Saturday, December 27, 2008

A Christmas Surprise

On Christmas Eve, Jeramie and I went to the doctor for my 28-week check-up. The visit involved me taking a test to monitor the way my body tolerates glucose, as well as having an ultrasound to make sure our baby is growing properly.

I did the standard pee in a cup, weight check, blood pressure check, then had my blood drawn for the glucose test. Everything at this point had been fairly routine. It wasn’t until we got into the ultrasound room that things were shaken up a bit. About 2 minutes after the technician began the scan, I noticed she was hanging around in one spot for a little longer than I was comfortable with. No one said anything for another 3 minutes or so. Finally, it started to get a little tense in the room and the conversation went something like this:

Ultrasound Technician: If you’re wondering why I’m struggling right now (insert long pause), it’s because I’m not completely convinced that this baby is still a girl.

Joye: Looks at Jeramie, both look at the technician and simultaneously let out a “really?!”

Jeramie’s was more of a question, while mine probably had a little more of the “!” added in. WOW. A boy? Talk about having our worlds rocked. The technician spent about 10 more minutes trying to get an accurate picture, with no luck. She left it as “inconclusive”, but did note that the baby is completely on target with all of the growth measurements she took. Thank you, God! With that, we were sent onto our next destination, the actual OB.

The doctor gave us 1 of 3 scenarios. Number 1 is that Baby Mullis may still be a girl, but may have some swollen parts due to the extra estrogen in my system. This will “fix itself” after delivery. Number 2 is that Baby Mullis is actually a boy. Then, scenario Number 3 is that Baby Mullis is a boy, but may not be developing properly in all the right areas. So, to find out what’s going on, we go on Jan. 6 for a Level II ultrasound. This will basically give us a more detailed and accurate picture. In the meantime, we continue to pray for the health and development of our baby, and we ask that y’all do the same.

Jeramie and I had a long talk about this nice little surprise after our visit. We went through a wide range of emotions in a matter of a few hours. Not that we would at all be disappointed if this baby is a boy, but it will be a huge paradigm shift for both of us. We came to the conclusion that regardless of what happens, we’re just thankful that we have a healthy baby. Given the rough start of my pregnancy, we were feeling a little bit like the Israelites complaining about only having manna to eat in the desert after God had already been faithful to them so many other times. God has rescued us, within the realm of this pregnancy, as well as other areas of our lives. What makes us think He can’t handle this?

Personally, I’m dealing with the loss of control that comes along with wanting to have everything planned out. Two hours before our ultrasound we were in Pottery Barn trying to pick out a rug for the nursery we had planned to decorate next week. Is it ironic that all the rugs we picked out were not in stock?? Needless to say, decorating is on hold for now! I’m learning a very practical lesson through all this. And, as my daddy told me so honestly, I was never in control in the first place.

Now, if I can only trust God enough to fully believe it.

Here are a few shots of our growing baby:


Baby Mullis sucking his/her thumb!










Baby Mullis looking at us. Note the eyeball...

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

To blog or not to blog?

Well, it's been about 2 months since I've posted anything on here. I find that it's hard to blog for many reasons.

1. Those of you who read this are also people I see and/or talk to on a fairly regular basis. It's much easier to update you in person than to write about it.
2. Shannon has mentioned this before, and I agree, that Twitter has taken away from things I would normally blog about. I'm all about the quickness and efficiency that 140 characters has to offer.
3. Baby brain has gotten the best of me. By the time I think about something I want to blog about, I've forgotten it.

So, what do you guys think? Is it worth it? For those of you that have blogs, what are your reasons for keeping them?

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

A Song for Our Baby Girl

My husband just made his first edited video (you should watch it before you read this), and I couldn't be more proud! I think it's pretty good for a first-timer with PC capabilities, right?!

The song you hear is one of my all-time favorite songs. It's sung by a guy named Will Hoge, and I was pretty much obsessed with him in high school and college. Anyway, in college I thought about framing the words to this song and giving it to a friend of mine who was expecting a little girl. I never did, and last night these words came back to me as Jeramie and I shared our excitement over having a girl. Needless to say, it will definitely be framed now and hanging in OUR nursery!

