I'm home

I know it has been a while since I last posted. This morning I received 12 extremely annoying texts from my sister ordering me to post something. So here goes. We have been in the Hartford area for over three weeks. Ryan likes the job that he is doing. They told us we will be here till the end of the year so now I can tell my doctor that they will for sure deliver my baby. This next week I am busy looking for apartments so that we can have more space. I don't know how easy it will be to find one that meets all our needs, but we are flexible and will go where God leads. Ryan has been working a lot and that has been hard for me. I haven't been the most supportive wife over the last three weeks because I was so focused on my needs that nothing else much mattered. The hormones are terrible. Hopefully I will choose to be more reasonable and be happy with the time we do have instead of wanting more. I am praying his time does slow down a little bit when the baby comes, but that is still four months away. We are at 26-27 weeks and Charlie appears healthy with what we can see on the ultrasounds, she is very camera shy. She has a lovely spine but that is about all we can see.
I got the chance to visit my family this last week. My grandparents had their 60th wedding anniversary party. At first I didn't think I was going to go but ordered the tickets last minute and went. My moms reaction was priceless and was worth going for. At first she went straight to Rigg and then saw me, and turned to me and gave me a hug. Rigg felt very snubbed and threw a fit. No one comes between him and his Mimi. It was good spending time and relaxing. This was my last visit before the baby is born. Hopefully they will all come to meet Charlie at Thanksgiving.
I will post a couple pictures soon from the party, and a couple of us in New York, as soon as I get them from someone.
I realize this post was neither creative nor original, but it was informative. I will do better next time. However this shall appease my sister for at least a day. Back to apartment shopping.

Moving Day

So while I was home I would talk to my husband everyday to catch up. On Wed I called him and he said, "guess what?" My response was, we're moving. He said yes! What? He said yes? But we are supposed to stay in Baltimore for a year because we found a doctor we liked! We were supposed to stay because they asked us our preference and they said it seemed very reasonable! We were supposed to stay because we had just made some friends (OUR ONLY FRIENDS HERE!!!!). The company had kept us here and sent off so many others, why now? These were not the first thoughts that ran through my mind. My first thoughts were, shut up! You're joking. This has to be a joke. Put Liz on the phone. "Liz are we moving? Is Ryan joking?" I am afraid not honey, its real. So I realized this was real then the afore mentioned thoughts ran through my mind. I kept telling myself it would be okay. Connecticut can be that bad. I don't know anything about it, but we will be okay. God has a plan in everything. So here is what we know so far. We leave this Friday morning. We will be there till the end of Ryan's training which is Aug 17th. Then if Ryan is a good fit we will move there for a year. If not we will go back to Baltimore. So we are packing up the hotel room and moving to another one until further notice. If anyone knows of some good churches or fun things to do in Hartford let us know.
Silver Lining Alert: We get to go to New York City for two days. I have never been and will be fun to go and see as many things as we can in a short time. We get to go to my first REAL Broadway show. Still looking at tickets and what not. In my childhood my practical grown up job was to be a teacher, but my dream job was to be in a Broadway musical. Belle in Beauty and the Beast, specifically. So this will be exciting to go. I can't be in it. There isn't much casting calls for a 5 month old pregnant woman who can't dance but a girl can dream. So hopefully we will have pictures up from our weekend. A friend suggested a double decker bus tour which sounds awesome to my swollen feet :)
I will be packing away for the next two days. See you in CT!!!

Shower of Blessings

Going home was a blessing. The wedding went very well and God was honored and people heard Jesus for the first time. It was a blessing to be there for a friend and support her in so many of the same ways she has done for me. I got a chance to get in touch with my "Indian roots" again. All of the grooms family were Hindu but were just as lovely as all the other Indian people I ministered to. It made me feel like a missionary again if just for a brief moment, and I LOVED it. Sitting, talking with, laughing and dancing and crossing all cultural boundaries with the love of Christ. I am smiling as I am writing this. It was a very long weekend and I pushed myself more physically and emotionally than I have during my entire pregnancy. Physically it was hot and we were outside doing a lot and my feet couldn't handle it. I danced the night away and could barely walk the next day my feet were so swollen. But weighed heavier was the burden of his family's salvation. Knowing that this week is the only Christ they have ever seen with the exception of Abhi and Jess it was a lot. I will be praying for the family for a long time, because the mark they left was so big.
The shower was AMAZING. I was worried that since I had been away that not many people would be there. I had some really old and dear friends come which made my heart happy. I got to catch up with some people who I hadn't talked to since the wedding, and that was hi, thank you, ect. I kept telling everyone there what a big deal it was for me to come home because this is the only place I can get to where people make a big deal of us having a baby. It's our first one so we just want everyone to be equally as excited as we are. So about every 15 minutes one of the ladies would shout, "yeah, your having a baby!" We would all laugh and I felt such love and excitement. We were also blessed with the amount of gifts we received. Ryan and I are in need of a few things still but the ladies did a great job of showering us with things.
I got to see my grandparents and some family that I don't see but once or twice a year if I am lucky. But I must admit, I didn't feel well at all and my hormones were raging and my family put up with a very moody pregnant woman for a few days. My attitude wasn't exactly what I was hoping it would be, but they were very gracious and didn't throw me out of the car on the way to the airport which was what I deserved. My sister and mom are silently saying Amen right now to themselves.
Rigg had an out-patient surgery my last day there. Things went great and he was back to himself that night. I knew he would be fine. There was a peace about it for me. It was nice to trust God and know He would be fine. It may be easier for me as an aunt though. I got to spend some QT with him. He is getting to a very fun stage and I know his Uncle Ryan would have loved to play and laugh with him. It is hard going home as half an entity. You want all the people you love to be in one place and love each other as much as you do. But it is the nature of having a new job. Details about that to come in the next post. I just want to say a special thank you to all who came to the shower, loved on us, and put up with me while I was home. I hope the next time you can do the same for our little one. Blessings

