Why Haiti stole my heart.

~God's 3 beautiful girls~

God has completely softened my heart for these children. I knew going into this trip that I would love them but I had no idea just how much I would love them like my own. Every child I held or played with felt like my heart was going to explode with love for them regardless of the filth, worms, sad faces, etc. It was truly God showing me His love for us. We were orphans & He rescued us. I am filthy but He loves me anyway. Every hug reminded me again & again God's love for us.

 The hardest part of the day was when we had to put them down & say our goodbyes. The hurt in their eyes broke my heart. The one promise I could hold on to was that they weren't left alone. Jesus had his hand on them & they are His children. God has a specific plan for each child & I believe with all my heart that these 3 young girls have big plans ahead for them. They have forever impacted my life.

The one thing I noticed while being in Haiti is the perspective of the country. Everyone sees it as a place of corruption but when we left yesterday I saw a place of beauty from ashes. I believe there is so much hope for Haiti & God is truly doing amazing things through the people, Mission of Hope, & the children in Haiti. 

"All Haitians are hungry. We don't focus on the hunger because God is our food." 

-Bobby (one of our Haitian translators)

I have no idea where to start on sharing stories with you but as the week goes on I will continue to post short stories throughout our trip. 

Thank you so much for all your prayers while I was gone. I felt each one of them as we went out everyday! I am so thankful to have had this experience with a great group! We all have came home with a mission in mind to help Haiti & see where God leads us to do so!

I will be back with some stories shortly! :) 

Here are some pictures from our trip! There will be more soon!

My 9 months of growing:

6 weeks.

I have shared ways that I have made lifestyle changes after having my first baby & now I want to share with you the journey to staying fit throughout my pregnancy. My goal is to stay "fit" throughout my pregnancy & have a healthy delivery. Who says just because your pregnant you can't be fit? My body is already starting to change faster the second time around & I'm ok with that as long as I am doing what I need to do to stay healthy :)

Don't get me wrong, I will definitely be embracing my belly bump & enjoying what my body craves within reason. I believe being pregnant is such a blessing & we should embrace every stage as a gift. The thought of a human being created so special inside of me is one of the biggest gifts God could ever give to me & I am oh so grateful!

I know many people have asked me what I am going to do now that I am pregnant, so I have decided to take you on the journey with me in hopes it will inspire you in some way! 

So, what am I going to do? Right now I am still doing pretty intense workouts. Most of the time you are able to continue as long as your body is use to the intensity. Over time I will have to gradually back off & slow it down. 

What am I eating & drinking? I have cut back on my caffeine & continued to eat semi normal. My nausea has caused my appetite to be all messed up. I am not hungry in the mornings AT ALL. Breakfast is usually my favorite meal so this is strange for me! I have been eating small snacks throughout the day to keep me from getting sick. In the first trimester it is recommended to only eat 100 extra calories a day. No "eating for 2" for this momma... at least no indulging- yet. 

I have some ideas on how I want to share my journey on a regular basis & ways to inspire other expecting momma's! I hope to share these ideas soon! 

Don't let circumstances end up being excuses! Do you what you can today with what you have! 

A new "why" : morning sickness

These are a life saver when you have morning sickness.

When I was pregnant with my son a sweet friend of mine gave me a big bag of Jolly Ranchers. Let's just say, these were life savers! Anytime I got the nauseous feeling I would pop one in my mouth & it seemed to take care of the problem. This time around I feel as if the nauseous wants to stick around all day long. It's a frustrating feeling but all so worth it in the end. 

Psalm 139:13

As all of you know, I am a runner. Running has become my sense of escape. Now, running has become my sense of normalcy. If I can win the battle of getting out of bed I know it's going to make for a great day. After a good run or a good workout I feel as if I can function. It is like a new medicine this time around... Yes, I will still be eating my jolly ranchers, however, I am happy to say my new why in running is to just feel good. I'm ok with it... 

My goal is to also run throughout the whole pregnancy. I might not be running 8 miles at 8 months pregnant but I sure can do 1 or 2. My prayer is to have a safe & healthy pregnancy. I am looking forward to this journey of a growing baby (& belly). January 12th can't get here soon enough! I am ready to see our lil peanut!

What is your "why" in 2012?

Change is on its way!

Our family is growing by two feet...

I knew a new year would bring some change but I guess I didn't realize what GREAT change would be actually occurring in our family... 

1. I get to experience Haiti in just a few short days. I can't wait to see what God has in store for this trip. My heart longs to wrap my arms around those babies at Mission of Hope Orphanage. God has laid it on my heart to go & I have no doubt he has big plans for my trip that only HE could do. Thank you to all who are praying, have supported, & being apart of my trip. You are blessing to me & the ones at Mission of Hope. Thank you for listening to the call! 

Matthew 28:19

2. I am tackling a new business adventure with Beachbody. I get to help others all over the United States make lifestyle changes. This year I will be working hard to do my part to fight obesity & put others first. 

3. I get to be with one of my best friends as she marries the guy of her dreams! I feel so blessed to be able to be apart of her big day & see her become Mrs. Butler. She will be a beautiful bride!

4. We get to experience a whole new organization with the New York Mets. This means new spring training, new people, new state, & a whole new adventure. Pretty anxious about our adventure to the complete other coast this year.

5. Jace turns 2! It's hard to believe how fast he has grown & how big his vocabulary has become this past year. His little personality is by far the best in my eyes. He loves trains, any type of "catch", has a new obsession with Mickey Mouse, says the cutest prayers, & could play outside for hours. He is a true boy with a loving heart. He is crazy about his cousins. He thinks school is so fun. I am looking forward to the new baseball season to bond with my son. He brings great joy to his momma & daddy! Look out potty training because you WILL happen in 2012!

6. Lastly, 2012 means adding an addition to our family! We are more than thrilled to say that Jace is going to be a big brother. I am going to embrace every stage (except the nausea!)... I can't wait to buy some cute maternity clothes and rock them with my BIG belly, the ultra sounds, kicking, sleeping every single night on my side, singing with Jace to the baby, shopping at Babies R Us, & everything else that goes with having a baby. The thought of our little family growing by two more feet warms my heart. Excited for the journey: the hard, the exciting, the unknown, & all! 

There will also be lots of birthdays to celebrate, airplane rides with a 2-year-old, baseball games to watch, visiting old & new friends, & many things that God will show us only in his timing. I am beyond excited for a new year!

 May God's hand be in every detail of 2012!