I'm back!

I haven't posted in ages, partly because I didn't want to say more than I planned and partly because I have been so busy and oh, so so tired. We are celebrating our second trimester! I am pregnant! I am 13 weeks and due August 4th, 2009. As you may remember I felt like God wanted me to run the Thanksgiving Day 5k as a physical sacrifice of my flesh unto His promise of Jeremiah. I hope that makes sense. If it doesn't, feel free to ask me about it. Anyway, as you have seen from the pictures I did run the 5k on Thanksgiving Day and it was awesome.

Here's the rest of the story... (warning: the following contains talk of monthly cycles :)) 

I told Al and I told myself that I was not going to fret over my "Aunt Flow" showing up in November. I knew it would be around the race date and around my family coming into town. The promise was God's and I wasn't going to worry about it. Well, start time came and I expected sweet Aunt Flow to show. Al and I determined that I wouldn't test until I was really truly late. Race day came... still nothing. I kept thinking that it was due to the running that my cycle was changing, etc. So I ran on Thursday and then began the true wondering what if I am, what if I'm not process. Each time I prayed for the Lord to guard my heart I thought of the verse He gave me ages ago, Luke 1:45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told from the Lord. 

My family was here for Thanksgiving so we stayed busy and played and had lots of fun. Al & I kept putting off testing knowing that we didn't want to be disappointed. So, Friday night we determined that I would take the dreaded test on Saturday morning. So I woke up went into the bathroom, tested and before I could get back to the room it read, PREGNANT. I just starred at it thinking I was seeing things. I took it to Al and he looked at it and grinned ear to ear. We rejoiced, laughed, cried and prayed. 

That morning we were supposed to be heading to downtown Franklin to run with the New Song running team. Mom, Dad, Al & I were riding together to meet everyone down there. We didn't say anything going, but thought it would be more fun to wait and make a big deal out of it. My sister, Becky and I ran together that morning and I took a break about a mile into it and told her I wanted to take it back a notch that day. She asked if I was sore from our run on Thanksgiving, I said no... I'm pregnant. :) She started jumping up and down and I had to make her chill so she didn't give it away. It was so fun to get to share this pregnancy with her in person and have her be the first to know this time. After the run we had breakfast at Meridee's and my mom was sharing with a friend of ours, Julie about our annual family trips that we call RFI, (Reynolds Family Invasion). She explained that we like to have shirts made up and number them with 1 of 15, 2 of 15, etc. depending on when you came into the family. So Al &  I looked at each other and he gave me the go ahead and I said, Yes, but next year we will have 16 of 16. Mom looked at me like I was nuts then it hit her what I meant. She jumped up in Meridee's and started dancing around and crying. It was a fun celebration. We kept the surprise a secret from Al's family until we could tell them in person at Christmas. We gave his mom and dad a framed ultrasound picture that said, 'Hi Meemaw & Papa'. It took them a few minutes (and Angela interpreting what the picture was) for them to catch on. Angela is so excited to be an aunt for the first time. We have told some close friends, but for the most part kept the baby a secret until we passed the first trimester. Not because we didn't trust this baby was safe, but because I couldn't handle other peoples doubt and pity with they would ask how far along we were. I was not allowing anyone else's fear to enter the picture. 

We are so blessed by our family and friends and how excited they all are for this baby. I know some of you have been praying for us for a long time, thank you for your faith with mine wasn't always strong.

We had an ultrasound at 7 weeks and saw a beautiful heartbeat within the cutest tiny peanut and then at 10 weeks we heard that beautiful heartbeat! This is a healthy baby with no problems and so far the pregnancy has been by the books. I have been gloriously sick and tired, but love every minute of it! God is good and we are giving Him all the glory in all of this. He who promised IS faithful!