23 weeks...Merry Christmas!!

Adam and I have had a wonderful week! We both just love the Christmas Season! We have been in Birmingham with my family for the past few days, and we leave tomorrow for Mobile, to see Adam's family.

Last night and this morning, we all opened presents. I have to say, my favorite were the ones for Jackson!! I'll try to put up more pictures later of what all our little man got for Christmas.

Anyway, he has been moving alot!! Most of my family was able to feel the precious kicks. Even my sweet husband finanlly, after much anticipation, felt Jackson kicking and moving! It was awesome! I also feel like my belly has grown so much just over the weekend! I didn't get the chance to take as many belly shots as I would have liked, but here is one of the belly. I also included some family pics, and some of the awesome gift my brother and sister in law gave us for our baby! 

Taylor and Michael gave us a bassinet filled with anything new parents could ever want or need for their new baby! Like infant tylenol, thermomenters, lotion, shampoo etc.

Taylor, who is a nurse, also put together a little booklet filled with all kinds of health questions and answers, and information that she has learned from her work as a nurse, concerning infants and babies! I LOVE this gift! She even had the pediatrician she works with look over the book and verfiy that all of the medical information is accurate! The book has information like when to call your doctor, what kinds of shots to get, even, how to distinguish different kinds of baby poop- Adam liked that page:)

Until the next entry, MERRY CHRISTMAS!:o) I hope you experience the overwhelming love of Jesus this holiday season.

Thoughts from DAD...22 weeks

 

Thoughts from DAD:

Well, he is almost here! I can’t wait till “Little Man” (this is what I’m calling him) gets here to bless us with his presence! I can’t believe he won’t let me feel him kick. He is moving around like crazy, but every time I go to feel him kick, he won’t even budge. I can’t wait to feel him move for the first time!

As I think about becoming a dad, lots of questions start to arise from inside of me. I’m wondering if they are the same questions every dad asks when he finds out and embarks on the journey of becoming a first time dad. Questions like, What do I do now?, Am I as happy as she is? Am I ready? Especially when I think of giving our baby boy his first bath, oooh frightening! And even though sometimes I feel like I’m paralyzed with fear, the burst of excitement always stomps on the fear as I think about my little boy.

The one thing I’m thinking and praying about most is how I can model leadership to my boy. Being in church world I think about leadership pretty much all the time. But now leadership is taking on a whole new meaning. I’m praying that God will give Jackson the pleasure and honor of being a gifted leader. I’m praying that people will be drawn to him, that He will have a giving heart, and that he will place others above himself. A leader worth following is someone who counts the other person above and better than himself. This is how Jesus modeled leadership. This is how I want to model leadership to my boy through my relationship with Monica. And I know that if I model this well for Jackson, he will become and develop into a leader worth following!

Things that are exciting for me right now:

-          Parenting together with Monica (She is going to be an awesome mother)

-          Thinking about Jackson’s first Christmas next year

-          The people that are surrounding us during this time to show us they care

-          The guys in student ministry telling me “You’re going to be an awesome dad.”

-          Thinking about what “Little man’s” personality is going to be like

-          Thinking about the first time we go snowboarding together

-          The guys saying they can’t wait till he is born

-          Hearing Edward fountain (Our pastor’s son) telling me he is going to teach Jackson how to play football

-          Bringing him home from the hospital

-          Well of course getting all the gifts

Here are  couple of pregnancy pictures of Monica at 22 weeks. She says Jackson is really poking out in theses:

21 weeks! and 25 years!

So we just celebrated my quarter of a century mark! As of Sunday, I am 25! And I did have a fabulous birthday:) It technically started on Wednesday when I got a couple of birthday packages in the mail. I just didn't think I could stand looking at them for 3 whole days and not opening them, so I thought, "Hey it's my birthday! I'll open them now!" 

Then on Friday, for part of my birthday present, Adam and I planned to go see A Christmas Carol, put on by a local theater in town. I wish I could say that it was fantastic and worth every penny we paid, but unfortunately, it was horrible! Haha. I mean, it was so bad that we considered leaving during intermission, but since we paid an insane amount for the tickets, we stuck in out! We did have fun laughing through the whole thing. During a couple of the scenes, that were supposed to be serious, we were in stitches, trying not to laugh out loud. We felt like school kids in class trying not to laugh while the teacher teaches. It was ridiculous. 

On Sunday, which was my actual birthday, Adam took me to dinner. I picked the restaurant, of course, and literally had a blast doing so. I spent a good 20 minutes online before that night, reading through every menu in town, so that I could pick the exact meal I wanted to eat! And so I could compare desserts at different restaurants! The winner was- Longhorn Steakhouse! Call me crazy, but their menu just looked the most yummy! This is one part of the pregnancy I LOVE- food tasting DELICIOUS!

