28 weeks

This is last week's picture at 28 weeks. Things are still going well!! He'll be here before we know it!

The Big 4-0!

Birthdays are always fun to celebrate, especially when you hit a new decade...but there's something about 40. Marshall has been a great sport about this big birthday, and he still can't believe he's 40. I had to do what I could to make it good and memorable!

Friday, his actual birthday we started out in Lima (because of the baby scare) and were on a super early flight back. We both were very busy making up for the day before being gone (Marshall with his SAM Academy classes and sermon prep, me with birthday gift and party prep). We went out to a late lunch at one of his favorite spots here in Pucallpa, where I gave him a small book I compiled of favorite memories, nicknames, parenting advice, etc from people throughout his life who helped contribute. My goal was at least 40 entries for his 40th...there were 42. :)  He loved it. 

Saturday was the day of his party. I was going non-stop all day long to make up for the lost day of party prep (though finding out our little man was alright was worth it). From more baking, sewing bean bags (for the cornhole game-which was a hit!), decorating, it was a crazy day! I couldn't have pulled off the party well if it weren't for several people helping out! 

The party was no surprise to him, but I didn't want him to know about the decorations....so I had to be tricky inside and outside the home. It was a Gator theme (from his University of Florida alma mater), and I used what I could from my jungle resources! :) 

I also posted a few of his MANY nicknames he's gotten through life....these are the ones that most of his friends here know about, or use regularly. :)

It'll receive no special award for its beauty and design, nor will it be pinned on pinterest, but here's his favorite chocolate cake before he blew out the candles. (there were 4 sheet cakes to serve).

And this was one of my favorite surprise projects, and Marshall LOVED it! It was somewhere around 85 pictures of him throughout his life: baby, childhood, teenage years, marines, college, Peru 2000-2002, seminary, trips to Europe, the middle east, back to Peru 2007-2010, and a few of us the past few years. God has given this man SO many adventures and he's had such a FULL life/ He loves sharing his stories, what he's learned along the way, and what God has done in his life. (He's gonna be a great dad!)

Here's the food table....as orange and blue as I could get it, even if it wasn't the exact orange and blue! Once again, I had A LOT of help here with this! Several people brought snacks and drinks. 

Marshall shared with me that he wanted cornhole at his party, and originally was going to make it himself. About a week before the party he told me he highly doubted he'd have the time to make it, and for me not to worry about making the bean bags. I asked if I could have them made, would he still want them....and he said yes, but didn't know who I was thinking of....so I slightly conspired, they were made, and it was such a HUGE hit! The kids were playing with it non-stop, and some adults got a few chances too.

There were easily at least 50 people that came. I didn't and haven't counted, but a good amount of people showed up. It was really fun!

 

We also had tables set out with games for people to play too... Dutch Blitz was the most popular!

And finally, a picture of the two of us....I mean....three of us! :)

HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY MARSHALL!!!

A Little Baby Scare

Tuesday night (shortly after we opened our fun baby shower bag from the US) we had our next doctor's appointment with the OB/GYN here in Pucallpa. Everything was fine with the physical, but when he did the ultrasound, he told us that I had too little amniotic fluid.  He explained that this could mean our little guy may have kidney problems or a blockage, and he also wanted us to prepare for a premature birth and gave me a prescription for some steroid shots to help mature the lil' guy's lungs. He said there was better equipment in Lima to be able to evaluate further. (I was only 26 weeks and 2 days at this point.) 

I (Becca) held myself together well while in the office, but broke down when we got in the truck.  Over dinner we prayed and talked about various scenarios. Was this a huge find and would we find ourselves having a super preemie baby? Is there something wrong with his kidneys?? ('Cause if so, I'm goin' home!! I know some great neonatologists!!) Or is this just another case of bad equipment/medical care in Pucallpa??

I scanned the ultrasound pictures, prescription, and other info and sent it to my OB/GYN in Lima that night to see what he thought. In the morning I saw my email didn't go through. I tried again. Strike 2. UGH!!! So I texted him (doctors here will give out personal phone numbers). He emailed me quickly (which made me realize my scanned files were too big). He looked over the stuff told me NOT to take the prescription meds (which we didn't get for a reason) and that they'll only help after week 30-31. He couldn't read the ultrasound pictures well, so he recommended that we come right away to Lima to get things checked out. He was out of the office, but wanted us to see another doctor who was specialized in 3D/4D ultrasounds. 

So then we scrambled. I called that doc's office and the only available times were the following day (Thursday) at 11:30 or this week on Tuesday. Marshall called our travel agent friends, and within an hour we had flights to Lima for that night and an appointment the next morning. 

