Italy Travel Guide

Ciao, Italia! Oh how we loved Italy. Even amidst the crazy early pregnancy tiredness and nausea, it was still such an amazing country. We loved the people, food, sites, and pace of everything there. I'm also glad we took the time to get away from the touristy places and cities and enjoy the genuine lifestyle of the countrysides. Our Airbnbs were especially great in Italy, as well, and I'll share those below. But after not-so-great interactions with the French, it was incredibly refreshing to be welcomed by the sweet, jovial Italians. They truly captured my heart! Even when they didn't know English and our Italian was limited, they did their very best to communicate and would usually end up laughing with us as we all fumbled through words and hand gestures. We even had a super long-winded discussion with a local about American beer and how much he loves it. The people are one of the things I miss most about visiting Italy - they were so charming! They reciprocated smiles, you guys! Haha okay and their food was amazing (not that I ate much of it, sadly, but it was), and everything was absolutely stunning. Let me dive into the helpful hints, though...

Things to note

• The currency of Italy is the Euro. Cards were widely accepted, but a little cash was nice to have on hand.
• The language of Italy is Italian, of course! If you've taken Spanish, Italian is honestly not too hard to pick up. Tom was supposed to learn French (which didn't go over so well) and I was our Italian communicator (since I've taken Spanish). We had no issues in Italy, and many locals know English, anyways, but basic phrases were great to know.
• Sidewalks are old and small. Not a bad thing, just something to note in the old cities.
• Airbnbs:
  They don't always (or usually) provide shower soaps. Especially conditioner. Bring your own!
  You are taxed per person and must pay exact amount in cash.
  You also, by law, must meet your host and show your passport.
• Public restrooms may not always have toilet seats.

Traffic

• Relatively easy to pick up on traffic laws and signs.
• Small cars! But that's just Europe.
• Vespas and motorcycles follow no rules. They ride up onto the sidewalks and just generally drive wherever the heck they want, so be watchful!
• Rules of the road are more like guidelines.

Interactions

• Locals are very pleasant.
• Ignore the dogs. Europeans do not give dogs pets and attention in public (which is why their dogs are all well behaved).
• Do your best to speak Italian, but you'll come across plenty of English speakers. Even if you don't know Italian and they don't know English, most of the time they will do their best to communicate with you in one way or another.
• Don't be afraid to joke with them! We read that Italians don't do sarcasm, but they were OFTEN sarcastic with us and would tease us constantly! We loved it.

Food & Drinks

• Typically, you pay at the counter.
• You pay for water and are always given the option of flat or sparkling.
• No need to tip.
• It's an American thing to order soda with your meals - stick with water, wine, or coffee (at the end).
• Some will say that it's rude to share meals, so we never did. However, anywhere we went, I never felt pressured to finish ALL my food, and often Tom and I would eat off each other's plates. No one seemed to care! I did usually let them know I was pregnant so my meats needed to be fully cooked, etc.. so maybe that was part of it?
• Doggy bags are not a thing!

Where we stayed

Florence: Airbnb - we adoredddd this one! Very walkable to all of Florence, affordable, very clean, beautiful view, and extremely comfortable. Huge bathroom, too! Couldn't recommend this one enough.
Riomaggiore: Airbnb - not great. There are limited options for accommodations in Cinque Terre, so it was fine overnight, but there was black mold all over the shower. We were not impressed.
Castiglione Tinella: Airbnb - we splurged a little on this one and it was 100% worth it. This was incredible. The view alone was worth the price, but the place itself was clean, comfortable, and stunning. Not to mention the caretaker who met us there - he was was such a delight and super funny and helpful! The nearby towns are quaint, and because you're in the countryside, you'll meet a lot more locals and non-English speakers but we adored the people out here and in Asti. This is an area we would visit again, without a doubt. Best wine region in Italy in our opinion!
Pisa: Airbnb - cosy is an understatement. The host here was like your mother (the sweet, hospitable kind). She was super caring and knew we were flying out in the morning, so she scheduled a cab for us since we didn't speak fluent Italian. Also, we were so surprised at how charming Pisa was! We only stayed overnight because of a flight, but we loved it and wished we'd have stayed longer. The Airbnb itself was seriously like a bed and breakfast. After coming back from the night out, our private courtyard was lit with candles. Large bathroom, luxurious bed, and old/modern Italian feel. So perfect.

What we saw:

Florence

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore aka the Duomo. So incredible and MUCH larger than I imagined. Ponte Vecchio is an old stone bridge with shops and fun nightly entertainment. Vivoli for the best gelato. We also walked up to Forte di Belvedere (but it was closed). A young guy in Tuscany told us about a cool speakeasy bar in Florence which was amazingggg and they made me a super delicious mocktail that I'll never forget. The bar is on Google and so on, but they do not advertise at all, so it's really through word of mouth. If you're going to Florence, I'll tell you what it is :) but you'll have to ask. There's tons to see and do in Florence and the food is amazing. 

