I remember being about 4 months pregnant with Lily, into my 2nd trimester and enjoying more energy and experiencing a day out of the blue of PURE fatigue. Like I could hardly stay awake ALL day. When I posted on facebook about it, my friend Sue said "that baby grew!". It was mostly a joke, but made sense in my mind... My non-medical-school-taught mind :-)
Well tdoday was that day again. After 2 nights in a row of 6 hours of sleep max and no naps, I slept like a baby last night and took 2 naps today... And it sill wasnt enough! It's 8:30pm and I'm exhausted. Thankfully, I'm still on mat leave and will be until August, and Lily takes two 2-hour naps each day...so guess what I do? Yep. Zzzzzzzz
With all the fatigue pregnancy brings, I'm actually not sure how I would do it, for the 2nd time this year, if Lily were older. I mean shes still a BABY which has its tials, but babies NAP people!! So even though I'm up at 7am with her, I can nap at 10am and 2pm, which is basically around when my mind and body decide to shut down from total fatigue. I seriously think this is EASIER (dare I go there...?) than my 1st pregnancy, even with a babe at home... Working full time pregnant was SO HARD. I'll likely never do that again, but looking back, it was really something. Having a baby at home makes SOME things way harder, but the whole sleep thing is really working for me this pregnancy.
Something to think about in regards to child-spacing ;-)
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
9.5.11
18.4.11
another MM travels the globe...
OK so not the GLOBE. But the continent :)
With Lily in the oven, we traveled twice to Africa, and once to Spain and France. She would have quite the passport if it were required for the unborn to carry them. For Baby #2 it's not looking like we'll do much over seas travel, but this baby will and has hit the USA pretty hard before her/his November birth day.
We just got back from an enormously encouraging trip to Chicago for the Gospel Coalition conference (will definitely be blogging in time, on Our Nest in the City about that) and in just a few short months we'll be taking up residence in Louisville, Kentucky for all of June and July as Brad studies there for his MDiv at Southern Seminary.
I'm so excited for Louisville! Brad will be in classes pretty much all day Monday-Friday, but it's an amazing city, where I actually know a few people already, and have lots to explore with Lilygirl. The seminary where Brad will be studying even has an on-campus clinic for students (and their families) where I can get as many ultrasounds as I want for $5 a pop! Not bad considering in most places in the USA, it's over $100 if you don't have coverage (and we won't since were not American, other than travel insurance). We can't wait to find a church down there and get connected to the community. The temptation when you're in a place for a short time is to just keep to yourself but that's not "us" and definitely not our plan.
And something tells me traveling pregnant to Louisville will be far easier than Africa and Europe, so I'm definitely game!
27.4.10
MM is headed to Africa and Europe, O My!
MM is about to be a world-wide traveler, for the 2nd time since she's been in my belly!
The first time we just didn't know she was there yet... Not negligent parents, just unaware :)
The story is, we were headed to Africa over December to do some planning for this trip that we're about to take. On the way we stopped in France for some meetings with people who we're working alongside with both in Africa and elsewhere. But it was a NIGHTMARE.
Yes I was pregnant and didn't know it, so the obvious nightmarish, confusing symptoms were alive and well - vomiting, extreme fatigue, heightened senses to say the least... But then there was the evening we spend sleeping in a hallway since the hotel we booked with (in France, in December...yeah. bur.) closed at NINE PM. What kind of hotel locks it's doors at NINE PM? Nobody knows, but there we were. Locked out. One in the morning. In France. In December. Cold. Unknowingly Pregnant.
The good times don't stop there. We slept in a hallway until the hotel opened at 6am and then were showed to our room that we STILL HAD TO PAY FOR. But on our way to our room, we found a stash of pillows and blankets, all hotel fresh and folded, waiting to be used. STEPS FROM WHERE WE SLEPT. Under coats. On running shows and scarves as pillows. Yeah. Ouch.
So needless to say MM has had many adventures, some overseas, since she's been around, but this next one is sure to be memorable - for us if not her :)
We'll be away for 8 weeks in total - 6 weeks in Africa, 2 weeks in France afterward to relax (yes, the glorious fact is that our plane for our work trip flies through France to get to Africa, so we can delay our trip home and stay in France for no extra expenses!).
