2012: the end of life...as we know it!

So.

Brace yourselves.

Team Thompson has an announcement.

Well, two announcements.

The tricky part is deciding which to share first.

It’s likely that you, dear reader, have already heard one.

Well, it’s more likely, if you know my parents, that you know both.

It’s also possible that if you offered me an alcoholic beverage in the last few months, I refused after an awkwardly long pause, making way for you to have already guessed one announcement on your own. Well done, you!

I’ve kept one secret a little more of a secret for the sake of my source of income, so I ask you to please do the same, as much as you can, for the time being. So we’ll unveil that one first…

Here we go:

We’re moving to Spokane! After working three years in the position that brought us to Cali, Justin is being promoted/transferred to a new position in Spokane. He was offered and accepted on Friday. The company made it official at 10:30 this morning. CONGRATULATIONS, JUSTIN!!!! This is definitely well deserved.

From San Jose to Spokane! WA dot deciphering: Yellow = Spokane (new home destination). Red = Grandview (CT's hometown). White = Aberdeen (JT's hometown)

Sorry if you haven't been told in person or over the phone by one of us. This is the official announcement for everyone!

My emotions about moving were mixed, which surprised me. I’m definitely excited to be closer to family, especially because…well, we’ll get to why…but in the last year, JT and I have finally started feeling at home in Cali. We have an amazing group of friends that have become our Cali family, a wonderful church, a little yard, two rooms, it’s pretty much sunny all the time, we think we’ll die of frostbite if it’s any cooler than 50 degrees outside and we can get around, for the most part, without GPS. It’ll be hard to say goodbye to everyone, but I know we’ll see them again.

Our move will begin toward the end of March; we’re still working out details and dates, but they want JT in Spokane around the first week of April. We’ll probably take advantage of corporate housing for the first few weeks to get a better idea of areas and rentals in person.

It will definitely be interesting moving at 22 weeks pregnant.

Oh, I’ve gone and ruined the surprise for you…

Yes, it’s true, we’re having a baby!

I’ll be 13 weeks along this Wednesday. Crazy!

Say hello to BT (Baby Thompson)

We had an appointment last Wednesday that included an ultrasound and all looks well! It was sooo good to see little BT more developed and especially to see that little heart thumping away.

Thanks to all of you for your prayers for a healthy, happy baby and pregnancy. Keep ‘em coming!

So far so good on my end. I haven’t experienced much sickness, with the exception of mornings taking their toll during weeks 8-9ish. Thankfully handful of crackers took away the icky feelings, for the most part.

Cravings/Aversions: not too many here either, really. The last time I ate a green salad was a week before I found out I was pregnant. I made it half way through the salad before I suddenly didn’t want another bite. I still can’t bring myself to eat salad…if you put peanut butter on it, I may consider taking a bite. The last time I ate steel cut oats was also about the same time I stopped eating salad.

I usually eat steel cut oats for brekkie every morning (at least every morning since the heart/open heart surgery party got underway…you should consider getting yourself some, too). I took some to work to reheat for breakfast, it might even have been the same day I half-ate the salad for lunch. I heated it up, looked at it and promptly returned it to the fridge. Then I went downstairs for cottage cheese and a banana (a perk of working at a store). I haven’t touched steel cut oats since. Even just thinking about eating them for breakfast is unappetizing. It was about that time I started wondering if something was changing…

Peanut butter, on the other hand, has been within arm’s reach almost the whole time. Peanut butter and pretzels, peanut butter and apple, peanut butter and Saltines, peanut butter and toast, peanut butter and Tim Tams, peanut butter on a spoon…you get the point.

Other than that, I’m just hungry most of the time, and “severe” hunger can creep up super fast. I’ve started carrying snacks everywhere I go, just to be on the safe side. Trust me, I learned the hard way.

I’m starting to get more energy back, and boy does that make a difference! I even made an entire from-scratch meal last weekend, after a quick hike, no less! Pretty soon I might even be able to put on more than just mascara before leaving the house. Watch out, world!

Again, thank you to all who share our excitement. Your prayers for ease and peace in moving, renting, packing, job training & increased responsibility, baby growth & health, pregnancy wellness and sanity overall are very welcome and appreciated. We have a lot ahead of us and couldn’t do it all without your care and support.

If there is one thing we’ve learned and come to rely upon is that God works all things together for good for those who love him. All of these things came to us as a surprise…we wanted to start a family, but discovered it would be a [too] significant financial strain to do so in Cali. So we waited…then we decided to just start one anyway and figure it out as we went along.

Well, we waited longer than we thought we’d have to, but that’s another story for another time. Then all the sudden, JT was approached with the possibility of Spokane and WHAM…we’re pregnant and moving. The Lord works in mysterious ways!

Until next time,

The [Growing] Team Thompson

PS: we appreciate your discretion in comments…please do not mention either of our employers by name :)