Thankful.

Well, at this point, I am pretty sure the baby boy has dropped and we could expect his arrival any time...even though it’s still quite early (4.5 weeks away).  I am feeling more pressure on the lower half of my belly!  I would prefer he waits until March 7.... my spring break!  I don’t want to have to come back to school earlier than the beginning of May...haha (the real reason!)  I just need to take a minute to THANK GOD for His AMAZING GRACE throughout my pregnancy.  Although, I’ve mentioned all the “difficulties” (why is it so much easier to focus on those, rather than the good moments???) I need to acknowledge that I have had a GREAT pregnancy.  I haven’t had any complications and have been very healthy!  Overall, I have felt wonderful and loved my growing body.  I have been able to keep working full-time with 6^th graders that require SO MUCH energy – emotionally and physically.  My back has held up beautifully (I have definitely had some aches and pains...but haven’t had any problems with some of my previous back problems that I was worried would happen).  Glory to JESUS for that!  I haven’t been overly hormonal (my co-worker and friend, Amber, attested to this the other day), with the exception of a few (between 5-7) days where I cried for no reason or got angry for no reason.  My students have even commented that I haven’t been “mean” like other pregnant teachers...haha.  I’ll give credit to the Holy Spirit for that.  (Although....I am mean to some of them...only when they deserve it...haha).  I finished 8 weeks (just in case he comes early) of substitute plans today (all color-coded and organized in a nice binder!).  This morning I was singing praise to God and my heart was overflowing with THANKFULNESS for his favor, grace, mercy and love! 

So, as the final month approaches, I can actually say I’m in the home-stretch!  I am “ready” for him to arrive, in that I’m mentally ready to go through labor and EXCITED to be a mommy!  I think I am as prepared mentally for labor as I’m going to be!  I was praying about my labor/delivery and God gave me some sweet promises.  He spoke to me and told me that I was going to be able to make it!!! (that may sound simple...but it encouraged my heart so much) and that he was going to be on one side of me, just as David will be on the other.  He spoke some other promises about little details that I’m clinging to...and know I’ll cling too when the PAINS set in!!!  Thanks for all your prayers!!! 

5 More Weeks - FullER of Baby!

Week 34 was quite uncomfortable....lots of leg cramps throughout the night, major heartburn (major!), difficulty breathing, fuller of baby and waking up each day feeling gaseous for the first 1-4 hours.  However, today I woke up and felt great (comparatively speaking)!  I was so thankful!  While at school today, 3 different people looked at me and said “I think you’ve dropped!”  It didn’t really click with me, but then I thought “Hm...that must be why I feel better.  I can definitely tell his positioning is different.”  I still have little feet in the ribs and a little difficulty breathing, but it is noticeably better than the past week.  Whoo hoo!  

These signs of progression have put a little kick in the urgency to get things ready!  I stayed at work tonight until 7 with my amazing friend, Amber, and we mapped out the 6 weeks I’ll be out.  She is a true gift from God for me for so many reasons.  I still have roughly 6 hours of work to do to prep my sub, but I feel much better having the plan set!  Whew!  Speaking of getting things ready – my mom will be here in one week.  She will be helping Billy move out and then spend a week painting the room and helping me get organized.  I can’t wait to have the baby room set and ready to go! I can't wait for her to get here!

Over the weekend, a sweet friend, took some maternity pictures of us.  She is starting a photography business and wanted to use me as her maternity model for her website.  I loved it and am sure we’ll end up with some great pictures. David, on the other hand, endured the 3 hour photo shoot as an act of love towards me.  I’ll hopefully be able to post some of the 34 week pictures soon. 

News: Tomorrow we’re going to meet two pediatricians, so hopefully one of them is great!  Oh and I told my boss today that I am not planning to work full-time next year!  I was nervous about the conversation, but it went better than I could have planned!  She offered me a part-time position (well, an unofficial offer because she’ll have to work it out in the budget), so I’ll be praying about that.  If it’s God’s will and ends up being financially beneficial, then I’ll probably do it....we’ll see!  

Thanks for keeping me and Kbabe in your prayers.  I am needing lots of GRACE to make it through the days working with my students.  We are believing he will come at the PERFECT time (but it would GREAT for me to make it 3 more weeks – through my spring break).  I’m not counting on him arriving early, but many people think he’ll come early and I also have a strong feeling he will.  March 24 (original due date) sounds perfect to me...but I’m not sure we’ll make it there....who knows?  