So excited for us and MM.... the stories we'll tell her when she grows up :)
The first time we just didn't know she was there yet... Not negligent parents, just unaware :)
The story is, we were headed to Africa over December to do some planning for this trip that we're about to take. On the way we stopped in France for some meetings with people who we're working alongside with both in Africa and elsewhere. But it was a NIGHTMARE.
Yes I was pregnant and didn't know it, so the obvious nightmarish, confusing symptoms were alive and well - vomiting, extreme fatigue, heightened senses to say the least... But then there was the evening we spend sleeping in a hallway since the hotel we booked with (in France, in December...yeah. bur.) closed at NINE PM. What kind of hotel locks it's doors at NINE PM? Nobody knows, but there we were. Locked out. One in the morning. In France. In December. Cold. Unknowingly Pregnant.
The good times don't stop there. We slept in a hallway until the hotel opened at 6am and then were showed to our room that we STILL HAD TO PAY FOR. But on our way to our room, we found a stash of pillows and blankets, all hotel fresh and folded, waiting to be used. STEPS FROM WHERE WE SLEPT. Under coats. On running shows and scarves as pillows. Yeah. Ouch.
So needless to say MM has had many adventures, some overseas, since she's been around, but this next one is sure to be memorable - for us if not her :)
We'll be away for 8 weeks in total - 6 weeks in Africa, 2 weeks in France afterward to relax (yes, the glorious fact is that our plane for our work trip flies through France to get to Africa, so we can delay our trip home and stay in France for no extra expenses!).
So excited for us and MM.... the stories we'll tell her when she grows up :)
23.4.10
GONE 'TIL JULY
We're heading on a work trip to Africa for 6 weeks then taking advantage of our location in the world and taking our vacation afterward in France!
First family vacation :D
So I won't be blogging until at least July 1st. WOW. This will be hard, I LOVE blogging, it's become part of my day, even if only the 5 minutes it takes to write a post. Oh well, adventures are to be had!
See you in 8-ish weeks!
First family vacation :D
So I won't be blogging until at least July 1st. WOW. This will be hard, I LOVE blogging, it's become part of my day, even if only the 5 minutes it takes to write a post. Oh well, adventures are to be had!
See you in 8-ish weeks!
25.3.10
blog for later:
{our nest in the city}
see button with attached link ------------->
the post-bump blog is up, but will be rarely updated since my life revolves around this bump and I don't have enough spare time to host TWO blogs. But I'll keep this one even after MM is born for MM2, 3, 4 (God-willing).
To be honest, I always thought blogging was kind of ridiculous, but once I actually started READING them (yes my judgment was based on no experience whatsoever) and writing one for myself, I began to love it. I love that my community from back in Ontario can read here and know what's going on. I love that I have it recorded so I won't forget. I love that I can have a place to write my thoughts instead of them crowding up my packed head.
So, a blog for later has begun :) A blog about my relatively new life in the city, Brad and my journey as new parents, new home owners (hopefully soon!), new full-time job (on maternity leave), new LIFE period.
Hope you'll read it :)
see button with attached link ------------->
the post-bump blog is up, but will be rarely updated since my life revolves around this bump and I don't have enough spare time to host TWO blogs. But I'll keep this one even after MM is born for MM2, 3, 4 (God-willing).
To be honest, I always thought blogging was kind of ridiculous, but once I actually started READING them (yes my judgment was based on no experience whatsoever) and writing one for myself, I began to love it. I love that my community from back in Ontario can read here and know what's going on. I love that I have it recorded so I won't forget. I love that I can have a place to write my thoughts instead of them crowding up my packed head.
So, a blog for later has begun :) A blog about my relatively new life in the city, Brad and my journey as new parents, new home owners (hopefully soon!), new full-time job (on maternity leave), new LIFE period.
Hope you'll read it :)
2.3.10
the perspective timeline
On April 20th - about 7 weeks from now, I'll be a boy's mom or a girl's mom. Technically I already am one or the other, but I won't know for sure and start seeing everything through that lense until my ultrasound.
