Now that I am most definitely looking pregnant, I have gotten a lot more comments from people when I'm out and about. Yesterday, I was driving through a toll booth and the lady said, "Something cookin'?". At first I was like, what in the world is she talking about, I'm in a car...how could something be cooking?? And then I got it. Just in time to say "Yeah" and drive away.
This morning at the grocery store, I was looking at the very sorry selection of strawberries, and after I decided that they all looked bad, I walked away. One of the workers said, "The baby wants strawberries." Well, I'm glad he has a direct connection to Joel's thoughts and desires. To this man I said, "Well I want strawberries too, but they don't look very good!".
Stay tuned for more stories like this as I keep getting bigger and bigger these last several weeks!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
So close!
My doctor said she would probably lift my restrictions at 34 weeks. I am 1 week and two days away and I am antsy. I obviously want Joel to be born at full term, but it's comforting to know that I'm almost to the point where it would be safe if he were born sooner. I haven't had any other problems with contractions and I am very thankful. I'm interested to see if I have them again when I start being more active, or if it really was a fluky thing and maybe a slight overreaction from my doctor.
I have had a lot of time to think over these past four weeks. As I try to put off the growing list of things to do for just one more week, I am trying to process and reflect on the things I have learned over this month.
1) I really miss exercising. I do not enjoy the feeling I have when I've just been sitting around and eating for 4 weeks. I am dying to move my body more than 20 feet at a time.
2) I really miss cleaning my apartment. My mom and Sam have helped me keep up with some things, but there is still much to be done. I have let things get far dirtier than I ever normally would and I cannot wait to remedy this! I have been daydreaming about how exactly I'm going to catch up on cleaning (sad, I know). I blame this partly on my tendency to be a little OCD and partly on the nesting instinct.
3) I have sort of an extreme need to be self sufficient and in control. I can't stand the idea of relying on other people for help. Exercise and cleanliness are tools I use to fulfill this need.
4) Drinking 64+ ounces of water a day leads to a lot of toilet paper consumption.
5) I am far more bitter, cynical, impatient and judgmental than I should be. Being forced to be much more still than usual leaves more time to examine my heart and find the yuckiness that is inside.
6) I text and talk on the phone a lot more when I am taking it easy. I exceeded our minutes and my texting limit this month for the first time ever (since being married..as my Dad knows, it was a common occurrence before that).
7) Time can pass pretty fast when you aren't doing much. Somehow, these last four weeks have actually flown by.
8) God continues to be faithful. He has provided sweet friends and family to entertain and encourage me. He has protected me from further problems with contractions and has kept my baby healthy.
9) I am bad at resisting pregnancy cravings. And I crave unhealthy things. I have a good friend who is newly pregnant and she craves fruit, carrots and yogurt. Me, I crave ice cream, chips, Cocoa Pebbles, Eggo waffles, more ice cream, oh, and french fries. If I buy a bag of chips, I will inevitably eat half of it in one sitting. (Thankfully, when I do this, I regret it so much that I resist the urge to buy chips for a long time. Once they are in my house though, there is no hope.)
10) It is hard to write a blog post trying to summarize all the thoughts in my head and I will probably be writing more about this.
I have had a lot of time to think over these past four weeks. As I try to put off the growing list of things to do for just one more week, I am trying to process and reflect on the things I have learned over this month.
1) I really miss exercising. I do not enjoy the feeling I have when I've just been sitting around and eating for 4 weeks. I am dying to move my body more than 20 feet at a time.
2) I really miss cleaning my apartment. My mom and Sam have helped me keep up with some things, but there is still much to be done. I have let things get far dirtier than I ever normally would and I cannot wait to remedy this! I have been daydreaming about how exactly I'm going to catch up on cleaning (sad, I know). I blame this partly on my tendency to be a little OCD and partly on the nesting instinct.
3) I have sort of an extreme need to be self sufficient and in control. I can't stand the idea of relying on other people for help. Exercise and cleanliness are tools I use to fulfill this need.
4) Drinking 64+ ounces of water a day leads to a lot of toilet paper consumption.
5) I am far more bitter, cynical, impatient and judgmental than I should be. Being forced to be much more still than usual leaves more time to examine my heart and find the yuckiness that is inside.
6) I text and talk on the phone a lot more when I am taking it easy. I exceeded our minutes and my texting limit this month for the first time ever (since being married..as my Dad knows, it was a common occurrence before that).
7) Time can pass pretty fast when you aren't doing much. Somehow, these last four weeks have actually flown by.
8) God continues to be faithful. He has provided sweet friends and family to entertain and encourage me. He has protected me from further problems with contractions and has kept my baby healthy.
