week 7

Well, we're in week 7. I have been blessed to not deal with much to any sickness thus far. I have had plenty of nausea and tiredness, but no throwing up. Thank you Lord! I am so thankful for that. :)

I suppose that so far I have not really "felt" pregnant and it has all been so surreal that I am still grasping the fact that we are going to be parents. All of it is still so fresh and new in my heart and mind and I think I am still processing it slowly. :)

I, by no means, am a small girl and this week I have felt huge(er) than ever. Not sure if it is post thanksgiving, even though I was really pretty good over the holiday, or if I'm just bloating or water logged or what...I'm just feeling like a beached whale and it is frustrating. I just keep drinking water, trying to eat right and hopefully I will stay on the right track.

I got the Christmas decorations up this weekend and got to put our "Bb's" first ornament on the tree. My parents and sister got us each a new ornament this year. They are all so cute. I'll have to post pictures sometime. It got me thinking of all the sweet traditions my mother has had over the years and what kind of traditions I will start with our children, in our home. What crazy thoughts and expectations I have been having lately, ones I didn't think I would have for awhile.

I'm trying to decide when to start the baby room preparations, but have not had the time to really get in there and start cleaning out all of our office stuff. I suppose I will start the nesting process soon enough, so I am enjoying resting for now. :)

I'm thankful, blessed and truly excited about all the Lord has in store for us.

Love you all,

shaina

6 weeks

So, we are 6 weeks along. We had a sono today and got to see a tiny little fetal pole and we even saw the flutter of a heart. :) beautiful! We're getting more excited everyday and hope to really start getting some things cleaned out of the office and stuff this weekend. I can't start too early right? haha Time is going to start flying by.

I'm feeling a bit yucky, most of the time, but have been eating healthy and trying to rest a lot. :)

Soaking up as much sleep as I can get right now is high on my priority list!!

I'll post the sono pictures soon!

Thank you for the prayers.

Blessings,

shaina

Week 5

Well, for those of you keeping up with our blog, we had some more bloodwork done, just to see my progress of hormones increasing. They are increasing "beautifully", my nurse said. :) We found out so early along that they were wanting to make sure we are still pregnant and progressing. We have another sonogram on Thursday afternoon. I'm excited about this one, because I have no doubts that we are pregnant and God is truly performing a miracle inside of me.

I think we are going to start cleaning out the office this week, so we can clean out the entire room completely and get it ready to host a little one next summer. We are still early in the process, but you can't start preparing early enough right? :)

Thank you all for your love and support through all of this and I will try my best to keep this updated instead of through email or facebook.

much love,

Shaina

A New Beginning

Well, I suppose for now, this blog is going to turn into an update central for all of our family and friends to see the progress of our....

NEW LITTLE ONE. :)

Yes, we found out we are expecting and had our first sonogram today, to see how far along we are. We are not far along at all. :) Maybe 4 and a half weeks. We will go back on the 18th for a second sonogram to see if we have made any progress.

There are so many things that are about to change and we thank you for your prayers and support through it all! Keep checking back for updates on all that is going on with us!

God is so good and we are so thankful to Him for this new adventure He has us on!

Nick and Shaina

Holy Vocabulary - Michael Kelley

Michael Kelley, whom I've known since I was a young one, has written another great resource, Holy Vocabulary. It is an incredibly refreshing read and is a wonderful study for personal or group use!

I am incredibly under-qualified to write a review of this book, but I'll give you all a "laymen's" critique of the book and why I encourage anyone who has grown up in the church, to give it a read. Of course, those who have not grown up in the church and need a clear, easy to understand study of the basic terminology of the faith will benefit from the book as well. Holy Vocabulary is refreshing and gives such great insight and a new found reverence for many words and subjects that those of us, who grew up in the Christian subculture, throw around daily.

Anyone who uses the Klingons in their book, for any reason, has won me over anyway, (I am a proud Trekky) but beyond that, I could not put it down for quite awhile after that. I read it rather quickly the first time through and now am beginning to go through it in more depth and at a much slower pace to stop at each place, study and journal. One could easily read the entire work in an afternoon, but would benefit even more through deeper study.

There are some great resources throughout the book that remind me of a "pop up video" type blurb that catches one's attention and gives them a nugget of information! I enjoyed those so much and found them helpful and insightful as well as just plain fun! Great addition to the book and great for discussion in a group study setting.

Again, overall, it is easy to read, easy to understand and easy to get a group discussion going with any of the words/topics in the book. Holy Vocabulary is a wonderful resource for your personal library, church library and life group or home fellowship study library. There are resources for small groups that you can purchase along with the book. I have not looked at them, but I know that they will help enhance your group time as you go through the study.

If you have not read Holy Vocabulary, I strongly suggest that you give it a read! You will be enlightened and refreshed as Michael leads you through the basics of the faith and the importance we have sometimes failed to realize in our subculture of Christianity today. Do not just take my word for it. I hope you will go out and read it for yourself.

Last, I would also mention that if you are new to studying your Bible, do not have an idea of where to start, or are stuck in a rut with your quiet time or group fellowship, Holy Vocabulary will wake you up!

Thanks to the author, Michael Kelley for his graciousness in allowing me to write a review and enjoy his work! Blessings on him, his family and his ministry. Check out his website at www.michaelkelleyministries.com He is an amazingly blessed minister of the Word and I've enjoyed being under his teaching many times! There is much more information about him and his ministry on his webpage!

Thanks for reading and let me know how you enjoy it!

Shaina

My A List...

