Good secrets are so fun and exciting and we've been keeping the best kind - we are going to have another baby! It's still hard for me to wrap my mind around it. After not being able to have children for more than 7 years, it's so incredible that after our miracle child Nathaniel was born, we are having another one less than 2 years later. It was such a happy surprise and we couldn't be more thankful and most definitely don't take it for granted.
I am currently 18 weeks pregnant, so we will be having our baby this coming November. When we started out this year, we had no idea that before Thanksgiving, our family would be expanding and we would be enjoying a precious newborn again. When I wrote in my post about the 30 things that I've learned in my twenties that life is full of surprises, I really meant it.
My pregnancies are "difficult" to put it mildly, but I will gladly put up with anything since it will have such a wonderful outcome in the end. Pregnancies don't last forever, and in the grand scheme of things, are just a snippet in the big pictures of our lives.
This time, we found out we were pregnant pretty much right away, so I was determined to cram in as much nutrients and vitamins into myself as possible while I felt good. Since I felt my best in the first trimester with Nathaniel, I wanted to be very proactive immediately. I think it really helped. I think it also makes a huge difference that this time I'm not working 12 hour night shifts as a nurse, which obviously takes a big toll on a body. It's such a blessing to be able to work from home. 
So far, this pregnancy has been very similar to how I felt when I was pregnant with Nathaniel, so the further along I am, the worse I feel. I am really, REALLY thankful that I haven't needed any IV infusions. It's hard for me to keep anything down now, so I'm still losing weight, even this far along. I'm sure no one is interested in hearing me whine, so I'm not going to go into any more details.
I'm glad that I'm still able to cook on most days - it's my hobby and my creative outlet, even though I'm not able to eat most of it, lol. That's ok, though. I am very comforted knowing that babies will take everything they need to develop from their Mamas, so our little bitty person is growing and strong. We are so excited (how many times have I used this word in this post already? Can you tell how thrilled we are?) that our Nathaniel will be a big brother very soon and we are already in love with our new family member. 
9 years ago, we went through one of the most difficult times in our life when we lost our daughter. 3 short years ago, we had gone through a long adoption process that completely crashed right before we were about to fly to Russia to meet our possible children, leaving us devastated, a lot poorer and discouraged. We were going through the long process of getting certified for foster care, which as you all know we loved, but we had to say some tearful, heart wrenching good byes to all 7 of our foster children one at a time.
When I turned 27, I wrote a blog post where I said that one of my biggest dreams was to be a mother. I couldn't have imagined that by my 30th birthday I would be a mother to not one, but 2 babies! (I do consider myself a mother of three, but you know what I mean.) Life has been a series of astonishing surprises and definitely NOTHING like what I imagined in my teens and early twenties. Miracles do happen and the life of our family is the perfect example of it, over and over again. 
Your personal posts make me cry !!! :,( AND :,)
GOD TRULY IS ALIVE AND MAKING MIRACLES. Such a blessing for you, and an encouragement for me , my daughter is 5 and we are hoping waiting and praying for another kiddo! Your inspiring. 🙂 God bless your pregnancy and life ♡
As all the previous comments. I want to congratulate you. Very happy for you!
Thank you so much, Irina.
Olga, Congratulations!! I am so happy for you!!!!! God is SO good!! Blessings to you this pregnancy!! May everything go as smooth as possible. So excited for you and your family! 🙂
Thank you so much, Anna.
Olga, you have no idea how excited and happy I am for you! Praise God for His goodness! Crazy how the Lord fulfills his plans for us...His ways are good!
Awww.... Thank you so much for sharing our joy, Tanya:).
This is amazing! God is always up to something beautiful and exciting. Congratulations and may God bless your growing family. You are such an example to younger generation in many ways. I enjoy to cook your meals and read your sweet stories.
xoxo
Thank you so much, Tanya. I appreciate that you are following along our exciting experiences:). God is good.
Wow, praise God for another baby!
Congratulations and may God bless your pregnancy, I hope it will only get better for you not worse. You guys are such sweet family ❤️
Thank you, Larisa. We are so excited.
Congratulations, Olechka! You are a stunning glowing pregnant woman. Now no one can stop you and you will have like 5 kids LOL. All the best! What a great news!
Thank you so much, Olena! I always did want to have 5 children, so you never know, LOL.
We are really excited.
Dear Olga,
God bless as you prepare for another sweet child in your life. Like you, My daughter was very sick with her children - the 3rd of three the worst, so you don't need to say another word. Take all of the help you can, and be good to yourself. My prayers for you and the "boys." Terry
Thank you for the understanding and prayers, Terry:). We are so happy for this new baby.
I've been following you on social media. You story have touched me I always read your post with tears in my eyes. Our God is truly Awesome, Wonderful God, that's all I can say while reading your happy news. I am very happy and excited for your family. Nathaniel will be a great older brother for the new baby 🙂
Our family have gone through losing one child through the miscarriage so I feel you! I am very thankful to God that he loves us so much we are expecting our second (would be third) son in September. 🙂
God is absolutely amazing and He has shown His glory with so many miracles in our family and in holding us up during hard times. I'm so sorry you experienced a miscarriage. That is so heartbreaking. I am thrilled to hear that you are also expecting a precious baby this fall. Congratulations, Nina!
I have been reading your blog since you had the foster children, and check the website at least twice a week. I feel as though i have been through so much with you!! It bought tears to my eyes to read this. Couldnt be happier for you all! I'm praying extra prayers for both your, and baby's health. How great is our God!
I am an RN (anaesthetics) in Australia and am newly pregnant and struggling with feeling sick and working long shifts.
Thank you for sharing! This has made my day!
Ella
I'm so thankful for faithful readers like you, Ella. Thank you for sharing our joy. I'm always excited to "meet" a fellow RN too.
Congratulations on your pregnancy. I hope you feel better soon.
Olga I am SOOO happy for you and your family! Praise God for the new, wonderful blessing he is sending you!! May God bless you and your pregnancy and your new baby and your whole family! The way you live your life is a sweet inspiration to me. Your son is adorable and I'm excited for the future addition!
Thank you for your sweet comment, Zoya. Thank you for sharing our excitement.
Congratulations to you and your family!!! I can only try to imagine the thrill of this exciting news😄 May God keep you safe, healthy & uplifted in His grace!!
Thank you so much, Lana:).
Olachka!!! I was just thinking about you the other day and then my sister tells me you are expecting a new little addition to your family! How cool is that?! How exciting!!!! Sending many prayers your way and wishing you a healthy-as-possible pregnancy!! I am due this November also and we can't wait to meet our little mini #4 lol. Sending you many blessings, sister!!! -Anastasiya
Thank you so much, Anastasiya! Your kind words and prayers mean so much to me. Thank you for taking the time to write. Congratulations on having a baby too! I always feel such a kinship with other women who are due around the same time as I am:). May God bless your pregnancy too.
Contacts!!! I'm so happy for you Olga! May God bless you and your growing family!
Thank you, Valya.