bethany for the bergmans

Extreme Stubborness

2009-11-25T20:02:00.000-08:00

I have loved running ever since my last year in college. I had a super great group of girl friends, who are still a part of my life today, who were runners. Four of us ran a half marathon together that last spring of my senior year at SFA. After moving to Korea I competed in several 10ks. When we moved to Myanmar I continued to run, but I also tore my ACL and had knee surgery. Since that accident I have not had a serious running streak. So, I am now almost 32 and trying to get back and shape, and I am trying to renew my love for running. A few weeks ago I kickstarted it with a 10K. I ended up talking my friend Amy into it and off we went with no training at all. I do think a lot of it was stubborness, but it was mostly me loving the fact that I was racing again. We finished within an hour with no walking. Pretty good for no training.

Opportunities in America

2009-11-25T19:33:00.000-08:00

There are many things I love about being back in North America, but one thing that has been really fun for me is getting involved in craft shows this holiday season. I have been crafting monogrammed ceramic tile coasters, and they have been a hit. As of a month ago I have sold over $1,000 woth of these coasters in just a few short months. Here are a few photos of the coaster journey.

Fall Fun

2009-11-25T19:27:00.001-08:00

Jackson, Trevor and I each had a first this fall, we all got to go to our first pumpkin patch in Texas. We went with my parents and our friends the Mitchell's.

Jacksons Turns One!

2009-11-25T19:22:00.000-08:00

Jackson's first birthday was a very special day. His birthday occured on a Saturday, so the party was very easy to plan. We had a small gathering of some of our close friends and family and a good time was had by all. Jackson was a great little birthday boy. He was very happy to have a house full of people.

My Little Toddler

2009-11-25T19:12:00.000-08:00

Jackson turned one month ago today, and today is the first time in his life that mommy and daddy will not tuck him in. Trevor and I are away for the night and I am taking this free moment to blog. This first post will be a recap of Jackson's first year. Enjoy the photos taken by my talented husband.

A New Trick

2009-08-04T18:55:00.001-07:00

Jackson learned a new trick while we were in Washington on a family road trip. Enjoy!!

Finally a Post

2009-08-04T18:21:00.000-07:00

It's' true that China blocked my blog during the last few weeks of our time there, but we have been in North America a while now, so I apologize for the delay and absence of Jackson photos. Here are a few things to recap our lives over the past few months.
-we have officially moved away from China, our stuff is on its way.

-although we have officially moved, we will be unofficially moving back on a short term basis in october. trevor will be starting a business in china that will have us three there for about 5-6 months.
-we had a super duper long and wonderful visit in canada. jackson adores his canadian grandparents, and aunts and uncles. he loved berries, bird walks and morning devotions with grandma especially. we had the opportunity to visit alberta while we were there which is a first for all three of us. we went to lake louise, banff, and ate lots of pies.
-jackson has continued to develop and grow like crazy. he started crawling really well while we were in canada, he cut his first two teeth there, and started saying ma ma and da da. he slept through the night a few times, but we are still working on that. he is eating all kinds of foods these days and keeps us smiling constantly. we think he's tops.
-trevor has been thriving in this entrepenuer mode. he is allowing all his creative juices to flow and is making lots of great contacts and decisions along the way. i am so proud and happy for him to get this opportunity. it will be exciting for sure.

-i am really enjoying being a mom, jackson is wonderful and he always has a smile to share. i am back at the gym trying to get back in shape, hopefully i'll enjoy myself.

so here are some photos of our days in canada!

First ride on a ski lift

grizzly

moose

While it Lasted

2009-05-19T20:30:00.000-07:00

If you refer to my first post ever, I mention the fact that China often blocks these blog sites. They have had it unblocked for a while, but it is now blocked again, and it means that posts are very difficult, time consuming and risky. So this is it for at least three weeks when we arrive in North America.!!!

Flexible Fascination

2009-05-06T23:50:00.000-07:00

Jackson is just getting so cute these days, sometimes it kills me to leave him every day. Only five weeks and that will be over for a while. Here is Jackson's latest fascination.

Last Minute Shopping

2009-05-06T23:41:00.000-07:00

Well, it's not exactly last minute, but we have to get some things done sooner than later. Trevor and I have started a collection of Chinese furniture. Most of them are reproductions of antiques, a few are antiques, and a few are custom made peices. I think that the Chinese have created some of the most beautiful peices of furniture, and we are very proud of our newest ones. Here they are:

This is an Elm wardrobe laquered in red.

THis is a reproduction of an antique stool

I don't know what to call this so we usually say it's a lattice, anyway, we had it custom made and laquered to match some other furniture.

Well, it's not exactly last minute, but we have to get some things done sooner than later. Trevor and I have started a collection of Chinese furniture. Most of them are reproductions of antiques, a few are antiques, and a few are custom made peices. I think that the Chinese have created some of the most beautiful peices of furniture, and we are very proud of our newest ones. Here they are:

My Husband Rocks

2009-04-26T21:20:00.000-07:00

THis past weekend we took part in the Southern Delta Region Conference middle school basketball tournament. Trevor was in charge of the entire event. He organized everything from buses, food, uniforms, coaches, dinners, nurses, pep rallys, substitute teachers, videos, websites, game booklets, name tags, referees, players, play lists, crutches, ice packs, a basketball team, coaches lounge, parents lounge, media crews, and more. Trevor is very talented, but he is at his best when he is organizing big events. He has been doing these kinds of events for while now, but this tournament was the best he has done yet. I love watching him doing things he is really good at and excited about about!! It was a great weekend, and there is still a bit of afterglow around our house. Here is a short clip of the video of the opening ceremoney.

Oh, and here is the link to the website that was put together for the event!!

Potty Training a Six Month Yr. Old

2009-04-26T21:06:00.000-07:00

So, I was first educated about infant potty training while living in Myanmar. A fellow teacher/friend had given birth to a baby boy, and the baby's nanny started potty training him right away. By five months he was totally trained. People in Myanmar can't afford disposable, or cloth diapers, so they have to teach their babies early. In China this is also the case. Actually I am not sure if it's all about money, but for whatever reason, babies learn early here.

Here is a little explanation:
Anticipate when your infant needs to go, then at that moment, make a watery sound such as "sssss" or say "pee pee" if you prefer. Alternatively, if your baby starts to go while you are observing her, immediately make the "sssss" sound. Within days, she will associate this sound with elimination.
When you think she needs to go, hold her gently and securely over your preferred toilet place while giving your audible signal. If it is near time to go, infants are able to relax those muscles and release their elimination upon receiving your cues. She will soon associate the sound, position and place with elimination. Use whatever location and receptacle are most comfy and convenient.

A few months ago, AhJiao (Jackson's nanny) told me Jackson was potty trained. I was shocked. I didn't even know she was training him. I decided that I would be easy going about this and just let her continue. It would at least save us money on diapers. The potty training ends when I am duty, I just don't have the technique or patience.

