God's perfect design

Yesterday was such a beautiful day, Eric and I decided to take a run/walk around Shelley Lake. As we were walking, I posed the question to E, "Aren't you so jealous of me? I get to carry human life inside of me, don't you wish you could?" Of course, Eric laughed and said he wasn't jealous...even though I'm sure every man secretly wishes he could ;)

Then I started talking. Talking Eric's ears off about being pregnant and how human life is probably the most incredible yet weirdest thing God ever created.

Although I am only on my 14th week, I am already so amazed at God's design of life. I cannot get over the fact that there is a baby growing inside of me.  It is new amazment for me as I read about the growth of my baby each week. I think about how my baby's heart is forming. The liver forming. The brain, eyes, nose, mouth! But then I ask...Forming out of what?! Nothing! It's not as if I always had an extra heart tucked away in my uterus, just waiting for a child to be conceived. This life, being formed inside of me, constantly reminds me of God's perfect design from the beginning. How He created everything out of nothing, with just His words. What an amazing, creative God we serve! So if you haven't figured it out yet, I love being pregnant. I love thinking about God in the midst of my baby's development...how can something as great as this not bring you back to God?

Let us marvel at His creation but let us worship the Creator!

Pregnancy Secrets

If you are reading this, then we have finally told everyone I AM PREGNANT!!!


I thought it would be fun to write random thoughts through the secret time of my pregnancy, that will be "published" when the cat is out of the bag.
Being my first pregnancy, I don't want to forget anything. My thoughts, my symptoms, our conversations.  We first found out on January24th. I was officialy 4 weeks pregnant. I couldn't believe it. I immediately woke Eric up at 5:30am yelling "Eric! I'm pregnant!"  It is so strange to me that I am keeping such a huge secret. As I hang out with my friends, I cannot stop thinking what huge news we have...and they just think everything is the same.


(6 week thoughts) So far my symtpoms have been soreness, cramps, extreme emotions, fatigue, and slight nausea. I have not once thrown up...yet. I keep waiting for it. Of course everyone is different but I just keep expecting the worst. Call me an optimist ;). 

(6-10 weeks thoughts) I quickly realized how "emotional" I can get. One evening, before little d, I cooked a pizza. Eric wasn't home yet, so I figured I would whip up something quick. I wasn't too hungry so I just ate 1 piece, with the intentions of eating more when I got home. On the ride home from little d, I kept thinking about how I was going to eat a piece of pizza, but when I got home I saw that Eric ate it all. I cried. I cried because Eric ate all the pizza. Then I got mad. Then I lashed out. Poor Eric. I can't even stand pizza now.

Consistent food aversions: pizza, sometimes salad, chipotle

Cravings: anything that doesn't sound nasty

I also have never been so excited to find ice cream in my freezer.


I have taken a nap almost every day.


(10 week thoughts) Saturday mornings I find myself sleeping in, awake for 2-3 hours, then back down for a nap. Honestly I am ready to feel energized again. I have no energy to exercise. I remember thinking (before I was pregnant) how I want to be one of those pregnant girls who run throughout their pregnancy and stay in such good shape. Welp, I am eating those words. And I choose to be okay with it. 


We told all of our families pretty early. After our 8 week appointment, when we saw the sweet tiny baby and heard the tiny heart beat, we just couldn't keep it to ourselves anymore. We told our families when I was almost 9 weeks and swore them to secrecy. 


We also found out my due date is OCTOBER 1st! I learned (after I was pregnant) that calculating your due date is not what I thought. Let's just say I thought I would be due mid-October. I am a bridesmaid in a wedding on September 29th. Not sure how that is going to work yet, but it is something I have been thinking a lot about. 

I have to eat around every 3 hours to keep away the nausea.

Thank you Eric for being so gracious with my aversions, nausea, low energy, and my emotions!

Drumroll please...

So, I know I have been one inconsistent blogger. And I know that I haven't blogged in a few months...but what better time to rekindle this flame then to announce:

I'm Pregnant!!

That's right! I am pregnant with Baby Hovis, due to arrive on October 1st!! And of course, Eric had a big role too. We are so pumped. We have already had two ultrasounds and have been busting at the seams to share this news. I really want to remember all the details about my first pregnancy, so I have been keeping up with an "unpublished" post, that I edited along the way with my pregnancy secrets.

