Jamie and I talked and decided we would share our baby names now instead of waiting for the birth. We’re still planning to keep them a secret from our parents as long as possible, but to be honest, we’ve been telling anyone who asks even when we were “keeping it a secret.” Our motives for sharing now are a little...um...ulterior. A friend and co-worker is expecting a baby boy in July, and we thought there was a chance she had also picked our boy’s name. Her older two children have unique first names that start with “M,” so Jamie suggested that we just get our name out there if asked, and that way if Mary and I end up choosing the same name, at least people won’t think we copied her. So silly I know.
Which brings us to our boy name: Micah James. We really wanted biblical names for our child, and Jamie picked Micah. He was an Old Testament prophet, and the name is unique without being too out there. I’ll admit that Micah took awhile to grow on me – I originally wanted to name him Canaan (after the promised land) - but now I love it! I chose James for the middle name because our little boy needs to be named after his daddy (and it has a nice ring to it). Our plan was to call him Micah, but our neighbor Adam suggested that we call him Micah James, and I really like that. We will see…
Our girl name is Rachel Lynne. I’ve been reading through the Old Testament during my quiet times for awhile, and I just love the story of Jacob and Rachel. Like most girls, I’m a romantic. I grew up watching soap operas with my grandma and have always been a sucker for a good, dramatic love story. Genesis 29:20 says, “So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.” I love it! I already have lots of nicknames for her – Chachel, Chachi-girl – that Jamie just thinks are weird. Lynne is my middle name, my mom's name and my dad's middle name. Our first runner up and a name that we still really like is Kamryn. I got it from a character on my favorite show, House. We ended up deciding against it for two reasons: Kamryn means crooked nose, and we really wanted to steer clear of trendy. We still really like it, though, and may very well use it next time.
So will it be Micah or Rachel? (And no, we're not Jewish.) We’ll find out next Friday – can’t wait!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The Orrs This Week
I've bought quite a few outfits for this baby already. Let me rephrase: I've bought quite a few outfits for this baby if it's a girl. I'm probably jinxing myself, and it's not that I have a preference, but the girl clothes are just so darn cute. Plus I've found some great deals on off-season things. Yesterday I bought two winter dresses, a cardigan and a winter coat at Gymboree for $35! I would have bought boy stuff too, but they didn't have anything cute on the clearance rack. I also got a couple of summer 2010 outfits for each at Sam's for $5. The good news is that we find out the baby's gender in less than two weeks: Friday, April 3. I've decided that I'll take my shopping bags with me to the appointment so that I can go return some clothes (and buy some new ones!) after we find out.
Let's see, what's going on with the Orrs lately...we're very busy through May scoring races. I feel like I have two jobs because I work 8-5 at Covenant and then come home at night and help with race stuff. But I know this race job is what will allow me to stay home after the baby comes, and Jamie just loves it so much. He's actually doing his dream job, which few people can probably boast...We had a rather uncomfortable moment with my stepmom at dinner last week. She's not a big baby person, so she says, and pretty much refuses to watch our child until s/he is a toddler "unless we get into a bind". Unfortunately for her, that's not how we roll in our family - we've always been very close to our grandparents - and my dad is a HUGE baby person and will be calling me up begging to keep our child. So she will have to be set straight. My sister and I have always treated her with a lot of respect, and my dad has provided generously over the years for her two sons, so her attitude is unfortunate...I've been meeting several nights a week to walk with some of the wonderful ladies in our couple's study. Four out of five of us are either pregnant or have a young child, so we just talk babies, babies, babies the whole time. I love these girls and have so much fun hanging out with them!
