what.a.week.

It's been quite a rollercoaster lately around the Waagner house.  and since I'm the only Waagner currently residing in the Waagner house, it has alllll been MY drama. haha In case you haven't already heard, here is what you missed:

Last Sunday I was out to lunch with family after church. Throughout lunch I had some weird feeling come over me and my brain felt as if it were shutting down a bit.  I lost my short term memory for a while, forgetting who Eric was, my little cousin, my uncle, and even the names of movies or actors that I was racking my brain to try to remember.  Neurologically, my brain just wasn't registering normal things anymore which was very scary.  In the car on the way home, the right side of my body began to tingle along with my tongue and both hands.  At that point my mom made the executive decision that it was time to go to the ER.
After an MRI, EKG, tons of blood drawn, constant monitoring, and staying overnight in the hospital, it was confirmed according to the neurologist that I most likely suffered a bloodclot in my brain which resulted in a TIA (a mini stroke).  whew! What a Sunday Funday! haha  I am doing a LOT better now and feel almost 100%... and I know that most of that is thanks to the tons of prayers and well wishes that were sent my way during the week.  I have a wonderful family who took great care of me, and though Eric wasnt here through it, he was worrying like crazy and praying from afar.  He took the best care of me :)
*and another special thank you to my amazing friend Desiree.  She was by my side in the hospital and has just really been sticking by me through thick and thin during the deployment.  She's just the sweetest most selfless friend I have and she has truly made all these transitions so much easier.  God sends you the people you need to help you through things and there is no doubt that He has sent her to me for a lifelong friendship.

As far as our boy Eric, he is doing great over in Japan! He's ready to come home for sure though.  Sometimes it feels like hes never coming home.  I guess I'm so used to being alone I can't even imagine life with Eric any longer.  I go through everyday and every night essentially a single girl. And that's a pretty sour feeling to not really remember what life is like with a man that you love so much. I'll never forget this experience because it has taught me a LOT about myself and it has taught me a lot about loneliness. So I just pray every night that I keep up the strength that I've been able to muster up thus far and stay positive.
We are almost seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully February and March flyyyyy by because I know April will either FLY by or creep by in anticipation for his return in May!  Eric leaves soon for mainland for a couple weeks for training and will then be going to a different country all together for a month and a half which may or may not be a bit more dangerous so here's hoping that things stay peaceful and he comes home on time and safe!  Sorry I have to be a bit more cryptic about this update but I'm not really supposed to talk about his whereabouts and all that for their safety.  All he needs is our prayers and support which I know he just gets SO much of :) Gosh, I love that boy so much.

EEEEEK! LASTLY, but definitely not least, I seem to have come home from Japan with onnnne extra little souvenir........ I'm PREGNANT!!! haha We weren't planning or trying to get pregnant but it looks like God had a different plan for Eric and I and we're SO excited for it!  We were a bit shocked/speechless at first, and after going through this past whirlwind of a year (engagement, wedding, and deployment all in the same year), we were planning to take it easy when Eric got home and have some quality time together as a couple.... but, like I said, God had a different plan and now we have a baby on the way! Eric has been SO cute and supportive-- and now hes just that much more antzy to come home!  He has been reading pregnancy books over there and making sure I'm eating well.  He's already such a cute helper for me.  He talks about the baby constantly and about our family-to-be and how happy he is. He is honestly SO EXCITED to have this baby!  I think he was born to be a daddy and he will be one of the best I've known.  Makes me love him even more!  Both of our families have been SO supportive also and SO excited for us which means the absolute world to us.  I go to the doctor this Tuesday to have my very first ultrasound and hear the heartbeat and have the appointment with my OB.  I'm so excited to see our little growing baby! Ill be sure to post my ultrasound picture here so yall can oogle our little nugget with us :)  The Lord has never ceased to shock and surprise us and His grace has been flooding our life together since Eric and I met. I'm so thankful to Him for his abundant provision and love.  So we are thrilled to be expecting and we look forward to whatever else God has in store for us!  Hopefully after the baby is born we can finally settle down for a little bit-- our little family of 3!
again, thank you SO, SO much for all of your prayers and kind words.  It has been a CRAZY couple of weeks with everything and we needed our family and friends and their love more than ever.  We are SO blessed in SO many different ways.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to PROSPER you and NOT TO HARM you, plans to give you HOPE and a FUTURE."  -Jeremiah 29:11