January 27, 2015

Stepping Forward.

No matter the trial you are facing, the hardships that are placed in your path.....or the courage you feel you lack..... Hope can always be found. 

Life is so beautiful, my friends. Sure it can be hard.....sure there are moments that seem impossible to overcome.....

But you are not in this alone. 

I realize this more and more each day. Love is powerful. Prayer is real.

I think the secret is to keep moving forward...no matter what you are facing. Not every step is easy....I have definitely made my fair share of awkward....clumsy steps...but each step brings something greater...

Like strength. 

Laughter. 

Light. 

Peace. 




 "Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."
                           Mosiah 4:9




January 22, 2015

Uncharted Waters.

The unknown. 

It is hard. It is frustrating. It feels like stumbling around in the dark. It is impossible to avoid.

It is humbling.

It can hurt. 

It can be unbelievably spiritual

I type these words....... and my mind is whirling over a thousand different thoughts. I needed a space to somehow pour out the worries of my heart.

As David and I wait for news that will have a heavy impact on our lives....I feel like I am swimming in a sea of endless possibilities.....hopes...desires....and outcomes. I have come to realize that the unknown is the hardest thing for all of us. It is one of life's greatest tests to wait. To wait for what you can't even begin predict.

I have plead. I have cried. I have continuously sought for hope.

I have been strengthened by so many prayers. I have felt peace in the midst of what has felt like a tsunami of emotions.

I am certain many of you have been impacted by similar feelings in a variety of situations.... if you haven't yet.....it will come. It isn't easy.

So....the question is.....how to keep moving forward? I've decided that for now....I am going to focus on what do know.

My name is Amanda. I have an amazing, curly haired husband who is my strength in every way. He is my anchor.

I have a wonderful, beautiful little gift growing inside of me.

God is in charge of all things. He knows my heart, He knows the unknown.

And for now......that is enough.





January 7, 2015

The Art of Growing a "Bean"

I'm have officially passed the halfway mark of being pregnant. That may not sound like a big deal....but in the back of my mind...I hear Armstrong chanting.... "One small step for man....one giant leap for mankind!"

Even just typing that out seems like such a outlandish idea. There are still so many moments where it seems unreal that David and I will be parents in just four and a half short months.

I realized today that I haven't written down much of my thoughts about this new adventure we're on. I don't want to look back and regret that...so you get to be the recipients of my rambles! (As always).

When I first told my sister we were pregnant....she started referring to our baby as "Little Bean" so her kids wouldn't catch on...and accidentally...adorably spill our secret.

First of all....I have officially decided that being pregnant is not for the faint of heart.

For me, the beginning was rough..... I would see photos online of my friends or other pregnant woman looking so cute and happy. Then there was me...most of the time laying on the bathroom floor....still in my pj's at 4 in the afternoon...contemplating if I should at least brush my hair before David came home from work.

Whoever coined the term "morning sickness" should have said..."pretty much all the time sickness." The poreclain throne and I were unfortunately close acquaintances. I'm not even going to admit how many times I have peed my pants.

David was (is) a champion. He let me cry. Buy random food I thought I could keep down. Told me I was beautiful (even when I know I was looking on the rough side..). Has given me endless back rubs...and has been the main chef of the house for the past while.

Luckily....most of those "nasties" have come to pass. My friend nausea and I still get together frequently....but we've learned to better handle each other. We're currently welcoming a new friend...heartburn.

However.. the best does come. 

Starting to feel our little baby move was incredible....and hard for me to wrap my mind around! I mean...there is actually a little human moving inside of me.

And then we had our ultrasound.

David and I had been dying to know what our "Little Bean" looked like. And to be honest...I don't think it had quite sunk in yet for us that we were really going to become parents.  I mean....that's for grown ups who have life figured out, right? (Haha wrong!)

Seeing our baby was definitely one of the most incredible (and spiritual) moments of my life thus far. And.....drumroll....we found out our baby is a girl!!

Who knew babies could look so beautiful and absolutely perfect on an ultrasound.


Seeing her move around....suck her little hands.....Wow. I can't even describe it.... (I know I sound like one of those cheesy people....but just wait folks...it'll happen to you).

David and I might not have everything figured out... We will probably make plenty of mistakes being new parents.

One thing is for certain though.....We already love our "Little Bean" so much!

With that much love....it is bound to cover the areas we are lacking.

So ladies and gents....is it worth it?

Absolutely. Certainly. 100%. Bring on the nausea and heartburn. And all of the other bizarre things that happen...



We love breaks!
It's even better when it's almost 60 degrees in January.


David really loves to get his picture taken...


We also finally got to see these wonderful faces! We missed them a whole heap!


Here's to another year! I am certain it will be unforgettable!