The Wonders of the Pregnant Brain, or How I Completely Forgot I had Started a Blog!

Thanks to Kristin who recently commented on an old post here, I was reminded that this blog exists. Funny thing happens when a woman becomes pregnant. No wonder how intelligent she was before, her ability to remember things drops significantly. I chalk it up to the tremendous energy being put into growing a human being. My husband just thinks I've lost my mind. :)

I wanted to update anyone who happens to stop over here that things are going much better. Morning sickness is slowly on its way out. Food still tastes different and tends to leave a bad taste in my mouth, but I'm eating and keeping it down and am up out of bed. (Some) household chores are being done and Carly has resumed school. That's about all I can ask.

I am 14 weeks, 5 days pregnant. My belly has officially "popped." I'm at that stage where I am actually trying to look pregnant (i.e., wearing tighter shirts, rubbing my belly in public, putting my hands on my lower back when I'm standing) so people will know that I haven't just gotten fatter - there's a reason my belly has swollen. Think it's working? Yeah, me neither.

Since I last blogged, Grace turned 3, Jeremy turned 30-something, Abigail turned 2, and I turned 29 - again. :) That's a lot of birthday cake!

We have a 3-D ultrasound scheduled for next month. We are definitely going to find out the gender - I have zero patience. I'll break the news as soon as we find out. We're pretty sure of the girl name, but the boy name is elusive. We have a couple ideas, but nothing that just shouts out to us. Probably because it's a girl - which we are fine with. Jeremy is actually hoping for a girl.

Now that I know this blog exists, I'll try to update more regularly. Can't promise anything. Might forget all over again by tomorrow. :)

Ah, the Joys of Pregnancy

I'm a wuss. Sure, I've given birth thrice, once at home, without the use of any pain medication. Not even a Tylenol. Pain, I can handle. Nausea, I cannot. I'm a baby when it comes to feeling sick. A big, whiny baby.

Today I am 7 weeks, 1 day pregnant and in the throes of morning sickness. As any of you who've had morning sickness know, it rarely occurs only in the morning. Mine is the 24-hour variety. I feel sick if I eat. I feel sick if I don't eat. I can't tolerate liquids. I'm tired all the time. I'm remembering why adoption seemed so attractive. :)

My husband has been taking care of the house at night. Carly has been taking care of the girls during the day. School is on hold for a few weeks until I feel up to teaching. We'll skip summer break to make up the time - and since we'll have a couple months off after the baby is born. The baby is due November 10th, and it will be nice to take the time off for the holidays.

Adoption is still very much on our hearts. There have been a couple changes in the adopting process that have been cautiously optimistic news. Hubby would like to wait until this new baby is a year old before starting the process up again. Four children under 5 is a lot to handle. I never thought of myself as a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom and yet the desire continues to grow. Not every woman can cook, sew, garden, and do crafts - and I'm learning that even those of us who lack many homemaking skills can still be good homemakers. It's about commitment, love, life-long learning, and preaching God's word. That I can do.

So our journey has led us down a different path for now. This morning sickness, too, shall pass. And soon, I'll be back to normal (whatever that means!) and will share with you the ups and downs of our family life.

We Interrupt This Blog to Bring You an Important Announcement

We're pregnant!

It's the old joke about the surest way to get pregnant is to begin the process of adoption.

So, I called the adoption agency today and had them stop our paperwork before they open it and cash our checks. Next I called my midwife and made an appointment for next week.

Can't say it isn't ever exciting here at our house. :)

Hopefully we'll be able to resume the adoption process after the baby is born. We'll see. God's ways are not my ways, but His ways are better. I'm not sure why He took us down this path only to have it diverted. Maybe He was testing our faith. Maybe we misunderstood the calling on our hearts to have another child. Either way we count it all joy.

One Down, Two to Go

So we didn't make my Wednesday deadline. My husband had a job to work, or some other sorry excuse (JK, honey!). I sent off the preliminary paperwork today and our four references should be sending their letters soon. I know one person already sent hers (thanks!). We still are working on our on-line training and our medical exams aren't until April 6th. I don't think that will hold up the agency from sending us the next round of information and paperwork for the homestudy.

