Every package is a gift

There is beauty to be found in every woman. No matter how the packaging she comes in looks- it’s all beautiful. Every bow, ribbon, sparkle, design, and yes even the scotch tape strategically hidden to cover the slightly ripped areas. She’s beautiful.

Sometimes she comes in a smaller package and sometimes she comes in a bigger one.

If you choose to base your opinions of her solely on her packaging, then my friend, you are missing out on the gift within.

She’s outgoing, kind, determined, stubborn, emotional, loving, selfless, and more. She’s full of stories and wisdom. She’s full of hurt and pain. She’s trying to find out who she is. She’s adventurous and sometimes shy.

She has more to her than the curves you feel around the edges of the package. She has more than the pretty ribbons she’s placed to capture your attention. She’s more than the size of the box she comes with.

There are areas that scotch tape has been strategically placed to help cover her “ripped” areas. Almost everyone has some scotch tape somewhere helping hold them together.

My hope is you’ll take the time to admire her for what’s inside and not just her outer appearance.

She’s a gift. Treat her like one. Don’t treat her as if she can be thrown away or returned due to damage. She’s exactly how she’s supposed to be in this moment of life. She’s exactly how God created her – so delicately and with so much intention to every inch of her.

It’s important to know that. To know that she was made so wonderfully and she has a purpose in this world. That she’s capable of anything she sets her mind to and it doesn’t matter what size she is. She can be whatever she dreams to be. It’s important to know that her self worth doesn’t come from pretty wrapping or the fanciest decorations she uses. It’s what’s inside.

Treasure her. Love her.

And ladies, treasure and love yourself too.

❤️

2017

I haven’t posted for quite some time now and I have been so busy as this year comes to a close.

But as I reflect on how quickly this year ended, I’m humbled by the moments that made it such a wonderful year.

We began the year by welcoming my cute little niece, Ailish. I had never felt consumed by a love like I did when I became an Aunt.

She entered the world and she entered our hearts forever. It’s been incredible watching her grow this past year into the smart, spunky, and cute little girl she is.

The year then took us into the season of our first wedding anniversary. We celebrated by going to Seattle for a week of adventure, all while freezing our buns off.

We went to the top of the Needle, we rode on the Ferris Wheel, we chewed gum and stuck it to the wall, we cruised through the Market, and we got to eat some French Macaroons.

Once home, the year then showed us that our sweet friend Rachel would be bringing a boy into the world. We ate cake, laughed, and counted the minutes till August when he would arrive.

One of my longest friends, Christina, got married and announced to us that she too would be bringing a baby into the world.

And I cried 😂

We ended up attending quite a few weddings this year:

Paul & Rosa, Lexi & Jonathan, Ian & Bailey, Kurt & Sandra, and Megan & Bryan. And if I don’t mind saying, I sure had some cute dates beside me ❤️

Also..

We bought our first house this summer!

Rachel’s baby boy, Jeremiah Jordan Whitman was born in August.

I got to watch my friend Caden whom I’ve been close with since 6th grade, propose to our cute friend Nikki and I was so honored to be there.

This year hasn’t been completely smooth though, we lost friends, sickness was a household member of ours, jobs were changed, and infertility had a grasp upon my hope.

Anthony’s grandpa was diagnosed with the end stages of ALS and we have been holding on to all the moments we still have together.

 The year is now ending and we have so much to look forward to this next year of 2018. We see blessings, prayers answered, financial stability, miracles in the valley, and our hope is that more and more people come to know the Lord. We have loved 2017 and I can’t thank you all enough for helping me get my blog up and running this year. More to come! Happy New Year!

Love, Bryce

Young, Married, Best Decision.

What I’ve learned about being a young wife in today’s world is this:

your marriage is more important than going out Friday night.

your husband is truly your best friend.

you will lose friends due to the fact you are a team and you stand by your teammate.

your relationship with your husband should be your top priority.

starting a family is not as easy as it sounds.

love takes on a whole new meaning once married.

fights don’t end in breakups anymore, they should end in I’m sorry’s, I love you’s, and lets never go to bed angry at each other.

people will tell you, “You’re married. You don’t understand.” Even though once upon a time you were single (insert eye roll + face palm here)

you will pray for your single female friends even more to find the man of their dreams + a man who respects them, sees their true beauty, and who deserves them.

you will want to start a wife club – i know i do hahahaha

you will feel lonely at times and the comfort of your spouse is the best cure

the romance shouldn’t stop but be multiplied.

never stop going out on dates.

never stop pursuing your spouse.

the sweet gifts you used to give each other during the honeymoon phase might be fewer in between, but they now mean so much more.

the Lord always provides.

when the world tells you that you aren’t beautiful, you come home every night to someone who thinks you are too beautiful for the world.

a warm body next to you during winter nights helps you sleep easier.

and most importantly, I’ve learned that being young + married was the best choice I ever made. Even though there will always be voices around me giving me a hard time for becoming a wife so young, I know that saying yes to Anthony is a better life than I would have had alone. I’m beyond thankful for my husband and the love we share. The Lord is good my friends and He has created someone special for each and every one of us in the right timing.