Last Friday I came home from work early and I found AhJiao and Jackson in the courtyard of our building. AhJiao had told me previously that all this potty training works better outside since you don't have to worry about a toilet. By the way I am not crazy, everyone does this, in fact I saw a grown man peeing in the courtyard this morning. It's just China. I decided to ask AhJiao to show me how Jackson is potty trained, and this is what I got.

He did it!! I was kind of embarrassed for him, but for real this is totally common here. I wonder what will happen when we move?

Two New Videos

2009-04-26T18:36:00.000-07:00

Now that I have learned to post videos, they will probably be coming more often. They first video is of Jackson's laughter. We have heard him laugh harder than this, but it is not super easy to make him laugh. I practically gave myslef a headache from bobbing my head all around getting this laugh from him.
The second video is of Jackson eating his dinner. He was mostly finished at the time of the recording, but it's still fun to see. The reason his arms are always flapping is becuase there is a shiny camera nearby.

Jackson Makes Me Giddy!!!

2009-04-19T20:57:00.000-07:00

It's true, the though of Jackson makes me squeal inside and out. There were a few months when the thought of him made me feel confused, tired, and quite unsure of myself, but those thoughts have all long vanished, and I am thrilled at the thought of him. Each day around 3 pm (when school finishes)I start thinking about the fact that within an hour I will be with him. I am the first one off the bus on the ride home, and I speed walk the short way to the house. I remember the days when I was this crazy about Trevor, it's not that I am not crazy about him now, but ya, I guess my giddiness has toned down a bit over the past six years....too bad, maybe I should do something about that. Anyway, we celebrated Spring Break a few weeks ago, and Trevor and I got to spend 10 uninterrupted days with Jackson, traveling around Malaysia. Actually it was not as easy as we thought it would be, maybe that is because we were in Malaysia and not home. It was actually the least restful holiday we have ever had, oh well, I guess that is what happens when you yank a five month old from his normal routine, bed, and environment, and take him some place new. Other than not getting much rest we did have a great time eating, shopping, swimming and hanging out as a family. Here are some photos and a video of the good times we had.

Jackson gnawing on some tropical fruit.
This is the Shique from Mozambique in honor of grandpa Bergman
The owners of this Indian place babysat Jackson while we ate. They loved him. They even offered to go out and buy bananas for him.
One of our favorite things about the holiday was the beautiful skies. You need to be thankful if you see these kinds of skies on a regular basis. We just don't see them hardly at all in CHina.
Me and Jackson on teh beach
Resting after a hard spash session
He is not scared of the water at all. Showing off his cute little body!!

Scattered

2009-04-14T19:36:00.000-07:00

For those of you not up to date, Trevor and I have been through and are looking towards some major transitions in the near future. During 2008 we got pregnant, bought a house, rented out our house, finished graduate degrees, had a baby, and decided that we would not be returning to our jobs, life, home, friends, and culture in China. The beginning of 2009 was not very long ago, and in 2 months we are facing a move to North America (we still don't know if that means Texas or Canada), adjusting to life at "home", financial crisis, change of jobs, home, culture ect. Being the planner that I am I would like to have some idea of where we might be living so I can inform the shipping where to ship our things, I would like to know which family we would get to live near, I would like to know where to look for job openings, churches and all the other things that make up life. At this point Trevor and I don't have answers to any of these questions. Honestly most of the time I am at total peace about this. We are in a good place, and I know that we will be fine, but there are times when I get bursts of planning energy and I don't know what to do with it, and that is where my title comes from. When this energy comes I feel scattered, I don't always know where to channel it. As I write this I know that the Lord is more than capable of helping me burn off this energy and I guess I should just seek Him. He is the one that has created me this way, and knows how hard it is for me to not know what the future holds.

How do you channel your nervous/excited/planning energy when there is nothing concrete to plan?

Another theme the Lord is teaching me is to be patient and wait. Again, I am mostly OK with this, but I do struggle with doing something rather than waiting.

The Weekend

2009-03-30T16:55:00.000-07:00

As an athletic director, it is not uncommon for Trevor to work on Saturdays, but this Saturday Trevor was off, and it was such a relaxing weekend. Friday night was relaxing, Saturday consisted of a morning run for me, babysitting a friend's baby, and then more relaxing for the rest of the day. Sunday we squeezed in a play date with Jack Mansell and his mommy. Here are some photos and more thorough descriptions of those events.

Here we are on Friday night. It is so great to spend unlimited time with Jackson on the weekends. I do miss being with him all the time, and I can't wait until I am finished with this contract
Family Time

Since I have gone back to work, my friend Kelly and I go for long runs on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Kelly is a great running partner for me. This weekend I let Trevor sleep in, so Jackson joined us on our run. He is also a good training partner as he get fussy when I start to walk, he only likes riding at full speed.
Ready for the big run!

A super large Earthworm
Last but not least the play date with Jack. Jack and Jackson have so much in common. They were born within one month of each other. Jack is also a Canadian/American born in Hong Kong growing up in China, and Jack's nanny is best friends with Jackson's nanny. Actually Jack and Jackson have played together while the mommy's have been back to work, but this time Kendra and I were there. It was so fun to discuss all the new things these boys have been doing.
Jack and Jackson

Jackson was tired from playing.

A Photo Update

2009-03-26T20:39:00.000-07:00

Relaxed after a warm bath.

Getting cozy with daddy.

Jumping around, please excuse the middle finger.
A Birthday Cake I made for Kelly's 27th

Quick Change

2009-03-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

Quick change summarizes Jackson. He has been growing up so quickly just like every other baby. I took him to the doctor at 4 months and he weighed 18 pounds. He is in the 95th percentile for weight. Next Tuesday Jackson will be five months. I know this happens to every baby, but it seems so personal as a new mommy. Here is a photo taken two months ago.

I Almost Forgot

2009-03-08T19:39:00.000-07:00

I was recently browsing a friends blog, and found another blog that she has that is about photos she has taken. As I was looking I found some pictures of Jackson and I here. I had asked Karen to photograph Jackson and I at the beginning of December, for a gift for our families and Trevor. Here they are: Thanks again Karen.

My Secret Admirer

2009-03-07T01:22:00.000-08:00

I have a secret admirer. His name is Jesus. I guess it's not so secret, but He reminded me this week of his tender care and love for me. I am a runner. I have competed in several small races, and one half marathon. My goal was to complete a marathon by the time I was 30, but I have had to post pone that one a few years I guess. Now, that I am totally recovered from having Jackson, I am running again, and training for races this summer.
I have asked my mom and Trevor's mom to keep thier eyes out for second hand jogging strollers at garage sales/or consinment stores. I have always thought it would be cool to take my kids running with me, but I thought it would be better to get one of these strollers second hand to make sure it would be used, or to make sure I even liked it.
Here's the fun part. This week I was talking to a co-worker about how I run with Jackson at the track. This friend asked if I had a jogging stroller, and I said no, and that I just run behind his normal stoller. He then tells me he and his wife were given a jogging stoller that they have never used, and that they would love for me to have it!! Can you believe that. He (Jesus) has been thinking about me and how He could work that blessing into my life. I feel very special, and loved, and I want to draw closer to Him as a result.