Tuscany

We took a day trip outside of Florence to get an eye-full of Tuscany. Oh my goodness, I could have stayed there all week! We went to Vignamaggio (a beautiful villa, winery, and accommodation) because it's where Much Ado About Nothing with Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh was filmed, which is one of Tom and my favorite movies. The main garden and villa were closed for construction, but we did a wine tasting and had an amazing meal there. The views and property were breathtaking and next time we are in Italy, I think we'll actually stay there! Driving through Tuscany was such a treat. Definitely give that a go!

La Spezia/Riomaggiore (Cinque Terre)

From Florence, we drove to La Spezia, parked, and took a train into Riomaggiore for the the night. Riomaggiore was charming, but honestly, it felt like such a tourist trap. The food (especially pesto!) was very good, but it seemed crowded everywhere. We enjoyed the evening once the tourists had mostly gone, but if I were to have done the trip over, I'd have skipped Cinque Terre. That's just personal preference though! It was unique, but Tom and I enjoy more isolated locales (which is probably why we loved Iceland). Also, the pretty, brightly colored buildings you often see photos of, are really quite run down and only edit brightly. They're actually extremely faded and not as amazing a sight to behold in real life! To each their own, though - go visit Cinque Terre if it floats your boat.

Castiglione Tinella

Probably the most beautiful part of our time in Italy. We drove up to northwest Italy because it holds our favorite wine region - Barolo and Nebbiolo grapes. On the drive up, we stopped along the coast and bought seafood right off a boat sitting in the harbor while admiring the beach. Our Airbnb was situated at the top of some breathtaking (and I mean BREATHTAKING) foothills covered in vineyards as far as the eye can see. Asti is a nearby town at the bottom of the foothills and had very few English speakers, but had delicious food and bakeries. The locals were super sweet, and locally owned stores were perfect for finding more authentic souvenirs.

Pisa

We were only here for an overnight, but the afternoon and evening we spent there was so memorable! Like Florence, it's incredibly walkable. The street markets were so fun to browse and it felt really clean everywhere. It just had a nice energy and pace throughout the city and we actually wished we had spent more than one night there, but we had just never thought it would be very interesting. How wrong we were! Check out the whole city and enjoy the locals and food!

Our Infertility Story

This post has always made me nervous to write. Yet, I feel like infertility is STILL so unspoken, misunderstood, and lonely and I have a great desire to open up about it and offer hope. I want this post to give a glimpse into what it looks like. Hang tight, this will be a long one. Whether you've experienced infertility, haven't experienced it, or maybe will, this simply covers our personal experience. I hope it opens your eyes to the many factors that can affect this trial and will break down a few barriers in relation to people's perception of it.

Year one:

Everything started the way it does for any hopeful couple ready to grow their family. We were excited, nervous, and hopeful. None of my closest friends or family had an issue conceiving, so naturally, it didn't really cross our minds. It was easy for seemingly everyone else, why wouldn't that be the case for us?

The first month came and went.
"Oh well," we thought, "we must have timed something wrong."
Then the next month.
And the next month.
And the next month.
And the next month.
And the next month.
And the next month.
And the next month.
And the next month.
And the next month.

Our trash was filled with negative pregnancy tests that seemed to glare at me from their place at the top of the bin. Sprinkled in all those previous weeks were fleeting hopes of pregnancy symptoms. Are my boobs extra sensitive? Maybe this is implantation bleeding? Does that cramp feel different from period cramping?! Am I peeing more? Do I feel pregnant? Am I late? I think I'm late! And every month, went from hopeful two week waits, to heartache in the deepest sense.

We were frustrated at this point. Disappointed. Sad. Friends were moving on to their second pregnancies. Yet here we were. Left behind. Wondering what so wrong with us. Nothing about cycles and so on seemed that askew, but I began to question it. I was disappointed in my body. Why wasn't it doing the most natural thing on earth? I would look at my sweet husband and feel such sadness that I couldn't make him a dad. Gosh, he'd be such a great dad. I'd see him hold our friend's baby and feel my heart sink in my chest for what "should be."

I had an annual check-up with my doctor, and mentioned my concerns. She was a great physician and sent me off for an "infertility work-up" straight away.

