today faith and i are going down to bellingham to spend the weekend with my family. the BIG event of the weekend is that on saturday my mom, sister, d's best friend jenn, jenn's mom and i are going wedding dress shopping. i have been looking forward to it all week. i will try to not be an emotional wreck as my sister trys on dresses but no guarantees. i am so proud of her and so thankful to be her sister. and i think seeing her in white has a pretty high likelihood of bringing me to tears. i think i am probably more excited for her trying on dresses than i was when i tried on dresses 6 years ago. i know she will look beautiful.
love you danielle and so so excited for tomorrow!
Friday, January 30, 2009
tim and bud connect for the first time
last night as tim and i were talking and falling asleep the baby was moving like crazy. i had my hand on my stomach to see if i could feel the movement from the 'outside.' after feeling a few punches i had tim put his hand right where mine was and after a few minutes of waiting, waiting, waiting the baby kicked. each time the baby kicked i asked if tim could feel it and there were a few strong movements that he could actually feel!! so cool for both of us. i imagine that as the baby grows he and others will get to feel him/her more and more. it seems like in the last week the movement has dramatically increased in strength and occurrence. so, so fun!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
where did tim go?!
many of you have commented or emailed wondering "where is the voice of tim on the blog?" this is an excellent question. i think tim needs some motivation. maybe we can give him some. i have created a poll on the right side of the blog - let tim hear your voice! and hopefully we can hear from him given some appropriate peer pressure. :)
i understand he gave an incredible teaching/sermon for his preaching class yesterday. and i would imagine many of you would enjoy a written summary :)
i understand he gave an incredible teaching/sermon for his preaching class yesterday. and i would imagine many of you would enjoy a written summary :)
20 weeks today
today marks the halfway point in my/our pregnancy. (every time i write "my" pregnancy it doesn't feel right - because this process includes tim and the baby and me - "our" somehow feels more appropriate...) so for those who find these kind of details interesting here are some clips from my top 5 pregnancy websites:
Fetal Development:
We're halfway through the pregnancy, and the baby has as much sleep and awake time as a newborn. The scalp hair begins to grow. If your baby is a girl, her uterus is starting to develop. You've got a heavyweight in your belly now (well, in baby terms, anyway). Your little champ weighs about ten ounces and has a height, crown to rump, of about six and a half inches. Think of your developing baby as the size of a small cantaloupe (and probably as sweet too). Boy or Girl? You'll also be able to see your baby's gender in the ultrasound by now!
Maternal Changes:
Your uterus is at your navel now. You may experience some tenderness as your belly button becomes an "outtie" from the uterus pressing on it. You're probably feeling the baby frequently now as the movements become stronger. Out of breath? Most women start to feel a bit like Thomas the Tank Engine, huffing and puffing up a short flight of stairs. Some breathlessness is normal and may get a little worse as your expanding uterus pushes up against your lungs, but tell your doctor or midwife if it gets out of hand. Also, make sure you're getting enough iron. Your baby needs it to make red blood cells, among other things. It's almost impossible to get too much from food alone, as long as you're not overeating. Iron-rich foods include lean red meat, poultry, fish, lentils, spinach, and iron-fortified cereals. Don't take supplements though, unless they're prescribed by your doctor.
We have our next ultrasound on Wednesday. We are really looking forward to it! My mom and sister are even coming up to join us. We hope to not find out what we are having... but you never know - the baby may have other plans. :)
Fetal Development:
We're halfway through the pregnancy, and the baby has as much sleep and awake time as a newborn. The scalp hair begins to grow. If your baby is a girl, her uterus is starting to develop. You've got a heavyweight in your belly now (well, in baby terms, anyway). Your little champ weighs about ten ounces and has a height, crown to rump, of about six and a half inches. Think of your developing baby as the size of a small cantaloupe (and probably as sweet too). Boy or Girl? You'll also be able to see your baby's gender in the ultrasound by now!