I was always excited about having a 3D/4D ultrasound to see our little guy's face....but not really under these circumstances! We get to our appointment and didn't know what to expect. First off, we saw a VERY full bladder and healthy kidneys (CHECK!), he measured his head, and then checked circulation INSIDE of his brain!! We could see his brain and the bloodflow! Crazy!! (All checked out great there). Next the heart....we got to see INSIDE of his little heart. I couldn't help but not count everything and look at each valve flapping well. How often will you ever get to look inside your child's heart???? (It also checked out great). Amniotic fluid....CHECK!! Normal level!! :D There were other things that were looked at as well, and everything came back great! He's a healthy boy! 

And we got to see his precious face! I think he's quite handsome!! :) At one point we saw him move a finger on his right hand over his right eye!! SUPER CUTE!! and when we were looking at the 2D profile of his face, we saw him swallow...even the doctor was excited, I guess that's something you don't see on an ultrasound everyday!

So the little guy gave his parents a little outing/32 hour date in Lima! We got to see a few good friends, enjoy COOL weather and HOT showers (instead of the other way around), and eat at Papa John's, McD's, Chili's (a pre-birthday treat for Marshall), Starbucks, and Dunkin Donuts! We don't regret our decision to go at all. We're so glad we did!

We're not quite out of the woods (or jungle I guess!!) yet though. Please pray for a continued healthy pregnancy. Dengue fever (a mosquito borne virus) is really strong here right now, and depending on the strand, it can be dangerous to a pregnant woman and the baby in the 1st and 3rd trimesters. I'm leaving for Lima early, in January, to avoid further risk. Please pray that I don't get dengue, and if I do, that its a mild case that causes our son no problems. Thank you!

Baby Shower in a Bag!

We were SO HUGELY BLESSED this month by some sweet maternity and baby gifts from Marshall's mom and some friends in Birmingham. Two of our friends here went back to the US for Thanksgiving, lightly packed, and were willing to help us get things down here....it evolved into a "Mobile Baby Shower" or "Shower in a Suitcase". It was such a HUGE thing! Both for those purchasing and those carrying this bag for us!! It was also a HUGE blessing that our friends didn't get stopped in customs and got the green light! After opening the bag, we were so surprised of all that was in it that could've been taxed! (PHEW!! Thanks God!!)

Its hard to find good quality baby and maternity items here in Pucallpa (and in my size), and if you go to Lima to get some important things, its often 3-4 times more expensive than it is in the US. 

We got the bag last Tuesday, and it was like Christmas for us! Maternity clothes, baby clothes, a transitional playpen, monitor, a moby wrap, CLOTH DIAPERS (!!!) and other VERY important baby/mommy needs!! 

Mommy/baby needs, transitional playpen (his crib)!!! :D

SUPER cute onesies!!! And 12 cloth diapers!!!

Maternity Clothes!!! :D

It was our first baby shower! And what a fun and creative way to have one so far away from home, family, and friends!! Thank you so SO much to all of you who took part in it!!!

Thanksgiving: Jungle Style

We had a great Thanksgiving meal with many other missionaries here in the area. There were 102 of us in all!! Represented were missionaries from SAM (South America Mission), IMB (International Mission Board), Pioneers, Kids' Alive, and independent missionaries. 

When you pull together so many people, it has to be very well organized, and our friends Vann and Vanessa Brock did a great job in doing so and hosting! 

It took place at their house, Vann smoked 3 large turkeys and fried 3 others, everyone brought a side, tents were set up for us to eat under, and it was a great afternoon sharing with each other. 

Just some of the feast!!

There were games (horseshoes and American football), a trampoline and playground for the kids to play on, and plenty of chairs to sit around and visit with friends.

This is a fun picture for me (Becca). These two ladies were my friends in Arequipa when I was in language school in 2005 - early 2006. Cristina (on the left) grew up in Pucallpa and it was her husband in language school at the time, and they had a 6 month old (who both Emma-on the right- and I babysat). Emma was also single like me at the time, and now, the Lord has brought the 3 of us back together, with husbands, Emma has a little boy, and my little one is on the way! Fun to see what life brings through the years!! :)


We are so thankful for what God has done this year! Its hard to believe its almost over! From all of our support being raised to be able to leave late January, language school in Arequipa, crazy legal paperwork with visas and drivers licenses, moving to Pucallpa, settling in, beginning ministry, getting pregnant, and now prepping for our little man's arrival! We couldn't be here without your prayers and support! Thank you! We do not take it for granted!