Nausea

Nausea....It hits at the weirdest times. I can eat a super good breakfast, so that is good. But after that it is all downhill. Doritos and yogurt. Last night we watched Bella which is a really good movie, by the way. But the camera action and food made me turn my face away. Wait to the 2nd tri-mester for this one. I have never felt so sick in my life. I thought I was on a marine ship with someone shoving Latin American food down my throat. Oh my. Micah had to tell me what was going on, especially when they were speaking Spanish. I guess that's how blind people have to do it.

Morning sickness seems to be letting up some. I was able to drink a half glass of water with dinner the other night.

I'm hungry a lot of the time.

Mustard potato salad is gloriously yummy.

My veins are starting to hurt a bit more. But at least I have less of them to hurt.

I replanted my shriveled petunias with something else.

I need to figure out what I'm teaching the children next year. No pressure. Just 1st, 5th, and 7th grades.
I need to return library books today.
I need to work on the budget.

How can so many things need me? At least if I'm feeling a little better maybe I can do it.

New Resolutions

I do have a few new & old ones....
1) Finish this darn curriculum we're on, including math and reading
2) Order new stuff this summer
3) Gain as little weight as possible during this pregnancy (don't laugh)
4) Help my girls with spelling and writing
5) Exercise every day during the pregnancy in some way
6) Paint the inside of the house
7) Possibly get new flooring...the carpet is extremely dirty
8) I'd love a new/used couch
9)Paint the outside of the house

Resolutions

Well, Tammie inspired me to look at my resolutions. Honestly, at first I thought with the expectant little one coming there wouldn't be much to look at. But here is my list....Everything with nothing by it means it's done. Now, mind you this list was more for an encouragement of things I KNEW I'd get done! Some are still a little ify.

Teach my children
Teach art at a co-op
Do art for ME
Spend time with friends
Run
Clean my house
Read a book
Knit a scarf
Play with my children
Read to my children
Finish the curriculum we started (working on this right now!)
Start new curriculum after the above
Go swimming
Go on a summer vacation
Spend time with family
Watch Blaine play flag football
Make sure my children can read fluently (Rebecca read a chapter of Strawberry Girl to me today! and Elizabeth has been reading her head off....God did this one, not me)
Watch Rebecca do gymnastics
Watch Elizabeth's hip-hop performance
Teach my children to spell (Working on this this summer)
Read lots of email
Write letters and thank you notes
Tell people when I can't do something (I have done this repeatedly, including saying no to co-op)
Help others
Connect with my neighbors (Ummm...sort of)
Lose weight (HA!)
Replace the bathroom faucets Nope
Fix our van window so that it no longer whistles Yes
Buy different living room furniture Yes
Decorate our bedroom Yes, but still needs curtains
Replace the linoleum in the powder bath Nope
Paint my living room Nope
Play games with my husband
Date my husband
Appreciate my family
Love my mom and dad
Spend time with God
Teach my children to love the Lord with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength I guess we're always working on this one!

And here are the really big ones:
To spend time daily with God (uh, I guess I'll always be working on that)
Run 15 miles a week (Did this for a while this year, but currently no)
Run a 5k (Yes)
Run a 10k (Not going to happen)
Eat one fruit and glass of milk for a snack daily (no way, I'm doing good to get something down)
Eat 5 fruits and veggies every day (ditto, but did it for a long time this year)
Learn the discipline of withdrawing cash weekly (working on this)
Learn to fast (yeah, right, not right now)

We Live in a Great Country

I know there are problems with our country, but this morning I was struck by something so everyday that it was wonderful. Just about every day for the past few years I have seen this Saudi Arabian couple on my morning walks. They are so adorably cute. They are older, maybe in their 50's or 60's. He has a dark, graying beard, and she has dark ebony hair always pulled up in a bun and hidden by her head covering. They wear these really cute velour and nylon Adidas running pants and long sleeved matching jackets, no matter how hot or cold it is.

When they first started walking she walked about 1/2 a block behind him. I don't know if it was just because she couldn't keep up or if it was truly a cultural thing. But at any rate I thought it was pretty neat that she could walk outside and wear a jogging suit. But today it struck me that for the past year they have been walking together, side-by-side. He talks to her, leaning over to hear her. He looks at her and smiles. Sometimes they stop off at garage sales. And I just thought, "what a wonderful country we live in!" Had they remained in their home country I'm not sure they would ever walk together much less speak to each other while on a walk. So, I thought I'd share that little happy moment with all of you. I'm glad I was born here and can have such a wonderful, open relationship with my husband.

I Can't Wait!

