More Baby Progress

Progress: 16 weeks (4 months along!)
Size: (4-5 inches in length; weight around 3 oz.)
Development:The backbone is growing stronger, and eyebrows and eyelashes are here. Tiny bones in the baby's ears are in place, meaning he/she can now hear my voice! My trusty app tells me, "Studies have found that babies who are sung to while they're in the womb recognize the same tune when it's sung to them after they are born." So I've been singing to our little one...any song suggestions?
Sypmtoms: I've still had no morning (or night or afternoon) sickness, and the sinus infection(s) is now gone!
Highlight of the week: I can finally see a real bump! At first it just looked like I had put on a little weight, but now it's starting to look more like I'm pregnant. I guess you could say we are both "getting bigger everyday."

An encouraging word...

"It is not an abstraction called Humanity that is to be saved. It is you...your soul, and, in some sense yet to be understood, even your body, that was made for the high and holy place. All that you are...every fold and crease of your individuality was devised from all eternity to fit God as a glove fits a hand. All that intimate particularity which you can hardly grasp yourself, much less communicate to your fellow creatures, is no mystery to Him. He made those ins and outs that He might fill them. Then He gave your soul so curious a life because it is the key designed to unlock that door, of all the myriad doors in Him." ~C.S.Lewis, penciled in the flyleaf of his copy of von Hugel's Eternal Life

Mother & Daughter Conference

April 2nd was our 1st Mother & Daughter Conference for 6th-12trh grade girls and their moms, and it was such a sweet time! The mother and daughter relationship can influence both of our lives tremendously, and spending time together is so important. Mrs. Donna Gaines spoke to us about "The 2 Women of Proverbs," Mrs. Carolyn Higginbotham spoke to the moms on praying for your daughter, the Girls Council spoke to the girls about respect, texting, media, and more. We also worshipped, ate brunch, heard from a mother and daughter panel, played games, and more. I'm so thankful to the Girls Council (leadership team of 11th & 12th grade girls) and women who helped out in so many ways. Most of all thankful to the Lord for speaking to our hearts and giving us a sweet time with Him and each other!

A few pics from the day & to see all the pics, click here. Each of the girls on Girls Council was to decorate her table with the theme of something she and her mother enjoy doing together. We had such creative decorations such as baking, gardening, shopping, traveling, picniking, Disneyworld, chocolate, and more!

Some of the Girls Council leading us in song.

Rachel, Dorie, and me. I truly love serving with these women!

The girls were given an "Encouragement Booklet" written by the Girls ministry and Girls Council, and the moms were given an "Encouragement Booklet" written by the Bellevue Staff Wives. Such great advice and encouragement inside!

My sweet husband woke up very early that day and was my go-to guy during the conference. (I'm also 14 weeks pregnant in this pic.)

Cravings?

Definitely a common question this pregnant lady is being asked these days. The first thing I began craving was guacamole - which is crazy, because I never liked it before. My friend Lindsey made home-made guacamole for a party, and I think that's what started my craving. I've had Chili's, and it's pretty good, but I'm still looking somewhere to find great guac. Any suggestions?

My all-time #1 craving right now is Chick-fil-a diet lemonade. Will was buying it for me by the gallon. Then a friend shared that he didn't want me getting gestational diabetes, so I immediately stopped drinking it...but one glass every week or so wouldn't hurt, would it?

14 weeks...

Progress: Into the 2nd trimester! 14 weeks

Size: orange (3.5 oz)

Development: Baby's neck is getting longer, helping the head stand more erect. Hair is sprouting on top of the head and eyebrows are filling in. He/she is also covered with a downy coating of hair called "lanugo"(mostly there for warmth).

Symptoms: I've had a horrible sinus infection (for the 2nd time) and get quite tired at the end of the day.

Highlight of the week: Friday (April 1st) we were so excited to get our 1st ultrasound - only to get there and find out that they "misspoke" last time, and the 1st ultrasound will not be until next month (not a funny April Fool's joke. Neither of us were smiling.) But we did get reports that all my blood work came back great and the heartbeat is still strong and fast!