summer reading

I love reading, and there's nothing better than laying by a pool with a glass of lemonade and a good book.  Something about the sunshine and the smells of summer that just make me want to read!

I've read several books lately that I've really enjoyed.

 I know, I know... I'm years late in hopping on the Karen Kingsbury train.  But I started the Baxter family series a couple of months ago and I'm over halfway through the second series about family.  Finishing this series is definitely on my "to-read" for the summer.  If you haven't read these, I highly recommend them.  You'll laugh, cry and finish the book secretly wishing you could be a Baxter!

I read this book in about a day and a half.  I had heard so much hype about this book, and sometimes I think that ruins things.  I don't know what I was expecting, but something more for sure.  It was an excellent story line, with characters who made me love them and hate them.  And as someone who isn't that much of an animal person, I found myself crying at the cruel treatment of the animals on the circus.  So, I liked the book a lot, I just wish I had read the book BEFORE everyone told me how amazing it was! 

I read another book by Kristin Hannah last year, Firefly Lane.  I loved her writing style, so when I saw this book on the sale rack at Barnes & Noble, I had to pick it up.  The story line started a little slow, but quickly picked up speed less than halfway through the book.  Much like with Firefly Lane, once this book sucked me in, I was hooked.  Hannah is an excellent writer when it comes to evoking emotion from the readers.  I cried huge tears at multiple times in this book.

So there you have it- that's what I've been reading.  What do YOU think I should put on my bookshelf for this summer?  I'll post again in a week or so with my summer book list.

Week 13

How Far Along: 13 weeks

How big is Baby? 3 inches, 1.5 ounces- about the size of a lemon

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 2 pounds

Maternity Clothes: I finally got those out of the attic... it was fun looking through everything and remembering wearing them when pregnant with John Mark.  Unfortunately, my one pair of maternity jeans were missing... I have no idea what I could have done with those.  I have my eye on these though...

Gender: We won't know for another 4 or 5 weeks... hopefully we'll schedule that ultrasound at my next appointment.  Although JM is still holding onto his little sister theory!

Movement: nothing yet

Sleep: Pretty good- I don't remember too many restless nights, so I guess that's a good sign.

What I miss: Drippy eggs!  I made breakfast for dinner this week and all I wanted was a sunny-side up egg with my breakfast potatoes...

Cravings: Wednesday afternoon I started thinking about chili cheese fries and I couldn't stop... I ate chili cheese tots from Sonic for supper that night!

Food Aversions: I'm still hating on bananas... and I find that I don't really enjoy burgers, which makes me sad because we ate at my favorite burger place this week and I had to get chicken.  Yep- all of that is still the same.

Symptoms: Again with the tears this week... probably the fact that John Mark was graduating from pre-k didn't help my emotional state!  I'm also finally able to eat a full meal without feeling like I might explode, which is nice.

Best Moment: Looking through old pictures of John Mark, and wondering what this new baby will look like and be like...

new beginnings

"We went through fire and flood, but you brought us to a place of great abundance." Psalm 66:12

It's not new information that 2011 hasn't been the best year for us.  And while I don't know that the trials of this life are in any way over, I can say that we have reached a place of rest for this moment.

After three months of looking, Micah started a new job two weeks ago.  God was so faithful and opened a door for our family at the exact moment we needed it.  If you had asked us when this search began if this was our first choice, we wouldn't have said yes.  But things changed- most importantly, our hearts- and we joyfully took the first step in this new direction.

Today we joined a new family of believers.  After prayer and seeking, we felt led to become a part of Heritage Baptist.  Micah grew up in their student ministry and his family goes there.  We spent a few weeks going to services and today went to an incredible small group.  It's strange going to a new church and making new friends, but I know the Lord is there.

I know that our journey isn't over... because there's so much more I have left to learn.  But if there's anything I've learned in all of this- it's that God is good.  He is faithful.  And His ways are SO MUCH higher than anything I could ever imagine.  So for today, I find myself on my knees, thankful for all that He has done for us.

And I find myself here on my knees again
Caught up in grace like an avalanche
Nothing compares to this love
Burning in my heart
--like an avalanche, hillsong united

Week 12

I was lazy and forgot to take a picture.  In the interest of getting this post up for those of you interested, I'm skipping it this week... it's pretty much the same as last week's anyway.


How Far Along: 12 weeks

How big is Baby? 3 inches, 0.5 ounces- about the size of a peach

Total Weight Gain/Loss: we don't own a scale... so I need to remember to weigh myself at the gym next time I go or else this will stay the same between each visit!

Maternity Clothes: Still rocking the belly band- seriously best $17 spent so far!  And yes, I still need Micah to get the tub of maternity clothes out of the attic. 

Gender: We won't know for another 5 or 6 weeks... hopefully we'll schedule that ultrasound at my next appointment.  Although JM is still holding onto his little sister theory!

