How Buckley Shumpert Came to Be, etc...

Dave and his mother - enthusiastically discussing Schumpert's name in the Czech Republic.

20 weeks pregnant!



17 weeks pregnant, dancing at our good friends Jessi and Dalan's wedding in Oct.

Well, as most of you probably know, Dave and I are expecting a baby. Yes, after 4 years of marriage and 8 years total of being together, we decided it was time to give this whole parenting thing a try. I am very thankful for the alone time we have had together, though -- getting to know each other so well, having wonderful opportunities to travel together, and making many wonderful memories together.

I am halfway through the pregnancy - 20 weeks to be exact. The first 16 weeks of pregnancy was horrid. Seriously. I had my "sick pants" on for nearly the whole time. We were in Europe for three weeks during this time and although I had a good time, I didn't really feel like doing much other than sleeping and visiting with friends and family while there. I wasn't interested in seeing the sights or even experiencing the culture much, which is not like me at all! Luckily I was feeling pretty good the night of my wonderful friend Melanie's wedding. When we arrived back home, I was worried about teaching and being so sick, with good reason. Although I did have plenty of "spewing" episodes (I love that word, it was a spelling word for my third grade students a couple months ago and it has become somewhat of a class joke) at school, I was able to get through it by learning little tricks to make it tolerable.

Dave and I kept hearing the word "Schumpert" while we were in Czech and thought it was funny, so we decided to name the fetus Schumpert. My reasoning behind this was that if this baby was going to be torturing me physically, I thought we could torture it with this name - at least until it's out of the womb. Really Schumpert, Really? When we got back, my sickness amplified itself, so we added the name Buckley. Buckley Shumpert. This baby is just lucky I am forgiving and won't be sticking with that name for the birth certificate. Though be careful Buckley Schumpert, if you are an incessant crier, the name may rear it's ugly head from time to time.

Sparing the details of all the other bizarre pregnancy symptoms, I will fast forward to the more exciting part. I have an ultrasound on Monday, Nov. 10th, where we will get to find out if we're having a girl or a boy. I always thought I would be able to wait, but no, it's either a surprise now or a surprise at birth. I need a surprise NOW!

Once that surprise has sunken in, we can start praying that Buckley Schumpert doesn't come out wearing grumpy pants, whiney pants, screaming pants, or any other type of unpleasant pants.