15 Week Pregnancy Blog

July 21, 2014

Good morning! At the beginning of my pregnancy, I made a commitment to do "Pregnancy Blogs" logging my pregnancy journey and I promised to share them with you all. I can't say I will share them each week (unless you care for the weekly updates) because there are not a crazy amount of changes from week to week, but I will share them on a monthly basis. I have a little question series that I found to document where I am in my pregnancy and give a good idea of how things are going for me and Baby Gale. So if you are like me and love reading about other people's pregnancies, enjoy! If not, I will have other non-pregnancy related topics on my blog as well. Happy Monday!

How far along? 15 weeks 4 days

Baby: The baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (the size of an apple or naval orange). Baby Gale is busy moving amniotic fluid through the nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in the lungs begin to develop. Baby's legs are growing longer than the arms now, and baby can move all of it's joints and limbs. Although the eyelids are still fused shut, Peanut can sense light. If I were to shine a flashlight at my tummy, for instance, the baby will likely to move away from the beam.

Total Weight Gain:  I'm getting my thyroid levels tested again today, so we will see how my levels are (which majorly affects my weight). I gained a pound this week and am now up to a 5 lb. weight gain so far. I have been trying really hard to eat healthy and get all the vitamins and nutrients that the baby needs, but I also have days where I don't eat so healthy.

Maternity Clothes: Not yet, but I have so many cute maternity clothes to choose from when I start wearing them! I had 2 women give me maternity clothes and I can't wait to wear some of them because they are actually really cute. I'm going to get a belly band soon because my pants are getting tighter and tighter, but I can still wear all my regular clothes as of now.

Stretch Marks: Nope, but I bought stretch mark cream and I need to start using it ASAP.

Sleep: I've been exhausted lately. I took a lot of naps last week to try to get some energy, but I was just dragging all last week. I rested over the weekend and feel better going into this week. Between my thyroid being off and being 15 weeks pregnant, my body is just tired all the time. Hoping to get some energy soon! I sleep well for the most part, but I do wake up more in the middle of the night than I used to. I'm not sleeping as hard and am a little more restless.

Miss Anything? I miss not being in pain from round ligament pain and I miss having energy.

Best Moment of the Week: Josh and I are making more decisions about the nursery and the baby gear we want. Also, I got back in the gym this week after a 3 week hiatus and it felt great!

Movement: Not until 18-24 weeks, getting closer and I can't wait!

Food Cravings: For a while there, I wasn't as interested in sweets (if you know me, you know this is strange!). My sweet tooth is definitely back. I ate a lot of sugar last week and was really craving it. I'm still liking savory foods as well and find them very satisfying, much more than I ever used to.

Anything making you queasy or sick? No.

Gender: Dunno! Josh and I have decided to keep the gender a surprise until January! Hoping the doctors can continue to keep it a secret at the anatomy scan in a month.

Symptoms: The biggest symptoms I have are lots of pressure in my stomach and ovaries randomly hurting/round ligament pain and exhaustion. I have still been battling constipation and acne. My thyroid is still off, but today I will see if my new medicine is helping my body adjust to pregnancy.

Happy or moody: Moody...sorry Josh!

Looking forward to: The anatomy scan in a month and having a good week with lots of rest, healthy eating and staying active.

Sonogram at 14 weeks!

14 & 15 Week Baby Bump

Our Story

Today marks 3 years since Josh and I began dating! It's been a whirlwind and I wouldn't change it for anything. In light of today, I am feeling quite nostalgic and started thinking back on our story from the beginning. We get questions all the time about how we met and started dating, so I thought I would share a little bit of our story.

Most people don't know that Josh and I were actually friends for a year before we ever began dating. We met in May of 2010 through a mutual friend. My best friend, Caylyn, and Josh both went to the same college and were already good friends. I went to visit Caylyn the weekend after my junior year of college ended to kick off the summer. While I was there, I met Josh. He came over late one night after getting off work at Papa John's. He was in his uniform and covered with dough, but I instantly knew there was something different about him. It's funny because I remember being interested in him immediately. I knew he was a good, Christian guy and he was fun to be around. I also knew I needed more people like this in my life. I left GCSU that weekend thinking that he was a nice guy who I wanted to get to know more. I then asked to be his Facebook friend, so technically I originally initiated it ;)

We talked over Facebook chat for over a year and got to know each other a lot that way. We both enjoyed talking to each other and would stay up late into the night getting to know each other more. It slowly developed into a solid friendship. Although there was always a spark between us, the fact that we lived almost 3 hours away from each other (I lived in Carrollton and he lived in Irwinton), discouraged anything more from ever developing between us...until the next summer.

