32 Weeks

I've really enjoyed my week off so far. Wes was able to take off the whole week for Christmas this year, and it's been really nice having him at home. I like being at home together and doing things together. We both agree that this has been the best Christmas we've had since we've been married, and we imagine that next year will be even better with Isaac being in the picture.

Aunt Angi gave us a brand new crib a couple weeks ago. We were both very shocked by that. We thought Aunt Angi planned on giving us Lacy's old crib (which isn't really that old, since Lacy is only 13). Instead, though, she gave my mom the old crib and bought us a brand new one. It's a sleigh crib in a dark cherry color, and it's beautiful.

Today, we bought a dresser for the nursery. It's not a perfect match to the crib, but it's pretty close. It's good quality too, so we expect it to last until Isaac moves out of the house. And thankfully, we didn't have to spend much of our own money to buy it, due to a very generous gift from my grandfather.

I worked in the nursery a little bit tonight, putting things away in the dresser and setting up the mobile. I felt so happy when I was doing that. As I was putting clothes, bibs, and other things away, I imagined Isaac wearing those things, thinking about how cute he's going to be. I thought about how much I can't wait to hold him and rock him. I thought about him looking up at the mobile in wonder, listening to the music and watching Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Eyeore circle around him. Wes walked in there at one point and said, "You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" Happiness overwhelmed me as I said, "Yep!"

Three baby showers have been planned for January now. My family is throwing a shower on Saturday, January 12th. We'll invite all of our family and friends to that one. My church is having a shower for us on Sunday, January 13th. Everyone from our church and Old Fellowship (our home church) will be invited to that one. Then my coworkers are throwing a shower for me on Thursday, January 24th. So far, I've registered at Toys 'R' Us. Later this week, I plan to register at Wal-Mart. The only big ticket items that we need are a changing table, gliding rocking chair, and toy box. Everything else we need is still essential - diapers, bottles, crib sheets, clothes, etc. - but we're going to wait until after all the showers are over to buy anything else.

Last week, I mentioned that I was a little frustrated with people being so negative about child-rearing. Since that time, I have had people tell me more of the positives concerning motherhood. I've been very thankful for that. Yes, I know it will be a huge adjustment, and things will be difficult, but I really needed to hear someone tell me it's worth it. And I did. Wes and I went to Guido Gardens this weekend and ran into someone that we know, and the person told us just that. His exact words were, "Well your lives are fixin' to change, but it'll be for the best. It's worth it." We also had some friends join us for a communion service on Sunday night, and they brought their two children with them. They seemed so happy with their kids, and they were a joy to be around. I mentioned to another friend that I was behind on Christmas shopping but that I should probably get used to that now. She said that yes, things will be different with Isaac here next year, but I'll take him with me everywhere and that I'll learn to adapt to having less sleep and less personal time. That made me feel better. Before, when I heard all the negatives, I'd honestly think, What did we do? I never stopped being happy about being pregnant, but I'd become very apprehensive about our impending parenthood. So hearing the good side of things has been very reassuring.

One of the gifts I received this Christmas is a book called Parenting by the Book, by John Rosemond. There have been a couple nights that I've had trouble sleeping, so I've already read the first 62 pages. It's been very enlightening so far, and it's opened up some great discussions with me and Wes. It's also causing me to re-evaluate the way I think about things. One thing that the author says really stuck out to me yesterday:

"If a perfect God could not raise children who were perfectly obedient, what chance do you have? The Adam and Eve principle: No matter how good a parent you are, your child is still capable on any given day of doing something despicable, disgusting, or depraved" (36).

I think that's something I always knew, but put that way, it gave me a different perspective. In all the many years that Wes and I have been working with children, we've seen many things that would break anyone's heart. There have also been some things that have happened in my own life that I do not want repeated in my home. So that's been something on my mind quite a bit, that I want to do whatever I can to give Isaac a good start in life. I know there's no such thing as the perfect parent or the perfect child, but I don't want to do anything that will be a huge detriment to him. Hearing John Rosemond put things in those terms took a burden off my shoulders. We can lay the foundation, but ultimately, Isaac will have free will just like everyone else in the human race, and he'll be responsible for his own decisions.

For a while, my prayers were focused on having a healthy pregnancy, Isaac's physical and mental development, and a safe delivery. Lately, though, my prayers have shifted more towards his character and spiritual development. I still pray for those other things, of course, but above all, I want him to have a relationship with God. And that has motivated me to want to be a better person myself. The whole idea, "Do what I say, not what I do" doesn't work too well, in my opinion. Isaac will be more interested in what Wes and I are modeling for him on a daily basis. And if I've learned anything from working with children, it's that they imitate everything.

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning. I'm not having any problems right now - just the usual swelling (but not too much swelling), back pain, and difficulty sleeping. I'm still exercising every week. Usually, I'll do yoga one day, work with weights another day, and walk over a mile once or twice a week. The main thing I want to talk to my doctor about tomorrow is my birthing plan. My next appointment will be January 8th, and then after that I'll have weekly appointments. So, less than two months to go now. Time is flying!

31 Weeks

The past week has been incredibly busy, but a good kind of busy. The talent show went really well. I was really proud of all the students who had the courage to perform in front of their peers. Some of my students told me the next day, "You did SO good last night, Mrs. Sherrod. I didn't know you could sing like that!" Several people complimented me on my song, so I think it's safe to say it went well. It was the first time I sang a solo in quite some time (over a year), but I felt better about that song than any other I've done before. It was all God though...I did a ton of praying beforehand.

I didn't get much rest this weekend either, but that's par for the course this time of year. My mother-in-law's family got together on Saturday to celebrate Christmas, and we had a great time. Afterwards, Wes and I decided to stop in Savannah to do some Christmas shopping. The traffic was unbelievable, and so was the crowd. It took forever to get out of there. Sunday, we had all the normal church things to do. Plus, Wes had a meeting in the afternoon, and I went to the school for a couple hours to work on some things. Then choir practice lasted until nine o'clock instead of eight, because it was our final rehearsal before the Christmas cantata. So needless to say, I was exhausted on Sunday night. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Amazingly, though, I had plenty of energy at work yesterday and today. It's so hard for me to believe that there are only two more days before Christmas break. A whole semester, over. Wow. I'm very proud of myself for all the things I've accomplished with my students so far. I've stayed very focused and determined to get certain things done before I go out on maternity leave. During pre-planning (in January), I plan to work on as many things as I can for the substitute. Isaac is due on February 22, but he could come early. My constant prayer has been that God will allow me to carry him to term, and it would be so wonderful if that would happen. But, I really don't have any control over the situation. Isaac will be born when God's ready for him to be born.

One thing that has irritated me a bit lately is all the negativity I've heard from people about child-rearing. Don't get me wrong--I want to know the truth, and I want to be prepared for what's coming. But if I hear one more person tell me how horrible our lives are going to be after Isaac is born, I might scream. Yes, I know everything will change. We won't be able to come and go as we please, we'll be sleep-deprived, and we'll have to have a ton of patience with Isaac. But there has to be some joy in parenthood, right? That's what I want to hear more about. I want to hear people tell me how much they love their children and how blessed they are to have them in their lives. So far, those kinds of comments have been few and far between though.

People make the same kinds of negative comments about marriage though. I think it's really all about perspective, and if you really have the drive to make something work. My life verse has been Matthew 19:26, "With God all things are possible." I have no idea how I'm going to survive on so little sleep or how I'm going to be able to juggle home and work. What I do know is that with God all things are possible. ... That's it. Dependence on Him. There are things I won't be able to do on my own strength, but with Him all things (in accordance with His will) will be possible.