Isn't it great. When Trevor brought it into the house, all three tires were either popped or out of air, and it was quite dirty. Yesterday the Ayi and I took all the canvas off and put it in the washing machine. We then set out to find a bike repair shop. We figured it would be pretty easy as so many Chinese people ride bikes, and we were right. About 10 mintues walk from our house was a little bike repair shop. The storekeeper said the tires were fine, and just needed some air. He aired up all three tires and tuned up the brakes for about .60 cents. Isn't that fun. That is one thing I will miss about Asia, getting things fixes is so easy.

Shocking and Slowly but Surely

2009-03-05T04:44:00.000-08:00

A while ago I posted a blog called "Let the Countdowns Begin", if you want to refresh your memory, you can click here. I thought I would post an update on those countdowns. At the time, Jackson was 4 days away from being two months old. He is now four months old, and is growing cuter and fatter by the moments. As you can see from these photos.

He was smiling right before I took this photo, as soon as he sees the little light from my camera the smile vanishes.
Jackson getting some morning exercise on his Boppy from Grandma Bergman.
Taking a rest.
This is the little play area I set up in the living room. We don't have carpeted floors, so I had to give him something soft to hang out on.

I was also counting down the days until we got to see our families, which at the time was 5 days, not it's more like 5 months. Our visit with them was incredible anyways.

I have started training for a race. Which was on my countdown list. Last weekend I ran both Saturday and Sunday for two miles. I am training for a 10K in either Texas or Canada this summer.

The title of my this post is about the shocking reality of how large I was at 9 months pregnant, and how my body is slowly but surely starting to resemble it's old self. At the time of my countdown, I had twenty pounds to lose. I also had to survive Christmas and Chinese New Year holidays. As soon as I returned to work I committed to really start this weight loss countdown. I set a goal for one pound each week. So far I have lost three.

I am sucking in...but who cares right.

OH MY GOODNESS

I'm Addicted

2009-03-02T17:08:00.001-08:00

Both of my parents are hardcore coffee drinkers. By hardcore I mean they drink it every day. I used to always tease them about being addicted to it. At the time of my teasing I believe they were drinking caffeinated coffee, and they probably were addicted. These days they only drink decaffeinated. Actually my mom mentioned that if she has no stess in her life she will drink caffeinated coffee.
I learned this week that I am addicted to caffeinated coffee. Everyday the school sends a bus to pick up all of the teachers. Our bus stop is right outside of a Starbucks coffee store. This store used to open up at seven, but since our bus leaves at seven, they started opening ten minutes earlier for all the teachers who wanted a coffee. I would go early a couple of days a week just for a treat. After I became pregnant I cut back allot, but every once in a while I would to and order a decaffeinated coffee. As soon as Jackson was born I researched caffeine and breast milk, and I was comfortable with having a bit of caffeine after my research.
To make a long story short, I am convinced that I am addicted to caffeine, I never thought it was possible since I don't drink tons of coffee. This week I put it to the test. Monday-no morning coffee. I was lagging all day, I was unmotivated, and my energy for teaching was almost gone. Tuesday (today) had coffee. I am full of energy today, I am inspired to teach, I am inspired to blog, and I feel great.
This is not the first time this has happened either. I have started noticing a pattern. Is this okay? My mom told me that caffeine is soo bad for the endocrine system. Is there anyone else that is addicted to caffeine. I love all the drinks that contain caffeine, so it would be really difficult to give it up.
I hate addictions.

More Myanmar

2009-02-17T22:11:00.000-08:00

Playing with Jackson
More of me and Grandma playing with Jackson

Trevor and Grandma at the Swedagon

Kin Cho Su, my old teaching assistant

Me and Khin Cho Su

nap time

Chillin

Myanmar Has Our Hearts

2009-02-17T21:52:00.000-08:00

Myanmar was such a super, special place to live. Trevor and I miss it all the time. We are just so thankful that God allowed us two years there. Trevor and I decided to visit Myanmar during our Chinese New Year holiday. It is not too hot there at this time of year, and we figured Jackson needed some more culture in his little life. So, we decided to do it and we invited Trevor's mother to come with us. Thankfully she agreed, and we had an amazing trip.

We stuck around the captial called Yangon. During the mornings, Trevor and his mother visited local orphanidges to offer some love and encouragement, while Jackson and I hung out at the hotel packing in some good bonding/napping time. In the afternoons the four of us would have adventures shopping, swimming and eating. It was SO Great!!!! Here are some photos!!

Jackson getting his toes wet
This is Trevor and his fruit girl.
This is Jackson with one of the mothers at an orphanidge...she actually gave me this baby carrier that she had used with her biological children..
Precious little ones
My baby
Grandma brought this specail suit for Jackson so that he would not get a sunburn.
This is Jackson playing in paper scraps from the paper hearts that Trevor and his mom passed out at the orphanidges.
Jackson sleeping in my arms next to the busiest street in town.
Bogyoke Market

Happy New Year Chinese Style

2009-02-17T21:46:00.001-08:00

THis was the first year Trevor and I have actually been in China during CHinese New Year. Our first year was spent in Morocco, and the second we were in Salt Lake City Utah. I have always been afraid to stay, becuase I pictured thousands of Chinese people going crazy with fireworks (I loathe fireworks), as it was we did not see any people going crazy with fireworks. We celebrated the event by going to the Shang-Ri-La Hotel for a buffet dinner with some friends. Trevor's mother had arrived the day before so she came of course!!!

Leaving Maternity Leave

2009-02-17T21:35:00.001-08:00

Maternity leave is such a blessing and I am so thankful that our school offers a very generous amount. That precious time has come to an end, and I am now back at work. The first day, my good friend Kelly had planned on buying me a coffee and muffin at Starbucks to cheer me up, but another friend beat her to it, both of these women are mothers and had thier day of going back to work and were very sympathetic to my state of mind.
Week one went very smoothly. I almost have Jackson on some kind of schedule, and that was very helpful in going back to work. Monday was pretty smooth. I got out of a faculty meeting and headed straight home. AhJiao, Jackson's nanny had him good and hungry as soon as I walked in the door, this is necessary if I am going to continue nursing him exclusivly. I fed him and we went on a walk for an hour or so, and then we came home, ate, played, bathed, and he was in bed by 7 pm. Tuesday was very similar, however he did not sleep well at night, between Trevor and I, we were up about 8 times. I stayed home on Wednesday, and Thursday and Friday were fine.
Jackson has a wonderful nanny, we could not be more thankful.

This week is halfway over, and things are going great! Jackson and I have maintained the same schedule that I established that first day, and I have already lost weight from our daily walks. I do miss him tons, and I feel more than ever that it is just not natural for a mother to be separated from her baby. I am looking forward to June when I can be done with work for a while.

Getting Back to Blogging

2009-02-16T15:50:00.000-08:00

So, it has been a while since my last post, but I have started my first "to do" list since having Jackson and some new blogs are on my list. Stay tuned as there are so many things to blog about lately.

Early

2009-01-08T00:58:00.001-08:00

Our birthday's are actually on the 9th...sorry. I don't know what time zone this computer is registered in.