I got poked and prodded every other week for two months, and spent a pretty penny on "ovulation predictor kits" to see if it would help us. It didn't. I remember even having to get to a lab while on a trip to have a cycle-time-sensitive blood draw. My arm, it seemed, was forever bruised, and each time I looked down, was reminded that this may be the easiest part of potentially years of pain and heartache. It was only the beginning, and just that thought alone was enough to bring on unbearable hurt.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

My tests all came back clear. Everything was working as it should. This was good news, right? Well yes, but it still offered no answer for why we weren't conceiving. Sometimes, no diagnosis can feel worse than actually having one. Our questions had not been answered.

So Tom was tested. We never gave his test much thought, because don't we all just jump to infertility being a "woman's problem?"

When my doctor called me with his results, my heart broke. BROKE. Broke for him, for us, for our hopes, and for God's plan for our life.

She didn't usually call me, but she was home sick and when she got his results knew I would want to know right away. She gave it to me straight, explained each portion of the analysis, and tried to break it to me as gently and lovingly as possible. I was choking on my words and trying to get off the phone before I broke down, but before I rushed off, she said, "Now Joy, this isn't good news, I know that and so do you. But remember that it's not impossible. It doesn't mean it will never happen, it's just going to be a lot harder, and you'll probably need some help to get there. Do not give up hope." I mumbled a half-hearted, thank you and hung up just as my tears poured through the flood gates.

I messaged Tom and told him his results didn't look good. He was at work, so he tried to brush it off until we could talk later. I had a meeting that night, and I remember feeling so glazed over, wishing I wasn't there. I got home late, hugged Tom, and we just looked at each other. I read him the results and we cried. We cried for such a long time and tried to just pick ourselves up each day and muddle through. We comforted one another, prayed, and simply existed for a while, but we never let it come between us. We were very conscientious about what it could do to a marriage, and chose every day to grow closer instead of farther apart. This was no one's "fault" but we had to move forward and accept a different reality from the one we pictured.

Year two:

My doctor had given us a referral to a fertility clinic. We had to wait three months just to get in to our first appointment. THREE MONTHS. Three months is the length of an entire trimester of pregnancy. It was so hard to just twiddle our thumbs while we waited for a few minutes to discuss options and next steps with a stranger. All the while just wishing we'd somehow miraculously conceive before getting in. All the while seeing our friends' babies take first steps and other couples announce their impending arrivals. It felt like daggers to our hurting hearts. Not by any fault of theirs, but it's just a side-affect of infertility I suppose. 

We sat down across a sweet younger doctor and when she asked me a simple question, I suddenly lost it.

"Let it out honey," she said. "You are not the first to sit in that chair and cry, and you won't be the last. Whenever you're ready, we can talk."

So I cried and blubbered out answers to medical history questions and how much coffee I drank each day.
She told us that to be positive there was absolutely nothing wrong with me, too, she wanted to have a few more tests done before we focused our time on Tom.

I had more bloodwork done. Then a HSG (Hysterosalpingogram) test in which a catheter is inserted into your cervix and they inject dye through your uterus and fallopian tubes while under a live x-ray machine. It was about as comfortable as it sounds, but gave immediate results (which were all clear). It shows you if your tubes are blocked. The very next day, I had a SHG (Sonohysterogram). Same thing, only this time it was saline solution injected into my uterus to separate the walls and check for polyps or cysts with an ultrasound. This was horrid, but again, came back all clear.

So we went ahead and scheduled Tom's tests. Another month-long wait to get in. This was with the fertility clinic's urologist. I won't go into detail on Tom's tests, but they too, were about as invasive as mine. All the while, bills began to pour in (because infertility isn't usually covered by insurance).

After another month or two of waiting, we finally got in with the urologist to hear all the results and go over options.

"Based on your results, we have two options. One: you can have an outpatient procedure done to correct some veins (varicoceles). You may see results in three months and conceive naturally, or you may not see results for a year, if at all. Two: you can do IVF." That was it. Those were our two no-guarantee, expensive options.

Of course, if given any option of conceiving naturally, we would try it. They scheduled the outpatient surgery, and told us we wouldn't get any prices until the week of. But if we decided to cancel, we had to do so 72 hours before the surgery or we'd be charged a $250 fee. Seems like small potatoes, but we wanted to avoid a worthless fee if we could.

Another long wait for the surgery. So we planned a vacation that would land a month afterwards to finally catch a break from all the appointments and waiting and stress of it all.

Until three days before surgery, our clinic called to inform us of a "fee."
They couldn't explain what it was for, and at nearly 3K, we weren't willing to pony up that kind of cash without an explanation, so we demanded they cancel the surgery immediately. Just another setback, we thought.

Surprise, surprise!

By now, I hadn't taken a pregnancy test on a whim for probably a year or so. Why bother torturing yourself? Save yourself some heartache, Joy, just don't bother any more.

