ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND

I love Damien! This past week was our anniversary so we decided to take a long weekend to get away and spend time exploring our environment and spend time together without distraction. When Damien went to rent a car for our vacation he told me he sat in every single car, twice, to find the most comfortable car for me since he knows I am not that comfortable anymore with baby zucchini. (What a sweetie!).

We took off down I-5 to Ashland. After arriving in Ashland we walked around the town and ended up eating dinner at the Ashland Food Co-Op. What an amazing place! All organic and lots of vegan options. We ate curried tempeh salad and quinoa nut loaf. Absolutely delicious! After dinner we walked around Lithia Park and then to the Shakespeare Theatres. We were delighted to learn that each night there is a free outdoor performance before the theatre starts. We enjoyed an all deaf dance team perform to a variety of different musical selections. They were incredible, right on beat, and signed along to the words while they danced. It was amazing. After the show we saw MacBeth. 4th row center, amazing seats!

Day 2 of our mini-vacation we woke up and went to the Ashland farmers market- ALL organic! We were in 7th heaven there. After purchasing carrots and apples we drove to Crater Lake. Smoke filled the air from the near by fires however when we arrived at Crater Lake it was clear and provided for a beautiful day. Luck so has it that Saturday was National Public Parks Day meaning all entry to the park was free! Yay! I love surprises like that, completely unexpected. After our visit was over due to the increasing smoke that moved in we traveled south to Brookings via California for dinner. Yum yum.

Day 3 involved lots of hwy 101 :) We started in Gold Beach and drove all the way up to Tillamook. We stopped along the way at various places including the Sea Lion Caves in Depot Bay. The Sea Lion Caves are the largest in the world and completely formed by nature. We traveled 285 feet below the earth to walk around the caves. It was a neat experience. Our final destination before going home was Damien's favorite restaurant where we both ordered General Tsaos Tofu.

When it was all said and done we had traveled over 950 miles. I really enjoyed our time together. The entire time I was thinking about how next time we go on a vaction we will have baby zucchini with us. Life is great! Thanks Damien for the wonderful anniversary weekend.

Sunny 31 weeks pregnant at the Sea Lion Caves in Depot Bay. The worlds largest sea lion caves in the world! We traveled 285 feet underground to explore this natural made cave.

Damien standing by the incredibly short shower head in our hotel room. We laughed so hard trying to bend our knees to rinse our hair.

Crater lake behind us. We had fun trying to take a photo where we weren't squinting. The sun was so bright making the water incredibly blue.

31 weeks pregnant standing infront of Wizard Island in Crater Lake.

LIBRARY- A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY RESOURCE

I love the library! It is a wonderful and free resource in the community that I gladly support. Being able to access books, music, and movies. I think I've checked out every book on pregnancy there is at the library in addition to many other books. Tonight when I went to the library I looked at the CD's for the first time and am so excited that I found so many great new CD's that I have been wanting to get several of these but really didn't want to pay $16 each for them.

I check out the following CD's:
-Rodney Atkins: It's America
-Relient K: Two lefts don't make a right...but three do
-Kenny Chesney: Lucky old sun
-Rascal Flatts: Still feels good
-Dierks Bentley: Greatest hits 2003-08
-John Anderson: Seminole winds

Also while I was at the library I signed up for an intro class to SLR digital photography class. I am so excited! I purchased a Nikon D40X digital SLR camera almost 2 years ago and love using it however I know there are so many features and functions I don't use because I either don't know of them or don't know how to. I am very much looking forward to this class. I think Damien will take the class with them. Always fun to find things to do together.

TEMPEH & VEGGIES

During the first part of my pregnancy I wanted nothing to do with veggies but loved fruit. Then slowly they started to become more appealing to me. As of lately I cannot get enough veggies! After work today I went to New Seasons Market and bought zucchini, corn, celery, red bell pepper, and tempeh (all organic of course!). I stir fried them with a little water and Braggs liquid amino. I decided to not put rice or pasta in the dish because I didn't want to take away from the flavor of the veggie and tempheh. I was right! All I have to say is yummy! It was so delicious Damien and I ate all of it. I think I will be making that dish again! It's fun to think of new and creative dishes instead of always the fall back plan of pasta.

30 WEEK BABY BELLY

Our baby is getting so big and wow can I feel it! She is now 30 weeks and about 3 pounds. At our last baby appointment with our midwives my belly measured at 28.5cm which is right on track and within the normal range. My weight gain is at 14 pounds so I'm doing well with that too. Her heart rate and my blood pressure were as they put "excellent". I am happy she is growing and healthy. With 10 weeks left I look and feel very much pregnant.

MY FRIDAY NIGHTS

I have spent the last 6 years of my life working at the Community Action Family Homeless Shelter. It has been an incredible experience filled with growth, laughter, sorrow, friendship, fear, happiness, and so much more. Tomorrow will be my final Friday night shift as I will begin the transition into motherhood.

Seems silly but truly it has been the most consistant thing in my life besides my family ever. Through every adult relationship I have had, through living in the dorms, renting rooms, and buying my house, through my pregnancy, through college and graduation, and so much more. I started my journey with the shelter in September 2003 at the age of 19 in the after school program which I did for 2 years. I also worked to provide respite care to families by watching their little ones while they were out at meetings and working on finding housing, employment, childcare, or an apartment. The summer after my sophomore year my co-worker gave birth to her second daughter leaving the children's summer program coordinator position vacant. Before leaving she asked me if I would like to fill in for her during her maternity leave. Of course I was thrilled to have the opportunity! It was the best summer of my life. Planning a day filled with fun, educational activities, field trips, and laughter. Who could ask for more? During that summer one of the resident assistants left so I was asked to step into that role. So for the past 4 years I have spent every Friday night (9PM to 9AM) at the shelter plus filling in during the evening and weekends. I have met over and worked with 309 families, filled probably over 250 food boxes, helped connect families to resources, grown as a person who has is able to show compassion, listen, and and am able to connect with famililes I meet and talk with them as though we had been friends for years.

