Listening...

to this right now...Mark Dever spoke at Georgetown University recently. 

It's happened again

It must be a pregnancy thing.  When I'm pregnant - especially early on - I lose interest in things I am normally very interested in.  Weird.  Maybe it's related to the nausea; I don't know.

I remember being really interested in genealogical research before I became pregnant with Cade.  I literally spent hours digging through our family histories.  But once I became pregnant, I had no interest at all.

I know it happened with my pregnancy with Elsa, but I can't remember what it was that I lost interest in.  Not so sure about Luke as I was working then and didn't have as much time for personal hobbies or interests.

But it's happened now.  I just realized today that I haven't picked up my camera - my new, longed-for and well-loved camera - for nearly 3 weeks.  That's right - 3 weeks.  And I don't even have the desire to get it out right now either.  I hope my husband doesn't mistake this for being ungrateful for this generous gift!

At this point, I'm counting down the weeks to Week 14.  That's usually the ending point to my nausea. So 4 weeks to go!  It also happens to coincide with Thanksgiving Day, and I'm really hoping that I feel well enough to enjoy the feasting on Thanksgiving.

Maybe the holidays will also entice me to bring out the camera again.

Life...

Life just keeps truckin' on no matter what we as individuals are dealing with. 

I often forget this fact.  I spend most of my time in our home with the kiddos - and for the record, I am not complaining about that.  There's no where I'd rather be.  But it can be isolating when we aren't getting out much...whether that's due to sickness or weather or just buckling down at school lessons.

So I forget that while I'm living through my own nausea-filled days, there is "news" going on.  It's pretty funny how often my dear husband says to me, "Hey, did you see that article on...?" and I shake my head in ignorance.  Really, several times a week, I'd say.

Yeah, life goes on out there.

But in here, right now, my life seems to revolve around food.  Wanting it.  Not wanting it.  But needing it.  And having to make it.  Then eating it.  Wishing I hadn't, but knowing that if I had avoided it, I'd be feeling even sicker.  Thankfully, it doesn't include vomiting it.  At least, so far; and that's not typical for me, thankfully.  I'm hoping I avoid it again this time.

The very first thing I did when we learned that I was pregnant was to make up a menu plan.  I wasn't feeling sick at that point, but I figured it would be starting before long.  And if we hope to have a chance of eating decently during the next 6-8 weeks, a menu plan is essential.

I'm not good at consistently making a menu plan.  But if ever I needed one, it's now.  And what I'll be needing in about 7 more months is a freezer full of food; so that will be my last minute project before Baby comes in May.  Yep, the middle of baseball season.  That'll be interesting to say the least!!

Anyway, yes, life goes on.  Two weeks ago we took a family vacation to the Outer Banks and enjoyed some relaxing days there. I wasn't feeling fabulous, and I crashed on the couch every night by 8pm, but it was good to get away and all be together.

And if you've read this far, then you deserve to have a few pictures to make this post a little more interesting, so here are a couple from our trip:



The kiddies checking out the water




Our cool-dead-animal-on-the-beach find




The family



And if you're dying to see the rest of the best (just 150+ of the 1400 pictures that I took), you can find them here.

That sound

Hearing my baby's heartbeat for the first time sets my heart to racing, whether it's the first baby or the second or the third...

or the FOURTH.

Yes, that's the announcement.

Baby is due in late May.

This one was a big surprise for us, and it's taken some time to sink in.  But hearing that heartbeat makes it so much more real.  Of course, the nausea is a pretty constant reminder, too, but hopefully that will pass before too long.

Surprise or not, we are thankful for this little one.  God has been so good to us, and we don't doubt His goodness in adding another child to our family.

But wow.  I guess it still hasn't completely sunken in.

Seven more months for that to happen.  And then we'll see if I need to change the blog name - again.