Here's some more pics of my perfect baby. Isn't it funny how you have all these doubts and questions and wonder if your baby is normal and eating enough and sleeping right and blah, blah, blah...but then you look at her while she's sleeping or while she's up and alert and looking around and think she's the most perfect, beautiful baby ever? All those anxious thoughts flee for a few minutes...until the next feed time. :) Today is the first day that I feel somewhat nomal. I definitely don't have it all down and can't imagine doing anything else but taking care of Natalie- but I feel more hopeful about the job. It's been a rough few days, to be honest. Between the pain from C-section recovery and the constant doubts about feeding, specifically, I have been a bit fearful of many things. I have prayed often, with Scotty and on my own, for the peace that surpasses understanding and that I can really trust in the Lord to guide us in this time. It is a constant battle to not worry, but I know that He is with us. I'm receiving visitors at home for the first time today, as well, and look forward to feeling like I can interact with her and the outside world at the same time.

Natalie is a very sweet baby. She doesn't fuss much, goes down fairly easily most of the time, and loves to lay on a blanket and look at Daddy or stare out the window. Obviously, you can't tell much about personality at this point, but I think she'll be a mild-mannered little girl and a joy to be around. I love learning more about her every day and have come to realize that this is my God-given ministry at this point- to be a mommy. I will eventually be able to incorporate more and more outside ministry into my life again, but I know I don't need to feel pressure to do that right now (even though I sometimes do). My house is getting a cleaning and re-organizing from top to bottom, by my great mom, while I hang out with the baby. This is a huge blessing to me as well and hopefully I can keep up what she's started after she's gone. She takes off on Saturday and I'm not sure how I'll manage everything without her help- but I'm trying not to think about that right now.

Well, I had better grab some lunch before the little girl is up and ready to have some lunch of her own!

Cutest baby ever!

I've been hoping to blog for a few days now, but have been a bit busy with other things. I'll make this one short and promise to post some more pics in the next few days. For now, here is me and my sweet baby. Natty is doing really well and wooing all of us each day. I'm recovering slowly, but thankfully, have a very helpful mother and awesome husband that do so much for me. That gives me time to feed Natalie and rock her and change her diapers and put her to sleep. You can pray for our feeding times- I've got a very lazy nurser on my hands and she seems to sleep the best when she's "nursing". It's been a bit frustrating for me because I'm not sure if she's getting all that she needs and wonder if it will affect my milk supply. I'm going to start pumping tomorrow in hopes that it will help keep things up. Nights are tough, but I feel like she's getting into somewhat of a time routine- or at least, we know what to expect in how long she will sleep and eat. Scotty's my pro diaper changer, burper, putter-to-bedder through the night, which is a life-saver for me. She already has him wrapped around her finger. Our community here has been fantastic in both visits and giving us space, prayers, and meals- God has been so gracious in giving us these friendships and surrogate family members. Although I have not responded to many of you, I appreciate all the loving words and prayer that you have sent our way. I'm sure I'll appreciate the advice I'll receive from this blog as well. Stay tuned for further info...

The Scoop

Well, I'm still in the hospital, but out of bed for the first time- woohoo! Recovery from a C-section is a terrible thing to go through when you desperately want to take care of your baby, or even just shift positions. I'm sure all you mommies that have had the section can relate. Anyway...I'll try to give you all the dirty details before Natalie needs to be fed again.

I actually woke up at 6 on the dot the morning I was supposed to be induced, with contraction like pain (I thought I had just eaten something bad the day before). I starting timing the pain, and it was about every 6 minutes for around 40 seconds...whoa! Could this be labor? Well, by the time we arrived to the hospital about 8 and the doctor checked me, he sadly told me there was still no progression. Apparently, Natalie was trying to push out, but was still stuck behind some bone. He went ahead with a small amount of Pitocin and from about the second the drop entered my blood stream, there an intense pain as I could have never imagined, with pretty much no let up- no time to take a breath and prepare for the next. I was going to try to do things the "natural" way, but found that I could not bear the pain I was experiencing. Unfortunately, the doctor had gone back to his office with promises to call every hour. We had a doctor check me and then call my doctor, because only he could approve an epidural. When the doctor here checked me, I was already at 8 cm (from 0)- after about an hour. My doctor flew back, took me to the birthing room, popped in the epidural, and I was at 10 before I had a chance to really know what was going on. Then it was time to push! OH, beautiful epidurals. I could have pushed all day and was determined I was going to make that baby come out the normal way. Unfortunately, as much as we pushed and pulled and prodded, her head was stuck against that bone and too high for forcepts to be safe. There were minor signs of distress, although her heart beat stayed strong, praise God. So, it was off for an emergency C-section and then the amazing sound of our baby crying herself into the world-10:45am. I saw her on the table as they cleaned her up, with nice purple feet paddles very much resembling her dad's. She was big and perfect- 7lbs. 11oz., 201/2in. Did that really come out of me? We don't think she looks like either of us, but every morning when they bring her back from the nursery, I pick up on another feature that could be one of ours. She has dark grey eyes and a light fluffing of blondish brown hair. She's awesome. She's been very alert during the day, wanting to nurse almost incesantly, and conks out all night. Scotty has been a rock-star diaper changer and my mom is doing great with trying to calm her when she's upset. She makes cute little squeek noises sometimes when she's startled in her sleep. We've had tons of visitors, bringing lots of yummy things I'm pretty sure my digestive track isn't ready for (lucky Scotty and Mom) and flowers. I'll post some pics and then I need to take a break. I'll be updated more frequently, hopefully, now that I'm feeling a bit better.