Let's see, what's going on with the Orrs lately...we're very busy through May scoring races. I feel like I have two jobs because I work 8-5 at Covenant and then come home at night and help with race stuff. But I know this race job is what will allow me to stay home after the baby comes, and Jamie just loves it so much. He's actually doing his dream job, which few people can probably boast...We had a rather uncomfortable moment with my stepmom at dinner last week. She's not a big baby person, so she says, and pretty much refuses to watch our child until s/he is a toddler "unless we get into a bind". Unfortunately for her, that's not how we roll in our family - we've always been very close to our grandparents - and my dad is a HUGE baby person and will be calling me up begging to keep our child. So she will have to be set straight. My sister and I have always treated her with a lot of respect, and my dad has provided generously over the years for her two sons, so her attitude is unfortunate...I've been meeting several nights a week to walk with some of the wonderful ladies in our couple's study. Four out of five of us are either pregnant or have a young child, so we just talk babies, babies, babies the whole time. I love these girls and have so much fun hanging out with them!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Stitious
"I'm not superstitious, but I am a little stitious." - The Office
I've had an especially hard time with Jamie being gone this last week. I don't know if it's the pregnancy hormones or if we just haven't been apart this long since we've been married. In any case, I started thinking about morbid things: what would happen to me and the baby if something happened to him? I just can't handle those thoughts. I've prayed a lot for Jamie's safety. I do believe that God hears prayers, that he has answered them, is answering them and will continue to answer them. But I also know people who have prayed for things (ie. a spouse's safety) and God has allowed a different outcome. This week I've thought a lot about our friends Erica and Daniela, who both lost their husbands unexpectedly last summer. Erica keeps a blog that I read, and my heart continuously breaks for what she's facing day-to-day. I don't think I could handle it. I was talking to my mom about this, and she said something like, "Well you guys are young enough that you would meet somebody else." Now I know what Erica means when she says that people sometimes say the most inappropriate things. Who wants to even think of such a thing when you are contemplating grief on that level?
I've been staying with my mom this week (turns out that, even though I lived by myself for 4 years prior to marriage, I've turned into a big wuss when it comes to staying overnight alone.) I came home Saturday night to get some clothes for church, and I had to chase away a black cat sitting in my front yard. At that point, the bad luck came in "3s." The digits on my phone died, I locked my house keys inside my house, and when I finally got back in, I found that my fish, Emily, had died. Before you feel bad for Emily, you need to know that she has lived twice her breed's average lifespan. Still, though, the timing was eery.
There have been some bright spots in my week (it hasn't all been gloomy and depressing ;-) Staying with my mom has provided some comfort. I've also had wonderful friends who've reached out all week to spend time with me, and I've appreciated that so much. Saturday, Mom and I went to Raleigh shopping, and when my college friend, Tabitha, saw my plans on facebook, she decided to meet us. What a nice surprise! She was so gracious about shopping with me for maternity clothes and helping me pick out baby clothes in Baby Gap (I'll return them depending on the baby's gender, but I couldn't resist such a good sale.)
I'm at 15 weeks today...still feeling pretty bad, but the baby seems to be doing well so I can't complain. I will post bump photos as soon as I get a chance to take some.
I've had an especially hard time with Jamie being gone this last week. I don't know if it's the pregnancy hormones or if we just haven't been apart this long since we've been married. In any case, I started thinking about morbid things: what would happen to me and the baby if something happened to him? I just can't handle those thoughts. I've prayed a lot for Jamie's safety. I do believe that God hears prayers, that he has answered them, is answering them and will continue to answer them. But I also know people who have prayed for things (ie. a spouse's safety) and God has allowed a different outcome. This week I've thought a lot about our friends Erica and Daniela, who both lost their husbands unexpectedly last summer. Erica keeps a blog that I read, and my heart continuously breaks for what she's facing day-to-day. I don't think I could handle it. I was talking to my mom about this, and she said something like, "Well you guys are young enough that you would meet somebody else." Now I know what Erica means when she says that people sometimes say the most inappropriate things. Who wants to even think of such a thing when you are contemplating grief on that level?
I've been staying with my mom this week (turns out that, even though I lived by myself for 4 years prior to marriage, I've turned into a big wuss when it comes to staying overnight alone.) I came home Saturday night to get some clothes for church, and I had to chase away a black cat sitting in my front yard. At that point, the bad luck came in "3s." The digits on my phone died, I locked my house keys inside my house, and when I finally got back in, I found that my fish, Emily, had died. Before you feel bad for Emily, you need to know that she has lived twice her breed's average lifespan. Still, though, the timing was eery.
