Weeks 5-12: An update from the first trimester

As promised, I will be trying to keep a pregnancy blog. I'm hoping to be able to refer back to this and see the growth and changes over months to come.

With so many changes coming our way this summer, it definitely took me a couple of weeks to wrap my mind around being pregnant. As the nausea set in, it started to become more real and I was able to build my excitement. We found out at 5.5 weeks with a home pregnancy test, took my first bump picture at week 6 and by week 7, I had moderate nausea. I learned quickly that I had to be eat {very} small meals, preferably only containing gatorade/ginger ale & saltines, all day long. For some reason, that week, I also think I ate fast food french fries everyday. Not sure if that helped.

By week 9, I was doing a better job managing the nausea, which also turned into some puking. Brushing my teeth seems to be a trigger, which is gross and annoying. The biggest struggle has been fighting my non-existent appetite. I have been eating more than saltines and pretzels more recently, but I still stick to plain, "normal" foods.

Week 10, we finally got to go see an OB for our first ultrasound! We heard the heartbeat for a brief moment, but was able to see the fluttering of the heart several times. With a strong heartbeat at 176, Baby W was laying on his/her back, looking like a blob. My favorite part was seeing the baby blob in my uterus. Knowing the heart is beating and seeing the baby for myself was a huge landmark.

The last couple of weeks in the first trimester, I started to feel better, most days. I spread my three meals throughout the entire day. Breakfast starts about 8:00 and I munch until 10:00 or so. I make my lunch in 2-3 stages, which spans from about 11:00-2:00. And then I'm ready for a pre-dinner snack about 3:30/4:00. I also try to eat a snack before I go to bed, even if it's just pretzels or a yogurt, which helps to feel better when I wake up in the morning.

I've been blessed with my first trimester being relatively easy - even through feeling sicky. Since feeling better, I actually started doing some mini workouts again! Wrigley has been getting some solid 30-minute walks and I've been swimming laps at Donaldson Run. For the most part, I have been able to rest and relax, and make time to get things done at my own pace.

A newsy update

As predicted, big changes have been coming our way! Hence the newsy information making it necessary for a blog post.

Ryan and I both interviewed at numerous potential employers this summer between May and July. Each interview comes with visualizing what a new job would entail.... moving to a new location, (even if it was local, we would still be moving out of our on-campus apartment), finding a job for the other half, and everything in between.

Through the time of these interviews (phone and on-campus), we enjoyed some summer travel with the time off work. We decompressed at Holden Beach for a hot week with the Frickie clan, went to St. Louis for the NATA national convention, and spent time in Illinois for a Wildenhain family wedding, fourth of July celebration and Ryan's annual fishing trip with the Behrendt brothers. Summarizing these trips in one sentence makes it sound short.... but we turned off our air conditioning, disconnected our apartment cable and travelled for a solid 4-5 weeks.

My husband built me a fortress on the beach. Take me back for another week of this.  

So after a long summer of travel, lots of interviews and possibilities, Sweet Briar reversing the March decision and staying open... now that it's the middle of August.... where did we end up?

Ryan accepted the position as Head of Sports Medicine at Marymount University in Arlington, VA!
Our summer of transition accelerated when Ryan accepted the position on a Tuesday and started the following Monday, July 27. He is working as the Head of Sports Medicine, with two assistants, responsible for providing athletic training services to Marymount's 17 DIII, NCAA athletic teams. He has been working hard to get organized and ready for preseason to start this week.

http://marymountsaints.com/News/News1516/WildenhainSportsMedicine

Thankfully, my gracious parents, live less than 2 miles away from Marymount, where I grew up in Arlington. {Ryan is loving the <5-minute commute.} After considering our options, we decided to stay at my parent's house for few months while sorting out the details of our move and where I would be working. In order to not pay any August rent, we made a dash back to Sweet Briar to move our belongings into my parent's garage. In a short 48 hours, we successfully cleared out room in the garage, packed our entire apartment, loaded it into a 17' truck, and unloaded it into our "section" of the garage. We could NOT have done it without the help of my parents, my sister and our dear friends Amy, Bryan and Koonce. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Would you say that is an expected newsy update since it was already out there that we were both job hunting...? Well, to further the excitement....

Surprise! We are expecting a baby in late February!
We found out I was pregnant in late June, between our NC and midwest travel adventures. Even with so many changes all at once, we are very excited for our growing family. More to come on the pregnancy.... per Meme's request and Heather's strong encouragement, I will be trying to keep a pregnancy blog.

