Pregnancy

Today's post is all about that bump!

 

That pretty much sums up this pregnancy for me. This is my second time around and the two pregnancies couldn't be more different. 

Pregnancy #1- Landry, my son

With my son, my husband and I tried for close to a year to get pregnant. We had actually just started seeing a fertility specialist to ensure everything was ok when I ended up getting pregnant naturally. I truly believe God led me to that doctor though, because I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism early in my pregnancy. I also had low levels of progesterone. Who knows if I would have sustained that pregnancy had I not been under the careful care and supervision of Dr. Schnell at the Center of Reproductive Medicine. She was amazing. My time there was amazing. I can't imagine life without Landry, so I am forever grateful to them for taking such good care of me.

With Landry, I never felt an ounce of sickness. I never threw up. I never felt nauseated. Nothing. I felt totally normal. Cravings with him were egg rolls and corn dogs, a tall glass of milk every night and sweets! I could eat a cobbler anytime. My thyroid was an issue though and the weight would jump on me so fast. It took quite some time for them to get my levels under control. However, I did workout all the time when I was pregnant with him. I stopped working out at 38 weeks and had him a week later. The weight I gained was all over- in my face, legs, booty, everywhere! I gained about 36 pounds with him. I only swelled when I was on my feet too long teaching. My blood pressure was amazing. My doctor was a little worried I was going to have a big baby because I was measuring 2 weeks ahead at some point. She had me convinced that I was going to have a 9 lb baby! WHAT?! I was terrified. Luckily, that was not true. Exactly a week before my due date, I delivered a healthy and normal sized 7 lb 6 oz baby. My water broke at home the night before and I went in. I was in labor for 23 hours- took me forever to dilate fully. About an hour and a half of pushing and he was here. I did have to be induced and I had an epidural. Not sure if any of that played into the length of my labor, but I was so close to having a c-section. I am glad I didn't have to go that route! Whew! Landry turned 2 in December and is the most amazing little boy. All was worth it!

Pregnant with Landry

Pregnancy #2 Lydia, my daughter

I am currently pregnant with my second baby. I am nearly 32 weeks along. This one was completely different. My husband and I wanted to try and time this one. Landry was born in December, right in the middle of the school year. I wanted to try and have this baby closer to the end of the year so that my time off would roll into summer. We literally got pregnant our first month trying. I was shocked, given it had taken us so long to get pregnant with Landry, I wasn't expecting that. I took all the necessary precautions to get on progesterone again to ensure things were ok. I have a new doctor this time and I love her. BUT, this pregnancy is different. For the first trimester I felt sick nearly every day. I had to suck on preggie pops, take unisom and vitamin B, I threw up (once but still!), nothing sounded good to eat. I mean NOTHING. My energy lagged severely. Every day tasks were hard. Overall, it was better than a lot of people I have known, but for me it was the opposite of the first time. This time, I have gained almost all my weight in my belly- it's huge! I haven't had any really big cravings this go around. Mexican food and soup and salad are some of the things I have preferred to eat. I find I don't eat as much and I have gained as much yet, but I am on track to gain about the same amount as I did with Landry, maybe a little less. Again, my blood pressure is great, no swelling, and I still workout 4-6 times a week. I found that being active helps me feel better, sleep better, and get back to pre-pregnancy weight faster. Lydia is due in April and I can't wait to meet her. 

Were your pregnancies different? How? I would love to hear some other pregnancy stories! :) 

Christ Centered Marriage

I had a plan for today's blog and this what not it. We didn't go to church yesterday. We had a busy weekend, I was exhausted, Tyler was exhausted... we have a very busy week ahead. These are not excuses. It just didn't work out. Sometimes you have to listen to your body and soul and know when you need a day to rest. Even when we don't go to church, I listen to a sermon online. My go to online services are Life Church with Craig Groeschel or Passion City with Louie Giglio. Both are incredible. I decided to listen in with Life Church this week because they have a series right now called Relationship Goals. Since I spent some time on the blog last week talking about marriage and love and investing in your marriage, I thought it was a fitting way to end the week. I didn't plan on sharing it here, but after listening and reflecting I couldn't NOT share it.

Craig and his wife Amy have been married close to 27 years. Now, I don't know about you, but in this day and time- when people have been married that long- I tend to listen to see how they have navigated life and marriage. Chances are, they are going to have some good advice to tell you, or at least some good stories! 

