Elijah Harmon Durst

What a whirlwind of a weekend! I feel like my feet haven't touched the ground yet and my mind can't stop thinking about this sweet little boy growing inside me. A boy! Can you believe it? Almost everyone that has guessed so far has thought it would be a boy. Jesse and I were certainly the last to know.

See that look of surprise. It's completely real.

These gender reveal parties have started becoming really popular so I knew before we even got pregnant that we would have one. Everyone thought we were crazy to have our ultrasound and not find out the gender until two weeks later but I have to say, it was completely worth it. I would not trade that sweet moment of seeing those blue balloons with so many loved ones around us for anything in the world.

The party was wonderful although I was a complete bundle of nerves the entire time. Bobbi-sue did an amazing job decorating and planning everything to be perfect. I couldn't help staring at the big box every few minutes and wondering what secrets it held.

When we finally opened it we were both so shocked. We have called my belly she and her from the day we found out we were pregnant. We were so sure it was a girl that it took a few seconds to register what those blue balloons actually meant. And then it began to sink in, I have a son and his name is Elijah. I loved being able to share his name with our family and friends. It makes him so much more real to all of us.

We picked Elijah because we both loved the name but we also both love the story of Elijah from the Bible. He was bold and on fire for God and that is what we want for our son. Jesse's favorite passage about Elijah is when he is taunting the Baal-worshipers that their god must be asleep or using the bathroom and that is why he hadn't set their altar on fire. After then having his own altar doused in water three times he prays this prayer, "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know you, O Lord, are God.." (1 Kings 18: 36-37) Fire falls from the skies on to the altar proving to all that God is who He says He is. Elijah is an incredible prophet not because of what he does but because of what God does through him.

For our son's middle name, we chose Harmon. As my sweet husband would tell you, the word Harmon means unconditional love. It means acceptance and laughter and a family that would go to the ends of the earth for each other. It means siblings, and cousins, and a joyous arrival of a nephew from China. We couldn't imagine a better name for our son.

Yes, I thought there would be pink balloons in that box and yes, there was a small piece of my heart that was sad when blue ones came out but I am so grateful and blessed that there was even a box to open. The sadness melted away to reveal only joy and excitement. I can't wait to meet my son. I can't wait for Jesse to teach him how to ride his bike and play hockey. I can't wait for him to go fishing with his granddaddy and to play catch in the backyard with his father. I am so unbelievably thrilled to be carrying a boy. A boy named Elijah.  <3