Meet our sweet Nora Dove :)

We’re totally smitten.

I just read back through all my pregnancy blogs; what a fun journey it has been! I am now 37 weeks and 2 days prego. Nora is due in 19 days! She could come anytime, and I am def okay with that!

I still have a lot to do, but only 2 work shifts left, so I will have time to get things in order unless she arrives early.

What I need to accomplish:

-finish washing her clothes

-pack my hospital bag, Nora’s is ready to go

-continue writing baby shower thank you’s

-finish up the nursery

I was spoiled with 3 baby showers, and was able to shop today with our gift cards to get all the remaining items we need.

Tyler and I are overwhelmed by all those around us who are so excited to meet our daughter. We are blessed by the crazy amount of love, support, and diapers that has been freely given to us :) No one has to care, but so many do.

Now, for a nursery sneak peek…

I’ve been awful about blogging during this pregnancy (but who’s suprised? NOT me). I apologize because I told my friends who are aspiring mama’s that I’d give them the low down on pregnancy. Sorry, girls! On Sunday I’ll hit the 30 week mark! Cuh-razyyyy! I’m 2 weeks into the third trimester. It hasn’t been too bad so far.

My only complaints:

1-I’ve had heartburn a couple times, but Tums takes it away really quickly.

2-My back hurts at night sometimes, so it’s hard to get comfortable enough to fall asleep.

3-I feel BIG.

Gaining weight during pregnancy is so strange because my mind forgets that the reason I’ve put on 20 pounds is because I’m carrying a child, so I’ll get this crazy urge to workout a ton and diet, and then I remember I can’t lose this weight till March no matter what I do. We are vacationing in August, and I intend to be down to pre-pregnancy weight by then, which I think is a realistic goal.

Another thing that has come with the third trimester is the nesting phase. I am in nursery-creating mode! It hit me all of a sudden. Not only is it nursery planning, but I’m wanting to organize and get other projects done around the apartment. Tyler and I are both off work Monday, and we have scheduled that day to clean stuff out and make room for Nora. I am super pumped about it!

The question I am most frequently asked is what cravings I have. Here are a few:

1-Sweets (NOT good…why can’t I crave salads or something healthy?)

2-Milk

3-CEREAL!

4-Cold stuff (weird, but true) I crave cold on my throat…cold drinks, popsicles, orange juice, jello, smoothies, etc.

5-Pizza…not so much anymore, but for a while I craved it a lot

I often think about life after she arrives, and I tear up. I canNOT wait to hold her close. I love this girl already! We have an ultrasound on the 23rd, and I am eager to see her sweet face again. I am so undeserving of this gift. Thank You, LORD.

I’m 23 weeks pregnant now—time is flying!! It hasn’t been posted on my blog, but you probably know… we are having a little GIRL.

I’ve been pondering on all life’s blessings. Tyler is making a video with a bunch of clips that he started taking when we discovered I was pregnant. It’s fun to watch my belly grow. There are clips from the Doctor’s office, and of us decorating the Christmas tree. I woke up one day last week thinking about the beautiful time being chronicled in this video. I truly am blessed beyond words! As I read my Bible that same morning, I was reminded of how beautiful the Giver of these gifts is. If I am moved to tears by the gift of my family, I should also be in awe of the generosity of my LORD in giving them to me, an undeserving sinner. The joy my husband and baby bring to me should point me to worship and glorify my good God.

Such an exciting time of life!

Yay, I am almost to the 19 week mark in my pregnancy! That means I am about halfway. The biggest pregnancy update I have is that I am feeling the baby move around. It is pretty incredible! It started around 17 weeks; I can feel him/her move when I am sitting still or lying down. It reminds me that there is a person growing inside me, which is still hard to believe!

In other news, with this gigantic change and responsibility in front of us, I am worrying a lot. Sometimes, I hate being a woman…it is impossible to turn my brain off.  Every now and then, the reality of my pregnancy sinks in, and I freak out a little. I worry about finances since we have prenatal bills and hospital bills, and another person joining our family. And because I would love to not work when baby arrives, which would mean less income. I worry about being a mom. I don’t know what to expect, and I know I can never be fully ready for what is going to happen this March. I am trying to move away from worry, stress, and doubt. I believe God made this baby, and He will provide for us, and lead us as we take this step. I am learning to trust Him on a whole new level.

So, I said I would tell you aspiring mom’s some things you may not know about pregnancy… Here’s one: expect to have lots of weird dreams. A lot of women dream about things they are afraid of regarding pregnancy or parenting. I have had some nightmares like that. But, even if they are unrelated to those topics, dreams are just STRANGE. I rarely remembered my dreams before, but now I have vivid dreams just about every night. It’s normal, they say…whoever “they” are.

Happy Friday! I’m off to work.

Okay, so I know I’ve said I would get better about blogging…and I didn’t. This time, I won’t make any promises I can’t keep. All I’ll say is this: I am going to try.

I am 17 weeks pregnant!!! Whooo!! So, I want to write my thoughts and get some of those hormones/emotions out this way. And any aspiring mamas out there, enjoy! There is so much to pregnancy I had no idea about! I’ll share my experience and the lessons I’m learning as I go along.

