So, in case you're curious, things are going well. I'm 9 1/2 weeks, and if you look at the ticker on the side bar and see how many days I have left, you'll see that it's quite a long time!

I've felt so much worse this time around. Never threw up with Cameron and I haven't thrown up this time (my mom never threw up during her three pregnancies, either). But, I started feeling gross almost immediately with this one. And it still hasn't stopped. Luckily, my OB is a Saint and prescribed me Zofran. It's not quite the miracle drug I was hoping for (to completely take everything away), but at least it was something that helped me function... and through the holidays, which I was really worried about.

I think I'm coming out of the worst of it. I'm hoping that things will pretty much be gone by the time I go home in a few weeks. It's been really nice having my family around to help with Cameron. Let's hope they can be around when I'm 36 weeks pregnant and packing.

Oh yeah, guess I should mention that we will probably be moving this summer. Where? Who knows. But Chad's funding is running out and it would be a good idea for him to get a job teaching at some other school (for experience and more money) while he works on his dissertation. So, that means that we'll probably be moving around a bit during his career--so he can move up, etc. But it's kind of exciting.

Prayers have already been answered, though. We found out we were pregnant and then a few days later realized it would probably be best to move this summer because of lack of money from UW. The baby is due July 30 and our insurance runs out July 31!! Well, I just assumed I would eat a lot of spicy food and lift furniture, etc. in those last few weeks to get the baby out before the 31st. But it still made us a little nervous since the baby will go to the doc a lot in the first few months.

Then the other day, Chad got an email that said they would extend our insurance coverage until October!!! Wow! Things are still up in the air... where will we be by then? Will we not even need this other insurance because of Chad's new job (wherever that will be)? But we're so grateful for this blessing.

I've been nervous about having a baby again. Cameron can be a handful at times, but it's something I'm definitely used to. And I like that he can communicate with me. So I've been really nervous about it. Then, the idea of moving to a new place with a newborn didn't make me feel too excited. I remember how hard it was for me after Cameron was born (with postpartum), and I've been worried about it.

But yesterday, I received a sweet assurance (even if it was little) that things will be ok. I was trying to get Cameron down for a nap and was singing some songs to him. I think I was singing, "I'm trying to be like Jesus." I got so emotional during the second verse. Don't know why. But I had this overwhelming feeling of love for him. It's amazing how much you can love your child. So, I started to feel a little more comfortable with the idea of a second child.

I'm sure I'll freak out a lot over the next 200+ days... wow, it seems like a long time put that way! But I'm so grateful Heavenly Father knows me and knows what I need to help me accomplish what He wants me to do.

Ok. So, Chad flew home today. I was super sad last night, but a little too tired this morning to be depressed. We got up at 4:30 and dropped him off at 5:30. He go through the line and security with about 30 minutes to spare. And then he flew to Cleveland. And, he's still sitting in the airport. Yes, you guessed it folks... they CANCELED his flight. And why? Because of crappy Madison fog.



This reminds me of two years ago when I was 5 months pregnant and we were flying home for Christmas. Madison had too much fog so no flights were going out. We could drive down to Chicago and hope to get a flight from there, but we knew our chances would be slim getting anywhere from Chicago. So, we hopped in the car and drove to VA. 17 hours. Ugh.



UPDATE: I just got a call from Chad that he and some friends (new friends he made in the airport) are splitting a rental car and driving the 9 hours to Madison. Oh man. Poor guy. He felt kind of dumb cause before they canceled the flight, they offered seats on a flight to Chicago (and that would have been about a 2 hour trip). But there was no reason for them to cancel the flight anyway (not that the passengers were told of), so he didn't know.



Anyway, that's been my Christmas, as of late. Below are some pics that my brother took when we all got together last Saturday. The next day, Chad and I drove to his parents' place a few hours away and stayed until yesterday afternoon.



I've had fun and will enjoy being here a few more weeks while Chad is at home studying for his prelims, but I know Cameron and I will miss him.



Study hard, Chad!

Thanksgiving Day, Chad, Cameron, and I braved the 20-ish degree weather to go play (or watch others play) in the Turkey Bowl.  I say "brave" the weather kind of sarcastically.  In years past, the weather has been much worse with inches of snow on the ground and a lot colder.  Cameron and I bundled up (knowing we would just be standing there) and I was actually pretty hot when I first got out of the car.  But I gave it about 30 minutes and started to freeze.  Poor Cameron was just not himself (except that he ate about 20 donut holes...gotta keep up his pot belly, I guess!)...he wouldn't talk at all and his poor little nose and eyes kept running.  We stayed about an hour and then went home and left Chad behind.

I was feeling a little down and worried the other night about the future.. not just for myself, but for my kids (Cameron and future children).  How will they handle the situations they face?  How will I handle the fact that they are facing them?  

My sister wrote something on her blog that made me think a bit.  Here's what she wrote:
How I feel about politics in general...and why I had a hard time voting

Richard Armour once wrote: "Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong."

Saul Bellow wrote: "Take our politicians: they're a bunch of yo-yos. The presidency is now a cross between a popularity contest and a high school debate, with an encyclopedia of clichés the first prize."

Plato wrote: "Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber." (AMEN!)

Nikita Khrushchev wrote: "Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river."

T.S. Eliot wrote: "An election is coming. Universal peace is declared and the foxes have a sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry."

(Note that I don’t even necessarily agree with the ideologies of all of the authors of these quotes…but I agree with what they’re saying! I’m just sayin.)

And here's the comment I left on her post:

Hmmm...I saw this in your email the other day and had thoughts but didn't have time to write them to you. Guess I'll do it now. I guess I still believe in the good in people. I definitely feel that there are politicians who are in it for power and prestige. But I also think, at least hope, that there are politicians who are in it to make changes for the good. (Just now realizing how ironic it is that I write this when this is the argument so many made about Obama and I didn't like him. Having a sketchy past, though, is kind of an indicator of a person's character in my mind.) Working with some legislators opened my eyes to how hard of a job it is. You're constantly battling between what you want, what your constituents want, and what your fellow legislators want. You always have to watch what you say, who you talk to, where you go. Someone is always going to hate you, no matter what you do. You have to dodge the media all the time, but still try to do what you think is right. This is why I've liked Bush for all of these years. I think he's a good man with the country's best interest at heart (I honestly do feel this way). Anyway, I know people hate politicians because they make promises they can't always keep. But you never know what obstacles will arise that will destroy your vision (the promise made) until after you're elected (true, some people might just be lying to get elected). There are so many things to think about when trying to lead a state or a nation or a city. To get one thing, you have to take from somewhere else. And then people get mad and don't want you in office anymore. So you try to please them, but still do what you think will be the best thing, etc. So, it's cyclical. To sum up, I'm trying to have faith that there are good people out there that want to make changes and are willing to go through Hades to do it. So the stereotype of politicians sometimes bothers me.

So, Cameron is still sick.  And it's Thursday.  I know these things can take a while to get over sometimes, but whatever he's got seems pretty weird.  I'm taking him to the doc today.  His little potty issues seem better, but he's still throwing up randomly when he takes only one bite of something...?  And he kind of acts like his throat hurts.  Eh, some combo of strep and a stomach bug?!  I don't know.

I'm not one to stomach the site of vomit.  I say that I'm a sympathetic vomiter-- even talking about throwing up makes my stomach hurt.  Therefore, I would rather do anything than throw up!  I haven't thrown up in 6 years--even through my pregnancy.