Nine days before our big vacation, I had a funny feeling. Something was different. I had one crappy pregnancy test left out of a box of twenty. I had saved it, after telling myself to save it for a time when I was SURE it would come out positive. For some reason, I thought this was that day.

Tom was in the shower, I peed into a cup, and walked out to play with Hondo. I returned a minute later and saw two lines. For the first time ever. EVER. In TWO years.

"Ummm..." I said.

"Umm is the sound in dumb" Tom replied from the shower (A quote from Parks and Rec haha).

"Tom, no, seriously, this test is positive."

He whipped the curtain back and we looked at it together in shock and disbelief.

"Does this mean I can't drink wine in Europe?!" I quipped (half joking, of course).

"Joy are you sure this test is accurate?" he asked.

He got out of the shower, and I got in. Both of us speechless and more afraid than excited. Afraid that it wasn't real or something would happen.

"Joy, it's getting darker," he said.

I quickly got dressed and rushed to the store for prenatal vitamins and more tests. Three more tests confirmed it. I called my doctor and they booked me the soonest appointment so I could get blood-work for confirmation. I left the office that day with a stack of pregnancy information booklets and resources.

Surreal doesn't even begin to cover it.

But you know what is most awe-inspiring to me?

The first day of your last period is the day they use to calculate your due date. Everything is based on that day and marks the "beginning" of your pregnancy.

It was that day that Tom was supposed to have his corrective surgery.

...

...

Let that sink in.

...

...

Had he had that surgery, we wouldn't be expecting our sweet baby boy right now. We said no to doctors and bills, and God said YES. After two years, He finally gave us a dramatic, clear, yes.

That's what I mean when I say there are times in life when God's plan is so muddled, but other times when it is just abundantly clear. We said no to a simple surgery, not knowing when the time would be right to pursue it again, and simply put our faith in God. We let go of control, and He took over. It's not always that clear, or that "simple" ... but it sure is an incredible testimony when it is.

---

Infertility has been the hardest thing we've ever faced. We may face it again, and the pain it comes with never leaves you. 

But I can say this; even amidst the heartache, we had good days. We were surrounded by blessings that we probably took for granted. Our marriage remained strong, we had our health, Hondo came into our lives and comforted us and brought us the joy we were missing, and God was walking with us.

God is good. In the good times and bad, He is so good.

---

A couple take-aways:

Infertility is not just a "woman's issue." One third of cases is an issue with the woman, one third is an issue with the man, and one third is a combination of both. 

1 in 8 couples will experience infertility. We never imagined we'd be that "one," yet here we are.
(source)

Though we miraculously conceived and are overjoyed, pregnancy after infertility has been wrought with fear. Many women have fear in pregnancy and beyond - it's a normal part of motherhood - but this is something ingrained a little deeper.

It's a fear of losing that child and grieving so deeply what took so long to achieve, and having to begin the horrible path of infertility again.

It's never feeling truly sure that things will be "okay" in the end. Whether that's birth, pregnancy, health of the baby, or the next time you try to get pregnant.

It's still feeling so broken when your friends in the infertility community endure yet another loss or failed attempt at IVF/IUI/adoption and you know there is nothing you can say or do to make their hurt go away.

It's "survivor's guilt" when you get pregnant and they are still waiting.

It's feeling far more protective of your child's life than you ever thought you would (like, I want to put our baby in a bubble after birth and never let anyone touch him hahaha).

It's still somehow feeling a twinge of pain with birth announcements, even though you're already expecting.

It's not feeling joy and excitement at the thought of  trying for the next child, but emotional preparation and dread.

Life after infertility is, at its core, living in a constant state of unknown. It's a test of faith and trust in God's plan. His plan can be hard to see at times, and not like what you would plan for yourself, but He has never forsaken us and that is something I always cling to on the hardest of days. He is faithful, and I can honestly say that putting my trust in Him is the only place I have found peace.

---

If you are facing infertility, know that you are not alone. There are people in your same boat, feeling the same conflicting, crappy feelings as you, and crying themselves to sleep after yet another day littered with pregnant bellies and baby photos. There are resources and support groups that can offer solace, comfort, and advice (contact me if you would like to be part of something like this - it's confidential). Of course I am no expert and do not pretend to be, but I am a listening ear, and hope to be a voice for the silent sufferers of infertility. If our story helps even one person feel a sense of belonging and understanding, then I'm glad we shared it. 

In the meantime, we'll be here. Praying for our precious baby that we are so privileged to welcome into the world in a few short weeks. We'll be praying for the infertile. And trusting in the peace we find in Jesus.

Second Trimester Recap

I see now, why people say the second trimester tricks women into thinking they could have a bazillion babies. This trimester was so amazing! I felt like my normal self, plus a cute not overly gigantic bump, and generally just felt so happy to be pregnant. I'll go into more detail below.