Afterward, Adam and I did my second favorite thing to eating right now. We went to Barnes and Noble, bought some coffee, found some comfy chairs, and read for a good couple of hours! I did read, why I don't know, Jenny McCarthy's pregnancy book. I'm not sure exactly how helpful it was-  but it was absolutely hysterical. (Be warned if you pick it up, she doesn't exactly have the cleanest mouth, maybe the funniest, but not the cleanest)

Anyway, for my gifts, Adam gave me a new turquoise robe.My sister gave me a pink one 3 years ago, and after wearing it every morning for 3 years, it was time for a new one. Along with the robe, he got me some new cozy socks.  Both of those gifts are perfect. Now that it is cold, and I'm expanding, I change into my robe and cozy socks every afternoon when I'm done with my stuff for the day. He knew exactly what I wanted! He also got me the new Carrie Underwood cd. Although I must admit that I think she's a bit of a sell- out, I do love, love, love her music. 

As far as how I'm feeling, I am honestly feeling great! The second trimester is really a breeze! I have a feeling the third one will get slightly more difficult;) Jackson is also getting stronger. A few weeks ago I could only feel him move if I was sitting very still, but now I'm starting to feel him move around even when I'm moving! It is so fun! I also feel like I've grown a lot over the past couple of weeks. Even the top of my belly button is starting to poke out the tiniest bit. Adam thinks it's cute...haha. 

Overall, we are doing very well. We are just preparing for the many Christmas parties we have going on these next few weeks! My heart is so full this Christmas season. I am just so thankful for our little boy, and so excited to celebrate Christmas with him next year! Here are some belly pictures, and come other pictures we've taken recently:


 It is amazing the difference with my shirt down, and my shirt up! And it is amazing how what you wear can really make all the difference! The first few pictures were taken today, and the birthday ones were taken yesterday! Crazy how a tighter shirt can make you look more pregnant.

The belly is growing!

20 weeks! Halfway there!

I'm really finding it very hard to believe that we are at least halfway there! Honestly, this pregnancy has been such a blessing. God has absolutely blown Adam and I away with his provision, and sheer blessing during this pregnancy.  You know, while we were praying about having children, Adam and I decided that when I got pregnant, we would do everything we could to honor and glorify God in this pregnancy. We wanted to reclaim, if you will, the idea of pregnancy and show people that pregnancy is from the Lord, and if we allow it to be, it can be a beautiful picture of God's relationship with us, of our total dependence on Him. Each night of this pregnancy, Adam and I have prayed that God would keep knitting this child together in my womb for His glory and His kingdom. 

If anything, Adam and I have learned that we can do NOTHING! We are totally dependent on God to keep this child alive and healthy. As sobering as that thought was the first trimester (since I was dealing with fear), that truth now has rested in my soul, and has provided me with the freedom to truly enjoy this time.  If we can do nothing, then we must surrender every second of every day to the Lord- and that has changed our lives.

As far as the simple stuff goes, here is a rundown of symptoms, cravings, oddities, etc. that I am experiencing:

CRAVINGS- nothing! haha (am I the only pregnant lady yet to have craved something weird??)  but I am still very very hungry!

SYMPTOMS- one small nose bleed- gross uh?!; insane dreams; long fingernails; multiple trips to the potty during the night (baby sits on my bladder:) ;  increased sense of smell (which can be good and bad)

ODDITIES- so they say that when you are pregnant some women have patches of skin that change colors, as for me, there is one spot on my right knee that is now several shades darker than the rest of my leg! Funny uh? At least it's not somewhere more noticeable!

Ok so I left off a couple of symptoms that I'm sure you do not want to hear about! For the super curious minds, you can email me, and I will be glad to fill you in:) 

Let me leave you with two precious notes. First, I feel baby Jackson kicking everyday, and I absolutely LOVE every small reminder that he is in there, alive and active! Sometimes he punches, sometimes he kicks, and lately he's been doing flips, that honestly feel very strange! When he flips, my whole stomach feels like it vibrates. Adam has yet to feel Jackson kicking, but he has started talking to our little man. He tells him the cutest stuff, mainly things like, "Your mom is so crazy! Can you believe she married me?" haha, or "Jackson, sooner or later you are going to have to kick hard enough for me to feel." I have a feeling, he will do just that in the coming weeks! 

