Pregnancy Update: 17 Weeks

So a friend says I need to update my blog. I totally agreed, but had no clue what to update it with. At her very wise suggestion I decided a pregnancy update. Usually how is the pregnancy going is the first question out of anybody's mouth who has not seen me with in the last 5 days. In some ways that is such a funny question to me because I can't see or tell how the baby is doing from appointment to appointment. I just know how my body is changing from week to week. I figure my belly is getting bigger so the baby must be fine. So I guess I will try my best to answer all those pressing questions in this blog.

How is baby doing:

Things seem to be good. The heart beat has dropped from 166 to 150 beats per minute within two months. Its amazing to me that it can change so quickly. It has quit a ways to drop still. We think this is one ornery child because every time they try and get the heart beat he/she likes to move around. They (my doctor or the technician) are always saying "that little stinker".

We have decided to go with an "ABC" themed room. We are not going to go crazy with matching bed spread and everything but our very white apartment needs a little color in it. That is very exciting. We have been given a crib and already have my great grandfathers rocking chair. I would like to get a dresser or a changing table but that is not a necessity. Tony and I are planning on moving into our apartment in May. Its basically the same size apartment with the same layout...just one more bedroom. It will be in the same complex though, so moving shouldn't be too difficult.

Our big ultra sound is in three weeks. However, we won't be finding out the sex of the baby. To me there has been something amazing and unexplainable to pray for a healthy baby. I don't have to worry about any preconceptions or being disappointed with the sex. I just get to enjoy my growing tummy (I actually don't mind it too much). I think I would have my child's entire future planned out if I knew what it was. I'm so excited to hold them in my arms for the first time and just love them.

How am I doing:
I am doing pretty good. I feels like I have doubled my belly size in the last week. I'm kicking myself because I didn't think about measuring my belly from the beginning. I am going to start that this week. Tony and I have a calender that we are putting monthly pregnancy pictures in. I've also been writing down what the baby's heart beat was and anything else significant (such as when we got presents or other important family dates). It has been fun to keep track of.

Everybody asks what I have been craving. Well, the big thing is orange juice. I was never a huge fan of it before I got pregnant and now I can't get enough of the stuff. Another thing is spaghetti. I think I would eat it three times a week if Tony wouldn't get annoyed with it. I loved that meal anyways but now it has expounded. Yogurt is another one. That craving isn't as prominate but I do a yogurt every day for lunch and boy is it good. My taste buds have changed a bit. I don't like anything that has a really sharp taste...such as pepper jack cheese.

I think I might be feeling the baby kick but I'm unsure. Every once in awhile I feel like I can feel my pulse in my stomach....Tony and I think that might be the baby. I can't wait till we can both feel him/her.

How is Tony doing:

Tony is wonderful. He is so excited to be a dad. I love watching his face when he rubs his hand slightly across my belly or someone talks about the baby. He is going to be such an amazing Dad. He is excited to finally feel the baby move...hopefully some day soon. He has been busy getting the paper work ready for us to do and going over our budget w/ a fine toothed comb. :) He is hoping our kids have my curly hair. God has really blessed me with an amazing husband

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So that is the update on our life and how the baby is doing. We are excited as spring comes, with summer soon to follow.

FREE Adoption Conference

I have been learning the beauty of free through a blog I have been following. This is something that is free that is worth blogging about....

Grace Church will be hosting an Adoption Fair on February 7th. Adoption is something that Tony and I will be doing in the future unless God takes us down an unexpected path and this conference has been such a blessing to us. All of the presenters are either adoptive parents and/or they run an adoption agency. You can imagine those things easily intertwine. This conference is great if you are in any stage of considering adopting, you have family members adopting, or you would like to start a church ministry about adoption. If you have any questions all the information is on the following website.

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.connecthearts.blogspot.com%2F&h=5a8d49dd7b98cb55bac62c6cc1d72818

Looking Back

On New Year's Eve I was cuddled up next to my wonderful husband and began to realize everything that had changed in the last year. 2008 was a year filled with adventure and excitement and even some hardship. It was a year that shaped and molded who I will be for the rest of my life. So here is a list of some of the major changes in our lives this year....

