Picture Time...

for those of you who are interested.... Miss Ava Renee's first big photo shoot...I'm sure her Aunt Loo will be photographing her as much as she can once she makes her arrival, until then here she is!

we think she is already the cutest thing we've ever seen. :)

Shaina

week 20...half way

well, we have made it half way in this journey. Things have been fairly easy on me, physically. I have not been sick, felt too bad or anything, but I have gone through quite the emotional roller coaster, one which most pregnant women will tell you they have ridden on. So, I do not feel alone in that. I do know for certain that I have had to truly live what I believe though, in faith and trusting the Lord. It is such an incredibly scary and emotionally draining time, yet exciting and amazing all at the same time! Seems as though, when I am down, Nick is up and when Nick is down I am up. God is amazing to us in our marriage that we are usually not down at the same time, but we love when we are both up. :) Not sure if that made any sense at all, but we are learning a lot about how we adapt to change and the unknown. Lots and lots of growing. :)

I started selling mary kay, about a month into the pregnancy. So far it has been good and so far it has been horrible. ha! Starting a business is never easy, in any arena, but Mary Kay sure helps make the process as easy as possible. I am finding more and more excitement and push, each week, at least I am trying to and I am trying to just get the word out that I am even selling it. It is an amazing company and it is really an incredible opportunity for any woman who wants to start making some amazing changes in their life. I have already begun to see myself changing some habits and trying to push myself to better things and bigger goals. I would love to share with whoever is reading this, about it all and let you in on how you can benefit from it all too. I know, I know, a sales pitch, in the middle of my baby blog....but I have to. It is how I am going to get to stay at home!

Now for the BIG NEWS! We found out last monday, the 21st of February, that we are having a GIRL! I know! I think most of us thought we were having a boy, but God surprised us with a sweet girl! We are excited and are already having fun planning for our precious Ava Renee'. I love her name, I love that her room will be full of birdies and bright colors and that our house will soon be filled with more love than we can stand. :)

July 14th is coming so quickly, I can't believe it is March already! Time is flying! I am thankful for this journey God has put me on, the new role he is placing me in and the strength of his power and mercy that is keeping me and will keep me going through this new phase of life.

He truly is in control of even the littlest things, especially when we LET Him. Gosh, it is remembering to let him. allowing him to be in control of our lives. I am so so bad at that. This journey has been forcing me to give it up. I know I will get to July 14th(ish) and laugh at myself for ever being so anxious and worrisome. :)

I suppose that is all for now...

Any suggestions on where to register? I'm thinking Babies R Us and Target.... someone told me wal-mart was the best place they ever registered? really? I'm not a huge fan of wal-mart. help!

week 18 & 19

I missed week 18. I guess there was not much new to report, besides the craziness of our schedule... Things are just busy as ever. Week nights are full except for wednesdays. Weekends are always full. If I can get a saturday morning at home I soak it up, as well as the quiet. This morning I am at work for a few hours, which is good. It's been kind of busy, as always when we first open, we're hoping for a mild morning, nothing too crazy. Then we have an Art Party to work at 1:00. Worship practice for church is at 3:30 and then church is at 5:15. Dinner with mimi, pops, mom and dad, and the aunt and uncle this evening after church. Church again in the morning and then I have girls coming at 2:00 for facials at my house for mary kay. CRAZY. I guess that is why I went to bed at 7:30 thursday night for a "rest" but did not get up until friday morning. tired. The baby's room is not cleaned out yet. I reallly want to get that finished by monday, since we are supposed to find out on monday what this baby is. I'd like it to be cleared out and ready to decorate asap. :)
I still have not felt the baby a whole lot. I'd like to know for sure that he or she is moving around...of course in a month or so I will be wishing him or her to settle down a bit, so I wait. :)

I'm excited to find out who we are having, JRW or ARW. :) can't wait!!

