New Game!

As many of you know Charity is a Pac-Man FREAK! She loves this old game and it remains the ONLY video game she has any interest in. So, we found a gadget that allows you to play Pac-Man through the blog. I think we added it more for our entertainment than yours, but enjoy it anyways. By the way, Char says she really misses the joystick!

Baby-B Update

Wednesday, we returned to the OB for our latest appointment and honestly, it was pretty routine. The baby is growing and healthy, apparently it is the size of a lemon. We heard the heartbeat but had no reason for an ultrasound. The doctor only spent a couple of minutes with us and we were out of there. So, the update is pretty uneventful, but that's okay. We know that Baby-B is healthy and we are all doing well. Charity is feeling better but still not dynamic. Her laugh and smile have returned and we are grateful that the hormones make her laugh without good reason. We go back to the doctor in March for the big checkup...finding out the gender of this little lemon!!! We can't wait! Other than that, there is really no news to report!

Back among the living!

Hello everybody! First of all, I want to thank each and every one of you who have offered help through either service, prayer, or encouragement. You have helped me to get through each and every day and I'm so thankful! Now that I'm somewhat back among the living, I can tell you that the last two months have been quite difficult; in fact, they've been more trying than I ever imagined pregnancy could be. You know, when people talk about being pregnant, there always seems to be a positive connotation associated with it. I will honestly tell you that although I experienced excitement when we initially found out the big news, I have experienced more lows by far, with emotions ranging from anger to sadness to frustration to bitterness to depression. In the midst of 24/7 nausea, vomiting, and/or sleeping, it has been hard to find the excitement in what I recognize is a precious gift from the Lord.

It's amazing how clear your vision becomes and how much your perspective changes when you go through a certain experience that allows you to view something in a different light. I've found that through this particular experience, the Lord has grown me in quite a few areas and taught me some very valuable lessons. I have begun to develop a strong sense of compassion for people experiencing chronic pain or discomfort, when you feel like there is no relief...it's quite depressing. I've been blessed to see an influx of both family and friends offering help in any way possible, and have realized that all you have to do is ask! Although it seems like the hardest thing to do sometimes, both the giver and the recipient are blessed because of it! With that, I've also come to appreciate people! Although I already knew this fact, I've just been reminded that we were never meant to do life alone, and have truly come to appreciate the value of a friend/family member! I've been reminded of what a wonderful man I married 5 years ago. Wow! I've fallen so much more in love with Matt over the last couple months because I have experienced such overwhelming love as he has taken on more responsibility and shown such compassion and consideration for what I'm going through. The last lesson that I'm working on learning is being joyful, having a sense of happiness or more so, contentment, despite life circumstances. It's been easy to focus on the negativity of the experience without also looking to its beauty and wonder. I've got quite a bit to work on there!

Thankfully, I'm glad to say that things have gotten better. I'm now only throwing up once every couple days, I've been able to work full shifts at work, I'm able to keep up with some of the household duties, and I've also been starting to see people again! Who knew that these would be things to celebrate?! Well, again, thank you for being a part of our lives. I appreciate you!

First Picture of Baby B

We went to the doctor today and got our first glimpse of baby B. We were excited to hear the heartbeat and actually see the baby. the baby is 3.25 cm, or about the size of a prune but has a strong heartbeat. Unfortunately we were not as far along as we had hoped, about 3 weeks off, but we have a due date of August 21st. That is very close to char's birthday and shaping up to be an eventful month. Char is still feeling nauseous, but we appreciate all the suggestions. We are hoping she will get over the sickness soon so we can start having some fun!

For now, we will settle for the little moments like we had today! Stay posted...

We have an announcment!

Hello everyone! We are very pleased to announce that Charity is pregnant!!! We found out about our little surprise the week before Christmas and wanted to tell family in person before we posted it. So, sorry about the delay but hopefully everyone understands. That's the good news, here is the bad news: Charity is not having much fun.

She is currently sick everyday, not just in the morning. She has no desire for crackers, or anything that would typically settle her tummy. Actually, in a twist of irony for those who know Char well, she really only likes to eat fast food like hamburgers and pizza. She also eats every 2 hours. So, as she tries to get through this rough spot she could use 2 things.

1- Prayer. We always need it but we could sure use your support.

2- Suggestions- We know that Char is not the first to be pregnant, so why re-invent the wheel? Please send us suggestions through e-mail or post a comment with your favorite morning sickness remedy.

We love you all and are very excited to share this journey with you. She doesn't have a belly yet, but we will post pictures in the future.