A peek at the Nursery!

I'm not sure that " nesting" can describe the recent activity at the Harder house!  The bonus room is finished.  The garage is organized.  And in case you were wondering, the cabinets under the sink and in the laundry room are in order!  I think I am almost out of stuff to clean and organize..

The fun part has been Abigail's nursery.  Here are a few pics to show off our hard work!

I am so excited to pass down a few of the pieces of furniture that were in my room as a little girl.  We used my old dresser to serve as her changing table.

Emily, a very talented friend from my home town painted this adorable painting for Abigail and I love it!!  Sweet little touch to her room!

I can't wait to rock Abigail in this chair.  I have spent many precious moments already sitting in this chair and thanking God for her life and praying for her future.

I also need to get a better picture of the quilt on the ottoman.  My super crafty friend Rebekah made this for me and it is gorgeous!  I'm pretty sure it will show up in more pictures very soon!

And now we have what I like to call " Miller's greatest temptation"!  Miller is my golden retriever puppy and this box of colorful, squeaking toys is a magnet for her.  She tries to sneak into the baby's room and scope out the toys.  She especially has her eye on Sophie the giraffe..

Pitiful right?  She is so sad when we tell her no!

" Here I am to Worship" ~ A look back at 2011

Each year on New Years Day I look back through my journal and reflect on what God did in my life the year before.  It's really easy for me to just start making a new list of goals and prayer requests, but I have made it a discipline over the last several years to pause and give God all the Glory for what He has done for me.  As I sat at my kitchen table yesterday morning, flipping back through my 2011 Journal, all I could do was worship.


" I will sing the Lord's praise, for He has been good to me"  Psalm 13:6



I drove to church with tears in my eyes thinking back over 2011 and remembering each prayer that I poured out in my journal and how God proved to be faithful to me.  I tried to think of one specific memory from 2011 to really sum up what my heart was feeling.  That's when I remembered tasting the Jordan River.


I was blessed to go to Israel this past year and on one of our many adventures, I hiked through Tel Dan to the origin of the Jordan River.  This river represents LIFE throughout scripture and as I stepped into the cool water, I was reminded of all the good things the Lord was doing in my life.  I was reminded of my salvation and the life the Lord had called me to in Nashville, TN.  I was also reminded of the tiny new life that was growing inside me.  I remember kneeling into the river that day and worshiping my Savior.

We sang one of my favorite worship songs yesterday at church and the words of this old song really sum up my ONLY response to 2011.

'Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me'

Harder Family Christmas 2011

Christmas time is a magical season and one that I have come to love more and more the older I have gotten.  My family celebrates Christmas BIG and I think I carried a lot of the traditions with me into marriage - thank goodness Mike is a good sport!!  Our tree goes up the Friday after Thanksgiving of course along with a house full of decorations.

Starting the first year we were married, a new tradition began.  We pick out an ornament together each year to decorate OUR family tree.  This was our ornament this year.  Love!  This angel was made by precious hands in Africa.  Green Hills Church has a Fair Trade Sunday every year where you can buy gifts that help facilitate business in third world countries.  Isn't she beautiful?

One of the highlights for me this Christmas was being a small part of the ARK31 Foundation Christmas Dinner.  Tennessee Titan, Cortland Finnegan started this foundation to serve children with disabilities.  Specifically, children with Downs Syndrome and Leukemia.  This year Cabana Restaurant was gracious to host this event and Green Hills Church was able to provide rock star volunteers to serve food, bus tables, meet and greet families, and play Christmas music.  Click Here to learn more about the ARK31 Foundation.


This year I wasn't able to travel for Christmas so the family came to me.  Yah!  Something about having my house full of all the people I love and hearing Christmas music play in the background makes my heart so happy!!  I even broke out the china that was handed down to me for our family Christmas dinner!

Being a part of so many special moments this year has made my heart long even more for our baby girl.   I can't wait to hear her laughter and see her running with our dogs in circles through our house.  She will bring so much JOY to our home.  And then new Christmas traditions will begin for our family again.

Abigail Coming Soon!

Excitement doesn't quite explain the anticipation that I feel over this sweet baby growing in my tummy!  I can not wait to meet her and look into her face for the very first time.  As I pray for her little life and the journey of motherhood that awaits me, it is clear that my heart will never be the same.  

5 more weeks!

Poor dogs!  They have no idea how much their world is about to change..

So blessed by this man!  He is going to be an incredible Father.  I hope one day Abigail marries a man just like him. 

Psalm 139:13

" For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb."  

 Stay tuned!