Back in Good Ole' Georgia

Well I have been home almost three weeks now and its defiantly nice to be back in the states.

I have enjoyed eating wonderful American food, catching up with friends and family, attending my college classes back on campus, and my OB here. I am looking forward to spending the holidays at home and getting settled into our new location: Ft. Campbell, Kentucky before Miss. Paisley makes her way into the world.

Since I have been home I got to witness mine and my husband’s dear friends give birth to their handsome baby boy, Peyton, this week. WOW...what an experience to say the least. I have to say being at the hospital, holding him minutes after he was born, watching them going through the first few days of parenting, settling back into their home, and recovering from the delivery has been an EYE OPENER for me. I cannot believe we are going to be experiencing those things in just 3 short months.

My friend has been such a champ and after a hard delivery she is recovering bravely! I have enjoyed spending so much time with them these past few days and watching what we will soon be experiencing. The whole process has been a wonderful learning opportunity for me and makes me excited, yet very nervous at the same time. I am so excited for them and proud of how well they are adapting to this new lifestyle of parenting.

I am officially 6 months (24 weeks) pregnant this week and feel great! I am working out with a personal trainer, going to school full-time, and enjoying time with family before we are off again. So far I have had zero complications in my pregnancy and I am praying hard that things continue to stay that way.

I couldn’t be more thankful that God has protected Paisley and I through this pregnancy so far and I am in awe of his wonderful grace. I honestly never in a million years thought I would have such an easy pregnancy (due to my previous health conditions), let alone get pregnant so easily. The whole experience has really really moved me and has allowed me to realize (even more) how powerful, wonderful and faithful God truly is. He has not only healed me from thyroid cancer and cervical cancer, but also blessed me with a child and allowed me to have an easier pregnancy than I could of ever wished for. He amazes me every day of my life and I continue to thank Him daily for these amazing blessings.

Now that I am settled in and the shock of being home has faded away I am beginning to miss my husband a lot. Spending the last seven months together in a foreign country with no family has truly brought us closer than we have ever been before. He truly is my best friend and he makes me smile in ways that no one else can. I cannot wait to have him home so he can also enjoy time with family and friends and continue to enjoy this pregnancy with me.

I cannot believe that October is almost over, Halloween is next week, and that Thanksgiving is just around the corner. WOW-where did the time go? This year has flown by and my husband and I have been through so many amazing changes. I am ready to enjoy these last two months of 2011 and welcome in 2012 with our precious baby girl-Paisley!

Let baby showers, turkey eating, family visiting, marshmallow roasting, hot chocolate drinking, moving, nursery designing, Christmas trees, and holiday shopping begin! =)

20 Weeks Down, 20 Weeks To Go!

Well I officially made it to the "half way point" in pregnancy. Last week Colt and I celebrated 20 weeks of pregnancy with weight gain, ultrasound pictures, and experiencing the "first kick" that he actually had the privilege of feeling! This made me so excited because I have been praying hard that he would get to feel Paisley kick before I moved back to the states. We are so thankful to have made it this far and I cannot believe I only have 5 months to go!

I feel like yesterday I found out I was pregnant and couldn’t wait until I started showing and knew what we were having. Now, I am starting to look like a pumpkin, her name is Paisley, her room colors are pink & green, my In-Laws are buying the crib, Mom is buying the $300 super safe and adjustable car seat, Dad/Jean are buying a 6 month supply of diapers, we already have more clothes than you can imagine, and the baby showers are only 2 months away-WHEW!!! And all of that is ONLY the beginning...time sure does FLY!!

In the past few weeks Paisley has truly started to amaze me. She is becoming more active, moving more, kicking some, and almost weighs 1 pound! As far as my body goes I am showing full fledge signs of pregnancy! My stomach is getting bigger every day, I have pee'd my pants more times than I can count, I walk slower, I finally got my appetite back, I can’t get comfortable to go to sleep at night, and so many more INAPPROPRIATE things that I can’t even begin to mention on here. Man-oh-man the joy of pregnancy! ;)

I must say though it truly is a J.O.Y to be the nurturing home of a tiny little child growing safely inside of me. I am more amazed everyday at what the body can do and endure. I have to say that I think making it through pregnancy and delivering a child will probably be one of my greatest accomplishments throughout my life. Why? Well because any mom or mom-to-be can tell you that it's tough work! As hard as it is I defiantly have to say that this experience is TOTALLY WORTH it and I couldn’t be more thankful to have the opportunity to be a mom, carry, and birth a precious child!

Here are some 20 week ultrasound pictures...Enjoy!

Ultrasound #1

Ultrasound #2

Ultraound #3

5 Month Belly Picture

It's Fall Yall!

Well fall is defiantly in the air here in Korea and it makes me even more excited about going home in 29 days!

