and God saw that it was good.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork."
Psalm 19:1


Isn't God's creation beautiful?

the touchiest subject, at least for me

I'm realizing quickly that one of the touchiest subjects for a mommy-to-be is the proposed name for her unborn child. It's kinda bizarre how worked up I can get if someone says the wrong thing about it. What's more if it's someone I don't know. It's silly but... I don't know, that's just really personal.

Anyway, I'm 22 weeks today, I have an appointment in the morning, and hopefully then a haircut. I gotta say, one thing I don't like about pregnancy is this head of thick hair I now have! Why can't I just have my stringy lifeless hair like before? I just don't know what to do with this fat hair of mine.

Ohkay, pictures and then bedtime. I need to stop staying up so late!!!

The Power of Prayer

There are a lot of things that I have learned over the past year or so... especially while living in Memphis. I can't begin to explain how many changes I went through in such a little time. I graduated in May, got married in August, and moved away to Memphis. Just like that. And, I guess like probably everyone who's ever experienced combining your life with someone else's, 'til death, it comes with it's own set of worries and stresses... and there comes a time when you finally realize that no, you're not going to be able to do it by yourself. You are completely helpless alone, because you do not control your own life. Don't even try to. You can't do it. Life is too big a task for you to think you can handle it all on your own.

I learned very quickly that I couldn't get by if I didn't place all my trust in God. I am a firm believer in the power of prayer. Sometimes it takes the possibility of having just escaped certain death, or at least injuries of you, and the one person you love above all others on the earth, to convince you.

For me, it was when Carl and I were driving to Arkansas one Sunday morning and we hydroplaned across the median. I had been asleep, and woke to find grass flying everywhere and Carl's arm across me. We didn't flip. We landed facing the opposite direction on the shoulder of the other lane. And maybe 15 seconds later, a semi drove past us.

Before we had gotten on the road, in the McDonald's parking lot, we prayed for safe travel as we always did on Sunday mornings. And I called my mom once I had calmed down, and it turned out they had also almost encountered an accident, a head-on colision, and that mom had prayed for us as well. Yes, God answers prayers.

And He's answered another one. Carl landed the job in Fort Valley! It's what we'd both been praying for. And deep down I knew that we would get the job. I was so confident we would. Because we needed one so desperately, with this baby on the way. God continues to care for us, and for that, I am SO thankful!


So really, I said all of that to announce that we finally got a job, and we're very excited about it! We don't know when we start, but we understand that things like that-- all the technical stuff-- takes time. So until then, I'm going to enjoy the rest of the time I have with my family, and start looking into OB/GYNs in the Fort Valley area... and start thinking about maternity insurance, because I don't think Medicaid will cover me after this... but, again, God will provide for us and take care of us, I have no doubt!

A quick, very shameless plug, and I'll be done: http://www.babyhomepages.net/carlandkristensfamily/index.php.

Love,
Kristen

Bloggy Awards!

I am so honored and blessed to have such thoughtful friends!


Thanks, Annie!


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Thanks, Kate!

20 Weeks Pregnant

So we are officially half-baked (plus 1 day). 20 more weeks and we will have a baby, Lord willing! Give or take, I'm sure. But we're shooting for January 14th. :)


















I feel like it's much bigger than that sometimes! Can't imagine how it will be in a few more months! Eek!

my continual amazement and joy

There have been many days so far during this pregnancy where I have felt terrible. Nauseated, throwing up, sore, just all around sick. I'll admit that pregnancy isn't always a cake walk. It isn't always something that makes you feel like it's the greatest experience of your life (though looking back over the past nearly 20 weeks, it is). I'll admit that it bothered me in the beginning, feeling sick all the time, and crying all the time (that being said, I would never in my life say that these would be good reasons to support abortion... so what if I have to endure this for 40 weeks? Why should my discomfort give me the freedom to choose whether or not a child is allowed the right to live?).

Now... even now I have my sick days. I have days where I can barely move without hurting in some way or form. But at the end of the day, when I'm laying in bed waiting to fall asleep and I feel those little kicks and nudges bumping against my hand... I don't care anymore. It doesn't bother me. Give me 142 more days of being sick or sore... I don't care as long as I can feel that life in there. There is a baby in there and feeling the movement... it's amazing. I love it. I love the baby. I love knowing the baby is in there, moving, growing. Living.

I wish I could share it with everyone. I wish Carl could feel every kick that I feel, every movement. Sometimes he can, sometimes he can't. But I wish he could feel it all the time when I do. I wish my mom could, I wish everyone could. It's amazing. And I guess I count it a very special sort of bond between us because usually I am the only one who can feel it, and I do announce it to others and tell them about it because I am so amazed by it... but sometimes I feel like it's a sort of secret between us because nobody else feels it when I do the way I do.

For those mothers who decided that they had a choice in whether or not their child was allowed the right to live... and murdered the baby before it could even get to this point, big enough and strong enough to be able to be felt... to let it's presence be known... they're missing out. And the ones who have later abortions after feeling the baby kicking and moving... I honestly don't get it.

But the good news is (and this is the only good news about abortion) that the innocent soul of the precious babies who never had or will have the chance to live... they will be in heaven.

I can feel our baby moving around right now.

I'm still amazed.

baby update... & other stuff!

Ugh, my arm looks gross.

They took blood (yet again) at the doctor's office Thursday, and not only did my arm hurt the rest of the day, but now... ew. It just looks nasty. Bruised. I'm gonna have to slap another bandaid on that sucker so I don't have to look at it anymore. Other than that, the doctor's office went ohkay, I guess. We waited about an hour in the examination room for the doctor to come in, measure me, listen to the baby's heartbeat, and leave. An hour for two minutes of attention. Oh well, we're not paying for the visits, so I guess we should be grateful that we were there in the first place and that the baby is getting the attention it needs!

As of yet we still do not know what the gender is. Mom still thinks that it is a girl, so I've gotten used to calling it a "her". We don't know when we'll be finding out, but if they go by the sheet they gave me in the beginning, it should be around 24 weeks with the next ultrasound. That would be around September 24th. I guess we will find out at our next doctor's visit, which is Sept. 11th.

The past couple of weeks have been exciting because 1) I finally felt the baby moving around, and then full-on nudging/kicking/punching, 2) Carl was able to feel the baby kicking or whatever as well, 3) Mom was able to feel her a bit too, 4) bedtime stories have commenced (after which the baby kicks around some... I wonder if s/he likes to hear us talk/laugh?), 5) Monday was our 1st year anniversary (thanks to all who wished us a happy one! it surely was!)!!

I've been feeling fine lately, a few days I have off days, such as yesterday, due to a lot of stretching I'm sure! A pair of my maternity pants is already feeling tight on me, how about that!!?

Last week Brittany had her c-section! Baby Samuel made it safely into this world, for which I am sure we are all so very thankful for! If baby Alethia doesn't come sooner, Autumn will be induced the 19th! I am so excited for my friends in Memphis and only wish I could be there to welcome the babies into the world.

Next weekend Carl and I will be traveling to Byron, Georgia for a tryout, so please remember to keep us in your prayers! Perhaps this is the place for us, who knows but God?? ;D We are very hopeful, though, and excited to have this tryout! We've been waiting a while to hear from folks in the area, so it's nice to have this going for us!

Anyway, just wanted to do a little update here.. hope everyone has a great weekend!!


- Kkens & Baby