Beating Bed Rest

Bed rest. Those two words sound like heaven right now. Chasing after two toddler boys all day can be exhausting. So much so that even showering seems like a chore.

Rewind three years ago. I was 30 weeks along with my first son Luke and up until that point had a text book pregnancy. At my 30 week appt everything changed. I was put on strict bed rest until I hit the 36 week mark. That meant no walking, driving, shopping and even sitting up had to be done in moderation. I'll admit the first few days was nice. I caught up on emails, watched Netflix, and finished several books that I had started months before. But just like with anything else, every good thing must come to an end. I quickly started to feel isolated and depressed. I longed for trips to the grocery store and outings with friends. I remember talking to my dad on the phone and sobbing saying that this was the hardest thing I ever had to do. Ha! Little did I know what sleepless nights lie ahead of me.

Fast forward a year and I am pregnant with Jake and put on bed rest at 20 weeks. So I had a year old son and now bed rest again...I had surgery done early in the pregnancy that I thought would negate the chances of a second bout of bed rest, unfortunately that was not the case. I survived 13 weeks of bed rest. And it was completely worth every moment of it.

A few months ago, a friend approached me and asked if I would be willing to share my stories with her friend whom was writing a book about surviving bed rest. I never thought of myself having endured or doing anything different than what any other mom would do. In some ways I felt unworthy to share, because to me it was rather insignificant. But what God has taught me is that he takes experiences and makes them significant. So to be able to help someone else by sharing my testimony was extremely humbling.

If you know someone whom is on bed rest or you have experienced bed rest yourself, I urge you to pick up the book "Beating Bed Rest" by Angela Bickford. I love the way it is written, very witty yet, informative. I only wish I would have read this while on bed rest, instead of all the scary blogs and posts that fed into my constant paranoia.

As I was reading this book I was reminded that God has a plan for everything. Everything. Even if it means you are laying in bed for 3 months straight. :)

Blessings,

Rachel

Waiting On You Lord

It seems like whenever I catch up with a friend or family member, I am immediately asked "what's going on with the adoption?" I never know quite what to say, after all it is me whom set up specific deadlines for adoption process, something I tend to do because I am a task oriented person. The truth of the matter is, we are simply waiting. Not the waiting you might think though, we are not home study ready, nor do I expect a birth mother to come knocking at my door. We are simply waiting on The Lord's timing.

It seems like it would be so easy to wait on The Lord, but you see, I like to tell God when and how things are to happen...and He listens, all the while showing me His plans are always better. Always.

Why do I keep wanting to control my life?  I often  give God 90% of things, but struggle to give Him full reign of my life. I think it's because I'm a worrier. I worry about things five and ten years from now. I worry about almost everything from my parents, to where my kids will go to college. Forget the fact that they are still in diapers mind you.

I read a quote the other day explaining that to worry is to distrust God. If I truly believe that God has amazing plans for me, then wouldn't that be a huge relief, knowing that God has your whole life planned. Even as I type this I see how ridiculous it is to worry and how it does nothing but strip my life of joy.

Ever since God has placed adoption on my heart I have tried to give Him complete control. This is why right now I am simply waiting on His timing and His direction.

Thank you for all the prayers and support; they mean the world, especially since I am a worrier! :)

Adoption: When, Where, and Why

Why adopt? Such a simple question, with so many answers...seems almost easier to respond with "why not." When I felt the call to adopt one of the quotes I read was from David Platt. He is a pastor, writer, speaker, and adopter. This quote really spoke to me, because It. Is. Truth. “We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they’re not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes…” – David Platt, “Radical”

 This quote is one of several that spurred me to research and read more about adoption. The more I began to read, the more I discovered that God was calling me to take the adoption journey. Below are several other reasons why we feel called to adopt.

Why?

• I feel called by The Lord. Enough said. ;)

• It's Biblical.  

"You are the helper of the fatherless. LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of the earth may oppress no more." Psalms 10:14,17-18

"Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families."

Psalms 68:5-6

• I have a desire for more children, but due to two high risk pregnancies, I do not want to be on bed rest again for months.or the whole pregnancy, with two toddlers running amok. I could have a third child, BUT I feel that due to my health, this is yet another sign from God that He intended our family to adopt.

• I am pro-life, and would love to offer a child a chance at life, whom would have otherwise been aborted.

Where?

Rob and I have decided to go the domestic adoption route. We are using a consultant whom reaches out to many agencies, that are located in adoption friendly states.

When?

This summer we will be traveling and settling into our new home. There's work to be done in and around the house etc... And add that to the fact that we have two boys under three years old, is very busy.  Our goal is to  start looking for a match at the end of November or the beginning of 2014. By then, Luke will be three and Jake will be nearly 2 years old. 