Korea's fall is very short lived and it pretty much goes straight from summer to winter here. Knowing I will be back in Buford, Georgia in just a few short weeks brings joy to my heart for so many reasons. Fall is my FAVORITE time of year and I am so glad that I will get to enjoy it just a little bit longer once I get home. I love fall for so many reasons: cool breezes, colors of the leaves, Starbuck's, enjoying Holiday festivities with friends and family, boots and coats, snuggling on the couch, pumpkin patches, hay rides, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and now to add to the list FOOTBALL. Yes, I said it. Those who know me well know that I love to go to football games, tail gate, gather with friends, but I truly DONT KNOW the game of football...until now!

My husband and I go on breakfast dates every Saturday morning at the golf course. We love doing this and now our breakfast date has turned into breakfast and watching football dates! Considering the time difference here in Korea is 13 hours, when everyone is watching football at home at night we are watching it in the mornings! Colt has been coaching me at the breakfast tables by laying out sugar packets and explaining the whole game to me in detail. I am really starting to catch on and LOVE that I am beginning to truly understand the game. So this fall I am excited about football for more than just tailgating and hanging out with friends, but actually knowing what the heck I'm watching. Colt strongly desires for me to be his awesome sidekick wife that is shouting at the TV with him while drinking beers-HA! I don’t know if I will ever get that far Honey, but I am trying. ;)

Paisley is growing fast! I can feel a ton of differences in my stomach. Stretching, movements, heaviness, etc. that I have never felt before. My stomach is popping more and more everyday and I'm still waiting to feel that first real kick. Considering I am flying back to the states October 6th I truly desire for Colt to feel her kick before I leave. We will be a part for 2-3 months and he won’t see me again until I am 8 or 9 months pregnant and about to pop! We have a few more doctors’ appointments and ultrasounds together before I leave so we are trying to soak up every moment. Here is the most recent baby bump picture. I am 18 weeks pregnant here:

Here is Paisley at her last ultrasound. She is 16 weeks here and I am amazed at how clearly you can see everything. Her nose, mouth, ribs, heart, etc.:

My Prayer for You...

IT'S A GIRL!!!!

Paisley Maddox Ours

16 Week Ultrasound

4 Months Belly

I can't explain the excitement I felt when I heard the ultrasound tech say "Well I defiantly think you are having a little girl." I threw my arms up in the arm and screamed "yay!" with a huge smile on my face.

Moments before my husband looked at me before we walked into the doctor’s office and said, "Are you ready?" with a big smile on his face and grabbed my hand. We walked into the doctor’s office together anticipating the news we were soon to find out in the next few minutes. The whole experience was so exciting.

What mom wouldn’t be excited? A little girl to dress up, shop for, get your nails done with, prom dress shop one day, wedding dress shop for one day, and all the other fun things that come with having a girl. Soon after the TRUE reality set in: I now had the responsibility of raising a precious girl as a bride of Christ. I guess every parent has their own opinion on which is harder: raising a boy to love the Lord or raising a girl to Love the lord? I guess I would have to say that both would probably be difficult, but teaching a little girl to treasure herself and respect herself I believe will be a challenge.

I want Paisley to know that God loves her so very much and that he made her perfectly. I want her to know that he treasures her and desires for her to have a full life of abundance and grace. I also want her to know that God wants her to one day to find someone special who looks at her the exact same way and who will treasure her in every way.

It's scary because Colt & I are not stupid and have made plenty of our own mistakes throughout life and have seen some things that we defiantly wished we wouldn’t have. We aren't ignorant of all the temptations out there and the way teenagers and kids experiment and get into things. I think more than anything is that we are aware that she will make mistakes and have to learn some lessons on her own and that we will be there to guide and teach her according to God's will along the way. You don’t want to be too strict yet you don’t want to be to lenient. So many decisions and so many things to figure out...

This is why I have been praying for her since before I ever knew I was pregnant. I have been praying for our future children since Colt and I got engaged. My daily prayer is that God will protect her physically, mentally, and emotionally all the days of her life. I pray she will come to know God at an early age and that He will guide her everyday of her life. I pray that when she does stagger, fall, and fail that God will pick her up and she will find her way back to the righteous path He has for her. Finally, I pray that God guides Colt and I on making decisions, teaching our children, and being the best parents we possibly can be. Because not only will she fail but we will fail to...

I know that God is faithful and in the times that Colt and I have no control over a situation or when her life is no longer in our hands that God will guide her and will be in control. We trust in Him.

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me,O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!" -Psalm 139:13-18

The Last 16 Weeks!

I cannot believe how fast the last 4 months have flown by. In just the last few weeks I have popped out like a balloon, felt those little flutters of the baby moving, received our first pair of baby clothes and accessories, and in just 3 short days we will find out the sex of our baby!

This month is the first time in my pregnancy I TRULY feel pregnant. I’m sure all moms or moms-to-be know what I am talking about. You know you are pregnant...you see the ultrasounds, read all the books, feel awful, talk about the baby, dream about the baby, and know that there will one day be a baby! BUT it wasn’t until this month that it all finally feels like a reality to me and not just something I talk about. Actually being able to see my stomach grow and feel my baby inside of me (even though the movements are so tiny and faint) is indescribable and surreal. Then to top it all off to know that in just a few short days I will FINALLY be calling my child by name is so exciting!

