13 weeks and everything is peachy

Well, I am at 13 weeks. I can't believe how fast everything is going! My baby is supposedly the size of a peach now, and I am running out of space in my clothes for bigger fruit! :) I am still wearing my normal pants, but I have started wearing a Bella Band to cover up how tight they are! We definitely need to start picture taking to track the progress!

I told my students this week (actually I told my first two classes and everyone knew after that point.....rumors travel fast)! It was fun, but they are so crazy! They would say things like they all ready knew......or we could tell.....or we knew because you have been so mean.... or I have known for 2 months (yeah right)!!!!! They are going to be funny as this process goes along the way!

We have started the process of packing. We are going slowly.....neither one of us want to do it. We will get after this week and weekend (we have no choice since we are moving the following weekend!). We could possibly have a winter weather day this week. I will spend it packing if we happen to have one! :) We close on both houses the following Wednesday!

I have been feeling really good still. I still really enjoy my gym time, and I am thinking about starting a Mommie to Be water aerobics class at the gym next week. :)

Geoff and I continue to remember how thankful we are to God for this baby. Please continue to pray for Mini-Ryken as we still have a long road ahead! :)

12 weeks and counting!

It does not seem possible to be saying that I am in my second trimester! It is so exciting to have reached that milestone in my pregnancy. :)

We went to the doctor this week and got to listen to the heartbeat! The doctor said it sounded strong which is such a blessing. I know my baby is growing, but since I cannot feel him or her it is nice to hear everything is going okay. I am having requests for belly pictures, so Geoff volunteered his belly. I will be posting pictures soon! :) My clothes are still fitting at this point, but I have started noticing some rounding off of my belly. I am taking good care of my body, and I am trying to go to the gym for a little bit every day! :)

On the house front, we are finished looking! We reached a deal on a house yesterday! It is still in Westin Park but just toward the front of the neighborhood. I am so happy to get to stay out in this neighborhood. It is a great place to live, and I love the neighborhood pool and playground. Mini-Ryken and I will enjoy many wonderful summers taking advantage of them! We feel blessed to have sold and found a house so quickly. The new house is vacant as well, so we will only have to move once! :)

It has been an exciting time in the Ryken home! I love all the changes, and I look forward the changes to come! :) I am trying to take time to enjoy the changes in my body and life!

Life with my Mini-Ryken Lime

My sister keeps her blog updated about the size of her baby in comparison to some food. Her baby was the size of an olive then a prune, so she informed me that this week I was a lime! :) I love limes and anything made with them (including margaritas which I cannot have)! I think this idea is so cute (like my sister), and it is interesting to think of my baby in that way!

My Mini-Ryken lime and I have had a super busy and exciting week! Our house went up on the market and sold by Thursday! We have to be out of our house around February 6th. It is such a blessing that it sold so quickly in this economy. I continue to tell myself to focus on that blessing and not on the moving part. I also don't want to lose focus on my growing baby during this time as well. I feel like it going by so fast all ready! Time always goes faster when you are having so much fun!

Today we go to look for our new home. I am very excited and feel like a house is out there for us. I am not sure if we will find it today, but I am confident that everything will work out for the best. The time we spent trying to get pregnant taught me that it is not always my timing that is best! Well, I better go get ready to hunt! :)

10 weeks and counting.....11 tomorrow!

I thought I'd better post tonight; otherwise, I would have missed the 10 week mark! I have been feeling really well this week. I have been to the gym every day and have somewhat returned to healthier eating. Although, I have not been cooking like I want with all the excitement of getting the house ready to sell. It has been a lot of hard work to get everything ready, but it will be worth it when it sells! :)

Sharing the news continues to be so much fun! I went back to work on Monday, so I have told a couple of people every day there. I decided to wait to tell my students until I make the 12 week mark. I think I am going to find a cute way to tell them - maybe an Algebra problem! :) I really love the group of students I have this year, so I am excited to share this news with them! :)

I am getting excited for my doctor appointment next week! Who thought I would ever be excited to see a doctor? We will get to hear the baby's heartbeat, but we will not have an ultrasound this time. I know this will be a special moment for me and Geoff.

Well, I want to write more, but I am tired. I am definitely a morning person! Goodnight to all!

So we saw a man about a horse...er house

It seems appropriate that my post is late at night while Krista's sound asleep and her posts come in the morning when I'm sound asleep....

Krista and I had our second meeting with a real estate broker today. We settled on a listing price and signed the contract. He's coming back on Sunday to take pictures and put the "For Sale" sign in the yard and the lock box on the door.

(The picture to the left is from February 1, 2003, as we walked through our house during construction.)

It's definitely a mix of excitement and apprehension. We've been in this house almost six years, and, while it will be great to have more space when mini-me (or mini-Krista) arrives, it's hard to leave behind such a low payment! Then there are the general worries about setting the listing price too high or low - not to mention the state of the housing market right now. Our hope is that houses of our cost/size are selling better than the size house we want to move into. It's bizarre to drive through new neighborhoods in Conway and not see half a dozen unsold houses being built like I'm used to over the last 20+ years.

Before Sunday when the broker returns, we need to turn one of the bedrooms actually into a bedroom. That involves moving a piano across town, getting a bed in there, and all that good stuff. We also need to do some general de-cluttering, cleaning, and staging before strangers start walking through the house.

(The picture to the right was taken November 28, 2002, shortly after we had signed the contract to build our current house.)

Whew - this is one exciting post. I'm sure Krista can post something much more exciting. :)

Adventure

Each day is a blessing and adventure. I have been enjoying telling a few people everyday our exciting news. I still have no idea when or how I am telling my students at school. :) It should be interesting to hear their reactions.

Yesterday I bought my first maternity clothes (thanks Renee' for the Target gift card)! I am not quite ready to make the change, but I don't think it is too far away. I had some fun at a maternity shop in LR with my sister. They had a fake pregnant belly that you could put on to see what the clothes are supposed to look like with a bump! I took a picture with my phone and sent it to Geoff! :) I thought it was pretty funny!

I am reminded everyday how very blessed I am. I am going to enjoy every minute of this pregnancy!

Up early

I am up early again, so I thought I would write this morning. I can't seem to sleep past 6:30 recently. I told this to someone, and they said that was the Lord getting me ready for what is to come! I have been feeling pretty good. I get to feeling sick the minute I feel hungry, but I know it could be much worse. I feel very lucky!

Today we will go to church and tell a few more people. I am looking forward to telling our pastor the most! In Conway word travels fast, so I figure everyone will know by the time I have to go back to work on January 5th! :)

I am doing a children's sermon today about God's promises. As God has promised, peace has arrived with an infant child. May the peace of Christ be with you.