I can’t believe another month has flown by since my last update. Here is my February baby and pregnancy update. These seem to be getting closer and closer.
If you have missed any of the other posts about my pregnancy and would like to check them out, you can click HERE where they will all be listed. It has been such a joy to have all these moments written down to go back and look at for years to come. Today I am 33 1/2 weeks. This past month has been exceptionally fun because we got to see Baby Boy on his 4D ultrasound. Talk about miraculous! I just loved seeing him move and squirm. He is so bashful and didn’t want to show us his face too much. He finally warmed up to everyone and we got some beautiful shots that you can see below with a sweet little button nose. The tech even said he has my same lip outline or shape. Just melted this Mommy’s heart.
This past week I also was able to celebrate with his 1st Baby Shower that my Mom and Sister threw for me. It was such a blast and so fun to get to meet with all my friends and family during such a wonderful time. I had another shower at work yesterday and then one more coming up this Saturday with my husband’s family. Just a whole week of celebrating Baby Boy!! Sounds like fun to me!
Symptoms:He continues to roll and move and tumble and squirm so much that Mark just sits on the couch with his hand on my stomach to take it all in. We are both just so excited and can’t believe our miracle will be here soon.
The rib pain I mentioned before is definitely still there and will probably continue to increase the farther along. Part of me is happy because I know he is growing and getting stronger. My ribs will relax later, right?
Restless legs are still a beast! They seem to be better at times, but I really haven’t found anything that helps it completely. I drink more water and soak in the bathtub. I also walk and get more exercise which seems to help some. I try to just fall asleep as fast as I can to get my mind off of it. If not, then I’m rolling back and forth in bed beating my legs in such annoyance. Then my Jayda Baby (my youngest puppy) is shaking at the end of the bed wondering what’s going on.
Cravings: My cravings are pretty much the same. I want a milkshake so bad!!!!!!!
Pictures: Below are some pictures we have just taken randomly throughout the last month of me and Baby Boy. Below these are those weekly bump pictures that are always fun to see the growth of my belly.
Below are my weekly bump pictures. I love to see the progress and how healthy he is growing.
Thanks for following along on this journey with us. We are just so thrilled and excited that I can’t help but share with others just how miraculous our God truly is. God bless you!
Pregnancy is such a special time in any Mom’s life. Check out my January baby and pregnancy update with lots of pictures and details of what has been going on with our sweet baby.
This pregnancy is just absolutely flying by! I can’t believe it. I just want time to slow down, but then again who doesn’t? I am 30 1/2 weeks today and in my 3rd trimester. When I first found out, it seemed like this day would never come, but yet here it is. We just recently shared the gender of Baby on the blog so check that out if you haven’t already and are curious to know. If you have missed any of the other posts about my pregnancy and would like to check them out, you can click HERE where they will all be listed. It has been such a joy to have all these moments written down to go back and look at for years to come.
The last month has been such a wonderful time full of lots of memories to get things prepared and ready for sweet Baby to arrive. I also celebrated my 30th birthday and had some family time during Christmas. Check out lots of pictures from what has been going on as well as my most recent weekly bump pictures. But first, let’s talk about Pregnancy Symptoms I have had this past month.
Symptoms:I wouldn’t say this is a symptom necessarily, but I have been definitely feeling Baby move and roll so much more. There is nothing really that makes my heart any happier than feeling those movements. When I start to feel uncomfortable and trying to not complain, those movements remind me how truly blessed I am and grateful to have such a miracle in my womb. Sometimes Baby even moves so hard or strong that it completely catches me off guard. Those little surprises are reminders to me of how truly blessed I am to be a Mom.
Heartburn, heartburn, and more heartburn. This stuff is no joke. I have modified my diet and also take medication daily, and at times it still seems to find a way to creep its ugly head at me. I had never really had problems with it before so for those of you that do, then I am so sorry.
Rib pain from all the stretching and Baby growing. I am 4’11” with a small torso. At my last ultrasound, the technician said there was already very minimal space left. For weeks now, I have rib pain specifically on my right side where he likes to hang out from the stretching and him growing. Most days and nights, I am sitting straight up to try and keep my stomach and ribs from being more slumped over and hurting more.
Restless legs are a beast! During the evening hours when I should be relaxing on the couch with my feet propped up, my restless legs just don’t seem to want to let me. I usually end up getting up and walking around the living room and house making laps to try and get my muscles to relax. On the bright side though at least I’m getting my steps in and some more movement.
Cravings: I have never been a fan of milk much unless dipping a chocolate chip cookie in it, but I have loved chocolate milk especially and milk in my cereal (which I used to eat dry before). I also love anything chocolate. Before I wasn’t a huge chocolate fan even though I did enjoy it from time to time. Now I want chocolate ice cream and milkshakes. Also add hot cocoa to that list of chocolate. It has been divine during these winter months.
