HI!
Things are going swimmingly here in Namibia.
Things at school are super busy, if you listen closely you can hear the humming of the teachers teaching, the administrators administrating, the cooks cooking and the learners learning! In the last few weeks several teams have come and gone, we expect another team in a few days. This second term is going by quickly! On Friday we had a half night of prayer with the rest of the CHS staff. It was a great night, we prayed some but spent most of the night sharing our frustrations, encouragements and hopes for the future of the school. I think everyone left feeling closer and encouraged. A good night indeed!

I am still at home, inching closer to the second trimester, when hopefully I will be able to go back to school for at least some of the days that I used to teach. The cramps I was feeling are now fewer and farther between. I still have orders to lay down on my left side and drink water whenever a cramp strikes. I do hope they go away all together soon!
Baby Echols, or Flick as we call him/her, is growing and progressing beautifully. We had our genetic screening ultrasound this past week. Everything with the baby measured in the normal range and the dr. said that at this stage our chances for any genetic defects are so low they are not even worth mentioning. I am still waiting on the blood test results though. The ultrasound was amazing, it is the first profile shot we have seen of the baby. It seemed that Flick was sleeping though, the ultrasound usually takes 20-30 minutes if the baby is active, but she was able to get everything she needed in about ten. Flick did wake up near the end, and then started to fuss. It was funny, we recognized Flick’s movements as the same I make when I am disturbed while sleeping. Too cute! The tech said that we are at 13 weeks, while my dr thinks we should stay at our original measurements of 12 weeks. It doesn’t really matter to me, as long as I am pregnant 😉 Later that day our dr. did a repeat ultrasound and the baby was waving, it made me giggle which made the ultrasound wand jiggle so I had to stop giggling. It was great! We got out first 3d ultrasound too, and found out that our dr does a free ultrasound at each appointment from here on out. Another perk to being high risk I guess.

Even as I am writing this is still so surreal. The dr asked me if I was used to being pregnant yet, and I just giggled and then cried. Most days David and I just stare at each other and say: “We are going to have a baby.” But, it really seems like the reality has not yet hit us. On Saturday we attended a wedding and when I saw a picture of myself I was horrified and thought that it was time to get back on my diet, as I looked pregnant! Then I remembered that I am pregnant! Ha!
On Saturday I bought a dress for the wedding. My first maternity clothes purchase. As I was paying I started to cry. I spent over 2 years waiting for this, and here I was buying a maternity dress. Of course the cashier mush think I am just a little bit unstable. But it was glorious!! God has lavished a gift of unmeasurable value on us. It still takes my breath away.

So here is my dorky 12 week survey and a bump picture! And some baby pictures!!

Sex and size of  baby Echols?
Right now Flick is the size of a big plum. The u/s tech did make a guess at the gender of the baby, but we are not putting much stock in it. The dr did roll his eyes, 12 weeks is waaayyy to early! We should find out at our next appointment though.

Maternity clothes?:
Yes! A little black dress, that looks more like a mu mu than a dress. Thank you Jesus!!

Sleep?:
Yes please. I sleep well at night. Of course I am up and down the the bathroom all night, but the sleep has been glorious.

Best moment this week?

Seeing Flick wave, and finding out that everything looks normal and on track. We are having a baby!!!!!

Food cravings?:
Yes. If it is food I will crave it. Still avoiding pasta. But I will take anything else. Especially if it is cold and fresh.

Movement?:
Nothing quite yet. But soon!

Symptoms?:
Crying. Barfing, crying, sleeping, crying, barfing, crying, hunger!!!

What I miss?:  Nothing.

What I’m looking forward to?: Getting to the next week.

Thought of the week?:
God is always in control, even when we cannot figure out what He is doing or why He is doing it.