At the end of April, Abby and I finally received our greatest gift from God...we found out that she was pregnant!!! Everything we had been working for the past two years had finally paid off and we have a little bundle of joy on the way. When we went to the doctor's office in early May and they told us that our baby would be due around the end of the year on December 28th or 29th. How fitting is it that Abby and I would have a baby around Christmas, which is Abby's favorite time of the year? It would also be born near the anniversary of our first date--December 30.
At the next appointment in early June, we were able to have our first ultrasound. It was incredible to hear the baby's heartbeat and see the baby's arms and legs move on the monitor. It really made everything seem real and that it was definitely happening. Here is a picture of our baby, who we are affectionately calling "Peanut" until we know for sure what we are having.
So, needless to say, we are very excited. We are beginning the process of cleaning out the office to make it into a nursery around August or September. Abby's parents have already bought a convertible crib and changing table for the baby.
In April, I had an appointment with my cardiologist. He said that everything seems to be going good. He wants to see me again in October to have another MRI and appointment with him. If everything looks good at the surgical site in the MRI, then I may be able to start seeing him once a year. Speaking of the surgical site, it is approaching the one year point since my surgery on July 20 of last year. My, it seems like so long ago to me since I went through the surgery. I am doing amazingly well. Abby and I joined the YMCA earlier this year and I have managed to keep up with doing cardio to keep my heart healthy and strong. I have gained some weight back but I plan on working it back off and getting down again.
Since Memorial Day weekend, it has been really killer to keep up with eating healthy and exercising. All of the delicious food at holiday cookouts has been too much for me to resist. Also, we recently went on vacation with my parents to Myrtle Beach and nobody can really not enjoy the array of foods that one can find on vacation. The food is incredible!!! Another thing that has hampered my healthy goals is the heat of summer. Working out at the YMCA wasn't so bad in February and March when it was really cool inside there. Now, though, it is scorching hot and I start to sweat before I even begin to exercise. It is not fun to exercise in conditions like that. The fan that, in the spring, was near the equipment I normally use is now gone from that location and it just makes it very difficult to enjoy working out. My bottle of water that I drink while exercising doesn't really help, either. I don't like summer-time exercising one bit. I feel obligated to go, though, because my aunt was nice enough to pay for Abby and I to have a membership there for six months.
This Thursday, Abby and I are celebrating our four-year wedding anniversary. It is hard to believe that four years have passed! They have flown by! In that time, we had our first "kid"--our dog, Sloopy. We also bought a nice house in a nice neighborhood. And, now, we are expecting our first human child in December.
We are both still pursuing other jobs to make our careers feel more fulfilling. Abby is still looking to get into an actual school district rather than being at a charter school that pays about $10,000 less than she could otherwise be making as a starting teacher in a district. I am still looking for a job that would utilize my education, experience and abilities.
A lot of my goals for the year have been coming true. Hopefully, more goals will be fulfilled in the remainder of the year!
