this is what i'm thankful for

I'm behind on my blogging and even taking belly pics, but this is my belly at 18w3d.

I am now 21 weeks.
at 20 weeks SHE was 13 oz
baby blog about that later. It's a long one and I don't have time right now to finish it.

Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you I know I have so much to be thankful for :)

U.S. troops in Afghanistan recite the Auburn Creed

In recent light of the devastating allegations of Cam Newton I am showing my support to him, the team, and the amazing staff at The Auburn University. 


1 Peter 5:10 states that:  And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.


I believe in Auburn and LOVE IT! War CAM eagle YAWL! :)





Also, please continue to keep this university in your prayers, not only is the university having to deal with this, a professor of mathematics was killed in a car accident this week.

Cat in the Hat

As Hannah awoke me this morning at her "late" 6:45am calling I turned on her cartoons to find Cat in the Hat cartoons on PBS! what a joy! I knew they played in the afternoons, but I didn't know they played this early on a Saturday morning :)

This week has been pretty difficult and joyous all at the same time (in terms of the miracle growing inside me). Monday, I just was NOT hungry around dinner time so i nibbled. Tuesday morning, I still wasn't hungry.... strange bc I could always eat. Even if I wasn't pregnant, I would think about food all the time. It's just who I am. So I had a cup of coffee, my one caffeinated beverage of the day, and went off to work.  (but before I left, I felt her kick/punch me! ouch, did it ever hurt) My cooperating teacher asked me to take the students on an unscheduled bathroom break while she taught a small group math lesson. I was standing in the hall, watching my girls and I started feeling icky... and I know that feeling. I started feeling really hot, and my ears starting ringing very loudly. I headed back into the  classroom and got a diet sprite out of the frig because I knew my blood sugar was about to bottom out. I never fell over, but I blacked out twice on the way to the teacher's restroom. I knew those kids thought I was crazy or something. For the rest of the day I felt hungeover and I felt like I was passing a kidney stone :( strange if you ask me.

Wednesday was a better day, but Thursday I was a ball of nerves. We had an appt that afternoon for my quad testing and for an early gender ultrasound.. My husband and I (along with countless others) were convinced that we were having a boy.... mommy and daddy's intuitions turned out to be wrong... again.. IT'S A GIRL! I can't wait to see how much like Hannah this little one will look like. Only 6 more months to go.

I tell you what though. There's a lot more painful ligament stretching and braxton hicks than I remember the first go around. Yes, I said it, braxton hicks. At only 16 weeks. I guess that's one more reason I need to be "taking it easy" at home ;)

Just like every Saturday, I can't leave you without saying one thing...  Auburn is playing LSU today in AUBURN. Both teams are undefeated  and it's going to be a blood bath, all out war.. the very essence of football. my poor hubby is at work, but you better believe sweet Hannah and I are going to be cheering loud enough for all four of us!

WarR Cam EAGLE!!

Living Like A LaVecchia

As I checked my facebook this morning, I noticed my friend Christen FINALLY updated her blog after the birth of her first daughter, Emery Lynn on October 1. Little Emery Lynn was born 7 weeks premature and only weighed 4 lbs 14 oz!  I was extremely humbled and blessed by Christen's entry this morning, because I know God is using that little girl to already change lives. Because of our small little two-bedroom house, Wes and I are not able to give our little bumble a nursery... AND IM COMPLAINING about that. I've got a healthy family, a healthy baby growing inside me and I'm complaining about not being able to give him/her a nursery?! Little Emery Lynn is now 2 almost 3 weeks old now and still hasn't been able to go home with her mommy and daddy and I'm complaining about a nursery?!

I just wanted to give Christen and her husband, Mitch reassurance that your little fighter is getting bigger and stronger everyday, and that no matter how frustratingly slow her progress is, God truly is using her for good. Especially in my life :)

If you are interested in keeping up with Little Emery Lynn here is a link to Christen's blog:  http://christenandmitchell.blogspot.com/

Continue to keep Emery Lynn in your prayers for a quick recovery and a safe trip home :)

cravings.

today I am 13 weeks and 3 days. I told myself I wasn't going to update about my pregnancy all the time, but I really wanted to talk about this today.

I will try and set the background for you. it's been a tough semester. internship has been a huge struggle for me. From trying to take care of my family responsibilities, developing lesson plans, trying to get enough sleep in order to function, and trying to have a smile on my face and not be cranky was really starting to take a toll on my nerves. Every morning I woke up feeling like today would finally be the day I would break.

On my lowest day, I fell to my knees and prayed to God to fight these demons for me and to give me peace. I was in so much physical pain from the cramping I am still having, no sleep, and extreme hunger that I couldn't take it anymore. I was tired of dealing with it on my own so I gave it all to God. The God of all Mercies and Comfort. 

I went to bed that night and slept better than I have in months. I didn't wake up with hunger pains at 1:30 that morning. I actually slept through the entire night. I gave it all to God and He blessed me. I said, "God, I trust you. I give it all to you" and He gave me peace. The weekend was even productive. I got some lesson plans written, cleaned the house, and even got to spend the afternoon with my family. 

and then the beginning of the week was here. I decided to stay late at school on Monday to grade papers and organize some things for the next day. I think about 4:30 my husband called to let me know that our house had been broken into and that all of our electronics had been taken. our tv, my husband's PS3, my professional camera, my computer, my back up computer, everything. since all these things were taken from us, I do not know when I will have good belly pictures for you. :(

Blessing Number 1 - we got a new front door.