Here we go…

I had a miscarriage in May (see previous blog post); so discovering I was pregnant this time around was a little anti-climactic. We were scared and were fighting becoming too excited. We prayed a lot for baby Greene, and tried to keep the news a secret (hard to do!). It was the end of July, a Thursday morning before work, when I took the test. Tyler was already at work for the day, and I didn’t tell him I thought I might be pregnant. The test was positive :) I left it on our bathroom counter. He went home during a lunch break and found the surprise. We planned on waiting till 12 weeks to tell the family, but told our parents at 7 weeks, and siblings at 8. With each week, it became a little more real, and I was a little more hopeful.

The first trimester was rough. I was nauseas a ton, and super emotional and overwhelmed. I work a lot, and it was difficult when I realized I couldn’t do everything I had done in the past. I would come home from work and lay around, feeling too sick to clean or cook. It was humbling; I felt my humanness. I have an incredible and supportive husband who was helpful and patient. I have a big God who sustained me.

Now, I’m in the second trimester, and it’s a lot of fun!! Until about 2 weeks ago, I was super tired all the time and still struggling with feeling overwhelmed. Now, I have a lot more energy and am learning what I can and can’t do. I am resting when I can, and not being a perfectionist about cleaning. I am more intentional with my schedule and priorities.

My belly is growing!!!

That is an overview, but I have so much more to tell! I’ll blog again when I can, so stay tuned!

I spent a little time alone tonight. Sometimes, that heals.

I’ve been afraid to be alone these last couple days, because hurt and brokenness sink in more when there is no one around to distract from it. 

But I felt the Spirit calling me to sit still. To write, read, sing. To rest.

This has been the strangest trial of my life. So out of my control, so up and down. 

I prayed, “LORD, restore me. Heal me.” 

I hear Him call to me, “Come, sinner…drink and be refreshed. Come, sinner, find new life”

Isn’t it funny how during trials we often feel like the victim, like God owes us comfort and restoration, even perfection. But I’m reminded these are gifts He gives to the undeserving. ALL I deserve is Hell, and He has saved me from that. When life is hard, I am held up by Grace, and I will cling to the joy I have in that. 

Grieve? Yes, I will grieve, but in my grieving I will remember the Hope I have in Christ. I will be glad and rejoice with thanksgiving for my salvation.

Hello Spring, and hello BLOG!

I am a supremely awful blogger. In fact, I feel kind of ashamed showing my face on here after 3 months of nothing. I do want to do this more often; I think it is good for me. I used to write a lot. A LOT.  Now, I am not even a fourth of the way through my journal that I have had since Christmas. I am going to set a goal of blogging at least once/month; I think that is attainable.

So much has happened since I last blogged, but a lot of it you probably wouldn’t care about (and I don’t blame you!). Here is the BIG stuff:

-We moved into an apartment! It is lovely, and I feel so blessed! However, once all our boxes were unpacked, we realized it feels a little empty! More space means you need more stuff to fill that space.. One thing at a time, though.

-Two of my best friends got married last week. Yes, to each other :) Logan and Karissa had a beautiful wedding! I could not be more happy for them! They are 2 people who are seeking God with their whole hearts, and I know their marriage will honor Him. Anyway, since Ty and I were in the wedding, things were a little crazy last week! But FUN! We had lot of friends here from out of town, and were, of course, busy with rehearsals, manicures, and all the usual pre-wedding activities. 

-I got a new job! I am now a dietetic assistant at Cox South. I have orientation Monday and Tuesday (I’m nervous-say a prayer for me). This job is something Tyler and I have been praying for. Now, I have insurance, which was something we needed. All glory to God for providing for His children!

In the midst of all this excitement, it has been difficult for me to sit down and pray or meditate on Scripture. My mind won’t be calm. And I’m frustrated with myself. I read my blog from Honduras, and then read some posts in my journal from when we returned to the states…I feel I have already forgotten so much of what I learned. It is so easy to get caught up in ‘good’ things, and miss the meaning of it all. 

I wrote this in my journal January 22:  God, help me to adjust healthily. I do not want to fall back into image-minded, envying, selfish living. I want to be radical, on mission, and giving of extravagant love. 

Why is it so hard to take your thoughts captive? Why does this world pull me in so easily? 

I wish I could shed my flesh. 

1 Peter 4—we are stewards of God’s grace. What am I doing with it?

Only 2 days remain in our Honduran journey. Our goal has been to bless the local church. The ministry I came with is called Wells of Joy and the mission is to increase the joy of the servants of the Lord. We usually work with missionaries, but this trip is different because we are working with indigenous pastors and church members, so we have a language barrier. But, oh, the time has been sweet! 

There have been many moments in worship, singing “How Great Thou Art” (they LOVE that song) in English while the church sings in Spanish, and the Spirit’s presence fills the room, along with the voices of His people. 

God has reminded me of His power, and the fact that all around he world He is chasing His children, and He is winning. The Acosta family and others we’ve met truly have the light of Christ in them. 

I love it here— the mountains, the language, the people, the churches, and the food. I am still amazed at the view as we drive around the city, and at the love the people have shown us, mere strangers. The Central American culture has captured my heart again, and I know long after we’re gone, I’ll be longing for a hug, a pupusa, and a “buenos dias!”

There is so much more I could say, and want to say, but I’ll save it for another blog. 

I thought I’d share a Christmas photo. There were about 40 people at my grandparents’ this year!

So blessed by this family and the legacy that my grandparents are leaving.