I was talking to my husband the other night in total panic mode saying, "This is real. I am having a baby. There really is a baby inside of me. I don't even know this person, but I know that I already love this child more than anything in this world." My husband just calmly says (like he always does just so calm without a care in the world) "Well yes honey, our child is defiantly inside of you and we are having a baby." Ha! Men they just crack me up. I think more than anything I just finally had one of those days where everything truly sank in and hit me like a ton of bricks. My pregnancy finally feels real and I am LOVING every second of it.

6 weeks

6 weeks 4 days

8 weeks 5 days

13 weeks

13 weeks 4 days

Baby On Board

I have been behind on updating my blog and haven't even had the time to blog about our newest addition and most wonderful blessing....a baby! Yes, we are 13 weeks pregnant with a precious child. I cannot even begin to explain the joy in my heart as well astonishment of the whole situation. I say astonishment for many reasons.

First, I never ever thought I could get pregnant so easily or quickly considering all of the health issues I have faced over the past five years. Thyroid cancer in 2007, abnormal cells followed by biopsy in 2008, and then more abnormal cells followed by actual surgery on my cervix only a short year ago in July 2011. I must say God truly had is hand in this and has amazed me as usual. Second, due to my health Colt and I decided we would leave things in Gods hands and just enjoy our time together. We never imagined just a short month after I arrived in Korea we would find out I was pregnant! Third, because we are going to be PARENTS! What is not astonishing and scary about that?Your first baby, first miracle, first life that you made, first biggest responsibility you will ever have, first everything!

Never the less God amazed us both and we quickly became parents a lot sooner than we could of ever imagined. JOY is all I feel when I think about our baby. BLESSED is all I say when people ask about our child and when I pray over our baby daily. Some couples try for years to have kids and go through tons of heart ache, doctors bills, and operations to try and have kids everyday. Because God granted us this blessing I remind myself everyday that I want to honor Him and raise this child to the best of my ability and with my eyes set on Him as I do it. Sure I will fail, sure I will struggle, sure some days I wont know the answers but I trust in Him. I cannot wait to experience the biggest yet most rewarding challenge I have ever faced.

Busy Busy Bee

Life has been super busy over here in the ROK. We have been spending our weekends traveling, hanging out with friends, cooking out, and just plain ole’ relaxing!

Last weekend Colt completed the Manchu Mile. This is an annual march that all guys in Manchu 2-9 participate in. The guys started Thursday afternoon between 4pm-5pm and marched until 5am Friday morning. The march is a total of 25 miles. Colts Company (Baker Company) was the only company to complete the march with NO GUYS falling out. I was very proud of my husband and his company.

Now that we are coming up on our six month mark of being in Korea we received a list of all the available duty stations we could go to next. We had to make a decision over the weekend of which duty station we wanted to try and get on the list. We couldn't decide between Ft. Campbell, KY and Ft. Stewart, GA so we emailed the guy back and told him we would go with either or. Both are very close to home and both have equal pros and cons. So, in the next couple of months we should know where we will be stationed next! I'm very nervous/excited to find out.

I can’t believe July 3rd we will only have six months left in Korea! Time is flying by and I am so thankful for the changes God has been doing in my life. Throughout my time in Korea God has been revealing to me things about my life, past, and future. I have done tons of self-observation and God is slowly starting to refine me even more than He already has. God also answered our prayers by finally allowing us to find a church home here in Korea that we truly love. I couldn’t be more thankful.

I am truly amazed at the way God works. He puts the puzzle pieces of life together in perfectly. In only 3 short months He has put wonderful people in our lives and allowed us to cross paths with other believers. Also, God has opened up amazing opportunities and learning experiences for me here in Korea.

Two of these opportunists include jobs! About a month after I arrived in Korea I found a wonderful full-time nanny job for a dual military couple. I watch their son, Jackson, Monday-Friday from 5:30am-5:30pm. I am so thankful for the job and love the family I nanny for. I was so thankful for this job and didn’t realize that God was going to bless me yet again. A couple of weeks ago I got my hair done by an amazing hair dresser here in Korea. She has an adorable salon, wonderful personality, tons of experience and we just clicked! She was so impressed by my previous salon experience and apprenticeship that she offered me a job as her Salon Coordinator. So now I not only nanny Mon-Friday but I also work Tuesday and Thursdays and Grey's Hair Studio.

I cannot explain how amazing it feels to be back in the salon. I LOVE planning, scheduling, organizing, interacting with the clients, being creative, brow waxing, and having my arms elbow deep in color. I have missed the atmosphere, fun, and people so much! Not only did God bless me with this second job, but the opportunity to meet wonderful people at the salon.

An example of how God fits the pieces together perfectly: When I first meet Grey I went to her Salon to get my hair done. Not only did she offer me a job, but her husband is the chaplain at Camp Hoovey. Through her and her husband we found our new church home here in Korea and I joined the bible study she leads on Wednesdays! So man doors opened up that day when I sat in her chair and I couldn’t be more thankful.

Overall, life is great here in Korea! I am excited about the next six months, but I am defiantly excited about getting back to the states as well!