Symptoms

Nausea gone - I didn't usually puke every week even in the first trimester, but on week 16, I randomly puked twice and then it never came back, and the nausea left me completely. It's like it had to go out on a finale haha
Boobies - Sore, full, and leaky. Not trying to be TMI, but figured I'd give full disclosure.
Round ligament pain - This tapered off a bit in the later part of the second trimester
Thick hair - I read about it, and basically your hair just stays put instead of falling out like it normally would. There's hardly any hair in my brush these days, and my hair feels so luxe. I love it!
Emo - Gah, such a sap! And the dumbest things made/make me cry now. It's just a constant up and down of emotions sometimes, and I'm actually able to recognize it and laugh (and cry-laugh) about it. It's so bizarre to have no control over it haha
Extreme hunger - I didn't get crazy hunger pangs in the first trimester, but second trimester (and into third) have been sudden, dizzying, NEED FOOD NOW bouts.
Hemorrhoids - hey, I'm not gonna sugar coat. And this one legit suckssss hahaha
Back pain - just from the growing belly and your back having to compensate for the weight and balance. Thankfully I have a great husband who willingly helps a wifey out!
Clear skin - From bad acne in the first trimester, to luminous skin in the second - I'll take it!
Pee all the time - This has been my worst nightmare from BEFORE pregnancy. I have THE tiniest bladder, and now in pregnancy it's made functioning to a normal degree so difficult. I probably get up four times a night (and I don't flush every time because I'd have to flush a thousand times a day - and Tom sees all my pee in the toilet and can never believe it hahaha). But if there is one thing about pregnancy I'd complain about, it would be this. I pee before we go somewhere, and 15 minutes later I have to go again. So irritating.

Cravings

I can honestly say, I got a couple honest to goodness cravings in the second trimester. For a while there... Taco Bell (so bad, I know). But our nearest TB happens to be consistently really good, and Mexican pizzas are just so stinking delicious. Makes me want one right now as I type this, actually. Ha! The other one - MILK. For a couple weeks we had to buy so much flipping milk because I was guzzling it down like I'd never tasted milk in my life (normally I'm not a huge milk drinker). This one is still lingering, but it's not as insane as it was. We ran out of milk at one point and I nearly cried that I had to go to the store for more hahaha!

---

View fullsize

Second Trimester Journal

Weeks 13-15

We heard the heartbeat again at 13 weeks (the day we announced) and it was beautiful. We publicly announced a few days before 14 weeks, then we drove to Minnesota for Thanksgiving which was really fun. My mom took me maternity clothes shopping, because she was afraid I'd be a hobo pregnant woman and wear men's shirts (accurate).
Our Georgia house went under contract, but the buyers were a royal pain.

Weeks 16-20

The day before 17 weeks I got a kidney stone and we found out the gender in the ER. My belly popped a bit more during this time. I started to feel baby move more obviously, but Tom didn’t until...
the middle of week 18, baby was moving a LOT at bedtime. So much so, I could actually help Tom feel little jabs! It was so precious to say “There!” and he could correspondingly feel it! And then I’d be quiet and he was feeling them without me telling him. Super precious and fun. Like a goldfish hitting the side of a bag.
I was 19 weeks at Christmas and cried before church one morning because my clothes were ill-fitting. Not because I was sad to get bigger - that’s great, but that I didn’t have anything to wear that I felt cute in. It was that awkward in-between time where maternity clothes didn’t fit well yet, but regular clothes were too tight or laid weird. More and more, though, that belly was showing up!
At 20 weeks, my belly was round. Still smaller, but definitely pronounced. Tom made sure I got some clothes to make me feel better, and that helped immensely. Baby’s movements were obvious and often! There was no mistaking those little kicks and rolls.

Weeks 21-24

This baby MOVES! Bladder kicks were still shocking when they'd occur - haha - but overall, I loved this time during pregnancy when it’s just unmistakable what’s happening in there. We also had the anatomy scan at 21 weeks and baby looked so darling. 
Week 22 we moved into our new house and it was BUSY! The day we closed, it iced. Then it snowed. Our move-in date got pushed two days later and our washer and dryer got delivered 10 days late.
On week 24, I started getting symptoms of a UTI, but I didn’t get any of the major symptoms. So my guess is that my bladder just suddenly got more squished! Around this time, I was also getting particularly emotional and needy. Bless Tom and his patience and sweet nature.

I also shared on social media and in my last blog post that we're having a BOY! We are over the moon.

Weeks 25-27

Still lots of movement, and much more intense. Those kicks and rolls started showing themselves through my clothes, even! The belly is also super apparent and it's fun when strangers ask about it or want to know what we're having, etc.. I also spend time talking to our little guy and singing. We slowly started going through our registry and buying things up and now we have all our furniture for the nursery and just need the other basics!

