24 weeks/ 6 months

Introducing baby Spears....Grant Holden Spears!

24 weeks

Yeah we have a name for our sweet baby boy! Grant is Brad's middle name and Holden is the other name Brad and I liked.  We are so excited to finally have a name to call the growing baby bump. We have been working on the nursery and are getting to do all the fun stuff to get ready for baby Grant!
Here is a picture of the fabrics that we are getting made into the bedding and curtains:

Brad purchased Grant's first Patagonia gear....I must admit I love the idea of him being just like his sweet daddy!

Finally, I had a great "first mother's day"...Brad got me something to bring all three closer as a family. His thoughtfulness and love for Grant and I is the best!

God's perfect timing

As I talked to a dear friend yesterday about her struggles to conceive, I was quickly reminded of God's perfect timing in each of our lives! How quickly we forget about the struggles and long journey God sometimes takes us on before He reveals His great blessings. For me the struggles to conceive were a private struggle Brad and I shared for a little over a year.  We felt that the timing was never quite right to share our story with family and friends and wanted our moms (especially) to be totally surprised when we could finally tell them good news of a new grand baby; however, as the year lingered on, doubt and fear that we may not ever get to experience that joy of announcing a new baby began to overwhelm me. Brad and I came to a point that we knew we needed to share with our families about the struggles we were having.  We tearfully told our families and were embraced with an overwhelming amount of love, support, encouragement, and most importantly prayer! Over the next couple of months, our families (and their friends and churches) along with our friends began diligently praying for Brad and I and our desire to have a sweet baby.  On December 23rd we found out we were expecting our first miracle....what an amazing Christmas present!

I wanted to share this story because I have seen and felt the power of prayer in my life, have been humbled by God's mercy and undeserving grace, and He has forever blessed me through something that I thought was hopeless and heartbreaking and revealed to me the beauty in our struggles.  It is amazing how God's timing is so perfect.  Over that year, God used that time to draw me closer than ever to Him.  He revealed Himself to me, showed me things about myself, and allowed me to feel His daily, unconditional love that is so perfect. I would not change a thing about that year because I can see God's plan for His relationship with me through the struggles. I am assured that whatever trial I go through now in life that He will be and is my rock and my constant support. I now know how God uses His timing and His plans to glorify His name! I will forever praise Him and know that He uses all situations for His glory....I must always give Him the glory in good times and bad times...reassured that even in our darkest hours we are in His great and loving arms!

22 weeks

Jeremiah 1:5
"I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart..."

Each day I am overwhelmed by the miracle occurring inside me.  With each sweet kick and movement, joy and love and gratefulness consumes me. Thank you My God for the blessings you have given Brad and I! I could not feel more honored to be my sweet sons mother and more blessed to have such a wonderful husband and role model for our son!!!

Here is the most recent picture...I was 22 weeks when this was taken. Oh yeah, my other sweet baby boy wanted in on the camera fun! Sadly, I still look like I ate too may donuts...ha ha!

I believe God has told me loud and clear this week that I needed to rest some....which you know I don't do well! However, I woke up Friday morning (after a long day on Thursday) with terribly swollen feet and ankles...Here is a picture of my "cankles" as Brad called them.

So Friday night I can home, drank lots of water, and elevated my swollen piggies. Luckily, they were better on Saturday and I had ankle bones again.  Then on Sunday afternoon, while I was at Body Flow (basically a stretching class) I tore a muscle down the back of my leg...ugh! Guess I should be more careful...Lol! Anyway, I am feeling good and hope to stay healthy throughout the remainder of the time!