20 weeks…and our big news!

How far along: 20 weeks, 3 days

The baby is as big as a: banana

What’s happening to baby: Baby is 7in long, and weighs almost 11oz! The baby is practing swallowing by taking in several oz of amniotic fluid each day. There is still plenty of space for flipping and flopping, in between sleeping 12-14 hours a day. 2 layers of skin are beginning to form, as well as hair and nails growing.

Gender: Precious baby GIRL, Katherine Grace! (Her name means “pure grace of God”)

Movement: lots and lots! I’m starting to be able to tell when she’s awake/asleep, as well as what excites her!

Food/Drink: still dislike chicken, but it’s getting a little better, as long as someone else cooks it. Red meat.

Sleep: better bathroom wise, but Kat likes to wake me up kicking around 3, and goes back to sleep/tires herself out around 6. This is making getting up in the mornings really hard, but I’m hoping to be able to get back on schedule soon!

Symptoms: Lots of low pressure, and terrible back pain. At our anatomy scan, little lady was facing my spine and laying very close, as well as sitting on my bladder.

Getting ready: Now that we know she IS a she, let the bow/pink/purple/sparkle buying begin!!

Katherine Grace’s face. Look at those chubby cheeks!!

First outfit I bought her!!

Next blog post will be about our amazing gender reveal! Stay tuned!

6 week update

                           Credit: starshadow78/Flickr

About this pregnancy!

How far along: 6 weeks 4 days

The baby is as big as a: blueberry

What’s happening to the baby: the baby’s length is close to a quarter of an inch. The most growth this week is the baby’s head/brain, with new brain cells being generated at 100 cells/minute. His/her arm and leg buds are beginning to sprout, and dividing into segments. This week also, the mouth, tongue, and permanent kidneys are in place.

Gender: Jason and my dad say boy, my brother and I say girl, but it’s too early to tell.

Movement: not yet

Food/drink craving: crawfish, TexMex, V8, popcorn.

Sleep: crazy, crazy dreams every night. I’m actually only getting up now around midnight and again at 5am for the bathroom!

Symptoms: still quite a bit of cramping, especially the past few days. Dr says that’s normal, though. Tiredness is still a big one, and just feeling really awful in the evenings.

Getting ready: 1 week until our first appointment. Praying that everything has gone well, and our little blueberry has grown strong and healthy.

Updating

So I made myself a promise that I was going to get better at blogging. I was going to get better at documenting life, and the season we’re in now. Then that life quickly started getting ridiculous. So, here’s a quick numerical list of what’s happenin’ at the Ross Casa:

1.) We’re moving on Friday. No worries, just to a cute little townhouse in Bryan. But I’m still pretty stoked, we’re not going to be in an apartment anymore (no one above us), and we’ll only share one wall with someone, and that wall won’t be our bedroom. I’m also excited about moving to Bryan and getting to know the area a little better.

2.) Jason is starting a new job. If you want details, you’re probably going to have to ask him. I just told you all I know.

3.) We officially started fertility treatments last month. While the first month of Clomid worked, we are not pregnant, so tomorrow starts our second cycle. Which reminds me, if you see me and I’m shrieking or crying (or both), try and show me some grace, this medicine is rough stuff, and I have to double it this month.

4.) We’re getting ready for a trip to Missouri to see my parents and spend Christmas there. While I love and adore seeing them, the long trip is usually kinda hard, especially with everything else being in chaos (you know, moving, new job, crazy hormones…awesome mix).

I know it might sound as if I’m complaining, I am really feeling exceedingly blessed. The Lord has been so great to carry us through so many changes, and has showed us abounding mercy with His timing, and I am so excited to see the changes that Jason and I are going through as individuals, and as a couple. While in my timing I would not have put myself in this place, I am thankful for the lessons the Lord has sent us. My constant and heartfelt cry is that we would wait well, and that we continue to see the amazing gifts we have. Will you be in prayer that this holiday season is not a time of great pain, but one of beauty, rest, and rejuvenation?

