I heart Kentucky!

Brandon and I reached 'our old Kentucky home' a day late because of some airplane problems, but we're sure glad to be here now! We've just had a fantastic weekend with all the wedding festivities, and getting to see the whole church community. The wedding was absolutely beautiful, and the couple thought of so many romantic details to make things very special. It was extra fun for us because every time we turned around there was another youth, parent, church friend or whoever ready for a hug and catch-up conversations. We've actually already seen just about everyone I wanted to connect with in these past two and half days. We even caught 2 families from different towns that came in for the wedding too. It's so exciting to be back and reconnect with all these important relationships and people. It's different having a 'spiritual friendship' or even just history in a faith community than other more basic relationships. I feel so close to these guys, especially all my old youth, because of the things we talked about, learned together, and been through in the past. It's not like a reunion of college friends, or hometown acquaintances, there's a lot of depth and love shared around here. I like it!

Kansas City

Brandon and I were off on a grand weekend adventure the last few days. We drove down to Kansas City for an anniversary weekend. B had bought tickets to 'Wicked' a couple months back. It was a great show! It's so funny and witty, and was crazy-well performed. Other than the big show on our actual anniversary, we just bummed around the city. I was impressed by how 'modern' of a big city KC seemed to be, at least the parts we were in. Lots of things were new or recently updated and very well designed and kept up. We went to the zoo, to a mega-church B keeps tabs on, and plenty of restaurants and wandering around. Our hotel was really fancy. We kept joking about the room which was advertised as 'contemporary hip'. It pretty well lived up to that description. When we first walked into the lobby we were offered free champagne by the desk hosts; and outstanding hospitality like that continued all weekend.

It was a long drive back and we both started to get a little overwhelmed thinking of everything that needs to be done this week before the next great adventures. In short: I finish my last day at the colony on Thursday (I told my students about the pregnancy and not coming back today). Brandon is organizing a hundred last details for Africa as well as doing class with the team this week. We're both getting ready for the Kentucky trip, which starts Thurs. Brandon is packing for the longer 2 weeks in Tanzania. And, just other miscellaneous things that come along with preparing for those trips and deadlines. So, it's busy - but we're looking forward to everything coming up!

Ultrasound!

We had an ultrasound done this week. It was really fun! It's so neat to see this little baby swimming around in there. He/She is so active - always moving arms and hands. I'm surprised I don't feel it more yet; Brandon keeps telling me to count my blessings because it won't be long before I feel every little move.

They took measurements on everything, and each thing kept popping up at 18 weeks and zero days, which was exactly that day of my pregnancy. I don't know how they measure the femur size to a particular day - but that's what the machine said! The only thing that measured different was the circumference of the head, which clocked it at 18 weeks and 5 days. I had to thank my husband for passing on big-head genes. 5 whole days bigger than it should be - I'm not concerned. Let's just hope his crazy-big brain comes with that package!

It was too early to tell the gender. I was bummed about that, because I thought we would find out. So, we'll have to wait and see. It's possible our doctor can do an unofficial ultrasound at the clinic on one of our next visits. But, that's just our plan, not his. We might just have to wonder and guess until October. That seems like forever away! As fast as the end of the school year has come, it still seems like the pregnancy moves super slow. I'm not even half way there yet. Maybe that's good, because our house isn't even a 1/4 of the way ready to welcome of baby. We've put off all the shopping and rearranging rooms and whatnot until summer. But, college graduation is today, I'm done in two weeks, then it's Kentucky trip, Brandon to Africa, I start my new job, and hello summer!

This whole week has just gotten away from me. We had 2 sick men in the house, along with 3 extra houseguests, 2 being little kids. Our permanent house guest got sick on Wednesday, followed by Brandon who got it really bad. He was entirely down for a day and half, and now just taking things as slowly as possible. It's a pretty busy week on campus, so there was a lot he couldn't get out of. Meanwhile I didn't sleep with him up puking all night, then couldn't do my afterschool naps with the little ones running around, so things have been on the crazy side. It was actually really helpful to have the other mom here, because she was a cleaning and cooking saint! I would have been in big trouble without her. It was fun to hang out with the kiddies too!

