Wow, a raspberry!

I have FINALLY gotten around to calling or emailing everyone to spread the news, so now I can officially talk about it on my blog: I'm pregnant! 8 weeks down, 32 more to go! Our due date is February 28th and that seems sooooo far away! Today it was 101 degrees outside and it's hard to believe that when this baby is born, it will most likely be around 40 degrees out with snow on the ground! It's kind of strange because I actually always pictured myself being very pregnant in the summer. Instead I'll probably be wearing huge sweaters! I wonder if I'll even be able to zip up my winter coat! Anyways, I'm SO excited, nervous, anxious, worried, and happy all at the same time! I can't believe there's actually another life inside of me. Today, according to the weekly email that I get from American Baby, it's now the size of a raspberry! It's amazing to look at all of the pictures showing what happens every day as the baby forms. In fact, last Friday night, Eric and I went to one of our favorite date spots, Barnes and Noble (yes, we're nerds!), just to look through a fetal development book and slowly flip through all of the pictures! It makes me just so in awe of the way that God creates life! I mean, I have very little to do with the whole process! I couldn't tell that clump of cells how to turn into a real person, complete with every necessary organ, hands, feets, a brain, eyes! Not to mention a personality and a soul! It's just amazing. I feel so blessed to even be a part of it!

Usually when I tell people I'm pregnant, the first question is: Are you going to find out the sex of the baby? The answer is yes! I can't wait to find out! I think it will be around the same time that Eric gets back from training, so it will be his first trip to the doctor with me and it's something that we're really looking forward to! The second question is usually, How are you feeling? And the only thing I can say is TIRED! I've never been so tired in my entire life! I'm actually one of those weird people that doesn't like to sleep. I rarely take naps and it seems that's all I've been doing lately! It's so strange. I haven't been able to run as fast as I like to, and that was one of the first things that made me think I might be pregnant. I just couldn't seem to keep up with Eric like usual and I actually had to stop and WALK a few times, which I typically never allow myself to do! Other than that, I feel really great! No morning sickness so far and I really hope it stays that way! It seems like the majority of formally-pregnant people that I talk to say that they didn't really have nausea either! That really surprised me since that's usually all you hear about... but I'm definitely grateful!

By the way, Father Jonathan had an awesome post the other day on his blog. It was so sad, but at the same time, so inspiring! Just click on the link and then look in the archive box on the right for the entry called "A Mother Mourns Her Child." I know it might seem strange to write about this right after I announce that I'm expecting a child of my own, but I think the topic is so important. Hopefully none of us will ever have to suffer as this woman has, but if we do, I hope that we'll have the wisdom and courage that she does.