Camping

Brian took off Friday and I only worked until noon.  When I got home, we were already packed up and ready to go.  We met some of our Indiana friends in southern Indiana at Spring Mill State Park and camped for the night.  I have been feeling pretty good lately and didn't want to miss out seeing everyone. Thankfully Rita and Phil had a site for their camper, so we were able to add our tent.  We were way back in the woods.  We didn't bring any food (how pitiful), we planned on going from site to site and mooching off of everyone.  Rita and Phil treated us to delicious chili for dinner Friday night and bacon, eggs, and toast on Saturday morning, and pizza for lunch.  Saturday evening we had a nice worship service and potluck dinner (mooched again).  We left about 9 pm and got home about 11:15 and showered and crashed for the next 10 hours.  We had a great time hanging out.  I wish I had taken some better pictures.  I only have a couple with people in them.   I would love to go back camping there again.  It was relatively close for us and so pretty. 

 Our camp site

 

Some of the people from our group - they have nice campers.  The blue tent in the background is Dave and Beth's. 

 

More campers from our group.  I love all the green.  

 

The only picture we took together.  We look cold, but it really wasn't - couldn't have been any better camping weather. 

 

Pioneer Village -That's a Civil War soldier walking down the sidewalk

 

Sawmill

 

Dave, Beth, Noel, and Elise

 

Such a pretty babbling creek

 

This garden reminded me of the book The Secret Garden

Thankful

 

Ultrasound confirmed today that our baby is 100% BOY!  We suspected we were having a boy since about 10 weeks, although I have felt really strongly since day 1 that it was a boy.  We could not be anymore elated or thankful.  

~I've had a few people ask me about foster parenting.  We are still waiting for our final home study.  Our case worker called me last week to give us a head's up that she is planning on trying to come out to our house next month, so hopefully within a month or so we will finally be approved.  Our goal is still to ultimately adopt.    

 

14 Week Update

Pregnancy Highlights:

Due Date:  11/18/11

Gestational Age:  14 3/7 wks

Size of baby:  size of a lemon

Morning sickness:  I occasionally have morning sickness,  but it's usually afternoon and evening sickness.  Praise Jesus - I had dinner Friday and Saturday night.  I've not had dinner since I was 5 1/2 weeks pregnant.  I was sick again on Sunday, but hopefully things are looking up for me.
 Total weight gain/loss:  I'm down 11 pounds -I'm down 2 more pounds from 2 weeks ago, but thankfully baby is growing well, so that's all that matters.  Unfortunately, Brian is still down about 5 or 6 pounds.  

Maternity Clothes:  Nope.  Most of my clothes are actually baggy.  I have a slight hard spot/almost protrusion on my stomach.  I wore a dress this past weekend and I could definitely see a little bump, so I was excited.  I'm still afraid that all at once I'm going to be gigantic. 

Gender:  Still looking like a Boy - We're about 99% convinced it's a boy.

Highlight of week:  Eating dinner!  It's now time to start putting on some weight.

Lowlight of week: Up all night Sunday night vomiting.  Ugh!  Will it ever end?

30

 ~First off, I'm 30!!  Whoa, where is the time going?!  

I've been so exhausted and sick that I haven't taken time to blog about my 30th birthday party.  Brian and my parents sweetly threw me a surprise party.  It was so great seeing everyone!  I was completely shocked!! Thankfully my camera was in my purse, but unfortunately only a couple of pictures were taken.  

I love this first picture - Addie's expression is so...cute!  I love that little girl so much.  She's so sweet.  At the end of the party she told mom that it was the best party she's ever been to.   

I had lots of help opening presents. 

 

Melissa, Michael, & Mary

I had the best day!  Thank you to everyone that came!  My 30th birthday was so special.  I'm so thankful I got to be with so many people that I love.  Thanks Mom, Dad and Brian for planning and throwing me such a great party!

12 week update

Pregnancy Highlights:

Due Date:  11/18/11

Gestational Age:  12 3/7 wks

Size of baby:  size of a large plum 

Morning sickness:  I occasionally have morning sickness,  but it's usually afternoon and evening sickness.  I can't open the fridge past 5 pm without getting really sick.  Poor Brian - I haven't cooked dinner since I was 5 1/2 weeks pregnant.  

Total weight gain/loss:  I'm down 9 pounds - so far pregnancy has been a good diet -too bad I feel awful.  Unfortunately, Brian is also down 8 pounds -that's so... not fair.  Since I haven't been cooking, he has been living on a small bag of popcorn almost nightly. 

Maternity Clothes:  Nope.  Most of my clothes are actually baggy.  I have a slight hard spot/almost protrusion on my stomach.  I'm afraid that all at once I'm going to be gigantic. 

Gender:  Looking like a Boy - not ready to confirm that just yet.  

Highlight of week:  Ultrasound today showed a growing, big bellied baby and we got a good look at his fingers and feet

Lowlight of week:  I was on modified bedrest for 4 days - I'm too exhausted to talk about it now.

Here's a sweet little profile shot:

Big News

Brian and I have been keeping a secret for a little while and I think it's time we let the cat out of the bag.  Our big news is that I'm pregnant!  I'm a little over 10 weeks.  My due date is November 18th.  We feel extremely blessed!  I took several tests 3 days apart because I was scared it was a false positive.  -Good old dollar store pregnancy tests. 

Some of the hurdles we had to go through were: 15 months of infertility, 3 months of Clomid, surgery in November, and a HSG in February.   I was diagnosed with endometriosis, cervical stenosis and fribroids.  We were going to try 2 more months of Clomid and then if that didn't work, we were going to start IVF in May. 

Brian started saying in January that he really felt we were going to get pregnant this year and I was feeling a lot of peace and joy in my soul.  We both felt that God was going to do something big in our lives.  I had been praying for God to bless us with a baby without any medical intervention so we would have no doubt where the baby came from and He alone would get all the glory, and amazingly we ended up getting pregnant without any medical intervention.

I can't even begin to say, "Thank You" enough for everyone that has prayed for us.  I'm thankful that our God hears our prayers and still does miracles. 

Thankfully the sonographers at my office spoil me and give me an ultrasound about every other day.  It's been amazing watching the pregnancy grow from a yolk sac to a baby with a heartbeat and arms and legs.  This is the backside of him, so you can't see his legs in this picture.  His head is on the left.  (I've been calling the baby a boy--I don't know, just a hunch)

Ephesians 3:20  "God is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine." 

Kristian Stanfill - Jesus Paid It All (Passion '06)