Moving along...

Well tomorrow marks week 9 and things are moving along nicely. My "morning sickness" is no longer in the morning, more like as soon as I walk into work. Maybe it's mental, or maybe the smell of something just rubs me the wrong way. But it's been pretty miserable. We've been slow, and just sitting all day long with an upset stomach is the worst. All I want to do is lay down and go to sleep, so I really look forward to getting home everyday. I try and go to sleep as early as possible, yet I still feel like I didn't get enough sleep the next morning. Though this baby is only the size of a medium green olive (as of tomorrow and next week), it sure is sucking all the energy out of me! But it's great... I'm so thankful there have been no complications this time around. When it comes down to it, I'll be sick all day, everyday to have a healthy baby in 7 months. Only a week & a half until we hear the heartbeat! Can't wait! This weekend will be filled with as much resting as possible... probably several hour naps on Saturday and Sunday. I've come to love my bed!

Oh so tired

This has been such a great week, seeing the baby for the first time, but man am I tired. I don't do very much at work... heck I sit all day long if I want to. But I am exhausted!!! It's 6:20 and I'm about to get into the bed and just relax. My whole body is sore - between the "growing pains" I'm feeling and everything else, this baby is making a big change! The "morning sickness" has never entailed throwing up, but the nausea last all day long. I won't complain too much, I know that it's just the hormones changing and my body getting used to this growing baby! 

Our peanut!!!!

Everything went perfect! There is a healthy 7 week 5 day old baby growing inside of me, with a heartbeat! It's too early to hear the heartbeat but we did get to see it. Man, what a relief. God is so good - His love endures forever. They say I will be delivery this baby on September 4th, 2009, but we all know they rarely come on their due date! I'm hoping for September 5th, my Mom's birthday. But hey, if the kid wants to come a little early I'm sure I won't have a problem w/ that after a long, hot summer with a belly. I go back in three weeks on February 11th. I will be almost 11 weeks at this point and they will be able to hear the heartbeat! I'll go every 3-4 weeks at the beginning, and then every two weeks toward the end. They will do the next ultrasound at 20 week s when we find out if it's a boy or girl! It's so unreal - the miracle of carrying another heartbeat inside of your body!!! We love everyone so much and are so thankful for the support, already. More to come....

7 weeks, 4 days

Our first ultrasound is in two days!!!! Needless to say I am very nervous. At this time 9 months ago we found out that our first pregnancy was not successful. Losing a baby, even one you weren't planning on, was one of the hardest things I've had to go through. But nonetheless, it was a great growing experience for both Adam and I. We learned to lean more on Jesus, because we know that through Him all things are possible. It was possible to move forward, and to not hurt anymore. I believe the experience opened up our eyes (well more so Adam's, I've always been a baby fanatic!) to the thought of starting a family. Starting a family at twenty-one and twenty-three, you say? I'm sure many people are either rolling their eyes, or in shock, but it seems natural to us. 

Here's a little history on our perfect, God-planned love story: We met back in the fall of 2004 when Adam and his band Chasing Victory were on tour. No, I did not at all even know who the group was, nor did I know anything about their show in town that weekend. I got a call from a friend one night that I knew from the past, and he told me he was on tour with a band from Georgia, they were coming to town to play a show and they needed a place to stay late that night. Turns out, they were told to leave the church they were going to be staying at because they covered a Bon Jovi song, how silly. So, my Mom being the cool Mom that she is, allowed the group of strange guys with piercings, tight jeans, and weird hair to stay in our bonus room for the next two nights. So I like to say that Adam sort of landed on my door step, because he did! It was not love at first sight, but there was definitely an initial attraction on both ends - but who was I kidding? This guy was in a band, traveled the country, and lived nine hours away from me. The thought of something happening was not even a thought in my mind. So they came and went, playing their show and hopping on the road for the next town. We kept in contact online, and that eventually turned into text messages and phone calls. When I began to get to know him as not just a kid in a band, but as a handsome, loving, honest man seeking God's plan for his life, I was done for. The rest is kind of history. We dated from November 2004-July 2006 when we got married, at the ages of 19 and 21. At this point, I had moved to Georgia after one semester of college in North Carolina, because the distance was just too hard. I knew he would still be on the road with his band, but at least when he came home, I would be there. It was a very, very trying time for me. I had never left my family for more than a few weeks, and not being able to hang out with my best friend (my mom) hurt so bad. Eventually I got used to it, got a job, started school, made friends. We also got a dog, Jack, as soon as I moved down because I knew I needed something to keep me company when Adam was gone. So as I'm typing this, we have been married 2 1/2 years, we have our own beautiful home, we have two great dogs (Penny was an addition in July), two great jobs, and a life that we known has only been made possible through the love of Jesus Christ. So, having a baby seems like the natural next step. I'm so in love with my husband, I can't imagine anything else being more appropriate than to carry his child for him. So, we're doing it! 

After the miscarriage we thought we would start trying as soon as it was safe. After months of thinking, I decided that I didn't want to end up getting pregnant right during the summer of my 21st birthday. We had so much planned, with traveling to NC to see my Mom and family, and traveling to Boston for my brother's wedding, that we thought we'd put it off a few months. Well then the thought of school came back into the picture, and having a baby was to be put off until I am done with school. Some people KNOW they are destined to be a doctor, or a teacher. Me, I go back and forth. The one thing I KNOW I'm supposed to do is be a Mom. I just love babies and family more than anything. So, a heart-felt talk we decided the timing was right, and we could do this. We prayed over the pregnancy that was to come, knowing that God would be in control as He is with everything. And He is with us through the good and the bad, promising to never leave nor forsake us. We weren't sure how long it would take to get pregnant. I had been off the pill for several months and I'm healthy - but we just weren't sure. No matter how long it took, we knew it would happen at the right time. Well, the right time was the first month! I had taken a trip without Adam to NC (he had to work) and had expected my period anytime during that trip. Well it never came, and I was to fly back home on New Years Eve. I was so anxious that I took a test during our New Years Eve  party and it was positive, right away! We didn't tell anyone, even though we were both thrilled. I got a few weird stares when I didn't drink champagne at midnight, but that's okay. So here we are. I will continue my education, taking one class at a time to pro-long my scholarship and keep my mind going. I only feel nauseous every so often if I don't eat a big enough breakfast with my vitamins. I'm VERY tried, sleeping all the time. And my boobs are sore - probably the most common symptom. Other than that, things are great! My pants all feel so tight, thought I've only gained a pound. Sometimes I have no appetite for anything, and other times I want to do nothing but eat. I'm so excited at the thought of being a Mom and having my own family. I can't wait to see the baby growing and to hear the heartbeat. Please keep us and our little blueberry (the size this week!) in your prayers!!!!!