Q & A

I get a lot of the same questions over & over. I want to remember the questions and my thoughts/feelings at the time. And its my blog so I get to record it here.

Answers to the typical questions:

Was it planned?
We took the pregnancy tests on May 20th. I will never forget that day. It felt like my whole world changed in an instant. To say it was a surprise is an understatement, especially once we realized we were 5 weeks pregnant. I was a complete basketcase until June 25th, when we heard our baby's sweet, little, and strong heartbeat for the first time.

How do you feel?
Health: Now that we're at week 15, I feel great. Other than a few food aversions and tight fitting clothes, I feel completely normal. The first few weeks were a little rough due to somewhat constant nausea. Luckily, it turned out that I just wasn't eating enough which was causing nausea so once I changed my diet a little, I felt great. I am grateful that I never had morning sickness and never threw up. I pray that all of my pregnancies are this easy.
Emotionally: Once I heard that sweet heartbeat, I was sold on motherhood. But the month leading up to the heartbeat was honestly really difficult. Only Brad & I knew about the pregnancy, I was nauseous and tired, and I didn't know a thing about pregnancy.
I am an extreme Type A personality. I thought we'd have a baby in year and a half or two. I thought by that time we'd be living in a bigger home, we'd have a newer car, both have full-time jobs, and we'd have our ducks in a bit more of a row. I had a lot of difficulty accepting that this life-changer was happening and it did not fit into my life plan that I had for Brad & I. I'm totally aware of how ridiculous, selfish, and immature that sounds, but its the truth.
On one hand it makes sense that it was hard for me to accept, as I am Type A, but on the other hand, my reaction was surprising. I have wanted to be a mom for as long as I can remember. I remember coming home from pre-k and running straight to my room to feed, burp, and change my babies. I made them little bassinets out of cardboard boxes. I made formula out of water, cornstarch, and flour, and even tested it on my wrist to be sure it wasn't too warm for my babies to drink. The only other thing I 'practiced' that much as a child would be teaching. But when I saw those positive pregnancy tests, I was afraid for many reasons.
Now I can say that the Lord has completely changed my heart. I am thrilled that we're having a baby! I have complete peace knowing that this wasn't our plan. It was God's plan and His plans are better than Brad or I can understand. I'd rather be in his plan than mine any day and I'm grateful that God has already used this baby to teach me and refine me. It doesn't matter that we don't have it all together and don't know anything about bottle types, swaddling, or tummy time. We'll learn and God will be with us for each uneasy step of the way.

What kind of birth?
We are having the baby at a birthing center here where we live. We have 3 midwives that we are working with and a doctor at the nearby hospital that we will go to in case of emergency. We plan to bring our baby into the world naturally. Yes, that means without an epidural, other meds, an IV, and multiple doctors and nurses. Yes, that means that we have the option of having the baby in a birthing pool, although that's not my first choice. Some say I'm crazy but I really think each family has to choose what is best for them and their new baby. And that is our choice.

How does Brad feel about all of this?
The guy has been through-the-roof excited since he saw pregnancy test #1 (that would be 1 of 3, in case you were wondering). He immediately started spouting off why parenthood is going to be so awesome, things he hopes to do with our kids, and types of strollers we need to look at. When he heard the heartbeat, his face was priceless. I haven't seen that face since the first look on our wedding day. I know every soon-to-be new mother says this, but He is really going to be the greatest dad. It'll be a blessing for me to watch for the next many years.

When will you know if it is a boy or girl?
September 17th!

Will you go back to work after the baby?
Yep, its just reality for us.


In other news, we leave for Guatemala tomorrow! We are super excited. Please pray for the people we will be sharing with to have open hearts to the Lord. Please also pray for our team, specifially for Brad, myself, and the baby to stay healthy while we are gone. See ya in a week internet!