---

Overall, the second trimester has been amazing. I have continually kept the perspective that I don't know anything. I am intentionally allowing myself to let go of any expectations about pregnancy, birth, and parenting, because frankly, everyone does their thing and they really just figure it out as they go. Witnessing others who have gone on to have children before me, has taught me this - each and every person I've spoken to in regards to these topics has had something completely different to say. So my expectation is that I have none, and honestly, it has made this pregnancy feel fun, fresh, and new to me and I've been able to fully enjoy it and be grateful. The internet and people's experiences and opinions can be helpful, but sometimes they can be a hinderance to your own joy. All that to say, take your life as is, and don't compare and contrast it to another's - that is for them, this is for you. And for me? Well, right now, I'm happy and so content. *Now picture me raising a heaping glass of milk to cheers this next trimester!* Yippee!

Maternity Style | PinkBlush

+ a surprise announcement!

You voted on Instagram, so here is a little maternity style post just for YOU!

So, I'm gonna be real upfront and tell you that I seriously love having a pregnant tummy. I think it's so fun to find ways to flatter it with different outfits, and I've truly enjoyed it. I know some people really mourn the loss of their pre-pregnant bodies, but after going through infertility, I am nothing but grateful to see that belly grow! Maybe you're the same, maybe you're not, but regardless, that belly will grow... so why not have some fun making it look adorable?

I spent some time online looking for cute maternity shops, and my favorite that I found, was called PinkBlush. They are more known for their maternity clothes, but they also carry regular women's clothing, plus, and maternity plus. I would definitely describe their overall style to be "boutique," but with super reasonable prices. Honestly, I feel like everywhere you go shopping at the very limited brick and mortar maternity clothes places, the prices are crazy high and you end up really limited in terms of options.

PinkBlush sent me a few items to share with you, and my true and honest opinion is: I LOVE THEM. They're flattering, they have tons of options, and the price is right. They even have the prettiest delivery robes!

Little thing - their sizes do seem to run big. I got everything in a medium (which I normally wear for tops and dresses) and I had plenty of room. I'm 24 weeks, so maybe in another 15 weeks, I'll go back on that statement (haha) but just a heads up.

Enough chatter - here are the cute pieces I snatched up AND an announcement mingled in there for you to find! 

Did you catch it?! We're having a BOY and SO overjoyed!

The funny thing is, we found out in the emergency room when I was 17 weeks and had a kidney stone. I had to get an OB scan to make sure the baby was okay, and the tech was asking if we were planning on finding out, etc.. and we had said yes, but were just making conversation. When they wheeled my bed out of the ultrasound room, she came running after us with a folded up piece of paper and said, "If you want to know, you can look at the paper..." Of course, we looked the second we got back to our ER room and it was super precious and happy amidst the crappy scenario.

Anyways, I thought this post would be perfect for announcing our happy news :) simply because having something cute to wear makes it all the sweeter! Oh and that lace shoulder sweater up there is suuupppperrrr comfy and adorable and I've basically been living in it these days! 

France Travel Guide

Oh France. What can I say about you?
I guess I should be straightforward and honest about our experience there, so, I'll just say it... France was not our thing. It had beautiful architecture, good food and wine, and stunning countrysides. But we are very light-hearted and playful and the French are not. They are serious and severe and we found the people (no offense to anyone) typically quite rude. Of course, we had a handful of great encounters with locals and our Airbnb hosts, but widely, we felt like an unwelcome nuisance.

I'm just being honest! I know lots of people have had perfectly pleasant vacations there, but coming from Iceland (where the locals are super nice) and then following it with Italy (where the locals are funny and jovial), caused us to judge the culture on a slightly skewed scale. We certainly didn't go in expecting to fit in or think they should cater to us - quite the contrary - we were very aware that we didn't fit their culture and were in a constant state of simply trying to not stand out. We were hyper aware of being respectful and apologetic when we made little faux-pas, and still they seemed to refuse to help us or teach us. Below I'll make note of some things we observed, but be aware, there weren't a lot of positives! 