There have been some bright spots in my week (it hasn't all been gloomy and depressing ;-) Staying with my mom has provided some comfort. I've also had wonderful friends who've reached out all week to spend time with me, and I've appreciated that so much. Saturday, Mom and I went to Raleigh shopping, and when my college friend, Tabitha, saw my plans on facebook, she decided to meet us. What a nice surprise! She was so gracious about shopping with me for maternity clothes and helping me pick out baby clothes in Baby Gap (I'll return them depending on the baby's gender, but I couldn't resist such a good sale.)
I'm at 15 weeks today...still feeling pretty bad, but the baby seems to be doing well so I can't complain. I will post bump photos as soon as I get a chance to take some.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Guilt vs. Resentment
I learned an awesome lesson at work last week that has really freed me, and I wanted to share it with my blogging friends. (This has nothing to do with babies, by the way ;-) We were having a staff meeting, and Charlie, our Executive Director, had scheduled several minutes of our time for a "pep talk." In four weeks, our church is moving into a new building. Everything is changing from the walls to the website - everything! That means that most of us on staff are loaded down with about as much work as we can handle.
During the talk, Charlie explained that when you're asked to take on an additional task and you really don't have the time to do it, you have two choices: guilt or resentment. You can say, "No, I'm sorry, I just can't do it right now." You'll probably feel guilty, but that'll pass by the next morning. Or, you can say, "Yes," which will probably lead to added pressure, stress and ultimately resentment. Resentment is what causes people to leave jobs (or relationships, or whatever). So you should always choose guilt instead.
Personally, I'm a big believer in boundaries, not only in my professional life but also in my personal life. I don't have a problem saying no or standing up for myself or any of that. I guess I learned this lesson the hard way after one too many relationships where I wound up being somebody's doormat.
Well, the day after the pep talk, Charlie asked if I would be willing to help with a writing assignment. I won't go into huge detail about all that's on my plate right now, but since we're getting a new website in four weeks and I'm the website manager, you can just imagine. I also help support several other senior staff members with their communication needs, so I politely told Charlie that I was going to have to choose guilt this time instead of resentment. He thanked me. I did feel guilty for about a day...as much as I'm a believer in boundaries, I'm also a people pleaser...but I know I had a better attitude coming to work the rest of the week because I felt like my workload was manageable.
So if you're stressing out because you say "yes" too much and "no" not enough, remember the choice and choose guilt. In the long run, you (and your nerves) will be very glad you did.
During the talk, Charlie explained that when you're asked to take on an additional task and you really don't have the time to do it, you have two choices: guilt or resentment. You can say, "No, I'm sorry, I just can't do it right now." You'll probably feel guilty, but that'll pass by the next morning. Or, you can say, "Yes," which will probably lead to added pressure, stress and ultimately resentment. Resentment is what causes people to leave jobs (or relationships, or whatever). So you should always choose guilt instead.
Personally, I'm a big believer in boundaries, not only in my professional life but also in my personal life. I don't have a problem saying no or standing up for myself or any of that. I guess I learned this lesson the hard way after one too many relationships where I wound up being somebody's doormat.
Well, the day after the pep talk, Charlie asked if I would be willing to help with a writing assignment. I won't go into huge detail about all that's on my plate right now, but since we're getting a new website in four weeks and I'm the website manager, you can just imagine. I also help support several other senior staff members with their communication needs, so I politely told Charlie that I was going to have to choose guilt this time instead of resentment. He thanked me. I did feel guilty for about a day...as much as I'm a believer in boundaries, I'm also a people pleaser...but I know I had a better attitude coming to work the rest of the week because I felt like my workload was manageable.
So if you're stressing out because you say "yes" too much and "no" not enough, remember the choice and choose guilt. In the long run, you (and your nerves) will be very glad you did.
Monday, March 9, 2009
P.S. I'm Showing Now
Jennifer and Jamie have a favorite new toy: a pocket fetal doppler. My friend Carrie bought it so that she could hear her baby's heartbeat, but she's far enough along in her pregnancy now that she let us borrow it for awhile. I can never find the baby's heartbeat on my own, but Jamie is a pro and finds it every time. He gets so excited about doing it, too - it's kinda cute that it has become his special talent.
That doppler also blessed several of my expectant friends this weekend. My friend Shannon is 34 weeks pregnant and was having some cramping. I went over to walk with her on Sunday and took the doppler so that she could hear her baby's heartbeat. It was a huge comfort to her when she found a strong rhythm. Then my neighbor Karen got into a car accident (she's fine...praise!) and really wanted to be reassured that her baby was ok. We were able to find her baby's heartbeat, which I know made her feel better. She's due a couple days behind me...we are so excited! Thanks so much for sharing, Carrie!
