Fear crept in

Sunday afternoon I started bleeding, I am 13 weeks along.

Our last baby stopped growing at 13 weeks, we didn't discover it until 16 weeks.

When I saw the blood, fear crept over me. 

I tried to pray and trust God, but tears came, reliving the loss we experienced just a few short months ago. 

Bleeding isn't always bad, but the only other time I have ever bled in my other 3 pregnancies, was when we lost our baby. 

It took about 24 hours to get into my doctor, I battled going to the worst in my mind. I tend to be someone who sees the positive, but I almost prepared myself for the worst. I am so thankful for the family and friends who surrounded us in prayer. 

I am so grateful to say everything is fine. We heard a very strong heartbeat and my hormone levels are great. I have learned to not take a healthy baby and momma for granted. 

Praise God who forms every baby and knows the story it will live. Whether it be a shorter or longer story, God is in control, knows best and desires to bless us. I am so thankful for the blessing that continues to grow inside of me.

Lake Time

We spent last weekend at the lake with some of our good friends, The Zimmers. Ethan, Payton and Colton played hard all weekend. Baby Mayson slept inside most of the time. 

The parents didn't relax much with those 3 running around. Ethan and Colton are fearless near the water, which makes parents fearful.  The lake is one of our favorite places to go and we love when friends get to go with us.

Notice 19 month Colton did not make the cut to be let loose around the fire. 

Cooling off after a hot day outside

Winding down before bed

Colorado Trip

Now that we let the cat out of the bag, I can post about our trip to CO without a bunch of wondering minds questioning my growing stomach.

Team Southards spent 2 full weeks in Colorado. The first week we were in downtown Denver, a part of the International Youth Convention. There were about 4,000 teenagers from around the country who gathered together in Denver. IYC's purpose is to create a moment of life change for teenagers. It is a bi-annual conference, that Steve and I always delight in being a part of. Steve had interned with the director of the conference while in college (the summer before we got married). We have taken youth to the conference and now 3 times we have been on staff of the conference. It rotates cities, taking us to many cool cities, this year we got to explore Denver. Steve's little brother Ben came with us this year to help with the kids, as this was their first time attending it with us.  We were honored to do a breakout conference on dating, which seems to be a high interest for many high schoolers. I personally love being a part of the conference, catching up with friends we barely see and being inspired by a generation of youth who are passionate about God.

The second week we spent in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Steve's parents have wanted to take the whole family to Colorado for awhile, and this year worked out as a great time to go. The Southards have a special place in their hearts for Colorado and my sister-in-law (also married into the family) and I hadn't experienced the Rocky Mountains, which just might be a sin in my father-in-law's book.  So the whole Southards clan celebrated my in-laws 35th wedding anniversary in the mountains. I will let the pictures do the talking.

We all did a 6 mile mountain hike together, here we are at the top

It really wasn't that cool of weather, but sister insisted on wearing her new sweatshirt that matched her cousin

Selah and Colton are 1 month apart

My in-laws, 35 years and going strong

Break time

On our way up the mountain

Cousins who had so much fun the whole week together

The whole Southards family at the top

She loved her "noculars"

My boys

Tim and Shari's family

On the way up trail ridge road.

Papa and Gigi with their grandkids

Watching the parade for the rodeo in town

We finished the week with a Rockies baseball game in Denver.

 We had a great week as a family and have many memories for a lifetime!

Full disclosure

I tend to be an open book, there isn't much I hide from people. Maybe because I grew up as a pastor's kid in a fish bowl, but I am who I am and there isn't much I won't share.

So on that note, I kinda apologize for keeping a secret.

Notice this picture that I posted on instagram from our mountain vacations

Here is the original picture, yes I cropped big time

Do you see what I am hiding? 

I was only 8 weeks in this picture, but my belly sure remembers how to pop out. 

Baby Southards due Feb 16th 2012
(I am almost 11 weeks now)

Memory lane and humble pie

My mom recently came across this article that was written in The Orlando Sentinel when I was a senior in high school. The main reason for the article was Meg and I had Coach Getty for 3 sports, for 4 years in high school (Cross Country, Soccer and Track). We were a 6A high school too, not some small-town-25-kids-in-your-graduating-class high school.

We had some great memories during our 4 years of sports and were fortunate to have some success as well. 

That is me with the line down the middle of my face

It was a sweet article that took my down memory lane.

There are 2 lines that cracked me up and humbled me

Line 1 - 

Getty quoted "I don't know if we are going to be able to replace them next year."

Line 2- 

Again Getty quoted "These are two of the best Oviedo has to offer, it may never get as good as it has been the last four years."

Getty was sincere, I appreciate that, the irony is the first year we gone, in came freshman Jenny Barringer 

Oh you don't know Jenny, here is what wikipedia had to say about her high school career:

"As a student at Oviedo High School, Simpson was a 5-time state champion in track and 3-time state champion in cross country. She also set Florida high school records in the mile, two-mile, 5000 m, and three-mile."

Oh and there is that part where she during one year of college she set NCAA records in the mile, 3000 m, and 5000 m indoors, 1500 m, 3000 m steeplechase and 5000 m outdoors.

Did I also forget to mention she was in the 2008 Olympics, holds the American record for the Steeplechase, and oh yeah, she is going back to the Olympics this year in London.

It was also a good perspective to remember that even though sports helped make me who I am today, they don't define me, what once was my whole world, now is a sweet memory of the past.

Melting

These 2 melt my heart faster than popsicles in 104 degree summer heat

 

Celebrating Life

We just got back from being gone 2 weeks to Colorado.

There will be another post about that soon.

Right before we left, a couple girlfriends and I hosted a shower for our dear friend Candice and her sweet little girl Mayson Avery. Mayson is Ethan's little sister (who happens to be one of Payton's BFF).

Mayson is a little miracle, she tried entering the world almost 2 months early. On Easter, Candice went into labor and the doctors tried everything to stop her. She progressed to a 6 very quickly, even on medication to prevent contractions. The Zimmers are well loved and connected to so many people at our church. The prayer warriors came out, praying for this baby to stay in as long as possible.  

Long, long story short, we believe God stopped those contractions and Candice was sent home on bedrest a week after entering the hospital. She had been dilated to a 6 at one point, and when they sent her home, she was a 3. Doctors can't describe that!

Little stubborn girl must have decided the womb was ok after all, as she had to be induced and brought out. At first they couldn't stop her from coming, then she decided she didn't want to come out after all. We are so thankful for her health. Amy wrote a great blog post with greater details on how God worked in the situation.

A few pics from the shower

The ladies of honor

Amy and Brandie help host the shower