Lots and Lots of Pictures: Now for picture overload showing a few of my favorite memories from the past month mostly.
I celebrated my 30th birthday in December. I just love birthdays, but this one was especially sentimental to me for not even the big 30. It was my first birthday with Baby. Mark surprised me and even had a card that read “Mommy” from Baby. I just cried and cried with all that emotion.
Because I turned 30, Mark wanted to do something special for me. What I really wanted was a trip to the beach right after Christmas so we would have something fun to look forward to. Plus it would be our last trip together before Baby comes. We absolutely had the best time just relaxing and spending the time together. Definitely one of our favorite trips besides our honeymoon. Water was beautiful and clear, sand was white, and sun was just glowing.
As you can see below, the bump is growing more and more to where my toes are feeling a little left out now. But I just love it!!
We also were able to spend some time working on Baby’s room. You will see a few sneak peeks of the nursery below. We also had to have some fun and the puppies wanted to get in on the fun too.
I have a dresser that has been in our family for many years that I am going to use as the changing table. My Mom and I spent one morning working on it and now it is so adorable all cleaned up especially with the drawer pulls that me and Mark picked out.
Christmas Day was so special to have Baby here with us. For the last few years on Christmas morning, we would tell each other that hopefully the next Christmas we would be pregnant or have a child. That dream became reality this year. My heart was truly overwhelmed with gratitude and love to Jesus for all our blessings and this one especially.
We also read books to Baby occasionally so I had to include “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” Another fun thing we did Christmas morning was have a gift for each other to open that was for Baby that we had picked out on our own. It was fun and exciting to see what the other person decided upon.
We were able to get our registries done which is also so fun to shop for so much fun stuff. I can’t wait for my showers and so appreciative for my family working hard to have them for me.
And now for another batch of weekly bump pictures. It is so miraculous to see that bump growing.
Thanks for following along on this journey with us. We are just so thrilled and excited that I can’t help but share with others just how miraculous our God truly is. God bless you!
Come Find out if Little Pumpkin is a BOY or a GIRL today on the blog with all the details of how we revealed the gender to our family and friends.
So any last minute guesses whether our Little Pumpkin is a BOY or a GIRL?*About a month ago, I announced that Mark and I are pregnant. I also shared details of how we found out and how my first trimester went. Be sure to check out those posts HERE as well if you haven’t already.
Before the appointment, I really didn’t have any kind of intuition or guess what Pumpkin is. I was just so grateful and thankful that I am pregnant. Mark didn’t have a preference either. On the way to the ultrasound appointment, we were both just so nervous with anticipation and excitement. We couldn’t believe the big day was finally here. As we sat there waiting for the ultrasound, it felt as if our hearts were going to literally pound of our chests. I really don’t think I have ever seen Mark quite that nervous. I kept asking him if he was okay and to calm down because usually he is the one that is calming me down. I think all the anticipation was just bubbling over that we couldn’t contain it anymore.
I wasn’t sure that I was going to have a big party for the reveal at first but then the more we talked and planned, I got more excited. Mark kept telling me I would regret it if I didn’t so I’m so glad we did it. I definitely would have regretted it. We were able to have the party outside on our porch and in the yard with a fire pit and patio heaters to keep everyone warm. I used pastel pink and aqua blue with pops of fall colors and pumpkins throughout since it was around Fall. Plus we kept calling Baby “Pumpkin” so it only seemed right.
When guests arrived, I had the small table you see above with 2 bowls with pink and blue pumpkins for them to pin to their shirt for their guess. In case you are wondering about the pig, my in-laws gave us that pig when we had several outdoor BBQs. We had BBQ for the party so of course I had to bring out the pig. I think it’s just too cute.
Now as far as the actual reveal, we thought long and hard and searched on Pinterest for any unique ideas. Mark found an idea playing a dart game to get all the guests involved. The idea he found was so fun to see everyone’s excitement too. We just took a piece of plywood and nailed black balloons to it. Then guests would take turns trying to pop the balloons thinking that only one balloon had either pink or blue confetti in it for the big reveal. Little did they know, all the balloons were empty.
We had went to Party City earlier that day and had them blow up a ginormous balloon that we found at Walmart in a kit. The kit came with pink and blue confetti as well. I had no clue the balloon was going to be as big as it was. Everyone in the store was staring at the front because the helium was so loud. Then everyone wanted to know if we knew what the gender is.
Thank goodness we drove our SUV that day because we didn’t think it would fit inside the back. Thank goodness it did. I just kept saying how I hope it didn’t pop all of a sudden.
Getting it in the house was also interesting but it fit just perfectly.
Now once all the balloons had been popped, we walked inside and brought all this HUGE balloon to reveal the gender. So after all that rambling from me, we are having a…
BOY!
Mark and I are thrilled and overjoyed. I am so excited to hold my little baby boy in my arms and to see Mark holding his son. What a blessing it will be!
