Pure joy.

Our little girl is just melting my heart.

I mean, seriously, this little clip will melt yours, too.

Once again, God has gifted us beyond our imaginations.

xoxo, Anna N (and our joyful little punkie bean)

Laughter.

Is the best medicine.

No, seriously.  I have rarely gotten sick since my husband and I got married :)

Something about a beautiful friendship and marriage that just permeates your heart and causes sound to come out in the form of laughter/giggles/etc.

I have married a man who will dance in the kitchen while cooking, (in fact, he will dance for no reason at all) have staredown contests, teach me about "pigeon-poop stoops," make all the funny faces in the world, call me out in my bad moods, paint my nails, and love me more deeply when I am the least deserving.

I believe that is what true love is.  It doesn't matter at all if someone loves you when you are on top of the world, it matters how they love you when you are in dire need of grace.

"Laughter is the most beautiful and beneficial therapy 

God ever granted humanity."

Chuck Swindoll

Wait for a best friend (if you are wanting to get married)-not just a husband.  Truly, nothing in the world like it.

This was pregnant at 5 months...and I thought I was showing! I had no idea...

And he makes my whole family laugh (and they are pretty hilarious).

The reason wee one moves so much is because he makes me laugh so much.

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I had no idea about his moves before we got married. This man LOVES to dance.

Wee one update.

Lovely, peoples:

We had our 34 week visit on Monday!  

Okay-so now it is starting to feel real.  Believe it or not, I am kind of a realist (who has really high standards which makes me also a dreamer...) which is why it is just now starting to feel like we are going to have new names in 5.5 weeks.  "Mommy" and "daddy." Wow.

I didn't think I had been having any early contractions but the doctor said I was having one while she was measuring my stomach. I told her I just thought I had a newfound six pack :)  We are also measuring at 35 weeks which means the baby might be a bit larger! (I also think it will be muscly for the following two reasons: 1) dad 2)It moves ALL the time.)

Here is what started happening this week:  

I finally bought some baby clothes! Yes, it took me to 8.5 months to buy anything.  Reason being-we are now in the return zone so I have bought a few boy and girl items and can return.  Just wait til' you see the one below.  Husband says I have the right to be a silly girl about this stuff because I have been the baby's clothing for the last 8.5 months (not only is he handsome, he is also wise).

Side note: 

I LOVE not knowing if it is a boy or girl.  People always ask if I have a feeling and to be completely honest, I have prayed not to.  I have asked God to let me be truly surprised and that is exactly where my heart is. We have NO IDEA if this baby is a boy or girl and are just ecstatic that we get to steward the life of a child.  Wonder is one of the most powerful things in the world to me and we are living in it.  I seriously cannot even imagine the moment when the doctor will say, "Congratulations, you have a ?!"

Talk about tears. And our mothers...wow, they will undoubtedly cry :)

So here is the newest find.  I cannot deal with this. Or the husband.  I had to get the mini v-neck. It looks just like Matt (although he pointed out he doesn't have that color).  

Little person: if you are indeed a boy, please be IDENTICAL to your father. He is the greatest man ever and he will love you like you didn't know possible (how he loves me).  You are already so blessed and "abundant" doesn't even begin to describe the love you will be surrounded by.  God is so perfect in how He is forming you and I can't believe God wants us to be your parents.  

We are in love-with you, with each other, and with the Man who thought up this whole thing :)

And yes, that is the most rocking Christmas shirt that I bought four years ago at Forever 21. It makes my day just to look at it let alone wear it!!!!

xoxo, Anna N

A beautiful life.

This is a little (but long) post about waiting, beautiful things, great people and amazing grace. 

Why am I posting about this now? 

Answer: I want our daughter (if this is a girl), to marry a man just like her father.  And if we have a son, I want our son to be just like my husband.  Entirely.

Beautiful. Life.


Dear Ladies in waiting:

This has so been on my heart recently.  You see, I had the most amazing life up to the point my husband and I started dating.  I always said I wanted to marry someone that changed my life for the better and gave me a reason to transition from so many amazing things.  

