We Decided to Carve a Pumpkin

:)

54 Days

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Since I'm not a huge fan of Halloween, 

I'll be spending my day listening to Christmas music. :)

Have a great day, sweet readers!

(PS - There are 54 days until Christmas! Ah!)

Nursery Ideas

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For Baby Gavin's nursery, we've decided to do a nautical theme! 

The picture above is a room that I am in love with, and am trying to recreate in my own way.

My first choice was to do a vintage circus themed room, (like the picture below) but Keith (and many friends/family members) were highly aginst this idea. I think they were thinking freaky clowns and such...but I had more of a Water-for-Elephants-for-infants idea in mind.

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After discovering that the above bedding was $850.00, I happily agreed to a nautical nursery! :) We have purchased a few items so far, but still have a long way to go. 

My first two purchases were an 18" wooden ship wheel and 3 nautical anchors. These items will be hung on the walls, away from Gavin's crib. The items are pretty heavy and the last thing I want is for one of them to fall off of the wall and injure him.

I also purchased these adorable blocks! My plan is to place them on a bookshelf or on his chest of drawers.

I am planning on purchasing this beautiful wall art to position above Gavin's crib.

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This is probably my favorite piece that I've found thus far!

As for paint colors, I'm thinking navy blue walls with white furniture. For you mommas with little boys -- is white furniture a good choice? The crib that we're registered for is a convertible one and should take him through the years to a twin bed.

So what do you guys think? Any advice or tips for creating this nursery are welcome!

It's Monday!

* Last week was the first time we received weather cold enough to use our fireplace. (By cold, I mean around 50 degrees...we do live in Atlanta) Keith and I enjoyed a wonderful evening relaxing and listening to Christmas music -- it was perfect. :)

 

 * Speaking of Christmas! There are only 61 days until the big day! Is it bad that I already have my sponsor kids' stockings hanging over my fireplace? 

* A few weeks ago I wrote a post about figuring out who I want to be, which dreams I should focus on instead of always yearning for more. Well, I am excited to say that God is doing some amazing  things!!!! I have received clarity on the direction I should move towards, and am anxious to share with you guys about the recent happenings! (That's a post for later this week!)    

* Last week Keith and I had our 20 week appointment and were able to see Baby Gavin. I never thought that it was possible to love someone this much, but man is it ever! I am beginning to feel Gav's little flutters and on Friday Keith felt him kick! It was priceless! I'm halfway there and I can't wait to meet him!!!

Happy Monday sweet readers! 

Baby Bump - Weeks 17, 18, 19

 17 weeks, 4 days pregnant

As of today, I am 19 weeks and 1 day pregnant. Thankfully, I am still feeling fantastic and am thoroughly enjoying being pregnant. I know this sounds crazy, but sometimes I feel like I'm being robbed of the whole experience because I haven't had any sickness...but then I snap out of it and thank God for this blessing. :) I am still not craving much of anything, but am getting more and more hungry with each day. I will confess that I have an Oreo addiction, but am slowly becoming sick of them. (yesssss) As for movement, I've only felt a few flutters that I think are Gavin, but I'm not too sure. :/ Is this normal? Shouldn't I have felt him move by now?? We have our 20 week appointment next week and I will feel much better once I see my previous boy on the ultrasound screen. :) 

17 weeks

18 weeks, 2 days

19 weeks

I've purchased a few items for Gav's nursery, but that's a post for a different day. I hope all of you are enjoying your week! Happy almost TGIF! :) 

Figuring It Out

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Today is October 7th and I have yet to blog this month. Oops. :) Everyday I make a list of things that must get done, and blogging is always on my list. It never fails, though. I always, always, always put it off. 

To be honest, I think I've come to a point where I'm almost scared to write my words on here. I'm at the point where I'm trying to figure out who I am and who I want to be. For as long as I can remember, I have always had big dreams. And not just one dream. I'm the girl that wants to be the mom, the lawyer, the pilot, and the sailor. I want to travel everywhere and live abroad and adopt children and change the world.

But do you know the problem with having all of these different dreams? You kind of lose yourself in the mix of always wanting to be more. How many times do I start and finish a project? (I usually get distracted somewhere in the middle, forget about what I'm working on and start a new one.) As my friend Rachel pointed out to me last weekend, I am already a Mom. The life growing inside of me does not make me a mother-to-be, it makes me a mother now. That's one dream fulfilled. I am beyond words with this blessing and anxious to meet my precious baby boy...but in back of my mind I'm thinking "well, what about the other dreams?  How am I going to accomplishment _____?" (Don't misunderstand -- I'm ecstatic to enter motherhood. Literally over the moon. Period. :) )

I don't think it's a bad thing to dream a new dream and wish a new wish, but I do not think it's healthy when you start to always yearn for more. When you are always looking for that "next big thing" in your life. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that I am at a crossroads. I am trying to figure out which person I want in the passenger's seat of my life -- the lawyer, pilot, traveler, missionary. Can it be more than one? I know that wife and mother are already in the driver's seat. But let me be clear. 

I am not really driving this car. 

My God is. 

He is the one ultimately directing my path. I know that He knows all of the desires of my heart and will guide me in the right direction. It's up to me to trust Him. It's up to me to stop trying to analyze everything and just let it be.

So how am I going to do this? By diving head first into these books.

 The one on top is my Bible, the other my Bible handbook. 

Next question: Where does one begin? 

At the beginning. 

So that's what I'm doing. I'm soaking up the Word and praying for clear guidance. I'm reading slowly and I'm studying. Every chapter is filled with highlighter marks and question marks. And as I am learning and growing in my faith, I am completely confident that He will show me the plan for my life. 

So please bear with me. Some of my "crossroad realizations" may make it onto this blog, others will not. Some posts will be light while others heavy. Just know that I am learning and growing. And while it might not always make sense in blogland, it is a true renovation of the heart.