That's our update for now! I am also starting to look for used baby items since I donated all of our baby stuff to a pregnancy crisis center several months ago, ;) So if you know of anyone selling gently used girl clothing, bumbos, swings, etc... please send me their info! The good thing is that it is garage sale season, so hopefully I can find some good deals. :)

Thank you again for the wonderful support and encouraging words! Please continue to pray for us as we continue to prepare our hearts and home for a sweet baby!

Blessings,

Rachel

Adoption: Answering the Call

If there's one thing I know about God, it's that when He calls you either a.) follow immediately and obediently, or b.) He will push you, tug at your heart, and stir your soul until you listen. Scenario b.) occurred two weeks ago. I was lying in bed and could not sleep, which is rare for me. So as I lie awake in the middle of the night, I did what any other insomniac would do; I perused Facebook.;) While perusing I came across a blog and began to read. The blog was about adoption. I've read through many adoption blogs, but this was different. It was as if the blog was written for me. As I read through the blog I began to weep, like ugly girl, runny make-up red eyes weep. I wept for all of the orphans waiting for homes and I also wept for myself because I knew that God was tugging at my heart and I had selfishly been pushing the thought of adoption aside. I have been very happy with two boys, and the thought of adoption made me uncomfortable. But God spoke to me that night and the quote that still resonates with me today is this:

"We care for orphans, not because we are rescuers. We care for orphans because we have been rescued."-David Platt.

Amazing words. Words that will forever be etched into my soul. We are all orphans and because of Jesus Christ, we now have an eternal father in heaven. We are indeed the rescued.

I truly believe that the The Holy Spirit spoke to me that night, as I tearfully and humbly went to Rob whom was up late working and told him I felt called to adopt. He was thrilled, as he had been wanting another child, and praying my heart would change.

We are trusting in The Lord and know that He has planned a child for us, and we cannot wait to meet him/her!   Please pray, laugh, cry, and rejoice with us as we begin our search for our chosen child.

I am leaving you with one of my favorite bands, Third Day's videos, it makes me so excited to follow Christ's calling to adopt!

Blessings,
Rachel and Rob

Family Craft

Thank you Pinterest and Libby M for the lastest craft idea! I LOVE it! Super easy and effortless to make...well all except tracing Luke's hand. :)

All you need for this DIY is a frame, your favorite scrapbook paper background, and cardstock colors (quantity depends on number of family members...)

One way I found to obtain Luke's handprint was to gently color the back of his hand with sidewalk chalk then stamp it on the paper and cut it out!

Giving DIY a Try ;)

While parusing Pinterest I found a blog on how to make fabulous coasters, so I decided that I HAD to make them too! Luckily my parents still like homemade gifts, because they are getting a set too. ;) I am very excited about the way they turned out.

Materials used: scrapbook paper, 4x4 tiles (Home Depot, $00.16 each), glossy mod podge, felt adhesives on the back (so as to not scratch tables), two coats of clear spray paint

Total time~ 1 hour (40 mins of letting paint dry, 20 mins to cut scrapbook paper)

Crafting, Cooking, and Cleaning OH MY!

I took a hiatus from blogging, mainly because I had a baby and could barely think let alone write. But alas, Luke is sleeping through the night and I am no longer working; all is right with the world. Since I am staying at home I have taken up the hobby of crafting. Now this is not typical Rachel crafting...I did not go to Nordstrom to buy a thing. :) Rather it's Hobby Lobby, Estate sale finds, random antique stores, and even places like The Dollar Tree. Thanks to my new addiction http://www.pinterest.com/ I am able to replicate fashion, crafts, and really just about any and everything I desire! I LOVE to make things. This is coming from the queen of paying other people to do things for me. ;) Currently I am getting things all greared up for L's first birthday! Yes I know it's 3 months away BUT I must get started on collecting things!

So God must have known that I needed a crafty mommy companion because I recently met a dear friend (Libby) with a little boy named Mason whom is only a few months older than Luke. We started a crafting night once a week. Last night was our first craft night and I have not laughed so hard in a long time! You would have thought we were drunk while crafting...not the case. Totally sober but hilarious!

Continue to follow as I post our crafting adventures! I am also working on finding/refinishing furniture pieces for the house, sewing projects, and lot's of other DIY projects! The pictures above are for a birthday banner and a birthday milestone clothes pin project...stay tuned for the finished project!

two down...one to go!

I am officially in my third tri-mester-woo hoo! Things are going well. I am still tired at night...my days consist of teaching, sleeping, and watching football and reruns of the New Jersey Housewives. Not really feeling myself lately, I am attributing that to hormones and the fact that I have a bowling ball for a stomach now.

