Blog Believer

Hello Family & Friends!

I have finally succumbed to the latest facet of technology (at least in my world :) and begun a blog. I figured with a lot of new things coming in the next little while, it would be easier to update everyone at once with a blog than call each of the 38 phone numbers in my cell phone to update people individually (and just think - those 38 #'s are just my mother's side of the family! :) Sorry to ignore the individual aspect - time is of the essence these days! :)

So - quick (or maybe not so quick) update. For those of you who have not heard, Jer and I are preggers! (a.k.a. pregnant). We are 12 weeks and 2 days along (I won't give hours or minutes...). Last Thursday we went to our 2nd doctors appointment and heard our baby's heartbeat for the first time! It was very exciting! The nurse told us not to panic because it usually took a couple of minutes to find the heartbeat. (Which makes sense - inspite of the picture you see, our child is roughly the size of a walnut.) She began doing her nursing thing and, sure enough, it took a couple of minutes. Even though she told me not to panic (her name was Lou - she was very nice), I could still feel the beginnings of a mild panic attack begin to form. For my own sanity I had to ask, "We are pregnant, right? I mean, this isn't just all in my head is it?" She smiled (in that patient way that said she had been asked similar questions many times before) and replied, "Oh, you're pregnant all right." (Hmmmm - was the weight gain what tipped her off?) She soon found my heartbeat (nice to know it's still working) and then, moments later, found another heartbeat. All joking aside, I wish I could describe how that moment felt. I am a mother. I have a child inside of me. I am privileged and blessed to be carrying my first-born son/daughter. My Father in Heaven trusts me with one of His precious, sweet spirits. What an incredibly spiritual moment that was. (Plus, a relieving one! All these symptoms I'd been feeling for 3 months were real! :)

I am so grateful for this opportunity to be preparing for motherhood. I am grateful for this child growing inside of me. All the symptoms I have been feeling are worth it. I was talking with my visiting teachers today (yea for that program in our church!) and the thought came that maybe, one of the reasons women go through pregnancy symptoms, is to help us prepare for having that child on the outside of us. (That sounds wierd so let me explain...). At least for me, I feel as though I have little choice about the sacrifices I am making right now. I don't choose when I throw up. I don't choose what foods smell bad, or taste bad. I don't choose when or how my feet swell, or when the backaches happen. When that precious child comes into the world, I will have a choice as to how I make sacrifices for him/her. Maybe all of the sacrifices I am making now will help me when I have the opportunity to choose how/what I sacrifice. Hopefully that makes sense. If not, well, I'm pregnant. :)