 

Are you a young wife? Let’s chat! I would love to hear your love story. Or maybe you’re in a serious relationship and you’re about to become engaged, currently engaged, whatever it may be! I would love to hear from you + chat about what you’ve learned from being a young wife in this world today.

 

xoxo, Bryce

 

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Nine

Nine months. 

The amount of time it generally takes to incubate a child inside a woman’s womb is the amount of time my husband and I have been trying to conceive a baby. 

Nine months of negative pregnancy test results. I’ve taken about four tests each month so I’ve read roughly 36 negatives.

That’s actually a lot more disheartening to hear when I say it out loud. 

My period was 1 week and 1 day late. I took four more tests and again, had four more negatives. But this time, it really did feel positive. Both my husband and I were sure this time was the time. I had odd symptoms that I hadn’t had the other eight months.

1. Menstrual cycle was later than all the others – still not fully here but I’m not getting my hopes up on spotting. 
2. Acne did not appear before menstrual cycle like usual. Actually my face is super clear compared to the normal (really hoping it stays this way)
3. Did not experience breast pain like I did before 
4. Lowered appetite ( this home girl can usually eat, A LOT)
5. A sense of calmness (been on edge the other months)

But I still kept getting negative test results. Now granted I know the above symptoms aren’t the “per-usual” pregnancy symptoms. But believe me when I say this.. I really felt like this round was different.

I’ve cried the last nine months and I’ve felt hopeless. SO many people around me are getting pregnant and apparently I’m not drinking the same water they are. So if anyone wants to hook me up with that I’d appreciate it!

I’ve felt unsure of my bodies ability to show me “real” signs of pregnancy and I truly feel like I’m never going to know I’m pregnant till I’m in active labor and on the television show, “I didn’t know I was pregnant.” Because every time I felt like this was it, my body would somehow show me otherwise. But this last time was more real to me, if that makes sense? This time I just felt like the Lord nudged me a little and showed me some light. 

I’ve felt distant the last nine months. Like my head is one place but my heart is still back at home in bed because that’s where I always end up crying after the fourth negative test. I’ve felt distant from friends because I just feel like I can’t go out and do anything when the “what if you’re pregnant” thoughts race through my head. I’ve felt distant from family because everyone but me practically has a child and I can’t connect on the whole “what do you do for nap time” and the “when I was pregnant” talks. I’ve felt distant from my husband because I feel like a failure as a wife. I should be able to bare children and for some reason I’m just not. I’ve taken the hormones, I’ve read the books, articles, etc. I’ve eaten the “right” foods and I’ve stayed away from the “bad.” I even tried stopping coffee at one point.. (gasps in background) shocking I know. 

E V E R Y O N E  SAYS IT WILL HAPPEN WHEN ITS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. Like they all congregated and decided on a catch phrase to answer my woes and aches. But it doesn’t put a pink positive sign on the stick when I see it. I know that it will happen when the LORD wants it to happen, but giving myself and this desire up to the Lord has not been easy folks. 

It’s really hard putting this desire in the His hands 110% because the idea of not knowing when it will happen – scares me. It’s true that HIS timing will be the RIGHT timing and I need to swallow that pill, no matter how hard it is. 

So, I just throw myself into my bible and I become a fervent prayer warrior. I ask the Lord, “You know my deep desire to have a child Heavenly Father. I pray that you grant my body the ability to conceive, to have a healthy pregnancy, and a baby in Your holy image.” I ask Him to guide my every decision so that it lines up with His plan for Anthony + I as future parents. 

Some of the most comforting verses I read during this period of life are:

“But I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.” Micah 7:7

“He has made everything beautiful in HIS time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 

“He gives the childless woman a household, making her the joyful mother of children. Hallelujah!” Psalms 113:9 

“When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her times has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has born into the world.” John 16:21

I want to thank everyone who has reached out to me regarding this subject + for any other mothers-in-waiting I pray over you that your desire will be heard and that the Lord blesses you. We’re all in this together. 

Please leave a comment about your pregnancy journey whether you’re in the same shoes as me, already a mother, currently pregnant, etc. I’d love to hear and chat with you! 

♥, bryce