Mom Worries

I think I am officially a mom and with that title has come all the mom worries that go along with the job.

Lately our little man has been pretty active most of the time but he is especially squirmy when I sit down or when I lie down to go to sleep. It is in these quiet times that I am reminded there is a little life inside of me and I am comforted to know that he is still growing strong.

This Saturday however our little guy was pretty quiet for most of the day so when I climbed into bed I assumed he would wake up and start doing a jig but instead I felt nothing. I pushed on my stomach a bit, trying to wake him, and still nothing.

Although I was pretty sure he was fine I couldn’t help but feel slightly terrified that something was wrong. I waited a little longer and felt tiny movements but nothing compared to what I had been feeling earlier in the week. Ryan had already fallen asleep so there I lay, wide awake and filled with fear that something was wrong with my son….My son, who I have come to love more than I thought I could at this stage.

So I did what I always do in times of uncertainty, I prayed. "Heavenly Father please help our son to continue to grow healthy and strong....and make him move please." The night pressed on and I continued to feel little movements that did offer some solace but I wanted a good hard kick and that just wasn't happening.

The next morning I talked to Ryan about my concern and asked him to pray as well, which he did out loud in the car as we drove to church.

At church I felt a flutter here and there but I was still on edge until a few minutes into the sermon when I got a series of good strong blows. Immediately tears filled my eyes and joy washed over my body. Thank you Jesus! I leaned over to Ryan to tell him the good news and a look of relief appeared on his face as he touched my belly.

I am sure that being just 25 weeks along I probably over reacted a bit (ok, maybe a lot) to the absence of strong kicks but I am glad that I had this experience. This weekend I felt a love for my child that I have never felt before and a fear that I have never known. I have come to realize just how in love I am with this small baby and that I would do anything for him.

This also makes me appreciate even more how our Heavenly Father loved us all so much that He sent His only son to live a humble life on earth and die on a cross for us and our sins. As a mother of my own little boy I am not sure I could have done what He did but I am forever thankful to Him and to Jesus who died for me and for you.

High-Resolution Photos (for printing)

Howdy Folks,

Due to popular demand (from at least one person), I've re-uploaded our group glamour shots at a higher resolution. This should allow you to download the image at a print-quality file size. Just go to the gallery listed in Annie's previous post, download and compare.

Let Annie or me know if anybody wants original files (~3.5mb per photo) via email and I'll see what we can do.

Enjoy,

~Ryan

Christmas in LaConner!

Ryan and I had a great time with friends last weekend in LaConner...there was even a Christmas boat parade!

Christmas in the L.C

Just the three of us!

24 weeks and going strong!

I’ve already cried three times today (happy tears) which can only mean two things: 1) it is officially the Christmas season, which is a constant reminder of our amazing Lord Jesus and his incredible sacrifice 2) I am pregnant…no doubt about it.

Yep, we are coming to the end of our 24th week of pregnancy which means that our little man is growing stronger everyday and looks a lot like a newborn now only miniature.

I say “our” pregnancy and not “my” pregnancy not only because this is our little man that I am carrying but also because of the extreme involvement that Ryan has had in the whole process. I know a lot of women will be angered by this statement since we (women) are the ones who have to deal with the morning sickness, weight gain, constant peeing (especially in the middle of the night…numerous times) and overall uncomfortableness, but Ryan really has been right there for me through it all and in some ways has experienced my pain.

Some of you reading this have already heard the story I am about to tell so I apologize in advance, however it is a perfect example of what I am talking about. The abridged version is this:

Late one recent Friday night after hanging out with some girlfriends I was driving home when my head started to ache (migraine!) and my stomach followed suit. I was about a block from our house when my body decided it couldn't wait any longer and before I knew it I was puking uncontrollably all over myself....and the car. I did try to grab an empty coffee cup that I had in the cup holder however I filled it fast and then had no choice but to spew all over myself. Why did I not pull over or roll down the window? I have no idea.

Anyhow, soon after the puking stopped I pulled into our garage and hysterically cried for about two minutes before exiting the car. Once inside the house all I could do was call out Ryan’s name in a shaky tear filled voice (that scared the crap out of him, by the way) and cry some more. Ryan flew down the stairs to my aide and immediately hugged me as I tried to reassure him that I was ok, just covered in puke with a pounding headache. (Did I mention that he hugged me while I was covered in vomit!) I am pretty sure he thought someone had died by the way I was acting, so once he knew I was alright he hugged my puke covered body even tighter and told me that he would take care of everything.

After a few minutes of crying in his arms Ryan took off my wool jacket (which he took to the dry cleaners the next day) and walked me upstairs to the bathroom. In the bathroom Ryan helped me undress as I snivled away and then helped me climb into a steamy shower. Meanwhile, as I showered and started to calm down Ryan cleaned the car, puke and all, and put my clothes in the wash. The rest of the night is a bit of a blur but I know there was a little more crying (me) and a lot more hugging (Ryan).

So there you go, now you can see why this is “our” pregnancy. Ryan and I have both had a lot of new experiences throughout the past 24 weeks (most nights were not this bad however) and all the while he has loved and hugged me unconditionally.