MM, what will you be? A boy? A girl? After hearing the heartbeat this week, perspective hit me like a ton of bricks. I don't care. You're alive and well and ours.
I've thought a lot more about the sex of MM lately too especially since I'm riding a new wave of assurance after hearing our little baby's heart ticking... what an experience to remind me of what's important. I mean, the first month - December, was just crazy excitement and blissful ignorance (think traveling to North Africa while 1 week pregnant and having no idea, just being a bit sleepy 24/7).
some shots from our trip to North Africa over Christmas break. Completely in the dark until about the second to last day when I began to feel nauseous and had extremely heightened tastes and smells of nearly everything (and this is NOT an easy country to have this symptom!)
Then there was the second month - Mid January-February. To recap: yawning, sleeping, barfing, crying, repeat. Not to mention complaining. You remember, you read alllll about it. I felt so bad for myself (partly justified, I was after all heaving daily) that I lost perspective completely. I spent a lot of time defending my pregnancy. Reminding people of my fatigue and the cause: a child being fashioned in my body. Reminding people that I am indeed pregnant even though I didn't look it. Reminding people who simply meant well that I wasn't getting "too much sleep" but that I simply needed me and would still be fatigued at this stage of pregnancy.
It was a hard month. A lot of difficulty and no bump or sign of the nausea or fatigue ever ending. I thought a lot about myself during that month, and very little about MM. I think part of me was protecting myself. I wouldn't dare buy anything baby related, think about being a mom for more than 5 minutes, or get *too* attached. I couldn't shake the fear that I could miscarry at any moment and was still largely living in the dark regarding my pregnancy to the majority of my friends. I didn't think much about MM in a personal way. I was too afraid to. I just worried about MM and was bothered by my symptoms.
And then the 3rd month came. Sort of like how they say March "comes in like a lion and out like a lamb" in regards to starting all winter-y and ending with spring weather. But think sickness, fatigue, and belly size. The beginning of February was pretty much the same as January. Sick, tired, bump-less. I was becoming more confident by the day that MM was healthy as the 1st trimester drew to a close. I was starting to show a bit more and when I wore *just the right outfit* I looked pregnant :) My nausea and fatigue also lessened though they make occasional visits to this day.
And this week we entered March. It's my 14th and 15th weeks of pregnancy and I'm almost back to form, eating foods again that I thought I'd never stand the smell or taste of again (meat. yum.) and sleeping much less while I "show" more in the belly region.
The journey through the first few months of pregnancy had been long and winding. As you can tell there have been a lot of changes, and to think I've only gained between 2-4 pounds! Seems like I've gained a new personality/character traits/opinions/fears/doubts/dreams/and new wardrobe. That seems much more significant! My perspective changed once again after hearing little MM, beating away in my belly. All of the symptoms have been hard to deal with, and definitely the uncertainty of the first trimester was a really big faith barrier to overcome, but this new place - beating hearts and 2nd trimesters - is exciting and I know it's going to be good.
MM, what will you be? A boy? A girl? After hearing the heartbeat this week, perspective hit me like a ton of bricks. I don't care. You're alive and well and ours.
I've thought a lot more about the sex of MM lately too especially since I'm riding a new wave of assurance after hearing our little baby's heart ticking... what an experience to remind me of what's important. I mean, the first month - December, was just crazy excitement and blissful ignorance (think traveling to North Africa while 1 week pregnant and having no idea, just being a bit sleepy 24/7).
some shots from our trip to North Africa over Christmas break. Completely in the dark until about the second to last day when I began to feel nauseous and had extremely heightened tastes and smells of nearly everything (and this is NOT an easy country to have this symptom!)