I went on a mission trip to South Korea in May of 2011 and because Josh had also gone on many international mission trips, we began talking much more frequently. Little did I know that he was actually starting to pursue me. We talked more after I got back from my trip and one day he decided to call me. We talked for hours. Calling turned into Skyping and soon enough we were spending a lot of time in communication with each other through calls, texts, Facebook chat, Skyping, etc. I was completely blind to the entire thing though! I was in a place where I really wasn't looking for a relationship. I had told God that I needed a break from guys and wasn't going to be looking for a boyfriend any time soon. Well, God and Josh had a different plan. At that point, I thought of Josh as a really good friend and loved his company. I was content being single, so I wasn't pushing for anything more. I do remember thinking, there's no way my future husband is someone I already know (not realizing that he was actually right under my nose the entire time). After heavily pursing me without my knowledge, Josh finally asked me out on a date. (Apparently everyone was aware this was going to happen except me). I thought; why not give him a shot? And the rest is history.

We only went on two dates before he asked me to be his girlfriend and I happily said yes. It all happened so fast, yet it had been building up for a year. Starting a relationship with Josh was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Our relationship was different than anything I had ever experienced and I was immediately smitten. I knew this guy was different than anyone else. He was my best friend and we had so much fun together. We could talk for hours and the conversation never got dull. Josh is such a wonderful, Godly man and a perfect match for me! Since July of 2011, our life together has been far from boring. We started off driving 3 hours to see each other every weekend and visiting each other as much as possible. Josh was finishing his last semester of college, accepting the call to seminary, and transitioning into post-college life while trying to find a "real" job. I had just graduated college and moved back home. I was bouncing around from job to job and was really trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. We came into each other's lives at the perfect time, but it was far from simple.

We have been through a long distance relationship, college, seminary, moving, new churches, new jobs, engagement, marriage, buying our first house, and now expecting our first child. Transition is a word I would use to describe the past 3 years. We have been constantly transitioning from one thing to the next with little stability. The one thing that has remained solid throughout everything has been our relationship. We are far from perfect as is our relationship, but we are genuinely so happy together. We bring out the best in each other and challenge each other to be better. We have worked hard for our relationship, but at the same time, it's always come easily and been very natural. I have never laughed so hard or had so much fun as I have in the past 3 years. I'm so thankful to have Josh by my side through thick and thin to encourage me, love me, and continuously pursue me. God blessed me with a man and a marriage that far exceeded my expectations for myself and I couldn't be more grateful.

So, that's our story. Here's to all the blank pages still left to be filled with amazing memories and adventures. I can't wait for our future together because I know the best is yet to come!

 

My First Trimester: Is This Normal?

So if you were one of those women who had an awful, head hanging over the toilet, nauseous every second, completely miserable first trimester...you might want to stop reading now. I'm here to tell you a little bit about my first trimester. I am 14 weeks, so I have officially cleared the first trimester and am headed into the second. While I am glad to be in the second trimester (because that's one step closer to meeting my baby!), I have to be honest and say that my body doesn't feel much different than it did in the first.

I was one of those freak of nature people or at least I thought I was. I'm learning that this is a little more common than I thought. I had very few pregnancy symptoms and might have felt nauseous twice for about 10 minutes total. I never threw up, never even got close. I didn't have any food aversions and wasn't ridiculously tired. My stomach looked very similar to how it had started out pre-pregnancy and I was never showing. I did experience some of the typical first trimester madness including sore/tender breasts, constipation, being very emotional, bloating/cramping, being thirsty all the time and one bout of dizziness/fainting a few weeks ago. These symptoms all came and went throughout my first trimester, so I never felt overwhelmed with all of them at once. I did battle some weight fluctuation and tiredness during points in my first trimester, but those were largely due to the fact that my thyroid levels were very off (hypo) and are still trying to get adjusted to pregnancy. For the most part, I felt normal. I carried on with life just as I had before I got pregnant and felt great while doing it. All in all, my first trimester was a breeze.

