So Close, Yet So Far Away!

I haven’t had this feeling since my wedding: there is something about the approachment of one of life’s biggest moments that makes time seem to FLY by yet  c r e e p by simultaneously.  The combination of excitement and anxiety (only as I look at my to-do list) fills my nights, dreams, and especially my first thoughts in the morning which then makes me roll (literally) out of bed with a little more “umph” than before.  I think that knowing I’m one day closer to holding my baby boy gets me going with a bit more enthusiasm (even when I am exhausted due to rolling back and forth all night and getting up to pee now 2-3 times a night).  And I love it.  I love my baby.  I love that in 8 weeks I’ll be holding him (maybe sooner? But let’s hope not too soon and definitely not later!!)

My amazing, generous and creative mother planned a beautiful baby shower for me in Michigan on January 16.  We had a lovely lunch at Brickstreet in Grand Blanc and some faithful friends and family were in attendance with precious and practical gifts of all sorts.  I took it all in and enjoyed the moment.  The highlight of the weekend was spending some quality time with my Aunt Pam, Aunt Susan and cousins Rae, Jammie , Jill and Olivia.  We stayed up until 2a.m. playing games and laughing until we cried (and peed our pants....and I wasn’t the only one!  But, I was the only one with a good excuse).  The only lack was not having my mother-in-law there (and sisters-in-law: Simone, Anna-Maria, and Miriam).  I love them dearly and know they would have been there if they could.  

We started childbirth classes this week at our hospital.  Session 1 was informative, helpful and comical (due to our great instructor).  Even though I already know much of this information, it’s good to hear it again with David. At the end, we practiced a few breathing techniques  and David learned how to lead me during labor and not just say “Good job baby, keep doing that breathing thing.”  These techniques have been helpful the past few days as I frequently find myself standing up for just a few moments and suddenly out of breath, huffing and puffing (seriously?  They say this is normal, but I feel like a 400lb out-of-breath whale from just standing or walking up 3 steps).  Then, I’ll sit down and within minutes need to get back up due to the back pain or my ribs cramping down and feeling little feet pounding against my ribs.  8 more weeks?  Oh right, I just said “I love this.”  (and I do...really!)

Time to practice our “Cleansing Breath”....  

30 Weeks - January 16, 2010

30 Weeks

30 Weeks

Bug Quilt that my mom made: she literally cut out and sewed every little detail of these bugs: eyes, arms, feet, etc!)

Farm Quilt: Another work-of-art by my mother...a LABOR of LOVE putting this together!

Farm Animals :)

Me and Maim

Me and Mom (holding some of the bedding pieces she made!)

New robe mommy made me to match bedding and to wear at the hospital

Hello Third Trimester!

Happy 2011! I have never really gotten excited about a new year, but not this year! 2010 had many challenges for me (and definitely MANY great things), but I gladly shut the door there and WELCOME 2011. I am so excited for the new season of life I am about to walk into and so excited to be a mom! God is preparing my heart more and more. My prayer the past few months has been for God to create more capacity in my heart to love Him...and also to love my son!


The Baby and Belly: I’m getting much larger and can distinctly feel every little movement of our little prince! Some of them are so strong that they make me feel like my stomach is turning...probably because with his movments, it literally is (haha)! I love it though! I have gained 20 lbs and have 12 more weeks to go! I feel good and am thankful. The cravings subsided during trimster 2, but are coming back. Last night in the airport, I wanted frozen yogurt so badly, but due to delays in flights we had to run off one plane and onto the next  However, on our way home from Dallas to Waco we were both hungry and stopped at Denny’s at 1a.m. because I wanted french toast. Not only did I enjoy the tasty treat, but I laughed so hard at the company we had in the restaurant. I get a lot of experience in the ghetto culture while teaching at my school, but last night we had an experience in Hillbilly Texas land. Let me preface this with the fact that God loves these people and I am not trying to judge them...but sometimes observing humanity can be funny! At one table, was a family of like 6 kids and two dads...all overweight, except for one skinny girl about 7 years old with silver crowns on most of her teeth. I couldn’t help but wonder why they were all up at 1:30a.m. and drinking Coke? Scenes like that actually make me quite sad. Okay, now the funny part. In a booth across the room were two gentlemen and one lady, who were all apparently intoxicated. They proceeded to argue over how many states were in the U.S. and the woman was certain there were 52 because she “went to school and knows!” The children at the other table started discussing this too and one kid agreed with there being 52 and another started arguing that there are 51 because they just took one away (which one did they take away???) I’m deliriously tired and dying laughing at all this. The waiters and waitresses get invovled and no one knows for certain. Even when the girl looks over at me and says “There are 52, right?” and I say “Actually, I think there are only 50,” she turns back to the guys and says “See, even they think there are 52.” Finally, another guy brings his iPhone over to prove that there are only 50. Just when you think it’s over, she continues to say there are 51 because Cananda is a state. Oh my. We ate our food and overheard the teenage boys aruging whether or not I was someone famous....lol. I was flattered. It was just too funny that I had to share...and the TX accents made it all the better last night.



Back to the purpose of the blog: pregnancy. I am 7 months pregnant (28.5 weeks). It seems weird to say I’m 7 months pregnant....I always imagined large pregnant women at 7 months...and I guess that’s me now! See pics below! We had originally intended to spend Christmas in South Africa with David’s family, but due to London, Heathrow shutting down after a snow storm our trip was delayed and then sadly cancelled. We could not find an alternate route out of NYC, so we had to rent a car and we drove to Michigan. We (David, Sara and I) tried to enjoy our time in NYC by taking a bus/boat tour and actually had some great quality time together for those 4 days. Our time in MI was restful...but our hearts ached to not be with the family in Joburg. We arrived back in Waco this morning around 3a.m. For the first time since we moved here, I feel “at home!” I feel like this is the beginning of some of God’s promises He made me for 2011! Okay, I’ll update more frequently (but not so lengthy) these last 3 months! Thanks for your prayers!

28 Weeks or 7 Months

side view at 28 weeks pregnant

Making the most of our COLD stop in NYC!  (We had only summer clothes packed in our suitcases, with the exception of light jackets, hats and gloves because we thought we might be spending 1 day in London!)