30 Weeks

This is going to be short, because I am beyond exhausted. I did rest this weekend, but not as much as I normally do. Aunt Pam's birthday party was on Friday night, and my dad and I had a combined birthday party party on Saturday night. Sunday was church as usual. I went to bed earlier last night than I did the previous Sunday night. It's just been a long day - good, but long.

My glucose tolerance test went better than I expected. When it was over, my head didn't hurt and my hands weren't even shaking. During the last hour of my test, Wes went to Larry's Giant Subs to get some lunch for the both of us. After the test was over, I ate that, plus the snacks I'd brought with me, but I didn't feel like I would faint if I didn't eat. So far, I haven't heard anything from the doctor. I may call later this week to make sure Lab Corp faxed the results to the office, but usually no news is good news.

Isaac seems to really enjoy music. I played some classical music to him through the fetal microphone, and there was a ton of movement during that time. For the last couple of weeks, I've also felt movement during choir practice. Then today, I was practicing a song for the talent show, and he moved in response to that too.

Yes, talent show. The student council is putting together a talent show for this Thursday as a way to raise money for their group, and I told Shannon I'd sing if she needed me. So now I'm singing Breath of Heaven on Thursday night. I've been practicing it quite a bit today. I sang the song multiple times, and Isaac moved most of those times. It's really a fitting song for me to sing too, being "great with child" right now. Wes and I were Mary and Joseph in our church's Christmas cantata last year, so I have a Mary costume that I'm going to wear while I'm singing. I tried it on today, and it still fits. I just hope I don't get really nervous and mess up the song. I usually only sing in church, which is a much less threatening environment.

Well, it's almost my bedtime. Time to get ready for another day!

29 Weeks

One of my first thoughts today was, I can't wait until I get home so I can go back to sleep. When you start off the day thinking that, it's not a good sign. I was extremely tired this morning, but part of that was my fault. I was going to go to sleep right after dinner at 9:30, but I ended up staying up so I could watch a couple shows on tv. Why did we finish dinner at 9:30? Because we didn't get home from choir practice until nearly 9:00.

Yesterday, I taught Sunday School for the first time in over a year, because Wes needed me to fill in for him with the youth class. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and I thought for a brief moment that I might want to do that again on a regular basis. Then I reminded myself that the baby is due in less than three months. I am resolved to not take on any new responsibilities between now and then, because I have no idea what my recovery is going to be like.

I left Sunday School feeling energized, but all of that energy was sapped from me by the time morning worship was over. There were about seven or eight little kids (little, meaning under the age of six) who sat on the pew in front of me. One of the ladies sat right in the middle of them. Well, she clearly had her hands full, so another lady and I sat on each end to help her. They were very antsy - putting hymnals on top of their heads (instead of singing from them), ripping up their bulletins into shreds, talking, etc. One tried to give another girl a piggy back ride while we were singing. I told him to stand up and then without thinking about it scooped up the little girl and put her on my hip. About halfway through the song I realized I shouldn't be holding her. By the time that song and the next one were over, my body was telling me it was more than ready for me to put her down. I've never been more happy when it was time for children's church.

After church, we went over to Aunt Karen's for lunch. Everyone in my family was there. We visited with them for a little while and then went home so that Wes would have time to prep for his lesson and I would have time to rest before church in the evening. By the time we got home, ate dinner, and watched a little tv, it was 11:00 before I went to bed. So needless to say, I was exhausted when I woke up this morning.

It seems like since I started the third trimester, I've been moving much slower. I've been making a point to do that, especially at work, but I've also been getting tired faster. Wes and I went to Office Max this weekend to buy a padded stool/chair. He put it together for me on Saturday, and then we took it to my classroom to make sure it was the right height. Having that at work made all the difference in the world today! It was so much more comfortable than the bar stool I'd been using previously.

The swelling in my hands has continued, but it seems to happen more when I'm at home. The doctor's not worried about it right now, but that's because my blood pressure is fine. In talking to my dad yesterday, though, I realized that some of the things I've been eating have a high sodium content, so that's one reason for the swelling. Hopefully between watching my salt intake, drinking more water, and staying off my feet as much as possible, I won't have any excessive swelling.

My 3-hour glucose tolerance tests is this Wednesday. I am not looking forward to that at all. At least Wes will be there though, so I won't have to worry about driving.

I know I've said this at least a few times in my blog recently, but I am so thankful for Wes. He has been so supportive throughout this entire pregnancy, and I really can't imagine doing it without him. Whatever I need, he does it without complaint. When we bought the chair this weekend, I cringed when I saw the price ($99.99). I asked if he was sure he didn't mind me getting that for work, and he said, "If it means you will stay off your feet and make a point to sit down more, then so be it." We also went grocery shopping right after that, and he was a huge help with that. We had the "divide and conquer" mentality while we were shopping. He'd go one way, I'd go another, and we'd meet in the middle whenever we had our items. He also pushed the buggy (shopping cart), loaded everything into the car, and carried all of the bags inside when we got home. It actually went really fast with him there, and something that I normally dread doing was actually pleasant this time.

Honestly, I've never seen a man more excited to become a father. When I mentioned the prepared childbirth (aka, lamaze) classes, there was no resistance. It was a given that we would go together. And he loves to hear me talk about Isaac and feel him kick. While we were resting yesterday afternoon, Wes was talking about something, and Isaac started to kick. I showed him where to put his hand to feel the kick, and we both waited quietly. We didn't feel anything at first, so I told Wes to start talking again. As soon as he heard his daddy's voice, Isaac started moving again. Wes loved that...and I loved seeing his eyes light up and the smile on his face.

My Aunt Sherry said recently that this is a really exciting time for me and Wes. It definitely is. I can't wait for Isaac to come into the world!

28 Weeks

I went to the doctor on Tuesday. I had to have a one hour glucose tolerance test and then my routine check-up. I was really nervous about driving home after the visit, because I had to fast before the appointment. I wasn't allowed to eat anything after midnight and wouldn't be allowed to eat anything until after I left the doctor's office. For someone with hypoglycemia, that's no fun. Part of the way it's controlled is by eating frequent, small meals. Wes went with me just in case I didn't fare so well, but I ended up being fine.

The only problem is that I failed the test (my sugar was too high), so now I have to have a three hour glucose tolerance test. For this test, I will not be allowed to eat anything after 9:00 the night before. I have had this type of test done three times, and nearly fainted the last time. After fasting, drinking that sugary liquid, and having my blood drawn three different times, I was not feeling well at all. The nurses just did make it in time with orange juice and cookies so I didn't pass out. So I'm more than a little nervous about having this test done next week at 7 months pregnant. Wes will be there though, so at least I won't have to drive. All of this is for the doctors to find out if I have gestational diabetes.

Another thing that I discovered at this appointment is that my blood is Rh negative. It's not anything that will cause harm to my body, but it could cause problems in a future pregnancy (for the baby). So that meant that I had to get a shot in my hip, and I'll have to have another one after Isaac is born.

I had a ton of questions answered at this appointment. I'm seeing a doctor and a midwife, and everyone asks me why I'm seeing a midwife. So I asked what the midwife's role will be in the labor and delivery process. I've been alternating between seeing both of them, so whoever is on call will be the one who delivers my baby. The only exception will be if there are any complications while the midwife is there (like needing to use a vacuum to guide the baby out of the birth canal). Then the doctor will come in to assist her.

I also asked the midwife when we need to come to the hospital. In our prepared childbirth class, the nurse said that we need to wait until we are in active labor because early labor usually lasts a minimum of 8 hours for first babies. So imagine my surprise when a friend of mine delivered an hour and a half after arriving at the hospital earlier this week. Either she didn't recognize the signs for early labor, or she was just really blessed by a short labor. The midwife told me that my "friend is a freak" and that that rarely ever happens. Then she reviewed all of the stages of labor and explained the difference between real labor and false labor. She also told me that before we ever leave the house, we need to call and they'll let us know whether or not we need to come to the hospital. So I felt very reassured, especially since our hospital is a minimum of 45 minutes away from our house.