I've joined some on-line groups to help mentor me through this process. One is a group of Christian parents who have adopted from Africa. The other is a group of parents who have used our agency. The third group is parents who homeschool and have adopted internationally. A lot of good information, but so many perspectives and opinions that it can be difficult sometimes to navigate a discussion without offending someone, misunderstanding a meaning, or being misunderstaood.

We have asked for approval to adopt two (yes, two) children. We've heard it's better to ask permission for two and then decide to adopt one than to try to get approval for two later down the road. We are open to an infant under 6 months, either gender and a girl between one- and two-years old. I don't know if we qualify. God has simply placed the desire on our hearts to provide a family for two children.

Oh, I wanted to mention one more blessing God has provided in funding this adoption. Our medical exams, which carry a co-pay of $20 each, qualify as an annual wellness visit and we will be given $50 each. That means that each medical appointment will pay us $30! It may not seem like a lot considering how much we've paid so far, but every little bit helps and I'm so thankful to God for providing in small and large ways.

One Week Deadline

We received our first packet of info from the agency last Thursday. I was hoping to have all the paperwork filled out and ready to send back by this Thursday. That's not going to happen, but we're very close. I'm so anxious to get to the part where we're actually doing the home study and putting together our dossier that I view this preliminary portion as more a frustrating obstacle than a satisfying step closer to our child. Think God might have a lesson to learn here? :)

Jeremy is closer to being finished with his personal data than I am and we still have several chapters of our training series to complete. That should be done this week. That only leaves our medical exams which are scheduled for early April. Not too bad. I'm not sure what the next step is after we send all this paperwork to the agency, but I think it will involve scheduling the home study and being sent another packet of info telling us what we need for the dossier and how to get it. It's only slightly less painful than actual childbirth.

Our deadline is still my birthday, which is mid-May. I hope to give myself the gift of DTE (dossier sent to "name of country") for my birthday this year. I'll also accept donations to our adoption fund (hint, hint) ;).

I've been stopped several times over the last week when out with my kids. People love to comment on how cute they are, or well-behaved. They often ask if I have any more children and I usually answer that I have a teenager as well (since she's usually not with me when I'm out and about). It's been very hard not to say that we are expecting. That's exactly how I feel - pregnant with an unknown due date. I can't wait to be waiting.

It's Here!

We received our packet of information from the adoption agency today! In it is all sorts of forms and contracts and information on what to fill out and how. It looks daunting, but I think we can complete everything by the end of March, probably earlier. When it comes to paperwork, I love to dive in and work until it's all done.

On to Step 2!

Is it a boy or a girl?

Yes. :)

We're still a long way from this decision being set in stone, but we have been thinking about it a lot. Initially my husband was set on a little girl because the conditions in country for a young woman are just terrible. There is a level of sexism that rates on the scale of the Middle East. Forced marriages, rapes, lack of education, and lack of access to proper healthcare top the list. We watched A Walk to Beautiful and caught only a glimpse of the life some women must endure.

After further thought (and prayer), my husband wants to be open to either a boy or a girl and let God choose our child. After all, the conditions aren't much better for a young man. Jeremy makes a good point that, if we raise a son, there will be one more man who is raised to respect, honor, and cherish women. A man who will not have his mind poisoned by sexism. A man who may choose to return to his country educated and equipped to help the women there, much like the OB/GYN from the movie who repaired the women's fistulas and gave them a second chance at life. Oh, how proud I would be to raise such a son!

So, as soon as the paperwork arrives (they've received our application and cashed our check - should be any day now!), we will begin the home study/dossier process and state our wishes to let God choose our child. Either way it will be a privilege. I continue to pray that God gives comfort and peace to the mother and father who will face the decision to let their child go in hopes of a better life. Oh, that I may prove worthy of such a trust.