The shelter has shown me how lucky I am and how easy it is for anyone to loose everything and end up asking for help from food boxes to temporary housing. I wouldn't trade in my experience at the shelter and with the families for anything. Even when families were frustrating or difficult, when there were attempted break ins in the middle of the night, floods in the basement, a fire in the dryer on the 4th of July, working every holiday, it was all a learning experience and helped me to grow and I didn't mind. This place has come to be a home away from home in a sense. I will truly miss working at the shelter however I know that the next journey of my life will be even more rewarding.
The pantry where we store all the non-perishable food items for food boxes.

The kitchen.

The backyard newly remodled by community groups! The transformation was unbelievable. Thanks to everyone who contributed to provide a fun space for children.

The office! I spent the past 4 years, every Friday night sleeping on futon to the right.

The living room. I spent countless hours interacting with families here.

The dining room.

CHANGES & CHOICES

As I enter the 30th week of my pregnancy the reality of what is about to happen is starting to sink in. Not that I haven't been thinking about it all along but with each passing day, each visit to the midwife, each new pound gained and each inch added around the belly it is becoming more obvious. There are so many emotions surrounding a baby- excitement about my new life to come and the baby, nervousness about being a mom, worried about how to balance work, home, and family life.

There are so many changes and choices to be made. I have realized that it doesn't matter how much I read or educate myself or the number of people I ask I will not know the answer to the many the questions until baby Zucchini is here in my arms. I think the biggest question is do I become a full-time mama or continue being a career woman and be a part-time mama? I have spent hours trying to figure out the best answer.

Career: I am very fortunate to have the position I have, for it's so much more than a job but a career with endless growth opportunities. I have the chance to truly make a difference in the community and on help others. I am able to network with so many local agencies and individuals, collaborate with and learn from amazing professionals, develop programs implemented in the community, work with teens and children, be a mentor and leader, develop my public speaking, coordinate events, learn how to work within systems, enhance my writing and communication skills, and so much more. This is what I went to school for and have worked so hard for. I am truly happy there and wake up everyday excited about work.

Mama: I have always dreamed of being a mama! To create a family and share in the journey of another person is the most amazing and wonderful thing anyone could imagine. I cannot wait till she arrives and I get to play with her, show her to the world, educate her mind, teach her to love, make her laugh, create a safe environment for her, and so much more. She will be a happy, healthy, educated, independent, and caring person. To be able to witness her growth and development, share in her journey is what being a mama is about. I couldn't imagine not being there for her as she learns to talk and walk, when she crys and laughs, and all of her firsts and every time after. I feel as though I was born to be a mama.

Do I put her aside for my career or do I put my career on hold for the love of my life, my daughter? I think every new mama has asked herself this question. If only there was a magic crystal ball to tell me what to do.

MIDWIFE

Damien and I started this journey going to a midwife located in an organization affiliated with the local hospital. After exploring options we realized we wanted to do a home delivery and began the search for a home delivery midwife. We asked around and one place was highly recommended by both midwifes and people who had them deliver. At the appointment we were extremely uncomfortable as she was very conservative and procedure oriented. Didn't even bother to talk about herself or ask us how we were doing. She agreed with many hospital procedures we don't and was so detached from the whole experience that it wasn't even funny. Isn't the whole point of doing a home birth to feel comfortable, relaxed, and empowered? Needless to say we did not go back. I began to research other places online and found Balanced Birth Midwifery in east Portland. When I called Ellie (the Midwife) she had one opening for a November delivery! (Meant to be) Damien and I met with her yesterday and it was a perfect fit. She completely understood us and what we wanted from this experience. She doesn't force vaccines (in fact she doesn't even believe in them herself), she supports a vegan lifestyle during pregnancy, she is about letting the mother and baby take their time for things happen when they are suppose too, she does home and water births, etc. Ellie felt more like an old friend who we could chat with for hours. We both walked away from the experience feeling relieved and excited about the road ahead. Ellie has delivered over 600 babies and only has she had to transport to the hospital for a c-section 6 times! Unlike hospitals that can have up to a 60% c-section rate. We meet again for our first official appointment next week. Since i am in the 3rd trimester I will go every other week until the 36th week then I will see her every week until delivery. What a relief to have found someone so supportive, experienced, and kind to help us through this experiene. My only regret is that we didn't start seeing her earlier. It is all a learning experience and we will be better prepared for our next babies!

THE 28 WEEK BABY BELLY

Since I won't tell anyone my baby's name until she is born all of my co-workers call her "Baby Zucchini". I will refer to her as that until she is born.

She and I are both continuing to grow. I have now gained 16 pounds and am really starting to feel it. She is about 3 pounds at this point and sticking out much farther now. I run into people around town and work and for the past couple weeks everyone keeps congratulating me. It's really nice and sweet. People are so funny. Today while at work I ran into someone who works downstairs. When she saw me she said, "Sunny! I just saw you two months ago and you were so skinny and now look! I had no idea you were pregnant, congrats!" When I said thanks, I am in the 7th month she said "WHAT! That should be illegal, you look so good. You should thank your parents for giving you good genes!" Lol. I laughed and smiled.

Only 12 weeks until she here with us. I can't wait!