Maternal Changes:
Your uterus is at your navel now. You may experience some tenderness as your belly button becomes an "outtie" from the uterus pressing on it. You're probably feeling the baby frequently now as the movements become stronger. Out of breath? Most women start to feel a bit like Thomas the Tank Engine, huffing and puffing up a short flight of stairs. Some breathlessness is normal and may get a little worse as your expanding uterus pushes up against your lungs, but tell your doctor or midwife if it gets out of hand. Also, make sure you're getting enough iron. Your baby needs it to make red blood cells, among other things. It's almost impossible to get too much from food alone, as long as you're not overeating. Iron-rich foods include lean red meat, poultry, fish, lentils, spinach, and iron-fortified cereals. Don't take supplements though, unless they're prescribed by your doctor.
We have our next ultrasound on Wednesday. We are really looking forward to it! My mom and sister are even coming up to join us. We hope to not find out what we are having... but you never know - the baby may have other plans. :)
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
thanks
thank you for your thoughtful comments. today was much better than yesterday and we even got out early. plus the fog cleared up and it was sunny!! a HUGE blessing in the northwest. :)
yeah for the weekend!!
yeah for the weekend!!
tired
it is friday morning and i am tired. this week has been hard for a number for reasons - the biggest was that i was out of my office for 3 days with training and felt the work piling up as i was away. knowing i will come back to a stack of paperwork can feel overwhelming for me - especially as a person who likes to get her paperwork done asap. today i have to go back to the second part to a two day training - and i think it is safe to say it is the worst training i have ever been to. so i am totally unmotivated to finish getting ready and drag my tired self to another day. seriously - yesterday - the training has 10 people at it- 3 of the 10 people were sound asleep at the same time in the afternoon. now what does that tell you?!
i think i also had a high-emotion-pregnancy week. poor tim got quite a show :) crying, crankiness, wanting lots of hugs, etc... and as always he was gracious with me. needless to say i am looking forward to the weekend. tonight tim and i are going out on a date to a nepali restaurant. we have been passed the place a few times and every time we see a cute nepali man wearing a traditional nepali hat - a good sign that they serve amazing dal bhat. so we are going to check it out. and tomorrow tim has a soccer game, which will make his day.
baby bud/frankie is doing well - dancing more and more dramatically. a pleasant distraction.
i hope all of you have a restful weekend. and may we all remember the Lord's nearness, even in crazy, busy, hard days. and may we remember even in those days His glory can be revealed in us. and He delights in us and in the ways we honor Him.
i think i also had a high-emotion-pregnancy week. poor tim got quite a show :) crying, crankiness, wanting lots of hugs, etc... and as always he was gracious with me. needless to say i am looking forward to the weekend. tonight tim and i are going out on a date to a nepali restaurant. we have been passed the place a few times and every time we see a cute nepali man wearing a traditional nepali hat - a good sign that they serve amazing dal bhat. so we are going to check it out. and tomorrow tim has a soccer game, which will make his day.
baby bud/frankie is doing well - dancing more and more dramatically. a pleasant distraction.
i hope all of you have a restful weekend. and may we all remember the Lord's nearness, even in crazy, busy, hard days. and may we remember even in those days His glory can be revealed in us. and He delights in us and in the ways we honor Him.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
my constant companion
i find each day i fall more and more in love with my constant companion. a few weeks ago i began to feel "flutters," and when the midwife asked at our last appointment if i had begun to feel the baby i told her about the sensations and she confirmed that - yes - that is the baby. in the past two weeks the flutters have turned into small jabs, which i can no longer mistake for my stomach rumbling. the jabs are certainly the result of a dance move or a karate chop. and i am more and more reminded of the life growing inside of me. i hope i never take feeling the baby for granted. for the movement is another reminder of the incredible blessing it is to be pregnant and of the miracle the Lord is doing inside of me.
i continue to feel great. i have been staying up until 10, which is great news - especially on american idol nights. :) my appetite has also increased. and fewer and fewer of my clothes fit. and tim and my anticipation grows to meet and hug and kiss and parent this one God has given. thank you for your prayers for us and for the baby.
