31 Weeks and Travel

Well, technically I am 30 weeks and 6 days, but tomorrow we finish our travels for the summer and head back to the UAE on our next adventure there...

The last year has really taught us a lot about humility, patience, going-with-the-flow, and accepting the things we have no control over. Chris will start work at Al Dhafra Private School in Al Ain on September 13. We have to start the entire visa process over--medical tests, health insurance, visas, setting up our apartment... HOWEVER, we are really looking forward to it, and I think in hindsight, we don't regret anything that's happened. I won't be going back to work until January...too hard being 8 months pregnant in 110F heat (45C)... We'll be a little tighter with our money, but we are just so excited to be welcoming our baby girl in October that money doesn't seem to matter as much...

From the last time I posted...I need to get better at this thing...we went to Ohio to visit my family there. We did a whole host of things--soccer, dinners out, etc., but the best thing for me I think was that my step-mom, Cyndy, hosted a beautiful baby shower for me. It was absolutely divine. A few of my friends and mostly family came and brought their wisdom and so many adorable things! I think my absolute favorite was the stroller my dad and Cyndy gave us. My grandma was able to come along with my cousin Catie. I caught up with a few friends and Sarah even came for a longer visit. After a week at home, we all packed up and went to Maryland for a week of family vacation. My dad rented a house, which is right on Deep Creek Lake--about 3 hours away from New Concord. It was the first time in over a year that we were all together...BUT we didn't get a picture... Missy's looking quite pregnant, and I think she's having a slightly harder time of it this time around...

Overall it was a great visit... I got really emotional this time leaving home--Montanan and Ohio... I think it's helped us see that next year is really our last abroad. We're ready to go home...

Brian, Dad, and Cyndy at Claddaugh Irish Pub in Columbus, Ohio

Crew Soccer Game

Super cute shower gifts

Mindi and Cyndy

Some of the sisters

Me, Mindi, Missy, and Grandma Mimi

Sarah, Louise, and I

Catie and Logan

Our stroller all set up

Shower gifts

Where we stayed in Maryland

Day on the beach--Colleen, Missy, and I

Chris and I

Owen and Logan

Missy and I bump to bump

Bri et. al

Cards

(Wales to come later)

27 weeks, traveling, kicking, and relaxing...

Well we have been Stateside almost 4 weeks now. We started off visiting my mom, step-dad Steve, and sister Colleen in the beautiful Billings, Montana. We caught up with friends at a wedding, talked to a financial adviser about money and future college tuition (eek), ate out at some amazing restaurants like Cafe Italia and Enzo (seriously if you are ever in Billings, check them out), 'museumed', watched the 4th of July fireworks from my parents' deck on the cliff, and hung out with my (Shannon) amazing fam...

After Montana, my mom, Chris, baby bump (who is quickly acquiring more frequent flier miles than some adults), and I went to Phoenix, Arizona... We wanted to check out the location for a possible place to live after we return to the USA next year. We saw my aunts, cousins, grandpa... My mom took us to see things around the State, and my memory was constantly being jogged and reminded of sights from when I lived there as a young girl... (Kindergarten to 2nd grade). We went to Sedona, the Grand Canyon, and up to Las Vegas! Though Vegas has its own reputation, we really enjoyed seeing my cousin, LOOKING at the Strip (not gambling), and going to the "Love" Cirque du Soleil show, featuring the Beattles music. Our baby girl has either discovered a passion for the Beattles or a deep loathing--she was kicking so hard that I actually jumped out of my seat momentarily!

We spent some really great quality time with my mom and aunts and cousins... They've discovered Rumikub--a British game I've been playing with Chris' family for years. We spent plenty of time playing that and swimming and catching up...

After Arizona, we left for Ohio to visit my dad. Will catch you up later about this visit.

On the BABY front, our girl is kicking and is incredibly active... Though kind of at the most random hours--9-12 pm; 4-6 am...and never during the day. Chris has started to feel her and I can see them through my shirt! It's a blessing, and we are so incredibly happy and excited for what's going to happen in 13 weeks time... We cannot wait to meet this person.

Here are a few randoms...

