32 weeks (and 3 days)

Here's the latest 4 week update.....I'm 32 weeks along now. We had our check-up with the GOOD doctor in Lima last week, and all checked out well! He measured right on time, even weighs right at 4 pounds! He's definitely getting bigger and stronger! He kicked my ribs for the first time last week too (I'm sure it'll only get stronger!) 

He's been skyping with his daddy too!!  Yesterday he had been laying good and still for a while, and Marshall started talking to him....within about 15 seconds the little guy started moving around again and responding to his voice. It was cute to witness! 

Dengue Free and in Lima

I (Becca) have been in Lima now for about a week and a half, and I'll be here until after our son is born.

Dengue fever is a mosquito borne illness, and Pucallpa was hit early and hard this year. After reading several medical articles on dengue in pregnancy, getting dengue in the third trimester can be dangerous for me and the little guy (especially the hemorrhagic strand). So Marshall and I made the decision to send me on to Lima 2 months early. It seems that the cases of dengue has gone down in Pucallpa, but we've seen a huge rise in mosquitos too.  The incubation period is quoted to be between 5-8 days after a bite before symptoms arise. Now 10 days out, I can safely say I don't have dengue!! :)

I am staying with a family I worked with here in Lima when I was here 2006-2008, the Berry's. I am so grateful for their hospitality, and the days living with a family of 7 have flown by a lot quicker than they probably would've had I been residing in the SAM Lima guest house! 

Its been great to see old friends here too. 2 of my dear friends got married over the weekend, so between that joyful event and church on Sunday, I've been able to see many friends from my time of service here. 

On another note, its been nice to be around supermarkets, good restaurants, and movie theaters again! :)  

Oh! Not to mention good healthcare!!! Speaking of which, I had to get a medical certificate of a doctor verifying that it was ok for me to fly (that I wouldn't go into labor on the 1 hour flight to Lima). After the "scare" we were avoiding returning to that doctor (who I found out later refused to do the certificate for a friend of mine). Marshall called a friend at church who is a pediatrician, he told us where at the local hospital we could purchase the piece of paper, and had one of his OB/GYN friends meet up with us. I was praying there would be no exam (that hospital is quite dirty!) and he'd just look over my medical information and write the note. Which he did, but asked several questions along the way, and was kind-of a jerk about our answers and his opinion....

Dr- "How old are you?"

Me- "31"

Dr- "So then how many children do you have?"

(This guy is used to dealing with teenage girls)

Me (excitedly) - "This is our first!" 

Dr- "Why did you wait so long?"

Me- (internally.......'What's it to you? And 31 is not THAT LONG') "Well, its just the way God wanted it to be."

Dr- (shaking head)- "Well, that's too bad, I'm afraid you won't be able to deliver this baby vaginally at your age." 

*note....no exam was done at all by this man*

Me- "Um.....no.....I'm pretty sure my age is fine to deliver vaginally. I am a nurse, and I've been on top of things with this pregnancy."

*another note....throwing out that I was a nurse probably meant absolutely nothing to him.... here, generally doctors don't really respect the nursing profession.*

Dr- "When are you returning from Lima?"

Me- "Sometime in March after the baby is born."

Dr- (in jerk-tone)- "Why don't you want to have the baby here?"

Me- (internally.....'because if people like you don't think I can deliver this child vaginally only because I'm 31, then I don't want you near me or my son with a scalpel!)  "That's the decision we've made for our first child, and we like the healthcare in Lima."

There were some other interactions, another favorite was him completely changing my due date after seeing two doctors already gave me the same one. In the end, he gave us the piece of paper I needed to board the plane, if the airline asked for it, which ironically, they didn't (nor did I offer it to them).

As a nurse friend of mine in Pucallpa said, "I'm sure glad you're pregnant here in Pucallpa! Its given us lots of things to laugh about!"