Happy Birthay to Jackson and I

2009-01-08T00:29:00.000-08:00

Today is my Birthday...I am 31. This is the third Birthday I have celebrated in China. The first birthday was spent with Trevor and a romantic steak dinner. The second Birthday was spent with our great friends the Bennett's over a yummy Italian dinner. The third is celebrated with Jackson and our entire home group!!! God has been so good to bring us wonderful friends here in Guangzhou!

Jackson is 12 weeks old today!!!

So Many Firsts!!

2009-01-07T22:37:00.000-08:00

December is finished and January is full speed ahead. So many firsts have happened for Jackson in the past few months. I guess these firsts will continue for a while, but it still seems worth posting.
Jackson had his first flight on December 20th, and it was a full on flight, 12 hours to be exact. We tried to arrive at the airport early to request a bassinet, but our plans did not work out was the traffic in Guangzhou was especially heavy that night. We finally arrived and all the bassinets had been given out, luckily the plane was not full and they gave us an extra seat instead...even better actually. Jackson was asleep for the take off and landing, and did not give any indication that the extreme change in pressure was a bother. He continued to sleep for the majority of the flights. It was super easy! I am so thankful for that! The biggest challenge was getting through security, but thanks to a super dad and husband, Jackson and I were set free from lots of the hassles.

Jackson has his first stay in America on December 20th as well. We spent the night in L.A. It was a much needed rest from airplanes. The next morning Jackson was welcomed to Texas for the first time by mamaw and papaw. They were so excited to see him again. Jackson met Uncle Jordan and aunt Charity, followed by uncle KC and Aunt Andrea! This was probably more exciting for me than him, it was very, very cool to see my brothers meet their first nephew.

Jetlag for Jackson consisted of lots and lots of sleep. We were thankful for that. Jackson was dedicated on Sunday the 21st at Fellowship Bible Church. I will stop talking about firsts now, as there are just too many to mention. We had a great Johnson family Christmas on December 21 as my brothers were committed to being with their wives families for the 24th. My favorite gift was the DVDs that my parents had made out of our home videos. I love watching them over and over again.
Our time in Texas was pretty low key after my brothers left. We spent allot of time playing 500 with my parents, Jackson went on some walks with mamaw and papaw, my good friend Hannah came over for a couple of days, and we enjoyed way tooo much good food.
On the 27th we headed back to the airport for another international flight to Canada. Trevor and I were very excited to introduce Jackson to the Bergman’s for the first time. We were greeted at the airport by Grandpa Bergman, Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Brad, and tons of snow. Luckily Grandma had already purchased a special warm and cozy snow suit for Jackson. We made it home safely and introduced Jackson to the rest of the family. We had our family Christmas that night. There are is a two hour time difference between Texas and Canada, and that seemed to bother Jackson more that the 13 hour difference between Texas and China. The first night in Canada was a bit rough.
Jackson was dedicated a second time with all of Trevor's family and a very special group of friends by Pastors Dave and Cheryl Koop at Coastal Church in Vancouver. It was a very, very special time that I will never forget.
My extended family lives quite far away, and it is a rare occasion for us all to be together, however Trevor's extended family is very close and they all live relatively close. Jackson was introduced to the extended Bergman family on the 29th and lots of food and fun was had.
One of the last firsts was celebrating the New Year. It was cozy celebration with close friends of the Bergman’s, it was just right.
The flight back to Guangzhou was 16 hours, and was a greater challenge for Jackson, but overall not too bad. I was very proud of him as a little traveler! Here are lots of photos of our trip.

Jackson and three new friends, Stephanie, Karys and Ethan

Me and Jackson

Family Christmas PHoto

Jackson with Mamaw and Papaw

Jackson with Uncle Bryan

Uncle David making Jackson laugh

Jackson with Grandpa

Bergman backyard...so beautiful

Jackson and Uncle Jordy in their cool hoodies

Jackson with Jordan and Charity

Jackson with Uncle KC and Aunt Andrea

First Christmas Gift

Home Sweet Home

First Dedication in TExas

Isn't Trevor soooo good looking....I am soo lucky.

On the way to Texas.

Gearing up for cold NOrth America

At the Marriot in LA

First International flight...12 hours

White Elephant with Homegroup

2008-12-14T17:10:00.001-08:00

A few Saturday's ago, Trevor and I hosted our first annual Homegroup White Elephant party. We are so thankful for our homegroup. It is so nice to connect with spiritually likeminded people at least once a week. Most of the group is from America, but we did let a few Canadians in. We had lots of fun gifts exchanged at the event, but I believe I came away with the best one. I got a bag of Honey Nut Cheerios!! This is pretty special to receive in China. Anyway, here are some photos of the event. I posted many photos of people but also the food tables. I love decorating, and decorating for parties is even more fun, and Trevor likes to help too!

Let The Countdown's Begin

2008-12-14T16:45:00.000-08:00

There are a couple of things to countdown these days. I usually loathe countdowns, Trevor knows this about me and frequently starts countdowns just to make me crazy. I am okay with starting countdowns where there are only 5-6 days to countdown, but when people start at 25, I just want to run away and hide. I guess that number is just way too big for me to get excited about. The things I am counting down range in numbers, and most of them are actually in the double digits, sometimes I make exceptions. Here is goes:

-4 days until Jackson is two months old!
-5 days until we see family in America!
-15 days until we see family in Canada!

-20 pounds until I am back to my normal weight! (It might be better to start that countdown a little later...oh well....it's reality)

-25 days until I turn 31

-27 days until I start training for a race.

The End

I'll Be Home for Christmas and Maybe More

2008-12-12T03:51:00.000-08:00

Bryan and David hanging out on a long tail on the seas of Thailand. The Bergmans fighting jetlag.

Trevor and skinny me by our wimpy tree.

Yes, for the first time in seven years, I will be home on Christmas Day. Trevor and I did make it back for New Year's a few years back, but this is the first time I will actually be home on the big day in a long time. It will be super great because my entire immediate family will get to hang out the weekend before Christmas. We are even more excited about that than being home at Christmas.

The last two Christmas's have been spent with different sections of the Bergman family, which was so special. They traveled over here and allowed us to take them on an adventure. We would not have traded it for anything, but it's our turn now to visit them. We will also be squeezing a trip to Canada in during the Christmas holiday. Jackson is already a world traveler. He has his two passports and is ready for a long journey around the planet.

The maybe more part refers to the fact that Trevor and I did not resign our contracts. This pretty much means we will be leaving China. There are jobs that match our qualifications in Hong Kong, Dubai, and many other locations, but we are feeling like North America is the next continent for us. This was a super tough decision. WE LOVE ASIA!!!! It's amazing, and there is no other place like. We love our lives here, I won't even tell you why, or you might think we are crazy for leaving it :) All that said, our families are not here, and we would like to be closer to them for now. We will see where we end up, could be Longview, Texas, could be Vancouver, BC. We know that the Lord is in control of this super big leap of faith.

I'll end or begin with a few pictures from the last two Christmas holidays.