Then there was the second month - Mid January-February. To recap: yawning, sleeping, barfing, crying, repeat. Not to mention complaining. You remember, you read alllll about it. I felt so bad for myself (partly justified, I was after all heaving daily) that I lost perspective completely. I spent a lot of time defending my pregnancy. Reminding people of my fatigue and the cause: a child being fashioned in my body. Reminding people that I am indeed pregnant even though I didn't look it. Reminding people who simply meant well that I wasn't getting "too much sleep" but that I simply needed me and would still be fatigued at this stage of pregnancy.It was a hard month. A lot of difficulty and no bump or sign of the nausea or fatigue ever ending. I thought a lot about myself during that month, and very little about MM. I think part of me was protecting myself. I wouldn't dare buy anything baby related, think about being a mom for more than 5 minutes, or get *too* attached. I couldn't shake the fear that I could miscarry at any moment and was still largely living in the dark regarding my pregnancy to the majority of my friends. I didn't think much about MM in a personal way. I was too afraid to. I just worried about MM and was bothered by my symptoms.
And then the 3rd month came. Sort of like how they say March "comes in like a lion and out like a lamb" in regards to starting all winter-y and ending with spring weather. But think sickness, fatigue, and belly size. The beginning of February was pretty much the same as January. Sick, tired, bump-less. I was becoming more confident by the day that MM was healthy as the 1st trimester drew to a close. I was starting to show a bit more and when I wore *just the right outfit* I looked pregnant :) My nausea and fatigue also lessened though they make occasional visits to this day.
And this week we entered March. It's my 14th and 15th weeks of pregnancy and I'm almost back to form, eating foods again that I thought I'd never stand the smell or taste of again (meat. yum.) and sleeping much less while I "show" more in the belly region.
The journey through the first few months of pregnancy had been long and winding. As you can tell there have been a lot of changes, and to think I've only gained between 2-4 pounds! Seems like I've gained a new personality/character traits/opinions/fears/doubts/dreams/and new wardrobe. That seems much more significant! My perspective changed once again after hearing little MM, beating away in my belly. All of the symptoms have been hard to deal with, and definitely the uncertainty of the first trimester was a really big faith barrier to overcome, but this new place - beating hearts and 2nd trimesters - is exciting and I know it's going to be good.
15.2.10
Popular MM on Facebook
Posting my pregnancy on Facebook was so interesting.
Firstly, if I were having this baby five years ago, I wouldn't have posted it on Facebook and it wouldn't have mattered. But today, it's such a social network of communication in my life that I couldn't not. Weird. With our company, generally is anyone gets pregnant, engaged, has a baby, etc, they send out a mass-e-mail to all the employers to let them know and everyone can wish them well. We're debating whether or not to even bother.
Brad, who's not on Facebook was shocked at how many of our company's staff are on my Facebook. People he knows well better than I do. People I've never met. People we see once a year or less. He obviously was pro the mass-e-mail. But when he ran through a list of people he was sure weren't on my "friends list" every single one of them was on it, not to mention they or their spouse had already written well wishes to us and MM. Crazy.
In 2 days we got 35 "likes" and 61 comments about Mini-Morrice! That's more than when we announced our engagement. Needless to say our unborn child is more popular than we are :)
Firstly, if I were having this baby five years ago, I wouldn't have posted it on Facebook and it wouldn't have mattered. But today, it's such a social network of communication in my life that I couldn't not. Weird. With our company, generally is anyone gets pregnant, engaged, has a baby, etc, they send out a mass-e-mail to all the employers to let them know and everyone can wish them well. We're debating whether or not to even bother.
Brad, who's not on Facebook was shocked at how many of our company's staff are on my Facebook. People he knows well better than I do. People I've never met. People we see once a year or less. He obviously was pro the mass-e-mail. But when he ran through a list of people he was sure weren't on my "friends list" every single one of them was on it, not to mention they or their spouse had already written well wishes to us and MM. Crazy.
In 2 days we got 35 "likes" and 61 comments about Mini-Morrice! That's more than when we announced our engagement. Needless to say our unborn child is more popular than we are :)
17.1.10
books on the go
Lately I'm in bed a lot, with little energy to do anything but read (and when I'm nauseous reading goes out the window too since for some reason it makes things worse).
I just finished 2 great easy-reads that my friend Lydia calls "Chick-Lit" since they're novels basically about things girls care about: romance, clothes, the stuff that just washes over you like an episode of Friends or Grey's Anatomy.
