The kids are all very quiet in their rooms this morning so I thought I would take 4 or 5 minutes (yes, I type VERY fast) to blog. Not that I really have anything blog-worthy to say. It is kind of an outlet for me. I am sure you are tired of hearing about pregancy. Imagine how I feel!!! LOL!!! :)

Today we are going to church again at that sweet lil' church I told you about. We made it 2 weeks in a row and couldn't go last week. The pastor's wife texted us (don't you love technology) to tell us that we were missed. :) I thought that was so sweet. Only problem is that John and I don't know how to text back. Yep, the incredible technologically advanced Phams CANNOT text! We both giggle at that. But to be honest, we have zero desire to learn. Anyway, we are going back this morning and are looking forward to it.

We are LOVING Saturdays here as a family now that we have a BBQ grill, yard, neighborhood kids and college football. Need I say more. How about them Gators?

And of course, a blog wouldn't be a blog unless I ended on a pregnancy note. Yesterday morning I kept telling John that either the baby was super, duper big or that he had moved in a way that was hurting me a lot. I seriously felt like I had been punched in the stomache. The sensation would come and go. Last night, I figured out that the baby has flipped over to my right side. For the past 10 weeks (at least) he has been head down with his abdomen on my left while he is all curled up and his bum-bum is on my right. Last night, he would move and I just want to scream b/c it hurt to so bad. Well, his head is still down, but for some reason after almost 3 months he decided to flip over to my right side and honestly I think he is now spine to spine with me. All the kicks from his arms and legs are coming straight out now and every move he makes is hurting (even in my sleep). My only 2 concerns (and yes, I am 100% positive his position has changed, his hiccups confirmed this) is 1., the umbilical cord. It was already wrapped once around his neck. Flipping like that can cause it to wrap again and 2., That when labor does start, that he will be spine to spine with me (OUCH!!). I believe I might have had that once, with Jaxson, and it makes labor a lot worse.

But alas, no reason to think or worry about what I can't control. God's already God it under his care! But you can pray he will not be spine to spine and no cord around his neck and that if he would kindly flip back over to the left side so I wouldn't be in pain, that would be great.

It's time to start this wonderful, glorious Lord's day. I hope that your's is blessed too!

13 or less days to go. At the end of a pregnancy that can seem like an eternity, but then I look at that little ticker that says I've already made it 266 days. I CAN DO IT!! :) Little Miles doesn't feel so little anymore. Every movement he makes feels BIG! We are enjoying our last few days or weeks as a "small" family. LOL!! All is well over here!

My normal OBGYN is still out of town so if I have the baby before Oct. 2nd it will be with his wonderful partner, Dr. Levano who doesn't speak much English (I think he can, he just doesn't feel confident). I've learned A LOT of new labor terms lately. Either way, I will be in some of the best OB hands in Peru!

BTW- GO GATORS!

X7

It is so hard to believe that in 2 weeks or less we will be holding little Miles Anderson Pham. The anticipation of his arrival is more exciting than Christmas. It feels like a honeymoon everyday! The kids have become VERY familiar with the term contraction. In fact, if I even whince for a second, they will come over, rub my belly, pray for me and ask if I am having a contraction. What sweety pies! Everyday they ask if TODAY IS THE DAY!!?!! Only God knows!

But for now, we are content enjoying every moment as a phamilyof6. I just look at these kids and am overwhelmed with love for them. And soon we will be overflowing in love X7!

We have REALLY had to switch gears the past few days. Planning for a homebirth is completely different than planning for a hospital birth. Everything is now ready for the baby to come and the bags are packed (well, at least his is). The childcare for the kids is set. My wonderful neighbor is set to care for the kids. We have become fast friends and she is absolutely a precious gift from God. She is ready, eager and willing to help at a moment's notice. I have had to get my birthing plan together as well as having to prepare myself that I will have to "fight" for my desires in the hospital here, which is why I will labor at home until it is time for the baby to come. We only live less than a 3/4 of a mile from the hospital so we can get there very quickly. I have lined up a translator (a fellow missionary friend) to come to the hospital so that she can clearly communicate what I cannot when I am in extreme pain. She knows my birth plan and is already working on getting it translated so that she can ensure my needs and desires are being met. She has spoken Spanish for over 20 years, so for her it will be effortless. It takes a lot of pressure off of John and I to know we can focus on relaxing and getting the baby out while she is advocating and translating. We are still hoping to be able to come home within 6-7 hours after the birth so that alleviates having to pack bags for the kids and ship them somewhere overnight.