Fun fact: I craved greasy/savory foods during my first trimester. I wanted pizza, fries and breakfast foods (sausage, egg, and cheese McGriddles/breakfast casserole) which were very abnormal for me.

 Most people have said how lucky I am or how jealous they are. My doctor told me to just enjoy it! I must admit that I spent a lot of my time during my first trimester worrying. I was terrified that I didn't feel like crap. All I had heard were the horror stories from women about their first trimesters. I didn't know of hardly anyone who didn't spend the first 13 weeks huddled over the toilet and feeling nauseous the whole time. I tried to enjoy it, but it also scared me. I had always heard that if you are getting sick that means the baby is "healthy". So by logical deduction I could only conclude what it meant if I wasn't getting sick. Turns out, most of those myths are completely untrue and are first trimester misconceptions at their worst. I wanted to write this blog to encourage women out there who are going through their first trimester. Whether you are feeling awful or whether you are questioning if there is actually a baby inside you because you don't feel any different...every pregnancy is different, but most still result in healthy babies.

After I started telling people I was pregnant, the first question I got was, "How are you feeling?" When I said I had a really easy first trimester, I was surprised at how many women said it had been the same for them! I had no idea. I assumed something was wrong with me or my baby and spent so much time being scared and questioning the validity of my pregnancy. It seems like it's very common to hear about the horror stories and not quite as common to talk about the easy, totally doable first trimesters. If only women would talk and encourage each other more often, so that we aren't all left in the dark!

My faith was also tested and strengthened during my first trimester and I think that's something that stands out about the past 14 weeks. I've never depended on God so much. There is only so much I can do to make sure this tiny human life inside me is safe and healthy, the rest is up to Him. Pregnancy has brought out a lot of anxiety from within me that I am still battling, but it has also drawn me closer to God. I have seen how good and faithful He is. In those moments of panic, God gave me the peace I needed. I have to trust Him each step of the way. I know worrying about my child won't go away once he/she leaves the womb; in fact it will only get worse! I have to lay my baby's life in God's hands knowing that He will watch over and care for my baby throughout his/her whole life (before birth included). I know my child is in God's hands and that's what got me through the moments of doubt and fear so far in my pregnancy.

I'll be interested to see how the second trimester compares with the first and I'll definitely keep my blog updated on how it's going. But in the meantime, I just want to encourage those girls in their first trimester.

Don't freak out. Don't panic. Relax. Trust God. Everything will be okay. Try to ENJOY this!

We Have Been Keeping A Little Secret.....Pregnancy Blog: First Ultrasound

So we have been keeping a little secret....Josh and I are expecting a baby! We are SO excited to finally be able to publically share the news. Keeping this secret was tough! Now that the secret is out, I wanted to update my blog with the news and let you guys know that I will be doing Pregnancy Blogs throughout my pregnancy. I will try to keep my blog updated with pregnancy news, bump photos and weekly updates. I wrote a lot of private blogs over the past few months that I am excited to be able to share with everyone. I am currently 13.5 weeks pregnant and plan on doing a 14 Week Pregnancy Blog later in the week, but for now I wanted to share the day I got my first ultrasound done and was able to peek at our little "peanut". Thank you all for the extravagant amount of love and support as we share this news of our growing family and I can't wait to take you along my journey.

 

