November 13, 2003

Eleven years ago today, I was standing in a parking lot near the tennis courts at UTA after a long day on campus.   Chris was standing very close to me, trying to sneak a goodnight kiss, when he asked me a very important question.  Actually, he first asked, "Can I ask you a question?"  This made me nervous about the question to follow, but I gave permission to proceed.  Chris then asked me if he could introduce me to people as his girlfriend.  Of course I said yes - I had pursued Chris for weeks hoping for this moment!  I had no idea, however, that I would be with him eleven years later, that we would move across Texas together, or that I would carry his baby someday.  Instead, I was content to be his girlfriend.  It was a good day, and the beginning of eleven good years.          

Pregnancy Progress

I'm in week 24 now.  I began to look pregnant, as opposed to chunky, around week 22.  My stomach is now protruding nicely and people have started to touch my belly.  My mom and I went shopping for maternity clothes two weeks ago and now I wear maternity clothes most of the time I'm not lounging around the house.

I felt the baby move for the first time while Chris and I were in Hawaii.  It was so different than anything I'd ever felt before that I stopped what I was doing to focus on this new experience.  Now, I feel the baby's movements daily, especially after I eat and when I'm not moving a lot.   Last week I saw the baby move for the first time when a particularly strong movement caused a quick rise and fall in my stomach.

At week 20, Chris went to my prenatal appointment with me because I was scheduled for a sonogram.  We saw our little baby, who no longer looks like a blob, move around in my stomach.  It was so neat to see the details, like tiny fingers, four sections of the heart, and spinal bones.

So far I have experienced several normal pregnancy symptoms, although not all at one time or in abundance.  It's been more of a random sampling of nausea, thirst, congestion, increased acne (darn hormones), elevated body temperature, hip and back pain, round ligament pain, leg cramps, indigestion, a heightened sense of smell, sleeplessness, and dizziness when I don't eat regularly enough.  I'll stop there for the sake of decency.

Despite all the side affects of being pregnant, I suspect that I will miss some aspects of being pregnant after this is all over.  People treat me so nicely, are genuinely interested in my well-being, and insist on doing things for me.  As excited as I am to meet my baby, I'm trying to enjoy these few months as much as possible.

The Clock is Ticking

There's nothing like the upcoming birth of your first child to motivate you to check a few things off your to-do list.  One of the first things Chris and I did after the doctor confirmed my pregnancy was book plane tickets to Hawaii.  Chris always wanted to visit Hawaii, and I'm always eager for a vacation.  We spent a lovely week on the island of Kauai with our friends Benji and Kynndra.

I tried not to let my emerging baby bump stop me from enjoying the beach, a choppy boat ride, and a long, rainy hike through the Alakai Swamp, even if it meant the only place to use the restroom was the middle of a boardwalk surrounded by soggy marsh.   While hiking, Benji thought it was funny to hide in the thick foliage along the trail so that he could scare me when I passed by.  In the end, the joke was on him because I unknowingly stopped for an emergency bathroom break right in front of one of his hiding spots.  That was the last time Benji tried to scare me.      

Chris @ Hanalei Bay

Haena Beach.

Alakai Swamp/

Poipu Beach.

NaPali Coast Boat Rid.

Poipu Sunrise.

Quuen's Pond.

Swamp, swamp, swamp.

We rented a beautiful little guest house on a mountainside and a four-wheel-drive jeep.  We flew over the island in a helicopter, where Chris I had front row seats.  We swam in the clear ocean, drove through mud puddles, and explored the mountains and valleys.  Chris and I had dinner with a former school mate of mine.  It really was a lovely vacation.

Muddy jeep, muddy Kim. 

Wailua Falls. 

Helicopter Ride.

Waimea Canyon.

Kalalau Valley.

In the mountains at Kokee State Park.

Burger stop.

Our last day on the island was a roller coaster ride.   In the morning, we visited a church near our guest house and enjoyed potluck under huge trees.  Chris and I drove over a long stretch of deep potholes disguised as a road to explore one final beach.  We even arrived at the airport in time to stop for dinner at a nearby restaurant.  

Toward the end of our meal, Chris realized he left a an envelope of cash at the guest house, which was about 20 minutes from the airport.  We had a little over an hour until our flight left, and we still had to return our rented jeep.  To Chris, this meant he had just enough time to drive to the guest house, grab the cash, drive back to the airport, return the rental car, dash through security, and board the plane.  So, in a matter of minutes, the last hour of our vacation became the most stressful hour of the whole trip.  While Chris drove to the guesthouse, I checked our bags and printed our boarding passes, which easier said than done when one passenger is absent and unable to present his driver's license himself.  Then I waited, and waited, and waited.  I had a some slow minutes to think about our honeymoon seven years earlier, when Chris left me at the airport to return to our cabin and retrieve our forgotten camera.  Chris didn't make it back to the airport on time, and I flew home from my honeymoon solo.  