Things to note

• The currency of France is the Euro. Cards are widely accepted, but it was helpful to have cash for tolls or other such things.
• The language of France is French. I highly recommend learning several phrases, but I must admit, it was hard to learn, and understanding French is not easy.
• Gas is expensive. We drove from outside Paris to Dijon and up to Beauvais, and it added up.
• Speaking of Beauvais, their airport is horrendous. It's teeny tiny and flights were constantly delayed or we were moved terminals. We had to actually go through security twice because they moved us around so much for one flight.
• Sinks (like much of Europe) had a tendency to be very tiny. As I've never spent time outside the U.S. this was new to me. Bathrooms are marked with a "WC" which stands for Water Closet... and they really mean closet! Some toilets also didn't have seats like American toilets so you had to squat. Just FYI!
• Sidewalks are old and usually quite small. Just an observation - sometimes they're single-file. Very quaint, though!
• Extreme cigarette smoke and heavy perfume. We take fresh air for granted in the U.S. - haha - especially during early pregnancy (I wanted to barf everywhere we went in France and some parts of Italy).

Traffic

• Tolls are pretty pricey! Just be aware.
• Pretty easy to navigate coming from the U.S.
• If you take the tube in Paris, be prepared to get cozy with everyone - they are extremely crowded! Several times we actually had to wait for the next train because no one could fit.
• Do not even attempt to drive in Paris. We almost rented a car there to leave the city, but once we saw how people drove, quickly moved our car reservation outside the city.

Interactions

• No one smiles or laughs in public. So don't be surprised when you smile at someone and they dart their eyes the other way. I think it's viewed as flirtatious, but this was so hard for me to remember because "smiling's my favorite!"
• You constantly play chicken with people on the sidewalks. No one moves!
• Ignore the dogs and cute babies. They treat dogs like dogs there, so there is no petting or showing them any attention. Because of this, they have very well-behaved dogs, but it was killing me. Also, looking admiringly at little ones comes across creepy, so just don't.
• They are easy to offend and not very empathetic. I often couldn't finish my meals (thanks nausea) and would try to explain that I was sorry because I was pregnant (if they spoke English), but they usually just snubbed me and didn't respond. 
• Never expect them to speak English. We always tried French first, but when we made it clear we spoke English, sometimes they'd just refuse to speak English to us, even if they knew how.

Food & Drinks

• Wine is not cheaper, or as cheap, as water. Why do people say that? Haha.. not true at all.
• You pay for water and you are always given the option of flat or sparkling.
• You don't have to tip.
• It's never very clear if you pay at the table or up at a counter, and if you get it wrong, they get annoyed with you. Just when we thought we had it figured out, we would end up wrong!
• If you order a coffee or food to-go, you have to actually GO. To-go or to-stay is taxed differently and we got scolded when Tom got something to-go, and then decided to sit down with me outside (and it was not busy).
• Also, eating while walking is considered odd. I would often get a piece of fruit (one of the few things I could stomach because #pregnant) and walk and eat it, and people would look at me like I was crazy. I finally looked it up and apparently the French culture just really believes in sitting down to enjoy food.
• Sounds cliche, but people carry baguettes around all the time! Haha we got such a kick out of this.

Where we stayed:

Paris: Hotel District Republique (small, but comfortable)
Dijon: Airbnb (this was our favorite in France - great hosts, very comfortable space)
Chalons-en-Champagne: Airbnb (meh, fine for an overnight)
Beauvais: Airbnb (not bad, not great - awkward layout)

What we saw:

Paris

Literally nothing. We were there for 24 hours and were so jet-lagged and nauseous that we ended up just sleeping! We walked around a bit and went to dinner at night, but honestly, I was so sick from the smells, that we missed out on everything. Sad, I know!

Dijon

I liked Dijon a lot. Old and historic, walkable, not crowded, good food, and very pretty sites. The French made us uncomfortable, so we didn't really go into any shops, but we enjoyed the historic cathedrals, market in the town center, and river-walk area.
Since French food wasn't sounding good, we found this cool little Argentinian place owned by a French guy who lived in Argentina for a couple years and fell in love with it. He spoke Spanish, which I can speak better, and the whole atmosphere was so much more laid back and welcoming. It was definitely a highlight and very tasty! You actually ate with your hands (which you just don't do in France and it was hilarious watching the locals trying to eat their empanadas haha)!

Chalons-en-Champagne

Incredible, massive cathedral near the city center. Very walkable and quaint. Here, we yet again went off the French cuisine and got sushi (with no raw fish for me, of course). We just took in the sights and relaxed and people watched.

Beauvais

Yet again, saw nothing. We were trapped in the airport with all our bags until we could check-in to our Airbnb in the afternoon. We had a few mishaps in planning on our part, so this was one of those wasted days, unfortunately. 

French countryside

We drove through some backroads and took our time between towns, and honestly this was my favorite part of France. They had sunflower fields, and hidden Michelin starred restaurants, and pretty fields of grape vines. The little villages we popped into had much friendlier locals. We even overheard a group of older people speaking English and struck up conversation on the street (because thank goodness - ENGLISH!). They were from the U.K. and so incredibly funny and sweet! The French countryside is where it's AT!