Reflections on Motherhood before Jackson Started Smiling

2008-12-09T23:29:00.001-08:00

I can so remember lots of people talking about how you can never "be ready" for your first child. I also remember thinking that Trevor and I were ready. We had been married five years, we were both in our 30s, we had both finished our masters degrees, bought our first house, ect. We were not ready. It is true, no matter how ready we seemed to be, it was all an illusion. Jackson has rocked our world, turned it inside out and back. I say that with love. He is for sure the biggest blessing Trevor and I could ever imagine, but wow parenting is not easy. Here are some adjustments that I was not prepared for:
Always eating later than planned.
Usually eating cold food.
Washing my hands 1000 times a day.
Sore wrists.
The loads of laundry tripling from all the spit up on everything.
Always hearing the cry of a baby, whether it is happening or not.
Catching myslef feeding my pillow in the middle of the night.
Getting ready for the day in five stages, spread out over three hours.
hmm, that is enough for now.
There are also wonderful adjustments that have taken place.
Trevor and I are learning to serve each other in a new way
There is a cute little guy in the house that gives us constant entertainment with his expressions.
We talk to our families even more.
Trevor and I have had huge shfits in our feelinds about life and raising kids.
We are smiling and laughing more than ever.

It is not all that bad, but let me be honest and say that this has been the biggest challenge ever in my life. Jackson is still quite needy and does not really offer anything to us yet, but this week he has started smiling just slightly, and I know that as those developmental elements begin to be common I will really feel more of the positive feelings of motherhood. Do you know what I mean?

Some Jackson Updates

2008-11-25T20:53:00.001-08:00

Jackson is one month and one day old.

Jackson weighs 10.56 pounds

Jackson smiles in his sleep, and also rolls his eyes in the back of his head.

Jackson loves the sounds of the exhaust fan in the kitchen, mommy's hair dryer, the shower, and mommy and daddy's voices.

Jackson goes to bed at 8:00 pm, wakes up at 2:00 am, lays right back down and sleeps until 5-6 am (mommy and daddy could not be prouder)

Jackson has been sleeping in his own room for two weeks.

Jackson loves to swing, and go for evening walks around our courtyard.

Jackson loves milk.

Jackson has started to use his eyes to connect the audio with the visual.

Jackson can turn 180 degrees when laid on his tummy with not clothes or diaper on.

Jackson, Jackson Jackson, we love him sooo much!!!

On Our Own

2008-11-25T20:36:00.000-08:00

This post is dedicated to my wonderful parents who sacrificed a great deal to be here with us during this huge transition. They were such wonderful helpers, and offered lots of needed advice. My mom was here for a total of five weeks, and dad was here for two. It was indeed a very sad day when they left, but they do have lives. Trevor and I got to experience what parenthood was like without them and it was a very different reality. I will not go into the details, but now it has been about two and a half weeks since they left, and we are starting to get the hang of this. Thanks mom and dad, you're the greatest!!!!

Jackson's Birth Story

2008-11-13T02:49:00.000-08:00

Dr. Catherine Cheung and the Bergmans

It has been three weeks since Jackson joined us on the outside, and I can't say every single moment been blissful, but we are still in most ways speechless at how cool being a parent is. Trevor and I are so proud of him and who he is already. It was wonderful having my parents here to share in this experience with us as well. So on with the story.

If you refer to my second or third post, I go on and on about why we chose to deliver in Hong Kong as opposed to China. One of the main reasons we went with Hong Kong was to have a fair shot at a natural delivery. Things sure did change. I knew that having a baby overseas would be more stressful than having it in my own country, but I did underestimate the stress that would come with not only having a baby overseas, but then leaving that country for another one two hours down the road. Delivering Jackson in Hong Kong was for sure the right choice, but everything besides the delivery was less than desirable, and made me second guess our decision. To make a long, dramatic story short and blunt, I elected to have a C-section at 39 weeks.

It turned out to be soo wonderful. I am sure that delivering naturally would have been the ultimate experience as a woman, but I could not handle all the balls I was juggling while in Hong Kong. My doctor was fine with it, and she was wonderful. I checked into the hospital the night of the 23rd. They checked Jackons heart beat, did a few other things, and then I actually left and spent that night back in our hotel. The next morning I showed up at the hospital at 7. By 8 I was being prepped for surgery, Trevor got to be with me the entire time. At 9 I was given a spinal, and at 9:26 Jackson was born. The hospital was wonderful, the nurses were awesome, and I cannot say enough good things about my doctor. I felt sooo taken care of, and Trevor and my mom were such great supports. After Jackson was delivered, they took him a few feet away, and did all the normal things that they do, I got to watch as they sewed me back together, and Trevor was taking lots of pictures. An hour later I was back in my room bonding with Jackson. We Skyped all of our family and they got to see him on the webcams.

I had a semi private room and according to the hospital this meant that I could only have Jackson when he needed to be fed. I was a little nervous about how this would work out, but I was pleasantly surprised. They let him stay with me as much as I could possibly want, and I could request that he be taken away if I needed to rest. I didn't rest very much at all actually, I was way too excited for that. Jackson started breast feeding right away. I was producing tons of colostrum, and he seemed satisfied. I was up and out of the bed on my own 24 hours after Jackson was born. I felt pain, but I could still function.

Jackson and I were able to be discharged on Sunday morning. He was not jaundice, and I was good to go, so we were off. My milk came in on Day 4 and he has been feeding and gaining weight consistently now for three weeks. I feel very blessed to breast feed him, it is such a special gift.

So, that is pretty much how the story goes.

What a CUTIE!!

2008-11-11T20:59:00.001-08:00

Week 2 With Little Jackson

2008-11-07T22:15:00.000-08:00

Cuddling with Mamaw

First Photos with Mommy (with open eyes)

In Daddy's arms

Burping on Mamaw

Morning Concert with Papaw

mommy time and daddy time

2008-10-29T05:08:00.001-07:00

Jackson's Birth Photos

2008-10-29T05:04:00.001-07:00

Jackson Trevor Bergman was born in Hong Kong at 9:26 am, October 24, weighing 8.9 pounds, and we are in total adoration of every ounce of him.

Bouncing Baby Bergman

2008-10-24T01:46:00.001-07:00

Photos From the Past Week

2008-10-21T04:34:00.001-07:00

Taken a few minutes ago. C'mon already Jackon
Mom getting cozy, even though she is over jet lag.
A self portrait.
Outside the doctors office at 38 weeks.
Mom taking photos at Stanley.
Lots of boats.
Me and Jackson at Deep Water Bay.
A random meeting with old friends from Myanmar.

In Case You're Wondering........

2008-10-21T04:18:00.000-07:00

He is not here yet. I know I have been blogless the past few days, and you might have thought that I was really busy having a child, but nope can't say that would be true. Actually mom and I have just kept our normal schedule of trying to at least get for something each day. In the past five days or so, we have had several nice days.

1. Last Thursday we spent the day with Michelle and Dave Rofkahr. Dave is the cousin of one of my dad's co-workers. They live in a very beautiful part of Hong Kong. My and I went swimming in their pool, and they prepared a yummy home cooked meal for us and then sent the left overs home with us.

