Bible Study

Our Thursday night bible study group/small group has started doing a "read the bible in a year" plan called "The Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan" and I have found it to be awesome! I will admit that I get behind every few days but always catch up. Growing up in church, I thought I learned all of the "bible stories" but I am already blown away at how much I still have to learn, which is GREAT! I am not professing to be a know-it-all by any means, but I guess I have leaned on others for so long to tell me what's in the bible. Not that preachers or bible study curriculum is bad but there is NOTHING like just hard core reading the bible! I am learning a lot...really. I can send you the plan if you are interested.

A little more about the baby (ok...maybe a lot...what can I say? I am obsessed!)

Here are some pictures I found on a really cool website! It shows a quarter compared to a fruit or veggie. The fruit or veggie shows the size of the baby in comparison with the fruit. At 9 weeks, the baby is about the size of a grape and at 10 weeks (I am at 10 weeks tomorrow) the baby is the size of a kumquat and then at 11 weeks it's the size of a fig! How cool! The pictures uploaded backwards of the order I wanted them, but you get the point.

There are a lot of unknown things about having a baby for me...obviously. Some are kind of nerve wracking. For example, you hear things like "wait until after the first trimester to tell people", "you're gonna get HUGE", and "you're gonna be soooo sick!" Well, since day 1 we found out we were pregnant I have been trying to give my "worries" up to the Lord. It's hard...Grant will tell you so after listening to me...and for me it was a daily thing. Kind of like gossip for me. Gossip has always been something I struggled with (I think it's that way for a lot of girls) and it's almost one of those things that you have to lay at the feet of Jesus daily. That's how it's been with my pregnancy so far. I have just been laying down my worries at Jesus' feet daily...and any time I think about the baby. It's been kind of cool to rely on God like that. That's why I really admire Paul in the Bible. One of my favorite bible verses is this one (and, no, I don't think it's from Paul...I think it's from James b/c it's in the book of James, ha! but I know Paul has said something to this affect before)...

"...When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience. Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need. ..." James 1:2-4

I was talking to one of my other preggie friends (there seems to be a TON of them out there right now!) and told her I was leaning on this verse and she said she was too! Here it is (most versions start with "Rejoice in the Lord always" and this version is pretty cool, too):

"Be full of joy in the Lord always. I will say again, be full of joy. Let everyone see that you are gentle and kind. The Lord is coming soon. Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. And God's peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4: 4-7

All that to say that the Lord is SOOOO good! I am blessed and thankful! I think this calls for a list of things I am thankful for:

1. This baby is doing good things for my hair! I guess it's oil or something but I LIKE it!
2. That Grant and I saw the baby this week!
3. And, we heard the heartbeat!!! 173!
4. Friends and family who have been there before me!
5. A clinic that is very helpful and informative and doesn't brush my questions away as silly.
6. God has kept my baby and I safe for one more day :) We are not guaranteed tomorrow and I am thankful for the days I/we have been given
7. A WONDERFUL husband! Case and point: my "Mommy gifts": a wonderful pink robe, pink house shoes/slippers, and a revolving heater! Pretty much any gift from here on out can be "Mommy gifts" and I am ok with that!
8. That my love for pickles is here to stay! And, I have REALLY been wanting ice cream a ton lately! I laughed at the "pickles and ice cream" stores and sayings, but I can't get enough!
9. That I haven't been sick! I do get uncomfortable and a bit queasy at night but that's about the extent of my sufferings. I am thankful!
10. My husband...worth repeating. Poor guy might have a lot to deal with with me :)

Here's a few questions for those who are pregnant or who have been (and, if anyone is interested, I can post the answers, too!...and incase any guys read this, I am not going to be graphic/gross or anything like that!)

• When do you start buying maternity clothes? I am still fitting in my jeans but am interested to know the deal with when I can go into the maternity stores and not look like some crazy-wanna-be-preggo. I am mainly talking about pants here. I have plenty of shirts that will last me a good bit.
• Does anyone recommend any remedies for my face breaking out? I feel like I am back in high school with pizza face! At least now I have learned a few tricks to hide these pesky blemishes, but they're still that...pesky! One of my Doctors said nothing with Benzoyl Peroxide in it. Does ProActiv count as one of those? I have been scrubbing my face and cleaning it but nothing seems to help...poor Grant.
• Is there anything I can start buying now that might help out in the long run? I have heard diapers but then again, I don't know the size my baby will be or what brand of diapers to buy.

For those "non-baby-obsessed" that read my blog. I will keep the topics open about other things as well :)