Dear 2017

It seems to me, that a lot of people didn't like you, 2017. You know what I think? I think those people are just a bunch of Debbie-downers (or they just had a crummy year). There was crappy stuff that happened (just like every year). There was a lot of sad news (just like every year). There were opposing opinions and heated discussions and violent arguments... but guess what? It happens every year. That's just a fact of LIFE and living in a world of sin.
(So if you are looking for contentedness and grace, get to know Jesus, friends.)

Anyways, between you and me, I thought you were pretty great, 2017.

The Good

I spent yet another year with the love of my life. Tom and I laughed a ton, made-up a plethora of new inside jokes, cried together, walked through a long hard season while keeping our chins up, and loved each other infinitely more than the year before. We put all our trust and faith in Christ - never perfectly - but nonetheless, we muddled through and still managed to find happiness and joy amidst the difficulties. There is no other person I would rather do life with, and I'm so grateful for his love and our shared weirdness. 

View fullsize

We brought home our dream pupper! You guys already know. Hondo is just the best dog in the whole world and we love him to pieces. He is unbelievably clingy and it seems like I can never escape a paw in my lap and a nose in my ear. He is everything we hoped for and more. We never tire of his hilarious antics (and if you want in on the fun, follow his popular Instagram). Read up on why he's so special to us in this post. 

View fullsize

We took our first vacation in four years (and we went BIG). We saw three incredible countries and learned a lot about other cultures while meeting some amazing people.

View fullsize

We found out we are expecting a baby (and beat the odds of infertility)! What an overwhelmingly welcome surprise! In a future post, I think I'll share with you the details of our infertility journey. It was such a hard trial and unless you've faced it yourself, I don't know that you'd ever understand the raw hurt and pain that it comes with. However, I feel that being even a small voice for the massive amount of people that silently face this, is the least I can do. It has opened me up to a new sense of compassion and a greater perspective outside the simple excitement most people have when they start their families without a problem.
This baby, though, is so deeply loved already. Our gratefulness to our Lord and Savior for this blessing, knows no bounds. What joy and privilege we feel! I'd say this part of 2017 was a pretty major highlight :)

View fullsize

We moved out of Atlanta! I know I worded that in a way that might seem like a slap in the face to Atlanta, but... people get to feel how they feel, and we are so excited to be in Nashville. It's far less crowded, it's smaller to navigate, and it's closer to our Midwest family. We were a piece to the Georgia puzzle that didn't quite fit, and our latest move has been a welcome one. More on that later.

Tom got a new job. He was ready to be in a more fulfilling role, and this job offer came at some pretty wild timing (right after our big trip, during my first trimester of pregnancy, and the transition happened over Christmas).

We sold our first home. It was bittersweet to say goodbye to the house we DIYed and spent so much time making our own. We learned a lot about owning a home and the costs and work involved in it. It was a blast to have taken that on together and made such happy memories there. It will always hold a special place in our hearts. And I'll miss those giant base cabinet drawers, terribly!

View fullsize

We found a new house! God's timing sure is amazing. Sometimes it feels like you're in seasons where God constantly tells you "not right now" and other seasons where it's a clear "yes" or "no." Infertility was one long "not right now," but suddenly he started pouring a bunch of "yes" at us! This house was no exception. The housing market in Nashville is INSANE, but somehow we found an incredible house and got under contract on it the first week we moved here. The location, style, updates, everything... are exactly what we had been hoping for (and I cannot WAIT to share it with you!). We close in less than two weeks. Teeny spoiler alert photo below! We can't decide if it should be the office/guest room or the nursery...

View fullsize

Regrets

I just feel like I didn't eat enough queso.

Tough Stuff

The fog of infertility greatly affected my drive and left me feeling like I lacked an identity or had to keep such a major part of our life hush-hush (which always feels fake to me). I put up new content, but always wanted to talk about the reality of the hard things going on behind the scenes... yet, I never felt ready. Part of why I started working from home was to be accustomed to being at home once we had children, so when that didn't seem to pan out, it started to affect my overall purpose - online and elsewhere.
This new and recent season, however has greatly uplifted my spirits and excitement for the future. I cannot wait for the things to come, but I'm also greatly enjoying the present.

Oh and I got a kidney stone at 17 weeks pregnant and was in the hospital for two days. That kinda sucked. Haha..

So you know what, 2017... I'm grateful for you. I learned a lot, laughed a lot, cried a lot, and loved a lot. Not every year needs to be groundbreaking and incredible. Some years need to just carry you gracefully (or hectically in our case) into the next. Some years need to teach you how to grieve, and others need to teach you how to rejoice more enthusiastically than ever before.

Some years, however, are definitely a little more memorable than others, and 2017, you've made it to the memory books for sure.