Friends and flames

We had a very succesful marshmallow roasting night last night on the land. Success for one of these events includes huge flames, happy children, neighborhood families, and sticky fingers. All of those ingredients were present in abundance. Scotty got the fire roaring at 8 en punto (on the dot) with the kids he most sees when he spends time on the land, and who often help him move sticks or chop down bushes or wheelbarrow rocks from one place to another. They are hard workers! They're also polite, as they spent most of the evening asking, "Can I have another marshmallow please?" about 20 or so times each. Scotty gave a roasting lesson- no setting your mallow on fire and you must be patient until it turns a nice gold color, preferably over the coals, not the flames.The kids listened very attentively and then proceeded to hold their treats high over the flames for about 15 seconds before asking, "is it done??". Some got the hang of it, but after a few like this, they were mostly eating them raw and in large quantities. Thankfully, we had a few families show up and so we had to split the marshmallows, meaning the kids couldn't eat themselves totally sick (although several went home with hurting bellies). About 4 families from the church that live nearby trickled in over the course of 2 hours or so, shared some marshmallows and chat, and then headed on. We ended the night with a couple from our small group and their 2 kids, sitting in chairs around the now dwindling fire and talking, oddly enough, about superheros. As Scotty told someone this morning, it wasn't exactly an evangelistic event, but a great opportunity to share life with the kids we will be living next door to and those that we worship with on Saturdays and Sundays- an excellent time that God will use to strengthen our relationships. I was glad Scotty came up with the idea and that Mom and I had plenty of energy to partake and enjoy ourselves.
For those of you interested, here's my German/Argentine/Bolivian doctor whom I will see in the morning to (hopefully) get the final word on what the plan is going to be -induce or wait longer? Please pray for wisdom as he might leave it up to me, unless he sees definitively that we can't wait any longer, and I don't want to make a decision based on impatience, but what is best for Baby. Thanks!

Definition of Insanity

I've heard it said that the definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. After today, I also think it should have something to do with aimlessly climbing stairs. I've walked up and down the stairs to our third-story apartment 15 times today, since getting home from my doctor's appointment. He said it could help the baby reposition herself. Is this insanity?

In other news, Scotty has decided he wants to finally have the marshmallow roast he's been promising the neighborhood kids on our land tonight. I have to say my energy levels are not what they usually are (could it be from walking up and down 3 flights of stairs 15 times?), nor is my people energy. I've noticed lately that my mind is mostly consumed with this baby arriving and anything that falls outside of that sphere doesn't interest me a whole lot. It is a tough road to walk when you are a missionary and intimately involved in the lives of lots of people. This is good for me to think about and pray about, as I know the first few weeks of her life will consume me, but it is important that I am still in contact with people around me. I have a tendency to enjoy escaping to my cave and pretending like the rest of the world doesn't exist. I am asking the Lord for wisdom in how to balance these things and I think it starts even now, before she's here. I'll post pics soon of the marshmallow roast/bonfire (what is it that makes men LOVE to make big, burning piles of stuff?)- I know it will be a good time.

Baby update

Another visit to my doctor this morning- I feel it's become a second home. There is still no dialation but thankfully, all is well with the placenta, fluid, heartbeat, and baby. He said upon checking that her (big) head (he actually called her a "bighead") was pushing against the lower part of the wall of the cervix instead of the center part, therefore, no dialation. If her head were to move up just a bit, it would help the whole process a lot. I asked if there was anything I could do to help her move, like walk, climb stairs, crawl around on my hands and knees, etc... He seems to think nature will take its course if it's going to. Happily, he is being patient and is giving me until Sunday before he induces. If he sees even half a millimeter of dialation by Saturday, he'll let things go on their own. If not, it's oxytocin for me! It's nice to see an end in sight and our prayer, of course, is that she comes on her own. I have this weird feeling it will be soon- we'll see if that's intution or desperation. :) Thanks for all your kind words and prayers- I know you're all hoping along with us!

PS She was drinking amniotoic fluid like a maniac while we got the ultrasond, sticking her big lips in and out quite rapidly. Scotty said she looks like Homer Simpson- what a sweet daddy. :)

Another Top 10

Ten things going through my head as I'm officially "overdue":

10. Can't buy too many perishable food items cause I might be in the hospital tomorrow (which means lots of grocery trips).

9. Is it possible for the baby to continue moving down and squashing my bladder?

8. I didn't think I'd make it to this meeting/party/church service (or any other function) at this point...

7. Why did I get that pedicure/manicure so early?

6. Could there possibly be anything else to wash/prepare for the nursery?

5. Could this strange feeling/twang/pinched nerve/slight cramp be the beginning of labor??

4. How many phone calls can I get in one day asking if the baby has come yet (I seriously just got a phone call after typing this sentence)?

3. I'm super hungry, but I'm afraid to eat much more because my baby is only packing on the pounds as she chills out in my belly (which means it'll be harder to push her out).

2. Have I already forgotten everything I've read and learned in the past 9 months?

1. Is it possible that she'll stay in there forever?

Projects

I haven't posted much about the nursery because I've wanted to wait until we got it all put together before showing pics. But, I'll put up a few of the newest advancements and before too long, the whole room.
Mom sewed these raspberry colored bumpers with periwinkle dots before she got here and I bought the foam to stuff them with. That was one of her first accomplishments after she came. So, how does one lower the side of a crib that has a bumper on it? Is it supposed to fit down between the gate and the side of the crib? This is one we have to figure out...I stole this idea from my friend Kelly who had seen it in an on-line store (I think). Mom brought down some scrap fabrics with periwinkle and yesterday we drew animals and stuck some stick-on letter to cheap canvases I bought here. The giraffe is in Spanish, just to mix things up a bit. My good friend Whitney surprised me with this beautiful hot-air balloon painting she did for the baby. It matches beautifully with the periwinkle throw I have over the chest of drawers we had made. We've also got a hot-air balloon puzzle that was being given away to the first finder (only missing 11 pieces out of 1000) and an adorable watercolor with a hot-air balloon that my mom painted and brought down. Those still need to be framed after we get the baby's name put on one and then I'll post those pics too. I love the room and think Baby will too!

