We're Expecting a....

BABY! Yes, that's right; it is, it is! We are officially 10 weeks along now, so it's still too early to determine gender (although lots of people have been asking). We have seen the heart beating, and at our next doctor appointment we will get to hear it, too!

Going to the obstetrician here in Austria is quite different than in the states. We walked right in, and before we could sit down on the sofa to wait, the doctor came to get us. He took us into his office and talked for a while before he took my blood, weighed me, took my blood pressure, and then did the ultrasound exam. We never saw a nurse, and we were finished in under 30 minutes. All of the exams and tests only cost us €80 (about $115). Since our temporary insurance in Austria doesn't cover pregnancies, we have to pay for it ourselves. What a blessing that the government subsidizes medical care!

While "morning" sickness could be worse, I've been suffering through it for nearly 4 weeks. I'm pretty tired of feeling yucky and ready to have energy to accomplish things that need to get done. We are planning to move back to Texas in February, and while I'm sure to feel better before then, I'm hoping our last 3 months in Austria aren't spent with me in bed.


The ultrasound photo above is the first of our baby. While the lower half mostly looks like fuzz, you may notice a clear black area (the uterus) within the fuzz. Inside the uterus is more fuzz, and that's the baby. In this photo (taken on October 24) the baby was only 12.8 mm long. Now the baby is about 4.5 cm (about 2 inches) and growing rapidly.

Please pray for us, that mom will stay healthy, that baby will grow perfectly, and that dad will continue to be such a wonderful help.