i continue to feel great. i have been staying up until 10, which is great news - especially on american idol nights. :) my appetite has also increased. and fewer and fewer of my clothes fit. and tim and my anticipation grows to meet and hug and kiss and parent this one God has given. thank you for your prayers for us and for the baby.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
17 week photo
here are the baby and i at 17 weeks. thanks to drew and bekah for letting us borrow their camera to take the picture. after hours and hours of research and deliberation we have picked out a camera. we are so excited that our new camera is on its way!! we hope it arrives at my parents' house by this weekend. :)
a precious gift from far, far away
Our dear dear friend Calvin is a missionary in Nepal working for Word Made Flesh. We love Calvin and we love Word Made Flesh. The other day Tim told me that a package arrived from Calvin but he wouldn't tell me what was in the package. I came home to find the cutest booties and blanket ever for the baby, along with a thoughtful note. Calvin made my day! I just hard to share this precious gift with all of you.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
appointment
we had another great appointment with the midwife. we registered with the hospital where we will deliver. we also got an appointment for our detailed ultrasound - it will be in about a month. and i am already looking forward to it. the highlight, however, was hearing the heartbeat. the baby is just under my belly-button (which is on the verge of becoming an 'outie'). the baby has a heart rate of 160, which is in the normal range. seriously it is the coolest sound in the world.
today tim and i are at home. we slept in. made pancakes for breakfast. i love saturdays!
today tim and i are at home. we slept in. made pancakes for breakfast. i love saturdays!
Friday, January 9, 2009
pregnant lady takes a tumble
i walked to the sky train today. and this is something i really enjoy, especially now that i am pregnant and extra aware of the good of exercise.
vancouver continues to be overwhelmed with snow and ice. and even though it has been raining and above freezing for about a week - there is till a ton of snow. last night the temperature must have dropped below freezing for on my walk today i noticed a lot of black ice. i am wearing my hiking/walking shoes today - knowing my march to the station would at times be over snow and ice. but still... the treachers were many and as i was walking i thought to myself, "if tim were here he would be telling me over and over again to be careful."
well careful i certainly tried to be. but as we all know when the ice takes you down, it takes you down quick (and without much, if any, warning). in my last stretch before i reached the main road, right in front of a cute asian young woman i hit the ground. bummer. (what is with me falling right in front of other people?!) she kindly asked me if i was ok. and i assured her i was fine and told her to be careful. thankfully i caught myself and landed nicely on my bum, but i couldn't help but put my hand on my stomach and say a prayer for the baby (incredibly thankful my fall wasn't really that bad).
now the shock has worn off and the dull pain is mostly gone. i am glad we have an appointment with the midwife today just so i can tell her what happened. i am sure everything is fine. but still. note to self: even when you are careful - taking a tumble on the ice is quite possible (especially if you are me and falling is just a part of who i am - smile).
vancouver continues to be overwhelmed with snow and ice. and even though it has been raining and above freezing for about a week - there is till a ton of snow. last night the temperature must have dropped below freezing for on my walk today i noticed a lot of black ice. i am wearing my hiking/walking shoes today - knowing my march to the station would at times be over snow and ice. but still... the treachers were many and as i was walking i thought to myself, "if tim were here he would be telling me over and over again to be careful."
well careful i certainly tried to be. but as we all know when the ice takes you down, it takes you down quick (and without much, if any, warning). in my last stretch before i reached the main road, right in front of a cute asian young woman i hit the ground. bummer. (what is with me falling right in front of other people?!) she kindly asked me if i was ok. and i assured her i was fine and told her to be careful. thankfully i caught myself and landed nicely on my bum, but i couldn't help but put my hand on my stomach and say a prayer for the baby (incredibly thankful my fall wasn't really that bad).
now the shock has worn off and the dull pain is mostly gone. i am glad we have an appointment with the midwife today just so i can tell her what happened. i am sure everything is fine. but still. note to self: even when you are careful - taking a tumble on the ice is quite possible (especially if you are me and falling is just a part of who i am - smile).
