To EVERY THING there is a SEASON

The weirdest thing in life is when you have a plan and you slowly see your plan NOT coming to pass. Does that happen to anyone besides me? I feel like my whole entire life has been like that. I have a set plan and I just KNOW with all of my heart it is going to go exactly how I have planned and then that day comes. That day when something happens that turns my plan upside-down completely. It has happened a LOT in my life and it definitely continues...almost daily. If I have learned anything the past 25 years of life, it is to roll with the punches. Whatever happens, happens for a reason. Even if that "thing" was not anywhere on our time line! 

As I mentioned in a few posts back, they found tears in my placenta and I was put on full bed rest for one week. I then went to work for a week while on "semi-bed rest" and then they put me on full bed rest last Monday. I had a really hard time last Monday when I got into my car and looked at the letter Dr. Bohman had written to my employer. "Danielle Davis is to be excused from work for the REMAINDER OF HER PREGNANCY due to complications." I think I read the letter 10 times. It could not sink in! Bed Rest? For 5 months? I seriously started crying in the car. I told Tyson I couldn't do it. THIS was not part of my plan! My plan was to work until the day Baby D was due and to save all of our money over the next 6 months from my paychecks and bonus's. I think the doctor is confused, I told Tyson. There is no way I can be bed ridden for that long. If you know me personally, you know I am very outgoing and can not stand not having a social life. I love my job and I love having my girl time. I love date nights and going on fun adventures with Tyson. I love Summer and the vacations we have had planned. This was just a dream or a mean joke... I just knew it! 

I told Tyson I wasn't going to listen to the doctor. I told him I was going to work because that was MY plan. We pulled out of the parking lot of the doctor's office and we began driving. I just went on and on about how this was not a good idea and Tyson was a good listener to my ranting. After much conversation and we pulled into Tyson's work parking lot for him to be dropped off, we had come to the conclusion that the doctor INDEED did know best. Even though bed rest for the rest of my LIFE (at least that is what it feels like) was not at all in our plans during this pregnancy, we had to roll with the punches. I sat in Tyson's parking lot and called my boss. I told him the news and he was so understanding. I am so grateful to have a boss who cares about my well-being and my baby. He told me not to come in and that we will figure out the paper work that had to be done. 

The next day there were a lot of phone calls and paper work to be filled out. I put on my leave of absence papers that I were to return to work on September 4th... that gives my body 4 weeks to heal. I felt like that was acceptable. That was when I got a call from HR who let me know I put September 4th, but my doctor put January 17, 2013 and they had to go with what the doctor put. That was when it sunk in. THIS is real. I don't really think I am going to be able to go back to work. THAT was when I became upset. 

I called Tyson and told him how frustrated I was. The past 3 weeks I have had such high hopes that I was going to be able to get off bed rest sooner than January and it seems like that is probably not the case. I layed in my bed and felt SO sorry for myself for a few minutes and that was when I realized I needed to pick myself up. Are you serious right now? I am upset about being on bed rest for a few months? I wasn't looking at my blessings! I was so focused on this one little thing, that I didn't focus on the amazing blessings... specifically the miracle who's heart is beating inside of me!! 

I am SO grateful to be pregnant. After so many trials and hard times to get to this point, I am beyond blessed. I have a sweet baby girl that is growing a healthy little body inside of me! I have a home that I get to spend all day in, with air conditioning and television and internet and books! I have the most comfortable bed in the world and if I have to lay down, I am so lucky I get to lay down in something so comfy! I have food in my refrigerator that I get to eat when I am hungry and can't drive to the grocery store! I have a husband who takes care of EVERYTHING in my life 24/7 and loves me even though I don't do ANYTHING! I have amazing friends and family who have visited, brought in meals and just contacted me to see how Baby D and I are doing! I have so much to be thankful for! The doctor told me that I can either go back to work now and be admitted into the hospital at 25 weeks (which is less than 2 months away!!) or I can go on bed rest now and hope that everything clears up. How lucky am I?! They caught this soon enough that I get to lay in my own bed, in my own home! I am SO grateful I don't have to live in the hospital. 

Even though things happen in our lives that seem a little crazy and almost the exact OPPOSITE that we had planned, happen for reasons. I know that a lot of times Heavenly Father's plan is not what we had planned...and I have slowly learned that THAT IS OKAY! There truly is a time and a season for everything. For some reason, I wasn't supposed to be a mom 4 years ago, when that was my plan my whole life... to get married and have tons of babies! For some reason, I was supposed to start a great career and become a career woman at a beautiful hotel, even though my plan was to be a stay at home mom and take care of all of my babies I was supposed to have! For some reason, I am supposed to be on bed rest and lay at my house and not work or go on the vacations we have had planned, even though my plan was to work so hard and make all of the money in the world for this baby! I know that there is a reason for everything, even if we don't see the reason immediately. I feel SO blessed to have been able to learn this and to KNOW that it is true. He loves us and His plan is far better than ours. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

" To every thing there is a ^aseason, and a ^btime to every purpose under the heaven: A ^atime to be born, and a time to ^bdie; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to ^alaugh; a time to ^bmourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to ^aget, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to ^arend, and a time to sew; a time to keep ^bsilence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to ^ahate; a time of war, and a time of peace."

