Hello 2nd Trimester!

Last week was the official start of the 2nd trimester for me and I am SO relieved. With Savannah, the first trimester was hard because I felt sick and tired all the time but with this pregnancy, there was just something different about it. Maybe it was the upper respiratory infection, maybe it was the stomach bug, all on top of being pregnant, I don't know. Since last week, though, I have felt ALOT better and feel like a new person. I am going to enjoy every moment of this 2nd trimester and try and get as much done around the house as possible. I am also wanted to work out a lot more. I finished a 5K race this weekend and it felt great. Until I get too big to do anything that is going to be another goal of mine, run or walk as much as I can. I did not do anything in the way of exercise with Savannah. I still made it, but I firmly believe that it would have been a lot easier to get back into working out again, if I had already been working out before hand. I don't want to become some crazed work out person, I just want to be healthier. I am going to have two little munchkings to be looking after and I am going to need all the energy I can get! :)
So, this 2nd trimester is going to be good, fun, and productive. Wish me luck!

Emily

How He Loves

(David Crowder Band sings this song and I love it. It has really been on my heart lately and every time I hear it, I believe it is such a great reminder of God's love for us. It is truly amazing! I will update our media player so you can also listen. The words are really great.)

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us oh
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us oh,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

And we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If His grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

That He loves us,
Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves. Yeah, He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves. Yeah, He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves.

Seaside Half-Marathon and 5k Race...

is this weekend! Eek!! At the beginning of the year, Aric set up a training schedule for me so I would be ready for this 5k race in March. I stuck to it for a couple of weeks then we found out we were going to have another baby and well, I slacked off, ALOT. First it was an upper respiratory infection, then morning sickness like you wouldn't believe, then the stomach flu and here we are, only days away from the race and I am NOT ready. I am very much a rookie when it comes to 5k races. I have only been in one other race, in Daphne, AL, when I went to visit my sister a few years ago. I did no training for that at all. I didn't even know I was going to race until the day of! I finished last in my age group of course, but had a good time! I am going to try and make it to the YMCA today and do some run/walking on the treadmill. My doctor said I am fine to race, but to stay comfortable and not push myself. I am not looking forward to finishing last but, I signed up for this race before we got pregnant and I intend to participate and at least finish! :)
Aric on the other hand is going a little bit further than me and doing the half-marathon. He ran the Hyundai half in October and finished better than he thought he would. Seeing as this course is going to be a lot flatter, I think he is going to do just fine.
We will be going to Seaside, FL with some sweet friends of ours, Will and Jennifer Barrett. They are brining their son Caleb and we will be bringing Savannah. Besides the race, I am really excited to be going down to the Gulf and enjoying a little R&R. It is supposed to be beautiful weather and that makes it even better.
Please say a short prayer for us as we travel and on race day. (by the way, race day will be on Sunday at 7AM)

God bless and enjoy this beautiful weather these next few days!!!

Emily

Baby #2!

Finally, here are the ultrasound pictures from our first doctor's visit for Baby #2!

Savannah's 15 month check-up (a few weeks late)

