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Wednesday, October 26, 2011

24 Weeks :)

   Today was my 24 week check-up and things are going well. Besides feeling like I have swallowed a melon I am feeling good and relieved to be done with pregnancy sickness. California weather is perfect right now! It is a great time to be pregnant- not too hot (it has been in the 70's all week).
   I feel like I should take this opportunity to share with the world a pregnancy secret. My doctor informed me there is a 'danger zone' (which I am officially in) that is a preggo girl's worst nightmare. He said the Halloween candy, Thanksgiving feasts, and Christmas cookies are none-too-forgiving to pregnancy poundage. Evidentally, the hormones in my body will be hoarding calories to make a nice comfy environment for little Puffin and I will blow up like a balloon. Now seriously, I have been blessed to never have had a weight struggle, but even I am a little concerned. I believe it goes back to my first appointment when Dr. S told me that it wasn't necessary for me to gain more than 25 lbs.-  let me tell you I have had a lot of pregnant friends, relatives, and celebrities who gained well over 25 lbs. People have laughed in my face when I tell them this is my Dr's goal weight for me... As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure I read in "People" magazine that some famous Victoria's Secret runway model gained like 70 lbs during her 1st baby.  All that to say, Dr. S has brought up weight at every appointment and it's just kinda funny at this point. I wonder what he will do if I come home from Christmas break in Omaha tipping the scales? He would probably know I was yet another sad victim of the pregnancy 'danger zone.' Whatev- boy Dr's don't get to be condescending since they themselves are never pregnant.
   So it was with the yellow tape of 'danger zone' etched into my mind I decided today would be a good day to hit the gym (after a hiatus of several months). You see, I don't have any plans to resist the Thanksgiving feasts and the Christmas baking my mom does- so the gym seemed like the most logical choice. I am happy to report it was a good night back. It was such a relief to power walk on the treadmill without incident. I may or may not have had to sprint to the gym bathroom and projectile vomit the last time I attempted a workout. Yes, several months ago this happened to me and I didn't even appear pregnant yet which means less understanding and sympathy. Yipes! No wonder it's been so long since my last visit...
  Also, another pregnancy issue has been shooting lower back/pelvic pain that had me waking up Paul last week because I thought my hips were breaking (actually my exact words were "Paul! Wake up! I think I'm dying!"). I seriously was pacing the hotel room (we were in Vermont) and doing deep breathing as if I was in labor. The front desk was nice enough to send the security guard to my room with some pain reliever (Paul was already fast asleep in the 2 minutes it took the guard to deliver the drugs- which is probably because I've overused the phrase "I think I'm dying" and it has lost its effectiveness with him). Luckily, I resisted calling my mom to tell her goodbye because it turns out it's just normal hip pain caused by pregnancy hormones to widen your hips- GREAT- and I'm only half-way done. Good news is that my pelvis has a much lower chance of cracking when compared with my ribs which can actually be broken by aggressive baby kicking. Who would have known?!?!? Can you imagine sustaining a cracked rib due to your baby!?! I hope that this has not caused anyone great pregnancy fear... I am just graciously bringing my readers along for the journey ;)
   So here is 24 weeks :) Baby is growing so fast and kicks me all the time (but not to the point of having a broken rib)!





Friday, October 7, 2011

21 Weeks!

   So I'm a day late, but yesterday I hit the 21 week mark. This was the week where I felt like I really popped out! You will notice in the pics I am still wearing my pre-pregnancy pants, but can't fasten the button :). 
   I have still been feeling much better and have been craving corn dogs, grilled cheese, and frozen pizza. The old me would be horrified, but I try and get in my fruits and veggies. Puffin (baby's nickname) is very active and I feel him moving everyday. It sort of is like there is a giant goldfish swimming around in my stomach...
   Ministry school continues to be amazing (even though I'm worn out by the end of the week!). Paul and I can't believe that it's only been one month and we know our lives are completely changed forever. We have never been so stretched financially, yet at the same time felt so rich spiritually. It's well worth the sacrifice. Paul got a second job and is busy from about 7 am to 8 pm. He is such a hard worker and I'm grateful to just focus on school for the time being.
   This week they also opened up missions trip sign ups. There are 60 trips all over the world and I really encouraged Paul to sign up since he has never been on a missions trip before- plus it is an amazing opportunity to take a trip overseas with Bethel! I will have had baby just a month before they leave for the trip so I am now accepting applications for someone to come keep baby and I company ;). Turner (my bro who is living with us) will also be out of the country on a trip...
   Below are my 21 (and 1 day) week pics! Over half way there!
check out the difference a few posts down! there is a big difference between 19 and 21 weeks!