Going Home

So on Thursday I leave for a week at home and time with a dear friend. My friend Jessica is getting married on Saturday and I am a blushing bridesmaid. This is my second American/Indian wedding this summer which has been both amazing and hysterical for those that have known me since my Indian days. I have marveled and chuckled about God's plans vs my plans at the time. I fell in love with India so much I thought I was going to marry and Indian man and move there spending my life furthering the gospel. I ended up marrying a farm boy from Illinois and two of my dearest friends have ended up with Indian men. Ha!!! One thing about both weddings that has been such a blessing is to see how these American brides are giving up certain American traditions for sake of their future in-laws' convictions and beliefs. Suzanne was blessed with in-laws who know the Lord deeply but still had some cultural differences. I saw her graciously die to herself on more than one occasion because it was more about the lifetime afterward than the actual day. Jess' in-laws are Hindu and they are using a combination of both backgrounds as a way to witness to them about Christ. Showing true love by embracing the Indian culture. Our dresses are sarees and Jess will be wearing a lengha which is traditional Indian dress for a wedding. I am so excited to be a part in all the festivities and share this day with my friend whom I have been praying for the right spouse for quite some time. It has been a joy to see her in love and talk hours on the phone about marriage, what I have learned so far, ect. Our saree tops are red and I did a VBS outside this week so my arms match my top. I may be a little lobster like but hopefully it will fade before Saturday.

I am also quite excited to spend time at home with my family. I have talked to my sister on the phone more often these past couple weeks which is a sign that we are both missing each other. I am excited to see my parents and grandparents and some of my dearest friends at the baby shower. It wasn't until these last couple of weeks how much I realized I missed home. My ultimate home is where Ryan is but my first home always has a tug of my heart cause that is where the REST of my family is. Living out of a hotel room has its perks but it never becomes home, just a temporary dwelling. I am hoping that God will compact everything into the short few days I have to spend with everyone. We are working more diligently on baby names and our list grows shorter. I have one I love and am set on at the moment, just waiting for Ryan to fall in love with it as well, or at least ok it and give in. But even though we like it we always reserve the right to change our minds. I will be sharing it with my family first and then with the world wide web. I am hoping to post some pics of the wedding and the shower after I get back.

