Waiting for Something Beautiful...

As I was driving to work this morning, a song came on WDJC that I absolutely love. I have found myself not wanting to listen to any other stations but that one lately. I never listen to much radio to begin with, but when I do, it has mainly been this station. (As a side note, I should say, I was saved when I was 12-13 years old and have always known that Jesus lived inside of me. Growing up as a christian was difficult, because I have MANY times let the world and the devil influence me, and have fallen into temptation...MANY times. But here recently I have reconnected with God on a different level and now KNOW what it is supposed to be like to have a relationship with him.) Ok, so back to the point. As I was listening to the song Something Beautiful, I began to kind of have a conversation with God. This amazes me because even though I have been a christian since the age of 12, I have NEVER conversed with God the way I did this morning. The thoughts that were coming into my head and heart, I knew without a doubt were God speaking to me...and thankfully he gave me enough sense to comprehend. I can't repeat the conversation word for word, but here's what it was about. So I am listening to this song and began to cry (if you have ever worshiped with me, you know this is my way of praising him, to sing and cry...when I am crying during worship it is because I am so HAPPY, not because I am sad). So I began to cry. Some of the lyrics are: ...this is my desire, consume me like a fire, cause I just want something beautiful, to touch me, I know that I'm in reach cause I am down on my knees, waiting for something beautiful... So as I began to think about this as I was singing along with the song, God said...I HAVE given you something beautiful...Jesus. This made me cry even more and was SO thankful. As I listened a little longer he started giving me some other examples of Beautiful gifts he has given me. One in particular is much more significant at this point in my life. He gave me a child. So as I was thanking him in my own way for all the beautiful gifts, he showed me something else. It's probably not much to others, but it meant a lot to me...to know that God is such a great God that he would take the time to share something with me...on this morning. So I began to think about our baby and taking care of him while he is inside my tummy. Then I began to think about how I should do the same with Jesus. I say began to think...but I know these were thoughts from God...it was literally like he was telling me all this...like I was sitting down with him while he was talking to me! So then I started thinking about the ways I try to take care of my baby while he is inside my tummy. There are things that I wouldn't do to protect him as much as possible like, staying away from smoking/smoky atmospheres, not consuming harmful medications, not drinking alcohol, trying to watch my language (this may seem silly, but I often wonder if the baby can hear me...of course he doesn't know what things mean, but to know that he can hear me makes me question the use of it), etc... Then I started thinking...if Jesus lives on the inside of us...shouldn't we want to protect him while he is inside us? You hear this all the time, but we should not want to put Jesus at risk in the wrong atmosphere's, or by consuming the wrong things, or by talking the wrong way, etc... When I say put at risk, I mean by associating something so holy with something that is unholy, wouldn't you think that's a little dangerous? If we do these things while our baby is still inside, then we risk delivering an unhealthy baby. With that said, if we do these things while our saviour lives on the inside of us (while we are here on this earth) then do we not also risk delivering an "unhealthy" believer to Chirst when he returns? So God showed me that having a baby is a lot like having Christ on the inside of you. Why would I not want to protect myself and Jesus from the same things I would while being pregnant? So, from the conversation I had with God this morning, I got, while he has already given us something beautiful, we are always waiting for something more beautiful with Christs return. While we wait for that something more beautiful we should protect ourselves and Jesus as if we were protecting a baby so that when that something more beautiful does appear, we will be healthy believers who can go before a holy righteous king who has been awaiting their return to him. Just as anxious parents are awaiting the healthy delivery of their baby.

What else would I blog about?

Well, I am so excited to start the baby room! We finally decided on a way we both liked. The room will have chair railing half way up the wall. The top half of the wall will be a light cream and tan wide stripes with a dark brown pin stripe. The bottom half of the wall will be solid and will be the tan color used in the stripes on top. We will also have crown molding around the ceiling. Of course pictures will be up once we start. We are going to wait on the bedding so that we can decide on exact colors. Here is the bedding we are going to use. Please ignore the room b/c this will look nothing like our room...just the bedding!

So, yesterday mom got me the diaper bag I wanted! I was so excited! It is perfect. It is kind of laminated so that it lasts MUCH longer and you just wipe it off if something gets on it! It comes with a bottle holder, a small tote, and a changing pad. I LOVE it!

Mom also got me a Thanksgiving and Christmas outfit for Owen! They are SOOO cute. I can't wait for him to be able to wear them. Charlie and I were looking at them last night and talking about how weird it is that at Christmas we will have a baby that will fit into these...it just seems so far away...but I hear it FLIES by!

I am 19 weeks and 2 days today. I am 5 days away from being halfway through my pregnancy and I can't tell you how amazing it feels! I can feel Owen moving now. It feels less like butterflies and more like little bubbles are bursting in my tummy! Sometimes it is so distinct I could swear if I were looking down that I would see my stomach move...of course he is too little for that right now. Owen is the size of a mango. He is 6.0 inches long and weighs 8.5 oz. and now has his skin coating that protects him from amniotic fluids. Owen has now learned to yawn, hiccup, roll, twist, kick, punch, and swallow! No wonder I can feel him moving now!

Dr. Appointment and MORE...