Baby-ness

We went to the doctor's last Monday, and I am incredibly happy to announce that we are having a GIRL! Again, the ultrasound tech asked if we really wanted to know, but after having been told that yes, 80% it's a GIRL a month ago, we couldn't go another 4 without knowing for sure...

I was a little nervous about getting the scan plus having the results from our downs syndrome blood test... We had our detailed scan, and our baby GIRL has all ten toes and fingers... The blood test went fine and Dr. Jacobs reported that I had the same risk as a 19 year old girl... She is absolutely perfect.

I do have a little confession, however... I have been getting slightly anxious every time we go into a baby shop. I feel that between the baby, the move, the trip home, and the new jobs I haven't had a clue where to start... It's just overwhelming and I think I am in denial to how close this baby is coming... We go home and boom, we come back and the baby is coming...

I just hope I come around soon, and I get some advice from my mom and sisters...

The blog might start to reflect more baby-ness feelings... I want to use it as a memory keeper.

So a change is in hand...

Well I think I have decided
to change the way I blog...

Generally I think there is
NOTHING
important to write about,
or that those who blog EVERY day have a sort of complex...
or maybe it could be interpreted as
an eco-friendly journal,
which you ACCIDENTALLY leave open...

But then as I have been
nosing through some people's blogs,
I came across an entry that got me
THINKING...

They are using it as a tool to log
pictures, memories, etc.,
and with a baby on the way,
I think I need to change my
interpretation and my pompous,
"I'm only going to blog once a month
or once every 3 months" mantra...

So here we go. Again, another promise
and another attempt at changing...

I think I will start off slowly...once a week?
Maybe blog on a Friday morning--
(our equivalent to a Sunday here)...

Even if we're the only ones
who really read it... MAYBE Chris will
feel the urge to blog too... hmmm...

Here are some new pictures from Facebook...

Me at about 19 weeks...

Our last ultrasound at 17 weeks

Journeys

So as I lamely sit here watching Twilight, I was reminiscing about Chris' and my journey over the last few years. We met about five years ago at Perks, Athens' own local brewing coffee house, to discuss my impending linguistics project on the Welsh language... Our extensive library at OU only had 2 books about the language, and they were both dictionaries... There was little interpretation of the phonemes when you are looking at sounds like /ll/, /dd/, /w/ as a vowel, etc. Duhduhduhdahhhhh Chris Davis to the rescue. We met and became purely friends, and I never would have guessed we would be where we are five years from then.

After a year of intense dating--much to the chagrin of some people, we persevered through two years of long distance dating, being engaged, and finally tying the knot in Athens... In the span of one month, we as bright-eyed, lovey-dovey newlyweds married, moved overseas to the Middle East, and started new jobs--all on our own! We have loved living in Al Ain and have made wonderful, family-like friends.

After 625 days of being married...we are ready for our next adventure--we're having a baby!!! We absolutely cannot believe this is happening to us, but we are excited beyond words. When I look at my husband sitting next to me, I can't help but be grateful that I have such a steady, hard working, loving man sharing this journey of life with me...

catch-up

december:

christmas was
bittersweet
a time that
we spent with
close friends
but were lonely
and empty
without family.
we enjoyed each
other though
and hope for
many future
christmases
at home.


january:

we finished up
the quarter
giving our kids
uber hard exams
...haha.

celebrated
my quarter-century
birthday.

then we met
steve and mom
and traveled to the
mysterious, ominous
land of the
pyramids and petra.
we explored,
were harassed,
walked, bargained,
hailed life-threatening
taxis,
ate, slept,
swam in
sinkless water...
what a trip!

february:

wow. what a short month!
so is this post.

repeat offender: blogger failure

sorry to those who
read about what trivial
blabbings we might decide
to post.

i can't promise you anything
special or unique, or
that this won't happen again.

maybe i should just say that
we are busy with work, school
friends, family, cleaning,
creating quizzes, grocery shopping...

but you know that they are all
just excuses...

so sorry. i have no other explanation
other than we are blogger failures.

so here is another moment...
a reconciliation to put this right,
to try to reconnect
with the digital world.

peace.