The sermon I listened to today was the first in this series- entitled "Christ Centered". There are four messages in the series. I think I will most likely go back and listen to the others as well. Craig started off talking about how man and woman were created, how man is not to be alone, and how man and woman become 1. (Genesis). The whole relationship of man and woman was created by God. 

He then went on to discuss how we look at people's pictures and stories and lives on social media and in the world. We think "relationship goals"... we want that. What we don't see is the work that is put into those relationships. Anyone can post a pretty picture on social media, but behind that there are fights and miscommunication and misunderstandings, and challenges. It is good to want something other than what has become the norm today- anger, distrust, divorce.... all things that happen when two people are together but doing their own thing and not having a similar vision in life. 

The number one thing that people mistake is thinking that you have to find the "one" to truly be happy in life. What we don't realize is that we already have the ONE, if we chose to have Him. God should be #1. He should top the list of priorities in all things we do. He should come before your spouse. Without him you wouldn't even be here to have a spouse. It is when we put other things before him that we start to see things unravel and our world tends to be scattered, a hot mess, unfulfilled. The key to that list is that your spouse should be #2! Not your house or job or money or material things or kids. Your spouse. 

When you put God as #1, you have a truly Christ centered life. It is about more than going to church or reading your bible. It is about putting him at the top of all things. When you do that it makes an impact on your values and beliefs. Then, that impacts the actions and decisions that you make. With that, it changes the impact and influence that you have on the world around you. See how that has an effect? BUT none of that is possible if you don't have God as #1. 
One thing that Craig truly believes helps couples to lead a more Christ centered life is praying together daily. I am not going to lie- I kinda cringed when he said this. While my husband and are Christ followers, we have never really prayed together. He does his thing and I do my own. We view it more privately. Well, as Craig said there are lots of things you do in front of your spouse that are private (like going to the bathroom- lol- did I mention he always makes me laugh in his sermons as well?). True, true Craig! If you can do those things, you can pray together. He gave three tips- Keep it short, keep it consistent, and if you miss a day, don't miss two. He said you can start simple and build up. It doesn't have to be 30 minutes of prayer. It doesn't have to be complicated. He just suggested you give it a try. The only thing it can do is build your relationship up and make it stronger! The devil is always on attack, especially to those who are true believers and have the faith. It is constant warfare. Wouldn't you rather have that prayer be something else to use in that battle? I know I would. I think we will give it a go. 

My challenge to you this week: Pray with your spouse. See how it changes your week. 

I have linked the sermon below. If you are ever in need of some faith, some Jesus....Craig is great. 


https://www.life.church/media/relationship-goals/christ-centered/

Investing in your marriage

So, as we wrap up this Valentine's Day week, I thought I would talk about a subject that is very near and dear to my heart! Something that I have struggled with before. When you become a parent it is very hard not to allow the kids to take over your life and become your #1 priority. Babies and kids are needy. They rely on you for everything for a long time. You feed them, clothe them, teach them, play with them, change them, put them to sleep and so much more. It is hard not to let it overwhelm other areas in your life. 

What I have learned is this: your marriage needs to come first. One day your kids will be grown and gone. You and your spouse will be left with each other. The key is: did you spend time investing in each other to grow that relationship and prepare for that time?

I love my son and soon-to-be daughter. I love being a mom. Nothing makes me happier than waking up to my son daily and spending time with him. BUT, I also enjoy time with my husband. ALONE. We don't get it as often as we would like. We are busy working, tending to the house, going to church, and just having down time. There are many weekends we just stay home and don't do anything. We do, however, make an effort to get away and have dates as often as we can. 

There is something about having dinner without a toddler asking for things. There is something about driving in the car without hearing Mickey Mouse playing on the dvd in the back. There is something about going to a movie in peace and quiet. It allows us to connect, sometimes reconnect, if it's been a while. 

I am not saying your kids should not be a priority. They absolutely should be and are for me. What I am saying is there needs to be times when your spouse IS the priority. When you take time for each other without kids. Often we forget that we are the models for what our kids will expect in the world. How we grow up and what we see is often how we think it should be. How our parents are, how they interact, experiences we have as kids...all of it molds us and we often try to mimic or do the same in our relationships. So, what we show our kids is what they expect to be the "norm". I want to show my kids a loving relationship. A happy relationship. I want them to see us invest in each other and know that is important. 

What do you do to strive to make your spouse a priority? Date nights, vacations, alone time? 

