National Trail day!

Hiking is one of our FAVORITE activities. Last summer we did quite a bit of hiking, and decided we liked it so much, that we wanted to give backpacking a try. Let just say we were instantly hooked!

All winter long I researched gear, and read books on the Appalachian Trail (AT) like it was my job! Some would say I became mildly obsessed with hiking the AT. I honestly think Jake got tired of hearing me talk about it endlessly for weeks on end. I tend to be one of those people who will start researching something, and end up diving in head first, and reading for hours on the same topic. OOPS! 
I read people's trail journals (trailjournals.com), joined White Blaze (whiteblaze.net) which is a network where you can discuss gear, section hikes, and just about anything concerning the AT, and even kept up with the daily weather report on top of my favorite mountain in GSMNP Mt Leconte. (http://www.highonleconte.com/daily-posts).

After some convincing, Jake and I decided that we would spend our summer vacation hiking the 80 miles of the AT that runs through the Smokies. We had just finished obtaining the majority of our gear when I found out I was pregnant. We knew we would have to postpone our big trip, because hiking 80 miles with 30 pounds of gear while your 6 months pregnant just wasn't an option. And unfortunately, complications early in my pregnancy has resulted in me sitting out from any hiking until after our sweet Nolan is born. But honestly, I can't think of a better reason to be sitting out a season! haha.

Anyway, the point to this lengthy post is simply to say,

GET OUT AND HIKE!

There is some absolutely amazing sites to be seen in the woods, or deep in the backcountry! It's healthy, stress relieving, and energizing!  You can hike in any state, or all over the world! It's such a fun hobby! I'll leave you with some pictures of us hiking!

HAPPY NATIONAL TRAILS DAY! 

 

 

Long overdue pregnancy update!

Yes, I've been dragging my feet about writing this post. I write in my journal almost daily, but keeping up with this blog is a different story. Blah. As of today I'm 26 weeks, and 3 days pregnant. And man alive, I can feel it! My belly is growing by the day, and my poor belly button looks so strange. (Although, it hasn't "popped" yet...thankfully!)

Let me start where I left off last time...I followed up with the hem/onc doctor at UK, and he was exceptional! We ended up getting stuck in traffic on I-75 for two hours, and the doctor still saw us without a problem. We were so thankful! It was 3 weeks in between the colposcopy, and the follow-up appointment. I spent most of my time at home taking it easy, and working on projects like knitting during those weeks. And when the hem/onc doctor did the exam, he was astonished to report that the vein appeared to be healing, and looked like a discolored area on my cervix! Talk about a answered prayer! I went from having a vein the size of a quarter, to healed cervix. Let me just pause to say that  

WE SERVE AN AWESOME GOD!

 

I went from having an unexplained medical abnormality that could possibly be cancer...to completely healed in 3 weeks!  The doc repeated the pap test, and all came back negative. No cancer, no pre-cancer...normal! NORMAL!

After we jumped that hurtle, we excitedly awaited our gender ultrasound. Jake went with me to the ultrasound, and I can't explain how incredibly cool it was to see this tiny baby moving around! We decided to not find out the gender until a few days later, so we had to close our eyes a few times, because we didn't want to ruin the surprise, but other than those few minutes Jake and I were both glued to the monitor! Everything with the baby looked perfect! We even got to see all 4 chambers of the heart in action! We were both so thankful that the baby was healthy, and that I wasn't bleeding anymore! 

It was right after the ultrasound that it really started to sink in that we were having a baby. Up until this point I had so many complications, that I think subconsciously I didn't want to get "too excited," in fear that something dreadful could happen. But, driving away from the office that day, I felt a huge weight lift, and a growing excitement take it's place!

A few days after the ultrasound, we had a gender reveal party with our families. It was a low key cookout, and we were thankful to be surrounded by so many people that love us! I even had some family travel all the way from Chester, WV for the big reveal. (Thanks again Uncle Mitch, and Aunt Amy!)

 

I have several more pictures also, but I need to get them from my Mom and Gram's camera. I ran around in an flurry of excitement, and didn't take any pictures! But, without further ado...here's the video of us cutting the cake to find out if the baby was a boy or girl!

  

I was so surprised! I thought for sure the baby was a girl, but God had another thing in mind. We had already decided on a boy's name, so we announced at the party that we would be naming him David Nolan Mosley. We will call him Nolan, but when it came to deciding a name, we came up with it just days after finding out we were pregnant!

Since the party, everything has been smooth sailing. I've had two routine checkups, and Nolan is measuring exactly where he should be. Yesterday, I had to take the dreaded glucose test. It wasn't as bad as I thought, the drink they give you tasted like flat orange soda. I was thankful that I passed, and didn't have to take the longer 3 hour test. The comical thing, is that after only a few sips, Nolan went crazy! He was flipping, and dancing all over the place. While we were listening to his heart beat with the doppler, he was kicking it with force! It definitely made me laugh. He's been so active lately, and I absolutely love it! It's such a neat feeling to feel him moving. At first it felt like butterflies, but now it's full on karate.

