I think we have about 8 inches total from the past 2 days!!

These next few pics are of our appartment and are for Aunt Debbie in particular. We love you!
This is just as you come in the door. It was a wedding gift from some friends of ours. As you can see in the background of the living room, we are still waiting on some pictures for our empty frames. . . oh well. Maybe they’ll end up being baby pictures! Who would’ve imagined that when we were putting them up?
This is the guest bedroom. It’s a really small room and is basically all bed. This whole ensemble – bed frame, mattress, box springs, comfortor set – were all gifts from various people. It’s really nice for our guests anyways, and we are very thankful!

Our kitchen! I like the primitive country style . . . David found the wall decor at the fair this past summer/fall. The beautiful corner hutch was practically free from Uncle Todd and Aunt Jane. We’d been looking for awhile for one, but they were sooo expensive. We love it!
As I look around, I can’t believe how blessed we are! We owe it all to the Lord and the wonderul people He has placed in our lives!! Thank you all ~

Well, we drove into Charleston today for our appointment. Sorry, no ultrasound pics this time! David was pretty bummed. He was just sure he would know if he was going to “be a daddy or a mommy” in his exact words (have a boy or girl – he’s so funny) by now. Nothing too exciting. I had lost a pound, and we got to hear the heartbeat of course. It’s always good to know the baby is still alive because I don’t really ever feel pregnant – just sick. I did feel the baby for the first time on Valentine’s Day though!! That was really neat and I was so thrilled that I called David at work and of course we called our families that night. There really are no words to explain it, and I’m not sure how something so little that happens for just a minute can make you view the world in a different light! It did make everything seem worth it. . . I guess it just made it real to me.

We talked to the doc about the kidney stone problem and he said we should just drink lots of water and take pain meds if necessary, but that he didn’t recommend doing anything during the pregnancy. We have also had a MAJOR problem with “moving of the bowels” in this mommy. He said that has probably added to my vomitting – which has let up to about once a day now, thankfully. We changed some prescriptions and hopefully we’ll be good to go!

David and I scheduled an appointment for another free ultrasound here in Beckley, so let us know if you want us to post what we “see” on here, or wait until we get the pics from the ultrasound in Charleston in 4 weeks and then let you all find out for yourself??

PS: Thanks Dad and Mom for lunch and for the great visit! We love you lots and lots ~
PSS: We miss you Mama T (in Texas) and Daddy D!! Hope we can see you sooner than later. We love you lots and lots too ~

I just talked to my parents for a second and they said that my sweet brother, Heath, thought I was really that big already. That’s a pillow. I’m not really showing at all unless you look real hard and it’s tight fitting clothing. I’ll post a pic someday soon when I’m not getting ready to fall asleep. Just wanted to clear that up so no one was shocked next time they see me!

(This is Papa Randy playing David’s new drum set – David wanted to make sure that got in here)

Well yesterday, February 5, we had scheduled an appointment at Mountain State University Ultrasound Dept. where we heard they give free ultrasounds so the students can practice in front of their instructor. This was the first time David was able to see the baby “live” since he wasn’t able to go with me last time. It was so cute because he was obviously excited. When we first went in, the student said she wouldn’t be able to tell us her opinion of what the gender was, but the instructor could when she came in later. Well, sure enough, as soon as the baby appeared on the screen almost the first words out of David’s mouth were, “so do you think it’s a boy or a girl?” He was up and moving around her screen and asking a bazillion questions like “boy or girl? is it sucking it’s thumb? is that it’s front or back?” etc. I was just laughing to myself at how much fun David is. I’m sure the lady was loving us breathing down her neck since she was a student and nervous as it was.

Anyways, the baby had the hiccups at first so it was bouncing around and that was really cute. Then it was moving all over but stayed in a curled position so we couldn’t see whether it was a boy or girl for sure. Ironic.

I also asked them to scan my right kidney where I had the pain last Thursday night, and sure enough she saw atleast 2 kidney stones. We don’t know if there are any in the left yet. So I don’t know what that means except potential pain. Hopefully they stay there or miraculously dissolve! We’ll have to ask the doctor about that.

I’m sure you are wanting to see pictures of the growing belly. . . so here is the little bump

Well, these last 24 hours have been pretty much the best hours of the last 15 weeks!! Praise the Lord! I feel like I have my life back and I’m praying with all of my heart that it lasts!