There is so much I want to talk about! Well, I had a regular Dr.'s appointment today. Like I said in my earlier post...I had called my Dr.'s office twice to see if there was ANY way I could have my ultrasound done early. Both times I was told no. So...with that said...Charlie did not go to this appointment with me. Once I got there, I saw a Dr. that I had not seen yet and she was all about me having my ultrasound! I was SHOCKED! I debated for a second on whether I should wait...b/c she was going to schedule an ultrasound for 2 weeks from this visit if I didn't get it done today. Charlie and I decided if I got the opportunity that I should find out and I would tell him in some special way. So I had it done today! And the ultrasound tech said...without a doubt, there was no question about it... that it was a...BOY!!! I really was excited about it and couldn't wait to tell Charlie! So I decided to make a sweet card for him so that it would be special. I let him choose if he wants the card first and then watch the video I had or if he wanted to watch the video first and then see the card. He chose video first. There was no way he would have been able to tell what it was unless I pointed it out, so I was ok with that decision! Well...only I would ruin it! So I get home and we sit down to watch the video. I get so excited to see the video again, of him moving, that before I even thought about it, I was hollering out...look at him, look at him, I can't believe he's kicking like that, look at him... Yeah, so Charlie just looked over at me and said...HIM! I was sooooo upset with myself. I gave him the card before saying anything else and that confirmed it. He says I didn't ruin it for him, that it was still a surprise! Regardless of how he found out, he was very excited and so am I. I can't wait to start planning and preparing!!! Here is the card that I was supposed to give to Charlie after the video...

Ok! So here are the pictures of my baby BOY! I am so excited! I think I could look at it ALL day long!
Also, here are some pictures of me:

This one is from last week and I was 17 weeks and 3 days...



Now...here is the one from today. I thought I was 18 weeks, but the ultrasound tech said I measured at 18 weeks and 2 days...not much difference from last week...



So...that's pretty much it! I can't wait to start on the nursery! We will use dark brown, tan, and white for the color scheme. I want to do some kind of old time teddy bear theme, but not too "themey". I am soooo excited!

Cribs

Well...I know my Dr.'s appointment is tomorrow, but I wanted to make a post today! I am so excited and can't wait. I am probably getting my hopes up for nothing...but I am going to see if the Dr. will let me get an ultrasound to see the gender of the baby! I may have to pay, but I am so impatient and HAVE to know! So far, the nurses haven't budged, but maybe the Dr. will be different. Charlie will not be able to go with me. He has to be in class from 8 to 3 for his student teaching. He could miss a day, but I have been telling him not to worry about it because there's probably no way we are going to find out this month! I am so excited I can hardly sit down. If we have to wait until February, I will just have to be ok with it. If I have to wait it must be meant to be. If I find out tomorrow...of course I will let EVERYONE know...but be looking for a post!

Also, here are the 2 cribs that I really like. The white is if we have a girl and the brown is if we have a boy! They are at target...I LOVE target...and it was hard to choose, but I FINALLY did!

First Ultrasound Pictures and Possible Nursery Ideas

Well...it took me forever to figure out a way to save my first ultrasound pictures as a format to upload onto this thing, but I finally did it!!! So here they are...not much to it at this point, but this was at 9 weeks and 2 days pregnant! I am now 17 weeks and 2 days and am finally showing so I will definately start posting pictures next week. The baby should be the size of an onion/sweet potato (5 to 6 inches long and 5 to 6 oz.) I can't believe it is so big already! I can't wait to see the baby again and find out what it is, but my Dr.'s office is pretty much sticking to the 20 weeks or after thing! I have tried to call twice and get them to give me an ultrasound any earlier. Anyway, so here's my precious little baby...

Also, I have decided there will be no specific theme for the nursery...I have never really liked the the BIG theme nursery's, so no specific theme...sorry. I have 3 nurseries I like if it's a girl and 2 if it's a boy. I could probably take something from each one and make my own, but I absolutely LOVE these nurseries...they are so pretty!

Girl's Nursery:

Boy's Nursery:

Morning Sickness Long Gone...

Well, I have been to the doctor 3 times now. We got to see the baby! I always wondered why someone would cry when they saw their baby for the first time. I know now how that experience feels. I never knew the feeling of something like that (obviously). Even though you know about pregnancy you just can't quite understand until it happens to you. We even got to see the 1 inch long sweet thing move around. It was pretty amazing! It has been about 7 weeks since that visit so the baby is much bigger...I think the size of an Avocado! I go to the Dr. in about 2 weeks (Jan. 20)...I probably won't find out what it is but I should find out at my visit after that (Feb.). We can't wait to find out so we can start planning...I am so ready to start planning! Those of you who don't know...I am a BIG TIME planner! So, since I know there's a tiny baby in there I am SO READY to start planning for it and can't yet! Soon enough though...We have picked baby names. Boy: Owen Carter Travis - Girl: Riley Claire Travis. I don't really have a preference for the sex of the baby anymore, but of course Charlie still wants a boy, but he will be just as excited with a baby girl too! I finally got over my morning sickness around week 14. Funny story...I found out the medicine I was on for nausea was typically used when breast feeding...not for nausea! WOW, thank you Dr.'s! Anyway, by then I started feeling better so I didn't have to take the "right" medicine for too long. Almost immediately after I was better from morning sickness I caught an upper respiratory infection from my parents. I couldn't take medication for it (other than over the counter) and it was miserable, but am finally over it!!! So hopefully it's smooth sailing from here on!