I’ve always been someone that wants to push the limits. I’m not a skydiver, but I like to push myself beyond a level of mediocrity. In my career, I’ve never been happy to just punch the clock. I put in the extra hours and put forth extra effort whenever I can. It’s paid off. I think that my previous and current employer would agree that I’m loyal and hardworking. I’ve gotten raises and promotions when appropriate as a result.

So, when I decided two years ago to enter the IMC program, I really approached the extra hours and work as my way of pushing the limits just a little bit more. It was a tough adjustment at first. After the first two semesters, I began to adjust to the new amount of work and commitment necessary to succeed in IMC. Fast forward to 2008 when I unexpectedly changed jobs; good career move, but a little more harried on my stress level. Like a drug, though, I just kept wanting more and more in my life. I signed up for some volunteer commitments, doubled up on my classes in the fall and continued to pile on the stress. It was tough, no doubt. But, I was doing okay.

This is where the story goes bad (or good depending on how you look at it).

My hubby and I have been talking for quite some time about starting a family. It just never seemed to fit into our lives, though. Last year, we decided that the last semesters of graduate school would be a good time to try. I consulted with my doctor who very quickly warned against our timing. She was adamant that we wait until school was completely done for fear that I would be overwhelmed with work and school if I happened to have some negative side effects.

Silly doctor. I’m superwoman! I push the limits!

Well, I’m pregnant! We’ve been blessed and now are 10 weeks along in this very exciting process. I would say that by the fourth week of my pregnancy, I had begun to fully comprehend and grasp the warnings my doctor had put forth several months ago. I’m sick; not just in the morning. I’m nausea and sick all over my body for much of the day. I’m tired; so tired that I cannot remember a time in my life that I’ve been so tired. I cannot get out of bed and can barely make it to the couch when I come home from work in the evening. I don’t sleep at night. All of a sudden the worries and stresses of my life which were moderately controlled before, are now pushed to the surface when I lay my head down and let those hormones take over.

I’m not writing this blog to complain about being pregnant. I couldn’t be happier! I’m writing this blog to warn the rest of you to really know your limits as an individual. I’ve learned these past few months what my limits were. In the end, I think its nature’s way of reminding me where my priorities really should be focused. I will fight through it. I most likely won’t get an A in my current IMC class, but I’m okay with that. Ten weeks ago, I would have NEVER been ‘okay’ with a grade less than an A. That’s a small price to pay for the rewards we’ll have on October 2, 2009 (due date)!