Any guesses??

week 17

So, week 17 is I suppose, officially over...but I can't just skip a week. This week I think I shall dub the week of the breakdown. Yes, there were at least 3, count them, 3 breakdowns. good sized, hormonal, emotional, cryfests that were just exhausting, but I guess they are to be expected and were needed in a way. Good to get it all out and start over again on the faith building, trusting the Lord, believing he is good and has our best interests in mind...ya. God is gracious to me. He loves me where I am...in my unbelief, in my doubt, and he takes my mustard seed and moves mountains. I guess that is week 17 in a nutshell.
We find out on the 21st what this little bb is....I'm anxious to know! I am still waiting to feel that kick, that I know is a kick. I've felt some funny feelings and so I hope that is what I'm feeling, but I want to know for sure. :)

love,
shaina

week 16

Well, we are almost to the end of week 16 and I think I quite possibly felt our little baby moving in there....but I am not for sure. I mean, it's not like I have ever felt anything growing inside of me before, so I do not know what to feel other than what has been told to me. I am getting excited that in a matter of weeks we should be able to know what we are having. Our dr's appt is on Feb 21st and if he/she cooperates we will know. I feel as though things will start to move really fast after that point. It will be the half way point of the pregnancy, we'll be able to start decorating and registering and things will seem to move quickly I think.

My heart is to be able to stay at home with our little one and I believe with all of my heart that God is leading our family to that point. It is a matter of waiting and watching to see where God is going to move and work in order for that to be possible. We're praying and waiting. Actively at that. God is placing things in our life to help supplement and prepare, but Nick and I both feel that this is a matter of faith as well. Getting to this point has and as we surrendered our desires and our ways of trying to make things happen in our life, he provided and blessed. I know it is the same thing with this. I'm trusting.

Prayers for us are appreciated as we continue to trust, pray and prepare for all this newness that is about to bombard our life.

love,

shaina

week 15

this is day 1 of week 15 and the hormone bus has hit me once again. yay. I just love going from great to bad in a matter of minutes. I guess my mind gets to thinking too much and I start freaking out about all the stuff that is going to change, has changed and is changing, plus all of the other life changing things that go on with having a baby. Suppose I am just a bit overwhelmed tonight. One is never really ready for this. You can be as prepared as you possibly think you can and still be unprepared. I'm asking that the Lord just keep me going day to day right now and to help me not get caught up too bad in all the things that make me anxious. On that note, a few chores and bed are all that's left on the schedule tonight; that and some quiet time with Jesus. The one who can calm my anxiety. :)

Night all,

shaina

week 14

This is the middle of week 14 and I have felt a bit less energetic and spunky. haha. I have felt a bit slow and my mind is definitely dragging. I am not "on top" of things like I wish I could be or need to be. I am having to really think through things and fight to keep focused. Nick and I have been talking about the nursery and of course I thought I had it all planned out either way, but you know, I had to change my mind. We don't even know what this baby is yet and I have already changed my mind on the nursery theme or lack of theme, if it is a boy. haha. I am glad I am changing my mind before any money has been spent, etc. :)

I decided to finally put a sono up here. This is actually from 6 weeks....so 8 weeks later, I am sure this little one is quite a bit bigger than a poppyseed now. :) more like a lemon, but I know some of you who actually read this might enjoy a picture! no belly pictures yet. I still just look fat. hahaha

So there he or she is...at 6 weeks. Now that we are almost to 15 weeks, I just can't wait to get to see him/her again and possibly find out if it is a he/she. :) yay!!

I suppose there is not a whole lot to put on here right now other than I am a bit overwhelmed recently with all of the "stuff" one needs and some stuff that one doesn't need but wants when it comes to newborns. so so so much stuff. I guess I am going to have to get rid of more of my stuff around the house to make room for it all. :)

question for those mommies who read this: I was asked what bottles I will be using...ummm, I'm only 15 weeks barely and I have not yet even thought of what bottles to use...any suggestions??

thanks y'all!

shaina