Pregnancy is....

Pregnancy is (especially in the 3rd trimester)...

...feeling hungry all the time and never being able to eat enough to feel satisfied.

...waking up to a sweet, little baby moving inside you after a restless night of sleep.

...having your ribs constantly popped out of place to make room for the little growing guy inside.

...visiting the bathroom every 2 hours.

...laying on your side when all you really wanna do is be on your stomach.

...practicing breathing and relaxing techniques as your uterus tones itself.

...learning to allow your friends, family, and amazing husband help you organize your new home because you've been told to take things easy.

...seeing your husband in the most loving way as he does everything he possibly can to help you be happy.

...getting a nightly massage by your loving husband to help ease exhausting rib pain. 

...learning to be patient and kind on days when you feel like being anything but patient and kind.

...waking your husband up in the middle of the night because he doesn't want you to be awake alone.

...reminding yourself to sometimes just be in the moment when pregnancy seems to be at it's hardest.

...knowing that despite all your discomfort and exhaustion that you'll soon meet the love of your life that will make it all worth it.

And even when I feel like I can't wait for this little guy to make his appearance, I'm loving being able to protect him in the way only a pregnant mama can. For he is the only one who knows what my heartbeat sounds like from the inside. 

Positive Whatiffing

The power of your thoughts are incredible!

You can take a good day and turn it into a bad day by just a simple thought.
You can take a bad day and turn in into a good day by just a simple thought.

I think that is incredible! But, I forget this often. That is until I read a post by Lauralyn Curtis (founder of "The Curtis Method of Childbirth Education") that talked about "positive whatiffing". Now, it's exactly what it sounds like, "positive whatiffing" is turning negative "what if" scenarios and making them positive. What a simple concept! And guess what, it really does wonders, but, it take practice. Since I learned of this idea I have really had to think about changing some of my thoughts. We all have fears and anxiety of the future, but as I've really tried to do this, my fearful days have become less and less.

In fact, today was the first day in probably two weeks that I got anxiety regarding the future. After a few hours of self doubt and worry, I started listening to some positive affirmations and then remembered that I needed to turn some of my "what if" fears into something positive. Here's one example: Negative - "What if motherhood is crazy and stressful and not all that it's cracked up to be?" Positive - "What if motherhood is beautiful and amazing and the greatest thing I could ever experience in my life?".

See how that can totally change your perception and ultimately even make a hard situation into something a little easier just by being more positive? Whenever I remember to do this, my worry can turn into instant excitement instead.

Give it a try! It's helped me a lot during stressful moments and has brought a lot more positive energy into my life.

How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You

These past few weeks have been tough! We've had the craziest time packing up all of our stuff and transferring it from one place to another, I finally feel somewhat settled. But, that's only temporary because once our condo is actually done being built, then we have to move everything all over again.

And all of this is happening while being pregnant, yikes! Life has sure had a way of throwing me a few curve balls these past few months! But, through all the stress, anxiety, and confusion, I'm so incredibly grateful for all of our friends and family for their continued love and support. Pregnancy has been tough on my body and it's amazing just how wonderful our friends and family have been through this whole transition.

AND we're not even done! Though the road ahead has a lot of changes, I know that Bryant and I can make it through because we have each other and the love and support of all of our friends and family! So, if you have helped us, are currently helping us, or will be helping us, Bryant and my pregnant self, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Becoming Mommy

Ever since I can remember, I've always wanted to be a mom. When I was 3 years old, I had a baby doll I would take everywhere with me. As I grew older and realized carrying a doll everywhere wasn't socially acceptable, I decided to just have "make believe children". That's right, instead of "make believe friends" that everyone else had, I had children. I would care for them, help them if they got "hurt", and punished them when they were "bad". I have always wanted to be a mom, and I knew that the moment Bryant and I got married, that could become a reality sooner rather than later. I just didn't realize how fast it would actually happen for us, and let me tell you, the moment I found out I was pregnant I was shocked. So shocked, I cried. Here we were, barely newlyweds, just learning about marriage and we were pregnant. This was not what I wanted, or had even considered a possibility so early on. But, as we took the time to pray and soak in the fact that we would be parents within the next 8 months, the news became less and less of shock and more excitement. Sure, getting pregnant so early on was not a part of the "plan", but as many of you know who have followed my life story, nothing ever goes as planned. But, boy am I so grateful for that, because I've learned that God has a way better plan for me than I could ever imagine. Now here I am, 22 weeks pregnant with a little boy who has already stolen my heart. He is the love of my life and I know he will bless us beyond measure, I mean, he already has. Bryant and I's relationship has grown in ways I never thought it could in such a short amount of time. Bryant is my rock and I love seeing and learning about parts of his personality I may have not seen so quickly had I not become pregnant so soon. Becoming a mommy has been my life long dream and now that it's a reality I can't help but sit in awe of my body as it grows and changes to accommodate such a miracle. Life has never been so miraculous and I can't wait to see what else the Lord has in store for us as we get one step closer to forever.