Monday, October 3, 2011

20.5 Weeks

   I feel like I have popped since 19 weeks! I had to cave and buy pregnancy jeans this last week because I was wearing my pants without buttoning them. They are stretchy and oh-so-comfy. I should probably mention here I will probably be pretty large and in charge by the end of this pregnancy. When I went to the hospital a few weeks ago the labor and delivery nurse told me I had very little space between the top of my hip bone and bottom of my rib cage... this means baby has no where to go but out! Pray for me... seriously. I'm serious.
   Also, Paul and I attempted to register last weekend at Target. I got so overstimulated and overwhelmed by all the different brands of bottles and types of binkeys that I scanned 9 items and we left. How the heck am I supposed to know what kind of bottle Puffin will prefer?!? And as for binkeys I'll buy them all! You can never have to many. All that to say, I am registering from the comfort of my own couch (online) and it's going fairly well...
   Baby is starting to move around A LOT and while that is fun, I wish he didn't choose bedtime to get his little workout :) 
   Finally, my camera broke :(- CRAP! I was actually laying on the ultrasound table at my 19 week appointment and Paul was trying to take a snap a pic when we realized the lens had somehow broke. Your first pregnancy is NOT the ideal time to be camera-less. I am going to still use my photobooth on my MacBook to take my belly shots and hopefully we can get replacement by the time baby is born.
   This is a short update- I'll post my 21 week pics on Wednesday if I have time...

Saturday, October 1, 2011

The miraculous side of God

   Do you ever read the bible and see the miracles Jesus  did throughout the Old Testament? Isn't it amazing? I am constantly humbled and awed by the ways which He was moved by compassion or someone's faith and they would receiving healing in their bodies. If you asked me a year ago if I believe it can still happen today I would still have said yes, but I didn't see it in my everyday life.
   Last week, Paul and I went to grab a bite to eat after our marriage class and were talking about how growing up we didn't see people healed or radically changed on a consistent basis. We both even admitted that when we used to pray for people we would be a little surprised if anything happened or changed in their physical bodies- sad! I know.... We talked about how we want Puffin (our un-named baby) to grow up seeing the Lord move as a normal part of life.
  All this discussion stems from the kind of culture we are living in out here. Many people we have met or who are in our Revival Groups have had physical and emotional healing in their bodies that is completely verifiable. They don't have to take medications anymore because the Lord restores them 100%. We know friends who have been changed in an instant from a life of drug addiction to one of freedom. There was a girl in class the first week who couldn't touch her toes because of a back injury and she stood up to receive prayer. Three minutes later she was touching her toes with tears streaming down her face! She was literally sitting in the row behind us- we saw her! Yesterday in church Pastor Bill told us how (50 ish?) people had had metal (such as plates or screws) disappear from their bodies completely!
   When we pray for people now, we are not surprised when they sense a change. When we receive prayer, we are growing more confident in the identity we have as children of the King and we ask of our Father with confidence and expectation. This doesn't mean that every time we see someone prayed for they receive instant change, but it is significant for us because we take God as His word and have levels of faith we didn't before (and it's only been 2 weeks of school! haha!). 
   Personally, the changes in my own life have been emotional (just as important as physical). I can see that Jesus is setting me free from fear and showing both Paul and I a lot of lies we have believed that keep us from living out of HIS love. It is absolutely overwhelming- it's like Rapunzel in the movie "Tangled" and how her evil step mom tries to keep her from realizing that SHE is the princess. In the same way, the enemy tries to prevent us from understanding who we are once we place Jesus at the center of our lives... don't we know who we are?! We are CHILDREN OF THE KING (thanks Mom-who read us that Max Lucado children's book while growing up!)
   All this to say, we are on an exciting journey. A lot of what I have written is still in process and we have by no means "arrived," but I really have felt like the Lord wants us to document our story and say that there is more and we are willing to be stretched or uncomfortable in order to have all that He has for us... anything less is disservice to ourselves, our families, and the places we are called to live...