We have already been buying lots of goodies and enjoyed those incredible sales and deals during the Black Friday season. His little bedroom is starting to come together as well which is so much fun. I can’t wait to share more of the before and after pictures with y’all too. If you want to continue on this adventure with us, stay tuned because I will be sharing more from my 2nd trimester all the way up to my baby Boy’s arrival. Currently I am 28 1/2 weeks pregnant!!
https://www.thesoutherncouture.com/staging/3818/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Come-Find-out-if-Little-Pumpkin-is-a-BOY-or-a-GIRL-FI.jpg400800Bethanyhttps://www.thesoutherncouture.com/staging/3818/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/logo_freelance.pngBethany2018-01-03 05:00:302018-01-02 15:59:06Come Find out if Little Pumpkin is a BOY or a GIRL
Now that we found out we are pregnant, it was time to tell our families. Come join our first trimester pregnancy adventure.
From finding out we finally got that positive pregnancy test to going to our first baby appointment, the shock was still so real and unbelievable in the best way possible. I can’t wait to share more today from our pregnancy journey and hope you will continue to follow along with us. If you missed my earlier posts recently announcing our pregnancy, you can find my Pregnancy Announcement here and learn all about how we found out we are pregnant.
Symptoms: So the first trimester brought along the nausea, fatigue, heartburn (already!), and even those beloved stretch marks. Even though some days may have been rough and tough, I would never trade it for being able to have the privilege to carry my child. I was some what surprised though at how quickly the heartburn started. I wasn’t expecting that so soon. Let’s just hope that the heartburn pays off with Baby having lots of hair. (Have you heard of that old saying?) And as much as we all want to have that perfect skin, I am actually proud of my stretch marks. When I get out of the shower and lotion myself up, those little (or not so little 😉 ) marks are a reminder to me of the blessing I have in my life. I cannot be upset for one second.
At about 12-13 weeks, I could feel that my clothes were starting to get uncomfortable. Instead of trying to pretend that I didn’t need a little extra comfort there, I went ahead and headed to Target to grab me some maternity pants with a nice stretchy band. I had always wanted to have a bump so that people would know I was pregnant. In the picture below, I’m trying them on for the first time and remember thinking to myself that I couldn’t believe my bump was showing already. Now I look back at that little bump and just giggle to myself at how “not” big it was especially compared to now. Oh well, sweet memories! (Those pants from Target also happen to be my most favorite. So comfy and still look nice.)
Doctor Appointments: So when you read my post about how we found out, you recall I had already missed 2 periods and thought nothing of it. So I had been pregnant for about 7 weeks without even knowing it. I called the doctor that Monday as soon as they opened and got an appointment for the very next day. They confirmed the pregnancy with a urine test and scheduled me for the following week for my very first ultrasound. Talk about surreal. The picture below is from our first appointment and you can see me just grinning from ear to ear. It truly depicts my emotions and excitement we felt.
I will never forget the nurse coming in and asking me how excited we were. I didn’t really say anything at first. My eyes must have been huge when she asked because she said, “You are still in shock, aren’t you?”. Then when she handed Mark a bag full of goodies and said, “Here Daddy. You hang on to this,” I thought he was going to fall out of the chair. That was the first time someone besides me had called him Dad.
I was anxious for our first ultrasound appointment because I wanted to know exactly how far along I was. With my history of irregular cycles, they couldn’t really count on my cycle to tell me how far along I was. With my cycle I would have been 2 weeks farther along than I am. Once we had the ultrasound, I was 8 weeks. Seeing that little heartbeat felt like Heaven in that room. To see such a miracle that was so tiny and living inside of me is an experience I will never be able to put into words really.
I looked at our first pictures of our baby that they gave us constantly. I was just awe struck and breathless most of the time feeling like this was all just a dream. I still peeked at the pregnancy test stick as well just to be able to read that one word, “Pregnant.”
Telling Our Families: So now for the fun part of sharing our secret that we had been keeping for weeks. And that’s a big deal for me because keeping secrets is not easy for me at all. Especially when you are so excited and want to tell everyone. We wanted to do something creative and different that would really catch all of them off guard. Mark, who happens to be really good with technology, put together a video that resembled movie trailers at the beginning with the pregnancy announcement popping up at the end. With the intensity of the trailers, no one saw it coming when it popped up our pregnancy stick and picture suddenly. Some thought we were getting ready to watch a movie and that there were just trailers to watch at the beginning.
Needless to say, the surprise went perfectly and they had no clue. They still seemed shock and could not believe it to start with. I sat there for those trailers at the beginning with my heart beating so hard in my chest, I thought I was just going to lose it and have to spill the beans. I look back now and just love those sweet memories and anticipation of telling everyone and being able to see their reactions as well. Those are the moments that are most important in life.