Despite not having any more problems with the vein, I'm still not allowed to go back to work. My doctor fears that putting the same pressure on the cervix that caused the initial bleeding, would make the bleeding start again, and could potentially send me into pre-term labor. Something we definitely don't want! But, the summer will pass by so quickly, and I'm thankful for the quiet time to prepare for one of the biggest life changes we'll face! Jake and I are so ready to snuggle him!

In the next few days, I'll post about our progress on the baby's room, and the fun preparations we've been making. I never thought I would get so excited about things like a stroller! haha.

My pregnancy so far...

Hello again!
I thought I would take a few minutes to write about my pregnancy thus far. As of today, I am 16 weeks, and 2 days pregnant. My waistline is starting to grow, and thanks to maternity pants (greatest invention ever!) getting dressed for the day is comfortable again.

We found out we were pregnant on the morning of New Years Eve. I had suspected I might be pregnant, and took a pregnancy test first thing that morning. It only took 30 seconds or so to turn positive, and the first thing that popped into my head was 1 Samuel 1:27, which is "For this child I prayed, and the Lord grated me my petition that I asked of him." We had been praying for a little one since our honeymoon, and this scripture always gave me comfort during the years, and months of waiting. In a matter of a few seconds it took to thank Heavenly Father, I screamed "JAKE" from the bathroom. Waking him up from a NyQuil induced sleep (he had been sick), and alarming him to the point where he thought someone had broken into the house. I ran into our bedroom, and told him the good news, practically knocking him over with my hug, and waving the pregnancy test around like a loon.

The weeks that followed were textbook 1st trimester. I experienced all the "normal" symptoms...exhaustion...nausea...vomiting...food aversion. You name it. I discovered very quickly, that I couldn't eat some of my favorite foods, including bananas, scrambled eggs, and shrimp. And I have a very nice list of all the random places I've puked. But I'll spare you the gory details.

Everything was progressing nicely, until the beginning of week 12. I was at work, and experienced an episode of bleeding that scared the living daylights out of me. Thankfully, I work at a hospital, so I went and found a good friend I was working with, and she walked with me to the ER. I wasn't having any abdominal pain, or cramping, so the PA was optimistic that I wasn't miscarrying.  I was still so scared, and we prayed that by some miracle the baby would be okay. When the ultrasound machine rolled into the room, Jake and I took a collective deep breath, knowing this would tell us how our baby was. The  minute it took the tech to find the baby, was probably one of the longest minutes of my life. But, when we saw that sweet little peanut moving his/her arms and legs around, I can't begin to express the relief that washed over me. We got a good report on all sides from the ER, and was discharged home, with instructions to follow up with my doctor the next day. Nobody could explain the bleeding, but knowing our baby was okay was all that mattered.  As the week progressed, I had two more intense, and unexplainable episodes of bleeding. Each time, I followed up at my doctor's office, where they would listen to the baby's heartbeat, ask me a few questions, then send me home to rest. It wasn't until the end of that week, after two visits to the office, that they finally decided to do a full exam, and make sure nothing was wrong with my cervix. And it was then that we discovered what was causing the bleeding...what appeared to be a varicose vein on my cervix. My doctor immediately scheduled me for a colposcopy, which is where they use a microscope to have a closer look at your cervix. (Usually, they do a biopsy, but because I'm pregnant they didn't biopsy anything.)

During the colposcopy, I was able to see exactly what the doctors saw, and it does indeed look like a weird purple vein. My doctor told me that in 20 years of practicing, he's never seen or heard of anything like this. We have almost entirely ruled out cervical cancer, or a pre-cancerous lesion, because this wasn't present in January for my first appt, and all my tests came back perfect. BUT- because nobody can give me any answers about what this is, or why it's suddenly present, I'm scheduled to follow up with a women's hematologist/oncologist next week at the University of Kentucky. I'm praying that this doctor will be able to give us an overview of what the next 6 months are going to entail, and answer a few of the hundreds of questions I have. 

Like any normal person, I googled "cervical varices," and came up with some interesting case study reports. Miraculously, the baby isn't affected by any this. He or she is progressing perfectly, and getting bigger daily. As for me, I'm home. I can't work, because the pressure of sitting at a desk for 12 hours, causes the dreaded bleeding. I've joked that it's like being on house arrest, because for the next 6 months, I'm taking it easy, and staying off my feet. The bleeding can happen at anytime, without any warning, and is always in the back of my mind. I'm slowly learning how to deal with this added stress, and lots of prayer has left me with an indescribable peace. Knowing my Heavenly Father is in control, gives me a feeling of stability, in a situation that I have zero control over. Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a "go and do" kind of person, but right now I have to focus on the tiny growing person inside me, and being as healthy as possible.

