As Roberto and I were making out plans to move to Honduras and teach together, something unexpected happened. I got pregnant. Kids were certainly in the plan for our marriage, just not quite yet. Even so, we're both incredibly excited about being parents.
However, being due in January and knowing that the salary provided by the school is minimal led us to make the decision to stay in Nicaragua and build up our family. Roberto is still working for a call center as he waits for his degree to arrive so he can start looking for teaching positions, and I'm doing freelance writing again.
We've been living with his family, who have been more than generous in so many ways. One such way is that they gave us part of their small property so we could build our own home. I got to make the design which was a TON of fun, and phase one is nearing completion! We had enough money saved for the first floor, and are now working on how to pay for the second floor.
There have been a lot of adjustments for both of us, and this transition has been hard, but once the struggles are over, it's going to be worth it. For me, it's been hard learning how to be a wife, especially as I was struggling with morning sickness for a couple months which left me feeling helpless and incapable of doing anything. For Roberto, he's been juggling more responsibilities than ever: working two jobs, overseeing the construction on the house, and taking care of everything around the house.
As I enter into my second trimester and as the construction draws near to an end, things are getting better. I can finally eat without throwing up and can walk around without feeling like I'm going to faint. Roberto has a new schedule which leaves him less time for running construction errands, but more time to relax in the evenings.
My initial goal with this blog was to share my experiences as a missionary, and that goal has now only slightly changed. Although I had a hard time adjusting to the idea of not being a missionary anymore, I now realize that the call on my life has not changed, and that I have been given the greatest mission yet: motherhood.
Now as my child grows within me, I prepare for the arrival with the understanding that being a parent is an enormous responsibility and honor. It is I who will teach my child to put the Lord first in all things. It is I who will teach them how to act in a way that is honoring to God. It is I who will teach them how to love and how to treat others with respect.
Of course I recognize that this responsibility does not fall completely on me and I am blessed with a husband who will be my partner in this, but if I allow myself to get complacent and expect Roberto to pick up the slack, I have failed as a wife and as a mother. God has entrusted this little one to me, and with His help, I will persevere.
Please be praying:
- For the continued health of myself and my baby.
- For our marriage, that our struggles would continue to bring us closer to God and to each other rather than tearing us apart.
- For our finances as we work to finish building our home and provide for our baby. Specifically that Roberto is able to find a good-paying job in his field and that I am able to find good-paying steady writing work.
