Monthly Savings Link-Up...Coming Monday!

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I know today is April 30th, the end of the month, but our savings posts are still to come! Check back Monday. The link-up will be available then. I can’t wait to hear about all of your great savings! And now hitting the second trimester...I'm starting to get back into my savings mode so I actually have some good deals to share! Whoo hoo!

And if you are new to this, at the end of each month you have the chance to link-up (or leave a comment with) your monthly savings! Ashleigh from Thankfully Thrifty and myself are keeping a running total of our savings for the year.  We love it when you join in! You can link-up your monthly savings or simply savings from a great shopping trip you had. So if you haven’t already, write about your savings, grab the button, and then come back Monday to link up! I would love to have you join us!

bump update-week 11

*Disclaimer:  I'm way late on posting this...at this point I'm actually halfway through my 12th week, which I will post about at the end of it...this weekend.

How far along: 11 weeks

Babe size: Lime

Total weight gain/loss: Gained a pound according to doctor.

Sleep: Sleep is going well! I actually have to use the extra pillow less...but I definitely have to get up to use the bathroom more.

Movement: Felt a few flutters this week as well.  I'm still not positive it's movement.

Food cravings/aversions: Aversions are getting so much better! More food tastes good...praise the Lord! I am actually having some occasional cravings...but nothing too strong to mention.  I think I'm actually referring to things just sounding good to me now as "cravings"...when really it's just my appetite coming back. :) Because let's be honest...food tasting good again is a super milestone and something to get excited about.

Pregnancy Symptoms: Um things are starting to seem normal now...and don't stand out to me as much.  Still the whole gross gag reflex thing when I brush my teeth.  Food aversions are still there occasionally.  Metal mouth taste after eating or drinking some things.  Um and I guess I have to admit I spoke too soon last week...hormones are definitely firing up.  Poor things...it seems like it's mainly my kiddos at school that are getting the brunt of my impatience.  (Side note...my coworker that is pregnant told me she let her kids know that the bigger the belly got, the less patience she had....I think I may use that line. ha!)  Justin is seeing the weepy/crying side of me more often.  Let's just say people should be more cautious what they say around pregnant women.  Things that seem harmless...can do a number on your emotions!

What I miss: Not feeling so bloated and full (not as in full of food...just full) all the time...I guess I should just get used to it, huh?

What I'm looking forward to: Gender/first ultrasound appointment.  Can't wait!! (Any tips that have worked for you to make sure the sweet little one gives you enough of a "show" to reveal gender?)

Milestones: I'm actually in some maternity pants...because, frankly, I need blue jeans in my life again.  And I need to breathe in those blue jeans.

Best moment this week:  Hearing the heartbeat again! Such a wonderful sound.  And since we were the last appointment of the day...she took tons of time letting us hear it.  Also, the one thing we were a tad concerned with being a possibility was ruled out.  Cystic fibrosis has been found in Justin's family...just as carriers and Justin didn't get to check if he was a carrier before we found out we were expecting.  So they tested me to make sure...thankfully I'm not a carrier.  If both parents are...baby's chances are greatly elevated.  With me not being a carrier, we don't need to worry about seeing if Justin is a carrier.

Moments with Justin: He was beaming my entire doctor appointment.  He kept joking with the doctor about giving him some hints on the heart rate...she laughed and explained to him that the whole heart rate as a gender predictor thing isn't necessarily accurate at all.  She still caved and let us know it was 160.  Justin joked that it was fast (trying to get more info out of her)...and she replied with "it's perfect".  I love how laid-back he's being about this whole thing...I hope he stays that way the whole pregnancy.  His calmness has always been so great for me...I'm not laid back.  If he stays laid back I know it will help me so much...especially when it comes time for delivery.

My questions for you lovely ladies who are or have been pregnant (or if you haven't been and just have some advice)...
*What was your first step for registering...like how much research/surveying of others did you do before you actually started?
*Where did you first feel movement...like location in your belly?
*If you had one tip to share about anything related to the second trimester...what would it be?

our road to you (the ending)

To read the previous parts of this story:  Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

On the way to the drug store to pick up prenatal vitamins (um, yes, this wasn’t planned…so I was only taking Flintstones occasionally), I called to make our first appointment with the doctor…March 25^th.  My next step was deciding how to tell Justin.  I only sent him a text to let him know about my bladder infection because we had already discussed that I may test the next weekend if I hadn’t gotten my period.  I didn’t want to have to lie to him…I wanted to tell him in person.  So he called me a few minutes later.  Thank goodness he didn’t ask me about if they checked to see if I was pregnant, because I wouldn’t have been able to hold it in and would have had to tell him on the phone.  (Later, he told me he didn't ask on the phone on purpose....he didn't want to find out that way if I was pregnant.)