Something Blue was actually a sequel to a book I hadn't read, but I chose it since I read it was about a woman who becomes pregnant at a non-ideal time in her life. I can't relate with the non-ideal part, but since I'm all about pregnancy these days it seemed good. Plus I found it at the Salvation Army in Newmarket, ON for $2.00. Can't beat that! It's a cute, easy read and I finished it super fast but it was fun and I'd recommend it. If anyone wants to borrow it, lemmie know!
At the same Salvation Army I found What To Expect When You're Expecting and What To Expect The First Year, also each for $2.00 each. These 3 books were the most fun because I bought them the week I found out I was pregnant.
Another book I recently finished was kind of a "Chick-Lit" with culture. Girls of Riyadh follows the lives of 4 women living in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, present day. It interested me so much partly because I'm fascinated by the Middle East and Muslims Countries (such as those in North Africa that we're fairly invested in through work) and partly because I love seeing the human side of places so far away I'll probably never visit, like Saudi. It's amazing that in some places women can still be forced to marry men they despise, even if they are the most educated and elite women in that country. Imagine those who have less leverage. But what a great book. I have several friends living the same lives as these girls. Practicing Islam, being from or living in Muslim Countries that are quite conservative, yet still having a side to them that would surprise most westerners. Again, I'm done if you'd like to borrow it.
Finally, Now that I'm done the recent books I bought/received, I'm onto a couple I had begun sometime ago and never finished. The Arabs, Journey Beyond The Mirage is written by a reporter who lived in Egypt for 5 years while covering news for a major broadcasting company in the Middle East and North Africa. It's really interesting, and I'd bought it for our trip over to North Africa before Christmas but I was quite nauseous during that trip (read: pregnant but didn't know it!) and only got 1/2 way through. Can't wait to work on it.
In the same boat is French Kiss, Steven Harper's Blind Date With Quebec which I mentioned to Brad I'd wanted last year and he surprised me with one day. That's a HARD read (according to me) and is taking a while. Every page is laced with political background that I'm learning about as I read (and I used to say I was "into" politics! This book tells me I know nothing!). But it's educating and it's about the province I live in and love and the realm of politics which I used to think I loved and now just admire from afar...like really far.
I just finished 2 great easy-reads that my friend Lydia calls "Chick-Lit" since they're novels basically about things girls care about: romance, clothes, the stuff that just washes over you like an episode of Friends or Grey's Anatomy.
Something Blue was actually a sequel to a book I hadn't read, but I chose it since I read it was about a woman who becomes pregnant at a non-ideal time in her life. I can't relate with the non-ideal part, but since I'm all about pregnancy these days it seemed good. Plus I found it at the Salvation Army in Newmarket, ON for $2.00. Can't beat that! It's a cute, easy read and I finished it super fast but it was fun and I'd recommend it. If anyone wants to borrow it, lemmie know!
At the same Salvation Army I found What To Expect When You're Expecting and What To Expect The First Year, also each for $2.00 each. These 3 books were the most fun because I bought them the week I found out I was pregnant.
Another book I recently finished was kind of a "Chick-Lit" with culture. Girls of Riyadh follows the lives of 4 women living in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, present day. It interested me so much partly because I'm fascinated by the Middle East and Muslims Countries (such as those in North Africa that we're fairly invested in through work) and partly because I love seeing the human side of places so far away I'll probably never visit, like Saudi. It's amazing that in some places women can still be forced to marry men they despise, even if they are the most educated and elite women in that country. Imagine those who have less leverage. But what a great book. I have several friends living the same lives as these girls. Practicing Islam, being from or living in Muslim Countries that are quite conservative, yet still having a side to them that would surprise most westerners. Again, I'm done if you'd like to borrow it.
Finally, Now that I'm done the recent books I bought/received, I'm onto a couple I had begun sometime ago and never finished. The Arabs, Journey Beyond The Mirage is written by a reporter who lived in Egypt for 5 years while covering news for a major broadcasting company in the Middle East and North Africa. It's really interesting, and I'd bought it for our trip over to North Africa before Christmas but I was quite nauseous during that trip (read: pregnant but didn't know it!) and only got 1/2 way through. Can't wait to work on it.