Thursday, January 8, 2009
17 weeks
today the baby and i begin our 17th week together. here is a copy from one of my favorite pregnancy sites:
Week 17 of Pregnancy: Baby's Body Fat
Your baby is about five inches long and more than three and a half ounces — the size of your open hand. Baby's body fat is beginning to form and will continue to accumulate through the end of your pregnancy.
How big is your baby at 17 weeks pregnant? About five inches long and more than three and a half ounces — the size of your open hand. (Open the other one too and imagine your baby cradled in both your arms right after delivery!) Body fat (baby's, that is) is beginning to form and will continue to accumulate through the end of your pregnancy. By the time your baby is born, body fat will make up about two-thirds of his or her weight (and will make all those chubby parts especially yummy).
Your baby is almost certainly listening up by now. In fact, loud noises — the dog barking, the doorbell ringing — will actually startle your baby (and also get him or her used to such noises; for instance, fetuses who regularly hear a dog barking will become babies who sleep right through Fido's outbursts). Your baby's eyes (which have fortunately finished their migration to the front of his or her head) are making small side-to-side movements and can even perceive some light, though the eyelids are still sealed. And since practice makes perfect, your baby is sharpening his or her sucking and swallowing skills in preparation for that first (and second…and third) suckle at your breast or bottle. In fact, most of the survival reflexes that your baby will have at birth are being perfected in utero right now.
And here's some proof that your baby is truly one of a kind (as if you needed any!). Within the next week or so, the pads on your baby's fingertips and toes will become adorned with completely individual swirls and creases (aka fingerprints).
i forgot to have tim take a picture of me today - so in the next few days i will post one.
tomorrow is our next appointment with our midwife. we are both really looking forward to it. hopefully we can hear the baby's heartbeat again. :)
Week 17 of Pregnancy: Baby's Body Fat
Your baby is about five inches long and more than three and a half ounces — the size of your open hand. Baby's body fat is beginning to form and will continue to accumulate through the end of your pregnancy.
How big is your baby at 17 weeks pregnant? About five inches long and more than three and a half ounces — the size of your open hand. (Open the other one too and imagine your baby cradled in both your arms right after delivery!) Body fat (baby's, that is) is beginning to form and will continue to accumulate through the end of your pregnancy. By the time your baby is born, body fat will make up about two-thirds of his or her weight (and will make all those chubby parts especially yummy).
Your baby is almost certainly listening up by now. In fact, loud noises — the dog barking, the doorbell ringing — will actually startle your baby (and also get him or her used to such noises; for instance, fetuses who regularly hear a dog barking will become babies who sleep right through Fido's outbursts). Your baby's eyes (which have fortunately finished their migration to the front of his or her head) are making small side-to-side movements and can even perceive some light, though the eyelids are still sealed. And since practice makes perfect, your baby is sharpening his or her sucking and swallowing skills in preparation for that first (and second…and third) suckle at your breast or bottle. In fact, most of the survival reflexes that your baby will have at birth are being perfected in utero right now.
And here's some proof that your baby is truly one of a kind (as if you needed any!). Within the next week or so, the pads on your baby's fingertips and toes will become adorned with completely individual swirls and creases (aka fingerprints).
i forgot to have tim take a picture of me today - so in the next few days i will post one.
tomorrow is our next appointment with our midwife. we are both really looking forward to it. hopefully we can hear the baby's heartbeat again. :)
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
vivid dreams
pregnancy has brought many things - one of which is vivid dreams. and they have been pretty tragic for the most part. well last night was no different.
i dreamed tim and i with some friends drove from Jordan to Iraq. (while we were in israel we took a few field trips to Jordan and while in Jordan we saw signs giving the distance to the Iraqi border). the group of us visited a mosque and while we were looking around we realized one of the sides of the building was blown off. and no sooner had we realized the blown out wall that rocks and other less high-tech missile-type things came at us - bouncing and crashing hard into things and people. the building began to shake and chaos broke out. people where rushing around. tim and i got separated somehow. and i remember finding a safer place and hiding my face - thinking if they know i am an american i am in trouble. i also remember being filled with fear and anger. "don't those shooting know we are innocent people?!"
lately i have been thinking and praying much for the situation between israel and gaza. and i wonder about the innocent who find themselves with their world crashing in. i wonder about the women and children who have died and what their last moments must have been like. i wonder about the people living on either side of the border wondering - "could today be the day that the missiles hit me?"
my thoughts don't linger too long in this place of hopelessness - for quickly i find myself before the Lord in prayer - for those who are living in fear, in grief, in anger.