9) I am bad at resisting pregnancy cravings. And I crave unhealthy things. I have a good friend who is newly pregnant and she craves fruit, carrots and yogurt. Me, I crave ice cream, chips, Cocoa Pebbles, Eggo waffles, more ice cream, oh, and french fries. If I buy a bag of chips, I will inevitably eat half of it in one sitting. (Thankfully, when I do this, I regret it so much that I resist the urge to buy chips for a long time. Once they are in my house though, there is no hope.)
10) It is hard to write a blog post trying to summarize all the thoughts in my head and I will probably be writing more about this.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Crazy pregnancy dreams...
I have had so many crazy dreams lately. (I had a dream where I was fighting alien creatures on another planet, a dream where I introduced our child to Sam at King's Dominion..yeah a lot of weird ones). They usually feel so vivid when I first wake up and then I always forget them, so this one I'm recording. In real life, I read this week that 1 in 3 people have C-sections, so I guess that's been on my mind a lot. I am also 10 days away from 34 weeks (but whose counting??), so the time after that has been on my mind.
Last night I dreamed that I went to the Dr. at 34 weeks and I said something to the nurse practitioner that made her think I needed to have a C-section right then and there. I was unsure about this and asked if it was really necessary and if it needed to be right then. She said it was either then, or I could wait until the next morning if I wanted. I decided I might as well go ahead with it then, so I stood facing a wall while she gave me a numbing shot in my back. Then she told me she would be right back. A long time passed and she still hadn't returned, so I started second guessing this decision. I decided to call Sam, you know, it might be good to mention that I was about to have our baby. When I called him he was like, finally, I've been trying to call you 40 times and you didn't answer. He was looking for some important paper for the ship. I interjected and said, well I kind of need to talk to you about something too. I told him about the C-section and he was like, Why are you doing this?? I didn't really know, so he told me to tell her not to do it. I agreed and realized it was a bad idea, especially considering I didn't have a lot of things I needed for the baby and I really wasn't ready, and it was still early for him to be born. Finally, the nurse practitioner came back and I told her, sorry, but I don't want to do this. She was fine with that and I went on my merry way. On the way home, I realized that she never did the normal part of my appointment, listening to his heartbeat, etc. so I was concerned about that.
I was very relieved when I woke up and realized that this was not real! I think it reveals many of the things I'm unsure or concerned about in the upcoming weeks though. It's funny because the nurse practitioner in my dream was the one I saw the day I was having contractions, so I have negative memories associated with her in real life as well. I've been thinking a lot about what happens after 34 weeks, if I start being more active again, if that would cause Joel to come sooner. I've been thinking a lot about when to buy the last minute things I still need and what exactly to buy. I've started thinking a lot more about labor and delivery and how I hope it will go. Anyway, all of this is very evident in this dream, so I thought I would share.
Last night I dreamed that I went to the Dr. at 34 weeks and I said something to the nurse practitioner that made her think I needed to have a C-section right then and there. I was unsure about this and asked if it was really necessary and if it needed to be right then. She said it was either then, or I could wait until the next morning if I wanted. I decided I might as well go ahead with it then, so I stood facing a wall while she gave me a numbing shot in my back. Then she told me she would be right back. A long time passed and she still hadn't returned, so I started second guessing this decision. I decided to call Sam, you know, it might be good to mention that I was about to have our baby. When I called him he was like, finally, I've been trying to call you 40 times and you didn't answer. He was looking for some important paper for the ship. I interjected and said, well I kind of need to talk to you about something too. I told him about the C-section and he was like, Why are you doing this?? I didn't really know, so he told me to tell her not to do it. I agreed and realized it was a bad idea, especially considering I didn't have a lot of things I needed for the baby and I really wasn't ready, and it was still early for him to be born. Finally, the nurse practitioner came back and I told her, sorry, but I don't want to do this. She was fine with that and I went on my merry way. On the way home, I realized that she never did the normal part of my appointment, listening to his heartbeat, etc. so I was concerned about that.
I was very relieved when I woke up and realized that this was not real! I think it reveals many of the things I'm unsure or concerned about in the upcoming weeks though. It's funny because the nurse practitioner in my dream was the one I saw the day I was having contractions, so I have negative memories associated with her in real life as well. I've been thinking a lot about what happens after 34 weeks, if I start being more active again, if that would cause Joel to come sooner. I've been thinking a lot about when to buy the last minute things I still need and what exactly to buy. I've started thinking a lot more about labor and delivery and how I hope it will go. Anyway, all of this is very evident in this dream, so I thought I would share.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
So I'm easily pleased these days...
I got brave today and went to the commissary. I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and everything looked good, so I figured I could probably survive a real grocery shopping trip. I know I was excited about online grocery shopping last time, but this time I'm excited about in real life grocery shopping. I like being able to see what I'm buying in person and I like getting out and being around people. Grocery shopping in real life feels like quite an accomplishment these days too. I have to say that I quite enjoyed the experience. It's the same old place with the same crazy people, but it felt good to be walking around and interacting with civilization. Yes, my life is full of excitement, I know.
