Baby Boy Belly!

Weight is an interesting subject in our society. IT seems to be the white elephant in the room-not because of the size of the elephant, even though that is humorously a connection, but because of how it is talked or not talked about. As a female, while growing up in this image based culture, weight seems to be an ever present, thought of, compared, and tracked thing. It even helps us decide how stable a person's life is; "look how great she looks, taking care of herself, she's on top of things" or "she's let herself go, must be depressed, has too much to handle". Harsh as this seems to be, at least in the female world, the greeting or conclusion of, "you look great" is a cultural stamp of female approval on so many levels. And yet...weight is something we also know we can't talk about either. You never ask a female her weight. I've been in some conversations where weight has been discussed, and it was a bit of an awkward mess. Nor do you ever ask a female if she is pregnant. We all have our favorite awkward "Are you pregnant" stories flash through our minds. Adding to the mess is the comfy loose fitting outfits in style currently, which makes everyone seem first trimester-ish. So the elephant in the room for me STILL, is my pregnant belly.
I waited so long to become pregnant, that when I finally was, I wanted to yell it out on the house tops. But during the throwing up, exhausted, weak, headache, bi-polar food friend or foe stage, called the first trimester, you have NOTHING physical to show for this near torturous journey. You look bloated...because you are, and that is about it. Then when you enter feeling better, and bigger/ rounder bellied second trimester, you're so excited to say, "See, I am not crazy, there is a reason for the last three and a half months." That's what I thought would happen. For me that was not the case, it seems like I was shocking people when I told them I was pregnant, more so when I told them how far along I was. "Really? No way, you don't even look pregnant!"-if I had a nickle every time I heard that one. If I don't look pregnant then I look...fat? This was a frustrating situational daily occurrence for both parties I am sure. Most women my age, in the current culture I live in, are on there third child, and I am sure, according to everyone's point of reference I should look bigger. Plus everyone loves telling those awkward "Are you pregnant" stories, but no one wants to be in one.
But I am pregnant, and I have grown a belly, I just wanted the world to recognize this triumphant mile stone! My poor husband. I would come out in new maternity clothes and ask, "Do I look pregnant?" What an awful position I put him in. It only took one disappointed look of near tears to tell him to throw everything he has ever learned about what to tell women, and to currently respond, "You do look pregnant, our baby is getting bigger in that belly." Oh the confusion that caused. I still, after five months, nearly six, get people shocked that I am pregnant. I like to think that they are just following social norms and are being polite, but if I don't look pregnant, I don't enjoy the other alternative. I am about to eat this elephant in the room to leave no doubt that I am pregnant! So, to parade, brag and settle an ever bothersome current struggle, I have finally posted belly pictures.

Family, fun, friends and food!

November has been a bit of a bi-polar month for me. The time change in the fall has never settled well for my mind and body, and with being pregnant it was almost depressing. The fact that leaving the house for work and returning home were done in darkness, didn't add to my happy countenance or mood. The transition from being "off track" to going back to school, was also more difficult than I had anticipated. Three weeks of nothing but rest, breaks into a world of school, kids, trainings, and stress...I can see why my body didn't except the change as smoothly as I pushed it. I seemed to be in an isolating slump in which the cold change in the weather only added to my personal retreat.

But did some way HOLIDAY!! Yea! Off to the Wheelers we go! So on the 23rd we left in our little car for our eight hour adventure drive to enjoy the Thanksgiving weekend with my dear family. I am still undecided if I enjoy traveling as a pregnant person. Restroom stops were often, but not for me...Jilly took that role, and as long as I had food...emphasis on the need to have food and beverage, I was good to go. Except for the swelling and bloating...yea that was not a favorite outcome.

Thanksgiving was a blast with my family! We are so funny-it I do say so myself! We were all there, Jess and her beautiful and active family, my loving and giving parents (expressing love by giving of time and food...so much food/love was given that weekend), my Grandpa, for which it was such a treat to have him to talk to and laugh with and Jilly, whose pop culture conscious updated us on the latest movies. We enjoyed each others company, ate wonderful food, we laughed and joked together, ate more wonderful food, we played games and watched the Muppet movie, ate even more wonderful food, debated and discussed, ate much more wonderful food, we even had a fun girls night, eating out at a great restaurant. One neat activity came on Friday when we took the first, non wedding prompted family photo. It was on the stage (how perfectly fitting) and we had a a fun time sitting, smiling, and looking smashing.

I was just happy to look pregnant! I prayed that I would have something to show for my five month journey. Some of my family wont see me till after the baby is born and by then the "cute baby belly" comments will no longer be appreciated. So it was nice to have a tummy, even though a side view is much better then the one showed in this photo. I do think that I took "eating for two" too far. I gained...well lets just say it added up to more than a pound per day during the visit. I hope that most of it was the baby, but my joyous eating habits suggest otherwise. I don't feel guilty in saying I enjoyed every tasteful minute of it. Each day I felt so blessed to be with my Wheeler clan. Just being with those you love and miss can bring so much happiness and joy. I know that sounded like a hallmark card, but the truth of the statement was personally experienced and is currently being missed at the present moment. Now I can't wait till Christmas when we can see the Romriell clan!!

It's a miracle! It's a BOY!!!!

If the Romriell's were to use some words to describe them individually and as a couple, anyone who knows us would mostly agree on words like; friendly, open, social and you can do the rest. We have, for the past four months, went against our norm, and held onto a little secret.