For the family weekend!!! I am so excited to do something that will get my mind off things, play some games, talk to all my wonderful family!

How I'm Coming Along

Well, I've tried just about everything for nausea. So far the thing that helps the most is....nothing! And I think I am beginning to be okay with that. Seriously though I have found that NOT drinking at meals helps me tremendously. Eating very small meals every two hours is also helpful, which is very difficult to do sometimes. I love protein and pretty much hate most carbs. I guess that's good. Carbs just sit in my stomach like a rock unless accompanied by the lovely, yummy protein. Sometimes I forget this two hour regime and must stop for fast food while running errands. It is difficult to pack protein to go. Eating in general is just not that fun right now. I guess that's good for not gaining weight.

Generally by the end of the day I am miserable as my stomach is HUGE. I am not kidding. By the end of the day I look like I am 7 months pregnant and feel like it, too. So by the time the nausea is gone, I feel like a hot air balloon ready for take-off. This is some cruel punishment for not having as many varicose veins. This is going to be a long 7 more months. God, help me, please.

Meds

She gave me some meds to help the nausea because I could hardly eat or drink. I only took it yesterday. I just felt too guilty today, and I actually felt much better today. Maybe eating and drinking yesterday got me over the hump. If you feel sick you are miserable; if you don't feel sick you worry that something is wrong. This is really a no win situation. I feel sick tonight which confirms that everything is perfectly normal. :)

My Second/First OB Appointment

I got to see baby today. 6 weeks old, and I could see the little heart pumping. Oh, I'm smitten already! She said he/she is not even a centimeter yet. That's so tiny. Amazing that such a little thing could make me feel so yucky.

The Long Story...

As you all know I have been searching for some weeks as to my health quandry. I have spent countless hours on the phone and in prayer about this. I have visited my family doctor. I finally concluded that seeing my OB/Gyn would be the best option to find out if any hormone thing was going on. To my delight they were able to see me the next day! So I made my appointment, gathered all my medical paperwork including checklists and symptoms. I had a stack!

Micah met me at the office and I met my midwife in the patient room. I was a little overwhelmed with all the baby paraphernalia around. It sure brought back a lot of memories. You see I've delivered two of my babies with them. What a time that was!

I sit down and talk with her for about 30-40 minutes, explaining all my symptoms (the poor lady) and asking questions. She listened so intently, looked at my lab work and suggested I see an endocrinologist. "Your symptoms are just so wacky. I don't know what it is."

"But before we do that, why don't we just check the pregnancy test to make sure it's not positive. Because that would explain everything."

"It would? Pregnancy test?" I don't know why I thought I was peeing in a cup!?

Following my midwife like a little puppy, the nurse exclaimed, "Yep, it's positive." With the biggest grin you have ever seen. I wanted to fall over. Play dead. Anything.

Nancy had her run it one more time. My head was reeling. What does this mean? How could this be? I'm too old for this is all I kept thinking. My three kids already make me so tired, this will do me in for sure! Maybe I didn't write my name properly on the cup. Maybe it was too faint.

I was whooshed into the room and interrogated by my midwife, "So, do you want to do home birth, a doctor, natural childbirth, medication?" "Which doctor do you want to pick?" My eyes were rolling back into my head at this point. Doctor? Why do I need a doctor? Who's having a baby? Me? Oh, my. And then I wondered, how was I going to tell Micah? What would he say? I wanted to throw up. They shoved paperwork and prescription vitamins into a bag and into my hand. Somehow I made an appointment but I don't know on what criteria. I was completely stunned. I'm surprised they didn't have to move my legs for me!

I had 30 long minutes before he came to pick me up. I went back and forth. How do I want to tell him? And honestly I needed that time to gather myself. By the time he arrived I was at least able to smile. He said I was glowing. And there was no thinking involved, the words just came tumbling out..."I'm fine. In fact I'm pregnant!" And the tears flowed. Micah had the most surprised look I have ever seen on his face followed with, "Oh, my Gosh!"

Then he said the sweetest thing, "I always knew somebody was missing." That gave me such comfort in the waiting room. I kept telling myself that over and over because we always think someone is missing when we go somewhere. I started thinking we were a little nuts. But I guess not.

So, today I am completely overwhelmed and not sure I can do this. It somehow brings comfort to write this blog, to remember the story. I couldn't have found out in any better way. It's all so perfect. The story so funny, so ironic. Much more exciting than an at-home pregnancy test! And I keep telling myself that so many people have surprises and are actually much older than I am. In fact, my great-grandmother, my grandmother, and my mom all had surprises (each of them were the surprise and me!) So, somehow I guess it was meant to be. Oh, Lordy!