Surprise!

Brendan and I are going to have a baby!!! Finding out was a bit of a process, but since we found out I'm pregnant we've been very excited!

We found out July 15 with a positive pregnancy test at a pharmacy near our house. It was funny because Brendan and I were waiting in the office while the clinician went to use the Indonesian pregnancy test. We expected her to be gone for a few minutes, but she came back after about 20 seconds, sat down, and said one word as she looked up at us... We didn't have any idea what word she said, but she repeated it a few times while pointing to the "positive" check box on her sheet and it became clear we were pregnant! So, after that 10 second delay, we burst into smiles and hugged each other as she started filling out the information for the doctor. She also gave me some advice in Tetum as a young mother with 3 children herself : )

Since that time it's been a whirlwind of telling family, friends, and the Sisters here. We've also met with two docotors to start getting information. Dr. Christiane is a German doctor who married a Timorese man and she is pregnant too! So I know she knows what she's talking about : ) She recently left to give birth in Germany, so before she left I tried to meet with her a lot to get advice (in English).

Brendan and I also met with Dr. Amita, an obstetrician from Nepal who works at the National Hospital here. She's a colorful, lively woman who told us she came to East Timor to help for 6 months and she's been here for almost 4 years now. Timor seems to have that special pull on people. It's obvious that she has a special heart for mothers and helping them ease through pregnancy.

On July 21st, Dr. Amita did our first check up and ultrasound. It was amazing...she expertly twirled the wand around until she found our baby and she pointed out his or her beating heart! Using the computer she was able to determine, based on the size of our baby and the gestational sack, that the baby was 6.5 weeks old at the time! But today our baby is 11.5 weeks old - almost 3 months! And when we get home I'll be 4 months pregnant. The time goes fast, especially with all these new things to think about.

But the ultrasound was really special. The emotions that you feel when you look at that black and white screen and see the pulsing of your baby's heart are difficult to describe. For me, I think the overriding feeling was AWE - awe that there was another life inside me and awe of the God-designed perfectness and complexity of our bodies that allows life to continue. It made me think a lot about grace. I've done nothing that could merit this gift, but it was given all the same, and that is grace.

So since the ultrasound I've been reading up on the do's and don'ts. Brendan had found a book about pregnancy at the school library that was written by an Australian nurse. A line in the book that made me think of the ultrasound said: " Being pregnant and having a baby are the closest things to a miracle that you will ever see." That's how I feel right now : )

I sped through that book and one of our Australian volunteer friends, Therese, bought us a copy of "What To Expect When You're Expecting" while she was visiting home. The book is super-thorough and has been wonderful to read so I'm not so worried about being pregnant in Timor.

But, because we are pregnant, some things have changed and we're starting to figure everything out. The biggest change is that we will be coming home a little early so that we can find jobs and housing soon. We will already have been here for the full school year and we will stay until we see our students graduate. After that we have a few weeks for goodbyes and to finish our side projects and then we will be coming home. We will arrive at the Des Moines airport October 1st around 8 pm.

It's a Thursday night and it would be incredible to see as many of you as possible at the airport! We've missed you A LOT and will be looking forward to transitioning back into life at home with the support of family and friends!

So that's our big news! Please pray for the health of our baby and that we would finish our work here well, and that God would guide our future. Thanks!

Love always,

Rachel and Brendan

P.S. Interesting fact: The Tetum word for pregnant is "isin-rua" literally translated it means "two bodies" : ) Appropriate...