Second, I thought this was so precious, I just had to share. When we told our pastor, his wife, and their 4 kids that we were having a boy, they made a very big deal about it! They were all so excited for us! Even the kids were beside themselves. Anyway, their little daughter, who is 5, and who asks about Jackson each time she sees me, came up to me, put her little hand on my belly and said, "Monica, God has blessed you." Of course, my eyes filled with tears. She is right. Jackson is a blessing, and God has indeed blessed me. I love when God chooses to use children to speak truth to us. 

I hope you and your family are having fun decorating for the holidays! I pray we all remember the truth of why we celebrate. Don't let this Christmas pass without sharing time with the God who gave us everything so that we may know Him. Praise Jesus!

And finally, here are some 20 week pictures! Enjoy!

19 weeks and growing:)

Well, I must be honest, I am still on cloud nine just thinking about our little man Jackson! We are just SO excited that we now know who is in my tummy..... AHH! It's amazing!:)

This past weekend we had our annual fall retreat for our students at church, and let me just brag on my husband a minute. He is the most amazing Student guy in the ministry! We took about 60 students to this retreat, where we combined with 2 other churches. Adam created the vision for the entire weekend, and I must say all 200 students had a blast. They learned more about themselves and how to connect with God, the way God made them. Adam also coordinated "The Amazing Race" on Saturday, where all the students were put in teams and competed in a series of events, which they LOVED!I love my husband so much, and I love working beside him watching God change students lives!

At first, I was a little nervous how I would do at the retreat, being pregnant. But, it actually went very well. I ended up getting a full bed to myself:), and the hospitality team let me eat early a few times when I needed to. Adam was great about telling some of the adults who didn't know me, that I was pregnant and that if I ever needed to eat, they needed to help me find some food:)! 

Jackson has been moving more and more lately. I feel him everyday, and love every minute of it! I was hoping that Adam could feel it, but I don't think his movements are strong enough yet. One night he was moving so much, so Adam put his hand on my stomach. Unfortunately, every time I squealed, "Did you feel that?!" Adam shook his head no, haha. And I would respond, it never failed, with "You didn't feel that!?" in which case Adam would say, "Nope, not a thing!" This little game went on for about  5  minutes before we both gave up, and resigned ourselves to the fact that we needed to wait a couple more weeks before he would feel it. But when he does, it will be amazing!!

We are very much looking forward to Thanksgiving, me mainly because of the food:o) But no, we are very excited about seeing family as well. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'll leave you with some belly pics:

IT'S A BOY!!! .....18 weeks

Well, I'm sure you know by now, that IT'S A BOY!!! And I cannot begin to explain how happy Adam and I are. In my heart, I wanted a boy first so badly, I even prayed right before the ultrasound, "God you know my heart, and you know my desires. Prepare my heart for either." But even as I prayed that, I knew I just really wanted a baby boy. So after 10 minutes in the ultrasound room, watching him squirm and not knowing yet what he was, when we finally saw his little man part, I burst into tears! And...Adam yelled, of course:) 

Honestly, I have to say that the moment  we found out the gender of this baby, has to rank up there as one of the most amazing moments of my life, and not just because Adam and I found out we were having a boy, but because in that moment, this baby became so very real to us. We have been praying for "this baby", but after that moment, we could pray for Jackson. Oh- I just can't explain how full my heart is!


Also, he has been moving a lot more- not as much as I'd like him too though:) Each time I sit down, I try to coax him to move by rubbing my belly, or talking to him, or pressing down. When he moves, it is the most amazing thing!! Up until the other day he had been giving me tiny pokes, but in the car 2 days ago, he kicked so hard I squealed out loud!!Well I'm sure his kicks will get much harder, but for what I had experienced up to that point, that kick was SO FUN!! 

Anyway, thank you so much for being so very excited with us! We can't wait to see what all God is going to do in our lives through the rest of the pregnancy!

This baby is moving!....17 weeks

Well, I am a little over 17 weeks now! How incredible:) Two monumental things happened this past week:

1)I FELT THE BABY MOVE!- At first I thought it was my imagination, but it keeps happening. I feel the tiniest pokes and prods, and I absolutely love it. Only once has it been really noticeable, after I ate lasagna:) When I felt it, I literally laughed at loud, and Adam looked at me like I was crazy because to him, nothing funny had happened. But once I told him our baby was moving, he was so excited! We can't wait until the movements are so strong that he can feel it too!

 2) The second monumental thing that happened this past week was I had my first true, incredibly strong, undeniable craving- COKE! I know, isn't that so boring? I wish I could say that I craved something fun like cantaloupe with jalapenos or something, but nope, just good old fashioned cold Coca-Cola! I didn't let myself have more than one a day- HA- but when I enjoyed a can, it was the best thing I had ever put in my mouth:) After 4 days of this, I think the craving is dissipating; we will see what is next!