Here are the lyrics to what you heard on the video, as well as a few other verses that didn't make the cut:


May the sunlight find your face
Even when the rain does fall
And get back on your feet again
Every time you slip and fall
Keep your heart wide open
And always taking in
And even when it's broken
Be strong enough to fix it up again

Oh little baby girl
Sweet little baby girl
I wish I could hold your hand in this great big world
Oh little baby girl

And I hope your hands are steady
And never need to make a fist
And I hope that when you're ready
You get one never ending kiss
And I hope that deep inside of you
There's a sweet eternal song
And I hope the words are pretty
And that you'll always sing along

And I hope your friends are many
And your laughter's always loud
To help you when you're lonely
And pick you up when you're down
I hope your eyes shine bright, love
And learn to see the light
Take the time to listen
Decide yourself what's wrong or right

Oh little baby girl
Sweet little baby girl
Be strong in this great big world
Oh little baby girl

Monday, October 13, 2008

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice...

Today's big appointment revealed that Jeramie and I are having a healthy little girl!! We are SOO excited and I think Jeramie is already smitten :) Seeing our baby on the screen made everything so much more real. She was moving around like crazy and we were just amazed by what her body is already doing!

Here are her stats:
-Measuring at exactly 18 weeks
-1/2 lb.
-146 BPM

I am so thankful for our little miracle; we are truly blessed! Here are a few of my favorite pictures from today:


The picture on the left is a shot of her looking directly at us. I've always thought these looked kind of spooky; what do you think? The picture on the right is her showing off her crazy flexibility. Yes, that is her foot resting on her nose/forehead area!


This one shows off a little bit of her dramatic side. About 3/4 of the way into the ultrasound she threw her little hand up to her head as if to tell us she's worn out and has had enough :)



And here I am a few days past 18 weeks. Here's to being almost halfway there!

Thursday, October 9, 2008

The Business of Being Born

About a week ago my good friend, Paige, recommended a documentary for Jeramie and I to watch called The Business of Being Born. It's all about utilizing natural birthing methods and being monitored by a midwife/doula vs. an OB. There were many parts of this film that I really connected with, and others that I didn't feel so strongly about. I would suggest that any woman who's pregnant, has been pregnant, or plans to become pregnant, watch this film and form your own opinions about it all. There's definitely a lot to take in!

Many of you have probably heard me talk about my desire to have as natural of a birth as possible. Now, this doesn't mean that I plan to leave the care of my OB and set-up shop in my bathroom, but I am very interested in going the non-medicated route. Long story short, I took a class in college that really challenged the way that I thought about giving birth. What I learned then has really stuck with me and is very present in my thoughts now that I am getting ready to go through this.

I've gotten many different reactions to my "birth plan" and it seems as though most people view my desires as a way of trying to be "more of a woman". Very few seem to understand my true intentions and thoughts. It's not about being better than anyone, prideful, or even ignorant. I just believe that, as women, our bodies were built to handle this. If, for some reason, we can't then we're very blessed with modern medicine to help us along.

I definitely have a lot to think about over the next few months. I feel as though this film has awakened all these thoughts at once, and now I'm working to process it all.

In other baby news, I felt our little one move for the first time tonight! I'll be 18 weeks tomorrow, and we go on Monday for our big ultrasound. I'll be sure to post an update after our appointment!

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Home Sweet Home

I just got back into Raleigh after visiting with my parents over the weekend. I was really looking forward to going, and I had a great time! This is the first trip I've made to their house without Jeramie since we've been married. It was different going without him, but it also allowed me to spend more time focused on just Mama and Daddy. I did a lot of thinking about why I like going home so much, and here are just a few reasons:

-My sister is a stylist at an Aveda salon in Wilmington. She has the ability to give me super cute haircuts for FREE!
-Reuniting with old friends
-Fresh seafood
-Playing Scrabble with my family
-THICK Southern accents
-Being able to see the stars at night
-Getting in and out of downtown WITHOUT getting lost!
-Neighbors bringing over sweet potatoes
-The comfort of being with my parents
-Mama's banana splits!

The list just goes on and on. When I was in middle & high school, I resented living in a small town. Now, I wouldn't trade that upbringing for anything.

Here are a couple pictures I took while I was there:


This is me and Jesse. We were best friends all throughout high school and college. She was our high school's valedictorian and I was the salutatorian. It was awesome sharing that moment with her. I am also responsible for introducing her and her husband, David. They are expecting their first baby, Jackson, in November.


Mama's banana splits. You can't get this at Dairy Queen!!

It's true what they say, there is definitely no place like home!

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Psalm 139:13-16

This passage was a part of a video we watched during the service at Visio Dei this morning. I've always loved this Psalm, but today I fell in love with it even more.

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

I've always thought about this passage as how it relates to me. Today, I heard it in a whole new context as I began to think about how God knows everything that I can't wait to know about our baby. I feel like God is probably just as excited to reveal his creation to us, as we are to have it revealed!