In the same boat is French Kiss, Steven Harper's Blind Date With Quebec which I mentioned to Brad I'd wanted last year and he surprised me with one day. That's a HARD read (according to me) and is taking a while. Every page is laced with political background that I'm learning about as I read (and I used to say I was "into" politics! This book tells me I know nothing!). But it's educating and it's about the province I live in and love and the realm of politics which I used to think I loved and now just admire from afar...like really far.
8.1.10
Useless
That's exactly how I feel.
I've been cancelling on friends and work all month. I've made pretty pathetic dinners if at all for brad and I (and cooking isn't a chore for me, it's something that I genuinely love doing and normally continue when I'm under the weather). And those are the nights I can stand to be around food at all.
2 days ago I was making breakfast for my staff team and the smells (delicious cinnamon bun smells) were too much so I puked in the kitchen sink. Last night I felt so nauseous and dizzy that I couldn't bare the crappy frozen
Pizza we were having and settled for crackers, in the meantime skipping the 1st weekly meeting at McGill of 2010. And as I write this I've just thrown up, cancelled an appointment with a student I love, and left my Concordia staff team to fill my gaps at a food fair Campus for Christ was invited to take part in. I feel completely useless.
I can deal with the sickness, constipation, many food aversions, and lack of sleep. It's the bailing on other people constantly and giving 70% when I gave 100% just 2 short months ago. It's feeling like I'm not pulling my weight and letting my friends, husband, and coworkers down. I've heard rumors of the second trimester being a breeze- I'll hit mine just after reading week. Can't wait to be ME again.
I've been cancelling on friends and work all month. I've made pretty pathetic dinners if at all for brad and I (and cooking isn't a chore for me, it's something that I genuinely love doing and normally continue when I'm under the weather). And those are the nights I can stand to be around food at all.
2 days ago I was making breakfast for my staff team and the smells (delicious cinnamon bun smells) were too much so I puked in the kitchen sink. Last night I felt so nauseous and dizzy that I couldn't bare the crappy frozen
Pizza we were having and settled for crackers, in the meantime skipping the 1st weekly meeting at McGill of 2010. And as I write this I've just thrown up, cancelled an appointment with a student I love, and left my Concordia staff team to fill my gaps at a food fair Campus for Christ was invited to take part in. I feel completely useless.
I can deal with the sickness, constipation, many food aversions, and lack of sleep. It's the bailing on other people constantly and giving 70% when I gave 100% just 2 short months ago. It's feeling like I'm not pulling my weight and letting my friends, husband, and coworkers down. I've heard rumors of the second trimester being a breeze- I'll hit mine just after reading week. Can't wait to be ME again.
10.12.09
where it all began
Today Brad and I leave for North Africa - the part of the world where we first met officially and soon thereafter fell in "like".
Brad was leading a Missions Trip and I was a 3rd year student at the time, with intentions of joining staff with Campus for Christ. He had already been working for C4C for 3 years at the time.
I remember the first day I saw him I thought he was cute and that he spoke really good French, but it was still pretty superficial until fate would have us on the same team and we got to know each other more... It wasn't long until I had a huge-must-be-kept secret crush since dating on the project wasn't allowed and let's face it, it was kind of sketchy that he was the staff and I was the student even though we're 4 years apart!
Anyway, years later we're married and returning to the same place where it all began. We're going for 1 week to visit with missionaries over there and also do some planning for the trip we're going on this summer with a bunch of other staff and students for 6 weeks.
How weird will it be to be back there as husband and wife, trying for a baby???
2.12.09
here we go again
official try #1 this month! So much is going on this month for us with traveling to Ontario to visit both sides of the family, a huge conference starting on boxing day with work, and a work trip taking place from the 11th-18th in Africa... Should be interesting, joyous, visionary, but a bit stressful (those who know me better are laughing and saying "you mean a LOT stressful").
Knowing that stress can largely effect the results, I wouldn't be surprised if it took until after this insane season :)
But we'll have fun tryin'!
Knowing that stress can largely effect the results, I wouldn't be surprised if it took until after this insane season :)
But we'll have fun tryin'!