Regressing

Have any of you noticed that my little pregnancy widget is starting to count back up from zero since I've passed the due date that it was originally programmed for ("3 days left")? Ironic, since I've been telling Scotty for about a week now that I feel that I'm becoming less pregnant. Because the baby has dropped a little, my tummy looks smaller from my angle, my pelvis hurts less than it did two weeks ago, and of course, there is still no baby. I'm convinced, I think I'm regressing...

Miscalculation...

I'm going to try real hard not to complain and sound irritated in this blog...although I have to admit that I was ready to wring my doctor's neck yesterday. I don't know how many times I have explained to him that I have very long cycles and wondered if that could change the due date of the baby. Yesterday, I found out that he had my cycles noted in his files as a normal time frame and told him that there was a mistake there. "Oh, that changes everything!" he says. "We have more time." So, now we're looking at the possibility of next Tuesday before the baby could come or before he decides to induce (he has explained that the placenta ages much more rapidly in the altitude, which is why he won't let his patients go more than a day or two past their date). Well, after a week of going in almost every day and hearing that nothing was progressing or changing, this all made sense, but was also very, very disappointing. Again, I'm sure all you moms understand that feeling of being beyond ready to meet your baby, so being told that it could be a week longer than you thought is disheartening. The rest of the day was rough as I continued to mull over this fact and think about how all my planning was perfect for her to come when she was originally planned (as if due dates are ever very accurate). I was convicted many times of trusting the Lord's plans, however different from my own, and His timing- but wanted to reject that idea in my highly emotionally state. I admit even now it is a battle not to get upset when people call to ask if she's come yet or anytime I go into the doctor, which is daily now. Thankfully, he's given me a doppler scanner to take home with me so that I can check the baby's heartbeat on my own and keep me from needing to go in all the time. But, when it's all said and done, I must submit my will, my desire to the Lord. He is good, His ways are perfect- do I really believe this enough for it to affect my emotions, my attitude, my thoughts?

Not yet...

I wish I could say my week absence means I've had the baby, but not yet. My mom came in on Thursday, we have been working on finishing the nursery, washing baby clothes (she brought me a heap), and even got a pedicure and manicure so the nails would look nice while I'm in the hospital. Bags are packed, baby car seat is installed, meals are beginning to freeze as I type. So, what are we waiting for? All our friends at church came to me this morning to pat the belly, offer an encouraging word and remind us to call as soon as anything exciting happens. The doctor has me coming in every 2 days and so I've heard more times that I'd like to, "there's no change". I know things can change very rapidly, but I guess I assumed it would be gradual, therefore I wonder when that process is actually going to start. We were all hoping this weekend would be the time, but here we sit. It's nice to have a few days with Mom before the arrival to catch up and get some things done around the house, but I'm ready for my daughter to get here already. :) I'm sure all moms know what I'm feeling. But, like all things, this is under the sovereign hand of the Lord and in line with His perfect plans. I pray for peace and patience to wait for His timing. Until then...stay tuned!

Making the most

Now that I can count the days left on two hands before baby comes, I think even more often about appreciating these pre-baby days with Scotty- doing what we like to do, when we like to do it. This weekend was full of those moments. Friday night we had a huge bonfire/birthday party at our land for our friend Tim. About 20 people came and we roasted sausages, hotdogs, and marshmallows over the fire, talked, laughed, juggled hot coals (Scotty and Tim started it), and enjoyed the true gift from the Lord that this property is for us. About 10:30 I hit a wall and announced to Scotty I must return to the house before I fell over from sleepiness... Saturday, I was able to spend most of the morning cooking dinner and dessert for some friends that were coming over in the evening. I've also constructed the reputation in our small group for making "yummy things" and so I made one of our favorite cake recipes- oatmeal with coconut icing. Small group, even though a huge part of our ministry, is also one of those special times I know will change when the baby comes along. I won't be able to sit still and uninterrupted for 2 hours to chat, listen, and share what the Lord is teaching me. Hopefully I won't have to miss many of these meetings and I always pray that the baby will conveniently take a nap during this time, but we'll see what reality has in store. I love to hear things like "coming to this group challenges me in my own personal walk with the Lord" or "I like to hear the perspectives and experiences of other believers because it teaches me so much and makes me want to grow more"- it is a gift that these people really are learning from the Word and from each other. They are also like aunts and uncles for our unborn baby. One family that we are particularly close to called us several times when the moon completed its cycle, sure that meant that I must have gone into labor. When they couldn't get a hold of us (probably because we were asleep), their 10 and 12 year old sons pleaded that they all go to the hospital together, convinced I was there. I love that people are so excited about our little girl! And Saturday night, we had the chance to have a sweet couple over for dinner who are super excited about doing medicine on the mission field, and a turn of events had us invite them last-minute to spend the night. That would not have been as stress-free with an infant around! Sunday afternoon was all-out relax. I took a nap, took a walk with Scotty, and made a come-back win in Backgammon. I have so appreciated these last few years, just me and him. As much as I think about how a baby will change our lives and our marriage- I am extremely grateful that the Lord has created her and can't wait to start this next phase of life.

Happy 3rd anniversary!!

Three years ago today, I married the most amazing man on the planet! God brought us together from very different places to a country far, far away from home- Bolivia! I never expected to meet my husband on the field, nor did I dream of getting to know this man who super ceded all my hopes of what a partner could be. From the very beginning of our friendship, his honesty, funny personality, intelligence, sense of humor, love for people, love for Bolivia, positive outlook, and strong faith struck me. Only over these last several years have I seen those great qualities grow and so many more have been discovered. We have walked together through good times and bad and he has always clung to the Lord and led me to do the same. And now we enter together into the great adventure of parenting! I am so thankful for him and look forward to many more years of laughter, tears, and discovering God's plan for our life together.

