14 Weeks

This week marks my 14th week of pregnancy. Here is a little info about the baby:

Baby's now the size of a lemon!
Our adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, (not so cute but equally amazing) making urine, and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys, and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over his/her body for warmth.

Something sad happened this week...my family dog, Bailey, was put to sleep. She was 14 years and 18 days old. Our whole family is sad...and mourning in different ways. My mom and dad were with her when her heart stopped beating, while my sister and I are miles away. I truly don't think this death will impact me until I go home for Thanksgiving and she's not there. She was a best friend and a dear family member, and I will miss her more than words can say. She meant something different to all of us. Each of us had a unique relationship with her. I have been out of the house now since I started attending college, and I have always wondered what Bailey thought. Why is she leaving? Where is she going? Is she coming back? Did I do something to send her away? And yet, Bailey would always greet me with a wagging tail and a million kisses. No matter how long I had been gone or even that I had left. She remembered me. It breaks my heart to know I did not get to say a final good-bye to her. When I last saw her in May...I knew it may be my last but I prayed it wasn't. I know she knows I loved her very much, and yet I feel as if she just didn't understand I had to leave home to live my life. Has any one seen the movie Hachi? The dog goes to the train stop every day to wait for his master to return and one day the master doesn't return because he dies. The dog still goes to the train every single day to look for his master, his best friend. He goes for years and years. Wondering where his master went. That's how I think Bailey felt...wondering where I went and when I would come back. Regardless, I love her and I will miss her and I know she was very loved and very happy while with our family. Good-bye, Bailey.

Welcome 2nd Trimester

I am now officially in my 2nd trimester and it thrills me! I'm ready to feel like myself again and have more energy! Here is a belly pic:

Clothes are beginning to feel even more snug and I change into my sweat pants as soon as I walk through the door! I am so thankful everything continues to go well with me and the baby. Thank you for all of your prayers. They mean so much to me. I can't wait to find out if it's a boy or a girl in about 5-6 more weeks! :)

We're Expecting!

The secret is out: I'm going to have a baby! :) Brian and I are super excited about having a little peanut added to our family soon. Today marks 12 weeks for me and the baby. Hard to believe how fast time has already flown...seems like just last week I was at the doctor confirming the fact that I was pregnant. To the left, you will see a picture I took this morning of my baby bump. Here are some more highlights of the past 12 weeks:

~My family received a phone call to hear the news(due to the distance factor). Brian's family received bibs wrapped up in gift bags. You should have seen the looks on their faces. :)

~Shared the news with my co-workers at the daycare via a work meeting

~Symptoms? Headaches, nausea, back aches, acne, emotional highs and lows, and fatigue

~No longer tutoring...just working at the daycare

~Plans are in the works for a double baby shower at home in Colorado in November! My sister is also pregnant...due 1 month before me!

~Milestone: Last week, Brian and I heard the baby's heartbeat! Simply amazing...

~This weekend I bought my first maternity item for my new wardrobe at Kohl's and today shopped online for new pants due to my expanding waistline :)

The first 12 weeks have all in all been fine. It was not as bad as I was expecting, and I wasn't as sick as I thought I would be. Brian has been a great support system and is there when I need a shoulder to cry on (for no reason at all of course!). We're very excited about having a baby and we appreciate all of your prayers. We do hope to find out what the sex of the baby is eventually. Then I can go shopping! :) Our due date is March 25.

More updates to follow in the coming months...

June/July Happenings

Sarah Jacobsen and I on the 4th of July at a Tin Caps baseball game in Fort Wayne

It was HOT!

At the end of June, I attended "Wedding Daze," a seminary wives' event where we got together to talk about all things wedding! I finally put wedding pictures in my scrapbook to take along. Here are some snapshots of my book:

Welcome Summer!

Summer is upon us! While Brian and I are happy that it is warmer around here, we are overwhelmed with the heat and humidity lately. Highs in the 90's with the heat index making it feel close to 100. No relief in sight for our forecast. This is a much different summer than when we first moved to Fort Wayne one year ago.

Brian has started his new summer job as the Summer Greek course tutor at the seminary campus. He works with the guys taking the summer greek course which is 10 weeks long. He took this course last summer himself. He also continues to work in the mail room on campus. He is keeping busy but still finds time for those darn video games. :) It's hard to pull him away from them sometimes. We still enjoy playing the Wii together, too. He did play on the seminary softball team for a short time, but that has seem to have ended already. He was hoping it would continue a bit longer, I think.

I am still at the daycare with the 3 and 4 year olds. During the summer, I sometimes am moved to a different room depending on how many kids are in my room. The ratio is 10 kids to 1 teacher, so if there are only 10 kids then I am usually moved to another room with more kids. It's been interesting but I enjoy getting to know the other kids and teachers better. :) I am also continuing to tutor. I have 4 different students right now and I am luckily able to do it earlier in the day now. I have more time at home in the evenings now which I like.

We continue to attend Zion Friedheim Lutheran Church in Decatur, IN. It is Brian's fieldwork church. He has preached twice and will preach once more this summer and then he will also be preaching at his home congregation in Greenwood, IN (near Indianapolis). We like attending a church in the country away from Fort Wayne on Sunday mornings. :)

Our activities so far this summer have included Germanfest and Tin Caps baseball (both are downtown). There is a lot to do here in the summer and a lot of it is free. We still enjoy our Friday night date nights (or another day of the week if we have to do something on a Friday evening). We make it a point to do something just the two of us one night a week. We started off our summer in Colorado for my sister's wedding! We had a wonderful time, the week flew by, but I am so glad I got to be there for the special event. Here are a couple of pictures:

Have a great summer!

Welcome February!

Today is the first day of February! I love this month. January just goes on and on and on. Well, finally it has ended. We are one month closer to warmer weather around here. :) This quote was on my daily flip calendar...

"Today is a good day to pay homage to the military men and women serving our country. Send a note, mail a box of homemade cookies, or give them a phone call to let them know how much we appreciate their sacrifice."

Another good quote...

"Not everyone can be a hero because someone has to sit on the curb and clap for them as they walk by."

If you know me at all...you know I have a HUGE heart for the military. Always have, always will. God bless our men and women serving this great country as well as their families. Thank you all for your sacrifice.

Joshua 1:9

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

This verse certainly gives me much comfort. I have gone through a lot in the past couple of years. I got engaged in November 2007 and planned a wedding for a year. I married my husband, Brian, in December 2008. Days after returning from our fabulous Hawaiian honeymoon, I moved across the country to Indiana to make a new home with Brian. Months after moving to Indianapolis, we packed up and moved again to Fort Wayne. They say the 3 big stresses of one's life are: Moving, Marriage, and Having a Baby. Well I experienced two of those back to back. I have to say, I was an emotional wreck at times. But God, my amazing husband, my fantastic family, and great friends have gotten me through my stressful and hard times. This verse always comes to mind when I am having a hard time, anxious about something, or just need some comforting. God is always there. Not when it is convenient for Him...but all of the time. He is available 24/7 and I am so unbelievably grateful for that. What particular verse gives you comfort and encouragement?