Our love story

I was that girl. The single girl. The 30something and single girl. The one everyone asked "when are you going to settle down? Get married?"........ it felt like I was single FOREVER. My friends were all getting married and having kids and there I was- STILL single. I had honestly started to lose hope that there was someone out there for me. I had settled into single life and accepted it. I traveled, spent time with family and friends, put time into fitness, and just tried to keep busy with things so I didn't think about being SINGLE. Society has a way of making you feel like you are on a timeline and you have to be married by a certain age. Well, I wasn't and my story still has a happy ending.

I met Tyler when I was 31. I was starting another year of teaching in my hometown at the school I love. Everyone had joked with me for years that I needed to get out, explore, go places...because surely Prince Charming wasn't going to walk into Port Bolivar, TX and steal my heart. Boy, were they wrong. The circumstances that brought Tyler to this town are a little crazy, but something we truly believe had to happen in order for him to be brought here to me. Anyways, after the craziness of that situation died down, Tyler nervously asked me on a date. This was after many little match makers on our school campus helped boost his confidence to do so. I said yes- all the while thinking- he is too young for me (6 years younger) and oh, well- it'll be a free dinner if nothing else. LOL! I had no idea what was about to hit me.


We went on our first date in September of 2014. We both like football so we went to a local restaurant that had great outdoor seating and lots of TVs to watch the games. Casual. Prior to this, we had talked and text some, but that night we talked a lot about life and family and all things. I remember we both didn't want the night to end. Something happened. It was like it just "clicked" as cliche as that sounds. From that moment on, we went on many more dates and spent a lot of time together. We weren't traditional by any means. By Christmas 2014, we were engaged and married in March of 2015.

Since then, we have bought a home in this little town we met in. We have acquired a spoiled Boston Terrier named Nola, a little boy who is 2 named Landry, and baby girl Lydia to complete our family who is on the way in April. We have made a pretty beautiful life. We work together at the school where he first asked me out. We are God lovers, sports watchers, travelers, fitness junkies, and most importantly spouses and parents. I can't imagine spending life with anyone else.

So, for those of you who are single ladies and out there thinking it will never happen. Don't give up hope. I truly believe God has a plan. His timing is perfect. Trust in him with your whole heart. 

Happy Valentine's Day! May you all have LOVE! 

A journey to FAITH

I have been working on this post for a little while. I wasn't quite sure how to put my feelings and thoughts into words. As I discuss on my blog, I am a Christian wife and mom. God first! It hasn't always been that way for me though. Here is a little about my journey to where I am today. 

I grew up Catholic. My grandmother started taking me to church when I was a newborn and I continued to go to church with her most every Sunday. I went through all the steps as a Catholic child- baptism, first communion, and confirmation. When I entered high school and got a job, the time I spent at church was less and less. I guess you could say I was like any other teenager and had "more important things to do". 

On and off through my teenage years and early 20s, I would go to church occasionally or start going for several weeks and then stop. When a major hurricane hit my hometown in 2008, things really changed. The diocese decided to tear down the church that I grew up in, despite the efforts of many to keep it open and repair it as a community. There were other things that occurred, but all in all- it completely turned my off to the Catholic faith. I haven't been back in a Catholic church since.

 I have tried non-denominational churches, spent some time at a Church of Christ, did some online church services, and much more. I have read through the Bible several times. I have kept my connection to God alive through it all. But I strayed..... I let the devil come in and get inside my head and thoughts. I wasn't sure what the plan for my life was. I let other things become more important. I always prayed and felt I had a connection with God, but it wasn't always deep and as solid as I feel it is today.

 Lots of things changed when I met my husband. I truly felt God picked him out just for me. All the years of doubting and feeling hopeless were gone when I met him. I think that was a turning point in my faith. At that moment, I knew God was there, he had always been there, and would always be there. I ventured back to church services, online and eventually we have found a church home at our local Methodist church. 

My faith is stronger now than ever. I chose to wake up every day and trust in God. I know the world is not perfect and I don't see how it will ever be. I just chose to believe that in the end, all will be ok and if it's not ok, it's not the end. I chose to wake up every day and look for the good and positive in the world. I am not naive by any means and I know the devil attacks constantly. I have just tried to train my brain to lean on faith, to pray, to devote time to God daily, and to believe that He is greater than anything here on this Earth. Many people out there might call that silly in the world we live in today. I know it's a risk, but I would rather risk everything on God than live for the material world and believe that is as good as it gets. There is better. Heaven is there and I can't wait to see it one day. Faith is a tricky thing. I am not always perfect with it, but I sure try. 