It didn't seem real for the longest time because I, don't hate me, haven't once thrown up. I have had nausea, fatigue, a few food aversions, and of course soreness in the upper region of the bod.

It also looks like (to me) that I have had a few too many dougnuts. My tummy is a little poochy, but no significant bump. I also want to be consistent in taking belly pics, so I can see my progession to week 40! SOOO with that said, I am hoping, hoping, hoping, that I can be consistent in blogging because I want to remember everything!

Confession: before I was preggers, I was totally prideful, thinking "I'm going to be one of those pregnant women who run and stay in shape and look awesome." It was a nice thought. I can throw that out the window, because I have learned that every person is different. My fatigue has been pretty intense, that I have had no energy to exercise. I have learned to be okay with that and hope that my hormone levels even out during 2nd trimester so that I can be a little more active.

Well folks, that's it for now! Stay tuned for Pregnancy Secrets and belly pics (or lack there of) on Monday! 

Tis The Season

I cannot believe this is my 3rd married Christmas! How time flies!! We left to go to Greensboro the Thursday before Christmas, however, Eric and I celebrated "our" Christmas on Wednesday. A man from our church who has been married much longer than us and also much wiser than us, recommended that we set aside time for just the two of us to celebrate. Wednesday evening we ate dinner together at home, fixed hot chocolate and exchanged gifts. On Thursday morning, we woke up and headed to Greensboro. That evening we attended the Goans Annual Christmas party.



Great friends, Anna and Rachel--Matching scarves!

Rachel and Chad celebrating their 1st Christmas as a married couple...

Take One

 Take Two

Ahh, there we go :)



Christmas Eve, we celebrated Christmas with Eric's dad, and the rest of his side of the family. Christmas day we woke up, opened presents with his mom and siblings, went to church, and then went to Eric's Aunt and Uncle's house to celebrate with that side of the family.

Getting brunch ready!

Eric, Eric's beard, and his mom

Dean and Lori playing packman

1st Married Christmas!

Delicious Breakfast

After brunch, we headed to Lincolnton  to celebrate with my parents and sisters. Sadly, my mom got called into to work so she wasn't home when we arrived. We prepared dinner, and when she got home we all ate and opened presents. I don't have any pictures, my sister was in charge of those. We woke up the next morning, and went to Birkdale to do a little shopping. It was a wonderful Christmas and I cannot believe it is already over!

Praise God He sent his Son. Praise Jesus that He came to live amongst sinners. Praise Him that He calls us unto Himself. Merry Christmas!

Weddings and Fall

Since the last post, life has been crazy busy. School, more weddings, church stuff, etc. Robert, one of Eric's best friend,  got married last weekend in Richmond. It was such a fun weekend, all of our greatest friends in one place!



Four of my great friends (LtoR: Anna, Becca, Ashley, Caroline) with Robert and his new bride, Jessica.

I had the blessing of singing in the wedding and Eric was a groomsman. Half of Eric's groomsman were also a part of Roberts wedding as well! There are four guys who are some of Eric's (and now my) greatest friends and have all been in each other's weddings (for those who are married): Todd, Austin, Robert, and Luke...

At Luke and Caroline's rehearsal dinner: Eric, Robert, Todd, Austin

Our great friends! LtoR: Ashley, Austin, Anna, Becca, Me, Eric, Robert, Todd

Eric and Austin

Austin, Luke, Robert, Steven, Eric

Robert, Eric, Todd, Austin

Anyways, you get the point. I am so thankful for these guy's who have been in Eric's life since high school or early college years. We both love y'all so much! Can't wait for more weddings to come :)


So now about the weather. Can I just say that this cooler weather is putting me in a great mood. I love the seasons, and everytime summer turns to fall, fall to winter, winter to spring, and spring to summer, I ALWAYS get so excited. I love what the new season brings. Just as I get tired of one season, the next one starts. There is nothing quite as good as fall fashion. And I'm not just saying that because it's the season we are entering. I believe that during the winter and summer. This is why.