Hello everyone! These past few weeks have been crazy. Shortly after finding out we were pregnant, I really struggled with morning sickness and fatigue. I didn't want to do anything! Once that started to subside, I got a stomach virus which later sent me to the hospital because I got so dehydrated. Aric then got the stomach virus and we were both sick. Thank God for my parents being in town! They were able to watch Savannah for two nights and that helped us out, ALOT. Sad thing is, about a week later my parents got the stomach virus. :(
It always seems like it is one thing after another and it is exhausting!
I am going to back up just a little, when I first got the stomach virus, before Aric got it and before I had to go to the hospital, it was time for Savannah's 15 month check-up. I was totally bummed that I couldn't go because I have been to every appointment since she has been born. My sweet husband not only had been taking care of me (he had to take off work to do this) but at the last minute (a few hours before) I remembered her appointment and he had to rush her there so that he wouldn't be late!
Since I wasn't able to go to the appointment, this is going to be a very brief update.
Savannah's 15 month stats:
-29" inches long
-20 lbs 13 oz
-Head 48 cm
I was a little worried about her numbers because her percentiles went down. At her 12 month check up she seemed to be in the 20th percentile or so for height and weight. She is now in the 5th to 1oth percentile for height and weight. Now, it is no mystery that Aric and I are not tall people. Aric said the doctor did not seemed concerned about her height and weight so that was a little relief. She is just going to be a pretty, petite, little girl/young lady/woman. I am just thankful that she has a clean bill of health and developmentally she seems to be doing well. She is still NOT walking, for those of you who are wondering. She can stand by herself and take steps here and there but not enough to be considered walking. Her vocabulary has really expanded these past few months. Here is a list of words she can say:
"thank you"
"nye-nye" (night night)
"bye-bye"
"dog"
"milk"
"teeth"
"bath"
"eye"
"nose"
"please"
"nana" (banana)
"bite" (when she is hungry)
"dada"
"mama"
"bear"
"car"
"juice"
There are other small here and there if we say them to her, she can somewhat repeat them back. Savannah still plays very well by herself. I try to get her around other kids when I can with playgroups and church. From what I can tell she plays with other kids well. She is very observant. Before she steps in with another child, she will watch them closely to see what/how they are doing things and then she will play. I find it very cute. Napping is no problem with Savannah. She can still take up to 2 naps a day, both about an hour long, sometimes longer, if you can believe that!
Now, for the not so fun stuff. Savannah's stubborn personality has really come out. We have really had our patience tested with this. When it is dinner time she can get very demanding and whiny. I usually try go ahead and cook dinner before I know she will be starving but sometimes my timing is a little off. So, she will get fussy when hungry, I guess that is normal for babies. Her diet however is more interesting. My poor, pitiful starving child is such a picky eater!! I have really started to worry about what she will/will not eat. For breakfast, I give her instant oatmeal and a fruit cup, milk to drink. (sometimes juice) For lunch, it is usually a sandwich of some kind, pb & J, turkey and cheese with fruit or crackers. For a snack, it is teddy grahams or yogurt. Then for dinner, it is a mix between chicken nuggets, mac n cheese and a vegetable. She likes green beans and carrots. Then for dessert she gets a fruit cup. The foods I just listed are what she eats a majority of the time. I try and give her what Aric and I eat but 99% of the time she will not eat it. I noticed on Savannah's well child instruction sheet, the doctor circled Poly-Vi-Sol and Vi-Daylin. Hopefully, with these vitamin supplements she will get all the nutrients she needs.

When I think of this 15 month check up, it blows my mind. I can't believe my baby is 15 months old! Has it really been 15 months?

Time flies when your having fun!!

God Bless,
Emily

Savannah is going to be a big sister!

Well, it is official, Savannah is going to be a big sister! We are very excited about this wonderful news!
We decided several months ago that we wanted to go ahead and start trying but our philosophy was to not make a big deal of it and if it happens, it happens. We ran into a few bumps in the road and found it not to be as easy as we thought it would be. As always, we prayed and put everything into the Lord's hands. We found out towards the end of January but decided to keep it under wraps until I could go to the doctor and confirm everything. We had an ultrasound yesterday and we could see our little bundle of joy moving around in my tummy already!! I was shocked! I didn't think I was that far along and expected to see a little blob. We could already see the tiny hands and feet moving around; it was AWESOME!! We are about 10 weeks 6 days! We have ultrasound pictures that I will post soon.
God is so good and we are so fortunate to able to experience another wonderful miracle!!

God Bless,

Emily

A History of Valentine's Day

So, I am a dork, and as certain holidays and celebrations happen throughout the year, I have decided to do some quick research and find the real meaning or history behind the occasion. This one is kind of lengthy, but if you have a minute or two, at least scan it, it is quite interesting.





History of Valentine's Day



Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.



Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.
According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.
While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which probably occurred around 270 A.D — others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.
The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February — Valentine's Day — should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.

In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.

According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)
Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.
Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap".


SOURCE: http://www.history.com/content/valentine/history-of-valentine-s-day