Boy or Girl? Trying to Stay Neutral...

I've always had a preferred gender in the back of my mind, even since I was a little girl. I feel it's very important now for me to stay neutral. We will find out in October if our Mini-Stombaugh is a boy or girl, and I want to be happy either way. If I were to get my hopes up about a certain gender and then feel disappointed, that would be quite awful of me. I would feel like a terrible mother. After all, there are so many things that matter more than gender like physical, mental and spiritual health. Family isn't making it any easier, though. Everyone seems to want a girl just like me. There aren't a lot of girls in the families. Luke has two brothers and I have one brother, so I'm the only girl. When we told Luke's dad about the pregnancy he cried tears of joy and then said, "I hope it's a girl." He has three sons. I've been praying for neutrality in my heart. The other day I did have warm and fuzzy feelings about the thought of having a boy. I think God is doing a good job of preparing me either way. Let it continue!

Dreaming about Olivia or Noah

Every single day Luke and I pray for our baby to be spiritually, mentally and physically healthy. If you would keep our baby in your prayers too, it would be much appreciated!

Looking back, it seems that every significant thing in our lives has happened in an instant. We were married in exactly two weeks, found and purchased our first home in four days, found and adopted our dog in two weeks, and got pregnant in one week! God knows I can be impatient, and He seems to be making my dreams come true quickly.

The pregnancy has been real to me for some time now. After all, I have been experiencing all of the physical symptoms. I believe the first ultrasound made it real for Luke. He seemed absolutely amazed when we saw our little lima bean and noticed the heart fluttering at a rapid rate. When I tried to talk to him about the whole experience on the ride home, he was speechless. He immediately asked for one of the ultrasound photos, and he has kept it in his back pocket nearly every day. He shows it to all of his guy friends. I looked at it yesterday and it resembled an ancient artifact with all of the creases and wrinkles on the delicate ultrasound paper. I think this is so precious. Luke is going to make a wonderful daddy.

Mini-Stombaugh: Due February 28, 2010!

Our first baby is on the way! Praise Jesus! We are excited to enter this new adventure in our life. I am nearly 8 weeks pregnant, and Luke has been home for 9 weeks. Haha - that didn't take long! :)

I knew that I would be able to test sometime during Father's Day weekend (Father's Day was on Sunday, June 21 this year). My original plan (if I received a positive) was to wrap the test up in a box and give it to Luke on Father's Day. That was how I was going to tell him, and it would have been perfect! But I tested early the morning of Friday, June 19. The first was a +/- EPT and I received a very faint +. My heart started racing. I decided to take one more test to be sure. I took a digital 1st Response that says YES/NO, and it said YES! There was no way I could keep this big secret from Luke for two whole days, so I immediately ran into the bedroom to tell him. It was still before 7:00AM and he was half asleep. I gently woke him and showed him the test. He said, "Really?! Oh, Good Morning!" and gave me a big hug. I burst into tears, of course. Then I called my mom to tell her - woke her up - and she was ecstatic. She dropped off an "expecting" card and a wrapped book (Nancy O'Dell's Full of Life) before I even got home from work that day! Then I called my Grams and woke her up - she too was very excited. Luke told his mom that evening in person. We told Luke's dad on Father's day. He cried and said he hopes it's a girl (since he has 3 sons).

I found out I was pregnant very early on at exactly 4 weeks. The first 5 weeks were great! The only symptoms I had were cramps and bloating (totally normal during the beginning of pregnancy). In fact, that's how I knew I was pregnant. I started experiencing cramps on Monday, June 8 which was exactly mid-cycle for me and around the time that I'd be ovulating. That was not normal for me. I never got cramps until the day before my period - and it wasn't due for another 2 weeks! After I tested positive at home I had to go into the clinic so that they could test me positive. I thought that they were doing a blood test, but it turns out they were doing a urine test. They tested me at 4:30PM on June 19. The doc came in and said the results were negative. WHAT?!?! Then we had a discussion. I had tested early (as in, before my missed period). And I had tested in the morning when I first woke up. The pregnancy hormone, hCG, shows most in the morning if you are only in the third or fourth week of pregnancy because your first morning pee is most potent. It made sense that a 4:30PM test would be negative. The doc said not to worry, she would do a blood test and it would probably be positive. She called me early the next morning (Saturday) to tell me that my pregnancy was indeed confirmed. She said my hCG level was 53 and I was exactly 4 weeks pregnant with a due date of February 28, 2010. 4 weeks? But how could that be? Apparently they start counting from the first day of your last period, which for me was May 24 (2 days after Luke got home from Iraq!). I had stocked up on so many pregnancy tests that I took them all weekend just for the fun of it (and to convince myself it was real!). By Sunday night, I had a positive non-morning urine test. This made sense because your hCG level literally doubles every 24 hours. All was good!

I definitely noticed a change in how I felt when the 6th week of pregnancy rolled around. It was rough. I felt nauseous every day, all day. I never got sick, though. It's really hard to eat when you have nausea, because nothing sounds good. I did some reading and discovered that the baby has a growth spurt in the 6th week. It more than doubles in size and this can sometimes cause nausea. That's why most women find out they're pregnant around 6 weeks. I was too impatient to wait! This week is my 7th week and things have calmed down a bit. Now I only get waves of nausea every now and then. I know it will all be worth it in the end!