We had a busy but wonderful weekend. It started Friday with dinner out at Sappari. Jamie got a little financial windfall last week when he sold some textbooks on campus, so he decided to use the money to take his wife out to a nice dinner. Isn't he wonderful? I think so! I was concerned with how the food would settle with me at Sappari, but I did great. Salt is so yummy right now!
After dinner Friday, we started rearranging Jamie's office so that we could move his weights upstairs and thus start clearing out the nursery. That's a project that's still in progress, but we made some good strides. Saturday morning I cleaned the house from top to bottom, and then we distributed 25 bales of pine straw throughout our plant beds. I absolutely loved being outside, but my legs still hurt from all that bending over! After that was finished, we ran about 10 errands, which included a stop at Wendy's for a cheeseburger at 3 PM (baby really wanted it). I can't really remember much after that because I was so tired.
I tried twice over the last few days to wean myself from Zofran (my very expensive but very awesome nausea medication). Both times, I regretted it. The problem is that my book, The Pregnancy Bible, says that by 13 weeks I should be feeling much better. I really want the book not to lie. But alas, I'm still pukey unless medicated so I will continue with the Zofran regimen for awhile longer.
Jamie goes to Florida on Wednesday for a fishing trip with his dad. I'm really excited for him, but I'm going to miss him terribly! I will probably do a lot of organizing around the house while he's gone...nesting has started...but I'll be anxious for his safe return.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Whirlwind of a Weekend
Our weekend was criz-azy. We went to Moorehead Friday to begin preparations for the Crystal Coast Half Marathon. The weather was nice that day, so we enjoyed being outside and hanging out with Jamie's race partners and their families. Saturday was a different story. We didn't sleep much the night before, it rained and we ran into a few kinks with our equipment, all while trying to pull off the biggest race of our "career". We didn't eat lunch until after 1, and the baby was not happy. I felt sick the rest of the day and ended up eating a mixture of bananas, peanut butter and jelly for dinner. Jamie said to me, "That already looks like throw up, so when you throw it up later, it won't be too traumatic." I did not throw it up later, thank you very much...
On Sunday, my friend Stephanie and I hosted a baby shower for our friend, Shannon. The weather couldn't have been any worse, but we had such a good time and a few messes to laugh about, too! Shannon got so many nice things for her baby, Wade. It was great for me, too, because I got to see the kinds of things I'll need that I hadn't thought about. I also got back into sewing recently because I wanted to make Shannon an ECU tag blanket for her shower. I think it turned out really well...I forgot to take pictures (see disclaimer below), but I'm making one for Baby Orr that I'll be sure to photograph.
I'm really bad about taking pictures. I really want to be that girl who has her camera handy at every photo-worthy moment, but I'm just not. I hope to get better once the baby comes.
Speaking of the baby, I'm excited to be at 13 weeks. People have told me it was pointless to post my no-show 12-week picture, but now I'm actually poking out a bit. I'm still sick, but my saliva problem has improved greatly, which is a huge PRAISE! We are ready to find out what this little dumpling is.
On Sunday, my friend Stephanie and I hosted a baby shower for our friend, Shannon. The weather couldn't have been any worse, but we had such a good time and a few messes to laugh about, too! Shannon got so many nice things for her baby, Wade. It was great for me, too, because I got to see the kinds of things I'll need that I hadn't thought about. I also got back into sewing recently because I wanted to make Shannon an ECU tag blanket for her shower. I think it turned out really well...I forgot to take pictures (see disclaimer below), but I'm making one for Baby Orr that I'll be sure to photograph.
I'm really bad about taking pictures. I really want to be that girl who has her camera handy at every photo-worthy moment, but I'm just not. I hope to get better once the baby comes.
Speaking of the baby, I'm excited to be at 13 weeks. People have told me it was pointless to post my no-show 12-week picture, but now I'm actually poking out a bit. I'm still sick, but my saliva problem has improved greatly, which is a huge PRAISE! We are ready to find out what this little dumpling is.
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