‘Till next time.....

Full of Baby!

People keep asking me how I feel (well, that’s not new), but my response is!  I don’t know how to describe it other than “I feel so full of baby!”  It’s weird how I can be starving, yet my belly feel so full and tight....new and bizarre.  Baby boy’s feet (assuming it’s his feet) kick against my ribs multiple times a day (and definitely every night) and sometimes it feels like a little foot gets stuck up there under my ribs.  I try to kind of push him down, but I don’t want to hurt him...so I just take it!  Sleeping has officially reached the “uncomfortable” stage and I have one spot in my mid/side back that aches so much if I sit too long in the same position.  I have daily heartburn now, which is a bummer because I thought I was in the clear.  I had only a couple bouts of it in earlier weeks, but the burning sensation visits me regularly these days.  I have a feeling it might stick around through the next 7 weeks..bummer.  I am getting a lot more tired and feel the need for a serious nap every day (okay, that’s not new either...but it’s intensified now!)  We had a “snow day” yesterday, which was crazy because there was no snow, nor was there any ice after 8a.m.  Texans are weirdos.  It will be cold (it was 15 degrees today!!!) and people freak out and refuse to go outside...which means you can’t go to school either (last I checked we worked in a heated building and most people have cars with heaters).  However, I glady received the news and then took a 2 hour siesta....(ahhh, so refreshing!).  Watch for my post on May 30^th (Memorial Day) and remind me of how sweet it was to take a nap yesterday on the “snow day” because I will be complaining about going to school to make-up for the missed day yesterday (grr) and having spend another day away from baby boy!  I think I’ve gained 25lbs now...which I’m okay with.  At first I kept thinking “I cannot get on the scale and see 150!” but I think that might happen now, seeing that I’m at 143lbs and have 7 more weeks to go...oh well.  I guess the only real thing that bothers me about my body is that now when I look at my thighs, I see cellulite on the front of them...THE FRONT! 

Enough of the “negatives,” though – I have so much to be thankful for!  I have 7 weeks left and am getting more and more excited.  Monday we finished our 2^nd childbirth class (of 3) and took a tour of the Labor and Delivery rooms and the Mother and Baby rooms (they move you across the hall 2 hours after you deliver).  The hospital is 2 years old, so it’s very nice!  David and I both felt much more excited after the tour because I think it made it all feel so much more real.  Not like the kicks, growing belly and heartburn don’t make it feel real!  David was the volunteer to get on the delivery bed and demonstrate several different positions women can get into to help make labor more comfortable (hilarious!)  He even practiced breathing while “modeling” for us.  Around 8:30p.m. all the tired, achey, and sick-of-standing women welcomed a good laugh!  He’s a trooper.  Yes, I got a picture, but it’s on my phone and I don’t know how to get it into my blog....haha. 

Okay, time to grade papers.....or take some Tums and go to bed????  Hmm..the second option sounds so much better!  Oh, we are going to be seeking God and praying about labor, delivery and still praying about Kbabe’s name, so please join us!  If God speaks anything to you, please pass it along!  

David's birthday present: His Daddy Bag (aka a cool Patagonia Backpack)

David's daddy-time blanket (I made this quilt for David over X-mas Break - it was a lot of work, but so fun cutting, sewing together and making the dino teeth border!)

Happy 28th Birthday David (Jan. 12, 2011)

 

32 Weeks and 4 days - Jan. 30, 2011

32 Weeks (Disregard the sweaty "glisten," I had just finished a pregnancy workout)

32 Weeks

32 Weeks

 

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!)

24 Weeks

Whew!  Time sure is flying by!  We had a lovely week in Michigan for Thanksgiving with my family.  I registered for all sorts of baby goodies (and a bff came with me, Lauren Maiman).  I loved every second of it!  I ate lots of food and enjoyed every second of that too :)  The past two weeks back in Waco have been crazy-busy with work and our Hispanic Ministry.  We leave in a week and half for South Africa to spend Christmas with David's family.  We are so looking forward to this visit.  We haven't been with all of David's siblings and parents (and now all our nieces and nephew) since our wedding 4.5 years ago!  What a blessing this trip will be.  
Pregnancy is going very well - I'm rounding out nicely and enjoying the dance parties that baby boy has in my tummy.  Here are a few pictures to update y'all! 
                                                                                                    

21 Weeks

23 Weeks (Thanksgiving 2010)

23 Weeks

                                                                                          

24 Weeks

24 Weeks