Hello all,
My name is Sarah and I’m the newest member here on Honestly Motherhood. I’m so excited to begin this new journey! First, I wanted to introduce myself a little just so you know who I am….
First off, a few little fun facts:
I love being with my family; they mean the world to me. We all live 2+ hours away, so when we are together it is a sweet time. I enjoy watching movies, crocheting, photography, traveling, serving others, singing in the car, thrifting, watching Downton Abbey and Fixer Upper, missions, different cultures and reading lots and lots of books! I have a passion for children and education and am pursuing a degree in early childhood education. I currently work for the public school system here as an Instructional Assistant in a Multiple Disability classroom.
I currently live in Virginia with my husband, Aric. On June 13, 2015, we got married. It simply was the best day. Aric and I knew each other all throughout college, but it wasn't until five years later that we actually connected as good friends and started dating; 8 months after that, we tied the knot! This past November the Lord blessed us with the amazing news that we were expecting our first child. What a journey it has been. There is nothing….absolutely nothing that has been a greater joy and challenge in my life than this pregnancy.
When I first found out I was pregnant back in November I realized how naive I was. I took the pregnancy test one morning super early and saw a positive reading in less than a minute. My heart raced and I couldn't help but wake my sleeping husband at 6 am to tell him the news. Weary eyed, he looked at me smile and realized 10 minutes later what I actually had said and was ecstatic. By that weekend our whole immediate family knew our exciting news and I thought , “Okay..smooth sailing until July, I’ll get this adorable baby bump, cute maternity clothes, start getting baby stuff and this is gonna be a blast!” Sure, some of those things did happen, but I’m sure as most of you moms know, that is simply not what it’s like the entire 9 months of carrying your baby.
It was around week 7 that the morning sickness came full force. I always thought, “Hey, morning sickness? I can handle a little nausea in the morning and be just fine for the rest of the day….” Whoever called it morning sickness was a cruel individual. It was all day, every day up until around the 12 week mark. The roughest part was just getting through the work day. My body was exhausted by the end of my 7.5 hour work day and I found myself lying in bed at 5pm and waking up the next morning at 6:30 a.m. in time for another day. The cycle seemed never-ending. On top of that I had major anxiety. Before I found out I was pregnant I struggled with anxiety. Facing this unknown was paralyzing to me. Fears of miscarriage or hurting my baby by the way I slept, what I ate or lack of what I ate haunted me. My body kept changing in ways I didn't understand and I would cry myself into hysteria because I was afraid. Pregnancy was not what I imagined.
Never in my life has scripture become more real to me. During those beginning weeks my heart cried out to the Lord for relief, an hour maybe, 15 mins without the nausea or anxiety. I read something in my devotions one day that has stuck with me:
“I have learned that in every circumstance that comes my way, I can choose to respond in one of two ways: I can whine or I can worship! And I can't worship without giving thanks. It just isn't possible. When we choose the pathway of worship and giving thanks, especially in the midst of difficult circumstances, there is a fragrance, a radiance, that issues forth out of our lives to bless the Lord and others.” - Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Worship. That was to be my response. Give thanks to the Lord for his abounding blessing in my life. The nausea meant the baby was well. The anxiety caused me to pray and seek the Lord more. It was a small breakthrough.
I love reading the passage Psalm 119:13-14, now that I am expecting. It has a whole new meaning.
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
I tend to be a control freak. This verse shows me that I have no control over my baby. Sure I can pray for my baby, eat healthy, exercise and take my vitamins but I am not the one knitting together the innermost being of my precious little one. It has given me so much comfort in my pregnancy knowing that Christ is the one in control. I can do nothing but rejoice in the fact that the Lord has called me to be this baby’s mom. I feel so blessed.
I am now 14 weeks pregnant with our little babe. We got to hear baby’s heartbeat this past week at my last appointment, which is always my favorite thing to hear. Heartburn and headaches are in full swing everyday and taking naps is my absolute favorite thing to do (just ask my husband). I am excited for this journey ahead and to see where and what the Lord is going to do with our family!
I will leave you with the verse that has been on my heart this week:
“I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” -Psalm 16:8, 11
-Sincerely, Sarah. :)