Long day

Isn't this a lovely image of sheep grazing by a happy, little church (extra points if you can find the shepherdess)? This is the neighborhood Catholic church that we can see out our window and I love to see the neighborhood sheep grazing in the front lawn. It's definitely better than seeing the sheep "grazing" in the empty lot behind us which is filled with nothing but dirt and a few dead scraggles of bush (not to mention little shade and no water)...

So, here's the latest me and belly- 38 wks. I impressed myself today with the amount of stamina that still remanis by leaving the house early to meet a friend for a birthday breakfast and spending the rest of the morning shopping, followed by an almost 8 hour lunch/meeting/dinner with the Mallasilla Bible Church leadership team. Granted, I am pretty pooped by this point- but I'm still blogging! It has been nice to have more energy than I thought I would in last trimester, but I'm starting to finally feel those aches and quick drains of energy that lead a woman to wish for her old body back. I will miss the tummy but I'll be so happy to meet our daughter soon! Now all I need is the time to pack my hospital bag and to find a baby bathtub and I think we'll be set. Could be any day!

Waiting time

I realized I haven't been writing a ton lately, due somewhat to busyness and somewhat to not a lot going on. The days seem to whirl by and although I'm not to that point in pregnancy yet where I'm dying for the baby to come- I do kinda expect her at any moment. There seems to be lots of little projects here and there to complete before our lives change forever, but as is typical in Bolivia, you can never get everything done you want to get done as fast as you want it done. However, we did manage to finish our prenatal classes tonight and even take home an exercise ball, on loan from the center, to work with before and during labor. That's one of those things that once you complete, you feel more prepared to actually take care of a baby and realize there's nothing left to wait for! I've had all my showers, I've got baby's bag packed (but not mine) and now I'm just getting the "how are you feeling?", "is there any progression?" phone calls from time to time. The closer the day comes, the more I want to cherish every second Scotty and I have together before the responsibility of a baby.

We have a young girl come to the house once a week to help me clean in the afternoon. Her name is Eugenia, she is 13, and lives very close to us. We met at church and I quickly realized she was an out-going, self-starter who seemed quite interested in learning more about the Bible. We thought she'd be perfect to come help out at the house, especially cause she lives so close, and I hope to be able to help her grow in her faith through that time as well. We were talking on Tuesday about her family and I offered for Scotty and I to stop by to meet her parents and invite her to church. I think it is fairly common for a lower class family to feel uncomfortable about showing up at a church where foreigners attend, but personal invitations go a long way. Tonight after prenatal class, we drove partway down an insanely craggy road that only the Landcruiser could handle (and only in 4-wheel drive), and then carefully plodding our way in the dark, trying not to twist any ankles or get bitten by protective dogs, we arrived at the small brick house where Eugenia lives. Scotty made the comment that it's built exactly like the little house on our piece of land, which is usually constructed temporarily to house building supplies, and then demolished. I was feeling very apprehensive, not knowing if Eugenia would be home and how we would be received by her parents- we were definitely out of our element. But, fearless Scotty encouraged me to not turn back and he knocked on the door while I worried we were at the wrong house and at any moment one of the yappy dogs would signal to a wary resisdent that 2 gringos were standing awkwardly at the door. Thankfully, Eugenia came out with a big smile on her face, informed us that her mom had not gotten home yet, but her dad was there. She led us into her room, about half the size of the house- a small, cement space with 2 simple beds and nothing on the walls. She shares it with her brother. It's not the first time I've been in a house like that, but it's the first time I've been in one in my own neighborhood and realizing afresh what a different world Eugenia enters into when she comes to clean my house (and why her skills are not as refined as I'd often like them to be). I'm not sure what to do with these thoughts and what role God will have me play in her life- but it was good to be reminded of what I have, by the grace of God, and challenged to be involved somehow in the life of those who have less.

Bonfires and Baby showers

Hannah Hurst turned 9 on Friday and we were happy to be invited to one phase of her surprise birthday celebration. We offered our land to have a weenie roast/smore toast- Scotty has been collecting burnable stuff for quite some time and has plenty for several bonfires. We gathered around together to enjoy a yummy meal and celebrate Hannah- the sweet, middle daughter of our good friends, Greg and Faith. Scotty had recently pushed down a section of the wall that divided our two pieces of property and it gave us a new perspective of both lots together- we can't wait to build a house there!
These 2 beautiful ladies threw me a baby shower for me and all my foreign friends on Saturday. Knowing me well, they made it a brunch and I loved every minute of breakfast food and great chats with this community.
Julie is one of my 3 friends here that has had her first baby this year, also a girl, and I'm blessed to be surrounded by other women going through this fun, new phase.
Jana's mom is in town and shared a few points of godly wisdom she has picked up as a mom and now as a grandma to Jana's adorable baby girl, Emma. Thanks Momsy!!

The girls gathered round to lay hands on me and pray for me, Scotty, the baby and all that we are entering in to as new parents. What a gift to be lifted up to the Lord by these godly women.

Adventures in Bolivia

For a good look at some of the unique aspects of Bolivian tourism and a feel for the dramatic dynamics of the countryside, check out this article from the New York Times.

Saturday church fun

Is and Vianka grillin' up lunch.

This past Saturday we had a special church service and lunch together. Sunday was a nation-wide revote for the president and all the prefects of the different departments in the country. If each official did not receive a certain percentage of the vote (depending on what they received upon being voted in), they would be ousted- including the president! This is an interesting way of doing things, but the president was hoping, and succeeded, in proving he was still well supported and also wanted to be able to put a few more of his men in high positions if some of the "others" could be voted out. Anyway, this referendum Sunday meant that no group of more than 10 could gather and no private transportation was allowed- so we had church on Saturday.
We weren't sure we'd have much of a crowd, since many do their shopping on Saturday or have family activities.

