Guess what?

I'm expecting! I'm sure that many of you are surprised, because Neal and I didn't tell anyone that we were trying. It's more fun to see everyone's reaction that way! We have only been trying since November, so it did happen a little earlier than we thought it would, but we are so excited about the months and years to come! We have already had our first two doctor's appointments and so far, everything is normal. I'm very tired and I pretty much feel sick all of the time, but I have only actually experienced the "getting sick" part just a few times. I am learning to keep plenty of crackers and snacks nearby, because keeping food in my stomache does help. I'm sorry that I have not posted every week like I promised at the beginning of January, but I could not post the last month or so, because there was only really one major thing going on in our lives, and I still needed to keep it a secret. Now, plenty of people know, so it's time to announce it to the "internets!" Here are few pictures from the last few weeks (and for some reason, they are in backwards order - blogger is not cooperating with me tonight!):

9 weeks - on the day that it snowed and snowed and snowed . . .

6 weeks - a couple of nights after our first appointment (keep in mind, I had a big meal right before this picture - I miss big meals!) Also, I promise I was not annoyed to take this picture - just very, very tired!

Home pregnancy test - it was so hard to get a clear picture of this!

Stay tuned for updates! My next appointment is in about a week and a half when we get to hear the heartbeat for the first time. Pray for a healthy heartbeat! Also, my next belly updates will be debuting my new shorter hair - the long hair was no longer looking or feeling healthy, so it was time for a change. By the way, I think I am just one of those people who shows early, because working in a junior high, my students guessed that I was pregnant about 2-3 weeks before I announced it to them. I finally had to tell them, because I could hear them whispering about it. They are absolutely fascinated by it, and they want to talk about it all of the time. Also, if I am ever eating anything, they say things like, "You eat a lot!" or "Look at you feeding that baby!" It is definitely never a dull moment in my class right now. I'm sure they will provide me with many laughs - although I don't really want to laugh when I have a student who immediately says to me, "Mrs. Helf, I knew it! You were gettin' fat!" when I told announced the news to one of my classes. Think before you speak!

I just want to say that I have loved experiencing everyone else's pregnancies and babies - you all have really prepared me so much for what Neal and I are experiencing now. I feel so blessed to have known so many people who have already gone through this who can give advice and answer my questions. At the same time, it really is hard to believe that I actually get to be the one who is experiencing pregnancy and not just listening to other people's stories. I feel like I have waited for this for such a long time and now it's actually here! It is definitely amazing and I wouldn't trade it for the world - even when I feel sick! I am so thankful for what God is doing in my body right now to make sure our little one is healthy and I am excited for the journey that we get to take over the next months.