Yeah...

So I realized it's been a while since my last post...maybe a week or so....feels like alot has happened. Here we go....first of all, somehow my ob/gyn in Haiti is able to tell women the sex of their baby super early....not sure exactly how since everywhere I read I see that you can't tell until about 16-20 weeks. I was told last week, (at 11 1/2 wks) that we're having a BOY! I mean, thats some really exciting news for us...if it's accurate! We were told at 15 weeks that Stella was a boy...with the little ultrasound picture with 'BOY' on it and everything. SO we're excited but trying to not be too excited in case 11 1/2 weeks is too soon. My sister in laws were both told by this same ob/gyn in Haiti what gender their babies were, one at 9 weeks and one at 11 weeks and it was accurate for both. So, here I am thinking we're going to have a son, but hesitant to really believe it. I'll post again when we know for sure!

Also, we've been in Florida for almost a week now. It's beautiful here. I feel so blessed to have a nice little apt to come back to. It's ironic the timing of this trip back to FL. I'm 12 weeks pregnant....just finishing the bad part (first trimester) of this pregnancy. I spent the most difficult part right in Haiti. Imagine that. But the Lord knows. And now I'm enjoying south Florida all the more. It's also been great to be with friends and our community of believers again. I realized that I start to wither on the inside if I'm removed for too long from a solid body of believers who I'm connected to. We left IHOP in the beginning of Dec...now almost 6 months later I'm able to get reconnected and in a consistent place of teaching and being fed. It's so refreshing. I cried last night at our Friday night service, not so much b/c of what was being sang (during worship), but b/c I was so moved to be part of a body that was all singing in unison and worship to Jesus. I love that. I like to think about how if it moves little ole me as much as it does then what does it do to the heart of God?! Ah....awesome.

That's about it...having a boy, back in Florida (for now), and still loving Jesus. :)

An exciting day...

Yes I'm talking about today. First of all, I have an appointment and my ob might tell me if I'm having a boy or girl! Ah! So fun! Although I'm only 11 weeks along, they somehow are able to tell you earlier here. A benefit of being in Haiti right now...I guess. So you know I have these 2 sweet girls and you would think I'm dying for a boy.....but I'm not. I mean, of course it would be so fun to have a son especially since I just don't know how many more babies this bod can handle. I'm just in the groove of girls at this point. I kinda feel like I wouldn't know what to do with a little....ya know. A few months back I witnessed my nephew's circumsision and yes, I was totally, 100% traumatized. So anyways, we'll know soon enough!

Reason #2 for an exciting day....we're flying to Florida tonight! For free! On a nice jet! SO FUN! I'm just really ready for a break from Haiti....already. I may seem like a wimp, but first trimester preggo in Haiti for a Florida girl is just....hard. I mean we've been here for a little over a month and it feels like a year. Ok maybe not that bad...but imagine being a stay at home mom who is very much a homebody with the things that you and the kiddies are used to, the comforts of your 'home', your kitchen gadgets, familiar foods and snacks, parks, pools, church, your friends, and when you're pregnant and feel like puking every 5 minutes, you can puke in an odor free, somewhat comfortable place and then lay down on your own bed or couch and put on a movie so your 2 year old is entertained for a little bit ....then you move to a 3rd world country where you don't have any of the things you're used to and your house is not a home. You can't even leave your house which is also walled and gated in. And if you could leave....where would you go? And with what vehicle? Oh and when you do go in a car, your 2 kids have to sit on your lap b/c there's not enough space for carseats...and nevermind the potholes. Your kids would bounce around like ping pong balls in there if your arms weren't the seatbelts. The car situation feels really good on the nausia and growing belly too by the way. You have a couple of toys for your kids which get old for a 2 and 1 year old in about 5 minutes and the kids that come around, you wonder if your child will get sick from playing with them and you of course can't even communicate with anyone.... Nothing is the same here. The smells are a little intense. You wake up to roosters crowing 5 feet from your window at 4:30am. (It actually sounds kinda nice when they're a bit further away and not at 4:30 :) If it's not roosters, cows and neighbors, it's mack trucks honking their horns seemingly in your driveway...yes all at 4:30am. So...I'm just sayin...when you're pregnant (again, first trimester)...really sick and really tired and running after your other 2 babies you just want a little comfort, right? (Yes, this may be the priss coming out in me...) Our pretty little house is bare and fairly empty as of now. No such thing as entertainment in the house...no tv, music playing device, internet...just a few things I'm acustomed to. Oh, we do have a little portable dvd players which we use for a movie every other day or so. I say this with a realization that we truly believe that God wants us here for a while (which I don't know what a 'while' is) but it doesn't make the challenges less challenging, does it? Maybe it does...b/c at least I know we're supposed to be here and not just 'serving Haiti' in our own strength. B/c I guess we wouldn't be here if it were for that. Unfortunatly, that does make me feel a bit spoiled...but what do you expect when you're raised in the comforts and ease of life in the US? I'm confident that in due time (meaning the glory of the second trimester)...and once we can make our house homey and more familiar for our family, and once some of the spoiledness leaves me and I'm able to remember for longer than 10 minutes at a time how blessed we are, all will be well again. But currently I'm ready to be back in my little familiar place called Florida. :) Sorry for the long list of complaints. I couldn't hold it in. Hopefully that's the only time you'll have to endure my whining on a post.

#3

Yeah, so I was just thinking that I was out of the woods with this nausia stuff and suddenly this intense feeling of 'ready to puke' just comes upon me. What is up with that?! I'm chewing some peppermint gum now which is helping but that bad feeling is still lingering a little...Yuck! Second trimester, hurry up and get here!

Haiti

It's hot here. Jeans are a no-no. Just felt the need to share with you all...if you ever decide to visit Haiti, do not wear jeans. Especially if you're pregnant and in Haiti....don't wear them.

Our Family

So this is my go at blogging and I'm hoping I have the inner strength to keep it going. :) I love writing so this should work out nicely. I am a 'finally appreciating that I am Puerto Rican' mom of 2 that was raised in South Florida. I am married almost 5 years at this point, to Theo and we have 2 beautiful daughters named Stella, and Naya. It's amazing how time flies. Sometimes I just think back and wonder how so many big things like getting married and having kids happened so quickly. It's true, life is but a vapor. I'm also 11 weeks pregnant with babe #3. This one has been a hard one. But I guess I have several other factors influencing the difficulty of this first trimester. We just moved to Haiti! Yes, 3rd world country Haiti. And we came after the Jan 12th earthquake at that. Needless to say we're still adjusting. We are a Jesus loving, Jesus trusting, Jesus following family. We try hard to literally do those things....not just to say 'we love Jesus' and go about doing what we want. That being said, this is why we moved to Haiti. Oh, and my husband is Haitian! So, this is our family. I hope to share our life and love with you here!