One of my favorite neighborhood ladies, Teri, hanging out with the kids.

But, we had a huge turn-out of both children and adults and enjoyed eating sausage sandwiches, playing outside in the sun, and listening to a great devotion by our fellow missionary colleague, Kep, who was a guest for our event. It was a really fun way to spend the day and we are thankful for the new construction of the cafeteria where we will meet for the next couple of years, with higher roof and lots of light. We continue to pray God will unify this body and grow it in depth of faith in Him.

Worshipping together

More fun in third trimester

I've recently thought of a few more particular experiences accompanying the 3rd trimester. And I'm now in my ninth and final month! You could be very pregnant if...

10. ...there is a hefty creature in your belly that braces her feet against both sets of ribs and attempts calf-raises.

9. ...after using the bathroom, you get up to find you immediately need to use it again (or is someone sitting on my bladder?).

8. ...those cute little kicks and taps you felt a few months ago have now turned into the jabs and drags.

7. ...when you get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, you feel as though you had a full body workout earlier in the day (oh, if only I could still work out). Why is this?

6. ...every day brings the sensation at some point that you've been horsebackriding for several hours- ouch.

5. ...you realize that even though those adorable, tiny baby clothes are small, they sure make for a lot of laundry.

4. ...even though the books say you won't gain much weight in the last month, your appetite makes you wonder if you're the exception.

3. ...every night you go to bed thinking about what needs to be packed in the hospital bag/what is lacking in the nursery/how will you breastfeed discretely when the pastor comes by for a visit...

2. ...you talk to the baby as if you will see her very soon.

1. ...every morning you wake up thinking that was one of the last good nights of sleep you will have, ever.

Baby shower- IBM style

The iglesia Biblica de Mallasilla threw me a shower last weekend that was lots of fun! I feel very blessed to be surrounded with women (most of whom live in our area) who are so excited for us to be having a baby and have already offered their help many times when we need it. Carmen put together a lovely tea table- complete with dress-shaped cake, adorable place settings, and cookie bouquets. It was a neat time to share and be showered with diapers and other practical gifts that will help us prepare for baby.

Beautiful table with yummies.

Hand knitted booties, white chocolate baby candy, and dress-shaped napkins.

Astrid, Paula, and Fa- blessing me with their friendship.

Baby days

All my girlfriends who have recently had their first babies went home over the summer/winter to visit family and friends. But, they're now all back and as I see them and their new and/or bigger babies, I get excited to join the club and have my little girl too! Scotty and I are taking prenatal classes, sharing the time with just one other couple. You'd think that would be helpful in getting personal attention, which it is if you have a question, but unfortunately the style here doesn't seem to be very interactive. During the lactation class, the instructor held the doll and demonstrated different nursing positions, but we didn't get to touch a doll or practice anything ourselves...aren't we the inexperienced ones about to be thrown into the realities of breast-feeding? We are appreciative, however, for a very knowledgable teacher and classes ranging from breast-feeding to nutrition (seeing a professional nutritionist) to breathing techniques to baby massage. And my sweet husband even asked me this afternoon if I wanted to practice breathing and positioning techniques for when I'm in labor! He's the best. We're enjoying a calmer Saturday than usual, even though there's a lot of activity Scotty's been involved in with the church moving back to it's previous location at the school (from a small classroom to the cafeteria). But, because the ladies of the church are throwing me a shower today, we didn't have any Bible study prep to do and have enjoyed the sunny day walking, cooking, eating, doing devos together, and just now, breathing exercises. And now I'm off to my shower...pictures to follow!

Weekend activities

On Saturday we had a super fun cookout with our small group at the home of Cesar and Teresa and their 2 girls.

Food prep team.

They live nearby and have a beautiful piece of property with a view looking out on the nearby Andes mountains. It was fun to get everyone together for a social event and we felt like this has been our best one yet- with everyone participating and enjoying each others company. We sat around after eating and told most embarassing moments in order to get to know each other better (Scotty's idea)- and it was a great way to spend an hour or so laughing!

Scotty and I have been teaching 10-12 year old Sunday school, trying to learn how to interact with this age group and teach them about the Bible. Many of them bring little brothers or sisters or neighbors with them, as parents are often working on the weekends, which can be a big distraction. But, we are hopeful that the gospel is affecting their tender hearts and we look forward to more opportunities to teach them. Book activity time.

We also attended the wedding of a family that lives in the neighborhood. The couple that got married don't attend our church, but the parents do, and it was neat to get a small group from Mallasilla Bible Church together to celebrate this special day.

Group from the Mallasilla Bible Church celebrating with the happy couple.

La Paz Day adventures

Yesterday was the anniversary of La Paz. We got together with two families from our small group in the morning to hike and picnic together. Here's the crew:

This is the area where we hiked- so pretty!

Scotty handed out peeps to keep the groups morale up:

One of the girls found a rock shaped like a heart. Heart of stone:
Everyone but the pregnant girl played a friendly game of soccer before picnic time:We love our small group!