Announcing on Social Media: When we shared with extended family and friends on social media, it was around Fall so I thought it would be fitting to use some kind of small pumpkin in the picture. We went to a pumpkin farm not far from our house (which we go to every year) and picked out a tiny, baby pumpkin to use in the picture. Of course we had to get apple cider and pumpkin cream cheese rolls.
Below is the picture that made it on social media. I just love how it turned out with our hands and knowing our little pumpkin is growing inside of me.
Plus who doesn’t love a little prego humor… (See below.)
Fun Times: Another fun memory I have is being able to park in “Expectant Mother” parking for the first time. Mark and I didn’t care if there were spots closer to the building as you can see in the picture below since the lot was practically empty. We had waited a while to be able to park there and had seen the signs but had never been able to take advantage of them. Now we could, and we loved it.
I can’t wait to share more of this journey with y’all. Please leave your stories of your pregnancy or any struggles with me in the comments. I would love to celebrate with you and also pray with you no matter the need. May God bless all of you!!
I want to go ahead and wish all of you a very merry Christmas greeting that this season will bring much love and joy to your and your family with a blessed New Year as well.
Okay so who else gets just as excited as an adult as your kids probably do with the thoughts of Christmas morning?! Please tell me I’m not alone. I can’t help myself. It truly is like being a kid in a candy store again every Christmas Eve. I hate the thoughts of even having to go to bed that night because I want it to be Christmas morning so bad. I don’t want to miss a single second of it. Well if you are anything like me then I’m sure you are enjoying yourself to pieces. I saw the Santa Clause in the picture below while shopping and just had to have my picture with him. Yes, I’m 4’11” which is why me and Santa are so close in height. 😉
Christmas is just a week away so there is still lots to be done, but I wanted to take this time today to slow down and let you all know how much I appreciate you and all your support throughout this year and every year. I couldn’t continue with my blog if it weren’t for you especially. I am sending virtual candy canes everyone’s way for you to enjoy in a cup of hot cocoa. (Wouldn’t that be delicious?)
We have been enjoying ourselves and making lots of memories. We got a real tree again this year which is always fun to wake up and smell the fresh cut tree. Our town also has an annual Christmas parade that we enjoyed with lots of floats and fun activities.
On the same note, I don’t want to pretend that we all live in a fantasy world where no one is grieving. There are probably many of you at the same time that are hurting and missing loved ones this time of year. For many the thoughts of putting up a Christmas tree is so painful you can’t bear it. I want you to know that God has never left your side and is carrying you even in the darkest times. He loves you so much! You are in my prayers, and I wish joy for you even in what seems like the darkest times.
Again Merry Christmas and stay tuned later this week where I’m continuing my Pregnancy Adventure Series and sharing all about that 1st Trimester Adventure.
Read to find out how we found out we are pregnant and all the details of those first emotions including shock and overwhelming joy.
So YES, if you haven’t heard, my husband Mark and I are PREGNANT!!! And to say we are thrilled is an absolute understatement. I can’t even begin to truly put into words all the emotions and feelings that have flooded our hearts since we started this journey. Last week I made the big announcement to all of you in THIS post so make sure to check it out to read a little bit about our history and journey getting to that positive pregnancy test. At the time of this post being published, I am about 25 1/2 weeks pregnant.
So after you read last week’s post about the journey we have been on with having a baby, you know that it wasn’t always so simple and a fairy tale like some people speak of. There have been ups and downs with tear filled days and nights, but GOD was faithful and continues to be! So because of this little journey over the last several years, you must understand the complete shock I felt the day I looked down and that test was positive.
The first pregnancy red flag came on a Thursday evening. For those that don’t know, I currently work in a school and had just returned for pre-planning before the school year kicked off. That Thursday night I just wasn’t feeling like myself and wasn’t sure if I was coming down with a bug. I was annoyed because I thought maybe I had already caught something and was sick just after going back to the school without any kids for a few days. I was off the Friday before school started Monday. As soon as I woke up, I was nauseated. (Any mention of pregnancy symptoms is not me complaining truthfully. I am grateful for my pregnancy. I just want to be sure to explain the details as much as possible.)
I am talking about nausea that just won’t go away no matter what you do. I didn’t want to move my body one inch for fear that I would lose everything completely. I layed on the couch and would barely even turn over. Mark was trying to get me to eat and nothing sounded good at all. I was also laying there crying and frustrated because I thought I was starting to have hormone issues again. Not only had I been nauseated, I was also TIRED. Tired beyond any description or feeling I can ever explain. On top of that I was using the bathroom during the night about 2-3 times. Add 2 missed periods as well, and you can see why I was getting so frustrated. Missed periods in the past was normal for me so that didn’t make me run to take a test. Pregnancy was the last thing on my mind.