I want to thank all my dear family, and friends for all the love, support, and prayer they have given us over the last month! It's an incredible feeling to know that you are being lifted up in prayer. I thank God daily for this little blessing, and I'll do whatever it takes to bring this blessing into the world. I already feel fortunate that God has chosen Jake and I to be this sweet child's parents.

Hopefully, the next time I have a pregnancy update, I'll have some answers to important questions. In the meantime, I'll be sitting on the couch knitting, or hand sewing if you need me! :D

Love,
Kristen

We have a very special announcement!

We are beyond excited!

Breaking the silence....

Hello all.

I decided that I wanted to dust some of the cobwebs off this blog, and start actually using it to document our lives. I fear that in the blink of an eye, years will flash before us, and I'll forget all the fun little details of our lives.

We are currently in the middle of one of the coldest, and snowiest winters I've experienced since I was a kid. The average temps have been in the teens (or lower some weeks), with wind chill making the temperature feel even more frigid. I've heard a lot of people complain about snow, and road conditions, but honestly I'm thankful for it. Winter is supposed to be cold, and snowy. We will have less pests in our garden, and hopefully less ticks to deal with this summer. (I swear, those things could survive an atomic bomb!) I'm enjoying the cold, and I know it will make me even more appreciative of the deliciously warm spring, and the beautiful awaking of nature. Today in Walmart, I got a little more excited than I should looking at all the seed starting stuff.

Well, I'm going to end this post with a little tidbit I found on pinterest that I thought was awesome. God really does hear our prayers...we just have to be patient! :D

Good night!
Kristen

Rainbow sandals review...

Hello all. 

Many of you will remember my post about buying a pair of Rainbow sandals while on vacation in Myrtle Beach. 

Well, I thought it would be fun to post a little review about these amazing sandals now that I've had a month or so to break them in. 

First off, I waited over a year before I actually purchased a pair. Anyone who knows me, knows I have a weird internal calculator that keeps purchases in check. So paying $50 ish dollars for a pair of flip flops seemed unreasonable. But after a year of reading review after review about how incredible they were, I broke down and bought a pair. And honestly, I've never looked back!

Here are my sandals after about a month of wear. I also wore the sandals almost everyday during our trip to Gettysburg, Pa, where we did all sorts of walking through museums, and battlefields. Did I have blisters? Yes. Very small ones on my 2nd toe where the strap goes in. between your toes. But, the blisters weren't bad at all, and I continued to wear them everyday. Now, they have molded to my foot, and are super comfortable. Beyond anything I've ever worn before! They have superior arch support, which is something I've struggled with while wearing most sandals. 

I'm sold on these babies. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a quality sandal. They also look nice, and are made of very durable leather. They are definitely worth $50, seeing as they will last for multiple summers. :) (Or that's the common theme on the reviews.) I will update if I have any further comments or problems. But, I'm seriously not anticipating it! Haha. :)

Myrtle Beach 2013

My family made their annual trek to Myrtle Beach the last week in June. Thankfully, I was able to fly down for most of the week to spend some time with my family. Because Jake and I were going to Gettysburg the week after I returned, he was unable to go with me.

I flew out of Huntington, WV, and because Jake is terrified of the thought of flying I took tons of pictures to show him when I returned...

After I landed in Myrtle Beach, Mom and Gram Keller were there to greet me. Gram is the tiny dot wearing the green shirt. :D

As soon as I landed, my brother Josh and his wife Keshia, Mom and Brent, and I walked to one of our favorite restuarants at the beach - The Pier! It was a great way to kick off a relaxing week.  We also went putt-putt golfing, where everyone scored a hole in one, except for Brent who won the entire game. And Gram Keller actually had 2 hole in ones!

We also went on the Sky Wheel. Which is a huge farris wheel right on the boardwalk. You sit on benches in glass "bubbles", complete with air conditioning, and doors. I was impressed with how comfortable it was. And we were able to fit 6 people into our bubble.

 View from the top

Because Jake is scared of heights, I took this one for him. :P

During a little shopping spree, I finally decided to purchase a pair of Rainbow sandals. I read about Rainbows last summer and how comfortable, durable, and long lasting they are. So, I thought that it would be a good investment...

In retro-spec, I should have purchased them last year. They are really the best sandal I've ever owned. More than worth the initial investment.

All in all, it was a fabulous week with my family. I'm so thankful I was able to go, and make countless memories in one of our favorite places. In closing, I'll leave you with some pictures of the beach. Up next is Gettysburg!