It turns out that our prepared childbirth class is going to end one week early, so next week will be the last week. On one hand, I am glad that we will have our Tuesday evenings free again. On the other hand, I will miss our long talks on those nights.

During the classes, some things have made me less anxious about the whole process, but other things have made me pretty nervous. I'm glad to have all of this knowledge upfront though. I would much rather know about things ahead of time. I do much better when I know what to expect. Now hopefully we'll be able to remember at least a little bit of what we were taught when the big day arrives.

Speaking of the big day, every time I stop to think about bringing our baby into the world and holding him for the first time, I'm overwhelmed. Yes, I know life will change as we know it after Isaac arrives--it already has changed drastically, and he's not even here yet--but I just can't wait. I'm so thankful for the ways that God has been blessing me lately, and I'm so blessed to have such a sweet, supportive husband to walk with me through everything.

27 Weeks

So finally, I have time to post a picture. This was taken yesterday afternoon after church. It's hard to believe that I'm already 27 weeks. Next week will mark the beginning of the third trimester. Time is flying!


Wes finished with the nursery this weekend. It is now painted a very pretty blue and has Pooh bear border around the top. In the next few weeks, we'll meet up with Aunt Angi to get the crib and changing table. I didn't realize this, but she's been saving those things for me all this time.


Tomorrow night will be the third prepared childbirth class that we'll go to, which will mark the halfway point for the course. It's been very eye-opening, and we've been learning a great deal. I haven't felt so anxious about things since we've been going to the classes. Knowledge can be very empowering.


I've had a hint of allergies again for the past few days. My feet have also been swelling some, and my hands too. Hopefully neither of those things will last much longer though.


Well, there's nothing else new and exciting to report for now. Until next time...

26 Weeks

I was hoping to update last week, but there was just no time. It was a good week - just very, very busy. Wes and I went to the prepared childbirth class last Tuesday. It made both of us a little nervous, but I'm glad we were there. I'd rather go into labor with my eyes wide open than be ill-prepared for the whole thing. We're enjoying the time we're spending together doing that too. It's a 45 minute drive one way, and we talked the entire way there and back. We didn't even think to turn on the radio, and the drive just flew by because we were talking so much.

I survived the Jekyll Island trip. It was actually a very nice trip - the best one yet. Of course, I was very tired from all of the activity each day, but there were plenty of opportunities to rest. I was able to put my feet up at least a couple of times each day, which was really nice. Even though I was the lead teacher, the other teachers stepped up to help in whatever way they could, and the students were great. I really couldn't have asked for a better trip.

I'm not sick anymore! I finished my antibiotic (for my ear infection) yesterday, and the ringing in my ears has finally stopped. I'm over the sinusitis also. I am so very, very thankful for that. Being sick has been the worst part of being pregnant so far. There is very little medicine that you can take, and the baby is draining much of your resources. What normally would have taken me a week to get over took about three weeks this time.

We found a daycare. It's called Smiles, Giggles, and Hugs. I talked to the director on the phone for a while, and Wes and I spent about an hour out there one day last month. I've also dropped in a couple other times. We looked into other places, but we weren't as happy with them. This place is great though; from what I've gathered, it meets all of my expectations. So I'm very happy that they have a spot for Isaac. Now the next major thing on my agenda is finding a pediatrician.

Wes started painting the nursery this weekend. It's going to be a light blue color, cloudless. We'll put Winnie the Pooh border around it when we're done. Aunt Pam gave me a ton of baby clothes, shoes, books, etc. a couple weekends ago. This weekend, we're supposed to meet up with Aunt Angi so she can give us her crib. I'll try to get a picture up of the nursery sometime in the near future.

Isaac is still active, but I haven't felt as much movement lately. I'm sure it's been because I've been so busy. That is soon to change though. Next week is Thanksgiving break. I can't wait!

24 Weeks

24 Weeks...wow. This is a milestone. When I saw my doctor a couple months ago, I told her that I'd been a little apprehensive about the pregnancy (since it had taken so long to get pregnant) but that I was feeling better about it now that I'm in the second trimester. Her response was, "Just let me get you to 24 weeks." I asked why, and she told me because at that point the baby has a chance to survive outside the womb. She told me after I got to that point, I could "really go to buying." Now it's here. Hard to believe.

There's no hiding the fact that I'm pregnant anymore. People say "we're growing" all the time, and my assistant principal told me yesterday that I looked like I'd gotten bigger over the weekend. Later this week, I'll try to get a picture posted so everyone can see the difference.

Isaac is still very active. I can feel his kicks at my bellybutton now. I've been talking and reading to him through the fetal microphone, and I've also played some classical music for him a couple times. At first I didn't feel any activity when I did that, but this week he has been kicking in response to the stimulation.

I am still sick, but I'm getting better. There have been a few times when I didn't think I was going to make it. I've always had allergy/sinus problems around this time of year, but they've never been this bad. At some points there was so much sinus pressure, and even my teeth hurt. I went to the doctor last Thursday for a routine checkup, and she told me the only thing that will help me get better is self-care, rest, and time. I told her everything I've been doing, and she said I should teach a class on self-care. I'm just growing a little impatient with the whole thing. Next Wednesday, I'm leaving for Jekyll Island with my sixth graders. I was really hoping that I'd be back to 100% by that time. Ah, well, we had our fundraiser dance last Friday night (for the eighth grade students), and I survived that at six months pregnant and being sick. If I can do that, I really think I can do anything!

Wes and I start our prepared childbirth (aka, lamaze) classes next Tuesday. It's hard to believe how fast time is going by!

23 Weeks

Yes, I am awake at 5:00 in the morning. Truly amazing for me, someone who is definitely not a morning person. I got up around two this morning to use the bathroom and never went back to sleep. I felt very awake - even had a conversation with Wes when he got up to the use the bathroom later on - and Isaac has been awake too. I've been feeling lots of movement in the wee hours of the morning. So finally, after tossing and turning for two hours, I decided I could lay there and be aggravated that I couldn't fall asleep, or I could get up and be productive. In the last hour, I've already cleaned my house, paid bills, and am now updating my blog.

Last week got off to a great start, but by Thursday I felt very worn down. This is the time of year when my sinuses normally start acting up. It seemed like the sinus problems came on a little stronger this time, but it hasn't taken as long to feel better. The doctor approved of me taking Benadryl or Claritin, Robitussin, and chlorasetpic cough drops. Those things aren't as strong as what I normally take, but they seemed to take effect by Saturday evening. I did not leave my house for anything on Saturday or Sunday, which was a really wise decision. Although I still had some congestion at work today, I felt much better.

Wes finally was able to feel Isaac kick on Sunday afternoon. Normally, he stops kicking when Wes puts his hand on my stomach, but not this time. He was able to feel four or five strong kicks. He loved that!

We've been looking into daycares for the past couple of weeks. I visited another one today. Several people have asked if I plan to work or stay at home after the baby is born. I'm not going to say that I will work, but I'm also not going to say that I won't work. It's something that I'm thinking and praying very long and hard about. I will say that I want to work (very much so, in fact), but I am going to be very particular about who keeps my child. I thought I was doing a good job by starting on this several months in advance, but most places have a waiting list - most places that are worth anything, that is. Even if I find a place that I like and that Wes and I both agree on, I have a feeling I won't make my final decision until after Isaac is born. So we'll see.

22 Weeks

Last week, I had a very relaxing week, and an even more relaxing weekend. Wes and I left for Jekyll Island on Thursday night and came back on Sunday afternoon. We both agree that it was our best weekend getaway yet. It was so peaceful, and needed after our busy September.