How did you journey to faith? Are you a believer? I would love to hear about it. 

How to push past procrastination!

I have several apps on my phone that I check in with daily. #1 is First 5 (first5.org) It is a great daily devotional/bible study app that keeps me focused and allows me to spend some time with God each and every day. Big priority for me. Tomorrow's post will be about that app and more about the Christian aspect of my life. 

Today, I am going to share another app that I LOVE! Shine! It is an app that brings all kinds of things to the table and really makes you think about all aspects of life. Today's topic on Shine is Emotional To-Do lists. It talks about how we have an emotional reaction to everything we do, whether we realize it or not. 

Example:
Dropping my son off to go to work    Emotion:Sad- he has been attached lately
Testing students today                     Emotion: Boring--- so boring
Working out                                    Excited!
Cooking dinner                                Relieved- something easy on the menu

See how that works? They say that the things that you don't look forward to or that evoke negative emotions are the things that we tend to procrastinate doing. We put those things off more than the things we are excited about doing. The suggestion was made that instead of just procrastinating in general with those things- find a way to make them happen, but maybe not in the way you originally thought. If searching for recipes makes you dread it- just find 1 a day. If working out is something you currently dread, try it for 10 minutes a day and then up your minutes as you start to enjoy it and crave the sweat. Really tune in the next time you make a to-do list and then work on trying to combat that list a little at time. The things that you don't look forward to doing can be changed, fixed, or maybe even looked at in small increments. This may help to get them DONE.


Here is the link to the SHINE article if you would like to check it out! 
https://advice.shinetext.com/articles/why-you-should-write-an-emotional-to-do-list/



Happy Tuesday all! 

Working mom life

Question 1: What do you think is the biggest challenge faced by mothers in the workplace?
I think a big challenge for working moms is wanting to always be good at everything that you do at work and at home. It doesn't always work out that way. I think it's important as a working mom to realize that everything will not always been perfectly balanced. There will be times when something gets more attention than something else. It doesn't mean you aren't doing a good job, it just means you are human.

Question 2: What is the most important piece of advice you have for mothers who are pursuing a career?

Find something that you like to do. It is so much harder to get up every day and go to a job that you don't like. When you like what you do and can look forward to it, it makes it easier to wake up and go, even if it means leaving those kids at home. Also, give yourself GRACE- every mother needs grace in all things we do. 

Question 3: As a mother, how do you explain to smaller children why you have to spend time away at work?

I have always worked. My son was 4 months old when I returned to work. He doesn't know any different. He stays home with his grandmothers, so he gets to bond and spend time with them. He loves it honestly and I think it is really good for him. He knows mommy and daddy come home at the end of the day. We also both work in education so we have lots of time off to spend with him. 

Question 4: What can professional mothers do to manage their time better?

I talked about this last week. ROUTINE. CONSISTENCY. HAVING A PLAN. As a working mom, I have to have a plan. Now, that plan does not always work out perfectly, BUT I have one. I am flexible when things come up, you have to be as a mom, but overall having routines and a plan make me feel more sane for sure.

Question 5: Does raising kids teach you any skills that you can use in the workplace?

Patience. My son has taught me an incredible amount of patience. I also don't worry about so much like I used to. I try not to stress the small stuff and focus on what's really important in life. He definitely has taught me about what matters in life. 

Question 6: What should professional mothers consider before starting employment at a new company?

I would say with any job change you need to ensure that it is a good fit for what you want for yourself and your family. How will the hours change? Will they be flexible about things because you are a working mom? Commute? Pay? All good things to look at. Change is always hard, but it might be the right choice for your family if it makes going to work easier and you can maintain family as #1. 

Question 7: Lots of professional mothers feel guilt when making sacrifices. How do you deal with this guilt?

I think it is really important to leave work at work. I try my hardest to work when I am working and to be present at home when I am at home. I make an effort every day to make sure I spend time with my son doing something he wants to do. Mom guilt is real. I don't think there is a mom out there that would say she wouldn't rather be home with her kids. BUT we don't all have that option for one and for two some of us actually enjoy working. I would say WORK TO LIVE and NOT LIVE TO WORK.

How do you balance working mom life? What tips can you give?