Lord bring peace. and wisdom. and grace and love. to this broken, broken place. living so far away it is difficult to understand all that is going on and all that is behind the conflict and that is ok. but don't let this distance of geography and understanding keep us from advocating for the hurting and the broken. we give these lost and hurting ones to you. knowing you are able to bring peace and restoration. come Lord Jesus come!
please join me in praying for peace and redemption.
i dreamed tim and i with some friends drove from Jordan to Iraq. (while we were in israel we took a few field trips to Jordan and while in Jordan we saw signs giving the distance to the Iraqi border). the group of us visited a mosque and while we were looking around we realized one of the sides of the building was blown off. and no sooner had we realized the blown out wall that rocks and other less high-tech missile-type things came at us - bouncing and crashing hard into things and people. the building began to shake and chaos broke out. people where rushing around. tim and i got separated somehow. and i remember finding a safer place and hiding my face - thinking if they know i am an american i am in trouble. i also remember being filled with fear and anger. "don't those shooting know we are innocent people?!"
lately i have been thinking and praying much for the situation between israel and gaza. and i wonder about the innocent who find themselves with their world crashing in. i wonder about the women and children who have died and what their last moments must have been like. i wonder about the people living on either side of the border wondering - "could today be the day that the missiles hit me?"
my thoughts don't linger too long in this place of hopelessness - for quickly i find myself before the Lord in prayer - for those who are living in fear, in grief, in anger.
Lord bring peace. and wisdom. and grace and love. to this broken, broken place. living so far away it is difficult to understand all that is going on and all that is behind the conflict and that is ok. but don't let this distance of geography and understanding keep us from advocating for the hurting and the broken. we give these lost and hurting ones to you. knowing you are able to bring peace and restoration. come Lord Jesus come!
please join me in praying for peace and redemption.
Monday, January 5, 2009
redemption in safeway
i am happy to announce that i went to a grocery store by myself for the first time in 3 months!! and i didn't even feel the need to get sick, not even close - no nauseous sensations at all!! and i was able to plan out a few meals and pick out the foods i would need to cook those meals. seriously i have not planned a meal in 3 months either - only trying to feed myself day-by-day and poor tim has pretty much had to fight it out for himself. and i am actually excited to make the meals i chose. so this was a huge trip indeed! and to top it all off i had a lovely conversation with the lady who checked me out. victory. most certainly.
what's one way to traumatize your unborn child...
drive yourself through a blizzard. last night faith and i made the journey north from bellingham to vancouver. as we left it was raining. within 15 minutes it was snowing. and it continued to snow for the entire long ride home. cars in ditches, cars stalled because they couldn't make it up hills, snow piled everywhere. i was able to keep myself from totally freaking out but i do think i transferred some stress to our poor baby. the drive took 2.5 hours. i was thankful to arrive safe but completely exhausted in every way. note to self: avoid driving at all costs in blizzards and don't leave husband when pregnant unless absolutely necessary and always be thankful for an all-wheel drive vehicle.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
sept 5, 09
sept 5th 2009 jacob and defense will be married. i imagine the day will be beautiful!!
danielle and jacob met in high school and reconnected while danielle was at biola. and after dating for two years they have decided to get married. we are very happy for them!