Today was a good day at work too. I thoroughly enjoyed my time off, but I was glad to be back at work. I felt so much more "alive" and energized. I normally dread Mondays, because there's always so much to do. I usually work a little later, which is difficult coming off a busy weekend. But today I felt very refreshed. People who don't work with children don't always understand this, but teachers really do need all the days off they get. I wouldn't survive without them; I need that time to recharge my batteries. And so do the students.

Most of the students seemed excited to hear about Isaac. ... Isaac. It's nice to be able to use a name now, instead of always saying, "baby." I've been using the fetal microphone to talk to him lately. Sometimes I talk, other times I read. Eventually, I'll start playing music too.

Isaac has been very active in the past week. He is kicking all the time now! He's most active in the mornings and evenings. One night last week, I felt several kicks in rapid succession. The same thing happened the next morning. Today, I felt him kick while I was standing up. That was a first. Before, I could only feel the kicks when I was sitting or lying down.

And today, everyone's eyes widened when they saw me. Several people said, "Wow, Mrs. Sherrod!" They couldn't believe how much bigger I'd gotten since the last time they saw me. So finally, I'm starting to look pregnant!

21 Weeks

We went to the doctor yesterday, and one of the nurses performed the ultrasound. The baby was so much bigger this time! Last time, he looked like a tiny peanut inside my womb. This time, however, he was much bigger and his features very distinguishable. The nurse looked at everything - heart, stomach, kidneys, spine, fingers, toes, brain, etc. The heartbeat was 132 beats per minute, and she said everything looked normal. The nurse also told us that he weighs 3/4 of a pound. It was amazing how detailed the ultrasound image was. I counted all of the baby's fingers and toes. I could see all the vertebrae in the spine, and even the tendons in the legs.

I made sure I ate a snack before we went to the doctor, because I read that babies are generally more active in the womb after you eat. We both really wanted to know what we were having, so I was hoping he wouldn't be asleep. I didn't have to worry about that though. He was an active little thing! Several times, the nurse would be ready to take the picture, and he'd move this way or that. He was squirming around all over the place! It was amazing to realize that all of that activity was going on in my womb, yet I felt none of it.

At the end, she said, "Do I have to tell you what it is?"

Without hesitation, we both said, "Yes!"

She laughed, then started to look more closely. Our hearts leapt with joy when she said, "It's a boy!"

Isaac Michael Sherrod. It has a nice ring to it, I think. And his name is so fitting. Abraham and Sarah went through infertility too. God had promised Abraham a son, but Sarah was barren for a time. Finally, when she was 90 years old, she conceived. Upon hearing the news, both Abraham and Sarah laughed. They were happy, but shocked that this would happen in their old age. That's where the name Isaac comes from, because it means he laughs. Wes and I were both happy too, and we laughed when we realized that I was pregnant. Based on what the doctor had told us, we both had a grim outlook. We knew it wouldn't be impossible, but it would be difficult to conceive. Just when I had made a peace about the possibility of never having my own children, God opened my womb. I couldn't believe it, and I laughed too.

God did more than that though. He also gave me the desire of my heart. As long as I can remember, I have wanted a son. I still remember praying a couple years ago and asking God for a son, promising that I would raise him to be a godly man - much like Hannah did before she had Samuel. So as I watched the ultrasound yesterday and saw such an active, seemingly healthy baby--our son--I couldn't stop the tears of joy that were running down my face.

And now, picture time! The nurse gave us eight pictures yesterday. I couldn't decide which ones were "the best," so I just decided to post them all!

I wonder if he'll be embarrassed one day that I showed this picture to everyone... ;)

Maybe he'll be a runner or a soccer player. Look at that strong leg!!!

Or maybe he'll be a black belt. Look at him already practicing his sparring stance!

20 Weeks...What a Week!

It's been busy this week. Can't you tell? I normally update on Monday, and here it is Thursday evening. We've had revival at church this week, and my grades for the first nine weeks were due today. Between those two things and planning two trips for my students, I've been swamped. Things are starting to slow down a bit now though. The students went home early today, and they will tomorrow too. Then next week is fall break. Oh, how I need it this year.

I really enjoyed revival though. The guest pastor was a dynamic speaker. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard at church in my entire life. Oftentimes, I may enjoy revival, but I feel so tired afterwards, and it takes a while to recuperate. Not this year though. I can honestly say that revival fulfilled its intended purpose - encouraging believers in their spiritual walk. I was convicted about some things, encouraged in my faith, and challenged in my service for God. One night, there was a band that came to lead the music. I've been missing that style of worship so much, so that was a blessing. Every night, I looked forward to going. In fact, I couldn't wait to get there. I can't remember the last time I felt that way - I mean really felt that way. Sad, but true.

Anyway, this is supposed to be a pregnancy blog, right? So let's see. The baby is kicking more and more now, and the kicks are getting stronger every day. It happens at all different times - after I eat, sometimes when I'm at work, sometimes when I'm at home in front of the computer. One time, he kicked in response to hearing the organ playing at Nic and Ginnie's wedding. Another time, he kicked while Wes was preaching. At the moment, he was talking about God's love. I thought that was pretty cool, and of course Wes loved hearing that.

My back pain is getting better. The yoga dvd, tummy sleeve, and wedge pillow I've been sleeping with have all been a big help. I also got a massage today, and that was great. Very relaxing. So maybe I won't have to do the physical therapy after all. We'll see.

Now we're just waiting on October 10th. We can't wait to find out what the baby is going to be!

19 Weeks

I went to the doctor on Monday, and everything is fine. The baby has a strong heartbeat - 142 beats per minute. I was relieved to hear that. With everyone telling me that either I don't look pregnant or that I'm not showing much, I was starting to get concerned. Everything is fine though, which means I just have a really blessed pregnancy. No morning sickness, and no excessive weight gain.

I am having some chronic back pain though. The doctor gave me a pamphlet with some exercises I could do to help relieve it, and she gave her approval to get a "maternity massage" at a local spa. She also suggested that I wear a maternity belt for extra support. If it's still a problem, she said she would send me for physical therapy. I'm going to try all of those others things first, though, and hope I don't end up having to do the physical therapy.

I found a prenatal yoga dvd on Monday. I used it last night for the first time and enjoyed it. The Body Flow class that I've been taking at the gym is becoming more difficult each week, so my plan is to just do yoga at home with the dvd. Many of the moves we do in class are on the dvd anyway, and the dvd offers modifications for each trimester.

The ultrasound to find out the gender of the baby is scheduled for October 10th. I will be very glad to tell people whether or not I'm having a boy or a girl. I've lost count of how many times people have asked me that question! Interestingly enough, I've had two random people tell me they think I'm having a boy. One was a cashier at Wal-Mart.

She said, "I hope you don't mind me asking, but...are you expecting?" I smiled and nodded as I thought, Finally, I am showing! When she found out how far along I am and how much longer before I'll find out the gender, she said, "I think it's going to be a boy. Come back and tell me if I was right when you find out."

I thought that was a little odd and decided not to put too much stock into it, since she does, after all, have a 50/50 chance of being right. But I had someone else tell me the same thing today. I had to go back to Savannah today to get some bloodwork done--screening tests for the baby. When the nurse found out how far along I am, her eyes got wide, and she looked at me in disbelief. She said, "Well, you're wearing that baby well. Alot of women would like to be in your shoes." Then she told me about some other pregnant women she's seen who aren't as far along who are much bigger than I am. She said, "You must be having a boy. Girls make you gain a lot of weight, but boys don't."

I will be very glad when I do find out, so people will stop asking me that question and then sharing with me every old wives' tale they've heard!

18 Weeks

I've been feeling some movement lately! Right now, it's just little flutters here and there on my left side. I wouldn't have even known that's what it was, though, if my mom hadn't told me that's what I did when she was pregnant with me. Even though it's faint, it's still pretty exciting.