As I was waiting for Chris again seven years later, Benji called from the terminal and advised that boarding had started.  I continued to wait.  Finally, Chris came running around the corner.  We zipped through security and one final agricultural check (Praise God!) and made it to the terminal just in time to board the plane.  Chris and I were going home together this time, and with at least five minutes to spare.

The expected arrival of a baby also prompted Chris and I to begin preparing a nursery.  This, I believe, was expected.  What was not expected was how painting a nursery led to conversations about new carpet, which led to the eventual demolition of our kitchen.

Day one of the renovation.

Remodeling the kitchen is something Chris and I intended to do since we purchased our house, but it took preparing a nursery to actually make it happen.  Ironically, all nursery progress has ceased because the nursery is now serving as storage and a makeshift kitchen.  Better now than never.

  

Doug's Bed

I do not call Doug's bed a drawer.  I call it a murphy bed.

Doug likes his murphy bed.  

In Memoriam

Over the last few months, Chris and I have experienced the loss of two grandparents.  In May,  Chris' paternal grandmother, Grandma Cuca, passed away.  The week prior to her death, Grandma Cuca traveled to Chihuahua on her own.  A few days later, she suffered a heart attack from which she was unable to recover.  To say that the sudden turn of events was a shock would be an understatement.

When Chris learned that Grandma Cuca was not expected to recover, he caught the first flight to El Paso.  I mean that literally.  I came home from work to see Chris walking out the front door with a backpack.  Chris asked me to drive him to the airport, where he bought a ticket at the ticket counter and then boarded a plane 45 minutes later.  Praise God that Chris and I were able to afford a last minute plane ticket because Chris was able to spend some valuable time with Grandma Cuca while she was still alert, just days before she passed.

Grandma Cuca at my wedding.

Grandma Cuca was a very special person.  Although she lived by herself, people were constantly visiting her.  She was funny and mischievous.  While in law school, I flew to El Paso by myself for a job interview.  I stayed with Grandma Cuca.  She cooked for me, sent food home with me, and even volunteered my services to drive a neighbor to the pharmacy.

Here is a video Chris and his relatives made several years ago for a surprise birthday party for Grandma Cuca, which will show you just how much she was loved.

This past week, my paternal grandfather passed away.  Grandpa's health had been declining for a while.  Last fall, I told Chris that I wanted to help fly my grandparents down for Christmas because I suspected that Grandpa may not be able to travel long distances much longer.  Two months later, my grandparents were at our home for several days over Christmas.  Praise God for impressing on me the need to make a special effort to spend Christmas with Grandpa.

Grandpa was a tall man.  For as long as I can remember, he always wore black SAS shoes and a fanny pack.  More than once he explained to me that he prefers a fanny pack because it holds a lot, is easy to access, and protects his valuables from pick-pockets.  He had a coin purse that fanned open with one simple touch, which always amazed me a child.  When I was young and would hurt myself or get upset about something, he would always say, "It'll all be over before you get married."  Always.

Grandpa working in his office,
One of my favorite pictures of Grandpa.

Grandpa was infamous among my family for taking pictures, which was a tedious task at times.  Sometimes, when I have attempted to improve positioning, postures, or background while taking pictures with my siblings or other relatives in my dad's family, my family has jokingly cried, "Okay, Grandpa," or "Come on, Grandpa."  I consider these comments a compliment.

One of Grandpa's favorite pictures of the Texas cousins,
taken by none other than himself.

When I started college at UTA, a public university, Grandpa sent me a letter.  My grandparents have sent me hundreds of cards and postcards, but they are always in Grandma's handwriting.  Grandpa always received honorary mention at the end of these notes, which Grandma signed with the customary, "Love, Grandma and Grandpa."  The letter I received when I started college was in Grandpa's handwriting and was signed simply, "Grandpa."  This letter was from Grandpa.  In the letter, Grandpa warned me about dating non-Adventist boys.  He advised me not to date non-Adventist boys casually because what I might intend to be just one or two dates could easily turn into something much more serious.  I appreciated the letter but didn't give it much thought as I had no intention to get married anytime soon.  Little did I know that I would meet a very special young man while I was attending UTA and that what started as a simple friendship would be a marriage, a family, and a life ten years later.  Most find it ironic that out of the 30,000 students attending UTA, I found and married one of the few Adventist men on campus.  I know, however, that it was not irony.  It was God's answer to Grandpa's prayers for me to find the right partner.