Well, the weekend should reestablish normalicy; although our busy May isn't exactly going to have a normal schedule. Should be fun though!

More Snow?!?

So just when everything was getting green and pretty and springy, we get hit with a second April snowstorm. Blizzard is maybe more accurate; I'm not sure what they're officially calling it yet. I do know our schools closed down around 10:00 this morning and it took me over twice the normal time to drive home from the colony. Seriously, it's April 25, did Mother Nature miss that memo?

Not that I'm complaining - unexpected three day weekend! Poor Brandon had to teach a class at 2:00, and they just announced they're closing down campus at 3:00. So close.

Winter Wonder Land - in April

You wouldn't believe the snow around here, unless you live in any state touching SD, then you probably got hit too. We've had 9 inches this weekend! On Friday it was blowing around so badly they actually cancelled school; which doesn't happen often in Mitchell. I always have to laugh because if KY got 9 inches of snow, they'd be closed for week at least!

Jack enjoys it, he bounds around like a bunny, falling into all the deep drifts. We took him out for his regular walk, but half way through Brandon couldn't resist the nice prestine field filled with a foot of fresh snow. He and Jack took off running through it, I wish I had a video camera - they looked pretty funny. You can't really run through that deep, it's more like giant steps and bounds.

Getting the Word Out

We've had a lot of fun letting everyone in on the baby news! We told some close friends right away, parents and siblings soon after, but waited until a couple months in to really spread it around.

For those we don't see, like out-of-town friends, we made a little video. We set it up to look like just a video of Jack, our husky-lab, showing off some tricks (not that he knows any). So, turns out a lot of friends, with actual lives, didn't watch it. One even called us later and said "I wasn't going to take the time to watch some dumb dog video!" another e-mailed us back just catching up on regular news and sharing some good news of their own and casually mentioned 'cute video, you guys need some kids.' She obviously didn't watch it! So, jokes on them, because the end of the video was the news - Jack has no tricks, but Vicky has a bun in the oven! You can watch that if you want...



With that news out we were free to talk about it around town. Brandon decided to mention it during 'joys and concerns' in his weekly chapel service at the college. Seeing as it's both a huge joy and simultaneously extremely concerning and scary - this seemed appropriate. So, he says "We wanted to share with you all, and ask for your prayers to be added to ours, because my wife Vicky is 12 months pregnant." Well, instantly all the women in the room start whispering and gesturing to him "12 WEEKS, 12 weeks, not months." Brandon recovers nicely with "oh, yeah, that's right, 12 weeks - I don't think we're gestating an elephant!"

Sicky Vicky : Healthy Baby

The flu, or something like it, has been going around the colony. Our students are dropping like flies. Sunday morning, it hit me. Brandon was gone, doing a church service out of town. So I, alone, sick, and pregnant was not a happy girl! After lots of throwing up, crying, and talking to my mom on the phone I got through the morning. It was a couple days of yuckiness though; quite the double whammy of fatigue with flu and normal 1st trimester tiredness. I was out of school for 3 days, but it was only a 3-day week, so I had 4 freebies to fully recover.

The good part of all this is we went to the doctor on Tuesday. I was dehydrated, so they hooked me up with some fluids - always helpful. And just before the appointment I noticed some bleeding when I went to the bathroom. Of course, a sick, emotional, pregnant lady doesn't handle that well! I was pretty scared, and just sure this sickness was messing with the baby - although Brandon and the dr kept assuring me it wasn't. But, to appease me the doc set us up with an early ultrasound at the hospital. It was rough sitting around the next three hours in waiting rooms - but it was just incredible to see that tiny baby inside! He/She was 4 cm small at the time, but already moving around and everything. We could watch the blood flow, see where the hands were going to grow out of the little flipper beginnings, and clearly tell head from tail. Pretty exciting stuff! I can't wait until our next one when she/he's much bigger and more obviously baby looking.