A question I've been asked a good bit lately is, "Have you been craving anything?" The answer is no, not yet. Occasionally, I've had the desire to eat a nectarine or carrots, but that's about it. Nothing that makes me wake Wes up in the middle of the night to go to the store to buy.

I'm still feeling fine. Cindy says I'm ruining the stereotypical miserable pregnancy. I have been blessed, for a couple reasons. One, many people have been praying for me. Two, I've really been making an effort to take care of myself. I've been eating more of the right foods, trying to get enough rest, exercise, and--this is the big one--eliminate as much stress as possible from my life.

I found a fetal heart monitor and microphone in the store not too long ago. You can use it to listen to the baby's heartbeat, play music for the baby, and talk to the baby. I was really excited about it, and then after I got home realized that I have to be five months pregnant before I can use it. It seemed like the day would never come, but now it's only two weeks away. I can't wait to start talking to the baby, singing to the baby, and reading to the baby!

17 Weeks

I stayed at work late every day last week too, but I did manage to make it to my exercise class on Thursday night. It always makes a world of difference when I go. I sleep better, feel more energized the next day, and end up having a better weekend. When I don't go, I am wiped out on Friday night when I get home from work and don't feel like doing anything. Not so this Friday, though. I went through my normal exercise routine with weights at the gym, and then Wes and I went out later that night.

Saturday was spent at the beach with Wes's mom's family. They said, "Look, she's getting a little belly now!" Finally, someone noticed. It would have been kind of hard not to though, with me wearing a bathing suit. It would've been even more noticeable, too, if I had not been wearing shorts over my bathing suit bottoms.

I had a good time at the beach, although I wasn't able to do all the things I normally do. (I didn't think playing football or bodysurfing would be the wisest things to do.) Most of my time was spent either talking to people or reading a book. I'm reading The Cross and the Switchblade, by David Wilkerson, and I'm really enjoying it so far. I did get my exercise in, though, as I made the long trek to the pier to use the restroom four times.

Sunday was church as usual in the morning, and "Girls' Night Out" in the evening. An elderly lady and one of the youth asked me for a ride in the morning, so my afternoon was cut very short. I'd already planned on getting there early to tune my guitar and practice a little bit before the masses arrived, so that meant I had to leave even earlier to give myself enough time to pick them up. I ended up staying for the whole thing - I didn't want to deprive them of having a good time by making them leave early - but I still got home at a reasonable hour. It ended up being enjoyable too, so that was nice.

Today was relatively easy - a nice, quiet day at work. I have two meetings scheduled for this week - one tomorrow afternoon, and one on Thursday night (yes, night - it starts at 7:00). Hopefully this relaxing pace will continue though, because we have another busy weekend coming up.

Everyone keeps asking me if I've found out the gender of the baby yet. No, not yet. My next appointment is on September 24th. I'll be 19 weeks then, but the doctor won't do the ultrasound until I'm 20 weeks. Honestly, I think some people are more excited to find out than I am. I will admit that Wes and I hope for a boy - and that is very likely given all of the males in his family - but we will be happy either way. Truly, we will be. I'm just so excited to be a mommy, I'll be happy with whatever God decides to give me. We'll see in a few weeks!

16 Weeks...What a Day!

This picture was taken yesterday, just as we were getting ready to leave for church. I am now four months pregnant, which is hard to believe. Just five more to go!

Last week was an extremely busy week at work. Between getting ready for progress reports and my parent meeting on Thursday, I stayed late every day. I did not exercise at all until Saturday, which was not bright on my part. My lower back hurt pretty bad, and I had headaches during the week. After my class on Saturday, though, I felt renewed. No more back pain, no more headaches, no more stress.

The three-day weekend could not have come at a more opportune time. I worked especially hard all week, and so did Wes. He had to pull overtime on Monday and did not get home until 9:30 that night. He also had some travelling to do with different site developments he's been working on, plus all of the normal church stuff.

We did not go anywhere on Friday night, and it rained most of the day on Saturday. When the rain finally did let up, we drove to Lowe's to get some landscaping materials for our yard. The rain had cooled things off dramatically, so we decided to work on our yard some when we got home. Sunday was church as usual in the morning, and then we had the evening off because of it being Labor Day weekend. We decided to do some more landscaping around the front of the house and then relaxed for the rest of the evening.

Today was an adventure. We went kayaking at the river for the majority of the day. It was an eight mile journey, and one that we'd done before. We left mid-morning, dropped off the truck at Steel Bridge so that we'd have a way to get home at the end of the trip, and then headed back to the Sherrod landing (in my car) at the Ogeechee River. It was a beautiful day - clear blue skies, only a 10% chance of rain, and a cool breeze the majority of the time. The river was a little higher today, thanks to all the rain we've been having lately, so it was also a little easier to navigate. We stopped at the same sandbar we stopped at last month for lunch and rested for about thirty minutes. With only the minnows to keep us company, we basked in the sun and enjoyed the serenity of the day.

About an hour later, though, we had a scary encounter. We were kayaking through a narrow part of the river, and there was a willow tree that had fallen in the water. The current had picked up, so I stayed a good 20 feet or so behind Wes so we wouldn't bump into each other. As we neared the tree, I heard a big splash. I asked Wes what that was, and he said it was probably just a turtle (we'd seen several already). Then all the sudden, a few exclamations escaped from Wes's mouth and he told me to turn around and paddle the other way. I asked him what was wrong, but he just kept telling me to paddle. I turned around as quickly as I could, asking him as I was going if he'd seen an alligator. He wouldn't answer though, just kept directing me the other way.

Finally, when we'd come to the eddy, he told me he'd seen a ten-foot alligator. Little did he know, there had been a sandbar on the other side of that tree, and an alligator had been basking in the sun until we arrived. When she heard us, she got scared, jumped in the water, and swam downstream. I was so terrified that I was shaking, trying to get my breathing back to normal. I asked Wes if he wanted to walk along the bank for a little while. He told me it wouldn't be fun, but I said it would be more fun than getting eaten alive by an alligator! He agreed, so that's what we did. Wes actually dragged both of our kayaks, wanting me to only carry the paddles and lifejackets. Reluctantly, we did get back in the river. We'd come too far to turn around. It is an eight-mile journey downstream, which normally takes us about three hours, and we'd already been travelling for two.

The rest of the trip went without incident, but we were both very glad to see the truck at Steel Bridge! We've been kayaking for a while now, and that is the first time we've had that type of encounter. Out of all the times Wes has been to the river, that is only the second time he's seen an alligator - and he's the one who grew up around here. We had a great time despite that incident, but that will definitely be the last time we do that while I'm pregnant. After the baby gets here, I doubt we'll do it then either.

The interesting thing is, I was praying this morning on the way to the river. I just see prayer as talking to God, and that is something that can happen anywhere, even in the car. So I've been praying in the mornings on the way to work or on the way to my exercise class or on the way to church. Anyway, I was praying this morning about our kayaking excursion, and I prayed specifically for protection from snakes and alligators. I don't know why. I'd never really thought that much about it before. I just sensed a need to do it, I guess. Now I'm so glad I did!

I'm also glad that we had such a relaxing weekend, because we are going to be wide open for the rest of the month of September. We have something to do every single weekend for the rest of the month. Signing off for now...

15 Weeks

We had another thunderstorm last night. It was definitely needed again. Finally, the weather is becoming more tolerable. It's now only in the 90s. Yea, I know. Only in the 90s. Sheesh.

We were able to hear the baby's heartbeat last Thursday. That was amazing. The midwife didn't give us any warning though. She had asked me a question, so I was in the middle of talking. Then, all the sudden, she put the instrument on my stomach and we heard the heartbeat.