If you can imagine with me, I was nearly in despair – physically, emotionally, even spiritually – waking up each day for what seemed like eternity (which was only 15 weeks) and feeling so sick, vomiting almost immediately after I ate 4-7 times a day, feeling nauseas when I wasn’t vomiting, being so weak, tired, and (you can ask David) not so lovable (which I am not proud of). I have lost weight, muscle, strength . . . it just wears me out just to take a shower anymore. My days consist of lying in bed and making runs for the bathroom. When we do have classes or anything else, it’s just really hard to go and sit. I have a new compassion for those who are terminally ill and have to live that way for the rest of their lives! My health is one thing I realized I take for granted, and thinking of chronically ill people just breaks my heart now. I have a lot more understanding and respect for them.

David has been a charm and truly passed the test of love through it all. He’s been patient, kind, loving, helping around the house, and bringing me food in bed the whole time (the reason for that being not only because I was so weak, but also because the smell of this apartment somehow makes me vomit almost instantaneously when I walk out of this bedroom. I’m not sure how we got our bedroom to smell like nothing, but Praise the Lord! That may seem funny to some, but it hasn’t been for him!) He’s such a sweetheart though and never complains, only says “Babe, I just wish you’d ask me to do more for you to make this better.” ONE IN A BAZILLION! I can’t believe he loves me! Praise the Lord!

Well yesterday morning I woke up at 4:30 and my kidney stones were back. All that pain and vomiting for the next 3 hours. I really was ready to meet Jesus!! I was crying out to the Father, I just couldn’t understand “why me?!! why is all of this happening to me?!” I failed to praise Him in this trial. I failed to remember the verses He gave me earlier this week from 2 Corinthians 1:

• vv 3-5 “Blessed be the G and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the Father of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our affliciton , so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by the Father  For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”
• vv 8b-10 “For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselve but on the Father who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliever us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliever us again.”

Those verses came at a time when I needed the comfort of the Lord. I was home alone, and sick of course, and just reached my point of exhaustion. I cried out to the Father and after reading these verses I realized, He is the the Father of all comfort! He never gives us more than we can bear! There is a reason for this trial! He has never failed me before and He won’t fail me now! So, on Him “we set our hope that he will deliver us again.” And He has! Those verses go on to say:
2 Cor. 1:11 “You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.” I am so thankful for the prayers of so many!! I have received phone calls, emails, letters, care packages and they all really did brighten my days! The body of Christ is a precious thing! The result of those prayers, is the Father’s answer in His perfect time of these past 24 wonderful hours! I attribrute it first and foremost to Him and the things that He allowed:

• A new prescription on Friday for nausea and vomiting. I haven’t felt better! Praise the Lord I kept down my meals since lunch yesterday!! This is a new phenomena and I don’t think my stomach knows what to do! haha.
• My parents came to visit and their company is always a blessing and encouragement for both David and I. They also surprised me with air purifiers! Who would have thought of this ingenius idea! When I came home from clinicals today I didn’t even gag upon entering our apartment! I couldn’t believe it. I even stayed downstairs and worked at the desk – something that has not happened in a loooong time.

So, this extremely long post is to praise the Lord for His faithfullness, even when I was faithless, and to thank you all for your consistent encouragement and prayers. We’ll keep you updated!

Mrs. Miles is still battling morning sickness. She has had a bad day so far, throwing up multiple times. Please continue to remember her in your prayers and pray to the end that her sickness will soon be over. She likes to eat lettuce and cheese sandwiches – they seem to sit well on her stomach.

This morning I read her some various Psalms…

We are getting alot of snow today which is providing some entertainment for my bed-ridden wife.

Well the ultrasound was amazing!! We got to watch the baby swimming around for 5-10 minutes. The ultrasound technician called him a little wiggleworm (I call the baby a “him” because we think we see a little turtle — but she wouldn’t say yet). He was bouncing everywhere, definitely an active baby! It’s hard to believe that he’s only the size of a peach!

They confirmed that I was 13 weeks and 4 days along, making my due date July 26, 2008! Almost a year to the date of our wedding anniversary ~

Well, we finally got a blogspot set up! The main reason is so our families and friends, who are all spread out, can keep up with us and the growth of our new little one!! YEP! We are having a baby. . . a true miracle and gift from the Lord!

It has already brought lots of changes to our lives. I’ve been rather sick all day most days and very easily nauseated, but my wonderful husband has stayed by my side and met my every need. I know his life has changed too, but he gladly shares the responsibilities around the house to help me as much as he can without complaint. I am amazed by him daily and ever so thankful for the treasure of a husband I have been given from the Lord.

I’m going to the doctor in the morning with my dear mother (David has to stay in Beckley for school and work), so I’ll post more after that visit. We should get our first real ultrasound – we had one before but didn’t get a picture to bring home with us – and know for sure how far a long we are. We’ll keep you updated though!