I've found that something strange almost always happens on a trip to the commissary. If you want to interact with some interesting people, go to the commissary. Today, the lady who walked my groceries to my car with me was telling me in detail how much she weighs and how she's lost weight and what happens to her when she's heavier. It was quite an enlightening conversation. I wonder if she tells that to everyone as she walks them out with their cart. I liked her though, because the first thing she asked me was whether I'm having a boy or a girl. As you know from former posts, people don't always seem to see my large bulge and just tell me I don't look pregnant. I was excited that I look pregnant enough to have her comment. I think the days of "not looking pregnant" are over, but that's fine with me. She went on to make me like her even more by telling me multiple times that I don't look like I've gained any weight (she definitely had a thing about weight). I was like, oohh I have...I certainly have. It was still nice of her to say that though, especially after confirmation yesterday at the Dr. that I am most definitely gaining weight!
Without fail, I seem to randomly gain 4 pounds right before my doctor's appointment. Last week this time I was worried, because I hadn't really gained anything in a few weeks. Apparently my efforts to correct that problem worked very well, because sure enough, just in time for my next appointment, I gained enough that they have to mention my weight gain almost every time. The books I've read talk about how you are supposed to gain 1/2 to 1 pound a week. I still have not figured out how exactly to make that work. When I'm eating less, I feel worried that I'm not eating enough. When I'm eating more, I feel worried that I'm going to turn into a tank in these next 9 weeks. Hopefully it will balance out in the end...
I've found that something strange almost always happens on a trip to the commissary. If you want to interact with some interesting people, go to the commissary. Today, the lady who walked my groceries to my car with me was telling me in detail how much she weighs and how she's lost weight and what happens to her when she's heavier. It was quite an enlightening conversation. I wonder if she tells that to everyone as she walks them out with their cart. I liked her though, because the first thing she asked me was whether I'm having a boy or a girl. As you know from former posts, people don't always seem to see my large bulge and just tell me I don't look pregnant. I was excited that I look pregnant enough to have her comment. I think the days of "not looking pregnant" are over, but that's fine with me. She went on to make me like her even more by telling me multiple times that I don't look like I've gained any weight (she definitely had a thing about weight). I was like, oohh I have...I certainly have. It was still nice of her to say that though, especially after confirmation yesterday at the Dr. that I am most definitely gaining weight!
Without fail, I seem to randomly gain 4 pounds right before my doctor's appointment. Last week this time I was worried, because I hadn't really gained anything in a few weeks. Apparently my efforts to correct that problem worked very well, because sure enough, just in time for my next appointment, I gained enough that they have to mention my weight gain almost every time. The books I've read talk about how you are supposed to gain 1/2 to 1 pound a week. I still have not figured out how exactly to make that work. When I'm eating less, I feel worried that I'm not eating enough. When I'm eating more, I feel worried that I'm going to turn into a tank in these next 9 weeks. Hopefully it will balance out in the end...
Friday, July 2, 2010
A wake up call
I've been listening to podcasts of "This American Life" over the last couple weeks. It's a great way to occupy my mind and chill at the same time. The one I listened to today included a story about a guy who befriended 3 Iraqi brothers. He talked on the phone with them for hours during each week and really got to know them well. He heard about all the struggles they faced living in a war zone. Toward the end of the story, one of the brothers gets seriously injured by a bomb and is in a coma. No one knows where he is for a couple weeks and they finally find him in a hospital. Meanwhile, his wife has had their baby. A month and a half later, the man is still in a coma and has never met their child.
This story reminded me how ridiculously blessed I am. The small trials, fears and struggles that I face are nothing compared to what most people around the world have to live with. I have access to outstanding medical care, I live in a safe and comfortable place, I have easy contact with family and friends. I don't have to worry about going to the grocery store and being blown up by a bomb, or my husband having to take our child and flee our home to avoid gunmen who are trying to kill us because of our race. This story reminded me how much I take for granted all the wonderful things I have in this life and it burdened my heart for those around the world who are facing unimaginable suffering.
This story brought to mind a beautiful verse I read in Micah yesterday.
"Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore; but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid." Micah 4:4
What a powerful image of what is to come when Jesus comes back and makes all things right in this world. I am comforted by this verse as I deal with the hardships that accompany being married to someone whose job is to "learn war", and even more as I look beyond myself to the suffering and heartache that war and conflict and sin cause around the world. Praise God that he has sent his Son to mend this broken and hurting world through his death on the cross. I look forward with hope and anticipation to the day when this verse will become reality.