She did give me a scare though. After we'd listened for a couple minutes, she said, "Now if you listen closely, you'll hear two heartbeats." I got a little wide-eyed, and then she said, "The other one is your heartbeat." Wes and I both let out a sigh of relief.

This time, the baby's heart was beating at 148 beats per minute. That means he's continuing to get bigger! Right now, the baby is supposed to be about 5 inches. The midwife told me that I should start to feel movement soon. I can't wait for that!

Like I said, it was amazing to hear the heartbeat. And it really made the pregnancy more real to me. Right now, I'm still not showing very much. People are still telling me that they can't tell that I'm pregnant, and some are asking when I'm going to start showing. (Like I know.) I haven't had morning sickness, and I've continued to be pretty active. So hearing the heartbeat helped it sink in more that yea, there really is a baby growing inside my uterus.

And I have to admit something. I have been very happy about being pregnant, but there has been a nagging fear too. It took a while to get pregnant, so I was worried that something would go wrong. A friend of Wes's told me that at some point you just have to trust God. (Don't you just love when people make assumptions? But, eh, that's what I get for trying to be real about things.) I told him that it wasn't a matter of not trusting God in the situation - I did - but I just didn't know what He had planned for me. I knew that either way, there would be a purpose for whatever happened. But, I was still nervous that I might have a miscarriage. Now that I'm past that critical first trimester, I feel much better. Anything can still happen, but the first trimester is the time when you're at the highest risk for that sort of thing. So now I feel more free to be really happy, if that makes any sense.

Well, this week has been busy and is going to continue that way. So - sadly - I will be going to sleep soon!

14 Weeks

Today was a good day, but very long. Mondays usually are though, and I always work longer and harder around certain times of the year - at the beginning, when grades are due, during fundraising, right before study trips, and the end of the year.

We didn't hear the baby's heartbeat last Thursday like we'd anticipated, because my appointment was rescheduled. I was not happy about that. Apparently, I am the only patient who wasn't called a few weeks ago to reschedule due to some training that the doctor had to attend. To make matters worse, I was not informed until the morning of my appointment, just two hours before I'd planned to leave work. I was pretty irritated by that, especially since this was not the first time something like this had happened. I ended up giving the office manager an earful about it, and the end result was that I could come whatever day and time I wanted the next week. Even still, I seriously contemplated finding a new doctor. This was actually the third time something like this happened, which caused me to wonder if I could depend on them if this ends up being a high-risk pregnancy, or if the doctor would be given the message on the day I go into labor. But, I really do like the doctor, so I decided to give it one more chance. And I suppose I could look on the bright side. At least I didn't drive a two hour round trip just to find out that my appointment needed to be rescheduled.

On a more positive note, I met with the person who's going to be my long-term sub on Friday evening. (Yes, Friday evening. My principal set up the meeting.) She seems like she's going to be a great fit. We have a great deal in common, and she's also a former gifted student. I'm really excited about finding her. God definitely had a hand in that. It just seems like too much of a coincidence to be a coincidence.

Wes is finished with his book now, and he's asked me to read it before he decides to publish it or not. So now I'm off to edit!

13 Weeks

Yesterday there was a thunderstorm, so I decided not to get online for fear that lightning would strike my modem. I can't say I was too unhappy about that though. We definitely needed the rain. It has been so hot here lately. Last week, there was a heat advisory for most afternoons; the weather forecaster advised people to not go outside in the afternoon hours. Some days it reached temperatures as high as 115 degrees. When people found out my due date, many of them said, "That'll be a good thing, that you won't be pregnant through the summer." After this past week, I believe it. Saying it was "hot" is an understatement.

There isn't much exciting news to report for this week. Basically, I've just been maintaining. Maintaining my diet and exercise regimine, that is. One of my students asked me last week when I was going to start showing. Then today, a friend of mine told me that she wouldn't have known that I'm pregnant if I hadn't told her. She said, "Have you gained any weight?" I have, but it's all been going to two places. (Take a wild guess.) I'm glad for the compliments, but I will also be glad when I do start showing. Some people get upset about the weight gain, but I'll proudly show off the fact that I'm going to be a mommy!

I've been thoroughly enjoying my exercise class too. It is so relaxing, but it's also a good workout. The first time I went, I felt like I'd been at the spa after it was over. During the meditation time, the instructor talks you through relaxing all the muscles in your face and the rest of your body. It's funny, I didn't realize how tense I was until I took that class. I've been trying to do some of the stretches and meditation techniques at home too, and it's already making a big difference. I sleep better at night, and it doesn't take as long to fall asleep either.

Now just two more days, and we get to hear the baby's heartbeat. We can't wait!

12 Weeks...Busy, Busy, Busy!

It's hard to believe that it's only been a week since I last posted. It feels like ages ago now. School started on Wednesday, so things have been much more busy lately. The school year has gotten off to a very smooth start though.

My students were very happy to hear my news, especially the eighth graders. Some were, however, a little upset. One said to me, "Wait. That means you have to go on maternity leave, right?" I nodded. "You can't do that, Mrs. Sherrod! This is your last year with us. Can't you come and teach just the eighth graders? You can bring the baby with you!" I smiled and laughed a little. Then I told her that I would actually be doing that on some days.

So the question of the week seems to be, "How are you feeling? Are you having any morning sickness?" The answer, thankfully, is no. I have not had a day of morning sickness. There have been a few brief moments of nausea, but they've quickly passed after I got something to eat. I consider that to be a huge blessing and, prayerfully, it will stay that way.

My biggest complaint right now is fatigue. Friends have told me that pregnant women tend to get their energy back during the second trimester though. It's getting close to that time for me, and my energy levels have already been picking up. And that's without coffee too. (I never thought I could live without my coffee in the morning!) All I'm drinking is milk and water now.

On the bright side, I started a new exercise class next week. It's called Body Flow, and it combines Tai Chi, Pilates, and Yoga. My friend Chris told me about it when I saw him at the gym a few weeks back, and I'm so glad I listened. I went twice last week, and it's made a world of difference. I feel more well-rested at the beginning of the day, and I don't feel as tense after the class.

My next prenatal appointment is on the 16th of this month. I'll get to hear the heartbeat then. I can't wait!

11 Weeks...and Back to School

Preplanning started last Wednesday, which is hard to believe. Summers seem to be getting shorter and shorter nowadays. I was in class for the entire month of June, went on vacation the week after it ended, and spent the last two weeks cleaning house and preparing for the baby. I feel like I blinked and my summer was over. I'm enjoying being back at work though. I like being at home and doing things in my home, but I like working too. It's been nice to catch up with my friends from work and get things ready for the new school year.

On the first day, the faculty always has breakfast together and then meets for about three hours to discuss the school procedures. It's also a tradition of ours to share anything we want about our summers, like getting a degree, great vacations, births, etc. Well as soon as my principal asked if anyone had anything to share, two of my coworkers looked at me. I just smiled and nodded at my principal, so then she made the announcement. Everyone was really happy for me.

And you know that expression, you reap what you sow? (Or, what goes around comes around?) Well, it's definitely true. Many people have been so nice to me and looking out for me. I was hanging some things on my bulletin board in the hallway, and there was a step stool next to me for those hard to reach spots.

One of the janitors came by and said, "I know you aint standing on a stool, is you?"

I laughed a little and said, "Only a few times."

He gave me a parental look. "You know why I'm saying that, don't you." I nodded. "Alright now. You be careful, Mrs. Sherrod."

Another janitor saw me on a different day when I was going to use the restroom. She said, "You might not want to go in there. I just put bleach in there."

One of the secretaries offered to do something really nice for me last week, which ended up saving me hours of work. And today, a different secretary fussed at me for going to lunch late. In a very parental tone of voice, she said, "You don't need to be starting out this way. You know why I'm saying that, don't you."