they thoughtfully planned the wedding a few months after the baby is to be born, so all three of us can be involved. they have asked tim to marry them and he feels incredibly honored to do so. danielle has asked me to stand with her and i also feel extremely honored (i could go on and on at this point but i won't... not now at least. how does one summarize the depth of feeling you have when your dearest friend and sister asks such a significant thing?!). defense was an incredible support to me while tim and i were engaged and i hope to be the same amazing sister-support right back. and they want the baby to be there - which will be so fun. hopefully the little one just sleeps right through. we will obviously need to have a back-up plan just in case. it will be a smaller wedding at a beautiful spot right on the water in bellingham. tomorrow we are going to a wedding fair, which should be really fun. d is still on the hunt for a florist, the dresses and someone to make the cake.
again, we are so looking forward to this special day, but more than the incredible day - we are looking forward to jacob joining our crazy family.
danielle and jacob met in high school and reconnected while danielle was at biola. and after dating for two years they have decided to get married. we are very happy for them!
they thoughtfully planned the wedding a few months after the baby is to be born, so all three of us can be involved. they have asked tim to marry them and he feels incredibly honored to do so. danielle has asked me to stand with her and i also feel extremely honored (i could go on and on at this point but i won't... not now at least. how does one summarize the depth of feeling you have when your dearest friend and sister asks such a significant thing?!). defense was an incredible support to me while tim and i were engaged and i hope to be the same amazing sister-support right back. and they want the baby to be there - which will be so fun. hopefully the little one just sleeps right through. we will obviously need to have a back-up plan just in case. it will be a smaller wedding at a beautiful spot right on the water in bellingham. tomorrow we are going to a wedding fair, which should be really fun. d is still on the hunt for a florist, the dresses and someone to make the cake.
again, we are so looking forward to this special day, but more than the incredible day - we are looking forward to jacob joining our crazy family.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
good times with guitar hero
Jacob gave Defense guitar hero for christmas. and lets just say the whole family has been in on the action and i LOVE it!!
here is d and i - just beginning. i think danielle is frustrated because we got kicked off the stage twice in a row because i was struggling.
still frustrated...
then we found the mode where we can be as bad as we need to be and still keep playing. and we got better and it was amazing! here is tim and i - he is much, much better than me.
d and jacob - j is also an all-star (really all three were compared to me, but my excitement and joy and dance moves made up for my lack of skill).
tim and jacob - very serious. working on the career of our band.
we had so much fun playing the first time - we wanted to introduce mom and dad to the game. so after dinner on new years eve we went over for a bit to play.
here is d and i - just beginning. i think danielle is frustrated because we got kicked off the stage twice in a row because i was struggling.
still frustrated...then we found the mode where we can be as bad as we need to be and still keep playing. and we got better and it was amazing! here is tim and i - he is much, much better than me.
d and jacob - j is also an all-star (really all three were compared to me, but my excitement and joy and dance moves made up for my lack of skill).
tim and jacob - very serious. working on the career of our band.
we had so much fun playing the first time - we wanted to introduce mom and dad to the game. so after dinner on new years eve we went over for a bit to play. here is dad and tk - making music.
here is mom and i - she is concentrating really hard. mom was a total natural! mom mentioned she wished there wasn't all rock songs - wondering where the elton john number one hits were - jacob had to explain it was a rock song based game. i am with you mom - i am hoping it is possible to add celine dion's greatest hits as well :)
here is mom and i - she is concentrating really hard. mom was a total natural! mom mentioned she wished there wasn't all rock songs - wondering where the elton john number one hits were - jacob had to explain it was a rock song based game. i am with you mom - i am hoping it is possible to add celine dion's greatest hits as well :)i am already looking forward to our next round of guitar hero. so fun.
there was not a ton of action around here for new years eve. i was in bed before midnight. tk and i did enjoy a close game of rook with mom and dad. mom and dad took over in the later half of the game and made a decisive win. and today i didn't do much. football was on most of the day. lately i have enjoyed reading different books on pregnancy and labor - trying to prepare but not psyche myself out too much. :)
happy new year! this will certainly be a year of new life in our families - with the birth of bobbi (b and g's baby girl), the coming of baby bud (frankie), and defense and jacob getting married. we are so thankful for all of these being added to our family!
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