I had a nail appointment later in the morning and really didn’t feel like even going. Mark convinced me to get up and keep my appointment thinking it might help me feel better. I did okay through the appointment, but by the time I got home, I was so exhausted and went straight back to the couch. Mark kept trying to get me to eat but nothing sounded good. So ginger ale and lime sherbet was all I could handle. Saturday morning came and nothing had changed. I knew the first day of school was Monday so I couldn’t call out of work already. I stayed on the couch just trying to get as much rest as possible.
Saturday night came and Mark again convinced me to get ready and at least leave the house for a little bit just to get out. I still was not eating much so I wanted to try and eat something just to get some strength because I dehydrate so easily. I decided on Firehouse Subs and just tried to make myself eat what little I could. As we are sitting at the table eating, Mark looks at me and says, “I think you’re pregnant.” I’m sitting there thinking this man is crazy. Of course I denied it out of the sole reason that I didn’t want to be disappointed again. I had taken multiple tests in the past and all negative so why put myself on that emotional roller coaster and have my hopes up for nothing.
The more we sat and talked, he asked me to do just one thing for him. He wanted me to take a test and just rule it out because if I didn’t feel better and had to go to doctor then the first question they would ask is, “When was your last missed period?”. I had been through that before and they would make me take a test anyways. Because I’m so frugal, I would rather spend money on a test than having to go to urgent care. So after much discussion, I finally caved and said I would go get a test, but I wasn’t spending a bunch of money on one just to throw it in the trash. There just so happened to be a Dollar Tree across the street from where we were eating so I bought a couple there.
I wasn’t planning to take the test that night but rather the next morning, but again Mark insisted. It’s like he truly knew in his heart and didn’t want to delay finding out. Once we got home, I took the test and left it laying on the kitchen counter. Mark set a timer and I completely walked away. He couldn’t believe I didn’t want to stand around and wait to see the results. I wasn’t feeling well but had tried to make myself get up and do laundry earlier so I went to the washer to switch out towels to the dryer. I’m not going to lie. At this point, my heart was fluttering some and all those thoughts passed through my head “What if it’s positive?”.
The next thing I heard was Mark saying, “UHHHH????? You might want to take another one.” I told him to stop playing around and making jokes because that wasn’t something to tease about. He walks into the laundry room with the stick and says, “You are pregnant.” I told him he must have looked at the picture on the box wrong that tells you which is positive and negative. I double checked the box and my mouth just dropped completely open. No words, no tears, just pure shock!! You would think after so many negative tests and the struggles that I would at least have some kind of emotion or tear. The tears didn’t hit me until about a week or two later. Then the floodgates opened.
I hugged Mark and couldn’t stop saying, “We are pregnant.” We immediately rushed to CVS and grabbed another test but one that would actually say “pregnant.” I know they are all the same basically and we wasted money getting it, but I just had to. Sure enough it was positive too. I carried that stick around the rest of the night and for days would just pick it up to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I still pick it up occasionally and just relive that moment over and over.
Now for the hard part of not telling everyone we knew… Of course I wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but I also wanted to wait until after my first ultrasound at least. Trying to hide the nausea wasn’t easy either. I am also the worst at keeping secrets. This would be one of the hardest secrets to keep, but I am proud to say I was successful and didn’t ruin it.
In the coming weeks, I plan to share more of our story in hopes that it will give someone else hope and joy no matter what part of their journey they are on. I will be sharing next those big events of the first trimester as well as how we told everyone so stay tuned. Thank you for all the comments as well on last week’s post. It really blessed my heart to hear your stories and how personal something like this can be.
https://www.thesoutherncouture.com/staging/3818/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/How-We-Found-Out-We-are-Pregnant-FI.jpg400800Bethanyhttps://www.thesoutherncouture.com/staging/3818/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/logo_freelance.pngBethany2017-12-13 05:00:162017-12-08 09:54:21How We Found Out We are Pregnant
Surprise!!!! Big news… is on the blog today. I can’t wait to share a little secret that I’ve been keeping for a while. I still can’t believe it myself.
It is with the most absolute and sheer joy of happiness for me to be writing this post today to share with all of you. This has probably been one of my hardest post to write though because it is so hard to get down exactly how I’m feeling into words. I want to be able to express perfectly how my heart feels so I can come back and read this one post over and over and over. I don’t always share a lot of my personal life on here, so I’m anxious and excited to do so today. I hope to be able to let that guard down a little more today and hopefully bless someone else at the same time. So I’m just going to go ahead and put it out there…
WE ARE PREGNANT!!!!!
First I want to say that I am eternally grateful and amazed at God’s goodness in my life. We don’t understand His plans always, but you can also guarantee that when you have walked through a season then you will be able to look back and always see His hand was at work and that He never left your side.