First Ultrasound - Originally written on May 27, 2014

Friday was the day that we went to the doctor to finally confirm this pregnancy. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. I woke up all throughout the night, counting down the hours until the ultrasound. I had really been craving breakfast foods the night before, after I saw a picture of a delicious breakfast spread. So we started off that morning by grabbing McDonald’s before our appointment. A sausage, egg, and cheese McGriddle with hash browns and orange juice had never tasted so good! It was also somewhat comforting to be eating greasy food while inside I was beyond anxious. Our appointment was at an OBGYN office inside Kennestone Hospital, so it took a while to park and find the entrance to the hospital. The whole time, I felt like a big ball of nerves, snapping at everything. We finally got seated and called back to a second waiting room. I was so ready to see the baby at this point, so extra waiting time was like torture. There were 2 girls that got called back with me, 1 went into the ultrasound room while me and the other girl went to the secondary waiting room. I had to wait for both of them to finish their ultrasounds before I got called back. It felt like forever! Finally, I was called back, told to undress and sit on the ultrasound table. I was shaking with fear, but also so excited as to what I hoped was to come. I could see my uterus on the screen in front of my face and I was just praying that something was actually in there! Within a few seconds the nurse said, “And there’s the baby.” Instant relief washed over me and I began to smile. Those were the words I had been waiting one long month to hear. Josh and I looked at each other and smiled. Next, she did something I wasn’t expecting. She let us listen to the baby’s heartbeat. I knew that the baby had a heartbeat starting at 5 weeks, but I had to idea we would get to listen to it at our first appointment. It was so amazing to hear. That little peanut inside of me was alive! Its heartbeat was 150 bmp, very healthy! Josh gleamed with excitement, telling me afterwards how much he loved that part. The tech then told me that based on the baby’s size I was 7 weeks 1 day along and my due date was January 8^{th, 2015}. We were then given a few pictures of the little bean and held on to them with pride. I was so happy! All in all, it was a great appointment! The doctor told me I had a great heart rate, blood pressure and current weight. As of right now I haven't felt bad at all. The nurse told me not to worry about not having really bad nausea yet because the baby looks healthy. I should just consider myself lucky! It was such a great day. I am counting down to the next appointment and to January 8^th. I just can’t wait!

Trip to South Korea

Well, today is the day! We leave for Costa Rica tonight and I couldn't be more excited. As I prepare to leave for my second international mission trip, it brings back so many memories of my first. I remember the call to go to South Korea and the peace I felt while I was there. It was a once in a lifetime trip and I have so many wonderful memories from my 2 week stay. We did so many things while we were there and also met so many amazing people. It would be hard for me to recap the entire trip and put an experience that was almost indescribable into words. 

 

For my last "missions" blog post I'll be leaving you with pictures, which speak volumes over words. I will say that this trip shed so much light for me and gave me so much perspective. I never understood how difficult Christians across the world have it and how lucky I am to live in a country with freedom of religion and acceptance of the Christian faith. I have never appreciated the worldwide Christian community more and realized how much we all need each other. Every single person I encountered in South Korea was beyond sweet and caring. They all took such great care of us and treated us with great respect. The Korean culture is full of humility and service to others, something I believe the U.S. could learn from. It was hard for me to leave Busan because of the connection I made to the city along with the connections I made to the people I met. I never knew I could meet girls my age from the other side of the world and that we would have so much in common, that in 2 weeks time we would become lifelong friends. So please enjoy my pictures from Busan, South Korea, a place and people that will always hold such a special place in my heart.

 

 

 

My awesome team!

 

Busan is a seaside town and that means lots of beautiful ocean views!



We hosted a campus ministry party!

 

 

My favorite Korean food - Kimpop!

Our hosts - love these girls!

 

 

Sharing our testimonies and singing worship music for a Korean high school.

 

Helping campers learn to bake a cake!

Korean Karaoke

 

 

 

Karate Lessons

 

 

Teaching English at a Korean college

 

Busan has such breathtaking views!

 

Korean soda

South Korea -- always in my heart <3 p="">

Mission Trips Part 5 -- Dallas, TX

Thank God it's Friday! This week has actually gone by pretty quickly for me, but nonetheless, I am still very happy that it's Friday. This time around I am writing about my fourth and second to last mission trip experience. If you are getting a bit bored with this little segment then just hang in there because I only have one "mission trip post" left (besides the one I will write about Costa Rica). Speaking of, 1 week from today Josh and I will be on a plane to Central America! :)

 

One of the last things I did before graduating college was go on a mission trip to Dallas, Texas during Spring Break 2011. This trip was definitely different for me because it was the first mission trip I had been on that I wasn't fully excited about. I was going through a rough time in my personal life and had signed up for this trip prior to knowing I may not be in the best mindset for missions. I was hesitant, but I trusted Dallas was where I was meant to be. Going to Texas ended up being really good for me and God truly met me where I was at during that week. He allowed me to reach out to others who were struggling while I was feeling broken myself. He gave me the peace, patience, and strength to joyfully serve on that trip while I was going through a hard time. As much as I was there to help others, God also used the trip to heal me and work in my life. Pretty awesome how He can do both at once.