I know that everyone reacts differently to a first pregnancy. I have become an information junky. I want to know anything and everything about this little life growing inside of me and the changes that my body is going through. I've been on BabyCenter.com every day and it has been a great resource! I also like to visit BabyFit.com and EHD.org. Luke and I ordered TLC's A Baby Story: First-Time Parents Edition from Netflix and watched episodes for over a week! It showed first-time parents in the last few weeks of pregnancy, throughout the birth and the first few weeks with the baby. It was really informational and fun to watch. I'm glad that Luke got into it too. :) I've been reading What to Expect and Full of Life. I also got a great video that shows the embryo and fetus inside the womb from conception to birth: National Geographic's In The Womb. I like being well-informed about what is going on with me and this baby. It is making the whole experience much more fulfilling.

My dear friend Becca gave me an awesome pregnancy journal and baby book just days after I found out I was pregnant. Thanks, Becca! I have been keeping track of everything in my journal and I trust that it will keep me occupied as we wait for this baby to come. I have been recording humorous and endearing quotes in my journal. Here are some of them:

On June 23, at 4 weeks and 3 days pregnant I was extremely emotional. I cried for an hour over multiple silly things. Luke said, "You're so fragile. You're like a tulip, and life is like a fox." He made me laugh through my tears. Oh, the hormones...

On June 25 I went out to dinner with Samantha Schaal. I asked her if she had any feelings about whether I was having a boy or girl. She responded, "You seem to always get your way, so I think it will be a girl. But if it's a boy I think it will be a very stubborn boy if he subverts your will."

On June 27 at midnight I had my first major craving: Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Luke thought that I was kidding when I asked him to go to our 24-hour Cub grocery store to get some for me. I finally gave up arguing with him and went to get it myself. When I got home and happily made my mac and cheese he said, "I just didn't get it." And I replied, "You don't have to get it. I'm pregnant. Just roll with everything."

On June 28 Luke said, "I'm just excited to have a kid. I think I will understand love better. You've got the love of your wife, which you have to earn. And you've got the love of God, which you don't deserve. Then you've got the love of a kid, which is unconditional."

Today (July 16) we had our first ultrasound. It was so exciting! Although I did have to drink 32 oz. of water an hour before the appointment and hold it until after the ultrasound, which was pretty painful. But once I saw the images of our baby it didn't matter anymore. I was in awe. You could even see the little heart fluttering. The technician turned on the sound for a minute so we could hear the heartbeat. It was amazing. The baby measured 1.49 cm with a heart rate of 164 BPM. The tech confirmed that I am exactly 7 weeks and 4 days pregnant. The due date is still February 28, 2010. Our little Olivia May or Noah Matteson is on the way! Here are photos from today's ultrasound...

Luke:Home / Mission:Accomplished / Me:Happy

Luke is home from Iraq! It's been a long and difficult year and I am glad that it is over. I thank God that Luke has come home safely from his second deployment. We are truly blessed. 250 Army National Guard soldiers from the 34th Combat Aviation Brigade came home via 5 coach buses on Friday, May 22 at Holman Field in St. Paul, MN. The event was amazing - so many families, friends, Patriot Guard Riders, photographers, and news crews filled the hanger. You could feel the excitement and happiness in the air.

I hired CT Ryan Photography to capture the emotional reunion. They did a wonderful job and the photos they took are priceless. You can visit CT Ryan's blog to see more photos of the reunion. Thanks to everyone who supported us during the deployment - we love you!

Robin's Nest: A Photo Journal

Ever since we moved into our house in December of 2007, there has been a robin's nest tucked up in the rafters beneath our deck. Last year I had the pleasure of watching three baby robins grow up in that nest and fly away. This year the mama robin is back, and I plan to keep a photo journal of the entire event. Check the link often if you're interested, as I plan to post many photos. Today I discovered three blue eggs in the nest. I was also able to see the mama robin. How exciting! I have a new reason to love spring....

Choosing to be Happy

My good friend, Rebecca, just posted a blog entry that I find to be so true. Why would anyone want to radiate negativity and remain miserable? You really can choose to be happy. Thanks, Becca, for so eloquently reminding us.

Meant to be Tardy

A few weeks ago I had an awesome God moment at church. Our church has two services every Sunday: 9:30 and 11:15 am. Not being a morning person, I tend to go to the 11:15 service. This particular day I was running unusually late. I didn't get to the church parking lot until 11:45! Crazy! I saw my group of friends standing outside and had to say hi to them for a moment before dashing into the building. As I hurried up the stairs an older woman came up beside me. She said hi and seemed very friendly and nice. She told me she was a visitor and this was her first time at our church. She asked me when the service started. I told her it actually started 30 minutes ago, but that we usually do worship (music) for the first 20 minutes. She said that she would probably be sitting in the back because she was embarrassed about being so late. I said I would sit in the back too, since I was late as well. We sat next to each other during the service. We seemed to have an automatic affection between us, and it was nice. Throughout the service I thought about the fact that she was a first-time visitor. I felt that I had an opportunity and responsibility to welcome her, let her know what a great church it was, and encourage her to come back the following week.