In Illinois on June 28

Another major change for us, is my own employment.... As it seems, our news pieces are starting to come together.

This week, I accepted a Medical Assistant position at an Orthopedic Physician Office in Reston, VA!
Since moving all of our belongings to Arlington, I pushed forwarded with a new narrowed search, looking in the Northern Virginia area. After being discouraged by not finding an employer that recognized the possibilities a certified athletic trainer could provide, at my new job, I will be doing more than just bringing patients to the exam rooms or doing laundry in a PT clinic. As a Medical Assistant, I will be working directly under a physician or PA, in a physician extender role. I will take vitals, medical histories, follow through with orders, and educate patients. I will also have the opportunity to train to become an Ortho Tech, which will allow me to do casting and bracing as well. This type of position will be a major change of pace for me. I'm looking forward to the adjustment to consistent hours and working 4-5 days/week, set at 40 hours/week, with weekends off!


So many changes, and so much more to come. It is amazing to me how God continues to write our love story, each and every day. God loves us more than I could ever possibility understand. His plan is perfect and beyond anything I could ever conduct myself. He is amazing. 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will make your paths straight."           Proverbs 3:5-6

Relaxation & Uncertainty

I have finally begun to settle into the pace this summer brings.

This summer brings an odd combination of relaxation and uncertainty. Sweet Briar's graduation was this weekend, and now the campus parking lots have cleared out, which triggers relaxation mode. Although it's not here yet, the uncertainty of where we will be in the next 3-6 months is on the horizon.

We had a similar summer after we graduated from graduate school in 2011. We both were on the job hunt and moved into my parents house in Arlington. Our weekly plans were made based on job interviews and phone calls; our daily plans consisted of finding new job postings, sending applications and emails. Our monthly plans were too far in advanced to know where we'd be or what we'd be doing -- thus, we live day-to-day.

Much like the summer of 2011, Ryan and I are being intentional to take advantage of our surroundings and our time off. Not to mention, we are focused on doing both while conserving our funds! That summer we biked around the DC monuments and all over Arlington (after fixing up my parents bikes) and played lots of tennis. As this summer has gotten underway, we have been to two Lynchburg Hillcats games with free tickets and have been getting into the hiking scene.

Here comes the hiking journal part....

Last weekend, we hiked up one of the Peaks of Otter mountains, Sharp Top. It was sunny, partly cloudy skies with lots of families and couples on the narrow trail. It was about an hour straight up hill. Curving around all sides of the mountain as we climbed, there were peaks through the trees of the valleys and mountain range. Near the top, there were rock formations that had been formed into a lot of stairs and lookout spots with a 360 view at the top. In the east, we could see the LU hill in the distance; and in all other directions we could see the amazing Blue Ridge Mountains.

East view on Sharp Top

 

Sharp Top - view from Buzzard's Roost

Saturday, we headed out in the afternoon for a shorter/closer hike, Spy Rock. The weather was cooler and cloudy. All the way to the top, we shared the wide, rocky/gravel trail with a large, hispanic family. As we approached Spy Rock, it flatten out for 1/4 mile or so, until the trail seemingly stops at the foot of at the large rock formation. The family, probably 70-80 of them, of all ages, were scampering up the rock using numerous routes. I was impressed that they all made it up the hill and rock face to see the great view! The view made you feel like you were in the middle of the mountain range, much like a treehouse when it's nestled in the perfect spot in the trees. When we were up on spy rock, it rained for 5-10 minutes which cleared out the group, so we enjoyed a quieter walk down the mountain. It took about 45 minutes both ways.

Top of Spy Rock

Beginning decent

About 2 miles down the road, we turned into Crab Tree Falls area, just to see what it was about. We hiked along mountainside waterfall as it tumbled down the steep, slippery rocks. It was already 6:00, so not many people on the trail, which was well-kept with stairs, railings and viewpoints. Definitely worth the second hike in one day. 

So, that's where we are. Making a list of hikes to do, relaxing, and starting to enjoy the summer before big changes come our way!

2014 RECAP

I haven't look at this blog in forever! Writing about finding my wedding gown and running a half marathon feels like forever ago!

The biggest event in our lives in 2014 was definitely our wedding!

We spent about six months planning our wedding... and we've taken almost six months to recover! July 19th wasn't just about the wedding... it was a build up over the last four years, lots of learning and growing together, praying about our marriage, preparing the house in Arlington for family visits and time together, endless "to-do" lists, making hundreds of decisions together, honeymooning in Savannah, setting up our crowded apartment at Sweet Briar, sharing closet space, and working together to combine our finances.

