Update!

I just wanted to quickly update the blogosphere of Thompson happenings:

I just returned from a glorious weekend to Charleston with my two best childhood friends, Rachel and Anna.  Anna just graduated (cum laude!) from USC so we had to celebrate!  We ate our weight in seafood, walked the days away, giggled the nights away, and cried about silly/happy/sad things like babies and husbands and "adult life"... these girl getaways are vital no matter how old we get. (Pictures coming soon!)

Jim and I are about to dive head first into a whirlwind of Christmas happiness.  Get this schedule:  Tuesday, we head to his parents to visit family and celebrate on Christmas Eve.  From there, we fly to FL on Christmas Day to squeeze the heck out of my parents (I miss them SO much!).  This sailboat miraculously fell into their laps as a gift from the Giver of all good things.  Really, it was almost free and they are beside themselves with giddiness - I can't wait for a sail either!

The Florida trip should also yield much snorkeling, 80 degree temperatures, good food and lots of snuggling and hugs with my Mama and Daddy... why are they so far away?!!  Truly though, a nicer destination is not to be found.

We fly back on New Years Day (not yet home to Greenville) to go directly to our dear friend Joy's wedding on Jan. 2.  Jim and I are both in the wedding party so hopefully we won't be sunburned lobsters!  

Finally we'll limp home with sleepy smiles, full bellies, and lots of Christmas memories - all reminding us that this crazy, joyful love of family and friends is entirely because of the eternal gift that came in Jesus Christ, a perfect lamb, born to be a sacrifice.      

I Never Did Get To Share This:

One of my students gave me this ornament today:

How awesome?!

She also gave me a pregnancy/memory calendar where you can record fun things about your pregnancy, cravings, dr.'s appointments, ultrasound pictures, etc... so fun.  There's one section where you write about how you found out you were pregnant and I realized that I had not shared this little tidbit with the blogosphere!  It must be remedied!  So here's my story:

Wednesday, September 15, 12:00 pm - I knew that I was about a week late, but that was pretty normal for my abnormal self.  I had already spent an arm and a leg on pregnancy tests since June every time my stomach was queasy or I had heartburn (which is so silly because my Crohn's disease yielded plenty of that).

2:00 pm - I started having really weird cramps, and sort of felt sad, telling myself, "Well, not this month..."

2:30 pm - Went for a walk around the neighborhood to alleviate the cramps.  They weren't severe but, like I said, completely different than run of the mill "syndrome" cramps.  As I walked, my prayer went like this:  "God, please quiet my heart and allow me to just be patient with this whole baby thing - I know it will happen when YOU want it to, and that may be never... but Lord, I just feel like I am!"  No sooner had these words passed through my little brain, a huge blue jay landed RIGHT next to me on a fence - Seriously, like 3 feet away - And sang his ever-livin' head off at me!  It startled me so much and he was so close that I decided right then and there that blue jays don't normally do that.  I know it sounds cliche and sappy, but I think that blue jay was just for me.

4:30 pm - Jim came home from work and I told him about my walk and my cramps (cramps can actually be a sign of early pregnancy).  He simply said, "So go get a test."  You better believe my prayers of "God-quiet-my-heart-and-make-me-patient" flew right out the window!      

4:45 pm - That double line came up so fast, I thought I was seeing things!  Jim and I took turns looking at the box to make sure that meant positive.  For the next 20 minutes I kept saying, "What if it really happens?  What if it really happens?"  We hugged and cried (well I did anyway) and then I had about 6.5 seconds of pure terror:  "Oh man, there's no turning back.  Our lives are going to be completely altered forever."  But of course, Jim was there to say, "Yeah, sweetie, altered... but I don't think we'll want to go back."

So there it is... such a happy day.  :)        

Thanks Connie!

Proof that God provides even little, nice gifts for His children:  My good friend from work gave me some goodies from her attic and absolutely made my day today.  You'll have to excuse the poor picture quality - just have my phone camera.

A perfect, simple bassinet.  This thrilled me to the extreme - I played with it for a good 20 minutes.  Our first baby piece!

   

And a 3 1/2 foot, pre-lit tree which is also perfect as Jim and I will be in Florida for most of our Christmas break, so we decided to wait until next year to do our real tree.  It has a row of lights out, but I still love it.

 

Thank you so much, Connie!

Chew on These Numbers...

I promise my blog will not become a soap box for midwife attended births... just wanted to share some interesting stats I came across:

In births attended by a CPM (certified professional midwife) since 2000:

• 2.1% episiotomy rate compared to the national 33%  
  
• 3.7% C-section rate compared to the national 30%
  
• 0% maternal death rate compared to the national 1 in 4,800

Just interesting, is all.

Yet Another Biological Post...

So I had a rough day today... wasn't able to keep much food in my stomach, left work early, and was very disheartened because I thought the nausea was behind me.  By the afternoon, however, I perked up, ate a bunch, and cleaned the house like crazy.

I also started reading my book, Active Birth.  It's a great book with yoga exercises and positions for birth that lessen pain and speed up labor... I'm all for that!  We've also signed up for Bradley Birth classes.  It's a 12 week, in-depth birthing course.  Robert Bradley wrote a book called Husband Coached Childbirth.  I really like the idea of Jim being involved as much as he can in the whole process. 

Jim and I have decided (insurance and financial nonsense pending) to use a midwife birthing center.  We've done a lot of research and there's still much more to do, but really feel like it's the way we want to go.  I don't hug trees or think doctors are the devil, I just want to be able to give birth in a quiet place where I can move around freely, eat and drink, and not be hooked to a machine giving me drugs that I probably don't really need in order to birth my child.  My mom gave birth to all 3 of us, drug free and I just want to give it my best shot.  I also have NO IDEA how much pain this is going to be, and don't pretend to... just trying to make good decisions.  I don't think any less of a woman that chooses a different way because that's the beauty of our culture:  we have tons of options that were not available before.  All that to say, we're praying for wisdom and welcome any advice that you may have, reserving the right to "take it or leave it"  :)  

Is This Really My Body?

I'm at Jim's and my favorite new little coffee spot.  It's family owned and really cozy... not to mention offers a really delicious vanilla latte.  And yes, it's decaf so my little Treasure won't suffer any adverse affects.  Although the gigantic cream cheese-and-carbohydrate danish that I'm dominating probably isn't doing much to help.  

Which brings me to my pregnant body update:  while my nausea is - praise God from whom ALL blessings flow! - waning, it's being replaced with insatiable hunger.  If you'll remember, I have been ravenous, but only here and there.  Now it's pretty much constant.  

I remember learning along the way that babies will eat about every 3 hours.  I've learned in the last few days that this does not begin at birth.  Mama Sara is eating every 3 hours.  Today, I've consumed cereal, an apple, a rice crispy treat, a tomato sandwich (sorry, I like to eat weird things even not pregnant), a handful of baby carrots, and this enormous cream cheese danish.  It's actually looking like a light day so far for me.  Of course that's not counting the Wheat Thins that I graze on all day at my desk.  

Anyway, my posts are becoming more and more biological, and for that, I apologize... but it really is what is looming large in my little life right now.         

P.S.  Baby is the size of a lemon now, measuring from head to little hynie.  It's features are beginning to sharpen and become distinct.  I continue to be amazed at this Miracle that God is wonderfully and fearfully creating inside of me.