We had a "formal" night for our Young Women tonight at church to recognize their accomplishments this year relating to faith, divine nature, individual worth, knowledge, choice and accountability, good works, and integrity. That is the reason for the formal attire in the photo. I think I was lucky this one still fit. :) Thank heaven for the empire waist. This bridesmaid dress has gotten some good use. Thanks Kathryn for picking such a good one.
I have entered the "growing" stage of pregnancy. I usually gain between 30 and 40 lbs. during pregnancy. About 30 of that, I gain in the middle three months. Usually I am so sick in the first 3-4 months that I gain nothing and for the first 3 kids I lost weight. Then the sickness ebbs away and I start growing.
I have only put on about 5-8 lbs. so far this pregnancy, though it looks like lots more. But I know the numbers on the scale will be leaping up each time I step on now. I am 19 weeks. I feel good. No more sickness. None of the uncomfortable feelings that come later on yet. This is the good part of pregnancy.
I have started to feel the little kicks and movements of the whosit inside. That is always fun. We still don' t know the sex of the baby. We do want to know. I will let you know when I know.
I watched an episode of Birth Day and a show called Amazing Birth Stories the other day on the Discovery Channel. It got me excited for the birth of this baby. I still have a long wait till then, but I am really looking forward to the birth. I think births are some of the most spiritual and can be some of the most wonderful occasions.
I have so much hope for the child growing within me. I am anxious to explore the reality of this new life with this precious soul. Grow baby, Grow!
25 comments:
What a beautiful dress. You look very lovely in it. Have you heard anything about the church adding another value "virtue" to the values? I heard from a friend of a friend sort of thing whose dad is a Bishop who told her :} I suppose we will wait to see if it's true huh?
Virtue has been added to the Young Women theme. Our ward introduced it last week and said the revised theme with virtue added for the first time. It was beautiful. Here is the "official" information from the church's website:
http://www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,6821-1,00.html
You are looking great and I'm glad you are feeling good. :-)
Wow, you sure have a beautiful "glow" going on! This baby is going to be such a welcomed addition to your family. Oh, how the girls will enjoy this little babe!
I have to say I think it is amazing that you have this type of program in place for your young women. Simply amazing. I can't think of anything that would be more encouraging to young women than to celebrate these core values. I was wondering, how old are the young ladies in this group?
What you just described is something I definitely missed growing up. No accountability, no emphasis on virtue, just rules. I hope and pray I am able to "guide" and encourage my girls in such a virtuous way so they have solid rocks to stand upon as women.
Thanks for sharing! Keep doing whatever your doing because you look so healthy!
You look great, Stephanie! I'm excited for you. You are still so nice and thin with a cute little basketball belly. I wish I could be like that. As of my doctor's appointment yesterday, I have now broken the 200lb mark. :( I got up to 198 with Nathan and Ben. And, I still have three weeks left to go! This baby seems awfully big. I'm not sure if I want the difference in weight gain to be due to the baby being bigger or me being fatter. :) Both are pretty bad options--with more hard work on my end. Oh well. I guess it's worth it. I can't wait to hear what you are having. I guess you will know pretty soon here, huh? Too bad we don't live closer--Cam could take you over to the vet clinic and give you a sneak peek at the little one with the horse ultrasound. :)
Yay!! I'm so excited there's going to be another beautiful Waite baby!
in response to the first comment virtue has been added to the values. This is posted on the church web site.
You look so pretty and happy!
You look lovely! You have the pregnant glow. I hope things continue to go well, and that the uncomfortable stage is a *long* way off.
You look so beautiful. :o)
Julie,
The girls are ages 12-18. We have a program call "Personal Progress." It emphasizes those values. It is somewhat like a scouting program in that it has required and optional experiences that the girls do. Most of these are things like... Read the following scriptures on faith and then write in your journal what you have learned. Or For two weeks notice the kind acts of others and record them, then write about your feelings about good works. Or establish a habit of regular prayer and scripture study then write in your journal what you have learned. Or read these scriptures and teach a lesson on them to your family, your class, a leader, or a friend.