Errands

A lot of times, days that we choose to run errands can turn out to be either very disappointing, frustrating or both. Today, we had a successful errand day! We decided to drive downtown for several reasons- turn in my wedding ring to a jeweler to have a prong fixed, check the post office for a package that my mom sent about 5 months ago, and hit the tourism shopping street for various gifts. When we arrived at the jewelers store, which is right on a main government plaza, we realized that they had started celebrating "La Paz Day" a day early and there were loud, marching parades and crowds filling the streets. The jeweler was closed at 10:30, being the time that most stores open, so I asked next door and the older gentlemen told me the owner should arrive at any moment. So, we took those few moments to be patriotic and watch the parades. After about 10 minutes, the older man from the store next door waved us down and explained that he just received a phone call from the owner who was travelling and wouldn't be back until Monday. Bummer for us, but kudos to older dude who was nice enough to get our attention and keep us from waiting any longer. I love nice people. So, we headed down to the post office for our next errand. We rarely check this post office because we have updated our PO box to one much closer to where we live and thought that a runner from our SIM office would check it from time to time to make sure there wasn't anything in the box, since most of us have notified everyone of our change of address. Well, we found out that he hasn't been checking it, and those mysteriously missing packages my mom sent had been sitting in the office since March!! My sweet mom had picked up a bunch of danishes back when I was craving danishes and mailed them. Although the "best buy" date was mid-March, Scotty and I busted open a nice, sweet cinnamon one this afternoon and indulged in the blissful goodness that is gas station-style, rot-your-teeth sweet danish...yummy! The cool thing about this trip to the post office was the lady behind the counter. I must admit that the postal workers are not typically the most helpful or friendly crew around, but this lady went out of her way to go check and see if our packages were still there, even though on her list it had been marked that they were already in route to being returned to sender- having sat for so long. Again, I really appreciate nice people. And then the last stop was tourism street. Scotty and I love going here because there is always some kind of Bolivian handicraft that we love and know would make a great gift for someone. I won't go into all our finds, but I did have to post a picture of the most adorable, newborn size, periwinkle (the color of our nursery) Bolivian sweater and hat of all time. For $3, we couldn't resist it for our little one.

Piper on the Prosperity Gospel

John Piper has a gift for helping us get our heads and hearts around and into what God teaches us through His word. If you haven't already seen this clip, please check it out. The prosperity gospel is gaining traction here in Bolivia and pointing out that it is a false gospel is one of the biggest challenges facing Bible-believing pastors.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTc_FoELt8s

I should be able to embed the video here, but I haven't figured that out yet. I've just begun "What Jesus Demands of the World" by Piper. I'm already under conviction and long to continue reading.

Scotty

3rd trimester "Top Ten"

I've decided there's a few things that have really marked this trimester as being different from the first 2, and it's probably a bit specific to first-time moms as well. So, here is my list in no particular order:

10. You think about the baby coming, what labor will be like, what she will be like, and how life will change after- about 50% of the day.

9. You continue to love eating, but find that any normal size portion will come back to haunt you in a matter of time in many different forms, none of which are pleasant. Small portions only!

8. Lots more strangers rub (not just touch) your belly. When we were flying to Cochabamba, the flight attendent was asking me if I had a doctor's note that allowed me to fly and the whole time we were disucussing the issue, she was rubbing my belly somewhat subconsiously...

7. You feel like you've reached a new milestone in life when the pack n play gets set up. I can't believe we have a huge piece of nursery furniture in our bedroom!

6. You think of most quiet moments together with your husband as "the last, precious few".

5. You find that if there's a lull in conversation with your husband, you want to bring up something baby-related. I'm trying to be merciful to Scotty on this one and be more inventive.

4. You re-read all the same pregnancy, birth, breast-feeding and first year books over again.

3. You have to wake up each time you want to roll over at night to help the belly make the journey.

2. While you're awake, you decide you might as well go to the bathroom AGAIN cause you'll have to soon anyway.

1. You have a hard time tying your shoes.

I'm sure I could do another top 10 list in a few weeks as things continue to grow and change. I really am enjoying the process of collecting baby "stuff" and getting it all together, and sometimes I see that Scotty isn't getting as excited as I am about each little thing. I finally explained it to him today that it's very similar to each time he's gone to the hardware store lately for rubber gloves or a machete- they each are brining us a step closer to the reality of things we are really excited about. For him, it's building on our new land; for me, it's the arrival of our daughter.

Spiritual Life Conference

I'm finally getting around to posting about our week in Cochabamba- I came back from our trip with a terrible cold that seems to be holding on and have been down for a few days. It was a great time with our SIM mission family- listening to ministry reports, being encouraged through the Word, playing games, eating, sleeping, eating more. There was an amazing team that came in from one of our fellow missionaries churches in MN who took care of the kids all day and the pastor spent time with the adults, sharing a message each morning on strength for the marathon. This was a very applicable topic, as all of us are in this for the long haul and can sometimes lose sight of the finish line or get distracted by things along the way and get off course...or just lose heart and energy and give up because it seems too far to go. It's always an encouragement to hear that others are struggling with some of the same feelings or issues that you are and then to hear the truth of God's Word that keeps us focused on what He has called us to and promises to bring us through and keep us to the end. I think Scotty and I both got so much out of the time each missionary would present his or her ministry and talk about both encouragements and discouragements from the past year. God is doing an amazing work in Bolivia and I am honored to be a part of this work and to serve alongside so many who have dedicated themselves to loving and serving the Bolivian church. One afternoon, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of one couples ministry in Bolivia- can you imagine 40 years overseas in the same place?? That was truly inspiring.

Getting big!!

Another fun event was a triple baby shower. Denise is mother of 10 and due with #11 the same day I am due with baby Miser. Roxanna is a fellow La Paz teammate who had her baby earlier this year, but has not had the chance to enjoy a shower yet. So, all the ladies of SIM got together to throw us a special party and bless our babies with love and presents! It was my first ever baby shower and very special to share it with these ladies who I know have been praying for me. It was also neat to hear the various birth stories of these women, many who have had babies in Bolivia, and I got an overall sense that their experiences were beautiful. I am thinking a lot these days about labor and birth and the baby being here and I have a peace that the Lord is going to grant me a great experience as well.

Weekends

Scotty leading small group discussion.