2. Last Friday, we went to my last doctors appointment I was 38 weeks at the time. It was my shortest appointment by far, but we sure did get lots of questions answered, and that is when my excitement for this started really stealing my sleep.

3. Last Saturday, mom and I went back to Stanley to pick up a few groceries, and have a second look at the market there. After that we went to Deep Water Bay, and swam for a few hours in the ocean. The water was a bit too cold for these two Texans, so the swimming was not very eventful.

4. Last Sunday we went back to The Vine Church. We had been there the Sunday before for the 4pm service, and this time we attended the 11am service. It was sooooo great, I adore that church. After church we ran into a couple that Trevor and I taught with in Myanmar. We knew they were in Hong Kong and had met up with them before, but it was cool to run into them randomly :)

5. On Monday, which was yesterday, we woke up super late, and had a slow morning. I took mom to Trevor and I's favorite diner called The Flying Pan. We got there by noon and had an awesome breakfast. After that we walked back to our district of town, taking time to stop at any cool shop on the way. We lastly stopped at Babies R Us and purchased a swing for Jackson. We have not set it up, but it is here and ready. We then picked up our laundry that we had sent out a few hours before. It was great to have lots of clean clothes. We then sterilized some pacifiers and organized our little home.

6. Today we again got a really late start. We had high hopes of antique shopping and all kinds of other things, but I was drained of all energy a few hours into the journey. We did however find a Mexican restaurant called Taco Loco. When we entered into the place I saw some old friends from Myanmar sitting in the back. Trevor and I taught with Matthew and Heather for a year in Yangon, and mom and I got to sit and have lunch with them. I love when that happens.

7. I am sure we will have another late start tomorrow, but we have plans to buy the necessary ingredients to make some tortilla soup. Trevor will arrive tomorrow night, and he loves my mom's tortilla soup. It will be a great reunion. We have been separated for 10 days. My mom has been separated from my dad for 13 days now. Poor dad! Only one more week to go for them though.

So, below I have posted photos from all kinds of these events below. Enjoy!!!!!

The Journey of our Pregnancy: How we found out

2008-10-14T02:38:00.000-07:00

Well, I had been pretty in tune with my body for the entire time we were trying to get pregnant. I noticed each and every little thing that occur ed. We had been trying for five months as of January 2008, in February 2008 we were scheduled to spend two weeks at home for my brothers wedding. We really planned on letting this month be a break from the entire pregnancy scene. I was tired of constantly thinking about my diet, my cycle, my ovulating, and all the rest.

We had a super awesome visit. We spent the first week with my parents in Longview where we un-jet lagged, and took in a Mavericks game. The second week was spent in Salt Lake City, Utah. I wish I had photos of that trip, but I had accidentally left my camera back at my parents. The main event was the wedding of Jordan and Charity, but we also found opportunities to ski, visit the Olympic area, tour down town SLC, and eat lots of ethnic foods. It was sooo great...

We returned to China, and life resumed as normal mostly. I noticed very early on that I was having absolutely no issues with jet lag. I was sleeping through the entire night with no problems at all. The other thing that kind of caught my attention was my tummy. I don't tend to carry lots of weight around my mid section, but it is true that sometimes when we spend time in America I do get thicker in that area. The good thing is that just after a few days back at home my tummy flattens and I start feeling better about life. Well, for that week solid, my tummy stayed nice and full looking...very weird. That Thursday I realized I was due for my next period, and I also realized I had one pregnancy test left. I talked to my friend Kelly on the way home that day on the bus. I decided that I would take the test as soon as we arrived.

Trevor was pretty relaxed about the idea, and I was starting to get excited. Sure enough it was positive, but we just couldn't quite believe it. We had Kelly come upstairs to confirm the positive sign we were seeing, while Trevor went out to buy at least three more tests. He returned, and the tests consistently stayed positive. I even called the hot line of the first test to make sure I was not crazy. We finally started accepting that it was true and there was lots of squealing going on in Block C 10H. That night Kelly, Aaron and Luke brought up brownies and ice cream to celebrate!!! HOOORAYYYY

A Walk Through Victoria Park

2008-10-14T02:25:00.001-07:00

We are on a walking mission this week. On Sunday as I think I mentioned before we walked for six miles. There was some stopping on the way, but we did walk for quite a while. Today we walked 2. 5 miles. Tomorrow will be another long walk, we are walking to the US embassy so that my mom can put in her vote for the next US president. Overseas citizens start voting now, so their votes can get home and counted by the big day.
Front view at 37. 5 weeks
Side view, see what I mean about the dropping, compare it to my photo at 35 weeks to see the difference.
Beautiful leaves.
I heard that acupressure and reflexology can induce labor, I think this is as strong as you can get of either. Ouch!!

Our First Meal at Home

2008-10-14T02:18:00.000-07:00

Chicken Noodle Soup, Cheese and Crackers, and other yummy things you can get without cooking.

Well, it was not too exciting, but it did feel good to prepare our own dinner in our new little home. I am very thankful for this place to stay, but I have to admit I am already ready to be home. I miss our home, and our kitchen, and our washing machine. We are almost camping out here, it's just not ideal. I know it will all be worth it very soon, but sometimes it's hard to keep my mind in that happy place.

Dropped

2008-10-13T20:29:00.000-07:00

We are pretty sure that Jackson has dropped. At first we could not see any difference, but all the sudden my heart burn that I have had like crazy for three months was gone. I had even eaten a tandori chicken wrap at 8 pm the other night, and it didn't bother me at all. Today my mom and I noticed a significant change in the shape of my belly, so we are thinking that is has for sure happened. I have not noticed a significant change in my urgency to urinate. I just continue to go all the time. We are off for a long walk around Victoria Park to keep encouraging this progress. I will post photos of our walk later.

Friday Night Out

2008-10-10T21:05:00.001-07:00

Trevor enjoying his favorite Mango treat of all time.Taking a ride through the harbour on the Star Ferry.
Hong Kong Island
Tallest building in Hong Kong
Mom and Trevor in Causeway Bay
Friday night traffic
One Million People
Look who we found!
Temple Street Night Market

Getting Settled

2008-10-10T20:07:00.001-07:00

We have been busy this weekend packing in some sights, looking at all the goodies from those of you back home, and setting up house. Jordan and Charity sent these cute shoes, "baby vans". I don't even know if he has "cool enough" clothes to wear with these.

Here is mom checking in with dad. For those of you who don't know about Skype, you need to be informed. My parents have been able to speak to each other each and everyday for FREE, and they get to see each other as well.

Here is Christmas in October for us. Tortillas, cinnamon toothpaste, clams (for Trevor), and candy.

I will post photos of our night on the town later....

Update on Baby:

We he is still growing, right now he is weighing 3.5 kgs. He is in the correct position, and he head in even facing the ideal position. I am not dilated at all, and the cervix has not even begun to soften. We are on the walking/stair climbing plan starting Monday morning. Luckily Hong Kong offers plentiful opportunities for both activities.

Mamaw is here!!

2008-10-09T17:59:00.000-07:00

Hooray my mom arrived last night after a journey around the planet!! We are off to do some major exploring today...well maybe not major, but a little at least.