Rob and I recently traveled to Wichita for Labor Day weekend. We had a great weekend seeing my family and friends. We went to baby waves and got to see 3D/4D images of Luke. It was AMAZING!!! In one of the pictures you could see him sucking his thumb...my heart melted...then I thought about him needing braces when he's older. :)

I am starting to see the doctor every two weeks which is hard to beleive. In fact I can't even beleive it is mid September! I am going to start my Christmas shopping this weekend. :) There is no way I am heading to the mall in November when I can barely walk and tie my shoes. ;)

I have pics from the 3D sonogram and will post them as soon as Rob scans them into the computer!

Overall things are great. I think Rob and I are going to take a 5 hour newborn crash course class-ha everything you need to know about babies in 5 hours minus an hour lunch break...we'll see how that goes. :)

Home

I used to laugh when my parents would tell me that some day I would miss Wichita or someday I would want to live closer to home. The moment I graduated from KU I could not wait to explore the world on my own, and I did. I have met interesting people and lived in different places. I had become what I had always wanted to be "independent."

Looking back it seems hard to believe that I was that same girl. As I drove into Wichita Wednesday afternoon you would have thought I was about to reach Hawaii or my favorite store Nordstrom's. The pure excitement and familiarity ensued and it felt so good to be home.

I stayed with my mom and stepdad the first three days. My mom and I spent Friday together shopping and eating at our favorite restaurant Il Vicino. It was such a great day. Later that night we went to dinner and played Mad Gab with my little brother and stepdad.

Saturday morning I ate breakfast and then headed over to my dads house. The first thinng my dad says every time I see him is "hi Rachie." I used to find it annoying, however now, it is somewhat endearing.

The time at my dad's house was great. I stayed up and watched Goonies with Grace all the while trying to remember what it was like to be 13 years old...seems like so long ago. The next day my family swam, including our dog Missy.

Throughout the trip I also got a chance to catch up with old high school friends. It was so fun to see what God has done in their lives and the wonderful women they have become.

I left Tuesday morning to head back to Texas. As I drove down the long gravel road over looking the lake at my dad's house, tears streamed down my face. Not tears of sadness, but tears of longing to be closer to home. It's amazing how your thoughts and feelings can change when you begin a family of your own. I had always envisioned my parents spending a great deal of time with their grand kids. And by living two states away I feel somehow that I am robbing my parents of this. Maybe, if it's God's will, we will one day live closer to my family.

As I converse with my parents it is apparent to me that they are no longer the 35 year olds that I had always viewed them as. They are getting older, and now more than ever I am yearning to spend time with them and to let them know how much they mean to me. I used to feel sorry for myself that my parents had divorced, however, looking at the situation now, I have more people to love and to love me and my new family.

If you haven't done so recently tell your parents you love them and how much they mean to you. Some of this emotion is partially due to being pregnant, the other is part of growing up and realizing what is truly important, and that is relationships. Relationships with God, your family, and those you love. I never want to look back and wish I had told someone how much they meant to me, however in some cases words are not enough and I need to start showing as well as telling.

Half Way There...

This week marks the 20th preggers week! Things are going good. I am leaving for Wichita this week to visit my family and friends-cannot wait!

Luke update: Moving around all the time

Mommy update: Still tired at times, shortness of breath...otherwise doing great!

Daddy update: still excited to have a little boy ;)

Here is a picture of me a little over 20 weeks along...YES there is a definite bump! :)

Kicks and Flutters

Updates and Such

Baby Name: Luke Turner Woods
Baby News: Luke has been moving like crazy and kicking a great deal, especially after I eat

Mommy Updates: I am feeling good, just tired sometimes. I am not on a regular sleep pattern which is causing me to be tired more often. I think I am like a newborn...I need a schedule and I need naps ;)

Cravings: baked potatoes, frozen yogurt, pizza, and fruit

Daddy Updates: Rob is so excited! He has already been devising future camping trips in his head. ;)

Things coming up-I am headed to Wichita the July 21-27 and cannot wait to see some of my bestest high school friends!!!! I also can't wait to see my family. Might I add Luke is going to have the most fabuolous grandparents! He is going to be one spoiled boy. ;) My mom and I are also going to Baby Waves to have 3d sonogram pics/video taken and I can't wait!

The day after I return from Wichita we leave for Playa del Carmen. A little nervous-my physician game me a list of things not to eat or drink. We are staying at a five star all inclusive resort so I am hoping the food will be fine...I am going to be envious of all of the people on the beach with a fun drink in their hand ;) Looks like it's going to be a Shirley Temple kinda week! :)

Productivity and Progress

In the last three days I have ordered the nursery furniture, ordered bedding, hired painters and set-up my registry! Wish I could be this driven to clean the house. ;) I really just want to get things done before August, because I know once school starts the baby stuff will be put on the back burner.