Tonight was open house, which meant I stayed at work until 7:00. Many of my students have already heard about me being pregnant--news travels fast in a small town--but I decided to wait until Wednesday to let all of them know. They were so well-behaved when I had my foot surgery; I can't wait to see their reaction to this kind of news!

And now, after working until 7:00, I am wiped out. I think I might actually go to bed before 10:00...

10 Weeks and Counting...

It is now week ten, which means my first trimester is nearly over. That is really hard to believe! People say that they still can't tell that I'm pregnant, but I can. I finally broke down and bought some maternity pants last week. Most of my pants no longer fit.

We had our first ultrasound last Wednesday. That was wonderful, getting to see the baby for the first time. The doctor said, "Well it looks like there's only one in there."

I said, "Thank God...I don't know what I'd do with two babies!"

The doctor said the baby is developing normally and everything is fine though. We were able to see the heartbeat. It was amazing, seeing it flicker so fast. It was beating at 177 beats per minute! Some people told me that means it's going to be a boy. I've heard all kinds of ways you're supposed to be able to tell--everything from how you carry the baby to how much morning sickness you have to how big the head is. I don't buy into all the old wives' tales though. It all seems a little silly to me.

And just a side note. Three questions that I have been asked over and over recently: "What are you having? Do you want to find out? Which do you prefer--a boy or girl?" The answers are: We won't know until I'm 20 weeks pregnant; Yes, we definitely want to know what we're having; We'd love to have a boy, but we'll be happy either way.

After the appointment, we had time to go home, make a copy, and frame it. I knew the picture would get passed around quite a bit at church and didn't want to risk messing it up. Wes told the kids, "Well I'm going to pass around this picture, because I'm a proud Daddy. This is our baby. Today he is one inch tall!" As the kids passed it around, they smiled and the girls oohed and aahed over it. All the ladies in the church were really excited to see it too.

Our moms enjoyed seeing it too. Wes's mom looked at the picture, turned it different ways, and studied it. Then she said, "It should say, 'Hi Grandma' on there." When I visited my mom at work the next day to show her the picture, she just went around to everyone's office saying, "Look, my daughter came to see me at work today to give me a picture of my grandbaby!" Then she proudly showed it off to everyone.

And now, what you've all been waiting for...

His head is the largest thing in the picture, on the bottom right. According to the books I've been reading, all major organs have started to develop. Brainwaves can be detected. Legs and arms have formed, along with eyes, ears, nose, fingers, and toes. And to think, he is only one inch tall!

9 Weeks Pregnant!

So I went in for my first prenatal visit last Thursday. Wes and I met with the midwife for about an hour and a half. She asked a ton of questions, and answered all of my questions. I'll meet with the doctor this week, on Wednesday. That's when I'll have my first ultrasound. We can't wait! Assuming they've calculated my due date correctly, all of the major organs started forming last week. This week, brainwaves are supposed to be detected. How exciting!

We've been very busy getting the nursery ready. We decided to turn our reading room into the office, and make the office the nursery. In the process, we've been sorting through papers and decluttering the house. It is unbelievable how much stuff we have accumulated in the last five years! At times the task feels overwhelming, so we've been dividing it up into smaller, more manageable pieces instead of thinking about everything that needs to be done. Hopefully by the end of this week, the old office will be completely cleared out so we can start putting the baby stuff in there.

Well, that's all for now. I am too exhausted to type anymore!

8 Weeks Pregnant!

Today marks the eighth week of my pregnancy. It's hard to believe that time has gone by so quickly! We were on vacation last week, which is why I did not update yesterday evening. I think I may start updating on Mondays, though, because that is more convenient.

So there's this commercial that shows a newborn baby and his parents taking care of him. At the end it says, "Having a baby changes everything." I am definitely finding that to be true! While we were on vacation, there were many things that I would normally do that I had to refrain from this time. No horseback riding, white water rafting, or soaking in the hot tub, just to name a few. I told Wes that I'm really glad we found out that I'm pregnant when we did. I wouldn't have wanted to uknowingly do something that would have put the baby in jeopardy.

My sense of smell has become very keen. I've never enjoyed being around people who are smoking, because the smell is awful and lingers for a while after they're gone. Now it's especially important to avoid that, as breathing in second-hand smoke is just as bad for the baby as if I was the one smoking. Well, while we were away, my nose detected smoke even when the smoker was nowhere in sight, and it was a strong odor. When I was walking down our hallway last night, I could tell that Wes was eating an orange before I saw him. Even the hot pavement irritates my nose at times.

I've also been experiencing different emotions. Fear, elation, and everything in between. A friend of mine told me, "What a fortunate child--to have you two for parents." I really appreciated that, and I hope that we do a good job with parenting. I know everyone makes mistakes, especially with the first child, but there is just so much to think about. Thankfully, I already have fairly good eating habits and exercise regularly. But there are other things to consider, from things you shouldn't inhale (harsh chemicals) to the way you sleep (the left side is supposed to be the best) to the way you ride in the car (as far away from the airbag as possible).

On the other hand, Wes and I have both been really happy thinking about the arrival of our baby. We've imagined everything from what he/she will look like, to what talents he/she will have, to what college he/she might want to attend. Yes, we've even thought about college. Already. More than anything, though, we can't wait for the baby to be here. There will most likely be many nights of interrupted sleep, but the baby will also be so cute! We can't wait for our little bundle of joy to arrive.

Many people, upon hearing the news, felt compelled to share their horror stories with me about how they had morning sickness every day for nine months or they were in labor for 36 hours or they were up every hour on the hour after the baby was born. That is a little nerve-wracking, but I just smile and nod. I'm sure they mean well. Every pregnancy is different. Just because those things happened to them doesn't mean they will happen to me.

My first prenatal appointment is this Thursday. It seems a bit odd to me that they wait this long to see you, because the purpose is to get your history and educate you about pregnancy. In the meantime, I've been reading a few books. The one I spend the most time in is called What to Expect When You're Expecting. I'm very thankful that there are people who took the time to write something like that. I've been learning so much.

Wes is already talking to the baby every day too. He'll kiss my stomach and say, "Daddy loves you so much!" among other things. It's adorable. I couldn't imagine going through this pregnancy alone, and I'm glad that I have such a sweet husband by my side. There's no one else I'd rather walk with through this journey.

News Travels Fast!

After I told Wes the news, it was all we could do to keep quiet about it. We wanted to be 100% sure though, so we waited until after the doctor's office confirmed that I was indeed pregnant. The appointment was on a Friday morning. I remember looking at a side view of my stomach in the mirror and thinking, Well if I'm not pregnant, then I am going on a diet!

The secretary told me the office opened at 8:30 and that I could come anytime before 9:00. I was there by 8:25. The nurse took a urine sample, which confirmed that I was pregnant. I breathed a sigh of relief and a huge smile broke out on my face. According to her calculations, I was already 5 weeks and 5 days pregnant, which surprised me. We weren't even trying the last month. How ironic.

Wes told me to call him "as soon as" I knew something, so after finishing up at the doctor's office, I called him at work. He answered the phone on the first ring, almost as if he was anticipating my call at that very moment. Our conversation went something like this:

"Hello?"

"Hey, baby."

"Hey. You're already through?"

"Yea."

"Well?"

"Well..."

"Well, what did the doctor say?!"

I laughed. "They said you're going to be a daddy."

“Really? Wow, I can’t believe it,” he said. I could imagine him on the other end, grinning from ear to ear. “I’m telling everyone in the office now, as soon as we get off the phone.”