I am surprisingly NOT grieving the homebirth decision at ALL! I feel extremely confident that God will work out every detail in the hospital and that we are with the right doctors and are receiving the BEST care possible here! I am actually looking forward to the birthing experience MUCH more now that it will be with this doctor than I was with the midwife. I think that is a good confirmation. And having my friend translate is like the icing on the cake. Now if he'll just stay in until Jenn gets here on Oct. 1st, then everything will be PERFECT!

On another note, Monday is Parker's 9th b-day. If you would like to call or send him an e-mail, he would LOVE that. We did this last year and I think now he might be expecting it again. He mentioned how much he loves the calls and letters and can't wait for them. Our number is 321-766-4043. It makes him feel REALLY special!

Jessica Update from John

Jessica was released from the hospital. They stabilized her Blood Pressure and got the headache under control. She tested negative for Pre-eclampsia. They sent her home with a blood pressure monitor to help ensure it doesn't skyrocket again. Baby can stay in unless the BP gets too high again. The Dr. believes that she had migraine (from pregnancy and/or stress) and this caused her BP to rise. She is stable and resting. She can resume her normal activities based around her headaches or BP. Thank you for your prayers.

We have opted to not have a homebirth for many reasons. The main one being that the midwife we chose did not inform us that she is prohibited from working in the hospital that would deliver the baby if a problem arose. We were informed that due to previous complications, she is restricted from working there. That is now 3 separate doctors who have told us stories of complications gone array with her, on top of Jessica's feelings of uneasiness and lack of confidence in her. Thus, she will labor at home and we will go to the hospital when things are getting close. And then we can come home shortly after that if there are no problems.

John

update

The headache is under control. The blood pressure has gone down to a normal level now. Dr. is waiting to receive the protein results from my urine. If there is no protein then I can go home. We are hoping there is none. If there is protein then I definitely have Pre-eclampsia and will have a baby today. However, the dr. thinks my headache is from the pregnancy/stress and that made my BP go so high. He is sending me home with an electrical BP monitor so that I can measure my own BP many times a day and make sure it doesn't get so high again. He said if I don't have pre-eclampsia then I am good to go to have the baby at home. But he gave me some new information today that I need to pray about in regards to the midwife I have chosen. I will receive the results of the protein test in about an hour or so. If I go home, I can resume my normal activities based on my headaches and blood pressure. Thanks for all your prayers! I'll let you know what I find out.

BTW-ALL of my communication with the doctor was in Spanish. That felt good to know that I CAN do it!

Not My Will but Yours be Done!

Went to my 37 week check up (36.6 days at midnight) not feeling well still with a terrible headache. I have all the classic symptoms of pre-eclampsia. 5 lbs. in 10 days. Lots of swelling. Horrible headache for 24 hours that will not subside, and high blood pressure. The doctor is very concerned and is admitting me tonight to try to get the blood pressure under control as well as the headache. He wants to do some testing for pre-eclampsia as well. The baby is fine. His fluid is good. I am dialated already about 2 centimeters so that is good in case we have to take him tomorrow. The ultrasound showed he is very big already and measuring around 7 lbs. 12 ounces. The doctor was shocked at his size. None of this is part of my perfect plan, but I am in no way forgetting God's sovereignty, protection and hand of guidance and love. Please pray for everything to work out safely and smoothly. The doctor said if I have pre-eclampsia that he has to come out now. He will induce me naturally without pitocin and do everything he can to get things going so I can have a drug-free labor. He is the top Chief OBGYN at the leading medical hospital in Peru. I feel completely safe under his care. Maybe I'll be home tomorrow and can wait this out 3 weeks or maybe I'll be home in a few days with a baby. Only God knows and I am trying to be very open to His Will and not mine. You know how much I have wanted a natural homebirth. Please pray for God's perfect, divine plan and also for the baby's safety as well as mine! Pre-eclampsia can be very dangerous, so I just praise God this doctor is on top of things. More when I can!

