Being Pregnant



Yes, I am pregnant…at the moment 35 weeks…and what a journey it has been. We found out on Obama day, the day of the inauguration. There was much to celebrate. After a few months of disappointment, seeing the two lines, faint as they were, was like a miracle. I have been blessed with a pretty easy pregnancy (sorry Melissa!) I mean, I definitely have smell aversions, I am more tired than usual, and don’t move as fast, and life does not stop for the weary! But I have been blessed with amazing family and friends who have supported me, checked in on me, and in some cases act more excited than I am with new news! The best part is feeling the baby move…knowing that there is someone inside of me, feeling what I feel, eating what I eat…and can communicate with me in her own little way is amazing.
The second best part is experiencing this with John. His face when he first felt the baby move was priceless. He claims his desire to be “extremely to overbearingly” involved with the birthing process is as comforting as it is amusing (and slightly frightening!). I know that he will be a great father, and that my daughter to be will be a daddy’s girl. How could she not be? I am sure in the coming weeks I will become more uncomfortable and irritable, but for now, I am thankful for this experience…and excited for what it will bring in just a few weeks!

Goodbye, old friend

This summer, I said goodbye to an old friend. We had been together for nine years; our relationship started just as I had finished college, on the brink of starting my career. We had some great times. We took trips to Rockford, multiple trips to St. Louis and Chicago, visited Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia. He was at my wedding. My friend carried me through some tough times, witnessed some of my great triumphs, comforted me during sorrow, and protected me during some perilous situations.

Oh our relationship wasn’t perfect… we fought. Sometimes he was unresponsive. I yelled, I screamed, I sometimes kicked…but he was there and in his own quiet way I think he knew where my frustrations really lied.

He persevered through it all, and at the end of our journey, he showed some signs of age, but I liked to think of those as signs of wisdom. Thank you, Carl. Thank you for all that you gave me and for sharing part of life’s journey with me. May your next journey be as valuable for you as the last one was for me.

I was as proud of you when we said goodbye as I was when we first met. Goodbye, old friend.

First Blog

Here's my first foray into the world of blogging. HI! Right now I am working hard on pursuing my National Boards...so wish me luck! I am really tired of working 10-12 hour days, so send some positive, focused energy my way. I assume I'll be blogging more after this great process is done.