14.11.09
PROS to being pregs this month:
- Baby would be born in August: before the insane month of September (for us, it's easily the busiest month for work)
- Brad wouldn't have much work to do so he could be around with the new baby a lot before September
- I would have a clear cut/dry year for maternity leave (our heaviest months for work are Sept-June, so I could take mat leave at the beginning of that phase)
- I could be in Rachel Cheng's wedding, my dear friend, as it's currently scheduled when I'll be in North Africa (baby permitting)
CONS to being pregs this month:
- Baby would be born in August: and would be the youngest in their class (equivalent to a December baby in other provinces as the cut off date in Montreal is Sept 20)
- Brad would go to North Africa for 3 weeks instead of us both going for 6 weeks
- We wouldn't go to France at all
- Meaning I may also not go to North Africa this December for the set up trip we've planned
- Baby would be born in August: before the insane month of September (for us, it's easily the busiest month for work)
- Brad wouldn't have much work to do so he could be around with the new baby a lot before September
- I would have a clear cut/dry year for maternity leave (our heaviest months for work are Sept-June, so I could take mat leave at the beginning of that phase)
- I could be in Rachel Cheng's wedding, my dear friend, as it's currently scheduled when I'll be in North Africa (baby permitting)
CONS to being pregs this month:
- Baby would be born in August: and would be the youngest in their class (equivalent to a December baby in other provinces as the cut off date in Montreal is Sept 20)
- Brad would go to North Africa for 3 weeks instead of us both going for 6 weeks
- We wouldn't go to France at all
- Meaning I may also not go to North Africa this December for the set up trip we've planned
29.10.09
pourquoi j'adore le Quebec
Brad just revealed that this weekend he's taking me to Quebec City for our anniversary (due to our hectic work schedule we couldn't take the weekend on our actual anniversary which was October 18th).
I'm SO excited!!! I've really come to LOVE Quebec and Montreal specifically. Here's Why:
As you know it's the latter statistics that drew us to ministry here though we definitely are benefiting from the former!
I'm SO excited!!! I've really come to LOVE Quebec and Montreal specifically. Here's Why:
- Quebec is a socialist heaven. The rights of Quebec citizens are amazing, we're talking cheap rent with rent control, low costs of buying (and if you're buying down town the PQ Gov't will give you up to $6K if it's your 1st home, and $10K if you're got kids!!)
- Which brings me to the next part - Quebec is an amazing province to have kids. The province supports a generous 1 year maternity leave for those whose employers don't offer it, so practically every woman or man, should they choose, can take a paid year off to care for their children.
- And upon returning to work after the glorious 1 year of baby-bonding, Quebec citizens have access to (actually GOOD) $7/day day-care! It's completely government subsidized so anyone can be a working parent.
- Not to mention, when my kids are of age, they can attend some of the greatest universities in Canada, if not the world (McGill was just ranked #18, the highest in Canada, take that U of T!), at significantly subsidized rates as well. That's right, Quebec citizens half HALF the tuition costs that I paid in Ontario and Canadians in other provinces. Leaving Quebec one of the provinces with the least number of graduating students with debt.
As you know it's the latter statistics that drew us to ministry here though we definitely are benefiting from the former!
28.10.09
biological children or adoption
We had dinner last night with a new "couple friend" that we met through Brad's brother and ended up having an amazing time. Seems like we actually have more common with them! We talked for hours over common interests, and each was genuinely interested in the other's unshared interests (they're huge fans of the environment, everything green, vegetarian, etc, we talked a bit about our church, work, faith). Was a really nice night, and me being me got my new friend Erika talking about kids.
She shared my desire for kids some day (all be it further down the line than me) but is adamant about adoption.
She's a great listener and polite person, so she didn't trample on my wanting to "create something new" desire, but it was clear she thought wanting to enter your own kids into "a population that's already out of control and under fed" wasn't shared by her.
I'm not closed to the idea of one day adopting, I mean Brad and I travel so much with work that we've seen the world and the needs of kids and we're even the proud sponsors of little Farhana from Bangladesh, but right now there is no greater desire in my then to have a baby. "Have" as in carry, conceive, give birth to, nurse, care for from birth, etc. Should I feel guilty? I did at first but then retracted my guilt and now I'm just confused a little bit...