Movement: nothing yet

Sleep: I think I jinxed myself with saying I was sleeping good.  I was awake for long 3 hour stretches twice this week... And I can make it until about 5:30 before I have to use the bathroom- which is annoying since I get up at 6! 

What I miss: Drippy eggs!  I made breakfast for dinner this week and all I wanted was a sunny-side up egg with my breakfast potatoes...

Cravings: Baby dill pickles from Target- I bought a small jar of them on Monday and polished it off before the end of the week.  Don't worry, I went for the big jar this time.  And today during church, I found myself thinking nonstop about onion rings from Johnnie's... so Micah humored me and picked up an order for me to eat with the bbq chicken I had made for lunch.

Food Aversions: I'm still hating on bananas... and I find that I don't really enjoy burgers, which makes me sad because we ate at my favorite burger place this week and I had to get chicken.

Symptoms: I think my hips are starting their first spread.  All week when I got out of bed, they felt creaky and stiff.

Best Moment: Listening to John Mark say sweet things about the baby- I have a list going of things he has said that I need to post.  Maybe I'll get to that this week... I still owe you all the stories of telling people!

Week 11

How Far Along: 11 weeks

How big is Baby? 2.5 inches, 0.5 ounces- about the size of a large plum

Total Weight Gain/Loss: up 1 pound... only 59 more to catch me up to my weight gain with JM

Maternity Clothes: I have lost the ability to button any of my current pants, so I'm rocking the belly band... everything else is normal, for now.  I still need Micah to get the tub of maternity clothes out of the attic. 

Gender: We won't know for another 5 or 6 weeks... hopefully we'll schedule that ultrasound at my next appointment.  Although JM is still holding onto his little sister theory!

Movement: nothing yet

Sleep: I've actually been sleeping pretty good.  I wake up a couple times a night- usually from a CRAZY dream- but I fall back asleep fairly quickly. 

What I miss: Sandwiches!!  I've been to 3 different restaurants this week and all I wanted was a cold ham or turkey sandwich... also, RUNNING!  I'm just now getting energy back, and I'm itching to get back to the gym.  I don't foresee any intense running in my future, but now that I'm feeling better, I hope to be back in the gym this week.

Cravings: Don't judge me, but I've been eating pimento cheese sandwiches like nobody's business... Also, I could probably eat my weight in tacos!

Food Aversions: Bananas!!  the thought of eating a banana makes me want to puke.  I also don't want anything to do with coffee...

Symptoms: Exhaustion... and emotions... I could cry about anything these days!

Best Moment: Our appointment on Monday where we got to see our baby again and see the heartbeat... also making the big reveal.  Praise the Lord no more secrets!!

finding out...

John Mark is almost 5 years old.  I'll go ahead and throw it out there that in the span of those years, I've had a few "I think I might be pregnant" moments... The cashier at Walgreens probably knows me as the crazy pregnancy test lady.  Obviously, none of those tests came up positive.  All that to say- thinking I could be pregnant for whatever reason wasn't that new of an idea for me- or Lesley.  You'll see why she's part of this story in a minute.

One night, about 6 weeks ago, Lesley and Mallory had picked me up from the hospital to get cupcakes.  We were laughing about pregnancy tests and I was saying I needed to buy one.  Mal offered to bring one over.  I took the test and the results were a little... inconclusive.  I swore at just the right angle you could see a hint of a cross.  We all laughed about it and held it up to the light, but nothing more was really said about it.  But in my heart, I knew.  I think I knew before I even took the test that night...

A few days later, Micah was spending the night in the hospital with his mom.  Lesley was at the house keeping me company.  Somehow the inconclusive test came up and I told her she should go to walgreens and get another test- and cookie dough.  So, being the good friend that she is, she went- and ran into lots of people she knew trying to get the goods.

She came back to my house, I finished the water I was drinking and went to the bathroom.  I came back and we continued watching That 70's Show, our netflix choice of the evening.  I hopped up and went to the bathroom and saw THIS:

Immediately I yelled "LESLEY... OMG OMG OMG..."
To which she replied "what?  wait, that's not funny..."
I ran out of the bathroom and showed her the test...

At this point the test is sitting on the couch between us and we're both just staring at it.  We're alternating between staring at the test and at each other saying "OH MY WORD..."

the details

Earlier today I posted this picture to facebook-
an announcement, one you've all waited for, I'm sure!

To say he's excited would be the understatement of the century.
In fact, when we told him, he did a double fist-pump and said:
"YES!  I finally get the baby sister I've always wanted!!"
*note, we do NOT know that it's a baby sister...*

Now to answer all those questions-
I am due November 26th.
That puts me at 10 weeks and 4 days.
We've known for about 5 weeks.

I haven't really been sick (sorry!)...
I have been exhausted...
No, I did not run the marathon on Sunday.
I have been eating ridiculous amounts of food.

The Lord has given us a precious blessing in the midst of an otherwise painful, difficult time.
We are praising Him continually.
I'll fill you in on all the other stories soon!

"Let all that I am praise the Lord 
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me."
Psalm 103:1-2