Some of the memories I treasure most about Grandpa date to the summer of 2009, when I spent ten weeks interning in Seattle.  I spent a lot of time with my grandparents over that summer and came to know my grandparents in a way I never would have otherwise.  Grandpa drove me all over the Seattle area that summer, with Grandma and I as happy passengers.  Ever since that summer, I maintained a close relationship with my grandparents, calling them regularly.  At the conclusion of all of my conversations with Grandpa, he prayed with me.  The last time Grandpa spoke to me was right after he learned I am pregnant with what will be his second great grandchild.  He was unable to talk very long, but he made sure to pray for me and my baby.

Grandpa and I in Wenatchee, Washington; Summer 2009.

Last week I spoke to Grandpa for the last time and as hard as it was, it was an honor to pray for him.  Although I know Grandpa is now resting in Jesus, waiting for his beloved Savior to say, "Well done my good and faithful servant," it won't be easy to start receiving notes from Grandma, in Grandma's handwriting, signed simply, "Love, Grandma."  

Interestingly, my Grandpa knew Chris' Grandma Cuca long before Chris and I ever met.  My Grandpa worked for the Adventist church in El Paso many years ago, where Grandma Cuca lived.  During this time, Grandpa officiated over the wedding of one of Grandma Cuca's children, Chris' aunt Rosie and Uncle Tony.  Grandpa also worked with Grandma Cuca because she was the treasurer at her church.  Grandpa told me that Grandma Cuca was one of the best church treasurers he ever worked with.  Several years after my grandparents had left Texas, Chris and I happened to meet at UTA without any knowledge that our families already knew each other.  Some meetings are truly the work of God.

Small Surprises

Life as a Sias documents some of the biggest moments in my life: marriage, graduations, several moves, several vacations, adopting Doug, and buying a house.  This post marks the beginning of a new volume.

Okay, so maybe this is the prologue to a soon-to-arrive volume.  Either way, things are going to change a lot in the Sias house.

Chris and I shared the news with our families first.  We took our parents and siblings out to dinner.  At the end of the meal, the waitress passed out fortune cookies with these messages inside:

It's a good things I'm actually pregnant, or else this would have been a very awkward way to end dinner.

I've spent the last two weeks sharing the news with friends and family.  This has been particularly exciting because there is no company that allows you to buy a dozen customized fortune cookies.  The minimum order is 50.    

After having announced my pregnancy to several people, I feel qualified to write a frequently asked questions section to answer all of the questions burning at the tip of your tongue.  Here it goes, in no particular order.

Q:  What is your due date:

A:  February 6, 2014.

Q:  How do you feel?

A:  Thirsty and tired.

Q:  Have you been nauseous? 

A: Yes, but not too much. 

Q: How long until you learn the gender?

A: Approximately 26 weeks, or when the baby is born

Q: How can you wait until the birth to know the gender?????

A: Chris and I both like surprises. 

Q:  But how will you prepare without knowing the gender?????

A:  I believe labor and delivery is the same regardless of the gender.  Also, last I checked, baby boys and baby girls have the same basic needs. 

Q: Do you like yellow?

A: I do now that I know it looks fabulous with grey.  Take that as a hint. 

Q:  Have you thought about a name?

A: Of course, but remember that Chris and I like surprises, so this means that the names will remain a secret as well.

Q: Names?  Are you having twins?

A: No, but we need to pick a girl's name and a boy's name.  That's how you prepare for a gender reveal party that takes place at delivery.

Q:  What are you going to do with your car, the little convertible Cadillac that seats two?

A:  Enjoy the heck out of it for now!  

Q: What about Doug?

A: I'm fairly certain he has absolutely no idea what I mean when I pat my tummy and tell him I'm pregnant. 

Q: Will you keep working?

A: Wow, what a great question.  If only I had a short answer appropriate for the FAQ format.  

Q: Are you excited?

A: Excited is an understatement.  I am so incredibly happy I could die, but I won't because I am growing another human. 

Q: Are you going on a baby moon?

A:  Yes I am.  Hawaii, here I come!

Acorns

The Sias house has lots of acorns in the spring, thanks to our mature oak trees.  This year, several of the acorns became baby trees.  Uprooting these little trees provided a neat insight into how an acorn becomes a tree.

Life in the Valley . . . Continued

After nearly two years in the Valley, Chris and I witnessed our very first smuggling operation in real time.  We woke up very early one Saturday morning and decided to go watch the sunrise at a state park that borders the Rio Grande River.   After biking to an observation tower and watching the sun rise behind extensive cloud cover (boo!), we headed home around seven.

Shortly after we exited the park, we passed a man hiding in a bush and a suburban on the side of the road just a few hundred feet away.  Less than a minute later, Chris was yelling excited exclamations at me while he pulled onto the shoulder.  After a brief second of confusion on my part, I looked in the rear view mirror and saw the cause of his excitement.  The white suburban had stopped by the bushes where the man was hiding, and about 15 men were running out of the bushes and jumping into the suburban.  Chris told me to "do something," so I called the nearest Border Patrol station.  Meanwhile, Chris decided to follow suburban, which I successfully protested when the suburban made an abrupt turn down an unpaved, unmarked road.  It was a crazy way to start the Sabbath.