**Tomorrow is the the big day! Adam and I find out what we are having:) I am SO excited; I cannot tell you how excited I am. In fact, I have been dreaming about the big event for days now, each dream leaving me unsure, of course, what the sex of our baby is. Honestly, I'm not sure how I will sleep tonight!! AHH! It is going to be great:)

 I did take a couple of prego pics today, and it is becoming undeniable that I'm pregnant. Sooner or later I won't have to convince people that, "No, really, I'm not joking. I promise I'm pregnant!" I'm posting 3 pictures; it's amazing how different my belly looks when I'm turned just slightly! (And yes, I am wearing my first pair of maternity pants!)

I guess that's all of the updates for now! Please keep praying for this precious child:) Our God is so good! Have a blessed day:)

Camera was M.I.A.

Hello readers:) My camera has been m.i.a.. BUT  I have it now! I will take some new pictures tomorrow, and you can expect to see a new post within 48 hours! Until then....know that I have been having an incredibly strong Coke craving- Coke has never tasted so good:)

16 weeks... "Desert Song" by Hillsong

A few months ago Adam and I went on a mission to trip to Bosnia. While on the trip, I felt incredibly connected to God. I was able to be completely open and vulnerable with Him about my hurts, and fears and dreams. I think because we were so inundated in God's work, it was easier for me to be honest with God on a more personal level.

One night on the trip, while going to sleep, I was overwhelmed with hurt from losing our first baby. And I literally felt my heart aching with the desire to get pregnant again. In that moment God led me to a song. I listened to that song over and over each night of the trip. The lyrics that resonated with me were, "All of my life, in every season, You are still God. I have a reason to sing. I have a reason to worship".  No matter what, God is still God, and I have a reason to worship Him. The two weeks we were in Bosnia God was very much working on my heart. I prayed that God would give me a new prospective, that God would teach me to trust Him, and wait on His timing. Each night as I fell asleep I prayed, "All of my life, in every season, You are still God. I have a reason to sing. I have a reason to worship."

God heard my prayers and not too much longer after that trip we found out I was pregnant. Needless to say, because of the previous miscarriage I delt with fear for a few weeks. But God taught me how to overcome that fear. And this past Sunday God showed up again in a very real way in my life.

Our church was doing a message on pivotal circumstances, how circumstances both incredibly bad and incredibly good can alter the direction of your life. The truth of the message was that no matter how horrible of a situation you are in, God can still be praised, and there is still hope. The same song that I had listened to a hundred times before was on the schedule, and I happened to be scheduled to sing it. I don't believe in coincidences. The Lord orchestrated everything, and gave me the opportunity to sing that song.

As I stood there singing the line that had spoken to me over and over, I couldn't help but think of how 3 months ago I was clinging to those words telling God I would worship Him no matter what, and now I was singing those exact lyrics while a sweet child was being formed in my womb.  I can't explain how full my heart was in that moment. My God really does care about every detail and facet of my life, and He can be trusted with every detail and facet of my life. His timing is undeniably perfect. In horribly difficult times and in joyful times, "I have a reason to sing. I have a reason to worship"

Today I am 16 weeks pregnant, and I know that each day with this child is a blessing. Each moment God gives Adam and I with this little baby is a blessing, and no matter what happens in my life I know, "You are still God, I have a reason to sing. I have a reason to worship". 

16 week picture:

And so you can see how much I've grown...here is the 9 1/2 week picture:

Growth Spurt! 15 weeks

Baby Roberson had a growth spurt this week!! Or so, I think he/she did:) You know, I laugh at myself everytime I take a new picture. Each time I see my belly in a picture, I think it's huge! haha. And then I look at older belly pics and see nothing, when at that time I thought my belly was huge as well. I say all of that to say that in this week's picture, I really do see a baby bump! And hopefully in a few weeks when I'm even bigger, I'll look back at this picture and not think I was crazy for seeing anything.  

One with the shirt down....                                                     

And the ever growing baby bump:) 15 weeks

Here is some info. about the growth of our little one from Babycenter: (the writers just chose a gender; we obviously don't know yet what we are having)

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl!

Adam and I couldn't be more exited about finding out the sex of our baby! Only 2 1/2 weeks, and we will know:) I've been feeling wonderful so far. And no crazy cravings to mention....yet!

