Big news

I'm two months pregnant today. Most of our family and close friends know our special news. I still feel like it's a secret until I get through my last month of the first trimester. I want to have somewhere I can share my feelings throughout this process, as it's so dear to my heart and soul. My blog was a place where I just started  throwing things together but maybe now it will have more meaning.

I want to always remember the moment Steve and I discovered we were expecting. We were up north in Traverse City over the 4th of July and one of my best friends' wedding. A bunch of friends were up celebrating with us on the boat but I (oddly) wasn't in the mood for drinking. At the wedding I was bothered by a certain smell all night, but no one else could detect it. I told Steve I was going to take a pregnancy test when we got home that Saturday night. We drove all day and didn't get home until 10 PM. I was determined to take the test. We had been trying to have a baby for about 6mos. I took a digital pregnancy test and the result came back within 30 seconds. I hadn't even turned the light on in the bathroom. Steve stood outside the bathroom door, I was right inside the bathroom. We stood next to each other as I looked at the result "pregnant". My response was "No way!!! It says pregnant BABY!!!!!!!!" We were SO EXCITED. It was one of the best moments of my life. 

The first trimester has been smooth so far. By now, I have experienced the majority of the typical symptoms. Fatigue, nausea, food aversions, sore boobs, indigestion, etc. I lay awake at night thinking about who our baby will be, what she will look like, if she is a she or  a he, their name, what kind of mom I'll be, and what kind of dad Steve will be. I think about how our family will be and it melts my heart. Then I drift off and dream about it all.

The Reigning Queen of Rock and Roll

it was the best day of my life

America, the beautiful

Everywhere I look I see your eyes

Gypsy

Pressure building on my soul

Pressure building on my soul
I ask God to take control
Guide me through this fucked up world

Conquer this fear spiritually
Forever let it be
Into infinity

Against all odds we carry on
Like we always did before
Soulmate forever more

I feel your presence every day
It's so real in every way
Give God thanks and praise!

Just let my soul fly free
And let me be the one God wants me to be
Just let my soul fly free
And let me see everything I'm
supposed to see

Just let my soul fly
Just let my soul fly
Just let my soul fly free

Pressure building on my soul
I ask God to take control
Give me guidance in this world

Conquer this fear spiritually
Forever let it be
Into infinity

I saw this today and thought some of it is crap, some is useful. 

Steps for crafting an exceptional life

1. Exercise daily
2. Get serious about gratitude.
3. See your work as a craft.
4. Expect the best and prepare for the worst.
5. Keep a journal.
6. Plan a schedule for your week.
7. Know the 5 highest priorities of your life.
8. Say no to distractions.
9. Drink a lot of water.
10. Improve your work every single day.
11. Get a mentor.
12. Hire a coach.
13. Get up at 5 am each day.
14. Eat less food.
15. Find more heroes.
16. Be a hero to someone.
17. Smile at strangers.
18. Be the most ethical person you know.
19. Don’t settle for anything less than excellence.
20. Savor life’s simplest pleasures.
21. Save 10% of your income each month.
22. Spend time at art galleries.
23. Walk in the woods.
24. Write thank you letters to those who’ve helped you.
25. Forgive those who’ve wronged you.
26. Remember that leadership is about influence and impact, not title and accolades.
27. Create unforgettable moments with those you love.
28. Have 5 great friends.
29. Become stunningly polite.
30. Unplug your TV.
31. Read daily.
32. Avoid the news.
33. Be content with what you have.
34. Pursue your dreams.
35. Be authentic.
36. Be passionate.
37. Say sorry when you know you should.
38. Never miss a moment to celebrate another.
39. Have a vision for your life.
40. Know your strengths.
41. Focus your mind on the good versus the lack.
42. Be patient.
43. Don’t give up.
44. Clean up your messes.
45. Use impeccable words.
46. Travel more.
47. Honor your parents.
48. Tip taxi drivers well.
49. Be a great teammate.
50. Give no energy to critics.
51. Spend time in the mountains.
52. Know your top 5 values.
53. Shift from being busy to achieving results.
54. Innovate and iterate.
55. Speak less. Listen more.
56. Be the best person you know.
57. Make your life matter.

I think they forgot some important ones like help others, spend time with children.  Hiring a coach isn't on my bucket list either.  But hey, that's the thing with all these lists out there: we all have different lists for what we think would make our life exceptional.  Mine primarily involves doing the right thing, helping others who need it, being a good friend, being the best person I can be.  I'm lucky enough to have enough exceptional people around me to set the pace for me. 

   

Having a dog can't hurt either ;)