There is reason for this method. We have been married for five wonderful years!! Some of the best, happiness moments have come from this sweet and loving half a decade, but there have been struggles, some of the hardest we have ever faced. The toughest was trying to create a little family of our own. After five years, and through miscarries, shots, pills and tests, we came to the conclusion that adoption was the only option for us, and we were at complete and joyful peace with this fact.

Then a miracle. There are many factors that contributed to this, the Lord being first, detoxing and health choices being next and then a guided change in vocation, all helped to set the scene for the best news we have kept to ourselves...EVER!

So we decided not to tell anyone until after the first trimester, our families were told (Nick is still going to tell some of his siblings), close friends, and those that lived near, friends and co-workers that were sure something was up. But it was hard not to shout it on the roof tops!!! We agreed that upon knowing the gender we would then tell everyone and share our joyful news with those friends not so close. So we are sorry that at 19 weeks some of you are just now learning about our miracle news for the first time, but we do want to thank you for your continued prayers and support! We are so excited about having a little boy! Now you can add a few new words to describe us, individually and as a couple: happy and proud parents!!! More posts and pictures to come!!!

The kids have arrived!

The summer has ended as the excited faces of first graders rush into my classroom with new clothes, backpacks and lunchboxes ready to learn and have adventure in any form they can. What a wonderful age these students are! They are full of the spirit of all things are possible and anything can be turned into a game, toy or a dramatic play. This age has an added bonus because they are more independent workers then the kindergartners that I am use to these three past years. I adore my class! I have ten boys and ten girls-how ideal is that! All my students are so excited to learn (they had great kindergarten teachers). This week has mostly been focused on the rules and procedures in the classroom, school and neighborhood. I have a good chunk of older students (students that are the oldest siblings) They tend to be the very obedient and independent students. I have a few middles, they tend to be the best peace makers. But then I have a good chunk of youngest students, which tend to be the more needy and demanding students, but are better then the single child which often are more demanding and bossy, and tend not to play well with others. Now for my friends that are parents I want to put a disclaimer that this is the general not the always-and I would rather have a class full of all kinds then only one because that makes for a better classroom! But this does help explain the dynamics of my classroom. I love my class-its only a week and I love them. I have been so tired lately, and the Lord has helped me so much with added energy and memory! I had all of their names memorized before the first day. I am sure that is helped that almost all the names were American names instead of Greek, but it was an added blessing none the less. All the parents are so laid back as well, which is quite the change from what I am use to. I am used to very business like, demanding parents-not all but a good amount. The parents here, are so happy to be apart of school and to help whenever they can. So I am very excited for this upcoming year and for all the adventure that we are going to have!

A snob no more

Change, it is the ever present condition in our lives. The weather changes (right now I hear thunder-odd, I didn't see a cloud a moment ago) time changes, our bodies go through changes-our skin has a new outside every six weeks! The best change in our lives though, and this is my personal experience, is the change that happens to ourselves, our character. To change and improve has to be one of the most exciting things about this life! I do love a good paradigm shift! So lately I realized that I have gone through one. It was most likely taught to me through a studious example-my mother.

I remember back in the middle school phase of life-a phase that I try not to look back on too often-and I see my five foot frame (things have not changed too much-I know)wanting to wear name brand clothes and turn myself into the most hip walking billboard around! I mentally told myself that certain clothes brought certain happiness-and I wished that I could afford all the happiness my pre-working early teen self could afford. Then came the tough lessons of gratitude and money conservation as my mother took me to stores like wal-mart, shop-ko or worst the DI (desert industries). I gleamed so much during those hard years, which the young women program aided me as I completed values like divine nature and individual worth. My mother, with her costume designing experience also taught me what type of clothes were made for my body type, skin type and personality type. So I learned that one could look great-even without the high price.

But I am a cloth snob no more. It seems so funny to look back and see how silly and shallow my thought process was. MY friends would laugh at such a contrasting comparison. For I have found a new love in which I have turned into its advocate. There is a store here called Savers that I adore and purchase all my clothes at! You see, each Monday they have a 99 cent day, plus each week there is a color tag that is 50% of the already cheap price! I get great quality clothes (ones that the previous owner paid 100s for) for 5 dollars!-where can you get that! Now you may say-wow you much have a ton of cloths pack in your closet at these prices...the answer is no. We have a Romriell rule where if you buy something new then you need to give something old away in an exchange. Which works out great because Savors gives you a 20% discount coupon on clothes you donate! Yes this feeds my addiction to this store even further-they are so clever like that! You must follow rules that fit your body, skin and personality type!! That is key to thrift shopping! IF you need help I have sites, books or pointers! Another blessing that comes as a bi-product of cheap prices, is how often we can get new clothes. This works out perfectly as we continue to choose a more healthy lifestyle. The better and more constant we are the tighter we get and the more lose the clothes become-resulting in a shopping trip. There are many shades in this thrift addiction: garage sales, online classifieds, home fabrics, winco, Ross, farmers market and the lists go on! I suggest baby steps, compare prices and quality and then see how you feel. But if you are into quality clothes for fractions of the cost-head to your nearest thrift store(I am a walking billboard-things don't change too much)-you might start an addiction yourself! I just had to pass on this part of my life-becaue of the joy it brings to others!