Adam and I are also trying to nail down some names. We are both very indecisive people, so as you can imagine,  this is a difficult task! Just as we think we've decided, we change our minds again! Choosing our child's name is a HUGE responsibility! We want it to mean something honoring, to not have weird initials, to be different but not too different, to reflect us as a couple...and the list goes on a on...HOWEVER. I do say that we are having fun deciding all of this. And if you have any suggestions, please send them our way. And of course, as soon as we know, you will know:)

Tonight we are off to the Corn Maze with our highschool students (who by the way, think they know exactly what we are having and are fighting over who we will choose first to babysit;) I'm just thankful that we have some willing babysitters ready! Anyway, we are enjoying our fall, looking forward to the holiday season! Please keep praying for me, Adam and baby roberson:) God Bless!

Welcome Fall!! Almost 14 weeks Prego..

Welcome Fall! Saturday, Adam and I officially welcomed Fall. We started the day off at Honey's Hotdogs for lunch, which we believe have the best hot dogs around. Then we went pumpkin shopping and found "the perfect" pumpkin- according to Adam:) Who knew finding the perfect pumpkin would be so hard. Anyway, we also bought some fall decorations, and rented a movie. Once we got home, Adam carved his first pumpkin, and I do believe loved every minute of it!  Meanwhile, I made hot chocolate for us while we worked on the pumpkin! Here are some pictures of the grand event!:

Adam also took some more belly shots of me. Here I am almost 14 weeks!

So, there you go! Overall, I am feeling very well! Sleeping, on the other hand, has been quite interesting to say the least. I am used to sleeping on by back and stomach, neither of which is comfortable when pregnant, so I'm using a body pillow to be more comfortable on my side. It has worked so far! Adam and I are super excited about finding out the gender of our little one. We can't wait to know, and we can't wait to tell everyone. I hope you all are enjoying your fall:) Thanks for the continued prayers!

Exciting News!

This is a precious picture of what our baby should look like right about now! He or she is just about the size of a peach. Of course all pictures are averages, but isn't it fun to see a glimpse of the uknown:)
Well we have some really exciting news- but I'll get to that in a moment! Yesterday I had my third doctor's appointment, and it went very very well. The sweet nurse, who is pregnant and as far along as me, swept the doppler over my tummy so we could hear the baby's heartbeat. She had trouble at first getting to the heartbeat because she said my little baby kept moving! How precious right?!? I mean I know my baby is movinig, but to have her confirm that melted my heart.  Anyway, his/ her little heartbeat was very healthy-152 beats per minute to be exact. It actually cracked me up that she could even find it. Everytime she said, "Can you hear that!?" I couldn't! haha...but after much trying, I was able to clearly hear that tiny beat of life! My doctor then came in and immediately asked me, "So how does it feel to be in your second trimester?" Which threw me for a loop, considering I've been counting how far along I am according to the last ultrasound, and according to my counting I was a few days shy of my second trimester. He laughed when I asked him what he was talking about. He then proceeded to explain to me that I've been a little too meticulous with my counting! And if you know me, that sounds about right considering I overanalyze everything! He went on to explain that the only ultrasounds that are pretty close to being perfectly accurate are the really really early ones. After that, he said babies grow at slightly different rates. So even if they had 10 ultrasounds done on me, each one would predict a different due date. All of this made sense to me, since some babies are twice the size as others when they are born. Anyway, so I've been assuming I was 12.5 weeks counting from how big the baby measured at the last ultrasound. But my Dr. said that since my last LMP (for the sake of any male readers, I won't explain; you can look that up if you don't know what it is) was only 4 days in variation from the ultrasound, we can assume I'm right on track, which is 13 ish weeks!!! He said that he and I have to be on the same page, so I've gotta quit telling people I'm in the 12th week when I'm halfway into the 13th week. Of course, I was thrilled, and wholeheartedly aggreed to quit counting, and just trust him when he says I'm almost 13 and a half weeks!
Now, on to the very exciting news!! I then asked my doctor when the big ultrasound would be, where we could find out the gender, and to my ultimate suprise, he said he does those ultrasounds between 17-18 weeks!! So...he said I'll be able to find out at my NEXT APPOINTMENT!!!! Which is in about a month! I was so sure I would have to wait until 20 weeks, so my analyzing self asked, "Are you sure you can determine the sex of the baby that early?" And he said that they have never in his history of working with the ultrasound tech women he works with, have ever made a mistake when determining the gender at 17-18 weeks! So that's when he does it. I was so excited that I let out a little scream! I told him he made my day, and he just laughed:) I hope you can sense my excitement as I type this! The second I walked out of the office I called Adam, so he could be just as excited as I was! We are thrilled!!! Only a few more weeks before we can know more about this precious baby I'm carrying!
I plan on taking another belly shot this weekend, but I'm not sure much has changed this week. I'm still doing really well though, enjoying this beautiful fall weather, looking forward to Christmas. Please keep us in your prayers! Be blessed!