So Lauren Paris has inspired me to write my own list and she owes me a coke or $100.00 either one. hahaha.

So my list is definitely what makes me happy and what I am truly thankful for recently...in no order actually.

this is try #2 because my computer's battery went dead in the middle of my last draft. :(

Here goes...

1. Nicholas Robert.

2. The fact that I have been placed, since day 1, in the most incredible family. MY DadT, Mother and Sissy are my precious prayer warriors, open ears and strong shoulders. ILYBBITWBW!!!!!!!!!!!

3. Seeing my Mimi improve weekly in her daily activities and seeing her personality be restored. :) Thank you Lord.

4. Lunch dates with PawPaw.

5. Godly, refreshing, inspiring, funny, silly, friends and the almost weekly dates we have with them.

6. Being under the leadership of a worship pastor who is passionate and purposeful in her commitment to leading the flock she is over into the presence of God Almighty, as well as being mentored and encouraged, prayed for and loved by her all at the same time. :) :)

7. Preparing for Kairos 25, at the Neal Unit, next weekend. The family of Godly women and men we are able to work with, the laughter, Godly advice and fun the women have! So excited!!

8. A job, work place and team that are fun to work with, full of grace (for the new girl), and the fact that I am not in charge there. :) So blessed!

9. Fall Air

10. The morning time on the couch with Bible in hand, kitty in lap and the day slowly waking up with me...I used to not like mornings at all, but I'm beginning to....weird.

11. Lauren. For letting me honest, real and still loving me despite or in spite of it all. ha.

12. Our cozy, lovely, sweet home, which God has blessed us with and filled with His love and spirit.

13. Learning that God does not deprive me. ever. ever. ever. When I desire things, that is healthy and to ask Him for those desires is expected, but if He chooses not to grant those desires in my time, that does not mean I am deprived.

14. The new curtains in our living room. :)

15. getting pedicures and my nails done regularly now. so fun and so thankful for that me time.

Well, at this point, I could think of the tiniest things I am thankful for and make me happy, but they would become redundant. quickly. I'll stop here and just wrap up by saying that everything in our life right now is so amazing...and with that said, bad things will happen, we expect them, but our attitudes are in a place of humility that God is molding us along as we go.

shaina

Happy Fall Y'all!

Well, so much has been going on that I have not had the time to blog much! The G@llery is starting to really launch some great new stuff, marketing wise and event wise. I'm really excited about the pumpkin party we will be having at United on Gem Lake Rd on October 23rd. More details to come! I have our business cards ordered from the printer and some examples of advertising materials like pens, mouse pads, etc coming as well! So excited! I'm really in love with our logo and all it is going to do for our business! Thanks to Lauren Paris Photography for the great idea for the pumpkin party and for the help with the planning as well as being a part of the day by taking pictures and advertising herself! So many details to come, I will be sure and post!

I suppose I can and will throw in some of what Nick and I have been doing lately, besides the business side of things. So, if you are interested, here goes...

Nick and I have been busy and enjoying my new schedule that I have with my new job! I have been there almost a month and I have enjoyed every weekend off, with the exception of last weekend, since I spent it sick. :( but still, it was not bad being on the couch all weekend, watching tv, being waited on by my sweet hubby and relaxing. haha. We truly are blessed that I have switched jobs and have such an amazing environment to work in and freedom on the weekends! We are LOVING our church! Family Life church is exactly where God wants us to be. I've been struggling with an example or a picture of what I feel we have been through the last 10 months. It is like when you are in a school, say elementary and your parent requests that you switch teachers, due to whatever reasoning. We are in the same school(body of Christ) just a different classroom.(church family). We are all routing for the same mascot, just in a different environment. Not sure if that makes sense, but through months of prayer and listening to the Father, I am full of peace about our decision, where we are at and that we have been obedient to the Father. I am so thankful for that peace and discernment I have learned through this experience. My heart is learning to trust, ever so slowly, yet again and I am opening up to new friendships, leaders and family. I have started singing again. :) It is a great thing! The worship team at FLC is great and I am truly blessed to be a part of it. What passion and vision we have to come and worship weekly, in spirit and truth, as well as live in an attitude of worship.

I got out all of our, or should I say, my fall decorations last week. I couldn't wait til yesterday(first day of autumn) haha. I still need some front porch decor, but I'm sure I can get that done this weekend! I LOVE fall and all it brings. Cool air, crisp mornings, pumpkin pie, family gatherings, thanksgiving holiday(my favorite), warm candles, and sweaters. yay! not to mention, football and blankets. yes! I am looking forward to many things this fall and have been busy preparing! The picture I posted is from Thanksgiving dinner last year, on the Byrd side. We all drew what we were thankful for on the table. So fun! Have to keep that one back for when we have kids someday...

Nick and I will be serving on the Kairos 25 team in October. Nick will be playing drums and I will be on the kitchen team! We are excited to finally serve on a team, as a married couple. Kairos is so special to me and my family and to do this with Nick is like a new season of this ministry for me. Since 6th grade, I have had Kairos in my blood and this is just the next step! SO excited! Lots to get done before then as well! yay!

If any of you didn't know, Nick has been working for FastSigns since June and has been doing so well! He is enjoying it and is blessed to be in a new and better work environment! He is moving up fast and doing well in the production shop downtown. IF you need sign work done, give him a holler!

I suppose there is not much else to write about at this point. I'm just so blessed, content and we're both learning SOOO much right now, in our personal lives, in our marriage and in our relationship with the Lord as a family. Thank you Jesus! We're beyond blessed!

Love y'all!

Shaina