Summer Happened

Wow, you leave your blog for a couple months, and suddenly it's like there's no way you can catch up.  Well, I'll try anyway.  It's definitely been an eventful summer for us.  Here are the highlights:

1. WE MOVED

A couple days after all the graduation hoopla was over, we had all our stuff in boxes and were ready to move back west.  Luckily for us, Mike's brother and fam were also moving from east to west during the same time that we were, so we were able to coordinate with them and caravan out together.  It wasn't without mishaps (what moves are, really?) but it also wasn't without laughter, good conversation, music, and lots of chips a'hoy, so I call it a success.

And, incredibly, we moved out just a few days before our apartment complex in South Bend burst into flame.  I wish I was joking.  I'm not.  They think it was caused by a not-quite-snuffed cigarette that led to a small fire, which quickly became a large fire when the small fire hit the gas line.  I'm just glad that none of our friends or former neighbors were hurt, though most lost their homes.  The fire was so bad that they bulldozed the entire complex and are re-building from scratch.  Crazy. 

2. WE GOT PREGNANT
 As discussed in my last post.  More on that below.

3. MIKE TOOK THE BAR
 Holy horribleness, batman.  I am so glad the bar is over.  Mike and I would frequently go on "dates" where we would either sit next to each other on the gazebo while he studied and I read, or go on walks around the nearby gully while we reviewed whatever he had spent the day studying.  Poor Mike.  I never doubted his ability to pass, but he was just so stressed about this whole exam.  More stressed about this than anything law school had ever thrown at him.  It didn't help that he had joint pain in his hands and wrists during the week of the test, which would require two full 8-hour days of typing answers and filling in bubbles on the Q&A section.  Even so, the bar itself wasn't as bad as the preparation for it.  I am so glad it's over.  Mike is even more glad.   

4. WILDE GIRLS TRIP

 The Wilde women packed up for a weekend of fun in Cedar City.  The main attraction there is the Shakespeare Festival, so I was right in my element.  I loved seeing all the art based on Shakespearean plays at the main theatre, and we all loved seeing Les Miserables and To Kill a Mockingbird.  The plays were so well done, and so moving.  I loved them.  We were all humming various strains from Les Mis for the rest of the weekend.  We also snuck in some shopping, yummy food, late night hot tubbing, crafting (I now have a Christmas decoration besides my green and red salt and pepper shakers!  Yes!)  and even some vomit, courtesy of yours truly.  Sorry about that last one, guys.

5. TEXAS TRIP (Alternate sub-topic title: Mel Suffers Serious LaPierre Withdrawal)
 My sister had a baby girl in July, and I was thrilled to fly to Texas to meet her and spend time with my favorite Laps.  It was a week filled with trips to the park, incredible meals (seriously, who has homemade bread and banana muffins ready at 8:00am when they've just had their fourth child?), my first Texas barbeque, lots of hide and seek, the famous Round Rock doughnut, admiration of Bryce's carpentry skills, Sleeping Queens, maternity clothes swapping (thanks, Leese!), LaPierre beans, and even the first day of school for the older two kids.  I had a blast, and wish I could see them more often.  I especially miss holding this wonder woman:

Also, for the grandparents and other aunts and uncles who (quite understandably) can't get enough of this adorableness:

 Bridget and "Sofa" were so excited to see each other after Sophie's first day of school.  It was so cute.

(I taught Bridget that rabbits sniff their noses.  This is how she sniffs her nose:) 

 

6. WE MOVED AGAIN

More accurately, Mike moved again, since I was on the plane from Texas for the majority of the move.  Mike did some painting before moving all our stuff in (our baseboards are so hot right now) and made all the moving arrangements, and had all our boxes moved from the storage unit to our new condo by the time I got home from the airport.  I was sorry to miss the move, but totally thrilled to walk into our new place seeing our stuff ready to be unpacked.  I am loving getting settled.  

7. OUR KID FREAKED US THE HECK OUT, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY ENSURING HER SPOT AS OUR ONLY CHILD

 A trip to the doctor revealed several big things:
a) It's a girl.  Cue freak out.
b) She's due almost a whole month sooner than we thought. (It turns out the pregnancy test I took at the end of April that came back negative probably should have been positive.)  New due date: January 8th.  Cue even bigger freak out.
c) I won't go into details here, but suffice it to say that my body sucks at this whole reproduction thing, necessitating surgery to prevent this baby from being born pre-term.  Cue MAJOR HUGE freak out.

Needless to say, it was an overwhelming weekend.  I felt like I was standing in front of a fire hydrant with my mouth open; just being hit with one huge piece of information after the next.  The (obviously) most overwhelming aspect was learning that our baby was in danger of being born too soon if we didn't elect to have the surgery, something she would almost certainly not survive given how young she is.  But, because the surgery was taking place literally within centimeters of where she was growing, there was also a chance that the surgery itself could accidentally break my water, triggering pre-term labor that, once again, she would almost certainly not survive.  Either way our baby was in danger.  We weighed the pros and cons, and decided that having the surgery was the best choice.  The doctors were optimistic, but I was a mess.  I spent the next few days before the surgery worrying and crying and not sleeping and ignoring my phone.  (Sorry, concerned well-wishers.  I just couldn't talk about it yet.)  The surgery happened a couple of weeks ago, it went well, the baby is fine, and I appear to be healing nicely.  However, we will still probably not make it all the way to 40 weeks.  The baby will likely be born around 36-38 weeks.  But, being born at 36 weeks is far better than being born at 22 weeks, so I'm happy.  However, I was not happy to learn that I will have to have this same surgery for every future pregnancy, which gives me serious hesitation regarding ever reproducing again.  All of this affects our future and family planning, and we're still adjusting to this new reality.  Despite all the surgery shenanigans, this whole thing has been much more difficult mentally than physically, and I'm still processing it all.  Thanks to those who knew this was going on for the support and encouragement that came in the form of food, emails, flowers, texts, etc.  Our baby is alive, and is on track for a full and healthy life, so right now I'm just focusing on that.     

8. A WELCOME VISIT CAME FROM SOUTH BEND

 My friend and former neighbor from South Bend was in town, and I was able to catch up with her over lunch.  It was soo good to see her, and to remember that I really do have friends, even if they all live on the other side of the country.  Obviously I am still suffering from homesickness, and would appreciate it if my friends would stop having lives of their own and come follow Mike and I wherever we move to and keep me company.  Cambria (and all my other SB homies) if you're reading this, I MISS YOU DESPERATELY!!! 

9. MELISSA GOT INTO GREEN SMOOTHIES

 Lisa is to thank for this new obsession.  I've never liked veggies, and usually have to trick myself into eating them.  I've tried green smoothies before and didn't really like them.  But I like Lisa's green smoothies, and thanks to her genius I have consumed more bananas, strawberries, blueberries, spinach, cucumbers, peaches, mangoes, and pineapples than ever before in my life.  My antioxidant levels thank you, Leese.

10. MIKE PASSED THE BAR
 That's right, Mike passed!  CONGRATULATIONS, HOT BUNS!!!!  I am both thrilled and not-at-all surprised.  It was a long summer of Barbri reviews and flashcards, but it all paid off.  You did it!   All hail the esquire. 

And thus the summer ended.