Jackson's First Home

2008-10-08T18:37:00.001-07:00

The View to the Left
The View to the Right
The View straight ahead (we are on the 15th floor), I guess this will be a high rise.

The entry way
The living room and bedroom.
The bathroom
The entertainment area and the kitchen.
Where I am sitting as I write this.

There is not much room to set up a nursery here, but it will adequate for the first few days/weeks of Jackson's life. This will be my and my mothers home for at least a month, we are hoping it ends there, but who knows. We are living in an area of Hong Kong called Causeway Bay, it's a very nice place to live. Here are some photos.

The Journey of our Pregnancy: An Evolved Plan

2008-10-08T05:28:00.000-07:00

I must admit I stole this idea from another blog, but I thought it was really cool. Our journey to pregnancy started like many others. We had been married almost five years, we were at a good place in our careers, we were 3/4 ths of the way finished with our masters degrees, and our job offers a great maternity package. So, we started praying. I actually got off the pill while we were in Morocco in Feb 2007. We wanted to give my body a chance to get back on it's natural cycle before we even thought about getting pregnant. We decided that the best time for me to give birth would be in May of 2008, so we started trying to get pregnant in September 2007. The funny thing is that we were on the same time line as another couple.

Well, we were unsuccessful in our attempts to try and "plan this baby". Our friends sealed the deal right away. We continued to try, and finally after about 6 months we got pregnant. It was actually an amazing learning experience. Trevor and I had planned most of our life around the fact that we were going to get pregnant by November at least, and it did not work. We were planning on getting pregnant, and ending our overseas career for the time being. When our plan of getting pregnant didn't work out we decided to give it at least another year in China.

So our original plan did not work out, but of course the Lord knew better.....thank goodness.

Mission Accomplished

2008-10-07T22:58:00.000-07:00

Jackson and I made it to Hong Kong, it would have been easier with our strong and courageous daddy and husband, but we just begged others along the way for help. My face spells relief. Off to take a nap, that was exhausting. Photos to come shortly.

Nesting No More

2008-10-06T03:55:00.000-07:00

The holiday is over, Trevor is back to work, and I am done nesting. I made a total of 12 bags worth of granola, 1 batch of lasagna, and 8 baggies worth of fajita chicken meat. Today I tried to rest after my first sleepless night, I suppose there will be many more of these. I think I am just too excited. Trevor and I watched a birthing DVD, and that didn't help either of us get good rest either. That was an intense experience. I was a little freaked out, basically I would cry and then laugh, and then cry, and then laugh and tell Trevor not to laugh. Trevor was laughing nervously throughout the entire thing, but I think it started settling in today while he was at work. It's not that giving birth is funny, it's just that the lady hosting the program was funny, and let's just say she was very creative in her presentation of the birthing process.

Anyway, tomorrow I will pack up for Hong Kong. The next day I will move to Hong Kong, the next day my mom arrives, and the next day I have my 37 weeks appointment. I am wondering what till take place at the appointment. I am excited for my mom to be with me, it is going to be great. Trevor and I decided to take her to some of the main tourist sights this weekend while he is around, as the really good spots are farther out. We will probably get some groceries, and get the little home set up as well. Trevor will have to return back here to Guangzhou on Sunday evening, and then my and I will start our mission to get this big boy out as quickly as possible.

I will update as soon as I arrive in Hong Kong.

Nesting for the National Holidays Part 2

2008-10-01T17:54:00.001-07:00

Here are those golf clubs Trevor got that I was telling you about in Part 1. He is pretty happy with himself here. So the week of nesting has continued. It has not been too bad to be stuck at home. We have kept busy. One night we had a game night with some friends from our homegroup and their kids. Trevor and I love the game Settles of Catan, and we were just dying to get it out, but with only two of us, it is not very fun, so here we are playing.
The things mentioned above really have nothing to do with the nesting I have been doing. So, my main goals this week were to cook tons of granola, get some meals in the freezer for Trevor, sanitize the breast pump, and pack up for our journey to Hong Kong. So far, I have prepared a huge batch of fajitas for Trevor, they are patiently waiting in the freezer whenever he wants. I have sanitized the breast pump, and I have started on my batches of granola.

Granola is very special in our house. Trevor and I eat granola everyday. There are a few reasons for it. It tastes great, it's filling, it's healthy, it's cheap, and it's made by me and not some big factory in China ( have you heard about the tainted milk????....so mad about that). You can get some imported cereal here that is even kind of healthy, but it will cost about 13 dollars a box. They do sell Cheerios on the Chinese market for much less, but we are not big enough fans of Cheerios. We also prefer to eat food that is mostly natural, and mostly prepared by us. We are feeling stronger about this more than ever with the recent dairy scandal here in China.

I want to make enough granola for Trevor to have while I am away and for my mom and I to have in Hong Kong. Here is the recipe.

12 cups of rolled oats

1 cup cashews

1 cup almonds

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup honey

1 cup oil

1/4 cup vanilla

1/2 brown sugar

1/2 wheat germ

1tbs cinnamon

Mix all these ingredients together in a bowl, grease one or two baking dishes, pour the granola in and bake. Watch for the top layer to brown, when this happens take the granola out and stir it. It should take roughly about 30 minutes, I bake this at 200 degrees Celsius. You can add or take away any of the nuts, these are just the ones we like. You can also add dried fruit once the granola is fully cooked.

The Finished Product

My Granola Factory

A Photo Catch Up

2008-10-01T17:25:00.000-07:00

The Bergmans visit China: This photo is taken inside Trevor's office.
Here I am in the school court yard with Brian and David.
My fun lovin, crazy mom, and dad too!
Me and Jordy
The Bergmans in Alaska

Our First photo together in 2002
Getting ready for a Camel ride through the Sahara Desert in Morocco.
Trevor and the Mediterranean.
Safety class.
My Vietnamese Hill Tribe friend.

These are for you Sarah, hopefully you can start to put the pieces together:)

Nesting for the National Holiday Part 1

2008-09-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

China is having a national holiday this week. This is the first time we have had a full week off of school and actually chose to stay at home. Last year we went to Vietnam, the year before that Macau. This is really stretching Trevor and I :) We are choosing not to travel mostly because it is just not wise at the point in my pregnancy. We are trying to make the most of our time though. Over the weekend we purchased a new golf club set for Trevor. We got them from a cool section of Guangzhou called Shamien Island. This is where all the finalization's for adoptions take place. There are always tons of American families and their new little daughters.

To see a family with a son is very, very rare, but we did see one. There was a young couple with a little boy, but of course he had a deformity. This is the only way a boy would be put up for adoption. He had a hair lip. It had not been repaired yet, but I am sure as soon as they get that little guy back to his country, they will have it fixed. As I sat there with my son in my belly, I just felt so sad...how many more babies are going to be born with hair lips and given up.