Check back in this evening and I will have a good update for you. Lots going on here and it's been a crazy 2 days. I have my 37 week OBGYN appt. at 5 p.m. It was suppose to be tomorrow, but the doctor has a conference. The midwife is coming to the house on Saturday to tell us what we need to do to get ready for the birth. More later....

Priorities

I stumbled upon this yesterday on a blog of someone who reads (or at least use to read my blog) http://7wagners.blogspot.com/ ! WOW! It really put things in perspective and I wanted to share it with you. I DID NOT write this, but I think it will bless you as well....

"PRIORITIES
If I can look at my primary job as that of:

1. Helping and meeting the needs of my husband and
2. Training my children in righteousness,

then all the other stuff (homeschool, housework, to-do lists, etc.) will be what fills in my extra time.
I won't be upset when those things are interrupted by my husband's needs or the need to train my children because the "other stuff" is actually an interruption to my primary job."

woes of a 9 month pregnant woman. Yes, I guess I'm complaining a little!

Not much to write. I just feel yucky! Really yucky! I'm not sick. All I want to do is sleep, have zero desire to do anything. I am taking 2 naps a day again and am generally fatigued. I'm out of breath constantly and doing even little things takes most of my available energy. It makes me frustrated that I have no energy to do my daily chores, much less excerise. I've missed 4 days of exercise and I know it is so good for me, but the thought of expending energy I don't have just doesn't appeal. I felt fine up until Saturday evening around 5 p.m. and since then, crash and burn. If I didn't detest caffeine so much (I haven't really drank it in almost a year), then I would be loading up. But I know that's not a good idea. Anyway, wah, wah, wah...woe is me! I'm sure I'm fine, but I did think of dragging myself to the doctor because I really think my iron is just bottoming out. But I don't have the energy or desire to deal with it. So for now, I will just allow hubby and the kids to pamper me. They'll be plenty of time to be a crazy, productive, go-getter in my next stage of life.

Bitter Sweet

So sad...we had to tell our empleada (house helper) today that we will no longer be needing her services. She has been with us our entire first year here 1 day a week deep cleaning the apartment and folding laundry. Due to the size of our house, needing help more than one day a week, and the rate increase she gave us (we were already paying her 10-15 soles more than most maids make in a day) we had to find someone else. It's really kind of sad because we loved her a lot, but I think the new arrangement will be better for our family. Please pray for our old empleada (God knows her name) and that God will provide her another job very quickly.

Our new empleada, which we have known for about 9 months, started on Friday and she worked from 9:30 - 4:30 p.m. and did ALL the laundry (sorting, washing, drying, folding and putting away) as well as dusting, mopping, floors, bathrooms, the kitchen, etc...). We came home to a sparkling house. Her rate is 22 soles ($7.50) cheaper per day and I do not have to provide her a meal (although I will if we have it) and she will do windows as well as the laundry from start to finish. We did tell her we would pay for her bus fair. She is so happy to have the job because she will make in 2 full days at our house, what she was making working 6, 6 hour days at another job. So it helps both of us. She is an extremely strong Christian believer and knows the Word very well. She is also good with kids as she has 4 of her own. She is also a type A personality like John and I so she works fast and thorough. And honestly, at this point I don't even care about thorough. I'm just happy to have the help and not be sweeping ALL day, everyday. You can't understand the dirtiness of this city until you live here. Now we live next to some dirt mountains so the dust is exponentially worse. And on top of that, we have 4 cute kids running in and out all day tracking in more dirt. Anyway, it's kind of bitter-sweet saying good-bye to one and hello to another.

But thank God for the blessing of such affordable help here in this city. I told John I want to treat her like a queen so she'll never want to leave!

Miles or Miguel!

Because the house is in order and we are settled and the baby shower is complete (more details about that later) and the baby's room is ready, I feel like I should have a baby TODAY! Seriously! TODAY! Pretty impossible, but now it feels like a long wait since everything is done. Good thing I can keep myself busy with 4 kids, homeschooling and ministry. I hope everyday doesn't feel like a week these next few weeks. I am having ZERO contractions! ZERO (which is a praise God because it would be a week too soon to comfortably have a baby)!! No action, nothing! LOL! I had much more action at 30 weeks. :) I definitely think he will be staying in for the full 40!

