Hello world. It's me, Amanda.

And this is why:

Guess who is having a baby!  Self portrait shot via mirror at 20 weeks 3 days.

We find out if the little one is a boy or a girl in 24 hours!  YAY!

I hope to get back to blogging soon.  I have been blogging…just not here.  It is hard when  you go weeks keeping such a huge thing a secret. 

Now I can let everyone in on the happy news.

Boy or a girl?

I have had quite a few people ask me what song Dan and I used for our first dance song at our wedding.  This one was really hard for me.  We didn’t have a song.  I think that is fairly common for those who start dating later in their 20’s.  We listened to a lot of music and suddenly it turned into finding the perfect song.  Then one day while driving I had my Ipod on shuffle and a song came on that I had never heard (this is common since my Ipod has about 5000 songs on it).  It was perfect for Dan and I (other than the blue eye thing…I would always sing brown at that part even though it doesn’t rhyme) and I loved that it wasn’t a well known song.  The lyrics meaning so much to us really made that first dance mean so much more. Lyrics below.

When You’ve Got a Good Thing by Lady Antebellum

Everybody keeps telling me I'm such a lucky man
Lookin at you standin there I know I am
Barefooted beauty with eyes that blue
The sun shine sure looks good on you
I swear

Oh I can't believe I finally found you baby
Happy ever after, after all this time
Oh there's gonna be some ups and downs
but with you to wrap my arms around
I'm fine

So baby, hold on tight
Don't let go
Hold onto the love we're making
Cause baby when the ground starts shakin
You gotta know when you've got a good thing

You know you keep on bringin out the best of me
And I need you now even more than the air I breathe
You can make me laugh when I wanna cry
This will last forever I just know, I know

So baby, hold on tight
Don't let go
Hold onto the love we're making
Cause baby when the ground starts shakin
You gotta know when you've gotta good thing

We got a good thing, baby, woah
So hold on tight
Baby, don't let go
Hold onto the love we're making
Cause baby when the ground starts shakin
You gotta know, oh you gotta know
Oh you gotta know, you gotta know
When you got a good thing

The past few weeks went by in a blur.  Kind of like the entire year of 2010.  When I reflect back on last year I am definitely met with mixed emotions.  While there was the biggest high ever (marriage!) there were many lows (loss).  I try to do my best and look at the positives in the good and the bad.  While it is not always easy, overall I was incredibly blessed in 2010.  Below are some highlights and things I learned along the way.

• Planning a wedding can be incredibly exhausting… if you let it be.  I chose not to let it overwhelm me and instead enjoyed each moment of the process.  I learned there are far too many things you can get worked up about that just are not worth it.  In the end it made the experience fun and a day that I will forever hold close in my heart.
• Graduate school is great!  I had a few people express their feelings about me starting graduate school around the time I was getting married and in the years that we may consider starting a family (graduate school will take between 2 1/2 - 3 years).  While all of these thoughts were extremely valid I know myself well and know that I thrive on chaos.  I would much rather be in school now than in the years my children are in activities and have busy lives of their own.  Plus, I feel confident that I have a great husband who will be able to help me. In the end, I felt that if I didn’t do it at this point in my life I probably never would and that ultimately I would be creating a brighter future for myself and my family.  Two classes in and two A-’s later I am happy that I took this leap of faith.
• I love traveling.  I had the opportunity to take a few trips and loved each one.  Even the long drives to Ohio. :)  Vegas was also a blast but the honeymoon definitely wins.  A week of doing nothing in Antigua with my new husband was more than I could have wished for.  I can’t wait for another beach vacation.
• Oh yeah, I have a great husband. We balance one another.  We bring out the best in one another.  We push one another to be better and to work harder.  We make each other laugh.  I am happy to have him to go home to.
• Friendships change…and than change again.  There were times people disappointed me.  But in the end I learn who will truly be there for me; through the good and the bad.  It is not always about knowing what to say.  It is more about knowing when to be there.
• Family is important.  I now have many new family members.  I am so blessed that they are all such great people.  I also have realized even more this past year how important my family is.  We all went through a lot together and helped one another through it all.  The losses we experienced brought us closer.  While it was not always easy, the light at the end of the tunnel is stronger relationships.

2010 brought moments that will live with me forever.  I am excited to see what 2011 will bring.  I wish for happiness, laughter, and joy for everyone.  While I am sure that the year will throw us curveballs, it is ultimately how we react and deal with it all.  Here’s to a happy 2011 for all of you.