Weekends for us are the busiest part of the week, but usually the most satisfying as well. Saturdays always start early with some sort of church work to be done- meetings or setting up or prep for small group. This Saturday it was a meeting with pastor Edgar at our house at 9. I set the boys up with some cinnamon bread and hid in the bedroom reading Real Simple for the duration of the meeting- a little treat for myself that I felt would be much appreciated by the end of the day. Small group is probably one of the most encouraging aspects of our ministry- we weekly watch the group wrestle with real issues and encourage each other, especially in the arena of parenting. We had our last session of follow-up for the parenting conference, and although these families still have a long way to go in changing some habits, they have also come a long way and made a lot of important realizations about how to be godly parents. Scotty and I have learned a lot in theory, but will see how things go when it's our turn to put it all into practice. Sunday morning's service was beautiful and challenging- there were a handful of people there that we haven't seen for many weeks. Scotty and I both had a break from some normal duties, so we actually got to worship together and sit next to each other through the whole service- also a treat! The afternoon was very restful and we spent part of it doing what Scotty loves to do most- "work the land"! Since we just purchased the 2nd piece of property, Scotty has been itching to get out there to chop branches and pull weed bushes and collect rocks and other random building materials and junk that people have a tendency to throw in empty lots. I could only handle the intense sun for an hour before returning home- but he was at it until sundown. It's really incredible how intense the sun is, even though it's winter, it'll sap every ounce of energy you have in a very short amount of time (especially if you're pregnant). We wrapped up the day with a chapter of Love and Respect, the book our recent Marriage seminar was based on. I'd highly recommend it for any married or engaged couple- revolutionary, yet practical advice. Tomorrow, we're off for a full week to Cochabamba for our annual SIM spiritual life conference. This time of rest and refreshment should be great to recharge our batteries!

Hotdogs and charades

Last night we walked to our neighbors house at 8 to get the San Juan party started. Me and the girls hung out in the kitchen boiling hot dogs, talking about babies, and making cabbage topping for the dogs. The guys sat in the family room making a roaring fire, telling the kids not to get too close, and distracting the kids with card and dice games. Little by little, all the members of our Bible study showed up- the first time they've all been in the same room at the same time- and with all their kids! The house noise volume went up quite a bit as the kids started doing what they do best- play and scream. We were thankful that they all seemed to be enjoying each other. Claudia told me this was the first time she and Sergio were able to have a big group over to their new house since they moved in about 8 months ago and that it's something they've wanted to do for a long time. It was fun to chat with different people and munch on hotdogs and marshmallows. We played a few rounds of charades and tried to teach one of our favorite dice games- liars dice. After a few more marshmallows, it was already past 11 and I was beginning to fade, along with most of the others. We called it a night, but not before making plans to go out for a day in the country as a group on a Bolivian holiday in July. I continue to pray for unity and deeper friendships in this group of great people.It might be hard to tell- but it was really smoky when we woke up this morning from all the tradition fires that were burned all night long.

Super Sunday

Yesterday was one of those great days where you are constantly reminded of the goodness of God and are content in the place He has you in life. Sundays always start early and they are full of activity. Scotty is the first one over to the school to get church set up- usually meeting another guy there to help. I went over with him this week (I'm usually a little behind) and we began setting up Sunday school rooms and organizing a bit. Scotty had lots of nervous energy because he was on for preaching this week. I was excited about teaching the 10-12 year olds in Sunday school, something I have no experience doing. We got everything put together in time for people to start showing up and I ran home to pick up a teenage neighbor boy who wanted to come this week. As time goes on, people are showing up later and later to church- a natural habit here is not to show up on time for events. But, I very much enjoyed worshipping at the beginning of the service, doing my best to not be distracted by those who filed in late. Then the kids were dismissed and I had a nice, small group of 4 to teach about Solomon's temple and talk about what it means to be the temple of the Lord ourselves. After church, we invited the whole congregation to drive a block down to the new land that we signed off on last week to build our own church building. This land buying project has been a source of joy, praise, and a little frustration too. But, the truth that we continually come back to is that God provided in less than 6 months over $180,000 for this property and it is a piece of land that is ideal for us. At one point, we thought it was impossible because the family did not want to sell, but all things are possible for our Lord and He chose to make it available for us again. And now, it is ours! Our church is 8 months old and we already own land!! We went out as a body to pray and thank the Lord for His goodness. It was a neat time to be united together, bringing in the congregation who hasn't been involved in the purchase and helping them to see this is God's good gift for all of us. The neatest moment was when a friend of all of ours who was once very hardened to the gospel but has recently been broken and changed, prayed aloud to God and cried out for the salvation of his son and others in Mallasilla through the ministry of our church. What a special event to be a part of!

Later in the afternoon, Scotty and I headed down to town to hit our favorite coffee shop so that we could work on a special newsletter, drink cofffee, and satisfy my great sweet tooth. We ordered 2 slices of chocolate cheesecake, each slice big enough for 3 people to share! We both ate almost our entire slice without a problem. It was nice to relax and work together on a project. Then we were off to the grocery store to buy several kilos of hotdogs. Today is San Juan day in Bolivia. Fires are burned all over the country today to ward off evil spirits on the coldest night of the year. The more recent tradition is to get together to roast hotdogs, drink and sing. We are getting our small group together to burn a fire in the fireplace of our friends, the Pastens, boil hotdogs and play games- wanting to put a wholesome, Christian spin on this holiday. We see it as a great way to interact with our smallgroup in a more informal, friendly way and get to know each other better. I crashed hard last night, thankful for our great God who truly is at work around us, and the amazing husband and baby in the womb He has blessed me with.