We have decided that Miles Anderson Pham will be Miguel Anderson Pham in Spanish. The direct translation for Miles is "thousands" in Spanish. So that is not a good name for him in Spanish. And they don't have a long "I" sound like we do so when we tell people his name they usually can't say it or remember it since it is odd for them. Miguel is so similar to Miles that the kids will be able to remember it and it should not be too confusing for Miles to know that in English his name is Miles and in Spanish Miguel. :)

So thankful

The workers are GONE!! Today was our first day without anyone fixing, pounding, painting or tracking dirt through the house. Not that we minded because it was worth EVERY second. All 3 bathrooms are officially done and every room is painted to look like new. As soon as I finish this blog, I am going to unpack the VERY last box in our bathroom and we will officially be completely moved in 2 weeks later. Not bad! I am 36 weeks on Saturday (29 days left tomorrow - woohooo) and we were expecting to be moving in when I was 36 weeks, so I am so thankful that the Lord worked it out so we could get in and get settled even sooner.

I had my OBGYN check-up yesterday. I gained 1.5 lbs. in 5 days. LOL! The docs first comment to me was, "Good morning. I see you've been eating A LOT!" :) I told the doctor I thought it was the pizza I ate the night before and the heavy jeans that I usually DON'T wear to the appointments. Normally, I wear really light clothes, but they were dirty so I opted for heavy jeans, knowing that it would tip the scale. Oh well! The doctor was leaving yesterday for Europe until October 1st. He only saw 2 patients yesterday and I was one of them. He just wanted to see me one last time before he left even though he is not going to be delivering the baby. Isn't that sweet? My iron is still VERY low and at an anemic level. He nows wants me to take 2 iron pills every other day, on top of my daily iron pill and pre-natal. Good grief! Let's hope it raises soon! Anyway, he is still putting A LOT of pressure on me to have a hospital birth. I told him there is nothing like good ol' fashioned peer pressure. He chuckled and said he hoped it was working. I'll miss him this month, but not the pressure! I will see his partner while he is gone as well as the midwife.

We finished our first week of school (we do 4 day weeks because Fridays we have AWANAS at a local missionary, Christian school). It was GREAT! Like I said, being in the house and having an AWESOME homeschooling room and wonderfully organized curriculum has helped EVERYONE'S attitudes. I am even having MUCH more consistent quiet times because there is actually a place, besides the shower, to have a quiet time. I'm LOVING it and feeling very refreshed and encouraged in the Lord.

I am exercising in my new exercise room which is quite the blessing too. How cool to just shut the door, pop in a video and get it done. And then I usually walk briskly for about 15-20 minutes, after the video, while the kids jog next to me or ride their bikes. It's so fun! I am only doing 45ish minutes, every OTHER day. That's about all I can muster up these days, but I think that is sufficient for being nine months along (on Saturday).

Well, God has blessed us beyond our wildest dreams with this house. Words cannot describe it. I am so thankful!!! And now we are just keeping busy until the next blessing comes very soon. Isn't it crazy to think that in 1 week, the baby could come ANY day after that? I doubt he will, but it is fun to wait, hope and think about the possibilities of "any day now."

Pregnancies in Comparison

This is me at 35 weeks and 3 days with Miles Anderson Pham, baby #5.


And this is me at exactly 40 weeks (I was in labor) with baby #3, Avery Brooke.

Avery weighed 8.4 so it looks like Miles has a little ways to catch up with her. Do you think he can do it?

Good news

Great news! My Group Beta Strep test is NEGATIVE!!!! WOOHOOO!! I will still be treated for it during labor though. Lets pray it doesn't come on in the next 4 weeks. I don't think it will. Usually if I have it, I have it by 20 weeks. I'm praising God for this. I think this is one of the reasons I haven't had as many bladder or kidney problems this pregnancy. I am really happy to get these great results after suffering so with it in many previous pregnancies.

Day 2 of homeschooling completed in the new house. WOW! So much easier to homeschool here than in the apartment. My complete state of mind is better in this house. Just goes to show that your environment can truly affect your mood or emotional status.

P.S. Can someone give me a lesson on affect vs. effect? I'm like 33 and still can't use them right.