• Tony and I got married. Obviously this is one of the biggest changes. It has been so amazing to wake up each morning and wonder what new thing am I going to discover about life through my marriage. Marriage is better then I could have ever of dreamed or hoped for.
• My sister got married and our family had the privilege of adding Jason into the crazy mix.
• Tony's family gained two beautiful additions...Isabella and Lauren
• We dealt with the ups and downs of Tony's grandmothers illnesses....an on going battle.
• We said good bye to Tony's brother Jay as he headed off to Afghanistan.
• Tony and I found out that we were pregnant. Funny how God pushes our plans aside to make room for his better plan.
• I discovered I'm going to be an aunt. Yes, my parents will have grandchild one and two next summer.
• Tony got arrest for being in possession of a stolen vehicle. Hopefully this will be a funny story to tell our kids one day.
• Two siblings left for college (a brother on each side).
• We had the privilege of watching my older brother, Preston, fulfill a career dream.
• We celebrated w/ our parents as they enjoyed their 30th wedding anniversaries. It was such an encouraging way to start out a marriage.

If I could of chosen what 2008 looked like this probably wouldn't have been it. However, I have discovered that whatever path God takes me down he has a reason for it. I've learned so much and grown closer to my family through all these events. God has taught me lessons I never will forget. I'm glad that He is in charge and that He shapes my life. I can't wait for the adventures of 2009. I get to become a better wife and I get to meet my new baby. I get to spoil nieces and nephews and celebrate accomplishments and joys with family. I'm sure their will be many twists, turns, and surprises along the way. I'm ready for them because I know who is in control.

The best part of our year...our wedding.

The second best part of our year...finding out I was pregnant. Peanut at 7 1/2 weeks.

The great-grandkids with Nana. Lauren-left, Jakob-middle, Bella-right

Mom and Dad celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary.

Jason and Brittney's wedding.

Preston's girls winning nationals and getting coach of the year.

The Grey Family

My Family has been such a source of strength and encouragement to me through the years. So I thought I would share some of my favorite moments throughout the past year.

If you want a duo to crack you up, these two would be it. They are so different but so amazing. Austin is mechanical and meticulous. If you want to know something, ask him. He has an amazing amount of useless info stored up. Tyler is athletic and fun. He has a very compassionate heart that reminds me constantly of God's grace and love.

Emerson is such a ham. Who could ask for a better baby brother? He's such an easy going little kid. If there is a way to make a profit off of something, he will find it. I don't think that his brain ever shuts down.

My sister and my best friend. She has taught me so much, from the good to the bad :) She has such a passion for family. Our parents always taught us to date and marry high, she definitely did. Jason, my-brother-in-law, is a great husband and brother.

My big brother has been such an example to me. He is a coach at Azusa Pacific University in LA. He has a deep passion for the kids and for his job. I think God wants all of us to have that sort of passion for what we do.

My parents....they have raised six children who love the Lord and want nothing more then to serve him. They have poured their lives into their thirty year marriage, their children, and their ministries. You can tell too. There passion to be examples of Christ shines through every aspect of their lives.

Brittney's Wedding- August 2008. The end of a God blessed summer!

Washington DC- October 2006. I can't believe grandpa died two years ago. That was a beginning of a year of loss and grief as he was the first of three grandparents to pass away. However, I think this picture captures our family at its very core. No matter the distance we come together to encourage, love, and support each other. And through it all God will remain strong in our lives and we will find something to smile about.

Christmas- December 2007, I love spending the holidays with my siblings

St. Louis- May, 2008. This was about a week and a half before my wedding. What a great blessing to spend time with my family right before I got married.

Our New Car

Tony and I have gotten a new car. It is a 2001 Chevy Malibu. We got it for 2800. What did we do w/ our lovely 85 Parisian (Ok thats way off on the spelling)? We sold it back to the same person who sold it to us. God really is good isn't he. This car will be much safer for kids (when we have them), gets double the miles per gallon, and looks SOO much better. God really is awesome!











The trunk is HUGE!!! Tony's tools and groceries will fit!



Tony wanted me to take a picture under the hood. He said Dad would appreciate it...so Dad this is for you!



Can you believe this number? I couldn't. We are hoping to be able to add a 2 in front of this.



I want to thank my father-in-law for taking time off work to take Tony to the auction. We couldn't have gotten a new car..especially one this nice with out you!