ITS...A...GIRL!!!

About a year ago I heard of the funnest party ever... A Gender Reveal Party! The party is a fun way to find out if the baby you are expecting is a boy or girl, and you get to find out with all of your friends and family! I wasn't even pregnant when I heard about the idea and I honestly didn't even know if I would ever have the opportunity to have one. It was a dream that I had and thought about it all of the time, but seemed so far away that I put it to the side. 

When we found out we were pregnant 4 months ago, I was so excited to have my own Gender Reveal Party! It was actually going to happen! My dream party was going to come true. I decided I would wait to have in October when all of my family from Hawaii and Utah would be able to make it too. On Monday, August 6th I had a doctor's appointment. Everything was going well I thought and I assumed the appointment was going to go smoothly. I left the appointment with a lot of mixed emotions. I had good news and bad news. The good news: THEY SAW THE SEX OF THE BABY! Because of the Reveal Party, we had the doctor write the gender on the ultrasound and put it into a sealed envelope. We didn't peak and we hid it in my glove box in my car so we wouldn't be tempted to take a look. The bad news: I WAS PUT ON FULL BED REST! This time, I had to file for a leave of absence at work because I am not sure how long it will be and I can only get up to use the restroom. 

I left with a lot of mixed emotions. I was so excited to know the sex of the baby, but because of the bed rest I was really upset. I decided the one thing that would probably make me feel better and not make me so emotional about laying in my bed for the rest of my life (that is what it feels like) I wanted to find out the sex THIS WEEK! I couldn't wait until October like I originally had planned. As much as I wanted my whole family there, I figured we could all Skype in and be together. With everything that has been happening in the pregnancy, I thought it would be really nice to know the sex so I could start shopping and looking at cute things! 

I told Tyson we were just going to open the envelope with all of our families and it would be fine. My dream of having the Reveal Party was not realistic in my eyes. I am on bed rest and I really can't do much. That was when Tyson spoke up. He told me that I was crazy. He reminded me that I had been looking forward to the Gender Reveal Party for SUCH a long time and this was my chance to do it.  We went back and forth because I was very stubborn about the situation. I told him I wanted to "go BIG or not do it at all." I had plans for us to invite everyone we know and to go all out on decor and games and make it the biggest party of the year! I wanted it to be a huge success and I knew I couldn't make it that way anymore with my condition. He understood I wouldn't be able to do much, but HE VOLUNTEERED to take charge. (Is he NOT the best?!) He took charge and did his thing. He went to SEVERAL stores every single night after work, buying crafts, decor and food. He contacted his mom who offered her home for the party. And we decided we would just do a small party with our family and a few families from our ward who have been so helpful while I have been on bed rest. 

I made an invitation and emailed them out on Tuesday. The invitation stated to be sure to wear a BLUE or PINK shirt, depending on your vote for a boy or girl.

Tyson and my mother in law did an amazing job with the decorations! We had an ice cream bar with cake pops and candy. 

I saw these HERSHEY's bar favors on Pinterest, so I of course had to make them! 

We had a corner for name suggestions, a sign to sign your name for your "vote" and we played an Old Wives Tale game. 

We then split into our two teams! I totally thought it was a boy and Tyson thought it was a girl. I made mustaches for the team who thought it was a boy and lips for the team who thought it was girl. They also got to wear blue or pink beads depending on their vote. 

We gave the envelope the doctor had wrote the gender on, to my mother in law. She filled up the box with pink or blue balloons depending on what the envelope said. We were SO excited for this moment!! We opened the box... 

and out came PINK BALLOONS! It is a GIRL!! 

I was seriously SO shocked. This whole time on my blog and scrapbook I have been calling HER a HIM! I am so excited and have secretly been hoping for a girl. I just feel like girls are so cute and you can dress them up SO fun! You better believe this girl is going to be all dolled up in her necklaces and bracelets. I convinced myself that it was a boy, so it is hard to get that out of my mind! I am still in shock and I still cry when I think about it. 

I was so grateful for all our family and friends who were able to be in town and support us on this special day. We were so lucky to have my parents in Hawaii, brother Kyle and his family in Utah and our friends Katie and Moose in Texas on Skype. Unfortunately, the network died (overload on the internet!) BUT luckily they were there in spirit for a minute. :) I was sad that they all couldn't make it, but was so grateful for modern technology!! 

I am SO grateful that Tyson and my mother in-law were able to help this party go down. Without them, I would have opened up the envelope all by myself and not have had the party. It was so nice to get out of the house, even though all I did at the party was sit on the couch. The party may have been smaller than I wanted and I may have not been able to be a fun hostess like I had planned, but Tyson MADE the party happen! He knew it was something that was important to me, so he ran with it. Thank you Tyson and Shelly! You guys made me so happy!

I can NOT wait to be a mom. I can NOT wait for girls nights, sleepovers, manicures, pedicures, jewelry, barbies, headbands, flowers, shopping, and having a little angel in our home, because of this little girl. She is truly our miracle baby and we are so grateful for the happiness she has already brought into our lives! 

Here is a video Tyson put together about the night. He is so talented and he is so excited "for his little princess." 

He or She, what will it be? from Tyson Davis on Vimeo.