I have of my entire pregnancy. So, I write all of this to say that God has a way of placing people in your life in the most unexpected way exactly when you need it. He knew that I could only handle so much, so he gave me them to bring encouragement and joy and advice when I needed it the most. God knows our limits. He promises never to give us more than we can handle and He fulfilled that promise in them.