Blessing Number 2 - who needs those things anyways? God revealed to me, once again, that nothing of this world is promised. Let me repeat that.NOTHING of this world is promised. 

Blessing Number 3 - We have no idea when this person broke in so my question is... did I really choose to stay at school late?

Blessing 4 - Even though I didn't have a computer for a few days, my husband surprised me with an upgraded version of the one that was stolen. 

I was so miserable before this happened. I never considered myself a materialistic person, but after this event, I realized how much I truly relied on our possessions. 

I was restless. I was thirsty. I hungered, I craved. I became complacent and allowed things of this world to control me. God heard my cry and calmed me.

Needless to say, its been an overwhelming week.

Starting tonight is the beginning of a crazy week.

Tonight is my sissy in laws bachelorette party.

it's my last week of my first placement.

14 week appointment on Tuesday.

Sissy in law is getting married Friday.

My niece is getting married Saturday. 

I know His love is never ending, but I wonder how this week is going to go for us.

Random Statement: My belly button is starting to poke out at 13 WEEKS!!!!! 
gaining more energy because I'm getting more sleep
still have a nasty dry nose and sometimes it's hurts to breath :(
I am already feeling the baby kicking/punching. 
I know the difference between gas pains and movement 
and it's definitely NOT gas pains.
I have now had 3 people tell me they think we are having a boy :)
My chest looks like a road map.

3 weeks til we find out the sex of the baby.

What do you think it will be? Boy or Girl?

I have NOT fallen off

I know that its been a couple of weeks since the last baby update, so I decided to do another one just to ease everyone's fears of another miscarriage... We have NOT miscarried :) I am officially 3 months pregnant! 

Today starts my official 3rd month. The baby is no longer considered an embryo, but a fetus!

I have some pictures of my tummy this week, but I don't think I've "grown" any
since my last post so I am not going to put pictures up.

We go back to the doctor Oct 5. I will be 14 weeks along. 

I was going to wait until then to update, but that meant 

6 weeks without a baby update.

Last time we went to the doctor, the U/S tech had already left for the day

so I put the guilt trip on my doctor. Needless to say, he fired up

the machine so we could see the baby. 

He was not the best at operating the machine.. hehe

We didn't get to hear the heartbeat, but we did see it

We also saw little arms and legs starting to form.

Wes took a video of the appointment, but for some reason, it won't let me upload it

I was able to upload it to my facebook account, but not this one :(

As of today, the baby weighs a full ounce and is about the size of a plum.

Symptoms: Dry nose, insomnia at night/exhaustion during the day,

extreme hunger, cravings for salty food, leg hair growing more,

headaches and cramping everyday, sometimes almost all day

I've heard the leg hair and cravings are a sign of the

 testosterone surging

 through your body from a little boy,

 but of course they are old wives tales. 

I don't really care to the know the gender of the baby,

I would love for it to be a complete surprise,

but Wes is dying for a boy.

So of course, I am going to let him have his day 

and we are going to get an ultrasound when the time comes.

We have names picked out for both a boy

and a girl, but please don't ask. We want to keep that 

private and special until the new arrival gets here. 

I know I still have not made an update about our photo shoot,

but all in good time... all in good time ♥

I would like to end this post asking for prayers

for my dear grand daddy, Gendy.

They put him into the hospital Saturday, Sept 18

and did not release him until today, Sept 23

They do not know what happened, he just had a weak spell

he basically passed out.

I was not there to see witness it, but from what I've heard

it was a pretty scary moment

He is now at home resting

They have taken him off certain medications,

and have adjusted others,

but please continue to pray for his continued health

God is not through with him, yet.

Snow Days

ok so I know I said my next post would be about our photo shoot with Brittany Willis, but I just had to put this out there for you guys to read...

On the sixth day, God created men and women. On the

seventh day, He rested. Not so much to recuperate, but

rather prepare Himself for the work He was going 

to do on the next day. For it was on that day - the eighth 

day - that God created the first teacher.

This Teacher, though taken from among men and

women, had several significant modifications.

In general, God made the Teacher more durable than

other men and women. He made the Teacher tough... but

gentle, too. Into the Teacher God poured a 

generous amount of patience. He gave the Teacher

a heart slightly bigger than the average human heart.

And He gave the Teacher an abundant supply of hope.

When God finished creating the Teacher, He stepped

back and admired the work of His hands. And

God saw that the Teacher was good. Very good!

And God smiled, for when He looked at the Teacher, 

He saw into the future. He was placing the 

future in the hands of the Teacher. 

And because God loves Teachers so much, on the

ninth day God created "snow days"

During my internship I've had some pretty difficult days... this definitely makes up for it. Blessed are those who walk with the Lord




Also, Auburn plays Mississippi State tonight in about 10 minutes! so excited! WaRR EEagle!! Let's Go Cam Newton!!!