I love SKINNY JEANS and BOOTS.
I love JEANS always (I have a jean fedish) 
I love SCARVES
I love CARDIGANS
I love my PATAGONIA
I love PUMPKIN SPICE CANDLES
I love BAKING in the fall
I love FOOTBALL SEASON
I love LAYERS
I love THANKSGIVING
I love RUNNING in cooler weather
I love PRETTY LEAVES

I know, I know, a little carried away right? I mean it is only September!

Anyways, it has been awhile since the last post. So a little update on life is necessary.

School has got me super busy and super behind on laundry and cleaning. My running has been behind, with the last two weeks only running 3 times a week! OOPS! I did a little better this week. Brittany and I ran 4 on Tuesday, then I ran 5 on Thursday and 4 on Friday. This sunday is suppose to be an 8 miler.

I have been focusing on my pace with the shorter runs. I just got new running shoes and it makes a WORLD of difference! Everytime I get new shoes, my feet go numb for the first few runs...not good?? The 5 miler on Thursday was SLOW and NUMB. My feet were so numb I thought they were going to have to be amputated....a normal person probably would've have stopped. It probably would've been the smarter thing to do. But I painfully and stubbornly kept going, even if that meant never running again. Okay, a little dramatic. But seriously, that run beasted me.

The Friday run was MUCH better and I ran my best time, which increased by 3 minutes from my previous PR (from this round of training)! Great runs make me really excited to go to Savannah for the half marathon. It makes it even better that I get to go with three great friends, Marie, Jen and Brittany! Running and road trips are so much better with people you love. I'm sad Eric can't go...but neither can Ben, so it looks like me and Brit are sticking together!

Wish me luck for that 8 miler tomorrow!

Zealous for Good

Sorry for my lack of posts lately...I went to the beach with my family and now I have started back school! Anyways, as I have been thinking about starting a new school year the Lord has definitely reminded me of a few things. Last night, while laying in bed, I pulled out my handy dandy iphone and clicked on the Bible App (Oh technology!). I guess the last time I used the Bible App (which isn't very often, I like to actually hold the real thing), it opened to 1 Peter 3.

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?

But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed.

Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts

honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense

to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with

gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered

those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it

is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

(1 Peter 3: 13-17)

After reading this, it left me asking myself a few questions:

-Am I zealous for what is good? Really, am I? The dictionary defines zealous as devoted (it has been tranlated from Greek). Am I devoted for what is good? Do my motives promote good and the wellbeing of others? The Gospel is good, am I zealous for the Gospel to known?

-Do I know what I would say if someone asked me the reason for my hope? Do I live my life as if I have hope? If not, why would anyone even ask me about something that they haven't seen? The Gospel demands a response in our hearts, we are either living in joy of knowing the Gospel, or we have forgotten the Gospel. Knowing Christ can only produce hope and joy, so if we are not living in a way that would draw someone to ask us about why we hope, then we have forgotten Jesus- the very essence of our Joy.

Although there is so much to unfold in this particular scripture, Christ put these few questions on my heart. Especially as the new school year begins, I become weary, exhausted, and almost lazy in my pursuit of Jesus. When I become lazy in my pursuit, I forget why I hope. My prayer is that we cannot make it through the day without remembering the Gospel.

Baked Sweet Potato Wedges

Last night, I discovered a Paula Deen recipe that is really, really, really good. Click here if you want the recipe from Paula, but I will also show you the recipe...it is EASY!!

Ingredients:

-1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons butter
-1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

-4 sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut lengthwise into wedges

-2 teaspoons salt

-2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Preheat: 400

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Directions:

1. Cut potato lengthwise into wedges

2. Over medium high heat, melt butter. Remove pot from heat, stir in cinnamon.

 

 

3. Add the potato wedges to the butter and cinnamon and toss to combine. You can do this however you like, but I just put a few wedges in at a time. You can you a larger saucepan and mix all together.

 



4. Spread wedges evenly onto a cookie sheet. *Optional (I did this)- Drizzle leftover butter/cinnamon mix over the cookie sheet of wedges. Then, season with salt and pepper.

 

5. You are ready to pop this goodness into the oven! Simple and easy.

 

I baked Ranch Style Chicken from Pioneer Woman to go with it. This chicken is delicious, I mean it has bacon AND cheese on it. Click here for the recipe. I know, I know. Not the most healthy meal, but it was quite tasty. Don't worry though, we had broccoli too.