Greg and Jana +1

Baby Mattern is due Dec 7^th and I am so excited!

That means currently I am about 12 weeks along. I went to the doctor today and it definitely feels real now after seeing the baby jumping all around on the ultrasound. It seems we have an active little one on our hands. Or maybe that was just the Skittles I ate earlier...

The first couple days after we saw the positive pregnancy test I think we were both sort of in shock for a while. It is a hard thing to grasp at first without any visible changes or symptoms. I would wake up every morning and the first thing I would think would be – oh my gosh, am I really pregnant??? Yippee!! The morning sickness hit soon enough and I think once that really came on it started to feel real. Even though it is no fun, it is definitely a good reminder that God is knitting together a little life inside me.

Time has gone by very slow so far. I am glad though, and thankful that it is going by slow. I know the baby will be here before we know it and I’m sure the latter part of the pregnancy will fly by when we are busy getting a nursery ready and working on a never ending to-do list. And of course once the baby is here I know time will be flying by even faster. So for now I am really appreciating the slow pace. I have also heard friends say that their 2^nd (3^rd etc) pregnancies go by super fast once you are busy chasing around another kid, so it is nice to have a chance to soak it in. However, it has been hard not to count down the days until the morning sickness goes away. But even in the sickness, I am praying for a good attitude and that I would be able to appreciate these days too. Pregnancy is such a miracle!

Greg and I are both so excited. I just cannot believe God’s goodness in answering our prayer for a baby and I feel so privileged to get to experience pregnancy and see first-hand God’s process of creating life. It is so fun to read about each week what is going on with the baby. Every source says something different, but I think it is around the size of a lime or plum. It is unbelievable to me that pretty much all of the main organs/systems are formed, and the baby has tiny fingers and toes, ears, eyelids, etc.

I am so curious to know if it is a boy or girl but we still have to wait a while for that. I really want both, so I will be excited for either. Greg and I both think it is a boy, but that is not really based on anything – purely a guess. For now only God knows the gender of our precious little gift. So exciting!

This was my memory verse at the time I found out I was pregnant.

“I am still confident in this. I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14

God has shown us His goodness indeed!

Here is the ultrasound picture at 7 weeks. Baby is looking like a cute little dot.

Here is the ultrasound picture from today - which is one day away from 12 weeks. I could not stop staring at this picture. It looks like a baby. A REAL BABY.