After the service we introduced ourselves. I told her my name was Amanda, and she said she would definitely remember that because her daughter's good friend is named Amanda. Then she told me her name was Olivia, and I told her I would definitely remember that because I plan to name my future child Olivia someday. How funny! Then she said she just had to tell me something. She said that she had driven past our church many times and kept telling herself that she would go in one day. So finally she was there, but she knew that she was running late and was embarrassed about that. So she told herself that she would only go in if someone was walking in with her, and that person was me. What a blessing! I'm so glad that God could use me to do good. God really meant for me to be late that day. :)

A good Husband, a good Teammate

God gave me a wonderful husband in Luke. We have been together for nearly a decade now, yet my love still grows for him each and every day. Luke has grown into the man I need him to be because he allowed Jesus to change his heart. I respect him and trust him to be a wonderful leader for me and our family. Jesus is most definitely the reason that we are still together and why our marriage is so strong. I honestly believe that marriages fail because of lack of faith and relationship with God. I feel so grateful that Luke and I figured this out early on. We have saved ourselves much hardship by following our Lord and inviting him into our relationship. If you want an excellent message about how a marriage can be saved by faith, see the movie Fireproof.  For a humorous and Christian view on how to build a marriage that lasts, see Tommy Nelson's narrative on the Song of Solomon. Luke and I have sought out these resources and know first-hand that they speak the Truth and can make your view on marriage healthy and Godly. 

Marriage in the military is difficult and sometimes disheartening. Separation for long periods of time, constant readjustment and worry are sometimes hard to bear. These difficulties also make us stronger, though. I believe that we value our marriage more because of it. We don't have the privilege of always being together and always having the other available. This is why I think we probably appreciate each other more than the average civilian couple. So although being a military couple is a burden, it is simultaneously a blessing.

Teammates. It is a simple and brilliant idea. Luke developed this notion when he and I seemed to be arguing often last summer. The deployment just started and we were frustrated and stressed, no doubt. We have learned that we become vulnerable to arguments and fighting when a deployment is approaching or has just begun. Facing months of separation inevitably puts you on edge. Well, after a few unhappy phone calls Luke proposed this idea to me. He said that we were teammates, that we were on the same team. We were not enemies. Every time we begin to fight, we should be reminding each other of our "teammate status" and calling each other by that title. You are my teammate. We have been doing this and it has been working wonders. It is a good reminder, and I am thankful that Luke thought of it. Back in 2005, the Pioneer Press featured an article on our wedding story. We were interviewed by a reporter, who talked to us about how we met and how we were married before Luke's first deployment to Iraq. I recently read that article again. In talking about how our relationship began back in 8th grade I was quoted as saying, "It was a dodge ball game in gym class. We were on the same team." Looking back, that is an interesting statement. We were on the same team then, and we're on the same team now.

Happy Birthday, Jake!

Our Jake dog is 2 years old today. I love him SO much! He has been a blessing in my life, especially since Luke has been away. When we first adopted him back in January of 2008 he was ten months old. I could not believe that nobody had snatched him up before we did. He's handsome, smart, friendly, well-behaved, healthy... he's the perfect dog! Now I know that he was waiting for us. I believe that God meant for Jake to be our dog.

Since we don't have any kids yets, Jake is kind of like our baby. Jake loves watching movies with me. He literally stares at the screen, like we humans do. And he always cuddles with me when we watch movies. It's so cute! Today I used my lunch break to go to Petco and buy Jake a bunch of new toys and bones for his birthday. I will give them to him when I get home from work. Love you, Jakers!

My Vineyard Ladies

I've been blessed to receive a wonderful new group of friends. It started with a few, and quickly grew to 10! Unfortunately there are 3 missing from this photo. When Luke and I moved into our new house we started looking for a new church in the area. Luke quickly found River Heights Vineyard and we fell in love with it. It has a wonderful accepting atmosphere, contemporary Christian music, and three amazing pastors who (believe it or not) all deliver excellent inspirational messages. It was not long before I discovered that a girl I went to high school with attended the church: Rebecca Rosario. We started talking and met outside of church a few times. When I told Rebecca I was looking for a photographer, she introduced me to Tamrah Ryan (CT Ryan Photography). Tamrah talked to me about the possibility of having a ladies night gathering. Rebecca was invited, and she suggested we also invite some other ladies from the church. The group grew and grew and now there are 10 of us who have monthly ladies nights (and other gatherings in between!).

I feel it is such a blessing to have met this wonderful group of women. I've never really had a group of Christian girlfriends - girls who share my beliefs, follow Jesus Christ, and can truly uplift and encourage me in my faith. They all have unique and wonderful talents, as well as beautiful spirits. I am grateful for them and feel that I could go to any one of them with my concerns and my joys. So here's to April, Loni, Emarie, Tamrah, Naomi, Rebecca, Meredith, Jessica and Monique - I love you all!