Becoming pregnant is not always a simple “Hey let’s try to have a baby,” and then the next month you miss your period and have a positive pregnancy test. Not everyone gets pregnant even on birth control by accident. Not everyone has a honeymoon baby. For others the day that stick says positive feels like it will never come. You see every other woman in your life posting on social media or announcing to family that special day came for them. Well that was exactly the case for me for the last several years. All I had ever wanted to be since a young girl was a wife and Mom. When you suddenly hear the enemy whispering lies that those dreams will never become a reality, your faith must rise. (Much much easier said than actually done.)
I had married my prince charming and had dreams come true almost 7 years ago. Then when this hurdle came along, the enemy was sure to be there to try and knock me down. But I just wouldn’t have it. I couldn’t. I could not live the rest of my life wondering how things would have been different if I would have just stayed faithful to God’s Word and depend on His will and not mine. Now getting to that point where you can lay your own dreams aside is another whole story. It took me many long days, nights, tears, questioning, screaming, and so much more to finally say “God, my life is not mine but yours.” God never once left me and knew that my dreams would come true. I just had to be faithful and depend on Him.
Depending where you are in a season of your life, please be reminded today through this post that I don’t take your pain lightly or careless. I pray for all those that are hurting in much the same way that my husband and I did too. There are days that you probably feel completely alone. I know I did. It doesn’t matter that someone else knows how you feel, you just don’t want to hurt and want things to be different. I get it. I felt that way too. What I can say is that God will never leave you. Knowing I had Him on my side is what helped me through each and every day.
Second, my husband is an absolute rockstar!! My first trimester consisted of nausea all day long. *Now for a little disclaimer, I am not complaining when I mention pregnancy symptoms. These are just the facts. I’m grateful for these symptoms no matter how bad I may feel at the time.
For many weeks, Mark was the one that cooked, cleaned, did laundry, took care of our puppies, and so much more. He never complained one bit, but was genuinely excited to be able to help me since I am the one that carries the baby. He felt like he could be a part in helping me and our baby. And man was he a huge help. I felt guilty just laying on the couch after work every day and sleeping majority of the time. But both our Moms assured me that I should enjoy every minute of it and get all the rest I could now. Great advice by the way.
Below are several pictures that we have been taking each week of the baby bump from week 16-week 23. I am about 24 1/2 weeks when this post goes live. I want to come back next week and share our story of how we found out I was pregnant and maybe a little bit about how the journey has been so far so make sure to keep your eye out for that. And please let me know in the comments if you have anything you would like for me to pray about for you. Or if you feel comfortable, let me know if you can relate to how we felt. There is so much to say about not being alone during those tough times of life.
https://www.thesoutherncouture.com/staging/3818/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Comparison-of-Letter-Boards-from-Different-Brands-FI.jpg400800Bethanyhttps://www.thesoutherncouture.com/staging/3818/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/logo_freelance.pngBethany2017-12-05 10:57:392017-12-05 10:57:57SURPRISE!!! Big news…
If you are wanting to work on your marriage or any relationships, try journaling in a marriage for stronger communication skills with this lovely idea which also makes for a perfect wedding or anniversary gift.
This post is sponsored by Dayspring. All opinions are mine alone. I pinky promise! Some of the links below are “affiliate links.” This means if you click a link and purchase an item, I will receive a small affiliate commission that helps me to be able to continue with this blog and hopefully continue to inspire you as well.
Let’s just go ahead and admit that relationships take effort and work especially marriage. Marriage isn’t easy at all but is certainly rewarding and a true gift from God. That’s for certain. No couple can honestly say that they don’t need any help when it comes to communication. We all can work on this area which is why I hope this idea today will bless you and your marriage.
Plus it’s that wedding and anniversary season with so many beautiful summer weddings. I can practically hear the wedding bells right now. So if you enjoy this idea that I will go into more detail about, then you are going to want to pass it on to a new married couple or even that couple that has been married for many, many years.
This idea all started when I saw this beautiful, farmhouse style decor that reads the scripture from Song of Solomon.
“I have found the one whom my soul loves.” Song of Solomon 3:4
What engaged couple wouldn’t love to have this piece and start their marriage in a prayer that can be a daily reminder when they hang this in their new home together. I just love it for sure! Plus with all the popularity of the farmhouse style recently.
Now for the communication builder… If there is one thing that I have learned during my marriage thus far, it’s that sometimes us humans are not the best at using words and letting others know what we mean. Then before you know it, you may have entered a war zone of hurtful words that you can’t take back. If we could only learn to stop and take a break for a minute.
Hopefully that can all change after today. Try having “His and Her” journals to write down what you are thinking, how you feel, and any other concerns or questions. Then you don’t have to worry one bit that something you say won’t come across the right way. You can write down all your feelings without being interrupted so you can explain exactly what you mean.
But don’t think of this journal as a negative or complaint book. You could also use it to compliment your spouse or simply write them a love letter. Then once you have written in the book, place it in a special spot so your spouse will know they have a message waiting for them.