We agreed to tell our parents in person, though, so we didn’t call them. We decided to tell them by giving them a gift, like I’d done with Wes on Wednesday morning. I found the perfect things too. For our moms, I got a coffee mug and a pillow that said, “#1 Grandmother” with a place for a picture. Instead of a picture, though, we put a note in there that said, “We thought you might want this on February 18, 2008.” For our dads, I got a matching coffee mug and picture frame that said, “My Grandpa is the bestest.” We put the same note in there too.

Well, we’d already planned to go to Wes’s Aunt Connie’s house that evening for his cousin Jared’s 26th birthday party. So out of his family, Aunt Connie was the first to know. The interesting thing about that was that Aunt Connie dreamed two weeks ago that I was pregnant. When she called Wes to invite us to the birthday party, she told him about the dream and asked if I was expecting. So telling her was pretty fun too.

Wes said, “Aunt Connie, you remember that dream you had? Well, guess what? Jennifer is pregnant now.”

Her eyes got so wide, and she put her hand over her mouth. “Oh, I’m just so happy for you!” was what she must have said at least half a dozen times before we left.

Out of my family, Aunt Suzie was the first to know. She happened to e-mail to ask how things were going, and I couldn’t keep it in. She was ecstatic too. And how ironic, that with both our families, our aunts were the first to know.

After we left Jared’s party, we drove to Wes’s parents’ house. Wes’s brother, Doug, was at the party, so he’d heard the news. Wes told him to go home and keep his parents up. When we arrived, we tried to make small talk for a couple minutes, but then Wes said to his mom, “You need to get Dad to come in here.” Still very clueless, despite the late hour, his mom went to get his dad.

Wes said to them, “We have something for y’all.”

I said, “But you have to open your presents at the same time.”

They exchanged a confused look and said, “OK.”

They figured it out at exactly the same time. They both looked at us, eyes wide, mouths dropped open. And then there were shouts of joy as they hugged both of us tightly.

After the initial shock and excitement, Wes’s mom said, “The only problem is it’s so late that I can’t call Aunt Pat.” She looked at the clock, then back at us, then back at the clock, then at Wes’s dad. She was squirming in her seat.

Wes’s dad looked at her and said, “She’s probably at the studio. Just call her. She’ll be mad if you don’t!”

A couple minutes later, we could hear her in the other room shouting into the phone, “I’M GOING TO BE A GRANDMA!” Everyone laughed.

We told my parents and sister the next night. We’d made plans to drive to their house and then eat dinner with them. When we got there, they saw us carry the boxes in and asked what they were for. I told them that we wanted to give them something before they went out of town the next day. (They were leaving the next afternoon to go to Las Vegas for a week.)

Before we left for dinner, we gave them the same instructions we’d given Wes’s parents. I found this out later, but they’d already figured it out, so there wasn’t the same shock element that we’d had with Wes’s parents. But they were still very excited for us. They hugged us and told us congratulations.

Then my mom said, “We need to celebrate. Let’s go to Olive Garden.”

Olive Garden is in Savannah, and it’s my favorite restaurant. Since it’s farther away and the wait is always so long, I normally only go there for my birthday. My parents treated us to dinner, so that was really nice. While we were waiting for our table, my mom was on her cell phone calling everyone in her family. Meanwhile, my dad was on his phone calling his family. Everyone was very happy for us.

On Sunday, we told our church family. We decided not to tell the kids in our Sunday School class, for fear that they would spill the beans. During praise and prayer time, Wes told everyone, “Well, I have a praise that I just can’t hold in anymore. Jennifer and I are going to have a baby.” Again, there were shouts of joy, and everyone started clapping. On the way out, they all congratulated us too.

On Sunday evening, I sent out the mass e-mail, and several of our friends were happy for us too. So I think it’s safe to say that this is going to be one loved little baby! Not just by us, but by friends, family, and church family. What a blessing.

In the very near future, I am going to start posting some pictures. Wes took a picture of me at 6 weeks and 5 days pregnant, and as soon as the film is developed, that will go up. Our first ultrasound is on July 18th, so assuming the pictures turn out well, I may post one or two of those also.

Good news!

The gift came at a time when I least expected it. In fact, it took me a while to even realize that it had arrived. Little by little, I began to notice the signs.

First, I became aware that I was extremely tired all the time, and more so than usual. At first, I thought I was just tired from adjusting to the first week of my new class. We were in class for eight hours a day, constantly reading, writing, or participating in workshops that stretched our minds. But then I went to the gym, intending to run through my normal routine. My normal amount of reps were cut in half, as I found it increasingly difficult to complete them. I was out of breath, and my body was telling me that it was time to rest. I hadn't been working out as consistently as I'd wanted to lately, but was I really that out of shape?

The second week of class, I noticed that my trips to the restroom had doubled. It seemed like every time we had a break, I was running to the bathroom. However, I just chalked it up to the fact that I drink coffee every morning, and we "graze all day long." By the end of the week, however, there were other things that I just could not ignore. Certain body parts were very sore, ultra-sensitive to the slightest touch. Some of my clothes were starting to fit a little more snugly around the waist, and a trip to the scale revealed that I had gained a few pounds recently. I was even a little moody, and I thought, It must be PMS. Yea, that makes sense. Wait! When was the last time....? A glance at my calendar revealed that I was late. Could it really be? Was I pregnant?

I looked through my cabinets for a home pregnancy test, but there were none left. It was Father's Day weekend, so there would be no time to go to the store until Monday. Getting through the rest of the weekend was difficult. It was constantly on my mind, but I didn't voice my suspicions to Wes, just in case I might be wrong. On Monday, class could not get over soon enough. It was all I could do to make myself concentrate. As soon as we finished for the day, I drove to the store to buy the test. The car ride home was difficult too, as I was anxiously anticipating the result.

At last, I got home and took the test. It was the longest two minutes of my life! As I was waiting for the result to appear in the window, I realized that I was holding my breath. I exhaled and then cautiously peeked at the result: two lines! There were two lines in the window. Yes, I was pregnant! I smiled and then threw the test away, making sure it was hidden underneath the papers in the trash can. I would have to think of a creative way to tell Wes. The first thing I did was get down on my knees and thank God. We'd been waiting almost three years for this baby. Just when we had both given up hope, God opened up my womb. I was going to be a mommy. I couldn't believe it!

I had all these creative ideas of how to give Wes the news. I thought about waiting until we were on our anniversary vacation in two weeks, but in the end I only held out for two days. On Wednesday morning, the alarm clock went off at 6:20 as usual. I reached over to press the snooze button so I could sleep for a little longer. At 6:30, I rolled over to see that Wes was already awake.

"Good morning," I said, laying my hand on his shoulder.

"Hey baby. Did you sleep good last night?"

"Yea."

"That's good, baby."

This is our routine every morning. Before he could reach over to hug me, though, I said, "I have something for you." He gave me a puzzled look, as we only exchange gifts for birthdays and Christmas. Then I reached into the drawer of my nightstand, pulled out a bib, and handed it to him.

He unwrapped it and looked at it for a few seconds. "Oh, for the baby, right?" he said, forcing a half-smile. I nodded, waiting for the lightbulb moment. He looked at it again, this time reading the writing on it: I love daddy. Then he looked at me very seriously, his jaw set. I nodded again, a big grin spreading over my face.

"Wait...no...really? Really?!"

"Yea!"

"We're going to have a baby?"

"Yes, we're going to have a baby!" Now we were both smiling. Wes laughed a laughter of pure joy, hugging me tightly.

I want to remember that moment forever.

I went to the doctor on Friday, and they confirmed what we already knew to be true. Our due date is February 18, 2008. We already have some names picked out too - Grace if it's a girl (because it is totally by God's grace that we have a baby) or Isaac if it's a boy (the name means laughter, and he was the child of promise for Abraham and Sarah, who was also barren for a time).

Stay tuned. Next time, I'll write about how we told our parents and church family.