God's perfect timing brought all of these things together around our wedding, on July 19th, when we were surrounded with  O V E R W H E L M I N G  love and support from family and friends, near and far.

Top 2014 events:

1. Ryan and I were able to travel to Alabama this spring to support Fred Frickie, my granddad, when they honored him with having the baseball/softball complex named after him at Calhoun Community College. Coach Frickie is a big deal!

From Granddad's coaching days at Calhoun... me and Justin on the back, Kendall and Michael in the front.

2. My younger sister, Amanda, graduated from high school in June! My parents are now empty-nesters... and from what I can tell, they are loving it!

3. Martinsville for two Nascar races... one with freezing weather in March and a second with nice, sunny weather in October!

4. June was a busy, busy month. I enjoyed a special morning for my bridal shower in Arlington and a couple days at the Rehoboth Beach with my two lovely matrons of honor, Heather & Amy. Then we headed out to Illinois for our engagement party and spent some time with the Wildenhain family.

5. Our honeymoon trip to Savannah, Georgia. Including.... Leopold's Ice Cream, bike tour, nights walking up and down Market St., seeing all the iconic squares, fishing charter, beach afternoons at Tybee Island, and paddle boarding.

6. Weekend camping trip at Smith Mountain Lake. In case you haven't seen this picture... Wrigley is a camping dog. I was the camper that enjoyed having the air mattress and a book to read!

7. Amanda started at University of Virginia this fall. She's a member of the marching band (and being very successful in school and acting like a college student!). A couple of Saturday mornings, we went up to Charlottesville to watch the band practice before the football games with my parents. Ryan and I even got to go to a UVA football game!

8. Snowshoe, WV for some quality snowboarding with great friends! Some of our cool friends include some GREAT photographers... who documented our trip... http://bullossphotography.com/snowshoe-wv-monday-mess-12-9-2014/

9. Lynchburg College's Women's Soccer team winning the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!! This can also include the 2008 & 2009 women's teams being inducted into the LC Athletic Hall of Fame in October; Ryan and I were able to attend since we live so close.

10. Finally, Christmas in Alabama again! We love spending time with family, getting Gibson's BBQ, seeing the Decatur Christmas lights, and eating lots of yummy food. A few days after Christmas we went up to Arlington for a great day with all the Frickie clan.

You seriously cannot beat the house decorations in Decatur.

Rebecca Leigh, Justin, Jenny, Dad, Mom, Diana Grace, Amanda, Ryan, me annnnnd Wrigley

training for.... a half marathon

I have never had aspirations to run a half marathon. Running is not my favorite. 

For so many years playing soccer, it was all about training for the next step. Training to try out for a the high school team, training so I wasn't left in the dust my first college season, training for ODACs, training for NCAA, training towards a national championship. There always something I was training towards, which ended up feeling like I would never obtain the highest goal or ever be able to train hard enough. 

For soccer, if your training but not including a lot running, you wouldn't be ready for anything. Therefore, I always needed to be running on my own. Again, not my favorite thing. 

After all the years of training for soccer, I have started enjoying working out in different ways, which didn't always include running. I ride mountain bikes, swim, spinning, lifting, elliptical, play tennis, racquetball, and chase wrigley around outside. Now that I've been doing my own plan for several years, it's starting to get old. 

This year, with a new lacrosse/strength and conditioning coach, Hayley, at Sweet Briar, I started tagging along with her workouts. For the entire fall semester, we printed a lifting/exercising chart and did it 3 times a week. I'd supplement it with a day or two of cardio. But all in all, I didn't have to plan or design my work outs. So much better. 

In addition, my best friend has been nagging me to sign up to run a half marathon with her for a while.  Now with a busy spring semester at work, I needed to set up a plan for my workouts. What a better way to have planned workouts then to sign up for a half marathon! 

I signed up the day registration opened (with a gentle push from Hayley who's also running it). I started to panic that my best friend wouldn't get registered in time, so I frantically started texting her while she was busy at work (at her new job that she is rocking!). I ended up just signing her up myself... and nicely asked her to please request the day off! 

Have I ever run more than 5 miles? No. And I've only ran 5 miles once in my life. ha. However, I can run a pretty mean 3 miles! Training for a half marathon gives me a weekly plan; and that's what I need right now to keep me going during this crazy, busy spring season. The race is the day after graduation, so training will take me through the rest of the semester. 