They do 6 of these type of "experiences" in each of those 7 (well now it is 8 with virtue added this year) values then they complete a 10 hour project in each value. One of our girls likes to draw comics. So for her Choice and Accountability project she is creating a series of comics illustrating people making choices and the outcomes of those choices -- good or bad. She had 3 of them done last night and they looked so great. Another learned to sew and made a quilt for her knowledge project. Another has been giving free babysitting for over 80 hours for a good works project. When I was in the program I became a candy striper at a hospital for my good works project. I did it weekly for 2 years and loved it.
At the end they get a necklace with a beautiful pendant on it and we have a big celebration for them. It is the equivalent of getting your Eagle Scout. I love the program because it really gets the girls into the scriptures on their own. I really believe that is the only way teenagers can really develop their own testimonies of God and His love for them. They need to do the work on their own to develop a relationship with Him. Usually parents have done this for them all their growing up years. But those teen years are the years they really need to KNOW for themselves to survive the peer pressure in which they are immersed.
It is a great program. If you ever want to get more info on it and maybe adapt it to your own use you can find all the materials we use at www.lds.org. just search personal progress program. You can even order the workbooks from there. They ship free and are little if any money.
Love,
Stephanie
gorgeous. When is your due date?
You look lovely!
Hi Stephanie:
One word popped into my mind when looking at your pic: ELEGANT!
I hope you had a nice evening.
love 'n hugs,
kathryn_m
I found giving birth to my baby girl was one of the most spiritual times I had after my sweet baby James died. I truly felt like she was being placed in my arms straight from his. I felt the veil so thin and I just knew he was there guiding a safe arrival of his baby sister. There are a few times in life when the veil is so thin, when one dies and when one is born. Revel in that opportunity. Your baby will be there. No doubt about it.
You are glowing! Beautiful photo!
Beautiful belly! I know I don't know you, but you give me hope. I pray for you and your family.
If I weren't a true friend I would just hate you right now for looking so beautiful at 19 weeks pregnant :)
I like watching those baby shows when I am pregnant too, but often they give me anxiety about the delivery!
I am excited for you! I am anxious to meet this little one. What a blessed and loved baby he/she will be! (when will you know the gender???)
I've had friends relate to me how the birth of their children is such a spiritual experience. Perhaps I'm not focused enough to have those experiences. My birth stories get the description of intense...and it ends there! Afterward is another story, but once the labor begins....yeah....not so much! (My third was born in the car...just to give you an idea.)
Gwen
P.S. We haven't found out the gender of any of our kids...it's always so fun...but I don't know any other way, so I have nothing to compare it to.
I am dying to know the sex...I don't know why (as if it means anything) my guess is a baby girl =) Growing up, I LOOOOOOVED Young Women's....and while reading the values...I remembered reciting the young women's theme every Sunday =) I am no longer an active member (much to my families dismay) BUT I have nothing but fond memories growing up.....Your blog really makes me re-consider how I feel about the church.
You look truly beautiful Stephanie.
Love,
Jane
Beautiful! That's awesome that you still fit that dress. I can't wait to hear the gender of your "whosit". :) (And I can't wait to start feeling the kicks of my own--I LOVE that).
I just got Lesli's Christmas card in the mail, and she mentioned that your daughter Camille had passed away. Stephanie, I'm so very sorry, and I just wanted to express my heartfelt condolences to you and your family. I remembered that Lesli had a blog (I've been so bad about keeping in touch), and luckily she has a link on hers to yours. I've spent the evening reading your posts and just weeping. Your little Camille is such a beautiful sweetheart. (All your girls are so cute...)
Stephanie, I'm so impressed by you, your testimony and the light you radiate. Even in your excruciatingly painful grief, you shine such a brilliant light to the world. I'm amazed by your strength, insight, wisdom, and spirituality.
I'm so very sorry. Your family is in my prayers.
All my love, Kate Thorpe
You look great! Glad you still had the dress and didn't have to go out and buy one.
You still look incredible in that dress...you should pat yourself on the back that you are still wearing it 11 years later and 19 weeks pregnant with your 5th baby! That's just amazing!!!! Love you!
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