Not quite Paradise . . .

Well, its that time again. Time for boxes, and packing tape, u-hauls and goodbyes. May 29th we will load up the truck and head for Austin, Texas to spend around four and a half months with our overseeing congregation - the Round Rock church of Christ.

We expect a time of growth and rich fellowship while with them. It still hasn't quite hit me that we will also welcome our first child into our family during this time. This could be some level of denial because all signs (increasingly) point to 'child within'. Seriously, she is already so fun to watch on the inside . . . and we can't wait to have her in our arms. We know that we, and she, will be greatly loved on in Texas. We pray we can give and love on others, too.

Our plan is to leave the United States from Memphis. In October, we plan to come back 'home' to Memphis, enjoy a week or two here, and then head down under to join our team mates in Wollongong.

These are surreal times. Sure wish Myron or Kenrick were around. . . packing would be a whole lot more fun with a little Jamaican cheer!

Memories from Paradise

Memphis to a piece of Caribbean paradise in just 2 hours and 47 minutes. Our time in Jamaica was everything we expected - pure R&R and a little bit more . . .

Upon arrival in Jamaica we were taken to the concierge lounge where we learned that we had been upgraded to the River Suites - a new room at Sandals Negril - and that our butler would soon be arriving to take us for in-room check in. Our room was gorgeous, the view - spectacular.






And Myron and Kenrick, our butlers . . . what can we say? Before this week, I was always a little weirded out by the whole butler thing, but not anymore.




They were great. Anything we needed, they were right there with it, or even a few steps ahead of us. Every morning, our beach chairs were set up under a palm tree, with a "Reserved for Mr & Mrs Whaley" card, towels and a cooler of drinks. And this is pretty much where we planted ourselves for the entire vacation. I am pretty impressed, if I do say so myself, at the way I "landed". I tend to be a little like a bird, "flying" here and there, either in my mind or body. It is hard at times for me to just land, settle, relax. But not this time . . . I did well. I had "landed" within an hour of being on property.






Our days consisted of reading and sleeping on the beach chairs, and swimming in the lazy river pool or the Caribbean. I was a beached whale in its truest form. :) We did take a couple of walks down the beach each day. We had a cell phone to call Myron or Kenrick if we needed a snack, or wanted to make dinner reservations or anything else. Whatever we ordered arrived within 5 minutes with flair and a smile, and often carried on their head.












It is sad, but true, that all good things do come to an end. But the renewal we received, and the good time we had being together in such a beautiful place, will be one of the sweetest memories I have of our life together pre daughter.

Beautiful Saturday

I wish I had a picture of the beautiful spring day we woke up to today. I went for a walk this morning. It was cool, but sunny and not a cloud in the sky. Beautiful.

Today we also began our child birth classes. We chose to enroll in a Bradley Method class here in Memphis. Our instructor has had both a hospital and a home birth. I first talked with her when I was only 5 weeks along in our pregnancy. She has been a great resource for us already, and what I appreciate most about her is the way she presents information. She does so with conviction, yet with understanding that we will make the decision that we feel is best for us. She encouraged us to go ahead and enroll in this class even though we might not get to have the birth experience we are hoping for. She has stressed the importance to be as mentally, physically and emotionally prepared for both a natural birth AND a surgical birth. She helped bring me out of the pit I felt I was in when we learned that a c-section was a possibility by reminding me that 1) it could change, and 2) if it didn't there are things I can do to have the best possible surgical birth and recovery. And she has graciously allowed us half tuition as we will be here for only 6 of the 12 weeks, and has even contacted Bradley Method instructors in Austin who would be willing to take us on for the last 6 classes. We are not die-hard-must-do-it-one-way-birthing-kind-of-people but we are excited to learn what we can.

And happily, tomorrow, we get to fly out for Negril, Jamaica. We are headed back to Sandals Negril for one last travel agent hurrah! We get to stay for $25 per night - all inclusive. That, along with a frequent flyer ticket, and an amazingly cheap ticket for Jason can't be beat. I think the maternity beach clothes might be more expensive than the trip itself. I spent the last three weeks or so trying on my summer clothes each week, thinking (in vain) that they would 'work'. Well...lets just say they didn't 'work'! :) We are SO looking forward to getting away. By no one's fault other than our own, we have been so outrageously busy. The R&R is much needed, and what better place to get it.

Over the halfway bump . . . pun intended

At just over 22 weeks, it is pretty clear now, even to strangers, that there is a child within. I continue to feel good. Many of you have expressed your concern regarding the news we shared a few posts prior about the placenta previa condition. Your concern and prayers mean a lot. Thank you for praying. We ask that you continue to do so. It is essentially just a waiting game at this point. An ultrasound in about 5 weeks will give us a better understanding of how things might play out. So while we don't have any updates - we are glad to share that so far things are going well, I feel good, and there are no complications.

This situation, along with just the fact that a life is growing within me for which Jason and I will be solely responsible calls me to greater faith. Greater than I have, and greater than I anticipated needing. Welcome to parenthood, huh?

I love to feel her move. At night she is particularly active and wild, which is fun . . . to a point. :) In the mornings, she wakes up slowly as if to say 'I shouldn't have stayed up so late'. I tend to agree.

For the sake of my sanity, I have pretty much filed away my pregnancy books. I used to pour over them but it just wasn't working out to be good for my mind! I do read the 'what's happening with baby' each week but that is about as far as I go. I have not read much though about the kind of father-to-be dilemma/rivalry that seems to be going on as portrayed in the images below.

Awwww

While Jason was in Belize, I hit some outlet malls and found some sweet baby girl clothes. Many people have cautioned me to not buy a lot of clothes. But these were all on sale, and I picked up a variety of sizes - some 12 months, even. It is fun to receive cute clothes for our baby girl but also fun to pick out some things for her myself. It could get dangerous if we make a habit of being apart!




And Jason's gift to her was this onesie from Belize (below). We thought it might be useful in broaching the topic that we might want to give our baby girl a few days with just her parents holding her before passing her around and around.



We can handle being the ugly ones! :) And I know, I know...many a baby has survived being passed right after birth. But we're first time parents so we're allowed to have a few neurotic ideas, right?