14 weeks

Jeramie and I went to the doctor Thursday morning for our 14-week check-up and it went really well. The appointment itself was a bit "uneventful" but we were able to hear the heartbeat. This reassured us that the baby continues to be just fine! We also met with the insurance rep. and she went over my policy and how it applies to my maternity benefits. I'm pretty sure Jeramie understood it better than I did, though it was nice to walk away feeling informed and confident!

Our next appointment is Monday, October 13 (a few days shy of 19 weeks). We will have our regular 4-week check-up, as well as the anatomy scan. Will it be a boy or a girl?!?! I can't wait to find out!

Jeramie recently asked me what is my favorite part about being pregnant. At this point, I would have to say that hearing the heartbeat is the best thing ever! I never get tired of hearing that sound; I've even been tempted to buy one of those in-home dopplers just so I can hear it outside of the doctor's office! I've also enjoyed telling people and seeing how happy everyone is for us. Yesterday we had the opportunity to tell Jeramie's biological father that we are having a baby. It was a special moment, but also a little sad to think that he may never know this child. God can do amazing things with broken relationships, so we'll just have to wait and see what He has in store!

Thank you, Lord, for our little miracle!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Change Ahead?

So, this blogging thing is a little harder to keep up with than I thought!

I think it's safe to say that these past 3 weeks have been the most frustrating weeks I've experienced in a long time. School has been extra difficult and I am beginning to question my career. This is my 4th year of teaching, which means after this year my debt to North Carolina will be PAID. That fact alone gives me reason to believe and hope that there may be something else "out there" that I will find joy in doing. Don't get me wrong; I adore my students and my school is great. I just don't feel the same way about teaching that I did 3 years ago.

This leaves me in a bit of a scary spot because, at this point, teaching is all I know. I can't think of a single thing I could do otherwise. I'm praying for lots of direction and that doors would open for potential job opportunities and/or close in regards to what I'm doing now. I'll have lots of decisions to make after our baby makes it arrival in March, so I'm trying to be proactive (Covey Habit #1)!

Speaking of our baby, things are continuing to go really well! I will be 13 weeks tomorrow and I just consider everyday a blessing. I can't wait until I can feel some movement (although, I have suspicions that I may have already felt something). Our next appointment is next Thursday, so I'll be sure to post an update!


Until then...

Saturday, August 23, 2008

11 Weeks

Yesterday was the start of my 11th week of pregnancy! I can't really complain about my symptoms up to this point, but there were a few scary weeks around the beginning. Here's a little bit of background information for you:

Jeramie and I went to my first appointment around 6 weeks. At that point, some things were happening that led the doctor to give us a 50/50 chance of continuing with a normal pregnancy. We were devastated, although hopeful. Fast forward a few days and my "issues" became worse. At that point, I lost all sense of hope and began mourning the loss of our tiny, developing baby. Jeramie, and many great friends, helped me realize that was not a healthy thing to be doing and we all prayed, and prayed, and prayed. I have never experienced a time in my life when I had to lean so heavily on God ... it was AMAZING!

The next appointment revealed something called a subchorionic hematoma, which the doctor now believes was the cause of all my problems. We also saw, and HEARD, our baby's heartbeat that day which brought both Jeramie and I to tears. Hearing that incredible sound was just reassurance that the three of us were going to be OK.

(A few other things happened during this time, but I'll spare my male readers all the details. If you care to know more, I'd be more than happy to talk about it more in depth.)

So now, here I am at 11 weeks and 1 day. Our baby is completely fine and my hematoma is now a thing of the past. I thank God everyday for bringing us through those 3 weeks of uncertainty, and allowing the baby and myself to remain safe and healthy during the process.

Here's a little snapshot of how I've been passing my time (before school started, that is!) :


Can you pinpoint a time in your life when you needed an extra dose of faith and trust to make it through?

Monday, August 18, 2008

One + One = Three

The word is out and there's tons of excitement in the air! Jeramie and I have been making our rounds and sharing the great news that we're going to have a baby! We are VERY excited and so thankful for this tiny miracle that God has placed in my body.

I've always thought that I would enjoy having a blog, but never really felt as though I had a "reason", or anything to write about. Well, now the time has come! I look forward to sharing my thoughts, feelings, fears, and happy moments as we plan for the arrival of our little baby. Who knows, maybe I'll even let you in on a few other areas of my life as well! :)

Here's to the journey of a lifetime...
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