14 Weeks: Eye Can't See You

*The first portion of this post is about pregnancy. If you're not in a good place, please feel free to pass. Take care of you!*

So, here's a weird pregnancy thing: my eyesight is getting worse. It is getting increasingly more difficult to read the computer screen and my vision is blurry at distances that used to be fine. I am pretty nearsighted and have been wearing glasses and contacts for almost 20 years, so poor eyesight is nothing new, but this is terribly annoying! I think it's time to retire my contacts until after childbirth when, hopefully, my vision will return to normal. Ugh!

Another not so fun thing I'm experiencing: headaches. I remember this one from my pregnancy with Little K. I have become especially sensitive to light and heat, to the point where spending more than a few minutes in direct sunlight or heat over 85* leaves me with a terrible headache. I can't wait for this heat to leave!

Other headache triggers are sugar and significant changes in barometric pressure (although the weather thing isn't new, thanks FL!). So goodbye to any Halloween candy! *grump* It doesn't help that a third of the recipes I've been pinning are for desserts or candy creations. I just want them all!!

One last thing: I am managing to hold steady at only 5 pounds gained total. I am beyond pleased about this! I think that the first week of heavily tracking my intake and exercise really helped realign my perspective. I have been making it a point to eat breakfast and lunch everyday, something I was sometimes combining into a single meal. I've been planning out weekly menus and making sure either fresh or frozen fruit/veggies are included in every meal. We have been walking a minimum of 5 days per week. All in all, I feel like I've found my groove with eating for this pregnancy and am feeling pretty confident that I will be able to stay within the 20 pounds total gain that the midwives have set. 

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In other news: BSF starts next week! I am super excited to see these women again and dig back into God's word in a significant way. Our study this year is the first book of the New Testament: Matthew. Woo! I especially look forward to it since we studied the first book of the Old Testament last year. Yay for symmetry!

I really want to encourage those of you who are Christians or are interested in an in-depth study of the Bible to see if there is a BSF class near you. It has been the most rewarding Bible study experience I've ever had, full stop.

Wednesday night classes are starting at church next week, too. Little K is doing Awana for the first time. I've heard great things about the program and am so glad that a group has started at our church. We have agreed that, as long as she does Awana, she doesn't have to do BSF. I'm hoping this works out cause she wasn't enjoying BSF the way I was...

I am alternating weeks between the Women's Ministry and rehearsal for Sunday worship team rotation. The women are doing a Beth Moore study this year, although I don't remember which one. I haven't done one of her studies before and am kind of cautious. I am more of a 'study the Bible' person that a 'complete a study book' person. But I am really looking forward to connecting with the women of this church and making new friends.

R is excited to hook back up with the Men's Ministry. They are studying 33: The Series this year, which has ME excited. Yay for men stepping up and leading/living like Jesus!

Second grade is going well for Little K, which is another huge blessing for us. She is making new friends, continuing to do well with math, and really excelling in reading. She has nightly homework of reading one book a day and is picking some lengthy ones. Last weekend she read me The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV. Lots of words, lots of paragraphs, lots of inflection, and lots of pages. It took a while but she did the whole thing. So impressed with her stamina and hard work!

Speaking of too much TV, we are limiting screen time around our house. Little K is allowed one show as she is waking up in the mornings, one show after school, and then the TV goes off until after dinner. She can choose another show after dinner or 30 minutes of video games but she often plays outside during that time if the weather is nice. She and I also watch 30 minutes of a movie together in her bed each night. Last week was Hello Dolly and this week has been The Music Man. Trying to decide on which musical to do next. I was considering Guys and Dolls or Victor/Victoria but I think the themes in each are too adult for her. Maybe My Fair Lady...

We've definitely noticed a change in her attitude since limiting TV. Plus she has been getting back into some of her other pleasures, like painting and creative play with her stuffed animals. She and R have built a few things together in the garage, too, which is just the sweetest thing ever.

One last thing: Little K has made a new friend in Sunday School who's father is currently in the hospital for the third time. We took the family a homemade dinner last night. They haven't shared what the father is battling but please keep this family in your prayers.

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Whew, that ended up being quite a post! I think I have an appointment with the midwives next Thursday, so I'm sure there will be lots to say!