Super-Sensitive Tear Ducts:)...12 weeks

I am home!! And so is my husband:) Being gone 7 days felt like a month! But don't get me wrong; I LOVED the entire week! I met some of the most amazing people at the reThink Group, and Adam and I sat in some inspiring sessions at Catalyst. Let me give you a few highlights of the week:

* meeting the 6 other PDD's who do what I do for reThink
* meeting with the geniuses who write the curriculum for reThink
* hearing Rob Bell and learning that I won't covet someone else's life until I am completely satisfied with my own
*hearing Pricilla Shirer and learning that I have treasures given to me at the point of salvation that I've yet to uncover
*watching a Kenyan man reunite with the kind gentleman who had sponsored him for 19 years through compassion, and who ultimately introduced him to Christ (I was a sloppy mess, and everyone else in the arena was crying when we watched these men meet each other for the first time)
*taking communion with 15,000 plus people

An event like the Catalyst Conference that I worked at and Adam attended is hard to fully describe. At times in the arena, I felt like I had stepped into heaven. I cannot express how full I felt hearing thousands of people praising God at the same time, and most of the people were men. There is something about watching grown men humbly worshipping God that brings tears to my eyes. I spent a few  moments just watching my husband worship. I think everytime I watch him praise Jesus, I fall in love with him even more. Adam's heart is absolutely like none-other; I am one blessed girl! Another time I watched this woman, who seemed to be slow, worship Jesus like no one else was in the room. When I saw her, my heart melted and I cried again. (Are you seeing a theme? I cried at least 3 times each day!) Every day this past week I felt so privileged to be apart of the experience. The final night, all 15,000 of us took the Lord's supper together. That moment took my breath away. I kept picturing our Heavenly Father looking down upon all of us who were all looking up at Him. The Lord captured my heart yet again, and I prayed the entire week that one day our sweet child will meet Jesus and know Him the way Adam and I know Him. That will be a GREAT day!:)

Onto the baby updates....other than being tired and still being somewhat hungry, I feel pretty good. I can tell that my tear ducts are super sensitive:) Apparently that's from the hormonal overload I am experiencing. But, I can handle that, and thankfully, so can Adam! And I'm sleeping better through the night, not waking up hungry as often as I use to. I can't yet identify huge cravings, but I'm still opposed to plain chicken and sliced wheat bread, and now some creamy things like Spinach Cheese dip seems a little hard for me to swallow. But we'll see! Adam is with some of our students right now, so I had to try to take a picture of my belly by myself using the self timer. Here is the best shot I could get:

So there you go, that's me at a little over 12 weeks! Our little baby is about the size of a lime right now. Isn't that amazing:) I read that if I prod at my tummy, our little baby will squirm in response, even though I can't feel it yet. Also, this week, our baby's reflexes are developing. One day, his knee will jerk just like the rest of ours!  I have another appointment this week, where I should be able to hear the baby's heartbeat again! I think that's all of our news for now. Oh! This weekend Adam and I are pumpkin shopping! And here's a little secret....Adam has never carved a pumpkin! So we will do that together on Saturday! I hope you are all doing well. Please keep the three of us in your prayers! God bless:)

Busy, busy, busy!....11 weeks

In about 20 minutes I am leaving to go out of town for a week, and I'm pumped, not about being away from Adam for 7 days (which we have NEVER done), but about what I'm going to do. I'm headed out today for the mountains in North Georgia, where me and 7 other ladies who also work for reThink Group are going to have a retreat. I've heard nothing but great things about these women, and I'm excited to learn more about the job that I am doing. If you don't know what  I do, I work part-time from home, meaning I haven't actually met all of the women going this weekend (we are scattered over the US). The company I work for produces church curriculum for pre-school, elementary, and student ministries for churches. Well there is WAY more to it than curriculum; it's more of a mindset and vision for the church and family. Anyway, we will have our retreat for a few days. Then we are headed to work the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta. And Adam and one of his friends will be going to that conference, so I'll get to see my hubby :) I feel so incredibly blessed to do what I do, be able to meet the wonderful people I'm meeting, and partner with churches who are excited about the new way they are doing ministry.

On another topic, I am still feeling pretty good! I'm still hungry quite often, but I feel like I moved into the realm of most foods tasting quite yummy now!  Adam took another belly shot of me last night, exactly 11 weeks.