 

 

Like any other mission trip, there was a lot on the agenda for our week in Dallas. One of my favorite daily activities we did was help out at a day camp for some of the local kids. These kids came from lower income families and knew very little about God. That's where we came in! We had so much fun with those kids and in only a week, I became very attached to my little group. We played games, did crafts, ate snack, danced, sang, and most importantly had Bible story time. I had an awesome group who really wanted to learn more about the Bible, which is always encouraging. I loved spending time with those precious little people and man, did they fill my heart with happiness!

 

 

 

I went with a fun group and we really enjoyed our time in Dallas. We stayed in a little apartment and slept on the floor. It wasn't glamorous, but it made for the perfect home during our stay. Our group cooked together, ate together, had daily devotionals together and we even got to go to a professional basketball game together!

 

 

I experienced one of my least "glamorous" mission trip moments on this trip. A lot of people think mission trips are so clean cut and glossed over based on the pictures they see or what other people tell them upon returning. The reality is that mission trips can also be really dirty and downright nasty! Our group helped clean out some government housing that had been abandoned. These people knew they couldn't pay rent and instead of just moving out, they decided to trash the places first. Just imagine going crazy and destroying your whole house while throwing food, trash, and any other nasty substance you can think of everywhere. We put on our gloves and went to work. It was an experience, but one I am thankful for. Talk about the lesson of humility.

 

We did a few other random things while we were there including helping organize a massive closet. Well, there was more to it than that. Basically, there was an organization that had a lot of donated clothes and we organized them into different sections, so that local people could come in and find what they needed. The clothes were free to the public and it was a really cool ministry. We also helped serve food to high school students and joined a local church that Sunday to aid with their Sunday School classes. It was pretty cool because their children's Sunday School classes actually met at different kid's houses each week. That's what you do when you don't have a big fancy church building like we are used to. The week put a lot of things in perspective for me.

 

 

 

I think this trip taught me that God can always use you, no matter what shape you are in, as long as you are available. He can also heal you and work in your life through the most unexpected circumstances. God is pretty awesome like that! This trip taught me to push back my emotions, so that I could do what God was calling me to. How often do we let our feelings get the best of us and we give up on something we know we should be doing? This trip taught me that God is bigger than my emotions and feelings. He can give me joy through anything and that joy can be spread to others. Joy isn't based on our present circumstances. Joy is something that the Lord gives us that no one and nothing can take away. And that's a gift worth spreading.

 

Lately

Lately, I have been enjoying summer. I have had many lazy days.

Lately, my life has slowed down and I love it. I've been able to breathe and take everything in.

Lately, there has been a lot of talk of the future. My fear of change is once again revealed.

Lately, I've been praying a lot. I've really been relying on God, realizing I can only do so much and the rest is in His control.

Lately, God have given me peace. He has given me joy. He is guiding me through the tunnel where I can't quite see what's ahead, step-by-step He's getting me through it. I'm learning to trust.

Lately, I've come to the conclusion that if you really want something, you will make it happen or at least die trying. All excuses will fall and true determination will come through...if you really want it. If you really want it, nothing will keep you from it. If something is keeping you from it, maybe you don't really want it.

Lately, I've been able to spend time with friends. I'm so thankful for so many of my friendships. I leave feeling encouraged and always have a blast. Laughing with them is so good for my soul.

Lately, I've let go of control. Like it was actually mine to begin with...

Lately, I've accepted the fact that I can only give so much to different relationships and the rest is on that person. I'm content knowing I'm giving my best and the ball is in their court. I realize that not all good things last forever.

Lately, I've taken a lot of walks. I've spent a lot of time outside, with my family. Those are the moments I cherish.

Lately, I'm reminded that everything in life isn't perfect. And that's okay.

Lately, I'm embracing what's ahead of me and letting go of what's behind me, whether that be people, places, or stages of life. I realize new doesn't always have to be bad.

Lately, I look forward to the future. And I'm excited. Although it's the unknown, I do know that the best is yet to come.