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I’m sure most of you know by now that my husband and I are expecting baby number 2 in early February 2019. We are excited to welcome a new baby into the family and can’t wait to see Addie as a big sister! I thought since I had been pregnant before I would know what to expect this time around and boy, was I wrong! I’ve heard many women say that no two pregnancies are the same and while I believed that to be true, I didn’t realize how true it is. This pregnancy has been WAY different in that my morning (more like evening) sickness didn’t last for as many weeks as it did with Addie. Even though I’m now in the second trimester, I still experience exhaustion and nausea from time to time but I’m very hopeful those symptoms will soon dissipate.
I’ve also gained weight at a much slower pace (which I’m thankful for) probably due in part to keeping up with a very active two-year-old. I was concerned because it seemed like I wasn’t gaining any weight for the longest time (currently, I’ve only gained 3 pounds) but my doctor said that’s completely normal. I’m attempting to exercise much more self-control this pregnancy and not eat lots of ice cream although, with the Texas heat, I can’t say I’m not tempted to do so. Overall, I find myself with a quiet and thankful disposition. Addie keeps me occupied most days and so I actually often forget that I’m pregnant which sounds silly. I suppose that must be a second child problem.
One thing that I really enjoyed doing the first trimester, which I know you’ll find very surprising ;), is devouring fiction. I began reading many of the vintage Nancy Drew books I had collected from secondhand stores over the years and I read each one, sometimes in one sitting. I love that the books are tasteful, and suspenseful, and use language that isn’t common anymore. When I first began attending a theologically sound church, I learned that there were so many theologically sound books. I immediately began purchasing them faster than I could read them. I wanted to know more about what God’s word has to say about everything.
For a time I really enjoyed such books. I still do but I think I may have burnt myself out a little and needed a bit of a mental break. I found myself reading because I felt like I had missed out for so many years. I’m working on reading because I want to, not because I feel I have to. I often think of the thief on the cross who most likely, had never read a theological book. He didn’t possess all this knowledge about doctrine and how it impacts every area of life but He trusted in Christ alone for salvation. It’s so freeing to know that I can do the same and because of Christ, I can enjoy the gift of reading.
One nonfiction book that I did pick up during this season was Present by Keri Mae Lamar and I couldn’t put it down. Keri is a wife, mom, author, and blogger who wrote about her struggle between wanting to write and share online and also wanting to be present and available for her family. I could relate very much to the struggles she wrote about and was highly encouraged by her book. (I recently found out she wrote a second book about the routines she implements in her home and I can’t wait to purchase a copy.)
Surviving the first trimester of this pregnancy became an unintended sabbatical for me when it comes to blogging (and with a few other household things, if I’m being honest) but reading Present helped me realize that it’s okay to be just that. I do hope someday that this blog could serve as a passive source of income for my family but I’m not willing to sacrifice time away from them in order to make that a reality. I could wake up at crazy hours and stay up late to really grow this blog but I want to do it because I want to do it, not because I have to do it.
For me, reading and writing are simply gifts that bring me joy and putting pressure on myself to do those things for any other reasons robs me of that joy. I’m thankful that God has kindly provided my husband with a job that allows me to stay home and also allows for me to pay the $10/month it costs to keep this blog up and running. I’m thankful for this outlet and while I do see my time being less “free” in the future, I’m hoping to write as I feel inspired. I do have some posts and book reviews coming soon that I’m excited to share with