I had the time of my life (I also LOVE my life now) before Matt and I started dating in October of 2009.  I lived with the most amazing women, in the most beautiful home, went to an amazing church, traveled the world, and was truly content. I was romanced by God everyday and really, I have never had standards set or raised in such a way as those few precious years.  

I decided to start walking with God back in 2007. I know a lot of people knew me as a "Christian" before that but lets be honest, I didn't know God at all.  I was good at knowing all of the "religious" things but really had no relationship with Him.  I didn't realize how much He loved me, how much beauty He saw in me, what plans He held for my future, and how He knew my heart.  I was "religious," like probably 90% of America.  But, as this nation has proven, "religion" does nothing for you other than give you a box to check off and a few specific cards to buy at certain times of the year.  There was something much more that God wanted me to know.

Coming to know who Jesus really was, that He is our saviour and one who shows us grace and truth and above all else, forgiveness, radically rocked my world.  My girlfriends thought my standards were high before and then I decided to actually accept Jesus into my life...that is when they skyrocketed.  My friends often ask why I am the only woman who tells them to raise their standards when everyone else tells them to lower them-it is because I have experienced what the Maker of my heart can do when I pray for big things and because of that, how could I ever want anything less for each one of you??? (If you have ever read this blog before, you know how MADLY IN LOVE I am with my husband...and my standards were through the roof for this one).

So here is my wisdom for you:  

1. Find out who God is.  He made you, He knows you, and there is nothing more beautiful in this world than BEING KNOWN. (you can ask me any questions about this) 

2. Get amazing girlfriends. I mean legit, solid, "I want to be like you" girlfriends.  

3. Live with these girls. 


4. Volunteer. No better time to serve others than now. It changed my life dramatically.

5. Seek God for your husband-not the bars, classes, etc. (I tried that: it cost me a lot of money and dignity).  

6. Find a man that you respect more every moment you spend with him.  Men become who you say and feel they are.  Date men that want to be greater men (and men that answer to God, not to man)

7. Don't live with a man, or sleep with him, before you stand before God and your witnesses and vow to love each other and say "NO MATTER WHAT".   I know people think that helps with the chance of not getting a divorce but stats still show that more people get divorced who live together first than people who don't.  This life is about faith and it is high time someone believed that you were the person that they would wait for the skies to fall for.  Sex is awesome-let it be captivated in marriage with your hot husband who said, "I promise to love you no matter what."  

I love knowing that my husband is the only one who has ever fully had all of me (I was 29 when we got married).

I know these are "old-fashioned" but I promise you, it is the loveliest "fashioning" I have ever experienced.

I hope this encourages all of you. I know many don't agree but I say this out of a girl who's heart has experienced real love and who's heart has experienced "something else."  Great love is all encompassing, passionate, sacrificial, all-knowing, "rock my world," sort of love.  


I want our daughters, if we have them, to believe this wholeheartedly. That they are worth it.

Please wait for it and let God romance you and set seemingly impossible standards.  ALL of my "impossibles" came true.  

"With God, all things are possible."  

Amen, sisters.

PS: My hot husband just did this:

And he even made me buy OPI :) If you know me well, you know I don't own one bottle of nail polish (literally, none) and had to go out and buy nail polish remover.  He thought I needed red nails for Christmas and wanted to help me.

Babe- I somehow love you more today than I did yesterday.  Thank you for loving me better than I thought humanly possible.  I love you smuch.

xoxo, Anna N

What a beautiful season.

The lovely agenda of the Norman's for this week-it is a GREAT week.

Monday- Carlasita's birthday party (Bachelorette Pad member)at Chipotle and Irving Street...I will track down photos.


Wednesday- The Solid Rock Christmas Party.  They had an amazing dinner and we got to sing Christmas carols then...they rented a small theater at Living Room Theaters and we got to all watch "Elf!!!!!"...I ate too much sugar and popcorn.  Not a great pregnant idea, PS. Oh, and one of the pastors dressed up as Elf!!! He is about 6'5" so it seriously felt like Elf was there!


Thursday- Jan's Christmas Tea with nearly 100 beautiful ladies and amazing worship music, great food, everything amazing in the barn with all things awesome.  