This story reminded me how ridiculously blessed I am. The small trials, fears and struggles that I face are nothing compared to what most people around the world have to live with. I have access to outstanding medical care, I live in a safe and comfortable place, I have easy contact with family and friends. I don't have to worry about going to the grocery store and being blown up by a bomb, or my husband having to take our child and flee our home to avoid gunmen who are trying to kill us because of our race. This story reminded me how much I take for granted all the wonderful things I have in this life and it burdened my heart for those around the world who are facing unimaginable suffering.
This story brought to mind a beautiful verse I read in Micah yesterday.
"Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore; but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid." Micah 4:4
What a powerful image of what is to come when Jesus comes back and makes all things right in this world. I am comforted by this verse as I deal with the hardships that accompany being married to someone whose job is to "learn war", and even more as I look beyond myself to the suffering and heartache that war and conflict and sin cause around the world. Praise God that he has sent his Son to mend this broken and hurting world through his death on the cross. I look forward with hope and anticipation to the day when this verse will become reality.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
4 Years
It was love at first sight. Seriously. When I walked into church on that first day, I saw him and I knew I would marry him. Thank goodness for the church picture directory, so I could find out the name of my future husband. I was in 6th grade. I have whole sections of my diary in middle school about this boy. (I was in middle school of course, so I have to admit that he's not the only one in there, still though, he definitely made the cut.) In high school, he was my faithful friend. He put up with our "friendship problems" and girl drama. He listened to my random stories and laughed at the appropriate times. We have so many fun memories from that time of our life. I am so blessed to be married to someone who has been such a good friend for so many years.
The last four years have been wonderful. I love living with my very best friend. Life just feels right when he's around. He knows just how to cheer me up and how to make me laugh. Our wedding was one of the best days of my life, and things have only gotten better from there!
Rehearsal Day
Married!
Honeymoon in Florida
Our first year in Blacksburg was so special. We got to be together every night, no ship, no deployments, no duty. Life was simple and wonderful. We saw God provide for us in amazing and tangible ways that year.
The next year, we entered Navy reality and it was hard. It was quite a shock to go from being together every day to being apart every day. The first time Sam was away I remember thinking that there was no way I could survive this life. It's now been over 3 years and God has brought us through the hard times. He's provided friends and family to care for us.
First homecoming
Sam loves to take trips and explore, so we've been able to do many very fun things over these years. We especially like to go to places with beaches and palm trees.
Colorado for Lauren's wedding (December '06)
Panama City Beach- Part of a Deep South trip after Sam graduated..(May '07)
A beautiful bed and breakfast in Blacksburg- Part of our post-deployment trip (December 07)
Overnight trip to Williamsburg and Bush Gardens (July '08)
New England Trip (August '08)
The first time we went to Maine and found the Lobster Shack
Day trip to Boston, while Sam was at school in Newport (Jan. 09)
Hawaii (June 09)
Arkansas for Sam's brother's wedding (Dec 09)
Annnnddd I'll end with Arizona at Christmas
I left out Dahlgren and Maine, but you all have seen enough about those places. I could write pages about all the other fun and wonderful times we have had since being married...but I won't. I'm sure you've seen enough pictures of us for one day! I couldn't ask for a better husband and friend! Happy Anniversary Sam!
The last four years have been wonderful. I love living with my very best friend. Life just feels right when he's around. He knows just how to cheer me up and how to make me laugh. Our wedding was one of the best days of my life, and things have only gotten better from there!
Rehearsal Day
Married!
Honeymoon in Florida
Our first year in Blacksburg was so special. We got to be together every night, no ship, no deployments, no duty. Life was simple and wonderful. We saw God provide for us in amazing and tangible ways that year.
The next year, we entered Navy reality and it was hard. It was quite a shock to go from being together every day to being apart every day. The first time Sam was away I remember thinking that there was no way I could survive this life. It's now been over 3 years and God has brought us through the hard times. He's provided friends and family to care for us.
First homecoming
Sam loves to take trips and explore, so we've been able to do many very fun things over these years. We especially like to go to places with beaches and palm trees.
Colorado for Lauren's wedding (December '06)
Panama City Beach- Part of a Deep South trip after Sam graduated..(May '07)
A beautiful bed and breakfast in Blacksburg- Part of our post-deployment trip (December 07)
Overnight trip to Williamsburg and Bush Gardens (July '08)
New England Trip (August '08)
The first time we went to Maine and found the Lobster Shack
Day trip to Boston, while Sam was at school in Newport (Jan. 09)
Hawaii (June 09)
Arkansas for Sam's brother's wedding (Dec 09)
Annnnddd I'll end with Arizona at Christmas
I left out Dahlgren and Maine, but you all have seen enough about those places. I could write pages about all the other fun and wonderful times we have had since being married...but I won't. I'm sure you've seen enough pictures of us for one day! I couldn't ask for a better husband and friend! Happy Anniversary Sam!
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