If you or anyone you know is looking for reasonable custom bedding, check out http://www.etsy.com/. For those of you unfamiliar with Etsy, it is equivalent to an on-line craft show. Everything on the site is custom/hand made. They have anything from dishes, to furniture, to candles. I found a woman named Melissa who has a shop on Etsy and she has hundreds of fabrics to choose from. Above are the fabrics I chose. I am going with blue paisley, white with baby blue polka dots, blue and white stripes, as well as a soft baby blue chenille fabric. If you want more info about where I ordered the bedding from I will give you here contact info. Compared to all of the other custom bedding places/sites I found, she is 1/5 of the price!

Boy oh Boy!

So excited that we are having a boy! I lost the bet...I was certain it was a girl. It was really amazing seeing the sonogram. Still so surreal that the baby is in my belly! The sonogram took almost two hours because he would not stay still and they couldn't get any accurate measurements...hope this isn't foreshadowing of what's to come. ;) Truly though, I really feel blessed. I can't wait to meet him!

Now the fun begins! After the sonogram Rob and I grabbed dinner and headed to The Galleria. We went to Baby Gap and The Children's Place. We picked out a few things...it was on sale so I had to get it! :)


I think we have a name...for now-Luke Turner Woods

I have painters coming next week...any suggestions? We have a chair rail in the room separating it in half-I was thinking navy on bottom and the ever popular baby blue on top. I am open to suggestions though!

God's Hands

In 5 days the long awaited gender sonogram will occur. I have mixed feelings about the sonogram. I definitely want to find out the baby's gender, however, it makes me nervous to to know all the specifics of the baby, i.e. weight, length, etc... I just want to know that we have a healthy baby.



After hearing our pastor preach several months ago about when him and his wife were expecting, God really revealed a great deal to me. My pastor opted out of the amnioscentesis. At first, I thought that was an odd choice, however after the sermon, I now fully understand why. He and his wife opted out because his rationale was that they were going to have the baby regardless of the physical status, therefore, if he and his wife can't change the baby, then why even find out about possible health risks. In short, if he and his wife can't fix the disease, why know?



Rob and I fully adopted that way of thinking. It has been hard though. I am praying for peace and for a healthy baby. We have the sonogram scheduled for Tuesday July 6th 2 2:30...more details to come. :)

Patience is a Virtue

I have my third OB appt. today and I am praying that they can tell us the gender of the baby! I have been very anxious/impatient and am trying to enjoy the moment and take it one day at a time. First tri-mester went fairly well, minus the ever present exhaustion. Second tri-mester has gone very well and I am hoping it continues to go that way.

I have been researching what to buy for the baby. Any suggestions on quality brands, what to buy/what not to buy (bottles, car seats, necessities)? What items would you suggest buying now versus later? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

The Name Game

When I was thirteen I wanted to name my daughter Rayne Renee...well thank God my taste has changed. If we have a little girl I (somewhat "we") have narrowed it down to two names. Emma Grace and Hannah Kate.

I love the name Emma for a plethora of reasons, bust mostly because it flows well with the last middle name Grace. I love Grace because first it is by Grace that we have been saved and secondly, it is the first name of my only sister. I love how Emma Grace Woods sounds...all short names none of which sound competing or elongated.

As for Hannah, it is biblical...it too means "Grace" in Hebrew. Kate is a name that I like because it is shor and sweet. I also love Hannah Kate Woods.

Boy names are still being discussed. We have decided not to cross that bridge until we have to get there. :) I like Mason, Bryce, and Ethan. Turner is going to be the middle name and is a must as it is the middle name of several of generations on my dad's side of the family. The first name is still up for debate. Rob likes Jordan...Jordan seems androgynous to me. I had a female Jordan in one of my classes. I want a masculine cute name...any sugggestions?

One down...two to go!

I am officially done with my first tri-mester which puts my heart at ease. I am continuing to thank the Lord every morning for allowing this surprise to happen. I still find myself thinking back to all the doctors that told me having kids would be a struggle...I guess they don't know my God. :)

Now that the first tri-mester is over I am beginning to want to know the gender more and more everyday! I want to start planning and shopping!

Thank you to my wonderful husband, friends and family, the first tri-mester was great! Bring on the second tri-mester!

My next Dr. appt. is June 9th and I can't wait!

...and then there were three!

...Rob and I are happy to announce that we are expecting our first child! :) The due date is December 6, 2010! We are excited and still in shock! I am currently 10 and a half weeks along.