Friday- Jimmy and Heather's Christmas Ball is tonight!  It is going to rock. Let's just say that couple could win any dance show-hands down.  And she has a little surprise up her sleeve (although I don't think her dress has sleeves-whatev)


Saturday- Matt's work Christmas party at the Governor Hotel (complete with a menu full of all things great that Jake's can make)!


Sunday- church and an acapella Christmas concert and possibly, just maybe, a trip to Ikea.


I wish I could express how loved I feel this time of year.  I am SURROUNDED by people that I would call angels on their worst days.  We have amazing parents, incredible siblings, beautiful friends, a home...and have I mentioned this week how unbelievably gracious and loving my husband is? Babe, as Jim said about Jan last night, "I love you so ridiculously much."  


Ladies: let the Maker of this universe romance you first and set your standards and rest in who He has for you to marry. You will forever be grateful for the joy that is proven in His perfect will.   And thus, marry someone you respect with all that you are. ALL.  


Off to find an outfit that this watermelon "accessory" can fit into (which is getting more difficult by the day). This pic was at our Christmas Party last week with the Comers-the wee one has grown quite a bit just in a week :)

watermelon.

Have the loveliest of weekends.


xoxo, Anna N


Next weekend is CHRISTMAS!!!! So excited to celebrate the joy that that day represents for all of the world.

Purpose (and 28 weeks) and Joy.

Morning, lovely, lovely peoples!

Something our pastor said last week that has had me thinking ever since then:

No, but really.  What if I lived like someone who deeply desired everyone to know the love of Jesus: everyone from the homeless people at nearly every stoplight in PDX to the people who don't want to talk about religion at all (PS: I don't like "religion" and neither does Jesus :) Religion is man's attempt to get to God versus accepting God's grace coming to us)?  Tough Monday question but one worth asking and one that has had me convicted for a week.

Also, I introduce to you the Christmas (I was soooo happy it fit-barely...) shirt I put on today (as well as the 7 month belly).  Oh, and one more wee fact for those of you who have not been pregnant, a detail which I was totally unaware.  Did you know women are actually pregnant for 9 months and 3 weeks which means...it is almost 10 months!!!  I know, and people out there thought I only had two months to go :)  

xoxo, an often pensive soul

Anna N

Babe-thanks for working so hard again this weekend. You become more awesome (and funny) everyday I know you.

Ladies-PLEASE wait for awesomeness.

A week of lists: Random things learned at home.

So I thought that this week would be a great week for lists. No, I have no particular idea as to what they will be but I so do hope they will encourage you in some way!

xoxo, Me

In being a stay-at-home wifey I have learned the following:

1. Do not go to Costco at lunch time.
2. Do not go to Costco on the first day the coupon book comes out.
3. Target is bound to lead you to someone you know and to items you do not need.
4. Another thing about Costco: it is best to go with someone- accountability (ie: my sheepskin rug).
5. It is easier to waste time than it is to make great use out of the time I have been given.
6. Go to antique stores outside of Portland.
7. I am not good at book clubs.  If I love a book I finish it in 2-3 days and have a very hard time going a chapter a week.
8. I miss the country. Running in the country, the views in the country, the smells.
9. Libraries are the best (and if you pay taxes, you likely pay $200-400/year for them so use it!)
10. I am not allowed to have Pirate's Booty in the home.  It disappears.  All during the hours my husband isn't home.  Also, no Oreos.
11. It takes a lot to learn to not isolate yourself and to reach out as often as possible.  I am a people person but I am also a total independent and need to remind myself I am here to serve others, not myself.
12.  I am blessed. I hope I will say that in all circumstances. Please hold me to that.  I always want what is right to be right-not situational.
13. I don't miss my job.  Not one bit. I was certainly thankful for it while I had it and now I am thankful for where the road leads next. I do miss the gas card...
14. Berry farms have odd hours.
15. Grace is abundant in my life and my friends prove such.
16. Beauty is compelling to everyone.  Everyone.  Something fascinating about that thought...
17. The Bible never gets old. It gets hard to read somedays but it does not get old. Amazing. I have so much left to learn and am grateful for the grace to be becoming who He already knows I am.