My next appt. is in about a week and a half! Yay! I know God is just growing and protecting this baby, and I can't wait to meet this little one. I'm not sure if I will be able to post anymore this week, but I will try! I hope you all have a great weekend:) God bless!

New Belly Pics!--and a Precious Story...10 weeks

Last night Adam took another belly shot of me, and I'm so excited because I think you can see growth!! The last picture I posted I was 9 weeks 3 days, and in this picture I am 10 weeks 2 days, so about a week's difference. See what you think:

One with my shirt down

One with my shirt up

You can see that everything's looking a little thicker! At first when I saw the pic I thought, well maybe I'm just bloated or I've eaten too much (haha, which is entirely possible) but both the picture from last week and the one from last night were taken at the same time of day. And I even tried to hold my stomach in just a bit! I think our little baby is just a growin!! (If you don't see anything, just humor me:)! )

On a different note, let me share with you the most precious thing I've ever heard. We have some dear friends who go to our church, and have a 4 year old little boy (who is VERY smart!) Anyway, he was sitting with his daddy and asked his dad the other day who his (the dad's) friends were. Our friend shared with his son several of his friends. Then his little boy asked him who his littlest friends were. So then, our friend told his son that his little friends included his son, his nephews, nieces etc. Then, (here comes the precious part), the little boy asked his daddy, "What about Adam and Monica's little baby? Isn't their baby one of your littlest friends?" (note that I'm crying as I type this). Of course his dad melted and said, "Of course that little baby is one of my friends." Then the little boy said, "I can't wait to meet their baby!" Isn't it absolutely astonishing how children think, and what they are aware of. His little heart is so big, and so practical that he already addresses our baby as one of his daddy's friends. AND, I'm blown away that he can't wait to meet our baby. When God initiates life, a soul is created. That soul is a person from day one of conception! Although this little boy can't explain the scientifics of it, he knows an important truth. Our little baby, from the moment of conception, has been and will be a human being, with a soul, loved by God!!

Change is Inevitable!

I knew that pregnancy would bring change, anything that phenomenal is going to change several aspects of your life. However, I didn't know just how prevalent that word would be in my vocabulary! It seems that everything is changing, including but not limited to....my body (wow!), my appetite, my lack of appetite, my sleep patterns, my dreams, how we spend money, how we save money, and how we make long-term decisions. I thought it would be fun to share with you some of what we have been experiencing :)

What I am eating ALOT of now
- Tomato anything (ketchup, spaghetti sauce, marinara sauce, tomato soup (you get the idea)
- Chocolate Milk
- Vanilla yogurt
- Cereal
- Fried eggs (and it is important that the yolk is runny!)

What I am NOT eating:
- plain cooked chicken (chicken slathered in BBQ sauce is ok)
- green beans
- sliced wheat bread
- hot dogs (this changes sometimes)

As you can see, I don't think I'm THAT picky. You know, when I heard of women getting cravings or aversions, I thought it would definitely be something that I would be aware of it that happened. But the truth is, in my mind, I think I am totally justifiable in that I just don't feel like eating certain things, meaning I don't think of it as an aversion. Likewise, I think it is totally normal to have 4 bowls of vanilla yogurt, or 5 glasses of chocolate milk in one day. That can't be a craving right!? Don't non-pregnant people like yogurt and chocolate milk. Anyway, Adam seems to remind me that, "No, most non-pregnant people don't consume that much cereal in one day!" Haha..oh well!

As far as symptoms go, here is a run-down of my current pregnancy symptoms. I'm only including the appropriate ones, seeing as how I might have some male readers on here :)

Symptoms
- crazy dreams (well I usually have crazy dreams, but these recent ones are incredibly ridiculous)
- the feeling of my organs shifting on the inside
- frequent hunger
- fatigue (like I've run a marathon, and I've only folded one load of laundry)
- increased sense of smell
- achy hips
- achy abdomen

At first I was VERY aware of my symptoms, but now, being pregnant has just become a way of life. If I feel tired, I lay down. If my back hurts, I stretch. If I'm hungry, I eat. I'm trying to deal with each symptom as it comes, and so far, things have been great!

One last change Adam and I have instituted  is re-budgeting to find ways to save money! I have called our cable company, and we are currently working on a cheaper plan. Adam has also decided to down grade our cell phone plan, getting rid of the media package, and hopefully changing our minutes since we don't even use all the ones we pay for. In addition, I recently bought a Bella Band  (http://www.ingridandisabel.com/), which I am PUMPED about. I found a site that I could buy the Bella Band from that had free shipping! Hopefully the band will allow us to save money, since it'll allow my regular pants to be wearable a bit longer.