I chose this floral pattern journal from Dayspring for myself. I fell in love with the pattern right away.
It even has a zipper pocket on the front to keep pens and other accessories handy.
Worried that a planner won’t look “manly” enough? Well I found this brown hard cover journal with a beautiful scripture on the front regarding a faithful man from Proverbs. The pages are lined as well with scripture and quotes throughout the journal.
Mark, my husband, loved his journal. Below is a picture of the two of us 6 years ago at our wedding. We have been married for 6 years. I can truly say that I love him more and more than the day we got married. The main reason for that is because we have worked hard to keep God at the center of our relationship. It truly makes a HUGE difference.
Now make sure to head over to Dayspring to check out these goodies above that would be a perfect gift for any wedding or anniversary. They have a beautiful selection of other journals to suit anyone’s taste. And the greatest of these is love,
https://www.thesoutherncouture.com/staging/3818/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Journaling-in-a-Marriage-for-Stronger-Communication-Skills-FI.jpg400800Bethanyhttps://www.thesoutherncouture.com/staging/3818/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/logo_freelance.pngBethany2017-06-28 05:00:022017-06-27 21:45:55Journaling in a Marriage for Stronger Communication Skills
Friendships aren’t always easy. Learn how to intentionally engage in friendship even when it’s easier not to using this powerful Bible study.
This post is sponsored by Dayspring. All opinions are mine alone. I pinky promise! Some of the links below are “affiliate links.” This means if you click a link and purchase an item, I will receive a small affiliate commission that helps me to be able to continue with this blog and hopefully continue to inspire you as well.
If we are human, then we all can say we have been blessed, burned, and landed somewhere in between there when it comes to friendships. We can also agree that we have been the one doing the blessing and burning. Let’s be honest with ourselves today.
Friendship is one of the best jewels in this life, but it can also be a thorn in our side. When the going gets tough, it is always easier to just give up no matter the situation. In the end though, giving up on our friendships will only hurt us and isolate us even more in the end.
What I love is that we are not alone in feeling this way! That is where we can come together in love and support and move forward in the work God has for us. Yes, we will make mistakes and will probably have to apologize to each other at some point. But, forgiveness is greater and will only bring us closer.
I’m sure every single one of you reading this right now can raise your hand that you know exactly what I’m talking about. That is why I am so pleased to share something brand new with you that is truly going to change the way you handle your friendships for the better from now on. Drum roll…
And that is the We Saved You a Seat Bible Study from Lisa-Jo Baker. If that name sounds familiar, it’s probably because I mentioned her earlier this year with her Never Unfriended book that launched. You can check out that post HERE too. She is so passionate about women truly connecting and thriving in friendships. She knows how important it is to do life with friends and not alone.
We Saved You a Seat: Finding and Keeping Lasting Friendships is a 7 week Bible study that walks you through showing the love of Christ to others while also encouraging you to pull up a chair to the table even when it’s hard to get along. Each week will give you a practical way to love others in your daily life.
Lisa-Jo discusses how change truly comes through letting the Scripture soak into our bones. This Bible study is designed to do exactly that. I can’t help but think of a sponge soaking up all this goodness to really change our friendships for the better.
Head over to Dayspring to get your Bible study now. If you are wanting to do this study with friends or in a small group at your church, be sure to check out their group leader package and also a version especially made for teen girls.
You will also find a Bible Study Kit with supplies made to supplement your study time. I love the scripture and inspiration cards that I will be able to use in my journaling Bible and also use to share with friends.
Here is what is included in the kit:
Canvas pouch
20 Inspiration cards
2 Sticky note flags
Sticker sheet
2 Mini highlighters
Washi tape
I plan to use the supplies to mark pages in my book and also illustrate points or scripture within the book. Because I love Bible journaling, I will also be using the supplies for entries in my Bible throughout the entire study.
And if that wasn’t enough, then be sure to check out their Conversation Starter Jar with lots of cards with topic points and questions. These are great to supplement a Bible study group and use to engage each lady. Plus you will be amazed at how much you will learn about your friends that you thought you already knew. I love using mine for road trips with my husband as well.
If you are ready to start this journey and stop wasting time feeling alone and isolated, then please come join me. It’s not too late. Don’t listen to the lies of the enemy. I would love to have you doing the study and being able to discuss it together. Feel free to leave any comments, ideas, or questions from the Bible study in the comment section below.
https://www.thesoutherncouture.com/staging/3818/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/How-to-Intentionally-Engage-in-Friendship-Even-When-Its-Easier-Not-To-FI.jpg400800Bethanyhttps://www.thesoutherncouture.com/staging/3818/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/logo_freelance.pngBethany2017-05-18 05:00:342017-05-17 08:00:56How to Intentionally Engage in Friendship Even When It’s Easier Not To
Make a commitment to taking stress out of homemaking with the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle that is only here for a LIMITED time.
