Answered Prayer

WE DID IT! WE MADE IT TO SECOND TRIMESTER <3

This is the much-anticipated moment we have been waiting for since the day we first tested positive for our pregnancy. The end of our first trimester, and the beginning of wonderful, amazing things to come! That’s not to say that everything up to this point hasn’t been wonderful and amazing, but in pregnancy world, the second and third trimesters are when your risk for miscarriage decreases substantially and magical development starts to happen in your little babes.

Truth be told, when we first found out we were pregnant my emotions were all over the place. On one hand I was over the moon elated at the precious gift God had blessed us with, but on the other hand, I wasn’t truly celebrating that gift as I should have. Heck, I was even skeptical that the gift of life could even be real. So much so that over the course of a week I took (3) different at-home pregnancy test, in addition to scheduling an appointment with our doctor so she could confirm our pregnancy via a blood draw. 

And even THEN, once it was absolutely certifiably TRUE that we were pregnant, I still couldn’t shake this annoying little voice inside my head whispering words of doubt, uncertainty, and fear. I would catch myself spending hours googling the “risks” of pregnancy, everything you can’t do, everything you can’t eat, and read every blog post I could find of every tragic story of women who have miscarried. My heart was hurting and aching so badly for these women and their loss that again, I started to let fear and worry consume my mind and convince me that my pregnancy may also end tragically. Looking back on those weeks that were just a short time ago, I was a mess. I wasn’t just being cautious, I being a disappointing and faithless mess.

But one morning, as I sit quietly on our back patio with a cup of decaf coffee and watched the sun rise up over our fence line, something inside me shifted. The small intuitive whispers I had been hearing for weeks, had now shifted into words of encouragement, words that were positive, full of faith, and expecting the best in this pregnancy. One after the other, I became flooded with words of scripture and the ceaseless promises of God. “I know you love me, God” I heard myself say the words aloud, then followed with “and I know you love this baby and have plans for this baby. I know that our fate is in your hands, and that you have plans to prosper this family. I know, Lord, that I have been unfaithful, doubted your power, and have failed to appreciate the precious gift you have bestowed upon me, but that all changes today. Today and every day hereafter, this gift of ours if going to be CELEBRATED. We have prayed for this gift, and we are going to honor you by celebrating your answered prayers. Bye Bye, Satan to your ugly attacks and the negative energy you tried to derail me with, but this momma has to get back to her fearless faith, her practice of radiating positivity, and her practice of always expecting the best from her God”

My lessons learned from that experience include but are not limited to the following:
-  Your story and your journey is unique to YOU - comparison is the thief of joy.

• When you put your trust in God, He guides your mind so that you don’t want the things that are not good for you, things that go against His plan for your life. You want what HE wants! And he always WANTS what is GOOD FOR YOU.

• Your spiritual self can make a path for your physical self to follow. Think Positive -> Be Positive

• You have the power to form an image, or a mental picture, either of fear OR release from fear 

• Release FEAR. Reject Doubt. and choose FAITH because faith can ALWAYS overcome fear

• The Bible says again and again that if you have faith, “nothing is impossible” to you, and “according to your faith it will be done to you” - Matthew 17:20; 9:29

• Most importantly - Just GIVE IT ALL TO GOD. The good, the bad, the ugly. He is always there to meet you and pull you through :)

Following these amazing revelations and personal mindset shifts, Juston and I made arrangements to tell our close family and friends the news of our pregnancy shortly thereafter. Despite what every other google search advised, we made our announcement between the 6-8 weeks mark. Sure, it was early on in our first trimester, and sure the potential risk existed and will always exists in life and in pregnancies, but it was time to be FULL OF FAITH. It was time to let God be God, and for our hearts and minds to begin preparing for all of the joys of parenthood. It was time to celebrate. It was time to be joyous. It was time to praise. It. Was Time.

And now, it’s time to share some GOODNESS, some PRAISE, and our ANSWERED PRAYER.

To date, Baby Dosser weighs just more than 1 oz and is about 3.5 inches long. His or Her baby hands are more fully developed than the feet, and the arms are longer now than the legs. 

Pregnancy Praises:
No morning sickness or nausea 
Increased appetite (momma is ok with this as I love to eat)
Increased need and love for naps
Ability to continue exercising and training

Cravings: These go in no particular order - and judgement is not welcomed :)
Olive Garden (caesar salad and breadsticks….ohhh, those breadsticks!)
Chips & Salsa
Pickles (dill, not sweet)
Hot Cheetos 
Water (who craves that? This weirdo.)
Virgin Bloody Mary’s
Pop Corn
Pei Wei Dan Dan Noodle Bowl (one specific night I just HAD to have this…and I did)
Chipotle Burrito Bowls (…..at one point it was TWICE in ONE DAY)
Homemade Tortilla Soup
Chick-Fil-A Chicken Salads
Macaroni Cheese Shells
Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits
Bush’s Baked Beans
Avocados with Sea Salt

….and so on and so forth…basically non-discriminatory toward food :)
****For any of my personal training clients reading this, you now have evidence and leverage that I am also human with food weaknesses, too. Don’t be alarmed though, I don’t eat like this all day every day. Just as I encourage, it’s always about MODERATION when it comes to eating habits. And it’s also always about OWNING IT on days that you don’t. 

And so, here’s to rocking out the SECOND TRIMESTER and a sneak peak at little Dosser’s first item of clothing in their fashion line :)

#AnsweredPrayer