Knitting

Me, Jimena and Julia in the pharmacy

It's funny how God uses things you would never expect to open up relationships around you. Knitting, I have found, is something that almost every woman here knows how to do- taught at a young age in school. Women love to get together to make sweaters or baby clothes and chat away an afternoon. I thought it would be fun to learn how to make a little sweater or blanket for the baby and so have been asking around to see who can teach me. One of our good friends, Jimena, who owns a pharmacy nearby and is in our Bible study, was more than eager to have me come over to the pharmacy during the day to learn. She invited one of the teachers from the school in the neighborhood, who is also a good friend of hers, to come teach us both. I found out Jimena doesn't need a lot of instruction- she's already done several sweaters and other things. I, on the other hand, had never touched a knitting needle before moving here. So, we began to get together from time to time to knit and talk about life and God and family and society. The teacher hasn't been able to come but once, but now I'm in the habit of going to visit Jimena, who stays in the pharmacy from morning till 9 or 9:30 at night, every day! She always invites me back behind the counter, which makes me feel special, and we talk. Scotty and I recently had a tough conversation with a neighbor who is going through some really hard times and so I invited her to our knitting afternoons. She wasn't able to make it, but recently called to tell me she could teach me if I wanted. I readily agreed, wanting any opportunity to have more time to interact with her. She is a sad woman without the hope that comes with knowing Jesus Christ personally, but today as we sat in my living room, knitting and talking, she continued to open up and even listened attentively as I explained what the Bible teaches about salvation and knowing that your sins are forgiven. We talked about all sorts of things and I feel that we began a friendship in a matter of hours- the activity of knitting always keeping things from getting too awkward. I have a long way to go in my sweater-making potential, but I'm thrilled to be having so many chances to interact more with the women God has put around me.

Land deal

The day we've been waiting for was today. After Don Jorge died, the man who was selling us his property, we've been praying hard that his wife and daughter would be faithful to the spoken deal we made with him and would be able to travel from the city where they live to come and sign papers to make the land officially ours. We knew it would be a long process- there are always complications that you don't expect and lines to wait in. Today was no exception, but we had both asked the Lord separately and together for His hand in the process and for patience with unexpected circumstances. We went in early this morning to meet with our lawyer and check the contracts she had drawn up. Then a slow crawl through morning traffic into the city and weaving about the narrow, steep streets of La Paz looking for a parking garage. Being in a vehicle in the center of town is always a nerve-wracking experience for me as you can never predict what other cars, buses and pedestrians are going to do. We eventually found a place to park and began the journey of getting the papers checked, paying taxes that you didn't know existed before, but seem to always come up, paying land transfer fees, and getting everything notarized. We had a snag in the notarization process and hopefully will get it sorted out tomorrow after the daughter gets her documents worked on this afternoon. So, by tomorrow, Lord-willing, the land should be ours! This is the second time Scotty has had to walk through the busy downtown area with thousands of dollars in cash in his shirt- it's the only way to do transactions! Praise God that all is working out!

Chilly!

I know most of you out there are entering into those wonderful, sweltering summer months...but here in Bolivia we are reaching those frigid days where you wonder if you'll ever be able to sit inside your house in less than 3 layers. Will I ever sit down on the toilet without the painful shock of icy toilet seat? Will I ever be able to change clothes without feeling like I'm in a quick-change contest? Will it always hurt my nose and head to breath the air in the morning (even inside the house!). Does it really matter if I forget to put the milk away for most of the day? According to our super-duper inside/outside temperature gauge, it stays around the low-50's INSIDE the house all day long. Brrrr! Thanks Michelle for the ultra-warm maternity puffy black vest!!

Where does the time go?

I don't think I realized how long it's been since I've blogged cause we've been fairly busy around here. The weekend was crammed full of activities, as it usually is, but exceptionally good and uplifiting ones. We had a marriage seminar on Saturday, which about 40 couples attended, led by Pastor Phil and his wife Linda- from Faith's home church in Chicago. Scotty translated, his first opportunity to do so in a large, formal setting, and did fantastically. God has given him a special gift to do this well, with confidence, and a desire to learn how to do it better. We covered material from the book Love and Respect, which we are excited to read together to improve our marital communication and ways of interacting with each other. There were several "break out" times during the conference where you got together to discuss certain issues with your spouse. There were many serious conversations going on around the sanctuary at this time, some couples crying, some laughing, even a few arguing. But, there were definitely some things rising to the surface and being worked on- we like to see this. On Sunday, Phil and Linda invited all the missionary couples in La Paz to a more informal time of talking about having a healthy marriage and family on the mission field. They shared much from their own experiences and things God has taught them over the years, and then gave us all the opportunity to share what is on our hearts. The time was good and there was much brought up that made us all realize that we all tend to struggle with very similar issues. It's not often that you can get that many missionaries from different organizations into one place and be comforted by the fact that you are not alone. God really spoke to me in that time about some things He needed me to see about my personal relationship with Him and my individual ministry apart from Scotty. I have the feeling He is moving me into new territory and know that it will become even more apparent in the next couple months as we welcome our little daughter into the world.

The Lord has also been opening our eyes more fully to the needs of people around us. We've spent some time with several different individuals and families who are struggling in various ways, and although we know we don't have all the answers and can't "fix" them, God wants us to be a part of their suffering. And so we are also seeking ways to walk along side of our neighbors and friends and be a light in their dark worlds. It is a challenge not to take on their burdens and want to solve their problems, but we are often reminded that God's grace is big enough for all their needs and that it is His work alone to change their hearts. We pray He will do it.

And, I've officially (according to some sources) started my third and final trimester. What a gift God has given us in a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. We're slowly getting the nursery put together and look forward to my mom coming shortly before the due date to put some finishing touches on things. I think I'll feel more ready after prenatal classes and the hospital tour, because right now, having an infant in the house seems like a very foreign idea. But, the frequent taps on my belly from something inside remind me that she is not too far away from coming out to meet us!