Some of the links below are “affiliate links.” This means if you click a link and purchase an item, I will receive a small affiliate commission that helps me to be able to continue with this blog and hopefully continue to inspire you as well.
It’s not like you expected homemaking to be a piece of cake. But you had no idea you’d be so tired, frustrated, and overwhelmed, right? I’ve often felt the same way. When I first became a wife, I strived to be perfect knowing that wasn’t even realistic. Oh, and developing systems to efficiently handle laundry and cleaning? Um… do I have to answer that?
Homemaking is filled with mundane tasks that never end, but here’s the thing: do you want to spend more time overwhelmed by things you don’t enjoy? No, no, you do not. So what if you could find resources to help you become better at homemaking (and maybe even learn to love it)?
Well, look no further, because I found something that might be just what you need: The Ultimate Homemaking Bundle. Plus I have an exciting secret that I’ve been keeping so keep reading to see what that might be.
For six days only, everything you need (and then some) is in one fabulous package, for the most affordable price ever. (Seriously, just wait until I tell you the price.)
This year’s edition of the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle includes 50 ebooks, 21 eCourses, 14 printables, 2 videos, 2 audios, 2 summits, and 1 membership site.
These top-quality resources cover everything you need to make homemaking and mothering feel less stressful… quick & healthy recipes, homemaking printables, cleaning tips, sizzling date night ideas, parenting helps, and so much more.
For less than the cost of a meal out (and you won’t need to be rescued by drive-thru after this!), you’ll get a complete library to help you:
Cook up wholesome recipes for your family
Build stronger relationships with your kids (even your teens)
Discover speedy cleaning routines for the toughest messes
Rekindle the romance in your marriage
Put self-care back into your life
and finally enjoy homemaking.
Plus, it comes with over $290 worth of bonus offers from companies you’ll love (this is one of my favorite parts).
Besides being so incredibly helpful, one of the things I like best about the bundle is the price. By offering it for a short time only, they’re able to give you access to over $1980 worth of amazing products for a whopping $29.97!!! That’s 97% off!
Here’s how it works:
Visit their website, take a quick look at all the goodness that comes in this package, then click the “Get my copy now!” button to go through their simple and secure 3-step checkout process.
You’ll receive an email with a login to their online access portal, where you’ll begin downloading your eBooks, signing up for your eCourses, and redeeming your free bonus offers.
Use their Getting Started Guide to pick the topic you want to tackle first and start your stress-less homemaking journey!
The most important detail, though, is that this bundle is available for just six days! After Monday night, May 1st, the sale ends and you’d have to buy all of these products individually.
*It’s even backed by a 100% happiness guarantee, so you can make sure it’s right for you.
Also my very own, Adventures in Bible Journaling: An Extensive Beginner’s Guide to Art and Bible Journaling, is also part of the bundle!! I couldn’t be more excited to be included among so many talented authors and creatives. That means that if you have been on the fence about purchasing my eBook, then it’s a no-brainer now. You will get so many other resources as well as a coupon code for BIG savings to purchase my step-by-step video tutorials that go along with the eBook. The coupon code will be included with the eBook when you download it.
I really can’t see why anyone wouldn’t want to take advantage of this now before it’s gone. I have purchased bundles in the past and have never been disappointed. I couldn’t wait to start downloading the products and learning so much. I know you will feel the same way too.
I want to also highlight a few of the products that are included in the bundle that caught my eye. I think you will enjoy them too. To start off with, Jennie Moraitis believes in taking time for yourself to be creative. Creative Sparks: 30 Daily Prompts for Creatives does exactly that with 30 daily prompts for your creative journey. Each day there is a new prompt for you to follow along and spend time for yourself. She also includes a list of 30 words to use as prompts for journaling and any creative activity. I can’t wait to use some of these word prompts with my Bible and art journaling as well.
All of you Bible journaling fans are going to love this one. Matters of the Heart: a 52-Week Scripture Memorization Journey for Women by Carlie Kercheval takes you on a journey with 3 challenges and a devotional every week for not only scripture memorization but also putting action to your faith and making the Word a priority. I just love challenges with a plan like this one. The devotionals would be great to also illustrate in my journaling Bible.
Now that’s just a tiny sneak peek of what you get so be sure to head over to the Ultimate Bundles site and check out all the details before it’s gone for good.
(Psst… the bundle goes away at 11:59pm Eastern on Monday, May 1st, so don’t wait!)
https://www.thesoutherncouture.com/staging/3818/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Taking-Stress-out-of-Homemaking-with-the-Ultimate-Homemaking-Bundle-FI.jpg400800Bethanyhttps://www.thesoutherncouture.com/staging/3818/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/logo_freelance.pngBethany2017-04-26 08:00:312017-04-21 08:14:21Taking Stress out of Homemaking with the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle
