Laura, Me, and Whitney. My amazing hostesses!
Me with the adorable onsies we made!
Making onsies!
Me and my good friend from college, Sarah. She just had the most beautiful little girl!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Baby Shower
Two of the sweetest women in my life threw me a baby shower in Asheville a couple weeks ago. I feel so blessed to have such amazing women in my life to help me celebrate my future baby boy! I was so happy to see all the girls who came and very surprised that my friend, Amanda drove all the way from Greenville, SC to see me!! We also decorated the most adorable onsies for Baby Edwards! I can't wait to dress him up! Now if I could just get caught up on the Thank You notes...
Monday, June 13, 2011
Farewell Teaching
Today was my last official day of teaching...bittersweet. However, I don't think it will really hit me until August rolls around and I am not going back to school. After teaching and coaching for five years it will be very different staying at home. With that being said, I truly am excited about this new journey God is taking me on...being a stay at home mom!!
It still is a little surreal that I am going to have a kid in just 6 weeks! I remember the day I found out I was pregnant and now I'm 34 weeks (tomorrow). Lately, things have become a little more difficult to do and that makes it exhausting. I've been taking naps in the afternoon which only aids in the insomnia at night. But I guess that's just my body preparing me for sleepless nights when Baby Edwards arrives. Other than the back pain, exhaustion, and clothes not fitting (except for Keith's tshirts), things have been going really well. Baby Edwards is staying very active and seems to be healthy (based on the checkups). Oh! Keith and I started going to birthing classes a couple weeks ago. They have been very helpful in knowing what to expect during labor as well as some relaxation techniques. The funny thing is that labor itself doesn't scare or worry me or even make me nervous. What makes me nervous is when we actually bring this little boy home and we are in charge of him.
It still is a little surreal that I am going to have a kid in just 6 weeks! I remember the day I found out I was pregnant and now I'm 34 weeks (tomorrow). Lately, things have become a little more difficult to do and that makes it exhausting. I've been taking naps in the afternoon which only aids in the insomnia at night. But I guess that's just my body preparing me for sleepless nights when Baby Edwards arrives. Other than the back pain, exhaustion, and clothes not fitting (except for Keith's tshirts), things have been going really well. Baby Edwards is staying very active and seems to be healthy (based on the checkups). Oh! Keith and I started going to birthing classes a couple weeks ago. They have been very helpful in knowing what to expect during labor as well as some relaxation techniques. The funny thing is that labor itself doesn't scare or worry me or even make me nervous. What makes me nervous is when we actually bring this little boy home and we are in charge of him.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Back to Blogging
Well, it sure has been a while since I've lasted posted. The main reason I stopped is because I realized that nobody was really even reading my blog. I thought, "why waste my time when nobody is reading it?". Then, I realized that I don't do this for anyone else; but, rather, I do this for me. It's sort of a release for me. So, I'm getting back into it.
Well, as of today I am 30 weeks pregnant!! I can't believe I only have 10 more weeks to carry this precious little boy inside of me. My favorite thing these days is feeling him move. And boy does he move! I don't think I'll have any trouble getting my pre-pregnancy body back after he's born...he'll keep me busy and moving!
It's been a pretty uneventful pregnancy (I'm not complaining...I feel blessed to have had it so easy)...until two nights ago. Keith and I just got back from Ohio and were going to bed. One thing I have not been immune to during pregnancy is having to go to the bathroom...A LOT!! Sunday night was different though. I felt like I had to pee, but couldn't...weird. I woke up about 11:30 to pee (again) and started having the WORST pain I have ever felt. It was in my back and wrapping around to the front of my left side. I realized it was something to do with my kidney. I woke Keith up and called the doctor. I was in so much pain that I couldn't wait for the doc on call to call us back. I asked Keith is he would just take me to the ER. As soon as we walked in they brought us a wheelchair and Keith wheeled me up to Labor and Delivery. They decided to admit me for the night to control my pain. Keith was such a trooper the whole time! He was there helping me in every aspect of my horrible night. I was feeling much better yesterday morning but once they started monitoring Baby Edwards, they saw that I was having some consistent contractions so they decided to keep me another night to monitor that situation. Needless to say, I am feeling much better and was home by lunch time today! I am so grateful for the nursing staff, doctors, and nutrition department...not to mention, my amazing husband!! At least now I know that they will be super nice when I go back in 10 weeks to greet this little boy!
Well, as of today I am 30 weeks pregnant!! I can't believe I only have 10 more weeks to carry this precious little boy inside of me. My favorite thing these days is feeling him move. And boy does he move! I don't think I'll have any trouble getting my pre-pregnancy body back after he's born...he'll keep me busy and moving!
It's been a pretty uneventful pregnancy (I'm not complaining...I feel blessed to have had it so easy)...until two nights ago. Keith and I just got back from Ohio and were going to bed. One thing I have not been immune to during pregnancy is having to go to the bathroom...A LOT!! Sunday night was different though. I felt like I had to pee, but couldn't...weird. I woke up about 11:30 to pee (again) and started having the WORST pain I have ever felt. It was in my back and wrapping around to the front of my left side. I realized it was something to do with my kidney. I woke Keith up and called the doctor. I was in so much pain that I couldn't wait for the doc on call to call us back. I asked Keith is he would just take me to the ER. As soon as we walked in they brought us a wheelchair and Keith wheeled me up to Labor and Delivery. They decided to admit me for the night to control my pain. Keith was such a trooper the whole time! He was there helping me in every aspect of my horrible night. I was feeling much better yesterday morning but once they started monitoring Baby Edwards, they saw that I was having some consistent contractions so they decided to keep me another night to monitor that situation. Needless to say, I am feeling much better and was home by lunch time today! I am so grateful for the nursing staff, doctors, and nutrition department...not to mention, my amazing husband!! At least now I know that they will be super nice when I go back in 10 weeks to greet this little boy!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Winter Wonderland!!
Keith and I woke up Monday morning to a Winter Wonderland outside our window! Keith stayed home all day from work and school was closed. Needless to say we were literally snowed in our house! We knew this snow storm was coming so we acted like any true Tennessean does and went grocery shopping the day before. :-) We had an absolute blast acting like little kids out in the snow. We went sledding, made snow angels, and threw snowballs at each other and the dog. We had a BLAST!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
A New Year...A New Beginning
As I was riding home today from a track coaches' clinic all I could think about was that all of my Christmas decorations were still up...yes, even the tree!! I absolutely LOVE Christmas, but I also despise taking down the decorations. Well, when I arrived home and walked upstairs I noticed Keith had cleaned the house and already started taking down the decorations! I was so excited! As the decorations were taken down and stored away for later on this year I couldn't help but think back on last year and everything we've been through. A lot has changed with us moving, getting new jobs, and buying our first house. As the new year is here I am so excited about what God is doing in our lives. I think the biggest change will be that we will be having our first baby this year!!!!! Yep...I'm pregnant!!! I am 11 weeks right now so that makes my due date towards the end of July. I'm really hoping for a July 22 birthday for our little one. Mainly because that is my dad's birthday and that way I'll always have a little something of him with me :) When I found out that I was pregnant I was shocked! We definitely weren't trying to get pregnant by any means. After I told Keith and the initial shock wore off, we are both very excited. It still doesn't feel very real to us yet though. I was only really sick for about a week and then the power of prayer knocked that away. Now, the headaches are starting. I think the reason it doesn't feel real is because any time I've had an ultrasound it hasn't looked like anything but a tiny dot. I did get to hear the heartbeat for the first time last week. That was pretty cool. I think once it starts moving around it will become more real to me.
Hardest things to give up since finding out:
1) Dr. Pepper (although I only crave water now)
2) volleyball
3) snowboarding (since it's winter) mountain biking (in the spring)
4) not getting a full 8 hours sleep through the night (only because I have to get up and pee at least once)
Hardest things to give up since finding out:
1) Dr. Pepper (although I only crave water now)
2) volleyball
3) snowboarding (since it's winter) mountain biking (in the spring)
4) not getting a full 8 hours sleep through the night (only because I have to get up and pee at least once)
Sunday, January 2, 2011
On the road again...
Christmas! My favorite time of year! Food, family, movies, games, friends, laughter, joy...and traveling. The traveling part would probably be my least favorite, but totally worth it to be with our families. Keith and I set out before Christmas to Knoxville to spend some time with my family. Christmas Eve is probably my favorite time of the holidays because that's when my family gets together and we have tid-bits (snacks), play games, and my sister and I have a tradition of watching part of the 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story" on TV. My family it not one to get together a lot and spend time in one room together - I think this is why this is my favorite day of the year. We stayed there and had Christmas morning at my parents house. My sis came over with her hubby and their two kids. We opened gifts (one at a time of course) and watched the kids go nuts over all their stuff. Norah even got a gift which she opened all by herself. We then packed up the car, said our good-byes, and headed 5.5 hours to Columbus, GA. Keith's sis had to work Christmas Eve so we all decided to have the Edwards's family Christmas at her and her hubby's place. The one thing we didn't expect was to have a white Christmas!! And in the words of Joel..."It's a Christmas miracle!" Mainly because it never snows that far south in GA. So, we had fun and so did the puppies. We opened gifts, ate lots of food, went to a light show, and played a marathon of rummy tile! A few days later we packed up the car, said our good-byes, and drove 5.5 hours back to Asheville. Needless to say it was a great time spent with the families. Here's a pic of Norah and Heidi (Darcy and Joe's pup). They are hilarious together!
Passion 2011
The summer of 2003 (summer after my freshman year of college) was life changing. For many reasons really, but one event in particular aided in my reformation. I was involved in a college ministry called The Well at ETSU. They were offering to take a certain number of students to the Passion One Day conference in Texas that summer. After researching it I realized it would be a conference filled with Christian authors, speakers, musicians, and more. God blew my mind when I was there. It was definitely a pivotal moment in my walk with the Lord. Two years later (2005), The Well was offering to take another bus load of students to Atlanta to the Passion 2005 conference. I went with expectations of having the same experiences I did two years prior - God showed up in a completely but still life altering way. (He likes to work in ways we least expect - which I love.) Upon graduating college and having a "big girl job" I have been unable to attend any other Passion conferences. And admittedly, I felt a little too old to be going since it is for college age students. This year I saw on my friend's facebook account that they were streaming Passion 2011 LIVE!!! I tuned in this morning to watch last night's session with Louie Giglio. He spoke about being free and fully alive. My heart and mind jumped at his words. I immediately retracted any previous thoughts about being too old for this. I just finished watching this morning's session with Beth Moore - wow! what a powerful woman of God! She spoke about knowing God's will for our lives and the renewing of our minds.
Let me just brief some of you who may not know about our break-in incident. In August of this year (just 2 months after moving in our new home) at about 4:30 in the morning we were broken into. One of the guys came into our bedroom. Long story short we were kept safe (only by the grace of God - this I am sure) and the perps ran away. However, later that morning they were all caught!! Ever since then I have led a life of fear - fear they would come back, fear that anyone would come back, I didn't feel safe anywhere...especially in my own home. These people don't even realize it, but I have allowed them to have power over my mind. NO MORE!!!
God really spoke to me through Beth Moore tonight. Here are a few things that I am confident of:
1. I have the right and capacity to decide how I'm going to think.
2. We must take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
3. There is NOTHING that has power over me (and you) that the Spirit of Christ cannot break.
4. I must have self-discipline to shut out every other voice and listen to God - the One and only thing that matters.
5. Think a new thought about an old situation. It will diffuse the power it has over you.
As I lay prostrate in my bed with tears overflowing I brought all of this to God and asked him "how?" And He told me that it can only be done through Him. I know I cannot get rid of this fear on my own accord - it must be done and can only be done through the Holy Spirit of Christ.
I encourage you to tune into and watch the replays of Passion 2011. You never know what God will say to you.
http://www.live.passion2011.com/
http://www.268generation.com/2.0/splash5.htm
Let me just brief some of you who may not know about our break-in incident. In August of this year (just 2 months after moving in our new home) at about 4:30 in the morning we were broken into. One of the guys came into our bedroom. Long story short we were kept safe (only by the grace of God - this I am sure) and the perps ran away. However, later that morning they were all caught!! Ever since then I have led a life of fear - fear they would come back, fear that anyone would come back, I didn't feel safe anywhere...especially in my own home. These people don't even realize it, but I have allowed them to have power over my mind. NO MORE!!!
God really spoke to me through Beth Moore tonight. Here are a few things that I am confident of:
1. I have the right and capacity to decide how I'm going to think.
2. We must take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
3. There is NOTHING that has power over me (and you) that the Spirit of Christ cannot break.
4. I must have self-discipline to shut out every other voice and listen to God - the One and only thing that matters.
5. Think a new thought about an old situation. It will diffuse the power it has over you.
As I lay prostrate in my bed with tears overflowing I brought all of this to God and asked him "how?" And He told me that it can only be done through Him. I know I cannot get rid of this fear on my own accord - it must be done and can only be done through the Holy Spirit of Christ.
I encourage you to tune into and watch the replays of Passion 2011. You never know what God will say to you.
http://www.live.passion2011.com/
http://www.268generation.com/2.0/splash5.htm
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