Happy Easter!

Currently sick. Combined with being 31 weeks pregnant, not so fun, but attempting to take it easy this weekend and praying for hubby to have a good time on his Easter retreat with the San Antonio Chinese church.

For all the people wondering why I haven't posted belly photos...time for an honest statement, followed by some visuals....I am not a glowing pregnant person.

I look, and feel, exhausted. I don't love being pregnant, and I don't make it look especially cute.

So....in comparison with all the lovely professional photo shoots of glowing mama-to-be...here is my reality:

 

31 weeks pregnant and sick...but I have consistently looked that exhausted before getting sick.

 

Anyways....I keep reminding myself that, as with all things, pregnancy is not something that I need to be rating myself in comparison with my pinterest board photos on.

 

 

Aside from some exhaustion, it has been a relatively smooth and healthy pregnancy thus far, and for that I am thankful. Our son has already been an active little boy, we could feel him moving like crazy starting at 16 weeks! He gets hiccups, and wakes me up a lot. He also kicked Daddy in the face while he was trying to listen for the baby's heartbeat.

 

We picked a name, which I will share here only because I think it is doubtful that any of my readers are going to steal it. 刘恩路。 We haven't found an English name, so the Chinese name will have to do. He, like my students, can always give himself an English name later...and he will have mom to advice him on not picking a name like "Demon" or "Will.I.Am" (yes, those were both self-named male students of mine).

 

Anyway...the name, which means something like "a thankful path/journey" alludes to the grace of God in mine and my husband's lives, and the blessing that our son is. We are looking forward to meeting him! Hopefully only 8 or 9 more weeks to go!

 

In this journey, I've been so blessed by my husband, who has been supportive, encouraging, and even gives me a foot/leg massage every single night (and makes me eat protein even when I don't want to).

In spite of the hardships we have faced, we have learned more than ever to trust God together, and as we are looking forward to this Easter Sunday, when we can celebrate Christ's triumph over the grave, I am thankful to also be able to attest to Christ's triumph over many things in our lives as well. Happy Easter!

 

 



I'm homesick for China these days...not all of it, of course, but parts of it. Food, people, and some aspects of our lifestyle there (although of course there are parts that I don't miss at all and don't even really look forward to returning to).

It has been fun, however, to watch my husband navigate life in the U.S. at times. I don't enjoy watching him have to navigate the not fun parts, such as no driver's license or job because of our in limbo visa situation, but other parts...it's quite funny.

I only realize just how much has has adjusted to some things when I listen to him talking to friends and family in China.

One notable thing, of course, has been his adjustment to preparing for baby...which would have been a completely different experience in China, as we'd originally thought it would be.

As we've taken our Bradley Method class, and prepared for what we hope will be a natural birth at a birth center instead of a hospital, he has certainly had his eyes opened to a lot of things you wouldn't see in Inner Mongolia, China.

We've been able to compare things with his sister, who recently gave birth to her daughter back in Inner Mongolia. As I've heard about her experience, I have been reminded how honestly thankful I am to be in the U.S., preparing with my birth team here. In spite of the financial difficulties, it will be worth it.

Last night, I laughed a little bit as I heard him lecturing his mother on breastfeeding and the wrong care instructions that she was giving his sister. His mother was completely silent on the other end, and I know she had to be thinking, "What on earth has happened to my son?"

Overall, we are grateful for this time "in limbo" as it were. Our time here has been an opportunity for us to switch roles and bring a bit of "China" life to America.