Africa, Ecuador, Yemen, and College Station

My heart is breaking for the world.

Today, reports have been published about Congo, Rwanda, Angola, Burundi, and Uganda and more ethnic and political tension is arising from the genocide. People there are dying every day from hunger. They are a hurting continent that is so easy to be forgotten about. I hurt for them.

Today, Ecuador is on the brink of a violent military coup. Their president is in the hospital from being attacked, and still more threats are beating at his door. The airports have been taken over. Looting and rioting has started. Another Latin American country is falling victim to the violence that plagues the region.I hurt for them.

Today, another child bride from Yemen is suffering because she had the courage to divorce her “husband” that is 40 years her senior and she was forced by her own father to marry. She is hurting from being outcast from her family because of the shame they feel on her. She is unable to go to school, because she has no man in her life to support her. Her family has let her down. Her judicial system has let her down. Her country has let her down. I hurt for her, and every other young girl being forced to marry. They will never know love, but they will always know pain.

God, please hear the millions and millions of cries of the hurting. The hungry. The broken. The beaten. The hopeless. Please spread Your love and mercy over them. They need you so bad.

Manna comes in many forms

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

Exodus 16:4

I’m starting to believe that manna comes in many forms. God sustains us when He sees the needs in our lives. Today, my portion of manna came at 2 different times. This morning, a new member from our church/life group sent me a text message with Psalm 145: 18-20. She is such an inspiration to me anyway, and for this message to come to me, especially since I am learning more and more to lean on the Lord instead of trying to take matters into my own hands, my heart just about burst with gratitude.

The other, less spiritual but still meaningful manna came while I was waiting on Jason to pick me up for lunch. As a lady was crossing the street, she walked up next to me and told me, “Your hair looks really pretty that way; you just have the prettiest hair!”. Even though I know I don’t need to rest in physical beauty, it still feels good to have someone complement me on something like that.

Though I know that in this verse the Lord rained actual bread down on the people, today He sustained me with the love and kindness of 2 women. How is your manna coming?

Sola Fide

This week our church began a sermon series on Paul’s letter to the Galatians. As I decided to go ahead and read through the book of Galatians in my quiet time to be prepared, this verse has continued weighing on me. At least 10-15 times a day this verse pops into my head, and I am so broken by the words. I thought that I would share it you all so that you can share in the unbelievable joy and worship that I feel when I read these words:

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2: 20

Praise the Lord, for he is so good!

Freedom has become our song.

My heart has really been meditating on a song that we have sung a few times in church, regarding Christ as our new master once we have been freed from the sin that clouds our lives. How easy it is to believe that we have no sin in our hearts! Yet Jesus, who led a perfectly sinless life, paid the price for that sin.

For my sin. For your sin.

For my little sin. For my big sin.

For my big sin in ever allowing myself to be convinced that there are little sins.

I hope that this song will weigh on your heart as much as it does mine. The past week or so I have had this song with me so much of the time. How powerful is this message? How powerful is this gift Christ has given us!

GLORY TO OUR KING
Hallelujah Glory to Our King
Hallelujah You are everything
Hallelujah Now the Blind can see
Hallelujah Glory to our King.

Glory to our King, Glory to our King

Healer of our broken hearts,
Forgiver of our path so dark,
You opened eyes that once were blind
On my darkness you shed light

Blameless ONE who took my place
Redeeming LOVE sweeps me away
Spotless bride I have become
Because of your redeeming blood

Hallelujah Glory to Our King
Hallelujah You are everything
Hallelujah I have been Redeemed
Hallelujah Glory to our King.

Worthy You are Worthy

Master taking off my chains
Now to Righteousness enslaved
Freedom has become my song
To my LOVER I belong

Hallelujah Glory to Our King
Hallelujah You are everything
Hallelujah now this Slaves set free!
Hallelujah Glory to our King.