12-weeks of training. Here we go!! 

13.1 miles - May 18th

Training plan that sits on my desk at work!

biggest decision of my life

I found my wedding dress!!

The "Today" on the champagne bottle is from early February... but I'm still really excited about finding my wedding dress!!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am the  w o r s t  decision maker of all time. I am much better at the non-decision. Two techniques of making decisions.... emotionally attaching myself to a side or rationally thinking through one. I'm not good at either. My bad decision-making skills goes for anything... where to go to eat, what to wear, picking out a piece of jewelry, where to go to college, buying a car, favorite color, and on and on.

The story from my childhood goes like this. Meme wanted to take me shopping to spend my Christmas money. She wanted me to pick something out that I knew I'd like! Before we left, my dad told her not to make the decision for me. Even at a young age, he knew that decisions are hard for me, so I needed to start practicing!

When you get engaged, everyone wants to know (1) when is the date and (2) what type of wedding have you dreamt about since you were little? For me, I have always envisioned a loving, family centered wedding. I love lots of colors, seasons, flowers, venue sites, themes, music, food arrangements and dress styles. So no, I don't have a dream wedding already planned. I wish!! Each decision is hard.

When you begin shopping for a wedding dress, the question remains... what have you envisioned yourself in since you were a little girl? Cupcake ball gown? Lace or satin? Bling beading and crystals? Flowy beach feel? Strapless or sleeves? Open back? Form-fitting? A-line? Neckline?

Me, envisioning myself trying to decide on a wedding dress has literally kept me up at night. The night before my first dress appointment, I barely slept. I didn't know if I'd like any of the dresses, or if I'd like all of them. Maybe I'd want to try on a thousand dresses. Or, I thought I'd settle on one and then days later change my mind. I was a stress ball. It seems silly now....

The biggest decision of my life...? Done. I chose my wedding dress!! Not to mention, it only took one appointment at one local boutique.

Amy, me and Amanda after the dress was chosen!

I have a long way to go with the planning, but I have TWO B I G decisions checked off! The date and location are set. Big decision, but necessary to get done early. And second, I have a wedding dress!!

We're getting married and I can NOT wait until July 19th!!!!

holiday travels

Ryan and I travelled over the last several weeks to some pretty special places. The week before Christmas we headed to Decatur, Alabama, home of the best holiday decorations and my favorite grandparents! Both of my parents grew up there, so it's great to be able to see all my grandparents when we visit. While visiting my grandparents, we made two day trips... one to Nashville, TN and one to Auburn, AL.

Nashville, or Nash-vegas, is the center of country music excitement and home of the Nashville Predators hockey team. Dating a Chicago sports fan has automatically made me more interested in Chicago teams winning. When we been dating for only a short time, Ryan's sisters fitted me out in Cubs, Blackhawks and Bears shirts. Furthermore, actually becoming a Chicago Blackhawks fan was easy for me, seeing as last year they won the Stanley Cup. Needless to say, the Blackhawks were in Nashville on Dec. 17, so we made the trip. We LOVED driving and walking around the city on a not-so-busy Tuesday afternoon. Predator fans have some annoying chants, but the Blackhawks shut them up with a W! Go Hawks!

Our second trip was a surprise visit to Auburn University. On Friday, Dec. 20, Ryan got me in the car  with Starbucks and Jimmy Johns) to go on an adventure. He wouldn't answer any of my questions or let me help navigate. There are no signs as you drive to Auburn, so I didn't even know we were going there until we were 5 miles away. Little did I know, Ryan had spent the last 10 days planning out the details of a memorable flight over Auburn University to ask me to marry him! I could not believe it, we were engaged!! Ryan planned everything to a tee. Afterwards, we walked around Auburn, got lemonade at Toomer's Corner, called our relatives & friends and he told me all the planning he had been doing! I loved every minute of it.

I still cannot stop staring at the ring! 

My parents and sister joined us in Decatur, AL for Christmas, which continued the family tradition. Although I don't know how our plans will pan out for the holidays in the years to come, for me, I will always yearn for Christmas to be just as special as it has always been in Alabama.

Wrigley waiting for Santa under my grandparents' angel tree

Our travels didn't stop there.... a few days after Christmas, we met my brother and his family in Arlington, VA. We haven't spent the holiday season with them in a long time (since they've been overseas), so it was great to share time with them.

Amanda, me, Ryan, Diana Grace, Mom, Jenny, Rebecca Leigh, Justin and Dad