I guess the "recycle, reduce, re-use" saying is held by hard-core environmentalists in many realms of life, far beyond plastic and meat... I really like and respect this couple and the many people who choose to adopt (for all the reasons I've encountered, far beyond population control to passions for mercy and justice, love for certain countries where social programs are poor, inability to conceive, etc) - it's just not me.
One day maybe... Not closing the door to it whatsoever. But it really made me think last night...
She shared my desire for kids some day (all be it further down the line than me) but is adamant about adoption.
She's a great listener and polite person, so she didn't trample on my wanting to "create something new" desire, but it was clear she thought wanting to enter your own kids into "a population that's already out of control and under fed" wasn't shared by her.
I'm not closed to the idea of one day adopting, I mean Brad and I travel so much with work that we've seen the world and the needs of kids and we're even the proud sponsors of little Farhana from Bangladesh, but right now there is no greater desire in my then to have a baby. "Have" as in carry, conceive, give birth to, nurse, care for from birth, etc. Should I feel guilty? I did at first but then retracted my guilt and now I'm just confused a little bit...
I guess the "recycle, reduce, re-use" saying is held by hard-core environmentalists in many realms of life, far beyond plastic and meat... I really like and respect this couple and the many people who choose to adopt (for all the reasons I've encountered, far beyond population control to passions for mercy and justice, love for certain countries where social programs are poor, inability to conceive, etc) - it's just not me.
One day maybe... Not closing the door to it whatsoever. But it really made me think last night...
21.10.09
solo
Brad's been on a work trip being trained to lead the Summer Project we're going on this summer. He's gone before as a staff like I will be this summer, but this is his 1st year going as the director of the project, so obviously he needs some training... I'm not opposed to that...promise.
But I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo lonely!
He left Monday morning. Sunday was our 1 year anniversary. Maybe the timing was just sensitive, but what can you do? He's coming back tonight (thanks God!) and it really wasn't that long of a seperation when I think about it, but I'm growing really attached to that guy, leading into slight resentment of any and everything that takes him away from me, darn you work darn you!
No I'm fine, but man... I've become attached!
If I were pregnant right now or with kids I wonder if I would feel even more solo/lonely? Does it increase the more significant the separation is? Like right now he's gone for a few work days but it's fine because I'm busy with my own job, and it's just me. If I were pregs or with kids would it be harder? Easier (since I'd maybe be more busy?) who knows.
Just counting the hours till his return :)
But I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo lonely!
He left Monday morning. Sunday was our 1 year anniversary. Maybe the timing was just sensitive, but what can you do? He's coming back tonight (thanks God!) and it really wasn't that long of a seperation when I think about it, but I'm growing really attached to that guy, leading into slight resentment of any and everything that takes him away from me, darn you work darn you!
No I'm fine, but man... I've become attached!
If I were pregnant right now or with kids I wonder if I would feel even more solo/lonely? Does it increase the more significant the separation is? Like right now he's gone for a few work days but it's fine because I'm busy with my own job, and it's just me. If I were pregs or with kids would it be harder? Easier (since I'd maybe be more busy?) who knows.
Just counting the hours till his return :)
16.10.09
pipe dreams of the perfect pregnancy and travel...
Thanks to an ovulation calendar I found online, I know that I'm fertile again between November 14th-19th for a birth around August 10th, 2010. Or, even better, I'm fertile between December 13th-18th, for a birth around September 8th. Or, best yet, I'm fertile between January 11th-16th for a birth on October 7th.
I would love to be in North Africa and France (the trip we're planning to take after since we fly through Paris en route home anyway) when I'm in my 2nd trimester as I keep hearing it's when a woman feels her best and is physically the strongest during her pregnancy (think 4-6 months). It would be our last chance to travel pre-children and is extraordinarily perfect (financially as the trip would be tacked onto a work trip, time-wise as we take our vacation after long assignments such as a 6 week missions trip, and personally since we both speak French and neither of us have been to France for more than a layover)
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