So I decided to go to a local store to pick up a cute pair of baby socks at a store near our house to put with a card for the in-the-dark daddy-to-be.  Well this plan was thrown for a loop.  I pulled into the parking lot and what else do I see but his work truck? So I quickly left and came home.  I got a call a little later from Justin letting me know he was stopping by the house quickly to get a tool they needed on the job.  (This was after I had already tested again at home…you know…just in case the whole doctor’s office test was wrong.  Two pink lines.  Again.  Yep.  Pregnant.) I prayed he wouldn’t ask.  He didn’t.  He grabbed the tool, came back into the living room, and then it came…. “So you’re not preggers, huh?” (so nonchalant!) ;) I looked at him slowly and he knew.  

I let him know that I was, for some crazy reason that only God knows, that I was.  I got the smile I hoped for.  The smile that reassured me that no matter how scared and alone I felt moments ago, that I wasn’t alone in this and that everything was going to be okay.  He was in total shock but hugged me so excited.  I went over all the details as the shocked grin remained on his face.  “So when am I going to be a dad?” I let him know that it would be sometime in October or November and that the blood work would confirm how far along I was.  I cried in relief that he was happy.  I wasn’t sure how he would take it.   

As he left, we talked about how we’d been praying God would open doors…and for some reason…this is the door he opened.  The door to being mommy and daddy.  So now I know exactly why God placed Jeremiah 29:11 on my heart for us to memorize as a couple a few weeks before…because He would use it so many times over the course of the next few months as we prepared our minds and hearts for a precious blessing…a baby.

our road to you (part 4)

Read part 1, part 2, and part 3 first.

Little did I know that right around that same time God was also working in Justin’s heart and planning His miracle to send to us.  Later in February, Justin came to me to tell me that he had decided that he was okay with having a baby.  He didn’t want to start trying by any means, but he was okay if it happened.  For some reason, that made me happy, but I was also in a very stressful/emotional point due to lots of stress between work and school and wasn’t able to fully appreciate that and love those words as much as I thought I would.  I guess I wasn’t at a point of whole-heartedly being ready…my mind wasn’t there at that point.   

I started to feel on-and-off sick in many different ways over the next couple weeks. (I’m only documenting these specifics because I want to remember them for future pregnancies.  These details will probably be cut from sweet baby’s version of this story.) It started with horrible indigestion that I thought was turning into a stomach virus.  I’ve always had stomach issues, so really I thought nothing of it.  That went away within a couple days.  Next came a sore chest and cramping.  I was excited, because I thought this meant my period was coming.  Since starting the pill the summer we got married, I had not felt one measly symptom of anything related to PMS and had only had my cycle once.  So feeling them made me sure that something was up.   

Next, came awful symptoms of a urinary tract infection.  Lovely.  Waking up miserable one morning (March 1^st) I decided to leave work early that day to go to the doctor.   When I went into the office, the nurse asked me what was going on.  I explained that I thought I had a bladder infection, but I also wanted to be cautious because I was so irregular with my periods and wanted to make sure I didn’t take any antibiotics that could be harmful if for some crazy reason, I was pregnant.  She understood.  I sat in the small office waiting on the results on the infection.  Sure enough, the doctor told me I showed all the symptoms.  This is when I decided to remind her of my concern for possibly being pregnant.  (My body was telling me something.)  She decided to yell, yes, yell out to the nurse, “Hey run a pregnancy test on that urine.” That’s when I heard from the hall, “Pregnancy test? Okay.”  At this point I was already mortified because of the smallness of the town I live in.  I wasn’t mortified I might be pregnant.  A little scared, nervous, anxious maybe.  But the mortified feeling came from the fact that I didn’t want the whole office to know, which some of whom also know most of my family, before my husband even had the chance to know.  It’s humorous now that I look back on it.   

So I sat up on the bed for her to feel my stomach and back due to my bladder infection.  She sat down on the chair to discuss any other symptoms I was having due to my infection.  That’s when I noticed her eyes look in the direction of the door as it cracked open.  Mind you, I couldn’t see the nurse.  I knew this meant something.  My doc exclaimed with wide eyes, “Oh, no doubt about it huh? Ok.” She turned and looked at me… "Well, it does look like you are pregnant.  Congratulations.”  My reaction was shock as I put my hands on my cheeks as I exclaimed, “No way.”  We sat as I tediously waited for her to make her decision on the antibiotic to prescribe since I was pregnant.  What? I’m pregnant?! I still didn’t believe it.  Next was a blood test to determine how far along I was.   