Update on Life

So we are doing well. We are going to find out what we are having on Wednesday. This week I have had pain in my belly and at first it really scared me. This last week I found out that a friend had a miscarriage. When I had the pain, the thought of the possibility of not making it until Nov became a reality. I got really scared. I have been having trouble not staying on my sides when I sleep even when I use pillows at my sides. My first thought was irrational, but you all know I live in the extremes and feared that it was my fault and ultimately you know...
On another note is that I am horribly hormonal and that my first reaction to everything is yelling. Ryan has put up with my ridiculousness this week and I am eternally grateful. He is always so patient with me, and I don't deserve him. On Father's day he brought me breakfast in bed from Bob Evans. I had been craving biscuits and gravy for a week or longer. Our hotel provides breakfast for us but he went out and bought me breakfast because they didn't have what I wanted. That is a huge deal for us, spending money when its not necessary.
As far as registering goes, we got the big stuff done and my sister did a great job of registering for the little things that I didn't know would be helpful. And once we know what we are having then I can go back and do the things that are gender specific.
We are currently church shopping. We went to a church for a couple of weeks and although we liked the messages we thought that it wasn't the right fit for us, in this life stage. We went to one this week and it wasn't right either. We have been so blessed in Indy and in Houghton, with our churches.
Names are still a big enigma for us. Ryan will tell me if he likes a name by the position it has on the table. Some are off completely. Some are on the edge meaning close to veto, and there are only one or two that are safe in the center. I think finding out the gender will help with this and make it more real. The other day he asked why I was in such a rush, I have 60 days after the baby is born. I said there was no way that the baby would be no name Detig for 60 days until we can decide. So we will see if there are any changes after we know.
Physically I am starting to see a little baby, however I haven't gained any weight yet. The fat has just shifted. I actually have lost about three pounds since the beginning of the pregnancy. I do look pregnant though (I have a little belly). I don't think the docs are too worried yet. The Indian doctor student in Houghton told me since I was so fat I should only gain 15 pounds, so I am on my way to making that goal since I am almost half way there and no extra pounds yet.
Ryan and I are staying in Maryland as our first assignment as far as we know. We chose it since we have found a doc and hospital that we really like. They seemed to understand our reasoning and wishes. I am really excited about coming to Chicago and Indy. My friend Jess is getting married July 3rd and I am in the wedding. It will be fun to catch up with her because it has been so long since we really connected. I am also really excited to see my family and celebrate our baby. My baby shower is July 6th and can't wait to catch up to Indy friends. This will be the only time that I will be in Indy before the birth of the baby. It is only for a few days and will be jammed packed but can't wait to try to see how much I can fit in.
I know that is a lot but I know it's been a while since I wrote. I miss and love people. Thanks for continually praying for us. We will let you know what we are having once all the family has been called.
More later in the week
Sara

Help Mommies

I am attempting to register this weekend because the baby shower is tentatively scheduled for July 6th. This is the only time I can be home before my third trimester begins. People may be wondering why not August? We may be moving across the country in August and that will be stressful enough in and of itself. So July it is, and I am in a wedding July 3rd so I decided to kill two birds with one stone. I know some won't be able to make it because of the holiday but it's the only time I have. So now that we know the date here is where the help comes in.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM DOING WHEN IT COMES TO REGISTERING. I was hoping my super mommy instincts would kick in with this endeavor however it has not. I have a baby bargains book that compares brands and what not but it is a lot to take in. So mommies who read my blog, will you please help me? If there were any must haves for new moms that you received can you please let me know what it is, brand and why it was so helpful? I am registering at BabiesRus online and it is even harder when you cant touch the product. If there are any other online places that are great to register please let me know. My other tricky thing for my attenders and shoppers is that we are at 15 weeks yesterday and won't know the sex of the baby till right before or even after my shower. This makes it difficult to buy clothes but I insist that our baby will be color blind and will wear what has been given.
Until now I have thought that my baby would be a boy. But my friend Julie who insisted that she was having a boy, was told differently at her ultrasound. She is having a girl. I pondered and thought, could this be me as well? Have I done a disservice to focus on boy names (not only because of my intuition but because boy names are much harder!!!)
Anywho friends if you could please help I would appreciate it. You can post a comment here, send me an email, give me a call or facebook. I am not shy and need to know what I need. Blessings on all your mommy adventures this week and I look forward to hearing from you.
Mommy in training
Sara

Recovering

I know it has been a while since I have posted but I have been resting. I came home from the hospital on Wednesday afternoon. My mother in law flew in on Tuesday to take care of me so my husband could go to his first week of work. After I went home I was still in a lot of pain and basically slept 24-7. Except when the baby showed it was hungry. Friday I was home alone but it was okay, I slept a lot still. We ventured out for a short trip to see how I would do. I wanted pizza really badly so we went. The car ride was rough and I had to think very hard about every movement or word spoken. Saturday seemed to get better. We met my dad about 45 minutes away for dinner and I was doing well. Sunday we ventured to the mall and shopped for about two hours. I got a diaper bag and some maternity shorts. Yesterday I felt completely normal again. Ryan and I went out for Indian food and enjoyed the day. This week I have to make follow up appointments with the OB and GP to see if the baby and my ear are doing ok. I still need pain medicine occasionally but it is rare. The doctors say that baby should be ok but we will have an ultrasound to prove that in the next two weeks. On Wed I will be 15 weeks. My how the time flies.
As far as Maryland is concerned I am not hating it. Now that we switched hotels it is much better. There are things for me to do like swim and work out. We have a bit more space which is what we really needed, and I feel like now that I am healthy I can settle into life a bit more. There might be something for me to do three days a week at Bechtel for the summer but we will see. We are exploring our options. Now that my sister has told people I can too. My sister Cari is pregnant as well. She is due mid January. Our kids (if they ever live in the same city) will have a built in friend their age. I will let you know what the docs say and get some pics up soon of our new abode. Thanks for praying for baby Detig this whole time.

Living and learning to love life of transitions.
Sara