Thank you to everyone who commented on our pregnancy announcement yesterday. We were absolutely blown away by all of our friends & family (and online friends who we’ve never even met) who joined in to send kind words and warm wishes! The fact that I’m pregnant still feels so unreal, and I seriously cannot believe I’m posting this after dreaming about this day for so long. John and I are both overjoyed – in case you can’t tell from the goofy smiles plastered on our faces – and are feeling so grateful and blessed.

As a little girl, my favorite game to play was “house,” and every single time we’d play I was always the mom. Always, no question from any of my friends or sisters. It’s a natural part for me to play, as I love babies and have always been outspoken (a leader, right?). I’d carry my dolls around and imagine them being my real babies, and daydream about the day I’d have one of my own. As I grew older, though, I knew there were many, many things I wanted to cross off my list before settling into a lifetime role.

John and I got married YOUNG, so having babies was definitely not something we felt comfortable doing right away. We wanted adventure! And freedom! And fun! And honestly, the last five years of marriage have been EXACTLY that. We have travelled all over the world and country, we’ve celebrated milestones together, fixed up one house into a home together (and are working on doing the same with our new house), and have just loved our life. Throwing a baby into the mix didn’t really seem too tempting (and I do love my sleep)! But we knew that chapter of our lives was approaching, and as we approached our fifth wedding anniversary we decided to go for it.

There are so many questions people have been asking, so here are all of the answers for you guys!

How did you find out? John was going out of town on a fishing trip for the week out of the state, so I took a test on Monday before he left – and it was negative. On Thursday morning, even though I was convinced I was not pregnant, I decided to take a test just to make sure. Sure enough, two pink lines. To say I was shocked is a complete understatement! I took about 6 more tests over the next few days just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming! John wasn’t due to get home until Sunday from his trip, so I decided to put together a little surprise in our bedroom for when he arrived (see picture above). He was shocked and elated, and we both cried when I finally spilled the beans! Still can’t believe I kept it a secret from him for almost 4 days!

When are you due? December 14, right before Christmas.

Were you surprised? I feel like it’s weird to be surprised since we were trying, but YES. In my head, it’s almost like when John proposed – I knew it was coming, but when it happened I was just so SHOCKED! It was the same surreal feeling when I saw that second line!

Are you going to find out the gender? We are not planning on finding out the gender. But as I told John, I reserve the right to change my mind.

How have you been feeling? Any symptoms? The worst thing has been feeling extremely tired, although that’s getting a tiny bit better every day. I’ve also been nauseous, but it’s easy to keep at bay as long as I eat / drink every two hours or so. I’m like an infant. Oh, and I have to pee all.the.time.

Any cravings? I guess carbs – I’m always down for a bagel or bowl of cereal (or Mexican food). I’m trying not to put on a ton of weight, though, so I definitely need to nip this in the bud stat!

What are your plans for the nursery? We’ve had the room picked out in our house for the nursery since we moved in. It’s been stacked full of boxes since August, so I guess we’ll have to clean it out soon! I want to paint it, replace the ceiling fan, install some built-ins and obviously get the furniture but I don’t have a set plan yet since it’s still so early. I’m sure my mama-nesting-instinct will change that soon enough!

Are you still going to be a wedding photographer? Well, duh! This is my dream job, and I’m already taking weddings for 2018! While I do hope to work a little less once the babe arrives, I fully intend to keep photographing the best couples in the world and cannot wait to meet all the brides & grooms who are getting married next year!

Needless to say, we are very excited! Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts for your warm wishes and prayers. We can’t wait to continue on this journey, and are praying for a healthy, safe baby who we can snuggle under the Christmas lights in December!