The sweet nurses oohed and ahhed over the exciting pre-lunch news in the office.  I was still praying no one I knew was in the office.  After having blood drawn and sweet congrats from the nurses, I was out the door with this life-changing news that I couldn’t share.  Yet…

Final part coming next!

name game

via

With our gender ultrasound coming up very soon...May 16th!...we are in full-force speed trying to determine a precious name for this sweet baby.  I'm picky.  Very picky.  And I'm indecisive.  Very indecisive.  So with that being said, it hasn't been easy.  The names I've had in a list since I was probably in high school and have revised since then are almost all out the window.  Either I've had a student or known of a kiddo that really ruins causes me to dislike the name a little (or a lot) or they have been over-used like crazy.

While Justin is pretty laid-back about it all...which he is with about everything I like (and which I adore about him), I have my strong opinions.  Thankfully he has turned me down on some name ideas...because it's shortened my list. 

My thoughts on names...

-something strong
-something that will hold up with time and age
-for a girl...something girly
-for a boy...something masculine (not a unisex name...no offense if you like those)
-something biblical/faith related and/or something family-related
-if I know of someone with that name, I have a hard time going with it (I told you I'm picky)
-Justin and I are the only ones discussing it...and we aren't even sharing our likes and ideas...even our family won't know the name until we know what the gender is and are set on a name.  We don't want to be persuaded in any way whether they would mean to or not.
-even though I'm not putting pressure on us...I would really like to have a name set in stone for either a boy or girl for when we find out what the gender is
-we would really like to stay away from nicknames (although I know it's almost impossible to do that)...and as we're thinking of names, we are thinking of all possible nicknames that could come from the name.  So if we don't like the nickname...it's not an option for a name

You may be rolling your eyes at me at this point. Ha! Or you may be right with my on your own name-choosing "pickyness".

What we do know...

-the entire name (first and middle) if it's a sweet little girl
-the middle name if it's a boy 

Our dilemmas...

-we cannot decide on a boy name.  oh my! it's not we can't agree...we just can't find one we fall in love with
-our boy middle name starts with a vowel...putting it with the beginning of our last name "G" causes a lot of first names to be out of the picture because we aren't giving our precious little boy a horrendous "word" with their initials
-I would like to plug my ears and I may or may not want to pray that I don't hear of a little girl being named what we are going with.  Once May 16th hits, and if it's a girl, I'll be okay...because I'll already feel like that's "her name"...but before then when the name is still just a possibility...I just don't want to know! ;)

Our favorite resources right now are nameberry and The Complete Book of Baby Names.  Have any baby naming resources to share? Please do!

not just any Friday

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Today I can't help but think about grace.

Grace that is available to anyone.  No matter who you are.  No matter what is in your past.

Grace that completely changes your life...redeems you...and comes with no conditions.

Although our hearts should be intentional on praising God every day for this grace He provided through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross...today is a day that we should reevaluate our hearts and truly consider if we are living grace-filled, thankful lives for what our sweet Savior did for each.one.of.us.

Are we living for Him? He gave His life for us.
Are we loving Him and his children with all we have?  He calls and beckons us to this.
Are our hearts living the redeemed life we are blessed with if we've made the decision to follow Christ?

Today, this grace amazes me like it has so many times since I decided to follow Jesus.  It stops me in my tracks, humbles me, and brings tears of awe and thankfulness to my eyes.

And the best part about all of this? Good Friday isn't the end of the story.  He is risen.  He longs to walk with us.

How does this grace impact your life today? Every day? Questions about this sweet grace? Please don't hesitate to contact me.

our road to you (part 3)

Just getting started? Read part 1 and part 2.

I heard about an amazing book, Starting Your Family-Inspiration for Making Babies by Steve and Candace Watters (which was highly recommended to me…and I highly recommend it to any couple desiring God’s plan in starting a family for His glory).   

At this time, I also felt as if God was answering many prayers of my heart.  He was giving Justin the desire to pray for God’s will and timing in starting a family.  Justin was praying and being open to the idea of starting a family sooner than he had thought.  He started to desire being a dad himself (whenever it happened)…and couldn’t wait for it.  At times we thought it might have happened accidentally (although there are no accidents with God), and each time he came to me explaining that he had handed it over to God and was excited for whatever God’s plan was.  These times of course did not result in a baby. We still weren’t at the point of taking the plunge to try.  Obviously, it wasn’t God’s timing yet.  

In reading this book, I started to learn the importance of prayer.  The importance of handing every.single.desire over to God.  Jeremiah 29:11 became more and more prominent in my heart, mind, and prayers.   

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you.  Plans to give you hope and a future.”   

I battled daily with talking to Justin more about it.  Until one morning on my way to work (February 14, 2010), God reminded me… “Give it to me.  Just give it to me.”  I did.  That morning in my car at a stop sign.  I prayed to God, “Lord take this away.  I don’t want to give it to you.  But you want it.  I need to give it to you.  Lord I’m handing it to you to control.  I’m just here.   Waiting.”  That was a prayer I had battled with tremendously.  I hate losing control. And yes, I’m even naive enough to loathe giving control to my Savior.  However, I did.  And then I waited…