Anyway, as I was waiting for Trevor to finish his last minute bargaining I found a really cool antique Chinese stool. I love Chinese antiques. I think they are so beautiful. Someday I will create a blog showcasing what we have collected so far. Anyway, to your average Chinese person, and antique is a piece of junk. I was looking in a shop selling all kinds of cheap tourist items, when I spotted this stool propping the door open. While the lady is trying to sell me a T-shirt, I point to the stool and ask "how much?". All the sales ladies gather around and start giggling, they think it is soo funny that someone would actually want to buy this stool. So, she starts the price at 200 RMB, which is like 30 dollars. I laugh and cut the price down to 50. She laughs, I laugh, and I ended up paying 100. They probably think they ripped me off, and they did, but I really like my stool, and I have been wanting one for a long time. The photo of the stool is at the top of the post.

The rest of the day was spent purchasing our Christmas tickets home, (yes we will be making stops in Texas and Canada. We will be in Texas from December 20-27, and Canada from the 27-3rd), and purchasing all the necessary goods I will need to nest this week. Nesting for the National Holidays Part 2 will be about all the great things I am cooking for Trevor to have while I am in Hong Kong, and for my mom and I to have while we will not have access to an oven in Hong Kong.

The time is near for Jackson to come!

belly pics

2008-09-26T18:07:00.000-07:00

I guess these were taken at 35 weeks. I think I look pretty normal, but I sure do get started at on the streets of China. I am probably the largest pregnant woman that some of these people have ever seen. Most full term Chinese women look like I did at 20 weeks. I am not joking. Oh well.

Introducing Jackson....almost

2008-09-26T02:43:00.000-07:00

2008-09-25T20:05:00.000-07:00

2008-09-25T19:15:00.000-07:00

Why Hong Kong, Why not America, Why not China, Why not Korea???

2008-09-25T18:44:00.000-07:00

Choosing where to have a baby while overseas can be a very complicated questions. The title reflects questions people have asked us and questions we have asked ourselves since we found out we were pregnant. I will give you the answers we have come up with in no certain order.

Well, I'll start with China. China is where we are, this is where are home is, we are here. Why not China? Well, there are several reasons. First of all let me say there are millions of babies born here all the time, and I even have other ex-pat friends who have given birth there. The doctors are qualified they know what they are doing, and I do believe the baby and I would survive if we chose to give birth here. But we aren't. These are the reasons. First of all there is almost a 97 percent C-section rate here. Chinese women can only have one child, and with that being the case, they want things to run smooth, not surprises, and they want their tubes tied afterwards to prevent further pregnancies. I can totally understand this, but unlike them I have the freedom to have lots of babies. Also the culture here is very superstitious and that plays out in everything from eating, to sleeping and of course giving birth. They want to choose "lucky days", and "lucky hours" etc. The after care is also very, very different from western countries. I won't go into all the different stories I have heard, but ya, very different. OH, and the doctors don't speak English so well.

Why not America? I would love to have my baby in America. I would be able to leave with plenty of time to get there and rest and be taken care of by my mom. I would be familiar with the doctor, and on and on. The only problem is that my sweet husband my miss the big event. Trevor gets two weeks paternity leave, but trying to time these things is difficult, and I want to be with him as much as possible.

Why not Korea? This may be a no brainer for you, but we actually considered it. It is a lot close than America, Trevor could make within a few hours. The health care is incredible. We have lots of friends there. I guess it would not have been a bad choice, but we would like to be closer to home.

Why Hong Kong? We settled on Hong Kong because it is only a two hour train ride away. The healthcare is very western. I can fully understand my doctor and she can fully understand me, we both speak fluent English. Our insurance works with great hospitals there. They give you a fair chance at having a natural birth, however they will give you a discount if you plan a C-section. I guess that is the trend these days. We are happy with our decision, and feel that we have planned as much as we can.

There are disadvantages to Hong Kong as well. I have to move down there at 36 weeks to ensure safety, and to avoid having to travel across the border during labor. Hong Kong is super expensive, and this living process will cost lots.

I will move to Hong Kong on the 8th of October, and my mom arrives on the 9th, so I am pretty secure about this transition period. We don't know when Jackson will arrive, but whenever he hints of an appearance Trevor will be on his way, and my dad arrives the 29th. I can't wait to fill you in on all of the details that will take place over the next 36-40 days.

The Nursery

2008-09-24T18:57:00.000-07:00

I have really enjoyed the nesting stage. Actually I nest all the time, I think that is part of the life of an ex-pat. I know at all times in the back of my mind that we are not permanently settled, and I am always looking for ways to keep things organized and easy to move at some point. Here are a few pictures of the nursery. We are blessed to have a three bedroom apartment, so one room is totally for Jackson.

The Adventure Begins

2008-09-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

I realize that I have a hard time managing a blog unless there is a specific purpose or theme. I decided that I would choose a theme based on the adventure that Trevor and I are aboout to have. I have 1 more day of work, and this marks the first of many milestones. I will stop working for 4.5 months.

Let me take this opportunity to brag about my school and the occupation of "International School Teacher". Yes, that was 4.5 months, 3.5 months I will get a full salary, and that last month I have chosen to take as personal leave. I am not sure what I would be getting back home, but I am pretty sure this is more. The insurance that the school provides pays for 100 % of this special little baby, so we are very thankful. Trevor will get two weeks paid leave, and if we need more time, we can request it, it will just be without pay.

Anyway, I have never stopped working for this long of a time span. I got my first job when I was 16, and I have been working ever since. I love working, I love earning money, and I love saving it, and then spending it, and ya, just managing it. I realize that maternity leave is not a vacation by any means, but well, ya living in Hong Kong for a month will be pretty awesome, especially with my mom there. I will post another blog about not only have a baby overseas, but then leaving that overseas country to go to another country to have the baby. WOW...we never thought it could get this complicated.

So, 1 day left. God has provided an amazing substitute for my classes. If you don't know I teach middle school beginners band, intermediate band, music apprecitaion and high school choir. THere are not many people walking around the streets of China looking for a job like that, who speak perfectly good English. THere was one though. My relief teacher is from NOrway, and she not only has her bachelors of music, but also her masters. She is young and energetic, and seems to really enjoy the opportunity of taking my classes. THis week she has been the boss of the classroom and I have just been running around making sure everything is organized for her.

I must say, I am just so amazed at how this has all worked out. I am so thankful, and could list tons of miracles that have already taken place thoughout this journey. I am happy that I now have a blog theme and that I will probably be more motivated in writing as I now have direction.

maternity photos

2008-08-23T22:39:00.001-07:00

This summer Trevor and I spent three weeks in Canada with his family. Part of the fun was exploring thier beautiful new house. I had planned on taking my maternity photos in Texas, but once we saw the back yard of this new house we knew it was the right location. Trevor took all of these photos!! Enjoy

while it lasts

2008-08-23T22:29:00.000-07:00

Living in China has it's rewards and challenges. One of the challenges I've dealt with it the on and off of blog sites. Sometimes they're on and sometimes they're off. Right now they're on, and I am going to stay positive and hope that they stay on. During most of my masters degree they were off, and all my classmates had to create special blogs so that I could access them while in China. So, that is how I will start this blog, hopeful for many opportunities to update my blog as much as I want to. We have some very exciting things in our future that I will want to fill everyone in on, so keep tuning in!