So there you go. Those are some of the changes we are currently experiencing! Please keep our little baby in your prayers. God is constantly blowing our minds with what He is doing in our lives. One last note, today I came across the verse that says God knows the number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30). The awesome thing is that that verse applies to our baby as well! God is knitting this child together, and He is into every detail and change that takes place in this precious life. In a world where everything changes, it is comforting to know that God is in complete control. In a world where change is inevitable, it is comforting to know that we serve a God who is constant and unchanging! Be blessed!

9 1/2Weeks!

Whoo hoo! I am 1 1/2 days away from being 10 weeks:) I cannot believe I have been pregnant for over two months! Only about 7 more to go.  We have now officially told everyone, and by everyone, I mean any one who knows a friend who knows a friend who knows us, must know we are pregnant! Thanks to facebook and twitter, the whole world can find out in about 3 minutes.  Our little baby is now about an inch and a half long! And according to what I read, he/she is moving and kicking, and swallowing, and yawning!! Amazing uh?!

About a week ago we went in for our second ultrasound. It was such a wonderful experience! The minute the ultrsound tech pulled up our little baby on the screen, she said she could tell his/her little heartbeat was beating so fast! As we were watching our little baby, we saw our him/her start to wiggle around on the screen. Of course I started to laugh, so the baby kept moving! It was awesome! It was absolutely precious:) Both the ultrasound tech and the doctor said our baby looked perfectly healthy- as did I. Here is a picture of our little bean at 8 1/2 weeks. The baby's head in on the right, arm buds in the middle, and little feet buds on the left end.

As for me, I feel great! I am hungry though  EVERY TWO HOURS! I have never been this hungry in my life! But oddly enough,  I can't eat alot even when I try. If I don't eat when I'm hungry, or if I overeat, I tend to get a little queasy. Needless to say, I'm still trying to figure out a new routine that works for me. Adam, however, is such a servant to me. Several mornings he gets up anywhere between 4 and 6 am to get me a bowl of cereal, and he is helping me around the house when I just feel too tired to do anything. I married a wonderful man:)

Every morning I wake up hoping my stomach has grown enough for other people to tell, haha. But it hasn't yet. I think I can definitely tell a difference though. My pants are just starting to get a little snug. I can't wait until I have a little bump:) Adam did take a picture last night of me. See if you can see the tiniest baby bump:

 When I was giving blood the other day, I had a very emotional "defining" moment, if you will. I can take a lot of pain, and drawing blood is usually ok for me, but for some reason when the nurse stuck my arm  to draw blood that day, it was quite painful. In that moment, I thought to myself, "I would do ANYTHING for this baby. I would endure any pain and harship if it meant keeping my baby safe." Immediately after thinking that, God spoke to my heart. It was like He was saying, "Monica, that is how I feel about you. I did endure the most painful experience because I love you, and I would do it all over again." It is amazing to see how much God is teaching both Adam and me about who we are, and His love for us, through our ever-growing love for our baby. We serve a God who loves us beyond measure, who endured the unthinkable on our behalf. Praise God!

New Beginnings

It never ceases to amaze me how perfect God's timing is. This fall has been full of several new beginnings. I recently started a part-time job that I am able to do from home, just a few hours a day. I work with churches all over the country helping them implement their pre-school curriculum. Our church uses this curriculum, and I so believe in it that talking about it with other churches who are just starting to use it excites me!

Also, I joined the Community Bible Study (CBS) in our area. I take care of the older home-school students as their moms meet and study the bible. Another day of the week I meet with about 20 very Godly women who are also on the leadership team of CBS and we go through our bible study. And of course, as the Lord would have it, the theme of this year's CBS bible study is "New Beginnings"!

But perhaps the most amazing new beginning God has started in Adam and my life is our new little blessing! About three weeks ago I found out I was pregnant. I woke up that Sunday morning just feeling different. I can't explain the feeling. I've heard other women say, "you just know." And they are right. I "just knew". That night I took a pregnancy test, and it very quickly turned positive! Here is a picture Adam took of me that night, not necessarily the best belly shot, but we have 9 months to get that shot just perfect:)

About a week ago we went to the Dr. for our first appointment! Everything was so exciting! Even giving the bazillion viles of blood was exciting because it was apart of being pregnant! We did get to see our little bundle of joy on the ultrasound, and we heard his/her heartbeat, which the Dr. said was very healthy! Here is pic of our little baby:Please keep us in your prayers as we go through this incredible journey! "For You created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139: 13- 14.