By now you’ve probably seen the news! We’re having a BABY!!! I have to admit that I’m feeling a little relieved that we don’t have the GIANT secret anymore!! We have known since JUNE 8th that we were pregnant and we’ve been keeping it a secret ever since! We prayed for this and we tried since the beginning of 2016. We knew that God had been preparing us for this season for a while now and so we trusted that His timing would be perfect. That is easier to say than it is to do.
Michael and I found out that our best friends Bud and Jill and my sister and her husband were expecting and we were so excited!!! We had all been kind of talking about how we were getting closer to this next season of life and then all of a sudden BAM! It was happening!!! It was in those few months after finding out about their pregnancies that Michael and I learned to trust God in a whole new way. When I found out that I was pregnant two months later, I honestly couldn’t believe it. I was in shock. I always wanted to do a big SURPRISE to tell Michael but after several months of trying, I decided to just randomly take a pregnancy test when we were both home one morning and as soon as it read positive, I yelled from the bathroom “Uh Michael!! This thing says I’m pregnant! That can’t be right!!!”.
He agreed with me! We didn’t believe it! So I took another…. and it was immediately positive!! I remember my hands were shaky and we didn’t even know what to say. I was too shocked to even cry (that came later!). We called Buddy and Jill right then and there because they had JUST left our house 30mins prior. We called them and we didn’t even know what to say. I had a REALLY shaky video of the call and once they answered, Michael and I just sat in silence and they guessed what was happening!! Queue the tears!!!
We had an engagement session that night in DC and so we made plans to tell our families on the way up and on the way back through. We were so blessed to be able to tell our entire immediate families in person all on the same day!!! Some of you may remember that we lost a dear friend back in June and we actually found out about the baby the day before his funeral. In some ways, it seemed like God was giving our family a new sense of hope during such a hard week. I start crying every time I think about it. We know that this is such a gift that we don’t deserve. We also know that this little person was God’s idea to begin with and that He has been planning his/her life since before time began. Every time we see an ultrasound we’re just amazed at how miraculous new life is! My baby app tells me every week that organs are forming, growing and developing and even from week FIVE, this little girl/guy had a heartbeat! It was the size of an APPLE SEED and it had a HEARTBEAT! It’s just all so amazing!!
What’s also amazing is that I get to be pregnant with my little sister. It’s so perfect because she’s not a worrier. I’m the worrier of the two of us! So she’s experiencing everything 8 weeks ahead of me and can reassure me that certain things are normal and that nothing is wrong. We just spent a week together at the lake and my favorite memory was when we were sleeping in the same bed one night and after staying up talking until 2 am, we decided we needed to go to bed! So we rolled over and tried to fall asleep for about 10 mins and then I realized that I stayed up way too late and I felt kinda sick and needed to eat something before I started gagging!! So I said “Oh no Emy! I need food!” and she responded with “Well lucky for you I brought the whole bag of animal crackers to bed with me!”!! She rolled over with our snack and we laughed about how embarrassing it would be if someone walked in and saw the two of us pregnant ladies munching on animal crackers at 2 O’clock in the morning!!! It’s such a gift to be pregnant together. We always hoped for this but we knew that is wasn’t likely that it would happen. I get teary just thinking about how gracious God has been in the timing of it all.
Speaking of the timing of it all, I’m due on VALENTINES DAY!! My sister Emy is due on CHRISTMAS DAY!! What’s even crazier to think about is that there will be TWO babies at my brother’s wedding in MAY!!! Needless to say BOTH sets of our parents are thrilled and we’re about to experience one of the most exciting seasons of our lives!!! We DO plan on finding out the GENDER in a couple of months and as of today, I’m 14 weeks! Everything looks normal and we’re praying everyday for a healthy baby and healthy pregnancy. I have had moments of feeling nauseous but I’ve never actually gotten sick. Fingers crossed that I’m past that point but who knows! I’ve been so blessed that I have made it through the majority of our HOTTEST weddings this summer without any issues!! We should be in our new house two months before the baby and our builders have been GREAT about understanding that we have a hard deadline now!! We’re aiming for a mid-November move-in!!!
We are so thankful for this season. There is so much happening and so much to learn along the way. We’re SO thankful for all of the sweet comments, texts and calls. You all are so good to us. Thank you for being so excited for us and this new adventure!!!! :):)
Thanks for reading!
— Katelyn
MORE RECENT POSTS
In today’s world, the idea of a “healthy home” can feel overwhelming. With constant information about toxins, processed foods, and environmental risks, it’s easy to feel defeated before you even start. So I’m sharing our journey and the small, impactful steps we’ve taken towards a healthier home.
This week, Michael is sitting down with me at the microphone to join me on the podcast! When we started our Acton Academy journey, we had big dreams and very little idea of the practical challenges that lay ahead. Today, in year three of running our own Acton Academy, Michael and I are thrilled to reflect on the incredible transformation we’ve seen in our learners, our community, and even our own perspectives on education.
Photography is an art that thrives on creativity and technique. If you don’t have the basics of lighting and posing down, this tip won’t work- but if you’re looking to elevate your style, this is for you!!
In this episode of “Doing Life Differently”, I sat down with my friend Catherine Guidry, a luxury wedding photographer and educator, to discuss the challenges and rewards of personal branding. Cat and I dug deep into how sharing more of ourselves—while still maintaining boundaries—can transform our businesses, relationships, and personal lives.
This is not a technical review filled with specs, but rather a practical perspective on how the R6 Mark II performs in everyday photography situations!
I had the pleasure of chatting with Erica and Jon, two incredibly talented photographers and educators who have redefined their business and life by embracing change. From leaving a corporate career to transforming their wedding photography business into a thriving brand photography venture, their story is full of inspiration for anyone looking to take bold steps and live life on their own terms.
Top Personal Posts
Have a little time to read?
"Best money I have EVER spent on education! ... and I've spent a lot!”
"I love all the lessons I'm learning from KJ All Access! Thanks Katelyn!”
"I find very few educational resources worth it ... this one is!”
"Being able to see behind-the-scenes of Katelyn interacting with her clients has been SO impactful!”
"SO worth it! It's amazing the amount of knowledge you get out of them!”
"I learned just as much in one All Access as I did in a whole course! SO GOOD!"
The KJ blog
must-reads
YOUTUBE
The KJ Learning roadmap