Pucallpa Baby Shower

The weekend before I left for Lima, several missionary ladies threw a baby shower for us! It was so much fun! Brunch food, games, presents for our little guy, some which were home-made and hard work! We were showered on very well by this great group of ladies! 

One of the games was a small plastic baby in ice.....
the first person who's ice melted away from the baby
 had to say "My water broke!" and would win a prize
....my water didn't break first though! :-)

Religious Visas

Today is a big day for missionaries in Peru. Its the last day the president has here to sign an amendment to a law made several years ago stating that non-Catholic religious visas are only to be given to groups who have 10,000 or more members. The amendment allows those visas no matter the number. The previous presidents have signed the amendment each year with no problem allowing us to live and serve here. 

He's had this on his desk for several months now. We've known a little bit over the last few months, but didn't know specific details until recently. Essentially if he doesn't sign, we will not be able to renew our visas as they are right now. Some think it'll blow over, others are looking at the possibility of having to pull out. For us, the timing isn't the best with having a new baby about the time our visa needs to be renewed. 

We haven't made it too public, because we didn't have too many details. Some of you reading this knew about it, and have been praying....THANKS! 

I don't know how other mission organizations will handle the situation. Our field leader has been back and forth from Lima-Pucallpa attending meetings and trying to get things worked out if President Humala doesn't sign this amendment. He has met with the Christian Missionary and Alliance denomination who does qualify to be on the registry (10K+ members), and they have agreed to take SAM missionaries in Peru on. Praise the Lord! So even if the president doesn't sign, we have a way to keep and maintain our visas here in the country! 

Please continue to pray about this situation. Though our mission has a way to stay, many of our friends and partners in God's work here in Peru need a way to stay too.

Maternity Photo Shoot

We had a special privilege to be able to take some maternity pictures in the same location where we had our engagement pictures taken about 2 1/2 years ago. We took the pictures in Cashibo, just outside of Pucallpa, where SAMAIR operates and the pilots and mechanics reside. Our friend Jan Kooistra took the pictures for us, and I've had fun editing them (while here in Lima). Our little guy will be here soon!! :)

Here are some of our favorites:

GO GATORS! =)

Psalm 139:13
For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb.

The trickiest for editing, but a lot of fun! I saw a similar idea on line and wanted to do this for our lil' guy! You can't tell, but Marshall is holding the baseball glove! :)

Christmas and New Years

This year's holidays were different for us. We both have spent Christmas and New Years here in Peru before, but as singles.....Marshall here in Pucallpa, and me (Becca) in either Arequipa or Lima. Even though the months here are technically summer months, the jungle is always summer......and hot and humid, so it never really "feels" like Christmas. The brief time we had in Lima a few weeks ago there were lights, music, and decorations all over, so it had more of the "feel" of Christmas. Pucallpa didn't really have much of that.

We did get a little tree and some decorations, brought out Christmassy dish towels, and I had my Christmas playlist playing as often as I could.....but sweating in hot weather while listening to Christmas music just didn't seem right! :)

In Peru, they celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve with a big feast and fireworks at midnight. Not much goes on the 25th. So as Americans, we get the best of both! We joined our teammates the Chaings and the Lucases for the Christmas Eve dinner (not at midnight though....closer to 9 instead!) and fireworks.

The next morning, Marshall and I woke, ate some delicious monkey bread for breakfast, skyped with family, and then ate lunch with some friends who work for Kids Alive, the Riveros and the Chacons.  That was a nice mix of Americans, Peruvians, and my Northern Irish friend.  After a nice visit with them, we came back to the house, enjoyed our AC while watching a few holiday movies and playing video games! :)

New Year's Eve is pretty much the same.....there are parties and fireworks. Some of our neighbors down the street invited us over for fireworks, so we joined them.

And so here we are in 2013. A year that will bring some great changes in our lives and we look forward to welcoming our first child in March!

We hope you all had a great Christmas and New Years!!

Our only holiday picture in front of our humble tree! :)