Speaking of life in the Valley, the Sias house no longer has cable.  That means we now have an antenna that is bombarded with Spanish stations regularly featuring women in bikinis for absolutely no apparent reason.  Sometimes the bikini-clad women are crowded into a small hot tub overflowing with bare skin.  The bikini girls make the weather girl's snug, spandex dress look conservative.

Smuggling and bikinis.  This pace is ridiculous.

Catching Up

Because August is just around the corner and I haven't updated my blog since May, here is my attempt at catching up a bit.

May brought the end of another pathfinder year.  Working with the pathfinders is extremely rewarding, but I always relish the end of the year.  Everyone needs a couple months to recharge, counselors and students.

This pretty much sums up my year.

At the end of May, I hosted a baby shower for my friend Rachella and her husband Gabe.  This was no small feat as this was the first shower I ever hosted and 60+ guests attended.  I guess I like to go big or go home.  Next time I might just go home.

To continue with the baby theme, I made my first diaper cake for a co-worker's baby shower.  For the first time ever, my house smelled like diapers for a couple days.

In June, I traveled to Georgia for a training conference.  For the first time in a very long time, I stayed in a dorm, used shared shower facilities, and ate in a cafeteria.  Some of the other attorneys in attendance were offended by the accommodations, but I chose to focus on our proximity to St. Simon's Island.  I had no idea Georgia has lovely white sand beaches surrounded by large trees dripping with Spanish moss.  Lovely, lovely, lovely!

After I returned from training, I celebrated yet another birthday.  Rachella surprised me with an oh-so-delicious triple chocolate cake topped with strawberries, and Chris surprised me with a sewing machine.  Fast forward two months and I still have not learned to do anything with my sewing machine.  Plans to remedy this failure are in the works.

July brought visitors!  Jesse (Chris' brother) and Vanessa (Jesse's wife) visited with my only nephew, Elijah, over the Fourth of July weekend.  We spent most of the holiday weekend around the house, with the exception of Sunday brunch at a local restaurant, an evening walk to watch local fireworks, and a rainy trip to the beach (boo again!).  Three-month-old Elijah didn't seem to mind the slow pace, however, and neither did anyone else.

The following weekend, Chris' cousin Marissa visited with her six-month-old baby Jonah.  I saw first hand how much a baby develops from three to six months, and now I can't wait until Elijah is six months old!

To round out the baby trifecta, Rachella visited last night with her new baby, who is now almost two weeks old.  Yes, so much time has passed since I last blogged that I've had time to throw a baby shower for a friend pre-birth and then meet her baby post-birth.  I invited Rachella to hang out with some of the girls at my house last night, but did not really expect her to come.  When she did show up, I learned that inviting someone with a tiny baby to a girl's night is one secret to instant success.  The ladies surrounded baby Leon like flies, and rightly so.  He is so tiny!

Some of the girls in attendance are nurses who work with babies, and it was so fascinating to see how expertly they handled Leon.  They even shared a few insider tips for swaddling, nursing, etc.  Throw in a chick-flick, and the estrogen level was soaring by the end of the evening.

The Sias family has a lot in store over the next few weeks, but I'll leave that for later!

Happy Birthday Mom!

This weekend I traveled to the Fort Worth area to surprise my mom with a 60th birthday celebration.  I made a rainbow cake for the celebration, which I carried on the plane with me.  It was TSA inspected and approved.

All of  my mom's sisters, my dad's sister, and several of my cousins gathered at my Aunt's house on Saturday morning to surprise my mom when she came over after church.  She was very surprised to find everyone hiding in the kitchen.

On Sunday morning, the ladies went to the ArtBarn in Joshua for a private party.  The ArtBarn has a variety of glass, ceramic, and woodworking projects to choose from.  We had so much fun picking different projects and working around the large tables.  My aunt Denise brought lots of yummy food for everyone to munch on.  It was really fun to see everyone's finished projects at the end of the morning.  

Sara, Kelly, Hazel and Katie - the ambitious table.

Mom, Jennifer, Julia, Mimi, Lynda, Denise, and Jenny.

My mom and I. 

One of the employees helping Mimi finish her mug.

Such a fun place!

With our finished projects. 

I used to stay with Jolene and her girls while I was in undergrad.  Now
Jolene's girls are collegiate aged. 

Sorry for the picture overload, but we just had so much fun. 

Before returning home on Sunday evening, I met my first newphew.  Holding tiny baby Elijah while he slept in my arms was the icing on an already wonderful weekend.  

Tia Kim meets baby Elijah.