…and I don’t mean the pasta sauce.  Yes, it’s true, I am pregnant and here is my official announcement post.  Alexa (one of the girls in my high school small group) is way excited that she is the only one that has managed to get a belly shot of me, thus the picture you see below.  So, thanks Alexa!  She also lovingly refers to the baby as Baby Alex or Baby Alexa.  The rest of the girls refer to the baby the same way based upon their name and the masculine version of their name so right now, this little one has many a nickname!

Taken @ 13.5 Weeks

So I’ll catch you up on the past few weeks and try to answer most of the usual questions.

* I am currently 15.5 weeks, almost 4 months and due February 26th.

* We found out June 20th after I took a test that morning which was the day I left to go to Birmingham for two weeks.  We didn’t really tell anyone because we didn’t get to spend much time together just the two of us for those first few weeks of knowing and we wanted to wait until the end of the first trimester to really announce the news.

* I’ve been sick here and there but not too terribly bad.  It seems that Friday and Saturday are my worst days and even though I’m passed the first trimester, I still have had some not so good days.  I’m not miserable though, so I’m thankful for that!

* It is too early to find out if we are having a boy or a girl and we are still discussing whether or not we are going to.  I have always said I would find out but we have been encouraged not to and are seriously considering that as an option now.  So, we’ll see!

So we are definitely way excited and feel very blessed.  It’s funny to me though because I’ve actually had a really hard time telling people.  We are definitely way excited and are now happy to share the news but I guess I know too many people (including myself) with so many different stories that it’s somewhat uncomfortable for me to share it with people who I am not super close with in Nashville or family.  I’ve walked with some people who have had a pretty hard time and sat with them when other people’s great news just felt like salt on a wound.  And the last thing I want is to unknowingly cause more pain for someone else.  It’s not just baby news either…I guess its just any major life event (marriage, baby, job, death, etc) that we all have stories and connections to and that seem to make us stop and think about where we are in our own lives.  And I think as women, we need to do a better job of rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep.  I’ve seen many times when we cannot seem to be happy for anyone else if we can’t experience that same happiness at the same time.  And other times we are so oblivious to people around us, that we don’t stop and care about what other people may be going through.

I guess I really do feel so blessed and am not taking it for granted.  We all have dreams and desires for what our life looks like and sometimes that happens when and how we want it to and sometimes it doesn’t.  Sometimes our dreams seem to come true for everyone else but ourselves.  I’ve learned, especially over the last year, that it truly matters what the Lord wants and I have the choice to join Him where He is at work or rebel against it.  Sometimes that is easier, and sometimes its harder than other times.

I’ve also realized how much choice God gives us in experiencing joy or sorrow in our response.  Many times, because I choose to not trust and obey, I experience the fear of uncertainty or the apprehension of wondering what is next.  But, when I choose to walk by faith and trust Him, I experience the peace of knowing and living within His complete control and believing His best for me.  It’s a much better choice for many reasons.

Job 23:13-14 But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back?  What he desires, that he does.  For he will complete what he appoints for me, and many such things are in his mind.